Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 16

Exposition of Job 15-17 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 16

p. 313JOB, CHAP. 16. Verſ. 15.16, 17.

I have ſowed ſack-cloth upon my skin, and defiled my horne in the duſt.

My face is foule with weeping, and on my eye-lids is the ſhadow of death.

Not for any injuſtice in my hands alſo my prayer is pure.

THE former words ſhewed in what manner Job was afflicted; and becauſe the manner of his afflictions did almoſt exceed words, therefore he ſtrained himſelfe to the higheſt pitch of holy rhetorick, to make his unkinde Freinds ſenſible of it. And as there he told us what God had done to him, ſo here he tells what he did, or how he behaved himſelfe under the hand of God; he tells us how he took thoſe tearings, and thoſe wounds; how he received thoſe ſhowres of Arrows from the Almighties Bow. Eliphaz taxed Job in the fifteenth Chapter, with height and haughtineſſe of ſpirit in his low eſtate (Verſ. 12.13.) Why doth thine heart carry thee away? And what doth thine eyes winke at, that thou turneſt thy ſpirit againſt God, and letteſt ſuch words goe out of thy mouth? And (Verſ. 25.) he more then intimates that Job ſtretched out his hand againſt God, and ſtrengthened himſelfe againſt the Almighty. In both paſſages he is ſeverely charged, not onelyonly with impatience under the hand of God (which is bad enough) but with oppoſition againſt the hand of God, which is farre worſe.

Job refutes theſe unfreindly cenſures, and profeſſeth another kinde both of ſpirit and practice in this Text. As if hee had ſayd, I am not ſo madd as thou takeſt me to be, to runn upon God, or to ſtretch out my hand againſt him while he ſmiteth me, I have learned better, then to ſhoot the arrowes of blaſphemy againſt God, whilſt he ſhoots the arrows of calamity againſt me; and if you deſire to know what I have been doing, ſeeing I deny that I have been doing what you ſuggeſt: This is the account which I give of my ſelfe, and of my behaviour.

p. 314Verſ. 15. I have ſowed ſack-cloth upon my skin, and defiled my horne in the duſt.

That is, I have humbly ſubmitted my ſelfe to receive, and entertaine thoſe ſaddeſt diſpenſations.

Hence Obſerve.

That the ſureſt way to confute the cenſures, and wipe off the aſperſions which are caſt upon us, is to ſhew our ſelves doing contrary to what others are ſpeaking of us.

A practicall anſwer is the ſtrongeſt anſwer; we may ſpeak more for our ſelves by our hands, then we can doe by our tongues in many caſes. The Papiſts mouths are ſtopt (who call us Solifidians) when they ſee Proteſtants forward in, and zealous for good workes: He that is accuſed of uncharitableneſſe, may beſt free himſelfe from that charge, by giving freely to the poore; and he that is accuſed of injuſtice, may ſooneſt doe himſelfe right, by ſhewing that he hath done right to every man. Bare denyals that we have done evill, are nothing; but when our doing of good appeares, who can deny it? The old Philoſopher anſwered him that denyed motion, by riſing up and walking, not by arguing: Job anſwered Eliphaz, who affirmed that he turned his ſpirit, and ſtretched out his hand againſt God, by falling downe and ſubmitting to it. I have ſowed ſack-cloth upon my skin, &c.

And this Job offers, as to remove, and take away that objection of miſ-behaviour towards God;Hoc aſſert ut ad miſerecordiam ſocios moveat, paenitentiam, ſc: ſuam & humilitatem, quod ſeſe in his afflictionibus non extulerit. Merc. ſo to move his Freinds to better behaviour, even to compaſſion, and pitty towards him. He was in a ſorrowfull caſe, and he had acted the part of a ſorrowfull man; God had layd him low, and hee layd himſelfe low; this might have taught them moderation; why ſhould they ſpeake ſo harſhly againſt him, who had dealt but courſely with himſelfe? Sowing ſack-cloth upon his skin; and ſeeing he abaſed himſelfe, even to the defiling of his horne in the duſt, why ſhould they abaſe him too? It ſtirrs up pitty towards a profeſſed adverſary to ſee him in miſery, eſpecially, when he ſubmits unto it, and ſuffers with patience: Much more ſhould the miſery of a profeſſed Freind, he alſo quietly ſubmitting to it, ſtirr up the bowels of pitie. So then, the ſcope of this report which Job makes of himſelfe, was not onelyonly to anſwer what Eliphaz had charged him with, but p. 315alſo that he might obtaine from his Freinds, a milder anſwer.

I have ſowed ſack-cloth upon my skin.

The word which we render Sack-cloth, foreign Saccus, v…x quae hic habetur Sak habet eundem ſonum in omni ſere lingua, quod unum arguit linguam Hebraeam omnium eſſe matrem.is of the ſame ſound in the Hebrew, and almoſt in all other languages; which is obſerved as an argument of its antiquity, and that it is the mother of all languages. But how did Job ſow ſack-cloth upon his Skin? This is a hard peece of Sempſtery.

The Roman Hiſtorian reports of cruell Nero, that when he fled out of the City, (fearing the ſentence of the diſpleaſed Senate which quickly purſued him) and had got into a grove or thicket like a wilde Beaſt, he commanded thoſe about him to make a trench in the earth, fitted to the dimenſions of his body, which he ordered them to line with ſuch peeces of Marble, as were to be had upon the place; thus as it were, preparing his owne Tombe, he wept and often cryed out, See what a workman is here now ready to periſh▪ What that wretch ſayd of himſelfe, I may ſay of this holy man in the Text, whom I finde thus buſied at his Needle, as if he were preparing his owne Grave-clothes, or winding-ſheet, What a workman have we here ready to periſh? Job looked upon himſelfe as a dying man,Qualis artifex pereo. and behold he is ſowing ſack-cloth upon his skin. When men of worth dye, they are wrapt in fine linnen, ſo Joſeph of Arimathea wrapt the body of Jeſus (Mark 15.46.) And a living man full of ſoares needs the fineſt and ſofteſt linnen to wrap him in: Sack-cloth is a courſe ſtubborne cloth, greevous to a ſound body, painefull to thoſe who have never a breach upon their fleſh; but for a man (as Job deſcribes himſelfe) full of breaches, having breach upon breach, his body being broken all over, as if it were but one continued breach, to lap up ſuch a one in ſack-cloth, is an extreame addition to his paines and ſorrows. How is it then, that Job was thus ſevere to his owne ſoares? To cleare this, Sack-cloth may be taken two wayes.

Firſt, Properly.

Secondly, Improperly.

Properly, ſo, ſack-cloth is that hairy, rough Garment which was very uſuall among mourners, whether in times of ſorrow for ſin or judgement. Sack-cloth was the Livery of p. 316both theſe ſorrows. The King of Iſrael was a cloſe-mourner in ſack-cloth (2 Kings 6.30.) The King rent his clothes as he paſſed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold he had ſack-cloth within upon his fleſh. There being a terrible Famine in Samaria, that Kings wore Sackcloth as an embleme of his ſorrow, yet he wore it ſomewhat concealedly, it was within upon his fleſh. And ſo (2 Kings 20.31.) when the Servants of Benhadad came to Achab, they put ſack-cloth upon them. And (2 Kings 21.27.) Achab himſelfe when hee heard that ſore judgement denounced againſt him, humbled himſelfe, and put on ſack-cloth, and went ſoftly. In a time of common calamity, the Prophet tells us, Every head ſhall be bald, and every beard clipt: upon all the hands ſhall be cuttings, and upon the loynes ſack-cloth (Jer. 48.37.) And that it was the uſuall weare in time of repentance, is taught us in the Propheſie of Jonah (3.8.) where Proclamation was made, by the King of Niniveh, That all ſhould faſt and put on ſack-cloth. Chriſt himſelfe deſcribing what Sodome and Gomorah would have done if the Goſpell had been Preached, or the mighty workes done in them which were done in Bethſaida and Corazin, ſaith, They would have repented long agoe in ſack-cloth and aſhes: that is, they would have put on ſack-cloth, and ſate in aſhes, in token of deepeſt humiliation for ſin. Thus ſack-cloth properly taken was often uſed in times of great affliction, whether perſonall, or publique; as alſo in times of deepeſt and moſt profeſſed repentance.

Secondly, Wee may take ſack-cloth improperly, and ſo two wayes.

foreign Cutis vox Arabica non alibi in Scriptura reperitur. Et Gelad propriè ſignificare cutim & cruſtavi quae plagae ſiccae ſuperinducitur. Rab. Levi,Firſt, As to Jobs then preſent condition, hee was full of ſores, and thoſe ſores were to him as a courſe covering of ſack-cloth: for he was ſore all over: In ſome extraordinary diſeaſes, a ſcab puts forth all over the body, like the bark of a tree. Jobs ſcabs and ſores were like the barke of a tree, or a garment of ſack-cloth; hee ſpeakes neere this language (Chap. 30.18.) By the great force of my diſeaſe is my Garment changed: As if he had ſayd, I have another kinde of Garment then I was wont to weare; I was wont to weare the beſt, and the coſtlyeſt Garments; but now, By the force of my diſeaſe is my Garment changed, it bindeth me about as the colour of my coat: that is, My ſores binde me about as the colour of my Coat. p. 317Thus the Greek Expoſitors render this Text, affirming,Nigrorem nacta eſt cutis mea propter cruciatuum acerbitatem quaſi ſaccus quidam ex vellis contextis effectus. Sanct. that his Skin was diſcouloured and black, and began to look like ſack-cloth, through the heat and diſtemper of his inward parts: As health and ſoundneſſe of conſtitution put out a freſh and lively tincture, ſo ſickneſſe and diſeaſes deface and darken the beauty of the body.

