Exposition of Job 8-10, Commentary on Job · Chapter 9 · Verses 11-13

Exposition of Job 8-10 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 9 · Verses 11-13

p. 224JOB Chap. 9. Verſ. 11, 12, 13.

Loe, he goeth by me, and I ſee him not; he paſſeth on alſo, but I perceive him not.

Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who ſhall ſay unto him, What doeſt thou?

If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers doe ſtoop under him.

JOB having in the former context exalted the power and wiſdom of God in many inſtances, and cloſed all with an admiring ſentence, He doth great things and unſearchable, marvellous things without number. He, in theſe words ſeems to give a proof of thoſe attributes of Gods works, that they are innumerable and unſearchable, &c.

Verſe 11. For loe, he goeth by me and I ſee him not; he paſſeth on alſo, but I perceive him not.

As if he had ſaid, I am not able to reckon how often he worketh, for I cannot alwaies perceive when he worketh, I am not able to ſearch out all his great and wonderfull actings, for I cannot ſee him in many of his actings.

He goeth by me, and I ſee him not.

The Lord is ſaid to goe by us, not in regard of any locall motion: for, he that filleth all places, moves to none, Doe not I fill heaven and earth? is the Lords query of himſelf to thoſe who thought to play leaſt in ſight with him. And he convinces them that they could not be hid from him in ſecret places, becauſe he fils all places. There is no place to be found beyond the line of heaven and earth, both which God fils (Jer. 23.24.) Then his motion is not locall,foreign Mutavit, variavit, rem vel locum, denotat mutationem conditionis vel loci Mol. in Pſ. 90. 6.Ps 90:6 but providentiall, God doth not move to act, but his acting is his moving. He goeth by us, doing marvellous things for us, and we ſee not when he is doing, or what he is doing.

The other word here uſed [He paſſeth on] is of the ſame ſenſe: yet more peculiar and proper to the motion of ſpirits, we had it in the fourth Chapter, verſ. 15. A spirit paſſed before me, ſaith Eliphaz, when he ſpeaks of the viſion that appeared. It ſignifies to p. 225change and vary, either place or condition. The tranſitory changableneſſe of the creature, is expreſſed by it (Pſal. 102.27.) Thou doeſt change them, and they ſhall be changed; the creatures paſſe on, as from place to place, ſo from condition to condition, The faſhion of them paſſeth away (1 Cor. 7.31.) They have not only a perfective change, but a corruptive change; but of the Lord he ſaith, Thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end. The word is uſed for changing by oppreſſive deſtruction (Prov. 31.8.) Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cauſe of all ſuch as are appointed to deſtruction, or death. Such as are appointed to that great change, are called,aaforeign Filij excidij, i. e. qui tra…untur excidio. Jun. in loc. The Sons of change or deſtruction: Thus the Originall. So that the word ſignifieth any change or motion, whether perfective or corruptive. The Lord (ſaith Job) paſſeth on, he maketh changes, he worketh ſometimes to perfect, ſometimes to deſtroy, but I perceive him not, I am not able to make out what he doth.

Here are two words, one referring to ſenſe, the other to underſtanding, He goeth by me, and I ſee him not; that is, my ſenſes cannot finde him: He paſſeth on alſo, and I perceive him not; that is, he deſtroieth, he buildeth, he planteth, he rooteth up, but I am not able to apprehend him, or unriddle the meaning of his wonderfull works, He doth great things, and things unſearchable.

bbNō eſt una interpretatio hujus divini ac ceſſu… & receſſus, Pined.There is much variety of opinion about the meaning of theſe words, though I think the meaning is clear in that generall I have now given. Yet I will touch a little.

Firſt, Some interpret Jobs diſcourſe converſing ſtill, in and about theccMulta ſunt naturalia quorum ſuprenum auctorem Deum, vel opus inchoantem, vel ab opere ceſſantem nō obſervamus, at que ita praecedenti ſententiae haec innectitur, tanquam illius ſubjecta ratio. Id. Quemadmodum ſit in omnibus extra omnia & ſupra omnia ſciri non poteſt. Olymp. naturall works of God, the earth, the heavens, the waters and the air, (of which he had ſpoken before) as alſo about the body of man (Act. 17.28.) In him we live, and move, and have our being. God is about us, he is ever with us, and yet we obſerve not, either when he begins to work, or reſteth from working. How he is in all things, without all things, and above all things is not known.

Secondly, Others take his going and paſſing for the acts of hisddDeum venire miſerentis eſt, diſcedere punientis. Phil. Presb. Aquinas ad beneficia praeſtita vel denegata refert. Tranſit eum, quem impunitū relinquit. Druſ. favour or diſ-favour, He goeth by me in beſtowing favours, and He paſſeth on, in taking them away: his acceſſes or receſſes in mercy or judgement, his love and his wrath are often indiſcernable, He goeth by me, he paſſeth on, he varieth his workings, and I perceive him not. To paſſe by is taken ſometimes for ſparing, pardoning, or ſhewing mercy. The Lord by his Prophet (Amos 7.8.) reports ſeverall judgements, from a full execution of which he was taken p. 226off, yet at laſt he reſolves, I will not paſſe by them any more (it is the word here) that is, I will not have mercy on them any more, I will not ſpare them any more, the next time I come with my drawn ſword in my hand, I will be ſure to ſmite and wound before I put it up, I will not paſſe by them any more. So [He paſſeth by me] may note here the ſparing mercy of God. The Lord ſpareth man many times and pardons him, not ſuffering his whole diſpleaſure to ariſe, when man takes no notice, but is inſenſible of it. The word is uſed in this ſenſe (Prov. 19.11.) It is the glory of man to paſſe by an offence; that is, to ſpare a man that hath offended, not to puniſh him or take revenge: and it is ordinary in our phraſe of ſpeech to ſay, I will paſſe you by for this time, that is, I will not take any ſevere notice, or ſtrict account of what you have done. And we finde in the ſame prophecy of Amos, that to paſſe thorow, notes judgement and wrath, in the oppoſite ſenſe; In the fifth Chapter, verſ. 17. In all vineyards ſhall be wailing; Why? For I will paſſe thorow thee, foreign In interiori tuoor I will paſſe into thy bowels or inwards: So the letter of the originall; that is, I will come to judge thee, I will paſſe thorow thee as a revenger, and wound thee deeply, inſomuch that in all vineyards there ſhall be wailing; why in all vineyards? When he ſaith, There ſhall be wailing in all vineyards, it implies there ſhould be wailing every where: for if there were joy in any place, it would be in the vineyards; vineyards are places of mirth and refreſhing, grapes make the wine, which makes glad the heart of man. Therefore when he threatens, That in all vineyards there ſhall be wailing; it is as much as if he had ſaid, There ſhall be ſorrow in thoſe places where uſually the greateſt joy was found, or there ſhall be ſorrow in every place. Joy ſhall diſlodge and give place to ſorrow, for, I will paſſe thorow thee ſaith the Lord. So that as the work of providence in ſparing, and the work of providence in puniſhing, may be underſtood by this word, with a little varying of the conſtruction. He paſſeth by me in the waies of mercy, and I ſee him not;Deus ſimpliciſſimus eſt ſpiritus & inviſibilis, ita que ne que nos adorientem cum venit, ne que cum obis pedem referentem ſenti…e poſſumus. and he paſſeth thorow me in the waies of judgement, and I ſee him not. I cannot ſee or underſtand him as I ought, either in waies of judgement, or of mercy.

