Eighty Sermons, Lent · Sermon 13
SERMON XIII. Preached in Lent, To the KING. April 20. 1630.
JOB 16. v. 17, 18, 19.
Not for any injuſtice in my hands: Alſo my prayer is pure. O earth cover not thou my blood; and let my cry have no place. Alſo now behold, my Witneſſe is in heaven, and my Record is on high.
IObs friends (as, in civility we are faine to call them, becauſe they came upon a civill pretence, to viſit him, and to comfort him) had now done ſpeaking. It was long before they would have done. Andivi frequenter talia, ſaies Iob to them,v. 2. I have often heard ſuch things as you ſay, they are not new to me; and therefore, Oneroſi conſolatores, Miſerable comforters, troubleſome comforters are ye all, old and new. But, Numquid finem habebunt verba ventoſa, ſaies he, Shall your windy words, your empty, your aery,v. 3. your frothy words have any end? Now they have an end. Eliphas ends his charge in the laſt, and in this Chapter Iob begins to anſwer for himſelfe. But how? By a middle way. Iob does not juſtifie himſelfe; but yet he does not prevaricate, he does not betray his Innocence neither. For there may be a puſillanimity even towards God; A man may over-clog his owne conſcience, and belie himſelfe in his confeſſions, out of a diſtempered jealouſie, and ſuſpition of Gods purpoſes upon him; Iob does not ſo. Many men have troubled themſelves more, how the ſoule comes into man, then how it goes out; They wrangle, whether it comes in by Infuſion from God, or by Propagation from parents, and never conſider, whether it ſhall returne to Him that made it, or to him that marr'd it, to Him that gave it, or to him that corrupted it. So, many of our Expoſitors upon this Booke of Iob, have ſpent themſelves upon the Perſon, and the Place, and the Time, who Iob was, when Iob was, where Iob was, and whether there were ever any ſuch perſon as Iob, or no; and have paſſed over too ſlightly the ſenſes, and doctrines of the Booke. S. Gregory hath, (to good uſe) given us many Morals, (as he cals them) upon this Booke, but, truly, not many Literals, for, for the moſt part, he bends all the ſufferings of Iob figuratively, myſtically upon Chriſt. Origen, who (except S. Gregory) hath written moſt of this Booke; and yet gone but a little way into the booke neither, doth never pretend much literalneſſe in his expoſitions, ſo that we are not to looke for that at Origens hands. We muſt not therefore refuſe the aſſiſtance of later men, in the expoſition of this Text, Not for any Injuſtice in my hands, &c.
In this Chapter, and before this text, we have Iobs Anatomy, Iobs Sceleton, the ruins to which he was reduced. In the eighth verſe he takes knowledge, That God had filled him with leanneſſe and wrinckles, and that thoſe wrinckles, and that leanneſſe were witneſſes againſt him, and, That they that hated him, had torne him in peeces, in the ninth verſe. In the eleventh verſe, That God had delivered him over to the ungodly, and, That God himſelfe had ſhaked him in peeces, and ſet him up as a marke to ſhoote at, in the twelfe verſe, That God had cleft his reins, and poured out his gall upon the ground, in the thirteenth verſe, and in the fourteenth, That he broke him, breach after breach, and run over him as a Gyant, and at laſt, in the ſixteenth verſe, That fouleneſſe was upon his face, and the ſhadow of death upon his eyelids. Now, let me aske in Iobs behalfe Gods queſtion to Ezekiel, Putaſnè vivent oſſaiſta? Doeſt thou belceve that theſe bones can live? Ezek. 37.2.Can this Anatomy, this Sceleton, theſe ruines, this rubbidge of Iob ſpeake? It can, it does in this Text, Not for any Injuſtice in my hands, &c.
And, in theſe words, it delivers us, firſt, The confidence of a godly man; Doe God what he will, ſay ye what ye will, That becauſe I am more afflicted then other men, therefore I am guilty of more hainous ſins then other men, yet I know, that whatſoever Gods end be in this proceeding, It is not for any Injuſtice in my hands, Alſo my prayer is pure. Secondly, it delivers us that kinde of infirme anguiſh, and indignation, that halfediſtemper, that expoſtulation with God, which ſometimes comes to an exceſſe even in good and godly men, O earth cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place; I deſire not that any thing ſhould be concealed or diſguiſed, let all that ever I have done be written in my forehead, and read by all men. And then thirdly and laſtly, it delivers us the foundation of his confidence, and the recovery from this his infirmity, and from his exceſſe in the manner of expreſſing it, if he have beene over-bold therein, My Witneſſe is in heaven, and my Record is on high; God is his Witneſſe, that that which they charge him with, is falſe, That that which he ſaies in his owne diſcharge (in that ſenſe that he ſaies it) is true; And in theſe three, Iobs Proteſtation, Not guilty, Iobs Manifeſt, I would all the world knew all, Iobs Eſtabliſhment, and conſolidation, My Witneſſe is in Heaven; in theſe three branches, and in ſome fruits, which, in paſſing, we ſhall gather from them, we ſhall determine all that appertaines to theſe words.
I remember S. Gregory, 1. Part.in handling one text, profeſſes, that he will endevour to handle it ſo, Vt ejus altitudo non ſic fieret neſcientibus cognita, ut eſſet ſcientibus oneroſa; So, as that the weakeſt underſtanding might comprehend the higheſt points, and the higheſt underſtanding not be weary to heare ordinary doctrines ſo delivered. Indeed it is a good art, to deliver deepe points in a holy plainneſſe, and plaine points in a holy delightfulneſſe: for, many times, one part of our auditory underſtands us not, when we have done, and ſo they are weary; and another part underſtands us before we begun, and ſo they are weary. To day, my humble petition muſt be, That you will be content to heare plaine things plainly delivered. Of which, be this the firſt, That Iob found himſelfe under the oppreſſion, and calumny of that miſ-interpretation, that Kings themſelves, and States, and Churches have not eſcaped.