Secondly, Take it again improperly, as to Jobs then preſent action; and then, I ſowed ſack-cloth upon my skin, is, as if hee had ſpoken plainely, I have greatly abaſed, or humbled my ſelfe, I have beene as one who putteth on ſack-cloth. Such was his poſture (Chap. 2.8.) He tooke a pot-ſheard, and ſcraped his ſores, and ſate downe among the aſhes. As he who wore ſack-cloth did humble himſelfe greatly, or at leaſt would be accounted to have done ſo; ſo he that is really humbled, and that greatly, may be ſayd to have put on ſack-cloth. The ſigne is often put for the thing ſignified, in reference both to joy and ſorrow. White garments and unctions were ſignes of joy; and therefore when Solomon exhorts to joyfulneſſe, hee ſaith, Let thy garments be alwayes white, and let thine head lack no oyntment (Eccleſ. 9.8.) which we may expound either by that which goes before, Eate thy bread with joy, and drinke thy Wine with a merry heart (Verſ. 7.) or by that which follows (Verſ. 9.) Live joyfully with the wife of thy youth: As to bid a man put on white garments is to bid him rejoyce, ſo to bid a man put on blacks, or ſack-cloth, is to bid him mourn; and he who ſaith as Job here, that he hath done it, ſaith, That he hath mourned, though he hath not done it. Job did not ſow ſack-cloth upon his skin when he ſpake thus, but his ſorrows did truely ſpeak ſack-cloth: Such alſo is his ſenſe of the next clauſe; where he profeſſeth, And I defiled my horne in the duſt.

Hornes are proper to a beaſt, but they are often by a figure or improperly aſcribed to man. The horne imports two things in figure.

Firſt, Strength, and power.

Secondly, Dignity, and ornament.

It is often put for ſtrength and power; for the ſtrength and power of good men (1 Sam. 2.10.) Hannah ſings, Thou ſhalt exalt the horne (that is, the ſtrength and power) of thine annoynted. p. 318(Pſal. 132.17.) There ſhall he make the horne of David to flouriſh. David was a type of Chriſt, and of him this Pſalme is expounded (Luke 1.69.) God hath rayſed up a horne of ſalvation for us in the houſe of his ſervant David: A horne of ſalvation, is, ſtrong ſalvation, or ſtrength of ſalvation: God layd helpe for us upon one that is mighty, when he layd help for us upon his Son.

The horn…, notes alſo the ſtrength and power of wicked men (Pſal. 75.5.) Lift not your hornes on high, ſpeake not with a ſtiffe neck: At the tenth Verſe of that Pſalme, we have both; All the hornes of the wicked alſo will I cut off, but the hornes of the righteous ſhall be exalted. Thoſe ten Kings, who gave their power and ſtrength to the Antichriſtian Beaſt,Metaphora ab animalibus ducta, quorum vires fere in cornibus exiſtant. are ſhadowed under the title of Ten hornes (Revel. 17.12.) Strength and power are expreſſed by a horne, in alluſion to Beaſts, whoſe ſtrength to defend themſelves, and to hurt others, is in their hornes; and hence it is that the word by which the Greeks expreſſe harmeleſſe, ſignifies properly horneleſſe (Phil. 2.15.) That yee may be blameleſſe and harmeleſſe, foreign, Eſt careus cornu.the Sons of God without rebuke, &c.

Secondly, As the horne is put for ſtrength, ſo for ſplendour, and dignity: The Texts before alleadged may be ſo expounded. And again (Hab. 3.4.) His brightneſſe was as the light, and he had horns comming out of his h…d, and there was the hiding of his power: We in the Margin put, Bright beames out of his ſide: For the Hebrew word which ſignifies a horn, foreign Radiavit ſplenduit.ſignifies to radiate, and ſhine forth (Exod. 34.29, 30.) When Moſes came downe from the Mount; the Text ſaith, He wiſt not that his face did ſhine. And when Aaron, and all the people of Iſrael ſaw Moſes, hehold his face ſhone: The Vulgar tranſlates, The face of Moſes was horned, Quod cornuta eſſet facies ejus. Vulg. Inde Moſes cornutus pingitur.or had hornes upon it: that is, Beames and rayes of light like hornes appeared, or darted from his countenance, ſo that the eyes of the beholders were dazled: And the reaſon why Moſes is commonly pictured with hornes, is, becauſe this word ſignifies, both beames, and hornes. So here, I have defiled my horne in the duſt: that is, My dignity, and excellency; thus the Chaldee expreſſeth it: as if he had ſayd, I have taken off,Splendorem meum. Chald. or layd by all ornaments to put my ſelfe into the poſture of an humble ſuppliant; I have defiled my horne in the duſt.

p. 319[Duſt] alſo is taken properly, or improperly; properly, duſt is light, ſmall, crumbled earth. Chriſt chargeth his Diſciples (Matth. 10.14.) Whoſoever ſhall not receive you, nor heare your word, when yee depart out of that City, ſhake off the duſt of your feet: That action was emblematicall, and noted one of, or all theſe three things.

Firſt, That the earth was polluted, where ſuch refuſers of the precious Goſpell did inhabite, and was therefore to be ſhaken off as a filthy thing.

Secondly, That they were baſe and vile as duſt, ſuch as God would ſhake off.

Thirdly, That the duſt of the Apoſtles feet there left, might be as a witneſſe (ſo the other Goſpels expreſſe it) againſt them, that the Goſpell had been Preached there.

Duſt alſo in a proper ſenſe, was uſed in times of humiliation and ſorrow among the Jewes; for then, they eyther ſprinkled duſt on their heads, or lay downe in the duſt: Joſhua and the Elders of Iſrael put duſt on their heads (Joſh. 7.6.) and Job profeſſeth (Chap. 42.6.) Therefore I abhorr my ſelfe, and repent in duſt and aſhes: Which wee may underſtand either ſtrictly, that he ſate downe in the duſt, teſtifying his repentance, or largely, that his was a great and a deep repentance, even like theirs, who are humbled in duſt and aſhes. That carnall worldly ſorrow of the Merchants and Freinds of Babylon is thus expreſſed (Revel. 18.18, 19.) And they caſt duſt on their heads, and cryed, weeping and wayling, ſaying, Alas, alas, that great City.

Improperly, duſt ſignifies any very low condition (Pſal. 113.7. 1 Sam. 2.8.) He raiſeth the poore out of the duſt. And againe (1 Kings 16.2.) For as much as I exalted thee out of the duſt, and made thee a Prince over my people Iſrael, &c. To be exalted from the duſt, is to be exalted from among the common people to a princely ſtate, as that parallell place tels us (1 Kings 14.7.) All men are but levell with the duſt in their naturall conſtitution, but all Magiſtrates are above the duſt (that is, the common people) by their civill conſtitution. When Job ſaith, I have defiled my horne in the duſt; it may be underſtood either properly, that he did ſit downe in duſt and aſhes as he ſpeakes (Chap. 2.) or improperly, that as God had brought him into a low condition, ſo he was willing to ſubmit himſelfe p. 320to a low condition, and to be, not onelyonly as man who is duſt in his nature, and muſt returne to duſt, but as becomes that man whoſe power and honour, whoſe excellency and greatneſſe is layd in the duſt: David imprecates (Pſal. 7.5.) If I have done this, if (as ſome charge and ſuſpect me) there be iniquity in my hands, &c. Let the enemy perſecute my ſoule, and take it; yea, let him tread my life downe to the earth, and lay mine honour in the duſt: that is, Let him totally ruine me, or lay me as low, as low can be. The Church is thus excited to riſe from her Captivity (Iſa. 52.1, 3.) Awake, and ſhake thy ſelfe from the duſt, ariſe, and ſit downe, O Jeruſalem: looſe thy ſelfe from the bands of thy neck, O Captive daughter of Zion. To lye in Captivity, is to lye in the duſt; and as to ſhake off the duſt is to returne from Captivity, ſo to defile the horne in the duſt is to lay aſide our dignity.

Job gives yet a further deſcription of his ſelfe-humiliation.

Verſ. 16. My face is foule with weeping, and on my eye lids is the ſhadow of death.

As Job put on his mourning Garments, ſo he was indeed a mourner, he wept, and he wept plentifully: much eye-water doth not cleanſe, but foule the face, My face is foule with weeping; Facies mea inturnuit a fletu. Vulg.or my face is ſwolne, and my cheekes blubbered with weeping, ſaith the Latine Tranſlator.

Note here three ſorts of teares ſpoken of in Scripture.

Firſt, There are teares of worldly ſorrow.

