Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 17

Exposition of Job 15-17 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 17

p. 466JOB, CHAP. 17. Verſ. 8, 9.

Ʋpright men ſhall be aſtonied at this, and the innocent ſhall ſtirr up himſelfe againſt the Hypocrite.

The righteous alſo ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath cleane hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger.

IN the two former Verſes Job ſhewed the greatneſſe of his affliction from a twofold effect.

In theſe two Verſes he ſhewes two reaſons vvhy his afflictions vvere ſo great, not as Eliphaz and his Aſſociates had ſuggeſted, becauſe hee was a great ſinner, or had ſinned beyond the common line of man; but,

Firſt, That men, even upright men might be aſtonied, at the ſtrangeneſſe of this diſpenſation of God, and of his ſtrength, ſupporting a vveake creature under it, and carrying him through it: God will doe ſome things which ſhall at once teach and aſtoniſh his people, and gives them not onelyonly matter of inſtruction, but cauſe of wonder

Secondly, That, the innocent and righteous might be encouraged by my example to proceed vigorouſly in the vvayes of holineſſe, notwithſtanding all the oppoſition they finde from men, and the afflictions layd upon them by the hand of God; for as much as the favour of God ſhines in upon mee through all theſe Clouds, and I have no doubt of his love, though I feele all this ſmart.Naki non tam in conſcientia purum a peccato, quam ab omni, paſſione, humanoque reſpectu immunem virum hic ſignificat. Bold.

Verſ. 8. Ʋpright men ſhall be aſtonied at this.

Who is an upright man hath been opened before; yet here the upright man is a man free from paſſion and prejudice, as well as from hypocriſie and falſe-heartedneſſe.

The word which we tranſlate [Aſtonied] ſignifies aſtoniſhment with admiration, or ſuch an admiration, as leaves a p. 467man aſtonied and ſenſeleſſe, or puts him quite beſide himſelfe;foreign Tacitu miratus eſt, prae admiratione ſtupuit. when naturall reaſon is much overpowred, we act as if we had had no reaſon.

Ʋpright men ſhall be aſtonied. Maſter Broughton reads it in the Imperative Mood, Let upright men be aſtonied at this: Hee carries the ſame forme to the end of the context, Let upright men be aſtoniſhed at this, and let the innocent ſtirr up himſelfe againſt the Hypocrite: Let the righteous hold on his way, and let him that hath cleane hands be ſtronger, and ſtronger: As if the words contained a uſe of exhortation or direction to ſeverall duties which Jobs ſtate calls us unto.

We ſay, Ʋpright men may be aſtonied, as importing the event, or what was intended in the act: As if he had ſayd, Men of a right temper will not be tranſported with ungrounded jealouſies and uncertain conjectures concerning me, when they ſee all this upon me, but will referr my ſtrange diſaſters to the unconceiveable wiſedome of God, who thus orders the afflictions of his people, and ſeemes to reward their holy ſervices with ſharpeſt ſufferings.

Ʋpright men ſhall be aſtonied, at what? At this: or upon the conſideration of this thing: but what is this thing, the conſideration whereof, ſhall raiſe up ſuch aſtoniſhment? When the Buſh burned and was not conſumed, Moſes reſolved, I will turne aſide now, and ſee this great thing: Strange ſights call us to conſideration. Wee have in this Text, A buſh burning and not conſuming, upright men may well be aſtoniſhed and turne aſide to ſee it.

More particularly, there are foure things upon which the occaſion of this aſtoniſhment is pitcht.

Ʋpright men ſhall be aſtonied at, or upon this.

Firſt, At your hard dealing with mee, at your rigid cenſures of me, your bitter by-words and taunting Proverbs againſt me, will certainely cauſe upright men, men of a cleare judgement and conſcience, to ſtand aſtonied: As if hee had ſayd, It is not my ſingle opinion that you have wronged me, but all men of integrity will not onelyonly ſay the ſame, but be amazed at your dealings with me.

Secondly, At this, that is, At the deliverance which God will give me out of theſe troubles; thus the ſenſe is made out by thoſe who render the ſixth Verſe as the Propheſie of p. 468Jobs Faith that he ſhould be reſtored and ſet up to governe among the people: This turne of things ſhall worke aſtoniſhment in the beſt and moſt ſober ſpirited men, upright men ſhal be aſtonied, Animo, dictis, factis viri boni glorientur in Deo & de hypocritarum confuſione exultent. Jun.to ſeeme tranſlated from the dunghill to the Throne, from a ſtate of greateſt contempt to a ſtate of higheſt honour. Good men ſhall glorifie God in me, and ſhall rejoyce at the downfall of Hypocrites; but though the event did verifie this, Job was at the laſt reſtored, and was made as a Prince among the people, and his reſtauration was ſuch as might juſtly aſtoniſh and draw all that eyther ſaw or heard of it into admiration, yet I much doubt whether Job had any ſuch ſcope in theſe words, which rather continue and heighten the aggravations of his then preſent troubles, then hold out any intimations of his hope, much leſſe of his aſſurance of a raiſing to a future worldly proſperity.

Thirdly, Some conceive this matter of aſtoniſhment to be the patience of Job under his ſufferings, that hee ſhould endure and hold out in ſuch extremities, till his eye was dym by reaſon of ſorrow, and his members were like a ſhadow: Ʋpright men ſhall be aſtonied at this; Is it not marvellous that a man ſhould act a life of grace, when it could ſcarſe be perceived that he acted the life of nature? As God doth often worke miraculouſly for the deliverance of his people out of trouble, ſo they ſometimes (by his power) worke miraculouſly under troubles, before deliverance comes. Such patience, ſuch humility, ſuch meekneſſe, and faith, are recorded in Scripture, as have cauſed upright men to ſtand aſtonied. This is a good ſenſe, but I rather pitch upon a fourth, as moſt proper to this place.

Cladis haec mea univerſis eſt ſtupenda ſed juſtis praeſertim. Pined. Quod ita atrociter affligar cum ſim innocens, &c. MercFourthly, I conceive when Job ſaith, Ʋpright men ſhall be aſtonied at this: Hee points at the greatneſſe of his affliction: As if he had thus expreſſed it, My being made a by-word among the people, my dym'd eyes and leane body will make ſuch a report and be ſuch a ſight, as will ſet all honeſt men a wondring, upright men ſhall be aſtonied at this. What! Hath the Lord dealt thus with Job, a holy man, concerning whoſe integrity he hath given ſuch ample teſtimony? This is indeed the Lords doing, but it is marvellous in our eyes.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, That the beſt of men, upright men are ſometimes at a loſſe how to interpret the outward dealings of God.

p. 469Some providences of God put the wiſeſt to a ſtand; not onelyonly are Fooles and wicked men, but men of the greateſt experience and underſtanding in the wayes of God, ſo puzzled that they know not what to ſay, or how to anſwer? The Lord is pleaſed to give as hard Texts and Chapters in his vvorkes as he doth in his Word; many outward adminiſtrations lye ſo cloſe, yea ſo croſſe to his ordinary proceedings, that vve know not vvhat to make of them: If we ſee a vvicked man afflicted, we ſhall ſee a godly man afflicted much more: If we ſee a godly man proſper, we ſhall ſee a wicked man proſper double to it; theſe are ſtrange things, at which not a few are amazed, and at their wits end; ſhould wee judge of all the dealings of God by humane reaſon, we ſhould conclude ſome of them without, or againſt reaſon, though indeed they are onelyonly above our reaſon, or have a height of reaſon in them, vvhichwhich we cannot reach, and therefore muſt admire.