Thirdly, we may take the words, as they are an argument to prove the power and wiſdom of God to be ſuch, as man is no way able to match or to deal withall, which is the ſubject Job is upon. He would ſet the Lord infinitely above all that is in the creature, and he doth it there by an argument drawn from his nature. What is p. 227his nature? Why, he is moſt ſimple, he is a ſpirit without any mixture, without any compoſition, without any materiality, he is inviſible, bodily eies cannot behold him, therefore certainly bodies are not able to overcome him. Man being a materiall ſubſtance, is not able to ſee the Lord, then ſurely he is not able to contend with, much leſſe to conquer the Lord; What then doth he medling with him? It was ſaid at the 4^th verſe of this Chapter, Who ever hardened himſelf againſt him, and hath prospered? Is fleſh and bloud any match for a ſpirit? If man would ſtrive with God, where ſhould he have him? He goeth by me, …nd I ſee him not; he paſſeth on alſo, and I perceive him not; I know not where to meet him, he can come upon me on every ſide, he may take me at all advantages, and deſtroy me, for I know not how to guard or defend my ſelf. If a man were to fight with an enemy, whom he could not ſee, and yet his enemy ſaw him; what an advantage had his enemy againſt him? Doth any man harden himſelf againſt God? He goeth by, and we ſee him not; How then can we deal with him, or ſtand againſt him? Thus (I ſay) it may be an argument to make good that great aſſertion, That there is no contending with God; fleſh and bloud are too weak for a ſpirit. It is the argument which the Apoſtle uſes, to ſhew that the devil is too hard for man, We wreſtle not with fleſh and bloud, but with principalities and powers, with spirituall wickedneſſes, &c. Epheſ. 6. They paſſe by us, and we underſtand it not, they are now here amongſt us, and we take no notice of it: We are no matches for evil ſpirits, much leſſe are we able to match the moſt holy Spirit.Eſt invicti hoſtis deſcriptio. Spirituall wickedneſſes are ſtrong, but ſpirituall holineſſes are ſtronger. This third interpretation renders the words a deſcription of an invincible enemy.

Fourthly, It may be underſtood in the generall,Significatur hic ſumma diſtantia inter Deum & homines: Deus omnia videt, & rebus omnibus praeſentia & efficaci… ſua intervenit, homo ſuo affixus loco Deum non videt niſi in effectis. Coc. to note the infinite diſtance which is between God and man, or the dignity of God above man, The Lord is omnipreſent, he is going by, and he is paſſing on, he is in all places, and he acts his power and wiſdom where he pleaſes. Poor man is confined to a place, to a ſpot of earth; when he is here, he cannot be there; but God is every where: And though God be every where, yet he cannot be ſeen any where, where he is. God ſees all, himſelf being unſeen, and fils all places, his preſence being is unperceived; nothing is hid from him, yet he is hid to every thing, but the faith of his own people. Thus He goeth, and we ſee him not; he paſſeth on, and we perceive him not.

p. 228And ſo the whole is a confirmation and proof of the generall aſſertion, that the Lord is infinite in power and wiſdom, and that man is an ignorant narrow-room'd and narrow-hearted weak creature compared unto him. We may form up the Argument thus:

Si quod documentum potentiae & ſapientiae ſuae …e dat Deus ob oculos meos, non ſum is qui id perveſtigare poſſum, adeo inſcrutabilia ſun… judicia ejus. Ju…. Tranſeundi & tranſmeandi verbis concinnè ſignificat ea documenta ſapiē tiae quae Deus exh bet, quaſi praeſens prae…entes erudiret.He is weak and ignorant in compariſon of God, who cannot ſee or comprehend where God is, or what God doth.

But man is not able to comprehend, or ſee where God is, or what God doth.

Therefore man i… weake and ignorant in compariſon of God.

The ground is this, He that cannot comprehend or ſee what another doth, is not able to hinder or match him in what he doth: But ſuch is the ſtate and condition of man, he is ſo far from being able to equall God in dignity, or hinder what he doth, that he cannot finde out or know what God doth.

Yet this is not to be taken ſtrictly, as if man did not at all perceive or underſtand what God doth. Job in the former context gave us a large account of the works of God, what wonders he had done. The Saints finde out ſome of Gods doings in the world, though the blinde world ſee not any thing he doth. But he ſpeaks comparatively; The Lord paſſeth on, and we perceive it not; that is, it is little of God that we perceive; it is little of the workings of God that we ſee at the beſt. There are many perſons who do not ſee him at all, and many works that are not ſeen at all by any perſon.Ita ſignificat, ex ioperibus Dei vix centiſſimum quod que ut par eſt ab hominibus expendi. …ined. And they, the eies of whoſe underſtandings are anointed to ſee moſt clearly, are not able to ſee all that God doth, None can ſee all, ſome will not ſee what they may (Iſa. 26.10.) Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee it; and in the former verſe, In the land of uprightneſſe, will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the Majeſty of the Lord. That which good men ſee is but little, and evil men ſee nothing. So that, as the Lord goeth altogether inviſibly in his eſſence, ſo moſtly in his actions; man ſees but few things of the many, and little of the great things which God doth.Nemo poteſt ſcire an Deum habeat in ſe habitantem & in ſe manentem. J…cob. Janſon in loc.

I meet with a groſſe expoſition of this text given by ſome Papiſts. No man (ſaith one of them) can know whether God dwell or abide in him or no. And Bellarmine in his 5^th book, and 5^th Chapter concerning juſtification citeth it to prove, That a believer cannot know that he is justified, but muſt believe blinde-fold, or take the p. 229work of justification by grace in the dark, For (ſaith he) God goeth by us, and we ſee him not; he paſſeth on, and we perceive him not: Allen…ſſi …e hūc locum citat Bellar…inus, ut probet nu…ū fid…lem ſcire an juſtificatus ſit. Coc.That is (as his gloſſe ſpeaks) God commeth in favour to juſtifie, or he leaveth under wrath, and yet man remains ignorant both of the one, and of the other ſtate. Surely he was at a great pinch to finde a proof for his point, when he was forced to repair to this Scripture to ſeek one. Providence toward man-kinde (not the juſtification of a ſinner) is the proper ſubject of this text. And as there is nothing for a blinde-fold juſtification here, ſo many other Scriptures are expreſly againſt it. To ſay that a man cannot know when God loveth him, or ſhineth upon him, is to contradict what our Saviour aſſerts, Joh. 14.17. I will ſend the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, becauſe it ſeeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and ſhall be in you. Ye know him, ſaith Chriſt to his people, the Saints ſee God in a ſpirituall ſenſe, or in his workings upon their ſpirits. And though God works much upon our ſpirits, which we know not, yet we have a promiſe of the Spirit, by whom we know God in his workings. Few know when God is nigh, or when he is a farre off, what his goings away mean, or what his commings. But when he cometh to the Saints, they know he commeth; and when he hideth or departeth from them, they know his hidings and departures. Hence their joies and over-flowings of comfort, when he manifeſts his preſence; and hence their bitter complainings and cryings after him, where he ſeems to abſent himſelf and hide his face: yet this Text hath a truth in it, in reference to the inward and ſpirituall, as well as the outward and providentiall dealings of God, that ſometimes, He goeth by us, and we ſee him not; he paſſeth on alſo, and we perceive him not.

Hence learn; Firſt, That

God is inviſible in his eſſence, and incomprehenſible in many of his actions. Mans eie cannot ſee him: Mans underſtanding cannot comprehend what he doth.