Secondly, Teares of godly ſorrow.

Thirdly, Teares of Hypocriſie.

The laſt ſort is applyable to both the former; it reſpects ſometimes worldly ſorrow, and ſometimes godly ſorrow; for both may be feyned: Such were thoſe teares (Jer. 41.) when Iſhmael had killed Gedaliah, the Text ſaith, Iſhmael went to Mizpeh, and met the men, weeping all along as he went; as if he had been greatly troubled for the afflictions of the Land; but they were Crokadiles teares. Iſhmael wept onelyonly till hee had gotten thoſe men (as a prey) in his power, and then he deſtroyed them. Iſhmael was a State-hypocrite, and ſeemed full of compaſſion, that he might get an opportunity to vent his malice.

p. 321There are many Church-hypocrites, who can foule and disfigure their faces with weeping, as Chriſt reproves the Phariſees (Matth. 6.16.) while they have no thought of waſhing or reforming either their hearts or lives. Jobs face was foule with weeping, but his heart and life were cleane; he needed not ſtraine for teares, or weep by art; how could hee reſtraine teares, whoſe troubles were enlarged? The word which we render foule, is doubled in the Originall,foreign Facies mea faedata eſt a foreign lutum, hic duplicatur ut ante ad augendam figniſicationem. which ſpeakes thus much, that his face double-dirtyed, or double-dyed in his owne teares: Neither yet was this all the argument of his reall ſorrowes; for he had not onelyonly quite wept away his beauty, but he had almoſt wept away his life too, and was even dead with griefe, as it followes in the next words.

And on my eye lids is the ſhadow of death.

That is, Mine eyes are darkned, and I looke like one that's ready to give up the Ghoſt: As if he had ſayd, My ſorrow may be ſeen upon my eyes and eye lids, which with extremity of griefe, and multitude of teares are even waſted away and ſunke in my head, as when a man is dead, or dying: Much weeping weakens the eye-ſight, yea ſome are ſayd to weepe out their eyes. David gives us that effect of weeping (Pſal. 6.7.) I water my couch with teares: that is, I weep abundantly, then it followes, Mine eyes are conſumed becauſe of my griefe: And (Pſal. 38.10.) My heart panteth, my ſtrength faileth, as for the light of mine eyes, it is alſo gone from me: I am even growne blinde with ſorrow, or (as the Church bemoanes her ſad eſtate, Lament. 2.11.) Mine eyes doe faile with teares. Abundance of teares bring fayling of eyes: and hee that uſeth his eyes to much weeping, ſhall have little uſe of them for ſeeing:Hos geſtus in humiliationibus Orientales etiam Graecos uſurpaſſe teſtatur & videt Plutarchus in libello de ſuperſtitione. Denſiſſima caligo eſt oculis meis offuſa. Merc. wee may aſſigne the reaſon of it from nature, becauſe continuall powring forth of teares ſpends the ſpirits, and ſo weakneth the vi…ive power. Now as death is a totall privation of ſight, ſo they whoſe ſight is much impayred, looke ſomewhat like the dead: Hence Jobs complaint, On my eye-lids is the ſhadow of death.

Shaddow of death, notes the cleereſt appearance, the ſtrongeſt ſignes of death: Or this ſhadow of death upon his eye-lids, together with the fouling of his face, in the former clauſe may be an alluſion to ſome faſhions or cuſtomes of mourners in thoſe times or places. This phraſe (which alſo p. 322often occurrs in other Scriptures) was opened (Chap. 3.5.) thither I referr the Reader.

Thus we have Jobs behaviour in his affliction by a twofold act, and a twofold effect of it.

The firſt act was, Sowing ſack-cloth on his fleſh.

The ſecond was, Defiling his horne in the duſt.

The firſt effect was, Fouleneſſe upon his face.

The ſecond was, Death upon his eyes.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, They are moſt ſenſible of the hand of God, who are moſt ſubmiſſive to it.

As Jobs afflictions were great, ſo was his ſorrowe, and ſo was his ſubmiſſion: Sorrow is not contrary to patience; Job was the moſt pati…nt, and the moſt ſorrowfull man in the World. There is an immoderate ſorrow inconſiſtent with patience, but great ſorrow is not onelyonly conſiſtent with patience, but an argument of it; and unleſſe we have ſome ſorrow, we are not patient at all: how can he be called patient, who either feeles not, or ſlights his affliction. It is as ill a ſymptome of a diſeaſed ſoule to be unſenſible of judgements, as to be unſenſible of mercies. Unleſſe wee feele the rod, wee cannot heare the voice of the rod, nor receive inſtruction by it. To be as a Trunk, or a Stone, under correction, is not to be patient under it, but to deſpiſe it: Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God, is the advice of the ſpirit, by the Apoſtle (1 Pet. 5.6.) As God humbles us for ſin, or for the tryall of grace, ſo they who have grace receive power to humble themſelves; and to humble our ſelves, is not onelyonly an act, but an high act of grace; both the grace of God toward us, and the graces of God in us are exalted when wee are low in our owne eyes.

Secondly, From the manner of this ſorrowful humiliation, He ſowed ſack-cloth upon his skin, and defiled his horne in the duſt.

Obſerve.

That as God letteth out viſible tokens of his afflicting hand upon us, ſo we ſhould let out viſible tokens of our humiliation under his hand.

As we are viſibly afflicted, ſo we ſhould be viſibly affected. We may make our humblings ſeene, though we muſt not doe it to be ſeene. As the light of our active obedience, ſhould ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee our good workes, and glorifie our p. 323Father which is in Heaven (Matth. 5.16.) So alſo ſhould the light of our paſſive obedience ſhine before men, that they may ſee our holy ſufferings, and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven. It is as great a ſin to boaſt of our poverty, as it is to boaſt of our riches, and as great a vanity to be proud of a croſſe, as to be proud of a Crowne; yet it is an honour to God, when men ſee that we are not aſhamed either of poverty or of a croſſe. The croſſe ſhould be carryed upon our ſhoulders, not put up in our pockets: God loves to ſee us owne our troubles as well as our comforts; and as hee will condemne thoſe who wrap the Talent of their gifts and abilities in a Napkin, and hide it from the uſe of others; ſo he doth not approve thoſe who wrap up their croſſes and afflictions in a Napkin, and hide them from the ſight of others: eſpecially conſidering, that even theſe alſo are Talents for which we ſtand accountable, how vve have uſed them, both for our owne good, and the good of others. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelfe thus (ſaith the Lord) Thou haſt chaſtiſed me, and I was chaſtiſed (Jer. 31.18.) Ephraims outward moanes were as muſick in the eares of God; Ephraim did not murmure againſt God, but he bemoaned himſelfe; Ephraim was not angry at his chaſtiſement, but Ephraim mourned being chaſtiſed; God heard this fully, in hearing hee heard it, or, it pleaſed him to heare it. It is our duty to teſtifie our ſorrow by the ſaddeſt notes of a troubled ſpirit, and it is a delight to God when vve doe ſo; not that hee delights in our ſorrows; but he delights in the witneſſe vvhichwhich vve beare to his wiſedome, righteouſneſſe, and faithfulneſſe, in ſending thoſe ſorrowes. I heard Ephraim bemoane himſelfe. Will an offendor that lookes for mercy come before the Judge in rich apparrell, or in ſome affected dreſſe? Comes he not rather in his Priſon clothes, puts he not on the garments of heavineſſe? The Meſſengers of Benhadad, put duſt on their heads, and ropes about their necks, and ſack-cloth on their loynes, when they came to mediate for the life of their Maſter. And thus the Lord ſpeakes to the Iſraelites (Exod. 33.5.) when they had ſinned, and he was wroth, Put off your Ornaments that I may know what to doe with you: Ornaments are uncomly when God is threatning judgements: It is time for us to lay by our bravery, when God is about to make us naked. Sack-cloth ſowed p. 324upon the skin, and our horne in the duſt, are the beſt enſignes of an afflicted ſtate. The Prophets counſell indeed is (Joel 2.13.) Rend your hearts and not your garments. (Rending the garments may be taken, not onelyonly ſtrictly for that act, but largely for all outward actings of ſorrow) Yet when he ſaith, Rent not, this is not a prohibition of, but a caution about the outward acting of their ſorrow. Not, in Scripture, is not alwayes totally negative, it is often directive and comparative: So in this place, Rend your hearts and not your garments, is, your hearts, rather then your garments; or be ſure to rend your hearts, as well as your garments: The one muſt be done, the other ought not to be left undone. See more of this (Chap. 1. Verſ. 20.) upon thoſe word, Then Job rent his Mantle.

Thirdly, Obſerve.

Great ſorrow produceth great effects, and leaveth ſuch impreſſions as teſtifie where it is.

The Apoſtle ſaith of the ſorrow of the World, That it worketh death (2 Cor. 7.10.) The ſorrow of the World may be taken two wayes.

Firſt, For the ſorrow of carnall worldly men, whoſe ſorrow for ſin is only a vexing of their hearts, not a breaking or humbling of their hearts; which being ſeparate both from true faith for the pardon of ſin, and from any reall purpoſe of leaving their ſin, worketh death, both temporall death, often wearing out their naturall life lingringly, and ſometime deſtroying their naturall life violently, as in Judas, as alſo haſtning them on to eternall death, of which it ſelfe is a foretaſt, or beginning.

