Exposition of Job 1-3, Biblical commentary · Job 3.23, 24, 25, 26
JOB 3. Ver. 23, 24, 25, 26.
Verſe 23. Why is light given to a man, whoſe way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
For my ſighing cometh before I eate, and my roarings are powred out like the waters.
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of, is come unto me.
I was not in ſafety, neither had I reſt, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.
AT the 20th. verſe of this Chapter, Job begins to expoſtulate concerning the continuance of his life; and he caſts his complaint into an argument, which was formed to his purpoſe, thus, There is no reaſon, or if there be, ſhew me a reaſon why his life is continued, that liveth miſerably, and would die willingly; But I am the man who live miſerably, and would die willingly: therefore why is light or life continued unto me? The former part of this argument is contained in the 20, 21, 22, 23. verſes. In which Job demonſtrates that there is no reaſon, or at leaſt if there be a reaſon, it is ſuch, as he could not make out, why that man ſhould have his life continued who lives in miſery, and is willing to die. Three of thoſe verſes we have already finiſhed, and there remaineth the 23. (which is a part of the ſame reaſon) to be yet opened.
In this 23th. verſe, he (as it were) repeates his argument; He had ſaid before, Why is light given to him that is in miſery, &c. and ſo he doth illuſtrate it in the two verſes following: In this 23th. verſe he re-inforceth what he had ſaid in other words, Why is light given to a man whoſe way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? He doubleth his call for a reaſon or proofe of this thing.
Why is light given?] Thoſe words are not here expreſſely in the Hebrew, but they are ſupplied by our Tranſlatours, and by Tranſlatours in other Languages, from the 20th. verſe, to make up the ſenſe. The Originall runs thus, To a man whoſe way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in: But the queſtion is implied as in the former, and here to be prefixed, Why is light given to a man whoſe way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? Mr. Broughton readeth it without the queſtion, (Why is light given?) thus: The Wight, or man whoſe way is hid, over whom the puiſſant caſteth a covering.
To a man whoſe way is hid.] Job ſpeakes not here of a way in a proper ſenſe, the way wherein men travaile and paſſe in their journeyes, from place to place: but the way, is a way, in a Metaphor; And ſo in Scripture, the way of a man is taken; Firſt, for the purpoſe or intention of a man; Secondly, for the courſe and converſation of a man: and that either for the courſe, wherein we walke toward others, or for the courſe wherein others walke toward us: When it is ſaid here, Why is light given to a man whoſe way is hid? the way, is either the courſe wherein Job walked, reſpecting God, or the courſe which God tooke reſpecting Job, Why is light given to a man whoſe way is hid?
The way of a man, in his walking before God, is two-fold.
Firſt, Internall.
Secondly, Externall.
There is an internall, an inward way which the ſoule treads in converſe with God, a ſecret path, a path which no eye hath ſeene. And then there is the outward way of walking. That ſpeech of God to Abraham takes in both, Walke before me and be perfect, that is, converſe and carry thy ſelfe uprightly before me, in thy affections and in thy actions. Now when Job ſaith, his way was hid, he meanes neither of theſe: for though the internall way, whether it be the way of ſinne, or the way of obedience, be a path ſo ſecret, as that it is alwayes hid from the eyes of men, yet Job knew well enough that God ſaw even that way, and therefore he could not complaine that his moſt ſecret way was hid from God. Yea in another place he comforts himſelfe with this, that God knew the ſecret wayes of his heart: For when his friends accuſe him and charge him with hypocriſie, he ſupports himſelfe with this, My witneſſe is above, and my record is in Heaven, there is one there that knoweth the way, the ſecret way of my ſpirit with him, to be ſincerity, though you charge the way of my ſpirit, with hypocriſie. The ſoule hath many wayes of communion with God, which are altogether hidden from the eye of man; man cannot ſee or diſcerne the private paſſages betweene God and the ſpirit, either when the ſoule approves it ſelfe to God; or rejoyceth and exults in God. And as concerning this way, this inward way, as Job knew that it was not hid from God, ſo (I conceive) it did not trouble him, that this way was hid from man; As there are in God certaine (Arcana Conſilij,) ſecret myſteries, and hidden wayes of counſell, which he will not communicate to holy men: ſo there are in holy men (Arcana pietatis) ſome ſecrets, ſome myſteries of godlineſſe, which they doe not communicate to the world; and therefore the complaint doth not lye in either of theſe reſpects.
The Church complained, but ſhe was check't for complaining, that her way was hid from God, Iſa. 40.27. Why ſayest thou, O Jacob, and ſpeakeſt, O Iſrael, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is paſſed over from my God?
Yet that place is not to be underſtood of a hiding from the eye of Gods inſpection, as if the Church had any ſuſpition that the Lord did not know, or did not ſee how matters went with them, or in what condition they were; but it is to be underſtood of the eye of Gods compaſſion; There is a ſeeing eye, or contemplating eye, and a compaſſionating or ſuccouring eye. So the meaning of that complaint, is only this, Why ſayeſt thou my way is hidden from the Lord, that is, why doeſt thou ſpeake as if God did not regard thee in thy troubles, as if God had no pitty nor compaſſion on thee, no bowels toward thee, why ſayest thou my way is hid from the Lord? In the third of Exodus, when God comes to help the people of Iſrael, he telleth Moſes, I have ſeene, I have ſeene: or I have ſurely ſeene, namely with an eye compaſſionating their condition, as the next words ſhew, for I know their ſorrowes. Now when the Church complained that her way was hid from God, her meaning was, that God did not take notice, ſo, as to pitty and deliver her. Excepting in that ſenſe, ſhe could not conceive that her way was hidden from God; neither is the way of the Church, So, hidden from God, but as to our ſenſe: for the Lord pities his people when he corrects them, and therefore Jacob is chidden for ſaying ſo, Why ſayeſt thou O Jacob, my way is hidden from the Lord? Therefore this Text is not to be underſtood of Jobs way in reſpect of God, but of the hiding of Gods way, or the hidden dealings of God toward Job. My way is hid ſaith Job, that, I cannot underſtand, nor interpret, nor expound the meaning of Gods dealing with me. I am not able to give an interpretation of it, I know not what this thing meaneth: My way is hid.
The way of Gods dealing with him, was a hidden way, in two reſpects.
Firſt, In regard of the cauſe of his affliction; It was hidden from him, why God had layed ſo ſore and ſo heavy a burthen upon him; and that is it which Elihu in the 34. of this booke, ver. 31, 32. hints at, where he telleth Job, ſurely (ſaith he) it is meet to be ſaid unto God, that which I ſee not, teach thou me, He anſwers ſuch a complaint as this, I (ſaith Job) cannot ſee the reaſon why God doth afflict me; Elihu tells him, It is meet to be ſaid unto God, that which I ſee not, teach thou me, and if I have done iniquity, I will doe ſo no more, Lord if thou wilt ſhew me that my ſin is the cauſe, and what ſin is the cauſe, I doe here promiſe I will lay down my ſin, and (through thy helpe) doe ſo no more.
