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

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

p. 42JOB, CHAP. 15. Verſ. 12, 13.

Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what doth thine eyes wink at?

That thou turneſt thy ſpirit againſt God, and letteſt ſuch words goe out of thy mouth?foreign admirantis eſt; foreign Capere, ſumere, capit pro rapit, flectit, allicit. foreign eſt animus foreign, q. d. permittis te abripiendum & tranſverſion agendum affectu tuo nimis animoſo. Quis te furor cordis exagitat, quae te extra te rapit ſapientiae jactantia. Pined. Tam ſuperbus apud te es ut vix temet ipſum capere poſſit; nec quidem tui ipſius capax es. Bold.

ELiphaz inſiſts ſtill upon that unpleaſant ſubject of reproofe, the fifth ground whereof here propoſed, is Jobs over-confident ſticking to his owne Principles, or his overweening his owne opinion. This reproofe is couched in the 12. and 13. Verſes.

Verſ. 12. Why doth thy heart carry thee away?

He ſpeakes by way of Queſtion, or as ſome expound him, by way of admiration; as if he had ſayd, It is ſtrange, even a wonder to me, that thy heart ſhould thus carry thee away: The word which we tranſlate, to carry away, ſignifies to take up, or barely to take, and lay hold upon; Why doth thy heart? the heart is the whole inward man; here more ſpecially, the affections; Why doe thy affections, maſter thy judgement, why are thy paſſions too hard for thy reaſon? Others give the ſenſe thus, How can thy heart hold thee? As if Job had growne too big for himſelfe; as if he had been ſo proud and arrogant, ſo tranſported with ſelfe-conceit, that he could not containe himſelfe, and keep his bounds, or as if he had not ſtowage enough for his owne thoughts. A third, thus (which comes neere the ſame ſenſe) What doth thy heart attribute or aſcribe to thee? Sure thy p. 43heart doth give thee ſome great titles, ſuch as theſe, Job the wiſe, Job the holy, the juſt, the ſincere; thy heart ſets thee out ſure,Poſſit per dativum ita verti, quid attribuit tibi cor tuum. Bold. Quid docet te cor tuum. Rab. Sol. foreign ſignificat doctrinam ſed ita dicitur a diſcendo potius quam a docendo. Druſ. Quid docuit te cogitatio tua, Targ. and gildes thee over with attributes beyond thy deſerving.

Maſter Broughton following one of the Rabbins, preſents us with a different tranſlation from either of theſe, What Doctrine can thy heart give thee, or what can thy heart teach thee? The word which we render to take, to carry, or hold up a thing, ſignifies alſo to learne or teach Doctrine, but rather to learne then to teach, as Grammarians tell us, which ſomewhat abates the cleareneſſe of that verſion; yet the Chalde Paraphraſe followes the ſame ſenſe, What hath thy owne thought taught thee? What learneſt thou there, as if Eliphaz had ſayd, Thou haſt an evill heart, and ſurely an ill Maſter will teach but ill Doctrine; when the heart is inditing of a good matter (Pſal. 45.) then we may learne good leſſons from the heart: and then we ſpeake moſt effectually to the hearts of others, when we ſpeak from our owne hearts, they having firſt been ſpoken to by the ſpirit of God. But a corrupt heart can teach no better then it hath, and that is corrupt Doctrines. Theſe are truths, yet too much ſtrained for upon this Text, and therefore I paſſe from them, and abide by the ordinary ſignification of the word as we read it, Why doth thy heart take thee up, or carry thee away; as if he had ſayd, Thy heart hath ſeized upon thee, and arreſted thee, thou art led away priſoner, or captive by the violence and impetuouſneſſe of thy owne ſpirit.

The word is applyed (Ezek. 23.14.) to the motion of the ſpirit of God, ſent unto Ezekiel to inſtruct him; The ſpirit lifted me up, or caught me away; that which the good ſpirit did unto Ezekiel (not onelyonly upon his ſpirit, but upon his body, for hee was corporally carryed away from the place where he was) that the heart of Job (as Eliphaz conceived) did unto him, it lifted him up, and carryed him away. There is a kind of violence in the allurements and inticings of the heart. As a man is ſayd to be carryed away by the ill counſells of others, ſo alſo by his owne.

In the former ſenſe the word is uſed, Prov. 6.25, Where Solomon adviſing to take heed of the Harlot, ſaith he, Keep thee from the evill Woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a ſtrange Woman; luſt not after her in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her eye lids: There he makes uſe of this word, let her not take p. 44thee, or let her not carry thee away upon her eye lids, let not her wanton eye flatter thee to the ſin of wantonneſſe and uncleanneſſe. As the eye of a whoriſh Woman, ſo the whoriſh heart of a man, often takes and carryeth him away.

