AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations CONTINUED UPON The fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth Chapters of the Book of JOB: BEING The Sum of twenty three Lectures, delivered at Magnus near the Bridge, LONDON. By JOSEPH CARYL, Preacher of the Word, and Pastor of the Congregation there. JAMES, CHAP. 1. VERS. 12. Blessed is the Man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons, and are to be sold by Thomas Eglesfeild at the Marigold, and at the Brazen Serpent in Paul's Churchyard, 1650. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, TO THOSE ESPECIALLY OF THIS City, who have been the movers, and continue the Promoters of this WORK. SOLOMON, who made Many Books, tells us (toward the end of one of them, Eccl. 12.12.) That, of making many Books there is no end, and, that much study is a weariness to the flesh. But while Solomon speaks thus, doth he not at once blot those many Books which himself had written, and discourage others from writing any more? Though study be a weariness to the flesh, yet ('tis granted) that's not sufficient reason why we should desist (the flesh must be wearied and hard wrought, 'tis good it should be so) But there's no colour of reason, why we should begin that, which either cannot be finished and brought to an end or which is to no end, when 'tis brought to an end, and finished. How then saith Solomon, that of making many Books there is no end? His scope clears this scruple; for, having read his Son a Lecture upon the vanity of the Creature, and having given him many excellent advices, for the due steering of his course through this World, he applies all in the former part of this Verse, And further by these, my Son, be admonished. Let what is now written take upon thy heart, and be accepted with thee. For (Vers. 10.) The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. Again (Vers. 11.) The words of the Wise are as Goads, and as Nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies, which are given from one Shepherd: Therefore, let these words, like Goads, put thee on, and like Nails, fasten thee to the obedience of my counsels; By these, my Son, be admonished: As if he had said, Let not this Book, which discovers the vanity of all worldly things, be itself accounted vain; If this Book prevail not with thee, if it master not thy judgement, and manage not thy affections, 'tis to no end for me to make many Books; seeing this is clothed with as much completeness of rule to direct, as a Book, of this Argument can be, and is stamped with as much strength of Authority to command, as any Book of any Argument, can be: And further, why shouldest thou, my Son, put me to the making of many Books? What if I could make many with as much ease to my own spirit, as I have made this one, which was given me in immediately by the spirit? yet thou canst not study (or as we put in the Margin, read) many Books without weariness to thy flesh. So then, though Solomon might have just had ground to put the affectation both of writing and reading many Books, upon the file of his observed vanities; yet he doth not disoblige from the study of necessary and serious Books; nor at all condemn those many Monuments of profitable learning, which industrious Pens have in any Age bequeathed to Posterity. He indeed (which yet is but a second design, if it be at all the design of that place) takes us off from vain studies, and censures those Books (be they few as well as many) which have no tendency to make any man, either the wiser, or the better by reading them. Nor can those Books how many soever they are, be (to their disparagement) called Many, which centre in, and promote (what is but one in every kind) any kind of Truth, chiefly that, which we call Divine, or Holy Truth. Any One useless, or erroneous Book is too many: Many useful and Orthodox Books are but One. The five Books of Moses are but One Law: The four Books of the Birth, Life, and Death, of our ever blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ, are but One Gospel: All the Books of both Testaments are but one Book. Upon which account we may also say, that, All those many and many Books which faithfully interpret That one Book are but one Book. And though of making many such Books, there should (as I conceive there will) be no end, till this World ends, as End is taken for a ceasing to make them; yet of making many such Books there is an end, yea many noble ends, as End is taken for the good, or benefit which comes by making them. The making of such Books is good, and a benefit to the Reader, as communicating to him those manifestations of the spirit which are given to every man (to whom they are given) to profit withal: The word (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) there used by the Apostle, signifies such a profit as streameth out to community. The making of such Books is also good, and a benefit to the Maker, as being an improvement of his Time and Talents, to his own peace and his Master's glory. 'Tis reward beyond all the World can give, for any work, that God hath glory, and man peace, in doing it. As this small piece of work is directed to these last mentioned ends, and (as it ought) principally to the first of them; so, that it may reach the former, by adding a Mite or two to the Treasury of the Readers knowledge in the best things, and by being his encouragement, to walk in the best ways, is the hope and prayer, and the reaching of it, will be indeed, a very rich reward and payment of, Your affectionate Friend, and Servant in this Work of the Lord, Joseph Caryl. May, 22. 1650. AN EXPOSITION Upon the Fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth Chapters of the Book of JOB. JOB, Chap. 15. Vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? And fill his belly with the East wind? Should be reason with unprofitable talk? Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: Yea, thine own lips testify against thee. WE are come to the second Session of this great dispute, between Job and his three Friends; they have all spoken one turn, and now they return to speak: Eliphaz who led the first charge, leads the second, and that with a very violent march, against this sorrowful man. Yet we are not to conceive Eliphaz upon any design, to revile his person, or to vex his spirit: That were most unsuitable in any Friend, much more (such we suppose Eliphaz to have been) in a godly friend: Non malidicendi studio ferebatur, quod abono viro prorsus alienum esset. Pined. Charity suggests a fairer interpretation of this procedure, that he spoke thus harshly, and dealt thus roughly, being moved by some unwary passages in Jobs discourse, not well understood or misapplyed. At which stone how many stumble at this day! First, misconceiving, and then censuring their Brethren; being first offended without any just cause given, and then giving just cause of offence. Had we once learned to expound each others actions, speeches, and opinions, by the rules of Charity, we should not so often, no nor at all break the Laws of Love. We shall make a good improvement of this failing in Jobs Friend, if it may be our warning (in dealing) to deal better with our Friends. There are three parts of this Speech; in the first, Eliphaz appears by way of reproof, and reprehension, which extends itself from the beginning of the Chapter, to the end of the thirteenth Verse; and he reproves Job upon five points of error, or misbehaviour, of all which he conceived him guilty. First, He reproves him of folly, or for speaking that which was unworthy a wise man, in the second and third Verses, Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? etc. Secondly, He reproves him of profaneness, or for doing that which was unworthy a godly man, at the fourth Verse, Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. The sum of both is, Thou speakest unwisely, and thou actest wickedly: which he takes for so plain a charge, that he makes him his own accuser, as if there needed no evidence but his conscience, though he had (as Eliphaz mis-judged) daubed up the matter with fair words, and colourable pretences (Vers. 5, 6.) Thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity: Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee. Thirdly, He reproves him of pride, and arrogance, of self-conceit, and overweening his own parts, and positions (Vers. 7, 8, 9, 10.) Art thou the first man that was borne, or wast thou made before the Hills, etc. As if he had said, Thou carriest it, as if thou hadst engrossed all wisdom, as if thou hadst more knowledge and understanding, more learning and experience, than any man; yea then all men living. Fourthly, he reproves him, for slighting, and undervaluing the counsels, and the comforts tendered to him by his Friends, at the 11. Verse, Are the consolations of God small with thee? Fifthly, he reproves him for his confident sticking, or adhering to his own principles, at the 12. and 13. Verses, Why doth thy heart carry thee away, etc. Thus he reproves his morals in the first part of his discourse. In the second, he confutes his Doctrinals, or that which he supposed Job had asserted; sc. His own purity and perfections (Vers. 14, 15, 16.) What is man that he should be clean? Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints, etc. In the third place, he labours to maintain his own assertion, that God doth afflict none but wicked men, Who ever perished being innocent, or where were the righteous cut off: Eliphaz asseruisset tantum malos hic a Domino affligi, idem ille nunc sed apertius ostendit, Merc. Chap. 4.7. This he doth both by the authority of the Learned, and from the experiences of the Ancient, Vers. 17. to the end of the Chapter; I will show thee, hear me, and that which I have seen I will declare; which wise men have told from their Fathers, and have not hid it, etc. These are the parts, and this the resolution of the whole Chapter. Vers. 1. Then answared Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: Then; that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excipiens, Sept. Quilibet pro suis socijs velut in solidum respondet, ut nunc patet. Sopharis enim defensionem contra. Jobum assumit Eliphaz. Bold. when Job had made an end of answering Zophar, than Eliphaz answered or replied upon Job. That's properly a replication which takes off the answer given to a former Argument; and in this Eliphaz also makes a defence for his Brethren Zophar, and Bildad. These three stood to one another, as much as any one of them did for himself; as if they had all entered Bond, and given security for reciprocal assistance. Thus the dispute grows hot, but still 'tis orderly, according to that Apostolical Canon, (1 Cor. 14.29.) Let the Prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. Eliphaz is now up, let us consider what he saith. Vers. 2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? The question denies; he should not: No man should, least of all he. The wise man is here opposed to the crafty man, at the 5. Verse. There is a wide difference between wisdom and craft, between prudence and cunning; A crafty man knoweth what is good, but he commonly doth what is evil; he is able to see the right, but if it be not for his turn, he turns from it, and cares not to do wrong: A wise man is he that knoweth how to distinguish between good and evil, and ever aims to act what is good; his understanding is well enlightened, and his conscience binds him to follow the light of his understanding; as he can see what is just and right, so he cannot but embrace and do it. A wise, man in Scripture-language, is a holy man, and a fool, is a wicked man; holiness is the best wisdom, and wickedness is the worst of folly: Eliphaz seems to admit Jobs challenge of being a wise, man, that he might check him with more advantage for speaking so unlike one: As if he had said, Should a moral wise man, much more a spiritual wise man, should he that is, or pretends to be thus wise (as thou dost, should he) utter vain knowledge? Job at the 12. Chapter of this Book, Vers. 2.3.4. objected ignorance, or but popular knowledge to his Friends; I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you, who knoweth not such things as these? as if he had said; You think yourselves among knowing men, the highest in knowledge; but who knoweth not such things as these? Eliphaz turns it here upon Job, by the way of recrimination or counter-charge, he brings in a cross Bill: Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? Thou dost arrogate to thyself the reputation of a wise man, but art thou wise, who speakest at such a rate of folly? The Image of thy mind is stamped upon thy words, it may be seen as well as heard what thou art, by what thou speakest. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scientiam venti vel ventosam i. e. vanam. Numquid sapiens respondebit scientiam venti, vel scientiam ventosam. Merc. Numquid sapiens respondebit quasi in ventum loquens. Vulg. Vain knowledge. The letter of the Hebrew is knowledge of wind, or windy knowledge: The Metaphor is elegant; vain knowledge is justly called windy knowledge; Vain knowledge makes a great bluster, and noise, like the wind, but it passeth away, and though we cannot tell whither it goes, yet we may easily tell whence it comes, even from the fancy, and out of the mouth of a foolish man. It was usual of old, to call that which is vain, windy; those despisers of holy counsels, and Divine Alarms, given by the Prophets, said, The Prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them, Jer. 5.13. That is, both the Doctrine and the threats which these Prophets utter, are vain and ineffectual; they will do us neither good nor evil; no man's finger shall ache, though their tongues ache with talking. The Prophet Hosea at once reproves and terrisies the Jews in this language, They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind (Hos. 8.7.) To sow the wind, is to do a vain thing; our actions are as seed: such as we sow, such shall we reap; they sowed sin, and they reaped trouble. Themselves sowed the wind by what they did, and they thought the Prophets sowed the wind in what they spoke: And indeed the words of the Prophet were wind as the people's works were, in reference to the issue; those produced a whirlwind to scatter their contemners, as these did to scatter their actors. The old Satirist calls vain words, bubly toys, Bullatas nugas utpote similes bullis vento plenis, Pers. Sat. 5. because such words are like a bubble, full of wind (possibly full of wit) but empty of wisdom and good instruction. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? The Scripture calls that vain: First, which is unprofitable, these mutually expound each other, Eccles. 1.2, 3. Vanity of vanity, saith the Preacher, etc. What profit hath a man of all the labour which he taketh under the Sun. There's most vanity, where there is least profit, and where there is no profit at all, there is nothing at all but vanity. Turn not aside from following the Lord (saith Samuel) for then should you go after vain things which cannot profit, 1 Sam. 12.20, 21. Secondly, the Scripture calls that and those vain, which hath or have no solidity in them; vanity hath so little weight in it, that when the Spirit would express men who have no weight in them, he saith, They are lighter than vanity, Psalm. 62.9. Thirdly, the Scripture calls that vain which is always moving, varying, and unsettled, (Psal. 144.4.) Man is like to vanity, his days are as a shadow that passeth away: He is therefore like to vanity, because he is so like a shadow, continually passing, but never continuing. Fourthly, the Scripture often calls that vain which is sinful in practice, or unsound and erroneous in opinion, I hate vain inventions (saith David) but thy Law do I love. Whatsoever opposes either truth of Doctrine, or purity of Worship is a vain invention of man, and opposite to the Law of God; he utters vain knowledge, who utters false Principles which subvert the Faith, or superstitious forms which endanger the life and power of godliness. Eliphaz supposed, that somewhat of vanity in all these notions, was rallyed together into the discourse of Job, that it was light and frothy, that it was erroneous and full of incongruity, especially (which carries all these in it) that it was worthless and unprofitable to the receiver, as he expresseth in the third Verse, Should he reason with unprofitable talk? Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? Hence observe: There is a vanity in some kind of knowledge, and folly in that which not a few call wisdom: It hath been the business of some men's knowledge, to find out a vanity in all sorts of knowledge. Eliphaz spoke well for the matter, though ill to the man. Job did not utter vain knowledge, but, we know, too many do. The old Gentiles waxed vain in their imaginations, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, vani facti sunt in ratiocinationibus suis, Baz. their very reasonings were vain; so the Original word tells us: It was not their fancy but their understanding which was vain. The Apostle cautions the Colossians, Let no man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit (Col. 2.8.) Philosophy in itself is an excellent knowledge, yet it may be vainly taught, and so deceive us, as to spoil us: I may say also, let no man spoil you through Divinity and vain deceit. Divinity, which is in itself the most excellent knowledge, the knowledge of God, may be vainly taught, and so deceive us, as to spoil us: That knowledge which is best in itself, is vainest to us, when it is unduly or falsely uttered. Secondly, observe, It is most uncomely for those, who either have, or would have the reputation of wisdom, to speak vainly; Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? 'Tis no wonder to hear a vain man speak vainly, and for a fool to utter folly. Do men gather Grapes of thorns, or Figgs of thistles? The vile person will speak villainy, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord (Isa. 32.6.) If a fool, a vain man, or a vile person, speak thus, he speaks like himself, but if a wise, or a good man speak thus, he speaks so unlike himself, that the Chaldee Paraphrase puts not only an undecensie, but an impossibility upon it, Can a wise man utter vain knowledge? It is impossible. Estne possibile, etc. Chald. Paraph. Men act according to their principles; every thing is in working, as it is in being; if there be wisdom in the heart, it will be heard at the tongue: A wholesome Fountain will send out wholesome waters; He that is borne of God (saith the Apostle John, 1 Epist. 3.9.) cannot sinne; though he hath not a natural impossibility to sin, Sapiens ad mensuram sermones profert libra examinatos justitiae, ut sit gravitas in sensu, in sermone pondus in verbis modus. Ambros. l. 1. Offic. c, 3. yet he hath a moral impossibility to sin, because the seed of God remaineth in him, the frame and bent of his heart is set another way: Now, as there is a moral impossibility that a godly man should commit sin, so that a wise man should speak sin, or utter vain knowledge. A wise man speaks, as well as acts, by measure; he weighs what he saith, as much as what he doth; the tongue of the wise is as a Tree of life: Grace in the heart blossoms at the lips, in savoury words, which minister grace unto the hearers. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? And fill his belly with the East wind? A belly full of windy meat is bad enough, a belly full of wind is fare worse: But what is here meant by the belly, what by the East-wind? The belly is put for the heart and affections, together with all the intellectual powers of the mind, John 7.38. Out of his belly (that is, out of his whole soul) shall flow Rivers of living water. This water is the holy spirit; the holy spirit is sometimes compared also to the wind. Venture pro cord, cor pro intellectu & ment accipitur in Scriptura. A wise man should desire that his heart may be filled, with the sweet gales and holy breathe of the spirit of God, by heavenly inspirations: And shall he fill his heart with the East-wind of earthly passions? The word which we translate East wind, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab. Mardoch. Observat hunc ventum a Graecis appellari Ape●●oren quod a sole spiret atque eadem ratione appellatur a Latinis subsolanum. signifies only the East; Should he fill his belly with the East, we rightly add the East wind; he compares Jobs passions unto the wind, and unto the East wind; to the wind, because of the vanity of them, to the East wind, because of the hurtfulness of them. For, as by wind in the former clause he means worthless things, so by East wind in this he means dangerous things. There are two reasons why he expresses such inward motions by the East wind. First, The East wind is a vehement and strong wind; we read Exod. 14.21. Portae Eurum Appellans truculemum, rapidum, animosum, tumidum & indomitum. that when God divided the Red Sea, to make a passage for his people, he caused an East wind to blow all night, and divided the Sea with the force of it. Poets describe the East wind to be fierce, heady, turbulent, and impetuous, that's one ground of it. Secondly, The East wind is observed by Naturalists to be a hot and fiery wind; Ardore. Hence the Vulgar translates, Thou fillest thy belly with heat: The East wind parcheth and blasteth Corn and Fruits. Pharaoh beheld in his Dream seven ears withered, Sub calidi & aestuantis aeris similitudine sermones ejus exspaeratos & excandescentia plenos describit. thin, and blasted with the East wind (Gen. 41.23.) So then, under this notion of the East wind. Eliphaz closely censures Job; First, that his thoughts were violent, and impetuous: Secondly, that they were angry, fiery, furious; as if coals were kindled in his bosom, and a flame ready to blaze at his lips: As if like Paul, while Saul (Acts 9.1.) he breathed out threaten and slaughter, or was inwardly heated with resolutions of revenge. The Prophet Jeremy saith, The Word of God was as a fire in his bosom, and he could not refrain: Jobo attribuit vanitatem in sententia, tempestatem in affectu, imbecillitatem in argumento. superfluitatem in verbis. Coc. Many a man's breast is like a heated Oven, he is ready to consume all with the breath of it. But why doth Eliphaz charge Job with such unruly perturbations? Some assign the reason from those words, Chap. 14. v. 14. where he desires that God would even hid him in the grave; he was so vexed and troubled at the state wherein he lived, that he preferred death before it, and thought a not being in the World, better than a being in his condition. But we may rather leave the reason more at large, to all that vehemency of spirit, with which Job had prosecuted and pleaded his sorrowful case. From the scope of Eliphaz in this part of his reproof, we may observe: First, That violent passions are the disguise of a wise man. We cannot see who he is, while he acts unlike himself: anger lodgeth in the bosom of fools; and when it doth but intrude into the bosom of a wise man, he (for the time) looks like a fool. Secondly, Passions in the mind are like a tempest in the air, they disturb others much, but ourselves more: Many a man (like a Ship at Sea) hath been overset and sunk with the violent gusts and whirle-whinds of his own Spirit. Observe thirdly, He that fills his own mind with passionate thoughts, will soon fill the ears of others with unprofitable words; this is clear from that which goeth before, He utters vain knowledge; and it is clearer from that which follows after; when a man's thoughts are like a wind, his words (which are the first borne of his thoughts) must needs be windy. A passionate man speaks all in passion, and sometimes cannot speak at all for passion; his extreme desire to say much stops him from saying any thing: But whatsoever he saith, is the copy of his present self, fierce and boisterous. The image and superscription of our hearts is stamped upon our words. Some can speak better than they are, but usually men speak according to what they are, and then especially when they are (which passionate men always are) not themselves. Thus it follows in the next Verse. Vers. 3. Should he reason with unprofitable talk? Eliphaz speaks all Interrogatories; and these speak him in anger, if not in some distemper. Should he do this? and should he do that? do show that either another hath very much done, what he should not, or that he who reproves him hath not such a spirit of meekness, as a reprover should, Gal. 6.1. The words show the effect of what he taxed him with before; as if he had said, Cum interrogatione & stomacho legenda sunt haec. Merc. Would you know what to expect from a passionate man, from a man whose belly is filled with the East-wind? You shall have him shortly filling your ears with an East wind, even reasoning with unprofitable words: And (as the next clause gives it, which is only an exposition of this) with speeches wherewith he can do no good: Some words are great doers, they do much hurt, or they do much good, and those words usually do some hurt, which can do no good; yea, that which is weak and unable to do good, may be strong and powerful to do evil. However, not to do good is to do evil, because it is every man's duty, whatsoever he doth, to be doing good: Here Eliphaz reproves Jobs words as evil, while he only saith, they do no good. And yet he saith somewhat more than that, for he saith, They can do no good: It is ill not to do good actually, but not to have a possibility of doing good is fare worse. When the Apostle would say his worst of the best of man's sinful flesh, he doth not only say, It is not subject to the Law of God, but adds, Neither indeed can be (Rom. 8.7.) So here, Words wherewith a man can do no good, how bad are they? Hence observe: First, That which can do no good, should not be spoken: Before we speak a word, we should ask this question, to what purpose, Cui bono. to what profit is it? shall he that hears it be made more knowing, or more holy by it? Observe secondly, Unprofitable talk is sinful, and speeches which do no good, are evil: Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgement, Matth. 12.37. and though a man be very busy, and take much pains in speaking, yet if his words be unprofitable, and his speeches such as can do no good, they will come under account as idle. Now, if unprofitable talk be sinful, and speeches that can do no good, than what is profane talk, and speeches which do hurt, (infection gets quickly in at the ear) defiling the mind and corrupting the manners of those that hear them. The Apostle gives us the rule of speaking, both in the negative and in the affirmative (Ephes. 4.29.) Let no corrupt communications proceed out of your mouths, but that which is good to the use of edifying, which may administer grace to the hearer. Again, (Colos. 4.6.) Let your speeches be always with grace; that is, such as testifieth that there is grace in your heart, never speak a word but such as may stand with grace; yea, speak such words as may be a witness of grace, wrought in yourselves, and a means of working grace in others. Let your words be seasoned with salt; the salt of our words, is holiness, and truth; prudence also is the salt of words; good words, and true, spoken unseasonably, may do hurt: Prudence teaches us the time when and the manner how to answer every man. Belial ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod in hiphil significat prodesse; ut denotet inutilem, qui nec sibi, nec alijs prodest. Thirdly observe, It is matter of just reproof against every man to be unprofitable, and to do no good: Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire, (Matth. 3.10.) Some conceive that the word Belial comes from Beli, which in Hebrew signifies Not, and the word Jagnal, which here in the Text signifies to do good: Because a Belialist, or a Son of Belial is such a one as neither doth good to himself nor to any other. The unprofitable Servant who hid, and did not improve his Talon, shall be condemned: And he who uses his talon unprofitably and vainly, shall not escape: Should he reason with unprofitable talk? Thus fare we have seen Eliphaz reproving Job of folly in speaking unlike, and below a wise man; he proceeds to reprove him for acting unlike, and below a godly man: This he sets home with a particle of aggravation. Vers. 4. Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest Prayer before God. As if he had said, besides, or above all this, that thou hast uttered vain knowledge, words that cannot profit, thou hast also cast off the fear of God, etc. The word which we translate to cast off, signifies to make void, to scatter, to dissolve, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labefactasti, irritum fecisti, dissolvisti, fregisti, to break in pieces; to make as nothing, or to make nothing of. It is often used in Scripture, for breaking the Commandments of God, employing such a breach as makes the Commandments void, which is the proper character of an evil heart; A godly man may sin against the Commandments, but a wicked man would sinne away the Commandments; he would repeal the Law of God, and enact his own lusts: Such is the force of the word here, Thou castest off fear. There is a natural fear, and a spiritual fear; we are not to understand this Text of a natural fear (which is a trouble of spirit, arising upon the apprehension of some approaching evil) but of a spiritual: Fear is here put alone, but we are to take it with its best adjunct, the fear of God; for as the word sometimes is put alone, to signify the word of God, as if there were no word but his; and as the word Commandments is put alone, to note the Commandments of God, as if no Commandments deserved the name, but only the Commandments of God, so fear is put alone, by way of excellency, for the fear of God; as importing, that his fear is excellent, and no fear to be desired but his. This Divine fear comes under a double notion: First, it is taken for the holy awe or reverence we bear to God in our spirits, which is the worship of the first Commandment, and the sanctifying of God in our hearts. Secondly, For the outward acts of Religion, which is the worship of the second Commandment, Their fear is taught by the precepts of men (Isa. 29.13.) that is, their outward worship and Religion, is such as men have invented, not such as God hath appointed: Some take it here in the first sense only, thou castest off fear; that is, thou castest off that awe, reverence, and regard thou owest to the Name of God; others understand it in the second, Thou castest off fear; that is, the outward worship and service of God: but I conceive we have that expressed in the next clause, Timor hoc loco pro reverentia & tremore, potius quam pro religione & cultu, licet utrumque cohaereat. Pined. And restrainest prayer before God; there he taxeth him with neglect of outward worship, and here with neglect of inward, Thou casteth off fear; fear is as the bridle of the soul; fear holds us in compass, it is the bank to the Sea; fear keeps in the overflowing of sin, Thou casteth off fear. But what cause had Job given Eliphaz to charge him with casting off the fear of the Lord; we find Eliphaz touching upon this point before, and upbraiding Job, (Chap. 4.6.) Is this thy fear? Nullo pudore locutus es coram Deo. Symmach. Is this thy confidence? As if he had said, Is all thy profession come to this; here he chargeth him expressly, thou hast cast off fear; Job had not given him any just cause to speak or think thus hardly of him; but Eliphaz might possibly ground this accusation, upon those words (Chap. 9 v. 23.) This is one thing, therefore I said it, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked, etc. Which Eliphaz did interpret as a casting off the fear of God; hath he awful and reverend thoughts of God, who affirmeth, that God laugheth at the afflictions and trials of his people? Again, Chap. 12.6. The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, into whose hands God bringeth abundantly: Hath not this man cast off all fear of God, who dares say, the wicked prosper, and are secure? Is God become a friend to those that profess themselves enemies to him? Others refer the ground of this to Chap. 13.21, 22. where he seems to speak boldly, and as some have taxed him, impudently, Do not two things to me, withdraw thy hand from me, etc. Then call thou, and I will answer, or let me speak, and answer thou me: Hence Eliphaz concludes, surely the man hath cast off the fear of God; he speaks to God as if he were God's fellow, Speak thou and I will answer, or let me speak, and answer thou me; are these words becoming the great God of Heaven and Earth; art not thou grown over bold with God, dost thou speak as becomes the distance, that is between the Creator, and the Creature? the Greek translates to this sense, Thou speakest to God without any modesty, thou hast put on a brazen face, and hardened thy heart against the fear of the Almighty. These shows of a ground Eliphaz might take, but Job had given him no real ground to pronounce this heavy censure, Thou castest off fear: But passing by the rigid hypothesis of Eliphaz, we may from his words, as they are a Thesis, observe, That to cast off the fear of God is highest wickedness; to cast off the fear of God is the beginning of wickedness, as to entertain The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom; the word, here used, signifieth not only the beginning but the top, the chief, the head and highest perfection of a thing: the fear of God is both first and last, the beginning and end of holiness. To fear God, and keep his Commandments, is all man in goodness, to cast off the fear of God, is all man in sinfulness: the beginning and end of wickedness; It is ill not to have the fear of God, but it is fare worse to cast of the fear of God; it is ill not to choose the fear of God (Prov. 1.29.) but to reject the fear of the Lord that is desperate; if once fear be cast off, all wickedness is let in; at the same door, at which the fear of the Lord goes out, any sin may enter: As Abraham said, The fear of God is not in this place, and they will kill me for my Wife's sake; they have no impediment of lust to cast off, who have once cast off the fear of God. And as they who cast off this fear are ready to do or say any thing that's evil; so they are unready to do or say any thing that is good; as they have no restraint upon them from iniquity, so they can easily restrain themselves from duty: The next words show this. Thou restrainest prayer before him: Prayer is a principal part of the outward worship of God, and is both here and elsewhere put for the whole outward worship of God. The word signifies also, meditation, musing, or thinking: Detrahis confabulationem cum Deo. Jun. So some render here, Thou takest off conference with God; thou wast wont to keep continual correspondence with Heaven, and maintain a sweet humble familiarity with God by holy meditation, but now thou art like a stranger and comest not at him. But whether we translate the word by Prayer, or Meditation, the sense is the same; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditatio, loquela, etiam oratio. for praying is speaking to God; yea an arguing and pleading with God: And so 'tis used in the Titles of the 102. and 142. Psalms. The word which we render to restrain, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat, 1. prohibere, 2. diminuere. Non est intelligendum quasi arguatur Job, quod remiserit vel prohibuerit orandi studium: sed potius è contra, quod multiloquio, vel battologia usus erat. Bold. Hoc est vitium dictum a Theophrasto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & proprie a Graecit dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minutiloquium. Minuere stillas aquarum, est minutissimas frequentissimasque pluviae guttas mittere. signifies two things; First, to withdraw or stop; Secondly to lessen and diminish, Jer. 48.37. Every beard clipped or diminished: we may take it in both senses here, as reproving Job either for a total forbearance, and throwing up the duty of Prayer, or for shortening and abating it; Yet there is an opinion that Job is not here charged for lessening or abating, but for lengthening and increasing Prayer; Thou castest off fear, and multiplyest Prayer: The Hebrew word notes the cutting or dividing of a thing into small pieces or portions; which is indeed to multiply it, and to make it, though not more in bulk, yet more in number, Job 36.27. Thou makest small the drops of rain; that is, thou multiplyest the drops of rain; so here, thou makest small thy Prayers, as so many drops of rain, thou hast never done dropping Prayers; thou dost mince thy supplications, or cut them out into many small shreads, as if thou didst hope to be heard for thy much speaking: Such were the silly devotions of the old superstitious Gentiles, which the hypocritical Pharisees imitated, and were therefore reproved by Christ, under the name of vain repetitions (Matth. 6.7) Of which fault a learned Interpreter, judges Eliphaz, reproving Job in this place But I rather keep to our own Translation, Thou restrainest Prayer. Here again it may be questioned, What cause had Eliphaz to charge Job with restraining prayer? The Jewish Writers say, it was because he denied Providence, Hebraei ad id referunt, quod putant Jobum Dei providentiam negasse, quod nos non putamus. Mer. q d. ista tua assertio & doctrina, quod mala & supplicia eveniant bonis & justis tollit religionem & publicum divini numinis cultum. and so by consequence Prayer; for if God do not order the affairs of the World, the afflictions and deliverances of his people, why should we pray to him about them? Others refer it not to his denial of Providence, but to that which Eliphaz supposed a fundamental error against the Doctrine of Providence, That God destroyeth the righteous and the wicked; That he laughs at the trial of the innocent. Now will any innocent man pray to God in his affliction, when he is told that God laughs at his affliction? Will any righteous man call upon God for help, when he is taught that God destroyeth the righteous? Who would serve a Master who gives such wages, and pays those that honour him with disgrace, yea with destruction? So that Job is charged with restraining Prayer according to this answer to the question, not because he totally forbore prayer himself, or persuaded others to forbear it; but because Jobs assertions were such as might yield those consequences, and cause many to suspend Prayer, or give over calling upon the Name of God in the day of trouble. We may be charged to say or do that, which flows from what we do or say, though we neither say nor do the thing itself. Many are guilty of those errors consequentially, which yet they never affirmed thetically or directly. We may be so fare from asserting, that we may professedly abhor an opinion which yet lieth secretly under some of our assertions. We say justly, That the Pope is Antichrist, and that pure Popery is Antichristianisme; yet the Pope doth not deny Christ, for the Pope thinks himself Christ's Vicar upon earth, and therefore must needs acknowledge him to be come in the flesh, yet by consequence, the Pope is an opposer both of the Person and Offices of Christ, and popish Doctrine fights against the truth of Christ. As profane men Profess they know God, yet in their works they deny him (Tit. 1.16.) So many erroneous persons profess they love and honour those holy truths and spiritual duties, which by consequences they indeed deny, as Eliphaz (though unduly) supposed Job had done, the duty of Prayer. Thou restrainest prayer before God. Taking the words abstractly, they yield us this useful observation, That it is an argument of an evil heart, to shorten, Hic proponitur tanquam ingens piaculum quod homo afflictus remittat orandi studium. or restrain, to lessen, or to give off Prayer in times of trouble. That King spoke to the height of profaneness, when he said (2 Kings 6.) This evil is of the Lord, and why should I wait on the Lord any longer? When we have done waiting, we have done praying. No man will ask for that which he doth not expect to receive. How long so ever affliction lasteth, so long prayer-season lasteth; if the Winter day of our trouble, be a Summer day in length, if it be continued many days, yea many months, and years, prayer should continue (Psal. 50.15.) Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear, and thou shalt glorify me; Let the day of trouble be short or long, God looks to hear of us all that day. Is any afflicted let him pray, saith the Apostle James; it is a duty to pray, when we are not afflicted, when we prosper in the World: But is any man afflicted, then is a special season for prayer. A sincere heart prays always, or continues in prayer; an hypocrite never loves to pray, and at two seasons he will restrain, or lay aside prayer: First, when he is got out, or thinks he hath prayed himself out of affliction. Prosperity and worldly fullness stop the mouth of prayer, and he hath no more to say to God, when he hath received much from God. Secondly, a Hypocrite restrains prayer, when he perceives he hath got nothing by prayer; he sees he cannot, or fears he shall not get out of trouble, and therefore he will pray no more in trouble; his spirit fails, because his afflictions hold out. Upon which soever of these two grounds, the Hypocrite restrains prayer, he shows the wickedness of his heart. If from the former, he shows, that he bears no true love to God; if from the latter, he shows that he hath no true faith in God, or dares not trust him. Further, to cast off prayer, is to cast off God; and he that lives without prayer in the World, lives without God in the World: Hence the Heathen who know not God, and the Families that call not upon his Name, are joined together, or rather are the same (Jer. 10.25.) Further, to restrain prayer, is worse than not to pray: The latter notes only a neglect of the duty, the fromer a distaste of the duty. To give over any holy exercise is more dangerous than not to begin or take it up. The one is the profane man's sin, the other is the Hypocrites. Thou restrainest prayer: and he that doth not utter prayer with his mouth, will soon utter wickedness with his mouth, as it follows. Vers. 5. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. Here Eliphaz explains, and proves what he said before, that Job had cast off the fear of God, and restrained prayer; as if he had said, If thou hadst kept in holy fear, that would have kept in thine iniquity: Hadst thou not restrained prayer, that would have restrained, and bridled down thy sin; but thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and that showeth that prayer is restrained, and that fear is cast off; here is a demonstration of it; If you should come to a Prince's Court, and see a great crowd about the door, you would say, the Porter is there, he stops and examines them; if at another time you see all going in as fast as they please, you will say the Porter is out of the way. Thus while the fear of the Lord stands like a Porter at the door of the soul, we keep our thoughts and actions in compass; we examine what goes in, and what comes out: but when once that's gone, Non opus est ut te doceam in quo pecces, cum ipse tuus sermo doceat te iniquum esse. Vatab. Reus verbis oris tui. Sept, order is gone. Any thing may be said, any thing may be done by him, who fears not, who prays not. Thou hast cast off fear, and restrained prayer, for thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, out it comes, as fast as it can: I need not tell thee wherein thou hast offended, thy mouth pours it out. Hence Note, That the evil which is in the heart will out at the mouth, unless prayer and the fear of God restrain it: As the good that is in the heart will come out of the mouth, especially when prayer unlocks the mouth. David prays, Lord open thou my lips, and then he undertakes for his mouth, that it shall show forth the praise of God. (Psal. 51.1.) My heart is inditing a good matter (the heart doth this in prayer or meditation) what follows, My tongue is as the Pen of a ready Writer: Heavenly thoughts in the heart, shoot out at the tongue in heavenly words. When the heart is devising of a good matter, the tongue will be swift to speak, and set all to a good tune. Thus also while the heart is inditing an evil matter, the tongue runs to evil: Such a man needs not learn from others, he hath a root of bitterness in himself: Hence our Saviour concludes (Matth. 12.37.) By thy words thou shalt be condemned, and by thy words thou shalt be justified: Why shall we be condemned by our words? Qualis vir talis oratio. Mens mala linguam movet & vos fingit ad improbos sensus neque aliud os loquitur quam quod interior suggerit atque imperat sensus. The Prophet complains of those who made a man an offender for a word; I answer, our words show what we are, they declare our hearts, as a man may be discovered of what Country he is, when he speaks, so of what spirit he is. The tongue is the scholar of the heart, and speaks what that dictates: A man is justly condemned by evil words, because they testify that he is evil. Thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity. Observe Secondly, There are some iniquities which are more properly ours then some others are. Thine iniquity: Job had (as Eliphaz seems to suggest) a kind of peculiarity in it. As God owns some people in a special manner; though all the people of the earth be his, yet they are his beloved people: So man owns some sin in a special manner; though a corrupt heart hath a relation to all the sins in the World, yet some one is his beloved sin; and may be called by way of emminency, his iniquity. 'Tis his, as his Houses and Lands, as the Money in his Purse, and the Garments on his back are his. Observe thirdly, Every man is most ready to act and utter his special iniquity: Thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity. There are some sins in a man's heart, which possibly, he may never utter all his days: but he must be talking of, or acting his beloved one. Hence David speaks it, as a high work of grace in him (Psal. 18.23.) I have kept myself from mine iniquity: Even a godly man who disownes every sin, hath some one sin more his own than others. This finds him work (not to do it) but to keep himself from doing it. And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty: As if he had said, Thou wast wont to speak prayer, now thou speak'st policy, thou dealest cunningly and deceitfully with us, not plainly and clearly. Why, what had Job spoken or done, that should gain him the disreputation of a crafty man; some conceive Eliphaz hinting at those words (Chap. 6.24.) Teach me, and I will hold my tongue, etc. Thou speakest as if thou wert willing to be taught, show me my error, and I will turn from it; yet this is from craft not from conscience. For though thou seemest to be willing to receive instruction, yet thou keepest close to thy opinion, and wilt not part from it. We shall sometimes hear a man speaking very ingenuously, convince me that I am in an error, and I will relinquish it, Lingua pro doctrina Metonymicè, causa vel instrum●ntum pro effectu. and yet he resolves to hold his own. To desire instruction is grown into a compliment; but 'tis by the tongue of the crafty: The instrument is here put for the effect, the tongue for speech, as Isa. 50.4. Thou hast given me the tongue of the learned, what to do, that I may know to speak a word in season. Lingua erudita vel doctrinarum, i. e. eruditè, sapienter, ornate, suaviter loquendi facultas. Again, the word Crafty, is taken in a good sense, by some Interpreters. So the tongue of the crafty is the tongue of the wise; as if he had said, thou seemest to speak very wisely, soberly and holily; others render it thus, Thou shouldest have chosen the tongue of the wise; that is, thou shouldst have spoken more reverently and discreetly, whereas thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity; but rather the crafty, is the subtle man. As if he had said, Thou lovest to play the Sophister, to put fair colours on a bad matter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 versutus, malignus, calidus. Calidos hic vocat, qui cum male sentiant & agant, inveniunt tamen causationes & colores. Coc. and wilt not let things appear as indeed they are. Be wise as Serpents, is Christ's advice, but he adds, Be innocent as Doves: Serpentine wisdom must be mixed with Dovelike innocence; the craftiness of the Serpent alone, belongs only to the seed of the Serpent. Lastly, whereas he saith, Thou choosest the tongue of the crafty; he heightens his accusation, and would represent this good man to the eye of the world in a blacker hue. To choose, notes a mixed act both of the understanding, will, and affections; and it seems here to be opposed to that wicked act (but not in the wickedness of it) wherewith he bespattered Job in the former Verse, Thou castest off fear: To cast off, or reprobate, is contrary to electing or choosing, and so is the fear of God to craft. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have all they that do thereafter; but craft is only the corruption of wisdom, and they have no good understanding who do thereafter. Now, when Divine fear and humane craft stand in competition, for a man to give his vote for craft, and to refuse, at least to let pass the fear of the Lord, this is one of the highest growths of sinful corruption. He that doth thus, needs neither Judge nor witness against him, he is both himself; so Eliphaz resolves it in the next Verse. Vers. 6. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I, thine own lips testify against thee. This Verse hath nothing in it that needs a Comment. The intendment of it may be thus given, It is as clear as the light that thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God; for as much as thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, Testes olim manus super caput rei imponentes dicere solebant, Malitia tua te adduxit ad mortem non nos, Lyran. and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty; these things are so plain that I need not prove them, thine own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I. As the Judge said at Christ's trial; What need we any witness, ye have heard his blasphemy, Matth. 26.65. Witnesses of old were wont to put their hand upon the head of the offender, and say, It is thy own wickedness which condemns thee, and not we; much more doth their wickedness condemn them, who may justly be condemned without witness. Hence observe: That self condemnation, is the strongest condemnation, Luke 19.22. Christ tells the unprofitable Servant, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked Servant. The obstinate Heretic is condemned of himself, Tit. 3.14. Not that the Heretic doth condemn himself, formally, he doth not say I am in an error, you can hardly bring an Heretic to that, and when you do, he ceaseth to be an Heretic. It is his stiffness in opinion, which fastens the reproach of heresy upon him; but he is said to condemn himself, because holding such an erroneous opinion, he doth virtually condemn himself, and plainly declares that he is fallen from the truth, or hath always opposed it. The Prophet, (Isa 44.9.) saith of Image-makers, They are all of them vanity, their delectable things shall not profit them, and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed: Images show what both they and their worshippers are; though no man should speak a word against them, they having tongues and cannot speak, speak enough against themselves: their silence, or dumbness rather, proclaims aloud to all the World, that they are vain and dunghill Deities; they can do neither good nor evil, to show themselves Gods, and they who worship them do not so much as show themselves men, Isa. 46.8. In all this they are their own witnesses. They cannot but see their own blindness and folly who speak to that which cannot hear, and lift up their eyes to that which cannot see: Every sinner hath reason to condemn himself with his own mouth, and why an Idolater doth it not, no reason can be given, but that which was touched even now from the Prophet, he wants his reason, and is therefore in a holy scorn advised, to show himself a man. While we acquit ourselves with our own mouths, and bear witness to ourselves, our witness is of no validity, nor are we at all acquitted; but while we condemn ourselves with our own mouths, and bear witness against ourselves, our witness is strong, and we are abundantly condemned. JOB, Chap. 15. Vers. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Art thou the first man that was borne, or wast thou made before the Hills? Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? What knowest thou that we know not? what understandest thou that is not in us? With us are both the gray-headed, and very aged men, much elder than thy Father. Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee? THe first part of this Chapter, is reprehensory. In the former context two points of reproof were opened: First Jobs supposed folly in the second and third Verses: Secondly, his wickedness, in the fourth, both which were aggravated in the fifth and sixth. In this Context Eliphaz gives him a third and a fourth reproof; a third, for the high conceit he had of himself, and a fourth, for the low conceit he had of the comforts of God, tendered to him by his Friends; he reproves him for the high conceit he had of himself, in two things: First, as if Job had thought his experience greater than any man's, Art thou the first man that was borne? etc. Vers. 7. Secondly, as if he had thought himself immediately inspired, Hast thou heard the secret of God, etc. Vers. 8. This he illustrates by a twofold opposition in the ninth and tenth Verses; First, by the opposition of himself and his Friends in point of knowledge and understanding unto Job: As if he had said, Thou lookest upon us as underlings, as men unworthy to carry thy Books after thee, or to be named the same day, but what knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, which is not in us? Vers. 9 Thou art not so weighty, but we hope we may very well balance thee, and say (without pride or partiality) that our parts are as good as thine. Secondly, by the opposition of their party to him and his, Vers. 10. With us are both the gray-headed, and very aged men, much elder than thy Father: As if he had said, Our party equals thine, as well as our parts; Hast thou aged men on thy side? so have we; Hast thou the authority of grey hairs to back thy opinion? So have we. Hast thou thy Father's Copy to show for these thy Tenets? So have we. We are able to make as great a boast of Antiquity as thou thyself canst: Do not think that we have received our Learning from some new fangled Sect, or from upstart Opinionists of yesterday edition: No, be it known unto thee, With us are both the gray-headed, and very aged men, etc. As thus he reproves Jobs high thoughts of himself, so in the fourth place, The low thoughts which he had of them, and the pains they had taken with him, Vers. 11. Are the consolations of God small with thee? etc. Vers. 7. Art thou the first man that was borne. Numquid ante primum hominem natus es. Pagn. No natu r minus minimo. Est asitatum in omni, ut reor, lingua ut qui in gradu aliquo ad quandam mediocritatem non pervenere, imo qui ininfimo constitere gradu, eum eo qui maxime excellit comparentur, cum ironia tamen, ut si de homine timido dicas, non es cum Achille conferendus etc. neque aliud voluisse Eliphazem arbitror quam ejus esse aetatis Jobum in qua non multum soleat esse sapientiae. Sanct. Or, as some read it, Art thou borne before the first man? This is a high strain of Rhetoric, it is impossible to be before the first; for as there is nothing less than what is least, so nothing was before the first; but as we say, Such a man will see the last man borne, when we see him resolved to stay the longest upon a business, or desirous to live very long: So we may say, Such a man was borne before the first, or surely he is the first man that was borne, whom we see highly conceited of his own antiquity: And indeed when Eliphaz asks the question, Art thou the first man that was borne? His meaning is to tax Job for a Puny, or a young man, yet arrogating to himself the glory of longest experience; as if he had said, Thou hast told us that we are but of yesterday, and objectest novelty against us, to derogate from our authority, yet surely thou art none of the oldest, thou art not older than Adam (I believe) thou wast not before the first man, that ever was, no nor the first man: It is usual in many Languages, to compare those who are lowest in any degree to the highest, and the meanest to the greatest, Ironically, or in a way of scorn; thus 'tis said to a Coward, or a white-livered fellow, Thou art no Achilles; to a Dwarf or one of a low stature, Thou art no Goliath; to one of weak parts, surely, Thou art no Solomon, no Aristotle; so of one that is but young, Surely thou art not Nestor, thou art not Adam, the first man that ever was. Job gave Eliphaz and his Friends some colour to twit him thus, while he said (Chap. 13.5.) O that you would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your wisdoms: This was as if he had said, You are but ignorant, and the more you speak the more you discover your ignorance; And again, Ch. 12.12. With the ancient is wisdom, and with length of days is understanding; where he secretly upbraided them as Juniors, and that therefore little or no heed was to be taken to what they spoke; now saith Eliphaz, Art thou the first man borne? that is, Art thou the wisest man living? He who thinks himself the first man, takes himself for a very wise man, even as wise as Adam, who was not only the Father, but the Teacher, and Instructor, of his posterity: In which sense the Jews said to Christ, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham, John 8.57. Thou speakest as if thou wert an old man: we know thy age, thou art but a young man, yet thou speakest at the rate of thousands, as if thou wert as old as Abraham, or the ancient of days among men, Art thou the first man? Or, Wast thou made before the hills? Some conceive, that by the Hills he means the Angels, Philippus secutus Augustinum, contendit hoc loco angelos collium nomine intelligi. Ad facies collium. Heb. Num formatus es ante mundum conditum, nam colles una cum terra formati fuerunt aliquot diebus ante hominem. Drus. but that Exposition smells too much of the Allegory: Take the Hills literally, for the uppermost parts or bosses of the earth; the Original is, Wast thou form or made before the face of the hills? which is an Hebraisme. Some interpret the Hills by a Synecdoche, for the whole earth, than the sense is, Wast thou form before the earth? The first man was form out of the earth, and art thou older than the earth? So that here Eliphaz puts him by a challenge of greater antiquity then in the former part of the Verse, Wast thou the first man that was borne, or wast thou made before the earth? the earth is elder than man, both had not the same birthday. Again, as the Hills are a part of the earth, so they may be said to be borne the first of any part of the earth: For the earth was covered with water, it was a great deep, till a word of command came from God, that the waters should retire to certain Channels, and receptacles which his wisdom had assigned them; now when the waters were thus gathered and put into those vast Vessels, than the Hills, and Mountains, Quod prius conspicuum est antiquius esse vide●ur. which are the highest parts of the earth appeared first, and so the Mountains are elder in regard of view, th●n the Plains and Valleys of the earth. That is said to be first which appeareth first: So then, whether we take hills by a Synecdoche for the whole earth, or plainly for a part of the earth, both reach at highest antiquity. There is an opinion (I confess) which if true, takes away the ground of this notion, That hills and mountains grew up, or were as so many excrescencies of the earth, since it was created, and that they grow daily (as Naturalists express it) by Juxtaposition. But I fully adhere to their judgement (under which this notion stands safe) that the earth was distinguished into hills, plains, and valleys, by the same immediate power which created it, though I easily grant that many hills have been accidentally caused, and cast up since, especially in the deluge. And this doth more advance the wisdom of God in the frame of this mighty mass, which hath in it greater ornament, and yields greater delight by this variety, then if it had been smoothed all over into Plains and Levels. Quod longe anti suum, montium & collium comparatione indicari solet. Further, to clear the Text, consider, that it is usual in Scripture, when a thing of great antiquity is spoken of, to compare it to the Hills, Prov. 8.23, 24, 25. Wisdom (which is Christ) speaks thus, I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, ere the earth was, when there were no depths I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water, before the mountains were settled; before the Hills was I brought forth; while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the World. Where note also by the way, a full confirmation of the opinion even now asserted, that God made the Hills immediately, which are here also called, The highest part of the dust of the earth. Again (Psal. 90.2.) O Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations; which he explains in the next words, Before the mountains were brought forth, from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Old Jacob speaks this Divine Philosophy upon his deathbed, while he was blessing his son Joseph (Gen. 49.26.) The blessings of thy Father have prevailed above the blessings of my Progenitors, above the utmost bounds of the everlasting Hills: Once more, Hab. 3.6. He stood and measured the earth, he beheld, and drove asunder the Nations; and the everlasting Mountains were scattered, the perpetual Hills did bow: Now a thing is called everlasting, either strictly, because it shall last for ever, or because it lasteth very long; in this latter sense, the Hills are everlasting: The Hills were from the beginning, and shall continue to the end. As for Job, he began to live but lately, and he must shortly die: Wast thou made before the Hills? Eliphaz proceeds to a second branch of his third reproof. Vers. 8. Hast thou heard the secret of God, or dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? As if he had said, Possibly thou wilt wave or not stand to this plea of thy great antiquity. What is it then that swells thee into such proud and daring thoughts of thy infallible knowledge? Is it because, Thou hast heard the secret of God. The Hebrew word signifies either counsel, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secretum vel consilium. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, arcana, indicendae Aquil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Theod. or any thing that is secret and mysterious; some render it, Hast thou heard things unspeakable: when the Apostle was caught up to Heaven (2 Corinth. 12.) He heard words unspeakable which it is not lawful for a man to utter: Hast thou heard unutterable secrets? A second translates, Hast thou heard the mysteries of God? A third, Hast thou had discourse with God? or hast thou heard God discourse about the great things of wisdom? The Septuagint, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Constitutionem domini audivisti & consiliario te usus est Deus. Sept. Eadem vox quae est secretum, est etiam consilium aut concilum, quod in conciliis arcana tractantur; & consilia non nisi secretò iniri debent Pined. Hast thou heard the constitutions of Heaven, or knowest thou in what manner God hath settled all the affairs of mankind, natural, civil, and spiritual? Art thou of privy counsel to the King of Heaven? or art thou a member of the Celestial conclave? Thus he reproves him for arrogating to himself such knowledge, as is not attaineable, but by special inspiration, or revelation from God himself. The Prophet puts the question (Jer. 23.18.) Who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? Who hath marked his word and heard it? So the Apostle (Rom. 11.34.) Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counsellor? God is able to make known the whole mystery of his will in a moment to the meanest soul, he can let in stoods upon the understanding without our study; he can make a fool wise, and drawing back the curtain of ignorance, irradiate the darkest mind with the cleareest light of all things knowable: But hast thou heard such secrets? There are two sorts of Divine secrets: First, Secrets of Providence: Secondly, Secrets of Doctrine. The former are of such things as God will do; the latter, such as Man is either to do or believe: God reveals both to his people. The ordinary way for us is by the Word written, the extraordinary by a word spoken: Thus God opened his secrets to the ancient Prophets and Apostles. The Prophet Amos (Chap. 3.7.) speaks of the secrets of providence, Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his sacrets to his Servants the Prophets: And the Lord himself saith of Abraham, Shall I hid from Abraham the things that I am about to do: Now as there is a revealing of Providence, or of the works of God, so there is a revealing of Doctrines and of the holy Truths of God. This he promiseth (Joel 2.28.) I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: Young men, cannot claim to be the first men, they were not before the Hills, yet to them the visions of Heaven are promised: Yet we must not neglect that command of our attendance upon the teachings of the Word, because we have received a promise of the teachings of the Spirit. The spirit usually teacheth by the Word, never against it; and it is a tempting of God, while he gives us means, to linger after immediate Revelations: yea, when the Lord reveals himself immediately, he uses to do it without man's forethought or expectations. The Prophets did not set themselves to receive Revelations from God, but his Spirit came upon them with mighty power and irresistible evidence. And though God doth reveal some of his secrets, yet he hath secrets which he will not reveal: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him (Psal. 24.14.) And his secret is with the righteous (Prov. 3.32.) This secret is either the good will and favour of God, of which the World knows nothing, or the good Word and Faith of God of which the World knows as little: Both these sorts of Divine secrets are with the righteous, and men fearing God; but the secrets of his Counsel are reserved in his own breast. He reveals to his people the secrets of his bounty, and of their duty, what he will do for them, and what they must do for him; but many things which himself will do shall never be revealed but by the doing of them: Hast thou heard the secrets of God? And dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself. That is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Detrahis ad te; quod sensu in idem recidit cum eo quod est tibi ascribis fraudando alios negatam aliis sapientiam tibi assumpsisti ex divino arcano. Sapientia ultra te suos terminos non porriget? Tygur. Dost thou think there is no wisdom besides thine? art thou at the very border and utmost limit of knowledge and understanding? is all beyond thee ignorance and folly? Hast thou got and engrossed all the learning from others, and reserved it to thyself alone as thy peculiar, with which none must intermeddle without a licence obtained from thee? hast thou the monopoly of wisdom? or is all but enough for thee? Shall none of thy neighbour's share with thee? This is either a charge of greater arrogancy than the former, Dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? or at least a charge of greatest uncharitableness; goodness is diffusive, and so is wisdom, and it is the duty of good men to diffuse wisdom. When they have heard the secrets of God, they must communicate them to others, not restrain all to themselves. But I conceive Eliphaz intends only the former charge. Hence observe: It is the highest strain of pride for a man to restrain wisdom to himself: or to think himself so wise, that all must address to him for wisdom: God hath not given all wisdom to any one man, or sort of men, though he hath trusted some with more Talents of it then he hath done others. The Priest's lips of old under the Law, and so the lips of Ministers under the Gospel, should preserve knowledge; and the people should seek both Law and Gospel at their mouth (Mal. 2.7.) Yet neither might the Priests then, nor may Ministers now, restrain wisdom to themselves. The rule of the Apostle is, Be not wise above what is written; that is, above holy Writ, or above what is written from the immediate dictates of the Spirit of God. They are (as we say) fools in Print, who say they are wise above what is thus written; but we may be wise above what is spoken or written by any man, for no man ought to restrain all wisdom to himself; to do so is the top-staire of Antichristian pride. The Pope restrains wisdom to himself; he boasts that he hath the secrets of God, and that all must come to him if they will have them unlocked and opened: His sentences from the Chair are Oracles, and there he is infallible; all are obliged to receive what he saith, because he saith it: no man must scruple, much less oppose or contradict it. Thus to impose upon men is to set ourselves in the place of the God of Heaven; yea, to arrogate to ourselves that we are Gods on earth. So the Apostle hath characterised that man of sin (2 Thes. 2.4.) He opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped (that is, above all civil powers or Magistracy) So that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God. And as he out of all measure wickedly, so many others in a very great measure have showed themselves as God, while they have taken upon them (as we speak proverbially) To give the Law, yea, to give the Gospel to other men's consciences, or to bind up all men's tongues and judgements unto the rule of their apprehensions. When the Apostle had called God to record, that he always purposed to be bold and plain with the Corinthians, he presently subjoins this corrective (2 Cor. 1.24.) Not that we have Dominion over your Faith, but are helpers of your joy: As if he had said. Do not think that I take upon me as a Lord over your consciences, to charge any command or observations of my own upon them: No, I am but as a servant of God to instruct you in his counsels, and to comfort you with his promises. The Grecians, who were men of great knowledge and learning, a very witty and Philosophical people, called all other Nations Barbarians: Such pride appears among some (in name) Christians, they speak and act as if all knowledge and truth were centred in them, or as if all were in the dark who see not by their light. Knowledge is apt to puff up, how are they puffed up, who think they know all? though indeed they who think they know any thing, know nothing as they ought to know, 1 Cor. 8.2. God reveals that to Babes and Sucklings, which he hides from such wise and prudent ones, who restrain all wisdom to themselves. God in judgement restrains wisdom from them, who in pride restrain it to themselves; and as God takes all wisdom from them, who in another sense restrain wisdom to themselves, that is, who will not use it because they have but one Talon of it, or but a little; so he will give them no wisdom at all, who think they are possessors, or Lord-Treasurers of all the Talents of it, as if all wisdom were laid up in them. The Bab●s and Sucklings, such as are low, humble, and meek, are the objects of this bounty; as for the proud, God beholdeth them affar off: and they can never get near wisdom who are fare from the God of wisdom. While such vainly restrain wisdom to themselves, the hand of God is justly restrained from bestowing it upon them. Eliphaz having thus reproved Job for entitling himself to so rich a stock of knowledge, either brought in by his own long experience, or from the special inspirations and teachings of God; proceeds to challenge to himself and his Friends a knowledge equal at least to what he really had, in the ninth and tenth Verses. Vers. 9 What knowest thou that we know not, what understandest thou that is not in us? He retorts what Job said, Chap. 12.3. I have understanding as well as you, I am not inferior to you. Here Eliphaz tells him, we have understanding as well as you: Hath God revealed all knowledge to thee, surely we know as much as thou. What knowest thou which we know not? The words are plain, and need no explication; Dic age quae sunt tuae parts. they sound as if he had said, Come show thy skill, and open thy hidden treasures; thou hast showed nothing yet, but what is common to us and others; thou seemest to speak of mysteries, of things that are unknown, and secret to this day, but surely thou hast not traded much in these; For, What knowest thou that we know not? thou hast not yet produced any such piece of knowledge; if such precious matter be in thee, wrap it not up in the napkin of silence any longer, bring it forth, that we also may know it. Hence observe: First, Man is apt to stand upon terms of comparison with man; Qui velit ingenio cedere rarus erit. he cannot bear it that another should be thought or think himself wiser or more knowing than he: Some are not troubled because they know little, but because they are esteemed less knowing than others, What knowest thou that we know not? Secondly observe, Though some men are of higher parts, and better natural abilities than others, yet what one man knoweth, others may; No man can boast himself beyond the line and degree of man. For as the heart of man answers the heart of man in sinfulness, so in a possibility of goodness. One man may be as holy as another, as wise and knowing as another; only God is more holy, wise, and knowing then any man can be; he knoweth many things which no man knoweth nor can know. But though it be a strain of pride, for one man to say to another, What knowest thou that I know not? Yet it is a truth that one man may know as much as another: and though some men know that which another man (in regard of some personal impediments) neither doth nor can know, yet the humane nature in every person is capable of the same, both kind and degree of knowledge. Thirdly, Eliphaz is about to reprove the pride of Job, as he conceives, and he doth it (as was but now touched) in such a manner as speaks his own pride, What knowest thou that we know not, is the language of a high mind: I am as good and as wise as thou: though it may be so, yet it is uncomely to say so. Hence observe: Some in reproving other men's faults, run into the very same faults themselves; the reproof of a fault may not only be faulty, but the fault which is reproved. A man may reprove pride with much pride, and lesser vanities, with abundance of vanity. All that good men speak for good, doth not begin at a principle of goodness; their own corruption may rise up against the corruptions of others, and sin is often heard chiding vice. How many are there who check passion, with passion, and are very angry in dislike of anger; you shall have some men speak against bitterness of spirit with a bitter spirit, and while they are taxing their Brethren with making breaches or with an unwillingness to peace, discover much unpeaceableness, yea an unwillingness to have those breaches healed. Diogenes was observed to trample upon the pride of Plato with greater pride; and he who to rebuke pride in Apparel, wore himself an unhandsome and torn Coat, was rightly told that his pride was seen through the holes of his Coat. There may be as much ostentation in wearing sordid, as there is in wearing the gayest . It was a shame for Heathens to declare their own folly, while they declaimed against the folly of their neighbours; how scandalous then is this in Christians? Vers. 10. With us are the gray-headed, and very aged men, much elder than thy Father. This Verse is the proof of the former; some think the comparison lies between Jobs Friends and himself. We are thy Seniors, yet thou speakest as if thou wert the oldest man amongst us: Here are two terms in the Text, which seem to distinguish old age. First, Gray-headed. Secondly, Very aged, much elder than thy Father. Among the Jews, a man was counted old at threescore, which they called, The first old age: Prima senectus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 senex: media senectus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur & incipit ab anno 70. & durat usque ad 80. annum; ad quam qui pervenit postea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decrepitus dicitur, quod est ultimae senectutis vocabulum, quae durat usque ad vitae finem vel usque ad annum 100 Nam filius centum annorum habetur pro mortuo. Drus. Etiam Eliphaz qui canus est, & Bildad qui decrepitus est inter nos, & Sophar qui major est patre tuo diebut. Targ. At seventy he was expressed by the word which we translate Gray-headed, and that was his title till he arrived at Fourscore; from that to the end of life, the whole state was called, Decrepit old Age; and they who reached those years, were expressed by the word which we render Very aged men, or as we say, men having one foot in the Grave; for he that was an hundred years old, was not numbered among the living, but among he dead. The Chalde Paraphrast applies the distinction thus; With us is Eliphaz, who is gray-headed, and Bildad who is decrepit, and Zophar who is older than thy Father. Hierome gives Eliphaz the precedency in age, affirming that he was the eldest Son of Esau, and that at the time of this dispute, he was no less than a hundred and fifty years old, Jobs Father ninety, and Job himself seventy. But I stay not upon these conjectures. The scope of Elipqaz in these words may be reduced to this account: As if he had said, We need not depend on thy Authority or antiquity; For with us, that is, on our side, or of our party and opinion, there are men gray-headed, yea, very aged, much elder, not only then thyself, but, than thy Father. Therefore do not thou charge us with novelty, know, that we have received our Doctrine from venerable Ancestors; if thou hast learned these things of thy Father, and drunk in thy opinion from the Aged, so have we: Nor do we esteem the Tenets of our forefathers merely by the number of days which they lived, but by the wisdom and piety with which they were enriched. It is observable in Scripture, that Teman (from whence Eliphaz came) was a famous School of Learning (Jer. 49.7.) Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, is wisdom no more in Teman? He speaks of it, as of a known place for knowledge and wisdom; What? Is wisdom no more in Teman? As if we in England should say, Is there no more learning at Oxford or Cambridge? are the lights extinguished, and the fountains dry? Thus Eliphaz asserts that his abettors and instructers in the opinion he maintained, were both old, and learned old men. From this contest about Antiquity and ancient men so often renewed and so much urged between Job and his Friends. We may observe: First, That they who have most years upon their backs, are, or may be supposed to have most knowledge and wisdom in their heads and hearts. Secondly, They who have Antiquity on their side, are apt to conclude that they have Truth on their side. That which is indeed most ancient is most true; yet there are very many very ancient untruths: It is no new thing to see a gray-headed error, and a false Doctrine much older than our Fathers. But I shall not prosecute either of these points, having met with matter of this strain before, Chap. 8. v. 8, 9, 10. Chap. 12. v. 12. to which places I refer the Reader. Eliphaz having finished his third reproof of Job for his arrogancy, and the high conceit he had of himself, proceeds to a fourth, and that is (as hath been said) for the low conceit which he had of the comforts tendered him in the Name of God. Num parum a te consolationes Dei. Heb. Supplendum est verbum reputantur. Numquid grande est ut consoletur te Deus? Vulg. q. d. facile est Deo ut te ad statum prosperitatis reducat. Aquin. Existimasnè tuis aerumnis non posse Deum parem consolationem afferre. Vers. 11. Are the consolations of God small with thee, or is there any secret thing with thee? These words undergo much variety of interpretation; the Vulgar Latin, near which some others translate, gives a fair sense, but at too great a distance from the letter of the Original; thus, Is it a great thing that God should comfort thee? As if he had said, Art thou so low that all the consolations of God are not able to raise thee up? Is it a work too big for God himself to comfort thee? Cannot he change thy outward and inward sorrows into joys? Will not the consolations of one that is infinite serve thy turn? Hath not he balm enough in store to heal thy wounds, nor treasure enough in stock to repair thy losses? 'tis no hard thing with God to comfort the most disconsolate soul that ever was; he that made light to shine out of darkness, can give us light in our thickest darkness: An minores sunt consolationes dei, quàm ut te consolari possint? Vatab. This is a truth, but for the reason above, I stay not upon it. The Septuagint translation is fare wider than the former, Thou hast received but few wounds, in comparison of the sins that thou hast committed; which is a Paraphrase, not a translation, and such a Paraphrase as seems to lie quite without the compass of the text: The meaning and intendment of it may be given thus; as if he had said, Thou complainest that thou art greatly afflicted, that thy sorrows are innumerable, Pauca prae iis quae peccasti accepisti vulnera. Sep. but if thou considerest thy great and many sins, thy sufferings are few, yea, thy sufferings may rather be called consolations, and thy losses gains: Are the consolations of God small to thee, seeing thou hast sinned so much? When God lays but a little affliction upon sinful man, he may be said, to give a great deal of mercy. A third gives this sense, An consolationes Dei tam contemptibiles judicas ut projiciat eas ante blasphematores. Are the consolations of God small to thee? That is, Dost thou esteem the consolations of God so cheap, that he will give them to such a one as thou? or that he will lavish them out upon the wicked, and cast these Pearls to Swine, to such as are blasphemers and contemners of God? But why doth Eliphaz call these the consolations of God? Did God administer them to Job with his own hand, or did he speak to Job from Heaven? Some conceive that though he and his Friends spoke them, yet Eliphaz calls them the consolations of God, by an Hebraisme, because he judged them great consolations. Thus in Scripture, The Mountain of God, Suas et sociorum consolationes, vocat Dei consolationes non sine arrogantia & fastu. Drus. and the River of God, are put for a great Mountain, and a great River; so here. As if he had fayd, Thou hast received many great consolations from us thy Friends, and dost thou account them small? But I rather take the sense plainly, that he calls them so, because God is the author and giver, the fountain and original from whom all consolations spring and flow. The Consolations of God are twofold: First, Arising from good things already exhibited to us. Secondly, From good things promised to us. The Consolations of God in this place, are good things promised, or offered: Promises are Divine conveyances of Consolation. The Friends of Job had made him many promises, that he repenting, God would make his latter end better than his beginning, etc. Hence Eliphaz tells him that he had slighted the consolations of God. Any man who reads his story may wonder why he should: Surely Job was not in case to refuse comfort, considering how he was stripped of all comfort. The full soul indeed loatheth the honey Combe, but to the hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet; that is, those things which dainty palates distaste, he eats very savourly. Job was kept short and low enough, he had nothing of consolation left, either without or within; he was poor and sore without, he was full of horror, and terror within: the arrows of the Almighty had even drunk up his spirit, and laid all his comforts waste, and doth he yet neglect or undervalue comforts? 'Tis true, he had real consolations, as appears by that profession of his assurance of God's favour towards him, I know that I shall be justified; yet he had no sensible consolations; his frequent complaints show he had not. So then, the consolations of God (for esteeming which little he is reproved) were the promises of consolation made to him in the name of God by the Ministry of his Friends. Are the consolations of God small unto thee? Hence observe: First, That consolation is the gift, and proper work of God. Thou (saith David, Psal. 71.21.) shalt increase my greatness and comfort me on every side: The Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all he wast places (Is. 51.3.) And again, As one whom his Mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. God comforts as a Mother, tenderly, and he comforts as a Father, yea as a Master, effectually, I will comfort you, and ye shall be comforted. As the corrections of God are effectual, and prosper in the work for which they are sent, so also are his consolations. Ephraim said (Jer. 31.18.) Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised. So every soul, whom God comforts, shall say, Thou hast comforted me, and I was comforted. This the Apostle speaks out to the praise of God (2 Cor. 1.3, 4.) Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolations; all consolation belongs to God; he hath all comfort in his own power, and dispose; there is not any creature in the World can give out the least dram of comfort to us without the commission or leave of God; it is possible for one man to give another man riches, but he cannot give him comfort; man may give honour to man, but he cannot give him comfort. A man may have a pleasant dwelling, a loving Wife, sweet Children, and yet none of these a comfort to him. The consolation of all our possessions and relations is from God: Whosoever would have comfort, must trade to Heaven for it, that's a commodity can be found upon no earthly coast, you may fetch in wealth from many coasts of the earth, but you cannot fetch in comfort, till you address yourselves to the God of Heaven. We can procure our own sorrow quickly, but God only makes us to rejoice; our relief from outward affliction or inward grief is the gift of God. He only can comfort us in outward afflictions who can command the creature, and he only can comfort us against our inward griefs, who can convince the conscience. None can do either of these but God; therefore consolations are from God. Luther spoke true, It is easier to make a World then to comfort the conscience; the Hebrew phrase to comfort, used in divers places of the old Testament, is, To speak to the heart: Now God only can speak to the heart; man can speak to the ear, he can speak words, but he can go no further. Therefore the act and art of comforting belongs properly to God; Christ is the true Noah: Lamech saith of Noah, Gen. 5.29. This man shall comfort us, concerning our work and the toil of our hands; it was not in Noah to comfort but as God made him a comfort, and he was said to comfort as a type of Christ, Christ is true comfort, He is comfort clothed in our flesh, he is (as it were) comfort incarnate: Noah sent a Dove out of his Ark, which returned with an Olive branch, Jesus Christ sends the holy Ghost who is called the Comforter with the Olive branch of true peace to our wearied souls; and to show that it is now the highest act of Christ's love & care as mediator, to give comfort, he promised to send the holy Ghost, when himself was taking his leave of the Church, in regard of any visible abode or bodily presence: being ready to ascend and step into Heaven; he said, I will send the comforter. When God reigned fire and brimstone from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, it is said by some of the Ancients, that he sent a Hell out of Heaven: But when he pours the holy Spirit from Heaven upon his Zion, we may say he sends a heaven out of heaven. Heaven above is nothing else but holy comfort, and the comforts of the holy Spirit, are the only Heaven below. How highly then ought we to esteem, how carefully to maintain communion with God, who hath all comfort; seeing comfort is more to us then all we have. If we have comfort, let our estate be what it will we are well enough; comfort is as the spring of our year, as the light of our day, as the Sun in our Firmament, as the life of our lives. Have we not reason then to draw, yea, to press nearer unto God, who hath all comfort in his hand, and without whom the best things cannot comfort us? Not our riches, nor our relations, not Wife, nor Children, not health, nor beauty, not credit nor honour, none of these can comfort us without God, and if God please he can make any thing comfort us; he can make a crust of dry bread a feast of fat things, a cup of cold water, a banquet of Wine to us. And as he can make our comforts crosses, so our cross a comfort, as David speaks (Psal. 23.4.) Thy rod and thy staff comfort me, not only the supporting staff, but the correcting rod shall comfort, if God command it to be a comforter: Who would not maintain communion with this God who can make a comfort of any thing, who can answer every cross with a comfort; If we have a thousand crosses, God hath ten thousand comforts; he can multiply comforts faster than the World can multiply crosses. Again, if God be the God of all consolation, then go to God for consolation; as the Angel said to the women when they came to the Sepulchre enquiring for Christ, Why seek ye the living among the dead, he is risen, he is not here: So I may say, Why seek ye living comforts among dead or dying creatures; Seek them there no longer. Job complains in this Book, When I said my bed shall comfort me, than thou scarest me with dreams (Chap. 7.) Job went to a wrong place, when he went to his bed for comfort; most souls miss of comfort, because they go to a wrong place for it: one goes to his bed, another to his friend for comfort, a third to his wife and Children, these, saith he, shall comfort me; alas, why seek ye the living among the dead, none of these can comfort, though these may be means of comfort. Who or whatsoever is the instrument, God is the author of all our comfort; whatsoever hand brings it, God sends it; God (saith Paul) who comforteth those who are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus (2 Cor. 7.6.) Titus was a good man and brought good tidings, yet Paul doth not say that the coming of Titus did not comfort them; but, saith Paul, God comforted us by the coming of Titus; 'tis not your friend who comforts you, but God who comforts you by the coming of such a friend, when you are in sorrow; by sending in such relief, when you are poor; by sending such medicines, when you are sick, such salves when you are sore, such counsel when you are in doubt and know not what to do. Once more, It is happy for Saints that consolation is in the hand of God; if it were in the hand of the creature, sure they should have but little of it, but it is in the hand of God. There are these four considerations which may comfort Saints, that comfort is in the hand of God. First, Considering his nature, he is willing and ready to do good; he is full of compassion, and to show mercy pleaseth him more than it releeveth us. Secondly, Considering his relation to his people: he is a Father. Will a Father let a Child lie comfortless, when he can help him? he is our Husband, he is our Friend, all relations provoke God to give out comfort to the Saints. Thirdly, Considering his Omniscience and Omnipresence; he knows where the shoe wrings, he knows what comfort we want; a friend (possibly) hath the comfort in his hand, which we need, and he may be willing to give it out unto us, but he knows not wherein we are pinched; God tells Moses, I have seen, I have seen the afflictions of my people in Egypt. And as he knows how it is with us, so we are ever within his reach, he can lay his hand upon every joint where we are pained, and put a Plaster upon every wound: here is our happiness. Christ would take off his people from extraordinary cares about the things of the World, by this argument, Your Father knows that ye have need of these things, Matth. 6.32. your Father who carries the purse knows your want. Fourthly, Consider his Omnipotence, he is able to comfort; he can command, yea create comforts, he can bring his comforts through an army of sorrows to a poor soul, yea he can lead comfort through an Army of Devils and temptatio●s, to a poor soul; he is Almighty, there is nothing too hard for him to do, nor is he hard to be entreated to do that which gives ease unto his people. Secondly, Observe: Consolations rightly administered by men, are the consolations of God: While man speaks, God commands; Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, speak comfortably to Jerusalem, tell her that her warfare is accomplished, and her sin pardoned (Isa. 40.1.) As all the counsels, reproofs, and Doctrines which the Ministers of Christ dispense according to the form of wholesome words delivered either in the Law or Gospel, are the counsels, instructions, reproofs and Doctrines of God; so also are their consolations. And that's the reason why God takes it so ill at the hands of men, when his Messengers, who bring either instruction, or consolation, are refused; because himself is refused when they are, and his consolations are disesteemed when theirs are. Thirdly, Observe: To account the consolations of God small, is a very great sin: Moses rebukes rebellious Korah and his confederates, for undervaluing the privilege which they (as Levites) had to be near God in holy Services (Numb. 16.9.) Seemeth it a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel, hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the Tabernacle? etc. If it were their sin to count it a small thing to be called near to God in holy administrations, how great a sin is it in any man to count it a small thing, that God draws near to him with heavenly consolations? Though the consolations of God to us be small comparatively to what some others have, yet we must not account any consolation of God small; and that upon two grounds: First, because of our own unworthiness; the least consolations are great, considering how little we are, as Jacob speaks, (Gen. 32.10.) I am not worthy the least of all thy mercies: He thought little mercies too big for him, because he was little in his own eyes, They who have great, yea any thoughts of their own merits, lessen the mercies of God; but he who sees he deserves nothing but ill, sees abundance of mercy in the smallest good. Secondly, Smallest consolations are very great, because they proceed from a great God. As no sin is small, though comparatively to another sin, it may be small, because it is committed against the great God; so no consolation is small because it comes from the great God. God puts an impress of his own greatness upon the least things that are done or given by him; though he give but a penny, yet it hath the image and superscription of him, our infinite and eternal Caesar: therefore see you slight it not. As a good heart is careful to perform the least duty, and to avoid the least sin, or as a good heart calls no duty little, which God enjoins nor sin little which God forbids, so a good heart is thankful for the least mercy, and calls no consolation small, which God, the great God sends. Fourthly, Observe: That great afflictions take away the sense of tendered mercies; Consolations for the matter were offered unto Job, but his palate was so distempered with the gall and wormwood of his afflictions, that he could not taste them. Phineas his Wife regarded not the joyful news, that she had brought forth a Man Child, while she was overwhelmed with sorrow, that the Ark of God was taken. While the Israelites were under hard Taskmasters in Egypt, they could not attend to the voice of Moses and Aaron, who told them of deliverance; their troubles and burdens wert so heavy, that they looked upon Moses as a trouble, or as a burden, when he came to mediate their release. And as the Idolatrous Israelites who sacrificed their Children to Moloch, beat up Drums, and used loud-sounding-Instruments, to drown the cry of the poor Children, that they might not be heard; so some afflictions cry so loud, and many cry so loud in their afflictions, that they drown the sweet melody and music of those consolations that are sounded in their ears. Great complaints render great consolations small; Job was not without some blame in this, for though his patience was great, yet had it been greater, he might have miss this reproof from his Friends, Are the consolations of God small to thee? And is there any secret thing with thee? The meaning appears thus, Et verbum latens tecum. Heb. Are the consolations of God which we have offered small unto thee, because thou hast some secret hidden thing in thy breast: This secret thing is opened three ways. First, in reference to comfort, as if he had said, Hast thou some secret comfort besides what we have offered, hast thou consolations of thy own, which cause thee to neglect the consolations of God? As in the Gospel, when the Disciples prayed Christ to eat, he told them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of (John 4.31, 32.) Christ had secret bread, Est ne apud te divinum aliquid recenditum in ment tua, prae quo nostras consolationes Divinas contemnis? Merc. Istae quas ab ipso Deo acceptas a ferrimus consolationes leviores sunt quam ut eas probare possesses: nimirum quod apud te quidpiam magis reconditum delitescat. Bez. Aut aliquid abscondit eas apud te. Jun. i e. Ita perstringit oculos animi tui, ut illas non percipias, quai res involucris tectas, Jun. Verba tua prava hoc prohibent Vulg. Apud te potius est incantatio & mendacium etsi prae te veritatem seras. Rab. Abr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occulium malum incantationem vel mendacium denotat. his work was his food, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me: So here, What? hast thou meat which we know not of? Some hidden Manna beyond what we have told thee of, that thou carest not for our provisions? Secondly, others give the meaning thus, Hast thou some secret conceit of thy own wisdom, above ours? Or is there some unknown worth in thee, that exempts thee from this general rule, or way of comfort; Dost thou so abound in thy own sense, that thou hast no need of our Notions? Is all we speak below thee? Thirdly, they are supposed to aim at some secret sin or guilt, which hindered and unfit Job to take in their Cordials and consolations, till it were purged out, or vomited up by sound repentance. So one renders the Text, Doth any thing hid them with thee? The word signifies to hid and cover (2 Sam. 19.4.) David covered his face: so here, doth somewhat hid, wrap up, and cover these consolations that thou canst not receive them? or what vails the eye of thy mind, that thou canst not behold what we hold out to thee, or not find out the meaning of it? If our Gospel be hid (saith the Apostle) it is hid to those that are lost, in whom the God of this World hath blinded the eyes of them, etc. (2 Cor. 4.3, 4.) Thus Eliphaz seems to bespeak Job. If the consolations of God be small to thee, doth not somewhat blind thy eyes? Doth not some cloud hid them from thee? Doth not prejudice against us, or some close sin in thyself interrupt thy sight? This is hinted by the old Latin Translator, who saith, Thy evil words (or the evil matter that is in thee) hinder this. One of the Rabbins glosseth it thus, and the Original reaches it, Some lie, some enchantment, or witchery hath seized upon thee, though thou pretendest truth. The Apostle speaks to this sense (Gal. 3.1.) O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not receive the truth: Witchery or Enchantment gives a secret wound. Is there any secret thing with thee? Hast thou any secret comfort for thyself, any secret conceit of thyself, any secret sin in thy bosom hindering the effectual working, or due prising of those cordials which we have given thee? The first of these secret things never stands in the way of receiving consolation; he that hath hidden comfort in him, will not refuse spoken comforts; nor do I think that Eliphaz aimed at that, unless in scorn, as some resolve it: Malo in bonum sumi, licet hoc in eum Eliphaz dicat, eum ridens. Merc. but rather at one of or both the latter, though mistaken in both. Yet his suspicion gives us a ground for these two Observations. First, That a man who is full of his own wisdom, is not fit to receive instruction, counsel, or consolation from others; Intus existens prohibet alienum. that which is within hinders that which comes from without: When a man thinks himself wiser than his teachers, he will not be taught, nor learn wisdom by them. Some might have known much, if they had not presumed they knew enough. There is no greater impediment of knowledge, than an opinion of it. Secondly, Observe, A sin kept close, or secret within us, hinders the effect and working of the Word: Though comforts, and counsels are given, they will not operate, where secret corruption lies at heart; the filthiness and corruption of the stomach, hinders digestion, till it be purged out: Physicians remove ill humours before they prescribe Cordials, else they do but nourish the discase. 'Tis so in spirituals; the Apostle Peter gives the rule (1 Epist. 2.1.) Wherefore laying aside all guile, hypocrisy, and envy, and evil speaking, as new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. As if he had said, Till you cast out these, you will never thrive under the Word; if a man be to sow Seed in his Garden, he will pull up the Weeds, and throw away the Stones, else the Seed will not spring up to perfection. The Prophet tells the Jews (Jer. 5, 25.) Your sins hinder good things from you: as sin hinders good from coming to us, so it hinders the Word from working good in us. Though the proper business of the Word be to cast out, or pull up this secret sin, yet there is a great stop given it while any secret sin is nourished, or not cast out. That's the reason why so many precious promises take not upon the heart, some sin, some corruption obstructs their operation; and (like the thief in the Candle) wasteth away their strength and light. As the Lord said to Joshua when the people of Israel fled before the men of Ai, There is some accursed thing among you, therefore they cannot stand before their Enemies. So I may say, when any stand up against the Word of God, or resist the consolations which are offered them; sure there is some accursed thing, some hidden Wedge of stolen Gold, or some Babylonish Garment treasured in, or wrapped about your hearts, and therefore ye can neither see nor submit to the counsels of God for your good. This is a useful truth for us, though an undue charge on Job; and yet his Friend proceeds (if a higher charge can be) to charge him higher, as will appear in the two Verses following. JOB, CHAP. 15. Vers. 12, 13. Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what doth thine eyes wink at? That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admirantis est; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Capere, sumere, capit pro rapit, flectit, allicit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est animus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, q. d. permittis te abripiendum & transversion agendum affectu tuo nimis animoso. Quis te furor cordis exagitat, quae te extra te rapit sapientiae jactantia. Pined. Tam superbus apud te es ut vix temet ipsum capere possit; nec quidem tui ipsius capax es. Bold. ELiphaz insists still upon that unpleasant subject of reproof, the fifth ground whereof here proposed, is Jobs over-confident sticking to his own Principles, or his overweening his own opinion. This reproof is couched in the 12. and 13. Verses. Vers. 12. Why doth thy heart carry thee away? He speaks by way of Question, or as some expound him, by way of admiration; as if he had said, It is strange, even a wonder to me, that thy heart should thus carry thee away: The word which we translate, to carry away, signifies to take up, or barely to take, and lay hold upon; Why doth thy heart? the heart is the whole inward man; here more specially, the affections; Why do thy affections, master thy judgement, why are thy passions too hard for thy reason? Others give the sense thus, How can thy heart hold thee? As if Job had grown too big for himself; as if he had been so proud and arrogant, so transported with self-conceit, that he could not contain himself, and keep his bounds, or as if he had not stowage enough for his own thoughts. A third, thus (which comes near the same sense) What doth thy heart attribute or ascribe to thee? Sure thy heart doth give thee some great titles, such as these, Job the wise, Job the holy, the just, the sincere; thy heart sets thee out sure, Posset per dativum ita verti, quid attribuit tibi cor tuum. Bold. Quid docet te cor tuum. Rab. Sol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat doctrinam sed ita dicitur a discendo potius quam a docendo. Drus. Quid docuit te cogitatio tua, Targ. and gilds thee over with attributes beyond thy deserving. Master Broughton following one of the Rabbins, presents us with a different translation from either of these, What Doctrine can thy heart give thee, or what can thy heart teach thee? The word which we render to take, to carry, or hold up a thing, signifies also to learn or teach Doctrine, but rather to learn then to teach, as Grammarians tell us, which somewhat abates the clearness of that version; yet the Chalde Paraphrase follows the same sense, What hath thy own thought taught thee? What learnest thou there, as if Eliphaz had said, Thou hast an evil heart, and surely an ill Master will teach but ill Doctrine; when the heart is inditing of a good matter (Psal. 45.) then we may learn good lessons from the heart: and then we speak most effectually to the hearts of others, when we speak from our own hearts, they having first been spoken to by the spirit of God. But a corrupt heart can teach no better than it hath, and that is corrupt Doctrines. These are truths, yet too much strained for upon this Text, and therefore I pass from them, and abide by the ordinary signification of the word as we read it, Why doth thy heart take thee up, or carry thee away; as if he had said, Thy heart hath seized upon thee, and arrested thee, thou art led away prisoner, or captive by the violence and impetuousness of thy own spirit. The word is applied (Ezek. 23.14.) to the motion of the spirit of God, sent unto Ezekiel to instruct him; The spirit lifted me up, or caught me away; that which the good spirit did unto Ezekiel (not only upon his spirit, but upon his body, for he was corporally carried away from the place where he was) that the heart of Job (as Eliphaz conceived) did unto him, it lifted him up, and carried him away. There is a kind of violence in the allurements and enticings of the heart. As a man is said to be carried away by the ill counsels of others, so also by his own. In the former sense the word is used, Prov. 6.25, Where Solomon advising to take heed of the Harlot, saith he, Keep thee from the evil Woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange Woman; lust not after her in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her eye lids: There he makes use of this word, let her not take thee, or let her not carry thee away upon her eye lids, let not her wanton eye flatter thee to the sin of wantonness and uncleanness. As the eye of a whorish Woman, so the whorish heart of a man, often takes and carrieth him away. Hence observe: The heart hath power over, and is too hard for the whole Man; Passions hurry our hearts, and our hearts hurry us; and who can tell whither his heart will carry him, or where it will set him down, when once it hath taken him up. This is certain, it will carry every man beyond the bounds of his duty, both to God and man: Take it more distinctly in these three particulars. The heart quickly carrieth us beyond the bounds of grace. Secondly, the heart often carrieth us beyond the bounds of reason; When passion works much, reason works not at all. Thirdly, it may carry us beyond the bounds of honesty, yea of modesty: 'Tis very dangerous to commit ourselves to the conduct of passion; that (unless kept under good command) will soon run us beyond the line both of Modesty and of Honesty, of Reason, and of Grace. He that is carried away thus fare must make a long journey of repentance, before he can return and come back, either to God or to himself. Some have been carried visibly away by the Devil, by an evil spirit without them (if God give commission or permission, the Devil can easily do it) very many are carried away by the evil spirit within them. An evil heart is as bad as the Devil; the evil spirit without, and the evil spirit within, carry us both the same way, and that is quite out of the way. Consider further how the heart carrieth us away, even from spiritual duties and holy services; and this is not only the case of carnal men (who are given up to their hearts lusts) but of the Saints; their hearts are continually lifting at them, and sometimes they are carried quite away from Prayer, and from hearing the Word: the heart lifts the man up, and steals him out of the Congregation, while his body remains there, the body sits still, but the mind, which is the man, is gone, either about worldly business and designs, or about worldly pleasures and delights. He stirs not a foot, nor moves a finger, and yet he is carried all the World over: He visits both the Indies, yet steps not over his own threshold. Thus the heart being carried away, carrieth the man away. And that's the reason why God calls so earnestly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum omni custodia. My Son give me thy heart; for where our hearts go, we go, or we are carried with them; Keep thy heart with all diligence (Prov. 4.24.) or, With all keeping, or above all keeping; it must have double keeping, double guards, keep, keep, watch, watch, thy heart will be gone else, and thou wilt go with it; if thou look not to thy heart, thy heart will quickly withdraw itself, and draw thee along also: Why doth thy heart carry thee away? is a deserved check upon every man, when his heart doth so; and Let not thy heart carry thee away, is a necessary caution for every man, lest his heart should do so. Jobs heart was too busy with him, though not so busy as Eliphaz judged, when he thus checked him, with, Why doth thy heart carry thee away? And what doth thine eye wink at? But is it a fault to wink with the eye; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nutu utor, quia nutus ficri solet vel capite, vel oculis. it is said (Joh. 13.24.) that Peter beckoned to, or winked at John (the Greek word signifieth an inviting gesture by the whole head, or by the eye) he winked at him I say, to ask Christ who it was of whom he spoke: There was no fault in that, but Eliphaz finds fault with this: What was the supposed fault? There is a twofold faulty winking. First, When we wink at faults, our own faults, or the faults of other men, to bear with, or approve them. Secondly, When we wink at the virtues and good deeds of others to slight or undervalue them; possibly Eliphaz taxeth Job for both these, as if he winked at his own faults, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est vox hoc tantum loco reperta, cujus significationem, Rab, Mardochai dicit esse insinuationem vel indicationem. Quid annuunt quid innuunt oculi tui. or would not see them, and that he winked at their faithful deal, as slighting, or not regarding them: Yet further and more distinctly. The word which we translate to wink, is found only in this text all the Bible over. It properly signifies to insinuate by the eye, to speak or make significant tokens by the eye; there is a language of the eye, as well as of the tongue; here Jobs eye gave some ill language to the eye or apprehension of Eliphaz. There are various opinions about it. ●●●st, Some interpret it, as a note of opposition against, or of dissatisfaction with the counsels which his Friends gave him, as was lately hinted. Shutting of the eye, imports shutting of the mind, or a refusal of what is spoken. When God judicially closed the eyes of the Jews, Aegre, qui sibi sapientes videntur, ferunt, sive concionentur, sive disceptent, non auditi cum exteruis modestiae attentionis & aestimationis signis. In auditione vitia sunt supercilia, torvitas & ●istitia vulius obtuitus vagus, nulus, etc. Plut. lib. de Aud. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, de fixis, immotis intentis oculis esse interpretatar. Nictu oculi prodis nos nostrasque orationes a te contemni. Pined. Cordis contum●cia ex oculis tuis emicat. Nictu te ostendis elatum. Merc. In oculis veteribus religio fuit, siquidem in iis imago hominis est & tacitus sermo mentis. Bold. In oculis, loculis & poculis, homo cognoscitur. Sent. Hebr. saying to the Prophet (Isa. 6.10.) Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; this shown the shutting of their minds against the truth: so also doth a voluntary or an affected shutting of the eye in some men, though in others it is an act of stronger attention or intention of their spirits to what is spoken, which some take to be the English of Jobs winking, as we shall see a little after. Secondly, This winking with the eye, is expounded by others, though not as an opposition against what he heard, yet as the gesture of a negligent and careless hearer. They who speak, take it ill to have either ill looks, or not to be looked upon by their hearers. The attentiveness of the ear may be much discerned by the eye: One of the old moral Philosophers, in his discourse about hearing, numbers winking among the vices and offensive behaviours of a Hearer. When the Lord Christ Preached (Luke 4.20.) It is said, That the eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastened on him. A fastened eye is the note of a fixed heart, as a wand'ring eye is of a wand'ring heart. They fastened their eyes upon him, as if they meant to hear with their eyes as well as with their ears. A winking eye is a movable and an unsettled eye, and therefore may well be the discoverer of an unsettled Spirit. Thirdly, This winking with the eye is also a sign of disdain and scorn. As if Eliphaz had said, The pride of thy heart sparkles at thine eye; while we are counselling and comforting thee, thou art scorning us. The Ancients were very critical about the eye, much of a man may be seen at his eye. As a man sees, so he is seen by his own eyes. The frame of the heart appears much in the eye; a joyful or a sorrowful frame of heart, an humble or a proud frame of heart, a contented, or discontented, an amicable, or a scornful frame of heart appears at the eye. As the ear and nostrils of the Horse, discover him most, according to the rules of Naturalists, so the eye of man is the greatest discoverer of man, whether we consider the constitution or the actions of it. And that this action of winking, is an argument of a scornful spirit, or the action of a scorner, appears from David's Petition, or deprecation (Psal. 35.19.) Let not them that are mine Enemies wrongfully rejoice over me, neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause; it may seem to be a strange piece of prayer, why would not David have his enemy wink? What was that to him? The meaning is this, let not mine Enemies have any occasion to scorn and deride me, to boast and insult over me. There are two sins which are very visible in the eye: The first is wantonness (Isa. 3.16.) Because the Daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes, the Hebrew is, Deceiving with their eye; and the Apostle Peter in his second Epistle, Chap. 2.14. gives this character of some, They have eyes full of adultery, you may perceive the filthiness and uncleanness of their hearts staring out of their eyes. The second sin which is so visible in the eye, is Pride; Solomon speaks of a proud look (Prov. 6.17.) Six things this Lord hateth; yea, seven are an abomination to him; And the first of the seven, is, A proud look; the Hebrew is, Haughty eyes: Pride and haughtiness are seated, yea, conspicuously enthroned in the eye. Fourthly, These words, Why winkest thou with thine eye? Ad simulatam quandam innocentiae significationem & sanctitatis specimen, quod hypocrism redolet referri potest. are expounded as a reproof of hypocrisy and seeming holiness; as if Eliphaz had said, Thou lookest very demurely, and innocently, as if (according to our old Proverb) Butter would not melt in thy mouth, or as if thou wert speaking familiarly to God. For as lifting up the eyes or looking to Heaven is a gesture of holy worship. (John 17.1.) Then Jesus lift up his eyes to Heaven: So also is winking with the eye. It is very usual with many to shut or wink with their eyes in prayer, that so their spirits may be more composed, and freer from distraction. 'Tis not unlikely that Eliphaz observed Job winking with his eyes, as if he had set himself to seek God; this provoked him, What? such a one as thou, a hypocrite, a wicked man, what thou go to God? Wilt thou wink with thy eyes, as if thou wert wrapped up in some Divine meditation; whereas we have ground rather to conclude that thou art devising mischief: There are two Texts in the Proverbs, which give some light to this Interpretation, Prov. 6.13. He winketh with his eye, he speaketh with his feet, teacheth with his fingers, frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually: Solomon puts a winking eye and a froward mischiefe-devising heart together: As if he had said, A wicked man (for of him he speaks in the former Verse) winks with the eye, as if he had some high rapture, whereas his mind is set upon mischief, and pursuing the worst of evils. Again, Prov. 10.10. He that winketh with his eye causeth sorrow; but how doth a man that winketh with the eye cause sorrow? what dependence is there between these two, sorrow, and winking, that the one should cause the other? These words, he that winketh with his eye, are the description of a deceitful man; such a one may cause sorrow enough, Qui annuit oculo suo cum fraud. both to himself and others. Solomon intends, not a simple, but a subtle sly winking with the eye; and so the Syriake readeth it; He who winketh with his eye deceitfully, causeth sorrow: Deceit makes the deceived sorrowful, and it will make the Deceiver sorrowful; he must either be sorrowful to repentance, or feel the sorrow of punishment. Fifthly, This winking with the eye, is conceived to be a metaphor taken from those who shoot with Guns or Bows, Quid collimant oculi tui, Jun. Metaphora a jaculatoribus sumpta. id. Gunners and Archers wink when they shoot, that they may take aim the better: The contracting of the sight, strengthens it. So here, What dost thou wink at? that is, what dost thou aim at? The eye of a man's mind aims at some mark in meditation, and hence it is usual for a man in vehement meditation, to wink with his eye. As if Eliphaz had said, surely thou hast some great design, some grand plot in thy brain, thou pretendest to some deep wisdom, or unheard of policies; thou hast set up some fair mark before thy fancy, and thou wilt be sure to hit it; what is it that thou aymest at? We find the phrase used in this sense, Prov. 16.30. He shutteth his eye to devise froward things, moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass; he shutteth his eyes, as if he would make his thoughts more steady and fixed, to hit or reach that froward device which he is casting about how he may effect. And as a wicked man shuts his eyes to devise froward, that is, sinful things, so a good man shuts his eyes (lest variety of objects should divert or call off his mind) when he is devising and studying what is best both for himself and others. Et quasi magna cogitans attonitos habes oculo●. Vulg. The rendering of the Vulgar Latin, though it be fare from the letter of the Original, and is rather a Paraphrase then a Tranasltion, yet it reacheth this sense fully, Wherefore doth thy heart carry thee away, Oculos in caelo defigere solent cogitabundi & quibus gravis inest solicitudo. Sanct. and why liftest thou up thine eyes, as if thou wert thinking of some great matter? Or as if the affairs of Kingdoms, and States depended upon thy care, or were committed to thy trust. All these interpretations are serviceable to the Text before us; and though we cannot positively and particularly resolve which of them was here intended by Eliphaz, yet considering that his scope was to reprove Job, we may take in the sense of them all, and conclude that he censured Job in this one word of all those miscarriages of the heart, which may be signified at the eye; as appears by the inference which he makes in the next Verse: For having said, What doth thy eye wink at? he presently subjoins: Vers. 13. That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? So that this Verse is an explication of the former, Explicationem continet praecedentis versiculi. Bold. and gives us more clearly what Eliphaz meant by the Carrying away of the heart, and the winking of the eye: His heart is carried out of all bounds, who turneth his spirit against God: His eye winks sinfully whose mouth presently upon it speaks unduly. Thou winkest with thy eye, thou art very thoughtful, and what the fruit or birth of thy thoughts is, we may discern by thy speech, while thou lettest such words go out of thy mouth. Thou turnest thy spirit against God. As if he had said, In stead of humbling thyself under the punishment of thy sin, thou with an incensed mind contestest against God himself: and though while he saith against God, he doth not mean God directly, but God in his judgements and counsels in his Word or in his Works; yet this is a very high charge, one of the highest that is in the whole Book, but very unjust. Indeed Job used some passionate speeches to his Friends, and these Eliphaz judgeth to proceed from an opposition against God. Thou turnest thy Spirit against God. There is a twofold turning the spirit against God: First, Natural, Rom. 8.7. Enmity is the turning of the spirit. The wisdom or lust of the flesh is enmity against God. Secondly, Improved when we heighten this opposition in our practice, and are enemies to God in our minds, or Gods hearty enemies by wicked works, Col. 1.21. Quod rediri feceris ad Deum spiritum tuum. Heb. Quia respondit ad Deum spiritus tuus. Mont. Pedire facit verbum qui re spondet. Drus. The Hebrew is, Thou makest thy spirit to return to God, which is expounded two ways; first, thou makest thy spirit to turn upon, or against God: Secondly, thy spirit answers or replieth upon God; both meet in one meaning; for though there may be a turning away of the spirit without answering, yet (in one sense) all answers are the turning of our spirit: if any man ask a question, the answer is the return of his mind who makes the answer, so some render, Why doth thy spirit return answer to God; as if he rebuked him for his boldness in replying. Thy spirit returns upon God, if he speak one word, thou wilt have two; in that sense the word is used, Titus 2.9. where the Apostle giving rules (among other relations) to Servants, charges them, Servants be obedient to your own Masters, and please them well in all things, not answering again. But, is it a fault for a Servant, when asked a question, to make an answer? no, it were a fault not to answer. The meaning is, that a Servant being reproved for a fault must not answer; that is, his spirit must not rise, and return against his Master; or if a Servant be directed to do any warrantable work, he must not answer again; that is, he must not contradict or murmur at the orders which he hath received, but address himself to the fulfilling of them; this is the answering again, reproved as a fault in Servants, which is rather gain saying then answering, as we put in the Margin of our Bibles: in which sense, answering is taken here according to this interpretation. Thy spirit answers God, or turns against him. We may clear it also by that of the Apostle (Rom. 9.20.) Where having showed the absolute sovereignty of God in his Decrees and purposes, by the example of Jacob and Esau, as also by that of Pharaoh: He concludes, Vers. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth: Saint Paul soresaw that this Doctrine would raise a great deal of dust, and cause many to turn their spirits against God, which he thus represents (Vers. 19) Thou wilt say unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted his will? Nay, but O man who art thou that repliest against God? What? wilt thou chop logic with God himself? Wilt thou (as the Margin saith) answer again, or dispute with God? Hold thy peace, quiet thyself, What's the matter that thou turnest thy spirit against God? Spirit is here put for the will, thoughts, and counsels, Spiritus pro arrogantia. Latin diciur magnos gerere animos qui superbia tumet. Merc. Quid tumet adversus Deum spiritus tuus? Vulg. Quid torva convertis in caelum Lumina? quid in Deum refundis stomacum & evocas conceptam iram. Pined. Animum indignatione accensum. Jun. Omnem spiritum suum depromit stultus. i e. iram. Aben Ezra. Rege animum. i e. iram. Horat. of Man, clothed and elated with arrogancy, stoutness, and pride: In all languages, Spirit imports that which is high. And to say, Such a one is a man of spirit, notes not only the activeness of that man, but often his pride and haughtiness. Besides, Spirit is sometimes put for indignation, for fury, and wrath; in all which acceptions, the word may be rendered here, Thou turnest thy spirit, that is, thy anger and wrath, thy fury and indignation against God. So the word is used, Isa. 25.4. When the spirit, or blast of the terrible ones, is as a storm against the Wall; that is, while the fury of the terrible ones is in its highest march and motion, God promiseth to be a strength to the poor, a strength and a refuge to the needy in his distress: So Prov. 29.11. A fool uttereth all his mind, or all his spirit; that is, all his anger, he lets it out, and discovers himself presently; but a wise man (if there be cause of anger) keepeth it in till afterwards; that is, till a fit season. He hath a retentive faculty which a Fool hath not. Now, in which sense soever of these explained, we understand Spirit in the present Text, the charge is as high as it can go upon any man, when 'tis said, He turneth his Spirit against God. Hence Observe: To turn the spirit against God is the very spirit of ungodliness; there is no greater wickedness than this. A godly man may do an act which is against God, but his spirit cannot act against God; that's the character of the wicked. A godly man delights in the Law of God according to the inward man, whilst the outward man sins against the Law of God; an ungodly man turns his inward man against the Law of God, while his outward man pretends obedience to it; and as it is an act of highest disobedience, so of the proudest pride to turn the spirit against God. The Vulgar Latin translates it well, Why doth thy spirit swell against God, Thou hast an impostumation in thy spirit against God; yea it is not only an act of the proudest pride, but of the maddest madness to turn the spirit against God; Furorem erupisti ante dominum. Sept. so the Septuagint gives it, Thou hast caused thy fury or thy madness to break forth before God; he that acts against God is a mad man indeed, Will ye provoke the Lord, are you stronger than he? is the Apostles chiding question to such mad men: are you so mad after your lusts, hath sin made you so foolish, Have you lost both grace and reason at once? that you dare thus provoke the Lord, and challenge the Almighty? God resists the proud, and the proud assault him; Grace turns the spirit to God, repentance is the return of our spirits to God; then what is the turning of our spirits against God, but a clear demonstration of a totally impenitent and graceless Spirit? Again, when Eliphaz saith, Job turned his Spirit against God, he doth not mean it of a direct or professed opposition against God, as if Job had openly defied him, and blasphemed his Name; but his meaning is, that Job showing so much impatience and unsatisfiedness of spirit, under the deal of God with him, did not submit to God, as he ought. Eliphaz (I conceive) did not so much as suspect that Job turned his spirit immediately, or as we say, point blank against God himself, but only against his dispensations. Hence observe: That while we speak, or our hearts rise up against the deal of God with ourselves or others, we may be said to turn our spirits against God himself: Many who think they have not neglected Christ, will be found to have neglected him, because they have neglected those by whom, or that wherein Christ is offered. The Evangelist brings in Christ speaking thus (Matth. 25.) I was hungry and ye fed me not, thirsty and ye gave me no drink; they to whom he speaks wonder at this, Lord (say they) when saw we thee hungry and gave thee no meat, or thirsty and gave thee no drink, surely we have not been guilty of such a wickedness: Yea, saith Christ, In as much as ye did it not to one of these, ye did it not to me; when ye refused to feed these, ye refused to feed me, I was in these, and these were in me. Now in the same manner many will say, when we charge them with turning their spirits against God, with fight against, and opposing God: Who? we oppose God? we never opposed God as we know of; yea, peradventure, they will say, we have honoured God, and do you charge us that we have turned our spirit against God? to many such God will say, In as much as ye opposed my word, and murmured against my works, in as much as ye were angry with my dispensations, and discontented with what I have done, ye have turned your spirit against me. We may become guilty of this sin before we think of it; for as there is a direct and literal contending with God, so an equivalent, or constructive contending with him. As some men commit plain open Treason against a State, but others commit only constructive Treason: 'Tis so here, the God of Heaven knows when spirits turn against him directly, and when by consequence, and he will take vengeance not only of direct and avowed, but also of consequential and constructive Treason against his Sovereignty, unless the offender repent and be humbled before him. He will judge thousands at the last day, for opposing him, who, it may be, in some things have pleaded for him; yea, who have in some things not only acted, but suffered for him; though usually when the spirit of any man turneth against God, that man's works and words turn against him too: So Eliphaz further taxeth Job in the latter clause of the Verse. And lettest such words go out of thy mouth? As if he had said, Such stuff as thou hast in thy heart, even such flows out of thy mouth; the word Such is added by most Translators; the Hebrew is, And lettest words go out of thy mouth; it is no fault to let words go out of the mouth: 'tis no sin to speak, but to speak such or such words, may be very sinful; and therefore we, and others, for explication sake, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feminine vel ut animum muliebri impotentia labo antem fodicet, aut forma Chaldaica. Pungit etiam voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Logos, nugas verba? Coc. make this supplement, Such words; But what words were they? Eliphaz doth not quote any passages in his speech, but leaves them as we and others translate under a term of general distaste, Such words; as if they were not worth the naming, or as if no epithet could be found worthless enough to name them by. For as when Ezra would describe a deliverance in the realilty of it beyond words, he doth not tell us what it was, but saith only, Seeing our God hath given us such deliverance as this, (Ez. 9.13.) So when Eliphaz would describe words in the vanity or sinfulness of them below words, he doth not tell us what they were, but saith only, Such words as these; yet possibly the words he means were these, Why hast thou set me as a mark, so that I am a burden to myself (Chap. 7.20.) or these (Chap. 9.30.) If I wash me with Snow water, and make my hands never so clear, yet thou wilt plunge me in the ditch, or these (Chap. 13.26.) Thou writest bitter things against me, and thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth: These, or such as these, were the words which Eliphaz leaves under this note of disdain, Such words. Yet these Eliphaz should have mollified with a charitable construction, and not have sharpened his own tongue against them, much less should he have interpreted them, as the turning of Jobs spirit against God himself. For as some draw near to God with their lips, and give him smooth words, while their hearts are fare from him, and their spirits turned against him: So others may seem to departed from God with their lips, and give him harsh language, while their hearts are near, and their spirits cleave unto him. I shall further give you a fourfold character of these words, suitable to the misprision which Eliphaz and his Friends had of him all along. Such words, or words so apprehended, must needs sound harshly in their ears, and in the cares of any man fearing God. First, Proud words of himself, insisting upon his own righteousness as they conceived, for in the next words Eliphaz saith, What is man that he should be clean? they thought Job spoke much to paint and bedeck himself with his own goodness and innocency. Secondly, Blasphemous words of God, though not directly, yet by consequence, against his works and deal. Thirdly, Reproachful, scornful words against them, as if they were neither able nor worthy to be his counsel; You are the men, and wisdom shall die with you. Fourthly, False words upon the whole matter in controversy, maintaining (as Eliphaz judged) contrary to the truth; that he was not punished for his sin. Words under this fourfold notion are reprovable and sinful enough; such Eliphaz esteemed the words of Job to be, proud, blasphemous, reproachful, false, Why lettest thou such words as these go out of thy mouth? Hence Observe: First, Passion within will vent itself by words without, when the heart is carried away, and the spirit turned against God, no marvel if the tongue be carried away, and the words of such a man be turned both against God, his truth or people. Secondly, Note: Our words are suitable to our spirits; some can dissemble much, and speak golden words, while themselves are dross; but ordinarily, our words are such as we are: The vile person will speak villainy, (Isa. 32.6.) A man that is all for the World, speaks worldly (1 John 4.5.) They are of the World, therefore speak they of the World. Every man is of the World so, as that he is a part of the World, but some are so of the World, that the World is all them; they who are thus of the World must needs speak of the World if they speak any thing, for they have nothing else to speak of. Thus a covetous man speaks covetously, and a proud man proudly (Jerem. 43.2.) Some told the Prophet to his face, Thou speakest falsely, the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there; These were proud words indeed, but who spoke them? The text tells us, Then spoke Azariah the Son of Hoshaniah, and all the proud men: The proud men spoke proudly; so on the contrary, a sober man will speak soberly, an humble man humbly; The poor speak supplications, saith Solomon; rich men speak their commands, poor men speak their wishes and desires. Thirdly, Observe: He that dares to speak evil, is arrived at a great height of evil: Eliphaz puts this as an effect of a heart turned against God; such words as these, show that thou art not only a sinful man, but impudent in sinning. For though an evil heart is worse than an evil tongue, and an ill thought then an evil word; yet when ill words spring from ill thoughts, and are as branches growing from the root of an evil heart, this shows a man heightened in sin; Sin hath got the mastery of the heart wh●n it freely vents itself at the tongue. Some keep their sins down by hypocrisy, and some by common modesty; they are either so cunning that they will not, or so bashful that they dare not speak out the filth that lies within. But they are beyond, not only modesty, but hypocrisy, whose tongues can speak all the evil that is in their heart; though the sin of the heart be worse than the sin of the tongue, yet when tongue sins are steeped in the puddle of a corrupt heart, they are most unsavoury: David sinned when he said, in his haste, all men are liars: How greatly then do they sinne who tell lies at their leisure, and speak evil with deliberation. That which is said in haste, is said by the tongue alone, without the privity of the heart, but the heart is always privy to that which is said at leisure. The Prophet taxeth those, the show of whose countenance did testify against them (Is. 3.9.) They fall justly under as severe a censure, the sound of whose tongues doth testify against them, for they also (as it follows in the Prophet) declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Further, this also argues the evil of evil speaking, because it wrongs others, and infects the Auditors: The vanity or error of the mind spoken out, is contagious; better keep it in, then speak it out, but both are naught: 'tis only good, when we purge it out. Though it be some allay and lessening, yet it is no excuse for sin, that we keep it in; God hates it, let it lie as close as it will; and though a sin kept close, doth not hurt others; yet it is not only hurtful, but deadly to its keeper. They only are out of danger, who as they do not let evil go out of the door of their mouths, so not lodge in the chambers of their heart. Thus I have opened the charge contained in this part of the Chapter; in all which, Eliphaz hath reproved the speech of Job, as vain, empty, proud, passionate, and erroneous. He now proceeds to show him (as he supposed) the error of his opinion, and to confute it. JOB, Chap. 15. Vers. 14, 15, 16. What is man that he should be clean? and he that is borne of a Woman, that he should be righteous? Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints; yea, the Heavens are not clean in his sight: How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? ELiphaz hath done reproving Job for his unprofitable words and uncomely carriage; Jam rem aggreditur, & Jobi praecipuum firmamentum quo ille nitebatur evertit, quod ille se innocentem & justum diceret Qua fronte inquit ●audes id dicere. Merc. he now proceeds to convince him of his supposed error in judgement, and unsound opinion; namely, That he boasted himself free from error in practice, and sound at heart: This he looked upon as the Bulwark in which Job defended himself, and against this he now raises his battery to beat it down. And this takes up the second part of the Chapter, which I called Confutation. Vers. 14. What is man that he should be clean? As if he had said, Though I should grant that thou art not conscious to thyself of any crime or wickedness acted, for which thou art thus afflicted, yet this is enough to prove thee a sinner, that thou art a man, and that thou art unrighteous, because thou art borne of a woman; What is man that he should be clean, and he that is borne of a woman that he should be righteous? What is man? He speaks contemptuously, What is man? As Hiram said of the Cities which Solomon assigned him, What Cities are these which thou hast given me my brother? And he called them the Land of Cabul, that is, displeasing, or dirty (1 Kings 9.13.) Thus Eliphaz speaks of man, as if he were displeased with the sight of him, or remembered only the dust and clay out of which he was made, What is man (my friend Job) that he should be clean? Job had spoken the same language before (Chap. 7.17.) What is man that thou art thus mindful of him, etc. He also empties man of all worth, which should attract the least respect from God upon him: What is man? puts a fivefold slight upon man. First, In his nature: Secondly, In his birth. Thirdly, In the matter out of which he was made. Fourthly, In reference to his present condition. Fifthly, and chief, In reference to his corruption, or sinful depravation, What is man that he should be clean? But had Job any where asserted himself clean? Did he not assert his own uncleanness, while he proclaimed that Negative Question (Chap. 14. v. 4.) Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean, not one? Why then doth Eliphaz charge Job with this boast of cleanness, who never thought himself clean, as his discourse every where demonstrates, but under two notions: First, as righteous by another, or through Faith in the Messiah: Secondly, as not scandalous to others by any notorious crime, or conscious to himself of any close hypocrisy; in any other sense then this, Job never asserted himself clean, and in this he was, yea every believer is clean. Yet Eliphaz fastens it upon him, as if he had trimmed up himself with his own ornaments, or had advanced the Doctrine of Selfe-perfection. Hence observe in general. That, When persons are engaged in a dispute, specially in a difficult controversy, they seldom understand, but seldomer report the truth of each others position. Calvino-turcismus. Hun. Calvinus Judaizans. Osiand. Some of calvin's adversaries called his Doctrine by the odious names of Turkism, and Judaisme: And the Papists call us Solifidians, as if we denied all good works, because we affirm that a man is justified (though not by that faith which is alone) yet by Faith alone without works. Job indeed had spoken much to vindicate himself, but he spoke much more to abase, and lay himself low in the sight of God; and therefore Eliphaz might have made a fairer collection for him, than this, that he affirmed himself clean. What is man, etc. The Hebrew is, Miserable man. Miserable is his name, and misery is with him, frail is his name, and frailty is with him. Hence Mr. Broughton translates, What is woeful man to be cleared? What is man that he should be clean? The words contain a great and necessary truth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nomen humanae fragititati significandae appositum. but because we met with it, Chap. 14.4. where the point was opened, and the impossibility of selfe-cleannesse cleared from those words: Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? (which question answers for Job, that he was positive for the universal pollution of the nature of man) I shall not therefore stay upon it; take only this brief hint. Here is a strong proof of original sin, we are clean but not of ourselves; we are clean under a fourfold notion. First, Clean meritoriously by Christ. Secondly, Clean efficaciously by the spirit uniting us to Christ, and sanctifying our hearts. Thirdly, Clean instrumentally by the Word, which discovers Christ the fountain to us, and so purifies us (John 15.4.) You are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Fourthly, We are clean impulsively and attractively by faith (Acts 15.8.) He made no difference purifying their hearts by Faith; thus many are clean, and but thus there is no man clean; What is man that he should be clean? And he that is borne of a woman that he should be righteous? Both parts of the Verse import the same thing. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quando conjunguntur distinguenda sunt, illud latius patet; hoc dicitur cum reus a judice absolutus dimittitur. Illo autem non tantum innocentia sed & dignitas notatur. Coc. Clean and righteous are near of one signification, yet in this place we may distinguish them; To be clean, refers to the purity of man's nature; to be righteous, or to be justified (for so the word may be translated) refers to the integrity of his life; from both it follows, Man cannot merit, for he is not clean: he cannot answer God, for he is not righteous. As if Eliphaz had said, What is man that he should either have any cleanness in himself, or that he should be reputed and looked upon as righteous by others. (Both which he intends as applycable to Job.) If God should search thy nature, what art thou that thou shouldest be clean? If God should search thy life, what art thou that thou shouldest be righteous? The point of man's utter inability, to stand before God in himself for justification, hath been met with, more than once before, and therefore I will not stay upon that neither, only consider the form of expression, or the periphrasis of Man. He that is borne of a woman. In the first clause he saith, What is man, in this latter, What is he that is borne of a woman: Emphaticè mulieris meminit, Vt. cap. 14 1. Merc. He speaks of man in both, yet with an additional emphasis, to mind us of our birth and original, as was showed upon those words (Chap. 14.1.) Man that is borne of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble: where the Reader may find what that teacheth, even an aggravation of man's sinfulness, in that he is borne of a woman who sinned first, or was, as the Apostle speaks (1 Tim. 2.14.) First in the Transgression. How prone is man to sin, being born of a woman, who was so prone to sin that she was the first sinner? What is he that is borne of a woman that he should be righteous? The whole race of mankind hath yielded but one exception to this general Rule, and that was in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ: He indeed was borne of a woman, and yet righteous, because his Mother's conception was of the holy Ghost (Matth. 1.20.) and by the power of the most high overshadowing her, Luke 1.35. But we may say of all men except him (who was also infinitely more than man, even God-man) What is he that is borne of a woman that he should be righteous? Secondly, Eliphaz proceeds (though the point be clear in itself) to give a proof of it which he ugeth from the greater to the less. Vers. 15. Behold, he putteth no trust in his Saints, and the heavens are not clean in his sight: How much more abominable and filthy is man, etc. The Argument rises thus: If they who are the purest, the holiest creatures, are not able to stand before God in their own purity; how shall he who hath no purity, no holiness at all in him? But the Heavens, yea the Angels in Heaven, who are the purest, the holiest creatures, are yet unclean in the sight of God: Therefore man who is abominable and filthy, drinking iniquity like water, cannot be clean in his sight. Behold he puts no trust in his Saints, Eliphaz urged this argument for the substance of it (Chap. 4.18.) here he repeats and reinforceth it. Behold, is usually a note of attention, here it is more, a note of admiration; as if he had said, Would you think it, that God puts no trust in his Saints? yet he doth not: or is not this a wonder, that God puts no trust in his Saints? whom will he trust, if not his Saints? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. cap. 4.18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est credere tanquam rei fideli & constanti aut fidele & constans cui credi debeat. The word which we translate, to put trust, signifies properly to believe, he doth not believe in his Saints, or not give credit to them; he doth not (as our word hath been) confide in them; a person is confided or trusted in, either because of his faithfulness, or because of his strength and stability; the word which we render here to trust, signifies sometimes strength or firmness, as also a Pillar, which is not only firm, but upholds and confirms the Building, or that which leans upon it. The same word doth elegantly signify, both to trust, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genus columnarum, 2 Reg. 18.16. In Sanctis suis non est fides, i. e firmitas vel immutabilitas naturae. Aug. Ecce inter Sanctos ejus nemo immutabilis. Vulg. Aliqui legunt, Non credit sanctis suis. 2. in sanctos suos. 3. in sanctis suis. Sic credere in Deum, in Deo, & Deo, Synonymai sunt. Drus. and to be firm, because every thing (that is trusted) is trusted upon supposal, either of a natural, or moral firmness. Hence the Vulgar translates, immutable; Behold among the Saints there is not one immutable, or unchangeable: And another of the Ancients, There is no faithfulness in his Saints; that is, firmness, or unchangeableness of nature is not to be found in them. There are three different uses of the word. First, To trust. Secondly, To trust in. Thirdly, To trust upon. So the translation varies here. For first some read, He doth not trust his Saints. Secondly others, He doth not trust in his Saints. A third, He doth not trust upon his Saints. Thus, some put a difference between believing God, and believing in God, and believing upon God; though we find them used promiscuously in Scripture. It is said by Moses (Gen. 15.6.) Abraham believed in the Lord, and it was accounted to him for righteousness; but the Apostle (Rom. 4.3.) saith plainly, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: So that there is not any material difference between those two expressions; yet ordinarily to trust in or upon, is taken in a higher construction then barely to trust: Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints. Here it is questioned, who are meant by Saints; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est ab usu communi ad divinum separare. there are three opinions about it. The word Saint in general signifies a person separated, or one set apart from others; Holiness is our separation from the world unto God: holy persons are separated persons; that's their state. But more distinctly, who are these holy persons, these Saints? The Greek Interpreters restrain the Text to the old Patriarches, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses and Aaron, with whom God at some times was angry, or found fault with some of their actings: Secondly, others by the Saints understand the confirmed Angels, who are called Saints, by way of excellency; Angeli vocantur Sancti Dei quasi ei familiarissimi atque illius obsequio addictissimi. Dan. 4.8. because among all creatures they are (in one sense) the most holy, as having ever been without the least spot or taint of sin, whether in their natures, or in their lives; and having ever continued as the Household servants of God, observant of, and obedient to all his commands. But we may rather take it in general, both for the holiest of men, and for the holy Angels: Behold he puts no trust in his Saints; no, not in those who are most holy. Hence Observe: There is no created holiness sure, stable, and perfect in itself: The glorious Angels which are, and ever shall be Saints in Heaven, and the Saints in Heaven who are like Angels, stand not in that holy and happy estate, by their own sufficiency, but by the decree and grace of God. Those Angels which fell at first were holy, and they who now stand, might have fallen notwithstanding their created holiness, if God had not superadded confirming grace, which establisheth them for ever. Yet this is not all, that the Angels are imperfect, because they might fall if not supported, there is somewhat more in it; for though the Angels are perfectly righteous in reference to the Law, (for the whole bent of their hearts is to God, and they love God with all their hearts, which is the fulfilling of the Law:) So that the obedience of the Angels in Heaven, is made the copy and pattern of our obedience here on earth, as Christ hath taught us to pray, though (I say) the Angels are thus perfectly righteous in reference to the Law) yet there is a higher righteousness and holiness in God. There's but the holiness of obeying a Law, God hath the holiness of being a Law: They have a holiness without spot, yet it is but a finite, a created holiness; now what comparison is there between finite, and infinite, created, and uncreated; therefore though there be no blemish in the obedience of Angels, none in their nature, none in their lives, yet God puts no trust in them, he cannot lay the weight of his confidence upon them, because they are creatures. The next clause doubles this point. And the Heavens are not clean in his sight. There is a difference among Interpreters what these Heavens are; The Chaldee Paraphrast, and some of the Ancients, understand the Angels, as in the former part of the Verse, and they say the Angels are called the Heavens under a twofold consideration: First, Because Angels are like the Heavens, in their spirituality and incorruptibility, in their order and subordination among themselves, as also in their power over sublunary or earthly bodies. Secondly, By a Synecdoche, because the Angels have their habitation in Heaven, that's their dwelling place; so Master Broughton translates, Nor they of Heaven be clean in his eyes; that is, the Inhabitants of Heaven are not clean in his eyes. Caeruleus Tibris caelo gratissimus amnis. i e. diis vel caelicolis. Virg. l. 8. The Heathen Poet calls those whom he supposed dwellers in Heaven by the Name of Heaven; describing a pleasant River, he calls it, A River pleasant to Heaven; that is, to those who are in Heaven. Others by Heaven understand the Saints in Heaven, not the Angels; and that also upon a twofold reason. First, Because God is said to dwell in the Saints, Sancti in quibus tanquam in caelis habitare dicitur Deus, caeli dicuntur, quae allegoria frequentissima est inter antiquos patres, Pined. they are his habitation, and wheresoever God dwells he makes a Heaven. Secondly, Because the Saints, not only those in Heaven, but they on earth, have their conversation in Heaven; (Phil. 3.20.) As carnal and earthly minded men are called Earth, because their hearts and conversations are fixed to the earth; so spiritual and heavenly minded men may be called Heaven, because their hearts and conversations are fixed in Heaven. Thirdly, We may rather understand it in a proper sense; the heavens, that is, The heavenly bodies are not clear in thy sight; the heavens are the most excellent and purest part of the Creation: And therefore this interpretation, or rather plain construction of the words, suits the scope of Eliphaz fully, who as he spoke before of the Angels, who are the purest of all rational creatures; so here of the heavens, which are the purest of all inanimate creatures, Caeli qui maxímè sunt lucidi suas habent maculas, partesque crassiores magisque opacas & materiales, in re igitur er fectissima vidit Deus ma ulas, Pine●. yet these are not pure in the sight of God, therefore no man is. The heavens have a kind of uncleanness in them: the Moon hath her spots, yea the Moon is but a spot, if Philosophers may be credited, who tell us that all the Stars (in their sense the Moon is a Star) are but as the spots of Heaven. A Star (as they define) being the thicker and grosser part of its Orb: The heavens themselves are so fine and liquid, so thin, and fluid, that they cannot hold the light; therefore the Lord made those Celestial bodies the Sun, Moon, and Stars, more compact and gross, that so they might both receive, and retain the light, as also transmit and give it out to the World here below. These are spots in the Heavens; and though they appear as the glory or Beauty-spots of Heaven to our sight, and are so indeed; yet these are not clean in the sight of God. Again, the heavens are furthest removed from all earthly dregs and dross, In conspectu ejus. Aliud est purum esse simpliciter, & aliud purum esse coram Deo; ut justus, & justus coram Deo differunt. Luc. 1. 6. Drus. so that they are clean, not only in regard of their nature and constitution, but also in regard of their site and position; being placed so far from the sink of the World, the earth, they never received any stain or defilement from it; yet these heavens are not clean in his sight. God doth not make that which is clean, not clean by his seeing it; but his sight is infinitely above all the cleanness which he sees. That may be clean, considered simply or in itself, which before God, or to the eye of God, is as an unclean thing. Hence Note: God is so clearsighted, that the cleanest creatures are unclean in his sight; the very cleanness of the creature, is uncleanness before him, much more, compared to him. For if one creature may be so clean that another creature which is clean may be said to have no cleanness in comparison of it: Then surely God is so clean, that the cleanest creatures have indeed no cleanness in comparison of his. The Stars are very beautiful bodies, and full of light, yet the Sun hath so much light, that it darkens all the Stars, and causeth them to disappear, when it appeareth: Now, if the Stars have no light in the sight of the Sun, what light hath the Sun in the sight of God? he that puts all the perfections that the creature hath into the creature, hath infinitely more perfection in himself: Those excellencies which are divided and scattered all the Creation over, are not only contracted and united in God, but unconceivably exceeded by him. Job having thus laid down the former part of his argument he applies it: Vers. 