The towre of Siloe fell and ſlew them,Luk. 13.4. therefore they were the greater ſinners in Jeruſalem; this man proſpers not in the world, Therefore he proceeds not in the feare of God; the heire waſtes the eſtate, therefore the eſtate was ill gotten, are haſty concluſions in private affaires. Treaſures are empty, therefore there are unneceſſary waſtes; Diſcontented perſons murmure, therefore things are ill carried; our neigbours proſper by Action, therefore we periſh by not appearing, are haſtie concluſions in State affaires. This man is affected when he heares a blaſphemous oath; and when he lookes upon the generall liberty of ſinning; therefore he is a Puritan; That man loves the ancient formes, and Doctrines, and Diſciplines of the Church, and retaines, and delights in the reverend names of Prieſt, and Altar, and Sacrifice, therefore he is a Papiſt, are haſtie concluſions in Church affaires. When we doe fall under theſe miſ-interpretations, and ill applications of Gods proceedings,V. 4. we may ſay with Iob, I alſo could ſpeake, as you doe; if your ſoule were in my ſoules ſtead, I could heape up words againſt you, and ſhake my head at you, conclude deſperately, ſpeake ſcornefully of you. But I will not; yet I will not betray my ſelfe, I will make my proteſtation, what end ſoever God propoſe to himſelfe in this his proceeding, It is not for any injuſtice in my hands, Alſo my prayer is pure.
In theſe two,Manus. cleanneſſe of hands, pureneſſe of Prayer, are all religious duties comprehended: for cleane hands denote juſtice and righteouſneſſe towards men, and pure prayer Devotion, and the ſervice and worſhip of God. Iob proteſts for both. Therefore does Origen ſay of Iob, Certè puto, quod & audeo dicere, I doe verily beleeve, and therefore may be bold to ſay, that for conſtancy and fidelity towards God, Iob did exceed, Non ſolum homines, ſed & ipſos Angelos, Not onelyonly men, but Angels themſelves; for, ſaies Origen, Iob did not only ſuffer Abſ que culpa, without being guilty of thoſe things to which his afflictions were imputed, but he ſuffered Cum gratiarum actionibus, he ſaid grace when he had no meat, when God gave him Stones for Bread, and Scorpions for Fiſh; he praiſed God as much for the affliction it ſelf, as for his former, or his ſubſequent benefits and bleſſings. Not that Iob was meerly innocent, but that he was guilty of no ſuch things, as might confer thoſe concluſions, which, from his afflictions, his enemies raiſed.Job 9.20. If I juſtifie my ſelf, ſayes Iob, Mine own mouth ſhall condemn me; Every ſelf-juſtification is a ſelf-condemnation; when I give judgement for my ſelf, I am therein a witneſſe againſt my ſelf. If I ſay I am perfect, ſayes he in the ſame place, even that proves me perverſe; If I ſay I never goe out of the way, I am out then, and therefore becauſe I ſay ſo: I have ſinned, ſayes he, What ſhall I do unto thee O thou preſerver of men? Job 7.2.Iob felt the hand of deſtruction upon him, and he felt the hand of preſervation too; and it was all one hand; This is Gods Method, and his alone, to preſerve by deſtroying. Men of this world do ſometimes repaire, and recompence thoſe men whom they have oppreſſed before, but this is an after recompence; Gods firſt intention even when he deſtroyes is to preſerve, as a Phyſitians firſt intention, in the moſt diſtaſtfull phyſick, is health; even Gods demolitions are ſuper-edifications, his Anatomies, his diſſections are ſo many re-compactings, ſo many reſurrections; God windes us off the Skein, that he may weave us up into the whole peece, and he cuts us out of the whole peece into peeces, that he may make us up into a whole garment.
But for all theſe humiliations, and confeſſions, Iob doth not wave his proteſtation;Job. 27.6. My rightcouſneſſe I hold faſt, and my heart ſhall not reproach me as long as I live. Not that I ſhall never ſin, but never leave any ſin unrepented; And then, my heart cannot reproach me of a repented ſin, without reproaching God himſelf. The Sun muſt not ſet upon my anger; Epheſ. 4.24.much leſſe will I let the Sun ſet upon the anger of God towards me, or ſleep in an unrepeted ſin. Every nights ſleep is a Nunc dimittis; then the Lord lets his ſervant depart in peace. Thy lying down is a valediction, a parting, a taking leave, (ſhall I ſay ſo?) a ſhaking hands with God; and, when thou ſhakeſt hands with God, let thoſe hands be clean. Enter into thy grave, thy metaphoricall, thy quotidian grave, thy bed, as thou entredſtinto the Church at firſt, by Water, by Baptiſme; Re-baptiſe thy ſelf every night, in Iobs Snow water, in holy tears that may cool the inordinate luſts of thy heart,Job 9.30. and with-hold uncleane abuſes of thoſe hands even in that thy grave, thy Bed; And evermore remember Iobs feare and jealouſte in that place, That when he had waſhed himſelf in Snow water, Abominabuntur me veſtimenta mea, Mine own clothes will make me foul again. Thy fleſh is thy clothes; and to this miſchievous purpoſe of fouling thy hands with thine own clothes, thou haſt moſt clothes on when thou art naked; Then, in that nakedneſſe, thou art in moſt danger of fouling thy hands with thine own clothes. Miſerable man! that couldeſt have no uſe of hands, nor any other organ of ſenſe, if there were no other creature but thy ſelf, & yet, if there were no other creature but thy ſelf, couldeſt ſin upon thy ſelf, and foule thy hands with thine own hands. How much more then, if thou ſtrike with thoſe hands, by oppreſſion in thy office, or ſhut up thoſe hands, and that which is due to another, in them? Sleep with cleane hands, either kept cleane all day, by integrity; or waſhed cleane, at night, by repentance; and whenſoever thou wakeſt, though all Iobs meſſengers thunder about thee, and all Iobs friends multiply miſ-interpretations againſt thee, yet Iobs proteſtation ſhall be thy proteſtation, what end ſoever God have in this proceeding, It is not for any injuſtice in my hands, and the other part of his proteſtation too, Alſo my prayer is pure.