Hence obſerve:

The heart hath power over, and is too hard for the whole Man; Paſſions hurry our hearts, and our hearts hurry us; and who can tell whither his heart will carry him, or where it will ſet him downe, when once it hath taken him up. This is certaine, it will carry every man beyond the bounds of his duty, both to God and man: Take it more diſtinctly in theſe three particulars.

The heart quickly carryeth us beyond the bounds of grace.

Secondly, the heart often carryeth us beyond the bounds of reaſon; When paſſion workes much, reaſon workes not at all.

Thirdly, it may carry us beyond the bounds of honeſty, yea of modeſty: 'Tis very dangerous to commit our ſelves to the conduct of paſſion; that (unleſſe kept under good command) will ſoone run us beyond the line both of Modeſty and of Honeſty, of Reaſon, and of Grace. He that is carryed away thus farre muſt make a long journey of repentance, before he can return and come back, either to God or to himſelfe. Some have been carryed viſibly away by the Devil, by an evill ſpirit without them (if God give commiſſion or permiſſion, the Devill can eaſily doe it) very many are carryed away by the evill ſpirit within them. An evill heart is as bad as the Devill; the evill ſpirit without, and the evill ſpirit within, carry us both the ſame way, and that is quite out of the way.

Conſider further how the heart carryeth us away, even from ſpirituall duties and holy ſervices; and this is not only the caſe of carnall men (who are given up to their hearts luſts) but of the Saints; their hearts are continually lifting at them, and ſometimes they are carryed quite away from Prayer, and from hearing the Word: the heart lifts the man up, and ſteales him out of the Congregation, while his body remaines there, the body ſits ſtill, but the minde, which is the man, is gone, either about worldly buſineſſe and deſignes, or about worldly pleaſures and delights. He ſtirres not a foot, nor moves a finger, and yet he is carryed all the World over: p. 45He viſits both the Indies, yet ſteps not over his own threſhold. Thus the heart being carryed away, carryeth the man away. And thats the reaſon why God calls ſo earneſtly,foreign Cum omni cuſtodia. My Son give me thy heart; for where our hearts goe, we goe, or wee are carryed with them; Keep thy heart with all diligence (Prov. 4.24.) or, With all keeping, or above all keeping; it muſt have double keeping, double guards, keep, keep, watch, watch, thy heart will be gone elſe, and thou wilt goe with it; if thou looke not to thy heart, thy heart will quickly withdraw it ſelfe, and draw thee along alſo: Why doth thy heart carry thee away? is a deſerved check upon every man, when his heart doth ſo; and Let not thy heart carry thee away, is a neceſſary caution for every man, leſt his heart ſhould doe ſo. Jobs heart was too buſie with him, though not ſo buſie as Eliphaz judged, when he thus checkt him, with, Why doth thy heart carry thee away?

And what doth thine eye wink at?

But is it a fault to wink with the eye; foreign, nutu utor, quia nutus ficri ſolet vel capite, vel oculis.it is ſayd (Joh. 13.24.) that Peter beckned to, or winked at John (the Greeke word ſignifieth an inviting geſture by the whole head, or by the eye) he winkt at him I ſay, to aske Chriſt who it was of whom he ſpake: There was no fault in that, but Eliphaz findes fault with this: What was the ſuppoſed fault? There is a twofold faulty winking.

Firſt, When wee wink at faults, our owne faults, or the faults of other men, to beare with, or approve them.

Secondly, When we wink at the vertues and good deeds of others to ſlight or undervalue them; poſſibly Eliphaz taxeth Job for both theſe, as if he winked at his owne faults,foreign Eſt vox hoc tantum loco reperta, cujus ſignificationem, Rab, Mardochai dicit eſſe inſinuationem vel indicationem. Quid annuunt quid innuunt oculi tui. or would not ſee them, and that he winked at their faithfull dealings, as ſlighting, or not regarding them: Yet further and more diſtinctly.

The word which we tranſlate to winke, is found onelyonly in this text all the Bible over. It properly ſignifies to inſinuate by the eye, to ſpeak or make ſignificant tokens by the eye; there is a language of the eye, as well as of the tongue; here Jobs eye gave ſome ill language to the eye or apprehenſion of Eliphaz. There are various opinions about it.