But why ſpeaks Job this, as a matter of wonder, if it be the common condition of man-kinde? Behold, he paſſeth by, and I ſee him not; who can ſee him? who can perceive or comprehend him? When Moſes (Exod. 33.20.) deſired to ſee his face, the Lord anſwers, No man can ſee my face and live; God ſpake to Moſes face to face, that is, familiarly, as a man ſpeaketh to his friend, yet Moſes did not, could not ſee the face of God. No man can ſee God p. 230in his eſſence or nature: A ſight of God would aſtoniſh, yea, ſwallow up the creature, It is death to ſee the living God; and man muſt die before he can ſee God ſo fully as he may, and know as he is known. But (though the face of God be inviſible) yet his back-parts may be ſeen. Behold (ſaith the Lord to Moſes) there is a place by me, ſtand thou there upon a rock, and thou ſhalt ſee my back-parts; thou ſhalt ſee much of my glory ſhining forth, as much as thou canſt bear, as much as will ſatisfie thy deſire (were it a thouſand times larger then it is) though not ſo much as thou haſt (not knowing what thou askeſt) deſired of me. My Name ſhall be proclaimed, Gracious and mercifull &c. the back-parts of God may be ſeen; the inviſible God diſcovereth much of himſelf to man: and ſhews us a ſhadow of that ſubſtance which cannot be ſeen.

Some may object that of the Prophet Iſaias, crying out, Woe unto me, for mine eies have ſeen the King, the Lord of hosts, Chap. 6.5. Seen him? could Iſaias ſee him, whom Job and Moſes could not? Iſaias did not ſee him in his eſſence and nature, but in the manifeſtations and breakings forth of his glory. His train filled the Temple, ſaith the Text (verſ. 1.) or his skirts. It is an alluſion to great Kings, who when they walk in State, have their trains, or the skirt of their royall robe held up. T'was this train, which Iſaias ſaw. He ſaw not God who was preſent, but he ſaw the manifeſt ſigns of his preſence. That ſpeech of Iſaiah ſeemed to ſavour of, and border upon higheſt blaſphemy, and was therefore charged as an article of accuſation againſt him; he was indited of blaſphemy for ſpeaking thoſe words, I have ſeen the Lord; his enemies taking or wreſting it, as if he had made the Lord corporeall and viſible with the eie of the body. And it is conceived he was put to death upon that, and one other paſſage in his prophecy, Cha. 1.10. calling the Princes of Judah, Princes of Sodom, and the people thereof, the people of Gomorrah.

But though God be thus inviſible in his eſſence, yet there is a way by which the eſſence of God may be ſeen. And of that Moſes, to whom the Lord ſaid, Thou canſt not ſee my face, the Authour to the Hebrews ſaith (Heb. 11.24.) That he ſaw him who was inviſible; the letter of the text carries a contradiction in the adjunct, it is as much as if one ſhould ſay, He ſaw that which could not be ſeen. The meaning is, He ſaw him by the eye of faith, who could not be ſeen by the eye of ſenſe; faith ſees not only the back-parts, but the face of Jehovah: the eſſence of God is as clear to that eye, p. 231as any of his attributes, yea his eſſence is as plain to faith, as any of his works are to ſenſe. Thus he is ſeen, Whom no man hath ſeen nor can ſee (1 Tim. 6.16.) not the Saints in heaven: they are not able to ſee the Lord in his eſſence, He paſſeth by them there, and they ſee him not; in heaven we are promiſed a ſight of him, yet not that fight, Bleſſed are the poor in spirit, for they ſhall ſee God: and without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee the Lord, then holy men ſhall ſee him; the ſtate of the Saints in glory is viſion, as here it is faith (2 Cor. 13.12.) We ſhall ſee him face to face, and as he is (1 Joh. 3.2.) Theſe Scriptures which ſpeak of the eſtate of the Saints, beholding God in glory, are not to be underſtood, as if the nature and eſſence of God could be ſeen, for no man hath ſeen that, nor ever ſhall; but they are meant of a more full and glorious manifeſtation of God; We ſhall ſee then face to face; that is, more plainly, for it is oppoſed to ſeeing him in a glaſſe; we ſee him now in a glaſſe, that is, darkly, in ordinances, in duties, in his word, and in his works, but there ſhall be no need of theſe glaſſes in heaven. We ſhall have ſo direct and full manifeſtation of God, that theſe glaſſes which reflect him ſhall be out of uſe. The Saints on earth have ſometimes a ſight of God without a glaſſe, that is, out of all ordinances, promiſes and works either wrought in them or for them. God comes near to their ſpirits, and lifts them above means, and ſhews them his love, and their intereſt in him by an immediate witneſſe of the Spirit, (1 Joh. 5.8.) For although the water and the bloud (juſtification and ſanctification) never witneſſe without the Spirit; and though the Spirit never witneſſes againſt them, or where they are not; yet the Spirit doth often witneſſe above them, and without them, that is, they not being called forth to give their witneſſe. This is next door to heaven: only, the viſion in heaven will be exceedingly heightned and raiſed, not only above our viſion by ordinances, but above our viſion by immediate revelation or witneſſe.

Further conſider, The ſight we have of God is in Chriſt. God is ſeen in every creature (Rom. 1.) much more in ordinances, but Chriſt is the expreſſe image of his perſon, and the brightneſſe of his glory, Heb. 1.3. He is the medium by which we ſee God now, and ſome have thought we ſhall ſee him only in Chriſt for ever. But it is out of doubt that in this life God is ſeen only in Chriſt ſavingly. We of our ſelves, are ſo farre off from God, that we cannot ſee him. There muſt be a due diſtance between the organ and the object; we are afarre off from God, untill Chriſt bring us near; we come p. 232to, and ſee the Father through the Sonne. And how neer ſoever we are to any object, we cannot ſee it without an eye. We are naturally blinde, the eyes of our minde muſt be enlightned before we ſee him, Chriſt cleareth our underſtandings, and cures our blindeneſſe, He is made to us of God wiſdom (to ſee our need of him to be made) righteouſneſſe to us, and ſanctification and redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30. Again, The medium muſt be light; if the eye be clear, yet while the air is dark we cannot ſee. There muſt be an outward light, as well as an inward light to ſee by; that Jeſus Chriſt makes alſo; for He is the light of the world, as well as the enlightner of every one that commeth into the world. He ſends the means of knowledge, as well as gives an ability to know. He ſends light to the eyes of our minde, and he is light in the eyes of our minde. What we ought to know comes from him, and how to know as we ought comes from him. Without him, God goeth by us in the Goſpel, and we ſee him not, he may paſſe on for ever, and we never perceive him.

Secondly, Obſerve, That as the Lord in his nature cannot be ſeen at all: So (ſuch is the weakneſſe of man, that) we cannot ſee him fully in his word, or works.

How little is it that we ſee, that we know of God in either? What admirable operations are there in the courſe of naturall things, in the Sunne, Moon, and Stars, in the growth of herbs and plants, and in our own bodies, which we ſee not? What admirable adminiſtrations are there in the courſe of civill things? The beginnings, growths and declinings of Common-wealths, the tranſplantations of people from Countrey to Countrey, their oppreſſions by injuſtice, their confuſions by warre, their eſtabliſhments by peace, their conſumptions by plague and famine, their encreaſe by health and abundance are little minded by the moſt of men. How doth God turn Nations up-ſide-down, and hurl Kingdoms together, and we perceive him not. Some take no notice at all of God, as doing ſuch things, none taking ſuch notice as they ought. We obſerve creatures, what this man did, and what the other, ſuch men were malicious and unfaithfull, ſuch were valiant and wiſe, ſuch were ſelf-ſeekers, ſuch ſelf-deniers, ſuch conſtant Patriots, and ſuch were Apoſtates. Thus we ſee men, but we ſeldom ſee God in the great tranſactions and motions of Kingdoms. And we ſee him leaſt of all in the courſe of ſpirituall things, in his working upon our hearts; God works wonders in us, and we perceive p. 233him not! We regard not his commings or goings, his comfortings or with-drawings, when our ſpirits are heated, or when they are cold, when we are ſtrong, or when we are weak: There are continuall varieties and changes in our ſpirits, had we a clearneſſe to make obſervation. The work of God in the heart of a believer moving it, ordering it, preſerving it, comforting it, purging it, is as wonderfull, and more, then any of his works in the whole world.