Sunt qui viam enarrant viam elabendi. D…uſ.Or againe, It was hidden in regard of the iſſue or event, My way is hid, that is, I can ſee no paſſage out of this way; I cannot tell when theſe troubles will end, I ſee no helpe, I have no glimpſe of light breaking out to me in this way, it is a darke, a hidden way unto me: This darkeneſſe troubles him, as much as all his troubles. And it is, as if he had ſaid, I am ſo encompaſt with clouds, that I walke in darkeneſſe, and ſee no light; My life is ſo entangled and wrapt up in troubles, that I ſee no way of deliverance or eſcape.
And this expoſition ſeemes moſt proper, if we take in the latter part of the verſe, where he ſaith, and whom God hath hedged in: This explaines the hiding of his way, to be the hedging of his way, ſuch an incompaſſing of him about with ſorrowes, that he could not make his way out.
In the firſt Chapter, you may remember, that Satan was much troubled that God had made a hedge about Job; And now Job himſelfe is much troubled, that God had made a hedge about him: I am the man, ſaith he, whom God hath hedged in. That which before was the object of Satans envy, is now become the object of Jobs complaint, a hedge: Sure then it was not the ſame hedge. No, that which Satan complained of, and envied at, was a hedge of mercy, and a hedge of bleſſings, a hedge of favour and of protection: But this which Job complaineth of, is a hedge of thorny troubles, and of pricking ſorrows: The former was (as we may ſpeake) a hedge of Roſes, and this was a hedge of Bryars. That was a hedge ſo high and ſtrong, that no evill could come in, to, or breake through, to annoy him; And this was a hedge ſo high and ſtrong, that no good could come or be brought unto him.
So then, take the ſenſe thus, Why is light given to a man whoſe way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? that is, why doth God continue my life, when I am in ſuch a condition, as that I can neither diſcover the reaſon why I came into it, nor am I able to diſcover any paſſage out of it.
And this is it which the Church complaines of, (Lament. 3.7.) He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out; and verſe 9. He hath encloſed my wayes with hewen ſtones, God had built up a wall (as it were) by art, with hewen ſtones, he had ſet them ſo cloſe together, that there was no paſſing by, no getting through. Obſerve hence, firſt,
That affliction is uſually accompanied with much darkeneſſe. Affliction is often called darkneſſe in Scripture, And as it is darkeneſſe without, ſo it often cauſeth darkeneſſe within. An afflicted perſon hath ſuch darkeneſſe upon his perſon, that he cannot diſcerne, many times, either why God doth afflict him, or when God will make an end of his afflictions. That in the Prophet (Iſa. 50.10.) is true of outward afflictions, as well as inward, Who is there among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his ſervant, that walketh in darkeneſſe? Ther's many an afflicted perſon walkes in a way, hidden in a three-fold darkneſſe. Firſt, The way is hid, in the darkeneſſe of the cauſe for which he came into it. Secondly, The way is hid in the darkeneſſe of the event, how to get out of it. Thirdly, The way is hid in the darkeneſſe of his preſent duty, what to doe in it: The way of affliction is often wrapt up and hidden in this threefold-darkeneſſe.
Further, Seeing Job ſpeakes of this as an addition to all his ſorrowes, and as the complement of them all, that he was thus ſhut up and hedged in, and that his way was thus darke in regard of the cauſe of it. Obſerve, That
It increaſeth an affliction greatly, not to know the reaſon of an affliction, or to have the way of Gods dealing hidden, from our eyes. It is a trouble not to ſee the reaſon of things; The mind is exceedingly eaſed, when the underſtanding hath light; This made Jeremie enquire, Why doth the way of the wicked proſper? As if he had ſaid, If I could ſee the reaſon of it, it would ſatisfie me, but while thou keepeſt me in the darke, and I can give no account to my owne ſoule or thoſe that aske me, of this thy diſpenſation, to wicked men, this is the burthen of my ſoule. It is uſually ſaid,Faelix qui pot…it rerum cognoſcere cauſa…. They are happy who know the cauſes of things. And in regard of the diſeaſes of the body, we ſay, that a diſeaſe is halfe cured, when the cauſe of it is diſcovered: But when a Phyſition is in the darke, and cannot find out the cauſe of a diſeaſe, he muſt needs be in the darke for the remedy of it: So it is alſo with a man in regard of any affliction, when he cannot find out the cauſe, he knoweth not what to pitch upon as a remedy. When Rebekah, (Gen. 25.22.) had twins in her wombe, and they ſtrugled together within her, ſhe was much troubled, and nothing would ſatisfie her, untill ſhe went to God to know the reaſon of the thing, Lord (ſaith ſhe,) why am I thus? And when God had told her, that two Nations were in her wombe, and that two manner of people ſhould be ſeparated from her bowels, ſhe made no more complaints. So when there are ſuch ſtrivings, ſuch ſtruglings, and contrary motions of trouble in us, or about us, the ſoule goes to God, and enquires why is it thus? Lord, I am more troubled with the ignorance of my troubles, then with the weight or ſmart of them.
Thirdly, Take the words as reſpecting the iſſue, or deliverance from trouble, and they affoord us this obſervation, That
It is a great addition to an affliction, not to ſee or diſcerne a way to eſcape or get out of affliction. To be in an affliction, out of which there appeares no paſſage (unleſſe the ſoule be mightily ſupported by the hand and power of Chriſt) brings within a ſtep of deſpaire. The Apoſtle ſpeakes as much when he ſaith, (1 Cor. 10.13.) There is no temptation hath taken hold of you, but that which is common to man, (and then it followes) but God is faithfull, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that ye may be able to beare it. As if he ſhould ſay, If God did not indeed diſcover, or make out to you ſome way of eſcaping, I muſt needs ſay, you were never able to beare it, but (ſaith he) God will make a way for you to eſcape, that ye may be able to beare it; Meaning, that the opening of this way, would revive their ſpirits, and then they would be able (through the ſtrength of Chriſt) to beare it.
