Exposition of Job 35-37, Exposition on Job · Chapter 37 · Verses 14-16
JOB, Chap. 37. Verſ. 14, 15, 16.
14. Hearken unto this, O Job, ſtand ſtill and conſider the wondrous works of God.
15. Doſt thou know when God diſpoſed them and cauſed the light of his cloud to ſhine?
16. Doſt thou know the ballancings of the clouds, the wonderous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
THis context begins the ſecond part of the Chapter, wherein Elihu
Firſt, exciteth Job to a ſerious contemplation of the wonderful works of God; this is expreſſed in the 4th verſe.
Secondly, He urgeth the weakneſs and inability of Job, and indeed of any man, to underſtand the full compaſs of thoſe works: And this he doth
Firſt, In general, as to them all, in the beginning of the 15th verſe, Dost thou know when God diſpoſed them?
Secondly, he ſheweth his inability as to particulars, or the ſeveral kinds of the works of God:
Firſt, As to his cauſing of the Light to ſhine, in the cloſe of the 15th verſe.
Secondly, As to his weighing or ballancing of the Clouds, verſe 16th.
The ſumme of theſe three verſes, together with the two next which follow, make up an earneſt exhortation, that Job conſidering, and comparing that great power and wiſdom of God, which appear & ſhine in thoſe forementioned works, with his own weakneſs and inſufficiency, would therefore humble himſelf, and not venture any further to conteſt or plead with God.
And becauſe many of the Lords providential works are unſearchable, as wel as theſe which are natural, therefore Elihu would not have J…b buſie himſelf in any curious prying into thoſe which concerned his preſent condition. For, if there be infinite and unerring wi…dom tempered with mercy, and juſtice with goodneſs, in all the outward diſpenſations of God, ordering the motions and Meteors of the Heavens, the Clouds, the Rain, the Snow and Hail, the Lightning and the Thunder; then ſurely Job ought to ſit down convinced, that there is a like temperament of eq…ity with ſeverity, and of goodneſs with ſharpneſſe in all his dealings with men, and was with him in particular. That's the ſcope and purpoſe of Elihu all along, in reading Job this Philoſophical Lectu…e, or in putting Queſtions to him about the things of Nature, and the regiment of God in theſe inferiour heavens, the Air, where all things ſeem to move without rule, or by no rule other than what Nature alone impoſeth.
Verſ. 14. Hearken unto this, O Job.
We have more than once met with this awakening exhortation, which calleth for ſuch an harkening, as if a man were to be all ear in attending what is ſpoken. We may well render it, Ear this, O Job, take it, drink it in at thine ear; Hearken
Ʋnto this;
Elihu doth not exhort him to attention in general, but draws it down to ſome ſpecial matter, Hearken unto this, O Job. Which words may have a double reference, either
Firſt, to what he had ſaid before (verſ. 13th) telling him how God ſends the Rain and cauſeth the Cloud to come, either for correction, or for his land, or for mercy; Hearken unto this, O Job, here's a leſſon for thee, remember it well, God ſends forth theſe ſervants of his, the Clouds to do his work, either for correction or for mercy, either in favour or in judgment; Hearken unto this, O Job: Or,
Secondly, The words may refer to that which followeth, and ſo, as one calls them, they are an Exordium, a brief Exordium, or ſhort preface to what Elihu had further to ſay; as if he would a little relieve the ſpirits and quicken the attention of Job, by acquainting him, that he had ſome new matter to lay before him. As if he had ſaid, I have not yet uttered all my mind, I have ſomewhat more upon my heart, which I cannot hold in, both for thy conviction and inſtruction; Hearken unto this, O Job.
Yet it may be queſtioned, why Elihu ſhould thus ſtir up his attention, either to conſider what he had ſpoken, or what he was now about to ſpeak? Was Job a heedleſs, an un-attentive hearer? We may conceive he was occaſioned to give him this ſpur, or excitation, for theſe three reaſons, or at leaſt ſome of them.
Firſt, We may ſuppoſe, that Job having been entertained with a long diſcourſe, began to grow weary and ſlacken his attention, and therefore, as when we ſee one in a congregation remiſſe in hearing, or ſleeping out a weighty point, we jog him, or ſay, Hearken to this; ſo Elihu here.
Hence note, Firſt; A good hearer of the Word, may ſometimes want an awakening word.
He that is not (as Job was not) a first, nor ſecond, nor third-ground-hearer, but (as Job was) a fourth-ground-hearer, one that heareth with a good and honeſt heart, yet, even he may a little let down his watch, and give juſt occaſion to the ſpeaker for ſuch a ſhort diverſion as Elihu here uſed, Hearken (I pray) to this. There is a willingneſs of ſpirit in all fourth-ground, or right-hearted hearers, yet, there is alſo, even in them, a weakneſs of the fleſh; corruption may be ſtirring, temptation may be working, therefore 'tis no unneceſſary jealouſie in the Miniſters of the Goſpel, ſometimes to mingle or interweave ſuch paſſages as theſe, in ſpeaking to them, pray hearken, ſtir up and awaken your ſelves: There may be need of this (I ſay) where there is a general good bent of heart. Some pretending hearers are like the Idols of the heathen, who have eyes and ſee not, eares and hear not; who, when they are hearing, ſet themſelves, at leaſt give way, to ſleep, and willingly yeeld to the drowſineſs of their ſpirits; this ſheweth an evil heart: but a good man may be overtaken with drowſineſſe, and find much indiſpoſition to duty, while he is in duty, and then he will count it a favour, to hear ſuch a word as this caſt in, Pray hearken.
Secondly, Elihu might afreſh provoke him to more ſerious attention, becauſe the matter he had to deliver, was of more importance, or did more nearly concern him, than what he had ſaid before.
Hence note; Though the whole truth of God is to be attended to, yet there are ſome truths that call for ſpecial attention.
Here is an accent put upon the point in hand, Hearken to this. We ſhould not let any truth fall to the ground, truth is precious quite through, and we may ſay of truth as of gold, the very filings of it are precious. We ſave the leaſt duſt of Gold, every grain of it is of worth, and ſo is every grain, or the leaſt duſt of divine truth. One jot, one tittle of the Law (ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 5.18.) ſhall in no wiſe paſſe till all be fulfilled; Surely then, no jot, no tittle of it ſhould be lightly paſſed by, by us. Yet there are ſome divine truth like ſtuds of maſſe gold, or as jewels, which ought to be more carefully attended to, and laid up in the cabinet of the heart; Some truths have an emphaſis, a Selah ſet upon them, O hearken to theſe. Chriſt ſaith in the Goſpel, about the tything of mint, anniſe and cummin, Theſe things ye ought to do, but be ſure ye do not leave the weightier matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy and Faith undone (Matth. 23.23.) ſo ſay I, attend to the leaſt truths, but be ſure ye attend to fundamental truths, to thoſe truths upon which the whole weight of the ſoul ſtands; Such is, The great Myſtery of Godlineſs, God manifest in the fleſh; and the great Grace of Faith in that Myſtery: Theſe, with ſeveral others, are the fundamentals, the very vitalls of Religion; all falls and dies, unleſſe ye ſtand faſt and live in theſe: O hearken unto them.
Thirdly, Elihu may be conceived to ſpeak thus to Job, becauſe he ſaw him about to interrupt him; poſſibly he might perceive a little paſſion ſtirring in him, therefore, not only to keep up his attention, or to wind up his watch, but to repreſs and keep down ſome ſtormy troubled motions riſing in his ſpirit, Elihu made this ſhort interlocution or digreſſion, Hearken to this, O Job, ſuffer me to ſpeak out, do not take me off, I have not yet done.
Hence note; Patience is neceſſary in a good hearer;
And that not only for the doing what is heard, but for the hearing of it. As we can never bring forth the fruit of that which we hear without patience, ſo neither can we without patience hear that which ſhould make us fruitful. The great grace to be exerciſed in hearing the Word, is Faith; yet we have need of Patience in hearing the Word, and that in a double reſpect.
Firſt, We have need of Patience, as to continuance in hearing. Some would fain have done preſently, they cannot ſit it out, an hour is an year to them, the word is a wearineſs to them, they ſoon think they have enough.
Secondly, There is need of patience for ſubmiſſion to what is heard. How ſhort ſoever the Sermon is, yet when it pincheth the conſcience and pricketh the heart, it is not eaſily born. They who hear quietly ſome wo…ds of truth, will not endu…e ſome other; we hardly continue hearing with any patience, when to us, the word heard, is a hard ſaying, and bares hard upon either, our conſciences or our practiſes; when the ſinger is, as it were, laid upon, and preſſeth the ſore, few can endure it. 'Tis eaſie to hear pleaſing things, but that which croſſeth our ſpirits or our wayes calls for patience. When Stephen, the Proto-martyr, preached to the Jews, and brought the word home to their conſciences, by that cloſe application (Acts 7.51.) Ye ſtiff-necked and uncircumciſed in heart and ear, ye do alwayes reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt; as y…ur Fathers did, ſo do ye. At this word, or, when they heard theſe things, they were cut to the heart (ſaith the text) and they gnaſhed on them with their teeth; their patience was quite ſpent, they could hear no longer. And when St. Paul ſpake to that g…eat Aſſembly (Acts 22.1,—22, 23.) They gave him audience unto this word (I will ſend thee to the Gentiles) and then lift up their voices and ſaid, away with ſuch a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he ſhould live: Then they cryed out, and caſt off their clothes, and threw dust in the air. Thus they raved and were enraged, like angry, yea like mad dogs, when once their title was queſtioned, or (as we ſpeak) their coppy-hold toucht, by the mention of the Gentiles, whom they greatly deſpiſed, and judged themſelves ſo much above. Hearken to this, to this pinching word, to the word that ſtrikes upon your luſts. The length of a Sermon ſpoiles the patience of ſome, but the ſtrength and ſearching power of it, ſpoiles the patience of more. A ſincere heart is willing to hear all, and is moſt pleaſed to hear that word, which gives deepeſt wounds to any corruption of heart or tranſgreſſion of life. Such words are wholſome, though bitter or ſharp, and the more they make us ſmart, the more medicinal and healing they are.foreign Stat, ſc. permentis rectitudinem. Aquin. Hearken unto this, O Job, Stand ſtill and conſider the wonderous works of God.
