Table of Contents

Lectures on the Book of Job - James Durham

Job 1

Job 2

Job 3

Job 4

Job 5

Job 6

Job 7

Job 8

Job 9

Job 10

Job 11

Job 12

Job 13

Job 14

Job 15

Job 16

Job 17

Job 18

Job 19

Job 20

Job 21

Job 22

Job 23

Job 24

Job 25

Job 26

Job 27

Job 28

Job 29

Job 30

Job 31

Job 32

Job 33

Job 34

Job 35

Job 36

Job 37

Job 38

Job 39

Job 40

Job 41

Job 42

LECTURES

on the

BOOK OF JOB

James Durham

The Life of the Reverend

Mr. James Durham

An account of the most memorable things in the Life of the Reverend Mr. James Durham of Easter Powrie, Minister of the Gospel at Glasgow.

MR. JAMES DURHAM was born about the year 1622, and lineally descended from the ancient and honourable family of Grange Durham, in the parish of Monufeith, and Shire of Angus. He was the eldest son of John Durham of Easter Powrie, Esq. Having gone through all the parts of useful learning with great success and applause, he left the university, and it seems had no design of prosecuting his studies farther. In the time of the civil wars, several gentlemen in this kingdom appeared in arms for the cause of religion, and liberties of their country, and Mr. Durham was chosen captain of a numerous company; while thus employed, he behaved not only with prudence and courage, but devotion, and prayed frequently to God with his company. When the Scot’s army were to fight against the king and the English army, Mr. Durham, a little before the battle began, called his soldiers together; and when he began to pray, the Revd. Mr. David Dickson happened to meet with them, and hearing the voice of one whom he imagined to be their chaplain, immediately lighted from his horse, and joined with them; after prayer, Mr. Dickson solemnly charged him as soon as the war was over to devote himself to the ministry. This with an accident that happened afterwards, viz. being ready to be struck down by an English soldier, who observing his grave deportment, black cloths and band, cried out, if he was a priest. To which Mr. Durham answered, I am God’s priest, on which he spared his life. These two, determined him to go and study divinity, which he did under Mr. Dickson at Glasgow, and made such proficiency therein, that he was soon licensed to preach the gospel by the presbytery of Irvine 1646, as to the manner of his call to be minister in Glasgow, refer the reader to the memoirs of his life prefixed to the commentary on the Revelation, and his treatise on scandal.

Mr. Durham had such a deep sense of the weight and importance of the pastoral charge, that he usually said to his brethren, that if he were to live ten years longer than he had done, he would chose to spend nine years in the study of these things that would be the subject of his discourse the tenth year. And it was justly thought by many, that the intent and assiduous prosecution of his studies and numerous writings yet preserved, did call him into that consumption which brought on his death.

Some days before he died, he seemed to be in some perplexity about his future well-being, and said to Mr. Carstairs, Dear brother, for all that I have written or preached, there is but one scripture I can now remember or dare grip unto when I am hastening to the grave, Whosoever cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. Pray tell me, if I dare lay the weight of my salvation upon it, to which Mr. Carstairs justly replied, Brother, you may depend upon it, tho’ you had a thousand salvations at hazard. He departed this life, the 25th of June 1658, in the thirty sixth year of his age. No minister was more universally lamented, as he died in the flower and vigour of his age, gifts and graces; and as his labours and writings always conduced to the advancement of solid practical religion, so his praise in the gospel, is in all the churches of Christ at home and abroad, For the Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance, when the memory of the wicked shall rot.

Upon the 27th of June 1658, his Revd. colleague Mr. Carstairs preached two excellent sermons, and upon Monday a third, when his worthy friend was buried, from Isaiah 57:1-2. The Righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace. Where he represented the great loss of such an eminent pastor, and gave him a very just character. All the ministers of Glasgow, and the neighbouring country, also justly bemoaned his death in their sermons, and prayers; particularly, the reverend Mr. David Vetch minister of the gospel in Govan, spoke many things concerning him at the end of his sermon in the afternoon; he, in a very solemn and affectionate manner, took his leave of his congregation, declaring he would soon follow his dear brother Mr. Durham, who was gone to heaven but a few days before him, and would never preach again in that place. Accordingly, he fell sick that evening, and died next day, about the same time Mr. Durham was interred. I am well assured that this eminently good man was recommended by Mr. Durham as the most proper person to supply his place in the Inner-Church, after his decease: But he was not mentioned with Mr. Rodgers, and some others, to the magistrates and ministers, a few days before his death. And when the said Mr. Durham was asked why he did not name Mr. Vetch, he replied to his friend, That brother is too ripe for glory, to be transported from his own parish to any other place, for he will not be long in this world., after my removal.

The reader will be pleased with the following extracts from Mr. Carstairs foresaid sermons upon Isaiah 57:1-2, where the character of the most eminent, pious, learned, and judicious Mr. Durham is set before us in a due light. And I am persuaded these sermons will he very acceptable to the readers of Mr. Durham’s printed discourses.

When Mr. Carstairs earnestly exhorted his hearers in the application of his first sermon, to mind the work that God put in their hands, before they come to die: “I must tell you (says he) a word or two of that faithful servant of God Mr. Durham, whose face you have often seen in this place, to the great refreshment of many of your hearts, and now shall see him no more. When he was drawing towards a close in a great conflict and agony, finding some difficulty in his passage, yet sensibly, through the strength of God’s grace, triumphantly overcame, and was more than a conqueror, by the help of the glorious Captain of his salvation. He cried out in a rapture of holy joy, some little time before he committed his soul to God, Is not the Lord good? Is he not infinitely good? See how he smiles. I do say it, and I proclaim it. I pray you seek to be well grounded and stuffed with the substantials of religion, for at death a number of our flashes and shows will be gone, and in the great bing[1] of duties, a little handful of grain will be found. And since by death, O Christians, ye will be taken away, see that ye be very tender in your walk, for miscarriages may meet, and have a dreadful aspect, when you come to die, if God withdraw and hide his face; though ye should die persuaded as to the main matter, that it will be well with you. There may be floods of God’s displeasure in your love, and that will make your passage dark as we are very apprehensive the death of the most part of Christians in this generation, will be right irie[2] though they get their souls for a prey. I will not say but God may lay a restraint upon some that have been eminently holy at death, that we may not think of them above that which is meet, and to put all to diligence to make their calling and election sure; but I think the way of the professors of this generation is so ragged, gruff, and untender, that it seems to be brewing a storm to us ere we die.” And in the end of this sermon Mr. Carstairs adds, “I remember a pious man, speaking of the death of a very godly minister, it was asked him what was the disease that brought on his death, and he answered, He died of the judgement of God upon an ungrate people, though in mercy to himself, yet in judgement to them. And therefore, I would have you to confider the greatness of your stroke. I know not if many of you were duly sensible of the benefit you enjoyed under that good man’s ministry who is now with the Lord, or if ye be now full sensible of your loss; but sure there are many abroad to whom the report of his death will be very grievous; and it should be much more so to you; and therefore I would have you to confider that there is a pillar hoched[3] in Glasgow and it will be of God’s mercy if the building come not down next. I know that the Lord stands in no need of us, he can give gifts to whom he pleases and do his work by whom he will; but the anger of the Lord that appears in the present dispensation bids us consider it, and fears least God be provoked to strike yet more.’

1. In the application of the second sermon he adds, “If the Lord’s removal of several serious and sober Christians in this place, within these two years calls for our serious consideration, doth not the removal of a serious and godly minister much more call for it. Let us then take a back-look of the person that is now gone to heaven, and of what God gave him to be eminently useful in the work of the ministry. And I would speak somewhat upon this, partly, to recommend the grace of God that was bestowed upon him, and partly, to work up ourselves to a kindly sense of the great loss we sustain by his death, for I truly think we have not lost an ordinary, but a very extraordinary pastor. May I not then allude to these words of our Saviour, Matthew 11:7; Matthew 11:12which he spoke of John the Baptist. What went ye out for to see? A reed shaken with the wind: No such thing, beloved, but a settled and steadfast minister. But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing, are in kings houses; but our worthy friend was an indifferent, dead, and mortified man, to these, and all other earthly things. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? a minister; Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet, or an ordinary minister of the gospel. And we would speak a little to this, that ye may be led to look upon what might be the procuring cause to provoke the Lord to remove such a judicious, pious, and eminently gifted minister from us. I need not mention the extraordinary manner in which he was called to the ministry. I doubt if either ye or myself ever knew any man in Scotland, who was so called: when the Lord in some manner said unto him, James, you must leave your good estate, and laird-ship, and even take upon you the feud and of your rich relations. You must be content to be counted a fool, to serve me in this holy calling, and win souls that are in danger of perishing for lake[4] of knowledge; he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, for he entered upon the sacred ministry, with more clearness than any one of a hundred faithful pastors ever did, after much debating of the matter between God and himself.

2. I would have you consider and take a view of his faithfulness in the ministry, which he received of the Lord, not so much for stirring up of our natural affections as for our deep humiliation under this deplorable bereavement. When God had separated him from another employment to this honourable function, we may justify say, to the commendation of God’s free grace, that he, seriously and prudently, discharged all the duties of it, to have his great name glorified, and the people under his charge edified, and built up in holiness and comfort, to their eternal salvation. I remember, in some of his good days, when speaking of the Lord’s distinguishing goodness to him, what he said unto me, viz, That he had win to compendize and abridge his suits to these four things,

1. That God would show mercy to his own soul.

2. That he would be merciful to his children, and sanctity them for his service.

3. That he would accomplish and make good all his promises in reference to Christ’s kingdom.

4. And that he would make his ministry fruitful and successful; that it might be said of him what Paul said of Timothy, I know no man like minded, that will naturally care for your estate. O the kindly care of the people, and all the churches of Christ, which lay upon his mind. And I may truly say, That the stipend, or any worldly things of his own, were as little valued as the dust he trode upon.

3. I would have you to consider the full and entire manifestation of God which he made unto you, when he delivered nothing but the purest truth unto us, or he never waved or balked any truths of God. And though he, perhaps, would have been unwilling to say so much of himself, if he had been alive, yet we may warrantably say, after he is now gone from us, That he was free of the blood of all men, For he never shunned to declare the whole counsel of God. Ye yourselves know what variety of Christian duties he pressed you to perform with sincerity, and what religious exercises he encouraged you to persist in; what cases of conscience he judiciously handled, and what rare and sublime experiences of vital religion he recommended, which so sew good Christians even win to.

4. “Was he not a very seasonable and judicious speaker? Did not God give him the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season to the faint and weary soul? How seasonable and pertinent were the ordinary subjects of his sermons? And did he not also pitch upon the most suitable, and proper subjects of evangelical preaching, upon fast days, and at the solemn celebration of the Lord’s supper? Was he not also a very candid and searching preacher? He would have been, in an instant, in the inmost corners of your bosoms, with the out-most caution and meekness, without giving any of his hearers the smallest ground to fret and repine at his freedom in dealing with them.

Do ye not remember what particular, and just up-takings and apprehensions he discovered of your various circumstances and conditions, and how he wisely ranked you in your several classes, to let you know whether you were in a good or bad state? Do ye remember any of his wholesome instructions, when he preached upon these memorable passages of the inspired writings? Matthew 12:17. We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced. We have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. Revelation 3:3. Thou hast a name to live, and art dead. Hosea 6:4. O Ephraim, what shall 1 do unto thee? for your goodness is as the morning cloud, and the early dew, it passes away. And how seasonably did he discourse at your last communion, upon Matthew 26:29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom? and so it hath come to pass. Was he not a faithful and free-speaker, in secret admonishing, and reproving with meekness and wisdom? Gentlemen, burgesses, and all that now hear me, you may remember the words which he spoke unto you in the name of the Lord, both in public and private; and though he is not now amongst you, to observe your walk and behaviour, and call you to an account for it, yet God hath it recorded, and will surely bring you unto judgement. How pertinently and seriously did he speak unto the sick and dying, according to their several circumstances; and could not leave them till he had exonerated himself, by communicating unto them what he judged or their good and welfare: and his brethren who visited them, could easily know, how he had spoken to them, when ever they conversed with them. Did he not also frequently and fervently pray unto God for you? He might have justly laid, as did Jeremiah, Remember (says he to his Maker) how I stood before thee to speak good for this people, and to turn away thy wrath from them. And we know in particular, how this devout man set apart one day in every week for solemn supplication to his heavenly Father, these several years bypast, and surely, at these times ye were not forgotten. Ye are now deprived of an eminent intercessor at the throne of divine grace, whole soul wept often in secret, for the pride and obstinacy of the people who would not receive the gospel. Ye likewise know how faithful, dexterous, and impartial he was in the exercise of church discipline amongst you. Ye know how he exemplified the truth of the gospel, and the genuine spirit of our holy religion in his own personal walk and behaviour; and that his conversation among you, was in every respect becoming the gospel he preached. Ye know the consummate wisdom and prudence God gave him in all things, which belonged to his station and calling as a gentleman, and a minister of the glorious gospel; for he loved not to meddle with any thing which was foreign or unsuitable to the pastoral office. And we may thankfully declare, as an eminent instance of God’s goodness to this city of Glasgow, that we have been keeped in the most wonderful calm, and lived in great amity and peace there eight years bypast, when he was with us, though we were as much predisposed, and in danger of being consumed by these woeful fires of division and strife that were burning our church, as any other Christians were. And if we can commend any proper mean of healing such distempers, or promoting peace and unity among all ranks, we cannot sufficiently extol and celebrate his incomparable moderation, prudence, meekness, lowliness, and integrity. It will be a signal mercy if we be kept so long again from some kind of reeling, confusion, and schism; and if ever we see again these woeful days, we will bemoan the want of one of his cementing, peaceable, and healing spirit. Was he not, in a word, a merchy[5] and substantial preacher, who gave us the marrow, yea, the very pith and kernal of the gospel; he delivered very much sound divinity in little bounds, and in few words. Ye that are the common people, are deprived by his death of a plain and easily understood preacher. Ye that are sore troubled in spirit, and exercised, ye want a very tender and sympathizing guide. Ye that are learned and wise, want a learned minister, who was well instructed in the mysteries and laws of Christianity, the most valuable learning I know. Ye that are proud, covetous, or wicked, now want a teacher that would have exposed your corruptions, and might have been a blessed mean of reforming you, and reclaiming you from your dangerous mistakes and errors, without fretting and irritating you.

2dly, I would have you, also, to consider the time wherein the Lord was pleased to remove him from us: and surely, no period of time might be pitched upon, when he could be worse spared, though we should not murmur against God’s awfullest dispensations of providence. This is a time of trouble, division, confusion, and giddiness. God had given our deceased pastor a spirit of healing and incomparable moderation. This is a time, when even some ministers among us, are too slothful and careless, and seem to be too little acquainted with the power of true godliness, and have too little concern for the welfare of precious souls; and seem to be afraid that their people should turn too serious under their inspection. We have even amongst us some dumb dogs that cannot bark, but are afraid to reprove any sin, or endeavour to reclaim their hearers from it, or to acquaint them with religious exercises. I might also observe, that our friend was cut off in the thirty-sixth year of his age, in the very prime and vigour of his age, and singular gifts. How remarkably were his gifts and graces increased these several years bypast and how remarkably did he plead his Master’s cause with the strength of sanctified reason, and the energy of religion? and how faithfully did he deal with every one of your consciences, and recommended himself to every hearer as a workman that needed not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. If the removal of such a serious, painful, and able minister of the New Testament, at such a time, when he was an eye-sore and burden, to some carnal and negligent ministers, who reside amongst us, seems an evident token of the Lord’s fierce displeasure, we should sadly bewail it. Do ye not remember that remarkable sermon ye heard, not very long ago, upon Christ’s own words, All things are ready, come ye to the marriage; you cannot readily expect to see the word of salvation hang lower down to you, nor it was at that time, and the good bargain concluded; but his works, and this sermon, when printed, will sufficiently praise him. I would have you also to consider,

3dly, The manner how God removed this faithful servant of our Redeemer. He had a pretty long and sharp conflict, and was a closs[6] prisoner under (even months sore sickness and sadness, and some measure of darkness, tho’ he had no reason to be doubtful of his good state, and his right to the heavenly inheritance. But the Lord brought him comfortably through all his trials, and delivered him from all the evil he feared. If it was so done to the green tree, what will he done to withered, fruitless and untender[7] Christians, that are but dry and barren trees, whose interest in Christ was never put to the trial, or satisfactorily cleared. Let us at the same time,

4thly, Consider the glorious and happy out-gate or deliverance he met with from all his sharp conflicts and trials, and how cheerfully and triumphantly he maintained his good hope, till he resigned calmly his spirit to his blessed Father’s hands, and entered into the joy of his Lord, Mark the perfect, behold the upright, for the latter end of that man is peace. But this is so well known to you that I need not insist longer upon it.

5thly, Consider what might have been matter of provocation on our part, to remove such an useful instrument at this time. He had such a healing disposition, that no person was better fitted for these divided times (as we hope will appear in his treatise upon Scandal, which will be printed as his last testament to the church of Scotland) as he had much of God’s mind in these things that were warmly debated, so he interposed for the cementing of the unhappy differences amongst us, though his overtures for peace and union were but too little regarded. I think in my conscience, that God was angry, when the jealousies of both parties hindered them from hearkening to, and laying so little weight upon what he proposed, on the account of his moderation, and that he was laid by for some years, as one little regarded. Well, says God, I will remove him, and see if ye can be better without him than with him. I speak it without disparagement to many eminent servants of God in Scotland, that I never knew any minister more fitted of God for healing our differences, and breaches than he was, as he was never actually engaged in either side, nor bigoted to their sentiments. And I may also observe, That though he was eminently qualified for teaching divinity, in this university, and was chosen to be their professor, and even loosed from another charge to enter upon this work, yet, when he returned again to Glasgow, after he had been sometime chaplain to the king’s family, he was not admitted to the profession of divinity, when he offered to serve God in that eminent station. I do not desire to be mistaken, as that chair is filled to edification; but these men may be afflicted with no small concern, who closed the door upon such a valuable instrument, for who knows what good might have been done to the candidates for the holy ministry, these eight years bypast. It is also well known, that when God had withdrawn him a while from this place, and he was in a capacity as well as willing to come back again; and addresses were made to him for this purpose, yet some endeavoured to prevent his return to us. Ye know what supplications and protestations were given in to the session against his coming, tho’ these persons professed no ground of dissatisfaction with him: and for as little as some think of that protestation that was offered against his admission, it will he remembered many years hence, and even in the day of judgement. Let all such as had a hand in it repent, and lay it to heart. Consider also, If the little prayer and wrestling, these seven months past, during his sickness, amongst us, tho’ God was waiting on our prayers, might not have contributed to provoke God to deprive us of such a blessing. This event might have induced his people to set apart a day, yea, several days for humiliation and prayer, that this was not done. I may also observe, That the little welcome the gospel he dispensed had among too many, might provoke God to take him away. God was indeed pleased to remove another minister in the prime of his days, when multitudes seemed to idolize him, to teach us not to glory in man, or think of any pastor more than is meet. But how many in this congregation stood out, and yet stand out against the calls of the gospel? How few were gained to Christ? how many wearied of the gospel, and Christ’s ministers, as they were loath to be plainly dealt with, or even reproved for wrongs done to God, and overliness or negligence in the things of religion. They said, Micah 2:6. to the prophets, Prophesy not, and they shall not prophesy. Many a fair day of the Son of man hath been in Glasgow, many a fair, free, and sweet offer of the gospel (so savoury and comfortable to God’s children) have been waved and rejected by many hearers of this gospel. This is the great cause of this terrible stroke, our judgement carries our sin engraven upon it. Were not two serious, spiritual, and eminent ministers taken from you in one month? Three shepherds, as we read Zechariah 11, I also cut off in one month, and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhored me. Then said I, I will not feed you; that which dieth, let it die: and that which is to be cut of, let it be cut of; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. May God graciously prevent such a judgement, but the cold reception the gospel got here, hath provoked God to do all as he hath done at present with us. I have heard this faithful servant of God, he hath now translated to heaven, complain often, that when he came to preach in his own church, he saw not the face of a congregation, and that he came seldom to, the pulpit, but he feared some tumult among the people in running away from him. He also said, some little time before his last sickness, he was afraid the Lord had recalled his commission to Glasgow, and that his work among them was coming to an end. I am sorry indeed to say such things, but when such a judicious, and well skilled dispenser of the word was despised, it was just in God to take him to himself. Doth not God threaten some famine of the bread of life, when such a skilful and wise steward, that gave every one his portion in due season, is now taken out of his house? Ye know how skilfully he could have ranked you all, and gave your bread in great plenty; and who knows but our sun is now going down.

In the last sermon, the day when Mr. Durham’s body was laid in the grave (upon the same text) Mr. Carstairs adds, “I renew the exhortation. Overlook not this melancholy dispensation, viz, the removal of a very pious man and minister, as useful a minister as ever we had amongst us, or ever ye will see, Know ye not that there is a prince, and a great man fallen in Israel. May I not say on better grounds, Know ye not that there is a prince among pastors fallen today, a steward, a faithful and wise steward, that knew well how to give God’s children their food in due season, a gentle and kind nurse, a faithful admonisher, reprover, and warner of every one of you; a skilful counsellor in all your straits, and difficulties, and dark matters: He was eyes to the blind, feet to the lame; a burning and shining light in this dark world; an interpreter of the word among a thousand; to him men gave ear, and after his words no man spoke again.”

From what I have faithfully transcribed from these sermons of the reverend and worthy Mr. Carstairs, and from the collectors of some memorable particulars of Mr. Durham’s life, the reader will see how much this great man was esteemed for his incomparable wisdom, humanity, goodness, integrity, gravity, moderation, humility, meekness, and all other Christian virtues, which were eminently fortified and supported, by his unaffected piety and devotion. His discourses, both in print and in manuscript are undoubted specimens of the sound divinity, and the most extensive learning, and his intimate acquaintance with all the fundamental doctrines and laws of genuine Christianity; his foresaid friend regrates[8] he was unpopular, and less followed than some ministers greatly inferior to him in learning, and ministerial abilities; this might be owing to the weakness of his voice, or some other trivial circumstance in the manner of communicating his sentiments; or to his prudent gravity and abstraction from the world, and not to any thing that could depreciate his unparalleled worth and sufficiency. It hath been observed by some, that the most judicious, learned, honest, and pious ministers, have been frequently less admired, and followed by the common people, than some that have been vastly inferior to them, but have been more fervent in the delivery of their sermons. It is observed by the publishers of Mr. Durham’s Exposition of the Revelation, That he was so grave and composed at all times, that he very seldom smiled, or laughed at any thing. The reverend Mr. William Guthrie, minister at Finwick met with him in a gentleman’s house near Glasgow, sometime before his last sickness, and observing him somewhat dull, endeavoured to force him to smile and laugh, by his facetious and pleasant conversation. Mr. Durham was somewhat disgusted at this innocent freedom of Mr. Guthrie, and displeased with himself, that he was so merry. But when Mr. Guthrie, agreeable to the laudable custom of that family, and at their desire, prayed with the greatest seriousness, composure, and devout liveliness; so when they rose from prayer, Mr. Durham tenderly embraced him, and said to him, O William, you are a happy man, if I had been so merry as you was before you went to pray, I could not have been serious, or in a frame for prayer, or any other religious exercise for two days.—The same writer also observes, That he was so much respected by his neighbouring gentlemen, on the account of his prudence and integrity, when he was in the North country, that he was commonly chosen as an arbitrator and judge, to decide any thing that was controverted and debated; and he had the blessing of the peace-maker, for his sentence was always cordially submitted unto by the contending parties; Unto him (as we read Job 29:21-22, 25.) men gave ear, they waited, and kept silence at his counsel. After his words they spoke not again. He chose out their way, and sat chief, he dwelt as a king in the country, and as one that comforteth the mourners.—Mr. Durham’s judicious hearers observed, That he was very devout in all the parts of his ministerial work, and very fervent and lively, when he was to dispense the Lord’s supper, greatly fearing least any should eat and drink unworthily at these solemn occasions. He spoke, in some manner, as a man that had been in heaven, and made glorious displays of the riches of God’s grace, to all who heard him. And though he spoke little to some that proposed their cases to him, when grieved in spirit, but heard them patiently, in private, yet he did not neglect to handle, and answer them very judiciously and skilfully in his public sermons.

I cannot conclude this lame account of his life, without taking some notice of his valuable writings, which he left behind him. Mr. Carstairs, his brother in law, revised and published his lectures upon the Revelation of John, September 23rd 1658: this book was prepared for the press sometime before he died; and to make it more complete and edifying, at the importunity of his friends, he annexed to it twenty five discourses, upon some important subjects, by way of digression, which are all interspersed through the book, wherein, he discovers his profound learning, and intimate acquaintance with the most intricate and momentous branches of divinity. And, in his last sickness, he told his friends, That he had found God sensibly assisting and carrying him through, far beyond his own expectation, during the time of writing this commentary upon the Revelation. He kept two days every week for fasting and prayer, for discovering the Lord’s mind, when he was composing and writing these excellent discourses. There is a manuscript yet preserved of this work, which contains sundry judicious observations and notes, not in the printed copy. Mr. Carstairs also carefully revised and published Mr. Durham’s sermons upon the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, in quarto; and his sermons upon death, in octavo. His communion sermons; his Exposition on the Ten Commandments; Heaven upon Earth, or Sermons upon a Good Conscience; his sermons upon Godliness, with a large preface upon the necessity of exercising ourselves unto godliness, by the foresaid Mr. Carstairs. There is a manuscript copy of this book, with some account both of Mr. Durham and Carstairs, among the curious and large collection of manuscripts, which the deceased Mr. Robert Wodrow, late minister at Eastwood purchased, which are yet preserved in that part of his library; it hath this title, The Great Gain of contenting Godliness recommended in three Sermons, with that choice part of godliness, Self-denial, an indispensable requisite for the whole of its exercise, and notably fitting for taking the cross, and bearing it after Christ, in seven sermons; wherein that transcriber warmly recommends both the sermons and preface to the perusal of all serious and good Christians.

Sometime after, Mr. Durham’s valuable Treatise of Scandal, and his Exposition upon the Song of Solomon were also printed. These works already noticed, have been so often printed, and are so well known, and esteemed in this church, that it is needless to say any thing, to recommend them to the perusal of good Christians.

There are many other sermons of this great and good man, not yet printed, in the above mentioned library, and other hands, which I have seen; particularly, three sermons upon resisting the Holy Ghost, Acts 7:51; eight sermons upon quenching the spirit, 1 Thessalonians 5:17; five upon grieving the Spirit, Ephesians 4:30; thirteen upon delighting and trusting in God, Psalm 37:4-5; two sermons against inordinate anxiety and thoughtfulness about worldly things, Matthew 6:31-32; eight sermons upon the one thing needful, Luke 10:41-42; and a discourse upon ejaculatory prayer, Nehemiah 2:4; to which are annexed, three sermons preached immediately after his death, upon Isaiah 57:1-2; by Mr. Carstairs, and some sermons of Mr. Andrew Gray, and others, all bound in a large folio volume. I have also seen his sermons upon the four last chapters of the Song, in two large volumes. And a worthy minister in this church told me, that he had seen Mr. Durham’s sermons upon all the verses of Solomon’s Song, in five large quarto volumes. I might also mention what is in some private hands, Mr. Durham’s sermons upon, Ephesians 5:15-20; 1 Corinthians 9:24-25; Luke 1:6; Galatians 5:16; Psalm 119:67, 97, 113; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-23. 1 Peter 3:14; Matthew 8:7-9. Also his Exposition of the first fifty Psalms.

ERRATA.

Page 3. line 3. for at the sudden, read so suddenly, l. last, and several other places, for tentation, r. temptation, p. 5. 4 l. from the foot, r. God’s own people, p. 7. l. 6. after upright, r. and, after God, dele that, and r. that perfection, l. 8. after dead r. who die, 5 l. from the foot for in r. into, p. 11. l. 16. after or r. suffer, p. 12. l.6. for God r. Job, p. 13. l. 1. dele yet it, p. 14. 3 l. from the foot, before then r. and, p. 23. l. 24. after stroke r. which, p. 31. l. 22. for in to r. unto, p. 35. l. 3. for here r. there, p. 49. l.16. after workman r. doth, p. 59. 7. after and r. the, p. 62. 6 l. from the foot, for herefore r. therefore, p. 82. 8 l. from the foot, for that r. what, p. 86. 4 l. from the foot, for prayed r. preyed, p. 103. l. 18. for waken r. weaken, p. 117. l. 17. for said r. he had, l. 2. from the foot, after reconciled r. to God, p. 119. l. 17. after child r. of God, l.25. after all r. this, p. 122. l. 5. for secret r. surety, l. 13. for wilt r, will, p, 129. 2 l. from the foot, for as r. then, p. 171. l. 5. for it r. them, p. 257. 1.3. after Job r. to be, p. 261. 41. from the foot, after as if r. he had, p. 262. l. 11. after praised r. me, p. 274. l. 8, for ignoract r. ignorant, p. 282. l. 3. for applied r. amplified, p. 286. 1. 5. after we r. do, p. 289. l. 17. for original r. original, p. 292. 2 l. from the foot, for Jemina r. Jemima, p. 317. l. 8. for Christ’s meditation r. Christ’s mediation, p. 354. 2 l. from the foot, for condemned r. condemned, p. 357. l. 4. for will r. would.

N. B. There are a few old Scots words which have not been altered, because it is hoped our readers will easily understand them.

brangled – shaken

mids – means to some end

brat - poor ragged garment

misken = mis ken, - be ignorant of

chopping at (fig.) - appealing to

outgate – outcome

expone – expose

propone – propose, set

fain – glad

quite – quiet, still

fainest – sooner

quite – rid of, delivered from

fey – (relating to) doom

rubbing - attaching blame

gar - cause a thing to be done

scar – frighten

gar – make, cause to

sibness - common descent

hing – hold fast

sicker-like - safe or confident

kything – manifested, show itself

thir – their (or these)

lippen - trust/rely on

thortor – disputes, contradicts

meikle – much

vaig – wander

well-pleased

[1] Bing: A heap or pile, esp. of metallic ore or of waste from a mine.

[2] irie: affected by a fear of the supernatural.

[3] hoched: deprived of support.

[4] lake: lack.

[5] merchy: not a preacher who presented things in great depth.

[6] closs: close.

[7] untender: not having a tender conscience.

[8] regrates: regrets.

Job 1

WE will not enter on the debates and questions that are about this book, these things are clear to warrant us to ground our faith on it,

That it is a true story, and no parable; a story of the affliction of a gracious man, and the out-gate.[1]

Be the writer who will, it is the Spirit who is the inditer, who has left it to us for a spiritual jewel, as is clear from Ezekiel 14:14; and James 5:11.

It is clear who this man was by his friends, Lot was of the posterity of Abraham by Keturah, to whom he gave gifts, and sent them to the East, Genesis 25:6; and while religion stayed among them Job furnished with spiritual and temporal riches, stayed among them.

For the time, it is evident to be, when Israel were in Egypt, before the law, which is clear by Job’s sacrificing in the land of Uz, which under the law was unlawful for him to have done, as also never meddling with written scripture, nor evidences of God’s power in overthrowing Pharaoh, when so many other things, and the old world’s drowning, is meddled with, which prove it to be before.

The scope is,

To set out God’s sovereignty and special hand in disposing of the afflictions and trials of his children, in the manner, measure and out-gate.

How commendable a thing patience is, under the sharpest trials.

The happy out-gate, that patience under trials will have, as James 5:11; intimating the use that believers would make of affliction, Submit to God without fretting; and the end why afflictions are sent, to right folks, and draw them to this spiritual temper.

More particularly, to vindicate God’s grace in Job as a real thing, which Satan calumniates: To give the devil a lie, and justify God, though on a dear experience to Job. God will have the trial of the faith of his own found unto praise, 1Peter 1:7. himself found faithful, and Satan a calumniator, in all their trials.

The book has three parts.

1. A description of Job’s prosperity in the first five verses.

2. From Job 1:1-7, of the last chapter, Job’s trial.

3. Job’s out-gate and restoring, from that to the end.

In the first chapter we have,

Job’s prosperity, to Job 1:6.

The change of it, in adversity; and so the first part of the trial, to Job 1:20.

The effect this change had on Job, how he comforted himself under it, and bore it to the end.

1. That he was a perfect and upright man, not without sin, but as the dispute shows, sincere, no hypocrite; and one that feared God and eschewed evil; one that had real fruits of holiness and piety, grace kything[2] in his heart and conversation (by these two, inward reverencing of God, and outward watchfulness in all his carriage to eschew evil).

2. A second step of his happiness, was, in his children, he had seven sons and three daughters, which was above riches; and he had not simply children, but obedient children to him, and agreeing well among themselves, and in all appearance gracious, not addicted to the world.

3. A third step is Job 1:3. his great substance, and both this, and the former are observed to set out the greatness of Job’s trial when denuded of all these so the suddenly.

4. A fourth step is, the cheerful and friendly way of his family and children’s living together, sinlessly feasting one another; not addicted to the world as these Solomon speaks of, Ecclesiastes 6:2; who have of the world, and yet God has not given them power to eat thereof; they had much, and grace to make a comfortable use of it.

5. A fifth step is, Job’s care of his family and children, fearing they should sin, even in that sinless way of mutual entertainment.

First, He sent and sanctified them, i.e., used a ceremonial way of fitting them rightly to go about such a work, as Exodus 19:10; Leviticus 1:3; but especially by prayer, warnings, and such like; giving them warning that they dishonoured not God in their mirth, (and that he sent to do this, shows his care even when they were out of his sight, and his sparing no pains to prevent sin.)

Secondly, He rises up early, and offers in order for them all, commending them to God, and offers particularly, for them one by one, an offering for every child, (he thought it not enough to mind them together, and to offer for all his children, but particularly, he will go through them by name).

Thirdly, In the reason he gives for his so doing, his care appears, It may be they have sinned and cursed God in their heart, not that he knew any particular out-breaking in them. It is not like they would fall out in blasphemy, but he gives a disorderliness and raging of the heart from God, this name; he puts the worst sort of name on the least sin, so to speak, to tell that God heightens sin even in nearest relations, and is suspicious, but nature extenuates it; and this Job did continually, (that is, every time, especially when they were together, because then, temptation will then more readily prevail, in company and cheerful fellowship, even of godly friends, than when they are more solitary.

Question: How could Job offer for the sin he knew not they were guilty of?

Answers: I. He knew there was sin in them in the root, and that they had their own infirmities, and were in hazard to break out in sin; therefore he goes to Jesus Christ to prevent that, or if acted, to have it done away. And secondly, Though he knew no particular sin; yet he (as it is commendable in David, Psalm 19.; and in all others) remembers secret sins, for which he and they need to be humbled. Folks would make use of Christ for doing away of these, though they know them not; (there are many errands to Christ, our own sins, and children’s, to pardon them, and prevent them, and for secret and open sins).

The great change follows, and the first part of his trial, from Job 1:6-20. Wherein, 1st, The rise of it, from Job 1:6-12. and 2dly, The execration of it, to Job 1:13:20.

Job 1:6. Sons of God are angels there, and the devil’s coming unto God, is a figurative and borrowed speech, expressing God’s dominion over angels, devils, and all creatures, and his commissionating them for his errands, and not as if the words were to be understood literally, for spirits need not use words to communicate their mind: But it is like that speech, 1 Kings 22:19. when God sends forth a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahab’s false prophets; neither can there be going forth from God properly, as it is here exprest, but as superiors have their attendants, that do nothing but by orders from them, so God’s sovereignty and dominion is such, that devils and men do nothing but as he gives them commission.

The particulars the story hold out, are,

God’s dominion, who sits on his throne of majesty, having angels, good and evil, at his command, and who are liable to his court (as these are amongst men, who in sign thereof do at certain times appear) and particularly devils are taken notice of, because folks are ready to think they have more skouth[3] and liberty, and can do more than other creatures, as if God’s dominion did not so reach them. Job 1:8. I come, says Satan, from going to and fro, and walking up and down, which shows the restlessness, maliciousness, and roving and vanity of that evil spirit, (his punishment and his malice.)

To let us see the Lord’s observing and delighting in Job’s carriage; Hast thou considered my servant Job; the Lord hath a love of complacency and delight in his own, and their sincere walking.

Satan’s opposition to this testimony, Does Job fear God for nought? Job 1:9. Satan dow least abide the man that God loves, but calumniates, slanders and curses that man above any. In Satan’s answer, we have first, His calumniating of Job, alleging he served God for hire, (when he cannot deny his carriage, then he traduceth his end, as is he were not single, but selfish in all his piety.) Secondly, His slender probation of it, Job 1:10. He is but a time-server, serving God so long as he is well done to, and he will do no longer nor he is fatted with temporal blessings. Thirdly, Because the proof is weak, he desires a new trial, and prophesies impudently, (Job 1:11.) the apostasy of this sincere believer; and God, not to please the devil, but to prove the reality of his own grace; Satan to be the liar, and himself to be faithful, gives him a commission, to light on all he had, for he durst not stir the least feather of a fowl belonging to him till then; yet the commission is with a limitation (God gives no commissions concerning his (own people?), but with limitation, as in this, and the following commission also, though they come far) not to touch his person, Job 1:12. This is the rise of Job’s trial, to clear whether God or the devil lies, (to speak with reverence to him.)

The execution of the trial is, from Job 1:13-20 and,

1. As Satan got power over all that Job had, so he leaves him nothing, except one messenger at every stroke to bring the tidings, that in respect of Job had better they had gone with the rest; if Satan got his will he would not leave the believer a cock to crow day.

2. He waits the time for the stroke, when his sons and daughters were feasting in their eldest brother’s house, that they might seem to be taken away in their sin, to make the poor man the heavier.

3. The heaviest trial is hindmost, and every one at the end of another, that Job gets not leave to draw his breath, after one to make for another.

4. He takes not one away but many, makes use of several instruments, of wicked men on earth, of fire from heaven, of the wind, ruling the air, and making heaven and earth, God and men seem to conspire against him, and the last stroke on his children, is, to intimate, that as Job feared they had forgotten God, that he had plagued them, and take up your praying and sacrificing now (would he say) a sad trial.

The last part of the chapter is, Job’s carriage,

He is not senseless but rises, rents his mantle, &. uses a form suitable to that time, It becomes folks in their outward carriage and posture to be suitable to God’s dealing with them.

His carriage in respect of his words or government of his tongue is good, Naked came I into the world, and naked shall I return, &. I had neither goods nor children when I came into the world, and I can take none with me, and blest be his name, who hath both given and taken, for none of these could make me eternally happy. It is a notable point of heavenly wisdom, a rare practice to use the world as not abusing it, 1 Corinthians 7:30-31. If Job’s heart had been in his gear as many a man’s is, he had said otherwise. The spirit of God gives approbation to his carriage in this trial, as if he had said, the devil has once gotten the foil, he said he would garr[4] Job sin, and he is beguiled;

In all this Job sinned not, &c. A right eye on God in any trial, brings submission to God and a good outgate.

Observations more explicit.

On the first part, Observe:

It is the greatest commendation of a man, and part of his happiness to be perfect, upright and sincere before God, that perfection will go to the grave with him, other things cannot, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, Revelation 14:13. therefore it is set down in the first place; neither Satan nor Sabeans can take this from job, they may take a man’s gear, but they cannot take peace of mind from the sincere man.

Where this perfection is, a man will be fruitful, fear God and eschew evil; careful to prevent sin in his own person, family and others, when he wins in to get peace with God, through Christ.

It is no idle thing to be perfect and sincere, but it will be a daily task, what ones self, what to their family, which it puts together. On the 2d part, Observe,

That for as great hatred as the devil has at God’s children, he nor none of his instruments can stir a tail of any of their beasts without God’s permission,

Where there is much grace. God often sends sharpest trials. There was none like Job among the children of the east, and none is so tried. God will not boast of every man’s grace, though he carry through the weakest; let these that have grace be humble, if they have much, they will get as much ado with it,

Grace, yea God’s approbation of grace will not keep folks from sharpest trials, so live as resolute through many afflictions, to enter into heaven, ye think much of quartering and. plundering, but what would ye think, to have the devil master of all ye have. Mistake not trials, a time of trial is not the worst time, nor is God then tender, or more rigid.

On the third part, Job’s carriage, Observe,

There is nothing evidences folks grace more nor a right carriage under affliction: The devil said Job is but a fair-weather man, now he is found a liar, when in all this Job sinned not.

Steadfastness and integrity is best known under a heavy strait and trial; folks love to the world is then known when they are called to part with it.

[1] out-gate: outcome.

[2] kything: manifested.

[3] skouth: scope.

[4] gar: make.

Chapter 2.

IN the former chapter Job’s trial began, in this it goes on, and there are three steps added to the former, which are the parts of the chapter. The 1st part is that whereby his body is stricken with boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of the head; the devil getting leave to smite his body, chooses this as the most loathsome disease and violent pain; and we have this step of the trial, with the cause and effect to Job 2:9. The 2d step or part is, that betwixt job and his wife: when the devil has gotten job thus low, loathsome, and in pain, he is angry that he will not speak as he would have had him, therefore he brings in his wife, and gets her to take his part, and by her instigation, seeks to obtain his point; but Job refutes her calmly, and stops her mouth from Job 2:9-11. The 3d part is from that to the end; Job’s three friends came to him, and instead of comforting, they sit down beside him, and are dumb for seven days, and (as we will hear) they become a vexation to him, worse than any he had yet met with.

In the first part we have four things,

1. The causes instrumental in Job’s trial, or the occasion and rise of it to Job 2: 6.

2. The commission that Satan gets, Job 2:6.

3. Satan’s executing the commission, Job 2:7,

4. Job’s carriage under it, Job 2:8. This appearing of the sons of God or angels, and Satan before God, is not to be taken literally, as is there were any day more special nor another, or a coming into or going forth from God, but it is a figurative speech or resemblance, to show and set out the Lord’s sovereignty over all creatures, and the sovereignty he hath over, and immediate hand he hath in all the afflictions of his people; the particular steps of it is to set out the thing as we are able to take it up. Angels wait for his commands, and run his errands, devils must wait for orders from him ere they can execute their malice; therefore ere Satan go forth he must have a commission, and God questions Satan, and he makes answer to tell he must give account to God.

In Job 1:3; we have God’s taking special notice of Job’s shameing the devil for all that is done to him, Behold he is not the man thou called him, notwithstanding thou movedst me against him; not that God is moved to any thing which is not decreed of him: But,

1. To tell that what is aforetime decreed is in time execute.

2. That though God only execute his purpose in afflicting his people by Satan and wicked men, yet he can and will charge them with their affliction, as if he had not a hand in it.

3. To let us see the difference betwixt God’s hand and theirs in his people’s affliction. It is not out of hatred and malice, but from love, holy wisdom, goodness, and kindness, that God afflicts, not always out of respect to sin, but to vindicate his own grace in them, and to make it shine as here in Job: but Satan and wicked men afflict out of hatred and malice and to drive them off their feet, and blacken God’s work in them.

In Job 1:4 Satan’s answer, Skin for skin, &. This answer is set down to let us see the nature of Satan, that he is shamelessly impudent, so that grace will never be that palpable, but he will contradict it and traduce it, therefore here he cries down God’s testimony the second time. The word – which he uses seems to be a proverb used in these times. The meaning is, A man will bear other burdens better as long as his skin is keeped heal; intimating, The more personal that afflictions be, the trial is the sharper, and the worse to be born.

In the Job 2:6, we have the commission Satan gets. God gives Satan a new fey [13] of Job, and liberty to execute his purpose, yet limits him.

In the Job 2:7, Satan executes his commission in doing what he defined, which his going out imports, and he smites Job in all the parts of his body with boils.

[13] ‘giving Satan fey’ – giving Satan control over Job’s life.

In the Job 2:8, we have Job’s carriage under all this, He took him a potsherd, &c. It is like his wife and servants loathed him, and would not come near him, as Job 19:15-17; his breath being stinking and corrupt, and when scarce any can know a nail on him, he sits down among the ashes, and takes a piece of an old broken potsherd to scrape himself withal: And though he has poverty without, and pain both without and within, yet he is silent, and will not open his mouth to fret and repine against God.

Question: What can be the reason that Satan gets leave to add this affliction, and yet God says it is not a chastisement for sin?

Answer. These reasons vindicate the justice and wisdom of God in it.

1. God’s sovereignty and absolute dominion over the creature. It is enough that he do it, Who can say, What dost thou? the potter hath power over the clay, Romans 9:21. It is enough that God thinks good to inflict it.

2. That he may leave the patern [14] of patience compleat to all posterity.

3. He will show how low he can bring these he loves dearly.

4. To let us see that a gracious heart will not cast out with God for crosses, or judge the worst of his love for all that; therefore he will have Job come to the height of the trial, and yet tell, it is not out of respect to sin.

5. That God may get glory in a real proof and demonstration of his own grace that is often traduced, as here it was in Job.

6. It is also for the advantage of his people to vindicate them from the aspersions, reproaches, and calumnies of wicked men.

7. That the mouths of the wicked may be stopped, that said, They would go the wrong way, if they were tried, and they were all but hypocrites. But how is it that the devil gets power over Job’s body ? For Satan to get power over the bodies of God’s dearest children, to inflict sickness on them, or to pull down the house on them and smoor [15] them, it is no argument of hatred, but may well consist with God’s Jove. It is all one to him whether their sickness or death be wakened up by any humour in their body, and they die in their bed, or suffer a more violent death by Satan and wicked men; as when wicked Cain slays just Abel, and in the Jews crucifying of Christ: The covenant stands sure, and God has a care of the soul even when Satan gets power over the body; the devil but executes God’s purpose.

[14] patern – perfect specimen.[15] smoor – smother, stifle

The second step of the trial and part of the chapter is Job 2: 9. and his carriage under it, Job 2:10. When for all this Job will not blaspheme God, the devil is angry, and yokes his wife to him, the words may he rendered, Dost thou still retain thine integrity, blessing God and dying? The Hebrews abhoring to speak the phrase according to the meaning, express it by the contrary, or otherwise, that is, blessing God for cursing. Should then the words be read as they are here? No question Job’s wife sinned in this expression, for Job’s reproof speaks that much; therefore it is the less matter which of the ways they be read: But the words may be as well read, Bless God, and die: and the meaning is in a scorning way, casting up his religion to him; she says, Will thou ever bless God? Will ye go to your grave that that way? See if your blessing of God, and all your prayers be of much worth now, when he has given you such a loathsome skin; better leave off that way, and confess your hypocrisy; and the reason why we think this to be the meaning is,

1. Because it is not like that she would tempt Job to so gross an action, as flately in even-down terms to curse God.

2. Because Satan and Job’s friends shot is to bear in on Job, and make him take with it, that he was a Hypocrite, and that he would take all that is come upon him as a fruit of God’s wrath therefore, and so be discouraged and fret; and this being the drift of the dispute afterward, it is like Satan begins it here, and by his wife bears it on him, that it were better he should take with his hypocrisy in time; but both expositions prove it was a tentation to sin, and to prove Job is not sound by the hard things he had met with, and Job’s answer (Job 2:10.) confirms it, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women, and not as one that has lived in my family, as Psalm 73:22. So foolish was I and ignorant, &c. speaking of his giving way to the like tentation (this folly is in men naturally, counting that way most approven of God, which is in outward things most countenanced; and that way or person loved of God, which in outward things is crossed, Psalm 73:22. which way of reasoning Job rejects in his answer, as afterward in his friends, as an argument proceeding from ignorance and unacquaintedness with God’s way) Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil, as having indignation at her words? Shall we limit God to one way of dealing? Shall not we that have had a long life of honour, riches, an ease, be content to take a little contempt, poverty, and pain too? It were better reasoning, that after long prosperity we should contentedly bear a cross. And then the Spirit of God gives Job a second testimony of the victory, That whatever wrestling was within his heart, yet, as burst not out, he sinned not with his lips, as afterwards.

3. The third step and part of the trial is from his friends. What they were we will not dispute, though they were good men, yet they mistook Job; therefore God accepts a sacrifice for them in the last chapter, after he reproves them. They come to visit Job in his affliction as friends should do, and when they see Job they lift up their voice and weep; and, according to the custom of these times, rent their cloths, and put ashes on their heads, and sit down silent for seven days and seven nights. (Question. What should be the reason they sat so long silent? Answer 1. God having a mind to compleat Job’s trial, he will let him get comfort from none; yea, they shall be rather matter of stumbling to him. Answer 2. They could not conceive his sorrow half so great ere they came; and the good thoughts they had of Job before, as if a holy man, wearies out upon the beholding of his stroke, and they know not what to say to him; yea, in as far as they let the tentation work in begetting a prejudice at him, they are wrong and prove hurtful to him.

From God’s sovereignty observe,

1. Observe: The holy Ghost would have God eyed in all men’s trials and afflictions, and therefore is the sovereignty of God prefixed to the second trial, to teach us, That it is not devils nor men that guide the world, but it is God who sits on his throne, and gives them commission, limits them, and calls them to account; a thing the people of God would have much in their eye, and behold God now as immediately governing affairs, as if he were on a throne, and all opposers were called before his bench or court.

2. Observe: There is no part of a man’s religion pleases God better, and honours God more nor uprightness under a trial, and then to keep still his integrity: This is it God boasts (to speak with reverence) Revelation 2:13 and Revelation 3:10; because God’s credit is more engaged in folks carriage under a trial, for it is whether grace be true in such a body or not, and a right carriage then is (so to speak) a saving of the Lord’s credit, which cannot in the least be in hazard; yet, before men it honours him, whose name might otherwise be blasphemed: this is it that God puts us now to, and we would so much the more take notice of it.

3. Observe: One foil will not put away the devil, but after he is foiled he will set on again, he is like a roaring lion, walking about seeking whom he may devour, 1Peter 5:8. and when he gets not the soul destroyed, he is not his end, and is not at rest, therefore he still rages the more he be resisted. There is one part of our trial by, but be not secure, for our strait is but beginning, and if God prevent not, and keep us not watchful, we will go down the wind.

4. Observe: God sometimes for his own glory and the good of his people will bring under trial, when it is causeless in respect of sin, as here in Job; and to apply it, There has been a great reproach lying on the people of God in Scotland, as favourers of sectaries, and its like he may put them to a trial to wipe away that reproach, to evidence his grace in them, and to give a malignant and profane temporizing generation the lie, and this will be worth all that we can suffer.

On the second part observe,

1. Observe: That oftimes the sharpest trials comes from such as are nearest friends, and these that are in nearest natural relations are often greatest tentations; therefore Satan leaves Job’s wife behind the former, for a sorer affliction and tentation, and most able to prevail.

2. Observe: Its a hard matter when folks in near relations lives peaceably together till affliction come, and then to be instruments of one another’s grief, and serve the devil’s turn by irritating and provoking expressions. Therefore wives, and all in a near relation take warning from Job’s wife’s example, to beware of such a carriage.

3. Observe: From Job’s answer, to her observe, That long-sparing mercy and forbearance may well abide a whiles trial; they that have had much good, may well bear a whiles ill; we that have had long peace, have reason to take in good part a time of trouble.

4. Observe: The Spirit of God puts a new mark of the victory on Job, He sinned not with his lips. Observe, Where sin is keeped in, and comes not out to a height and open out-breaking in his people, God often counts it no sin, but that they are victorious when they set honestly against sin.

From the last part of the chapter observe,

1. That often that which folks expects comfort from; it proves comfortless, we hear not a word of Job’s wife, her being a comfort to him in all the story, his friends, who intended to comfort him, turns his greatest cross; for Job’s trial must be complete, therefore a word of comfort is spoken by none to him.

2. It is good to have friends and Christian fellowship but we would die to them, and learn to make up our consolation in God. If we depend on the creature, it will go dry when we have most ado with it; when Job’s friends cast him off, he had fallen in the mire if he had not had a sure ground to lean on for his comfort.

Chapter 3.

WE heard how wonderfully Job has born through his former trials, when his wife and friends and all had forsaken him; now that which has been for many days keeped in, breaks out, Job after long silence in the bitterness of his spirit expresseth himself in a sad complaint and expostulation, and the scope of the chapter is to show, how out of the misery and anguish he was under, he expostulates these four ways.

First, to the Job 3:13, wishing he had never been born, or if born, that lie had been taken away without suck, thir [16] expressions of cursing are not needful to be insisted on, being ordinary in scripture, as Jeremiah 14.; wherein the saints in anguish show the greatness and excessiveness of their grief, and therefore turns to curse all the means of their help, the womb, the knees, the breasts, &. in a rhetorical way, expressing how vehemently they desired that they had never been. Therefore, Job to show the excessiveness of his grief, thro’ the misery that was on him, would have the day of his birth marked as a cursed day, and scraped out from among the number of days, and all that cursed any day cursing it, especially, the mourning women that used to curse sad accidents, he would have them turning about and cursing that day; words of passion long keeped up, now overflowing and keeping no bounds.

[16] thir: their.

Secondly, from Job 3:13-20. he gives reasons of his wish in the same way; all the good he had gotten before and the principle he had laid down are forgotten, and he prefers his being dead to his present being, and says had he died when newly born, great men and he had been all alike, for there is no disparity in death, he had been as great as any of them, whereas now he is under much misery and reproach. There the wicked cease from troubling, there is no robbers such as the Sabeans and Chaldeans in death, and there the weary have rest, the servant and the master is alike there; and so goes on in the same, rhetorical way, to tell how he preferred a never being, or a soon dying, to his being.

Thirdly, from Job 3:20-23. he is angry that ever the benefit of life was allowed to him, as if he said, The thing I would fainest [17] have is death, and it is my misery that I cannot get it; a man would never have had a golden mineral fainer, [18] nor I would have death, why would such a one live.

[17] sooner.[18] would never have found gold more welcome.

Fourthly, From Job 3:23. to the end, he crowns all with a sad expostulation, that God is against him, which Jeremiah, Lamentations 3.; looks on as a sad evidence of anger, and having expostulate this, he proves it by three instances,

1. Because no mean of consolation do him good; he is not the better of meat and drink, it has no relish to him, and his roaring flows out like a stream from a fountain that has no drying up.

2. Had he wailed a sad condition, that which he feared is come; he feared a condition of extremity, and it is carved out to him.

3. That notwithstanding he was not secure but watchful and worshipping God, yet God had broken through all his prayers and sacrifices, and in my duty has lighted on me, says he; and this most affected him, that God was contending and he saw no cause; he knew not wherefore. This is the saddest word and the greatest part of his sin, and seems to be the rise of the debate that follows.

That we may know the better how to look on this scripture, I shall shortly answer some questions.

Question: How shall we judge of Job’s carriage here, and how shall we take up his sin in it?

Answer: Thir [19] are expressions of sinful infirmity without doubt, and the Lord’s reproving Job clears it fully; as for the sins here they may he drawn to three heads, First, There is his limiting the wisdom and sovereignty of God; his finding fault with God’s government, as if God had done him wrong that he was born, or had given him a being and life, and Job 40:2. he is reproved by the Lord for this; do ye think Job that ye should instruct

[19] Thir: these.

me when ye should be born, or taken off the world; in this ye have been foolish. Secondly, Though, he defend a just thesis against his friends, to wit, that a just man such as he was might be hardly afflicted yet in this he sinned. In his fretting that he in particular should be so dealt with, especially he being in his duty. His failing here was in application of the general thesis to himself, therefore, Job 40:8. the Lord says to him, Wilt thou condemn me, that thou may’st be righteous? or as the first word of the verse is, Wilt thou disannul my judgement? as if he had said, is there no way to justify thy own innocency, but by finding fault with me? Thirdly, There is a rashness in his expressions, though in maintaining a good cause. In his expressions rubbing on20 the majesty of God, and not ridding marches well21 for vindicating the Lord; therefore it is the first of God’s challenge, Job 38:2. Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge, and he leaves not Job till he take with this, Job 42:3. and acknowledges that he has spoken words which he understood not. In the heat of his passion, he was led to expressions that his friends takes advantage of; therefore Elihu on this ground pleads that he failed in his expressions, especially in application to himself, as Job 33:11-12.

Question: Seeing their are great sins, and corruption venting itself strikes at the root of God’s sovereignty, got not Satan here his purpose? and if so how can God absolve Job?

I. Answer in these three,

1st, Consider Job’s infirmities, and look on them as having grace going along with them; the great debate betwixt God and Satan was not, Whether Job had sin in him, but whether he was a hypocrite, and whether he had grace or not? and though many things break out, yet he keeps the main ground of his interest in God clear, and will not cast out with him; maintaining a just cause, and keeping clear his interest; the shining of grace in him justifies God, and makes Satan a liar.

2dly, Consider the case he was in, the great tentation he was under, all sorts of hardship, trysting on him from

20 rubbing on – implying evil on the part of God, rather than recognizing his majesty

21 not ridding marches well – not making clear boundaries

without, and terror within. It is no great marvel, that under such a heat his pot cast a scum: Put the best in Job’s case, they would have other expressions; and the Lord comparing his expressions with his case, thinks it a victory he has gotten.

3dly, Consider Job in their infirmities in a kind of roving as it were one in the height of a fever, whereas in other parts of this book we will find far sounder divinity in Job, laying his hand on his mouth and submitting to God; and God never justifies a man’s grace by fits, but by the tract of his way, and the event of his business, and therefore we may both let Job be faulty wherein his corruption kyths22, and yet keep up what God has spoken of his perfection.

Question: III. But might not God have keeped Job from their infirmities? and would it not have been more for God’s. honour?

Answer:

1.    God works his end in Job’s trial more by letting his infirmities kyth. Because the more Job’s infirmities kyth, and that like a spait or flood of waters, the more does his grace in Job that is not drowned with it. 2Corinthians 12:7. The messenger of Satan is sent to buffet Paul, and his weakness must kyth, that God’s grace may be made perfect in weakness; the victory of grace over passion is more than if his passion had not broken out.

2.    The Lord gains his end better, because as he had one end before him, to stop Satan’s mouth, so he had this end, to let Job and all his children know what they hold of him, and how he will have them in his reverence. Therefore the best of the saints with Jacob have a halt, that they may know the strength whereby they stand, and to whom they are obliged for the victory.

3.    God’s end was not only that Job may have the victory being tried, but that he might be a pattern to these that should come after, and therefore he will have his infirmities to kyth, and yet do them away, and give him the

22 shows itself

victory: bring him to the brink of despair, and yet uphold him, and give him an outgate, that other saints may not be discouraged nor despair though their condition should be like his; and often Job’s infirmities kything, has proven as comfortable to the people of God as his patience and other graces.

Observations.

First, From the general drift of the chapter, observe, I. That the greatest measure of grace when it is put to a trial, will be found to have much corruption going along with it; under strongest faith there will unbelief be found lurking; under the strongest zeal, luke-warmness; under meekness, passion. This heart brings out much dross, which none would have thought had been in Job, and it is ordinary for God to discover corruption under the graces that are most eminent in his children. Patience is eminent in Job, yet here impatience kyths. In Abraham faith is eminent, yet Genesis 20.; a fit of unbelief takes hold of him. The Lord will blot out all faces, that all may be watchful, and none may despair. What if many of us were put to the half of that which Job was tried with, what fretting and cursing in another kind would there be; therefore be very humble, and not conceity23 nor vain, because of any little bit of grace ye have gotten, when so much lurks at the root of the height of grace that Job had.

Secondly, Observe, When God reckons the grace of his children, he reckons it with a large allowance, therefore this man is highly commended of God for all his infirmity, and James verse set out for a pattern of patience. The best gold has need of allowance, and so has grace, and gets it here. David had many foul slips, yet he is called man after God’s own heart, and was perfect without turning aside either to the right hand or the left, except in the matter of Uriah, all his other faults are past over of the Holy Ghost. So also Asa he persecutes the prophet, oppresses the people, seeks to the physicians, &c. yet his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days, compare 1Kings 15.; with 2Chronicles 16:10; and this is a notable consolation when we reckon our own condition, to know how God reckons it. 2. It were also a good direction to us in reckoning the condition of others, not to follow any or our own, but count as God counts here.

Thirdly, Observe, That if believers get their own will under their trials, they would never do well, Job would do nothing but die, if he had gotten his will; but God is wiser then we. We often meddle with things too wonderful

23 too good an opinion of self

for us: O what impatience and fretting and rubbing on the sovereignty of God does often kyth in our fits of passion.

Fourthly, Whenever folks rubbs on the majesty of God, it is to their own prejudice, therefore Job is reproved for this. Give God his will, and justify him, and stoop before him.

Fifthly, Job under both the former trials and this, had peace with God and a good conscience, but now he finds God to look angry like, and dow not endure that, Observe, There’s nothing so terrible as the wrath of God, when it looks a soul in the face, this made David roar; and if God be so terrible to his children in the way of trial, how terrible will he be to the wicked, when he shall not only hound out one devil, but all the devils in hell, and that without any limitation upon them, and they shall have no peace, nor no good conscience as Job had? When the little thing that Job felt is so terrible, what will it be when the wrath of the great and living God, and an unreconciled sinner meets? Fear to meet God, and have the cup of his wrath to drink. When a small drop of the brim is so bitter, what will the dregs be; when they shall be wrung out, and all the wicked of the earth shall be made to drink them, and they shall cry out for hills and mountains to cover them, and shall not get them, and though they would give all the world for one tear that fell from Job to wet their tongue, it shall not be granted them. Confider that word, Psalm 90:11. Who knows the power of thy wrath? For according to thy fear, so is thy wrath; and therefore pray, So teach us to number our days, as we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

Chapter 4.

THERE is (as ye would think) a great part of Job’s trial past, yet there follows as sharp, piercing and sifting part of it as any of the former. The great contest betwixt God and Satan is, Whether Job was an hypocrite, or not? And when this is brought out by any of the former trials, Satan wakens up a new debate by Job’s friends, and gets them to further his end; and to impugn that thesis that there was any real grace in Job, to Job 4:32. And in this dispute, he defending, and they impugning, they go thrice about, except Zophar who speaks but twice. Then Elihu speaks from Job 4:32.; 33.; 34.; 35.; 36.; 37.; 38. And last the Lord himself comes in to decide the dispute, and first reproves Job, and then his friends, and vindicates Job, and puts him to make their peace, from Job 4:33.; to the end.

Ere we come to this chapter in particular, take some generals for clearing the whole dispute.

First, The great end of this trial is one with the former, that is, To bring Job’s righteousness to light, and to make it evident he is no hypocrite; yea, he must be made a complete pattern of patience; therefore, three able, learned, and good men, must seem to combine together to bear him down, and God carries him thro’, and makes his grace shine the brighter. But Satan’s shot is the contrary, to get Job quitting his thesis, and to get him made an hypocrite out of his own mouth, and God condemned.

Secondly, Job’s friends, their end is not to be subservient to Satan in his design, but, 1st, To vindicate God and justify him, and to rubb off these aspersions which job’s expressions seemed to put upon him. 2dly, Their purpose is not to cast off Job; but as it is Job 4:19. of this chapter, and Job 4:8. of the next chapter, and often through this dispute, to humble, restore, and comfort Job; good intentions, but miscarrying in their way of dealing with him. 3dly, Their carriage and manner of proceeding both in this chapter, and in the most part of the grounds they go upon thro’ the dispute, is drawn from God’s justice and sovereignty, and experiences of God’s dealing, that are in themselves sound, and being rightly taken up, may yield solid doctrines. But they fail,

if grace could not stand with such expressions, and mistaking the disease, they misapply the cure; and therefore, Looking to the extraordinary stroke which was24 befallen him, they fall upon the hypothesis going from the thesis stretching the justice of God beyond, and drawing conclusions from the premises which they will not bear; from a temporary judgement, concluding eternal off-cutting.

2.    They misapply the most clear visions and sound truths; to obtain their point, to have Job down, and taking with it, that he was a hypocrite, that he might be humbled, and lay a new foundation.

3.    They carry on this with rough and uncharitable expressions toward Job, that should have been more tenderly dealt with, In this chapter Eliphaz mistaking Job’s condition, makes way to mollify what he is to speak by prefacing in the first two verses, yet tells a necessity lay on him to censure his expressions, Who can withhold himself from speaking; but his fault is, that he goes from his expressions, to condemn his state; although supposing Job’s condition to be that which he took it to he, he is right.

In the rest of the chapter he lays down three grounds to prove, That Job in respect of his state is not right, but none of them will bear it.

The first is from Job’s impatience under the cross, to Job 4:7. as if he said, If grace in you had been real, it would have borne out in adversity as well as prosperity; and he proves Job to succumb in adversity, because the comfort he had given to others, he is not now able to take it to himself, but he faints and frets under his. affliction, which indeed inferred that Job was in a distemper, but not that he had no grace. Is not this thy fear, &c. that is, By this ye may see what kind of religion ye had, ye boasted meikle25 of God’s protection before trouble came, and all was well with you, but where is it all now? ye seemed to he an upright man, and to have faith in God, but now it is seen to be nothing.

The second ground is from Job 4:7-12. wherein he proves Job could not be really gracious, because of the sad

24 which has?

25 much

dispensations he was fallen under; and this ground he follows two ways. 1. He bids him consider, if ever a righteous man perished; take it totally, and eternally, the argument holds true; but it will not hold in respect of temporal judgement, and Job is not yet cut off nor perished; so that he draws a wrong conclusion from a true ground, and misapplies it to Job, Job 4:7; & Job 4:2. The second way how he follows out this argument is, by bringing in his own experience in observing the judgement of God that had in his time befallen the wicked before his eyes, Job 4:8-11. I have seen, says he, they who plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same; as they have hewed to themselves, and as they served God hypocritically, so the judgement of God came on them, Job 4:8. This argument he amplifies, Job 4:9. By the blast of God they perish &c. that is, The wicked man’s portion, is an evident sign of his wrath, yea, the height of it, for let the wicked man be as strong as he will, like a lion, he shall be broken, Job 4:10. The best of them all when they have lived never so long, fall down, and their posterity shall he scattered, Job 4:11. Now there are sundry deceits in this argument, as,

1.    That from a temporal judgement he concludes Job to be a wicked man.

2.    That he alledges all wicked men are so dealt with, because some are so handled.

3.    He is wrong in his application to Job, for Job is not yet cut off.

The third ground propounded is from a particular and immediate revelation, wherein there is first the circumstances to Job 4:17; whereby he prepares Job to hear, and from Job 4:17; holds forth the revelation or thing revealed to him. The scripture then not being written, God spoke to holy men immediately, and Eliphaz not knowing well how to answer Job, he tells how God taught him what to say; and his insisting to tell how it came to him, is not only to prepare Job to receive it, but to persuade him it was no counterfeit thing, but some divine majesty of God was let out upon him to fit him to receive the vision, and then shows what the word was that was revealed to him by that vision, Job 4:17. Shall mortal man be more just than God? A word that might have done Job good if rightly applied and made use of, for Elihu and God runs almost on the same grounds; but Eliphaz holds not at the condemning of some expressions and actions in Job, but runs in on the state of his person, and from his harsh expressions would bear upon him that he made himself more than God.

Always this holds true, That there is no man when he speaks with God but he shall have cause to justify him and it is most absurd to think the creature wiser in his way nor the Creator. This general doctrine he amplifies from the more to the less, Job 4:18, If angels contend with God, he will find folly in them. If we look on angels purity and compare it with God’s, they are infinitely inferior to him in purity; or suppose angels would contend with God, they would not be found pare, How much less man, Job 4:19. The argument is followed in two or three instances or steps.

1.    If angels must not stand by their own strength, but God will find folly in them, if they should go to plead with God without acknowledging their dependence on him, how much less they that dwell in houses of clay. The angels in heaven would be charged with folly if they took such a way as thou takes, and how can thou or any man, that is but a silly bit, like a worm crawling among the ashes, and as easy to be crushed as a moth, begin to contend with God.