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinketh iniquity like water? Concerning the Saints, he said only, God puts no trust in them, and concerning the Heavens, They are not clean in his sight: But now that he speaks of man, he doth not say, God puts no trust in him, or he is not clean in his sight; but he lays load upon him, He is abominable and filthy: and as if that were not enough, he aggravates it, with, How much more abominable, etc. If he put no trust in glorified Saints in whom yet there is no iniquity, than no marvel, if man be called abominable, who drinketh iniquity like water. The whole Verse is a description of man's sinfulness: First, of the sinfulness of his nature, in those words, He is abominable and filthy: Secondly, of the sinfulness of his life, He drinketh iniquity like water. How much more. Some read, Much less: So Mr. Broughton, Much less the unclean and loathsome. The Original may bear either (as also a third reading, Surely then) without any impeachment to the scope of the place. The heavens are not clean in his sight: Much less is abominable and filthy man clean in his sight. Again, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abominabilis propriè quem nemo dignari debeat auditu, visu, familiaritate, contactu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Abominari nos dicimus, quae in cogitation nostra non patimur. Bold. The heavens are not clean in his sight; how much more abominable and filthy is man in his sight. We may take it also as a direct inference without any comparison, either from the greater or the less. The heavens are not clean in his sight; surely then, man is abominable and filthy. The word which we translate abominable, notes that which is most abhorring to the nature of man; that which is not only so nauseous that the stomach cannot digest it, but so base that the mind is burdened to think of it; yea the word imports that which is rejected by all the senses, abominably rejected; that which the eye cannot endure to look upon, that which the ear cannot endure to hear of, that which is a stink in the nostrils, and which the hand will not touch: Such an abominable thing the word bears, and such is man; God loathes him, and is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, much more a lump of iniquity; he is as a stink in the nostrils of God, nor will he touch him (for any thing in him) unless with a hand of justice to destroy him. Hoc videtur dictum per antithesm, propter Sanctorum & caelorum pulchritudinem, quorum species, mundicies', lux, ordo, conc etus mirabilis, conspectus multo jucundissimus. Further, some explain abominable by that of the Apostle (1 Cor. 16.26.) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha: that is, let all abominate, and cast him out of their society: When the Lord would show the worst thought that he had of the best services of the Jews, he tells them, Incense is an abomination to me; and when the Psalmist would convince us how the people of Israel had defiled themselves with their own works, and polluted the Land with blood, he gives it in the word of this Text, Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, in so much that he abhorred his own inheritance (Psal. 106. v. 40.) His Inheritance was so abominable to him that he would not touch it, nor take it into his own hands, but as it follows in the Psalm, He gave them into the hand of the Heathen. Hence Observe; Sinful man is loathsome, and abominable unto God. How much more abominable is man; This is not to be understood of some particular man, or of some sort of men who are more vile than others, but take the best of men, the most accomplished and complete in the whole course of nature, these are abominable; they are deprived of the Image of God, they are stamped with the Image of Satan, they are not only unable to do that which is good, but they are totally averse from it, yea, enemies to it; is not all this enough to render man abominable in the sight of God? And so abominable is man, that he doth not only displease the eye of God, but the very eyes of those who have received the grace of God. A godly man turns away from the wicked, as the wicked man doth from the godly. (Prov. 29.27.) An unjust man is an abomination to the just; and he that is upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked. The distaste is mutual; 'tis called enmity (Gen. 3.15.) here abomination. The wicked man saith (as the Devil to Christ) What have I to do with thee thou Son of David. The godly man saith, What have I to do with thee thou son of Belial. 'Tis the sin of the wicked man to abhor the righteous, for he abhors him for his righteousness: 'Tis the duty of a godly man to abhor the wicked, and he abhors him only for his wickedness. To do so is a piece of his character, Who shall dwell in the Mountain of God: He is a man, in whose eye a vile (that is, a wicked) person is abhorred, Psal. 15.4. Much less can he look pleasedly, or pleasantly upon a wicked man; his heart riseth against him, not out of pride, or high thoughts of himself, or from the lowness of his condition, if he be poor; but from the odiousness of his disposition, and his opposition of goodness: Such a man is vile in his esteem, how honourable so ever he is in the eye of the World. Again (which shows yet further, that a man in nature is abominable) when any man reputes and turns to the Lord, he is an abomination to himself; he is abominable to God, and good men, before he reputes; and upon the same account, he is abominable to himself when he reputes. For as God and good men before, so he than sees his own vileness, and deformity, than he smells the filthiness of his own corrupt heart: This the Prophet assures us (Ezek. 36.31.) where the Lord promiseth to pour out the spirit of repentance upon his people, To take away the heart of stone, and give them a heart of flesh: and then They shall loathe themselves for all their abominations, as not being able to endure the stench of their own corruptions: When Job at the sight of God, saw himself more clearly, than he cries out, Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes: If a good man seeing himself, is an abomination to himself, how much more is sinful man abominable in the sight of God? And (which aggravates the point to the highest) Not only is a man repenting abominable to himself, but even a wicked man upon a clear discovery of himself to himself becomes an abomination to himself, though he be fare from repentance. That's the reason why a wicked man cannot abide to search his own heart, or return into his own bosom. (Isa. 46.8.) Remember this, show yourselves men, bring it again to mind; The Hebrew is, Bring it to your hearts: They who love their sin, love not to look to their sinful hearts: they dare not turn their eye inward or upward, not upward, because there is so much holiness in God; not inward because there is so much filthiness in themselves. Hence the Lord threatens (Na. 3.5, 6.) because they would not look on their own filthiness, that he would show their filthiness to all the World, He would show the Nations their nakedness, and the Kingdoms their shame: And howsoever a natural man hides his abomination from his eye now, or will not see it, yet all shall be laid open to him in the day of judgement, which will be as a day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God: So a day of the revelation of the unrighteousness of man: And then he shall (though too late) abhor himself for ever. There hath been a dispute whether the sins of Believers shall be opened at that day, but there is no question but the sins of Unbelievers shall, and that not only to shame them, but to punish and torment them; yea possibly, the sight of sin will be a greater torment to them then all their other torments, and to be led about (as the Prophet was in reference to others) from one unclean room of their hearts to another, there to behold all the abominations of their hearts, will be the very pit of Hell, O how abominable, and as it follows in the Text. Filthy is Man: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Putridus, foetidus graveolentus, translatio a carnibus rancidis non despumatis. Drus. Pagninus existimat deduci a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rubigo ollae. Spuma, excrementum. The word is derived from a root that signifies corrupt, rotten, putrified, the scum of a Pot, the rust of Metals, the dung, or excrement of man and beasts; there are no words filthy enough to express the filthiness of man. The word is found but three times (as some observe) in the Scripture in this construction, and in all of them it is applied to show the abominable wickedness of Man, the first place is this of Job; it is found also, Psal. 14.3. Psal. 53.3. Which Psalms are most pregnant descriptions of the corrupt state of man, as if this were a word picked out on purpose as a glass to show man his face and natural complexion in. There is a second translation of the word which gives more light to this, How much more abominable and unprofitable is man: One word signifies filthy and unprofitable, because that which is corrupt and filthy, ●●●●lis. Vulg. ●●x putrida sunt. inutilia su●. is also unprofitable, and unfit for use. It is an extreme debasement unto man, that he is unprofitable, so filthy, that he is good for nothing: The Apostle puts these together (Tit. 1.16.) Abominable, disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate; that is, unfit for every good work: We may say of man (in this sense) as the Prophet (Ezek. 15.3.) doth of the Vine, Son of man, what is the Vine tree more than another tree? excellent to yield Wine; but in the third Verse we have another answer, Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work, or will men make a pin of it to hang any Vessel thereon; will you build a house of Vine Timber, or will you so much as make a Pin of it? The Vine is not fit to make a Pin of; thus we may say of a carnal man, he is unprofitable, Qui sibi nequam est cui usui bonus est? will the Lord use him in any work? no, he is reprobate to every good work; will he serve the Lords turn, so much as to make a Pin of? That is, is he profitable for the least service? No, he is not. He is also like the Corn growing upon the house top, whereof The Reaper filleth not his hand, nor he that binds up the Sheaves his bosom. The reason why man appears thus filthy, is, because he deals so much with filth; and he is thus unfit to do any good, because he is continually doing evil, as it follows in the last clause of this Verse. Which drinketh iniquity like water. Will you know what declares man abominable and filthy in the sight of God? It is not his poverty, his sickness, his rags, or any external defilement, nothing but sin makes him so: He drinks in iniquity like water; this makes him as filthy as the dirt and mire he treads upon, or as the vomit and dung which he casteth out. Hence Note in general. Sin, and sin only makes man abominable, and filthy in the sight of God; nothing can defile the soul but sin; though a man be clothed with filthy garments, though his skin be overrun with filthy sores; though he lie in a stinking Channel, yet the Lord will not say, he is abominable or filthy, in these respects: for even in such a state, or at such a time, Christ may have taken him in his arms and kissed him with the kisses of his lips. But though he go clothed in Scarlet, though he lie in a bed of Ivory, and is perfumed with all the spices of Arabia, yet sin makes him filthy and abominable in the eye of the Lord. Secondly Observe. The multiplied acts of sin are an evidence that man is habitually sinful, or that he is abominable and filthy. He that doth righteousness is righteous, and he that doth unrighteousness is unrighteous. If man were not filthy, he could not drink iniquity; that is, feed upon, and delight in sin, which is but filthiness. This expression of man's sinfulness is further considerable, he doth not only commit iniquity, but he drinks iniquity, and he doth not sip at it, but he drinks it like water. Elihu speaks thus (Job 34.7.) What man is like Job who drinketh up scorning like water; and so doth Solomon (Prov. 26.6.) He that sends a message by the hand of a fool, cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage; that is, he shall have damage enough, a full draught of it, his bellyful of it, by sending such an empty-headed messenger upon his errand. So to drink iniquity, and to drink it like water, is to do abundance of iniquity. I shall give seven observations, which will discover the intendment of this manner of speaking, and draw out the meaning of He drinks iniquity like water. First, thus, Men naturally hath a strong appetite or desire to sin, Man's natural desire is to nothing else but sin. Drinking implies appetite; a man doth not drink (ordinarily) till he is thirsty: And though Drunkards have sometimes no thirst, yet they have always a strong desire to drink. Sinful man is a thirst for, and desires the drafts of sin (Ephes. 4.19.) He commits iniquity with greediness, which is a Metaphor taken from eating and drinking: And because man hath not a greater desire after any thing then to drink, therefore it is gone to a Proverb among us, when we would show our willingness to do a thing, we say, We will do it as willingly as to drink when we are a thirst. Such is the bend of man to sin, that he hath no more reluctance to commit it, than the thirsty man hath to drink: He thirsteth after it as vehemently, as David did after God (Psal. 42.2.) My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; as the Hartpanteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God. Or again, the heart of man thirsteth after the waters of iniquity, as David thirsted after the waters of the well of Bethlem, who will give me to drink of the waters of the Well of Bethlem. At which word, some of his mighty men broke through the whole Host of the Enemy, to fetch that water. When man thirsts for this water of iniquity, his own heart or hand will break through all oppositions, through Law, through conscience, through counsel, through an host of threaten armed against him, through judgements inflicted on him, he will break through all these, that he may have a draught of his beloved iniquity-water. Secondly, To drink, notes a strong desire, so pleasure and content; and where there is a great deal of desire, there is also much content, and pleasure in drinking. Hence observe: That it is a very pleasant thing to a carnal man to sin, he drinks iniquity, not only like water, but in this sense, like the sweetest Wine; a draught of sin is the only Merry-goe-downe to a carnal man. A drunkard likes his drink well, but he likes his drunkenness better: His liquor is sweet to him, but O how sweet is the satisfying of his lust! When he hath his desire he is pleased, when he is frustrated of his desire he is sullen, and like Ahab, when he could not obtain Naboaths Vineyard, he is displeased, and refuses (as he did) to eat bread, because he cannot have this water of iniquity to drink. Thirdly, Consider the easiness of it, to drink is no hard labour; hence we speak proverbially, I can do● such a thing as easily as I can drink; there are no bones in drink: Good liquor (we say also) needs no chewing: Besides, it is easy to drink, because it is natural to drink; Children have no Tutors to teach them to drink: Again, to drink water is easy, because we may get it easily; water is not kept under Lock and Key, but in the common Storehouses or Cellars of nature. Hence Note: A natural man sins with ease; it is no pain to him to sin: Sin is not easy in the effects, so it leaves us in Little-ease, q.d. Facillimè laxatis conscientiae habenis in omnia omnis generis scelera se dat praecipitem. Bold. pain and sorrow enough are the fruits of it; but it is easy in the act of it; it is to a wicked heart, as easy as to drink water which is every way easy. For first, Sin is a common thing, every where to be had; sin may be found (like water) in every Ditch; sin also is like those waters which flow naturally, you need not pump for it, or fetch it up with Buckets. Secondly, No man needs be taught to sin, children learn that lesson (and till the spirit of God teach them, they cannot unlearne it) without a Schoolmaster. Thirdly, Most sins in the act of them, have little labour or difficulty in them (Psal. 50.20. Quasi per in curiam & otium, quasi nihil agens. ) Thou sattest and spakest against thy Mother's Son. A man may both speak and do evil, while he sits still, and doth nothing; an idle posture may serve the turn for such work as that. Fourthly, Water is but small drink, water hath little pleasure in it and less strength in it. And therefore when Christ would show that the lowest courtesy or charity done to one of his, shall be highly esteemed by him, he saith, Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only, in the name of a Disciple, he shall not lose his reward, Matth. 10.42. Hence Observe: Man will sin upon very easy terms, and smallest considerations. Though there be little got by it, though he get but a draught of water by it; though his sin bring him in scare any thing of advantage, yet sin he will; the act of sinning pleaseth some, more than the consequence or gain of sin. They care not much whether it be water or Wine which they drink, Eo improbitatis evadit impius, ut vel solo peccati & impietatis nomine, nulla praeterea mercede proposita, peccato inserviat. so it be iniquity which they drink. As the Saints, in a height of holiness, will do good, though they do themselves little good, or get no outward advantage by it: They resolve to do good for good sake; the duty abstractly considered, or the act itself, is the thing that pleaseth them; so to a natural man, the very committing of sin satisfieth him more than the outward Income or Revenue of his sin: He doth evil for evil sake, and serves his lust for love, not for wages. Fifthly, Drinking is a frequent act; a temperate man drinks every day, and often every day; healthy men eat often, and most men drink oftener than they eat: So that to drink iniquity hints also the frequency of committing iniquity. Hence Observe: A carnal heart sins often: He sins, and sins, he cannot but sin, Inveteratum ac inseparabilem peccandi habitum & consuetudinem denotat. it is a continual, yea a continued act; he hath never done, he is like the Drunkard that must always be tippling. Or like the covetous man, who is always having, and the more he hath the more he desires to have: Covetousness is a dry drunkenness, and drunkenness is a wet covetousness: both return often upon the same acts; and so doth every sinner naturally. He cannot cease from sin, as the Apostle Peter speaks, Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil, and that continually. The cup of iniquity is never from his mouth. Sixtly, To drink iniquity like water notes not only the frequency of sinning, but the abundance of sinning; they take great draughts of sin, who drink iniquity like water: Such as are accustomed to drink water (in many places it is the common drink) such, I say, drink more than men usually do of Wine, or strong drink; first, because Wine and artificial liquors are costly; but you may drink water good cheap, and none will grudge you. Secondly, Water is not strong nor vaporous, it doth not burden the brain like your heady liquors. Now though iniquity be somewhat unlike water in both these respects (for to some their sins are costly enough at present, and they will cost all very dear (except they repent of them before) at the day of reckoning; sin also flies up into the brain, and doth as much besot, as defile the soul. Now, I say, though sin be thus unlike water) yet the natural man drinks it like water, he takes in and sends out abundance of it; what cares he what it costs him, or how it besots him, neither the present distempering of it, nor the after reckon for it, trouble him. Seventhly, Eating and drinking are the support of nature, by these the body is maintained in life; now as the body of nature is maintained by eating and drinking, Perbibisti iniquitatem & ita visceribus immiscuisti, ut nisi cum ipsis exire non possit. Sen. lib. P. de ira. so the body and life of sin, the corrupt state and strength of man are maintained by the continual actings of sin: The old Adam is nourished by these waters of iniquity. We say in nature, we are nourished by that out of which we are made, that which is the matter of our constitution is the matter of our nutrition; so in this case, a man in nature is composed or constituted of sin, and a natural man is nourished, and preserved by sinning. deficienti humido resarciendo, nihil aptius est aqua, & utilius; jam hominis beatitudini, quae ipsi de est, consummandae, natura nihil suggerit nisi peccatum. Coc. Continual acts increase the habit; and as a godly man is nourished by holy acts, and strengthened in spirit by spiritual obedence; doing the will of God is the food of the soul. As Christ speaks (John 4.21.) so doth every true Christian in his degree, It is my meat and drink to do the will of my Father which is in Heaven; or as Job professeth of himself (Chap. 23.12.) I esteem the words of thy mouth more than my necessary food: Thus also the old man saith, It is my meat and drink to do the will of the flesh, and that is indeed the will of his Father which is in Hell. The words of his mouth, his Counsels and Laws I esteem more than my necessary food. So much for the opening and illustration of this Scripture-phrase, Drinking iniquity like water: I shall propound one Quere in general, concerning the whole Verse, and so conclude it. Here is a full description of sinful man: But whether Eliphaz speaks this strictly of a person unregenerate, and so applieth it to Job, or whether this description be not also applicable to a man who is regenerate and godly for the main, and was so intended by Eliphaz, is here a question. Some conceive that the words will suit none but an unregenerate man, and 'tis granted upon all hands, that they are most suitable to him. An unregenerate man, is abominable and filthy, he drinks iniquity like water; And yet in a qualified sense, we may say all this of a man regenerate: Even He, in reference to the remains of corruption, is abominable and filthy, and He, under some distempers and temptations, drinks iniquity like water: Agit Eliphaz cum Jobo non ut improbo, sed ut errante. Coc. which words of Eliphaz, a modern Interpreter parallels with those of Paul concerning himself (Rom. 7.25.) With the flesh I serve the Law of sin. And delivers his opinion in this case, That though Eliphaz aimed at Job in all this, yet he deals with him not as with a wicked man, but as with an erring brother. For whereas he had said (Chap. 13.23.) How many are mine iniquities? Eliphaz might judge by his words, that surely he thought his iniquities were not very many: and whereas he had said at the 26. Verse of the same Chapter, Thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth; Eliphaz might collect, surely this man thinks his elder years have been so free from sin, that God can find nothing in them, which might justify him in these severe punishments. Now Eliphaz opposeth these apprehensions, and would both teach and convince him, that as original sin pollutes every man wholly, till he is washed and borne again by the spirit; so no man is so fare washed by the spirit, but that many spots and pollutions of the flesh, do still cleave to him, and often appear upon him. And Eliphaz may be conceived to handle Job in this manner. First, To show him, that though a man be in a state of regeneration, yet he can deserve nothing at the hand of God, because his holiness is still imperfect, and his corruptions are abominable. Secondly, That the greatest sufferings and afflictions of good men in this life, are very consistent with the Justice of God. Thirdly, That he might humble Job, who (as he feared) was still too high in his own opinion, and thought better of himself then did become him. Fourthly, To provoke him to resist his own corruptions steadfastly. And lastly, To bear the cross (which the Lord had laid upon him for his good, especially for the taming and subduing of his corruptions) patiently. So that Eliphaz doeh not dispute with him upon this hypothesis, or supposition, or not upon this only, That man by nature, and without the grace of God, is filthy and abominable, drinking iniquity like water; but upon this, or this in consort with the former, That man in a state of grace, or a godly man is filthy and abominable, in reference to the flesh that dwelleth in him; and that in reference to his frequent sinnings, he may be said to drink iniquity like water: And therefore Job had no reason to be proud, how good so ever he was, or how much good soever he had done; and that there was all the reason in the World he should be patiented, and take it well at the hand of God, how much evil so ever he should suffer. This resolution of the Quere, as it is profitable, so probable. For howsoever Jobs Friends had branded him in divers passages of this dispute, as a wicked man and an hypocrite, and were so understood by Job, as appears in his answers and replies; yet 'tis most likely his Friends spoke so in reference to his actions, not in reference to his state. That he had done like an Hypocrite, or a wicked man, was clearly their opinion; but there is no necessity to conclude from what they said, that they judged him absolutely to be one. JOB, CHAP. 15. Vers. 17, 18, 19, 20. I will show thee, hear me, and that which I have seen, I will declare. Which wise men have told from their Fathers and have not hid it. Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them. The wicked man traveleth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. ELiphaz having argued against Jobs supposed opinion, of Selfe-cleannesse, and personal righteousness, proceeds to the confirmation of his own position, to which he leads us, by a new Exordium, or Preface, in the 17, 18, and 19 Verses of this Chapter: Secondly, he largely handles, and illustrates it from the 20. to the 31. Verse: Thirdly, he applieth the whole Doctrine to Job by way of dehortation, at the 31. Verse and so forward to the end of the Chapter. The general argument which he brings to confirm his Tenet, may be thus form up; That is true which continued experience, and the consent of wise men in all ages have taught and delivered to us: But the experience, and consent of wise men in all ages, have taught and delivered this, that a wicked man travels with pain all his days, that he is punished outwardly by want and sickness, and inwardly by the gripes and scourges of his own conscience: Therefore this is a truth. The major proposition is the sum of the Preface contained in the 17, 18. and 19 Verses; The minor, or second Proposition, is held forth in the 20. Verse, and is prosecuted to the one and thirtieth. I will show thee, hear thou me, and that which I have seen I will declare. So the Preface gins: He lays down a double proof in this Preface; a proof first from his own experience, secondly from the consent of others. From his own experience, in this Verse, I will show thee, hear thou me, that which I have seen I will declare; the consent of others, is expressed in the 18.19. Verses, Which wise men have told me from their Fathers. I will show thee, hear thou me; as if he had said, Thou art out of the way, thou art in the dark, and therefore in charity, Caecutienti tibi & in maximis tonebris versanti, verissimae doctrinae lumen praeferam. Accipe a me. Targ. I will lend thee a thread of true Doctrine, to lead thee, out of that labyrinth of error, wherein I see thou art entangled; I will show thee, and all that I desire of thee as a reward of my pains, is but this, Hear thou me, be attentive, or (as the Chalde Paraphrast renders) receive it, take it of me; he that speaks truths, deserves to be heard, and that is all I desire. I will show thee, hear thou me: But what will Eliphaz show him? Not that which he had fancied, but that which he was assured of. That which I have seen I will declare: Seeing is a sure and particular sense; yet as the act of one sense, is often put for the act of another; so Seeing, which is the most noble of the senses, is often put for all. That which I have seen; is, that which I have learned, that which I have fetched in, or collected by the help of all my senses; yea, by my reason and understanding, That do I here declare unto thee. More strictly, Seeing may be taken two ways: First, as noting experience; I have not only heard some reports about these things, but I have seen, and observed them myself; there is a stronger conviction in this, because the sense of seeing is less fallible than that of hearing; and we say, One eye witness, is better than ten ear witnesses: Secondly, as I have seen, Certius est, vidi, quam audivi, oculatus testis potior est aurito. Drus. may be taken for common experiences among men: so for special revelation from God. Some Divine revelations were made in visions; and all Divine Revelations were so clear and evident, that they were or might be called Visions, as if the matter of them had been represented to the eye; and hence such as God honoured and trusted with those Revelations were called Seers (1 Sam. 9.9.) He that is now called a Prophet was before time called a Seer: And he was called a Seer, because the clearness of those messages and manifestations was so great, that they might be judged as objects of the eye, rather than of the ear, or of the understanding. Thus the whole Book of the Prophecy of Isaiah is called, A Vision, or a thing seen; The Vision of Isaiah the Prophet, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, (Chap. 1.1.) Yet the Prophet did not receive all the Doctrines which he Preached, and Prophecies which he published in that Book, by vision: but the manifestation from God, was so full of light to his understanding, that it was as if he had seen it with his eye. Some expound so here, That which I have seen; that is, that which I have had a special revelation about. As if he referred to the fourth Chapter, where Eliphaz reports to Job what a dreadful Vision he had, and what the matter of it was, even much like that which is represented in the following part of this Chapter. A learned Interpreter agrees, that it was a Vision; but, saith he, Mihi non videtur improbabile aut delusum fuisse a diabolo, vel ipsum somnium aliquod aut inspirationem commentum esse, ut sibi conciliaret authoritatem. Sanct. it was either a feigned, artificial Vision (such are frequent in Popery) or it was a delusion of the Devil. I do not at all admit, this latter branch of his opinion; but I must reject the former, as altogether unworthy of Eliphaz, who was surely a man of integrity, and fearing God, and was therefore above such affected falsehoods, and studied deceits, to gain respect and credit among men. I shall therefore insist upon the former sense, That which I have seen; that is, by common experience, that will I declare unto thee. Hence Observe. First, What we declare, or communicate to others, we should be well assured of ourselves; That which I have seen, declare I unto thee: while we declare, either by way of instruction, to teach true Doctrine, or by way of information, to report the truth of action, 'tis our duty to declare upon knowledge. So the Apostle John, in his first Epistle, Chap. 1.1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life, that which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you: He brings in the operations of three senses, Seeing, Hearing, and Feeling, as witnesses to avouch for, and ascertain that which he had declared; we must take heed of declaring upon surmises, and probabilities, upon a bare Hearsay, or I thought so: That which we have clearly learned, we may teach confidently, and nothing besides that. Observe, Secondly, As we must have a ground for what we declare to others, so when we have a good ground we must declare; That which we know, we should make known; That which I have seen I declare unto you; holy knowledge must be communicated, such light must not be put under a bushel, nor must such a Talon be wrapped up in a Napkin: He that is taught should teach. When thou art converted (saith Christ to Peter) strengthen thy Brethren: Let others partake of thy experiences. Come (saith David) and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul: Philip (John 1.43.) being found by Christ, finds Nathaneel, and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses, and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph: He quickly declared what he had seen, and so should we. This is the first proof, That which I have seen, I declare, experience is my ground. The second proof, is from the consent of others, from the authority of the Ancient. Which wise men have told from their Fathers, and have not hid it. Eliphaz treads the same steps, as in his first discourse with Job. For after he had there delivered the contents or sum of his Vision, he appeals to the judgement of the Saints, Chap. 5. So here, having told Job that he would declare what he had seen, he refers him also to the judgement of others, That which wise men have told their Fathers, and have not hid it. I refer you to men, and those not men of a mean rank, but to godly wise men; in which, Eliphaz seems again to answer what Job had objected, that the points he had offered were of common and vulgar observation (Chap. 12.3.) Who knows not such things as these? Eliphaz replies, these things are no common discourse, they are such as wise men have told from their Fathers; as if he had said, Do not despise what I say, as ordinary, or as a novelty, no, nor as received from corrupt antiquity, for besides what I have seen, Rambam subtitius a patribus suis exponit, a patribus eorum. hic tres aetates considerentur una sapientum haec indicantium, altera patrum tertia majorum & atavorum. Merc. I have good authority for what I speak: the ancient and the wise vote with me; Wise men have told it from their Fathers, here is the conveyance. Wise men: He doth not mean worldly wise men, Philosophers and Politicians; but godly wise men, these have told it from their Fathers; their Fathers told it them, and they told it me; so that this position claims by two descents at least. One of the Rabbins gives it three, if not more: for by the Fathers of the wise men he understands, not their immediate Fathers only, but those who were more remote and further off; yea, possibly those who were furthest off, even as far as Adam. Hence Observe: First, It is an ingenuity to acknowledge by whom we profit, wise men have told me this, I received it from others, as well as collected it by my own experience. Secondly Note: Truth should be conveyed down to our Posterity: Truth is a more precious inheritance than Land or Money; if Parents are careful to secure (as much as they can) earthly things to their Children, how much more should they be careful to secure heavenly? In the first Ages of the World, till the Law was given on Mount Sinai, faithful men were in stead of Books, and Tradition supplied the want of Scripture: But now, our recourse must be to what God hath commanded to be written, not to what men have said. No Tradition is of any force, but as consentient with Scripture, and none of so much force as Scripture. The Council of Trent, in the fifth Session, thunders out Anathemaes against those who receive not Tradition with the same godly affection, and devotion, with which they receive the Scripture itself; Bellarmin in his controversy about Tradition, entitles his Book thus, Of the Word of God not written; as if the Word of God were to be divided into these two orders, The Word written, and the Word not written: Tradition with him is the Unwritten word, and must be held of as much authority as the Word written; This is (as Christ taxeth the Pharisees) to make the word of God of none effect, through man's Tradition: It is still a wise man's duty to to tell Posterity what the Word and Truth of God is, but we must not receive any thing, as a truth of God, upon the bare Word of the wisest men, Wise men have told their Fathers. And have not hid it. There is a twofold hiding; first, a hiding to keep a thing safe, that we lose it not; secondly, a hiding, that we keep it close, and not communicate it: In the former sense, we must hid the truth of God, but we may not in the latter. When David saith, I have hid thy Commandments in my heart: when Mary hide the say of Christ in her hart; and when the man that found the treasure (Ma. 13.44.) Went away and hid it, and for joy thereof sold all he had, and bought the field: All these hide it, that it might be forthcoming for their own use, they did not hid it, as unwilling to bring it forth, for the use of others; so the idle Servant hide his Talon, and was justly condemned for hiding it, Matth. 25. Hence Observe: Truth must not be hid from others: Truth is a common good, no man hath the sole property of it; every one may challenge his part of this poffession; and the more we part with it to others, the more we increase our own possession. Truth multiplies in its degree to us, while we make division of it to thousands. A Candle gives not the less light to the owner, because many standers by, see by it, and this Candle gives a clearer light to us when we let many see by it: Our knowledge is perfected while it is communicated. This Candle therefore is not to be put under a bushel, but must be set upon a Candlestick, that all may see by the light of it. Shall I (saith the Lord, (Gen. 18.) hid from Abraham the thing that I am about to do? No, I will not, For I know Abraham will not hid it: He will command his Children and his Household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord. The Israelites were charged to communicate the wonders which God wrought for them, and the Ordinances which he appointed them, when they were delivered out of Egypt, Exod. 12. I will open my mouth in a Parable (saith the Psalmist) I will utter dark say of old, which we have heard and known: And our Fathers have told us, we will not hid them from their Children, showing to the Generations to come, the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and the wonderful works which he hath done (Psal. 78.2, 3, 4.) 'Tis our duty to preserve memorials of the works of God, and to declare his word to all that are about us. What wise men know from their Fathers, they will not hid. Eliphaz yet goes on to describe the men whose consent, in opinion he had received about the controversy in hand. Vers. 19 To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them. If any man ask who were these wise men? He answers, They were wise men, To whom alone the earth was given. In these words Eliphaz seems to remove a prejudice that might lie in Jobs Spirit against the testimony of those Ancients: For suppose they were Wise men, yet he might say, 'tis like they were but mean men, men of no rank or quality, men of small credit or authority, and (we know what Solomon saith, Affertur hoc ad amplificandum authoritatem horum sapientum, q. d. high tales & tanti fuerunt ut etc. Merc. Eccles. 9.16.) A poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words not heard: Therefore saith Eliphaz, you shall not put me off thus, nor disable my witnesses upon a supposition, that these wise men were mean men, for these were Cheifes and Princes in their Generation; And he advanceth their honour two ways; First, in regard of their riches and power, To whom alone the earth was given: Secondly, in regard of their righteous and just administrations, No stranger, or strange thing passed among them; as if he had said, Job, I speak of men that were fit to sit at the helm of a Kingdom, and govern Nations; yea, to have the reins of the World put into their hands; I speak of wise men who by their wisdom, and the blessing of God, have kept the earth quiet, and so have possessed it alone. But it may yet be said, who were these Monarches of the world, and sole possessors of the Earth? To whom alone the earth was given: Some conceive that Eliphaz means it of Noah and his Sons, who indeed had the World to themselves; for the Flood having swept away all mankind, except that Family, to him and his Sons the earth was given alone; these were the wise men (saith this opinion) from whom Eliphaz received the Doctrine which he communicated to, Ista ph●asi circumlo ●uitur mihi patriarcham Noe cum tribus ejus filiis. Bold. Methodius, aliique patres antiqui vocant Noe tres filios, Mundi chiliarchos. and pressed upon Job; there was never such a Monarch (except Adam the first man) as Noah was, he had the whole World given him: Hence the Ancients style Noah's three Sons, The Commanders and Colonels of the whole World: But I conceive, we need not determine it upon those, though possibly Eliphaz might have an aim at them. Most Interpreters take it in general, of the old good Princes, of whom it may be said, The earth was given to them, and to them alone; Abraham was a great Prince, and to him, The earth (in one sense) was given alone. But who made this great deed of gift, even the most high God, whom Abraham calls (Gen. 14.) The possessor of Heaven, and Earth: He it is that then gave, and still gives the earth, and he gives it two ways; first, by an act of common providence, thus (as Job expresseth it (Chap. 9.24.) The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: Secondly, he gives the earth by an act of special providence, or by virtue of a promise, so Canaan was given to Abraham and his seed, the people of Israel; and thus the Kingdom of Israel and Judah, was given to David and his seed. When it is said here, that the earth was given to such alone, Sapientibus solis terra data esse dicitur, quia bonorum terrenorum, ipse sunt domini, utentes iis ad suum bonum. Aquin. in loc. the meaning is not that none had any of the earth given them but they, but none had the earth given them as they, by peculiar promise, and special providence. Further, the giving of the earth may be considered, either as the giving that which is good, or as the giving it for good; as a gift of bounty, or as a gift of mercy; in the latter considerations, the earth is given to good men alone: None have it for good but they who are good, and they only make a good use of it. Hence Observe: That the earth, or earthly things, are disposed to the Sons of men, by a deed of gift from God: Secondly, Wise, holy men, receive the earth and the things of the earth, by special gift. These alone receive the earth from a Father's hand and good will; it comes to them in the Covenant of grace, to which the promise of the earth belongs, as well as of Heaven, Godliness hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come; Optimorum principum circumloqutio est, quorum administratio respublicas suas tuebatur, omnemque hostium injuriam propulsabat. Pined. Authoritate sua usi sunt ad jus bonum & aequum tuendun, & ad injustum quodvis & alienum propulsandum. Jun. in loc. Saints have the earth and all earthly things given to them, in reference to their being in Covenant with God; and thus the earth is given to them alone. Again, we may expound that term Alone, by the next clause, To whom alone the earth was given; that is, as they had great possessions in the earth, so they had those possessions to themselves without any to trouble, vex, or molest them, which Eliphaz thus expresseth: And no stranger passed among them. Some read, No strange thing passed among them; Both readings are a description of wise and godly Princes, who having the earth given them, No stranger, or no strange thing passeth among them. Strangers are here taken under a double notion: First, no stranger, that is no enemy: To clear which notion of the word Stranger, we must remember that as the Grecians (conceiting themselves the best bred people in the World) called all other Nations Barbarians; so the people of Israel, the stock of Abraham (being God's peculiar Covenant-people) called all other Nations aliens, or strangers, and because they were hated and maligned by all other Nations, therefore they called all professed strangers enemies; so the word is used (Isa. 1.7.) Your land strangers shall devour; that is, enemies shall invade and prevail over you (Psalm. 144.7.) Deliver me out of the hand of strange Children, or out of the hand of strangers; that is, Alienus hoc loco idem est qui hostis. Sanct. Hostis apud majores nostros, quem nunc peregrinum dicimus. Cic. lib. 1. Offic. out of the hand of mine enemies: The Latin word Alienus, is often put for Host, and the Roman Orator telleth us, That he who is now called a stranger, was called an enemy by our Ancestors. The reason was, because strangers proved unkind to, yea turned enemies against those that entertained them: As formerly Kings were called Tyrants, but because many Kings oppressed their people, therefore now oppressing Princes only are called Tyrants. So then, to say no stranger passed among them, is as much as to say, no enemy, none to molest or afflict, passed among them. Satis apparet non de host temporali; sed de eo qui alteri quam verae religioni addictus est, vel qui numina extranea ●olit. Bold. Again, the word Stranger is taken for one that is erroneous, or idolatrous; for a man unsound in Doctrine, or superstitious in Worship: Wise men to whom alone the earth was given, had no such stranger passing among them; they were not mixed with idolatrous and uncircumcised Nations, they did not communicate with them in worship, as in after times the people of Israel did. This notion of the stranger, is an advantage to Eliphaz; as if he had said, The wise men whose authority I produce in this cause, were sound in judgement, and pure in worship they did not mingle themselves with Idolaters and Heretics, they neither learned their works, not received their Doctrines, and are therefore witnesses worthy of credit, and against whom there lies no just exception. No stranger passed among them. If we take stranger in the first sense for an enemy, than the word Passed signifies as much as invaded, and may well be translated to a military motion: No stranger or enemy passed; that is, none matched among them, or through their Land, to disturb, or plunder them; when God is said to give Laws to the Sea, or set it bounds which it should not pass; this imports that the Sea like an enemy would march through the earth, and overwhelm all, unless bridled by a Divine decree. But if we take Stranger in the second sense, for an Idolater, or a man of unsound Principles, then, No stranger passed among them, is, such were not received, and embraced by them, nor admitted among them. From the first Observe. That it is (as the honour of a people to relieve oppressed strangers, so) the happiness of a people to be freed from the oppression of strangers. From the second Observe. That it is the happiness of a people to be free from the mixture of evil men, whether such whose worship is impure or Doctrine untrue: The Lord made frequent promises of this happiness to his people (Isa. 52.1.) From henceforth there shall no more come into them, the uncircumcised, and the unclean; which is as much as to say, The stranger (for all uncircumcised persons were strangers) shall not come into thee. We have the like promise (Joel 3.17.) So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy Mountain, then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no stranger pass through her; Why not any stranger? Forget not to entertain strangers, saith the Apostle (Heb. 13. ●.) Jerusalem in her best days shall have strangers, to be visited and relieved by her, but Jerusalem should have no strangers in those days to defile and pollute her (Na. 1.15.) Behold upon the Mountain the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; for the wicked shall no more pass through thee, for he is cut off: The Hebrew is, Belial shall no more pass through thee. Belial is he that cannot endure to serve; he will not yield obedience to the holy commands of God, he casts off the yoke of Christ, and pulls the shoulder from his burden. This Belial shall no more pass through thee. The purest times of the Gospel are presented under a like promise (Zach. 14.21.) In that day there shall be no more the Cananite in the house of the Lord of Hosts; That is, the stranger and uncircumcised, the wicked and ungodly, shall no more be mixed with his people. Thirdly, in that he puts such under the notion of strangers, we learn, That wicked and Idolatrous persons should be as strangers to us; we must not lay such in our bosom, to maintain any spiritual society with them, though in some cases, we may have civil society with them. (2 Cor. 6.13, 14.) Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion hath light with darkness, and what concord hath Christ with Belial: etc. These can never agree together: Let no such stranger pass, or be approved among us in the fellowship of the Gospel; there is not only sin in letting such pass with our approbation, but danger; and that a double danger. Both which are assigned as reasons why we should come out of Babylon (Revel. 18.4.) First, we are in danger of partaking of their sins, and that both by contracting the spot of their sins, as also the guilt of their sins. Secondly, we are in danger of partaking of their punishments, as it there follows, That ye receive not her plagues. There is no safety in being near those, who are under the curse of God: The companion of fools shall be destroyed (Prov. 13 20.) though possibly he be not a fool in any other respect, but because he is in such company. Fourthly, Taking it for a strange or wicked thing. Note: That, It is the honour of Magistrates, when no evil passeth quietly in their Territories: When neither Idolatry in the things of God, nor injustice, nor oppression in the things of men, find any favour with them, this is at once their duty, and their glory. Eliphaz having by way of preface, given proof of what he was about to press upon Job, both from his own experience and the consent of Antiquity: He now proposes the point itself. Vers. 20. The wicked man travels with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the Oppressor. In this general Position, Eliphaz intends Jobs personal conviction, that he was wicked, whom he had heard appealing to God (Chap. 2.10.) Thou knowest that I am not wicked. As if he had said, Thou wouldst make us believe that God will be thy compurgator, and give witness for thee upon his own knowledge that thou art not wicked: But we who are but men may know the contrary, for we see all the marks and brands of a wicked man upon thee: The wicked man traveleth with pain all his days, and so dost thou: These sores and sorrows speak who thou art, though we say nothing. Master Broughton reads, The wicked killeth himself all his days; he is a self murderer; that was the report which Eliphaz made of him at the fifth Chapter, Vers. 2. Envy slayeth the silly one. Both Job and his Friends repeat the same thing often, yet with such variety of illustrations, that though for the matter it be the same, yet it is new for the manner: Such repetitions do not only delight, but profit. The wicked man traveleth with pain all his days: Who is a wicked man, hath been opened at large, Chap. 10.7. where Job affirms, Thou knowest that I am not wicked; There see the temper of a wicked man, I will not stay upon it here. Only consider how his appellation and condition suit one with the other, The wicked man travels: the Original word for a wicked man signifies an unquiet motion, and so one whose life is a continual, not only motion, but unquietness. Unquiet is the name, and unquietness is the state of a wicked man; he is always raising stirs, and acting Tragedies, His life is always in a hurry, he travels with pain all his days. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie significat cruciatum, languorem, pavorem vel dolorem parturientium, vel enitentis & molientis facinus aliquod. Omnis vita impii in solicitudine. 70. in dolore. Aquila. Dolet ut parturiens. Pag. He traveleth with pain. This sentence is but one word in the Hebrew; the word signifies any grief, or sorrow, any torture or torment: The translations are various, but all meet in this one sense, that a wicked man's life is a miserable life; All the life of a wicked man is spent in carking care: So the Septuagint. Another renders, It is spent in sorrow. But all may be reduced to that which is most proper to the word: He is in pain as a woman in travail; and whereas we have heard of some Women in travail many days; here is a man in travel all his days. The wicked man traveleth in pain all his days; his whole life is nothing else but continual pain, or painful throes towards the birth of some filthy Monster-sin, which sin when it is finished, brings forth death: Somewhat he hath conceived, the Psalmist tells us what; He hath conceived mischief, and he would bring forth iniquity. Cunctis diebus suts impius superbit. Vulg. The Vulgar Latin translates, The wicked man is lifted up with pride all his days; which is as much as to say, He traveleth in pain all his days; for though as some say, Pride feels no cold, yet there is nothing feels so much pain as pride doth: And because a wicked man is proud all his days, therefore he traveleth with pain all his days. Hence Observe: The life of a wicked man is a very painful life; or thus, The pain of a wicked man's life is the greatest pain: It is like the pain of a Woman in travel; when the holy Ghost would set forth great pain, he expresseth it by the pain of a woman in travel. But what kind of pain is it, with which a wicked man travels? He hath two sorts of pain. First, external: Secondly, internal. His external pain is of two sorts: First, Such as God lays upon him, or casts him into; for though many are the afflictions of the righteous, from the hand of God, yet the righteous have not all the afflictions, wicked men have some: They are not only beaten with scourges, but smitten with scorpions; God raines down upon them snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this is the portion of many of their cups, even in this life. Secondly, Such as a wicked man brings upon himself; Master broughton's reading aims at these pains. The wicked kills himself all his days. A wicked man is often very active, sometimes extremely malicious against others, so malicious that he murders them; and yet it may truly be said he only kills himself all his days. The self-love of a wicked man destroys him, and his very earnestness to avoid trouble, tumbles him into it: And this is clear, if we consider either the way which a wicked man takes, or the end which usually he comes unto; his way is a very sad way: A godly man is described (Psal. 118.2.) Eating the labour of his hands; that is, the very work which he doth, feeds him; and before he hath any reward for his work, he finds a reward in his work, in which sense, he may well be said, to Eat the labour of his hand: On the other side, the labour of a wicked man eats him, the labour of his hand, and the labour of his head, eat him out. The way of sin is a wearisome way (Jer. 9.5.) They weary themselves to commit iniquity (Ezek. 24.12.) She hath wearied herself with lies: A Lie is not taken strictly there for an untruth told to deceive others: A Lie is any sin, for every sin is a Lye. Sin tells us a fair tale, but it will deceive us at last. Again, (Isa 47.13.) Thou hast wearied thyself, in the multitude of thy counsels. (Isa. 57.10.) Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way. Those counsels were sinful counsels, and these ways were sinful ways, both were a weariness, and tired their undertakers. The Lord challenges the Jews (Mic. 6.3.) To show wherein he had wearied them; O my people what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee, testify against me. God is very tender in laying burdens upon us, but we are very cruel in overburdening ourselves. And whereas the pain of a wicked man is compared to the pain of a Woman in travail; it is not only like it, but exceeds it: For though when her pain comes upon her, she hath sorrow because her hour is come, yet when she is delivered, she remembreth her anguish no more, for joy that a Man is borne into the World (John 16.21.) The Woman's pains end in joy, but the pain of a wicked man is so far from ending in joy, that it hath no end at all, and therefore he is said to travel in pain all his days. A wicked man hath the pain, but not the deliverance of a travailing Woman; a Son shall not be borne to him. And though he sometimes seems to prosper, and attain his end, yet there is somewhat or other, that sticks still in the birth, and paineth him in the midst of all his prosperity. The Author of that useful History, The Travels of the old Patriarches, Kings, and Prophets, when he comes to write the motions of Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a great King, but of a most malicious spirit, against the people of God, he observes that this Antiochus in pursuance of his bloody designs, had run more hazards, and taken more tedious journeys to satisfy his malice, and reach his ambitious ends, than any of the Saints had done, upon any command or service of God; upon which consideration, he makes this excellent conclusion, That wicked men take more pains to go to Hell and eternal destruction, then godly men do in the way to eternal life, and salvation. A wicked man cannot go to Hell with ease; he goes with pain to eternal pains. Those ways of sin which have most pleasure in them, have much vexation in them. (Prov. 23.29.) Who hath woe, who hath sorrow, who hath wounds without cause? The answer is at hand in the next words, They that tarry long at the Wine, they that go to seek the mixed Wine: The Wine is sweet, but it bites like a Serpent, and stings like an Adder, Verse. 32. The voluptuous man drinks larger draughts of sorrow than he doth of Wine; and while the Adulterer goes to the Harlot's house, he goes as a fool to the stocks, or as an Ox to the slaughter (Pro. 7.) As pleasure is the Epicures God, so gain is the covetous man's God, yet to get it, he pierceth himself through with many sorrows, and falls into a snare (1 Tim. 6.) Further, as a sinful conversation among men, so a superstitious service of the true God, and the serving of false Gods is full of trouble. The false worshipper traveleth in pain all his days: All false worship hath a tang of baseness and slavery in it; they that worship the Devil, in what a wretched servitude do they live? In Popery, what vexatious penances do they put upon their blinded Votaries? The Gospel is noble, and the service of it ingenuous, as well as pure or spiritual: Christ hath not called us to drudgery, but to liberty. They are most free, who serve him most. What pain the Jews traveled in when they Apostatised from God to Idols, Tophet, and the Valley of Hinnon, where they offered their Children in the fire to Moloch, are abundant witnesses. Did God put them to such pain in his service? God called them to offer their Beasts in Sacrifice to him: But they offer their Children in Sacrifice to that abominable Idol. Wicked men live under a hard taskmaster. Now besides all these outward pains which either are concomitants, or consequents of wickedness: There is an inward pain fare worse than these. Inward pain ariseth sometimes upon the disappointment of his hopes. A wicked man is exceedingly pained with labour in the attaining of his end, but he is much more pained with grief, when he cannot attain his end; he hangs between hope and fear, while he is at work (for he that cannot walk by faith to his end, shall meet with fears enough before he comes at it) but when his sense tells him that he cannot come at it, he falls into the gulf of despair. Besides this pain of fear that he shall not, and that of despair, when he cannot compass his designs or ends: He is often afflicted with a fiercer pain then either of these, even with the gripes and gnawing of his own evil conscience for the evil he hath done. This pain follows some wicked men all the days of this life; and it shall be the portion of all wicked men after death. Eliphaz aims at this in the next Verse, while he saith, A dreadful sound is in his ears; there I shall further insist upon it. We have yet another very considerable part of the wicked man's misery held forth in the close of this Verse. And the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. The word which we render, Oppressor, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Violentus, crudelis, robustus tyrannus, qui suis nititur opibus, & aliis terribilis est. signifies a man exceeding powerful and terrible, or by his power terrifying others; He that oppresseth must have power, and some desire power for no other end, but to enable them to oppress. Solomon speaks of a poor man that oppresseth (Prov. 28.3.) but he oppresseth only those who are less powerful than himself. A poor man that oppresseth the poor, is, etc. One poor man may be as much above another poor man in power, as some rich men are above the poor. Equals in power cannot oppress. But who is this Oppressor to whom the number of years are hid? The Oppressor in this part of the Verse, is the wicked man in the former part; Eliphaz speaks still of the same person, though under another name, whom he there called wicked, he calls here an Oppressor. Hence Note: That to oppress is a very great wickedness; For an oppressor and a wicked man are the same man. Again, in that the word which signifies an oppressor, signifies also a mighty man, or a man of great strength; we may further Note: That men who have much power are apt to abuse it for the oppression of others; it is in the power of my hand said Laban to Jacob, to do thee hurt; And Laban had hurt Jacob, if God had not stopped him; They that have much power in their hands, need much holiness in their hearts, Pauci anni reconditi sunt violento. Jun. that they may use it well; much power is a temptation to do much hurt. Nume●us annorum i. e. facile numerabi●es. The number of years is hidden to the Oppressors. The number of years, say some, is an Hebraisme, for few years, or years that are easily numberable; a Child may tell the years of an Oppressor, they are so few: Hence the words are also rendered thus, Few years are laid up for the Oppressor. Master Broughton translates plainly to the sense, Soon numbered years are stored to the Tyrant. Hence Observe: First, That wicked Oppressors are often speedily cut off by the hand of God (Psal. 55.23.) Bloodthirsty and deceitful men, shall not live out half their days; If God should lengthen out the lives of men set upon mischief, who could live? 'Tis a comfort for us, as well as a curse on them, that Soon numbered years are stored to the Tyrant, his treasure is not great in days, who daily treasures up wrath against himself. Another resuming these words, He traveleth with pain; out of the former part of the Verse, reads it thus, And in the whole number of years which are laid up for him, he traveleth in pain: That is, his whole life is miserable: As if that which is a truth of all wicked men, were more specially applicable to oppressors; That they travel in pain. Hence we may note. Qui vult a multis metui. multos tirre a oportet. They who love to trouble others, shall be sure to meet with trouble themselves. He that desires to be feared, shall be often afraid. Oppressors and Tyrants in all ages have experimented this truth; which flows both from the nature of their unjust actions towards men, as also from the just retaliation of God. Our reading leads us to a further consideration; The number of years is bidden to the Oppressor: That is (as some expound) they are determined, or defined in the secret counsel of God. It is under a hidden decree how long his oppressing power shall continue, and when he shall receive the reward of his oppressions: Or rather thus, The number of years of his own life is hidden to the oppressor; that is, he knows not how long he shall live. But is that any special judgement upon the Oppressor, that the number of his years, or how long he shall live is hidden to him? Is not the number of a good man's years hidden to him? Are not the number of every man's years hidden to him? Doth any man know how long he shall live? David indeed prays, Teach me to number my days (Psal. 90.) and Make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, Psal. 39.4. Yet he doth not desire to know precisely the number of his days, or time of his end, he only desires to know their general number, or utmost extent spiritually; namely, that at the most they were not many, that so he might make a wise improvement of his life, and a holy, preparation for his death. Seeing then the number of every man's years is hidden to him, how is this reckoned as the peculiar punishment of a wicked man, that the number of his years are hidden to him? I answer, It is true, the number of years is hidden from all men, both from good and bad, the Lord hath made that a secret. Two numbers are secret. First, The number of the years of the World, when that shall end; Of that day and hour knows no man, no not the Son of man, but the Father only. Secondly, The number of the years of a man's own life, or the day of his death is a secret which no man knows, though many have been busy to pry and inquire into it. But though godly men know not the number of the years of their own lives, yet this is no affliction to them, under which notion it is here said of the Oppressor; The number of years is hidden to him. A wicked man is thoughtful about this, how he may live long, not how he may live or do well; he would fulfil many days and years in the World, that so he might have his fill of worldly profits and pleasures. He is therefore troubled to think his life hangs upon uncertain terms, because he is uncertain of any good beyond this life. A godly man knows not the number of his years, but he knows by whom they are numbered; that satisfies him, be they longer or shorter, more or less. But a wicked man would have the account in his own hand, he would be Lord of all, even of time too, but he cannot, The number of years are hidden to the Oppressor. Observe hence. That the number of the years of man's life is a secret which none knows but God himself: And as it is so, so it is best for man, that it should be so, The certain knowledge when our lives should end, would hinder us in many duties and services of our lives. Men would be at a stand in their worldly callings, if they were acquainted with the precise date of their standing in the World. Our not knowing this, is not ignorance, but nescience; and were it not for this nescience, we should be taken off from the study of much profitable knowledge. Besides, our not knowing the number of our days, stirs up in us a care of improving every day, and to pray with David, Lord teach us to number our days. Our not knowing which day shall be our last, should provoke us to spend every day so, that we may have comfort if it prove our last. It is best for us not to know that, the not knowing whereof is a motive to be always doing good. Secondly, Observe. That it is a great vexation to the oppressor, or wicked man to think of the uncertainty of his own life: The Vulgar makes this Observation from the Text, his translation of the Text, The years of his Tyrannical power are uncertain. Numerus annorum incertus est tyrannidis ejus. Vulg. Ex ista incertitudine, sequitur suspicio & timor. Aquin. in loc. Cum ait numerum annorum absconditum esse, intelligit annos quibus victurus, aut regnaturus sit improbus tyrannus. Drus. If such could but live long enough, what work would they make? Yea what a world would they make? The Jesuits say, Take time and you may do any thing. So also saith the oppressor, If I had but time enough, I could do any thing; though I am disappointed now, yet I shall have a day to act what I project, and to pour out my revenges, But this cuts the oppressors heart, he doubts his life may end before he can accomplish his ends. A wicked heart is not more pleased in doing evil, then troubled when he is but under a suspicion that he shall want either opportunity, or time to do it. This is added to the painful travel of a wicked man, that he knows not how long he shall travel in this pain; for though all his be painful days, yet he had rather continue in pain, than not continue his days. But the number of years is hidden, or a hidden thing to him. JOB, CHAP. 15. Vers. 21, 22. A dreadful sound is in his ears, in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the Sword. ELiphaz having laid down this position, That pain is the portion of a wicked man, goes on to the proof, and illustration of it; first, in reference to the terrors of his conscience; and secondly, in reference to the troublesomeness of his outward state, and the sad changes that are incident to him. That a wicked man travels with inward pain, or terror of conscience; the first words of this context tell us. Vers. 21. A dreadful sound is in his ear. The Hebrew is, A voice of dreads; the word is Plural, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sonnitus terrorum, numerus multitudinis significationem auget, i. e. sonitus maximè terrificus, vel non unius sed multiplicis terroris. Merc. because, not one single terror, but a multitude of terrors, an Army of terrors incamp about the spirit of a wicked man: and these charge him without intermission; as soon as one hath done, another draws up against him. And he saith, A sound of terror, because a sound carries fear with it; Fear is a perturbation of the mind, arising from an apprehension of some approaching evil: Now, by how much the nearer evil draweth to us, by so much doth fear increase upon us; and then an evil may be said to be very near us, when we hear the sound of it. We quickly see and feel an Enemy, when once he is come within our hearing. When the King of Israel sent a messenger to take off the head of Elisha, Shut the door (saith Elisha) and hold him fast at the door, is not the sound of his Master's feet behind him? (2 K. 6.33.) That is, is not his Master near. And when Eliah saw the rain at hand, he thus bespeaks King Ahab, Get thee up, eat, and drink, for there is a sound of abundance of rain (1 Kings 18.41.) So here, The sound of terror, notes the speedy approach of it; the Prophet (Jer. 4.19.) complains lamentably, My belly, my belly, I am pained at my very heart, my heart makes a noi e within me (and why all this?) because thou hast heard O my soul, the sound of the Trumpet, and the alarm of War; that is, because now it appears that the enemy is at hand. When once we hear the sound of the Trumpet, Warr is not far off, yea it is even at the door, and death is ready to climb up at our windows. Usually the care receives the first blow; we first hear, and then feel the Sword. When Diphaz saith, A dreadful sound is in his ear, we may understand it two ways; either first, that a wicked man hearing the sad reports of approaching evil, is greatly troubled; or secondly, that a wicked man frames to himself an imaginary sound of evil. His fancy makes a noise, he thinks he hears the sound of Drums and Trumpets, the clattering of Armour, and the clashing of drawn Swords, he hears (as the Prophet Nahum elegantly describes it) The noise of the whip, and the noise of the rattling of the Wheels, and of the prancing Horses, and of the jumping Clarrets. Now, whether we understand it of the approach of real dangers, the sound of which, are a terror to him, or whether we take it for those fantastic, panic fears and Satanical delusions, both or either of them render his life uncomfortable, and are the effects of an unquiet, or of a guilty conscience. Hence Observe. A wicked man is always subject to fear; he that is a servant to sin cannot but be a slave to fear: And he that hath done much evil, suspects much. While we have Peace within, Warr without doth not much trouble, though it much afflict us. And while our hearts, touched by the spirit of God, make us music, a sound of terror to the ear is not terrible. Impius tantum metuit, quantum nocuit. It is said of a godly man (Psal. 112.7.) No evil tidings shall make him fear (though there be a dreadful sound in his ear, a sound of danger, yet) his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. A wicked man is terrified with conceited danger; a godly man is not afraid when there is real danger. A godly man hath a witness for him in himself; a wicked man carries a witness against him in himself; Nemo se judice nocens absolvitur. and this witness is also his judge to condemn him, yea his executioner to torment, and vex him; as soon as our first Parents had sinned (Gen. 3.8.) They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden, in the cool of the day, and Adam and his Wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord: Here was no appearance of terror, it was the voice of God walking as a friend, not marching as an enemy, and it was in in the cool, not heat of the day; these circumstances argue the guiltiness of Adam and his Wife, who fled and hid themselves at this appearance of the Lord. The voice of God walking, was a dreadful sound in their ears, because they had not harkened to the voice of God commanding. Wicked Pashur, who opposed the good Prophet, is branded with a new name (Jer. 20.3.4.) The Lord said, his name shall no more be called Pashur, but Magor-Misabib; that is, Fear round about, and in the next Verse, the reason is given why this name was given him, For I will make thee a terror to thyself: He that is a terror to himself, can no more be without terror, than he can be without himself. Nor can any thing be a comfort to him, who is his own terror. And therefore a guilty conscience hears a dreadful sound, what sound soever he hears: he ever expects to hear bad news, and he puts fearful glosses and comments upon that which is good. A wicked man interprets all reports in one of these two mischievous senses, either To the discredit of others, Pessimus in dubiis Augur timor— Stat or to the disquiet of himself: Bring what text of providence you can to him, he corrupts it with one of these glosses. Yea, the faithful counsels of his own Friends, are dreadful sounds unto him for he hath a suspicion that while they are counselling him for good, it is but a contriving of evil against him, or a setting of snares to catch him. Again, sometimes God creates a sound, or causeth the wicked to hear a dreadful sound (2 Kings 7.6.) The Lord made the Host of the Syrians to hear a noise of Chariots, and a noise of Horses, even the noise of a great Host, etc. Upon this dreadful sound, they arose and fled. Sometimes a wicked heart creates a sound, and what the Prophet threatens, he hears, the stone out of the Wall, the beam out of the Timber crying against him. The Story tells us of one who thought that the Swallows in the Chimney spoke, and told tales of him. We say in our Proverb, As the Fool thinketh, so the Bell clinketh; much more may we say, As an evil conscience thinketh, so every thing clinketh. As he that hath a prejudice against another, taketh all he hears spoken of him, and all that he hears him speak in the worst sense, and most disadvantageous construction to his reputation; so he that hath a prejudice against himself, construes all that he either hears or sees against his own Peace: Hence it is that he doth not only flee when he is pursued, but when none pursue (Prov. 28.1.) The wicked flies when none pursueth (except his own fears) but the righteous is as bold as a Lion: This terror was threatened in the old Law (Levit. 26.36.) They that are left alive of you in the time of your Captivity, I will send fainting in their hearts, in the Land of their Enemy, and the sound of a shaking leaf shall chase them; What poor spirits have they who are chased by the motion of a leaf? The sound of a leaf is a pleasant sound, it is a kind of natural music. Fear doth not only make the heart move, Homines tui non expectato adventu hostis, velut transsossi examinantur metu. Jun. As the Trees of the Forest are moved with the wind (Isa. 7.) but it makes the heart move, if the wind do but move the Trees of the Forest. The Prophet Isaiah tells Jerusalem, Thy slain men are not slain with the Sword, not dead in Battle (Isai. 22.2.) With what then were they slain? And how died they; a learned Interpreter tells us how: They were slain with fear, and died with a sound of Battle before ever they joined Battle. This answereth the judgement denounced by Moses in another place (Deut. 28.65.) The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind, and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have no assurance of thy life. But here some may object, Is this the portion of wicked men? Doth a dreadful sound in their ears afflict their hearts? Have not many such, much peace? and do they not either smile or wonder to heart others complaining of an afflicted spirit, and beg prayers for the appeasing of their troubled conscience? which are matters they have no acquaintance with, nor knowledge of. I answer, First, We are not to understand the proposition, as if all wicked men have, or that any wicked man at all times, hath this dreadful sound in his ear; but thus it is very often, and thus it may be always: thus it is with many, and thus it may be with all wicked men. A wicked man hath (as we say) no fence for it, no privilege nor promise to secure him from it. Again, though some wicked men have not this dreadful sound in their ears; yea though they have pleasant sounds in their ears, like them who sang to the Vial, etc. (Amos 6.) yet first, their peace is not a true peace; secondly, it is not a lasting peace; thirdly, that which they have, ariseth from one of these two grounds; either from neglect of their consciences, or from some defect in their consciences. The neglect of conscience from whence this ariseth is twofold, either first, when they neglect to speak to conscience; conscience and they never have a word, much less any serious conference, or discourse; either concerning the state of their hearts, or the course of their lives, and then all's peace with them. Secondly, when the speakings of conscience are neglected, conscience hath a double voice of direction, and correction; conscience tells a man what he ought, and what he ought not to do: conscience checks a man for not doing what he ought, or for doing what he ought not. Yet many over power and restrain conscience from this office, and never leave opposing, till they have silenced, yea conquered it: Such as these have peace, such a one as it is, and hear nothing but a sound of delight in their ears, while this silence lasteth. Again, this may arise from some defect disabling conscience, to do its ordinary, or natural duty. (the conscience of an evil man may have some goodness in it) Conscience may be considered two ways, either morally, or naturally; that only is a morally good conscience, which is pure and holy, a conscience cleansed from the guilt of sin by the blood of Christ; thus no wicked man can be said to have a good conscience. That is a naturally good conscience which performs the office or duty to which conscience is appointed; conscience is set up in man to perform certain offices: if the conscience of a bad man perform them, his conscience (in that sense) is good. The first office or work of conscience is to observe, and take notice of what we do, conscience should, as it were, keep a Day-Book, and follow us up and down with Pen and Ink, to write all our motions. A second work of conscience is to testify what we have done, and which way we have moved. A third, is, to accuse us when we do evil, and to acquit us when we do well: Now as a wicked man's conscience is always morally evil, because stained, and polluted with sin: So many times his conscience is naturally evil too; that is, it will neither take notice of, nor check him for his sin. When the wicked man's conscience is in this evil state, he thinks his state good enough, and so he is at quiet. Casuists tell us of four sorts of evil consciences, all which may live out of the hearing of these dreadful sounds. First, A blind ignorant conscience that cannot discern between moral good and evil. Secondly, A secure conscience, which thinks not of any penal evil. Thirdly, A dull, lazy, sleepy conscience, which hath little or no sense, either of what is done or suffered. Fourthly, A feared conscience, which is altogether senseless. A conscience thus disabled to perform its work, being either blind, secure, sleepy, or feared, is tame and quiet with the worst of men. But all this while, though this wicked man hath some ease, yet he hath no peace; his conscience while seared, is far enough from being settled; his conscience while asleep is far enough from rest. It is with such, as with some sick men, ask them how they do, they will say, Very well, when as indeed they are so sick, that they know not how ill they are; they take death itself for health, and their not feeling of pain for the curing of their disease. But when the conscience of a wicked man is once enlightened, softened, and awakened, he cannot but have these dreadful sounds, which will neither give nor let him receive any rest. Conscience will awake at last, and speak terrible things, conscience will be a Bounnerges, a terrible Preacher, thundering out, not only a chiding reproof, but a sentence of condemnation, and then the wicked will even gnash their teeth, because conscience did no sooner use its teeth, they will gnaw their tongues for sorrow, because conscience had no tongue to speak, or they no ears to hear what it spoke, till it was too late: A dreadful sound is in his ear. In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In pa●e. The Hebrew is, In peace the destroyer shall come upon him. Peace is so near allied, and so great a friend to prosperity, that one word may well serve both. The wicked man's destroyer shall be to him like Joab to Abner, and Amasa, shedding the blood of War in Peace, and putting that blood upon the Girdle about his loins, etc. 1 Kings 2.5. But some may demand, How doth this suit with the former Verse? Where Eliphaz told us, that A wicked man travels in pain all his days: How is he in prosperity, if he travels all his days in pain? I answer, The denomination is given from the greatest part of a wicked man's life, and that is trouble and pain. Or secondly, if an instance can be given of any wicked man, that hath had more good days then evil, or that hath had no ill days at all, in regard of any outward trouble and pain, than we may reconcile the Text thus; his prosperity is beside his state, yea, Est amplificatio malae cujusdam impiorum securitatis q. d. si contingat impium nihil timere sed secure agere tunc & inopinato opprimetur. Pined. in his very prosperity he is in pain: In the midst of laughter his heart is sorrowful, and the end of his mirth is heaviness (Prov. 14.13.) His is but a seeming, not a real prosperity. Further, these words are an aggravation of his misery, because if at any time he appears prosperous, and free from fear, then sudden destruction overtakes him. Or lastly, The destroyer may be said to come upon him in prosperity, because in his best days he fears the destroyer: he suspects danger, when he sees none; and is therefore never out of danger. Who this destroyer is, is left here at large; Et cum pax sit ille insidias suspicatur. Vulg. Omnia etiam tuta tyranni & impii timent. Merc. no particular one is specified, but any terrible one is intended; Eliphaz doth not say, A Destroyer, but The Destroyer. One both powerful and skilful to destroy shall come upon him. He shall not only come to him, but come upon him; to come upon, is to invade or to assault: A friend comes to a man with kindness and embraces, to visit or salute him, an Enemy comes upon a man with blows, and violence to wound and destroy him. In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. Hence Observe. When wicked men think themselves most safe, they are nearest to destruction. 'Tis seldom that they think themselves safe, and when they do, they are furthest from safety. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever (Psal. 92.7.) Their temporal, short spring, is not only an antecedent, but an argument of their eternal Winter. And their Winter is not the going down of the sap to the root, but the pulling of them up by the roots; they shall be destroyed. (Job 20.22.) In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: When it is full Sea with him, his Channel shall be dried up. It was said to that Fool (Luke 12.20.) This night thy soul shall be taken from thee: The destroyer came upon him, indeed in his prosperity, when he sang himself asleep, with Soul thou hast goods laid up for many years, he could not keep his soul one night. (1 Thes. 5.3.) When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with Child, and they shall not escape: The general destruction of wicked men in the day of judgement, shall come as a thief in the night. We have a representation of this, in that woeful tragedy which the Lord acted upon the Egyptians (Exod. 12.30.) At midnight there was a grievous cry (he came upon them as a thief in the night) for the Lord smote all the first borne of the Land of Egypt; they died in their warm beds, in prosperity the destroyer came upon them. This is bad enough, yet not the worst of the condition of wicked men: For, Vers. 22. He believes not that he shall return out of darkness, he is waited for of the Sword. This is a further account of the inward misery or pain which afflicts the spirit of a wicked man. He believes not that he shall return out of darkness. He looketh not that he shall escape from darkness. So Master Broughton. There are five interpretations given about this darkness, out of which the wicked man believes he shall not return. First, Some understand it of the darkness of sin; but a wicked man cannot be said to despair of that about which he never had any hope, Pii spe se armant & in spem contra spem sperant. Merc. or desire. Secondly, Some understand darkness literally, and plainly of the darkness of the night, and interpret thus, He believes not that he shall return out of darkness; that is, he is so haunted with fears every night, when he lies down, that he thinks he shall never live till the morning: This is a good sense. Thirdly, Others understand this darkness, to be death, he hath a perfect sound of dread when death comes, because he believes not that he shall return out of that darkness. The resurrection is the consolation of the Saints, in the midst of greatest dangers and thickest darkness; because, though they die, yet they believe they shall return out of darkness. But a wicked man, who believes, or hopes for nothing beyond the time of this life, if he be once cast into the Grave, either thinks he shall lie there for ever, or if he believes he shall rise, yet he doth not believe that he shall rise out of darkness, for he shall rise in darkness, and go down to everlasting darkness. Fourthly, A fourth expounds it of internal darkness, the darkness of his spirit, or of those mists and clouds which hang about his mind. A godly man falling into this darkness, doth not actually believe he shall return out of it (for such a faith were his return out of it) but a wicked man as he hath no ground, so no possibility (continuing in the state he is) to believe it. Saul had a woeful dark spirit, and believed not that he should return out of it, by the help of God; therefore he went to a Witch (a Counsellor of the Prince of darkness) for help. But fifthly, I rather conceive, as often elsewhere, so here, by darkness is meant, outward affliction. When the destroyer comes upon him, and he is cast into a sad dark condition, he hath no faith for himself, that he shall return out of it, or be delivered from it. This is an extreme agravation of the miserable state of a wicked man, who either hath no outward prosperity, or his prosperity is nothing to him, he enjoys it not; but if ever he fall into outward misery, how great is his misery, so great that he gives himself for gone, a lost man for ever: He believes not that he shall return out of darkness. Observe hence. That a wicked man neither doth, not can believe deliverance from evil. First, He hath no ground to believe, promises are the foundation of faith. A wicked man may be under promises of conversion from his sin, but he is not under any promise of mercy while he continues in his sin; the whole Book of God yields him not (in hat state) any special promise, for so much as a bit of bread; when he hath bread, he hath it from providence, not from a promise, or but from a general promise. He is fed as a Beast is fed, the Lord being the preserver of Man and Beast: He cannot have a special promise himself, not being an heir of promise: Therefore when he falls into darkness, he hath no ground to believe. Whereas a godly man never hath so much ground to believe, as when he falls into darkness, because than he hath more promises than before; his outward losses gain him the advantage of many sweet promises, which till then he could not plead, for the succour and nourishment of his faith. As a wicked man hath no promise of God (in the sense explained) at any time; so a godly man hath most promises of God in evil, yea in the worst of times. And as a wicked man hath no ground to believe, so he usually hath no heart to believe: as he hath no reason to hope for better things, so he hath no courage, his spirit sinks and fails, when his state doth. Abigall had no sooner told Nabal that the destroyer was coming upon him in his prosperity, but his heart sunk within him, like a stone, and he died away presently. Secondly, The best of a wicked man's faith (that he shall return out of darkness) is but a presumptuous fancy, or mere Foolhardiness. A good man is like a Child in his Father's house, who takes no care, but casts all upon his Parents; in the greatest storm, he commits the helm to Christ as Pilot; he can say as David (Psalm. 42.) when he is in trouble, Why art thou disquieted O my soul? He calls his soul to question, and would have his soul give him a reason, Why art thou troubled, my soul? hope in God, for I shall yet praise him: But a wicked man hath no God to hope in, therefore he cannot say, I shall yet praise him: That man cannot cast his burden of cares upon the Lord (Psal. 55.22.) who cares not how he burdens God with his sins; therefore he must bear and sink under both burdens himself: He cannot believe that he shall return out of the darkness of trouble, who delights and sports in the darkness of iniquity. Again, Consider, this is brought as a proof of the woeful condition of a wicked man. It is misery enough, that the destroyer shall come upon him; but this is more miserable, he cannot believe deliverance from destruction. Hence Observe. That want of faith in time of affliction is more grievous than affliction: It is worse not to believe deliverance, then to fall into trouble; as the life of faith is the best life, so the life of unbelief is the worst life. Despair of good is the greatest evil: Faith is not only the support and relief of the soul in trouble, but it is the victory and triumph of the soul over trouble. Faith doth not only keep the soul alive, but lively; Faith keeps the soul fat and in good plight: Faith is a shield, both against temptation, and affliction. But every blow falls upon the bare skin of an unbeliever; Faith is a shield both against the fiery darts of the Devil, and (with a difference) against the fiery darts of God also. Let God himself cast his darts at a Beleiver, Faith secures him from hurt, though not from wounds, yea his very wounds, through a work of faith, shall work his good. It is the comfort of a man that feareth God, and obeyeth the voice of his Servants, that while he walketh in darkness and hath no light, he is bid to trust in the name of the Lord, and to stay upon his God (Isa. 50.10.) But while a man that doth not fear God, walks in darkness and hath no light, his misery is, that he can neither trust in God till light comes, nor that light will ever come. How happy are the righteous, to whom light ariseth in darkness? How unhappy are the wicked, who being in darkness, conclude that the light will never arise. Faith makes all evil good to us, and all good better; unbelief makes all good evil to us, and all evil worse. Faith (like the Horse, Job 39.19.) laughs at the shaking of the Spear; unbelief trembles at the shaking of a leaf. Faith finds food in Famine, and a Table in the Wilderness. In greatest dangers, faith answers, I have a great God; when outward strength is broken, and all lies a bleeding, faith answers, The promises are strong still, they have not lost a drop of blood, nor have they a scar upon them. When God himself apreares angry, faith answers, I know how to please him, and I can go to one in whom he is, and will be wel-pleased for ever. Thus faith pulls out the sting of trouble, draws out the gall and wormwood of every affliction. But where faith is wanting, every affliction is full of gall and wormwood, and every trouble vexeth with a double sting. It stings such, as it is a trouble, and it stings them more, as they see no comfort in, nor way out of trouble. The darkness of darkness is this, Not to believe, that we shall return out of darkness. And he is waited for of the Sword. This clause is near in sense to the latter part of the former Verse, and yet in this variety of expression, there is some variety of intention. For the clearing of it, two things are to be enquired: First, What is meant by the Sword. Secondly, What is meant, by, waited for of the Sword. The Sword is taken two ways in Scripture. First, literally for That weapon of War, and by a Synecdoche the Sword is put for all weapons of War; as also by a Metonymy, for War itself: When the Sword is threatened in Scripture, Warr is threatened. Secondly, The Sword is taken for the power of the Magistrate, who bears not the Sword in vain: Christ is described as a King armed with his Sword. (Isa. 11.4.) By the Sword (that is with the Word) of his mouth he will slay the wicked: Nempe sua sententia tradens eum justitiae ministro. Christ will pronounce a sentence of condemnation, and deliver them up to execution: Thus the Judge slays the Malefactor by the sword of his mouth. Further, by a Synecdoche, the Sword is taken for all manner of evil and trouble; Quicquid pungit & percutit, & torquet, & cruciat, in scriptures sanctis gladius appellaturs Hieron. in cap. ult. Isa. whatsoever hurts or afflicts is comprehended under the notion of a Sword (Luke 1.35,) Old Simeon tells the holy Virgin in his song, Also a Sword shall pass through thy soul; his meaning is not, that she should be cut off in War, by the hand of the Soldier, or in peace, by the sentence of the Judge, but that sore troubles and afflictions like a sharp Sword should pierce her soul. Here the Sword may be taken either for the Sword of War, or of Peace, or for any evil, that befalls the Wicked Man. But how is he waited for of the Sword; the Original word is rendered two ways. First, Actively, Secondly, Passively. Some render actively, He is waiting for of the Sword: He stands expecting the Sword, and that in a double sense; Circumspectans undique gladium. Vulg. Sc. vel quo pereat vel quo se defendat. Tanquam exspecula expectat. Tigur. Hebraizantes tenent esse participium passinum: hinc Rab. Levi. exponit. Conspicitur a gladio. Aspectus gladio Vatabl. Est Hebraismus, ut videeri a gladio sit ab hostibus observari per insidias. Decretus in manu ferri. Sept. Conspectus ipse ad gladium. Mont. Nempe a Deo conspectus & destinatus ad gladium. Praevisus enim est ad gladium. Sym. he waits for the Sword which he fears will destroy him, or he waits for a Sword, which he desires to defend him. Mr. Broughton gives this sense, Having watch, he thinketh upon the Sword. Again, others render it passively, He is waited for of the Sword, when he thinks not of it: The Sword lies in ambush to surprise him. A man is said to be waited for by an Enemy, when he intends to assault him unawares, To be thus waited for by the sword, is to be waited for by swordmen. And it is as great a disadvantage to be seen of the Sword, before we see the Sword; as it is (according to the old Proverb) to be seen of the Wolf, or of the Crocodile, before we see either. The wicked is waited for of the Sword, not for any service, but for the revenge it owes him, the Sword lies behind the door, or under a bush to snap him as he passeth. The Septuagint in stead of, he is waited, or watched, or looked for by the Sword, render thus, He is decreed into the hand of the Sword; leading us to the appointment and destination of God, who hath set him out, and marked him for judgement. He is appointed to the Sword: Such a decree the Prophet seems to point at (Jer. 15.2.) where he brings in the Lord, as resolved to proceed in judgement against all prayers and entreaties, though made by his greatest Favourites; Though Moses and Samu●l stood before me, yet my mind could not be into this people, but such as are for death, to death, and such as are for the Sword, to the Sword: That is, such as are decreed into the hand of the Sword, let the Sword take them; the decree shall stand, the sentence is irrevocable. Taking the Text actively, Observe: That a wicked man thinks every one his enemy: He dreams of danger when he sleeps, and where ever he comes, he waits for the Sword, He that hath a mind to hurt others, fears it is in the mind of every one to hurt him: He that is harmless is fearless; Nunquam non divin●m ultionem expectat vel metuit. Merc. Ex omni parte inimicos sibi imminere videns. Aquin. Qui de nullo confidit de omnibus timet. id. and while we go about doing good, we are free from the suspicion of evil. Cain having murdered his Brother, complains of the Lords sentence against him, Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitive and a Vagabond on the earth, and it shall come to pass, that every man that finds me shall slay me, (Gen. 4.14.) cain's complaint is the Comment of this Text, Every one that finds me shall slay me, is, I wait for, or I expect the Sword: Cain speaks as if an Army were continually pursuing him, or as if the avenger of blood, were always ready at his heels. And that which aggravates the wonder of this jealousy, is, that we can give account but of one man alive in the World besides himself at that time, and that was his own Father Adam; we read not of any Son that Abel left behind him, nor had Cain any Son (upon record) at that time; and yet he cries out as if the World had been full of Inhabitants, and every one of them his Enemy; Every one that meets me will slay me. What is said of Ishmael, is true of Oppressors, Their hand is against every man, and therefore they have cause enough to suspect that every man's hand is against them, they are ever waiting for the Sword. Secondly, from the passive sense, He is waited for of the Sword. Observe. That a wicked man is in danger wheresoever he is: He cannot set his foot over the threshold but mischief may arrest him; the Lord said to Cain, If thou dost ill, sin lies at the door; that is, (according to the ordinary interpretation) punishment lies at the door, it lies at the door, yea it will draw the latch, or turn the Key and come in at the door; There is no evil but a wicked man is subject to it; as there is no good, but is the inheritance of a godly man, who is therefore called an heir of the promise. He that is an heir of the promise, hath all the good things of this life, and of the next for his inheritance. When he goeth forth, mercy hath him by the hand, yea mercy lies under his feet, and holds a canopy of protection over his head. A wicked man is an heir of the curse, and therefore he always stands under the droppings of Divine anger; his breast is the Butt or Mark at which God levels the deadly Arrows of his indignation, and he is waited for of the Sword. Thirdly, Observe. That the expectation of evil is more afflictive than the feeling of evil; He doth not say, he is slain with the Sword, or cut off with the Sword; but he is waited for, or he waits for the Sword: All evil attends him who is thus attended, or who gives such attendance. He that is always looking for evil cannot enjoy the good which he sees. For as the assured hope of approaching comfort swallows up our present sorrows, so the continual expectation of approaching sorrow swallows up our present comforts. Fourthly, It is not said either by what Sword or by whose Sword he is waited for, but he is waited for of the Sword; here is the Sword, but here is no hand named, neither the hand of God, nor the hand of man, drawing and wielding this Sword. Hence note. That the destruction of a wicked man is inevitable. When we neither know, whose the Sword is, nor whence the Sword is, how shall we prevent it or provide against it. Cum Supplicium dicitur & non dicitur a quo inferendum sit, inevitabile supplicium significatur. Sanct. When the Lord would assure us that an unavoidable overthrow shall come upon the Kingdoms of the earth, which oppose the Kingdom of Christ; he saith, A Stone cut out without hand, shall do this; it shall be done no man knows how or which way; and therefore no man can know how or which way to hinder the doing of it. As there is a Stone cut out without hands, so here is a Sword to cut without hands. The judgement of Babylon is thus expressed by the Prophet (Isa. 47.11.) Therefore shall evil come upon thee, thou shalt not know from whence it ariseth; and mischief shall fall upon thee, thou shalt not be able to put it off. The former words expound the latter: Why should not Babylon be able to put off the mischief? Because it comes upon her, she knows not from whence. We say in our Proverb, when we threaten a mischief, from which there is no escaping, You shall never know who hurt you: He that knows not who hurts him, shall never know how to help himself; and while the hand that strikes us is not seen, how shall we see to defend ourselves against the stroke. He that waits for the Sword is always in fear, and he that is waited for by the Sword, is always in danger. Either of these is bad enough; and he that is under both, cannot be worse. JOB, Chap. 15. Vers. 23, 24. He wandreth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at hand. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, they shall prevail against him, as a King ready to battle. THese two Verses are a further description of the perplexed condition of a wicked man, A dreadful sound is in his ear, etc. He is waited for of the Sword. And what more? Vers. 23. He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? In Hebraeo tantum est movetur propane. We put in those words, Saying, and Is it; the Hebrew being only this, He wandreth abroad for bread, where; as if he had said, No man knows where, and he knows not whither himself. There is a twofold interpretation of this Wandering; some understand it of a powerful roving abroad for bread; he takes what he can from those who are next, Tyrannorunt farta & rapinas hic de scnibi putat Cajetanus. or he takes what comes next to hand: He must have it, it matters not much with him, how or from whom. Such are called Rovers, they rove abroad for bread, they spoil and plunder others for the supply of their wants, shall I say, or of their lusts. But I conceive this Exposition unsuitable; and the reason is, because Eliphaz is not here describing the sin of a wicked man, but his punishment; to spoil and plunder for bread is his sin; to wander for bread is his punishment, and implies the evil and misery that comes upon the wicked, not the evil and mischief that is done by the wicked. Secondly, To wander, is the condition of a man who hath no settled dwelling. Paul was once in such a state, Even to this present hour we both hunger etc. and have no certain dwelling place (1 Cor. 4.11.) This also was the lot of the Jewish Martyrs, They wandered about in Sheepskins, etc. (Heb. 11.37.) These were holy wanderers: They wandered in the World, that they might not wander from God. Here we have an unholy wanderer, who having gone astray from God, found no rest among men, a downright Vagabond; for so the word is applied to Cain (Gen. 4.) A fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be; and we in our Law, call a sort of idle Beggars, Vagabonds, such as go from Country to Country, from house to house, to seek their bread. Such also were among the Jews, who are therefore called Vagabond Jews, (Acts 19.13.) To be a wanderer was one of the sharpest threats that God ever denounced against his people, My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken to him, and they shall be wanderers among the Nations. He wanders about for bread. In Scripture sense, bread takes in all good things, Panis hoc loco non significat, ut aliâs saepe, quodcunque esculentum; sed vilissimum quemque cibum quo possit sustentari. Pined. His verbis notatur aliud Dei flagellum nempe extrema inopia. Bold. even the best which concern this life: So Christ teacheth us to pray, Give us this day our daily bread. But here by bread, we are to understand the meanest provision, distinct from flesh, and other Food; a man that lives merely upon bread, hath but poor fare; though bread be the staff of life, yet he that hath nothing but bread to eat, lives meanly, and hath only enough to keep life and soul together. Yet further, they that wander for bread, must be content with the coursest bread, and with a little of that; they are often glad if they get but a dry or mouldy crust of bread to satisfy the cry of hunger. So then, To wander about for bread, is to live a beggar's life, or to be driven to the utmost shifts to sustain life, and keep from starving. To be brought to a piece of bread (of our own) is to be brought to the lowest ebb in worldly things, Exul, inops erres alienaque limina lustres Ovid. in Ibin. (Prov. 6.26.) By means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread; That is, he is made very poor. And if he be at a low ebb, who hath but a piece of bread of his own: what are they who are forced to ask so low as a piece of bread of others? To want bread is ill, but wonder about for bread is far worse. He that wants bread is pinched, but he that wanders for it is disgraced. Observe hence, first. To want and wander about for bread, is a sore affliction; Such an affliction, as David professeth he never observed the righteous man's seed fallen into (Psal. 37.25.) I have been young, and now am old, yet never saw I the righteous forsaken, nor their seed begging their bread: The righteous are often troubled, yet never forsaken, or if forsaken of men, yet not of God; when all men, even godly men, forsook Paul, yet God did not: The Lord (saith he) stood by me, (2 Tim. 4.16, 17.) And though a righteous man may be brought to beg, yet his seed (that is, his whole posterity) is not; or if we take seed for a single person, to see him beg for bread is very rare; so rare it was in those times, that David had not observed it; for he speaks not of that which cannot be, but of that which is seldom or never seen to be. 'Tis a mercy to be denied superfluities, but it is an extreme misery to be denied necessaries. The Jews had poor amongst them, Casus transitorii non reddunt mendicum. Musc. in Psa. 37. but the Law made such provision, that they had no Beggars or wanderers for bread. (Deut. 15.) He is not a Beggar that asks bread upon a pinch (for so did David himself, more than once) but he that makes a trade of it. Poverty or want is not a mark of God's disfavour, no more than riches are a mark of his love: Yet some want and poverty, that especially, which is accompanied with a continual wandering for bread, is a mark of God's disfavour. it was a Prophetical curse upon the Traitor Judas and his Posterity (Psal. 109.10.) Let his Children be continually Vagabonds and beg, let them seek their bread out of desolate places. And experience tells us, that though sometimes a Lazarus, a good man beg, yet the race and generality of professed Beggars are the worst of mankind. Secondly, whereas Eliphaz speaks specially of the Oppressor, and tells us, that he wanders about for bread. We may observe. Oppression is the nearest way to poverty: They who make Beggars to satisfy their lusts, shall be forced to beg for the satisfying of their hunger. It is very dangerous to make provision for the flesh by lawful means, to fulfil the lusts of it; but it is most dangerous to make provision for the flesh by unlawful means (by wrong and oppression) to fulfil the lusts of it. They who so fulfil their lusts, shall soon be brought to want. Hannah sung out this sudden change (1 Sam. 2.5.) They that were full have hired themselves out for bread, and they that were hungry ceased. Not that they ceased to be, but they ceased to be hungry, or their hunger ceased. Godly empty ones were filled, and wicked full ones were emptied; and that which makes the want and emptiness of a wicked man so great a misery, is his want of faith and patience when he is empty; he hath done so much evil, that he hath no faith to believe, that any man will do him good, therefore his poverty fills him with impatience, and his mind is more unsettled then his estate. Thus such as he are described (Psal. 59.14, 15.) At evening let them return, and let them make a noise, like a Dog, and go round about the City: Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied: A good man may want meat, but he doth not grudge. He that waits upon God, and believes, shall be satisfied, though not filled. Again, 'tis prophesied of wicked men (Isa. 8.21.) They shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry, and it shall come to pass, when they shall be hungry, that they shall fret themselves, and curse their King and their God, and look upward: When an unbeliever hath nothing to eat, he eats himself. His own fretting wastes him more than his hunger. He than looks upward, not as submitting himself to God in his hunger, not as depending upon God, for the satisfying of his hunger: In which sense it is said (Psal. 145.15, 16.) The eyes of all wait upon thee, or (as we put in the Margin) look unto thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season, thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. A wicked man cannot look upward, thus, when he is hungry, he cannot look up and pray, he cannot look up and trust in God; but he looks upward to curse the God of Heaven in his heart, if not with his tongue; he looks upward, because he is vexed with all that is done below; he looks upward, not because he hath any pleasant sights in Heaven, Terroribus conscientiae ita divexatur ut in maxima abundamia summè egeat, laboret de victu supra modum. Jun. Vagatur, vel in mediis opibus, egestatis metu, nec partis secure fruitur. Merl. but because he is displeased with all he sees on Earth. He wanders abroad for bread. Where? or whither doth he wander? That which Eliphaz is conceived to aim chiefly at in this passage, is not so much the real, as the imaginary and conceited want of a wicked man. He wanders while he stays at home, and seeks for bread, while his Barns and Tables are filled with it. He is terrified with fore-thoughts of poverty, in the midst of his riches, and when he hath bread, saith, Where is it? He is so troubled with suspected evils, that he cannot take comfort in his possessed goods. Hence observe. First, That abundance cannot satisfy: God only is fullness to us. A man may wander about in his thoughts for bread, when he hath bread enough about him, and say he shall be undone, and die a beggar, when he hath abundance. A covetous man is an unsatiable gulf; He only is well who hath enough, and he is best who hath (in temporals) the lest enough: But a covetous man hath not enough, though he hath more than enough, and much more than needs; he always dreams of dearths, and suspects the Earth will be barren: with these fears he pines, yea martyrs himself, and is not at all enriched with all his riches; he hath sufficient to maintain twenty, yet is told by his unbelief, that he hath not sufficient for one. This is vanity and vexation of spirit; The life of man doth not consist in what he hath, but in what he is, and hopes to be: his life doth not consist in abundance, either for the continuance of it, or for the comfort of it. A man doth not live more days, nor more cheerfully any day, because he lives plentifully. The creature were a God to us, if it could do this to us; but this, God hath reserved in his own hands (how much soever of the creature he gives out) that we may know our dependence on him. Secondly Observe. That imaginary wants, or to have an unquiet spirit in the midst of our enjoyments, is more afflictive then to be in real want: The worst worldly poverty is to be poor when we are rich; as it is the excellency of our spiritual estate to be poor in spirit, in our greatest spiritual plenty, to be little or nothing in our own eyes, when we have a great stock of grace: So it is the misery of our temporal estate to be thus poor in spirit, when we have plenty in the Purse, to say we have little or nothing, when we have a great stock of worldly goods. Zophar concludes of the Hypocrite (Chap. 20.21.) In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; which may be understood, either first, That when he is full, troubles shall empty him; or secondly, That while his fullness continues, even in his fullest fullness, he shall live, as if he were indeed as empty of wealth, as he is of goodness, always spending himself with fears that all will be suddenly spent, and saying in his heart, This will not hold out, I shall never be able to bring the year about, or bring (as we say) both ends together. Hence his cares are endless, and he grudges himself ordinary comforts, his worldly sorrow consumes him, and he is willing to die, only to save charges: That man is in an ill case, who is grudged what he eats or spends, by others, but it is far worse for a man to grudge himself his necessary expenses. Some worldly men, whose Barns are full, are ready to say every one to his soul, as he (Luke 12.19.) Soul take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years: Another hath his Barnefull, and yet saith, This will not hold one year, and so gives his soul no ease at all. What the Apostle saith of himself, is true of all those who have an interest in Christ, (2 Cor. 6.10.) As poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things: But there are some rich, who make many poor, and themselves poorest of all; for though they have all those things, yet they are as if they possessed nothing. It is an affliction to be poor for want of riches, but it is a curse to be poor in the possession of riches. He that loves Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver (Eccles. 5.10.) To be satisfied, is more than to be rich, and he is always poor who is unsatisfied; he that expects satisfaction from the creature, shall never find contentation in the creature; and he that expects no satisfaction from the creature, hath contentation in any portion of the creature. A godly man learns in every estate to be content; a carnal man is content in no estate; when he is poor, he sees he hath nothing, and when he is rich, he saith he hath not enough. Thus he wanders as well when he is rich, as when he is poor, and is therefore never satisfied. Again, He wanders about for bread, Where? Or saying, Where is it? Hence Observe: A man that is not good, is uncertain where to receive any good; Where is it? Though a Believer want bread, yet he knows whither to go for it, and where it is to be had. The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, he goes to Heaven for bread as well as for grace; he knows there is bread in the promise, and to the promise he goes. The promise hath all things both concerning life, and godliness. Christ who is the bread of life, gives us bread for this life; and having Christ, with him, we have all things else; Bread and clothing, Gold and Silver, are laid up in Christ. An Unbeliever (as hath been showed) hath nothing to do with promises, nor with Christ the fulfiller of promises, and therefore he is ever in doubt, when he is in want; and saith, Where is it? He knows not whither to go, nor to whom for the supply of his wants. A wicked man is never in his way, and, in one sense, he is never out of his way. They may go any where, who know not whither to go. They are never out of their way, who have no home. East, West, North, or South, it is all one to them; which way the Staff falls, they go, they have no rule nor line to go by; but though a wicked man know not his particular way, yet he often knows his general end, and that is misery, as the next words tell us. He knows the day of darkness is ready at hand. At the 22. Verse, He believes not that he shall return out of darkness; that is (as was opened) in case he falls into evil, he thinks he shall never get out of it; he hath no faith that he shall recover out of trouble, but he hath a strong faith, that he shall fall into trouble: He knows that the day of darkness is ready at hand: Here are three things to be cleared. First, What is meant by knowing. Secondly, What by the day of darkness. Thirdly, What, by being ready at hand. To know, it is here opposed to an uncertain guess, or to conjecture; to know is as much as to be fully persuaded, to know, is to be assured; the highest act of faith is often expressed by knowledge. Novit in seipso quod maneat in ruinam. Certo sibi persuadet atque hujus rei praesagium ex sui cordis sensu sacit. Hereby we know that we know him (1 John 2.4.) that is, hereby we are assured that we know him; so here, He knows, that is, he is assured; it is settled upon his spirit, that the day of darkness is ready at hand. This knowledge riseth not from reports abroad, but from his own breast; so the Septuagint translates, He knows in himself that evil shall be upon him; As a godly man hath a witness for him in himself, so a wicked man hath a witness against him in himself. What the day of darkness is, learn upon the former Verse, He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness; there I shown a fivefold darkness, here I shall reduce it to one of these two. The day of darkness is either the day of death, or the day of affliction; so 'tis taken (Eccles. 5.17.) All his days he eateth in darkness; that is, he is in sorrow all his days: Though he hath Sun light, or Candle light enough at his Table, yet he hath no light in his heart. So the Prophet Amos (5.20.) Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it? There is a day of the Lord which is nothing but light, and there is a day of the Lord which is nothing but darkness, that is of tribulation and anguish upon the soul that sins. The Prophet Joel calls it, A day of darkness, and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness. He knows that the day of darkness is, Ready at hand. The word which we translate ready, signifies two things. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paratum, firmum, stabilem, certum esse denotat. Drus. First, that which is prepared. Secondly, that which is established, or confirmed. We translate to the former, the day is ready or prepared; others render to the latter sense, the day is established, and settled; his day of darkness shall certainly come upon him. And whereas we translate Ready at hand, noting the nearness of the danger. Others, Tygurina per manum intelligere videtur ipsa impiorunt scelera, & per paraphrasim sic sententiam elucidat. Scit quod suis factis periculosa tempora accersierit. to note the cause of the danger, render, He knows that his own hand hath made a day of darkness; that is, The villainies and wickednesses which he hath committed, cause the clouds of judgement to gather, and look black upon him; his unrighteousness hath hastened on his ruin, and wrapped him up in darkness, He hath brought an evil day upon himself, by his evil deeds; or as the Prophet speaks, His destruction is from himself: He hath pulled down his House with his own hands, and is the sole author or contriver of his own sorrows. This is an experienced truth; but I rather take the words as we render, The day of darkness is ready at hand; that is, it is near, and will shortly seize upon him. Hence Observe. First, Many a wicked man grows into an assurance of his approaching misery: It is as hard to persuade some wicked men that their state is naught, as it is to persuade some good men that their state is good; yet as many of the Saints conquer unbelief, and come not only to have some hopes, but high assurances, that there is a day of mercy at hand for them, that they are in a present happy state, and eternal happiness wait for them; so a wicked man (after long debate) may have his unbelief conquered, and though he hath been sowing pillows under his own elbows, though he hath slighted all the Counsels, Admonitions, and threaten of faithful Friends, though notwithstanding all this, he continue long, speaking peace to his own soul, and saying, all is well, yet (I say) this man may have his unbelief conquered, and know at last that there is a day of darkness ready at hand; when his eyes are opened to see what he hath done, and what he hath been; he sees that God hath rejected all his confidences, and that he shall never prosper in them. Secondly, Observe, That for a man to be assured of his own misery is the height of misery: Eliphaz puts it here among the punishments of wicked men. This assurance makes his heart shake, this knowledge is full of fear, and therefore full of torment. As to know that a day of light and deliverance is ready at hand, is light while we are in darkness, and deliverance while we are in trouble: So to know that a day of darkness and misery is ready at hand, is darkness to wicked men while they are in external light, and misery in the midst of all their mirth. And as it is the highest comfort of the Saints to know that they have eternal life, to know that they are in the favour, and live in the love of God; (a man may be in it, and not know it, and then though he shall do well at last, yet his state is but uncomfortable, and he that is an heir of Heaven, may walk as an heir of Hell, with a troubled spirit) but to know that it is so, this is Heaven before we come at Heaven; so it is the deepest sorrow of any man in this life, to know that he hath eternal death; an assurance of this, settled upon the spirit (though I conceive a man cannot have an absolute assurance of it, yet to have strong impressions upon the spirit, that he shall never be saved, or that Hell is prepared for him) this is Hell before he is cast into Hell. A soul that doubts of mercy and of the favour of God, is in a very sad condition, but the condition of that soul is unexpressibly sad, which is assured of judgement, and of the wrath of God. Thirdly, Observe. That as a wicked man may know that he shall be miserable in the end, so he may know that his misery is near at hand: An evil conscience awakened is the worst Prophet, it is full of sad presages; like Micah to Ahab, Haec est paenae impii pars nou modica quod cogatur ipse sibi ominari malum. Pined. it never Prophesied good but evil; and it doth not only Prophesy of evil afar off, but near, or ready at hand: 'Tis true, an evil conscience usually puts the evil day far off (2 Pet. 3.4.) There shall be scoffers, saying, Where is the day of his coming, etc. The day of darkness is far enough off, it hath been long talked of, but we do not see it, say these despisers: But when an evil conscience is awakened, than he sees evil near, and himself dogged at the heels, or (as the former Verse speaks) Waited for of the Sword. As a Believer, when the eye of faith is clear, sees mercy near at hand (Faith makes God near, and then all good is near.) So an Unbeliever when the eye of his conscience is cleared, sees misery near. Observe Fourthly. The misery of a wicked man is unmoveable: His day of darkness is established by an irrevocable decree, there is no getting it off; he is under a Divine Fate. A day of darkness may come over the Saints, but that day blows over: David said once of his day of light, It shall never be dark; and of his Mountain, it shall never be removed; yet he was deceived: But a wicked man's day of darkness shall never be light, nor can he use any proper means to turn his day of darkness into light. He cannot pray, and it is p●●●er that turns darkness into light; he cannot believe, and it is Faith that turns a day of darkness into light; he hath not a Christ to go unto, and it is Christ only who can turn darkness into light, death to life, and the Waters of sorrow into the Wine of joy; his darkness shall never be removed, who hath not Christ (who is light) to remove it. Verse 24. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, they shall prevail upon him, as a King ready to Battle. In this Verse, we have a double effect of those troubles, which are the portion of a wicked man; the first effect is, They shall make him afraid; the second effect is, They shall prevail upon him; both which are illustrated by an elegant similitude, they shall make him afraid, and they shall prevail upon him, as a King ready to Battle. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid. Trouble without, and anguish within (so some expound) He shall have straits in his state, and a straight upon his spirit; both meeting, shall not only afflict him, but make him afraid. The word may be translated to fright, rather than to make afraid: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 angustia. They shall scare him, not only out of his comforts, but out of his wits and senses. There is a threefold fear: First, Natural. Secondly, Spiritual. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perter●uit, pertuibavit. To be spiritually afraid, is good, and to be naturally afraid, is not evil: So Christ was not only afraid, but amazed (Mark 14.33.) Thirdly, There is a distracting, vexing fear, which is both a passion and a perturbation: This is at once the sin and punishment of wicked men. Consider, with what weapons and instruments God fights against a wicked man: he doth not say, Sword and fire shall make him afraid, Armies of enemies shall make him afraid, but trouble and anguish shall do it; God can create and form weapons in our own hearts, to fight against us: Inward anguish is far more grievous than any outward stroke. (Rom. 2.9.) Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that sins, whether of Jew or Gentile: Anguish is the edge of tribulation both joined, wound soul and body; yea strike through both at every blow. Hence Note. It is worse to be afraid of evil, then to feel it: Every thing is to us as we apprehend it, good is not pleasing to us, nor evil afflictive to us, unless we think it so: They who are not afraid of death, welcome it when it comes; others through fear of death, are held in bondage all the days of their life. Secondly, Observe. Distracting fear is the portion of a wicked man: The troubles of the righteous are many, but their fears are few (Psal. 112.) His heart is fixed, he shall not be afraid: 'Tis not said he shall not hear evil tidings (I know no man whose ears are privileged from such reports) but he shall not be afraid. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about, (Psal. 3.6.) Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, Ps. 23.4. are the resolves of faith: Whosoever hath much fear, hath but little Faith, Wherefore are ye afraid, O ye of little Faith? Mat. 8.26. and how can they but be afraid (when storms arise) who are of no faith; when Faith increaseth, fear decreaseth, and when Faith is come to the height, fear is gone; where there is no Faith, there can be nothing but fear, trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, that's the first effect. But that's not all, anguish doth not only fear the wicked man, but prevails against him: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumivit. Angustia vallabit. Vulg. Some render Trouble and anguish entrench about him; The sense is the same, it is such an entrenchment as concludes in a conqeust; the beseiger prevails. A second reads it thus, Trouble shall make him afraid, and anguish shall entrench about him. The Original joins the two Substantives together, and the Verb is plural, Terrebit eum tribulatio & angustia vallabit eum. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, they shall prevail against him. From this second effect, Observe. Evil shall get the upper hand of evil men: A good man, possibly, may be afraid, and afraid sinfully, excess of fear may take hold of him, but he shall not be prevailed against (Pro. 24.16.) The just man falls seven times a day (into affliction and trouble) and riseth up again; trouble may throw him down but it cannot keep him down (Mic. 7.8.) Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall, I shall rise; the Church rises in her falls, and she sometimes foresees her rising, when she is fallen: The wicked fall, and rise no more. And whereas the Saints are more than conquerors through him that loveth them, wicked men are more than conquered, they are utterly ruined, lost, and vanquished, because not beloved. There are two battles wherein we cannot stand without the strength of Christ. First, The battle of inward temptation. Secondly, The battle of outward affliction. We are no match for either, unless Christ be our Second. Satan hath desired thee (saith Christ to P●ter) to winnow thee as Wheat (hoping to find, or make thee Chaff) But I have prayed that thy Faith fail not: Peter fell into temptation, yea he fell in the temptation, yet because Christ undertook for him, the temptation could not prevail against him. And as there is no conquest over Satan's temptation, but by the strength of Christ; so none over affliction (which is God's temptation) but by the strength of Christ (1 Cor. 10.13.) There hath no temptation (that is, no affliction) taken you, but what is common to man (yet no man can stand under that alone, which may befall any man, therefore it follows) But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, etc. Man alone is not sufficient, so much as to think one good thought, how then shall he think good thoughts enough alone, either to scatter a temptation, or to bear an affliction? To carry the soul out in such a conflict requires more than one good thought, yea more than many good thoughts, it requires good actings; yea and sufferings too; how shall he do this without the strength of Christ? No wonder then if the lesser of these, yea the least of the lesser, the least affliction prevail against a wicked man; and if while he runs with Footmen, they weary him, how shall he contend with Horses, with trouble and anguish, shall not these prevail against him, as a King ready to battle? Which is the illustration of the wicked man's downfall: Trouble and anguish prevail against him: But how? Not a little, not with strength only enough to turn the scale of the conflict, but mightily, even with much strength to spare. As a King ready to battle. There are four interpretations for the making out of this similitude; some place it between a wicked man's trouble and anguish, and the trouble and anguish of a King ready to join Battle with a potent Adversary: For, then his spirit is much troubled, knowing how great an adventure he makes, in reference to his state, and how great a hazard he runs, in reference to his life, and person. The charge being sometimes given to fight neither against small not great, but only against the King. So a wicked man when trouble comes, is like a King going to Battle, full of fears and anxious thoughts what the issue and event may be: He looks upon himself as the mark, both of the wrath of God and Man, and that every blow shall be directed against his breast. Trouble and anguish single out wicked men; when God sends out his Armies of judgements, he charges them not to fight against the small or great of his own people, but against the wicked of the World: Wrath aims at them, and therefore they are terrified at the approaches of wrath. Praeliaturum regem circundare solebat globus militum ut lectio Tygurina indicat. Angustia & circumvallatio eum circumstant ut regem consertis globis praeliaturum. Secondly, Others give out the similitude, thus, Trouble and anguish shall come upon him, as a King ready to battle: As when a King goes to Battle he is compassed with a strong guard. (Every General hath his Lifeguard, much more Kings) So, trouble and anguish shall compass a wicked man, as yet with widest difference; for the Guard compasseth the King for the safety and preservation of his person; whereas trouble and anguish gather about wicked men for their destruction: But the Text will hardly admit this explication, and therefore I pass it. Thirdly, The Hebrew word which signifies a day of Battle, signifies also a Sphere, or round Globe, we translate it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat globum pilam aut Sphaeram. Apud Latinos Globus est hostium aut Armatorum militum cuneus. Liv. lib. 1. Annal. Romulus cum globo Juvenum. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad praelium a forma orbiculari, Castra in orbicularem formam disponuntur ut fortiora sint. Merc. a Ball (Isa. 22.18.) where it is prophesied against Shebna, that the Lord would make him an example, and that (as the Hebrew is) Tossing, he would toss him with a tossing; that is, he would surely toss, and turn him like a Ball, into a far Country; as a Ball is tossed or thrown, so the Lord would throw him into Captivity. Now because it is a usual way of embattailing, to draw an Army into the form of a Globe, or Ball; therefore the same word which signifies a Sphere, or Globe, signifies also a Battle, from the form of it. Taking it in this sense, for any thing that is round, or circular as a Ball, or Sphere. This third interpretation of the similitude riseth thus, Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, they shall prevail upon him, as a King put in Chains, or into a hoop of Iron; some labour much for the maintaining of this interpretation, That Eliphaz intends to show how wicked oppressors shall be surrounded and held fast with trouble, like some great Kings, who falling into the hands of their Enemies, have been shut up in round Iron Cages, as Tamerlane carried Bajazet the Turkish Emperor; or bound in Chains, as it is Prophesied in the 149. Psalm. It was the use of those times, Declarare volens extremas impii angustias ut illum eo pacto undique stringi tribulationibus, quo Rex ab hoste superatus & captus; pro spectaculo publicè ponebatur in Ferricernio. Bold. Ita etiam textum explicat, Vatablus. to make hoops of Iron, for the securing of Kings and Princes taken in Battle; the forms of which, and how those captivated Kings were locked up in them, with the posture of their bodies in that base imprisonment, may be seen in Boldue upon this Verse; and he annexeth divers texts of Scripture, in which he conceives there is an allusion to this course way of handling Kings. Fourthly, Our reading compares trouble and anguish to a King, ready to Battle; as if he had said, Trouble and anguish shall prevail upon him irresistibly: This is but a high expression of greatest preparation for a Battle; for when a King goeth forth to Battle in person, he will have all the strength of his Kingdom with him, which Job himself clears in the 29. Chapter, Verse 25 where describing his own former felicity, he concludes, I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelled as a King in the Army: That is, in great strength and power. So the Apostle speaks (1 Cor. 4.8.) You have reigned as Kings without us, and I would to God ye did reign; that is, you conceive you have had the confluence of all comforts, and strengths, You have reigned as Kings, I would you had, that we also might reign with you, or share in your felicity. So that when Eliphaz saith, Trouble and anguish shall prevail, as a King armed, and ready to set forth to Battle; his meaning it; They shall prevail strongly, yea irresistibly. The wicked man shall not be able to stand their charge, much less repulse is. These several explications of the similitude meet in one common truth: That as the wicked shall not stand in judgement, when God comes to judge all the World; so when the Lord sends forth his judgements upon any part of the World, they are the men that shall surely fall; trouble and anguish shall terrify them, as a King going to join Battle, or as a King taken and captivated in Battle, or as a King conquering and prevailing over his Foes in Battle. Sin prevails always upon wicked men, as a King commanding and ruling over them; at last, trouble (which is the fruit of sin) shall prevail upon them as a King oppressing and destroying them. They who will not submit to the rule of the Law as a King to guide them: shall be forced to submit to the curse of the Law, as a King to punish them. JOB, Chap. 15. Vers. 25, 26. For he stretched out his hand against God, and strengthened himself against the Almighty. He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his Bucklers. ELiphaz having explained much of the inward punishment of wicked men, the torture which they endure upon the rack of conscience, as also some of their outward punishments, he subjoins the reason of both, their sin, in these two Verses, and that not an ordinary sin, but a sin committed with a high hand. Vers. 25. He stretcheth out his hand against God. And is it any wonder then that God should stretch out his hand against him? Every sin deserves punishment, and shall be punished either upon the sinner, or upon his Surety; but extraordinary sins call for extraordinary punishments: they who have done much evil, shall endure much. Justice hath an eye to the quantity, as well as to the quality of our works; and that's a work of wickedness in Folio, or of the largest size, which is done with a hand stertbhed out: What revenge is big enough for a sin thus big? He stretcheth out his hand against God. Here are three things to be opened: Tanto supplicio nunc scelus dignissimum explicat. Pined. First, What is meant by the hand. Secondly, What is meant by stretching out the hand. Thirdly, How the hand may be stretched out against God. The hand may be taken properly, or improperly; properly for that member of the body, which is so useful and instrumental in all the services of this life; and then to stretch out the hand, must be taken in a proper sense; for so wicked men sometimes do; they stretch out the hand of the body against God, by acting sins of violence, and by acting violently in many sins. The outward members, especially the hand and tongue, are made the weapons of unrighteousness, both against God and Man. Theod. l. 3. cap. 20. Niceph. l. 10. cap. 35. The Church-Historian reports of Julian the Apostate, that when he was wounded in the Battle against the Parthians, he took of his blood, and threw it up to Heaven, he stretched out his hand against God, saying, in derision of Christ, O Galilaean thou hast overcome: This outward gesture of his body, expressed the secret indignation of his mind. And it is observed by Jerom, Amalachitae Israelitas in Exitu de Egypto vel ob lassitudinem vel ob legalem immunditiem extra castra degentes occiderunt & eorum circumcisionem amputatam in subsannationem Dei projecerunt in caelum. Hieron. who saith, he received it from the Tradition of the Jews, that the Amalakites, who were professed Enemies to the Jews, did lie upon the watch, to take all advantages against them, in their march from Egypt to Canaan, and when at any time they turned aside out of the way, either because of legal uncleanness, or upon any natural necessity, they would fall upon them and slay them; which being done, they cut off that member which had the Seal of the Covenant (Circumcision) upon it, and with their hands stretched out, threw it up towards Heaven, as if they would challenge God himself to revenge their blasphemy of him, and the contempt of that sacred Institution. Secondly, The hand is taken improperly, or metaphorically; so, the power of a man is his hand, the strength of his whole body, state, and mind, may be called his hand; his riches are his hand, his credit is his hand, his wit, and parts, Learning, and Eloquence, are his hand, as there is a power in all these. And when it is said here, He stretcheth forth his hand against God; we may understand it in that latitude; for a wicked man improves the strength of his body, the power of his Estate, his Credit, his Wit, all his accommodations in the way of Rebellion against God. A man is said to stretch out himself, Extendere manum est omnem adhibere conatum ad percutiendum hostem aut aliquid aliud aggrediendum. when he doth his utmost to attain his end, and makes the most of himself to any purpose: In such cases he stretcheth all that he is (as we say) upon the Tenters; and this all of his put together, is his hand stretched out against God. Further, To stretch out the hand, imports four things. First, To do a thing with the utmost intention of mind and body, to do it with all our might and fullest resolution. Joshua being resolved to bring total destruction upon the men of Ai, Drew not his hand back wherewith he stretched out his Spear, till he utterly destroyed all the Inhabitants of Ai (Josh. 8.26.) The stretching forth of his hand was emblematical, speaking, or implying that his spirit kept up to the height of resolution, for the ruin of that City and people. When the Scripture speaks of God, acting towards Man, either in a way of judgement or mercy, this phrase is often used, (Exod. 6.6.) Wherefore say to the Children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm. (Exod. 14.8.) The Children of Israel went out with an high hand; and at the sixth Verse of the same Chapter, the Lord bid Moses, Stretch his hand over the Sea; to show that he was purposed to work a Miracle, for the deliverance of his people. The Prophets are frequent in this language (Isa. 5.25.) Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled, against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them: Read Chap. 9 Verse 12, 17.21. Chap. 10.4. Jer. 51.25. Ezek. 14.13. Chap. 15.7. In all these places when the Lord went with full purpose to punish, he is said, To stretch out his hand. Now as when God stretcheth out his hand against Man, it shows his resolvedness to smite, so when man stretcheth out his hand against God, it shows his resolvedness to sin, or his actual sinning with full intention and strength of spirit. Secondly, Man's stretching out his hand, Extendere manum est habitus considentis & potentiam viresque ostendentis. speaks the confidence of a man, that he shall carry all before him, and win the day; it is usual with contenders, especially with Soldiers, before they join Battle, to stretch their hands out, to draw and brandish their Swords, in token both of their courage to fight, and of their confidence to prevail. Obstinate sinners are full of false hopes that they shall obtain what they design, and prosper in their projects of wickedness, and therefore they are said to stretch out the hand against God. Thirdly, Stretching out the hand, is a posture of pride and impudence; pride is written upon a stretched-out-hand. To sin presumptuously, Anima quae in manu superbiae. Sept. is in the Original to sin with a high hand (Numb. 15.30.) The Septuagint render that place, The soul that in the hand of pride thinks so, shall be cut off: The Caldee Paraphrase gives it thus; He that sins with an uncovered head; An uncovered head is an argument of boldness, and that he who acts, cares not who sees him. Modesty causeth us to hang down, or cover the head, when we have done ill, and shame makes us cover the head when we receive evil, or are punished (Jer. 14.4.) The Plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads because the ground was chapped: for there was no rain in the Earth: So that to do, or suffer with an uncovered head, is like doing or suffering with a high, or stretched-out-hand, boldly, presumptuously, and as it were, hanging out a Falg of defiance against the God of Heaven. Fourthly, Stretching out the hand, is the posture of a furious maddman; he that wants the use of his reason, makes this use of his hand, laying about him, as if he would do wonders; such madness lodgeth in the hearts of debauched sinners, they do they know not what; they rage and are furious, as if they would pull God out of Heaven, and throw the House, yea the World, out at the Windows: These stretch their hands against God, and they do it three ways. First, Against the very being of God; such a wicked man opposeth God as God, he wisheth there were no God, or that himself were God; he would have all power in his own hand: Francis Spira in his despairing distraction said, I would I were above God: In him nature spoke her mind plainly, and not in Parables: Nature heightened in wickedness would be above God; therefore a carnal man is called, A hater of God: Now that which we hate we would destroy, and take out of the way. Secondly, There is a stretching out the hand against God, not only in this open bold challenge, or professed opposition; this very few will own. Few Atheists will speak out their blasphemy, or send their Trumpet to defy God; and most wicked men take a suspicion of this, as the highest dishonour and affront that can be put upon them. What? They oppose God? They stretch out their hand against God? They will tell you, they love God, and it may be they will tell you that God is their God, and yet will be found stretching out their hand against God: therefore not only do his professed Enemies stretch out their hand against God, but even those his professed Friends, who live in the open violation of his righteous Laws; they who oppose the will and Word of God, the Statutes and Ordinances of God, these will be found to stretch forth their hand against God himself. The Lord complains (Mal. 3.13.) Your words have been stout against me: Who? we stout against God? when did we speak against God? we never had such a thought in our hearts, much less, such words in our mouths: So it follows, Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? The Lord tells them (because it seems they could not) Vers. 14 Ye have said it is a vain thing to serve the Lord, and what profit have we, that we have kept his Ordinances, and ye call the proud happy, etc. To speak, or think thus (though such a word be not spoken formally, as it is probable they did not) is to be stout against God. To say, It is a vain thing to serve the Lord, is not only a disservice, but a Rebellion against the Lord: To say, There is no profit in keeping his Ordinances, is the highest profanation of his Ordinances; to call, The proud happy, is to stretch out the hand against God, for he stretcheth out his hand against, and resisteth the proud. Thirdly, The hand is stretched out against God, when it is stretched out against his people, his Servants, or any that are under his tuition, and special protection; to oppose, or stretch out the hand against these, is to stretch out the hand against God. The Prophet Zacharie sets forth both the care of God to keep his people from trouble, and his Sympathy with them in trouble, by an elegant Similitude: He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye (Zach. 2.8.) What part is more sensible of the least hurt, than the eye, or being hurt, causeth a greater smart? God is as tender of his people as any man is of his own eyes. He that toucheth them, sc. to wrong or vex them, toucheth the apple of God's eye, he lifts up his hand against God's face, and against the most excellent part of his face, his eye, and against the most excellent part of his eye, the apple of it or ball of the eye which is the proper instrument of seeing. We use to say, There is no sporting with the eyes; men do not like it, to have their eyes played with: Surely then God will not bear it, Dicimus vulgo cum oculis non ludendum est. that any should smite or wound his eyes. And he interprets any hurt done to his people, as done to his own eye, yea to the apple of his eye. When it was under debate in the Council what should be done with the Apostles, Gamaliel advises, Refrain from these men, and let them alone, etc. Lest haply ye be found to fight against God (Acts 5.38, 39) Some possibly would reply, We fighters against God? We love God; here is a company of turbulent Fellows called Apostles, who disquiet the City, may we not punish them, but we must presently be judged fighters against God? No, saith Gamaliel, you fight against God, if they and their Apostleship be of God. Saul was zealous of the Law, and (as he thought) for God; yet Christ rebukes him from Heaven, with Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Thou stretchest forth thy hand against me, when thou dost it against the Saints; then, there is a stretching out the hand against God, not only by a boisterous opposition of God, As Pharaoh, Senacharib, and Julian did, but by opposing the ways or word, the Messengers or Servants of God. Hence Observe. First, Though every sin be against God, yet some sins are more against God: We cannot say that every one who sins, stretcheth out his hand against God; there is a difference of sins in degree, though they are all in their nature deadly; there is a presumptuous sin, a sin committed with a high hand, which hath these two things chiefly in it. First, A sinning against clear light. Secondly, A sinning with full consent and swinge of will. In that place of Numbers, where this sin is described (Chap. 15.30.) There are two other Characters put upon it: First, it is called, A reproaching the Lord: And secondly, a despising of the Word of the Lord; Every sin is a transgression of the Word of the Lord, but every sin is not a despising of the Word of the Lord; every sin is displeasing to God, but every sin is not a reproaching of God: Every sin, even the least, is a departure from God, but some sins are full of activity against God. It is conceived, that the presumptuous sin in the old Testament, is the same with, or answers to, the sin against the holy Ghost in the New; and that which leads to this apprehension is, because no sacrifice was appointed for that under the Law, as this is said to be unpardonable under the Gospel. And the Author to the Hebrews is express (Chap. 10.26.) If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. The Gospel knows but of one Sacrifice for sin, and that but once offered; they who despise that, have despised all, for there remains no more Sacrifice for sin. God will not send his Son to die a second time for those who have trodden the Son of God in his death under foot, and have counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing. God indeed stretcheth out his hand all the day long, to a gainsaying and rebellious people, that is, to those who stretch out their hands against him in his Law: But he will not stretch out his hand (unless to smite) to a gainsaying and rebellious people, who (in this sense) stretch out their hands against him in the Gospel. Secondly, From the connexion of this Verse with the former: Observe. That God proportions the punishment of man unto his sin: There is a twofold proportionating of punishment to sin. First, In the quality, or manner of it. Secondly, In the quantity, or degree of it. The Justice of God is visible in both, according to the exact rules of retaliation: As I have done, so the Lord hath requited me, said Adonibezek (Judg. 1.) He was punished in the same manner that he had sinned, and so have many others. But all shall be punished in the same degree that they have sinned. If sin be great, so shall the punishment of it be. When the iniquity of the Amorite was full, he had his fill of wrath. When God himself was pressed with the sin of Israel, as a Cart with Sheaves: then he laid on load in judgement. If any wonder why the wicked man should be hurried, troubled, vexed, why he traveleth in pain all his days; he may cease to wonder, when he reads, that the wicked man stretcheth out his hand against God. Is it any wonder God should show himself an Enemy to them, who practice the Enemy against him? Or that they should be highest in suffering, who have been highest in sin? The Prophet Amos reproves and complains of those, who made the Ephah small, and the Shekel great (Chap. 8.5.) That is, who abated the measure, and enhanced, or raised the price of their commodities: But if man make the Ephah, or measure of his sin small, God will not make the Shekel of his punishment great. The wages which the Justice of God pays the sinner, shall not be a penny more than his sinning work hath deserved. Thirdly, In that the stretching out the hand against God, is a sin against light. Observe. That sins committed against light, leave the soul in the greatest darkness: A sin committed in the darkness of ignorance, deserves yet to be punished with darkness, even with everlasting darkness; much more those sins which are committed, not only in, but against the light of knowledge. Some shall perish for want of light; they cannot but perish who live and die in the abuse of light. Many shall perish because they have not stretched forth their hands according to the light received, to work for God; how deeply then shall they perish, who in the midst of received light, stretch out their hands to work wickedness against God? Fourthly, Eliphaz describes the wicked man stretching out his hand; that is, all the power which God hath trusted him with, to provoke God with. Hence Observe. That wicked men abuse the good gifts of God, and turn them against God himself: They use their hand, properly taken, against God; as also their metaphorical hand, their whole strength against God; they stretch their authority, their high places, their parts, and wits against God; they form weapons out of all the good gifts of God, to fight against God; such sinning is out of measure sinful. The idle Servant was condemned, who did not employ and improve the one Talon which he had received, to his Master's advantage; of how much sorer condemnation shall they be thought worthy who employ their many Talents to their Master's loss, and disadvantage? Lastly Observe. Sin is the greatest evil. That must needs be the greatest evil which opposeth the greatest good: God is the greatest good, every sin is against God, and some sins directly oppose God. The Apostle argues the evil of sin, from the opposition it makes against us (1 Pet. 2.11.) Dear beloved, I beseech you as strangers, and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts (he doth not say, which fight against, or dishonour God, but) which war against the soul: We have no reason to be dallying with lusts, or to be friends with them, when we hear that our lust's war against us; but when we remember that our lust's war against God, we should not only abstain from them, but abhor them. Every thing is by so much the worse, by how much that is better which it is contrary unto: There are four considerations which heighten the evil of sin upon this account, that it is a stretching out of the hand against God. First, Stretch out a hand against God No man should dare so much as to lift up a word against God. Secondly, Stretch out a hand against God No man should dare so much as to lift up a thought against God. Thirdly, Stretch out a hand against God Every man ought to fall down before God, and be well pleased with whatsoever God saith or doth. Fourthly, Every man is bound to stretch out heart and tongue, and hand, to think and speak and do for God, and when all this is done, we have done but our duty, and the utmost that any man doth or can do in these, is not half his duty. How wide then is he from, how opposite to his duty, who stretcheth out his hand against God? And (as it follows in the next words.) Strengthens himself against the Almighty. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Roboravit, fortem bellatorem conatur se praebere, virum atque masculum; in Deum se erigere & insultare praesumpsit. Contra omnipotentem se virum exhibuit. Jun. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1 Cor. 16.13. That is, As the Original imports, who makes himself a strong Warrior, and will show his valour against the Almighty: So Master Broughton, He would be valiant against the Almighty. Or as another translates to the letter of the Text, He shows himself a man against the Almighty; as if he had said, This wicked man strains all the strength he hath, to show himself a man of his hands, or to play the man against God. The Apostle useth that word, in reference to temptation, Play the men, or quit yourselves like men: Saints play the man against Satan; wicked ones play the man against God: he strengthens himself against God. But how? What doth the wicked man to strengthen himself? Doth he gather Armies, lay in Ammunition, fortify Cities, and Castles? Doth he thus strengthen himself against the Almighty? All these are no strength against God, and this is not the way the wicked man takes to strengthen himself against God; how then? He strengthens himself against God, by hardening his heart, by stopping his ears, by setting his face, by debauching his conscience against the call and command of God. Thus, He strengthens himself against the Almighty. Before we had the word God, the strong God, here the Almighty, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word in the Hebrew, signifies not only one that hath great power: But, First, All power; Shaddai is he that hath power to do all things: Omnipotency is one of the incommunicable Attributes of God: Qui omnia potest. All the power of man is of his giving, but he hath not given all power to any man, no nor to all men. Only Christ as Mediator, or God-man hath all power given to him. It is not the will of God to do all that is in his power, but it is in his power to do whatsoever he will. If the wicked man's power were such, what work would he make? If he could do as much as himself pleaseth, he would do nothing, which should please either God or good men. Qui sibi sufficit & nullius ope indiget, nullis externis armis aut munimentis. Secondly, The word signifieth, such a one as hath a sufficiency in himself to do what he will; God needeth not to go out for any aid, or call in the assistance of any creature: Shaddai is the Original of power, he hath all his power laid up in his own compass, and his compass is infiniteness; he is self sufficient. Some Princes think they have power enough to do what they will, but they must do it with other men's hands. Though they have a civil power or authority to command all, yet they have not a natural power, strength, or ability to execute all. God hath both these powers, he hath absolute authority to command all to serve and help him; and he hath such an absolute ability, that he needs none to serve or help him: He that made the World alone, what cannot he do alone? God calls for our help that we may have the honour of it, not that he hath any want of it. Qui sufficit omnibus aliis. Thirdly, Shaddai is he who hath not only enough for himself, but for all others; the five wise Virgins had Oil in their Lamps, and they had enough for themselves, but they had none to spare, they could not furnish the five foolish Virgins. But the Lord God Almighty hath strength and wisdom for all that come to him, and call upon him: As he is selfe-sufficient, so he is all-sufficient; his Ocean can quickly fill all our empty Vessels, and his treasury supply and bear all our charges. This Almighty God, who hath power to do what he pleaseth, who hath all this power in himself, and who hath power enough to give out to all that need, and ask it of him; this is the Almighty, against whom the wicked man strengthens himself. Hence Observe. First, That the heart of man is very busy to arm against God: As when a people are threatened with an invasion, they then strengthen themselves, they lay in their Provisions of War, and get Forces in a readiness: even thus doth the heart of man: Man hath three usual ways of strengthening himself against the Almigty. First, By carnal pleas and reasonings. He pretends reason for what he doth; and he strengthens himself against all that God saith, by reason: he sets up reason against that Law which is the quintessence of reason, and will not be mad but by reason, such as it is, and that is, such as he is, a mad one. These reasonings are the strong holds spoken of by the Apostle (2 Cor. 4.5.) The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing, that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God: As the weapons of this warfare are not carnal but spiritual, so the strong holds which these cast down, are not corporeal, but carnal; they are not made of Stones, and Timber, of Earth, or Iron, but of the subtiltyes, slights, excuses, subterfuges, and arguings of fleshly minded men. All which the Apostle wraps up in the latter words calling them imaginations, or ratiocinations, and high things; that is, such things as are form in the high and proud conceits of the creature exalting itself against the sound and saving knowledge of God: Such as these: First, Others do so. Secondly, Great ones do so. Thirdly, This is the custom of the World. Fourthly, If I should not do so, I should dishonour, yea and undo myself: And why should I refrain what others do, or what would be my own undoing? No reason for any of these. Thus he strengthens himself against the Almighty: his reason (such as it is) will bear him out. Secondly, He strengthens himself against God upon presumption of mercy from God; why may not I do thus? God hath mercy for sinners, why not for me though I sin? The Apostle cautions the Ephesians (Chap. 5.6.) against such presumptions. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the Children of disobedience: It is good to plead mercy to strengthen Faith, that sin committed shall be pardoned; but woe be to those, who plead mercy to strengthen themselves in the committing of sin. Thirdly, Others strengthen themselves against the Almighty with hopes of worldly gain, and they encourage themselves in an evil matter, with promises of good; We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil, cast in thy Lot among us, let us all have one Purse: Thus Solomon personates the enticements of sinners (Prov. 1.13, 14.) As a gracious heart strengthens itself for God: First, By the promises of God. Secondly, By the experiences which himself, or others have had of God's dispensations. Thirdly, By considering the nature of God, how gracious, how good, how powerful, how faithful he is. Fourthly, By remembering his relations to God; he is my Father, my King, etc. Shall I not venture to do or suffer for him? Now (I say) as a gracious heart strengthens itself for the Lord, or (as the Apostle adviseth, Ephes. 6.10.) Grows strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, putting on the whole Armour of God: So a wicked heart strengthens itself against the Lord, or grows strong against the Lord, and the power of his might, yea of his Almightiness, putting on the whole Armour of the Devil, that he may be able to stand against all the encounters of the Word, and of his own conscience. For as the Word of God, and the graces of the spirit are the Armour and weapons by which the Saints strengthen themselves against Satan; so carnal reasonings and the lusts of the flesh, are the Armour and weapons by which wicked men strengthen themselves against God. A wicked man's chief care is to fortify and encourage his lusts; to put warm to his sinful heart, and make it stout against God: Sin gins with turning the heart from God, and sin ends in turning the heart against God: The first step in sin is a neglect of God, the second step is contempt of God, the third and last is a War with God: He strengthens himself (for the Battle) against the Almighty. Secondly Observe. Sin runs us against reason, and causeth us to act not only wickedly, but foolishly: Is it not folly and madness for weakness to contend with Omnipotency? When a sinner hath strengthened himself the best he can, the very weakness of God (as the Apostle speaks) is stronger than he. What King (saith Christ, Luke 14.31.) going to make War against another King, doth not first sit down, etc. As if he had said, The Kings of the Earth are not so foolish, so brainless, and counsellesse to contend with those, whom they cannot match; they will hardly venture a Battle with ten thousand against twenty thousond, they will rather make a disadvantageous Peace, then proceed in a War upon such disadvantages. The King of Israel reproved the challenge which the King of Judah sent him, by the Parable of the Thistle in Lebanon, aspiring to match with the Cedar in Lebanon (2 Kings 14.9.) What's a Thistle to a Cedar? Then what is man to God? See then what a reasonless, yea senseless creature man is, who will needs go out against God to Battle, though all the number he can muster, is not only as disproportionable as ten thousand to twenty thousand, as a Thistle to a Cedar, but more than one single man is to a Million of men, or then a bruised Reed to the strongest Oak. God with ease made all the power of man alone, and he, though alone, can more easily destroy it: it cost him but the speaking of a word to set it up, and he can pull it down with, yea without a word speaking. Many men have been styled, The great, The strong, The mighty: But no man ever durst own this style, The Almighty: This title of God in the Text, The Almighty, should make the mightiest of men, the Nimrods' of the World afraid to meddle, yea to think a thought of meddling with God. The absurdity of men in strengthening themselves against the Almighty, may appear yet more distinctly in three particulars. First, He that is Almighty is stronger than All; there cannot be two Almighty's. Hence the Apostle argues (1 Cor. 10.) Will you provoke the Lord to anger, are you stronger than he? It is base and cowardly to provoke those that are weaker than ourselves; it may give us trouble enough to provoke those who are as strong as ourselves, but it is either madness or desperateness to provoke those who are stronger than ourselves. And when the Apostle demands, or rather expostulates, Are ye stronger than he? His question calls for this positive assertory answer, we are infinitely weaker than he; and therefore there is no prevailing against him, not only not in all things, but not in any thing. It is possible for a weak Enemy to prevail sometimes upon a mighty Enemy. The Romans who commanded the world for many ages, and were too strong for any Nation, did yet receive some foils; though they were never conquered, yet they were sometimes worsted, not only by surprisals and Ambuscadoes, but in the open field; and even petty Princes gave checks for a while, to some of their designs. But Elshaddai, the Almighty God, never received any defeat, nor is he within the possibility of a surprise. Secondly, Not only cannot the Lord be defeated, but he cannot be endamaged; he never lost (as we say) so much as a hair of his head, nor did he ever suffer so much as the scratch of a Pin. The Romans obtained some Victories with such extreme loss and hazard, that it hath been said, Two or three more such Victories, would utterly undo them; they who were never defeated or foiled, have yet been greatly endamaged in Battle; and their clearest gains have not been without some loss: but the Almighty never lost the worth of a thread, or drop of blood, in all those innumerable Victories which he hath gained. Thirdly, Man cannot so much as hinder or retard the designs of God. He transcends all the impediments, and throws open all the Barracadoes that are set in his way. He will work and who shall let him? (Isa. 43.13.) There is no putting of a bar in his way; and therefore if any should answer the question, Who shall let it? Yes, there are some will let it, the great men, the Nobles of the Earth, say no; they will let it. But they shall not, saith God, in the next Verse (Vers. 14.) For your sake (speaking to his people in Captivity) I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their Nobles. The Original word for Nobles, signifies also Barrs, the Barrs of a door, or Castle gate, as we put in the Margin of our Bibles; to note, that Nobles and great men should be the strength of a People, and a stop to the entrance of any evil among them: but if in stead of that, they prove like Barrs, only to hinder the good of a People, and to lie cross in all public proceed; then the Lord, the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, brings them down, and breaks them all to pieces. I will work, and who shall let it? The Nobles, the Bars shall not, though Bars of Iron, to Gates of Brass. It was said in opening the words, that stretching out the hand is the posture of a mad man: Consider this, and then say, Is it not the maddest madness to stretch out the hand against God, or to strengthen ourselves against the Almighty, to oppose him, against whom it is impossible not only to prevail, but to do him the least hurt, or give him the least check or stop in his way? If we should see a man set his shoulder against a Wall of Brass, or blow a Feather against it, hoping to overturn and batter it down, would not we say, this man is either a Fool, who never had the use of reason, or a Madman, who hath lost his reason? He that opposeth the counsels and ways of God, can no more overthrow them, than a Feather can a Wall of Brass, or the touch of a little finger, the strongest Tower. The Psalmist represents us with these simple attempts (Psal. 2.1, 2, etc.) Why do the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The Kings of the earth take counsel, etc. Come let us break their bands and cast their cords away from us: What follows? He that sits in Heaven shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision: He sees how poor, how inconsiderable, these motions and commotions, both of the Many and of the Mighty are, to give check to that Decree of his Almightiness, to set his Son upon the holy Hill of Zion Eliphaz hath not yet done with his description of the impotent rage of man against the Almighty God. O sinful vain man, whither wilt thou go? What wilt thou do next? The next Verse tells us. Vers. 26. He runs upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick Bosses of his Bucklers. This 26. Verse is an amplification, or aggravation of the madness of a wicked man, who, when he hath strengthened himself against God (as he thinks and hopes) sufficiently, than he runs upon him, etc. Eliphaz carrieth on the metaphor of a Battle, which before it is fought, Armies are mustered, and drawn up in view of each other; and then to show their courage, they stretch out their hands, draw their Swords, and as soon as the Signal of the Battle is given, by sound of Trumpet, beat of Drum, or discharge of Cannon, they run on upon one another; and when the Battle comes to the heat and height, they charge home, even upon the necks of one another, and upon the Bosses of their Bucklers: Here's the description of a fierce charge. This wicked one is a Champion for Hell, he challenges the God of Heaven, and runs upon him, etc. with utmost violence: Quia impius manum in Deum extendit ideo currit in eum Deus ad collum & in densitate dorsorum clypeorum ejus q.d. in ea quibus ille maxime roboratur. Rab. Leu. Vatabl. Beza. Multo aptior est ut describatur adhuc ille impiorum conatus adversus Deum. Pined. Inauditam impii temeritatem describere prosequitur. Bold. That's the sum of the words, I shall now open them a little further. He runs upon him, even upon his neck. There is a difference among Interpreters about that Antecedent, some understand God: As it the meaning were, God runneth upon a wicked man, like a strong Warrior, with incredible swiftness and irresistible force, to cast him down. The wicked man having stretched out his hand, and strengthened himself against the Almighty, now the Almighty runs upon his neck, even upon the thick bosses of his Buckler; Come saith God, I will have about with thee, if thou darest, I will try it out with thee, I am not afraid of thy stiff neck, though it hath Iron sinews, nor of the thick bosses of thy Buckler, though they be of Steel. Thus some, both later Writers, and ancient Rabbins, give the sense, but I rather conceive (with others) that Eliphaz still prosecutes the strange progress, and heightened wickedness of man, who having strengthened himself, by hardening his heart against God, runs upon him, even upon his neck. etc. Taking this sense, there is a different reading; thus, He runs upon him with his neck; we say, the wicked man runs upon the neck of God; they say, A wicked man runs upon God with his neck; their meaning is, He runs upon him audaciously and proudly. The neck lifted up, is a token of pride, and presumptuous boldness: And to run with the neck, is to run with the neck lifted up, or stretched out; Currere collo est collo duro & erecto; sunilia sunt cum lana ponitur pro lana alba, etc. Drus. which is indeed the periphrasis of pride. (Psalm. 75.5.) Speak not with a stiff neck; that is, with a spirit unwilling to submit to my dispensations. The Prophet Isaiah complains, and threatens (Isa. 3.16.) Because the Daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched out necks: That is, because they testify the pride of their hearts, by the gate and postures of the body, as much as by the vain attire, and apparel of the body: Therefore the Lord will smite, etc. The Lord tells Moses (Exod. 32.9.) I have seen this people, and behold it is a stiffnecked people: He complains by the Prophet (Isa. 48.4.) I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an Iron sinew: Stephen the Proto-Martyr gives a breviate of all their rebellions, Acts 7. and concludes (Vers. 51.) Ye stiff necked, etc. The stiff neck and the proud hard heart are the same, all the Bible over. Thus the wicked man runneth upon God with his stiff; In erection colli fastus agnoscitur. Merc. that is, his proud daring spirit. As before, He stretched out his hand, so now (which is more) his neck against God. The metaphor is taken either from Soldiers in battle, Metaphora a milite Fortissimo in hostem impetum faciente. Metaphora a lascivienti & procaci vitulo. Pined. who to show their valour, hold up their heads, and stretch out their necks, running head to head, and shoulder to shoulder, when they come to close fight. Or, It is a metaphor taken from a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; who therefore will not submit his neck to bear it. Wicked men are called Children of Belial, because they endure not the yoke of obedience; when God would put his yoke upon their necks, they lift up their necks, or run upon him with their stiff necks. Hence Note. It is pride of spirit which causeth man to oppose God: The Apostle James saith, God resisteth the proud (Jam. 4.) which intimates, yea and speaks out, that the proud assault God. As the wicked in his pride persecutes the poor (Psal. 10.2.) So in his pride he opposeth God. And as he that loveth God, follows, yea runs after God to obey him; so he that hates God runs upon him by disobedience. An act of ignorant disobedience is a going fro● God; Per superbiam homo maximè deo resistit & superbus propter praesumptionem spiritus contra Deum currere dicitur. Aquin. an act of known disobedience, is a running upon God: Running upon God, is not only sinning, but impudent sinning. The Angels in Heaven cover their faces before God, d●●ing not to behold him: Humble sinners on earth, such as the poor Publican (Luke 18.) venture not to lift up their eyes to Heaven, but proud sinners, lift up their necks against God. They who care not what God saith to them, care as little what they do to God: And they who have no faith in God, seldom have any fear of him; these run upon him with their necks. But I return to our Translation, He runs upon him, even on his neck: That is, on the neck of God: that is, he sins fiercely, and fearelessely; he doth not dare God at a distance, or like a Coward, speak great words, and vaunt of what he will do when his Adversary is out of sight and hearing; but he charges on boldly in his very face. It is said of the Ramm (by whom the Prophet means Alexander the Great, King of Greece) That when he saw the Hee-Goat (that is, Darius' King of Persia) he ran upon him: That is, he assaulted him speedily and boldly, overthrowing his whole estate, and so making himself sole Lord of Asia. The whole course of his Victories are described by this word, He ran upon him (Dan. 8.6.) And when Job would show how fiercely the Lord handled him, he gives it in this language, I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder, he hath also taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces (Job 16.12. Cum eo concurrens collum invadet. Tigur. ) As God in a way of highest punishment, or chastisement, is said to take a man by the neck; so man in a way of highest sinning and rebelling▪ is said to take God by the neck, or to run upon his neck: He that ventures upon the neck, cares not where he ventures, and he that runs upon the neck of God, cares not on whom he ventures. And as in height of love, a friend runs and falls upon the neck of his friend; thus Joseph did on his brethren's necks (Gen. 45.14.) and the Father of the Prodigal (Luke 15.20.) Run and fell upon his Son's neck, and kissed him: So in heat of wrath, an Enemy runs upon the neck of his Enemy; and wicked men (who are enmity against God) run upon the neck of God. Some conceive that this running upon the neck of God, imports two things. First, That the wicked man imagines himself, as having an equality of strength with God. Erat paenae genus ut Magistratus si quem suo imperio parum obedientem viderit, in collum invaderent & intorquerent. Liv. l. 4. And secondly, That he hath authority above God, or that he is God's better, and superior. This latter they ground upon an old custom among Magistrates, who finding an offender contumacious, were wont to command the Officer to take him by the neck, and drag him out of the Court, to receive his punishment. But I shall not insist upon that Criticism; especially considering the incongruity of it with the next words. Even upon the thick bosses of his buckler. Malefactors are never permitted to come armed before the Judge to their Arraignments. The word which we translate Thick, signifies also Fat, because fat is thick: Hence the Vulgar Latin translates, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In densitate altitudinum scutorum ejus: in crassitiem corporum scutorum ejus. Me c. Alludit ad pervetustum praeliandi modum cum clipeo, in cujus medio erat prominentia, quae dicitur umbo, in quo erat cuspis quo cominus concertabatar. Bo●d. He is armed with his fat neck: But I pass that. According to our reading (which keeps closer to the Original) Eliphaz describes the ancient and present form of Bucklers, which as they are defensive weapons, so also offensive, and therefore have not only Bosses for ornament, but (one especially in the centre or middle with a sharp pike in it) for use: For as the whole Buckler secured the body against the Arrow or Sword of the Adversary, so if he pressed near, this high Boss, or Pike of the Buckler served to pierce and wound the Adversary. So that while the wicked man is said to run upon God, even upon the thick bosses of his Buckler; it shows the highest valiancy of a wicked man in opposing God; he fights not only afar off, but near at hand, and presses upon him, though within the reach and danger of his Weapon. Hence Observe. There is no danger can keep a wicked man off from sin: Like the Horse in this Book (Chap. 39.22.) He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth away from the Sword; he swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage, he saith among the Trumpets, Aha, aha: though God have a Buckler, man will come upon him; yea though God have a Boss upon his Buckler to strike and wound him, yet on he comes. The Buckler of God is the Law or Word of God, and the Bosses of this Buckler, are the threaten and curses of the Law. Now, when man sins, notwithstanding the Law, which is the Buckler by which God saves and protects his honour and his holiness, his name and glory from the wounds which sinful man is ready to give him, than man may be said to run upon his Buckler. And when notwithstanding the sharp threats, and terrible curses of the Law, which are the thick Bosses with which he wounds those who transgress his Law, when, I say, notwithstanding these, man adventures to sin and transgress the Law, he may rightly be said, To run upon the thic● bosses of his Bucklers. God gave Adam a Law; Of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou mayst not eat: Here was the Buckler, and when he added this threat, In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shall surely die: Here was the Boss. God sent a word to Pharaoh, Let my people go; this was a Buckler; If thou refuse to let them go, I will slay thy first borne, this was the Boss. Adam run upon the Boss of the Buckler, so did Pharaoh, and so do all wilful sinners. A wicked heart will go on sinning, whatsoever God is speaking, or doing (Isa. 57.17.) I was wrath, and smote him, yet he went on frowardly in the way of his heart: Neither the wrath of God, nor their own smart stopped their progress, though smitten, yet they went on. Saints sometimes go on sinning, though God be smiting, they have run upon the Bosses of the Buckler, to the wounding both of their souls and of their outward comforts; wicked men will run upon them to the damning of their souls and bodies. Though they see, yea feel the bosses, judgement not only threatened, but executed, yet on they will, and (like wicked Ahaz) in the time of their affliction sin more against the Lord. This is the height of sinfulness. As it shows the truth and height of holiness in the Saints, when they will not only run to God in fair times, when men approve, but in the worst times, when men oppose; when they venture to do their duty upon the Bucklers of men, yea upon the Bosses of the Buckler, extremest danger: So it shows a like strength and height of wickedness, when men venture upon the Bosses of the Buckler, upon the point of the naked Sword of God's displeasure; they will venture, let it cost what it will, though the Lord set a flaming Sword in the way of lust, as he did in the way of the Tree of life (Gen. 3.) though the Lord set an Angel with a drawn Sword in the way of lust, as he did in balam's way, when he was going to curse Israel, yet on they will: Till the heart be changed, neither Swords, nor Bucklers, nor Bosses, neither wrath threatened, nor executed, can cause a sinner to change his course. This the Prophet complains of (Isa. 9.13.) The people turneth not to him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts: Their incorrigibleness under severest corrections is elegantly described by another Prophet, enumerating five special strokes or smitings, to every one of which he subjoins, Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord, Amos 4.6, 7, 8. etc. When the bellows were burnt, and the lead consumed of the fire (that is, when all instruments and means of refining them were spent and worn out, yet their dross remained in them) The Founder melted in vain, for the wicked (that is, their wickednesses, or evil things) were not plucked away (Jer. 6.29, 30.) They went into the Furnace full of dross, and they came out as full of dross as they went in. The Founder blowed his fire, till he burned his bellows, but their lusts had not sent of fire upon them; his lead (by which he separates the dross from the metal) was all consumed and evaporated, but the dross of their corruptions wasted no more than the purest gold doth in the fire. Hence the Lord resolved to waste no more of his judgements upon them: Why should you be smitten any more, ye will revolt more and more (Isa. 1.5.) To revolt from God, and to run upon him, are sins of the same strain; and they who revolt from him, will not fear to run upon his neck, even upon the thick Bosses of his Buckler. Thus Eliphaz hath given us an account, why the Lord afflicts a wicked man all his days; he fights against God all his days. We have a reason of this reason in the next words; why it is that this wicked man is such a valiant Champion against God, why he commits wickedness with so much greediness; it is, Because he covers his face with his fatness, etc. The fatter and fuller he grows in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, the more hungry and sharp set he is to fulfil them. Full-feeding in sin, doth not satisfy, but increase a sinful appetite. JOB, Chap. 15. Vers. 27, 28, 29, 30. Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks. And he dwelleth in desolate Cities, and in Houses which no man inhabiteth, whi●h are ready to become heaps. He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. He shall not departed out of darkness, the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. AS the two former Verses shown sin the cause of those evils which befall a wicked man, so here Eliphaz shows us two causes of their sin. First, Their riches. Secondly, Their power. The first is here described tropically by Fatness. Vers. 27. He covereth his face with fatness, and maketh collops of flesh on his flanks. Both parts of the Verse mean the same thing, showing the wicked man's worldly prosperity by the usual visible effects of it; a fat face, and fleshy flanks. He covereth his face with fatness. 〈◊〉 prae a●pe oculus eorum. i e. exisse videntur prae genarum tumore & pinguedine. Bold. That is, he is exceeding fat; a phrase like that (Psal. 73.7.) Their eyes stand out with fatness: The Hebrew is, Their eyes are gone out of their heads through fatness: that is, They seem as gone or going out of their heads. 'Tis usual in the language of the Holy Ghost to describe wicked men by fatness, (Psal. 78.31.) He slew the fattest of them; that is, the worst of them, those who were most rebellious, longing after dainties, Singula●i quodam infamiae titulo impii & iniqui in scriptura vocantur pingues. when God had given them bread from Heaven. David sets forth his Enemies (and so the Enemies of Christ, of whom that Psalm is a Prophecy) under this notion (Psal. 22.12.) Strong bulls, or fat bulls, came about me: By the fat Bulls he means the Scribes and Pharisees, the high Priest, and Rulers, who (as it were) beset Christ with continual conspiracies. More plainly (Psal. 17.9, 10.) Keep me from mine Enemies that oppress me: They are enclosed in their own fat, with their mouth they speak proudly. Again (Psal. 119.70.) Their heart is as fat as grease, but I delight in thy Law. The Scripture speaks thus, not as if fatness had any moral evil in it, or as if leanness had any moral good in it. Fatness doth not discommend us, nor doth leanness commend us to God; yea a man lean in body, may have the worst fatness, he may be proud, swollen and puffed up in spirit; and ● man fat in body, may have the best leanness, much selfe-emptinesse, and poverty of spirit. But because they who have abundance, and grow fat with the Creature, are tempted to forgetfulness of, and rebellion against God; and because a body overburdened with flesh and fat, renders the mind more indisposed to holy and spiritual activity; and usually they who bestow most care and cost in pampering their bodies, go with pined, starved, and lean souls; therefore fatness hears ill in Scripture. Hoc Aegyptii invere videbantur, dum s●cerdotes Isiaci solerent dare Api Bovi quem colebant potum ex quodam puteo non autem ex Nilo, quia ejus aqua pota creditur pinguedinem carnisque magnum facere incrementum. Plutarch. Tract. de Iside, etc. Iberi etiam & Galli antiqui zonae mensuram habebant, quam si mulier, quae gravida non esset capere non posset probro magno afficiebatur. Alex. ab Alex. l. 2. c. 25. It is observed by Plutarch, that the Egyptian Priests gave their Apis (a Deity which they worshipped in the form of an Ox) the water of a Pit, or Well, not the water of Nilus to drink; the reason was (not as some assign it, because they thought those waters were profaned by the Crocodile, for the Egyptians had that River in high veneration, but) because the waters of Nilus, were fattening, nourishing, waters; therefore their Apis, whom they adored as a God, and from whom they expected continual help, must not drink of it, lest the grossness of his flesh should disable him for their assistance. Fat corpulent men are, in common experience, unwieldy, sleepy, and (comparatively) unfit for action. It was a custom, as my Author reports, among the ancient Spaniards and Gauls, to keep a constant measure, which if a Woman (she not being with Child) did exceed in the compass of her waste, she fell under disgrace, and lost much of her reputation, by having got so much of fat and flesh about her: And doubtless it had somewhat of disrepute in it, in Jobs time, else Eliphaz (a man of experience) had not given this as a piece of a wicked man's description. He covereth his face with fatness. And maketh collops of flesh upon his flanks. Which Master Broughton renders thus, And maketh plaites upon the paunch. Master Calvin Translates it thus, He hath larded his guts. Est descriptio summae abunddamiaes. Jun. This latter clause of the Verse is of the same intendment with the former: And that which both reprove as sinful, is the intentness of man's Spirit about the pampering of his Flesh. He covereth his face with fatness, he makes collops, etc. He doth not say, Because he is fat, but because he covers his face with fatness, etc. That is, he sets his heart upon his belly, and makes it his business to pamper his body. He is active, yea full of activity in getting this cover, or mask of fatness upon his face; and this mask discovers the naughtiness of his heart. Hence Observe. That it is a sign of an evil heart, or a lean soul, to intent the flesh, or to study the satisfying of the bodily appetite. A carnal man gives himself to deliciousness; his greatest labour is about that, for which Christ forbids our labour, The meat that perisheth (John 6.27.) This covering of ourselves with fatness, and make collops of fat, the Apostle reproves in those, Whose God was their belly (Phil. 3.19.) and in those who served not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly (Rom. 16.18.) They who serve their belly, as they should serve God, make a god of it; and they who serve their belly at all do not serve Christ at all. We may provide for the belly, but we must not serve it; and they who do so, deserve rather to be called Epicures than Christians. That's sinful fatness which is got upon terms of slavery, or service to the belly: yea, a man that is intentive upon that question, What shall I eat? and careful how to feed his flesh, though he do not grow fat by it, yet he shows himself full of sin by it. The design of such is for the flesh, though their flesh do not thrive under that design. As a man may be very covetous though he continue poor and lean in purse; so a man may be very luxurious, and a great servant to Bacchus, and Belly-cheer, though he continue lean and poor in body. The blessing of God fattens some, and such fat ones bless God. David Prophecies, that when The Kingdom shall be the Lords, and he the Governor among the Nations (which is very parallel with what those great voices said after the seventh Angel had sounded (Revel. 11.15.) The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever; and when this shall be, saith David (Psal. 22.30.) Then all they that be fat upon the Earth, shall eat, and worship; that is, the great ones shall submit to Christ; his Kingdom shall be enlarged, and not only the poor, who are described in the latter part of that Verse in the Psalm, under the name and notion of such, as go down to the dust, but the rich shall receive the Gospel. Kings and Queens, persons of Authority and wealth, shall come to the participation of the grace of Christ (Isa. 60.3.10) They who have their bellyes full of the meat that perisheth, shall have their souls full of that meat which endures to everlasting life. (Psal. 45.12.) The rich among the people; What people? The first words of the Verse tell us, he means the Tyrians who were a wonderful rich people (Isa. 23.8. Ezek. 27.) and the Tyrians are here put by a Synecdoche for all other Heathens; for though Tyre, were a City in the Tribe of Aser (Josh. 19.29.) yet it was at that time possessed by Heathens. Now, saith the Psalmist, The rich among these people shall entreat thy favour: That is, the Church's favour. God will work their hearts to an earnest desire of admission into the society of the Saints, and to live under a professed subjection to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who have abounded in worldly possessions, and hold the World in subjection to their power: These rich and fat ones among the people shall entreat thy favour. This Prophecy was in part fulfilled (Mark 3.8.) where we read of great multitudes from Tyre and Sidon flocking after Christ: So that it is not riches and fatness precisely considered, but the intending of our skin, or our studiousness to fill ourselves with earthly delicates, which shows we have weak appetites to, or rather a loathing of the things of Heaven. Secondly, This covering the face with fat, is here presented by Eliphaz as a cause or occasion at least of the wicked man's arming himself against God. Bonorum abundantia vitiorum omnium materiam subministrat. Hence Observe. That an evil heart turns the blessings of God, into rebellion against him: The Jews were thus charged (Deut. 32.15.) Jesurun waxed fat, and kicked. The Lord complains of this, as of a sin, which he scarce knew how to pardon (Jer. 5.7.) How shall I pardon thee for this? Thy Children have forsaken me, etc. When I had fed them to the full, they then committed Adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the Harlot's houses. Those are great sins indeed, which put the Lord (whose title is, The God pardoning sin, and ready to forgive) into a query about their pardon and forgiveness. Such kind of sinning made Jerusalem a Sister to Sodom; that is, as like Sodom, yea and Samaria too, as if they had been one Mother's Daughters, or as if they had been of one and the selfsame blood, and stock (Ezek. 16.49.) Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her, and in her Daughters: Plenty of the Creature, and plenty of sin, went together, and whereas Jerusalem should have served God, she served her lusts in the abundance of all things. We have a saying, when men are lifted up upon the enjoyment of outward good things (in allusion to Beasts) Provender pricks them. They act more like Beasts than Men, who kick against God, who feeds them, and turn his bread of blessings into the stones of disobedience. What outward good thing will not an evil heart abuse, and wax wanton with, when it is so apt to abuse spiritual things, and to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, that is, to grow wanton and lascivious, because God is gracious? Thirdly Observe. They take little care for their souls, who take overmuch for their bodies: They who desire to please appetite, cannot endeavour to please God. When the Apostle exhorts to put on the Lord Jesus, he dehorts from providing for the flesh (Rom. 13.14.) Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof: As if he had said, Unless you forbear providing for lusts, you will have little leisure, and less desire to put on Christ. (Ephes. 5.18.) Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess (that is, be not inordinate in the use of the creature) but be filled with the spirit; as if he had said, You will never be filled with the spirit, if over-filled with Wine, if you give up yourselves to satsifie carnal appetite, you will not have any appetite at all to spirituals. There is an inward gluttony and drunkenness, when the thoughts run upon dainty Dishes, and full Cups, or when men chew their meat and Wine in their thoughts, before they eat or drink. Now as well they (or rather they more) who are inwardly drunken with excessive desires of Wine, as they who are visibly drunken with the excessive taking down of Wine, are far enough either from the desire or attainment of a filling with the Spirit. The spirit of the Buttery, and the spirit of God have no more agreement than the flesh and the spirit, yea that spirit is the grossest part of sinful flesh, and therefore can neither take care for, nor bear with, the things of the spirit. So far of the first cause of the wicked man's excessive sinning; his excess in the use of the Creature, set forth by the ordinary effect of it, Fatness, He covereth his face with fatness: The second follows. Vers. 28. He dwelleth in desolate Cities, and in houses wherein no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps. This Verse shows a second cause of the wicked man's fierceness against God, His power over men; which is described (as the former) by the effect of it, He hath made Cities desolate. It requires much power to overthrow whole Cities; that which is strong cannot be destroyed without strength; such was the power of the man whom Eliphaz describes, such his strength: He subdued strong Cities, he conquered men, and he thought he could conquer God too. But though to destroy and pull down intimate strength, yet to build and set up Cities requires grater strength. This strength also is here ascribed to the wicked man, who, First, either comes to Cities already overthrown, or overthrows Cities. And then secondly, builds the Cities which are overthrown, that himself may dwell in them. He will not dwell in Cities built to his hand, or in Palaces ready made, but he will make goodly Palaces out of desolate places; a City wasted by War, by Fire, and Sword, shall revive out of the rubbish, and recover to its ancient splendour, if he undertake it. Master Broughton renders clearly to this sense, Though he makes dwellings of Cities ruinated, of houses undwelt, which were coming to heaps of stone: Here's the completeness of his worldly power. He makes flourishing Cities desolate, and desolate City's flourish; he dwells in desolate Cities, in Houses where no man inhabiteth; that is, in Cities which he himself once made desolate (having cast out their proper Inhabitants) but hath now re-edified and enlarged for his own use and honour. Hence Observe. First, That a wicked man cares not wohm he ruins, so he may raise himself: Down with Kingdoms, down with Cities, down with all, so he may stand, or have his own ends. Secondly Observe. (Which is the scope of Eliphaz) A man that hath great power among men, gins to think himself strong enough for God also: He made earthly Cities desolate, and none was able to resist him, therefore he hopes to make Heaven desolate, and disturb the throne of God; He runs upon his neck, etc. Again, Some expound this Verse not of the cause of this man's sin, but of the punishment of his sin; He dwells in desolate Cities, Terrores de quibus nuper dictum est, non patiuntur impium in familiari hominum consortio vivere ideo desolatorum urbium ruinas & latibula quaerit. Pined. in places where no man dwelled: that is, He shall dwell alone, he shall either refuse, or be refused by all good company. For this miserable solitude may arise two ways. First, From trouble of mind; he having oppressed others, shall find himself at last so oppressed with the witness of his own conscience, that to avoid it, he retires into desolate places, into waste Wildernesses, into old ruinous buildings, where none dwell but the Owl, and the Screech-owl (Isa. 34.) He that finds not his own conscience good company, never finds any. Secondly, This wicked man is cast out from the company of men, he hath been a scourge to many, and now all are a scourge to him. Tyranny grows intolerable to mankind (Dan. 4.33. Hujusmodi tyranni eiiciuntur in exil●um. ) Nabuchadnezzar was the greatest Monarch in the World and a proud Tyrant; at last he was turned out to grass: his Nobles, Lords, and Subjects forsook him, and he who ruled men, lived among Beasts; or as the same Prophecy of Daniel reports it (Chap. 5.20.) When his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed, or (as the Chaldee) made to come down from his Kingly throne, and they took his glory from him, and he was driven from the sons of men, etc. Which we may answer with Jobs text, He was forced to dwell indesolate places. The Roman Story tells us of Nero, that perceiving himself a lost man, by the revolt of some Provinces, and the general complaint of the people against his insolent Government, he wandered up and down, and crept first into a thicket, by and by into a Cave with Sporus his filthy Favourite, and at last when he heard of the sentence of death given against him by the Senate, and that their Officers were hasting to attach him, he with a little help of one of his Servants, cut his own Throat. Thirdly, Others interpret these words, as noting the wicked man's worldly decay; he shall not have a House to put his head in: His strong Cities and goodly Palaces, shall go to ruin; or he shall be forced to dwell in a ruinous House, a House ready to fall about his ears, who before lived in ceiled Houses; He hath pulled down other men's houses, and now he dwells in houses ready to fall down; he impoverished others, and now himself is turned out among the poor. Hence Observe. That God often makes the punishment of man suitable to his sin: The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth, the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands (Psal. 9.16.) The judgements of God are always just, and sometimes their justice is visible. As the wicked feel them, so all may see them, and say, Righteous art thou O Lord. The Prophet describes this retaliation of Divine judgement (Isa. 5.8, 9) Woe to them that add House to House, and lay Field to Field, till there be no place (that is, no place for others to dwell in) that they may be placed in the midst of the earth: What is the danger of this? In mine ear saith the Lord of Hosts, of a truth, many Houses shall be desolate, many and fair without Inhabitant: Here is desolation, the reward of desolation; and as they took bread from others, and pulled the cup from their mouths, so their bread shall be taken away, and their cup left empty. Thus it follows in the Prophet (Vers. 10.) Yea ten Acres of Vineyard shall yield one Bath: A Bath was a measure among the Jews, of Liquids', containing, as is conceived, about eight Gallons; So that when he saith, Ten Acres of Vineyard shall yield one Bath; the meaning is, there shall be a great scarcity of Wine: An Acre of Vineyard should not yield a Gallon of Wine, that's a miserable Vintage. And the seed of an Homer, shall yield an Ephah; An Homer was a measure for dry things, containing ten Ephahs: So that when it is said, The seed of a Homer shall yield an Ephah, the meaning is, they shall reap but the tenth part of the seed sown, which is a miserable Harvest, and the highest threat of ensuing Famine. Thus the Lord punished them as they had sinned; they starved the poor, and God threatens to starve them. Hunger never pinches so terribly as when it is a punishment sent at the cry of the hungry. Again (Isa. 33.1.) When thou shalt cease to deal treacherously then they shall deal treacherously with thee: When the deceiver is deceived, and the treacherous dealer ruined by treacherous dealing men, than the truth and faithfulness of God are eminently exalted. And as it is in punishments, so often in rewards, God doth us good in the same way wherein we have done good. The Midwives saved the Males of the Israelites in Egypt, and by this act of pity built the house of Israel, which the Lord took so well at their hands, That he built their houses, or made their houses flourish (Ez. 1.21.) As the destroyer shall be destroyed, so the builder shall be built; mercy loves to be exact as well as judgement. Again Eliphaz tells us of Cities and Houses, ready to become heaps. Hence Note. The most flourishing Cities, the strongest structures in the World, are subject to ruin: Art cannot prevent the decays of nature, much less the decrees of divine Justice. Material Jerusalem was threatened, that one stone should not be left upon another, which should not be cast down; the event answered that prediction. Mystical Babylon is under a more dreadful doom, and the event will in due time answer that prediction, Babylon is ready to become heaps, and one stone shall not be left upon another: There is no cement can hold that together, to which God saith, Fall. Eliphaz having showed the causes of the wicked man's impudent opposition against God, and (according to the two latter Expositions of this Verse) some part of his punishment, proceeds further to show his punishment. Vers. 29. He shall not be rich, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. Vers. 30. He shall not departed out of darkness, the flame shall dry up his branch, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. Here is complete misery in externals. The judgement is laid down two ways. First, Negatively. And secondly, Affirmatively. Negatively, what the wicked man shall not be, what he shall not attain to; and then affirmatively, what the wicked man shall be, or what shall come upon him; the Negative part hath a gradation of four steps. The first is this, He shall not be rich. The second is, His substance shall not continue. The third is, He shall not prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. The fourth is this, He shall not departed out of darkness. Those are the Negative parts of his punishments, the Affirmative are two. First, The flame shall dry up his branch. Secondly, By the breath of his mouth he shall go away. 1. He shall not he rich. The words seem to carry an opposition all along to the wicked man's purposes and projects. The wicked man saith in his heart, if not with his mouth, He will be rich; to which God answers, He shall not be rich. The Apostle (1 Tim. 6.9.) speaks of such a sort of Rich Will-bees, They that will be rich fall into temptation, etc. When a man comes to this height of resolvedness, He will be rich what ever comes of it, or stands in his way, he will be rich and ask no man's leave, no nor Gods leave, than God rises to his high resolves, He shall not be rich: Let it come to trial whose word shall stand, his, or mine: And when once this word is gone out of God's mouth, than he, and all his trees which should bear him that golden fruit, are blasted and mildewed. Then, though he lay the strongest projects for riches, yet he shall not be rich, though he sweat and toil to be rich, though he dig deep into the ground, and turn every stone above ground, to find riches, yet he shall not be rich; though he cares not whom he makes poor, yea though himself live poorly all his days, that he may die rich, yet he shall not be rich. Hence Observe. It is not in the power of man to get riches: A man may make it his design to be rich, but he cannot make himself rich. Moses (Deut. 8.18.) gives it in charge to the people of Israel, Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, etc. Man is very apt to forget the author, not only of his spiritual, but of his temporal good things, and is readier to ascribe his riches to his own getting, then to Gods giving. Temporal good things lie more level to the power of nature and humane industry, than spirituals, yet we can no more attain temporals than spirituals without the power of God. Christ teacheth us, that our care can no more add a penny to our estate, than a cubit to our stature (Matth. 6.27.) How often have we seen experience sealing to this truth? Many have endeavoured after, and reached at riches, in good and hopeful, in fair and probable ways, yet they have not reached to riches. Others have striven for riches in base and unwarrantable, in unjust and sinful ways, yet they could never get a step beyond beggary. The Lord gives them a stop, and saith, Ye shall not be rich; evil men do not always thrive, Ex quocunque piscatu non evadet ditior. Peter fished all night, but got nothing, till Christ bid him put down the Net. Some have cast their Net in all sorts of waters, yet could never catch the great fish of worldly wealth. It is the blessing of God that makes good men rich; and it is a permission from God that makes evil men rich. Godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of this life, and of that which is to come, yet every godly man meets not with the profit of this life; ungodliness is profitable for nothing, having neither the promise of this life nor of that which is to come, yet some ungodly men meet with the profit of this life. Though sinners are never on the thriving hand, yet they often thrive in their way; and though Saints are ever on the thriving side, yet they do not always thrive in their way: Neither the one sort nor the other thrives, if the Lord saith, They shall not be rich: When he saith so to the Saints, it is to humble them; but when he saith so to a wicked man, it is to punish him; He shall not be rich, that's the first step of his misery. But suppose he get riches, yet he cannot keep them; The wages which he earns is put into a bag with holes, or pierced through, all's gone (Hag. 1.6.) Carnal men are like leaking Vessels to the Word of God, they (as the Apostle cautions Believers lest at any time they should (Heb. 2.1.) always let it run out. Now as they let out what they have heard of the Word of God, so God lets out what they have got of the World: He makes all the Vessels which hold their earthly substance leaky: So it follows. 2. Neither shall his substance continue. This is his second woe: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 robur, pro opibus saepe sumitur. Latin copias possis vertere. Merc. The word which we render Substance, signifies also Power, and strength; because riches empower and strengthen men to do great things; but how strong and substantial soever they are in the opinion of men, their time is but short, They shall not continue; and this ariseth two ways. First, From the nature of the things of the World, which are all frail and momentany, Summis negatum est stare diu. and though we call them Substance, yet indeed they are but a Shadow, there is no continuance in them. Secondly, This ariseth from the judgement and curse of God, both upon such rich men, and upon their riches; if the Lord doth not stop them from getting riches, yet he can speak a word, and blast all that they have gotten. Hence Note. That the most substantial of earthly things are of small or no continuance: More particularly, That ill gotten goods are not lasting, or longlived: Sometimes they melt away, and die in the same hands that got them; they always die and melt away in some of their hands, for whom they were gotten. There is no tack in their estate, in whom there is no Justice. That which is gathered by the unrighteousness of man, shall be scattered by the wrath of God. As the little which a righteous man hath is better, so it is surer than the great riches of many wicked. Sin makes no provision at all for the soul, and it makes very ill-provision for the body. The title by which we hold worldly things, is more considerable than worldly things themselves. To hold in Capite from Christ is as the purest so the strongest Tenure: Only he who continues the same for ever, and changes not, can give continuance to that which is changeable. But suppose the wicked man's substance doth continue long for bulk and matter, yet the beauty and comfort of it shall not continue for a moment, which is the third step of this Gradation. 3. Neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. Riches are one thing, the perfection of riches is another; as in spiritual things there is the substance of them, and the perfection of them; so in temporals: The word signifies, the consummation of any thing, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfectio eorum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfecit, alii Minlam vincam, dictionem perinde ac si duae essent exponunt, qu●si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex eo quod est illorum, i. e. res illorum non extendentur per terram. Merc. or the bringing it to its perfective end (Isa. 33.1.) When thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee: The Prophet doth nor mean it of making an end by way of cessation, as if hand, heart, or tongue, did cease dealing treacherously (for so wicked men will never make an end of wickedness, if they might have an eternity to act evil in, they would act it eternally) but he means it of making an end by way of consummation, as if he had said; When they are come to a full stature in treachery, and have completed their conspiracies against goodness, and good men, than they shall be dealt with in their kind, and as they best deserve. Now as a wicked man would complete his sin, and often reaches the very perfection of it, so he would complete his estate, and doth sometimes reach to the perfection of it. The wicked man would be perfectly rich, he is not satisfied to have a complete estate, or enough for meat, drink, and clothing, he must have a great estate, enough for pride, pomp, and glory; Manna pleases him not, he must have Quails, superfluities as well as necessaries: He thinks a little, too much in spirituals, but a great deal is not enough for him in temporals: His internal imperfections trouble him not, his aim is at perfection in externals. That is perfect only in a strict sense, to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken away; The wicked man would attain to such perfection, but he cannot; his own heart forbids the first, for how much soever he hath, he would have more added to it; he saith not it is enough, though it be too much; God forbids the latter, his portion shall be abated, or (in the words of the Text) He shall not prolong the perfection thereof. The utmost perfection he can attain unto, is but the shadow of perfection, and though shadows towards the setting of the Sun, grow longer and longer, yet no shadow can be prolonged, they quickly pass and fly away. Solomon tells us (Prov. 12.3.) A man shall not be established in wickedness, Nec mittet in terra radicem ejus. Vulg. but the root of the righteous shall continue: A wicked man may be set in the ground, but he hath no root in the ground; Their stock shall not take root in the earth, and he (that is, God) shall blow upon them, and they shall whither (Isa. 40.24.) A tree not rooted, falls by a puff of wind, or withers while it stands. The tree of a wicked man may have a great body, but he hath no good root, he is not rooted in Christ, he hath no hold of the Covenant, therefore his perfection cannot continue. Hence Observe. That as there is no worldly perfection of any long continuance, so the perfection of wicked men is of shortest continuance: Athenasius said of Julian the Apostate, when he was in the height, in the very zenith and perfection of earthly felicity, having ascended the Impereall Throne, and giving the Law to a great part of the then known World, He is but a little cloud, Nubecula est, cito transibit. he will soon vanish. And indeed his glory and the perfection of it did not continue, for when he was but thirty years old, in that prime of his natural course and constitution, he was out off; his power could not protect his Person, nor prolong his perfection on the earth. David professeth; as from his own experience (Psal. 119.96.) I have seen an end of all perfection: The term of universality, All, doth not compass in every kind of perfection, but all the perfections of one kind. The end of Divine perfections cannot be seen: when we have seen the most of them, there is more of them unseen; but the end of all humane perfections may be seen. There is a twofold sight. First, Of the eye. Secondly, Of the understanding. David's eye had seen the end of many humane perfections, and his understanding saw the end of them all; he had seen some ending, and he saw all must end. Never dream of prolonging your perfection here. No worldly thing can continue long, for the World itself shall not continue long: If the Scaffold or Stage upon which these perfections are showed or acted, must fall, the perfections themselves cannot stand. There have been but few that ever advanced so far as to an earthly perfection, but there was never any one that prolonged his perfection on the Earth. Adam did not continue in that created perfection, which had no imperfection in it, how then shall any of his Children continue in an imperfect (such is their best) perfection. As Eliphaz hath showed us the wicked man's misery in the not prolonging of his perfection; so now he shows us a further degree of it, by the prolonging of his affliction. Vers. 30. He shall not departed out of darkness. Here is the fourth step of this gradation. The wicked man's misery in misery: He cannot stay in a good, nor get out of an ill estate. Eliphaz seems to take off an objection, for some might say, What if the wicked man do not grow rich for the present? What if his substance doth not continue? What if he prolong not his perfections, or fall from the top-stayre of his high condition? Yet we hope at last he may outgrow all this, and get riches which he had not, or regain those which he had? No saith Eliphaz, Either the wicked man shall not rise to riches, or if he rise he shall fall, and when once he is fallen, he shall rise no more; either he shall not get into the light, or if he do, he shall be soon overtaken with darkness, and when once he is in the dark, he shall come out no more, He shall not departed out of darkness. When the wicked man is in the light, he sings, Loath to departed, but he must, and when he is cast into darkness, he cries, Hast to departed, but he cannot: The wicked man, like the evil Angels, is held in chains of darkness, which he is neither able to break off, nor to file off: He hath said to God, who is light, (yea because he is light) Depart from me, and God saith to him, Thou shalt not departed out of darkness. There is a twofold darkness. First, Inward. Secondly, Outward. Both metaphorical. By darkness, some understand inward trouble, or grief of spirit, others expound it of outward troubles and calamities upon his estate: 'Tis true of both, for he shall departed neither out of the one nor the other; but rather take it here for outward trouble; and then, Not to departed out of darkness, imports abiding misery, irrecoverable sickness, decays and losses, which shall never be repaired. Hence Note. Wicked men falling into trouble, shall not know the mercy of a resurrection out of trouble. The just man falleth seven times, and riseth again (Prov. 24.16.) The just man is subject to take falls of two sorts, and both of them Seven times; that is, often. First, He falls into sin. Secondly, He falls into trouble. He riseth from both these falls: He riseth from the first by repentance; he riseth from the second by deliverance. Solomon's Text is to be understood of this second sort of falls, and may therefore be expounded by the direct words of David, (Psal. 34.19.) Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all: The righteous have as many resurrections as falls, But (as Solomon makes the Antithesis in the place forecited) the wicked shall fall into mischief. Solomon doth not tell us expressly, what the just man's falls into, but he tells us he shall rise again: He tells us expressly what the wicked man shall fall into, but he doth not tell us, that he shall rise again; nay, he tells us implicitly, that he shall never rise again. He that riseth again, did not fall into mischief, how great soever the evil was which he fell into; and he that doth not rise again, fell into mischief, how little soever the evil was which he fell into. Nothing makes our falling either into sin, or trouble, a mischief to us, but our continuing in it. He goes far (we say in our Proverb) who never returns; surely, he falls low, who never riseth, and he stays long in darkness, who never departs out of it. Darkness is the portion of a wicked man, and he shall never departed out of darkness; neither out of that darkness of sin, nor misery; he hath no desire to departed out of the former, and he hath no promise to departed out of the latter. Thus we have seen the negative punishment of a wicked man, what he shall not be, what he shall not receive; this is enough to make him miserable, but positive evil will make him outright miserable. This Eliphaz prosecutes in the next words. The flame shall dry up his branches. The flame is taken two ways: either, First, For the wrath of God which goeth forth, causing judgement to take hold of sinners: or, Secondly, For the judgement itself, which is an effect of his wrath. The wrath of God burneth against the wicked as a flame, and then judgements burn up the wicked; there is no heat to the heat of Divine wrath, neither is any thing, punitively hot, till Divine wrath heats it. Sunt qui eius liber●s intelligunt sed no● allegori●è intelligimus omnem ejus splendorem opes, etc. Me●c. The flame shall dry up his branches; Some, by his branches understand his Children, they shall die, Children are branches, they stand, saith the Psalmist, like Olive plants, or branches round about the Table of a man fearing God: Such branches Job had, but they were dried up, and probably Eliphaz might give him a rub upon that sore, in this expression. Secondly, Others by branches understand His followers and flatterers, who live upon him as branches upon a Tree; but to pass these restrained Interpretations: Flamma exurens, in Heb. est vehementissimi supplicii atque adeo aeterni symbolum. Duci videtur translatio a more hostium vastantium regionem aliquam qui segers & arberes succendunt. I conceive we may take the Branch in general, for all that belongs to a wicked man, his Children, his Friends, his followers, his flatterers, his Honour, his Riches, his Power; all these look green, and are his beautiful branches; and all these the flame drieth up. The Prophet complains (Joel 1.19.) O Lord to thee will I cry, for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the Wilderness, and the flame hath burnt all the Trees of the Field: The flame, of which he cries out, and which did not only dry the branches, but devour the Trees of the Field, was the extreme heat of the Sun; which as it usually sends out refreshing beams, so when God is angry, it can send out scorching flames, and those beams, which tempered with showers of rain, nourish the Earth, in the long withholding of rain scorch the Earth. And what then befell the Trees properly taken, and their branches, doth often befall both Trees and branches taken in the metaphorical sense, as herein the Text, a flame dries them up. A godly man is compared to a Tree flourishing and growing by the water side; wicked men are compared sometimes to flourishing Trees, but they grow by the fire side: The flame dries up their branches. Hence Note. First, The wrath of God is a drying, yea a devouring flame, the flame of God's displeasure, puts all into a flame. That flame will burn up branches, how goodly, how strong, how high soever they are grown; though as strong as the Oaks of Bashan, though as high as the Cedars in Lebanon, yet this flame will dry them up. The Prophet Zechariah speaks this point, while he thus bespeaks Lebanon (Zech. 11.1.) Open thy doors O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy Cedars: 'Tis interpreted as a Prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, and Judea, by the Roman power; as Christ after threatened them for rejecting him and his Counsel: The words of the Prophet may be understood two ways, either literally, for the destruction of that Forest of Lebanon, which the Romans cut down for the service of their Siege against Jerusalem; or figuratively, for the flourishing estate of Jerusalem, whose branches, though like the branches of the Cedars in Lebanon were dried up by the flame of that dreadful War. In which stile and figure the Prophet Isaiah denounceth the judgements of God (Ch. 2.12, 13.) The day of the Lord shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, etc. And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon. And the Prophet Ezekiel puts forth this Riddle and Parable (Chap. 17.3.) Thus saith the Lord, A great Eagle (that is, Nabuchadnezzar King of Babylon) with great wings, long winged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon (that is, unto Judea and Jerusalem) and took i highest branch of the Cedar; Namely, Jehojakim the King of Judah, and carried him Captive to Babylon. The Lord can make any affliction a consumption to the most beautiful branches of a sinful people, or person: Whatsoever he useth as an instrument of his indignation, is his flame: In this sense, the very waters which drowned the old World, were the fire and flame of God: He can by poverty, as by a flame, consume and dry up riches; by disgrace, as by a flame, consume and dry up honour; by sickness, as by a flame, consume and dry up health; God hath special flames for every special branch, nothing can continue to do us good, when God gives Warrant or Commission to any of his flames to scorch and consume it, The flame shall burn up his branch. And by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. We have the flame of God in the former clause, and the breath of his mouth in this: Some Interpreters conceive that Eliphaz mentions these two, The flame, and the breath, purposesy to put Job in mind, what God had done to him; for we read in the first Chapter of this Book, of the flame of God, a fire from Heaven consuming that branch, his flocks of Sheep, and a breath from God, namely, a mighty strong wind, destroying a more precious branch, his flock of Children: Eliphaz this discourse in such terms as might easily remind and represent to Job, what God had done to him, in the day of his calamity. And by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. There is yet a difference among Expositors about the Antecedent to his: His mouth, whose mouth? Most understand it, of the breath of God's mouth, as hath been hinted already: Some expound it of the breath of the wicked man's own mouth; I shall touch upon both. First, By the breath of God's mouth he shall go away; the breath of God may be taken two ways. Either first (as the flame before) for his anger, which is often expressed by puffing the breath. Secondly, It may be taken for the decree, or determination of God. Both these ways a wicked man goes away by the breath of God; first, by the anger of God, if God do but breathe angrily upon him, he is blasted and gone, His glory and greatness lang●ish before the least puff of Divine displeasure: God needs not make great preparations of Armies, or Forces, to contend with wicked men, he needs not raise Mounts and Batteries, to overthrow their best Fortifications of Riches and Honour. The Channels of waters were seen (saith David, Psal. 18.15.) and the foundations of the World were discovered, at thy rebuke O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. The Prophet tells those, who neglected to build the House of the Lord (Hag. 1.9.) Ye looked for much, but lo it came to little, and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it: God did but blow upon it, and by the breath of his mouth all their expected increase went away. When Pharaoh pursued the Israelites in the height of pride and presumption, the Text saith, It came to pass in the morning watch, the Lord looked upon the Host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire, and of the cloud, and troubled the Egyptians, and took off their Chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily (Exod. 14.24, 25.) God confounded them by a look; how easily can the Lord rise up and destroy all the power that riseth up against his people? He can do it with a breath from his mouth, With a cast of his eye. When Christ was apprehended by the Officers armed with Staves and Swords; he said, Whom seek you? They answered, Jesus of Nazereth: He saith, I am he. (Christ was not afraid to confess himself) As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground (Joh 18.6.) What a strange power was here, that Christ could cast them down with a word, and that not an angry word, not a word of conviction but confession; he did not chide them, and say, Ye wretches, how dare you lay your hands upon me, who am an innocent person; how dare you carry me to judgement, who shall one day be your Judge; Christ spoke no such terrible language, but only said, I am he, and down they fell. If these words of submission had such a force in them, as overthrew those Officers to the ground, how shall his Enemies stand before the thunder of his severest increpations, and final sentence? As the Lord needs not make great provisions for comforting of his people, if he speaks a word, it is done; if he give but a good look, their hearts revive; Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, thou hast put gladness in my heart (Psal. 4.6, 7.) So if God do but darken his countenance against wicked men, and frown upon them, if he do but breath at them, he puts sorrow enough into their hearts, even consuming kill sorrow; By the breath of his mouth they go away. Again, take the breath of God, For the decree of God: Verbo vel mandato ex ore Dei procedente. Jun. for the word or command which goethout of his mouth, by this breath of God, they go away. The destruction of the wicked is under a Decree; God hath spoken in his holiness (Psal. 108. 7, 8, 9) That is, he hath given out his word from Heaven, the habitation of his holiness, and of his glory; or, He hath spoken it certainly, there is nothing but holiness in his word (and that's the strength of words) David having received this word, stands assured, That as Shechem, and Succoth, Gilead, and Manasseh, Ephraim, and judah, would willingly submit to him, and yield obedience: So also, that Moab, Edom, and Philistia, who were his professed Enemies, should be subdued to him. He expected to conquer and triumph over them, to put them to the basest offices, as his Vassals, because God had decreed and spoken it in his holiness. God hath spoken the word (saith he) therefore it shall be done, yea 'tis done; and therefore David cried, All's mine, Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine, Moab and Edom are mine, as soon as God had spoken the word. All that ever was done in the World, hath been done by the breath of God's mouth; that is, by the word or decree of God: So some understand that of the Apostle (2 Thes. 2.8.) And then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit, or breath of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming: Antichrist hath stood long, and he hath been for some time declining; his downfall hastens; the breath of God will leave him breathless: As he hath stood by the flattering breath of men; so he shall fall by the consuming breath of God. This consuming with breath, notes either (as before) the easiness of that consumption, 'tis done with a breath, or the way and manner of doing it; 'tis done by the command and decree of God, or by the Preaching of the Gospel, which indeed gives Antichrist his fatal blow, and shakes all the Towers of mystical Babylon, and is called by the Prophet, The rod of his mouth, Spiritu oris, sc: ipsius impii, credo potius referrendum▪ esse ad impium quasi ille sibi ipsi fuerit mortis causa dum contra Deum loquitur confidenter & libere. Sanct. and the breath of his lips (Isa. 11.4.) He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. Life and death sit upon the lips of Christ, he hath a reviving breath, and a kill breath; he quickens the deadest heart, and deads' the quickest, the proudest heart with a word speaking. By the breath of his mouth the wicked go away. Further, The breath of his mouth, say some, is the breath of the wicked man's own mouth; By the breath of his mouth shall he go away: That is, by the words which breath out of his mouth. His passionate distempered speeches shall undo him, while he speaks, either outrageously, and blasphemously against God, or falsely and seditiously towards man, his ruin enters at the opening of his lips. The motion of the breath is the preserver of life, Spiritu oris sui. i e. suis verbis quae spiritu & halitu in ore ormantur. and while breath lasts, life lasts; yet many a man's life had lasted longer had it not been for his breath. The wicked man's breath proves his death, and his tongue which hath been a scourge to others, becomes a Sword to himself. His words possibly have wounded, and his breath hath been the death of many: But now he is wounded by his own words, and crushed to death by the weight of his own breath, or by the fall of his own tongue upon him: So the Psalmist gives it (Psal. 64.8.) They shall make their own tongues to fall upon themselves; that is, Their own words shall be brought as a Testimony against them, and condemn them. The tongue is a little member (saith the Apostle James, Chap. 3.5.) and therefore a light member; yet it falls heavy, as heavy as lead. A man were better have his House fall upon him, then that (in this sense) his tongue should fall upon him. Some have been pressed to death, because they would not speak, but stood mute before the Judge; but more have been pressed to death by their sinful freedom, or rather licentiousness in speaking; this hath brought them to judgement, and cast them in judgement: Their tongue hath fallen upon them, and by the breath of their mouth, they have gone away. Lastly (but I will not stay upon it, because the Original doth not well bear it) these words are cast into the form of a similitude, describing the manner how the wicked man, and all his glory shall go away; even as a breath, or as his breath; As the breath of his mouth he shall go away; that is, he shall go speedily, he shall go suddenly: A breath is soon fetched, it is both come and gone in a moment; A breathing time, is a Proverbial, for a little time (much like that, In the twinkling of an eye.) Thus man comes and goes, is come and gone (especially a wicked man who is driven by the wrath of God) as soon as seen by others, as soon as he hath breathed himself: It will not be long ere he goes, and he will not be long a going. For as the breath of his mouth he shall go away. The breath of man goes continually, and so doth the life of man; while man sleeps, his breath goes, and so doth his life; while man stands still, his breath goes, and so doth his life: The breath, indeed, is sometimes in a hurry, and goes faster than it doth at other times; but though the life of man doth not go faster at one time then at another, yet it always goes. Or if at any time our life may be said to go faster than at another, it is when our breath is (by some stop in its passage) at a stand; and when ever our breath comes to a full stop, our life is not only going, but quite gone. The life of man hath so much dependence upon his breath, that it is called Breath, and the breath of life: When God form man out of the dust of the ground, he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul (Gen. 2.7.) And as soon as God calls back this breath of life, man becomes a dead body, or a carcase: The life of man must needs go as his breath, for it goes with his breath; and when the life of a wicked man is gone, all (that he called his) his worldly glory, goes with him: In that day all his thoughts perish: For, As the breath of his mouth he shall go away. Eliphaz having laid down the wicked man's sad condition, and the causes of it, concludes with a use or application of the whole Doctrine, at the 31. Verse, Let not him, that is deceived trust in vanity, etc. JOB, CHAP. 15. Vers. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity; for vanity shall be his recompense. It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green. He shall shake off his unripe Grape as the Vine, and shall cast off his flower as the Olive. For the Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery. They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit. ELiphaz laid down his Doctrine, at the 20. Verse of this Chapter, That a wicked man's life is a miserable life, he travels in pain all his days; and having insisted long upon the proof, he now gives us the application of it, in a use of dehortation. Vers. 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity. He enforceth this dehortation by a summary repetition of the Doctrine before delivered; which he doth: First, Plainly in the close of the 31. and in the beginning of the 32. Verses, For vanity shall he his recompense; it shall be accomplished before its time. Secondly, He doth it allegorically, in the close of the 32. Verse, and in the 33. His branch shall not be green: He shall shake off his unripe Grapes as the Vine, and shall cast off his flower as the Olive. Having thus pressed his Doctrine by this powerful motive, he concludes his whole Sermon, with a fresh assertion of his Doctrine, against two sorts of wicked men in particular, which yet may comprehend all wicked men. First, Hypocrites, who corrupt the worship of God, or are corrupt while they pretend to worship God. Vers. 34. For the congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate. Secondly, Of oppressors, who pervert Justice, or deal falsely among men; The fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery. Under these two heads, we may reduce all sorts of sinners; sinners against God, under the notion of Hypocrites: And sinners against men, under the notion of Oppressors, who pervert Judgement by giving or taking Bribes: All which Eliphaz concludes, by a description of their evil actings (the cause of all their sufferings) under that elegant metaphor of Childbearing; They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit: Thus you have the resolution and scope of the latter part of this Chapter. Vers. 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity. These words contain the dehortation; here are three terms to be explained. First, What is meant by being deceived. Secondly, What by trusting. Thirdly, What we are to understand by Vanity. Let not him that is deceived. The Original word signifies, either the turning of the foot, or the turning of the heart, or both out of the way (Psal. 119.176. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deceptus usurpatar, de errore cordis & pedis. ) I have gone astray, like a lost Sheep: That is, I have been deceived, and so have gone out of the way of thy holy Commandments. Satan is an ill guide, and our hearts are no better: He that follows either, quickly looseth himself: And until God seeketh us up (as David prays in the next words) we cannot find our way when we are once out of it (Ezek. 44.15.) The Priests, the Levites, the Sons of Zadock that kept the charge of my Sanctuary, when the people of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me: When the people walked in by places, and were entangled in the briars of their own corruptions; then the Priests kept the charge of the Lord: It was a great mercy, that when the people were deceived, the Priests were not; that when the Sheep went astray, the Shepherds did not? If Priests and people go astray together, who shall reduce them? But to the point, Israel went astray. They who led them did not cause them to err (once they did as the Prophet complains) Who then did? Many go astray, when none lead them astray: Man can deceive himself fast enough, if none else do; yet the word implies also the cunning activity, of an external agent, to lead poor souls out of the way. We may take in both here; Let not him that is deceived, whether by the fallacious arguings of his own heart, or by the subtlety of any other, whether Men or Devils. Trust in vanity. Or, Let him not believe in vanity: Trusting is an act of faith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credet, ne credat in vanitatem. and though a man may believe, and not trust; yet no man can trust, who doth not believe. We translate the word not as signifying only bare believing, but as it reaches that higher act of trusting: He that is most deceived, is most apt to trust that which will deceive him more; and gives not only his consent, but confidence to that which either is not at all, or is that lest which it pretends to be, fit to be trusted, Vanity. Let him not trust in vanity. The word which we render Vanity, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temeritas falsitas menda cium eadem est vis vocis quae apud Latinos vocabuli Vani quod tam pro mendacio qua pro re ●●dicu● accipi solet. is not Habel used by Solomon (Eccles. 1.2.) Vanity of vanities, which signifies only a light thing, such as is a vapour rising from the earth, a bubble swelling out of, and floating a little upon the water, or more strictly, a puff or breath of the mouth; but it signifies rashness, falseness, a lie, a deceit; vain things are false, lying, and deceivable; therefore, one word serves for both. Again, Vanity may be here taken two ways, either for the s●n, or deceit, with which a man is misled; and then the meaning is, Let not him that is deceived by sin, trust in sin: Or secondly, Vanity may be taken for any creature comfort, and contentment, especially those which are the revenue, or income of sinful practices. Sin leads to profit, to pleasure, to honour, to these frail and transitory things sin leads us, in hope of satisfaction by them, and then the meaning is, Let not him that is deceived, trust in that which sin promiseth, and professeth it will do for him, or advance him to: Sin in its nature is vanity, and all the fruits or issues of it are vain too. Therefore, as nothing, and nothing, added together, make nothing, so vanity and vanity put together, make but vanity: The total sum cannot exceed the Items or particulars; Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity, for vanity shall be his recompense. Hence Observe. First, Man is very apt to be deceived; so apt to be deceived, that he is scarce ever undeceived: Eliphaz speaks here, not only of a possibility to be deceived, but of being actually deceived; and this ariseth two ways, first from the impotence and weakness, from the blindness and ignorance that is in man; he that is blind and weak, is easily misled; every man naturally, how strong, how wise, how knowing soever he seems to be, is yet weak, blind, and ignorant in a very great measure; and therefore very deceivable: Man is full of craft, this makes him deceitful; he is empty of true wisdom, this renders him deceivable. Secondly, As man may quickly be deceived, by reason of the ignorance which is in him, so also by reason of those subtle enemies, who are always about him, yea and within him. We live (as I may so speak) among Cheaters, and Cozenners, and there is a great Cheater lives in us; how hard is it than not to be deceived? If a man be in a Crowd among many Cutpurses, and Cheaters, he is in danger to lose his Money every moment; it is so with us: though carnal men are not at all ware of it, nor they who are most spiritual, so much ware of it as they should It is dangerous to live among deceivers, though we know them, and are ware of them; it is most dangerous to live among deceivers, and not to know them, for than we cannot be ware of them; but it is madness to know we live among deceivers, and yet not to be ware of them. There are three notorious Deceivers, who labour to ensnare us; we need not wonder though some who are watchful against them, are deceived by them: but it would be a wonder, and such a wonder as yet was never seen, if they should not be deceived, who never watch against them. First, Our own hearts which have not only an impotence or weakness (as I noted before) whereby they are apt to be deceived, but there is in our hearts an activeness, yea an efficacy to deceive; we are not only passive, but active; we are seldom, if at all, deceived, till we deceive ourselves: And as some men are very active in deceiving others, so all men are active in a degree to deceive themselves. (Jer. 17.9.) The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked: The heart is deceitful in reference to a threefold object. First, The heart would deceive God himself, and impose upon the Alwise: That's the design of a Hypocrite, his business is to deceive God, though the issue be the deceiving of himself. Secondly, The heart of man is deceitful in contriving ways to deceive, and supplant other men. The complaint of the Prophet goes very high upon this (Mich. 7.2.) The good man is perished out of the Earth, and there is none upright among men; they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. To lie in wait, is the act, and a Net is the instrument of a Deceiver, The Prophecy of Christ goes yet higher (Matth. 24.24.) For there shall arise false Christ's, and false Prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that (if it were possible) they shall deceive the very Elect. Deceit works to its utmost possibility, when it puts hard to deceive those, whom to deceive is impossible. If Elect men could be deceived, God should be deceived in his Election; But this is impossible, and therefore that is; the man who is elect is deceivable, but because he is an elect man, he cannot be deceived: And though an elect man may be deceived in some things (for even he is subject to error, because he is still (while in this World) the subject of sin) yet he cannot be so far deceived in any thing, as to null or frustrate his election. How restless is man to deceive man, seeing he ceaseth not his endeavour to deceive, where he cannot prevailingly deceive. Thirdly, (Which I conceive the Text in Jeremiah specially aims at) the heart of man is very busy to deceive himself. 'Tis bad enough to deceive others, but to deceive ourselves is worse, and that not only because it makes us more miserable, but more sinful: Selfe-deceit is the most sinful deceit. The heart of man is desperately wicked, there is no hope that, it will leave off to do wickedly, seeing it is of counsel against its own peace. And surely, man is not only under a possibility to be deceived, in regard of the impotence and blindness of his heart, but also under an impossibility, not to be deceived, in regard of the skill and unwearyed activity of his heart to deceive himself. Secondly, Man hath another deceiver continually about him, The World, and all that is in the World, The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; all these are but as so many snares and juggels to cousin, and deceive poor man. Thirdly, The Devil, who is The Deceiver; of whose devices we are not ignorant (saith the Apostle) he is full of tricks and plots; he hath his methods, his arts to deceive. Ever since the Devil deceived himself, he hath been studying how to deceive man; he doth not only go about like a roaring Lion, but like a subtle Serpent, and a cunning Fox, seeking whom he may devour; or he is a Lion to devour those whom he hath first deceived as a Fox, or as a Serpent: Man is a perswadable creature (Gen. 9.27.) God shall persuade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem: The Original word there used to persuade, signifies also to deceive, because persuasions are often made as Engines, or baits to deceive. There is also a kind of holy fraud in the Gospel, and man is as it were deceived into the obedience of it, Being crafty I caught you with guile (I fetched you over, did I not?) saith Paul (2 Cor. 12.16.) Now as man is sometimes deceived for his good, so he is often and easily deceived for his hurt, by these three deceivers. Satan, the World, and his own Heart, persuade him by an unholy deceit to dwell in the Tents of sin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bis potest sumi & cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credet, ne credat in vanitatem, & cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceptus, deceptus inquam per vanitatem, ne in eam fida▪ Again, Some who by vanity understand sin, read the word Vanity twice, Let not him that is deceived by vanity, trust in vanity; that is, Let not him that is deceived by sin, trust in sin; which interpretation yields us this truth, Sin is deceitful, or thus, Sin doth nothing but deceive. The Apostle, (Heb. 3.13.) chargeth sin with deceit to its very face, Exhort one the other, while it is called to day, lest any of your hearts be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; there are three eminent evils in sin, First, There is a pollution in sin, it defiles. Secondly, There is baseness in sin, it dishonours. Thirdly, There is a deceitfulness in sin, it would make us believe we shall be, and receive, that which it is not able to perform. Hence the Apostle (Rom. 6.21.) puts the question to those who were once the servants of sin, What fruit had ye then in those things whereof you are now ashamed? He asketh them, and bids them ask their own hearts, what fruit had you? as if he had said, I know when you were servants of sin, your sins promised you great matters, great rewards: the Tree of sin seems to be loaded with fruits, the bows of it look as if ready to break with goodly fruits; fruit pleasant to the eye, sweet to the taste, and to make one wise; but I beseech yond tell me what fruit had you in those things wh reof you are now ashamed? If you be ashamed to tell me; I will tell you, The end of those things is death; that's all the fruit which the Tree of sin bears. Sin deals with us, as Jaell with Sisera (Judges 4.18.) She stood at the Tent door, when he came panting from the Battle, and said to him, Turn in my Lord, turn in; she took him into her Tent, and laid him down, covered him warm, and when he asked her for Milk, she gave him Butter, Butter in a Lordly dish; here were fine words, and seeming promises: yet she honestly deceived him, She put her hand to the Nail, and her hand to the workman's Hammer, and nailed his temples to the ground. Thus sin bids us turn in, promises to cover us warm, gives us Butter in a Lordly dish, but never tells us of that woeful end, and wretched catastrophe which it intends unto us: Sin deals with us as Dallilah with Samson, takes us into its bosom and embraces; but than it hath a plot to cut the lock of our strength, to deliver us over to the Philistines, to call in Legions of Devils to seize upon us, and make us grind at the Mill of their basest drudgery. More distinctly, sin deceives by a threefold promise. First, By a promise of profit (Prov. 1.13.) Come cast in thy lot with us, let us lie in wait for blood, etc. We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: but this precious substance, proves only a pernicious shadow, and these spoils taken, spoil those who take them. Secondly, Sin deceives by promising content, and sweet delight; what thoughts had Ahab concerning Naboths Vineyard? If he could but get it, he were a made man; what pleasure should he have in those shady walks? what Grapes and Wine from those fruitful Vines? Sin promiseth as largely as God doth, to give us not only delight but satisfaction; that we shall not have so much as an empty corner in our souls; all shall be filled: whereas in truth there is nothing but emptiness, and dissatisfaction in any creature, especially when sin leads or helps us to the enjoyment of it. Thirdly, At least, sin promiseth and gives its word for it, that we shall be free from trouble, and feel no evil; That we shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our heart (Deut. 29.19.) That as they flattered themselves in the Prophet, we shall not see Sword, nor Famine: These vanishing dreams of plenty, of good things, and immunity from evil, carry thousands of souls captive to the basest bondage of sin. Further, This vanity, from trusting which the deceived soul is called off by Eliphaz, is conceived to be worldly riches, and the fullest possession of the creature; these are vanity: That they are, is a common theme, and yet though it be much spoken of, it is very little believed; we are apt to over-rate the things of the World, and underrate the things of Heaven. The creature is vanity, not only in regard of the nothingness of it, but vanity in regard of that which we call the somthingnesse of it, or the best of it. The Prophet Jonah makes the word which we here translate vanity, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vanitates mendacii sive mendaces. the Epithet of that which is commonly translated vanity (Jon. 3.8.) They that observe lying vanities: Idols are vanity, and a lie, because though they can do no good at all, yet they promise much: Riches are vanity, and a lie, because they cannot do so much good as they promise. Solomon saith in his Ecclesiastes, That Money answereth all things (Chap. 8.10.) And so it doth as the value of all earthly things is made by Money, and as Money is the price of all earthly things. But though Money answereth all things, by satisfying our engagements, yet it answereth nothing to the satisfying of its own engagements. Money and riches have paid many a man's debts, and enough of them will pay any man's debts; but they have never paid their own debts, no more than Idols have, and therefore they justly bear the brand of this reproach, Lying vanities: That they are so, appears clearly in two particulars. First, In the report which they make of themselves. Secondly, In the promises which they make to us. First, In the report which they make of their own worth; if you look upon the bill of the creature, it puts down, not only a hundred for fifty, but a million for a mite: For, how much soever it is worth, yet it bears no proportion to that which it would be esteemed worth: As some rich men are not half so rich as they desire to be reckoned; so riches themselves are not so rich by thousands of thousands as they would be reckoned. There is indeed a created worth in the creature, for it is the work of God; but since the sin of man hath (as to us) both embased, and imbittered the creature, it is worth nothing comparatively to that at which it is rated, both in its own, and our Books. Secondly, The creature (in this notion) is a lying vanity, while it persuades us; that in the enjoyment thereof we shall be happy; whereas our happiness doth not consist in any creature-enjoyment; unless God himself be our portion, we are both poor and miserable in the fullest possession of the creature. God is the living stream, the creature at the best was but a Cistern, and now it is but a broken Cistern which leaks out all the waters that pass into it, unless God stop the chinks, and mend the cracks of it, by Jesus Christ. Again, The creature promiseth to ease us of our cares, yet it doth but multiply them: The creature promiseth to satisfy our desires, yet it doth only increase and enrage them. Riches are not food, but fuel to our desires; they do not allay our appetite, as bread doth, when received into the stomach, but inflame our appetite, as wood doth, when it is cast into the fire. Further, The creature promiseth to protect us; hence that of Solomon (Prov. 10.15.) The rich man's wealth is his strong City: That is, it promiseth to be so, and tells him, it will do that for him, which a strong City doth for its Inhabitants, defend him against all Comers and Invaders; yet the same Solomon assures us in the next Chapter (Vers. 4.) That riches profit not in the day of wrath. And Ezekiel threatens the Jews, That their Silver and their Gold shall not deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. Lastly, The Creature promiseth to continue with us. Riches tell us, that though Father and Mother forsake us, yet they will not, though Wife and Children forsake us, yet they will not; they make us believe that they will stick closer to us, than Christ himself, and yet they are upon the wing presently, they fly away as the Eagle, and are gone out of sight, they do not only perish in the using, but perish from our use. Is not all this and a thousand times more, which might be said of their lying, and vanity, enough, and more then enough to justify those titles which the Spirit of God hath bestowed upon them, that they are vanity and a lie, or as Jonah calls them, Lying vanities. And yet (to close the point) we must remember that creature-riches are not a lie, nor deceitful in themselves. There's no more deceit in the greatest abundance of Gold and Silver, than there is in a wholesome savoury piece of bread. Riches are not vain and deceitful, as our hearts are said to be deceitful (Jer. 17.9.) nor as lust is said to be deceitful (Eph. 4.22.) for these things are deceitful only through the deceitfulness of our hearts, and lusts: Or they are deceitful Objectively, not Actively; we are deceived about them, not by them. They do not deceive us till we are deceived; nor do they deceive us either as possessed or used, but as adored and trusted. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity. Thirdly Observe, Man must and will have somewhat to trust to, or lean upon. And therefore rather than fail, he will trust that which cannot but fail, Vanity. Like one that's ready to drown, he catcheth at any thing, a rotten stick, or a straw, and would support his whole body, by that which is not able to bear the weight of his little finger. Man is a weak creature, sense and nature are enough to make him sensible of his natural weakness; and these also are enough to prompt and provoke him to seek help without himself, though they are utterly insufficient to direct him whither to go for the surest help; It is the privilege of God alone to have nothing to trust to, or to be above trust: He who is all strength needs not trust. As he doth not put trust in his Saints (Verse 15.) because he knows they are frail and mutable: so he hath no need to trust them, because he knows himself not only strong, but immutable. God is all that he is from himself, and therefore he ever continues to be what he is, by himself. But man who is not a spring to himself of Being, cannot be a support to himself for the continuance of his Being; much less for the continuance of his well-being. And as man's necessity calls him to trust, so his duty calls him to trust God: Man fell at first by his desire to stand alone, he would be independent; and men fall every day, because they desire to stand by that which cannot stand alone. It is a special part of that worship which we own to God, to trust him; and whatsoever we trust besides God, we make a God of it. He that trusts not in the God that made him, makes many Gods (such as they are) by trusting them. While Job puts that negative supposition (as to his own case) Chap. 31.24.) If I have made Gold my hop●, or have said to the fine Gold, thou art my confidence: He more than implieth that many had. Man aught to trust God, but few will; many will trust in Creatures, but none aught: Man will be trusting in somewhat, and he is so forward to trust in vanity (which indeed is nothing) that it is the hardest thing in the World to take him off. We cannot press either ourselves or others too much, to trust God, and we cannot repress them enough from trusting vanity: Man is very ready to exercise and put forth an act of trust, and he is as ready to mistake the object of trust. Lastly Observe. Man is apt to trust that which hath deceived him; or man being once deceived, trusts that which will deceive him again. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: We say, Such a man hath deceived me once, but he shall not deceive me the second time: But carnal hearts being deceived once by sin and vanity, are willing to be deceived a thousand times; being once deceived, they care not how often they are deceived: That of the Prophet is an eminent Testimony to this too much experimented truth (Isa. 44.20.) He feedeth on ashes; that is, he is as much deluded as a man is, who eats ashes, thinking it to be bread or other good cheer; or his Idol which promised him great matters and much joy, hath given nothing but ashes, sorrow, and misery; of which, ashes, and especially feeding upon ashes, was an emblem: Now though it were thus with him, yet (saith the Prophet) A deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, is there not a lie in my right hand? that is, Though he sees himself deceived, yet he hath no power to withdraw from the deceiver, nor to question the deceit; he is so bewitched with the sorcery of sin, that he cannot deliver his soul from the snares of it; but being deceived, he is willingly deceived, and looks upon his deceiver as his trusty Friend. God never deceived, no nor failed any man that trusted in him (Ps. 9.10.) yet the hearts of the most will not be persuaded to trust God; sin and the creature deceive all that trust in them, yet we can hardly call or beat the heart off from trusting them. Sin seldom loses its credit; sin hath broken and undone thousands, yea all who have trusted it; yet still it hath credit among thousands, and can be trusted with more than this World is worth, the precious soul of man, for the ask. But let not him that is deceived, trust (any longer) in vanity, if he do, he shall never be a gainer, no nor a saver by it. For vanity shall be his recompense. Vanity fills both parts of the Verse, and meets us at every turn, yet with a difference: In the former part by vanity was signified either sin, or the creature; in this latter part, vanity notes misery, Vanitatis nomen variè hic sumitur, quam ob rem sorsan & scribitur priore loco sig. vanas res quibus fidebant, scopes: gloriam, posteriori loco vanitatem in quam haec omnia redigenda sint dum ex his decidens miser siet. Merc. or the effect and fruit of sin. Hence Observe. The vanity of misery overtakes all those who are deceived by the vanity of sin. Vanity is their recompense. There are two sorts of recompense. First, Of wrath. Secondly, Of favour. Evil deeds have their recompense, as well as good. To me (saith the Lord, Deut. 32.35.) belongeth vengeance and recompense; that is, the recompense of vengeance; as the Apostle expounds it (Heb. 10.30.) For we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense saith the Lord: God will not live long in any man's debt: As holy Gospell-confidence hath a great recompense of reward (Heb. 10.35.) So every disobedience of the Law received a just recompense of reward (Heb. 2.2.) And God is so exact in giving the recompenses of punishment, that he will not spare his own, when they are so foolish as to trust in vanity (Prov. 11.31.) Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the wicked and the sinner: that is, A righteous man shall be corrected, though he sin of infirmity; how then shall the wicked be punished who sin with presumption and delight. As a wicked man hath all his recompenses of good on the earth (Matth. 6.2.) They have their reward; so a righteous man hath all his recompenses of evil or affliction in the earth; he hath none beyond. But, we may strongly argue, that the wicked, who trust in vanity shall be recompensed with sorrow for ever; seeing the righteous, if they do but a little turn aside to vanity, shall be recompensed with sorrow here: That's the Apostle Peter's way of reasoning (1 Epist. 4.18.) If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? Surely, as the Prophet concludes (Isa. 59.18.) According to their deeds accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies, to the Islands he will repay recompense. Secondly, as vanity in the former clause is taken for the Creature. Observe. The Creature is most vain to those who trust it. The Creature is a vain thing in his hand, who believes and trusts in God, but it is exceeding vain in his hand, who trusts on it; and the more it is trusted, the more vain it is. If we make it our staff, it will be our scourge: if we lean upon it as our rock, it will run into our hands like a broken Reed: The best way to keep up our comforts in the Creature, is to keep our distance from the Creature. And they shall find most content in the World, who live furthest off it, and expect least from it. God is good, and the more we trust him, the better he is to us, yea he is not good at all to us, unless we trust him: But the best of creatures trusted to become evil, yea an Idol to us. Trust not in vanity (such are all creatures in their best estate) for vanity shall be your recompense. Again, The word which we translate recompense, signifies a change, or the exchange which is made of one thing for another: While Job exalts the value and excellency of wisdom above all created excellencies, he saith (Chap. 28.17.) The Gold and the Crystal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine Gold. So some render it here, Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity, A radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commutatio vanitas erit; commutatio ejus, i. e. in nihilum redigetur. for vanity shall be his change: Whensoever he changeth, he shall change into vanity, or when he hath driven a trade in sinful vanity, to the highest; the best exchange which the Merchandise thereof yields him, is miserable vanity: Vanity can produce nothing to us but vanity: The effect is not better than the cause, nor the fruit then the Tree; and that which we receive in exchange, though it may be of another kind, yet it is of no better value than that we give in exchange. Hence Observe. That a wicked man's state never changeth for better, but from good to bad, or from bad to worse. Till the man himself be changed from bad to good, his state can never change from bad to good: And suppose his outward state be good, than the worst thing that can befall him, is this, that his state should not change. His settledness in that which is civilly good, doth but more settle him in that which is morally evil. They have no changes, therefore they fear not God (Psal. 55.19.) What can be worse for man then this, n●t to fear God, who is the chiefest good? Who would not fear to be without changes, when he hears that being without them, keeps out this fear? Suppose further. That the wicked man's outward estate be evil, than it is worse to him, when he changes to outward good: if he change from sorrow to joy, from povery to riches, from sickness to health, from a prison to liberty, in all these, or in any other of like nature with these, he changes to his loss: That man can never change for good, who continues evil. Such a man's outward estate often changes from bad to worse; if it change from bad to good, that is bad for him; and if being good, it change not at all, that is worst of all. It is a part of the misery of man, that his state is changeable, but that is incident to the best of men: We shall not be unchangeable in our state, till we come into the presence of God, who is unchangeable in his nature. We may say also (considering the many troubles which we are subject to in this life) that it is a part of our happiness, that our state is changeable. Those changes which are from evil to good, or from good to better, are to be numbered among our blessings; such are the changes of the Saints, all their changes are for the better: yea those changes of the Saints which are from joy to sorrow, from riches to poverty, from health to sickness, from liberty to a prison, from life to death, in a word, their changes from any kind of outward temporary good, to outward temporary evil, are yet for their good. He cannot change but for his good, who is good, and who abides always under this promise, that all shall work together for his good. An evil and a good man differ in nothing more than in their changes; nor should any selfe-consideration provoke an evil man more to desire that he may be changed to good, than this, that his changes may be for good. Who would continue or trust in vanity, were he persuaded that vanity shall be his change? Secondly, Observe. That such as our way is, such will our end be: If we walk and trust in vanity, we shall have vanity for our recompense, or our change. Every man's end is virtually in his way: So the Apostle argues ellegantly (Gal. 6.7.) Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man sows that shall he reap, he that sows to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; he that sows to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting: If the Husbandman sow tares he must look to reap tares: A seed time of tares, and a Harvest of Wheat, were never heard of in the same ground: As the seed is, such is the crop (Isa. 3.11.) Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hand shall be given him. There is nothing worse for some, then to have their reward brought in, and all that is owing to them paid: The very receiving of their debts and rewards, is their undoing for ever. All the misery of a wicked man is summed up in this, He shall have the reward of his hands. Wrath, and death, and Hell, are his rewards, and all the wages which the work both of his hands and heart can earn, and these he shall have fully paid to him: Vain he hath been, and vanity shall be his recompense. Some read this Verse, not as a dehortation, Let not him that is deceived trust, or believe in vanity; but as a negative proposition (for that particle in the Hebrew, which sometimes carrieth a prohibition, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malo simpliciter negare quam prohibere Merc. Non credet qui vanitate errat quod vanitas erit permutatio ejus. Merc. Non credet fore ut ejus faelicitas permutetur & ad me●am vanitatem deveniet. Vat●bl. notes also a bare negation; so here) He that is deceived with vanity will not believe (the same word signifies both to believe and trust) that vanity shall be his recompense: He will not believe a change, much less such a change; This is a clear sense, and it hints us this Observation. That a wicked man is full of infidelity or unbelief, that his estate is evil, or shall ever be worse than it is. The unbelief of man is as strong against the threaten, as against the promises: The Saints are hardly brought to believe, that glory shall be their recompense, that the purchase which Christ hath made of Heaven, and eternal happiness belongs to them. A wicked man will not believe that tribulation and anguish shall be upon him, or that the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against his unrighteousness, he will not believe that he shall go to Hell and be damned, or that everlasting fire shall burn him, or the worm that dies not, feed upon him; he that is deceived will not believe these things, and the Devil hath as great an advantage upon men, by making them strong in unbelief: As God hath, by making his people strong in Faith. The first assault that ever the Devil made against man, was to weaken Faith, or strengthen unbelief about the threaten: While he laboured to deceive the Woman, he laboured as much to persuade her, That vanity should not be her recompense: God had said peremptorily, In the day that ye eat thereof, ye shall surely die: The Devil denied as peremptorily, Ye shall not surely die (Gen. 3.4.) The people were commanded to say Amen to every branch of the Curse (Deut. 27.16, 17, etc.) Though it be the lowest way of obedience to obey, because we believe the truth, and certainty of the Curse; yet it is a high act of obedience to believe it: And Satan is as busy against our faith, in the threaten, as he is against our faith in promises. This unbelief opens the way to the committing of sin, and sweetens sin while we are committing it: Were it not for this unbelief sin could not be bread, much less (as it is to many) pleasant bread. Sin would be Gall and Wormwood in the acting of it, did we believe, that it will be bitterness in the end. Who would do the work of sin, did he believe that vanity should be his recompense? Because this threat is not believed, therefore the Law which forbids sin, is not obeyed. As Faith is a shield to the new Man, so unbelief is a shield to the old Man; as Faith quenches the fiery darts of the Devil, or his allurements to sin; so unbelief quenches all the fiery darts of God, or his threaten of punishment. Tush say they, We shall never see Sword nor Famine, we need not fear (which is so much talked of) death or Hell: Vanity shall not be our recompense. There is a third reading of the Text: Rab. Kimchi exponit Sheve, pro aequali seu aequalitate. q.d. Ne credat qui deceptus est aequalem semper & sui similem fore sibi statum, vel eodem semper modo res sibi cessuras. Merc. The former word which we render Vanity, is translated by some of the Rabbins, Equality, or a thing that is equal, the latter, as we, a lie, or Vanity. This varies the whole strain of the Verse, and yet the Exposition given upon it is clear, both to the general scope, and to the sense given immediately before. Let not him that is deceived, believe that he shall be always equal, or of the same estate, for vanity shall be his recompense. He thinks to carry it smoothly, and with an even thread, but he is deceived. Things will not always stand at the same point and poise with him, and therefore let him not feed himself with groundless eyrie hopes, that they will: His affairs will not always have the same face, nor bear the same aspect toward him; now they smile and look pleasantly, but anon they will frown and look sour. Lastly, Keeping near the same sense still; Non credet verbo aequo qui errat sed mendacium erit loco ejus. Pagn. q. d. qui errat non credet verbo recto; sed ponet mendacium loco illius & hoc pacto credet. the words are thus translated: He that is deceived, will not believe the right word, or the word of truth, but he will believe a lie in stead of it: As if Eliphaz had thus schooled and cautioned Job, I have told you this as from God; but I know he that is (as you are) misled, and deceived, will not believe the word of God, who cannot lie; he will believe a lie rather. As the carnal heart changes the glory of God into a lie, so the truth of God into a lie, or embraceth a lie for truth; he that believed not the right word, will soon believe that which is wrong. As they who receive not the love of the truth, are (by the just judgement of God) given up to strong delusions, to believe a lie: So also are they, who receive not the truth. As the not doing of good, is not only itself an evil, but leads us also, or lays us open to the doing of many evils, yea of any evil: So the not receiving of truth is not only an error, but it leads us also, or lays us open to the receiving of many, yea of any error. Eliphaz having thus pressed his dehortation upon Job, not to trust in vanity, lest he find vanity the reward and recompense of that unholy faith and trust; proceeds yet further to press his dehortation by the same argument for the matter, though varied in the manner of expression, in the beginning of the next Verse. Vers. 32. It shall be accomplished before his time, etc. These words are a strong enforcement of the motive laid down in the former Verse, Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: Why, what if he do? Vanity shall be his recompense: That's the first part of the motive. The second is, In non die suo complebitur. Mont. Vers. 32. It shall be accomplished before his time: What shall be accomplished? There is no express Antecedent in the Hebrew; we may understand, either first, the life of the wicked man himself, of whom Eliphaz had before discoursed. Or secondly, Compleri ante diem, etc. est potius perire quam ullum complementum & perfectionem accipere. Pined. Antequam dies ejus impl●antur, peribit▪ ut sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 succido. Morte immatura praev●nietur vel gladio, vel morbo, vel aliqua alia violenta causa In die non suo implebitur sepulchrum ejus. Ta●g. the estate of the wicked man. Or thirdly, the designs and plots of the wicked man. Taking in all three, the meaning is, That himself, and all that he hath gotten, and all that he hath projected, Shall be accomplished before his time; and what's this but vanity for his recompense? To be accomplished before the time, is not to be accomplished at all, it notes rather perdition than perfection. The word which we translate to accomplish, signifies also to cut off, as we put in the Margin of our Bibles, It shall be accomplished, or cut off before his time: The Vulgar translation fills up the sense thus, Before his days can be filled, he shall perish. As the Relative looks to the wicked man himself, Observe. An untimely death is the portion of a wicked man. He shall be accomplished in a day that is not his, or before his proper day. In opposition to which, Eliphaz had promised, Chap. 5. That a godly man shall come like ●sheafe of Corn into the Barn, fully ripe: Now saith he, This wicked man shall be like untimely fruit, accomplished, cut off, and perishing before his time. We have such an Expression (Eccl. 7.17.) Be not righteous over much, neither make thyself over-wise; why shouldest thou destroy thyself? Be not over much wicked (not that there is any mediocrity in wickedness, or that a man can be wicked in due proportion, but saith he, take heed of high actings in wickedness) why shouldest thou die before thy time? Some wickednesses lie close, men live and continue in them long unseen; others are so open and abominable, that their actors are abnoxious to the hand of Justice: He that is wicked overmuch, that is, extremely wicked, shall be cut off some way or other before his time. Quarrellers die by the Sword, Drunkards die by surfeit, Adulterers decay into filthy diseases, Sorcerers are killed by the Devil, Malefactors of all sorts are cut off by the sentence of the Magistrate. Most desire to live long, and yet they take a course to make their lives short; they forget that short way to long life (Psal. 34.12.) That promise (Isa. 65.20.) stands opposite to this threatening, There shall be no more there an infant of days, Implere dies ad longam faelicemque senectam pertinet vel denotat illam aetatis maturitatem, quae non annorum numero; sed pietatis perfectione definitur. nor an old man that hath not filled his days: A good man fills his days, a wicked man shall be accomplished, or there shall be an end of him before his day; both, before that day which he would live to, according to the course of his desire, and before that day which he might live unto, according to the course of nature. Besides, a wicked man never fills his days, though he be full of days; he that is not prepared for death (how old soever he is) dies before he is ripe: he is ripe for destruction, but he is neither ripe nor fit for death: The youngest Saint that dies, dies ripe, though he die before he come to that estate, Pii licet aetate juvenes, senes sunt moribus. wherein nature useth to crop men off; yet, he (as the Apostle speaks, Ephes. 4.13.) is come to the fullness of the stature of Christ. Secondly, Referring these words unto the estate of a wicked man, it shall be accomplished, or cut off before the time; that is, his pomp, and greatness, all that he hath gotten together (of which he spoke in the precedent part of the Chapter) shall be scattered suddenly. Hence Note. Wicked men often outlive all their worldly enjoyments: Some live to be their own Executors; they dispose, or rather dissipate all; they leave nothing when they die, for others. The pride of wicked men shall have a fall, their present possessions and future hopes shall come to nought (Prov. 3.16.) Solomon tells us, that Wisdom hath length of days in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour: We may say of sin, Shortness of days is in its right hand, and in its left hand, poverty and disgrace. The former point saith, that a wicked man's days are short, he shall be cut off before his time, death cuts him off. The latter saith, his pomp, his riches and honour, all these shall be cut off before the time. We have seen some who have raised great estates by sin, and they have seen an end of all in misery. Thirdly, Taking the Antecedent to be the designs and contrivements of the wicked man. Hence Note. The counsels, designs, and contrivements of wickedmen, do often prove abortive: They are accomplished before their time. Their plots break out before they are ripe, and then all's spoilt. So it was with the Powder Plot, it was accomplished before the time; it was discovered before it could be acted; we have often seen grand designs laid in the dust, crushed in the shell, and nipped in the very bud. As the Prophet reproves some for staying too long, in the place of breaking forth of Children (Hos. 13.13.) That is, they have let their purposes die under tedious consultations, or irresolutions for acting: So we may deride others for staying too little in the place of breaking forth of Children. God in judgement hastens them to action before their designs are fully matured by consultation, It is accomplished before his time. And his branch shall not be green. In the close of this Verse, and in the next, Eliphaz in several metaphors, prosecutes the declining condition of wicked men, His branch shall not be green. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sig. & manum & ramum, rami sunt veluti brachia & manus arboris. His branch. Or his hand shall not be green; so the word signifies properly: And, that some understand in a figure, his hand shall not be green; that is, himself shall be unapt, and unfit for work. When an arm is dried up, or a hand palsied, it is unserviceable: The hand of a godly man is green, he is laborious, and fit for labour; the hand of the wicked man, as it is always sinfully dried up, in reference to the doing of any good, so it is often judicially dried up lest it should do hurt: his hand shall not be green, that is, he shall not have power to do that evil which he would: When Jeroboam put forth his hand from the Altar, etc. his arm dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him (1 Kings 13.4.) His hand, his arm, was not green, he could not use it to hurt the Prophet (Zech. 11.17.) The wicked Idol Shepheard is threatened, His arm shall clean be dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened: that is, He shall neither have counsel, nor strength, he shall neither be able to advise, nor to act; his eye shall be darkened, so that he shall not be able to see his way; his arm shall be dried up, he shall not be able to attain his end (Psal. 75.5.) None of the men of might have found their hands; as we say of a man that goes lamely or lazily, He cannot find his feet; so of a man that acts lamely and lazily, or of a Soldier that fights faintly and cowardly, He cannot find his hands; or in the language of the Text, His arm or hand is not green. We translate metaphorically, so the word signifies not a hand, but a branch; because a branch or bough of a Tree puts forth from the body of it, as the hand or arm is stretched from the body of a man; by this branch we may understand, either of those two things noted before; First, The estate of the wicked man; for that is as a branch shooting and growing out from him; Or secondly, The designs and counsels of the wicked man; they also are branches sprouting from the corrupt stock of his heart: and so this clause is of the same sense with the former, It shall be accomplished before his time, his branch shall not be green: That is, he shall not prosper in any thing he possesseth, or undertaketh. But thirdly, There is a distinct sense, Priusquam impius senescat, interibit; & liberi ejus sub aetatis flore morientur. Paraephr. and so the branch is the Posterity, the Children of this wicked man. As he, and his plots, shall fail, so his Children likewise. Children are compared to branches (Psal. 128.) His Children shall stand like Olive plants (or branches) round about his Table. His branch shall not be green. Greenness, notes flourishing (Cant. 1.16.) where the Spouse and Christ speak one to another of their several excellencies, she saith, Vers. 16. Behold thou art fair my beloved, yea pleasant, also our bed is green. By bed some understand holy Ordinances, wherein the Lord communicates himself to his people, Our bed is green; that is, Ordinances are pure, flourishing, and fruit-bearing. In the same sense the word is used (Luke 23.31.) If they do these things in a green Tree, what shall be done in the dry, that is, If they do these things in a vigorous, strong, and flourishing tree, meaning Christ himself, who was like a tree full of sap and life; what shall be done in those that are dry? The best of men compared to Christ, are but dry trees, how fear and rotten then are the worst? And if Christ suffered these things for sinners, himself being without sin, what shall those sinners suffer, who are without Christ? They like dry Trees will soon be consumed by the fire of God's wrath. So that, when he saith, They shall not be green, it is as much as to say, They shall have no strength, vigour, life, nor beauty. Taking the branch in this last sense for Children: Observe. A wicked Father brings a curse, and withering upon his whole Family: His branch shall not be green. Though they walk not in the ways of their Fathers, nor inherit their sins, yet they may receive temporal fade, and outward decays upon their Father's account. It is a misery to be the branch of a wicked stock (for though an evil stock may have good branhecs, they who are evil, not only (as all are) descending from a common evil stock, but also from a particular evil stock (as most are) even some of these are made good by transplantation into Jesus Christ, yet (I say) it is a misery to be a branch of an evil stock) many Children have fared the worse for the wickedness of their Parents, even good Children may far somewhat the worse for their Parent's wickedness. Though God will not lay eternal judgement upon them for the wickedness of their immediate or remoter Parents, yet they may feel declinings, and lose much of their greenness, and beauty. It is a disadvantage to be in any relation to a wicked man, Servant, Wife, Children, his whole Family, may groan and smart for his sake, His branch shall not be green. That's not all yet, Vers. 33. And he shall shake off his unripe Grape as the Vine, and shall cast off his flower as the Olive. That is, His unripe Grapes and Flowers shall be shaken and cast off. By whom? Some say by God. He (that is, God) will snap off his sour Grape as the Vines, saith Master Broughton; and indeed whatsoever is the wind that shakes them, it is God who blows and sends the wind. These words are a gradation to what went before, here are two similitudes to set forth one thing, the certain and sudden destruction of all the hopes of a wicked man, His branch shall not be green; his Children and Posterity, especially they that follow his steps shall whither; and, which is yet a greater judgement, He shall shake off his unripe Grapes as the Vine, etc. Though his branch be green a while, though he hath leaves and buds, yet before 'tis perfect fruit, and gives a pleasant taste, it shall be destroyed: This he shadows under these metaphors, of the Vine, and the Olive, shaking off his unripe Grapes, and casting off his Flowers. The Naturalist Observes, Eodem sere tempore vitis & oleoe florescunt, Plin. l. 17. c. 25. Aliquando vites maritantur oleis. id. ib. c. 4. Pessimus est inter omnia, quum deflorentem vitem & oleam imber percussit; quoniam simul desluit f●uctus. Plin l. 17. c. 25. that these Trees flourish near about the same time, and that the Vine and the Olive join, and are (as it were) spoused together; and if storms, or blasts of wind smite the Olive and the Vine, while they put forth their flowers, the hope of the Husbandman is utterly disappointed, We may sum up the meaning of these two similitudes into this brief conclusion. That God will utterly destroy the very appearing hopes of wicked men. Their boughs and branches may be green, some flowers, some unripe Grapes may appear; here is hope; but, He shall shake off; that is, God shall shake off (by some terrible storm which he will raise, by some sudden judgement which he will send) their unripe Grapes, and their fairest Flowers. Hence Observe. Violent judgements storm wicked men out of all their comforts. Thus the Egyptians are threatened (Isa. 18.5, 6.) Before the Harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour Grap● is 〈◊〉 in the Flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning 〈◊〉 o●s, and take away, and cut down the branches. They shall b●●●f●●●●her, unto the Fowls of the Mountains, and to the Beasts of the Earth, and the Fowls shall Summer upon them, etc. The Bud is perfect, while the fruit is imperfect, while God takes away their Buds he destroys their hopes. And as God hath his winds at hand, to shake the fruit off from the branches; so he hath his Pruning-hooks to cut off the branches also. De immatura morte filiorum duas similitudinesaffert. Some interpret these unripe Grapes of the Vine, and Flowers of the Olive, as the branch before, for Children, as if Eliphaz would here remind Job, how his Posterity, the Grapes of his Vine were shaken off, before they were ripe, and the Flowers of his Olive blasted in the Bud; Odiose Eliphaz ut acerbos filiorum Jooi mores notaret, ipsos oniphaci contulit. or as if he would upbraid him with the sour manners, and ill tasted conversation of his Children, under this Allusion of unripe Grapes, which in stead of pleasing the palate by a savoury relish, do only by their sharpness, set the teeth on edge. Hence Note. It is an affliction upon the best, and a judgement upon many, to have their Children, their Grapes and Flowers, rend from them, and taken away unripe: And then especially it is so, when God leaves no Grapes on the Vine, no Flowers on the Olive. To lose a hopeful Child is an affliction, what is it then to lose them all? Eliphaz having dehorted the wicked man from trusting in vanity, upon these considerations; gives in the strength of his whole discourse in the two last Verses of the Chapter. Verse, 34. The Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery. 35. They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit. Epilogus est totius loci. Merc. Apodosis superioris allegoriae Jobum perstringens cui ista obvenerant. Jun. As if he had said, Here is the sum of all, of all the sins, and of all the punishments of a wicked man. Here are two sorts of wicked men described, and these two (as was touched before) by a Senechdoche, include all. The first are such as worship God falsely, or with false hearts: they draw near to God with their lips, but their hearts are far from him, these are Hypocrites, The congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate. As these are false with God in his worship, so others are false with men in their commerce and deal: These are comprised in the second branch, Fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery: Bribery is put for all sins against our Neighbours, and hypocrisy for all sins against God. So that here we have sinners against the first Table, and sinners against the second; sinners against God, and sinners against men; in the compass of this division all sins and sinners are contained. The Congregation of Hypocrites. That is, Hypocrites how many soever there be of them, though they be a full Congregation: Hypocrites, how strongly soever they are conjoined and cemented, yet they shall be desolate. The Hebrew word signifies, not only to Congregate, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat non solum congregari; sed in faedus & pactum aut amicitiam convenire. and gather together several persons into one place, but to associate them into a Covenant, League, or confederacy one with another: as if he had said, Though hypocrites combine, and Covenant together, yet this covenanting Congregation, or these unholy Leaguers, shall be made desolate. A second interpretation gives it thus, Illa quae congregantur ab hypocrita, Aquin. The Congregation of hypocrites; that is, all that Hypocrites do congregate; whatsoever they gather together, whether things or persons, their Riches, their Honours, their Relations, all shall be desolate. Shall be desolate: Or barren; the word signifies both; that which is desolate brings forth no fruit, and that which brings forth no fruit will quickly be desolate. What an Hypocrite is, hath been showed before, Chapter 8. therefore I will not stay upon it, but refer you thither, where Bildad told Job, The hope of the Hypocrite shall perish: Only note two things from the whole, The Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate. First, An Hypocrite is under a curse. Of all men in the World Hypocrites are deepest under a curse: They are most cursed, who are most wicked, Hypocrites are therefore more wicked than others, because they would seem not only somewhat, but much more holy than others. It is bad enough to be bad; but it is worse to appear good when we are bad. They who delight in the shows of moral goodness, when they hate, or care not for the reality of it, shall surely meet with, not shows, but realities of penal evil. Their painted feigned fire of zeal shall be punished with the true fire of Divine wrath. Secondly, Observe. Hypocrites, how many soever they are, how strongly soever they are confederate, how much soever they have gotten together, shall be made desolate. It is not possible to make any power to withstand the power of God. Though like those uncircumcised Nations, Gebal, and Ammon, and Amaleck, the Philistines, and those of Tyre, they all consult, and lay their heads together, to make a Congregation, yet God will break them all. How long soever their train be, how many soever their attendants be, and how strong soever their correspondency be, yet the Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate. And fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery. Fire may be taken two ways. Either literally, and strictly, for the element of fire, or for ordinary fire. Or it may be taken figuratively, and metaphorically, and so it signifies: Either first, The wrath of God. Or secondly, Any effect of the wrath of God, any revenge, or judgement which God pours forth on wicked men. And so, what judgement soever God sends, we may call it a Fire, even that deluge of Water (as hath been noted) which drowned the old World, was (in this sense) a fire. Divine judgements are represented by fire, upon these three grounds. First, Because as fire, they break forth suddenly, and unexpectedly; they are not like the fire that is for use, which we are long preparing and blowing, before it will burn; but the judgements of God are like an accidental fire, which breaks out, when no man looks for it, in a moment. Os & lingua tribui solet igni nam dicitur lambere & depascere. Secondly, They are fire, because of their destroying nature, so the Text speaks, it eats up, or devours. Fire is a great eater, fire hath a strong stomach; what will not fire digest? Fire will digest the whole sublunary World at last; The Element shall melt with fervent heat: Fire will digest Stones, Adamant, and iron. Such is the wrath of God, nothing can stand before it, it will subdue the hardest materials, and toughest pieces. The hot stomach of the Ostrich (as some affirm) concocts Iron; what will not the heat of God's anger concoct, and consume to ashes? Thirdly, There is a mercilessness in the judgements of God, as in fire: We say, Fire, and Water have no mercy; there is no entreating them, they are not only hard, but impossible to be entreated. Such (in reference to wicked men) is the wrath of God; as good speak to fire not to burn, or to water not to drown, as to the wrath of God not to consume wicked men; it must and will do it (Jer. 15.1.) Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, etc. to entreat, yet the sentence shall not be taken off, wrath must burn. Though prayer hath in many cases quenched wrath, yet sometimes the wrath of God cannot be quenched by prayer, nor entreated down, there is no speaking to it; and sometimes that it might burn quietly, the Lord hath said, Pray not for this people. Fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery. Tabernacles of bribery, may be taken two ways: Either for the Tabernacles of those who have taken bribes: Or the Tabernacles of those who have given bribes; for there goes (as we say) but a pair of Shears between him that gives, and him that takes bribes; both are of a piece, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie munus quod datur ad corrumpendum judicem. Drus. and both are alike mischievous and wicked. Some take bribes to pervert Justice, and others give bribes to pervert Justice: Fire is prepared for both their Tabernacles; that is, for their whole estates, or for all that belongs unto them. Yet Eliphaz may seem rather to aim at bribe-takers, or unjust Judges (among whom he secretly numbers Job) who suffer themselves to be corrupted with gifts, and to have their eyes put out by rewards: The Septuagint is express in that sense, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, munera accipientum. 70. Fire shall consume (say they) the Tabernacles of bribe-takers. And indeed, if there were no bribe-takers, there would be no bribe-givers: as we say, There would be no Thiefs, if there were no Receivers. The Receiver makes the Thief; and corrupt Judges, who take bribes, make so many bribe-givers. Further, The word which we translate Bribery, signifies properly a gift; and the Text may be rendered thus, Fire shall consume the Tabernacles of gifts. There are many gifts which are far from bribes. There are five sorts of gifts. First, Gifts of charity to the poor. Secondly, Gifts of friendship between equals. Thirdly, Gifts of duty from inferiors to those above them, to testify either thankfulness or obedience. Fourthly, Gifts of bounty and grace, from Superiors to those who are below them, to testify their favour to them, and that they are wel-pleased in them, or in their services; There is no hurt either in giving or receiving these gifts. These are only testimonies of respect from man to man, and tend only to maintain humane society. But there is a fifth sort of Gifts, which we may call gifts of injury, or in the language of the Text, Gifts of Bribery: These are given, either to pervert, or delay Justice, and to overthrow a man and his cause. The Hebrew expresseth a gift in general, and a bribe, by the same word, Quid est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? qu●d facit, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unum, dantem scilicet & accipientem quam primum accipit munus ab ipso, tunc accedit anima ejus ad ipsum, & fit si cut ille ipse. Rab. Becei. etc. Buxtorf. Lex. because, as all bribes are gifts; so very many gifts are bribes. Gifts of charity, of friendship, of duty, of favour, are but few in comparison of bribing gifts. And 'tis exceeding hard for any man that is interessed in affairs of Judgement between man and man, to receive a gift from either of them, and not be bribed by it, to transgress the rules of equity and righteousness. A gift transforms the Judge into a party, or makes (as the Hebrew critics tell us upon that word) the Judge and party to be but one person. Lastly, The tabernacles of bribery, may be taken, not only in general for the estates of those who have given or taken Bribes; but particularly for the very Houses which have been built by giving, or taking Bribes. Some have built houses, with what they have gotten by giving Bribes, and many by taking Bribes, have got enough to build houses: While such look on their houses, and dwellings, they may say, if they will say the truth, Injustice hath built us these houses; these are the Tabernacles of bribery. A Traveller coming to Rome, and viewing many famous structures, Haec sunt peccara Germanorum. and goodly houses there, asked who built them? It was answered, These are the sins of Germany; the meaning was, that the Money brought for Pardons out of Germany, built those Houses. So we may say of many fair places, and goodly dwellings, These are Bribes and Oppressions, such a man built these by iniquity. Bribes may build houses, but bribe-takers cannot protect them: The Tabernacles of bribery shall be consumed. Hence Observe. First, Bribery is an odious sin: That sin which is put to express all sins against our neighbours, must needs be a very odious, as well as a very comprehensive sin. God loves judgement, bribery opposeth what God loves. God commands charity, as well as judgement; and delights to see men bountiful as well as righteous: Yet charity without judgement, and bounty without righteousness, are an abomination to God. God is a God of judgement, they that are against judgement, act not only against the rule which God makes, but against the example which God gives. It is as much the honour of God, that he is a God of judgement, giving all their due; as, that he is a God of mercy, giving to all his, what they have not at all deserved. Secondly, Observe. That which is sinfully gotten, shall be miserably lost. Fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. There is nothing gained, though much be gotten by injustice. Many give bribes to undo others, and all who receive bribes, undo themselves. what is the advantage of any sinful gain, when the fire of God's wrath consumes the gainer? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? And as the loss is infinite, that comes by sin, in reference to the next life; so at best, the gain is little, in reference to this present life: Either the actor of injustice, or his Heir, shall find a fire in the foundation, a fire in the Stones and Timber of his House, and down 'twill come; Bribery never bought any lasting materials to build with. Woe be to him (saith the Prophet, Hab. 2.9, 10, 11, 12.) that coveteth an evil covetousness; or (according to the Hebrew) that gaineth an evil gain to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil: Thou hast consulted shame to thy house, etc. For the Stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the Timber shall answer it. What shall the stones cry? Or what shall the beam answer? The stones shall cry, that the mortar in which they were laid, was tempered with the blood of innocents', and the beam shall answer, that it was set up by pulling down the poor. Those are crying sins indeed, which cause stones (that cannot speak) to cry: And what answer can be given for those iniquities which provoke Timber beams to answer? Such is the iniquity of oppression and injustice, which are the fruits of bribery. See a parallel place (Jer. 22.13, 14, 15, 16, 17.) the sum of which may be drawn up into this conclusion, given by Eliphaz, Fire shall consume the Tabernacles of Bribery. Eliphaz having thus described the perishing estate of wicked men, as an argument to deter and stave them off from wickedness, concludes his whole discourse with an Allegorical recapitulation both of their sin and misery, in the last words of this Chapter. Vers. 35. They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit. They conceive mischief. The Scripture is frequent in this metaphor; we have it (Psal. 7.14.) almost word for word, Behold he traveleth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and hath brought forth falsehood. (Isa. 59.4.) They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. The Apostle James (Chap. 1.15.) speaks the same language, When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. All alluding to the natural conception, formation, and production of Children. We have these three in the Text before us, the order of the words being a little altered. Here is first, Conception, They conceive mischief. Secondly, Formation, Their belly prepareth deceit. Thirdly, The birth, Bring forth vanity. More strictly to the method of Eliphaz; we have first, The conception; secondly, the birth of sin: And as if one birth were not enough, they return to their work, providing for a new birth of the old man, Their belly prepareth deceit. They conceive mischief. The word which we translate Mischief, signifies properly, labour, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labour, molestia, perversitas. hard labour, or labour accompanied with a great deal of pains and sorrow; it signifies also wickedness, perverseness. We translate mischief, They conceive mischief, or some mischievous devise to the dishonour of God: and the wrong of man. They conceive. Conception is here the work of the mind, we ordinarily say, We conceive such a thing; that is, We take it in, or apprehend it by an act of the understanding. Here's the truest character of a wicked man, he is one that conceives mischief. The allusion teacheth us: First, That a wicked man sins with much freedom of spirit, or he sins freely. He conceives mischief. The conceptions of the mind cannot be forced, nor can the conceptions of the body; and therefore the Law resolves it, That there is no rape, where conception follows. These conceptions are the joint actings of the will and understanding, both concur in them. an unregenerate person is free to do evil, he needs not be forced to it, he cannot be forced from it; and every evil is the more evil, by how much the more freely it is done. The more voluntarily we sin, the more wickedly we sin. Again, The conceptions of the mind, are deliberate, there is a collecting of one thing from another, a debating in conceiving. Hence Note. Secondly, Wicked men sin with deliberation. They sit down and meditate, they lay the frame of wickedness in their hearts, and then set it up, or act it with their hands. Note thirdly. All the conceptions of wicked men are wickedness. They are very fruitful in wickedness, and they bear no other fruit. Mischief is not only that which he conceives, but all that he conceives; he conceives nothing else. A wicked man cannot think or conceive one good thought; he may think of that which is materially good, but he conceives no good (Gen. 6.5.) All the thoughts of the imaginations of his heart are only evil, and that continually. All the Creatures which he forms in his mind, all the children of his understanding are deformed and monstrous; He conceives mischief, which as it notes a continued act, so an act continued about, or upon the same object. Fourthly, Observe. To be a contriver, a plotter, a conceiver of mischief, is worse than then to be an actor, or a doer of mischief. It is ill to have a hand in any sinful evil, it is worse to have a head in it, but worst of all to have a heart in it. Conceivers of mischief always have their hearts and heads in mischief; and if they are not stopped, will have their hands to it too: they who are plotters, and designers, would be actors. Hence they are called, Workers of iniquity. They have an inward Shop, and an outward Shop: first they work it in their thoughts, and mould it there, and then it comes out. To conceive mischief is properly, the Devil's trade, he rather deviseth than acts wickedness. There are many wickednesses in the World which he cannot act; but he is or would be the plotter, setter, and contriver of them all: This is the wickedness of the Devil: and every conceiver and deviser of mischief is of the Devil's trade. A good man may (possibly) do evil, but a wicked man deviseth evil. As it notes the spiritualness of a man in holiness, when he doth not only act that which is good, but his heart is upon it, he conceives and frames it in his mind. So it notes a man spiritually wicked, when his mind frames wickedness. The Apostle concludes of himself (Rom. 7.25.) So then with my mind I serve the Law of God, but with the flesh, the Law of sin. Not that he willingly gave up his flesh to sin, but that he was carried through the infirmity of the flesh to some sinful actings, while his mind, his devisings and contrivings, were according to the Law of God, and he delighted in the Law of God concerning the inward man. This is the spiritualness of holiness, and without this, there is no outward act of any account with God. It is what the mind moves to, not what the mouth speaks, or the hand doth, which commends us to God. What is it to God that we serve his Law with our flesh, if with our minds, we either serve the Law of sin, or do not serve the Law of God? Man is not what he acts, but what he conceives, unless he act what he hath conceived. They conceive mischief. And bring forth vanity. Now they come to the birth; they are in travel after conception; they bring forth, and the Child's name is Vanity. The Original word is rendered three ways. First, We say Vanity. Secondly, Another saith Lies. A third saith Iniquity. The word will bear any of, or all the three translations. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vanitat mendacium perversitas. They bring forth vanity, a lie, iniquity. They who conceive mischief, may bring forth any thing but what is good. Those three words may serve the same thing; every vanity is a lie, and any lie is vanity, and iniquity is both lie and vanity. The persons of whom Eliphaz discourseth are said to bring forth vanity, on these three grounds. First, Because they sometimes bring forth no fruit at all; they are conceiving mischief, but they can make nothing of it, their conceptions end in abortions; they devise and plot, but all is hatching of wind: The Church is so expressed, though in a different case (Isa. 26.17, 18.) Like as a Woman with Child near the time of her delivery is in pain, and cries out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight O Lord; We have been with child, we have been in pain: The Church had conceptions for good, she hoped that the Lord would have done some great thing for her; yet after her conception, and travel, see what she brings forth, We have been in pain, and brought forth wind; that is, nothing at all, it proved a mere timpany; for so he explains it, We have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the Inhabitants of the World fallen; that is, we have not obtained that deliverance that we hoped for in the earth, neither have our Enemies (who are called by the Prophet, The Inhabitants of the World) been subdued under our power; they have not fallen. Now as the Church and people of God sometimes are disappointed in their expectations; they conceive, yet bring forth wind, not that Man-child of mercy which was expected: So, much more do wicked men, after all their pleasing conceptions, and pangs of travel, they bring forth vanity; and their vessel is marred upon the wheel. Secondly, They are said to bring forth vanity, Parturium montes. etc. or a vain thing; because what they bring forth, is not proportionable to their expectation. Their Mountain proves a Molehill or (as it was said of old) a Mouse. Thirdly, Because the birth is not only always below, but often quite cross to their expectation; they conceive mischief against others, and bring forth mischief upon on themselves: this is vanity, yea and vexation of spirit, They bring forth vanity. Observe from this allusion. Wicked men cannot but act evil: They who conceive, must do their utmost to bring forth conceptions. As a Woman with Child, cannot but bring forth when her time is come, and her pains are on her; if you would give her all the World it is impossible to divert or delay the birth. So it is with a wicked man, when he hath mischievous conceptions in his heart; He sleepeth not unless he do mischief (Prov. 4.16.) What ever comes of it, fall back or fall edge, he must do it. He cannot forbear an attempt to do it, though it cost him his life; many have been at that cost, in attempting to do it but could not. Observe secondly. Wicked men are oft put to much pain in fulfilling their lusts, or in acting their conceived mischiefs. It is with such men as with the Woman in childbearing, on whom the Lord hath laid that heavy burden, In sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children (Gen. 3.16.) wicked men feel this to the full, In sorrow they bring forth: The wicked man traveleth in pain all his days, vers. 20. It is their delight to sin, but for the most part they smart in sinning, and run through many sorrows to accomplish their sin. They are so mad upon sinning, that the sweetness of doing mischief pleaseth them more, than all the troubles they go through in doing it discourageth them. Many evil cannot be done with ease, it costs sinners dear to effect what they design; they often have, as we say of Women, after long and sore travel in childbearing, A very hard bargain of it, and pay very dear for that which is worth, or worthy of nothing but repentance or greater pain. Thirdly, Taking vanity for iniquity, which sense was given in opening the terms. Observe. Such as our thoughts and conceptions are, such are our productions. They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity; such as we blow and sow in the mind, such is the Harvest of our actions: The very form, the lineaments and portraiture of a man's spirit is drawn upon the things he doth; his works are the image of his heart. As it is said of Adam in nature, He begat a Son in his own likeness; so doth every man in morals. Our actions are as ourselves are, they are begotten and brought forth in our own likeness, whether good or evil, only with this difference, Good actions are borne in our supernatural likeness, evil actions in our natural likeness. Fourthly, As to bring forth vanity, imports, as was interpreted, either no fruit, or that which is not suitable to the designs and desires of wicked men; Observe. Sinful conceptions often prove abortive, and miscarry; they bring forth nothing, or nothing as they would have it, who have conceived them. The birth is sometimes short in degree, and not seldom contrary in kind; they have not what they expect, yea they have what they least expect (Psal. 2.1.) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Why a vain thing? Because they cannot obtain their desire: it is vain to imagine the pulling down of Christ's Kingdom, which must stand for ever. Pharaoh designed mischief, Let us work wisely; (here is the language of conceivers) but he brought forth vanity, in all the notions spoken of: vanity, as it was a sinful and wicked act, vanity, as he failed in the thing he did expect; he thought to bring destruction upon Israel, but he could not; he thought to subdue the people of Israel, and make them slaves for ever, but he could not: He brought forth vanity also in the worst sense, the issue was contrary to his expectation, himself and his Army were swallowed in the Red Sea, and Israel was saved. Haman devised mischief against the Jews, but he brought forth vanity; he did not effect what he intended against them, this was vanity; nay it wrought the contrary way, himself was hanged on the Gibbet he had prepared for Mordecay, this was vanity and vexation too; Perseverante allegoria venter sumitur ex consueto loquendi modo sacri sermonis pro intelligendi facultate. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every wicked man brings forth vanity in some one if not in all these notions of it, after all his conceptions of mischief. And their belly prepareth deceit. The belly is taken here metaphorically, for the understanding, or mind; because natural conception, is in the belly wrought; therefore Eliphaz prosecutes the Allegory in suitable express●ons, Their belly prepareth deceit. The word signifies, To prepare Accurately, Strongly. Their belly prepareth deceit: They express a kind of curiosity in working, they are very exact in every point; they prepare with art, they will not have their work like a Copweb, curious, yet weak; but they must have it strong too; they prepare for establishment, and plot as if it were for everlasting. So the word is used (Psal. 37.3. Psal. 89.14.) Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of God's Throne. It is this word, The establishment or strength of God's Throne is righteousness and judgement: Righteousness and judgement, are the bassis and establishment of all Thrones; That which hath made Thrones to totter in all Ages, hath been the want of righteousness and judgement. The wicked man in the Text prepares not only curiously, but strongly; as he likes no bungling, so he is not pleased with toys and and babbles; he would lay his designs so cunningly and so firmly, that as they said of the Pouder-Plot, All the Devils in Hell shall not disappoint it: He hopes to catch and hold, not the weak Flies only, but the strongest Eagles, in his deceits and snares. Their belly prepareth deceit. That is, they prepare to deceive and ensnare: The Prophet denounceth judgement against the Priests, against the house of Israel, and against the house of the King, because they had been a snare upon Mizpeh, and a net spread upon Tabor (Hos. 5.1.) that is, because they had prepared nets and snares to entangle and deceive the people. Their bellies prepared deceit; and so did theirs, who said (Jer. 18.18.) Come let us devise devises; let us contrive somewhat to ensnare the Prophet (Jer. 18.18.) Their belly prepareth deceit: He speaks in the present tense, as if they were always doing it; they know neither vacation nor cessation from this wicked work. It is a continued act, Their belly preparetb. Hence Observe. A wicked man is constant in conceiving and contriving wickedness. He doth it not by starts and fits, his belly is ever preparing; when one deceit is wrought off, he goes to work upon a second, and then he projects for a third. Some speak of a perpetual motion, we find it here; what a man doth naturally, he doth constantly. Though there be much art in preparing deceit, yet it is the work of sinful nature; the frame, the engine of a wicked man's heart moves perpetually, He prepareth deceit, he is always at it. As David professeth (Psal. 45.1.) My heart is inditing a good matter, I will speak of the things which I have made touching the King. David had some holy work ready made, but he had more a making; he saith not, I have indicted, but my heart is enditing, I am upon it, it is my continual study. So also the wicked man's heart is always preparing and devising unholy work, or that which is evil. Again, Their belly; that is, their mind prepareth. Hence Note. The mind of man is the Shop wherein deceit is framed: Yea, the mind is not only the Shop, but the Artificer; and it is not only the Shop and the Artificer, but the very Tool that frames it: The understanding and wit of a wicked man, hammer out and shape all his deceitful wares. The hand and tongue begin where the mind ends; The tongue publisheth, and the hand executes what the mind prepares, and the heart suggests. That which one of the old Poets said of the belly, under the notion of Appetite and Hunger, the same we may say of the belly, in the notion of this preparing; This belly is the Master of all sinful Arts, and that which gives out and furnisheth man with all the cunning deceits of wickedness. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, Artis magister ingeniique largitor venture. Pers. murders, adulteries, fornications, theft, false witness, blasphemies (Matth. 15.19.) these are the wares which are not only laid up in the heart, as in a Storehouse, but made in the heart as in a Workhouse, and from thence they proceed ready made. The belly prepareth deceit. Lastly, Mark how Eliphaz describes the wicked man in his actions, He conceiveth mischief, and brings forth vanity: And yet again, he is preparing deceit. Note from it. An evil heart is never discouraged by any disappointments from going on in evil. One would have thought, after he had conceived mischief, and brought forth nothing but vanity, that we should have heard no more of him; that he would now sit down and be quiet, but his belly prepareth deceit presently, he will to it again, he will try once more; if he fail in one plot, he hopes to thrive in another; he will sow his seed of sin in the morning, and in the evening he will not withhold his hand, and though he see neither of them prosper, yea though he see both of them blasted, yet he will to his sowing again. As a gracious heart receives many disappointments and discouragements, but saith he, I will not give over, My belly shall prepare still, holy, and just, and righteous things; and the more he is disappointed the more holily he acts. So doth a wicked man more sinfully; for he acts as strongly and naturally in his state, as a godly man doth in his; and therefore he will not be put off by disappointments. He saith in the words of Solomon (Prov. 23.35.) They have stricken me and I was not sick; they have beaten me and I felt it not, when I awake, I will seek it yet again. Wicked men in general, as well as Drunkards in particular, of whom Solomon there speaks, meet with many blows, and are often sick in following their sin; yet (because they are never sick of sin) as soon as ever they awake, and recover a little, they forget all their wounds and sicknesses, and resolve to seek it yet again. They please themselves so much with what is to come, that they slight all that hath been done, and resolve with those (Isa. 56.12.) To morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant: They are preparing for sin, even while they are sinning: It is said (Revel. 6.) that he on the Red Horse, went forth conquering, and to conquer: he had not only a present Conquest, but a project to conquer; he was actually a Conqueror, and having conquered, he had fresh designs in his eye. As Christ goes out thus conquering, and to conquer; so wicked men go out doing evil, and to do it; deceiving, and to deceive. Their belly prepareth deceit: Though they have brought forth vanity once and again, yet they prepare, as assured of victory. This ariseth three ways. First, From the extreme love and good affection which a carnal heart bears to sin: as the love which believers bear to Christ, is not only a motive provoking them to do for Christ, but also to persevere in doing for Christ, though they suffer much in doing for him; he that loves Christ will not only sweat at his work, but bleed at his work, if his work cannot be carried on without bleeding. Thus also the love of wickedmen to their lusts, is not only a motive provoking them to fulfil their lusts, but to endure any thing for the fulfilling of them; Love is the the spring of labour, actions are affections put forth, and made visible: Love is also the spring of valour, as well in a bad cause, as in a good cause: What is it that love dares not attempt, towards the attainment of what we love? Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: Love is such a vehement flame, that though you cast the waters of sorrow, yea floods of trouble upon it, yet these cannot extinguish it; much more than will it keep alive after many deferrs and disappointments. It is the Observation of one of the Ancients, that Love built the two Cities; Holy Love built the City of God, and unholy Love built, or is daily building the City of Satan: And though it be much hindered and opposed in building this City; yea though the materials with which it would raise and fortify this City be often scattered and broken, yet these Builders will provide more materials, Their belly prepareth deceit. Secondly, This their unwearyed projecting and acting after discouragements and disappointments, ariseth from the extreme desire they have to attain their end. It is a true Axiom, that, The appetite of the end is infinite. Whatsoever a man proposeth to himself as his end in any undertaking, will carry him on without end till he do attain it: As rest is the natural end of motion, so till man hath reached his civil (though sinful) ends, he cannot rest. A wicked man proposeth an end to himself in evil actions, as well as an honest man doth in good: and therefore till that profit, or pleasure, or honour, or revenge, which he proposeth to himself be enjoyed, he is unsatisfied; let God or Man put as many stops as they will in his way, let his first and second and third conceptions of mischief, conclude in the bringing forth of vanity, yet he is not concluded by it, he will try a fourth and a fifth time too, His belly again prepareth deceit. Thirdly, His hope to speed at last, put him forward to new experiments, when former ones have failed; he persuades himself he shall obtain, if he continue. As the Saints having prayed, and waited long without an answer from God, yet go on praying, their belly prepareth new prayers, because they have a good ground to hope that God will hear at last: So ungodly men persevere in plotting mischief, because they have strong hopes (though but the shadow of a ground to hope) that they shall one day accomplish their desires. As the heart would break for sorrow; so both heart and hand would break off from labour, were it not for hope. But where hope of attaineing lives, especially where it is lively, there, such will labour as long as they live: Though they have hitherto been deceived in their expectation, yet their belly prepareth deceit. Thus Eliphaz prosecutes his dehortation; and though he saith not to Job, as Nathan did to David, Thou art the man; yet Job was the man he meant, the man, who (in his opinion) had conceived mischief, and brought forth vanity; yea the man whose belly was even then preparing deceit. How much Eliphaz was deceived, appears upon the whole matter; what Jobs belly, his mind, his inward man was preparing, will appear by his own answer in the two Chapters following. JOB, Chap. 16. Vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Then Job answered and said, I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all. Shall vain words have an end? Or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? I also could speak as ye do: if your souls were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief. THIS Chapter, and that which follows, contain Jobs second answer to the second charge of Eliphaz. He calls it an answer, but in strictness of speech it is a rejoinder; and he rejoins with some accrimonie, and sharpness of speech. The longer contention is maintained, the hotter are the spirits of the contenders; and the more we are put to answer, the more angry are our answers. Vers. 1. Then Job answered, and said. And what said he? His answer consists of three general parts. In the first, he confutes what Eliphaz had asserted; which he doth to the eighteenth Verse of this sixteenth Chapter. Secondly, He proceeds to corroborate and confirm his own Tenet, or Opinion; which he doth to the eleventh Verse of the seventeenth Chapter. Thirdly, He renews his former complaints, and desires; which he doth from that eleventh Verse to the end of the Chapter. The first part of his answer, is confutation; and he gins his confutation with an accusation; with an accusation of those who had disputed with him: and that's the subject of these five Verses, in all which he taxeth, or checks his friends for their unfreindly & uncomely dealing with him; and he checks them (as Eliphaz had done him at the beginning of the former Chapter) upon five points of error and unfreindlinesse. First, For speaking unprofitably, or for telling him no more than he knew before, at the entrance of the second Verse, I have heard many such things. Secondly, He chargeth them for speaking such things, as did rather increase, and boil up, then mitigate, and allay his sorrow, Miserable comforters are ye, in the close of the second Verse. Thirdly, He accuseth them for speaking so much, or for endless speaking; their discourse was tedious, they would not give over, Thus he takes them up at the third Verse, Shall vain words have an end? What, will you be endless? Will you never have done? Fourthly, He accuseth them for their causeless speaking, in the same third Verse, What emboldeneth thee? (or what provoketh thee) that thou answerest? As if he had said, Have I given thee any cause. Fifthly, and lastly, He reproveth his and their whole carriage towards him, by a serious profession of his contrary carriage, or that he was purposed to deal better with them, upon supposition that they were in his case; and this he doth two ways, First, Telling them what he could do, if they were in his case; Vers. 4. I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, etc. Secondly, Telling them what he would do, But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief, Verse. 5. That's the course which I would take; I could deal as harshly with you as you do with me, but I would not; you should find me in another strain and temper. Then Job answered and said. Vers. 2. I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. We find this point tossed both ways; Jobs Friends telling him, that he spoke but ordinary matter, and he telling them that they spoke so too. Bildad chargeth Job with it, Chap. 8.2. How long wilt thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind: as if he had said, Thou speakest impertinently, or what thou speakest doth not much concern the point in hand, it comes not up to the matter; yea it is quite besides the mark. And so Zophar (Chap. 11.2.3.) Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified? Thou dost but Verba dare, thou speakest to little purpose, or little to the purpose, though thou speakest much. Eliphaz puts the same language upon him (Chap. 15.2, 3.) Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the East wind? Should he reason with unprofitable talk? Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? Thus his Friends accused him of that for which he now accuseth them; and he himself had accused them once and again of this before: So (Chap. 12.2, 3.) Who knoweth not such things as these? They are but vulgar truths which you have told me; and (Chap. 13.1, 2.) Lo mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard, and understood it, what ye know, the same do I know also; I am not inferior to you. You produce nothing all this while, but what I am well acquainted with; which is fully the sense of this Verse: I have heard many such things: that is, Rhetorico modo principium, sumit ab extenuatione, vice quip defensoris agit. Pined. Defensor causam fuisse negabit si potest, aut eam vehementur extenuabit. Cic. l. 2. ad Heren. Every man can speak as much as this. Here Job plays the Orator, or Rhetorician, whose business and design (as the great Orator tells us) is as much as he can to extenuate, and lay low the arguments, or reasons, of him that he opposeth. Job stands as Defendant here, his Friends as Plaintiffs; therefore he endeavours to render their Charge weak, and what they said sinnewlesse, I have heard many such things as these. Job doth not accuse his Friends, as giving out false and erroneous Doctrine; for himself had heard and learned those things before; but he accuseth them for bringing proofs, which were not to the purpose, or which were in sufficient to prove their purpose: As if he said, I expected when you would produce some stronger arguments to maintain your opinion, or clearer answers unto mine: I waited for some new matter, and to have heard somewhat that I had not heard before, but you have deceived my expectation: For, I have heard many such things as these. Hence Note. First, Some truths are of very common observation: Who knoweth not such things as these? Every Child that hath been Catechised, knows them. 'Tis no disparagement to any truth, that it hath been often heard, and is commonly known. The more common a truth is, the more weighty it may be. Yet, Which gives us a second Observation. Ordinary truths will not serve in extraordinary cases, and that which every man knows and hears, will not resolve us in those points which few men know or hear: As Jobs Person was a Phoenix in the World, his age afforded not his second, There is none like him in the earth, saith God himself to Satan (Chap. 1.8.) So Jobs condition was a Phoenix, it had not second; there was no man tried like him in the whole earth; and therefore his case eould not be measured by the common Standard, or rule of Providence. He had need hear that which was never heard before, who bears and feels that which was never borne nor felt before. There are some temptations on afflictions, as the Apostle speaks (1 Cor. 10.13.) Which are common to man: Common truths may comfort and satisfy the consciences of such. But there are temptations (such were Jobs) which are not common to man, we can hardly find their parallel, or a precedent of them in the Records of any Age: Common truths will not comfort, nor satisfy the consciences of such. Every dispensation hath a doctrine suitable to it; dispensations which are seldom seen call up doctrines which are seldom heard. Secondly, Job complains that he hears only those things which he had often heard. Hence Observe. It troubles a man in trouble, to be often pressed with the same thing: A man at ease is pained with unnecessary repetitions; much more a man in pain: and though they who like and love the things which they have heard, do both love and like to hear them often; yet (in some cases) they may hear them too often. Some indeed speak very profanely, what Job spoke justly, who when they would not put off submission to, and attendance upon holy Doctrine, say, we know before we go, what he will say: We know such things as the Preacher usually speaks; what can he tell us, that we have not heard before? That's the language of the profane; We know as much as he can teach us. Though it be granted, that a man knows as much as the Preacher can tell him, yet he ought to hear it again. Though the matter be known before, yet to hear it often may work a better knowledge, and leave a stronger impression upon the heart then ever. 'Tis profitable to write the same things, therefore it cannot be unprofitable to hear them (Phil. 3.1.) Brethren, to write the same things, to me, it is not grievous, and to you it is profitable: If to write, then to speak the same things is profitable. In the Story of the Acts of the Apostles, when Paul had preached in the Synagogue; the Jews being gone, the Gentiles besought him, That those words might be preached the next Sabbath (Acts 13.42.) The repeating and inculcating the same thing, is not always , and it is sometimes : but when a man is under sore afflictions and temptations, when he is burdened with many sorrows, it is very grievous to have those things that have been often answered or assented to, again objected, or asserted. A weak stomach must have variety and change, to entice the appetite, and so must a troubled and distempered spirit: I have heard many such things: And hereupon he infers: Miserable comforters are ye. As if he had said, This is a miserable way of comforting, always to be beating upon, and inculcating the same thing; Job calls his Friends, Physicians of no value, (Chap. 13.4.) Here he expounds himself, while he calls them, Miserable comforters: He is a Physician of no value, who in stead of curing, increaseth the disease; and he is a miserable comforter, who in stead of abating our sorrow adds to it, and heightens it, Miserable comforters are ye. It seems the Friends of Job (at least to his sense) had forgotten the design they proposed to themselves when they first undertook this visit, (Chap. 2.11.) They made an appointment together, to come, and mourn with him, and to comfort him. That was the intendment of Jobs Friends at their fi●st addresses. Yet after so long a conference, he makes this report, Miserable comforters are ye; ye rather vex then heal any sore; you my Friends have troubled me more than my wounds, you have wounded my spirit more than Satan did my flesh, Consolatores malorum. i e. malos potest●s consolari. August. Miserable comforters are ye. One of the Ancients renders the words thus, Ye are comforters of evil men; or, possibly, you may comfort evil men; but you cannot comfort me. As that which is one man's meat is another man's poison; so that which is one man's comfort is another man's sorrow. All good men cannot take in their comforts the same way; but the way of comforting good and evil men, differ as much as good and evil. The words of flattery and falsehood will serve to comfort the one, no words will comfort the other, but those of sincerity, and truth. I dare not conceive Jobs Friends such as would sow Pillows under the elbows of evil men, yet surely they put hard Stones under the sore and aching arms of this good man. Consolatores Onerosi. Vulg. The Vulgar translation speaks thus, Ye are burden some comforters: A comforter should take off burdens; sorrow is a burden: As the judgements that God threatened upon the Jews, and other Nations, are represented in the Prophets, under the name of burdens, The burden of Judah; the burden of Israel; the burden of Moab; the burden of Babylon; the burden of Idumea: So any affliction upon a person, is his burden; and the business of those who come to comfort a soul in affliction, should be to take off his burden, at least to lighten it. Jobs Friends did indeed bind the burden faster upon his spirit, and therefore he might well call them Burdensome comforters. False hearts count all truth a burden: The Land (saith Amaziah) is not able to bear his words (Amos 7.10.) yet his were words of truth, and tended to peace. Some truths may be burdensome at some times to a good heart. Hard words are always burdensome; Job had store of them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consolatores laboris aut molestiae. Heb. The letter of the Hebrew gives the sense thus, Ye are comforters of trouble; that is, troublesome comforters: As if he had said, Ye do not comfort me in my troubles, but ye trouble me with your comforts: Ye are comforters made up of trouble; that's the predominant Element, which denominates your complexion and constitution; ye are so troublesome, that you seem to be nothing but trouble. Our rendering in the concrete is clear to Jobs scope, Miserable comforters are ye all. Hence Observe. Some while they go about to act the part of comforters, do but add to their sorrow, whom they pretend to comfort; and in stead of comforters prove torments. But when doth a man deserve this title, A miserable comforter? That which caused Job to charge his Friends with this miscarriage of their pains with him, will resolve the question, and tell us, when. First, They gave him little hope of good, or they did not open to him a done of hope wide enough: 'tis true, they made some overtures that way, which yet (comparatively to what they ought) were scarce considerable. And Eliphaz who had been somewhat large upon the point in his first congress with Job, speaks nothing of it in his last: For as if he thought his case desperate, and had given him for a lost man, he shuts up in the dark, as we see, in the close of the former Chapter; where he thunders out the judgements of God upon Hypocrites, and Bribe-takers, without so much as one word of comfort to the penitent: This is to be a Miserable comforter. The song of comforters should at least be mixed, like that of David to the Lord, of mercy and of judgement (Psal. 101.1) A song of judgement alone, or most of judgement to a heavy heart, may be called (like that of Jeremy) A Lamentation, but it is not a Consolation. Secondly, They (as was touched before) tired out his afflicted soul with tedious discourses, and unpleasing repetitions; they always harped upon the same string, and that makes no music to a disconsolate soul. As God complains of those prayers as unpleasing, which are full of unnecessary repetitions; so also those counsels are unpleasing to man, which are made up of needless repetitions. To press the same point, though true, oft, and oft, is a weariness to the spirit; and because it suggests this suspicion, that the hearer doth oppose, or resist that truth, it proves an upbraiding, rather than a teaching, or a comforting: Comfort must be stolen in unawares, by a holy sleight of hand, it must not be beaten in with beetles, as it were, by force of hand. Solomon tells us (Prov. 25.12.) As an earering of Gold, Subrepere debet consolatio & fucum facere affectibus. Sen. and an ornament of fine Gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. What he speaks of a reprover is as true of a comforter; and he only is fit to be a reprover, who is skilled, or knows how to be a comforter. He that will open or lance a sore, had need be acquainted with the means of healing it. The spirit of God, who is the Reprover (John 16.8.) is also the Comforter (John 14.26.) We may therefore take up Solomon's Proverb here, As an earering of Gold, and an ornament of fine Gold, so is a wise comforter upon an obedient ear. They who hang Jewels in their ears (as it was the custom of those times, and is to this day) take that which is of great price and value, yet of little weight: No man hangs a Talon, or a great lump of Gold in his ear: Gold is precious, but much Gold is ponderous, and burdens rather than adorns the ear; the bulk of it is more cumbersome than the beauty of it is conspicuous. Esto correptio non levis pretii sed levis p●nde●is. So comfort, which is the most pleasant Jewel of the ear, should be pure and precious as the Gold of Ophir; but yet it must be like an earering, which though it be not light, in regard of worth, yet it is light in regard of weight. We must not load, but guide a man with counsel, nor must we burden him with many, but ease him with pertinent words of comfort. Thirdly, That which rendered them yet more miserable Comforters, was, their unkind grating upon that string of his sinfulness and studied hypocrisy. Job acknowledged himself a sinner, and that he could not be justified in the sight of God by any righteousness of his own; yet still his friends were unsatisfied about his sincerity; and still they presented him with suspicions of secret wickedness, as the cause of all his sufferings; still they told him of the sad fate of Tyrants, of Oppressors, of unjust Judges, of unsound, and falsehearted Worshippers; and though they did not apply these Parables personally to Job, yet the general discourse sounded, as if they had said, Thou art the man. Now as the Apostle speaks concerning death (1 Cor. 15.56.) so we may say concerning any affliction, The sting of affliction is sin; the sting of sickness, the sting of poverty, the sting of disgrace is sin: when the least trouble is armed with sin, the strongest tremble at the sight of it. A godly man can easier bear the weight of all afflictions, than the weight and burden of one sin; so long as he sees all clear between God and his own soul; so long as he can look up to God, as having his sin pardoned, and can approve his heart to God, that he lives not in any known sin; in this case, though the Lord lay the heaviest burden of affliction upon him, he can go lightly under it; The spirit of a man will bear all these infirmities: but if his spirit be wounded, either with the guilt of sin, or with the fear of the wrath of God, how can he bear it? This afflicts more than all other afflictions. This was it which caused Job to cry out, Miserable comforters: His Friends ever upbraiding him with his sin, his sin, his sin, as the root, and therefore as the sting of all his troubles. They applied nothing but these corrasives to his wounded soul, which called aloud for the balm of Gilead. There are two sorts of miserable comforters. First, They who flatter the soul that lives in sin. Secondly, They who embitter, and burden their souls, who being under burdens of sorrow, are also in bitterness for their sin. Some sow Pillows under the elbows of those who delight in sin, and daub them up with untempered mortar; others thrust Swords, and shoot arrows into the bowels of those, who mourn for sin, and in stead of bringing well-tempered mortar to bind and cement their souls, lay hard stones under them, which vex and gall their souls. Both are Miserable comforters. They who undertake the office of comforting others, should consider these three things especially. First, The nature of the affliction, whether internal, or external; that which will comfort a man in bodily afflictions, will not do it in soul afflictions. Secondly, The degree, or measure of the affliction: If the Plaster be too narrow for the Soar, how can it heal? Thirdly, They should consider the temper of the Person afflicted, if he be pressed in conscience for sin, they should not press his conscience with sin; much less should they thunder out judgement and terror against him for sin; if he be very weak they should use few words; if he be passionate, they should use gentle words, lest, in stead of persuading, they provoke his spirit: Many a soul is cast down, and swallowed up in despair by the ignorance or unfaithfulness of those who would be called Comforters, and Supporters: (Ezek. 13.19.) They slay the souls that should not die, and save them alive, that should not live. Unskilful Physicians of the body, kill more than bodily diseases. And though the unskilfulness of soule-physitians doth not indeed kill souls that should die (for 'tis their own sin that kills them) nor can kill the souls that should not die (for the medicine of Christ's most precious blood, will heal and save such from their sins) yet unskilful soule-physitians shall be judged and dealt with, as having done all this, because they have done their utmost to do it; which is also the meaning of that Text (1 Cor. 8.11.) And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died: that is, an indiscreet use of that liberty which thy knowledge teacheth thee, doth that which may be accounted a destroying of thy weak Brother. As that knowledge, so the ignorance before spoken of, slays the souls that should not die. As it requires the power, so the wisdom and teachings of God to comfort and extricate poor souls, in and from the Labyrinth of their sorrows. The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned: What to do? That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary (Isa. 50.4.) It is a great piece of learning to speak aright to a weary soul, to deal with them so, as neither to flatter them in their sins, nor oppress them under their sins; to deal with them so in th' it affliction, as that we neither cause them to slight the hand of God, nor yet to sink under it. He that can guide and steer the course of a soul that is afflicted and tossed with the tempest of sin and sorrow, between this rock and gulf, the Scylla of presumption, and the Charybdis of despair; he is a learned Pilot indeed. This learning is the special gift of God; Christ himself acknowledgeth that the Lord his Father had given him the tongue of the learned for this end. This learning is not taught in the Schools of men: Philosophers and Orators never taught such an art of consolation; nor can it be attained by the bare teaching of the holiest Doctors and Preachers of Divine truths. We may have a rich furniture of materials for this work, and yet make no work of it, nor be able to put truths and consciences rightly together, unless the anointing teach us. As the Prophet brings in our great Master and Tutor in this heavenly science, again confessing of himself (Isa. 61.1.) The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the Captives. Till we are anointed by God, we cannot speak effectually to man; without the spirit who is the comforter, we prove but miserable comforters, we bungle at the work, and rather undo souls, then do them any good: We may Preach good tidings, good news, from Heaven (the Gospel is nothing else but good news) yet not good comes of it, till the good spirit comes with it, both instructing the hearts of those that hear, and the tongues of those that speak, duly to apply the word. Master Calvin upon this place, saith, Some Comforters, have but one song to sing, and they have no regard to whom they sing it: All persons, all estates, and all conditions are alike to them. The wisdom of a comforter consists in discerning and making these differences; As the Apostle Judas hints unto us (Ver. 22, 23.) And of some have compassion, making a difference; and others save with fear: As faith saves all, so (in a sense) fear saves some; that is, they must be terrified and made afraid, that they may be saved. Jobs Friends would needs save him with fear, whereas they should have had compassion of him, and have spoken kindly to him: Because they could not make this difference, therefore they took a wrong course with him, and were justly taxed without distinction, Miserable comforters are ye all. Vers. 3. Shall vain words have an end? As if he had said, I have got no comfort, I would feign get some rest; your words have not refreshed me, I desire you would not trouble me, you have done me no good, will you have done? Shall vain words have an end? The Hebrew is, Shall words of wind have an end? That expression hath been opened twice before. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verba vervi, i, e. ventosa, parum solidas rationes habentia. How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong East wind, saith Bildad (Chap. 8.2.) Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the East wind? saith Eliphaz (Chap. 15.2.) Job retorts it upon them, Shall words of wind have an end? You tell me that my words are windy, yours are so indeed: I must hid myself from these blasts and storms of your tongues, unless you grow calmer; Shall windy words have an end? Words are windy: First, When they have no solid reason, no substance in them: reason is the substance of words, and so is truth; these two go always together, and where these are not, nothing goes out of the mouth but wind; Projicit ampullas, etc. we say of all words which are not followed with action, Words are but wind, we may say so also of all words which are not accompanied with reason. Verba plena spiritu superbiae. Secondly, Words are windy when they have much pride, and swelling conceitedness in them; The Scripture calls such words, Swelling words of vanity: That which swells our hearts, will quickly swell our lips; pride doth both. Pride is a wind within us, vain words are a wind without us: the proud man knows not how to ease himself of this wind within, but by breaking it out in words. Thirdly, Words are windy when they have much passion in them, when they are angry and furious; an angry man blusters rather than speaks, and makes a noise rather than a discourse. While David (Psal. 39.2, 3.) was dumb with silence, while he held his peace from good, his sorrow was stirred, his heart was hot within him, and while he was musing, the fire kindled: While some are even hoarse with speaking, while they cannot hold their peace from evil, their anger is stirred, their hearts are storming within them, and all their talk is only a wind blowing without them. We read of a strange distemper in two sorts of men, who ought of all others to be most composed and temperate (Hos. 9.7. Is ruach. ) The Prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad: Our Translators put in the Margin, The man of the spirit: for Ruach in Hebrew, signifieth both the wind that blows in the air, and the spirit of God which moveth in our hearts: We take that sense, The spiritual man, or the man of the spirit; that is, the man that pretends to have, or should have the spirit of God (his business lying wholly in spirituals) this man is mad; he is so far from acting to the height of those graces which the spirit gives, that he acts below that reason which nature gives. Yet the Original may be rendered thus (and so divers learned Hebricians render it) The man of wind, or the windy man, is mad: Anger is a short madness, and he that speaks angrily, is in danger to speak madly. Jobs Friends were not men of wind, nor were they mad, and the words which they spoke had a general sense and savour of truth and soberness in them; yet (as to Jobs particular case) they wanted some grains of truth and reason, they were too high and swelling, considering how low and humble he was; they were too full of passion, being spoken to a man so full of sufferings. And therefore though that censure of his Friends words, as vain (who indeed were wise and grave men) was too censorious and sharp, yet it must be granted, that their words also were too sharp, even such as vexed his spirit, and wore out his patience, upon which account he expects and begs an end of them. Shall vain words have an end? That is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Finis a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praecidit abscidit. Quia finis est tam temporis quam rei praecisio & terminus. Will you make an end of vain speaking? I pray do, I wish you would: Cut off the thread of this discourse, you have spun it out and continued it, but too long already. The Hebrew word which we translate an end, springs from a root which signifies to cut off, because every end, whether of time, or things, is the cutting off of that time or thing, the end of which it is. While Job asks the Question, Shall vain words have an end? He speaks the vehemency of his own desire and expectation, to see an end of them. I shall not stay here to give any observations upon these words, but refer the Reader to the Texts before alleged, in the eighth and fifteenth Chapters, where this expression is more fully opened: Only Note. First, Vain words are very burdensome to a serious ear, much more to a sad heart. Secondly, It is good to end that quickly, we should not have begun. Profitable words may be too long continued, but unprofitable words cannot be too soon ended: It is best not to speak vainly, and it is next best to cease, or give over such kind of speaking quickly. There is a time to be silent from good words, as well as a time to speak them; but there is no time to speak evil words; all times, in reference to them, are times of silence. An Aposioposis, or sudden stop of speech, is the most suitable figure of Rhetoric which they can use, who speak unsutably. As the end of what we say or do well is best, so the ending of what we say or do amiss is best. Perseverance in every good word and work is Angelical, and the highest perfection of duty, but perseverance in an evil, whether word or work, is Diabolical, and the utmost departure from duty. Let not thy mouth open to utter vanity; but if it doth, shut it quickly: be not heard speaking that twice, which should not be spoken once. Or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? If thou wilt not make an end, then tell me why? Give me a reason; what is it that stirs thee to reply upon me, What emboldeneth thee to answer? The Hebrew word signifies, first, to strengthen, to fortify, or confirm; he that is strengthened, is emboldened. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est roborare fortificare acris esse. It signifies also to be sharp or bitter (1 Kings 2.8.) David on his deathbed, tells Solomon his Son, and Successor in the Kingdom, that Shimei had cursed him with a grievous curse; that is, with a strong, bitter, and provoking curse, of which we read the Story (2 Sam. 16.5.) This Quaere is rendered three ways. First, as we, What emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? As if he had said, I thought I should have silenced thee before this time, or that thou wouldst have put silence upon thyself; I wonder who, or what it is, that sets thee on to speak still; dost thou think by thy renewed on sets to weary me, and make me yield at last? Hast thou a hope to prevail upon me by thy importunity, when thou canst not by thy reason? Or hast thou further strength of reason, fresh arguments to produce in confirmation of thine opinion? Are these but Forerunners, or thy Vanguard? Is the main battle yet behind? Hast thou some Reserves of greater power than thou hast yet led up against me? Let me see them if thou hast? If not, give over, and hold thy peace; for what shall either I or thou get by a further progress? What emboldeneth thee to answer. Job speaks wonderingly, his reason was at a loss about the cause of his Friends boldness, and therefore he admires it: There are two things which may embolden a man to answer. First, The goodness and justice of that cause which he undertakes. Secondly, The strength and assistance of God to carry him through it. Upon these grounds, the youngest David may be bold to enter the Lists, and dare the Combat with the strongest Goliath. But there are two other things which usually embolden men to answer. First, Selfe-confidence. Secondly, Unwillingness to yield. They who are thus emboldened, will not give over answering, though they have no further light of truth, or reason to hold out in their answers: Job surely had such apprehensions of his Friend Eliphaz, which moved him to ask, What emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? Hence Note. Such is the stiffness and vanity of some, that they will hold on a contention, though they have no further grounds of truth or reason to continue it upon. They will speak on though it be the same thing, only in a new dress of words. They have store of words, though scarcity of matter; we may justly say to such, What emboldeneth you to answer? It is more than boldness, a kind of impudence in such to answer: pertinacy of spirit disdains to lay down the Bucklers. They who contend for victory, rather than for truth, will not be answered, how much soever they are answered: And they who are more loath be foiled, then willing to be rectified, will hardly submit to the plainest and clearest evidence. The second reading is, What doth provoke thee to answer, Quid exacer but ●e ut respondeas. Jun. or What imbitters thy spirit that thou answerest? As if Job had said, Surely Eliphaz my fair discourse with thee, should have stopped the course of this severe proceeding with me before this time; thou hast loaded me with hard words, and uncharitable jealousies; but have I spoken provokingly, or bitterly to thee? My conscience tells me that I have not, and thou knowest I have not. He that impartially reads over Jobs answers to Eliphaz, may find here and there a sour passage; but as we say Proverbially, You must give loser's leave to speak. The wise Physician hears his Patient giving him uncomely language, yet will not hear it, much less retort or answer so again: They who are in pain must be borne with; though they provoke, it must not be called a provocation; and though they give offence, yet it must not be taken. When the Child cries, the Nurse sings: God himself bears with the manners of his people (so the word intimates, Acts 13.18.) as a Mother doth with a froward Child; and so should we with the frowardness of our weak and afflicted Brethren. So that in this sense, the provocations which Job gave his Friends, were not to be reckoned as provocations; and he might well say to Eliphaz, What provoketh thee to answer? If I (in the case I am in) have spoken passionately, Wilt thou be provoked by it? Thou shouldest not. Thou oughtest to pass it by and cover it with the garment of charity. Yet further, we may take the words as a total denial of any provocation given on his part. Whence Note. Some will speak harshly to, and of those who never provoked, or gave them cause. Water runs clear till 'tis troubled and stirred by some outward violence: But the spirits of some men run muddy, though nothing from without stirs them. The Prophet compares all wicked men to the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt (Isa. 57.20.) The Sea is not always troubled, when the Winds are quiet, that is quiet; we often see a smooth Sea, as smooth as Glass: A wicked man is like the Sea when 'tis enraged, he is such a Sea as knows no calm; he is like the Sea, not only when it is troubled, but when it cannot rest. Though no breath of Wind from abroad offend him, yet he storms: He hath lusts in his own bowels, which provoke him when nothing else doth; yea those lusts within provoke him, when all without labour to pacify him. So David complains (Psal. 120.5, 7.) Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar; that is, With the Sons or descendants of Ishmael, who have learned of their Father to mock and persecute; I dwell in the Tents of Kedar: But what caused them to mock and persecute? Was it any provocation that David had given them? No, for he saith in the next words, I am for peace (I would live quietly with all my heart) but when I speak, they are for Warr. A motion for Peace, becomes a provocation to War? It is sinful to speak rashly, or harshly, though we are provoked; what is it then to speak so when we are not provoked? They angered Moses at the waters of strife, they provoked his spirit; yet it went ill with Moses for their sakes, when he spoke unadvisedly with his lips (Psal. 106.32, 33.) But what was this unadvised speech. Moses reports his own infirmity (Numb. 20.10, 11.) And Moses and Aaron gathered the Congregation together before the rock; and he said unto them, Hear now ye Rebels, must we fetch you water out of this Rock? And Moses lift up his hand, and with his Rod he smote the Rock twice, etc. The error of Moses in this business was twofold. First, That he did not only smite the Rock, but smite it twice with the Rod in his hand, whereas he had order only, to take the Rod in his hand, and speak to the Rock before their eyes, and it should give out water (Verse. 8.) His second error was, that he did not only speak to the people (for which in that transaction he had no order from God) but spoke bitterly and harshly to them, calling them Rebels, and slighting them Must we fetch water for you, & c? What, for you, who are a murmuring and gainsaying people? God knew the stubbornness of that people, and their rebellions against him, yet he did not call them Rebels, but said in the close of the eighth Verse, So shalt thou give the Congregation, and their Beasts drink. God had more reason and power to call them Rebels than Moses had, yet he did not. And because Moses did, that unadvised speech of his, and the actions which attended it, were called Rebellion, at the twenty fourth Verse of the same Chapter. Ye (saith the Lord of Moses and Aaron) rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. Now, if Moses was thus reproved and censured by God himself, for speaking passionately, to a people who had provoked both God their Deliverer, and him their Leader; what reproof do they deserve, who, either upon none, or very little provocation, call their Brethren, Hypocrites, Heretics, schismatics, Rebels, perjured persons, men of prostituted consciences, or at least, of unsettled and uncertain Principles; will not the Lord take notice of this bitterness, even in those who are his precious Servants, towards their fellow-servants, when he laid so heavy a penalty (as non-admission into the promised Land) upon a pair of the most eminent and faithful Servants that ever he called forth to his work, since he laid the foundations, of the World? This falls heavy upon the present age: Whence is that bitterness, that Gall and Wormwood which falls from many, both tongues and Pens every day? What hath provoked them thus to speak and write? I confess there have been provocations, and some do but give Gall for Gall, and Wormwood for Wormwood; yet it cannot be denied, but that many speak and write bitterly, when they have had no provocation; yea most who speak bitterly, have been treated gently, and few who answer angrily will be able to give a good account what hath provoked them thus to answer; and how much soever any man hath been provoked, the Lord may justly make him smart for such smartness in answering. It will not bear us out in acting or speaking besides the rule, because others do so. Paul shows us our duty in his own practice (1 Cor. 4.12, 13.) Being reviled we bless, b●ing defamed we entreat: We must not defame them that defame us, we must not revile our revilers. Then, woe to those who revile such as bless them; and defame such as entreat them: O what provoketh such to such ways of answering? There is yet a third reading of this clause, which I will but touch, Quid tibi molestum est si loquaris. Vulg. When shall vain words have an end? But what trouble is it to thee if thou speakest? Or, Is it any trouble to thee if thou speakest? As if he had said, I cannot much wonder though thou dost not end these vain ruffling discourses, for I am persuaded they are no great trouble to thee, how much soever they are to others; such words cost thee little study; thou needest not beat thy brains, or bite thy nails for such matter as this. That which comes next, and lies uppermost, is all that some men have to say, when they have said all. They that speak most to the pain of others, take least pains themselves. We say, Good words are cheap, it costs little to speak fair; but ill words are cheaper, Fowl language costs little in the preparation, though it may prove costly enough in the event. There is a profitable sense in this translation, though I will not give it for the meaning of the Text. It is our duty to consider before we speak, as well as before we act; and to put ourselves to some trouble in preparing what we have to say, before we give others the trouble of hearing it. When God calls us to speak, either in our own defence, or for the edification of others, on a sudden, we may expect (according to the promise, Matth. 10.19.) That it shall be given us in that hour what we shall speak. If the providence of God straiten us, the spirit of God will enlarge us; that promise will help us, when we have no time to prepare ourselves, but it will not, if we neglect the time in which we should prepare ourselves: For when Christ saith in that place, Take no thought how or what ye shall speak; we must expound it like that (Matth. 6.25.) Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; Which is not a prohibition of all thought about those things, but only of those thoughts which are distracting and distrustful. Job having reproved his Friends these three ways, for the manner of their dealing with him; Now reproves them by a serious profession of his better dealing with them; in case (as we commonly say) The Tables were turned, they coming in his place, and he in theirs: This he doth in the two Verses following. Vers. 4. I also could speak as ye do, if your soul were in my soul's stead: I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. 5. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief. Job in this context tells his Friends two things. First, What he could do. And secondly, What he would do. The former of these is laid down expressly in the fourth Verse. Vers. 4. I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul's stead, etc. The Soul is here put (as often elsewhere in Scripture) for the whole man; then, his meaning is (and so Master Broughton translates) If you were in my place, or in my condition. If God should transcribe my wounds and sorrows upon your backs, and consciences, or if my grief dwelled in your bowels, I could speak as you do, etc. The sufferings of the soul hold out the sufferings of the whole man, upon a twofold consideration. First, Because the soul is the principal part of man. When that which is chief suffers, all may be said to suffer. Secondly, Because afflictions which lie upon the soul, are most afflictive: The sensitive power of the body, is called the soul, and we are most sensible of those afflictions which fall immediately upon the rational soul. That man forgets the sorrows of his body, whose soul is sorrowful. The more inward any suffering is, the more grievous it is. I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul's stead, etc. Some read the words Interrogatively, Can I speak as you do? If your soul were in my soul's stead, could I heap up words against you, and shake my head at you? Master Broughton gives that sense fully, Would I speak as you, if you were in my place, would I compose bare words against you, and nod upon you with my head? The meaning is Negative, If you were in my soul's stead, I could do none of these things. Can I do them? No (as we say) I could as soon eat my own flesh as do them: If I were at ease, and you in pain, could I deal thus with you? I would die rather than deal so with you. This reading is good, and hath a greater emphasis in it then our bare affirmative reading, though the sense and scope of both be the same. If your soul were in my soul's stead. Some read this Optatively, or as a wish, O that your soul were in my soul's stead; and then the latter words are taken as a promise or profession of offices of love: First, I would heap up words for you. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concinnare apte disponere. The Hebrew word which we translate to heap, signifies properly to prepare and fit a thing, to fashion and put it into a good frame; it is not a rude, inartificial heaping of things together, without form or fashion, as the first Chaos was; but a beautiful elegant digestion or composure of them, in the exactest form and fashion, like that of the several pieces of the World, conjoined in that work of the six day's creation: As if he had said, O that your soul were a while in my soul's stead, see how I would use you, how I would deal with you; truly, all the hurt I would do to you, should be this, I would prepare the softest and the sweetest words I could with all my skill and rhetoric, to ease your sorrows; I would speak music to your ears, and joy to your hearts; I would study and compose a speech on purpose, to revive and raise your drooping, desponding spirits. So also the second branch may be interpreted, And shake mine head at you, or over you: For to shake the head, notes pity and compassion; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Et movissem super vos caput condolenter. Chrysost. to shake the head is the posture of those who mourn with, or for their Friends. Hence the word is translated to bemoan (Nah. 3.7.) Who will bemoan him (Chap. 42.11.) Jobs Friends came to bemoan him; 'tis this word, They came to shake their heads over him, because of all the evil which the Lord had brought upon him. One of the Ancients makes this exposition, the Text, I would have shaken my head over you bemoaningly, or with compassion: The same word may well signify to shake the head, and to pity, seeing they who pity others, use to shake their heads over them, and say, Ah my Friend, or Ah my Brother. So then, if we read the words as a wish, O that your souls were in my soul's stead; yet Job did not wish it for their hurt, but that he might have an opportunity to show how much he would labour to be their Servant in Love, to do them good. Hence Note. A good man doth not wish ill to those who have rewarded him with evil upon any other terms, than a discovery of his own goodness. 'Tis sin to wish that they who are in a comfortable condition, might fall into our misery, though they have been miserable comforters to us in our misery. We may not (in this case) wish pain or sorrow to any sort of men, except upon one of these two considerations. First, That we may give them an experiment of our tenderness towards them, in doing them all the good we can in their affliction. Or secondly, That God may give an experiment of his graciousness towards them, in doing them good by their afflictions. The Prophet Isaiah (Chap. 14.10.) foreshows how they who had been weakened by the power of Babylon, should insult over weakened Babylon, All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us? The people of God shall at last rejoice (in reference to the glory of God, and public good) to see their destroyers destroyed, and those weak who have weakened them. But the people of God (in reference to any private, or personal interest) cannot rejoice at the destruction, or in the weakness of any man, much less can they wish them weak that they might have an opportunity to rejoice over them. Paul was a Prisoner, and in bonds, yet he did not wish the worst of his Enemies in Prison, or in Bonds with him; he only wished that they might enjoy the same liberty by Jesus Christ, which himself enjoyed. For when he had almost persuaded King Agrippa to become a Christian, he said, I would to God, that not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds (Acts 26.28, 29.) I would keep my chains, and troubles to myself, I would have none of you know my sorrows; but I would that all your souls were in as good a state as mine, and knew my comforts. A holy heart wisheth all well, as well as itself; and if at any time he wisheth that to the worst of his enemies, which is penally evil, he doth it with an eye both to their spiritual and eternal good. Thus of the words as they are read in the form of a wish. We read them as a Supposition, If your souls were in my soul's stead: And then the two latter branches must be interpreted as acts of unfreindlinesse, showing what Job could, but would not do, as was touched before. I could heap up words against you. That is, I could make long speeches, and enlarge myself in discourse, I could speak terror, and thunder out whole volleys of threats against you; I could deaf your ears with loud voices, and sad your hearts with heavy censures. There is a figure in Rhetoric called Congeries, or The Heap. Many words to the same sense, especially when there is little in them but words, are called justly, a heap of words: Now, saith Job, Quassare caput, apud authores Latinos gestus est hominis irati aut minantis aut lamentantis. Drus .. Ridentes caput motitant. Drus. I could be as nimble at this figure as you; and with my speech I could mix your action. Shake my head at you. Shaking the head, notes scorn and threatening (Psal. 22.7.) All they that seem, laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, and shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord, etc. So the afflicted Church complains (Psal. 44.14.) Thou makest us a byword among the Heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. We have this action joined with two more, which signify the greatest contempt, by lamenting Jeremiah (Lam. 2.15,) All that pass by clap their hands at thee, they hisse, and wag their head, at the Daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the City that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole Earth? Our blessed Saviour (upon whom contempt and scorn was to vent itself all manner of ways he being to bear all that scorn, as well as all that pain which was due to our sins, our blessed Saviour, I say) was scorned this way (Matth 27.39.) And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads. So then to shake, or wag the head at a man in affliction, speaks, as sometimes our pity, so most times, our contempt; and as it is usually accompanied with audible mockings, so itself is a visible mock: Which being interpreted, speaks thus to the person afflicted, Thou evil-doer, or thou hypocrite, thou dost even well become thy sufferings, all these miseries are well bestowed on thee, etc. In this sense Job seems to speak here, I could shake my head at you: I have indeed been as one mocked of his Friend (Chap. 12.4.) and I could mock my Friends, I could laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh; but my conscience bears witness with me, that if it should come, I would not. Hence Note. First, A godly man hath a power to do that evil which he hath no will to do. A carnal man hath a will to many evils, for which he hath no power or opportunity: A godly man would not do any evil, how much power and opportunity soever he hath. And indeed though he hath a natural, or civil, yet he hath not a moral power to do any evil. In which sense the Apostle speaks of a regenerate person, (1 John 3.9.) He that is borne of God cannot sin: He hath a natural power to sin any sin, to lie, to be drunk, to be unclean, etc. He may have a civil power to oppress, to deceive, to wrong his Brother; yet he cannot turn either his hand or his heart to such works as these are: he hath learned better, and is better. He is borne of God, his blood and pedigree is so high, that he cannot meddle, nor trade in such low things. Wisdom is too high for a fool (saith Solomon, Prov. 24.7.) and folly is too low for a wisdom. When Joseph was solicited by his Mistress to commit folly with her, he answers, How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God (Gen. 39.9.) Joseph wanted neither power, nor opportunity to do that wickedness; yet he saith, How can I do it? Paul and his fellow-Apostles had wit and parts sufficient to oppose the truth, yet he saith (2 Cor. 13.8.) We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. Paul was a great doer, and he saith (Phil. 4.13.) I can do all things through Christ strengthening of me; but Paul could do nothing to the dishonour of Christ. Doubtless Paul could have maintained an argument, and drive on an objection as far as another man, against the truth, if he would have set himself to it, and have made that his business; but he had not a mind to do it: The bent of his spirit did not lie that way, he was all for Christ, and the Gospel; he was a Giant for the truth, but an Infant, a weakling, as weak as water against it; he had neither an understanding to conceive, nor a tongue to speak to the disservice of Jesus Christ. It is a good observation of one of the Ancients, upon this place, Narrat justus quid facere potuit, sed ne justitiam deserat, quod facere potuit declinat. Greg. A just man declares what he can do, but that he may not desert Justice, he forbears to do what he can. The providence of God sets bounds to the power of a carnal man, but the spirit of God sets bounds to the power of a holy man; if a carnal man keep within compass at any time, it is because he is restrained; but a godly man keeps within compass, because he is renewed. Laban tells Jacob (Gen. 31.29.) It is in the power of my hand to do thee hurt: And why did not Laban hurt Jacob? Was it from any principle of love or righteousness in Laban's breast? The Text is silent in that, and Laban himself seems to tell us, whence it was, in the same Verse, The God of your Fathers spoke unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob, etc. And this his speaking to Laban, Jacob calls, Gods rebuking of Laban (Verse. 42.) implying, that if God had not stopped him, he would have done him hurt. It was more than once in the power of David's hand, to hurt, yea to slay Saul, and he was strongly moved by some of his great Officers to do it, yet he strongly refused to do it, or to suffer it to be done, because it would have been sin in him to do it, himself being a private person, and the way in which he had any opportunity to do it, being only a private way, when Saul was in the Cave, covering his feet (1 Sam. 24.3.) or in a Trench fast asleep (1 Sam. 26.7.) and therefore (though he had strengthened himself against Saul with an Army, and was ready (upon his provocation) to stretch forth his hand against him in Battle, yet) he saith, Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed, and be guiltless? David was not stopped from hurting Saul, by a rebuke from God, but by the rule and dictate of his own conscience. The thing might have been easily done, but because it could not be innocently done, therefore David could not do it. Secondly, Observe more specially to the matter of this Text. A godly man (when himself) cannot be harsh and grievous to others, though he have never so much advantage to be so. His canning are not for such uses. What the Apostle saith of his Ministerial power, a gracious heart saith of all his power, It is for edification, not for destruction (2 Cor. 13.10.) He designs his power for the help and comfort of all, not for the hurt or grief of any. A good man is merciful to his Beast; how then can he be unmerciful to his Brethren? He pitieth a Beast fallen under a burden, how then can he be cruel to his Brother when he is under burdens? Nature, or common humanity abhors such actings; much more doth Grace. Paul gives this charge to Believers, Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ (Gal. 6.2.) This Law of Christ is written in the heart of every man, who is Christ's, and therefore he is far from adding to another man's burden: He that hath a fellow-feeling of his brethren's sorrows, will not increase their sorrows; no man will purposely increase, or add to that burden which himself must bear. Can I speak as you do? Thus for the Negative, what Job would not have done, if their soul had been in his soul's stead. But, What would he have done? He tells us in the next Verse, this is the course that I would take. Vers. 5. I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief. This is my design, and all the hurt I intent you. These words in the substance of them have been opened (Chap. 4.4.) where Eliphaz tells Job, that he had done, what here he promised he would do, Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees: Thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Eliphaz had given testimony for Job that he had done, what Job now professeth he was resolved to do, and would do, in case he were put into their condition, and they into his, I would strengthen you with my mouth: that is, With the words of my mouth; and (which is the same) the moving of my lips should assuage your grief. Here are the two parts of consolation, and the two great duties of a comforter. The first, is to strengthen sorrowful man. The second, is to abate the strength of his sorrows. Job was resolved upon both: Were they weak in faith, and hope, he would strengthen them; were their fears and doubtings strong, he would endeavour to weaken them, I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief. The word Grief is not expressed in the Hebrew: there it is only thus, Motio labiorum meorum prohiberet. Heb. sc. dolorem vestrum. The moving of my lips should assuage; be it what it will that grieves you, I would labour to assuage it: I would assuage your fears, your sorrows, your impatience, your unbelief; whatever spiritual evil were upon you, the moving of my lips should be for the removing of it. Or (as others render) For the turning of it away. For the word signifies. First, To abate in degree. Secondly, To turn away, or to stop altogether. My design should be upon both, I would study to the utmost of my power and parts, not only to mitigate, but quite to remove whatsoever I should find an affliction to you. It hath been showed (Chap. 4.4.) what power words have, both to strengthen weak faith, and to assuage the strongest grief, thither I refer the Reader; only take two brief notes from it. First, A good man doth not only abstain from the hurt that he might do another, but he labours to help him, and to do him good. Not to heap words in anger upon them that are in misery, not to shake the head at them in contempt, is only a Negative piece of charity and kindness: 'Tis our duty to use our utmost endeavour to refresh and comfort them. Negative acts of kindness are not the fulfilling of the law of love, it is not charity to the poor, to say I will not make them poorer, I will take nothing from them; it is our duty to give them of what we have. When a man is sorrowful, it is not enough to say, I will not increase his grief; it is our duty to lessen it, yea to turn it into joy. And this is more considerable, in reference to the persons with whom Job had to do; they had given him very hard measure, yet he would not requite them with hard measure; he would measure that to them which was good, and he would give them good measure. It is the common rule of humanity, to do good to those who do us good; it is more than beastly, even devilish cruelty, to hurt those that do us good; it is the height of Christianity, to do good to those who have been a hindrance to us, and to comfort those who have caused our sorrow. The Apostolical rule is, Recompense to no man evil for evil (Rom. 12.17.) And again (v. 19) Dear beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: The Apostle doth not mean, that we should give place to our own wrath, if we do so, we give place to the Devil, as the same Apostle intimates (Ephes. 4.26, 27.) Our own wrath must be stopped and resisted, quenched and put out. Then, what, or whose wrath is it, that we are commanded to give place unto? This wrath may be taken two ways. First, For the wrath of that man, who is our enemy; we must give place to his wrath, not by approving him or his wrath, but by not answering him with wrath. If when another storms we are calm, if when he rages, we show all gentleness, and meekness both of speech and spirit, than we give place to his wrath; that is, We make it room to pass away and evaporate: Solomon's Proverb is the sum of this Exposition (Pro. 15.1.) A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. Secondly, When Paul adviseth us not to avenge ourselves, but rather to give place to wrath; we may understand it of the wrath of God; and the very next words, which the Apostle allegeth from (Deut. 32.35.) carry the sense clearly this way, For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith the Lord: As if the Apostle had said, if you take upon you to avenge yourselves, you take Gods work out of his hand; it belongs to God as much to take revenge, as it doth to give reward. And therefore as a man who having done good, is over careful and anxious how to get his reward, takes rewarding work out of God's hand, and shall have no more reward than he can get himself; as Christ tells the Pharisees in that case (Matth. 6.2.) Verily I say unto you, ye have your reward: And all that a man can get himself, is not worth the having. So the man, who having suffered wrong, goes about to revenge himself, takes revenging work out of God's hand, and shall be righted no further than he can right himself, which is but little, if any thing at all; whereas if he would give place to the wrath of God; that is, Let God alone, by such ways as his Justice shall raise up, to right him, against his adversary, he would right him fully. So that our Interest doth not lie in returning evil for evil, but in returning good for evil to our enemies; as Saint Paul concludes (Rom. 13.20.) Therefore if thine Enemy hunger, feed him, of he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing, thou shalt heap cools of fire on his head. That is, thou shalt either melt and mollify his spirit towards thee, as hardest metals are by coals of fire (some such melting we may see in Saul towards David, when he forbore to take vengeance on him (1 Sam. 24.16. Chap. 26.21.) or thou shalt heap coals of divine vengeance upon him, by making his malice and hatred against thee more inexcusable: Which latter though it may be looked upon as a consequent of our doing good to our Enemies, yet we must take heed of making it the end why we do so, for that were to seek revenge while we forbear it, and to do good for that end, were to be overcome of evil; which the Apostle forbids in the close of that Chapter. Job in this Text was far from professing a● readiness to assuage the grief of his unkind, or enemy-like Friends, upon hope that God would increase their sorrow. Secondly, Observe. Words duly spoken and applied, are of great power. How forcible are right words? Is Jobs question (Chap. 6.25.) He doth not there answer his question, nor tell us how forcible they are, but here he doth. They are of such force, that they strengthen weak souls, and assuage the most swelling floods of sorrow. God at first gave being and motion to all creatures, with the moving of his lips: He by the moving of his lips hath ever since ordered all their motions: The word of man produceth great effects, the tongue sets all hands on work; and what almost cannot the tongue of man do? The tongue is a little member (saith the Apostle James, Chap. 3.5.) ●ond boasteth great things: Now as the tongues of vain men boast great things which they cannot do; so the tongues of wise men can really do great things. Vain men (as we say) will take thirteen to the duzzen, but cannot perform one. Wise men though they speak not much, yet they can perform much with a word speaking. And though as the same Apostle declaimes most holily against the tongue of a wicked man (Vers. 8.) that his tongue is such an unruly evil, that no man can tame it; yet there have scarce ever been found any men so unruly, but the tongues of wise and godly men have tamed them: yea the tongue of a wise man is to an unruly man, and often to a multitude of unruly men, as a bit in a Horse's mouth, or as a Rudder to a Ship, turning him or them about which way soever he listeth; as this Apostle teacheth us by these similitudes (Vers. 3.4.) the tongue of every man is to, and doth to himself, whether it be good or evil. And as the tongue is thus powerful in civillizing the ●ude, and in appeasing the humours of those who are most ' outrageous; so it is very powerful in supporting those that are ready to sink, and in assuaging the grief of those who are most disconsolate and sorrowful. Lastly, Whereas Job speaks peremptorily, as if he saw the effect, or were assured of it aforehand, I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief: Job knew that the success of all his counsels depended upon the concurrence and blessing of God; yet thus he speaks. Hence Note. A man may say he hath done that, for the doing of which he hath used suitable and faithful endeavours, whether the thing be done or no: The Lord saith to Jerusalem by the Prophet Ezekiel (Chap. 24.13.) Because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged. Now as God takes it upon him, that he had purged them, though they were not purged, because he gave them so many means and helps for their purging; so any man in his proportion, may take it upon him, that he hath strengthened their faith, abated their grief, yea and saved their souls, among, and towards whom he hath diligently used those means appointed by God for the attaining of those great and noble ends, though possibly those ends be not attained. God himself reckons thus of all the labours of his faithful servants, they shall be rewarded as having done that which they have been doing with their hearts, hands, and tongues, though they see little fruit of either. Then I said, I have laboured in vain (Isa. 49.4.) but though it was in vain to those for whom he laboured, that is, they got no good by it, yet it was not in vain to him who laboured, he got much good by it; as it follows in the same Verse, Surely my judgement is with the Lord, and my work (or my reward, one word signifies both reward and work, to show that these can never be separated, my work, saith he) is with my God; and Vers. 5. Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. As we are not to judge of the goodness of any cause by the success, but by the justice of it; so neither doth God adjudge the reward of any work by the success, but by the goodness of it, together with the sweat and sincerity of him that doth it. As the will of a godly man is accepted for the deed, so his deed is accepted for the success. JOB, CHAP. 16. Vers. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me, beareth witness to my face. He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth, mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. They have gaped upon me with their mouth, they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully, they have gathered themselves together against me. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over to the hands of the wicked. IN the five former Verses of this Chapter, Job reproved the personal failings of his Friends towards him; he now enters upon the confutation of their opinion. This is the constant method, both of Job and his Friends; they never come to the matter till they have fallen upon the man; nor touch the opinion, till they have dealt with the person. And this is the tenor of most men's spirits, to this day, in disputes and controversies, and some do not only deal with the man before the matter, but lose the matter in dealing with the man, entangling, and engaging themselves so much in personal quarrels, that they forget, or desert the doctrinal quarrel. Job and his Friends, though they were too mindful of the former, yet they did not forget the latter, and here Job addresses himself unto it. Yet before he enters upon the state of the question, he sets forth his own state, and shows how it was with him; granting (which Eliphaz had made the ground of his accusation) that he was in an extremely afflicted condition, yet denying what he from thence inferred, that he was therefore wicked, or continued knowingly in any sinful course. He describes his afflictions with much variety of Argument and Elocution, to the seventeenth Verse. First, Aggravating them by their unmovableness, or remedilesnesse: His sorrows were stubborn, and such as would not yield to any kind of remedy. Vers. 6. Though I speak my grief is not assuaged, and though I forbear, what am I eased? In the former Verse Job speaks in a high strain of assurance, that if his Friends were afflicted, The moving of his lips should assuage their grief: But it seems, his own experience had taught him, that the moving of his lips could not assuage his own grief; Though I speak (saith he here) my grief is not assuaged. Hence Observe. A man may do that for others which he cannot do for himself. He may comfort others in their sorrows, when he cannot comfort himself, he may resolve others in their doubts, when he cannot resolve himself, he may answer to cases which their consciences put him, when he cannot answer his own; yea 'tis possible for a man to speak such words to another, as may turn him from his sin, and save his soul, and yet himself continue in sin, and lose his own soul for ever. Naturalists have a rule concerning the senses, That, when a sensible object is brought too near, or laid upon the sense, it not only hinders, but takes away the present sensation. This holds a proportion in rational actings: the nearer any one is to us in relation, the harder it is to fix counsel upon him; and because we are nearest to ourselves, therefore it is hardest of all to counsel ourselves. Our Saviour Christ prevents what he foresaw some ready to object against him (Luke 4.23.) Ye will surely say unto me this Proverb, Physician heal thyself. The Proverb in its Original is (I conceive) to be understood personally; but as Christ suggests it there, it is to be understood Nationally, or Provincially, Heale thyself, is, heal thy own Country; exercise thy power of working miracles there, as well as thou hast done it in other places; that this is the meaning of it, appears plainly by the next words, Whatsoever we have heard done in Canaan, do also in thine own Country: For Christ as yet had wrought no mighty works of healing there (Mark 6.5.) But why was Christ so slow in manifesting himself to his own Countrymen? He gives the reason (Vers. 24.) And he said, Verily I say unto you, no Prophet is accepted in his own Country: The Gospel of Mark (Chap. 6.4.) adds too closer relations, His own Kin, and his own House: They in a man's house are nearer to him then his kindred abroad, and his kindred are nearer to him then his Countrymen; now among these, a Prophet hath no honour: They know him so much, that they do not respect him, or his say. The Jews said, Is not this the Carpenter, the Son of Mary, the Brother of James, etc. Christ being thus near to them, had little honour among them. Now for as much, as a man is nearer to himself, not only then his Countrymen, but then any of his Kin; therefore his own counsels and comforts have ordinarily so little effect upon himself; he is not accepted in his own breast. There are some indeed so gracious, or great in their own eyes, that they will ask counsel of none but themselves, nor follow any advice but their own; but usually man seeks out, as being neither able to satisfy his own doubts, nor abate his own sorrows, though possibly, more able for both, than he to whom he seeks. Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; and though I forbear, what am I eased? Some conceive Job speaking here like an Orator, who seems to stand in doubt what to do, Eloquar an sileam? Quid agam? si locutus fuero, etc. Vulg. and therefore trembles out his Preface in such words as these, Shall I speak, or shall I be silent? Shall I open my lips, or shall I forbear? Jobs pain received no check which way soever of these he took, and therefore it seemed vain to attempt either. Though I speak. That is, If I stand up in my just defence to answer, and take away your objections, yet my grief is not answered; Nunc eo res redierunt, ut quo me vertam nesciam aut quid agam, nam nec loquendo nec tacendo quicquam proficio. Merc. that is as busy with me, and as talkative as ever it was; yea, than you object my impatience under sufferings, as an argument of my sin. And though I forbear. That is, If I bite in my pain, and speak not, if I stand mute, as attentive to hear you speak, yet my sorrow moves not; yea, than you judge my silence an argument of my secret guilt, and that all is true which you have said against me, because I say nothing for myself. Thus, What am I eased saith the Text in our translation? The Hebrew saith, What goeth from me? That is, What of my pain, what of my sorrow goeth away from me, when I cease, or forbear to speak? So that, The general sense of this Verse is to show that his troubles were past hope of redress; they found no cure; none by speech, none by silence: Grief is sometimes eased by speaking, sometimes by silence, either our own or others. To say nothing is a medicine for some men's sorrow: the sorrow of others cannot be medicined, but by saying much: A plaster of words hath cured many a wound, and the more words have been used, the more some wounds have festered, and the anguish of them hath increased. Hence Observe. There is no means of remedy left for that evil which is not remedied by the use and trial of contrary means. If neither speech nor silence ease a man's mind, what can? We find such a kind of arguing (though in a different case) used by Christ (Matth. 11.16, 17.) Where when he would show how impossible, or at least how extremely difficult it was to please the Jews (they were a humourous people, and let a man put himself in what posture he would, they would find some fault, or have somewhat to object against him) Whereunto (saith Christ) shall I liken this generation? (they were so untoward, that Christ speaks as if he were straitened, how to find out a fit comparison for them, or could scarce tell to what they were like; yet he tells us) They are like unto Children sitting in the Markets, and calling to their fellows, saying, We have piped and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not lamented. When a man will neither mourn with us, nor rejoice with us, what shall we do with him? How shall we please him? For what company is he fit? That such was the tendency of this similitude, appears plainly in the application which Christ makes (Vers. 18.) For John came neither eating, nor drinking, and they say he hath a Devil: They did not like the mournful, austere course of John: The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they said, Behold a man gluttonous, and a Wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and Sinners: They did not like the free converse of Christ. When a people are of this spirit, or at this lock, that neither a man who is affable and courteous, ready both to receive, and give civilities, is welcome to them, nor yet he who is austere, and reserved, close, and strict in his way, can give them any content, who, or what can content them? When neither piping nor mouring, when neither dancing nor sorrowing takes with us, what can? When we would describe a person whose troublesomeness of spirit seems unanswerable, we say of him, He is quiet neither full nor fasting: that is, he is never quiet, or nothing can make him quiet. Abraham saith to his Nephew Lot (Gen. 13.8, 9) Let there be no strife I pray thee, between me and thee, and between thy Herdsmen and my Herdsmen, for we are brethren, etc. If thou wilt take the left hand, than I will go to the right, or if thou depart to the right hand, than I will go to the left. Now as it is an argument of the sweetest spirit, and fairest disposition when a man is ready to take either hand, rather than break the peace, so it argues the sourest spirit, and most untractable disposition, when a man will neither go to the right hand nor to the left, when he will neither move forward nor backward; when he will neither give nor take, neither buy nor sell, there is no dealing with such a man, for he waves all the ways of dealing. Thus also we conclude a people incorrigible, who continue in their sins, whether God smite or heal, whether he deliver them from, or deliver them up into the hand of judgements, because these are the utmost bounds, or the extremes of all those providential dispensations which God useth at any time to turn a people from their sin. Again, We say they are unperswadeable wh●m neither fair means, nor foul, can reduce; speak them fair, they are naught; speak them foul, they are naught still; promise them good, they remain evil, threaten them with evil, they will not be good. You may carry it out in all experiments, wheresoever you find an evil frame of mind or body, or of affairs, which mends not, or doth not alter for the better, by the application of the other contrary, when the former hath been applied without success, you may write under it (as to humane helps) This is a desperate case, a distemper incurable, Yet further, Job in these words reflects upon his Friends; as if he had said, Some men, by complaining and opening their sores to those who visit them in their affliction, find their Friends relieving them presently with sound counsel, and pouring the oil of consolation into their wounded spirits; but alas, it is not so with me, for whether I speak or hold my peace, it is all one; ye are all against me, and are neither persuaded by my speech nor by my silence, to apply proper remedies for the asswaging of my grief, or the easing of my pains. Hence Note. It is the duty, and should be the care of those who visit Friends in affliction, to pick somewhat out of what they say, or at least to take occasion from their silence, to administer consolation to their grieved minds. When the Servants of Benhadad came to Ahab to sue for their Master's life; the Text saith (1 Kings 20.33.) The men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him (that is, whether any word of hope would come from Ahab) and they did hastily catch it: And Ahab had no sooner said, He is my Brother; but they catcht at this as a word of comfort, they had what they looked for, and said, Thy Brother Benhadad. If thou ownest him as a Brother, surely thou wilt not use him as an Enemy: There is (to the point in hand) a holy cunning in catching up words, which drop from the lips of men in affliction; and 'tis our wisdom to make improvement of them. As for instance, There was an ancient Professor (as I have been informed) in much distress of conscience, even to despair; he complaining bitterly of his miserable condition to a Friend, let this word fall, That which troubles me most, is, that God will be dishonoured by my fall: This word was hastily catcht at, and turned upon him to the asswaging of his grief, Art thou careful of the honour of God, and dost thou think God hath no care of thee, and of thy salvation? A soul for saken of God regards not what becomes of the honour of God: Therefore be of good cheer; if God's heart were not towards thee, thine could not be towards God, or towards the remembrance of his name. Thus words should be watched, yea and silence should be watched for advantages to ease a distressed soul. Lastly, These words may refer to God; as if Job had said, Whether I speak, or whether I forbear, God doth not come in to my help, I find no comfort from him; he puts no stop to my pain, nor doth he assuage the floods of grief which are ready to swallow me up. He gives me no ease at my complaining cries, nor doth he give me any, at my patiented silence. The next Verse seems most suitable to this exposition, where Job applies himself to God, showing what he did to him, both while he spoke, and while he held his peace; he wearied him still, and left him in a wearied condition. Vers. 7. But now he hath made me weary, thou hast made desolate all my company. We may see (in this context) that the spirit of Job was much troubled, by the troubledness of his speech. At this seventh Verse he speaks in the third Person, He hath made me weary: and before he gets to the end of it, he speaks in the second Person, Thou hast made desolate: In the eighth Verse, Thou hast filled me with wrinkles: In the ninth Verse, He teareth me in his wrath: The tenth Verse is Plural, They have gaped upon me: Strange kind of Grammar, sometimes in the third Person, sometimes in the second, sometimes in the Singular, sometimes in the Plural number; His mind was uneven, or unsettled, and so was his discourse. We must not play the Critics with the words of men in pain, nor submit their sentences to a Desk of Grammarians: Broken language, and incongruities of speech, do well enough become broken hearts, and wounded spirits: God will not call his Scholars in the School of affliction to the Ferula for such faults or false Latin falling from their mouths, either in prayer or conferences, while their hearts are true, and the language of their spirits pure. But now he hath made me weary. [But Now] Now, is not here a Particle of time only, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a specification of the season, noting that then God either began, or still continued to make him weary; but it carries also a strong asseveration, or the certainty of the thing; as in that promissory exhortation (Hag. 2.4.) Yet now be strong O zerubbabel, saith the Lord, and be strong, O Joshua. Though you see things yet below expectation, though this be a day of small things, yet take heart and encourage yourselves to carry on this reforming work. Yet now be strong, even now, when so many things might weaken both your hearts and hands, and be ye assured that I will not reject your confidence, but will cause you to prosper in it. Nunc in principio dictionis quandam cordis dulcedinem connotare solet. Bold. And in promises, besides the certainty of the thing promised, and the speedy fulfilling of them, it intimates much sweetness of affection in him that makes the promise. On the contrary, in threaten, and comminations, besides the certainty and speed of them, it notes the sharpness and severity of his spirit, who gives those threats. So (Isa. 5.5.) And now go to, I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard. Now, go too, is chiding cheer. As if the Lord had thus rated them; What? Have you served me thus, as sure as I formerly planted and hedged this Vineyard, so surely will I now pull down the hedge, and root it up. In this fullness of sense take it here, But now he hath made me weary; certainly or of a truth he hath; I was once sweetly and strongly hedged about with mercy, But now he hath made me weary and desolate. He hath made me weary. He, is not expressed in the Hebrew, and therefore there is a doubt who is meant by this Herald Nunc autem oppressit me dolour meus. Vulg. Some understand it of his grief and sorrow, and read it thus, But now it hath made me weary; my pain hath tired me. Secondly, Others understand it of what had been spoken by his Friends; your tedious discourses, and severer censures have quite spent my spirits, and made me weary. Our translation leads us to a person, and our Interpretation leads us to God; He, that is, God, hath made me weary. Job every where acknowledgeth that God was the Author, and Orderer of all his sorrows; Now he. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non solum fatigationem denotat. sed & fastidium molestissimum, tum animi tum corporis. Hath made me [weary] Or, He hath wearied me; it is but one word, and it signifies not an ordinary weariness, not such a weariness as comes upon us after a turn or two in the Fields: A man who walks into the air, to refresh himself, may come home weary; but it notes such weariness as we feel after long and tedious travel, or after a hard journey; yea it notes not only weariness of body, but the weariness of the mind. It is possible for a man to weary his body, and yet his mind remain unmoved; bare outward action stirs not the mind. To ride, to run, to dig, or thresh, weary the body, not the mind; but those works which with action have contention in them, as to argue, and dispute, do at once exercise and weary both mind and body. The weariness of the mind is the most painful weariness, Jobs weariness takes in both; thou hast wearied my body, and wearied my mind too, I am full of sores without, and of sorrow within. And such was that weariness spoken of by the Prophet (Isa. 47.13.) Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels: that is, In going long journeys, to ask counsel of thy adored wise men, or Wizzards rather, of Soothsayers, and Diviners; In this pursuit thou hast laboured thy body, and vexed thy soul, but profited neither. After all thy travels what hast thou brought home but weariness? Tired flesh, and a tired spirit is all the fruit of our addresses for comfort to any but God, or in the way of God. The Septuagint translate yet higher, Sept. Exponunt de defectu rationis. q. d. vix prae dolore sum mei compos. Thou hast made me mad or besides myself: The Hebrew word signifies to distract, or to put one out of his wits: As if Job had said, I am scarce my own man, being over-burdened with those sorrow's God hath laid upon me. Hence Observe. First, A state of affliction is a wearisome estate. A man may be wearied who never stirs foot from the place where he stands or sits. O the weariness of a sick bed! Suffering, wearies more than doing; and none are so weary as they who are wearied with doing nothing. Observe Secondly. Some afflictions are a weariness both to soul and body. There are afflictions which strike quite through; and there are afflictions which are only skindeep: As there is a filthiness of the flesh, and a filthiness of the spirit properly so called (for though every sin of the flesh, or outward man defile the spirit, yet there are many filthinesses of the spirit, which are never acted by the flesh, or outward man.) Thus the Apostle distinguisheth (2 Cor. 7.1.) There are also some filthinesses which strike quite through flesh and spirit, body and soul. Thus there are some afflictions which are merely upon the flesh; there are other afflictions which are purely upon the spirit; the skin is whole, the body is in health, but the soul is wounded, an Arrow sticks within: And there are a sort of afflictions which strike quite through body and soul; as old Simeon tells the Virgin Mary, a Sword shall pierce through thy soul (Luke 2.35.) or as the Psalmist speaks of Joseph (Psal. 105.18.) according to the letter of the Hebrew, Whose feet they hurt with fetters, his soul came into Iron, or the iron entered into his soul: Such afflictions are like the Roll spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel (Chap. 2.) Written with lamentations, mourning, and woe, within and without; Some woes are written only without, some woes are written only within, others are written without and within. Their Characters are legible upon the flesh; and their effects descend and sink into the spirit. Jobs afflictions were of this extension, he was smitten all over, and written quite through with woes and lamentations. Thirdly, As the word reacheth the distemper of the brain. Observe. Some afflictions do not only afflict, but unsettle the mind. They unsettle not only the comforts, but the powers and faculties of it: a man under some afflictions can scarce speak sense while he acts faith, or do rationally while he lives graciously. A soul that hath grace, yea much grace, may appear much scanted in the use of reason: As oppression (from men) makes a wise man mad (Eccles. 7.7.) And the more wise a man is, the more mad it makes him: Fools can bear oppression, and not be troubled much, because they do not understand what justice and right means; and that's the reason why in those parts of the World where Tyrants reign, they love to keep the people ignorant, poor, and low, for such are not much sensible of their oppressions; but oppression is very grievous to an ingenious, wise, and understanding man, and therefore 'tis said to make him mad: The purest intellectuals have the quickest sense of injuries. Thus also some afflictions from the hand of God may (in a degree) make a godly wise man mad, and put him for a present plunge beyond the command of his understanding. It is the confession of holy David (Psal. 73.22.) I was even as a beast before thee, so foolish was I and ignorant: If David a godly man acted below reason, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked; how much more may a godly man act below reason, under the feelings of his own adversity. Heman is express in this (Psal. 88.15.) While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted: Yet the word in the Psalm doth not signify properly the distraction of a man that is mad, but the distraction of a man that is in doubt; or the distraction of a man who knows not what to do, not of a man who knows not what he doth, & yet that distraction doth often lead to a degree of this; for a man who is much troubled to know what to do, and cannot know it, grows at last to do he knows not what. We may also take in that about distraction arising from affliction, which was touched about distraction caused by oppression: Those Christians, who are highest in spirituals, and have the quickest sense of God's dispensations towards them, do soon fall into it; whereas a soul upright in the main, yet being of weak and low parts, and of small experience in the things of God, will go, yea groan under a heavy burden of affliction all his days, and not be much moved with it. Fourthly, Observe. A godly man may grow extreme weary of his afflictions. Affliction is the burden which God lays upon us, and it is our duty, not only to bear it, but to bear it with contentedness; yea we should labour to bear it with joyfulness. My brethren (saith the Apostle James, Chap. 1.) Account it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; that is, Into divers afflictions. But yet the best cannot always rejoice in temptations, nor triumph under a cross; when affliction according to that description of the word (Heb 4.12.) comes quick and powerful, as a two edged Sword, and peirceth to divide between the soul and the spirit, the joints and the marrow, when affliction (I say) cuts to the quick, a Believer is put hard to it; he may be so far (for a time) from triumphing and rejoicing, that he can scarcely find himself contented or patiented; his burden may cause him to cry out, O, the weariness! Carnal men cry out at every burden of duty in the service of God, O what a weariness is it! They are tired with an hour's attendance in holy things; O the burden! Much more do they cry out under the lighter burdens of affliction. How tedious is a day, or an hour of affliction; two or three fits of an ague, an aching tooth, a soar finger, O what a weariness is this! They sink presently. True Believers, as they have more patience in doing, so in suffering; yet even their patience doth not always hold out; they, as Job, speak sometimes mournfully, and complainingly: But now, he hath made us weary. Thou hast made desolate all my company. Quod loquitur nunc in secunda nunc in tertia persona nihil in sententia m●tat id quod admodum frequens est in Scriptura Pined. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vastari seu desolari, ita ut videntes obstupescant & horreant. It was He in the first clause, Thou in the second; he and thou are the same person in Jobs Grammar, as was touched before. Thou hast made [desolate.] The word Shamam, signifies to waste, and destroy, and that not by an ordinary destruction, but so to destroy, as works the beholders into amazement and wonder: This word signives both to wonder, and to destroy; because great destruction's cause wonder. Thou hast made desolate all my company: Thou hast made such a desolation among them, that all who are about me lift up their hands (as we say) and bless themselves, admiring to see this day. God brought such a desolation upon Jerusalem, as set the World a wondering (Lam. 4.12.) The Kings of the Earth, and all the Inhabitants of the World would not have believed, that the Adversary and the Enemy should not have entered into the Gates of Jerusalem: Christ will come (at last with such mercies) to be glorified in his Saints, as will cause him to be admired in all them that believe (2 Thes. 1.10.) He now comes sometimes with such afflictions to his Saints, as easily cause them who believe much more those who believe not to admire. Thou hast wonderfully desolated, or wasted, All my company. Et in nihilum redacti sunt omnes auctus mei. Vulg. All my [company] The word which we translate Company, is rendered, The joints or members of the body by the Vulgar Latin, Thou hast reduced all my members to nothing: As if he had said, Thou hast loosened the whole compages, or structure of my bones and body, thou hast untied, or cut asunder all the ligaments that held me together. This translation is but an allusion; because the members of the natural body are like a company of men joined together in a civil or spiritual body, which is therefore commonly called a Corporation. Some contend much for this sense, Thou hast made desolate all the members of my body: Especially, because the scattering of his Family doth not so well agree, or comply (say they) with the weariness before complained of, nor with the leanness, and wrinkles, which are spoken of afterward; both which belong properly to the body. Yet I pass that, and take the word as we read it, to express a distinct affliction, thou hast wearied me in my person, and hast made desolate all my company; What company? First, q. d. desolasti omnem Synagogam meam. Bold. Some understand it of the company which used to flock to his Synagogue, in holy duties, and exercises: As if he had answered the words of Eliphaz (Chap. 15.34.) The Congregation (or Company) of Hypocrites shall be desolate: Here, saith Job, I grant it, God hath made desolate all my company. The Synagogues, and places of public meeting were wont to be filled, but now that resort is stayed, they are all scattered, or diverted, and those public places are filled with howl and lamentations. Thus he grants Eliphaz what he had objected, and yet denies what he thnnce inferred, that he was an Hypocrite. Secondly, Rather interpret it of the company he had in his own House, or for his particular Family. So it is a renewed complaint of the loss of his Children and Servants, of his Friends and Familiars, who used to resort to him, and stay about him. Thou hast made desolate all my company: Some of Jobs company were made desolate; that is, they were destroyed; most of his Servants were slain by the Chaldeans, and Sabeans, and all his Children were slain by the fall of a House (Chap. 1.) This company was made desolate indeed: Yet when he saith, Thou hast made desolate all my company, his meaning is, as Master Broughton translates, Thou hast made me desolate of all my company; that is, I am left alone. Hence Observe. The company of Children, and Friends, is a very great mercy. Heman complains much when he wanted this mercy, Lover and Friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. Job makes, as a more particular, so a more pathetical enumeration of this loss (Chap. 19.13, 14.) To be desolate in so great an affliction, that it is often put for all afflictions; and to be desolate of company, is the worst desolateness. When David had said, I am desolate and afflicted, he presently adds, The sorrows of my heart are enlarged (Psal. 25.16, 17.) A man may be much afflicted, and yet not desolate, but a man cannot beat all desolate, but he must be extremely afflicted. When the Prophet would put all the miseries of the Jews into one word, he puts it into this (Isa. 1.7.) Your Country is desolate, your Land strangers shall devour it in your presence: And when a Land is devoured of strangers, either it is made desolate of its own company, or its own company is made desolate. Babylon boasts (Revel. 18.7.) I sit a Queen, and am no widow; that is, as I have power, so I have resort and company enough, I am not desolate: The Apostle puts these two together, Widowhood, and Desolateness (1 Tim. 5.5.) Now, she that is a widow and desolate, etc. So that when Babylon saith, I am no widow, her meaning is, I am not desolate; and hence the punishment of Babylon is threatened in this language (Revel. 17.16.) The ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the Whore, and make her desolate, etc. Those ten horns are ten Kings, who sometime doted upon the painted beauty of that Whore, and then made frequent addresses to her, and did throng about her from all parts of the World; but when once their eyes shall be opened, their hearts will soon be alienated; They shall hate the Whore. And then as they withdraw affection, so visits and messages; Babylon's Courts shall be crowded with Suitors no longer: Thus they shall make her desolate of the company of her old friends, before they make her desolate by bringing in new enemies, who shall strip her, not only of her company, but of her , yea of her skin; they shall make her naked, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire (Revel. 17.16.) Thus, as the misery which came upon Jerusalem, so the misery which shall come upon Babylon meet in this, The making of their company desolate: yet in this they differ, the desolations of Jerusalem shall be (at least mystically) repaired, but the desolations of mystical Babylon (when they are fully come upon her) shall be irreparable. Man is naturally (as the Philosopher calls him) a sociable creature, he loves company; they who are for a solitary life, Monks and Anchorets, seem to have put off the nature of man. There is an elective aloneness, or retiredness, at some times very useful for contemplation and prayer: And we are never less alone, then when we are so alone; for then God is more specially with us, and we with him. It is said of Jacob (Gen. 32.24.) Then Jacob was left alone, not that jacob's company had left and forsaken him, but that Jacob for a time had left his company: So, some render the Text actively, He stayed, or remained alone. Jacob stayed alone pueposely, that he might have freer communion with God in that recess and retirement from the creature: It is good for man to be alone from the company of man, that he may enjoy (more fully) the presence of God. Yet God himself said at the first when man was created, It is not good for man to be alone: There was no moral evil in that aloneness (for when God spoke this word, there was no such evil in the visible World) but God called it evil, because it was so inconvenient for the civil well-being and inconsistent with the natural propagation of man. And therefore as in reference to both these evils, God said with his own mouth, It is not good for man to be alone; so in reference to the former of the two, God said by Solomon, Two is better than one, and woe to him that is alone (Eccles. 4.9, 10.) Job puts his aloneness among his woes, Thou hast made desolate all my company. But it may be said, Had Job no company? Were not his Friends about him? Did not these three come to mourn with him, and to comfort him? And had they not been in discourse with him all this while? Yes, he had company, but it was not suitable company; he had evil ones about him, as he complains (Chap. 19 and Chap. 30.) and though his three Friends were good men, yet to him they were no good company, because so unpleasant in their converse with him. Hence Note. Some company is a burden. We say of many men, We had rather have their room then their company. Man loves company, but 'tis the company of those he loves. The comfort of our lives depends much upon society, but more upon the suitableness of society: It is better to dwell in the corner of a house top, then with a brawling Woman in a wide house (Prov. 21.9.) And it is better to be in a Desert among wild Beasts, then in a populous City among beastly men. This made the Prophet desire a lodging in the Wilderness (Jer. 9.2.) The Country about Sodom was pleasant, like the Garden of God, yet how was the righteous soul of Lot vexed with the filthy and unrighteous conversation of the Sodomites? How uneasy are our lives made to us by dwelling among either false Friends or open Enemies? In the Creation, when God said, It is not good for man to be alone; he subjoins, Let us make him a help meet for him. Adam had all the beasts of the earth about him, but they were no company for him, man knows not how to converse with beasts, or employ his reason with those that have none. As, it is not good for man to be alone, so to be in company that is not meet for him is as bad, or worse then to be alone. Therefore saith God, Let us make him a help meet for him; the making of a Woman brought in meet company for mankind; yet some men are as unmeet company for men as beasts are, and are therefore in Scripture called Beasts. Paul fought with such beasts at Ephesus; there are few places free of them, and many places are full of them. David cries out, Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech, etc. There was company enough, but it was woeful company. The Primitive Saints associated themselves, they continued in fellowship one with another, as well as in the Apostles Doctrine, or in breaking of bread and prayer (Acts 2.42.) They were all of one mind, and were therefore f●t to make one body. The communion and fellowship of the Saints, is the lower heaven of Saints. And the making of such a company desolate, is the saddest desolation that can be made on earth: Communion of Saints in Heaven, is one great accession to the joy of Heaven. And 'tis a great comfort to the Saints in the midst of all the ill neighbourhood which they meet with here, to remember that they shall meet with no ill neighbours there; none but Friends there, none but loving Friends. There shall not be a cross thought, much less a cross word or action among those many millions of glorified Saints for ever, nor shall there be any among them there but Saints: no tares in that field, nor chaff in that floor, no Goats in that Fold, no nor any Wolves in Sheepskins, no profane ones there, no nor any Hypocrites there. Uunsutable company would render our lives miserable in Heaven itself. If God should say to the godly and the wicked (as David once did to Mephibosheth and Ziba, Thou and Ziba divide the Land) divide Heaven among you; might they not answer (with reverence) as Mephibosheth did to David, Nay let them take it all to themselves, O our souls come not into their secret, and unto their assembly let not our honour be joined: if Swearers, Adulterers, Liars, should be our company in Heaven, Heaven itself, were unheavened, and everlasting life would be an everlasting death. And that which further argues the burdensomness of unsuitable company, is, that even wicked men themselves cannot but confess that they are burdened with the company of those who are good; if such come in presence where they associate in any sinful converse, how weary are they of their company? How do they even sweat at the sight of them? And how glad are they when such turn their backs, and are gone: the only reason why they like them not, is because they are not like them, and they are not good company, because they are good. All company is made desolate to us, which is not made suitable to us. Job had many about him, yet he complains, Thou hast made desolate all my company. Job goes on yet to describe his troubles; he wanted company about him, but he had store of witnesses against him; he was emptied of his comforts, but filled with sorrows, as might be seen in the symptoms and effects of sorrow. Vers. 8. Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me, beareth witness to my face. As if he had said, Though I hold my peace, and say nothing, Si vellem caelare aut verbis extenuare dolorem meum rugae meae testimonium daub etc. though I do not aggravate my grief, yea though I should extenuate and hid it, yet there are witnesses enough of it; my wrinkles speak my grief, and my leanness shows that I am feasted with the sour herbs of sorrow: That's the general sense of this Verse. Thou hast filled me with wrinkles. It is but one word in the Hebrew, we might render it, Thou hast wrinkled me; or as Master Broughton, Thou hast made me all wrinkled. The word is not found in this sense any where else in Scripture; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rugas contraxit active corrugavit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & corrugastime Non alibi quam in hoc libro in scriptura reperitur. Quod succidisti me, testimonio est. Merc. but very frequently among the Rabbins. There are also two other significations of it which Interpreters have taken in here. First, It signifies, To cut off, or to cut down (Chap. 22.15, 16.) Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? Which were cut down out of time: That old way was the way of sin (the way of holiness is the oldest way, but the way of sin is a very old way.) They who have trod the way of sin, were cut down by judgement, and they were cut down out of time; that is, the course of divine Justice prevented the course of nature, and struck them to death before death useth to strike. So some render it here, and then the sense riseth thus, Thou hast cut me down by the stroke of these afflictions, and this is a witness against me. In significatione Chaldaica exponitur pro ligare & constringere. Secondly, The word according to the Chaldee, signifies to bind, and fasten one with Cords, or with fetters of Iron, as Malefactors are bound in Prison (Prov. 5.22.) His own iniquity shall take the wicked, and he shall be holden with the Coards of his sin. The Hebrew word which we render to hold, or fasten, is expressed by this of Job in the Chaldee Paraphrase. Taking this sense of the word, the interpretation given of the whole is, Thou hast bound, or straitened me with the cords of my affliction, Quod his dolorum vinculis constrictum me tenes, ne qua elabi queam, testimonium fecit in me. Merc. lest I should get out, or make an escape, and this is a witness against me: There is a truth in both these readings, as to this place; but because wrinkles are more proper to the leanness which follows, therefore I shall not stay upon them, but keep to our own reading. Thou hast filled me with wrinkles. Wrinkles are caused two ways. First, Through old age; for then the moisture of the body being consumed, and so the skin contracted, wrinkles appear: These natural wrinkles cannot be avoided, if nature hold out to old age. Secondly, There are accidental wrinkles, such as are caused by strong diseases, which sucking up, or drawing out the moisture of the body, fade the beauty of it. Great sicknesses hasten on grey hairs, and make a young man look old. Job was not filled with the wrinkles of old age (he was in the strength of nature at that time) but he was filled with the wrinkles of sickness and sorrow; grief had made furrows in his face, and his tears had often filled them: we commonly say, Sorrow is dry; 'tis so, because it is a dryer. Solomon tells us, that A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit (which is the effect of much sorrow) drieth up the bones (Prov. 17.22.) The Church cries out in the Book of Lamentations, My flesh and my skin he hath made old (Lam. 3.4.) How did God make them old? He made them old not by giving them many years, but by giving them many troubles. Many troubles in one year, will make a man older than many years. We have heard of some, whose hearts being filled with vexing cares have filled their heads with grey hairs in a very short time. As some have an Art to ripen Fruits, before nature ripens them; so the Lord hath a power to hasten old age, before nature makes us old. Thou hast made my skin old; that is, full of wrinkles and leanness; these are the liveries which old age gives. The Apostle assures us, that Christ shall one day present the Church to himself, in the perfection of spiritual beauty and glory; that beauty and glory is described by the removal of that from her spiritual estate, which Job complains of in his temporal estate: Job was full of spots and wrinkles, but she shall appear, Not having spot or wrinkle (Ephes. 5.27.) that is, Without any note or mark of old age upon her. A spot defaceth the beauty of a Garment, and wrinkles spoil the beauty of the face. An old Garment is full of spots, and an old face is full of wrinkles. Old things pass away when we are made new creatures by grace; yet in that state (because we are not perfectly freed from the old man) our garments have some spots, and our faces some wrinkles upon them: But in the state of glory, when all old things, even all the image of the old Adam shall be totally abolished, we shall not have so much as one spot or one wrinkle. Believers have now a righteousness in Christ without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; they shall then have a holiness in themselves, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing▪ that is, They shall not only not have any spot or wrinkle upon them, but they shall have nothing like it, nothing which hath any relation to it, nothing which either themselves or others shall mistake for it, they shall neither suspect nor be suspected to have a spot or a wrinkle about them. A perfect soule-state, and a perfect state of body, hath no wrinkle in it. Job to show the decays and blemishes of his body, saith he was full of wrinkles. Again, These wrinkles by an elegant metaphor may refer to his whole outward condition: For as a man's face is wrinkled when he grows old, so are his riches when he grows poor, and so is his honour when he grows out of repute. Poverty is the wrinkle of riches, and disgrace is the wrinkle of honour; we may take in all three here, for not only was Jobs body, but his wealth and honour were extremely wrinkled, and therefore he had great cause to cry out according to all the the interpretations, Thou hast filled me with wrinkles. Which witness against me. I shall give the meaning of that, when I have opened the latter clause, where it is repeated, My leanness rising up in me, beareth witness to my face: both parts of the Verse have the same meaning. My leanness rising up in me. Some think, that Job answers what Eliphaz had given, as part of the description of a wicked man, in the fullness of his prosperity (Chap. 15.27.) where he tells us, that, He covereth his face with fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks; as if he had said, Friend Eliphaz, thou hast told me, that wicked men are fat and full, if so, what are they who are lean and meager? canst thou according to thy own rule, read wickedness in my physiognomy? My leanness riseth up in me, canst thou raise an argument from that against me? My leanness. Jobs body was lean, his Purse and Name were lean, his leanness and his wrinkles were of the same extent, both reaching all his worldly concernments. The Lord threatens Idolaters (Zeph. 2.11.) that he will famish, or make lean (so we put in the Margin) all their Gods. Jehovah, the true God, who saith to man (Psal. 50.12.) If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, tells these false Gods, that he will make them hungry: But what was the meat of these Gods? It was the honour and credit, the worship and service which they had among men. Indeed they who deny the true God, his due honour and worship, do what they can to famish, or make him lean; and when the true God (as he hath done by the Preaching of the Gospel) turns men from Idols to serve, and worship him the living God, than he famisheth those Gods: When Idols lose their esteem, their leanness riseth up, and they go down. Thus also it is with man, his leanness may be said to rise when his credit falls. Further, There is a twofold leanness. First, Of the soul, or inward man. Secondly, Of the body, or outward man. When the Jews lusted in the Wilderness, and called for flesh to satisfy the flesh: God (saith the Text, Psal. 106.15.) gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. The soul in a proper sense, is neither fat nor lean, and therefore the soul in this place of the Psalm, must be taken improperly, or else the leanness of it must. The soul is put improperly for the body, or for the whole man, and so, he sent leanness into their souls, is, the curse of God caused them to pine secretly, or he slew the fattest of them (openly) and smote down the chosen men in Israel: So this leanness is expounded (Psal. 78.31.) as if he had said, God made them a thin and a lean company before he had done with them. Yet besides this (I conceive) the Text doth intent some spiritual judgement; and then the soul is taken in a proper sense, but leanness in an improper sense: and so, he sent leanness into their souls, is, while they inordinately desired meat for their bodies, God withheld the ordinary food of their souls: He did not administer his grace and holy spirit (which are the fatners of the soul) while they were thus hungry after dainties for the flesh. Jobs Friends thought him a lean soul, but he here confesses the leanness of his body; and in that his continual sorrow the cause of it. So the Prophet cries out, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me (Isa. 24.16.) My leanness [rising up.] Fatness riseth up, and not leanness, when a man grows lean, his flesh falls, and abates; skin and bone stick together, Why then doth he say, My leanness riseth up? Though, when a man is lean, his flesh falls, yet his bones rise: A fat man's bones are (as it were) buried in flesh, you can scase feel his ribs, but when he grows lean, his bones stick out, and rise up: That is the meaning here, my leanness rising up. Maciei videtur dare personam ut paulo ante rugis. Job ascribes a rational act, both to his wrinkles and to his leanness, as if both did speak, and which is more, give evidence concerning him; he brings them forth as witnesses at the bar, this speaks, and that speaks, he doubles it, My wrinkles witness against me, and my leanness rising up witnesseth to my face: When a witness is to give in his evidence in any cause before a Judge, he riseth up, or standeth forth, that all may see him; Job presents his leanness in the proper posture of a witness rising up. The Original varies somewhat in the latter clause from the former; we render both by witnessing, but we may read it thus, Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, that hath been, or is a witness, or (as Master Broughton reads) a proof, my leanness rising up (or which riseth up against me) answers (or speaketh) to my face. The meaning is, These outward evils are evidence enough to my Friends, that God is angry with me, and that I am wicked against God. Job grants that those wrinkles, and this leanness were witnesses of his afflictions, he never questioned their testimony, as to that point, neither indeed could he. Jonadab said to Amnon, Why art thou being the King's Son, lean, or thin, from day to day, wilt thou not tell me? (2 Sam. 13.4.) His leanness told his Friend plain enough, that all was not well; he read that in his face, only he could not read the particular illness there. Magnum certè peccatum, quod tantum in florente illa aetate deformitatem & senilem speciem induxit. Putant tantas afflictiones testes esse magnae culpae & irae Dei. Coc. If we see a young man, especially the Son of a Great man, or of a King (who is waited upon with all worldly delights) wrinkled, and lean, is it not a witness that he hath been sick, or is overwhelmed with sorrow? these testify to his face, he cannot conceal it. But Jobs Friends said, these were witnesses of his sin: they produced the wrinkles of his body as a witness of his wrinkled soul; and the leanness of his outward man, as an argument of his inward leanness; they said, these testified plainly, that he was not only a great sinner, but an Hypocrite: And thus they argued all along, this was their constant plea; Job must needs be (according to this opinion) a man of an evil life, because his life was filled with evils: Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me, etc. Hence Observe. First, Great afflictions leave their marks behind them. Little afflictions leave no wrinkles, no leanness behind them, we recover out of them, and nothing appears of them; as it is in sinning, some sins leave no mark, such are our daily infirmities, and common failings; but there are other sins, which leave a mark behind them, you cannot get them off suddenly, it may be you cannot claw off the marks of some sins as long as you live: though the sin be fully pardoned, yet the mark, the wrinkle, the leanness of it may remain to your dying day. David being defiled with adultery and murder, preys, 'Cause the bones which thou hast broken to rejoice: Those two were such sins as broke his very bones; they were to his soul, as the breaking of a bone is to the body: If a man break a bone, though it be well Set, yet it leaves a mark. David carried the skarr of those sins to his Grave: Though God had forgiven those sins, and did not remember them, to impute them to David, yet when God had occasion to speak of David to his highest commendation, he could not forbear the mention of those sins (1 Kings 15.5.) David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Vriah. The wrinkle or stain of that sin stuck upon David's reputation, when the guilt of it was quite removed, and washed off from his person. 'Tis so with afflictions, some afflictions leave no mark, others go deep: Though all afflictions are light comparatively to the weight of glory, as the Apostle speaks (2 Cor. 4.17.) For our light affliction which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory: Yet afflictions being compared among themselves, some are light, and some are heavy: As a Cart that is heavy laden, cuts deep into the earth, and tells you where it hath gone; so doth the wheel of a heavy affliction drawn over body, soul, or state. Secondly, Observe (which is the natural theology of the Text.) Wrinkles, and leanness in youth, or strength of age are an argument of extraordinary sorrow. Thirdly, Take the words according to the sense of Jobs friends, which Job also hints as meeting with their objection, They witness against me: that is, You use them, you bring them as witnesses against me: Then Note. Great afflictions are looked on as proofs, or witnesses of great sins. We no sooner hear of, or see a man under great afflictions, but our first thought is surely he hath committed some great sin. This is almost every man's suspicion; but it is an ill grounded suspicion. This point was spoken to (Chap. 10.17.) where Job tells the Lord, Thou hast renewed thy witnesses against me, etc. There 'twas showed how afflictions are brought in by God and man as a witness; and this was the greatest evidence, and (upon the matter) all the evidence which the Friends of Job brought against him, his wrinkles, and his leanness: I shall here only add this caution. Take heed of passing judgement upon the evidence of such witnesses as these, wrinkles, and leanness; for though every wrinkle witness that a man is a sinner (were it not for sin we should have remained ever in our body and outward condition, as Believers shall be restored by Christ, without a wrinkle) yet they are not witnesses that a man is wicked: I may say two things of these witnesses. First, They are always doubtful witnesses. Secondly, For the most part they are false witnesses. It is a very questionable and uncertain evidence which afflictions give against us: For no man knows love, or hatred, by all that is before him: We can but guess at the best, by what they say. Rugae meae testimonium dicunt contra me, & suscitatur falsiloquus adversus faciem meam contradicens mihi. Vulg. But usually they bear false witness against the innocent; so they did against Job; they witnessed that of him to his Friends which was not right. Therefore the Vulgar translates the latter branch (though not well to the letter of the Original, yet well as to the sense) A fal●e witness is risen up against my face, contradicting me; that is, Opposing or weakening all that I have said concerning my own innocence. Yea if we make affliction a witness, we may rather make it a witness of sincerity, and of grace, a mark of adoption and sonship, a mark of divine Favour and Fatherly love, then of man's wickedness, or of God's rejection and disfavour. The word is clear and express for this (Heb. 12.6, 7, 8.) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth, etc. But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers, then are ye Bastards and not Sons. So then, our wrinkles and our leanness may upon Scripture warrant, be brought as witnesses for us, but we have no warrant to conclude upon their witness, either against ourselves, or others. But it seems Job had a higher witness against him (if such witnesses might be allowed) then a wrinkled skin, or a lean face: Behold now his torn flesh, and his limbs rend in sunder, as if (not only like Daniel) he had been cast into a Lion's Den, but as if (which Daniel did not) he had felt the worst of the Lion's teeth and paws. Vers. 9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me; he gnasheth upon me with his teeth, mine enemy sharpeneth his eye upon me. Strange language! He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me. Job gives us a description of the Lords dealing with him, in allusion to the fury of wild Beasts, Lions, Tigers, and Bears, who gnash their teeth, and sparkle with their eyes, when they either fight one with another, or fall upon their prey. He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me. 'Tis doubted whom Job meaneth by this Tearer: Some judge this Title applicable only to the Devil, and interpret Job speaking of him; the Devil hateth me, He teareth me in his wrath: Job was delivered into the hand of the Devil (Chap. 2.) And this is the courtship of Hell, He teareth. Secondly, Others understand it of his extreme pain and torturing disease, that tore him like a savage Beast. A third expounds it of his Friends, as if he compared them to wild Beasts, who in stead of comforting his spirit, did (upon the matter) tear his flesh between their teeth. Fourthly, 'Tis conceived, he means those vain ones of whom he speaks (Chap. 19) that came about him, and troubled him. But fifthly, and most generally, this Text is interpreted of God himself, He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me. For though Job speaks here distractedly, discovering rather his grief then his enemy; or as a man wounded and smitten in the dark, Ejusmodi querimoniae in neminem certo jactatae afflicti hominis propriae sunt. he perceives he hath an enemy, he feels the smart, and bears the blows, but he is not able to see who hurts him, yet in this confusion of language, his heart was still upon God who ordered, and disposed all those armies of sorrow, which assaulted him on every side. He [teareth] me in his wrath. The Hebrew word Taraph is near in sound to our English Tear, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ferarum praedam rapientium & lacerantium proprium est. and it signifieth to tear as a Lion his prey (Gen. 49.9.) Judah is a Lion's whelp, from the prey my Son thou art gone up. The same word in the Verb, notes Tearing, and in the Noun a prey, because the prey is torn by the teeth, or claws of the Lyon. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est totis viribus adversari, idem cum Satan, unde & Satanas dictus. Ira sua rapit quasi odio intestino prosequatur me. Jun. He teareth me in his [wrath.] Wild Beasts tear not so much from wrath, as for hunger; they tear out of a desire to fill themselves, rather than out of malice to destroy others. But Job saith, He teareth me in his wrath who [hateth] me. The word signifies not an ordinary, but an inward hatred, and with the change of a letter it is the same by which the Devil is expressed, Satan, an adversary, or the adversary; so called because of his extreme hatred against mankind, yea against Christ himself. Job speaks of God as if he bore such a hatred against him as Satan doth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Frenduit dentibus; est invidentium, irascentium, irridentium habitus. Loquitur ad similitudinem bestiae quae homini comminando dentes contra ipsum parat. Aquin. an inward perfect hatred. Thus some translate, He prosecutes me with inward hatred: A hard expression of God; Doth he tear a harmless soul, and tear him in wrath? Yet this is not all; to make up the measure of this excessive language, take two aggravations more. He gnasheth upon me with his teeth. Job pursues the allusion still: Beasts (as it were) whet their teeth that they may devour their prey: This action of gnashing the teeth is ascribed to men, and it notes four things. First, Extreme envy (Psal, 12.10.) The wicked shall see it and be grieved, he shall gnash with his teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked shall perish: But at what was this wicked man grieved, till he gnashed his teeth? Was it a grief of compassion at the misery of others? No, it was a grief of envy at the prosperity of others, as is clear from the words immediately foregoing. The horn of the righteous shall be exalted with honour: Envy is the vexation and depreson of our own spirits, at the exaltation of another man in riches or in honour. It is not a sickness catcht from another man's disease, but a sickness catcht from another man's health. Secondly, Gnashing of the teeth, notes extreme derision, or highest contempt and insultation over a man in misery (Psal. 35.15, 16.) But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together (that is, then gathered themselves together for joy, or to rejoice) yea the very abjects gathered themselves together (such as all honest, or civil men had cast out of their company and society, associated and knotted themselves into companies) against me, they did tear me (that is, my good name) and ceased not; with hypocritical mockers at feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth: Where it is also observable, that we have the former act complained of by Job, joined with this, Tearing, with gnashing of the teeth. Thirdly, Gnashing of the teeth is the effect of extreme pain; thus the damned in Hell shall gnash their teeth for ever (Matth. 8.12. Matth. 13.42.) That gnashing of teeth ariseth from a mixed passion, partly from envy, and partly from sorrow; envy at the good which the Saints enjoy, and sorrow at the evil which themselves feel; hence comes gnashing of teeth in Hell. Fourthly, Gnashing of teeth is an argument of extreme wrath and anger (Acts 7.54.) where it is said of Steevens at once Auditors and Enemies, When they heard those things, they were cut to the heart (Peter's Auditors, Acts 2. were pricked at the heart with godly sorrow, Stevens Auditors were cut to the heart with ungodly anger) and they gnashed upon him with their teeth. The gnashing of teeth here spoken of is the concommitant of supposed wrath, He teareth me in his wrath, and gnasheth upon me with his teeth. Yet further: Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. This notes the fierceness of an enemy: Wild Beasts when they fight, whet their eyes as well as their teeth; and a man that is extremely enraged, looks upon his opposite as if he would look through him: Thus Job represents the Lord in all the postures of an enemy, He sharpeneth his eyes against me. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acuit, detersit gladium ut splendeat, ad terrorem polivit instrumenta ferrea autanea. Placidis oculis aliquem intuemur quando facta ejus bene interpretamur. Aquin. The word signifies to sharpen as a Sword, or a Spear, or any instrument of Iron is sharpened (1 Sam. 13.20.) There was no Smith in Israel; but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his share, etc. That word is used here, Mine enemy sharpeneth his eye like a Sword, as if he would strike me through with his eye; we say a man hath a piercing eye, when he looks very angrily. When we are well pleased, kindness is seen in our eyes; we give our Friends a pleasant and gentle look; Christ tells the Spouse (Cant. 4.9.) Thou hast ravished mine heart, my Sister, my Spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes. The Hebrew is, Thou hast taken away my heart with one of thine eyes. Per metaphoram ad scintillationem oculorum transfertur, ubi oculi ad modum aeris candentis, vel lampadis ardentis vel aurorae radios vibrare dicuntur. Bold. Ingenii vim in eo fulgor oculorum ostendebat, quorum a●iem instar siderum vibrantem intentius eum intuentes ferre non poterant. Pezel. Mellis. Hist. par. 2da. Knolles Turk. Hist. A holy love-looke stole away Christ's heart; he could not but love the Church when (through the comeliness which he had put upon her) she looked so lovely on him. As thus a look of love from the Church's eye stole away Christ's heart, so a look of mercy from Christ's eye broke Peter's heart, yea and opened the Floodgates of his eyes too (Luke 22.61, 62.) And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter, and Peter went out and wept bitterly. There are soft looks as well as soft words, and there are hard looks as well as hard words: The eye is a Spear and an Arrow, yea a sharp Sword as well as the tongue; He sharpeneth his eyes upon me, as if he would stab me to the heart with a glanse of his eye. The eye hath its scintillations, its sparklings, even as bright burnished Brass, or as a burning Lamp, or as the morning Sun sends forth his rays and beams; such scintillations doth the eye of some men send forth naturally. The Roman Historians report of Augustus Caesar, and our Turkish Historian reports of Tamerlane, that such a majestic lustre sparkled from their eyes, as dazzled the eyes of their beholders, which (saith my Author) caused the latter in a comely modesty to abstain from looking earnestly upon such as spoke with him. What the eyes of these great Princes did naturally, the eyes of many do when they look passionately. Christ hath a sharp eye, so sharp, that his eyes (as represented to John in a Vision) were like a flame of fire (Revel. 1.14.) The eyes of God are so sharp naturally, or according to the excellency of his nature, that no eye can behold his face; and himself beholdeth not only every face, but peirceth into every heart; yet besides this natural sharpness of his eye towards all, he angrily sharpens his eye against his Enemies; God was indeed Jobs Friend, and Job was God's Favourite, yet here he speaks of God (as he had also done before) as of his Enemy; and as of an Enemy, declaring himself at his eye, Mine enemy sharpeneth his eye upon me. Job attributes this to God, in the extremity of his pain; Adversarium suum vocat Job non amicos solum sed omnem creaturam, quae resistit Domino resistente, accusat Domino accusante, damnat Domino damnante, aut ipsum Deum adversarium intelligas. Brent. this was the voice of his flesh, it was not the voice of Job himself: this was the voice of his sense, not the voice of his Faith, Would you know what was the voice of Job himself, or of Jobs Faith? Hear that (Chap. 13.15, 16, 18.) Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him He also shall be my salvation, and I know that I shall be justified. Hear again his Faith speaking (Chap. 19.25.) I know that my Redemeer liveth, and I shall see him again with these eyes: Though sense saw God as an Enemy sharpening his eyes upon him, yet Faith saw God his Redeemer, in this assurance, that he also should behold him with an eye of sense, I shall see him with these eyes. Hence Observe. First, That God dealeth with those whom he loveth dear, as if he hated them. Secondly, They whom God doth love, may be under a present apprehension that God hates them. I only name these points as arising from this place; they have been handled (Ch. 13.24. Ch. 14.13.) upon those words, Until thy wrath be past; and therefore I stay not upon them here. Thirdly, Note. God (to sense) doth seem to excercise a kind of cruelty (even the cruelty of wild Beasts) towards those whom he dear loves. What are tearing and gnashing of teeth? What is the sharpening of the eye? Is not any one of these, much more all these in one, the discovery of cruelty. Job saith all this: and doth not Hezekiah say as much (Isa. 38.13.) I reckoned till morning, that as a Lion, so will he break all my bones, from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. We find God taking upon himself those similitudes, not only in reference to his Enemies, but also to his own people; for as he deals with the wicked when they provoke him, so in proportion with his own. Outward dispensations make no difference; I will take vengeance, I will not meet thee as a man (Isa. 43.3.) that is, I will not show so much as any humane pity or compassion, much less Divine, but I will meet thee as a Beast. Thus God threatened to deal with Babylon; and thus he appears to deal with Zion, with the choicest Sons and Daughters of Zion. And thus he professed (Hos. 5.14.) For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the House of Judah; I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away and none shall reseve him. Job having showed what hard usage he had from God himself, who appeared as an enemy, proceeds now to show what hard and coarse usage he had from men, who were indeed his enemies, into whose hands God had delivered him. Vers. 10. They have gaped upon me with their mouth, they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully, they have gathered themselves together against me. The person is now changed, as also the number; before it was He, now They: And who were they? We have no Names to give them; only in general. These were the instruments which God let lose upon him; his Friends, say some; his Enemies say others. Whosoever they were, doubtless they were either down right Enemies, or Enemy like Friends; their own behaviour speaks them so, They have gaped upon me, etc. He varies, or heightens their enemy-like behaviour by three expressions. First, They have gaped upon me with their mouth. Secondly, They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully. Thirdly, They have gathered themselves against me. I shall open them distinctly. First, They have gaped upon me with their mouth. Gaping with, or opening the mouth, implies two things. First, Scorn and derision (Lam. 2.16.) All thine enemies have opened the mouth against thee, they hisse and gnash the teeth; they say we have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day we looked for. The Church in affliction was afflicted with scornful gestures. Secondly, As gaping with the mouth notes scorn, so also cruelty; he that gapes at another, tells him (though he say nothing) that he could devour him, and eat him up (as we say) Without Salt, Such a one shows that he needs no Sauce (Psal. 22.13.) They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring Lion: A Lion gapes at his prey to devour it; Job often complains both of the contempt and cruelty of many against him; and their gaping upon him includes both; which are also again intimated in the next clause. They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully. Some render it, Reproaching me, they have smitten me on the cheek: Smiting on the cheek is taken two ways. Literally. Metaphorically. What literal smiting is, all know, and most have felt, but had Job any about him who used him thus rudely? I conceive, not; and therefore we may understand him metaphorically. So, smiting on the cheek, is to reproach: And these words, They have smitten me on the cheek reproachfully, are no more nor less, then, They have reproached me. To smite on the cheek, is a thing so reproachful, that, by an Hebraisme, Percutere maxillam Hebraica locutio est, quae significat gravissima contumelia aliquem afficere. it signifieth to reproach (Lam. 3.30.) He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him, which is expounded in the latter clause by this, he is filled full with reproach. The sufferings of Christ, which were full of reproach, are thus Prophesied, I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hide not my face from shame and spitting (Isa. 50.6.) Christ was smitten on the face literally (Matth. 26.67.) Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him, and others smote him with the palms of their hands. He was smitten also tropically, being put to open shame, and disgracefully dealt with. That of the Apostle clears this sense (2 Cor. 11.20.) Ye suffer a man to bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face, that is, If he disgrace you: So the Apostle expounds it (Vers. 21.) I speak concerning reproach. Paul (Chap. 12.) had a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him, to cuff, or smite him with the fist, so the word signifies; what that was, at least in part, he explains (Vers. 10.) I will therefore take pleasure in reproaches. Thus the Prophet describes the dishonour which should be put upon the Judge (Micah. 5.1.) Now gather thyself in Troops, O daughter of Troops, he hath laid siege against us; they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek, that is, The Enemy shall pour contempt upon thy Kings and Princes; Cum aliquis propter gravem aliquam ignominiam pudefit, licet vis omnis absit, & plaga verberari dicitur in maxilla. Sanct. in Mic. c. 5. v. 1. in which sense they may be said to be smitten upon the cheek, though no rod nor hand touch them. And some interpret that (Mat. 5.39.) If any man smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the left also, not of hand, but tongue smiting, or of suffering reproach. As if Christ had said, If any one disgrace thee a little, bear it, yea though he should disgrace thee a great deal more, yet bear it: Smiting upon the right cheek, notes a lesser injury received. When a man smites another on the right cheek, he smites with his left hand; the left hand strikes the right cheek, and the left hand is the weaker in most, and gives a weaker blow. If thou receive a blow on thy right cheek with the left hand, turn the other, and let him smite thee with the right hand, let him give thee a smarter, a hander blow: that is, If a man disgrace thee a little, reward him not with disgrace, but prepare to bear a greater, turn the left cheek. And the reason of this was, because slaves and condemned persons were thus smitten, as also such as were supposed to speak irreverently to the Magistrate. Hence it was that when Paul had spoken freely to the Council, saying, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day: presently Ananias the high Priest, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth (Acts 23.1, 2.) In which case Christ himself was smitten by an Officer that stood by (John 18.22.) From all which Scripture testimonies it is more than manifest, that to smite a man on the cheek, is to disgrace, because they who fell under disgrace, were usually smitten on the cheek: and this I take to be the most suitable interpretation of Jobs complaint in this place, They smite me on the cheek reproachfully. Hence Observe. First, The best Saints on earth have been smitten and deeply wounded with reproach. God himself gave an honourable testimony of Job, there was none like him, he had no peer on earth, for holiness and uprightness; yet men gave testimony against him, as if he had been the scumm of the World, for unholiness and hypocrisy. David, a man after Gods own heart, was (not only reproached, but) a reproach among all his Enemies, but especially among his neighbours (or nearest Friends both in habitation and relation) and he heard the slander of many (Psal. 31.11, 13.) The word of God was made a reproach to the Prophet Jeremy (Chap. 20.8.) And the spirit was made a reproach to the Apostles (Acts 2.13.) Others mocked, saying, These men are full of new Wine: When indeed they were filled with the holy Ghost (Verse. 4.) Drunkards made Songs upon David, but the Apostles were sung about for Drunkards. We are fools, saith Paul (that is, We are so called and accounted) for Christ, and being defamed (or as the word bears, blasphemed, to speak against any thing of God in Man, is blasphemy, as well as speaking directly against God) we entreat. And to show, that this was no prick with a Pin, or small scratch upon their credit, which made him complain; he tells us what this fame did amount unto, We are made as the filth of the World, and as the offscouring of all things unto this day (1 Cor. 4 13.) The whole World lieth in wickedness (which is a moral filthiness) so that to be the filth of the World is to be the filth of filthiness; the filth of a clean thing is bad enough, what then is the filth of a filthy thing? The offscouring of any thing is base, than what is the offscouring of all things, which must needs include the basest things? These Apostles who were the ornament and glory, the purest and most refined pieces of the whole inferior World, were yet made (not that these reproaches did at all change them from what they were in themselves, but they made them to be in the opinion of others, what they least of all were) the rubbish, and the refuse, the sweep, and the dross of the whole World. The Apologies of Tertullian and others, do abundantly testify what reproaches the Primitive Christians suffered, both in reference to their practice and worship. Athanasius was called Sathanasius (as if he had been a Devil incarnate) by the Abettors of the Arrian Heresy, which he stiffly opposed: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est stercoreus, hinc Coprion scarabeus, a luto scilicet. Bech de Orig. Ling. Lat. And some who were displeased with the Opinions and Writings of Cyprianus, called him in contempt, Coprianus, or one that gathers dung, as if his Books were nothing but dung heaps. How Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers of the former age, were smitten reproachfully, both by the tongues and Pens of the Popish Party, is known of all these parts of the World: And how much this trade (which is indeed the Devil's trade) of slandering the footsteps of Gods anointed one's, is continued unto this day, we have but too much evidence. A man can scarce appear, indeed, for God, but he is thus smitten on the cheek by men. Religion and the power of godliness have ever been an occasion of contention, and for the most part, to smite with reproach, hath been the manner of contending. There are not many enemies of good men, who have a Sword to draw against them, but all the Enemies of good men have ill words enough at command to throw against them, and of them they are seldom sparing: And, though (which is bad enough, yet no better can be expected of them) this trade of reproaching be driven most by evil men against those who are good, yet (which is fare worse) we may learn from this instance between Job and his Friends (for even they did not spare to reproach him) that (which shall be, A second Observation.) A good man may so far forget himself, as to speak reproachfully against his Brother: Yea, the reproaches of Professors one against another, have been (as they are the saddest, so) the sharpest and bitterest reproaches. They who agree in most things, take it most unkindly when they differ in any thing; and are more ready to revile one another about the points wherein they differ, then to bless God for those wherein they are agreed. The Papists did not more reproach Luther and Calvin, whose judgements concurred in opposing them, than Lutherans and Calvinists have reproached each other, where they are opposite in judgement: The corrupt remains even in good men, tell them that whosoever differs from them stands in their light and obscures their excellency, and therefore that themselves may shine the brighter in what they hold, they little care (when mastered by self and passion) how obscure, yea foul they render them, who hold the contrary. While Infidels reproached Christians, it was the glory of Christianity, and while the wicked reproach the godly, it is the glory of godliness; but while one Christian reproaches another, the glory is departed from godliness. Is it not enough that the Servants of God are thus smitten by the world, must they needs smits' their fellow-Servants, and revile those who are (upon the main) in the same way of God wherein they are, only because they are not fully in their way? Yea, when possibly, they may be in a higher and more perfect way than they? Is it not enough that the Briars and Thorns, which are among the Lillies, tear and scratch them? Shall the Lillies degenerate into Briars and Thorns one towards another? Or if at any time a Lily of the one side tear, and be harsh, should not the Lily on the other side be kind and gentle? If Israel transgress, let not Judah offend too▪ Luther was often at Sharps with Calvin, but Calvin professed (and that was a Noble profession) Though Luther call me Devil, yet I will honour Luther as a Servant of God. Holy Job cannot be excused for his failings in this, who as he complains here, that he was reproached by his Enemies, yea and by his Friends too, yet he gave his Friends some advantage to complain also of harsh words, if not of reproaches cast upon them. Thirdly, Observe. Reproach is a very heavy burden. Remember (Lord) the reproach of thy Servant, how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people, wherewith thine Enemies have reproached thee, O Lord, wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed (Psal. 89.50, 51.) And again (Psal. 69.9.) The reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen on me. Yet more (Psal. 42.10.) As with a Sword in my bowels (or in my bones) they reproach me, while they say, etc. Reproach is not only a burden upon the back, but a Sword in the bowels. A reviling, reproaching tongue is compared in Scripture to three things. First, To a Raisor. Secondly, To a Sword. Thirdly, To an Arrow. A Raisor is so keen, that it takes off every little hair, reproach cuts a hair, it will have to do even with undiscernible evils. A Sword wounds at hand, and smites those that are near; an Arrow wounds afar off: So that whether a man be far off, or near, whether his error be small or great, or but imaginary; it is all one to a reproachful spirit, his tongue serves him for all turns: David was tried by all manner of reproaches; but those which pinched and pressed him most, were his reproaches about spiritual things. Any reproach is bad enough, but a reproach in Religion, is worst; to be reproached with our prayers, and with our God, Where is your God? Such reproaches, how deep do they go? They strike to the very heart. Credit is a precious commodity; a man is more tender of it, then of his flesh; now all reproach falls upon our credit, and the more excellent that piece of our credit is, upon which the reproach falls, the more grievous is that reproach to us. Credit in spiritual things is the most excellent credit: Thus David was reproached, and so was Job, Is this thy fear, and thy confidence? Is this the thing thou hast so long boasted of? Christ was to bear the greatest burden of affliction, and therefore he did not only bear the Cross, but reproach with it; he suffered death, and reproach with death; he suffered the shameful death of the Cross, in which there was more than a reproach, a curse, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree: Christ must die an ignominious death, as well as a painful, and the ignominy was a heavier burden than the pain. We are exhorted (Heb. 13.13.) To go out bearing his reproach; as intimating that to bear the reproach of Christ, would be harder to us, and a stronger temptation, then to bear the cross of Christ. As the greatest part of Christ's sufferings for us, was to bear our reproach, so the greatest part of our sufferings for Christ is to bear Christ's reproach: Let us go forth unto him without the Camp, bearing his reproach. And indeed reproach is so great a burden, that were not this consideration in it; that is, Christ's, no man would bear it; and they will yield to do any thing rather than suffer reproach, who are not able to say that their reproach is the reproach of Christ. Moses looked upon his reproach, as the reproach of Christ, he did not esteem his own reproach, but the reproach of Christ greater riches, than the treasures of Egypt (Heb. 11.26.) Our reproach is nothing but dung or dross which hath weight in it to press us, but no worth in it to enrich us; but the reproach of Christ is treasure, which though it have weight in it to press us, yet it hath abundance of worth in it to enrich and crown us. The Apostle calls it, The reproach of Christ, both because Christ did bear such reproach himself, and because Christ owned Moses in bearing that reproach; yea he owned that reproach which Moses bore, as if he had borne it himself; while we are reproached for Christ's sake, Christ is reproached; and though it should grieve us that Christ is reproached in us, yet it may comfort us, that Christ takes our reproach as his. They have smitten me on the cheek reproachfully, and yet they have not done with me. They have gathered themselves together against me. It seems they contemned and reproached him singly, or every man apart; but they joined altogether in consulting and plotting against him. The word that we translate to gather together, hath a second signification, namely, to fill, either as a room is filled with Goods, or Persons, or as the stomach is filled with meat, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Implere complere. 