If ſo, then how ſhall the ſoule beare an affliction, when God inſtead of making a way to eſcape, doth as it were make a hedge to ſtop all eſcape? Therefore when the Lord would ſupport his people in their troubles, he promiſed that they ſhould have a doore of hope opened to them, I will give her the valley of Achor for a doore of hope, Hoſ. 2.15. He would give her ſome appearance, ſome glimpſes and openings of deliverance, in and from, their preſent dangers. It is threatned, (Deut. 28.25.) thou ſhalt come out one way againſt thine enemies, and flie ſeven wayes before them, they ſhould flie many wayes, but they ſhould eſcape no way. Thou ſhalt come out one one way, and flie ſeven wayes, that is,Tentabis ſemper & diverſis vijs effugere, ſed fruſtra, nuſquam tibi patebit effugium. thou ſhalt try this, and that, and every way to eſcape, but thou ſhalt find a hedge at every wayes end, to ſtop and hinder thy eſcape. We uſe to ſay of a man in a diſtreſſed condition, He is in a wood or in a wilderneſſe. And when God entangles men in their own deviſes, it is ſaid, He powreth contempt upon Princes, and cauſeth them to wander in the wilderneſſe, where there is no way, Pſalm. 107.40. So Pharaoh ſaid of the children of Iſrael, they are entangled in the land, the wilderneſſe hath ſhut them in, Exod. 14.3. And when a people are as the children of Iſrael were, having a a Sea before them, an army behind them, and Mountaines on either hand. Then they may ſay (as Job did) their way is hid, and God hath hedged them in.
For my ſighing cometh before I eate, and my roarings are powred out like water.
Here Job takes up the former propoſition, and applies it particularly to his own perſon. Before, he ſaid only in the generall, why is light given to him that is in miſery, and why is light given to a man whoſe way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? Now he ſaith in effect, it is thus with me, I am a man in miſery, and I am a man whoſe way God hath hid and hedged in, wherefore then is my life continued? And he proves that he was in ſuch a condition, by the effects of it, ſighes and roarings. So that this verſe holds forth two things about Jobs ſorrow. Firſt, The continuance of it, in thoſe words, My ſighing comes before I eate. Secondly, The extremity of it, in thoſe, My roarings are powred out, &c. The argument may be thus framed, That man is in extreame and continuall miſery, who doth not ſo much breath, as ſigh, who, when he would ſpeake, is forced to roare: But thus it is with me, my ſighing cometh before I eate, and my roarings are powred out like water, therefore my miſery is extreame and continuall.
My ſighing cometh before I eate.] In the Hebrew it is word for word, thus, before the face of my bread, my ſighings come. Which Hebraiſme, (before the face of my bread) hath a great emphaſis in it. It notes the continuance of his ſorrowes without any intermiſſion, When a thing is ſaid to be before the face of another, foreign Aquila.it notes an equall continuance with that, before the face of which it is ſaid to be. As in the negative (Exod. 20.3.) Thou ſhalt have no other gods before me, ſo we tranſlate it; the Hebrew is, Thou ſhalt have no other gods before my face, that is, ſo long as I continue to be thy God, thou ſhalt have no other god; but I ſhall be thy God to all eternity, therefore thou ſhalt have no other gods but me, for ever. So in the affirmative, Pſalm. 72.5. where under the type of Solomons Kingdome, the continuance of the Kingdome of Chriſt is prophecied, the Holy Ghost ſaith, It ſhall continue ſo long, as the Sunne and Moone endureth; the Hebrew is, it ſhall continue before the face of the Sunne and of the Moone, that is, there ſhall be an equall duration of the Kingdome of Chriſt, and of thoſe lights of Heaven, the Sun and the Moone; The Kingdome of Chriſt, ſhall laſt as long as the world ſhall laſt.
So then (according to this ſenſe) before the face of my bread my ſighings come, is, as if he had ſaid, looke how long I have my bread before me, looke how much time I ſpend in eating, ſo much time I ſpend in ſighing, my ſorrowings are of the ſame continuance with my refreſhings. The phraſe imports the un-intermittedneſſe (as we may ſo ſpeake) of his ſorrowes: that he had no ſtop, no breathing time,A Deo perpetua eſt haec calamitas, ut ne cibi quidem aut ullius neceſſ…atis cauſa dolores poſſim fallere & uno momento a gemitibus ab…rrare. Vel tam frequentes mibi ſunt gemitus ut vix mibi c…mpus ſuperſit ad capiendum cibum. which was not a ſighing time, no not for a meale time; while he was eating, with every bit of meate, he had a morſell of ſorrowes; He might ſay, as the Pſalmiſt, (Pſal. 102.9.) I have eaten aſhes like bread, and mingled my drinke with weeping, when I drinke, my teares flow into my cup; When I take in a few drops of comfort, I weepe out ſtreames of ſorrow: Or my ſighings come and returne ſo faſt upon me, that I have no time to eate my bread: I am ſo plied and followed with theſe afflictions, that I have no leiſure to be comforted.
If at any time a man gets reſpite from his griefe, it is when he eates; how reſpitleſſe then was Jobs griefe, before whom ſorrow and ſighings ſate (as gueſts) continually at his table.
My roarings are powred out like water.
As the former words ſhewed the continuance, ſo this the extremity of Jobs ſorrowes. It is a great affliction that makes a man of ſpirit ſpeake, or complaine: It is a greater affliction that makes a man of ſpirit weepe or mourne. How great an affliction then is it, which makes a man of ſpirit cry out and roare? when a man of courage roares, he is pained to purpoſe. Job a man of ſpirit and courage, doth not only ſigh but roare; Sighings are more ſecret ſorrowes, but roarings muſt be heard, eſpecially his roarings, which were powred out like water.
Roaring is the Lyons voice,Metaphora a Leonibus …amelicis. Iſ. …14. Pſal 46.3. and here is an alluſion to the hungry Lyon, roaring on his prey: Or to the troubled waves of the ſea, which alſo are ſaid to roare. Exceſſive ſorrow is often ſet forth by roaring, Pſal. 22.1. Why art thou ſo farre from the voice of my roaring, ſaith David, typing the ſorrowes of Chriſt? I doe not only cry, but I roare out unto thee, Lord why doeſt thou not heare my ſtrong cries, cries like the roaring of the Lyon, or the noyſe of troubled waters. So Pſal. 32.3. David to ſhew his extremity of paine and trouble, while he kept in, and did not confeſſe his ſin, ſpeakes thus, while I kept ſilence (while I ſmothered my ſin in ſecret) I roared for the very diſquietneſſe of my ſoule: ſilence in not confeſſing ſin, cauſes roaring under the guilt of ſin. Thoſe are great burdens of ſin, and great burdens of ſorrow, that cauſe roaring. My roarings are powred out like water.
This notes further yet, the abundance and the ſtrength of his ſorrowes. I am powred out like water, (I am as it were, all melted into ſorrowes) is ſaid of Chriſt in that Pſalme of his paſſion, (Pſa. 22.14.) I am powred out like water, my heart in the middest of my bowels is like melted wax. When the Prophet Ezekiel would ſhew how that people ſhould be affected with the tidings of their afflictions, he ſaith, Every heart ſhall melt, and all hands ſhall be feeble, and every ſpirit ſhall faint, and all knees ſhall be weake as water, (chap. 21.7.) The Hebrew is,Mades metu. Plaut. all knees ſhall goe into water. The ſorrowes of repentance are expreſt by the powring out of water, to note both the abundance of them, and the intenſivenes of them, in that known place, 1 Sam. 7.6. They gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and powred it out before the Lord, that is, they mourned abundantly, and they mourned with all their ſtrength.