Elihu not only deſires Job to hearken, but to ſtand ſtill and conſider.
There is a twofold ſtanding ſtill.
Firſt, Bodily. I do not conceive Elihu impoſing any ſuch geſture or compoſure upon Job, as to ſtand ſtill and not ſtir his body. The Hebrew is but one word, ſtand up. There is a liberty as to any comly geſture of the body in hearing; a man may lawfully ſit as-well as ſtand and hear, yet to ſtand up and hear, ſheweth a readineſſe of the mind, and a hungring deſire after the Word.
Secondly, There is a ſtanding ſtill of the mind. The body may ſtand as ſtill as a ſtake or ſtone, while the mind is in ſtrong motion, yea, while there are moſt vehement commotions and perturbations in the mind. This ſtill-ſtanding of the mind in hearing what is ſpoken may be taken in a double oppoſition.
Firſt, To any impatience, unquietneſs or uncompoſedneſs of the mind when the word is ſpoken.
Secondly, To any irreverence, ſlighting or diſregarding of the word ſpoken. To ſtand ſtill is to get the ſpirit quiet, to hear patiently; or to ſtand ſtill is to get the heart into a reverential frame, to hear affectionately. So then, to ſtand ſtill implieth both patience and reverence. We have like admonitions in the 30th chapter of this book (verſ. 20.) and chapter 32d (verſ. 16.) Yea, that admonition of Balaam was of like ſence with this (Num. 23.18.) Riſe up Balak, and hear. When Balaam was about to deliver his parable, and declare the mind of God concerning Iſrael, he called upon Balak to riſe and ſtand up, that is, to entertain the meſſage with reſpect. Hearken unto this, O Job, ſtand ſtill.
Hence note; We ought to be in a gracious quietneſs and compoſure of ſpirit when we are called to hear and mind what God hath done or ſpoken.
Further, We ought to have a quiet, ſedate, compoſed ſpi it, not only when we hear doctrinal truths delivered from the word of God, but alſo when we hear of the providences and various wo…ks of God. As this word, ſtand ſtill, may refer to the words going before, Hearken unto this, ſo to thoſe which follow, Conſider the wonderful works of God: And then the duty required in them reaches both his Word and Works. It is a great power of grace which cauſeth the heart to ſtand ſtill in this ſence, that is, to be in a quiet frame when the works of God trouble us, or are troubleſome to us. Thus M…ſes beſpake the Iſraelite (Exod 14.12.) Stand ſtill, and ſee the ſalvation of God. It was a very t…oubleſome time with the Iſraelites, they were ready to give themſelves and all they had for loſt, when Moſes exhorted them to ſtand ſtill. Nothing but faith in God can make us ſtand ſtill when we are ready to fail, and that will certainly do it. Unbelief makes the heart as unquiet as theirs was upon the report of a war againſt Judah (Iſa. 7.2.) And his heart (that is, the heart of Ahaz) was moved, and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. 'Tis hard travel of ſoul to ſta…d ſtill and ſee the ſalvation of God, when every thing ſeen threa…ens deſ…lation. The Lord is repreſented requiring us to do ſo (Pſal. 46.10.) Be ſtill, and know that I am God. When the Pſalmiſt had ſpoken of the deſolating works of God, he added this word from the Lord, be ſtill; as if he had ſaid, the Lord commandeth you …o be of a quiet and compoſed ſpirit, when all things ſeem to be in a hurry or confuſion; for, he had ſaid before (verſ. 8.) Come, behold the works of the Lord, what deſolations he hath made in the earth! Yet even now (ſaith the Lord) Be ſtill, and know that I am God. David at the beginning of the Pſalm had profeſſed a f…rm purpoſe in himſelf and in all the faithful w…th him, for ſuch a ſtill-ſtanding, how-ever things moved or matters ſhould go, yea, tumble in this world (verſ. 1, 2.) Though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the ſea, though the waters thereof roar, &c. We will not fear, God is our refuge and ſtrength. How comely is it for man thus to ſtand ſtill in a ſilent and believing conſideration of what God hath done or is doing; to which Elihu called Job expreſly, in the next words, ſtand ſtill; Conſider the wonderous works of God.
Here is, Firſt, Conſideration.
Secondly, Conſideration of the works of God.
Thirdly, Conſideration of the wonderous works of God.
To conſider, foreign a foreign intelligere.is the ſpecial work of the Underſtanding, or of the intellectual Powers. To conſider, is the moſt proper work of a rational creature. It is no eaſie matter to conſider our ſelves, what we are, and what we have done, or what we are doing (Hag. 1.7.) Conſider your wayes: But 'tis a harder matter to conſider God, as good in his being and na…u e, and as good in his workings & operations. That's the buſineſs of this text, …onſ…der the wonderous works of God; conſider them in the fullneſs of them, and conſider them fully. In which ſence the Prophet reproves the Jews for their non-conſideration, Iſrael doth not know, my people do not conſider (Iſa. 1.3.) They do not conſi…er what I have done, nor what I am doing; they are an inconſiderate and regardleſs people, and therefore a people not to be rega…ded. There's nothing worth the taking notice of in a people or perſon, who take no notice of the works of God. They who will not conſider his doings will quickly be inconſiderable, and of no account with him. Conſider the wonderful works of God.
Conſideration is oppoſed to two things;
Firſt, To ſlightneſs of Spirit, or the light paſſing over of what we hear or ſee.
Secondly, to unquietneſs and paſſionateſs of ſpirit, becauſe of what we hear or ſee. Some lightly paſs things by, others think of the wo…ks of God in a paſſion, or with a kind of rage; they are rather vexing themſelves about the wonderous works of God, than conſidering them. Conſideration is a wo…k that ſtands between theſe two extreams, ſlightneſſe and unquietneſſe of ſpirit. Conſideration requires a ſerious ſoul, and if right, it makes the ſoul patient. They who once conſider the works of God rightly, will reſt in them ſatisfiedly. Conſider the wonderful works of God.
Elihu was ſpeaking of thoſe works of God in the Air, the Meteors, Clouds and Rain, &c. as under the rule of his providence; now ſaith he, Conſider
The wonderful works of God.
This informs us, that the works of God are very conſiderable.
Firſt, In natural things; that is, what God doth in diſpoſing the courſe of nature, muſt be duely conſidered by man.
Secondly, In civil things, that is, in what he doth in ordering the affaires of men; and theſe either publick in Nations, or private in Families: In all theſe God hath his workings, and his wo…ks in all muſt be conſidered.
Thirdly, In ſpiritual things, what he doth in wayes of grace upon the ſouls of men, in convincing and converting them, in humbling and comforting them, which are his choiceſt and moſt excellent works of all. Now, though all theſe works of God are to be conſide…ed, the laſt eſpecially; yet the workes of God here ſet before Job, are thoſe in Nature, and the providential diſpoſure of them: theſe are no ſmall matters; Elihu calls them, and ſo they are, wonderful; Conſider the wonderful works of God.
Theſe works of God in and about natural things, may be diſt…ibuted into thoſe that are common and ordinary, or thoſe that are rare and extraordinary. Elihu is not treating here about the rare, extraordinary works of God, but about the common and ordinary works of God in the Clouds, the Rain and Winds, &c. yet he calls them wonderful; Conſider (ſaith he) the wonderful works of God.
From the connexion, in that Elihu bids Job ſtand ſtill, and then conſider the wonderful works of God;
Obſerve, Fi…ſt; We can never conſider things aright, till our minds come to a rest and are quiet.
We cannot make a true uſe of our reaſon, when we are much moved with paſſion; we muſt ſtand ſtill before we can conſider. Moſes, when the buſh bu ned and did not conſume, ſaid, I will now turn aſide and ſee this great ſight, why the buſh is not burnt, (Exod. 3.3.) He went near and ſtood, conſidering that wonderful wo k of God; He was not in a fright, he was not ſcared to ſee a burning buſh, but he ſtood in a well compoſed frame of mind, to conſider what his eyes beheld, or the meaning of that ſtrange ſight.
Secondly, Note; The works of God are matter of great conſideration.
