Exposition of Job 8-10 — Joseph Caryl

Exposition of Job 8-10 · Joseph Caryl

JOB Chap. 10. Verſ. 4, 5, 6, 7.

Haſt thou eyes of fleſh? or ſeest thou as man ſeeth?

Are thy daies as the daies of men? Are thy years as mans daies?

That thou enquireſt after mine iniquity, and ſearcheſt after my ſinne?

Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver out of thy hand.

JOB proceedeth upon the ſame argument; and as in the third verſe he had removed three things inconſiſtent with, and diſhonourable to the juſtice of God: So in the two verſes following, he removeth two more. And as he thus acquits the Lord from injuſtice or unrighteous dealing with him: ſo he appeals to the Lord (who was able (he knew) to do it upon certain knowledge) to acquit him from all the unjuſt charges, with which his friends had burdened him, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, &c.

Haſt thou eyes of fleſh? or ſeest thou as man ſeeth?

The Queſtion is to be reſolved into this negation, Lord, Thou haſt not eyes of fleſh, Lord, Thou ſeeſt not as man ſeeth; as if Job had thus ſpoken, Lord, I have been long afflicted with grievous pains, I am as a man hanging upon a rack, to draw out and force a confeſſion from him; Lord, why is it thus with me? Why am I brought to ſuch a triall? I am ſure it is not with thee as with mortall Judges, who having eyes of fleſh, can ſee no further then the out-ſide of things, and know no more then is told them, and therefore muſt fetch out what lies in the heart of man by examination, and if examination will not do it, they muſt do it by torture; Lord, there is no need thou ſhouldeſt take this courſe; Thou canſt enform thy ſelf fully how it is with me, though I ſhould not speak a word, though I am ſilent, yet thine ear hears the voice and underſtands the language of my ſpirit. Though I hide or cover my ſelf, yet the eye of thy omniſcience looks quite thorow me; ſeeing then thou haſt not eyes like the eyes of men, wherefore is it that thou enquireſt by theſe afflictions after mine iniquity, and ſearcheſt (as men uſe to do) after my ſin?

Haſt thou eyes of fleſh? or ſeeſt thou as man ſeeth?

God hath no eyes, much leſſe eyes of fleſh; God is a Spirit, and therefore he cannot have eyes of fleſh; He is all eye, and therefore (properly) he hath no eyes. The eye is that ſpeciall organ or member of the body into which the power of ſeeing is contracted, but God is all over a power of ſeeing. The body of man hath ſeverall parts, and ſeverall honours and offices are beſtowed upon every part. The eye hath the great office and honour of ſeeing committed to it. The eye is the light of the whole body, and knowledge is the eye of the ſoul. The eye of God is the knowledge of God.Ipſum nomen Dei Graecum hanc videndi efficacit atem prae ſeſert foreign nimirum foreign, ſpectare, contemplari dicitur. Nihil eſt in intellectu quod nō pri… ſuit in ſenſu. The Greeks expreſſe God by a word which ſignifies to ſee: and he is therefore ſaid to have eyes, and to ſee, becauſe the eye is a principall inſtrument, and ſeeing a principall means by which man receives knowledge. Naturaliſts tell us there is nothing in the underſtanding but that which is firſt in the ſence. The ſences are doors to the minde; the furniture and riches of that are conveyed in by the eyes or ears. Theſe bring informations to the underſtanding. Naturall knowledge cannot have an immediate acceſſe to man, and 'tis but ſeldom that ſpirituall hath: Both are commonly let in by ſence. The ſuperiour powers muſt traffick with the inferiour, otherwiſe they make no gain. Though God hath no need of any help to bring in or improve his knowledge, yet that is aſcribed to him by which knowledge is improved; He hath eyes, but not of fleſh; he ſeeth, but not as man.

Haſt thou eyes of fleſh?

Fleſh by a Synechdoche is put for the whole nature of man. The Word was made fleſh (Joh. 1.14.) not body or ſoul, but Fleſh, that is, man conſiſting of ſoul and body. Thus here, eyes of fl…ſh, that is, mans eyes. And ſo the later clauſe of the verſe is an expoſition of the former.Oculi carnei ſunt ſecundum carnem judicantes. When he ſaith, Haſt thou eyes of fleſh? It is no more then this, Doſt thou ſee as man ſeeth? To have an eie of fleſh, is to judge according to the fleſh, and to ſee as man ſeeth, is to ſee no more then man.

When Samuel was ſent to anoint a King over Iſrael in the place of Saul (1 Sam. 16.7.) the Lord ſaid concerning the firſt-born of Jeſſe, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his ſtature, becauſe I have refuſed him; The reaſon added is this, For the Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. There we have Jobs doctrine of Gods ſeeing, delivered by God himſelf. Samuel thought he who made the faireſt ſhew to the eie of man, muſt needs be the man who was faireſt in the eye of God; but the Lord ſeeth what is not ſeen, and often findes moſt reality in the leaſt appearance; he who hath not eyes of fleſh ſees beyond the fleſh.

There are ſeven differences between the eye of fleſh or mans eye, and the eye of God.

1. Mans eye is but a means, or an inſtrument of knowledge: Gods eye is his knowledge. The act and the faculty are not diſtinct in God. All in God is act; Neither is God another thing from his act: whatſoever is aſcribed to him, is himſelf. The eye of God is God ſeeing. The knowledge of God is God knowing. The love of God is God loving.

2, Man muſt have a two-fold light to ſee by; an inward light, the light of the eye and an outward light, the light in the air: without both he cannot ſee; man doth not ſee (as Naturaliſts ſpeak) by ſending forth a beam or a ray from his eye to the object, but by receaving or taking in a beam or a ray from the object into his eie; The object iſſues it's ſpecies to the eye, which being joyned with the viſive power of the eye, man ſeeth: But God ſeeth in himſelf, of himſelf, and from himſelf, he needs no outward light. Chriſt is deſcribed having a fiery eye, His eyes were as a flame of fire (Revel. 1.14. Revel. 2.18.) Even nature teacheth us that thoſe creatures which have fiery eyes, ſee in the dark, and ſee beſt when it is darkeſt, becauſe they ſee by ſending forth a beam or a flame from their eyes, which at once apprehends the object, and enlightens the paſſage to it. God who commanded light to come out of darkneſſe for the uſe of man, commands light in darkneſſe for his own. The darkneſſe hideth not from thee (ſaith David) but the night ſhineth as the day. The darkneſſe and the light are both alike to thee. There is no darkneſſe nor ſhadow of death, where any of the workers of iniquity can hide themſelves, Job 34.22. Thus God hath not eyes of fleſh; he ſeeth not as man ſeeth.

3. Man ſeeth one thing after another: his eye is not able to take in all objects at once; he views now one, and then another, to make his judgement of them. But God ſeeth all things together; he beholdeth all at one view; his eye takes and gathers in all objects, and all that is in every object by one act. The Lord looketh from heaven, and beholdeth all the ſonnes of men; from the place of his habitation he looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth (Pſal. 33.13, 14.)

4. An eye of fleſh ſeeth at a diſtance, and at ſuch a diſtance. Naturaliſts tell us, there muſt be a due diſtance between the eye and the object. If you put the object too neer the eye,Senſibile poſitum ſuper ſenſū tollet ſenſationem. the eye cannot ſee it, That which is ſenſible put upon the ſenſe, takes away ſenſation. Again, if the object be very remote, the eye cannot make any diſcovery of it, The eye cannot ſee farre, and it cannot diſcern ſo farre as it can ſee. We may ſee a thing, and not know what we ſee. But the eye of the Lord ſeeth and diſcerneth at all diſtances. There are none ſo neer him, but he knows what they are; neerneſſe doth not hinder his ſight; and there are none ſo farre from him, but he can diſcover what they are, remoteneſſe doth not hinder his ſight. And indeed all things are preſent with him, as in time, ſo in place; God is neareſt, Deus non ſolu… eſt proximus objecto, ſed eſt intimè cum illo conjunctut.even next to every object: He is in every place, yet not included by any, he is in every thing, yet not mixed with any (Prov. 15.3.) The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. His eies are upon the waies of man, he ſeeth all his goings (Job 34.21.) and that this ſeeing is a diſtinguiſhing ſight, another Scripture clears to us, His eye-lids try the children of men (Pſal. 11.5.) Let them be what they will, and where they will, his eye-lids do not only ſee, but try, that is, he hath a diſtinct, and a certain knowledge, or a criticall ſight of the ſtate and condition of every man.

5. Man ſeeth but the colour and skin, the face and out-ſide of things or perſons, but God ſeeth the in-ſides, and looks into the very bowels of them. He is a ſearcher and diſcerner of the heart: He ſeeth the ſpirit as ſoon as the face. Our clothes are not more open to him then our breſts and boſoms. An Heathen wiſhed for a window there, and if we had windows there, we could not ſee what's there. An eye of fleſh cannot reade the meaning of our ſpirits; but the Lord can look into the heart without a window, yea we are all window to him, and he at every turn looks not only upon us, but into us. It was prophecied of Chriſt, (Iſa. 11.3.) He ſhall not judge after the ſight of his eyes; neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; that is, he ſhall not judge as a meer man, but as God; he ſhall not judge according to fair appearances, or flying reports, He ſhall judge with righteouſneſſe, and reprove with equity. Man (whoſe eyes are of fleſh) ſhould not judge according to appearance, yet becauſe his eyes are of fleſh, he cannot judge of that which doth not appear. But God who calleth thoſe things which are not, as if they were, judgeth of thoſe things which appear not, as if they did appear.

6. An eye of fleſh may be deceived. The ſight of man is ſubject to manifold deceptions. Many things put a ſtop to the ſight of the eye. The eye of man is in danger of as many fallacies, as the underſtanding; and the underſtanding is entangled with many fallacies by the eye. But there is no errour in the ſight of God, nor any deception of his eye; you cannot by any art or device, by any policy or hypocriſie, by any maſques or diſguiſes, by any ſimulations or diſſimulations make that appear to him, which is not, or make it appear to him otherwiſe then it is. The heart of man, (ſaith the Lord) is deceitfull above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? (only the Lord who makes, can anſwer this challenge, ſo he doth in the next words) I the Lord ſearch the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his waies, and according to the fruit of his doings. How can that which is deceitfull receive according to its doings, but by knowing all its doings and all it's deceits? As the tongue (the greateſt troubler of the world) no man can tame: ſo the heart (the greateſt impoſtour in the world) no man can diſcover but God, and he can do it eaſily, and doth it continually.