How ſtrong and abundant the ſorrowes of Job were, hath beene often ſhewed before, and obſervations drawn down from them, And therefore I ſhall need doe no more then cleare the words and give the ſenſe. It followeth, For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
For the thing which I greatly feared.] The cauſall particle in the beginning,foreign Particula (quia) interdum non reddit cauſam ſed vel ornatus vel aſſeverationis cauſa adhibetur. doth not alway inferre a cauſe; this verſe is not a reaſon of what he ſpake before; but this particle is often uſed in Scripture, for affirmation or illuſtration, and not as cauſall, or by way of demonſtration; As Joh. 4.17. Chriſt tells the woman of Samaria, Th…u ſpeakeſt well, I have no husband; the Greeke is, for I have no huſband. We tranſlate it only by way of aſſertion: So Mat. 7.23. Then will I profeſſe unto them, I never knew you; the Greeke is, then I will profeſſe unto them, for I never knew you, we render it only as an aſſeveration: So very frequent in the Hebrew, the particle [Chi] which is here uſed, hath in it only the force of an affirmation, For the thing I greatly feared, is come upon me, that is, certainely, or aſſuredly the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me; as if Job ſhould make this as the concluſion and the ſumme of all his complainings; this is it which now I muſt conclude, that the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto mee.
foreign Metuere me…um ita dicitur ut gaudere gaudium, pugnare pugnam, foreign. Deuſ.The thing which I greatly feared.] The Hebrew is, I feared a feare, and it is come upon me, And ſo feare is in the Scripture, frequently put for the thing feared, by a Metanomy of the effect for the cauſe, the abſtract being put for the concrete, As Prov. 1.26. I will mock when your feare cometh, that is, when the trouble which you feared, ſhall come upon you; As if Job ſhould have ſaid, this evill, is that which I have fore-ſeene and fore-thought, I had ſuch miſgivings in my ſpirit, long before this, that ſuch a black day might come upon me, and I might be thus hedged in, now I ſee my thoughts are come to paſſe, and my conjectures prove true, the thing which I feared and greatly feared, is come upon me. We tranſlate well, I greatly feared, the Hebrew is, I feared a feare; Such expreſſions raiſe the ſenſe; As when we are ſaid to be bought with a price, it notes that there was a great price paid for our redemption: To rejoyce with joy, ſhewes the greatneſſe of joy. So here, To feare a feare, ſhewes that he was in a great feare, as we tranſlate, I feared a feare, I greatly feared.
Here it may be queſtioned, whether theſe feares of Job were lawfull: doth it become us to have ſuch miſ-givings of heart, in reſpect of our outward condition? The Apoſtle biddeth us, be carefull in nothing, (Phil. 4 6.) and was it a vertue or a grace, was it commendable or ſo much as approveable in Job, to be fearfull in all things? Chriſt rebukes his Diſciples becauſe they were afraid in a ſtorme, and was it well in Job that he was fearfull in a Sunſhine, when he had the faireſt weather, and proſpered in all things? Doth it become a godly man, to be alwayes ſolicitous about his eſtate, and doubting that troubles will come? One would thinke there is trouble enough, in troubles, when they come, a man ſhould not trouble himſelfe with them, before they come. Beſides, it is ſaid, Prov. 10.24. reſpecting wicked men, that God will bring that which they feare upon them, ſo that it ſeemeth, God is angry with thoſe, who are alwayes fearing, or ſtand poring upon ſuch and ſuch evills as they feare, may come upon them: To theſe God ſaith, (Iſa. 66.3.) I alſo will chooſe their deluſions, and I will bring their feare upon them, becauſe you feared theſe things, you ſhall have your feare: As God gives ſome their prayers in anger, ſo he gives many their feares in anger; And it is as great a ſin, inordinately to feare, that God will take away the meate of our neceſſity or convenience, as it is to pray that God would give us meate to ſatisfie our luſts or wantonneſſe.
To cleare this, we muſt diſtinguiſh of feare as to the purpoſe we have in hand. There are divers ſorts of feare.
Firſt, There is a feare of wiſedome and caution, and there is a feare of torment and vexation. That which the Apoſtle John ſpeakes, (1 Joh. 4.18.) feare hath torment, is not meant of all feare: there is a feare that is a tormenting paſſion, a feare which diſtracts or divides the thoughts about troubles which may come, and there is a feare which only directs us to avoide or prevent the coming of trouble.
Secondly, There is a feare which is oppoſed to ſecurity, and there is a feare which is oppoſed to comfort. It was Davids ſin, that he wanted the feare oppoſed to ſecurity, when he ſaid, In my proſperity I ſhall never be moved: Lord, by thy favour, thou haſt made my mountaine to stand ſtrong, Pſal. 30.6, 7. The feare of Job in his proſperity was oppoſed to this ſecurity, he did not ſay, I ſhall never be moved, he thought he might be moved: The favour of God had made his mountaine ſtrong, yet he knew it had but the ſtrength of clay, and therefore might be caſt downe. This was his feare, he lookt upon creatures, as they are, mutable and moveable. Chriſt ſpeakes of a faith of miracles, which will remove mountaines; and that feare is not contrary to ſaving faith, which cauſeth us to thinke, that our mountaines may be removed. Jobs feare was grounded on the uncertainty of creature comforts, he knew wealth was britle ware, and might quickly receive a crack. This feare we ought to carry about us, in regard of our ſpirituall eſtates alſo, though grace be everlaſting ware, though we are high-built, and full-growne in grace, though through the favour of God our mountaine of holineſſe, and of comforts be very ſtrong, yet we muſt not be ſecure; though we are high-built, yet we muſt not be high-minded. Hence the Apoſtle Paul warnes the beleeving Gentiles, that they ſhould feare: I grant, ye are in a good eſtate in compariſon of the Jewes, they are caſt off, ye are graffed in, yet let me give you this caution, be not high-minded but feare. Rom. 11.20.That feare which is oppoſed to preſumption and ſecurity, is a good and neceſſary feare, in the beſt of our eſtate, whether in grace or nature, whether in worldly or heavenly riches. And ſuch was the feare of Job.
Thirdly, There is a feare which makes us provide for an evill day, and there is a feare which hindreth us from enjoying the comforts of a good day. The former was in Job, doubtleſſe his feare in good dayes, made him diligent to provide for the evill day; As it is ſaid of Noah, (Heb. 11.7.) That Noah being warned of God, of things not ſeen as yet, through faith moved with feare, prepared an Arke, for the ſaving of his houſe; Noah knew the flood would come, this holy feare ſet him a worke to provide an Arke. It is an argument both of wiſedome and of grace, in a calme, to prepare for a ſtorme, in peace, to conſider what to doe in a time of warre, in health, to lay up thoughts about our ſickneſſe, and in a day when the light of Gods countenance ſhines into our hearts, and we walke in the comforts of the holy Ghoſt, then to thinke, a night of deſertion may come: and what ſhall I doe, if I ſhould walke in darkneſſe and ſee no light? Such, as this, was the feare which Job feared.
