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

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

p. 57JOB, Chap. 15. Verſ. 14, 15, 16.

What is man that he ſhould be cleane? and he that is borne of a Woman, that he ſhould be righteous?

Behold he putteth no truſt in his Saints; yea, the Heavens are not cleane in his ſight:

How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

ELiphaz hath done reproving Job for his unprofitable words and uncomely carryage;Jam rem aggreditur, & Jobi praecipuum firmamentum quo ille nitebatur evertit, quod ille ſe innocentem & juſtum diceret Qua fronte inquit …audes id dicere. Merc. he now proceeds to convince him of his ſuppoſed errour in judgement, and unſound opinion; namely, That he boaſted himſelfe free from errour in practice, and ſound at heart: This he looked upon as the Bulwarke in which Job defended himſelfe, and againſt this he now raiſes his battery to beat it downe. And this takes up the ſecond part of the Chapter, which I called Confutation.

Verſ. 14. What is man that he ſhould be cleane?

As if he had ſayd, Though I ſhould grant that thou art not conſcious to thy ſelfe of any crime or wickedneſſe acted, for which thou art thus afflicted, yet this is enough to prove thee a ſinner, that thou art a man, and that thou art unrighteous, becauſe thou art borne of a woman; What is man that he ſhould be cleane, and he that is borne of a woman that he ſhould be righteous?

What is man?

He ſpeakes contemptuouſly, What is man? As Hiram ſayd of the Cities which Solomon aſſigned him, What Cities are theſe which thou haſt given me my brother? And he called them the Land of Cabul, that is, diſpleaſing, or dirty (1 Kings 9.13.) Thus Eliphaz ſpeakes of man, as if he were diſpleaſed with the ſight of him, or remembred onelyonly the duſt and clay out of which he was made, What is man (my freind Job) that he ſhould be cleane?

Job had ſpoken the ſame language before (Chap. 7.17.) What is man that thou art thus mindfull of him, &c. He alſo empties man of all worth, which ſhould attract the leaſt reſpect from God upon him: What is man? puts a fivefold ſlight upon man.

p. 58Firſt, In his nature:

Secondly, In his birth.

Thirdly, In the matter out of which he was made.

Fourthly, In reference to his preſent condition.

Fifthly, and chiefly, In reference to his corruption, or ſinfull depravation, What is man that hee ſhould be cleane?

But had Job any where aſſerted himſelfe cleane? Did he not aſſert his owne uncleanneſſe, while he proclaimed that Negative Queſtion (Chap. 14. v. 4.) Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane, not one? Why then doth Eliphaz charge Job with this boaſt of cleanneſſe, who never thought himſelfe cleane, as his diſcourſe every where demonſtrates, but under two notions: Firſt, as righteous by another, or through Faith in the Meſſias: Secondly, as not ſcandalous to others by any notorious crime, or conſcious to himſelfe of any cloſe hypocriſie; in any other ſenſe then this, Job never aſſerted himſelfe cleane, and in this he was, yea every beleever is cleane. Yet Eliphaz faſtens it upon him, as if he had trim'd up himſelfe with his owne ornaments, or had advanced the Doctrine of Selfe-perfection.

Hence obſerve in generall.

That, When perſons are ingaged in a diſpute, ſpecially in a difficult controverſie, they ſeldome underſtand, but ſeldomer report the truth of each others poſition.

Calvino-turciſmus. Hun. Calvinus Judaizans. Oſiand.Some of Calvins adverſaries called his Doctrine by the odious names of Turciſme, and Judaiſme: And the Papiſts call us Solifidians, as if we denyed all good workes, becauſe we affirme that a man is juſtified (though not by that faith which is alone) yet by Faith alone without workes. Job indeed had ſpoken much to vindicate himſelfe, but he ſpake much more to abaſe, and lay himſelfe low in the ſight of God; and therefore Eliphaz might have made a fairer collection for him, then this, that he affirmed himſelfe cleane.

What is man, &c. The Hebrew is, Miſerable man. Miſerable is his name, and miſery is with him, fraile is his name, and frailty is with him. Hence Mr. Broughton tranſlates, What is wofull man to be cleared?

p. 59What is man that he ſhould be cleane?

The words containe a great and neceſſary truth,foreign Nomen humanae fragititati ſignificandae appoſitum. but becauſe we met with it, Chap. 14.4. where the point was opened, and the impoſſibility of ſelfe-cleanneſſe cleared from thoſe words: Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane? (which queſtion anſwers for Job, that he was poſitive for the univerſall pollution of the nature of man) I ſhall not therefore ſtay upon it; take onelyonly this briefe hint. Here is a ſtrong proofe of originall ſin, we are cleane but not of our ſelves; we are cleane under a fourfold notion.

Firſt, Cleane meritoriouſly by Chriſt.

Secondly, Cleane efficaciouſly by the ſpirit uniting us to Chriſt, and ſanctifying our hearts.

Thirdly, Cleane inſtrumentally by the Word, which diſcovers Chriſt the fountaine to us, and ſo purifies us (John 15.4.) You are cleane through the word which I have ſpoken unto you.

Fourthly, We are cleane impulſively and attractively by faith (Acts 15.8.) He made no difference purifying their hearts by Faith; thus many are cleane, and but thus there is no man cleane; What is man that he ſhould be cleane?

And he that is borne of a woman that he ſhould be righteous?