No man vvonders at that for vvhichwhich hee can give a reaſon, and therefore wee ſay it altogether unbecomes a Philoſopher (who vvould be thought knowing about the reaſon of every thing) to vvonder: There are depths in the providences of God vvhichwhich no man is able to reach or fadome, elſe upright men need not be aſtonied at them. The Preacher gives a caution, that we ſhould not be over curious in prying into ſuch ſecrets (as ſome make the connexion of thoſe two Verſes Eccleſ. 7.15, 16.) All things have I ſeene in the dayes of my vanity: Solomon was a man of vaſt obſervation, and though he had not ſeene all things in their particular exiſtence, yet he had ſeene all things in their generall nature; and he gives inſtance in two ſorts of things vvhichwhich he had ſeene, There is a juſt man that periſheth in his righteouſneſſe (Job was a righteous man, and he periſhed outwardly) and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in wickedneſſe. Among all his obſervations, he thought none of greater moment then theſe two: Now vvhen God puts the righteous into a periſhing condition, and ſets up the vvicked in worldly glory; this is matter of much admiration and inquiſition, therefore he ſubioynes (according to this interpretation) his caution (Verſ. 16.) Be not righteous over much, neyther make thy ſ…lfe over wiſe; that is, Be not anxious in ſearching out every particular, or every little little about this adminiſtration of God; make not thy ſelfe p. 470over wiſe, doe not thinke that thou canſt reach the reaſon of all that God hath don in cauſing a righteous man to periſh,Dum plus ſcire vis quam opertet, prae admiratione rei humanum captum vincentis ad mentis ſtuporem devenias. Pined. and a vvicked man to floriſh, there is more in it then thou canſt compr…hend, Why ſhouldeſt thou deſtroy thy ſelfe? that is, Thou mayſt amaze and bewilder, yea undoe and deſtroy thy ſelfe, if thou ventureſt too farr upon thoſe ſecrets of providence, but thou wilt not be able to extricate or reſolve thy ſelfe by all thy venturing.

Now, If the providences of God be ſuch a deep, that upright wiſe men are aſtonied at them, then what a deep are the counſels and decrees of God? Providences are the diſpenſations of God to the eye, they are the objects of ſenſe, if we cannot ſee to the end of that which is before us, as providences are, how ſhall vvee ſee the end of that which is ſo farr off from us as the Counſels and Decrees of God are? The Apoſtle ſtood as a man aſtonied at both (Rom. 11.33.) vvhen hee had ſpoken of that amazing diſpenſation of God in caſting off the Jewes, and receiving the Gentiles, he cryes out, O the depth of the riches, both of the wiſedome and knowledge of God: How unſearchable are his judgements; and among them, this ſpeciall judgement in taking the Goſpell from the Jews, and breaking them off, who were the naturall branches, that the Gentiles who were the wilde Olive might be graffed in: How unſearchable is this judgement, and this way of God paſt finding out; Ʋpright men are aſtonied at this.

Secondly, Obſerve.

How ſtrange ſoever the dealings of God are with his, yet righteous men are onelyonly aſtoni…d at them.

They are not ſcandalized, they are not offended at God for them, they doe not blaſpheme the name, or apoſtatize from the wayes of God, nor doe they quarrell at his diſpenſations. For as when they are aſtoniſhed at the proſperity of the wicked, they preſerve high and holy thoughts of God, and onelyonly ſeek reſolution at the mouth of God: as the Prophet Jeremiah did (Ch. 12.1.) Lord thou art righteous, yet let me reaſon with thee, Why doth the way of the wicked proſper? Or as Habakkuk (Chap. 2.2.) propounds his queſtion to finde out the knot in the wayes and dealings of God: Now I ſay, as it is thus with the righteous, when they ſee the great proſperity of the wicked, ſo when they ſee the greateſt adverſities of the godly, p. 471they are onelyonly amazed at the dealings of God, they doe not deſpond, much leſſe blaſpheme becauſe of his d…alings. But when carnall men ſee thoſe who have gone for righteous or upright, under afflictions, they run into deſperate extreames.

Firſt, They deſpiſe and ſleight them.

Secondly, They judge them Hypocrites.

Thirdly, They look upon them as the moſt miſerable men in the World: Afflicted grace and innocence hath no beauty in a carnall eye.

Fourthly, They judge hardly of God, who deales thus ſeverely with men; what? Are theſe the ſervants of God, and doth he uſe them thus? Doth hee recompenſe them thus for the paines which they have taken, and for the worke which they have done him?

Fifthly, They grow into an abhorrence of holineſſe, and into a diſtaſte of Religion it ſelfe. If God pay his Servants wages in ſuch coyne as this (ſay they) let who ſo will ſerve him, we are not ambitious of his Livery. If this be the portion of Profeſſors (as you call them) let who vvill profeſſe; thus they are ſcandalled and offended.

It is ſtoryed, that when Aygoland a King of the Moores (who had long maintained Warr againſt Charles the Great, hoping to make a fairer agreement with him) had promiſed to receive the Chriſtian Faith, and be Baptized, he comming with a gallant retinue to the French Court, ſaw there a number of poore men fed and cloathed by the Emperours charity,Aygolandus abjecto ſervorum Dei ſtatu offenſus a Chriſtianae fidei profeſſione abſtinuit. Lampad. in Sleyd. part. 3. and enquiring who they were, it was anſwered, That they were the Servants of God: What, ſayd he, Are the Emperours Servants ſo rich and brave, and are the Servants of God ſo poor and ſqualid? I had a purpoſe to be baptized, but now I am reſolved never to ſerve that God, who keepes and rewards his Servants no better. What this King ſpake out, many ſpeake in their hearts; they will not ſerve Chriſt upon ſelfe-denying and ſuffering termes.

As when the Croſſe falls upon Hypocrites, they depart from the Faith, and (with Demas) imbrace this preſent World; they will not endure a ſtorme for Chriſt, nor hazzard their worldly poſſeſſions for all the promiſes in the Goſpell; ſo when the godly fall under croſſes and afflictions for the Goſpell, evill and prophane men reject it, they p. 472will none of it: The righteous may be aſtonied and wonder, but the wicked blaſpheme at this.

Thirdly, Obſerve.

Good men are apt to have ſtrange thoughts about afflictions and croſſes.

