Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 4 · Verses 14-16

Exposition of Job 4-7 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 4 · Verses 14-16

p. 91JOB. Chap. 4. Verſ. 14, 15, 16.

Feare came upon me and trembling, which made all my bones to ſhake.

Then a Spirit paſſed before my face, the haire of my fleſh ſtood up.

It ſtood ſtill, but I could not diſcern the form thereof, an Image was before mine eyes, there was ſilence, and I heard a voyce, ſaying,

WE have already given the Logicall dependance of this whole Context, from the 12 Verſe, unto the end of the Chapter, and therein ſhewed how Eliphaz confirmes the principall Propoſition (lying in the 17 Verſe) by Divine Authority, a Viſion received from Heaven. A thing (ſaith he) was ſecretly brought to me, and mine eare received a little thereof, in thoughts from viſions of the night, when deep ſleep falleth on men. Thus the manner of the viſion is deſcribed in generall. The effects of the viſion upon Eliphaz, and the particular manner how the viſion appeared, are now further deſcribed and ſet forth. This 14 Verſe contains one eminent effect of the viſion, with the conſequents of it; aſſoon (ſaith he) as I was in that heavenly rapture and extaſie, Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to ſhake.

It was very uſuall, for Prophets and Holy men, to be ſurprized with fear, at the appearance of Jehovah in his meſſages, by Angels or other viſions. It is naturall unto man to fear, at the ſight of an Angel: and it is a received opinion among the Jews, that whether God or an Angel did appear, it was preſent death, which they collect from divers Scriptures (Ex. 33. 20.) when Moſes deſired to ſee the face of God, the Lord anſwered, there is no man can ſee my face and live. Thoſe words of Gideon import as much (Judg 6. 22.) When Gideon perceived that he was an Angel of the Lord, he ſaid, Alas, O Lord God, for becauſe I have ſeen an Angell of the Lord, face to face; as if he had ſaid, alas, woe is me, I ſhall certainly dye: And Judg. 13. 21. Manoah concludes it, We ſhall ſurely dye, becauſe we have ſeene God, when an Angel appeared to them. Hence alſo Jacob (Gen. 32. 30.) after his wraſtling with the Angel (which was Chriſt) called the name of the place Penuel, p. 92which is, The face of God, for ſaith he, I have ſeen God face to face, and my life is preſerv'd; as noting, that it was a wonderfull priviledge not to dye at ſuch a ſight; the very appearance of God, is death to the Creature. And that which Hagar ſpake (Gen. 16 13.) may well be interpreted to this ſenſe: when flying from her Miſtris, God came to her in the Wilderneſſe, ſhe called the name of the Lord that ſpake unto her, Thou God ſeeſt me; the reaſon is added, by way of admiration, for ſhe ſaid, Have I alſo here looked after him that ſeeth me? Which words may well be tranſlated, Do I live after him (ſc. God) that ſeeth me; for here one act of life is put for the whole, looking or ſeeing, for living; Have I ſeen, or Ex Habrae… ita reddi poteſt. Etiamnè jam …deo ſ…u lucem han… eſpicio & vivo, poſt videntem me. Parens.have I beheld the light, after God hath ſeen me; that is, Am I alive after God hath ſeen me. How wonderfull!

The effect of this viſion upon Eliphaz, was not death. but fear, yet no ordinary fear, but fear which looked almoſt as pale as death; it was fear joyned with trembling, and no ordinary trembling, but ſuch a fit of trembling as ſhook his very bones. We have often ſpoken of fear, both in this and in the former Chapters; but ſuch a fear as met Eliphaz, we have not met with before.

That before was the grace of fear, ſpirituall fear, but this is the paſſion of fear, naturall fear. And it is naturall to man (as ſome of Eſt homini naturale conſpecto angelo etiam bono timere. Bold. ex Beda, Origen, & Chryſoſtome.the Ancients have obſerved) to fear thus at the appearance of God by Angels. Fear is cauſed by the apprehenſion of ſome evil imminent or at hand, that's the definition of naturall fear. Now when God manifeſts himſelf, though the greateſt good be at hand, yet the ſoul hath ſome miſgivings and apprehenſions of evil; & hence comes fear: the foundation of this fear is laid in guilt, ſin is in the ſoul, and guilt may be upon the ſoul; thence naturall fear works, when God, who is all holy, manifeſts himſelf. And in ſpecial, there is much unbelief remaining in the heart, this fear is ſtrengthned by unbelief, Wherefore do ye fear, ſaith Chriſt, O ye of little faith? Where there is little faith, there is much fear; and as unbelief prevails, ſo fear prevails too. Thirdly, this fear ariſes from the ſuddenneſſe and unexpectedneſſe of the thing. God (as you may obſerve in all thoſe Revelations of himſelf) comes ſuddenly: that which comes before we ſee it, cauſeth fear when we ſee it: ſudden motions without us, work ſtrange commotions within. And fourthly, the over-powring Majeſty and ſuper-excelling excellency of God, in any ſuch revelation, cauſeth aſtoniſhments of ſpirit: a little appearance of God, makes the creature diſappear. One drop p. 93of the Divine Ocean, ſwallowes up all man, and one ray of that Eternall Light, dazles bim. From any or all theſe conſiderations, foreign Sept. Occurrit obviam factus eſt mihi.it may be, that fear and trembling took hold upon Eliphaz, like an armed man, as ſoon as the viſion appeared: fear met him (ſaith the Original) or (as the Septuagint) fear came out, and (as it were) ſtood in the way to ſurprize and apprehend him.

