Exposition of Job 1-3, Biblical commentary · Job 1.5, 6
JOB 1. part of verſe 5. and verſe 6.
And roſe up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job ſaid, It may be that my ſonnes have ſinned, and curſed God in their hearts; Thus did Job continually.
Now there was a day when the ſonnes of God came to preſent themſelves before the Lord, and Satan came alſo among them.
NOw followes the ſecond Act of Jobs holy care, He roſe up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all.
It is ill to performe a holy duty with neglect of preparation, It is as bad to make preparation and then neglect the duty. We ſee both joyned in Job, he is carefull to prepare, and he is as diligent to performe.
He roſe up early.] This notes the extraordinary diligence and zeale of Job toward God in this duty. He was ſo zealous, that he riſeth not only in the morning, but early in the morning. In Scripture, to doe a thing in the morning, and to doe a thing diligently, are the ſame; Pſal. 101.8. I will early destroy the wicked of the Land, the word is, I will destroy the wicked of the Land in the morning, and the meaning is only this, I will with all diligence and all care roote out of the Land all wicked perſons. So there is an expreſſion, Prov. 7.15. which illuſtrates this; where the wicked woman, the harlot tells the young man, that ſhee came forth to meete him and diligently to ſeek his face: the originall word there is, to ſeek thy face in the morning; and yet we know, that in verſe 9. it was in the twi-light, in the evening that ſhe met him. But the Hebrew phraſe is, I came forth in the morning to ſeeke thy face, that is (as it is rendred) I came forth diligently to ſeeke thy face. So this comming forth of Job in the morning, bebeſides the time, that it was at ſuch an houre, the beginning of the day; notes the great diligence and exceeding care of Job about this worke.
Yet more exactly, it is not only ſaid, he roſe in the morning (for there is a great latitude in the morning, there are divers houres which all are called morning) but it is ſaid he roſe early in the morning, in the very beginning or firſt of the morning. As it is commanded, Exod, 23.19· The first of the firſt fruits of the Land thou ſhalt bring into the houſe of the Lord. God would not only have the first fruits, but the first of the first fruits, if there were any ripe ſooner then others, God would have them; ſome fruits that ripen'd after, were firſt fruits, but God would have the very firſt of them. So here, Job gave God not only the firſt fruits of the day, but the earlieſt time, in the morning, which is the firſt of the firſt fruits of the day.
Early in the morning.
Then Obſerve,
1. That it is Gods due and our duty, to dedicate the morning, the first and best of every day unto God.
Pſal. 5.3. My voice ſhalt thou heare in the morning, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will looke up. We have a ſaying among us, that the morning is a friend to the Muſes, that is, the morning is a good ſtudying time. I am ſure it is as true, that the morning it is a great friend to the Graces, the morning is the beſt praying time.
Againe, In that Job did riſe ſo early in the morning to offer ſacrifice, and did this becauſe he was afraid that his ſonnes had ſinned (as we ſhall ſee afterward,) Hence Obſerve,
2. That it is not ſafe to let ſinne lye a moment unrepented of or unpardon'd upon our own conſciences or the conſciences of others.
If a mans houſe be on fire, he will not only riſe in the morning, or early in the morning, but he will riſe at mid-night to quench it; certainly when you have guilt on your ſoules, you have a fire in your ſoules, your ſoules are on a flame: therefore you had need riſe and riſe early, and get up as ſoon in the morning as you can to get it quenched and put out.
And offered burnt-offerings.] There were divers ſorts of Sacrifices among the Jewes, when the law or rules of ſacrificing were eſtabliſhed. There were, firſt, Whole burnt-offerings. Lev. c. 1. c. 2. c. 3 &c. foreign2. Trespaſſe-offerings. 3. Sinne-offerings. 4. Peace-offerings. That which Job is here ſaid to offer, was a burnt-offering, an Holacoſt or whole burnt-offering, ſo called, becauſe it was altogether conſumed; there was no part of it reſerved for the Prieſt, or for the people, but all was offered up unto God. Of other Sacrifices, as the ſinne-offering and treſpaſſe-offering, there were parts and portions reſerved for the Prieſt, and part of the Peace-offerings for the people, as you may ſee by that expreſſion of the Harlot, Prov. 7.14. I have at my houſe Shelamim, Peace-offerings; now they did feaſt upon the Peace-offering, for ſhe invited him to a feaſt. But the burnt-offering was wholly conſumed; the word in the Hebrew doth ſignifie, an aſcenſion, or a thing lifted up. He offered burnt-offerings, word for word out of the Hebrew, it is,foreign He lifted-up an elevation, he cauſed an Aſcenſion to aſcend, elevabat elevationem, or aſcendere fecit aſcenſionem; And it was ſo called, becauſe the Sacrifice which was a whole burnt-offering was all conſumed upon the altar. And did as it were evaporate or aſcend up unto God.
It was called a lifting-up, or a thing lifted-up for three Reaſons.
1. Becauſe when the Sacrifice was offered, the ſmoake of it did aſcend, and beſides there were ſweet odours put upon the Altar, which did fume up alſo with the Sacrifice towards heaven, and ſo the Sacrifice took it's denomination from aſcending and going upwards.
2. Becauſe the Prieſt when hee offered the Sacrifice, did lift it up upon the Altar, and hold it toward Heaven, to God.
3. Becauſe at that time when the Sacrifice was a burning, all the people that were preſent did lift-up their hands and their eyes, but eſpecially their ſoules▪ and their spirits heaven-wards, and powred themſelves forth in prayer unto God. That of David in Pſal. 141.2. will give ſome light to this, Let (ſaith he) my prayer be ſet forth before thee as incenſe, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice. David at that time (as Interpreters note upon the Pſalme) was barred the enjoyment of the publike ordinances, he could not come to ſacrificing as formerly he had done; now he ſeekes unto the Lord that he would accept of the lifting up of his hands and heart, in ſtead of Sacrifice; as if he ſhould ſay, Lord I have not a Sacrifice now to offer unto thee, I am hindered from that worke, I cannot lift that up; but I will lift up what I have, and what will pleaſe thee better then a Bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes, I will lift-up my hands and my heart unto thee, and let theſe be accepted for ſacrifice and all. Prayer (which is a Sacrifice of the Goſpell) it is nothing elſe but A lifting up of the ſoule, an elevation of the spirit unto God: So ſome of the Ancients call prayer, an Aſcending of the ſoule unto God; And in alluſion unto this, Hezekiah when he ſent to Iſaiah the Prophet to pray for him in that time of diſtreſſe and day of trouble, ſaith, Goe and deſire the Prophet to lift-up his prayer for the remnant that are left, alluding to the ſacrifices which were wont to be lifted up.2 Kin. 19▪ 4, The like expreſſion of prayer you have, Pſal. 25.1. Lord (ſaith David) I lift-up my ſoule unto thee. Hence Prayers not anſwered, not accepted, are ſaid to be ſtopt from aſcending, Lam. 3.44. Thou haſt covered thy ſelfe with a cloud, that our prayer ſhould not paſſe through. When you meet with ſuch expreſſions in the old Teſtament concerning prayer, you muſt ſtill underſtand them to be alluſions to the Sacrifices, becauſe the Sacrifices were lifted up and did aſcend. That for the Act.