As the word of God is to be conſide ed, ſo his works, and none can profitably conſider the word of God, unleſs they conſider the works of God too; His wo…ks are a Comment upon his word, the word of God is exemplified in his wo…ks; what God ſpeaketh that he doth. We may find the word of God tranſc ib…d in his works, I (ſaith David, Pſal. 77.12.) will meditate alſo of all thy works, and talke of thy doings. The Character given of a godly man (Pſal. 1.2.) is, He meditates in the Law of God night and day; and (Pſal. 119.148.) M…ne eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. N…w …g d…y man ſhould meditate the word, ſo the works of God nigh… and day. David was reſolved to do ſo in the place before-men…ioned; as alſo (Pſal 143.5.) I (ſaith he) remember the dayes of old, I meditate on all thy works: I muſe on the work of thy hand. Did we rightly conſider the works of God, how juſt, how goo… they are, we would b… more in doing good wo…ks, and we ſhould do …u… good w… ks better. If any ask, How are we to conſider the works of God? I anſwer,
Firſt, Conſider them in their number, that they are many. The wonde…full works of God are innumerable; he doth not only one, not only two or three, but many, very many wonderfull works: Many, O Lord my God (ſaith David, Pſal. 40.5.) are the wonderfull works w ich thou haſt done.
Secondly, Conſider the wonderfull works of God in their kinds o… ſorts, wo…ks of Creation, or wo…ks of Providence. The wo…ks of God in Providence are very va…ious; His wo…ks in the Heavens, & his wo…ks on the Earth, his wo…ks of j…dgment, and his works of mercy, his wo…ks of patience, & his wo…ks of vengeance, his works in delivering us from evill, and his works for the continuance of our good, …e very various; and 'tis our duty to conſider them all. Whatſoever or how…oever God is pleaſed to wo…k, the thoughts of man ſhould work upon it, and give him the glory of it.
Thirdly, The wo…ks of God are to be conſidered, as in their number and kinds or ſo …s, ſo in their circumſtances: As we are to conſide… ou… ſins, not only in their kind, but circumſtances, which exceedingly agg…avate and heighten ſin; ſo circumſtances in the wo…ks of God muſt be conſidered, for they exceedingly heighten the works of God: As the circumſtances of a ſin may make a ſin, li…tl… for …he ma…ter, very great and exceeding ſinfull; ſo a circumſtance in my wo k of God may make it (though little in it ſelf) great and wonde full. We leave out the very ſtrength of a wo k of me…cy, when we paſſe by the circumſtances of it: A work of me…cy done in ſu…h a …ime, in ſuch a way, a work done for ſuch a people, for a people ſo undeſerving, renders the work much more conſiderable, and valuable. The Lord (ſaith David, Pſal. 111.4.) hath made his wonderfull works to be remembred. The old tranſlation ſaith, The mercifull and gracious Lord hath ſo done his marveilous works, that puts a ſo upon his works, he hath not only done them, but, he hath done them ſo, in ſuch a way, with ſuch circumſtances, he hath put ſuch marks, ſuch accents upon them, that they are to be remembred, that they cannot but be remembred. It is but an half conſideration of the works of God, to conſider them abſtractly and nakedly, without their cloathings, that is, their circumſtances of time, place, perſons, when, where, how, for whom, and by whom they were done.
Fourthly, We ſhould conſider the works of God, in their aims, ends, and tendencies; not only what they are, but what they lead to, what the purpoſe of God may be in them, with reſpect to our ſelves, with reſpect to the Church, with reſpect to the world, is very conſiderable. There is not a drop of rain that falls from Heaven, but it hath a purpoſe in it, and that not only to feed and nouriſh man by making the earth fruitfull, but to make our hearts and lives fruitfull.
Or thus, We are to conſider the works of God in their aimes, Firſt, as to God, to ſet forth his power, wiſdome, goodneſs. Secondly, as to man; Firſt, to draw man nearer to God; Secondly, to raiſe him up in thankfulneſs; Thirdly, in holineſs and conformity to the will of God. Now, if this be to conſider the wo…ks of God, then we may inferre;
Though there be many who ſee the works of God, yet there are but few who conſider them. It is an eaſie thing to ſee the wo…ks of God, that's only eye-work, but to conſider them is difficult, that's head-work and heart-work too. Though I conceive, that word rendred to ſee, is ſomtimes uſed in the ſence of this Text, for conſideration (Iſa. 26.11.) When thy hand is lifted up they will not ſee. They could not chooſe but ſee with their eyes, that ſuch things were done, but they did not ſee, or rather would not ſee, as ſeeing notes conſidering, the hand and aime of God in doing them: They who have no mind to anſwer and ſubmit to, to p…ofit by, and confo…me to the works of God, have no ca…e, nor will they take the pains, to get ſuch a ſight of them. So that while moſt ſee the works of God ocularly, while they ſee the outſide, the bulke and body of them, they ſee not the works of God ſpi…i…ually, no nor ſo much as rationally. 'Tis not a glance of the eye, but the ſtudy of the min… which is required in ſeeing the works of God. And hence it is that though there are ſtore of ſpectators and talkers of the works of God, yet there are few conſiderers of them. Every one almoſt will be ſpeaking of the great things which God doth, ſaying, What do you hear? or do you not hear what is done, what is come to paſſe? but where is the conſideration of what is done, or of what hath paſſed? who ſtayeth his thoughts, and breathes wiſely upon the works of God? They are wiſe indeed who do ſo, as David concluded, after a long and moſt excellent diſcourſe of the works of God, (Pſal. 107.43.) Who is wiſe and will obſerve theſe things (as if he had ſaid, None but the wiſe will nor can obſerve them) even they ſhall underſtand the loving kindneſs of the Lord.
Thirdly, What are thoſe works which Elihu here calls the wonderfull works of God? Surely thoſe deſcribed both in th… foregoing and ſubſequent part of this Chapter are (which are no prodigies in Nature) the Winds, Rain, Froſt, Snow, Thunder and Lightning: Theſe are the matter of his diſcourſe, and of theſe he ſaith Conſider the wonderfull works of God.
Hence obſerve; The common, conſtant, and ordinary works of God, are full of wonders.
Though we rightly diſtinguiſh the works of God (as was touched before) into ordinary and extraordinary, common and wonderfull, yet did we fully underſtand them, there is a kind of wonder and miraculouſneſs in all the works of God, even in his moſt common, ordinary, or every dayes wo…ks. What is more ordinary and common than the generation and formation of man, Yet (ſaith David, Pſal. 139.15.) I will praiſe thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marveilous are thy works, and that my ſoul knoweth right well. And the reaſon why we do not look out the wonders of that and of many other common works of God, is, becauſe they are ſo common. The very falling of the Rain hath a wonder in it, the blowing of the Wind hath a wonder in it, the motion of the Clouds hath a wonder in it, the growing of every ſpire of graſs out of the earth hath a wonder it it, the budding out of every leaf and bloſſom on the tree hath a wonder in it; yet becauſe theſe things are common, we do not think nor call them wonderfull. Every one would think i… a wonder to ſee a dry rod, a rod cut off from the tree, bloſſom, as Aarons did (Numb. 17.8.) but who thinks it a wonder, to ſee a tree well rooted in the earth bloſſom every Spring? yet there is a wonder, a wonderfull work of God in that al…o.Magnitudine rerum conſ…etudo ſubducit: I…a enim compoſiti ſu…us, ut nos, quotidi ant etiamſi admiratione digna ſint. tran…eam. Sen: l, 7. Nat: quaell: c. 11. A Heathen Philo…opher could ſay from his own ob…e…vation of things and perſons, Cuſtom takes away admiration. Such is the genius or ſpi it of mankind, that we never admire what we often ſee or meet with, though in it ſelf it be never ſo admirable. Who admires the motion of the Sun every day? yet the Suns motion every day is as miraculous and ſtu…endious, as its ſtanding ſtill was in that day of Joſhua's battel with the Kings, or as its retrograde motion or going back was in that day of King Hezekiah's recovery from a mortal diſeaſe. That ſuch a vaſt body as the Sun, ſhould take and fulfill ſuch a journey, ſhould paſs ſuch an unconceivable ſpace in twenty-four houres, is an amazing wonder,Sol ſpectatorem, niſi cum d…fi it, non habet; nemo obſervat lunam, niſi laborantam. yet no man wonders at it. I… hath been ſaid, The Sun and Moon have hardly any beholders (they can ſcarcely get a look from us) unleſs when Eclipſed, and then all men ſtand gazing and wondering at them, every one will be looking towards them with hands lifted up, & ſay, O ſtrange! yet the Eclipſes of the Sun & Moon are far eaſier to the conceptions of R…aſon, than the motion of the Sun and Moon is, conſidering the vaſt courſe they run and performe every day. We admire things out of courſe, or when their courſe is diſturbed, yet the conſtant courſe of things is much more admirable; every time the Sun riſeth, every time the rain falleth, every time the wind bloweth, every time the tyde turneth, we have a wonderfull work of God preſented to our contemplation. Though Aſtronomers and Philoſoph…rs have ſpoken much of the reaſon or cauſe of theſe things, yet they cannot reach the bottom of them. The Stoicks differ from the Peripateticks, each having probable and plauſible a…guments for their opinion about naturall things; yet none of them hit the matter fully, becauſe there is a wonderfulneſs in them which God is pleaſed to hide from man, as alſo becauſe they were not at all guided by a divine Light in the diſquiſition of them, but meerly by humane reaſon and n…turall underſtanding.