7. When it is ſaid, the Lord hath not eyes of fleſh, he ſeeth not as man ſeeth, the meaning is, his knowledge is not imperfect as the knowledge of man is. An eye of fleſh hath bin but a while, and can be but a while, and therefore cannot attain much knowledge, We are but of yeſterday, and know nothing (ſaith Bilaad, c. 8.) He that hath but little experience, muſt needs have more then a little ignorance. Experience breeds knowledge, and brings to perfection in knowledge. The eye of God is from everlaſting. If he had not (as he hath) all knowledge in and from himſelf, he might have fetcht it in before this time, from what he hath ſeen. And he (having ſeen all things) muſt needs have perfect knowledge, whoſe knowledge had been perfect, though he had never ſeen any of theſe things.

Beſides, As this phraſe, an eye of fleſh, imports thinneſſe of experience, and thence imperfection of knowledge, ſo groſſeneſſe of ſpirit, and dimneſſe of underſtanding to attain knowledge. When Peter made that gracious confeſſion (Mat. 16.16.) Thou art Chriſt the Sonne of the living God. Chriſt anſwers,Carò ſignificat aliquia pingue obtuſum craſſū minime ſubti…e aut perspicax. Bleſſed art thou Simon Bar-jona, for fleſh and bloud (that is, man) hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven, As if he had ſaid, All men are fleſh and bloud, ſo dull-ſighted and blinde, that they could never have perceived this truth by any ſtudy or obſervation, it comes only by gift and revelation.

The eye of God is not an eye of fleſh in this ſenſe neither. All ſpirits have much clearneſſe of underſtanding, much ſharpneſſe and quickneſſe of apprehenſion. The devil being a ſpirit,Daemon. though now a wicked ſpirit, hath one name from knowledge. How much more knowing is he, who is The ſpirit, the Creatour of the ſpirits of all fleſh, and the Creatour of thoſe ſpirits which ſubſiſt without fleſh?

Further, Sight is put for judgement, and ſeeing for judging. Judging is an act beyond knowing. Judgement is the reſult of knowledge. So, Thou doſt not ſee, is, Thou doſt not judge as man judgeth.

1. Mans judgement is often hindered by his affections.Num vides more hominum, & ſi…ut illi ex facie judicas ut affectibus ducaris ſi…ut illi? His judgement is hindred by divers affections, eſpecially by love, and the nearneſſe of relations; man can hardly ſee a fault and a friend, a ſin and a ſon together. Love makes knowledge as ignorance, and light as darkneſſe. Chriſtian charity covers a multitude of ſins from private revenge, and harſh cenſures; But humane charity cover… a multitude of ſins from publike juſtice, and wholſome admonitions. The former keeps from rigid ſeverity, this endangers to cockering flattery. It is not thus with God, He ſeeth not as man ſeeth. They who have the greateſt intereſt, the neareſt relation to God, are ſeen what they are, and ſhall be judged as they are. God hath (indeed) an infinite largeneſſe of affection to poor ſinners, and the lap of his garment of love covers every day a multitude, yea many multitudes of ſins. But he doth not this, becauſe his love to the perſons offending hinders his eye from ſeeing, but becauſe his Son having ſatisfied his juſtice for the perſons offending, he turns away his eye from ſeeing their ſins. God proclaims himſelf at once, The God pardoning iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin, and that will by no means acquit the guilty (Exod. 34.7.) There is nothing but the Name of his Son, and of his Son ſuffering, which turns his eye from ſin. He will eſpy, and puniſh, or eſpy to puniſh all our faults through all other titles and intereſts whatſoever.

Again, Mans judgment is clouded by wrath and malice. He cannot ſee the innocency of thoſe he hates, or do them juſtice to whom he bears no affection. The want of love hinders an eye of fleſh, as much as the inordinacy or exceſſe of it. But though the Lord be angry and diſpleaſed with man, yet he wrongs no man. The wrath of man cannot work the righteouſneſſe of God, but the wrath of God works righteouſneſſe to man. He never gives more then right to thoſe he loves moſt, nor leſſe then right to thoſe he hates moſt. That which we call paſſion in God, is acted with higheſt reaſon, his anger never errs.

2. Man is much ſwaied in judgment by the power, pomp and ſplendour of men. We are apt to think they have moſt worth in them, who are worth moſt. And that they are good, with whom all's well. Even the Saints are toucht with this infirmity: The Apoſtle James (chap. 2.2, 3.) beſpeaks them thus, If there come into your Aſſembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel, and there come in a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and ſay unto him, Come and ſit here by me in a good place, and ſay to the poor, Stand thou there, or ſit here under my foot-stool, Are ye not partiall in your ſelves, and Judges of evil thoughts? that is, Are ye not condemned in your ſelves, and convinced in your own conſciences, that you do evil, and ſo that your thoughts have been evil, which moved you to do ſo? Can you chuſe but judge this an evil thought, to think him the beſt man that weareth the beſt clothes, and him a vile perſon that is in vile apparel? Thus men, yea good men may miſ-judge of men. But the Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth, It is not good clothes, but a good heart; it is not a gold ring, but a golden converſation which he accepts; wickedneſſe is abominable in his eye, though it ſit upon a throne; and holineſſe ſhines in his eye, though it lie upon a dung-hill. Holineſſe is not leſſe lovely to him, becauſe cloathed with rags, nor unholineſſe leſſe loathſome to him, becauſe it goes in a gay coat. 'Tis well conceived,Forte Iob resp… cit ad carneos judicum oculos, qui ex ſpecie & carnis ſplendore judicant, ſordidos vero & ſqual…dos contemnu…t At Deus ſordida & humilia non despicit, Sanct. that Job had reference to his own condition when he ſpake thus; he lay in a wofull plight, all over ſores, and boils, and filthineſſe, yet (ſaith he) Lord, I know thou ſeeſt not as man ſeeth; Thou doſt not therefore think me the worſe, becauſe I am thus ill. I am even a loathing, not only to others, but to my ſelf, yet I know thou doſt not loath me; Thou haſt not a bad opinion of me, becauſe my condition is thus bad.

3. Man judgeth the cauſe by the effect, the tree by the fruit, the man by his actions, that's the way of mans judgement, and ſo man ought to judge. We ought to think well of them, who do well; and when the hand is clean, charity bids us ſay the heart is clean too. But the Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth; he in judging men tranſcends the rule he gives men to judge by. He judgeth the fruit by the tree, the effect by the cauſe, and the action by the man; he had reſpect to Abel, and then to his offering. If the worker pleaſe him not, neither doth his work; as he makes, ſo he ſees the tree good, and then then the fruit good. Till the man mends, his manners never mend in Gods eſteem. When a good tree brings forth evil fruit, or an evil tree good fruit, 'tis accidentall to them both, not naturall. God judgeth us by what we alwaies are, not by what we ſometimes act, either in good or evil.

In this alſo Job comforts himſelf, that whatſoever fruit he might ſeem to bring forth, yet the Lord judg'd him not (as his friends did) by ſome unſavoury ſpeeches that came from him, but by the ſavourineſſe of that ſpirit which was in him. He knew God judged him by the ſetled temper of his inward man, and the ſoundneſſe of his minde, not by the caſuall diſtemper of his outward man, or the ſound of his tongue. Job was a good tree, and the root of the matter was in him. And Job was aſſured God would not condemn him for his fruit, if ſome of it were bitter and unpleaſant, while he ſaw his root was good.

4. Man muſt take time to hear and diſcuſſe every caſe, to finde and beat out the truth of every controverſie, but God judgeth all at an inſtant; the matter is no ſooner before him, but he knoweth it fully: indeed the matter was ever before him, and ever fully known, he knew it from eternity: Things are known to him before they are, by whom all things are. The Lord needeth not to put queſtions or to be informed by confeſſions. God is able to prevent our queſtions with reſolutions, and to give us anſwers before we give him our doubts (Joh. 16.30.) Now are we ſure that thou knoweſt all things, and needeſt not that any man ſhould ask thee; that is acquainted with our doubts before we propoſe them, can anſwer them as ſoon as we propoſe them. Seeing it is thus (ſaith Job) why am I held ſo long upon the rack to draw out the matter from me? I know thou doſt not judge as man judgeth, by enquiring into, or comparing circumſtances and actions, anſwers and queſtions. Thou art able to make out a judgement of me, and of my condition from thy own knowledge without the contribution of my anſwers to thy queſtions, or of other mens teſtimonies concerning my actions, Thou ſeeſt not as man ſeeth.

Laſtly, To have eyes of fleſh, and to ſee as man, is to ſee with ſcorn,foreign Eſt aliquando despicere, & cernere cum contemptu. or with diſdain. The originall word which we tranſlate to ſee, put alone, ſignifies ſometimes to deſpiſe. The Prince of Tyrus is threatned thus (Ezek. 28.17.) I will lay thee before kings that they may behold (that is, deſpiſe and deride) thee; And the Spouſe in the Canticles (Chap. 1.6.) deprecates, look not upon me, becauſe I am black, becauſe the Sunne hath looked upon me; that is, God hath looked upon me with a ſcorching eye of diſpleaſure, and made me black with troubles, do not ye look upon me with a ſcornfull eye of diſdain, becauſe of my blacknes. Thus God ſeeth or looketh not as man ſeeth; he looketh not diſdainfully upon a poor afflicted ſoul, as men do upon their friends in their affliction, or as ye my friends do upon me in mine affliction.

This is the fourth diſhonourable thought, which Iob removeth from God. His eyes are not eyes of fleſh, he ſeeth not as man ſeeth, either in reference to the truth or manner, the clearneſſe or ſpeedineſſe, the certainty or impartiality, the infallibility or charity of his judgement. Upon all which his former requeſt is again to be inferred, Shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me.

He proceedeth to a fifth, which he alſo by way of interrogation removeth from God, and ſo virtually reneweth the ſame petition.

Verſe 5. Are thy daies as the daies of men? Are thy years as mans daies?

I know they are not.

Are thy daies at mans daies?

Some interpreters take the word day for judgement, Are thy daies as mans daies? that is, Are thy judging daies,Ponitur dies pro judicio ex Cilicum idiotiſmo. Hieron, Putarim Paulum potius diem maluiſſe dicere, quam judicium, u… alluderet ad diem illum ſupremum in quo Dominus ipſe judex ſedebit. Bez. or thy judgement given upon thoſe daies, like mans daies, or the judgement which man giveth? We have the word in that ſenſe (1 Cor. 4.3.) where the Apoſtle concludes in his own caſe, It is a very ſmall thing with me to be judged of you, or of mans judgement; the Greek is, To be judged of mans day: and according to the idiom of that language in ſome countreys, the day of a man is put for the judgement of a man. Though others conceive Paul calls it a day rather then a judgement, in alluſion to that laſt day, wherein God will ſit in judgement upon the whole world. So the meaning of Job is plainly this, The Lords judgement is not like mans judgement; This Expoſition falls in with the ſenſe of the former verſe; men judge by outward proofs and probabilities, by queſtions and interrogatories, by teſtimonies and witneſſes: God needs none of theſe humane helps in his day of judgement; yet in Jobs caſe, he carried it, as if he needed them. The ſuit depending ſo long before him, and ſuch variety of experiments and trials, being put upon, or taken of him.