Neither was this bare fear, but fear heightned, fear accompanied with trembling. Trembling of the body is a ſymptome or ſign of great fear; when fear works outwardly, manifeſting it ſelf by ſad effects upon the body, then fear is in its reign and greatneſſe. There are four ſpecial effects which fear works upon the body, & we have three of them here in this Text. The firſt is, the quaking or the ſhaking of the members of the body; the ſecond is the ſhaking of the bones; the third is the ſtanding up of the hair; and the fourth is the paleneſſe and wanneſſe of the countenance. All except the laſt appeared upon Eliphaz at the appearance of this viſion.

Firſt, he trembled in this 14 Verſe, Fear came upon me and trembling: theſe two go often together in Scripture; you ſhall find trembling coupled with godly fear, as well as with naturall fear, Pſal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with fear (with reverentiall filiall fear) and rejoyce before him with trembling; that is, let your fear be an exceeding great fear, even ſuch, as fills you with an awfull trembling at the preſence of the Lord. The Apoſtle Paul (Phil. 2. 12.) puts them together again, Work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling.

The ſecond effect is ſhaking of the bones, It made all my bones Quaſi dicat tremor non fait ſuperſicialis, ſed vehemens & intimus, qui etiam oſſa conc…eret. Aquin. Gel…duſ que perima cucur…it, Oſſa tremor. Virg. 2. Aeneid.to ſhake; as if he had ſaid, this fear ſtayed not in the fleſh, but deſcended, and entred into my bones. I was deeply affected with it. We tranſlate; Which made all my bones to ſhake; the word in the Hebrew is, it made the multitude of my bones, or, my bones how many ſoever they are, to ſhake. The Hebrews have this rule, that the major part is uſually taken for the whole, therefore the multude of his bones, or many of his bones, is well tranſlated, all his bones. And the Verb which we render ſhake, is of the ſame root with fear, fear came upon me; ſo that according to the letter we may read it thus, Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to fear. A bone is in it ſelf ſenſeleſſe, and therefore fearleſſe; but to ſhew how extream and deep this fear was, he ſaith, it made fear enter into that, which is without fear, and hath of it ſelf no feeling; it made my very bones to fear, as well as my p. 94heart to fear, or my fleſh to tremble. Habakkuk in the third of his Propheſie, being before God in his prayer-viſions, deſcribes the rapture of his ſpirit, by this and other ſymptomes upon his body, When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voyce, rottenneſſe entred into my bones, v. 16.

The third effect followes; Then a ſpirit paſs'd before my face, and the haire of my head ſtood up. A Spirit ruſh'd upon me, ſo the Seventy. Some tranſlate it, A wind paſsd before me; a gale or breath of wind, as (1 Kings 19. 11.) when God appeared to Elijah, it is ſaid, firſt there came a mighty wind, which rent the mountaines, and brake the roots, and ſome conceive that a wind paſſed before Eliphaz; but the context will not bear it; thoſe words which follow are not competible with a wind; v. 16. It ſtood before me, it ſtood ſtill, this cannot be underſtood of the wind, for wind is alwayes in motion: and then it is ſaid, I had an Image before my face, now there is no form or Image of the wind; the wind hath no ſhape or likeneſſe, therefore it was a Spirit or Angel, not an Aeriall wind. And if you ſay, how hath a Spirit a form or an Image, or how can that be ſeen? I anſwer it was not a Spirit abſtracted and naked in it ſelf, but a Spirit joyned with a form and ſhape, as is generally agreed: ſo Angels or Spirits did uſually appear to the Ancients, taking a body or ſome from upon them: and thoſe apparitions, when a body was aſſumed, were called ſpirits. (Luke 24. 37.) it is ſaid, that the Diſciples were afraid at the appearing of Chriſt, thinking they had ſeen a ſpirit: The Apoſtles were not ſo abſurd, as to believe, that a ſpirit in it ſelf, a ſpirit abſtracted, could be ſeen; but they call'd it a ſpirit, becauſe they thought it only the repreſentation of Chriſts body, and not the true body: and therefore though an outward ſhape appear'd, they call'd it a ſpirit. So here, A ſpirit paſs'd before me, which yet might have ſome outward ſhape, in which it was clothed to the eye.foreign N…n ſignificat propriè matum progreſſivum qualis eſt animalum, ſed motum levem… & ſlaxum, qualis eſt caelorum vel venti vel creſcentis arboris.