Both parts of the Verſe import the ſame thing.foreign & foreign Quando conjunguntur diſtinguenda ſunt, illud latius patet; hoc dicitur cum reus a judice abſolutus dimittitur. Illo autem non tantum innocentia ſed & dignitas notatur. Coc. Cleane and righteous are neer of one ſignification, yet in this place we may diſtinguiſh them; To be cleane, refers to the purity of mans nature; to be righteous, or to be juſtified (for ſo the word may be tranſlated) refers to the integrity of his life; from both it followes, Man cannot merit, for he is not cleane: he cannot anſwer God, for he is not righteous. As if Eliphaz had ſayd, What is man that hee ſhould either have any cleanneſſe in himſelfe, or that he ſhould be reputed and looked upon as righteous by others. (Both which he intends as applycable to Job.) If God ſhould ſearch thy nature, what art thou that thou ſhouldeſt be cleane? If God ſhould ſearch thy life, what art thou that thou ſhouldeſt be righteous? The point of mans utter inability, to ſtand before God in himſelfe for juſtification, hath been met with, more then once before, and therefore I will not ſtay upon that neither, onelyonly conſider the forme of expreſſion, or the periphraſis of Man.

p. 60He that is borne of a woman.

In the firſt clauſe he ſaith, VVhat is man, in this latter, What is he that is borne of a woman: Emphaticè mulieris meminit, Vt. cap. 14 1. Merc.He ſpeakes of man in both, yet with an additionall emphaſis, to minde us of our birth and originall, as was ſhewed upon thoſe words (Chap. 14.1.) Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes, and full of trouble: where the Reader may finde what that teacheth, even an aggravation of mans ſinfulneſſe, in that he is borne of a woman who ſinned firſt, or was, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes (1 Tim. 2.14.) Firſt in the Tranſgreſſion. How prone is man to ſin, being born of a woman, who was ſo prone to ſin that ſhee was the firſt ſinner? VVhat is he that is borne of a woman that he ſhould be righteous? The whole race of mankinde hath yeelded but one exception to this generall Rule, and that was in the perſon of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: He indeed was borne of a woman, and yet righteous, becauſe his Mothers conception was of the holy Ghoſt (Matth. 1.20.) and by the power of the moſt high overſhadowing her, Luke 1.35. But wee may ſay of all men except him (who was alſo infinitely more then man, even God-man) VVhat is he that is borne of a woman that he ſhould be righteous?

Secondly, Eliphaz proceeds (though the point be clear in it ſelfe) to give a proofe of it which he ugeth from the greater to the leſſe.

Verſ. 15. Behold, he putteth no truſt in his Saints, and the heavens are not cleane in his ſight: How much more abominable and filthy is man, &c.

The Argument riſes thus:

If they who are the pureſt, the holyeſt creatures, are not able to ſtand before God in their owne purity; how ſhall he who hath no purity, no holineſſe at all in him?

But the Heavens, yea the Angels in Heaven, who are the pureſt, the holyeſt creatures, are yet uncleane in the ſight of God:

Therefore man who is abominable and filthy, drinking iniquity like water, cannot be cleane in his ſight.

Behold he puts no truſt in his Saints, Eliphaz urged this argument for the ſubſtance of it (Chap. 4.18.) here hee repeats and re-inforceth it.

Behold, is uſually a note of attention, here it is more, a note p. 61of admiration; as if he had ſayd, VVould you thinke it, that God puts no truſt in his Saints? yet he doth not: or is not this a wonder, that God puts no truſt in his Saints? whom will hee truſt, if not his Saints?foreign Vid. cap. 4.18. foreign Eſt credere tanquam rei fideli & conſtanti aut fidele & conſtans cui credi debeat.

The word which we tranſlate, to put truſt, ſignifies properly to beleeve, he doth not beleeve in his Saints, or not give credit to them; he doth not (as our word hath been) confide in them; a perſon is confided or truſted in, either becauſe of his faithfulneſſe, or becauſe of his ſtrength and ſtability; the word which we render here to truſt, ſignifies ſometimes ſtrength or firmeneſſe, as alſo a Pillar, which is not onelyonly firme, but upholds and confirmes the Building, or that which leanes upon it. The ſame word doth elegantly ſignifie, both to truſt,foreign Genus columnarum, 2 Reg. 18.16. In Sanctis ſuis non eſt fides, i. e firmitas vel immutabilitas naturae. Aug. Ecce inter Sanctos ejus nemo immutabilis. Vulg. Aliqui legunt, Non credit ſanctis ſuis. 2. in ſanctos ſuos. 3. in ſanctis ſuis. Sic credere in Deum, in Deo, & Deo, Synonymai ſunt. Druſ.2 Kgs 18:16 and to be firme, becauſe every thing (that is truſted) is truſted upon ſuppoſall, either of a naturall, or morall firmeneſſe. Hence the Vulgar tranſlates, immutable; Behold among the Saints there is not one immutable, or unchangable: And another of the Ancients, There is no faithfulneſſe in his Saints; that is, firmeneſſe, or unchangeableneſſe of nature is not to be found in them.

There are three different uſes of the word.

Firſt, To truſt.

Secondly, To truſt in.

Thirdly, To truſt upon. So the tranſlation varies here.

For firſt ſome read, He doth not truſt his Saints.

Secondly others, He doth not truſt in his Saints.

A third, He doth not truſt upon his Saints.

Thus, ſome put a difference betweene beleeving God, and beleeving in God, and beleeving upon God; though we finde them uſed promiſcuouſly in Scripture. It is ſayd by Moſes (Gen. 15.6.) Abraham beleeved in the Lord, and it was accounted to him for righteouſneſſe; but the Apoſtle (Rom. 4.3.) ſaith plainely, Abraham beleeved God, and it was counted to him for righteouſneſſe: So that there is not any materiall difference betweene thoſe two expreſſions; yet ordinarily to truſt in or upon, is taken in a higher conſtruction then barely to truſt: Behold he putteth no truſt in his Saints.

