The Christian Exercise of Fasting, Chapter 1 · Verse 7 – Verse 8
Verſ. 7.
Then the Lord ſaid vntounto Sathan, whence commeſt thou? and Sathan anſwered the Lord ſaying, from compaſſing the earth to and fro, and from walking in it.
This verſe containes
1. A queſtion: Sathan whence commeſt thou?
2. An anſwer: From compaſſing the earth, &c.
WE may not thinke that there paſt ſuch a familiar ſpeech betweene the Lord and that vncleane ſpirit: for the Lord as he needeth not that the Angels come and ſtand before him, becauſe he is eueryevery where preſent, ſo he needed no ſuch queſtions. He knew al Sathans practiſes, purpoſes, actions, motions and inclinations whatſoeuer, and that he did nothing without his permiſſion and commiſſion, nor can euer bee out of his ſight. But theſe things are ſpoken familiarly for our inſtruction, that wee might know what is profitable and needfull for vsus to know, concerning the Lords iudgements, by the miniſterie and ſeruice of wicked ſpirits.
Sathan whence commeſt thou? He asked the like queſtion of Adam: where art thou? Gen. 3.9. to humble him and to bring him to repentance: and of Cain: where is thy brother Abel? Gen. 4.9. to conuince him for his ſin. So here he puts foorth the like queſtion to confound Sathan, and to cauſe him to tremble for all his abominations, fighting and ſtriuing againſt the diuine maieſtie of God, againſt the Lord Ieſus and all his members.
Anſ. From compaſſing the earth to and fro, and from walking in it: that is, I hauehave beene all abroad in all partes of the worlde, to execute ſuch thinges as I had in charge from thee. Here he diſſembleth with God: he maketh no mention of his bloodie and damnable practiſes in witchcraft, murder, and all vncleane ſinnes of adulteries, fornications,Ephe 22.3. 1. Pet. 5.8. &c. for there is no rebellion againſt God on earth but Sathan and wicked ſpirits hauehave a hand in it.
1. This verſe firſt teacheth vsus againe the great power of our God, as to command the holy Angels: ſo to curbe and bridle the rage and furie of wicked ſpirites. For wee muſt not imagine that Sathan came to Gods preſence of his owne accord and free will: for wee ſee how the deuils flee from Chriſt, they are full of feare and trembling, when they feele his preſence. Feare him that can kill ſoule and bodie and caſt both into hell fire.
2. Againe, here wee learne the watchfulneſſe of our common enemie: hee walkes to and fro ouer the face of the earth, he is ſwift, and flies into all corners and partes of the world, he is marueilous painfull to doe euill: ſo ought we to be watchfull againſt him, and ſtudious to doe good. The Apoſtle Saint Peter had no doubt reſpect vntounto this place,Sathan is 1. Olde Reu. 12. 2. Subtil. 2. Cor. 11. 3. Swift. Iob. 1. 4. Strong. Iob. 1. Ephe. 6.13. 5. Vigilant. Iob. 1. 6. diligent and painfull. Iob. 1. Pet. 5 8. when he calleth vponupon vsus, becauſe of our continuall combates with Sathan and wicked ſpirits in theſe words: Be ſober and watch, for your aduerſarie the deuill, as a roring lyon walketh about, ſeeking whome hee may deuoure, whome reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith, knowing that the ſame afflictions are accompliſhed in your brethren which are in the world. That thou maiſt bee more circumſpect and vigilant againſt Sathan and all proud ſins, remember theſe rules: 1. Firſt, vowe as it were to fight againſt that ſinne. 2. Chaſten the body, 1. Cor. 9.3. Reſiſt the temptation when it comes, with all thy might. 4. Auoide occaſion, watch ouer the ſenſes: custodiaſenſuum, Iob 3, 1.5. Think vponupon ſome ſcripture againſt it, en…ginatio gladij ſpiritus. 6. Tene membrum, hold the tongue, Iames 1, 26.7. Pray inſtantly, Epheſ. 6.14.15.16. and remember him that ſaid, Without me ye can doe nothing, Iohn 15.5. & Phil. 4 13. 14. Sathan can make no chalenge that thou art his vaſſal, for any ſinne of infirmitie, ſinne of error, ſin of ignorance, ſlippes by circumuentions of men or Angels, for all theſe waies ſinne the holy ſaintes, but yet they warre and fight continually againſt theſe: but where any preſumptuous ſinne raigneth, there Sathan (take heede) is neere at hand.