…ſt, Some interpret it, as a note of oppoſition againſt, p. 46or of diſſatisfaction with the counſells which his Friends gave him, as was lately hinted. Shutting of the eye, imports ſhutting of the minde, or a refuſall of what is ſpoken. When God judicially cloſed the eyes of the Jewes,Aegre, qui ſibi ſapientes videntur, ferunt, ſive concionentur, ſive diſceptent, non auditi cum exteruis modeſtiae attentionis & aeſtimationis ſignis. In auditione vitia ſunt ſupercilia, torvitas & …iſtitia vulius obtuitus vagus, nulus, &c. Plut. lib. de Aud. foreign, de fixis, immotis intentis oculis eſſe interpretatar. Nictu oculi prodis nos noſtraſque orationes a te contemni. Pined. Cordis contum…cia ex oculis tuis emicat. Nictu te oſtendis elatum. Merc. In oculis veteribus religio fuit, ſiquidem in iis imago hominis eſt & tacitus ſermo mentis. Bold. In oculis, loculis & poculis, homo cognoſcitur. Sent. Hebr. ſaying to the Prophet (Iſa. 6.10.) Make the heart of this people fat, and make their eares heavy, and ſhut their eyes; this ſhewed the ſhutting of their minds againſt the truth: ſo alſo doth a voluntary or an affected ſhutting of the eye in ſome men, though in others it is an act of ſtronger attention or intention of their ſpirits to what is ſpoken, which ſome take to be the Engliſh of Jobs winking, as we ſhall ſee a little after.

Secondly, This winking with the eye, is expounded by others, though not as an oppoſition againſt what he heard, yet as the geſture of a negligent and careleſſe hearer. They who ſpeak, take it ill to have either ill lookes, or not to be looked upon by their hearers. The attentiveneſſe of the eare may be much diſcerned by the eye: One of the old morall Philoſophers, in his diſcourſe about hearing, numbers winking among the vices and offenſive behaviours of a Hearer. When the Lord Chriſt Preached (Luke 4.20.) It is ſayd, That the eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were faſtned on him. A faſtned eye is the note of a fixed heart, as a wandring eye is of a wandring heart. They faſtned their eyes upon him, as if they meant to hear with their eyes as well as with their eares. A winking eye is a moveable and an unſetled eye, and therefore may well be the diſcoverer of an unſetled Spirit.

Thirdly, This winking with the eye is alſo a ſigne of diſdaine and ſcorne. As if Eliphaz had ſayd, The pride of thy heart ſparkles at thine eye; while wee are counſelling and comforting thee, thou art ſcorning us. The Ancients were very criticall about the eye, much of a man may be ſeen at his eye. As a man ſees, ſo he is ſeen by his owne eyes. The frame of the heart appeares much in the eye; a joyfull or a ſorrowfull frame of heart, an humble or a proud frame of heart, a contented, or diſcontented, an amicable, or a ſcornefull frame of heart appeares at the eye. As the eare and noſtrills of the Horſe, diſcover him moſt, according to the rules of Naturaliſts, ſo the eye of man is the greateſt diſcoverer of man, whether we conſider the conſtitution or the actions of it. And that this action of winking, is an argument of a ſcornefull p. 47ſpirit, or the action of a ſcorner, appeares from Davids Petition, or deprecation (Pſal. 35.19.) Let not them that are mine Enemies wrongfully rejoyce over me, neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cauſe; it may ſeem to be a ſtrange piece of prayer, why would not David have his enemy wink? What was that to him? The meaning is this, let not mine Enemies have any occaſion to ſcorne and deride me, to boaſt and inſult over me.

There are two ſins which are very viſible in the eye: The firſt is wantonneſſe (Iſa. 3.16.) Becauſe the Daughters of Sion are haughty, and walke with ſtretched forth necks, and wanton eyes, the Hebrew is, Deceiving with their eye; and the Apoſtle Peter in his ſecond Epiſtle, Chap. 2.14. gives this character of ſome, They have eyes full of adultery, you may perceive the filthines and uncleanneſſe of their hearts ſtaring out of their eyes. The ſecond ſin which is ſo viſible in the eye, is Pride; Solomon ſpeakes of a proud look (Prov. 6.17.) Six things ths Lord hateth; yea, ſeven are an abomination to him; And the firſt of the ſeven, is, A proud looke; the Hebrew is, Haughty eyes: Pride and haughtineſſe are ſeated, yea, conſpicuouſly enthroned in the eye.