Fourthly, There is a feare which makes us diſtruſt God, that he will afflict us; And there is a feare which keepeth us from doing that, which may provoke God to afflict us; This was Jobs feare, as was ſhewed, (chap. 1. ver. 1.) He feared God, and eſchewed evill. He was loath to grieve and offend God, or to give him any occaſion to be angry.
Laſtly, There is a feare which is oppoſed to hardneſſe of heart, and a feare that is oppoſed to courage of heart. Jobs feare was oppoſed to hardneſſe of heart; of this Solomon ſpeakes, (Prov. 28.14.) Bleſſed is the man that feareth alwayes. And to cleare what feare he meanes, he adds in the next words, But he that hardneth his heart ſhall fall into miſchiefe. Where we ſee firſt, that there is a feare oppoſed to hardneſſe of heart: And ſecondly, that to feare that feare alwayes, even in our greateſt proſperity, is not only our duty but our happineſſe: that feare will not interrupt our comforts, but comfort us. Yea, this feare doth not only conſiſt with comfort, but with courage, and though we may fall into the troubles, which we thus feare, yet we ſhall not fall under them: Such as this was Jobs feare.
So then to take up all: Jobs feare was a feare of wiſedome and caution, not of torment and vexation; a feare oppoſed to ſecurity and preſumption, not to joy and conſolation; a feare that made him diligent to prepare againſt an evill day, not a feare that did eate out all the comforts of a good day; a feare which kept him from doing that, which might move God to afflict him, not a feare which made him diſtruſt, that God would afflict him; a feare oppoſed to hardneſſe of heart, not a feare oppoſed to courage and ſtrength of heart. Such a feare as this, is a holy feare, ſuch a feare as this, is a good companion in our beſt eſtate: this feare and our comforts may well joyne together, this feare will not trouble, but regulate our lives, not breake, but ſweeten our ſleepe. Obſerve hence,
That holy wiſedome, ſanctified prudence, biddeth us feare and prepare for evill, in our good dayes. I was afraid of theſe things, ſaith Job: We muſt not ſuſpect, but we ought often to thinke of evills, before they come. A wiſe morall man,Sapienti meliora ſunt in votis, deteriora verò in expectatione. Plut. de Tranquil. much more a wiſe Chriſtian, while he is earneſtly praying for good, is alſo carefully providing for evill. Leſt the Diſciples ſhould forget trouble in times of peace, Chriſt ſaith to them, Behold (Mat. 24.25.) I have told you before; Now you are at pretty good eaſe, it may be you thinke, it will be thus with you alwayes, but take heed of ſuch thoughts, I have told you what will be hereafter; Behold I have told you before. And againe, (Joh. 16.33.) Theſe things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace, in the world ye ſhall have tribulation: In the peace we have with Chriſt, we ſhould expect tribulation from the world. The Spirit of God often hints ſuch things afore-hand, to the ſpirits of his people, that they may not be ſurpriſed: Paul teſtifies, (Acts 20.23.) that the holy Ghoſt every where witneſſed that bonds and afflictions did abide him; He lookt for trouble in all places, this made him both patient under, and victorious over all his troubles. Ungodly men feel trouble, before they ſee it, and are often paſt all hope, before they have had any feare; when they have a good day, they thinke their day will be an eternity, and laſt for ever; Thoſe in Amos, (chap. 6.3.) were merry, they were ſinging and feaſting, eating the fat, and drinking the ſweete, and what doe they in theſe their good, their only good dayes? The Prophet ſhews us in the next words, They put the evill day farre from them: they would have no thought that their eſtate might change, when they had a mind their eſtate ſhould continue; Hence the Prophet Iſay, (chap. 28.15.) deſcribes them, making a covenant with death, and coming to an agreement with Hell: and then they ſuppoſed themſelves ſafe, and under covert, come what would. The Prophets indeed have been talking of judgements and ſcourges; but what of that, we have got a protection, we have covenants in our pockets will be our ſecurity, ſo they were promis'd, and ſo they beleeved, as their words witneſſe; If the over-flowing ſcourge ſhall paſſe thorough, it ſhall not come neere us. Theſe are the thoughts of fooliſh and ungodly men, they make bargaines and agreements, as it were, with all troubles, that they ſhall not be touched; others may ſmart, but they have taken order for their own indemnity: They have made lies their refuge, and under falſhood have they hid themſelves: And ſo they call cheerefully for their wine, come fetch wine, and we will fill our ſel…es with ſtrong drinke; and then conclude confidently, (as if all the world, and time, were at their command,) To morrow ſhall be as this day, and much more aboundant, Iſa. 56.12. When a wiſe man falleth into trouble, he falleth forward, that is, he falleth into thoſe troubles, which he did fore-ſee; but when an ungodly man, a wicked man falleth into trouble, he falleth backward, he falleth into thoſe evills, which he never thought of, much leſſe feated. Many of the people of God at this day, doe, and may ſay of the evills which are now upon us, the things which we feared are come; theſe ſtormes were ſeen long agoe in the clouds; yea in the Sun-ſhine, in faire dayes, theſe foule rainey dayes were fore-ſeene; and they who have fore-ſeen them, and fore-ſeen them with ſuch an eye of faith and holy feare, as we have deſcribed, are in beſt caſe to graple with them, and will be gainers by them. It is well for us, when we can ſay, the things we feared are come upon us; They are in a ſad condition upon whom thoſe evills fall, which they never feared; when troubles come, they goe neereſt their hearts, who have put them fartheſt off, before they came. Hence obſerve in the ſecond place,