As cleane hands denote all righteouſneſſe towards man,Oratio. ſo doe pure prayers all devotion, and worſhip, and ſervice of God. For, we are of the houſhold of the faithfull, and the ſervice which we are to doe, as his houſhold ſervants, is prayer; for, his houſe is the houſe of prayer. And therein onelyonly is it poſſible to us, to fulfill that Commandement, pray continually, that continually, in all our familiar actions, we may ſerve God, glorifie God, (whether we eate or drink, we may doe it to his glory) and every glorifying, every thankſgiving, is prayer; there cannot be a more effectuall prayer for future, then a thankfull acknowledgement of former benefits. Petitc, & dabitur; How often is that repeated in the Goſpell, and in the Epiſtles? Aske, and it ſhall be given yee; no grant without prayer, no deniall upon prayer.
It muſt be prayer, and my prayer; Alſo my prayer is pure. Oratio mea.I muſt not rely upon the prayers of others; not of Angels; Though they be Miniſteriall ſpirits, and not onelyonly to God himſelfe, but between God and Man, and ſo, as they preſent our prayers, no doubt poure out their owne for us too, yet we muſt not rely upon the prayers of Angels. Nor of Saints; Though they have a more perſonall, and experimentall ſenſe of our miſeries then Angels have, we muſt not relie upon the prayers of Saints. No, nor upon the prayers of the Congregation, though we ſee, and heare them pray, except we make our ſelves parts of the Congregation, by true devotion, as well as by perſonall preſence.
It muſt be mine own prayer, and no prayer is ſo truly, or ſo properly mine, as that that the Church hath delivered and recommended to me. In ſudden and unpremeditate prayer, I am not alwayes I; and when I am not my ſelf, my prayer is not my prayer. Paſſions and affections ſometimes, ſometimes bodily infirmities, and ſometimes a vain deſire of being eloquent in prayer, aliens me, withdraws me from my ſelf, and then that prayer is not my prayer. Though that prayer which Luther is ſaid to have ſaid upon his death-bed, Oremus pro Domine Deo noſtro Ieſu Chriſto, Let us pray for our Lord and Saviour Chriſt Jeſus, may admit a good ſenſe, becauſe Chriſt being (as S. Auguſtine ſayes often) Caput & Corpus, both the Head and the Body, as he is the Body, the Church, ſubject to ſo many preſſures, he had need to be prayed for; yet, his ſtate being conſidered at that time, almoſt at the laſt gaſp, he being ſcarce he, that prayer can ſcarce be called his prayer.
In that African Councell, in which S. Auguſtine was preſent, to remedy the abuſe of various formes of Prayers, which divers Churches aſſumed, it was decreed that no prayers ſhould be received in the Church, but ſuch as were compoſed, or approved by the Councell. We have proceeded ſo too; No prayers received for publique uſe, but thoſe that are delivered by publique authority; and ſo, they become My prayers. As the Law of the Land is my Law, and I have an inheritance in it, ſo the prayers of the Church are my prayers, and I have an intereſt in them, becauſe I am a Son of that family. My Baptiſme is mine, and my Abſolution is mine, becauſe the Church hath given them to me, and ſo are her prayers mine. You would ſcarce thank a man for an extemporall Elegy, or Epigram, or Panegyrique in your praiſe, if it coſt the Poet, or the Orator no paines. God will ſcarce hearken to ſudden, inconſidered, irreverent prayers. Men will ſtudy even for Complements; and Princes and Ambaſſadors will not ſpeak to one another, without thinking what they will ſay. Let not us put God to ſpeak to us ſo, (Preaching is Gods ſpeaking to us) Let not us ſpeak to God ſo, (Praying is our ſpeaking to God) not extemporally, unadviſedly, inconſiderately. Prayer muſt be my prayer; and Quid habeo quod non accepi? Even in this kinde, what have I that I have not received? I have received my prayer altogether, as a bundle of Myrrhe, in that prayer which I have received from my Saviour, and then I have received it appropriated to me, and apportioned to my particular neceſſities, and ſacrifices, by the piety and wiſdome of the Church; ſo it is my prayer, and, as Iobs prayer was, pure prayer, Alſo my prayer is pure.