Fourthly, Theſe words, Why winkeſt thou with thine eye? Ad ſimulatam quandam innocentiae ſignificationem & ſanctitatis ſpecimen, quod hypocriſm redolet referri poteſt.are expounded as a reproofe of hypocriſie and ſeeming holyneſſe; as if Eliphaz had ſayd, Thou lookeſt very demurely, and innocently, as if (according to our old Proverbe) Butter would not melt in thy mouth, or as if thou wert ſpeaking familiarly to God. For as lifting up the eyes or looking to Heaven is a geſture of holy worſhip. (John 17.1.) Then Jeſus lift up his eyes to Heaven: So alſo is winking with the eye. It is very uſuall with many to ſhut or wink with their eyes in prayer, that ſo their ſpirits may be more compoſed, and freer from diſtraction. 'Tis not unlikely that Eliphaz obſerved Job winking with his eyes, as if he had ſet himſelfe to ſeeke God; this provoked him, What? ſuch a one as thou, a hypocrite, a wicked man, what thou goe to God? Wilt thou wink with thy eyes, as if thou wert wrapt up in ſome Divine meditation; whereas we have ground rather to conclude that thou art deviſing miſchiefe: There are two Texts in the Proverbs, which give ſome light to this Interpretation, Prov. 6.13. He winketh with his eye, he ſpeaketh with his feet, teacheth with his p. 48fingers, frowardneſſe is in his heart, he deviſeth miſchiefe continually: Solomon puts a winking eye and a froward miſchiefe-deviſing heart together: As if he had ſayd, A wicked man (for of him he ſpeakes in the former Verſe) winkes with the eye, as if he had ſome high rapture, whereas his minde is ſet upon miſcheife, and purſuing the worſt of evills. Againe, Prov. 10.10. He that winketh with his eye cauſeth ſorrow; but how doth a man that winketh with the eye cauſe ſorrow? what dependence is there betweene theſe two, ſorrow, and winking, that the one ſhould cauſe the other? Theſe words, he that winketh with his eye, are the deſcription of a deceitfull man; ſuch a one may cauſe ſorrow enough,Qui annuit oculo ſuo cum fraude. both to himſelfe and others. Solomon intends, not a ſimple, but a ſubtill ſly winking with the eye; and ſo the Syriake readeth it; He who winketh with his eye deceitfully, cauſeth ſorrow: Deceit makes the deceived ſorrowfull, and it will make the Deceiver ſorrowfull; he muſt either be ſorrowfull to repentance, or feele the ſorrow of puniſhment.

Fifthly, This winking with the eye, is conceived to be a metaphor taken from thoſe who ſhoot with Guns or Bowes,Quid collimant oculi tui, Jun. Metaphora a jaculatoribus ſumpta. id. Gunners and Archers winke when they ſhoot, that they may take aime the better: The contracting of the ſight, ſtrengthens it. So here, What doſt thou wink at? that is, what doſt thou aime at? The eye of a mans minde aimes at ſome marke in meditation, and hence it is uſuall for a man in vehement meditation, to wink with his eye. As if Eliphaz had ſayd, ſurely thou haſt ſome great deſigne, ſome grand plot in thy braine, thou pretendeſt to ſome deep wiſedome, or unheard of policies; thou haſt ſet up ſome faire marke before thy fancie, and thou wilt be ſure to hit it; what is it that thou aymeſt at? We finde the phraſe uſed in this ſenſe, Prov. 16.30. He ſhutteth his eye to deviſe froward things, moving his lips he bringeth evill to paſſe; he ſhutteth his eyes, as if hee would make his thoughts more ſteddy and fixt, to hit or reach that froward device which he is caſting about how he may effect. And as a wicked man ſhuts his eyes to deviſe froward, that is, ſinfull things, ſo a good man ſhuts his eyes (leſt variety of objects ſhould divert or call off his minde) when he is deviſing and ſtudying what is beſt both for himſelfe and others.Et quaſi magna cogitans attonitos habes oculo…. Vulg. The rendring of the Vulgar Latine, though it be farre from the letter of the Originall, p. 49and is rather a Paraphraſe then a Tranaſltion, yet it reacheth this ſenſe fully, Wherefore doth thy heart carry thee away, Oculos in caelo defigere ſolent cogitabundi & quibus gravis ineſt ſolicitudo. Sanct.and why lifteſt thou up thine eyes, as if thou wert thinking of ſome great matter? Or as if the affaires of Kingdomes, and States depended upon thy care, or were committed to thy truſt.

All theſe interpretations are ſerviceable to the Text before us; and though we cannot poſitively and particularly reſolve which of them was here intended by Eliphaz, yet conſidering that his ſcope was to reprove Job, we may take in the ſenſe of them all, and conclude that he cenſured Job in this one word of all thoſe miſcarriages of the heart, which may be ſignified at the eye; as appeares by the inference which he makes in the next Verſe: For having ſayd, What doth thy eye wink at? he preſently ſubjoynes:

Verſ. 13. That thou turneſt thy ſpirit againſt God, and letteſt ſuch words goe out of thy mouth?