Thirdly, Note, Man is not fit to fit as a Judge upon the works and dealings of God.

Shall we judge God in what he doth, when we cannot apprehend what he doth? A Judge muſt have the full cognizance of the matter before him, how elſe can he paſſe ſentence about it? Shall man be ſo bold as to get up into the throne, and paſſe ſentence upon what God doth, when he cannot apprehend or take in evidence of what he doth? He goeth by thee, and thou ſeeſt him not; he paſſeth on alſo, and thou perceiveſt him not; And wilt thou cenſure what thou canſt not perceive?

Fourthly, Which is Jobs ſcope,

It ſhould be matter of great humiliation to us that we ſee ſo little of God.

God works round about us and in us, and yet we know little of him. Our blindeneſſe ſhould abaſe us in our own eyes: God is all eye, and all hand, and we ſo blinde that we cannot ſee what his hand doth; It muſt lay man low in his own ſight, to conſider how little he ſees of God.

Verſe 12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who ſhall ſay unto him, What doſt thou?

This and the next verſe contain a proof of mans weakneſſe, as the former doth of mans ignorance and blindeneſſe, He paſſeth by, and I ſee him not. There is mans blindeneſſe: He taketh away, and who can hinder him? There is mans weakneſſe. Suppoſe a man ſhould ſee God in his works, and apprehend what he is about, yet though he hath ſo much light, as to ſee God, he hath not ſo much ſtrength, as to hinder God; Is not this an argument of mans weakneſſe? What! contend with God? God doth many things, and thou canſt not ſee him, or if thou ſeeſt him, yet it is not in thy power to ſtop him, Behold, he taketh away, and who can hinder him? Yea, man is ſo farre from being able to ſtop or hinder God, in p. 234what he is about to doe, that man hath not right to queſtion God, or to ask him what he is about to doe. Man is neither ſtrong enough to ſtop him from what he will doe, nor righteous enough to queſtion him for what he doth. This is the totall denying of any poſſibility in man to deal with God. How can he ſtop God in what he doth, who cannot ſo much as ask him, what he doth? Who ſhall ſay unto him, What doſt thou?

foreignBehold, he taketh away.

Rapuit more latronum, Significat velocitatem rapinae. Rab Mord Raptim auferre Tigur.The word ſignifies to take away by violence and force, to take away as a robber takes, to ſteal away: As if he had ſaid, ſuppoſe the Lord come by open violence to take a thing from thee, or ſecretly, and as it were by ſtealth, to bereave thee of thy eſtate, or of thy life, if he take all from thee, and ſtrip thee naked, What canſt thou doe? So the word is uſed (Prov. 23.28.) ſpeaking of a wicked woman, an harlot, She lieth in wait as for a prey; the Hebrew is, She lieth in wait as a robber, to take away the eſtate, yea, and the life of thoſe whom ſhe ſhall entangle.Si rapuerit hominem è mu… do. Targ. Si morti tradiderit Auguſt. Quo…ies ipſi viſum fuerit (ut mihi nunc eve nit) …uempiam vel bonis ipſis spoliare, quis illumut raptorem ad reſtitutionem coge…? imo quis illum jure in diſquiſitionem vocarit? voluntas enim ipſius eſt ju…tl…iae norma. Bez foreign è ralice foreign Some underſtand this more ſpecially of taking away life. If he will ſtop thy breath, and deliver thee up to death, ſo Auguſtine upon the place; or as the Chaldee, If he take one out of the world, who can hinder him? As if Job had ſaid, The Lord may not only take away ſo much as he hath taken from me, but more, without wrong to me. He hath taken away my goods, and my eſtate, my children and friends, he hath fetched away my health and ſtrength, my beauty and outward comforts; if he come and take away my life alſo at next bout, I cannot hinder him; I can neither compell him to reſtore, nor call him to an account; I can neither urge him to reſtitution, nor charge him with oppreſſion. He plainly intimates the rapine of his goods by the Chaldeans, &c. Of which he ſpake poſitively (Chap. 1.21.) The Lord hath taken, and here by way of generall ſuppoſition, If he take away, Who ſhall hinder him?

M^r Broughton tranſlates, Who ſhall make him reſtore? So he carries it in alluſion unto men, who violently take away the goods and eſtate of another. If a man come with force and take away my goods,Vertere aut reducere, quis re… uere eum faciet, quis recuperabit aut redu…et praedam? I may make him reſtore them again by a greater force; but if the Lord take away and ask me no leave, I cannot make him reſtore. The word ſignifies to ſtop or turn a thing, and becauſe in recovering p. 235of a prey, or in making a man reſtore, we ſtop and ſtay his courſe, therefore the word is indifferently applied to both.

Others underſtand it in this ſenſe, If he taketh away, who ſhall hinder him? That is, who can turn him from his purpoſe? Who can ſtop him in the thing he hath a minde to doe?Quidam non de praeca, ſed d… ipſo Deo intelligunt. Quu revocabit eum à propoſito? Si repentè interroget quis respondebit ei. Vulg. Vel quòd reſpondens convertit ſe ad ìnterrogā tem: vel quòd responſum regera…ur, reſtituatur que tanquam debitum interroganti. The Vulgar tranſlation varies much, If he ſuddenly ask a man a queſtion, who ſhall be able to anſwer him? The Hebrew word which ſignifies to return, ſignifies to anſwer, anſwering is the return of a word (Prov. 8.13.) He that anſwereth (or returneth a word) before he heareth a matter. But I ſhall lay that by, though the abettours of the Vulgar make great ſtore of it; interpreting their meaning thus, if the Lord cite a man to judgement, and bring him to triall, man is not able to anſwer him, or to plead his own cauſe. Man cannot ſtand before the Lord. Obſerve hence,

Firſt, That, All our comforts are in the power of God.

If he taketh away, ſuppoſeth he can take away, and he can take all away, and doe us no wrong. It is no robbery if God rob us, his robbery is no wrong: why? becauſe he comes not as a thief, but as a Lord and Maſter of our eſtates; he may come and take them away as he pleaſeth, and when he pleaſeth.

Secondly, Note this from it, He taketh away.

That which God doth by the hand of the creature, is to be re…koned as his own act.

He taketh away when creatures take away. It is ſeldom that God dealeth immediately with us in theſe outward providences; he ſends men, ſtirs inſtruments to do what is done. But that which man doth, the Lord doth (Iſa. 42.24.) Who gave Jacob to the spoilers, and Iſrael to the robbers? Did not I the Lord? Men ſpoil'd and robbed them, yet it was the Lords act to ſend thoſe ſpoilers, Did not I the Lord? As that which man doth in ſpirituals is the Lords act, when man converteth and ſaveth, it is the Lord that ſaveth and converteth; when man comforteth and refreſheth by applying the promiſes, it is the Lord that comforteth and refreſheth; when man gives reſolution in doubts, it is the Lord that reſolveth doubts; mans act is the Lords. So here, when man robbeth and ſpoileth us, the act is from the Lord, though the wickedneſſe of the act is from the man. The Lord ſuffers men to ſpoil and undoe us, yea the Lord orders them to ſpoil us: it is done not only by his permiſſion, but by his commiſſion; not only with his leave, but by his appointment, I will ſend him againſt an hypocriticall p. 236Nation, and againſt the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the ſtreets, Iſa. 10.

Obſerve thirdly, What the Lord will doe, either by himſelf or by inſtruments, no man can ſtop or prevent.