For the perſon, It is ſaid that Job offered theſe Sacrifices, Job roſe early and offered ▪ &c. Was not this to uſurpe upon the Prieſts office?2 Chro. 26.18. Was it not this for which King Ʋzziah was reprehended and told by the Prieſts, It appertaineth not to thee, to burne Incenſe unto the Lord, but to the Prieſts, the ſonnes of Aaron; and was he not ſmitten with leproſie for doing of it?
I anſwer in a word by that rule of the Ancients. Distinguiſh the times and Scriptures will agree: It was Job that offered and Job had right to offer. The time wherein Job offered Sacrifice doth reconcile this; it was before the giving of the Law (as we have ſhewed in the opening of the former points about the time when Job lived) now in thoſe times the Father or the elder of the Family was as a Prieſt to the whole Family: and he had the power, and the right to performe all holy family duties; as the duty of ſacrificing and the like, this you may ſee carried along in all the times before the Law was given, in the holy Stories of the Patriarks, they ſtill offered up the Sacrifice.
But it may here be further inquired, If it were before the Law was given, who taught Job to offer Sacrifice? Where had he the rule for it?
I anſwer, this was not will-worſhip, though it was not written worſhip. For howſoever Job did offer Sacrifice before the Law of ſacrificing was written, yet he did not offer a Sacrifice before the Law of ſacrificing was given; for the Law of ſacrificing was given from the beginning, as all the other parts of worſhip uſed from the beginning were. God could never beare it, that men ſhould contrive him a ſervice; therefore Job did not offer up an offering unto God, according to his owne will, a thing that he had invented to pacifie and to pleaſe God with: God had been ſo farre from accepting, that he could not have borne ſuch a deviſed worſhip. God doth never truſt man with the making of holy Inſtitutions. There is nothing doth pleaſe him in any act of worſhip, unleſſe he ſees himſelfe obeyed, Obedience is better then Sacrifice, and therfore a Sacrifice which is not out of obedience cannot be accepted; he that ſacrificeth doth but offer up a beaſt, but he that obeyeth, offereth up himſelfe, ſacrificeth his owne will. It could not be therfore, but that Job had a word, a word as all the world had at that time; a word given by God, and ſo carried downe from one to another by tradition (as it was for more then 2000. yeares) All the will that God would reveale or had revealed to them was carried from hand to hand, or from heart to heart, from the Fathers to the children, till at the laſt the Law was written, and the Scripture penned by Moſes. So then Job offered Sacrifice according to an Inſtitution, though it was not an Inſtitution written, yet it was an Inſtitution ſent foorth and given by God Himſelfe.
Yet there is a third Quere upon it. Suppoſe that there was an Inſtitution of God for ſacrificing; why did God call for Sacrifices? What is his meaning?Pſal. 51.26. Doth God delight in the bloud of Bulls and Goats? Thou delighteſt not in ſacrifices (ſaith David) thou deſireſt not burnt offerings. And what was the Sacrifice unto Job, or unto his ſonnes? Could the killing of a Beaſt take away ſinne? Why then doth Job, when he feareth that his ſons had ſinned, goe preſently and offer Sacrifice?
For anſwer. It is true that the Sacrifices in themſelves were nothing, either to God or man; they could doe no good, they had no power in them, either to pacifie God or to purge the ſoules of men, But looke upon the Sacrifice, as it was an Inſtitution, and then God ſaw his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt in it, and was well-pleaſed: and likewiſe man beheld and believed Chriſt in it, and was purged. When the Sacrifice was offering, man ſaw Chriſt ſuffering, this tooke away his ſin and pacified his conſcience A Sacrifice in it ſelf, as it was the killing or burning of a Beaſt had no vertue in it, but as it had reſpect unto Chriſt, ſo God ſaw the death of his ſon, and that ſatisfied him, and man ſaw the death of his Saviour, and that juſtified him.
Againe, it was not the bare Sacrifice that was effectuall, but the faith of Job, and the faith of his ſons carried up in prayer; theſe mingled with the Sacrifice wrought the cure. Therfore we find in the time of the Sacrifice, ſtill the people were at prayer, they knew the Sacrifice, the Incenſe, could doe nothing, but as joyned with the faith of the Sacrificer in prayer. We reade, Luk. 1.10. when Zacharias the Prieſt was offering the Incenſe within in the Temple, the Text ſaith, that the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of Incenſe. The Incenſe might burne long enough, and yet the anger of God burne too, the Incenſe might burne, and yet the people not purified, but conſumed. But while the Incenſe was burning, while the Sacrifice was offering, the people were praying and beleeving. Theſe actings of faith, and powrings out of prayer made the Sacrifice as effectuall for man, ſo acceptable unto God.
Then in that he offered burnt-offerings, which burnt-offerings were made when he feared that his ſons had ſinned, theſe offerings typing out and leading them to Chriſt and his death; We may note this,
That Chriſt was ever the only remedy and cure of ſin.
As ſoone as ever there vvas any feare of ſinne, preſently they had recourſe to a ſacrifice; and what was that? They went to Chriſt. Chriſt hath been the helpe againſt ſin in all the generations of the world from the firſt,1 Joh. 2.1. and will be to the laſt. If any man ſin (ſaith the Apoſtle John) we have an Advocate with the Father Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our ſinnes, He is the Propitiatory Sacrifice for our ſins. It follows,
According to the number of them all] That is, he offered for each of his ſonnes a Sacrifice. There were ſome Sacrifices, which did ſerve for the whole Congregation, as we may ſee in Levit. 4.13, 14. and in divers other Chapters of that booke. Beſides theſe there were perſonall Sacrifices, Levit. 1. where the Lawes about Sacrifices are ſet forth; If any ſoule had ſinned, that particular ſoule muſt come to the Prieſt, and bring a Sacrifice for his ſin. So here, Job doth not offer only one generall family ſacrifice for them all, but he offereth up a distinct particular ſacrifice for every particular ſon. This teacheth us.
Firſt, That every one is ſaved and pardoned by the ſpeciall and particular actings of his owne faith, Every ſoule muſt beleeve for it ſelfe.
Every one muſt have a ſacrifice. We have Congregationall prayers, and we have perſonall prayers; now it is not enough for people to pray in publike with the Miniſter, or for the Miniſter (who is the mouth of the Congregation to God) to offer up a prayer for the pardon of the people. But every one muſt apart and by himſelfe ſue out his own pardon, which is, as it were, his owne ſacrifice, by offering up and tendering of Jeſus Chriſt unto God for the pardon of his ſins.
Then againe you may note, in that Job offered a Sacrifice for every one of his ſons.
That it is not enough for Parents to pray in generall for their children, but they ought to pray particularly for them.
As Parents who have many children, provide portions according to the number of them all, and proportion out their care perſonally, according to the number of them all; and in the Family they provide meat and cloathing, according to the particular number of them all. So likewiſe they ought to be at a proportionable expence in ſpirituals, to lay out and lay up prayers and interceſſions, according to the number of them all; not only to pray in generall, that God would bleſſe their children and their family, but even to ſet them one by one before God, and ſo beg and ſue out a ſpeciall bleſſing upon the head of every one of them, as without all queſtion Job did, when the Sacrifice for every ſon was made, he ſent up a prayer to God for the pardon and acceptance of every ſon. That for the opening of the ſecond act in the Text, firſt he ſent and ſanctified them; and ſecondly, he offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all.