3. Againe obſerue how Sathan being brought into Gods preſence, howſoeuer againſt his will: he ſeateth and trembleth, becauſe of his ſinnes, as Saint Iames ſpeaketh: for hee doth not mention any one of his practiſes, hee diſſembleth thē all. And yet the Lord intendeth not by theſe queſtions as with Adam, to humble him, but as then with the ſerpent hee did proceede foorthwith to giuegive ſentence againſt him: So now he deſireth not to lay open as yet his ſinnes to his face, becauſe he hath decreed his euerlaſting perdition, which decree is fully manifeſted vntounto vsus in the ſcriptures.
Verſ. 8.
And the Lord ſaide vntounto Sathan, haſt thou not conſidered in thine heart my ſeruant Iob, how none is like him in the earth? an vpright and righteous man, one that feareth God and eſcheweth euill.
TO conſider with the heart, is deepely, and ſoundly, and aduiſedly to ponder and conſider of any thing: all the reſt of the verſe, is the ſame with the 1. verſe.
In that the Lord here demaundeth Sathan whether hee did not well conſider of Iob: wee learne where Sathans eyes are moſt occupied and moſt bent, namely to Gods people and their walking, for they are his ſworne enemies: therefore the ſcripture ſpeaketh ſo often of our ſpirituall warfare:The faithfull euer fight with him, & therfore he euer eies them. 1. Pet 5.8. It is as naturall for the wicked to obeye the deu…ll as to eate and drinke. 2. Tim 2.26. Euerie poore chriſtian fighteth againſt a huge number of wicked ſpirits and through Ieſus Chriſt foyleth them. warning vsus in the Greeke verbe foreign, to fight and wraſtle, 2. Tim 4.7. 1. Cor. 9.25. Luk. 13.23. 1, Tim. 6.12. Heb. 12.1.2. he euer prieth where they are moſt readie to ſlip and fall, and cauſeth them to ſtumble, if by any meanes poſſible he can. Wherefore let the righteous ſeruants of God, againe and againe remember Saint Peters wordes, Be ſober and watch, for the deuils eyes are euer vponupon you. As for the wicked, like as drunken men are ſoone ſnared, and can neuer eſcape till they bee ſober: ſo the vnbeleeuers they are euer fettered by Sathan, till the Lord giuegive them repentance to eſcape the ſnares of the deuill, for the Apoſtle ſayth, He taketh them priſoners to doe his will.
2. Nothing ſo galles and grieues a wicked man as when he can not effect that euill which he moſt deſireth: So Sathan he burneth and boyleth when he can not worke that miſchiefe which he moſt intendeth. This the Lord knoweth,It is a greate torment vntounto Sathan that he cannot hurt the faithfull. The Lord commendeth him not for his riches, for they were not Iob… beſt weapons againſt Sathan. Acts. 13.22. Rich men hauehave no ſuch ſtrength againſt Sathā as righteous men, fearing God. Pſal 147.11. Pſal. 34.15. and therefore hee thus ſpeaketh: Haſt thou not conſidered, &c. q. d. My ſeruant Iob liues in a moſt prophane countrey, where are innumerable occaſions of euill, and yet loe a righteous man, one that feareth God & eſcheweth euill. Thou haſt a long time deſired his hurt and deſtruction, but thou canſt not preuaile againſt him.
3. Here againe we ſee how the Lord, as it were delighteth, and greatly deſireth to commend his righteous ſeruants, that they may with better courage ſtand conſtantly againſt all the furies of wicked ſpirites. That man is praiſe-worthy, whome praiſe-worthie and wiſe men doe commend vntounto vsus. The Lord himſelfe commendeth Iob for a religious, righteous, and faithfull ſeruant: So his holy prophet and king Dauid, I hauehave found Dauid the ſon of Ieſſe, a man after mine own heart, which will do all things that I will. And thus we ſee how the Lorde delighteth in them which feare him, and attend vponupon his merciemercy: the Lorde loueth the righteous: his eyes are euer vponupon them, and his eares open to their crie: and therefore hee thus cheereth them in another place: Bee glad ye righteous, Pſa. 32. ver. vlt.and reioyce ye that be of an vpright heart.