They who are well acquainted with the Theory of ſufferings, yet vvhen they come to ſuffer indeed, finde much loathneſſe and averſeneſſe to it. The Apoſtle Peter ſaw this and laboured to remove it (1 Pet. 4.12.) My brethren, thinke it not ſtrange concerning the fiery tryall, as if ſome ſtrange thing had hapned to you, but rejoyce, &c. They looked ſtrange on tryals, as if they had never ſeen nor heard of them before: They knew not how to digeſt ſuch hard-meate as ſufferings are, under the profeſſion of the Goſpell; their hearts were ſomewhat cold to thoſe ſires, and they had no minde to come neere leſt they ſhould burne their fingers, and were therefore warned, Think it not ſtrange concerning the fiery tryall. Jeſus Chriſt (as the Prophet deſcribes him, Iſa. 53.3.) was a man of ſorrow and acquainted with griefe. Chriſt and griefe were no ſtrangers, why then ſhould a Chriſtian thinke ſtrange of it? The Apoſtle uſeth that argument (Verſ. 13.) But rejoyce in as much as yee are partakers of Chriſts ſufferings: Ours are the ſufferings of Chriſt, not onelyonly becauſe we ſuffer for him, and hee ſuffers with us, but becauſe hee ſuffered the ſame things, yea farre greater both before us and for us: Chriſt tooke our ſufferings upon him, when he tooke our nature upon him, yet our nature thinks ſtrange to partake in the ſufferings of Chriſt.

The Apoſtle Paul (1. Ep. 3.3, 4.) tells the Theſſalonians, that he ſent Timotheus to eſtabliſh them, and to comfort them concerning their Faith, That no man ſhould be moved by theſe afflictions: q. d. Tribulationum juſtorum jam nobis cauſa & ratio explorata eſt; at quondam ut pote ignota, multam admirandi & philoſophandi materiam ipſis juſtis praebebat.Intimating that the beſt of men, the beſt of Saints are apt to be moved by afflictions; he meanes it of an inward motion, that is, to have their ſpirits diſturbed and troubled, as Davids was vvhen he put thoſe queſtions to his ſoule (Pſal. 42.11.) Why art thou caſt downe O my ſoule, and why art thou diſquieted within me? But why ſhould no man be moved by thoſe afflictions? The Apoſtle ſhewes why, For your ſelves know that wee were alſo appointed thereto: for verily when I was with you I told you before that we muſt ſuffer tribulations, as it came to paſſe, and yee know it. Paul gave them notice before affliction came, leſt p. 473they ſhould be moved when they were come. Thus Chriſt warned his Diſciples. and he warned them for this end (John 16.1.) Theſe things have I ſpoken to you that you be not offended: What things were theſe? They (ſaith he) ſhall put you out of the Synagogues; yea, the time commeth, that whoſoever killeth you, will thinke that he doth God ſervice: Chriſt foreſaw that when theſe things came they would finde worke enough to quiet their ſpirits in, and to quit themſelves from troubleſome motions: And as Chriſt to keep or make their hearts quiet, tells them of their ſufferings aforehand, ſo hee therefore tells them that hee himſelfe had ſuffered before hand (John 15.18.) If the World hate you, you know it hated me before it hated you; you know it, and knowing it, you ought not be troubled when you meet with hatred in the World: The Servant muſt not expect better uſage then his Maſter. When we ſee ſo much layd in to fortifie our ſpirits againſt outward croſſes, in, or for the profeſſion of the Goſpell, it is an aboundant argument that our hearts are apt to ſtartle, and we to be aſtonied at them.

And the innocent ſhall ſtirr up himſelfe againſt the Hypocrite.

[The innocent] Here is a different Character,foreign Evigitavit, excitavit. or cloathing of words, but the perſon is the ſame. The innocent ſhall [ſtirr] up himſelfe: The word ſignifies to ſtirre up from ſleep, and to ſtirr up from ſloath, it ſignifies alſo ſuch a ſtirring as the Eagle uſeth to provoke her young ones to flye (Deut. 32.11.) Thus the innocent ſhall awake and ſtirr up himſelfe.

[Againſt the Hypocrite]

The Hypocrite is taken two wayes: Eyther ſtrictly,foreign Sun… qui reddunt improbum quo modo ea vox exprimitur … pud Hebraeos. Druſ. as oppoſed to the upright in the former part; and under that notion I have heretofore ſpoken of the Hypocrite (Chap. 8. &c.)

Secondly, The Hypocrite may be taken largely, and ſo every wicked man is he, except he who openly profeſſeth wickedneſſe, and yet even he may goe for an Hypocrite, for hee is more wicked (when he hath profeſſed his utmoſt) then he doth profeſſe himſelfe to be.

The Septuagint render him, Ʋnjuſt, Reddunt iniquum Sep. De… latorem. Targand the Caldee Paraphraſe, The backbyter or defamer: And another of the Greek p. 474Interpreters calls him the Enemy; The innocent ſhall ſtirre up himſelfe againſt his enemy, Juſtus ſuper inimicum conſurget. Olymp.or againſt his oppoſite: And who is that? but the wicked man, under what notion ſoever we put him: The ſingle termes thus cleered, fall yet under a different ſenſe, as joyned together.

Suam orationem pa ulo incitatiorem excuſat. q. d. quid mirum me ita loqui cum res ipſa tam indigna ſit? Pined.Firſt, Some conceive that Job makes an apologie, or an excuſe for himſelfe in theſe words, why he expreſt ſo much paſſion, and uſed ſuch ſharpneſſe of ſpeech toward his Freinds: As if he had ſayd, Blame me not for doing it, things are carryed ſo, as upright men may be aſtonied, it would make a wiſeman madd, and a meek man furious; a very poſt would be awakened and ſtirred, at what my Freinds have againe and againe preſſed upon me; therefore pardon my paſſion, and (if you will needs call it ſo) my impatience.

Non me latet ad rem tantam ſapientes percelli, atque adeo in ejuſmodi caſu interdum inſontes adverſus eos qui ſic affliguntur, tanquam adverſus hypocritas commoveri. Bez.Secondly, Maſter Beza expounds Job, ayming at a good man in great troubles miſtaken for an Hypocrite, by thoſe who are good: he repreſents him ſpeaking thus, I am not ignorant that not onelyonly ordinary and common men, but even the wiſe and the upright will be troubled and aſtonied at my ſufferings, and that ſometimes (in ſuch a caſe as mine is) innocent men will ſtirr up, or ſet themſelves againſt him that is thus afflicted, as if hee were an Hypocrite: When God puts a diſguiſe of great troubles upon his faithfull Servants, they who are faithfull will ſcarſe owne them; they are ready to number them among enemies, at leaſt to doubt very much (as they did about Paul upon another account, Acts 9.26.) whether he be a Freind or a Diſciple. Afflictions have made the ſincere appeare as Hypocrites in the opinion of thoſe who are ſincere.