The Holy Ghoſt hath ſo marſhalled and diſpoſed the qualifications of Prayer in this place,Pura. as that there is no pure prayer without clean hands. The lifting up of hands was the geſture of prayer, even among the heathen, Manibus ſupplex or are ſupinis. Amongſt the Jews, Prayer, and the lifting up of hands, was one and the ſame thing, Let the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice; Pſal. 141.2. Exed. 17.11.And, longer then Moſes hands were lifted up, his prayer had no effect. All this, perchance therefore eſpecially, that this lifting up of my hands, brings them into my ſight; then I can ſee them, and ſee whether they be clean, or no, and conſider, that if I ſee impurity in my hands, God ſees impurity in my Prayer. Can I think to receive eaſe from God with that hand that oppreſſes another? Mercy from God with that hand that exerciſes cruelty upon another? Or Bounty from God with that hand that with-holds right from another? Prayer is our hand, but it muſt be a cleane hand, pure prayer.
That Emperour whom no religion would loſe, Conſtantine, (for, the heathen deified him, and the Chriſtians canonized him, They made him a god, and we came as neare as we could, we made him a Saint) that Emperour was coyned Praying. Other Emperours were coyned Triumphing, in Chariots, or preparing for Triumphs, in Battailes, and Victories, but he, Conſtantine, in that poſture, Kneeling, Praying. He knew his coyn would paſſe through every family; and to every family he deſired to be an example of piety; Every peece of ſingle money was a Catechiſme, and teſtified to every Subject all this, ſurely he will graciouſly receive my Petition, and look graciouſly upon me, when I kneele, for, behold he kneels to, and he exhibits petitions to that God, from whom he acknowledges, that he needs as much as I can from him. And yet this Symbolicall, and Catechiſticall coyn of Conſtantines, was not ſo convincing, nor ſo irrefragable a teſtimony of his piety, (for Conſtantine might be coyned praying, and yet never pray) as when we ſee as great a Prince as he, actually, really, perſonally, daily, duly at prayer with us.
To end this branch, let not thy prayer be lucrative, nor vindicative, pray not for temporall ſuperfluities, pray not for the confuſion of them that differ from thee in opinion, or in manners, but condition thy prayer, inanimate thy prayer with the glory of God, and thine own everlaſting happineſſe, and the edification of others, and this prayer is Iobs prayer, pure prayer. And farther we enlarge not his Proteſtation, My hands are cleane, I do no man wrong; my prayer is pure, I mock not God. But becauſe continuing under ſo great afflictions, men would not beleeve this, he proceeds, perchance to ſome exceſſe, and inconſiderateneſſe, in deſiring a manifeſtation of all his actions, O Earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
Difference of Expoſitions makes us ſtop here, upon this inquiſition, in what affection Iob ſpake this. Whether this were meerly an adjuration of the earth,2 Part. not to cover his blood, but that his miſeries, and the cry thereof might paſſe, and be transferred over all the world; or whether it had the nature of an imprecation upon himſelf, That he wiſhed, or admitted againſt himſelf, that which is againſt the nature of every man to admit, that is, to have all that ever he had done, publiſhed, declared, manifeſted to all the world. S. Gregory, according to his manner, through all this book, which is, to apply all Iobs ſufferings to Chriſt, and to make Iob ſome kinde of type of Chriſt, makes no more of this, but that it is an adjuration of the earth, in the perſon and behalf of Chriſt, not to ſuck in, or ſmoother his blood, but that it might be notified, and communicated to all the world. And truly, this is a good uſe, but it cannot be ſaid to be a good ſenſe of the place, becauſe it cannot conſiſt with the reſt of the words.
Amongſt our later men, Cajetan, (and he, from a Rabbi of the Jews, Aben Ezra) takes this to be an adjuration of the Earth, as Gregory does, but not, as Gregory does, in the perſon of Chriſt, but of Iob himſelfe; That Iob adjures the earth, not to cover his blood, that is, not to cover the ſhedding of his blood, not to conſpire with the malice of his enemies ſo much, as to deny him buriall when he was dead, that they which trod him downe alive, might not triumph over him after his death, or conclude that God did certainly forſake him alive, ſince he continued theſe declarations againſt him, when he was dead. And this alſo may have good uſe, but yet it is too narrow, and too ſhallow, to bee the ſenſe of this phraſe, this elegancy, this vehemency of the Holy Ghoſt, in the mouth of Iob.
S. Chryſoſtome, I think, was the firſt that gave light to the ſenſe of this place. He ſaies, that ſuch men, as are (as they thinke) over-puniſhed, have naturally a deſire, that the world knew their faults; that ſo, by comparing their faults with their puniſhments, there might ariſe ſome pitty and commiſeration of their ſtate. And, ſurely, this, that Chryſoſtome ſayes, is true, and naturall; for, if two men were to be executed together, by one kinde of death, the one for ſtealing a Sheep, (perchance in hunger) the other for killing his Father, certainly, he that had but ſtollen the Sheep, would be ſorry the world ſhould think their caſes alike, or that he had killed a Father too. And in ſuch an affection Iob ſayes, I am ſo far from being guilty of thoſe things that are imputed to me, that I would be content, that all that ever I have done, were knowne to all the world.