Now follows the ground or the reaſon of this act of Job, both in ſanctifying them and in offering Sacrifices for them. For Job ſaid it may be my ſonnes have ſinned and curſed God in their hearts.
Holy duties muſt be grounded upon reaſon. There muſt be a reaſon why we pray, before we pray, we muſt ſee cauſe for it, and great cauſe too. To pray out of cuſtome and formality, to offer ſacrifice onelyonly, becauſe it is a day of Sacrifice, is not praying nor ſacrificing. Job had a ſpeciall reaſon, For Job ſaid it may be my ſons have ſinned.
Let us examine the reaſon a little, It may be my ſons have ſinned. What is it come to an it may be with Job that his ſons have ſinned? What ſons had Job? Surely they were more than men, that the Father is but at a Queſtion, whether his ſonnes have ſinned or no? Solomon after an If concerning ſin, reſolves it into a concluſion, 1 King. 8.46. If (ſaith he) they ſinne againſt thee (here he makes a ſuppoſition, but you ſee he goes not one ſtep from it before he makes a direct aſſertion) for (ſaith he) there is no man that ſinneth not: and yet Job puts it with anuncorrected If, or, it may be my ſons have ſinned.
For the opening of this. Without all queſtion Job was fully and thoroughly ſtudied in that point of the univerſall corruption of man; his disputings (as we ſhall ſee afterwards in this booke) ſufficiently evince it. What is man (ſaith he) that he ſhould be perfect, … he that is borne of a woman that he ſhould be cleane? Here, by ſinning then, we are to underſtand ſomething more than ordinary ſinning. To ſin ſometime is put for common and daily infirmities, ſuch as doe inſeparably and inevitably cleave unto us, ſuch as conſidering the ſtate and condition wherin we are, having corrupt fleſh and bloud about us, we cannot be freed from. As a man who in the morning waſheth his hands and goes abroad about his buſineſſe and affaires in the world, though he doth not puddle in the mire or take among dung-hils: yet when he returnes home againe to dinner or at night, if he waſh, he finds that he hath contracted ſome uncleanneſſe, and that his hands are foule; we cannot converſe in an uncleane and dirty world with our bodies, but ſome uncleanneſſe will faſten upon them. So it is with the ſoule, the ſoules of the beſt, of the pureſt, of the holieſt, though they do not rake in the dung-hill, and wallow in the mire of ſin baſely and filthily, yet they doe from day to day, yea from moment to moment contract ſome filth and uncleanneſſe. And in this ſenſe it is that there is no man that liveth and ſinneth not. Every man hath a Fountaine of Ʋncleanneſſe in him, and there will be ever ſome ſinne, ſome filthineſſe bubbling and boyling up, if not flowing forth.
Secondly, To ſin is put for ſome ſpeciall act of ſin, that which in Scripture is called a Fall; If any man be overtaken with a fault, you that are ſpirituall reſtore him. And in this ſenſe the Apoſtle John ſaith (which is a cleare anſwer to this doubt, and doth open the terme) I write unto you little children, that you ſinne not. 1 Joh. 2.1.He did not write to them an impoſſible thing, he writ to them, about that which in a Goſpell ſenſe, they might attain unto.
There are 3 degrees of ſinning.
1. There is one kind of ſinning, which is called a daily infirmitie, which the Saints of God, the beſt in this life are not freed from.
2. There is another kind of ſinning,1 Joh. 3.9. which is to ſinne wilfully and with pure delight; and thus, he that is borne of God cannot ſinne.
3. There is another kind of ſinning, which is called falling into ſinne, or the falls of the Saints, and ſometimes we know they have fallen into great and ſcandalous ſins: In this ſenſe it is that the Apoſtle ſaith, Little children I write to you that you ſinne not. That is; though you have daily infirmities, yet take heed of ſcandalous ſinnings. So here in the Text, where it is ſaid, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned. It is not meant either in the firſt or ſecond ſenſe; it is not meant, as if he thought his ſons were without infirmities, nor is it meant that he did ſuſpect them of thoſe ſins (which are indeed incompatible with the ſtate of grace) ſins of perfect wilfulneſſe and of malice or the like: but it is of thoſe ſins in the middle ſort. It may be my ſons have ſinned, that is, have ſinned ſo as to provoke God and ſcandalize men in this their feaſting, in their meeting together.
We may note from that firſt,
He that liveth without groſſe ſinnes, in a Gospell ſenſe, liveth without ſin.
To be without great and groſſe ſinne is our holineſſe upon earth; to be without any ſinne, is the holineſſe of Heaven. He that liveth without fault, ſine querela (as it is ſaid of Zachary and Elizabeth, that they lived blameleſly) in Gospell account, is ſaid to live without any ſin at all.
Another point we may collect from this [It may be my ſonnes have ſinned.] Certainly then Jobs ſonnes were godly. If Job be at a queſtion whether they have ſinned, they were godly without queſtion.
When a man lives ſo, that he leaves onelyonly a ſuſpition that he hath ſinned, we may be at a concluſion that he is ſanctified. For other perſons can do nothing elſe, but ſin, even in holy actions, much more in civill or naturall.
Again [It may be my ſonnes have ſinned] it was a ſuſpition in Job concerning his children. Hence obſerve,
It is no breach of charity to ſuspect ill of others, while we intend their good.
Indeed upon an It may be, upon a peradventure to accuſe and charge another, is very uncharitable; but upon a peradventure, or an It may be, ſuch a one, my child, or my friend, or my brother hath ſinned, to be put to pray for him, this is very charitable. A good heart turnes it's ſuſpitions of others ſinnings and failings into prayers and interceſſions, that they may be pardon'd; not into accuſations and ſlanders, that they may be defam'd. The uſe which Job made here of his ſuſpition of his ſonnes ſinning was to turne it into prayer and ſupplication for the pardon of their ſinne.
One thing further from this, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned. Job knew of no evill, that his ſons had committed, he had no report that we reade of that his ſons had behaved themſelves unſeemely in their meetings and feaſtings; he onelyonly doubteth, he only is jealous and afraid that they had: yet at this time he prayeth and ſacrificeth and laboureth a reconcilement for them. Note from hence,
A ſuſpiti…n that we our ſelves or others have ſinned against God, is ground enough for us to ſeeke a reconcilement for our ſelves or others with God.
If you that are tender Parents have but a ſuſpition, if there be but all, it may be, that your child hath the Plague or taken the infection, will it not be ground enough for you to goe preſently and give your child a good medicine? If any one of you have but a ſuſpition, that either your ſelves or your friends have taken poyſon, though you be not certaine of it, will it not be ground enough for you to take or to give an Antidote preſently. Sinne is as a plague, it is as a poyſon, therefore while you have but a ſuſpition, either of your ſelves or of others, that you have ſinned or failed thus or thus; here is ground enough for you to take an Antidote, to take a Preſervative, to ſeeke all the meanes you can to heale your ſoules and to make your peace with God.