Here it is queſtioned, who are meant by Saints; foreign Eſt ab uſu communi ad divinum ſeparare.there are three opinions about it. The word Saint in generall ſignifies a perſon ſeparated, or one ſet apart from others; Holineſſe is p. 62our ſeparation from the world unto God: holy perſons are ſeparated perſons; that's their ſtate. But more diſtinctly, who are theſe holy perſons, theſe Saints? The Greek Interpreters reſtraine the Text to the old Patriarks, Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, as alſo Moſes and Aaron, with whom God at ſome times was angry, or found fault with ſome of their actings: Secondly, others by the Saints underſtand the confirmed Angels, who are called Saints, by way of excellency;Angeli vocantur Sancti Dei quaſi ei familiariſſimi atque illius obſequio addictiſſimi. Dan. 4.8.Dan 4:8 becauſe among all creatures they are (in one ſenſe) the moſt holy, as having ever been without the leaſt ſpot or taint of ſin, whether in their natures, or in their lives; and having ever continued as the Houſhold ſervants of God, obſervant of, and obedient to all his commands.

But we may rather take it in generall, both for the holyeſt of men, and for the holy Angels: Behold he puts no truſt in his Saints; no, not in thoſe who are moſt holy.

Hence Obſerve:

There is no created holineſſe ſure, ſtable, and perfect in it ſelfe: The glorious Angels which are, and ever ſhall be Saints in Heaven, and the Saints in Heaven who are like Angels, ſtand not in that holy and happy eſtate, by their owne ſufficiency, but by the decree and grace of God. Thoſe Angells which fell at firſt were holy, and they who now ſtand, might have fallen notwithſtanding their created holineſſe, if God had not ſuperadded confirming grace, which eſtabliſheth them for ever. Yet this is not all, that the Angels are imperfect, becauſe they might fall if not ſupported, there is ſomewhat more in it; for though the Angels are perfectly righteous in reference to the Law, (for the whole bent of their hearts is to God, and they love God with all their hearts, which is the fulfilling of the Law:) So that the obedience of the Angels in Heaven, is made the copy and patterne of our obedience here on earth, as Chriſt hath taught us to pray, though (I ſay) the Angels are thus perfectly righteous in reference to the Law) yet there is a higher righteouſneſſe and holineſſe in God. There's but the holineſſe of obeying a Law, God hath the holineſſe of being a Law: They have a holineſſe without ſpot, yet it is but a finite, a created holineſſe; now what compariſon is there betweene finite, and infinite, created, and uncreated; therefore though there be no blemiſh in the obedience p. 63of Angels, none in their nature, none in their lives, yet God puts no truſt in them, he cannot lay the weight of his confidence upon them, becauſe they are creatures.

The next clauſe doubles this point.

And the Heavens are not cleane in his ſight.

There is a difference among Interpreters what theſe Heavens are; The Chaldee Paraphraſt, and ſome of the Ancients, underſtand the Angels, as in the former part of the Verſe, and they ſay the Angels are called the Heavens under a twofold conſideration:

Firſt, Becauſe Angels are like the Heavens, in their ſpirituality and incorruptibility, in their order and ſubordination among themſelves, as alſo in their power over ſublunary or earthly bodies.

Secondly, By a Synechdoche, becauſe the Angels have their habitation in Heaven, thats their dwelling place; ſo Maſter Broughton tranſlates, Nor they of Heaven be cleane in his eyes; that is, the Inhabitants of Heaven are not cleane in his eyes.Caeruleus Tibris caelo gratiſſimus amnis. i. e. diis vel caelicolis. Virg. l. 8. The Heathen Poet calls thoſe whom he ſuppoſed dwellers in Heaven by the Name of Heaven; deſcribing a pleaſant River, he calls it, A River pleaſant to Heaven; that is, to thoſe who are in Heaven.

Others by Heaven underſtand the Saints in Heaven, not the Angels; and that alſo upon a twofold reaſon.

Firſt, Becauſe God is ſaid to dwell in the Saints,Sancti in quibus tanquam in caelis habitare dicitur Deus, caeli dicuntur, quae allegoria frequentiſſima eſt inter antiquos patres, Pined. they are his habitation, and whereſoever God dwels he makes a Heaven.

Secondly, Becauſe the Saints, not onelyonly thoſe in Heaven, but they on earth, have their converſation in Heaven; (Phil. 3.20.) As carnall and earthly minded men are called Earth, becauſe their hearts and converſations are fixed to the earth; ſo ſpirituall and heavenly minded men may be called Heaven, becauſe their hearts and converſations are fixed in Heaven.

Thirdly, We may rather underſtand it in a proper ſenſe; the heavens, that is, The heavenly bodies are not cleare in thy ſight; the heavens are the moſt excellent and pureſt part of the Creation: And therefore this interpretation, or rather plaine conſtruction of the words, ſuites the ſcope of Eliphaz fully, who as he ſpake before of the Angels, who are the pureſt of all rationall p. 64creatures; ſo here of the heavens, which are the pureſt of all inanimate creatures,Caeli qui maxímè ſunt lucidi ſuas habent maculas, parteſque craſſiores magiſque opacas & materiales, in re igitur er fectiſſima vidit Deus ma ulas, Pine…. yet theſe are not pure in the ſight of God, therefore no man is. The heavens have a kinde of uncleanneſſe in them: the Moone hath her ſpots, yea the Moone is but a ſpot, if Philoſophers may be credited, who tell us that all the Stars (in their ſenſe the Moone is a Star) are but as the ſpots of Heaven. A Starre (as they define) being the thicker and groſſer part of its Orbe: The heavens themſelves are ſo fine and liquid, ſo thin, and fluid, that they cannot hold the light; therefore the Lord made thoſe Celeſtiall bodies the Sunne, Moone, and Stars, more compact and groſſe, that ſo they might both receive, and retaine the light, as alſo tranſmit and give it out to the World here below. Theſe are ſpots in the Heavens; and though they appeare as the glory or Beauty-ſpots of Heaven to our ſight, and are ſo indeed; yet theſe are not cleane in the ſight of God.