2.    The argument is followed in a step further, Job 4:20. Angels are not subject to dying, but man is here the day and away the morrow, therefore much less can he be justified if he shall contend with God. And a third step, Job 4:21. Man that thinks much of himself when in health or strength, but a brash or fit of sickness takes him, and he and all his excellency is gone; he minds not his frailty till death come on him, and then he gets not time to mind it as he ought: So he concludes, If angels cannot be justified, much less man in contending with God, and therefore Job cannot be right in taking such a way, and the argument will bear this much, but not that Job has no grace.

Observations.

I.    IN general observe, That in the Lord’s righteous judgement and wisdom, Satan may oftimes prevail so

far with good and able men, as to make use of them to serve his point and advance his end unawares. Their men, without knowing of it, do so here, therefore beware of being swayed with good intentions in yourself, or with grace in good men to that which is not good in itself.

II. Satan prevails much, and thinks he gets great advantage when he gets use made of good men to drive his design. Paul and Barnabas were men full of the Holy Ghost, yet contention falls in, that sets them by the ears.

III. When good men fall by the ears in a debate readily and ordinarily they exceed. Paul and Barnabas waxed sharp in the contention; and if we look to this dispute, these things show the height of the contention.

1.    The rubbing expressions26 and reflections that the one has on the other.

2.    Harsh judging one of another.

3.    The more they dispute, the more each is confirmed in his own opinion, and are the more confident, a rife and ordinary evil.

4.    There is no taking away or closing of the dispute, nay not by Elihu, till the Lord himself come in, and yokes one of them to pray for another, a thing that should humble and make all to fear to enter on contentious disputing when such effects follow on it.

IV. There is no tentation whereby Satan gains his point more, neither any affliction more bitter to the people of God, nor when good men are yoked against good men in dispute. Therefore this comes in as Job’s

26 expressions that imply evil intent

last trial when their men takes his part against him.

1.    It says such a thing may be, especially when a people or person is low.

2.    That it is a most prevailing tentation: And,

3.    Very sharp and piercing, Acts 15:39. All Paul’s suffering and dying at Jerusalem was not so burdensome as when good men would divert him from his duty, Acts 21:31. Think it not uncouth to meet with opposition from good men, but by all means labour to eschew it.

From the General Drift of this Chapter

Observe:

I.    If a man maintain one mistake, an hundred will follow upon it; therefore take heed what ground we lay,

to maintain a wrong ground will have many bad conclusions.

II. When a man has laid a wrong ground, he is giveth to use all the arguments he brings to maintain it. He will misapply right grounds to that end, as when a man takes a wrong rule to measure by, he will more readily cast the right rule then hold by it.

III. The most clear truth, though it were revealed by vision from God, may be misunderstood and wrested to a wrong end, when a man who is prejudged acts. It is like the Spirit said to these disciples, Paul would be bound, but they misapply it. Use truths soberly, drink them in sincerely; truth spoken from heaven will be wrested if prejudices get place. That is a good word, 2Peter 1:19. We have a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye ought to take heed, &c.

1.    Be sober in searching for light.

2.    Be wary how ye apply the mind of God in any thing made known, that ye draw not conclusions from it that God never intended, as is too often found in men that God gives gifts to in any measure by ordinary.

IV. However they misapply, this will hold good, It will be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked. It will be well with them that worship God, and a curse will pursue them that do it not.

Chapter 5.

WE heard of Eliphaz’s scope in the former chapter, and the strain and way he took to bring it about. Hie had not a mind to destroy Job, but to bring him near near God, and conceiving him to be a hypocrite, on that supposition he deals with him, seeking first to humble him, to prepare him to make his peace with God; but as his arguments brought for this purpose in the former chapter were not fare, no more are they in this.

The chapter hath three parts,

1.    There is a new argument brought in to convince Job of his hypocrisy before God, and the want of an interest in God, to Job 5:8.

2.    An exhortation or direction to Job how to carry himself, to betake himself to God rather than fret as he doth, from Job 5:8-17.

3.    An exhortation to Job to bear well God’s chastisement, from Job 5:17-26. And Job 5:27; is the close of Eliphaz’s dispute for this part, pressing on Job the right use of what he has said to him.

In the first part, The argument he brings to convince Job of hypocrisy has two parts or grounds whereupon it goes.

1. Never saint carried him himself as ye do, therefore ye are no believer; this is, no sure arguing, for we are not to count our interest in God according to patterns that have gone before us, for the first believer had not a pattern before him. Beside it strains the sovereignty of God, who takes liberty to exercise his people as pleases him. Call now if there be any that wilt answer, &c. as if he said, Ye are in an afflicted condition, but carry not yourself as believers did before you, therefore ye are none of that number; or knit their words to the former chapter, the scope is clear; look both to the angels and to righteous men that have gone before you, and see if any of them have had signal strokes as ye have gotten, Or if they freted against God as ye have done; or knit the words to these that follow, the scope is one and the same,

to prove Job’s disconformity to the saints and conformity to the wicked, both in his strokes and carriage under them. The wisest of the Papists themselves lay by this place for being a ground for invocation of faints, as inconsistent with the scope and their own principles. He proves Job is not like a saint, but like a wicked man in his carriage, because none other will so canker and fret against God, but a foolish envious silly man, Job 5:2. Eliphaz by this, might have proven Job to be infirm, but every fit of folly proves not a man to be wicked. A second proof of his conformity to the wicked is the dispensation he was fallen under, which he follows forth in two or three particulars. I. The wicked have flourished for a time, as the only happy men, but within a little they have been made patterns of God’s curse, Job 5:3, and so has it been with you.

2. The wicked have had many children, but they have not been suffered to live long, yea, many of them have come to be crushed in the gate, that is, Made examples of judgement, and so has yours, Job 5:4. And Job 5:3.

Wicked men may have many cattle, great, substance, sow much, have a great harvest, and never shear it, but the robber comes and swallows up his substance; yea, if any little pickle be left behind the rest, that is taken from him, and look how like this is to your condition, Job 5:5. But there is a deceit in this reasoning.

1.    In restricting his chastisement to the judgement that comes on the wicked.

2.    In applying the experience of Tome wicked men to all. And,

3.    In concluding there was none other so dealt with but wicked men.

He does not reason that no ill can come to a righteous man, and no good to a wicked man, but the judgement that was come on Job was so signal and rare, he could not think that such a stroak could befal a good man, a godly man could not be so afflicted. This argument he confirms,

just hand of God.

2. From the fountain or meritorious cause, Job 5:7. Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. Troubles flow from sinful men as sparks from a fired peat. Now, seeing extraordinary crosses are on you, (would he say) and they are not come by guess, but have a cause; and the efficient cause goes ay with the meritorious cause; consider if this be not your condition Job. There is a good in this reasoning in so far as it exalts the sovereignty of God, attributing all dispensations to that, and that afflictions come for sin: But it is no good reasoning to say, Therefore they come ay for sin.

In the second part, There is an exhortation to turn to God, for his own example, although he had been in Job’s case it is like he would not have been so well There is much solid and sound divinity here, but look upon it with their caveats.

1.    To beware of Eliphaz’s shot in it, that is, Of bearing in on Job that he was hypocrite.

2.    We would not expone27 their temporal premises according to the letter, but stretch them in the application to spiritual peace, as that wherein they mainly have their accomplishment to believers, though in the primitive times, even temporal blessings and benefits followed a righteous way of living, and temporal curses and judgements a sinful life. The exhortation is, to seek unto God, to lay down his cause before God, and not to dispute with him, this is said down, Job 5:8. and then backed with five reasons:

1.)    It is from the greatness of God, who can do great things, and there is no limiting of his power, Job 5:9. and he might readily restore Job is he would take this course, Ephesians 3:20. He can do abundantly above all that we can ask or think.

2.)    It is from God’s common goodness, in the giving of rain, Job 5:10. which is an encouragement to folks

27 expose

to seek spiritual, and he enumerates two other common mercies, Job 5:11. He gives evidence of his desire to do good by helping poor folk in their need, and that should encourage to seek him, Acts 17:26- 27. Common mercies well improven may encourage to seek spiritual.

3.)    It is from the severity’ of God against them that take another way, Job 5:12-14. Let men take never so crafty a way to gain their point, if they turn not in to God, they shall not prosper, God shall disappoint them; yea, so far are they from carrying through their design that they are snared therein, they are still the farther in the mire that they take a crooked way to be out of it; and when they know not God in the clearest cause, they shall go wild.

4.)    It is from the suitableness betwixt God’s goodness and Job’s poor condition, in Job 5:15-16. The argument is laid down, Job 5:15. and a conclusion drawn from it, Job 5:16. That to the poor there is hope, expectation of through-bearing, and hope of outgate; but the man that takes another way, and laughs at the poor that trusts in God, shall be brought down, and his mouth stopped to his shame.

In the third part, is the last exhortation, from Job 5:17. to the end, To teach Job to bear the cross well and stay him from freting, and this he does by showing him how good a thing it is to get correction, and a lesson with it from God, Psalm 94:12. otherwise the cross considered is a fruit of the curse. Therefore despise not thou, the word is, Reprobate not thou the chastening of the Almighty, labour rather for the blessing of it, nor to cast it; and this he presses on Job by many reasons.

1.    From the benefits of God’s delivering him from the miseries he was under, Job 5:18-20. he should heal his wounds, give him plenty, &c. either take his present troubles from him, or sanctify and sweeten them, and take the sting out of them, that they shall not hurt him.

2.    From God’s preserving him from new troubles, particularly, From the scourge of tongues, a great evil, Job 5:21. A 3d. is from the solid peace and confidence that men have by taking this way, Job 5:22. nothing shall trouble their peace; Psalm 107:7. They shall not be afraid of evil tidings. A 4th argument is

from the covenant that he shall be in with the creatures, so that they shall not hurt him, but work God’s point and his good, Job 5:23. A 5th argument is from being made master of his own house; yea, He shall visit his tabernacle, and not sin; for a man that is not at peace with God sins in looking on any thing he enjoys, both because he is an usurper, and idolizer of that he hath, but he that is at peace with God, gets a lawful and refreshful use of the creatures, and sins not. The last argument is, Job 5:25-26. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, &c. Not cut down ere it be ripe, but taken in ripe to heaven; and as he began with a preface, so he closes with a word of warning, that he would consider this truth and make use of it for his own good, Job 5:27.

Observations.

Eliphaz begins where he ended, to shake Job’s interest.

Observe I. It is an ordinary tentation of the devil to shake folks interest in God, Matthew 4:3, 6. If thou be the Son of God, &c. the reason is,

1.    Because Satan can get the believer tempted to no ill turn, till he get God and him casten out, or him to question his interest in God.

2.    Because when he gets him casting his interest in God, he gets him to rubb on the image of God within him, as he is given to do.

3.    Because he cannot get God and the believer separate, he labours to torment the believer with this tentation.

4.    The devil’s drift in this to Job, is to get it proven out of Job’s own mouth, that he has no grace.

Observe: II. As this is no new tentation, so it is no little thing, but gives Satan exceeding great advantage to cast or question our interest in God. Many have it in a trick, as if it were a thing pleasant to God to question their interest; but what advantage think ye had Satan gotten of Job, if he had been of that religion?

Observe: III. Satan often, represents folks condition to them, as if never ones case that believed in God before had been like theirs; he will suggest, Never any one was handled as thou art, Psalm 22:4, 6. Our fathers trusted in thee, &c. But I am a worm and no man, &c. It is a mercy that God hath left the book of Job to stop the mouth of this tentation; we have here a pattern of many crones, and of wrath on a man’s spirit, and infirmities kything under crosses, &c. there fore think it not uncouth to be so handled.

Observe: V. There is no solid outgate from under affliction; till God be acknowledged in it; he be sought unto, and ourself and cause submitted to him.

Observe: VI. Many folks may be stouter of their grace when the day is far off, nor when they are tryed; men may appear humble, patient, &c.- till they get a fey28, and then the contrary kythes. Eliphaz says, he would have done better nor Job, and it is like he would not have done so well.

Observe: VII. The cross is no ill thing when folks can make a right use of it; it is a blest thing to be corrected, and get a lesson with it, Job 5:17. It is folks corruption and carnal carriage that makes it a curse.

Observe: VIII. From the word of warning wherewith he closes, observe, it is not enough for folks to heap much sound doctrine, if they fall not about the practice of it, Matthew 13:23; 7:24. Many are like these hearers, James 1:23, Turn over their exhortations to yourself, as if they were spoken to you in particular, and follow them in practice, that is right hearing.

28 a portent of death

Chapter 6.

ELIPHAZ in his own name, and in name of his friends, has laid a sad charge on Job, wherein there was two faults mainly, 1st. That he misconstructed Job in judging him to be a hypocrite, which he drew from grounds that would not bear any such thing. 2dly, That for the making out of this prejudice, that he and the rest of Job’s friends had taken up against Job, he falls to maintain an unsound thesis. In this chapter Job speaks mainly to the first, that is, to remove these mistakes that Eliphaz and the rest grounded their misconstruction of him upon, as if they saw such rottenness in his carriage as proved, he had nothing of the grace of God; and to Job 6:28. he insists to remove three grounds from which they seemed to draw their conclusion, and after he has removed these grounds which unjustly they imputed to him, he subjoins to every one of them a sad reproof for dealing so with him: From Job 6:28. to the end, he has an exhortation to his friends to leave off that gate of dealing with him, and closes with a more clear proponing of the question betwixt him and them.

For the first ground, he labours to remove and vindicate himself, from the imputation fastened on him by Eliphaz, Job 4:3. &c. To wit, that Job was to comfort others, and now he cannot comfort himself, he answers to this, and removes it, by holding out the extremity. of weight that was lying on him, Job 6:1-5. O that my grief were thoroughly weighed (saith he) nothing would down-weigh it. Therefore ye would not judge of me according to my expressions in it, and this expostulation of his grief, he follows, telling it was heavier than the land of the sea, and therefore they knew not his condition well that spoke of him; yea, his words were swallowed up, that is, he would not express it, or as it is on the margin, He wanted words to express it, whereby he grants, that his words were not so well wailed29, nor so fully expressing his mind as need were; and Job 6:4. touches upon the great burden that lay upon him, that weighted him more than the lots of kine or sheep, or the boils that were on his body, to wit, that God was to him like a bowman, and he is as the butt or mark, and he shot his arrows at him which never missed him, and these arrows were not common arrows, but invenomed,

29 chosen

and drank up his spirit, yea, that God seemed to him as one mustering all his arrows, and drawing them up in ranks and battle array against him, a silly poor pained man; whereby he letts them and us see, he was not only under outward crosses but inward terrors at once, and this he follows forth, Job 6:5. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? A beast will make din when it wants meat, and therefore wonder not when I am in this pinch, and under such a weight that I make din, and that my carriage be altered from what it was; and Job 6:6. Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg? He applies this to his friends, as if he said, ye have taken pains to comfort me, and mitigate my sorrow; but there is no more seasoning in your words, than there is taste in the white of an egg; yea, Job 6:7. The things I refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat, or as the sorrows or sickness of my meat, that is, that which ye would have me taking, it mars my comfort, for to call me an hypocrite (as ye would have me to do) it would turn my best comfort to sorrow, that would put me clean over the brae.

From Job 6:8-24. he labours to remove a second ground or mistake, and does not remove it so well as the former; he removes the first mistake soundly, by showing that his carriage inferred no such conclusion as they put upon it; but when he comes to remove the second which was his desperate wish, which they challenged him for, he says, O that I had my request, &c. His scope is to show, he had reason for that wish, and he counts himself not only not rash in such a wish, but shows it is the thing he would fainest have, Job 6:8-9. as if he said, O that he would utterly take me from the world, and not pine me piece and piece. O that he would once make an end of me, and he shows some reasons for it, whereby he would insinuate, he was not so desperate as they took him to be, in so wishing, Job 6:10. for then (says he) I should yet have comfort, and would harden myself against sorrow, that is, the hope of death being near would make me bear this trouble the better, therefore let him not spare, for I have a testimony within me, I have not concealed his words, or hid them, as it is, Psalm 40:10; and Romans 1:18. (who hold the truth in unrighteousness) the meaning is, I have no challenge for suppressing any light that God has given me, or for being deficient in any known duty, therefore I am not desperate iii seeking death, as ye would make me to be. A second reason of his wish is this, that he had no hope to live, Job 6:11-12. Yea, that it was impossible his body would long sustain that pain it was under, What is my

strength that I should hope? that is, I have no strength that I should hope to win through this pain. And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? That is, it is but a short time that I have to live, for there is more upon me nor would slay an hundred; yea, if I were made of stone or brass., there is as much on me as would undo me. This mistake (as we said) Job does not remove so fully and well, for though he be right in comforting himself from the life to come, and in thinking the strength he had was but small to bear the weight that was lying upon him, yet he is wrong in limiting God, and in prescribing God a way out of anxiety. A third reason is, Job 6:13. Is not my help in me? In the original it is, Is not there that which sustains me in me? that is the being and essence of sincerity; and think ye that the being and essence which once I had of a sincere man is now away, and this interrogation has the force of a negation, that he is not the man they took him to be, a hypocrite, and a man void of spiritual wisdom, such as became a sincere man to have; but that he is sincere and spiritually wise, and so in this verse he directly contradicts their assertion which they had of him. Then from Job 6:14. to Job 6:24. He follows out a reproof to them, in showing,

1. What should be the duty of friends to friends in the day of affliction, and how unlike their practice and carriage to him was unto that; to him that is afflicted pity should be shown; a friend should sympathize with his friend in trouble, and if ye were friendly ye would do so to me, and comfort such a man as I am. But he forsakes the fear of the Almighty; in the third person checking Eliphaz that had added a burden to his weight, then in comparison he shows what was his friends carriage towards him, my friends when they came to comfort me, they have dealt deceitfully with me; and he shows how, they have been like a brook that in winter is full of water, but in summer is dry and has nothing in it to refresh the weary traveller when he has most need of a drink, so has my friends been to me, They have cast by their old friendship when I have most need of it, importing that a friend should be a friend and friendly at all times. And,

in this my poverty have sought some of your substance, and your help against the enemy that robbed me, and ye were bound to have done it, as Abraham did Lot, Genesis 14. But did I seek this of you? I did it not. I would bear the want of goods and wrongs from enemies, and not seek a revenge, and when I have sought so little of you, ye might well have bestowed a comfortable word upon me, and not have added to my wound.

3. The third ground or mistake they went upon, and which he labours to remove, is a wresting of some of Job’s words in the end of Job 3. As if Job had denied God’s justice; which Job denies he did, and speaks of God’s justice as well as they did, and this he doth from Job 6:24-28. And first, Shows how willing he is to be taught, and take instruction in that wherein he has been wrong, Job 6:24. And that he will not tenaciously stick to words, for right words are forcible, but their arguing reproachfully, and captiously snatching at words, would never convince him. A second fault is, that they left the substance of the matter, and stuck too much to words, and it was not time when he was lying under such a heavy burden to stick upon words, especially when he was not abiding by any words that were wrong; therefore, says he, it were better that ye should leave words, and take you to the matter, Job 6:26. But, ye are so far from this, that ye dig a pit for me, your friend, by bearing upon me, that I am an hypocrite, instead of doing me good.

In the second part of the chapter; from Job 6:28 to the end. He has a double exhortation, backed with a reason, as if he said, I exhort you, since ye do me no good by this sort of reasoning, leave it off, Be content with what is said, insist not in taking notice of’ words; I allow not my self in them; rather consider my case as it is, and Return, come to your self again, and insist not in your guilt, after I have given you warning, for that will be a double sin to you; or think not that these expressions ye chope30 so much at, will bear so much, as if there were nothing but iniquity in me. The words will bear both, My righteousness. is in it. It concerns me nearly, whether I be a hypocrite or sincere man, therefore lay by such a way of reasoning, for I cannot admit of it; then he closes

30 chope – strike me with?

with proposing of a ground which he intends to follow forth in the next chapter. The main cause is not iniquity, for I have gotten as much from God to discern what is right, and what is wrong; and therefore seeing it concerns me so near, stick not to the sentence ye have past upon me.

Observations.

From Job’s way wherein it is commendable, observe

I. That it is a part of a friendly duty when folks have mistakes to endeavour in a friendly way to remove them. Though friends should count and call us hypocrites, not to be angry at them for that, but labour in a friendly manner to remove the mistake. Selfish pride dow not abide any more talking, if once folks sincerity be questioned. Job teaches more humility, and therefore labours, 1. To remove this personal prejudice his friends had at him, ere, he dispute the. main thesis; for till that be, disputation is to no purpose. 2. More particularly, whatever be his miscarriage, he has high thoughts of God, and this puts a lustre on all his expressions. When true piety is well planted in the heart, high thoughts of God, and

reverent expressions of God will not soon wear out.

II. He counts more of the terrour of God, nor of all his other afflictions that he suffered; and indeed, where the terror of God is let forth on the spirit of a creature, it is the greatest weight. There is no affliction to that, A wounded spirit who can bear? It is. the greatest happiness to have God to be our friend, and the greatest misery to have him to be our enemy.

III. For as hard expressions and vehement tentations as came from his friends, and for all that sense and suggestion concurring with them can say; he will not cast his integrity. To digest that, was as poison to him. His practice is a pattern worthy of imitation, and evidences the strength of his faith; his soul refuses whatever may weaken his confidence in God. Any of you that have any soundness, quite it not, but having taken up your condition aright, and having cleared your interest in God, stick by it. But little knows many of you what it is to maintain a conflict on this account as he did, and the less evidence have ye that matters are right betwixt God and you.

IV. From that wherein Job miscarries, observe 1. That it is a right hard thing when once a good man has vented himself in an evil tenet, to draw him off it; when Job has wished for death, he renews his wish, and comes ere all be done to defend himself that he is right in so doing. Jonah says, I do well to be angry, and so says Job in substance.

Question: But how does Job, in this his sinful wish, entertain the peace and quietness of a good conscience?

Answer: Certainly there was sin in Job’s words, and something in him that makes him think he had peace, but he looked not rightly on his distemper; he leaned so to the bygone experience of God’s favour, that he took not notice of intervening sin, which he is made to take with, Job 40.; 41.; 42. The example of Job and his friends here, may give us this word of warning, to give more charity one of us to another in debatable matters. In our hearing and speaking of, and to one another, let us give some more grains of allowance one of us to another, and stick not captiously to words, else our dispute will evanish in words without profit, for jangling about words serves to no purpose, but for subverting the hearers.

Chapter 7.

JOB having begun to answer Eliphaz in the former chapter, here he goes on, and having some way excused the bitterness of his expression, he sticks to one thing he seemed to misken31 in his reproof, to wit, his vehement desire of death, chapter vi. Job 7:8-9. wherein having reproved his friends of their uncharitableness in judging him, he now justifies that his desire, and gives reasons why he should vehemently desire death rather than life. And this he goes on in from the beginning of the chapter to Job 7:17. And 2dly, from Job 7:17. to the end, he some way mitigates his peremptoriness in desiring death, by turning it over into a more moderate suit to God, for a little case and breathing, and that God would forgive him his sin. This is the scope and sum of this chapter, Job laying out his complaint before God, supplicates for some case, if it were for never so short a breathing time before death, that it may be known, he is not the man he is judged to be.

In the first part of the chapter he lays down three grounds to maintain his vehement desire of dying, and every one of them grows to a greater height.

The first ground is, from the equity of the thing, which he lays down by way of comparison taken from a thing which is general to all men; Every man has a talk given him of God, and there is a time set to every man’s labour and burden, so must there be to mine, Job 7:1. And the servant that is hired to a hard work may long for the shadow in the heat of the day to rest him in, and may look for his reward at the end of his labour, and so may I, Job 7:2. But I am delayed in obtaining the end of my task; yea, whereas servants gets some ease in the night, I get none; and not only days and nights, but months of vanity are measured out to me, therefore I have much more reason to desire death, than the servant has to desire the shadow or end of his labour, Job 7:3. That he aggreges in the next two verses, I no sooner set my self for ease in the night, but I think long for day, and I am full of tossings too and fro, that is, neither night nor day get I rest, but am tossed to and fro, both by night and by day, and so my condition is worse then a hired servant, Job 7:4. and for the condition of my body, this

31 misken = mis ken, i.e. be ignorant of

skin of mine is broken, my flesh, is clothed with worms, that is, running out filthy matter, where it is very like worms have bred, And with clods of dust, that is, scabs like clods of dust; or it is like, he being fitting among the ashes, lumps of the dost did stick to his sores, and by reason of this broken skin, I am become loathsome to myself, and much more to others; therefore no wonder I wish to be away, Job 7:5. Now this comparison, and his reasoning from it, in some things holds good, as 1st That God has appointed to every man his task and burden. And 2dly A time and an end to every man’s talk. But 3dly. In this is Job’s fault, that he strains the argument, in setting God a time to his talk and end of his work.

The second ground is, from the certainty of death coming so swiftly, why may he not wish and long for it; this argument he follows out from Job 7:6-12. I am, says he, fast wearing near an end, the spool runs no faster through the web, nor I post toward death, and there is no hope of my recovery, Job 7:6. And therefore turns him to God in a particular way, and says, O remember that this life I have is but like a puff of wind, and I expect no more good here away; drawing a conclusion from sense, or from what sense and tentation spoke, and in this he failed, Job 7:7. This argument he enlarges, The eye that hath seen me, and thought something of me, shall see me no more. I am not for the world any more; thine eyes are upon me, and I am not; when thou looks angry like upon me, it puts me from having any being, Job 7:8. Then he uses a new similitude to set out the suddenness of his dying, and the impossibility of his returning to a present world, as the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, that is, a cloud when it rises, seems something, but incontinent 32 it evanishes; so am I, and all men. Job 7:9. He shall return no more to his house, that is, though man while he lived, seemed to have a been dwelling, and enjoyed the pleasures of a present time at his will, yet when death comes, his house shall wear out of acquaintance with him, and he with it, and he shall have no more pleasure in it, Job 7:10. And his shot being to show what put him to this peremptoriness in his wish, therefore in Job 7:11 he says, he will take the more liberty to open his mouth and give vent to the bitterness of his spirit; but he fails,

1. In mistaking his. condition, as if there were no possibility for him to live. Thus it fares with him, and

32 at once

may fare, when the grounds of sense are more weighed than the grounds of faith, and submission to God.

2. In making the shortness of his time a ground for liberty to him to speak the more freely, and to vent his nature and sense, and that he has a kind of indulgence to natural reason and passion.

The third ground is, from the necessity of his dying. He must, and behoved to die, and therefore might choose and vehemently desire it; And this he sets out in a more expostulating and passionate way than the former, from Job 7:12-17. Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou sets a watch over me? that is, What am I to be thus beset with the iron soldiers of God’s indignation to wait upon me? Am I a senseless creature like the sea? or like a whale? I dow not abide this trouble. It would destroy any creature, wherein he shows his infirmity could not abide such hard dealing, Job 7:12. When I say, my bed shall comfort me, &c. that is, when I use many shifts for ease and rest, and ly down in my bed for a little sleep, I am nothing the better, for thou scarrest me with dreams, looking to God as this supreme cause, and terrifiest me with visions; that is, when I look for ease by sleep, I get none, for thou affrights me by ugly representations in my sleep, that I have no more rest in sleep, nor is I were waking, but rather less, Job 7:13-14. and he repeats the conclusion, Job 7:15. so that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than life, that is, ere I were in this life, I would rather be hanged. It were better for me to abide any violent death than be in this condition, a horrible word. I loath this life, and abominate it. Let me alone, let me even die, give me even leave to die. I would not have this life though it were offered to me; for my days are vanity, and why should I be in more trouble, Job 7:16. to let us see how when passion gets vent, it heightens in them in whom it prevails, and rubbs on God; all Job’s mercies are now forgotten, as if they had not been.

In the second part of the chapter, because it is like Job could not justify himself in their words, therefore he mitigates both his peremptoriness in his suit, and his expressions, and that by way of removing or answering two objections.

1.    God is not always angry when he exercises; but where most graces are, he often if not33 ordinarily exercises most, and magnifies his grace by sustaining under affliction? He answers, Job 7:17-18. I know that to be true, God will magnify men by taking pains on them by affliction, and his own grace in sustaining men under affliction by his power. But what is man that he should be thus magnified? Is man a party to God? or can man hold out and bear up in such a hard exercise? He cannot. And what is man, that thou shouldest set thy heart upon, him? that is, What is man that God should choose him out from among other creatures, that he may visit him, and bring him under some chastisement for his good; and that God should do this with delight, and continue such a constant course of exercise with him? Man is such a feckless thing, that he dow not bear such dealing. So he grants in the general, that God may love them whom he exercises hardly; and that God in exercising magnifies men, and makes their faith to be found unto praise, 1Peter 1:7. But he had rather want the good as have the trouble of such an exercise; or fearing not to be born through the exercise, he had rather want it, and get leave to ly in the condition he was in ere the exercise came, nor have such a straitening gate as that. Therefore he closes, Job 7:19. How long wilt thou not depart from me? that is, How long shall this heavy and sad exercise last, let me alone till I swallow down my spittle; I get not leave to draw my breath: He quarrels not so much God’s exercising him here, as the continuance of it, that man was not able to endure.

Object.

2.    Is there not cause for all this exercise, and for the continuance of it also34, there is sin in thee Job? His sense answered the former objection, and he makes faith answer this, I grant, says he, It is true, I have sinned, but will this hard exercise, or my suffering, take away my sin? What shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? that is, O thou that saves these whom thou savest freely, and hast appointed salvation to men on another score than by their suffering to satisfy thy justice, why then am I set as a mark

33 often if not = does he not ...?

34 whilst

against thee? seeing my suffering cannot satisfy thy justice, why am I so hardly handled? so that I am a burden to my self, much more may I be so to others, Job 7:20. Why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? It were better for thee to take away my sin freely, and why then takest thou this way with me; seeing thou takest it with no other? for whom thou pardons, thou pardons freely; and thou must deal so with me also; for if thou go on thus with me, I shall sleep in the dust, I shall soon wear away, and shall not be found again. Thou shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be. I shall never be to set out thy praise any more in this generation. And their last words are the main argument whereby he deals with God for a little breathing, even that he may vindicate himself from the aspersion put upon him, and glorify God in the land of the living. So in the chapter we find Job in a too bitter way expostulating his condition., yet with a mixture of faith, to let us see there was some aw and fear of God, and faith in God, in the heart of the gracious man in the midst of his bitterest cup, and most tart expressions.

Observations

1.    When hard exercises ly on, they will strain much infirmity and weakness out of the best, that folks would hardly have thought had been in them; and much grace will also kyth35, that lurked before; neither this faith and patience in Job had shined so brightly, neither this fretting and daring way of expostulating with God, had he not been thus tried. A thing that vindicates God, and should lay the pride of the creature; never a trial in Scotland but it has discovered more steadfastness in some, and rottenness in others, therefore let none be proud, but he that stands take heed lest he fall.

2.    When straits are straitening, it is best to round over our case betwixt God and us; not that it is excusable thus to expostulate with God in a carnal way; but it is better complaining to God than of God to any other, hand it owns nature more, and he can answer our objections best. Beside that it is most childish and wise like so to speak.

3.    From the grounds he lays, or arguments he brings, Observe: 1. How feckless man’s life is, it is like a weavers shuttle, like a cloud, a puff of wind for vanity and brevity. And, 2. How feckless the persons of men are, though thou had a sound skin as Job’s, and though it were the skin both of a honourable man and pious, how soon may it grow loathsome to thy self and others, full of holes and worms. 3. When sense gets leave to judge of God and his way, it judges ay rashly and hardly of him. This is from the last ground. Use 1. Never look our skin, but be humble, and make ready for death, for our days will soon wear

35 show itself

away. Use 2. Let never sense be judge of God and his way, for the sense of the best is a rash and corrupt judge.

4.    Folk often seeks and thinks to find satisfaction in creature comforts, in their bed and board, and such like, as Job did, but find them blasted when they come to them. Creature-comforts are disappointing; when we seek help in the creatures and means, God lets us find them broken cisterns; our bed cannot ease us, to teach us, to seek rest in him where only it is to be found.

5.    Small temporal mercies ought to be esteemed great mercies, and if we were put on the rack as Job was, we would think more of one night’s rest, without scarring dreams and ugly visions, nor now we do of many. Liberty to draw the breath or swallow down the spittle was a thing he could not win to: we have leave to ly down and rise, go out and come in, in peace, and know not what it is to prize their mercies. How doth this demonstrate our ingratitude, when to get leave to breath, to swallow our spittle, not to have our life loathsome to us, not to be made an object, not to be wondered at, should be counted mercy?

6.    From the last part of the chapter, we find Job to be wrong in suffering sense to draw bad conclusions from true and good premises. He grants God magnifies man in taking pains to correct him, rather than to suffer him to go on in sin; but he had rather want the good of affliction ere he had the trouble of it.

Observe:

1.    There is none who judge of trials right, but they will see something of God’s love in them.

2.    When God takes pains on man to correct him, it is his magnifying of man; it is his hewing and dressing of him as a workman doth a piece of work; and so when God uses many means to reclaim Capernaum, it is lifted up to heaven in this respect. But great misery follows the abuse of great mercy.

3.    See how irrational is sense where it gets way; though faith say, a trial is good, yet sense will say, better have strangling or violent death.

4.    Believers are not without the reach of temptations even to strangling; temptations of this kind may be incident to them that are precious to God, and it is no extraordinary thing to see it.

5.    However folks deal with God under a trial, and however they are to take with sin, they should never quit pleading for pardon, on the grounds of free grace; Job fails in some expressions, and confesses sin, yet he will not quite36 the hope of pardon, but pleads for it; and when folks separate any of their two, they will come behind, that is, when folks take not with sin, and are not weighted with it, but take them to mercy; or sticks in the sense of sin, and comes not to mercy. The right gate, is, to join both.

36 quiet, still

Chapter 8.

WE heard in the beginning of the dispute, the scope of Job’s friends, they have a good end, to bring Job by repentance to a happy condition, but they mistake Job’s case, not considering God’s sovereign way of dealing, and looking on Job’s temporal affliction as a fruit of wrath, and evidence of his hypocrisy, therefore they deal with him as one that never had any of the grace of God; and by the wisdom of God so over-ruling, for the completing of Job’s trial, they are instrumental in furthering Satan’s design, though they knew nothing of it.

When Job had put by one assault, Eliphaz, hereby encounters with another, by Bildad the Shuhite, so called because come of Shuah, born of Keturah, Genesis 25:1-2. whose children were sent to the East country, and lived there not far from Job: He sets on to deal with job, and falls on upon the same strain with the other friend, mistaking some of Job’s expressions in expostulating with God, he takes advantage, and thinks to cast all that Job had said as wind, and therefore Job 8:2. says, How long wilt thou speak these things, and the words of thy mouth be as strong wind? that is, how long will it be ere thou leave off to challenge God as unrighteous in afflicting thee? or, ere all that hath been spoken convince thee that thou knowest not God? Another purpose would set thee better (even that which he propones hereafter, Job 8:5.) The meaning is, How long Job, will you make much din with empty talk that can neither profit you, nor hurt God’s justice, more than a wind can hurt a strong rock; it were better ye should justify God’s justice, and take with your own unrighteousness; this he lays down in general words, Job 8:3. that it may be the better digested, and leaves Job to apply apply it to himself; opposing God’s justice and Job’s expressions, as if Job did justify himself, and rubb on God’s justice, and Job’s state, and the temporal judgements he was lying under, as if God could not so heavily afflict an upright man; as if he said, Job, either God or you must be in the wrong, Doth God pervert judgement? Will he lay on strokes where there is no just cause? That cannot be. Or, Doth the Almighty pervert justice? Can God be swayed with bye respects to do any thing that is wrong? That is impossible, therefore God is just, and thou art unjust. The ground he lays is good, but in opposing to Job’s expressions, as if he did alleged any such thing as he supposes, and from Job’s temporal suffering concluding him to be a wicked man, in this he was wrong; and this is the

great fallacy in all this dispute, to argue from Job’s temporal affliction, that he was a hypocrite. He goes on to apply both to Job, and

1. In the instance of God’s taking away his children in the way they were removed, Job 8:4. God has taken away your children in the hand of their transgression, therefore there is just cause for what he hath done; and he propones this by way of supposition, to make him digest it the better; but the words bear, seeing they have sinned, God hath taken them away in their transgression. He proves the second part, that Job is unrighteous in the following verses, which he prepares by way of advice, that Job may the better digest it; and to show his scope is to humble Job, and bring him to repentance; as if he said, If ye were righteous, God had not done with you as he hath done, but if ye would yet take with your sin, and timeously37 seek in to God, and not stand to the justifying of your own integrity; and if ye would do this sincerely, as all your bygone service hath not been, all these strokes should not have come on you, if ye had been sincere, so the strokes that are lying on you should be taken off you if yet ye would seek God sincerely; yea, the happiness that ye have had should be little to that ye should receive, Job 8:5-7. Good motives when rightly taken and applied, but unsound to convince Job that he had no sincerity; and because be thought Job would hardly digest this doctrine, he confirms it by antiquity; from Job 8:20. I grant, says he, we are but young folks, we live not so long as these who went before us, and cannot have so much knowledge and insight in matters; but look to all the ancients that were before thee, and see, if they be not of our mind; even as Eliphaz, chapter verse appealed to antiquity, so does Bildad; ye may think that we speak out of passion and prejudice, but look back and hear what they say who lived long since, and they will speak words out of their heart, and ye may take the words off their hand, though ye will not take it off ours. And the doctrine he insists on, is this, That whatever the hypocrite had, it was taken from him; and how high soever he was lifted up, he came down wonderfully, even as it went with Job, and the righteous never suffered as he did. And this he illustrates by three similitudes, The first is, from Job 8:10-14. And it is to this purpose, Bushes will be green where there is water enough about them, but as soon as the water dries up, they

37 in time

wither before any other herbs; so is it with them that forget God. Hypocrites may flourish for a time, while things go well with them and theirs; but when a change comes, they are suddenly blasted and gone; and look if it be not so with you. And he clears what he means by the hypocrite, It is such a one that forgets God, that minds not the honour of God, and aims not at the power of godliness, but minds himself, and rests on a form of religion. The second similitude is taken from the addercops that uses in windows, and their webs, Job 8:14-15. As the addercop when it hath taken pains to weave a web, and big a house to itself in the window, and a besom comes and sweeps it away, so is it with the hypocrite, he builds a house and gets many common mercies, and thinks something of himself, and to enjoy rest and quietness; but when he thinks on rest, it is taken from him; he leans to his house, but it falls; all that he hath fails him, and he seeks to hold fast his gathered comforts, but they are blown upon and evanish. The third similitude is, Job 8:16-18. The hypocrite may be like a tree that takes root and grows green, and shoots forth branches, yea, like a tree whose roots spring beside the fountain, whose roots is wrapped about the heap, and so are fastened and look sicker-like38, and seeth the place of stones, that is, difficulties does not move him more than a stone does a tree; but if God come to destroy the hypocrite, as he has done you, his place mistaken him, as your place does you even as when a tree is cut down, it is not known such a thing was there; and he applies this to the prosperity of the wicked; Job 8:19. All the wicked man’s or hypocrite’s joy is no more solid nor lasting, nor their similitudes or comparisons holds forth. And out of the earth shall others grow, that is, others that were scarce known shall get his place, and in all this he secretly hints at Job’s case. Then in Job 8:20 he reports the conclusion, and applies it in an use to Job, Job 8:21- 22. Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, none that is upright will be rejected of God. Neither will he help the ill doer, he will not take him by the hand, as the word is, however he may flourish for a time, and therefore look upon the advice that I have given thee as the best, repent and seek unto God, and ye get a comfortable outgate; yea, this is the way to get an upper-hand over all your enemies. And the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought, which he repeats to scar39 Job from lying in the condition he supposed him to

38 safe or confident

39 frighten

be in. He had seen his dwelling come soon down, and if he went on in the way he was in, it would be yet worse with him.

Observations.

1.    In general. One good man may soon mistake the condition of another good man, and judge too hardly of him,    and    this    was    the    fault    of    Job’s    friends.

Use 1. Beware of constructing hardly of one another from particular slips or infirmities. Seek to have a more solid ground of comfort to lean to, than the estimation and judgement of others. If Job had not a better proof of his sincerity, his comfort had been to seek in the day of his distress,

2.    Nothing will make folks more readily miscarry in rash judging of other men’s state, than the judging of it by dispensations either outward or inward, especially outward dispensations are not the rule of trial of ourselves or others, but the promises, and evidences of God’s grace; dispensations thus looked on, is the great ground whereupon Satan gets advantage, to mud folks condition, as thou prays, and God hears thee not; thou reads, and gets no comfort, therefore beware of walking by this rule.

3.    When once Satan and temptations enter, and gets way to question a man’s state, he cill not be soon put from it; the temptation will not be easily repelled. Job’s wife began the temptation, Eliphaz holds on, and, Job resists both, yet here he meets with a new onset; and more follows. Therefore think not this temptation soon put by, and weary not under it, but resist steadfast in the faith.

4.    Oft times men are given to count little of any thing said against them by other men, and much of anything they say or is said for them. Job had said much to vindicate himself, yet Bildad casts all his words as vain, It is a thing incident to men in debates and disputes, to stumble on an ill-wailed word, and to misken the main purpose and truth of the matter. Job’s friends had sooner come to the knowledge of the truth if this ill had not prevailed with them.

5.    The first language of temptation is, to persuade men that dispute and reasoning for clearing truth is needless, and that without any reason to quite it. Therefore Bildad, Job 8:2. says, How long wilt thou

speak? ye must quite it, and lay it by; your hypocrisy will be discovered. There is the like language injected on souls, when fainting and heartlessness comes in. Ye have nothing ado with grace. There is nothing sound in you, the promise belongs not to you. ‘Therefore quite it and give over.

6. From Job 9:3, observe, 1. That when such temptations get way, readily they press to oppose God, and the person, as if their calling themselves upright and just did reflect on God and his righteousness. There is not more common temptations. God is just, and that is true; but the shot of the temptation, is not to humble, but to cast the soul out and at distance with God. 2. Whether God take a way of justice or mercy with souls, he cannot pervert judgement; he can do no wrong in either of them, Deuteronomy 32:4. A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he;

therefore give God the carrying on both of your private, and of the public work without a hinke40.

7. From Job 9:4, observe, When the devil cannot win in upon men to question their state, he will seek to trouble them about the state of their children; thy children are taken away to hell in their sin, and what thinkest thou of that? He leaves no wind unsailed to gain his point with the soul whom he minds to tempt; to weaken their peace, to breed ill thoughts in them concerning these they desire to have good thoughts of.

8. From Job 8:5-7. observe, 1. That when events falls out cross to folks prayers, tentation is ready to say, God is angry at them and their prayers; that they have no interest in God, and are but hypocrites, and must take another way of seeking God, if they would be heard. For Bildad insinuates, if Job had prayed right before, it had not

been thus with him; therefore limit not God in prayer, and judge not of your state by the answers of

40 hesitation

your prayers. 2. Take the words in a right sense, and they give this lesson, That right seeking of God hath these three branches. That it be timeously and earnestly. 2. With humility, or humble supplicating of God as a party found in the calk and guilty. 3. That it be with purity and uprightness; that the person be sincere, and walking after a right rule, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer, Many lean to their prayers, and go to hell, because they never study for purity of heart. Hence Christ will say to many that cry, Lord,

Lord, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know you not.

9. In the rest of the chapter observe, 1. That in folks conferring and debating of questions, it is a gaining way not to lay much weight on folks own judgement, but that they seek to add weight to that they maintain rather from some other thing. Tenaciousness is an evil thing. 2. God’s ordinary way of dealing with his people rightly taken up, is a good mean of settling, and when it is mistaken, it proves a prejudice. 3. Hypocrisy and formality in religion never come well to, nor shall never come well to, nor profit a person. The joy of the hypocrite shall perish, this is the scope of their similitudes, The hypocrite have what he will, is an unhappy man. Take it therefore as a known truth, and place your happiness in God’s favour, and dealing sincere before him, and not in an outward flourishing condition in the world. 4. Old hypocrites have access to God’s mercy, if they will seek it in time. Job is supposed to be such a man, yet has an offer of mercy. So broad is mercy; God barrs the door of mercy on none, nay not on

hypocrites; it is not the hypocrite as such, but continuing such, that puts him from mercy,

5.    All sharpness in threatnings and challenges should have the commending of mercy for their shot and end, and the commending of mercy is the way to cause challenges work. Bildad is right in not shooting Job away by challenges, though Satan had another design. 6. From all their things God would learn us, to take a right way to fix and settle ourselves against a storm. If we make not the foundation sure, as Job did, we will be soon shaken.

Chapter 9.

WE heard in the former chapter the way how Bildad proceeded with Job, and the sum of his procedure runs on these two.

1.    In vindicating God, whom he thought Job in his free expressions rubbed upon, and that he intended to justify himself.

2.    In the conclusion which Bildad draws from that general ground, viz. That God was just in punishing Job so oddly and extraordinarily, and inflicting such judgements on his children, and refusing to hear his prayers, and hence that Job was not a just man but an hypocrite; otherwise he had not undergone such hard and extraordinary trials. In this chapter Job answers to both these, and in the next chapter returns and vents his mind to God. He answers to the first, granting the general ground laid down, that is, that God was just, and could not pervert judgement, and he illustrates this to the Job 9:14 and from the Job 9:14-22, he clears his purpose, That he intended not to justify himself, and reflect upon the justice of God, and therefore, that he was mistaken; and he lays by this as an controverted conclusion. But the question stands on the conclusion which he drew from that, as if God could afflict no man as he was, with such extraordinary temporal judgement, but wicked men; and this he denies. Therefore Job 9:22. he says, This is one thing, therefore I said it, he destroys the perfect and the wicked, That is, in reference to temporal judgements godly, and wicked share alike, and this question so stated, he clears, vindicating himself from the aspersions his friends put upon him to the end of the chapter.

1. Job asserts and yields to the same truth which Bildad held forth, Job 8.; Job 9:31. I know it is so of a truth. I contradict not that truth, that God doth not pervert judgement; and he uses an asseveration the more to press his belief of it. How can man be just with God? man is from a root that signifies mourning or misery, how can silly frail man be just with God? If he shall take upon him to plead with him, he would not be able to answer; foolish man would win nothing of that bargain, and therefore, I was not

such a fool as ye took me to be, to take that gate, Job 9:1-3. and he gives a ground for this, Job 9:4. God orders his way and working with men so wisely, that no spot is to be sound upon it: It has no defect or inlake41, and he is so mighty in strength that there is no wrestling, nor striving with him; and this he repeats by way of question, Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered? Who ever took this gate of contesting with God, that did win on it? and he calls this gate a man’s hardening of himself against God, as if no man would take such a course, but such a man as is without any aw or fear of God; and from Job 9:4-14. he illustrates God’s power and might, and his wisdom in ordering matters. His power to Job 9:10. is most spoken to, though his wisdom also be mixed with it. 1. In works of creation and providence, and the greatest things that are in the world, He removes the mountains and overturns them in his anger. If God be angry, he can gar42 the mountains that are of a greater strength than man skip like rams. 2. He can gar a little thing, shake the whole universe, send an earthquake and make it reel to and fro, and were it then a wise thing for a man to dispute with him? 3. The sun is a more glorious creature than man, and yet when he commands, it riseth not; he can send an eclipse, when he pleases, and with a cloud can seal or lock up the stars. 4. It is a great matter to spread out the vast curtain of the heaven, and yet that is God’s singular property to have superiority over the heaven as well as the earth. He alone spreads out the heaven, and treads upon, or stills that raging and reasonless creature, the sea? He gives a more particular instance of God’s sovereignty, Job 9:9. which maketh Arcturus, Orion and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South. An instance of God’s sovereignty, that to man’s judgement has a more immediate influence in times and seasons and second causes, that God may be known to be the ruler

41 deficiency

42 cause a thing to be done

of the effects„ and of the causes of these effects. Next he comes to illustrate God’s wisdom, and speaks of it as inexpressible, Job 9:10. which doth great things past finding out. The things of God are without the reach of man and any creature, yea the things of God are wonderful in themselves, and in the way he carries them on; and they are without number, to point out both the greatness and excellency of the wisdom of God in his works, and he instances this in his particular dealing with him, Job 9:11, Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not; he passeth on also, and I perceive him not. Certainly God has a particular hand in dealing with me, he is not far off, for he goes by me; but he is that supreme that I cannot take up the reasons of his dealing, so as to reconcile his dealing in all the parts of it; intimating, that he did see God, but he got not that accurate sight, that he was able to express what God was doing, and to give the reasons of it; then he concludes this general doctrine, Job 9:12. Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, what doest thou? When God will take a way of his own to do what pleases him, who is able to hinder him, or who has right to hinder him? And, Job 9:13. If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers will stoop under him. If any helps of pride, as the word is, or proud nature in men, will stand in his way, he can crush them, and thus,

1.    He vindicates himself, that he is as free as Bildad of rubbing43 on God’s justice by his expressions.

2.    He vindicates also his practice by a number of arguments. He shows, he was not that foolish to take that way with God before whom no creature could stand, Job 9:14. and so goes on to clear his purpose, to Job 9:22. as if he said, Think ye that I would take that way with God, that I know no creature can take and come speed in. Think it not. If no creature can stand before God in such a gate, how much less I, in such a condition as I am in? Think ye that l would attempt such a thing, as if I could be able by reason to overcome him and bring him to my judgement.

2. Nay, I am so far from that, that though I were more righteous then I am, I would not answer, that is, I

43 attaching blame

would not answer him on these terms, but I would make supplication to my judge, that is, I would rather submit to him, and seek pardon of him, nor debate with him. And he has a third argument, Job 9:16-18, as if he said, I am so far from provoking God to that way of pleading, that I am rather on the extremity of fainting, than upon such a way of presuming, for if God had been pleased to hear me, and give me an evidence of some respect, I would scarcely have believed that he had done it, that he would have bestowed any ordinary favour upon the like of me. The reason is, Job 9:17-18. He breaketh me with a tempest, &c. that is, God’s way is so terrible to me, and bitter to sense, that faith gets no footing to give him credit, I cannot be believing of that which I have warrand44 from him to expect. A fourth argument is, Job 9:19. If I speak of strength, lo he is strong; and of judgement, who will sit me a time to plead? as if he said, If I dealt with God as ye suppose me to do, I behoved to deal with him either by the strong hand, or by law. But neither of these ways can I plead with God; for if I speak of strength, he is stronger than I, and will overcome me; and if I would plead with him in law, who would set me a time for law? who could give me out summonds to call God to the bar? And a fifth argument is, Job 9:20. If I should justify myself, my own mouth should condemn me. If I were taking that course, my own mouth that has confessed I am a sinner before, should condemn me. And if I should say, I am perfect, it should prove me perverse. There needed no better argument to prove my perverseness nor my saying I were righteous. It is a word like that, 1 John 1:18. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And Job 9:22. he closes this part of the chapter, saying, Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul; I would despise my life, that is, though I were come to a good measure of righteousness, I would not count of it before God, nor allow myself in the thoughts of such a thing; but I would be as denied to it as if I had never known such a thing to be in me, any fruits of righteousness, I would despise that. And having done with the first part, he comes to the second, to prove that the conclusion of Bildad from the premises of God’s justice, and his sinfulness, and plaguing him with temporal judgements, That therefore he was a hypocrite and a wicked man will not hold; and he

44 guarantee

removes two doubts or aspersions that Bildad cast upon him. But secondly, he states the question, This is one thing, therefore I have said it; as if he said, It is not the question, If God be righteous and I a sinner, that I have granted; but, Whether their trials I ly under be an evidence of my hypocrisy and wickedness, and I prove the negative. 1. Because in God’s ordinary way of dispensation in outward things, godly and wicked share alike. The perfect and righteous man, and the wicked man may ly both under one rod; a temporal scourge without difference slays both had and good together. And he will laugh at the trial of the innocent; for though one and the same scourge be a judgement to wicked folks, it is a trial to the righteous; and though he delight not in punishing his own, yet he delights to have them tried, that their faith may be found unto praise at the appearing of Christ, 1Peter 1:7. and. looks on their trial, as if he cared not much for it, because of the good he is making out of it, Job 9:22-23. Yea, ordinarily wicked men get the earth for their portion; therefore it will not follow, that good men have always outward prosperity, and are freed from temporal plagues, but rather the contrary. And he covereth, the faces of the judges thereof; God makes wicked men masters of the earth, and promotes them to dignity, and tramps on them when he hath done. He lets the wicked tread upon just men for a time, and takes course with them therefore in due time. If not, where and who is he? that is, if it be not so, that just men are often chastised and cast down, and wicked men are often lifted up and in prosperity, tell me where, or who is he, that hath a large portion of the world, but wicked men. Produce me an instance to the contrary if ye can; not that it is so always, but ordinarily, and for the most part it is so, Job 9:24. And he opposes this sort of dealing to God’s dealing with him, Job 9:25. My days are swifter then a post, &c. That is, It is true, God’s dealing with me is otherwise, and he sets out the tossingness45 of his prosperity by three similitudes, Of, a post, Job 9:2. Of a ship. and Job 9:3. Of an eagle; to let us see how evanishing a prosperous condition is, especially to good men,

45 issues surrounding?

but Psalm 73. The wicked often live long, and there is no bands in their death, and have waters of a full cup wrung out to them, Job 9:25-26. Then he comes to answer a second argument Bildad brought against him, Job 9:5-6. of Job 8. The force whereof was this, If ye were righteous Job, God had heard your prayers? but he has not heard, nor does not hear your prayers, therefore ye are not righteous. He argues and vindicates himself from the dint of this argument two ways, 1. By telling, that it is ill reasoning to conclude he was not righteous, because he got not a return of his prayers; because it is not the effect of his endeavours, but the endeavours themselves that is a mark of his being righteous, Job 9:27-28. as if he said, I have some endeavour to cheer up myself in God for comfort under this heaviness by prayer to God, yet I win not to it, God’s sorrows so effect me for the time. And I know that thou will not hold me innocent. In this he turns him to God, telling the sense of God’s afflicting him, so discouraged him, that he believed the sense of God’s terror, or listened to what it spoke more than any warrand he had to believe, That in respect of any outward evidences of God’s answering him, he thought God would deal with him as with a guilty man. He was that hopeless to get God’s way changed, but this is not in respect of Job’s ultimate decision of the matter, but in respect of what sense said, and of his not speed-coming with God. Therefore in the Job 9:29. If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? that is, my labouring over so many difficulties, and continuing to hing46 upon God, and to pray to him, proves me to be an upright man and no hypocrite; for Job 27:10. Will the hypocrite call always upon God? If I were a wicked man, I would not be thus carried through in such a hard exercise in praying to God; therefore if I be wicked, as ye take me to be, why do I labour thus? It were indeed vain to me so to do, if it were with me as ye think; and a second reason whereby he vindicates himself from being a hypocrite, notwithstanding he got not a present answer of his prayers; and it is taken from God’s sovereignty, as if he said, I may pray, and it becomes me so to

46 hold fast

do, but shall we limit God as we would do the creature? is he a man to be limited? It becomes us rather to acknowledge God’s sovereign way that he takes, and this is the scope from Job 9:30-34. for if I should endeavour by legal washings as well as by sacrifices to wash myself, God for all this in his sovereign way, to the appearance of man, might plunge me in outward misery, and make me loathsome to myself, as well as to others, for he is not a man as I am that I should answer him, he must not be limited for that, we must not tie him to laws as we do one another, that we should come together in judgement. Neither is there any days-man47 betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. He is more sovereign than to have law above him, or a judge to answer before, or to have any arbitrator to call us both to desist and hear him discern; therefore ye wrong God’s sovereignty in limiting his answering of prayer to the lifting off of a temporal rod. In the last Job 9.; he returns to his expostulation, which he prosecutes, and goes on in, in the tenth chapter, If God take this sovereign way no man can speak with him, But let him take his rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me; then would I speak, and not fear him. If he will come to me in a way of grace, I will not be afraid to speak to him; and if he would take away his terror, from me, I could be content to lay, out my cause before him rather than before you; and he closes with this word, But it is not so with me. He takes not that gentle. way with me, but such a rough way as seems to confirm you in your opinion of me.

47 arbitrator

Observations

1.    Upon the first part in general observe, It is the part of a perfect and righteous man to vindicate himself from the hardest reproaches that is put upon him, especially when they are put on him by good men: Bildad laid much to Job’s charge, yet Job startles not, but at length labours to remove his mistakes. Mistakes soon grow, and getting foot do often continue long, and this is one of the causes of it; that there is not a humbling of men’s self, and a yielding to vindicate themselves from these mistakes, but this would be much endeavoured when mistakes enter among them, that should comfort and confirm one another.

2.    Job calls a man’s contending with God, a man’s hardening himself against God, Job 9:4. Observe. To. deal without the sense of our righteousness, and without the due acknowledgement of his righteousness alone, is the greatest token of a hardened condition that can be; and much of folks pleading with God, not being ordinarily mixed with the sense of our own unrighteousness before God, and not coming with a stopped mouth before him, but often in the clean contrary temper, does evidence much of this condition to be in us.

3.    The next Job vindicates is his practice, that he did not debate with God in such terms, Job 9:14, How much less shall I answer him, &c. words that sets out his low estimation of himself beneath any other. Observe. The more perfect a man be before God, and the more sincere, the more low thoughts he will have of himself. We will find a threefold soberness of spirit in him that is worthy of our imitation, and which, if it were in more vigour in us, it would lay many of our debates. 1. Comparatively he is less than any other man, how much less I? 2. He has a high estimation of God, shall I answer him? or choose out words to reason with such a sovereign Lord? that will I never.

3. He abases himself, and has much sensibleness of his own infirmity in reference to himself, though I were more righteous than I am, I would not answer, but humbly supplicate: three notable companions to go along with us, both in our dealing with God and with one another.

4. From Job 9:16-17. Observe. 1. That folks often give more credit to sense than to faith. The sense he had of the terror of God, had more weight with him, and got more credit than any warrant he had for believing. Folks especially in temptation are more ready to draw conclusions from sense than from the grounds of faith. 2. God may oftimes hear folks prayers when they will not believe he does it, or when folks give credit to sense, they may mistrust God when he is hearing them and not think he is doing it; when God gently uses folks, and they will not trow a good word of God to themwards, but trows dispensations

language more than God, and takes not heed to his mind to them in the dispensation.

5. On the last part of the chapter from Job 9:22. to the end, Observe: 1. That the just and wise God can do no wrong, whomsoever he strikes or spares; and he will often exercise his wisdom and justice in the trial of his people when he is wroth at them for sin. He laughs at the trial of the innocent, even then he is dealing with them as with innocent, sin sways him not in putting that trial on them, and there (so to speak) is a kind of mirth to him, though he has no passion as the creature hath and if God think good to make himself merry with the trials of Scotland, and this place, what lose we? My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall in divers temptations, James 1:2;

when God is merry let not our hearts he sad; for our trials tend to the praise and glory of God, and of

his grace in his children, 1Peter 1:7. and to the praise of his truth, and wisdom, and goodness; and this is no cruelty in God, but the kindliness of a father. It is like a father laughing to see his child weep, when he is doing something that is to both their advantages. 2. It is far safer and surer reasoning, to draw evidences of interest in God, from our endeavours, than from the effects of endeavours; from our continuing in prayer in difficulties, than from our answers, or God’s hearing of us. This is from Job 9:27-29. the reason is, because endeavours are a fruit of God’s grace in us, and flow from God’s grace in the heart, as a native act of it; but answers to prayer, and effects of endeavours, are acts of God’s sovereignty. Endeavours and grace are never sundry, whereas prayer, and the answer may; for the answer of prayer may be suspended and keeped up. 3. When temptation challenges God, it is good to take God’s part against temptation, to look on God’s sovereignty and not to limit him. In all this debate, we find that Job ordinarily does this, and casts human rules, and the rules of sense, though in a fit it get way; for he knew God was not a man as he was. This were a solid way in temptation, to be giving God his own way, as being sovereign, and not to bound or limit him, knowing that grace in God hath its sovereignty, as well as any other of his attributes.

Chapter 10.

IN the former chapter, Job has been vindicating himself from Bildad’s imputation; and as in his debate with Eliphaz, so here he leaves Bildad, and vents himself to God as the more equal judge, that he durst speak more freely to, and not fear to be mistaken. So this chapter is a discourse betwixt the Lord and Job, or Job’s discourse speaking to God, wherein, through the excessiveness of his grief, he has many mints48 to the venting and out-breaking of flesh, and the endeavours of faith to subdue all the risings of it.

The rise of his discourse, is Job 10:1. My soul is weary of my life. Wherein he shows what made him take this freedom in speaking to God, and it is, because the heaviness of his affliction was such, that he was wearied of living any longer. Whether we take the soul for the whole man, or the soul distinct from the body, it is all one; he was weary to live any longer; then flesh breaks out in a purpose now to give way to sense, and no longer to wrestle against corruption, I will leave my complaint upon myself; he will cast loose the reins of sense, and give it leave to vent itself as it likes, which is more clear in the following words. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will no longer wail my words, but vent the sense and passion that is in me. Then he sets down the subject matter of his discourse as two queries or suits to God, Job 10:2. I will say unto God, do not condemn me. And here the spirit gets victory to qualify his former resolution. Sense said, God was either to cast him off eternally, or temporally to deal with him as a cast-off man, and so to ratify the imputation his friends put upon him, but I will say (saith he) do not condemn me, cast me not off; he would be from under all their reproaches. The meaning is, not only that God would save him from eternal off-casting, but that he would vindicate him before men. His second suit is, Show me wherefore thou contendest with me? If there be any quarrel betwixt thee and me, let me know of it, discover it to me, and here faith strengthens itself against the former suggestion of condemnation, intimating, such a man could not be cast off, and God not tell him wherefore.

In the rest of the chapter, he prosecutes these two. 1 st. He labours to strengthen his faith in God, that God would

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nor cast him off; nor condemn him, from Job 9:11-18; And, 2dly. from Job 10:18. to the end, he closes with putting up a petition that God would give him some breathing time, some refreshment under his trouble, ere he should go to his grave.

In the first of thee he goes upon three grounds, which he sums up, Job 10:3. proponing them by way of interrogation, which has the force of a negation. Is it good unto thee, that thou shouldest oppress? as if he said, it cannot be that thou wilt condemn without a cause, and confirm the sentence that their men have past upon me; for thou that commands others not to oppress, thou will not do it thyself. 2dly. That thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands? that is, thou that hast taken so much pains in making me, will not reject me; and we are to underhand, that not only is the bodily creature to be taken in here, but the new creature; he means, that God will vindicate that ere he go off the world. And, 3dly. And shine upon the counsel of the wicked? If thou take me away this way, thou wilt seem to shine upon the counsel of the wicked, that ordinarily lay this for a conclusion, that extraordinary temporary judgements prove ay a wicked man, for however their good Men were fallen in this error as the prophet in a fit, Psalm 73.; yet it is the ordinary tenet of wicked men, and thou Lord wilt seem to confirm that tenet. He thinks God more engaged than that he should need to fear such a thing. Then he follows forth their three grounds in order, the first in Job 10:4-7; and the force of the reason is this; if thou be such a God as will do no wrong, (as I know thou art) what needs all this torturing of me to find out my condition? The argument is taken from a similitude of the manner of men, who make enquiry, and put to torture to find out a thing which they cannot win to by clear proof. Thou needest not take that gate; and art not thou from eternity, and of infinite wisdom, understanding all things? Why then so exactly searches thou out my iniquity? thou cannot be deceived, neither art thou ignorant as man; what needs thou then profs me to confess? as Job 10:7, Thou knowest that I am not wicked; or it is in thy knowing, or open in thy knowledge; and so though man must take that gate, thou needs not take it. And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand; and this is to confirm him in his sincerity in attesting God, as if he said, it were folly to me to appeal to thee on a wrong ground, for none can deliver from thee. Therefore my boldness in referring my cause to thee, is a testimony of my sincerity. 2dly. He enlarges the second ground, Job 10:8-13. Thou wilt not despise the work of

thy hand; therefore thou wilt not despise me, For thy hands hath made me, and fashioned me together round about, yet thou doest destroy me, that is, how comes it when thou hast made me for matter, and fashioned me for manner, so wonderfully, that thou seemest to destroy me: this seems inconsistent with thy wisdom. Remember, I beseech thee, (an emphatic petition,) that thou hall made me as clay, and wilt thou, bring me to dust again? I am made of clay, and dow not abide this hard dealing; even as if God had forgotten whereof he was made. The interrogation, Wilt thou bring me to dust again? supposes a negation, that God will not do it. Then in the following words he shows,

1.    How God had made him, beginning at his conception, Job 10:10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and crudled me as cheese? my beginning was but mean, when at my conception I was but as milk, but thou went on in the work and crudled me, and made me draw to some faster substance.

2.    Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and fenced me with bones and sinews; words holding out the excellent workmanship of God in making man out of nothing, having every thing so bright in order, the flesh and skin being as it were the coat of the vital spirits. Third step is Job 10:12. when my body was a dead carcase, thou granted me mercy to live. And a fourth step in the same verse, Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit; when I was born, thy gracious dealing and continual influence as so many fresh visits has preserved me, and shall all this be for nought? wilt thou now cast me off? thou wilt not.

Objection.

But it seems from God’s dispensation, all that is forgotten, clods of dust are upon thee? he answers in faith, Job 10:13. These things hast thou hid in thine heart; I know that this is with thee. Though God seems to keep up the evidence of his care of me, and do not manifest it as formerly, yet he hath them in his heart; his purpose of love is one and the same, though his dispensation be altered; intention of being gracious continues. He enlarges and explains the third ground, that he pointed at, Job 10:3. that is, that God would not cast him off, lest he should seem to shine on the counsel of the wicked, from Job 10:14-18. If I sin then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. Seeing (could he say) thou wilt not cast me off and shine on the counsel of wicked men, how stands their two together, thy not rejecting of me, and yet marking my sin; therefore though thou seem to mark my iniquity, it must not continue so; or if I sin of infirmity, thou marks me, and will not acquit me from mine iniquity; thou will not let me go without a temporal judgement, as if thou intended to condemn me, and in this I dispute not to excuse myself, but if I be wicked, as my friends call me, woe unto me; I lie justly under all this that is come upon me, and will not say any thing against it. And if I be righteous, I will not lift up my head; I will not prescribe a way to thee, to take away this rod; or, I will not be vain or presumptuous to debate with thee, that is not my mind; but I am lying under confusion and reproach, and thou seemest to take their part that plead against me, therefore look on me, and grant me a breathing time, and vindicate me from their reproach, that draw all their arguments from thy dispensation. He could not abide this reproach, it was to him as it was to David, Psalm 52. Like a sword in his bones, therefore he says, l am full of confusion, see thou mine affliction. And he goes on in this suit, Job 10:16. for it increaseth: my confusion and affliction grows greater and greater, because thou cometh not in to decide the matter; and he shows the causes of the increase of his confusion and affliction, thou huntest me as a fierce lion. I would care little for affliction, if thou seemed not to quite thy former tenderness, and did not hunt me as an enemy. And again, thou showest thyself marvellous upon me; my afflictions are wonderful, and not common, and all that look upon me think I am cast off by thee. Some are common afflictions, (1 Corinthians 10:13.) but mine are not so. A third particular is, Job 10:17. thou seemest to bear witness with them that are against me, by adding new strokes to former,

which they make use of against me; and thou increaseth thy indignation upon me. This made all heavy, he had indignation before, and God lets it grow, and this makes his cup bitter, and sums all up in two pithy words, changes and war are against me. It is not one or two trials that I am under, but multitudes of trials; and God draws up these trials like an army of men in a warlike posture upon me. In the words that follow he strengthens his faith, and petitions God for some breathing time in an expostulatory way. In the Job 10:18-19; he expostulates, Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth of the womb? If this be my life, and if I go this way away, I will repent that ever I came into the world; yea, I wish I had rather never been, for then I should have been as though I had not been; for if I had died soon, or had never been, I should have wanted all their reproaches; chusing rather than that he should have endured all these trials, to have wanted the good came by them; speaking out the language of sense. Yet Job 10:20. show his shot, Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little. That is, cease Lord from adding new strokes, that I may get a little case and comfort ere I go off the world. And this petition he presses by several reasons, as Job 10:21-22. Before I go whence I shall not return, that is, ere I go to death, which he calls the land of darkness, because there men have no conversing with men, as they have on earth; and because as men die, so they are esteemed of, and he would not in death get himself vindicate before men of the reproaches cast upon him; for there is no light to clear truth after death; therefore let me have a breathing time before death to vindicate myself.