Indignabitur contra hypocritam quod ille calamitates tribuit peccatis. Cajet.A third makes this the ground of the innocent mans quarrell againſt the Hypocrite, why doth he ſtirr up himſelfe, and engage againſt him? Why is he ſo angry with the Hypocrite? Even becauſe he ſees the Hypocrite fooliſhly condemning the godly as wicked, becauſe they are afflicted, or aſcribing their calamities meerly to their ſins.

Excitabit ſe contra impium florentem & faelicem, quod videat illum non recipere digna peccari….Fourthly, Thus, The innocent ſhall ſtirr up himſelfe; that is, His ſpirit ſhall be troubled at the Hypocrite, or wicked man whom he ſees in a flouriſhing condition; ſo we may expound it by that caution which David gives (Pſal. 37.1.) Fret not thy ſelfe becauſe of evill doers, neyther be thou envious againſt the workers of iniquity. Good men have been much moved and p. 475fretted at the proſperity of the ungodly: But ſurely Job is not here declaring the infirmities of the innocent, but their graces. And therefore,

Laſtly, The innocent ſhall ſtirr up himſelfe againſt the Hypocrite, carryes in it the commendation of the innocent perſons perſeverance and conſtancy in the faith and ſincerity of his profeſſion, what changes ſoever are upon him: As if he had ſayd, Though a godly man be afflicted and brought low, though he be ſcorned and trampled upon when he is brought low, yet hee will not forſake his principles, or diſclaime his profeſſion; Quamvis ab eo rideatur quod affligatur, haud tamen proptere… deſiderio ducetur ejus ſequendi aut ei ſe adjungendi ſed excitabit ſe, &c. Merc.nay he will be ſo farr from ſlacking in, or turning away from his profeſſion, that he will manifeſt more holy zeale for God and his wayes, together with more holy oppoſition againſt wicked men, and all their wayes, their ever he did before: The upright ſhall be aſtonied at this, but they ſhall not be diſheartned, their wiſedome and courage ſhall ſtill appeare in maintaining their quarrell againſt the generation of evill doers, whereſoever they meet with them The innocent ſhall ſtirr up himſelfe againſt the Hypocrite.

Hence Note.

Firſt, There is an everlaſting oppoſition between the godly and the wicked.

The innocent ſtirrs up himſelfe (like a Lyon) againſt the Hypocrite: His heart riſeth againſt him, not as a man, not as his enemy, but as a wicked man, and as an enemy to God. The foundation of this holy Warr was layd in that word of God (Gen. 3.15.) I will put enmity betweene thee and the Woman, between her ſeed, and thy ſeed. As there is an enmity, de facto, in wicked men againſt the righteous, they will ever be oppoſing them: So there is an enmity, de jure, of right, and duty in the righteous againſt the wicked, they ought ever to oppoſe them: that quarrell, thoſe feudes muſt not be layd downe: and therefore the Apoſtle John, who though he was the beloved Deſciple, and was moſt preſſing and perſwaſive to love among Saints and Brethren, yet he forbids the love of wicked men, Love not the World (1 Epiſt. 2.15.) which referrs as well to worldly perſons, as worldly things: And the Apoſtle James is direct (Chap. 4.4.) The freindſhip of the World is enmity againſt God. Our peicing in, or making peace with the World, is a proclaimed Warr againſt God himſelfe. It is our duty, and it is our ſpirituall ſafety, to ſtirr up our p. 476ſelves ſpiritually, againſt the wicked. As we deny not civill peace with Hypocrites, and the worſt of men, ſo there is a ſpirituall warfare which wee are bound to continue (how chargeable ſoever it may prove to us) againſt all Hypocrites and vvicked men. And if they ſay (of this Sword) as (Jer. 47.6.) O thou Sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? We muſt anſwer as the Sword doth there, How can I be quiet ſeeing the Lord hath given me a charge againſt Askelon? The Sword of that Warr receives its Commiſſion from God, and is deſigned now to one coaſt, anon to another: The Sword of this Warr hath long ſince received its Commiſſion from God, againſt all the coaſts of ſin, and powers of darkneſſe, nor can it be quiet, or put it ſelfe up in its Scabbard while there is an Hypocrite appearing upon the face of the Earth.

Gods quarrell muſt be perpetuated, it can never be taken up, Let them returne to thee, but returne not thou to them, was the Prophets charge (Jer. 15.19.) There's no compounding of this difference; they muſt returne and give themſelves up to God, and his wayes, elſe we cannot give them an inch of ground, or make truce with them for an houre, much leſſe may we make peace with them, or give them the right hand of fellowſhip.

Secondly, Here we have the Hypocrite in his flouriſh, and the innocent in his affliction, the Hypocrite aloft, and the innocent below; yet when it is thus, even then the innocent is deſcribed ſtirring up himſelfe againſt the Hypocrite.

Hence Obſerve.

A godly man afflicted, doth not at all approve or applaud the Hypocrite, but oppoſeth him in his greateſt pompe and worldly ſplendour.

When the wicked are at the higheſt, even as happy as the World can make them, yet a godly man will not change ſtates with them, or (as we ſay) turne Tables with them; he would not have his outward proſperity, with his heart, if it were worth ten thouſand Worlds: He ſees and knowes there is more excellency and worth in afflicted grace, then in the moſt proſperous wickedneſſe: The love of God is better then life, and if ſo, what are all the things of this life compared to it? Hence a godly man hath no better opinion of the wicked in p. 477riches, then in poverty, and hee hath no worſe opinion of himſelfe when he is poore then when he was rich: Hee doth not account grace the leſſe glorious, becauſe it hath ſo little of outward glory upon it.

And ſeeing he will not change ſtates with him, he cannot envy him: We envy thoſe only whom we judge in a better condition then our ſelves. David under a temptation, was envious at the fooliſh, when he ſaw the proſperity of the wicked (P…al. 73.2, 3.) and his feet were almoſt gone, his ſteps had well-nigh ſlipt, but when he recollected himſelfe, and went to the Sanctuary, ſuch thoughts were quickly downe, and envy was extinct, he ſaw much matter enough to pitty wicked men, but none to envy them, they ſtand in ſlippery places, and are ſuddenly caſt downe. How are they brought into deſolation, as in a moment they are utterly conſumed with terrours.

And as he doth not envy them, ſo thirdly, much leſſe doth he imitate them, he is ſo farr from imitating them, that hee ſets himſelfe to oppoſe them, and he oppoſeth them all thoſe ways, and with all thoſe weapons that God hath put into his hand: He oppoſeth ever him by counſell and conviction, by reproofes and prayers. And as he fights againſt the Hypocrite by prayer, ſo by prayer he fortifies himſelfe againſt all ſinfull complyances with him.

Thus David prayed (Pſal. 141.4.) Incline not my heart to any evill thing, to practice wicked workes with men that worke iniquity, and let me not eate of their dainties: As if hee had ſayd, Though wicked men be fine-fed, and dyet upon dainties every day, though they devoure the fatt, and drinke the ſweet, and have all things that their hearts can deſire, yet Lord ever keep me from the practice of wicked workes with men that worke iniquity, and let me not eate of their dainties, who finde a ſweetneſſe in ſin, and take pleaſure in unrighteouſneſſe.