That the more preparing feare we have before troubles come, the leſſe we are preſt with feares, when trouble comes. If we conſider Job, how unmoveably he ſtood the charge and aſſault of theſe afflictions, how he wraſtled with all the diſtreſſes, which at once tooke hold of him, we are to looke (next to the ſupport he had immediately from Chriſt) to this wiſe caution of his, that he feared ſuch a ſtorme might overtake him, hefore he got to his journeyes end: He thought theſe things might come, and therefore laid in proviſion for them, againſt they came. Thoſe blowes wound deepeſt, which we expect not. Dangers unknown,Gravius eſt vulnus quod non expectatur, & illa aegrius tolerantur, quibus homo ſe non prius aſſeufacit. doe eaſily ſurpriſe us and oppreſſe us, whereas thoſe which we feare and thinke of, may either be prevented in their coming, or we may be provided againſt they come. That which the Naturaliſts ſay of the Cockatrice, that if the Cockatrice ſee a man firſt, the man dieth, but if the man ſeeth the Cockatrice firſt, the Cockatrice dies, is an experienced truth, reſpecting the point we have in hand, that if troubles ſee us firſt, we die; but if we ſee them firſt, they die; that is, their ſting and ſtrength (as to us) is much abated. Dangers are moſt felt, where they are not fore-ſeene, and ſometime being fore-ſeene, they are not felt at all; For a prepared expectation, doth either weaken them, or ſtrengthen us, make us more able to ſuſtaine them, or them leſſe able to hurt us; whereas indeed every croſſe which findeth us ſecure, hath an advantage to leave us deſperate. When Nabal heard of danger paſt, which he never dreamt might come, his heart died in him like a ſtone, (1 Sam. 25.) How then had he been aſtoniſhed into ſtone, if he had ſeene the evill falling upon him. Such can ill beare trouble, who looke for nothing but comfort. It was an addition to the affliction of that afflicted people, (Jer. 8.15.) When they looked for peace, but no good came, and for a time of health, and behold trouble; if they who are in trouble, are more troubled, when they cannot have the peace they looked for, then ſurely they muſt be more perplext with trouble (when it comes) who enjoying peace, never had a thought, that trouble would come. When a people are ſo farre from looking for evill, that they looke for nothing but good, and build upon it, that they ſhall never ſee ſorrow, then to ſee ſorrow is a killing ſight. The ſorrowes of Babylon ſhall be mightily increaſt and augmented, doubled and trebled upon her, becauſe when they are coming upon her, ſhe ſhall be ſaying, I ſit as a Queen and ſhall ſee no ſorrow: ſhe was feareleſſe, and ſhe ſhall be comfortleſſe; Trouble will lye heavy enough upon us, when we looke and prepare for it, but it will be intolerable to thoſe, who never lookt for, nor laid in one thought of preparation, againſt its coming. The foole in the Goſpell, ſaid to his ſoule, take thine eaſe, thou haſt goods laid up for many yeares: But it is beſt for us, when we have aboundance of outward goods, to ſay to our ſoules, theſe may be loſt in a few houres: Therefore ſay to thy ſelfe in the time of thy fulneſſe, what, if a day of emptying ſhould come? ſay when you are rich, it may be before I die, I may be poore, what ſhall I doe then? Now I have a houſe, it may be before I die, or within a few dayes, I ſhall be turned out of doores, in what poſture doe I find my ſelfe for ſuch a condition? Now I am at liberty and enjoy my friends, it may be ſhortly I may be caſt into a priſon, and come into the hand of enemies; now I have my wife and children about me, my vine and my olive-plants, at, and round about my table, I may ſhortly be deprived of them, and O my ſoule, how canſt thou beare theſe changes? It is good to put theſe caſes to our ſelves now, ſurely Job often tutor'd his ſpirit with ſuch queſtions as theſe, and catechiſed his heart in them from day to day, hence he ſaith, The things I feared are come upon me; To proceed I was not in ſafety, neither had I reſt, nor was I quiet, yet trouble came.
This is both an addition to, and an expoſition of the former verſe; Theſe words explaine what he meant by ſaying, I feared a feare, even this, I was not in ſafety, neither had I rest, &c.
I was not in ſafety.] No? was not Job in ſafety in the dayes of his proſperity? Is it not ſaid, that he had a hedge about him, and ſuch a hedge as the Devill could not breake thorough, to hurt him, foreign Significat in quiete vel pace agere, vel tranquillè & in otio vivere. Nec multum abludit a voce Hebraea Latinum ſalus. Moller. in Pſa. 122.6.and was not Job in ſafety then?
The Hebrew word from the roote [Shalah] doth alſo ſignifie, I was not ſecure, I was not in ſecurity, or I did not ſit ſafe in my own thoughts, in my own opinion: I did not live ſecurely or without feare in my moſt flouriſhing dayes. And from this root, Christ is called Shiloh, Gen. 49.10. The Scepter ſhall not depart from Judah, till Shiloh come. Christ is Shiloh, that is, he, in whom all perſons may ſecurely truſt: you may ſit downe in ſafety in Chriſt, and reſt your ſoules for ever, he is Shiloh, our preſerver; And the Hebrewes uſe that word,Shiloh non tantum babet ſignificationem paſsivam, quaſi di…as, tranquitlum foeliceum, cui omnia prospere cedunt; ſed attivam etiaem, ut Shiloh ſit ſoſpitator, ſeu promiſſae foelicitatis author. to ſignifie that fleſhie mantle in which the infant is wrapped in the mothers belly, becauſe the infant lieth there quietly and ſecurely, it is out of feare, and hath no thought of any danger, but lyeth ſecurely, out of barms way. So that when Job ſaith, I was not in ſafety, he meanes, I did not thinke my ſelfe ſafe, or beyond the reach of danger, I was not taken up in outward contentments: I did not looke upon my poſſeſſions as perpetuities, or upon my houſe, as that which ſhould endure for ever, or my dwelling place to all generations. Job was not like the great Monarch of Babylon, (Dan. 4.4.) who ſaid, I Nebuchadnezzar was at reſt in mine houſe, (it is the ſame word which is uſed in the Text) I, ſaith Nebuchadeezzar, counted my ſelfe the greateſt man in the world, and I thought none could touch or moleſt me, I was at rest and ſafe: We have ſuch a deſcription made by the Prophet of a whole Nation, as this King makes of his own perſon, Jer. 49.31. Ariſe, get ye up unto the wealthy Nation that dwelleth at eaſe, or (it is the ſame word) to a Nation without either feare or care, a ſecure Nation, as it is explained by the words following, which have neither gates nor barres, which dwell alone. If you come to a mans houſe that hath neither lock nor key, nor doore, nor barre, you may well reſolve, that he dwelleth ſecurely, and is in ſafety. And if you come to a City that hath neither gates nor barres, you will ſay, either this City hath no enemies, or elſe it feares none. A City without gates and barres, is the embleme of ſecurity. Jobs temper was directly oppoſed to this, I was not in ſafety, neither had I reſt, nor was I quiet.