A ſpirit paſsd before me,] forward, backward, up and down, which is oppoſed to the words in the 16 Verſe, It ſtood ſtill: here it was tranſient or in motion. The word uſed for paſſing, ſignifies rather ſuch a motion as is of the Heavens, or of the winds, than that which is properly progreſſive or the motion of the living creatures. And thence ſome obſerve, that the motion of ſpirits clothed with bodies in their apparitions, is not like the motion of men, who move, lifting up their feet oue after another; but it is a paſſing as a ſhip moveth with a gale of winde, rather a gliding, p. 95than a going: Among the Heathen, this was made the chief difference, to diſtinguiſh a Numen, or ſpirit coming in any Numina venientia ad nos in homines & eſſe transfo…mant; Ex oculu auté …ari p…ſſunt, cum … oblutu …n…ueanter … palpebras nun…uā concladan…. Et magis ex inceſſu, qui non ex …mo…one pedum ne que tranſpoſitione exiſtit. Sed quodam impetu… e…o & vi expedita, ſindentium magis auras quam tranſeuntiam. Quā obrem ſtatuas quo que Deorum Egyptij ponunt, conjungentes illis pedes & quaſi unientes Helioder in Aeth…op…cis. l. 3. Pedes veſtis defluxit ad imos. Et vero inceſſ… pa…u… Dea. Vi…g. l. 1. Aeniad. de Venere.ſhape, from a naturall body. The ſteddineſſe of their eyes was one, the not tranſpoſing their feet was another, and a clearer evidence.

This Spirit paſſing thus before him, produces the third effect.

The haire of my head ſtood up] Shaking of the bones went before, and now ſtanding up of the haire. A ſpirit paſs'd before me, and the haire of my head ſtood up. The Originall is, The haire of my fleſh, or the haire of my body; fleſh is put for the body, as in Gen. 2. 24. They two ſhall be one fleſh. That is (as it were) one body, ſpeaking of man and wife; and Pſal. 119. 120. My fleſh trembleth for fear of thee, ſaith David, it is the ſame word; as if Eliphaz had ſaid, I am ſo much affected with thoughts of God, that the very hair of my fleſh (as in extraordinary fear it uſeth to do) ſtood up. The naturall reaſon why the haire ſtands up in time of fear is this; when ſuddain fear falleth upon us, the blood goes, or …aſtens rather to the heart, and ſo the outward members wax cold; and the skin, in which the haire is rooted, is preſt more together, which cauſeth the haire to ſtand up, though of it ſelfe it be a weak and unſtable excrement.

So we ſee the generall effect of the viſion, which was fear, and thoſe three concomitants or ſymptomes of fear, The trembling of his fleſh, The ſhaking of his bones, And the ſtanding up of the haire of his fleſh. From all, take theſe Obſervations.

Firſt, Foraſmuch as Eliphaz falleth into ſuch a fit of fear and amazement, at this manifeſtation of God to him, we learn, That man is not able to bear the preſence of God. Weak and fraile man, falls before the greatneſſe, power and majeſty of God. Duſt and aſhes crumbleth away, if the glory of the great God doe but ſhine forth, even in thoſe leſſer manifeſtations of himſelf. Hence it was, that Job ſeems to capitulate with God, that he would ſpeak with him, upon two Articles or conditions granted, Chap. 13. 21, 22 Firſt, Withdraw thy hand far from me. Secondly, Let not thy dread make me afraid: Then call thou, and I will anſwer; or let me ſpeake, and anſwer thou me. As if he had ſaid, ſo dreadfull is thy preſence, that unleſſe thou be pleaſed to ſweeten it to me, fear will preſently ſeize upon me, and diſable me to ſpeak. Moſes who was a favourite of heaven, and one who ſhortly after had communion with God, above all that ever lived: yet when p. 96Jehovah appeared in that flaming Buſh, the text ſaith, Exod. 3. 6. That Moſes hid his face, for he was afraid to looke upen God; holy Moſes could not bear that glory. Daniel a man greatly beloved of God, and honoured with glorious viſions, was yet greatly aſtoniſhed at thoſe viſions, Chap. 10. 8. There remained no ſtrength in me, for my comelineſſe was turned into corruption, and I retained no ſtrength: and verſ. 16. O my lord, by the viſion my ſorrowes are turned upon me, and I have retained no ſtrength: Verſ. 17. Neither is there any breath left in me. I am ready to dye, I am not able to bear thy majeſty, in theſe myſteries of thy will, made known to me. How doth Habakkuk cry out in the place afore quoted, of his trembling belly, quivering lips, and of rottenneſſe entring into his bones We find in the New Teſtament, the Saints ſwallowed up with the like amazements. Zechariah of whom the Holy Ghoſt had given ſuch an excellent teſtimony a little before, for a man that had walked blameleſſe in all the Ordinances of God, yet as ſoon as the Angel appeared, the Text ſaith, He was …ubled, and fear fell upon him, Luke 1. 12. Yea the bleſſed Virgin (v. 29. of that Chap.) when ſhe ſaw him (that is the Angel) ſhe was troubled in her mind. Laſtly, John the beloved Diſciple, ſeeing Chriſt walking in the midſt of the ſeven golden Candleſticks, &c. Fell at his feet as dead, Rev. 1. 17.