This light, which S. Chryſoſt. gave to this place, ſhined not out, (I think) till the Reformation; for, I have not obſerved any Author, between Chryſoſtome and the Reformation, that hath taken knowledge of this interpretation; nor any of the Reformation, as from him, from Chryſoſtome. But, ſince our Authors of the Reformation, have ſomewhat generally purſued that ſenſe, (Calvin hath done ſo, and ſo Tremellius, and ſo Piſcator, and many, many more) now, one Author of the Romane Church, (one as curious and diligent in interpreting obſcure places of Scripture, as any amongſt them, and then more bold and confident in departing from their vulgar, and frivolous, and impertinent interpretations of Scriptures, then any amongſt them) the Capuchin Bolduc, hath alſo purſued that ſenſe. That ſenſe is, that in this adjuration, or imprecation, O Earth cover not thou my blood; Blood is not literally bodily blood, but ſpirituall blood, the blood of the ſoule, exhauſted by many, and hainous ſins, ſuch as they inſimulated Iob of. For, in this ſignification, is that word, Blood, often taken in the Scriptures. When God ſayes, when you ſtretch forth your hands, Eſay 1.15. Pſal. 51.14.they are full of blood, there blood is all manner of rapine, of oppreſſion, of concuſſion, of violence. When David prayes to be delivered from bloodguiltineſſe, it is not intended onelyonly, of an actuall ſhedding of blood, for, it is in the Originall, à ſanguinibus, in the plurall; other crimes then the actuall ſhedding of blood, are bloody crimes.Ezech 7.23. Therefore, ſayes one Prophet, the land is full of bloody crimes; And, another, blood toucheth blood, Hoſea 4.2.whom the Chalde Parapraſe expreſſes aright, Aggregant peccata peccatis, blood toucheth blood, when ſin induces ſin. Which place of Hoſea, S. Gregory interprets too, then blood touches blood, cum ante oculos Dei, adjunctis peccatis cruentatur anima; Then God ſees a ſoule in her blood, when ſhe wounds and wounds her ſelfe againe, with variation of divers, or iteration of the ſame ſins.
This then being thus eſtabliſhed, that blood in this Text, is the blood of the ſoule, exhauſted by ſin, (for every ſin is an inciſion of the ſoule, a Lancination, a Phlebotomy, a letting of the ſoule blood, and then, a delight in ſin, is a going with open veines into a warme bath, and bleeding to death) This will be the force of Iobs Admiration, or Imprecation, O Earth cover not thou my blood, I am content to ſtand as naked now, as I ſhall doe at the day of Judgement, when all men ſhall ſee all mens actions, I deſire no diſguiſe, I deny, I excuſe, I extenuate nothing that ever I did, I would mine enemies knew my worſt, that they might ſtudy ſome other reaſon of Gods thus proceeding with me, then thoſe hainous ſinnes, which, from theſe afflictions, they will neceſſarily conclude againſt me.
But had Iob been able to have ſtood out this triall? Was Iob ſo innocent, as that he need not care, though all the world knew all? Perchance there may have been ſome exceſſe, ſome inordinateneſſe in his manner of his expreſſing it; we cannot excuſe the vehemence of ſome holy men, in ſuch expreſſions. We cannot ſay, that there was no exceſſe in Moſes his Dele me, Pardon this people, or blot my name out of thy booke; or that there was no exceſſe in S. Pauls Anathema pro fratribus, That he wiſhed to be accurſed, to be ſeparated from Chriſt for his brethren. But for Iob, we ſhall not need this excuſe; for, either we may reſtraine his words to thoſe ſins, which they imputed to him, and then they have but the nature of that proteſtation, which David made ſo often to God, Iudge me, O Lord, according to my righteouſneſſe, according to mine innocency, according to the cleanneſſe of my hands; which was not ſpoken by David ſimply, but reſpectively, not of all his ſins, but of thoſe which Saul purſued him for: Or, if we enlarge Iobs words generally to all his ſins, we muſt conſider them to be ſpoken after his repentance, and reconciliation to God thereupon; If they knew, (may Iob have ſaid) how it ſtood between God and my ſoule, how earneſtly I have repented, how fully he hath forgiven, they would never ſay, theſe afflictions proceeded from thoſe ſins.
And truly, ſo may I, ſo may every ſoule ſay, that is rectified, refreſhed, reſtored, reeſtabliſhed by the ſeales of Gods pardon, and his mercy, ſo the world would take knowledge of the conſequences of my ſins, as well as of the ſins themſelves, and read my leafes on both ſides, and heare the ſecond part of my ſtory, as well as the firſt; ſo the world would look upon my temporall calamities, the bodily ſickneſſes, and the penuriouſneſſe of my fortune contracted by my ſins, and upon my ſpirituall calamities, dejections of ſpirit, ſadneſſe of heart, declinations towards a diffidence and diſtruſt in the mercy of God, and then, when the world ſees me in this agony and bloody ſweat, in this agony and bloody ſweat would alſo ſee the Angels of heaven miniſtring comforts unto me; ſo they would conſider me in my Peccavi, and God in his Tranſtulit, Me in my earneſt Confeſſions, God in his powerfull Abſolutions, Me drawne out of one Sea of blood, the blood of mine owne ſoule, and caſt into another Sea, the bottomeleſſe Sea of the blood of Chriſt Jeſus; ſo they would know as well what God hath done for my ſoule, as what my ſoule and body have done againſt my God; ſo they would reade me throughout, and look upon me altogether, I would joyne with Iob, in his confident adjuration, O Earth cover not thou my blood; Let all the world know all the ſins of my youth, and of mine age too, and I would not doubt, but God ſhould receive more glory, and the world more benefit, then if I had never ſinned. This is that that exalts Iobs confidence, he was guilty of nothing, that is, no ſuch thing as they concluded upon, of nothing abſolutely, becauſe he had repented all. And from this, his confidence riſes to a higher pitch then this, Nec clamor, O Earth cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
What meanes Iob in this? Doubtfull Expoſitors make us doubt too. Some have ſaid,Clamor. that Iob deſires his cry might have no place, that is, no termination, no reſting place, but that his juſt complaint might be heard over all the world; Stunnica the Auguſtinian interprets it ſo. Some have ſaid, that he intends by his cry, his crying ſins, that they might have no place, that is, no hiding place, but that his greateſt ſins, and ſecret ſins might be brought to light; Bolduc the Capuchin interprets it ſo; according to that uſe of the word Clamor, God looked for righteouſneſſe, & ecce clamorem, behold a cry; that is,Eſay 5.7. ſins crying in the eares of God. But there is more then ſo, in this phraſe, in this elegancy, in this vehemency of the Holy Ghoſt in Iobs mouth, Let my cry have no place.