Let this be remember'd, The o…dinary works of God have wonders in them. I ſhall conclude this poynt with paralelling the extraordinary and ordinary works of God, as to the reall wonderfulneſs of them, by two Scripture miracles. The ſtopping of the fire from burning the three Children, was a wonderfull work of God; ſo alſo is the making of ſuch a creature as burning Fire, yet who wonders at it? It was a wonderfull work of God to ſtop the mouthes of thoſe hungry Lyons from devouring Daniel; ſo alſo is the making of a devouring Lyon, yet who wonders at it? Now, ſeeing there are wonders even in the ordinary works of God,
We may take much comfort in our ſtraits, for 'tis no hard matter with God to work wonders; he works ſome for us every day, they are his daily works. If we need a miracle to ſave us in an eminent danger, God can do it; when we ſee no means in the world to produce ſuch an effect, yet we are never the further from it. Gods ordinary works are full of wonder; He doth the hardeſt things with as much eaſe, as thoſe which we call and count the eaſieſt.
Elihu having thus awakened the attention of Job, and called him in generall to that internal work of conſideration about the external works of God, he (I ſay) having done this, deſcends to particulars in the next verſe, and thoſe which follow.
Verſ. 15. Doeſt thou know when God diſpoſed them, and cauſed the light of his Cloud to ſhine?
Here Elihu begins to come upon Job thick and three-fold (as we ſay) with his queſtions, he puts him many queſtions, and hard ones; and ſo doth God alſo, Chapter 38th, 39th, and 40th. And as here Elihu, ſo there God poſeth or examineth Job in the things of Nature. If we look from this verſe to the end of Gods diſcourſe with Job, we may find this queſtion, Doeſt thou know? put more than twenty times to Job. But why are theſe poſing queſtions put ſo often? I anſwer, to humble Job and ſilence him from queſtioning the dealings of God with him; why did God alter my condition? why have I been thus afflicted? why emptied from veſſel to veſſel, ſaid Job? I would faine know the reaſon of my ſufferings. Well, ſaith God▪ anſwer my queſtions firſt; I would know this or that of thee; and ſo ſaith Elihu in the behalfe of God, Doeſt thou know when God diſpoſed them?foreign ordinare, ſtatuere, decernerae.
The word rendred diſpoſe, ſignifieth to order, direct, appoynt, and determine; to diſpoſe is all theſe. Doeſt thou know when God diſpoſed them?
What? Some refer the them, to all that had been ſpoken of before, to the Clouds, the Rain, the Thunder, the Lightning, the Light; Doeſt thou know when God did order the Clouds to Thunder and Rain, or the Sun to ſhine? As if he had ſaid, God diſpoſed of theſe without asking thy adviſe; did he acquaint thee with the orders he ſent to the Clouds, or with the commands which he gave to the Lightning and the Thunder? Canſt thou tell when God will work, or what he will work in the Clouds? He may be making preparation for faire weather or ſoule weather there, and thou never the wiſer, but altogether uncertain of what he is about. Thus he humbleth Job, & labours to take him off from his murmurings and complainings, as alſo from over-bold queryings and queſtionings about the providential wo…kings of God with, and towards him, by bringing him under a full conviction of his great inability to underſtand or comprehend the natural works of God, or when God ſet the Law and gave the Rule to or about theſe things; Doest thou know when God diſpoſed them?
Hence Note; Firſt, God did not only make the world, and all the furniture of it, but he diſpoſeth the motions of every creature in it:
All things move as they are influenced by his power, and directed by his wiſdome. The date of Gods order for diſpoſing the creature is from the beginning, yea from everlaſting. As the model of the Creation, what things ſhould be, was with him from everlaſting, ſo was the model of Providence, how all things ſhould be governed and diſpoſed of. The government of the world is as much of God as the Creation o… giving of it a being. From the Starrs in Heaven, to the Wormes creeping upon the Earth, all creatures were and are guided in their courſe by him; he hath ſet them bounds which they cannot paſſe, and ſent out his word to them which they faile not to obſerve. Heathens, generally, did not acknowledge God to be the Maker of the world, nor did they acknowledge him the diſpoſer of it, but aſcribed all the viciſſitudes here below to blind Fortune, or to uncertain Chance. Ariſtotle, the fore-man, the wiſeſt of that rank, thought the World was eternal; he could not find how it had a beginning, and therefore concluded it had none: yet others of the wiſe Heathen had a notion that there was a beginning, that there was a firſt-worker, but when or how he wrought they could not tell. And as the wiſeſt men, who had but the light of nature and reaſon to teach them, were very dark about the beginning of all things, ſo alſo about their motion, they thought that all things either moved of themſelves, or that the ſupream Power having put Nature into a courſe, it acted alone, ſo that God never medled about particulars. Whereas we are taught and aſſured, by this Scripture-Text, and many more, that God not only made all things, but diſpoſeth all things, even to the fall of a Sparrow upon the ground, or to the loſs of an hair of the head (Math. 10.20.) Chriſt ſaith alſo (John 5.17.) My father worketh hitherto, and I work. Creation was a work ended in ſix dayes, but Providence is a wo…k that never ends; thus God alwayes worketh, though alwayes at reſt. That's the leſſon here intended.
It may be matter of much comfort to us, that all things are ordered by God, that he diſpoſeth of Thunder and Lightning, of Rain and Wind, of Snow and Froſt; much more may it comfort us, that he diſpoſeth the affaires of men, of his Church and People. Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world (Acts 15.18.) and therefore the Prophet brings in the Lo…d thus ſpeaking of himſelf (Iſa. 46.9, 10.) I am God and there is none elſe, I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done. He that knoweth what the end of all things will be, muſt needs diſpoſe of all ſecond cauſes, and intermediate acts leading thereunto. The reaſon why men often miſ-reckon and faile of their expectation about the ends and iſſues of things, is, becauſe they have not all the means in their power, yea, I may ſay, they have not any of the means fully, no nor at all in their own power. The way of man is not in himſelf, how then can his ends be? only God knoweth what ſhall be the concluſion, becauſe he hath the full diſpoſure of all the premiſes, means, and wayes, by which the concluſion is brought about. Let us adore and conſider the power of God, as well in diſpoſing of the creature, as in making of it.
Again, Doeſt thou know? &c.
Surely thou doeſt not. The queſtion here, as often elſewhere, carrieth in it a ſtrong denial.
Hence Note; Men know little of the works and wayes of God.
Some men are called knowing, and o…hers ignorant, but all men are deficient in their knowledge both of the nature and works of God. Doeſt thou know? But was Job ſome ignorant ſimple perſon? Surely no, Job was one of the wiſeſt as well as greateſt men of that age, he was as well verſed as any in the ſtudy and knowledge both of natural and ſpiritual things; Nor is he cha…ged by Elihu here with ignorance ſimply, but with ignorance as to this, this was too high and too hard for him. We may with reverence enough queſtion their knowledge in ſome things, who are very knowing men in m…ſt things.
There are ſome things which 'tis a ſhame for a man not to know. The Apoſtle ſpeaks often in that language (Rom. 2.4.) Deſp…ſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and f…rbearance, and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? What a ſhame is it that any who know any thing ſhould not know and underſtand the ſcope of the mercy of God to ſinners; What! knoweſt thou not, that fo…bearance leads to repentance? Again, the ſame Apoſtle in the ſame Epiſtle puts the like upbrayding queſtion (Rom. 7.1.) Know ye not (for I ſpeak to them that know the Law) how that the Law hath d…min…on over a man as long as he liveth. He is n t worthy to be reck…ned as a piece of mankind, who is altogether unknowing; no… is he worthy to be reckoned among the men of his profeſſion, who knows not the common principles of it. While the Apoſtl… ſp…ke to thoſe who knew the Law, he preſumed they were not ignorant of that Rule in Law, that the Law which hath or ſhould have dominion over all men living, hath no dominion over any man beyond this life. Now (I ſay) as it is a ſhame for any man not to know th…ſe things which are requi…ed of him, and ſpecially concern him, ſo 'tis a preſumption fo… any man to ſeek the knowledge of thoſe things which are purpoſely reſerved and hidden from him, (Deut. 29.29.) Secret things belong to God, revealed things to us and to our children. Chriſt ſaith of the latter day, of the day of Judgment, (Math. 24.36.) Of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels of Heaven, but my Father only: and he removed the cu…ioſity of his Apoſtles immediately before his aſc…nſion, for e…qui ing after that kind of knowledge (Acts 1.7.) It is not f…r you to know the times or the ſeaſons which the Father hath put in his own power. As it is not profitable, ſo not lawfull for us to look after the knowledge of thoſe things, which God hath lockt up and kept ſecret. Let us take heed we be neither ſound unknowing in thoſe things which it is a ſhame for us not to know, not curiouſly prying into the knowledge of thoſe things which are reſtrained from our knowledge. But (to the preſent poynt) i… may be much matter of humiliation to us, that of thoſe things which we have a liberty, and 'tis our duty to know, we know ſo little. Job had free liberty to know, and ſearch after the knowledge of thoſe things about which Elihu put his queſtions, the Meteors of the air, and the motions of thoſe ſuperiour bodyes; yet Elihu, knew he could ſay little in anſwer to theſe queſtions, when he asked him, Doeſt thou know? &c. And therefore his purpoſe was to humble Job, while he made him ſee and know his own ignorance. And did the moſt knowing man in the world know his own ignorance, that would (I am ſure it might) make him very humble. We are apt to be very proud of a very ſmall portion of knowledge, a little puffs us up; whereas the ſence of our defects in knowledge may both make and keep us little in our own eyes: We ſhould be thankfull for that little which we know, and humble becauſe we know ſo little.