But, we may better interpret daies for a part of time; and ſo,Enos cujus vitae duratio breviſſima & pene nulla. Are thy daies as mans daies? is, Art thou ſhort liv'd as man is? The word [Man] ſignifies man in his worſt condition, Are thy daies like the daies of a weak man? of a miſerable ſickly man? Are they like the daies of a man, whom we number among the dead, and who is giving up the ghoſt every hour? There are ſome men, whom we call long-liv'd, that is, men who in probability may live very long: we ſay of a healthy ſtrong man, we would take a leaſe of his life, or if we were to take a leaſe for lives, we would put his life in for one: he is a man of a good complexion and conſtitution, a man like to live, and ſee many daies. But, ſaith Jo…, Are thy daies as the daies of Enoſh? As the daies of a weak ſickly man, as the daies of one, who looks as if he would drop into the grave every day; as the daies of a very borderer upon death, of the next neighbour, and heir apparent to the king of terrours? Lord, I am ſure thy daies are not as the daies of ſuch a weakling, of ſuch mouldring, ſickly clod of earth. This ſenſe may have a double reference.

Perſlat Iob in excludenda ignorantia à Deo judice; Dies hominis ſignificant vitam bre viſſimam, quae cum multa ignorantia conjuncta eſt. Sanct Ars longa vita brevis. Hypocr.1. To the knowledge of God concerning Iob.

2. To the manner of Gods dealing with Iob.

1. Thy daies are not as the daies of man, thou haſt had, and haſt time enough to gather knowledge and experience, if thou didſt need ſuch help to make thee more knowing. It was the ancient complaint of that great Phyſitian, when he ſaw how much of his art he had to learn, and how little time he had to learn it in, Art is long, and time is ſhort, what can I learn in ſuch a ſpan-long life as mine? Hence it is conceived, that though the fathers before the flood (ſome of whoſe lives reached eight or nine Centuries) wanted the help of Libraries and Academies, which we enjoy; yet, that by the experience of ſo many years, they gathered a great ſtock of knowledge, and proved men of eminent learning. Men whoſe daies are not as the daies of ordinary men, attain knowledge beyond ordinary men. How then can the Lord want any perfection of the moſt perfect knowledge, who numbereth not only by hundreds and thouſands of years, but by an eternity of years. His knowledge muſt needs be full, concerning the ſtate both of things and perſons, who not only hath Antiquity of daies, but is the Ancient of daies (Dan. 7.9.) Many men have lived ſo many daies, that they are juſtly called Ancient, but no man ever lived or ſhall live ſo long, as to deſerve this title, Ancient of daies. God is called the Ancient of daies, not only, becauſe he hath been many daies, yea all the daies that ever have been, but becauſe he is ancienter then daies; He is the daies ancient, for he made the day. His daies cannot be like mans daies, who made five daies ancienter then man. God hath more then all daies, therfore he hath all knowledg: he hath all experience, therfore he hath neither ignorance, nor neſcience. Upon this ground Job argues it out with God, that he muſt needs know all thing, who was before all times; and that he was acquainted with him better then all men, who lived at that day, becauſe he lived and was acquainted with what he would be, before man had a day, even from eternity.

2. Theſe words, Thy daies are not as mans daies, may refer to the dealing of God with Job; As if he had ſaid, Lord, why then doeſt thou make ſuch haste to enquire after me? why doſt thou ſo inceſſantly follow me with afflictions? Why doſt thou keep me upon the rack from day to day, night and day, and wilt give me no reſt? Lord, thou needeſt not fear to looſe time, for thou haſt all time at thy command: thou canſt not want opportunity, who haſt eternity. The reaſon why man is called upon ſo earneſtly, to redeem the time, is, becauſe he hath ſo little time given him, and no time at all, but what is given him. His daies are ſhort daies and they are but few, and (which ſhould provoke him more to make haſte) he knows not how few; unleſſe he lay hold upon the preſent day, he is not ſure of any day. But Lord, thou art Lord of time, and Maſter not only over thy work, but alſo over thy daies, thou canst allow thy ſelf as many daies as thou pleaſeſt to doe thy work in. Why then doeſt thou deal thus ſeverely with me, as if thou were afraid thou ſhouldeſt over-ſlip thy day; or want a ſeaſon to deal with me in.

Again, When he ſaith, Are thy daies as mans daies? it may referre to the changes which happen in the daies of man:Deo nihil affert novi craſtina dies. the daies of man are ſometimes fair, and ſometimes cloudy, ſometimes he hath good daies, and ſometimes he hath ill daies, therefore he muſt take his time, and lay hold upon his opportunity. He muſt make his hay while the Sunſhines, who cannot command the Sun to ſhine. But the daies of the Lord are (like himſelf) alwaies the ſame, alwaies alike. There are no changes of time to him, who is himſelf unchangeable.

Laſtly, Are thy daies as the daies of man? A…iam ſuarum miſeriarum cauſam excludit à Deo, q.d. ſi non eſſet firma Dei voluntas, at que benevolentia erga ſuos, ſed innata illi eſſet inconſtantia, nihil mirum eſſet ſi me, quē quondam ingentibus beneficiis cumula vit odio proſequatur. Bold. foreignmay have reference to man himſelf; man is as mutable a creature, as his time is: and man is mutable, not only in his condition, but in his affection: now he loveth, anon he hateth, now he rejoyceth, anon he ſorroweth; now he eſteemeth, anon he rejecteth; now he imbraceth, anon he contemneth, Lord (ſaith Job) I know thou art not in thy daies as man is in his; Where thou art once a friend, thou art alwaies a friend; whom thou loveſt thou loveſt for ever. Thy affections are as unchangeable as thy nature.

There is a difference in the later clauſe of the verſe, for whereas he ſaith in the firſt, Are thy daies as the daies of man? In the ſecond he ſaith, Are thy years as mans daies? The daies of God in the firſt part, are the ſame with the years of God in the ſecond. But man hath not years aſcribed to him in the ſecond. The time of man is ſo ſhort that it is reckoned by the ſhorteſt compleat time, a day. And when David computes the longeſt date of mans life, he doth not ſay, The years of man are threeſcore years and ten; but the daies of our years are threeſcore years and ten (Pſa. 90.10.) There is yet another difference in the originall about the word man. In the firſt clauſe the Hebrew word for man was Enoſh, here it is Geber, which ſignifies a ſtrong man, a mighty man, a man of the moſt maſculine ſpirit, and ſtrongeſt body, of the moſt vigorous abilities, and greateſt probabilities to live long. A man of braſſe, and heart of oake, rather then of clay, and duſt of the earth, Lord, Thy daies are not only not as the daies of Enoſh, a weak, ſickly man, but, Thy years are not as the daies of Geber, as the daies of the mightieſt and healthieſt, of the ſtrongeſt and ſtouteſt among the ſons of men.

Obſerve hence more diſtinctly the difference between the daies of God, and the daies of man.

Firſt, Gods day is the day of eternity.

Mans daies are but daies of time. God is ſaid, To inhabit eternity (Iſa. 57.15.) that is, he is fixed in eternity, he is without beginning, and without end, yea his daies are without ſucceſſion of daies. All the daies of God are but a day. Not only are a thouſand years to him as one day, but eternity is to him as one day. All that God doth, is ſaid to be done to day; Thou art my ſonne, to day have I begotten thee (Pſal. 2.7.) yet he ſpeaks (ſay ſome) of the eternall generation of the Son: or, as it referreth to the reſurrection of Chriſt (ſo the Apoſtle expounds it, Act. 13.33.) God cals that time, To day, though it came a long time after: all is preſent with God; Paſt and to come in relation to God, is neither paſt nor to come, all is now or to day. That was not paſt to God, which never had beginning, the eternall generation of his Son: nor was that to come to God which was alwaies before him: The temporall reſurrection of his Son, To day have I begotten thee, is the moſt proper ſtile for God.

Tempus eſt menſura hominum habens principium & finem, aeviternitas eſt Angelorum, principium habeus, ſed non finem, aeternitas eſt propria Deo, nec principiū habens nec finem.Some diſtinguiſh thus between theſe three, Eternity, Eviternity and Time. Eternity is that which is peculiar unto God, his are the daies of eternity. Eviternity is proper to Angels and ſpirits, which have a beginning, but ſhall have no end. Time is the portion and lot of man, who hath had a beginning, and ſhall have an end. Time is the meaſure of thoſe things, which actually corrupt and change. Eviternity is the meaſure of things incorruptible and unchangeable, not in themſelves, but by the appointment of God. Eternity is peculiar to God, in whom it is abſolutely impoſſible any change ſhould be. Time hath continuall ſucceſſions, eternity a conſtant permanency, eviternity partakes of both. Hence

The ſecond difference, Mans daies are moveable, the daies of God move not.Aeternitas eſt quae nihil habet mutabile, ibi nihil eſt praeteritum quaſi jam non fit, nihil futarū quaſi nondum fit, quia …ō eſt ibi niſi eſt. Aug. in Pſ 101. Erat & erit noſtri temporis fluxae que naturae ſegmenta ſunt. Aeternitas eſt ſemper & immutabile eſse.

Thirdly, Mans daies being paſt cannot be recalled: Gods day is ever within his call, for, that which is paſt is as much preſent to him, as that which is preſent, and that which is to come is as much preſent to him, as that which is. Mans day was, is, and ſhall be, Gods day alwaies is; his name is, I am; It was, and it will be, are diviſions and fragments, morſels and bits of time, eternity is an It is.

This teaches us; Firſt,

That God hath time enough to do his work in.