Againe, the heavens are furtheſt removed from all earthly dregs and droſſe,In conſpectu ejus. Aliud eſt purum eſſe ſimpliciter, & aliud purum eſſe coram Deo; ut juſtus, & juſtus coram Deo differunt. Luc. 1. 6. Druſ.Luke 1:6 ſo that they are cleane, not onelyonly in regard of their nature and conſtitution, but alſo in regard of their ſite and poſition; being placed ſo far from the ſinck of the World, the earth, they never received any ſtaine or defilement from it; yet theſe heavens are not cleane in his ſight. God doth not make that which is cleane, not cleane by his ſeeing it; but his ſight is infinitely above all the cleanneſſe which he ſees. That may be cleane, conſidered ſimply or in it ſelfe, which before God, or to the eye of God, is as an uncleane thing.

Hence Note:

God is ſo clear-ſighted, that the cleaneſt creatures are uncleane in his ſight; the very cleanneſſe of the creature, is uncleanneſſe before him, much more, compared to him. For if one creature may be ſo cleane that another creature which is cleane may be ſayd to have no cleanneſſe in compariſon of it: Then ſurely God is ſo cleane, that the cleaneſt creatures have indeed no cleanneſſe in compariſon of his. The Stars are very beautifull bodies, and full of light, yet the Sunne hath ſo much light, that it darkens all the Stars, and cauſeth them to diſappeare, when it appeareth: Now, if the Stars have no light in the ſight of the Sunne, what light hath the Sunne in the ſight of God? he that puts all the perfections that the p. 65creature hath into the creature, hath infinitely more perfection in himſelfe: Thoſe excellencies which are divided and ſcattered all the Creation over, are not onelyonly contracted and united in God, but unconceiveably exceeded by him.

Job having thus layd downe the former part of his argument he applyes it:

Verſ. 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinketh iniquity like water?

Concerning the Saints, he ſayd onelyonly, God puts no truſt in them, and concerning the Heavens, They are not cleane in his ſight: But now that he ſpeakes of man, he doth not ſay, God puts no truſt in him, or he is not cleane in his ſight; but he layes load upon him, He is abominable and filthy: and as if that were not enough, he aggravates it, with, How much more abominable, &c. If he put no truſt in glorified Saints in whom yet there is no iniquity, then no marvell, if man be called abominable, who drinketh iniquity like water.

The whole Verſe is a deſcription of mans ſinfulneſſe: Firſt, of the ſinfulneſſe of his nature, in thoſe words, He is abominable and filthy: Secondly, of the ſinfulneſſe of his life, He drinketh iniquity like water.

How much more.

Some read, Much leſſe: So Mr. Broughton, Much leſſe the uncleane and loathſome. The Originall may beare either (as alſo a third reading, Surely then) without any impeachment to the ſcope of the place. The heavens are not cleane in his ſight: Much leſſe is abominable and filthy man cleane in his ſight. Againe,foreign Abominabilis propriè quem nemo dignari debeat auditu, viſu, familiaritate, contactu. foreign. Abominari nos dicimus, quae in cogitatione noſtra non patimur. Bold. The heavens are not cleane in his ſight; how much more abominable and filthy is man in his ſight. We may take it alſo as a direct inference without any compariſon, either from the greater or the leſſe. The heavens are not cleane in his ſight; ſurely then, man is abominable and filthy.

The word which we tranſlate abominable, notes that which is moſt abhorring to the nature of man; that which is not onelyonly ſo nauſeous that the ſtomack cannot digeſt it, but ſo baſe that the mind is burdened to thinke of it; yea the word imports that which is rejected by all the ſenſes, abominably rejected; that which the eye cannot endure to looke upon, p. 66that which the eare cannot indure to heare of, that which is a ſtink in the noſtrils, and which the hand will not touch: Such an abominable thing the word beares, and ſuch is man; God loathes him, and is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, much more a lumpe of iniquity; he is as a ſtink in the noſtrills of God, nor will he touch him (for any thing in him) unleſſe with a hand of juſtice to deſtroy him.

Hoc videtur dictum per antitheſm, propter Sanctorum & caelorum pulchritudinem, quorum ſpecies, mundicies, lux, ordo, conc etus mirabilis, conſpectus multo jucundiſſimus.Further, ſome explaine abominable by that of the Apoſtle (1 Cor. 16.26.) If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt let him be Anathema Maranatha: that is, let all abominate, and caſt him out of their ſociety: When the Lord would ſhew the worſt thought that he had of the beſt ſervices of the Jewes, he tels them, Incenſe is an abomination to me; and when the Pſalmiſt would convince us how the people of Iſrael had defiled themſelves with their owne workes, and polluted the Land with blood, he gives it in the word of this Text, Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled againſt his people, in ſo much that he abhorred his owne inheritance (Pſal. 106. v. 40.) His Inheritance was ſo abominable to him that he would not touch it, nor take it into his owne hands, but as it followes in the Pſalme, He gave them into the hand of the Heathen.