In the former part, (Iobs Proteſtation) he conſidered God and man; righteouſneſſe towards man in cleane hands, and, in pure prayers, devotion towards God. In this part, (his Manifeſt) he purſues the ſame method, he conſiders man, and God; Though men knew all my ſins, that ſhould not trouble me, ſayes he, (and that we have conſidered) yea, though my cry finde no place, no place with God, that ſhould not trouble me; I ſhould be content that God ſhould ſeeme not to heare my prayers, but that hee laid me open to that ill interpretation of wicked men, Tuſh, he prayes, but the Lord heares him not, he cries, but God relieves him not. And yet, when wilt thou relieve me, O thou reliever of men, if not upon my cries, upon my prayers? Yet, S. Auguſtine hath repeated that, more then once, more then twice, Non eſt magnum exaudiri ad voluntatem, non eſt magnum; Be not over-joyed when God grants thee thy prayer. Exauditi ad voluntatem Daemones, ſayes that Father, The Devill had his prayer granted, when he had leave to enter into the Heard of Swine; And ſo he had (ſayes he, exemplifying in our preſent example) when he obtained power from God againſt Iob. But all this aggravated the Devils puniſhment; ſo may it doe thine, to have ſome prayers granted. And, as that muſt not over-joy thee, if it be, ſo if thy prayer be not granted, it muſt not deject thee. God ſuffered S. Paul to pray, and pray and pray, yet, after his thrice praying, granted him not that he prayed for. God ſuffered that ſi poſsibile, if it be poſsiblle, and that Tranſeat calix, Let this Cup paſſe, to paſſe from Chriſt himſelfe, yet he granted it not.
But, in many of theſe caſes, a man does eaſilier ſatisfie his owne minde, then other men. If God grant me not my prayer, I recover quickly, and I lay hold upon the hornes of that Altar, and ride ſafely at that Anchor, God ſaw that that which I prayed for, was not ſo good for him, nor ſo good for me. But when the world ſhall come to ſay, Where is now your Religion, where is your Reformation? doe not all other Rivers, as well as the Tiber, or the Poe, does not the Seine, and the Rhene, and the Maene too, begin to ebbe back, and to empty it ſelfe in the Sea of Rome? why ſhould not your Thames doe ſo, as well as theſe other Rivers? Where is now your Religion, your Reformation? Were not you as good run in the ſame channell as others doe? This is a ſhrewd tentation, and induces opprobrious concluſions from malicious enemies, when our cries have no place, our religious ſervice no preſent acceptation, our prayers no ſpeedy return from God. But yet becauſe even in this, God may propoſe farther glory to himſelfe, more benefit to me, and more edification even to them, at laſt, who, at firſt, made ill conſtructions of his proceedings, I admit, as Iob admits, O Earth cover not thou my blood, (let all the world ſee all my faults) and let my cry have no place, (let them imagine that God hath forſaken me, and does not heare my prayers;) my ſatisfaction, my acquieſcence ariſes not out of their opinion, and interpretation, that muſt not be my triall, but teſtis in coelis, My witneſſe is in heaven, and my record is on high, which is our third, and laſt Conſideration.
We muſt doe in this laſt, as we have done in our former two parts, crack a ſhell,3 Part. to taſt the kernell, cleare the words, to gaine the Doctrine. I am ever willing to aſſiſt that obſervation, That the books of Scripture are the eloquenteſt books in the world, that every word in them hath his waight and value, his taſte and verdure. And therefore muſt not blame thoſe Tranſlators, nor thoſe Expoſitors, who have, with a particular elegancy, varied the words in this laſt clauſe of the Text, my witneſſe, and my record. The oldeſt Latine Tranſlation received this variation, and the laſt Latine, even Tremellius himſelfe, (as cloſe as he ſticks to the Hebrew) retaines this variation, Teſtis, and Conſcius. And that collection, which hath been made upon this variation, is not without uſe, that conſcius may be ſpoken de interno, that God will beare witneſſe to my inward conſcience; and teſtis, de externo, that God will, in his time, teſtifie to the world in my behalfe. But other places of Scripture will more advance that obſervation of the elegancy thereof, then this; for in this, the two words ſignifie but one and the ſame thing, it is but witneſſe, and witneſſe, and no more. Not that it is eaſie to finde in Hebrew (nor, perchance, in any language) two words ſo abſolutely Synonymous, as to ſignifie the ſame thing, without any difference, but that the two words in our Text are not both of one language, not both Hebrew. For, the firſt word, Gned, is an Hebrew word, but the other, Sahad, is Syriaque; and both ſignifie alike,Levit. 5.1. and equally, teſtem, a witneſſe. He that heares the voyce of ſwearing, and is a witneſſe, ſayes Moſes, in the firſt word of our Text; and then the Chalde Paraphraſe, intending the ſame thing, expreſſes it in the other word, Sahad. So in the contract between Laban and Jacob,Gen. 31.47. Laban calls that heap of ſtones, which he had erected, Iegar-Sehadutha, by an extraction from the laſt word of our Text, Sahad; Jacob calls it, by the firſt word: And the reaſon is given in the body of the Text it ſelfe, in the vulgat Edition, (though how it got thither, we know not, for, in the Originall it is not) Vter que juxta proprietatem lingua ſuae; Laban ſpake in his language, Syriaque, Jacob ſpake in his, Hebrew, and both called that heape of ſtones, a witneſſe.