How ſhould this humble and abaſe us in our ſelves! we that are not able to ſtand before the gracious manifeſtations of God, when he comes to reveale himſelf to us in mercy, how ſhall we be able to ſtand before the wrathfull manifeſtations of God? The Apoſtle tells us (1 Cor. 15. 50.) Fleſh and blood cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven; by fleſh and blood, we are not to underſtand, the ſinfull nature of man (as fleſh and blood often ſignifie in Scripture, being oppoſed to ſpirit) but the conſtitution of nature or that eſtate wherein we ſtand, as men; this fleſh and blood is not able to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, that is, it cannot bear the majeſty, glory and excellency of Heaven, where God clearly manifeſts himſelf unto his Saints; and where we ſhall ſee God face to face; and therefore the Apoſtle argueth all along, as by divers other Arguments, ſo by this; to prove the neceſſity of a reſurrection, a raiſing and a new moulding of the body, into a ſpirituall condition: Why, becauſe our naturall bodies are not able to ſtand under ſuch a weight of glory, as is prepared for the Saints in that Kingdome: Corruption (nature ſubject to corruption) p. 97cannot inherit incorruption; hence it was, that when but a little of God broke forth, the holieſt and beſt of men in the world, fell a ſhaking and trembling, as not being able to beare, that tranſcendent majeſty, ſhiningout in thoſe weaker refracted beames of glory.

Secondly, Seeing God comming at this time to inſtruct Eliphaz, and reveale a great truth to him, was pleaſed to deale thus with him, to make him ſhake and tremble, we may note, That God uſually humbles a man, and layes him very low, before he exalts him in the manifeſtations of his truth or power. Humiliations prepare and poſture the heart for revelations. The reaſon is, becauſe God delights to have a man humbled, before he be inſtructed. Paul (though as humble a ſoule as lived) was in danger to be exalted above meaſure, through the aboundance of revelations, (2 Gor 12.) Even divine knowledge (through our corruption) is apt to puffe up, and therefore we had need to have the bladder prickt, and our ſpirits laid flat, for the receiving of know ledge: OnelyOnly humble ones are fit to be Gods ſchollars; he will teach none elſe, he reſiſteth a proud man, then ſurely he will never teach a proud man; The mee…e will he teach his way; Ye breakes Pſal. 25. 9.Ps 25:9our will, before he truſts us with the ſecrets of his will: When the ſpirits of men lie in the …uſt, when they tremble and ſhake, when all their bones are afraid, and rottenneſſe enters into them, then they are prepared veſſels, to receive and take in the dew and influences of divine revelation. When …od made that moſt memorable manifeſtation of himſelfe, to the ancient Church, in giving the Law; we reade how he terrified them, how he humbled and abaſed them: How dreadfull was the preparation to the giving of the Law? The Apoſtle deſcribes it, (Heb. 12. 18, 20, 21.) by blackneſſe, and darkneſſe, and tempeſt, ſo that they could not endure that which was commanded; and ſo terrible was the ſight, that Moſes ſaid, I exceedingly feare and quake; I confeſſe the Law in it ſelfe, was a terrible, a killing letter, and that, which might well make the world ſhake, and men to tremble: If (as Luther ſaith) but one precept or ſentence of the Law ſhould be left in its full power and ſtrength (mans ſinne) it would deſtroy mankinde, and make all the world (becauſe guilty) tremble and fall before it; yet it was not barely the matter of the Law revealed, which cauſed this trembling: that was written in the heart o… man before, and was now publiſhed to the Jewes, with gracious with p. 98Goſpell intentions; but it was the manner and circumſtances wherein the Law was revealed, which were ſo terrible. And this terror had this great uſe, even the humbling of their ſoules to a willing ſubjection and obedience to the will of God. When God revealed the Goſpell to Paul (as well as when he revealed the Law to Moſes,) he made Paul tremble (Act. 9.) Paul was ſmitten down to the ground, God layed him along, unhors'd him, when he came to manifeſt his Chriſt to, or (as himſelfe ſpeaks, (Gal. 1. 16.) to reveale his Son in him: And this was to abaſe him, to breake his heart, that he might be made up a choſen veſſel, to carry the Name of God unto the Gentiles. And howſoever ſuch Acts 9. 15.Acts 9:15humiliations are not of abſolute neceſſity, yet they have been very uſuall, and very uſefull. When the Lord hath layd the will and wiſdome of man in the duſt, when he hath made the ſtrongeſt and ſtouteſt to become as a childe or a babe, to quake before him; then he takes him into his Schoole of Inſtruction, and ſhewes him ſuch things, as none of the wiſe men, or Princes of this world ever knew, even ſuch things, as eye hath not ſeen, eare hath not heard, neither have they entred into the heart of man. This made our Lord Jeſus break out into that mixt rapture of gratulation and admiration, Mat. 11. 25. I thanke thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them to babes. Be as babes before God, and he will give you the wiſedome of men, yea of Angels. They who are high built, and p…acl'd in their own conceits, ſeldome have the foundation or firſt principles of ſaving knowledge laid in them ſavingly.