Observations.

Observe

1. That there is a difference betwixt the soul and the life. The soul is another thing than the life, as corrupt men would make it. Job differences in these two. 2dly. From the rise of his difficulty, Job 10:1. observe, That if folks give way to themselves under temptation and affliction, nothing is so unreasonable but it will vent itself. Job has been restraining himself before, and gave not sense leave to vent itself, and now his loosing the reins gives vent to that which follows, to tell us, it is evil to give liberty to passion. From Job 10:2.

observe 1. That under trials folks are ready to apprehend, or be in fear of God’s condemning them, they are ready to be wider hazard of that temptation, for his saying, Do not condemn me, is spoken in opposition to that which was born in upon him by sense. 2. It is good going to God under those fears, and to make all our complaints of God to God. So does Job -here, and oft in this book. 3. It is a main thing to be studied under trials, to know God’s controversy. 4. God may long contend, and not let folks know wherefore. Show me wherefore thou contendest with

me.

From Job 10:3-7,

1. In general, it is a part of spiritual wisdom when temptation presses hard to rub on God, and rent from God, to strengthen faith, in opposition to whatsoever the temptation says, God will cast off; to say, It cannot be that God will cast off, &c.

2. In general. it will be hard under sore exercises to get faith fastened that God will keep off condemnation. Therefore Job uses argument after argument to get his heart stayed against this temptation. It is a wonder to see how many are never put to dispute this question, when such a holy man as Job is put so hardly to it to defend himself against it.

From Job 10:7-13.

Observe

1.    That the more folks sincerity be questioned, they should the more maintain it, if they have it; therefore Job says, Thou knowest that I am not wicked, and Job 27:6. My righteousness will I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live. Many are ready to maintain their sincerity when there is no cause, and others are ready to quite it when they should stick by it.

2.    A right observing of God’s dealing in our conception and birth, should be ground to quiet our faith in the hope and assurance of God’s bearing through any trial we are under.

3.    It is matter of admiration to see God’s bringing forth such a creature as man.

4.    And we should mark God’s goodness to us, that when he might have made us a beast or a stone, has made us men or women.

From Job 10:13. when nothing is seen to sense of God’s love, faith should keep the conclusion fixed, These things thou hast hid in thine heart, I know it is with thee; we would under any hard trial, especially from what is sensible, to what is in God’s thoughts, look through dispensations to his bosom, Jeremiah 29:11. I know the thoughts that I have towards you, thoughts of peace, &c.

Upon the other part of the chapter, from Job 10:18. to the end.

1.    That good men may fall over and over again in one and the same corruption. Job, in the third chapter began to complain, then in the seventh chapter and now in the Job 10th – he falls in the same fault. Therefore watch against corruptions of this nature, they are not soon mortified, but will vent themselves under hard exercises.

2.    Folks that get any breathing time under sore exercises, would think it a great mercy; Job would have thought it so. He would have thought it a mercy before to get leave to swallow down his spittle; and here to get but a little comfort. How much more should it be prized to have houses, children, friends, rest and and sleep, not to be scarred with night visions. It would greatly aggravate our guilt, that we have these, and make not use of them, nor are thankful for them. Look it provoke not God to send a scattering from these mercies, because we have not studied to bless God for them, and make a right use of them, &c.

Chapter 11.

WE heard three of Job’s friends came to comfort him, two of them have spoken very unlike their errand, and now Zophar the third comes in, and follows the same strain that the two former did, (which was wisely ordered of God for Job’s exercise and trial) and he begins to cast down all Job’s confidence, and to reprove him for misleared49 expressions; yea, to shake the very foundation of his interest in God, and labours to put Job in thoughts that God is dealing with him as with a foal or wild ass colt, though the conclusion be not exprest. This he does to Job 11:13. and from Job 11:13. he has some exhortations backed with motives, of promises on the one hand, and threatnings on the other, which are good in themselves, though unsuitable to Job’s afflicted condition.

He lays down in the first place, the grounds whereon he will proceed; and,

1. He shows that Job must not go without an answer, and breaks off with a sad reflection on him, that he was a man of many words and full of talk. Is it meet (would he say) that such a man should go without an answer? or, that the truth should not be vindicate which he cries down with his talk? Job 11:2. A second reflection is, Job 11:3. Should thy lyes make men hold their peace? Because thou goes on maintaining thy absurdities, should men hold their peace? that should not be. 3dly. Is it meet that thou shouldst mock all God’s dealing, and none come to convince thee of it? Job 11:3. And on their three grounds he goes on to stop Job’s mouth; and having in the first place laid down this, that Job was an empty talker, a lyar, and mocker; in the second place, he stares the question from Job’s own words, Job 11:4. Thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. He grounds this challenge on two places before, the one, Job 6:10. where Job had said, He had not concealed the words of the Holy One, holding forth his sincerity in not keeping up the truth of God committed to him, and this Zophar expones to be a crying up of his own tenet. And the other is taken from Job 10:7. where Job had said to

49 mistaken

God, Thou knowest that I am not wicked, which Zophar expones, as if Job had said, he was without sin, and from this he strives to prove Job to be an absurd man, that durst attest God, so audaciously and presumptuously, but Job’s expressions will hear no such exposition; and so his stating of the question meets not with the point. When Zophar has laid down this ground, he goes on to prove, that Job in his conversation was not clean, as he alledges he pretended; and the great argument he brings is, Job 11:5-6. which he presses by way of wish, that God would come and convince Job. Would God, (says he) that the Lord would come and speak to thee, and show thee the secrets of wisdom, or let thee see the depth of his understanding, whereof he searches out that which men cannot see, nor find out: that they are double to that which is, that is, that these secret sins which men see not, are double to these which are seen. Therefore Job thou cannot be clean, and hence he concludes. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth, that is, take with thy hypocrisy, acknowledge thy wickedness, and defend that integrity of thine, which thou pleads so much for, no more. Thou art more gross, corrupt and prophane, nor ought that appears does demonstrate, or, nor any thing appears in thy scourge; and if God dealt with thee as thy iniquities deserve, thou mightest get twice so much; and this is true, for there is more sin in the holiest man nor he sees, and God exacts less of us than our iniquities deserve; but yet for all that, that Job’s sins were the controversy which God was pursuing him for, or that he was the greater sinner because so heavily afflicted, that follows not. He prosecutes this argument, that God saw many sins, that men saw not, and the ground he gives to prove it is this, that God was infinite in wisdom to find out many things that man sees not, and he propounds it by way of question, Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? Job 11:7. Thinkest thou an infinite God should be limited with thy bit of knowledge? or can thou find out God’s wisdom in searching things? thou cannot. Then positively he lays it down, Job 11:8. It is as high as heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know? and Job 11:9. The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. By comparing God with the highest and lowest, the broadest and longest of the creatures, he sets him out infinite and boundless in all his attributes, and excellent

induction of the mass of the creation, to set out the infiniteness of the Creator beyond all these, which were a good lesson for us to think upon in looking on the creatures. The second way he follows out this argument is in the application of it, Job 11:10.

If he cut off, or shut up, or gather together, who can hinder him? If God be thus great, then whatever he do with creatures, not only has folks no power, but they have no warrant to hinder him. Expressions holding forth God’s sovereignty to be such that none can challenge God, whatever way he is pleased to take in handling his creatures. The second way how he sets out God’s sovereignty is in God’s taking notice of man, and the wickedness in men, Job 11:11. For he knoweth vain man; he seeth wickedness also: will he not consider it? He knows men what they are, and sees all their sins, and will not he that sees all their sins consider, and call them to a reckoning. And this insinuates a clear application to Job, that God has seen, and is now considering his wickedness, and calling him to a reckoning for it. And Job 11:12. closes this part of the chapter, with a reason, why God takes such notice and inspection or trial of men, and discovers their wickedness, For vain man would be wise, though he be born like a wild ass colt. Man by nature is like a wild ass colt untamed and undaunted, yet he thinks himself wise. Therefore God under affliction, or by affliction, discovers his emptiness and folly unto him, else he would die in the dark; and so he insinuates the reason of God’s dealing with him.

In the second part of the chapter, he discovers what Job should do, and what true repentance is, Job 11:13-14. and from that to the end, presses the practice of it on Job. The first step he presses on him is, to fix his heart, If thou prepare, or fix thy heart, which seems to be opposed to the vanity of the heart spoken of before. He would have him seeking to have his heart established by grace.

2. And stretch out thy hands towards him, i.e., if thou make thy prayer and supplications to him. He would have him first to wash his heart, and then stretch out his hands in supplication.

3.    If iniquity be in thy hand; put it far away. If there be any sin in thy practice that God is choping at 50, put that away, and mend thy life.

4.    And let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle. He would have him not only reforming his heart, and practices, and taking course with bygones, but reforming his house, to let none be in the house with him that is wicked; or his meaning is, Let no sin, nor fruit, nor effect of sin dwell with thee. If there be any thing of sin, any thing come an evil and sinful gate within thy doors, send it back again; a good pattern of repentance under affliction. Then the motives follow,

1.    Thou, shalt lift up thy face without spot, thou shalt lift up thy face before God, and not think shame.

2.    Thou shalt have thy heart settled, and thy prosperity shall not fall about thine ears as before, reflecting on Job’s condition before the stroke came, Job 3:25. For Job 11:16. Thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away. All thy former misery shall soon be forgotten; the prosperity that shall come from God to thee shall be so comfortable, that it shall drown the memory of this afflicted condition. A fourth promise is, Job 11:17. Thine age shall be clearer than the noon-day, and thou shalt shine forth as the morning. Thy life and conversation, thy age and health, and all the accidents that accompanies life, shall have no darkness in them, but shine as the morning light. A fifth promise is, Job 11:18. Thou shall be secure; not carnally secure but spiritually; thou shalt have inward quietness of mind, and outward peace, as if he said, If God be a friend to thee, thou shalt have no enemies, nothing that can annoy thee: Because there is hope, there is ground of hope and peace to expect this in turning to God. A sixth promise is, Thou shalt dig about thee, and take thee rest in safety. If thou be pleased to build houses, and not flit from place to place, as many do, there shall be nothing to trouble thee; and the first part of Job 11:19. clears the former promise, Job 11:18. Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; thou shalt get leave to sleep sound in thy bed, and shall have none to trouble thee, as if thou wert fortified with walls. And in the latter part of the verse is a new promise, Many shall make suit unto

50 chopping at (fig.) appealing to

thee. That is, thou shalt have more reverence and respect than ever thou had before. In the last verse he sums up all his motives in a threatening, to let Job see the necessity of following the way he has prescribed; as if he said, Job, ye have need to repent, for I have shewed you great good will follow the doing of it: and now I tell you of much evil to come on you, if ye do it not. The eyes of the wicked shall fall The expectation of any comfort to a wicked man shall fail, and he shall not escape God’s judgement, and any hope he hath shall perish; all their motives are good, being well understood and applied; but they would not he restricted to temporal things, as if outward prosperity did always follow true repentance; and always immediately upon the back of repentance; that will not follow: but one way or other, at one time or other, the penitent has all their promises made good.

Observations.

1.    From the current of this chapter, with what goes before, observe, That when once a temptation and trial begins, where the Lord has a mind to exercise, he will add more witnesses than one or two to complete the trial. Therefore after two has spoken, a third comes in, and confirms what the former said as an undeniable truth. There are more ways than one, that folks integrity will be pursued, when it is brought on the stage; for we are not only to look on this, as a dispute with Job, but, as a temptation, and trial to put a fey 51 to Job’s faith.

2.    From Zophar’s beginning, and breaking off with sad reflections at the broad-side on Job.

Observe.

A good man engaged in a debate, readily miscarries, in coming over the debate to passionate expressions, and sad reflections. Inward prejudices, and sinistrous 52 thoughts miscarry passion to a reflecting on the person. Long ere such words, as their, convince Job, yet they must out, ere he fall upon the matter itself.

1.    From Zophar’s stating the question, upon the mistaking of Job’s expressions, Observe, that oftimes, the greatest debates, among God’s people, will be found to flow from their mistakes in circumstances of expressions in one another, rather than from the matter itself, about which the debate is. This is clear here, and through this dispute. Job, chapter ix. disclaimed this, which Zophar alledges on him; he did never plead he was without sin, yet they will speak to the circumstance of expression, and are keeped off the main matter. Guard against mistakes of this kind.

2.    From Zophar, his way of prosecuting his argument,

Observe,

51 make it doomed

52 malicious

That God sees many things in folks that they observe not themselves; he sees many things that they see not, therefore though we see nothing, we have no cause to be proud, but have an eye upon secret faults, that God may call us to a reckoning for, Psalm 19.

1.    He wishes God to come in, and reprove Job, and when God came, he decided the just contrary to what Zophar expected. Observe, That good men will sometimes be too confident in their opinion, that they are right when they are wrong, and too soon attest God in cases which will not bear out.

2.    Take it in opposition to the temptation, or that which the temptation bears in upon Job, and observe, that temptation will, yea, uses to represent God as an adversary to folks, when their hate and integrity is questioned. It represents men’s pleading, as if God himself were pleading against the man.

Observe,

1.    Let men speak as they will, and bring argument after argument to convince of an evil, there is no convincing of sin till God do it.

2.    From his setting out of God in his attributes, by comparing him with the creation, Learn we, to do the like, to make use of the creatures for the end God has made them, even to exalt God; and let it shame us, that has so many means, besides the work of creation, and yet carries so slender an impression of the majesty of God.

3.    From Job 11:12. Observe, That man is one of the emptiest, and yet one of the proudest things in the world; the proudest man is the toomest53 and emptiest man, and the most empty man is the most proud man. The consideration whereof would be a good guard against pride.

From the second part of the chapter, observe, There is no better gate, or rather no other gate to true happiness, but repentance, turning to God, cleansing and fixing of the heart, supplication to God, reformation of practice in

53 most foolish

our own person, and in our families, and all that follow us to commend this gate, If we would seek a way of making up our peace with God in Jesus Christ.

1.    Let the heart be prepared to seek God.

2.    Let the hand be stretched out in external duties.

3.    Let iniquity be quit, and put away.

4.    Let every evil thing be put out of the tabernacle. Till this be done, it is like God’s controversy may grow, and if it shall continue, we look upon folks not stooping to God, and not humbling of themselves before God, as the main cause of it. This was Zaccheus’s repentance, Luke 19.

Chapter 12.

WE heard of Zophar his sharp accusation to Job. In this and the two following chapters, is Job’s answer. And in his answer, he,

1.    Meets with Zophar, his particular challenging of him, or with what he had spoken, in as far as concerned him; and vindicates himself to Job 12:20; of the Job 12:3.; and,

2.    In the rest of the Job 13.; and all the Job 14.; he turns himself to speak to God immediately, as he used formerly.

In this chapter, he checks Zophar, and in him the rest of his friends, for his rough and uncharitable dealing, and at the back of every check, he adds a confutation of that wherewith they charged him, and wherefore he checks them, giving reasons wherefore he checked them, them to Job 12:6.

His first check is, for their too great estimation of their own judgement, which appeared in their tenaciousness, and sticking to their own tenets, notwithstanding he had spoken sufficiently against them, and this he propones by way of irony, Job 12:2.; ye think yourselves the only wise men and speak as if none understood any thing but ye; I confess ye are wise men: But Job 12:3; I have understanding as well you. I know something in the matters of God, and in these truths ye have been speaking of, as well as ye do; I am not inferior to you, or, as the word is, I fall not before you, that is, I succumb not in dispute, I am not as yet overcome by you in dispute; yea, who knoweth not such things as these? are not these common truths that ye have insisted upon, that are known by all that know God. Ye have been in your discourse wading in the common and known attributes of God, as if I denied them, or were ignorant of them; but there is none that has any knowledge of God, but they will grant and know these things. This is the first check; and if it be asked, How it is that Job meets so saltly54 with them; I answer he compares not his person with theirs, but it is in respect of the cause he maintained,

54 severely

wherein he will not yield to them in a hair-breadth. Even as Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:10. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak but ye are strong; intimating, that though they thought themselves so, yet they were not so indeed; and sometimes he is put to compare because of false teachers; so we are to construct of Job here, albeit in the heat of the dispute, somewhat of flesh possibly has stolen in upon him.

His second check is for their gross and uncharitable dealing with him, Job 12:4. I am as one mocked of his neighbour: I am a man that is near the grave, and yet I am so far from being comforted, that they take their pastime of me, and it is not enemies that does this, but neighbours, and that not of the more common sort put professors of the same religion with me. It is not by a man that wants religion, but by him that calls upon God, and he answers; by a man that prays to God, and gets a hearing in reference to his outward condition, as the Job 12:5 clears, and has an easy life of it, in comparison of me. And in this check, he flatly contradicts their ordinary assertion, That it was always well with just men. It is nor so, would he say, The just and upright man is laughed to scorn, that is, the most eminent upright men are often trode upon and ridiculed: and he gives the reason of this, Job 12:5. He that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. The men that are like to perish by reason of affliction, are ordinarily despised by them, who are in a prosperous condition. They think no more of them, than they do of a puff of a crusie55 that is dying out, and has an evil smell; and in their two verses, he contradicts that which Zophar said in Job 12:15-16; of the former chapter, that godly men are always in prosperity.

The second thing, that Job does, is his clearing of their mistake in this, that wicked men are always roughly dealt with, and plagued of God by temporal rods, that is not true, would he say, for whether they be wicked, in reference to the second table, the tabernacle of robbers prosper, or whether they be wicked Atheists, in reference to the first table, They that provoke God, that wrongs him immediately, are secure, and God brings to their hand abundantly, and they want nothing, that their heart can wish; and from this, and the former, he concludes his friends had no reason to mock him, for wicked men are often otherwise dealt with, than they

55 a sort of candleholder

alledged.

He confirms what he has said before, Job 12:7-9; wherein he includes a third check, as if he had said, if ye were any better then beasts in this point, and made that use of God’s common way of providence towards the creatures, there is not a creature, but they would witness this truth that I have asserted, That just men are often hardly handled; the wicked are in prosperity; and he interrogates them thus,

1.    To convince them of their stupidity and ignorance in such a known truth.

2.    To bring them to some more solid knowledge of it, ask now the beasts, &c.

Or, 2dly, Look to the beasts and fowls, the best of them are not best used in the world, but the innocent and harmless are prayed upon by the ravenous and savage; doves are pursued by glads and hawks, sheep are pursued by wolves; therefore happiness here in respect of outward things, and honesty or sincerity goes not ay together; and he repeats this, Job 12:9. Who knows not that God has put things in this order, that ye, and all men, that looks on his working, and wise providence may see, and acknowledge this truth, and God to be wise and just in so dispensing, as follows from Job 12:10; to the close, he clears how it is so.

By God’s sovereignty, omnipotency and wisdom. In whose hand is the soul of every living thing? There is not a creature, but it holds its being and moving of God, and is maintained by him, and especially man: and seeing it is so, has not the potter power over the clay? How much more God to dispose of man at his pleasure. whereupon he subjoines a Check, and then goes on in his purpose, Doth not the ear try words, &c. as if he said, I proposed this doctrine before to you, and how is it ye are ignorant? If ye were not tenacious of your own opinion, your ear would try what solidity there is in the doctrine ye have heard, as the mouth uses to taste and try meat. And he enlarges this check, Job 12:12. with the ancient is wisdom, &c. It is true, there are men beyond me, and aged men are ordinarily men of understanding, How is it then, that ye are ignorant of this truth that I have proponed to you, which none of any understanding are ignorant of? and Elihu goes upon the same ground, chapter 32:7.; and 34:2-3; and having thus checked them, as we said, he goes on to hold out these three grounds

of God’s sovereignty, omnipotency, and infinite wisdom, to the end of the chapter, giving instances of these suitable to the debate he is upon; all your way of proceeding with me goes upon the ground of God’s justice, as if God were to give always reasons of his proceeding, and therefore when he afflicts, ye conclude that there is always sin as the cause, but God is more sovereign, omnipotent and wise than so. with him is wisdom, and he knows how to afflict for other reasons beside, and with him is strength, to cast down or uphold, and he has counsel and understanding, and none needs to give him direction, how to handle his creatures; ye are but plain fools in your manner of pleading for God, and God is wise, and has a better gate of guiding the world, than ye can prescribe or hold out, Job 12:13. He gives instances of this thesis, that God does, in his sovereignty, what pleases him, And the first instance is, Job 12:14. He breaketh down, and it cannot be built up again, he shuts up, &c. God is thus sovereign, that he dings down as well as builds up; and shuts up man in straits as well as enlarges him, and there is no standing in his gate; A second instance is Job 12:15. In the ordinary course of natural things. Such a time he will let a shower come, another time he will withhold rain, and send a drought to bring on famine; and again, he will loose the clouds and the fountains of the deep, and send forth waters as in the flood of Noah. In Job 12:16, he repeats the proposition that he spoke of, Job 12:13. but the words here in the original differ, from these, Job 12:13. and serve to set out the wisdom and power of God more eminently, when he is coming to speak of the hand of God in civil and public things, and of his guiding of kings and kingdoms, and statesmen, as well as other creatures; and the first instance of this is in these words, The deceived and the deceiver are his, in the original, They are to him; that is, they are both bounded, limited, directed and ordered of him, to work his point, and do no other thing than to serve his end, Romans 11:36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. A second instance is in Job 12:17.; he leads counsellors that are much in estimation in the world, away spoiled; he takes them often in their own net, as men that have neither counsel nor strength; and makes the judges fools, that when they have laid their plots their own standing, he breaks their necks, makes the plot misgive, and they bring forth a ly; and he names these two sorts of persons, to let us see that God’s sovereignty kyths in ruling, and disposing of the wisest sorts of men in their plots and practices, as well as these who are more foolish. A third instance is, Job 12:18. he looseth the

bond of kings, That is, when he pleaseth, he looseth the authority of kings, whereby they were able to bind others, that their subjects regard it not, Isaiah 45:1. And girded their loins with a girdle, that is, he debases and puts them in the place of a servant. God is that sovereign, that he can put the highest from the throne when he likes. A fourth instance is, Job 12:19. God’s sovereignty is exercised on princes as well as any other, and the mighty are no more to him than mean folks. A fifth instance is, Job 12:20. He removeth the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. If a man have a man that he lippens to for advice and counsel, who is worthy of credit, he will sometime in his secret wisdom remove such, in so far that he shall not have a word of advice and counsel to give; and he can make aged men that should know things best, twice fools, or like bairns, so Isaiah iii the threatening goes forth against all sorts of persons, high and low, the mighty man, and the man of war, the prophet and prudent, &c. God’s sovereignty extends to all. A sixth instance is, Job 12:21. he poureth contempt upon princes, the word princes, is read, Priests, and it is like, having spoken of princes before, he speaks of priests here, taking in these who were employed in ecclesiastical affairs, and Isaiah iii. the prophet comes in among the rest, for when God pleases he can discover the emptiness of ministers, by suffering them to go out in their own strength, and then their weakness appears, or by letting their word have no weight among people, but to harden them the more as in Ezekiel and Jeremiah’s days, they were ridiculed as such as spoke parables, and became the song of the drunkard. And he weakneth the strength of the mighty, or looseth the girdle of the thong and makes feeble, as Amos 2:14-16. The strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself; he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord. 7. He discovereth hid things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death, Job 12:22. Many things are hid from the world, but there is nothing hid from God; though things were as high and secret, as the shadow of death, he can bring them out to all the world. 8. He encreaseth the nations, &c. Job 12:23. which relates to God’s sovereignty in respect of his power; sometimes he enlarges nations, and gives them prosperity, he destroys and diminishes them, 9. He takes away the heart, &c. By the heart is understood all things in the heart, as if he said, Look wherefore any man is excellent, for place, power, or wisdom, he can make the best of men feeble and fools, and when their heart is taken away, or their gifts smitten, or they are left

in confusion, they are like one in a wilderness, that knows not what to do, nor where to go, and a second effect, They grope in the dark without light; they have no more wisdom than beasts, for as wise as they were before, and they stagger like a drunken man. They have no more pith nor power to do any thing to purpose, nor drunken men, when God befools the wisest of them, and this is seen in many instances, take Nebuchadnezzar for one. The scone of all these instances is twofold.

1.    To confirm his checking of his friends, he will convince them that he had as good skill as they in reasoning.

2.    To let them see out of God’s attributes he could make a just contrary use to that which they made, they would from God’s justice conclude him a wicked man; he concludes from God’s sovereignty, that wicked men are often and better dealt with in outward things than the godly; for God does as he pleases, and there is reason he should do so, and not be limited.

Observations.

1.    From that which Job implies to be in his friend’s condition and carriage,

Observe,

That folks too ordinarily esteem too much of what is their own judgement and expression of things, as if none had the like, tho’ what they have be but common and bauch56 like other men’s; they are ready to think better of their own thoughts nor of any other, and to be in conceit with their own errors, as if they were new lights.

Observe,

2.    Charity and humility should be so regulate, as folks never thereby wrong a good cause. Job has a twofold cause to maintain, 1st, Against the devil, that he was no hypocrite. 2dly, He has God’s sovereignty to defend, and he thinks it no charity nor humility to give way to his friends in wronging any of these. 1. Because it gives the devil advantage. 2. Because it wrongs truth to cede to others judgement in that wherein we are right.

Observe,

3.    It is too ordinary a fault to them that are in case, to be harsh in censuring others that are in trouble. It is easy to cry down men and their cause, were it never so good, when they are in adversity, Job 12:4-5.

Observe,

4.    There is no sort of contest and opposition heavier to be born in affliction, nor that which is met with

56 defective

from honest men, Job 12:4-5. This lay heaviest on Job here, and David regrets that it was his companion that had lift up his heel against him. It adds to his affliction, that such a one that had the name of honesty was the instrument of his trouble.

Observe.

5.    It is a shame for folks to he ignorant of the main and common principles of religion, especially these that concern God, and his attributes, his sovereignty, wisdom, power and providence. He attests the beasts, they were not in some sort ignorant of these, among them will be found the knowledge of God’s attributes. If Job lived now-a-days, he would find many ignorant folks that think they have knowledge.

Observe.

6.    The right knowledge and acknowledging of God in his attribines, especially in his sovereignty, is a way to loose many doubts both doctrinal and practical. It is as it were the common place Job makes use of against his friends, that it was God’s part and place to guide and dispose of things, and. not creatures; that it became creatures to submit, and not to plead with him, Romans 9. Who art thou that repliest against God, shall, &c. The consideration whereof would teach men sobriety in the doctrine of providence, and would allay many curiosities, and be a mean to settle much carnal fear and anxiety. To make a right use of the wisdom of God, and not to be out of hope when we see things confused; and of the power of God, knowing there is nothing too hard for him, and though we be at our wits end, and have no strength to believe, yet to quiet ourselves upon it, that wisdom and strength are his.

7.    From the general context,

Observe.

down, to make nations honourable one year, and half slaves another. The deceiver and deceived are to him.

Observe:

9. However matters go, whether up or down, whether devils be let loose or fast, wicked men prosper, or beat under, &c. God is always carrying on his design, which he laid down before the beginning of the world; yea, even sinful instruments are in his hand, and he hath a holy hand in their work, and is performing his own purpose and pleasure by them, as in the king of Assyria, Isaiah 10. His counsels are always in executing, and whether good or ill angels, devils or men, as they are under his dominion, so they are working to his hand. It were good for us to drink the knowledge of this in our practice, and to be established and stayed in the faith of such a point in such a reeling time as this is.

Chapter 13.

JOB continues his answer to Zophar’s speech, and in him to all his friends. The chapter hath two parts,

1.    From the beginning to Job 13:20. he speaks directly to them.

2.    From Job 13:20. to the end, he speaks immediately to God. There are three parts of speech to them. I. In the two first verse he confirms that he spoke before of God’s greatness and sovereignty in doing all things, and not limiting him, to which his friends tied him, in doing good to godly men in temporal things, and inflicting judgements on wicked men. Lo, mine eye hath seen all this. I have seen such a thing to be true, therefore I say it over again; Mine ear hath heard and understand it, I have learned of others what I saw not myself, and drunken in this doctrine of God’s sovereignty solely. I know what ye know, and am not inferior to you, in the knowledge of this truth, and have no cause to call my words as vain.

He goes on to a reproof, mixed with an advice, which he backs with reasons from Job 13:3-13. He begins with a desire to speak to God, not out of a fretting humour, nor to justify himself; but in his cause that he. was a sincere man, he here opposes himself to Eliphaz, Job 13:8. and wishes for God to speak unto, to commit his cause to him as well as he; so it holds out, Job’s standing by his sincerity. But the meaning seems to be this, though I would speak to God, and not fear to commit my cause to him, yet I have little cause to speak to you, and the words following clear this to be his scope; but ye are forgers of lyes, that is, of doctrinal lyes, (as the apostle says, 1 Timothy 4:2, speaking lyes in hypocrisy) which is applicable to the thesis they maintained, that God does always punish wicked men in this life, and reward the godly; and to be forgers of lyes is more than to be venters of lyes; to be forgers of lyes is to put them in mould and shape, and set them well together, a word borrowed from these whose proper work it is to forge things. The second part of his challenge, Ye are physicians of no value, which is applicable to their mistake of his condition, they taking him to be a hypocrite, and their way of dealing with him, he means they were miserable comforters to him, and he speaks here to them both with respect to the general thesis, and as they applied it to him. In the fifth verse he gives them his advice,

O that ye would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your wisdom, that is, it were better ye should hold your peace than insist on your -mistake, and oppose the words of truth that I have spoken. This he backs with several reasons, repeating the conclusion, Job 13:13. as if he said, it is true ye are aged and wise men, and know God indeed; but hearken to me, ye take the wrong way to condemn me, that ye may justify God, to the end ye may condemn me, to limit God’s sovereignty; in this ye speak wickedly and deceitfully for God, for will ye accept his person out of some by respect to wrong truth, and will ye have a respect to contending for him more than to the cause? Think ye that God will approve you, that out of a good intent to plead for him ye should wrong me? will ye contend for God on their grounds?

it were far better for you to hold your tongue, than wickedly and deceitfully so to speak for God. He condemns not their contending for God, but their contending for God on such grounds. And a third reason he gives, Job 13:9-10. can ye abide God’s searching of you, and will ye force him to call you to a reckoning? Think ye that he will be pleased with your words? or, can ye mock him as one silly poor man will mock another? no, he will surely reprove you. If ye accept persons and your shifts in contending for God will not do your turn when ye are partial, and wrong truth on the one side do the other. He does not charge them as if intentionally they mocked God, but because they were taken up in pleading for God’s justice, which had a fair face to defend God, and did not regard how they wronged truth, and Job, he lets them see how apt a fair pretext is to lead them wrong. In Job 13:11. he urges them from God’s excellency to hold their peace; as if he said, Are ye not afraid to father things on God that he will never own? know ye the justice and sovereignty that is in him, while ye do so should not his dread rather fear you from such a course? and this he amplifies, Job 13:11. by laying them before God. Your remembrances are like unto ashes, that is, whatever makes you memorable, or whatever is excellent in you, it is but like ashes; Your bodies are bodies of clay, or your heights are like bodies of clay, but God in his excellency is infinite, and how then dare ye venture on that, God is concerned in, in such a way? and therefore repeats the conclusion, Job 13:13. Hold your peace, and let me alone; and withall proceeds to a third thing he is to say to his friends, which is the third part of his speech to them, and that is, to vindicate himself in appealing to God, giving reasons of his sincerity in so doing, which he doth from the midst of Job 13:13-20. Let me alone

that I may speak, and let come on me what will. It is not a word of desperation, but he means this much, hold ye your tongue, and I will take my hazard to speak to God; this he clears by removing an objection, Job 13:14. ye think me like a mad man in this, like a man that is tearing his own flesh, but I would ask you, wherefore do I hazard my life in venturing upon God? durst I do it if I were a hypocrite? I durst not. Another evidence of his sincerity is, Job 13:15. I am so far from despairing that I judge not God by dispensations as ye do; Though he should slay me, I would trust in him, and keep confidence in him. A third evidence, I will maintain my own ways before him, I will not maintain every step of my way, that for my course I have not been a hypocrite, this I will maintain. A fourth evidence is, Job 13:16. He also shall be my salvation. Though he should slay me, I am sure I will get another life; he gives a reason of this, For an hypocrite shall not come before him. The hypocrite will not trust in God when he is angry at him, he dare not lay open his cause before God as I do, nor trust his soul to him when his breath is going out as I do. In Job 13:17. he repeats what he said, Job 13:6. to put them to observe his speech, and gives the reason, Job 13:18. I have ordered my cause, I go upon good and solid grounds; and I know that I shall be justified, my confidence shall not be shaken, I am persuaded when God comes, he will decide in my favours; and Job 13:19. seeing I have this testimony that God will justify me, who will come in my way to plead against me, a defiance to them all. In the courage of faith, he rises, and will maintain his integrity, and he gives a reason why, he speaks so confidently. If I hold my tongue, I should give up the ghost, my grief is so heavy, and the pressure of the temptation so great, that it would put out my life, if I should not get a vent. He thinks it not easy to vent his mind to God, and bear down unbelief, the more it would be up.

From Job 13:20. to the end, he speaks to God, and ere he speak he propounds two things to God humbly, not to carve out to, or limit God, and then he will speak to God, and these two things follow, Job 13:21. the first is, that God would take the present rod off him. 2. That he would not let his dread make him afraid, that is, that he would not deal roughly with him, or as in the way of the covenant of works, but as one in a covenant of grace; and if he will do so, then, Job 13:22. either speak thou says he, and I will answer, or let me speak, and answer thou me. Then Job 13:23-24. he propones two grounds of complaint, insinuating confidence, the first is like that

word, Job 10:2. as if he said, I am not conscious to myself of any hid sin or wickedness, but if there be any hid sin, let me know of it. And the second is, if I be not conscious to myself of any hid wickedness, why takest thou such a severe course with me as to hide thy face from me, and to deal with me as I were an enemy; but there is in it a secret argument of faith that God will not deal so with him. A second argument is, Job 13:25. Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro, &c. Am I a party to thee, who am like a withered leaf and dry stubble? It supposes he is not a party to God, that is so feckless a creature. Then to the end of the chapter, lie expresses some words holding forth some things that said God seemed to break him as a leaf and pursue him as stubble. As,

1.    Thou writest bitter things against me, as a man libelling up the process of another in court.

2.    Thou makest me possess the iniquities of my youth. The sins I thought had been forgotten, do stare me in the face.

3.    Thou put lest my feet in the stocks; I am so straitened with temporal judgement, that I am like a man not only sentenced, but on whom the sentence is execute, as in a pair of stocks.

4.    Thou lookest narrowly to all my paths, thou takest narrow notice of, and censures every circumstance of my walking. Thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet, thou seemest so severe, as to mark every foot I lift. And the last verse is a close of this chapter, but knits with the next. And he as a rotten garment consumeth, &c. He, that is I, a silly man under this sore trouble, am no better than a garment that is moth-eaten, and as a thing that is rotten and consumed.

Observations.

1.    He that propones or defends any thing for truth, had need to be well persuaded of the truth of it, that he may say with Job, Mine eye hath seen it, mine ear hath heard it, and understood it, Job 13:1. and as 1John 1:3. That which we have heard, &c.

2.    It is an ease to a tempted soul to get leave to vent itself to God, otherwise it would burst, Job 13:3. with Job 13:19. This is a great advantage, believers have in all their difficulties a door open to God, a new and living way, Hebrews 10.

3.    Take it thus, I would speak to God, because ye are forgers of lyes. Observe: That it is a great advantage to them that deals with unreasonable men, that they have God as an equitable and reasonable judge; and this is our advantage, there is a time coming when God will admit of a second hearing.

4.    Many folks may be sinning foully, wronging God and truth, when they intend to defend both. Their men thought they were doing both, yet Job calls them forgers of lyes, &c. Job 13:4, 6.

5.    A good intention will never justify an action that is not good in itself; we often take too much liberty to defend a good cause by unsuitable midses57, and that is to speak wickedly for God, for there is nothing that God allows and calls for as a duty from us, but God has appointed a mids suitable and lawful to come to it. He never carves out an end, that can never be attained in a lawful way; therefore matters that concern the honour of God would be handled tenderly and soberly, and folks would not take liberty to speak or hold by words, as they tend to a good end, but see that the words be suitable to the end.

6.    From his check and advice to hold their peace, Job 13:5. Observe. That it is far more wise to hold our peace in things wherein we are not thoroughly clear, than to undertake to speak when we are unclear, were our end never so good, Proverbs 17:28. Even a fool when he holds his peace is counted wise, and

57 mids – means to some end

he that shuts his lips is accounted a man of understanding. James 1:19. Be swift to hear, slow to speak. This would prevent many mistakes in our disputing and reasoning, if we were clear, ere we engaged, rather than to engage when unclear; and it may be when we have questioned a good while, know not well where we would be at. Better hold our peace than mar a good cause through our carnal way of handling it, as Job’s friends here.

7.    God will never accept it as service to him that wrongs our neighbour, or prejudges the duty we owe to our neighbours, whether it be in reasoning for God, or in the purchasing gear to bestow it for God. Love to God and our neighbour must never be separate, but go hand and hand together, therefore Job’s friends are justly checked because they pretend and did indeed intend tenderness to the honour of God, but are not tender toward Job; will ye accept his person, &c. Job 13:8.

8.    From Job 13:11. Observe. That the most part of our mistakes and wrongs in practices flow from mean thoughts of the excellency of God, and not fearing his greatness. Therefore Job bears it on his friends, that the excellency of God had not right weight with them. The excellency of God rightly thought of, would make folks tender and sober, and warry to pronounce sentence on these.

9.    From Job 13:12. Observe. That there is much of folks selfishness and tenaciousness that proceeds from want of right thoughts of themselves as well as of God; or take it thus, right thoughts of folks self would move and induce us to walk tenderly before God, and charitably towards one another; mean thoughts of God, and big thoughts of bits of clay makes many of us miscarry. For Job’s laying this before them from their selfish way and tenacious sticking to it, tells us, that their forgetting of it made them fall in this fault.

10.    From the same words learn, that the best thing in men here away is but earthly and frail, having a earthly subject, which is but brickle and will turn to dust again. These are right thoughts of ourselves, which are humbling thoughts, Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return, Genesis 3:19.

11.    From Job 13:15. Though he should slay me, yet will I trust in him. Observe. How bold and resolute faith is, all that is come on me, says Job, shall not make me distrust him, nay, though he should do worse to me, it shall not make me quite my confidence. Then strong faith will never quite grips of God, or the stronger that faith be, the more stronger will it grip to God, especially when he seems to cast off; or, take it thus, faith is not too and fro as it meets with difficulties and harsh dispensations, nor up and down as God seems angry or well pleased, for dispensations are not the object of faith, but the word of promise, and having that for its object, it rests on it, and will not quite it, and it were a good way to meet unbelief with the more strong faith, and to have faith resolved, clear and peremptory.

12.    From Job 13:18, compared with Job 13:15. Observe: That folks can never trust God too much, but the more faith trusts God, and lay its burden on him, it has the better ground to expect an outgate, when he has said, I will trust in him, though he should slay me; then he comes to this, I have ordered my cause, I know that I shall be justified. So Paul, 2Timothy 1:12. I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Too much cannot be laid on faith, or expected from it, because the ground of it is infinite, and it were a thriving way to learn to give God credit in difficulties. It has present peace, and there is no other way to peace. There is no way to be justified but this way, and there is no way to peace were the objects never so palpable and promising, till the heart come to hazard on God, and give him credit.

Chapter 14.

IN the close of the former chapter, Job has been pleading for man’s fecklessness, that God would deal gently with him, who was so feckless like a leaf, the dry stubble, or moth-eaten garment. He goes on, here amplifying and pressing the same request of God’s forbearing him, and removing of the rod which he could not bear being so feckless a creature.

The first ground proposed to clear man’s fecklessness is, his being born of a woman, having few days, and full of trouble, Job 14:1. which is illustrated by a twofold comparison, one of a flower that soon fades, another of a shadow that flies away, Job 14:2. upon which the conclusion follows, Job 14:3. Doest thou open thine eyes, on such a one? Is a man a party for thee, to deal withal, to look angry like upon, as Job 7:12. That thou should bring me into judgement with thee, as I could hand before thee? No, and he adds to the former two a third, as the greatest cause of all, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. Man that is come come of an unclean stock cannot be clean himself, and is man then a meet party to come in judgement with thee? Which is not brought in to extenuate his guilt, or the guilt of any, but to prove man is feckless and sinful, that he is no party to stand in judgement with God. A second ground is from a set time that every man hath from God for such a piece of work; he lays down the ground, Job 14:5. draws his conclusion from it, Job 14:6. and backs it with reasons; Seeing his days are determined, &c, Seeing thou hast peremptorily carved out many days, and they are all numbered in thy decree, and thou knowest he has but a little time to live. Turn from him, &c. give him a breathing time to perform the work thou hast given him, because if he be removed, he cannot return to perfect the work. This he presses,

1.    From a dissimilitude to Job 13:10. man is not like a tree, for Job 13:7-9. there is hope of a tree, that though it be cut down, it will grow again. But Job 14:10. It is not so with man, he dieth, wasteth away, dwines, and wears to his last threed, and then gives up the ghost, and where is he? he is never seen to sprout here away again.

2.    From a second similitude, Job 14:11. he has the waters of the sea, (which is taken generally for any multitude

of waters gathered together, that hath streams running from them to the sea, yet not having a spring they die, because the sea is like their mother) dry up, the streams run out, so it is with man, when his natural life is out, there is no more of him, till the heavens be no more. He is not raised from the sleep of death till the last day, Job 14:12.

The second part follows to the same purpose, but in another way handled, O that thou wouldst hide me in the grave, Job 14:13. By the grave is not meant the place of the dead, but (as the words following clear) a hiding place, as these that are hid in the grave are free of calamities, so he desires some shelter of God, till his wrath, that is some effects of his wrath, that were exponed so by his friends, and were in themselves fruits of anger, were past, as if he said, O that thou would suspend thine anger, or set a time for the lasting of it, and in the mean time grant me a shelter under it, that this thine anger last not for ever; and having set the time, that thou would remember the time to give an outgate, for God’s remembering Noah, and others, is for giving them an outgate from the strait they were in. This suit for come rest here away, and for God’s bounding his calamity, he presses, Job 14:14. If a man die, flail he live again? If I be taken away by death now, I cannot live here away again. There is no recovering of men who are once dead, to live in the world among other men, and because this seems a sad word, he subjoins unto it a strong consolation; suppose it be so, that man once dead never lives a natural life any more, yet I will not fear death that much as to weaken my waiting for a better life. But all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change by death from a miserable to a happy life come, and the consolation follows, Job 14:15. Thou shalt call, and I will answer, that is, God shall call, and I will answer. In the great day, he will seek account of a person that he began to work a good work in, and will not want me. The words being thus taken home, there is no difficulty in them, he means, tho’ he should be taken away by death now, God would call for him at the latter day but if we take the words in a larger sense, (as we may) as relating to Job’s looking to a time when God should put an end to his outward trouble, then he means that he would wait till God’s time of outgate came, and he should bring him out to the fields, a delivered man; they may also imply his waiting till death come, that God take his soul to himself, neither of these can well be excluded.

A second ground of his desire of outgate, because God’s way seemed to be exceeding strict towards him, so that he was not able to stand before God, Thou numberest my steps, I do not step a step, but thou tells them all, and watches over my sin, thou keeps it as a centry, and presents it in a reckoning, Job 14:16. Nay, My transgression is sealed up in a bag, not a miscarriage in me, but thou sews them up as in a purse, as folks sews up money, and seal it, that it may not be lost, or as folks sew up papers, and counts that they may not be lost, so thou seemest to take strict notice of all my sins, to charge them upon me, Job 14:17.

A third ground of the desire, Job 14:18. from the effect the former had upon him, The mountain falling cometh to nought, a mountain cannot endure such dealing, neither the hard rock, but it should be removed out of its place, if thou should show thyself angry, this he clears, Job 14:19. The continual dropping of water will wear stones, and far more will thy anger wear away man. Thou canst make rains to fall, and the floods to overflow, and grass, and corn, and all is taken away, and man’s hope is destroyed, then the particular application of this to man follows, Job 14:20. Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; when mountains and rocks cannot abide thee, there is no hold again to thee in them; when thou art angry, no creature can stand in thy way, far less man. Thou soon changest his countenance, pale and wan; and his state in the grave is described in Job 14:21. when he is gone to the grave, he is a man that never was, whether it will he well or ill with his children, he knows not, for all the pains he took of them. And Job 14:22. he amplifies this effect of God’s wrath, that not only is man sent to death by it, but living men are made a burden to themselves, as if he said, Man has but two things to see to, his body and his soul, he can pine the body with sickness and sores, and by a, blink of his anger on the soul, he can make him mourn, and therefore seeing he, nor no man else could be party to God, he passes the point, that God would take a kindly way of dealing with him , and remove his wrath and rod off him.

How can their things be motives to God? Answer: I. Job is not so much pleading here to bind God with reason, or move God with arguments, for nothing from the creature can bind or move God, but he is bringing in rather some confirmations to his own faith from God’s dealing, who breaks not the bruised reed, and quenches not the smoking flax. 2. We may look on their grounds as flowing from the heat of his spirit under hard exercise,

wherein he does not order and guard things so well as need were, yet well understood they may have a good meaning.

Observations.

I.    Man is a poor creature, and has a short and miserable life here away, which this book and much scripture clears. 1. It is a common truth, and should make us prepare for trouble, albeit every one would he without, it. And, 2. It should make us seek to make sure another life that is without trouble, which will make us happy and satisfy us seeing this life cannot. Provide for a crown and kingdom that is incorruptible. Live every day as these who have few more to spend. We live as if eternity were here, and put death out of sight when it may be hard by us.

II.    From Job 14:4. observe. Man’s misery is never well known till his original corruption be known, which shows the fountain cause that misery comes from.

III.    The corruption of nature being seen, is the most humbling thing, there is nothing so abases man, and heightens God, nor puts man to make use of a Mediator, nor the sense of that corruption of nature that man brings with him in the world. This humbled David, Psalm 51.; and Paul, Romans vii. and Ephesian 2.; he lays out this to make the righteousness of Christ be welcomed. And the reason of the pride of nature, is the ignorance of folks original condition; the want of the sense of our loathsomeness and uncleanness, makes us so securely pass over our time, as if we could plead with God.

IV.    It is often folks best temper when they are most sensible, of their vileness, whether actual or original. When a man is in a most lively frame, and most intimate with God, he has the clearest sight of sin, and has the most sharp censure of it. Hence Paul says, I was a blasphemer, &c. 1Timothy 3:3 and David, 2Samuel 23:5. Altho’ my house be not so with God, &c. We often mistake conditions, are ready to think a sight of sin a horrible condition; but when sin is kindly taken with, it has often greater respect to God’s glory and others good, and is more profitable for us, more conductible to the strengthening of faith, and the commending of Christ than any

other condition.

V.    From the second ground, Job 14:5. seeing his days are determined. Obser. 1. God has given every man a task, and a time to perform it in. 2. When that time ended, there is nothing beyond it, Acts 17:26. he had) determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitations, the day, year, and hour, as well as the place. Use. Partly to remove our anxieties in this time wherein troubles abound. Think not that Men have power to take lives, or pull men off the stage before their work be done. This will hold true of all men, especially of these that have any special work from God, their days and talk are determined with him, Revelation ii. The two witnesses could not be prevailed over till their testimony was finished. Partly, to make men busy in the task committed to them, while they have time. Let all watch, and be found in their work, for they know not in what hour their Lord cometh.

VI.    From Job 14:14. If a man shall die, shall he live again? &c. He lays it down partly as a resolution in duty, partly as a consolation against that he was threatened with, that there was a set time for him, and he would wait for it. Observe. Folks should not limit God in his way, and timing of things to them, but wait upon and submit to his carved-out time. All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. 1. He waits without fagging, persevering in waiting, it holds out his expectation, faith and confidence of an outgate. 2. A quieting himself on God and his word till it come. 3. A continuance in quieting himself, this is a notable, guard against crosses and temptations, and against God’s hiding of his face.

VII.    Another thing on this verse is, That the hope of the change that is coming, and of God’s renewing his mercy after all their days are by is, a consolation that ought to quiet believers; that there is a time coming when God, who seems to forget now, yet, (as it is, Job 14:15.) will call for his work, will not leave a grain of their dust in their grave, but raise it up again, because he made it and renewed it. There are many difficulties in man’s life, .and in our time, but there will be a time of the change of the condition of God’s people, and of his enemies also. It is coming, wait for it, and comfort ourselves in it.

VIII.    Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands, Job 14:15. Observe. However God seem to neglect his

work for a time, he will ask for it again, for it is upon a general ground that Job goes here. Thou wilt not neglect the work of thine hands, and so thou wilt not forget me in whom thou has begun a work. Habbakkuk, chapter iii, on the same ground prays to revive his work; his work is perfect, and be is a God of judgement, and where he begins be finishes. He knows how many souls he has together, and what length he has reformation to bring; and he will own his work, and carry it on to the last soul he has to bring in, and it is a consolation to souls where there is ought of God begun. God has a desire to the work of his hands, be it little or meikle58, he will not want it.

58 much

Chapter 15.

WE heard before of the state of the question betwixt Job and his friends, they have all three spoken, and he has answered. Eliphaz that began first, begins the second time; and goes upon the same grounds, and has the same ends before him; he continues in his mistake, and prosecutes the end he had before him in his first speech, only being further engaged, though a good man, after debate, he is more irritate, and more sharp upon Job. He has a sharp reproof to Job from the beginning of this chapter to the 14th verse, which is a preface to the debate following. And 2dly; from Job 15:14 to the end, he debates his old thesis several ways. The 1st cause wherefore he reproves Job is, Job 15:2-3. and it is for speaking proud, vain, and windy words, having a show of wisdom and knowledge, but no substance. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge? &c. Wherefore serves all this discourse? No wise man as ye have been thought, should take this gate, and he speaks by way of interrogation, to bear in his reproof more sharply on Job, A second challenge is added as a further degree of the former, Job 15:4. Yea, though thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. This way of defending yourself is an evidence of your casting off fear, and your rejecting of our advice in making supplication to God, it evidences your restraint of prayer, and of pouring out your heart before God. A sharp check, but built on a mistake of Job’s expressions. Yea, Job 15:5. he charges him for nor only casting off fear, and restraining prayer himself, but that by his doctrine he taught others to cast them off, and not to take with sin, and he proves it, for thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity. In thy discourse thou teachest iniquity, and propagates it to others, to learn all men not to humble themselves before God. And thou chusest the tongue of the crafty; Job confessed he was a sinner, but Eliphaz alleges that he had but craftily done this in the general to hide his wickedness. But says he, Job 15:6. Thy own mouth condemns thee and not I, and this he takes from Job’s word, Job 9:20. If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me. If say I am perfect, it shall prove me perverse. The third charge or challenge he bears on Job, is, for sticking to his own judgement, and rejecting his and his other two friends their judgement, which is followed forth in several verses following, Job 15:7. Art thou the first man that was born? Think ye Job that you was the first man. It seems by your sticking by your own judgement, that ye have been made before others,

seeing ye will not take a counsel from us. Have ye been upon God’s secret? Job 15:8. Is there none that knows God’s way of walking with men but ye? What knowest thou that we know not? Job 15:9. Are ye any wiser than we? We have had a long time and as much experience as ye. And Job 15:10, we are not alone in this cause, but with us, or upon our side, are the aged or grey-headed, men of experience, whom thou should reverence, and Job 15:11. Are the consolations of. God small with thee? Thinkest thou little of all we have said, and wilt thou take a gate of thine own? Is there any secret thing with thee? Hast thou any secret revelation of any other thing, or gate of serving God than others have revealed unto them, and if there be no gate but that which is revealed, why takest thou a gate of thy own? a way which thine own passion and inclination leads thee to, why dost thy heart carry thee away, to such a way? And what doth thine eye wink at? Why wilt thou mock our advice which from God we have given thee? That thou turnest thy spirit against God: Wilt thou turn such a mocker, as to let loose thy spirit not only against us, but against God? Thy words reflect on God’s justice, and thou condemns him in justifying thyself, all which proceeds on a mistake, as if God’s justice could not be defended, except Job took with it, that he was a wicked man. He goes on in the debate, and from Job 15:14. to the end, prosecutes his old thesis. 1. None can be clean or innocent, therefore not Job, and this he follows forth to Job 15:17. 2. Then he applies the argument to Job, but in a secret way, giving a number of evidences of the wicked man, which he would have Job taking to him. 3. He gives some predictions, or threatenings of judgement, and closes with a reason why Job will perish in that way if he shall continue in it.

I. He proves from man’s corruption (which Job had asserted before) that man cannot be righteous. What is corrupt man but an unclean branch, come off an undean stock, therefore he cannot be righteous, Job 15:14. A second argument to prove that man is not innocent, is by comparison from the less to the more, Job 15:15. Behold he putteth no trust in his saints, &c. God is so spotless pure, that holy angels and the congregation of heaven, being compared with the infinite and independent hounds of God, they are unclean; he trusts not in them, that is, he lippens not to their standing to themselves, but by his power sustains them, and if they be unclean, how much more man; for they have never sinned actually as man, who Job 15:16. drinketh in sin, as the ox does water; as the beans are set on their meat and drink,

so is man on sin. The argument is a truth in the general, but it includes nothing against Job.

II. He applies this to Job, and because it was a hard doctrine to bear on Job that he was a hypocrite, he prefaces to Job 15:20. Take heed says he, what I am going to tell thee, even that which I have seen and heard, not of fools, but wise men, who have had it from their fathers, Job 15:17-18. and these the most renowned fathers, Job 15:19. that is, these who lived after the flood; it seems Noah’s sons. It is a truth that all generations have received, or unto whom alone the earth was given, may point out the dignity of these fathers, that others of the world made judges, and they ruled so well, that they keeped the earth from being overrun by strangers. The former seems to be the more simple meaning of the words. Then he gives marks, whereby to know the hypocrite; and subjoins the sad dispensations he meets with, whereunto he knits his sins as causes of these dispensations. 1. A wicked man is all his days in pain and misery. The number of his years are hid to the oppressor, that is, they are determined and appointed in God’s secret counsel to the oppressor, as thou art to be a prey to the Sabeans and Chaldeans, Job 15:20. A second evidence is, Job 15:21. he has ay the terror of God and an ill conscience pursuing him; and though he come to prosperity, he shall be destroyed, and get no rest; and it is so with you Job. A third evidence is, Job 15:22. a wicked man in a strait, has no hope of recovery, trows never to win out of it, but grows desperate in his poverty, and after poverty the sword comes, and such is your case; yea, a wicked man, Job 15:23. has not to entertain him self and his family, and he is so compassed with straits, that he wots not how to subsist; and is it not so with you? and Job 15:24. he amplifies, the same evidence: Not only shall he be in straits, and hopeless of outgate, but trouble and anguish shall overcome him, and all his stoutness shall be laid, and he shall turn impatient and be able to take no comfort (as Job 4.) to himself that used to comfort others, and these judgements shall come upon him as a king in battle. But either, 1. This is not truth; their things are not proper to all wicked men, for good men may meet with them sometimes. Or, 2. It is nor true that for Job’s hypocrisy and wickedness he was so afflicted.

humble himself before God; yea, Job 15:26. he is so far from yielding to God, that when God comes against him, he strengthens himself, like a mad man, and runs desperately on God, by not submitting to him; and he gives a reason of this, Job 15:27. Because he covers his face with fatness. Because while he had prosperity, he was a man given to ease, and pleasure, and carnal delights, Psalm 73:7. Their face stands out with fatness. A second cause is, Job 15:28. He dwells in desolate houses, that is, he builds ruinous and desolate cities and houses. He is that rich that he is able to buy and build them, or, the cities and houses which by oppression he has made desolate and taken possession of; and upon this ground scorns to submit to God, and this was your condition Job.

III. The third part of the debate is, by threatenings and predictions of judgement, whereby he would terrify Job. The first is, Job 15:29. whatever that man does, he shall not continue rich, but God shall bring a curse on all that he hath. We may win to a sort of perfection in riches, but he shall not prolong it. A second is, Job 15:30. He shall not depart out of darkness; when God has marred his prosperity, and brought him into the darkness of adversity and trouble, he shall keep him in it, and the judgement of God shall be like a fire to burn up his branches, yea, by God’s indignation, shall he pass away. A third is, by way of advice, Job 15:31. Seeing it is so, that he who thinks much of riches which is but vanity, shall have a deceitful bargain, let not such a man as you beguile yourself in trusting to them. A good advice if well applied. A fourth is, Job 15:32. which may be an aggravation of the former threatening from the suddenness of it. God’s judgement shall take him away before the ordinary course of nature, and his children like the olive that casts the fruit ere the flower be off it, Job 15:33. and so hath it been with you. And he closes with a general threatening, that bears a challenge not obscurely against Job; as it is with you, so shall it be with all hypocrites, as they had families like congregations, and God scattered them, so hath he done with you; and in this challenge, bribery is laid to Job’s charge, as Job 22:6. Yea, the wicked take much pains, and have little profit of it; they hatch sin, and bring forth a lye, and do neither good to themselves nor others, Job 15:34-35. and so it is with you. But Eliphaz defends a wrong thesis, and mistakes the question, for, 1. Job never called himself an innocent man, tho’ he would not grant he was a hypocrite. He goes on wrong grounds to prove Job a hypocrite from temporal judgements,

because the godly and hypocrites partake alike in these. 3. He charges unwarrantably secret and great sins on Job, whereof he had no evidence, but because he was so afflicted, as in the following chapter. 4. He heightens a number of Job’s expressions, that had infirmity in them to the highest pitch, as evidences of unbroken nature.

I.    That such an approven and sincere man, one that was aiming at the honour of God, mistakes Job so far, and uses such hot expressions, that neither tended to the honour of God, nor the edification of Job. It teaches us a holy soberness and Christian meekness and wisdom in our carriage, especially in our debates and contests with men of integrity. How may it humble folks to look on their men bearing out this dispute against Job, and yet honest in their aim, and following their light, and as confident of their own cause, as if all Job’s expressions had been wind. Therefore seeing we are apt to go wrong, and to maintain our wrong, be sober and wail our steps at the entry.

II.    That he says, let not him that is deceived trust in vanity. It is a good advice in it self, worthy to be laid to heart, we have gotten experience of the vanity of all things, of outward peace, of grandeur at home and abroad, of external ordinances when dotted, of armies of men, of wisdom and self-confidence, &c. Then let us not who are deceived trust any more to vanity; let us not fall foully in that fault over again, in making men our confidence, either to fear us from duty, or to shelter ourselves under them; but let us make God our fear and our dread, and we !hall not need to fear man’s fear.

Chapter 16.

THE former chapter was a sharp challenge against Job, and contains very many long reproaches. In this and the following chapter Job returns his answer to what Eliphaz bare upon him. And 1. We have Job’s reproof of his friends unkindly way of dealing with him to the Job 16:6 verse of this chapter. And 2. more particularly, he answers to what Eliphaz said to the end of Job 17. The grounds whereupon he reproves them are, 1. Their troublesome insisting on the same mistakes or grounds, Job 16:2. It is not the first time I have heard these things, Miserable comforters are ye all, In the original it is, Comforters of trouble are ye all. Either ye have no skill to comfort me, or ye vex me by renewing words that have no power nor strength, for the end ye speak them for. A second is, Job 16:3. what need you repeat these things ye have said before? They are but words of wind, and what emboldens you to speak them over again, what encouragement have ye gotten so to do? Did he so well to it, or got ye any advantage? 3. He shows them in Job 16:4-5. that he would not have dealt so with them. He tells them he would not have spoken to them, as they did to him, he could have heaped up words against them, and shaken his head and laughen at them; but if they had been in his case, he would not have done so, but he could have strengthened and comforted them, and would have been so far from aggravating their grief, that he would have mitigated it.

From the Job 16:6 to the end, he goes on in answering Eliphaz, who in his discourse did run upon two grounds. 1. Comparing Job in his affliction to an afflicted wicked man. 2. Comparing him in his practices to wicked men, to whom he was like, as he alledged. To both these Job answers. He answers to the first to Job 16:15. that it is true he was afflicted as a wicked man, but it will not follow that therefore he is wicked. To the second he answers Job 16:15-16. that he dealt stubbornly with God in his practice as a wicked man, that he denies, and then from Job 16:16. to the end he disclaims his conclusion, That he suffered there hard things as a hypocrite, and confirms the negative, by several arguments. 1. He grants he was in trouble, and if he debated, he was not the better, and if he held his peace, he was not in ease, and Job 16:7. shows wherein his trouble lay. He hath made me weary, that is, God, meaning, so long as he is pleased to keep up the blessing from the means, they

will do no good, whereupon he turns him to God, and says, Thou hast made desolate all my company, that is, it is not men that I have to do with, it is not the Sabeans and Chaldeans that have scattered my family, and put us sundry; but it is thou, and beside that, my prosperous condition is changed, this body of mine is filled with wrinkles, that commonly accompany old age and poverty, and these are a witness that God is angry with me, as Job 10:I7. and by these he seems to bear witness for my friends, and this he repeats to the same purpose, My leanness rising up, bears witness to my face. If I should say my condition were not hard, my countenance should prove I lye, I deny not that, and therefore the second part of his condition, Job 16:9. he sets it out in man’s dealing with him. He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me, he gnashetb upon me, &c. All expressions to point out, how every one that hated him got leave to take their will of him, as Psalm 37:12. When the violent hatred of the wicked against the godly is set out under this expression, He sharpeneth his eyes upon me; it is a reviving to the light of his eye, he feedeth on it, or it is a fiery look, to point out the inward hatred of the wicked, and it may take in Job’s friends as dealing roughly with him; yea, Job 16:10. They gaped upon me with their mouth, as men that laugh and say, Aha, they have smitten me upon thy cheek reproachfully, i. e.’ They have buffeted me with their ill tongues tho’ they held off their hands. They have gathered themselves, &c. Like as men combined to carry on my affliction, God hath delivered my unto the ungodly, verse it. All this is come upon me by God’s providence. This I deny not. All my substance is devoured by the Sabeans, Chaldeans, &c. The third part of his condition is the saddest; he grants, Job 16:12. that God evidences his anger as an enemy. I was at ease, but God has broken me asunder, in respect of body, mind and family. He hath also taken me by the neck, and shaken me to pieces. He hath done with me as a strong man that is angry with another: And set me up as his mark or butt, at whom he shoots the arrows of his judgements, for he hath so many judgements, and every one of them lights upon me, and sticks into me, as a dart time about. He cleaves my reins, &c. Job 16:13. a similitude taken from the most vital part of the body, and he does not spare. He poureth out my gall on the ground, he seems to have no restraint till he have the life out. He breaks me, &c. Job 16:14.. He goes on upon or against me with new judgements, as if the former were not enough; And makes breach upon breach, or death upon death, wanting words to set out, what he would say; yea, he comes upon me, like a giant, for strength and

terror, as if presently he would put out my life; expressing what sense he had of God’s dealings.

In the Job 16:15-16, he answers to Eliphaz his second alledgance, showing what his carriage was, I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, or to my skin, that is, I did nor contest with God as ye said, Job 15:25. and my garment stuck to my skin, and I defiled, my horn in the dust; I laid down that which is excellent and eminent in man, and humbled myself before God. Yea, Job 16:16: the foulness of my face that has dust and tears on it, tells that I am a humble man; and on my eyelids is the shadow of death, my eyes are so hollow, that the picture of death is on my eye-lids.

In the last place, he comes to disclaim his conclusion, that for all this it will not follow that he is an unjust and wicked man, therefore in the 17th verse, he gives a flat denial to his conclusion; it is not for any injustice, be the cause what it will, it is not for the cause ye say. It is for no injustice in respect of my state, for I am reconciled to God; nor is it for injustice in my practice, I am no violent oppressor nor briber, also my profession is sound, and my prayer is pure in the kind, though not without sin, my practice is sincere. And because much of the weight of the debate lay on this, he confirms it by arguments. 1. If I be an oppressor, then let not the earth cover my blood and oppression, Job 16:18 As the blood Cain shed cried for vengeance, so let mine; as Isaiah 26:21. If be a wicked man as ye call me, I attest the earth not to conceal, but disclose my wickedness. 2. And let not my cry have place. If I be the man ye call me, let not God hear my prayer, and if I were not clear, I would not attest God thus. Yea, Job 16:19. I am sure to win the cause, my witness is in heaven, I have a surer judge and witness than either you or my conscience, he is in heaven, who hath all my actions recorded, and I lippen59 to him. A third argument Job 16:20. My friends scorn me, ye laugh at all this, and think nothing of my attesting God, but are ready to scorn me (as some expressions, Job 15:7. seem to bear out) but when ye scorn, I betake myself to God. Mine eye poureth out tears to him, I have a melting spirit, and there is a venting of it to God that gives me some ease. A fourth argument, Job 16:22. O that one might plead for a man with God, &c. It is true (would he say) God is without our bounds, and man cannot plead with him, but O that it were so, that a man

59 trust/rely on

might plead with God, for if it were thus; I durst venture my cause upon him. Job 16:22. When a few years are come, &c. It is subjoined as an amplification or aggravation of the former argument, ye will not believe me now when I speak sincerely, but it will be but a short time till I come before God, where my cause will be cleared, though it should not he in this world, and when I am taken away, I will not return; there will be no upmaking of what is behind then, therefore I dare not dissemble now.

Observations.

I.    In general, consider Job’s way of answering, the longer the temptation continue, he never alters, but, goes upon the same ground. Observe. That the temptation of shaking one’s state and interest in God renewing itself, and being often repeated, folks should by all means labour to keep their ground, and not give it way; if folks wrestle a while with such a temptation, and get no victory, if the temptation be reiterated, they are given to question victories, because the devil sets on again, and it may be more sharply; but ye would remember not to quite your ground, whom resist steadfast in the faith, 1Peter 5:8-9. keep faith as your shield. The temptation being the same, stick to your ground.

II.    From Job’s way of answering, in granting what is true, and denying what is false. Observe. That in every temptation readily there are two things, 1. A true ground. 2. A false conclusion from it. Satan will say, Thou art in such a condition, therefore thou art not a child of God. Learn then with Job to grant the ground, but to deny the conclusion; see it also in the woman of Canaan, she is said to be without the covenant, and called a dog; and she grants it is true, yet the pleads that that there is some allowance for such. Therefore because something is true, do not believe all this is true. It is suggested, there is much unmortified sin in thee, thou hast been so long under ordinances, and has not thriven, yea, thou art backsliden. It may be all is true, yet the conclusion will not follow, therefore thou hast nothing ado with God.