If he taketh away, who ſhall hinder him? The Lord hath abſolute power, if he will overthrow men, or families, or whole Kingdoms, none can ſtay him. There have been four great Monarchies in the world, and the Lord comming in judgement againſt them, hath taken all away. The united ſtrength of all creatures cannot ſtand before him, when he is angry and reſolved. The Babylonian could not ſay and perform it, I will keep my throne: The Perſian could not ſay and do it, I will keep my State: The Grecian could not ſay and maintain it, I will keep my glory: The Roman could not ſay and make it good, I will keep my empire. When the Lord had a minde to it, he came and fetch away the power and glory, the crown and dignity of thoſe Monarchs, he threw down their thrones, brake their ſtates, darkned their glory, diſſipated their empires, no man could hinder him. How are ye fallen from heaven O Lucifers, ſons of the morning, how are ye cut down to the ground, which did weaken the Nations? Though ye ſaid in your hearts, We will aſcend into heaven, we will exalt our thrones above the ſtars of God: We will aſcend above the heights of the clouds, we will be like the moſt high; yet how are ye brought down to hell, to the ſides of the pit? All that look upon you ſay, Are theſe the men that made the earth to tremble, that did ſhake Kingdoms? Thus the Lord hath taken away the thrones of Princes, and none could hinder; he hath alſo removed the Candleſticks of Churches, and none could hinder. Chriſt threatned the ſeven Churches in Aſia, that he would come and take away their Candleſticks: which of theſe hindered him? Both Crowns and Candleſticks muſt down, if he ſpeak the word. It is ſaid, when David kept his fathers Sheep, there came a Lion and a Bear, and took a Lamb and a Sheep out of the flock, but he aroſe and went out after them, and reſcued both Lamb and Sheep, taking the prey out of their teeth: When the Lord Chriſt, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah will come, and tear and take away, no David can reſcue out of his hand. The five Kings that came againſt Sodome, took away Lot, Abraham went with his army and made them reſtore, made them bring back again; it is ordinary with man, when one hath robbed another, for a ſtronger to make p. 237him reſtore and vomit up the ſweet morſels, which he hath ſwallowed. It is not thus with God.

Firſt, Power cannot doe it: though the inſtruments which he uſeth to take away from us be weak, yet the ſtrong ſhall not be able to make the weak reſtore. A weak Nation may deſtroy a ſtrong Nation, and the ſtronger ſhall not be able to make the weaker reſtore, if the Lord ſend them. When the Babylonians encamped about Jeruſalem, he warns them by his Prophet, doe not thinke you ſhall deliver your ſelves by your great ſtrength, I have ſent them to take your City and your State, And though they were all wounded me…, yet they ſhall riſe up and take your City (Iſa. 43.13.) I will work (ſaith the Lord) and who ſhall let it? Who ſhall let it? Why, they might ſay, We will have ſome that ſhall let it: No (ſaith the Lord) none ſhall let it; Behold, I have ſent to Babylon, and deſtroyed all their Princes, thoſe that fought to hinder me in my work by their power and counſell, are broken, though they ſeemed as ſtrong as iron bars (ſo the word is,) Theſe bars of iron cannot keep me from entring, I will break all oppoſition raiſed againſt my work.

Secondly, As power cannot hinder him, ſo policy cannot; no counſell ſhall ſtop him: They (Iſa. 7.6.) took counſell and reſolved ſtrongly, We will go up againſt Judah, and destroy it, and ſet a King in the middeſt of it, even the ſonne of Tabeal; The Lord anſwereth in the next words, It ſhall not ſtand, neither ſhall it come to paſſe: You reſolve to doe it, you make it out in your counſels, how to hinder mine, but it ſhall not be, it ſhall not come to paſſe. As no counſell againſt us ſhall ſtand, if the Lord be with us (Iſa. 8.10.) So no counſell for us ſhall ſtand, if the Lord be againſt us.

Thirdly, When the Lord is reſolved to take away the peace and glory of a Nation, or of a Church, he will doe it, and no ſpirituall means ſhall hinder him, praier it ſelf ſhall not hinder him. If any thing in the world can move the Lord to reſtore, when he taketh away the peace of a people, it is praier and the cry of his people. Praier hath often met the Lord, as Abigail did David (1 Sam. 25.) and prevailed with him to put up his ſword, which was ready to deſtroy. At the voice of praier the Lord hath reſtored that which he took away, and hath ſtaied from doing that which he ſeemed fully reſolved to doe, Pſal. 106.23. The Lord would have deſtroyed them, had not Moſes his choſen ſtood before him p. 238in the breach. Did Moſes out-power the Lord? did he out-wit, or out-policy the Lord? No, but Moſes praied, and praied ſo ſtrongly that the Lord was hindered, that is, he, as if he had been hindered, did not effect the thing, he reſtored their comforts again, when he had areſted but ſome of them, and ſeemed to come armed with reſolution to take all away. Yet ſometimes we finde the Lord will come and take away, and praier it ſelf, praier and faſting, cries and tears ſhall not hinder, God will trample upon all theſe. God was reſolved to take away the glory of Iſrael; and to aſſure them that he would, he takes away that wherein their chief aſſurance lay, that he would not (Jer. 15.1.) Thus ſaith the Lord, Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, yet my minde could not be toward this people, &c. As if he had ſaid, Ye think to hinder me now, ye will ſtop me, ye will ſend out praier, your old friend, which hath helped you heretofore at many a dead lift. And if you cannot pray enough your ſelves, you will procure praiers, and pray in the aid of praier from all the favourites that I have in the world, ye will get Moſeſes and Samuels, ſuch as they, to pray for you; ye may doe ſo, if ye will, but it ſhall not profit you, they and ye ſhall loſe your labour, even theſe labours will not quit coſt or be worth the while, to the end ye aim at, for, Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, and intreated for this people, yet my minde could not be toward them: caſt them out of my ſight, and let them goe forth, ſuch as are for the ſword, to the ſword, and ſuch as are for death, to death, and ſuch as are for captivity, to captivity. Thus, I ſay, ſometimes the Lord is ſo reſolved to take away life, riches, glory, peace, the all both of perſons and Nations, that nothing ſhall help us, or hinder him, no, not the praiers and cries, not the ſupplications and tears of his own people, which are the ſtrongeſt ſtops of all in the way of provoked juſtice. If praier cannot ſtay deſtruction, and obtain a reprieve from death, if the praiers of a Moſes and a Samuel cannot, nothing can; it is, as if God had ſaid, The beſt means ſhall fail you, therefore all means ſhall fail you: if when praier cannot hinder God, we reſort to other meanes, it is as if we ſhould thinke to faſten an Anchor with a twined threed, which hath broken a cable; or to conquer an enemy with a pot-gun and a bull-ruſh, whom we could not with ſword and Cannon, And as God will not ſometimes be entreated, ſo he ought not at any time time to be queſtioned; which is the next point.

p. 239Who ſhall ſay unto him, What doeſt thou?

That's further conſiderable; man is not only not able to ſtop the Lord from what he would do,Supremus ju lex eſt a quo non poteſt eſse provocatio. but he hath no right to put in a plea againſt what he hath done, no nor to ask him what he hath been doing, or why he did it. The ſuperiour may ask the inferiour, and call him to an account: Every infer…our Judge and Court, is accountable to thoſe above; that is the higheſt Court, and he the higheſt Judge, to whom no man can ſay, What doeſt thou? The Parliament of England is therefore the higheſt Judicatory in this Kingdom, becauſe their actions are not queſtionable in any other Court; one Parliament may ſay to another, What haſt thou done? This Parliament hath ſaid to Parliaments that have gone before, What have ye done in making ſuch and ſuch Laws? No power of man beſides their own can queſtion ſome men, much leſſe can any man queſtion God, and ſay to him, What doeſt thou? He is ſupreme, there is no appeal to any other higher Judge, or higher Court. Hence obſerve,

Whatſoever God reſolveth and determineth concerning us, we must bear it, and quietly ſubmit.