Theſe two latter expreſſions are of the ſame importance with the former, both theſe words have been opened at the thirteenth verſe of this Chapter; both being there applied to reſt and quietneſſe in the grave. There he ſaid, if he had died, he had been at reſt and quiet: but all his life time, he had no reſt, neither was he quiet. But is this agreeable to the duty or character of a godly man, to ſay, he hath no reſt, he is not quiet? Surely a godly man ought to be quiet, when all the world is hudl'd together in confuſion; when the mountaines skip like lambes, and the little hills like young ſheepe, then, even then, he ought to ſtand like mount Sion, that cannot be moved; And did it become Job, or is it any part of his commendation, that in the times of his peace, he had no reſt? When the Prophet ſhewes the temper of wicked men, he compares them to the troubled ſea, when it cannot reſt, Iſa. 57.20. It ſhould ſeeme that Job was like a troubled ſea, for himſelfe ſaith, he could not reſt. I anſwer by diſtinguiſhing, firſt of a two-fold reſt, There is a reſt of contentation, and a reſt of confidence. Job had not a reſt of confidence, he truſted not in his outward peace; but he had the reſt of contentation, even in his outward troubles. A wicked mans conſcience is like a troubled ſea, when he enjoyes outward peace; but Job enjoyed peace of conſcience, while his outward eſtate was like a troubled ſea: He was fully ſetled in his mind, when he had no reſt, and was ſatisfied in ſpirit, when he had not this quietneſſe: So that when he ſaith, I had no rest, neither was I quiet; his meaning is only this, I never placed my happineſſe in theſe things, I never built my hopes upon creatures, I never truſted upon them, nor expected much from them. Or if you will more clearely apprehend the ſenſe of this laſt verſe, you may reade it in that contrary practice of the rich man, Luk. 12.19. His houſe was full, but his heart was fuller of the creature: and he made the creature both his rocke to build upon, and his pillow, to ſleepe upon; when his ground brought forth plentifully, and he had built new barnes to lay up his fruits, then he layes himſelfe down to ſleepe, and that he might ſleepe quickly and quietly, he ſings a requiem to his ſoule; Soule, thou haſt much goods layed up for many yeares, take thine eaſe, eate, drinke and be merry; No face can be more unanſwerable to a face, Heaven and Hell, light and darkeneſſe, are not more unlike, then theſe words of the rich man are unanſwerable in likeneſſe, to thoſe words of Job. That rich mans words are the affirmatives of all Jobs negatives, and may be thus rendred in full ſenſe, I was, (and I reſolved I ſhould ſo continue,) in ſafety, at reſt and quiet. Jobs eſtate was as full as his, but his heart was emptied of all creature confidence and complacence, I (ſaid he) never thought my ſelfe the ſafer for theſe, and therefore I ſaid to my ſoule, ſoule, take not thy reſt, quiet not thy ſelfe in theſe: This is his intent in ſaying, I was not in ſafety, neither had I reſt, nor was I quiet. It followes,
Yet, (though it was thus with me) trouble came, though my heart was looſe from the creature, yet I loſt all I had in the creature: though I made not the world my comfort, yet I found ſorrow in the world; I never expected much peace in it, none at all from it, yet trouble came, ſuch trouble came, as might move and ſhake me to peeces. Job, you ſee, when he had abundance of all outward things, yet ſaith, he was not in ſafety, and at quiet, hee did not reſt in or upon them. Hence obſerve, A godly man never ſetteth up his reſt in creatures. Though he have never ſo much riches in poſſeſſion, yet he doth not make riches his portion. He lives by that caution, (Pſal. 62.10.) If riches flow in or encreaſe, yet ſet not thine heart upon them, In the higheſt flood, and ſpringtide of worldly proſperity, we ſhould keepe our hearts within the channell; When riches are encreaſed into a mountaine, and (to the eye of nature) into a mountaine of rocks, yet then doe not ſet thy heart upon them, as upon a foundation,foreign (ſo the Hebrew word imports) to ſettle thy contentments: All the creatures in Heaven and earth, are not ſtrong enough to beare the weight of a mans heart, (God only can doe that) who is the rocke of ages, or an everlaſting strength, Iſa. 26.3. all, beſides him, is a foundation of ſand, and ſo a godly man takes them. What nature lookes at as a foundation of rockes, that grace ſees to be a foundation of ſand, and therefore will not reſt upon it, neither indeed can it. A godly man in his afflictions is, as having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things, (2 Cor. 6.10.) and in his aboundance, he hath all things, but poſſeſſeth nothing: for he ſo poſſeſſes things, as if he did not poſſeſſe them, as the Apoſtles counſell is, (1 Cor. 7.31.) He marries as if he married not, he weepes as if he wept not, he rejoyces as if he rejoyced not, he buyes as if he poſſeſſed not, becauſe the faſhion of this world paſſeth away. It was an excellent ſpeech of Luther, concerning worldly things, I have proteſted, that I will never be ſatisfied with the creature, (this is to be a Proteſtant indeed, as well as in truth.) A godly man is an Epicure in Christ, he would never play the Epicure, but in Christ and in God: In them, and towards them, he gives his affections their full ſwing, and as a wicked man is ſaid to enlarge his deſires (after the earth) as Hell, (Hab. 2.5.) ſo he enlarges his deſires (after Heaven) as Heaven, and complaines his deſires are no larger. In the thoughts of Chriſt he ſits downe, and would take his fill, he ſaith, I am ſafe in him, I am quiet and at reſt; He ſaith to his ſoule, ſoule, doeſt thou ſee That Chriſt, and doeſt thou take notice of thoſe promiſes? Thou haſt goods layed up in him, in them for many yeares, yea for eternity, ſoule take thine eaſe, take it fully, thou haſt riches, thou haſt an eſtate that can never be ſpent, ſoule, eate, drinke and be merry; his blood is drinke indeed, and his fleſh is meate indeed, joy in Chriſt is joy indeed, unſpeakeable joy here, and fullneſſe of joy hereafter: In his preſence there is fulneſſe of joy, and at his right hand there are pleaſures for evermore. Untill the ſoule pitches thus on Chriſt, it is not in ſafety, much leſſe in reſt or quiet. As the needle in the compaſſe is in continuall motion till it points towards the North, where (as it is conceived) there are rocks of Load-ſtone with which it ſympathiſeth: So the ſoule is in continuall motion, untill it points to Chriſt, who (we are ſure) is that living rock, with whom all beleevers ſympathiſe, and the true Load-ſtone which attracts all beleevers to him. A beleever, like Noahs Dove, finds no reſt (all the world over) for the feete of his ſoule, untill he returnes to this Arke of ſafety and ſalvation: And therefore after all his flights and flutterings among the creatures, he ſaith (with the Pſalmiſt) returne unto thy reſt, (thy Chriſt) O my ſoule, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, Pſal. 116.7. Thou haſt been abroad in the world, and that (like a narrow-hearted Maſter) deales niggardly with thee; If thou ſhouldeſt ſtay long, either in the ſervice of, or dependance upon the world, the world would ſtarve thee: Therefore returne unto thy reſt, in the Lord, for the Lord hath dealt, (and will yet deale, more) bountifully with thee, O my ſoule.