Hence Obſerve;

Sinfull man is loathſome, and abominable unto God. How much more abominable is man; This is not to be underſtood of ſome particular man, or of ſome ſort of men who are more vile then others, but take the beſt of men, the moſt accompliſht and compleate in the whole courſe of nature, theſe are abominable; they are deprived of the Image of God, they are ſtampt with the Image of Satan, they are not onelyonly unable to doe that which is good, but they are totally averſe from it, yea, enemies to it; is not all this enough to render man abominable in the ſight of God? And ſo abominable is man, that he doth not onelyonly diſpleaſe the eye of God, but the very eyes of thoſe who have received the grace of God. A godly man turnes away from the wicked, as the wicked man doth from the godly. (Prov. 29.27.) An unjuſt man is an abomination to the juſt; and he that is upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked. The diſtaſt is mutuall; 'tis called enmity (Gen. 3.15.) here abomination. The wicked man ſaith (as the Devill to Chriſt) What have I to doe with thee thou Son of David. The godly p. 67man ſaith, What have I to doe with thee thou ſon of Belial. 'Tis the ſin of the wicked man to abhor the righteous, for he abhors him for his righteouſneſſe: 'Tis the duty of a godly man to abhor the wicked, and he abhors him onelyonly for his wickedneſſe. To doe ſo is a peice of his character, Who ſhall dwell in the Mountaine of God: He is a man, in whoſe eye a vile (that is, a wicked) perſon is abhorred, Pſal. 15.4. Much leſſe can he looke pleaſedly, or pleaſantly upon a wicked man; his heart riſeth againſt him, not out of pride, or high thoughts of himſelfe, or from the lowneſſe of his condition, if he be poor; but from the odiouſneſſe of his diſpoſition, and his oppoſition of goodneſſe: Such a man is vile in his eſteeme, how honourable ſo ever he is in the eye of the World.

Againe (which ſhewes yet further, that a man in nature is abominable) when any man repents and turnes to the Lord, he is an abomination to himſelfe; he is abominable to God, and good men, before he repents; and upon the ſame account, he is abominable to himſelfe when he repents. For as God and good men before, ſo he then ſees his owne vileneſſe, and deformity, then he ſmells the filthineſſe of his owne corrupt heart: This the Prophet aſſures us (Ezek. 36.31.) where the Lord promiſeth to powre out the ſpirit of repentance upon his people, To take away the heart of ſtone, and give them a heart of fleſh: and then They ſhall loath themſelves for all their abominations, as not being able to endure the ſtench of their owne corruptions: When Job at the ſight of God, ſaw himſelfe more clearly, then he cryes out, Wherefore I abhorre my ſelfe, and repent in duſt and aſhes: If a good man ſeeing himſelfe, is an abomination to himſelfe, how much more is ſinfull man abominable in the ſight of God?

And (which aggravates the point to the higheſt) Not onelyonly is a man repenting abominable to himſelfe, but even a wicked man upon a cleare diſcovery of himſelfe to himſelfe becomes an abomination to himſelfe, though he be farre from repentance. Thats the reaſon why a wicked man cannot abide to ſearch his owne heart, or returne into his owne boſome. (Iſa. 46.8.) Remember this, ſhew your ſelves men, bring it againe to minde; The Hebrew is, Bring it to your hearts: They who love their ſin, love not to looke to their ſinfull hearts: they dare not turne their eye inward or upward, not upward, becauſe p. 68there is ſo much holineſſe in God; not inward becauſe there is ſo much filthineſſe in themſelves. Hence the Lord threatens (Na. 3.5, 6.) becauſe they would not looke on their owne filthineſſe, that he would ſhew their filthineſſe to all the World, He would ſhew the Nations their nakedneſſe, and the Kingdomes their ſhame: And howſoever a naturall man hides his abomination from his eye now, or will not ſee it, yet all ſhall be layd open to him in the day of judgement, which will be as a day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God: So a day of the revelation of the unrighteouſneſſe of man: And then he ſhall (though too late) abhor himſelfe for ever. There hath been a diſpute whether the ſins of Beleevers ſhall be opened at that day, but there is no queſtion but the ſins of Unbeleevers ſhall, and that not onelyonly to ſhame them, but to puniſh and torment them; yea poſſibly, the ſight of ſin will be a greater torment to them then all their other torments, and to be led about (as the Prophet was in reference to others) from one uncleane roome of their hearts to another, there to behold all the abominations of their hearts, will be the very pit of Hell, O how abominable, and as it followes in the Text.

Filthy is Man:

foreign Putridus, foetidus graveolentus, tranſlatio a carnibus rancidis non deſpumatis. Druſ. Pagninus exiſtimat deduci a foreign rubigo ollae. Spuma, excrementum.The word is derived from a root that ſignifies corrupt, rotten, putrified, the ſcum of a Pot, the ruſt of Mettalls, the dunge, or excrement of man and beaſts; there are no words filthy enough to expreſſe the filthineſſe of man. The word is found but three times (as ſome obſerve) in the Scripture in this conſtruction, and in all of them it is applyed to ſhew the abominable wickedneſſe of Man, the firſt place is this of Job; it is found alſo, Pſal. 14.3. Pſal. 53.3. Which Pſalmes are moſt pregnant deſcriptions of the corrupt ſtate of man, as if this were a word pickt out on purpoſe as a glaſſe to ſhew man his face and naturall complexion in.