Secondly, This ſorrow of the World, is a ſorrow for the loſſe of, or diſappoyntments about worldly things. This alſo worketh both thoſe deaths in meere worldly men; and when it is exceſſive (as under a temptation it may be) in a godly man, it may be ſayd to worke the death of the body in him; yea great and continued ſorrow, though it be not exceſſive, worketh towards this death in a godly man, drying his bones, and drawing out his ſpirits, as is cleare in Job, on whoſe eye-lids the very ſhadow of death ſate, while hee wept and ſorrowed. 'Tis hard to diſſemble a little griefe, but a great deale cannot be hid: As godly ſorrow manifeſts it ſelfe in excellent effects upon the ſoule, of which the Apoſtle numbers p. 325up ſeven at the eleventh Verſe of that Chapter, For this ſelfe ſame thing that yee ſorrowed after a godly ſort, what carefulneſſe it wrought in you; yea what clearing of your ſelves, &c. Now I ſay, as godly ſorrow manifeſts it ſelfe in manifold effects upon the ſoule, ſo doth the ſorrow of the World ſet its marks upon the body: As a good mans heart is made cleane by weeping the teares of godly ſorrow, ſo every mans face is made foule by weeping the teares of worldly ſorrow; and as godly ſorrow worketh repentance unto ſalvation and life eternall, ſo the ſorrow of the World vvorketh an entrance to temporall death; yea, we may ſay that godly ſorrow doth ſometimes worke temporall death; Paul was afrayd leſt the inceſtuous perſon while he was repenting, might be Swallowed up with over much ſorrow (2 Cor. 2.7.) vvhichwhich as vvee are to underſtand cheifely of a ſwallowing up in the gulfe of deſpaire, ſo we may take in that alſo as a conſequent of the other, a ſwallowing of him up in the Grave of death; as if hee had ſayd, The poore man may both deſpayre and dye under this burden, if you let it lye too long upon him. As ſoone as Heman had ſayd (in his deſertion) My ſoule is full of troubles, he preſently adds, And my life draweth nigh unto the Grave, I am counted with them that goe downe to the pit, free among the dead (Pſal. 88.3, 4, 5.) To which he ſubjoyns (Ver. 9.) Mine eye mourneth by reaſon of affliction, and then expoſtulates (Verſ. 10.) Wilt thou ſhew wonders to the dead? Shall the dead ariſe and praiſe thee? As if he had ſayd, Theſe ſorrows will bring me to my grave, or in the language of Job, On my eye-lids is the ſhadow of death.

Till wee enjoy a life beyond the reach of all ſorrows, wee ſhall not be beyond the reach of death. Hence that promiſe (Revel. 21.4.) God ſhall wipe away all teares from their eyes, and there ſhall be no more death, neyther ſorrow, nor crying, neither ſhall there be any more paine: And as that life which hath no death in it, ſhall have no ſorrow in it, ſo that life which is a continuall death (the life of the damned) is nothing elſe but ſorrow. There ſhall be weeping and wayling, and gnaſhing of teeth, for evermore (Mat. 13.42.) Their eyes ſhall ever weep, their faces ſhall ever be foule with weeping, and on their eye-lids the ſhadow of death ſhall dwell for ever.

Fourthly, The hand of God being heavy upon Job, he defiled p. 326his horne in the duſt, and fouled his face with weeping; he regarded neyther the beauty of his face, nor the dignity of his condition, all was nothing to him.

Learne from it.

Great afflictions take off our reſpect to the World, and all worldly things.

What is honour? What is Gold or Silver? What is a goodly Houſe? What is a beautifull Wife, and pleaſant Children? What are fine cloathes, or a faire face in a day of ſorrow, or in the approaches of death? Spirituals are higheſt prized when we are loweſt: Grace ſhines cleareſt in worldly darkneſſe; but the light of worldly enjoyments is darkneſſe to us, and that vvhichwhich ſome eſteeme as a Sun, is but a Cloud to us in the day of diſtreſſe: That is beſt which is good to us in our worſt eſtate. The favour of God, the pardon of ſin, the fruites of the ſpirit, are alwayes pleaſant to the Saints, but then moſt when the yeares, or times are upon them, of which they not onelyonly ſay with the Preacher (Eccleſ. 12.1.) Wee have no pleaſure in them, but, vve have much paine and trouble in them. The face of the new creature is never foul with vveeping, nor is the horne of our ſalvation defiled when vvee lye in the duſt, or on the dunghill.

Job having (according to his manner) accurately deſcribed his calamities, and ſhewed vvith vvhat deep ſenſe, and ſelfabaſement he had entertained them; he paſſeth to a refutation of that inference vvhichwhich his Freinds drew, and had often preſſed upon him from thoſe premiſes of his affliction. Eliphaz ſuggeſted him impious and unjuſt, becauſe hee was thus ſmitten. Job plainly denyes it (Verſ. 17.) I have not received theſe wounds in my body and eſtate, for any injuſtice in my hands, no, nor for any impiety in my heart, alſo my prayer is pure. This Verſe takes off both parts of that generall aſſertion, as to Jobs perſonall condition (Chap. 15. Verſ. 34.) The Congregation of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate, fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of bribery. There Eliphaz cloſely hinted that Job was an Unjuſt man, and an Hypocrite: Job anſwers, no, my Tabernacle is not the Tabernacle of bribery, there is no injuſtice in my hands; my Congregation, or thoſe with whom I joyned in vvorſhip vvere not a Congregation of Hypocrites, my prayer is pure: As if he had ſayd, Though it be a truth, that the Congregation p. 327of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate, yet it doth not follow, that every man is an Hypocrite, whoſe Congregation is made deſolate, for mine is deſolate, and yet I know my prayer is pure: And though fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of bribery, yet every man is not guilty of bribery, whoſe Tabernacle is conſumed with fire, for ſo is mine, and yet I avouch it, there is no injuſtice in my hands.

Verſ. 17. Not for any [injuſtice] in my hands.

The word that we tranſlate injuſtice, ſignifies rapine,foreign Propriè rapina violentia injuria. violence, or wrong done by violence, any open tyrannicall oppreſſion. The Harpie being a ravenous Foule, hath his name from this root in Hebrew (as alſo in the Greek from one of the ſame importance) becauſe he doth not ſubtlely ſurprize his prey, but openly aſſault it. It ſignifies alſo violence mingled with ſcorne and contempt; as is obſerved upon that of the Prophet (Ezek. 22.26.) Her Prieſts have violated my Laws: The Prieſts did not goe behinde the doore, they made an open breach upon the Law of God; they did not ſin ſecretly, as if they had been afrayd to be ſeen, but avowedly and before the Sun. Hence ſome have rendred that Text, Her Prieſts have contemned my Lawes; noting eyther that it was a violation vvith contempt; or that Lawes which are once contemned cannot be long unviolated. Thus Job profeſſeth, there is no ſuch injuſtice in my hand; Job did not diſclaime all faylings in doing juſtice, but all intendments of doing injuſtice, he did not peremptorily deny that there was no injuſtice in his hand ariſing from miſtakes of the Law, but none from contempt of the Law, Not for any injuſtice, In my [hand.]

Injuſtice is aſcribed to the hand, not becauſe injuſtice is alwayes, though uſually it be done with the hand; vvith the hand men take away, and vvith that men detaine the right of others. David ſpeakes thus (2 Chro. 12.17.) Seenig there is no wrong in mine hand; that is, I have done no wrong. The hand is the great inſtrument of action, moſt injuſtice is done by the hand, though much be done by the tongue; and a Judge who gives an unjuſt ſentence with his tongue, may be ſayd to have injuſtice in his hands. Beſides, he may be ſayd to have injuſtice in his hands, who keeps any thing in his hands vvhichwhich vvas p. 328gotten by injuſtice; he alſo may be ſayd to eate injuſtice, who feeds upon vvhat he got unjuſtly (Prov. 4.17.) They eate the Bread of wickedneſſe, and drink the Wine of violence: that is, they eate Bread, and drink Wine, gotten by wickedneſſe and violence. Job diſclaimes injuſtice in all theſe notions, There is no injuſtice in my hands; as if hee had ſayd, I have not gotten wealth by injuſtice, nor enricht my ſelfe by making others poore, I have not been as an Harpie, to ſcratch and teare from others to feed my ſelfe: Hee gives a full account of this (Chap. 29. and Chap. 30.) wiping off thoſe aſperſions of injuſtice, by a large narrative of his proceedings in that publick capacity, as a Magiſtrate; the breviate of vvhichwhich is ſummed up in this negative, There is no injuſtice in my hand.

Further, Injuſtice may be taken two wayes.

Either ſtrictly, for the act of a Magiſtrate perverting the Law and going beſides the rules of righteouſneſſe.

Or largely, for any wrong that one neighbour in a private capacity, doth another.