So that this Verſe is an explication of the former,Explicationem continet praecedentis verſiculi. Bold. and gives us more clearely what Eliphaz meant by the Carrying away of the heart, and the winking of the eye: His heart is carryed out of all bounds, who turneth his ſpirit againſt God: His eye winks ſinfully whoſe mouth preſently upon it ſpeakes unduely. Thou winkeſt with thy eye, thou art very thoughtfull, and what the fruit or birth of thy thoughts is, we may diſcerne by thy ſpeech, while thou letteſt ſuch words goe out of thy mouth.

Thou turneſt thy ſpirit againſt God.

As if he had ſayd, In ſtead of humbling thy ſelfe under the puniſhment of thy ſin, thou with an incenſed minde conteſteſt againſt God himſelfe: and though while he ſaith againſt God, he doth not meane God directly, but God in his judgements and counſells in his Word or in his Workes; yet this is a very high charge, one of the higheſt that is in the whole Booke, but very unjuſt. Indeed Job uſed ſome paſſionate ſpeeches to his Freinds, and theſe Eliphaz judgeth to proceed from an oppoſition againſt God.

Thou turneſt thy Spirit againſt God.

There is a twofold turning the ſpirit againſt God:

Firſt, Naturall, Rom. 8.7. Enmity is the turning of the p. 50ſpirit. The wiſedome or luſt of the fleſh is enmity againſt God.

Secondly, Improved when we heighten this oppoſition in our practice, and are enemies to God in our mindes, or Gods hearty enemies by wicked workes, Col. 1.21.

Quod rediri feceris ad Deum ſpiritum tuum. Heb. Quia reſpondit ad Deum ſpiritus tuus. Mont. Pedire facit verbum qui re ſpondet. Druſ.The Hebrew is, Thou makeſt thy ſpirit to returne to God, which is expounded two wayes; firſt, thou makeſt thy ſpirit to turn upon, or againſt God: Secondly, thy ſpirit anſwers or replyeth upon God; both meet in one meaning; for though there may be a turning away of the ſpirit without anſwering, yet (in one ſenſe) all anſwers are the turning of our ſpirit: if any man aske a queſtion, the anſwer is the returne of his minde who makes the anſwer, ſo ſome render, Why doth thy ſpirit returne anſwer to God; as if he rebuked him for his boldneſſe in replying. Thy ſpirit returnes upon God, if he ſpeak one word, thou wilt have two; in that ſenſe the word is uſed, Titus 2.9. where the Apoſtle giving rules (among other relations) to Servants, charges them, Servants be obedient to your owne Maſters, and pleaſe them well in all things, not anſwering againe. But, is it a fault for a Servant, when asked a queſtion, to make an anſwer? no, it were a fault not to anſwer. The meaning is, that a Servant being reproved for a fault muſt not anſwer; that is, his ſpirit muſt not riſe, and returne againſt his Maſter; or if a Servant be directed to doe any warrantable worke, he muſt not anſwer againe; that is, hee muſt not contradict or murmure at the orders which he hath received, but addreſſe himſelfe to the fulfilling of them; this is the anſwering againe, reproved as a fault in Servants, which is rather gain ſaying then anſwering, as we put in the Margent of our Bibles: in which ſenſe, anſwering is taken here according to this interpretation. Thy ſpirit anſwers God, or turnes againſt him. We may cleare it alſo by that of the Apoſtle (Rom. 9.20.) Where having ſhewed the abſolute ſoveraignty of God in his Decrees and purpoſes, by the example of Jacob and Eſau, as alſo by that of Pharoah: He concludes, Verſ. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardneth: Saint Paul ſoreſaw that this Doctrine would rayſe a great deale of duſt, and cauſe many to turne their ſpirits againſt God, which he thus repreſents (Verſ. 19.) Thou wilt ſay unto me, Why doth he yet finde fault? for who hath reſiſted his will? p. 51Nay, but O man who art thou that replyeſt againſt God? What? wilt thou chop logick with God himſelf? Wilt thou (as the Margent ſaith) anſwer againe, or diſpute with God? Hold thy peace, quiet thy ſelfe, What's the matter that thou turneſt thy ſpirit againſt God?