Thirdly, From this effect of the viſion, obſerve, That feare, is a ſtrong and powerfull paſſion. Feare comes upon a man like a Giant, Feare (ſaith Eliphaz) came upon me, it came upon me violently. A man were as good meete a beare rob'd of her whelps, as this feare: The ſtrongeſt man in the world, cannot ſhake your bones, as feare alone will, if that take hold of you. Some of the Greeks, had ſuch amazing thoughts of Feare, it was ſo terrible to them, that to appeaſe it, they worſhipped it for a god, as ſome worſhipped ſorrow among the Romanes for a goddeſſe, under the name of Dea Angerona. The true God is called feare in Scripture: And Aug de Civ. Dei. l. 5. c. 8.feare was made an Idol God among the Heathens: And if we conſider theſe effects in the Text, trembling of the fleſh, ſhaking of the bones, ſtanding up of the haire, all which this ſuddaine ſurpriſe p. 99of feare wrought upon Eliphaz, we muſt needs acknowledge and conclude it to be, a very potent paſſion. In the firſt of Proverbs, the Lord threatens thoſe who would not feare him, thus, I will Prov. 1. 27.Prov 1:27laugh when your feare commeth: Then he ſhewes the manner how ſuch feare commeth, When your feare commeth as deſolation. We cannot well take feare in this place, for the object of feare, for that is deſolation it ſelfe, and therefore cannot be ſaid, to come as deſolation. Then, taking it properly, for the paſſion of fear: We ſee, that the feare of trouble, is like the trouble we feare. Feare is even as bad as deſolation; Feare puls all downe within, and makes a man like a deſolate place, before his place is made deſolate. And therefore in theſe times, we had need take care, that we put not ſtrength to our feares. Theſe are fearing times, we ſhould pray much, that the power of naturall feare may be ſubdued, eſpecially that our naturall feare, may be turned into godly feare; godly feare, is the proper cure of naturall feare: Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts, and make him your feare, or elſe the feare of man will quickly Lord it over your hearts. Such a feare, is more dangerous, then all our dangers: Our enemies ſhall need no weapons to fight againſt us, with, but our own feares. Trembling joints, and ſhaking bones, will make ſmall reſiſtance; and while naturall feare is ſtrong, naturall ſtrength is, but weake or uſeleſſe; When from the onſet or aſſault of this feare, a mans haire ſtands, himſelfe will run.

Fourthly, Conſider this by way of conſequence, That if a time when God commeth to reveale his will to man, be ſo dreadfull, what will that time be (and that time is comming) when God commeth to reckon with man, for the diſobeying of that will? Here a truth was but ſhewed Eliphaz, in an extraordinary manner, and behold him ſhaking, fearing, trembling; Now when God ſhall come to require an account of man, for reſiſting or impriſoning the truth; when he ſhall come (2 Theſ. 1. 8.) to take vengeance on all thoſe that have not obeyed the Goſpell of truth, what terror, fear and trembling will fall upon the ſtouteſt of ſinfull men? There muſt be an appearing of all, but there can be no ſtanding for ſuch, before the dreadfull throne of Chriſt: The ungodly (of vvhat ſort of ſize ſoever) ſhall not ſtand in judgement, Pſal. 1. 5. impenitent unbeleevers, ſhall not be able to hold up their heads in that day. Captaines and mighty men, who have often converſed vvith dangers, and knew not what it was to be afraid; Men p. 100who (like the Horſe, deſcribed, Job 39. 22.) uſed to mock at feare, and would not turne backe for drawne ſwords, or the glittering of ſhield or ſpeare, ſhall at that day ſhake with feare, and hide themſelves like little children. So much for the effects of the viſion. Now follows a further deſcription of the viſion.

Verſe 16. It ſtood ſtill, but I could not diſcerne the forme thereof, an image was before mine eyes, there was ſilence, and I heard a voice, ſaying.

This verſe containeth a ſecond geſture of this ſpirits appearing in the viſion to Eliphaz. The ſpirit was paſſing before, here ſtanding, as if he would preſent himſelfe more fully to his view and obſervation. It ſtood ſtill, an image was before mine eyes; but though the ſpirit gave Eliphaz this faire advantage, yet he made little uſe of it, for he ſaith, I could not diſcerne the forme of it, that is, I could make nothing of it directly; But when his eye gave him no helpe, his eare did: though he could not diſcerne or diſtinguiſh the forme of the ſpirit appearing, yet he could diſtinguiſh the voice of the ſpirit ſpeaking, there was ſilence, and I heard a voice ſaying.

It ſtood ſtill.] To ſtand, in Scripture, imports not alwayes a ſetled poſture of the body: but it is taken ſometime in a larger ſenſe, to note our preſence in any place, whether it be ſitting, ſtanding or walking, as Mat. 16. 28. Chriſt ſaith, There be ſome ſtanding here, which ſhall not taſte of death, till they ſee the Sonne of man comming in his Kingdome. Yet here the poſture is conceived to be, an erect, ſetled, fixed poſture; to the intent, Eliphaz might have his eye more ſetled and fixed upon it, and likewiſe that his heart might be better prepared and fitted, for the receiving of that meſſage, which ſhould be delivered unto him by it; when a man ſpeakes, he uſually makes a ſtand; An ambulatory ſpeech, a ſpeech in motion, is not ſo audible, nor ſo comely. In apparitions, this poſture is frequently mentioned. When our Lord appeared to the Diſciples after the reſurrection, Luke ſaith, He ſtood amengst them, cap. 24. 36. Zacharie, ſaw the Angel ſtanding on the right ſide of the Altar, Luk. 1. 11. And while the Apoſtles were looking up ſtedfaſtly to Heaven, at the aſcention of Chriſt, Behold two men ſtood by them in white apparel, which alſo ſaid, &c. Acts 1. 10. therefore alſo this ſpirit being to ſpeake, ſtood ſtill.