Now, our beſtowing this little time upon the clearing of the words, hath ſaved us much more time; for, by this meanes we have ſhortned this clauſe of our Text, and all that we are to conſider, is but this, My witneſſe is in heaven. And truly, that is enough; I care not though all the world knew all my faults, I care not what they conclude of Gods not granting my prayers, my witneſſe is in heaven. To be condemned unjuſtly amongſt men, to be ill interpreted in the acts of my Religion, is a heavy caſe; but yet, I have a reliefe in all this, my witneſſe is in heaven.
The firſt comfort is,Quia in Coelis. Quia in Coelis, becauſe he, whom I rely upon, is in heaven. For, that is the foundation and Baſis upon which our Saviour erects that prayer, which he hath recommended unto us, Qui es in coelis, Our Father, which art in heaven; when I lay hold upon him there, in heaven, I purſue cheerefully and confidently all the other petitions, for daily bread, for forgiveneſſe of ſins, for deliverance from tentations; from, and for all.Pſal. … Acts. … Eſt in coelis, he is in heaven, and then Sedet in coelis, be ſits in heaven; That as I ſee him in that poſture that Stephen ſaw him, ſtanding at the right hand of the Father, and ſo, in procinctu, in a readineſſe, in a willingneſſe to come to my ſuccour, ſo I might contemplate him in a judiciary poſture, in a poteſtative, a ſoveraigne poſture, ſitting, and conſider him as able, as willing to relieve me. He is in heaven, and he ſits in heaven, and then habitat in coelis, he dwels in heaven, Pſal. 113.5.he is, and he is alwayes there. Baals Prieſts could not alwaies finde him at home; Iobs God, and our God is never abroad. He dwels in the heavens, and, (as it is expreſſed there) In excelſis, he dwels on high; ſo high, that, (as it is there added) God humbles himſelfe, to behold the things that are in heaven. With what amazedneſſe muſt we conſider the humiliation of God, in deſcending to the earth, lower then ſo, to hell, when even his deſcending unto heaven, is a humiliation? God humbles himſelfe, when he beholds any thing lower then himſelfe, though Cherubins, though Seraphins, though the humane nature, the body of his owne, and onelyonly eternall Son; and yet he beholds, conſiders, ſtudies us, wormes of the earth, and no men.
This then is Iobs, Teſtis.and our firſt comfort, Quia in coelis, becauſe he is in heaven, and ſits in heaven, and dwels in heaven, in the higheſt heaven, and ſo, ſees all things. But then, if God ſee, and ſay nothing, David apprehends that for a moſt dangerous condition; and therefore he ſayes,Pſal. 28.1. Pſal. 1….1. Be not ſilent, O Lord, leſt if thou be ſilent, I periſh. And againe, Hold not thy peace, O God of my praiſe, for the mouth of the wicked is opened againſt me: And, Lord, let thy mercy be as forward as their malice. And therefore, as God, from that heighth, ſees all, (and the ſtricteſt examination that we put upon any Witneſſe, is, that if he pretend to teſtifie any thing upon his knowledge, we aske, how he came by that knowledge, and if he be oculatus teſtis, a Witneſſe that ſaw it, this is good evidence) as God is to this purpoſe, all eye, and ſees all, ſo for our farther comfort, he deſcends to the office of being a Witneſſe, There is a Witneſſe in heaven.
But then,Teſtis meus. God may be a Witneſſe, and yet not my Witneſſe, and in that, there is ſmall comfort,… 29.22. if God be a Witneſſe on my adverſaries ſide, a Witneſſe againſt me. Even I know, and am a Witneſſe, ſaith the Lord; that is, a Witneſſe of the ſins, which I know by thee.Job 10.27. And that is that which Iob, with ſo much tenderneſſe apprehended, Thou reneweſt thy witneſſes againſt me; Thou ſent'ſt a witneſſe againſt me, in the Sabaeans, upon my ſervants; and then, thou renewedſt that witneſſe in the Caldaeans upon my cattell; and then, thou renewedſt that, in thy ſtormes and tempeſts, upon my children. All this while God was a Witneſſe, but not his witneſſe, but a witneſſe on his adverſaries ſide. Now, if our own heart, our owne conſcience condemne us, this is ſhrewd evidence, ſaies S. Iohn; 1 Iohn 3.20for mine owne conſcience, ſingle, is a thouſand witneſſes againſt me. But then, (ſaies the Apoſtle there) God is greater then the heart; for, (ſaies he) he knowes all things; He knowes circumſtances of ſinne, as well as ſubſtance; and, that, we ſeldome know, ſeldome take knowledge of. If then mine owne heart be a thouſand, God, that is greater, is ten thouſand witneſſes, if he witneſſe againſt me. But if he be my Witneſſe, a Witneſſe for me, as he alwaies multiplies in his waies of mercy, he is thouſands of thouſands, millions of millions of witneſſes in my behalfe, for there is no condemation, no poſſible condemnation,Rom. 8.1. to them that are in him; not, if every graine of duſt upon the earth were an Achitophel, and gave counſell againſt me, not if every ſand upon the ſhoare were a Rabſhakeh, and railed againſt me, not if every atome in the ayre were a Satan, an Adverſary, an Accuſer, not if every drop in the Sea, were an Abaddon, an Apollyon, a Deſtroyer, there could be no condemuation, if he be my Witneſſe. If he be my Witneſſe, he proceeds thus in my behalfe, his Spirit beares witneſſe with my ſpirit, for mine inward aſſurance, that I ſtand eſtabliſhed in his favour, and, either by an actuall deliverance, or by ſome ſuch declaration, as ſhall preſerve me from fainting, if I be not actually delivered, he gives a farther teſtimony in my behalfe. For, he is in Heaven, and he ſits in Heaven, and he dwels in Heaven, in the higheſt Heaven, and ſees all, and is a Witneſſe, and my Witneſſe; there is the largeneſſe of our comfort.