Elihu having by the Queſtion now opened, convinced Job in in general that he knew but little of the works of God, proceeds in the cloſe of this verſe, and further forwards, to convince him further of his defectiveneſs in knowledge, by putting the ſame queſtion about many other particulars: And the firſt particular about which he puts the ſame queſtion, is the Light of the Cloud; Doeſt thou know when God diſpoſed them, And cauſed the light of his Cloud to ſhine?
He queſtions Job again about another poynt, the weighing the Clouds (v. 16.) Doeſt thou know the ballancing of the Clouds, the wonderfull works of him that is perfect in knowledge? As if he had ſaid, Gods cauſing the light of his Cloud to ſhine, and his ballancing the Cl…uds, are wonderfull works, even the wonderfull works of him who is perfect in knowledge; and tell me Job, Doeſt thou know theſe things? Doeſt thou know when God diſpoſed them, And cauſed the light of his Cloud to ſhine?
We muſt here repeat the former queſtion; and, Doeſt thou know when God cauſed the light of his Cloud to ſhine? yea, ſome read this latter part of the ve…ſe in dependance upon the former; Doeſt thou know when God diſpoſed them, tha… he might cauſe the light of his Cloud to ſhine? But I rather take it as a diſtinct Queſtion. In which, con…der, he doth not ſay, That he may cauſe the light of his Sun, but of his Cloud, to ſhine. 'Tis the Sun properly that ſhineth, Clouds do not: The Sun is the Candle of the World, the receptacle and veſſel of light. Clouds are but veſſels or receptacles of water, they are not properly diaphanous, but opacous, or groſſe, …hick bodyes: How then is it here ſaid, He cauſeth the light of his Cloud to ſhine? I anſwer, The Cloud doth not ſhine by any connatural or intrinſick light, but by that which is adventitious, and accidental to it. And,
foreign a foreign Splenduit inclaruit.There is more in that word ſhine, than the ordinary ſhining of the Sun; the Hebrew root ſignifies not only to ſhine, but to break forth with ſhining in ſome very illuſtrious manner) Deu. 33.2.) The Lord came from Sinai, and roſe up from Seire unto them, he ſhined forth from Mou…t Paran. Moſes carrieth a metaphor or borrowed ſpeech quite through the verſe, rep…eſenting God as the Sun ſhining forth and ſhewing himſelf to the people of Iſrael, in three ſeve al places, & as it were in as many diſtinct deg…ees of glo…ious manifeſtation. His glory ſhined firſt from Mount Sinai, where he gave the L…w. Secondly, from Mount Seir or Edom, where (as I may ſay) he gave the Goſpel, commanding Moſes to make a B…az…n Se…pent, that they who looked on it might be cu ed of the poyſonous wounds given them by the fiery Serpents, (Numb. 21.) An illuſtrious type of Chriſt (Job. 3.14.) Thirdly, the glory of the Lord ſhined from Mount Paran, where Moſes, by command f…om the Lo…d, made repetition of the Law, adding ſundry Evangelical explications of it. In all which the Lo…d ſhined forth with a glorious brightneſs, infinitely exceeding that of the Sun. David in three of his Pſalms ſpeaking of the wonderfull appearances and diſcoveries of God, Firſt, to ſave his people; Secondly, to judge and deſtroy his enemies, uſeth this word which here we tranſlate ſhine, (Pſal. 50.1.) The mighty God, even the Lord, hath ſpoken and called the Earth from the riſing of the Sun, to the going down of the ſame; out of Zion the perfection of beauty God hath ſhined. That beauty with which God ſhines out of Zion in the divine ſplendor and holineſs of his worſhip and ordinances is very glorious. Again, (Pſal. 80.1.) Give eare O Shepherd of Iſrael, thou that leadeſt Joſeph like a flock, thou that dwelleſt between the Cherubims, ſhine forth; that is, declare thy ſelf in thy mighty power, as it followeth (verſ. 2.) Before Ephraim Benjamin and Manaſſeh, ſtir up thy ſelf, and come and ſave us. And as the gracious appearances of God for the ſaving of his people, ſo likewiſe the dreadfull appearances of God for the deſtruction of his enemies, are expreſſed by this word (Pſal. 94.1.) O Lord Ged, to whom vengeance be…ongeth, O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, ſhew thy ſelf: The Hebrew is (and ſo we put it in the Ma…gin) ſhine forth. Thus the word notes no ordinary ſhining, but ſhining both with vengeance, and with ſalvation; which latte… falls in well with the Interpretation of the light ſhining in the Cloud, which I ſhall open a little further.
And cauſeth the light of his Cloud to ſhine.
There are three Interpretations of theſe words.
Firſt, Some by the light of the Cloud, underſtand the lightning, which (all know) breaks through the Cloud, and ſhines out wonderfully before it Thunders. The light of lightning is a wonderfull light.Sciſne quòd deus nubem eſſet diſcuſſurus ac ea diſcuſſa ſerenitatem invecturus. Merc: Iris eſt lux in nube rorida et egregium opus deis de illa malumus exponere, cum ante ſulguris mentionem fecerit. Scult:
Secondly, Others underſtand, by the light of his Cloud, the light of the Sun ſcattering the Cloud, and as it were, tu ning the Cloud into light, making light where none was, or nothing but a thick dark Cloud.
Thi…dly, Several learned Interpreters expound the light of his Cloud, by the Rainbow, which is alſo a very illuſtrious light, and that is eminently the light of Gods Cloud, 'tis his light in the Cloud. We may alſo call it a light of the Cloud; for though the light of the Sun falleth upon the clouds, yet the light of the Sun at other times is not ſo properly called the light of the Cloud, as the light of the Rainbow is, or as when the light of the Sun, reflecting from or upon the Cloud, cauſeth that Meteor, which we call the Rainbow; and therefore 'tis emphatically exp…eſt by this circumlocution, the ſhining of the light of his Cloud. The ſhining light of the Rainbow hath in it a great appearance of God, for the help, ſalvation, and deliverance of his people, 'tis a token of the good-will of God to man. And that we ſhould rather expound this place of the Rainbow, than either of the Lightning, or the Sun-ſhine, I ſhall briefly give theſe foure Reaſons, upon which I ground the Expoſition.
Firſt, Elihu had ſpoken of the Lightning and of the Sun-ſhine in the former parts of his diſcourſe, and therefore it is not probable that he ſhould return to either ſo ſoon.
Secondly, In this whole philoſophical Lecture of Elihu, wherein he ente…s into the treaſures of theſe lower Heavens, there is no mention at all of the Rainbow, unleſs we fix it upon this place; therefore ſeeing he had ſpoken of the Lightning and of the Sun-ſhine, in the former parts of his diſcourſe, and ſpeaks not at all afterward of the Rainbow, it is moſt probable that he intends it here.
Thirdly, He is ſpeaking of the wonders of God in the Clouds; and ſurely his diſcourſe would have been imperfect, if he had omitted this,Mirabilium mirabiliſſimum; Naturae arcanum. Graeci vocant iridem Thaumantias foreign ab admiratione, rum admirabilem figuram in aere exprimat. which as ſome expreſs it, is the moſt wonderfull of wonderfull things among the Clouds, and one of the great ſecrets in Natu…e; I ſay he ſhould have omitted a great part of that which belongs to the doctrine of the Meteors (all Meteorological Writers particularly handling this Doctrine of the Rainbow) if it be not found here.
We may take a fourth Reaſon of this Expoſition, becauſe this light is ſaid to ſhine in his Cloud: 'tis true, all Clouds are his, that is, Gods Clouds; but the Cloud in which the Rainbow doth at any time appear, is in a way of peculiarity and higher ſignificancy called the Cloud of God, or Gods Cloud. All the Clouds are as Gods Bow, out of which he ſhoots his Arrows and Bolts; they are alſo called the Seat of God, on them he ſitteth as upon his Throne. Again, they are called his Chariot, upō them he rideth in his Majeſty; but the Rainbow-cloud, is, as it were, the Royal Robe or Diadem of God, the ſpecial Clothing of God. The Lord ſaith at the 13th verſe of the 9th of Geneſis, where we have the firſt mention of the Rainbow, I do ſet my Bow in the Cloud; the Bow is Gods, and the Cloud is Gods, he is entitled to them both in a very eminent and ſpecial manner. God calleth it his Cloud, and his Bow; Not only, Firſt, becauſe he made the Cloud, & the Sun-beams by which the Bow is made. But, Secondly, and chiefly, becauſe he hath put it to a ſpecial uſe, and given it a myſtical ſignification.
And therefore here we may take notice, that whereas the Rainbow is naturally a ſign of Rain, for it is alwayes accompanied with Clouds, or at leaſt with a Cloud ready to diſſolve and melt into Rain, and is therefore called by the Poet (Nuncia Junonis, Virg. Aeneid. 4.) the Harbingreſſe of Juno: yet on the contrary God appoynts it as a ſign of faire weather. And indeed God often works by contrary means, leſt we ſhould ſtick in means, and aſcribe the effect, more than is due, to them. So then the Rainbow hath two different ſignifications, the firſt natural, of Rain, nor doth God promiſe to hinder or alter this courſe of nature. Secondly, preternatural or inſtituted, of faire weather; which Philoſophy, and the world, is altogether ignorant of; only the Chu…ch and people of God underſtand it by faith upon the teſtimony or revealed will of God, that as often as the Bow appeareth in the Cloud, they have a renewed aſſurance that God will remember the Earth, and moderate the Rain: nor doth this depend upon the nature of, or various colours appearing in the Rainbow, but purely upon the will and inſtitution of God. And the…efore we ought by a firme faith to embrace the word of promiſe, to which this ſign is annexed; without that, the Rainbow is nothing elſe to us, but the image or repreſentation of the rayes of the Sun or Moon, impreſſed upon the Clouds.