It is the counſell of the wiſe man (Prov. 1.10, 11.) My Son if ſinners entice thee, conſent thou not: Doe not aſſociate with them, they will tell thee of great matters; they will ſay, Come let us lay wait for blood, we ſhall fill our houſes with ſpoyle; caſt in thy lot among us, let us all have one purſe, My Son, walke not thou in the way with them, refraine thy foot from their paths; for their feet run to evill, &c. He that would refraine his foot from walking in, muſt firſt refraine his heart from approving of, the paths of wickedneſſe.

p. 478This the innocent doth and more, while he ſtirreth up himſelfe againſt the Hypocrite. And as he ſets himſelfe againſt the way of the Hypocrites, ſo he labours to ſet forward with all his might in the way of holineſſe, for that's his way, as appeares in the next Verſe.

Verſ. 9. The righteous ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath cleane hands ſhall wax ſtronger and ſtronger.

[The righteous.]

Ex tanti viri exemplo atque memoria incrementum accipient ſingulare. Sanct. Tenebit mordicus. Merc. Apprehenſam tenebit firmiter, non diſcedet ne latum quidem unguem, ſed haere…it firmior in ſuo vivendi inſtituto & pietatem audentius colet.It is the ſame man ſtill, who ſhould be encouraged by Jobs example to a vigorous progreſſe; He, the righteous man,

[Shall hold on.]

The word ſignifies to hold with ſtrength, to hold toughly, to hold as with the teeth, reſolving never to let goe, but ever to goe onn,

[In his way.]

What way? It may be taken eyther particularly for that way of oppoſition which hee maintained againſt the Hypocrite, or ſecondly, for the way of righteouſneſſe, and that twofold.

Firſt, The way of his heart, or his inward way.

Secondly, The way of his hand, or his outward way.

The righteous man holds on in both theſe wayes; he continues his courſe both in the holy motions of his ſpirit towards God,foreign, inhaerebit juſtus viae ſuae. Theodol. and in the holy actings of his life towards man: in this way he is full of motion, but he will not move a ſtep nor willingly decline to the right hand or to the left, out of this way: Here he walkes as to induſtry, and here he ſtands as to conſtancy. The righteous ſhall hold on his way.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, The righteous ſhall perſevere, perſeverance is at once the duty and the priviledge of the Saints.

As they are in a good ſtate, ſo they ſhall goe on in a good way, The path of the juſt is as the ſhining light that ſhineth more and more, unto the perfect day (Prov. 4.18.) The goodneſſe of Hypocrites is as the morning cloud, and goeth away as the early dew (Hoſ. 6.4.) The winde ſcatters the morning cloud, and the riſing Sun exhales the early dew; thus the goodneſſe of the Hypocrite p. 479is gone, but the goodneſſe of the righteous (like the goodneſſe of God of, and from whom it is) endureth (in its proportion) continually (Pſ. 52.1.) As they who joyne works to grace, make grace to be no grace; ſo doe they who ſay the worke of grace may be loſt, or that grace may for ever loſe its working; The worke of grace may be clouded, but grace is no cloud, the working of grace may decline, but grace cannot dye.

The righteous ſhall hold on his way.

Further, This Scripture tells us that he ſhall hold on, not onelyonly in faire way, and in good weather, but in ſtormy weather, and rugged wayes, when his way lyes among ſharpe ſtones, and ragged rocks, through bryars and thornes; yea, I may ſay, when his way lyes among Beares and Lyons, hee will on.

Hence Obſerve.

A godly man perſeveres, notwithſtanding all ſeeming diſcouragements from God, and all reall oppoſitions from men.