And if Iob prayed thus, when he only ſuſpected his ſons had ſinned: what ſhall we ſay of thoſe Parents, who are little troubled, when they ſee and know their ſons have ſinned.
It is ſafeſt to repent even of thoſe ſinnes we only feare we have committed: for then we ſhall be ſure to repent of thoſe we have committed. A ſcrupulous conſcience grieves for what it ſuſpects, a feared conſcience is not grieved for what it is certaine either it ſelfe or others have done amiſſe.
Laſtly, Where had Iobs ſonnes beene that he is thus ſuſpitious? Had they beene in any ſuſpected place? No, it was only in their owne houſes. Had they beene about any unlawfull thing? No, it was only at a friendly meeting, feaſting of brothers and ſiſters together. Yet Iob is affraid leaſt his ſonnes had ſinned. Hence obſerve, That
We may quickly offend and breake the Law while we are about things in their own nature lawfull, eſpecially in feaſting.
It is an eaſie matter to ſinne while the thing you are about is not ſinnefull, nay while the thing you are about is holy. We may ſuſpect our ſelves that we have ſinned when we have beene praying, much more then when we have beene feaſting; We may ſuſpect our ſelves that we have ſinned when we have beene hearing the word, ſpeaking the word, juſt cauſe then much more we have to ſuſpect our ſelves when we have beene trading, buying or ſelling, and working abroad in the world. Lawfull things are oftentimes the occaſion of unlawfull. All the ſinnes of the old world are deſcribed thus, they eate, they dranke, they bought, they ſold, Luk. 17.27, 28.they planted, &c. There is not one of theſe an act evill in it ſelfe, yet they ſinned away their peace, and ſinned away their ſoules, in dealing about theſe things. Therefore as you muſt be afraid of all things in their owne nature unlawfull, ſo be jealous of your ſelves in things that are lawfull. It followes,
And curſed God in their hearts.
Interpreters are much divided about the ſence of theſe words.
Firſt, Some obſerve that the Hebrew word Barach, doth ſignifie not only to bleſſe, but to bow the knee; So it is uſed 2 Chron. 6.13. Solomon at the dedicating of the Temple had made a braſen ſcaffold, and upon it he ſtood and kneeled downe upon his knees before all the Congregation. The word there kneeled downe upon his knees, in the Originall is the ſame here uſed. But
foreignThen further, the word Elohim, is uſed in Scripture, not only for the true God, for God himſelfe: but it is applied ſometimes to Angels, and ſometimes to Idols, to Devill gods, to falſe gods. Exod. 18.11. Now I know that the Lord is greater then all gods, ſc. then all the Idols that the Egyptians did truſt upon.
foreignThey obſerve further, that the Hebrew Leb, [in their hearts Bilebabbam] doth ſignifie not only the heart, but the middle or center of a thing. As when it is ſaid in the Scripture, they went downe into the middeſt of the Sea,Pſal. 46.2. the word is, they went downe into the heart of the Sea; and in the middeſt of the earth, it is the heart of the earth;2 Sam. 18.18. And ſo when it is ſaid that Abſolom was hanging in the middeſt of the Oake, the Originall word is, he was left hanging in the heart of the Oake. From all all theſe acceptions of the ſingle termes, the ſenſe is made up thus; It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, &c. that is, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, bowing downe to the falſe gods that are in the middeſt of them: I confeſſe Feaſting and falſe-worſhip, ſenſuality and Idolatry goe often together, Exod. 32.6. When the Golden Calfe was made, they ſate downe to eate, &c. And Moſes foretells, Deut. 31.20. When they ſhall have eaten and filled themſelves and waxen fat, then will they turne unto other gods. Yet I cannot admit this of Jobs children: ſurely he who had beſtowed ſo much care in their inſtitution, and had them ſtill under his eye, could not ſuſpect them of degenerating ſo ſoone into ſuch palpable Idolatry.
Secondly, Others take the word [Barach,] in the Originall, in its proper ſenſe, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, and bleſſed God; and they expound and open it thus. It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, and inſtead of being humbled and ſeeking to God for the pardon of their ſinnes, they have rejoyced and bleſſed God. Juſt as if a Theefe that hath ſped well and hath got a good prey, ſhould thanke God that he hath proſpered ſo well in his wickedneſſe: So here (as if Job ſhould ſay) my ſonnes have done ill in their feastings, and they are ſo farre from being humbled, that they have bleſſed God in their hearts: they have bin lifted up, they have given God thanks for the plenty of creatures, but have not repented for their abuſe of the creatures. So we may interpret it by that place, Zach. 11.4. where there is ſuch an expreſſion, the Lord ſpeaking to Chriſt ſaith. Feede the flock of the ſlaughter; whoſe poſſeſſours ſtay them and hold themſelves not guilty. (They that ſhould have beene the feeders of the flock, inſtead of feeding them, have deſtroyed them; yea they doe this and hold themſelves not guilty) and they that ſell them ſay, bleſſed be the Lord, for I am rich. They grew rich by ſelling ſoules, (as many ſince have lived by the ſame trade, ſtarving the people to feed themſelves,) the juſt character of an idle Idoll ſhepheard, and then they ſaid, Bleſſed be God we are growne very rich, and have got much goods though we have done little good. This is a ſecond interpretation and a cleare one, only me thinks it layes too high a ſtaine of wickedneſſe on Jobs ſonnes; It is one of the greateſt wickedneſſes for a man to bleſſe himſelfe in his ſinnes: but for a man to bleſſe God in his ſinnes, is farre worſe.
Thirdly, Others interpret Benedicere by Valedicere, bleſſing by departing. Thus, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned and departed from God in their hearts: and they bring ſome Texts of Scripture wherein the word [Barach] ſignifies to depart, or to take leave, and goe away: as Gen. 47.10. Jacob bleſſed Pharaoh and went out from before Pharaoh, he bleſſed him and departed: So it is ſaid likewiſe of Joab, 2 Sam. 14.22, when he had obtained what he deſired, he fell to the ground on his face and bowed himſelfe, and thanked (or bleſſed) the King and went out. Now they would interpret this, Bleſſed God in their hearts, to the ſame ſenſe, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, and bleſſed God in their hearts, that is, have departed from God in their hearts. Indeed every ſinne is a departure from God, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes,Heb. 3.12. Take heed least there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe to depart from the living God. Sinne is a turning away from God, yet every ſinne is not, nay few ſins are a farewell to God. But I ſhall lay by this interpretation, for the proofes come not home, no nor neere the point. In both thoſe places, bleſſing is not put barely for departing; and beſides, departing in thoſe Texts is taken in a good ſenſe: Jacob departed from Pharaoh, not in a way of deſerting him, but in a way of ſaluting him: So Joab departed from the King, not that he did revolt from him, (as they would have the word to import a kind of revolting, and apoſtatizing from God) but onelyonly he did obeyſance and went away about his buſineſſe, therefore this interpretation cannot ſtand.