There is a ſecond tranſlation of the word which gives more light to this, How much more abominable and unprofitable is man: One word ſignifies filthy and unprofitable, becauſe that which is corrupt and filthy,…lis. Vulg. …x putrida ſunt. inutilia ſu…. is alſo unprofitable, and unfit for uſe. It is an extreame debaſement unto man, that he is unprofitable, ſo filthy, that he is good for nothing: The Apoſtle puts thſe p. 69together (Tit. 1.16.) Abominable, diſobedient, and unto every good worke reprobate; that is, unfit for every good worke: We may ſay of man (in this ſenſe) as the Prophet (Ezek. 15.3.) doth of the Vine, Sonne of man, what is the Vine tree more then another tree? excellent to yeeld Wine; but in the third Verſe we have another anſwer, Shall wood be taken thereof to doe any worke, or will men make a pin of it to hange any Veſſell thereon; will you build a houſe of Vine Timber, or will you ſo much as make a Pin of it? The Vine is not fit to make a Pin of; thus we may ſay of a carnall man, he is unprofitable,Qui ſibi nequam eſt cui uſui bonus eſt? will the Lord uſe him in any worke? no, he is reprobate to every good worke; will he ſerve the Lords turne, ſo much as to make a Pin of? That is, is he profitable for the leaſt ſervice? No, he is not. He is alſo like the Corne growing upon the houſe top, whereof The Reaper filleth not his hand, nor he that binds up the Sheaves his boſome. The reaſon why man appeares thus filthy, is, becauſe he deales ſo much with filth; and he is thus unfit to doe any good, becauſe he is continually doing evill, as it followes in the laſt clauſe of this Verſe.

Which drinketh iniquity like water.

Will you know what declares man abominable and filthy in the ſight of God? It is not his poverty, his ſickneſſe, his raggs, or any externall defilement, nothing but ſinne makes him ſo: He drinkes in iniquity like water; this makes him as filthy as the dirt and mire he treads upon, or as the vomit and dunge which he caſteth out.

Hence Note in generall.

Sin, and ſin onelyonly makes man abominable, and filthy in the ſight of God; nothing can defile the ſoule but ſin; though a man be cloathed with filthy garments, though his skin be over-run with filthy ſores; though he lye in a ſtinking Channel, yet the Lord will not ſay, he is abominable or filthy, in theſe reſpects: for even in ſuch a ſtate, or at ſuch a time, Chriſt may have taken him in his armes and kiſſed him with the kiſſes of his lips. But though he goe cloathed in Scarlet, though he lye in a bed of Ivory, and is perfumed with all the ſpices of Arabia, yet ſin makes him filthy and abominable in the eye of the Lord.

Secondly Obſerve.

The multiplyed acts of ſin are an evidence that man is habitually p. 70ſinfull, or that he is abominable and filthy. He that doth righteouſneſſe is righteous, and he that doth unrighteouſneſſe is unrighteous. If man were not filthy, he could not drinke iniquity; that is, feed upon, and delight in ſin, which is but filthineſſe.

This expreſſion of mans ſinfulneſſe is further conſiderable, he doth not onelyonly commit iniquity, but hee drinkes iniquity, and he doth not ſip at it, but hee drinkes it like water. Elihu ſpeaks thus (Job 34.7.) What man is like Job who drinketh up ſcorning like water; and ſo doth Solomon (Prov. 26.6.) Hee that ſends a meſſage by the hand of a foole, cutteth off the feet, and drinketh dammage; that is, he ſhall have dammage enough, a full draught of it, his belly-full of it, by ſending ſuch an empty-headed meſſenger upon his errand. So to drinke iniquity, and to drinke it like water, is to doe aboundance of iniquity. I ſhall give ſeven obſervations, which will diſcover the intendment of this manner of ſpeaking, and draw out the meaning of He drinks iniquity like water.

Firſt, thus, Men naturally hath a ſtrong appetite or deſire to ſin, Mans naturall deſire is to nothing elſe but ſin. Drinking implyes appetite; a man doth not drink (ordinarily) till he is thirſty: And though Drunkards have ſometimes no thirſt, yet they have alwayes a ſtrong deſire to drink. Sinfull man is a thirſt for, and deſires the drafts of ſin (Epheſ. 4.19.) He commits iniquity with greedineſſe, which is a Metaphor taken from eating and drinking: And becauſe man hath not a greater deſire after any thing then to drinke, therefore it is gone to a Proverbe among us, when we would ſhew our willingneſſe to doe a thing, we ſay, We will doe it as willingly as to drink when we are a thirſt. Such is the bent of man to ſin, that he hath no more reluctance to commit it, then the thirſty man hath to drink: He thirſteth after it as vehemently, as David did after God (Pſal. 42.2.) My ſoule thirſteth for God, for the living God; as the Hartpanteth after the water brookes, ſo panteth my ſoule after thee O God. Or againe, the heart of man thirſteth after the waters of iniquity, as David thirſted after the waters of the well of Bethlem, who will give me to drink of the waters of the Well of Bethlem. At which word, ſome of his mighty men brake through the whole Hoſt of the Enemy, to fetch that water. When man thirſts for this water of iniquity, his p. 71owne heart or hand will breake through all oppoſitions, through Lawe, through conſcience, through counſell, through an hoſt of threatnings armed againſt him, through judgements inflicted on him, he will breake through all theſe, that he may have a draught of his beloved iniquity-water.

Secondly, To drinke, notes a ſtrong deſire, ſo pleaſure and content; and where there is a great deale of deſire, there is alſo much content, and pleaſure in drinking.