His daies are not as mans daies. He needs not haſten his work, leſt he ſhould looſe his opportunity, who is poſſeſſed of eternity. And

Secondly, This (by the way) ſheweth us the infinite happineſſe and unconceivable bleſſedneſſe of God; His daies are not as mans daies; one of mans daies carrieth away one comfort, and the next a ſecond. This day brings one comfort, and the next a ſecond, and ſo he looſeth or receiveth his comforts by daies and by daies, by the fluxes and refluxes of time. God hath all his happines in eternity, that is, he hath all at once. Time neither bringeth nor carrieth away from God. He enjoyeth as much at this preſent, what he ever had, as what he hath at this preſent; and he enjoys as much what ſhall be, as he doth what is preſent; he enjoyeth all at once, becauſe he ſeeth all at once. God hath not one thing after another, but all together. Eternity is the longeſt and the ſhorteſt, it is longeſt in duration, and the ſhorteſt in fruition, not that the enjoyment of any thing there is ſhort, but becauſe in the ſhorteſt enjoyment there is all. Every moment of eternity being filled with all the bleſſedneſſe of eternity.

Thirdly, This ſhews the reaſon why the Lord taketh ſuch leiſure to do his work; he doth not precipitate or thruſt on his deſigns, becauſe he may take what time he will. God hath all time at his command. Men bear ſway and rule over perſons and places, God only ruleth times. Man hath not one day in his power, not only not the day to come, but not the day preſent. Go to now (ſaith the Apoſtle James chap. 4.13, 14.) ye that ſay to day, or to morrow we will go into ſuch a City, and continue there a year, and buy, and ſell, and get gain, whereas ye know not what ſhall be on the morrow, Nor indeed doth any man know whether he ſhall be on the morrow, or on all the day wherein he is. God can boaſt of to morrow, that is, of eternity, or of all time to come. Man cannot boaſt of tomorrow, that is of the next day, no nor of the next time to come of the ſame day. Hence it is that man muſt haſten, leſt he miſſe his ſeaſon. When David had Saul at an advantage (1 Sam. 24.5.) they about him adviſe him to make uſe of it, and not to let it ſlip, Behold the day of which the Lord ſaid unto thee, &c. S^r having ſuch a day, take hold of it, if you let this go, you may never ſee ſuch another. Time is no part of the dominion of Kings. So likewiſe Abiſhai counſels David upon the ſame advantage (1 Sam. 26.8.) God hath delivered thy enemy into thine hand this day (let him go this day, and probably thou ſhalt never have the like day again) Now therefore let me ſmite him, I pray thee with the spear, even to the earth at once, and I will not ſmite him the ſecond time. I can diſpatch him at one time, and poſſibly thou ſhalt not have a ſecond time. In a good work, it is good, yea tis beſt to do our work at once, and not to expect (what we may, or may never have) a ſecond time, when we have a time. To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. He hath much hardnes, but no wiſdom in his heart, who hopes to do that good to morrow, which he reſolvs to neglect untill to morrow. A wiſe man may hope to do that to morrow, which he cannot do to day, but it is higheſt folly to reſolve upon a neglect of any duty this day upon a hope of doing it next day. It is ſaid, Revel. 12.6. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, becauſe the devil is come down, having great wrath; (why ſo angry?) becauſe he knoweth that his time is but ſhort. When the devil knows he hath but a little time, he will do as much work as he can, and do it preſently, he ſees all will ſcape out of his hands elſe. Only the Lord haſtens not, neither needeth he to haſten his work at any time upon this ground, becauſe he hath but a ſhort time. He can take what time he will, and make his day as long, and his daies as many as himſelf pleaſeth for the acting of his counſels, whether to puniſh or to ſhew mercy. And hence it is that he delaieth, till wicked profane ſpirits wonder, yea ſcoff at his delay, and think, ſurely the Lord will never do any ſuch thing as he hath threatned, or promiſed, becauſe he ſtaieth ſo long before he doth it; wheras indeed to him that inhabiteth eternity, deferment is no delay, though to us it ſeem ſo, whoſe times are meaſured out by inches and hours, by moments, and by minutes. Thoſe profane wretches (Iſa. 5.19.) call the Lord, and provoke him to action, Let him make ſpeed and haſten his work, that we may ſee it. The Lord appears ſlow and ſlack to many men, but the Lord is not ſlack as ſome men count ſlackneſſe (2 Pet. 3.9.) Men think he is ſlack, when he is only patient, and themſelves ignorant, That a thouſand years to the Lord are but as one day; God doth not meaſure time by our pole, nor caſt it up by our Arithmetike. Eternity doth not only like the unjuſt ſteward, bid us write fifty for an hundred, but one for a thouſand, and (which bears the diſproportion of divers hundreds in every one of that thouſand) one day for a thouſand years. Time is not only a ſmall thing, but nothing unto God, Mine age (ſaith David) is nothing unto thee (Pſal. 39.5.) And if all Nations before him are as nothing, if they are counted to him leſſe then nothing (Iſa. 40.17.) Then not only the age of one man, but the ages of all men added together, are before him as nothing, and are counted to him leſſe then nothing. Surely he cannot want time to do all things, before whom all times are nothing. He cannot want time to pour out his judgements, and to empty the vials of his wrath upon wicked men, nor can he want time to fulfill his promiſes, and to make good every word of bleſſing which he hath ſpoken to, or concerning his own people; Wicked men! Doe not ye hope; Godly men! Do not ye fear, God will not doe what he hath ſaid, becauſe he hath not already done it. He hath not loſt his time or ſeaſon, becauſe he hath not accepted that, which ye thought to be the time or ſeaſon. Chriſt warns his Diſciples (Joh. 9.4.) to make haſte about their work, for the night (namely of death) cometh wherein no man can work; while you have the day, do your work, for I know what day yours is, your day will be gone, and the night will come, then you can work no more: But Gods day fears no night, what ever comes he can do his work. The Preacher gives the ſame counſel upon the ſame ground (Eccleſ. 9.) Whatſoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; lay hold upon the fore-lock of time, why? There is no wiſdom or counſel in the grave whither thou goeſt; When thou dieſt there is an end of all thy working time; doe thy work well for thou canſt not recall a day of thy life to mend thy work in, neither canſt thou work at all in that night of death. The Lords day knows nothing of a grave, nor is his Sunne acquainted with going down, if he ſeem ſlack to his work, or ſlack at his work this day and the next, &c. yet he hath another day at his call, and after that another and another, all which are to him but one day. Therefore he takes or leaves, defers or haſtens, comes or goes at pleaſure. Are thy daies, O Lord, as mans daies? Are thy years as the daies of men? I know they are not.

But why doth Job make ſo many of theſe negative queries?

The next words will anſwer.

Verſe 6. That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and ſearchest after my ſinne.

Here's the reaſon of thoſe former Queſtions. As if he had ſaid, Lord, ſurely thou needeſt not ſearch and examine me in this manner, ſeeing it is neither thus nor thus with thee, It is not good to thee to oppreſſe or to despiſe the work of thy hands, thou hast not eyes of fleſh, or daies of man.

That thou enquireſt after mine iniquity.

foreign Significat non tam verbis & interrogatione, quam actionibus & ſumma ſtudio aliquid inqu rere; & non raro de poena & nece procuranda accipitur.The originall ſignifies an enquiry two waies. 1. By word. 2. By actions. By ſomewhat done, or by ſomewhat ſpoken. And it ſignifies both to do and ſpeak with great intention and heat of ſpirit. The word is alſo applied to thoſe enquiries which are made by torture, when the party is ſuſpected for concealment of the matter under enquiry. Which way of examination is called by the Latines, the bringing of a man to queſtion. That laſt engine which was invented to ſupport the tottering ſtate of Rome, wherein poor ſouls are put to extream tortures, to force confeſſions or ſelf accuſations (that I ſay) is called the Inquiſition, and the Judges Inquiſitours; becauſe inquiſition or enquiry (according to the word of the text) is there made after the iniquities of men, after their ſuppoſed hereſies and hereticall practices againſt the Romiſh Church. Job ſeems to allude to ſuch waies of examination, why doth the Lord enquire after my iniquity, by fore judgements and terrible afflictions, by ſtrong pains and mighty terrours.

At loweſt, the word ſignifieth a diligent ſearch, or a ſcrutiny with utmoſt induſtry; even ſuch as they uſe, who maliciouſly hunt for the precious life. The Lord ſaith to Moſes return into Aegypt for all the men which ſought thy life are dead (Exod. 4.19.) it is this word. So (1 Sam. 22.23.) abide thou with me (ſaith David to Abiathar) fear not, for he that ſeeketh my life, ſeeketh thy life. When revenge makes a ſearch, it is a diligent ſearch: malice hath a piercing eye, and enquires narrowly. That gracious promiſe is thus expreſſed (Jer. 50.20.) In thoſe daies the iniquity of Iſrael ſhall be ſought for, and there ſhall be none, and the ſins of Judah, and they ſhall not be found. Job complains here, Thou enquireſt after mine iniquity; there the promiſe is, In thoſe daies the iniquity of Iſrael ſhall be ſought for, or, enquired after, and it ſhall not be found; that is, ſuppoſe the iniquity of Iſrael ſhould be ſought after, ſuppoſe there ſhould be an hue and cry ſent out after the ſin of my people, yet, ſaith the Lord it ſhall not be found, why, what hinders the finding of it, or where ſhall it be hid? The next words reſolve the doubt, It ſhall be hid in the pardoning mercies of God. I the Lord will pardon thoſe whom I reſerve; The Lord would give ſuch a full and free pardon of ſin, that what ſearch and enquiry ſoever ſhould be made after it, there ſhould not be ſo much as any ſcar or mark, not ſo much as any print or ſtain left, to be a witneſſe of their ſin, or a plea for their condemnation. Anſwerable to that (Rom. 8.1.) There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus. Job ſpeaks as if God were ſo farre from hiding his iniquity in a pardon, when it came to be ſearched for, that himſelf ſearched for it, as if he were reſolved not to pardon it. Wherefore is it that thou enquireſt after mine iniquity, and ſearcheſt after my ſin?