There is a fourth expoſition much laboured by Sanctius (and would it hold, it were an excellent expoſition) according to the letter of the Text; Thus, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, and not bleſſed God in their hearts; and ſo he makes thoſe words to be exegeticall, the explication of the former, what the ſinne of Jobs ſonnes was, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, and if you would know what they have ſinned in, I feare they have forgot to give God the glory for the refreſhing they have had by the creatures, they have not bleſſed God. This were an excellent and cleare ſenſe. But the way he takes to make it out, is very obſcure: For he doth it only by this rule, when (ſaith he) there is a negative particle in the former, a negative likewiſe is to be underſtood in the following clauſe. His rule he cleares by divers inſtances. But we find in th…s place no negative particle, as Non, or Ne, or the like, in the former part of the verſe; and how there ſhould be a negative in the latter, I cannot underſtand according to his rule: Ne fort…, (It is here ſaid,) It may be my ſons have ſinned, (that is a word of doubting not denyall, rather an affirmative then a negative,) and have not bleſſed; now ſaith he, though that particle (not) be not in the Hebrew, yet it muſt be underſtood of courſe, becauſe there is a negative particle in the former part: How he can make (ne forte) peradventure, a negative particle, I doe not well apprehend, yet the ſenſe in it ſelfe is very good, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, and not bleſſed God in their hearts.
Some would reade it with an Interrogation, (though I queſtion whether the Grammer will allow it,) Thus, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, and have they bleſſed God in their hearts? As if he had ſaid, I feare they have not bleſſed God, or not bleſſed him cordially; Neglect of, or ſlightneſſe in ſuch a duty, calls for ſacrifice.
Laſtly, That meaning which our Tranſlation leads unto is moſt commonly taken by Interpreters both Ancient and moderne; Namely, That here in this Text the word [Barach] is to be expounded by curſing, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned and curſed God in their hearts. I ſhall preſent you with the grounds of this Interpretation, and how it is made good. And then leave it to the Readers judgement, whether to chooſe this or thoſe former which have had any countenance ſhewed them. For in a Scripture which may without impeachment of any truth, admit divers ſences, I would not be ſo poſitive in one as to reject all others.
Now this Tranſlation is maintained by a figure, either by an Antiphraſis, which is the ſpeaking of a thing ſounding one way when it is meant another way, when there is an oppoſition betweene the letter of the word and the meaning of the word. Thus 1 King. 21.13. Naboth is charged for bleſſing God and the King. ſc. curſing. Or by an Euphemiſmus, that is, when ſome filthy or execrable matter is expreſſed, by a word of a fairer ſignification. So in Scripture, the uncleaneneſſe of ſome things is covered with a word, that ſo the offenſiveneſſe of it may be removed both from the eare and phancy. As for example, that veſſell wherein nature doth unburthen it ſelfe, it is called, a veſſell wherein there is no pleaſure: and ſo the word that the Hebrews uſe for a Harlot, Ier. 22.28. Hoſ. 8.8.ſignifies properly a Holy woman, as Gen. 38. when Judah asked whether they ſaw the harlot,foreign the word in the Hebrew (Kedeſah) ſignifies a holy woman, by an Antiphraſis, or by an Euphemiſmus. Yet ſome thinke a harlot ſo called, becauſe (holineſſe being the dedication of a thing or perſon,) ſuch dedicate and give themſelves up to, or are poſſeſs'd with a ſpirit of uncleaneneſſe. But to the Text; take it by an Euphemiſmus, or faire ſpeaking. It may be my ſonnes have ſinned and curſed God in their hearts: they even abhorring to uſe ſuch a word concerning God, expreſſe it by bleſſing, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned and bleſſed God in their hearts. So the Latines uſe the word, Sacrum pro execrand…, that which is the moſt execrable thing,Auri ſacra ſ… mes. they call a ſacred thing.
Now taking it thus according to the common ſtreame of Expoſitors upon the place, it may yet be doubted, how Job could ſuſpect his ſonnes of this, that they ſhould curſe God?
I anſwer to that. Here we are not to take curſing either for that abhominable act (at which Heathens bluſh,) the caſting of open reproach upon the Name of God: or for a malitious and virulent, though ſecret blaſpheming of God, and ſending defiance to Heaven in their hearts. But to curſe God in the heart, doth ſignifie any irreverent, undue, unfit, unholy thought of God, any thought unbecomming the Glory and Majeſty of ſo great a God, which how quickly the heart may ſend out, eſpecially at a feaſt, who feeles not, who findes not? God is ſaid to be curſed when he hath not that reverence and honour which belongs to him, whoſe Name is Holy and Reverent. In that ſenſe only we are to underſtand the word curſing here. And Mr. Broughton gives a tranſlation which lets in ſome light to this, It may be my ſonnes have ſinned, and little bleſſed God in our hearts, that is, they have not had ſuch high, ſuch holy thoughts of God as became them, they have little bleſſed God; careleſſe thoughts of God are little bleſſing of God, and both amount to a curſing of God.
So that the ſenſe which reſults is this, As if Job ſhould have ſaid, I am well enough ſatisfied concerning my ſonnes, that they have not broadly blaſphemed God, that they have not beene ſuch as have torne his Name with oathes, curſings and execrations: yet notwithstanding I know the heart is a deceitfull thing, there are many ſtarting holes in it, it quickly conceives, and cloſely conceales a ſinne; and therefore I am very doubtfull, though my ſonnes have carried it fairely and well in their actions and words while they feasted, that yet their hearts have been looſe, and their affections vaine, I am afraid they have curſed, lightly regarded, or little bleſſed God in their hearts.
Obſerve, Firſt,
That we ought to keepe our hearts with all manner of keeping, in every thing we goe about.
If your hearts are diſorderly, it is a kind of curſing God. Remember not only to keepe your hearts when you are praying and when you are hearing, and when you are in holy duties; but remember to keepe your hearts when you are feaſting and refreſhing your ſelves, when you are in your callings, when you are buying and ſelling, &c.
Secondly, Note,
That ſinnes of the heart, ſinnefull thoughts are very dangerous ſinnes.
Job could not accuſe his ſonnes of load blaſphemies, he only ſuſpected the ſilent ſinnes of the heart, yet he offereth ſacrifice for them.
Againe, When Iob hath nothing to charge his ſonnes with, but onelyonly ſinnes of the heart, you ſee it is with an It may be my ſonnes have curſed God in their hearts, he doth not ſpeake directly or poſitively, that they have done ſo. Whence note,
That no man can poſitively conclude what is wrought in the heart of another.
The heart is Gods peculiar, as he only hath the lock and key of the heart, to ſhut or open it, ſo he only hath a window to looke into it; we may gueſſe at the heart, we may ſay, it may be, further we cannot goe. The hearts of men often come forth at their mouthes, and appeare in their actions, and then indeed we may conclude their hearts are naught, For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh, and the hand worketh; but unleſſe we have that teſtimony, unleſſe the heart give that witneſſe againſt it ſelfe, we can only ſuſpect it; It may be thus or thus God alone can tell when we curſe him in our hearts, and (if we goe on impenitently in them,) irreverent thoughts will be interpreted a curſing of God.
Thus did Job continually.
This is the third thing to be opened in this verſe, to wit the conſtancy of Job. We have ſeene the Acts of his ſpirituall care, and the ground of it, his feare leaſt his ſonnes had ſinned. Now we have the conſtancy of this duty. Thus did Job continually.