Hence obſerve:

That it is a very pleaſant thing to a carnall man to ſin, he drinkes iniquity, not onelyonly like water, but in this ſenſe, like the ſweeteſt Wine; a draught of ſin is the onelyonly Merry-goe-downe to a carnall man. A drunkard likes his drinke well, but he likes his drunkenneſſe better: His liquor is ſweet to him, but O how ſweet is the ſatisfying of his luſt! When he hath his deſire he is pleaſed, when he is fruſtrated of his deſire he is ſullen, and like Ahab, when he could not obtaine Naboaths Vineyard, he is diſpleaſed, and refuſes (as he did) to eate bread, becauſe he cannot have this water of iniquity to drink.

Thirdly, Conſider the eaſineſſe of it, to drink is no hard labour; hence we ſpeake proverbially, I can do… ſuch a thing as eaſily as I can drinke; there are no bones in drink: Good liquor (we ſay alſo) needs no chewing: Beſides, it is eaſie to drink, becauſe it is naturall to drink; Children have no Tutors to teach them to drink: Againe, to drink water is eaſie, becauſe we may get it eaſily; water is not kept under Lock and Key, but in the common Storehouſes or Cellars of nature.

Hence Note:

A naturall man ſins with eaſe; it is no paine to him to ſin: Sin is not eaſie in the effects, ſo it leaves us in Little-eaſe, q.d. Facillimè laxatis conſcientiae habenis in omnia omnis generis ſcelera ſe dat praecipitem. Bold.paine and ſorrow enough are the fruits of it; but it is eaſie in the act of it; it is to a wicked heart, as eaſie as to drinke water which is every way eaſie.

For firſt, Sin is a common thing, every where to be had; ſin may be found (like water) in every Ditch; ſin alſo is like thoſe waters which flow naturally, you need not pumpe for it, or fetch it up with Buckets.

Secondly, No man needs be taught to ſin, children learne that leſſon (and till the ſpirit of God teach them, they cannot unlearne it) without a Schoole-maſter.

p. 72Thirdly, Moſt ſins in the act of them, have little labour or difficulty in them (Pſal. 50.20.Quaſi per in curiam & otium, quaſi nihil agens.) Thou ſatteſt and ſpakeſt againſt thy Mothers Son. A man may both ſpeake and doe evill, while he ſits ſtill, and doth nothing; an idle poſture may ſerve the turne for ſuch work as that.

Fourthly, Water is but ſmall drinke, water hath little pleaſure in it and leſſe ſtrength in it. And therefore when Chriſt would ſhew that the loweſt courteſie or charity done to one of his, ſhall be highly eſteemed by him, he ſaith, Whoſoever ſhall give to drinke unto one of theſe little ones, a cup of cold water onelyonly, in the name of a Diſciple, he ſhall not looſe his reward, Matth. 10.42.

Hence Obſerve:

Man will ſin upon very eaſie tearmes, and ſmalleſt conſiderations. Though there be little got by it, though he get but a draught of water by it; though his ſin bring him in ſcare any thing of advantage, yet ſin he will; the act of ſinning pleaſeth ſome, more then the conſequence or gaine of ſin. They care not much whether it be water or Wine which they drinke, Eo improbitatis evadit impius, ut vel ſolo peccati & impietatis nomine, nulla praeterea mercede propoſita, peccato inſerviat.ſo it be iniquity which they drinke. As the Saints, in a height of holineſſe, will doe good, though they doe themſelves little good, or get no outward advantage by it: They reſolve to do good for good ſake; the duty abſtractly conſidered, or the act it ſelfe, is the thing that pleaſeth them; ſo to a naturall man, the very committing of ſin ſatisfieth him more then the outward Income or Revenue of his ſin: He doth evill for evill ſake, and ſerves his luſt for love, not for wages.

Fifthly, Drinking is a frequent act; a temperate man drinkes every day, and often every day; healthy men eate often, and moſt men drink oftner then they eate: So that to drinke iniquity hints alſo the frequency of committing iniquity.

Hence Obſerve:

A carnall heart ſins often: He ſins, and ſins, hee cannot but ſin,Inveteratum ac inſeparabilem peccandi habitum & conſuetudinem denotat. it is a continuall, yea a continued act; he hath never done, he is like the Drunkard that muſt alwayes be tipling. Or like the covetous man, who is alwaies having, and the more he hath the more he deſires to have: Covetouſneſſe is a dry drunkenneſſe, and drunkenneſſe is a wet covetouſneſſe: both returne often upon the ſame acts; and ſo doth every ſinner naturally. He cannot ceaſe from ſin, as the Apoſtle Peter ſpeakes, Every imagination p. 73of the thoughts of his heart is onelyonly evill, and that continually. The cup of iniquity is never from his mouth.

Sixtly, To drink iniquity like water notes not onelyonly the frequency of ſinning, but the abundance of ſinning; they take great draughts of ſin, who drinke iniquity like water: Such as are accuſtomed to drink water (in many places it is the common drink) ſuch, I ſay, drink more then men uſually doe of Wine, or ſtrong drinke; firſt, becauſe Wine and artificiall liquors are coſtly; but you may drinke water good cheape, and none will grutch you. Secondly, Water is not ſtrong nor vaporous, it doth not burden the braine like your heady liquors. Now though iniquity be ſomewhat unlike water in both theſe reſpects (for to ſome their ſins are coſtly enough at preſent, and they will coſt all very deare (except they repent of them before) at the day of reckoning; ſin alſo flyes up into the braine, and doth as much beſot, as defile the ſoule. Now, I ſay, though ſin be thus unlike water) yet the naturall man drinkes it like water, he takes in and ſends out abundance of it; what cares he what it coſts him, or how it beſots him, neither the preſent diſtemperings of it, nor the after reckonings for it, trouble him.