Both parts of the verſe meet in the ſame ſenſe.foreign Eſt inquirere in peccatorem per teſtes & judiciartam queſtionem. Pined. Quaerere not at ſcientiam Dei, & denotat animadverſionem, & vindictam. Daraſh à Bak…ſh diſtingui poteſt, ſi illud in revocatione ad animum, hoc inſcrutatione occultorum ponamus. Coc. The word (Daraſh) in the later, being often applied as the former to a judiciary ſearch. Yet ſome diſtinguiſh them ſtrictly thus: the former to ſignifie an enquiry by recalling to memory, or the examining of our ſelves, Thou enquireſt after mine iniquitie, that is, thou askeſt thy ſelf whether thou haſt not obſerved ſome iniquity in me, Thou doeſt (as it were) rub up thy memory, and take an account of what is laid up there concerning me. Memory is the ſtore-houſe or treaſury, the record or regiſter of the ſoul. Books are a memory without us, and memory is a book within us. Then the other word ſignifies ſearching by examination of the ſuſpected party in either of thoſe waies before explained. The Lord tels the Jews (whoſe wickedneſſe was grown immodeſt, and roſe a ſtep beyond hypocriſie) that he needed not ſearch after their ſins, In thy skirts is found the bloud of the ſouls of poor innocents, I have not not found it by ſecret ſearch, Ier. 2.34. as noting, that the Lord doth ſometimes make a ſecret ſearch, and that there are ſome who hide their ſins, ſome who ſit cloſe upon, and cover them, as Rachel did the ſtolne Idols, when La…an came to ſearch Jacobs ſtuff: that there are ſome who make excuſes and apologies for them: to theſe the Lord comes with a ſecret ſearch for their iniquity. The word in Jeremy ſignifies digging; I have not found it by digging: ſome put their ſins under ground; only deep digging can finde theſe out: Job enquires of the Lord, why he made ſuch a ſearching after his iniquities, why he was ſo curious in looking into every corner,Sententia plana eſt, non eſt neceſse, ut in peccata mea curiofiùs inquiras, cum Deus ſit cui not a ſunt & perspecta omnia, etiam interiora cordis. Bold. and behinde every door to finde out the rubbiſh of his life, ſeeing the cloſeſt ſin is as open to his eye as the Sun at noon-day; and beſides, God knew that Job had no cloſe ſins, no darling beloved ſin in his boſom, no ſweet morſels of any forbidden fruit under his tongue. He tels the Lord as much in plain terms in the next words, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked. As we uſe to ſay to a man that makes a buſie ſearch after any thing, either in a place or about a perſon, where there is no probability that it ſhould be found; or when we ſuppoſe the party ſearching cannot have the leaſt ground of perſwaſion, that the thing is there, or with him; In ſuch a caſe (I ſay) a man will anſwer, why do ye make ſuch a ſearch? ye know what ye look for is not here, ye know well enough I have it not, ye have ſome other end in this. Thus Job ſpeaks here. Lord, why doeſt thou ſearch for mine iniquity. Thou knoweſt well enough that I am not wicked, there is certainly ſomewhat elſe in the winde. Shew me wherefore thou contend…ſt with me.

Take a note or two from theſe words, That thou enquirest after mine iniquity &c.

Firſt, God knoweth us before he ſearcheth us.

Job profeſſes of himſelf as a Judge (Chap. 29.16.) The cauſe which I know not I ſearched out, but God ſearches out thoſe cauſes which he knows. God doth not ſearch us that he may know us, or to inform himſelf, but to make us know him and our ſelves. There are not many, who know themſelves at all, there are none who know themſelves enough. The Lord ſearches us, that we may ſearch our ſelves. There are not many who know God at all, there are none who know God enough; God ſearches us that we may ſeek after him. By every affliction the Lord would make us know our ſelves and Himſelf better. It is ſaid of Manaſſeh, when he was in the briars, That, then Manaſſeh knew the Lord and then (doubtleſſe) he began to know himſelf. The ſame light that brings us to the knowledge of what God is, brings us alſo to the knowledge of what our ſelves are.

Secondly, Obſerve,

Afflictions are ſearchers.

Thou ſearcheſt for mine iniquity, ſaith Job. Job ſuppoſed that the Lord came to try him, and to finde out the bottom of his heart: when God ſmites our bodies or our eſtates, he ſearcheth our hearts, and maketh enquiry in our lives. The Prophet threatens the Jews (Zeph. 1.12.) That God would come and ſearch Ieruſalem with candles; That is, as ſome interpret, he would cauſe the Chaldeans to ſearch for their moſt hidden treaſures, and finde them out. Others underſtand it of God himſelf, ſearching Ieruſalem. But God is not like the woman in the Parable, who had loſt her groat; he needeth no candle-light to finde out the loſt groat, or to finde out the filthineſſe that is in the moſt ſecret corners of the heart. The meaning then is, that God would ſearch Ieruſalem, that is, the people of Ieruſalem, as exactly, as if they were ſearched with a candle;Quùm minutatèm cognoſcam de peccatis potuli, & cum eo inibo rationes meas accuratiſſimè, ut ſolent qui adhibitis lucernis perluſtrant omnia. Jun. he would bring forth their ſecret ſins, and all their hidden abominations. This ſearch was made by thoſe terrible and ſore judgements brought upon Ieruſalem. God kindled a fire of affliction, and ſearched them by the light of that fire, Troubles are as ſo many candles lighted up to ſearch our ſelves by, and they will be as ſo many fires kindled to conſume us with, if we ſearch not our ſelves. At this time God is ſearching England with candles. The Prophet deſcribing the great ſorrows of the Jews in their captivity, directs us what to do (Lam. 3.40.) Let us ſearch and try our waies. When God is ſearching us, it is high time for us to ſearch our ſelves. It is ſad, when God is ſearching for our ſins, if we are not ſearching for them too; and it is more ſad, if when God commeth to ſearch for our ſins, we be found hiding our ſins. Theſe are ſearching times God is ſearching, let us ſearch too: elſe we may be ſure (as Moſes (Numb 32.23.) tels the people of Iſrael) our ſins will finde us out. They who endeavour not to finde their ſins, ſhall be found by their ſins, Our iniquity will enquire after us; if we enquire not after it. But what if iniquity enquire after us? What? If iniquity enquire after us, it will finde us; and if iniquity finde us, trouble will finde us, yea, if iniquity finde us alone without Chriſt, hell and death will finde us. If iniquity finde any man, he hath reaſon enough to ſay unto it (what Ahab ſaid to Eliah without reaſon) Haſt thou found me, O my enemy. The beſt of men have reaſon to look out what is evil in them, when God brings evil upon them, or wraps them up in common evils. They who have no wickednes in them to caſt them under condemnation have yet ſin enough in them, to make them ſmart under correction. Though Iob could ſay from the teſtimony of a pure conſcience, Thou knoweſt I am not wicked; yet he durſt not ſay, thou knoweſt I have not ſinned. Iob acknowledged he was ſinfull, and God knew he was not wicked. In ſearching after iniquity, he found not hypocriſie, yea he knew he was not an hypocrite before he ſearched him: ſo it follows,

Verſe 7. Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

Continet verſus ſeptimus, id quod praecipuè in hac cauſa & diſputatione spectandum eſt, ſc. Iobum non eſſe improbum. Pined,This 7. verſe containeth one of the chiefeſt queſtions of that grand controverſie handled in this book, whether Job were a wicked man or no? Satan repreſented him for ſuch to God; and therefore called that he might be tried: the Lord tried him upon that challenge, and he was brought to a grievous triall; Job appeals to the Lords own knowledge, and is contented to ſtand or fall according to his determination, being yet aſſured, that he ſtood right in the thoughts of God. Thou knowest I am not wicked.

foreign Apud ſcire tuū eſt. Multo plus dicit per hanc phraſin apud ſcire tuum eſt, quam ſi diceret tu ſcis. In ſcientia tua eſt, penes notitiam tuam eſt, non aliundè, ſed ex te optimè noſti me non eſſe improbum. Dru. Haeret in regenitis peccatum, improbi ta…en dici, nec poſſunt, nec debent. Mer.Thou knoweſt.

The Hebrew is rendered word for word, thus, It is upon thy knowledge, or, It is upon thy know that I am not wicked: As if he had ſaid, Thou haſt not this knowledge from without, thou doſt not ground thy judgement concerning the ſtate of any man upon what others ſay of him, upon reports or hear-ſaies; no, thy knowledge is from thy ſelf; Thou knoweſt upon thine own knowledge, thine is an internall, an immediate, and ſo a perfect, an infallible knowledge, and that tels thee of me, I am not wicked.

That I am not wicked.

He doth not ſay, Thou knoweſt that I am not a ſinner, or, Thou knoweſt that I have not ſinned, Job had no ſuch opinion of himſelf, and he knew God had no ſuch knowledge of him. There is a great difference between being a ſinner, and a wicked man. The beſt of Saints while they are here upon the earth are ſinners, but the worſt of Saints even here upon the earth are not wicked; they have a new nature, they are new creatures, regenerate and born again by the Word and Spirit, therefore they are not wicked; though much ſin be in them, yet no wickedneſſe is in them; and they are denominated from their better part, not wicked from their remaining corruption, but holy from their received renovation, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked.

Again, The word in the originall being in the verb,foreign Quod non impiè egerim. Mont. we may tranſlate (as many do) Thou knoweſt that I have not done wickedly. But the ſenſe is the ſame, for every man is in doing as he is in being; He that is not wicked in his ſtate cannot act wickedly. So we muſt underſtand that of the Apoſtle John (1 Epiſt. 3.8.) He that committeth ſin is of the devil.

Thirdly, To be wicked is ordinarily oppoſed to our being juſt; and ſo, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, is, Thou knoweſt that I am not condemned or caſt at thy bar, for a wicked man. I am not condemned, but juſtified in thy ſight. In which ſenſe the word is uſed in that prophetique curſe againſt Judas, who betraied Chriſt (Pſal. 109.7.) When he ſhall be judged, let him be condemned: ſo we render it; the Hebrew is elegantly tranſlated thus,Exeat improbus. When he ſhall be judged, let him go out wicked; that is, let him go out from before the bar and tribunall of his Judges, a condemned man, or,Improbus & juſtus verba ſunt forenſia. Druſ. Let him proceed wicked, Let that be his title and his honour, wicked and juſt are judiciary or Court-terms, equivalent with juſtified and condemned.

Some joyn theſe words with the verſe going before, Doſt thou ſearch into mine iniquity that thou maiſt know whether I am wicked? As if he had ſaid, Lord thou needeſt not make enquiry about this thing for as I am not wicked, ſo thou art not ignorant: thou haſt not afflicted me, becauſe I am wicked, nor hast thou ſearched me, becauſe thou art ignorant, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked. Hence obſerve,

Firſt, That the Lord knows the ſtate of every man, and of every thing exactly.