III.    On the terribleness of God to Job. Observe, That God may show himself terrible, and yet not be angry at the person. He may set thee up as his butt, cleave thy reins asunder, pour out thy gall, run upon thee

like a lion or giant, and yet keep love. Therefore measure not God’s love even by his spiritual dispensations, as if God loved nor when he looks angry-like. Our senses are not good judges. It is not right reasoning to say, God lays his heavy hand upon me, therefore he will not look upon me. What if Job reasoned so? 2. It should stir up folks to consider what God’s terribleness will be, when he has no love, and comes to render vengeance to all that know him not. When the fierceness of his countenance shall make all the families of the earth to mourn, who believes God is a consuming fire, Hebrews 12:29. What will he be to the wicked?

IV.    Job’s sincerity bears him out in all this. Observe: The efficacy of sincerity, and an inward testimony of conscience can keep the soul quiet; and hold a grip of God in the greatest trouble, anxiety and grief. Therefore a good conscience is a rich reward and worth itself. The meek shall inherit the earth, if folks knew the worth of this, they would study above all things to keep a good conscience before God and men.

V.    The vehemency of Job’s asseverations, and using them so frequently, and doubling them, is to let us see that it is holy wisdom, and no presumption when temptation is so violent, and presses violently for the soul not to deny its interest in God, but to assert it the more confidently, and take in fair upon him the head and score of God’s grace, (so to speak) and in a sort to presume, I say not, presumption is lawful at any time, but because faith will then be presumption to sense; we would set ourselves to do that which seems presumption, to ride near on that side, when the wind blows to such a shore to ply against it; so strong is the way of believing, that the more it be born down, it breaks the more out, God help us to keep the right midst.

Chapter 17.

YE remember the thing Job is defending, and the purpose; he speaks to two things, Eliphaz insisted on Job 15:1. To bear in on Job, that he was an hypocrite, and a wicked man, because of the sad things which came on him. 2. He had an exhortation to Job, to turn to God with promises of an outgate. In this chapter Job speaks to both.

In the former chapter, he answers their charge, and his answer runs upon two things. That it was true he suffered these things, he grants. But, 2dly. That he suffered them as a wicked man, he denies to the Job 17:I7. and confirms it with vehement asseverations to the end.

In the beginning of this chapter to Job 17:6. he shows the reasons why he was so vehement in his asseverations, and to interpose God to take the matter off their hands. That it was no presumption nor self-confidence, but the nearness he was unto the grave, put him to it, which he hinted at, Job 17:16. of the former chapter, and it is the same he is on here, My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. I am that near the grave, that the rottenness of my breath is not far off. I am as sure of it, as if it were made for me, Job 17:1. A second reason, why he is so vehement in pressing God to judge the matter now depending, because his friends made not earnest of it, Job 17:3. Are there not mockers with me? They mock me, and doth not mine eye continue, or, (as the word is,) lodge in their provocation? Their mocking is their provocation, and his eye lodging in it, is his eye being always on it, to point out how vexing it was to him, like that word, Psalm 42. As a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me, while they say continually unto me, Where is thy God? He could not abide to have

that cast up to him. Therefore in Job 17:3. he resumes his speech in obscure words, Lay down now, put me in surety with thee, who is he that will strike hands with me? Take the words as spoken to God, the meaning is, seeing it is so, that these men are mockers, and have no understanding to decide the matter, (as in the following verse,) Lay down a pledge, and put me in surety with thee, thou wilt be law biding. It is spoken after the manner

of men. He is content God himself come and speak, and if God will deal with him, as one man with another, he will venture to plead his cause before God. But take the words as spoken to Eliphaz, and the rest, the meaning is, Ye take on you to dispute this cause, but see if ye dare lay down a pledge, and find me a surety to plead it before God. The scope is one, and expresses Job’s desire, the cause may be taken off their hand, he gives a reason, Job 17:4. which clears the exposition, For thou hast hid their heart from understanding; they take not the matter up right, for it is like thou hast deserted them, so as they cannot take it up, and the following words, therefore shalt thou not exalt them, expresses Job’s confidence to gain the cause, as if he said, I am sure if it come before God, he will not justify them, and send them away as victors. And Job 17:5. is an instance that his friends will lose the cause, He that speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. In the 13th and 14th chapters, he charged them for speaking for an ill cause, because their end was good in speaking for God; he shows here, that that will be no reason for them so to plead, for God loves not that men should hide truth for feud or favour, were it even for that end, to plead for God. The man that does so, God’s curse will come on him and his. The words are a proverbial speech, wherein he hints at their end in pleading against him, to wit, their minding of God’s honour, seeing no way to justify God, but by proving him an hypocrite, and this he calls flattering.

The second way how he answers them is this, that tho’ it were for no injustice in him that he was so afflicted, yet he knew that God had good ends for it; and therefore, Job 17:6-7. he repeats his misery, I am become a byword, and they make merry of me, who aforetime was a tabret 60, that is, I was ridiculed behind backs in my prosperous condition, and much more now in my adversity, Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow. I am come to the shadow of a man, and lest they should say, Are not these tokens of God’s wrath upon you? He answers, Job 17:8-9 Upright men shall be astonished at this, &c. They will marvel how all this is come upon me, and will wonder at the deep draughts of God’s sovereignty in this his dealing with me, and the wise ends he hath in it in reference to his people; and the innocent shall stir up himself

60 A (small) drum, frequently used to alert public attention

against the hypocrite. This shall be another use of God’s dealing with me, the upright man that meets with many rubs in following the way of righteousness, shall have my affliction to beat down that opinion, that the hypocrite is ever plagued, and the godly in prosperity; for he shall say, Job was a godly man, and yet his affliction was greater nor mine; hypocrites draw their arguments from success to prove their cause, and reason thus, your cause hath no success, therefore God loves you not, but the honest man shall have a ground to bear out himself by God’s dealing with me, Job 17:9. The righteous shall hold on his way. The man that hath a good cause by my example shall be encouraged to stick to it, and shall not stumble because he meets with affliction when he looks on me. And a fourth expression as the end of the former, He that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. He that hath a good cause and conscience shall be always more and more bold, and learn meekness, patience, and perseverance from God’s dealing with me. It is like God had given him some secret intimation; what he was to make out of his affliction, as James Job 17:11. and when he hath laid down his answers, he gives them his advice, Job 17:10. leave ye this gate ye are on, for ye are like fools not in the right way, like the prodigal out of your wit, come to yourself again, for I have not found one wise man among you in this matter. From the Job 17:11-16, he goes on to answer the fecklessness of their motives, whereby they stirred him up to repentance. My days are past, &c. ye did not use these motives to me, my days are past, and I am at an end; My purposes are broken, I had many lawful designs to improve my substance for the advantage of my children, but now these are broken, I am cutted short of them, the occasion of them is taken away; Even the thoughts of my heart, the thoughts that were in my mind, how to dispose of my family and children, I have nothing ado with them, my mind is off them now. 2. They change the night into day, Job 17:12. They, that is, his afflictions, or friends, put him out of a condition of worldly comfort, for he gets no rest night nor day. The light is short because of darkness, when the day comes, my troubles make the day dark. The third answer is, Job 17:13. which he follows out to the end. If I wait, the grave is mine house, if I wait for ought what can I expect? The grave is the house I wait for, and to take up lodging in it ere it be long, I have made my bed in the darkness, i.e. the grave, because folks that are in the grave are forgotten and out of mind. This he illustrates, Job 17:14. I have said to corruption, thou art my father,

corruption is the witness that is in the gave, or the corrupt principle that is in the flesh, that turns folk into dust and rottenness. I have said, saith he, that I came of such corruption, I claim so far kindred to it that it is my father, I came of it, and will go to it again. And to the worm, thou art my mother and sister, I claim no kindred to noble folks, but as I have called corruption my father, so I say of the worms, they are as my mother and sisters, we will dwell in one house, and they will feed upon me ere long; and if it be so, where is now my hope? What think ye is my condition? Where is there any hope that I shall live? Is there any worldly hope in me that I shall come through this? Who shall see it i.e. none shall see it. They shall go down to the bars of the pit, any poor grandeur I could expect shall be locked up in the grave with me, all my worldly contentments and comforts shall then be gone; therefore these motives ye have brought from these things, are but weak and vain.

Observations.

I.    He tenderly guides the matter, he began with corruption and ends with it. Observe. That right and frequent thoughts of folks frailty is a good awband61 against the out-breaking of corruption, pride, selfishness, idols, and worldly vanities. Job makes use of this meditation, to keep him tender before God, humble in himself, and without reflecting on his friends; what makes folks proud, but either unfrequent thoughts of their mortality, as if they had no sibness62 to the worms, or that they will not be brought to account and reckoning. Think on it, Job was as noble as any of you, and at this time it would lay folks anxiety and freting, and put them to other thoughts if they were looking to the earth, and to the worms that will eat out their eyes ere long. I will not be long ere thou and the worms will both dwell in a rotten chest together, and thy belly will be full of them, and the worm will think itself as gentle as any of the highest blood.

II.    From Job’s vehement desire to be at God with his cause. Observe. That faith daily promises good to itself from God. Job thinks ay to win the cause when it shall come before him, and this is a reason why strong faith

61 A band used to keep unruly animals in order

62 Relationship by common descent, kinship

gives glory to God, because it expects ay some noble thing from God; little faith, limiting God is derogatory to God, but strong faith, like Abraham’s, Romans iv. that dare hazard on God, especially in a strait, argues much estimation of God, and gives much honour to God.

III.    From the second part of this answer. Observe. That there is scarcely any misery men can think of, but it may be incident to the people of God, were it to be a proverb and mocking stock; there is no outward dispensation of Cod but it may befal the godly, which casts all the debate of his friends.

IV.    The end Job mentions for God’s dispensation with him, not that, he hath a mind to censure sin; but, 1. To make men wonder at God’s wisdom, and to lay their pride. 2. To strengthen innocent folks, who are to succumb in affliction, Job tells, that in afflicting him, he had a mind to strengthen their faith and patience. 3. To remove a stumbling block out of men’s way, who are ready to be scarred from a good turn by affliction; Job has ridden the ford before them, that they may not fear for that. 4. That folks may labour for clean hands, or a good conscience, and not stand upon what success they get, all which are, Job 17:8-9. and shows what use should be made of the affliction of God’s people; others have been afflicted to give us these lessons at a cheap rate,

V.    He says, Job 17:10. He cannot find a wise man among them, because being engaged they were not fit to determine the case rightly. Observe: Oft-times folks engaged in debates run themselves out of breath, and put themselves out of capacity to judge of matters, therefore folks would be warry to engage where they are not clear.

VI.    On the last part, Observe. When folks come to the grave, worldly contentments will have little comfort or relish with them. What is my hope? or, What do I now expect from these things? To teach us how far he was above these temporal contentments they propounded to him, while folks have health and strength, they will not think the world can have so little bulk with them; but when all folks designs are broken and laid by, the worth of the world, and all that is in it will be seen; therefore use the world as if ye used it not: Be as pilgrims and stranger in it, and be not entangled with it. He that will be rich falls in many snares, and pierces himself through with many sorrows; it is a pest that destroys many, and leads far more souls to hell, than either malignancy or

Chapter 18.

THESE words contain Bildad’s second onset on Job, his scope is the same, and his manner of prosecuting it almost the same also; to bear in on Job, God’s justice in smiting him, and his wickedness that procured it, and who after he had heard Job’s reply undertakes a new confutation.

The chapter has two parts from Job 18:1-5. he sharply censures Job, that stood it our, and was not convinced by all that he and his other friends had said. 2. From Job 18:5. to the end, he follows out the same thesis of God’s destroying the wicked as Job was, and secretly insinuates Job’s wickedness to be the cause of his stroke.

His censure or reproof has three parts. The first part is Job 18:2. and it is for this that Job would not make an end of words, and to show Job’s folly insinuates a secret check in his way of expression, How long will it be ere you make an end of words? As if many were with Job. Mark, and after that we will speak. That is, let us know when ye have ended, and then we shall begin, or, as the word will hear, make us underhand what ye say, and we will say on. A common fault, folks are loath to bear a contradiction in opposition to their opinion maintained, and to think all said against them but words. The second part of the reproof is, Job 18:3. as it he had said, we have given you many reproofs, and they have no more weight with you, nor if we were beasts and not reasonable men. They count his casting of their doctrine as if he counted them no better than beasts. So ready are men to count it a discredit when their opinion is not taken, and cannot endure to be contradicted. A third part of his reproof, Job 18:4. He tears himself in his anger, Job thou art like a mad man in passion, shall all folks quit the world for thee? And shall the rock be removed out of his place? Shall this sure truth of God, which we have asserted anent God’s punishing of wicked men, and showing kindness to good men, which is as sure as a rock, shall it be overturned at thy pleasure? Another fault that follows contradiction, men are then ready to reflect on men’s persons, to cast up senselessness and folly, even to them that have truth upon their side, and to grow stiffer in their own opinions.

Job was, in four similitudes, wherein he lays out God’s dealing with hypocrites, and plainly shows, he includes Job among them. The first similitude is, Job 18:5-6. as if he said, a wicked man may have his candle of prosperity burning as clear as another man’s, but all his comforts soon evanish, and so it is with you. The fecund similitude is, Job 18:7-10, wherein he compares wicked men or hypocrites to fowls that snares are laid for, as if he said, Let wicked men get their will, yet the way they take shall ruin them, for they are walking like birds, or beasts in the midst of snares, and their own feet shall carry them to the pit; they shall run headlong to ruin, though never one would touch them, for that which he thinks his surest way for, safety shall be his ruin, and the robber or fowler shall catch him, and prevail against him. It is impossible he can escape, for the snare is above, beneath, and round about him, and such is your case Job. And as it is Job 18:7. compared with the rest, as beasts or birds in a snare or net, the more struggle they make by the strong hand to rid themselves, they are faster fastened, so shall it be with you. The third similitude is Job 18:11-15. and it is taken from the pursuing of criminals before earthly courts and judgement seats, as a guilty man is dealt with by the judge, so are hypocrites dealt with by God. There is a king of terrors, whether death or any eminent terror like death, it is to one purpose, and he has under him, other under terrors, as so many officers or sergeants, and when the hypocrite is quiet in his house, these shall come upon him, and put him to his feet to run away, but he shall not get away, plague upon plague, terror upon terror, and rumour upon rumour, shall pursue him, as it is, Ezekiel 17:20. God’s net shall be spread upon him, Job 18:11-12. and if any thing be strange or beautiful, and it were no more but his skin, it shall be more full of holes then yours is; and death’s neighbour shall devour any thing that is firm in him, and ye are in the next bore, Job 18:13. he may dwell a while in his house, and contest and struggle for a while with his executioners, these terrors or plagues, but they shall not leave him till they bring him to death, the king of terrors, wherein all earthly terrors ends, and hereby is meant not bodily death simply or only, but it includes the spiritual also, that terrible reckoning that comes after death, which wicked men meet with, Job 18:14. It shall dwell in his tabernacle, his conscience shall have no rest, he shall have terror within, as well as without. Brimstone shall be scattered on his habitation, it shall be made like Sodom, marked with some evident mark of God’s indignation, which shall be scattered or sown upon it as sowing with salt is sometimes used for

this end. And the third comparison is used to show how eminently God’s wrath shall pursue the wicked, Because it is none of his, that is, either because it is ill acquired, being gotten by oppression or falsehood, or because it is not sanctified to him of the Lord, because he wants a spiritual right, tho’ he have a civil right to it, and its not being sanctified by the word and prayer, therefore it is none of his. A fourth similitude, Job 18:16. wherein the wicked man is set out to be like a tree flourishing, but it has a worm within, as there was in Jonah’s gourd, and it withers without, and rots within. A comparison that hath been several times used before, and is frequent in scripture. The hypocrite is compared to a bay-tree, Psalm 37:35. Then in more positive and plain terms he sets him out, Job 18:17. he hath been hunting for credit, but he shall die, and his name shall rot, and in the street where men used to speak and be spoken of, no word of him shall be heard but to his shame. 2. Assertion, Job 18:18. he that thought to live long in prosperity and pleasure shall be driven to a most miserable and comfortless end, that he shall have no being in the world. It sets out a constant and violent pursuing of the wicked by wrath. 3. Assertion, Job 18:10. he hath been taking great pains to build houses, and buy lands to his posterity, but none of his shall brook his conquest; he may have children, but he shall be like Jeconiah, none of his posterity shall sit on the throne, no patrimony he shall leave them shall do them good. A fourth assertion, Job 18:20. his judgement shall be so remarkable, that as he was a terror to them he lived among, so they that come after him shall tremble to see and hear of God’s judgement on him. And so the conclusion is drawn, Job 18:21. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked. Job would ye know a wicked man, here he is, as he has been set out to you, and there is a secret application of it to him, as if he had said, See how all these things I have spoken of the wicked man agrees to your condition, whom God hath set out as a mark of his wrath in overturning your prosperity, removing your children, and making these girns63 and snares overtake you. And so he ends his second onset.

Observations.

From the first part, his sharp censuring of Job, mark some secret faults that folks contradiction carries along. 1.

63 grumbles or discontents

Impatience. 2. Carping at every thing as reflecting upon others. 3. To be more taken up with reflections than the thing itself about which the debate is.

For the second part, the scope contains many good truths, but his conclusion is unsound, that Job is an hypocrite or wicked man. Observe,

I.    There is no condition so terrible, and hath more of the terror of God waiting upon it, than hypocrisy to have a fair profession of godliness, and not to know God in our practice, and Job never denies this general, therefore this sin is one of the grounds of so many woes pronounced by Christ. Use. Because of a rotten profession, of having a name that you are living when you are dead, of taking on you a name of that which you make no conscience to be like. We fear not folks from a profession, seeing the Holy Ghost fears none from it, but from resting on a profession.

II.    There is no consolation that a wicked man hath which endures long, the most warm fire he kindles shall be put out, and he shall lie down in sorrow, Isaiah 50:11. God has often been pointing at this in this time, to learn us to be abstracted from creature comforts.

III.    Whatever a wicked man possesses without a spiritual right, and acknowledging God in it, God will never count it his. There is a twofold right that men have to things. 1. One before men, and that is a civil right which men’s wickedness looses not. 2. A sanctified right which is obtained on the other right, therefore we are bidden pray, Give us this day our daily bread. It is called our bread, because we have right to it by our labour, but in seeking it of God, and acknowledging God in it we get a second right, and it were good we were not content with the first without the second. And it is a sore matter when folks are put out of their houses, because not purchased well, or because idolized, or because they had not a right to them before God.

IV.    Wicked men, and these that know nor God, are put together, Observe: Profanity, and ignorance of God in God’s reckoning go together, and are all one. Ignorance is often the root of profanity, 2Thessalonians 1:8. He will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on all that know not God, and obey not the gospel. Among other

faults that God is angry at, ignorance is one, and this may have much influence on God’s dispensations to the land and this place. Be exhorted to study to know God better, not only in light but in experience; that some impression of the majesty, wisdom, power, and terror of God may have more sway to keep in our humours, than any thing to the contrary can have sway to bring us in a way that may provoke him.

Chapter 19.

We heard in the former chapter, Bildad his continuing of a challenge on Job, as a man now pointed at by God’s judgements to have been but a hypocrite, and therefore had such a portion as they have.

In this chapter, Job replies with very much meekness, and by many reasons, to put him and the rest of his friends from that rigid way of censuring and misconstructing him, to a more kindly way of pitying him, which is the scope of this chapter, that they may be drawn from a rigid censuring of God’s way with him to construct more moderately of him.

The chapter has three parts. 1. A preface, wherein Job regretes their hard dealing with him to Job 19:4. 2dly, From Job 19:4-28. he has a large following forth of grounds; whereby he backs his complaint, both to show the groundlessness of their rigid censure, and the justness of his complaining. 3dly, In the last two verse he has an exhortation to that which is his scope, backed with a threatening.

The first part of his regret, or complaint is from the nature of the exercise their dispute had on him, it was a vexing of his soul, and a breaking of him in pieces with words, and he charges them for lengthening both. The meaning is, how long will you be instrumental to add one sorrow to another?

The second part of his complaint is, Job 19:3. These ten times, (a certain number for an uncertain) have ye reproached me, that is, it is not the, first time ye have done

this, but a number of times ye have renewed your reproaches, and scarce would a hypocrite bide that. Ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. How is it that ye are not ashamed, who should have lived friendly with me, and sometimes did. so, to be thus strange in your carriage towards me?

He gives some reasons or grounds of this his complaint, and first he meets with an objection. Thou hast finned, and art in an error, might they say? Because it is so, says he, That I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself, it is betwixt God and me, and not before the world, and it becomes not you to cast that up to me, that God hath keeped secret, Job 19:4. A second ground which he follows out largely from Job 19:5-22. as is he had said, It is not time now to add one burden to another. God has smitten me, and ye should not smite me also, as Psalm 69:2. It is marked as a fault to persecute him whom God hath smitten, and this argument he follows by laying down particular instances of God’s smitting and breaking of him at large, and draws the conclusion, Job 19:21-22.

The instances which he gives are first more general, my condition (would he say) is more than ordinary; God, in an extraordinary way hath made me a butt to his arrows, and hath wonderfully overthrown me, but it .will not become you to take that liberty God doth. God is sovereign, and may afflict whom and when he will, but that therefore ye may afflict also, it will not follow, Job 19:5-6. follows particular instances, I get many wrongs of Chaldeans and Sabeans, and others, and I cry to God, and complain of these wrongs, but I get not a hearing. He was wont to delay, or refuse me a hearing, but now he keeps up himself, as if there were not a throne for judgement, Job 19:7. A second instance, Job 19:8. He hath fenced up my way that there is no outgate for me; and this he proves in the following words, that he had none from his family, none from his servants, none from friends, and none from God, and therefore his grief was not ordinary, God had made him a pattern of wrath, the particulars whereof we shall run through shortly. 1. I was once honourable, the greatest man in the East, but now my glory and authority is away, and he hath brought shame as well as loss upon me; it is often so with men, loss and contempt go together. 2. A third instance, and a second reason, to prove the former, of his fencing in, and having no outgate, Job 19:10. I am now like a tree that hath lost the lap, and is withering all round about,

on every side I am destroyed, compact with terrors, and I am a gone man, and any hope I have is like a tree whose roots are cast up. 3. He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and counts me as one of his enemies; a sad aggravation, yea; the most sad of his affliction; as if he had said, I would not care for temporal wrath in externals, but to be counted as an enemy, and to pray and not be heard, and to have the sparks of his indignation kindled within me; to have God, who hath been, and is my good friend, carrying himself so to me, is most bitter and sore to endure. The most unhappy condition is to be God’s enemy; and to be for a time dealt with as his enemy, is a most sharp exercise. This is enlarged, Job 19:12. God is like a general commanding armies, and he draws up his troops, the Chaldeans, Sabeans, the devil, the wind from the wilderness, fire from heaven, wife, servants, and friends, as so many companies, and they are set as it were to encamp about me, whereby intimating God’s sovereignty and immediate acting in all second causes and instruments. 4. He hath put my brethren from me, &c. he hath left me neither friend, nor familiar to comfort me; he looks to God, as scattering his friends, and making them strange and dry to him, Job 19:13. These of my nearest blood have failed me, are turned like a brook to me, and as a broken cistern, and my familiar friends that hanged upon me when I had wealth to bestow on them, have forgotten me now; as it is ordinary to have many such in prosperity, that are cold comforters in adversity. Morover, Job 19:15. These that dwell in my house, and were brought up with me, and the maids that were servants, they might well wait on at mail time of day to eat up what is left, but they give me little of it, and they are disobedient to me. He looks on this as a part of God’s troops, yea, he calls for his servants, but they let not wit they hear him, even when he entreated them, Job 19:16. And I would not, (would he say) have thought much of such dealing from my servants, but my wife, that had wont to live comfortably with me when we had enough, my breath became strange to her, and she forgetting all conjugal bonds, is become to me as strange as the rest. A sad ground of complaint, (yet often found true) that adversities do break the greatest ties and relations, even these betwixt man and wife, but so it will where they are not founded on grace, yet Job is very fair in his carriage to her, he intreats her meekly, and the will not know him; Young children, or as the word is, wicked children despised me, Job 19:18. The vilest persons did laugh at him, and mock, and taunt him, that sometime would have run out of his gate when they had seen him. All my inward

friends, (as the words are) the men of my secret, that I was intimate with; as with my wife, or brother, or sister, that lay in the belly with me, these friends that are made for the day of adversity are turned against me, though not intentionally, yet really, and upon the matter, and that these friends who were bound with him in the bonds of grace, deal thus with him, he counts it heavier to be born than his wife’s mistaking of him, as we see in David, Psalm 41:9. But this is not all, if he had a whole skin it were something, but this he hath not, Job 19:20. There is no flesh upon me, the skin cleaves to the bone where it is heal, and there is no more heal of me, but that which is on the gums or lips, so much as gives me leave to speak, I am escaped with so much, for it is like when the devil smote him with boils, he left so much free, as he might speak without pain to blaspheme God; but God made use of it, that he might speak many good words to the edification of his church. He draws the conclusion, and makes application of the argument, Job 19:21-22. Have pity upon me, O my friends, &c, it is no time now to reckon hard with me, and to prove cruel to me, when God’s hand is so heavy on me; God is sovereign, but ye are bounded and limited, and must not take the liberty that God does, Why do ye then persecute me as God? Why are ye as cruel to me as he seems to be? Will not this satisfy you that my body is gone, but will ye persecute my soul also by disputing my interest in God? for Psalm 42:10. It is like a sword in the bones when that is brangled64. A third ground of his complaint, Job 19:23-27. as if he said, ye think me a man transported with passion, and like a mad man tearing his own flesh, as Job 18:4. but I am speaking like one that must answer to God at the great day, and therefore I would to God, that this controversy betwixt you and me, about God’s sovereignty in afflicting whom he pleases, and of my integrity, notwithstanding of my affliction, were written and registrate the most sure way that can be, that it were left upon record in lead, or stone, upon which they used to engrave things. For Job 19:25. I know there is a day after this that I will get a hearing, and that makes me so confident, I know I have a Redeemer, and that he is living, and that he shall stand as King of all the world at the latter day on the earth, when he hath put all his enemies under his feet, and made them his footstool, for he may fight a while, the time comes when he shall get the victory. And, Job 19:26. Though after my skin worms destroy this body, though I be now hopeless of my life, the skin being destroyed

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already, and though after the skin the worms should crawl out through and in through me, and consume me, yet in the flesh I shall see God manifested in the flesh some way as he is within the object of a bodily sight, and this he enlarges and illustrates, Job 19:27. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; this same, I say, this same flesh and skin that is all holes, and these same eyes shall see him, and I shall see him for my advantage, as a friendly judge to absolve me, tho’ my reins be consumed within me, or in my bosom, or arms, as the word is, that is, though a whole tack should not bide together of me, yet I shall get the sight of my Redeemer, who will own me as his redeemed and bought servant, though ye dare not. And having thus born out this testimony, he comes in the last part of the chapter to the third thing, that is, an exhortation to his friends, Job 19:28-29. as if he said, Leave off this way of dealing with me, and reflect upon yourselves, for ye should rather be censuring yourselves than thus rigidly censuring me, which, in effect is persecution; and he gives a reason why he would have them altering their way, seeing the root of the matter is found in me. Seeing after all this trial, it is not blades and leaves of a profession that I have, but the root of grace remains in me, else I had not bidden it out; and he backs this exhortation with a sad warning or threatening, be afraid of the sword, God will not let such persecution go away, and often the sword follows such a bloody sin; for wrath, passion, or malignancy, which is the fruit of wrath, brings the punishment of the sword, for sin ordinarily brings much woe and wrath upon men. And he adds a reason of God’s dispensing of such a punishment to such a sin, that they may know there is a judgement. If God should let you go, and not censure you, ye would think there was not a judgement, but your malignity, envy, and hatred against me, shall bring you under punishment, if ye continue in it, that ye may know God will not wink at such wrongs.

Observations.

I. Ordinarily when God’s people are brought low, there is amultiplying of their rods. 1. A gathering, and multiplying adding of one after another, within, without, and in public, in private, in the family, from heaven, the earth, the servants, the wife, friends, strangers, wrath kything65 from all arts, so that they have no third, nor

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choice, nor outgate, but God himself, so he deals with the land and with us.

II.    There is no quieting under the rod till God be acknowledged in all the branches of it, not only God hath given, and God hath taken away, for we have many sad crosses, but as Job here, we must look on all the parts of our anxiety as from God, when the paths are made darkness, when shame and discredit comes, when a friend becomes dry of whom we expected comfort, or when the estate is lost, and the man has not to give out, and the wife brawls and chides when the wealth is away, that wont to hold her tongue when there was enough under her hand, and should be the more kindly to the husband under the cross, and it may be the servants give an ill answer, worse words than can be given them; the hand of God in this being seen and acknowledged; would stay passion, and help to find out a fault on our side, that is, little reverence and respect to God in us, does possibly provoke God to let them have little respect to us, we know not what branches of these may be your cross. May be some of you are poor widows, and have nothing to live upon, and ye have poor children, &c. but labour to see and acknowledge the hand of God in all.

III.    Where God’s hand is very heavy in afflicting, folks would be very warry in harshly constructing of it, and be tender and prudent in bearing sins on folks. It would be done with such meekness, as our so doing, become not a new part of their cross.

IV.    On the chapter, observe, 1. That it is one of the most notable consolations that can be under the cross, to consider that there is a day of judgement, and that we shall then see our Redeemer, our Judge, and be absolved of him. It was Job’s consolation, and should be ours; leave the Lord’s cause to him, and let us suspend the clearing of it till that day. It is hard to know when the difficulty we are in shall be loosed, but a day comes when these who have reproached us will stand before Christ’s bar with us, and he will give out right judgement; and it may be consolation, and content to us, then to be cleared.

2. Folks, in all their carriage, especially under all their crosses, would speak, and do, and so carry themselves in all things, as if it were to be written in a book, and presented before the Judge, for God will let it be seen all is written; and consider if thou would have this and that hasty or passionate word written, if thou durst take an

iron pen, and engrave them in lead or stone, to be keeped on record to that day, and if not forbear and watch the better.

3. It serves much for believers consolation, and keeping fresh of their grace, to be serious in the thoughts of their particular and personal appearance before Christ in the great day; it will keep grace in vigour, and bear down passion. To consider it is I, this same vile body, this same fleshy that is now eating and drinking, that will see Jesus Christ come again at the latter day, and give out sentence on all. A truth that is commonly received but slightly believed, but when it is believed, it is a noble consolation, and spur to tender walking, to have as much experience of the truth and faithfulness of Jesus Christ, as confirms us that the resurrection is a truth.

On the last part of the chapter, observe, 1. That there is no sadder persecution of God’s people than that which is in words. Therefore he complains of this, Job 19:2-3 and here over again, Job 19:22. calls it persecution. What Word is rifer than hypocrite whore, and hypocrite thief, and grace is called no grace but hypocrisy. O what persecution is that! which will be counted for one day.

2.    This sort of persecution brings on the sword, and yet we read not much of their wrath or anger, but that they could not endure that he should maintain the truth against them.

3.    There is no sin engages God more to punish, nor wrath and indignation against his people. This is among the causes of Scotland’s ruin, enmity against the people of God, and look it be not one of the, causes of Glasgow’s ruin. Hatred against godliness and the godly, engages God to plague any place or people; it hath provoked God against you, and may be the cause of more ruin nor yet is come; God will not fail to be avenged on that bitterness of spirit if it be continued in, and ye may look for a sorer stroke nor yet is lighted on you. Job’s friends, though godly men, had come under judgement for this sin, if Job had not prayed for them.

Chapter 20.

JOB made a very pithy and sober reply to what Bildad had said in the former chapter, and closed with an exhortation to leave off their rigid way of censuring him, lest wrath come upon them, at which Zophar storms that he should check them as men sinning highly against God, and therefore in this chapter breaks off abruptly. Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, therefore, that is, for the check thou hast, given us in the close of thy last discourse, I can endure no longer, but must give thee a present answer.

The chapter hath three parts, 1. A short preface, Job 20:1-3. 2. A large setting down of wicked men’s and hypocrites judgement and destruction, from ver, 4. to 29. secretly insinuating, such a judgement was come on Job, and therefore that he was a wicked man or an hypocrite, and strongly contradicting Job’s assertion, That a wicked man might flourish in the world as well as the godly man, which Job maintains in the following chapter, and opposes his assertion, that a wicked man is always pursued with judgement in this life. 3. In the last verse he closes as Bildad did in the eighteen chapter.

I have such an impression of thy intolerable insolence, that when I have heard thy reproach, I can bear it no longer, but must hasten to answer thee, Job 20:2. for I am so sure to win the cause, and I am so well acquainted with this controversy, that I will break down all thy arguments at once; and the reflection Job put on him and his own clearness to answer, puts him thus to express Job 20:3.

The matter of his answer follows. Knowest thou not, this is no new doctrine, that the triumphing of the wicked is for a short time, Job 20:4-5. Job hath prevailed thus far with them, that they must grant the wicked may be in prosperity, but they say it cannot be long, and he names the hypocrite after the wicked man, lest Job having purged himself of wickedness before, should also do so of hypocrisy, and therefore if he will not grant that he is a wicked man, he will bind on him that he is a hypocrite. Though his excellency mount up to heaven, &c. Let the wicked man or hypocrite come to never so great excellency, though he should rise so high, that nothing should be above him, yet he shall come to a shameful end, like his own dung, and when he is gone, folks that

before have seen him, shall ask where he is, and there shall be no memory of him, Job 20:6-7. he enlarges this to the end, He shall flee away as a dream; and as a vision of the night, so shall his prosperity be. He thinks he is rich, and a happy man, but he is but dreaming, and when he awakes, his soul shall be empty for it all, it shall be but as a vision or shadow of that which is not; yea, he shall be chased away as a vision in the night, the people abhor him, like a thing that is not seen in the light, but they imagine they grip it and see it, but cannot let others see it or feel it. Job 20:8. The eye that hath seen him, shall not see him again; neither shall his place any more behold him. He shall no more be found in the world, to set out the irreparableness of his destruction, they that saw him shall not see him again, neither shall his place any more behold him; he {hall no more be found in the world. Job 20:9. His children shall seek to please the poor, while he lived he made many poor folk by robbery and oppression, but when he is away, the poorest in the country shall be his children’s masters, so that they shall flatter and fawn on poor folk to please them, and court their favour; and he gives the cause of it, His hands shall restore their goods, which were wrongfully taken from them, so he shall have nothing. Job 20:10. His bones are full of the sin of his youth, a comparison to hold out the wicked man’s or hypocrite’s destruction, he is like a young man that has gotten a vile disease in his youth, which slicks to him all his days, and leaves him not till it lay him in the dust; so the wicked man’s sin, and God’s judgement therefore, shall never leave him till it destroy him, (as men in youth gather marrow which nourishes the body in old age, so he treasuring up sin, it shall destroy him then) Job 20:11. A further comparison to set out his destruction, Job 20:12,-15. He is like a glutton that eats meikle 66, but he shall vomit it out again; tho’ he spare it and keep it in his mouth, that is, though he delight himself in pleasing his appetite, and feed himself on his prosperity in a sensual way, yet when it is over, it shall no more be sweet, but bitter and venomous as the gall of asps in his bowels; and he makes the application, Job 20:15. Though he has taken much pains to gather riches, God shall gar 67 him cast them up again: The meaning is, he shall have more torment in the loss of his wealth, than ever he had refreshment in the gathering and enjoyment of it, He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper’s tongue shall slay him, his

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destruction shall be as certain as if he were sucking most deadly poison. Job 20:16. He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter. He hath thought much of his prosperity, that that was like these things which are evidences of a man’s thriving in the world, but it shall evanish, and he shall not see the abundance of that which he had. Job 20:I7. That which he laboured for, or took much pains to obtain, he shall not swallow it down, an application of the former similitude, God shall make him quit it nill he, will he; yea, he shall not digest it, nor send it down, to feed on it, it shall do him no good, and according to his substance shall the restitution be, he shall be as poor as ever he was rich, or, so long as he hath, it shall be taken from him, and he (hall not rejoice therein, Job 20:18. The reason of this is rendered Job 20:19. because he cared not how he got his gear, or how many were poor by his oppression, and after he had courted their favour, till he got what they had from them, and then cast them off, and because by violence; he had intruded himself in other folks buildings, which he had no right to, or paid not the worth of them, and because he had swallowed down much ill gotten goods this way, he shall have no rest till he be quite68 of it; and that which he loved best he shall get none of it keeped, he shall not save even that which he most desired to save, Job 20:20. There shall none of his meat be left, his destruction shall be so great, that there shall not be a bit of bread left in his house, and whereas every one was striving, who should be his heir, that strife shall cease, when he hath nothing. No man shall look for his goods, Job 20:21. in the fullness of his sufficiency, when he is at the height of his prosperity, he shall be brought down, and made miserable through straits, and every wicked hand shall pluck at him as he plucked others, as ordinarily losses come with more hands than one, Job 20:22. When he is about to fill his belly, and barns, like the rich man in the gospel, God shall fall upon him with some extraordinary plague and judgement, Job 20:23. He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through; in flying from one judgement he shall meet with another; or, when he thinks to escape one plague, God shall cause another meet with him, Job 20:24: It is drawn and cometh out of the body; that which is shot lights on him, and folks pull it out of him; yea, the glistering sword cometh out of his gall; he gets a deadly wound by the shot, or stroke which he falleth under: Terrors are upon him, God’s judgement is so terrible, that it makes him tremble, because he is

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as sure of destruction, as if his gall, was poured out on the ground, Job 20:25. And this may have respect to Job’s words before, where Job 16:13. he says, He poureth out my gall upon the ground. All darkness, that is, every plague shall be hid in his secret places, shall privily wait for him. There is no sort of plague but it shall secretly attend him, and whatever he do to escape them, he shall not be able, and in this he alludes to Job’s many crosses. A fire not blown shall consume him, a fire that is not blown, is a fire that kindles, and none knows how. The meaning is, the fire of God’s judgement, that none can tell where from it came, or a fire within not wakened by human means, but by the finger of God in the conscience shall consume him; And it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle; if any body be left behind in his house, he shall have a poor life of it, Job 20:26. The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, &c. e. when God plagues such a man, both heaven and earth shall be against him, as fire from heaven, and the weather and wind, and men on earth set themselves against you, Job 20:27. The increase of his house shall depart, his posterity shall take wings and fly away, and his goods shall flow away, like a river in the day of God’s wrath on wicked men, Job 20:28. the conclusion follows in the verse. Whatever a wicked man, or hypocrite hath or may enjoy; this that I have spoken is the inheritance that he hath right to, and he hath not another thing for his portion. It is appointed and decreed of God to him, and there is no other that he can call his.

Observations.

Zophar, in all this aims to bear out the main controversy, that it went well with good men, and ill with wicked men in this life, though an interruption might be, and wicked men might prosper for a time; but there is a limiting of the wicked’s punishment to this life, and the godly man’s trouble to a temporal outgate, which Job confutes in the next Job 21.

I.    From the preface, Observe, That oftimes that which seems to reflect on men’s persons puts them to speak, and hath as much weight on them to put them to vindicate themselves as the truth itself. Soberness at such a time should be studied.

II.    He thinks himself very clear in the controversy, and that puts him to speak that which he was not clear of.

Observe: 1. Folks engaged in a debate, they will seem to themselves clear in the matter when it is not so; folks wilfulness and engagement, especially in men of parts, carry often too much sway, and makes that seem light which is not. 2. Folks estimation of their own ability, brings them often in a snare, out of which they do hardly extricate themselves, Job 20:3.

From the sum and shot of the debate, we draw two notes. 1. Let hypocrites flourish as they will in the world, they have a fearful and desperate condition abiding them, whatever sort of hypocrites they be, whether grossly profane, or more civil and formal, (for both are put together, Job 20:5.) or whatever their prosperity be, their triumphing is but for a moment. Use. Fear to trust your portion to the things of the earth, and to lose the gain that godliness hath with it, else ye will find that ye have made an ill block. It were a good advantage, if the strokes that are come upon us, brought us more in love with godliness, and to hate hypocrisy.

2. From the misapplication to Job. Observe. There is nothing so terrible and due to the hypocrite, but it may be misrepresented to a godly man as his portion. Job was no hypocrite, yet looking on this as a temptation, which the devil was furthering, it clears the doctrine. But it is one thing to have right to such a thing as is the portion of the hypocrite, and another thing to have it born in on a man by the force of temptation, and Job in all the debate guards against this.

Chapter 21.

1 stly JOB is here replying to Zophar, his challenge in the preceding chapter, wherein he chops at Job as a deserted man, with whom God had a controversy, and bearing in upon him, that however God might spare the wicked for a while, yet they get not off the world without some visible token of wrath; Job, in his reply, prefaces to Job 21:7. 2dly, He confutes Zophar’s thesis, and the application of it to the last verse, And, 3dly, in the last verse he closes with a reproof to him, and the rest of his friends, for taking the way they took with him, and for making use of the grounds they went upon, telling, they were false in respect of God’s dispensation, and their limiting of him, and in respe6t of their constructing of him.

1.    For the preface, Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolation, Job 21:2. that is, I have spoken much, and ye have taken little heed to it; and seeing ye have spoken much, and little to my comfort, let it be your way of comforting me to hear me speak. Suffer me patiently to speak my mind, and if it be not to purpose, mock on, as if he said, If ye weigh my words well, ye will not have much cause to mock, Job 21:3. And so much the more I seek a hearing of you, because it is not man, but God that I mainly aim at in speaking, and therefore ye would not be so bitter in your censuring me, as to construct me an hypocrite; And if it were so why should not my spirit be troubled? That is, though I were speaking to men, have I any encouragement or advantage from you, why my spirit should not be troubled, or that might mitigate my trouble, Job 21:4. Mark me, consider me, look upon me more narrowly, and observe my condition, carriage and affections, and ye will not cast up my hypocrisy And be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth; I think not upon my case, but I am afraid and astonished at beholding God’s uncouth dispensations towards me, and will ye look upon me, and not be afraid at it? Job 21:5-6.

2.    Having thus prefaced, he refutes Zophar his ground or thesis more generally, to Job 21:27. and then follows the application he aimed at to the fast verse.

long, and after what manner he pleases. 1 st, He nails, that the wicked may not only live, but go to their grave in prosperity, when the godly may be afflicted, from Job 21:7-17. 2dly, He shows, that as he lets some wicked go to their grave in prosperity, so he puts out the candle of many wicked men before that time, from Job 21:17-22. 3dly, He shows the reason of this to be God’s sovereignty, from Job 21:22-27,

1. In the first verse, he lays down his conclusion just applied to Zophar’s. If it be as thou says, wherefore do the wicked live a comfortable and merry life, and become old in that life, and are not taken away so suddenly as ye speak of? Yea, they are mighty in power, and die great, and they do not leave their seed beggars as ye said, but they buy land and homes to them, and see their grandchildren and heirs established in their sight; being great themselves, they lay down a fixed way of living to their posterity, Job 21:8. and not only are their children well, but their dwelling-places also; and the rod of God is not upon them; they have the only happy life that is of it in the world, Job 21:9. Yea, it goes well with their beasts, the wicked man’s husbandry,. his corn, and cattle may thrive best, and fewer maladies come over them than on other folks, Job 21:19. Their children are multiplied and increase like a flock; and are married, and dance, when the godly man’s children may weep for want: They may feast on, and dance on, and none hath such a merry life in the world as they, and are not always taken away as ye said, Job 21:11-12. Yea, they may spend their days in wealth, and die in estimation, and nobody to crave them, as it is, Psalm 73. In a moment they go down to the grave, there is no bands in their death; as there is no judgement seen upon them living, so there is none seen on them in their death; and from all this he would reason, How can ye say, that a wicked man cannot live long without some visible judgement? In the Job 21:14- 15, he sets down the profanity of these men, and how they abuse their prosperity. It is for no blessing, (would he say) that they prosper and thrive so, neither make they any good use of their prosperity, but they are the more godless the better God be to them. They desire not the knowledge of thy ways, nor to hear of thy directions to hem them in, Job 21:14. Yea, they say, What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Ye speak to us of God, and his ways, and put us in fear of a reckoning, and of a judge, but what good will we get of serving God? Look to them that pray most, and see what better they are of it; Setting out the Atheism of profane folks hearts, that thinks religion a fancy, Job 21:15. In Job 21:16. we have Job’s sense of this, Lo, their good is not in their hands;

that is, their prosperity is not in their power, although they will boast of it. The counsel of the wicked is far from me, I am far from the way of that sort of men, my heart abhors it. 2dly, He proves this the second way, that as he lets many wicked men live and die in prosperity, so he hath seen some others of them die ere the half of their days be gone, and their candle put out, and destruction to seize upon them ere they wit; and this proves their good is not in their hand yea, the wicked’s portion is sorrows, and God distributes them in his anger, Job 21:17. They are as stubble, they cannot more endure God’s indignation, or any judgement he brings on them, than the dry stubble or chaff can bid the stormy wind; they have no solid root or foundation in themselves, Job 21:18. And God’s anger ends not with the wicked man’s death, but he layeth up the punishment of his iniquity to his children, and rewards, or recompenses him justly, and he shall know it, that is, he shall see a feasible judgement pursuing them. The judgement of God shall follow their children, that walk in their steps, or though the children be gracious, they may share of their wicked fathers temporal rod as Jeroboam’s child did. But if hypocrites be spared for their own time till death, what care they what become of their children? He answers, Job 21:20. His eyes shall see his destruction in his own time, and the cup of God’s wrath in a deep draught shall be put in his hand, and he made to drink it, and a reason is given, Job 21:21. For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst? A reason why God will not only punish the hypocrite in his children, but oftimes in his own person, because a wicked man, when the time he hath set to himself is cut off, he cares not what comes after him; therefore God brings a stroke, and lets him see it in his own time. 3dly, He joins both these steps, in giving the reason of this dispensation from God’s sovereignty, from Job 21:22-27. Seeing, would he say, ye see that God takes this different way in letting some hypocrites live and die in prosperity, and putting out the candle of others before death, would ye limit God? Is it meet, that ye give God, who is Judge of all the world, a lesson? Should not God, who made the world, get leave to guide the world, to spare whom

he will, and cross whom he will? Job 21:22. This he enlarges in an instance or comparison, there is, says he, two wicked men, and God lets the one of them live prosperously and at ease, and they never know a cross, but he is like a fatted beast for his temporal estate; and the other of them, it may be, no worse, lives in bitterness, and is tortured every day with one cross upon the back of another, and never gets a meal of meat with contentment, and yet they are alike in their death; the earth becomes a bed to both, the worms becomes sheets and blankets to them and covers them; and there are as many worms in the one as in the other, Job 21:23-26.

2. He comes from Job 21:27.; to the last verse, to apply what he hath said to that which he aimed at, for Zophar and the other two sought to bind it on Job, that he was a wicked man, and an hypocrite, because he was so sorely dealt with. Behold, I know your thoughts, I know ye have not said all that ye have exprest for nought, but I have a guess what you mean, Job 21:27. And he repeats the argument they brought against him, Job 21:28. Ye say, where is the house of the prince? Ye think, because such a stroke is come on me, my children smitten, my family scattered, my prosperity gone, and I brought in a sudden to such a low condition, that I am the wicked man, and the hypocrite that ye have been speaking of, but it is not so. And Job 21:29. he proves their argumentation is not valid, Have ye not asked them that go by, and do ye not know their tokens? Ask the poorest that goes by the gate, and their observations will be these that follow, Job 21:30. The poorest can tell you, that wicked men are not ay punished in this life, wrath is abiding them, I grant, but it is not always poured out here, or as the words may be turned, Destruction is keeped up from them, yet they are keeped to the day of wrath. He illustrates this in a second reason, Job 21:31. show me, who is there that will buckle with wicked men to cross or oppose them? They are in such power and prosperity, and so proud of it, that they have always protection in their pride. Whatever folks think, who dare speak it to their face, and tho’ they do wrong, who dare repay them, or take amends of them? Do not all rather stoop under them? Yet Job 21:32. the wicked man shall be brought to the grave quietly, and have as honourable a burial, and have as much rest and ease as any other. The clods of the valley, or the feal or turf shall be laid, on his corps, as well as on the corps of any other; and as he sleeped away like another man, so he shall he get that common rest in the grave that others get, whatever become of his immortal spirit. There shall be nothing singular in his death more than in a godly man’s, Job 21:33. How then

pretend ye either to convince, or comfort me, seeing ye do it without weight, and the grounds ye go upon are unsound? And thus he reproves them, which is the last part of the chapter, Job 21:34.

Observations.

I.    From the general scope, observe, it is a part of God’s sovereignty and wisdom in ordering the world, to make no difference in respect of outward things betwixt the wicked and godly, or one wicked man and another; but the wicked will sometime be afflicted, sometime in prosperity, as well as godly men, to draw folks eyes off external dispensations, to read God’s love in some other thing. If God’s love goes not ay with creatures, so neither goes it always with rods, he will sometime distribute wrath to wicked men in this life, Ecclesiastes 9:1- 2. No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him; all things come alike to all, &c.

II.    Oftimes prosperity occasions folks to vent their Atheism more than adversity: It is true, adversity will hugely press it out, This ill is of the Lord, said that wicked king, why should f wait any longer? But see what the text says here, Job 21:14-15. prosperity is a curse to wicked men, and it is a fearful snare to be in it, and want the sanctified use of it; therefore labour for the sanctified use of what ye have. Better ye never had house nor table, nor riches, than that they should become a snare, and yet such is the condition of many.

III.    There is no more foolish thing than to take upon us to guide God in guiding the world, Job 21:22. It implies two things. 1. That we are given to do so, and to fret against God, when his dispensations suits not our humour. 2. That there is no foolisher way nor this, this is God’s exposition of folks fretting at wicked men’s getting up to power, and godly men’s being born down. Shall men teach God knowledge? God knows best what is meet, and, who should be up and who down, Isaiah 45:9. Shall the potsheards of the earth strive with their Maker; Job 40:9. Romans 9:20 and 11:34. Are ye able to advise him? We exhort you in this particular, not to fret at God’s dispensation towards his people. When your heart says, Such a thing is not right, ye say, God is not wise enough, and take upon you to teach him.

IV.    The state that all are running to is the grave, all have gone to it, and all will follow on, worms will cover all,

and be sheets to all. Be convinced, and convince yourselves of this, that ere long ye will be like worms, and lie among worms. It is often in this book, and to be thought on by us. Nebuchadnezzar, that was the greatest man on earth, and had never a cross, yet comes to the grave, and gets that for his feather-bed and sheets, and the clods and worms to cover him, Isaiah 14:11. Look for, and make you for such a bed. It is a wonder so many die, and we are witnesses of it, and yet we forget, that we ourselves will die and come to be covered with clods, and have the worms creeping through us. Let the consideration hereof stir us up to labour to have the image of Christ stamped on the body, and that will make it shine, for it will be an ugly spectacle when the vile body shall rise at a distance with Christ, and be deformed and destitute of his image.

Chapter 22.

THIS is the beginning of the third contest that Job’s friends, at least two of them, hath with him; we heard the scope and sum of their debate before. They have a mind solidly to humble Job, and fit him for the promises of mercy, they set themselves to convince him of his guilt and hypocrisy, that by forcing him to take with that, they may have the better ground to apply the promises of mercy to him; But they exceed, 1. In limiting God to guilt as the cause of afflictions. 2. In judging Job while they are not content to make him a sinful man, except he also be an hypocrite, that hath nothing of the grace of God in him.

The chapter hath two parts, 1. Eliphaz charge to Job, to Job 22:21. 2. His exhortation to Job, containing his scope, not to seclude him from mercy, but to make his acquaintance with God, that he might come by it, from Job 22:21. to the end.

The charge hath two parts. 1st, He charges him for justifying himself to Job 22:12. 2dly, He charges him with gross and atheistical thoughts of God, which he professes to have gathered out of Job’s tenets, as so many consequences thereof, from Job 22:12-21.

For the first charge, he follows it two ways. 1. More generally, that tho’ Job was just, what advantage can he plead God hath by it, Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be unto himself? Suppose thou wert righteous and sincere, and had done all that God requires of thee, what doth God profit by that means? A man walking so may profit himself, but God is without the reach of man’s good or ill; no man’s good extends to him more than his ill. A second argument is, Job 22:3. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? As thy being righteous brings no profit to God, so it brings no new delight to him; Can there be any addition to God’s perfect blessedness for you to boast and vaunt of your righteousness? Is it gain to him? ( For all their interrogations supposes their negatives); and what then can the end be that thou hast before thee in that way? A third argument is, Job 22:4. Will he reprove thee for fear of thee, or will he enter with thee into judgement? As thy good can do God no good, so thy evil cannot hurt God; Will he reprove thee for fear that thou by thy way of

living hurt him? Or, it is a comparison from judges that put a man from a being hurtful, making an end of him; the scope is, to tell that God chastens not without a ground; as is he had said; it is either because thou hast done wrong, or for fear thou do wrong, that he deals thus with thee. Now, God needs not fear thy doing him wrong, therefore thou hast: done him wrong, that provokes him thus to handle thee. Or, will he enter with thee into judgement? for fear of-thee, is here to be repeated? To tell, that God is not swayed in executing judgement, either by man’s ill or good. This is a doctrine that is true and sound, but ill applied; for he is not here pleading for God’s sovereignty, but to prove Job a wicked man, because he was so oddly handled. This he follows out, Job 22:5. Is not thy wickedness great? Is it not of a high nature? And thy iniquity infinite for number? Are not thy sins great, and many of them? And if God had not laid his hand upon thee, thou hadst sinned on This general charge he follows in particulars, all tending to make out his cruelty and covetousness.

1.    Thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, there was no friend that thou pitted, and, he says, He took the pledge for nought, to point out these ways that Job sought advantage of his poor friends beyond the worth of any thing he gave them.

2.    And thou hast stripped the naked of their clothing. If any poor body was owing thee, though they had nothing but a brat 69 to cover them, thou took it from them, and sent them naked to beg their bread, Job 22:6. 3dly, Thou hast not given water to the weary. Thou wast that unmerciful, that thou would not give a drink of water to a weary body; and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry, when thou hadst bread enough in thy house, but thou would not give a piece, to them that were like to starve, (as the word is) a height of uncharitableness, Job 22:7.; he aggreges, Job 22:8. Though thou hadst no respect to poor men, yet thou made off and fanned70 upon great men, who had abundance of the world, when thou rode over poor folk; and, in the Job 22:9. goes on in this, under widows and fatherless, comprehending all poor folks that have no protection, and alledges he undid them: The little portion they had, thou soon spoiled them of it, (would he say) and sent them away with

69 A poor or ragged garment

70 fawned?

nothing. The arms being that which upholds or supports, the breaking of them is the taking from them any thing they had to maintain them, or be a life to them, or the destroying of it; the meaning is, wherever he could win over, he ran over all, were they never so poor or indigent they found no mercy; upon this, from Job 22:10. to Job 22:12. he infers the justness of God’s punishing or afflicting him in four similitudes, as if he said, ye need not think it strange, that God so afflicts you, ye have been such a cruel man, Therefore snares are about you, as hunters deal with beasts, or fowlers with fowls, so God deals just so with you. And, 2dly, sudden fear, or an alarm, affrights, troubles, or surprises you, Job 22:10. 3dly, Darkness, that thou canst not see; thou art like a man, that walks in the darkness, that knows not where to go, nor where he is. 4thly, Abundance of waters cover thee, judgement is come on thee like a flood, holding out the greatness of Job’s sin, and the inevitableness of wrath and judgement therefore, to his conception. Now we see from Job 31.; that Job was free of their sins he was charged with here, he was so far from taking cloths from these poor friends, that he made them cloths of his own wool, and fed the hungry, &c. and when God comes in to speak, he justifies Job, and condemns his friends. Therefore this uncharitable charging him with their particular sins, flows partly from a mistake, partly from passion, and partly from the principles he maintained, that where great affliction was, there behoved to be great sins, and he instances by guess a number of particulars.

The second part of the charge is for his gross and atheistical thoughts of God, as if he said, Job ye were ay sinning, and thought God would not find you out, nor take notice of you, yet now he hath discovered you. The first ground for this is, Job 22:12. Is not God in the height of heaven? God is a high Majesty, he is more sovereign, nor the highest imaginations man can reach. Behold the height of the stars, the stars are the highest thing we see, and yet God is higher, depending on none, but having all depending on him, giving orders to all, and receiving orders from none. This is true doctrine, which he brings in Job contradicting, Job 22:13. Thou hast said in thy prosperity, how does God know? As the wicked man is brought in, saying,

Psalm x. 11. God hath forgotten; he hideth his face, he will never see it, till God found thee out, thou wast careless and regardless of God, as if he saw not. And how can he judge through the dark cloud? Implying Job’s secure way of living, as if this were true of God. There is such atheism in thy heart, that because God is above the clouds, and thou seest not him, thou thinkest the clouds cover God, so as he cannot see nor judge thee; and thou thinkest, that he walks in the circuit of heaven, as if he were regardless of men on earth, Job 22:14. This hath been the language of your heart, which may be read in your practice. But Job was far from any such thing; having bound this conclusion on Job, he labours to refute him, and yet so as to bear it in upon him he was such, by showing his way hath been the same with the way of wicked men before him. Hast thou marked the old way, &c. Job 22:15-16. Job, if ye had taken heed to the way of wicked men, and compared it with yours, and if ye had marked God’s judgement on them, ye would have known God’s dealing with you not to be unlike, and that God takes notice of men like you, he hath respect to the old world, for they were cut down out of time, because they were taken away by an extraordinary judgement before the ordinary time of death, their foundation was overflown with a flood. 2dly, He describes these men with a special respect to Job, Job 22:17. They were Atheists, and had a way of living like yours, which said unto God, depart from us; we exponed their words, Job 21:14-15. They had no will of nearness with Cod, in respect of taking direction from him, or giving obedience to him, and they give a reason of it. What can the Almighty do for them? They had a fair life in prosperity, and thought God could not make them better. It is like that word, Malachi 3:14-15. Ye have said, it is vain to serve God: and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordinance, and that we walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the proud happy: yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. And like Senacherib’s word, Isaiah 36:20. and like Pharaoh’s word, Exodus 2.; and some others. 3dly, He refutes their Atheism, Job 22:18. Yet he filled their houses with good things, there was nothing in their house but they had it of God, plenishing, meat, drink, and all; and he rejects this horrible blasphemy of theirs; The counsel of the wicked is far from me, which words Job had spoken before, Job 21:16. and Eliphaz repeats them with a reflection on Job, that he was far from taking it on him, (as he alledges Job did), to justify wicked men. In the Job 22:19-20. verses, he goes on to prove the same thing, and to overturn that which Job

held, that wicked men might live, and die in prosperity, The righteous see it, and are glad, that is, the righteous see the destruction of such wicked men and therefore it is applied by some to Noah, but it is best to take it in the general. Righteous men, that pity poor folk, as thou hast not done, rejoice to see God give a proof of his justice on them. Whereas our substance is not cut down, taking in his friends, and other godly men, in opposition to Job, and other wicked men. God hath set an hedge about us and our goods, it is not cut down; But the remnant of them the fire consumeth, that is, the remnant of the wicked, and their substance, some judgement lights on them, and it may be he respects the fire that came on Job’s substance; he puts Job in with wicked men, and himself, in with godly men too proudly.

The second part of the chapter contains his exhortation to Job. It is proposed, Job 22:21-22. and even backed with reasons, as if he said, Job, if ye would take a right gate to happiness, take you to another gate of living nor ye have been upon. Acquaint now thyself with God, the word is ordinary conversing, and he subjoins an argument, Thereby good shall come unto thee, thou shalt have all prosperity and happiness. A second exhortation is, Job 22:22. in answer to a question, What way shall I make acquaintance and converse with God? Receive the law from his mouth, prescribe not to God, live not after your own will, but receive his will revealed in his word, and walk according to it; Lay up his words in thy heart, be careful to keep them when thou hast received them, that they may be a rule for thy practice. And if he will take this gate, he proceeds to promises, Job 22:23. Job, if ye take my counsel, and turn to God, your desolations shall be built up, God shall make up all your losses; and if ye put away iniquity from your tabernacle, ye shall indeed be just, ye shall not be oppressing, and wronging, as ye have been, if ye take this course; or it may be taken for the punishment of iniquity; the curse of God that is lying on thee, and all thou hast, shall be taken off thee. A second promise is, Job 22:24. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust; Job, ye loved riches well, and if ye take this way of it, ye shall have enough; they are hyperbolic expressions, to show by turning to God, he shall have abundance of that he loved best. 3dly, Yea, besides that, Job 22:35. Thou shalt have a better mercy, the Almighty shall be thy defence. And this third promise is beyond all that he promised before. Thou shalt not only have plenty, but thou shalt enjoy it. A fourth promise is, Job 22:26. and a reason of that which goes before, and it is a more spiritual promise, as if

he said, Ye have been taken up with seeking contentment among the creatures, but by turning to God ye shall have more delight in God nor in all the world beside, and ye shall have access to God with boldness, and lift up your face before him. 5. Another spiritual promise is, Job 22:27. ye made a fashion of prayer before, and got little hearing, but if ye return to God, and make acquaintance with him, and be holy in your walking, what ye seek of God, ye shall get; ye shall pray for delivery, and get it; and God shall give you occasion to vow, and pay your vows; he shall get an evidence of God’s hearing him, and he than be thankful. 6thly, Yea, Job 22:28. whereas before ye had many purposes and projects, and they were all broken, ye shall thrive in what ye undertake, and the light shall shine upon thy ways, God’s countenance, and owning of thee, shall make thy proceedings and success heartsome. A seventh promise is, Job 22:29. when ye shall see many cast down, ye may say in your particular experience, God hath lifted you up; and by this, I know there is a way of God’s lifting up of them that are brought low, and he backs this with a new insinuation as a motive, God shall save the humble person; and Job 22:30, closes with another promise, as a second motive to take his counsel; it contains two expressions tending to the same thing, if thou be such a humble person, thou shalt not only do good to thyself by thy prayers, but thou halt deliver others, or as it is on the margin, His prayers shall have weight to prevail with God, for the island of the innocent, or, the innocent shall deliver the island. It is spoken in the second person to confirm Job the more; it shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands, thou halt have the same promise and privilege that the humble person hath to be helpful to the saving of others besides thee.

Observations.

I.    From the first part of the words, observe, to how great a height mistakes may come, and grow very unjustly. Eliphaz, a wise and gracious man, charges such horrible things on Job as is a wonder. We would beware of venting our apprehensions and mistakes of folks, and study patience when mistakes are charged on us.

II.    Lay all the promises he makes to Job together, they depend on his making his acquaintance with God, and the doctrine is found, especially in reference to the spiritual blessings. Observe. There is blessing upon blessing attending folks that make their acquaintance with God, and receive the law from his mouth, who seek to be

friends, and to live friendly with him. In our hard condition, and manifold straits, when no other thing can promise happiness, it were good to take this course. Grow in the right uptaking of God, and use making of him, in which true acquaintance with God consists.

Chapter 23.

WE heard a sharp charge, and we may say a very unreasonable challenge, wherewith Job is challenged by Eliphaz, in the former chapter; in these two, Job 23-24.; we have Job’s answer, wherein he does two things in reference to Eliphaz’s charge. 1. He vindicates himself from the many great faults imputed to him by Eliphaz, and clears his innocency, Job 23. And, 2dly, he confutes the ground which Eliphaz laid, which was the rise of his charge, that is, the alledged prosperity of godly men, and God’s dealing well with them, and the severity of his dealing with wicked men, Job 24.

He clears his innocency in this chapter two ways. 1 st, In his expressing of his confidence, that he dare go to God with his cause, and expect a comfortable hearing, to Job 23:11. 2dly, He shows the grounds of his confidence in the testimony of his conscience, holding forth the straightness of his way. In both which he removes some doubts and objections which might be started against him. Ye think much (would he say) of my words and expressions, and wonder at my impatience, but ye consider little the cause I have to complain, if. ye knew the verity ye would not charge so hardly, Even to-day is my complaint bitter, and my stroke is heavier than my groaning. The weight God hath laid upon me is beyond what my groaning expresses, Job 23:2. Then Job 23:3. he propones the first way of clearing his innocency, O that I knew where I might find him, &c. I need not fruitlessly acknowledge my complaint to you, for I get little hearing, but I durst come before God with it, and if I knew his seat, if I could get him in that capacity men are in, I would think no shame to come that near him. And Job 23:4. if I were admitted to speak to him, I could draw up the grounds of my cause orderly, as men use to order battles in squadrons, I would muster my reasons to defend my sincerity, and multiply arguments; My cause is so good, that I think God cannot condemn me, but he would tell me the cause of this strange dealing, that ye have not yet touched: This may be approven in reference to his friends, in defence of his particular cause with them; yet it seems too much boldness in respect of God, and his fault is, his leaving his friends, and his betaking himself to God so boldly, without considering his due distance for which God reproves him, Job 23:38 Object. Dare ye contend with God, Job? Answer: Job 23:6-7. If he would plead with me in his

power, I durst not plead with him; but he would not take that way with me, but the way of grace, and if he came to ask a question at me, he would give me wherewith to answer; he would put in a strengthening word, as it is in the original, and this agrees well with that which follows, Job 23:7. There, that is, before the throne of his grace, where God takes not an absolute way of pleading with creatures, the righteous might dispute with him, might in a rational way, if he have grace, plead sincerity, and for mercy, and there I am sure of a sentence in my favours, and for ever to be absolved and not called to a reckoning. Object. But Job, how is it that ye would so fain have God to reason your cause before him? He is near to all, and you in particular? He answers, Job 23:8-9. it is true, he is near me in his absolute providence; but I cannot get him near me in this sensible way of gripping to him as I would have him; I know he is near me in the effects of his providence, but I have sought to get a sight of him in another way, and that which I would have is not yet come. I take much pains to get him manifesting himself to me, and setting a day to me for clearing my cause, but for as near as he is, I cannot get near to him, he hides himself from me, in respect of that way I would see him in; and he gives the reason of this, Job 23:10. But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Though he keep a sovereign deep-drawn way towards me; which will not do my turn, he must condescend to a more familiar way; yet I am confident, though I cannot get to him, he knows what I am doing, and though he seem now to misken71, he will not do so still; and though he let me lie still for a while in this trial, I shall come out of this affliction like gold more shining; I shall get a sentence from him, that shall make my innocence more clear, and the relicts of corruption in me shall also get a dead stroke, and so I shall also be more clear. And this is brought in partly to answer an objection, for it might be said, Job, your cause is not so good as you call it from God himself; he answers, When I am tried, I shall come forth as gold, and partly to encourage himself, that God in due time can clear his innocency.