p. 101I could not diſcerne the forme of it. The face of it, ſo ſome reade, foreign.The countenance or aſpect of it, ſo others. They who riſe from the dead, are not eaſily known by thoſe, who knew them living. When Chriſt ariſe (John 20.) it is ſaid that Mary, who was very well acquainted with him in his life (though he ſtood by her) knew not that it was Jeſus, but thought it had been the Gardner. When Chriſt walked with the Diſciples to Emaus, they knew him not, and there a reaſon is given, their eyes were held that they ſhould not know him; a ſpeciall act of Gods providence ſuſpended their eye-ſight, and took away (though not the power of ſeeing, yet) the power of diſcerning. God hath every ſenſe ſo exactly in his own hand, that he can let it out, or call it back in any degree as himſelfe pleaſeth; he can give a man ſo much power, as to ſee another, and not ſo much power as to diſcern him; which (by the way) is an argument of the wonderfull exactneſſe of Gods providence over us, he holds our ſenſes in his hand, … …ell as our reaſon or our wils▪ and ſaith, thus farre you ſhall … heare, and no further; therefore it is ſaid, Verſe 31. that their eyes were opened: they were opened before to ſee him, but now they were opened to know him. And at other times when Chriſt appeared after his reſurrection, his Diſciples were at a ſtand, whether it was he or no: Thomas, though he ſaw Chriſt before him, yet he would not believe it was he, untill he had put his finger into the hole of the Nayls, and into the hole which the Speare made in his ſide: untill he had aſſurance from another ſenſe, he would not believe his eyes. Ethnicis ſemper abſurdum fuit, ut faciem deorū agnoſcerent h…mines quam deo…ū foreign poſte…io…es poe…ae ab Homero, Homerus ab Egyptiis vel po…ius ex ſacris ſ…n…ti Moyſis l…bris ſumpſit. B…ld. foreign Sign…ficat ſpeciem vel ſenſibilem vel mentalem.If then a body ariſing from the grave, though it be ſeen, yet can hardly be diſtinguiſhed by mortall eyes; how much leſſe is the eye of man able to diſcern Angels or Spirits, cloathed in humane forms. The impreſſions of glory and immortality, which appeare upon bodies aſſumed by ſpirits, eſpecially in ſudden apparitions, doe exceedingly maſter, if not aſtoniſh ſenſe. The Heathens thought it abſurd to ſay, that their Gods could be known by face: For though they were ſo groſſe, as to ſatisfie rhemſelves with bodily Gods, yet they believed thoſe bodies were ſo refined, had ſuch a kinde of majeſtick Divinity ſtampt upon them, that a meer mortall could not comprehend them. Their doctrine ſhines a little into this Text. A ſpirit paſſed before Eliphaz, he had a ſight of it, for it ſtood ſtill, yet he could not make out what it was, or who it was, he could not diſcerne the form thereof.

An Image was before mine eyes.] The word Themounah, which p. 102we tranſlate Image, is taken either for a viſible or intellectuall Image. Sometime it is taken for the form of a thing, which is apprehended viſibly by the eye; ſo in Deut. 4. 15, 16. Take ye therefore good heed to your ſelves (for ye ſaw no manner of ſimilitude, in the day that the Lord ſpake unto you in Horeb, out of the middest of the fire) leſt ye corrupt your ſelves, and make the ſimilitude of any figure, that is, leaſt you make a viſible Image of the inviſible God.

Secondly, the ſame word ſignifies an Image in the minde. Thus God himſelfe who ſaid in Deuteronomy, that they ſaw no ſimilitude, and thereupon bad them take heed of making any ſimilitude, ſaith of Moſes, that the ſimilitude of the Lord he ſhall behold, Num. 21. 8. The word ſimilitude in Numbers is the ſame for Image in the Text, an intellectuall image, a repreſentation to the underſtanding. Moſes had this priviledge, The ſimilitude of God revealed to his Spectrū & viſū vocant latini quicquid corpore apparet forma licet corpus non ſit.underſtanding; but … he ſaith in Deut: ye had no ſimilitude, the meaning is, no … …all, no viſible ſimilitude, no object of ſenſe. This Image in the …ext was not intellectuall, for it was before his eyes. Nor was it the Image of a ſpirit groſs▪d into a body, but it was a ſpirit in or with the imaginary form of a body.

There was ſilence, and I heard a voice, ſaying.] That is the laſt thing which the Text holds forth about this viſion.