I ſhall not inſiſt upon any large diſcourſe of the Rainbow, only take two or three things. This Meteor hath three Att…ibutes above the reſt; Firſt, it is the moſt illuſtrious and beautifull; Secondly, the moſt deſirable and comfortable; Thirdly, the m…ſt ſtrange and wonderfull of all the impreſſions viſible in the air. This is properly expreſſed by a Bow, becauſe the forme of it uſually is ſemicircular. Luther ſaith he ſaw a Rainbow in the forme of a perfect Circle; and others report they have ſeen it in the forme of a ſtrait line: But in what-ever form it appea…s the natural cauſe of it is the reflection of the Sun or of the Moon (for there are Rainbows in the night as well as in the day) it is cauſed; I ſay, by the reflection of the light of the Sun or Moon) upon or from a watery or dewey Cloud oppoſite to either.Iris ab foreign quod eſt dicere ſive loqui. Iris eſt arcus, qui ex reflexione luminis, …um ſolaris tum lu… ris, in nubem ro…id… oppoſitam gignitur. Garcae. The Latine word Iris, is derived from a greek word, which ſignifieth to ſpeak or to relate ſomthing: The Rainbow is elegan…ly ſo called, becauſe it foreſhews ſomtimes rain, ſomtimes faire weather. A Rainbow in the morning is a ſign of ſhowres, in the afternoon it betokens ſerenity, and alwayes it proclaims to us the p…omiſe of God for the moderation of rain; or it ſpeaks thus much to all the world, that God will ſo meaſure out the Rain f…om the Clouds, that it ſhall never ſwell to an univerſal Deluge, or to a drowning of the whole wo…ld again. Thus the Rainbow hath a ſpeech, a language of mercy in it towards the preſent world. It ſpeaks alſo the Juſtice of God upon the old world, minding us of that Deluge of water that drowned them for their ſin; they had ſo defiled the Earth by their evil manners and prophaneſs, by their will-worſhip, Superſtition and Idolatry, that God in wrath ſent a Flood of water, not to waſh, or refreſh, but to deſtroy them: The Rainbow minds us of that dreadfull Judgment of God upon a corrupt World. And although the Rainbow gives us aſſurance that the World ſhall not be drowned again, how ſinfull ſoever it is, yet ſome, from the various colours of the Rainbow, whereof one is red and fiery, tell us, it proclaims that the World ſhall at laſt be conſumed by Fire. The Apoſtle Peter is plain that it ſhall be ſo, (2 Ep: 3.10.) The Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat; nor is it meerly a phancy, to ſay, that the fiery colours in the Rainbow are ſet there by God, to mind us of it.
Some have queſtioned whether the Rainbow were before the Flood or no? The reaſon or ground of the queſtion is given from that ſaying of God (Gen. 9.13.) I will ſet my Bow in the Cloud: it ſeems then there was no Rainbow before the Flood.
I anſwer, The Rainbow may be conſidered two wayes; Firſt, as to its natural being; Secondly, as to its myſtical uſe. If we conſider the Rainbow as to its natural being, it was before the Flood, for the cauſes of it were before the Flood, which are watery Clouds and the ſhining of the Sun: Now when ſufficient cauſes appear in act, the effect doth certainly follow. But as to its myſtical uſe, it was not before the Flood. Water had its natural elementary being and uſe, before Baptiſme was inſtituted, but it had not a ſpiritual uſe till then: we may ſay the ſame of the Rainbow. Some I know of the Moderns, Luther and Melancthon aſſert, it was not in being till then; but we have reaſon to vary from that opinion, with reverence to thoſe worthy men: For God did not ſay in the 9th of Geneſis, I will make or create my Bow in the Cloud, but, I do ſet my Bow in the Cloud, and it ſhall be there for a token of a Covenant between me and the Earth. The Rainbow had no ſuch ſignification, nor was it ſet in the Cloud for any ſuch purpoſe, before that time. So then,
Take the Rainbow as to its myſtical uſe, ſo I grant, it was not before the Flood; till then God had never cauſed the light of his Cloud to ſhine as a Covenant-token. The Rainbow, had alwayes a natural ſignification in it, but that is not all, it hath now alſo a Theological, divine and myſtical ſignification, and is become as the Seal of that Covenant with mankind; for God inſtituted the Rainbow as a Sacramental ſign (ſo we may expreſſe it for our better underſtanding) both between himſelf and the whole World in general, and in ſpecial between himſelf & his Covenant people (Gen. 9. v. 12, 13, 14, 15.) It was given (I ſay) on purpoſe to Seal the truth of the Promiſe, that the whole Earth ſhould no more be overwhelm'd with a Deluge or Flood of water: Which though it be ſuch a promiſe as the whole Creation hath the benefit of, yet the faithfull only underſtand the myſterie of it, and have their faith exerciſed upon it, and ſtrengthened by it. So that while the Rainbow is the ſign of a temporal Covenant to all creatures, the godly may look upon it, with reference to all ſpiritual and eternal mercies by Chriſt, in whom all the promiſes of mercy are Yea and Amen, (2 Cor. 1.20.) And there is a g…eat fitneſs in it to hold forth mercy both temporal and ſpiritual, in ſeveral particulars.
Firſt, This Rainbow is in the Cloud, and God placed it in the Cloud, becauſe out of the Cloud came the Rain which drowned the old world. God could have drowned the world only by letting out, or breaking up the Springs of water from the earth, but he opened the Cataracts of Heaven alſo to do it. And therefore God, to ſecure the world againſt ſuch another vengeance from the Clouds, put his Bow in the Cloud.
A ſecond ſignificancy of mercy in the Rainbow, is, becauſe the Bow is bended upwards, or Heaven-ward, the Bow doth not ſtand bent to the Earth, or downward, the ſtring of the Bow is towards us, not the back of it. He that would ſhoot hath the bottom or back of the Bow in his hand, and the ſtring is towards himſelf; but God, that he might ſhew he doth not intend to ſhoot that Arrow any more, holds the ſtring of the Bow downwards, which no man doth that hath a mind to ſhoot. The Lord by this Bow in the Cloud ſhoots no man, unleſſe it be (as one well expreſſeth it) with admiration and love; or I may ſay, the Lord having ſhot his Arrowes of immoderate Rain from the Region of the air for mans chaſtning, ſeems to return to Heaven with his Bow reverſed, as a token of peace and ſerenity to the wo…ld, or that in Judgment he remembers his Covenant-mercy. The wicked are ſaid to bend their Bow, they make ready their arrow upon the ſtring, that they may privily ſhoot at the upright in heart, (Pſal. 11.2.) But he that tu…ns the ſtring of his Bow downwards, is not ready, nor ſeems minded to ſhoot at all.
Thi…dly, This bow ſhews mercy, becauſe there is no Arrow ſeen at it, or with it.
Conciſit iris aquas alimenta que nubibus aſſert. Ovid: 1. Metam:Fourthly, It ſheweth or ſignifieth mercy, becauſe the Rainbow uſually appears when Rain is ready to come, implying that the Rain ſhall not hurt us; and ſo we have a ſupport of our faith, as ſoon as we have any appearance of feare.
Fifthly, When-ever the Rainbow appears, there is clearneſs in ſome part of the air; for it cannot be but when the Sun ſhines. In the time of the Flood the light of the Sun was wholly obſcured. All the dayes which the world had during that dreadfull Rain, we…e (like the day deſcribed, Joel 2.2. Zeph. 1.15.) dayes of darkneſs, and of gloomineſs, dayes of Clouds and of thick darkneſs. Therefore 'tis ſaid, (Gen. 8.22.) Day and night ſhall continue for ever: Intimating that in the time of the Flood the day was ſo ob…cured, ſo black, that it could ſcarcely be known to be day, or diſtinguiſhed from night. But now when the Rainbow is ſeen, the Sun ſhines, to give aſſu…ance that though there be an appearance of Rain,Lux in rube rorida mille effi…it colores et varias et pulcherrimas lucis temperationes. Plin: Natur: Hiſt: l. 12. c. 24. yet the light of the day ſhall not ceaſe.
Sixthly, The various colours of the Rainbow are very ſignificant for our comfort, making (as ſome Naturaliſts have told us) a thouſand ſweet delights for the eye, by the admirable mixtures and ſhadowings of colours therein diſcernable.
Seventhly, The Natu al Hiſtorian aſſureth us, that where the Rainbow at any time toucheth the Earth (as we may often obſerve it doth) it leaveth a fragrant ſmell upon the graſs, ſhrubs and buſhes. Thus you ſee how properly and fitly the Rainbow is called The ſhining of the light of his Cloud, as alſo what ſignifications of favour are diſcernable in it. From this explication of the words, we may note; Fi…ſt, After troubles and ſtormes, God will give his people comforts and calmes.