In the second part of the chapter, he shows the ground of his confidence, holding forth the straightness of his way; for it may be said, Job, this is far said, What ground have ye to be thus confident of a clearing? He

71 not recognize me

answers, My foot hath held his steps, I know well I will get a clearing, and his sentence in my favours, for I have imitate him in the way wherein he hath gone before me, and carved out to me, without declining to the right or left-hand, Job 23:11-12. he goes on in this ground, Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips, I made conscience to follow every direction he gave me, or, I meditate upon the commandments of his lips, because men use to give directions with their lips; he held him by God’s steps, that he wont not the wrong way, and when he was in the right he sat not up in it. I have esteemed the words of his lips more than my necessary food, I would have been loath to neglect one of his commandments, for I thought more of his word, nor of my dinner or supper. It is the same word that is, Proverbs 30. 8. his respect to the word was not like his respect to his superfluities, but that which he had to his meat, which he could not be sustained without. Object. But Job, if, ye were so righteous and religious a man as ye say, how could God so afflict you? He answers this from God’s sovereignty, Job 23:13-14. But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him. That is, we must not limit God to our way, he hath a way of his own, which none can put him off, He is of one mind, that is, he is of one absolute mind, when he hath a purpose to do a thing, neither men’s praying, nor forbearing to pray will divert him; he hath a design of his own, and will take his own will; he will follow his own way, and we are not to bound him, nor can bind him by reasons; and whatever he does, he performs no new thing, but what he hath appointed. And this affliction is carved out for me as well as my daily bread; as the one is statute, so is the other; and he closes this answer with this, Many such things are with him, that is, we must not think to plumb the deep of his sovereignty in this and many other things; he takes his own sovereign way of doing things, which we cannot reach. Then he closes the chapter with showing the ground of his complaint, and the consistence of it with his innocency, for it might be said, Job, what needs you then so complain? He answers, Job 23:15. it is not my ill conscience, but the majesty of God, and his absolute way of proceeding, I am troubled at his presence, I dare scarcely think of God, and when I consider his greatness and absoluteness that folks cannot take up, I am afraid, and it is that, that makes me complain, and not there things that ye cast up to me. This he confirms, Job 23:16. For God makes my heart soft, for as stout a heart as I have,

he makes it melt like wax for feebleness, for it is not man that I have ado with, but the Almighty. And the grounds of this his trouble we have, Job 23:17. Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face, &c. wherein there are two reasons of his fear and trouble. 1. Dark affliction, which is often exprest under darkness, he is afraid of that, because God took him not away before that came on him; and it may include a wondering, that he is not taken away under all this darkness of affliction. 2. Neither hath be covered the darkness from my face, that is, neither hath he taken any way to mitigate my affliction, to hide the ugly face of it from me; he hath neither taken me from my affliction, nor my affliction from me, nor mitigate the same unto me.

Observations.

I.    In all this chapter, we may look upon Job as failing in this, in leaving off to complain of his friends, and venting his complaint over-much on God. Observe. When men give too much way to complaints, ere they end, readily they rub on God himself, therefore there is nothing that folks could be more cautious in than in their complaints, least they put themselves in the lists with God.

II.    From Job 23:8-9. where he holds forth God’s absoluteness, that for as much pains as he took to see God, he could not get a sight of him. Observe. That when God hath a mind to exercise one, he will not give distinctness of access to him, but tho’ they seek, they will not get him; and this is one of the hardest exercises that souls are put to; and yet God will put to it, partly to make their affliction an exercise, partly to let souls know, that his presence is not ay tied to affliction. If folks got always God’s presence in affliction, they would be vain and conceity in their own eyes, and not be humbled under God’s hand; therefore to learn them to stoop, he will both afflict and hide his face. Therefore for use, propone72 no limits to God; no dispensation carries God alongst with it, and we would trust to none of them.

III.    From Job 23:10. But he knows the way that I take, see a notable piece of Christian wisdom and courage,

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when he misses God, and can ground nothing on his knowing of God, he grounds something on God, and his knowledge of him. Observe. That tho’ affliction be without, and terror and confusion he within the soul; it should not mar confidence, there is some grip to faith to hing by, even then when we look to God in himself, IV. From the grounds of his confidence, Job 23:11-12. Observe 1. That there is nothing can maintain confidence under a hard and heavy exercise, except it be backed with a good conscience; therefore when he promises to himself to come shining out of the trial, he lays down the ground of a good conscience as the reason of his confidence; and how little soever this be thought of before trial come, yet when any hard exercise comes, it will be known what a tender conscience was, and though it be by God’s free mercy that any come to heaven, yet ye will have ado with a good conscience; and if it be a missing, ye will find an exercise hard to buckle with.

V.    Prom the great estimation he hath of God’s word. Observe. That folks that make conscience of the word of God, and have a mind to live according to it, nothing will bear such sway with them: Or, a right estimation of the word of God, is one of the main things that puts folk right in their walking, and sustains them under crosses. There was nothing he thought more of than to get his lesson from God, and grace to follow his lesson in practice. It was more than his appointed food. It is a sore matter there is such ignorance amongst us, and folks care not to learn, though many lessons be given them. If many of you were on your death-bed, it is to be feared few could say, they thought more of God’s word, nor of their appointed food. Job thought it a greater happiness, nor to keep his life; little estimation kything to the word in folks practice, will be ground of a sad challenge,

VI.    He performs the thing that is appointed for me, Job 23:14. He looks to the cross, as he did to his necessary food, to the means appointed by God, as well as the other. Observe. That folks crosses are as necessary, and as well carved out, appointed and bounded of God, as their daily bread; which should learn us to welcome crosses, to bear them well, and to look to a higher hand under crosses than we use to do.

Chapter 24.

We heard what is the matter that Job answers in these two chapters; having in the former chapters cleared himself of many foul faults that Eliphaz charged him with, here he overturns the principle that Eliphaz had laid down, and which led to these absurdities; for he and the rest of his friends could not think but that Job, who was so afflicted, was a wicked man, and hence they lay another conclusion, That wicked men go not away unplagued of God, Job, as before, Job 21.; overthrows this ground, showing, that wicked men live and die without remarkable judgements.

He passes from that which he was defending by way of transition, Job 24:1. Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him, not see his days? Why dispute ye to maintain that question, as if God’s judgements were ay remarkable on wicked men? He grants by way of concession, that there is a time set for the destruction of wicked men; but tho’ God knows, and hath a set time for their destruction, think ye, (would he say) that that time is always known to men. These times are known by the Almighty, but they that know him, that is, these that are nearest God, know his ways and counsel are so deep, that they cannot tell before hand what shall befal wicked men; they cannot see his days, or observe God’s judgement by any thing that they see. And he proves through the chapter, that many wicked men have lived profanely, and died without any remarkable judgement coming on them to the observation of others, and this he does in three steps, from the Job 24:2-13, is his first instance or proof in the oppressor and violent man, Some take away the land mark: Nothing was more sacred, nor more punctually looked to, nor the keeping of right marches, and there was no greater iniquity, nor the removing of them, yet, there are some that do remove them, and yet are spared, and some take away other folks flocks, and that violently, and feed upon them, Job 24:2. And if there be a fatherless person, that hath but an ass to gain their living by, or a widow that hath an ox free, they are that merciless that they will take it from them, Job 24:3. And they are so great oppressors, that a poor man dare not meet them in the high way; The poor of the earth hide themselves together, Job 24:4. He goes on to describe their wickedness: Behold, as other men that have callings, go out in the morning to follow it, so their men go out, and

make it their work to live in violence, and as the wild ass (which is described Job 39.) lives in the wilderness, so their folks live rather like beasts than like men, and the wilderness yieldeth them food. It is a bare ground, but they will get something off it, Job 24:5. and their prosperity is such, that none of them wanteth their harvest, and their corn is neither shaken nor rotten, and they gather not only their own, but the vineyards of others, Job 24:6. yea, they are that unmerciful, that they who have few clothes, were it but a blanket left them to keep them from the cold, they will take it from them, and let them lie in the fields without clothes, Job 24:7. and these poor, naked folks, flying from their severe cruelty are glad of a clift of a rock to lie in, Job 24:8. for not only take they their clothes out of their houses, but when they have undone poor folks in any little thing they had; they take any brats73 they have upon them from off them; and if a poor man had but a sheaf of corn to live on, they will bereave him of it, Job 24:9-10. And a further step of their oppression is Job 24:11. They will not give the poor men that work in trading their oil, meat to live upon; but publicly in the city, where the soul of the wounded by their oppression crieth out; and he concludes the proof with this, yet God layeth not folly to them, that is, God reckons not always with them before men, they often die without God’s charging folly on them, to the observation of men.

A second proof to the same purpose in new sins and sinners. 1. Of the murderer, Job 24:13-14. the wicked men that I have been speaking of; and particularly the murderer, are like men that cannot abide the light; They know not the ways thereof, that is, they cannot abide to hear what God directs them. It is a burden to them, or take it literally, they cannot abide to be found out, for they would think shame of it, and this is clear by what follows, Job 24:14. A man that is cruel to his neighbour, the scripture calls a murderer, rises soon with the light, or before it is light, whether literally to kill, or to take his neighbour’s subsistence from him, all is one. And is as a thief in the night, when he gets opportunity he is as a thief, glad to be about with it. 2dly, Of the adulterer, Job 24:15. as the murderer waits for the night, so does the adulterer, and thinks to go so quietly about it, as none shall get wit of it, and lays in his heart, No eye shall see him, and he sets his face in secret; and Job 24:16. in the

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day-time they mark where to get their prey, and set on in the night to obtain it; They know not the light, that is, they cannot be seen in the light. The reason of this is, Job 24:17, The morning to them is as the shadow of death, that is, the day light is a great hindrance to them, and therefore it is to them as if death were at the back of it, lest any should say, Who was in that house, or took away such goods? It is as death to them, for they look for some challenge or shame. He is swift as the water, that is, as he steals and robs in the wilderness so he is a pirate on the seas, He beholds not the way of the vineyards, that is, he cannot abide the place where folk lives, he had rather be in a cursed, wild place for his purpose; thus he describes the wicked to the full; yet to confute Eliphaz, he sets down in a comparison how such men may live and die, Job 24:19-20. Drought and heat consume the snow-waters, so doth the grave those which have sinned. The womb shall forget him, the worm shall feed sweetly on him, he shall be no more remembered, and wickedness shall be broken as a tree. Snow is not ay melted by thaw, or a flush of rain, but sometimes by drought or the heat of the sun insensibly, so does death come on such wicked men. They die so calmly, that the world forgets them; for where folks are taken away by some terrible and remarkable judgement, there is a remembrance of it, but it is not so with them; they go to their grave like other men, and the worms feed on them, and are a banquet or dinner to them; they have a common lot with all men, and are not an upcast, nor remembered as stricken with any palpable judgement; and as a tree that is worm-eaten falls over with little noise, so does many wicked men without remarkable judgement.

A third proof or instance to the same purpose from Job 24:21. He evil intreateth the barren that heareth not; it was a sore cross in these times to be barren, but these men are so cruel and merciless, that they evil intreat such, and are so far from doing good to widows, that they do ill to them; yea, this wicked oppressor is so high, that none eschews him, the mighty are drawn with his power, and when he is angry, there is none sure of his life, so wicked is he to invent, and so powerful to execute, that all tremble to look on him. Job 24:22. Though, is not in the original, but it is given him to be in safety, that is, to be quiet and secure, and he rests on that, Yet his eyes are upon their ways, that is, yet God’s eyes are upon their ways, for Job and his friends knew when God was spoken of, though he was not named. The Lord is taking notice of him, and shall be about with him, Job 24:23.

They are exalted for a little time, they get a little prosperity, but they have no cause to boast of it, for they are soon brought low, and laid among the worms; They are taken out of the way as all other, there is no difference betwixt them and other men in their death, and they are cut off as the tops of the ears of corn; that is, they are not cut down till they be ripe; they die in full age; they are so far from suffering here away, as ye say, Job 24:24. Then he subjoins his conclusion, Job 24:25. If it be not so now, who will make me a lyar? I defy any of you to make out the contrary, and make my speech nothing worth, for as little as ye think of it, this is the truth; it is an appealing to them, that this is a sure truth that none can say against.

So Job here out of his experience clearly proves, that as wicked men might live happy in a world to their outward condition, so they might die without a remarkable evidence of God’s judgement.

Observations.

1. Observe. That it is ill gathering God’s love to folks, either from prosperity in their lifetime, or from a meek and calm manner of dying. The greatest enemies of God on earth may live and die as these spoken of, Psalm 73. It is true, God will by his judgements on some, make the world know sometimes that there is a God that judges in the earth, yet he will spare others of them, because there is a day of judgement coming, at which time he will reckon with them for altogether.

II.    From Job 24:23. Observe. That wicked men desire no more if they get a present happiness, and there is no greater evidence of wicked men, nor to rest satisfied with the things of the world, nor no greater snare to them; think on it, ye that may get more of the world, nor your neighbours, and sits down on it. It is one of the benefits of affliction, that folks are keeped from resting on the things of the world by it, especially when it is blest of God, when as others settle in the world never minding their decaying tabernacle, nor a tribunal of God.

III.    From Job 24:24. Obser. That the wicked man’s prosperity, tho’ he should live and die in it, is but short, were it for an hundred or a thousand years; being compared with eternity, it is but short and not worth naming; and it is an ill change that folks make, when for a short whiles prosperity, they miss eternity of happiness, and fall

under eternal wrath. Look to the frailty of your life while ye prosper; know, ye are but exalted for a time, and remember eternity is on the back of it; we are all wearing on, and see others wearing away; be often thinking on that time, when at an instant ye will pass from time into eternity, and how there will be no up making of losses then; and be not such fools as for the trifles in time, to loss an enduring substance, but learn to make up that in God, that creatures cannot yield you.

Chapter 25.

THIS chapter contains the last onset that Job’s friends have on him, and it is the third onset that Bildad the second friend has. He comes in on the answer that Job had given to Eliphaz, wherein he, 1. vindicates himself from these aspersions Eliphaz charged him with, and appealed to God as judge. And, 2. disputes the common state of the question. Bildad here disputes not the last, either being overcome with Job’s reasons, or because in the first he conceived there was greater occasion given him to pursue Job. Therefore he checks him for his confident appealing to God, and his check runs on this ground, that Job knew not God, he was greater than he could take him up. To which Job answers in Job 34.; not contradicting Bildad; and the rest that follows are Job’s own thoughts, without respect to any particular charge.

In this chapter, Bildad from four grounds checks Job. 1. Dominion, or to rule, is with God; he hath not only absolute power and force, but he has right to rule; and fear and terror is with him. 2. Ground or reason is from the effects of his government, He maketh peace in his high places, God guides the world so, that among the highest of his creatures there is not a mouth can be opened, neither any that dare say ought against his government, Job 25:2. The third ground or reason is, Job 25:3. Is there any number of his armies? He has hosts and armies without number at his command. And the fourth ground is, Upon whom doth not his light arise? Is there any creature upon whom that sun shines not? It is his light that shines on all creatures: Upon these grounds he subsumes, Job 25:4. How then can man be justified with God? Since it be so that God is so absolute, can man, that is God’s creature, so far subordinate to him, be absolved before God, and this he aggreges or inlarges; or, How can he be clean that is born of a woman? Can man, that is such a base creature be clean before God? He follows this in comparison, Job 25:5. Behold, even to the moon, and it shineth not, yea, the stars are not pure in his sight; look to these glorious creatures, sun, moon, and stars, for as glorious as they are, they are not pure in God’s sight; he can espy spots in them, who then dare contest with this God, or plead purity before him? And the comparison

is applied, Job 24:6. How much less man that is a worm, or how much less silly man, or worm man, the word in the original, in the first place, is that sort of worm that breeds in flesh, and that we usually call a maik: Or a worm man, in the second place, is that long worm that breeds in the earth, so the meaning is, if these glorious creatures in the heaven cannot stand before God, how much less vile man? It sets not him to contest with God. Now in all this Bildad speaks sound; but there are two faults in his drift. 1. That he mistaken the main ground of the debate, and takes him to cavil on some of Job’s expressions. 2. That from these expressions he would bear out, that Job knew nothing of the majesty of God.

O B S E R V A T I O N S.

I.    Bildad speaks well of God’s majesty and absolute sovereignty, and it is a wonder to see such tender expressions of God, going along with gross mistakes of Job’s way. but Job’s check insinuates, that he studied more words than rightly to apply them; so it is yet, many from their parts and abilities may speak great words of God and his way, and yet err in application; which should make folks more warry, tender and, humble, and study not so much words, as to be right in the matter itself; for Job passes by words and expressions, and examines the matter and drift of them, and so should we.

II.    Observe, When man is compared with God, it cannot be told of how little worth man is, therefore he is compared to the vilest of worms: it were good and profitable for us often to be laying the greatness and majesty of God, and our vileness and baseness together; and the looking upon these creatures, the worms and maiks, might give us a lesson, and lay our pride.

III.    When God and man are rightly compared, or men consider God and themselves rightly, it heightens the excellency of God. If we have low thoughts of God, we have high thoughts of ourselves, and is we have low thoughts of ourselves, we have high thoughts of God; therefore labour to have our eye filled with the greatness and absoluteness of God, and that wilt bring us to right thoughts of ourselves.

Chapter 26.

JOB offended at Bildad’s answer, replies two things to it, 1. In the first four verses, he checks him for speaking to no purpose. 2. From Job 26:5. to the end, he shows he could speak of the majesty of God, and had no more mind to wrong him than he, but had respect to him in his soul, however his infirmities kythed and therefore ought not so to be interpret.

1.    His checking of Bildad is by way of irony, How hast thou helped him that is without power? Bildad, ye have done a mighty deed, ye think ye have done bravely to it; ye came to help a poor man, and to plead for God, as if he had needed your help, and ye have lifted me up well that is lying under your feet, Job 26:2. Now hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom. Ye think me a fool that wants counsel, or (take it in reference to God) as the former also, ye come in well to speak, as if he needed your counsel, and think ye have abundantly declared the debate, and taken up the matter as it is, ye have done much to it now; he means ye have done nothing to it at all, Job 26:3. To whom hast thou spoken thy words? If ye have spoken for God, he needs none of them, and is to me, they are not new; I know all that ye have said. And whole spirit came from thee? i.e. of whose spirit savours these words? or take it in reference to Job. The meaning is, whose spirit is refreshed by these comforts ye propone? Who think ye are revived in spirit by these your speeches?

2.    To let Bildad see he has no mind to wrong God more nor he, he sets out God’s greatness in several steps. 1. In his power, secretly putting life and keeping life in the creatures, even in these creatures that men see not; fishes in the sea and waters, or under the waters, in the body of the earth, which is as their womb, whether they be minerals or roots of plants; God maketh them conceive there, as in a womb, and sustains them by his power, and this he extends to the inhabitants both in the sea and the earth. God gives them all a being, Job 26:5. A second instance, Hell is open before him, we take it literally for hell, because there is here a gradation, and afterward it is called destruction, God, saith he, has a dominion over hell, Job 26:6. 3dly, He stretcheth out the north, (that part of the heaven which was in their view,

and is in ours now) over the empty place, and there is no contiguity betwixt it and the earth, but a void; and hangs the earth upon nothing; by his power he hangs the world in the air upon nothing, having neither prop nor pillar to support it, but is as a point or globe in the circumference of the heavens. A fourth evidence or instance is, Job 26:8. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them, God is great in power, and I know it by this, that though the waters in the firmament are a heavier body nor the clouds that ate an airy body, yet the clouds break not till God let a shower fall through. 5. In the Job 26:9, He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it; when I look to God’s throne, I see much, yea, inaccessible majesty in it; and this he expresses in God’s covering of it, and spreading a cloud over it. He will not let his glary out and kyth on the creatures, for a blink of it would consume and eat them up; therefore as Moses put a Vail on his face when he spoke with the children of Israel so he puts these heavens betwixt his glory and us, which is called the spreading of a cloud betwixt him and us, that we in the state of mortality may have a being before him for a time, for if the firmament were away, his glory would consume creatures. 6. Evidence is Job 26:10. of his setting bounds to the seas, that it is a wonder how God hedges it up with a pickle74 sand, but he does it by his decree; and this decree stands till the day and night come to an end. 7. The pillars of heaven tremble; if God would speak, and give a word of reproof in his anger, heaven and earth would shake and tremble, Job 26:11. 8. He devides the sea by his power, God is not bounded to an ordinary way as we are; though man cannot divide the sea, neither knows he how to be about with proud tyrants, he can smite through pride itself as the word is; whether this relates to the Red-sea and Pharaoh, we will not say, for the word is Rahab, but it is like this was written before that time, However he is speaking of God’s absolute power, Job 26:12. 9. By his spirit, i.e. by the glorious third person of the Trinity, that Genesis 1:2. moved upon the face of the waters, he hath garnished the heavens, and he that hath set the firmament with such pearls, and made it so glorious, must be much more glorious in himself; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent, Job 26:13. that is, the greatest and most monstrous

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creatures in the earth or sea, rather than that sign in the heaven, for to take it, so it answers his scope; and in the last verse, Lo these are a part of his ways, when we have spoken all this of God and his ways, they are but parts of God’s ways, their extent tie us, and the infinite number of them cannot be taken up; And how little a portion is heard of him? All that ye and Job both have spoken, or that can be heard from any of him, is but a little portion of that which is in him; and a third word is added, But the thunder of his power, who can understand? Take God in his infiniteness, whereof the thunder is but a little evidence, or look to the attributes of God kything in that one mark, who can understand his infiniteness in that and other works? I defy all men, angels, and saints to understand it. They are but all finite creatures that ye and I have been speaking of, but his infiniteness is far above them, So Job well and sharply checks Bildad, yet speaks tenderly and humbly of the majesty of God.

Observations.

1.    In general, Observe. That if folks would study the art of knowing God, there is nothing they look upon among the creatures in heaven or earth, but it may wonderfully set out God, not a look to the firmament, nor to the earth, and its hanging upon nothing; nor to the void betwixt the heaven and the earth; nor to his giving and preserving life in all creatures; nor to the clouds covering the face of his throne, etc. but it shows the majesty, power, and goodness of God; make this use of God’s creatures, not only in word, but in deed, and in effect.

2.    In the last verse, he quites the uptaking of God, as that which cannot be win at. Observe. These that study God most, will find him incomprehensible, and he is never rightly studied till he be found so to he, and here are three words well put together. These are but a part of his ways, and how little a portion of him is heard, when ye and I, and all the world have spoken of him; And who can underhand the thunder of his power? None in all the world can take up that. Think and speak reverently of the majesty of God. Set all the world together, they cannot take up the glory of that majesty we are called to profess and worship.

Chapter 27.

JOB’s friends are now at a stand. He had given an answer to the last onset of Bildad, and it seems there hath been an interruption, Job ceasing and waiting for a time to see if any of them would reply, but none of them speaking, either because they thought Job was obstinate, or because they had not much more to say, they cede now to him (in discourse, yet not convinced in the matter), and Job goes on in his purpose, and clears himself from the aspersions they put upon him.

Moreover Job continued his parable, and said; after some interruption, he began to speak in an excellent, altho’ in a dark way; and in this two chapters, the Job 27.; 28.; has one continued discourse, wherein he asserts (and with confidence) his integrity to Job 27:7. And, 2dly, he removes two objections, that his confident asserting of his integrity was liable to. The first objection, look and see Job if ye in asserting your integrity, be not a brave advocate for, and complier with wicked men; to this he answers, from Job 27:7. to the end of the chapter. A second objection, If it be so that God always punishes wicked men, why dispute ye against us who maintain the same thing, and say ye are plagued of God for your wickedness: To this he answers in the next chapter, and tells, that though God does always punish wicked men, yet he hath a secret way of doing it oftimes, that it is not obvious to the world; and therefore they were not to limit God to rules conceived by them, and draw conclusions from that, that he was wicked because under trouble.

For the first part his asserting his integrity, it hath four things in it. 1. An asseveration, As God lives, who hath taken away my judgement, who leaves me as a condemned man, so long as I live I will not quite my integrity. It is an entire ground, which is alerted by way of asseveration, bearing these particulars. 1. As the Lord lives, ordinarily was an oath even among the Hebrews. 2. Will ye attest God, who seems to condemn you, and takes away the sentence of your absolution? He answers, Job 27:3. All the while my breath is in me, to show the inconstancy of his life, it is but a breathing, and the spirit of God, that is, the spirit that is from God, is in my nostrils, my lips shall not speak wickedness, I shall not assert this untruth that ye bind upon me, that I am a hypocrite, for that were lying against the grace of God in me, and uttering wickedness and deceit, Job 27:4.

The second assertion is in the fifth and sixth verses, God forbid that I should justify you; let it not be, let my soul abhor such a thing. What he spoke more obscurely before, he holds it forth more clearly, My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; he does not absolve himself before God, but stands for his own uprightness and sincerity; My heart shall not reproach me, in this defence of my righteousness, for I do it with a good conscience; or, I will not lye against the grace of God in me, to give my heart or tongue occasion to condemn me, for speaking against God’s grace, and siding with temptation.

In the second part, from Job 27:7. to the end, he declares, that he abhors as much as any, siding and complying with wicked men, though they thrive in the world for a time; and he answers the doubt two ways. 1, Though the wicked had prosperity all their days, there is another thing would not let him chose to be a wicked man, his present delight in God, and hope of heaven, that the wicked man hath not, to Job 27:12. 2. Tho’ some wicked men be spared, yet others meet with judgement in this life, and some time all will meet with it, from Job 27:13. to the end.

1. If any thing be worse nor another, they wish it to their enemies, and he says, he is so far from esteeming of or complying with wicked men, that he could wish for no worse to his enemy than he wishes to them, and he gives some reasons of this. 1. What has the hypocrite gained when God takes away his soul; he hath not hope of heaven, and I would not loss my hope of heaven for all his gain, Job 27:8. A second reason, why he casts at the wicked for all his prosperity, Job 27:9. Because the wicked have no access to God in prayer, and he would not want access to God in prayer under his trouble for all their happiness. A third reason is, Job 27:10. though the wicked man may have many outward things, yet he has no delight in God, and I would not lose that delight I have in God for all his prosperity. 4. A hypocrite may in the time of prosperity bide out, and carry a profession for a time, but will he continue in all difficulties and trials to call upon God? That he will not; but I continue yet calling upon God, and do not sit up, which is an evidence that I am no hypocrite, I do not like their gate. He goes on unto a second answer, Job 27:11. whereby he grants, that he disputes not absolutely that wicked men are ay spared, but often they are; I will teach you being in the hand of God, that which he hath taught me in

such a condition, and ye may take it off my hand, seeing what I teach is concerning God’s sovereignty, and ye yourselves have seen, and might understand it in your experience; and why then are ye thus idle and vain in heaping up words to no purpose? Then he goes on Job 27:13, to what he would say, and describes the wicked, This is the portion of a wicked man; this is the portion the wicked have right to by virtue of the covenant of works, and their portion is the curse of God, which he goes on to describe, Job 27:14. If his children be multiplied, it is to the sword; this is the first curse they often meet withal, or have to look for; there is ay a judgement abiding them and their children, or if their children live, it is to a sorer judgement; they shall be miserable in their life and in their death; and they shall be such horrible monsters of misery, that their own wives shall not weep when they are dead, thinking them well away. And this is a second part of their curse or judgement, a miserable life, and an unlamented for death. A third part of their misery is, Job 27:16-18. they may take much pains to gather the world, and heap up riches, but they have not the promise, nor sanctified use of it, nor God’s blessing with it; and I am far from thinking that the wicked have a prosperous estate, for his house is but like the moths house in cloath, or like a lodge which a man builds in a yard for a time. A fourth part of their misery is, Job 27:29. The rich men may think themselves happy, but they shall not be gathered to the burial of their fathers; he may think much of it when he goes to his bed, and has much pelf, but he shall not be buried with respect, he opens his eyes; and he is not, or it is not; a wind comes and blows all his wealth away, and he cannot fasten his fingers on his riches. A fifth part of his judgement is, Job 27:20. as a tempest comes on men by night on the waters, and strikes them with terror, so shall judgement come on them, and this is set out by another similitude of a tempest by land, Job 27:21. The east wind sunders him from his happiness, and he is taken from it as stubble or straw is carried away by a flood; both similitudes show the sudden judgement that comes on the wicked in their grime and flower oftimes; and he gives a reason why he must be miserable, live as he like, for when God reckons with him, he keeps no measure, Job 27:22. He calls upon him, and does not spare, and when he would fain flee, or wynd himself out of God’s hand, God’s judgement grips them sorer than they can escape; and this is summed up in the last verse, Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place; a word that not only holds out his loss, but the shamefulness of it, all shall rejoice at it, and

think, and say, it is well warred. 75 Thus, Job shows, he was far from playing the patron for wicked men, knowing the ill both of their prosperity, and of the judgement of God on some, and abiding others of them.

Observations.

1. On his two assertions and oaths, that he is an upright man, and that he will maintain it. Observe. That it is a thing attainable, and we should not rest without it, to be clear and confident of interest in God; try well the grounds of your interest. Many think they have interest that dare not swear it, nor confidently assert it, as Job does, but it is a notable length in religion to be clear in it, and able to swear it.

II.    He counts it a horrible crime to deny his integrity and interest in God. Observe. That true tenderness will be as warry and loath to deny the grace of God, and lye against it, as it will be to presume and play the hypocrite, in saying it has grace when it hath none. Many think they guard well against hypocrisy by denying their interest in God. But ye would learn to walk tenderly on both hands; when too much liberty is taken on this hand, it may provoke God, as well as when upon the other hand ye presume.

III.    Observe, Where there is integrity and an interest in God, and it is set upon and assaulted, folks would the more wilfully stick to it and assert it, and steadfastly debate for it, as Job being put to it, swears he will not quite it, and yet with tenderness to God, and loathness to take on new guilt. And his doing this when God keeps up himself, commends his practice the more; when God hath taken away his judgement, to maintain an interest, is a singular practice.

IV.    In Job 27:8-10. as long as the hypocrite wants access to God, calls not on God, has no delight in God, he will not exchange estates with him. Observe: 1. To have access to God in prayer is a happier condition nor all prosperity, and sincerity does much contribute to this; and therefore to be sincere is better than all prosperity. 2. It is a mark and privilege of a sincere person, when he has no delight in the world, to delight himself in God. It is a discriminating mark, when all things in the world go cross like, to make it up by delighting in God; thus

75 well deserved?

David encouraged himself in the Lord his God, 1 Samuel 30:6.

V. He insinuates the hypocrite may make a fair break or be afraid at religion, but he fits up. Observe. It is a good token of sincerity, when difficulties, thortour76, and cross dispensations, do not mar folks in their communion with God, and in the exercise of piety, and discharge of religious duties, but rather further them.

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Chapter 28.

WHEN we spoke of the former chapter, we shewed, that Job is here clearing himself from an aspersion that might be laid upon him, because he alleged, that they were not always wicked men whom God punished, and many wicked might win away without punishment in this life, same might think he patronized and complied with wicked men; therefore in the former chapter, he clears, that his doctrine did not loose reins to them, for though God spared them long, yet he always punished them, some in this life, and others in the life to come; never one of them escaped God’s judgement that continued so.

In this chapter, he answers a second objection, Job, does not this stand well with what we say of thee, and prove that thou art plagued of God for thy wickedness? He answers, and removes this objection, telling them, that though God did never suffer wicked men to escape his judgement, yet it will not follow, that it was so with him, or that he was plagued as such; God’s way was so deep, that none were to draw conclusions from his outward dispensations to conclude men wicked, nor to limit God to rules conceived by them; for clearing of this, he sets out the deepness of God’s wisdom, understanding, and holiness, and shows their mistake flowed from their ignorance or mistaking of this, And, 1. shows what length a man’s wisdom will come in natural things, to Job 28:12. 2. That for as far as men by their natural wisdom come, yet they never win to search out the infinite wisdom of God in his dispensations and providence, to Job 28:23. And, 3. from Job 28:23. to the end, he lays down two solid reasons of the former grounds, as conclusions to sum up the debate.

1. In natural things, man’s wisdom may go far, and that in four things not obvious to sight. 1 st, Surely there is a vein for silver, &c. In searching out silver and gold, surely there is a coming forth of silver and gold, by man’s art it is brought forth of the mineral. 2dly, There is also a place where they fine it, when it is mixed with dross. 3dly, Iron that is profitable for men, is by man’s art taken out of the earth. And, 4thly, brass that is fastened among stones, is molten out of them,

whether this be ore of it or not we shall not stand but by art it is sundered from it, Job 28:1-2. He goes on Job 28:3., to show men’s skill in seeking out these things, He, that is, man (as this verse compared with Job 28:12- 13. and the wisdom of God that is opposed to this, clears) setteth an end to darkness, &c. albeit man cannot find out God’s wisdom, yet there are four or five difficulties that he overcomes by his diligence. 1. He sets an end to darkness, or cuts off darkness, whether of making of eyes in the earth, as in coal-heughs77, or by carrying in light, by which means there is nothing in the bowels of the earth, which lie buried as in a grave, but man’s skill finds it out. 2. Ordinarily waters trouble men in such works, even waters that were not before seen, when men dig deep do spring up, and are discovered, which were not before trode upon like other rivers, Job 28:4. men by their skill dry them up, and take them out of their way. A third difficulty removed by man’s skill is, Job 28:5-7. the earth is profitable to men, not only for the outside in bearing corn and all manner of grain, but under the earth are brimstone and coals, precious hones, and ore of silver and gold, but the difficulty is, Job 28:7. how to attain to all their things, for the way how their things are gotten is not a high-way, but such an unknown way, that the most sharp-sighted bird, or wild beast, never found it out, and yet men by their wisdom, diligence, and art, find it out. The way is set down, Job 28:9. He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. These things may be under great craigs, and highest mountains and hills, yet man puts forth his hand upon the rock, or hill, and by work obtains his end. And, Job 28:10. there is a new difficulty his beatt overcomes, He cuts out rivers among the rocks, whether by making way to waters that trouble him, or by bringing out waters by mills, or such engines to further him; And his eye seeth every precious thing; he comes by his diligence to see these things that were dark and hid from him before. Further, Job 28:11. He bindeth the floods from overflowing. Another part of man’s skill, he dams up the waters that were like to overflow, he makes a dam or fence, that (as it is in the original) not a tear or drop droppeth thorough:

2. By setting out how far man’s wisdom goes, in opposition to it, he argues and sets out the wisdom of God, Job 28:12-13. But where shall wisdom be found? and where shall the understanding of the holy mysterious and

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sublime ways of God’s dispensations and providence be found? He denies, that man can take up that; Man knows not the price or place thereof, as the word may be rendered, all my wisdom cannot find out the reasons of God’s providence; and hereby he would check his friends that were so peremptory in giving reasons of it, and thereupon condemning him. Then, from Job 28:14. and forward, he gives particular instances to prove this, would men dig into the sea, it shall not be found in it: And not only the place where it is, but the worth of it is unknown, which he sets our, Job 28:15-19. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal jewel cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. Take all the silver, and gold, and precious stones, they cannot be compared to this; for as much worth as the gold of Ophir, that was the most precious gold, and for as precious as their stones are, they are not to be mentioned, far less equalled when this is spoken of. The most excellent things among men, and these precious stones in most estimation among men, and brought from far, are no ways comparable to it. He renews the question, Job 28:20. Whence then cometh wisdom, where shall it be gotten? Seeing it is hid from all living, Job 28:21. neither can it be found our by men, nor the sharpest sighted among other creatures. And this is enlarged, Job 28:22. Destruction and death, say we have heard the same thereof with our ears. Go to hell itself, (for the word is so exponed, Job 26:6.) and to the place of the destruction of all, they will say they heard of it, and its fame, if they could speak out, folks will admire it, but they cannot sound the bottom of it, Having answered negatively, where it is not to be found, he answers, positively, Job 28:23. God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof, which is the first reason, why it cannot be gotten among the creatures; God hath keeped it up as his own prerogative, no creature is capable of it; and having before secluded all creatures. It is here to be understood exclusively of them, and that God only knows it; and this is enlarged, Job 28:24. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven. He, whose understanding is infinite, with one glance of his eye, does take up and see thorough all things in heaven and earth. And a second reason, why he cannot but understand his dispensations of providence, is Job

28:25. Because the winds and weather that are reasonless creatures, and seem to have their motions at random, he has weighed them as in a balance, how much wind shall blow, and rain shall fall, that not a blast of wind blows, nor a drop of rain falleth but by his providence, whereby he, holds out God’s precise knowledge. A third reason is, Job 28:26. their are no new things to God, He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder, whether for the coming of showers, or the quantity of the rains, or the coming of the thunder where it shall light, and the quantity of it; he hath decreed and carved out both, that not a spark of rain or crack of thunder but by his decree, as if he had hedged it up on every side; he hath made a way to it. In Job 28:27. he confirms all he hath said before, Then did he, that is, God, see it, that is, not only in his wisdom he foresaw it, but as in the words following, he prepared and appointed it in his decree; partly to let us see that none can claim this propriety but God, partly to teach us, that things most difficult to man, are plain and easy to him. A second reason of the conclusion is, Job 28:18. And unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Because God hath given man another task, he hath given man a practical wisdom how to know and obey him, and not to search out his counsels; to walk according to his revealed will, and not to meddle with his secret will.

And this is comprehended under two words, The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding; to fear God and eschew evil, two words under which Job’s integrity is holden forth, Job 1:1. To be careful to know his will and practise it, and to eschew sin, and the occasions of sin. It is to that purpose, Deuteronomy 29:29. secret things belong to the Lord our God, but things revealed to us, and our children, that we may do all the words of the law. And from all this, Job would say, Had ye who are my friends been more taken up with your duty how to fear God and eschew ill, ye had not been so ready to mistake me, and to conclude from God’s dispensations, that are a mystery to man, that I am a hypocrite.

Observations.

I.    He points at this as the cause of their mistake in all this debate betwixt him and them, that they mistook plain practical things, and did pry into God’s deeps. Obs 1. It is one of the great grounds of our mistakes, and the fountain from whence they rise, when we mistake plain practical things, and go to search out God’s mind in things not so needful to be known, and not so easily win to. And, 2dly, the remedy of this is on the other side, to be more studious to fear God, and eschew evil.

II.    He said to man, Behold to fear the Lord, &c. Observe. There is no part of knowledge and understanding so profitable as that which is practical, and consists in the duties of holiness. All other knowledge is worth nought in comparison, Deuteronomy 4:5-6. I have taught you statutes and judgements, keep therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom and understanding in the light of the nations which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. Wisdom is a precious gift of God; take it for a truth, they have most wisdom that practise most, Psalm 3:8. The fear of the Lord is the beginning, chief part or head of wisdom, a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: There never was a wise man in all the world, but in so far as he aimed at this, and it were good to take this rule to try wisdom by, not what folks. can talk most or dispute a question about religion, but who are these that fear God, and eschew evil; and look upon that as wisdom, and these as the wise men.

III.    Mark the exposition between their two, the talk that God hath to guide the world, and the talk that man hath to fear God and eschew evil; and, observe, That there are even sore things in the way of God’s providence and dispensations, that folks are nor called to study, or to be anxious about, though they cannot find it out; God hath reserved that as his prerogative, to know the secrets of providence, and the reasons of deep dispensations; that is not properly darkness, but secrets, the reasons whereof God hath thought good to keep to himself; and, on the other hand, when God keeps up some things, it is surest to be practising the plain things we know, and not to be curious nor anxious in seeking to find out secret and hid things; though there be a difference among us about some things, yet there are many things about which there is no difference, as about prayer, making use of the

scripture, holy walking, &c. And when God takes a mysterious and indiscernable way of doing things, in his sovereignty, it is surest and safest for us to be taken up about the practice of holy duties, rather than to pry into his depths. God hath taken a sovereign way of proceeding with us, and tho’ we will be loath to cast at any thing that is allowed us for duty, in respect of, or in reference to the finding out of God’s mind, yet there may be an exceeding on that side in searching out what he hath keeped secret; we will not condemn the work, but the fruits show there hath been too great inclining to that hand; and it were better for us if we were more in the practice of things plain and obvious to all, than so exercised.

Chapter 29.

WE heard in the two former chapters, that Job continues to vindicate himself from the unjust imputation of his friends; and having done with that, there seems to be some intermission, Job waits to see if any of them will speak, and none of them offering to, he takes up his discourse, and clears himself in this and the next two chapters, setting out his prosperity that once he enjoyed in Job 29.; his adversity in opposition to his prosperity, Job 30.; and his integrity in Job 31. His scope is partly to draw his friends to look upon some other causes of his affliction than his guilt, at least that gross guilt which they impute to him; partly to show the great change that was befallen him, and therefore no wonder he had some harsh and ill wailed expressions under it.

In this chapter, besides his wish, we have his prosperity in times past set down in four parts. 1 st, In his happy estate betwixt God and him, as the fountain of all the rest, to the middle of Job 29:5. 2dly, In God’s blessing of him with children in the end of Job 29:5. 3dly, In external blessings which he enjoyed, Job 29:6. 4thly, In his outward grandeur in reference to his public employment, Job 29:7. and forward to the end. There is first his wish, as an introduction to what follows, Job 29:2. Oh, that I were as in months past, setting out the great change that was come, that he was not as he wont to be, and in the wish he meets with an objection, that he had abused prosperity when he had it? In answer to which, he wishes it again, to tell that he was not ashamed of his carriage under it.

The first part of his prosperity is in the happy condition that he enjoyed betwixt God and him, as in the days when God preserved me, to show, that the great cause of his prosperity was God’s watchfulness over him, and preservation of him, and not his own wisdom. The second step hereof is, Job 29:3.; When his candle shined upon mine head, i.e. when I had God’s special direction as a candle; when I was guided by him in the greatest strait I met with; when by his light I was helped to walk through darkness, whether difficulties in respect of sinful courses, or afflictions, and temptations, by God’s light he was guided right betwixt straits. A third step is, Job 29:4. As I was in the days my youth, I would love that condition well

which I had when I was a young man, and what was that condition? When the secret of God was upon my tabernacle, that is, his secret way of providence hedging me and mine round about among the midst of wicked men, or it is God’s revealing himself to him, which is ordinarily called a secret or a mystery, as Psalm 25:14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and so the meaning will be this, when there was a more intimate fellowship betwixt God and me. The fourth step or instance is, Job 29:5. which seems to confirm the last exposition. When the Almighty was yet with me; when God by his care and providence to my outward condition, and by his revealing himself to my soul; was yet with me, which imports he had now withdrawn himself in respect of his inward arid outward condition.

The second part of his prosperity is in the end of Job 29:4. When my children were about me, at that time when my sons and daughters were alive, and not destroyed, which Psalm 144. are set down as a part of man’s happiness.

The third part is in eternal blessings of this life, Job 29:6. When I washed my steps with butter, an ordinary expression wherein folks wealth was exprest, the meaning is, when I had abundance of wealth, as if I had butter (a commodity that abounded in that land, and in these times) to make any use of he pleased, and such abundance of oil, as if the rock had poured it out in rivers to him. Therefore, Genesis 49:11. it is said of Judah, he should wash his garments in wine, meaning the abundance he should have, that he should make any use of it he liked.

The last part of his prosperity begins Job 29:7. and in this he insists, because it was public to the view of others in four steps. The first is to Job 29:12. wherein he sets out how he was looked on when he came to and sat in the place of judgement the gate being the place where the judges sat, and judgement was administrated, and the honour and reverence he had there was from all sorts of men. 1. From the young men and children, who afterward in his adversity mocked him, Job 30. 1. When I went through the street to the seat of judgement, the young men saw me, and hid themselves, because I used to take order with them, and curb their insolencies, and the aged arose, and stood up, and gave me reverence, Job 29:7-8. 2. In reference to all degrees arid ranks of

men. 1. The princes and prime men, when I came out and began to speak, they stood in awe, and were loath to vent their discourse before me, Job 29:9. 2. The same is exprest of the nobles, a degree or rank inferior to the former, none of these opened their mouth when he spoke, Job 29:10. 3. In Job 29:11. it is set out in reference to all sorts of people, When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; there was never any person, who with their ears heard me speak in judgement, but they were so convinced of the equity of my sentence, as they blessed me, and when they saw me afar off, they gave me a testimony of an upright and straight man.

In the next place or stop he meets with an objection, There are many folks get respect that are not much worth? To this he answers, from Job 29:12-18. by way of reason, Because I delivered the poor that cried, &c. the poor and fatherless that none would help, and have few to befriend them, I helped them. And Job 29:13. many a poor body that was ready to perish, and the poor widows- for many a good turn I did them, gave me their blessing, because I made the poor widow’s heart glad, and to sing within her for joy. Yea, Job 29:14. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. Great folks use to seek respect by their outward robes, which they did wear suitable to their place and grandeur, but the best mantle or robe that I thought to be clothed with, was the doing of justice, that none might see a hole in my coat in that respect, I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; or, as it is in the original, it put on me. I esteemed of righteousness above my robe; and righteousness made me have estimation; I counted it the greatest honour that I could think of, and it gained me true honour and respect, and not vain applause. I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; I gave counsel and direction to poor folks who had a good cause, and wanted means and moyen78 to back it, how to carry their cause, and these that had no means I furnished them, Job 29:15. I was a father to the poor, when they were miskent in their straits, I took upon me their protection, and suffered them not to want, and the cause which I knew not, I searched out; I spared no pains to seek out the truth of matters that came before me, and whether there was any secret oppression in causes, or any other wrong under-hand dealing, I had my own secret ways of finding it out, Job 29:16. Then in Job 29:17. he tells, he was far from respecting persons, or seeking applause of wicked men, I

78 intermediary, or instrument

brake the jaws of the wicked, though they had been never so proud, I spared them not, but brake them; and though they were like wild beasts, that live on prey and rapine, I plucked the prey out of their teeth.

From Job 29:18-21. we have a third step, wherein he expresses his happiness in his security, not carnal security, but his security in respect of God’s favour, and the favour of his people, for he thought he was in a good condition, having ease and peace, not only, without but within, Then I said, shall die in my nest, i.e. I thought I should get liberty to live quietly, and die so, and all my children about me, and then expresses the cause of this his confidence, Job 29:19. in a similitude, I was as a tree that has water at the roots, and dew upon the branches. And another similitude to the same purpose is, Job 29:20, My glory, that is the respect which I had, was fresh in me, that is, it was always growing, by some new evidence or fruit in me that procured it, and it was not like that respect that wears piece and piece away; and I was like a man that after one bow is broken gets another put in his hand, or my strength, power, and greatness did still encrease, Job 29:20. From Job 29:21, to the end, we have a fourth step, wherein he returns and sets out the great weight his word had in public matters, and what success, Unto me men gave ear and waited to hear me speak; and they keeped silence at my counsel; they desired to hear me speak, and waited till I spoke, and when I gave advice, God helped me to be so plain and convincing, that there was none that contradicted it, but as Job 29:22. After my words they spoke not again, they acquiesced in my advice, as if it had, been an oracle; and my speech dropped upon them, they seemed to be refreshed with my words, Deuteronomy 32:2. and Job 29:23. they waited for me as for the rain; the shower was never more longed for, nor refreshful to the earth, when the seed is sown, nor my counsel was to them, If I laughed on them they believed it not, Job 29:24. I was so composed and grave, that if I had at any time smiled on them, they thought that in the midst of my laughter I was in earnest, they could not think or believe it that I could sport any at all; And the light of my countenance they cast not down, never one thwarted me in any thing; I chose out their way, Job 29:25. when any difficulty came, I gave out the orders, and directed what should be done in every thing, and they did as I directed them; I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in the army, I was head, and there was none to top with me, and I was had in as great reverence as if I had been a king with an army at my back; as one that comforteth the mourners, and I was not only in estimation and respect for fear, but as

being able to speak a word to poor folks in affliction; I was of a sympathizing spirit with them, and was refreshing to them, and so esteemed.

Observations.

1. Job, in going to reckon his prosperity, acknowledged God in it as he did in his adversity, Job 26:11. and he begins at this. Observe: They will never bear affliction well, who have not learned to bear prosperity well, and acknowledged God in the one as well as the other; the one of them will never be rightly born, when God hath not been sought and served in the other.

II.    In Job 29:5. he looks to God’s presence with him aforetime, and to his absence now, and constructs of it according to outward evidences that were sensible to him. Observe: It is a rife thing for God’s people to count and construct of God’s presence and absence by outward evidences and dispensations.

III.    The sum of the rest of the chapter following shows, 1. What reverence is due to men in place, especially good men; and, 2dly, what is the way to get reverence and respect, there is no such sure and good ground for respect, honour and reverence, as to walk straightly, to be religious and godly in our callings and stations, and righteous towards all men; it has God’s approbation, and has true respect among men, 1 Samuel 2:30. They that honour me, I will honour; and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed; folks may by sinistrous and sinful ways take respect to themselves, and climb to places of preferment, but God will spit on that respect, and tread that honour in the dust that is not founded on piety. To give God his due, is the best way to attain the honour and respect we would acquire.

Chapter 30.

Ye heard how Job laid out his prosperity in the former chapter, here he lays out his adversity, that by laying the one against the other; his prosperity against his adversity, his adversity may take the deeper impression on these who hear of it.

He speaks last of his respect and reverence which he had in his prosperity, and he lays opposite to that his adversity in six or seven steps, drawing his adversity to so many heads as it were to Job 30:15. and from Job 30:25. to the end, aggreges his affliction from the unanswerable meeting he got from others, common to all the steps of it, and from the effects it had on himself.

First, He sets down the reproach he met with, that whereas he was in great respect, now he was in as great reproach and contempt, this he sets forth in respect of the persons contemning him to Job 30:9. 2dly, How they dealt with him, Job 30:9-10. and Job 30:11. is the cause, and this is his first step of his adversity.

t. The persons that contemned him were young ones, or young men, these had him in derision, 2dly, He tells their young men were not of the best sort, but of the basest sort of the people, such as he describes thus, Whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock, that is, who were a kind of beggarly folks, that I would not have concredited to keep my flocks with the dogs; nor to have given them a dish of meat with the dogs; this he speaks not in his pride and passion, to cry them down and himself up, but to set them out that mocked him now, how unworthy wretches they were? He describes them further, Job 30:2. as unfit for any use or labour, that if he had never so much ado with folks, he would not employ them, partly, because they were so idle, habituated to idleness and beggary, partly, because they were so unqualified, that though they were willing they could do him no good; neither in their youth nor old age, could they ever have done him a good turn, and yet now they run him down. 3dly, He sets them out by their misery, Job 30:3. For want and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wilderness, they were ashamed to live among men, and fled to desolate places, being unable to pay what they were owing. 4thly, They cut up mallows by the bushes, Job 30:4. They were so

miserable, that they had no bread to live on, but were put to live on roots, and these not of the best sort, but such as served poor people for food. A fifth step of their misery is, Job 30:5. They were driven forth from among men, these men were so base, that though they would have abidden, they were not suffered to reside among men, but they were so contemned by all, that men drove them out, and raised the hue and cry after them as after a thief. And Job 30:6. the lodging that was allowed them, was the clifts of the rock and caves of the earth. And Job 30:7. when they were driven out, They brayed among the bushes, that is, they cried for meat, and could get none, (as Job 6:5. the wild ox or ass is said to bray when he wants fodder) and all their lodging was a bush of nettles. They were children of fools, and base men, for their kindred base, and for their qualifications base; more vile than the earth, expressions to set out their unworthiness and vileness, and little estimation, Job 30:8. 2dly, He sets out how all their men dealt with him, which is the scope of all, Job 30:9-10. And now I am their song and byword, as Psalm 25:15, and 69:12. and Lamentations 2:16. the same phrase is used. He says, they made their song of him, as profane, graceless men did of David, and he was their byword; scarce had they another discourse, nor of Job, and they that durst not look him in the face before, abhorred him, and could not abide to see him, such a filthy man was he to them; or, if they came near him, they spit in his face; it may hold literally, or it is an expression used to hold out their outmost contempt, 3dly, There is the cause of all this, Job 30:11. Because He, that is, God has loosed my cord, that is, my authority, and laid my honour in the dust; while I was in honour and respect, God bridled them, and now in my affliction he has let them loose; but I look to God, who gave me authority, loosing the cord of it again, as it is said before, Job 12:13. He looses the bonds of kings, &c. To tell that authority comes not from folks place, and parts, but from God.

The second step of his adversity is the violence he met with, Job 30:12-14. They rise upon my right-hand, &c. they are not satisfied with scorning of me, but they rise up against me; They push away my feet, they use means to make me fall; They raise up against me the ways of their destruction; as enemies besieging a town, mount up works against it, that they may get entry; so they not only cast blocks in his way to make him fall, but used all means to add to his affliction; therefore he says, They marred his path, and set forward his calamity; They have no helper, that is, they are not respected by any, yet they are enough for me, or they need none to help them in

this ill turn; a very little thing will do it, and this is set out further, Job 30:14. They came in upon me as a wide breaking in of waters; as waters break in when a vent is made, so do they break in on me. In the desolation they rolled themselves upon me, or they tumbled over on me. They were ready so soon as ever God took down the hedge to take advantage of me.

The third step of his adversity is in the afflictions that were on his spirit, Job 30:15-16. Terrors are turned upon me; as I have straits without, so I have terrors within, terrible apprehensions of God’s anger, and these terrors pursued his soul as the wind doth a light thing, and my welfare, that is, all my temporal happiness passes away as a cloud, that soon evanishes. A second expression of his inward trouble is Job 30:10. My soul is poured out upon me; when my soul was in good condition, it was whole; but now it is poured out or melted, or melts upon my hand, as Psalm 42.; I pour out my soul in me; an expression that is used when affliction melts the heart, and faints, and pulls away all inward courage; The days of affliction have taken hold of me, seized upon me, that it hath captivated me.

The fourth step, or part of his adversity and grief, is the straits that his body was in, Job 30:18. My bones are pierced in me in the night season; and my sinews take no rest; the health of the body, consists mainly in two things, that is, in the soundness of the bones and sinews, and neither of these were sound in him; when others were sleeping, he was keeped waking through the yarking79 of his bones that suffered him not to get rest, and the drawing in of the sinews was a continual pain to him; and an effect of this is, Job 30:18. By the great force of my disease is my garment changed. I am grown so loathsome in my body, that that which runs out of my sores makes them change their colour, and folks to think they are another thing not clothes, (as the following words clear), It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat, my garment, or clothes, that should ease or refresh me, are grown so stiff, and barkened with the matter that runs from my boils and sores, that they are as a band binding me about.

The fifth step is an aggravation of his misery from the apprehension at least of God’s dealing with him, Job

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30:9. He hath cast me into the mire,. and I am become like dust and ashes, as if he said, how can it be otherwise with me, God hath laid me in a gutter, as it were, and tramped upon me, and made me contemptible, as a man would do with another that he is angry at; and he sets out God’s dealing in several particulars in the words following. That he speaks and cries to God, and gets no answer, and though he stand up, that is persevere, and be earnest in prayer, yet he is not regarded, more than if he were praying none at all. Speaking from sense, and somewhat out of passion, for he said before, God had heard him. A second instance is, Job 30:21. Thou art become cruel unto me, to all my outward affliction thou hast added this great aggravation, as to seem unmerciful and cruel, an ordinary exercise to the saints, when they are under outward affliction, to be also under inward desertion; and as ordinary in such cases to construct hardly of God, so weak are we to bear many troubles together. With thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me, thou guides me as a man does his adversary against whom he puts forth all his power. Yea, 3dly, Job 30:22. Thou liftest me up to the wind, &c. Thou handles me as folks use to do things that they would have blown up and down with the wind, and made an object to all beholders, as corn is winnowed; Thou causest me to ride upon it, thou hast steeped me in this trial; and dissolved my substance, thou hast undone that which made me respected before others. 4. He aggreges this from the desperation of his condition, Job 30:23. I know that thou wilt bring me to death, I know thou wilt not leave off till thou bring me to the grave, the house appointed for all living, for all tryst there; And he adds a consolation against this, Job 30:24. Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, that is, though God pursue me with trouble to the grave, yet he will not pursue me when I am there; when I am dead, his anger towards me will cease, and I will find no more pain; and though they try in his destruction, that is, though thee that contemn me now cry loud when I am destroyed, and it likes them well to see me thus handled, yet it comforts me, that then he will cease pursuing me any further.

In the second part of the chapter, from Job 30:25. he aggreges his affliction. 1. From the unanswerable meeting he got from others, Did not I weep with them who are in trouble? When they were in trouble I sympathized with them, my soul was grieved when any of them was made poor; the like we have in David, Psalm 35:13. When they were sick my fasting was sackcloth, but he got an ill meeting, and so did Job. 2dly, He aggreges it from

this, that it was unexpected, when I looked for good, evil came unto me, I thought in my prosperity to have died in my nest, but instead of continued prosperity, adversity is come upon me, which he sets out in particulars. 1 st. My bowels boiled, and rested not, my bowels for pain are like a seething pot. 2dly, The days of my affliction prevented me; as Job 3:6. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, nor was quiet, yet trouble came, I could not refrain from crying, I cried in the great congregation; his trouble was so great, that it put him a grave man without the bounds of modesty. 3dly, I am a brother to dragons, and companion to owls, Job 30:29. (which explicates the former), my company now is such creatures, that I affect more than the society of men, as Psalm 102:6. Like a pelican in the wilderness, like an owl in the desert, setting out his abstractedness from society. 4thly, My skin is black upon me, my pain has this effect upon me, that it has changed the colour of my skin, and no marvel, for my bones are burnt up with heat. 5thly, My harp is turned to mourning, and my organ, &c. Sometimes I had the lawful use of mirth, but now I have nothing but weeping and mourning; I have no other music now., Thus we see the sad case Job is now in, especially compared with the case he was in.

Observations.

I.    From the sum of the chapter, comparing his prosperity in the former, with the change in this chapter.

Observe. How little outward prosperity is to be trusted in, when it may be in a moment turned to adversity, and a man so respected before is now contemned of all, and mocked by the vilest of men.

II.    When we look on Job’s cross, we should think little of any cross that can come on us, therefore beware of complaining while we have no cause. Cry not out, Was there ever a body handled as I am? Is there any thing ye are under to be compared to this? And yet this is a man approved and beloved of God.

III.    Let us learn to give God much liberty in his sovereignty, not being anxious nor solicitous in seeking out the reasons of it, but reverence and adore him, giving him his will, in lifting up and casting down, God aims at this in great part in the dispensations in hand, to learn all flesh to stoop to him.

IV.    Know that folks have much ado to keep good thoughts of God in times of straits, sense and suggestion will

then readily present God as an enemy and cruel; and when patient Job is thus to express himself, we had need to guard well against such a temptation.

V. Seeing God took this way with job, and he takes much scouth80 to take temptations part against himself, when his friends held their tongue, whereas before he spoke for God against his friends when they opposed him; mark when folks fall off from taking God’s part against temptation, readily they will take temptation’s part against both God and themselves: It is good folks be balanced on both hands to keep them even, and ye would guard against extremes.

80 expresses himself freely on the topic

Chapter 31.

WHEN Job hath done with laying down his prosperity and adversity, he goes on to answer his friends challenge, Job 22.; to wit, that it was all well wared that was come on him, for he was a heinous offender. This chapter is a continued vindication of himself from this challenge, and an asserting of his integrity, mixed with vehement asseverations, implying a curse on these that are guilty of these heinous transgressions he purges himself of.

There are ten or twelve sins that he purges himself of in this chapter. 1. From the most secret and unknown degrees of fornication, Job 31:1. as if he said, I was so far from being taken away with that vileness, that neither by the outward eye, nor by the inward affection of the heart that venteth itself by the eye, was I carried after it. Yea, I was so abstracted from it, as if I had made a bargain or covenant with mine eyes, not to look a wrong look that way, a thing that folks think not much of, Matthew Job 31:28. Christ makes it a degree of adultery. He gives these three reasons of his abstinence from, and abhorrence of this sin. The first is, Job 31:2.For what portion of God is there from above? &c. He would not lose the portion he expects from God, for any pleasure that sin could promise him, for if folks live in that sin, they can expect no portion from heaven. A second reason is, Job 31:3. Is not destruction to the wicked? These that follow that sin can expect nothing but strange punishment and wrath. A third reason is, Job 31:4. Doth he not see my ways, and count all my steps? I know it was not men I had to deal with, but with Gad, who counts all my steps, and I looked on God as having an all-seeing eye on my secret thoughts and looks; a notable precedent to follow, and a rule to try ourselves by, when others can espy nothing reproof worthy in us.

The second sin he purge’s himself of is; defrauding or deceit, in two particulars or steps; the first is, Job 31:5-6. If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hailed to deceit; let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. In sum this, if I have taken any vain or unapproven way to get gain, that will not bid the trial; or any deceitful way to make up myself, I am content to abide God’s trial of the sincerity of my proceeding, and that I have approved myself of no degree of this sin, as David, Psalm 139. Search me, &c. A

second step is, Job 31:7-8. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands: Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out. If I have stepped out of the right way to compass any thing, and if looking on any thing that was not mine own, as Achan did, I have coveted it, and if ought have flicken to my fingers of that which did not belong to me, and so I have left a blot on my conscience that way, I with it may never do me good, that both my estate and children may be blasted of God in his anger. Folks fingering of things, in an unlawful way; makes oftimes their estate evanish, and they know not how.

The third sin he purges himself of is, adultery with a married woman; in opposition to a maid; that he mentioned, Job 31:1. and to show his freedom from this sin, he uses an imprecation that he may be so met with himself, Job 31:9-10. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door: Then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her. He gives two reasons of this. 1. It is a heinous crime worthy to be punished by the judge, the laws of man should take order with such a sin, and the moral law of God taught that such a sin deserved death, Deuteronomy 22:22. not only in the woman, as some would have it only, but also in the man. A second reason is, Job 31:12. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. Tho’ this sin should escape the punishment of men, yet it is a destruction to a man’s estate, and to his soul, as a fire kindled that consumes both; and who knows but this sin may be destroying men’s souls and estates, and they not know of it?

The fourth sin is austerity and rigorousness in his family. Job 31:13. I am not an oppressor of others, as ye call me, yea, I am so far from being accessory to that sin, that I despised not the contest of my servant, whether it was justly or unjustly wakened, and he gives two reasons of this, the 1 st is, Job 31:14. because he knew he was not so great or highly lifted up above his servant as God was above him. Therefore the awe of God swayed him in that. A second reason is, Job 31:15. from the sibness81 and likeness that was betwixt him and his servant, they were both alike fashioned in the womb of one matter, and one workmanship, made by one workman, as it were,

81 common descent

that is God, who made them both.

The fifth sin he purges himself of is, oppression, and want of charity, which he instances in several particulars. 1. That he was far from having and letting the poor want, that the poor widow never looked for charity from him in vain, Job 31:16. 2. That he never sat down to his dinner, but he was ready to give the fatherless a share of it, Job 31:17. He enlarges this, Job 31:18. and tells, that since ever he had a house, the poor was brought up with him, and that he gave the widow direction and counsel since he was capable to do it; 3. He instances in the matter of clothing, Job 31:19. I not only bestowed meat upon the poor, but spared no colt to clothe them, and by putting cloths on them, and warming of their loins, I provoked them to bless me, yea, the wool of my sheep can bear witness for me; this is true which I assert, Job 31:20. and by comparing this with the beginning of the former chapter, he says, there were some that he would not set with the dogs of his flock, it was dear that he was a wise man in the distribution of his charity, that it was not to idle vagabonds, but to fit objects of charity that he was liberal.

The sixth sin is, his taking advantage of weak ones, Job 31:21. If I have lift up my hand against the fatherless; when I saw an advantage to be had of weak or fatherless, and saw none to control me among men, but upon the contrary might have gotten a skug82 of law for my practice, though I had taken advantage; if I have done so then, Job 31:22. Let mine arm fall from my shoulder-blade; I wish that neither my hands nor arms may do myself any good, He gives a reason of this, Job 31:23. because though he might have been born through before men by a skug of law, yet he could not bear out before God; and he adds two words that scarred him. 1. Destruction from God was a terror to me, was more terrible to him than an army of men. 2. And God’s highness calling him to a reckoning had influence on him; and he adds their reasons to show, that it was neither his natural temper so inclining him, nor applause of men, nor baseness of spirit, that made him forbear such things, but the awe of God, which was the principle. of his acting and forbearing.

A seventh sin, is excessive covetousness in laying too much weight on wealth; there are two sorts of

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covetousness. 1. In gaining wealth which he spoke of before, Job 31:5-7. A second sort is, a resting on wealth, which here he purges himself of; as he was not covetous to get it, so he tells, he never thought his state the surer of it, more than if there had not been a penny in his purse, Job 31:24. And a second degree of this is, Job 31:25. he did not rejoice, nor delight in wealth, it never got his heart.

An eighth sin, he purges himself of is, Job 31:26. and it is false worship and idolatry, giving religious worship, or signs of religious worship, to the sun and. moon, which is thought to be the first idolatry that folks were carried away with; If I have looked to the sun, or moon, when they shined, and given them any respect or reverence due to God, and my heart hath been secretly enticed, that is, if by their brightness, I have been stolen off my feet to give them God’s room in my heart, or my mouth hath kissed my hand, if I have given them any sign of divine honour, or outward reverence, more than was due to creatures. He gives two reasons why he would not do this, 1. because it is a heinous sin; for as little as folks thinks of false worship or idolatry; yea, an iniquity to be punished by the judge. Job was not of their religion that plead for toleration, he knew that God’s law gave warrant to them then, (and it gives also warrant to us now) to punish idolaters, and the judge ought to do it. A second reason is, because he should then have denied the God that was above, if he had put a creature in God’s room, and God out of his room and place, he should have denied God, Job 31:28.

A ninth sin, he purges himself of is, bitterness and revenge, If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, &c. as if he said, I never did it. Not only did I not revenge myself, but I never rejoiced when the Lord took vengeance on him another way; and when his evil, that is, his iniquity, found him out; I said not in my heart; such a man did me wrong, and it is well warred that is come on him, that he hath met with a miresnype83, Job 31:29. Neither durst I suffer my mouth to utter an imprecation upon him, (and, O! that such considered this, who upon any petty injury will belch out curses upon their neighbours), Job 31:30. He sets out his not being given to revenge, by a provocation to which he, had at home, Job 31:31. when the men of his tabernacle provoked him to revenge, he was restrained. The like we have in David, when Shimei railed upon him, and

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reviled him.

The tenth sin, he purges himself of is, want of hospitality, Job 31:32, The stranger did not lodge in the street; but I opened my doors to the traveller, as he gave folks meat and clothing that needed, so he gave lodging to them that wanted it; for they had not comman inns at that time for lodging as we now have.

The eleventh sin, he clears himself of is, Job 31:33. If I covered my transgressions as Adam; by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom; he covered not his sin as Adam, he never took the course that Adam took, and all men ordinarily take, to cover or extenuate their sin, but he ran away to God, and confessed it; and whereby it is evident, Job took with sin, though he maintained his sincerity against his friends, who would have him granting he was an hypocrite.

The twelfth sin, he purgeth himself of is, faintness and cowardliness in his duty, Job 31:34. Did I fear a great multitude; when he was called to suppress and bear down evil doers, to break the jaws of the wicked, as Job 29:17. he went on in his duty, and stood in awe of no hazard.

He adds an attestation to confirm all that he hath said, Job 31:35. I am so clear in these things, that I am content to appear before God’s throne, and if my adversary or pursuer, would write a book of the legend of my life, heinous transgressions; yea, Job 31:36. I would take such a book on my shoulder, and bind it to me as my crown and glory; and, Job 31:37, if any would call me to a reckoning, I would not decline him, but I would be content, not only to lay out my way in the general to him, but tell over all the particular stops of it; yea, as a prince, with a deal of confidence, would I go near unto him. Job here hath much sincerity within, and much provocation without, yet he speaks with too much confidence and grossness, of his sincerity, and therefore is found fault with hereafter by Elihu and God.

The last vindication is, Job 31:38-39. that neither his land, nor the masters or tenants upon it, cried against him, be used no sinful shift to get, and he never put men out of their possessions, nor made men labour for nought; and closes with an imprecation, that if it was so, or otherwise than he asserts; Instead of good grain, let cockle

grow upon it, and such other noisome weeds, Job 31:40. The words betwixt job and his friends are ended, in respect of any more dispute or debate.

USES.