The foundation of God ſtands ſure, having this ſeal, The Lord knoweth them that are his (2 Tim. 2.19.) and he knoweth them that are not his: not his by the grace of election and regeneration: for all are his by the right of creation and dominion. Thus he knows all the fowls of the mountains, and the beaſts of the field are his (Pſal. 50.11.) David gives this glory to God in his own caſe (Pſal. 139.1.) O Lord, Thou haſt ſearched me and known me; God did not ſearch him to know him, but he ſearched him and knew him. The knowledge of God was not a conſequent, but a concomitant of that ſearch; or it is ſpoken in oppoſition to man; a man may ſearch his neighbour, and yet not know him. There are depths and turnings in the heart of man, which no man can reach or finde out; but God hath a threed which will lead him into all and thorow all the labirynths, a line which will found all the depths of man. Hence David makes a particular of the knowledge of God; God knew him in all that he was, and in all that he did, Thou knoweſt my down-lying and my up-riſing, and thou art acquainted with all my waies. God is the Judge of all men, therefore he knows all men, Heb. 4.13. There is no creature which is not manifeſt in his ſight, foreign.all things are naked and open before him, with whom we have to doe. The Apoſtle by two metaphors in theſe words teaches us, that as the out-members and lineaments of the body, together with their beauty or deformity are clearly ſeen, when the body is naked and uncloathed; that as the bowels and intrals of the body, together with their ſoundneſſe or diſeaſes are perfectly diſcovered, when the body is diſſected or cut up by the hand of a skilfull anatomiſt, even ſo are we in all we do, and in all we are perfectly known, or as the ſame Apoſtle ſpeaks (2 Cor. 5.11.) manifeſt unto God, even manifeſt with as much clearneſſe to the knowledge of God, as the light is to the eye of man. He knows, 1. Our perſons. 2. Our actions. 3. He knoweth the manner of our actions. 4. He knoweth with what hearts we act. 5. He knoweth not only the means we uſe, but the ends we propoſe in every action. 6. He knoweth what we have been as well as what we are. And 7. He knoweth what we will be, as well as what we are or have been; He knoweth what we have done, as well as what we do, and he knoweth what we will do, as well as what we do or have already done. He ſeeth all creatures in the glaſſe of his own counſels thorow and thorow. His eye hath thorow lights in all parts of the world, and in the hearts of all men in the world.

And ſeeing man cannot be hid from God, it is the vaineſt attempt for any man to think of hiding himſelf from God; yet that's not only the attempt, but the hope of many, who while they do what they would not have ſeen, pleaſe themſelves with this conceit, that they are not ſeen in doing it, or that they can ſecure what they have done from being ſeen. We learn'd this of our firſt parents, in whom the firſt thing that appeared (next their ſhame) after they had ſinned, was the hiding of their ſinne. Man loveth to draw a curtain between God and himſelf, to raiſe up artificiall darkneſſe, and to walk in thick clouds (as he vainly hopes) undiſcovered.

Again, Doth God know us? then let us labour to know our ſelves. God knows who are wicked, many are wicked and know it not. It is a wofull miſtake, when we think our ſelves to be in a good eſtate, and God knows us to be in a bad eſtate! It is a wrong to God and our ſelves, when God knows us to be in a good eſtate, and we think our ſelves to be in a bad eſtate; but it is farre worſe, when we think our eſtate good, and God knows it to be bad. We ſhould be acquainted with our condition, leſt we (like Laodicea) flatter our ſelves into an opinion that we are rich and clothed, and have need of nothing, when God knows we are poor and naked, and wanting all things.

Secondly, Obſerve from the elegancy of the Hebrew expreſſion. It is upon thy knowledge that I am not wicked.

God knoweth all things in and of himſelf.

This gives glory to God, and lifteth him up above the creature in the fulneſſe of his knowledge. Men who have the greateſt knowledge, and vaſteſt comprehenſions of things, yet have not that knowledge in and from themſelves, they fetch it in by borrowed helps, and glad they can have it ſo too. It coſts man a great deal of travell and ſtudy, to make himſelf maſter of a little knowledge (Job 12.12.) With the ancient is wiſdom, and in length of daies is underſtanding: Some indeed get wiſdom and underſtanding, and are owners of a vaſt ſtock and treaſure of knowledge; but when? but how? When they are old; when they have had long experience, and have ſtudied hard for it, With the ancient is wiſdom, and in length of daies is underſtanding: Thus men get knowledge. But mark what is ſaid of God in the next words (verſ. 13.) But with him (meaning God) is wiſdom and ſtrength, He hath counſel and underſtanding. With him it is, and he hath it: The Lord doth not grow more knowing by years, nor doth his underſtanding mend by the multitude of daies: though he be the Ancient of daies, yet it is not his antiquity which hath got him this knowledge; his knowledge is in him, and with him, and from himſelf; he fetches not his knowledge from ſence, nor doth he take it up by information; He learns it not by demonſtration raiſed from the things themſelves, nor by the collation of one thing with another. He doth not know this to be ſo, becauſe that is ſo, but all things are ſo, becauſe he knows them. He knows all, 1. Fully, not to halves. 2. Certainly, not probably. 3. Actually, not poſſibly. 4. At once, not ſucceſſively; as not one thing by another, ſo not one thing after another. Such are the eminencies and tranſcendencies of the knowledge of God.

The Scripture ſpeaks ſometimes as if God derived his knowledge from report, or as if he did not know whether a people were vvicked or no, till he had enquired. When the new world vvas building their Babel, the Lord ſaid, Let us go down to ſee the City (Gen. 11.5.) And when Sodom was burning in luſt, the Lord reſolved, I will go down and ſee whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me, and if not, I will know (Gen. 18.21.)

In both thoſe places of Scripture God comes down to our capacity, but he comes not down to any place in the vvorld. He needs not come any vvhether, who is every vvhere. God ſpeaks after the manner of men: but he acts not after the manner of men. God gives us an example what we ſhould do, he doth not work after our example. Leſt we ſhould judge before we ſee, God ſaith, I vvill go down and ſee, before I judge: leſt we ſhould cenſure one another upon fames and common cries without further enquiry, whether it be ſo or no, therefore the Lord ſaith, I will go down and ſee whether they have done altogether according to the cry that is come unto me. God knew Sodom vvas vvicked, before he came down, but he came down to make it known, that he knew it.

As thoſe Scriptures ſeem to import that God knew not how vvicked the builders of Babel were, or the dwellers in Sodome, till he took pains to enquire; ſo another Scripture imports, that he did not know Abraham vvas a godly man, till he made an experiment of it, by putting him upon that hard piece of obedience, the offering up of his ſon, Now I know thou feareſt me (Gen. 22.12.) as if the Lord had collected his knowledge of vvhat Abraham vvas, from vvhat Abraham did. But that teſtimony of God, Now I know, is but now I have made it known, or, now I know that in the fruit, vvhichwhich I knew before in the root; now I ſee my fear in thy works, as before I ſaw it in thy faith. That place (Deut. 8.2.) bears a like ſenſe; where Moſes beſpeaks Iſrael thus, Thou ſhalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee theſe fourty years in the wilderneſſe, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldeſt keep his Commandments or no. The Lord needed not fourty years, no nor one minutes experience to make up his thoughts concerning that people; he knew vvhat they vvere at firſt ſight, and vvhat they vvould prove (even a ſtubborn, an unbelieving and a back-ſliding people) before they vvere. God proved them, not to know vvhat vvas in their hearts, but that we might know it: that, vvhat he knew by his internall, immediate inſpection, others alſo might know by externall obſervation. It vvould not have been believed, that they vvere ſo bad, if God had not drawn it out by that fourty years variety of his diſpenſations towards them. Or Moſes deſcribes God after the manner of men, vvho prove things that they may know them, vvhereas indeed God knows, and then proves them.

Thirdly, Conſidering how Job comes in vvith this aſſurance [Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked] to relieve himſelf in his diſtreſſe, vve may obſerve,

That it is matter of higheſt conſolation to the Saints, to know and remember that God knows them.

That God knows their hearts and lives, is the joy of their hearts and lives. How rejoycingly doth David ſpeak (Pſal. 139.1, 2.) O Lord, thou haſt ſearched me and known me, thou knoweſt my down-ſitting and mine up-riſing, &c. He ſeems to be as glad that God knew him, as that God vvould ſave him. My witneſſe is in heaven, and my record is on high, vvas Iobs reſort again, vvhen his friends ſcorned him (chap. 16.19.) There are no miſtakes in God; he vvill give right evidence, as a vvitnes, and a righteous ſentence, as a Judge.

Again, That God knows us, aſſures us,

Firſt, That vvhat vve have done ſhall not be forgotten; God is not unrighteous to forget our work and labour of love, &c. Heb. 6.10. It aſſures us,

Secondly, That vve ſhall not be miſ-interpreted for vvhat vve have done. The reaſon vvhy many men have ſo ill an opinion of others, is, becauſe they have ſo little knowledge of them. Ignorance makes as corrupt gloſſes, as unſound deciſions upon perſons and actions, as it doth upon texts or queſtions. Some pervert knowingly and againſt light, but moſt pervert ignorantly and for vvant of light. God knows us perfectly, and he never acts againſt his knowledge. It aſſures us,

Thirdly, That vve ſhall be well accepted and rewarded. Though men make ill requitals, and pay in bad, yea in baſe coyn, yet every man ſhall receive of God according to vvhat he is, and vvhat his vvorks are (Gen. 4.7.) If thou doſt well, Shalt thou not be accepted?

Laſtly, It is a comfort to us, vvhile vve are uncertain about our own eſtates, to know that God knoweth us. God hath a better opinion of ſome men then they have of themſelves. Some do not only think, but judge and conclude themſelves vvicked, vvhen God knoweth that they are not vvicked. The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this ſeal, The Lord knoweth who are his.

Fourthly, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked. Then obſerve,

To do wickedly, or to be wicked is inconſiſtent with grace.

If Job had been a vvicked man, he had been a loſt man. Sin is not inconſiſtent vvith grace, but vvickednes is.

But you vvill ſay, What is vvickedneſſe? And vvhen is a man ſo ſinfull that he is to be numbred among the vvicked? To clear that, becauſe Job ventures all upon it,

I anſwer; firſt, In every vvicked man ſin reigneth, that is, ſin hath not only a being in him, but dominion over him; he yeeldeth ready and free obedience to it, as to his naturall Lord, not a forced and involuntary obedience only, as to a tyrant. Our committing of ſin gives not the rule to ſinne: but our ſubmitting to it. As a man may do many good things, and yet grace not raign and rule in his heart: ſo it is poſſible for a man to do many evil things, and yet not have ſin rule in his heart. A man may lay by the actings of a ſin, and yet that be a raigning ſinne, and a man may fall into the act of ſin, and yet that no raigning ſin. The raign of ſin or of grace are chiefly ſeen in that profeſſed ſubjection or reſignation of our ſelves to the dictates and commands of grace or ſinne. No man can be at once Gods Son, and ſins ſervant; no nor at once a ſervant to both.