Continually.] The Originall is, all the days, thus did Job, foreignCunctis diebus, all dayes, that is all the dayes that this occaſion did offer it ſelfe. When his ſonnes went to feaſting, then ever Job went to praying and to ſacrificing. Continually, or all the dayes, doth not import that Job did offer ſacrifice every day; This continually is to be underſtood in the renewed ſeaſons; All the dayes, are thoſe dayes wherein occaſion was given. We are then ſaid to doe a thing continually when we doe it ſeaſonably, ſo thoſe places of Scripture are to be underſtood: Pray without ceaſing;1 Theſ. 5.17. Eph. 6.18. not that a man ſhould doe nothing elſe but pray, but that he ſhould labour to have his heart in a praying frame alwayes, and ſhould actually pray as often as duty requires; ſuch an one prayes alwayes. So here, Iobs offering ſacrifice continually, noteth only the conſtancy and perſeverance of Iob in the duty, that ſo often as there was an occaſion renewed, Iob renewed this ſervice and holy care concerning his ſonnes, for reconciling them unto God. Iob had many other things to doe in the world, he had a calling, yet he offered ſacrifice continually.
It is an excellent point of ſpirituall wiſedome, to drive the two trades for Heaven and Earth ſo, as that one ſhall not intrench upon another; for a man to pray ſo as that it may be ſaid he prayes continually; and for a man to follow his calling ſo, as that it may be ſaid, he followes his calling continually. In that he offered ſacrifice as oft as his ſonnes did feaſt; Obſerve this,
That the heart of man is continually evill.
Doe not thinke that one ſacrifice will ſerve the heart of man, when it hath failed once in a duty, and thou haſt humbled thy ſoule for that, thinke not thus, now my heart will forbeare, when I come to ſuch a duty or to ſuch a buſineſſe again, now I have taken order with my heart, I need not feare any more; no, the heart will ſinne over the ſame ſinne a thouſand times, it will ſinne continually. You ſee here Iob ſacrificing every time his ſonnes feaſted, he knew their hearts were apt to conceive thoſe ſinnes at any time, therefore he ſeekes God for them at all times.
Further Obſerve,
That renewed ſinnes muſt have renewed repentance. Thus did Job continually. Till you have done ſinning you muſt never give over repenting. If there be a leake in the Ship that lets in the water continually, the Pumpe muſt worke continually to carry it out: We are leaking veſſels all of us, ſinne commeth in, ſin is renewed, there muſt be the pump of repentance to cary it out againe.
Laſtly, We may note this; Iob did it continually, Job was not good by fits.
That which a man doth out of conſcience, he will doe with perſeverance.
Nature will have good moods, but grace is steady. Thus did Job continually, whatſoever his affaires or buſineſſes were, whatſoever was laid by, he would not lay by this duty of ſacrificing.
Let this ſuffice for the 5th. verſe, containing the care of Job over the ſoules of his children. And ſo in theſe five verſes already opened, we have, Firſt, Seene the dignity and ſincerity of Jobs perſon. Secondly, The fullneſſe and proſperity of his condition. Thirdly, The holineſſe and piety of his life. Certainely a man thus raiſed, thus glorious; ſet up thus in temporalls and in ſpiritualls, thus furniſhed with ſubſtantialls and adorn'd with circumſtantials, abounding in whatſoever could make a man great and happy both in the eye of God and man; ſurely ſuch a man as this, a man thus compleate, wanted nothing but ſome want, to try his ſincerity in this fulneſſe. And now behold this haſtening upon him: God having thus fitted and qualified him, will now try him, try him like gold in the fornace of affliction. You may ſee matter gathering for this, and the fire kindling in the next part of the Chapter.
Verſe 6.
Now there was a day, when the ſonnes of God, came to preſent themſelves before the Lord, &c.
Take this in the generall from the connection of the two parts.
Ʋſually where God gives much grace, he tryes grace much.
To whom God hath given ſtrong ſhoulders, on him for the moſt part he layeth heavy burthens. As ſoon as Job is ſpoken of thus prepared, the next thing that follows is an affliction.
Now there was a day, &c.
And ſo we are come to the ſecond maine diviſion of the Chapter, which is the affliction of Job, and that is ſet forth from this 6th verſe to the end of the 19th. And leaſt we ſhould conceive it to have come upon him by chance, it is punctually deſcribed foure wayes.
1. By the cauſes of it. ver. 6, 7, &c,
2. By the inſtruments of it, ver. 15, 16. &c.
3. By the manner of it, ver. 14, 15, 16, &c.
4. By the time of it, ver. 13.
Firſt his afflictions are ſet forth in their cauſes, and that is done from the ſixth verſe to the end of the twelfth. And the cauſes are three-fold.
Firſt, The efficient cauſes, and they were two.
1. The ſupreame and principall efficient cauſe, and that was God, ordering and diſpoſing the affliction of Job.
2. The ſubordinate efficient cauſe, and that was Satan; he was an efficient but under God: Satan found out other inſtruments and tooles to doe it by, but he was an efficient ſubordinate unto God. And the Text diſcovers him three wayes.
1. By his diligence in tempting, ver. 7.
2. By his malice in ſlandering, ver 9, 10, 11.
3. By his cruelty in ſolliciting the overthrow and affliction of Job. ver. 11.
Secondly, We have the materiall cauſe of Jobs affliction, or in what matter he was afflicted; and that is laid downe; firſt poſitively in thoſe words, All that he hath is in thy power; that is, his outward eſtate, that was the matter wherein he was afflicted. Then it is laid downe negatively; in thoſe words, Only upon himſelfe put not forth thy hand. God doth ſet him out how farre the affliction ſhall go; in the things that he hath thou ſhalt afflict him, but thou ſhalt not meddle with his perſon, with his body or with his ſoule.
Thirdly, The finall cauſe of Jobs affliction, and that is, the practicall and experimentall determination, deciſion or ſtating of a great queſtion that was betweene God and Satan concerning Jobs ſincerity. God tells Satan that Job was a good and a juſt man; Satan he denies it, and ſaith that Job was an hypocrite. Now the determination of this queſtion was the generall finall cauſe of Jobs affliction. When on the one ſide God affirmes it, and on the other ſide Satan denies: how ſhall it be tryed? Who ſhall be the Moderatour and Ʋmpire between them? Satan will not believe God, and God had no reaſon to believe Satan: How then ſhould this be made out? It is as if Satan had ſaid, Here is your yea and my nay, this queſtion will never be ended or decided betweene us, unleſſe you will admit ſome courſe to have Job ſoundly afflicted. This will quickly diſcover what metall the man is made of; therefore let him come to the tryall, ſaith Satan. Let him, ſaith God, behold all that he hath is in thy power, doe thy worſt to him, onelyonly upon his perſon put not forth thy hand. So that I ſay the generall finall cauſe of Jobs affliction is the determination of the queſtion, the deciſion of the diſpute betweene God and Satan, whether Job was a ſincere and holy man or no.