2. Colligere, congregare quod rebus collectis impleantur loca. or food, or as an Army with Men. Hence Master Broughton translates, They come by full Troops upon me: And another, They will be filled with me, or upon me. The Vulgar explains it thus, They are filled or satiated with my punishment: or as a third, They have taken their fill of pleasure at my miseries. The reason of this sense ariseth from the former; because, where many things or persons are gathered together, they fill up that place. First, It signifies to gather together, as men are gathered in a civil Society, and combination: Job supposed his Friends conspired his hurt, and that they gathered themselves together against him, who pretended to gather themselves together for him; or we may apply this to his professed Enemies, who were very unanimous to vex and trouble him. Hence Note. Super me implebuntur. Mont. Men are apt to agree in doing hurt. Union is not always a sign of a good cause: 'Tis but seldom we can agree to do a common duty. Good men want the cement of love in a good cause; evil men seldom want it in a bad. Behold (saith God, Gen. 11.5, 6.) This people are one, and they all speak one language: their language was one, and so were their hearts, to build a Tower, whose top might reach to Heaven: The bvilders of Babel are more united, than the bvilders of Zion. The Psalmist complains of the Enemy's oneness (Psal. 83.5, 6, 7. They have consulted together with one consent (or heart) they are confederate against thee. Gebal, and Amon, and Amalek, the Philistines, and them that dwell at Tyre: Ashur is also joined with them, etc. All Nations, even Hetrogeniall Nations, can join in mischief; men of several Kingdoms, and spirits, Pilate and Herod join to crucify Christ; but as it is most beautiful and pleasant (Psal. 133.) So, O how hard a thing is it for Brethren to dwell in unity. They who have one God, one Lord, one Faith, one Spirit, one Baptism, one Hope; yea they who (in one sense) are one Body, and one Spirit (Ephes. 4.4, 5.) are seldom one. Satiati sunt paenis meis. Vulg. In malis meis voluptatem suam exploverunt Tygur. From that second sense of the word, They have filled, or satiated themselves with me. Note. It is a kind of pleasure to some to see others in pain. We should be pained with the pain of others; fellow-feeling is a duty; how far are they departed from this duty, who are so far from feeling the sufferings of others, that they take pleasure in their sufferings? There are two sorts of pleasure, which every good man should abhor. First, Pleasure in sin, our own, or others: The worst that was said of the wicked Gentiles was this, They not only do such things, but take pleasure in them that do them (Rom. 1.32.) Secondly, Pleasure in the sufferings and sorrows of others; some do not only put others to the suffering of sorrow, but take pleasure in the sorrow which they suffer; they make their tears as Wine, their ashes as Bread; and until they see them weeping and feeding on ashes, their own Wine is as tears, and their Bread as ashes to them. Haman came full from the Queen's Banquet, and he was invited by her to a second Banquet the next day, yet still he was hungry, and said (Hest. 5.13.) All this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King's gate: 'Tis like, Haman had eaten and drunk freely, yet the Banquet had not filled his belly: All this availeth me nothing. More than forty of the Jews bond themselves under a curse, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul (Acts 23.12, 13.) It would have been better to Haman then meat and drink to have killed Mordecai, and all the Jews. Some have been heard to say, O how sweet is revenge! What a pleasant draught is a draught of blood! Spiteful spirits hunger and thirst for the downfall and misery of those who stand in their way; nor will any thing satisfy hatred, but the ruin of those who are hated; and when once they see them ruined, they are satisfied; as envy is troubled at the good which another enjoys more than at all the evils which itself feels; so malice is more satisfied with the evils which befall others, then with all the good which itself enjoys (Ex. 15.9.) The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my lust shall be satisfied upon them. Pharaoh and his Courtiers, yea all the Egyptians hungered and thirsted for the flesh and blood of Israel: They had a lust, or a longing rather (as women with Child have sometimes inordinate appetites after strange meats) to eat man's flesh, and drink the blood of the slain: Revenge is as craving a lust as covetousness, but it is a lust more easily satisfied then covetousness. This increases by receiving what it desires, but that (if it may have it) is satisfied: That which covetousness receives, is only as fuel to a fire, but that which revenge receives, Appetitus finis est infinitus. is as food to the stomach; the desire of the end is infinite, but the end being once attained, desire is at an end: Ye are filled with me. Job having thus described the instruments and manner of his affliction, turns his thoughts from them to the supreme efficient, and orderer of his afflictions. Vers. 11. God hath delivered me to the , and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. The words seemeth to b●are an allusion to the proceeding of an earthly Judge, who having tried a Malefactor, and found him guilty, pronounceth sentence of death upon him, and then delivers, or turns him over to those who●e office it is to see execution done accordingly. The word which we render to deliver, signifies also to shut up, which suits well with the former notion; for a condemned Person is more closely shut up, and more narrowly watched, then before: But who were the ungodly to whom he was delivered, and the wicked into whose hands, or power he was turned? These were not only the Chaldeans, and Sabeans, but also all such as shown any malice against him, or willingly afflicted him in his afflictions. The words carry in them a correction of his former complaint, as if he had said, Why do I trouble myself with men, why do I complain of their unkindness or cruelty against me? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A via divertit, deflexit, declinavit. God hath done it; he hath delivered, and turned me over (as a Magistrate doth a Malefactor whom he hath condemned) into the hands of these torments, he hath sealed a writ for my execution. Thus Job ascribes all to God, he sometimes wrangles with men, but as often before, so now again, he looks beyond them, at once seeing and adoring the hand of God, putting him, and his estate into the hands of men. Hence Note. First, Wicked men are ordered by Providence. They cannot take till God puts into their hands: a Sparrow falls not to the ground without God, much less doth a godly man fall into the hands of the wicked without God. They do but execute what God decrees, though they do it without any respect to his decrees, and quite cross to his commands. Many will be found at once executing the decrees and disobeying the commands of God. Secondly, God delivers his dearest Children into the hands of wicked men, for trial and correction. Their graces and goodness appear most, when they are under the handling of evil and graceless men. Many of their corruptions are purged out, while they are in their power who are not at all purged from their corruption. Fowl hands may serve to wash that clean which is foul, and they who are but dross, may fetch off the rust which cleaves to the purest mettle. Thirdly, Note. It is an aggravation of affliction to be given up to wicked men. It is an affliction to be in their company, what is it then to be under their power? Woe is me, saith David, Est hoc in judicio Domini gravissimum quod adversariis videatur Favere, & a part eorum stare, consilia conatusque ipsorum contra nos prosperando. Brent. that I dwell in Meshec, how woeful then is it to be a Prisoner in Meshec? While God keeps the Rod in his own hands, the smart is not so grievous: We learn this in David's choice (2 Sam. 24.14.) when three evils were offered him, he resolves, Let me fall now into the hand of the Lord (for his mercies are great) and let me not fall into the hand of man. A good man can easier die by the hand of God, then receive a slight wound by the hand of an Enemy: As those comforts are sweeter, so those sufferings are not so bitter which Believers receive immediately from God. It is hard to suffer from equals, much more from inferiors, but most of all when we suffer the fatherly displeasure of God, from those who are the objects of his displeasure as a Judge. Let the righteous smite me (saith David, Psal. 141.) a reproof from them is oil, but a reproof from the wicked is Gall and Vinegar to a godly heart: The reason why a godly man chooses rather to be smitten by the righteous, than the wicked, is, because they have somewhat, possibly, much of God in them; therefore much more doth he say, Let the righteous God smite me. It is a mercy, if we must needs be chastised, when God will chastise us himself, and not give us into the hands of men whose mercies are cruel. There are two things which make it so grievous to the people of God, when they are delivered up into the hands of the ungodly. First, Their cruelty: Their mercies are cruel, how unmerciful then are they in their cruelties? As they know no measure in sinning against God, so they keep none in vexing man. The Lord promiseth (Psal. 126.3.) The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; implying, that by the good will of evil men it should rest there; they would never take it off, if God did not. Secondly (which troubles more than the former) Their blasphemy. And that first against God himself, as if he either could not deliver out of their hands (2 Chron. 32, 14.) What is your God that he should be able to deliver you out of my hand (Psal. 42.) Where is now their God? Thus the wicked Jews into whose hand God delivered his Son, did even dare God to come to his rescue (Mat. 27.43.) or, as if he took their part, and favoured the cause which they have in hand. Secondly, They blaspheme, or speak evil both of the ways and people of God. What's become of your prayers now? Where's your fasting now? Of which you boasted, that it would do such wonders. It is a soar affliction to be under the rule of wicked men, much more to be under their rage: that prophetic curse which David denounceth against his Enemy, is thus expressed (Psal. 109.6.) Set thou a wicked man over him: A wicked man were better be under the power of good men, then of the wicked (for a good man cannot be so severe to a wicked man, as one wicked man is to another) but if a wicked man be so cruel to wicked men who are so like him, how cruel must he needs be to godly men who are altogether unlike him? Fourthly, Note. Godly men look through all second causes to the first. As they rest not in the creature for the good which they receive, so they stay not in the creature when they receive evil; they see a hand of God in and over all. Note Fifthly. We glorify God as much in acknowledging afflictions, as in acknowledging mercies and blessings to come from him. He is the Author of both; he takes it as much upon him, that he creates darkness, as that he form's light; that is, As the next words expound it, That he creates evil as well as makes peace (Isa. 45.7.) Now if the Lord challenges this as a part of that glory which he will not give to Idols, then, we give him the glory of the only true God, while we acknowledge this. Sixthly, Note. There is no way to settle or quiet the heart till it look up to God as the disposer of our troubles. This was Jobs last resort: And this was david's when Shimei cursed him, God hath bid Shimei curse: This kept down those angry motions, which must else have boiled up as high in his spirit, as they did in Abishaes', himself being more deeply concerned in it then Abishai was. Job having discovered this frame of spirit more than once before, I here only touch upon it. Lastly, Take this comfortable corollary from the whole. Though God doth often deliver his choicest Servants into the power of wicked men, yet he never delivers them up to the will of wicked men: They cannot do with his people what they please, they shall only do what God himself pleaseth, though they displease God highly in doing it. God never turns the least of those who believe in his Name, out of his own hand, though he turn them over into the hand of the ungodly: as God keeps his title to them still, so he still keeps the possession of them. Saints in the hand of the vilest men, are in the hand, or possession of God two ways. First, They are in the hand of his power, he can fetch them out of the hands of men when he will. Secondly, They are under the hand of his care; and this five ways. First, To provide, that though they endure much hardship in their hands, yet they shall receive no hurt; God doth not turn his into the hands of evil men for evil, but for good. Secondly, He hath them in the hand of his care to furnish them with strength to suffer. Thirdly, To teach them how to profit by sufferings. Fourthly, To moderate the hands of the wicked towards them, their hands shall not be heavier than he hath appointed, they shall not give you a stroke more than he hath numbered out. Lastly, As to order how much, so likewise how long they shall suffer: Our times are in God's hand, when we are in the hand of men. As they cannot add a drop to our cup, so not a Sand to our Glass, beyond what the Lord hath appointed out. JOB, Chap. 16. Vers. 12, 13, 14. I was at ease but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. His Archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my Gall upon the ground. He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a Giant. JOB still prosecutes the same argument, setting out his afflictions in their darkest colours to the seventeenth Verse of this Chapter, and then with highest confidence attesting, yea calling Heaven and Earth to attest both the righteousness of his ways towards men, and the rightness of his worship tendered unto God. These three, with the two Verses following, contain two general points. First, He tells us how, and in what manner he was handled by God in those days of his affliction, Vers. 12, 13, 14. Secondly, He tells us how he behaved himself under the hand of God, or how he was affected with these afflictions, Vers. 15, 16. I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust, etc. As God's hand was heavy upon him, so he held out all the demonstrations and emblems of a heavy heart: I sowed sackcloth upon my skin. He gins with, or rather prosecutes the description (for he had spoken much of it before) of his sad afflictions. And because contraries illustrate, and set forth one another, therefore, he first shows what condition he had been in: secondly, what he then was in. Our present wants and evils are aggravated by our former comforts and enjoyments. This course and method Job takes to aggravate his; First, Telling us that he was once whole and at ease. Secondly, What he at that time was, pained and broken to pieces. I was at ease. But how doth this agree with what Job affirmed (Chap. 3. 26.) I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet, yet trouble came. It seems Job was never at ease, and yet he saith here, I was at ease: He that is not in safety, and hath neither rest nor quiet, surely, He is in little ease. There is no contradiction between these two, we may easily reconcile them, and make up the seeming difference, thus. When Job saith (Chap. 3.) I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; his meaning is, that his spirit did not trust upon his outward prosperity: He had abundance in the World, but he had no carnal confidence in worldly things. Job never said to his soul (when his Barns were full, and his substance multiplied) Soul take thy ease, eat and be merry, thou hast enough laid up for many years. Job had much of the creature in his hand, but he kept it all out of his heart, and when he was furthest from misery, he was far enough from security; he did not think his life safe, because he had sufficient to live upon, nor was he at rest, because he was rich. A Believers rest is not in any outward comfort which he receives from God, but in God, from whom he receives all his comforts. So then, Job speaks there of the spiritual frame of his heart, but here he speaks of the temporal frame of his worldly estate, in which he had ease, and the affluence of all good things, no man molesting him: As if he had said, Time was when I was not at all pinched with poverty in my estate, nor blasted with reproach in my credit, nor tortured with pains in my body; I can remember the time when I was at full ease in all these: That's his sense in this Text, and between these two there is no opposition: A man may be at ease in the World, and yet not make the World his ease, nor rest upon the World. I was at ease. Such was my former flourishing condition. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pacificus, tranquillus, quietus eram. Fui opulentus. Vulg. The word signifies to be peaceable, quiet, or well settled, the Vulgar translates, I was a rich man; the same word in the Hebrew signifies a rich man, and a man at ease, for two reasons. First, Because riches and ease usually go together; and unless a man live at ease, that is, in outward peace, it is hard to gather riches. Times of War and trouble are scattering and impoverishing times: The rolling Stone gets no Moss. As men have the best opportunity, so they are most active to gather wealth when all is still and quiet: There are but few who know how to fish in troubled waters, though some make their best trade there. Secondly, The same word signifies, both to be rich, and to be at ease, from the effect; because, men that are rich, usually take their ease; as ease and peace give them opportunity to gather riches, so riches cause them to take their ease, both outward civil ease, and oft times inward sinful ease; that is, to sit down, and make their riches, and outward accommodations, the very basis of their quiet and contentment. So the rich are expressed (Ezek. 23.42.) Thou sattest upon a stately Bed, and a Table prepared before it, etc. And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her, and with the men of the common sort were brought, Sabeans from the Wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful Crowns upon their heads: Here's the description of a rich people; and what were they? A multitude being at ease, having gotten goodly furniture for their houses, full tables for their bellies, precious ornaments for their hands and heads; that is, having abundance of all things, they gave themselves up to security, and took their fill in the creature: And by how much the greater a carnal man's worldly felicity is, by so much doth it the more triumph over all jealousies and suspicious of evil (Revel. 18.7.) Babylon saith, I sit a Queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Babylon is at ease, she feels no evil, and she fears none. Jerusalem was once in such a condition through the favour of God, and so she shall be in due time again (Zech. 7.7.) Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former Prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited, and in prosperity (or at ease) and the Cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the South of the plain? The South of the plain, was a Region or Country, extremely infested with Enemies, where no man durst dwell or make his habitation, for fear of hostile incursions: yet Jerusalem was in such prosperity, or at such ease, that the South of the plain, the open Countries and unwalled Villages were as safe to the Inhabitants as walled and fortified Cities: At such ease, and in such safety shall Jerusalem be again, when the Lord shall appoint salvation unto her, in stead of Walls and Bulwarks. I was at ease. Job makes this report of his former prosperity, Miserationem movet a priore statu. Merc. Primus locus miserecordiae est per quem quibus in bonis fuerit, & nunc quibus in malis sit ostenditur. Cic. de Invent. lib. 1. that he might move his Friends to pity him in his present misery. It is a rhetorical argument: The Orator gives this rule, when we would stir up compassion towards a man in misery, we must first describe in what heights he hath stood, and then show how low he is fallen; we are not so much affected with any man's being in a low estate, as with his falling from a low estate. When Lucifer the Son of the morning, falls from Heaven, and falls into Hell, to the sides of the Pit; this sets all men a wondering (Isa. 14.11, 12, 15.) Hence Observe. To have been in prosperity, adds to the burden and bitterness of present adversity. It is an affliction, never to have been in prosperity; but it is a greater affliction to be cast down from a state of prosperity: for him that hath been great, and rich, and powerful in the World, to become mean, and poor, and powerlesse, Cor dolet, quam scio nunc, ut sum atque ut fut. Plaut. in Mostel. Cernite sim qualis, qui modo talis eram. Ovid. Fuimus Troes et. this pinches soar, and goes to the quick. Job aggravates his sorrows at large upon this account (Chap. 29. Chap. 30.) The Candle of God shined upon my head, I washed my steps in butter, my glory was fresh in me, etc. But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, etc. So (Lam. 4.2.) The precious Sons of Zion, comparable to fine Gold, how are they esteemed as earthen Pitchers, And (Vers. 5.) They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets, they that were brought in up Scarlet embrace dunghills. From delicate feeding to desolation, from Scarlet to a dunghill is a great change: the dunghill would not be so loathsome, were it not for the Scarlet, nor desolation so grievous were it not for the remaining taste of the late delicate feeding. Every remembrance of the Wormwood and the Gall of their present affliction in Babylon, was made more bitter by the remembrance of the Milk and Honey which flowed in the Land of Canaan. They who have always been in a low condition scarce feel or know the want of great things, because they never knew the meaning of their enjoyment. The Greek Poet tells us of Hecuba, not daring for shame, Euripides. so much as to lift up her eyes, or look Polymnestor in the face, because she had been a Queen, but was then a poor Captive. Common Captives can easily lift up their eyes and cries to those that are in prosperity, for relief and help whereas others who have lived at ease, can with more ease starve then beg. As a downfall from a seeming height in spirituals into the mire of sin, hath more wickedness in it then a bare continuance in sin; so a downfall from a real height in temporals into the mire of misery, hath more trouble in it, than a bare continuance in misery. They who have made a fair show, or an outward flourish in the Faith, and afterward fall back, are worse than those who never made any show at all. It is sad for any one to live openly in sin; but for such as have made an open profession of godliness, to apostatise, and fall back to sin, this is matter of saddest lamentation: For as the Apostle Peter speaks, It had been better for them that they had not known the way of God, then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment: It is better (in spiritual respects) never to have been a Professor, then to be an Apostate. Thus also it is better (in civil respects) never to have been high, or great in the World, then after all this to suffer a miserable downfall, and to be numbered among the lowest of the People. And in this we may see the wonderful love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners, who suffered so great a change for our sakes; he might well say, I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder. Christ was broken all to pieces for us, he was broken and bruised for us, but he had been at ease: How great was his love who willingly suffered, not only for sinners, but as a sinner, having reigned in righteousness from all eternity? The Apostle useth this argument, more than once, to advance the kindness of Christ to sinful man (2 Cor. 8 9) Beloved, You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who though he were rich, yet he became poor for our sakes; that we through his poverty might be made rich: For Christ who was rich to become poor, argues the riches of his love; this shows the great affection he bore to us, because it shows that he bore such great affliction for us. Again (Phil. 2.6, 7.) Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal wioh God; but made himself of no reputation. and took upon him the form of a Servant: He emptied himself, to fill us, and to raise our reputation with his Father, laid down his own. Now seeing Jesus Christ suffered such a wondrous change, from the form of God to the form of a Servant, from the fullness of God, to the emptiness of the meanest man; this is the highest testimony of his love. The course which Christ did run to save us, declares that there went as much of his love, as of his worthiness to save us: For as no creature had worth enough to save us any way, so no creature had love enough to save us in such a way. If one had come out of poverty and misery to die for us, it had showed wonderful love, but to leave riches and become poor, to leave glory and become base, to leave fullness and become empty, to leave (in regard of visible manifestations) his Godhead, and become Man: How unchangeable was his heart to us, who yielded himself up to such changes for us? He being at ease was broken asunder that we might not be broken, or rath r that we might be made whole for ever. Secondly, I was at ease: What follows? He hath broken me asunder. Hence Observe. All worldly prosperity may quickly be dashed and lost. Do not think any new thing happens under the Sun, when you see men that were at ease, broken, men that were full, empty, men that were rich, impoverished, men that were in health, sick. The holy Apostle (1 Cor. 7.30.) at once counsels and commands us, Use the World, as not abusing it, that is, use it well: There is much evil in the World, y●t we may, yea we must make a good use of the World: Why? Because the fashion of this World passeth away. As fashions in the World alter and change every day, so doth the fashion of this World; there is a World to come, the fashion whereof shall never go or pass away; but the fashion (or scheme) of this World passeth continually. The word which we translate fashion, signifi●s a Geometrical figure, or artificial form, habit, vesture, as also any rhetorical fineness or bravery of words: Now all the beauty of this World is but like some of these schemes, which have more show than substance in them; and the whole World below put together, is but like a Pageant, or Mask, on the scene whereof many persons are represented to act their parts, but they soon disappear, and the stage or scene itself is pulled down. As thus the whole World passeth awy, so doth the state of each man in the World. And as there is in the World an affected varying of fashions, or a voluntary passing from one vain fashion to another, from one proud fashion to another; so there is an inflicted variety of fashion in the World; God makes man pass from one fashion to another, whether he will or no, or much against his will; when his fashion was fullness, he makes it emptiness, when his fashion was riches, he makes it poverty; when his fashion was Peace and quietness, he makes it War and confusion; these are the changes which God makes among the fashions of the World. The pride of man changes from one vain fashion to another; the providence of God changes man from his most delightful, to a mournful fashion: And when the Garments of outward prosperity seem to us so strong, that they will never wear out, how much or how long so ever we wear them, he tears and breaks both them and us, as Job complains with his next breath. He hath broken me asunder. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrivit, irritum fecit. Verba grandia selegit ad ●●agg●randam mali sui vim. Merc. In conjugatione quadrata auxesin habet. Merc q. d. Frequentatis ictibus in minutissimas partes contri vit me. Bold. This sentence is but one word in the Hebrew, yet more than a single word; it is elegantly doubled in construction to imply double affliction. Grammarians tell us, that two words put together, or the same word twice put increase the sense. Ordinary words will not serve to express an extraordinary condition; he speaks great and compounded words, because his sorrows were great and compounded sorrows. Jobs was not a single, but a double breaking; yea, his was a manifold breaking: He was often broken, and utterly broken; the repeated strokes which fell upon him (by divine dispensation) from all hands, had beaten him to dust and atoms: He hath broken me in sunder. Further, The root of the word signifies, to make void, to dissipate, to scatter, to bring to nought, or to make nothing of (Psal. 33.10.) The Lord brings to nought the counsel of the heathen. So again (Isa. 8.10.) It is used often for breaking the Law, by frequent and wilful sinning against it. Proud sinners would break the Law in sunder, or pull it all in pieces: They have made void thy Law (Psa. 119) As if they would not only sin against the Law, but sin away the Law, not only withdraw themselves from the obedience of it, but drive it out of the World; they would make void and repeal the holy acts of God, that their own wicked acts might not be questioned; and lest the Law should have a power to punish them, they will deny it a power to rule them; that's the force of the simple word here used, as applied to highest transgressing against the Law of God. Now as wicked men by sinning, would batter the Law to pieces, so God by afflicting doth sometimes break good men to pieces. Consider what course usage the holy Law of God hath in the hearts and lives of wicked men; O how they tear it and vex it, and batter it every day: Thus doth the Lord deal with many of his holy servants who (had they their wish) would not make the least breach in the Law, and whose hearts are often broken with godly sorrow, because they cannot but break it, yet to these he doth not only give a bruise or a blow but breaks them asunder. There is yet another elegancy in the signification of the word: For as Hebreicians observe, it notes a bruising, like that of Grapes, or Olives, which are trodden in a press, to make Wine or Oil; Confractus sum velut uvae aut olivae in torculari. hence also a Noun from this Verb signifies the Winepress (Isa. 63.3.) Now Grapes and Olives being trodden, are broken and bruised in pieces; not only is their form and beauty totally spoilt, but all their sweetness, juice, and liquor, is wrought out of them, and they are left as a dry lump. Now look what Grapes and Olives are, when taken out of the Press; even such a lump was Job; he was broken asunder in the Winepress, though not of God's wrath, as his Friends mis-judged, yet in the Winepress of his chastisements and severest trials; all his worldly moisture was squeezed out, and his earthly glory was quite defaced, he had nothing left of that, but (as it were) a dry husk; yet his spiritual estate was still juicy, and his soul by these press, tread, and break, had distilled much sweet Oil and Wine, and much more was still remaining in him. From these heightened significations of the word laid together; Observe in general. God doth not only afflict those whom he loves, but afflict them soarely and severely. He afflicts some, not only to the impairing and abating, but to the undoing and ruining of their outward comforts, and worldly enjoyments: Nothing can be said to decipher an afflicted state beyond what this word will bear. And that God doth afflict his chosen one's to the utmost rack of this phrase, will appear also from all that follows to the end of the fourteenth Verse; the opening of which will be a continual proof and illustration of this great and often experimented truth, upon, and among the precious Sons of Zion: This I shall hint all along, besides those observations which arise out of them: He hath broken me asunder, and what follows, in the same Verse; He hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces. Is not this to deal severely? A loving Father takes his Son about the neck and kisses him; what a rough salute did the Lord give this Son of his, when he took him by the neck, and shook him to pieces? Such a carriage seems not to be after the manner of men, much less after the manner of Fathers; yet this was the manner of God to Job, who was also his Friend and Father. He hath taken me by my neck. The neck is as the tower and strength of the body, and when a man is taken by the neck, he is assaulted in his chiefest strength, and taken at the greatest advantage. There is a threefold metaphor, or allusion in these words, which being considered distinctly, will let out their meaning yet more fully. First, They bear an allusion to Wrestlers, who take one another by the neck, or collar; he that is the strongest, not only takes his Antagonist by the neck, but shakes him, as if he would shake him to pieces. God wrestled with the Patriarch Jacob literally and corporally (though the greatest labour and stress of jacob's wrestling was spiritual and internal) And when he saw that he prevailed not (Jacob prevailed with God for so much strength, that now God could not (according to that dispensation) prevail against Jacob, yet) he touched the hollow of jacob's thigh, and made him halt. God wrestled with Job, not corporally, yet in corporal things, the stress also of his wrestling was spiritual, and he prevailed with God, and over Satan; yet God was pleased not only, for the present, to touch a joint, and make him halt, but even to shake every joint and limb to pieces. Secondly, It is an allusion to Sergeants or Bailiffs, that are sent to arrest men for debt, or for their evil deeds: This sort of men are boisterous enough, they having power will not forbear to lay hold on Persons obnoxious, and take them by the neck, when they attach them. We have that usage expressed (Matth. 18.28.) The evil Servant, to whom the Lord had forgiven ten thousand Talents (a vast debt) found one of his fellow Servants, who owed him an hundred pence (an inconsiderable sum) and would needs exact the utmost from him: the Text saith, The same Servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which ought him an hundred pence, and he laid hands upon him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest: He took him by the throat, the word signifies properly to choke, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Premebat sauces illius debitoris tanquam suffocaturus: obtorto collo premebat. Eras. or to take another so rudely by the throat, as to choke, or (as we say) throttle him. It is translated to choke with water (Mark 5.13.) and is appliable to any violent act by which the breath is stopped, especially to taking by the neck, or throat. Thirdly, It is an allusion, as some conceive, to Conquerors in War, who when they have worsted an Adversary, take him by the neck, and make him their prisoner: As it is the last act of triumph and insultation over an Enemy, to tread upon his neck (Josh. 10.24.) Joshua called all the men of Israel, and said unto the Captains of the men of War, which went with them, Come near and put your feet upon the necks of these Kings: and they came near and put their feet upon the necks of them; Now as it is (I say) the last act of triumph to tread upon the neck: so it is the first act of triumph to take by the neck. Job thought himself used thus, He hath taken me by the neck, as a Wrestler, as a Sergeant, or as a Victor in Warr. And hath shaken me to pieces. I will not let it pass unobserved, that the word which we translate to shake to pieces, is but one in the Hebrew, but as that which we render to break asunder, so this is doubled to heighten the sense, and intimate no ordinary, but a terrible shaking; such a shaking as is followed with scattering, or a shaking, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrivit cum dispersione, sicut testa: vel in minutissima fragmenta comminuit. Drus. like the breaking of a potter's Vessel with an Iron Rod. The word is used to signify the efficacy of the Word of God, whether to convert, or to confound, to break the stony heart into contrition for sin, or to batter the obstinate heart, which continueth in sin. Is not my word a fire? (saith God) The word of God is a fire, to consume the dross and corruption that is in the hearts and lives of men. And is not my word a Hammer? What kind of Hammer? A Hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Yes, the word of God is all this, 'tis a fire, and 'tis a Hammer, it burns, it batters all that stands before it. Now as the Word of God is to the hearts of men, so the Rod of God is to the estates of men; it shakes, shatters, and breaks them to pieces: To shake, or break a man to pieces, is in common speech appliable to the estates of men, as well as to their persons, for of such a man we say, He is broken. The Septuagint reads this clause with an expository addition, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sept. He hath taken me by the hair of the head, and shaken me. They who follow that reading, interpret it, by a metaphor, He hath taken me by the hair; that is, by my outward estate, by my riches, honour, and greatness (these are to men, as the hair is to the head, ornaments, yet excrements) he hath taken me by these hairs, even all my outward splendour, and glory, and shaken them in pieces. All this diversity, whether of reading, or expounding the Text meets in the main point, That God deals severely with many whom he loves dear. He hath shaken me in pieces, and yet he hath not done with me; as the Lord broke and shaken me asunder when I was whole, so he wounds me, now I am broken: If he can but find enough of me left together to make a mark of, I shall be sure to feel his Arrows. And set me up for his mark. Job was cast down by affliction, and yet he was set up to receive more affliction: 'Tis a Proverbial speech, Proverbialis locutio quo significamus aliquem esse omnibus telis & injuriis propositum. signifying that a man is made the common receipt, or subject of misery. A Mark is purposely set up to receive Arrows, Darts, or Bullets shot at it; so that for a man to be set up as a mark, is to stand as a common object, upon which all calamities centre themselves; what Job here complains of, he had expostulated with God about (Chap. 7.20.) Wherefore hast thou set me up as a mark, so that I am a burden to myself? I shall speak the less to it here, having spoken to it there already. The same Original word is not used in both places, though the sense be the same: There Job speaks in a Paraphrase, Thou hast set me opposite, or over against thee: A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servo, quod eum diligenter observent jaculatores ne oberrent. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, propriè sig. signum praefixum sagittantibus, unde quod animo destinamus aut praesigimus scopus est. Eras. Here he uses a single term, which notes a mark, strictly taken; for it comes from a root which signifies to observe; because the mark, or white, is diligently observed by him that shoots; the Archer keeps his eye upon the mark, that he may send his Arrow to the mark. A mark is that to the eye in shooting, which the end is to the mind of man in all his ways of acting; and therefore our English word Scope from the Greek (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) which properly signifies an Archers mark, is used figuratively to signify the end which we design to ourselves in every undertaking. And hence the eye with which we take aim, is put for the end (Matth. 6.22.) If thine eye be single, the whole body is light; that is, if the end, or the thing that thou aymest at be just and right, all thy actions will be right too: Every man is regulated by his end, all he doth, looks that way; therefore if thy end and aim be honest and sincere, all thy ways and works will be such. So then, as the end is the mark of the mind, so a mark is the end of the eye; it directs all unto it. And while Job saith, He hath set me up as a mark, his meaning is, I am the Butt or White, at which the Lord aims all his Arrows, he empties his Quiver at my breast. Ego ipse positus fui in scopum ut mille jacula, mille sagittas exciperem. So the Church cries out (Lam. 3.12, 13.) He hath bend his bow, he hath set me as a mark for the Arrow; he hath caused the Arrows of his Quiver to enter into my reins: The Hebrew is, He hath caused the Sons of his Quiver to enter into my reins. Arrows are the Sons of the Quiver: Sons are called Arrows (Psal. 127.4, 5.) As Arrows in the hand of the mighty, so are the Children of the youth, blessed is the man that hath his Quiver full of them. Now as Sons are compared to Arrows in a Quiver, so Arrows are compared to Sons, because as Sons are together in their Father's house, so are Arrows in the Quiver. Christ is described by old Simeon, as a mark set up to shoot at (Luke 2.34, 35.) This Child is set for the falling and rising of many in Israel; Significat Christum veluti scopum fore, quem omnes certatim figere contendant. Bez. and for a sign to be spoken against: What sign? A Butt sign, or a Butt mark. A sign to be spoken against; that is, All shall direct the Arrows of their words against him. Bitter words are compared to Arrows; many showers of these were shot against Jesus Christ: He was aimed at on every side, by envious spirits and malevolent tongues: He might say as Job, Thou hast set me up as a mark. Observe from this Allusion. First, The Servants of God must expect many afflictions from the hand of God. A mark is not set up (or it is very rarely set up) for one shot: As God hath more mercies than one in store for his people, so he hath more Arrows than one for them in his Quiver. When thou hast received one shot, prepare for a second, and a third. Observe. Secondly, God seems to take pleasure in afflicting his people. This also contributes to the proof of the general Observation before given: For the more pleasure any one takes in afflicting, the more severity he shows in afflicting. A Father chastiseth his Child with tears in his eyes; every stroke which a wise Father gives his Child, is as a wound to himself, and this abates the smart of the blow; but for Fathers to do it as the Apostle speaks (Heb. 12.) For their pleasure, or when it pleaseth a Father (in that sense) to do it, this increaseth the smart. The sufferer feels most pain when it is a pleasure to another to make him suffer. Now, what is shooting at a mark? No man shoots at a mark for toil, to make a labour, and a business of it, but men shoot at a mark for their recreation, and pleasure. God delights not properly in the sorrows and sufferings of his people; he is not like those cruel Tyrants, who fasten their Captives to a Post, and then shoot them dead for sport: God doth not willingly, much less sportingly, afflict the Children of Men (Lam. 3.33.) yet it pleaseth him to afflict them; yea, as Job speaks (Chap. 9) He laughs at the trial of the innocent; that is, He carries himself (as to their sense) as if he did not regard what they suffered, though indeed he be infinitely tender of them in all their sufferings; yet because they do not always understand the language of this laughter, it makes them cry out as if God had forsaken them, and were either really turned an Enemy against them, or at least, did not use them as his Friends; from which near relation, nothing appears more remote, then to be set up and shot at as a mark. Observe. Thirdly, Affliction doth not hit the Saints by chance, but by direction. There is a great difference between shooting at random, and shooting at a mark. God doth now draw his Bow at a venture (as he who slew Ahab did, 1 Kings 22.34.) or shoot at the whole host of mankind, let the Arrow light where and on whom it will, but he singles out the particular person, whom he intends to hit. Every one of his Arrows goes upon a special errand, and touches no breast but that against whom it was sent: And as this speaks the honour of God, who determines as much, upon whom, as what to do, and chooseth out those at whom he means to shoot, as well as the means by which he shoots at them; so it should establish our hearts to receive his shot, and in this sense to be like a senseless mark which stirs not from the Arrow, nor withdraws from the deadly Bullet. It is not only the grace, but the glory of a Believer, when he can stand as a But-mark, and take affliction quietly. The Apostle speaks near this language, and fully this truth (1 Thes. 1.3.) I would that no man should be moved for these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto; As if he had said, I would have you stand as Posts, notwithstanding all these afflictions: Not that he would have them careless, or secure; but courageous, and full of holy undauntedness: I would have no man flinch, or stir a foot, no more than a mark that is shot at, Why? Knowing that we are appointed thereto: As a mark is appointed to be shot at, and set up on purpose that the Arrow may be directed against it; so the Lord sets up his Saints and Servants on purpose, that he may shoot the Arrows of affliction at them; therefore let us keep our ground and not be moved. We honour God, yea it is our honour also, when we are unmoveable in active obedience as the Apostle exhorts (2 Cor. 15.58.) Wherefore my Brethren be steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. But as it is our honour, and God's honour too, when we are unmoveable in doing the will of God; so it is a greater honour, both to him and us, when we are so in suffering his will, or in passive obedience; when we stand to it, and move no more in way of cowardice and impatience than a Post when it is shot at. This is the glory of a Christian, and it is his duty; this is the glory of God, and it is his due; though it be put here as an aggravation of the greatness of Jobs affliction, that he was set as a standing mark, yet it is a heightening of our praise, contentedly to be so. God will make wicked men his standing mark to all eternity, against whom he will shoot the Arrows, the poisoned Arrows of his indignation, which shall drink up their spirits, and yet their spirits shall not be consumed. God makes his precious Servants and faithful people, his standing mark for a time, they feel the Arrows of affliction, and are deeply wounded; as Job further prosecutes his sad condition, continuing the Allegory in the next Verse. Vers. 13. His Archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins in sunder. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magni ejus. sed hic quadrare non potest. Licet enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sig. magnitudinem sive in quantitate continua sive in discreta, hic tamen in discreta est accipienda, a multitudine enim sagittarii dicuntur Rabim. God hath a Bow, he hath his Arrows, and his Archers, all ready at a call. The decree of God is his Quiver, his Arrows are his purposes, and the Instruments which execute them are his Archers; whether rational or irrational, whether men, or things, any thing which God useth to afflict man by, is his Archer: His Archers have compassed me about: The word is (Rabbi) His Archers, from Rab, great; so some read it, His great Ones have compassed me about. The word Rab, doth not only signify greatness in bulk, or continued quantity, but in number or discreet quantity. Hence Archers are called, Rabbi, great ones, not from their magnitude, but from their multitude, because Archers go in company; two at the least, and usually many are a set; or they are called many, because every one hath many Arrows, Men carry but one Sword, and one Spear, but they carry many Arrows, therefore the word signifies many. His Archers, or many, compass me round about. Hence note in prosecution of the same point, That, God hath variety of means to afflict. He can make any creature his Archer; and he hath many Quivers full of Arrows. Old Jacob said of Joseph (Gen. 49.23.) The Archers shot sore at him, and grieved him. Joseph was a mark of envy, because God had put so many marks of honour upon him: His own Brethren were the Archers. Job had many Archers shooting at him: I can name you seven eminent Archers that shot at Job. First, Heaven was an Archer, the heavens shot fire, which burned up his flocks of sheep. Secondly, The Air was an Archer, that shot wind, and down fell the House upon his Children. Thirdly, The Chaldeans and Sabeans were Archers, and they shot spoiling and plundering, they took away all his Cattles, and slew his Servants with the edge of the Sword. Fourthly, The Devil was an Archer, he shot diseases, and wounded his body all over with sores. Fifthly, The earth was an Archer, and that shot Worms, he was clothed with Worms, and clods of Earth. Sixthly, His Wife was an Archer, or an Archeresse, she shot terrible Arrows, evil and bitter words. Seventhly, His Friends were Archers, they shot reproofs, and uncomfortable comforts; they pierced him with their salyes, and the very means that they used to heal him, grieved him more. All these shot at him, he must needs have many hurts, who was compassed about with so many Archers; David felt the anguish of these Arrows (Psal. 38, 1.) O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure: For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore: David was full of Arrows, what those Arrows were, is not determined in the Text. One of the Ancients saith, They were the threaten of God, with which his conscience was wounded for sin, as for his body and outward estate, they were in a whole skin; 'tis true, judgements or wrath threatened, wound the spirit deeper than judgements or wrath executed wound the outward man; and as the whole word of God, so that part of it especially which consists of threaten, is as the Apostle speaks (Heb. 4.12.) Quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing, even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, etc. Yet I rather conceive, that David's Arrows were bodily troubles or diseases, already inflicted, the immediate cause of which was the anger of God, and the cause of that was his own sin, both which are expressed at the third Verse, There is no soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger, neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin: When sin stirs up the anger of God, the anger of God can quickly send his Arrows abroad; nor is there any thing in this World so near unto us, but he can make an Arrow, or an Archer of it; His Archers compass me round. And see what kind of Archers his were, they were no bunglers, they were good marks men; like the left handed Benjamites (Judg. 20.16.) They could shoot at a hair's breadth and not miss: For it follows: He cleaveth my reins asunder. They are expert Archers who can cleave the reins: The reins are in the middle of the back, he that shoots at a Butt, and hits the middle of it shoots exactly; the whole Butt is not the mark, but the White which is set (according to a Geometrical proportion) in the middle of it. He that hits the mark, hits the middle of the Butt; but he that cleaves the Pin (that's the Archers Dialect) which fastens the mark to the Butt, That's the Archer, or That's He (as they also use to speak at their sport) he wins the prize: Renes sedes sunt affectus & libidinis vehementissimi. Renum nomen in Hebraeo a desiderando dicitur. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulnerare renes est tenuiores affectus configere. An Archer may hit the man, and not his reins, but to hit his reins is skilful archery: Jobs Archers were thus cunning in their art, They compass me about, and cleave my reins asunder: That's the first. Further, We may understand it by a metaphor, and so two ways. First, The reins being the seat of desire, as Naturalists speak; some interpret he cleaveth my reins asunder, thus, He smites me in that which is to me most pleasant and : and then, the seat of affection is put for the thing which we affect. This holds out a profitable truth. God can wound us in that upon which we most entirely set our affections. He knows how to cleave our very reins asunder, and he often doth it; that which we inordinately love, is usually the mark at which he aims his Arrow: The readyest way to lose any comfort, is to overlove it (I add that by way of caution, not of direction.) And indeed, though it be a great deal of smart to us, yet it may prove a great deal of ease to us, to be wounded in that which we overlove. God in much mercy to those he loves, takes that from them which they love too much, that so they may love him the more, to whom all their love, and more if they had it, is but due: He cleaves their reins, that their reins may cleave to him. Secondly, The reins in a metaphor, Renes occultissima denotant cor intelligit renes consulunt. signify that which is most secret, and hidden (Psal. 16.7.) My reins also instruct me in the night season; that is, my most inward thoughts instruct me, I have secret communion with myself, and my heart reads me a curtain Lecture every night; My reins instruct me in the night season. This metaphorical interpretation, gives us this plain Note. God peirceth into our most retired thoughts, and can punish our most secret sins. Those sins which lie as much out of sight, as the reins do, he seethe, and he seethe them as plainly as an Archer doth the White, or mark, which stands open to the eye; for all things are naked and manifest (anatomised, or cut open to the reins of the back, so much the word bears, and so manifest are we) before his eyes with whom we have to do. Take it literally, and then to cleave the reins is an expression of putting a man to the greatest sorrow, or pain, imaginable; if the back were chyned (as we speak) and cut quite down, through the reins, this would be an exquisite torment; the reins are a very tender part: A deep wound in some other parts of the body, is but a scratch, and such wounding were a kind of embracing, in comparison of that. Secondly, To cleave the reins, is to weaken, because the reins, or the loins, are the strength of a man, or of any creature; Lo his strength is in his loins, saith God of Behemoth, Elumbem reddere. which is as some think the Elephant (Job. 40.16.) And a man of no loins, is a man of no strength, in common language. Thirdly, To cleave the reins, is to give a mortal wound. Chirurgeons and Physicians observe, That if the reins be struck through, Mala immedicabilia indicat. there is no help for it; cleaving the reins is much like piercing the heart; this is present death, and that leaves no hope of life, the wound of it is incurable. There is a fourth interpretation, He cleaveth my reins, may note the torture of any acute disease, especially that of the Stone in the reins, or kidneys; which is as it were the cutting of the back asunder; poor Patients under it are often heard so complaining: O 'tis like a sharp Knife; the Stone is not only a grinding, but a cutting pain. I shall only lay in the consideration of these four glosses from the literal sense of the word, to a further making out of the first general Observation, That God often deals very severely in outward, or present dispensations, with many of his dearest Servants: He doth that which they may call cleaving of the reins, and that, in the easiest of the four senses, is a very severe dispensation; much more (which we may suppose) when the pain of all four meets in one man; as doubtless they did in Job; He cleaveth my reins asunder. And doth not spare. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pepercit, ignonovit, propitius fuit. Nullam Domini in me miserecordiam, sed omnigenam saevitiam experi●r. Merc. He that doth not spare, useth the utmost extremity, and shows no pity or Indulgence: to spare, is both an act, and one of the kinds of mercy: Sparing is opposed to severity, it is a doing less against another than we may, and that two ways. First, When we do less than we can. We having power, though no right to do more than we do, no nor to do so much as we do: Thus a Thief may be said to spare a man, when he doth not take all from him, life and all. Secondly, When we do less against another than we may, both according to the right of our cause, and the power in our hands: Thus a Magistrate spares a Thief; or a Creditor his Debtor; when the one exacts not the whole punishment, nor the other the whole Sum due. And in this sense God spareth the Sons of men; he hath both power and right to punish sinful man to the utmost, but he spares him: To hold the hand, though but a little, is sparing merccy; but Job found not this mercy, He doth not spare; as if he had said, The Lord lays on, lays on, and doth not forbear. Hence Observe. There is mercy in sparing. There is a fivefold mercy of God: First, Rewarding mercy, towards those who have done well. Secondly, Pardoning mercy, which is exercised towards those who have done ill, or towards past sin. Thirdly, Preventing mercy, when he keeps us from evil, whether it be the evil of sin, or of punishment. Fourthly, Delivering mercy, when though he let us fall into the evil of sin or punishment, yet he is pleased to help us up, and takes us out again. Fifthly, There is Sparing mercy; if while we are in affliction God deals gently with us, this is sparing mercy: As God was not pleased to prevent Jobs sorrows, nor to deliver him from them, so he did not spare him in them, his hand continued heavy upon him, he had no ease. There is a fourefould degree of this sparing mercy of God. First, Not to punish at all: thus God sometimes spares his own people, as a Father spares his Son that serveth him (Mal. 3.17.) Though they fail, yet he passeth it by, and doth not reckon with them for it. The Lord represented himself to Amos, forming Grasshoppers, which either in kind, or in a figure (shadowing the Assyrians) threatened to devour the Land; this Vision put the Prophet upon that earnest prayer, O Lord God forgive, by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small? The Lord repent for this, it shall not be saith the Lord (Amos 7.1, 2, 3.) Here was sparing mercy, and this is repeated a second time (Vers. 6.) yet in the third Vision of a Plumbe line (by which God was noted, taking exact notice of all the unevenness and crookedness of that people in that Vision, I say) as the Prophet suspended prayer, so the Lord being resolved, no longer to suspend their punishment, saith, I will not pass by them again any more: that is, I will spare them no more which is again repeated (Chap. 8.2.) where by a Basket of Summer fruit, the Lord shown their ripeness in sin, and his readiness to punish, and not to spare. Secondly, It is sparing mercy, when punishment is deferred, or adjourned to a further day; thus the Lord spared the old World, a hundred and twenty years, My spirit shall not always strive: It did a long time, he spared them many years to draw them to repentance, and to leave them inexcusable, because they repent not. Thirdly, It is sparing mercy, when judgement is moderated: When though God punish, yet he doth not punish to the full; when though the cloud break, yet he lets but a few drops fall on us, and doth not pour out showers, or make an inundation to overwhelm us; when though he strike, yet he gives but few strokes; yea, if he abate but one stroke, it is sparing mercy. The Jews (2 Cor. 11.24.) gave Paul, forty stripes, save one; and in this they would be thought to be merciful, because they might have given him forty by the Law (Deut. 25.3.) therefore to abate one, was sparing mercy. As to punish beyond the Law, though it be but a little beyond, is cruelty; so to punish less, though it be but a little less, is mercy: And this is brought in as an argument of great mercy (Psal. 78.38.) But he being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath: They felt his wrath, but God did not stir up all his wrath; they were smitten, but not destroyed, Justice did not make an utter end of them, there was mercy in that. The like read (Jer. 30.11. Jer. 46.28.) I will not let thee go altogether unpunished (yet I will spare thee, though I punish thee) I will correct thee in measure, I will not make a full end of thee. But are not all the corrections of God, yea and his judgements too done in measure? All the judgements of God are done in measure, as measure notes a rule of equity, but not as measure notes a rule of equality. Again, to do a thing by measure doth not always note the rule by which it is done, but the degree in which it is done. And so to do a thing in measure is to do it moderately; as when it is said (John 3.24.) That God gives not the spirit by measure to Christ: the meaning is only this, he gives him the spirit abundantly, infinitely, without stint or limit: So when it is said, that he corrects man in measure, the meaning is only this, that he corrects him moderately, mercifully, with many stints and limits. It is of the Lords mercy, (saith Jeremy Lam. 3.22.) What? That we are delivered? That we are crowned with comforts? These are of the Lords mercy indeed, but he speaks not of these, the mercy he speaks of is, That we are not utterly consumed. What kind of mercy is this? Sparing mercy. Suppose God take away many Children, yet if he leave but one, here is sparing mercy to the Parents: Suppose he take many hundreds, and thousands of a man's estate, yet if he leave him a little to buy Bread, and to stand between him and Beggary, this is sparing mercy: Suppose we are much consumed, yet if we are not utterly consumed, this also is sparing mercy. In the Prophecy of Daniel, we read of a goodly tree, And behold a watcher and an holy one came down from Heaven, and cried aloud Hue down the Tree and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves and scatter his fruit, etc. Nevertheless leave the stump of his root in the earth, etc. Though it was judgement to shake off the leaves and fruit, to hue down the boughs and stock, yet it was sparing mercy to leave the root, that gave hopes it might grow again, and not be utterly consumed; 'tis sparing mercy when any thing is reserved: But God did not spare Job, he took all; he did not leave him (as we say) A Shirt to his back, nor a sound patch in his skin: Satan's power had no limit put to it, but as to life only (Chap. 2.6.) Behold he is in thine hand, but (or only) save his life: There was indeed somewhat of sparing mercy in that, and that was more than Satan would have spared, yet it was but so much as without which he could not have groaned out this complaint, as to the loss of all other comforts, He doth not spare. Fourthly, There is a sparing mercy of God in the very act of afflicting, when he shows that he is unwilling to afflict, or discovers tenderness to them that are afflicted (Lam. 3.12.) He doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the children of men. As there are many who will serve God in an outward form of worship, whom yet they neither serve nor worship with their will: So God will afflict some, whom he doth not afflict with his will; he doth not give out his spirit, or take delight in smiting, while he smites them. Thus the Lord expressed himself towards his ancient people the Jews; he threatens Israel, That the Assyrian shall be his King; that is, the Assyrian shall carry them Captives to Babylon and exercise a tyrannical power over them (Hos. 11.5.) Yea, the Sword shall abide on his Cities, and shall consume his branches (Verse. 6.) Now though God were resolved to do this, and did also bring it to pass; yet he saith (Vers. 8.) How shall I give thee up Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? (sc: into the Enemy's hand) How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together: I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: that is, I will not destroy him wholly, by redoubling evil upon him: I will destroy once, but I will not return to destroy, a remnant shall be saved. The Lord gave up Ephraim, but he did not make Ephraim as Admah, and Zeboim, he did not utterly ruin him; and what he did against Ephraim, he did it with a secret contest in his own spirit, How shall I do this? I do it not with my heart, and whole mind, my heart is turned within me, while my hand is turned against thee; it grieveth me while thou art grieved, while I kindle this fire of affliction in thy borders, the fire of compassion kindles in my own bowels; My repentings are kindled together, while I punish thee for thine impenitency, and my heart is turned within me, while I must correct thee, for refusing to return (Verse. 5.) Nero being desired to sign a Writ for the execution of an Offender, was so pitiful at his first entrance upon the Empire (though he proved a Monster for cruelty after) that he could hardly be persuaded, or wrought to subscribe it, and when he did it, Quam vellem nescire literas. in doing it he said, How glad should I be if I could not write my name; which wish occasioned Seneca his Tutor, to write a Book of Clemency, in which he extols Nero, as the pattern and mirror of clemency: When either God or man do acts of severest Justice, with melt of spirit, and tenderness of affection towards those who fall under their hand, those acts of Justice have a great temperament of sparing mercy in them. For as it is in sinning, when a Believer falls into a great sin, yet because his heart cannot go fully with it, he cannot delight or take pleasure in it, therefore his may be called Sparing sinfulness: whereas a carnal heart committing only a little sin, for the matter yet, because he delighteth in it, and is pleased with sin, he doth not spare to sin. Now (I say) as it is in sinning, so in punishing; he doth not spare to punish, who doth it with his whole heart, and takes delight in it, though the actual punishment be but little, whereas he whose heart retreats while his hand is stretched out in greater punishments, may be said to spare in punishing. Hence, to show that God exacted the utmost of his Justice upon his Son our Lord Jesus Christ, when he stood in our place; the Apostle saith (Rom. 8.32.) He spared not his Son. How did he not spare him? He did not spare him any of these four ways. He did not spare him, so, as not to punish him at all; for the Cup could not pass from him. He did not spare him by deferring the time, but when the hour was come that he must suffer, he suffered in that moment. Nor did he spare him in the degree, he suffered to the utmost for our sins, God did not abate one drop out of his Cup, not one dram of the weight of his sorrows: Yea fourthly, God did not spare him, in regard of the affection with which he punished him: The Lord may be said willingly to afflict him for the sins of the Children of men, though he doth not willingly afflict the Children of men; He was pleased to bruise him (Isa. 53.) and that signifies not only (Voluntatem Dei) that it was the purpose and resolution of God, that his Son should be bruised for our sins; but it signifies also (Voluptatem Dei) the delight, and contentment that the Lord had in bruising his Son. He did not spare, but gave him up with his heart, to those punishments which were due to sinners. God shown no more relenting towards his Son, when he stood suffering in the place of sinners, than he doth to those sinners who stand in their own place to suffer without his Son: Yea, God the Father did not only not relent, or show any yearning of bowels towards his Son in that suffering condition, but (as to sense and present apprehension) he hardened his heart towards him, which caused that grievous outcry of Christ upon the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Not that God did really withdraw his love in the least, from his Son, but he did infinitely delight to see his Justice satisfied; and his Son as a Conqueror, bearing up under the weight of it. Thus the Lord took pleasure in afflicting his Son, or (as Job speaks, Chap. 9) He laughed at the trial of that innocent and Holy one: And indeed, without this, the work of our redemption had not been accomplished by a full satisfaction to divine Justice, for it would have had somewhat of mercy in it towards the Redeemer, as well as it is all mercy towards the redeemed: But as it is all of mercy to us, so it was to be nothing at all of mercy to Jesus Christ, that sinners are redeemed: he was to have no more of his Father then he paid for, and his Father did not spare him, but made him pay the utmost Farthing, that upon the casting up of the account between himself and sinful man appeared a due debt unto his Justice. Job complains, that he was not spared, yet the truth is, that, every man how much soever he suffers on this side Hell, hath somewhat of sparing mercy in his sufferings. Secondly, Forasmuch as Job being about to show the extremity of his affliction, tells us, That God did not spare. Observe. Sparing mercy is the lowest degree of mercy: If God deny sparing mercy, he denies all mercy. It is argument enough that God shown Christ no mercy, when the Apostle saith, He did not spare him. That we sinners might have all mercy, he that saved us from our sins had none. The Angels who sinned found no mercy, no sacrifice was provided for them, God cast them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement: All which punishments are affirmed by the Apostle Peter, as the result of this Negative, God spared not the Angels (2 Pet. 2.4.) The same Apostle tells us also in the next Verse, that, God spared not the old World, but saved Noah, the eight person, a Preacher of righteousness, bringing in the Flood upon the world of the ungodly. Neither the Angels who apostatised from God, nor the old ungodly World had any share in sparing mercy. Job looked upon himself (in reference to present peace) as one in their case, He doth not spare, which appears further in the next clause. He poureth out my Gall upon the ground. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fel ab amaritudine. Viscera. Vulg. The Original word which we render Gall, signifies properly, bitterness, because the Gall is so. Peter speaking to Simon Magus (Acts 8.23.) puts these two together, I perceive that thou art in the Gall of bitterness: He that continues in sin, lives in the Gall of spiritual bitterness, and he whose Gall is poured out, is in, or ready to go into the gall or corporal death. For as cleaving of the reins, employed the receiving of a deadly wound; so pouring out the Gall upon the ground, is a proverbial, speaking present death. When the gall is out, the bowels are out; the gall is affixed to the Liver: So that, it is as much as to say, He kills me dead, or I am now upon the borders of death itself: When the gall is indeed poured out, we cannot live; and he who is afflicted to such a height, that he cries, my gall is poured out, may well he numbered among the dead. The reason or original of this speech was this (as I conceive) because when a wild Beast, or any other (which are fit for man's eating) are taken and slain, it is usual when the bowels are pulled out, to cut off, and throw away, or pour out the Gall upon the ground, lest the overflowing of it should disrelish the neighbouring parts: So that Job in this doth only prosecute the former theme of his grievous sufferings, or that he was (as Paul speaks of himself (2 Cor. 1.18.) pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that he despaired even of life; which he gives us yet more fully in the next Verse. Vers. 14. He breaketh me with breach upon breach, and runneth on me like a Giant. Job varies into all manner of inventions and allusions, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vi disrupit, erupit. Poeticè variat orationis modos lugubres. to set forth both the constancy and extremity of his afflictions. As before he compared himself to a mark, against which Arrows are shot; so now to a Stone wall, or fortified Tower, against which, battering Rams of old, and Cannons in latter ages, are usually planted to make a breach, that the Soldiery may come up to the assault. He breaketh me with breach upon breach. Some men are like fortified Cities, which cannot be easily entered, yet when the Lord of Hosts draws up his Armies and beseigeth them, he hath Artillery and Ammunition enough to thunder down their highest Towers, and to make breach upon breach in their thickest walls. Satan complains (Ch. 1.) Thou hast made a hedge about him: Jobs hedge was the protection of God; that hedge was so strong that Satan could not pull up a stake of it, nor make a gap in it, till God gave him leave. But though Job (as this similitude implies) were like a wall or fortified tower, yet God had made breaches in him; God can soon break our estates, our strength, our health, our comforts, our peace, our all. And when Job saith, he breaks me with breach upon breach; he means a multitude of breaches made together, or continual breaches, made one after another: Jeremy laments (Chap. 4.16.) My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at the very heart, my heart makes a noise in me: Why doth he thus double upon these words, My bowels, my bowels, my heart, my heart? The twentieth Verse gives us an account of that, Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole Land is spoilt: Destruction upon destruction is total destruction. Thus Samson repeats his Victory over the Philistines (Judg. 15.16.) With the Jawbone of an Ass heaps upon heaps; or (as the letter of the Hebrew) an heap, two heaps; that is, I have made a great slaughter; or as himself explains it in the close of the Verse, I have slain a thousand men. We have the Prophet ezekiel's threat in the same language (Chap. 7.26.) Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour: When the Prophet Isaiah would convince the Jews of their unteachableness, that whereas (as the Apostles speaks, Heb. 5.12.) They ought to be teachers; yet they had need to be taught the first principles of the Oracles of God, like little Children, who must have the same precepts and lines often and often inculcated upon them, he gives it us in the form of this Text (Isa. 28.10.) For precept must be upon precept, line upon line; that is, they must be continually followed with precepts, they must have many, and yet they scarce learn one; or (as others expound that place) the Prophet describes the scornfulness of that people who jeered the Messengers of God for their frequency in Preaching, with a rhyming scoff, Precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, and there a little; which single terms the Prophets had often used in their Sermons. Now which way soever we take the proper sense of that place; yet the common sense of the words reaches this in Job: for precept upon precept, speaks there a multitude of precepts, even as here, breach upon breach speaks a multitude of breaches, or breaches all over. And the Apostle Paul expresseth himself in this strain, while he gives the reason of the recovery of Epaphroditus from a dangerous sickness (Phil. 2.27.) He was sick (saith Paul) nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him; and not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow; that is, many sorrows heaped up together: So then, when Job complains of his breaking with breach upon breach; the plain meaning is, that he had many, very many breaches: His very wounds were wounded, there was nothing in him, Vulnera ipsa vulnerat. Non habet in nobis jam nova plag● locum. or about him to be smitten, but what had been smitten already. As if he had said, I am so full of breaches and afflictions, that there is no whole space or room left for a new breach, for another affliction: As he that lies upon the ground can fall no lower, so he that is all broken cannot be broken any more. Job had breach upon breach in his estate, his Cattle, and goods were taken away: Job had breach upon breach in his Family, most of his Servants, and all his Children were destroyed: Job had breach upon breach in his body, that was sick and soar: Job had breach upon breach in his credit, he was called Hypocrite again and again: Job had breach upon breach in his soul, that was filled with fear and terror from the Lord. Hence Note. The best Saints on earth are subject, not only to great, but various troubles, to breach upon breach. God is pleased to smite them sundry times, and he smites them sundry ways: 'Tis no argument that a man shall be no more afflicted, because he is afflicted, or that God will not smite again, because he hath smitten already. God doth not stay his hand by looking upon the number, but upon the effect and fruit of our afflictions: Every Child of his, whom he corrects, must look for more corrections, till repentance hath had its perfect work, and every Champion of his whom he tries, must look for more trials, till faith and patience have had their perfect work. God would not give his Children so much as one blow, or one breach, not so much as a little finger of theirs should ache, were it not for one of these ends, and until these ends be attained, they shall have many blows and breaches, even till the whole head be sick, and the whole heart faint, till from the sole of the foot, even unto the head, there is no soundness in them, but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores. As the Vine-dresser cuts, and cuts, in vineis labor labori, cura curae, semper additur, etc. Sanct. prunes, and prunes the Vine, this day and the next day, because once cutting or pruning will not serve to make it fruitful: So the Lord prunes, and cuts, and pares, and breaks, and breaks, not to destroy his people, but to make them (as pleasant Vines) bring forth abundantly, either the fruits of godly sorrow for their sins committed against him, or the proofs and experiments of the graces which they have received from him. This latter was Jobs case, and the chief cause why he was broken with breach upon breach. And no sooner had the Lord by his roaring Cannon, made breaches in him, fair, and assaultable, but he presently takes his advantage, as Job shows elegantly (pursuing the Allegory) in the last clause. He runs upon me as a Giant. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut fortis potens idem valet Gigas & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. When a breach is made in the wall, the besiegers run up to assault and storm the place. Job keeps to the Soldier's language, the Lord hath made breach upon breach, and now He runs upon me as a Giant. There are three things in this expression. First, The speed which God made to assault him, He runs. Secondly, The strength that God puts forth in assaulting him, he runs, not as a Child, not as a weak man, no nor as the ordinary sort of strong men; but as a Giant, or mighty man, who exceeds other men as Goliath did David, both in strength and stature. Quando aliquis dicitur aut currere, aut aliquid agere, sicut Gigas, nihil aliud denotat, quam magno animo & strenuè rem aliquam aggredi. Bold. Thirdly, Running as a Giant, notes courage as well as strength. A Giant runs fiercely and fearelesly. David compares the Sun at his rising, to a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber, and to a Giant, or strong man (it is the word of this Text) who rejoiceth to run a race (Psal. 19.5.) Giants are swift, and Giants are strong; Some men are strong but not swift of foot, but no man can be swift of foot unless he be competently strong, Giants are both in excess: And therefore Job puts both together, He runs upon me as a Giant. And yet (I conceive) this running doth rather imply the fierceness of the Giant, than his swiftness. Giants are dreadful and terrible to behold; they are called Nephilim in the Hebrew, of divers Texts, which coming from the root, Naphal, to fall, signifies fallers, and that in a twofold sense. First, Because they Apostatised or fell from God, his truth and worship, which Moses seems to intimate, while he describes the first great personal defection of the World (Gen. 6.4.) There were Giants in the earth in those days: these he opposeth to the Sons of God, in the same Verse, who had also greatly corrupted themselves, so that (Vers. 5.) God saw the wickedness of man was great upon the earth: For the Sons of God, they who owned a profession of Religion (being the Posterity of Seth, they) mingled themselves with the wicked of the World; as for the Giants, they disowned God, and were totally departed, or fallen from his obedience, and were therefore as some apprehend, called Nephilim, or Fallers. Secondly, They were so called, because either through the vastness of their strength and stature, or through the fierceness of their minds and spirits, they were men of violence, great oppressors, causing others to fall before them: In so much that the very name of a Giant was dreadful. And when those unbelieving Scarchers of Canaan brought up an evil report of that Land, the worst which they could say of it to the discouragement of their Brethren, was this (Numb. 13.33.) And there we saw the Giants, the Sons of Anak, which came of the Giants: and we were in our own sight as Grasshoppers, and so we were in theirs. Men of strength and courage were as much afraid at this story of Giants, as Children are of Bugbears and Fairies. So then, when Job said, That God did run upon him as a Giant, his intent was only to show, with how much terror God was pleased to himself, and how much strength he put forth, while he thus contended with him. The truth is, God needs not lay out his strength to afflict man, he can crush the strongest of men as a moth, with the touch of his finger. The weakness of God is stronger than man; yet God in afflicting his people, will sometimes personate a mighty man, exercising his power to the utmost, and arming himself from head to foot, while he combats with an enemy: which still confirms the general Observation, That God doth not only afflict such as he loves, but he afflicts them sorely. Doth he not so, when he shaks them in pieces? Doth he not so, when he sets them as his mark? When a multitude of skilful Archers compass them about; when he cleaves their reins asunder; when he pours out their Gall upon the ground? Doth he not so, when he sets Engines of battery to make breach upon breach, and then runs up as a Giant to the assault? Thus God hath dealt with many precious souls, and thus he dealt (beyond his deal with many) with his precious Servant Job. And as no man, either in his estate or health, either in his credit or comforts, is so strong a wall, but God by his Artillery can quickly make a breach upon him; so who is able to stand in the breach, or make it good, when God comes up to the assault? Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? saith the Lord (Ezek. 22.14.) When the Lord as a Giant runs upon man, the strongest Giant among the sons of men, is but as a Pigmy, yea but as a Pismire, he is but as the Chaff before the wind, or as the potter's Vessel before the Iron Rod. But though flesh and blood cannot stand in the breach when God assaults; yet Faith and patience can. Moses by Faith stood in the breach, and turned away the wrath of God, when he came to destroy Israel (Psal. 106.23.) Job by patience stood in the breaches which God made upon him, when he seemed utterly to destroy him. For what did Job to God, when God did all this to him? Did he oppose? Did he strive with his Maker? The two next Verses show, that prayers and tears were all the Weapons he used in this holy War with God. JOB, CHAP. 16. Vers. 15.16, 17. I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust. My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death. Not for any injustice in my hands also my prayer is pure. THE former words showed in what manner Job was afflicted; and because the manner of his afflictions did almost exceed words, therefore he strained himself to the highest pitch of holy rhetoric, to make his unkind Friends sensible of it. And as there he told us what God had done to him, so here he tells what he did, or how he behaved himself under the hand of God; he tells us how he took those tearings, and those wounds; how he received those showers of Arrows from the Almighty's Bow. Eliphaz taxed Job in the fifteenth Chapter, with height and haughtiness of spirit in his low estate (Vers. 12.13.) Why doth thine heart carry thee away? And what doth thine eyes wink at, that thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? And (Vers. 25.) he more than intimates that Job stretched out his hand against God, and strengthened himself against the Almighty. In both passages he is severely charged, not only with impatience under the hand of God (which is bad enough) but with opposition against the hand of God, which is fare worse. Job refutes these unfreindly censures, and professeth another kind both of spirit and practice in this Text. As if he had said, I am not so mad as thou takest me to be, to run upon God, or to stretch out my hand against him while he smiteth me, I have learned better, then to shoot the arrows of blasphemy against God, whilst he shoots the arrows of calamity against me; and if you desire to know what I have been doing, seeing I deny that I have been doing what you suggest: This is the account which I give of myself, and of my behaviour. Vers. 15. I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust. That is, I have humbly submitted myself to receive, and entertain those saddest dispensations. Hence Observe. That the surest way to confute the censures, and wipe off the aspersions which are cast upon us, is to show ourselves doing contrary to what others are speaking of us. A practical answer is the strongest answer; we may speak more for ourselves by our hands, than we can do by our tongues in many cases. The Papists mouths are stopped (who call us Solifidians) when they see Protestants forward in, and zealous for good works: He that is accused of uncharitableness, may best free himself from that charge, by giving freely to the poor; and he that is accused of injustice, may soon do himself right, by showing that he hath done right to every man. Bare denials that we have done evil, are nothing; but when our doing of good appears, who can deny it? The old Philosopher answered him that denied motion, by rising up and walking, not by arguing: Job answered Eliphaz, who affirmed that he turned his spirit, and stretched out his hand against God, by falling down and submitting to it. I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, etc. And this Job offers, as to remove, and take away that objection of mis-behaviour towards God; Hoc assert ut ad miserecordiam socios moveat, paenitentiam, sc: suam & humilitatem, quod sese in his afflictionibus non extulerit. Merc. so to move his Friends to better behaviour, even to compassion, and pity towards him. He was in a sorrowful case, and he had acted the part of a sorrowful man; God had laid him low, and he laid himself low; this might have taught them moderation; why should they speak so harshly against him, who had dealt but coursely with himself? Sowing sackcloth upon his skin; and seeing he abased himself, even to the defiling of his horn in the dust, why should they abase him too? It stirs up pity towards a professed adversary to see him in misery, especially, when he submits unto it, and suffers with patience: Much more should the misery of a professed Friend, he also quietly submitting to it, stir up the bowels of pity. So then, the scope of this report which Job makes of himself, was not only to answer what Eliphaz had charged him with, but also that he might obtain from his Friends, a milder answer. I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin. The word which we render Sackcloth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saccus, v●x quae hic habetur Sak habet eundem sonum in omni sere lingua, quod unum arguit linguam Hebraeam omnium esse matrem. is of the same sound in the Hebrew, and almost in all other languages; which is observed as an argument of its antiquity, and that it is the mother of all languages. But how did Job sow sackcloth upon his Skin? This is a hard piece of Sempstery. The Roman Historian reports of cruel Nero, that when he fled out of the City, (fearing the sentence of the displeased Senate which quickly pursued him) and had got into a grove or thicket like a wild Beast, he commanded those about him to make a trench in the earth, fitted to the dimensions of his body, which he ordered them to line with such pieces of Marble, as were to be had upon the place; thus as it were, preparing his own Tomb, he wept and often cried out, See what a workman is here now ready to perish▪ What that wretch said of himself, I may say of this holy man in the Text, whom I find thus busied at his Needle, as if he were preparing his own Graveclothes, or winding-sheet, What a workman have we here ready to perish? Job looked upon himself as a dying man, Qualis artifex pereo. and behold he is sowing sackcloth upon his skin. When men of worth die, they are wrapped in fine linen, so Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body of Jesus (Mark 15.46.) And a living man full of sores needs the finest and softest linen to wrap him in: Sackcloth is a course stubborn cloth, grievous to a sound body, painful to those who have never a breach upon their flesh; but for a man (as Job describes himself) full of breaches, having breach upon breach, his body being broken all over, as if it were but one continued breach, to lap up such a one in sackcloth, is an extreme addition to his pains and sorrows. How is it then, that Job was thus severe to his own sores? To clear this, Sackcloth may be taken two ways. First, Properly. Secondly, Improperly. Properly, so, sackcloth is that hairy, rough Garment which was very usual among mourners, whether in times of sorrow for sin or judgement. Sackcloth was the Livery of both these sorrows. The King of Israel was a close-mourner in sackcloth (2 Kings 6.30.) The King rend his clothes as he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. There being a terrible Famine in Samaria, that Kings wore Sackcloth as an emblem of his sorrow, yet he wore it somewhat concealedly, it was within upon his flesh. And so (2 Kings 20.31.) when the Servants of Benhadad came to Achab, they put sackcloth upon them. And (2 Kings 21.27.) Achab himself when he heard that sore judgement denounced against him, humbled himself, and put on sackcloth, and went softly. In a time of common calamity, the Prophet tells us, Every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth (Jer. 48.37.) And that it was the usual wear in time of repentance, is taught us in the Prophecy of Jonah (3.8.) where Proclamation was made, by the King of Niniveh, That all should fast and put on sackcloth. Christ himself describing what Sodom and Gomorah would have done if the Gospel had been Preached, or the mighty works done in them which were done in Bethsaida and Corazin, saith, They would have repent long ago in sackcloth and ashes: that is, they would have put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes, in token of deepest humiliation for sin. Thus sackcloth properly taken was often used in times of great affliction, whether personal, or public; as also in times of deepest and most professed repentance. Secondly, We may take sackcloth improperly, and so two ways. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cutis vox Arabica non alibi in Scriptura reperitur. Et Gelad propriè significare cutim & crustavi quae plagae siccae superinducitur. Rab. Levi, First, As to Jobs then present condition, he was full of sores, and those sores were to him as a course covering of sackcloth: for he was sore all over: In some extraordinary diseases, a scab puts forth all over the body, like the bark of a tree. Jobs scabs and sores were like the bark of a tree, or a garment of sackcloth; he speaks near this language (Chap. 30.18.) By the great force of my disease is my Garment changed: As if he had said, I have another kind of Garment than I was wont to wear; I was wont to wear the best, and the costlyest Garments; but now, By the force of my disease is my Garment changed, it bindeth me about as the colour of my coat: that is, My sores bind me about as the colour of my Coat. Thus the Greek Expositors render this Text, affirming, Nigrorem nacta est cutis mea propter cruciatuum acerbitatem quasi saccus quidam ex vellis contextis effectus. Sanct. that his Skin was discouloured and black, and began to look like sackcloth, through the heat and distemper of his inward parts: As health and soundness of constitution put out a fresh and lively tincture, so sickness and diseases deface and darken the beauty of the body. Secondly, Take it again improperly, as to Jobs then present action; and then, I sowed sackcloth upon my skin, is, as if he had spoken plainly, I have greatly abased, or humbled myself, I have been as one who putteth on sackcloth. Such was his posture (Chap. 2.8.) He took a potsherd, and scraped his sores, and sat down among the ashes. As he who wore sackcloth did humble himself greatly, or at least would be accounted to have done so; so he that is really humbled, and that greatly, may be said to have put on sackcloth. The sign is often put for the thing signified, in reference both to joy and sorrow. White garments and unctions were signs of joy; and therefore when Solomon exhorts to joyfulness, he saith, Let thy garments be always white, and let thine head lack no ointment (Eccles. 9.8.) which we may expound either by that which goes before, Eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy Wine with a merry heart (Verse. 7.) or by that which follows (Vers. 9) Live joyfully with the wife of thy youth: As to bid a man put on white garments is to bid him rejoice, so to bid a man put on blacks, or sackcloth, is to bid him mourn; and he who saith as Job here, that he hath done it, saith, That he hath mourned, though he hath not done it. Job did not sow sackcloth upon his skin when he spoke thus, but his sorrows did truly speak sackcloth: Such also is his sense of the next clause; where he professeth, And I defiled my horn in the dust. Horns are proper to a beast, but they are often by a figure or improperly ascribed to man. The horn imports two things in figure. First, Strength, and power. Secondly, Dignity, and ornament. It is often put for strength and power; for the strength and power of good men (1 Sam. 2.10.) Hannah sings, Thou shalt exalt the horn (that is, the strength and power) of thine anointed. (Psal. 132.17.) There shall he make the horn of David to flourish. David was a type of Christ, and of him this Psalm is expounded (Luke 1.69.) God hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David: A horn of salvation, is, strong salvation, or strength of salvation: God laid help for us upon one that is mighty, when he laid help for us upon his Son. The horn●, notes also the strength and power of wicked men (Psal. 75.5.) Lift not your horns on high, speak not with a stiff neck: At the tenth Verse of that Psalm, we have both; All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted. Those ten Kings, who gave their power and strength to the Antichristian Beast, Metaphora ab animalibus ducta, quorum vires fere in cornibus existant. are shadowed under the title of Ten horns (Revel. 17.12.) Strength and power are expressed by a horn, in allusion to Beasts, whose strength to defend themselves, and to hurt others, is in their horns; and hence it is that the word by which the Greeks express harmless, signifies properly hornless (Phil. 2.15.) That ye may be blameless and harmless, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Est careus cornu. the Sons of God without rebuke, etc. Secondly, As the horn is put for strength, so for splendour, and dignity: The Texts before alleged may be so expounded. And again (Hab. 3.4.) His brightness was as the light, and he had horns coming out of his h●●d, and there was the hiding of his power: We in the Margin put, Bright beams out of his side: For the Hebrew word which signifies a horn, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Radiavit splenduit. signifies to radiate, and shine forth (Exod. 34.29, 30.) When Moses came down from the Mount; the Text saith, He witted not that his face did shine. And when Aaron, and all the people of Israel saw Moses, hehold his face shone: The Vulgar translates, The face of Moses was horned, Quod cornuta esset facies ejus. Vulg. Ind Moses cornutus pingitur. or had horns upon it: that is, Beams and rays of light like horns appeared, or darted from his countenance, so that the eyes of the beholders were dazzled: And the reason why Moses is commonly pictured with horns, is, because this word signifies, both beams, and horns. So here, I have defiled my horn in the dust: that is, My dignity, and excellency; thus the Chaldee expresseth it: as if he had said, I have taken off, Splendorem meum. Chald. or laid by all ornaments to put myself into the posture of an humble suppliant; I have defiled my horn in the dust. [Dust] also is taken properly, or improperly; properly, dust is light, small, crumbled earth. Christ chargeth his Disciples (Matth. 10.14.) Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your word, when ye depart out of that City, shake off the dust of your feet: That action was emblematical, and noted one of, or all these three things. First, That the earth was polluted, where such refusers of the precious Gospel did inhabit, and was therefore to be shaken off as a filthy thing. Secondly, That they were base and vile as dust, such as God would shake off. Thirdly, That the dust of the Apostles feet there left, might be as a witness (so the other Gospels express it) against them, that the Gospel had been Preached there. Dust also in a proper sense, was used in times of humiliation and sorrow among the Jews; for then, they either sprinkled dust on their heads, or lay down in the dust: Joshua and the Elders of Israel put dust on their heads (Josh. 7.6.) and Job professeth (Chap. 42.6.) Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes: Which we may understand either strictly, that he sat down in the dust, testifying his repentance, or largely, that his was a great and a deep repentance, even like theirs, who are humbled in dust and ashes. That carnal worldly sorrow of the Merchants and Friends of Babylon is thus expressed (Revel. 18.18, 19) And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great City. Improperly, dust signifies any very low condition (Psal. 113.7. 1 Sam. 2.8.) He raiseth the poor out of the dust. And again (1 Kings 16.2.) For as much as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee a Prince over my people Israel, etc. To be exalted from the dust, is to be exalted from among the common people to a princely state, as that parallel place tells us (1 Kings 14.7.) All men are but level with the dust in their natural constitution, but all Magistrates are above the dust (that is, the common people) by their civil constitution. When Job saith, I have defiled my horn in the dust; it may be understood either properly, that he did sit down in dust and ashes as he speaks (Chap. 2.) or improperly, that as God had brought him into a low condition, so he was willing to submit himself to a low condition, and to be, not only as man who is dust in his nature, and must return to dust, but as becomes that man whose power and honour, whose excellency and greatness is laid in the dust: David imprecates (Psal. 7.5.) If I have done this, if (as some charge and suspect me) there be iniquity in my hands, etc. Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust: that is, Let him totally ruin me, or lay me as low, as low can be. The Church is thus excited to rise from her Captivity (Isa. 52.1, 3.) Awake, and shake thyself from the dust, arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: lose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O Captive daughter of Zion. To lie in Captivity, is to lie in the dust; and as to shake off the dust is to return from Captivity, so to defile the horn in the dust is to lay aside our dignity. Job gives yet a further description of his selfe-humiliation. Vers. 16. My face is foul with weeping, and on my eye lids is the shadow of death. As Job put on his mourning Garments, so he was indeed a mourner, he wept, and he wept plentifully: much eye-water doth not cleanse, but foul the face, My face is foul with weeping; Fancies mea inturnuit a fletu. Vulg. or my face is swollen, and my cheeks blubbered with weeping, saith the Latin Translator. Note here three sorts of tears spoken of in Scripture. First, There are tears of worldly sorrow. Secondly, Tears of godly sorrow. Thirdly, Tears of Hypocrisy. The last sort is appliable to both the former; it respects sometimes worldly sorrow, and sometimes godly sorrow; for both may be feigned: Such were those tears (Jer. 41.) when Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the Text saith, Ishmael went to Mizpeh, and met the men, weeping all along as he went; as if he had been greatly troubled for the afflictions of the Land; but they were Crokadiles tears. Ishmael wept only till he had gotten those men (as a prey) in his power, and then he destroyed them. Ishmael was a State-hypocrite, and seemed full of compassion, that he might get an opportunity to vent his malice. There are many Church-hypocrites, who can foul and disfigure their faces with weeping, as Christ reproves the Pharisees (Matth. 6.16.) while they have no thought of washing or reforming either their hearts or lives. Jobs face was foul with weeping, but his heart and life were clean; he needed not strain for tears, or weep by art; how could he restrain tears, whose troubles were enlarged? The word which we render foul, is doubled in the Original, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fancies mea faedata est a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lutum, hic duplicatur ut ante ad augendam fignisicationem. which speaks thus much, that his face double-dirtyed, or double-dyed in his own tears: Neither yet was this all the argument of his real sorrows; for he had not only quite wept away his beauty, but he had almost wept away his life too, and was even dead with grief, as it follows in the next words. And on my eye lids is the shadow of death. That is, Mine eyes are darkened, and I look like one that's ready to give up the Ghost: As if he had said, My sorrow may be seen upon my eyes and eye lids, which with extremity of grief, and multitude of tears are even wasted away and sunk in my head, as when a man is dead, or dying: Much weeping weakens the eyesight, yea some are said to weep out their eyes. David gives us that effect of weeping (Psal. 6.7.) I water my couch with tears: that is, I weep abundantly, than it follows, Mine eyes are consumed because of my grief: And (Psal. 38.10.) My heart panteth, my strength faileth, as for the light of mine eyes, it is also gone from me: I am even grown blind with sorrow, or (as the Church bemoanes her sad estate, Lament. 2.11.) Mine eyes do fail with tears. Abundance of tears bring failing of eyes: and he that useth his eyes to much weeping, shall have little use of them for seeing: Hos gestus in humiliationibus Orientales etiam Graecos usurpasse testatur & videt Plutarchus in libello de superstitione. Densissima caligo est oculis meis offusa. Merc. we may assign the reason of it from nature, because continual pouring forth of tears spends the spirits, and so weakeneth the visive power. Now as death is a total privation of sight, so they whose sight is much impaired, look somewhat like the dead: Hence Jobs complaint, On my eyelids is the shadow of death. Shadow of death, notes the clearest appearance, the strongest signs of death: Or this shadow of death upon his eyelids, together with the fouling of his face, in the former clause may be an allusion to some fashions or customs of mourners in those times or places. This phrase (which also often occurrs in other Scriptures) was opened (Chap. 3.5.) thither I refer the Reader. Thus we have Jobs behaviour in his affliction by a twofold act, and a twofold effect of it. The first act was, Sowing sackcloth on his flesh. The second was, Defiling his horn in the dust. The first effect was, Foulness upon his face. The second was, Death upon his eyes. Hence Observe. First, They are most sensible of the hand of God, who are most submissive to it. As Jobs afflictions were great, so was his sorrow, and so was his submission: Sorrow is not contrary to patience; Job was the most patiented, and the most sorrowful man in the World. There is an immoderate sorrow inconsistent with patience, but great sorrow is not only consistent with patience, but an argument of it; and unless we have some sorrow, we are not patiented at all: how can he be called patiented, who either feels not, or slights his affliction. It is as ill a symptom of a diseased soul to be unsensible of judgements, as to be unsensible of mercies. Unless we feel the rod, we cannot hear the voice of the rod, nor receive instruction by it. To be as a Trunk, or a Stone, under correction, is not to be patiented under it, but to despise it: Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, is the advice of the spirit, by the Apostle (1 Pet. 5.6.) As God humbles us for sin, or for the trial of grace, so they who have grace receive power to humble themselves; and to humble ourselves, is not only an act, but an high act of grace; both the grace of God toward us, and the graces of God in us are exalted when we are low in our own eyes. Secondly, From the manner of this sorrowful humiliation, He sowed sackcloth upon his skin, and defiled his horn in the dust. Observe. That as God letteth out visible tokens of his afflicting hand upon us, so we should let out visible tokens of our humiliation under his hand. As we are visibly afflicted, so we should be visibly affected. We may make our humblings seen, though we must not do it to be seen. As the light of our active obedience, should so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven (Matth. 5.16.) So also should the light of our passive obedience shine before men, that they may see our holy sufferings, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven. It is as great a sin to boast of our poverty, as it is to boast of our riches, and as great a vanity to be proud of a cross, as to be proud of a Crown; yet it is an honour to God, when men see that we are not ashamed either of poverty or of a cross. The cross should be carried upon our shoulders, not put up in our pockets: God loves to see us own our troubles as well as our comforts; and as he will condemn those who wrap the Talon of their gifts and abilities in a Napkin, and hid it from the use of others; so he doth not approve those who wrap up their crosses and afflictions in a Napkin, and hid them from the sight of others: especially considering, that even these also are Talents for which we stand accountable, how we have used them, both for our own good, and the good of others. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus (saith the Lord) Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised (Jer. 31.18.) Ephraim's outward moans were as music in the ears of God; Ephraim did not murmur against God, but he bemoaned himself; Ephraim was not angry at his chastisement, but Ephraim mourned being chastised; God heard this fully, in hearing he heard it, or, it pleased him to hear it. It is our duty to testify our sorrow by the saddest notes of a troubled spirit, and it is a delight to God when we do so; not that he delights in our sorrows; but he delights in the witness which we bear to his wisdom, righteousness, and faithfulness, in sending those sorrows. I heard Ephraim bemoan himself. Will an offendor that looks for mercy come before the Judge in rich apparel, or in some affected dress? Comes he not rather in his Prison clothes, putteth he not on the garments of heaviness? The Messengers of Benhadad, put dust on their heads, and ropes about their necks, and sackcloth on their loins, when they came to mediate for the life of their Master. And thus the Lord speaks to the Israelites (Exod. 33.5.) when they had sinned, and he was wroth, Put off your Ornaments that I may know what to do with you: Ornaments are uncomely when God is threatening judgements: It is time for us to lay by our bravery, when God is about to make us naked. Sackcloth sowed upon the skin, and our horn in the dust, are the best ensigns of an afflicted state. The Prophet's counsel indeed is (Joel 2.13.) Rend your hearts and not your garments. (Rending the garments may be taken, not only strictly for that act, but largely for all outward actings of sorrow) Yet when he saith, Rend not, this is not a prohibition of, but a caution about the outward acting of their sorrow. Not, in Scripture, is not always totally negative, it is often directive and comparative: So in this place, Rend your hearts and not your garments, is, your hearts, rather than your garments; or be sure to rend your hearts, as well as your garments: The one must be done, the other ought not to be left undone. See more of this (Chap. 1. Vers. 20.) upon those word, Then Job rend his Mantle. Thirdly, Observe. Great sorrow produceth great effects, and leaveth such impressions as testify where it is. The Apostle saith of the sorrow of the World, That it worketh death (2 Cor. 7.10.) The sorrow of the World may be taken two ways. First, For the sorrow of carnal worldly men, whose sorrow for sin is only a vexing of their hearts, not a breaking or humbling of their hearts; which being separate both from true faith for the pardon of sin, and from any real purpose of leaving their sin, worketh death, both temporal death, often wearing out their natural life lingeringly, and sometime destroying their natural life violently, as in Judas, as also hastening them on to eternal death, of which itself is a foretaste, or beginning. Secondly, This sorrow of the World, is a sorrow for the loss of, or disappoyntments about worldly things. This also worketh both those deaths in mere worldly men; and when it is excessive (as under a temptation it may be) in a godly man, it may be said to work the death of the body in him; yea great and continued sorrow, though it be not excessive, worketh towards this death in a godly man, drying his bones, and drawing out his spirits, as is clear in Job, on whose eyelids the very shadow of death sat, while he wept and sorrowed. 'Tis hard to dissemble a little grief, but a great deal cannot be hid: As godly sorrow manifests itself in excellent effects upon the soul, of which the Apostle numbers up seven at the eleventh Verse of that Chapter, For this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you; yea what clearing of yourselves, etc. Now I say, as godly sorrow manifests itself in manifold effects upon the soul, so doth the sorrow of the World set its marks upon the body: As a good man's heart is made clean by weeping the tears of godly sorrow, so every man's face is made foul by weeping the tears of worldly sorrow; and as godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation and life eternal, so the sorrow of the World worketh an entrance to temporal death; yea, we may say that godly sorrow doth sometimes work temporal death; Paul was afraid lest the incestuous person while he was repenting, might be Swallowed up with over much sorrow (2 Cor. 2.7.) which as we are to understand chiefly of a swallowing up in the gulf of despair, so we may take in that also as a consequent of the other, a swallowing of him up in the Grave of death; as if he had said, The poor man may both despair and die under this burden, if you let it lie too long upon him. As soon as Heman had said (in his desertion) My soul is full of troubles, he presently adds, And my life draweth nigh unto the Grave, I am counted with them that go down to the pit, free among the dead (Psal. 88.3, 4, 5.) To which he subjoins (Ver. 9) Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction, and then expostulates (Vers. 10.) Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise thee? As if he had said, These sorrows will bring me to my grave, or in the language of Job, On my eyelids is the shadow of death. Till we enjoy a life beyond the reach of all sorrows, we shall not be beyond the reach of death. Hence that promise (Revel. 21.4.) God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: And as that life which hath no death in it, shall have no sorrow in it, so that life which is a continual death (the life of the damned) is nothing else but sorrow. There shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, for evermore (Mat. 13.42.) Their eyes shall ever weep, their faces shall ever be foul with weeping, and on their eyelids the shadow of death shall dwell for ever. Fourthly, The hand of God being heavy upon Job, he defiled his horn in the dust, and fouled his face with weeping; he regarded neither the beauty of his face, nor the dignity of his condition, all was nothing to him. Learn from it. Great afflictions take off our respect to the World, and all worldly things. What is honour? What is Gold or Silver? What is a goodly House? What is a beautiful Wife, and pleasant Children? What are fine , or a fair face in a day of sorrow, or in the approaches of death? Spirituals are highest prized when we are lowest: Grace shines clearest in worldly darkness; but the light of worldly enjoyments is darkness to us, and that which some esteem as a Sun, is but a Cloud to us in the day of distress: That is best which is good to us in our worst estate. The favour of God, the pardon of sin, the fruits of the spirit, are always pleasant to the Saints, but then most when the years, or times are upon them, of which they not only say with the Preacher (Eccles. 12.1.) We have no pleasure in them, but, we have much pain and trouble in them. The face of the new creature is never foul with weeping, nor is the horn of our salvation defiled when we lie in the dust, or on the dunghill. Job having (according to his manner) accurately described his calamities, and shown with what deep sense, and self-abasement he had entertained them; he passeth to a refutation of that inference which his Friends drew, and had often pressed upon him from those premises of his affliction. Eliphaz suggested him impious and unjust, because he was thus smitten. Job plainly denies it (Vers. 17.) I have not received these wounds in my body and estate, for any injustice in my hands, no, nor for any impiety in my heart, also my prayer is pure. This Verse takes off both parts of that general assertion, as to Jobs personal condition (Chap. 15. Vers. 34.) The Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate, fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery. There Eliphaz closely hinted that Job was an Unjust man, and an Hypocrite: Job answers, no, my Tabernacle is not the Tabernacle of bribery, there is no injustice in my hands; my Congregation, or those with whom I joined in worship were not a Congregation of Hypocrites, my prayer is pure: As if he had said, Though it be a truth, that the Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate, yet it doth not follow, that every man is an Hypocrite, whose Congregation is made desolate, for mine is desolate, and yet I know my prayer is pure: And though fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery, yet every man is not guilty of bribery, whose Tabernacle is consumed with fire, for so is mine, and yet I avouch it, there is no injustice in my hands. Vers. 17. Not for any [injustice] in my hands. The word that we translate injustice, signifies rapine, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propriè rapina violentia injuria. violence, or wrong done by violence, any open tyrannical oppression. The Harpy being a ravenous Fowl, hath his name from this root in Hebrew (as also in the Greek from one of the same importance) because he doth not subtly surprise his prey, but openly assault it. It signifies also violence mingled with scorn and contempt; as is observed upon that of the Prophet (Ezek. 22.26.) Her Priests have violated my Laws: The Priests did not go behind the door, they made an open breach upon the Law of God; they did not sin secretly, as if they had been afraid to be seen, but avowedly and before the Sun. Hence some have rendered that Text, Her Priests have contemned my Laws; noting either that it was a violation with contempt; or that Laws which are once contemned cannot be long unviolated. Thus Job professeth, there is no such injustice in my hand; Job did not disclaim all failings in doing justice, but all intendments of doing injustice, he did not peremptorily deny that there was no injustice in his hand arising from mistakes of the Law, but none from contempt of the Law, Not for any injustice, In my [hand.] Injustice is ascribed to the hand, not because injustice is always, though usually it be done with the hand; with the hand men take away, and with that men detain the right of others. David speaks thus (2 Chro. 12.17.) Seenig there is no wrong in mine hand; that is, I have done no wrong. The hand is the great instrument of action, most injustice is done by the hand, though much be done by the tongue; and a Judge who gives an unjust sentence with his tongue, may be said to have injustice in his hands. Besides, he may be said to have injustice in his hands, who keeps any thing in his hands which was gotten by injustice; he also may be said to eat injustice, who feeds upon what he got unjustly (Prov. 4.17.) They eat the Bread of wickedness, and drink the Wine of violence: that is, they eat Bread, and drink Wine, gotten by wickedness and violence. Job disclaims injustice in all these notions, There is no injustice in my hands; as if he had said, I have not gotten wealth by injustice, nor enriched myself by making others poor, I have not been as an Harpy, to scratch and tear from others to feed myself: He gives a full account of this (Chap. 29. and Chap. 30.) wiping off those aspersions of injustice, by a large narrative of his proceed in that public capacity, as a Magistrate; the breviate of which is summed up in this negative, There is no injustice in my hand. Further, Injustice may be taken two ways. Either strictly, for the act of a Magistrate perverting the Law and going besides the rules of righteousness. Or largely, for any wrong that one neighbour in a private capacity, doth another. To do justice is every one's duty as well as the Magistrates: we use to say, Every man is either a Fool or a Physician; we may say, Every one is either a doer of justice, or a dishonest man: For though to do justice is chiefly the Magistrates work, yet no man (who hath any thing to do in the World) can live as he ought, without doing justice: In this large sense also we may expound Jobs disclaimer of injustice; as if he had said, I have not willingly failed in any of those duties which the Law of love towards my neighbour calls for, and obliges me unto: There is no injustice in my hands. Also my prayer is pure. Prayer is taken two ways, as injustice is. Either largely, for the whole worship of God, My house shall be called the house of prayer (Matth. 21.13.) that is, All kind of public worship shall be performed, and tendered to me there: Prayer being so principal a part of worship, may well comprehend all the parts of worship; that which is chief in any kind, often denominates all the rest. So Love is put for all the duties of the Law, and Faith for all the duties, yea, and for all the Doctrines of the Gospel, though in both, many other duties and Doctrines are contained. Strictly, Prayer is that part or worship which consists in calling upon God: Prayer is the making known of our desires, or the opening of our hearts to God. It is the ascent of our souls to God. David being about to pray, saith, Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul. In this place we may take prayer in both the notions of it, My prayer, Is pure. The word signifies shining, bright, glorious; a gracious prayer shines so bright that there is a glory in it; My prayer is pure. Zophar charged Job for saying, My doctrine is pure (Chap. 12.4.) Now Job himself saith, My prayer is pure. The truth of Doctrine is the purity of it, and the sincerity of prayer is the purity of it: Job did not boast his prayer pure without infirmity, but he did profess it pure without hypocrisy. Yet besides this casting out of hypocrisy, there are divers ingredients to be taken in towards the composition of a pure prayer, of which I shall touch more distinctly by and by. We read in the Institutes of the Ceremonial Law of pure Myrrh, of pure Frankincense, of pure Oil, of pure Incense, all which concurred to pure worship among the Jews, and typed out all pure worship, both among Jews and Gentiles; of the latter the Lord saith (Mal. 1.11.) From the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same, my name shall be called upon among the Gentiles, and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering. This pure offering Job intends when he saith, My prayer is pure. Under these two, There is no injustice in my hand, and my prayer is pure: Job contains the whole duty of man, both to God and to man: Here is Justice comprehending the duties of the second Table, His duobus membris utramque tabulam complectitur. Merc. and Prayer comprehending the duties of the first Table: Thus Job was complete in all the will of God, and had respect to all his Commandments. And thus he verified God's testimony of him (Chap. 1.1.) and approved himself to be A man perfect and upright, fearing God, and eschewing evil, which is the whole duty of man. From the words in general, Observe. First, Man hath great support in bearing afflictions, from the witness which his heart gives of his own integrity. 'Tis matter of wonder that ever Job should bear so many burdens, and endure breach upon breach, till we remember that though he had many breaches upon his body and estate; yet he had none upon his conscience: Indeed his spirit had breaches by way of trial and temptation from God; but it had none by way of disobedience against God. The spirit of a man, saith Solomon, will sustain his infirmities (Prov. 18.14.) There are two sorts of infirmities. First, Sinful infirmities, such are impatience, doubtings, deadness of heart, and vanity of thoughts. Secondly, Penal, or painful infirmities, such as are poverty, sickness, diseases, or any outward cross whatsoever. These latter are the infirmities which Solomon means; and these the spirit of a man will sustain, even while his flesh or body sinks under them: Yet here spirit is not taken merely in opposition to bodily, or material flesh (though the spirit under that Physical notion is able to bear much more than the body can) but as spirit is opposed to spiritual and sinful flesh; that is, to a carnal corrupt mind: The spirit of a man furnished with grace, supported with the favour of God, and the testimony of a good conscience, will sustain all his infirmities; that is, cause him to bear with much, not only patience, but courage and cheerfulness the heaviest burdens of affliction, which either the wisdom of God doth, or the malice of man can lay upon him. Holiness makes the weak strong, and the strong like Giants, to endure all shocks of trouble and hardship. A whole skin feels no smart, though you bathe it with brine; and if a man have a sound conscience, if his spirit be not galled and raw, he is able to stand at any time, and sometimes to rejoice in the saltest waters of worldly sorrow. For though he be not (as was showed before) senseless of, or without outward smart; yet having no inward smart (which is the worst smart) he is above it: The pains and wants of the body are almost lost, and swallowed up in the comforts and enjoyments of the mind. A wounded spirit who can bear? A spirit unwounded what can it not bear? He that hath no injustice in his hands hath much peace in his heart, and while our prayer is pure, our spirits will not be much troubled in any of our troubles. Secondly, Observe. It is possible to live without any known sin. Job knew of no injustice in his hand, nor was he conscious of any impurity in his prayer. The Apostle John writes to Saints of all Ages and Statures, under the title of His little Children, not to sin (1 John 2.1.) And in that he doth not only admonish them of what they ought not to do, but of what they might attain not to do: For though, he that saith he hath no sin, deceives himself, and sins in saying so (1 Joh. 1.9.) yet it may be said of some without sin, and they (in Jobs case) may say it of themselves without sin, that they sin not. The best Saints have, and know they have sin in their natures and sin in their lives, yea, and sometimes they fall into great sins; yet such a degree of holiness is attaineable in this life that a man may be said, not to sin: For then (in a Gospel's sense) we are said not to sin, when we cast off and are free from all gross and scandalous sins, and do both carefully avoid and make conscience of the least and the most secret sin. Zacharie and Elizabeth (Luke 1.16.) were both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless; that is, They did not live in any open or known sin; they lived so, that no man could blame them, or bring any just complaint against them, either in matters of morality, which seem to be meant in the word Commandment, or in matters of worship, which seem to be meant by the word Ordinance. And when I speak of not living in any known sin, I mean not only, that Saints may rise so high as not to live in any sin which the World takes notice of; but they may, yea and often do arrive at that height of holiness, not to live in any sin known to themselves; if once a true Believer discovers sin, he cannot own it, much less live in it, be it injustice or wrong towards men, be it any failing in the worship and service of God, he will not suffer it to lodge with him. He that hath grace in his heart, cannot live with injustice in his hand; there is an inconsistence between these two, a life of grace, and to live in sin. Sin may be much alive in him that hath grace, but he cannot live in sin; he may be often tempted to the act of it, and sometimes possibly overtaken with it, yet he cannot live in it: He cannot keep injustice in his hand, nor frame an impure prayer in his heart. A good man may do an act of injustice, but he continues not unjust; he restores what he hath taken unjustly from men, and reputes before the Lord; but usually he is not conscious to himself of doing unjustly towards men. If a Laban (one with whom he hath had converse and dealing twenty years together) should come and search his house, he is able to say to him as honest Jacob did to his Uncle Laban (Gen. 31.37.) Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou sound of all thy householdstuff, set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both: As if he had said, Is there any injustice in my hand? Let it come to trial. Or as upright Samuel to all Israel (1 Sam. 12.3.) Behold, here I am, witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed, whose Ox have I taken? Or whose Ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Samuel had been long a Judge, yet he knew of no injustice in his hand, neither did any man know of any, and therefore all acquit him from the least blemish of unfaithfulness in his Office (Vers. 4.) Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither haste thou taken aught (as a bribe) of any man's hand. And he said unto them (Verse. 5.) The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught (that is, aught gotten unjustly) in my hand: That man hath reached the perfection of justice, who neither takes out of the hand of others violently, nor of the hand of others covetously to bias his spirit when he sits in judgement. Such a perfect Justicer was Samuel, all Israel could not find aught (so come by) in his hand: He might say (and he did say as much in effect) with Job, Not for any injustice in my hand. And as a Believer may arrive at such a blameless walking towards men, that they cannot say, He hath sinned; so at such a holy walking before God, that God himself will not say, He hath sinned. And this God will not say, when he sees a soul labouring (as Paul was once praying that the Colossians might) to walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work (Col. 1.10.) And when he sees, that his prayer is pure, and his worship tendered with a perfect or sincere heart. When a soul doth not wilfully neglect any duty towards God, God will say he hath performed all duty; and though there may be many failings in prayer, yet God will say, that man's prayer is pure. So then, we grant that no man lives and sins not, yet we affirm, that no godly man lives in sin; and that some godly men are so far from living in any sin, that others cannot tax them, nor can they tax themselves of acting any gross sins; yea, though the best of Saints here know they sin, and know their sins, yet they may be said not to commit known sins; that is, not to sin knowingly: He is not properly said to sin knowingly, who knows he sins, but he who sins against his knowledge. Thirdly, Observe. Holiness consists in a complete uniformity, or in conformity to the whole will of God. Job draws the picture of a holy man, in all his limbs and lineaments; equity and purity contain all: Some are First Table Christians, others are Second Table Christians. Some are zealous for prayer, who are extreme cold in doing Justice; some are extreme honest and just to men, righteous in all their deal, but they care not for prayer, nor have they any delight in communion with God: The Law of God is one entire thing, and so must man's obedience be, He that offends in one point is guilty of all (Jam. 2.10.) For though, he that commits adultery, cannot properly be said to break that Law, Thou shalt do no murder; yet whosoever commits adultery, may properly be said to break the whole Law: the reason is given by that Apostle, in the next Verse; For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill; now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the Law. He that breaks any one link of a chain, breaks the chain, though he break not a second link: 'tis so here, the whole Law is Copulative: and as in this sense, the Law is one, so the Lawmaker is altogether one: This the Apostle James hints, as the reason of it, For he that said, do not commit adultery, said also, do not kill: As if he had said, There is one and the same Legis-lative power commanding all, and therefore, if ye transgress one, ye transgress all. And how can there be a state of holiness, without an equal respect to both Tables of the Law, seeing the breach of any one Law of either Table, is, though not formally, yet reductively a breach of every Law in both Tables. And therefore 'tis the aim of a Believer to fulfil both Tables of the Law, though he fail in every Law of both: he gives up his will wholly to God, yea, he may be said to lose his will in the will of God, and this is his doing the whole will of God. And indeed we do nothing, unless we be found doing all. Observe. Fourthly, We may without hypocrisy make report of our own integrity. Job doth it here, and had done it before, and we find holy men doing it often in Scripture; Non ad jactantiam sed ad divinae veritatis assertionem commemorat. I (saith Paul, 2 Tim. 4.7.) have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith: This he speaks of himself, but not for himself; not out of vainglory, or a desire of esteem with men, as the Pharisees, but that others might be encouraged by his example, and that God might have the glory of his free and powerful grace, enabling him to give and hold out such an example. Other passages in this Book have led me to this note before, and therefore I only mention it here. More particularly, Observe. Injustice towards men, and impurities in the worship of God, are great and provoking sins. Job disclaims these by name: it is as if Job had said, Were there injustice in my hands, or were I false in the worship of God, it were no wonder though all these judgements should seize upon me; yea, though my burden were heavier, I had no reason to complain; I must thank myself: Injustice and false worship, will certainly bring breach upon breach; they break not only single persons, but Kingdoms and Nations. Oppression and Superstition are Kingdome-shaking sins; much more will they shake the walls and foundations of a private House, or Family. Again Observe. If God afflict where there is no injustice, how justly doth he destroy those who are unjust? Shall they complain who are beaten for their faults, when some are beaten who have no fault? The Apostle Peter argues (1 Pet. 4.18.) If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinners appear? I may also argue, if the righteous be not saved (from outward afflictions) if the godly are smitten, how shall the ungodly and sinners escape unsmitten? Many are smitten, not for any injustice in their hand (there is some other end, and that a just one, why they are smitten) nor is God unjust in smiting them. Now, if just ones are (without any injustice) thus smitten; how just is it with God to smite those who are unjust? The repenting Thief rebuked him that blasphemed, and spoke evil of Christ, upon this consideration, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? and we justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: This man and we are in the same condemnation, but not in the same fault; we are all condemned to die, but we justly, and he unjustly, This man hath done nothing amiss, but we have done much amiss (Luke 22.40, 41.) Now as this Thief was patiented under his own just sufferings, seeing another suffer who was just: So when we hear that the Lord afflicts those who have done no evil, how ought such to lay their hands upon their mouths, who are afflicted for the evil which they have done. We know (saith the Apostle, Rom. 3.19.) that whatsoever the Law saith (in a way of threatening) it saith to them who are under the Law (that is, who are not only under it, as having heard the precept of the Law, but are under it also, as having by sin deserved the penalty of it) that every mouth may be stopped, and all the World become guilty before God; or, subject to the judgement of God, not having a word to object why sentence should not be executed, because they have transgressed. My prayer is pure. Taking prayer either for the worship of God in general, or for that special duty of calling upon the name of God: Note from it, That, Only pure prayer is acceptable prayer. Cain brought an offering to God, as well as Abel; But unto Cain and his offering God had not respect (Gen. 4.5.) It is not what we do, but how we do it, which is acceptable to God. Pure prayer is pleasing to the pure God, and no other can please him. Heathens have told us, that their Gods require pure worshippers, and pure worship: The impure spirit imitates God, he will be worshipped, and he will have (according to man's opinion) a pure worship; Omnis proefatio sacrorum, eos, quibus non sunt purae manus sacris arcet, Liv. lib. 41. Praecipuum est non admittere in animum mala consilia, ●uras ad caelum manus tollere. Sen. lib. 3. Nat. Qu. how much more doth the holy God require pure worship? But what is it which denominates prayer pure, or when is prayer pure? Prayer is pure: First, When it is directed to a right object, when we pray to God, and to God only: It is the sole privilege of God to receive prayer; O thou that hearest prayer, to thee shall all flesh come: There is but one hearer of prayer, and that is God. Daniel withstood the Decree of the King, when he forbade him to make his prayers to God; he would rather be cast to the Lions, than not to pray, or pray to any besides God: therefore he opened his window (to let them see his resolution) and prayed to God thrice a day openly. We may petition living men, but we must pray only to the living God. All men (except such as have sinned unto death) are to be prayed for, but no man must be prayed unto: Neither Saint, nor Angel, nor any Creature, are the object of prayer, but God alone. Secondly, Pure prayer must be right in the matter of it, as well as the object; if we pray for that which is unlawful, our prayer must needs be unlawful; as it is a sin to do any thing which God commands not, so it is a sin to ask any thing which God allows not. God hath set special bounds to three things. First, To our Faith, he teacheth us what to believe. Secondly, To our actions, he teacheth us what to do. Thirdly, To our prayers, he teacheth us what to desire. We may make enlarged prayers, but we are not left at large in prayer. The square or rule of prayer, is the will of God (1 John 5.14.) And this is the confidence that we have in him, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. The will of God is the rule, not only of things to be done by us, but of things which we are to ask God, to do for us: As man naturally would rather do, so he would rather have his own will, than the will of God. Man would feign be his own carver, but God will not let him: It pleases man better to go two mile upon his own errand, than one upon God's errand; and it pleases man better to have any one thing of his own choosing, then two of Gods choosing; but it should not. The will of God under a threefold revelation is the rule and matter of prayer. First, The will of God in commandments; whatsoever God hath charged upon us to do, we may pray for power and strength to do it, or that it may be done. Secondly, The will of God in Promises; what God hath said he will give, we may pray to receive. Thirdly, The will of God in Prophecies; what God hath foreshowed shall come to pass, we must pray that it may come to pass. The prayer of man gives birth to the Prophecies of God. Thus saith the Lord, I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel, to do it for them (Ezek. 36.37.) God is a sure paymaster, yet he expects we should sue him, before he pays. Daniel found by Books, that the time drew nigh, for the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon; and then (saith he) I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes (Dan. 9.1, 2.) The manifestation of the will of God in a Prophecy, is a strong ground of prayer: Thus the matter of prayer, is the will of God under one of those three manifestations, a Command, a Promise, or a Prophecy. A third thing in pure prayer, is the form of it. There is a twofold form of prayer. First, The internal, or essential form. Secondly, The external, or accidental form of prayer. The external form, is that habit of words and expressions with which we cloth our desires, when we present them unto God: This form varies, not only according to the several occasions and emergencies of this life, which call us to the duty of prayer, but also according to the several gifts and abilities of those who pray. We are free as to this form, from all ties and prescriptions, except this, that we utter our minds to God soberly, gravely, spiritually, with an eye to those forms and patterns of wholesome words delivered to us in the word of God; and especially to that part of the word which Christ gave both as a compendium, and a copy of holy prayer. But as for the essential and internal form of prayer, that is unchangeable, and must ever be one and the same: Namely, That we pray in the name of Christ. One of the Ancients was much delighted in reading Tully's Hortensius, yet this at last abated the edge of his delight in it, That he did not find the name of Christ in it. As the Name of Christ is the greatest ornament of all Books where it is; August. lib. 3. Confess. cap. 4. so the name of Christ is the essence of all prayers; and that is no prayer, where his Name is not. (John 14.13.) Whatsoever ye ask in my Name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son: whatsoever ye do, do all in the Nome of Christ, giving thanks to God, through him (Col. 3.17.) To pray in the Name of Christ, is more than to name Christ in prayer: It is easy to name Christ in prayer, but it is a hard thing to pray in the Name of Christ. To pray in the Name of Christ, is, First, To look up to Christ, as having purchased us this privilege, that we may pray; for it is by the blood of Christ that we draw near to God, and that a Throne of grace is open for us. Secondly, To pray in the Name of Christ, is to pray in the strength of Christ. Thirdly, To pray in the Name of Christ, is to pray in the virtue of the present mediation of Christ, which carries this acknowledgement in it, That what we ask on earth, Christ obtains in Heaven. To pray thus is no easy matter, and unless we pray thus, we do not pray at all. (John 16.23, 24.) In that day ye shall ask me nothing: Verily I say unto you, what soever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my Name, ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. But how do these parts of the Text consist? Why doth Christ tell them, that they shall ask nothing in that day, and yet promise, that what they ask he will give? There is a twofold ask. First, By way of Question. Secondly, By way of Petition. The former, is ask, that we may know, or be informed in what we doubt; the latter, is ask, that we may receive and be supplied with what we want. Now, when Christ saith, In that day ye shall ask me nothing: he had a little before promised such a manifestation of the mind of God to them, by the spirit, that they should not need to come and ask him; as if he had said, Now ye put questions (as we read they did) about many things, ye understand little of the mystery of the Gospel; but in that day ye shall have so clear a revelation about the things of Heaven, that ye shall not need to propose your doubts, and desire resolution, for you shall be able to resolve yourselves by the light within you. This the Apostle John (1 Epist. 2.20.) tells the Saints, But ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things: And again (Vers. 27.) But the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you: and ye need not that any man should teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught, ye shall abide in him. These Scriptures are both a clear exposition, and an illustrious verification of that promise of Christ, In that day ye shall ask me nothing: that is, After my resurrection. But when he saith, Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name, he will give it: the meaning is, Your prayers shall be heard, while you keep close to this essential form, Ask in my Name. Besides this essential form of prayer, there is also another form, which we may call in a qualified sense, essential: As when the matter we pray about is spiritual, and absolutely necessary to salvation, then to pray in an absolute form. If it be temporal, and outward, or if it be of a spiritual nature, yet such as is only necessary to the well-being of a Believer, as spiritual gifts, yea, and the degrees of grace are, then to pray in a conditional form, as submitting it to the will of God, not only for the time, and manner, and means, and measure wherein, or by which we shall receive those things, but also submitting the very things themselves to his good pleasure, whether we shall receive them at all, or no. Nor doth conditional prayer hinder Faith, but looks to the rule. We may pray without doubting, though we pray with a condition; and when we are fullest of submission, we may be fullest of confidence; yea, without submission in those cases, there can be no true confidence. Fourthly, Prayer is pure, when the end which we aim at is pure: The end denominates every action, as to the quality or goodness of it. The great end of prayer, as of all other actions, and without which, neither those, nor this, can be called pure, is, the glory of God. Hallowed be thy name, is the first prayer, and that hath influence into all our prayers: we must pray for all, that God may be glorified, and pray for nothing that our lusts may be satisfied. Though we may pray that our wants may be supplied (that may be an end) yet never that our lusts may be satisfied (James 4.3.) Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss: Where was the fault which the Apostle found, and specified in those prayers? Not in the object, they prayed to God; not in the matter, they prayed for things lawful; not in the form, they prayed in the Name of Christ; but the fault was in the end, ye ask amiss, that ye may bestow it on your lusts. It is possible for a man to pray, not only for evil things, but for good things, and not only for outward good things, but for spiritual good things, to bestow upon his lusts; some pray for spiritual gifts, to bestow them on their lusts, pride, vainglory, and covetousness; yea, it is possible for a man to pray for grace, to bestow it on his lust (so Hypocrites do) though it be impossible for any man, who indeed receives grace, to bestow it upon his lust: Let your end be pure, that your prayers may be pure also. Fifthly, Prayer is pure when it is mingled with, and put up in Faith. By Faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (Heb. 11.4.) and without Faith it is impossible to please God (Verse. 6.) Prayer is our coming to God, He that comes to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Faith takes hold of Christ, by whom only our prayers are purified; and therefore there can be no pure prayer without Faith. As God purifies our hearts by faith, so our prayers are purified by Faith. Faith doth not only take hold of God for the granting of our prayer, in which sense 'tis said (Jam. 1.6.) If any one ask, let him ask in Faith; that is, That he shall receive: but Faith takes hold of Christ for the purifying of our prayer, that so it may come up with acceptance before God. He is of purer eyes then to behold evil, he cannot look on iniquity (to approve of it, or to like it, Hab. 1.13.) Seeing then there is much iniquity in our holy things, we must do all by our High Priest, who (as the typical High Priest, did for the Children of Israel (Exod. 28.38.) bears the iniquity of our holy things, that we (as they) may be accepted before the Lord. Sixthly, That, and only that, is pure prayer, which is breathed in, and breathed out, by the spirit of God. Edify yourselves in your ●ost holy Faith, pray in the holy Ghost (Judas. Verse. 20.) Or, praying by the holy Ghost (as some translate) that is, by the strength and help of the holy Ghost. We cannot make pure prayer with our own breath, parts, and gifts; the holy spirit breathes holy prayer into, and draws it out of our hearts: As we know not what to believe or do aright, till the spirit teacheth us; so we know not what we should pray for as we ought▪ but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us (Rom. 8.26.) The spirit maketh intercession, not as Christ doth; the spirit doth not mediate between God and us; but as it is the office of Christ to intercede for us with God, so it is the office of the holy Ghost to make those intercessions in us, which we put up to God: So that the spirit is said to make intercession for us, because the intercessions and prayers which we make, are made by the spirit; the spirit forms them in us. As some duller Scholars in a School, who cannot make their Exercises, get their exercises made for them by those that are more pregnant; so the spirit makes intercession for us. We are dull, and low, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ad nos laborantes refertur, quorum tamen vis omnis ab eo spiritu proficiscitur, qui sicut nos penitus collapsos erexit ita etiam erectos regit; ideoque dicitur ipse vicissim onus attollere ne sub eo fatiscamus. Bez. in Epist. ad Rom. and straitened, we cannot make a prayer, the spirit makes them for us in our hearts: Hence it is said in the beginning of the Verse, The spirit also helpeth our infirmities: The Greek word signifieth to help, as a Nurse helpeth a little Child to go, or as a weak decrepit old man is upholden by a staff, or rather (as the composition of the word implies) The spirit helpeth together: And then it is a Metaphor taken from those who lift a weight, or a piece of Timber (too heavy for one) together: The spirit lends us his hand in this duty, and they who have received grace, act also with the spirit: Thus, the spirit helpeth together: The Spirit and a Believer are both at it, to carry on this praying work; yet all that strength which we put to the work flows from the spirit; who as he raiseth us when we are quite fallen, so he assists us when we are raised, and then we make good work, pure work of it in prayer. Lastly, That is a pure prayer which comes from a pure person: And there is a double purity of the person necessary to a pure prayer. First, There is the purity of his state; he must be a converted, and regenerated person, otherwise his prayer is abominable, though he should be right in as many of the forementioned requisites, as it is possible for an unregenerate man to be; as suppose he not only prayeth to God, and for such things as are agreeable to the will of God, but also (as he thinks) for the glory of God; yet the man's prayer is impure, because himself is impure: God hath respect to the person, before he hath respect to his supplication. (Prov. 15.8.) The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to God; but the prayer of the upright is his delight: And again, He that turns away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer shall be abomination (Prov. 28.9.) Secondly, As there must be purity of state, before there can be a pure prayer, so also purity of life, that is, he must be renewed in purity, not lying or continuing in any sin (1 Tim. 2.8.) I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubtings. Holy hands, note the purity of our actions, as a holy heart notes the purity of our state: To lift up the hands is to pray, the sign being put for the thing signified: The meaning is, let your prayers be holy. First, without wrath to men; come not to seek the favour of God, with anger and revenge in thy heart against man: Secondly, pray without doubting; that respects God, and is opposed to Faith: As if the Apostle had said, Pray both in actual Faith and Love. Yet the Greek word (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) there used, is rendered by some, Disceptation, or wrangling; as if the Apostle had in that specified one effect of wrath. 'Tis expounded also by others, for any internal distraction, or distemper of the mind; for the mind of man is often carried away from God in prayer, and maintains secret Dialogismes, discourses, and conferences, in, and with itself, when it should be wholly taken up with God. The covetous man's heart talks of Gold, and the voluptuous man's heart talks of pleasures, when he seems to pray: yea, these Fowls will often come down upon the Sacrifice of an Abraham, only as soon as he espies them, he drives them away; yet by these interruptions in prayer, as well as by any sinful action unrepented of, before, prayer, the holiness of prayer, or the lifting up of holy hands in prayer, is hindered and defaced, even in those, whose persons are holy. David was a man that was pure in state, he was a converted person; yet he saith (Ps. 66.18.) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayers. Though I am pure in state, yet if I am impure in life, the ear of God will shut against my suits (Isa. 1.14, 15.) God rejects the prayers of his own people, because their hands were full of blood, and hence his counsel, Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your do from before mine eyes, etc. Come now let us reason together; saith the Lord (Verse. 18.) As if he had said, while I see your sins, I cannot hear your prayers; while your iniquities are before mine eyes, your supplications cannot enter into mine ear, nor will I answer them. How can any soul expect with Faith, that God should do what he requests, when he will not do what God commands? Or that God should fulfil our desires, while we in any thing neglect his rules? As the prayer of an unholy person is turned into sin, so the sin of a holy person may cause the Lord to turn away his prayer: Then take that counsel of the Apostle, writing to, and of Saints (Heb. 10.22.) Let us draw nigh to God with a true heart, in full assurance of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water: There is a twofold evil conscience. First, That which lives in any known sin unrepented of. Secondly, That which is unquiet and unsettled about the pardon of those sins which we have repent of. We should get both these evil consciences, but especially the first, cured and removed by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, before we draw nigh to God in prayer: as also our bodies washed in pure water, which is either an allusion to the old Ceremonies among the Jews, who before they came to worship at the Tabernacle, purged themselves with divers outward washings, leading them to the consideration of that moral purity, both of heart and life, in which God is to be worshipped; or it is an allusion to Baptism in special; in which there is an external washing of the body, signifying the washing of the soul by the blood of Christ, and by the effectual working of the spirit; The sum of all is, unless the person be pure, his prayer is not pure. These are the ingredients which constitute pure prayer; all these met in Job, and therefore he concluded, not only confidently, but truly, My prayer is pure. And as these are the ingredients of prayer, so they are all necessary ingredients; so necessary that if any one of them be wanting, the whole prayer is impure: They are necessary by a double necessity. First, As commanded by God in prayer. Secondly, As means without which man cannot attain his end in prayer. The general end of prayer, is, that prayer may be heard, accepted, and answered; God hears, accepts, answers, no one prayer, without some concurrence of all these. The Incense of the Ceremonial Law was a shadow of prayer, which is so great a duty of the moral Law: But if this Incense had not been made exactly according to the will of God, both for the matter and the manner of the composition, prescribed (Exod. 30.34, 35, 36.) If after it had been thus made, it had not also been offered according to those rules given (Levit. 