He cauſeth the light of his Cloud to ſhine. Clouds are dark things, but while the Cloud ſhews Rain, Gods light in the Cloud ſhews faire weather. That's matter of rejoycing to all that fear God, as with reſpect unto that particular Judgment of the Deluge, ſo of all evils and troubles which fall upon them in this wo…ld. This light ſhining in the Cloud may comfort and refreſh us in the darkeſt night of ſorrow. It is ſaid (Pſal. 97.11.) Light is ſowne for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart: And in the 4th of the Revelations (which is as it were a Prologue or Preface to all the Propheſies of the dark times that ſhould come upon the world, and over the Church of God in this world) we find Jeſus Chriſt is repreſented with a Rainb… …bout him (verſ. 3.) I was in the ſpirit, and behold a Throne ſe… …eaven, and one ſat on the Throne, and he that ſat was to look upon like a Jaſper and Sardix ſtone, and there was a Rainbow round about the Throne, in ſight like to an Emrald. From this Throne it is that Jeſus Chriſt doth, as I may ſay, diſpence all the affaires of his Churches and people. Now though Jeſus Chriſt in the providential or mediatorial government of his Churches, doth often ſend Clouds upon them, and though Clouds and darkneſs are round about him, yet the Throne hath a Rainbow about it: And why a Rainbow? to ſhew that Jeſus Chriſt is mindfull of his Churches and people, to ſave them when the Serpent caſts out Floods to drown them. 'Tis ſaid (Rev: 12.15.) The Serpent caſt out of his mouth water as a Flood after the Woman, that he might cauſe her to be carried away of the Flood; but Jeſus Chriſt that ſitteth upon the Throne, hath a Rainbow about h…, which gives aſſurance that the Floods ſhall not quite overwhelme the Church, ſhe ſhall be delivered, though it be in a Wilderneſs, from thoſe mighty water-floods of perſecution raiſed and cauſed by the Serpent and his ſeed againſt the ſeed of the Woman, or againſt the Woman and her ſeed. Though Chriſt may ſuffer great Floods of ſorrow and tribulation to be powred upon them, yet there is a Rainbow about the Throne to which we may look, and get our faith confirmed, that the Woman and her Seed ſhall not be ſwallowed up.
Take one place more (Rev. 10.1.) I ſaw another mighty Angel coming down from heaven (that was Jeſus Chriſt) cloathed with a cloud (that is, with dark diſpenſations, ſuch as his people ſhould not well know what to make of; but what follows?) and a Rainbow was on his head. That Propheſie leads into a deſcription of the greateſt preſſures and troubles that ever the Church of God was to ſuffer in this world. Jeſus Chriſt was cloathed with a Cloud, but, for the comfort of his Church, there was a Rain-bow on his head, there was light ſhining in this Cloud, to bear up the ſpirits of his people, that the miſchief ſhould not be to their deſtruction, though it might be very much not only to their tryal, but correction. And we find the Church ſupported, though not directly under this notion of a Rain-bow, yet by a promiſe plainly hinting, if not referring to it (Iſa. 54.9.) In the 8th verſe the Prophet tells us, that the poor Church was in very great trouble; Why? Surely becauſe of ſome cle…ly providences, which interrupted the light of Gods counte… from ſhining upon them, at leaſt to their apprehenſion; for thus he b…ſpake the Church, In a little wrath have I hid my face from thee, for a moment (there was the Cloud) but with everlaſting loving-kindneſs will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer (there's the Rain-bow) for this is as the waters of Noah; for as I have ſworn the waters of Noah ſhall no more go over the earth (which was ſignified by the Rain bow) ſo have I ſworn that I will be no more wrath with thee, nor rebuke thee: For the mountains ſhall depart, and the hills ſhall be removed, but my kindneſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace be removed any more, ſaith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. Then follows, O thou afflicted and toſſed with tempeſt, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy ſtones with fa…r colours, and thy foundations with ſaphiers, and I will make thy windows of agats, and thy gates of carbuncles. As if he had ſaid, though I …e hid my face yet I wil return, for this is as the waters of Noah; that is, I have as certainly reſolved in my ſelf that this unnatural flood ſhall not drown thee, as I once promiſed, and am ſo reſolved ſtill, that the natural flood ſhall never drown the world again; and mark how he expreſſeth it, as I have ſworne. When we read the hiſtory in Geneſis, it is not ſaid, that the Lord ſwore; but the Lord to ſhew that his word is as good as his oath, tells us that what he ſpake to Noah, was as if he had ſworn it, eſpecially ſeeing he gave ſuch a ſign for the performance of it. I might ſhew from other Scriptures, that God is ſometimes repreſented ſwearing, when yet we read of no oath formally given: It is ſaid (Exod. 32.13.) God ſware to Abraham and his Seed; to which the Apoſtle refers (Heb. 6.13, 17.) God confirmed it by an oath; yet if we look thoſe ſcriptures, Gen. 12.2, 3. Ch. 15.7. Ch. 17.7. we find only the Lord ſaid, &c. The Lords ſaying is as good that is, as ſure as his ſwearing, and ſhall as certainly be performed.
For a concluſion of this matter; let it be remembred, that the Lord by cauſing the light of his Cloud to ſhine, at firſt gave, and ſtill gives a ſign, or a ſeal to ſtrengthen faith. Signs and ſeals are appendices to the Covenant, or great Charter of all our mercies. Signs and ſeales are viſible words, God ſpeaks by them to the eye. I will ſet my Bow in the Cloud; God ſaith, the Bow ſhall be a ſign, he alſo hath made Water a ſign in the holy Sacrament of Baptiſme, and he hath made Bread and Wine ſignes in the holy Sacrament of the Supper; God hath been pleaſed, from the beginning ſo far to condeſcend to mans weakneſs, as to give him, not only his Word or Promiſe, but Signes to confirm it. And therefore did the Lord give a ſign, becauſe, as himſelf hath both an all-ſufficient power, and full purpoſe to performe his promiſe, ſo he would have the faith of all that are under the Covenant well aſſured of his faithfulneſs in performing it.
Thus we ſee the ſpiritual uſefulneſs of this interpretation, taking, the light of his Cloud, for that illuſtrious ſign the Rain-bow ſet by God in the Cloud, and moſt fitly called the light ſhining in his Cloud; which he doth not cauſe to ſhine ordinarily or every day as the Sun doth, but at ſpecial times, teſtifying his eminent favour to ſome, and his care over all mankind. Knoweſt thou when he cauſed the light of his Cloud to ſhine? Elihu proceeds further with Job upon interrogatories.
Verſ. 16. Doſt thou know the ballancing of the Clouds, the wonderful work of him that is perfect in knowledge.
Here's another queſtion. The general ſcope of all theſe queſtions was handled before, I ſhall now only poynt at that which this queſtion ſpecially aymes at. Mr. Broughton reads, Doſt thou know the poyſing of the thick vapours? This is a wonderful wo…k of God. The Clouds are huge ponderous bodies; who is able to gueſs how much a Cloud weighs?Librationes nubis appellat eleganter meo quidem judicio, cum in aere appenſae velut librantur a Domino. Merc. foreign Vertitur libramenta, a foreign ponderavit, ad trutinam dire… it mutata ט in ש. yet God ballanceth the Clouds, he, as it were, puts them into ſcales, and knows what they weigh; he ſo orders them, that one part doth not over-power the other, but both hang with an even poiſe in the air; this is a wonderful work of God. Doſt thou know how God doth this? or, how he makes the Clouds bigger or leſſer, how he placeth them higher or lower, according to the ſervice and uſe to which he hath appoynted them? Can any man do this? Can any man fully underſtand how ſuch vaſt bodies as the Clouds ſhould be poiſed or ballanced? how they hover over our heads, and are kept from falling upon us? We muſt have recourſe to the wiſdome and p…wer of God for this. Doſt thou know the ballancing of the Clouds?
Hence we may infer, Firſt; If man knoweth not the ballancing of the Clouds, then much leſs can he ballance them. And
Secondly, Note; 'Tis by a divine power that the Clouds are upheld and ballanced.
All heavy things tens downward; what then but God keeps the Clouds up, which are ſo heavy? 'Tis a wonder that we have not Seas of waters, rather than ſhowers poured upon us from the Clouds. They that travaile far at Sea, ſee the Rain coming down by ſpouts, or like a flood in ſome places; and certainly the Clouds would come down every where like a ſtood if God did not hold them up. From which particular inſtance Elihu would have us take up this general truth, that,
All things are kept in an even ballance by the wiſdome and power of God. The things of the world, if God did not ballance them, how would they tumble and fall awry, yea, run to ruine! were there not a ballancing operation in the arm of God, over all the affairs and buſineſſeſs of men, what a hudle and confuſion would all be in? We read in Scripture of foure things which God is ſaid to weigh or to ballance, they are all very conſiderable.
Firſt, It is ſaid, God weigheth the waters (Job. 28.25.) which may be underſtood, not only of the waters above in the Clouds, but of the waters alſo in the Sea; he knows to a dram, to a grain, how much all the waters weigh.