To doe juſtice is every ones duty as well as the Magiſtrates: vve uſe to ſay, Every man is eyther a Foole or a Phyſitian; vvee may ſay, Every one is eyther a doer of juſtice, or a diſhoneſt man: For though to doe juſtice is chiefely the Magiſtrates work, yet no man (who hath any thing to doe in the World) can live as he ought, vvithout doing juſtice: In this large ſenſe alſo vve may expound Jobs diſclaimer of injuſtice; as if he had ſayd, I have not willingly fayled in any of thoſe duties which the Law of love towards my neighbour calls for, and obliges me unto: There is no injuſtice in my hands.

Alſo my prayer is pure.

Prayer is taken two vvayes, as injuſtice is.

Eyther largely, for the whole vvorſhip of God, My houſe ſhall be called the houſe of prayer (Matth. 21.13.) that is, All kinde of publick worſhip ſhall be performed, and tendered to me there: Prayer being ſo principall a part of vvorſhip, may vvell comprehend all the parts of worſhip; that which is chiefe in any kinde, often denominates all the reſt. So Love is put for all the duties of the Law, and Faith for all the duties, yea, and for all the Doctrines of the Goſpell, though in both, many other duties and Doctrines are contained.

p. 329Strictly, Prayer is that part or worſhip which conſiſts in calling upon God: Prayer is the making knowne of our deſires, or the opening of our hearts to God. It is the aſcent of our ſoules to God. David being about to pray, ſaith, Ʋnto thee O Lord doe I lift up my ſoule. In this place we may take prayer in both the notions of it, My prayer, Is pure.

The word ſignifies ſhining, bright, glorious; a gracious prayer ſhines ſo bright that there is a glory in it; My prayer is pure. Zophar charged Job for ſaying, My doctrine is pure (Chap. 12.4.) Now Job himſelfe ſaith, My prayer is pure. The truth of Doctrine is the purity of it, and the ſincerity of prayer is the purity of it: Job did not boaſt his prayer pure without infirmity, but he did profeſſe it pure without hypocriſie. Yet beſides this caſting out of hypocriſie, there are diverſe ingredients to be taken in towards the compoſition of a pure prayer, of which I ſhall touch more diſtinctly by and by. We read in the Inſtitutes of the Ceremoniall Law of pure Myrrhe, of pure Frankincenſe, of pure Oyle, of pure Incenſe, all which concurred to pure worſhip among the Jewes, and typed out all pure worſhip, both among Jewes and Gentiles; of the latter the Lord ſaith (Mal. 1.11.) From the riſing of the Sun unto the going downe of the ſame, my name ſhall be called upon among the Gentiles, and in every place Incenſe ſhall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering. This pure offering Job intends when he ſaith, My prayer is pure.

Under theſe two, There is no injuſtice in my hand, and my prayer is pure: Job conteines the whole duty of man, both to God and to man: Here is Juſtice comprehending the dutyes of the ſecond Table,His duobus membris utramque tabulam complectitur. Merc. and Prayer comprehending the duties of the firſt Table: Thus Job was compleat in all the will of God, and had reſpect to all his Commandements. And thus he verified Gods teſtimony of him (Chap. 1.1.) and approved himſelfe to be A man perfect and upright, fearing God, and eſchewing evill, which is the whole duty of man.

From the words in generall, Obſerve.

Firſt, Man hath great ſupport in bearing afflictions, from the witneſſe which his heart gives of his owne integrity.

'Tis matter of wonder that ever Job ſhould beare ſo many p. 330burdens, and endure breach upon breach, till wee remember that though he had many breaches upon his body and eſtate; yet he had none upon his conſcience: Indeed his ſpirit had breaches by way of tryall and temptation from God; but it had none by way of diſobedience againſt God. The ſpirit of a man, ſaith Solomon, will ſuſtaine his infirmities (Prov. 18.14.) There are two ſorts of infirmities.

Firſt, Sinfull infirmities, ſuch are impatience, doubtings, deadneſſe of heart, and vanity of thoughts.

Secondly, Penall, or painefull infirmities, ſuch as are poverty, ſickneſſe, diſeaſes, or any outward croſſe whatſoever.

Theſe latter are the infirmities which Solomon meanes; and theſe the ſpirit of a man will ſuſtaine, even while his fleſh or body ſinks under them: Yet here ſpirit is not taken meerely in oppoſition to bodily, or materiall fleſh (though the ſpirit under that Phyſicall notion is able to beare much more then the body can) but as ſpirit is oppoſed to ſpirituall and ſinfull fleſh; that is, to a carnall corrupt minde: The ſpirit of a man furniſhed with grace, ſupported with the favour of God, and the teſtimony of a good conſcience, will ſuſtaine all his infirmities; that is, cauſe him to beare with much, not onelyonly patience, but courage and cheerfulneſſe the heavieſt burdens of affliction, which eyther the wiſedome of God doth, or the malice of man can lay upon him. Holineſſe makes the weake ſtrong, and the ſtrong like Giants, to endure all ſhocks of trouble and hardſhip. A whole skin feeles no ſmart, though you bath it with brine; and if a man have a ſound conſcience, if his ſpirit be not galled and raw, he is able to ſtand at any time, and ſometimes to rejoyce in the ſalteſt waters of worldly ſorrow. For though he be not (as was ſhewed before) ſenſleſſe of, or without outward ſmart; yet having no inward ſmart (which is the worſt ſmart) hee is above it: The paines and wants of the body are almoſt loſt, and ſwallowed up in the comforts and enjoyments of the minde. A wounded ſpirit who can beare? A ſpirit unwounded what can it not beare? He that hath no injuſtice in his hands hath much peace in his heart, and while our prayer is pure, our ſpirits will not be much troubled in any of our troubles.

p. 331Secondly, Obſerve.

It is poſſible to live without any knowne ſin.

Job knew of no injuſtice in his hand, nor was he conſcious of any impurity in his prayer. The Apoſtle John writes to Saints of all Ages and Statures, under the title of His little Children, not to ſin (1 John 2.1.) And in that he doth not only admoniſh them of what they ought not to doe, but of what they might attain not to doe: For though, he that ſaith he hath no ſin, deceives himſelfe, and ſins in ſaying ſo (1 Joh. 1.9.) yet it may be ſayd of ſome without ſin, and they (in Jobs caſe) may ſay it of themſelves without ſin, that they ſin not. The beſt Saints have, and know they have ſin in their natures and ſin in their lives, yea, and ſometimes they fall into great ſins; yet ſuch a degree of holineſſe is attaineable in this life that a man may be ſayd, not to ſin: For then (in a Goſpell ſenſe) we are ſayd not to ſin, when we caſt off and are free from all groſſe and ſcandalous ſins, and doe both carefully avoyd and make conſcience of the leaſt and the moſt ſecret ſin. Zacharie and Elizabeth (Luke 1.16.) were both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blameleſſe; that is, They did not live in any open or knowne ſin; they lived ſo, that no man could blame them, or bring any juſt complaint againſt them, eyther in matters of morality, which ſeeme to be meant in the word Commandement, or in matters of worſhip, which ſeeme to be meant by the word Ordinance. And when I ſpeak of not living in any knowne ſin, I meane not onelyonly, that Saints may riſe ſo high as not to live in any ſin which the World takes notice of; but they may, yea and often doe arrive at that hight of holineſſe, not to live in any ſin knowne to themſelves; if once a true Beleever diſcovers ſin, he cannot owne it, much leſſe live in it, be it injuſtice or wrong towards men, be it any fayling in the worſhip and ſervice of God, he will not ſuffer it to lodge with him. He that hath grace in his heart, cannot live with injuſtice in his hand; there is an inconſiſtence between theſe two, a life of grace, and to live in ſin. Sin may be much alive in him that hath grace, but he cannot live in ſin; he may be often tempted to the act of it, and ſometimes poſſibly overtaken with it, yet he cannot live in it: He cannot keep injuſtice in his hand, nor frame an impure prayer in his heart. A good man p. 332may doe an act of injuſtice, but he continues not unjuſt; he reſtores what he hath taken unjuſtly from men, and repents before the Lord; but uſually he is not conſcious to himſelfe of doing unjuſtly towards men. If a Laban (one with whom hee hath had converſe and dealing twenty yeares together) ſhould come and ſearch his houſe, he is able to ſay to him as honeſt Jacob did to his Uncle Laban (Gen. 31.37.) Whereas thou haſt ſearched all my ſtuffe, what haſt thou ſound of all thy houſehold-ſtuffe, ſet it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both: As if he had ſayd, Is there any injuſtice in my hand? Let it come to tryall. Or as upright Samuel to all Iſrael (1 Sam. 12.3.) Behold, here I am, witneſſe againſt me before the Lord, and before his annoynted, whoſe Ox have I taken? Or whoſe Aſſe have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppreſſed? Samuel had been long a Judge, yet he knew of no injuſtice in his hand, neither did any man know of any, and therefore all acquit him from the leaſt blemiſh of unfaithfulneſſe in his Office (Verſ. 4.) Thou haſt not defrauded us, nor oppreſſed us, neither haſt thou taken ought (as a bribe) of any mans hand. And he ſayd unto them (Verſ. 5.) The Lord is witneſſe againſt you, and his annoynted is witneſſe this day, that yee have not found ought (that is, ought gotten unjuſtly) in my hand: That man hath reacht the perfection of juſtice, who neyther takes out of the hand of others violently, nor of the hand of others covetouſly to byas his ſpirit when hee ſits in judgement. Such a perfect Juſticer was Samuel, all Iſrael could not finde ought (ſo come by) in his hand: Hee might ſay (and he did ſay as much in effect) with Job, Not for any injuſtice in my hand.