Use I. Behold a live pattern of a holy man who gets God’s approbation, and it was not for nought that God gave it him, and labour to imitate him.

Use II. Search and see if ye be so free of these and the like sins as he was. If as a prince ye could go before God, having the testimony of sincerity as he had. It is the most princely thing to go before God with a good conscience.

Use III. Be painful in the exercise of holiness. Job was under a covenant of grace, and so are ye, and yet how exact is he in his walking. Censure yourselves for being so far behind so holy a pattern; think shame when ye read, or hear these things read or spoken of such a holy man that hath been so watchful in prosperity, and we take such liberty.

Use IV. Folks that would be holy without, must be also holy within; yea, holiness must begin there, and these that pretend to heart holiness must also prove it by their outward fruits of holiness, and in all things be watchful and circumspect; and the reason why Job got, to such a measure of holiness, he watched over little things, even his very thoughts, and suffered not the least temptation to have access, for let in one temptation, more will follow it. Think on their things and the asseverations Job puts to them, and if God should call you to a reckoning, (and he will call to a reckoning) what ye would have to answer for yourselves, and, if the sins of thoughts, looks and words, bring on destruction, what will deeds do? Fear and tremble to look upon it, and it is no easy thing to fall in the hands of an angry God: If wrath, and the curse come, (as it will come, if use be not made of Christ for holiness and pardon of sin), fearful will be your portion who shall be found out of him in that day.

Chapter 32.

YE heard through many chapters this controversy betwixt Job and his friends long debated. Now from this chapter to the last, the controversy draws to a decision. 1st. By Elihu, his stepping in to Job 38. And, 2dly, by the Lord’s taking it off his hand in the rest.

This chapter contains a preface, which Elihu hath to the following discourse, when he has waited on long, he comes on as one hearing both parties reasons, and displeased with both, tells his judgement of both.

1. He sets down that which gave him occasion to speak to Job 32:6. and from Job 32:6. to the end his preface aiming at three things. 1. He removes an objection or impediment that hindred him to speak. 2. Sets down the motives that made him come over that objection. 3. He propones the way he will proceed.

1. That which gave him occasion to speak, and it is, Job 32:1. These three men, Job’s friends ceased to speak, there was no answer among them, they held their peace, and the reason is, Because Job was righteous in his own eyes; they thought Job rooted in the conceit of his own righteousness, that they were desperate, and had lost hopes to convince him, and therefore they quate him. It is often a fault in men, when they cannot prevail in a matter they undertake at first, to give it over, as if the fault were in these they have to do with, when it is in themselves. 2. Elihu his anger is kindled, Job 32:2. anger is like a fire within him, and kindles or wakens up, it is not carnal passion, but holy zeal, like that commanded, Ephesians 4:28. Be angry, but sin not. The objects of his anger are Job and his friends, and the reason why he is angry at both are let down. I. The reason why he is angry at job is because he justified himself more than God, that is, because he was more careful to justify himself, than he was careful to keep himself from reflecting on God in his discourse and dispute. It is like Job being so sorely assaulted to grant that he was a hypocrite, he had set so to guard against the taking with that, that he guarded not equally against the other extream of reflecting on God; and for this, God charges him in the end of Job 38., and beginning of Job 40. The reason why he is angry at his friends is, Job 32:3. because they had condemned Job for an hypocrite, and had not made that out by sufficient answers and reasons, and yet they

flood by their point, and alleged that Job was obstinate, and they in the right, when they had no reason for it, a fault that is incident to men in debates. A third occasion is, Job 32:4-5. Elihu having waited long because Job and his friends are elder nor he, to see if they could quite the end of the string that they held, or take another gate to convince Job, and none of them speaking a word, after long on waiting he steps in and speaks. And Job 32:6. begins his discourse, and because it may be objected, Elihu, will ye who art a young man, undertake that which grave and godly men cannot do? He answers, and yields to that, that he was young and they aged, and that this swayed him for a long trime to be silent, Job 32:6-7. for I said, days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom; I thought, and I know it is a common maxim, that it is incumbent to aged men to speak before young men, and it is supposed they should be wise and able to clear doubt-some cases. This by way of concession, but Job 32:8-9. he says, wisdom is God’s gift, and old men may have lived many years and know little, and young men gifted of God may know much; it is not years, but God’s spirit, that makes either old or young wise in his matters; therefore he concludes, Great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgement; though they be great men and wise men, if they be left of God in a particular, they may miscarry, and not get to the uptaking of God’s mind; and on this ground he proceeds to speak. He gives two reasons of his undertaking, the first reason is, Job 32:10-11. Therefore, that is, because it is God’s spirit that teaches men wisdom; I said, hearken to me, and hear me, and the same is repeated, Job 32:11. I have been long a sander-by, and hath waited on, and heard what both ye and Job have said. And the doubling of the words import, that he had weighed and considered what both had said and understood it. Oftimes bystanders understand the play better than the gamesters do. And a second reason is, Job 32:12. There was none of you that convincingly or pertinently answered Job, therefore I will essay to do it; for though ye have spoken much, it is not to purpose. And, Job 32:13. he gives a reason why they had spoken so long, and had not convinced Job, God would befool them, and put them from the conceit of their wisdom, and let them see that it was he that put down Job, and not they. So to humble them, God would not have them to convince him; as if he said, ye think ye have convinced Job, and ye have done nothing, any other man may do more than ye have done to purpose; and this is a third reason why he will speak. A fourth reason is, Job 32:14. why? He was in a greater capacity to

deal with Job than they were, Job and he was not engaged, none of them had reflected on another, therefore he will take on him to answer; and he will not take their thesis, nor their manner of speaking, to reflect bitterly on them as they did, for that was not the way to gain him. A fifth reason is, Job 32:15. They, that is, Job’s friends were amazed, confounded in themselves, and had no more to say, therefore wonder not that I speak. A proof of this reason is, Job 32:16. I waited long, and they spoke nothing to purpose; therefore, Job 32:17. I said, I will answer also my part, I will show my opinion: And he adds the lest reason, Job 32:18. of his undertaking, partly zeal for God, seeing a good cause ill handled, and partly indignation at Job’s friends, seeing them do nothing to it; partly love to reclaim Job, and partly finding the impulse of the Spirit within him helping him; this made him hopeful to do more good than they had done, therefore he says, Job 32:19. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burst as new bottles; he is like a vessel filled with wine, that will burst if it get not a vent, for which cause, Job 32:20. he will speak, because he hath no other way to be eased, but to pour out his mind, and tell what is right and what is wrong in this matter that they have been debating; and in the last two verses, he tells in what manner he will proceed, he will shun two faults. 1 st, He will not be swayed to judge of the cause by any person concealed in it, a fault wherewith Job charged his friends, Job 13:8. 2dly, He will not give flattering titles to men, he will be loath to hide what he finds wrong either in Job or his friends, and he gives two reasons of this, Job 32:22. 1. I know not to give flattering titles, as I love, so I will use plain dealing. 2. If I should do otherwise, I should not be approven of God, therefore least God’s judgement take me away, I must do it.

This being our entry upon the third part of the book. It is necessary we consider, 1. What Elihu was, an eloquent and gracious man though young. 4. That for the matter of his discourse, it is to be approven beyond Job’s and his friends. He was in the right way, which we clear by three reasons. 1. Because when God quarrels Job and his friends he is not spoken to. 2. Because God begins on the same score that Elihu left off at. 3. Because Job never missed an answer to his friends, but he is stricken silent with what Elihu says, and acquiesces.

debate against Job, yet not on the same ground, for he does not say, Thou art afflicted, therefore thou art wicked. 2. Though he censure Job as going wrong sometimes, yet from these faults he never condemns Job for an hypocrite. 3. He differs from them in the manner of his proceeding, they proceed more passionately and carnally, he more meekly and spiritually, mixing in friendly words to mitigate what he spoke to Job.

2.    He. charges Job with three faults. 1. That he was not in his practice suitable to what he said of God’s sovereignty in words, but did exceed in retrenching and limiting God. 2. That though he allowed him to justify himself as being no hypocrite, yet that he went too far on in justifying himself, reflecting on God, for he had said, Wherefore contends thou with me? He keeped not the right bounds, as if God had no ground of controversy, or might not have had a controversy with him. 3dly, That he had unsuitable and passionate expressions in his dispute, even when he was defending that which was right for the matter.

3.    Yet in all this Elihu fails, and hath his own faults, especially these two. 1. In drawing consequences from Job’s words separate from his meaning. 2. That tho’ he be more kindly to Job, and strikes not at the root of his interest in God, yet he was exceeding sharp; although he was straight in respect of the matter, he gains more ground on Job, and is more countenanced of god, than the rest of Job’s friends.

Observations.

Observe I. A fault insinuate to be in gracious folks, from Job 32:2. That they are too soon ready to conclude harshly of men, and to count them desperate that come not up their length in a dispute, when the fault may be laid elsewhere on themselves, rather than on there they so judge of.

Observe II. Another fault in debate, that folks would beware of, and that is to condemn folks that are not of our mind, beyond any reason or solid ground we have brought or can bring.

III. A third fault in dispute, which Elihu profeffes he will shun, and that is the accepting of persons, Observe. That ofttimes folks judge of causes and cases by persons engaged in them, and this is a thing may stumble and wrong many.

IV.    The right way of proceeding, when we would have folks bettered by what we are to speak, is, not to follow a carnal reflecting manner of speaking, but an edifying and calm way; and if folks would follow this way, they would through God’s blessing come more speed, and gain more ground of any they would convince, than ordinarily they do.

V.    Oftimes when folks are sore engaged in a debate, they are not so impartial as they should, therefore Elihu lays down his not being engaged as a great furtherance to him in what he was to say:

VI.    On the general ground he goes on, and occasions of his speaking, least they should think themselves wise in their own eyes. Observe. That God will sometimes darken men that probably should know more than others, that it may be seen neither age, nor parts, nor grace will do the turn for bringing out his mind; and that all may be convinced there is need of a humble dependence on God for the revelation of his will, neither parts, nor greatness of parts and gifts will do the turn; therefore God will have men of gifts and parts humble, and whatever measure of understanding they come to, not leaning to it, but to him.

Chapter 33.

WE heard of Elihu, his large preface in the former chapter, in this he comes more particularly to the faults he did find in Job’s discourse, and he hath, 1. A preface to Job 33:8. wherein he makes way to have what he was to say well taken off his hand by Job. 2dly, He tells what he found fault with, from Job 33:8-12. and Job 33:1. draws his conclusion. There are the grounds of his confutation to the last three verses, wherein he closes his first speech.

He turns him from Job’s friends to speak to Job himself, intending to speak what he conceived Job had need of, and knowing there might, be prejudice taken at him, he being a young man, he gives two or three reasons of his freedom. 1 st. His sincerity, that it was not passion, nor any by-end that moved him to speak, but that what he was to say should be out of the uprightness of his heart; that he minded to be both free and tender. A second reason, that which I am to speak shall be so clear, that it shall not abide much dispute, and when ye have heard it, ye will not think your attention ill bestowed, Job 33:1-3. A third reason is, Job 33:4. hearken to what I am going to say, for I am a man, and but a man as one of yourselves. The first half of the verse shows how his body was formed by the power of God, and the next half shows how his soul was, and how the souls of all men are formed, by God’s breathing in their nostrils the breath of life. He amplifies this reason from two grounds, 1. That seeing he was but a man, he would draw up his words in order, and come to the field like a soldier if he had ought to say, The word is borrowed from a ranking of men, Job 33:5. The second ground is, Job 33:6-7. as if he said, Job ye wished, Job 9:33 and Job 23:3. to have God to plead with, that he might lay aside his terror, and ye would reason your cause with him. Now these two conditions ye sought of God are here, I am a man as ye are, and my terror will not make you afraid, I cannot break you with judgement, as ye complain God hath done, therefore come forth and debate the matter if ye can.

2dly, He lays down that which he minded mainly to refute in general, Job 33:8. I am not to tell thee what others hath told me of thee, nor to tell over the passages of thy life, but what thou hast spoken in my hearing. 2. He sets down what he observed Job spoke, and three particulars he pitches on. 1. In the Job 33:9 ye said, I am

clean without transgression, ye have spoken, as if there had been no guilt in you, and as if God had afflicted you without cause, which he gathered from Job’s words, Job 23:11-12., and Job 9:22., and Job 16:17., wherein Job asserted his integrity against his friends; but Elihu thinks he keeped no measure. A second fault is, Job 33:10. behold he finds occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy, Job ye quarrel with God, as if God had been picking a quarrel against you, when there was no just reason or cause, and this he gathered from his words, Job 9:23-34. and Job 16:12-14. and Job 14:17-18. when he seemed to say, God had gone back far to seek a quarrel against him. A third fault is, Job 33:11. that he had complained God had used him roughly, and taken an uncouth way with him, and they are Job’s words, Job 13:27. and Job 14:16.

3dly, From Job 33:12-13. he confutes Job as wrong two ways. 1. In justifying himself so far. 2. In quarreling with God; and first he passes sentence in the general, Job 33:12. Behold in this thou art not just! I will not pass sentence upon thee in respect of thy state or interest in God, but in this thou hast failed, and he gives a reason of it, God is greater than man; ye think to limit God within your narrow conception, but God is greater than man, that is, God is boundless and incomprehensible, both in himself, and in respect of our uptaking the grounds of his proceeding, and therefore thou must not condemn him, though thou cannot take them up; or it has this force, though ye, nor no man can see the reasons of God’s dealing with you, yet God sees further, and knows well why he hath dealt so with you, 1 John 3:20. If our heart, condemns us, God is greater than our heart. 2Corinthians 4:4. I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified; I cannot say, that I am righteous for all that before God; A second reason is, Job 33:13. set down by way of expostulation, what a folly is it for thee to enter in the lists with God? Does he give an account of any of his matters?

And is it in a word befitting you to come in and call God to a reckoning? A third ground or reason is, Job 33:14. though ye know not the reasons of God’s proceeding, do not blame him for that; for there are many things to teach God’s mind to man, but the fault is in man that takes him not up; and not in God, for God speaks once; yea, twice, yet man perceiveth not; through his ignorance and dullness he takes not up God’s mind. This ground he follows out largely to Job 33:29. where it is summed up; and which is the conclusion of all betwixt this and

that; as is he said, tho’ ye know not what God is doing in afflicting man, yet he knows, and his end is to do men much good, to keep them from fin and their own ruin. To make out this he lays down several grounds; the first is taken from God’s secret way of revealing himself to men in dreams and night visions; Job 33:15. as if he said, whether God speak by dreams or visions, by rods or mediate messengers, God is teaching men the use and end of his dealing; and he is often teaching men when they are sleeping. It is like he hath respect to the time before the law was written, when God spoke to men by visions and dreams; as he did to Abimelech and others, He opens their ear, and sealeth their instruction, Job 33:16. They, that when they were waking could not take this lesson, he tells them in at the ear in their sleep, and he seals it up, or puts a mark upon it, that when they waken they know it is he that has appeared to them, and hath been teaching them. The Job 33:17-18, may he read either with that which goes before, or with that which follows them, for it is the end of both, as if he said, God’s end in this way of chastening and speaking in apparitions to men, is to withdraw them from their purpose; the original it is; to keep to keep or withdraw man from his work, for it is man’s work to work wickedness according to his ability. 2dly, To hide pride from man; to hide a thing is to make it as is it were not, so to hide pride from man is to make him humble; by removing that which he was given to be proud of; and when man is proud of riches, God takes them away, and leaves him nothing to be proud of. A third end, He keeps back his soul from the pit, by this means he keeps man from destruction, which he would have run to if he had wanted, this bridle of affliction to restrain him; from Job 33:19-23. he sets out and describes sickness, as one of the ordinary afflictions whereby God humbles man, for it is not easy to hide pride from man, and keep him from the pit, therefore when the word does not the turn, (which he hath spoken of before), he sends rods, and particularly the rod of sickness, Job 33:19. and chastens him with pain on his bed, yea, sends pain in his hones, wherein his strength lies; and this pain torments him, that what he affected before he cannot bide to see it, Job 33:20. his appetite is marred, and he cannot bide dainty meat, and such curiosities as he was up taken with in health. 2. His flesh is consumed, or melts away, Job 33:21. and he is like one anatomized, and his bones are seen through his skin. The third effect is, Job 33:22. he is brought so low, that he is like a man half dead ready to be carried to his grave, and to the destroyers, that is, to the worms, the commend end and destruction of all

men; they are called destroyers, as these that seed on men when they are in the grave. He shows the use of and mean by which God brings about the benefits of affliction to men, Job 33:23-24. If there be a messenger with him, &c. as if he said, it is not sickness alone that benefits men, but when Gad blesseth the word in the mouth of a sent minister, (an interpreter one of a thousand, because every one is not meet to speak to man in that condition) in telling him the way to win to peace with God, and to be accepted through Christ’s righteousness, which is his uprightness, Which is the great scope that all God’s messengers should have before them, when God thus trists84 with sickness, and his sent minister together, and adds his blessing then, Job 33:24. God follows the quarrel no more, but is gracious to the afflicted person, and says; Deliver him from going down to the pit; either it is a word warranting God’s messenger to speak comfort and a comfortable outgate, or it is God’s intimating a word of his own to the soul of the afflicted man, as David says, Say to my soul, I am thy salvation. And the ground upon which is this, I have found a ransom, I am satisfied. A second benefit is Job 33:25. the man that before was like to die is restored. It is like to temporary and bodily health as in these times, but if that missed, eternal life was made sure. A third benefit, Job 33:26. He shall pray, and God will hear him which he did before. And a fourth benefit, He shall see his face with joy, he shall get communion with God in prayer; not only shall God take his prayer off his hand, but he shall intimate so much to him, and smile on him, and make him look hearsomly to God again as his father. And he gives a reason of this, for he will render unto man his righteousness; when man takes this way of seeking to God, he will keep his promise to him; and not deal hardly with him. A confirmation of this is, Job 33:27. God is the most easy to be entreated, and soonest made friends with of any, for he looketh, or hath an eye upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, if any will reflect on their way, and take with their guilt, and acknowledge they have gone wrong, and would fain be home at God, God is ready to deliver; whether from temporal or eternal, but mainly from eternal death and destruction, Job 33:28. and in due time he makes this known unto them. Then in the Job 33:29-30, we have the sum of the argument, Lo, all these things God worketh oftentimes with man,

84 (tryst) – God meeting with one, in sickness

to bring back his soul from the pit; whether God teach; or correct, or show mercy; (as he takes all these ways with men, some of them with one, some with another; and all of them with some), it is to keep man from eternal destruction: This is the sum of Elihu’s reasons, whereby he would confute Job, and would say this much, that if he knew the good that God was doing to him by affliction; he would be silent in submission.

4thly, He hath an exhortation to Job, to mark this well and hearken to him, and it is backed with reasons, Job 33:31-33. The first reason is, look if this be not true that I have said to thee, and so speak the contrary if thou canst. The second reason is from his respect to him and freedom with him: He was not set to condemn him as an ungenerate man; nay, he was set to justify him. 3. If this that he hath said be clear, that he hath nothing to say against it, he bids Job hear him out, for he hath more to say yet.

Observations.

1. See what should be man’s carriage in reference to God’s sovereignty. It is good to walk with God as greater than man, as one that is incomprehensible in the reasons of his dispensations. This puts a bridle on man’s corruptions, that are ready to fall out under an hard trial or exercise.

II.    One of the great things God aims at in all his dispensations, is to do the persons of men good, to hide pride from them, to humble them, to keep them from sin and destruction; and we may by this know when God’s dispensations are for our good, when they prevent the occasions of sin, or take away occasions of sin, or humble, and draw in to God.

III.    He knits chastening and the messenger together, and counts it a great mercy when affliction and the word of the gospel is joined, and so it is; it might have been said, affliction is common, therefore he subjoins to the rod, the messenger, and makes it a good token that the rod is to do some good when the messenger is beside to speak a word; when God afflicts, and gives a word, count it a mercy, Psalm 94:12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, and teachest out of thy law; and know that our reckoning will be the greater, and we the more inexcusable, when both the rod and word are joined, if use be not made of it.

Chapter 34.

WE heard how Elihu began to take the dispute off the hands of Job’s friends, and set himself to convince Job. It is like there hath been some intermission betwixt this and the former discourse, Job has keeped silence as being more convinced, or he has been meekened by Elihu, his mild matter and manner of procedure, and is desirous to hear more.

In this chapter we have, 1 st. A preface to Job 34:5. 2dly, The matter he has to refute in Job, from Job 34:5-6. 3dly, His confutation, from Job 34:6-34. 4thly, The close of his discourse in the last four verses.

First, Elihu answered and said; and the preface follows, and it is to stir up Job and his friends to attention, and grave and understanding men with them, to consider and judge of what he has to say. Hear me ye wise men, I deal with wise men, and men of understanding, and I shall deal prudently with you, therefore give ear to me, he backs this with two reasons, Job 34:3. 1. I shall offer the matter I bring forth to be judged and tried, for it is with the ear in trying words, as with the mouth and pallat, in discerning meat. A second reason is, Job 34:4. Let us chose to us judgement; we shall not be rash in passing sentence, but see who has the most solid reasons for them, and accordingly judge; and let us know among ourselves what is good; let us know by mutual reasoning together who has the best side.

Secondly, In the fifth and sixth verses, he draws the matter which he has to refute to two heads. 1. Job hath said, I am righteous. He has spoken too much for justifying himself, as Job 13.; 18.; 19.; 27:6. where Elihu thinks he hath spoken well and largely in vindicating himself, and pleading his own innocency. 2dly, He charges him for reflecting on God, as if Job had, said, God had taken away his judgement, that is, (as Elihu expones), God had dealt more rigorously with him than there was reason or just cause. Job had indeed spoken these words, Job 27:2. but his meaning is, that God had not as yet vindicated him, but left him as a condemned man under his friends censure. The charge is amplified, Job 34:6. Job has said, should I lye against my right, Job has said, he cannot say he is guilty, except he sin, and that his wound is incurable without transgression, which Job

said not in words, yet chapter xxvii. when we compare the second and fourth verses, we will find his words to come near their words, though his meaning be different from that, which Elihu would put upon them.

Thirdly, He goes on to confute Job in three or four steps. The first step or way of his confutation is from Job 34:7-10. holding forth the absurdity of Job’s assertion, and wondering how such a man could speak so, in three steps, the first is Job 34:7. What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? Was there any wise, gracious, conscientious man, ever spoke that as he hath spoken, (for in the next verse he speaks of wicked men, and makes Job a pleader for them), striving to make Job’s assertion detestable, and proposing it as a thing to be abhorred. 2dly, Comparing Job to wicked men in this, Job 34:8. Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity; in maintaining a tenet which they do maintain, he pleads for them, Malachi 3:14. They say, there is no profit by serving God, and Job says the same in substance, and so walks in one way with them. 3dly, He shows the absurdity of Job’s expression, by drawing consequences from it, Job 34:9. he hath said, it profits a man nothing that he should delight himself in God; for it is all one, (would he say), as if he had said it, for if God takes no notice of men’s righteousness, it will do a man no good though he be righteous. Having teisseled85 up the absurdity of Job’s opinion, he confutes it more particularly in a second way speaking to Job’s friends from Job 34:10-16. by three arguments. 1. Job 34:10. Hearken to me, ye men of understanding, and see if ye will bind this on God, that he should do wickedly. So 1. he confutes Job’s assertion, (as he took it up), from the nature of God, who is of pure eyes, and cannot behold iniquity. It were abominable to think otherwise of God, and so he rejects the consequence with abhorrence. A second argument is from God’s work and way of proceeding, Job 34:11. The work of man shall he render unto him, he proceeds with men according to the rule of righteousness, and therefore will not do unjustly himself. A third argument is Job 34:12. and it is taken from God’s will, Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, though in his sovereignty he might do what might seem iniquity, being above all law, yet he will not do it. It is inconsistent with his holy nature; he that is supream, his will is our rule, but he will not do iniquity. This he confirms by two assertions which might be new arguments.

85 tied

1. If God would do wrong who, could control him? Job 34:13. Who hath given him a charge over the earth? Insinuating God’s absoluteness and sovereignty, and this is followed forth in one expression or two, Job 34:14- 15. If God pleased to draw in man’s breath, or his power whereby he maintains man, or keeps in man’s breath, all flesh should perish together, all should turn to nothing; it is as easy for him to destroy all mankind, as it for man to draw in his breath.

The third, part of the confutation, is spoken to Job himself, and it has a preface, Job 34:16. If thou hast understanding, hear this, and I will show thee thine error, and he goes on to confute him two ways, 1. By showing the evil of Job’s way to Job 34:31. 2dly, By showing the way Job should have followed, from Job 34:31. to Job 34:34.

In laying out the evil of Job’s way he goes upon two grounds, 1st, God’s sovereignty. 2dly, his justice, Job 34:17. His sovereignty, Shall he that even hates right govern? Think ye, Job, he who governs as supream can hate right? or than he that all must appeal to for decision of all causes, hate right? Shall he do wrong, to whom all must appeal to for righting of wrongs? It is impossible. 2dly, His justice, Wilt thou condemn him that is most just? Think ye, it is a light matter to condemn him who is holy and just He shows the absurdity of these two, by holding forth God’s absoluteness mixed with justice. And, 2dly, his absoluteness, Job 34:18. Is it fit to say to a king, thou art wicked? Job, look if any great man will take it well off your hand to speak to him as ye have spoken to God; and if it be not a light matter to speak so to man, to charge a king or prince with wickedness, he would not bear it well; Is it fit to, be so spoken to God, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords? and yet this sovereignty is mixed with justice, How much less to him that accepts not the person of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? That puts no difference betwixt the rich and the poor, and the reason of it, for they are all the work of his hands, he made them both, Job 34:20. In a moment shall they die, &c. All these princes that ye durst not speak to, he could in a night take them all away with a blast in his anger, is he should speak the word, they should return to dust, he could send sickness, or any rod he pleases, and remove them without hands; and think ye it a light matter to charge such a sovereign God with injustice. 2dly, He vindicates God’s

justice, Job 34:21. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he sees all his goings, that is, think not he does all this that 1 have been saying out of his sole arbitrament, for he knows all the ways and works of men, they are naked and bare before him, a wicked man cannot hide an evil turn from God, Job 34:22. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, wherein wicked folks can hide themselves from his eye, and Job 34:23. He will lay on no man more than his right, for as sore plagues as he has laid on men, he never laid on any more than was right, that they should have occasion to enter in judgement with him, (and so it is with you), or have any ground of complaint.

A second step or argument whereon he goes in laying out the evil of Job’s way by several instances of God’s sovereignty, And the first is, Job 34:24. God does not only what he pleases with one or two men only, but with numbers of men, and mighty men, whom he puts down or lets up as he pleases; and this is not unjust as he insinuates in the words following, Job 34:25. for he knows their works, he knows when there is just cause to be about with them, though men see it not, and he overturns them at an instant. Job 34:26. He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others, he takes a way to execute his justice more terribly before all the world, that all may behold and see in his dealing with them, a pattern of his justice; and be gives two reasons, why God vents his justice thus against great men. The first Job 34:27. because they fell from their obedience to God, and departed from their duty to him. And a second reason is, Job 34:28. relating to their breach of the second table, because they were oppressors of these under them, which made the cry of the poor, whom they opprest come up to him, whose cry he hears. A third instance of God’s sovereignty is, Job 34:29. When he gives quietness, who can trouble? God is so absolute and sovereign in his way, that he does what he will, if he have a mind to execute judgement on a person or nation, none can keep it off, and if he give quietness none can make trouble; and he takes sometimes this way, for this reason, That the hypocrite reign not, Job 34:30. that is, when he has a mind to take away a wicked governor that pretended to be for God’s people, and intended to spoil and insnare them, (for the word hypocrite may be rendered, wicked governor), he sends trouble and prevents that snare.

suitable to be his carriage, Surely this were meet to be said unto God, I have born chastisement, I have gotten scourges for thy guilt, and I will submit and mend wherein I have been faulty. 2. This were meet to be said, Job 34:32. That which I see not, teach thou me; it were better if ye have seen any sin, to take with it, and pray for God’s meaning of his rods, and to beware of doing any more that which may offend him. He concludes with a pithy expostulation, Job 34:33. Should it be according to thy mind? Whether should God have his will, or ye yours? Think ye it not an absurd thing to prescribe to God to guide the world; and he presses the advice he has given Job by this argument, the way that ye are on will do no good; He will recompense it, whether. thou chose or refuse and not I, whether thou take with thy sin, and humble thyself before God or not, he will take his own way to humble thee, and it is him thou hast to do with, and not I; therefore seeing I expect thou art convinced, take with thy fault, or if thou wilt speak on, speak what thou knowest, and speak not of things too high for thee.

The close of the chapter is in the last four verses, and as he began so he closes, calling wise men to judge whether Job has played the fool, and spoken rashly according to his narrow sense and uptaking of God, Job 34:34-35. and backs his arguments with this, If all that I have said convince not Job, I wish we may debate the matter over again which he hath spoken, and may see what advantage he hath given to wicked men, by his hot and passionate speeches and reflections on God, Job 34:36. and he gives two or three reasons of this, Job 34:37. for he adds rebellion to his sin, he spoke rash words before, but now he is like to justify himself. 2dly, He claps his hands amongst us, be insults over us, as if we had no answer to give him. 3dly, He multiplies his words against God, by taking occasion to cry down God’s justice. Or this last verse may be read, Why should he add rebellion to his sin, and clap his hands amongst us, and multiply his words against God? That is, if we confute him not, we give him occasion to add rebellion to his sin, to insult over us, and to multiply words against God.

O B S E R V A T 1 O N S.

I. From the general scope, Observe: That it is right hard for good folks, when they give way to fretting, to give God’s justice and sovereignty the right due. Job, who had no marrow for piety overshoots himself, and something escapes him, that he is justly to be found fault with; when folks falls upon a way of judging hard of

God’s way, it rubs on God himself.

II.    Consider the grounds that Elihu lays down, it may be asked, How is this that Elihu does so aggrege Job’s faults? Or how can he do it? We think that he questions not Job’s integrity, and that he was tender of him otherwise, but he speaks thus sharply to him, 1. Because some of Job’s expressions, such as were named before, reflected on God, and he makes that a great fault. 2. Because he thinks that Job thought too little of such reflections. 3. It may be thought, that Elihu stretches his consequences too far and beyond Job’s meaning. Observe: That there is no right walking under a cross and adverse dispensation without right thoughts of the majesty of God; folks had need under difficulties to call to mind the God they have to do with. It is on this ground that Elihu proceeds, and it would calm and sober folks spirits best of any thing; and, O! but we had need to work our hearts to it.

III.    From the words, Job 34:31. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, take your lesson, It is meet under every cross dispensation and afflicted condition, to stoop and submit to God; to search out sin, to take with what we know is wrong, and wherein we are ignorant to seek God’s teaching, and watch and guard against the evils for the time to come that provoked God.

IV.    From the words, Job 34:33. Should it be according to thy mind? Observe: Folks would ay have God guiding the world according to their mind and will. 2dly, There is not a more unreasonable thing to seek to take the guiding of the world out of God’s hand, and yet this is the ground of our fretting and complaining, and not submitting to God, because we get not our will: Therefore when the heart rises, say to yourselves, Should dispensations come as ye would, or as God would?

This one word may stop our mouth, whether should God or we have the guiding of matters?

Chapter 35.

THIS is the third discourse of Elihu, wherein he is seeking, though not to convince Job of the sinfulness of his state, yet of sinfulness in words, expression, and carriage under this trial.

This chapter follows on the former charge, and in it he challenges Job for being too much in reflecting on God’s justice, and in justifying himself; he takes up his charge, Job 35:2. Thinkest thou this to be right that thou saidst, my righteousness is more than God’s? Thinks thou thyself righteous in this, that in thy heart, or in expressions, thou should reflect on the justice of God? which thou hast done in maintaining thy own righteousness more than his. And because this was an odious charge, he hints at some of Job’s words, Job 35:3, which are almost the same that he charged Job with in the ninth verse of the former chapter, as the ground of this charge; the words are not spoken by Job, and far less in the sense that Elihu would put upon them; for Job debated against his friends, that all things temporal came alike to good and bad; and hence Elihu concludes, that Job said there was no profit to be had in seeking God; or more particularly look to Job 10:15. Job had said, If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet would I not lift up my head, meaning he would boast nothing though he had the testimony of a good conscience; from which words Elihu mistaking Job’s meaning, concludes, that he had rubbed on God’s righteousness, and sets himself to confute this. And, 1. he confutes it from Job 35:4-9. by showing the disparity betwixt God and Job, and therefore that it sets him not to bound God, I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee; I will answer thee, and thy friends, or any that will take thy part. And the first ground he lays is, Job 35:5. Look unto the heavens, Job, ye think the heavens high, and they are indeed higher than you, but God’s sovereignty and absoluteness is above both heaven and earth, and will ye bound God, or bid him handle you otherwise? Will ye bind God by any thing that ye can do to a more favourable dealing? Is there any thing in you to procure that at God’s hand? He instances the contrary. 1. In Job’s sin, Job 35:6. If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him? Can thy wickedness reach to wrong God? Thou may wrong a man like thyself, and before men thou may wrong God by being accessory to his dishonour, but it cannot reach him. 2dly, In Job’s good deeds, Job 35:7. If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? Or put any

stamp of majesty on God, and if thou canst; not add to him, thou oughtest to lay no band upon him. He amplifies this, Job 35:8. a man may help another man like himself, as he may hurt a man like himself, but it will not follow on that, that he can either hurt God by his sin, or help God by his righteousness. He goes on to remove a second error in Job, Job 35:9. which comes in as an answer to an objection which might be moved against what he hath said formerly for refutation of Job, his reflecting on God’s justice, as he supposes Job had said, Job 24:12. Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out, by reason of the oppression of wicked men, yet God layeth not folly to them, that is, he calls them not presently to a reckoning; Elihu answers to this, and, 1. he concedes and grants, that it is true indeed, that oppression is rife, and many that are opprest with heavy burdens, cry to God for, help by reason of that oppression, and are not delivered; but it will not hence follow, that God is unjust. Therefore, 2dly, he gives a reason why though they cry, God hears them not, Job 35:10. because they cry not right, None sayeth, where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night? That is, many will cry in adversity to God for help out of it, few whereof have prayed to God in prosperity, or acknowledged their Maker, for giving them matter of songs of praise; or few acknowledge him in their delivery out of straits, for turning their difficulties to the matter of a song; or for giving them a morning after a night, to lie down and rise in health and peace, and it is just with God to misken them, who only cry to him in their adversity; and mistaken him in prosperity; and in this he reflects on Job, as being more in crying now to God, nor he was before when it went better with him. And a second reason is, Job 35:11. as if he said, it may be indeed that such men cry to God in adversity, but there is not in these men a marking and observing of God’s mercies to men more than to beasts and fowls; in teaching men more than the beasts of the earth, and making them wiser than the fowls of heaven, and hereby he proves there is no sincerity in their crying or prayers. A third reason is, Job 35:12. Because of the pride of evil men, that is, though they be under affliction and oppression their proud heart is not humbled in them; therefore they cry, but get not an answer, because for all their poverty they keep still their proud humour. A fourth reason is, Job 35:13. Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it; their prayers are not only such as flow from proud men, but they are vainly put up, and let such men cry as long as they please, God will not take notice of them nor their prayers.

Then he removes a third objection, Job 35:14. Job had said, Job 33:9-10. That though God was on his right and left-hand working, yet he could not perceive him, wherein he seems to regrete, God took not notice of him? Elihu answers, that is not inconsistent with God’s righteousness; though he sees not how, yet God is just, for judgement is before him, that is, tho’ thou see not the particular cause of God’s proceeding, yet he hath a solid ground of proceeding, which is known to him: Therefore, Deuteronomy 32:4. it is said, All his ways are judgement; he is a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he; he has a wise end before him, and a righteous rule he walks by, therefore condemn not God, but though ye see not the reasons of his working, trust in him, in a time wherein ye are in the dark. In the fifteen and sixteenth verses, he closes this part of the confutation with a sharp regrete and challenge; as if he said, But what shall I say, this is not Job’s case, he is not yet made to submit to God, therefore though God has visited him in anger, he is not made to acknowledge God’s hand in it; and he closes with a censure, Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain, and multiplies words without knowledge, that is, because he takes not up God rightly in his passion, he speaks things that he knows not, and vents words to no purpose or profit. Elihu in his censure he is somewhat sharp by knitting consequences to Job’s words that they will not bear, for his words will bear another sense than he put upon them, though they were passionately exprest and unadvisedly, though not intending either to rub on God, or to justify himself; yet we will find Elihu rather free than rash in judging, he speaks not of Job’s hypocrisy or blasphemy as his friends did.

Observations.

I.    Observe. When folks enter on contests, they had need to take heed of reflections on either hand, knowing they are prone to weigh things severely, and to charge persons with more hard consequences nor their words will bear; to lay too much weight on expressions, when there is no ground to bear it out.

II.    On the second part observe a few things. And, 1. on Job 35:10. compared with the former, mark, That oppression makes many folks pray and cry to God, while as there may be little sense of God or his goodness, and little or no religion in the heart, as in Jonah’s companions in the ship, and Psalm 18:41. They cried, but

there was none to save, even to the Lord, but he answered them not; and Psalm 78:34. When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and enquired early after God; but there was much unsoundness for all that, They did flatter him with their tongue, for their heart was not right with him, &c. Take not every fit of warmness under a cross for an evidence of soundness, or a work of grace; fits of that kind may be, where there is nothing of the knowledge or acknowledgement of God.

III. Observe. It is a far better evidence of honesty and sincerity to acknowledge God, and think of him in prosperity, than to pray and cry to him in adversity. The one is more commendable than the other; they that will cry, as would seem affectionately in adversity, may as Jeshurun kick against God, when they are filled in prosperity, and have little mind of God.

IV, Observe. That one of the causes why our prayers are shut out in a strait and difficulty is, little watchfulness and thankfulness to God, when the stroke is keeped off us, we make few errands purposely to thank him.

V.    From Job 35:11. Observe: That the common mercies that men have beside, or beyond the beasts and fowls, are great ground of thankfulness; that we are men and not beasts, that we have reason to look to heaven, and consider who made them, &c. are mercies which we undervalue.

VI.    It is a great part of men’s unthankfulness when they do not acknowledge common mercies, when they are not thought upon as they ought; we know not sometimes what may have influence on God’s not hearing of our prayers, but certainly neglect of thankfulness, not blessing God that we are not beasts, has no small influence, and we had need to observe and mend their faults.

VII.    God would be in a special way acknowledged in every particular man’s mercies, or we would not hold our mercies as common, but as particular to us, God teaches this mainly, that man should acknowledge his particular teaching of him, as if never another man were taught but he.

VIII.    Upon Job 35:14. Observe: 1. When God keeps up himself under affliction, we are given to fear that we will never get a sight of him, that he will not hear prayer any more; though Job believed to see a Redeemer at

the last day, yet he is put to think he shall never see God hear away, for he thought the grave was waiting for him. 2. But we ought to compose our hearts in the faith of this, that God is doing well to us, whether we see him or not. Therefore, Isaiah 30. 18. he is said to be a God of judgement, that is, a God that knows how to tryst, his manifesting and keeping up of himself, the times of his coming and going. Therefore the conclusion follows, Blessed are they that wait for him.

IX.    Therefore trust thou in him, he first sets himself to vindicate God, as ordering his way with judgement, and then bids trust God. Observe: That good thoughts of God’s way is a notable ground and motive for upstiring to trust in him, a notable ground to confirm faith in him; there is nothing that fosters misbelief more, nor mistakes and jealousies of God, and his way, and the end he hath before him in working, and it is a great encouragement to faith to get right thoughts of God’s way settled in the heart.

X.    On Job 35:15. But now because it is not so, &c. this is a great aggravation of Job’s trial, that not only his three friends, but even Elihu also quarrels his faith; only it is with this difference, his three other friends questioned his state, but Elihu questions his faith only in this particular trial; he will not say, Job hath no faith, but he trusts not God in this particular, and it is like this discourse hath been a new fet86 to Job. Observe: It is not one of the best trials to a soul under affliction, when they are fighting the fight of faith, to be set on with this temptation, that their faith is no faith: And, looking on Elihu, his discourse, there is something wherein this temptation comes carried along to Job in it.

XI.    Job is not humbled, saith he, therefore he opens his mouth in vain, Observe. That while folks profit not by the rod, are not humbled under affliction, it will vent wrong with them, they will utter words to no purpose that had better been keeped in; folks had need to improve a particular cross well, for if it further not mortification, It will bring forth bitter-outbreakings, and leave the person in a worse condition nor it found him.

86 The word appears to be ‘fet’, rather than ‘set’ – in which case it probably means ‘blow’

Chapter 36.

ELIHU hath been checking Job, for his unsavoury words of God, and his way, in several chapters before; he proceeds as in this and the following, to reprove his passionate and impatient complaining of God. His speech hath a preface to the fifth verse of this chapter. 2dly, There is his confutation of Job, from Job 36:5. of this to the two last verses of Job 36:37. And, 3dly, In the two last verses is the conclusion of his dispute.

This speech differs from the former in this; that he cites not Job’s words as before, but generally insists to confute his passionate way of complaining.

First, He uses a preface to stir up Job to attention, knowing how hard a thing it is for men under the cross to take well with niping87 and sharp words; Elihu also proceeded, and said, Suffer me a little, as if he said, I have not done yet, though I have said much, there is more to be said for God, it is such a cause to plead for God, that whosoever takes it in hand, they will never want matter, Job 36:1-2. The second ground he goes on is Job 36:3. I will seek my knowledge from far, I will not now insist on the particular dispensation that ye have met with, but look all the providences and dispensations that hath been from the beginning, and ye will find them to plead the same for God that I say; and the scope of all is, I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker, wherein secretly he gives Job a check, as if he had derogate from God’s righteousness. A third ground is Job 36:4. My words shall not be false, I shall speak truth, and neither counterfeit with God, nor flatter you; and a reason of it is, He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee; speaking of himself in the third place, to evidence his humility, or of God speaking in him, to tell his furniture was from God, who was perfect in knowledge; that which he has to confute in Job is, his passionate complaining, as if God had dealt unequally with him; and the confutation has three parts, the first ground is from Job 36:5-22. taken from God’s righteousness and equal way of dealing withal. The second ground is, from Job 36:22-26. taken from God’s sovereignty and absoluteness. The third ground is from God’s greatness in ordinary causes, and in the works of creation, begun from Job 36:26. of this chapter,

87 smarting

and followed forth in the next. And from these three, God’s being just, absolute, and great, without reach of creatures, he confutes Job’s taking on him to debate with God, and taking on him to censure him, as if he had done him wrong.

For the first ground, he, I. Propones. 2. Clears. 3. Applies it to Job’s particular case, Behold God is mighty, God is mighty in strength and wisdom; and if we looked on God’s strength and wisdom, and absolute way of proceeding, we had little ground of complaining, but for as mighty as God is, he is equal, and will not despise the poorest; therefore Job, ye have no cause to complain of severe dealing. He proves this, Job 36:6-7. in two branches. 1. Never a poor man was in contest with a wicked man, were he never so mighty, but he did him justice, nay, he takes away the life of the wicked, and gives right to the poor. And, 2dly, as he takes order with the wicked by his special providence, so he hath a respect to the gracious, He withdraws not his eyes from them, that is, Psalm 34., his eyes are upon them, and what is meant by this, the following words tell; with kings are they on the throne, and doth establish them, holding out a temporal grandeur in the latter, as in these times was more rise; and taking it spiritually, the meaning is, that God has always a respect to them, and will manifest it one time or other. He goes on to clear, and answer some objections that might be made against this, the first objection, and a great one, Oftimes good men are brought low, and far from reigning with kings? The first answer to this is, Job 36:8-9, it they may be bound in fetters,. and holden in cords of affliction, but God does that for good ends, and he gives two. The first is, Job 36:8-9. it may be the righteous in prosperity forget both God and themselves, as they are ready to do, but he brings on affliction, and shows them their work, and wherein they have exceeded in the liberty he gave them; and the second end is Job 36:10. He not only lets them see their evils, but he opens their ear to discipline; he gives them a lesson to amend, and by a forcible command makes them take up themselves. The meaning is, that God by a sanctified cross helps them both to examine themselves, and to take up their way to God, and God’s way towards them. The second way how he answers the objection is, from the event, Job 36:11. though God afflict them, he does not put them from all hope of an outgate if they obey and serve him; They shall spend their days in prosperity, they shall get a happy outgate of their affliction, if they take up the lesson God teaches them by their affliction; and to this he opposes their not

taking up of the mind of God in his rod, Job 36:12. If they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and die without knowledge, importing, even that good men do not always take up God’s lesson that he is teaching them by affliction, and this makes them be keeped the longer in the stocks. So, 1Corinthians 11.; some of the Corinthians for abusing the sacrament, are made to sleep the sleep of death, and Asa and Josiah for their failings, are removed and taken away by temporal judgement. Obj. 2. What difference is there then betwixt the righteous, and the wicked man, or hypocrite? He answers to this, Job 36:13. opposing him to the righteous man he spoke of before, The dissembling protest hypocrite, he is always treasuring up wrath, neither does he turn to God, lay on what judgement God likes on him; and this is further explained, Job 36:14. They die in youth, how long soever they live, God’s judgement comes on them ere they live out half their days; and their life is among the unclean, that is, their portion after this life is separation from God and good men, the word is, they have their lives among the Sodomites, after this life. Then, Job 36:15. he clears that even these righteous folks that are taken away by temporal calamity, are in a different condition from such hypocritical men, for God is ay doing them good, for they are delivered at death, and sometimes before death he makes them take with their fault, and gives them an outgate.

3. He applies this to Job in three particulars. 1. That if he had humbled himself, God would have given him an outgate, Job 36:16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place; if ye had humbled yourself before God, he should have brought you through; and that which should have been set on thy table should have been full of fatness, that is, much prosperity and happiness should have come to thee. The second way how he applies it is, Job 36:17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked, ye have carried yourself like a wicked man, tho’ I will not say that ye are one. Therefore ye have no reason to complain of God, though justice and judgement should take hold of you. The third way of his application is by giving Job some directions. The first direction is, Job 36:18. Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with this stroke, with a temporal judgement, though ye get your soul for a prey. Therefore it were far better to stoop to God, than to complain of his dealing, and he backs this with a reason, if God strike, a great ransom cannot deliver, yea, Job 36:19. neither gold, nor silver, nor any thing else in esteem with men will be accepted. A

second direction or admonition is, Job 36:20. Desire not the night, when people are cut of in their place, Job ye have often desired death, which is the end of all people, and which takes away people from the miseries of this life, but beware of limiting God, for ye know not if death will be sweet as ye take it; and he confirms this, Job 36:21. Regard not iniquity, continue not in your sinful complaining impatient way; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction, I have cause to bid you beware of complaining of your life, and to desire death, for thou hast taken this desperate way of desiring and wishing for death, rather than patient submitting to God under thy trouble, which impatience of thine is sin and iniquity.

The second ground of his confutation of Job is, from Job 36:22-26. taken from God’s sovereignty and absoluteness, He begins every one of this grounds with a Behold, as Job 36:5. in this Job 36:22. and afterwards Job 36:26. and because we spoke of them, Job 26.; we may be the shorter here, Behold, God exalts by his power, who teaches like him? None can by his teaching cause to profit as he can, and both in respect of the means and manner of teaching, he can teach otherwise than any other can teach; this he follows with a reason, Job 36:23. Who has enjoined him his way? Who has given him a commission? Is not God absolute, and gives commission to all, but takes none from any? Or, who can say, thou hast wrought iniquity? Who can say, God has done wrong, or any injustice? And this way of interrogation does vehemently deny the thing; therefore he subjoins an exhortation, Job 36:24. Remember that thou magni his work; seeing God is so absolute and great, take up yourself Job, and be so far from complaining of God’s dealing, as ye make much of it; fall in love with it, and magnify it; and a reason of this, because men behold, and see it to be God’s work with you; yea, Job 36:25. Every man may see it. It is a thing palpable to be God’s work, these who are not so much concerned in it as thou, may be convinced that it is God that is dealing with thee.

The third ground whereby he labours to convince and confute Job is, Job 36:26. and it is taken from God’s greatness, Behold, God is great, and we know him not, Job, God is far greater than ye are, he is incomprehensible, and far above all that we have said of him; Neither can the number of his years be searched out; that is, he is eternal, and this he speaks to fear folks from diving curiously into the works of God’s

providence, and guiding of the world; he clears God’s greatness in common things. 1. He makes small the drops of water; they pour down, Is he not a great God, that can take up water above the clouds, and then lets it not fall in a flush, but sifts it down in smalls, or like a still dropping drop after drop; and yet though he let it fall in small drops, he makes it fall out abundantly. 2dly, He puts two wonders together, Job 36:28. that neither the rain falls out in clouds at once, but in drops, and yet there is as much of it falls as does folks turn abundantly 3dly, His spreading of the clouds, and there watering to and fro, which Psalm 18:11. are called God’s pavilion or tabernacle, or the noise of his tabernacle, that is the thunder; which holds out God’s terror; Behold, he spreads his light upon it, Job 36:30. that is, God’s making of the fire flaughts, every one of which sets out God’s greatness; and covers the bottom of the sea, or the great gulphs and arms of the sea, that seem to be as so many roots of a tree. He gives two ends God has before him in sending rain, wind and thunder. 1. By them he judges the people, sometimes, as in the days of Noah, he sends storms and extraordinary rains for a punishment. 2. That which he makes a plague and punishment to some, he makes it a mean to furnish others with plenty. And so folks have daily among their hands evidences of his greatness. He amplifies what he has said before, Job 36:32. With clouds he covers the light; when it is a dear day, he will cause a cloud come in and cover the sun, and it is dark by the interposition of that cloud. And he closes all, Job 36:33. The noise thereof, that is of the thunder, sheweth concerning it, that is concerning the rain. The meaning is, God by the noise of thunder gives warning ere the rain come; the cattle also concerning the vapour, God has also a secret instinct in beasts, that they know ere a storm come, and provide themselves a shelter. God makes himself so known in creatures above, that it is sensible to creatures beneath.

Observations.

I. Observe. The solid ground of taking up God’s way rightly, is solidly to conceive and apprehend God himself rightly. To know God rightly in these three, in his equal and righteous way of procedure, in his absoluteness and sovereignty, and in his greatness, is the way to take him rightly up in his dispensations; and it is the ignorance of God in one of their three, or all of them, that makes folk debate matters with God; therefore study to know

God in this, and it will silence the most disputing mouth amongst us.

II.    From his proving and clearing the first ground, Job 36:6-7, Observe: That all God’s ways carry in them a respect to the godly, and a stroke to the wicked. In all God’s dispensations, there is a special regard to them that fear him, and a blow to them that fear him not; and this is an argument to put to silence Job’s fretting and complaining, and it is a check to Job, who alleged, that God took not notice to his honesty.

III.    On the end why God brings on affliction the godly, Observe: That great end why God afflicts the righteous, it is one of more or both, either to let them know what is wrong, or to convert and amend what is wrong in them; for often in prosperity folks are partial in examining and judging themselves, and therefore God brings on affliction, strips them of worldly comforts, makes them sit alone, and examine matters over again, and it were good to learn in every particular strait and difficulty, to have an open ear to discipline, to seek out what is wrong, and depart from iniquity, and then affliction has the right fruit when there is a discovery of sin, and a turning from it.

IV.    Observe. That both these are not from the rod, but they are from God’s gift. The ordinary time when God teaches is the time of affliction, but the lesson is from him; he must discover sin, and turn from sin, and we must depend on him for both.

V.    If they obey and serve him, and if they obey not, Job 36:12. Obs That gracious folks may be under the rod for a long time, and not get the good of it. Asa is under the rod, and turns not till he be removed by death; and yet it is said of him, His heart was perfect with the Lord his God all his days. This should make us very humble, and to depend on God, and not on any bit of grace we have received.

VI.    Observe. When godly folks make not use of the rod, they may come under sad temporal strokes, even unto death, as in Asa, and these 1 Corinthians 11., and Josiah, and others. Sad strokes may follow them till they be taken out of the world, and yet they be saved.

VII.    Observe. That even then when it is so, God puts a difference betwixt them and hypocrites in heart; he

preserves them from having their life among the unclean, as hypocrites have; therefore beware of being rash in judging others, but learn ourselves to stand in awe, and fear before the Lord.

VIII. The directions speak themselves. 1. When wrath lies on, we would then especially beware of provoking God more. 2. Folks had then need to take heed what wishes and desires escape them, and particularly they would not desire the night of death, least worse be abiding them. 3. Chuse rather affliction than sin. 4. Remember his work to magnify it; folks would not only be careful, not to forget God’s dealing and dispensations, but they would magnify his work. Labour to see God in it, and learn to speak good of God in it, and guard against any thing that may make him or his work be ill spoken of.

Chapter 37.

THIS is the last part of the discourse that Elihu hath with Job, the scope of the former was to check Job for his rash and unseemly censuring God, and desiring to debate with him, as if he had done him wrong. The last ground he laid to refute him was God’s greatness in common things, he began at this, Job 37:26. of the former chapter, and he follows it out in this chapter to the last two verses, wherein he concludes his debate.

1. He goes on in convincing Job, by adding new instances of God’s greatness to Job 37:14. and from that to the conclusion, he applies what he hath said of God’s greatness, more particularly to Job.

He continues his speech with an expression of the frame he was in when he thought of God’s greatness, Job 37:1. At this a!so my heart trembleth. God does many great things, and when I think on his greatness, I am almost afraid to speak of it, my heart is fainting within me, and moved out of his place, when I am to speak more of it. It is conceived by some, that there was at this time a present thunder, which seems to be hinted at, Job 37:2. but it is not needful to make this the cause of his trembling; it was the consideration of the greatness of God, and of his works, that did so affect him; to let Job see he spoke not superficially of these things, and so might the more win in on Job, and make his speech affect him he instances God’s greatness in particulars, that made him tremble, in thunder, snow, frost, rains, clouds, that are mixed through other. The thunder is spoken of, Job 37:2. Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of mouth, that is, the thunder, he stirs him up to hear attentively, and all that shall hear, not only to hear the word well, but to lay it to heart; the meaning is, Job if you would hear well God’s voice in the thunder, ye durst not speak to God as you do. He proceeds, Job 37:3. to tell how he orders the thunder, and gives it a commission, He directeth, that terrible thing, under the whole heaven, and his lightning to the ends of the earth. And, Job 37:4. After it, that is, after the lightning, a voice roars, for though the voice be as soon as the light, if not sooner, yet it comes to our hearing after the lightning, the sense of hearing being flower than that of seeing; light things, that are instantaneous come to our sight before a sound effect the ear; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. This may be applied to the drops of rain, which cannot be stayed when God pours them out in time of thunder.

God thunders marvellously, Job 37:5. he cannot get expressions strong enough to set it out, therefore he hath expression after expression, to stir up to high thoughts of God the maker of it, and from this great work of the thunder he draws a general conclusion, great things doth be, which we cannot comprehend, all the Philosophers on earth cannot know the causes of that, and his other great works. The second instance is the snow, Job 37:6. He saith to the snow, be thou on the earth; God has no more ado, but say the word, and the snow obeys him as his soldier. And the third instance is, the small rain and the great rain of his strength; the least dew, and the greater rain, as it were a deluge; it obeys God as a servant his master. He seals up the hand of every man, Job 37:7. that is, when God sends the great rain, men are sealed up at home, as Noah was in the ark, and forced to keep within doors; and the beasts, Job 37:8. are put from the open fields to their dens for shelter from it. And in the end of Job 37:7. an use of this is cast in, that all men may know his work; he is such a great and terrible God, that he will have all men knowing him, whether they will or not; or because they will know him in a calm, he sends a storm and hems them in, and closes them up within doors, that they may study his words, and his greatness in them, which were a good use when men are keeped at home, and cannot get abroad. Out of the south comes the whirlwind, as in these places they had great whirlwinds; and cold out of the north, and this is another instance of God’s greatness. The wind blows from no airth88, but as he commands it, and no plague comes but by his orders. Another instance is, Job 37:10. in the frost, By the breath of God frost is given; and this sets out God’s greatness, and the earth by the frost is hardened, and the waters straitened in their breadth, that is, they are made narrow when they are covered with ice, or they are drawn together by the ice that covereth them.

He comes again to the clouds, Job 37:11. By watering he wearieth the thick cloud, he makes the cloud vaig89 and flit from one place to another to water the earth, and by watering the earth he wearieth them; not that the .clouds are capable, but as is they were capable of wearying, he makes them spend themselves, and scattereth

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the brighter clouds with the sun-beams; and, Job 37:12. It, that is the cloud, turneth round about by his counsels; the clouds go not by guess, but as God commands them to do what he has ado; he has ay an errand for them, and the errand which is spoken of in general in this verse, is branched out in three particulars, Job 37:13. Whether for correction; I. In the original it is, whether for a rod to plague a people. Or, 2. For the use of his land in common. Or, 3. For mercy, that is, for a special and extraordinary blessing, and so are the ends of all their things seen that folks look little to.

He applies to Job what be spoke in general, Job 37:14. as if he said, Job, if ye considered the wondrous works of God, ye would not offer to dispute with him, he speaks weightily of God’s works, wailing words to set out God’s greatness, the more to convince Job, that he knew not his greatness that offered to debate with him. Dost thou know when God disposed them? Job 37:15. Dost thou know when God made and disposed these works that I have been speaking of? And far less canst thou know the particular dispensations of providence; and dost thou know how he causes the light through the cloud to shine? Dost thou know the balancing of the, clouds? How God hings all things in the air, and keeps them in an equality; and speaking of the clouds, he adds a new motto on it, The wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge; he cannot speak of a cloud, but as of a wonderful work of God, and exalts God in it. How thy garments are warm, Job 37:17, knows thou, (is here to be repeated) why thy clothes gars thee sweat now, that another time thou wilt draw to thee for cold, when the sun in the south shines upon thee? Though it be from a natural cause, yet he looks higher to God’s hand in the natural cause, else the natural cause could have no influence in it. The word that is rendered garments, signifies also, treacherous dealing, because garments were a sign of man’s treachery in breaking covenant with God; and this should keep folks from being proud of their garments. Hast thou with him spread out the sky? Job 37:18. Hast thou been with him in spreading out the firmament, which is firm and strong in respect of its pure nature, and very clear, though weak in itself, and how then canst thou contend with God? Art thou equal to him? 2. He expostulates with Job, Job 37:19. Teach us what we shall say to him, if ye can tell us how to reason our cause with God, teach us, we shall be content to take a lesson from you; but for us, we would not know how to order our cause in spreading to him, by reason of the darkness of our understanding and ignorance of God, for Job

had said, Job 23:4. he would order his cause before God, and offered to enter in the lists with him, had given up his name to dispute: Now, says Elihu, I will not take the cause off your hand, except ye will tell us what we shall say, For I should be swallowed up, Job 37:20. And in this he holds out a reproof to Job, for undertaking so fairly to do it, and gives a new argument to confirm what he hath said of man’s weakness to debate with God, Job 37:21. Now men see not the bright cloud, in the case we are in we do not look steadfastly on the sun, and how then dare we take upon us to meet with the Creator of the sun, and that created light which we cannot behold? Or, it is, Elihu taking occasion to speak from the temper of the weather, that light we cannot see now by reason of the clouds, God by sending a wind to cleanse the air lets us see it; and this agrees to what follows, Job 37:23. Fair weather, (in opposition to the present foul weather) comes out of the north, and this is concluded with an assertion, With God is terrible Majesty, or the words may be read, To God be terrible Majesty. Closing up his discourse with a doxology or thanksgiving.

The conclusion is in the last two verses, and it has two parts. The first, doctrinal. The second, practical, on which he sums up the argument. 1. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him? It is like that of Zophar, Job 11:7. He is so taken up with God, and his greatness, that he quits it as a thing impossible to take him up, and he instances this in three parts or particulars. 1. He is excellent in power, a powerful God. 2. He is excellent in judgement, in a moderate way ordering and exercising his power, as Deuteronomy 32:4. All his ways are judgement, and therefore none have cause to complain. 3. He is excellent in plenty of justice, and will oppress none, as he unjustly complained of him. That is, the words follow, he will not afflict, that is, he afflicts none unjustly, which is spoken to reprove job, for insinuating a quarrel, as if God had done him wrong. The second part is practical, in the last verse, Men do therefore fear him, he respecteth not any that are wise of heart; Job, if ye considered what a God ye have to do with, ye would stoop to God, and leave off to debate with him. In the original, it is men, or feckless man, shall, or should therefore fear him, and this should be your practice Job, for God respects none who are wise of heart. In the original, he sees none who are wise of heart, that is, though this should be man’s practice, yet he sees none who do so; or, take the words as they are rendered here, the meaning is, if men will dispute with God, he respects them not; God is a wise God, and ye will gain nothing by debating

with him, yea, God is a just God, and ye will wrong him if ye offer to dispute with him; and ye are so far inferior to him, that he will not regard you; and the scope of all is to bring Job to be humble, and to make him submit to God.

Observations.

I.    From Elihu, his carriage in speaking of God, and his greatness, Job 37:1. Learn, that folks in their speaking of God should labour to be affected; they should labour to have a holy awe and reverence of the majesty of God upon their heart, and tremble and fear before this great God, I exceedingly quake and fear, says Moses: A humble, sober temper of spirit is rare, and a too palpable evidence of little conversing with God.

II.    It may be looked on as an argument to move and affect Job. Observe: That they are fittest to affect others, who are affected themselves, though it is God that must move the heart.

III.    See how thriftily their holy men gather lessons of God’s greatness from common things, the thunder, snow, frost, their garments, &c. and all is done to gain the heart to some estimation of God; were we spiritual, we would learn much of God out of the commonest things of God, and if we followed Elihu his way, in seeking to take up something of God, in every one of his works, we would thrive more in the fear and knowledge of God. It is one of the causes why these men that had less of the word, did thrive better in the knowledge and fear of God nor we do, they had a thrifty use making of the commonest things of God, every shower, every blast of wind, every fireflaught90, every frosty night, or look to the clouds, gave them ay some new lesson of God; and if we would follow their way, it might learn us many good lessons, and bring us not only to know, but to acknowledge the majesty of God; and were it only to have the benefit of warmness and heat from our coat, it should learn us something of God.

IV.    See the kindly and excellent way of expressing God, and his attributes, and works, which is used by this holy man, Touching, the Almighty, we cannot find him out, he is excellent in power, and in judgement, and in

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plenty of justice, words wailed91 to have weight on themselves, and on Job. We speak superficially of God, and his works, and disdain or think shame to take a mouthful of them; affectation is not good, yet the scripture way would be studied, and our dullness hath need of expressions to awaken and stir us up, and there is a sympathy betwixt our heart and expressions.

V. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out. When he hath spoken awhile of God’s works, and his greatness in them, he quits it as a thing he cannot reach. Observe: That God, and his works are never thoroughly studied, till they overcome men, and be seen to be far beyond their uptaking, and that not only in light and knowledge, but sensibly, so as men be affected with it; this is the close of many speeches in this book, as Job 11:7., and Job 26:33. The study of God is the only way to win to it, the ignorance of God bemists and mars the judgement, that God is not seen in his works. How sweet a thing were it to see in every thing the sovereignty of God commanding, his power and greatness in ordering, his goodness in sending it for a good end, his wisdom in guiding it right, his

justice in sending it, whiles for correction, and his mercy in sending it for a blessing; and to see this in every shower. And when so much of God is to be seen in their common and little things, which may be called so comparatively, how much of God may be seen in greater things?

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Chapter 3 8.

YE have heard a very long debate, and a very sad part of Job’s exercise was in that debate betwixt him and his friends, Elihu a by-stander comes in some way as more abstracted than the rest from prejudices and he hath spoken pertinently, though somewhat rigidly and severely, and yet it seems the turn is not done, Job’s exercise is not yet at an end, nor is the effect of all produced.

Therefore the Lord having raised a whirl-wind, and the air spreak his terror, he comes in himself to speak to Job immediately; and as there is great odds betwixt God and men, so there is a difference in the manner of expression, the Lord’s speech here savouring of majesty and greatness.

There are three parts of the Lord’s expostulation with Job, and every one of them hath a little challenge or preface. The first part is in the Job 38., and Job 39., and the challenge is in the second verse of this chapter. The second part is Job 40., the challenge is in the second verse, and Job’s answer to it, Job 38:3-5. The third part is, Job 38.; from Job 38:6. and forward throughout the Job 41.; chapter, and the challenge is Job 38:8.; of Job 40.

For the first, it is said; Then the Lord answered Job, it is God not speaking mediately by men, as before,. but immediately himself; and he speaks not to Elihu, nor to Job’s friends, but to Job himself: And God steps in here, 1. To make known the weight and power of his own word, and to affect Job with it, for though it be spoken by man or angel, it proves ineffectual till God speak it. 2dly, He hath a mind to complete Job’s trial, and Job having declined his friends, and appealed to God, thinking God would say nothing against him, the Lord comes in, and brings the debate to a higher pitch for his humiliation. He takes him to Job first, because Job was the man mainly to be tried, and that he had a respect unto, and that he minded to leave a pattern of patience to after ages. 2. Because he had a mind to deal more sharply with his friends, therefore he will keep up the evidence of his greater respect to Job, and will first humble and compose him, to fit him to be an auditor when he should rebuke his friends. 3. Job seems as yet scarcely composed to bide God’s sentence of and for himself, his heat and passion that were like weeds among his graces must be wed out, and therefore he must first be humbled,

and these must be allayed and mortified ere he speak comfortably to him, and give him a testimony of his respect.

The challenges are holden forth, and they are three, and the first is, Job 38:2. the ground of the other two. 1. Who is this, (in a majestic way), that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Who is this that speaks of the sovereignty, wisdom, and providence of God in guiding the world, but darkening it by ignorance, un¬advisedness and rashness, and so spotting and bemuding the native beauty of the wisdom of God? Who is this that by words without knowledge, so mars the beauty of God’s wisdom and providence speaking unadvisedly and precipitantly? And this is the challenge Job takes with in the close of the debate.