Though God ſeeme to caſt cold water on him, yet his fire never goes out, and often (by a holy Antiperiſtaſis) he is inflamed the more: while the evill World thinkes to daſh him out of countenance, and dampe his ſpirit, he is the more emboldned: As the Apoſtles approved themſelves the Miniſters of Chriſt, ſo doth every Beleever (in his Spheare) in much patience, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſes, in ſtripes, in impriſonments, by honour, and diſhonour, by good report, and evill report, &c. (2 Cor. 6.4, 8.) Let the way be what it will, foule or faire, a green Carpet way, or a deepe pochy way, let it be what it will, he goes through thick and thin. Paul puts the queſtion, and reſolves it (Rom. 8.35.) Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? He puts it of a perſon, Who ſhall? And he anſwers about things, Shall tribulation, or diſtreſſe, ſhall theſe ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? That is, Eyther from that love which we beare to Chriſt, or from that love that Chriſt beares to us; what ſhall make Chriſt out of love with us? Or what ſhall make us out of love with Chriſt? Shall any thing? Nothing ſhal, for thoſe things ſhal not which might ſeem moſt able to make us out of love with Chriſt, or to tel us that Chriſt doth not love us. Shall tribulation, or diſtreſſe, or perſecution, p. 480or famine, or nakedneſſe, or perill, or Sword? Nay in all theſe things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us: He loved us, therefore he will love us, and we ſhall goe on to love him: for through him, we ſhall not onelyonly conquer but over-conquer, or more then conquer, whatſoever ſtands in the way to divert us from his love, or to render him unlovely. Nothing can ſeparate Beleevers from the love which Chriſt beares to them; if any thing can doe it, ſin can, but ſin cannot, becauſe hee hath more then conquered it by his owne power: Nothing can ſeparate Beleevers from the love which they bear to Chriſt, if any thing can, tribulation can, but that cannot, becauſe we ſhall more then conquer it through his power. The righteous ſhall hold on his way; he neither turnes back, nor ſtands ſtill. David was ſorely ſhaken, and tempted (Pſal. 73.) yet his feet were (but) almoſt gone, and his ſteps were (but) wel-nigh ſlipt. As Hypocrites at the moſt are but almoſt Chriſtians, they are not Chriſtians altogether, and as they ſtep at their neereſt, but wel-nigh Heaven, they ſhall not enter in; ſo the feet of true Beleevers may almoſt be gone out of the good way, but they ſhall not goe out altogether, and their ſteps may wel-nigh ſlip from God, but they ſhall be upheld; and hence it is, that though they have many, not onelyonly ſlips, but falls in the way, yet they ſhall neyther ſlip nor fall quite out of the way; this Davids experience taught him, at the twenty third Verſe of that Pſalme: Nevertheleſſe (ſaith he) I am continually with thee, and thou haſt held me by my right hand: that is, Though I have many troubles in thy way, yet I depart not out of thy way: I have temptations to leave thee, but I will not leave thee; I am ſtill with thee, I am where I was, yet not by any power of my owne, but by thy power, for thou holdeſt me by my right hand: It is not the hold which we have of God, but that which he hath of us that makes us hold on our way: We ſhould quickly let goe our hold of God if God had not infinite faſter hold of us; thou holdeſt me by my right hand. There is a (manutenentia Dei) an inviſible Hand-holding of God, by which the whole viſible Creation is ſupported, without which no creature could hold on in the way of nature, much more is there an inviſible Hand-holding of God, by which the ſpirituall creation is ſupported, and without which the new creature cannot hold on in the wayes p. 481of grace. 'Tis the hold which Chriſt hath of us, and the rooting which we have in him, by vvhichwhich we are confirmed.Cum creverimus in Domino mittemus radices noſtras ſicut arbores Libani, quae quantum in aurat conſurgunt vertice, tantum radice in ima demergunt, ut nulla tempeſtate quatiantur ſed ſtabili motu conſiſtant. Hieron. Iſrael the people of God, is ſayd, to grow as the Lilly, and to caſt forth his roots like Lebanon (Hoſ. 14.5.) The Trees of Lebanon are high, and ſpread out their branches, but they are alſo deeply rooted, they have as much under ground as above, they have as much hold in the earth as they have ſhew in the ayre. As the Saints grow up and ſpread forth their branches, ſo they grow downe and caſt out their roots like Lebanon; ſo that the winds and ſtorms which ſhake them, do indeed but ſettle them. 'Tis the goodneſſe of the root which at once makes them fruitfull, and makes them firme: he that ſtands by this ſtrength ſhall ſtand, and he that is fruitfull by theſe roots ſhall be fruitfull ſtill, and bring forth more fruit in age. The righteous ſhall hold on his way. As Chriſt ſpeakes terribly to the wicked, that they ſhall hold on their way (Revel. 22.11.) He that is unjuſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill, he that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill: Theſe are not permiſſions to wicked men to be wicked ſtill, much leſſe are they perſwaſions unto wickedneſſe, but they are dreadfull comminations; wicked men are threatned with this plague, to be given up to the wickedneſſe of their owne hearts: Now as Chriſt ſpeakes terribly thereto his Enemies, ſo he ſpeakes comfortably and encouragingly to his Freinds, He that is righteous let him be righteous ſtill, and he that is holy let him be holy ſtill: which carries not onelyonly the force of a command upon them, or the direction of a rule to them, but alſo the ſweetneſſe of a gracious promiſe, or of a ſpeciall priviledge, that they ſhall be maintained in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe unto the end, or that they ſhall hold on their way. Hypocrites may make a faire flouriſh, and ſtand ſome brunts, they may endure for a ſeaſon, but they endure not long, much leſſe to the end. They went out from us, ſaith the Apoſtle John (1 Epiſt. 2.19.) they had once an appearance, and a preſence with us, but they were not of us, that is, They had no reall communion and fellowſhip with us; their bodies were with us, but not their hearts; and when we loſt them, we loſt no more then the Corne doth vvhen the Chaffe is winnowed away, or then the body doth, vvhen hurtfull humours are purged away. Who were theſe? Hee meanes the Apoſtate profeſſors of that age, Ebion, Cerinthus, &c. p. 482Theſe were not of us: How did the Apoſtle know that? Hee tells us how in the next vvords, For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifeſt that they were not all of us. Saint John puts it beyond all diſpute, and himſelfe had not the leaſt doubt of it, that they who are once in Church, ſhall continue in it; and that they who depart, doe not depart from grace, but from a ſhadow of grace: They doe not fall from what they were, but manifeſt what they were not: They went out from us that they might be made manifeſt that they were not all of us. But vvhy doth the Apoſtle ſay they were not all of us, Were any of thoſe Apoſtates of them? Not all, is a knowne Hebraiſme for none (Pſal. 143.2.) In thy ſight (not all men, that is,) no man living ſhall be juſtified. So (1 John 3.15.) Ye know that every murderer hath not, that is (as we tranſlate) no murderer hath eternall life abiding in him. So here, They were not all, that is, None of them were of us: Many have forſaken a profeſſion of Faith, but hee that hath Faith will not forſake the profeſſion of it. The righteous ſhall hold on his way: and not onelyonly ſo, but, He that hath cleane hands ſhall wax ſtronger and ſtronger.

To continue in the right way is very good, but to encreaſe in it, is farr better; he that holds his owne in ſad times, is to be commended, but he that thrives and gaines in godlineſſe in ſad times is to be admired: And who is that? Job tells us, [He that hath cleane hands.]

The words are a Circumlocution, deſcribing the ſame perſon, who vvas before called, upright, innocent, and righteous. And yet ſurely it is not a bare repetition of the ſame perſon, under another title; for though vvee muſt take this cleaneneſſe of hands in conjunction with cleanneſſe and uprightneſſe of heart: and though it be not ſo hard a matter to ſhew a paire of white cleane hands, as it is to have an upright, or a cleane white heart; yea though it be true, that cleane hands will not wax ſtronger and ſtronger in a day of affliction, unleſſe joyned with an upright heart, yet (I ſay) theſe cleane hands imply ſomewhat elſe, not onelyonly beſides that uprigh… neſſe, p. 483but alſo beſides that innocency and righteouſneſſe ſpoken of before.

The hand is the inſtrument of action, and cleane hands are an embleme of holy actings: So that Job ſeemes to intimate, that he, who beſides the uprightneſſe of his heart, and the generall innocency and righteouſneſſe of his way, is alſo carefull to keep himſelfe free from every ſpot which might foule his hands. He (I ſay) who is thus compleat and ſpotleſſe, is fulleſt of courage vvhen troubles and ſorrowes are upon him. 'Tis true, a mans generall uprightneſſe and innocency vvill mightily uphold him, in the maine, yet if hee have got a viſible blot or defilement upon the face or hand of his converſation or dealings with men, this will be a dampe upon his ſpirit, and a deadning to his heart, though the bent of his heart ſtands faire towards God.

Againe, this may be added in anſwer to a Plea vvhichwhich ſome make vvhen they are taxed vvith the uncleanneſſe of their hands (ſay they) O we have good hearts, we are upright towards God; we confeſſe we faile many times, but we have good meanings, and we would both doe and be better: Is thy hand uncleane? Thy heart is a thouſand times more uncleane: Is thy vvay evill? Thy ſpirit is vvorſe: How c…n any man have a good meaning, or a good heart, vvhen himſelfe is evill? No man can. There is no excuſe for the uncleanneſſe of the hands, by ſaying the heart is cleane? For vvhere there is a cleane heart there vvill be cleane hands. Many have cleane hands, that have uncleane hearts; but no man hath a cleane heart whoſe hands continue uncleane; much leſſe will ſuch a one plead the cleanneſſe of his heart in excuſe for the uncleanneſſe of his hand; nor is there any ground for ſuch a Plea. Should a man ſay, here is a Tree that beares ill fruit, but it hath an excellent root, I am ſure it is of a right kind but (I confeſſe) the fruit is naught; would not any man of reaſon condemne ſuch reaſoning? Would he not ſay, This is to bely nature? For every good tree brings forth good fruit: Is it not alſo a belying of the ſpirit of grace, to ſay, The heart is upright, but the hands are uncleane: For an upright heart makes a cleane hand, as cleane hands are a probable evidence of an upright heart.