And as a Beleever may arrive at ſuch a blameleſſe walking towards men, that they cannot ſay, He hath ſinned; ſo at ſuch a holy walking before God, that God himſelfe will not ſay, He hath ſinned. And this God will not ſay, vvhen hee ſees a ſoule labouring (as Paul was once praying that the Coloſſians might) to walke worthy of the Lord, unto all pleaſing, being fruitfull in every good worke (Col. 1.10.) And when he ſees, that his prayer is pure, and his worſhip tendered with a perfect or ſincere heart.

When a ſoule doth not wilfully neglect any duty towards God, God will ſay he hath performed all duty; and though p. 333there may be many failings in prayer, yet God will ſay, that mans prayer is pure. So then, we grant that no man lives and ſins not, yet we affirme, that no godly man lives in ſin; and that ſome godly men are ſo farr from living in any ſin, that others cannot tax them, nor can they tax themſelves of acting any groſſe ſins; yea, though the beſt of Saints here know they ſin, and know their ſins, yet they may be ſayd not to commit knowne ſins; that is, not to ſin knowingly: He is not properly ſayd to ſin knowingly, vvho knowes he ſins, but he who ſins againſt his knowledge.

Thirdly, Obſerve.

Holineſſe conſiſts in a compleat uniformity, or in conformity to the whole will of God.

Job drawes the picture of a holy man, in all his limbs and lineaments; equity and purity containe all: Some are Firſt Table Chriſtians, others are Second Table Chriſtians. Some are zealous for prayer, who are extreame cold in doing Juſtice; ſome are extreame honeſt and juſt to men, righteous in all their dealings, but they care not for prayer, nor have they any delight in communion with God: The Law of God is one entire thing, and ſo muſt mans obedience be, He that offends in one poynt is guilty of all (Jam. 2.10.) For though, he that commits adultery, cannot properly be ſayd to breake that Law, Thou ſhalt doe no murder; yet whoſoever commits adultery, may properly be ſayd to break the whole Law: the reaſon is given by that Apoſtle, in the next Verſe; For he that ſayd, Doe not commit adultery, ſayd alſo, Doe not kill; now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a tranſgreſſour of the Law. He that breakes any one linke of a chaine, breaks the chaine, though he break not a ſecond linke: 'tis ſo here, the vvhole Law is Copulative: and as in this ſenſe, the Law is one, ſo the Law-maker is altogether one: This the Apoſtle James hints, as the reaſon of it, For he that ſayd, doe not commit adultery, ſayd alſo, doe not kill: As if hee had ſayd, There is one and the ſame Legiſ-lative power commanding all, and therefore, if yee tranſgreſſe one, yee tranſgreſſe all. And how can there be a ſtate of holineſſe, without an equall reſpect to both Tables of the Law, ſeeing the breach of any one Law of either Table, is, though not formally, yet reductively a breach of every Law in both Tables. And therefore p. 334'tis the ayme of a Beleever to fulfill both Tables of the Law, though he faile in every Law of both: hee gives up his will wholly to God, yea, he may be ſayd to loſe his will in the will of God, and this is his doing the whole will of God. And indeed wee doe nothing, unleſſe vvee be found doing all.

Obſerve.

Fourthly, We may without hypocriſie make report of our owne integrity.

Job doth it here, and had done it before, and we finde holy men doing it often in Scripture;Non ad jactantiam ſed ad divinae veritatis aſſertionem commemorat. I (ſaith Paul, 2 Tim. 4.7.) have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the Faith: This he ſpeakes of himſelfe, but not for himſelfe; not out of vaine-glory, or a deſire of eſteeme with men, as the Phariſees, but that others might be encouraged by his example, and that God might have the glory of his free and powerfull grace, enabling him to give and hold out ſuch an example. Other paſſages in this Book have led me to this note before, and therefore I onelyonly mention it here.

More particularly, Obſerve.

Injuſtice towards men, and impurities in the worſhip of God, are great and provoking ſins.

Job diſclaimes theſe by name: it is as if Job had ſaid, Were there injuſtice in my hands, or were I falſe in the worſhip of God, it were no wonder though all theſe judgements ſhould ſeize upon me; yea, though my burden were heavier, I had no reaſon to complaine; I muſt thanke my ſelfe: Injuſtice and falſe worſhip, will certainely bring breach upon breach; they breake not onelyonly ſingle perſons, but Kingdomes and Nations. Oppreſſion and Superſtition are Kingdome-ſhaking ſins; much more will they ſhake the wals and foundations of a private Houſe, or Family.

Againe Obſerve.

If God afflict where there is no injuſtice, how juſtly doth hee deſtroy thoſe who are unjuſt?

Shall they complaine who are beaten for their faults, when ſome are beaten who have no fault? The Apoſtle Peter argues (1 Pet. 4.18.) If the righteous ſcarcely be ſaved, where ſhall the ungodly and ſinners appeare? I may alſo argue, if the righteous be not ſaved (from outward afflictions) if the godly are p. 335ſmitten, how ſhall the ungodly and ſinners eſcape unſmitten? Many are ſmitten, not for any injuſtice in their hand (there is ſome other end, and that a juſt one, why they are ſmitten) nor is God unjuſt in ſmiting them. Now, if juſt ones are (without any injuſtice) thus ſmitten; how juſt is it with God to ſmite thoſe who are unjuſt? The repenting Theefe rebuked him that blaſphemed, and ſpake evill of Chriſt, upon this conſideration, Doſt thou not feare God, ſeeing thou art in the ſame condemnation? and we juſtly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: This man and we are in the ſame condemnation, but not in the ſame fault; we are all condemned to dye, but wee juſtly, and he unjuſtly, This man hath done nothing amiſſe, but we have done much amiſſe (Luke 22.40, 41.) Now as this Theefe was patient under his owne juſt ſufferings, ſeeing another ſuffer who was juſt: So when we heare that the Lord afflicts thoſe who have done no evill, how ought ſuch to lay their hands upon their mouthes, who are afflicted for the evill which they have done. We know (ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 3.19.) that whatſoever the Law ſaith (in a way of threatning) it ſaith to them who are under the Law (that is, who are not onelyonly under it, as having heard the precept of the Law, but are under it alſo, as having by ſin deſerved the penalty of it) that every mouth may be ſtopped, and all the World become guilty before God; or, ſubject to the judgement of God, not having a word to object why ſentence ſhould not be executed, becauſe they have tranſgreſſed.

My prayer is pure.

Taking prayer either for the worſhip of God in generall, or for that ſpeciall duty of calling upon the name of God: Note from it,

That,

OnelyOnly pure prayer is acceptable prayer.

Cain brought an offering to God, as well as Abel; But unto Cain and his offering God had not reſpect (Gen. 4.5.) It is not what we doe, but how we doe it, which is acceptable to God.

Pure prayer is pleaſing to the pure God, and no other can pleaſe him. Heathens have told us, that their Gods require pure worſhippers, and pure worſhip: The impure ſpirit imitates God, he will be worſhipped, and he will have (according p. 336to mans opinion) a pure worſhip;Omnis proefatio ſacrorum, eos, quibus non ſunt purae manus ſacris arcet, Liv. lib. 41. Praecipuum eſt non admittere in animum mala conſilia, …uras ad caelum manus tollere. Sen. lib. 3. Nat. Qu. how much more doth the holy God require pure worſhip?

But what is it which denominates prayer pure, or when is prayer pure?

Prayer is pure:

Firſt, When it is directed to a right object, when we pray to God, and to God onelyonly: It is the ſole priviledge of God to receive prayer; O thou that heareſt prayer, to thee ſhall all fleſh come: There is but one hearer of prayer, and that is God. Daniel withſtood the Decree of the King, when he forbad him to make his prayers to God; he would rather be caſt to the Lyons, then not to pray, or pray to any beſides God: therefore he opened his window (to let them ſee his reſolution) and prayed to God thrice a day openly. We may petition living men, but we muſt pray onelyonly to the living God. All men (except ſuch as have ſinned unto death) are to be prayed for, but no man muſt be prayed unto: Neither Saint, nor Angell, nor any Creature, are the object of prayer, but God alone.

Secondly, Pure prayer muſt be right in the matter of it, as well as the object; if we pray for that which is unlawfull, our prayer muſt needs be unlawfull; as it is a ſin to doe any thing which God commands not, ſo it is a ſin to aske any thing which God allows not. God hath ſet ſpeciall bounds to three things.

Firſt, To our Faith, he teacheth us what to beleeve.

Secondly, To our actions, he teacheth us what to doe.

Thirdly, To our prayers, he teacheth us what to deſire.