Secondly, Which are alſo vaſt things, It is ſaid (Iſa. 40.12.) He weigheth the mountains in ſcales, & the hills in a ballance. And as both theſe are true taken litterally, ſo they are true alſo if you take them myſtically or metaphorically. St John was ſhewed the judgment of the great whore, in a viſion, who ſitteth upon many waters (Rev. 17.1.) Who are meant by waters is explained there (v. 15.) even Peoples, and Multitudes, Nations, and Tongues. The people of the world are compared to waters, and well they may, fo… their inſtability; Ʋnſtable they are as water (Gen. 49.4.) and for their aptneſs to ſwell and riſe up into floods. Now the Lord weigheth theſe myſticall Waters, Multitudes, and Nations: he knows exactly what they a…e, what they would be, and what they would do. And as by waters common people or nations, ſo by mountaines and hills the great the mighty ones of the nations are expreſt; Princes and honourable men are as great mountains. Thus ſpake the Prophet, The day of the Lord ſhall be againſt the mountains (Iſa. 2.) that is, againſt the mighty men of this world; Hence that deriding queſtion, Who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel? (Zac. 4.7.) That is, O thou great man, who art thou? ſurely, thou art not ſo much as a mole-hil before the God of Zerubbabel, who when he comes down, the mountaines melt down at his preſence (Iſa. 64.1.) who, if he doth but touch the mountains, they ſmoake (Pſal. 144.5.) as if ſtruck with Thunder. God weighs theſe mountains of the earth, that is, he conſiders and unſtands them exactly. God weighed him who was the greateſt mountain, of a man, in his time; Belſhazzar was the ſole Monarch of the earth, he had almoſt the whole known world at his command, yet the Lord ſaid of him (Dan. 5.22.) Thou art numbred, thou art weighed, and thou art found too light.
Thirdly, As God weigheth men of all ſorts, ſo he weigheth the actions of all ſorts of men (2 Sam. 2.3.) By him actions are weighed, that is, all actions are weighed by him; the leaſt actions are weighed by the mighty God, and ſo are the greateſt, he knoweth how to poyſe them, and ſo make uſe of them, that they …ay eff…ct what is anſwerable to his own counſel and purpoſe. This is it which the Prophet intended, when he ſaid of the Lord, Thou moſt upright doſt weigh the path of the Just (Iſa. 26.7.) that is, the motions, and goings, or doings of the Juſt. The pathes of the Juſt come often into very uneven ballances in this world, every one will be weighing them, one gives this judgement of them, and another that, few hit right, the moſt of men being either blinded with ignorance of them, or prej…diced wi…h malice againſt them: But the comfort of the juſt is, the most upright weigheth their path, and will give the juſt weight of them.
Fourthly and laſtly, God weigheth the very ſpirits of men. All the wayes of man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the ſpirits (ſaith Solomon, Prov. 16.2.) The Lord doth not only weigh actions and pathes, that is, the whole outward courſe and tenour of our lives, but he weighs our ſpirits, that is, the principles from which our actions flow, and by which we are carried on in our pathes; he findes one man to be of a light, of a vain ſpirit, and another man to be of a proud high ſpirit, a third to be of a covetous, having, holding ſpirit; a fourth of an envious ſpirit, that cannot bear the good of another; and a fifth to be of a revengful ſpirit, that wil do another as much hurt as he can. Again, the Lord by weighing finds out them, whoſoever they are, that have a weighty, ſerious ſpirit, that have an upright ſincere ſpirit, that have a heavenly gracious ſpirit; God knowes who they are that have a ſpirit for the things and wayes of God in the midſt of all contradictions of men; and having thus weighed the ſpirits of men, he diſpoſeth of them and deals with them accordingly. And I may add this to the queſtion in the text, Doſt thou know the ballancing of ſpirits? Surely no, for thou knoweſt not the ballancing of the Clouds (which may be known much eaſier) The wonderous works of him which is perfect in knowledge.
Mr. Broughton renders, The miracles of the perfect in knowledge. As if he had ſaid; the ſhining of the light in his Cloud, and the ballancing of the Clouds, are to be numbred among the wonderous works of him that is perfect in knowledge. The wonderouſneſs of Gods works was touched at the 14th verſe, I ſhall not ſtay upon that here; only mark how Elihu deſcribes God by a periphraſis or circumlocution; he doth not ſay the wonderful works of God, but, the wonderful works of him That is perfect in knowledge.
This is a deſcription of God, and ſuch a deſcription as will fit none but God; who hath and who only hath, not …nly knowledge, but the perfection of it. We need not name God, when we ſpeak of him that is perfect in knowledge, it can be meant of none but him. Elihu, at the 4th verſe of the former Chapter, ſaid to Job, He that is perfect in knowledge (meaning himſelf, as that text was expounded) is with thee. In what ſenſe Elihu might ſay of himſelf, that he was perfect in knowledge, was there ſhewed; and here it muſt be ſhewed and confeſſed, that neither Elihu was, nor any, the moſt knowing, are perfect in knowledge like God, or as God is. The Apoſtle ſaith of the beſt knowers in this world (1 Cor. 13.9.) We know in part, and we propheſie in part; we behold darkly, as in a glaſs. They that have the cleareſt eye-ſight, the pureſt intellectuals, know but in part, and ſee but darkly, which is far from perfectly; therefore, I ſay, this deſcription of perfect in knowledge, hath a peculiar meaning here, proper only to God, as will appear more particularly in opening this Obſervation from it.
God is not only full of knowledge, but perfect in knowledge; or, The knowledge of God is perfectly perfect.
That's perfectly perfect to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken. Such is the knowledge of God; it is impoſſible to add any thing to it, and it is as impoſſible to diminiſh it: God cannot forget or unlearn any thing already known, nor can he know any more things, no nor any thing mo…e, than he already knoweth; therefore he is perfect in knowledge. More diſtinctly, the knowledge of God is pe…fect; For,
Firſt, He knoweth all things; what-ever is knowable he knoweth. He knowes
Firſt, All things paſt.
Secondly, He knowes all things preſent.
Thi dly, He knows all things to come (Iſa. 46.10.) He declareth the end from the beginning. Now he that knowes all things paſt, preſent, or to come, is perfect in knowledge.
Secondly, He is perfect in knowledge, for he knowes all things at once, in one proſpect o… by one aſpect; he doth not know one thing after another, nor one thing by another, he knows all at once.
Thirdly, He is, perfect in knowledge, for he knows all things as they a…e, …e do…h n…t know things according to appearance, only or as they are held fo…th to be. Many will make fair ſhews, and offer both them…elves and their actions as very good, holy, righteous, religious, yet the Lord who ſeeth through them, ſeeth them … nought qui…e th…ough (Heb. 4.12.) All things are naked and manifeſt to him: He ſeeth to the skin, he ſeeth th…ough cloaks and …iz…rds, yea, he ſeeth through skin and all, he lookes into the breaſt; the breaſts of men are to him, as if they were cut open, as the word there imports.
Fourthly, He is perfect in knowledge, For he knoweth all things in himſelf. God doth not go out o… himſelf to ſearch here and there for knowledge and information. We run to this and that b…ok, to this and that man, to fetch in knowledge and yet we know but little when we have done all; but the Lord knowes all things in himſ…lf, without ſearch or ſtudy.
Fifthly, He knowes all things unerringly; he knoweth them ſo as there is not the leaſt miſtake in his knowledge; that's perfect knowledg. How many errours are there in our knowledge? how much darkneſs in our light? But God is light, and in him is no darkneſs at all.
Sixthly, He knowes all things everlaſtingly; all things are before him alwayes. Some men quite lo…e the knowledge of many things which they have known, but all that God knoweth (which is all) abideth in the ſame clearneſs and fullneſs with him forever.
Seventhly, He knows all things as perfectly as if he had but one thing to know, therefore he is perfect in knowledge. We uſe to ſay of a man that hath a knowledge ſcatte…ed upon many matters, or that is knowing in many Arts, and Trades, and buſineſſes, we ſay, this man is ſomething in every thing, and nothing in any thing; Aliquis in omnibus, nullus in ſingulis.he hath no full knowledge of any one thing, his knowledge being divided upon or among ſo many things. But ſuch is the perfection of Gods knowledge, that he knowes all things as perfectly as if he had but one thing to know. To him that is infinite, one and all, is all one. And from hence (to cloſe up the whole point and this verſe) take theſe five inferences.
Firſt then, To know, is to be like God, for God is a God of knowledge. O how unlike God are ignorant perſons!
Secondly, The more perfect our knowledge is, the more like we are to God, for he is abſolutely perfect in knowledge.
Thi…dly, If God be perfect in his knowledge, then, We need not fear any good wh…ch we do, unſeen of men, ſhall be lost, for God ſees and knows it. Though your left han…: know not what y ur right hand doth, yet never fear what you have done ſhall be buried, for God is perfect in knowledge.
Fourthly, If God be perfect in knowledge, No evil-doer hath any ground of hope, that any evil he doth can be hid, though done never ſo much hiddenly, or in the dark. God is ſo perfect in knowledge that to him, darkneſs is no darkneſs; the da kneſs and the light to him are both alike.
Fifthly, If God be perfect in knowledge, Then he fully knows the needs of his people all the world over; he knowes the ſtate of every one for ſoul and body. This Ch…iſt makes an argument of ſupport in our greateſt needs (Mat. 6.32.) Be not careful what ye ſhall eat, &c. be not diſpondently careful or fearful about any thing, for your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all theſe things. Men in ſtraits uſe to ſay, if ſuch a friend did but know of our wants, he would help us. Here is comfort to the people of God, he knows their ſtate in general, and their ſtraits in particular, for he is perfect in knowledge. We may reſt aſſured, that he who hath ſo p…fect a knowledge, mingled with perfect compaſſions, will in due time give us perfect help out of all our ſtraits, and a perfect ſupply of all our wants.