16.12, 13.) it had been an abomination to the Lord; or as the Prophet Isaiah speaks (Chap. 66.3.) Such a burning of Incense had been but as the blessing of an Idol. We may conclude also, That, if prayer be either composed, or presented in any other way than God himself hath directed, it is not only turned away, but turned into sin. That man hath spoken a great word, who can say (in Jobs sense) My prayer is pure. Thus Job justifies the prayer he made to God, and maintains his justice towards men. There is no injustice in my hands, also my prayer is pure: A high profession, yet in the next words he goes higher, and makes both an imprecation against himself if it were not thus with him, and an appeal to God for his testimony, that it was thus with him. JOB, CHAP. 16. Vers. 18, 19 O Earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. Also now, behold my witness is in Heaven, and my record is on high. JOB having (with much confidence) asserted the integrity of his heart, and the righteousness of his way, both towards God and Man, confirms what he had thus confidently asserted, by a double Argument. First, By a vehement imprecation (Vers. 18.) O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. Secondly, By a free appeal, an appeal to God himself (Vers. 19) Also now behold my witness is in Heaven, and my record is on high: He shows the necessity of this appeal (Vers. 20.) My Friends scorn me: therefore I am constrained to go to God. When men have done us wrong, and will not do us right, it is both time and duty to appeal to God. Upon this ground Job appeals, Est juramenti deprecatorii forma, quo asseverat nullius sibi iniquitatis cons●ium esse. Aben. Ezra. and he concludes (according to our translation) his appeal, with a passionate, yet holy wish (Vers. 21.) O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his Neighbour. The reason both of his appeal and wish, is given us further (Vers. 22.) he looked on himself, as a man standing upon the very confines of death, the Grave was ready for him; therefore he begs, that this business might be dispatched, and his integrity cleared before he died. He was loath to go out of the World, like a Candle, burnt down to the Socket, with an ill savour. He that hath lived unstained in his reputation, cannot well bear it, to die with a blot; and therefore he will be diligent by all due means to maintain the credit which he hath got, and to recover what he hath lost: This was the reason of Jobs importunity discovered in these two Verses, now further to be opened. Vers. 18. O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. There are two branches of this imprecation, or rather these make two distinct imprecations. The first in these words, O earth, cover not thou my blood. The second in these, Let my cry have no place. Job engages all upon the truth of what he had said, being willing that his worst might be seen, and his best not heard, if he had not spoken truth. O earth, cover not thou my blood. Poeticum sane & patheticum in dolore aut re alia gravissima, res mutas mortuasve, omni sensu audituque carentes testes & auditores compellare. Job speaks pathetically, or, as some render him, Poetically, while he bespeaks the earth, and makes the inanimate creature his hearer. The sacred Penmen do often turn their speech to the Heavens, and to the Earth: Thus Moses (Deut. 32.2.) in the Preface of his Sermon, his last Sermon to that people, Give ear O ye Heavens, and I will speak, and hear O earth the words of my mouth. So the Prophet Isaiah (Chap. 1.2.) Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth, I have nourished, and brought up Children, and they have rebelled against me: God speaks to that which hath no ears, to hear, either to reprove those who have ears, but hear not; or to raise up and provoke their attention in hearing. Thus Job, O earth, etc. as if the earth were able to take his complaint, and return an answer; as if the earth were able to make inquisition, and bring in a verdict about his blood. O earth [cover] not thou my blood. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 texit, operuit, abscondit. The word signifies not only common, but a twofold metaphorical covering. First, Covering by way of dissimulation; to dissemble a matter, is to cover a matter: In that sense Solomon speaks (Prov. 12.16.) A fool's wrath is presently known, but a prudent man covereth shame: that is, He dissembleth his wrath, or his anger, he will not let it always break forth, for that would be a shame to him. Secondly, The word signifies to cover by forgetfulness: That which is not remembered, is hid or covered. (Eccles. 6.4.) He cometh in with vanity (speaking of man) and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness: that is, He shall be forgotten, he shall be as if he had not been. And thus it is applied to the pardon of sin (Psal. 32.1.) Sin is vailed with the worthiness and obedience of Christ, as with a Garment, and is to God as a thing forgotten, or out of mind, when once it is forgiven: In both these senses Job seems to bespeak the earth, O earth, cover not my blood: Sanguis terra tegitur quando facinus dissimulatur, nec vindictam exposcit. that is, If thou hast any of my blood, do not dissemble it, bring it forth, be not as if thou knewest of no such matter. As simulation makes that to be, which is not, so dissimulation makes that not to be, which is. Again, Cover not my blood; that is, Forget it not, if thou hast such a record upon thy File, let it be continued and remembered, that the Generations to come may judge how I have been dealt with by this present age, or how I have dealt in it. O earth, cover not my [blood.] But what is his [blood] which he would not have covered? His blood may be taken two ways. First, Passively, for his sufferings and grievous afflictions, which were even to blood: The Apostle tells the Hebrews, Ye have not resisted to blood, striving against sin (Heb. 12.4.) There is a threefold strife against sin. First, Against sin already acting and moving in ourselves. Secondly, There is a striving against that sin which others move us to act, whether by promises, or by threaten. Thirdly, There is a striving against that sin which others act. The Apostle (as I conceive) intends one of, or both the latter sorts of striving against sin, which is indeed a striving against sinners; and in this strife he saith, Ye have not resisted unto blood; ye have (I grant) resisted, to the loss of your goods, yea, and to the loss of your credit and reputation in the World (Chap. 10.33, 34.) but know, ye are not come to the heat of the Battle, till your bodies bleed: Ne tegas sanguinem meum. i e. injuriam mihi latam qua innocens pereo. Merc. ye have lost no blood yet, striving against sin. Job resisted, or rather submitted to blood; he had lost blood, in the great fight of affliction which he endured; he was wounded all over. Now, say some, he cries, O earth, cover not my blood; that is, These my bloody sufferings; what I have endured, let it be remembered. But we cannot well accommodate this interpretation to the Text: For, first, there may be as much vanity in desiring the evils we have suffered, as the good we have done should be known: we must let God alone to erect the monument of our sufferings; that must be none of our care. Secondly, We cannot so much as suspect that Job would maintain the memory of his sufferings against God; yet it was he who smote Job, though by the hand of Satan, and wicked men: This Job had acknowledged more than once, with much humble submission, and therefore he doth not desire that his blood might be forthcoming in a way of contestation with him. Further, If we look only to those instruments of his affliction, who had indeed done him wrong: Surely the spirit of this good man, as it was far from meditating revenge, so his scope and business here, was rather to bring himself to a trial then them, rather to have his own innocency cleared, than their guilt proved: And therefore we have called these words, an imprecation upon himself, in case he were guilty, not an accusation of their guiltiness. In pursuance of which general sense, we must expound blood under another notion. And therefore, Secondly, Blood may be taken actively, and so it falls under a threefold consideration. First, Blood is put for the general sinfulness or corruption of man's nature, as also for any particular sin, as it is wrapped up in man's natural corruption. Augustine. One of the Ancients interprets David's prayer (Psal. 51.14.) Deliver me from blood, or bloods, or (as we render) from blood-guiltiness, O God; not of that special sin, or not of that only, the death of Vriah, but of all sin, which (saith he) therefore bears that title, because it flows from the polluted nature of man, which the Scripture calls flesh and blood. That of the Prophet is more proper to this point (Ezek. 16.6.) When thou wast in thy blood, I said unto thee live: that is, When thou was wrapped in, and defiled with thy sin and misery, than I had pity on thee, and spoke life into thee. Every soul tumbles in blood till it is sprinkled with blood; our blood is our filthiness, and the blood of Christ is our holiness, freeing us at once from the guilt, and from the stain of sin. This corruption of nature, together with that issue of it, the transgressions of life may be called blood, for two reasons. First, Because it deserves death, and is a state of death, we are dead in sin, and the wages of sin is death; and as any kind of death may be expressed by blood, so a violent death is the pouring out of blood. Secondly, It may be called blood, because sin is expiated by blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission; no not of the least sin. Secondly, Blood signifies some notorious sin or sins. Great sins are not only bloody sins, Sanguinis nomine intelligitur peccatum gravissimum, ac detestandum facinus. but (in Scripture language) blood. (Isa. 1.15.) When ye make many prayers, I will not hear: Why? For your hands are full of blood; that is, Of great and foul crimes: For should we take blood there, for any sin, according to the former interpretation, than whose prayer shall be heard? Who is it that sins not, yea, who is not full of sin? So that by hands full of blood, he means hands stained with great sins; or with sins, if small in themselves, yet, (which greatens the least sin) loved and unrepented of (Ezek. 9.9.) Thus saith the Lord, The iniquity of the House of Israel, and Judah, is exceeding great, and the Land is full of blood; that is, Of all kind of wickedness (Ezek. 24.7.) For her blood is in the midst of her, she set it upon the top of a rock, she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust: Which words describe, as the sin of Jerusalem, so her impudence in sinning. Her blood was in the midst of her, it was not cast behind the door, or put into a corner, She set it upon a rock, and not only so, but upon the top of a rock; as if she not only cared not who saw it, but had taken care that all might see it, She poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust: In which words the Prophet alludes to that Law (Levit. 17.13.) commanding that the blood of a Beast should be poured out, and covered with dust. And again (Hos. 4.2.) By swearing, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood; that is, One wickedness is heaped upon another. There is an aggregation, Aggr●gant peccata, peccatis. Chald. or a combination of many sins together, their sins are so thick set, that there is not the least space, either of time or place between them; they sin continually, and they sin contiguously, sin toucheth sin. Thirdly, By blood in this active sense, we may understand those special sins which draw blood; the sin of oppression, and the sin of murder. The Scriptures last cited, include these principally, though not these alone, or not these exclusively to other sins. Sins of cruelty are often called blood by name, and such are named bloody men, who commit such sins (Psal. 55.24.) Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; that is, Murderers, and Oppressors shall not. When Shimei cursed David, he said, Go thou bloody man, thou Son of Belial (2 Sam. 16.7, 8.) He calls him bloody man, in reference to that particular act, with which David had stained his hands, the murder of Vriah. (Hab. 2.12.) Woe to him that buildeth a Town with blood, that stablisheth a City with iniquity; that is, By the iniquity of oppression: He builds with blood, who to set his own nest on high, throws down the right, or takes away the lives of others. Under this third, as also the second notion of blood, we may best interpret Jobs imprecation, O earth, cover not thou my blood: that is, The oppressions and cruelties which I have committed, if I have committed any. Some conceive that Job refers to the story of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4.10.) The earth would not cover cain's blood; that is, the blood of Abel which Cain had spilt. Eliphaz told Job before in a third person, that his Tabernacle was a Tabernacle of bribery; as much as to say, That he had done wrong in his place, Si quam caedem maleficiumuè quod objicitis patravi, illud revelet & testificetur terra. Jun. O Tellus ne celes scelera mea capitalia. Tygur. and had been a grinder of the faces of the poor. Now saith Job, O earth, cover not my blood, if I have been an oppressor, if I have drank the blood of the poor, or am guilty of such like abominations, I desire that the earth would not cover, or dissemble it, but let it be published to my shame, and brought forth to my judgement. Master Broughtons' note is full to this sense, If there be any injury in my hands, let the earth reveal it. And the Tygurine, O earth do not conceal my capital crimes. The second branch of the imprecation falls cross to this; for in this Job prays, that his evil deeds might be discovered, in that he prays that his very prayers (which were his best deeds) might not be accepted, if he had either been, or done as was suspected. And let my cry have no place. The word signifies a loud cry, a grievous cry, the cry of a man extremely pressed; yea, even utterly oppressed: This cry is expounded three ways. First, For the very cry of grief, or for a cry caused merely by grief. Let my cry have no place; that is, Let not my pains and sorrows, my groans and sighs, in midst of all these evils be regarded, either by God or Men, if I have done such evils as I am accused of. 'Tis a great affliction which puts a man to his cry, whether to God or Man; but it is a greater affliction to cry and not to be heard, neither by God nor man: The cry of a poor man is then said to have no place with a Judge, when he will not hear it, or take notice of it. Secondly, Others expound this for the cry of sin. Great sins are called a cry, not only because they make others cry, but because themselves are very clamorous and crying. Clamat quia innocens effusus est, & dicitur inter pellare dominum, non prosecutione Eloquii sed indignitate commissi. Ambros. Sin hath a tongue to speak, and it hath teeth to by't: every sin speaks, but some sins have a loud voice, they cry, The blood of thy Brother which thou hast spilt, cries unto me (saith God to Cain, Gen. 4.10.) The sin of Sodom cried up to Heaven (Gen. 18.20.) Oppression causeth a cry; so here, Let my cry, that is, my crying sins, or the cry of my sins, have no place; that is, none to hid, or shelter themselves in: And then this clause of the imprecation is of the same sense with the former, O earth, cover not thou my blood. Thirdly, By this cry we may understand Jobs prayer, and that of two sorts: First, Prayers, Petitions, or complaints to men; let not any Friend regard my cry. Secondly, Prayers to God; for as there are crying sins, so there are crying prayers, The Lord said to Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me (Exod. 14.15.) Asa cried unto the Lord (2 Chron. 14.) The Ninevites were commanded to cry mightily to God (John 3.8.) and Christ himself prayed with strong cries (Heb. 5.7.) As there are two things especially which make sins crying sins, First, When they are earnestly committed. Secondly, When they are constantly committed. So two things make prayers crying prayers, First, When we pray with earnestness. Secondly, When we pray with continuance, or perseverance. Ne in Caelum efferatur suscipiaturce clamour meus si sim e●●smodi. Jun. We find David often crying to God in prayer; so that, when Job saith, Let my cry have no place, his meaning is, Let not God hear my most earnest prayer: A dreadful imprecation! When we who have no help on earth, shall wish that we may have none in Heaven neither; what can we wish worse to ourselves then this? From the words in general, Observe. It is lawful to use imprecations. Job did not sin in this; There are imprecations of two sorts. First, Upon others, when we wish them evil, or curse them; this in some rare cases may be done, David useth imprecations against the incorrigible enemies of the Church, and so may we; but in reference to personal injuries, the Gospel-rule is, Bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you (Matth. 5.44.) Secondly, Upon ourselves; such are the imprecations intended in this point. Job calls down mischief upon his own head, in both parts of the Verse, Let all my sins be discovered, let all my prayers be refused, if ever I have done this thing. Imprecations, or wishes of evil upon ourselves may proceed upon a double ground. First, For the assuring of what we promise, or engage ourselves to do: As to say, I will do such a thing, or I promise to do it; if I do it not, I wish evil may befall me: This is to put ourselves under a curse, which we do at least implicitly in taking any promissory Oath. There are two sorts of Oaths. First, Assertory Oaths, when we affirm such a thing to be true. Secondly, Promissory Oaths, when we promise to do such a thing, calling God to witness, and laying ourselves under a penalty, if we do it not. This is expressed in some, and employed in all solemn Oaths and Covenants. The present point extends not to this sort of imprecations. Secondly, Imprecations of penal evils may be used for the stronger denial, or disavowing of any sinful evil, of which we are suspected, or with which we are directly charged. To this sort of imprecations the present point is confined: This was Jobs case, he was deeply charged to have done wickedly, and he as deeply denied that he had done so. Thus David imprecates evil upon himself (Psal. 7.3, 4, 5.) The title of the Psalm shows the occasion of it. Shiggaion of David (that is, David's variable, or delightful song, or David's solace) concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite: that is, either of Saul himself, whose ill disposition towards him, he closely taxeth under the word Cush, which signifies a Blackmoore, or Aethiopian; or it may design some of saul's Courtiers, who had done ill offices to David, and accused him of a conspiracy, to take away saul's life, as appears (1 Sam. 24.9.) And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold David seeketh thy hurt. Now David composed this Psalm in his own vindication, and fears not to call down vengeance upon his own head, if he were guilty. O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands (that is, this iniquity, if I have done this) If I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me (what then? He imprecates) Let mine enemy persecute my soul and take it, yea let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. David lays all at stake, soul, and life, and honour, in the highest actings of holiness towards God, and integrity towards man. He that is in David's case, and hath David's conscience, may do the like and fear no hurt. The Woman suspected of Adultery was by the Law (Num. 5.) to imprecate, and wish evil on herself, if she did not speak true in denying it: For the Priest was commanded to bring the Woman, and to put the offering on her head, and then to give her the water of jealousy to drink, saying, This water which causeth the curse, shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot; and the Woman was to answer, Amen, Amen: As if she had said, I pray God this misery may come upon me, in case I have been false, or unfaithful to my Husband. Thus the Woman confirmed the curse, and took it upon herself, if she were defiled: or testified her Faith in God, that he would clear her innocence, she being not defiled; and therefore the word Amen was doubled. And here it will not be impertinent to remember how the superstitious heart of man hath in times of former ignorance and darkness invented and adventured upon ways of trial in doubtful cases, with some resemblance to (possibly in imitation of) this appointment of God among the Jews. Versteg: Restitut. of decayed Intal. in Antiq. Chap. 3 d. The old Saxons had their Ordeal, which word signifies, Due part, or Dome and Judgement: There were four sorts of Ordeal, by which when manifest proofs were wanting, they attempted (or indeed tempted God) to find out whether the party accused were guilty, or guiltless. The first was by Combat, in which the person accusing offered with the peril of his life at any weapon, to prove his accusation: and if the person accused did refuse the challenge, or did either yield, or was slain in the fight, he was without further evidence adjudged culpable. The second was by Fire, in which the person accused were to take red hot Iron in their bare hands, or to go barefoot and blindfold where red hot Irons were laid, and if they did either step between them, or stepping upon them, felt no harm; this was a declaration of innocency. The third trial was made by Hot boiling water, into which if the person suspected thrusting his naked Arm, sound no evil effects, he was pronounced guiltless. The fourth was by cold water, into which persons accused, having a cord tied about them, were cast, and if they sunk to the bottom, and continued a little there, till they were drawn up, they were held faultless; all these trials were made with prayer and invocation upon the name of God, that the truth might be made known. These customs drew their first breath from Paganism, and were continued by some who professed Christianity, till clearer light convinced them of their vanity, and unwarrantable boldness with the Name of God. Now, as all imprecations used with these or the like Ceremonies and circumstances invented by man are wicked and unlawful; so those which are in themselves lawful, are used by most, unlawfully. And therefore I shall give some rules, and bounds beyond which we may not pass, without sinful presumption. First, An imprecation must be used only in very great, serious, and weighty matters: Woe to those who wish evil on, or curse themselves about trifles; some have been heard to wish themselves Hanged, yea Damned, upon small occasions. Secondly, It is not enough that the matter be great, and ●erious, unless it be done with serious deliberation, and self●xamination, as also with highest reverence of God, who ●nowes our hearts, and will judge both our ways and ●ords. Thirdly, It must be done with a desire to honour God, as ●uch as to exonerate ourselves; David knew God's Name ●as blasphemed by those who misjudged him, Here's a man ●hat would be thought so holy, and religious before God; see how perfidious and disloyal he is to his King. When David saw the honour of God concerned in him; He was bold to say, Lord if I have done this thing, let him persecute my life and take it, he hath persecuted my life, but he could not take it hitherto; but let him take it, if this be so. Fourthly, Be sure that you are clear in the matter, and that you imprecate in truth; God is an avenger of falsehood, much more of studied falsehood. It is hard to deprecate his wrath, when we have spoken falsely, surely than he will pour out his wrath upon their heads, who imprecate it, to cover their falsehood. The Jews accused Christ falsely, and as earnestly prayed judgement against him, crying out to the Judge, Let him be crucified; But when they saw they could not prevail with importunity, and that Pilate (who was doubtful of the justice of their clamour) took water, and washed his hands, and said, Behold I am free from the blood of this man; then in a rage they imprecate, Let his blood be upon us and upon our Children (Matth. 27.25.) As if they had said, Be not thou so scrupulous to condemn him, if thou thinkest him innocent, let the vengeance of his innocent blood, fall upon us and our posterity. When a man is accused rightly, and the Judge rests unsatisfied, the accuser may say to satisfy the Judge, Let his blood be upon my head; I have spoke my conscience, and the truth. The Jews accused Christ falsely, yet called for his blood upon their heads; therefore God gave them their wicked wish, and they lie under the weight of this imprecation to this very day: they prayed that the blood of Christ might be upon them, and it is upon them. As God pours the blood of Christ upon some in mercy, so upon others in wrath. The blood of Christ is upon Believers, to wash and cleanse them from their sins, but the blood of Christ hath been upon the Jews to condemn and scatter them, as a vile people, all the World over for their sin: The Lord hath been most exact in answering this cry, even in the very place where they made it. The History of the Jews reports that about thirty eight years after this dreadful curse upon themselves, Herod called the Jews together, and demanded a sum of Money of them for making a watercourse, which they refusing to give, he sent for Soldiers to come secretly armed, who slew great multitudes of them in that place, where they cried, Let his blood be upon us, etc. At another time Florus, who was General of the Common Soldiers, made a second, and that a more bloody massacre of them there. And when Jerusalem was taken by Vespasian, the blood of Christ was poured upon the heads of many hundred thousands, who were slain by Fire and Sword, Famine and Pestilence; besides more than seven thousand of them, who were led Captive: And the Story informs us further, that Caesar sold the younger and common sort of those Captives at that contemptible rate of thirty a penny; as they or their Fathers sold Christ for thirty pence, so by the just judgement of God thirty of them were sold for a penny. There was never any people in the World, who tasted more justly, or more deeply of that cup of self-cursing than the Jews have done; yet many persons have tasted deeply of it too besides the Jews. This sin hath so much, not only of wickedness, but boldness in it, that God never lets it go altogether unpunished, though (being repent of) it may be pardoned. Master Perkins, in his Book of the right government of the tongue, touching upon this point, tells us of certain English Soldiers in the time of King Edward the sixth, who were cast upon the French shore by a storm; in which stress they went to prayer, that they might be delivered; but one Soldier in stead of praying, cried out, Gallows take thy right, or claim thy due; and when he came home he was hanged indeed. Master Fox, in his Book of Acts and Monuments, hath a notable example to this purpose, of one John Peter, Keeper of Newgate, who was wont at every ordinary thing he spoke (whether it were true or false, it made (with him) no great matter) to aver it with this imprecation, if it be not so, I pray God I may rot before I die; and so it came to pass. I might give many such instances of rash imprecations which God hath followed with severest vengeance: I shall add one more which is fresh in the memory of many yet living, of a Gentleman of quality, a Knight, Sir Gervaise Ellowayes. that suffered at the Tower-hill, about the death of Sir Thomas Overburie, who confessed it was just with God that he should undergo that ignominious death; for oft in Gaming (said he) I have used this wish, I pray God I be hanged if it be not so. I will conclude this point with a nearer instance, A Woman who accidentally came into the Congregation while this word was Preached, did afterwards by writing certify me, that she being convinced in conscience of her sin in wishing evil upon herself, thereby to cover a sin, which she had committed, but denied, did feel the sad effects of it according to her wish, begging earnest prayers that it might be forgive● her, and that God would be entreated to take off his hand. Let those wretches hear and fear, and do no more so presumptuously, who fear not to wish, The Devil take them, and God damn them, lest indeed God let the Devil lose upon them, and take them at their word. And here it may be observed, that such as are most guilty, are most apt to imprecate vengeance upon themselves, that they may appear guiltless. They have no way left to persuade others, that they are good, or have not done evil, but by wishing evil to themselves. Such is the stupidity of a misled conscience, that when it is deepest in sin, it dares defy God's justice to gain an opinion among men, of its own innocency. O earth, cover not thou my blood. More particularly Observe. Great sins, bloody sins, especially this sin of shedding innocent blood, shall not pass undiscovered. God will give a tongue to the earth, he will make speechless creatures speak, rather than blood shall be concealed. Blood may be concealed a long time, but blood shall not always be concealed (Gen. 4.7.) What hast thou done? The voice of thy Brethers blood cryeth to me from the ground: The blood had no voice, and the ground was silent; blood hath no more voice of its own, than water hath, or then a Fish that lives in the water hath; these did not speak formally: but the Lord speaks thus to show that he will certainly bring bloody sins, chiefly the sin of blood, to light. The justice of God in all Ages hath sent out his Writ of enquiry after bloody men, and for the blood of the innocent (Psal. 9.12.) When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembreth them, he forgetteth not the cry of the poor. But doth not the Lord make inquisition for all sin? Or is there any sin that God doth not inquire after? Surely no, there was never any sin committed in the World, but the Lord inquired hath after it, sin shall not be lost, God will find it out, and keep it upon record: But when it is said, God makes inquisition for blood, it argues the greatness of that sin: For while that act of God which extendeth to every sin, is appropriated to some one particular sin; it is an argument that God takes special no●ice of it, or that it is a very provoking sin: Though God makes inquisition for all sin, yet as if he would let all other sins pass unsought, and un enquired after, it is said only of this sin, that he makes inquisition for it▪ we find not the like expression about any other particular sin in all the Book of God; though it be a truth, that he inquires for all sin. Thirdly, Observe. O earth, cover not thou my blood. Innocency fears no discovery. Come who will, Angels from Heaven, Devils from Hell, Men on Earth, let all creatures be summoned into one Jury of grand Inquest, an innocent person will neither run nor hid his head for it: He whose heart bears witness with him, fears no witness that can be brought against him. While conscience acquits, the matter is not much who accuseth, or condemns: He that is righteous knows that all his sins are covered by the freegrace of God in the righteousness of Jesus Christ; and he knows that he hath not covered his sin as Adam by excuses, nor sewed the Fig-leaves of carnal reasonings together, to hid his nakedness; he knows also that he lives not in any known sin, nor hath wickedly departed from the Lord. Now because in all these respects he knows nothing by himself, therefore he cares not who knows him; he calls not for Masks, or Visors, for Curtains, or cover, to obscure or disguise himself, or his actions under, either from the sight of God or man, but is willing to stand forth in the open light. For though the best of men may have done some act, which is not fit for the open light, yet considering the whole frame of their hearts and lives towards God, together with what hath passed between God and their souls about that act; they are not afraid that the worst act which ever they have done should stand forth in the open light; and as for those crimes which men uncharitably charge upon them, every honest heart speaks boldly the sense of this first part of Jobs imprecation, O earth, cover not thou my blood. From the second branch of Jobs imprecation, Let my cry have no place. Observe. Not to have prayer heard and accepted by God, is the greatest misery that can befall man. God is the last refuge of a distressed soul, and the means by which we make God our refuge, or fly to him for refuge, is believing, and servant prayer: Prayer is a duty, and yet it is a privilege, it is a privilege, not only to receive an answer of prayer, but to put up our requests in prayer; he therefore that asks a stop upon his own prayers, hath at once asked a stop upon all his mercies; he cannot look to be relieved, who tells God he doth not look to be heard; and when prayer hath no place of acceptance in Heaven, we can have no place of contentment on the Earth: Upon this account we may conclude: That, Man cannot bespeak any thing worse for himself, than not to be heard when he speaks to God. As it is one of the highest honours done to God that men make prayers to him, so it is one of the deepest afflictions of man, for God not to hear his prayers: Such was saul's condition (2 Sam. 28.) God doth not answer me, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by Prophets: He could get no answer from God, his cry had no place: This troubled him more than the invasion of the Philistines. I am sore distressed (saith he) the Philistines make War upon me, and God is departed from me. When trouble comes, and God goes away, man is in a woeful estate. We have no promise to receive unless we ask, and though we do ask, we cannot receive, unless our prayer be received: God receives the prayer of man, before man receives any thing from God in prayer. All our treasure lies in Heaven, our comfort is in Heaven, our protection is in Heaven; and prayer is the messenger which we send to Heaven in the name of Christ for all things, or, for whatsoever else we need on earth. Now if prayer cannot get in, if God will not hear prayer, if he send back our messenger without audience, what can we receive? The sinfulness of man appears in nothing, more than in this, That he calleth not upon God (Psal. 14.4.) Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord: Now as the sin of man appears exceedingly in not calling upon God, so the wrath of God appears exceedingly in not hearing man when he calls (Prov. 1.20.) Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. God will pour out wrath upon the Families that call not upon his name (Jer. 10.25.) but he pours out most wrath upon those Families whom he hears not, when they call upon his name. All our mercies are shut out at once, when prayer is shut out: nor shall that person have any place or room in God's heart, whose cry hath no place in his ear. Holy Job was sensible enough of this, nor durst he have imprecated, that his cry should have no place, but that (being conscious of no evil) he was assured that his cry had place; and therefore as in the sincerity of his soul he made that imprecation, so in the confidence of his soul, he proceeds to make his Appeal to God in the next words. Vers. 19 Also now, behold my witness is in Heaven, and my record is on high. As if he had said, I fear no evidence that can be brought against me on earth, and I rejoice in the witness I have in Heaven: though I have none to testify for me here, yet I have one that will testify for me above: My witness is in Heaven, and my record is on high. Vtitur testificatione caeli postquam terrae testimonium produxit. Eugub. Some conceive, that as Job had spoken to the earth before, so now he speaks to Heaven, O earth, cover not my blood: O Heaven witness for me. But he saith not my witness is Heaven, but my witness is in Heaven; nor doth he call the Heavens to witness for him, but he calls him who is in Heaven to witness, and that is God. There are two branches of this appeal, Idem bis dicit conscientiae suae integrae declarandae causa. Lavat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synonymum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron in Trad. and they both intent the same thing, My witness is in Heaven, and my record is on high. The words witness and record, are of the same signification, though they differ in the letter: The one is properly an Hebrew word, and the other Syriack: When Jacob and Laban were in that contest (Gen. 31.47.) Jacob took a Stone, and set up a Pillar for a witness, And Jacob said to his Brethren, Gather stones, and they made an heap, and they did eat there upon the heap, and Laban called it Jegar-sahadatha, that is, a heap of witnesses (as it is in the Margin) but Jacob called it Galeed, or Gilead: Jacob speaking the pure Hebrew, and Laban the Syriack language, they take in both the words of Jobs appeal, My witness is in Heaven, my record is on high. Est forma juramenti, quo deum invocat innocentiae suae testem atque conscientiae spectatorem. Cajet. Job speaks the same thing twice, to show how strongly he believed that the Lord would be witness for him, My witness is in Heaven, my record is on high. Heaven and high are the same, as witness and record are. And when he saith, on high, or in the high place; he useth not the word Bamoth by which those high places are expressed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In excelsis, malimin altissimis, quia excelsa vocantur quae Ebraeis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quibus sacrificabant idolis. Caeterum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprie de Deo usurpatur & de caelo, de Deo in singulari numero, de caelo in utroque Drus. Dicitur Deus testis in excelsis propter locum aptissimum ad contemplandum tanquam in sublimi specula quicquid agitur. Pined. wherein the false gods were worshipped, or the true God falsely: Job puts that word into his appeal, which belongs properly to God, and signifies in Scripture, the place of his glorious residence. Jobs record was not only on high, but (Bemerumim, the Hebrew is Plural) in the heights; Some translate it in the Superlative, not (in excelsis) on high, but (in altissimis) in the highests: As if he had said, My witness is above all witnesses, and therefore he is a witness above all exception. And Job did well, for his purpose, to say his record was on high; not only because of the dignity of that which is high, but for the advantage which he hath, who is on high, or in the highest to be a witness. God is said to be a witness in Heaven, or on high, to show how easily he can observe and take notice of those things which are below: God hath eyes infinitely pure and piercing, he beholds all things, and he beholds them from on high as from a watchtower, which renders the object more obvious to the eye: The sight is soon intercepted upon a level: but, The Lord (saith David, Psal. 14.2.) looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek God: If but one had sought God, God had found him out; but the report which he makes upon that survey, tells us, They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good, no not one (Verse. 3.) Further he saith, My witness is in Heaven, or on high, implying, that he was such a witness as was able to protect him; a witness who is above all fear, and who needs no favour. Some witnesses are not only men of no state, but of no conscience, Such underlings will be hirelings upon Oath against the truth, and are ready to testify any thing for hope of gain, or for fear of a frown, My witness (saith Job) is in Heaven, my record is on high; such a witness he is as cannot be corrupted by gifts, such as hath no need of any man's gifts, seeing he gives to all men life and breath, and all things. Hence Observe. First, That as God is the Judge of all men, so he is their witness. God is the Judge of all the earth, and God is the witness of all the earth too (Jer. 29.23.) Because they have committed villainy in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbour's Wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, that I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness saith the Lord: He saith not, I know, and am Judge; but I know, and am witness. Let no man hope to escape the judgement of God, because there is none to witness against him: for if God hath not the witness of man, if our sin be a secret to all the World, yet God hath always two witnesses. First, Our own conscience. Secondly, Himself. An earthly Judge must not be a witness; his duty is to give sentence, not to give evidence; he must determine according to what is alleged, and proved upon testimony given; but he cannot give testimony; he cannot be Judge and Party too: But God is so transcendently Sovereign, that he is both Judge and Party, he pronounceth sentence, and gives in evidence; Christ is called, The faithful, and the true witness (Revel. 3.14.) And yet, All judgement is given into his hand (John. 5.22, 27.) God judgeth upon his own knowledge, not upon the knowledge of others, and therefore as there can be no failing in, so no avoiding of, his judgement. Secondly, Observe. It is lawful to appeal to God, or to take God to witness. An Oath is the calling of God to witness, and whensoever we appeal to God, or call him to witness, it is an Oath. The Apostle Paul took an Oath, when he said (Rom. 1.9.) God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you in my prayers. Thus in highest holiness he swore that he prayed for the Romans spiritual good, while he was absent from them, and had never so much as seen them; and that he passionately desired to be present with them, and see them, that he might impart unto them some spiritual gift: Because being a mere stranger, he had not yet made his actions a witness of his love to them, and because no man can be an unerring witness of another man's heart, or of the moving of his affections, therefore he calls God to witness, who alone knows the heart, and can tell how much we love either himself, or one another. He speaks as much (though in another case) to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 1.23.) Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you, I came not as yet unto Corinth. As if he had said, By this my earnest adjuration, I assure you, that the reason why I have deferred my coming to you, was not from any levity of mind, or change of purpose in me, but only because I was unwilling to use such severity as the distempers among you call for, and would have pressed me unto being present. We find him in the same tenor of speech towards the Philippians (Chap. 1.8.) For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Christ; that is, I call God to witness, I love you: And again (1 Thes. 2.5.) Neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness: As if he had said, Had I used flattering words, you might witness it; and that I have not used a cloak of covetousness, God is witness. I might have worn a cloak of covetousness so closely, that you could not have seen it, but God could; he can judge through the darkest clouds, and see through the thickest cloaks and cover but I appeal to him whether I have put on such a cloak, or no. As Paul by Oath purged himself from covetousness of spirit; so Abraham protested by Oath against all covetous practices (Gen. 14.22.) I have lifted up mine hand to the most high God, the possessor of Heaven and Earth, that I will not take any thing that is thine. This gesture of lifting up the hand when an Oath is taken, is there put for an Oath itself; by which Abraham appealed to God as a witness of his sincere intentions in taking up those Arms for the rescue of his Nephew Lot, and that as he had overcome his Enemies, so he had overcome covetousness, which was, of the two, the far more noble victory. This calling of God to witness, is of two sorts. First, When we are called by others, who have lawful power, to testify the truth; such is swearing before a Magistrate. Secondly, When we offer it ourselves, for the removal of such jealousies as are cast upon us, and we have no other way left, to free, or vindicate ourselves from. This latter was the occasion of Jobs Oath, as also of those alleged concerning Paul and Abraham: but whether it be an Oath of the one sort, or of the other, both meet in this, that God is appealed to, and called to witness by such as use them: and seeing he is a jealous God, who will not hold them guiltless that take his name in vain: I shall add some cautions for the bounding and directing of our practice. First, We may call God to witness in weighty matters, and unless the matter be weighty, either in itself, or in the consequents of it, we may not; God is my witness, and God is my Judge, are not for common, much less for vain things. There are two things in every Oath or appeal to God which show this. First, An Oath is for confirmation (Heb. 6.16.) vain things are not worthy the mentioning, much less are they worthy the confirming: we ought not to strive at all about them, much less ought we to swear about them, which is an end of all strife. Secondly, In every Oath or appeal to God, there is an invocation of the Name of God; but the name of God must not be taken in vain, which it cannot but be, when it is taken into our mouths about a vain thing. Secondly, We may call God to witness when men give a wrong witness of us, or will not give a right witness for us; but if we can have testimony upon earth, we must not go to Heaven for it; God must be our last resort. Job found none on earth to witness for him, and his afflictions were looked upon as sufficient witnesses against him, and therefore he was necessitated to make his address to God. Thirdly, When the matter is not only such as others will not testify, when they might, but such as no man can testify (none being privy to it, but only God and our own souls) than we have a just ground of appeal to God; who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart: Jobs sincerity was suspected; and that is such a secret as man hath no access unto, and therefore can give no witness to it: Who is sincere, and who is an hypocrite, is resolved only by the testimony of God, and of our own souls. Fourthly, We must be sure to call God to witness in truth, Thou shall swear the Lord liveth in truth, in righteousness, and in judgement (Jer. 4.2.) Unless we have a witness within us, we must not call God to witness who is above us. God is ready to witness with our consciences; but woe to those who call God to witness against their consciences. Holy Paul called God to record upon his soul (2 Cor. 1.23.) that is, He did as it were (which is also done in every Oath) engage, or pawn his soul and salvation upon it, that he spoke the truth: When our souls bear record with us, we may venture to call God to record upon our souls. But some, when they have no witness from their souls, yea when their soul's witness against them, will yet venture to call God to record upon their souls. They will needs be tried by God, who dare not abide the just trial of men; such would make God (who cannot lie) witness to a lie: They use the glorious God as some do, a sort of miscreants, called Knights of the Post, who for a Fee, will not only say, but swear what you will. This is highest profanation of the name of God: For as he that believes not the truth of God makes him a liar; so also doth he that appeals to God for the witness of an untruth. More partiularly, My witness is in Heaven, my record is on high. Job speaks this, not only because he wanted the witness of men, but because of the high esteem he had of the witness of God. Hence Observe. The witness of God is the most desirable witness. The witness we have on 〈◊〉 is nothing worth, unless we have a witness in Heaven: I● we have not the inward witness of our own conscience it is little advantage though we have a thousand outward witnesses: conscience is more than a thousand witnesses, but God is more than ten thousand consciences: Therefore never rest in any witness, till you have the witness of God. We labour (saith the Apostle, (2 Cor. 5.9.) and that word signifies not only an earnest, or an industrious, but an ambitious labour) that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him: As if he had said, Possibly we might gain acceptation and applause among men, would we but study to please and apply ourselves to them; but the favour of men will not serve our turn, nor can we sit down and rest ourselves under their shadow. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, was David's prayer (Psal. 19.14.) David could not bear it, that a word, or a thought of his should miss acceptation with God: It did not satisfy him that his actions were well witnessed unto by men on earth, unless his very thoughts were witnessed to by the Lord in Heaven. Some, as it is said of those Rulers (John 12.42.) Love the praise of men more than the praise of God: So long as they have a record here below, they little regard his record who is on high. There is no greater argument of a carnal mind, than this. He that loves the praise, or testimony of men as much as he loves the praise or testimony of God, doth indeed love it more: Seeing there is nothing more unequal than an equal partition of our esteem between God and Man. Where our obligation unto two is unequal, we can never be discharged by paying each of them an equal sum. We have cause to bless God when we have witness among men, but the witness of men should be of no price with us in comparison of the witness of God: Not only may we have recourse to the witness of God, when we cannot obtain the witness of men; but we must prefer the single witness of God before a throng of humane witnesses; and when we have enough on earth, yet say with Job, My witness is in Heaven. The witness of the men of this world, or of evil men (while we keep a good conscience) is a mercy. But as the witness of good men is more , than the witness of all other men, and the witness of a good conscience is more than the witness of good men: so the witness of God is more than (without which we cannot have it, and with which we shall have it) the witness of a good conscience. For as the testimony of God against us, is more terrible than that of our own hearts (1 Joh. 3.20.) If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things; and therefore knoweth more evil by us, and every evil more than our own hearts do: so the testimony of God for us is more comfortable, than that of our own hearts. If our hearts acquit us, God is greater than our hearts, and knowing all things, he knoweth more good by us, and every good more than our own hearts do; who can express or tell how pleasant it is to receive this testimony from God, that we please God. Behold (saith David, Psal. 133.1.) how good and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity: But O how good and pleasant a thing it is for God and man to dwell together in unity; for man to be always giving witness to God, that he is good and gracious, and for God to be always giving witness to man, that he is upright, and righteous. When conscience speaks us fair, we have peace and a continual feast, but when God speaks us fair, and gives us an euge from Heaven, Well done good and faithful Servants, we have peace which passeth all understanding, and not only a joyful feast, but a feast of joys, which are unspeakable, and full of glory. Yea when we are at the fullest Tables of this world, this is the sauce in our dish, and the sugar in our cup: Go thy way (saith the Preacher, Eccl. 9.7.) eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; (why? what's the matter now)? For now God accepteth thy works. Thou hast a witness in Heaven. Thirdly, Observe; A good man dares appeal and put his cause to God. A wicked man will sometimes appeal, and put his cause to God out of presumption, and impudence: but a good man appeals to God in faith, and holy confidence. As it is an act of grace or favour in God to receive an appeal from man: so it is an act not only of grace, but of courage in man, to make an appeal to God. It is an act of grace, as it is a part of the worship of God, but it is an act of courage, or as I may call it, a daring work, as it is a putting ourselves under the justice of God, yea an implicit imprecating of the vengeance of God, in case we speak untrue: Thus to appeal or swear, is a daring work, and such as no man durst do (if he knew what he did) but in a good cause. It is a fearful thing thus to fall into the hands of the living God. Some have ventured upon false oaths, and appeals to God, only for fear of men. Such say commonly, They had rather trust God with their souls (by swearing falsely) than man with their estates, lives, or libertyes by confessing the truth. Which is not only as if a man should flee from a Lion, and a Bear should meet, but infinitely more than if a man for fear of the biting of a Whippet or of the stinging of a Bee, should willingly offer himself to the mouth of a Lion, and to the sting of a Serpent. To swear is not only to set our naked breasts before the Cannon's mouth, but with our own mouths to give fire to it, if we utter falsehood. Fourthly, Observe. It is the joy and comfort of an upright heart, that there is a God in heaven who knows his heart, and bears witness of all his ways. It is the terror of wicked men to think that there is a witness in Heaven, and a record on high. Hypocrites may pretend they rejoice, that God is their witness, but it's only a joy of the tongue, and from the teeth outwards, or to serve their turn: but an upright heart rejoiceth indeed at this, he riseth every morning, and walks all the day long, and at night lies down and rests upon this thought, God is my record, God is my witness, he hath searched me, and known me,, he knoweth my down sitting and my uprising, he understands my thoughts, a far off, he compasseth my path, and my lying down, and is acquainted with all my ways. In the midst of all the clamours, misapprehensions and misjudging of men, it is an abundant refreshing and consolation to the Saints, that there sits one in heaven, who as he knows them fully, so he judgeth all men rightly, and will render to every man according to his words. Lastly, consider the place into which Jobs faith ascended while he speaks of God. My witness is in Heaven, my record is on high. Who is in Heaven? who is on high? you may know whom he means when he saith, He that is in Heaven, he that is on high, though his name be not expressed. There are Angels in Heaven, but they are nothing compared to God; there are the souls of just men departed, and made perfect, in heaven, but they are nothing compared to God: there's no name in heaven but God, God is all in all in heaven, and he should take up all our hearts and thoughts while we are on earth, especially when we discourse of heaven. Hence observe, Though God be every where, yet he is especially in heaven. God is upon the earth, yea God is in hell, If I make my Bed in hell thou art there (Psal. 139.8.) yet when Job acts faith upon God, he saith not, I have a witness on earth, but my witness is in heaven (Psal. 2.4.) He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision. God doth not sit as circumscribed in heaven, but there the scripture describes him sitting, (Psal. 123.1.) Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the Heavens. Christ teacheth us to pray (Matth. 6.) Our Father which art in heaven, and when he himself prayed, He lift up his eyes to Heaven, and said Father the hour is come, glorify thy Son, etc. (Joh. 17.1.) Jesus Christ speaks to God as in that place, and he speaks of heaven as of a place, as of a special and distinct place, to which he lifted up his eyes, when he prayed to his Father. There is a new Divinity, which tells us, that Heaven is every place, and every place is Heaven: But why did Christ ascend, why was he carried up (Luke 24.51.) when he went to Heaven? If Heaven be every where, there's no need of ascending to get into Heaven, and we may as properly descend into Heaven as ascend up to Heaven, if Heaven be every where. Peter Martyr lying upon his death bed, and having many Friends about him, discoursed sweetly of Heaven and heavenly things: Bullenger standing by, alleged that of the Apostle (Phil. 3.20.) Our conversation is in Heaven: True said the sick man, it is in Heaven, but not in the Heaven of Brentius, Non in caelo Brentij, quod nusquam est. Vit. P. Mart. which is not where. He that makes Heaven every where, makes it not where: Though God be in all places, and wheresoever God is, Heaven is, yet there is more in Heaven, then is common to all places. That's Heaven properly, where the glory of God shines most, and where there is the special revealings of his honour and power; therefore it is called, The habitation of his holiness, and of his glory (Isa. 63.15.) Heaven is (as we may speak) the place of God's glorious residence: This Heaven is not every where, for though God be every where, yet he doth not manifest himself equally every where. God hath built Heaven (as that great Monarch, Dan. 4.3.) spoke boastingly of Babylon, for the house of his Kingdom, and for the honour of his Majesty. Quasi a natura insitam suisse opinionem Deum in caelo habitate asserit Aristoteles. lib. 1. de Anima cap. 3. A mere Naturalist hath told us, That this principle is stamped upon the nature of man, that God hath his dwelling place on high, or in Heaven. Heaven is so proper to God, that God is often (by a Metonimy) called Heaven in the holy Scriptures. Thy Kingdom (saith Daniel to Nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.26.) shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known, that the heavens do rule: that is, When thou shalt be humbled and brought to this acknowledgement that the God whose Throne and dwelling place is in Heaven, sits also upon all earthly Thrones, and is King in all the Kingdoms of Men. Christ puts the Question to the Jews (Matth. 21.25.) The baptism of John, Whence was it, from Heaven, or of Men? that is, Was it from God, or from Men? Was it a humane invention, or a Divine Institution? The prodigal Son cries out, Father I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight: that is, Both against my earthly, and heavenly Father. Some, because these and the like Scriptures call God Heaven; and because it is said after the resurrection (when all the Saints shall be gathered into Heaven) That God shall be all in all; upon these mistakes, I say, they have run into that gross error, That Heaven is God. But when the Scripture calls Heaven the habitation of God, the Throne of God, the City of God, the building of God, an house not made with hands; it cannot be but a perverting of Scripture and a throwing up of reason, to call it God, or to say that God and Heaven are the same. Nor doth it at all follow, that God is Heaven, because God shall be all in all to us in Heaven. Paul was not teaching the Corinthians there what Heaven is, but wherein the happiness of the Saints shall consist, when they shall all be called up to Heaven, after the general resurrection from the dead: Then Christ shall resign up his Kingdom (as Mediator) to his Father, than God shall be all in all, in All: that is, There will be no more need of a Mediator between God and Man; there will be no more need of Preaching, nor of making prayers, nor of using Seals. All the glasses through which we saw God, and the outward Ordinances, in which we enjoyed God in this life shall be laid aside, when we see him face to face: and then God will be King, and Teacher, light and life, glory and happiness, to his Saints, immediately, and for ever. 'Tis granted, That Heaven is nothing to us without God, yet God is something, yea he is infinitely more than Heaven. Solomon bespeaks God thus in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple (1 Kings 8.27.) Behold the Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded: If Heaven, even the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain God, then, it is not God. That which doth contain a thing, is not the thing contained, much less is that which cannot contain a thing, the thing which it cannot contain. Again, that which Job calls heaven in one part of the verse, he calls high in the other, My witness is in Heaven, my record is on high. God dwells in the high and holy place (Isai. 57.15.) And Christ after he had finished the work of man's redemption is said, To sit down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb. 1.3.) This high place is the highest place, all that we call Heaven is high, but all that we call Heaven is not alike high. Heaven is a building of three Stories. The air is called heaven: The fowls of the air are said to fly above the earth in the Firmament of heaven (Gen. 1.20.) The Clouds are called Heaven (Leu. 2.19.) I will make your Heaven as Iron, and your Earth as Brass: that is, I will make the clouds which are soft like Sponges hard like Iron, they shall not yield a drop of water, to refresh the wearied earth. The second Story is the starry Heaven, where the Sun and Moon move, and where those other glorious lights are set like golden studs to adorn, comfort, and direct the World. His going for this from the end of Heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it (Psal. 19.6.) The third is called The habitation of God, the heaven of heavens, the third Heaven, the highest Heaven. The Apostle saith of Christ, that He ascended far above all Heavens (Ephes. 4.10.) And yet he then ascended into Heaven; the meaning is, Christ ascended above all the visible heavens, into that, which is invisible to us who are on earth. This Heaven Job pointed at while he said, My record is on high. Take four deductions from it. First, If Heaven be highest, then there is nothing but serenety in Heaven: The highest places in a civil sense, are full of storms, and so are high places in a natural sense, but the highest places in nature are free from clouds, storms, and vapours. Naturalists tell us of Olympus, a very high Mountain, lifting up its head beyond the middle Region, whither no breath of wind ever comes: you may draw Letters and Figures in the Sand, and come many years after, and find them no more stirred, then if they had been written in Marble; and if the highest places in nature are always serene, how serene is the high place of glory? When you are once in Heaven, you are beyond, not only proper, but figurative storms and winds for ever. Secondly, Heaven is high, therefore it is a pure place. Every thing in nature, the more high it is, the more pure it is. Earth is the lowest, and the grossest of the Elements, the Water next to that, is more gross than the Air; the Air is more gross than the Fire, which Philosophers call the highest of the Elements; The higher we go, the more purity we find; and when we are (in altissimis) at the highest, there is nothing but purity, perfect purity; there is not the least mixture of dross, nor the least spot of dirt in Heaven: Heaven is all pure, and none shall come thither but such as are pure. Pure persons are fit for a pure place and only they art fit: No unclean thing shall enter there, and he that hath this hope (of entering there) purifies himself, not only as Heaven is pure, but as God is pure, in whose sight Heaven itself is impure (Chap. 15.15.) Thirdly, Heaven is high, Then Heaven is a safe place. High places are secure places; the high places of the earth are so accounted; and when God promises safety to his people, he tells them they shall dwell on high, while they are here below. (Isa. 33.16.) He shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth (Isa. 58.14.) When those bvilders of the Tower of Babel thought to make themselves safe, they said, Let us build a Tower whose top may reach to Heaven: If there should come another flood, they hoped to be dry, and to get above the danger. Once in Heaven, and we are out of Gun-shott; not only beyond the reach of man, but of Devils too: They who are got into that high place, shall neither feel, nor fear the Destroyer any more. Fourthly, Heaven is a high place, than it is a large and capacious place: As a Spherical, or round Figure, is the most capacious, so the utmost round of that Figure is the most capacious round; in Heaven there is room enough; though we are crowded here, yet there we shall not. We may call Heaven (as Isaac did the Well, about which there was no contention between his Herdsmen, and the Herdsmen of Gerar) Rehoboth, room (Gen. 26.22.) In Heaven we shall not contend for room; Christ assures us that in his Father's house are many mansions (John 14.2.) He had said before to his Disciples (Chap. 13.33.) Wither I go ye cannot come: And when Peter, troubled at this speech, put the Question (Vers. 36.) Lord whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Wither I go thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterwards. Christ perceived his Disciples more plunged in their spirits with this answer and promise to Peter: and therefore adds a prohibition of their fears, at the beginning of this Chapter, Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me, in my Father's house are many mansions: As if he had said, Do not think that I told you, ye cannot follow me now, and that Peter shall follow me afterwards, as if the place I go to, were only large enough for me and Peter; for believe me, there are many mansions; I tell you not how many, neither can they be told, but there are enough, not only for myself and Peter, but for you all; yea, for all those, who either have, or shall believe on my Name; if it were not so, I would have told you, I would not delude you with vain hopes, I am well acquainted with all the rooms in my Father's house: and though when I came into the World for your sakes, there was no room in the Inn for me to be borne in, but a Stable among Beasts, yet I will take care that when you come to my Father's house, you shall not be straitened for Quarters, I who am your Redeemer, will also be your Harbinger, I go to prepare a place for you, and I am certain my Father's house will hold all his household. Tophet is prepared of old, it is deep and large (Isa. 30.33.) Hell is large enough for a Prison; there's room for all the Children of disobedience to lie bound for ever: But Heaven is large, as a Palace, or as a Paradise; there's room enough for all the heirs of promise, to walk at liberty for ever. JOB, Chap. 16. Vers. 20, 21, 22. My Friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour. When a few years are come, than I shall go the way whence I shall not return. JOB having strongly asserted his own integrity, at the seventeenth Verse of this Chapter; and thereupon as strongly imprecated the heaviest vengeance upon his own head, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hiphil significat Eloqui, facundum esse, su mitur etiam pro illudere, quia id non sine sermonis venustate fieri solet. Merc. Coll●quutores mei. Vatab. Rhetores. Pagn. Cum amici mei Rhetorica oratione contra me agunt, man●ntibus lachrymis Dei opem imploro. Tygur. in case he had not spoken truth (Vers. 18.) Having also made his appeal to Heaven, calling God to witness that it was truth which he had spoken (Vers. 19) Here at the twentieth Verse, he gives us a reason why he made that appeal; and the reason was, he found no comfort in the creature, he had no hope of help on earth, and therefore he resorts to Heaven. Vers. 20. My Friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears to God. There is some variety in the translation, but the sense of all meets in one, My Friends scorn me, or Scorners are my Friends: The word signifies to deride, or scorn, not in a rude homely way, but to do it with quaintness of speech, or in refined language, to do it wittily, and cunningly, close and home. Hence the word signifies a Rhetorician, or an Orator, and is so translated here, by divers of the Learned, My friends play the Rhetoricians, they speak eloquently, they compose fine orations, and set speeches against me; but alas! I only speak tears. Yet further it signifies to interpret (Gen. 42.23.) Joseph spoke unto his Brethren by an Interpreter, it is this word. That's the interlineall reading of this Text, Interpretes socii mei. Mont. My Friends are Interpreters, or rather (for that must be the meaning) Misinterpreters; they put wrong expositions upon all my speeches, and corrupt my Text with their unfreindly glosses. We read in the ordinary acception of the word, My friends scorn me, or, My friends are scorners: As if Job had said, These my friends, whose profession and relation call them to administer serious, and wholesome counsel to my troubled mind, even they break forth into scorn; they pour the Vinegar of their sharpest censures, into my already wrankled wounds, in stead of the suppling, skinning Oil of comfort and consolation; — Quis talia fando temperet a lachrymis. and therefore mine eye is pressed to pour out tears to God: Who can forbear weeping, while he is but reporting my sufferings? How then should I who suffer? My friends scorn me, etc. Hence Observe. The best of friends may prove unfreindly. Men are but men, and so they act: There is no repose, either upon the wisdom, or strength, or affection of the creature, they are all mutable, and may do that which is most opposite, both to their profession and relation: A Friend, a Scorner! What more unsuitable? And that may be a second Note. Scorn is wholly opposite to the Law of love. He departs far enough from the rules of friendship, who doth not pity and assist his afflicted Friend; how far is he gone from it, who scorns and derides his Friend in affliction? Thirdly, Considering the Person who was thus scorned; Job, a man beloved of God, the great Favourite of that Age to the King of Heaven. Hence Observe. They who are highly approved, and honoured of God, may fall under the contempt, and scorn of men. As they who are applauded and flattered, yet adored by men, may be the scorn and contempt of God. What Christ speaks of things is true of persons (Luke 16.15.) That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God: So they who are highly esteemed of God are often an abomination to men; God seethe not as man seethe, no not as good men see; God and good men are not always of an opinion, either about things or persons: and as the worst of men find some to flatter and applaud them, so the best of men find some to undervalue and deride them, and they sometimes find good men doing so. There is no judging either of men or of matters, by what is said of them: In this sense all men are, or may be liars, carrying a falls report in their mouths: Should we judge concludingly of men by the opinion of man, how base and contemptible would many precious souls appear to us? And how precious would many appear to us, who are only worthy to be contemned? Christ gives the rule (John. 7.24.) Judge not according to appearance (or by the face) but judge righteous judgement: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum vultum vel faciem. We must not judge either of things or persons, till they appear, nor may we judge of them by appearances, especially not by those appearances which the tongues of men put upon them. The Greek, in that Text of John, saith, Judge not according to the face: For though the face in its natural frame be the Index or discovery of the mind; yet as a man may artificially set his face to a look altogether unlike his mind; so others may set a face upon the ways and actions of a man altogether unlike both the man and his actions. He that had judged Job by the face, which God had put upon his outward condition, or by that which Satan and his Friends put upon his ways and actions must have judged him either an hypocrite, serving God only to serve his own turn, or else profane, casting off the service of God. All the morally ill-favoured faces in the World are of one of these two features or complexions; the opinions that went abroad of Job made him appear like both, and yet he was a man most beautiful in the eye of God; a man that had received the fairest Letters commendatory under Gods own hand, that ever man had to that day, My Friends scorn me: What then? But mine eye poureth out tears unto God. As before he had appealed to God; so now his eye poureth out tears unto God. The Hebrew is, Mine eye poureth out: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stillare seu diffluere instar aquarum & stillando quasi attenuari. The word signifies to flow forth like water, and to waste in flowing forth; his eyes were as a Fountain, which flows continually, yet retains a perpetual stock of water; but his strength abated and his spirits issued with those waters. Mine eye poureth out, we add the word Tears, because tears are the only eye-waters, or all the waters which flow from the eye, Mine eye poureth out tears. The word signifieth sometimes only to drop, Translatio est a stillicidijs. either as a Limbeck drops down the water which is raised up by the heat into fumes, or as the Eaves of a house drop in a time of rain; so, mine eye distilleth or droppeth tears. Job had a heat within him which might well cause those distillations, and showers without him, which might well cause those droppings, This distilling, dropping, or pouring out of tears, was the pouring out of his sorrows, and there was more in it then silent sorrow, there was a voice in his sorrows, or a voice of mourning was mingled with his weeping; yea, this word implies speaking, in many places of the old Testament, where to drop is to Prophesy, Phrasi Hebraica stillare saepe pro loqui sumitur. and Prophesying is a vocal act (Micah 2.6.) Prophesy ye not say they to them that prophesy; the word is, Drop not: Both are expressed (Amos 7.16.) Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. So (Ezek. 21.2.) Drop thy words towards the holy places, and prophesy against the Land of Israel. And the reason of it is, because words fall into the ear of the hearers as drops of rain upon the dry and thirsty ground, both to soften and make fruitful. Jobs tears preached; the dropping of his eye was a kind of prophesying: Tears are not words formally, but they are virtually. Weeping is inarticulate speaking: And though God (by reason of his infinite, and unchangeable happiness) never spoke that language, yet he understands it fully. There are (saith the Apostle, arguing against speaking in an unknown tongue) it may be, so many kinds of voices in the World, and none of them are without signification (1 Cor 14.10.) The voice of tears is very significant, yet God only knows the special signification of it, man knows only the general, that it signifies sorrow. Possibly words went with Jobs tears; but if not, yet his tears had the force of words: Weep speaks, though the weeper speak not: Mine eye poureth out (or speaketh) tears. There are seven or eight sorts of tears spoken of in Scripture, and every one speaks. First, Tears of worldly sorrow; Esau had enough of them, he found store of tears when he lost the blessing: He for one morsel of meat sold his birthright, but he could not purchase it again, with floods of sorrow, For he found no place of repentance; that is, he could not prevail with his Father Isaac to change his mind, though he sought it carefully with tears (Heb. 12.17.) Esau's tears spoke his hunger after that which he had sold to buy off hunger, or to pay a debt to nature. Secondly, There are the tears of repentance and godly sorrow; such were those of Mary (Luke 7.38.) who wept and washed Christ's feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head: She had been a sinner, such a sinner as boar away the name from all the sinners in the City: and she mourned so for sin, that she bore away the name from all the mourners in the City: Mary's tears spoke her tender respect to Christ who saveth sinners, and her abhorrence of herself for sin. Thirdly, There are tears of craft and wicked dissimulation (Jer. 41.6.) Ishmael goes forth to meet the men that came towards Jerusalem, weeping all along as he went: his were made tears, he shed tears that he might shed blood, and weep himself into an opportunity of doing mischief unsuspected. Ishmaels' tears spoke treachery, but because those men could not interpret them, they perished. Fourthly, There are tears of love unfeigned and strong affection: Thus David and Jonathan kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded (1 Sam. 20.41.) When Jesus Christ wept at the Sepulchre of Lazarus, The Jews said, Behold how he loved him (John 11.35, 36.) They saw his heart at his eyes: These tears spoke mutual and real endearments. Fifthly, There are the tears of holy prayers, and fervent desires, Jacob wept and made supplication (Hos. 12.4.) He cried and prayed: The voice of his tears was louder than the voice of his supplication; and his prayers were (in this sense) even drowned in tears: jacob's tears spoke the fervency of his spirit, and his faith in prayer: The Angel understood them so, and he prevailed. Sixthly, There are tears of compassion for the miseries of others, Weep with them that weeP, is the Apostles rule (Rom. 12.15.) When Nehemiah heard the report of Jerusalem's ruin and of the sad condition of his Brethren there, He sat down and wept (Nehem. 1.4.) His tears spoke pity to his Countrymen, and zeal for God. Seventhly, There are the tears of passion, in reference to our own afflictions: Such tears speak humane frailty, or the common infirmity of the flesh. Eighthly, There are the tears of damnation: Hypocrites and their associates in Hell are described, Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore: Their tears speak despair, or misery without hope of remedy. The tears which Job poured forth, were of the seventh sort, tears of passion, or sorrow, caused by the afflicting hand of God, but especially by the unkindnesses of his Friends; My friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. Job knew that as God had a Book for his prayers, so a Bottle for his tears; yea he knew tears should be heard as well as prayers. Tears are powerful Orators: God reads our hearts in those lines which tears draw on our faces. One of the Ancient Philosophers hath adjudged weeping unworthy a man, Lachrymae a viris claris auferendae sunt mulieribus autem relinquendae. Plat. de rep. Dial. 3. and tells us it is only for Women and Children to weep: But as there are tears of effeminate and childish pusillanimity, so there are tears of heroical and holy importunity. To weep for fear of sufferings from man, is indeed below man, but to weep to God when we suffer, either under the hand of God or man, doth well become the best of men; not to weep to God, when we either suffer or have sinned, proceeds not from courage, but from sullenness, and is not the argument of a noble spirit, but of a hard heart. Who so courageous as David? who feared not a Lion nor a Bear, who would not be afraid though an Host of men encamped against him, and though he walked in the valley of the shadow of death; yet how often do we read him weeping and crying to God (Psal. 39.12.) Hold not thy peace (saith he) at my tears: David in that case, could not hold his peace from crying to God, and he was persuaded that God would not hold his peace at his cry; he expected to have his tears answered: He did not say, Hold not thy peace at my words, or at my prayer, but as importing that his very tears had a voice and language in them, he desired that they might be answered. David did not weep for fear of men, but in faith to God. And so did Job: Mine eye poureth out tears unto God: God was the object of his tears, as much as of his prayers. God is above, and yet our tears fall into his bosom: these waters ascend; this rain doth not fall but rise; these showers do not come from the Clouds, but they pierce the Clouds. As the heat of the Sun draws the water upward, so doth the heat of God's love. Some of the Ancients use strange Hyperboles about the power and motion of tears, I will not stay upon them, we may say too much of them; but thus much we may safely say, that from a heart rightly affected, and touched with the sense, either of sin, or suffering, they have much weight in them, and are pressing upon God: Mine eye poureth out tears unto God. From the conexion of this latter part of the Verse with the former: Observe. When we are scorned by men, it is good for us to mourn to God. My Friends scorn me, now, I weep and pray: It is best for us to apply ourselves to God when we live in the embraces of men, when all men speak well of us and applaud us, what is all this, if we have not the good word and the good will of God? unless we have an applause in Heaven, it will do us no good to have the true applause, much less the flatteries of men on earth. Suppose they speak right, and give us but our due, yet we must not rest in that, but go to God. The good word of God is better to us infinitely, than the best word of the best men; to him let us have recourse when we have the greatest favour, and fairest Quarter in the World; but when the World scorns, and rejects us, then is a special season for us to hasten into the presence of God; we should live nearest and closest to God, when men cast us off, or throw us out of their societies and affections. There is a twofold recourse to God, whereof the first is from choice, the second from necessity. It is best to make our recourse to God upon choice, but he will not refuse us if necessity drive us to him, God is most worthy to be our choice, but he is willing to be our refuge; yet he is indeed a refuge to those only in evil times, who have made him their choice in the best times. When all goes well with us in the World, we should not think ourselves well till we enjoy God: It is good for me to draw near to God, saith David (Psal. 73.28.) It is good for me to do it in good times, in the best times, this I make my election: And when David saith, It is good, he means, it is best; that positive bears the sense of a Superlative: and therefore he had said a little before (Vers. 25.) Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee: But in an evil time, God is both the choice and the refuge of his people. He is our refuge properly to whom we come when others cast us off, and he is our choice to whom we come, when others call for us, and seem ambitious to be kind unto us. It is not thankworthy to make God barely a refuge, to come to him because we can go no where else; we should think ourselves no where till we are in his presence wheresoever we are, and that we have nothing till we have him, whatsoever we have. Not to prefer the least of God before all the World, is not only un-ingenuous in us, but sinful against, and dishonourable unto God. Job who here wept to God in his low estate, had often rejoiced in God in his best estate, and preferred him before his chiefest joy: They may confidently weep to God in sad times, who have delighted themselves with God in comfortable times. Secondly, Observe. Liberty of address to God, when men scorn and reject us, is the great privilege of the Saints. Every man cannot do this; can the men of the world power out tears to God when they are scorned by the world? can they pour out prayers to God, when they are ill entreated by the world? Can they go into the embraces of God, when they are cast out by men? they cannot. They can vex themselves, when they are vexed by others, and perhaps vex those that vex them; they can be angry when they are scorned, and perhaps scorn their scorners, but how to spread their condition before God, or to pour out tears to him they know not: they who can do thus are honoured by God, when scorned by men, and God will pour out comforts into their bosoms who can pour their tears into his, they can never be at any loss, who find out God to weep to. Job having thus given the reason of his appeal to Heaven, enforceth it farther with a stung wish, according to our translation, which is also confirmed by the concurring vote of divers other translations. Vers. 21. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his Neighbour. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utinam disputare posset vir cum deo et filius hominis sodali suo. Pagn. Optat ex aequari haeo duo, hominis cum deo, et hominis cum homine disceptationem. Merc. hic aliquid subauditur ut, et quis deo viro, vel ut faciat ac concedat Deus sc: hoc viro Merc. The Sum of his desire may be drawn up into this Brief, that he might argue his case as freely with God, as men of the same rank and degree, argue out their cases with one another. Some expound it as a correction of his boldness in appealing to God. As if he had said I have indeed called God to witness, but what am I, or what is my Father's house, that God should descend to my concernments? The infinite distance which is between the Creator and the creature seems to forbid and check my motion, bidding me keep within my own line or sphere, and meddle with my equals; But O that I might speak with God, as man with man, or man for man, I doubt not but I should carry the day, and prove myself innocent; not that Job intended a controversy with God, or would stand upon (his defence with the most high. I have before showed how far this was from the temper of his broken spirit. All that he intends by the proposal of this desire, is the gaining of an opportunity to set himself right in the opinion of men, by that impartial decision of his cause, which he was well assured God would give upon the whole matter in question between him and his friends, if once he would be pleased to vouchsafe him a free and familiar hearing of it. As if he had further said, I have not apealed to Heaven, because I am unwilling to have my condition known on earth, utinam mihi con●ederetur causam meam adversum vos apud Dei Tribunal disceptare sicut agere homines cum hominibus consueverunt. Bez. that men should see the worst of me; for my desire is that I might plead before God, as a man for his Neighbour, and that I might be laid open in open Court, by the evidence of witnesses, and a full examination of my cause. Taking these explications of the text, in the form of a wish, The scope of it seems, to be the same with what he spoke before, (Chap. 9 33.34.35.) God is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgement, neither is there any Dayman, betwixt us, etc. In which words, as in these before us, while Job lifts up the Majesty of God, and humbleth himself, as unworthy, to have to do with God, yet he discovers the vehement long of his soul to receive a judgement or determination from God in this suit or controversy, which had depended so long between him and his friends. The Observations which arise from this reading and sense of the Text, are of the same strain, with those formerly given upon that, and some other passages, where Job knowing his own uprightness and integrity, declares not only willingness, but extreme earnestness, to have his cause tried at the Bar, and before the Tribunal of God, who both saw his ways, and searched his heart: who as he had justified him from all guilt in reference to himself, by not imputing sin unto him, so he would justify him against the sins, which men imputed to him, by saying he was not at all guilty. These points having been more than once hinted already, I shall not insist upon them here. Secondly, The words are rendered as noting the design which Job had in pouring out tears to God, and then the connection between this and the former verse stands thus; Apud Deum stillat oculus meus utdisceptet causam viri cum deo, sicut filius hominis causam amici sui. Jun. I pour out tears to God, that he would be pleased to plead the cause of a man with God, as the Son of man pleads the cause of his friend. Mr. Broughton joins fully with this, Unto the puissant doth mine eye drop, that he mould decide the cause for earthly-wight before the puissant: as the son of Adam doth with his Neighbour. Our translation carries the sense of a wish; that a man might have liberty to plead with God, as man with man; this carries the sense of a wish, that God would plead the cause of a man with God, as a man pleads the cause of his friend; which is indeed to desire God to be his advocate. Ad Deum stillat oculus meus ut judicet viro cum Deo, & silium hominis respectu proximi sui. Coc. How God is an advocate with God, will appear further in the prosecution of the text. A third reading keeps to this dependence upon the former verse, and to the same scope of this, yet varyes the translation, Thus, Mine eye poureth out tears to God, that he would judge for a man with God (and that he would judge) the Son man in respect of his Neighbour. The first reading makes the latter branch of the words a description of the manner how Job desired to plead with God even as man doth with man. The second makes it a description of the manner how Job desired God to plead the cause of man with God, even as man pleads with man; This third makes it a second distinct desire, and the whole verse to consist of two distinct desires. First, That God would judge for a man with God. Secondly, That God would judge the Son of man in respect of his Neighbour. In the former he petitions for mercy with God; in the latter for right against man; or in the former he sues for a judgement of acceptation for himself, and in the latter for a judgement of reproof, and redargution upon his friends. This difference is grounded upon the different construction of the words in the original. For the word which is rendered to plead or judge, is construed with, or governs (as gramarians speak) the Dative case in the first, and the Accusative case in the latter clause of the verse. Hence the former is rendered, That he would judge or plead for a man with God, which notes favour and a benign defence or patronage of his cause with God, so this is used by the Prophet (Isai. 11.4.) He shall reprove (argue, judge or plead) with equity for the meek of the earth; that is, he shall reprove or plead in favour of the meek, or on their side, he shall undertake their cause, and make their defence for them. And thus at last God did judge or plead for Job, giving sentence in his behalf, and casting the scales on his side against his friends, and therefore the latter clause is rendered, thus, That he would judge the Son of man in respect of his Neighbour; that is, that he would reprehend and reprove him for the wrongs which he hath don● to, and for the uncharitable censures which he hath laid upon his Neighbour. The meaning of the whole verse according to this translation, may be represented and paralleled in that prayer of David, (Psal. 35.1, 2, 3.) Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me, etc. say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Thus Job, as David, desires the Lord to speak a word of comfort to him, and to tell his enemies, or his uncomfortable friends their own. I shall only leave one observation upon this exposition, When Christ comes graciously to assert the innocency of his own people, he will severely rebuke those who have done them wrong. Laban had given Jacob hard usage, while he was a Servant in his House, and when he was gone, Laban pursued him with hard thoughts, but God pleaded for Jacob, and rebuked Laban (Gen. 31.42.) the Prophet foretells, That the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains, that is, he will not only deliver, but advance his oppressed Church, The house of the God of Jacob, (Isai. 21.2, 3.) and when he doth this, He shall judge among the Nations, and shall rebuke many people (Vers. 4.) Some have observed the same difference in these latter words of Isay, which hath been noted in the text of Job, and render it thus, He shall judge among the Nations, that is, the Heathen Nations who have vexed his Church, And he shall rebuke or plead (it is the same word in the Grammatical construction, as here in Job) For, (or in the behalf) of many people; that is, for many of his own people, who have been opposed by those Nations; the effect whereof we have in the next words, And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares; that is, God will so judge those Nations, that his people shall not need to stand upon their guard, or learn war any more; because their enemies shall either be turned to them, or be totally overturned▪ woe to the Nations, when God stands up for his people, he will certainly ruin Babylon, when he undertakes the controversy, and pleads the cause of Zion. Yea the day hastens when he will Convince all that are ungodly, of all the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him (Jud. verse. 15.) that is, against his people, for his sake. Fourthly, Besides these three expositions of the Text, I find another which is more literal, and yet more spiritual than any of the three: and it is that which our late learned Annotators have given us, Mine eye pours out tears unto God. And he will plead for a man with God, and the Son of man for his friend, The mind of which translation is this, He, that is, Christ Jesus the Mediator between God and man will plead for a man, that is, for me; he speaks in the third person for modesty's sake, though he means himself; he will plead for me, (though you plead never so much against me) for me (I say) he will plead with God, that is, with God his Father: the Hebrew word here used for God, is in the singular number, Eloah, not Elohim, and so it is in the close of the former verse, Mine eye poureth out tears, to (Eloah) God, and he will plead with God, which more than intimates a distinct personality or subsistence in the divine nature, One, who is, and is called God acting towards another, who is, and is called God, though God be but one or (unissimus) One-most in nature. Job weeps to God the Son, in assurance that he will plead for him with God the Father, He will plead for a man with God. And the Son of man, that is, Jesus Christ; whom he called God before, he calls now, The Son of man, this Title is frequently attributed unto Christ in the New-Testament (Matth. 8.20.) The Foxes have holes, etc. but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head, so (Matth. 10.23.11.19.12.8. &c,) Jesus Christ is called the Son of man, First, to show the truth of his humane nature, he being lineally descended from David, according to the flesh, and is therefore styled, The Son of David. Secondly, to show the depth of his abasement, Christ humbled yea emptied, and nothinged himself, when Being in the form of God, he was made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2.) when being the Son of God, he submitted to so mean a style, The Son of man. Ezekiel amongst all the Prophets is oftenest called Son of man. The reason which some assign is very probable, That God spoke to him under that Title, to keep him humble in the midst of his many visions and revelations, for which, end, Paul in the same case had A I horn in the flesh, the Messenger of Satan to buffet him (2 Cor. 12.) and though Jesus Christ needed nothing either to make or keep him humble (he being infinitely beyond the reach of pride) yet he needed much to show and give proof how humble he was. Nor could there be any greater evidence of it, than this, that he was pleased to be The Son of man. Yet I conceive, Son of man may be here only an Hebraisme denoting man, which kind of speaking is also usual among the the Greeks'. And that Job might speak of Christ under this notion, is clear from that faith which he discovered in the mystery of his incarnation, that great mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, of which he spoke so confidently (Chap. 19.25, 26, 27.) I know that my Redeemer liveth▪ and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, etc. Job believed, that he should see this Redeemer with humane eyes, and therefore he did believe, that his Redeemer should have a humane Nature, or be The Son of man. Jesus Christ, was A Son of man, in reference to his participation with us in all things, which concern created nature, And he was The Son of man, by way of Eminency in reference to his freedom from any participation with us in corrupted nature, otherwise then in the paenall effects of that corruption as the Apostle states it (Heb. 2.17. chap. 4.15.) In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, and he was tempted in all points, like as we are, yet without sin. He that is in all things like man except sin, is rightly called The Son of man, for sin is not at all the form, but all the deformity of man: Hence Jobs faith prophesied, The Son of man will plead, For his friend. The word in the Hebrew comes from a root which signifies to feed either ourselves or others, because friends use often to feed together, and sometimes one friend seeds, or provides, and offers food to another. It is taken sometimes largely for a Neighbour, and not seldom strictly for a special friend (Deut. 13.6.) if thy friend who is as thine own soul entice thee, etc. that is, if the nearest and friend that thou hast in the world entice thee, etc. in this strict sense the word is to be taken here; Job was not one of Christ's friends at large, he was a special a Bosom-friend, Job was not (according to the known use of that word among us) A friend of Christ extraordinary, but he was Christ's friend in ordinary, a man who daily conversed with Christ, and Christ with him; a man who daily performed Offices of dutiful love to Christ, and a man to whom Christ daily performed the Offices of bountiful and merciful love. Hence his holy assurance that Christ would perform that Office of mercy for him, The Son of man will plead for his fiend. The words thus opened are (as I may say) An Epitome of the Gospel, a little gospel, yea I may call them the whole Gospel; what is the Gospel but this good news, that Christ, God-man mediates for his people. All that Christ was is expressed in this, what so-Christ did more than this on earth, is employed in this, and this is all Christ now doth, for us in Heaven, He ever lives to make intercession for us saith Saint Paul (Heb. 7.25) which is the same in effect, with what holy Job professeth in this Text, He will plead for a man with God, and the Son of man for his Friend. There is one thing further to be noted, for the clearing of this Text: For possibly the Reader may scruple how the same words should be rendered by some, as a wish, O that one might plead for a man with God: and by others as a conclusion, He will plead with God for a man. Again, how the latter branch should be rendered by some in the form of a similitude, As a man for his neighbour, and by others as a direct assertion, And the Son of man for his Friend. I answer to the first, That the same word may be thus diversely rendered according to differing Moods of Grammar; and so the sign of the Optative Mood which is in the form of a wish, is by some judged most suitable to the scope of this place. So that a wish may here be understood and safely supplied, though it be not expressed. To the second scruple I answer, that the particle Vau, in the Hebrew, placed at the beginning of a word, though it be usually taken as a Conjunction, knitting one sentence to another, yet according to the exigence, and scope of the Scripture, it undergoes divers other significations. As first, A disjunctive (Exod. 12.15.) Ye shall take it out from the Sheep, or from the Goats: The Hebrew is, And from the Goats; but because the Law did not command both, but gave a liberty to choose either of the two; therefore we render not And, but Or, from the Goats: So (Judg. 11.31.) See the Margin of our Bibles; which shows that Jepthtah did not bind himself to offer up whatsoever should meet him, in Sacrifice, but one of the two he did bind himself to, either to dedicate that to the Lord, or to offer it up for a burned Offering. Secondly, It is often used Adversatively, and is rendered, But (Gen. 42.10. Psal. 44.17, etc.) Thirdly, Causally, and it is rendered For (Psal. 60.11. Isa 64.5. etc.) Fourthly (Besides divers other acceptions of it, which I shall omit) it is used Comparatively, or as a Note of likeness (Prov. 25.25.) As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far Country: The Hebrew is, And good news. So (Pro. 26.7.) and very frequently in that Book. Thus in the Text the particle (Vaughan) is taken by some as a note of likeness; comparing the two parts of the Verse with each other; but by others it is taken only as a conjunction copulative, knitting both parts of the Verse together: He will plead for a man with God, and the Son of man for his Friend. From the words according to this latter readin●● Observe, First. There is an Advocate between God and Man. Sin hath made a breach, there needs a Mediator to heal it. God and sinful man are (as we speak) Two, and they cannot be made One but by a Third. Man was created in a state of amity with God, that state needed no Mediator; man being restored is in a state of reconciliation unto God, that state needs a Mediator, both to settle and continue it: And he who is the Mediator between both parties, is an Advocate, a pleader, a Patron for the one party. There was need of a Mediator, even in regard of God himself, that both his State might be preserved, and his Justice satisfied: But there was need of an Advocate, only in regard of man, that so his wants and miseries might be declared, and that mercy together with help in the time of need might be obtained. The Apostle (Gal. 3.20.) describing the nature of a Mediator, saith, A Mediator is not of one, or (as we supply) not a Mediator of one. A Mediator is of two, yea and for two. But an Advocate, though he be between two, yet he is but for one, or of one, either of one individually taken, or of one specifically taken, either of one man, or of one sort or company of men, who though they are many in number, yet their state, or case is one. Thus Christ is an Advocate for one, or of one; all that he is an Advocate for, being in one and the same condition for the main, though some particulars in every man's case may vary▪ The Greek word which is rendered Advocate in the New Testament is applied to the holy Ghost: But there is a great difference between Christ his being a Paraclete, or an Advocate, and the spirits being an Advocate (John 16.7.) If I go not away (saith Christ) the Comforter (or the Advocate) will not come unto you: that is, The holy Ghost, will not come unto you. One Advocate goeth away, that the other Advocate may come. Christ is an Advocate by way of impetration, the spirit is Advocate by way of application: Christ is an Advocate with God, to get mercy for us; the spirit is an Advocate with us, to prevail on our hearts to receive that mercy: Though Christ be our Advocate in Heaven, pleading for us with the Father, yet if we had not the spirit to plead in our hearts on earth, we ●ould never receive the good that Christ hath purchased for us of his Father. Christ appears for us in Heaven (Heb. 9.24.) He appears as an Attorney in Court for his Client; he is gone to Heaven to appear for us; the spirit comes from Heaven and appears in us. Christ began the work of his intercession here (John 17.) He is gone into Heaven to continue and perfect it. The spirit doth both begin and perfect his intercession here; he doth not plead for us, but in us; or the spirit makes intercession for us by stirring us up to prayer, by teaching us how to word and mould, or rather how to sigh and groan our prayers; Christ makes intercession for us, by presenting, and tendering those prayers to the Father which the spirit helps us to make, or by making prayers for us himself to the Father. Some dispute how, they inquire much after the manner how Christ makes intercession or performs the office of an Advocate for us; but it is enough for us to know that he is an Advocate, or that he makes intercession for us, though we are not able to describe the manner how: Whether it be, First, Only by presenting himself to the Father, and his appearing for us, which is an equivalent, if not a formal intercession: Or secondly, By the tendering of his righteousness, and merits, as satisfaction to the Father. Or thirdly, By expressing our wants and his desires for us: Whether by all these, or by which of these, or whether by some other way, is not determinable by us; yet this is clear that he performs the office of an Advocate for us, and that we receive every good thing from the hand of God, through his hand. Further, Christ may be considered: First, As an Advocate for the whole Church: There are some causes of common concernment to all the people of God. Thus he was an Advocate for Jerusalem, when under bonds and captivity in Babylon (Zech. 1.12.) Then the Angel of the Lord (not a created, but the creating Angel, or the Angel of the Covenant, who is the Son of God) answered and said, O Lord of Hosts, how long, wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had indignation these three score and ten years. And as Christ pleads for the whole Church, so for every particular member of the Church, and that also under a twofold notion. He is Advocate, first, to take away our sins; If any man sin (saith the Apostle John, 1 Epist. 2.1.) we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, etc. Secondly, Christ is an Advocate for us with the Father in our sufferings and troubles, to get them taken off from us, or sanctified to us. Doubtless Job made use of Christ continually as an Advocate, to take off the guilt of sin; yet here he makes use of Christ as an Advocate to get off his sufferings, especially these misjudging of his Friends, who deeply censured and aspersed him, because of his sufferings; yea a Believer makes use of Christ as an Advocate, to get any good thing, whether little or great, whether for soul or for body, as much as he doth for the removing of any evil, whether of sin or trouble. Secondly, Observe. The Doctrine of a Mediator between God and Man was known and believed in the World, long before Christ came into the World. Many saw Christ by Faith before he was seen in the flesh: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 1.1.) And as it is the evidence of things, so of persons that are not seen. Christ tells the Jews (John. 8.56.) Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it and was glad: And when the Jews quarrelled at this, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. As Abraham saw his day by Faith, so David in spirit called him Lord (Mat. 22.43.) And as these persons, with all the holy Elders saw Christ by Faith in the promise, so the whole Ceremonial Law was a representation of Christ to faith by sense: Every slain Sacrifice spoke the death of Christ, and the sprinkling of that blood, the sprinkling of their consciences and ours for the remission of sins: Yea, They did all eat the same spiritual meat (that is, the same which we now eat) and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them (and lest we should mistake what was meant by that Rock, the Apostle expounds it himself) And that Rock was Christ. The Rock did not follow them, but Christ who was signified by that Rock did follow them. They who are built upon Christ the Rock, shall never be moved, yet Christ is a moving, as well as a living Rock, to those who are built upon him; whither soever they move, he follows them. Thus Jesus Christ was meat and drink to the Jews as well as to us; for he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World (Revel. 13.8.) that is, The virtue ot his death saved all who have been saved from the foundation of the World. As Christ was slain from Eternity in the counsel of God; so he was slain from the beginning of time in the promise of God (Gen. 3.15.) which was the publication of his death; he was then also slain as to the heart of Believers, whose Faith (having once a word for it) makes that which is absent, in regard of place, spiritually present, and that which is not, in regard of time, truly to be. Thirdly, Observe. The Mediator between God and man hath been known and believed in all Ages under a twofold nature, both God and Man. We have both in this profession of Jobs Faith: He believed the Mediator to be God, for he saith, Mine eye poureth tears to God. There is the divine nature. He believed that the Mediator should be man, and therefore adds, The Son of man for his friend; there is his humane nature; so that not only the general Doctrine of the mediatorship of Christ, but this particular about the constitution of his person as Mediator, was also known. Had not our Advocate been man he could not have suffered for us, and had he not been God he could not have satisfied for us. These points of Gospel Catechism are so necessary and fundamental, that in every Age Believers have in some measure been instructed about them. And whereas the Apostle saith (1 Tim. 2.5.) There is one Mediator between God and men, or, of God and men the man Christ Jesus: He doth not add man, to exclude the Divine nature from the Mediatorship, but emphatically to demonstrate that nature, in which he gave himself a ransom for us, of which he speaks in the next Verse. For though the ransom was paid by him who is God, or had a divine nature, yet it was paid in the Manhood, or humane Nature only. The humane ture was the matter of our ransom, but from the Divine nature gave worth and value to it. Further Job speaks with much confidence and assurance, both of Christ's willingness to undertake his cause, and of the success or good issue of his cause, if once Christ did but undertake it: He will plead for a man with God. Hence Observe. Fourthly, Christ is very ready to speak for, and plead the cause of poor sinners before God his Father. He will do it, saith Job; Christ is easy to be entreated, he is found of those that seek him not, then surely he will be found of those that seek him. His promise is (John 6.37.) Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out: As if he had said, Whatsoever I do, I will not do this: And when he saith, he will not do this, his meaning is, that he will do much more for them, than the not doing of this comes to; he will readily receive their persons, and undertake their suits, though they have no Fee to give him, nothing to move him, but the need they have of him. Fifthly, Observe. Christ is a powerful, and an effectual Mediator with the Father. He carries the day; he is a prevailing Mediator. Christ is such a Physician, that no man ever died under his hand, and he is such an Advocate, that no man's cause ever miscarried under his hand. The Arminians maintain a propitiation made, or a Sacrifice offered by Christ for all, yet they dare not say, it is effectual for all; but the intercession of Christ (in their opinion) is effectual for all. Christ died (say they) for those that he doth not save; but Christ prayeth for none but those that shall be saved. They are not for universal Intercession, though they are for an universal Sacrifice, or propitiation; and their reason is, because they cannot deny but many shall perish for ever, which yet they could not, did Christ but pray for them. We believe that his Sacrifice is as effectual as his Intercession; and that therefore he died for none but those for whom he prays, his Intercession being for the drawing out, and bringing home the benefit of his Sacrifice to those, and to all those for whom he offered himself too God. But to the point in hand, The Arminian who leaves the death of Christ in the hand of man's free will, assisted only by general Grace, to make it effectual to himself, or not, he (I say) asserts the Intercession of Christ not only sufficient, but effectual for all, in whose behalf he intercedes: So that we are sure all shall go well with us in the Court of Heaven, while we have Christ our Advocate with the Father. And that we may have fullness of confidence to come to God by Christ, let us consider these five things. First, Christ is most wise to manage our cause; so wise that he is the wisdom of the Father: If we had an Advocate at the Bar, furnished with as much wisdom as the Judge, it were a great step to obtain in a right suit. Secondly, Christ is an eloquent Advocate, a powerful Orator. As the Lord hath given him the tongue of the learned, that he should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary (Isa. 54.4.) So he hath a learned tongue to speak a word for him that is weary: Christ is the Essential word, and the flower of all declarative words is with him; when he spoke on earth, he spoke with authority (Matth. 7.29.) All wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth (Luke 4.24.) Yea, his hearers somewhere testify, never spoke man as this man speaketh: And as no man ever spoke like him to man, so no man ever spoke like him to God. Thirdly, Christ is a faithful Advocate; his intercession is a part of his Priestly office, we have a faithful high Priest, saith the Apostle, therefore a faithful Advocate: He will never either desert our cause, or betray it; he is as sure to us as our own souls; yea, he and the souls of his are one. Fourthly, Christ is a merciful Advocate, he lays our cause to heart, our cause is his cause: He hath espoused the Interests of his people, and doth all for us upon his own account. When Saints are persecuted, we may tell him that he is persecuted, and that he is afflicted when they are: The Church may plead with Christ to plead for the removing of her sufferings, under the title of his sufferings, he being the head of the Church, and the Church being his body. Christ is, as a faithful, so a merciful high Priest (Heb. 2.17.) and the Apostle saith, That in all things it behoved him to be like his brethren, that he might be so. Christ had an ability of sufficiency to be merciful to us, as God, though he had never been made like unto us by becoming man, but he had not that ability (as some speak) of Idoneity, or fitness to be merciful. His being made like unto us, hath given him a double Idoneity, for the tenderness of his heart towards us. First, In that he himself hath suffered being tempted (Heb. 2.18.) His passions in the flesh were great. Secondly, In that himself suffers still in all our temptations, his compassions with our flesh are great. Now an Advocate, who either hath had an experience of trouble in his own person, or is full of the sense of his Clients trouble, and feels his smart, will certainly do his utmost to relieve him; because in his relief, himself is relieved also. Fifthly, Christ is the Favourite of the Judge; it is a great advantage to have one pleading for us at the Bar, who is in favour with the Bench: Christ is highly in favour with the Bench: God hath testified from Heaven, This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matth. 3.17.) The Judge is our Advocate's Friend and Father. Lastly, That we may be further assured that he will do his utmost for us. Our Advocate calls us his Friends: As the Judge is his Friend, before whom he pleads, so every Saint is his Friend for whom he pleads. Some will do more for friendship then for a Fee. We know it is so with Jesus Christ, he pleads for his people, because they are his Friends: This, Job makes use of here, He will plead for a man with God, and the Son of man for his Friend. As if Job had said, I know I have a Friend of Christ, and Christ looks on me as his friend, and therefore I have highest confidence that he will plead my cause, and take off this scandal. So much for Jobs earnest desire upon his appeal, that his cause might come to a hearing, and that Christ would undertake the pleading of it before his Father. He gives a reason, in the last verse why he was thus pressing to have the business brought to an issue; why he did thus appeal to God as his witness, why he did pour out tears to Christ, that he would plead for him? Why all this? Vers. 22. When a few years are come, then shall I go the way whence I shall not return. Deum vellem jamjam in presentia disceptationem in se recipere quia ad mortem propero Jun. As if He had said, For as much as I must die shortly, I desire to have this difference taken up before I die, I cannot live long in this world, and I would not go out of the world, under such a cloud as is now upon me: Is it not time for me to hasten my cause to an end when mine end hastens? and to get my business determined before my years are? Anni numeri. Heb. i. e. qui numerati sunt adeo et brevissima periodo circumscripti. When a few years are come. The Hebrew is, years of number, that is, Years which may easily be numbered (Isai. 10.19) The trees that remain shall be few that a Child may write them, they shall be trees of number, that is, a small number, and (Gen. 34.29.) Jacob saith, We are but few, the Hebrew is, We are men of number, we may soon be told, a Child may tell us, and yet you provoke City and Country against us. We very well translate according to the Hebraisme, years of number, a few years. When a few years are come. I shall go the way whence I shall not return. What way is that (which hath, Vestigiv nulla retrorsum) where all steps are forwards, and none backward: this is such a way as we meet not with in all our earthly travels, yet every man on earth is travelling towards such a way: travel which way you will, you have as many steps backwards as forwards, men coming, and going: but (saith Job) I shall go the way I shall not return. What way is this,? This is the way of all flesh (Joshua 23.15. 1 King 2.2.) This is the way to the grave, that way hath no steps backwards. But are there no return from the grave? It is true, some have risen; there have been some first fruits of a resurrection: but they who have come from the grave are so few, that their footsteps are worn out by those many & many thousands of thousands who have gone to the grave. What multitudes have gone the way to the grave, and are not returned? some few have returned, but these so few, that we may still affirm, the way to the grave knows no returning. That which is very rarely done (the contrary being very frequently done) is said not to be done at all, or never to be done. But Job seems to deny his own return; he speaks as if he should not be only lodged for a while, but lost for ever in the grave; I shall go the way, whence I shall not return. I answer, That Jobs faith was clear in the point of the resurrection of the body appears by the confession which he makes (Chap. 19.25, 26.) and therefore when he saith, I shall not return, his meaning is (as was showed upon a like passage Chap. 10.21. First, That he should not return by any power of nature. Secondly, That he should not return to a State of nature; he believed fully that he should return by the power of God, to an estate of glory. Our bodies which are sown natural bodies, shall be raised spiritual bodies. Though that which was sowed shall return, yet when it returns it shall not be as it was sowed. Lastly, whereas Job saith, I shall not return, his meaning is, when I die, or if I die, I shall no more return to my house and dwelling in the world, I must take my leave of all these things for ever. My place shall know me no more, as he speaks to the same subject (Chap. 7.10.) From the first branch of the verse note. The years of man's life are few. You may quickly number them. Secondly, As the years of man's life come about quickly, so when they are come, we must go certainly, we must go with death. I shall go (saith Job) there is no hindering, no stopping of that journey; it will not serve any man's turn to say, He hath no mind to go, he must go; it will not serve any man's turn to say He is not at leisure to go, he must go; it will not serve any man's turn to say, he is not fit to go, He is not prepared to go, he must go as he is, fit or unfit, prepared or unprepared, he must go. It will not serve any man's turn to say, he will give all the treasure in his house, all the money in his purse, to be spared this journey, he must go. It will not serve any man's turn to say, he will get another to go for him, or he will send one in his rooome. There is no dying by proxy; every man when his few years are come must go in person. Thirdly Observe. A Believer can speak of death familiarly. It is a comfort to him in his sorrows, to think that he shall die shortly, When a few yares are come, I shall go the way, etc. he speaks pleasantly, the mention of death was a life to him, Jobs life was a kind of death, and therefore to him especially death would be a kind of life; were our hearts rightly affected, they that have the most lively life, would think death better th●n this life, I desire (saith Paul) to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is best of all. Death was better to him then life, and lest any should say, no marvel if Paul desired to die, who could scarce tell where to live, and no marvel if he would die once for all, who was in deaths often: to prevent this cavil, he adds, Which is best of all. Barely to die is better to some then a troublesome life, but to die and be with Christ, is better than the best life, much more is it better than that life in this world, which is a continual death, as Jobes was, how shoul such a man sing out Job's verse, When a few days are come, I shall go the way, whence I shall not return. Fourthly Observe. It is good to put death before us under the easiest notions. Here Job calls it only a going, a going out of the world, that is all, he elsewhere calls it a sleep, and the Spirit of God every where (in reference to Saints) speaks of it in the most comfortable expressions. Death itself is so embalmed, yea and clothed in the holy language, that there is even a sweetness and a beauty in it. When a man hath worn a suit of Apparel a great while, and hath even worn it out, or it becomes foul and nasty, would he not be glad to put that off, and get a new one upon his back? therefore death is called an unclothing, a putting off the flesh; there is no hurt in that; when a man hath tired himself all the day at his work, would he not gladly go to bed? therefore death is called rest or sleep. Under these or the like considerations held forth in Scripture, we may (as it were) bury all hard thoughts of death, as was further showed (Chap. 14.12) especally while we remember that as now life is by many degrees, bits or morsels, swallowed up of mortality, so then death shall (at one bit or morsel) be swallowed up of life (2 Cor. 5.4.) For Christ hath not only conquered, but abolished death, and hath brought, not only life, but immortality to light through the Gospel (2 Tim. 1.10.) Life is good, yet when it may be said of a life it shall die, that puts an evil into life: But if life be good, how good is immortality, which is a life that cannot die? Sixthly, Note, Job is very importunate to have a blot upon his good name wiped out; his conscience was clear, his soul was well, he could say (Chap. 13.) He is my Saviour, and I know that I shall be justified, yet because he was under aspersions and harsh censures, he hastens to have these taken off, because he was to die shortly. If we should on this ground, be careful to settle our outward estates and credits; how much more should we be careful upon this ground to see that our souls be well settled? How should each one say, I will hasten to get my sins pardoned, my person justified; I will hasten to have all clear between God and my soul; For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return: And if I do not see these things done, while I am here, I shall never come back to see them done, nor can they be done at all in the place whither I am going There is no repenting, no reforming, no believing in the grave: if our spiritual change be not before our natural change, it will never be. This argument should provoke us to settle the affairs of our souls speedily. It is not unlawful, nay, it is a duty to vindicate our credit, and to order the affairs that concern this life, because we have not long to live: The haste of death should make us hast our work, even the work of this life; much more upon this ground should we see that our hearts be settled, that our eternal peace be settled, how should the haste of death make us haste the work of the life which is to come? But as it should make us hasten that work, so it must not make us huddle that work, or slubber it over, or do it to halves. Such haste is waste indeed: For, if we leave our souls half settled, and our peace half made; and our repentance and turning to God in the mid way, we shall never come again to finish and perfect them, no more than we shall, to begin them. Therefore set speedily about the work, and give yourselves no rest till the work be perfected; for when a few days are come, you shall go the way where ye shall not return. Lastly, Which was Jobs special case. It is an affliction for any man to die under a blot of disgrace. Our credit and good name should be precious to us while we live; especially we should be careful to die with good credit, and not to let a blot lie on us when we are going out of the World. Job would not die under the name of an Hypocrite, or an Oppressor, with which black titles he had been charged by his Friends. It is a mercy to go to the Grave with honour among men, and to die desired; though it be enough that we go to our Grave having honour with God, and being desired of him. A good name is a Box of ointment poured forth; and a good report (especially among those that are good) is as the embalming of our memories to posterity. And yet the Saints are not so solicitous for repairs in honour, because of that esteem which they have of their own esteem (that's the strain of ambition) and they have learned to go through good report and evil report, through honour and dishonour; they know how to go forth without the Camp, bearing the reproach of Christ: But they are unwilling that Christ should bear their reproach, or that his name should be dishonoured through them. And therefore seeing they desire while they live, to adorn the Doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in all things, they cannot but be careful before they die, to remove from their own names whatsoever might reflect dishonour upon his. How near Job was (in his own opinion) to the valley of the shadow of death, is yet more evident in the first words of the next Chapter: Here he only tells us, he must die shortly, there he tells us, upon the matter, that he was dead already; here he saith, When a few years are come, I shall go, there he saith not only that he had no more years to come, but no more days: My days are extinct, etc. JOB, CHAP. 17. Vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the Graves are ready for me. Are there not mockers with me? And doth not mine eyes continue in their provocation. Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee, who is he that will strike hands with me? For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them. He that speaketh flattery to his friends; even the eyes of his Children shall fail. THE beginning of this Chapter pursues the Argument laid down in the close of the former: Or as a learned Expositor speaks, Job in this doth enliven the premises, Hoc capite intendit inanimare praemissa. Aquin. and (as it were) put fresh spirits into what he had spoken before. For whereas he had before desired the Lord to hasten his cause to a day of hearing, because his day of death hastened (Cham 16. Vers. 22.) When a few years are come, I shall go the way, whence I shall not return: Here to show that he was a dying man, he describes himself as a dead man; My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. Secondly, There Job made an appeal to God, O that a man might plead with God, as a man pleads with his Neighbour (Verse. 21.) And he gives the reason why, My Friends scorn me (Verse. 20.) He doth the same here in other language (Vers. 2.) Are there not mockers with me? And doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? And therefore he renews his appeal to God, and begs to be heard before indifferent Judges, or Umpires, Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee, who is he that will strike hands with me? In the fourth and fifth Verses he further urgeth the reasons of his appeal, or he backs his motion, that God would do him right, from the insufficiency of his Friends to do him right: Thou hast hid their heart from understanding: As if he should say, Who would stand to the judgement of those, who want understanding? Thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them; so: To this honour of judging my cause, and deciding this controversy, yea, I find them so unfit to be either my Judges, or my Arbitrators, that they are indeed but Flatterers; and therefore they may rather expect some sudden judgement upon themselves, or their Children, then that God should do them this honour to judge for me: He that speaks flattery to his Friends, even the eyes of his Children shall fail (Verse. 5.) Thus I have opened Jobs scope in the context of these five Verses; which I have put together, because the matter runs in a continued dependence. And though for the main it be the same with which he concluded in the sixteenth Chapter, yet the variety of reading and expression will yield us variety of meditation: I descend to particulars. Vers. 1. My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct; the graves are ready for me. Here are three things, every of which speaks a dying man. First, Corrupt breath. Secondly, Extinguished days. Thirdly, A grave made ready. Pereo spiritu agitatus. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligavit, constrinxit per antiphrasin significat solutus, ruptus, corruptus, accommodatur etiam ad dolores intensissimos quales sunt parturientium, quia cor valde constringunt. First, My breath is corrupt: Ruach. There are three interpretations given of that word [My breath] some understand it of his mind, or whole inward man: As if he had said, My thoughts are, or my mind is exceedingly troubled; and so most of the Greek Interpreters read it; and then the word which we translate Corrupt, may signify grieved, pained, or afflicted, and it is often applied to those pains which are most painful; even the pain of a Woman in travel. And so the sense is made out thus, as if Job had said, I am extremely troubled, ' or I am pained, like a Woman in the hour of travel; as she is in bodily pain, so I am pained in mind; I hwe felt many inward pangs, and throws, and yet I am not delivered: But I conceive this exposition unsuitable to the scope of the place, Job being about to describe the state of his body, or of his outward man, and not the affliction, and trouble of his mind. Secondly, The word (Ruach) signifieth the vital powers or spirits, which support man, Spiritus vitales qui animae instrumentum sunt ad vitae functiones. Aquin. and serve him in all the functions of life; spirits are the promoters of action, and when the vital spirits are corrupted, man is unable, not only to act, but to live. The expense of spirits, is the most chargeable expense to the life of man, and when a man's spirits are much spent, he is like a dead man, though he be alive: We say ordinarily when we are weary, Our spirits are spent; that is, Our vital spirits which give activity and strength to the whole body. Thirdly, Rather understand it literally, and strictly for the breath, which comes forth by respiration, My breath is corrupt: and then the corrupting here spoken of, is not to be taken for any ill savour in his breath: they who have corrupt breath are offensive to others in breathing. Corruptio non hic denotat spiritum graveolentum, sed spiritum qui cum ingenti nisu & dolore emittitur Pined. Medici Asthma vocant; & quia Asthmaticus suffocari videtur, ideo legitur hic; jam quidem Ago animam. Tygur. The breath is said to be corrupt, because it smells of the corruption of those parts from whence it is drawn; we must not understand Job so: But when he saith, My breath is corrupt, his meaning is, that either he had obstructions and stops of breath, which distemper Physicians call the Tissicke; a man under that infirmity may be said to have his breath corrupted, because he breathes difficultly. And as it is so in some diseases, so it is always so in the approaches of death; a little before a man dies, his breath shortens, he breathes hardly, or he hardly breathes, he lies gasping for life, and catching for breath: Such a state Job here intends, The Tygurine translation takes that sense, My life is departing, or I am giving up the ghost. Hence Note. The breath of man is corruptible, though his soul be not. These two are very distinct: Some make the soul and brea●h one thing, and argue the corruptibility of the soul from such Texts as this. But the breath differs, not only from the soul, but from the life: The soul hath a life of its own, and the life of the body is its union with the soul; breathing is the acting of life, proceeding from that union, and ending when that union is dissolved. Breath may be corrupt, and life may banish, but the soul continues; the breath is so vanishing, that the Prophet gives caution (Isa. 2.22.) Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils. The breath of man is so ready to cease, that it is our wisdom to cease from man; for when breath goes, man is gone, and all goes with him, in that day his thoughts perish; and therefore Job had no sooner said, My breath is corrupt, but he adds, My days are extinct. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox tantum hoc loco reperta significat excidere amputare extinguere. [My days] that is, The time appointed for my life, which is measured by days, by natural days, or by artificial days: Our days come and go continually, and when our tale of days is come and gone, our days are [extinct] The word which here we translate extinct, is found no where else in the Hebrew of the Old Testament: It is rendered three ways. First, Thus, my days are cut off; which metaphor is often used in reference to life; our days are (as it were) so many threads, Excissi sunt. Pagn. and our life is like a piece of clooth woven together by many days; when the Webb, be it more or less, longer or shorter, is finished, the thread is cut: My days are cut off. Secondly, The Vulgar reads it, my days will be shortened; they shall be put in a narrow room, into a little compendium, I shall soon be able to read over the volume of my days, Breviabuntur dies mei. Vulg they are but short, a mere Epitome. Thirdly, We read, my days are extinct, or put out. Which is a metaphor taken from fire, from a Torch, or Candle, which is the sense of the Tygurine translation. My days fail, as a Candle, or as a Lamp, which, when the oil is consumed, goes out: Mr. Broughton keeps to the metaphor of fire, Deus mei ritu lucernae deficiunt. Tygur. My days are quenched. There is a flame of life in the body, the natural heat is preserved by the natural moisture; these two, Radical heat, and Radical moisture, work upon each other; and as long as Radical moisture holds out to feed the Radical heat, life holds out; but when the heat hath once sucked and drunk up all the moisture (in some acute diseases it drinks all at a draught) as the flame drinks up the Oil of the Lamp, Vita extinguitur quando humor nativus in quo vita consistit extinguitur. than we go out, or as Job speaks here, Our days are extinct. Excessive moisture puts out the fire, and for want of moisture it goeth out. Hence Note. First, Man's life, as a Fire, or Lamp, consumes itself continually. There is a special disease called a Consumption, of which many die; but the truth is, every man who dies, dies of a Consumption; he that dies of a Surfeit, may be said (in this sense) to die of a Consumption. The fuel and food of man's life is wasted sometimes more sparingly and gradually, but 'tis always consumed (except in those deaths which are merely occasional, or violent) before man dies. Again, Job speaks peremptorily, My days are extinct. He was not then dead; but because he saw all things in a tendency to death, and was himself in a dying posture; therefore he concludes, My days are extinct. Hence note, Secondly. What we see in regard of all preparatory means and ways ready to be done, we may speak of as already done. The Scripture speaks often of those things which are shortly and certainly to come to pass, as come to pass, and as the Apostle argues in spirituals, We know that we are translated from death to life, because we love the Brethren, and he that believeth hath eternal life: So we may argue about naturals, he that is sick beyond the help of means, and the skill of the Physician, is translated from life to death, and we may conclude of a man in this case, he hath tempoall death, or he may say of himself; as Job doth in the next words. The graves are ready for me. The Original is very concise, it is only there, The graves for me; we supply those words Are ready. And because of that shortness of the Language, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sepulchra m●hi. Cum mutila sit oratio indifferens est ut variis modis porfici possit. there have been many conjectures for the supply or filling up of the sense. Some thus, The graves for me; that is, there is nothing for me to thnke of now but only a grave, I may lay aside all other business, and attend that alone, how I may lie down in the dust with peace. I am not a man for this world, it is best for me to retire or withdraw my soul quite from the earth, seeing I have no hope to keep my body long out of it; or if I do let out my soul to the earth, it shall be only to so much of it, as will hold my body, or serve to make me a grave. The graves for me. Secondly, The graves for me; that is, I desire or wish for nothing but a grave, A grave for my money, as we say of a thing that we greatly desire: so saith Job, A grave for me: As if he had more largely spoken, thus. As I perceive I am going to the grave, so I desire to go thither, I have (as to this sense) made a covenant with death, Sepulchra mihi; supple opto, quaero, cogito, aut quid simile. Sepulchra mihi inhiant, ego sepulchris. q. d. Aliis omnibus rebus valedico atque renuncio. Jun. and an agreement with the grave. The grave and I shall not fall out, now that I am ready to fall into it. For if I had my vote or might put down in writing what I would have, I would write, A Grave, A Grave for me; as I am declining, and decaying in my body, so my spirit, and my mind are as willing that my body should decay: I am as ready for the grave as that is for me. A grave for me: So the words carry a reciprocation of readiness between Job and the Grave, The grave gapes for me, and I gape for the grave: We may parallel this kind of speaking with that in the Book of Canticles (Chap. 2.16.) where the Spouse saith, My beloved is mine, and I am his: The Original is, My beloved to me, and I to him: There are no more words than needs must be. The largeness of their affection, bred this conciseness in language, My beloved to me, and I to him: We are to one another, as if we were but one. The expression notes two things. First, Propriety, My beloved to me, or, my beloved is mine; that is, I have a propriety in him. Secondly, It notes possession, I have him, I have not only a right to him, but I enjoy him; I have not only a title, but a tenure; God hath given me Livery and Seisin (as our Law speaks) he hath put me into possession of Jesus Christ, and I have given Jesus Christ full possession of me, I am no longer my own, but his, and at his dispose. So here, The grave for me, and I for the grave: The grave is my right; yea, the grave is my possession. The grave is a house that every one hath right to, and some are so near it, that they seem possessed of it. The grave is mine, saith Job, or I am as a dead man, ready to be carried to my grave: The grave is not made ready, till man is undressed by death, and so made ready for the grave. We say of very old men, though in health, and we may say of very sick men, though young, They have one foot in the grave. Job speaks as having both his feet in the grave: Yea, we may say, that Job speaks as if he had not only his feet in the grave, but (which is far more) his heart in the grave. There are many who have their feet in the grave, whose hearts are at furthest distance from it, Job had both. Heman (Psal. 88.4, (5.) describes his condition in such a language, My soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh to the grave, I am accounted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man of no strength, free among the dead; like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou remember'st no more, and that are cut off from thy sight: That Scripture may be a Comment on this, My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. Further, Job speaks in the Plural number; he saith not the grave is ready for me, but, The graves are ready for me. Why, how many graves must Job have? Would not one grave hold him? Or, was Job covetous to have many graves? Many houses will not serve some men when they live, but one house will serve any man when he dyeth. A little room will hold those dead, for whose covetous and ambitious minds the whole World was not room thy enough while they lived. Ordinary men will have here their Winter-houses, and their Summer houses their City houses, and their Country house, their houses on the Plain, and their houses on the Hill; men have variety of houses while they live; but one is all when dead: Why then doth Job say, The [graves] are ready for me? He saith it to show that death abounded to his apprehension or that he could not escape death: As if he had said, Wheresoever I set my foot, I step upon a grave. Plurima mortis imago. The Poet describing a tragical state, saith, There was much of death to be seen, or many appearances of death. Job saw deaths, and beheld graves every where gaping for him. Paul was in deaths often, and Job was in many deaths at once: The graves are ready, there are many Pits making, I am sure to fall into one, there's no avoiding it. Learn from it, First That, In times of sickness and affliction, discourses of the grave, are the most seasonable discourses. Death should be much in our thoughts, and much in our speech at all times, but most of all in times of sickness, or of danger. Some when they are sick, cannot abide to hear a word spoken of the grave; others will forbid such as come to visit the sick, to speak a word of death. Com●naeus. lib. 10. Lewis the eleventh King of France, was so excessively afraid of death, that he had given command to his Attendants not to give him any warning of the approach of this his last Enemy by Name. It was worse than death to him to hear of death; and yet before he died, he was told of it, not only plainly, but rudely. The French Historian reports, that his very Barber, with some other inferior Servants (as if they had rather come as Judges to pronounce the sentence of death upon him, then as friends to be his remembrancers of death) told him bluntly and abruptly, without preface or preamble, or the least word of comfort to sweeten such a bitter potion, That his fatal hour was come, that neither his Hermit nor his Physician, could keep him alive a day longer. They who are unwilling to hear, or speak of death, shall hear it spoken of whether they will or no. Death should be much upon the tongue, and more in the thoughts of good men when they are in health, but when they are in their natural preparation for death (sickness is a natural preparative for death) they should be very often in their spiritual preparations, by thinking and discoursing of it. Secondly, From this manner of speaking, The grave for me. Observe. That, A godly man is sometimes as ready for the grave, as the grave can be for him. Let it come as soon as it will, it cannot come too soon; as the grave gapes for him, so doth he for the grave; as the grave hungers for him, so doth he for it, and nothing can satisfy him but a grave. I desire (saith Paul) to be dissolved: He was ready for the grave: And ready he was, not in a vain wish, O, I would die, and I desire to die; but from a grounded hope that he should be well in death. Saul (2 Sam. 1.9.) was sorely wounded, the graves were ready for him, and he was ready for the grave too: But whence was it? It was not from his preparedness to die, but from his impatience to live; as appears both by the true History of his death, and by the false report of it made by the Amalekite. The former saith (1 Sam. 31.4.) Then said Saul unto his Armour-bearer, Draw thy sword and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come & thrust me through & abuse me: Saul, upon this account was so ready for the grave, that he begged to be thrust into it, and when he could not obtain that miserable favour, he thrust himself into it; so the latter part of the Verse informs us, But his Armour-bearer would not, for he was sore afraid: therefore Saul took a Sword and fell upon it. The Amalekite reports Saul thus bespeaking him (2 Sam. 1.9.) Stand I pray thee upon me, and slay me; for anguish is upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. Man dies not by piecemeal, now a little, and then a little, nor is life divisible, when it departs it departs together, but when Saul had no mind to live, it troubled him that he was no nearer death: A dishonour was fallen upon him, the day was lost, and he was wounded: Saul could easier die then out live this disgrace. Such a readiness to die many have had, it vexeth them to live, die they will, because they cannot live as they would: this is a readiness of desperation, not of preparation. Job was much troubled, pain and smart afflicted him, and they had some influence upon his desire of death; but his chief motive was above: what old Simeon desired, to departed in peace because his eyes had seen his salvation, Job desired, because he knew by Faith, that God was his salvation. Thirdly, Job speaks cheerfully of the grave: Hence learn. A Believer in the greatest afflictions of this life, sees ease and refreshing in death. He knows that he shall bury all his sorrows when himself goes to the grave; yea, that then his sins, as well as his afflictions go to their grave too, and shall never rise again. Fourthly, Job speaks confidently he shall die presently, the grave was ready for him: But it was not so, Jobs grave was nor ready, and he outlived this black day many a fair year. Hence Observe. A good man may mistake the times and seasons of God's dispensations to him. He thinks, yea concludes, he shall die, when he shall not die: Wicked worldly men, do not believe they shall die, when they must; they cannot be persuaded that they shall die, when they are ready to drop into their graves. Job seemed to have an assurance that he should die, yet he did not, God reprived him from death, and restored him from trouble. We are never the nearer the grave, because we prepare for it, speak and meditate on it, or resolve to go into it: It is not our holding back from the grave, that will keep us out of it, nor our willingness to go to the grave, that will put us into it. It is good to mistake upon the best side; God usually recalls those from death, who are most ready at his call to die. Fifthly, In that he speaks of Graves in the Plural number: Learn this. There are many ways of going out of the World, though there be bilt one way of coming in. Whither soever we are going, we are going to the grave, and when we have stepped over, or scrambled out of one grave, we may quickly slip into another, and be locked in fast enough. Lastly, Take this from the whole, by way of corllary; It is our wisdom to stand always ready for death, and the grave, for they stand ready for us: Ours is a dying life, a decaying strength, ours are consuming days, our days cannot be many, possibly they will be but very few; for aught we know the grave is now ready for us, and we are sure it is a digging and preparing for us: Therefore let us be digging in the Word of life, that we may be ready to meet and welcome death and the grave, which are so ready for us: The graves are ready for me. Job proceeds to reinforce the cause of his appeal. Vers. 2. Are there not mockers with me? And doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a illusit derisit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Formula jurisjurandi huic linguae familiaris. Merc. Dispeream nisi amici mei studeant mihi imponere. Vatabl. Master Broughton translates by way of affirmation, Surely mockers are bestowed on me. We by way of Question, Are there not mockers with me? Yes, there are mockers with me: Some read it as the form of an Oath. It is familiar in the Hebrew to use such forms of swearing and imprecating; so the words are rendered by a learned Interpreter, Let me perish if my friends are not mockers, if they go not about to delude me. Job spoke this a little before, My friends scorn me (Chap. 16.20.) Here he is at it again, Are there not mockers with me? I find three words applied by Job to his Friends, while he reproves this their unfreindly usage. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first (Chap. 12.4.) there he useth a word which signifieth to mock with derision. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word (Chap. 16.19.) notes them such as mocked, with wit and jesting. The word here used signifies to mock by deceiving or deluding, as if his Friends had carried matters with him more like Sophisters, than Comforters: So the word is applied (Gen. 31.7.) Jacob tells Leah, and Rachel, You know that with all my power, I have served your Father Laban, and your Father hath deceived me and changed my wages ten times: that is, He thought by changing my wages to deceive me, and get all the stronger Cattles to himself. When Moses went out upon the request of Pharaoh, to sue unto the Lord for the removing of a present plague: Moses said, Behold I go out from thee, and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may departed from Pharaoh, from his Servants, and from his people to morrow; but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more (Exod. 8.29.) as if he had said, You have mocked me two or three times, and said you would let the people go, do not so any more, lest your deceiving of my expectation, prove the greatest deceit of your own. The deluding Doctors which some delighted in, are expressed by this word (Isa. 30.9.) This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the Law of the Lord: They did not love the Law of the Lord; What then? which say to the Seers, see not, and to the Prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. The wickedness of that people lay in two things; either they would have the Prophet's silent, and not speak at all, or if they did speak, they must Prophesy deceits: They loved to be cozoned, truth made them smart, and they could not abide it. A guilty conscience cannot endure plain words, but it loves smooth words; as many as you will of these words (say they) or else not a word; either prophecy deceit, or cease prophesying. Here Job complains, Are there not deceivers with me? As if he had said, You tell me you bring the mind of God, but you bring false Doctrine, you preach deceit. Though we cannot say they preached smooth things to Job, they spoke hardly enough of him, and harshly enough to him, yet we may say they preached deceitful things to him; for though they did not speak with an intention to deceive him, yet they were deceived in speaking, and he had been deceived if he had yielded to what they spoke. In which sense Job calls them (which one would think he had little reason to do, considering how roughly they dealt with him, he, I say, calls them) Flatterers at the sixth Verse of this Chapter: And what's the business or chief design of Flatterers, but to catch others with words, or to deceive them into a compliance with their own ends. And this is often (and was in this case) the end, Finis operis & finis operantis distinguuntur. or tendency of the action, when it is not the end, or intention of the Agent. From this notion of the word, Observe. First, To be among Deceivers is a great misery. Secondly, To be a Deceiver is a great sin. Thirdly, To publish that which is false, though there be no intendment to deceive, is to be a Deceiver. As most are ignorantly deceived, so there are some ignorant Deceivers: and as some think what they do to be very just, and that it is their duty to do it, when indeed it is very sinful, so there are some who think what they teach to be very true, and that it is their duty to teach it, when indeed it is very erroneous. There are but few who know they are Deceivers, when they are: now as that Servant which knew his Lords will, but did not according to his will, shall be beaten with may stripes, and yet, he who knew it not, and did commit things worthy of stripes (shall not escape a beating, he) shall be beaten with few stripes (Luke 12.47, 48.) So he that knows the truth of God, and yet deceives others with false Doctrine, shall be beaten with many stripes, and he who not knowing the truth, deceives others shall not escape unbeaten, or unblamed, as Jobs Friends did not. Non peccavi. Vulg. q. d. innocens heu morior. Quandoquidem non sunt ludificationes apud me. Jun. There is another reading of this first clause, differing from ours, Are there not mockers with me? The Vulgar thus, I have not sinned. A second to the same sense, thus, For as much as there are no mockings or deceive with me. I am a man who deals plainly and simply: The word which we translate Mockers, as noting a Person, is rendered by the act, and that negatively: There are no mockings with me; that is, I use no mockings or no false play, as I am accused; I have spoken my heart nakedly and clearly, And yet mine eye continueth in their provocation: therefore lay down now, put me in a surety with thee, etc. (Verse. 3.) This is a good reading, but I will not stay upon it; only take two brief Notes from it. A good man is upright hearted, and downright in all his deal and say. There are no mockings with me, I am what I appear, and I appear what I am: An Hypocrite is full of tricks and shifts, he disguiseth both his person and his actions: No man can tell where to have him, or what to make of him. When he speaks, his words do not signify what he means, if they signify any thing; and when he acts his works do not signify what he is, they signify any thing rather than that. All are mockings of others, though he will find in the end, that he hath mocked himself most of all. Secondly, As he joins this with the next clause, There are no mockings with me, and yet mine eye continueth in their provocation. Note, that, How plaine-hearted soever a man is, yet it is very hard to persuade those who are once prejudiced against him that he is so. Let Job say and profess what he would, yet he could not recover his credit, nor set himself right in the opinion of men till God did it for him (Chap. 42.) But I pass that, Are there not mockers with me? What the mocking and scorning of Jobs Friends was, hath been opened (Chap. 12.4. Cham 16.19.) and therefore I refer the Reader thither. Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? Should he not rather have said, Doth not mine ear continue, etc. Mocking is the object of the ear, and not of the eye. There are some mockings indeed, by mimical foolish gestures, and they are the object of the eye; Assiduè in id oculos & mentis aciem intentam habeo quod me assidue irritant, in eo defixae sunt omnes meae cogitationes. Merc. Isti dies noctesque non cessant exacerbare animum meum, jun. Intenta cogitatio somnum impedit. but here Job speaks of what he had from them in conference, which is properly the business of the ear; and yet he faith, Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? By the eye we are to understand the eye of the mind. Doth not mine eye? that is, Have I not a representation in my spirit, or upon my fancy of your mockings, and bitter provocations, even as if they were visible before mine eyes? Have I not night visions and apparitions upon my Bed, of what you speak or act against me every day? Again, We may expound the Text properly of his bodily eye, b cause the trouble which they gave him in the day time, hindered his sleep in the night. The letter of the Hebrew favours this sense, Doth not mine eye lodge in their provocation? So we put in the Margin of our Bibles: Hence Master Broughton reads, In these men's vexing lodgeth mine eye; that is, When I go to Bed and hope to sleep, then in stead of lodging in my Bed, I lodge in the thoughts of my Friends unkindness; and indeed, a man may sleep better upon the bare boards, then upon hard words. Such words keep the eyes waking, and are as bad to sleep upon, as a pillow of thorns; especially when (which was Jobs case) the eye continueth in them. intentness of mind, or vehement cogitation about any thing, keep open the eyes, and forbidden the approach of rest; Doth not mine eye continue? In their provocation. [Provocations.] He called them Mockers, and their mockings were provocations. Vel a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amarum esse. Sive a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est irritare sive exacerbare. The word (as some derive it) signifies that which is bitter, Provocation is a bitter thing: Others derive it from a root signifying to irritate and stir up the spirit of a man; which is provocation properly. Provocation is a high act of wrong: A man may do another wrong, on this side a provocation; as the provocation of God is a high act of sin in man, ordinary acts of sin do not amount to a provocation (Ps. 106.7.) They provoked him at the Sea (it is this word) even at the red Sea, that is, There they sinned extremely. So (Ps. 95.8.) which the Apostle quotes (Heb. 3.8.) The holy Ghost calls the whole time of that people's froward walking, or sinning against God in the Wilderness, The provocation: Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation: that is, In the time when ye sinned, not only to the offending, but to the provoking of God against you, not to the breaking of his Laws, but to the vexing of his spirit. When sin is complete, and iniquity grown to a full stature, that day is justly marked in the Calendar of Scripture, with a red letter, implying wrath, and is therefore called, The provocation: So when any man deals very unkindly, frowardly, or unfaithfully, against his Brother, then 'tis a provocation, Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? Now for as much as the same word signifieth both bitterness and provocation, and that most provocations are given by uncharitable and unconsiderate speeches; Observe. First, Unkind words are bitter to the hearer. The Apostle gives the rule to Husbands (Col. 3.19.) Husband's love your Wives, and be not bitter to them: that is, Do not give them bitter words in stead of faithful counsels. Some Husbands speak their Gall to their Wives, to whom they have given their hearts. Among the Heathens the Gall of the Sacrifice which they superstitiously offered at Marriages, Quo instituto legis Author non obscure innuebat a conjugio semper debere bilem iramque abesse. Drus. Prov. Clas. 2. l. ●. was pulled out and thrown away, before it was presented at the Altar, signifying that Man and Wife should be (as Naturalists say the Dove is) without Gall one towards another. Wholesome counsels and admonitions for the matter, are often administered with such an undue mixture of heat and passion as renders them, not only distasteful but hurtful to the receiver. Secondly, Note. Harsh words carry much provocation in them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, animum despondeo. The same Apostle in the same Chapter enlarging his Institutes for the direction of Believers in all Relation, bespeaks Parents (Vers. 21.) Father's provoke not your Children to anger: The word signifies any kind of provocation, but that especially which is caused by contumelious and upbraiding speeches. A Father provokes his Child, when he speaks hastily, and threateningly, terrifying his Child, rather than instructing him: The reason why Fathers should not thus provoke their Children, is added, Lest they be discouraged, or (as the word imports) be as if they were without souls, ●noop't (as we say) and heartless. For as there is a provocation (in a good sense) which heightens the spirit in well doing, and enlivens it for action: The Apostle exhorts to that (Heb. 10.24.) Let us consider one another to provoke one another to love, and to good works, that is, let us set such copies of holiness that others may be stirred up, beyond their ordinary pitch, and elevation of spirit, to a zealous doing of good. Or speak such winning words, give such pressing exhortations, that the hearts of your Brethren, may be carried beyond their usual course in holiness. Thus he tells the Corinthians (2. Epist. 