We may make enlarged prayers, but we are not left at large in prayer. The ſquare or rule of prayer, is the will of God (1 John 5.14.) And this is the confidence that we have in him, if we aske any thing according to his will, he heareth us. The will of God is the rule, not onelyonly of things to be done by us, but of things which we are to aske God, to doe for us: As man naturally would rather doe, ſo he would rather have his owne will, then the will of God. Man would faine be his owne carver, but God will not let him: It pleaſes man better to goe two mile upon his owne errand, then one upon Gods errand; and it pleaſes man better to have any one thing of his owne chuſing, then two of Gods chuſing; but it ſhould not. p. 337The will of God under a threefold revelation is the rule and matter of prayer.

Firſt, The will of God in commandements; whatſoever God hath charged upon us to doe, wee may pray for power and ſtrength to doe it, or that it may be done.

Secondly, The will of God in Promiſes; what God hath ſayd he will give, we may pray to receive.

Thirdly, The will of God in Propheſies; what God hath foreſhewed ſhall come to paſſe, we muſt pray that it may come to paſſe. The prayer of man gives birth to the Propheſies of God. Thus ſaith the Lord, I will yet for this be enquired of by the Houſe of Iſrael, to doe it for them (Ezek. 36.37.) God is a ſure pay-maſter, yet he expects we ſhould ſue him, before he payes. Daniel found by Books, that the time drew nigh, for the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon; and then (ſaith he) I ſet my face unto the Lord God, to ſeek by prayer and ſupplications, with faſting, ſack-cloth, and aſhes (Dan. 9.1, 2.) The manifeſtation of the will of God in a Propheſie, is a ſtrong ground of prayer: Thus the matter of prayer, is the will of God under one of thoſe three manifeſtations, a Command, a Promiſe, or a Propheſie.

A third thing in pure prayer, is the forme of it. There is a twofold forme of prayer.

Firſt, The internall, or eſſentiall forme.

Secondly, The externall, or accidentall forme of prayer.

The externall forme, is that habit of words and expreſſions with which we cloath our deſires, when we preſent them unto God: This forme varies, not onelyonly according to the ſeverall occaſions and emergencies of this life, which call us to the duty of prayer, but alſo according to the ſeverall gifts and abilities of thoſe who pray. We are free as to this forme, from all tyes and preſcriptions, except this, that wee utter our mindes to God ſoberly, gravely, ſpiritually, with an eye to thoſe formes and patternes of wholeſome words delivered to us in the word of God; and eſpecially to that part of the word which Chriſt gave both as a compendium, and a copy of holy prayer.

But as for the eſſentiall and internall forme of prayer, that is unchangeable, and muſt ever be one and the ſame: Namely, That we pray in the name of Chriſt. One of the Ancients was p. 338much delighted in reading Tullies Hortenſius, yet this at laſt abated the edge of his delight in it, That he did not finde the name of Chriſt in it. As the Name of Chriſt is the greateſt ornament of all Books where it is;Auguſt. lib. 3. Confeſſ. cap. 4. ſo the name of Chriſt is the eſſence of all prayers; and that is no prayer, where his Name is not. (John 14.13.) Whatſoever yee aske in my Name, I will doe it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son: whatſoever yee doe, doe all in the Nome of Chriſt, giving thanks to God, through him (Col. 3.17.) To pray in the Name of Chriſt, is more then to name Chriſt in prayer: It is eaſie to name Chriſt in prayer, but it is a hard thing to pray in the Name of Chriſt. To pray in the Name of Chriſt, is,

Firſt, To looke up to Chriſt, as having purchaſed us this priviledge, that we may pray; for it is by the blood of Chriſt that vve draw neere to God, and that a Throne of grace is open for us.

Secondly, To pray in the Name of Chriſt, is to pray in the ſtrength of Chriſt.

Thirdly, To pray in the Name of Chriſt, is to pray in the vertue of the preſent mediation of Chriſt, vvhichwhich carries this acknowledgement in it, That what we aske on earth, Chriſt obtaines in Heaven.

To pray thus is no eaſie matter, and unleſſe vve pray thus, vve doe not pray at all. (John 16.23, 24.) In that day yee ſhall aske me nothing: Verily I ſay unto you, what ſoever yee ſhall aske the Father in my Name, hee will give it you. Hitherto have yee asked nothing in my Name, aske and yee ſhall receive, that your joy may be full. But how doe theſe parts of the Text conſiſt? Why doth Chriſt tell them, that they ſhall aske nothing in that day, and yet promiſe, that vvhat they aske hee vvill give? There is a twofold asking.

Firſt, By vvay of Queſtion.

Secondly, By way of Petition.

The former, is asking, that vve may know, or be informed in vvhat vve doubt; the latter, is asking, that vve may receive and be ſupplyed vvith vvhat wee vvant. Now, vvhen Chriſt ſaith, In that day yee ſhall aske me nothing: he had a little before promiſed ſuch a manifeſtation of the minde of God to them, by the ſpirit, that they ſhould not need to come and aske him; as if he had ſaid, Now yee put queſtions (as vve read they did) about many things, yee underſtand little of the myſtery of the Goſpel; p. 339but in that day yee ſhall have ſo cleere a revelation about the things of Heaven, that yee ſhall not need to propoſe your doubts, and deſire reſolution, for you ſhall be able to reſolve your ſelves by the light within you. This the Apoſtle John (1 Epiſt. 2.20.) tels the Saints, But yee have an unction from the holy one, and yee know all things: And againe (Verſ. 27.) But the annoynting which yee have received of him, abideth in you: and yee need not that any man ſhould teach you: but as the ſame annoynting teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lye; and even as it hath taught, yee ſhall abide in him. Theſe Scriptures are both a cleere expoſition, and an illuſtrious verification of that promiſe of Chriſt, In that day yee ſhall aske me nothing: that is, After my reſurrection.

But when he ſaith, Whatſoever yee aske the Father in my Name, he will give it: the meaning is, Your prayers ſhall be heard, vvhile you keep cloſe to this eſſentiall forme, Asking in my Name. Beſides this eſſentiall forme of prayer, there is alſo another forme, vvhichwhich we may call in a quallified ſenſe, eſſentiall: As vvhen the matter wee pray about is ſpirituall, and abſolutely neceſſary to ſalvation, then to pray in an abſolute forme. If it be temporall, and outward, or if it be of a ſpirituall nature, yet ſuch as is onelyonly neceſſary to the vvel-being of a Beleever, as ſpirituall gifts, yea, and the degrees of grace are, then to pray in a conditionall forme, as ſubmitting it to the will of God, not onelyonly for the time, and manner, and meanes, and meaſure vvherein, or by vvhichwhich wee ſhall receive thoſe things, but alſo ſubmitting the very things themſelves to his good pleaſure, vvhether we ſhall receive them at all, or no. Nor doth conditionall prayer hinder Faith, but looks to the rule. We may pray without doubting, though we pray vvith a condition; and vvhen we are fulleſt of ſubmiſſion, vvee may be fulleſt of confidence; yea, without ſubmiſſion in thoſe caſes, there can be no true confidence.

Fourthly, Prayer is pure, when the end vvhichwhich we ayme at is pure: The end denominates every action, as to the quality or goodneſſe of it. The great end of prayer, as of all other actions, and vvithout vvhichwhich, neither thoſe, nor this, can be called pure, is, the glory of God. Hallowed be thy name, is the firſt prayer, and that hath influence into all our prayers: we muſt pray for all, that God may be glorified, and pray for nothing that our luſts may be ſatisfied. Though wee may pray p. 340that our vvants may be ſupplyed (that may be an end) yet never that our luſts may be ſatisfied (James 4.3.) Yee aske and receive not, becauſe yee aske amiſſe: Where vvas the fault vvhichwhich the Apoſtle found, and ſpecified in thoſe prayers? Not in the object, they prayed to God; not in the matter, they prayed for things lawfull; not in the forme, they prayed in the Name of Chriſt; but the fault was in the end, yee aske amiſſe, that yee may beſtow it on your luſts. It is poſſible for a man to pray, not onelyonly for evill things, but for good things, and not onelyonly for outward good things, but for ſpirituall good things, to beſtow upon his luſts; ſome pray for ſpirituall gifts, to beſtow them on their luſts, pride, vaineglory, and covetouſneſſe; yea, it is poſſible for a man to pray for grace, to beſtow it on his luſt (ſo Hypocrites doe) though it be impoſſible for any man, who indeed receives grace, to beſtow it upon his luſt: Let your end be pure, that your prayers may be pure alſo.

Fifthly, Prayer is pure when it is mingled with, and put up in Faith. By Faith Abel offered a more excellent ſacrifice then Cain (Heb. 11.4.) and without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God (Verſ. 6.) Prayer is our comming to God, He that comes to God, muſt beleeve that God is, and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him. Faith takes hold of Chriſt, by whom only our prayers are purified; and therfore there can be no pure prayer without Faith. As God purifies our hearts by faith, ſo our prayers are purified by Faith. Faith doth not onelyonly take hold of God for the granting of our prayer, in which ſenſe 'tis ſaid (Jam. 1.6.) If any one aske, let him aske in Faith; that is, That he ſhall receive: but Faith takes hold of Chriſt for the purifying of our prayer, that ſo it may come up with acceptance before God. Hee is of purer eyes then to behold evill, he cannot looke on iniquity (to approve of it, or to like it, Hab. 1.13.) Seeing then there is much iniquity in our holy things, we muſt doe all by our High Prieſt, who (as the typical High Prieſt, did for the Children of Iſrael (Exod. 28.38.) beares the iniquity of our holy things, that we (as they) may be accepted before the Lord.