He that hath not both theſe, hath neyther of them to purpoſe; p. 484which (we may conceive) was Jobs ſcope while hee puts them here together.

Further, while Job ſpeakes in the third perſon, Hee that hath cleane hands; he anſwers Eliphaz for himſelfe, who in a third perſon charged him with the uncleanneſſe both of his heart and hands (Chap. 15.14.) from which he alſo vindicates himſelfe (Chap. 16.17.) As if hee had ſayd, You have often charged me with the uncleanneſſe of my hands, but though I will not boaſt of my ſelfe, yet this I feele and ſpeake by experience, Hee that hath cleane hands ſhall wax, [Stronger and ſtronger.]

foreign Addet fortitudinem, purus manibus ſumet audaciam Sept. Is cujus vita pura eſt addet robur, i. e. magis ac magis invaleſcet ut bene aget. Merc.The Hebrew is, He ſhall add ſtrength; that is, Hee ſhall goe on from one degree of ſtrength to another. But vvhat ſtrength ſhall hee add? Hee meanes not bodily ſtrength: The beſt of Saints may looſe that in the battels of affliction, and grow every day weaker and weaker: But hee ſhall add ſpirituall ſtrength, ſo the Apoſtle ſtates it (2 Cor. 4.16.) Though our outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. The more evill a Beleever ſuffers, the ſtronger he is in goodneſſe, and to doe good; while his fleſh weares off and waſts, he gets new ſpirits; hee takes heart, and is more couragious, as the Septuagint render Jobs text.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, Grace is of an increaſing nature, it growes ſtronger and ſtronger.

True grace lives, and therefore it muſt needs grow. The graine of Muſtard-ſeed proves a great tree (Pſal. 84.) They goe from ſtrength to ſtrength, or from company to company, that is, From one good company to another, ſtill gathering up goodneſſe as they goe: As the Bee goes from Flower to Flower, to gather Honey; ſo Beleevers goe from duty to duty, from Ordinance to Ordinance, from praying to hearing, to gather grace and ſtrength; every grace hath ſtrength, and the more grace the more ſtrength, till we come to that, which is ſtrictly called, Strength of grace.

Secondly, Obſerve.

A thorow godly man doth not onelyonly not fall from grace in time of trouble, but hee increaſeth and groweth in grace; hee addeth ſtrength.

p. 485As affliction gives a proofe of grace, vvhether it be true or no, ſo where it is true, it is improved by affliction. Naturaliſts tell us that the reaſon of thunder and lightening is,Tanto magis integritati ſtudebit. Bez. becauſe the heat being pent in, and impriſoned by the cold of the middle Region, breakes out (by an Antiperiſtaſis) with terrible noyſe and flaſhings: And thus when grace is pent in by oppoſition, perſecution, and affliction, it enlargeth it ſelfe and breakes out with greater ſtrength, yea with a kinde of heavenly violence; and not onelyonly maintaines its owne, but is a gainer.

It is ſayd of the Lacedemonian Republique, That vvhen all other Kingdomes were undone by Warr, that onelyonly grew rich, was bettered by it. Wee may ſay, that whereas all prophane perſons, and Hypocrites, are undone by affliction (all their Paint is waſhed off, their Varniſh diſcovered) onelyonly true Beleevers thrive, and are advantaged by it: He that hath an upright heart, and cleane hands, growes ſtronger and ſtronger: His inward man encreaſeth in outward decayes. It is ſayd of the Iſraelites (Exod. 1.12.) that the more the Egyptians afflicted them, the more they multiplyed and grew: They multiplyed in number, they grew in ſtrength and ſtature; their oppreſſion their was addition in temporals: It is ſo with all true Iſraelites in ſpirituals, the more they are afflicted and troubled, the more they increaſe: And whereas the Lord ſpeakes in reference to wicked men (Iſa. 1.5.) Why ſhould you be ſmitten any more? yee will revolt more and more. (The more evill men are ſmitten for their good, the worſe they are) We may ſay on the contrary, that the righteous, the more they are ſmitten with evill the better they are; yea, they ſometimes put wicked men to ſuch a ſtopping expoſtulation, as God makes there concerning wicked men: Why ſhould we trouble them any more? They will hold faſt more and more, they will not be beaten off with ſowre lookes and hard words, no nor with our hardeſt blows: We may trouble and weary out our ſelves, yea and breake our owne hearts, but we ſhall never diſhearten them. All Ages have given experiments of this: The Apoſtles in the Acts rejoyced when they were threatned, and were emboldned with ſcourging. 'Tis ſayd of the ſuffering Saints (Heb. 10.34.) They tooke joyfully the ſpoyling of their goods: They were glad of an opportunity to put off their worldly goods at ſo great a rate, as a p. 486proofe of the ſincerity of their graces: Our goods never goe off at ſo high a price, nor come to ſo good a Market as when they are ſpoyled in a good cauſe. Paul tells us, That many waxed confident by his bonds (Phil. 1.14.) They were ſo farr from withdrawing from the profeſſion of the Goſpell, becauſe Paul was clapt up in Priſon, and layd by the heeles, that they were more bold to avouch it: As ſome have been weakned and terrified by the ſufferings of others, ſo many have been confirmed and heartned, they have been not onelyonly kept from diſcouragement, but they have waxed confident by bonds, and their ſpirits have been at greater liberty by ſeeing others in Priſon, though they had reaſon enough to expect their turne would be next.

Exquiſitior crudelitas gentium adverſus Chriſtianos, illecebra eſt magis ſectae, plures efficimur, quoties metimur. Tertull.One of the Ancients tells us, The more cunning and exact our Perſecutors are, the more conſtant and exact Beleevers are. The Chriſtians of thoſe times grew into a kinde of artificialneſſe in grace, while the Heathens grew ſo artificiall in cruelty; and the oftner they were mowed downe by the bloody Sword, the more were begotten and quickned by the Word: The oppoſition which truth and holineſſe found, was a provocation to owne the truth, and to them a ſweet temptation unto holineſſe.

Thirdly, Note.

When God gives new tryals, he will give new ſtrength.