There was ſilence.] The Hebrew thus, Silence, and I heard a foreign Silentium & vocem, per hyppallagen, vocem ſilentii, id eſt, vocem tacitam & ſubmiſſam audiebam. Mercer. Et vocem quaſi curae levis audivi. Vulg. foreign. Sept. Silens murmur. Ar. Mont.voice, we ſupply, there was. The readings are various, yet the ſenſe one. I heard the voice, as it were, of a gentle gale, I heard a gale and a voice, I heard a ſilent murmure. Our Tranſlators put in the margine, I heard a ſtill voice, which comes near to that, I heard a ſilent voice (by a uſuall figure) ſilence and a voice, for a voice of ſilence. If any ſhould ſay, theſe two are ſo oppoſite, that they cannot be predicated or affirmed one of another. Silence is the direct contrary to a voice, therfore to ſay, there was a ſilent voice, ſeemeth to be a contradiction in the adjunct. I anſwer it is frequent to affirm contraries one of another, in an inferiour & remiſſe degree. Though we cannot ſay light is darke, yet we may ſay, this is a dark light; that is, a glimmering, imperfect, obſcure light, (Zech. 14. 6.) The day ſhall be neither clear nor dark, it ſhall be, as it were, a dark light. So a low voice, may well be called a ſilent voice; I heard a ſilent voice, that is▪ I heard a low or a ſtill voice ſpeaking to me. Thus it ſuits well with what he ſaid, at the 12 Verſe; Now a thing was ſecretly brought unto me. And we may further clear it by that p. 1031 Kings 19. 12. where the expreſſion is of the ſame importance; foreign Vox ſabtilis ſilentii dulce ſuſurrum, vox ſine ſono.here we have ſilence and a voice, there, after the noiſe of a great winde and of an Earthquake, it is ſaid that Elijah heard (as ſome render it) the voice of a ſubtile, fine, ſlender, attenuated ſilence, or as we tranſlate, a ſtill ſmall voice, a ſweet raviſhing whiſper, a voice without a ſound. Hence we have a kinde of muſick, which in our common language we call ſtill muſick.

A twofold reaſon may be given why the Lord ſpake (as it were) in ſilence. Firſt, that the ſecret manner of ſpeaking might be an Argument that the matter ſpoken was a ſecret, a myſtery, not common or ordinary. Secondly, to diſpoſe the hearer to receive it with more care, reverence, and attention. A man muſt ſet himſelfe to heare with diligence, while another ſpeaks with ſilence. A loud voice findes us out, comes to us: but we muſt come to a low voice, and finde that out. When the Speaker takes leaſt pains with his tongue, the hearer muſt take moſt pains with his eare.

And this manner of ſpeaking, was uſed by the ancient Heathen in their myſterious Oracles and Revelations. As when God revealed a ſecret, he ſpake ſecretly, and as it were whiſpered thoſe truths in the eare; whiſpering is ſpeaking within one degree of ſilence) ſo the Devill (who imitates God in what he can, that he may draw credit unto his own deceivings) is deſcribed in his inſtruments to ſpeak thus. Iſa. 8. 19. When they ſhall ſay unto you, ſeek unto them that have familiar ſpirits, and unto Wizards, that peep and that mutter; they ſpeak as it were ſilently, they onelyonly whiſper their diabolicall incantations, and lying impoſtures. And (Iſa. 29.) Thou ſhalt be brought down and ſhalt ſpeak out of the ground, and thy ſpeech ſhall be low out of the duſt, and thy voice ſhall be as of one that hath a familiar Spirit out of the ground, and thy ſpeech ſhall whiſper out of the dust. The Prophet in this alludes to the manner of Witches and Inchanters, who had familiar Spirits, which he here applyes in a threat unto the people: the time ſhall come that you ſhall be brought down by your enemies, that you ſhall ſpeak out of the ground, you ſhall lye at their feet like poore captives, that cry ſubmiſſively and pitifully for quarter, O mercy, mercy, ſpare my life; that's the thing aimed at by the Prophet, that God would abaſe them ſo, before their enemies, that they ſhould whiſper out of the ground to their enemies for pity, as a Witch whiſpers from the ground to her miſerable Clients who come for counſel. Tertullian in his Apologetick deſcribes the heathen Magitians p. 104thus, they ſpeak belohing and gaſping, humming and hawing, rather then ſpeaking. The old Poet cals this Poppiſme, by which —ſortes ducent, frontem que ma numque Praebebit vati crebrum poppiſma petenti. Juvenal. Auruſp…es de circo ex or…s preſſi ſono, quod poppiſma dicitur fu…u a colligebant. foreignword he ſhews, how their Idol Prophets, anſwered the deluded people, their miſerable Clients, when they came for counſell. To which the Hebrew word T…ſipht ſaph uſed by Iſaiah in the eighth Chapter before cited, is very like both in ſound and ſenſe.

There yet another interpretation of theſe words more proper, and anſwerable to our tranſlation. There was ſilence and I heard a voice, ſaying,] This referres the ſilence to Eliphaz, as a preparation to his hearing the voice; there was ſilence▪ that is, I ſtood ſtill and ſpake never a word, but waited to heare what ſhould be ſpoken, I was ſilent, and all things about me w…re huſht and ſilent too: Then I heard a voice; and ſo Junius g…oſſes, Being (ſaith he) compos'd and ſtrengthned a little after my former fear, I attended Me …ontineba… tacitus expectans revelationem.ſilently to the Spirit, that I might hear what ſhould be ſpoken unto me.