9.2.) That their zeal had provoked many: But to what had it provoked them? Not to anger and passion, towards any, but to charity, yea and liberality towards the poor. And though the Apostle useth another word in the Greek, yet he means the same thing, when he assures us (Rom. 11.11.) that the Jews stumbled not that they should fall (but that they might rise) for so it follows, But rather through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. The salvation of the Gentiles bred emulation in the Jews, What? Shall they go away with all the salvation? Shall the Gentiles possess Heaven alone, whom we thought the meanest people upon the Earth? Come, let us also put in at least for a part, and get a share in Gospel-mercies and privileges with them. Thus they were provoked to emulation, and this emulation was and shall be (through the power of God, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working) a help to faith in Christ, and so to their rising from their fall. And the Apostle was so intent upon the promoting of this design of God, that he professeth (Vers. 13, 14.) that he magnified his Office among the Gentiles, not only to save them, but (saith he) If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them: He hoped the Jews would, at last, believe for anger, or for very shame, and go to Heaven in a holy chafe. Now (I say) as there is a provocation which heats and heightens the mind of man to an eager pursuit of the best things; so there is a provocation which abates and blunts his edge, which chills and flats his spirits to any thing that is good, which was the ground of the Apostles dehortation, Provoke not your Children, lest they be discouraged: And as the effect of such provocations is to some a discouragement in doing their duty, so the effect of it in others is a thrusting them onn to do that which is most contrary, not only to their duty, but to their disposition. Railing speeches, uncomely and uncivil language, have provoked many, both to speak, and to do that which they never dreamt of, or which was most remote from their natural temper and inclination. For though such distempers lie in the bottom of nature, yet unless they had been stirred and spurred up, those distempers would not have appeared and broken out. Moses was the meekest man upon the earth, yet when they provoked his spirit, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips (Psal. 106.33.) There are three ill effects of provocations. First, Provoking speeches raise up hard thoughts of the speaker. It is a high work of grace to think well of them, who speak ill of us, or to us. Secondly, Provoking speeches blow up hard words of the speaker; many excuse it, when they give ill language, You provoked me: And though they be not to be excused who do so when they are provoked, yet their sin is the greater, who provoke them. Thirdly, Provoking speeches are sometimes the cause of revengeful practices, and very often of licentious practices. Sober admonitions and grave reproofs, reclaim those who go astray, but violent rebukes make them desperate. Some care not what they do when they hear others say they care not what. Many Children have run ill courses by over much indulgence, and neglect of discipline; and so have not a few, by the over much severity and sharpness of those that are over them. Patience is hard put to it, to keep either mind or tongue or hand in compass, when we are provoked: Great provocations are great temptations. When God is provoked he is tempted (Heb. 3.8.) Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the Wilderness, when your Fathers tempted me, etc. We may expound it two ways. First, That while they tempted God, by questioning his power for them, and presence with them, they provoked him, he was greatly displeased with them for it. Secondly, That while they provoked God they tempted him, they tempted him to destroy them, or to act that power against them which they did not believe (after so many experiences) able enough to deliver or protect them. If then God himself be so tempted, that (as he is pleased often to express himself after the manner of men) he can scarce hold his hands, or forbear to do that which he had no mind to do when he is provoked, how much more is weak man tempted to do that which his corruptions are always forward enough (and too too much) to do, when he is provoked. Again, When he saith, Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? Learn, thirdly. Hard words stick upon the spirit. They hang about the mind, and are not easily gotten off. Good words dwell much upon the spirit, and so do ill words; when a man hath once got a word of promise from God, about any mercy set home upon his heart, the eye continues in that consolation: O it is a sweet word, the soul lies sucking at it night and day. And when a man hath once got a word of command from God about any duty set home upon his spirit, his eye continues in the direction of it. O how I love thy Law (saith David, Psal. 119.97.) It is my meditation all the day; he could not beat his thoughts off from it, when love had fastened on it. As these good words cleave to a gracious soul, and dwell with it; so it is hard even for a gracious soul to dislodge hard words: O how doth the eye continue in those provocations? And doth not experience teach us, that vain thoughts thrown into the mind by Satan will not easily be driven out? How often doth the eye continue in his provocations? The spirit of a man hath a strong retentive faculty, it will hold the object close, and as it were live and lodge in it. How many make their abode in provocations, and reside upon bitter words, received from their Brethren? How many lie down with them at night, and rise with them in the morning; yea, and walk with their eye upon them all the day long. And here it may be questioned. Was not this a sin in Job? That rule of love than was in being, which is now expressed (Ephes. 4.26.) Be ye angry and sin not, let not the Sun go down upon your wrath. Then, how could Job suffer his eye to continue in these provocations? I answer, There was an infirmity in this; 'tis our duty, as to forgive, so to forget, or lay aside the thought of injuries and wrongs received: And it is the Character of wicked men, They sleep not unless they have done mischief (Pro. 4.16.) Their eye continues in their own corruption, or in the temptation of Satan till they have borough it forth. For as when good men have strong impressions unto good upon their spirits, they cannot sleep till they have done good: their eye continues in that holy provocation (Psal. 132.4.) I will not (saith zealous David) give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eye lids, until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob: So wicked men give no sleep to their eyes till they have done that mischief, or executed that revenge to which they conceive themselves provoked. But the eye of Job did not continue in those unfreindly provocations, to watch an opportunity for selfe-revenge upon, or of doing mischief to his Friends: He did not let the Sun go down upon wrath, that he might devise their ruin in the dark. He was not so wise as he should have been to hurt himself, and hinder his rest, by such a continual poring upon their unkindnesses; but he was not wicked at all, much less so wicked (which some from this passage may conceive him) as to poor upon their unkindnesses, with a purpose to hurt them:. So, that act might have somewhat of sin in it, because he troubled his own peace more than he needed, but it had not this sin in it, that he studied how to trouble the peace of others. Lastly, We may rather interpret these words to the blame of his Friends, who continued to provoke him, then to his, whose eye (because they did so) could see nothing but provocation, or at least must see that, whatsoever it saw, and therefore could not but continue in it. How could the eye of Hannah choose but continue in the provocation of Peninnah, when it is said (1 Sam. 1.6, 7.) That as her Husband Elkanah gave her special tokens of his love, year by year, so she provoked her to make her fret year by year, therefore she wept and did not eat. While a provocation is continued, our sense of it can hardly be intermitted. Job having complained of received provocations, renews his appeal to God. Vers. 3. Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee, who is he that will strike hands with me? The words are an Apostrophe to God. That Job, speaks to God, not to Eliphaz, is clearer than needs be proved. The word which we render lay down, signifies also to appoint, (Exod. 1.11.) They did set (or appoint) over them Taskmasters. And again (Exod. 21.13.) I will appoint thee a place whither he (the ) shall flee. Appone cor tuum. i e. adverte quaeso animum meis verbis. Vatabl. In the present Text both renderings of the word are used. We make use of the first, Put, or lay down: What would Job have God lay down? Some give it thus, Lay down, or apply thine heart to me, attend I pray thee to my words, and consider my cause. Secondly, The words may be conceived as an allusion to those, who going before a Judge, or having a cause to be tried by Umpires, use to lay down an engagement, or as we call it, an Ass●mpsit, that they will stand to the award, or arbitrement, which shall be made. Put me in a surety with thee. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est fideijubere pro aliquo, seu aliquem in suam fidem recipere. Hinç arrabo spiritus. Pone pignus, vadem, aut fidejussorem mihi tecum. Pagn-Dispone quaeso consponsorem mihi tecum. Jun. Num Arrabonem dabis? The Original word properly signifying to undertake for, or to give credit and assurance in the behalf of another; and hence the Noun derived from it, signifies an earnest, because an earnest laid down, is a real surety, that such a thing shall be performed. In which sense Thamar useth the word (Gen. 38.17.) who when Judah promised to send a Kid of the Goats, said, wilt thou give me a pledge till thou send it? and hence in the new Testament the word Arrabo is used in the Greek, as also in the Latin, for the earnest of the spirit, or for that assurance which the spirit settles upon the hearts of Believers in this life that they shall inherit eternal life (2 Cor. 1.22.) Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts. And again (2 Cor. 5.5.) Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God: God having prepared a place for us, prepares us for the place, and then gives us our evidences, that in due time we shall take possession of it. Who also hath given us the earnest of the spirit The same Apostle tells the Ephesians, that, After they believed they were sealed with the spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, till the redemption of the purchased possession (Ephes. 1.14.) So that an earnest is a real surety, and a surety is a personal earnest. While Job saith, Put me in a surety, his meaning is, he would have some person to be an undertaker for the ordering of his cause, or an ensurer that all should be performed according to the determination that should be given about it, Put in a surety with me. Who is he that will strike hands with me? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sig: Defigere, infigere, & si de contractibus dicitur, percutere manum. He proceeds in the same allusion. These words are disposed two ways: Some put the Interrogation after He; Give, or put me in a surety, Who is he? I would gladly see the man, or know who it is; Who is he? let him come and strike hands with me, whosoever he is: As if he had said, I shall easily agree that any man should have the hearing and determining of this business, whom thou shalt appoint. Quis est? manui meae plaudatur. Jun. Quisquis ille sit fide jussor meus veniat & paciscatur mecum. In sponsionibus manus invicem complodebant, hinc manum complodere, pro pacisci, stipulari. Merc. We put the Interrogation after the whole sentence, Who is he that will strike hands with me? And then the sense appears thus, If God once put in a surety to undertake for me, who is he that will contend with me, or engage in this Quarrel against me? To strike hands, is a phrase of speech grounded upon that ancient form of making bargains or entering contracts, by joining, or striking hands: And these contracts may be taken two ways, or under a double notion. First, As they concerned suretyship for Money, in which sense Solomon speaks of it more than once (Prov. 6.1.) My Son if thou be surety for thy Friend: If thou have stricken hands with a stranger; that is, if thou hast entered into Bond for him, and hast testified it by striking hands, then, etc. (Prov. 22.26. Haec est sponsio quae propriè ad mammorum negotium spectat. Aben Ezra. in Prov. 6. ) Be not thou one of them that strike hands; that is, Be not too forward to engage thyself, or to undertake for others; as it is expounded in the next words, or of them that are sureties for debts; such hasty engagements may bring thee into more trouble, than thou wilt be able to get off in haste: There are many who have struck, yea wounded their own hearts incurably, by striking hands for their Friends. Go to the Courts of Justice, and there is nothing more frequently heard of, than the sighs of Sureties: He disassures his own Estate, who assures for others. Secondly, As Contracts and Suretyship for Money were confirmed by striking hands; so it is very probable that those suretiships which were given about Trials, and for appearing to the Action of the Plaintiff in Judgement, were also confirmed by that outward ceremony; in which sense we are to understand it here. Further, The word which we translate to Strike, signifies also to Fasten, which shows another part of the ceremony; for as striking, so joining and clasping of hands was used. Once more, the word signifies, Clangere tuba. Complosis manibus sonus editur. and oft is applied to the sounding of a Trumpet, or the giving of any sound: This also carries on the same allusion, because when two men strike hands, they make a sound, the interpretation of which is, that the bargain is made, or it speaks the parties agreed; and hence that known expression among us, Of striking up a bargain, or a business. Thus the whole Text is carried on in terms alluding to the ordinary proceeding, either in becoming Bound with another for Money, or in giving assurance to perform, and stand to the arbitrement, or award of those who shall judge, and determine any matter in difference: But how are we to apply this to the present case? Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee, who is he that will strike hands with me? There are three or four expositions given about it. First, That Job, in these words, desires God to give surety that he would stand to the judgement which should be given: or he would have God assure him, Da fidejussorem apud te, qui in hac contentione quae mihi tecum intercidit spondeat te staturum iis quae judicata fuerint; ut te non tanquam judicem geras sed tanquam litigato rem. Merc. Familiarius quam par erat cum Deo agit. Merc. that he would not deal with him according to the severity of his Justice, or the excellency of his Sovereignty as a Judge, but descend to such a course as is usual among men, while they are engaged in any controversy between themselves. Job hath spoken the same sense clearly before, in some other passages of this Book, especially (Chap. 9 33, 34.) But this sense is not clear to the scope of the present place: And therefore as they who maintain it, confess, that Job was somewhat too bold with God, so we may say that they are somewhat too bold with the Text. For the reason or ground upon which Job desires that God would give him a surety, hath no correspondence with this interpretation (Vers. 4.) For thou hast hid their heart from understanding. Now, what coherence is there between these two, that Job should say, Thou hast hid their heart (that is, the heart of these men) from understanding: therefore give me a surety that thou wilt proceed with me after the manner of men. Besides the words of the fifth Verse oppose it yet more. He that speaks flattery to his Friend, the eyes of his Children shall fail. Now, for Job to desire God to put him in a surety that he would deal thus, or thus with him, because the man who speaks flattery to his Friend, his children's eyes shall fail, hath no argument at all in it; yet the abetters of this Interpretation mollify all, by saying, that Job spoke from a disturbed spirit, being much moved with the ill dealing of his Friends, and though there may be some inconsistence with the context, yet the Text considered in its own compass, bears it well enough; but I pass from it. Secondly, That Job desires God to appoint a Surety between him and his Friends, who should undertake both God's cause and his against them three: As if he had said, Lord, my Friends have wronged me, and they have wronged thee too, O that thou wouldst provide a man furnished with wisdom, and a spirit of discerning, both to right thy honour, and to clear up my integrity. Such a one was Elihu, who appeared shortly after, upon the Stage, and there acted such a part as this. Thirdly (say others) Job desires that God himself would be his Surety, and take up the whole matter between him and his Friends; which he also did in the latter end of this Book, giving judgement for Job, and blaming the miscarriage of his Friends. So the word is used (Isa. 38.14.) when Hezekiah lay sick, even unto death, he prayed, Lord I am oppressed, undertake for me, It is this word, Be Surety for me. A learned Translator renders it, Wove me through, or wove me to the end; for the word signifies the Thread in weaving, Pertexe me. Jun. called the Woof, which being put upon the Shuttle, is cast through the Warp, in making Cloth, whether Linen or Woollen; thus it is used (Leu. 13.52.) and so these words of Hezekiah carry on the Allegory of the tenth Verse, I said in the cutting off of my days, etc. and of the twelfth Verse, I have cut off like a Weaver my life, he will cut me off with pining sickness. In both which Verses, Hezekiah compares man's life to a piece of Cloth in the Loom, which is made sometimes shorter, and sometimes longer, and wheresoever it ends, the Woof, or running Thread is cut off: Hence Hezekiah prayeth, Lord, these sicknesses, like a sharp Knife, threaten to cut the thread of my life, yet I beseech thee, do thou wove on, wove me to the end of that Warp which is given to man, in the common course of nature, and let not this sickness cut my thread in the midway: This is a good sense of the Text. But when our Translators render the word, Undertake for me; the meaning is, I am sore oppressed with the violence of this sickness, which like one of the Sergeants of cruel death hath arrested me, nor is there any way for me to escape, unless thou, O Lord, rescue me out of its hands, or (as it were) give Bail, and become surety for me, I am oppressed, O Lord, undertake for me. David having done a great piece of Justice which contracted him much envy, and had drawn many Enemies upon him, thus bespeaks God (Psal. 119.121, 122.) I have done judgement and justice, leave me not to mine oppressors, be surety for thy Servant: that is, maintain me against those who would wrong me because I have done right; put thyself, or interpose between me and mine Enemies, as if thou wert my pledge. Impartial justice upon oppressors, lays the Judges open to oppression; but they who run greatest hazards, in zeal for God, shall find God ready to be their Surety, when they pray, Be surety for thy servants. And thus we may conceive Job entreating the Lord to be his Surety, and Protector against all those oppositions, and misapprehensions which were heaped upon him by man. David was assured that God would be his Surety (Psal. 27.5.) In the time of trouble he shall hid me in his pavilion; and he assures all that fear God, that he will be their Surety (Psal. 31.20.) Thou shalt hid them in the secret of thy presence, from the pride of man: Thou shalt keep them secretly in a Pavilion, Pone me juxta te & cujusvis manus pugnet contra me. Vulg. from the strife of tongues. To this sense the Vulgar Latin translates the whole Verse, Put me near thyself, and then let whose will contend with me; that is, Do thou stand by me, and undertake for me, and then I fear not who opposeth me: Which answers that of the Apostle (Rom. 8.) If God be with us, who can be against us. This exposition holds out a comfortable truth to us, yet the Text s●emes to aim at somewhat else; for the words are not barely, Put me in a surety, but, Put me in a surety with thee; which shows that God and the Surety he desired, were two, or distinct; his prayer was not that God would be his Surety, but that he might have a Surety with God. And therefore, Fourthly, The whole Verse is thus read word for word out of the Original; Appoint I pray thee, my Surety with thee, who is he then that will strike upon my hand; that is, Appoint Christ, who is with thee in Heaven (and hath already agreed with thee, to be the Surety of distressed sinners, appoint him I say) to plead my cause, and to stand up for me, and then no man will dare to contend with me. So the words are of the same meaning with (Chap. 16.21.) where Job having made his appeal to God, declares his confidence that Christ would plead for him, and appear his Advocate. Hence Observe. FIrst, Jesus Christ is not only an Advocate for his people, but their Surety. He doth not only plead our cause, but pay our debts. Christ entered into Bond for us, and took all our debts and duties, whatsoever we own to God, upon himself, to see all performed, that we might go free, and be accepted (Heb. 7.22.) By so much was Jesus made the surety of a better Testament. Where the same word which is here used by Job, is (with the difference only of that Dialect) used also in the Syriake version of that Epistle. Jesus Christ may be called the Surety of the Covenant two ways. First, Because he ratifies it on God's part, making Faith of it unto us, or assuring us that all the mercies and good things therein granted and promised, shall be made good, and fulfilled to every Believer; as the Apostle concludes (2 Cor. 1.20.) For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen: that is, He will give a being and an accomplishment to them all. Whatsoever God hath spoken, he will see it done. Secondly, Jesus Christ is called the surety of the Covenant because he ratifies it on our part: For though (as Socinians object against this point) we sent not Christ unto God in our name, but God sent him to us in his name, yet Christ did undertake, as in our nature, so in our Name, and did restipulate with God on our behalf, that whatsoever was owing to his justice and holiness by man, either as a penalty for past defaults, or as a duty to present commands, should all be satisfied and performed by himself: And as Christ (being our Surety) did both these in his own person, by active and passive obedience, so far as it was satisfactory; so (as a Surety) he helps us to perform the latter so far as it is gratulatory. For whatsoever duty God requires of us, and calls us to, in testimony of our thankfulness for his benefits, and of our submission to his will, this Christ undertakes to his Father that we shall do, and accordingly out of his fullness gives us grace and strength to do it. Secondly, Observe. If Christ be surety for us, we need not fear any opposer. Put me in a surety with thee (saith Job) who will strike hands with me: who will contend with me, or sue me? When either the Money or duty which a man is bound to pay, is already paid by his Surety, or is undertaken for by a Surety, who is not only able but willing to pay, what needs he to fear? The Creditor cannot Arrest the Debtor, if the Surety have discharged and cancelled the Bond. Thus the Apostle teaches Faith to triumph (Rom 8.33, 34.) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth; it is Christ who died, yea rather who is risen again? Jobs challenge, Who is he that will strike hands with me? is very parallel in words, and full to the sense of Paul's, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? Thirdly, Observe. Our Surety is of Gods appointing, not of our own. Appoint, I pray (saith Job) put me in a surety with thee. We sinned of ourselves, but we could not find a Surety of ourselves. God sent his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to deliver those that were under the Law (Gal. 4 4.) God sent his Son, man did not send for him, no nor sue for him: The way of our deliverance was as much from the will and wisdom of God as from his mercy (Heb. 10.10.) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. It was as impossible for man to contrive this way of his deliverance, as it was to deliver himself. Job did not direct God to this way of acquitting by a Surety, but God having revealed it to Job, he prays for the effect and comfort of it, to his own soul: when a Believer burdened with sin, or distressed by temptation, spreads his condition, and makes his moan to God, he in effect begs of him (as Job here did) to appoint and put him in a surety with him, by persuading his heart, that Jesus Christ became bound for him, and hath discharged all his engagements according to that eternal Decree and Ordination of saving lapsed man by his mediation. To which Ordination Jesus Christ most willingly consented, as the Apostle expresseth it (Heb. 10.9.) Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, etc. Which readiness and freeness of Jesus Christ to undertake for us, is also elegantly described by the Prophet Jeremiah (Chap. 30.21.) by that very word which Job useth in this place, For who is this, that engageth his heart to approach unto me, saith the Lord? The Jews had been long under the Babylonian yoke, and their Governors were either strangers, or appointed by strangers. But the Lord promised in this Verse, that their Nobles should be of themselves, and that their Governor should proceed from the midst of them: Which was verified, when God turned their Captivity as Rivers in the South, and raised up Zerubbabel, and others of the Jewish line, to reassume the Government of Judah. But this Prophecy was chiefly intended and verified in a spiritual sense, when God sent Jesus Christ, A Governor, proceeding from the midst of them (of whom Zerubbabel was but a type) for of him the Lord speaks chiefly in this admiring Question, Who is this, that engageth his heart to approach ●nto me? Or who is this that with his heart (that is, with so much cheerfulness and willingness) hath put himself as a surety for this people with me, to approach to me in their cause, and to take upon him the dispatch of all their affairs, and concernments with me, in the Court of Heaven? Who is this great, this forward Engager, but he who also said, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God? What will came he to do? Even this, To be a Surety, and so a Sacrifice to God for sinners (Heb. 10.) Thus the whole business of our deliverance, and the first motions to it, lay quite without us. God appointed and put in Christ our surety with him, and Christ freely condescended to be our surety, knowing that the whole debt must lie upon his discharge: Put me in a surety with thee. But here it may be doubted, how this notion of a Surety, suits with this place, seeing Jobs controversy was with man, not with God; and himself also had professed that all was clear for him in Heaven. I answer, That although men accused Job, yet their accusation reached his peace with God, for had he been such a one as they represented him, he must needs have fallen under the divine displeasure, more than he did under theirs. And therefore while he pleaded Not-guilty to their charge, he begs further discoveries of the favour of God to him through the Mediator, by the remembrance of whose Suretyship his heart was confirmed in the pardon of all his sinful failings against God, whereof he was guilty, as well as his heart told him that he was not guilty of those wilful sins wherewith he was accused by men. When we lie under wrongful accusations, of which we indeed need no surety to acquit us, it is good to view and renew our Interest in the Surety, who will acquit us where there is need. Job proceeds to reinforce the reason why he desired God to undertake, or to provide a Surety for him. Vers. 4. Thou hast hid their heart from understanding, therefore shalt thou not exalt them. Or, Thou hast hid understanding from their heart; As if he had said, Thou hast cast such a mist before the eyes of these men, who mock me, and judge me wicked, that they are unfit to be trusted with the determination of my cause; for did they not want a due light of understanding, they might quickly discern my integrity, and clear me from their own suspicions. God sometimes (as it were) wraps, or folds up the hearts of the Children of men in ignorance, blindness, and darkness, and so hides not only understanding from their hearts, but their hearts from understanding. As God is said to circumcize the heart, to open the eyes,, to take away the veil, when he gives the knowledge of his truth; so he is said to blind the eyes, to cover the heart with fat, and to cloud the understanding when he denies, or withholds the knowledge of the truth: Thou hast hid their hearts from understanding. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est mens, ratio, intellectus, dexteritas in agend●. The word which we translate Understanding, signifies any of, or all the intellectual powers, together with a readiness, or activity for dispatch in any service we are called unto, Thou hast hid their heart from understanding, therefore they do but bungle at the business, and cannot judge aright; they cannot discern the manner of thy dispensations towards me, nor see the bottom of my condition. Job did not censure his Friends as fools, or ignorant, as if they were witless, or worthless men; they were wise and learned, yea honest and godly too. But when Job saith, Thou hast hid their heart from understanding, we are to restrain it to the matter in hand, or to his particular case: As if he had said, Thou hast hid the understanding of what thou hast done to me from their hearts; thy providences are mysteries and riddles which they cannot unfold; and as they know not the meaning of what thou dost, so they know not my meaning, when I said (Chap. 9.17.) He hath multiplied my wounds without cause, Nor when I said (Vers. 22.) He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. These say are secrets to my Friends: Now, Lord, for as much as these men have no true insight in this present controversy, therefore I beg that thou wouldst undertake for me, or put me in a surety with thee. Further, For the clearing of this Scripture, it may be questioned: First, how God is said to hid the heart from understanding? God doth this four ways. First, By speaking darkly, or in such a manner, as the understanding cannot easily find a passage to the things that are spoken. A Parable is a dark saying: And when Christ Preached in Parables, His Disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou to them in Parables (Matth. 13.10.) Now among other reasons which Christ was pleased to give of that dispensation, this was one (Vers. 14.) In them is fulfilled the Prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive. As if Christ had said, These men have justly deserved to be punished with spiritual darkness (which is not Understanding) and therefore I have spoken to them in a dark way. They did not hear to obey what was plain and easy to be understood, and therefore now they shall hear, what they cannot understand. Secondly, God hides the heart from understanding, by denying, or not giving light; and that a twofold light. First, The outward light of his word: Thus all those people are said to sit in darkness; that is, To have no understanding in the things of God, where the Gospel is not published. Secondly, By denying, or not giving the inward light of his spirit, though the light of the World abound. For as a man may have the Sun shining in his face, and yet be in the dark, if he wants eyesight: So (as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 4.3, 4.) the Gospel is hid in the most glorious shining of it to those, whose minds the God of this World hath blinded. Now, every man is borne spiritually blind, or he is blind by nature, and he is blinded by the God of this Worlds, till the God of all Worlds sends his spirit with the Word for the opening of his eyes. Thirdly, God hides the heart from understanding, as by not giving, so by withdrawing the light which he hath given. Many have forfeited their eyesight and their light, and God hath taken the forfeiture of them: Which he doth first, when men are proud of the light, and puffed up with knowledge. Secondly, when men are unthankful for the light, and will not acknowledge God the giver of it. Thirdly, when men grow wanton or vain in the light, when they abuse it, and having the light walk in darkness. All which reasons of God's withdrawing light, as many Scriptures testify, so they are all testified in that one Scripture (Rom. 1.21, 22.) Fourthly, As God may be said to hid the heart from understanding, by a total withdrawing of light, so by withholding it for a time, or in part, by clouding or eclipsing it. God hides the heart of some men from understanding, only in such a point, or at such a season, giving them light in other things, yea and in that thing too at another season. This fourth way I conceive most proper to this Text of Job; for his Friends were not under that terrible judgement of a total hiding their hearts from understanding; only the light was withheld from them in and about that transaction. As when Christ after his resurrection appeared to those Disciples (Luke 24.26.) the Text saith, Their eyes were held, that they should not know him. And (Vers. 31.) Their eyes were opened, and they knew him: Thus God at one time holds the intellectual eye of some good men, that they cannot discern such or such a Truth, yet afterwards he opens their eyes and they discern it. Hence Observe. First, The wisest men do not see all truths, nor are they able to judge of all matters. These were wise men, very wise men; they spoke excellent things, and very understandingly about God, they gave Job very good counsel, but yet they failed here. Elihu (Ch. 32.9.) saith, Great men are not always wise; we may say wise men are not always wise: and as no man is wise at all times, so there is no man wise in all things. We cannot conclude, that because a man hath given a right judgement in some one, or in many points, that therefore we may trust his decisions in all points. As God hides all wisdom from some men, so he very rarely, if at all, trusts any one man or sort of men at one time with all wisdom. Jobs Friends were well acquainted with, and they have acquainted us with many excellent notions about that great Doctrine of Providence, but they were much mistaken about the Providence of God with Job, nor did they show themselves acquainted with that excellent Design of God in his afflicting Providences, thereby to try the strength and manifest the graces which he hath bestowed upon his people. Secondly, Observe. The hiding of the heart from, and the opening of the heart to understanding, are the work of God. We see no further than God gives us light, and so far as he leads us, we go right; if he withdraw, we turn aside, and quickly wander from the way of truth and righteousness. We have nothing of our own but sin and ignorance, wisdom is of God; Every good and perfect gift comes from above. As God hides all gospel-truths and mysteries from worldly wise men; so no Gospel mystery is known to any man till God discover and make it known (Matth. 11.25.) At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, but hast revealed them unto babes. By wise and prudent, he means worldly wise men, mere Philosophers and Politicians, or hypocritical Professors, such as the Scribes and Pharisees were, from these God (in judgement) hides the things of the Kingdom of Heaven; and reveals them unto Babes, even to such as are at the greatest distance in natural considerations from the capacity of such rich and heavenly manifestations. There is no greater argument, that God opens the heart to understand, then to see Babes understand: If true knowledge in spiritual mysteries were from man, they who have most of man in them would have most of that knowledge; but we are taught by experience, that such men as the World calls Fools do not err in the way of holiness (Isa. 35.8.) And that the course of all Worldly wise men, is a continual erring from that way, and that some godly men, who are higher by head and shoulders than some of their Brethren in natural wisdom, have run into, and maintained errors; whither can we ascribe all this, but to the power of God. Moses speaks of the many signs and miracles which God wrought in the midst of that people, which they did not understand: Why, what was the reason? Moses tells us expressly, what, Yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to conceive, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear to this day (Deut. 29.4.) They had sensitive eyes and ears, yea, they had a rational heart or mind, but they wanted a spiritual eye to see, a spiritual care to hear, a spiritual heart or mind to apprehend and improve those wonderful works of God: And these they had not, because God had not given them such eyes, ears, and hearts. Wonders without grace, cannot open the eyes fully, but grace without wonders can. And as man hath not an eye to see the wonderful works of God spiritually, until it is given, so, much less hath he an eye to see the wonders of the Word of God, till it be given him from above; and therefore David prays (Psal. 119.18.) Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. And if the wondrous things of the Law, are not much seen till God give an eye, then much less are the wondrous things of the Gospel. The light of nature shows us somewhat of the Law, but nothing of the Gospel was ever seen by the light of nature: Many who have seen and admired some excellencies in the Law, could never see and therefore have derided that which is the excellency of the Gospel, till God hath opened their heart to understanding. Thirdly, Observe. It is a great judgement to have our hearts hidden from understanding in the things of God. It is a sore judgement not to have the light, but it is a sorer judgement not to see by the light when we have it. To have a heart hid from understanding, is far worse than to have a heart unable to understand. Our inability to understand, ariseth two ways. First, From a natural infirmity in the understanding. Secondly, From the natural obscurity of the matter presented to the understanding. Plain truths are not apprehended by a weak understanding, and the strongest understanding cannot apprehend some obscure truths, as the Apostle Peter saith of Saint Paul's Epistles, that in them there are some things hard to be understood (2 Pet. 3.16.) Now as there is an affliction in it, not to be able to understand any truth which God hath revealed for our use, so there is much wrath and judgement in it, when God hides understanding from the heart in any of those things which he hath revealed for our use, but especially in those things which are necessary, either to our future, or our present peace. Thus the Prophet Isaiah was sent to Preach that people blind, and deaf, and ignorant (Chap. 6.9, 10.) Go tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not: Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert and be healed: As if the Lord had said, This people shall want neither means nor Ministers, neither word nor light; but they shall reap no benefit neither by means nor Ministers, neither by word nor light; yea, all these means shall produce contrary effects, they shall be hardened and not softened, blinded and not enlightened, their ears shall be deafened, not bored by the Word. They would not hear, therefore they shall not; they would not understand, therefore they shall not be able to understand. They who refuse the offers of mercy, shall be destroyed with the offers of mercy. And as God doth often take away the Gospel in wrath, so he sometimes sends it in wrath. It is a great misery to have the Gospel hid from a people for want of revelation, but it is lowest misery to have it hid in the revelation. Jerusalem signifies, The vision or sight of peace; and this was the glory of Jerusalem; yet at last this glory was taken from Jerusalem, though her name continued; Jerusalem (the sight of peace) could not see her peace (Luke 19.41, 42, 43.) When Christ came near to Jerusalem, He beheld the City, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace: What then? Christ suppresses the happiness which they should have enjoyed by such a sight, with a silent admiration; and only tells them weeping, But now they are hid from thine eyes; How hid? Was there no more Preaching in Jerusalem, no public Ministry after that day? Yes, the whole College of Apostles Preached there, and they Preached the things which belonged both to their temporal, and to their eternal peace; yet as the things which belonged to their eternal peace were hidden from most of their eyes, so the things which concerned their temporal peace, were hidden from so many of their eyes, that their ruin was unavoidable. God hide their heart from understanding, therefore he did not exalt them; yea, therefore he cast them down. Thus Job describes the sequel of that sad dispensation to his Friends, Thou hast hid their heart from understanding: What follows? Therefore shalt thou not exalt them. Master Broughton renders it; Therefore thou shalt not give them Honour: And is this all; That they shall not be exalted or honoured? No, the Negative hath this affirmative in it, Thou wilt therefore cast them down, or humble them: As (Prov. 17.21.) Solomon speaks of the Father of a Fool, He that begets a Fool, doth it to his sorrow, and the Father of a Fool hath no joy: Is that all, that he hath no joy? No, the meaning is that the Father of a Fool, hath much sorrow; yea, the denial of all joy, affirms more than the feeling of much sorrow, for it speaks all sorrow. So, to accept persons in judgement is not good; that is, It is extreme ill: There is nothing worse than that, which in this sense is not good. Thus here, thou hast hid their heart from understanding, therefore shalt thou not exalt them: that is, Thou shalt humble and abase them; and though Non-exaltation, in this place, doth not carry all kind, or the extremity of abasement, yet it carries a very great abasement: Why? What was this abasement, or non-exaltation? We may interpret it two ways. Thou shalt not exalt them: that is, First, Thou shalt not give them this honour to determine my cause; thou wilt take the matter out of their hands into thine own, or thou wilt put it into some other hand. Secondly, Thou shalt not exalt them to the honour of a conquest over me, Hinc colligo te nolle ut de reportata super me victoria glorientur, Bold. or to carry the cause against me; yea, they shall be overthrown, and the cause shall go against them: Both these ways answer the event. Jobs three Friends had neither the honour to end this controversy, nor did they at all prevail in the end; they went not away with victory, nor could they glory, that they had got the day of Job: Thou shalt not exalt them. Note hence. First, Exaltation is from God. Promotion comes neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South; that is, It comes not by the power of any creature, in any coast or quarter of the earth. Whence comes it then? The next Verse directs us, For God is the Judge, he putteth down one, and setteth up another (Psal. 75.6, 7.) we can no more make ourselves great men, than we can make ourselves men: Our civil frame is as much from God as our natural; by what hand soever we are exalted, it is God that exalts us. Secondly, Observe. God hides understanding from them, whom he is about to abase, or cast down. The fall of most men is from their own folly, and usually God takes away their wisdom, whose honour he takes away. They shall not see the way to their own preservation, who are intended for destruction. All Ages have taught us this Doctrine in the downfall of the greatest Princes; who have refused all counsels and overtures for their own good, Quos perdere vult Jupiter hos dementat. till their evils have proved past cure, and themselves irrecoverably lost. That which a Child might foresee, they have had no eyes to see, nor hearts to consider: because God would either not exalt them, or not establish them in their exaltations, therefore he hide their hearts from understanding the things of their own peace. Fools are not fit to be exalted to high places, and wh●n once we see those who are in high places, acting the foolish man, we shall soon see them tumbling down from their high places, and acting the miserable man. Some who were never very wise, have been exalted to, and continued in high places, but there was scarce ever any man, who (in this sense) lost his wits, that hath either been exalted to a high place, or continued in his exaltation. Thirdly, Considering those particulars wherein the Non-exaltation here prophesied of, did consist. Observe. It is an honour to hear and judge the cause of another man. God is the Judge of all the Earth, he will hear and determine the causes and cases of all mankind. He that hath the hearing but of any one case, shares in this honour of God, and they who are set apart by office to do so, are called Gods (Psal. 82.) God puts so much of his own work into the hand of a judge, that he therefore puts his own name upon him. Again, We may look upon Jobs Friends, not as Judges of his case, but as Parties, putting in their accusation, and pleading against him. Hence Observe. It is an honour, and an exaltation to win the day in any cause, or to get the better. Whatsoever the contention be, or in what way so ever managed, whether by the Sword, or by the tongue, or by the Pen, to be victorious in it, is honourable; and he that loses his Causes, loses much of his credit also. And though prevailing, or success doth not at all justify the matter (it is the matter which must justify the success) yet success doth always exalt the man. He that overcomes in a dispute carries away the honour, though possibly he carry not away the truth. Lastly, From the connexion of this with the former part of the Verse. Observe. They who maintain error among men, shall not find favour with God. A heart hid from understanding is hid from the truth; God loves his truth so well, that he will not exalt those who depress his truth. Jobs Friends being left in the dark (as to that point in question) Did not speak of God the thing that was right (Chap. 42.7.) And therefore the Lord said to Eliphaz, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two Friends. Though an error be held unknown and in zeal for God (as they did) yet the jealousy of God waxeth hot against such: These repenting, were, and such as they, repenting, may be pardoned, but they shall not be exalted. And if they who for want of light of knowledge, and in much heat of honest zeal, defend a lesser error (such was theirs) shall not be exalted, how will the Lord cast them down who broach, and spread blasphemous errors, and damnable Doctrines, in a time of clear light, and against frequent admonitions, if not convictions. Whosoever (saith Christ, Matth. 5.19.) shall break one of these least Commandments, and teach men so (Joining the error of his practice with, or turning it into the error of his opinion) he shall be called lest (that is, nothing at all, or Nobody) in the Kingdom of Heaven: And he who is nothing in the Kingdom of Heaven is not exalted, how high soever he may get in the Kingdoms of the earth. And if the teacher of error against the least Commandment of the Law shall have no place in Heaven, where will their place be who teach errors against the greatest Commandments of the Law, yea against the most precious and absolute necessary principles and foundations of the Gospel? Vers. 5. He that speaks flattery to his friend; even the eyes of his Children shall fail. There is some variety in expounding these words; because of the several notions into which the Original is rendered: As we read the Text, it is a plain affirmation of judgement upon the posterity of Flatterers. The word which we translate Flattery signifies in the Verb to divide into parts, and hence in the Noun, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divisit in parts; in Hiphil emollivit, laevigavit, blanditus fuit. a lot or portion, because every lot or portion is divided from the whole; it signifies also a prey or booty, which men take in War, or which Thiefs and Robbers take from Travellers upon the high way, and that upon the former reason, because when a prey is taken, they divide, or cast it into several portions, or parts: Hence also (say some) it signifies to flatter; because the tongue of a flatterer is divided from his heart. Further, It signifieth to smooth and polish or (as we say) to make a thing very glib and neat. This comes nearest our translation; for a flatterer hath a smooth polished tongue, and his trade is to smooth, or soothe both things and persons. The flatterer's tongue is like the Harlot's tongue, to whom this word is applied (Prov. 7.21.) With much fair speech, she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips (with the smoothness, or as some translate, with the lenity of her lips) she forced him: Flattery seems to be far from force, yet nothing puts, or holds men under a greater force than flattery. He that speaks flattery to his friend. Flattery is a special language, though it be spoken in all languages. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Men learn to speak flattery, even as we learn to speak Latin, French, Italian, Spanish, or any other language: Flattery is an Art, it hath rules of its own, and terms of its own; he that speaks flattery: Master Broughton in this place calls it, Vaine-goodly-speech: And the Apostle Paul calls it, Good words, and fair speeches (Rom. 16.18.) The expressions which the Apostle useth, are most proper to the description of flattery; they are both Compounds, as the spirit of the Flatterer also is: He hates simplicity, or singleness of heart, making a show of much goodness in word, but is void of deed and substance: He promiseth fair, and when he speaks, you would think he minded nothing, or were solicitous about nothing but the Honour and advantage of him to whom he speaks, when indeed he minds nothing but himself, and selfe-concernements, as the Apostle in that place desciphers him, He serves not our Lord Jesus Christ, Haec est blandities quae a Graecis, vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & Aristoteles vulgo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, appellari docet eos, qui comiter cum omnibus conversantur, sed veram amicitiam cum nemine colunt. Arist. l. 8. ad Nicom. Pertinax Imperator dictus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod blandus esset magis quam benignus. Bez. in loc. ex Aurelio. Vict. but his own belly, and by his good words and fair speeches, he deceives the hearts of the simple. The Greeks have another characteristical word for this sort of men, by which they mean all such as seem to carry it fair with all men, but maintain true friendship with no man, we may call them Men-pleasers, but Selfe-seekers. As also one of the old Emperors had his Surname from that word used by the Apostle in the place last mentioned; because he was observed very ready to give all men good words, but had no regard to do good, yea, he did very much evil; or as another gives the reason, because he was a Fanning Prince, rather than a kind one. Job seems to charge his Friends, that they were men of such a temperament, and had rather faund upon him then been real friends to him. But here it may be questioned, Why doth Job speak his Friends speakers of flattery? He had little reason to complain he was flattered; and we find him often complaining that he was roughly dealt with: Job heard few polished, or buttered words, but bitter words great store, why then doth he say, He that speaks flattery to his friend? We may understand it two ways. In reference to Job. God. First, His Friends had spoken flattery to him; for though in some things they were very severe and harsh, yet in other things he might interpret their say to be but soothe; Is est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui verbis multum pollicetur re nihil praestat. Bez. Blandiebantudum externa bona illi pollicebantur. Merc. they made him large promises of a restauration, that his estate should be like the morning, that he should outshine the very Sun, and be a great man again. Thus they spoke (Chap. 5.19, 20. Chap. 8.5. Chap. 11.15, 16, etc.) he looked on all these fair promises as flatteries, because in his own thoughts he was a dead man, and his calamities past all hope of recovery in this World. As if he had said, Why do you feed me with such vain hopes, and prophesy to me of Wine, and of strong drink, of earthly honour and riches, of length of days, and of a multitude of years yet behind in the race of this present life; I cannot but call this flattery, and a departure from the laws of friendship: For alas! My days are extinct, my breath is corrupt, and yet you are telling me of long life, and good days in this World. And indeed this is at once the custom and the fault of many who visit their Friends upon the borders of death; they think they are not friendly, unless they labour to give them hopes of life, and deliver their opinion peremptorily, We doubt not but you will do well enough, you will recover from this sickness, and getting over this brunt, and see many days. This is flattery: it is our duty to speak comfortably to our dying Friends, to set forth the love of God, and his readiness to pardon, to prepare them for a better life, and to make their passage out of this more easy: But when we see them at the Graves mouth; when death is ready to seize on them, then to tell them of long life, is rather the office of a Flatterer then of a Friend. We show more love to our dying Friends, by offering our counsels, and tendering up our prayers for their fitness to departed out of this life, then by showing our desire, that they should live, and our loathness to part with them. Secondly, Jobs Friends may be said to speak flattery to God; and then the words are an Argument from the greater to the less; as if he had said, If he who speaks flattery to his friend, a man like himself, shall be punished, then much more shall he, who speaks flattery to God. But, you will say, How can God be flattered? There are two ways of flattering men. First, By promising them more than we intent. Secondly, By applauding them more than they deserve. When we cry up those for wise men who are little guilty of wisdom; or commend those as good, who are very guilty of evil; both these are strains of flattery: It is impossible to flatter God in this latter sense, for we cannot speak of God higher than he is; his glory, wisdom, and goodness, are above, not only our words, but our thoughts. But we may flatter God in the first sense, by promising him more than we intent; they on their sick beds do but flatter God, who tell him how good, and holy they will be, when their hearts are not right with him: Yet neither is this the flattery of God which Job may be supposed to suggest against his friends. The flattery here suggested, is their justifying the proceed of God in afflicting Job, by condemning Job; as if there had been no way left to clear up the righteousness of God, but by concluding that Job was unrighteous: This manner of arguing, Job calls, Speaking wickedly for God, and talking deceitfully for him: This he also calls, The accepting of his person (Ch. 13.7, 8.) As if they had been the Patrons and Promoters of God's cause and honour, while they thus pleaded against Job, and laid his honour and innocency in the dust. That there is a sinful flattery of God in such a procedure against man, was showed more largely in the place last mentioned, to which I refer the Reader for his further satisfaction. He that speaks flattery to his friend, What of him? The next words tell us what. The eyes of his Children shall fail. But shall he himself escape? Shall not he smart for it? Saith not the Scripture, Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he reap: the sower shall be the reaper. This is not spoken to free the Flatterer from punishment, but to show that more than he shall be punished for his flattery; as he himself shall not escape, so he may bring others also into danger with him: As sin spreads itself in the pollution of it, so in the punishments of it. When but one sins, many may be defiled, and when but one acts a sin, many may be endangered; a man knows not upon how many he may bring evil, when he doth ill himself. The eyes of his Children shall fail. What is meant by the failing of the eyes, was showed (Ch. 11.20.) where Zophar saith, The eyes of the wicked shall fail, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. In general 'tis this, They shall be disappointed of their hopes, or they shall expect so long and nothing come, that their eyes shall fail with expectation, The eyes of his Children shall fail. Some by Children, understand, not his natural Children, or the Children of his body, but his Children in a figure, Morum atque vitae imitatores. Aquin. such as imitate and follow him, who take his course, and tread in his paths; for as they are called the Children of the Devil, who are like him, and do his works; and as we are called the Children of God, not only in reference to our new birth and spiritual generation, but also in reference to our new obedience and holy actions (Mat. 5.44, 45.) So they may be called a man's Children, who resemble him in his manners, as well as they who issued from his loins. Hence Note. First, The punishment of sin doth not always rest or determine in him that committed the sin. The bitter fruits of sin are often transmitted, and handed over to those who had no present hand in them when they were committed. The whole Family, and Posterity of sinners may smart many a day after, and inherit the sins of their Progenitors, as well as their Lands; when the Father purchaseth, or provides an Inheritance for his Child by flattery, or any other indirect way, the eyes of his children may fail for it. I have met with this point before (Cham 15.33, 34.) and elsewhere, therefore I only touch and pass from it. Secondly, Consider the particular sin against which this judgement is pronounced: It is the speaking of flattery. Hence Observe. The sin of flattery is a very provoking sin. That sin which shall be punished in posterity, is no ordinary sin: Those good actions which the Lord promiseth to reward in posterity, or in after times, have a special excellency in them: It shown that the deed of Jehu, in destroying Ahabs' House, and rooting out his Idolatry (though Jehu himself was a very bad man, and did it with a bad heart, yet I say, it shown that the deed) was very good, because the Lord promised to reward his Children for it, with the possession of the Throne of Israel to the fourth generation (2 Kings 10.30.) Now as those acts have a great deal of excellency in them, for which God rewards and blesseth to posterity; so those sins have a special malignity in them, which are threatened and pursued with revenges to Posterity. Such sins have a touch of the first sin in them. The punishment of Adam's first sin is hereditary to the last man; all have smarted for that sin, and the eyes of his Children have failed because he looked upon, and eat the forbidden fruit. Now every sin which is thus spoken of in Scripture, as Idolatry in the second Commandment, and here flattery, hath a special stamp of the first sin upon it; not only as being a sin, and so a derivative from it, but as having much of the sinfulness of that sin in it: The evils of which did not die with those who gave it life. And as all flattery is very sinful, so spiritual flattery, or flattery about spiritual things is most sinful; both because about them we ought to be most plaine-hearted, and because a deceit about them doth most hurt. Any kind of flattery is bad enough, but this is worst; such was that of the false Prophets, who daubed with untempered mortar, and cried Peace, peace, when there was no peaee. Who set themselves to please, not to instruct the people, and were therefore busy in sewing pillows under every elbow. A flatterer would make all men lean soft, sit easy, and be well persuaded of themselves, though their case be stark naught: He that thus speaks flattery to his Friend, doth indeed speak misery, yea, and death to his Friend. The flatterer is the greatest hater, and no man speaks worse of another than he who speaks better of him then he deserves, or then his state will bear. It is dangerous to speak all the good of a man that is true, but to speak good of him which is not true, may be his utter undoing. And though it hath been said, and often experienced, that flattery gains Friends and Truth-speaking hatred; yet none have run into so much hatred as flatterers. For as it is said of Treason, That many love the Treason, but all hate the Taytor; so many love to hear themselves flattered, but all hate flatterers. And though true reproofs are bitter Pills, and very distasteful to most in the taking down, yet wise Solomon hath assured us, That, he that rebuketh a man, afterwards shall find more favour (even with that man) than he that flattereth with his lips (Prov. 28.23.) There are many who as the Psalmist speaks (Psal. 36.2.) Flatter themselves, they are their own Parasites. But as they who flatter others, do most commonly fall under their displeasure, so all they (sooner or latter) shall fall under their own displeasure (and that's worse than the displeasure of any, yea then of all men) who have flattered themselves. It is our wisdom and our peace, to be plain with ourselves and with all men, how much present disquiet so ever we get by it. Paul speaks it out to the Thessalonians (1 Epist. 2.3, 4, 5.) Our exhortation was not of deceit, neither at any time used we flattering words. But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men but God. Further, these words may be expounded not as a threat against his Friends for their flattering of him, but as a threat against himself, in case he should have flattered them. And so they carry also the weight of a reason, why he used so much freedom in reproving them, and showing them the danger that hung over their heads: As if he had said, You my Friends may perhaps wonder at my boldness and plainness of speech, while I tell you that God hath hid your hearts from understanding, and that he will not exalt you: But you must pardon me, I had rather incur your frowns by my downright dealing with you, than Gods by flattering you; I had rather make your ears tingle by reproving you, then make the eyes of my Children ache by my applauding you; for this I have learned as a certain truth, that he who speaks flattery to his Friend, the eyes of his Children shall fail. Hence Observe. That even a godly man doth, and aught to strengthen himself in doing his duty, by the remembrance of those evils which are threatened against the neglect of it. A Believer makes use of the threaten, as well as of the promises, to keep his heart close in obedience. That is the best obedience which springs from the fear of the Lord and his goodness, but that may be a good and a pure act of obedience which springs from the fear of the Lord, and his wrath. Christ exhorts and forewarns his friends to fear him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into Hell (Luke 12.5.) 'Tis noblest and most spiritual, to obey God for himself, without respect either to Heaven or Hell; yet we may have respect both to Heaven and Hell, to reward and punishment in our obedience. Joseph resisted temptation by the highest argument, when he said, How can I do this great evil and sin against God? (Gen. 39.9) He resists temptation by a good argument, who saith, How can I sin against God, which will do so much evil to myself, or draw many evils upon mine? And thus Job argued according to this interpretation, when he said, He that speaks flattery to his friend, the eyes of his Children shall fail: Or, as Master Broughton renders, The eyes of the given that way (that is, to flattery) shall be consumed. Vox Ban in non filios sed intelligentes vel considerantes significat a Verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est intelligere, hinc sic conficitur textus. Et ooculi considerantium eum deficient. Bold. There is another reading of the latter clause, and so of the whole Verse, The eyes of those that consider, observe, or attend him shall fail; and so they derive the word (Bamin) not from (Ben) a Son, or a Child, but from (Been) which signifies to understand or consider, The eyes of those that consider him shall fail: Then the meaning is, my friends are so exact, and acute in flattery, in composing and uttering fawning speeches, that they who hear them are wrapped into an ecstasy, and their very eyes do fail with their intentness in beholding them. They are such powerful Orators, that they can draw the minds and eyes of their Auditors whither they please, and cause their eyes to ache with looking so wistly on them, having (as the Apostle speaks in a like case) their persons in admiration. Job having thus complained against, and taxed his Friends of flattery, goes on to aggravate the sadness of his condition, and upon the whole, to move the Lord to hasten an end of his miseries, or to hasten his end, either to determine them, or to determine him. JOB, Chap. 17. Vers. 6, 7. He hath made me also a byword of the people, and afore time I was as a Tabret. Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow. IN these two Verses, Job repeats and aggravates his affliction; and he doth it (as he had done before) by showing the effects of his affliction. We judge of causes by the effects, that which produceth a great effect, must needs have a greatness of causality in it. Two effects or his affliction are laid down in this context. The first tells us what his afflictions wrought in others. The second, what it wrought upon himself. What his affliction wrought in others, is set forth (Vers. 6.) He was become the talk of all, possibly, the sport of not a few. The argument stands thus. That is a very great affliction, which every man speaks of, or which makes a man a byword. But such is my affliction, every one talks of it, and I am made a byword of the people. Therefore my affliction is very great. What his affliction wrought upon himself, is expressed in the seventh Verse: Dimness in his eye, and weakness in his whole body, Mine eye also is dim, by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow. The Argument may be form thus. That is a very great affliction, the sorrows whereof dim the eyes, and macerate all the members of the body. But such is the sorrow of my affliction, that my very eyes are dim; and all my members are macerated; therefore mine is a great affliction. As if he had said, Should I hold my peace and sit down in silence, yet my dim eyes and dried bones, my withered skin and crippled limbs, are as so many tongues, yea trumpets, to speak and speak aloud the sorrows of my heart, and the sufferings of my outward man. This seems to be Jobs scope in the words now under hand. Vers. 6. He hath made me a byword of the people. [He] Who is that? The antecedent is inquired for: Our late Annotations fix it upon Eliphaz who spoke last, and at whom he pointed in the Verse b●fore. He hath talked so of me, that now I am a common talk: He hath spoken such words by me that now I am made a byword. We had need take heed what we say of any Brother, for if one man give out the word, enough will follow to make him a byword. Haec de domino dicit, quem ubique facit suarum calamitatum authorem. Merc. Others resolve it upon God himself, He, that is, God hath made me a byword. Job at first acknowledged God the author of his troubles, and so he hath done all along, as hath been touched in divers passages of this dispute: As no man lifts up his hand, so no man lifts up his tongue without God. As afflicting actions, so afflicting speeches are at his dispose: He hath made me. [A byword.] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potestatem quandam habet & excellentiam; significat proverbium, parabolam, axioma quod vocatur propositio maxima. The Hebrew word in the Verb, signifies properly, to rule, to govern, to have dominion, or supretme power, as a Prince or Potentate: And by a Metaphor it signifies any thing that excelleth, or is eminent in any kind: upon this account it is oft employed to signify those rules of truth and holiness, to which every man's reason must yield obeisance; such are called in a way of excellency by Moralists, Proverbs, by Orator's Sentences, by Logicians Maxims, or Principles, which are not to be proved, but supposed, No man must deny them, or if any man do, he is not to be disputed with; such rules are Rulers; and they are thus expressed upon a twofold reason. First, Because of the difficulty and mysteriousness of their meaning; they are of few words, but of so large and multiplying a sense, that they do as much master, as enlighten the understanding. Secondly, They are so expressed because of the extent or universality of their usefulness, they being such as bear sway in, and have an influence upon all transactions; that, One sentence, or rule of Equity, What you would have others do to you, do so to them, runs through the whole course of man's life, and reacheth us in all acts of Justice, whether distributive or commutative. And as those proverbial sentences which direct justice and good manners, are of great command and authority among men; so likewise are those which had their rise from the reproof of any man's injustice, or evil manners. If once a man be made a byword (whether the grounds of it be true or false, makes no matter as to this point) it will stick by him, and overcome his credit; let him do what he can, he shall hardly claw it off again as long as he lives. Thou hast made me a byword. Further, to clear the Text, In parabolizare populorum. Nam est infinitum, q. d. ut sim illis proverbio & vulgi fabula, vel ut de me proverbium faciant. Merc. we may consider that the word Byword in the Hebrew is of the Infinitive Mood, and so some render it, Thou hast made me for the parabolizing of the people; or that the people make Parables and Proverbs of me; which we render fully to the sense, Thou hast made me (a Parable, a Proverb, or) a byword among the people. Two things are usually employed when a man is said to be a byword. First, That he is in a very low condition; some men are so high, that the tongues of the common people dare not climb over them, but where the Hedge is low, every man goes over. Secondly, That he is in a despised condition: to be a byword carries a reflection of disgrace. He that is much spoken of, in this sense, is ill spoken of; and he is quite lost in the opinion of men, who is thus found in their discourse. It is possible (though rare) for a man to be in a low, or bad condition, and yet to be well spoken of, yea to be highly honoured; some are had in precious esteem, while they lie upon the dunghill: but usually a man greatly afflicted is little valued, and he whose state is laid low in the World, his person is also low in the opinion of the World. Job was at that time a Byword in both these Notions; he was low in state, and he was lower in esteem. Hence Observe. First, Great sufferers in the things of this World, Fieri solet ut insignes virorum illustrium calamitates in proverbium abeant deque iis fiant cantiones. Merl. are the common subject of discourse, and often the subject of disgrace. Such evils as few men have felt or seen, all men will be speaking of. Great sorrows, especially if they be the sorrows of great men are turned into Songs, and Poetry plays its part with the saddest disasters. When Sihon King of the Amorites had taken many strong Cities from the King of Moab, the misery which fell upon the Moabites by that War was put into Verse, and passed into a Proverb (Numb. 21.27, 28, 29, 30.) Wherefore they that speak in Proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the City of Sihon be built and prepared: For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the City of Sihon, etc. That is, A fierce hot War is made, which hath consumed Are of Moab, and the Lords of the high places of Arnon. Holy David met with this measure from men in the day of his sorrows (Psal. 69.10, 11.) When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach, I made sackcloth my Garment, I became a Proverb (or a Byword, 'tis Jobs language) to them: In the next Verse he tells us who did this, by way of distribution, They that sit in the Gate (that is, Great ones) speak against me, and I was the song of the Drunkard, that is, Of the common sort. When those false Prophets, Ahab and Zedekiah (who to put the Jews into a hope of a speedy return from their Captivity in Babylon, prophesied the speedy ruin of Babylon itself, when, I say, those false Prophets) should be cruelly put to death by the command of the King of Babylon, according to the Prediction of the Prophet Jeremiah, than the same Prophet foretells also, that this judgement of God upon them for their lies, should be made a Byword, and their names a curse (Jer. 29.21, 22.) And of them shall be taken up a curse, Plagae Zedikiae tangant te, sit frater & servus Zedekiae. Vatabl. by all the Captivity of Judah, which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, whom the King of Babylon roasted in the fire. That signal Victory of Gideon over the Midianites became a Proverb in Israel (Isa. 9.4.) As in the day of Midian. And the Lord promises his people, that the fall of the King of Babylon shall be so notorious, that they shall take up this Proverb, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased? The golden City ceased (Isa. 14.4.) The Prophet Habakkuk assured them that this should be, while he said (Chap. 2.6.) Shall not all these (certainly they shall) take up a Parable against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not bis; how long? And to him that ladeth himself with thick clay. Secondly, Observe. It is a great burden to be made a disgraceful byword. ●hus God threatened his own people, and numbered it among the sorest punishments of their disobedience (Deut. 28. 37.) The Lord shall bring thee and thy King whom thou hast set over thee, to a Nation whom thou nor thy Fathers have known, and there thou shalt serve other Gods, Wood, and Stone, and thou shalt become an astonishment, and a Proverb, and a byword, among all the Nations whither the Lord shall lead thee. This threat was renewed (1 Kings 9.7.) And the Psalmist bewails it that God had brought his people into such a condition, Thou hast made us a byword among the Heathen, a shaking of the head among the people: thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us (Psal. 44.13.) The Prophet Jeremiah speaks terror from the Lord (Jer. 24.9.) I will deliver them to be removed to all the Kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach, and a proverb, and a taunt, and a curse in all the places whither I shall drive them: The Hypocrite, who putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a Prophet to inquire of the Lord, hath his doom denounced in this tenor (Ezek. 14.8.) I will set my face against that man, and make him a sign and a proverb, and cut him off from amidst my people. Again (Ezek. 16.44.) They that speak in proverbs shall say, Such as the Mother is, such is the Daughter; The Hittites and the Israelites were both alike in sin, and they should not be unlike in punishment: Such short sentences are an advantage to memory, and serve in stead of larger Histories of eminent providences, whether mercies or judgements. Thirdly, Observe. God often turns that to the honour of his servants, which men intended to their disgrace. Job was a byword, in disgrace; God made him a byword too, but for his honour. Job is famous to a Proverb at this day: for as when we would set forth the greatness of any man's suffering, we say, He is as poor as Job; so when we would set forth the greatness of any man's patience, we say, He is as patiented as Job, or, he is another Job: All the virtues, In proverbium abiit, Jobi patientia. and graces which the Saints have manifested under sufferings, are proverbially expressed under the sufferings and patience of Job. Never did Caesar, nor Alexander, nor any of the great Hero's of the World obtain such a Name and glory, by victories over men, as Job did by patiented suffering under the hand of God. And as he is proverbially spoken of for his suffering, so likewise for his holiness, God made his Piety a Proverb too, though his Friends suspected him for an Hypocrite. When the Lord would show himself so unalterably resolved, that nothing should take him off from bringing judgement upon a sinful people, he saith, I will not do it, though Noah, Daniel, and Job stood before me (Ezek, 14.14.) As if he had said, I will not do it, though the most eminent men in holiness, or the greatest favourites that ever I had in the World should sue that they might be spared; if any in the World could obtain this of God, Noah, Daniel, and Job could, but they should not, therefore none shall. See with what honourable Names he is listed, Noah and Daniel, men remembered, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interpretatur, antea, prius, i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel ante facies, i. e. in conspectu hominum & in oculis eorum. Exemplum sum coram eyes. Vulg. Sumitur ver bum Tophet ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 portentum, prodigium, res mira i e. Exemplum quod dam prodigiosum. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Et nollet eam ignomi iae exp●nere. Bez. Graeci dicunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicita●p oscriptus publicè in cippo. yea crowned with honour by God and all good men, are but company good enough for Job: Thou hast made me a byword. And aforetime I was as a Tabret. [Aforetime] The word may be taken two ways. First, As signifying what was or hath been done in former times, in which sense we translate, Aforetime, or formerly I was as a Tabret. Secondly, As signifying what is or hath been done in the presence of others, Before them I was as a Tabret: We put in the Margin, Before their face, or in their sight; that is, They being witnesses of it, I was as a [Tabret.] The Vulgar Latin translates the word which we render Tabret, an Example, I am a byword and an example before them; which is a good sense; and then the word Tophet (of which more by and by) is used for Mophet, which signifies a wonder or some strange unusual thing which appears, or is reported to the admiration of all beholders and hearers. I am a Proverb, and a strange example: Strange examples grow often into a Proverb. So the Greek expresseth it; and we in English say to a man who hath offended greatly, You shall be made an example; that is, You shall be severely punished (Mat. 1.19) Joseph being very tender of the honour of Mary his espoused Wise, perceiving that she was with Child before they came together, he was loath to make her a Paradigme, or an example, of dishonesty and disloyalty; he was unwilling to make her a public example, and therefore was minded to put her away privily, till the Lord gave him warning in a dream about it: So saith Job here, according to this rendering, I am a byword among the people, and as it were, a Paradigme, a public example. Great afflictions have these three things in them, in reference to others. First, They are a wonder to others. Secondly, They are a terror to others. Thirdly, They are an instruction unto others. We find all these and more in one Verse (Ezek. 5.15.) So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the Nations round about thee, when I shall execute judgements in thee in anger, and in fury, and in furious rebuke, I the Lord have spoken it. The Apostle Peter describing the judgements of God, first upon the Angels, secondly upon the old World, and lastly, upon Sodom, and Gomorah, saith, that, God turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample to those that after should live ungodly (2 Pet. 2.6.) The burning of those five Cities by immediate fire from Heaven, made them examples, or instructions to all succeeding Generations; we may read the odiousness of those sins, and the severity of God against them, by the light of that fire to this very day. Great afflictions are teaching afflictions; Those calamities which destroy some should instruct all: We are not only to admire and wonder at them, to be amazed and terrified at them, but to be taught and admonished by them. So the Apostle concludes concerning the several judgements which God brought upon the Jews, while they murmured and disobeyed him in the Wilderness: All these things happened to them for examples (or types) and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the World are come (1 Cor. 10.11.) There are two sorts of examples written in the Word. First, There are examples for our imitation. Secondly, There are examples for our caution. Some are examples by the good which they have done, these must be imitated; others are examples by the evils which they have suffered, by these we must be warned: This translation of the Text intends Job an example of Caution. Again, Aforetime I was as a Tabret; that is, Aforetime I was in good repute, or I was pleasant company: As if he had said, I am now derided, mocked at, and tossed upon the tongues of men, yea, I am now voted an Hypocrite, though heretofore in my prosperity, report gave a very pleasant sound of me, though absent, and my person was as welcome to them as a Tabret. To speak of me where I came not was music, and I was music wheresoever I came; but now what am I? A byword, music still if you will, but in scorn, a song of disgrace. That's the first sense. Hence take one Observation, before I proceed to further explication. The affections and opinions of men are very variable. I am now a Byword, before time I was as a Tabret. As the estates of men change, so usually do our opinions of them. Jobs heart was the same as before, he was as holy as ever he was, only he was not so wealthy as he was, his spirit was as full of grace as before, only his Purse was not so full of Gold as before; he had not so many thousand Sheep, nor so many hundred Oxen, he had not such a Family, and retinue, such worldly riches and honour, and because he endured such a change in his condition, see what a change he suffered in men's affections, he that before was as a Tabret, all were glad of him, is now a byword, the scorn of all. Christ giveth testimony of John Baptist (John 5.35.) He was a burning, and a shining light; and what follows? And you rejoiced in him for a season. Though John did burn and shine all the while which God continued him in the Candlestick of the Church with equal heat and lustre, yet they rejoiced in him but for a while, or for a season. The Jews changed their thoughts of John, and their esteem of him was weakened, though John continued in the same strength of parts and gifts: Then, how would they have changed if John had changed. The people's hearts were flatted towards him, though his abilities were not; John had not that repute and honour after a few years which he had at the first. And the word in the Gospel which we translate to rejoice, comes near the word which we have in this Text, a Tabret; for it signifies to leap and dance; and the Tabret is a musical Instrument, at the sound of which men dance and leap; for a time they leapt ●bout John; he was a burning and shining light, and they danced and skipped about him, as Children do about a blazing fire in the Streets, but this was only for a season: John himself found the World a changeling, his followers kept no constant tenor towards him, how constant soever his tenor was. How great a change did Christ himself find; He is yesterday, to day, and the same for ever, yet one day the Jews cry Hosanna, they will needs make him a King, he had much ado to keep himself from a Crown; the air eccoes with Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: yet presently after, the cry was, Crucify him, crucify him, he is not worthy to live, he could not keep himself (by all his power as man) from a Cross; a murderer is preferred before him, Not this man, but Barrabas. We read (Acts 14.) how suddenly the Tide and Stream of affections turned, and how opinions varied about Paul; when he and Barnabas had wrought a great cure, the people came and would needs adore them and offer Sacrifice, and said, The Gods are come down in the likeness of men; They brought Oxen and Garlands, and would needs worship them, there was much ado to stave them off from Deifying, or making Gods of them, and yet before that Chapter is at an end, their acceptation of him was at an end; and Paul was stoned as unworthy the society of men, by the same men, and in the same place where he was saluted as a God. It is no new thing in the World, to see those a byword of the people, who even now were their Tabret: to adore one while, and to despise another, to applaud to day, and to dislike to morrow, now to smile, and anon to frown, is the constant inconstancy of the creature. Therefore, Live not upon the breath of men, upon popular air, or the speech of people: Though to have credit with men be a blessing, yet let us live upon the credit which we have with God, and rejoice only in his esteem. Most men are full of change, and are apt to vary their aspects every moment, their affections are as movable as their outward condition is. Only God never altars his opinion of any man, he never rejects where he hath accepted, nor casts off where he hath embraced, once a friend and always a friend, once pleased with us and always pleased with us; yea God is pleased with his while he manifests a fatherly displeasure against them; and they are as a Tabret to him while he makes them a Byword among the people. Job was a Tabret in the ears of God, when he was a Byword among the people. Thirdly, Because a Tabret or Drum is empty of all but air, and giveth nothing but a sound; some interpret thus, I am before them as an empty Vessel, or as one who hath nothing in him but wind, and from whom nothing comes but a sound of words; that is, They look upon me as a man of no real worth. Paul saith of himself, that though he spoke with the tongues of men and Angels; that is, With the most excellent tongues. Angels have no tongues, nor have they any faces as men have, yet in Scripture, the face of an Angel is put for the most beautiful face, and the tongue of an Angel for the most eloquent tongue among all the children of m n: Now saith Paul, though I had the tongue of Angels, or men, and were the best speaker that ever was, yet (being void of true charity) I should become as a sounding brass and a tinkling Cymbal (1 Cor. 13.1.) Such a tinkling Cymbal was Job esteemed, a Drum full of air, or an empty Vessel, as Jerusalem was left by the King of Babylon (J●r. 51.34.) Fourthly, Some both of the Rabbins and latter Writers tell us, Existimant esse vocem Chaldaicam quae significat, Dominum vel principem. q. d. qui princeps eram factus sum in proverbium & fabulam. Rab. Leu. Vatabl. that Tophet is a Chaldee word, signifying Lord, or a Prince: And they refer us for a confirmation to (Dan. 3.2.) Where we find the word put into the Summons which Nabuchadnezzar sent to his Nobles and great Officers, for their attendance at the dedication of the Image which he had set up: We render it, Sheriffs, whether our word hits that is doubtful, but without doubt it signifies such as were in high Authority, being there marshaled before the Rulers of the Provinces. Taking this interpretation of the word, Jobs meaning is, I am now a proverb, or a man of no credit, though heretofore I was as a Prince, or a Ruler in their presence. Some reject this because the mixture of the Chaldee with the Hebrew, was long after Jobs time, which yet may easily be reconciled. And the sense is good, being indeed the same in substance with the second Exposition. Fifthly, This word Tophet which signifies a Drum, or (as we) a Tabret, which is a smaller Drum (for there is the Martial Drum, or the Drum of War, and the Tabret, which is a Mirth Drum, a Drum used at sports, and dancing, this word I say) gives denomination to a place very famous or infamous rather in the Scripture of the Old Testament: A part of good Josiah his reformation is thus described (2 Kings 23.10.) And he defiled (in the opinion of Idol-worshippers, though indeed the purest worship used there, was more filthy than any filth which Josiah threw into it, He, saith the Text defiled) Tophet which is in the Valley of the Children of Hinnon, that no man might make his Sons and Daughters pass through the fire to Moloch. The Prophet Jeremiah complained of, and threatened that place (Chap. 7.31, 32) They have built the high places of Tophet which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnon, to burn their Sons and Daughters in the fire, etc. Now, the reason why that place was called Tophet, from the word in the Text, arose thus, because when the Jews in those abominable Idolatries offered their own Children, the fruit of their bodies, in sacrifice to Moloch, the reputed God of the Moabites and Ammonites, who was so called from Malac, signifying to rule or reign (for as all Idols would rule as Kings, so this was a chief, a King Idol; hence some conceive Moloch to be the same with Baal, which is also a name of supremacy, signifying Lord, or Master) This Moloch was an hollow Image of Brass, into which they put much fire, having the face of a Bullock, and hands spread abroad like a Man: He had seven Chapels, and whosoever offered his Son to him entered into the seventh; which when any did, they used to beat upon Drums and Tabrets, Barathrum quod supplicii locus erat apud Athenienses, pro inferno usurpatur. Be●m. de Orig. Ling. Lat. A nomine Gehinnon, i. e. Vallis Hinnon, infernus dictus est Gehenna. Hieron. in 10. Cap. Math. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vallis & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ruguit gem●it. that the shrieks and cries of the poor Child might not be heard by the Father: Hence the place was called Tophet from Toph, a Drum, which comes from a radical word signifying to beat, or strike with the hand, because Drums are artificially beaten, and we ordinarily say, Beat the Drum, or, At the beat of Drum. And hence this place Tophet, where those Children were superstitiously tormented by fire and burnt to ashes, grew to a Proverb; so that any place of extreme torment was called Tophet: As Hell is called Barathrum, because Barathrum was a place so called among the Athenians, into which they cast notorious malefactors. Hence also Hell is called Gehenna, from the Valley of the Son of Hinnon, where those Children were sacrificed, or from Ge, signifying a Valley, and Naham, roaring or crying: So that it was called Gehinnon, from the cry of the Children, and Tophet from the beating of Drums to drown the cry of the Children. And upon this account some learned Translators render the sense thus, Et ignis gehennae prius ero. Rab. Da. Pagn. Sum velut Gehenna. q. d. Etiam me vivum adjudicant Gehennae, vel miserandae alicujus mortis generi. Sed●res haec quadrare non potest nam ignis illius vallis Gehennae multo posterior suit quam Job. Pined. Merc. He hath made me a byword, and I am as Hell: that is, They judge me worthy of Hell and damnation; yea, that I am a very Hell, I am as Tophet before them; or they look upon me, as a man in Hell already: But I find this Interpretation discharged from this Text upon good reason, especially by a demonstration of the invalidity of that reason upon which it is grounded, either by the first discoverers or maintainers of it. For the Idolalatry of sacrificing Children to Moloch in Tophet, and the fire in the Valley of Hinnon were not heard of in the time of Job; the first mention of the Valley of Hinnon is (Josh. 18.16.) at the distribution of the Land of Canaan among the Tribes of Israel; and the name Tophet was not given it till some Ages after that, not till the Idolatry of the Jews was grown to its height (which was not presently, but by certain degrees) for that act of theirs in offering their Children to that Idol seems to be the highest growth and top-branch of it. And therefore I pass this exposition. Sixthly, The word Tophet is conceived to set forth the manner of a punishment or torture used in those times: Some Malefactors were adjudged to have their bodies stretched out by the four quarters upon an Engine, Existimo Toph, significare tympanizatum. i e. hominem qui passus est illud supplicium, quod Graeci, vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latini quoque Tympanum. Bold. Tympanizatio illa videtur esse qua reus per quatuor membra distentus bacillis ad numerum in ventre tanquam tympanum percutiebatur. Id. and then to be beaten upon their bellies to such a number of strokes as the Law, or sentence of the Judge appointed. Which manner of torture was called by the Greeks Tympanization, or as we may express it in our language, Drumming, and the person adjudged to that punishment was said to be drummed, when it was inflicted upon him, because he was beaten upon his body like a Drum, and beaten also like a Drum in measure, or to a certain number of strokes, the greatest number not exceeding forty, as the judicial Law of Moses appointed (Deut. 25.2, 3.) which may be a confirmation of this Notion upon Jobs Text; to which also we may add the present custom of the Eastern countries, especially among the Turks, who commonly punish their Captives and Galleyslaves stretching them naked upon a broad Plank or Board, and giving them many cruel strokes upon their Bellies: But above all, the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews gives a clear light to this (Heb. 11.35.) where describing the several torments which the Saints of the old Church among the Jews endured, he saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured. So we translate: The Greek is, Others were drummed, that is, they endured the torture of Tympanization, or Drumming; which word is also used by the Compiler of the History of the Maccabees (2 Macchab. 6.19.28.) who tells us that Eleazar, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and other Martyrs were tympanized or drummed; he offered himself willingly to the torment or Drum; the manner of which may be easily collected from the thirtieth Verse of that Chapter in the Maccabees, where the Author saith, As he was ready to give up the ghost, because of the strokes, etc. which shows two things. First, That the torture was by beating with Staves, or Cudgels. Secondly, That it was not usual for men to die under such beat, that punishment not being to death, but to pain and disgrace; as appears also from that of Pilate concerning Christ, who when he found nothing in him worthy of death, said, I will chastise (or beat) him, and release him (Luke 23.15, 16.) And Paul received forty stripes save one, five times of the Jews (which seems to have been a torture somewhat like this we are now upon) and was thrice beaten with Rods, and yet survived them all (2 Cor. 11.24.25.) The Prophet Nahum also may thought be to allude to this custom (Na. 2.7.) And Huzzab (which some take for the proper name of the Queen of Ninevie) shall be led away Captive, she shall be brought up, and her Maids shall lead her as with the voice of Doves, tabring (or drumming) upon their breasts, it is this word in the Text; that is, They shall inflict that punishment upon themselves, which others use to inflict on evil doers; as if he had said, They shall torture themselves, or be their own tormentors for very grief and vexation at those miseries which their enemies shall bring upon them. As the poor Publican filled with godly sorrow and remorse for his sin, Smote upon his breast (Luke 18.13.) So it is usual for such as are overburdened with worldly sorrow, to smite upon their breasts, and add a voluntary pain to that which is inflicted. Job is conceived to aim at this form of punishment; and then (taking the former part of the Verse, not as we render it, I am a byword, but as the word properly signifies, to Govern, or bear Rule, and then I say) the sense appears thus, I who have been a Ruler, Statuit me ad dominari populis & tympanizatus palam ero. Bold. or in place of Authority heretofore, am now looked upon as a man who either had been, or deserves to be tortured, drummed, or cudgeled; as if I were at once an ordinary man and an extraordinary Malefactor: We may also keep to our translation of the former part of the Verse, and suit this Exposition of the latter part very well unto it; Thus, He hath made me a byword of the people, Ac si publicé fuissem tympanizatus & bacillis caesus. and before them I am in no better repute than a man who for his faults hath undergone public shame; as if we should say (according to our customs) than a man that hath been whipped about the Streets, or that hath stood upon the Plliorie, or that hath been branded with a hot Iron in the hand or face; both which applications of this Exposition centre in that Observation lately given, about the changeableness and inconstancy of man's opinion concerning and of his affections towards man: And therefore I shall not insist further upon the use of it, but only add, that, Bolduc. A learned Interpreter takes much pains to make out a proof of this exposition from that passage of the Prophet Isaiah (Chap. 30. Vers. 30, 31, 32, 33.) where the Lord having made gracious promises to his own people of their deliverance from the Assyrian bondage, thus threatens the Assyrian, the Rod of his anger, and the Staff of his indignation (Ver. 30.) The Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering tempest and hailstones. For through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a Rod. And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with Tabrets and Harps, and in battles of shaking will he fight with it. For Tophet (which is the word of the Text) is ordained of old, yea for the King it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large: the pile th' reof is fire, and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it. In these words (saith my Author) there is a clear description of that kind of torture, called Tympanization, or Drumming, with which the King of Assyria is either threatened (in specie) particularly, and properly, or by a Synecdoche, to show that God would lay severe punishments upon him. For (saith the Prophet) Through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian he beaten down, which smote with a Rod: He smote with a Rod, but he shall be beaten down with a Staff; for in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, or, every passing of the Rod founded; that is, Of the Rod founded in the Decree of God, which so establisheth it, that no power nor policy of the Assyrian shall avoid, or remove it: For though God will not let the Rod of the wicked rest upon the lot of the righteous (Psal. 125.3.) yet the Rod of God shall rest upon the lot of the wicked, There shall be the rest thereof (Zech. 9.1.) The Rod of God, by the lighting down of his arm (V. 30.) shall strike home to, yea into the flesh of his Enemies, and there make deep gashes or cuts, running like so many rivulets with blood; and (saith he) The Lord shall lay it upon him, or, as our Margin hath it, Shall cause it to rest upon him; when the Lord lays it on, let who so will, or rather who so can (and indeed none can) take it off, The Lord shall lay it upon him; and (as it follows) it shall he with Tabrets and Harps; which, as most Interpret of the joy which the Jews should have at the downfall of the Assyrian, so my Author expounds it suitably to his Notion, of the manner of Gods smiting the Assyrian; which should be as a Drum, or Tabret is smitten, with many repeated strokes, which in some exercisings of that Art, pass so thick, and so uncessantly, that the Sticks seem to rest upon the Drum, as also the finger upon the Harp, and not to move at all off from either; even thus shall God lay his Staff upon the Assyrian: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it, or with them; that is, by the shaking of Battles, or by frequent renewed Battles, will he fight with and destroy them. For (as it follows) Tophet is prepared of old; that is, The Engine upon which he shall be tortured; the form and manner of which is in many particulars described out of ancient Writers, by the Author of this exposition, but I shall not stay upon them. This Tophet is prepared of old, or, from yesterday; that is, God hath prepared it aforehand, and made it ready, He hath made it deep and large; that is, proportionable in all i●s dimensions for that use and purpose; yea for the King it is prepared (the great King of Assyria) which is added, because this was a punishment for common men, yet the King (saith he) shall be thus tortured, he shall no more escape the hand of God, than the meanest of his Subjects, and he shall be handled in the same manner as the meanest among them shall. The dishonour of such a suffering is a greater punishment to a great King, than the pain of it, yet he cannot be dispensed with, yea for the King it is prepared. The pile of it is fire, and much wood: What's the meaning of that? My Author answers, This punishment of drumming was sometims but preparatory another: first they were beaten, and then they were burned; and therefore (saith he) before the Engine a great fire was made, into which when they were tortured by beating, offenders were cast and consumed to ashes. Jubet amoveri noxialem stipitem plebeia clarum paena me damnet virum. Prud. in Rom. Martyr. Our Martyrologyes tell us of some, who have been first hanged, and then burned; and ordinarily among us, when Traitors are put to death, a fire is made at the place of Execution, into which their bowels are cast, when their bodies are cut up and quartered. Thus here, The pile thereof is fire and much wood: And the breath of the Lord as a stream of brimstone doth kindle it; that is, The Lord being extremely angry with, and incensed against the King of Assyria, will therefore kindle this fire of his wrath totally to consume him. But here it may be demanded, Did any of the Kings of Assyria, who captivated and afflicted the Jews, suffer such a kind of death as this? I suppose none of them did: Some tell us that the Army of Senacherib which invaded Judea, was overthrown and destroyed by the Angel in that place called Tophet, or in the Valley of Hinnon, which is also given as a reason why that word is used in the Prophet; but Senacharib himself was slain in the Temple of his Idol (2 K. 19.37.): Nor is it (as I conceive) the mind of our Expositor, to conclude from hence that the King of Babylon was put to death by such a torture; but only to show under the description of that kind of death, that the death and destruction of the King of Babylon should be very terrible, and that God would judge him, even as notorious offenders are, both to a painful and a shameful end. As this Interpretation of the Prophet gives much light to that of Job, so it is an ingenious conjecture upon that place, and carries a fair correspondence both to truth and reason. Nor is there (that I have met with) any Interpreter who doth not understand that Text of Isaiah in its first and literal sense, of the temporary judgements which God threatened to pour out upon the State and King of Babylon, as most in a Tropological and Allusive sense, Interpret it of eternal judgement in Hell, which is indeed a fiery Tophet, and is prepared of old, yea for the King it is prepared, for the great King of Assyria, as well as for the meanest person. There is a seventh Translation and Exposition of these words which takes the former part of the Verse as was touched upon the last, and reads the whole thus; For he will make me a Governor among the people, Nam fore ut instituat me ad praesidendum populis, quamvis tympanotribarum materia ante fuerim. Jun. Restituet me Deus in dignitatem meam & altius provehet. Jun. though I have thus been made as matter for the Fiddlers or Taberers Song. So that, as the former Exposition renders the Text as a complaint, proceeding from Jobs grief, that he who had been a Great Man, a Governor of the people, should be now punished as a slave, or as a Malefactor; so this renders it as a Prophecy, proceeding from his Faith, That God would restore and raise him again to be a Governor among the people, though now he was the scorn and derision of the people. This reading rises clearly enough from the words of the Text, yet I have one exception against it, as to the constant tenor of Jobs profession; who though he were full of Faith in God, that it should go well with him for eternity, yet he constantly disclaims any hope of restauration to a temporal greatness; and having said at the beginning of this Chapter, My days are extinct, the Graves are ready for me, it seems unsuitable to say h●re (which is the sense of this translation) My worldly joys are blossoming, the Thrones are ready for me: And therefore (with much reverence to the learned Author) I lay by this Interpretation. Lastly, Master Broughton translates thus, That maketh me a byword to the people, and I am openly a Taber: He applies it not (as we) to the former time, but to that time, I am a Tabret, and that openly, or in open view, in the sight of all. We say of a man that is abused and jeered, He is played upon; so saith Job (according to this rendering) They play upon me as a Taber, they rejoice in my sufferings, they make themselves merry with my sorrows, and rejoice at my calamity; so the Lords of the Philistines dealt with Samson, having put out his eyes and imprisoned him, they sent for him to make them Blessed sport (Judg. 16.25.) Thus (as the sense of this Translation leads us) Job aggravates his sorrows, Posuisti autem me fabulam in gentibus & risus eis deveni. Sept. by the joy which others discovered at it; which is also the meaning of the Septuagint, whose reading is, Thou hast made me a talk among the people, and I became a laughingstock to them. Hence Observe. Grief is most grievous when others rejoice at it. Those afflictions which make others laugh, make us most mournful: when Nero had set Rome on fire, he made himself music at it, and that calamity upon the City, was as a Tabret to him, while they were sorrowing, he was singing. As to rejoice at the evil which others suffer is base joy, the worst of joys in itself, so it makes the evils which we suffer worse to our apprehension. The Prophet laments over Jerusalem, because of this (Lament. 2.15.) All that pass by, clap their hands at thee, they hisse and wag their head at the Daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the City that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee, they hisse and gnash the teeth, they say, We have swallowed her up certainly, this is the day that we looked for, we have found, we have seen it. Jerusalem was as much burdened with her Enemy's joy, as with her own sorrows. If when we mourn, we have some to mourn with us, we are comforted in our mournings; but when God leaves us to the scorn and contempt of men, when they make themselves merry with our troubles, and exult at our calamities, when our tears are as Wine to them, and the Bread of our affliction becomes the Bread of their desire, this renders our sorrows out of measure sorrowful. Hence David (Psal. 25.2.) prays so hard, Lord let not mine Enemy triumph over me: It is easier to lose a Battle, yea to die in Battle, then to be led in triumph, or to be triumphed over after the battle: David being freed from that fear, gathers a strong argument that God had respect to him (Ps. 41.11.) By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine Enemy doth not triumph over me, It is greatest mercy when we triumph over our Enemies, but it is great mercy when God delivers us from being triumphed over by our Enemies, for as the mercies of the wicked, so the joys of the merciless are cruel. The Apostle reports it as a great part of his affliction, that he was made a ●aging stock, or a spectacle to the World, to Angels and men (1 Cor. 4.9.) The word which the Apostle useth is an Allusion to the Roman theatres, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. whither all the people resorted to sport themselves, and their special sport was, to behold the Combats of Men with Men, or of Men with Beasts; such a sporting spectacle were the Apostles made (in their combats with the World) to the World, and to Angels, and to Men: They had Spectators enough, they were a Spectacle to the World, that is, To the Inhabitants of the World, who are distributed into their first and greatest division in the next word, Angels and men: Heaven and Earth are the Fabric of the whole World, Angels and men are all the Inhabitants of both, yet some restrain Paul's Text, to evil Angels only, or Devils, because it sounds harsh to the ear, that the good Angels should delight themselves in beholding the sufferings of good men; but it is not Paul's scope to show that every beholder of their sufferings took delight in their sufferings, but that all did, or might behold them, for those things were not done in a corner. The Apostles were set forth by their Adversaries as if they had invited all the World, Angels and Men, good and bad, to laugh at them; yet as good men could not behold them without weeping, so the good Angels could not behold them with rejoicing, unless it were at their constancy and courage for God, or at that Crown which they saw ready prepared for those who overcome: And in this sense good men also rejoiced at their sufferings. But when any man's sufferings are rejoiced at, because he suffers and is in pain; this is very painful. This was Moabs' burden (Jer. 48.39.) They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down? How hath Moab turned the back with shame? So shall Moab be a derision, and a dismaying to all them about him. And when the Psalmist would express how highly God was offended at the counsels and plottings of wicked ones, he tells us, He that sitteth in Heaven shall laugh, he shall have them in derision (Psal. 2.) And if ever people had cause to bless God because he hath not made their Enemies to rejoice over them, we have cause to do it. What a byword should we have been by this time, what a Tabret to the Nations round about, what music to many thousands at home, had the Lord given but that occasion to them, that he hath oft, and oft put into our hands? Blessed be his Name that he hath not made us a Tabret to others, but hath often put a Tabret into our hands, and a new Song into our mouths, even of thanksgiving to our God. Job having aggravated his sorrows, by their effects upon others; now shows what effect they had upon himself. Vers. 7. My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow. [Mine eye] The eye is taken two ways, either properly for the corporal eye, illa de inferiori sensibili cognitione quae fit per phantasmata, sic ista de intellectuali oculo exponi debet. Bold. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Denotatur in illo verbo activa provocatio, indignatio, irritatio. Caligavit ab indignatione oculus meus. Vulg. or tropically for the understanding: Some interpret Job of the eye of the mind; and that hath compliance with the translation which is also given of the latter clause, as I shall show when I come thither. But I rather take it literally for the eye of the body. Mine eye, that is, That Organ of sight which is as the Glass or light of the whole body, even that is dim by reason of, [Sorrow.] The word signifies more than ordinary sorrow, it signifies sorrow with indignation, or from provocation: Jobs sorrow had a touch of indignation, and it stirred him up to some undue provocations: Sorrow is taken two ways. Actively. Passively. Actively, for the sorrow, sorrowing. Passively, for the sorrow, sorrowed. Magna cogitatio obcaecat adducto intus visu in morbo comitiali aperti nihil cernunt animo caligante Plin. lib. 11. c. 37. de oculis & lachrymis. Sorrow is the affliction itself, or sorrow is that passion which moves in us when we are afflicted, By reason of sorrow mine eye is dim: Sorrow is a waist both to the vital and visive powers (Psal. 6.7.) Mine eye is consumed because of grief: Again (Psal. 31.9, 10.) Have mercy on me O Lord, for I am in trouble; mine eye is consumed with grief, yea my soul, and my belly. This effect of grief hath been touched before (Chap. 16.16.) Mine eye is dim by reason of sorrow. And all my members are as a shadow. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Formavit. [Members.] That is, First, all the members of my body: Secondly (the Hebrew bears it) all the creatures, and imaginations of my mind are as a shadow. The same word is used (Gen. 6.5.) The thoughts of the imaginations of man's heart (that is, The figments, Creata in● ea quasivinb a omnia. Merc. Per creata alij membra, alii cogitationes volunt. Rab. Leu. Vocabulum illud quadrat in illa omnia quae externa figura aut interna cogitatione effigiantur; hinc multi legunt cogitationes phantasias Pagn. Reg. Vatabl. or features of things which are form up there) are evil, and only evil continually: We put, All my thoughts, in the Margin of our Translation: As if he had said, My mind is so enfeebled that I can scarce think or frame any solid notion; my mind is so unsettled that I know not how to make up my thoughts, or bring them to a rational issue about any point. Sorrow weakens the intellective part, as well as the sensitive: As if he had said, My mind, which heretofore was apt to conceive, and to bring forth the exactest Ideas and platforms of truth; I, who could shape and fashion excellent meditations, am now so weak-headed, that I can scarce put two thoughts together, and all I do is but a shadow to what I have been able to do. This is a fair sense, yet considering the context, I rather understand it of the members of his body, which were so decayed and poor, that he looked like a Skeleton, or (as we say of such) an Anatomy, nothing being left but skin and bone, nothing but a pack of bones; so that he was rather the shadow and appearance of a man, than a man. Hence Observe. The sorrows of the mind break the body, as well as the mind. This effect of sorrow hath been met with in other places, and particularly (Chap. 16.16.) I shall only add, that although godly sorrow (as was there showed) may work deeply to the expense of bodily strength, yet there is a very gracious promise (Isa. 58.11.) that God will make the bones of such fat, that is, Fill them with marrow, which is the strength of the whole outward man. And they who are weakened by the continual exercises of godly sorrow, here, are in preparation to an estate, where they shall sorrow no more: There will be no dim eyes in Heaven, nor members like a shadow: Our vile body shall be fashioned like unto his glorious body, and all tears and mourning shall flee away. Perfect happiness is inconsistent with a blubbered eye. And though in Heaven a Saint may be called Adam (because his body, for the substance of it, shall be the same that it was here on earth, though extremely refined and sublimated, yea, spiritualised, yet earth still, now I say, though a Saint in Heaven after the resurrection, may (in this sense) be called Adam, made of Earth) yet no Saint can be there called Enosh, that state being incapable of the least mixture of sorrow. JOB, CHAP. 17. Vers. 8, 9 Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the Hypocrite. The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. IN the two former Verses Job shown the greatness of his affliction from a twofold effect. In these two Verses he shows two reasons why his afflictions were so great, not as Eliphaz and his Associates had suggested, because he was a great sinner, or had sinned beyond the common line of man; but, First, That men, even upright men might be astonished, at the strangeness of this dispensation of God, and of his strength, supporting a weak creature under it, and carrying him through it: God will do some things which shall at once teach and astonish his people, and gives them not only matter of instruction, but cause of wonder Secondly, That, the innocent and righteous might be encouraged by my example to proceed vigorously in the ways of holiness, notwithstanding all the opposition they find from men, and the afflictions laid upon them by the hand of God; for as much as the favour of God shines in upon me through all these Clouds, and I have no doubt of his love, though I feel all this smart. Naki non tam in conscientia purum a peccato, quam ab omni, passione, humanoque respectu immunem virum hic significat. Bold. Vers. 8. Upright men shall be astonished at this. Who is an upright man hath been opened before; yet here the upright man is a man free from passion and prejudice, as well as from hypocrisy and false-heartedness. The word which we translate [Astonished] signifies astonishment with admiration, or such an admiration, as leaves a man astonished and senseless, or puts him quite beside himself; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tacitu miratus est, prae admiratione stupuit. when natural reason is much overpowred, we act as if we had had no reason. Upright men shall be astonished. Master Broughton reads it in the Imperative Mood, Let upright men be astonished at this: He carries the same form to the end of the context, Let upright men be astonished at this, and let the innocent stir up himself against the Hypocrite: Let the righteous hold on his way, and let him that hath clean hands be stronger, and stronger: As if the words contained a use of exhortation or direction to several duties which Jobs state calls us unto. We say, Upright men may be astonished, as importing the event, or what was intended in the act: As if he had said, Men of a right temper will not be transported with ungrounded jealousies and uncertain conjectures concerning me, when they see all this upon me, but will refer my strange disasters to the unconceivable wisdom of God, who thus order the afflictions of his people, and seems to reward their holy services with sharpest sufferings. Upright men shall be astonished, at what? At this: or upon the consideration of this thing: but what is this thing, the consideration whereof, shall raise up such astonishment? When the Bush burned and was not consumed, Moses resolved, I will turn aside now, and see this great thing: Strange sights call us to consideration. We have in this Text, A bush burning and not consuming, upright men may well be astonished and turn aside to see it. More particularly, there are four things upon which the occasion of this astonishment is pitched. Upright men shall be astonished at, or upon this. First, At your hard dealing with me, at your rigid censures of me, your bitter bywords and taunting Proverbs against me, will certainly cause upright men, men of a clear judgement and conscience, to stand astonished: As if he had said, It is not my single opinion that you have wronged me, but all men of integrity will not only say the same, but be amazed at your deal with me. Secondly, At this, that is, At the deliverance which God will give me out of these troubles; thus the sense is made out by those who render the sixth Verse as the Prophecy of Jobs Faith that he should be restored and set up to govern among the people: This turn of things shall work astonishment in the best and most sober spirited men, upright men shall be astonished, Animo, dictis, factis viri boni glorientur in Deo & de hypocritarum confusione exultent. Jun. to seem translated from the dunghill to the Throne, from a state of greatest contempt to a state of highest honour. Good men shall glorify God in me, and shall rejoice at the downfall of Hypocrites; but though the event did verify this, Job was at the last restored, and was made as a Prince among the people, and his restauration was such as might justly astonish and draw all that either saw or heard of it into admiration, yet I much doubt whether Job had any such scope in these words, which rather continue and heighten the aggravations of his then present troubles, then hold out any intimations of his hope, much less of his assurance of a raising to a future worldly prosperity. Thirdly, Some conceive this matter of astonishment to be the patience of Job under his sufferings, that he should endure and hold out in such extremities, till his eye was dim by reason of sorrow, and his members were like a shadow: Upright men shall be astonished at this; Is it not marvellous that a man should act a life of grace, when it could scarce be perceived that he acted the life of nature? As God doth often work miraculously for the deliverance of his people out of trouble, so they sometimes (by his power) work miraculously under troubles, before deliverance comes. Such patience, such humility, such meekness, and faith, are recorded in Scripture, as have caused upright men to stand astonished. This is a good sense, but I rather pitch upon a fourth, as most proper to this place. Cladis haec mea universis est stupenda sed justis praesertim. Pined. Quod ita atrociter affligar cum sim innocens, etc. Merc Fourthly, I conceive when Job saith, Upright men shall be astonished at this: He points at the greatness of his affliction: As if he had thus expressed it, My being made a byword among the people, my dymed eyes and lean body will make such a report and be such a sight, as will set all honest men a wondering, upright men shall be astonished at this. What! Hath the Lord dealt thus with Job, a holy man, concerning whose integrity he hath given such ample testimony? This is indeed the Lords doing, but it is marvellous in our eyes. Hence Observe. First, That the best of men, upright men are sometimes at a loss how to interpret the outward deal of God. Some providences of God put the wisest to a stand; not only are Fools and wicked men, but men of the greatest experience and understanding in the ways of God, so puzzled that they know not what to say, or how to answer? The Lord is pleased to give as hard Texts and Chapters in his works as he doth in his Word; many outward administrations lie so close, yea so cross to his ordinary proceed, that we know not what to make of them: If we see a wicked man afflicted, we shall see a godly man afflicted much more: If we see a godly man prosper, we shall see a wicked man prosper double to it; these are strange things, at which not a few are amazed, and at their wit's end; should we judge of all the deal of God by humane reason, we should conclude some of them without, or against reason, though indeed they are only above our reason, or have a height of reason in them, which we cannot reach, and therefore must admire. No man wonders at that for which he can give a reason, and therefore we say it altogether unbecomes a Philosopher (who would be thought knowing about the reason of every thing) to wonder: There are depths in the providences of God which no man is able to reach or fathom, else upright men need not be astonished at them. The Preacher gives a caution, that we should not be over curious in prying into such secrets (as some make the connexion of those two Verses Eccles. 7.15, 16.) All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: Solomon was a man of vast observation, and though he had not seen all things in their particular existence, yet he had seen all things in their general nature; and he gives instance in two sorts of things which he had seen, There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness (Job was a righteous man, and he perished outwardly) and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in wickedness. Among all his observations, he thought none of greater moment than these two: Now when God puts the righteous into a perishing condition, and sets up the wicked in worldly glory; this is matter of much admiration and inquisition, therefore he subjoines (according to this interpretation) his caution (Vers. 16.) Be not righteous over much, neither make thy s●lfe over wise; that is, Be not anxious in searching out every particular, or every little little about this administration of God; make not thyself over wise, do not think that thou canst reach the reason of all that God hath done in causing a righteous man to perish, Dum plus scire vis quam opertet, prae admiratione rei humanum captum vincentis ad mentis stuporem devenias. Pined. and a wicked man to flourish, there is more in it then thou canst comprehend, Why shouldest thou destroy thyself? that is, Thou mayst amaze and bewilder, yea undo and destroy thyself, if thou venturest too far upon those secrets of providence, but thou wilt not be able to extricate or resolve thyself by all thy venturing. Now, If the providences of God be such a deep, that upright wise men are astonished at them, than what a deep are the counsels and decrees of God? Providences are the dispensations of God to the eye, they are the objects of sense, if we cannot see to the end of that which is before us, as providences are, how shall we see the end of that which is so far off from us as the Counsels and Decrees of God are? The Apostle stood as a man astonished at both (Rom. 11.33.) when he had spoken of that amazing dispensation of God in casting off the Jews, and receiving the Gentiles, he cries out, O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God: How unsearchable are his judgements; and among them, this special judgement in taking the Gospel from the Jews, and breaking them off, who were the natural branches, that the Gentiles who were the wild Olive might be graffed in: How unsearchable is this judgement, and this way of God past finding out; Upright men are astonished at this. Secondly, Observe. How strange soever the deal of God are with his, yet righteous men are only astonished at them. They are not scandalised, they are not offended at God for them, they do not blaspheme the name, or apostatise from the ways of God, nor do they quarrel at his dispensations. For as when they are astonished at the prosperity of the wicked, they preserve high and holy thoughts of God, and only seek resolution at the mouth of God: as the Prophet Jeremiah did (Ch. 12.1.) Lord thou art righteous, yet let me reason with thee, Why doth the way of the wicked prosper? Or as Habakkuk (Chap. 2.2.) propounds his question to find out the knot in the ways and deal of God: Now I say, as it is thus with the righteous, when they see the great prosperity of the wicked, so when they see the greatest adversities of the godly, they are only amazed at the deal of God, they do not despond, much less blaspheme because of his dealing. But when carnal men see those who have gone for righteous or upright, under afflictions, they run into desperate extremes. First, They despise and slight them. Secondly, They judge them Hypocrites. Thirdly, They look upon them as the most miserable men in the World: Afflicted grace and innocence hath no beauty in a carnal eye. Fourthly, They judge hardly of God, who deals thus severely with men; what? Are these the servants of God, and doth he use them thus? Doth he recompense them thus for the pains which they have taken, and for the work which they have done him? Fifthly, They grow into an abhorrence of holiness, and into a distaste of Religion itself. If God pay his Servants wages in such coin as this (say they) let who so will serve him, we are not ambitious of his Livery. If this be the portion of Professors (as you call them) let who will profess; thus they are scandalled and offended. It is storied, that when Aygoland a King of the Moors (who had long maintained War against Charles the Great, hoping to make a fairer agreement with him) had promised to receive the Christian Faith, and be Baptised, he coming with a gallant retinue to the French Court, saw there a number of poor men fed and clothed by the Emperor's charity, Aygolandus abjecto servorum Dei statu offensus a Christianae fidei professione abstinuit. Lampad. in Sleyd. part. 3. and enquiring who they were, it was answered, That they were the Servants of God: What, said he, Are the Emperor's Servants so rich and brave, and are the Servants of God so poor and squalid? I had a purpose to be baptised, but now I am resolved never to serve that God, who keeps and rewards his Servants no better. What this King spoke out, many speak in their hearts; they will not serve Christ upon selfe-denying and suffering terms. As when the Cross falls upon Hypocrites, they depart from the Faith, and (with Demas) embrace this present World; they will not endure a storm for Christ, nor hazard their worldly possessions for all the promises in the Gospel; so when the godly fall under crosses and afflictions for the Gospel, evil and profane men reject it, they will none of it: The righteous may be astonished and wonder, but the wicked blaspheme at this. Thirdly, Observe. Good men are apt to have strange thoughts about afflictions and crosses. They who are well acquainted with the Theory of sufferings, yet when they come to suffer indeed, find much loathness and averseness to it. The Apostle Peter saw this and laboured to remove it (1 Pet. 4.12.) My brethren, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, as if some strange thing had happened to you, but rejoice, etc. They looked strange on trials, as if they had never seen nor heard of them before: They knew not how to digest such hard-meate as sufferings are, under the profession of the Gospel; their hearts were somewhat cold to those sires, and they had no mind to come near lest they should burn their fingers, and were therefore warned, Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial. Jesus Christ (as the Prophet describes him, Isa. 53.3.) was a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief. Christ and grief were no strangers, why then should a Christian think strange of it? The Apostle useth that argument (Vers. 13.) But rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings: Ours are the sufferings of Christ, not only because we suffer for him, and he suffers with us, but because he suffered the same things, yea fare greater both before us and for us: Christ took our sufferings upon him, when he took our nature upon him, yet our nature thinks strange to partake in the sufferings of Christ. The Apostle Paul (1. Ep. 3.3, 4.) tells the Thessalonians, that he sent Timotheus to establish them, and to comfort them concerning their Faith, That no man should be moved by these afflictions: q. d. Tribulationum justorum jam nobis causa & ratio explorata est; at quondam ut pote ignota, multam admirandi & philosophandi materiam ipsis justis praebebat. Intimating that the best of men, the best of Saints are apt to be moved by afflictions; he means it of an inward motion, that is, to have their spirits disturbed and troubled, as david's was when he put those questions to his soul (Psal. 42.11.) Why art thou cast down O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? But why should no man be moved by those afflictions? The Apostle shows why, For yourselves know that we were also appointed thereto: for verily when I was with you I told you before that we must suffer tribulations, as it came to pass, and ye know it. Paul gave them notice before affliction came, lest they should be moved when they were come. Thus Christ warned his Disciples. and he warned them for this end (John 16.1.) These things have I spoken to you that you be not offended: What things were these? They (saith he) shall put you out of the Synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth God service: Christ foresaw that when these things came they would find work enough to quiet their spirits in, and to quit themselves from troublesome motions: And as Christ to keep or make their hearts quiet, tells them of their sufferings aforehand, so he therefore tells them that he himself had suffered before hand (John 15.18.) If the World hate you, you know it hated me before it hated you; you know it, and knowing it, you ought not be troubled when you meet with hatred in the World: The Servant must not expect better usage than his Master. When we see so much laid in to fortify our spirits against outward crosses, in, or for the profession of the Gospel, it is an abundant argument that our hearts are apt to startle, and we to be astonished at them. And the innocent shall stir up himself against the Hypocrite. [The innocent] Here is a different Character, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evigitavit, excitavit. or clothing of words, but the person is the same. The innocent shall [stir] up himself: The word signifies to stir up from sleep, and to stir up from sloth, it signifies also such a stirring as the Eagle useth to provoke her young ones to fly (Deut. 32.11.) Thus the innocent shall awake and stir up himself. [Against the Hypocrite] The Hypocrite is taken two ways: Either strictly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sun● qui reddunt improbum quo modo ea vox exprimitur ●pud Hebraeos. Drus. as opposed to the upright in the former part; and under that notion I have heretofore spoken of the Hypocrite (Chap. 8. etc.) Secondly, The Hypocrite may be taken largely, and so every wicked man is he, except he who openly professeth wickedness, and yet even he may go for an Hypocrite, for he is more wicked (when he hath professed his utmost) than he doth profess himself to be. The Septuagint render him, , Reddunt iniquum Sep. De● latorem. Targe and the Caldee Paraphrase, The backbiter or defamer: And another of the Greek Interpreters calls him the Enemy; The innocent shall stir up himself against his enemy, Justus super inimicum consurget. Olymp. or against his opposite: And who is that? but the wicked man, under what notion soever we put him: The single terms thus cleared, fall yet under a different sense, as joined together. Suam orationem pa ulo incitatiorem excusat. q. d. quid mirum me ita loqui cum res ipsa tam indigna sit? Pined. First, Some conceive that Job makes an apology, or an excuse for himself in these words, why he expressed so much passion, and used such sharpness of speech toward his Friends: As if he had said, Blame me not for doing it, things are carried so, as upright men may be astonished, it would make a wiseman mad, and a meek man furious; a very post would be awakened and stirred, at what my Friends have again and again pressed upon me; therefore pardon my passion, and (if you will needs call it so) my impatience. Non me latet ad rem tantam sapientes percelli, atque adeo in ejusmodi casu interdum insontes adversus eos qui sic affliguntur, tanquam adversus hypocritas commoveri. Bez. Secondly, Master Beza expounds Job, aiming at a good man in great troubles mistaken for an Hypocrite, by those who are good: he represents him speaking thus, I am not ignorant that not only ordinary and common men, but even the wise and the upright will be troubled and astonished at my sufferings, and that sometimes (in such a case as mine is) innocent men will stir up, or set themselves against him that is thus afflicted, as if he were an Hypocrite: When God puts a disguise of great troubles upon his faithful Servants, they who are faithful will scarce own them; they are ready to number them among enemies, at least to doubt very much (as they did about Paul upon another account, Acts 9.26.) whether he be a Friend or a Disciple. Afflictions have made the sincere appear as Hypocrites in the opinion of those who are sincere. Indignabitur contra hypocritam quod ille calamitates tribuit peccatis. Cajet. A third makes this the ground of the innocent man's quarrel against the Hypocrite, why doth he stir up himself, and engage against him? Why is he so angry with the Hypocrite? Even because he sees the Hypocrite foolishly condemning the godly as wicked, because they are afflicted, or ascribing their calamities merely to their sins. Excitabit se contra impium florentem & faelicem, quod videat illum non recipere digna peccari●. Fourthly, Thus, The innocent shall stir up himself; that is, His spirit shall be troubled at the Hypocrite, or wicked man whom he sees in a flourishing condition; so we may expound it by that caution which David gives (Psal. 37.1.) Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. Good men have been much moved and fretted at the prosperity of the ungodly: But surely Job is not here declaring the infirmities of the innocent, but their graces. And therefore, Lastly, The innocent shall stir up himself against the Hypocrite, carries in it the commendation of the innocent persons perseverance and constancy in the faith and sincerity of his profession, what changes soever are upon him: As if he had said, Though a godly man be afflicted and brought low, though he be scorned and trampled upon when he is brought low, yet he will not forsake his principles, or disclaim his profession; Quamvis ab eo rideatur quod affligatur, haud tamen proptere● desiderio ducetur ejus sequendi aut ei se adjungendi sed excitabit se, etc. Merc. nay he will be so far from slacking in, or turning away from his profession, that he will manifest more holy zeal for God and his ways, together with more holy opposition against wicked men, and all their ways, their ever he did before: The upright shall be astonished at this, but they shall not be disheartened, their wisdom and courage shall still appear in maintaining their quarrel against the generation of evil doers, wheresoever they meet with them The innocent shall stir up himself against the Hypocrite. Hence Note. First, There is an everlasting opposition between the godly and the wicked. The innocent stirs up himself (like a Lion) against the Hypocrite: His heart riseth against him, not as a man, not as his enemy, but as a wicked man, and as an enemy to God. The foundation of this holy War was laid in that word of God (Gen. 3.15.) I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, between her seed, and thy seed. As there is an enmity, de facto, in wicked men against the righteous, they will ever be opposing them: So there is an enmity, de jure, of right, and duty in the righteous against the wicked, they ought ever to oppose them: that quarrel, those feudes must not be laid down: and therefore the Apostle John, who though he was the beloved Desciple, and was most pressing and persuasive to love among Saints and Brethren, yet he forbids the love of wicked men, Love not the World (1 Epist. 2.15.) which refers as well to worldly persons, as worldly things: And the Apostle James is direct (Chap. 4.4.) The friendship of the World is enmity against God. Our peicing in, or making peace with the World, is a proclaimed War against God himself. It is our duty, and it is our spiritual safety, to stir up our selves spiritually, against the wicked. As we deny not civil peace with Hypocrites, and the worst of men, so there is a spiritual warfare which we are bound to continue (how chargeable soever it may prove to us) against all Hypocrites and wicked men. And if they say (of this Sword) as (Jer. 47.6.) O thou Sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? We must answer as the Sword doth there, How can I be quiet seeing the Lord hath given me a charge against Askelon? The Sword of that War receives its Commission from God, and is designed now to one coast, anon to another: The Sword of this War hath long since received its Commission from God, against all the coasts of sin, and powers of darkness, nor can it be quiet, or put itself up in its Scabbard while there is an Hypocrite appearing upon the face of the Earth. God's quarrel must be perpetuated, it can never be taken up, Let them return to thee, but return not thou to them, was the Prophet's charge (Jer. 15.19.) There's no compounding of this difference; they must return and give themselves up to God, and his ways, else we cannot give them an inch of ground, or make truce with them for an hour, much less may we make peace with them, or give them the right hand of fellowship. Secondly, Here we have the Hypocrite in his flourish, and the innocent in his affliction, the Hypocrite aloft, and the innocent below; yet when it is thus, even than the innocent is described stirring up himself against the Hypocrite. Hence Observe. A godly man afflicted, doth not at all approve or applaud the Hypocrite, but opposeth him in his greatest pomp and worldly splendour. When the wicked are at the highest, even as happy as the World can make them, yet a godly man will not change states with them, or (as we say) turn Tables with them; he would not have his outward prosperity, with his heart, if it were worth ten thousand Worlds: He sees and knows there is more excellency and worth in afflicted grace, then in the most prosperous wickedness: The love of God is better than life, and if so, what are all the things of this life compared to it? Hence a godly man hath no better opinion of the wicked in riches, then in poverty, and he hath no worse opinion of himself when he is poor then when he was rich: He doth not account grace the less glorious, because it hath so little of outward glory upon it. And seeing he will not change states with him, he cannot envy him: We envy those only whom we judge in a better condition than ourselves. David under a temptation, was envious at the foolish, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked (P●al. 73.2, 3.) and his feet were almost gone, his steps had well-nigh slipped, but when he recollected himself, and went to the Sanctuary, such thoughts were quickly down, and envy was extinct, he saw much matter enough to pity wicked men, but none to envy them, they stand in slippery places, and are suddenly cast down. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors. And as he doth not envy them, so thirdly, much less doth he imitate them, he is so far from imitating them, that he sets himself to oppose them, and he opposeth them all those ways, and with all those weapons that God hath put into his hand: He opposeth ever him by counsel and conviction, by reproofs and prayers. And as he fights against the Hypocrite by prayer, so by prayer he fortifies himself against all sinful compliances with him. Thus David prayed (Psal. 141.4.) Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity, and let me not eat of their dainties: As if he had said, Though wicked men be fine-fed, and diet upon dainties every day, though they devour the fat, and drink the sweet, and have all things that their hearts can desire, yet Lord ever keep me from the practice of wicked works with men that work iniquity, and let me not eat of their dainties, who find a sweetness in sin, and take pleasure in unrighteousness. It is the counsel of the wise man (Prov. 1.10, 11.) My Son if sinners entice thee, consent thou not: Do not associate with them, they will tell thee of great matters; they will say, Come let us lay wait for blood, we shall fill our houses with spoil; cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse, My Son, walk not thou in the way with them, refrain thy foot from their paths; for their feet run to evil, etc. He that would refrain his foot from walking in, must first refrain his heart from approving of, the paths of wickedness. This the innocent doth and more, while he stirreth up himself against the Hypocrite. And as he sets himself against the way of the Hypocrites, so he labours to set forward with all his might in the way of holiness, for that's his way, as appears in the next Verse. Vers. 9 The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger. [The righteous.] Ex tanti viri exemplo atque memoria incrementum accipient singular. Sanct. Tenebit mordicus. Merc. Apprehensam tenebit firmiter, non discedet ne latum quidem unguem, sed haere●it firmior in suo vivendi instituto & pietatem audentius colet. It is the same man still, who should be encouraged by Jobs example to a vigorous progress; He, the righteous man, [Shall hold on.] The word signifies to hold with strength, to hold toughly, to hold as with the teeth, resolving never to let go, but ever to go onn, [In his way.] What way? It may be taken either particularly for that way of opposition which he maintained against the Hypocrite, or secondly, for the way of righteousness, and that twofold. First, The way of his heart, or his inward way. Secondly, The way of his hand, or his outward way. The righteous man holds on in both these ways; he continues his course both in the holy motions of his spirit towards God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, inhaerebit justus viae suae. Theodol. and in the holy actings of his life towards man: in this way he is full of motion, but he will not move a step nor willingly decline to the right hand or to the left, out of this way: Here he walks as to industry, and here he stands as to constancy. The righteous shall hold on his way. Hence Observe. First, The righteous shall persevere, perseverance is at once the duty and the privilege of the Saints. As they are in a good state, so they shall go on in a good way, The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more, unto the perfect day (Prov. 4.18.) The goodness of Hypocrites is as the morning cloud, and goeth away as the early dew (Hos. 6.4.) The wind scatters the morning cloud, and the rising Sun exhales the early dew; thus the goodness of the Hypocrite is gone, but the goodness of the righteous (like the goodness of God of, and from whom it is) endureth (in its proportion) continually (Ps. 52.1.) As they who join works to grace, make grace to be no grace; so do they who say the work of grace may be lost, or that grace may for ever lose its working; The work of grace may be clouded, but grace is no cloud, the working of grace may decline, but grace cannot die. The righteous shall hold on his way. Further, This Scripture tells us that he shall hold on, not only in fair way, and in good weather, but in stormy weather, and rugged ways, when his way lies among sharp stones, and ragged rocks, through briars and thorns; yea, I may say, when his way lies among Bears and Lions, he will on. Hence Observe. A godly man perseveres, notwithstanding all seeming discouragements from God, and all real oppositions from men. Though God seem to cast cold water on him, yet his fire never goes out, and often (by a holy Antiperistasis) he is inflamed the more: while the evil World thinks to dash him out of countenance, and damp his spirit, he is the more emboldened: As the Apostles approved themselves the Ministers of Christ, so doth every Believer (in his Sphere) in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, by honour, and dishonour, by good report, and evil report, etc. (2 Cor. 6.4, 8.) Let the way be what it will, foul or fair, a green Carpet way, or a deep pochy way, let it be what it will, he goes through thick and thin. Paul puts the question, and resolves it (Rom. 8.35.) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? He puts it of a person, Who shall? And he answers about things, Shall tribulation, or distress, shall these separate us from the love of Christ? That is, Either from that love which we bear to Christ, or from that love that Christ bears to us; what shall make Christ out of love with us? Or what shall make us out of love with Christ? Shall any thing? Nothing shall, for those things shall not which might seem most able to make us out of love with Christ, or to tell us that Christ doth not love us. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or Sword? Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us: He loved us, therefore he will love us, and we shall go on to love him: for through him, we shall not only conquer but over-conquer, or more than conquer, whatsoever stands in the way to divert us from his love, or to render him unlovely. Nothing can separate Believers from the love which Christ bears to them; if any thing can do it, sin can, but sin cannot, because he hath more than conquered it by his own power: Nothing can separate Believers from the love which they bear to Christ, if any thing can, tribulation can, but that cannot, because we shall more than conquer it through his power. The righteous shall hold on his way; he neither turns back, nor stands still. David was sorely shaken, and tempted (Psal. 73.) yet his feet were (but) almost gone, and his steps were (but) well-nigh slipped. As Hypocrites at the most are but almost Christians, they are not Christians altogether, and as they step at their nearest, but well-nigh Heaven, they shall not enter in; so the feet of true Believers may almost be gone out of the good way, but they shall not go out altogether, and their steps may well-nigh slip from God, but they shall be upheld; and hence it is, that though they have many, not only slips, but falls in the way, yet they shall neither slip nor fall quite out of the way; this Davids experience taught him, at the twenty third Verse of that Psalm: Nevertheless (saith he) I am continually with thee, and thou hast held me by my right hand: that is, Though I have many troubles in thy way, yet I depart not out of thy way: I have temptations to leave thee, but I will not leave thee; I am still with thee, I am where I was, yet not by any power of my own, but by thy power, for thou holdest me by my right hand: It is not the hold which we have of God, but that which he hath of us that makes us hold on our way: We should quickly let go our hold of God if God had not infinite faster hold of us; thou holdest me by my right hand. There is a (manutenentia Dei) an invisible Hand-holding of God, by which the whole visible Creation is supported, without which no creature could hold on in the way of nature, much more is there an invisible Hand-holding of God, by which the spiritual creation is supported, and without which the new creature cannot hold on in the ways of grace. 'Tis the hold which Christ hath of us, and the rooting which we have in him, by which we are confirmed. Cum creverimus in Domino mittemus radices nostras sicut arbores Libani, quae quantum in aurat consurgunt vertice, tantum radice in ima demergunt, ut nulla tempestate quatiantur sed stabili motu consistant. Hieron. Israel the people of God, is said, to grow as the Lily, and to cast forth his roots like Lebanon (Hos. 14.5.) The Trees of Lebanon are high, and spread out their branches, but they are also deeply rooted, they have as much under ground as above, they have as much hold in the earth as they have show in the air. As the Saints grow up and spread forth their branches, so they grow down and cast out their roots like Lebanon; so that the winds and storms which shake them, do indeed but settle them. 'Tis the goodness of the root which at once makes them fruitful, and makes them firm: he that stands by this strength shall stand, and he that is fruitful by these roots shall be fruitful still, and bring forth more fruit in age. The righteous shall hold on his way. As Christ speaks terribly to the wicked, that they shall hold on their way (Revel. 22.11.) He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, he that is filthy, let him be filthy still: These are not permissions to wicked men to be wicked still, much less are they persuasions unto wickedness, but they are dreadful comminations; wicked men are threatened with this plague, to be given up to the wickedness of their own hearts: Now as Christ speaks terribly thereto his Enemies, so he speaks comfortably and encouragingly to his Friends, He that is righteous let him be righteous still, and he that is holy let him be holy still: which carries not only the force of a command upon them, or the direction of a rule to them, but also the sweetness of a gracious promise, or of a special privilege, that they shall be maintained in righteousness and holiness unto the end, or that they shall hold on their way. Hypocrites may make a fair flourish, and stand some brunts, they may endure for a season, but they endure not long, much less to the end. They went out from us, saith the Apostle John (1 Epist. 2.19.) they had once an appearance, and a presence with us, but they were not of us, that is, They had no real communion and fellowship with us; their bodies were with us, but not their hearts; and when we lost them, we lost no more than the Corn doth when the Chaff is winnowed away, or then the body doth, when hurtful humours are purged away. Who were these? He means the Apostate professors of that age, Ebion, Cerinthus, etc. These were not of us: How did the Apostle know that? He tells us how in the next words, For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. Saint John puts it beyond all dispute, and himself had not the least doubt of it, that they who are once in Church, shall continue in it; and that they who depart, do not departed from grace, but from a shadow of grace: They do not fall from what they were, but manifest what they were not: They went out from us that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But why doth the Apostle say they were not all of us, Were any of those Apostates of them? Not all, is a known Hebraisme for none (Psal. 143.2.) In thy sight (not all men, that is,) no man living shall be justified. So (1 John 3.15.) Ye know that every murderer hath not, that is (as we translate) no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. So here, They were not all, that is, None of them were of us: Many have forsaken a profession of Faith, but he that hath Faith will not forsake the profession of it. The righteous shall hold on his way: and not only so, but, He that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger. To continue in the right way is very good, but to increase in it, is far better; he that holds his own in sad times, is to be commended, but he that thrives and gains in godliness in sad times is to be admired: And who is that? Job tells us, [He that hath clean hands.] The words are a Circumlocution, describing the same person, who was before called, upright, innocent, and righteous. And yet surely it is not a bare repetition of the same person, under another title; for though we must take this cleanness of hands in conjunction with cleanness and uprightness of heart: and though it be not so hard a matter to show a pair of white clean hands, as it is to have an upright, or a clean white heart; yea though it be true, that clean hands will not wax stronger and stronger in a day of affliction, unless joined with an upright heart, yet (I say) these clean hands imply somewhat else, not only besides that uprightness, but also besides that innocency and righteousness spoken of before. The hand is the instrument of action, and clean hands are an emblem of holy actings: So that Job seems to intimate, that he, who besides the uprightness of his heart, and the general innocency and righteousness of his way, is also careful to keep himself free from every spot which might foul his hands. He (I say) who is thus complete and spotless, is fullest of courage when troubles and sorrows are upon him. 