Spirit is here put for the will, thoughts, and counſells,Spiritus pro arrogantia. Latine diciur magnos gerere animos qui ſuperbia tumet. Merc. Quid tumet adverſus Deum ſpiritus tuus? Vulg. Quid torva convertis in caelum Lumina? quid in Deum refundis ſtomacum & evocas conceptam iram. Pined. Animum indignatione accenſum. Jun. Omnem ſpiritum ſuum depromit ſtultus. i. e. iram. Aben Ezra. Rege animum. i. e. iram. Horat. of Man, cloathed and elated with arrogancy, ſtoutneſſe, and pride: In all languages, Spirit imports that which is high. And to ſay, Such a one is a man of ſpirit, notes not onelyonly the activeneſſe of that man, but often his pride and haughtineſſe.

Beſides, Spirit is ſometimes put for indignation, for fury, and wrath; in all which acceptions, the word may be rendred here, Thou turneſt thy ſpirit, that is, thy anger and wrath, thy fury and indignation againſt God. So the word is uſed, Iſa. 25.4. When the ſpirit, or blaſt of the terrible ones, is as a ſtorme againſt the Wall; that is, while the fury of the terrible ones is in its higheſt march and motion, God promiſeth to be a ſtrength to the poore, a ſtrength and a refuge to the needy in his diſtreſſe: So Prov. 29.11. A foole uttereth all his minde, or all his ſpirit; that is, all his anger, he lets it out, and diſcovers himſelfe preſently; but a wiſe man (if there be cauſe of anger) keepeth it in till afterwards; that is, till a fit ſeaſon. He hath a retentive faculty which a Foole hath not. Now, in which ſenſe ſoever of theſe explained, we underſtand Spirit in the preſent Text, the charge is as high as it can goe upon any man, when 'tis ſayd, Hee turneth his Spirit againſt God.

Hence Obſerve:

To turne the ſpirit againſt God is the very ſpirit of ungodlineſſe; there is no greater wickedneſſe then this. A godly man may doe an act which is againſt God, but his ſpirit cannot act againſt God; thats the character of the wicked. A godly man delights in the Law of God according to the inward man, whilſt the outward man ſins againſt the Law of God; an ungodly man turnes his inward man againſt the Law of God, while his outward man pretends obedience to it; and as it is an act of higheſt diſobedience, ſo of the proudeſt pride to turne the ſpirit againſt God. The Vulgar Latine tranſlates it well, Why doth thy ſpirit ſwell againſt God, Thou haſt an impoſtumation in thy ſpirit againſt God; yea it is not onelyonly an act of the proudeſt p. 52pride, but of the maddeſt madneſſe to turne the ſpirit againſt God;Furorem erupiſti ante dominum. Sept. ſo the Septuagint gives it, Thou haſt cauſed thy fury or thy madneſſe to breake forth before God; he that acts againſt God is a mad man indeed, Will yee provoke the Lord, are you ſtronger then he? is the Apoſtles chiding queſtion to ſuch mad men: are you ſo mad after your luſts, hath ſin made you ſo fooliſh, Have you loſt both grace and reaſon at once? that you dare thus provoke the Lord, and challenge the Almighty? God reſiſts the proud, and the proud aſſault him; Grace turnes the ſpirit to God, repentance is the returne of our ſpirits to God; then what is the turning of our ſpirits againſt God, but a cleare demonſtration of a totally impenitent and graceleſſe Spirit?

Againe, when Eliphaz ſaith, Job turned his Spirit againſt God, he doth not meane it of a direct or profeſſed oppoſition againſt God, as if Job had openly defied him, and blaſphemed his Name; but his meaning is, that Job ſhewing ſo much impatience and unſatisfiedneſſe of ſpirit, under the dealings of God with him, did not ſubmit to God, as he ought. Eliphaz (I conceive) did not ſo much as ſuſpect that Job turned his ſpirit immediately, or as wee ſay, poynt blanke againſt God himſelfe, but onelyonly againſt his diſpenſations.

Hence obſerve:

That while we ſpeake, or our hearts riſe up againſt the dealings of God with our ſelves or others, we may be ſayd to turne our ſpirits againſt God himſelfe: Many who think they have not neglected Chriſt, will be found to have neglected him, becauſe they have neglected thoſe by whom, or that wherein Chriſt is offered. The Evangeliſt brings in Chriſt ſpeaking thus (Matth. 25.) I was hungry and yee fed me not, thirſty and yee gave me no drinke; they to whom hee ſpeakes wonder at this, Lord (ſay they) when ſaw we thee hungry and gave thee no meat, or thirſty and gave thee no drinke, ſurely we have not been guilty of ſuch a wickedneſſe: Yea, ſaith Chriſt, In as much as yee did it not to one of theſe, yee did it not to me; when yee refuſed to feed theſe, yee refuſed to feed me, I was in theſe, and theſe were in me. Now in the ſame manner many will ſay, when wee charge them with turning their ſpirits againſt God, with fighting againſt, and oppoſing God: Who? we oppoſe God? we never oppoſed God as we know of; yea, peradventure, they will ſay, we have honoured p. 53God, and doe you charge us that we have turned our ſpirit againſt God? to many ſuch God will ſay, In as much as yee oppoſed my word, and murmured againſt my workes, in as much as yee were angry with my diſpenſations, and diſcontented with what I have done, ye have turned your ſpirit againſt me. We may become guilty of this ſin before we thinke of it; for as there is a direct and litterall contending with God, ſo an equivalent, or conſtructive contending with him. As ſome men commit plaine open Treaſon againſt a State, but others commit only conſtructive Treaſon: 'Tis ſo here, the God of Heaven knowes when ſpirits turne againſt him directly, and when by conſequence, and he will take vengeance not onelyonly of direct and avowed, but alſo of conſequentiall and conſtructive Treaſon againſt his Soveraignty, unleſſe the offender repent and be humbled before him. He will judge thouſands at the laſt day, for oppoſing him, who, it may be, in ſome things have pleaded for him; yea, who have in ſome things not onelyonly acted, but ſuffered for him; though uſually when the ſpirit of any man turneth againſt God, that mans workes and words turne againſt him too: So Eliphaz further taxeth Job in the latter clauſe of the Verſe.

And letteſt ſuch words goe out of thy mouth?

As if he had ſayd, Such ſtuffe as thou haſt in thy heart, even ſuch flowes out of thy mouth; the word Such is added by moſt Tranſlators; the Hebrew is, And letteſt words goe out of thy mouth; it is no fault to let words goe out of the mouth: 'tis no ſin to ſpeak, but to ſpeak ſuch or ſuch words, may be very ſinfull; and therefore we, and others, for explication ſake,foreign Faeminine vel ut animum muliebri impotentia labo antem fodicet, aut forma Chaldaica. Pungit etiam voce foreign Logos, nugas verba? Coc. make this ſupplement, Such words; But what words were they? Eliphaz doth not quote any paſſages in his ſpeech, but leaves them as we and others tranſlate under a terme of generall diſtaſt, Such words; as if they were not worth the naming, or as if no epithite could be found worthleſſe enough to name them by. For as when Ezra would deſcribe a deliverance in the realilty of it beyond words, he doth not tell us what it was, but ſaith onelyonly, Seeing our God hath given us ſuch deliverance as this, (Ez. 9.13.) So when Eliphaz would deſcribe words in the vanity or ſinfulneſſe of them below words, he doth not tell us what they were, but ſaith onelyonly, Such words as theſe; yet p. 54poſſibly the words he meanes were theſe, Why haſt thou ſet me as a marke, ſo that I am a burden to my ſelfe (Chap. 7.20.) or theſe (Chap. 9.30.) If I waſh me with Snow water, and make my hands never ſo cleare, yet thou wilt plunge me in the ditch, or theſe (Chap. 13.26.) Thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, and thou makeſt me to poſſeſſe the iniquities of my youth: Theſe, or ſuch as theſe, were the words which Eliphaz leaves under this note of diſdaine, Such words. Yet theſe Eliphaz ſhould have mollified with a charitable conſtruction, and not have ſharpned his owne tongue againſt them, much leſſe ſhould he have interpreted them, as the turning of Jobs ſpirit againſt God himſelfe. For as ſome draw neer to God with their lips, and give him ſmooth words, while their hearts are farre from him, and their ſpirits turned againſt him: So others may ſeeme to depart from God with their lips, and give him harſh language, while their hearts are neere, and their ſpirits cleave unto him.

I ſhall further give you a fourfold character of theſe words, ſutable to the miſpriſion which Eliphaz and his Friends had of him all along. Such words, or words ſo apprehended, muſt needs ſound harſhly in their eares, and in the cares of any man fearing God.

Firſt, Proud words of himſelfe, inſiſting upon his owne righteouſneſſe as they conceived, for in the next words Eliphaz ſaith, What is man that he ſhould be cleane? they thought Job ſpake much to paint and bedeck himſelfe with his own goodneſſe and innocency.

Secondly, Blaſphemous words of God, though not directly, yet by conſequence, againſt his works and dealings.

Thirdly, Reproachfull, ſcornefull words againſt them, as if they were neither able nor worthy to be his counſell; You are the men, and wiſedome ſhall dye with you.