And all this (to give you the ſumme of thoſe 6. verſes a little further,) is here ſet forth and deſcribed unto us after the manner of men, by an Anthropopathie: which is, when God expreſſes himſelfe in his actions and diſpenſations with and toward the world, as if he were a man. So God doth here, he preſents himſelfe in this buſineſſe after the manner of ſome great King ſitting upon his Throne, having his ſervants attending him, and taking an account of them, what they had done, or giving Inſtructions and Commiſſions to them what they ſhall doe. This I ſay God doth here after the manner of men, for otherwiſe we are not to conceive that God doth make certaine dayes of Seſſion with his creatures, wherin he doth call the good and bad Angels together about the affaires of the world; we muſt not have ſuch groſſe conceits of God, for he needs receive no information from them, neither doth he give them or Satan any formall Commiſſion; neither is Satan admitted into the preſence of God, to come ſo neare God at any time; neither is God moved at all by the ſlanders of Satan, or by his accuſations to deliver up his ſervants and children into his hands for a moment. But onelyonly the Scripture ſpeakes thus, to teach us how God carries himſelfe in the affaires of the world, even as if he ſate upon his throne, and call'd every creature before him, and gave each a direction, what and when and where to worke, how farre and which way to move in every action.
So that theſe 6. verſes following, which containe the cauſes of Jobs affliction are (as we may ſo ſpeake) the Scheme or draught of providence; (that may be the title of them.) If a man would delineat providence, he might doe it thus; ſuppoſe God upon his throne, with Angels good and bad, yea all creatures about him, and he directing, ſending, ordering every one, as a Prince doth his Subjects, or as a Maſter his ſervants, doe you this and doe you that, &c. ſo all is ordered according to his Dictate. Thus all things in Heaven and Earth are diſpoſed of by the unerring wiſdome, and limited by the Almighty power of God.
Such a repreſentation as this we reade in 1 King. 22.19. Where Micaiah ſaid to Ahab, Heare thou the word of the Lord, I ſaw the Lord ſitting upon his throne, and all the Hoaſt of Heaven ſtanding by him. And ſo he goeth on to ſhew how a ſpirit came and offered himſelfe to be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets. This is only a ſhadow of providence; there was no ſuch thing really acted, God did not conveene or call together a Synod of ſpirits to adviſe with (de Arduis Regni) about hard or doubtfull caſes; nor are wicked ſpirits admitted into his preſence, onelyonly by this we are inſtructed and aſſured that God doth as exactly order all things in Heaven and earth, as if he ſtood queſtioning or interrogating good Angels, men and devills concerning thoſe matters.
Having thus given ſome light about theſe ſix verſes in generall. I ſhall open the particulars.
Now there was a day.
The Jewiſh Rabbins trouble themſelves much to find out what day this was. They ſay it was the firſt day of the yeare. Others that it was the Sabbath day. But I account it a diſadvantage to a cleare truth when it is proved by an obſcure text. The Sabbath hath proofe enough before the law, though this be ſpared. The holy Ghoſt hath told us only that there was a day, or certain time.
When the ſonnes of God.
Hic locus apertè refellit Chryſoſtomū, qui negat angelos unquam vocari filios Dei. Druſ.In Gen. 6.2. The poſterity of Seth (who were the viſible Church at that time) are called the ſons of God. The unanimous conſent of all Expoſitors (I have met with) is, that here the ſonnes of God are the good Angels, ſo alſo they are called, Cap. 38.7. of this booke. Some it may be will object againſt this Expoſition that of the Apoſtle in Heb. 1.5: To which of the Angels ſaid he at any time, thou art my ſonne? How then doe you interpret here,Reade more of this point Chap. 2.1. where the whole verſe is repeated. that the ſons of God are the Angels, when as the Apoſtle hath expreſt, to which of the Angels, &c.
I anſwer that the Angells are not the ſonnes of God, as the Apoſtle there expreſſeth, they are not the ſonnes of God by eternall Generation; but they are the ſonnes of God by temporall Creation, for ſo he ſpeakes there, To which of the Angels ſaid he, thou art my ſonne this day have I begotten thee? They are not the begotten ſonnes of God, but they are the created ſonnes of God. And the Angels are called the ſons of God in 3 reſpects.
Firſt, Becauſe of their great and mighty power, therefore Eph. 1.21. they are called, Principalities and powers; far above principalities and powers, and might and dominions, that is, farre above all Angels. They are called the ſonnes of God, becauſe they are like God in power and dignity.
Then againe they are called the ſonnes of God, becauſe they ſerve God as ſonnes, chearfully, willingly, readily. They do not obey as ſlaves, as ſervants, as the beſt of ſervants, they obey better than the beſt of ſervants, they obey as children: they goe about their worke with filiall and ſonne-like chearfullnes and delight.
Thirdly, they are called ſonnes, becauſe of the great priviledge that God doth vouchſafe them, he doth uſe them as his children, as his ſonnes, they are his Courtiers, they are neare him alwaies attending him, and continually ſee his face. They have the priviledge of ſonnes.
Came to preſent themſelves before the Lord.
Not that the Angels are at any time out of the preſence of God, for Chriſt is expreſſe in that, Mat. 18.10. Their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father. But they are then ſaid to come and preſent themſelves before God, when they come upon ſome ſpeciall buſineſſe, or upon ſome ſpeciall occaſion. As it is with us here upon the Earth, we are never out of the preſence of God, for Pſal. 139. Whether ſhall I goe from thy preſence? Yet when we come to pray and are in other holy duties we are ſaid to preſent our ſelves before God, and to draw neare unto God, and God is ſaid to draw neare unto us at ſuch a time, and yet God is ever with us, and we ever with him. So when it is ſaid here, that the Angels came and preſented themſelves before the Lord, it noteth only this, their readineſſe, either to give an account of what they had done, or to receive directions from God what to doe. The Angels are moſt willing to goe about the ſervice and worke of God, and that is all that is here meant by their preſenting themſelves before the Lord, for otherwiſe they are ever in his preſence: as Luk. 1.19. The Angell anſwered and ſaid, I am Gabriel that ſtand in the preſence of God, and am ſent to speake unto thee. I am Gabriel that ſtand, he ſpeakes in the preſent time, even now while I am ſpeaking unto thee, I ſtand in the preſence of God. The Angell while he goeth into the world, is not abſent from God, he beholdeth the face of God alwayes. The Schoole-men have an odde diſtinction, they ſay there are aſſisting Angels and there are ministring Angels: Thoſe Angels that are aſſiſtants ſtand alwayes before God and never are ſent out about the world upon any occaſion; Others are miniſtring ſpirits, as Heb. 1.14. Are they not miniſtring spirits ſent forth to miniſter for them who are the heires of ſalvation? This is Schoole doctrine. But there needs no ſuch diſtinction of ſome to be aſſiſting or attending and ſome to be miniſtring Angels, for whereſoever they are, they are alwayes in the preſence of God: and their preſenting themſelves before God, notes only their preparedneſſe to attend the Lords ſervice in whatſoever he ſhall employ them.
And Satan came alſo among them.