'Tis true, a man's general uprightness and innocency will mightily uphold him, in the main, yet if he have got a visible blot or defilement upon the face or hand of his conversation or deal with men, this will be a damp upon his spirit, and a deadning to his heart, though the bend of his heart stands fair towards God. Again, this may be added in answer to a Plea which some make when they are taxed with the uncleanness of their hands (say they) O we have good hearts, we are upright towards God; we confess we fail many times, but we have good meanings, and we would both do and be better: Is thy hand unclean? Thy heart is a thousand times more unclean: Is thy way evil? Thy spirit is worse: How c●n any man have a good meaning, or a good heart, when himself is evil? No man can. There is no excuse for the uncleanness of the hands, by saying the heart is clean? For where there is a clean heart there will be clean hands. Many have clean hands, that have unclean hearts; but no man hath a clean heart whose hands continue unclean; much less will such a one plead the cleanness of his heart in excuse for the uncleanness of his hand; nor is there any ground for such a Plea. Should a man say, here is a Tree that bears ill fruit, but it hath an excellent root, I am sure it is of a right kind but (I confess) the fruit is naught; would not any man of reason condemn such reasoning? Would he not say, This is to belly nature? For every good tree brings forth good fruit: Is it not also a belying of the spirit of grace, to say, The heart is upright, but the hands are unclean: For an upright heart makes a clean hand, as clean hands are a probable evidence of an upright heart. He that hath not both these, hath neither of them to purpose; which (we may conceive) was Jobs scope while he puts them here together. Further, while Job speaks in the third person, He that hath clean hands; he answers Eliphaz for himself, who in a third person charged him with the uncleanness both of his heart and hands (Chap. 15.14.) from which he also vindicates himself (Chap. 16.17.) As if he had said, You have often charged me with the uncleanness of my hands, but though I will not boast of myself, yet this I feel and speak by experience, He that hath clean hands shall wax, [Stronger and stronger.] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Addet fortitudinem, purus manibus sumet audaciam Sept. Is cujus vita pura est addet robur, i. e. magis ac magis invalescet ut bene aget. Merc. The Hebrew is, He shall add strength; that is, He shall go on from one degree of strength to another. But what strength shall he add? He means not bodily strength: The best of Saints may lose that in the battles of affliction, and grow every day weaker and weaker: But he shall add spiritual strength, so the Apostle states it (2 Cor. 4.16.) Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. The more evil a Believer suffers, the stronger he is in goodness, and to do good; while his flesh wears off and wastes, he gets new spirits; he takes heart, and is more courageous, as the Septuagint render Jobs text. Hence Observe. First, Grace is of an increasing nature, it grows stronger and stronger. True grace lives, and therefore it must needs grow. The grain of Mustardseed proves a great tree (Psal. 84.) They go from strength to strength, or from company to company, that is, From one good company to another, still gathering up goodness as they go: As the Bee goes from Flower to Flower, to gather Honey; so Believers go from duty to duty, from Ordinance to Ordinance, from praying to hearing, to gather grace and strength; every grace hath strength, and the more grace the more strength, till we come to that, which is strictly called, Strength of grace. Secondly, Observe. A thorough godly man doth not only not fall from grace in time of trouble, but he increaseth and groweth in grace; he addeth strength. As affliction gives a proof of grace, whether it be true or no, so where it is true, it is improved by affliction. Naturalists tell us that the reason of thunder and lightning is, Tanto magis integritati studebit. Bez. because the heat being penned in, and imprisoned by the cold of the middle Region, breaks out (by an Antiperistasis) with terrible noise and flashings: And thus when grace is penned in by opposition, persecution, and affliction, it enlargeth itself and breaks out with greater strength, yea with a kind of heavenly violence; and not only maintains its own, but is a gainer. It is said of the Lacedaemonian Republic, That when all other Kingdoms were undone by War, that only grew rich, was bettered by it. We may say, that whereas all profane persons, and Hypocrites, are undone by affliction (all their Paint is washed off, their Varnish discovered) only true Believers thrive, and are advantaged by it: He that hath an upright heart, and clean hands, grows stronger and stronger: His inward man increaseth in outward decays. It is said of the Israelites (Exod. 1.12.) that the more the Egyptians afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew: They multiplied in number, they grew in strength and stature; their oppression their was addition in temporals: It is so with all true Israelites in spirituals, the more they are afflicted and troubled, the more they increase: And whereas the Lord speaks in reference to wicked men (Isa. 1.5.) Why should you be smitten any more? ye will revolt more and more. (The more evil men are smitten for their good, the worse they are) We may say on the contrary, that the righteous, the more they are smitten with evil the better they are; yea, they sometimes put wicked men to such a stopping expostulation, as God makes there concerning wicked men: Why should we trouble them any more? They will hold fast more and more, they will not be beaten off with sour looks and hard words, no nor with our hardest blows: We may trouble and weary out ourselves, yea and break our own hearts, but we shall never dishearten them. All Ages have given experiments of this: The Apostles in the Acts rejoiced when they were threatened, and were emboldened with scourging. 'Tis said of the suffering Saints (Heb. 10.34.) They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods: They were glad of an opportunity to put off their worldly goods at so great a rate, as a proof of the sincerity of their graces: Our goods never go off at so high a price, nor come to so good a Market as when they are spoilt in a good cause. Paul tells us, That many waxed confident by his bonds (Phil. 1.14.) They were so far from withdrawing from the profession of the Gospel, because Paul was clapped up in Prison, and laid by the heels, that they were more bold to avouch it: As some have been weakened and terrified by the sufferings of others, so many have been confirmed and heartened, they have been not only kept from discouragement, but they have waxed confident by bonds, and their spirits have been at greater liberty by seeing others in Prison, though they had reason enough to expect their turn would be next. Exquisitior crudelitas gentium adversus Christianos', illecebra est magis sectae, plures efficimur, quoties metimur. Tertull. One of the Ancients tells us, The more cunning and exact our Persecutors are, the more constant and exact Believers are. The Christians of those times grew into a kind of artificialness in grace, while the Heathens grew so artificial in cruelty; and the oftener they were mowed down by the bloody Sword, the more were begotten and quickened by the Word: The opposition which truth and holiness found, was a provocation to own the truth, and to them a sweet temptation unto holiness. Thirdly, Note. When God gives new trials, he will give new strength. The righteous grow stronger as their afflictions grow stronger: Never fear greater trials, when you are promised greater strength: If you have more burdens, you shall have more shoulders. Whether the Lord calls us to passive obedience, or to active, he is wise and faithful to proportion, and give out suitable ability. It is not from the improvements of , but from the fresh anointings of the spirit, that we are strengthened with might in the inner man (Eph. 3.16.) And again (Col. 1.12.) We are strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience, and longsufferance with joyfulness. Affliction itself cannot strengthen us in grace, it rather weakens us; the increase of strength flows from the same Fountain, whence we had the first strength: All is from God. In the Lord have we righteousness and strength (Isa. 45.24.) And he is an everlasting strength, the rock of Ages (Isa. 26.4.) As he is an everlasting strength in himself, so he is to his people: And the reason why his people are everlastingly strong, is, because he is so, Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint (Isa. 40.30, 31.) But why shall the youths faint, and the young men utterly fall? Are not beginners in grace as sure to be upheld as the ancient or men of days? And why is fainting and falling, the lot of youths and young men, who are supposed in their spiritual capacity, or in their natural, to have the greatest strength? The Apostle John's experience of the young men seems to differ very much from this Prophecy of them, I writ unto you young men (saith he, 1 Epist. 2.4.) because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. How doth Isaiah say, the young men shall utterly fall, and yet John saith, They have overcome the wicked one? that is, The Devil. Every Victory is an argument of strength, especially a victory over him who is very strong. I answer, The Prophet and the Apostle do not speak of the same young men: The Prophet's young men are any men that boast of their own strength in spirituals, and trusts upon it; these of what age soever they be, he calls young men, not because like young men they have a real great strength, but because (which young men are very apt to do in the strength they have) they trust in a strength which indeed they have not; so that these are called young men, because they boast of, and trust in their supposed strength, not because they are really very strong; and therefore these young men shall not only faint, but utterly fall. But the Apostle John's young men, are such as have much strength in them, and yet live, and walk and fight in the strength of Jesus Christ; these young men are so far from falling utterly, that they shall stand for ever, and all their enemies shall either flee or fall before them, because as the battle reneweth, so Christ will renew their strength, and recruit their hearts with further aid at every further charge. Only by going out of our own strength we get strength, that was Paul's experience of himself (2 Cor. 12.9, 10.) When I am weak, than I am strong; that is, When I am weak in myself, and have low thoughts of my own stock, than strength is sent me in; and I am supported by an Almighty power, when I see that I have no might: Therefore (saith he) most gladly will I rejoice in my infirmities, that the strength of Christ may rest on me: Paul was no sooner convinced that th● strength he had was not sufficient, but he heard that comfortable word from Heaven, My grace is sufficient for thee: We are stronger by the grace in Christ, then by the grace we receive from Christ. He that lives upon the grace received from Christ, and not upon the grace in Christ, shall quickly feel a want of grace, and a decay of spiritual life. Now, if grace received from Christ be not stock enough to live and continue upon, what is nature for any man to begin upon? Peter had received grace, and he made an honest real profession to Christ, not a flattering verbal compliment, when h●e said (Matth. 26.33, 35.) Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I not be offended, and though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee: yet because he did not enough (if at all) renounce his own strength, in stead of waxing stronger and stronger, he was weaker and weaker, and did not only deny his Master, but forswore him. Not only they who go out in the strength of nature, but they also who go out in the strength of inherent grace, may quickly (notwithstanding a sincerity of profession) dishonour their profession, and fall from their own steadfastness: Therefore trust in the Lord, and ye shall not only hold on, but grow stronger and stronger in your way. And if such be the state of a godly man, that he holds on, and waxeth stronger in times of trouble, what shall we say of them, who turn out of the way, or languish in it, when nothing troubles them? What shall we say of them who run out of the way, though there be no Lion in the way, when we hear that Saints will not out though there be a Lion in the way? What shall we say of them that depart from God, when (as Job speaks in another place) they wash their footsteps with Butter, and the rock pours out Oil to them (that is, When God loadeth them with his benefits daily) when we hear that the righteous, and he that hath clean hands will not out of the way, though every step be up to the knees in Mire, though he be dashed against the Rocks, and killed all the day long? Was there ever truth of grace in those who finding nothing but comfort and outward blessings in the way, do yet go out of the way, grow cold and sink in their profession? When Christ gives outward pleasure to his followers, and they forsake him, may they not justly be suspected to take pleasure in forsaking him? And that they never took any pleasure in following him, but only followed him for their pleasure? What would these do if they were assaulted with strong temptations or troubles, who turn aside being freed from all such temptations? What would they do if their ways were full of briers and thorns, who go back and Apostatise while their ways are strewed with flowers, and they tread upon Roses? 'Tis true indeed, that the warm Sun (as we say) causeth some to cast off their Cloaks, which the cold wind moved them to keep closer on; but, though it be a truth, that prosperity makes many forsake God, yet it cannot be denied but that adversity is a greater temptation to deny him. A sound heart may (possibly) give in a little in boisterous times, and Winterly days, but it is almost an infallible discovery of a rotten heart, to flinch in fair weather, or in a Summer's day: As they who keep close to, and hold on in the ways of God in dark and doubtful dispensations, show a pure love to his ways, so they who warp and recede, under clear and comfortable dispensations, show a pure dislike of them. Lastly, Note the various expressions used in these two Verses, we have here the description of a godly man under four Titles. First, The upright. Secondly, The innocent. Thirdly, The righteous. Fourthly, He that hath clean hands. These meet in one person, yet they have distinct significations: Uprightness is strictly opposed to hypocrisy; innocency to guilt; righteousness to oppression; and cleanness of hands to all the pollutions of conversation. Every kind of goodness, and all the graces concentre in him that is truly godly. He that is godly, is any thing that is good, and he that is wicked is any thing that is evil, you cannot call a wicked man out of his name, how ill soever you call him. And you cannot call a complete godly man out of his name, how good soever you call him, he is upright, and innocent, and righteous; his hands are clean, and his heart is clean, he is clean all over, and holy all over, while we call him all this we do not call him beyond what God hath made him. JOB, CHAP. 17. Vers. 10, 11, 12. But as for you all, do you return, and come now; for I cannot find one wise man among you. My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. They change the night into day, the light is short because of darkness. THough Jobs Friends had severely reproved and threatened him; reproved him for his supposed sin, and threatened him with further sufferings, in case he continued in sin; yet did they as often counsel, and encourage him; counsel him to repent, and return to God, encourage him with promises that God would repent and return to him, yea turn his captivity and afflictions, as the Rivers in the South; and that though he then was in a night of sorrow, yet a morning of joy, or joy in the morning should surely break out and shine upon him. Now, as Job had before often (and also in the former part of this Chapter) supported himself under the weight of all their reproofs and threaten by the power of God, and the conscience of his own integrity; so he had as often before, and he doth it here again in the latter part of this Chapter, cast off their promises and encouragements; together with all hopes of any restauration in this life, to such a flourishing outward condition as he once enjoyed. And because his Friends discerning this in him by some of his precedent answers, had judged it as a symptom of secret guilt, and self condemnation, which would not let him so much as expect any good: So Eliphaz had perstringed and smitten him (Chap. 15.22.) He believes not that he shall return out of darkness: Therefore Job wonders to see them persist in that opinion, and concludes them under a great defect of understanding, who did not perceive that a man so miserably pined, and worn with sickness and pain, as he was, had nothing to look after, or prepare for, but only a Grave. And this he doth with much rhetorical elegancy, and passionateness of speech, to the end of this Chapter. His sense may be drawn together into this brief way of reasoning. He who is as a dead man already, should not feed himself, or be fed by others, with hopes of life, or of worldly prosperity in this life. But I (for my part) am as a dead man, or but the shadow of a man. Therefore I will neither feed myself, neither ought you to feed me with hopes of life, or of prosperity in this life. Yet before he lays down, and illustrates this Argument, he invites over his Friends to his opinion, and professeth that they had not yet spoken any reason, nor argued like wise men in all that they had argued to the contrary. Vers. 10. But as for you all, do you return, and come now, for I cannot find one wise man among you. Though some wise men go out of the way, yet it is for want of wisdom that any man goes out of the way; while Job calls upon his Friends to return, he implies that they going out of the way were not wise, and that it would be their wisdom to return into it. [But as for you all.] Job puts all his Friends into one predicament, and indeed they were much alike to him, having all trodden in the same path, and met in the same judgement of, and resolutions against him. But what would he have them do? As he supposed them all in one way, and that out of the way: So he sets them all to the same work, that they might come right again. Do you return, and come now. Yet, there are three opinions about his meaning, while he saith, Return and come. First, Some conceive, that Jobs Friends, being nettled (as we say) and provoked with what he had spoken before, began to renew the dispute, and to rally themselves with conjoined Forces, Quasi facta testudine una omnes concurrite. Nicet. Ad disputationem provocat. Sanct. Veruntamen omnes incumbite & venite quaeso. Sept. for a fresh encounter, which Job perceiving, he (according to this Interpretation) dares them in these words, and sends them a Challenge: As if he had said, I see you are providing yourselves, and consulting for a rejoinder with me; I, do, do if you think good, return, and come, put pour selves into what posture you please, join your forces together, I am ready to receive your charge, and make my defence, I am not afraid of you all; you are three, and I have not so much as a Second, yet I will not turn my back from you all, therefore, as for you all, do ye return and come now, come, when, or as soon as you will. Thus, He challengeth them to a further dispute. Return, and come, Convertendi verbum cum quocunque alio verbo junctum, idem significat quod rursus, aut altera vice aliquid facere. is (as the propriety of the phrase in the Original imporrts) come again if you will, come a second time, come a third. The word that we translate Return, when it is joined with another Verb (say Grammarians) signifies as much as Again, or, to do a thing the second time. Take two places of Scripture for it (Jos. 5.2.) At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp Knives, and circumcise again the Children of Israel the second time: So we translate: The Hebrew is, Return (which is the word of the Text) and circumcise them a second time: Not that they who had been once circumcised, must have a second circumcision: But for as much as circumcision, which was first commanded to Abraham, had been long disused, while the people of Israel were moving and unsettled in the Wilderness, therefore the Lord gives circumcision a kind of second Institution, by requiring Joshua to restore it solemnly a second time, as it was set up at first. Return and circumcise them; that is, renew that ancient Ordinance of Circumcision. The like way of speaking, read (Psal. 85.6.) where David (in behalf of the Church) pleads with God thus, Wilt thou not revive us again? The Hebrew is, Wilt thou not return, and revive us? We translate the Verb Return, by the Adverbe, Again. Will thou not revive us again? Thou hast given us many revives: when we were as dead men, and like carcases rotting in the Grave, thou didst revive us, wilt thou not revive us once more, and act over those powerfully merciful works, and strong salvations once more, or again? So here, Return, and come; that is, Come again. The words thus expounded, are an argument of Jobs magnanimity, and holy courage in maintaining his right, and standing up in the defence of his own integrity against all comers. As it is our duty to contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints; so for our own faithfulness. Secondly, Others expound the words as an advice, not as a challenge; not as a profession of his fixed purpose to oppose what his Friends should say in maintenance of their opinion, but only as a desire of their attention to what he had yet to say for his. Come return now, as if he had thus expressed himself, Ye are not right, let me set you right, and instruct you better; learn of me; you have need enough to be taught, for I have not found a wise man among you. Thus David calls his Scholars about him (Psal. 34.11.) Come ye Children, harken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. The former gloss shown the strength and courage of Jobs spirit, this the piety, and holiness of his spirit: 'Tis our duty, in meekness to instruct those who oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth (2. Tim. 2.25.) Thirdly, Invitat amicos ad mutandam sententiam. Pined. Rescipiscete. Jun. The words are more generally taken for an invitation to repentance, Come now, return; Some translate the word Return in this Text, by Repent, which is the sense of it in a hundred Texts of the Old Testament. Repentance is a turning and returning; all returning supposeth, either our being out of the way, or that we have gone as far as our business lies in that way: The returning of repentance, supposeth only the former, for, every step in sin is quite out of our way; what have we to do in the way of sin, but only to come out of it, our business lies not there; all that we do there must be undone again, or else we are undone for ever. In this returning of repentance, we may consider, first, the term from which, and secondly the term to which we are called to return? The term from which is twofold. First, Sinful practices. Secondly, False and erroneous opinions. Job doth not deal with his Friends about the former; he did about the latter; they were under a grand mistake concerning the Doctrine of providence, and from that he invites them to a speedy return. The term to which we are to return in the actings of repentance, is threefold. First, To ourselves. Secondly, To God. Thirdly, To him whom we have wronged, or from whom we sinfully descent. Job may be interpreted as calling his Friends to a return, in this threefold reference. Ad se redire etiam Eatinis dicitur qui ad bonam mentem redit. Grot. First, As repentance is a returning to ourselves: a man that is carried away, either to false opinions, or into wicked courses, is gone from his nearest home: 'Tis a duty to deny ourselves, but 'tis a sin to departed from ourselves: And as it is a sin to departed from ourselves, so every sin is a departure from ourselves; therefore repentance which is a turning from sin, must needs be a returning to ourselves. The Gospel represents the repentance of the Prodigal Son, under this notion (Luke 15.17.) And when he came to himself, he said, etc. He had not been with himself a long time before, yet at last he came to himself, this was his first step to repentance. An impenitent person is not only out of his way, but out of his wits; he is gone, not only from Divine truth and holiness, but from his own natural reason and prudence; if so, whensoever he reputes, he returns to himself. Secondly, Repentance is a returning to God; If thou wilt return O Israel (saith the Lord) return unto me (Jer. 4.1.) The grace of repentance is most frequently and most suitably expressed by this act of returning to God; and they who do not repent are every where said not to return to God (Amos 4. etc.) Yet have ye not returned unto me. Thirdly, Repentance is a returning to man: We must not be ashamed to acknowledge our failings one to another, or to return to them in duty from whom we have departed, either by not giving them their due, or by accusing them unduly. We must not be ashamed of returning to them, by submitting to the truth, from whom we have departed by following or holding any error. Thus Job may be conceived counselling and calling his Friends to a return in these three senses given: First, to themselves: Secondly, to God; Thirdly, to him, whom they had so long opposed. But though all three may be included, yet the scope and design of Job seems to intent the third: Return, and come now; that is, Return to me, let not truth far the worse for my sake, do not you cast it off, because I hold it. It is not enough to turn from any evil, whether of opinion or practice, and return to the obedience of God, but we must also return to the love of good men, and unite with them in the truth. But why must they return? Job gives the reason expressly in the latter part of the Verse. For I cannot find one wise man among you. All the ways of sin and error are ways of folly; they stamp a man for a Fool and unwise, whosoever walks in them; I cannot find one wise man among you: When he saith, I cannot find, It shows that he had endeavoured to find, he had been seeking for a wise man among them, but he found none; The Lord (saith David, Ps. 14.2.) looked down from heaven upon the Children of men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek after God (but he found none) They are all gone aside (Verse. 3.) Job seems to have been upon such an inquiry: He had looked over his Friends, and weighed them one by one, but he found not one wise man among them. The Preacher (Eccles. 7.27.28.) counting one by one to find out the account, found but one man (that is, one wise or good man) among a thousand: No marvel then if Job found not one among three, yet considering what three these were, men numbered among the Worthies, possibly, the first three of that age and place, it may justly be mervailed why Job should speak at so low a rate, or so slightly of them: Was he not too censorious and rigid, too bold and adventurous, to speak thus concerning men of such gravity, authority, and reputation, for wisdom, and learning, yea, and for holiness too, as these three were? Shall we say that this censure proceeded from Jobs wisdom, or from his passion? Was he wise in saying so, or so much as charitable. I answer, Job did not speak this from any ill will to his Friends, or from contempt of them; it had been not only unfreindly, but very sinful to have done it. That word of Christ had its truth in those times, He that is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shall be in danger of judgement; and he that saith to his Brother, Racha (which signifies an empty fellow, or a man that hath nothing in him) shall be in danger of a Council, but he that saith, thou Fo●le, shall be in danger of Hell stre (Matth. 5.23.) Job did not call his Friends Fools, when he said, I find not one wise man among you; So much may be said without passion or reviling: Nor did he question their wisdom in general, but (as hath been answered for him upon a like passage) only to the point in hand: As if he had said, after all this arguing, You are still besides the matter. you have not hit the joint of my case; come to me, I will show you your mistake, and make it plain that you are all out. Venite ad me audiendum & ostendam vos omnes decipere. Drus. Hence Observe. First, It is no fault to speak of men as we find them. The rule of Christ (Matth. 7.1.) Judge not that ye be not judged, forbids, first rash judgement of men, secondly, wrong judgement of men, thirdly, final judgement of men (that's peculiar to God) but it doth not forbid all judgement of men. We may call a Spade, a Spade, and him unwise who is so: All reproving is taken away, if all judging be, for we must reprove no man but whom we judge faulty, Let the righoeous smite me (saith David, Psal. 141.5.) He means it not of smiting with the Sword, but of smiting with a deserved censure, as if he had said, If I have done amiss let me hear of it, yea let me smart for it, by a faithful reproof. Secondly, Observe. A wise man may do or speak that which is a just forfeiture of his present reputation for wisdom. This proceeds sometimes from a special judgement of God upon men, who in anger blasts their abilities, and commands a decay upon their greatest treasures of wisdom (Isa. 29.14.) The wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid: It shall be so, saith God; the understanding of man is as much at God's dispose, as his riches or honours are. Now as this proceeds sometimes from the special judgement of God upon man; so it may proceed at any time from the natural frame of man, who at the best is a creature composed of light and darkness, of wisdom and folly, of knowledge and ignorance, of grace and corruption, of an old man, as well as of a new. The over actings of the worse part, may soon leave a good and a wise man (in the main) under an eclipse, both of his goodness and wisdom. David said in his haste (and as he said it, he sinned in saying so) All men are liars: But we may say it with fullest deliberation (and not sin at all in saying so) that All men are liars. The Apostle saith it (Rom. 3.4.) while he saith, Yea let God be true, and every man a liar; that is, Let this be acknowledged and confessed by all, That God cannot lie, such is his power that he can neither deceive, nor be deceived; but let it be as much acknowledged that every man is under a possibility to be deceived, yea and to deceive in the worst sense, & that in some sense every man is actually deceived, or a Deceiver: which proves this to be a truth, Every man is a liar: The lie, is that, which no man will bear at the hand of man, yet all must bear it from the hand of God; it is indeed a dishonour, but it is no slander to say, that every man is a liar: and because he is so, he may soon dis-intitle himself of wisdom. We must not lay too much upon men, for when they speak and do most unwisely, they speak and do most like men. The Prophet (Hos. 6.7.) saith, They like men have transgressed the Covenant: The Hebrew is, They have transgressed like Adam. The Apostle speaks of some, over whom death reigned, who yet had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression (Rom. 5.14.) Infants die, and they die in that sin which Adam committed, though they never come to commit sin actvally as Adam did; but all who sin actually, sin after the similitude of Adam's transgression: He set the first Copy, and all his Posterity have written after him. We do but show what we are, and whence we are, when we sin, even a company of men, the Sons of Adam. To be a man is also to be a sinner. Now, as it may be said, we like men have transgressed, so we like men are unwise. It is very easy for the wisest man to do unwisely; we have but shown ourselves men when we have showed ourselves unwise. That hath obtained as an Axiom, It is humane for man to err: One of the wisest sentences among men, is, That man may do unwisely: He that doth all things wisely is more like God then a Man, nor can we do any thing wisely, but as God is pleased to teach and guide us. As we have need to ask our daily bread from God for the support of our bodies, so our daily wisdom from God for the management of our affairs. As God takes the wise in their own craftiness (1 Cor. 3.19.) so he can take wisdom from the crafty; and unless he supply wisdom to the wise, they will soon be so overtaken by their own folly, that of a whole throng of them, it may be said, by him that engageth with them, I have not found one wise man among you. Thirdly, Observe. Wise men are rarely to be found. There are store of subtle men, and crafty men there are but too many; but the wise man is a rare Jewel: It was for a wise man that the Prophet commands a search to be made, when he said (Jer. 5.1.) Run ye too and fro, through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if you can find a man: Jerusalem was full of men, and yet a man could not be found, when diligently sought for: What man was this? The next words describe him for a wise man indeed, if there be any that executeth judgement, and seeketh the truth. I cannot say that such wise men are thick swoon, but I am very sure, they are thinn come up. Paul found so great a scarcity and dearth of them, even among the Saints in the Church of Corinth, that though he doth not say it positively (with Job here) I have not found a wise man among you; yet he speaks it Interrogatively, and chidingly (1 Cor. 6.5.) I speak to your shame, is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? No not one that shall be able to judge between his Brethren: There are not many knowing wise men, among all men, but judging wise men are fewest of all. Fourthly, Observe. Wise men are apt to show themselves unwise in expounding and judging the providences and deal of God toward man. The works of the most wise God are all right, but few men are wise enough to pick out the right meaning of them. Providence is carried about the World in a Chariot of light, and yet there is much darkness in the minds of most men about it. This arises chiefly two ways. First, From the seeming confusions which are in the world; God doth not keep a method, nor govern himself by precedents, no man can tell certainly which way he will go, by looking into the way which he hath gone; for though he useth no liberty in the issue of his deal, but rewardeth every man according to his works, yet he useth much liberty in the means which lead unto it. Secondly, This ariseth from the narrowness of man's heart, who measuring God by his own line, and comparing what God hath done, by what he would do, cannot (as the Apostle speaks in another case) attain unto the righteousness of God in what he doth. 'Tis excellent wisdom to know how to interpret and improve the deal of God with ourselves or others. The grossest misinterpretation of his deal, is, to conclude the guilt or innocency of man, the love or hatred of God from them. Jobs Friends upon such mistakes, incurred this censure, I have not found one wise man among you. Job having by way of introduction, spoken to the men, or to the persons of his Friends, proceeds to speak his own case. Vers. 11. My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. What do you tell me of comfortable days? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transierum. My days are past, they are gone by: as we say, The Show is gone by, or, the Company is gone by; so saith Job, My days are gone by: There's no looking after them any more: they are out of sight, why would you bring them into my mind again? Day's may be taken here in a twofold sense. First, For the term of his life. Secondly, For the state of his life. As taken for the term of his life, My days are past, is, Morti vicinus sum. I am a near neighbour to death, death and I am ready to meet and embrace; the life of man is measured by daye●, when our days are past, there's nothing left to measure, nothing to measure by. My days are past. But how could Job affirm, The term, or days of my life are past, when, as, he was alive that day to say this, so, he lived many a fair day after he had said it. Can we call that past, which is still present with us? or which is yet to come? He affirms this, First, because he conceived that the greatest part of his days were actually passed, and that it was not worth while to reckon upon the few days behind, he did not think that remnant so considerable as to measure it, but threw it by, as a piece of useless nothing: Our days are so passing, that (with a little Rhetoric) we may say they are passed, as soon as they begin; how much more may we say so, when we are sure they must shortly end, and are really almost, yea, only not, past. Secondly, Job might say, My days are past, because doubtless it had seized on his spirit, that his Glass was run, that he should die presently, he never looked to outlive that storm: So that his days were passed in his account, though not in God's account. Job could say of himself (as we use to say of those Women, who have gone out their full time of Childbearing) that, He had not a day more to reckon: As Job had a full assurance that he should live eternally, so he had a kind of assurance that he should die very shortly: And therefore as to his own apprehensions, and the calculation which he had made of his days, their date was out, and he might say, My days are past. Again, As taken for the state of his life, so My days are past, is, My good days, my prosperous days, are past; you tell me of a day of deliverance, what a morning I shall have, but I look on all my days here, as days of darkness; we say of a man who is not only in an evil, but in a desperate, or irrecoverably evil condition, He hath seen all his best days, or all his good days are gone: Job was full of trust for a good eternity, but he had no hope of good days. The term of a man's days may continue long, when the comfort of his days, is, or when his comfortable days are quite past: Though Jobs days continued, as to the term of his life, yet his days (as he judged) were passed, as to any comfortable state of life, in which sense he might also say, My days are past. Nor did Job speak this complainingly, or with a low spirit, My days are past, he did not whine it out as they do, who are loath to die, and would feign live still in the delights of life; but he spoke boldly and cheerfully, he spoke of his Dying day, as of his Marriage day, My days are past. As a young man saith, My marriage day is at hand, I shall be married shortly; with such a holy alacrity Job spoke, I shall die shortly, my days are past: He looked upon his comfortable days in the World as past, and yet he was comforted: Job was full of pain, yet usually in the close of his speeches he gathered up himself, and spoke in a height and heat of spirit: As the Cock towards morning flutters his Wings before he Crows, and gives warning of the approaching day; or as the Lion strikes his sides with his Tail, to rouse up his spirits before he attempts his prey; so Job stirred up himself towards the close of his answers, and resumed new spirits, acting That dying man to the life, who having nothing in this World, either to fear or hope, dies without fear, yet with abundance, yea in assurance of hope: My days are past. Hence Observe. First, As the words are taken in the former sense: A gracious heart hath peace in the approaches of death. His contentments are not done, when the term of his life is done: He can say, My days are past, as cheerfully, as Agag said, Surely, the bitterness of death is past. Some godly men have died far more pleasantly than ever any wicked man lived. Secondly, From the latter sense, Observe. A gracious heart can take present comfort, and rejoice in this World, while he knows that all his worldly comforts and joys are past. Faith overlookes, or looks thorough and beyond all the evils of this life, to a good which shall never die; yea Faith sees and enjoys a present good, while sense sees nothing, and indeed hath nothing else to see, but evil. A carnal man parts with his good days, or with the good of his days, as Phaltiel went to deliver up Michal, saul's Daughter, and David's Wife by right, weeping all along as he went (2 Sam. 3.16.) There's a sad parting between a worldly heart and worldly things; but he that is spiritually minded, though he doth not despise the meanest of worldly good things, as made by God for the use and comfort of man, so when God calls him from them, or them from him, he can part with he use of them, and yet not be dispossessed of comfort; he knows that he hath a present good, and that he hath greater good to come, while he saith, My days are past. My purposes are broken off. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cogitavit plerumque in malum ali quando in bonum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cujus singularis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod antiquitus legebant Zemma ferre scelus denotat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem quod ab eodem themate vocabulum est medium. Drus. Rupti sunt articuli cordis mei. Sept. Convulsae sunt compages corporis mei. Aug. The word which we translate Purposes, signifies most usually an evil purpose, or wicked designments; yet it is used also, as among the Rabbins, so by the Penmen of Scripture in a good sense, for a warrantable, yea for a holy purpose: In the Book of Proverbs (Chap. 1.4. Chap. 2.11.) it is translated Discretion, or Advisement, proceeding from the teachings of wisdom, which stirs up gracious purposes in the soul towards God, and every good. My purposes are broken off: The Septuagint render, My heart strings are broken: The heartstrings by a metaphor, may be taken for purposes, because purposes are as Bands or strings upon the heart; and therefore when purposes are broken, we may say, the bands or strings of the heart are broken. Another reads, The bindings or fastenings of my body are loosened, or torn asunder; which translation (as also the former) taken literally, notes only his nearness to death; for when a man dyeth, we say, his heartstrings break, and his whole body is in a fit of convulsion. My purposes are broken. The word signifies a violent forcible breaking, as if a Giant had broken them. But what was it which broke his purposes? The violence and continuance of his afflictions was this Breaker; or his purposes were broken by the confused motions and troublesome representations of his own fancy, to which sick men are very subject. Again, what were those purposes of his which were broken? If they were evil purposes, he had reason to rejoice, not to complain; if they were good purposes, was it not his sin as well as his affliction that they were broken off. I answer to that, Purposes may be good, and yet broken without the sin of the purposer, if himself be not the cause of that breach, and the impediment of their performance: If our holiest purposes are broken off by the inevitable providence of God, the holiness of man receives no blemish by it. The purposes of Job were good doubtless, either spiritually good, or civilly good; and they may be taken either for those purposes of doing good, which he had, before he fell into trouble, or for those which he had laid up in his breast, to do, when he should be again restored and delivered out of trouble. As if he had said, I once had an expectation of life, and I purposed with myself what to do with, or in my new life, but now those purposes are all broken off, for I see my life is ready to be broken off. The next clause seems to explain this, and in that we shall see more fully what he means by these purposes. Even the thoughts of my heart. Every thought of the heart is not a purpose, yet every purpose is a thought of the heart; our thoughts are made up into purposes, either what to do, or not to do: Hence it is usual to say, I thought to have done such or such a thing, that is, I purposed to do it. Therefore Job might well say, My purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart, because purposes are nothing else but a frame, or pack of thoughts: there is an elegancy in that word which we translate Thoughts. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Possessiones cordis a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cogitationes meae avulsae sunt, quas possidere solebat animus meus. Jun. The Hebrew is, The possessions of my heart; so we put it in the Margin of our Bibles: A learned Translator renders it thus, The thoughts which my mind was wont to possess are pulled or snatched away; he means it not of all his thoughts, as if his power of thinking had been lost, but of those special thoughts which he had, or hopes, which he nourished about his restoring to happy days; these once possessed his heart, but they were gone. Thoughts are called the possessions of the heart two ways. Dicuntur cogitationes possideri a cord quid enim magis proprium aut innatum cordi quam suae ipsius cogitationes. Drus. Coc. First, In a passive sense. Secondly, In an active sense. Passively, Because they are possessed by the heart, the heart doth enclose and hold our thoughts: The hear● is the naturally proper vessel or receptacle of thoughts, therefore they are called the possessions of the heart: The heart is the soil and seat of thoughts; there they are planted, and there they dwell. Actively, For as thoughts are possessed by the heart, so thoughts possess the heart; thoughts are full of activity; they trouble and they comfort the heart; look what our thoughts are, such is the state of our hearts; if our thoughts be quiet our hearts are quiet, if our thoughts be unquiet our hearts are unquiet, if our thoughts be joyful our hearts rejoice, if our thoughts be sad our hearts are sorrowful. 'Tis said in the Gospel, (L. 24.38.) Why are ye troubled, why do thoughts rise in your hearts? that is, Why do troublesome and disconsolate thoughts rise in your hearts? 'Tis as natural for thoughts to rise in the heart, as it is for water to rise in a spring, therefore Christ did not chide them because thoughts, but because such thoughts did rise in their hearts: We cannot hinder our hearts from thinking, no more than we can hinder the fire from burning, or water from wetting; but 'tis our duty to hinder our hearts from undue or discourageing thoughts, and to check them for thinking so. Thoughts rule the heart and put it into several frames and forms according to their own likeness; and therefore it is both our wisdom and our holiness to put and keep our thoughts in the best likeness. The heart (in a figurative sense) is nothing else but the frame of our thoughts; and our thoughts in a proper sense are nothing else, but the possessions of the heart. Tabulae cordis. Chald. Further, The Chaldee Paraphrase saith, The Tables of my heart are broken; so it is an allusion to writing: The Law was written at first in Tables of Stone, and now a heart of flesh (not a fleshly heart) is the Tables of the Law, our hearts are Tables both for our own writing and for Gods. Job had written many purposes upon those tables; therefore he might well say as in this case, My purposes, or all that was written upon the Tables of my heart are broken. In my thoughts I had written and set down many particulars which I purposed to have done, Scriptura cordis nunc litura est. Pined. but now those lines are crossed, or quite blotted out. God writes many of his own thoughts in our hearts, and our thoughts are the writings of our hearts; when our purposes and thoughts are broken, the Tables of our hearts are broken. Hence Observe. First, Right purposes are good, but it is not good to live upon purposes. Action must presently follow resolution, and performance must be sped after purposes, else they are to little purpose. When David had said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord (Psal. 32.5.) he instantly confessed them: And when he said, I will take heed to my ways (Psal. 39.1.) he instantly took heed to them. His purpose was in nature, before his practice, but in time they went together: There is a double danger in delaying purposes. First, That the mind of the purposer may change, and his spirit grow flat towards them. Secondly, that the seasons may change, and though he have a mind, yet he may want means and opportunity to perform them. There is danger in both ways, and much sin in the former way of breaking purposes: The danger of both will be more discovered in the second Observation. Secondly, Observe. When great afflictions come, especially when death comes, all our purposes are broken off. As man is apt to busy himself about many things, which he cannot know, so about many things, which (though they are possible to be done, yet) he shall never do. It is in man to purpose, but we must ask leave of God, before we can perform: Cross providences break many purposes, but death breaks all. All our purposes concerning the World, and the things of the World die with us. When the breath of great Princes goeth forth (Psal. 146.4.) In that very day all their thoughts perish. Great Princes are full of great thoughts, but they who cannot keep themselves from perishing, shall never keep their thoughts from perishing. The imaginary frames which they set up, the contrivances, plots, and projects of their hearts are all swept away like the Spider's web, or broken like the Cockatrice's Egg, when themselves are swept away from the face of the Earth, and broken by the power of death. The thoughts of many Princes and Politicians die while themselves live: Achitophel's purposes were broken and disappointed, while himself looked on, and he was so vexed to see it, that he executed himself because his purposes were not executed. In these times of public shaking, how many purposes have we seen go to wrack: They who have been long laying their designs, and brooding upon their counsels have had their eggs broken in a moment, & their thoughts blown away like Chaff before the wind, or the lightest dust before the whirlwind: Now as the purposes of many about gathering riches, about taking their pleasure, about advancing themselves to, or establishing themselves in honour and high places, have perished before they died; so when such die, all their purposes shall certainly perish: And as the purposes of all about worldly things perish in the approaches of death; so do the purposes of some about spiritual and heavenly things. How many have had purposes to repent, to amend their lives and turn to God, which have been prevented, and totally broken off, by the extremity of pain and sickness, but chief by the stroke of death; when they have (as they thought) been about to repent, and (as we say) turn over a new leaf in their lives; they have been turned into the Grave by death, and into Hell by the just wrath of God. Some interpret this Text, as Jobs complaint of the unsettlement of his thoughts about heavenly things, and the breaking of his purposes in the pursuit of eternity: He could not make his thoughts about Heaven hold or hang together, even those thoughts were full of gaps and empty spaces, or rather like Ropes of Sand. Many honest and gracious souls have found work enough upon a deathbed, or a sickbed to attend the pain and infirmity of their bodies. When they have purposely set themselves (the habitual bent of their hearts being always set that way) actually to seek God, Non poterat jugi contemplatio in rerum divinarum ut quondam solebat intendere propter vim doloris. Phil. to meditate upon the precious promises, to put forth fresh lively workings of Faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ, they have been suddenly recalled, yea even forcibly fetched back by some violent assault of pain, or a previous charge of death: So that those thoughts which should be (and they desired that they might be) like their objects, most durable and steady, were yet more like some odd ends or broken potsherds, more like vanishing flashes, or wand'ring fancies, than that beautiful frame of heart, or those well combined and fastened meditations which they intended. For though all the troubles of this life, and the approaches of death itself cannot break, disappoint or scatter those fixed purposes, and thoughts which a Believer hath had, Propter multiplices animi motus & perturbationes jam dolebat jam timebat, nunc se erigebatin spem meliorem, nunc iterum concidebat. or those results and resolves which he hath often made in his own soul about the hopes and concernments of eternal life; yet he may be pitifully puzzled, amuzed, and interrupted in his present motions and meditations about them. Hence take this Caution. Seeing not only our worldly thoughts perish, but our spiritual thoughts may be much broken by strong temptations, and variety of bodily distempers, in times of trouble and sickness, let us hasten to settle our purposes and thoughts about eternal life, yea to see our souls passed from death to life, before we see sickness and sorrow, much more before we see ourselves ready to pass from life to death. Purposes to repent, or to mind heavenly things, not only may, but for the most part are broken off, and lost when sickness and sorrow find us. Beware of this deceit of the Devil, who tells us we shall have leisure to seek God when we are sick, and that we shall have a fair opportunity to settle all the affairs of our souls, when we are going out of the body: then (he tells us) we shall have nothing else to do, and therefore we shall surely do it then. Let not Satan deceive us with these vain words, for than he intends us most blows, then is his season to break our thoughts into a thousand pieces, and to vex us with the splinters, even when we lie upon our sick beds, or are bewildered with affliction. There is scarce one of twenty, but finds break, and convulsions upon his thoughts, at the same time when he feels them upon his body: How often have sick men been heard to say, We cannot set ourselves to think seriously of Heaven, or to act Faith, etc. To suffer and be sick, is work enough for any man at one time: He had not need to have his greatest work to do when he hath such work to do. They who have had brave spirits, and fixed holy purposes upon their deathbeds, were such as had been long exercised in them before. Woe to those who put off their beginnings in grace, till they are ready to finish in nature: A dying man is unfit for any business, how much more for this. He is extremely indisposed for worldly purposes, much more for heavenly: and therefore as soon as a man that hath any Estate, gins to be sick, Friends will move him, Pray Sir, settle your Estate, make your Will, you know not how God may deal with you, if your disease should increase a little more, you may be totally disabled to do it; therefore pray hasten: Yea, we find that most men of valuable Estates in the World, make their Wills in their health, when they are free from sickness and furthest from death, when they have the greatest activity of mind and body: They wisely remember how some who had a full purpose to make their Wills in sickness, have been suddenly overpowred by the malignity of a disease, and could never do it, but have left all at six and seven. If so, shall any man leave his soul undisposed of, or at six and seven, till such a time? A sick man being minded of any worldly business (unless he have a great mind to it) thinks it excuse enough to wave it, because he is sick; I pray do not trouble me with it (saith he) I cannot think of it now, you and I will speak about it hereafter when I am recovered. Do sick men think it reason they should be excused from worldly business because they are sick, and shall any man resolve that it is best to deal about spiritual businesses when he is sick? If Job who had a holy and a sound mind under a diseased body, said, My purposes are broken off, and the thoughts or possessions of my heart: how much more will they feel these breaches, whose minds are sick and more diseased then their bodies? Further, Observe. The difference between God and man, what a vain creature man is, and how excellent God is. God never had one of his purposes broken; whatever he purposed, he hath carried to perfection, he never lost a thought, nor any of the possessions of his heart, The counsel of the Lord stands for ever, and the thoughts of his heart to all Generations (Psal. 33.11.) 'Tis the glory of God that his purposes stand; he is able to make them stand, though all the World should combine as one man to cast them down. 'Tis the dishonour of man that he so often falls from his own purposes, and eats up his own resolves; and 'tis the punishment of some men, that their purposes receive a fall, that their most solemn debates and settled resolves are scattered and confounded: The Lord (in judgement) bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought, he maketh the devices of the people of none effect Psal. 33.10.) All the thoughts of man are loseable, and most men lose their thoughts. It is the comfort of Believers that they are not bottomed upon their own purposes or thoughts, but upon the thoughts and purposes of God (that's their basis) and that shall never be broken; God is unchangeable, and therefore his purposes cannot break: When man's purposes are broken, he either changeth, or suffers a change; of which Job complains in the next Verse, Vers. 12. They change the night into day, and the light is short because of darkness. Here are two things to be opened. First, What is meant by changing the night into day. Secondly, Who it is that changeth the night into day They change the night into day. Hath not the Lord made a promise, yea a Covenant (which is more than a promise) and annexed a sign to it, which is the ratification of a Covenant (Gen. 8.22.) that to the end of the World, while the earth remaineth, Seed time, and harvest, and Summer, and Winter, and cold and heat, and day and night shall not cease; that is, they shall not cease in their turns and seasons: How is it here said, They change the night into day; as if the night and day were out of course, when as the Lord hath covenanted, that they shall continue in their course? I answer, There is a twofold change of times, of day and night. First, A natural Change. Secondly, A metaphorical Change. The united power of all creatures in Heaven and Earth, cannot make a natural change of day into night, and God the Creator hath promised that he will not make that change, he will not break the succession of night and day, while the Earth remaineth. But a metaphorical change of night into day, and of day into night, hath been often made; for when the night is so full of trouble to us that we cannot sleep, the night is changed into day, and when the day is so full of trouble to us, that we can neither do our work, Hoc tormentum cordis, nec nox interrumpebat quae est tempus deputatum humanae quieti, graviu● est pati somni defectum in nocte quam in die. Aquin. Meae cogitationes molestae animum rodentes noctem mihi convertunt in diem; efficiunt ut noctes ducam in somnes. Merc nor take our comforts, than the day is changed into night: The night is the time appointed for natural rest, therefore the night may be said to be changed into day, when we cannot rest, and this is a great affliction; for though in some sense, and in Scripture sense too, to have the night changed into day, is a mercy, and notes a change from a troubled estate into a comfortable estate, yet to have the night changed by our restlessness, or want of sleep, is both an affliction itself, and an argument that we are burdened and over-pressed with other manifold afflictions. In this sense Job complains of the change of his night into day; and thus God often changeth times and seasons, both to particular persons and whole Nations (Dan. 2.21.) Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever, for wisdom and might are his, and he changeth the times, and the seasons, he removeth Kings, and he sets up Kings: He changeth the times and seasons; that is, He makes seasons comfortable, or troublesome, peaceable, or unquiet, he changeth the night into day, or the day into night, as himself pleaseth. And the light is short because of darkness. Propter calamitates. Jun. That is, The day is to me as no day, because of my calamity and misery; my day is short, because darkness suddenly overtakes it. Artificial days are long or short, according to the distance which the darkness of the night keeps from them. Our metaphorical days are long or short, according to the distance which the darkness of trouble keeps from them. Thus the change of day into night, and of night into day, is to be reckoned by the condition we are in: When we cannot sleep in the night, our night is changed into day, and when sorrow seizeth on us in the day, our day is changed into night, or, The light is short to us by reason of darkness. Hae meae cogitationes noctem mihi in diem convertunt. Merc. But who was it that made this change? They change the night into day, and the day into night: Who? Some ascribe it to his troubled thoughts, of which he had spoken before; his thoughts were so torn and distracted, that their confusions turned the night into day, and the day into night; that is a plain sense; as if he had said, By reason of my continual cares and distractions, I take no comfort neither night nor day. Others refer it to his Friends, They, that is, Praesentium malarum cogitationes efficiunt ut dies quamvis lucidus, mihi sit nox. Jun. my Friends turn the night into day, and the day into night; and if his Friends be the Antecedent, it comes much to one, for his Friends did it by filling him with troublesome thoughts, and unquiet reasonings; his Friends did it by filling his heart and head (as we say) with their Proclamations. Hence Note. When the mind is unsettled the man cannot rest. Waking nights and wearisome days are the portion of a troubled spirit. There is a further elegancy considerable in the latter branch of this Verse, The light is short because of darkness. The Original is, The light is near because of darkness. Propinquum pro brevi exponit. Rab. Sol. The word signifies nearness, whether in time or place, and it is usually put in Scripture for short, for that which is of short continuance (Job 20.5.) The triumphing of the wicked is short. The Margin is, The triumphing of the wicked is from near; that is, It is hard by, it began but lately, and it will soon be over, or at an end. In this elegancy the holy Ghost speaks of false gods (Deut. 32.17.) They sacrificed to Devils and not to God, Idola dicuntus dij ex propinquo, i. e. qui diu non durant, vel qui de novo pro diis haberi ceperint. Merc. to Gods whom they knew not, to new Gods that were come newly up: The Hebrew is, to near Gods (it is this word) to short Gods; Gods that are near: that is, God's short or near in their original, they have been but a little while, they are newly come up, as we translate, Whom your Fathers knew not, nor feared: Idols are new Gods, near Gods: we need not travel far to find out their descent and pedigree, the oldest of them are but of a late date, or of a new Edition, upstart Gods, as they are compared with Jehovah the true God, who is from everlasting: And as they are called near Gods, in regard of their original, and rise, so likewise in regard of their continuance, they are not for eternity, we shall see an end of those Gods shortly, they are not longlived, much less are they to everlasting. The true God is the same for ever; false Gods are nothing, Idols are nothing in the World, and they shall in short time be thrust out of the World; and all the near Gods shall be put far away. What the Lord speaks of these night-Gods, the Gods of the darkness of this World. Job speaks of the comforts or light which he once received from God. The light is short because of darkness; that is, It is ready to end and expire. We may say of all the light which we have in this World, that it is short because of darkness: Spiritual light, or the light of God's countenance shining in, or upon his people, hath a darkness attending upon it in this World. The experiences of most Christians answer that of one of the Ancients about this heavenly light, Rara hora brevis mora. Bern. It comes but seldom, and it is soon gone: We have but some glimpses and glances of divine favour here, not a steady sense of it; that (except to a very few) is reserved for Heaven: 'Tis so also about temporal light; the light of God's providence towards us hath a darkness attending upon it, yea a darkness mixed with it: When our comforts have scarce saluted us, or spoken with us, they are interrupted and taken off by approaching sorrows. Those creature enjoyments and relations which have most light in them, have also much darkness hanging about them, and hover over them. Man at the best estate is altogether vanity: And his longest light here is short because of darkness. But Job speaks not this in reference to the general state of man, much less to the best estate of man in this life; he applies it specially to an afflicted estate, and particularly to his own: How short is the light of an afflicted soul, how quickly do Clouds come over him, and Eclipses shut the shining from him, when the light of a man in prosperity is but short, and his day in danger of a night every moment? All our light on earth dwells upon the borders of darkness; the light of Heaven hath no neighbourhood with it, and therefore is not only long, but everlasting. Illae tenebrosae cogitationes a ment mea discedentes, pro nocte jucundum quietis diem & pro tenebris licem matutinam i. e. optatam pacem constituunt. Bold. Yet I find a learned Interpreter making this Verse speak the return of Jobs light; The changing of night into day, is to be understood (saith he) in a good sense: And the breaking of his thoughts and purposes is (according to this Interpretation) nothing else but the scattering of his dark and melancholy thoughts and purposes, which being removed and gone; the night of sorrow was turned into a day of joy, and the morning light (here called the near light, because it immediately succeeds the darkness, which the Noon-light doth not) this morning light (saith he) came before the face of darkness. To which sense the Vulgar Latin translates the last clause, After darkness I hope for light, Et rursum p●st tenebras spero lucem. Vulg. or though I be now in darkness, I hope for light: As if Job had said, After this dark night and dreadful storm, God hath spoken to the angry Sea of my tempestuous thoughts, and behold there is a great calm. But though the Author of this Exposition be so much in love with it, that he counts all other spurious; yet I rather persist in, and stick to the to●●●, ●eeing the whole context runs upon the aggravate of Jobs present troubles, with which this Interpretation holds no agreement. Nor is there any necessity (as the Author supposeth) to take it up, for the avoiding of that imputation of a low, weak, and sinking spirit, which the former exposition in his apprehension subjects Job unto; for though we say that Job doth, as often elsewhere, so here again, make report of his sorrows in highest strains of holy Rhetoric; yet we are so far from saying that he desponded, or sunk under them, that we doubt not to say (which is all that this Author would say, or have others take notice of in his singular Interpretation) that he was more than a Conqueror over them all. 'Tis not only granted, that Job did hope for a day of joy after his night of sorrow, but affirmed that he had a day of joy in his night of sorrow (for he could say in a true sense what the Apostle Paul after did, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing) yet his night (by reason of his outward troubles, and many assaults of inward terror) was changed into a laborious toiling day, and his outward light of comfort was short and quickly ended, when he had it, By reason of the faces (as the Original hath it) or sudden appearances of darkness. JOB, CHAP. 17. Vers. 13, 14, 15, 16. If I wait, the Grave is mine house: I have made my in bed the darkness. I have said to corruption, Thou art my Father, to the worm, Thou art my Mother and my Sister. And where is now my hope? As for my hope, who shall see it? They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust. JOB prosecutes the former Argument, and shows yet more fully the vanity of those hopes which his Friends would nourish in him about a temporal restauration. He shows also, that though himself should nourish them, and even strive to hope, yet he could no more keep such hopes from languishing, than himself from dying, If I wait, the Grave is mine house. If I wait. Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affinitatem habet cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perpemdiculum, linea. Waiting is an act of the mind, in expectation of some future good: The Original word signifies an earnest waiting, or waiting joined with much intention of spirit, and strong desires, as if the mind did let out a Cord, or Line, to take hold of the thing, for which we wait. Waiting is nothing else but patience lengthened out upon a promise. There are three acts of the soul upon the promises. First, Believing. Secondly, Hoping. Dicitis (amici) si me humiliem, manere meam expectationem: atqui cemitis vires meas & vitam meam venisse ad ultimam lineam quippe mala mea cur●m respuunt. Co●. Thirdly, Waiting. We believe the truth of the promise; we hope for the good laid up in the promise; we wait till that good be given out unto us. If I wait (saith Job) God waits upon us, and we wait upon God; God waits in mercy, we wait in duty, God waits to be gracious (Isa. 30.18.) and man waits to be refreshed with the grace of God. Job, in this place, seems to make light or little of this duty of waiting: If I wait, or although I wait, or what if I wait, what shall I get by it? Where's the profit? Or what are my come in? He tells us what; If I wait, all that I shall get by it will be a Grave, or a bed in darkness: And all my preferment will be to call corruption my Father, and to say of the Worm, Thou art my Mother, and my Sister: Here's all I am like to have for all my waiting. But was this all he looked for by waiting? Yes, it was all he looked for, and all he thought himself in a capacity to receive in this World (though in that he was deceived) he had no expectation but to die, and go down to the dust; he had no hope to rejoice in any kindred or alliance, but worms and corruption, these were his Mother and his Sisters and Brethren: If I wait here's all I shall have. Thus (as I intimated before) the words carry a strong confutation of those hopes which his Friends endeavoured to raise up in him, that God would raise him up, Docet praecisam esse sibi his malis omnem vitae spem vel si eam maximè animo fovere velit. Si expectem, i. e. si expectare studeam, Merl. and make him as a Prince among the people, if he repent and turned to God. No, saith he, what do you tell me of a great House, and of a great Name, of a rising Sun, and of the morning light, why am I so often told of these things, I tell you once for all, the Grave is my house, darkness is my bed, and the worms are my kindred and companions; let me hear no more of these groundless prophesyings, and unsavoury flatteries, for my wound is incurable, and I am at the last cast, If I wait, the Grave is my house. Again, The word which we translate to wait, coming, as was touched before, Si aedificavero, infernus domus mea. Rab. Dan. from a Root which signifies a Carpenter's Line, by which he measures his buildings: Some render the Text thus, If I build, the Grave is my house: As if he had said; I have no other house to build but a Grave, or when I have builded my best, I shall have no other house but a Grave. [The Grave.] The same word signifieth Hell, as was showed (Chap. 11.8.) and therefore I will not stay here upon it: If I wait, the Grave, [Is my house.] He calls the Grave a house, because there we rest as in a house: Man goeth forth of his house to labour, and comes home to his house for rest: Aegyptij defunctorum sepulchra, domos aeternas Appellitant. Diodor. lib. 1. Some tell us that Job calls the Grave his house, in allusion to those forms of making Graves or Sepulchers, used in ancient (which are also continued in these) times, with arches, and contrivances like a house. [And have made my bed in the darkness.] Intelligi potest de lecto bene ornato super quem reponi solebant principum cadavera Mausoleis, quod juxta Hebraeum in plurail dicitur, stravi strata mea, magnificum quid senate & Pompaticum. Bold. He speaks still in prosecution of the allusion: In a house there are Dining Rooms, and there are sleeping Rooms; there is the Bedchamber, and the Bed in the Chamber. The Grave is my house (saith Job) and there I have a Bed, I have made it: [In the darkness.] The Grave is a dark place; and the Grave is called Darkness in a double respect. First, Because there is no light of the body there. Secondly, Because there is no light of the Sun there. The light of the body is the eye, and the light of the air is the Sun; but in the Grave the Sun shines not, or if it did, yet there the eye sees not, therefore the Grave is darkness: I have made my bed in the darkness: And darkness is most fit for a bed, sleep loves darkness: A working Room must be light, but 'tis no matter how dark a sleeping Room be: when we go to sleep, if it be not dark, we make it dark, that so we may sleep the better. The Apostle gives that as an argument why the Saints should not sleep as do others, because they were once darkness, but now light in the Lord. He that is in aerial light can hardly get his body to sleep, and will you who are in spiritual light compose your souls to sleep? All sorts of sleepers covet the dark, and therefore they who sleep in death, are elegantly described making their b●d in darkness, that so they may have (as it were) all accommodations for their rest, I have made my bed in the darkness. It may be questioned (towards the clearing of this Verse) Did not Job wait? Why doth he say, If I wait? Was he upon Iffs or Ands about that great and necessary duty? He resolved peremptorily (Chap. 14.14.) All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come: And is he so much changed already into an unresolvedness about his waiting? I answer, This supposition about waiting, is not a negation, nor is it a note of his irresolution to wait for any thing, but only for that particular, about which his Friends were so busy to awaken and heighten his expectations. Job waited upon God for all things which he desired to have, only he did not wait upon God for that which the visible dispensations of God seemed to tell him aloud, that he should not have, a temporal deliverance; yea, when he saith, If I wait, namely, for this thing, it is an Argument that he acknowledged it a duty to wait upon God for all those things, for the receiving of which he had any rule or ground of hope from God: Every exception confirms the rule. He that saith he doth not wait upon God about that for which he hath no warrant, saith strongly, that he ought to wait upon God where he hath a warrant. From which consequence we may Observe this unquestionable truth. That it is the duty of man to wait upon God. Waiting upon God is a duty of the first Commandment; it is a part of natural worship: It is not in man's liberty whether he will wait or no, he is commanded to wait: David speaks it double, and no doubt he laboured to act it double (Psal. 40.1.) Waiting, I waited, or I waited patiently upon God: The Apostle gives that advice to the Saints (Heb. 10.36.) Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise: There is doing the will of God, and then there is receiving the promise; yet we must do somewhat after we have done the will of God, before we can receive the promise; and that is, we must wait upon him: You have need of patience, saith the Apostle; What kind of patience? There are three sorts of patience. First, The patience of labouring, that he puts in the former part of the Verse, it is our doing the will of God. Secondly, There is the patience of suffering. Thirdly, There is the patience of waiting after we have both done and suffered the will of God. We have need of this patience, the patience of waiting, that we may receive the promise, that is, the mercy promised; God hath preventing mercies, and they come to us before we wait for them; but his rewarding mercies must be waited for: he will exercise the grace of patience in us, by causing us to wait for our reward, as he exerciseth the graces of love and zeal, in commanding us to do his will; and usually without waiting after we have done his will, there is no receiving of the reward for doing his will. And for the promises and Prophecies in general, though God never fail his own time, yet he seldom comes at ours: That great promise about the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt, was performed punctually to an hour (Exod. 12.41, 42.) It came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, even that very night, it came to pass, that God brought out all the Host of Israel. The time being out in the night, God did not stay till morning, but brought them out that very night: We count it a very venial sin to break our word for a day, or to let a man wait a day beyond the time promised; we commonly say, A day breaks no square: It is not so with God, he keeps his time punctually, he will not break his word one day. We read of the shortening of evil times, but not of their lengthening, God never makes his people wait for good longer than he hath promised. But though God keep his time exactly, and come just at the moment he hath prefixed and foreshowed, yet we are apt to antedate the promise of God, and to set it a time before God's time: We are short sighted and short breathed; that which is but a moment in the Calendar of Heaven, seems more than an age to us. Now in this regard there is much need of patience, of waiting patience, to tarry, not only our time, but God's time; which is the meaning of the Prophet Habakkuk (Chap. 2.3.) The vision is for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, and will not tarry: The Prophet advises, Though it tarry, wait for it; there's our duty, yet he presently affirms, It will not tarry: So than it may tarry, and yet it tarryeth not; it may tarry beyond our time, but it tarryeth not beyond God's time; It will come, and will not tarry; that is, not beyond the time which God hath prefixed, though it may soon tarry beyond the time which we have prefixed; therefore if it tarry, wait; there is no remedy but patience. The Apostle James gives the rule (Chap. 1.4.) Let patience have her perfect work: that is, Let all manner of patience work in you to the end, and let it work to all those ends, or purposes to which it is appointed. Patience hath her perfect work. First, When it puts forth perfect acts. Secondly, When it perseveres in acting. Patience ascends by three steps to the perfection of her work. The first is a silent (not a sullen) submission or resignation of ourselves to the dispose of God (Psal. 39.9.) I was dumb (saith David) and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. Secondly, A kind of thankful acceptation, or kissing of the Rod which smites us: If their uncircumcised hearts be humbled (saith the Lord, Levit. 26.41.) and they accept the punishment of their iniquity: The phrase imports a welcome receiving of it, as of a love-token from the hand of a Friend, or that the Rod is not only justly, but mercifully and graciously inflicted: This a great perfection of patience, and to this Jobs patience attained the very first day of his sorrows, while he blessed the Name of the Lord, not only for giving him so many good things, but also for taking them away (Chap. 1.21.) The third step, is spiritual joy, and serious cheerfulness under sorrowful dispensations: This the Apostle exhorts the Brethren to (Vers. 2.) Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations: And presently adds (intimating that the highest perfection of patience consists in this joy) Let patience have her perfect work: As if he had said, I have told you what the perfect work of patience is, do not give check to your patience till it be got up this step, and hath set your souls, a rejoicing, or (as we speak) a crowing over all your temptations. Every grace should have its perfect work in us, and so they have, when patience hath its perfect work; and then patience hath done that perfect work there commanded, when we wait quietly, thankfully, and rejoicingly, till God hath done the work which he hath promised. This waiting patience is also called (by Christ himself) The possession of the soul (Luke 21.19.) Possess ye your souls in patience. What title soever we have to our own souls, we have no possession of them without patience: As Faith gives us the possession of Christ, so patience gives us the possession of ourselves: An impatient man is not in his own hands; and as waiting patience gives us the present possession of ourselves, so it will bring us to the possession of all good things else that we stand in need of to make us happy. The Prophet pronounceth them blessed, who wait every blessing is a good thing, but to be blessed is all good things, not only is a blessing but blessedness the reward of a waiter. The Lord is a God of judgement, blessed are all they that wait for him (Isa. 30.18.) Waiting is not only a duty, but a benefit, yea our blessedness. And if any object, How is it blessedness, or so much as a single blessing to wait upon God under this notion as a God of judgement? To have said, God is a God of mercy, blessed are they that wait for him, might have taken upon the heart; but to say, God is a God of judgement, blessed are they that wait for him: How can that be? Is there any desireableness in judgement? I answer, Judgement is not there opposed to mercy (there's no blessedness in being near such judgement.) We may consider judgement in a threefold opposition. First, Judgement is opposed to anger and severity (Jer. 10.24.) Correct me, O Lord, in judgement, not in thine anger: It is a blessed thing to wait upon a God of judgement, in opposition to anger, or as judgement imports the golden Bridle of moderation upon the passions and affections. Secondly, Judgement is opposed to injustice, it is a blessed thing to wait upon a just God, who will certainly do us right; it is a misery, one of the greatest miseries under the Sun, to wait upon unjust and unrighteous men; but how great a mercy is it to wait upon a just, and a righteous God? Thirdly, Judgement is opposed to folly, ignorance, and unadvisedness; thus God is a God of judgement, or wisdom, and blessed are they that wait upon the wise; it is a vexation to wait upon rash, foolish, heady men, who do they care not what, or know not what they do; but to wait upon a man, much more upon the God of judgement, who knows how to order and do all things, who hath the full compass of every cause within him, and will time every circumstance to our best advantage (to wait upon this God I say) is a high p●i●e of happiness: God being such a God of judgement, Blessed are they that wait for him; and so blessed are they, that however he may put them to wait long, yet he at his coming will more than recompense all their waiting; as we find in that exultation of the Church (Isa. 25.9.) And it shall be said in that day, Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoice in his salvation: Possibly some had said then to the Church (as was said continually to David, Psal. 42.3.) Where is your God? Ye have long looked for him, but he doth not yet appear. The Church having borne thoses reproaches long, sees God coming at last, and then she breaks forth in triumph, as if she had held God forth in her hand, and cries him up, Lo this is our God, we have waited for him: The words have a sound of victory, yea of many victories in them. They shall in the end overcome all difficulties, who can but overcome their own hearts to a patiented waiting upon God: As true repentance for the evil we have done, so holy patience for the good we would receive, shall never be repent of. And (to add that further) though, when (as it appeared here to Job) God in his providential actings, determines negatively, and speaks it out by the manner of his workings, that his will is not to give, or do for us such a thing, it ceases to be a duty to wait for it, yet to lay down the duty of waiting, or to throw it up at any time upon such grounds as these four (which are the usual grounds upon which it is laid down or thrown up) is extremely sinful, and a high contempt of God. First, It is extremely sinful to give over waiting upon God, as being unwilling to tarry his leisure. 'Tis the prerogative of God, to date all times, as much as to do all things for us; our times are in his hand as well as our affairs, and he is the disposer of all things, as in regard of the means, so also of their seasons. Hence 'tis our duty to wait as a time, so all the days of our appointed time (how many soever they are, they are all of God's appointment) till our change shall come, as Job professed his resolution to do (Chap. 14.14.) The Israelites are charged (Psal. 78.41.) For limiting the holy one of Israel: How did they limit him? There is a twofold limiting of God: First, to means, when we think we cannot be saved unless we are saved our own way. Secondly, there is a limiting of God to times, he must save us by such a day, or else we cannot be saved: Thus the Israelites limited the Holy one of Israel, and set bounds to him, whose power and wisdom are immeasurable. God may justly limit man, and man never doth justly till he keeps within the limits of God; but it is not a sin but a high presumption, for man to limit God: nor is it possible for man to break his own bounds more by any thing he doth, then by setting bounds to God, what, or when he shall do. Secondly, It is exceeding sinful to give over waiting on God for deliverance out of an affliction, because we are either displeased with God who sends it, or are angry at the affliction sent. When God throws a stone at us, we should stoop humbly, and taking it up, put it into our bosom (if we do so, though it look like a worthless Pebble, it will quickly change into a precious Pearl, however we must) not like the Dog rage at it and by't it, which yet many do. Now they who are vexed at the affliction which God sends, or at God himself, for sending the affliction, these will never wait upon God for the removing of it. Such was the frame of that wretched King (2 Kings 6.33.) who said, This evil is of the Lord, wherefore should I wait on the Lord any longer? As if he had said, I will never wait for any kindness at his hand, who hath already used me thus unkindly: He that takes an affliction in ill part at the hand of God, will never expect good from him; or if he do, it must come very speedily, or else his waiting is over. 'Tis not unlikely that this King, by the advice of the Prophet Elisha had waited a little, but he was soon weary; Why should I wait any longer? There was reason enough why he should, but his unbelief would not let him see what he saw, nor understand what himself had spoken: For the reason which he gave, why he would wait no longer, is the strongest reason that can be given why he should have waited longer, This evil is of the Lord. 'Tis true, that among men, they, from or of whom evils are, are usually the unfittest to remove them: Men who wound are seldom skilled at curing; but the Lord brings no evil, but what he can remove, nor doth he make any wound but what he can heal; yea no power nor art in the World, can heal the wounds that he makes, or remove the evils which he brings, but his own. Hence the patiented Believer cries out with the Church (Hos. 6.1.) Let us return to the Lord, yea let us wait upon the Lord, for he hath torn and he will heal: But the impatient unbeliever saith, Let us turn away from the Lord, let us wait upon the Lord no longer, for 'tis he that hath torn us, therefore surely he will not heal us. Grace and corruption may take up the same principles, but they draw conclusions from them as contrary, as themselves are. Thirdly, It is exceeding sinful to give over waiting, as thinking that God cannot help. Some shorten their patience by shortening the hand of God. That such were the apprehensions of the Jews, is more than probable by the Prophet's Negative assertion (Isa. 59.1.) Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot save. Fourthly, It is exceeding sinful to give over waiting upon God, by turning aside to sinful ways: Some find out (as they suppose) nearer ways to help themselves, then by attending upon God; they like not (as such have profanely called them) those pious delays: and so over Hedge and Ditch they will, to the overtaking of their own ends. The Prophet Jeremiah describes such (Chap. 18.12.) And they said, there is no hope; or, our case is desperate, all's lost. What then? but we will walk after our own devises, and every one do after the imagination of his evil heart: The Lord had told them (Vers. 11.) Behold I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you. But did the Lord devise a device, merely to ensnare them, or did he frame evil against them only to undo them? No, his aim was their repentance, not their ruin, and therefore he adds in the same Verse, Return ye now every one from his evil ways, and make your ways and your do good: As if the Lord had said, Though I am about to frame evil against you, yet do ye return to me and all shall be well. How do they resent this threatening and this Counsel? They grow desperate upon it: And seeing God had brought them into such straits, they would get out as well as they could: And as he was devising devices against them, so they had devices of their own, and them they would follow. Thus they would not wait upon God for a remedy in the way of repentance for their old sins, but they would provide themselves a remedy by running into new sins: They had a device in their heads, which should match the device of God. Now what the Prophet subjoins (Vers. 13, 14, 15.) as a strong redargution of that people who refused to wait upon God in that way, the same may we say to all those who refuse to wait upon God in any way. The Virgin of Israel (he calls her so to mind her what she should be, not to commend her for what she was) hath done a very horrible thing, will a man leave the Snow of Lebanon, which cometh from the rock of the field? Or, will a man (as our Margin hath it) leave my fields for a rock, or for the Snow of Lebanon? that is, Will any traveller be so foolish, as to leave the plain fields, where he may pass with ease and pleasure, without let or hindrance to climb over craggy Rocks and precipitious Hills? will he leave a beaten path, to go through vast Woods and desolate Forests covered with Snow, where no tract or footsteps are to be seen? or (as it follows in that Verse) shall the cold flowing waters which come from another place be forsaken: or, shall the cool running waters be forsaken for strange waters: that is, Will any man who hath fresh Fountain-water of his own at home, go to seek water in a stinking Ditch, in standing pools, and miry puddles when he is a thirst? Such is the choice or exchange which they make, who cease waiting upon God in his ways, and turn aside for help to their own crooked ways, Stumbling (as the Prophet speaks at the fifteenth Verse of the same Chapter) in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up, or, where no Causey is. Though the hand or providence of God doth sometimes bring his people (as the Prophet speaks (Isa. 42.16.) By a way which they knew not, and leads them in paths that they have not known: that is, Into a way which they knew not, by any former teachings of men, or experiences of their own; yet his hand never leads them into any way, which is not cast up, or which may not be made out, by some rule or example in the word: To leave waiting upon God in his ordinary ways, and to go in any extraordinary way which hath no ground in the word, is purely to follow our own ways, and to go after the imaginations of our evil hearts. Job in this place apprehended it unseasonable for him to wait for those worldly attainments and enjoyments which his Friends promised him; but he was not unwilling to tarry the Lords leisure, nor was he displeased with God for afflicting him, nor did he say, God could not help him, much less did he turn from God to any wicked way to help himself, when he said, If I wait, the Grave is mine house. Secondly, Observe from it. A good man may give up all his worldly expectations. A Believer may in this sense be an unbeliever, and lay down all his hopes in this life, of long life and of good days, of riches and temporal greatness: When Friends bid such on their sick beds, Be of good cheer, we hope to see you abroad shortly; we hope God will raise you up again, they will even forbid those comforts, and say, Do not entice us back into the World with these hopes, the Graves are ready for us, and we have made our bed in the darkness; it is not for us to look for life here, indeed to live to us is Christ, but to die is gain. A Believer can willingly part with all his earthly possessions for heavenly hopes, much more can he joyfully part with all his earthly hopes for the possession of Heaven. Thirdly from these expressions, The Grave is my house, I have made my bed in the darkness. Note. A Believer looks upon death as a state of rest, As the whole house is a place of rest compared with the World abroad, so the Bed is the special place of rest (Revel. 14.14.) Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth, they rest from their labours, and their works follow them: They shall follow their work no more, who are followed by their works. The Grave is the house and bed of the body to all who die: Heaven is the house and rest of the soul to all those why die in the Lord. Saints have here a rest in their labours, they shall hereafter have a rest from their labours. Lastly, Whereas the bed of death is made in darkness. Observe. There is nothing in death, as considered in itself. A dark condition is the worst condition: Darkness which in Scripture signifies all evil is a word good enough to express the state of death by: What desireableness there is in death, what pleasures in the Grave, will appear further in those arguments which death useth to invite us home to its house, the Grave, in the next Verse, which tells us our most lovely companions, yea our sweetest and most endeared relations there, are, Corruption and Worms. Vers. 14. I have said to corruption, Thou art my Father, and to the worm, Thou art my Mother, and my Sister. Hyperbolae sunt quibus significat se omnem jam vitae cogitationem abdicasse. Jun. This Verse is of the same sense with the former; only here, Job breaks into an elegant variation of new metaphors, and hyperbolical expressions. [I have said.] That is, I have (as it were) called to, and saluted the retinue and attendants of death, as my friends and kindred: As I have made my bed in the Grave, and as that is my house, so now I am finding out my household relations; I say to this, Thou art my Father, and to that, Thou art my Mother and Sister. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est clamare vocare appellare, & per electionem nominare, elegans prosopopeia: per quam Job tumulum alloquitur. Bold. The word which we render, I have said, etc. signifies not barely to say, but to cry, or call out: I have called out to corruption; so Master Broughton, To the pit I cry, O Father, O Sister, O Mother to the Worm: not barely, I have said, but I cry, and not barely, I cry Father to the pit, but he adds also a note of exclamation, O Father. Secondly, The word imports not generally a calling, or crying out, to any one that comes next, but to some special person, by way of election and choice, or to such as we know well, and are acquainted with, as the terms of Father, Mother, and Sister imply. Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat etiem occurrere alicui, nam occurrentem solemus salutatione vel interrogatione aliqua proprio nomine appellare. Further, the word signifies, not only to call aloud, and to call with election, but to go forth on purpose to call a Friend, or to invite him in: As when we see an acquaintance coming towards us, or our dwellings, we step out to meet and welcome him, so the word may bear in this place: As if Job seeing death drawing towards him, had gone out, and said O corruption my Father, O worms my Mother, my Sister, welcome, welcome, such an elegancy the word yields us. I shall not here stay upon any anxious disquisition about the propriety of these relations, how Job calls corruption his Father, and the worm his Mother and Sister, or in drawing out comparisons about them; we are to look only to a general proportion, not to an exact propriety in these words; there's no need to make out parallels between corruption and a Father, or between worms and a Mother, or a Sister. Only thus much may be asserted particularly. First, He speaks thus to show that he looked on death, not only not as an enemy, but not as a stranger. Death and he were well acquainted. Secondly, He speaks thus to show, that death was not only not a stranger to him, but as one of his kindred: He was upon as fair terms with death, as with Father and Mother. Thirdly, Job speaks thus to show, ostendat mortem sibi in votis esse, cunctis illum amicitiae & necessitudinis nomininis compellat. Pinet. that he did not only look upon death as in a near relation to him, but as having a kind of delight and contentment in death: what is more sweet to a man who hath been in a long journey, and is returning home, then to think that he is coming to his Father and Mother, to his Brethren and Sisters? As nature gives us kindred by blood, so it is a custom to adopt and stamp to ourselves kindred by kindness; one we call Father, and another we call Mother; one is our Brother, a second is our Sister, a third our Cousin, by the mutual ties or by the receipts and returns of courtesy. Thus we are to take these compellations, as intimating with what spirit Job entertained the thoughts of death, even with no other than if he had been to fall into the embraces of Father, and Mother, and Sister: He said to corruption, as we should say to wisdom (Prov. 7.4.) Say unto wisdom, thou art my Sister, and call understanding thy Kinswoman: that is, Acquaint thyself with, and be familiar with wisdom, so shalt thou keep thyself (which is both thy wisdom and thy happiness) a stranger, From the strange Woman (Verse. 5.) Further, it may yet be enquired, what it is which Job calls Corruption and the worm, I have said to corruption, etc. What is this corruption? There are two opinions about it. First, Some interpret him speaking to the corruption, and worms which had already seized upon his body; for his diseases and ulcerous sores had bred corruption and worms: As if he had said, I may well call corruption my Father, for I am already full of corruption, I may well call the worm my Mother, my sister, for the worms creep in and out at my sores continually: my body is as if it had laid already in the Grave, full of corruption and worms. Secondly, Others expound him speaking to, and of, the corruption, and worms which waited his coming into the Grave. The word in the Text which we translate Corruption, signifies also the Grave; because bodies do not only corrupt in the Grave, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fovea, corruptio, quod in fovea corpus corrumpitur. but quickly turn to corruption. As soon as a body is dead, it is a carcase, and after it hath been a while a carcase, 'tis nothing but corruption: Hence some render it, not, I have said to corruption, but to the pit, or grave; so Master Broughton To the pit I cry, O Father, to the worm, O Mother, O Sister. The Grave is so proper a place for corruption, that 'tis proper enough to express corruption by the Grave. And besides those worms which are generated out of the putrefaction of man's body, there are worms ready generated in the Grave to entertain us; worms are the proper inhabitants of the Grave; there they keep house as Father and Mother, and Sister, to welcome and embrace such as descend into it. Master Fox reports of Doctor Taylor, a famous Martyr of Christ in Queen Mary's time, who was burned at Hadley in Suffolk, that when he knew he should suffer death by fire, he said, I have been deceived myself, and I shall deceive many at Hadley, when some hearing this, began to hope he would recant and shrink from that profession of the Gospel which he had made: At last he explained himself, I am a man of a very full fat body, which I had hoped, should have been buried in Hadley Church-yard, but I see I am deceived; and there are a great number of worms there, which might have had good cheer upon my carcase, but I shall deceive them all, my body being to be burned. The Earth breeds worms in its own bowels, and our body which at the best and alive are but refined earth, being once dead yield another race of worms. Job may be supposed speaking unto both, or either, I have said to the worm, Thou art my Mother and my Sister. We may hence Observe. That some Believers are so far from fearing, that they are familiar with death. Other Texts in the former passages of this Book, have occasioned like Observations; yet as often as this occasion is renewed it will not be unprofitable to renew this Observation: To write the same things where we read the same things (yet the Reader will not find them the same) is not unprofitable. I say some Believers are familiar with death, I am fare from saying that he who is not, is no Believer: There are not in all, the same degrees of holiness, though holiness be the same in all; but a Believer may arrive at such a composure of spirit, at such a stature of holiness, as not to fear death. There are some Believers (and it is their sin) who are but little acquainted with death, they seldom go out to the Grave, or look into the pit they are going to; he that hath often conversed with death in the meditation (which is a Believers way) of the death of Christ, cannot be afraid to die if he know what that death of Christ means which he hath meditated upon. He that knows it throughly, may (as the Prophet speaks in another case, Isa. 11.8.) play upon the hole of this Asp, and put his hand upon the den of this Cockatrice; yea, such a Believer may not only play and put his hand upon the Grave, which is the hole of this Asp, and the den of this Cockatrice, but he can play with the Asp itself, and take up the Cockatrice in his hand; with this Asp or Cockatrice he can sport himself as with a Brother or a Sister. O how different are the thoughts of carnal men, and their words of death? How dreadfully do they speak and think of the Grave? An Unbeliever saith of the Grave, It is a prison, not a house; he finds no bed in darkness, 'tis to him a Dungeon, he saith to corruption, Thou art my foe, and to the worms, ye are to me as Fiends and Furies: He cannot bear the thought of them, much less their sight and presence. Saints speak courtingly of death; there is a kind of holy courtship in the language of Job: Agag (1 Sam. 15.32.) came out to Samuel delicately; for said he, Surely the bitterness of death is past: but he was deceived, for Samuel hewed him in pieces; and when he said, the bitterness of death is past, he meant death was passed. He did not believe, but that death would be bitter when ever it should come; but he thought death was passed for that time how ever, and so he came out delicately, he stood as a Courtier, yea as a King before Samuel, because he had escaped (as he supposed) that King of terrors. Thus the Saints come out delicately indeed, and court it, in the very face of the King of terrors, for they know the bitterness of death is past, though they were assured they must die presently: They do not say, Death is past, they know death will come, and they must die, but the bitterness is past, the Gall and Worm wood is taken out; and upon this account they can say to corruption, Thou art my Father, and to the Worm, Thou art my Mother, and Sister. Thirdly, Note. Corruption and worms are the portion and companions of the dead. Only Jesus Christ was exempt from this portion, who though he submitted himself to death for sinners, yet having no sin himself, he was not at all subject to death, nor was it possible that he should be holden of it: he was the holy one, he had no corruption in his spirit, and therefore his flesh saw no corruption (Acts 2.31.) But as for all flesh, they having corrupted all their ways, their flesh shall see corruption in the end. Take two corollaries from this. First, Let no man glory in bodily beauty, in honours, or alliances. Corruption will shortly seize upon the most beautiful body, worms will crawl upon the smoothest cheeks, upon the fairest face, and into that mouth which now boasteth great things, and speaks so proudly; this earth must turn to earth, and then the greatest kindreds, and noblest Pedigrees, will be lost or swallowed up in this, Corruption is my Father, and the worm my Mother, and my Sister: Man is corruptible, while he lives, and when he dies he is corruption. Every man living is but a worm; Jesus Christ who abased himself to the lowest condition of man, saith, I am a worm and no man (Psal. 22 6) When man dies, as he goes to the worms, so he makes worms; who would be proud of his flesh, did he know that 'tis but corruption and worms once removed, and that it must suddenly move back again to corruption and worms, Secondly, Seeing death hath nothing of its own but darkness, corruption, and worms, which are all unpleasing and a regret to flesh and blood, therefore live much in Christ, who only gives a remedy against all these evils: If we live in the Grave of Christ, that will make the darkness of our Grave light, and the corruption of it sweet unto us. He that upon good interest can say to Christ, Thou art my Father, thou art my Brother, thou art my All, can say rejoicingly to corruption, Thou art my Father, and to the worm, thou art my Mother, and Sister. Relation to Christ is so comfortable, that it overcomes the discomfort of our most unpleasant relations. That which raised the spirit of holy Job to these free compliances with death, was the light which he had (even in those darker times) about the Redeemer, of which as the nineteenth Chapter gives us a clear and an illustrious proof; so the next Verse gives us more than an intimation. Vers. 15. And where is now my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see it? He that cheerfully questions, Where is my hope? puts it almost out of question, where his hope is. [Where is now my hope?] Had Job lost his hope, or was it to seek? David's enemies interrogate him (and that interrogatory was as a Sword in his bones, or as a Dagger at his heart) Where is now thy God? (Psal. 42.10.) their meaning was, Thy God is not where, he is not to be found, thou hast none to help, none to deliver thee: Job puts the question himself, and he puts it to himself, Where is now my hope? His meaning is not, that it was not where, but that it was not there where some would have it. Hope may be considered two ways, either as taken for a grace acting in us, or as taken for some good upon which that grace acts: Jobs question concerns not hope as it is a grace acting in us; he that hath that hope knows where it is, and where it is once it abides forever; Hope is no remover, it is an abiding grace (1 Cor. 13.13.) Now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three: These are abiding graces; these must and shall keep house, not only in the Church militant in general, but in the soul of every true member of the Church: and if in reference to this hope, Job had questioned, Where is now my hope? He might have answered, It is in thy heart; the grace of hope dwells there. This grace of hope is no fading quality but a settled power: Hope doth not always act, but it always is, where it ever was: It is not always a lively hope, but it is always a living hope. As Eliphaz checks Job (Chap. 4.4.) Is this thy hope: So many a Believer deserves to be checked and chiden, because his hope is not more strong and stirring, because his hope is so unlike hope, especially so unlike that hope, which he ought to have, after so much experience. What? Is this thy hope? is this all? you have talked of hope all this while; is this all you have to show for it? this is a poor piece of hope, a hope unworthy of thee. Some good men may justly fall under this check, and whereas hope maketh not ashamed, they may for a time be ashamed of their hope; yet it is with them as with those Trees of which the Prophet speaks (Isa. 6.13.) whose substance is in them, when they have cast their leaves; So the holy seed shall be, and is the substance of it; and though for a time it appear not, and so may bear this question, Where is it? yet it will appear again, and by bearing fruit, answer for itself, Here I am. Secondly, Take hope for that good upon which our hope is set, or for the object of hope. There is a twofold object of hope. First, Eternal, and heavenly. Secondly, Temporal, and earthly. Spiritual things are the hope laid hold upon (Heb. 6.18.) That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: This Scripture teacheth us, that as there is a hope by which we lay hold, that's the grace of hope; so there is a hope upon which we lay hold, that's the good for which we hope. God himself, and all the good things of eternal life, which God hath promised, are this hope. This hope also Job had, and he knew where it was: as he knew he had the grace of hope in his heart, so that he had the choicest good of hope in Heaven, nor would he have parted with this hope for all the possessions in the World. But as hope (whether in the object or in the actings of it) respects temporal, or earthly things; Job saith, And now where is my hope? that is, If I wait and hope about these things, my labour is lost, my hopes are vain and vanishing, yea already vanished, as the next clause (which is of the same sense with this, and therefore needs no explication) further showeth. And for my hope who shall see it? That is, Who shall see that which you would have me hope for? You would persuade me that I shall be a great man; if I should take up such a hope, who shall ever see it made good, who shall see it fulfilled? No man shall. And because the word which we translate Hope in both parts of this Verse, signifies also a Congregation, Ecquis me talem intuebitur, qualem me futurum dicitis? Bez. or the meeting of many things or persons together: That first and great congregation of waters, or rather the congregating of those waters is expressed by it (Gen. 1.9.) and in a like sense 'tis used concerning persons (Jer. 3.17.) Hence the whole Verse is thus rendered, And where now is my congregation? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat congregare & congregationem. Et ubi nunc congregatio mea, & congregationem meam quis intuebitur? Bold. And as for my congregation who shall see it? As if he had said, If ye ask after my congregation or family, 'tis in the Grave; there's all that I look for, there's my Father and Mother, there's my Sisters, and will any man go down with me into those chambers of darkness to visit my congregation, to see my family: this is all the family which I have in my eye, and whose eye else is greedy to see this? I might from this Verse turn back to that Observation lately given; That a true Believer is sometimes able to make triumphant reports about the wrack of his worldly hope; he can say, Where is it? and who shall see it? With dry eyes when the will of God removes it out of his sight. David treating of the vanity of worldly things (Psal. 39.7.) concludes in the mids of all his outward enjoyments, And now Lord what wait I for? where is my hope? or, What do I hope for? ('tis all one) my hope is in thee; not in the World, not after worldly things; he easily gave up his hope there: The more hope we have in God, the less we have in and about the creature. Job had much hope in God, but he had none, not only in, but none for the creature. All those hopes were in his light, as himself was, dead or dying and therefore fit only to be buried out of his sight, as he speaks in the next Verse, Vers. 16. They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust. [They shall go down.] Spes meae, omnia mea; recte in plurali dicit, significans non spem tantum sibi ab illis propositam sed & omnes alias spes hujus vitae. Merc. Who? or what shall go down? There is no express Relative in the Hebrew: They, that is (say some) these hopes; he speaks in the plural Number, as if he had said, All my hopes about this life are going down to the pit. The best of worldly hopes, and worldly things, are dying and perishing, mine are to me as dead and perished. Secondly, Others understand it of Job himself; for the word which we translate Barrs signifies also the members of the body. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vectes significat, & ea omnia quae velut vectes aliquid sustentant. Aliqui Rabbini ad ipsum. Jobum referant, quod ipsius fulchra, i. e. membra, brachia, vires, robur descendent. Vectibus sepulchralibus descendent. Jun. M●ae videbitis istas expectationes quas praedicatis, una cum corpore ferretro efferri in sepulchrum. Jun. As if he had said, I myself shall go down to the Pit, or Grave. A third thus, They shall descend upon the bars of the Grave: The meaning is, Ye shall quickly see me and all my worldly hopes which ye so much speak of, put together in a Coffin, and carried out upon a Beire to the Grave for burial. This going down to the bars of the Pit, according to our reading, imports, that he and his hopes should descend to the lower parts of the earth, the Grave, and be buried there; the pit would shut him in, and make him fast enough. The Grave is a Prison, and there are Barrs or bolts belonging to that Prison which shut the Prisoners in; there's no breaking of that Prison: The Decree of God is the Bar of the Grave, and his purpose locks it up till the day which himself hath appointed for the resurrection from the dead, and the judgement which is to follow. As the evil Angels are reserved in chains of darkness to the Judgement of the great day, so are the bodies of men chained and barred down in the darkness of the Grave, till God sends out the Archangel with the sound of a Trumpet to summon them to his Barr. Yet further, these words are interpreted as spoken in derision of those overtures which his Friends made to him about worldly happiness: Per irrisi●nem haec dicta sunt. Cajet. As if he had said, You persuade me that I shall have much good in the World: very well, let it be so, but do you think that I can carry my Goods, my Houses and Lands, my Silver and Gold, my Corn and my Wine, to make merry with in the Grave? Shall I, and the greatness you promise me live together in the Grave, and make our abode in darkness? The Septuagint seem to favour that sense, rendering it, An bona mea mecum ad infernos descendent, aut pariter super pulverem descendemus. Shall my Goods go with me to the Grave, or, shall we descend into the dust hand in hand; when I surrender this battered Fort into the hands of death, shall I march out with Bag and Baggage to these Subterranean dwellings? The Apostle affirms, That we brought nothing with us into this World; and (he doth more than affirm) It is certain (saith he) we can carry nothing out (1 Tim. 6.7.) And therefore what doth it avail a dying man to tell him of riches, seeing when he dies he must leave all his riches. Master Broughton translates plainly thus, To the midst of the Grave all shall descend, when we shall go down together in the dust. From which, our reading of the latter clause varies but a little. When we shall rest together in the dust. The word which we express by rest, is derived by some, from a root signifying to descend, or go down; hence the difference of translation. The Hebrew particle (in) which we render When, signifies also For, or Forasmuch: Further, it is sometimes taken conditionally, for If, as also interrogatively for (utrum) whether; according to all which acceptions, this clause hath undergone a variety of reading. But I pass them by, and keep to our own, When our rest together is in the dust, or, for as much as we shall rest together in the dust. Of this rest I have spoken before (Chap. 3.17.) There the weary be at rest, thither I refer the Reader: We may also take Jobs sense in this place, by that which he speaks so clearly out to this point (Chap. 30. Vers. 23.) For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. I shall not stay here to draw out Observations; matter of this purport, about the certainty of, and about our rest in death, having occurred heretofore: All that I shall add for the close of this Verse and Chapter, shall only be an offer towards the resolution of a doubt, which may arise upon the whole matter of Jobs continued resolves for death, and his refusals of any entertainment of the hopes of life. Hence it may be questioned, Did not Job sin in giving up his hope, and in refusing to be comforted, when his Friends, wise and godly men, laboured to assure him of deliverance? I answer, First, Job was willing to be comforted, but he did not like their way of comforting, which was indeed a wounding; for the promises which they made him, did all along carry an implication of his guilt, they never promising him any deliverance, but upon the supposition of his repentance from those wickednesses, with which they charged him; whereas he utterly denied their charge in the sense which they laid against him. Secondly, I answer, We cannot altogether acquit Job from blame, in judging his state so deplorable and remediless. For though with an eye to the creature, and all second causes, there was no probability, or possibility for his recovery, yet Job should have raised his hopes upon the power and all-sufficiency of God; he might have remembered that as his affliction was extraordinary, and the hand of God very visible in it: So his deliverance also might have been as extraordinary, and that God could have put forth as strong, and as visible a hand to restore him as he did to cast him down: 'Tis said of Abraham (Rom. 4.18, 19) that he against hope, believed in hope; nothing appeared for the support of his hopes, yet Abraham did not say, Where is my hope? or why should I wait for Children, He considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: These natural impediments came not to his mind, while he had a word from the Lord of nature, He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in Faith, giving glory to God. But we may say of Job (from the continual tenor of his own answers) that he considered his own body as dead too much, and so attained not to Abraham's strength of Faith. Yet we have three things to say for him: First, there was a great difference between his case and Abraham's; Job had no such ground of Faith as Abraham had; Abraham received a special, yea an absolute promise from God, that he should have a Son, but Job received only a conditional promise from man, grounded upon the general promises of God, that he should be restored: This consideration abates much from the objection of his unbelief; though it cannot be denied, but his Faith might and should have risen higher upon the power of God, who as he was Al-sufficiently able, so he did afterwards actually raise him up. Secondly, The design of God being in Jobs example to set forth a pattern of patience, as his design was in Abraham's example to set forth a pattern of Faith, he was pleased to let Jobs Faith run itself out about spirituals and eternals, not minding temporals, that so his patience might have a perfect work in bearing the full weight of his affliction to the end, while his Faith did not so much as put under a little finger to ease him with the least belief, that it should (as to this life) be taken off, or have an end. Lastly, (As 'twas hinted) Job had much Faith to some purposes, though none to this; he had a full trust in God, though he should kill him, but he had no trust that God would not kill him; he believed God loved him while he did afflict him, though he did not believe that God would deliver him from his afflictions. As no man's Faith works alike at all times, so 'tis rare that any man's Faith works alike to all things: Some who believe and hope mightily for the things of Heaven, have but little, either Faith or Hope for earthly things: Not because a Faith which serves for Heaven, is not enough ('tis rather more then enough) to serve for Earth: But because most of those whose Faith is strong and much enlarged for Heaven, take so much satisfaction there, and are there so much at home, that they account themselves Pilgrims and strangers here, and are not much mindful (as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 11.15.) or desirous of their earthly Country and concernments. What we do not much desire to have, we do not much believe (though we believe) that we shall have it. A full soul, saith Solomon, loatheth the Honey comb: Those souls which are full of Heaven (though they do not loath, yet they) are not hungry after (though they can thankfully receive and enjoy) any Honeycomb of this World. No man having drunk old Wine, straightway desireth new, for he saith the old is better (Luke 5.39.) Doubtless Job had drunk the old Wine of God's favour and love in the Redeemer, and so his thirst was much slacked, if not totally quenched towards the new Wine of a temporal restauration. And hence we may not only charitably, but more then probably conclude, That it was not for want of Faith, that Job did not believe or hope for what his Friends promised him, but because he had employed his Faith upon better and more pleasing p●●●ises. Thus Job hath finished his answer to the second charge of Eliphaz: And (through the help of Christ) somewhat is here tendered for the illustration and exposition of it. His other two Friends, Bildad, and Zophar, stand ready to enter the Lists with him, and to renew their charge; what they said, and what answer they received, shall (if God continue life and strength, with these peaceable opportunities) in convenient time be presented to public view. A TABLE Directing to some special points noted in the precedent EXPOSITIONS. A ABominable; what that is which is called abominable, or an abomination. p. 65, 66. Sinful man how abominable to God, 66, 67. Abundance cannot satisfy 113. Advocate between God and man, 389. How the holy Ghost is an Advocate, 389, 390. In what manner Christ performs the office of an Advocate, 390. Christ is an effectual mediator or Advocate, 393. Five things to show the effectualness of Christ's pleading for us as an Advocate, 394. Affections of men and their opinions of others are very variable, 452. Affliction, great afflictions hinder the sense of tendered mercies, 39 Some afflictions bring a weariness bo●h upon soul and body, 247. Some afflictions distract, 248. A godly man may grow extreme weary of affliction, 249. Great afflictions, like great sins, leave a mark, 261. Great afflictions, how made witnesses of sin against a man, 262. The witness which affliction gives, censured two ways, 262, 263. God afflicts his own severely, 290. God seems to take pleasure in afflicting his, 294. Affliction comes not by chance, but by special direction, 295. God hath many ways to afflict, 297. He sends breach upon breach, 309. Great afflictions have three things in them in reference to others, 451. Age, old age, three degrees of it among the Jews, 31. Amalekites, their enmity against the Jews, 126. Angels, how imperfect, 62. Angels by some called Heavens, and why, 63. Answering, two things always may, two things usually do embolden men to answer. 222. Antiochus Epiphanes, his painful life, 89 Appetite of the end infinite, 207. Appeals to God lawful, 363. It is a daring work to appeal to G●d, 368. Apis, the Egyptian Idol, why his Priests did not give him the water of Nilus to drink, 147. Apostasy from profession, worse than continued profaneness, 286. Archers, seven Archers shot at Job, 297. Arminians, why they deny the Intercession of Christ for all, 393. Assurance of approaching miseries, how great a trouble to the mind, 118. A wicked man may have this assurance, 118. Arrhabo, an earnest, whence it comes, 420. Astonishment at the deal of God, 468. Augustus Caesar. his piercing eye, 266. Aygoland a King of the Moors, why he refused baptism, 471. B. Barathrum, why it signifies Hell, 455. Begging, or wand'ring for bread, a great affliction, 111. Believing, a wicked man hath neither a ground nor a heart to believe, 104. A wicked man's believing is presuming, 104. Belial, whence derived, 10. Who is Belial, 85. Blood, what it signifies in Scripture, 347. Bloody sins shall not pass undiscovered, 357. Why God is said to make inquisition for blood in special, 358. Body, to mind the seeding of it, sinful, 148. They take little care for their souls, who take overmuch care for their bodies. 150. Branch, what it signifies in Scripture, 189. Bread, what it signifies in Scripture, 111. Breath of God, what it signifies in Scripture, 164. Breath of man, 167, 168. Breath of man taken three ways, 402. The breath of man is corruptible, 403. Breath is not the soul, ibid. Bribe-takers, and Bribe-givers, both alike wicked, 195. Bribery is an odious sin, 197. That which is got by bribery will not hold long, 197. Byword, to be made a byword, notes two things, 447. Great sufferers are usually made a byword, 447, 448. It is very burdensome to the spirit of a man to be made a byword, 448. C. Carnal reasonings are the strong holds of sin, 135. The armour and weapons of sin, 136, 137. Changes of wicked men for the worse, 182. Changeableness of our estate both a part of our misery, and a great mercy, 182, 183. Children of God, why so called, 441. Children may smart for their Father's sin, 441. Christ is comfort clothed in our flesh, 35. They are most free, who serve Christ most, 90. Two battles in which we cannot stand without the help of Christ, 121, 122. The great love of Christ to sinners, how it appears, 286. God did not spare Christ when he stood in our place, 305. Name of Christ, the essential form of prayer, 337. To pray in the name of Christ hath three things in it, 338. Christ, why called the Son of man, 386. Christ is a surety for his people, as well as an Advocate, 425. Christ was, and is, most ready to undertake the cause of sinners, 426. Churches, their happiness when freed from the mixture of profane and erroneous persons, 85. A double danger by mingling with such in Church fellowship, 86. Choosing, or to make choice, what, 19 Clean, Man how clean under a fourfold notion, 59 Company of Friends and Children, a great mercy, 251. Man a sociable creature, 252. Some company is a burden, 253. The comfort of society consists in the suitableness of it, 254. None but good company in Heaven, 254. Comforters, miserable comforters who, shown divers ways, 214, 215. Two special sorts of miserable comforters, 217. Three things to be considered by those who undertake to be comforters, 217, 218. To know how to comfort others is a special gift of God, 218. Two great duties of a comforter, 234. He that would comfort a distressed soul, must watch for advantages both from his speech and silence, 244. Condemnation, selfe-condemnation strongest, 20. Consolation, it is easy with God to comfort those who are most disconsolate, 32. Consolations of two sorts, 33. Consolation is the proper gift of God, 34. God can turn all our crosses into comforts, 36. It is happy for Saints that consolation is in the hand of God, showed in four particulars, 37. Consolation rightly administered by man, is the consolation of God, 38. To count the consolations of God small is a very great sin, showed upon two grounds, 38, 39 Counsels of evil men disappointed, 188, 203. Though the counsels of evil men be disappointed, yet they will go on, three grounds of it, 206. 207. Conscience, how neglected, 99 Conscience evil, and its defects considered two ways, 99, 100 The offices of conscience, 99 Four sorts of evil conscience, 100 Guilty conscience thinks every man he meets his enemy, 107. He is ever in danger, and under the curse, 108. A twofold evil conscience showed, 343. A guilty conscience cannot endure plain words, 411. Covetous man an infatiabl● gulf, 114. Craft alone, how sinful, 19 Cross, good men are apt to have strange thoughts about the cross or sufferings, for, or from Christ, 472. D. Darkness, five sorts of darkness, 102. Two sorts of darkness, 160, 161. Day, how changed into night, 509. Death, an untimely death the portion of a wicked man, 186. Death inexorable, we must go with it, when it calls, 397. A believer speaks familiarly of death, 398. It is g● d to put death under easy notions, 398. D●ath hastens, so should we to be ready for d●ath, 399. Rest in death, 525. Nothing in death itself, 525. The familiarity of some believers with death described, 529. Corruption the portion of the dead, 530. Deceived, what it is to be deceived, 170. Man is very apt to be deceiv●d, 172. Man's aptness to be deceived ariseth two ways, ibid. There are three notorious deceivers. 172, 173. Deceiver, he that publisheth that which is false, though he had no intent to deceive, is yet a deceiver, 412. Decree of God carries all before it, 165, 166. Devil's trade, what. 200. Disgrace, a great affliction to die under a blot of disgrace, 400. Dissimulation, what it is, 346. Drinking iniquity like water; seven parallels between the drinking of iniquity, and the drinking of water, 70. Dropping, why put for prophesying in Scripture. 377. Dust, shaking off the dust of the feet notes three things, 319. To be raised from the dust, or laid in the dust, what meaneth, 319, 320. E. Earth, and all earthly things the gift of God two ways, 83. Earthly things continue not, two reasons of it, 157. east-wind, why it signifies passions in man, 7. Earnest, what it is, 420. Elect persons, how, impossible they should be deceived, 173. Enmity everlasting between the godly and the wicked, 475. End, our end will be such as our way is, 183. Envy, what it is, 265. Error, we may be guilty of errors by consequence, though we do not hold them, 15. They who maintain error among men, shall not find favour with God 436. Everlasting, things so called two ways, 24. Evils of body or mind, when they may be said to be incurable, 242, 243. Eye, as man sees, so much of man is seen at his eye, 46. Two sins very visible in the eye, 47. A look of the eye, how powerful, 266. Examples of two sorts in Scripture, 451. Ezekiel, why so often called Son of man, 368. F. Faith, want of faith in times of affliction, how grievous, 105. The great benefits of faith in such a state, 105, 106. He that hath no faith knows not whither to go for the supply of any want, 115, 116. Faith, how necessary in prayer, 340. Fatness, wicked men described by it, 146. Father, a wicked Father brings a curse upon his Children, 190. Father's provoking their Children, very dangerous. 415. Fear, of two sorts, 11. To cast off the fear of God is highest wickedness, 12. Holy fear like a Porter at the door, 16, 17. Natural fear what it is, 95. Panic fear, 96. A wicked man most subject to vexing fear, 96. Three sorts of fear, 120. Fear of evil worse than evil, 120. Distracting fear is the portion of the wicked, 121. Fire, how taken in Scripture, 194. Three reasons why the judgements of God are called Fire, 194. 195. Flame, taken two ways, 162. Flattery, hath a force in it, 437. Flattery is a kind of language by itself, 438. An ordinary way of flattering sick friends, 439. Two ways of flattering men, 440. How G●d may be said to be flattered, ibid. Flattery a very great sin, 441. Especially flattery in spiritual things, 442. Flatterers prove most hateful at last to those whom they have flattered, 442, 443. Friends, the best of them may prove unfreindly, 375. Friend taken two ways, 387. G. Gehenna, why it signifies Hell, 455. Giants, to run on like a Giant, what, 310. Two reasons why Giants are called Nephilim in the Hebrew, 311. Gifts of five sorts, 196. A gift and a bribe signified by one word in the Hebrew, and why, 196. Gnashing of the teeth ascribed to men, notes four things, 264, 265. God, the cleanest creatures are unclean befooe him, 64. The hand stretched out against God three ways, 128. That it is a foolish as well as a sinful thing to oppose God, shown three ways, 138. God is in Heaven in a special manner, 369. God should not only be our refuge, but our choice, 380. Gods, false Gods, how they are famished, 258. Grace is of an increasing nature, 484. It increaseth in times of trouble, 484, 485. Grave, in what sense no returning from it, 396, 397. We had need see all our work done, and well done, before we go thither, 399. Discourses of the Grave very suitable for sick men, 407. Some as ready for the Grave as the Grave is for them, 408. Why the Grave is called a House, 515. The Grave called darkness in a double respect, 516. Greenness, what it signifies in Scripture, 190. H. Hand, how ta●en in Scripture, 125. Stretching out the hand imports four things, 126, 127. The hand of a good man, how it is said to be green, 189. Clean hands, what it imports, 482. They who have clean hearts, will have clean hands too, 483. Hands, striking of hands, what it signifies, 421. Heart, an evil heart is a bad tutor, 43. The heart is too hard for the whole man, 43, 44. How the heart carries the man away, 44. The heart strengthens and hardens itself against God, and how, 135, 136. The heart very deceitful in a threefold reference, 173. Heart, as a Shop where sin is framed, 205. The opening and shutting of the heart is the work of God, 431. The vanity of such as say they have good hearts, when their ways are evil, 483. Heavens, how they are unclean, 64. Heaven is not every where, 369. Three heavens spoken of in Scripture, 371. Heaven is highest in Scripture, four deductions from the highness of Heaven, 372, 373. Hiding, of two sorts, 80. Hills from the beginning, 23. It is usual in Scripture to set that forth by the Hills, which is of greatest antiquity. 24. Holiness, no created holiness stable, and perfect in itself, 62. In what holiness consists, 333. Hope puts men on to action, though they have been often disappointed, 208. A good Man may give up all his worldly hopes, 525. Hope considered two ways, 531. A twofold object of hope, 532. Horn, it imports two things in Scripture, 317. Why strength is signified by the Horn, 318. Humiliation, outward humiliation is a duty, when the hand of God is upon us. 322. Husband's bitterness to their Wives, how unbecoming, 415. Hypocrite, he is under a curse, 193. The fashion of an Hypocrite, 413. I. Idols, how called new, or near Gods, 510. Jews, how God brought the curse which they wished upon their own heads, 355, 356. Imprecations, of two sorts, 352. We may in some cases use imprecations, ibid. Two grounds of them, ibid. Four rules limiting the use of Imprecations, 354. Divers dreadful examples of such as have used Imprecations rashly and falsely, 355, 356. Infidelity, a wicked man full of infidelity. that his state is bad, 184. Infirmities of two sorts, 330. Injustice, two sorts of it, 328. Innocency fears no discovery, 358. Integrity, makes a man strong in bearing troubles, 330. Judge, it is a great honour to judge another man's cause, 435. Judgement considered under a threefold opposition, 520. Julian the Apostate, his blasphemy, 126 the opinion of Athanasius concerning him, 159. K. Know, to know, how taken in Scripture, 116. Knowledge, there is a vanity in some kind of knowledge, 6. Sins against the light of knowledge most dangerous, 132. L. Law, how he that breaks one Commandment of the Law, may be said to break all, 333. Leanness of two sorts, 259. Lie, every sin is a lie, 89. Life, the number of the years of our life is a secret to all, 93. That is, a secret is an affliction to a wicked man, 93, 94. It is best for us that this is a secret, and why, 94. Life of man like a piece of Cloth in the Loom, 423. Light, a twofold light denied to some, 429. Three reasons why God denies light, 430. Limiting God what, the sinfulness of it, 521. Love, the spring of all action, whether good or evil, 207. What we overlove, we are in danger to lose, 299. M. Manutenentia Dei, 480. Mediator, the Doctrine of a Mediator between God and Man, known and believed, before Christ came into the World, 391. The twofold nature of the Mediator known in all Ages of the Church, 392. Mercy of God, how not to be pleaded, 136. There is a fivefold mercy of God, 301. Four degrees of sparing mercy, 301, 302. Moloch, the Idol, why so called, how form, and worshipped, 455. N. Neck, stiff neck what it imports in Scripture, 141. Running upon the neck, the meaning of it, 142. Nero, his miserable end, 153. The clemency of Nero, how showed, 304. his speech when he made his Grave, 315. Noah's three Sons, how styled, 82. O. Oaths of two sorts, 352, 364. Rules about Oaths, 364, 365. Omnipotency of God, what, 134. Oppression, wise men most affected with it, why, 248. Oppression called blood, 350. Oppressors are speedily out off, 92. Ordeal, used superstitiously by the old Saxons, four sorts of it, 354. P. Passions, when violent, are the disguise of a wise man, 8. Passions break out into unprofitable words, 9 Patience, a threefold patience, 517. The perfect work of patience consists in two things, 519. Patience ascends by three steps to her perfection, ibid. Patience gives us possession of ourselves, 519. Peace of wicked men, what it is, and whence it ariseth, 99 People of God, dangerous to touch them, 129. Perfection of a thing, what, 158. All the perfection of earthly things is vanishing. 159. Perseverance both the duty and privilege of Saints, 478 Pleasure, two sorts of it, which every man should abhor, 276. Poverty, some poverty is a note of God's displeasure, 112. Oppressors often brought to poverty, 112. What it is which makes poverty so great an evil to any man, 113 Imaginary poverty, or fear of want, makes us more miserable than want, 114. Power, they who have much power are tempted to oppress, 91. A godly man hath a natural and civil power to do evil, but he hath not a moral power to do it, 231, 232. Practise of duty, the best answer to slander in any kind, 314. Proverbs, what they are, 446. Providence of God, how exercised towards his people, when he puts them into the hand of wicked men, shown divers ways, 281. Some providences of God put the wisest to a stand, 469. Five miscarriages of carnal men, at the unusual deal and providences of God, 471. Wise men often out in expounding the providences of God, 498. Prayer, the sinfulness of forbearing, or abating prayer in times of trouble, 15. Hypocrites never love prayer, and in two seasons they lay it by, 16. To restrain prayer is worse than not to pray, 16. Prayer taken two ways, 328. Only pure prayer is acceptable prayer, 335. The requisites to pure prayer, showed, 336, 337. The general end of prayer what, 344. Prayer, why expressed by a cry, 351. Not to have prayer heard by God, is the greatest misery that can befall man. 359. Presumptuous sin, spoken of in the Old Testament, why thought to be the same with the sin against the holy Ghost in the New Testament, 130. Pride causeth opposition against God, 141. Promises, three acts of the soul upon the Promises, 514. Prosperity, to have been in prosperity adds to the bitterness of any present adversity, 285. Punishment proportioned to sin two ways. 131, 153. Provocation, what it is, 414. There is a good provocation, 415. Three ill effects of provocation, 416. Purposes, must be followed by action, if not, a double danger, 505. Death breaks all our purposes. ibid. R. Recompense of two sorts, 180. Rejoicing, to see others rejoice at our troubles is very grievous, 462. Reproach, the best Saints on Earth have been deeply reproached, 271. Good men have often reproached one another, 272. Reproach is a very heavy burden, 273. A reproaching tongue is compared in Scripture to three things, 274. Reproof, some in reproving other men's faults, run into the same themselves. 30. Repentance, a returning, the two terms of it, 494. Revelation of divine secrets, two ways of it, 26. Revenge belongs so God, man must not revenge himself, 236. Revenge is very sweet to some spirits, 276, 277. Reward, it is undoing of some to have their reward, 183. reins, what they signify in Scripture, 298. To cleave the reins, what, 299. Riches, it is not in the power of man to get riches, 156. Riches ill gotten will not hold, 157. A carnal man would have perfection of riches, 158. Riches, lying vanities, shown two ways, 177. In what sense riches are deceitful, 178. Rich men; the same word signifies a rich man, and a man at ease, in Hebrew, two reasons of it, 283, 284. Righteous men persevere in the ways of God against all discouragements, 479. Their perseverance is from the power of God, 480. S. Sackcloth, taken two ways in Scripture, 315. Saints, who, 62. Saints by some called Heaven, two reasons of it, 63. Scandal at the cross or sufferings of Professors, 472. Scorn, how opposite to love, 375. They who are highly honoured by God, are often scorned by men, 375, 376. Three words in the Hebrew signifying to scorn, their difference, 410. Secrets of God, or divine secrets, of two sorts, 25. Seeing, a sure sense, 77. Seeing taken two ways, 77. Seers, old Prophets, why so called, 77. Servants, in what sense they must not answer again, 50. Security, wicked men are nearest destruction when they are most secure, 101. Shaddai, name of God, signifies three things, 134. Sick Friends not to be flattered, how to be dealt with, 439. Sickness unfits most for spiritual duties, 506. Sin, some sins more proper to some men, 17 Man is most apt to act his proper sin, 18. Sin kept close hinders the receiving of the word, 41. Sin, and sin only, makes men abominable in the sight of God, 69. Multiplied acts of sin argue man's sinfulness, 69. All sins are against God, yet some are more against him, 130. Sinning with a high hand, two things in it, 130. Sin the greatest evil, and why, 132. Sin runs against reason, 137. No danger can keep a wicked heart from sinning, 144. Sin deceitful, 174. There are three eminent evils in sin, 175. Sin deceives by a threefold promise, 175, 176. Some special characters of the sin of a wicked man, 199. To be a plotter of sin is worse than to be an actor of it, 200. Wicked man cannot but sin, 202. They are oft put to much pain in sinning, 202. Sinful conceptions often prove abortive, 203. Sin is the stng of affliction, 216. Great sins leave their mark, 261. It is possible to live without any known sin, 331. Crying sin, what, 351. Solitatinesse, in what sense good, 253. Sorrow is dry, 257. Sorrow makes old before the time, 257. Sorrow under sufferings is not contrary to patience, 322. Sorrow, worldly, and godly, its effects, 324. Sorrow taken two ways, 464. The sorrows of the mind break and weaken the body, 465. Spirit of man in an ill sense, what it signifieth, 51. To turn the spirit against God, most sinful, 51. In what cases a man may be charged to have turned his spirit against God, 52. Smiting on the cheek, what it signifies in Scripture, 269. Sparing mercy, what, 300, 301. Sparing sinfulness, 304. Sparing mercy is the lowest degree of mercy, 306. Spirit helps to pray, no pure prayer without the help of the spirit, 340. 341. Strangers, a double notion of them, 83, 84. Strangers why called Enemies, 84 Soul, put for the whole man, 227. Soule-sufferings put for all sufferings, and why, 227. Superstition, or false worship hath a tange of baseness and slavery in it, 90. Surety, what it is to be a Surety, 420. Christ is our Surety, 425. How Christ is called the Surety of a better Testament, shown two ways▪ ibid. Christ being our Surety, we need not fear, 426. Our Surety is of Gods appointing not of ours, ibid. Sword, how taken in Scripture, 106. T. Tamerlaine, the majesty of his eye, 266. Teaching, what we teach others, we should be well assured of ourselves, 78. Tears of three sorts, 320. Tears have a voice, 377. Eight sorts of tears in Scripture, all vocal, 378. Tears are very powerful Orators, 379. Temptation, no standing in it without the help of Christ, 122. Thoughts called the possessions of the heart, why, 503. Threaten, a godly man makes use of threaten, as well as of promises, to provoke himself to his duty, 443. Tongue, the Scholar of the heart, 17. Sin hath got the mastery of the heart, when it freely vents itself at the tongue, 55. Tongue, a light member, yet falls heavy, 167. Tophet, why so called, 455. Tradition when in use, of what force now, 80. Trusting in thing or person is upon a twofold supposition, 61. To trust, and to trust in, or upon, the same, 61. Man will have somewhat to trust to, and why, 178. It is man's duty to trust God, 179. Man is most apt to trust that which hath deceived him, 179, 180. The creature is most vain to those who trust it, 181. Truth, a precious commodity, it should be conveyed to posterity, 80. Truth must not be hid, 81. Some truths are of very common observation, 211. Ordinary truths will not serve in extraordinary cases. 212. Trials, when God brings to new trials he gives new strength, 486. Tympanization, or drumming, what kind of torture it was, 456. Tyrant, the common name of Kings in old time, 84. V Vain, Scripture calls things vain four ways, 5. Vanity, what it is, 171. Vanity taken two ways, ibid. Vanity of the creature, 176. When a man brings forth vanity, showed in three particulars, 201. Vau, an Hebrew particle, its divers significations, 388. Unbelief of threaten as dangerous as of promises, 184. The use which Satan makes of such unbelief, ibid. Unbelief is the shield of sin, 185. Understanding, how God may be said to hid the heart from understanding, shown four ways, 429. That it is the work of God to do it, showed, 431. It is a great judgement to have the understanding clouded, 432. Our inability to understand ariseth two ways, ibid. When God takes away men's understanding it is a sign of their destruction, 435. Unity, men are apt to agree in doing hurt, 276. W. Waiting, what it is, 514. Waiting upon God is one of the great duties of man, 517. Waiting hath a blessing, 520. Four sinful grounds of giving over waiting upon God, 521, 522. Weariness of body and mind, 246, 247. Weeping, not unbecoming the most valiant men, 379 Wedding garments signs of joy, 317. Wicked man's life, a painful life, 88 He hath two sorts of pain, 88, 89. He hath the pain but not the deliverance of a Woman in travel, 89. He makes an ill construction of all that he hears, 97. The destruction of a wicked man is inevitable, 109. his misery is decreed, 119. Wicked man falling into misery is irrecoverable, 161. Wicked men of two sorts, 192. God often delivers his precious servants into the hands of wicked men, 278. It is an addition to affliction to be given into the hands of wicked men, 279. Will of God under a threefold consideration is the rule of prayer, 337. Winking, how sinful, 45, 46. Wise man, who, and how distinguished from a crafty man, 4. It is most uncomely for a Wise man to speak vainly, 6. The wisest of men do not see all truths, 430. A wise man may soon forfeit his title, 496. Wise men rarely found, 498. Wisdom, no one man hath all wisdom, 27. The highest strain of pride to think so, ibid. He that is full of his own wisdom is unfit to receive instruction, 41. Wishing evil to others, in what sense it may be done, 229. Witnesses, an old custom among them, 19 God is both Judge and Witness, 362. How and in what cases we may call God to witness, 364, 365. The witness of God is the most witness, 366. It is the joy of an upright heart, that God is a witness of all he doth, 368. Worldly things, are not the rest of Believers, 283. All worldly prosperity may quickly be dashed and lost, 287. Worldly things, are tastlesse and worthless to us in times of great sorrow, 326. Words are great doers, 9 Words which do no good, are evil, 10. Salt of words, what, 10. Our words are suitable to our spirits, 55. In what sense evil words are worse than evil thoughts, 56. Words called windy in three respects, 219, 220. Bitter and passionate words to man, provoke God, 225, 226. Words duly spoken, are of great power, 236. Ill sleeping upon hard words, 414. Unkind words are bitter to the hearer, 414. Harsh words carry much provocation in them, 415. Hard words stick long upon the spirit of man, 417. Worms, the companions of the dead, 528. Wrath of God, a consuming fllame, 163. How we are said to give place to wrath, 235. Wrinkles, in the face caused two ways, 256. A perfect soule-state, and a perfect state of body, hath no wrinkle in it, 257, 258. A TABLE OF Those Scriptures which are occasionally cleared, and briefly illustrated in the foregoing EXPOSITIONS. The first Number directs to the Chapter, the second to the Verse, the third to the Page of the Book. Genesis. Chap. Verse. Page. 2. 18. 253, 254. 3. 8. 96. 4. 7. 357. 4. 14. 108. 5. 29. 35. 6. 4. 311. 8. 22. 509. 9 27. 174. 11. 5, 6. 276. 14. 22. 364. 31. 47. 361. 32. 24. 253. 34. 29. 396. Exodus. Chap. Verse. Page. 8. 29. 411. 12. 15. 388. 14. 24, 25. 165. 15. 9 277. 34. 29, 30. 318. Leviticus. Chap. Verse. Page. 26. 41. 519. Numbers. Chap. Verse. Page. 5. 21. 353. 15. 30. 130, 127. 20. 10, 11. 224. Deuteronomie. Chap. Verse. Page. 8. 18: 156. 29. 4. 432. 32 17. 510. Joshua. Chap. Verse. Page. 5. 2. 492. 8. 26. 127. Judges. Chap. Verse. Page. 11. 31. 388. 15. 16. 308. I. Samuel. Chap. Verse. Page. 2. 5. 112. 9 9 77. 31. 4. 408. II. Samuel. Chap. Verse. Page. 1. 9 408. 13. 4. 260. I. Kings. Chap. Verse. Page. 8. 27. 371. 16. 2. 319. 18. 41. 95. 20. 33. 244. II. Kings. Chap. Verse. Page. 6. 33. 522, 95. 7. 6. 97. 14. 9 137. Ezra. Chap. Verse. Page. 9 13. 53. Esther. Chap. Verse. Page. 5. 13. 277. Job. Chap. Verse. Page. 20. 21. 114. 22. 15. 256. 30. 18. 316. 36. 27. 14. 42. 6. 319. Psalms. Chap. Verse. Page. 2. 1. 203. 7. 3, 4, 5. 353. 9 12. 358. 15. 4. 67. 19 14. 366. 22. 12. 146. 22. 30. 149. 23. 4. 36. 25. 14. 26. 33. 10. 288. 32. 1. 347. 35. 15, 16. 265. 35. 19 47. 37. 25. 111. 38. 1. 297. 39 12. 379. 45. 12. 149. 50. 20. 72. 51. 8. 261. 51. 14. 348. 64. 8. 167. 73. 22. 248. 73. 25, 28. 381. 75. 5. 189, 141. 78. 31. 146. 78. 41. 521. 85. 6. 492. 88 15. 249. 95. 8. 214. 106. 15. 259. 106. 32, 33. 224. 106. 40. 66. 106. 7. 414. 108. 7, 8, 9 165. 109. 6. 280. 119. 18. 432. 119. 96. 159. 119. 121, 122. 424. 119. 126. 289. 119. 176. 170. 120. 5, 7. 224. 126. 3. 279. 141. 5. 279. 144. 7. 84. 145. 19 113. 146. 4. 505. Proverb Chap. Verse. Page. 4. 16. 418. 4. 17. 328. 4. 24. 45. 6. 1. 421. 6. 17. 47. 6. 25. 43. 6. 13. 48. 6. 26. 111. 7. 21. 437. 10. 10. 48 10. 15. 177. 11. 31. 181. 12. 16. 346. 16. 30. 48. 17. 21. 434. 18. 14. 330. 22. 26. 421. 24. 16. 161. 25. 12. 215. 25. 25. 388. 26. 6. 70. 28. 3. 91. 29. 11. 51. 29. 27. 66 Ecclesiastes. Chap. Verse. Page. 4. 9, 10. 253. 5. 10. 115. 7. 7. 248. 7. 15, 16. 469. 7. 17. 187. 8. 10. 176. 9 7, 8, 9 317. Canticles. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 16 190 2 16 406 4 9 266 Isaiah. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 1 77 1 7 84 1 15 349 2 4 385 3 16 47 5 5 446 5 8, 9, 10. 153 6 9, 10. 433 8 20 288 8 21 113 11 4 166, 106 384 22 2 98 22 18 123 25 4 51 25 9 521 26 17, 18. 201 28 10 308 29 13 12 30 9 411 30 18 520 30 31, 32, 33. 458 32 6 6 33 1 158 38 14 423 40 24 159 40 30, 31. 487 43 3 268 43 13, 14. 138 44 9 20 44 20 179 46 8 67, ●0. 47 11 109 49 4 238 50 4 218 51 3 34 52 1 85 53 10 305 57 20 224 65 20 187 Jeremiah. Chap. Verse. Page. 4 16 308 4 19 95 5 7 150 5 13 4 6 29, 30. 145 14 4 128 15 2 107 17 9 173 18 12, 13, 14, 15. 524 20 3, 4. 97 30 11 302 30 21 427 31 18 323 46 28 302 49 7 31 Lamentations. Chap. Verse. Page. 3 4 257 3 12, 13. 303, 293 3 22 303 Ezekiel. Chap. Verse. Page. 13 19 217 14 14 450 15 3 69 16 6 348 16 49 150 22 26 327 ●1 2 377 23 42 284 24 7 349 24 13 238 36 31 67 44 15 170 Daniel. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 34 109 4 26 370 8 6 142 Hosea. Chap. Verse. Page. 4 2 349 6 7 497 8 7 5 9 7 220 11 5, 6. 304 12 4 378 13 13 188 14 5 481 Joel. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 19 162 2 13 324 3 17 85 Amos. Chap. Verse. Page. 7 1, 2, 3, 6. 301 8 5 131 Jonah. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 8 176 Micah. Chap. Verse. Page. 5 1 270 7 2 173 Nahum. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 15 85 2 7 457 Habakkuk. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 3 518 2 9, 10, 11. 197 2 12 350 Zephaniah. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 11 258 Haggai. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 9 165 ● 4 245 Zechariah. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 12 390 2 8 129 7 7 284 11 1 163 11 17 189 Malachi. Chap. Verse. Page. 3 13, 14. 129 Matthew. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 19 450 5 19 437 5 39 270 6 7 14 6 22 293 7 1 496 10 14 319 10 19 226 11 16, 17, 18. 242 11 25 431 12 37 17 13 10, 14. 429 13 42 265 21 25 370 24 24 173 26 33, 35. 488 27 25 355 Mark. Chap. Verse. Page. 6 4 241 Luke. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 6 331 1 35 106 2 34, 35. 294 4 20 46 4 23 240 4 24 241 14 31 137 15 17 494 19 41, 42, 43. 433 21 19 519 22 61, 62. 266 23 31 190 24 38 504 John. Chap. Verse. Page. 3 24 302 5 35 452 7 24 376 7 38 7 13 24 45 13 33, 36. 373 14 2 373 16 23, 24. 338 18 6 165 Acts. Chap. Verse. Page. 2. 42 254 5 38, 39 130 23 1, 2. 270 26 28, 29. 230 Romans. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 9 363 3 4 497 3 19 335 6 21 175 7 25 200 8 7 10 8 26 341 8 32 35 8 35 479 9 20 50 11 11 415 12 19 235 12 20 236 16 18 438 I. Corinthians. Chap. Verse. Page. 4 8 ●24 4 9 463 4 13 271 7 30 287 8 11 218 10 3, 4. 391 10 11 451 15 28 370 16 13 133 16 26 66 II. Corinthians. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 3, 4. 34 1 23 363 1 24 28 2 7 325 5 9 366 5 5 420 7 1 247 7 6 36 7 10 324 8 9 286 9 2 4●5 10 5 135 11 20 270 11 24 302 13 8 232 Galatians. Chap. Verse. Page. 3 1 40 3 20 389 Ephesians. Chap. Verse. Page. 4 10 372 5 18 150 5 27 257 Philippians. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 27 309 3 19 148 Colossians. Chap. Verse. Page. 3 19, 21. 415 4 6 10 I Thessalonians. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 5 363 3 3 295 3 3, 4. 472 II. Thessalonians. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 8 166 I. Timothy. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 5 392 2 8 342 6 9 155 II. Timothy. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 10 399 Titus. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 16 69 2 9 50 3 14 20 Hebrews. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 17 394 3 8 417, 414 6 18 532 7 22 425 9 24 390 10 34 485 10 9 426 10 22 343 10 24 415 10 26 131 10 30 180 10 36 517 11 1 391 11 26 275 11 35 456 12 4 374 13 13 274 James. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 4 518 2 10 333 3 3, 4, 5, 8. 237 4 3 340 I Epist. Peter. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 1 41 2 11 133 4 12, 13. 472 I. Epist. John. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 1 78 2 1 331 2 14 487 2 19 481 3 9 231, 7. 3 20 367 4 5 55 Judas. Chap. Verse. Page. 0 22, 23. 219 Revelation. Chap. Verse. Page. 13 8 392 17 16 252 18 4 86 18 7 252 22 11 481 Errata. P. 9 l. 14. for always, read, for the most part. p. 24. l. 19 ad, after to, or prefer it before. p. 37. l. 1. deal not. p. 49. l. 4. deal or. p. 156. l. 27. make a full point at thrive. Add, in the same line, after the word Peter, A good man. p. 159. l. 22. for Athenatius, r. Athanasius. p. 232. l. 1. for wisdom, r. wise man. p. 250. l. 21. deal not. p. 251. l. 39 for in, r. is. p. 265. l. 1. for 12. r. 112. p. 265. l. 8. for depreson, r. depression. p. 275. l. 1. add, it. p. 285. l. 9 for low, r. high. p. 318. l. 24. for head, r. hand. p. 321. in the Margin, for videt, r. ridet. FINIS.