But will all this come home to Iobs end and purpoſe;Iude…. That he need not care though all men knew all his faults, he need not care though God paſſed over his prayers, becauſe God is his Witneſſe; what declarations ſoever he had in himſelfe, would the world beleeve, that God teſtified in his behalfe, when they ſaw his calamities multiplied upon him, and his prayers neglected? If they will not, herein lyes his, and our finall comfort, That he that is my Witneſſe, is in the higheſt Heaven, there is no perſon above him, and therefore He that is my Witneſſe, is my Judge too. I ſhall not be tried by an arbitrary Court, where it may be wiſdome enough, to follow a wiſe leader, and think as he thinks. I ſhall not be tried by a Jury, that had rather I ſuffered, then they faſted, rather I loſt my life, then they loſt a meale. Nor tryed by Peeres, where Honour ſhall be the Bible. But I ſhall be tryed by the King himſelfe, then which no man can propoſe a Nobler tryall, and that King ſhall be the King of Kings too; for, He,V. 5. who in the firſt of the Revelation, is called The faithfull Witneſſe, is, in the ſame place, called The Prince of the Kings of the earth; and, as he is there produced as a Witneſſe, ſo,Acts 10 42. Iohn 5.22. He is ordained to be the Iudge of the quick and the dedd, and ſo, All Iudgement is committed to him. He that is my Witneſſe, is my Judge, and the ſame perſon is my Jeſus, my Saviour, my Redeemer; He that hath taken my nature, He that hath given me his blood. So that he is my Witneſſe, in his owne cauſe, and my Judge, but of his owne Title, and will, in me, preſerve himſelfe; He will not let that nature, that he hath inveſted, periſh, nor that treaſure, which he hath poured out for me, his blood, be ineffectuall. My Witneſſe is in Heaven, my Judge is in Heaven; my Redeemer is in Heaven, and in them, who are but One, I have not onelyonly a conſtant hope, that I ſhall be there too, but an evident aſſurance, that I am there already, in his Perſon.
Go then in this peace, That you alwaies ſtudy to preſerve this teſtification of the Spirit of God, by outward evidences of Sanctification. You are naturally compoſed of foure Elements, and three of thoſe foure are evident, and unqueſtioned; The fourth Element, the element of Fire, is a more litigious element, more problematicall, more diſputable. Every good man, every true Chriſtian, in his Metaphyſicks,(for, in a regenerate man, all is Metaphyſicall, ſupernaturall) hath foure Elements alſo; and three of thoſe foure are declared in this text. Firſt, a good Name, the good opinion of good men, for honeſt dealing in the world, and religious diſcharge of duties towards God, That there be no injuſtice in our hands, Alſo that our prayer be pure. A ſecond Element is a good conſcience in my ſelfe, That either a holy warineſſe before, or a holy repentance after, ſettle me ſo in God, as that I care not though all the world knew all my faults. And a third element is, my Hope in God, that my Witneſſe which is in Heaven, will teſtifie for me, as a witneſſe in my behalfe, here, or acquit me, as a mercifull Judge, hereafter. Now, there may be a fourth Element, an Infallibility of finall perſeverance, grounded upon the eternall knowledge of God; but this is, as the Element of fire, which may be, but is not, at leaſt, is not ſo diſcernable, ſo demonſtrable as the reſt. And therefore, as men argue of the Element of fire, that whereas the other elements produce creatures in ſuch abundance, The Earth ſuch heards of Cattell, the Waters ſuch ſhoales of Fiſh, the Aire ſuch flocks of Birds, it is no unreaſonable thing, to ſtop upon this conſideration, whether there ſhould be an element of fire, more ſpacious, and comprehenſive then all the reſt, and yet produce no Creatures; ſo, if thy pretended Element of Infallibility produce no creatures, no good works, no holy actions, thou maiſt juſtly doubt there is no ſuch element in thee. In all doubts that ariſe in thee, ſtill it will be a good rule, to chooſe that now, which thou wouldſt chooſe upon thy death-bed. If a tentation to Beauty, to Riches, to Honour, be propoſed to thee, upon ſuch, and ſuch conditions, conſider whether thou wouldſt accept that, upon thoſe conditions, upon thy death-bed, when thou muſt part with them, in a few minutes. So, when thou doubteſt, in what thou ſhouldſt place thy aſſurance in God, thinke ſeriouſly, whether thou ſhalt not have more comfort then, upon thy death-bed, in being able to ſay, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have fought a good fight, I have fulfilled the ſufferings of Chriſt in my fleſh, I have cloathed him when he was naked, and fed him when he was poore, then in any other thing, that thou maieſt conceive God to have done for thee; And doe all the way, as thou wouldſt do then; prove thy element of fire, by the creatures it produces, prove thine election by thy ſanctification; for that is the right method, and ſhall deliver thee over, infallibly, to everlaſting glory at laſt, Amen.