The righteous grow ſtronger as their afflictions grow ſtronger: Never feare greater tryals, when you are promiſed greater ſtrength: If you have more burdens, you ſhall have more ſhoulders. Whether the Lord calls us to paſſive obedience, or to active, hee is wiſe and faithfull to proportion, and give out ſuitable ability. It is not from the improvements of Free-will, but from the freſh annoyntings of the ſpirit, that we are ſtrengthned with might in the inner man (Eph. 3.16.) And againe (Col. 1.12.) We are ſtrengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience, and long-ſufferance with joyfulneſſe. Affliction it ſelfe cannot ſtrengthen us in grace, it rather weakens us; the increaſe of ſtrength flowes from the ſame Fountaine, whence wee had the firſt ſtrength: All is from God. In the Lord have we righteouſneſſe and ſtrength (Iſa. 45.24.) And he is an everlaſting ſtrength, the rock of Ages (Iſa. 26.4.) As he is an everlaſting ſtrength in p. 487himſelfe, ſo he is to his people: And the reaſon why his people are everlaſtingly ſtrong, is, becauſe he is ſo, Even the youths ſhall faint and be weary, and the young men ſhall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles, they ſhall run and not be weary, and they ſhall walke and not faint (Iſa. 40.30, 31.) But why ſhall the youths faint, and the young men utterly fall? Are not beginners in grace as ſure to be upheld as the ancient or men of dayes? And why is fainting and falling, the lot of youths and young men, who are ſuppoſed in their ſpirituall capacity, or in their naturall, to have the greateſt ſtrength? The Apoſtle Johns experience of the young men ſeemes to differ very much from this Propheſie of them, I write unto you young men (ſaith he, 1 Epiſt. 2.4.) becauſe yee are ſtrong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and yee have overcome the wicked one. How doth Iſaiah ſay, the young men ſhall utterly fall, and yet John ſaith, They have overcome the wicked one? that is, The Devill. Every Victory is an argument of ſtrength, eſpecially a victory over him who is very ſtrong.

I anſwer, The Prophet and the Apoſtle doe not ſpeake of the ſame young men: The Prophets young men are any men that boaſt of their owne ſtrength in ſpiritualls, and truſts upon it; theſe of what age ſoever they be, he calls young men, not becauſe like young men they have a reall great ſtrength, but becauſe (which young men are very apt to doe in the ſtrength they have) they truſt in a ſtrength which indeed they have not; ſo that theſe are called young men, becauſe they boaſt of, and truſt in their ſuppoſed ſtrength, not becauſe they are really very ſtrong; and therefore theſe young men ſhall not onelyonly faint, but utterly fall. But the Apoſtle Johns young men, are ſuch as have much ſtrength in them, and yet live, and walke and fight in the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt; theſe young men are ſo farr from falling utterly, that they ſhall ſtand for ever, and all their enemies ſhall eyther flee or fall before them, becauſe as the battell reneweth, ſo Chriſt will renew their ſtrength, and recruit their hearts with further ayd at every further charge.

OnelyOnly by going out of our owne ſtrength we get ſtrength, that was Pauls experience of himſelfe (2 Cor. 12.9, 10.) When I am weake, then I am ſtrong; that is, When I am weake p. 488in my ſelfe, and have low thoughts of my owne ſtock, then ſtrength is ſent me in; and I am ſupported by an Almighty power, when I ſee that I have no might: Therefore (ſaith he) moſt gladly will I rejoyce in my infirmities, that the ſtrength of Chriſt may reſt on me: Paul was no ſooner convinced that th… ſtrength hee had was not ſufficient, but hee heard that comfortable word from Heaven, My grace is ſufficient for thee: We are ſtronger by the grace in Chriſt, then by the grace wee receive from Chriſt. He that lives upon the grace received from Chriſt, and not upon the grace in Chriſt, ſhall quickly feele a want of grace, and a decay of ſpirituall life.

Now, if grace received from Chriſt be not ſtock enough to live and continue upon, what is nature for any man to begin upon? Peter had received grace, and he made an honeſt reall profeſſion to Chriſt, not a flattering verball complement, when h…e ſayd (Matth. 26.33, 35.) Though all men ſhall be offended becauſe of thee, yet will I not be offended, and though I ſhould dye with thee, yet will I not deny thee: yet becauſe he did not enough (if at all) renounce his owne ſtrength, in ſtead of waxing ſtronger and ſtronger, he was weaker and weaker, and did not onelyonly deny his Maſter, but forſwore him. Not onelyonly they who goe out in the ſtrength of nature, but they alſo who goe out in the ſtrength of inherent grace, may quickly (notwithſtanding a ſincerity of profeſſion) diſhonour their profeſſion, and fall from their owne ſtedfaſtneſſe: Therefore truſt in the Lord, and yee ſhall not onelyonly hold on, but grow ſtronger and ſtronger in your way.

And if ſuch be the ſtate of a godly man, that he holds on, and waxeth ſtronger in times of trouble, what ſhall wee ſay of them, who turne out of the way, or languiſh in it, when nothing troubles them? What ſhall we ſay of them who run out of the way, though there be no Lyon in the way, when we heare that Saints will not out though there be a Lyon in the way? What ſhall we ſay of them that depart from God, when (as Job ſpeakes in another place) they waſh their footſteps with Butter, and the rock powres out Oyle to them (that is, When God loadeth them with his benefits daily) when wee heare that the righteous, and hee that hath cleane hands will not out of the way, though every ſtep be up to the knees in Mire, though he be daſhed againſt the Rocks, and killed all p. 489the day long? Was there ever truth of grace in thoſe who finding nothing but comfort and outward bleſſings in the way, doe yet goe out of the way, grow cold and ſinke in their profeſſion? When Chriſt gives outward pleaſure to his followers, and they forſake him, may they not juſtly be ſuſpected to take pleaſure in forſaking him? And that they never tooke any pleaſure in following him, but onelyonly followed him for their pleaſure? What would theſe doe if they were aſſaulted with ſtrong temptations or troubles, who turne aſide being freed from all ſuch temptations? What would they doe if their wayes were full of bryers and thorns, who goe back and Apoſtatize while their wayes are ſtrewed with flowers, and they tread upon Roſes? 'Tis true indeed, that the warme Sun (as wee ſay) cauſeth ſome to caſt off their Cloaks, which the cold winde moved them to keep cloſer on; but, though it be a truth, that proſperity makes many forſake God, yet it cannot be denyed but that adverſity is a greater temptation to deny him. A ſound heart may (poſſibly) give in a little in boyſtrous times, and Winterly dayes, but it is almoſt an infallible diſcovery of a rotten heart, to flinch in faire weather, or in a Summers day: As they who keep cloſe to, and hold on in the wayes of God in darke and doubtfull diſpenſations, ſhew a pure love to his wayes, ſo they who warpe and recede, under cleere and comfortable diſpenſations, ſhew a pure diſlike of them.

Laſtly, Note the various expreſſions uſed in theſe two Verſes, we have here the deſcription of a godly man under foure Titles.

Firſt, The upright.

Secondly, The innocent.

Thirdly, The righteous.

Fourthly, He that hath cleane hands.

Theſe meet in one perſon, yet they have diſtinct ſignifications: Uprightneſſe is ſtrictly oppoſed to hypocriſie; innocency to guilt; righteouſneſſe to oppreſſion; and cleanneſſe of hands to all the pollutions of converſation. Every kinde of goodneſſe, and all the graces concenter in him that is truly godly.

He that is godly, is any thing that is good, and hee that is wicked is any thing that is evill, you cannot call a wicked p. 490man out of his name, how ill ſoever you call him. And you cannot call a compleate godly man out of his name, how good ſoever you call him, he is upright, and innocent, and righteous; his hands are cleane, and his heart is cleane, he is cleane all over, and holy all over, while we call him all this we doe not call him beyond what God hath made him.