No man may ſay unto him, What doeſt thou? Quicquid de nobis Deus ſtatuit libenter ferendum eſt.Why doe ye ſit ſtill (ſaith the Prophet, Jer. 8.14.) Aſſemble your ſelves, and let us enter into the defenced Cities, and let us be ſilent there, for the Lord hath put us to ſilence, and given us waters of gall to drinke, becauſe we have ſinned againſt him. The Lord hath put us to ſilence; that is, the Lord hath done theſe things, and we are not to queſtion him about them, or to ask him what he hath done, or why he hath done thus? Therefore let us be ſilent, ſay they. Let us not murmure at, and complain over our own ſufferings, much leſſe tax and charge God for his doings. It becomes us to obey Gods ſuſpenſion; to be ſilent, when he puts us to ſilence. The Lord never ſilences any (unleſſe in wrath to thoſe who would not hear) from ſpeaking in his name, and publiſhing his vvord. But he hath ſilenced all from ſpeaking againſt his works; and it will be ill with us, if our paſſions (how much ſoever God ſeems to act againſt us) ſhall take off this ſuſpenſion. The Lord is uncontrollable in all his works. When Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4.35.) came to himſelf, and began to think and ſpeak like a man, after he had been among the beaſts: ſee what an humble acknowledgement he makes concerning God: All the inhabitants of the earth (ſaith he) are reputed p. 240as nothing, and he doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can ſtay his hand, or ſay unto him, What doeſt thou? Here, we have both parts of Jobs ſpeech; none can ſtay his hand, which is the former; and none can ſay unto him, What doest thou? which is the later. That great Monarch acknowledged he had no power to queſtion God, though he at that time had power to queſtion all the men upon the earth. Nebuchadnezzar ſpeaks like Job. A wicked man may make a true report of God. Many ſpeak right of the Lord, whoſe hearts are not right with him. Nebuchadnezzar was converted from beaſtlineſſe, but I finde not that he was converted to holineſſe. He came home to his own Court, but I ſee no proof that he came home to the Church of God; yet, ſee how divinely he ſpeaks, and how humbly he walks, not ſo much as offering to ask God (who had chang'd him from a Commander of men to a companion of beaſts) What doeſt thou?

We may ask the Lord (in one ſenſe) what he doth? Yea, the Lord doth nothing in the world, but his Saints and ſervants are enquiring of him about it. He invites them to petition for what they would have, Ask of me things to come concerning my ſons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me, (Iſa. 45.11.) Though man cannot order or enjoyn the leaſt thing upon God, yet at the entreaty of his people, he is as ready to doe, as if he were at their command. And as we are thus envited to ask things to come, ſo we are not totally denied to ask about things already done. We may ask him in an humble way for information, not in a bold way of contradiction. We may in zeal to his glory, not in diſcontent with our own condition, expoſtulate with him about what he hath done. So Joſhua (Chap. 7.7, 8.) Alas O Lord God, wherefore haſt thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to deſtroy us? Would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other ſide Jordan, &c. but how durſt Joſhua ſpeak thus? What if God vvould deſtroy them, vvas it not his dury to bear it, and let God alone? Yes doubtleſſe, and ſuch I doubt not vvas the frame of Joſhuas ſpirit. If Iſrael only had been to ſuffer, Joſhua had held his peace, at leaſt from ſuch language; but he ſaw a further matter in it; the glory of God vvas like to ſuffer in their ſufferings: the cloſe of his praier betraies this holy diſpoſition of his heart, verſ. 9. And what wilt thou doe unto thy great name? As if he had ſaid, Lord, the matter were not much, though the p. 241name of Iſrael were blotted out from under heaven, ſo thy Name were written in fairer characters. But I fear a blow to Iſrael will be a blot to thy name, and therefore I have taken upon me to pray this praier unto thee, and I have praied rather for thee, than to thee. All praiers are made to God, and yet ſome are made for him. Not that he hath any want, or is in any the remoteſt poſſibility of any danger, but only for the promoting of his glory, and that the world may not have occaſion of a diſhonourable thought of him, whoſe honour never abates in it ſelf, or in the eyes of his own people. Thus we may ask him what he hath done, and why he hath brought ſuch deſolations upon his people. But we may not ask him what he hath done, either to queſtion his right to doe it, or to queſtion his righteouſneſſe in doing of it. No creature may put the queſtion upon either of theſe terms, What haſt thou done? much leſſe conclude, Thou haſt done that which thou haſt no right to do, or, thou haſt been unrighteous in doing it. Either of theſe is higheſt blaſphemy: for, whatſoever the Lord doth, he hath right to doe, and whatſoever the Lord doth, he is righteous in doing it.

Hence it followeth by way of corollary, That

The Lord is of abſolute power.

He is the Soveraign Lord, Lord over all; there is no appeal from him, no queſtioning of him. Solomon ſpeaketh of the power of a King, in this language (Eccleſ. 8.4.) Where the word of a King is, there is power, and who may ſay unto him, What doest thou? But is there nothing which a King doth, about which it may be ſaid unto him, What doſt thou? And what is this word of a King? The word of a King, is the Law of his Kingdom: all that a King doth or ſpeaks beſides the Law, he ſpeaks as a man, not as a King; and that's the meaning of Solomons text; vvhichwhich Court-flatterers have corrupted with their unſound gloſſes, as if every word of a King were of abſolute power, and muſt have peremptory obedience. A King is for his Kingdom; and while he commands according to the rules and laws of his Kingdom, no Subject may queſtion him, or ſay unto him, What doeſt thou? There is no power above his power, as he is armed with the power of his Laws. And becauſe whereſoever the Word of God is, there is his Law, therefore whereſoever the Word of God is, there is power, and no man may ſay unto him, What doeſt thou? Every vvord of direction, ſpoken by God is a Law, becauſe his vvill is the Law of all things p. 242and perſons. As the will of man by nature is not ſubject (by obeying) to the righteous Law of God, neither indeed can be; ſo the will of God by nature is the ſubject, containing all righteous Laws, neither indeed can it not be: for though God be voluntarily, and with higheſt freeneſſe righteous, yet he is righteous neceſſarily, and with greateſt undeclinableneſſe; As he is freely what he is, ſo it is impoſſible for him, not to be what he is. And therefore no man ought to ſay to God, What doeſt thou? ſeeing God can doe nothing, but what he ought. In vain then is God either attempted by power, or ſollicited by praier againſt his own minde; For,

Verſe 13. If God will not with-draw his anger, the proud helpers doe ſtoop under him.

Though, If God taketh away none can hinder him; though none ought to ſay unto him, What doeſt thou? whatſoever he doth: yet poſſibly ſome will be venturing upon this hard task, and undertake this impoſſible adventure, attempting to recover Gods booty, and his priſoners out of his hand: but ſee the iſſue, If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers doe ſtoop under him. Suppoſe any ſhould come to help, protect and patronize thoſe whom God hath a minde to take away and deſtroy, ſhall they proſper or ſpeed? No, not only they themſelves whom the Lord hath taken away, but their aſſiſtants, and their ſeconds, all that appear for them (except God call in his anger) ſhall fall before him.