The following of the challenge comes next, and there is a difference betwixt God’s challenging Job, and his friends challenging him. His first three friends challenges him for an hypocrite, Elihu holds off that, yet is very sharp; but God moderates his challenge more than any of them, and speaks without any rigidity and bitterness. He proceeds to debate, Job 38:3. Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me; ye have been speaking much of your desire to speak with me, and have said, ye would answer me, as Job 13:2. and Job 23:3-4. Now, demand of me, and I will answer, a fair offer; but it may be Job had no mind that God would thus appear, when he wished before to have God to speak with; and because they had long garments in these countries, they used to gird them up when they wrestled, God bids him gird up his loins like a man, and make him for it; as if he said, Job, ye have been asking me to reason with you, now make yourself ready, and I will ask a question at you, and he propones a number of questions to him, the scope whereof is to show Job had unadvisedly spoken in desiring to debate with God; every question hath there two in it. 1 st. A holding forth of majesty and wisdom in God. 2dly, Infirmity and weakness in Job and all creatures, and their two being compared, God’s majesty, wisdom, eternity, and absoluteness, with man’s infirmity and weakness, the conclusion is; is it meet then, Job, that ye should offer to dispute with me. The first question is from God’s creating the world, in a similitude of the building of an house; and first he speaks of the foundation of it, Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth; declare, if thou hast understanding. Job, gave ye me counsel

when I made the world? which is hung upon nothing, and yet stands as stable and firm as if it were founded on a foundation; and when a foundation is laid, the line uses to be stretched out on it, so a line is spoken of here, Job 38:5. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or, as it is in the original, because thou knowest, a sad check to Job, as if he had said, a man that takes upon him to speak as you do, must know all these things; Who has laid the corner-stone thereof, following forth the same similitude, Where wait thou Job when I promoved the building of the world? When the morning stars sang together? Job 38:7. This is to set out the excellency and glory of the work, the praise whereof belongs to the worker. Take them literally, the stars, and the sons of God, that is the angels, acknowledged me their maker when I made the world, and where was ye when that excellent harmony and music was among the creatures, and the angels, in the beginning of the creation, wondering at my wisdom and power in the making of all things, and think ye nothing of that creature that the angels praised me so for? He proceeds in Job 38:8. to the sea, Who shut up the sea with doors? When the waters were as it were issuing out of the earth, and spreading over the earth, who locked them up as a man within doors? Who guides this tumultuous, raging creatures? Job 38:9. When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling-band for it; who has sweelled92 it up, and laid it in a cradle, as a man does a child, and who hath by mist and thick clouds, covered it as with a garment, as a woman does a child when the sweels it up, and lays it down to sleep? And when he hath drawn it off the earth, he makes a decreed place like a cradle for it, to keep it in, Job 38:9-10. and God’s decree and command, his efficacious sentence past on it, Hitherto sha11 thou come, and no further, is the main, bar to it, Job 38:11. Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days? It is ordinary to see the morning after the night, but have ye had a hand in it? made ye ever a day? commanded ye ever a day to come? and every day that comes after a night, shows the efficacy of God’s word, Job 38:12. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, he sets out the ends why God commands the day after the night in Job 38:13. And, 1. generally, that it may enlighten all and miss no part of the world. 2. More particularly, that wicked men that love darkness, wherein to work wickedness may flee away, as if they were shaken out of the earth; then in two excellent metaphors, he sets out the coming of the day, and the effects

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it hath on the earth. The first, Job 38:14. It is turned as clay to the seal, when the day comes, the earth takes impression of the light, as clay does the impression of the seal. And, 2. They stand as a garment, the flowers then put on a garment, they put on their cloths, and stand up as it were decked, that lowred in the night. And, Job 38:15. he sets out another effect of the light, from the wicked, their power and arm is brought to ruin by God’s judgement on them. when it comes. He proceeds and comes again to the sea, Job 38:16. Hast thou entered into the kings of the sea? Job,

ye take upon you to debate with me, but could ye search out the depths or springs of the sea? Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? Job 38:17. He speaks of the depths of the sea, as of the gates of death, to show the hazard that any would be in to go down there, or to compare his absoluteness with Job. He hath the keys of hell and of death, (as it is spoken of Christ, Revelation 1:18.) which Job had not; and (if would, the Lord say) ye think the sea hard, I will come to the dry land. Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? knowest thou it at all? Job 38:18. knowest thou the breadth of the earth, importing men may well guess at, but cannot perfectly know it, and yet God is broader than the earth. And he has a new question, Job 38:19. Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkness, where is the place thereof? Where is all. the light when the darkness comes? and when the morning comes where is the darkness? can ye know the place where either the light or the darkness is in keeping; words that bind on Job, and all men, that they have enough ado at home every day, if they would give their mind to think on the works of God. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, Job 38:20. Can ye tell where the light or darkness are, that ye may set a lodging to them, ye cannot guide or direct one of these little common things, and how then will ye, or can ye take upon you to guide or direct me, Knowest thou it because thou wast then born? Can ye, who are but from yesterday search out these things? can ye censure them that were so many years before you? he speaks by the way of holy Irony, to affect Job the more, for if Job had been born at the creation of the world, it had been enough for him to take upon him to speak so to God, or to propose such questions about his works, and more nor he was able to do. A new question, Job 38:22. Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow, or of the hail? Know ye the treasure or power of these creatures? And, Job 38:23. he sets out his absoluteness from the use he makes, of them, Which I have

reserved against the time of trouble and battle; he keeps the snow and hail to execute vengeance on them that will contend with him, as we see in his plaguing of Egypt, therefore Job would beware to contend with God. A new question, Job 38:23. By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? Can ye tell who, or what way is the morning light parted, that some think in these years had an east wind with it, Who has divided the water course? Whether was it ye, or I, that hath provided water courses for the rains when they come, that they may ran in channels, and not overflow the earth? And who directs a way to the thunder for the passing and lightning of it; and the last circumstance that concerns it, To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is; a, further explication of the first part of the question, telling, that where there is no man dwelling he causes the rain to come, to make the very wilderness fruitful; he has a care of his own land where no man takes pains that it be not unfruitful, but will satisfy the waste ground with showers; to make herbs spring forth, Job 38:27.

And an admirable question, Job 38:22. Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew? how is the rain and dew begotten? whether has ye or I been the father of it? out of whose womb come the ice? who is the first cause of it? the maker and orderer of the ice and frost? The waters are hard as a stone, the waters that were liquid before, by frost are made like a stone, that man and beast may go upon it; and that is an instance and evidence of the power of God. Another question of another kind, to set out further God’s power and absoluteness, and his infirmity and weakness, Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades? These are the four stars, or constellations that have a special influence on the four seasons of the year. 1. Pleiades, a word that comes from sailing, for at the spring time, (on which this constellation has influence), folks set forth to sea, and the earth spring with flowers. 2. Orion is the winter, and the word comes from folly or inconstancy, because of the inconstancy of the weather when this star rises, which is commonly called the tail of the bear. Can ye, says he, hinder the spring, or bring the winter? 3. Mazzaroth answers to summer, and Job 9:9. is called the chambers of the south, because that time is most hot. 4. Arcturus, and his sons, is one great liar, and some lesser stars waiting on it, ye cannot guide, mend, nor alter a season of the year, and how will ye direct me? know ye what command I laid on the stars? wast thou my counsellor when I gave them orders? and can ye make their

influences effectual? he reserves the fixing of their dominion and their influence to himself, Job 38:33. and then Job 38:34. Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof on the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou call for rain, and will the weather obey thee? or will the lightning obey or take orders from thee as it will do from me? Who has put wisdom in the inward parts, who makes men wise? is it not I? and think ye then meet that man that hath but a bit of wit should take on him to debate with me. Can ye number the clouds, or can ye stay one drop of rain? Job 38:37. when the dust groweth into darkness, that is, when drought cometh, importing Job could do nothing either to the keeping up of the rain, nor the making of it fail. Then from Job 38:39.; of this to the end of the next chapter, he speaks of his sovereignty over the beasts, fishes or fowls. Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? Is the lion fed on thy expenses? neither the old nor the young lion gets any meat but as God provides it for them. When they couch in their dens, whether thro’ infirmity or policy, it is God that provides for them, who provides for the ravens their food. Another instance of his providence in reference to fowls, though the ravens have a faculty of providing meat for themselves, yet God must find it out, and when the old beasts or crows are seeking meat, and the young ones cry out, God hears them, and here God acknowledges a creature-right that beasts and fowls have, it is he that feeds the crows. From all which, God would convince Job of his infirmity and weakness, and that it became him to speak more reverently of him.

Observations.

I. Here see and acknowledge God’s condescendence to a poor and passionate man. 2. See a glance of the majesty of God, from his own mouth, and how majesticly and stately he speaks. 3. See how warry folks would be in passing sentence on God. 4. When folks are liberal in their discourses under dispensations, they often darken counsel by words without knowledge. 5. It should teach us to study more to reason ourselves to right thoughts of God, by retorting, such questions upon ourselves, and the Lord is the larger in them for this very end, for though Job spoke of their things to his friends before, yet he had not learned to draw some good lessons out of them. God would by all this learn folks to drink in the thoughts of his greatness from his works of day

and night, rain, snow, &c. out of every thing to be getting some lesson, and the great lesson of all is to exalt God and abase the creature; a suitable frame for us to be in, and that would keep us from many debordings93 that we are ready to fall out in.

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Chapter 39.

THERE is a great part of this debate now finished after Job and his friends have had contentions many, God comes in to rid them, having a long time lain by as a hearer, and it is like had not God stepped in, this debate, might have lasted to their dying day, for any weight that one party’s words had on another.

The Lord begins at Job, minding his reclaiming first, and respecting him most, and this chapter contains a part of his speech, which runs upon several of the beasts and fowls. And, it concludes, 1. Excellency in God. 2. Infirmity in man. And, 3. consequently an unsuitableness that man should mistake and express his mistakes of God, and offer to debate with him, and so darken his words without knowledge.

He proceeds in his arguments to the same purpose that he was on in the former chapter, drawn from six or seven creatures. The 1st, from Job 1-39:5. taken from the wild goats and hinds, and sets out what care God takes of them, and how little knowledge man has of them; and first, he speaks of their bringing forth. The reason why God mentions these creatures is, because they are exceeding pained above other creatures in bringing forth their young ones, and yet they are wild, whereby God would let us see how extensive his care is, that it reaches even to them, and would conclude the argument, much more must God care for man. And, 2dly, it points out man’s infirmity, for when Job cannot tell when they bring both forth their young ones, how can he help them? Canst thou tell the months that they fulfil? which is not to tell how long their beasts go, but to show Job’s ignorance that he knew not the time of their calving to wait upon them; They bow themselves, Job 39:3, they are far from the help of any body, and put themselves to this posture to bring forth their young ones. Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn, Job 39:4. To set out God’s care towards them, they grow and are life-like, fatted, and made well-favoured by God’s providence; though it be a barren wilderness they go in, yet God provides for them; and they go forth, and return not to them, that is, they return not to father and mother, but provide for themselves. The second is, the wild ass, and God’s care of it, and how to tame it; it is a sort of ass, that runs wild as colts or the hills, and there is great odds betwixt it and the tame ass. The tame ass is dull and slow, this wild ass is swift and sharp, and this points out what difference God can put betwixt creatures of the

same kind, and hints at man’s fall, and how in his fall he hath lost dominion over the creatures. Who has sent out the wild ass free, and who has to loosed her bands? Who has loosed her from the burdens that the tame ass hath? who has done this, ye or I? it is not ye but I that provides for it; Whose house I have made the wilderness, and it is as well lodged in the wilderness, as if it were in your stable; I have provided a house for it there, and it is of that nature, that it runs where it likes, and scorns the multitude of the city, Job 39:7. though a whole city were called out to overtake it; and he regards not the cry of the driver of others beasts he is so swift; and if it were folly for you Job to contend with that beast, much more foolish is it for you to contend with me. The range of the mountains is his pasture, Job 39:8. he comes not to fixed places, but ranges up and down the mountains, and has a natural instinct to search for every green thing, that he wants not his food, though he come not to a house. 3. He comes to the unicorn, Job 39:9. whether there be such a beast as this here now, it is uncertain, yet there is such a beast as this God names, that is untameable, and depends on God’s providence, Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band, in the furrow? or will he harrow in the valley after thee ? Will the unicorn serve thee as other beans? or will he harrow thy land? Wilt thou trust him because his strength is great? That beast is strong enough, there is no defect in that, but wilt thou lippen94 thy labour to him, for folks are said to trust a thing when they look to get a thing done by it; Wilt thou believe him that he will bring in thy seed, an amplification of the same thing, and, by the way, lippening to God on right grounds is faith. 4. He comes to the fowls, Job 39:13. Gavest thou goodly wings to the peacock; gavest thou, is added, and is not in the original, but it is to the same purpose, whether did you or 1 Job, made that bird stately, and if that bird be stately, I am the more stately that made it; or wings and feathers to the ostrich, a great bird, that (as it is, Job 39:14.) where it lays the eggs, leaves them in the sand, and God by the heat of the sun, decks and brings out the young ones. God’s purpose is to set out his absoluteness in creating some creatures defective of that instinct others have; and yet providing for them, and he that provides for them, will he not much more provide for man? This is followed forth, Who leaves her eggs in the earth, and warms them in the dust; because she leaves them not to the sun to warm them, and forgets that the foot may crush them. She cares not for the egg, nor for the young ones more

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than if they were not hers, and is not afraid what become of them, whether for want of fear or through senselessness, or trusting God with them, (as beasts and fowls are said to glorify God in their own kind), she is hardened against her young ones, as if they were not hers, and a reason of this is given, Job 39:17. Because God has deprived her of wisdom. Men give many reasons, but God gives this for her senselessness, forgetfulness of her young. All creatures have a respect to their young ones, but God hath deprived this bird of this instinct, to give an instance of his providence, and least it should be thought stupidity in her, God says, he has given her that sharpness, that when she lifts up herself, she scorns the horse and his rider, Job 39:18. Though she be a great bird, yet she has that swiftness, that the swiftest horse will not overtake her. 5. He comes to the horse, and insists on him, to Job 39:26. because he is a very serviceable creature, both in peace and war, he would have him taken notice of especially. Hast thou given the horse strength? who hath given that beast such strength? was it thou or I? and if he be strong, much more I, that hath made all the horses in the world; Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? words to set out the stately way how this beast carries his neck in time of war. God would have folks learning a lesson out of every thing they see in the creatures; and canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? Can ye fright a horse as another feckless creature. He paweth in the valley, Job 39:21. as in time of war, and goes on to meet the armed man. The word, he paweth, signifies, he digs being impatient to bide, that is, he pats with his feet, and would be forward to the battle, and he expresses not grief but joy; He mocketh at fear, he slights all fear, he regards not armed men; there is no hazard but he can set himself over it. He turns not from the sword, but runs upon it. The quiver, with arrows rattling, the glittering spear and shield, the terrible shaking of arms, are so far from discouraging this beast, that it excites him to more courage; He swallows the ground with fierceness, to set out his forwardness, he cannot bide a distance betwixt him and the enemy; neither believes he that it is the sound of the trumpet, when the trumpet sounds, he scarcely believes it, he would so fain be at the fight, for it is but a sport to him, he thinks nothing of it; And he says among the trumpets, Ha, ha, if he could speak, his expressions are of great courage; He smells the battle afar, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. When officers are expressing din, and soldiers are shouting, he is as busy as the best of them in expressing his courage; to point out what stateliness must be in God who made that beast. 5.

He comes again to the fowls, and instances the hawk, Job 39:26. Does the hawk fly by thy wisdom? Whether is it by thy wisdom or mine that the hawk flies? who directs it in the flight? and stretch her wings towards the south? it is like, some ordinary course of these birds towards the south, when the northern parts grew cold, as birds with us use to do, which we see in the summer, but not in the winter, God teaching them that instinct to flee from colder to hotter parts. Doth the eagle mount up at thy commands? The eagle is ordered in her flight, and in the making of her nest in high places; but comes the word out of thy mouth or mine that makes her do so? She dwells on the rock, from thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold it afar off. She haunts not low places but high, and from thence she sees the prey, having a sagacity of sharp feeing, which God has given her; her young ones suck up blood, her young ones are ravenous, yet they are provided for by carcases of slain men or beasts, and wherever there is a prey, she is always waiting on it to make use of it, Christ makes use of this to another purpose, Matthew 24:28.

Observations.

Why insists God so much here, miskening himself, as it were, and holding out the creatures to Job? Answer: 1 stly. To let us see, if we could observe, there is much of God to be seen in the meanest creatures, and it is like in this time, Job and his friends had not the written word, and therefore they had the more need to look upon the creatures, and here we may behold, 1. God’s greatness, power, and might, his stateliness and majesty, ordering all the creatures himself, and having a hand of providence about them; Job might read, and did read God’s dominion and sovereignty in these creatures. 2. God’s absolute independency, his freeness in reference to his ordering the creatures, giving some wit, and holding it from others, to some a dwelling, and others no dwelling. 3. God’s care and tenderness, providing for the wild goats and hinds, and waiting on them when they bring forth. It is brought in as an argument why he spared Nineveh, Jonah 4:11. That beside so many souls there was much cattle. But especially God’s providence about the ostrich, and her eggs, evidences his care; he does mediately or immediately even as he likes, and this may be a comfort to poor orphans, when children want

parents, God can provide for them, he who cares for the ostrich, will he not much more for them, 1 Corinthians 9:9. Does God care for oxen? Comparatively or chiefly, no. God’s wisdom shines here also in appointing a suitable habitation for beasts that are not profitable, the rocks for some; the wilderness for others.

2dly, Another reason, why God insists so much on the creatures, is to point out to men their infirmity, weakness and ignorance, for when they know not the nature of the creatures, far less can they apprehend God. If man know not when a hind should calve, how shall he know the deep things of God? 2. It points out the fecklessness of man, that cannot flee a horse, cannot take a wild ass or fowl. 3. It points out man’s little respectiveness to God, or rather his ingratitude, that hath never learned out of the creatures to thank God for making the creatures subject to him, when he cannot make them subject to himself.

3dly, A third reason why he insists on the creatures, is, to learn Job a lesson out of them, to stop his fretting, complaining, and disputing with God, and this is the scope, to show it is not fit that infirm man should dispute with God, for it is probable, that silly man that cannot take up the creatures, can take up the depths of God’s providence in guiding heaven and earth, and shall he then dispute with him about it. 2. And when God’s care reaches to these creatures, shall any suspect God’s care to his more noble creatures? And there is here a conviction to Job for reflecting on God’s care about him, seeing he passes not by the ostrich egg. And Christ goes on the same ground, in guarding his disciples against carefulness, Matthew 6. He that cares for the sparrows and ravens, will he not much more for you.

4thly, All this he points out, that man is insensible of his due distance to God, who comes behind in any of the creatures in many things, and cannot command them, and yet walks not with God in that due reverence that becomes, and this was an evil in Job, and it is an evil in us that we want that due respect to God, and to his wisdom, power, greatness, goodness, providence, &c. that becomes us to have, and walk not with a due estimation of him, and with a stopped mouth before him, as becomes.

Chapter 40.

WE have heard of the Lord’s first charge to Job, wherein he challenges him for a rash and ignorant meddling with his counsels, speaking to the prejudice thereof, and of his wisdom and providence, absoluteness and sovereignty; it seems Job was damaged with the charge, and has not a word to speak for as fain as he would have had God to speak with before, therefore God goes a step higher, and puts Job more to it; the charge is, Job 40:2. having two things in it, a charge for presumption, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? If any will dispute with God, he must think himself wiser than God, and take upon him to teach God to guide the world better, and shall any be so presumptuous, vain, and foolish? yet it seems ye take that on you, Job? And to bear it the more in upon Job, he subjoins, He that reproveth God, let him answer to it; he that debates with God, makes himself wiser than God, and takes upon him to censure and reprove God, and let him answer for it; yea, not only so, but if ye be the man, Job, I call you to answer, ye have been quarreling my dispensation, now answer to my charges. Follows Job’s answer, which is the second part of the chapter, Job 40:4-5. he offers to speak a word, but is short in it, and he speaks very humbly and submissively, unlike his stile before. And there are four things in Job’s answer that holds out his frame.

1.    His sense of his own vileness, Behold, I am vile; he gets an impression of his own vileness beyond what he had before, a good effect and branch of repentance.

2.    What shall I answer thee? I will not take, upon me to dispute any more but will keep silence; and this is a fruit of the former, when the soul gets a sight of its own vileness, it keeps silence. It imports an acknowledgement, that God has gained, and a coming in his will; therefore he says, He will lay his hand on his mouth.

3.    He censures his own carriage, I have spoken over often, else I would speak no more, he takes with it, that he opened his mouth in vain, and this follows well on the former.

4.    He quites the dispute, and renounces the way he had taken for the time to come, I will proceed no farther, I

will not reply to justify what I have spoken; I have spoken many daft words, and will add no more, so he holds, and sists95 here, and their four contains a right pattern of a humbled heart.

The third part of the chapter, is, the Lord’s speech, wherein he goes out a third challenge higher than the former; but, why does the Lord go on to challenge, seeing Job is humbled?

Answer:

1.    Job is begun to be humbled, and while he it hot, he strikes to hold him. going on in the work to put a real impression of humiliation on him.

2.    To try Job the more; and to bring him clearly out of the trial, and to learn all souls in after generations, not to mistake him when he doubles and triples challenges for the same evil that is taken with.

3.    He would have Job more humbled, and he proceeds to bring him to the pitch of humility he would have him at; and if we compare his humiliation here with that which he is brought to Job 42.;

We will find it defective in these three.

1. Though he speak here of his own baseness and vileness, yet he speaks not to the justification and commendation of God.

2.    He speaks not here in express terms to the taking with of his guilt as he does there.

3.    He goes not so far on in the acknowledgement of his vileness here as there; for Job 42.; he acknowledges his vileness with abhorrence and indignation, and God had this to bring forth by the following discourse, so that it is not for nought that God follows exercises, and in exercises from one challenge to another; and the last highest. Then answered the Lord, and said, Gird up now thy loins like a man, ye have been provoking one to debate, now come to it, and I will go on with you. The charge is, Job 40:8. Will thou also disannul my

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judgements, ye have ignorantly and rashly wronged my counsel, this I have charged you for, and now I charge you for coming in composition with me, as if ye would disannul my judgements, and condemn me to justify yourself; there are two parts of the charge.

1.    Wilt thou disannul or make void my wisdom and judgement? that is, God’s wise and moderate way of guiding the world, holding out there is no such thing in God, his judgements cannot be disannuled.

2.    Will ye condemn me, that ye may be righteous? Will ye set yourself in my chair? ye will not hold at justifying yourself, but ere ye take with your fault ye will condemn me, and say, that I am in the wrong, and from this two, he concludes, that Job thortors96 with him. He shows the evil of this, wherewith he charges him by drawing Job to look on himself to Job 40:15. Then he compares Job with two of his creatures, one in this chapter, and another in the following chapter.

3.    But, how is this, that the Lord simply lays down the charge, and goes not to prove it as his friends did, supposing the truth of it?

Answers:

1.    Because God needs no testimony as man, he hath a witness within every man’s bosom, people may answer men as they will, but God will make peoples hearts bear him witness;

2.    God rather deals with his distemper of spirit, than insists on any particular guilt, and what his distemper held forth is exaggerated that it may be allayed.

3.    Because God in his dealing with Job, designed his amendment, therefore he labours not to rack up particulars, but to sober his spirit, and for that end speaks calmly to him far beyond Elihu, because he hath a mind to gain Job rather than to shame him.

1. The Lord holds out this evil in Job of seeking to disannul his judgements, by comparing him with himself,

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Job 40:9. Hast thou an arm like God? Are ye strong as God, to justle him out of his chair?

2.    Are ye terrible as he? Canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

3.    Deck thyself now with majesty, &c. Job, ye are now lying among the ashes, can ye deck yourself with glory and beauty as I am? Words used to set out the infinite excellency in God. See Job, if ye can put yourself in the like posture with me, and if not, is it suitable ye should contend with me?

4.    Argument is from God’s justice and power in reference to proud men, Job 40:11-12. Look up and down the world upon proud children, and lay them low, or bring them down, as I can, and as it becomes a judge to do. See, if ye can break your. pride, and is ye cannot do that, ye can far less party me, Hide them in the dust together, and bind their faces in secret, Job 40:13. put them to a contemptible condition, and make them like malefactors for the execution, whose faces used to be covered. He concludes this with an argument, Job 40:14. If ye can do this that I have said, I will say ye need not depend on me, but if not, then ye would be more warry than to step in to my room, and give me direction to guide the world when ye cannot guide yourself; people that cannot do for themselves had need to be much in dependence on God.

But, why is the Lord so long in comparing job with the creatures. And so short while in comparing him with himself, and after this he falls over again to compare him with the creatures? Ans. 1. Because God thinks meet to take the most obvious and common things to teach people, and to let them see how many arguments may be produced to convince them of their folly. 2. Because God does more set out his glory comparatively than by holding forth himself immediately; for if such a glory and excellency be in the creatures, God himself must be much more excellent. 3. Because our carnalness is such that we cannot comprehend God, but must have as it were a glass to take him up by.

He proceeds to compare Job with two creatures, with the Behemoth or Elephant Behold, now Behemoth, in the original, it is beasts in the plural number, because the Elephant is so great a beast that it may stand for many, which I have made with thee; it is a great beast, and I have made it, as I have made thee. And if thou considered

the beauty that is in that beast, thou would not set thyself in the chair with me, yet I have taken cruelty from it, and have made it to eat grass as an ox, that it will not contend with thee, nor no other creatures. His strength is in his loins, and his force in the navel of his belly, to set out his strength that is placed in these parts. 2. He moveth his tail like a cedar, the tail here is by some translated his snout, that is, for his defence or offence, such agility as he, that he moves this as a cedar. 3. His strength is set out from the firmness of his bones, Job 40:18, They are strong as brass and iron, the bones of other creatures are hollow and brickle, but his bones are not so, 4. He is holden forth from the end why God made him, He is the chief of the ways, or works of God, for it is written of this beast, that it is the wisest of beasts, and comes nearest to a man in wisdom, yet he that made him can make his sword approach unto him, for as great a beast as he is, God can slay him; and it is written of him, that a far less creature slays him. 5. Then his peaceable nature is set forth, Job 40:20. he seeks his meat besides the hills, and the least of the beasts play beside him without fear; it is not the largeness but the disposition that makes beasts terrible. He lies under the shady trees, in the covert of the reeds and fens, &c. Job 40:21-22. And this is another evidence of God’s providing for him, or rather this beast leans on the trees, for it dare not lie down, least it should not get up again; Behold he drinketh up a river, he is such a great beast, that when he comes to drink he oppresses a river, in the original it is, he plunders a river, he takes so much of it. He trusts that he can draw up Jordon in his mouth, he drinks so much, that he thinks, or it may be thought, he would drink up Jordan, He hastes not away, but stays and takes his fill of it. He takes it with his eyes, he rushes so to it, as is he would sup it up; His nose pierces, or breaks through snares. The sum of God’s argument is, I have made this beast with you, and if it be so terrible, consider if it be wisdom to quarrel with God that is much more terrible. It points at God’s omnipotency in these creatures, and man’s infirmity that is far beneath from them in many things.

Observations

and much presumption, and pride fretting says, it had been better this way nor the way God hath taken. Shall he that contends with the Almighty, instruct him? 2. Neither does fretting hold here, but it sets to thortor with God, and to disannul his judgements, or wise manner of governing the world, which say, there is much need of guarding against it; and it should teach us to adore the wise, just, and equal way of God’s proceeding, when the reasons of it are not seen, rather than be rash in censuring it.

II.    Job’s answer, and God’s reply, pressing him to be more vile in his own eyes, and more humble, Obs, That a self-loathing, with a stopped mouth before God, is a condition profitable to the person, and acceptable to God. It is profitable to Job, both in reference to his frame, and in reference to his expressions.

III.    People may be truly humbled, and yet God may have something to do to bring them farther on in humiliation, in adding one challenge to another, as here in Job, he hath two things before him.

1.    To bring Job right.

2.    To make him acknowledge his wrong.

3.    The former has brought him right, but he must be farther humbled in the sense of his wrong, and must advance in the right way he is upon; every contest of God’s, or challenge from God, will not argue people being wrong; and when people are right they will not rest here till they be in a competent measure right.

4.    The appealing of people before God’s tribunal is a good way to humble them, it were good that we would put ourselves to it, what we can do for ourselves, and that will tell what we cannot do; and when we see we cannot do for ourselves, we will learn to depend more on God, and acquiesce in his dealing.

Chapter 41.

THE Lord goes on to show a piece of his majesty in another creature, that by it, Job, and all mankind, may learn to know how great a fault and folly it is to contest with God; if we be not able to contend with one of his creatures, what can he do with the Creator? And so by an instance of his power, he could lay Job’s rashness, who would learn God to guide the world. The creature insisted on here is the Leviathan, which we take to be that called the whale, the greatest beast or fish in the sea, and the greatest to be found in the earth. There are fix sorts of them given by writers, and many things agreeing to some sorts of them, are to be found in this chapter; and the Lord does not insist in this chapter, as if he wanted arguments from other creatures, whereof he hath such store, but to teach us when he spends so much time to hold them forth, men should not disdain to hear him speak of them, or to learn wisdom from them.

There are three parts of this discourse.

1.    He sets put in general, the strength of this creature, and how there could be no way found out for killing of it, men not being acquainted with the seas then as they now are, to Job 41:10.

2.    In the midst of Job 41:10. he applies it to Job, and all men to draw them, to take up a fit distance betwixt God and the creature, and to allay the pride of men.

3.    Then he begins from Job 41:12. and forward, more particularly to unfold the parts of this beast.

He uses several similitudes to hold out this fish, and the strength it hath, 1. Is that which fishers use to catch other fish by, and that is by a hook or a line? Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a hook, or a cord which thou lets down? It implies an impossibility to do it; and this is amplified, Job 41:2. from a similitude taken from fishers, who after they have taken the fish, put them on a thorn or string to carry them home. The second similitude is taken from the carriage of a captive to him that hath taken him captive, Job 41:3. Will he make many supplications to thee, and speak soft words to thee? Will ye bring him to seek favour of you? That ye will

not; he defies you. He follows the similitude, Job 41:4-5. when captives are taken, they are demitted with one or two, either by covenant, as Benhadad, and will the Leviathan make a covenant with thee? Or, by keeping them servants, and will he condescend to be thy servant, saith he: This he enlarges, Will you make sport with him, as with a sparrow, as the word is, and the word follows, Will thou bind them with thy maidens, or young daughters, or children to play with him, or as the Philistines. did Sampson, he returns to the first similitude of fishermen? Job 41:6. Shall the companions make a banquet of him? Will the comrades at fishing make a banquet on the price gotten for him? Or, will they part him among the merchants? To set out the impossibility of taking this fish then, Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears? Can thou with all thy irons kill him? Lay thy hand on him, remember the battle, do no more. A word of application to Job, the meaning is, it were better to lay by weapons, and give over fighting with him, remembering there is hazard of fighting with that creature, remember the battle with me, and give up, contend no more with me, or it may be read by way of question, will ye offer to struggle or fight with him? Do not that, for nothing will do at him. Behold, the hope of him is in vain, that is, if any man would purpose to take him, his hope will beguile him, and it will prove a lie; for a man will rather be afraid to look upon him. Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that dare stir him up; Suppose he were sleeping, none durst waken him; the use of this follows, Who then is able to stand before me?

1.    An argument from the less to the more, to reprove Job, and this is the scope aimed at, to set God infinitely beyond what we can apprehend, or take up in the creature, because the creatures leads us into apprehend many things of God by the senses.

2.    It is to allay Job, not only in respect of God’s power, but in respect of his independency and absoluteness. And, farther, Job 41:11. Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him?

To let us see, though he be omnipotent, yet he moderates his omnipotency, that no man shall have reason or cause to complain of him. Show me, Pays he, who did me a good turn first? Who gave me advice to guide or make the world? The meaning is, none hath prevented me, but I have prevented all, for whatsoever is under the

whole heaven, in the earth, or in the sea, is mine, I gave all things a being, and preserve all in their being, and have right to all things; and can any then quarrel me for my guiding of things. Then more particularly he comes to speak of the Leviathan, and uses a preface, Job 41:12. I will not conceal his parts, his members, nor his power, and qualifications, nor his comely proportion, his suitableness to all these parts; and so he goes on to the excellent properties of this creature, and by a new similitude of a man’s taking out a horse out of a stable, and taking the sheet from off him, and putting a bridle in his mouth, sets out his strength, Who can discover the face of his garment? &c. Canst thou take him out, and draw the cloath off him as thou will do off a horse? And canst thou bridle him as thou wilt do a horse And, Job 41:14. Canst thou open the doors of his face, as a horse mouth is opened, when the bridle butt is put unto it; who dare do that with him? His teeth are terrible round about, to tell that their beasts have teeth; His scales are his pride, shut up together, Job 41:15. This, and Job 41:16-17. sets out his defensive strength, that some kind of whales have, the firmness and closeness of his scales, makes him proud, and regardless of what may offend him; yea, scarce a blast of air will win in betwixt them, far less a weapon, and neither force nor violence can sunder them. He sets out his terror in his motion, Job 41:18. By his neesings97 a light doth shine, when he sets up his head above the water, he makes the sea move as if fire were in the sea, and eyes are as if the morning were rising before the light. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. The same thing is pointed at in new expressions, particularly his spewing out of water, and also his violent heat and stove that comes from him, makes the sea like a fire; Out of his nostrils go a smoke, Job 41:20. his nostrils and breathing is like a seething pot and cauldron, and the reek that is above it; His breath kindles coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. The smoke, that is, his ordinary breath, is like a burning fire, to point out the hotness of his nature, being very fat. In his neck remaineth strength, Job 41:22. tho’ this fish have not a neck, yet that place where the neck uses to be in other creatures is so strong, that there is no mastering of it with any weight. And sorrow is turned into joy before him, though it were never so great a stone, or never so many snares in his way, which is matter of sorrow to others, he but sports with them, or as some think, it is but a sport to him to pursue beasts and ships, which is sorrow to them; the former exposition is most

97 nose?

native. His heart is as firm as a stone, yea, as hard as a piece of the nether milstone, to point out not only the natural hardness of his heart, but his stoutness and regardlesness of any danger. When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid; that is, of the breakings, that is, the ships and shipmen are afraid by reason of the broken waters, they purify themselves, that is, they betake them to God by prayer, and make themselves ready for dying, for purifying under the law was, people sanctifying of themselves for near conversing with God; and so sets out here the shipmen, their preparation for death, when this fish pursues them, and breaks the waters near unto them. The sword of him that layeth at him, Job 41:26-29. cannot hold the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon98, &c. Sets out an impossibility to kill him by any weapon, they stick not on him, they hurt not him, he cares no more for iron and brass, nor if it were straw, arrows, and sling stones, weapons, that people are hurt with at a distance, they do not fright him, they make him not fly, they do him no more hurt nor stubble; He laughs at the shaking of spears, as men would at the slaking of a windlestraw99; Sharp stones are under him, Job 41:30. A new evidence of his hardness, he cares not where he make his bed; He makes the sea to boil like a pot, when he moves, he makes the sea to foam and boil; He makes a path to shine after him, people will see the path he makes after him in the water a great way off; one would think the deep to be hoary, the sea that was green before by the white foam seems to be hoary. He sums up all, Job 41:33. Upon earth there is not his like, he is far beyond the elephant, or any other beast; he is made without fear, there is no beast but men can fear, but nothing can affright this beast; He beholds all high things, he looks with disdain upon them, they are not regarded by him; a king ever all the children of pride, he carries himself in the sea, his kingdom, as commander is chief. So the Lord sets out this creature for man’s good, to bring people to know and take up themselves.

98 sleeveless body armour

99 straw in the wind – something of no value

Observations.

I.    See here how earnest the Lord is to have men knowing him, and to have them convinced of his greatness and power; therefore it must be of great concernment to us, to take up God rightly in the creatures. It is a fault in us, that we do not dwell more in meditation on the creatures, to find out God in them. Curiosity may put us to it, for a little, but we do not give ourselves to this meditation as we ought.

II.    From the scope, Job 41:10. Observe: That it is a right use of considering the creatures, from them to draw thoughts of God’s greatness, and to heighten them to ourselves, from whatsoever excellency we find in the creature, to ascend to the consideration of that super-eminent excellency that is in God.

III.    Though there be greater excellency and terribleness in God, nor in creatures, yet man will be more afraid to grapple and contend with them, nor with God.

IV.    Not only should the greatness and terribleness that is in the creatures, bring us to apprehend God’s greatness and terribleness, but it should bring us to submit to God, and to say, as it is, 1 Samuel 6:20. Who can stand before this holy Lord? And it should put us to warriness and watchfulness in our walking before God.

V.    Laying this latter of the Job 41:10. with the Job 41:11. Observe: That God is debtor to none, he is in no bodies common; and there are none but they are infinitely in God’s common, there is nothing, not a bit of bread, nor a house to dwell in; nor any thing else, but it is his, and this should learn people to judge well of God, and receive any thing well at his hand. There are infinite uses that arise from this one word, people cannot step but on God’s ground, therefore they should walk with an eye to God, and labour to be some way suitable to, though they cannot equal his favours; God’s sole interest in creatures should win our hearts more to him, and make us die more to creatures, God will seek account of them, therefore reckon them not for ours, but for his, and so use them.

VI.    In Job 41:25. shipmen at the approach of this creature, are said to purify themselves, Observe: That these

who have not much religion, when death seems to draw near, will seek to purify or cleanse themselves, and fall about religious duties for that end, as the heathens in Jonah, 1. The sober consideration of death, will put the stoutest to purification, and the right and sober thoughts of death is a very profitable meditation. If we were within reach of a whale, we would be more taken up with the thoughts of it, and yet it may be very sudden, and it is as certain as can be, it were good that we had as earnest thoughts in the study of holiness, as if death were within our view, and not an hour hence.

Chapter 42.

THIS chapter, contains the last part of this book, wherein is especially the happy outgate that God gave Job, from his very sad, and (as it appears) a right long trouble.

The chapter hath three parts. To Job 42:7. we have a more full setting down of the effect of the Lord’s discourse speaking extraordinarily on Job, or the repentance and frame of spirit it put him in. 2. We have the Lord’s coming in and deciding the debate, condemning Job’s friends, and absolving him, and his directing his friends to deal with Job to make their peace, Job 42:7-9. And, 3. from Job 42:10. to the end, we have Job’s recovery, the Lord’s bringing back his captivity, and setting him free from the many calumnies and reproaches he lay under, and the great prosperity he had bestowed on him.

In Job 42:1. is the preface to what follows, Then Job answered the Lord and said, this is the writer’s words, showing, how Job took the opportunity to speak, and his speech has few words, but very pithy, containing five or fix evidences of a humble spirit, or of a right frame of spirit, under God’s hand, or qualifications of true repentance.

1.    The a sensible conviction of the greatness and majesty of God, which seems to be the main ground of that which follows, I know thou canst do every thing, an impression of God’s omnipotency, and the knowledge he speaks of here, is not that knowledge he had by hearsay, neither that common knowledge, which he had from the grounds of faith; for, he had that before, but it is a knowledge by sensible conviction and experience, settling on his mind and heart with a lively impression.

2.    And that no thought can be withholden from thee, or no thought of thine can be withholden or hindered, thou can do whatever thou thinks, and none can stand in thy way, holding out God’s sovereignty, or taking the words as they are rendered here, no thought can be withholden from thee, it points at God’s omniscience, that knows and takes up the thoughts of all hearts afar off, and took up the carnal thoughts of his heart, in the heat of his debate with his friends, to show his high uptaking of God, and a main qualification or repentance.

3.    In Job 42:3. he hath a particular reflecting on his guilt, and he begins with that God charged him with, Job 38:2. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Thou art a great God, and I have been a foolish man and a beast, to come to obscure thy sovereign counsel, who art such a wise and sovereign God, as I have done; and that this is his meaning, appears by the words following; Therefore have I uttered that I understood not, I have been over malapert to utter things above my reach, rash, through ignorance, to meddle with things too wonderful for me, and here he confesses and takes not only with his guilt, but the particular fault that God charged him with; and this is another qualification of repentance, when God is seen in his sovereignty, and guilt is taken with and acknowledged in particulars.

4.    We have Job’s reverent address to God for new instruction, Job 42:4. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak, it is not like Job’s disputing, but his desire of instruction, I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me, I have been rash and foolish in offering to dispute with thee, now I will do so no more, but if thou wilt forget that, and hear my suit, I will demand of thee, or desire to be instructed of thee, and declare thou unto me, or as the word in the original is, make it known to me. Weaned from the conceit of his knowledge, he comes to get a lesson from God, as Elihu advises him, Job 34:32. That which I see not, teach thou me; another qualification of repentance, when the soul is made docile and tractable, desirous to learn, and willing to be taught.

5.    In Job 42:5. we have Job’s special profiting, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; I heard many great things of God, and believed them in some measure before, but now the knowledge of God, that I have gotten is far beyond any knowledge I had before in distinctness and clearness of uptaking, as the seeing of a thing is beyond the hearing of it. Not that he casts any thing he had learned, and was truth before, but what he has gotten now, is like a man’s seeing of a thing which is far beyond his hearing tell of it.

6.    Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. A conclusion drawn from all the former. Not only find I fault with this, and that particular wrong, but now I see myself a vile creature, I abhor and loath myself, as the promise is in the New Covenant, Ezekiel 36. And I repent in dust and ashes, which is the kindly vent of

loathing, and holds out a turning from sin to duty, and to walk humbly before God; and if we will put all these together, it learns us what a frame of spirit is suitable to our time, and to any of us in particular, especially when we fall under any cross dispensation.

In the second part of the chapter, the Lord being satisfied with Job, he turns him to his friends, and,

1.    We have the decision that God passes, wherein he condemns them and absolves Job, Job 42:7. he condemns them, as being angry with them, and he takes him to Eliphaz, and he says, My wrath is kindled against thee, and thy two friends, because they went all three upon one ground, in condemning Job for an hypocrite, and perverting God’s way of providence, as if none but hypocrites had been so dealt with, as Job was, and godly men had always had a prosperous lot in the world, for ye have not spoken of me the things that is right as my servant Job hath, comparing his thesis with his friends, he was right, and they were in the wrong, and we will hear no word, or mention made of Elihu, either of his absolving or condemning, and it seems God does not condemn him, being free of the sin Job’s three friends were guilty of, neither yet does he absolve him, because though he was right in his aim, yet he wanted not very sharp expressions to Job.

2.    When God hath absolved Job, and condemned his friends in the particular they debated about, he gives them direction how to make their peace, he bids them take seven bullocks, and seven rams, whether this was before the law, as is like, there being no place under the law, where it was lawful to sacrifice but at Jerusalem, we shall not stand on it, but certainly it was known from the beginning, that there was no peace to be had with God, but by a sacrifice, and this course was still keeped for atonement and reconciliation with an eye to Jesus Christ; and, because they had calumniate Job for an hypocrite, he will have him to be their intercessor, partly to vindicate Job from that reproach, and partly to try their obedience, and partly also to confirm their friendship mutually again; and, he adds a sharp threatening, Least I deal with you after your folly, because they were great, grave, and learned men, and had proud stomachs, least they should have shunned the direction given them, he adds this as a motive to humble them, and to induce them to make use of the mean prescribed them, for their reconciliation, for him will I accept.

3. We have their obedience, Job 42:9. and they are all three mentioned in their obedience, and it is said, they did as the Lord commanded them; they obeyed the direction, in taking the greatest sacrifice that was appointed by the law, whereby it seems they were no mean men; and God performs his promise to Job, in accepting them, for it is not only for himself, (which is in the words following), but for them that he is accepted, God heard his prayer in their behalf; and it is like Ezekiel relates to this chapter, Ezekiel 14:14.

The third part of the chapter, contains Job’s restitution, from Job 42:10. and forward. It is, 1. generally laid down, Job 42:10. The Lord turned the captivity of Job, it is called a turning his captivity, because he was under so many adversities, tortured with the devil, and vexed with his friends; under great pain of body, and inward exercise of mind; and when God calls back the commission he had given Satan, and looses his bands, it is called a turning of his captivity: And the time when his captivity is turned is set down, it was when he was praying for his friends, God made choice of that time; then, more particularly, it is set down, wherewith he was blest. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before, not at, that instant, but in due time before his death; then particularly the steps of this blessedness. is pointed at and mentioned, Job 42:11. God’s making of him honourable, and bringing him in respect among his kinsfolks, that before had cast him off, when they saw God was ye like to do him good, they step to and are comfortable to him; and in sign of their love and respect, Every one gave him a piece of money, and an ear-ring of gold, pointing at the way how God began, and brought about his recovery; and to show what duty friends owe to one another in their straits as also to point out this, that the kindness of friends is at God’s beck; so, Job 42:12. The Lord blest the latter end of Job more than his beginning, to wit, in temporal things, so that he had more of them than ever he had, for chapter 1.; he had but the half of these goods named here, He had also seven sons and three daughters, Job 42:13. he had as many, chapter 1.; and if it be asked then, how his children were doubled? Answer: Considering the children that Job had before, that were removed by death, yet living to God, (as we have ground to think of them), though his cattle were not to the fore, yet these children were to the fore, and these that are to the fore, and living to God, are not lost to Job; then follows the particular names of his daughters, and their beauty, for it is a mercy to get children in natural features, wanting none of their parts and comely; and this naming of his daughters, is to leave a

memorial of his delivery: The name of the first is Jemima, taken from a word that signifies the day or light; The name of the second and Kezia, or Cassia.

It is from a word that signifies ointment, to point at the refreshment wherewith God had refreshed him. The name of the third, Keren-happuch, which signifies paintry or fairding, to show, there was no painted beauty, nor fairding comparable to the life he had now in God. After this Job lived an hundred and forty years, beside what he had lived before, he had a long life for a blessing, and in this time he saw his sons and his sons sons, even four generations, not only to be a temporal mercy, but to be a witness to him, and his children, of God’s goodness after his sore trial; So Job died, being old, and full of days, the word is, being satisfied with days, as it is spoken of Abraham, Genesis 25:8. he is content to die, and not desirous to live any longer.

Observations.

I.    Compare this frame that Job is in with that which went before, and we shall see his tune changed. It is a good fruit of affliction, when the hand of God has this fruit with it, to make them sober and sound in their speech.

II.    Yet Job’s words are very short, it is not the multitude of words that hath weight with God, but a humble frame of spirit, venting itself humbly and confidently, whether the words be few or none, it is no matter, if the frame be right.

III.    Compare Job’s two speeches, in Job 40.; and this, and it is hard to show wherein his humility vents most; yet, as we observed before, we think this goes before the other in the commendation of God, in taking with his own guilt, in the acknowledgement of his vileness, and in the completeness of his submission.

IV.    From Job 42:5-6. Observe: That when people attain to a right sight of God, they will have other thoughts and apprehensions of him, nor they had before, scarcely, (if we may say scarcely) was there one in earth, that had such high thoughts of God before this time; yet, when he gets a new sight of God, he think nothing of all he had before, but as hearing in comparison of seeing, and therefore he is affected and brought low. We are to regrete our little knowing of God, when we are so little affected with that we know.

V.    In the second part, God proceeds to decide the debate in Job’s favours, and to vindicate him, and it holds out, that James James 11. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy; this kyths very clearly here, however the exercise be long, there is a comfortable outgate, and a vindication of him at length. And though the servants of God should lie under reproach here, and go to their grave with it, there is a day coming, when he will clear and confess them before men and angels.

VI.    Observe. That God will take notice of, and be angry at the sins of his own, as well as others. Their three men were reconciled to God, as God’s accepting of Job for them tells; yet he is angry at them for their not speaking of him that which was right. It is a madness and folly to say, God takes no notice of, nor is not angry at the sins of his people, It was a doctrine not known in their days, though I grant there is great difference betwixt God’s taking notice of, and being angry at his people when they sin, and others.

VII.    The angriest time that God hath towards his people; he is careful of their good, and lets out a word of direction to them; he never gives up with them, but hath a respect to their gain and advantage.

VIII.    There is no taking away of sin, even to the justified, but by sacrifice. This way the Lord laid down to keep them in mind of a Mediator, and it were good we should not speak, nor think of pardon of sin, but in God’s ordinary way.

IX.    Lastly, On this second part of the chapter, Observe, That God will add threatnings to put his people to duty, and threatnings should have their own weight in stirring them up to duty.

X.    In their obedience, and Job’s praying for them, observe, three things,

1. Their deniedness and humility, who after so long debate with Job, stoop to, and think no shame to go to Job, and bid him pray for them; when God calls us to seek help one of another in prayer, we should not disdain.

2.    This help that God prescribes, is a main mean to knit their affections together, to write and make them one, and it is for the rooting out of prejudices; and it were a good way, if God would put us to it, to heal the divisions, and remove the differences that are among us.

3.    Job prays for them, and heartily, for God accepts him. It is an evidence of a humble frame, when we can pray heartily for them who have wronged us.

XI. On the last part, and 1. From the time when God turns Job’s captivity, it is when he prayed for his friends, Observe. That people would sometimes come as good speed for themselves if they were busy in prayer for others, especially such as have wronged them; as if they were praying for themselves. This is not spoken, as if people should not be busy for themselves, but to teach us not to be selfish, 35:13. David gives himself to prayer for his enemies, and his prayer returns in his own bosom. We exhort you more to this duty, to interpose betwixt God and others more, and ye shall come more speed for yourselves. God sanctify what has been said. Amen.

Lastly, Look now on the event and outgate God gave Job, and see if it be not better than any thing Job prescribed or expected; then it is best to give God his will in our afflictions, the outgate he carves is often better than our own, yea, is it not better to Job now, than if he had not such exercise? which is a manifest proof of God’s faithfulness, who makes all things turn to the best.

End of Lectures on JOB.

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Sermon 1

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DISCOURSE

UPON

EJACULATORY PRAYER.

Nehemiah 2:4.

Then I prayed unto the God of heaven.

THE right exercise of true religion, and the main of a Christian’s walk, are exceedingly mistaken by many in the world; some esteem religion, consists in speculative knowledge, or in gifts, or in an ability to decide difficult questions; some place it in solemn and high duties, but there is much of the life of religion in some low duties, too little noticed, wherein people make little noise, and in the exercise whereof, some pious souls have more communion with God, than in some other duties more highly esteemed. And this is one in the text, we intend to discourse upon, viz. extemporary prayer, or pious ejaculations to God; these are words, or thoughts put up unto him, in the midst of our secular employments, the devoted heart is elevated to God, either in the intervals of religious duties, or in the midst of any thing we are employed about. There is in these devout ejaculations, more solid exercise of religion, and what hath more influence on a Christian’s walk, and communion with God, than many are aware of; and although this is a duty, both obvious and at hand, yet it would advance us more in conformity to God, and holiness, than many other things, we will not say needlessly, yet with more pains and less success, we apply ourselves to.

Nehemiah heard of the sad condition of Jerusalem in the former chapter, and he prays solemnly upon that account; he is here standing before the Persian king, who perceiving him to be sad, asked him, Why he was so grieved? And God giving him this opportunity to present his suit, he prays unto God before he answers the king. Then I prayed to the God of heaven, by this we do not understand, that he retired from his master’s

presence, and shut himself up in a chamber, or even expressed his mind at large in prayer. None of these could suit with his speedy answer to his prince, neither would it suit well with Christianity, in the exercise of that duty before heathens; but it is a short ejaculation his heart spoke, such a word as we have recorded in the end of the former chapter.

These three observations may be drawn from the words we have read. 1 st. That, beside direct and solemn prayer, there are also some extemporary short ejaculations to be sent up to our heavenly Father; this, is a kind of prayer as acceptable unto God, as the most solemn and stated. 2dly, That this short ejaculatory prayer, is a duty needful, and indispensable for believers, and there are some particular times, and circumstances, when they are called to the performance of this, as well as more set and solemn prayer. 3dly, If we compare this with the long prayer Nehemiah put rip in the proceeding chapter, we may also observe, that the man, who makes conscience of going about the most direct and solemn prayer to God, at ordinary fixed times, will also make conscience of these indiscernible ejaculations unto God here recommended.

What I have chiefly in view at this time, is to commend unto you this too much slighted duty of ejaculatory prayer, from the necessity and usefulness of it; and therefore we shall not formally or distinctly insist upon any doctrinal observations, but speak upon these three, 1 st. We shall endeavour to show you what such a prayer is. 2dly, That it is a duty required of God, and to confirm it. 3dly, Mention the chief reasons and grounds of it. And then conclude with the use or improvement of the subject. As to the first, we may easily show, that there is such a thing as ejaculatory prayer, and that it is distinct from solemn stated prayer, and what kind of prayer it is. We commonly call that solemn prayer, when people sets them to the performance of this duty, and continues for some time, in putting up their petitions, confessions, and thanksgivings unto their heavenly Father. When people are humbled in private, or in their families, or in secret, in their chambers; when they separate themselves from their worldly employments, for this end to converse with God by prayer and supplication. But this ejaculatory prayer is extemporary, and not purposely gone about, by separating ourselves from other duties and employments; but it is a sober drawing in of the heart in these duties, and sending up a desire unto God, as

this good man doth in the text, he prayed to the God of heaven, when he was putting the cup into the king’s band, for he was the king’s cup-bearer. Now, this ejaculatory prayer, doth not formally differ from sett and solemn prayer, in the essential part of prayer, it is not a whit less sincere or serious, the spirit as earnestly bending itself in the desire, or ejaculation to God; neither doth it differ from other prayers in directing the petition, or suit to God, with the whole soul; nor as it is a fruit of the Spirit; nor for leaning upon Christ, as we do in solemn prayer. But it differs only in some externals or circumstantials, for it doth not separate us from external duties, or from our daily employments. in the world, as solemn prayer doth; a man may be walking, riding, working, eating, or in any business, and yet be employed in ejaculatory prayer; when any occasion calls for it. When David was fleeing from Absalom, with his family and friends, and heard how his friend Ahitophel had joined him, he addressed God, saying, Lord, turn the counsel of Ahitophel unto foolishness. 2dly, It hath its rise unsought, taking the opportunity that holy vigilance brings to its hand. 3dly, It differs from other prayer, in its length and continuance; it is but one, or few petitions, not insisted upon, or backed with reasons and arguments, like other requests, but put up with the more pith and strength, and yet implicitly and virtually including much; to clear it a little more fully, we observe, that Solomon’s prayer was very solemn and particular, like one sending an express to heaven, as a person that hath somewhat to do. There, they send one with a letter of business; but this ejaculatory prayer is like one who hath the occasion of a post, they send a word or line in haste. This kind of prayer then is in short the lifting up of the heart unto God, in the midst of our other employments; from a sense of our need, for the obtaining of what we seek from God. This is the duty we would recommend to you, and by what shall be said, you will see the worth and importance of it, that believers, when they are about any business, hearing, or speaking, walking or riding, or whatever they have in hand, when they cannot get solemn prayer performed, to be occasionally and undiscernably sending up some short ejaculations to God. Let me now proceed, as was promised,

2dly, To consider this ejaculatory kind of prayer, as a duty, and to confirm it, take these two grounds, 1 st. From the commands and exhortations to prayer, which occur so frequently in scripture, 1Thessalonians 5:17. Pray without ceasing. Ephesians 6:28. Praying with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit, watching

thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints. If then there be any tie from these commands, as to morning and evening prayer, it also binds you to the practice of ejaculatory prayer, when you are going upon the streets, or about any duty of your calling, which religion doth not prejudge you in. Again, we observe, 2dly, that the many examples of the saints, who performed this duty, should also induce us to this ejaculatory prayer, and hardly will we find a saint in scripture eminent in other things, but he is recorded eminent in these pious ejaculations. How fervently doth Eleazer, Abraham’s servant pray for success in his business, Genesis 24.; 28.; when he was handing at the well with his camels. Jacob, when he was blessing his children, he puts up an ejaculation to God, I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord; he could not forbear prayer so long till he had ended his blessings. We see also, that Moses was eminent in this duty, when the Israelites are expostulating with him, his heart was busy in heaven, praying for them, and the Lord says unto him, Why cryest thou unto me, let the people go forward. The Psalm 34.; hath this title, A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, and also when he was among the Ziphims, Psalm 54.; and Psalm 56.; Psalm 57.; and when the Philistines took him in Gath, and when he fled from Saul in the cave, Psalm 142.; it is not probable, that David sat down upon his knees, or could get it done when he was in the cave, or when he was brought be fore the king of Gath, but he only put up some short petitions for deliverance, and afterwards extended the Psalms as we now have them. Elisha also prayed for his servant, 2Kings 6:17-I8. Lord open his eyes, he also prayed against the Syrians, Lord smite this people with blindness, 2Kings 6:19. And Lord open the eyes of these men, that they may see; which was done before a great number. And we may take one other instance, in our Lord Jesus Christ, John 11:38, 41. when he comes to his friend Lazarus’ grave, he groaned in spirit, and was troubled, and said, where have ye laid him, and then he prays, Father, I thank thee, that thou hail heard me, which supposes a petition in the foregoing groan. And John 12:27. Father, save me from this hour, yet for this cause came I unto this hour, Father, glorify thy name. At that time there was a multitude, about him, and it is said, They heard a voice, but saw nothing; it is like they heard not Christ’s prayer, but however it shows an occasional rise of prayer. 3dly, The reasons will also serve to confirm it, I than name some few of them, as,

ought constantly to depend upon our Creator, Proverbs 3:5-6. Acknowledge him in all thy ways, and he shall direct thy steps. And is there a more direct acknowledgement of God, than to lift up the heart frequently unto him? and if creatures would live all day dependently upon God, they would be all day in this duty, and the reason is, from the particular occurrences that, some people meet with; sometimes some passionate words, sometimes difficulties, dangers, or straits, sometimes strange pieces of employment, which shows the necessity of undertaking nothing, without God, and so to be sending up our desires to him for through-bearing, and to deny this to be our duty, would be to deny a Christian such ground of consolation, that in solemn prayer, he cannot know what he is to meet with thro’ the day. David prays very solemnly against Absalom’s conspiracy, yet the occurring of that particular anent Ahitophel, joining with him, did put him to that suit, that the Lord would defeat his counsel, or turn it into folly. 2dly, The nature of our declining hearts, calls for a frequent bringing of them to God. If all the Christian’s prayers were confined to his chamber, the heart would vaig100 long betwixt the diets of prayer; but ejaculatory prayer helps to wind up the spirit to God among hands. A third reason may be taken from the many opportunities we have for this kind of prayer, when we cannot make direct solemn address unto God; and are we not commanded to watch unto prayer? There are thousands of opportunities flipped, that by making conscience of this duty, might be thriftily improven, and the force of this argument lies in Christian prudence, and thrift to improve all opportunities a man may have occasion often betwixt duties to pray, and should that slip unimproven; and it must be Christian prudence that teaches us to be thrifty, and to redeem the time that must direct in this duty.

The improvement of this subject, may be branched out in four uses, 1st. Of information and exhortation. 2dly, Of reproof. 3dly, Of trial. 4thly, Of direction. Use 1st. For information and exhortation. We would pose you before God, if ye be not concerned, there is such a duty, not only to pray morning and evening, but also occasionally, as God gives opportunities; that ye should be putting up particular petitions, through the whole strain of your walking; does not the word bear it out? Is it not as clear a duty as any other? And if it be a plain

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or clear duty, it lies much upon every one of you to be in the daily practice of it; ye should frequently, watch for an opportunity to get a suit put up unto God; it, might be more advantageous unto you than ye are aware of. I shall name but six, which upon the one hand may stir you up to it, and upon the other hand discover the prejudice of neglecting it; and then ye will see it not only necessary, by virtue of a command, but as a mean conducing to our spiritual growth, and improvement in godliness. And here , we may observe,

1 st, That it hath much influence in keeping right, and composing the frame of our hearts. There is nothing more requisite than a tender heart or frame, and yet. there is scarce any thing wherein we are so short or defective, and this kind of prayer helps to that, for it keeps the heart from running loose, and winds it to God; it keeps an awe and holy reverence of God upon the heart; it dare not run loose, when it is brought to God, in the midst of its business, and it must have somewhat of a spiritual frame with it; and if ye could have a reason, why some folk are addicted to the world and their own lusts, this is one, that they do not send up ejaculatory prayers, as well as solemn prayers against them. It is a great mistake among Christians, when they think it enough if they pray before they go out of their houses, before they walk abroad, and if they pray when they ly down; Nehemiah prayed before he came out, and yet he prays here also to the God of heaven, when he was giving the cup to the king.

2dly, Ejaculatory prayer hath likewise exceeding much influence for preventing gross sin. – How many unadvised words? how many sinful passions? how many vain and wicked thoughts might this prevent? And is there any better way, when people resolve to do any thing of great moment, than to pray unto the Lord to be guided aright in it. It would seem David did fail greatly in this, when he hastily swore in his passion to kill Nabal, and all his house.

3dly, Pious ejaculations have exceeding great influence upon the right performance of spiritual duties. – It keeps us fervent and lively in solemn and stated prayer, when we are any way straitened in the exercise of that duty, or are diverted from it, we may put up a short petition to God, for life and serious liveliness in it. In like manner it also fits us for hearing the word aright, when we put up a petition for ministers, that liberty may be

given them to speak with all boldness and fortitude; and for the hearers, that they may mix faith, love, meekness, and all other good qualities, with their attention to the word. It also fits us for holy meditation; and self-searching; the intermixing of these devout ejaculations fixes the heart upon God, and heavenly things.

4thly, This duty hath great influence to procure peace and quietness of mind, that passes all knowledge, and much delightful communion with God; yea, nothing more than this, hath influence on these; for if communion with God be most effectually promoted by the exercises of religion, and prayer in special, then the neglect either of stated or ejaculatory prayer, must bring a woeful interruption of our communion with God, thro’ the day; whereas the daily practice of it, must keep it up. Ejaculatory prayer brings us to a sight of God now and then, and a right sense of him upon our minds; O but a blyth look of him, or to him, is desirable: and among the many reasons why we have so little sense of God and religion, the neglect of ejaculatory prayer is certainly one. Some folk limit their communion with God, to their chambers, therefore it is more worth and rare that is gotten in ejaculations, than in stated prayer.

5thly, Ejaculatory prayer is exceeding successful, there is no prayer more constantly obtains its suit than this. If ye would look back to the scriptures I formerly named, you will find that no saint was denyed what he sought, or had his request disregarded; you may read how Jacob, Eleazer, Moses, David, and many other saints obtained what they sought from God; --- and our Lord Jesus Christ in his prayer, when he raised Lazarus from the dead, says to God, I thank thee, O Father; that thou hast heard me, and I know that thou hearest me always: – By this God would engage us out of love, to be much in the duty of ejaculatory prayer. It is not the form of prayer, nor the multitude of words we utter, that passes with God, or constrains him to give us what we seek; for when the heart is drawn together; and disposed to put up a short word to him in sincerity, it is more acceptable than many words, and by this God’s grace is evidently seen to be the more free, and sovereign in bestowing, than when people dwell long upon a thing in their supplications. – Some are ready to think God should hear them for their much speaking, but God will hear such short prayers, when he will neither hear, nor answer long prayers. I speak not this to condemn long prayers altogether, nor insisting upon proper arguments in our

petitions, or would give any encouragement to Christians to shift their morning, evening, and stated prayers, by putting a few ejaculations in their place, but only to press this duty.

6thly, Ejaculatory prayer is exceeding advantageous for the Christian’s right improvement of his time. It keeps the believer from much idleness, it keeps him well exercised, it helps him to spend many hours with great peace and comfort, it mars him nothing in his calling, but rather makes him prosper in his employment; and is not this a great benefit, both to get our business right done, and have so many well spent hours and moments betides? All this may convince us; how necessary and profitable this kind of prayer is, therefore ye are called to be more serious in it, and think not the less of it, because it is reckoned a low duty; for it is more important and profitable than duties of a greater lustre, and which would set you out more in the world.

It may be asked, seeing this is a duty so easy and profitable, What is the reason that it is so greatly neglected?

To this it may answered, 1 st. Because it is thought little of in the world, and hath no show with it; it cannot have a puff of the vain wind of applause, as the being locked up in a chamber, for solemn stated prayer, or the attendance upon public ordinances may have.

2dly, Too many people are inordinately set upon world, and their minds are daily entangled with earthly things; this withdraws their love and delight from God, and heavenly things; they are neither temperate nor sober in their enjoyment of worldly good, but use the world, as these who abuse it; and doth not this unfit them both for solemn, or ejaculatory prayer; and therefore these who would be much in this duty of ejaculatory prayer, should carefully watch against their hearts being surfeited with the cares of this life.

3dly, The ordinary untenderness and unwatchfulness of some Christian professors, and their living independantly upon God, is another great cause of the neglect of ejaculatory supplication. When we do not acknowledge God in all our ways, and seek his direction; when we do not walk sensible of our daily infirmities and wants, it is no wonder we are seldom employed in this pious exercise; for if we were duly sensible of our dependence upon God, for the supply of all our need, we would every hour, or even every half-hour, have some

suit to present unto God.

4thly, Little love to God or Jesus, is another cause of the neglect of ejaculatory prayer. Custom, and an awe or dread of conscience, will put folks to their set forms of prayer, but it is love to God that will constrain us to be much in his company, and delight in devout converse with him. A just sense of our indigence and manifold wants, will induce us to make many applications to the throne of grace. This would remove all the impediments which prevent the exercise of this duty.

USE. II.

The people of God should be severely reproved, for the neglect of ejaculatory prayer; it is a sin, and a very grievous sin too; it is not a thing indifferent, to make frequent and vigorous addresses unto God, it is a duty both frequently commanded, and also exceeding profitable, as ye have already heard. Many of you think you are not guilty of the breach of this command, but how often are you every day in your heart and mind, going a-whoring from God, and yet perhaps not once in a day, or week be putting up one pious request unto him; is, not this abominable, not to put up one suit or petition to God, to fix and settle your straying heart? what a great sin is this a sin not of the common sort, for the more necessary and important the duty be, the sin of neglecting it, must be the, greater; therefore we speak a few words,

(1.)    Concerning the aggravation of the sin.

(2.)    The evil temper it discovers.

(3.)    The ill consequences of it.

(4.)    Of its unsuitableness to the character and temper of a true Christian.

(1.)

consideration, that it is a duty easily performed, and as it is so easy, this makes the slighting of it the greater sin; it is so easily performed, that it doth not hinder or interrupt our ordinary, business: We may say unto you, as Naaman’s servants said unto him, If the prophet had bidden thee do some great thing, would’st thou not have done it? so if God had bidden you whip or torment yourselves with any painful thing, were ye not bound to obey him? But when he bids you do a thing, which is much easier then Naaman was called to do, viz. To go to Jordan and wash, surely your guilt is the greater, when you disobey him. We may also observe.

2.    That this is more highly aggravated than some other sins, because the occasions of ejaculatory prayer so often occur, we may say twenty, thirty, forty, or a much greater number every day; and the oftener our circumstances require this, and the occasions occur, our guilt is the greater. This and that suit you might have put up to God, if ye had been watchful.

3.    It aggravates the guilt of this neglect, that the Lord condescends to hear, and ye will not pray; he calls upon you to put up a desire to him, and calls it prayer, and yet ye will not take the opportunity to do it. This is a most ungrateful slighting of God, beside the missing of many opportunities of good. We may also add.

4.    That there is nothing wherein folks Atheism kyths so much, for it is an evident denial of God, Psalm 4. The wicked through the pride of his heart, will not seek after God, God is not in all his thoughts; he can spend a day, in thinking upon other things, and will not have a thought of God, that puts him to pray; he imagines he can do all himself. Though he neglects not formal and set prayer, yet he will live it; the neglect of this prayer.

(2.) Let us also consider the ill temper of heart, the neglect of this declares,

1. It speaks a heart most untender, that dares go about duties and business, and mistakes God.

busied all day with many things, and yet not know him.

3.    It speaks out a temper that hath awe or fear of God, or any just sense of our own wants and infirmities.

4.    It discovers an exceeding loose and unthrifty temper, that lets many precious opportunities pass unimproven, and also a heart that is not serious about duties as it professes to be; and when it bears out all these, consider if it speaks not a carnal frame, for on the other hand, we will find people that are most tender and spiritual, most frequently employed in this duty.

(3.) Let us likewise take some view of its ill consequents and effects, and they are directly opposite to the advantages and benefits of the right practice of this duty.

1.    It is accompanied always with looseness of spirit; such hearts are like lambs in a large place.

2.    It brings alongst with it exceeding great deadness in duties. It makes the exercises of religion a burden, when the mind roves or reels all the day long from God, folk can neither read, hear, pray, nor believe aright.

3.    It draws on much guilt; it is the occasion and source of much passion and perturbation, rash undertakings, and wandering of mind from God.