We reade, Rev. 8. 1. that there was ſilence in Heaven for halfe an houre; and Verſe 5, we reade of voices and thunderings; before thoſe great voices there was great ſilence: uſually before great ſpeaking there is great ſilence; I was ſilent, and all were huſht, then I heard a voice: ſilence prepares for audience. In Congregations before the Preacher begins, all hold their peace; In Courts of juſtice when the Judge is to ſpeak, the Crier cals for ſilence: It was a uſuall word amongſt the rites of the Heathen, Favour your tongues, or ſpare your ſpeech, when the myſteries of their ſuperſtition were Favete linguis.revealed: we may take the preſent Text in this ſenſe: that Eliphaz ſet himſelfe in a ſilent poſture to attend the meſſage which was to be revealed unto him. There was ſilence and I heard a voice, ſaying.

If we take the former interpretation, then, for as much as Eliphaz after thoſe terrours and tremblings, the ſhaking of his bones, and ſtanding up of his haire, the confuſed form of a ſpirit, and an amazing Image before his eyes: for as much (I ſay) as after all theſe, he hears a ſtill ſilent voice. We may obſerve,

That God after terrours uſually ſends in comfort and refreſhings. God having terrified Elijah by a mighty ruſhing winde (in the viſion before noted) by an Earthquake which brake the Rocks, and by a fire: then comes (as here in the Text) a ſtill ſmall voice, a voice of ſilence, and God was in that voice. It is put as a principall diſtinction amongſt the Ancients, to p. 105know, whether a revelation were from a good Angel or from a bad Angel. When a revelation was made by a good Angel, though he fill'd the heart with fear, at the beginning of his ſpeech, yet he gave comfort in the end, and cloſed with in conſolation. We may obſerve in thoſe revelations ſuch heartning, chearing language as this, Be not afraid, be of good chear; ſo to Daniel, ſo to John, ſo to Zechariah, ſo to Mary, ſo to Gideon. But when a revelation was made by an evill Angel, or by a Witch, as it filled the hearers with feare, ſo it left them full of feare, it wounded them with terrours, and it applyed no cure, no playſter, nothing medicinable to heale thoſe terrours. We finde, indeed, (1 Sam. 28) that when Saul conſulted with the Witch of Endor, as ſoon as the Spirit appeared, it is ſaid, that the Witch her ſelfe was afraid, and there is no mention made of Sauls being afraid, at the firſt; ſo that Saul fals a comforting the Witch, and ſaid to her, be not afraid: She was afraid, not of the Spirit that appeared, but of Saul, becauſe he had made a law againſt Witches; and hence Saul comforts her, in aſſurance of impunity, notwithſtanding that ſinne, both againſt the law of God, and his own. But you ſhall finde in how ſad a condition Saul himſelfe was, before the Devill had done with him; for, as ſoon as Saul heard the tydings delivered by that perſonated Samuel, he fell into a ſhaking fit, and was as one aſtoniſhed and dead: hanging upon the rack of theſe torments, the Devill left him; there was no word of comfort, no ſweet ſtill muſicall voice to revive and fetch him againe, but away packs the wicked Spirit, and leaves him overwhelm'd with ſorrow. And then (inſtead of a better, ſurely he could not have a worſe) the poor Witch comes to comfort and counſell him. They who refuſe counſell from the Prophets of God may at laſt be forced to receive all their comfort from a Witch, a Prophet or Propheteſſe of the Devill. But to the point in hand, we ſee when the Devill and wicked Angels ſpeake terrour, they leave terrour: Whereas if God, by good Angels ſpeaks terrour, or affrights his people with the tokens of his preſence, he with a ſweet and ſtill voice refreſhes and comforts them, before he departs.

And we may in that generall apply it to our ſelves. That when God aſtoniſhes and terrifies us, when he makes our bones to ſhake, and rottenneſſe to enter into them, wee may expect comfort and refreſhing are at hand; and we may build upon it, that the more we tremble, the more we ſhall be refreſhed; Habakkuk in the place before cited, is expreſſe in this faith, I trembled, that I p. 106might have reſt in the day of trouble; to which he addes, when he commeth up to the people (he will invade or cut them to pieces) with his troopes. As intimating, that they who will not tremble, ſhall be made to tremble; but when we actively labour to make our hearts tremble, or when God makes us tremble in ſuch a way as this, we may build upon it, that, we ſhall reſt in the day of trouble, at leaſt we ſhall reſt in the end of that day: God never leaves his people under a Cloud: he takes off trouble, and brings in a ſucceſſion of comfort, or conquers the trouble by mingling a prevailing portion of comfort with it.

If we take the Text in the latter ſenſe, we may note, That ſilence becomes man when God ſpeaks. Speak Lord (ſaith Samuel) for thy ſervant heareth. Heare O ſervant, for thy Lord ſpeaketh.

Silence prepares the heart to learne: Pythagoras commanded his Scholers to keep ſilence five yeares. And the Papiſts impoſe ſilence, as a part of diſcipline upon their Novices. Let ſuperſtition be avoided, and then Silence is fittest for learners, unleſſe their voyce be an enquiry after learning. That which the Apoſtle ſpeaks reſpecting women in the Church, is true of all in the ſenſe I now ſpeak of, 1 Tim. 2. 12. Let the woman learn in ſilence, ſo let the man learn in ſilence. There were many among us, not long ſince, who made many teachers ſilent. Silence is good as it is a preparative to learning, but woe to that, which is a hinderance to inſtructing. They enjoyned ſilence on Teachers, by which knowledge was ſuppreſſed: we advice ſilence upon learners, that knowledge may be encreaſed.