Fourthly, Falſe words upon the whole matter in controverſie, maintaining (as Eliphaz judged) contrary to the truth; that he was not puniſhed for his ſin. Words under this fourfold notion are reproveable and ſinfull enough; ſuch Eliphaz eſteemed the words of Job to be, proud, blaſphemous, reproachfull, falſe, Why letteſt thou ſuch words as theſe goe out of thy mouth?

Hence Obſerve:

p. 55Firſt, Paſſion within will vent it ſelfe by words without, when the heart is carryed away, and the ſpirit turned againſt God, no marvaile if the tongue be carryed away, and the words of ſuch a man be turned both againſt God, his truth or people.

Secondly, Note:

Our words are ſutable to our ſpirits; ſome can diſſemble much, and ſpeak golden words, while themſelves are droſſe; but ordinarily, our words are ſuch as we are: The vile perſon will ſpeake villany, (Iſa. 32.6.) A man that is all for the World, ſpeakes worldly (1 John 4.5.) They are of the World, therefore ſpeake they of the World. Every man is of the World ſo, as that he is a part of the World, but ſome are ſo of the World, that the World is all them; they who are thus of the World muſt needs ſpeake of the World if they ſpeak any thing, for they have nothing elſe to ſpeake of. Thus a covetous man ſpeakes covetouſly, and a proud man proudly (Jerem. 43.2.) Some told the Prophet to his face, Thou ſpeakeſt falſly, the Lord our God hath not ſent thee to ſay, Goe not into Aegypt to ſojourne there; Theſe were proud words indeed, but who ſpake them? The text tells us, Then ſpake Azariah the Son of Hoſhaniah, and all the proud men: The proud men ſpake proudly; ſo on the contrary, a ſober man will ſpeake ſoberly, an humble man humbly; The poore ſpeake ſupplications, ſaith Solomon; rich men ſpeake their commands, poore men ſpeake their wiſhes and deſires.

Thirdly, Obſerve:

He that dares to ſpeake evill, is arrived at a great height of evill: Eliphaz puts this as an effect of a heart turned againſt God; ſuch words as theſe, ſhew that thou art not onelyonly a ſinfull man, but impudent in ſinning. For though an evill heart is worſe then an evill tongue, and an ill thought then an evill word; yet when ill words ſpring from ill thoughts, and are as branches growing from the root of an evill heart, this ſhewes a man hightened in ſin; Sin hath got the maſtery of the heart wh…n it freely vents it ſelfe at the tongue. Some keep their ſins downe by hypocriſie, and ſome by common modeſty; they are either ſo cunning that they will not, or ſo baſhfull that they dare not ſpeak out the filth that lyes within. But they are beyond, not onelyonly modeſty, but hypocriſie, whoſe tongues can ſpeak all the evill that is in their heart; though the ſin of the heart p. 56be worſe then the ſinne of the tongue, yet when tongue ſinnes are ſteept in the puddle of a corrupt heart, they are moſt unſavory: David ſinned when he ſayd, in his haſt, all men are lyars: How greatly then doe they ſinne who tell lyes at their leiſure, and ſpeak evill with deliberation. That which is ſaid in haſt, is ſayd by the tongue alone, without the privity of the heart, but the heart is alwayes privy to that which is ſayd at leiſure. The Prophet taxeth thoſe, the ſhew of whoſe countenance did teſtifie againſt them (Iſ. 3.9.) They fall juſtly under as ſevere a cenſure, the ſound of whoſe tongues doth teſtifie againſt them, for they alſo (as it followes in the Prophet) declare their ſin as Sodom, they hid it not. Further, this alſo argues the evill of evill ſpeaking, becauſe it wrongs others, and infects the Auditors: The vanity or errour of the minde ſpoken out, is contagious; better keep it in, then ſpeak it out, but both are naught: 'tis onelyonly good, when we purge it out. Though it be ſome allay and leſſening, yet it is no excuſe for ſinne, that we keep it in; God hates it, let it lye as cloſe as it will; and though a ſin kept cloſe, doth not hurt others; yet it is not onelyonly hurtfull, but deadly to its keeper. They onelyonly are out of danger, who as they doe not let evill goe out of the door of their mouths, ſo not lodge in the chambers of their heart.

Thus I have opened the charge contained in this part of the Chapter; in all which, Eliphaz hath reproved the ſpeech of Job, as vaine, empty, proud, paſſionate, and erroneous. He now proceeds to ſhew him (as he ſuppoſed) the errour of his opinion, and to confute it.