Sixthly, That, and onelyonly that, is pure prayer, which is breathed in, and breathed out, by the ſpirit of God. Edifie your ſelves in your …oſt holy Faith, pray in the holy Ghoſt (Jude. Verſ. 20.) Or, p. 341praying by the holy Ghoſt (as ſome tranſlate) that is, by the ſtrength and helpe of the holy Ghoſt. We cannot make pure prayer with our owne breath, parts, and gifts; the holy ſpirit breathes holy prayer into, and draws it out of our hearts: As we know not what to beleeve or doe aright, till the ſpirit teacheth us; ſo we know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought▪ but the ſpirit it ſelfe maketh interceſſion for us (Rom. 8.26.) The ſpirit maketh interceſſion, not as Chriſt doth; the ſpirit doth not mediate between God and us; but as it is the office of Chriſt to intercede for us with God, ſo it is the office of the holy Ghoſt to make thoſe interceſſions in us, which we put up to God: So that the ſpirit is ſaid to make interceſſion for us, becauſe the interceſſions and prayers which we make, are made by the ſpirit; the ſpirit formes them in us. As ſome duller Schollers in a Schoole, who cannot make their Exerciſes, get their exerciſes made for them by thoſe that are more pregnant; ſo the ſpirit makes interceſſion for us. We are dull, and low,foreign, particula foreign, ad nos laborantes refertur, quorum tamen vis omnis ab eo ſpiritu proficiſcitur, qui ſicut nos penitus collapſos erexit ita etiam erectos regit; ideoque dicitur ipſe viciſſim onus attollere ne ſub eo fatiſcamus. Bez. in Epiſt. ad Rom. and ſtraitned, wee cannot make a prayer, the ſpirit makes them for us in our hearts: Hence it is ſaid in the beginning of the Verſe, The ſpirit alſo helpeth our infirmities: The Greek word ſignifieth to helpe, as a Nurſe helpeth a little Childe to goe, or as a weake decrepid old man is upholden by a ſtaffe, or rather (as the compoſition of the word implyes) The ſpirit helpeth together: And then it is a Metaphor taken from thoſe who lift a weight, or a peece of Timber (too heavy for one) together: The ſpirit lends us his hand in this duty, and they who have received grace, act alſo with the ſpirit: Thus, the ſpirit helpeth together: The Spirit and a Beleever are both at it, to carry on this praying worke; yet all that ſtrength which we put to the worke flowes from the ſpirit; who as he raiſeth us when wee are quite fallen, ſo hee aſſiſts us when we are raiſed, and then wee make good worke, pure worke of it in prayer.

Laſtly, That is a pure prayer which comes from a pure perſon: And there is a double purity of the perſon neceſſary to a pure prayer.

Firſt, There is the purity of his ſtate; he muſt be a converted, and regenerated perſon, otherwiſe his prayer is abominable, though he ſhould be right in as many of the forementioned requiſites, as it is poſſible for an unregenerate man to be; p. 342as ſuppoſe he not onelyonly prayeth to God, and for ſuch things as are agreeable to the will of God, but alſo (as he thinks) for the glory of God; yet the mans prayer is impure, becauſe himſelfe is impure: God hath reſpect to the perſon, before he hath reſpect to his ſupplication. (Prov. 15.8.) The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to God; but the prayer of the upright is his delight: And againe, Hee that turnes away his eare from hearing the Law, even his prayer ſhall bee abomination (Prov. 28.9.)

Secondly, As there muſt be purity of ſtate, before there can be a pure prayer, ſo alſo purity of life, that is, he muſt be renewed in purity, not lying or continuing in any ſin (1 Tim. 2.8.) I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubtings. Holy hands, note the purity of our actions, as a holy heart notes the purity of our ſtate: To lift up the hands is to pray, the ſigne being put for the thing ſignified: The meaning is, let your prayers be holy. Firſt, without wrath to men; come not to ſeeke the favour of God, with anger and revenge in thy heart againſt man: Secondly, pray without doubting; that reſpects God, and is oppoſed to Faith: As if the Apoſtle had ſayd, Pray both in actuall Faith and Love. Yet the Greek word (foreign) there uſed, is rendered by ſome, Diſceptation, or wrangling; as if the Apoſtle had in that ſpecified one effect of wrath. 'Tis expounded alſo by others, for any internall diſtraction, or diſtemper of the mind; for the minde of man is often carryed away from God in prayer, and maintaines ſecret Dialogiſmes, diſcourſes, and conferences, in, and with it ſelfe, when it ſhould be wholly taken up with God.

The covetous mans heart talkes of Gold, and the voluptuous mans heart talkes of pleaſures, when hee ſeemes to pray: yea, theſe Foules will often come downe upon the Sacrifice of an Abraham, onelyonly as ſoone as hee eſpies them, hee drives them away; yet by theſe interruptions in prayer, as well as by any ſinfull action unrepented of, before, prayer, the holineſſe of prayer, or the lifting up of holy hands in prayer, is hindred and defaced, even in thoſe, whoſe perſons are holy. David was a man that was pure in ſtate, he was a converted perſon; yet he ſaith (Pſ. 66.18.) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not heare my prayers. Though I p. 343am pure in ſtate, yet if I am impure in life, the eare of God will ſhut againſt my ſuites (Iſa. 1.14, 15.) God rejects the prayers of his owne people, becauſe their hands were full of blood, and hence his counſell, Waſh you, make you cleane, put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes, &c. Come now let us reaſon together; ſaith the Lord (Verſ. 18.) As if he had ſaid, while I ſee your ſins, I cannot heare your prayers; while your iniquities are before mine eyes, your ſupplications cannot enter into mine eare, nor will I anſwer them. How can any ſoule expect with Faith, that God ſhould doe what he requeſts, when hee will not doe what God commands? Or that God ſhould fulfill our deſires, while wee in any thing neglect his rules?

As the prayer of an unholy perſon is turned into ſin, ſo the ſin of a holy perſon may cauſe the Lord to turne away his prayer: Then take that counſell of the Apoſtle, writing to, and of Saints (Heb. 10.22.) Let us draw nigh to God with a true heart, in full aſſurance of Faith, having our hearts ſprinkled from an evill conſcience, and our bodies waſhed with pure water: There is a twofold evill conſcience.

Firſt, That which lives in any knowne ſinne unrepented of.

Secondly, That which is unquiet and unſetled about the pardon of thoſe ſins which we have repented of.

We ſhould get both theſe evil conſciences, but eſpecially the firſt, cured and removed by the ſprinkling of the blood of Chriſt, before we draw nigh to God in prayer: as alſo our bodies waſhed in pure water, which is either an alluſion to the old Ceremonies among the Jewes, who before they came to worſhip at the Tabernacle, purged themſelves with diverſe outward waſhings, leading them to the conſideration of that morall puritie, both of heart and life, in which God is to be worſhipped; or it is an alluſion to Baptiſme in ſpeciall; in which there is an externall waſhing of the body, ſignifying the waſhing of the ſoule by the blood of Chriſt, and by the effectuall working of the ſpirit; The ſum of all is, unleſſe the perſon be pure, his prayer is not pure. Theſe are the ingredients which conſtitute pure prayer; all theſe met in Job, and therefore he concluded, not onelyonly confidently, but truely, My prayer is pure.

p. 344And as theſe are the ingredients of prayer, ſo they are all neceſſary ingredients; ſo neceſſary that if any one of them be wanting, the whole prayer is impure: They are neceſſary by a double neceſſity.

Firſt, As commanded by God in prayer.

Secondly, As meanes without which man cannot attaine his end in prayer.

The generall end of prayer, is, that prayer may be heard, accepted, and anſwered; God heares, accepts, anſwers, no one prayer, without ſome concurrence of all theſe. The Incenſe of the Ceremoniall Law was a ſhadow of prayer, which is ſo great a duty of the morall Law: But if this Incenſe had not been made exactly according to the will of God, both for the matter and the manner of the compoſition, preſcribed (Exod. 30.34, 35, 36.) If after it had been thus made, it had not alſo been offered according to thoſe rules given (Levit. 16.12, 13.) it had been an abomination to the Lord; or as the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaks (Chap. 66.3.) Such a burning of Incenſe had been but as the bleſſing of an Idol. We may conclude alſo, That, if prayer be either compoſed, or preſented in any other way then God himſelfe hath directed, it is not onelyonly turned away, but turned into ſin. That man hath ſpoken a great word, who can ſay (in Jobs ſenſe) My prayer is pure.

Thus Job juſtifies the prayer he made to God, and mainetaines his juſtice towards men. There is no injuſtice in my hands, alſo my prayer is pure: A high profeſſion, yet in the next words he goes higher, and makes both an imprecation againſt himſelfe if it were not thus with him, and an appeale to God for his teſtimony, that it was thus with him.