Secondly, A vvicked man is a cuſtomary ſinner, he driveth a trade in ſinne. A godly man (poſſibly) may commit the ſame ſinne again, yet the cuſtom is broken, becauſe he putteth in a plea againſt ſinne, and often moveth God for power, not only againſt, but over it: if he attain not this bleſſed victory, yet he ceaſeth not to complain, and pray, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death? When ſhall I be delivered from this burden and b…dage of corruption? When ſhall it once be? O that it might once be! Wicked men are ſo far from pleading againſt, that they uſually plead for their ſins; and labour more to make excuſes and apologies for them, then to get power and victory over them. They in ſtead of making preparation to reſiſt the luſts of the fleſh, make proviſion for the fleſh to fulfill the luſts thereof.

Thirdly, A vvicked man preſerves in himſelf a purpoſe to ſinne, vvhile he ſeems to pray and proteſt againſt his ſinne. He is (as Auguſtine confeſſed of himſelf before his converſion) afraid God ſhould grant his praier, vvhile he praieth that his corruptions may be mortified. He may put up praiers againſt ſin, but he puts up no deſires againſt it. As cuſtom is the rode of our lives, ſo purpoſes are the rode of our hearts. What a mans purpoſes are, ſuch the movings of his heart are (Iſa. 56.12.) To morrow ſhall be as to day, and much more abundant, ſay they in their beaſtly abuſe of the creatures, we have been drunk to day, and hope to be more to morrow (Ezek. 11.21.) Their heart doth go after the heart of their abominable things; that is, the inclinations and reſolutions of their hearts go or walk after their abominations. A godly man ſinneth, but he doth not purpoſe to ſinne; his purpoſes are not to ſinne, holineſſe is his way; and as ſinne is it ſelf a by-way, ſo it is beſides his way. The honeſt traveller intends to keep ſtraight on to his journeys end, if he miſſe his vvay at any time, he miſſes his purpoſe. The robber skulks about in by-vvaies, and comes not into the rode, but to finde and ſeize upon his prey. Peter denied Chriſt, but did Peter purpoſe to deny Chriſt? No, Peter purpoſed not to deny Chriſt, yea Peter promiſed not to deny Chriſt. Peter reſolved that he would die rather then deny Chriſt, & yet he denied Chriſt; Peter did not go out and make a bargain vvith the Scribes and Phariſees, as Judas did to betray his Maſter. Peter was betraied when he denied his Maſter, Peter was ſuddenly attached with a violent temptation & arreſted vvith baſe fear. He did not deny Chriſt, becauſe he reſolved to do it, but becauſe he reſolved ſo much not to do it, vvithout due dependance upon Chriſt for power not to do it. A godly man may have ſome deliberations about ſin, yet no reſolutions: He may deliberate upon the acting of ſome ſin, vvhen the occaſion is given, but he doth not deliberate upon the finding of occaſions to provoke him to the acting of ſinne. David did not go up to his houſe top to invite an incentive of luſt, though he there met with one.

Fourthly, Wickedneſſe carrieth clearneſſe, yea fulneſſe of conſent in ſinne. A wicked man may have many checks at ſinne from his conſcience, but he hath none from his will. And a wicked man may have ſome motions to good from his conſcience, but he hath none from his will. When a wicked man abſtains from doing evil, he wils it; and when he doth good, he wils it not. In nature, the act and the conſent go both to evil, I doe evil, and I will do it, is the ſtubborn voice of corrupt nature. In grace, though the act goes ſometimes to evil, yet the conſent doth not. The evil which I would not, that do I, is the mournfull voice of grace. In glory, both act and conſent go to good, and neither of them to any evil. The good which I will, I doe, the evil which I would not, I do not, ſhall be for ever the triumphant voice of glory. When the Apoſtle Paul (Rom. 7.) bewailed his own bondage under corruption, he yet profeſſed that what ever evil he did, he conſented not to do it. And though there may be ſome kinde of conſent in the ſinning of a godly man, yet it is not ſuch a conſent, as in a wicked man: For as a wicked man, though he may ſometimes ſhew his willingneſſe, and give his conſent to do good, to hear the Word, to pray, &c. Yet it is not a clear, a full and free conſent, the will never comes up heartily in it: ſo there may be ſome kinde of conſent, a negative conſent in a godly man doing evil, he may not (as to that act) reſiſt or deny; as when a queſtion is put to the vote, a man who doth not affirm, may be ſaid to give ſome conſent, when he ſuſpends his voice, and doth not openly oppoſe. Thus a godly man when a temptation cometh, never gives a direct yea of conſent, yet ſometimes not giving his no, there is a kinde of conſent, a middle act, not a clear or determinate act of conſent. Now a wicked man, as he is taken captive by the devil at his will (2 Tim. 2.26.) that is at Satans will, the devil takes him captive when he pleaſeth: ſo alſo at his own will; He is pleaſed to be taken captive by the devil.

Eram gratis malus & malitiae meae cauſa nulla erat, niſi malitia Auguſt. lib. 3. confeſſ. c. 4.Fifthly, Where there is a wickedneſſe in ſinning, there is delight in ſin. Pure delight in ſin is impureſt wickedneſſe. To diſobey for nought is the moſt wicked diſobedience, as to ſerve God for nought is the moſt holy ſervice. What is it which ſheweth the eminency of grace? Is it not the joy which the ſoul findes in the waies of grace? When we can delight in the law of God, as his law, abſtracted from ends and fruits. When it is meat and drink to us to do the will of God, though we ſuffer hunger, and are ready to ſtarve in doing it, here is godlineſſe at the higheſt: and when any delight in ſinne as ſinne, as contrary to the will of God, abſtracted from ends and fruits, here is wickedneſſe at the higheſt. To act in ſuch a degree of ſin, is inconſiſtent with any degree of grace.

Job appeals to the teſtimony of God, that he had not ſinned in any of theſe degrees, while he ſaith, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked.

Obſerve, Fifthly, A godly man may know that he is ſo, and be confident of it.

He that ſaith, God knoweth he is not wicked, knoweth it himſelf. For though the Lord hath a knowledge of us beyond ours, though he know us, better then we know our ſelves, yet no man can tell the Lord, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, but he who knows that he is not. The excellency of our condition conſiſts in being godly, the comfort of it conſiſts in knowing that we are godly. When David offers himſelf to the triall (Pſal. 139.24.) Search me, O Lord, and ſee if there be any way of wickedneſſe in me; He ſpeaks not as doubting whether he were wicked or no, but as being aſſured that he was not. As if he had ſaid, There are many weakneſſes in me I know, but I know not of any wickedneſſe. He that offers himſelf to Gods ſearch for his wickedneſſe, gives a ſtrong argument of his own uprightneſſe. The beſt of the Saints may be at a loſſe ſometimes for their aſſurances, and not know they are good. They may ſtand ſometimes hovering between heaven and earth, yea between heaven and hell, as uncertain to which they ſhall be accounted. Yet many of the Saints are fully perſwaded they are Saints, and ſit with Chriſt in heavenly places, while they are w…ndering here upon on the earth. A godly man may know this two vvaies;

Firſt, By the vvorkings of grace in his heart.

Secondly, By the teſtimony of the Spirit with his heart.

Firſt, By the vvorkings of grace in his heart (1 Joh. 2.3.) Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments: and (chap. 3.14.) We know that we are paſſed from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren. There may be ſuch workings of grace in the heart, as may amount to an evidence of grace. What our being is, is diſcernable in our workings. The word is, as clear as light, that our juſtification may have a light or evidence in our ſanctification, though no cauſe or foundation there. Grace is the image of Chriſt ſtamped upon the ſoul, and they who reflecting upon their ſouls, ſee the image of Chriſt there, may be ſure that Chriſt is theirs. Chriſt hath given all himſelf to thoſe to whom he hath given this part of himſelf.

Secondly, This may be known by the teſtimony of the Spirit with the heart (2 Cor. 5.5.) He that hath wrought us for the ſelf ſame thing is God; God ſets up a frame of holineſſe in every believer, He hath wrought us; and how are we aſſured that he hath? Who alſo hath given us the earneſt of his Spirit. The graces of the Spirit are a reall earneſt of the Spirit, yet they are not alwaies an evidentiall earneſt; therefore an earneſt is often ſuperadded to our graces. There is a three-fold work of the Spirit.

Firſt, To conveigh and plant grace in the ſoul.

Secondly, To act and help us to exerciſe the graces, which are planted there.

Thirdly, To ſhine upon and enlighten thoſe graces, or to give an earneſt of thoſe graces; This laſt work the Spirit fullfils two waies.

Firſt, By arguments and inferences, which is a mediate work.

Secondly, By preſence and influence, which is an immediate work. This the Apoſtle cals witneſſe-bearing (1 Joh. 5.8.) There are three that bear witneſſe in earth, The Spirit, and the water, and the bloud. The Spirit brings in the witneſſe of the water and of the bloud, which is his mediate work; but beſides and above theſe he gives a diſtinct witneſſe of his own, which is his immediate work, and is in a way of peculiarity and tranſcendency, called the witneſſe of the Spirit. Hence that of the Apoſtle Paul, We have not received the spirit of the world, but we have received the Spirit which is of Chriſt, that we may know the things that are freely given us of God, 1 Cor. 2.12. The things freely given may be received by us, and yet the receit of them not known to us, therefore we receive the Spirit, that we may know what is given us, and what we have received. The Spirit doth (as it were) put his hand to our receits, and his ſeal alſo, whence he is ſaid, To ſeal us up to the day of redemption, Epheſ. 4.30.

Sixthly, Obſerve,

A godly man dares appeal to God himſelf, that he is not wicked.

He dares ſtand before God to juſtifie his ſincerity, though he dares not ſtand to juſtifie himſelf before God. Job had often laid all thoughts of his own righteouſneſſe in the duſt, but he alwaies ſtands up for his own uprightneſſe. God is my witneſſe (ſaith the Apoſtle Paul, Rom, 9.1.) whom I ſerve in my ſpirit in the Goſpel of his Sonne; I ſerve God in my ſpirit, and God knows that I do ſo, I dare appeal unto him that it is ſo, God is my witneſſe. When Chriſt put that queſtion, and drove it home upon Peter thrice, Simon, Lovest thou me? Lord (ſaith he) Thou knoweſt all things, Thou knoweſt that I love thee (Joh. 21.) As if he had ſaid, I will not give teſtimony of my ſelf, thou ſhalt not have it upon my word, but upon thine own knowledge. It were eaſie for me to ſay, Maſter, I love thee with all my heart, with all my ſoul, but I refer my ſelf to thy own boſome, Thou knoweſt I love thee. So when Hezekiah lay (as he thought) upon his deathbed, he turned himſelf to the wall, deſiring God to look upon the integrity of his life, Lord, remember how I have walked before thee in truth (Iſa. 38.3.) I do not go to the world for their good word of me, I reſt not in what my Subjects or neighbour Princes ſay of me, Lord, it is enough for me, that what I have been, and what I am, is laid up ſafe in the treaſury of thy thoughts. This brings ſtrong conſolation, when we take not up the teſtimony of men, nor reſt in the good opinion of our brethren, but can have God himſelf to make affidavit, or bear witneſſe with us, and for us. That ſuch a man will ſay, I am an honeſt man, that ſuch a man will give his word for me, is cold comfort; but when the ſoul can ſay, God will give his word for me, The Lord knows that I am not wicked; here's enough to warm our hearts when the love of the world is waxen ſo cold, and their tongues ſo frozen with uncharitableneſſe, that they will not ſpeak a good word of us, how much good ſoever they know by us.