If God will not with-draw his anger.

foreign Non revocabit naſum, non redibit à furere.The letter of the Hebrew is, If the Lord will not turn away his noſtrils, or his face. Noſtrils or face are taken here, as in many other Scriptures, for anger, becauſe there is ſuch an appearance of anger in the face and noſtrils, acted paſſion is ſeated there, as was noted (Chap. 4.9.) Therefore to turn away the face or noſtrill, is to turn away from anger, Pſal. 78.38. Many a time turned be away his anger; …vertit naſum ſuum, quaſi ſe vinci permittat, & ab hu mil…ante ſe peccatore fugeret.it is this word. When the Lord is angry, the turning of his face towards a man ſheweth he is reconciled; and when he is angry, the not turning away of his face, ſhews that he is unreconciled, or reſolved to continue angry. And while God is ſo reſolved, man is in a ſad caſe, his helpers muſt ſtoop, The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie or repent (1 Sam. 15.29.Ipſamet victo…ia vinci ne…cit.) The Hebrew is, The victory of Iſrael, The Lords ſtrength is victory; victorious perſons can hardly p. 243be overcome, but victory cannot; therefore except himſelf will with-draw, except himſelf overcome himſelf, it is not in the power of all creatures to overcome him (Job 23.13,) He is in one minde, and who can turn him? As if he had ſaid, except the Lord will turn himſelf, and alter what he himſelf hath determined, it is not in men to cauſe him to alter, He is in one minde, and who can turn him? And what his ſoul deſireth, even that he doth; which is the higheſt expreſſion of power imaginable. How many things doe our ſouls deſire which we cannot doe? We are deſiring and deſiring, yet our hands are not able to bring it to paſſe, The deſires of the ſlothfull (alwaies) ſlay them, becauſe (ſaith Solomon, Prov. 21.25.) their hands refuſe to labour; and the deſires of the diligent ſlay them, ſometimes, becauſe they cannot compaſſe the thing deſired, with all their labour; but as for the Lord, What his ſoul deſireth, even that he doth. And as his deſires are irreſiſtible, ſo is his anger, his iraſcible appetite is as victorious as his concupiſcible, unleſſe God withdraw his anger.

The proud helpers doe ſtoop under him.

The vvord is, Helpers of pride, that is,foreign ſuch as think themſelves moſt powerfull and able to help, The helpers of pride, Invaluit robore, inſolen… ſuit. Freti ſuperbia. Fagn. Auxiliatores ſuperbiae. Regiaor the ſtrong helpers. The ſame word (note that by the vvay) ſignifies ſtrength and pride, becauſe we are ſo apt to be proud of our ſtrength. If a man have a little ſtrength in the world, ſtrength of friends, or of riches, ſtrength of body or of minde, ſtrength of underſtanding, ſtrength of memory, ſtrong parts, he is under a ſtrong temptation to pride. Pride is one of the greateſt weakneſſes of man, but it is alwaies grounded upon ſuppoſed ſtrength.

But who are theſe proud, theſe ſtrong helpers?

Some underſtand it of the good angels, vvho are the ſtrongeſt, the higheſt of created helpers; Angels ſtoop under the power of God as well as men.

Others expound theſe ſtrong helpers to be devils, who are evil angels, to whom evil men ſeek ſometimes for help. If the Lord will not turn away his anger, though men ſeek to the devil for help (as Saul did) that helper ſhall ſtoop under him. Saul conſulted with a witch (the devils oracle) yet he could not be delivered by a witch.

Others underſtand by theſe ſtrong helpers, godly men; if the Lord vvill not turn away his anger, the righteous ſhall ſtoop under him, p. 244that is, they ſhall not be able to reſcue a perſon or a Nation from the anger of God by praier, or by the utmoſt improvements of their intereſt with God. Some places have fallen, becauſe they wanted godly men to ſupport them; and ſome places have fallen, though they had godly men to ſupport them.Qui portant orbem. Vulg. The Vulgar Latine tranſlation renders, They that bear up the pillars of the world ſhall fall. Godly men bear up the pillars of the vvorld. Though the Hebrew vvill not bear their tranſlation, yet the ſenſe is good. Godly men are the worlds ſupporters. It is ſaid, (Revel. 12.16.) That the earth helped the woman, that is, vvorldly men for carnall ends helped the Church, vvhen a floud of perſecution, caſt out of the mouth of the dragon, vvas ready to ſwallow her up. But the Church continually helps the vvorld, and ſwallows up many of thoſe flouds of Gods diſpleaſure, vvhichwhich elſe vvould drown the vvorld. And becauſe the Church vvas ſo thin, and there vvere ſo few godly men in the old vvorld, therefore it vvas drowned, Gen. 7. And becauſe ten righteous perſons vvere not found in Sodome; fire from heaven conſumed it (Gen. 18.) God ſeeks for Saints many times to ſtand in the gap, and ſave a Kingdome (Ezek. 22.30. Jer. 5.1.) and yet ſometimes Kingdoms are not ſaved, though many ſuch ſtand in the gap. Except the Lord turn away his anger; theſe Porters of the world ſhall not ſupport it, theſe ſpirituall Atlaſſes ſhall faint and fall under him. The Heathens had a fiction of a mighty Gigantine man, vvhom they called Atlas, him they fancied bearing up the frame of nature: it is moſt true in a ſpirituall ſenſe, the Saints bear up the vvorld; yet if the Lord turn not away his anger, the vvorld muſt totter and fall too, notwithſtanding theſe helpers. For the Saints doe not bear up the vvorld, or ſave Kingdoms from vvrath, by giving the leaſt ſatisfaction to the juſtice of God (that's the ſole Prerogative of Jeſus Chriſt) but onelyonly by imploring the mercy of God. Or they are therefore ſaid to turn away the vvrath of God from a people, becauſe God vvill not pour out his vvrath upon that people, vvhile his Saints are mingled vvith them. The tares are let grow, leſt in pulling them up, the vvheat ſhould be pulled up alſo. It is good for the vvorſt to have the neighbourhood of thoſe vvho are good.

Rab Sol. Ei ſuccumbent conſpiratores potentiſſi…i. Illi ſcilicet qui cum arrogantia & ſuperbia alijs autcilium pollicentur. V…tabl.Further, More generally theſe proud helpers are ſuppoſed to be Kings and Common-wealths, joyned in ſtrongeſt confederacies; and then the ſenſe is, If God come againſt a Nation, though it joyn with other Nations, though hand joyn in hand, the hand of p. 245one King in the hand of another, yet it ſhall not eſcape or go unpuniſhed.

The proud helpers ſhall ſtoop under him.

There is yet another interpretation, which reſtrains and limits the word Rahab particularly to Aegypt, Superbi & eoru… patroni. Appellatur Aegypt… hoc nomine, propter ſummam ſuam ſuperbiam.Ʋnleſſe the Lord turn away his anger, helpers out of Aegypt ſhall ſtoop under him, or Aegypt helping ſhall ſtoop under him. We finde frequently in the Scriptures of the old Teſtament, that Aegypt is called Rahab. And that name did well ſute with Aegypt, which was both a ſtrong and a proud Kingdom, Pſal. 87.4. We will remember Rahab and Babylon, that is, Aegypt and Babylon. Aegypt and Babylon are matcht together for pride, and for oppreſſion, perſecuting the people of God. And Iſa. 51.9. Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? That is, Art not thou (O Lord) he that didſt cut Aegypt in pieces, when they oppoſed thy people, and woundedſt Pharaoh in the midſt of the red ſea. In the 26^th of this book of Job, verſe 12. ſome tranſlate Rahab, Aegypt: Ex circumſtantijs horum locorum non valde incongruum eſt, hanc vocem ſumi pro Aegypto & prophaarone in mare dem…rſo. Bold. & Rab. Sol.we render the Text thus, He divideth the ſea with his power, and by his underſtanding he ſmiteth thorow the proud; ſo we, By his understanding he strikes thorow Rahab, that is, thorow Aegypt, ſay others. And ſo they make that Text and this an argument, that the book of Job was penned after the deliverance of the people of Iſrael out of Aegypt, and that in theſe paſſages Job had reference to the mighty work of God, in deſtroying the Aegyptians at the red ſea. Taking the word thus, the Text is, Ʋnleſſe the Lord turn away his anger, Aegypt ſhall stoop under him; as if he had ſaid, Doe you not remember a late inſtance of Gods power? Aegypt thought to contend with God, to hold his people in bondage whether he would or no, when he had a minde to bring them forth; but you know Aegypt ſtooped: God brought down the pride, and abated the ſtrength of it.