Seventhly, Eating and drinking are the ſupport of nature, by theſe the body is maintained in life; now as the body of nature is maintained by eating and drinking,Perbibiſti iniquitatem & ita viſceribus immiſcuiſti, ut niſi cum ipſis exire non poſſit. Sen. lib. P. de ira. ſo the body and life of ſin, the corrupt ſtate and ſtrength of man are maintained by the continuall actings of ſin: The old Adam is nouriſhed by theſe waters of iniquity. We ſay in nature, wee are nouriſhed by that out of which we are made, that which is the matter of our conſtitution is the matter of our nutrition; ſo in this caſe, a man in nature is compoſed or conſtituted of ſin, and a naturall man is nouriſhed, and preſerved by ſinning.Ʋt deficienti humido reſarciendo, nihil aptius eſt aqua, & utilius; ia hominis beatitudini, quae ipſi de eſt, conſummandae, natura nihil ſuggerit niſi peccatum. Coc. Continuall acts increaſe the habit; and as a godly man is nouriſhed by holy acts, and ſtrengthened in ſpirit by ſpirituall obedence; doing the will of God is the food of the ſoule. As Chriſt ſpeakes (John 4.21.) ſo doth every true Chriſtian in his degree, It is my meat and drinke to doe the will of my Father which is in Heaven; or as Job profeſſeth of himſelfe (Chap. 23.12.) I eſteeme the words of thy mouth more then my neceſſary food: Thus alſo the old man ſaith, It is my meat and drink to doe the will of the fleſh, and that is indeed the will of his p. 74Father which is in Hell. The words of his mouth, his Counſels and Lawes I eſteem more then my neceſſary food.

So much for the opening and illuſtration of this Scripture-phraſe, Drinking iniquity like water: I ſhall propound one Quere in generall, concerning the whole Verſe, and ſo conclude it. Here is a full deſcription of ſinfull man: But whether Eliphaz ſpeakes this ſtrictly of a perſon unregenerate, and ſo applyeth it to Job, or whether this deſcription be not alſo applicable to a man who is regenerate and godly for the maine, and was ſo intended by Eliphaz, is here a queſtion.

Some conceive that the words will ſuite none but an unregenerate man, and tis granted upon all hands, that they are moſt ſutable to him. An unregenerate man, is abominable and filthy, he drinks iniquity like water; And yet in a qualified ſenſe, we may ſay all this of a man regenerate: Even He, in reference to the remaines of corruption, is abominable and filthy, and He, under ſome diſtempers and temptations, drinks iniquity like water: Agit Eliphaz cum Jobo non ut improbo, ſed ut errante. Coc.which words of Eliphaz, a moderne Interpreter paralels with thoſe of Paul concerning himſelfe (Rom. 7.25.) With the fleſh I ſerve the Law of ſin. And delivers his opinion in this caſe, That though Eliphaz aimed at Job in all this, yet he deales with him not as with a wicked man, but as with an erring brother. For whereas he had ſayd (Chap. 13.23.) How many are mine iniquities? Eliphaz might judge by his words, that ſurely he thought his iniquities were not very many: and whereas he had ſayd at the 26. Verſe of the ſame Chapter, Thou makeſt me to poſſeſſe the iniquityes of my youth; Eliphaz might collect, ſurely this man thinks his elder yeares have been ſo free from ſin, that God can finde nothing in them, which might juſtifie him in theſe ſevere puniſhments. Now Eliphaz oppoſeth theſe apprehenſions, and would both teach and convince him, that as originall ſin pollutes every man wholly, till he is waſhed and borne againe by the ſpirit; ſo no man is ſo farre waſhed by the ſpirit, but that many ſpots and pollutions of the fleſh, doe ſtill cleave to him, and often appeare upon him. And Eliphaz may be conceived to handle Job in this manner.

Firſt, To ſhew him, that though a man be in a ſtate of regeneration, yet he can deſerve nothing at the hand of God, becauſe his holineſſe is ſtill imperfect, and his corruptions are abominable.

p. 75Secondly, That the greateſt ſufferings and afflictions of good men in this life, are very conſiſtent with the Juſtice of God.

Thirdly, That he might humble Job, who (as he feared) was ſtill too high in his owne opinion, and thought better of himſelfe then did become him.

Fourthly, To provoke him to reſiſt his owne corruptions ſtedfaſtly.

And laſtly, To beare the croſſe (which the Lord had layd upon him for his good, eſpecially for the taming and ſubduing of his corruptions) patiently.

So that Eliphaz doeh not diſpute with him upon this hypotheſis, or ſuppoſition, or not upon this onelyonly, That man by nature, and without the grace of God, is filthy and abominable, drinking iniquity like water; but upon this, or this in conſort with the former, That man in a ſtate of grace, or a godly man is filthy and abominable, in reference to the fleſh that dwelleth in him; and that in reference to his frequent ſinnings, he may be ſayd to drink iniquity like water: And therefore Job had no reaſon to be proud, how good ſo ever he was, or how much good ſoever he had done; and that there was all the reaſon in the World he ſhould be patient, and take it well at the hand of God, how much evill ſo ever he ſhould ſuffer.

This reſolution of the Quere, as it is profitable, ſo probable. For howſoever Jobs Freinds had branded him in diverſe paſſages of this diſpute, as a wicked man and an hypocrite, and were ſo underſtood by Job, as appeares in his anſwers and replyes; yet 'tis moſt likely his Freinds ſpake ſo in reference to his actions, not in reference to his ſtate. That he had done like an Hypocrite, or a wicked man, was clearely their opinion; but there is no neceſſity to conclude from what they ſayd, that they judged him abſolutely to be one.