Seventhly, Conſider the condition wherein Job was, when he ſpake this, he was upon the rack, and, as it were, under an inquiſition, God laid his hand extream hard upon him, yet at that time, even then, he ſaith, Lord, thou knoweſt that I am not wicked. Hence obſerve,

A man of an upright heart and good conſcience, will not be brought to think that God hath ill thoughts of him, how much evil ſo ever God brings upon him.

The actings of God toward us are often full of changes and turnings, but the thoughts of God never change. A ſoul may be afflicted till he is weary of himſelf, yet he knows God is not weary of him. Whomſoever he hath once made good, he cannot but for ever eſteem good; and, all ſuch a mans afflictions, are either to ſhew how good God hath made him, or to make him better.

Eighthly, Job was under as bad thoughts of man, as (almoſt) any man ever was, when he ſpake thus to God, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked. Hence obſerve,

That all the hard cenſures and miſconſtructions of men, cannot beat an upright heart out of this hold, that God loveth him, and hath a good opinion of him.

Let men think what they will of him, and judge him as ſeverely as they pleaſe; this moves him not at all to think, that God judges him ſo too. He can ſee the love of God thorow all the anger of creatures. He likes not his condition the better, becauſe ſome men tell him it is good, nor the worſe, becauſe any man tels him it is ill, while he findes himſelf bottomed upon the free grace of God, and cheared with the clearneſſe of his own integrity. The gates of hell ſhall not (much leſſe ſhall the uncharitableneſſe of men) prevail againſt ſuch a man. Happy is he, who can ſay unto God, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, while men are ſaying, thou art wicked. And how miſerable is he, whoſe heart tels him he is wicked, though men ſay, ſurely, thou art good. If our heart condemn us, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things, (1 Joh. 3.20.) Doth conſcience tell you that you are wicked, God can tell you ſo much more? It is a wofull thing for any man to be under the juſt condemnation of his own heart, though it is more wofull to be under the flatteries of his own heart. It is bad enough to be daubed by others with untempered morter, it is far worſe to be a ſelf-dauber; No man hath cauſe to rejoyce in what himſelf, or be troubled at what others ſay of him, unleſſe God ſay ſo too.

Two things are further obſervable from theſe words;

Firſt, There is no medium between a godly and a wicked man. Every man is one of theſe two. Some are called civil honeſt men; many conceit that theſe are good men indeed, and not a few, that theſe are in a middle ſtate between good and evil: But the truth is, there is nothing between good and evil, light and darkneſſe: there is no medium of participation between theſe extrems. Solomon (Eccleſ. 9.2.) ſets all men in two orders, All things come alike unto ell, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that ſweareth, and to him that feareth an oath. Note by the way, he doth not put the diſtinction between him that ſweareth, and him that ſweareth not, but between him that ſweareth, and him that feareth an oath. There are many who are not ſwearers (ſwearing is deboyſery, and ſo inconſiſtent with civility) who yet do not fear an oath. It is better to fear to do evil, then not to do evil. This diviſion runs thorow the whole world. Good and evil (in a remiſſe degree) mingle in the ſame perſon, but no mans perſon is in a middle ſtate between good and evil.

Secondly, God hath a negative knowledge concerning the ſtate of every man. This is a tranſcendent, beyond any knowledge which man hath of man. God doth not only know what is in us, but what is not in us, not only what we are, but what we are not. Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked. The reaſon why a negative oath is not admitted among men, is, becauſe no man can ſwear ſo in knowledg. None can ſpeak negatively of another, knowingly, but God alone. We may ſay of a man, there is that in him for which it is meet for us to judge him godly. But it is impoſſible from any outward evidence to conclude peremptorily, he is not wicked. It is more to ſay of a man, he is not wicked, then to ſay, he is godly. It is eaſier to know what is, then what is not. As it is in voting, ſo in knowing: Negative votes are ſtrongeſt. To ſay ſuch a thing ſhall not paſſe or be done, imports the greateſt power: ſo negative knowledge is the higheſt, to ſay ſuch a thing is not, or ſuch a man did it not, imports a certain knowledge, a knowledge ſo certain, as is appliable to none, but God himſelf, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked.

And there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.foreign In piel. foreign Spoliavit, diripuit, vel ſignificat furto ſe eripuit.

What none? Then were our condition ſad indeed? None, excludes meer creatures only. Chriſt can deliver us out of the hand of God. And Job believed Chriſt had delivered him, when he ſaid, There is none that can deliver.

The hand of God is the power of God; and to deliver out of his hand, is to fetch out, or free from his power. The word which we tranſlate to deliver, notes delivering either by power or by policy, by ſtrength, or by wit. A priſoner is delivered ſometimes by reſcue or open violence, ſometimes by ſtealth or ſecret conveyance; he picks a lock, or breaks a door to deliver himſelf out of the hand of man. But neither of theſe waies can any man deliver himſelf, or get deliverance out of the hand of God. There is no difficulty in the interpretation of theſe words, but there is ſome difference about the intent of them.

Ne mea quidem integritas, cujus tu mihi teſtis es, facit ut hac plaga liberer: ut qui nihil facto meo coram te promereri poſsim. Jun.Firſt, Some, for none, tranſlate nothing, and ſo joyn theſe words with the former, as an argument of the inſufficiency of mans righteouſneſſe, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, yet there is nothing (in my righteouſneſſe) that can deliver me out of thine hand. As Paul ſaid (1 Cor. 4.4.) I know nothing by my ſelf, yet am I not hereby juſtified. So Job ſaith, Lord, Thou knoweſt nothing by me, yet hereby I cannot be delivered.

Secondly, Theſe words may be expounded, as tending to move compaſſion, and to ſtir up bowels of pity in God toward Job; As if he had ſaid, Lord, why doſt thou deal thus ſeverely with me, when there is none that can deliver me out of thine hand; who can reſcue me, while thou laieſt thine arreſt upon me? Thou maiſt keep me under reſtraint, as long as thou wilt; I cannot be fetcht off, or out, and wilt thou deal thus hardly with me? Wilt thou puniſh me thus? Whom we cannot hold long in our hands, we are apt to deal more roughly with, while they are in our hands, and to take our peny worths out of them, while we have them. And 'tis uſuall with great Princes ſpeedily to ſeal the Writ of execution againſt an eminent offender, when they hear or ſuſpect many potent ſuters will move for his pardon, and ſolicite his deliverance out of the hand of juſtice. Job ſeems to ſpeak in alluſion to ſuch, If there were any who could deliver me out of thine hand, or pull me away from thee by ſtrength, or by entreaty, I ſhould wonder the leſſe at thy ſeverity.

God doth ſometimes even beſpeak the interceſſion of others, and complains that none come in to deliver a people or a perſon out of his hand. When he was about to deſtroy Sodom, he tels it unto Abraham, probably, for that very end, that Abraham might intercede for Sodom, and (at leaſt) get Lot out of his hand. When God was about to execute his judgments upon Jeruſalem, Non eſt qui clam…t Deus optme re ſtringas gladium, ne ſtrictum exterdas …n populum tuū.He ſaw and there was no man, and wondered that there was no interceſſour, none to take him off from deſtroying that people (Iſa. 59.16.) The Prophet complains in words of the ſame importance (chap. 64.7.) There is none that calleth upon thy name, that ſtirreth up himſelf to take hold of thee. Friends, ſeeing a father go out haſtily to correct his child, riſe preſently, or ſtir up themſelves to take hold of the father, or to mediate for the childe, Pray ſpare him for this time and hold your hand: but ſaith the Prophet, There is none that will ſtir up himſelf to take hold of God. He is going out in wrath, and no man puts him in minde of mercy, with that cry of another Prophet, O spare thy people, and give not thine heritage to reproach! When Abraham was ready to ſlay Iſaac upon the altar, when his hand was ſtretched out to fetch the fatall blow, juſt then, did the Angel take hold of his ſword, and delivered Iſaac out of his hand. God ſaith to Moſes (Exod. 32.10.) Let me alone; God was about to deſtroy that people, Moſes would not permit him, he ſeeks to deliver Iſrael out of the revenging hand of God, by that holy violence of praier and ſupplication.

Laſtly, Others look upon Job, as breathing out a very heroick and magnanimous ſpirit in theſe words. As if he had ſaid, Lord, Thou knoweſt, and thou ſhalt know, that I am not wicked, though none deliver or take me out of thine hand, Thou ſhalt finde me holding mine integrity, as long as I hold my life, I am reſolved to honour thee, whatſoever thou doeſt with me. And ſo he refutes the charge of Satan: Satan ſaid, Touch his fleſh and his bone, and he will curſe thee to thy face: No, ſaith Job, though he taketh away my fleſh and my bones, yet I will not curſe him to his face, no nor ſpeak an ill word of him behinde his back. Though I ſhould never be delivered, yet God ſhall never be blaſphemed. Upon the whole obſerve,

That there is no means on earth can reſcue us out of the hand of God.

I kill, and I make alive, I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. Deut. 32.39. Till God diſcharge us there's no eſcaping: none can force us out of his hand, whatſoever is in theirs; power cannot, policy cannot, riches cannot: we cannot bribe our ſelves out of the ſight, or beyond the ſtroke of divine juſtice. A golden key will not open Gods priſon door. Riches avail not in the day of wrath, and in ſome daies of wrath, prayer it ſelf cannot prevail. Then take heed how ye fall into the hands of God. No wiſe man will run into his diſpleaſure, from whom there is no deliverance, but at his own pleaſure. See more of this point, Chap. 9.12.

Exposition of Job 8-10, Commentary on Job · Chapter 10 · Verses 4-7