And that other place (Chap. 26.12.) may be gloſſed thus, He divided the ſea by his power, that is, the red ſea, and by his underſtanding he ſtruck thorow Rahab; that is,Loquitur propheticè Bold. Adju…ores Aegypti, i. e. angeli eju… gentis. Ʋt in prophetia… Danielis, princeps Perſidu. Druſ. when the Aegyptians purſued his people, he deſtroied them. Which interpretation carries a very clear proof that Job alludes to the deliverance of Iſrael out of Aegypt, and therefore lived after the time of that deliverance; though others who grant the expoſition, deny the inference, maintain that Job ſpake this prophetically, not hiſtorically. This we know, that Aegypt was a place much ſought to for help, and p. 246therefore it is elegantly ſaid, If the Lord turn not away his anger, Aegypt ſhall ſtoop; that Nation which hath bin ſo often called out to help and relive other Nations, that Nation w^ch hath ſo often helped and relieved other Nations, ſhall not be able to help, Iſa. 31.1. They goe down to Aegypt for help, as if Aegypt had been as a City of refuge, or the place of common reſort for help. And Iſa. 30.7. The Aegyptians ſhall help in vain; the Text is very appliable to this point; we read it thus, The Aegyptians ſhall helpe in vain, and to no purpoſe, therefore have I cried concerning this, their ſtrength is to ſit ſtill. Their ſtrength ſhall not deliver you, they ſhall help in vain, therefore I have warned you (ſaith the Prophet) to ſit ſtill, to be quiet with your own ſtrength, and it is better to doe ſo than to go down thither for help. But the word which we tranſlate ſtrength, Superbia tantū eſt qu…eſce: fortaſſe vult dicere, nihil aliud eſſe in ea quam ſuperbiam.is, that in the Text, Rahab; and we may render the whole thus, The Egyptians ſhall help in vain, and to no purpoſe, therefore I cried to them in this thing, They are proud, or only pride, Therefore ſit ſtill. As if he had ſaid, Will ye goe to Aegypt for help? Ye go but to a proud people for help, and ye had better have no helpers, then proud helpers, ye had better be quiet and ſit ſtill at home, for they ſhall help you in vain. So it is an elegant alluſion to their nature and diſpoſition. The truth is, proud helpers are very unſafe helpers, for the Lord reſiſteth the proud, and I wonder how they can help us to reſiſt our enemies, who are reſiſted by the Lord himſelf? They will prove but ill friends to us, who have the Lord for their enemy.

foreignThey ſhall ſtoop under him.

Eſt valde dejici & penitus humiliari, hoc loco ſervilem potiſſimum conditionem deſignat.The word is often uſed for worſhipping, it imports likewiſe any caſting down or abaſement, becauſe we in the worſhip of God ought to be exceedingly abaſed and humbled before him. Pſal. 38.6. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly. So Habak. 3.6. The perpetuall hils did bow, that is, the power (for it is conceived to be a continued Allegory) of the great Monarchs, who were as the mountains and hils of the world, bowed under the Lord. The word is uſed to the ſame ſenſe (Iſa. 49.23.) where the Lord promiſeth his people, That Kings ſhall be their nurſing Fathers, and Queens their nurſing Mothers, they ſhall bow downe to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick the duſt of thy feet. The Church ſhall have the honour to be honoured by the Kings and Princes of the world, they being converted ſhall bow downe ſo low to the Scepter p. 247of Jeſus Chriſt, held forth by the Church, as if they would lick up the very duſt, and ſhall employ their power and authority for the good and protection of the Church. The ſpeech of Iſrael (Gen. 27.29.) in his prophetick bleſſing upon Jacob, Let thy mothers ſons bow downe to thee, and of Jacob, in his, upon Judah (Gen. 49.8.) Thy fathers children ſhall bow downe before thee, note greateſt honour and ſubjection to them both.

The meaning of all is plainly this, That except the Lord himſelf ſuspend his own act, and restrain his anger, no power in heaven or earth, how strong, how proud, how confident of ſucceſſe ſoever, is able to force him, or to alter him. Helpers ſhall not help themſelves, much leſſe thoſe to whoſe help they come, againſt the minde and purpoſe of God. Obſerve here, firſt,

Thoſe paſſions which are aſcribed to God, are fully under the command of God.

The paſſion of anger is aſcribed to God, yet the anger which we ſay is in God, hath no power over God: Mans anger uſually masters him; but God is alwaies master of his anger; that is, he can turn and with-draw his anger when he pleaſeth. There is no perturbation in God; when he is offended, he is not moved; his motions are all without upon the creatures, he hath none in his own boſom. The paſſions of the Lord are his moſt ſerious counſels & determinations; and we therefore ſay, he is angry, becauſe thoſe counſels of his acted, look like the effects of anger. Secondly, obſerve,

That, It is not in the power of man to turn away the anger of God.

He doth not ſay, except men by praier or other means ſtop the anger of God, but, Except the Lord with-draw his anger all help is vain. Praier is ſaid to appeaſe the wrath of God, and to ſtay his anger; Moſes ſtood in the gap, and Aaron came out with incenſe to turn away his wrath, yet it is an act of Gods will, which turns away his anger, not the force of our praier; praier therefore prevails with God, becauſe he hath ſaid, it ſhall. He is infinitely free when himſelf acknowledges that we laythe powerfulleſt reſtraint upon him: when the Lord is turned by praier, it is his will to be turned; it was his counſell, and is his command that praier ſhould be made as a means to turn him; and it is his promiſe, that he will turn to us when we pray. Then it appears to us that the Lord hath decreed to do a thing, when he ſtirs up the hearts of his people to pray for the doing of it, and that he is purpoſed to with-draw his anger, when he draws out their hearts ſtrongly to entreat his favour. Thirdly, obſerve,

p. 248That, untill God be appeaſed towards a perſon or a people, there is no remedy for them in the world.

The proud helpers ſhall ſtoop under him. If the helpers themſelves fall, who can riſe by theſe helpers? if they are caſt down, how ſhall we be upheld by them? What if the people of a provoking Nation aſſociate themſelves together, or aſſociate themſelves with other Nations, or call in help and aid from all that are round about them, ſhall they therefore eſcape in their wickedneſſe? they ſhall not eſcape. Unleſſe God help our helpers, they are helpleſſe to us. When many companies, and great Commanders repaired to David at Ziklag, David went out to meet them (Chron. 12.17.) and ſaid, If ye be come peaceably to help me, mine heart ſhall be knit to you, but if ye be come to betray me, &c. Amaſai who was chief of the Captains, anſwers (v. 18.) Thine are we, David, and on thy ſide, thou ſon of Jeſſe: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy helpers, for thy God helpeth thee! Our helpers cannot give us peace, unleſſe God give them peace; our helpers muſt be helped by God, before they can give us help. The anger of God breaks all the ſtaves we lean on, and makes them as reeds, which wound rather then ſupport; till God is quiet all is unquiet, and when he is unpacified, men ſhall be unpacified, or their peace ſhall be to our loſſe. As if he with-draw his anger, enemies ſhall oppoſe in vain: ſo except he with-draw his anger, friends ſhall help in vain.

Laſtly, They who ſtrive to deliver thoſe whom God will deſtroy, ſhall fall themſelves before God.

If God be reſolved upon the thing, not only they that are helped, but the helpers alſo ſhall ſtoop under him: helpers cannot help themſelves when he is angry; they ſhall be like Idols, which have eyes and ſee not, hands and cannot act, either to ſave themſelves, or thoſe that truſt upon them. The greateſt ſtrength in the world without God, it is no better then an Idol, which is nothing in the world. Strength cannot be ſtrong for it ſelf, and help cannot help it ſelf. Our help ſtands in the Name of the Lord, which made heaven and earth, and not in the name of any creature under any part of heaven, or upon the face of the whole earth.