Laſtly, In that Job ſaith, I was not in ſafety, neither had I rest, &c. yet trouble came. We may obſerve,
That, the more our hearts are looſened from the creatures, the more aſſurance we may have of enjoying the creatures. It is as if Job had ſaid, I was not faſtned to the world, my heart was not engaged to any thing on this ſide Chriſt: and this was the faireſt, the moſt probable way for the continuance of my outward comforts; yet trouble came. The redditive particle, yet, ſuppoſes ſomewhat in reaſon or probability at leaſt, that might have carried it another way. As when the Prophet Amos, reckoning up the judgements of God upon his people, ſpeakes to them thus in his Name, (chap. 4.6, 8 9.) I have ſent you cleaneneſſe of teeth, yet have you not returned unto me, I have ſent you the peſtilence, the ſword, yet have you not returned unto me. The yet, ſhewes there was great reaſon, God ſhould expect their returne, or that he had done that, which in all probability, might have cauſed them to returne, when he ſent thoſe judgements. So here, when Job ſaith, I was not in ſafety, &c. yet trouble came; The yet, implies that there was ſomewhat even in that unquietneſſe, which gave him hopes of ſettlement in his outward comforts: It ſeemes to carry ſuch a ſenſe in it, as if he had in more words explained himſelfe thus. Had I dwelt ſecurely, and given my ſelfe up, to the contentments of my fleſh, or truſted in an arme of fleſh, for ſafety, I ſhould not have wondred at my calamity, or thought ſtrange of my trouble; But this is a riddle which I cannot yet expound, that when my heart was no way ſet upon my eſtate, my eſtate ſhould fall, That when I rested not in the creature, I ſhould meet with ſuch troubles in the creature. This is not the manner of God, It is not uſuall for God to doe thus, in his diſpenſations toward his people and ſervants. It is very rare, that he takes their outward comforts from them, when they are not taken with their comforts. Hence it is (as I apprehend) that Job putteth it in with a yet trouble came. This way of God with me, is out of the ordinary courſe of providence. I confeſſe Mercer, a very learned commentator, doth not favour this expoſition, of laying ſuch a weight upon the particle yet, Non place… quod quidam putant Jobum velle hoc loco, quod non intimuerit, ne que inſ…lentior fuit rebus affluentib…s, & tam… i… haec mala inciderit. Mercer.and therefore renders the Originall (Vau) as a bare copulative. I was not in ſafety, &c, And trouble came. Yet having the authority of our tranſlation, and the frequent uſe of the word to that ſenſe in other places, we may venture upon it; yea I thinke it is no venture, but a certaine advantage both to the Text and to our ſelves. And I am certaine the poſition is true, though the expoſition ſhould not prove ſo: For the truth is, troubles are never ſo neere, as when we put them furtheſt off: Nor is the world ever ſo unſure to us, as when we make ſureſt of it. God often pulls their comforts from them, whoſe hearts are glued to their comforts; As it is ſaid of thoſe in the 1 Theſ. 5.3. when they ſhall ſay, peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction ſhall come upon them, as paine upon a woman in travaile, and they ſhall not eſcape; Marke, when they ſhall ſay, that is, conclude all's their own, when out of the aboundance of their hearts their mouthes ſpeake of nothing but of peace and ſafety, all is well, and all will be well, then ſudden deſtruction cometh: When a man ſaith, I have riches, I have a full eſtate, I have honour, I am a happy man, I may take my reſt; then poverty, want, diſgrace, miſery, vexations and troubles, fall upon him as an armed man. Thus for the moſt part God wreſts the creatures ſooneſt out of their hands, who hold them faſteſt. In the 17th. of Luke, Chriſt inſtanceth in the dayes of Noah, and in the dayes of Lot, when they were ſecure, buying and ſelling, building and planting, marrying and giving in marriage, as if the world had been their own, and as if they meant to take the heart of it out, and leave a poore world for the next age, then the flood came, and then fire came, and they with theirs were ſwept away and conſumed, as in a moment. The Maſter of the ſervant in the Goſpell, ſhall come in a day: in what day? Firſt, in a day when he looked not for him. Secondly, in a day when his heart was let out upon the creature, when he ſhall be eating and drinking with the drunken, when he ſhall be ſmiting his fellow ſervants; when he ſhall thinke all ſure, and the day his own, in that day ſhall his Maſter come, even in the day that he looketh not for him, and in an houre when he is not aware, Luk. 12.45, 46 To have the ſpirit ſteept and drencht, in worldly pleaſures or profits, endangers us, to ſome ſuddaine ſweeping judgement: And when we value the enjoyment of the creature more then we ought, we ſhall not long enjoy it ſo much as we might. Earthly things faile us ſooneſt, when we truſt in them, or thinke our ſelves ſafe by them.
From this obſerve (in paſſage) a vaſt difference betweene God and the world, betweene earthly things and ſpirituall; the way to hold ſpirituall things faſt, is to take faſt hold of them, to cleave to them, with a full purpoſe of heart, never to let them goe; If you carry looſe affections towards Chriſt, you may quickly looſe the comforts of his preſence: The more we reſt upon Chriſt, the more we truſt on God, and make him our ſafety, the more ſafe we are, Him doth God eſtabliſh in peace peace, in perfect peace, whoſe mind is ſtayed upon him, even becauſe he truſts upon him, Iſa. 26.3. We have moſt peace from God, when we expect moſt, and may looke for more reſt and quiet, when we reſt quietly in him, and ſay, in God I have enough, yea as Jacob, (Gen. 33.11.) I have all. But if you would have reſt in the world, ſay as the Prophet Micah directs, (chap. 2.10.) This is not our reſt. Keepe your hearts at a due diſtance from the world, and you ſhall (moſt probably) keep the world; What Chriſt ſpeakes of this life, is true of the things of this life; He that will looſe, (that is, he who is ready) to looſe the things of this life, ſhall ſave them: and he that will ſave, that is, he who is reſolved to ſave the things of this life, ſhall looſe them; put them out of your hearts, and you may hold them in your hands: you ſtand firmeſt upon the earth, when you doe but touch it, and touch it (as a round body doth a plaine) only in a point. You are freeſt, from danger, when you ſay, we are not in ſafety: freeſt from motion when you ſay, wee are not in reſt: And when (in Jobs ſenſe) you are not quiet, then (according to the ordinary dealings of God, with his people) you are furthest from trouble.
So much concerning this Chapter, containing Jobs bitter curſe upon the day of his birth, and his vehement expoſtulation about the continuance of his life.
His three friends ſtood ſilent all this while; much divided between compaſſion and indignation: they pittied his ſad afflictions, but they were angry (and they thought, they had reaſon to be angry, in the behalfe of God) with his impatience and complaint. Their zeale kindled, their hearts wax't hot within them, while they were thus mute and muſing, the fire burned and brake forth, at laſt they ſpake (every man in his order) with their tongues: A hot diſpute enſues, Eliphaz begins, the reſt follow; after a long ventilation and debate, God himſelfe (appearing as Moderator) ſtates the queſtion betweene them, determines and concludes for Job, againſt thoſe three; Yee have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right as my ſervant Job hath, chap. 42.7. To this God, the moſt wiſe, the only wiſe God, the infallible Moderator of all perſons, actions, things and queſtions both in Heaven and upon the Earth, be glory and praiſe for ever. Amen.
FINIS.