That is, the chief of the evill Angels, as it is conceived. The word [Satan] ſignifieth an Adverſary, and ſo it is often times applied to men; as concerning Solomon, it is ſaid that while he did walke exactly with God, there was neither adverſary nor evill occurrant;1 King. 5.4. the word in the originall is, there was no Satan in his kingdome; and in the 1 King. 11.14. it is ſaid, The Lord ſtirred up Satan an Adverſary againſt Solomon; and that accuſation which thoſe wretches in Ezra c. 4. ſent againſt the building of Jeruſalem, is called Sitna, they ſent Sitna an accuſation or an oppoſing letter: It comes from the ſame root, any kind of oppoſition is called Sitna from Satan who is an oppoſer. It is ſometimes uſed more generally concerning any oppoſition, as the Angell that came to oppoſe Baalam, Numb. 22.34. I wiſt not (ſaith Baalam) that there was an adverſary that ſtood in the way.
But how can it be ſaid that Satan ſhould come among the ſons of God?
I ſaid before that it was but an alluding ſpeech to the dealings of men in their ſeſſions and aſſemblies, and there is no neceſſity to make every particular of it hold. Wee may conceive it thus.
Satan came alſo among them.
It is not ſaid that the ſons of God and Satan, came and preſented themſelves before the Lord; Satan did not joyne himſelfe in with them. Satan did not offer himſelfe for any good ſervice: but thither hee came being ſo ordered by the over-ruling power of God.
But can Satan come into the preſence of God?
No otherwiſe than a blind man can come into the Sun: he comes into the Sun and the Sun ſhineth upon him, but he ſees not the Sun. Satan comes ſo into the preſence of God, that he is alwayes ſeene of God, he is never ſo in the preſence of God as to ſee God. It is queſtion'd whether the lapſed Angels ever ſaw God at all while they ſtood; becauſe if they had ſeene God, it is conceived that viſion would have been their confirmation. But it is moſt certaine that the lapſed Angels ſince their fall never ſaw God, nor ever ſhall; though it be ſaid here Satan came among the ſons of God; you know what the Apoſtle Jude teacheth, That the devils kept not their place, but are reſerved in chaines of darkneſſe againſt the judgement of the great day; We ſhall open that afterward, when we come to ſpeake of his compaſſing the earth, how he doth compaſſe the earth, and yet is reſerved in chaines of darkneſſe. But I ſay there is his ſeat, there is his place, and all that is ſpoken of him in this doth not inferre any the leaſt glimpſe or fruition of God or communion with the Angels. In regard of his nature, he is ſtill a ſpirit; but in regard of his ſin, he is a miſerable ſpirit, he hath loſt his excellency, though he hath not loſt his nature. And being a ſpirit, he hath power to paſſe and repaſſe, to goe up and downe the world, to aſcend and deſcend at his pleaſure (as good Angels may and can) when God doth permit him.
We ſee here the good Angels are called the ſons of God; in this learne the priviledge of beleevers, they partake with the Angels in this title; the Apoſtle ſaith, Behold what manner of love the Father hath ſhewed that we ſhould be called the ſonnes of God; if you would know what manner of love it is, it is as great as the Angels in Heaven have: Chriſt tooke not upon him the nature of Angels but hath given us the honour of Angels. Fallen Angels could not ſhare with us in the benefit of redemption, but we ſhare with the Angels that ſtand in the priviledge of Son-ſhip. We are the ſons of God as well as they, and in ſomewhat beyond them; they are created ſons, but not (as we) adopted ſons.
Came and preſented themſelves before God.
This ſhould teach us to imitate Angels; this we pray for, That the will of God ſhould be done on Earth, as it is done in Heaven. The Angels alwayes preſent themſelves, they alwayes ſtand before God, ready to doe his will; we ſhould be ever in the preſence of God in this ſenſe, that is, preſenting our ſelves, ſtanding as in the preſence of God, ready to take and receive inſtruction, to doe his will, what ever it is. Lord what wilt thou have me to do? Is as it were the voyce of an Angell ſtanding before the throne of God. It ſhould be the voyce of every ſoul, Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? This is the preſenting of the ſoule before God.
Then conſider here, who Satan was; Satan was as good in his Creation, as any of thoſe who are called the ſonnes of God, They are called the ſonnes of God, and he is now called nothing but Satan an adverſary. His condition was once as good as theirs. Note hence,
There is no created excellency, but if it be left to it ſelfe, will quickly undoe it ſelfe.
Theſe Angels were as good at the firſt as any of thoſe that were here called the ſonnes of God. They were not confirmed, they ſtood upon their owne bottome, they fell and had no tempter at all; they turned about upon the freedome of their owne will, and left their habitation (ſaith the Scripture.) There is no truſting to any eſtate out of Chriſt.
Further note this, what was the difference between thoſe ſons of God and this Satan? only ſin: one was as good as the other in the creation; nothing elſe made an Angell a Devill, but only ſin.
Sin despoyles the creature of all it's comfort and honour at once.
Againe note this, the Angell falling and becomming ſinfull, hath his name preſently changed, he is called Satan an Adverſary. An adverſary to God, an adverſary to man.
He that is wicked himſelfe will quickly be an adverſary, an oppoſer of all goodneſſe: no ſooner a ſinner, but a Satan.
Laſtly, Note this,
To be an oppoſer of good is to be conformable to the devill.
The devill is the Adverſary, the Satan, and ſo proportionably as any one is an oppoſer of good, ſo much of Satan, ſo much of the devill he hath in him: Therefore Chriſt ſaid to a chiefe Apoſtle, when he did oppoſe him in that greateſt good of all, the working out of our redemption in dying for us, get thee behind me Satan, Mat. 16. All oppoſition of goodneſſe is a spice of the devill. So the Apoſtle Paul, Act. 13.10. when he ſpeakes to Elymas the ſorcerer, ſaith, O thou child of the devill, thou enemy of all goodneſſe. To be an enemy of goodneſſe is to be the child of the devill; it is the very character of the devill. He is a Satan in reſpect of all goodneſſe and good perſons.
And ſurely (my brethren) if this be a character of the devill, and to be conformable unto Satan, how conſpicuous is that conformity in this age? How many thouſands beare this marke of the devill, not only in their hands cloſely, but in their fore-heads openly? How many viſible walking Satans are there among us, enemies of all goodneſſe, oppreſſours of all righteouſneſſe, oppoſers of our peace, oppoſers of our liberty, oppoſers of the Goſpell, oppoſers of Chriſt? Theſe are all as ſo many Satans in the world, ſo many enemies. Now is a time that Satans are let looſe in the world; the devill now if ever workes mightily in the hearts and spirits, in the hands and tongues of theſe children of diſobedience. It becommeth us then, that as there are many adverſaries and oppoſers of goodneſſe, to ſhew our ſelves friends and patrons of goodneſſe. Chriſt hath many challenges, let him find ſome Champions. Now it is time to raiſe your ſpirits, not only to love the truth, but to maintaine the truth; as it is the height of wickedneſſe, not onelyonly to doe evill, but to oppoſe good, ſo it is the height of holineſſe, not only to doe good, but to oppoſe evill. This is juſt to be on the contrary point to Satan, he doth wickedneſſe and oppoſeth good, let us doe good and oppoſe all evill, To be a Satan against Satan, is the glory of a Chriſtian. Now ſet your ſelves againſt the Sathans, be adverſaries to that Adverſary and all his adherents, ſo ſhall you approve your ſelves the friends of Chriſt.