4.    It mars our peace and communion with God, and brings on disquiet and security.

What wonder, is it, if God keep up himself at night, and hide his face from us, when the heart wanders and strays far from God through the day; and how many sad challenges must follow upon the back of it, when the conscience wakeneth; is there not then as much on the one side as commend this duty, and as much on the other, as to make us fear at and abhor the neglect of it? And I would pose you, whether of not ye call yourselves to an account for the neglect of this duty, as well as for the omission of solemn prayer? or rather, whether or not ye be deeply culpable here, and do not put your heart to it in private? and O that I could in one, or even in many sermons, convince you of the necessity of it, for it would be as a bridle to keep you from much looseness and

irreligion. But let us,

(4.) Consider the unsuitableness of this to our Christian character and profession. Think ye it not unsuitable, when you are convinced it is your indispensable duty, a duty so easy, so profitable, so refreshful, and so beneficial, why then do ye omit or slight it? I would pose you if ye know what it is to keep it up as a constant duty, and an ingredient that is called for in a Christian conversation; who among you makes conscience of it now? To discover the unsuitableness of it to the Christian temper, I would ask you but a few questions, viz.

Question: 1. Is it not most unsuitable, that Christians who profess a continual dependence upon God, should spend the most part of their time without any pious acknowledgement of him?

Question: 2. That folks should think to have communion with God, and not have his company all the day long?

Question: 3. That ye should put something in the room of this ye know not yourselves the riches of, some base idol or vanity, and that when ye may go often in the day to God, ye let your hearts go a-whoring after these things which cannot profit you? We now proceed to the

III. U S E for Trial, or rather Discovery.

Does a man of a tender heart make conscience, of this duty? Then try yourselves not by your morning or evening prayers, but by your daily devout ejaculations. How often are your hearts in heaven through the day? How many posts do ye send there? -- -the reason why it is safer to try your condition by this, than by formal and set prayer, is this, There is more selfishness in set prayer, and more self-denial in this; as also, more love to God, and delight in him; a Hypocrite may frequently use set prayer, and be sometimes conversant in this, but he will not be so constantly exercised in it, as a good Christian: and though it will not prove a person’s case to be good, when he puts up a word or thought to God through the day, yet it will prove his case to be very bad when it is wholly neglected. Some people think they have finished their devotions, when they have ended their morning prayers, but Nehemiah hath his prayers to begin after his morning supplications were ended. The

neglect of ejaculatory prayer discovers a sad distemper to be in our minds and condition, and must not there follow sad fruits in the gading101, looseness, and deadness of spirit in our solemn and stated prayers, when we are little employed in this pleasant duty. We proceed to the

IV. U S E, viz. of Direction.

This gives us a particular direction (which is possibly new to some) in their daily walk and conversation. It is not a new direction to prayer, but to watch all manner of opportunities for this sort of prayer. And for pressing this upon you I shall consider in a few words,

1 st, What can be termed an occasion, or call to this duty.

2dly, Some caveats in going about it, in regard some may go wrong in any thing.

As to the occasions or seasons of this kind of prayer, it would be hard to give particular direction about all the opportunities that are offered for ejaculatory prayer, therefore I can only give some generals. And,

(1.)    When God gives opportunity for this, and ye have not opportunity to go about solemn prayer, as when ye are riding, or walking in the way, or when you are hearing another speak, or when it mars not your calling, or a particular occasion hinders you not, so ye may pray in your shop, at your door, or when you are walking in the street, or when you are in company with others, or when you are upon your beds, all these are precious opportunities that might be well improven for this important end.

(2.)    When ye are about any business of great weight and moment; this Nehemiah had in hand when he was before the king. If then any of you are witnesses to the solemn administration of the sacrament of baptism, or are instrumental in it, or if you are holding up your child, or employed in something that concerns your life or estate, then you should put up some pious suits to God.

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(3.)    When there is any difficulty in the thing we are ingaged in, as when David was among the Philistines, or when he was before the king of Gath.

(4.)    When there are snares and temptations in the way, and ye are in danger of sinning, as when ye fall occasionally in bad company, or if ye are going about any thing that is ticklish or hazardous, or when ye meet with temptations in any calling or company, ere ye speak a word, or give an answer, send up a desire for direction from God.

(5.)    When ye find any motion or rising in your heart to go wrong, as when you are provoked, or when passion stirs, or when revenge gets up, and the mind runs look, as Moses at the Red-sea, when the people began to scold, and murmur against him, he speaks to them to compose and bring them to a right temper, and in the mean time he prays unto his God.

(6.)    When some very extraordinary thing occurs, that ye thought not of. When Ahitophel joined with Absalom, against David, he prayed, That God might infatuate his counsels: such a thing may befall you in your estate or friends, which may distemper and discompose your minds, this then is a it opportunity of putting up a suit unto God.

(7.)    When ye are called to spiritual duties, as when you are to read God’s word, meditate upon it, or to pray, or give praises unto God, you should intermix some thoughts, or desires to God, for his help, countenance, and direction; or when you meet occasionally with your neighbours and friends; ye would ere ye open your mouths to speak, seek to be guided aright of God.

(8.)    When ye are under some great sufferings or afflictions, which require more strength and fortitude to bear, than your own; many more instances may we find out, which may be good seasons or occasions of sending up our ejaculatory addresses to the God of heaven. Were you even to speak a word of reproof, comfort, or advice to a friend, it would be very proper to have a word, or thought sent up unto heaven, that it may be effectual. Consider then how often ye have failed in this duty, when ye had these or other opportunities. Let me,

2dly, Add some caveats, or advertisements, to guard you against the wrong performance of it. When then ye are to go about this duty, ye would not take that for ejaculatory prayer which is not essential to this duty, or any way belonging to it. As,

1st, The speaking of good words, and having them in use, as, God be merciful to us. Ejaculatory prayer consists not so much in any form of words, as in the right exercise of a devout heart, or bensel102 of spirit.

2.    Neither doth it consist in bare wishes, like Balaam, Let me die the death of the righteous, let my last end, be like his. Some have a desire for a good end, but do not pray for grace to walk in the right way to obtain the end. Some have very selfish desires for some good things, but do not make use of Christ to obtain them.

3.    A fleeting motion like lightening, that is never formed in a direct petition, is not ejaculatory, prayer; for these pious ejaculations are formed, fixed, and direct desires or petitions unto God, for what is agreeable to his will; it is not only a good motion, but a request formed out of that motion. It is not a transient passing thing that folks cannot tell how it awakened, but that wherein the pious soul is clear and distinct. These things ye would take good heed unto, for they will not be counted prayers, but the taking God’s name in vain. But I would address you,

2dly, Not only to begin, but hold on in these ejaculatory prayers, and keep them up as opportunities occur, and when your hearts fall slack, labour to have them roused up, and excited a right to this duty.

3dly, Beware of being formal, lazy or hypocritical, in these kind of prayers. The ejaculatory prayers are implicit, and shortly passed, yet they are not the looser, but rather more serious, and fervent; it is a knock given to heaven’s gate at once, which is laid on with the better will.

4thly, Advert to this, That when ye win to it, ye be not carnal, or worldly minded; and above all things. beware of vanity, and selfishness coming in with it; see that ye go not about this duty, that ye may be the more able to

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pray with others, for this will prove a dead fly, and not a cure. You should be humble under the exercise of this, and every other religious duty, and depend upon God for supplying your emptiness, and not be puffed up with vain glory.

5thly, See that solemn stated prayer be not justled out, or neglected under pretext of doing this duty. Cursed be the soul, who allows itself in the omission of this; for ejaculations are put up, when we cannot have access to social or secret prayer; and it fits us for it, but doth not shut it out. But it is to be feared, too many who put up sometimes a pious ejaculation, never mind any other prayer, till they lie down on their beds; or content themselves with some words, when they arise, and are putting on their cloths, in the morning; but woe to them who thus misken and slight God, or hath any root of gall and wormwood growing up within them. Tho’ God requires ejaculatory prayers, there are more solemn and stated prayers also called for, to which ejaculatory prayers should be as a good hand-maid, and not a mistress.

6thly, Beware of forgetting or miskenning Christ even in your ejaculatory prayers; for though there be, not such an implicit insisting upon Christ’s merits and mediation in these prayers, yet they must all be implicitly founded upon his atonement and intercession. We must acknowledge that it is neither for our solemn, or extemporary prayers, we expect to be heard, but for Christ’s satisfaction and intercession. May God give us all this wisdom. Amen.

Sermon 2.

Of excessive thoughtfulness about worldly things.

On Matthew 6:31.

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed

A Christian’s carriage is not only to be Christianly regulated in reference to spiritual things more immediately, as when they read God’s word, or pray, or receive the holy supper, or when they are employed in any other duties of God’s worship or service; but they are to be christianly disposed even with respect to external external things, and there is no small part of the practice of true godliness in these, how a man is denied in his affections unto the things of the world, and with what vigour he follows them. Our Lord Jesus Christ who was a matchless preacher, and spoke as never man spoke, taught with so much divine power and authority, that the multitudes who followed him were astonished at his doctrine; for he pleased not their ears with curious or useless questions, but explained the whole law, letting them know what murder, adultery, or other crimes were, as we read in the proceeding chapter. – He taught them also how to give alms, how to pray, and fast in a right and acceptable manner, and not to be proud of these, or any other performances, in the first eighteen verses of this chapter. From the twenty-ninth verve to the end, he earnestly exhorts them, to the mortification of worldly-mindedness, and earthly things, to sobriety in respect of creature comforts, and the contentment which flows from this, and a spiritual or heavenly mindedness; and because an inordinate love and desire of worldly enjoyments, slays more souls than murder, adultery, or any gross sins; he spends more time, and uses more arguments to draw them from covetousness and worldly affections.

There are two sorts of covetous persons, and two ways, how men fall into the sin of avarice.

a superlative measure of perishing wealth, but are not rich towards God, or rich in good works; with these he begins, Matthew 6:19. and draws out the exhortation unto the Matthew 6:29 verse, intimating plainly, that Christians should not be boundless and immoderate in their aims and endeavours to acquire worldly riches, because they are both ill to obtain, and ill to keep; and it is one to an hundred, if they destroy them not who acquire them; for we cannot serve God and Mammon; and though some lay but little weight on these words in this world, yet in the great day it shall be found that the covetous worldlings have chosen a very bad master.

2dly, A second sort of worldlings, are these who are not perhaps much taken up with seeking great things for themselves, but could be content with as much as would carry themselves and their families through the world; but they are overcome and mastered with anxiety in providing for these things. For some folk may have little, and care for little, and yet are daily yearning, and over anxious to obtain these little and trivial things; they are exceedingly glutted with this avaricious carefulness Christ condemns, Matthew 6:25. to the end of the chapter, Take no thought for the life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor for the body, what ye shall put on: his meaning is not, that they should not seek these things, folks may want great treasures, and should not seek them, but they cannot want meat, drink, and clothing; and therefore they may lawfully desire, and obtain them; but they are not to be sinfully anxious about them, or covet them as their supreme good; and therefore Christ’s reasoning is not intended to restrain them altogether from seeking these things, but to restrain their exorbitant and inordinate seeking, or enjoyment of them; for the life (says he) is more than meat, and the body than raiment; and since God hath given the better and greater benefit, he will surely give the lesser, as we react to the Matthew 6:31., and when he hath given many reasons for this, he repeats again the exhortation, to make it the more memorable and weighty, and to be looked upon as absolutely necessary; and he adds two reasons, and a direction, in opposition to their thoughtfulness for earthly things: the first is this, that the Heathens are taken up wholly with there things; For all these things the Gentiles seek, and therefore it doth not become Christ’s disciples, and believers to be like them. The second reason confirms the former, we need not be anxiously careful about these things, for we have a good parent and provider, your heavenly Father who hath all creatures at his command and disposal, and stands in a special relation to you, whom he hath taken into his own family;

and is neither idle nor unconcerned to support you, and promote your welfare; nor can be a stranger to your wants and necessities. This heavenly Father of yours knows very well that ye need, and cannot want these things; and then he, thirdly, proposes an admonition by way of direction, wherein he shows them, what he would have them chiefly taken up about, which if they regarded, would guard and keep them from all fretful and inordinate anxiety, in taking pains to acquire earthly things, But seek the kingdom of heaven, and God’s righteousness, that ye may enjoy it (for these two things still go together) that is a much better bargain and purchase, and all these things shall be added thereunto, as the bounty given to servants, besides their wages, as if they had never been mentioned in the bargain.

The Lord Jesus Christ’s scope and end in all this, is, to slacken that intemperate heat, which is in some men after earthly things, and to sober or moderate them in their pursuit of them, and to stir them up to seek heaven, and our Saviour’s righteousness, in order to their being capacitated, or well qualified to enter into life eternal.

We intend chiefly to speak a little unto the latter part of the Matthew 6:32, but for the better understanding of the grand scope and intention of it, we shall draw two observations from this Matthew 6:31. Namely,

Observe: I. That there is a vexing anxiety in reference to temporal things, very incident even to the Lord’s people themselves. They are ready to take thought, and be inordinately careful, and perplexed about what. they shall drink, and put on, Martha, Martha; (says Christ) thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful. They are very ready to trouble and cumber themselves about earthly things, and to be excessive in their care to obtain them. They are industriously careful to come to something, to keep it when gotten, and in preventing that which may prejudge them in the possession of it. These two, take up the most part to be anxiously careful how to have; There be many that say, Who will show us any good, Psalm 4:6. and some are anxious how to prevent that want or poverty, that may come upon them as are armed man. They cannot endure to want, and the fear of want is troublesome unto them, and like to surprise them that are seeking great things for themselves; the reason in part, and the great part, is, their little faith, and exercise of faith in God’s promise, in reference to our temporal being, provision; and subsistence. Believers sometimes calk in reference to

temporal things, as if the Lord had bounded and confined their faith only to spiritual things, and do not exert or put forth their faith to the promise relating to other things. It is true, it had been a mercy to have had a promise of spiritual things, though we had not had a promise of temporal things, yet seeing promises of both, are laid in his word, it would well become us, to exercise our faith in reference to both. Therefore Matthew 6:30, Shall he not much more cloath you, O ye of little faith; where he represents their unbelief, as the cause of their carefulness, when there was no ground for it, they had little or no faith in God’s gracious promises. We may add secondly, God’s trysting his people with wants; discovers his great wisdom, for he doth so, that they may learn to live by faith. He will not have them to have their barns full, nor their rent great, but will have them from hand to mouth, so to speak, that they may learn the blessed life of faith, and know the necessity of a humble dependence upon him. And when empty handedness comes near them, and their faith becomes weak, anxiety is ready to perplex them; for these people who have much will be free of care to want, and yet it is not the having of faith, but having a sense of want, which is the ground of it. They will say with the rich worldling in the parable, Soul, take thine case and rest, thou hast laid up much goods, for many years, eat, drink, and be merry. But God will not have his people founding their through-bearing upon that, but living by faith, and therefore he punishes them the more in external things; and when he pinches and straiteneth them, they are too ready, through their unbelief, to limit the holy One, as the Israelites did in the wilderness. A third reason, Is our laying too much weight upon these things, as to our being, and well-being, and the having them in our possession; and therefore, when we want them, we are ready to think we cannot live well without them; whereas, God would have us to know, that man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of his mouth. Hence when the staff of the creature is broken or removed, it raises a sort of desperation: But faith in exercise stays the heart against carnal anxiety, as we see in David, when his men were mad and distracted with rage, and were going to stone him, he encouraged his heart in his God.

For Use, We learn that the people of God, even the most eminent believers, should mark and take notice of this inordinate anxiety about worldly things, as a great fault too incident unto them; they are too anxious about their temporal being, and the things which relate to their bodily life and subsistence. Some people may be conscious

to themselves, that they are minding or seeking great things; this is not the end of their creation, and upon that ground they may think, that they are not covetous. But there is here some degree of avarice, when this vain anxiety prevails in their hearts, as if they could not be happy, without these things, and as if less confidence were to be exercised upon God, when we want them; and in these things they take a liberty, and make it a cloak or pretext on which they take great latitude, to be thoughtful and perplexed. And it is probable, if they would look in to themselves, they would find that there is something that looks like credit, or something which looks like their being, that cannot be wanted. But God will not allow thee this liberty, to be thoughtful or anxious about thy dinner or supper, though thou wanted them, than he will allow thee to covet great riches; for though it may be more excusable to be thoughtful for things necessary, and though it be a great sin to covet great things in this world, yet it is not agreeable to faith in our heavenly Father’s promise and providence; for he will not have his own people more afraid for the want of a dinner or supper, nor the servants of a graceless master, or the children of unnatural parents would be afraid to want their dinner or supper, because it is a reflecting upon; him, as if he were inferior to them, who are called evil.

If it be asked, How may we rid marches betwixt a lawful care, and the seeking of great things, or even seeking things necessary, in that vexing anxiety which is here condemned? Or what is the real difference, between a carking, and the provident care which God allows? To. this we may easily answer.

Answer: 1. That the one is well consistent with faith in God, and marrs not our love unto him, and delight in him; the other weakeneth faith, and marrs our love. to God, and our delight in him, and hath with it a secret grumbling, or murmuring against God, and his providence, Psalm 73:12-13. These are the worldly ungodly men, who prosper. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency; imagining that religion was an idle or vain thing: and if people would look into their own hearts, when a pinch or strait comes, they will find the spurting up of such a thing, If religion be the best thing, why is it thus with me? But we also observe,

indisposes, and incapacitates us for prayer, and other religious duties, and makes us so carnal and discomposed, that we are scarce in any frame to hear the word, or join in prayer with others, or to speak to God ourselves, Ezekiel 14.; speaks of some that came to pray, and set up the stumbling-block of their own iniquity before their face, and their heart went out after their own covetousness, how to make such a good bargain, how to go about such and such business; and when thus they exceed in their care, it indisposes them for the performance of their Christian duty.

Answer: 3. Excessive care and anxiety is also vexing and torturing; the Lord allows diligence in our lawful callings, but not to torture ourselves about them, Habakkuk 3. Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts, that the people should labour in the fire, and weary themselves with very vanity. They make the gathering of wealth a torture, or a burden to marr their nights rest; for Solomon says of such, That these to whom God hath given much wealth and riches, yet they are not satisfied therewith, nor have they power to eat thereof; they can neither eat nor sleep; this is what is here forbidden, this is what Martha was charged with by Christ, he allowed providing for him, and serving him, but not that vexation and anxiety, she expressed in the performance of it.

Answer: 4. Care is excessive, when it encroaches upon other duties. Diligence is recommended by Paul, Romans 12:11. Be not slothful in business: fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. But when care shuts out the duties of prayer, reading God’s word, or pious meditation, &c. and when people take no time for these duties, when they are so much taken up with other business, it is excessive. This also appeared in Martha, Luke 10:41- 42. and Mary’s choice in opposition to this, is preferred. Some people who, having callings, are mastered and overcome with the power of them, the world is their master, and they are slaves to their carnal affections: and when they are exhorted to pray in secret, and in their families, their answer is, They cannot get time to pray, they are so much taken up with the world, as if God had not red marches betwixt moderate and lawful care, and excessive care and anxiety. There are some of you that have so much business, that in a year ye will not be found in the church at a week days lecture, or sermon; this surely is not the good part that ye have chosen. Some have as much or more business than you, who will both follow their calling, and attend upon God’s

ordinances, and slip few or none of them; they attend upon God without distraction.

Answer: 5. Care is excessive and immoderate, when it weakeneth and extirpates our love to our neighbours, and marrs that charitable disposition of spirit towards them, and their best interests. As for instance, When an object of charity, and a case of necessity is presented unto us, and we cannot part with any thing wherein often the richest are farthest behind; and some are ready to excuse themselves, that it is much for them to live themselves, which may indeed have some weight, as to the proportion, and may be one reason why they should not be so liberal as some others; but it should not both marr the affection, and the reaching out of the hand to the thing, so as the very proposal of it will anger them; and some are like that churlish Nahal, who said to David’s servants, Shall 1 take my meat and drink, and give them to such an idle man as David, who has fled from his master.

Answer: 6, Excessive care or anxiety is always prognosticating hard things to come; for a soul having entertained distrust, and not founded her life upon God’s promise by faith, it is always speaking ill of God’s providence; Can God provide a table in the wilderness? Can he give us flesh to eat? It will either be poverty or shame in some great measure; and it is just with God it should be so, when we reason our well-being consists in the enjoyment of these outward worldly things. These are but a few evidences, amongst many of excessive care; and ye would look upon it as too great thoughtfulness, when it encroacheth upon any duty God calls you to perform, or hath such effects, and, when it prevails, look on it as your sin, and be humbled for it.

We now proceed to, another observation from the text, viz.

Observe: II. ‘That excessive thoughtfulness or anxiety, in reference to temporal things, is a very great sin that God’s people should, in a special manner, eschew and avoid.’ It is not for nought that the Lord twice says, Take no thought what ye shall eat or drink; and presses it with so many arguments; it is a thing exceeding sinful in itself, and hurtful to believers and others, and occasioneth many more sins, 1Timothy 6:9-10. They that would be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish, and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition, for the love of money is the root of all evil.

1st, Its exceeding sinful in itself, for it reflects upon the majesty of God exceedingly, and places more happiness in the creatures than in him; for though God and his promises are unchangeable, and always to the fore, yet in giving way to our anxious humours, we say or think, Because we want such a creature, we cannot be well, and can there be a greater wrong done to the majesty of God, than thus to undervalue him?

2dly, It is exceeding sinful, as it reflects upon all God’s attributes.

1. It thinks nothing of his power; a fretting anxious person is very ready to say, Can God provide a table for us in the wilderness? Can he open the windows of heaven? Can such plenty be, as if the holy One were to be limited? But

2.    It reflects upon God’s justice, as if he had dealt the world ill; something of this Jeremiah expressed, while he said, Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper.

3.    It reflects upon God’s goodness, and entertains some suspicion of him, as if some other thing was better than him; as these people said, When we worshiped the Queen of Heaven, we had cakes in plenty, it says, we would be better if we had another master; and this is implied in what the Psalmist says, Psalm 83:1. Truly God is good unto Israel, and to such as are of a clean heart; as if before he had been suspecting or disputing this.

4.    It reflects upon God’s all-sufficiency, and fullness; as if he had not provision and store enough, to satisfy the need of his people. It was Moses’ infirmity, Numbers 10:22. to say, Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together to suffice them? How will all that be gotten that we stand in need of? whereas, if it were believed, that God could presently make up a want, the mind would be calm and quiet, without questioning.

5.    It reflects upon God’s faithfulness in the accomplishment of his promises. (1.) As if he had not promised all things, that pertained to life and godliness. (2.) As if he keeped not his promises; and so it says, The promises are not a right good enough to rest upon; and that cannot but be a great reflection upon him

that is holy, true, and singularly faithful, and makes it his honour to keep his word to his people; for if one could believe that the promise is a good enough ground to rest upon, he cannot be in as great anxiety as if there was no such promise; there is a notable word to this purpose, Hebrews 13:5-6. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid what man can do: And can we then say, that God hath not said enough for sufficient ground of quietness and confidence to us, or that his sayings are not much worth. But we may also observe,

3dly, That this inordinate thoughtfulness is not only sinful in itself, as it reflects upon God’s majesty and attributes; but it is prejudicial to believers themselves, and to others, and reflects upon the way of God with his people, By this vain anxiety and carefulness, we do what in us lies, to make men think, that God is a hard master, and to prefer other masters unto him. This is a very grievous sin, and it lays a stumbling-block before others, and makes them love the way of holiness the less, Psalm 73., 19. Therefore do his people turn in thither. And when people begin to dispute God’s wisdom in governing the world, that some wicked men have much, and some that fear God are straitened, they are ready to take the way the wicked takes: and it is even prejudicial to believers themselves, for it exceedingly indisposes them for all the duties of religion, and marrs them in whatever promotes the spiritual life, and what a prejudice is that, when an excess of care about our temporal being, indisposes us to provide for our eternal happiness and well-being.

4thly, It occasioneth and openeth a way to many other sins; it breeds fretfulness, impatience, cangling103, and discord; it takes the soul off its feet, and renders it obnoxious to every snare; for readily the soul in this bad temper, will take some evil course, and cannot easily stand against a temptation, but yields to it. One day, says David, I shall fall into the hand of Saul, and upon that he slips down to the Philistines. And instead of calmness and peace, it puts the heart in great confusion, and to quarrel with God and the promises; the thoughts of sin do

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not trouble them, repentance is marred in its exercise, and all things go wrong in the soul’s condition.

You may take two uses from this point, and we may. observe, 1 st. That it serves to reprove our entertainment of this evil. It is like the keeping of a serpent in our bosoms, and yet some people are not aware of it. It makes our Christian life unprofitable, and our natural life uncomfortable, and so we had need to be guarded against it, as well as murder, theft, oppression, or drunkenness, and the like; for it weakeneth us for duty; and mars our communion with God, as much as any of these gross sins; it puts the soul in such disgust and confusion, that it knows not what it is doing, as to any distinct exercise of faith, and those who knew the exercise of faith, and how unchristian like it is to be anxious about temporal things, they will see more of his evil than in a short time can be spoken unto. May we not then propose these considerations to dissuade you from it. And I would have you notice, 1 st. That it is heathen like, this is the argument in the text, to be as desperate and impatient about your believing, as if you had not had a promise to be cared for, this makes you like heathens, for what difference is there betwixt a Christian and a heathen ‘in such a condition? 2dly, What use is there for all the promises of outgates, or deliverances from temporal straits, or calamities, when this evil is given way unto? Hath God said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, but who calms themselves upon that promise, or will boldly say, The Lord is my helper. Besides, it will he much if we make use of faith in spiritual things, or of the promises relating to these, when we make not use of faith in temporal things, and of the promises which relate to them, and we are sure the one will require as strong a faith as the other. 3dly, It makes us inferior to the very beasts and fowls; they have no garnal104 or store-house, and yet they are without anxiety; they have a natural trust and dependence upon God, so to speak, therefore the young ravens are said in scripture, to cry when they want food, and the young lions seek their meat from God; and are not believers much better than they. I would have you also, 4thly, consider how unsuitable this is to that relation which is between God and his people; is he not thy Father that begat thee? and doth not even nature teach heathen parents to provide for their children? and will your heavenly Father be behind them in providing for his own children? which of you, if your child would

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ask bread, will you give him a stone, or if he ask a fish, will you give him a serpent, or for an egg, give him a scorpion? If ye then which are evil, give good things to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit, and every good thing to them who ask them? and how much more will he give these things that are needful for the bodily life? By this in effect, we rob our heavenly Father of that glory we would give to an earthly father, or even take to ourselves. We know the bowels of a father, who will not put a stone in the hand of his son for a dinner, and will we make a beneficent and holy God to be behind a creature, that is a great absurdity, and the most injurious reflection that our anxiousness puts upon the majesty of God. If some of your children, who have means and wealth, should come out to the street, crying for a piece of bread, ye would be ashamed of it, as if they had unnatural parents, and this is the language of every anxious and peevish person, I have an evil parent, or else it says, Ye stand not in that relation to him as his children. 5thly, Consider, that it is unnecessary and unprofitable; therefore our Lord says, Which of you by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature; can any of you make yourselves by your care one foot longer? can your thoughtfulness provide your dinner? or when it is given you, can you bless it? and what a foolish thing is it, when it is to no purpose, to give way to a fretting carefulness; we, by this mean, make no progress in that which we would be at, but rather retard our motions; yea, God. is much more ready to give, when the soul is quiet, and in dependence upon him, nor when all this noise is made. We observe only, 6thly, there is not a creature, nor even a pile of grass that we look upon, but it may strengthen us in the faith of God’s providence and care; and why then should we have any carking care? Look to the lilies, they neither toil, nor spin, and yet I say unto you, that Solomon, and all his glory, was not arrayed like one of them. If God then cloath the grass, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast unto the oven, will God cloath them as fine, and brave, as any thing which lives, and will he not much more you, O ye have of little faith, if ye will but credit him, and rely upon the care of his beneficent providence.

Let the then commend this to you, to study stayedness and composure of heart, in reference to your being provided for in temporal things, especially at this time, when pinches and straits are growing, and some people are ready to take a liberty to themselves, in their anxious and thoughtful way of forecasting these evil things; and there is perhaps an underhand fretting and unbelief, in some that stand in a near relation to God, as a Father,

for things necessary, which should be watchfully guarded against. Is it not much more criminal for people to work away their own strength, and time, in seeking to get much, to satisfy their covetous humour, that will never be satisfied, though they had three times as much? It may quiet believers, that the Lord hath promised to give them that which is good, and will perform every promise he hath made, and may it not strengthen your faith, that the Lord, as he hath told you, cloths the lilies, and feeds the ravens, and your relation is nearer to God than theirs; are ye not of much more value than many of them? Unbelief, my friends, is a shameful thing; your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of these things; and is always ready to supply your need. Should not then these things commend religion and godliness; it is a good bargain, and God’s family is a good family to live in; they, who are his children, may look for a heavenly inheritance, and they shall have meat, drink, and all other necessaries by the way, and they may sleep without a vexing thought, God be thanked it is so; and to his name be praise.

Sermon 3

God’s Relation to his People, a Mean to prevent Anxiety, &c.

Matthew 6:32.

For your heavenly Father, knoweth ye have need of all these things.

THERE is much of the practice of religion in our carriage, in reference to outward things, that we be holy, and Christian, even in our eating, drinking, and clothing, and in the use of all our worldly enjoyments and employments; and there is much need of the exercise of faith and stayedness upon God, even in reference to external wants; and where there is faith and holiness with respect to spiritual things, there will be also faith, and holiness, in reference to bodily or temporal things. And as the believer’s peace and quietness, depends very much upon the exercise of his faith in God, and in the study of holiness in things immediately spiritual, so there is also much of the believer’s peace and quietness, which depends on the exercise of his faith in God, even in reference to temporal things. And where this is wanting, there is much anxiety; and this is the reason why tho’ some believers have peace as to the pardon of their sins, yet they are very anxious and thoughtful as to their through-bearing and subsistence in this world, and being well provided for in outward things, because they live not by faith in God, and in his promises, as to their daily provisions in things necessary, therefore our Lord here seeks to quiet his people, who ordinarily have not a great share or good lot in the world and when he hath given many arguments, this is the sum of all, Take, says he, no thought, be not anxiously troubled about those things; it becomes you not, why so, because your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of them: Ye have a Father, and a heavenly Father, to provide for you, and he knows that ye stand in need of, and cannot want these things, and therefore will provide them for you. Is it then suitable to your confidence in such a Father, as you have, to be anxious how you shall live for a little time in the world, seeing that ye have such a good, wise, and merciful Father? be quiet, and cast away your carking anxiety.

There are three things in these words, which comprehend the scope and substance of them, 1. There stands a kindly relation between God and believers, He is their Father, and they are his children. 2dly, Even believers that stand in this kindly relation to God, may have many wants and needs; they may be in straits and difficulties, and may have much difficulty to get through the world, being hungered and straitened as to outward things. 3dly, Though a Christian and follower of Christ want and need many things, yet where this kindly relation subsists between God and him, there, is good ground for him to be quiet, and without anxiety under all these needs, wants, straits, and difficulties. For this is the concsution Christ draws from this relation, that therefore they needed nor be thoughtful, and anxious, and careful, 1 st. We observe from these words, that there is an excellent and kindly relation betwixt God and every true believer. This springs from the Covenant that is established between them; I will he a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Doubtless, thou art our Father, tho’ Abraham should be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not. But there are two words, which evidently set out or illustrate this amiable and comfortable relation, 1st. That God is a Father. 2dly, A heavenly Father. God is our Father, and we are his children; and when God calls himself our Father, it implies, 1 st. A kindly and loving relation, as there is betwixt a father and his children. 2dly, A relation that hath in it a subordination. Children are subordinate to or dependent on their parents. Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this .is right. Honour thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long in the earth. All the relations of husband, Redeemer and Father, imply this; and also imply. 3dly, The advantage believers have by this relation, not only, their being and subsistence, but also a portion, and all needful provision. Fathers lay up and provide for their children, there is an inheritance and portion which descend from father to son. 4thly, Confidence that the children may have in their father, in expectation of what is needful for them; as Christ reasoneth. Matthew 7:11. If ye which are evil, give good things to your children; how much more will your heavenly Father give good things-unto them that ask him? But we also learn, that God is called our heavenly Father, for these reasons, 1 st. That the people of God may have a deep impression of the awe and reverence of God’s majesty, and greatness upon their spirit. The first word, Father, gives ground for confidence and boldness; and the second words, heavenly Father, imprints a holy

fear, and reverence on the heart. Ecclesiastes 5:1. Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, that thou may not give the sacrifice of fools; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore should thy words he few. Heaven is far above the earth, and our heavenly Father is far above all earthly parents. 2dly, God is called our heavenly Father, to show what are the things about which his care is exercised, and the nature of that inheritance which he provides for his own children, Our heavenly Father hath provided a heavenly inheritance for his children. 3dly, God is stiled a heavenly Father, to show the difference that ought to be betwixt his children and others; they should be of a heavenly stamp and frame, on the account of their celestial descent, and therefore they ought to have their conversation or citizenship in heaven, and their treasure there also.

The improvement and use of this endearing relation, is very obvious, 1 st. See here what a great privilege and advantage believers have, beyond the wicked and unregenerate; they have God to be their father, and they are his children; and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. All his children are his first¬born, they are called the congregation or general assembly of the first-born, whole names are written in heaven, Hebrews 12:22. And they are not only brethren, but heirs in the family, and heirs of an heirship suitable to such a Father as God is. If Christ hath a good heirship, as the heir of all things, Hebrews 1:2-3. They have also a good heirship, and their dignity is great, for they are fellow-heirs with him; it were much to have the right faith of this, that the believer is so privileged and honoured, and this should make our believing the more important and useful. The great reason why the preaching of believers privileges hath no influence on some people, it never sinks into their hearts, that there is such advantages by believing, otherwise it would be impossible, that ye would sit under security and unbelief, and prejudge yourselves as ye do; for when the Son of man cometh,

shall he find faith upon the earth. We may farther observe,

2dly, That it not only serves to comfort, but to reprove even believers themselves for not believing, and improving aright this relation of God’s being their heavenly Father. It is ill that such a precious truth should, not be believed by many, but more shameful in the believer. Should not ye believe that God is your Father, and upon that ground assuredly conclude, that your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure; that a good portion shall be given you, and that ere all be done, ye shall be brought to the full possession of all that ye have a right to, and to the faith of this, for as poor I am in this world, yet I am a child of God, and an heir of all the promises; this would comfort a poor believer.

3dly, From this doctrine, believers would learn somewhat of their duty. Malachi 1:6. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master; if I then be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? This relation bespeaks reverence, obedience, and submission; of all persons in the world believers are under the most potent and effectual obligations to the obedience, and all the duties of children; if then you call God, Father, remember to behave as his obedient children, if he is your heavenly Father, then let your confidence be placed in him for ever. It is neither kindly nor dutiful to distrust a father, much more to distrust our heavenly Father, or reflect upon his paternal care, as if a sinful creature would be more careful of his children than God can be of his. If ye being evil, give good gifts unto your children, will not your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit, and all other good things unto them? This should quiet distraction, and bound our anxiety, Doubtless. thou art our Father, and we are thy children and offspring.

4thly, Believers may also learn what to reckon their portion, and in what they should mainly place their happiness; and that surely must be in spiritual and in heavenly things. Many get greater things in the world than some believers; but the portion of God’s children includes the possession of heavenly things, answerable to the relation that is betwixt God and them, John 14:1-3. In my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. Their portion is not only kingdom, but an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and immortal, which fadeth not away, reserved in the heavens for them. And they

need never lack for their portion here, nor think they come the better to, because they have abundance of the goods of this world. Many are in hell that have had more wealth, and finer apparel than any here. We read in the parable, Luke xvi. how the rich glutton was tormented in hell, when Lazarus, the beggar, was comforted in heaven, the reason is, God was a heavenly Father to him, and not to Dives.

Another observation we proceed to consider from the text is, 2dly, That believers, who have God for their heavenly Father, may have many needs and wants. Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things, which he speaks not, merely to strengthen their faith in this respect, that no needs shall come, but tho’ they may come, yet they should not be anxious. A wicked man, who hath no faith, will have little or no anxiety, when he hath no need or pinching strait perplex him. They have their hearts desire, and sometimes more than they could wish.

But here is the vast difference, the wicked man is quiet, when he hath the goods of this world, but the believer is put to exercise his faith and trust in God, when a strait or difficulty comes, and quiets himself upon God’s promise, as having nothing yet possessing all things, while fed with hunger and feasted with want. 2Corinthians 6:10. When in hunger, and thirst, and in fastings often, he yet abounds as having all things. Philippians 4:9-12. I have learned in every state, and case wherein I am, to be content, both to be full, and to be hungry. It is nothing in some straits to be content, but it is a holy, and eminently Christian practice, to be content under every strait, to know how to be abased, as well as how to abound, how to be hungry, as well as to be full, how to be discredited, how to be in high reputation, and not to be puffed up with it. And he says, Philippians 4:18. I have all things, and abound, there is a rich man, who in the mean time may be living on charity, and in a prison. To confirm this point, we may take all the instances of the saints in scripture, the catalogue of God’s famous witnesses, who walked in sheep skins, and goat skins, in caves, and dens of the earth, of whom the world was not worthy. Look thro’ all God’s covenant, it speaks out this, and therefore it is fitted and furnished with grounds of spiritual consolation, in reference to believers outward wants; hence God says, When thou goes through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, when thou passest through the water, it shall not overflow thee; fear

not, for I am with thee, says the Lord, the holy One in the midst of thee. The tenor of the covenant runs upon promises, to sustain believers under all the trials they meet with.

The reasons why the Lord will have believers to stand in need of outward things, are, 1 st, That they may be weaned from, and not have their affections inordinately set upon the creature. For when outward things abound, they are ready to go a whoring after them; but their affections are weaned, and drawn from them, when creatures are blasted to them; so the Lord dealt with his people, Deuteronomy viii, when be brought them out of Egypt, he suffered them to be in want, to humble them, and prove them, and to do them good in their latter end, and to let them know, that man lives not by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of God. 2dly, The Lord hereby learns his people to live by faith. Too many know not well what the exercise of faith as to outward things means, and if they wanted silver, they would be at their wits end, and therefore the Lord would have them to know, that it is not by silver, but by the word of his promise and providence, that they are sustained. But when a strait comes, the unbeliever will say, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? but the believer says, God will provide. 3dly, The Lord hereby lets believers know their own infirmity, and how much they are in his reverence, and sometimes discovers their fecklessness and weakness, and sometimes their sinfulness under straits, and their sinfulness in giving way to unbelief; for they will trust God with giving them heaven, when they cannot trust him with their dinner, and if it discovers not their sin, yet it discovers their feebleness. The believer is discovered to be at his best like a flower that cannot live a day without being entertained; and if God should withdraw his hand, how bitter would their life be unto them? they would be naked, pined with hunger, and thirst, and would lament like the delicate woman, who would boil and eat her own children. The Lord, by this, lets believers know, that they live in his common, and how many ways they are obliged to him everyday they put on their cloths, and for every bit of bread, and drop of drink they enjoy. God made the first cloths Adam had, and for as little as ye may think of cloths, if ye had not a rag to cover you, they would be more thought of, and highly esteemed. Jacob says, I am less than the least of all thy mercies. He was thankful when he had food to eat, and raiment to put on; and if ye got not entertainment, ye would think it a hard life; all then which ye have, may let you see, how much you are obliged to God. Read the Lamentations of

Jeremiah, and when ye consider how the tender hearted mothers have sodden and eaten their own children, in the siege and straitness, and how ye and your children have meat and drink; for if your children were weeping and crying, and ye had nothing to give them, ye would think much more of your present allowance, and esteem it a great mercy. God’s people have been in such a strait, that a cub of doves dung would even have given much money. And if your need of outward things were more felt and experienced, ye would see more your dependence upon, and your obligations to your heavenly Father, but we think little or nothing of mercies, when we are so much indulged, and want for nothing. For,

U S E. I.

1 st, Let this teach you to study patience under outward crosses, needs and wants, for these are not inconsistent with God’s love, and care of his people. God may be a Father, and yet diet and feed you sparingly, to let you find your need.

2dly, It should teach you to keep a loose and small grip of temporal things. Riches are fleeting, how soon may they take wings, and flee away.

3dly, It should teach all to be sober, and thankful., and moderate in the use of temporal things. Let not your hearts be glutted and surfeited with them, grow not vain and foolish in the use of meat, drink, and cloths Do not use them for your vanity, and to satisfy your lusts. I am afraid for all the plenty we have at present, God will be provoked to bring us under a restraint, and some pinching straits. Some would be glad to have necessaries, though they got not superfluities. Cod would let us know ere many months went by, how much we are in his common; therefore be sober: It would be both our sin and our shame, if notwithstanding of all which God hath done for us, there would be more vanity and madness, more rioting, and excess, in meat, drink, and fine clothing, than was before the time that God smote us. We shall now proceed, as we proposed, to the last observation from the text.

anxiety, in reference to what he needs. Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed, for your heavenly Father knoweth, that ye have, need of all these things; and since it is so, it will be very unbecoming, that a Son of such a Father, and an heir of a heavenly kingdom, should yet notwithstanding of all this, be as anxious and perplexed, as the carnal men of the world are, who know nothing of God. This is the grand doctrine, and the chief scope of all the Lord aims at, and therefore we shall speak a few words to these three or four things in the application of it.

U S E I

Take it for a ground of truth, that come of outward things what will, or whatever the believer’s needs be, yet he hath no ground to be anxious, but quiet, firmly believing he will be provided for, and well seen to, but this doth not imply, that he should be negligent in his calling, or careless arid defective in any duty he is called to perform; but that in going about his calling, and in providing for his family, he may, and ought to be without perplexing anxiety; and if provision fail him, he may be quiet on this ground, that God his heavenly Father, will provide for him. To confirm this, we may consider these scriptures, Philippians 4:6-7. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known unto God. Is there any thing more expressive than this word? In nothing be careful, and there is a good guard given unto it, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard and keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Where anxiety is, it banishes peace, and many believers through their carefulness in every thing, marr their own peace, and bring themselves under anxiety. Again, the apostle .exhorts us, to cast all our care upon him, for he careth for us, that is a great word, least it should be thought a loose way to cast all our care upon God, that other word is subjoined, for he careth for you. Let your conversation, says another apostle, Hebrews 13:5. be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. The denial is doubled in the original, I will not, I will not leave thee, I will in noways do it and the conclusion drawn from it is comfortable, we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper. He hath said one word, we may say another; believers this is for you, and not for others, ye have a good portion coming, and are assured of

a competency for the present, and may be without anxiety; the greatest monarch hath not that ground of confidence, he may beg, or die, or starve for hunger, and so may be anxious, if he be not in Christ, but ye shall be provided for.

2dly, There may be some grounds given to confirm, not so much the thing as ourselves, if ye take a view of this chapter, from the 19th verse, we will find the Lord reasoneth from the less to the greater. He hath given the life, and therefore may expect what is needful for it. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? And one that hath gotten a being in Christ, and more noble life, need not fear want.

3dly, Let us also look unto the creatures, whether senseless or inanimate, as the lilies, or living and ravenous, as the lions and ravens. God cares for them, and will he not much more care for you. They are not anxious, and what a shame is it for you to be anxious? Besides this, it casts a deep reflection upon God, as if he cared more for the beasts and lilies than he did for his people. Behold the fowls of the air, they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.

4thly, God even provides for them, which are not his saints and children. He is the Saviour of all men in outward things; he makes his rain to fall, and his sun to shine upon the good and had, but he is the Saviour, especially of them that believe. Do we not see many Turks, and Pagans, and many Atheists, without the church, provided for, and will he be less careful for his own?

hthly, Let us look unto what God hath already done for us. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things. If he gave his only begotten Son to suffer and die for us, and made us his children through him, is it likely that he will withhold any thing needful for us. Shall he not give us with him all things? Christ is more than all things, and if he hath done the less, will he not do the great thing.

living, having nothing, and yet possessing all things. And if we look to daily experience, believers have their own wants, yet a singular providence accompanies them, so that they are never desperately pinched. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread; they were never in their wants forsaken, and God had a care of their feed, as well as themselves, and God keeps, and will not forsake them even in want.

But some will object, How can this be true, especially considering how the world is parted, for they are not the best, who have most of it? To this it may be answered, 1. That the doctrine says not that believers shall have most of the world, or even abundance, but whether they have or want, they need not he anxious. 2dly, The promise runs upon and extends only to things that are needful, and not to abundance or superfluity; when we have things necessary, the Lord would have us without carking cares, and our great anxiety is not because we want, but because it is not with us, as we would have it. The Lord would have our pride stained, and would have us to want something of our pleasure, and lust, and therefore the promise runs upon what is needful and good, Psalm 34:9. They that fear the Lord, shall want no good things; and suppose the want of this, or that, or a third thing, what will follow from all this? but that it was not good for them; many have been the worse of riches, and good cheer, and fine clothing, but few have been the better of them as to their spiritual condition; and therefore our anxiety for them, would be, as if a physician would forbid roasted meat to his patient, and the patient cries out because he gets not that which would prejudice his health; so many of us would suck all our days at the breasts of creature-comforts, and live with our corruptions, rather than submit to be restrained a little to have them away. But these things are not needful, many are in heaven, who never had good cheer, or fine, clothing 3dly, I would have you consider God’s end, in straitening his people sometimes; it is not unadvisedly, but for a good end, as the mother hath a good end, when she hears the child weep after physic, and will not give it meat: It is not for want of love, but it is wisdom that induces her to do so; and so doth the Lord deal with his own. 4thly, Consider, that God is your heavenly Father, and therefore he will have temporal mercies subservient to heavenly; and this is the great hope the word aims at.

U S E II

1 st, Let us learn to be quiet and content when we meet with wants and difficulties, and labour to discern the sinfulness of fretting and anxiety, and the unsuitableness of it unto the temper of a believer, and to guard against it; this fretting and anxiety, as we shewed, is not that which arises from coveting great things, but it is a perplexity of mind about lawful things that may be desired; and we say, that even this is unsuitable to a believer that stands in such a relation to God, of a child to a heavenly Father; it makes God worse to a believer, nor he is or will be to a beast; it would make him deal worse to his own children, than sinful men will deal with their children. For almost no earthly parent will suffer his child to want, if he have; and by our fretting and anxiety, we say, that either God is not able to give, or he is not pitiful and tender-hearted to give, or that he hath not skill when to give, and when to keep up; and is any of these things fit to be said of God? It is also unsuitable to all the promises which God hath made in reference to outward things; be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; cast all your care upon him, who careth for you; and shall a believer be as careful and anxious as a man that hath not such promises? Nor is it suitable to a believer that will trust God with the great business of his salvation, to be anxious about lesser things, and not to trust God with his dinner, or daily bread. And it is also unsuitable and inconsistent with God’s care of his people hitherto, Hebrews 11:13. All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but saw them afar of, and confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers in this world, and looked for a city to come, not having a foot broad of ground that they could claim as their property. But,

2dly, We would exhort you in this time of straits, when our wants and necessities are multiplied, and we already take liberty to complain of an evil time, and to be anxious for straits felt and feared, to sober your minds on the account of this relation that God is your heavenly Father, and knows ye have need of these things. 1 st. Consider, that there is a sufficiency covenanted and secured. 2dly, Sufficiency of promises to communicate what is covenanted. 3dly, That ye have a faithful God, who will keep his promise; believers have a good portion

covenanted, and an honest and faithful word of a heavenly Father for it, and they would think themselves as sure of it as if it were in their own hand, and can it be without blasphemy to claim this relation to God, and yet be anxious for their provisions? And therefore to deter you from it, 1 st. Consider, that it is an evil that reflects on God’s faithfulness and sufficiency, and that it is exceeding distracting to the believer, making him to hang in suspense like a blazing star, or meteor in the air; it eats away his affection to God, and fosters corruption, which gets up and gathers strength, under a fretting humour. It is an enemy to holiness and growth in grace; it makes the believer turn carnal and earthly, like the men of the world; and it is far better to have want, and a mind stayed by faith under it upon God’s promises, than to have abundance and restlessness under it. Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. There is no quieting or settling of the mind, when anxiety and carefulness prevaileth; but believers, in their greatest needs and difficulties have had sweetness, calmness and tranquility, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. Whereas the giving way to fretting, some have had many things, and yet possessed nothing. 2dly, Seeing peace and quietness of mind is founded upon this ground, that ye have a heavenly Father, study to make your relation to him, and interest in him clear, that ye may be able to say, Doubtless thou art our Father; because eternal happiness not only depends upon it, but your well-being in time. That man, or woman, who can lay claim to God as their heavenly Father, their bread shall be given them, and their water shall be made sure. Every person that stands in this relation hath no ground to be anxious about earthly things. If then there be any that love to be without care, and to have enough with God’s blessing, this is the way to it, betake yourselves to God through Christ, that ye may have a right to God as your Father, and the privilege of adoption and provision, and the inheritance in heaven, and be sure that all other things needful shall be laid plentifully to your hand.

Sermon 4.

Luke 10:42.

But one thing is needful.

THERE is much lost time and travel in this world, and it will be found ere it be long, that many of the sons of men weary themselves for very vanity. Some have neither right designs, nor take the right means to obtain them, and therefore we need not wonder, that they are toiled, tossed, and fretted, and yet come little speed, because they bestow their pains and labour to obtain that which is not needful, and they neglect that which is absolutely necessary. And, O! how many will cry at the day of judgement, that they have made a bad bargain on this account? If any question be needful to be resolved what we should be peremptory about, and about what we should be indifferent here, our Saviour decides this question in the text, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled, thou art cumbered, and at much pains about many things; but it is lost labour, you will get nothing but much trouble and vexation by it, and what pray is the reason, that her pains were troublesome, and not easy or peaceful? He answers, you betake yourself to that which is not necessary, or of any great moment, and you neglect the one thing which is needful.

Now, in these words, we have, 1 st. A maxim, or conclusion most needful to all Christians laid down by our Lord. But one thing is needful. 2dly, Christ’s approbation of Mary’s choice in opposition to Martha’s care, that some way illustrates what that one thing needful is. Mary hath chosen that good part, she hath betaken herself to hear my words, for the good and advantage of her immortal soul, and she is quiet and content with that, but thou art taken up with many other things, and can never expect quietness nor contentedness in that way. 3dly, The reason of our Lord’s approbation of Mary’s practice, which farther confirms this truth, that there is but one thing absolutely needful; Mary hath chosen that one thing, that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Other things, such as riches, credit, and all the vain enjoyments of this present world will leave people some time or other, but this one thing, and this only, will abide with them, and therefore there is but one thing

needful.

1 st. There is but one thing absolutely needful, in opposition to the many things that worldly men are careful about, and here it will be necessary to show you, 1 st. What this one thing is. 2dly, How it is needful. As to the first of these, we observe, 1 st. That this one thing mentioned in the text, is not simply any created or temporary thing, it must be some thing which cannot be taken away from us, some thing that is spiritual, eternal, and satisfactory. 2dly, It is not the mecer form of religion, for that both may, and will assuredly be taken from us. To him that hath, saith Christ, shall be given, and from him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that which he seemeth to have. Not every one that says, Lord, Lord, shall enter into heaven. Neither, 3dly, is it any one particular step or branch of religion; for the promise of happiness is not knit to it, but to universal godliness and obedience to God’s will in the general. For though Mary sat at Christ’s feet, and heard his word, and was justly commended by Christ on that account, yet it is not for that of itself, but as it evidenced her love to our Saviour, and her respect to godliness, and her eager and earnest desire to get her soul saved by Christ. Bur positively and more directly, the one thing needful is, the services and sincere practice of true godliness, in order to the saving of our souls, peace with God through the Lord Jesus, communion and fellowship with the Father and his Son. It is not then the bare hearing of the word as our indispensable duty, but as it is a mean of our daily progress in holiness and godliness, and of our peace and reconciliation with God. And therefore this one thing can be nothing else, but godliness in the life, power and practice of it. It comes then all to the same thing, whether we call this one thing needful, Christ, religion, or the saving of the soul, since the eternal salvation of our souls is the end, and our union and communion with Christ, is the mean or mids of attaining this end, which is always inseparably connected with the practice of unfeigned piety. For godliness, saith Paul, is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and that which, is to come. This one thing then is godliness, in its spirit, power, and substance. One thing, says the Psalmist, I have desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lard for ever, to behold the beauty of the Lord. It was not to attend upon outward ordinances only, but to be lively in religion, to have communion with God in his sacred institutions, and to have the amiable and desirable hope of enjoying God in heaven. This is the one thing, which

comprehends many other things, the making of our peace with God, through Jesus our peace-maker and Mediator, and the study of the power and practice of godliness, that our spirits may be saved in the day of the Lord. We notice also, 2dly, That this one thing is said to be needful or necessary, it doth not comprehend every kind of necessity, for meat, drink, cloths, health, strength, and other things are also needful their own kind, but there is nothing peremptorily or absolutely needful, but this one thing. The believer may want other things, but cannot be without this. And this one thing is needful in these respects,

1 st. As its God’s commandment, and what is highly pleasing to him, and approven by him. We may also please God, and be approven of him, though we be not rich in worldly goods, or in credit, or though we have, not health and strength; neither are we commanded to be rich, but we are commanded to be godly, to be at peace with God, to be sincere in the performance of every commanded duty.

2dly, Religion is the one thing needful with respect to its great end, namely, to make us happy here and hereafter. There is but one thing absolutely needful as it is, inseparably connected with our welfare and felicity. It is not these many things, some are troubled and careful to obtain, but it is this one thing the practice of godliness, and our peace with God, that can make us happy. The meaning then of the words is, if Christ had said, Martha, your mind is taken up with many things, and ye are troubled with them, and that is all the profit ye get, trouble yourself as ye will, to get all things right, they will not be guided by you, nor can they satisfy you; but there is one thing needful, namely, the practice of godliness, and peace with God, in order to the saving of your soul, absolutely necessary for your blessedness, but the other things you are careful about, are not. The scope then of the words runs upon these two grounds of doctrine; 1. To divert people from their greedy and eager pursuit after created things, for there is but one thing absolutely needful.

And, 2. to point out the absolute necessity of godliness, and this doth evidently intimate to us, that have what we will, we cannot be well without godliness in the life, and power of it; all other things will be nought without this. These are two plain truths, 1. That there is nothing absolutely necessary for the happiness of men and women, but godliness, and peace with God, and the making sure of our own salvation and holy calling thro’

Christ Jesus. 2. If then there is one thing necessary, and if this be it, then there is nothing absolutely needful but this for a man’s happiness.. And this appears, 1 st. When we confider, that though a man have all other things, and want godliness, yet he cannot be happy. 2dly, Though a man want all other things, and be godly, and have peace with God, he cannot be miserable. No other thing can marr his happiness; and these two being clear and certain, it will natively follow, that there is nothing absolutely needful for a man’s supream happiness, but the exercise of godliness and true piety. If then the possession of other things cannot make men happy, and the want of them cannot make them miserable, then surely no other thing is absolutely necessary to promote our welfare but true religion.

1) We say, that a man, though he hath all other things, yet he cannot be happy without godliness. There is a summary or induction of these things drawn by the apostle, 1John 2:15-16. in these three particulars, all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, pleasure, wealth, honour, preferment, and profit, what can all these do when they are put together to make a man happy? For that which concerns a man’s happiness, must be a spiritual, incorporeal, incorruptible, and an immortal thing; the soul of man being a spiritual substance, must have a suitable object to its nature. Again, 2dly, it must be perfect; for no imperfect thing can make any man happy. 3dly, It must be eternal and unchangeable, for one cannot be happy the day and miserable tomorrow; if then it be a thing that is subject to change, it cannot make us happy. Now, if we put all the idols that are in the world together, they have none of these three things, they are not spiritual, and cannot satisfy the soul, which must have an object suitable to itself, they are not perfect, but have some defect. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing, they are but temporal and not eternal: A man may be pulled from them or they from him. And for farther confirmation of this truth, that a man’s life, peace, and comfort, consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses, it will be farther cleared and confirmed, if we confider, 1 st. the experience of all who have gone before us, who have found all these things to be but vanity, and vexation of spirit. Solomon, who tried this of purpose, and had both the best means, and dexterity to obtain it, gave it over, declaring, that all things were full of vanity, and vexation; he found no ground to expect satisfaction or contentment in them, and therefore despaired of attaining it. 2dly, There is none

of there things which have the promise of blessedness; for happiness must either come from these things themselves but it is not in them, as we have already shown, nor from God’s promise annexed to them; for they have not the promise. Riches, profit, pleasure, or credit, have not the promise. But godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come. Is it then possible, that a man can be happy, and yet want all the promises? And the man, who is destitute of true piety, though he had all things the world can afford, yet he cannot be happy without these goods which are promised. 3dly, All these things may be accompanied. with God’s curse; for as many as are under the law, are under the curse, they are condemned already, as it is written, Cursed is every one, who continueth not in, all these things which are written in the law to do them; and can a man be happy, have what he will, and yet be under God’s’ wrath and curse, and liable to all misery here and hereafter? Suppose ye had a happiness as to created contentments, and worldly enjoyments, beyond all other men in the world, and suppose it were lengthened or extended to a height beyond any we ever heard of, ye cannot be happy. Your table is a snare, a trap, and a stumbling block. Your wealth, pleasures, and honours are accursed. And we may see, ere long, that these who have had most of this world’s good, with the curse of God upon all these blessings, are in a miserable condition.

4thly, There will be an end of all the things that are in this world. Men’s pomp and vanity will not descend into the grave with them; riches will not avail or profit them in the day of wrath. The world, ere long, will be burned into ashes, and it will not be known then, where such a city, such a house, or such a man’s lands were; and if it be so, these things cannot be absolutely needful for our true happiness. There is then enough to point out the variety of this one ground, that suppose a man had the whole world, and all these things that are perishing, they could not make him happy. But,

2) As a man can be happy without these things, so they cannot be absolutely needful to promote his welfare. Will any say, That none can be truly happy but the rich man, or the honourable man, that are in eminent stations. Will any say, That none can be happy but the strong, healthy, and powerful, or he that is wise, learned,

and well versed in the sciences: if any would say so, they would thortour105 and counteract the whole tract and scope of the gospel, that says, Blessed are the poor in spirit: —Blessed are they that mourn: - Blessed are the meek, merciful, and pure in heart: —Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: Blessed are they who are persecuted, reviled, and reproached for the sake of righteousness. Though Stephen was gnashed upon with the teeth of his enemies, and accused as a blasphemer, and even stoned to death, yet he was not the less happy; neither the tranquillity of his mind, nor his hope of glory was brangled106, or impaired by his violent death. This truth might be further illustrated and confirmed,

1.    From the experience of all God’s saints and servants. The godly man in all ages of the world, hath always had the most contented and cheerful life, the most joyful and comfortable death, even though he was under the cross, and wanted these things. This is evident from Paul’s case, As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing: As poor, yet making many rich: As having nothing, and yet possessing all things. They have learned, in every case and state to be content: they have all things and abound; they can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth them.

2.    They have God’s favour, friendship, and peace, his promise, and covenant, and they can lake 107 no good or happiness, though they want the things of the world. And what can marr that man’s happiness, who hath peace with God, who is in covenant with him, and will have all the promises of it fulfilled with respect to his spiritual good, though he have nothing of this world. When God covenanted with Abraham, he had not a foot breadth of this earth, and yet God blessed him, and made him wealthy and powerful. Therefore a man may be happy without these. We may also observe to confirm this;

3.    ‘That all these who are blessed in heaven, or shall be blessed in the eternal kingdom and glory of Christ, their happiness is perfect, and will be perfected, without these worldly things’ They will not be happy in

105 frustrate, impede

106 shaken

107 lack

the use of created enjoyments in heaven, for there is no need of meat, drink, or cloths in heaven, such as are here; for their happiness is spiritual and immortal: and the reason of this is evident.

For,

1.    The Lord would not have created things necessary to promote our happiness, that thereby he may restrain the immoderate edge that is in our spirits after these creatures. For if they were absolutely necessary to procure it, how greedily would they be followed and doted upon, when we see such an immoderate pursuit of them, though they have no connection with our well-being. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not, For riches take to themselves wings, and fly away. It is folly for a man to place his happiness in that thing, that can neither marr nor further his happiness.

2.    The Lord hath reserved as a prerogative to himself, to be absolutely needful, for the happiness of his people, that the edge of their affection and desire may be carried towards him; and that they may be brought to say, Psalm 73:25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon the earth that I desire besides thee; this is a singular prerogative. All things may be wanted but God; and he alone is sufficient for his own happiness; and he will have his people contenting themselves in him as their happiness also, and would not have them to find contentment in other things.    .

3.    The Lord would by this discovery of the needlessness of other things, and of the absolute necessity of himself, make his people more submissive to his dispensations in outward things; for it is a great ground of submission, when they know that these things are not absolutely needful, and that they may be happy without riches, health, strength; yea, without life, in sticking only to this, To have him, and be like him.

The use or improvement of this subject, is very plain and obvious.

U S E I.

controverted truth, nor is it liable to be controverted; and yet if it were believed; we would come a great length in religion if, I say, it were believed, That there is nothing absolutely needful to happiness, and that there is nothing but folks may want it, and be well, but godliness, and to be at peace with God; to have God for our portion, and to be like him. It would have these advantages, It would loose people’s affections from the creature, and draw them from the heat of their pursuits after creature comforts and contentments. One of the great things which marrs the growth of religion, Is that folks never come to dispute the necessity of godliness, they are so taken up with creature vanities; some would be rich, and they are deaf to any other thing; some would have credit though it should cost them their life; they will not be discredited or ashamed, though they should die at the end of it; but if they lay such a conclusion, more shame will follow upon it. And when such a conclusion is laid, there is a vent made to passion, revenge, loose-speaking, complaints, and the like. Some are unwilling to want a child, as if their happiness depended upon it, whereas, if it were believed, we may be well, though we want this or that, it would reblunt the edge of our affections toward it. 2. Some folks would not think much of these things when they had them, considering that they may live and die miserable, and under God’s curse, if they be without godliness, for all that; a man’s life consists not in the abundance of these things which he possesses: nay, there is a secret pride that follows the having of these things; they that have them, think, themselves better than these who want them. The rich glutton thought himself much better than poor Lazarus, who lay at his gate full of sores, and yet it was just the contrary, for Lazarus was the happy man, and he was miserable, Lazarus was comforted, and he was tormented. It is much to get a single or a right thought, of what it is to be happy. But, 3. This advantage would follow the belief of this truth, people would not be so soon anxious for the want of these things, though they were poor, and knew not where to get a meal of meat, or were under reproach or contempt; why? they know, that the having of meat, drink, credit, and the like, are not absolutely necessary for happiness; if God please he will give them, and if he keep them up, his, people can be happy without them. Though one was to be stoned to death, as Stephen was by the, rude multitude, he may be happy for all that. What is it that makes people so eager in seeking, so tenacious in keeping, and so anxious when they want the creatures, but because they place somewhat of their happiness in them? And it is the want

of a right faith of this truth, that they are not absolutely needful for their well-being, that is the ground of it; as it is the want of a thorough faith of the plainest truths, that we suspect not ourselves, in that which often marrs our peace and progress in holiness; and so there is reason why we would have this believed as most profitable, and yet most rare; for if we look to folks practice, there are but very few that will believe it, it is scarce one among many; and this evidently proves that they are so eager and anxious for many things of no moment, and very careless about the one thing needful. They are soon troubled about what concerns their names or estates; a petty loss, or a bad bargain, will sit heavy on them, when that which prejudices their souls, or their progress in godliness, cloth not affect them. Whence doth this flow, but from this ground, that they think the one more needful than the other; and that they cannot be well, if they thrive not in their trade, and have not a name, and yet they apprehend they may be well, though they thrive not in godliness?

U S E II.

This may discover the great folly that is among men; and give ground to expostulate with them for it. If nothing be absolutely necessary for happiness, but godliness, what will become of the most part of men that slight it, and desire and endeavour to obtain other things? They spend their money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not. They go many a wearisome foot, and yet find nothing but vanity: they gather wealth and put it into a bag with holes: they labour in the fire, and have no fruit of their labour, more than they had never had any thing. And they shall know, to their woeful experience, this truth, when the world shall be burned, and they shall be stripped naked of all their enjoyments, and brought to an account for wearying themselves with very vanity and their neglecting the one thing needful. It will be a great thing to get folks convinced of this now, they cannot believe it, but they are seeking the one thing needful, and they think they place not their happiness in creatures, but if the Lord were discovering some of your hearts, could ye say, That most of your time and pains have been spent upon that which is most needful; If so then, What length are you come in godliness, when compared with what ye formerly attained long since? What acquaintance have ye with the spiritual exercises of pious souls, or of living by faith upon the son of God? If ye were coming to die, what is laid up for the foundation of your peace? Are ye reconciled to God, and in good terms with him? Is your interest in Christ clear? Is there any ground of your acceptance with Christ at his coming, and second appearance? I am not now speaking of guessing and conjectures, which the profanest may have, but what solid and real ground have ye, that will bear you out if the day of judgement were come, and men and women were brought to the trial; or more particularly called out, and spoken to, and it were said unto them, What have ye been seeking as necessary? your deeds prove that ye have come some speed in other things, but what speed have ye come in your peace with God, in your progress in holiness, or in conformity to him? however, you may now shift the challenge, ye will then know it, that ye have been loading yourselves with the thick clay, chaffing bells in the water, beating the air, placing your well-being in that which many who have gone before you to heaven never had, on that your care was taken up about, and on that your pains and care was bestowed: but your conscience will tell you, there was never much seriousness in the one thing needful. Now there is a day coming when we must give an account, and when the soul departs out of the body. As many of you have had, so many of you may have this question, What have I now of all my labour that I have taken under the sun? Is it tacit the saying of many when they come to die, Alas! this false world hath beguiled me, 1 thought all had been well, but now I see I have not made my peace with God? Some expressions of this kind have been extorted from some that thought to have denyed them; and I fear there be silence in many under this challenge, that have reason to speak. It were good therefore that there were some restraint upon your pursuit of many things, and that ye would learn to turn about to seek the one thing which is absolutely needful. To branch out the things which some people seek after here, were to fall upon an enumeration of all the idols which men hunt after, which would take a long time; yea, some time it will appear to be a very light thing, that some folks will be taken up with, and be so eager in the pursuit of, as if their happiness were placed only in it, and they could not want it, as if it were a want, to have it supplied; if it be a cross, to have it removed; yea, where there is no want, to get an addition. Only in general. know that there is such an evil, and such a hazard, for immortal souls to weary themselves for very vanity, and to neglect the one thing needful.

U S E III.

It should teach these that want these things, namely wealth, honour, and pleasures to quiet themselves, and not to fret, but to be content with their lot, and to bless God that he hath not made any of these things absolutely needful for our happiness but himself only, that the poor, mean, and foolish may attain happiness, as well as the rich and honourable in the world; and these who have wit and learning, and are much cried up amongst men: and therefore if they be in want can say, blessed be God, this or that is not needful for my happiness; what is this I am taking so much pains for? I may be happy without this, why then should I vex myself about it? This I speak not to foster any people’s neglect of their lawful calling, but to moderate their affections in the prosecution of it, and to moderate their grief when they are disappointed of any thing they would have; and that all may learn to supply the want of other things with religion, the one thing needful, without which, they can neither be happy here, nor hereafter.

U S E IV.

It would point out this, which is the scope of all, that godliness should be peremptorily studied as the one thing needful, because without it, a soul will never be well. This should put us all to be serious in the exercise of it, above any other thing, because godliness is not only commanded, but useful and profitable for all things, and so absolutely needful. This may recommend godliness to you above all things, because our happiness consists in it, and this cannot be said of any other thing in this world.

F I N I S