Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 38 · Verse 34-38

Exposition of Job 38-42 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 38 · Verse 34-38

p. 258JOB, Chap. 38. Verſ. 34, 35, 36, 37, 38.

34. Canſt thou liſt up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

35. Canſt thou ſend lightnings, that they may go, and ſay unto thee, Here we are?

36. Who hath put wiſdom in the inward parts? or who hath given underſtanding to the heart?

37. Who can number the clouds in wiſdom? or who can ſtay the bottles of heaven,

38. When the duſt groweth into hardneſs, and the clods cleave faſt together?

IN the context of theſe five Verſes, return is made to the Meteors of Heaven. The Lord having queſtioned Job about the Stars, thoſe pure heavenly bodies, the Pleiades, Orion, Mazzaroth, and Arcturus with his Sons; here puts the queſtion afreſh about the aireal bodies, or the natural works of God in the Air. The firſt queſtion concerns the Clouds, and the effects or births of them, the waters.

Verſ. 34. Canſt thou lift up thy voice to the clouds?

That is, canſt thou do it effectually? Canſt thou ſpeak ſo loudly that the clouds above may hear thee; and ſo powerfully, that they will obey thee? Any man, the meaneſt man may lift up his voice toward the clouds; but no man, no not the mightieſt man, can lift up his voice to the clouds and be heard; that is, be obeyed by them: Thou canſt not command the clouds. Though a man ſpeak, and ſpeak aloud, though he lift up his voice (as God bid the Prophet to his people) like a Trumpet, to the clouds, yet the clouds will be deaf at his voice, as deaf as ſinners commonly are at the voice of a Prophet, though lifted up like a Trumpet. The voice here intended, is an effectual voice; ſuch a voice to the clouds is proper and peculiar to God alone,Numquid deſcendet ad te pluvia imperio …u…? Vatabl. whoſe power and Empire is ſo great and large, that he can ſtretch forth his voice to the clouds far and near all the air over, and cauſe them both to appear p. 259at his call, and preſently to empty themſelves and pour out their waters according to his direction, upon any coaſt or quarter of the earth. The text is ſingular, Canſt thou lift up thy voice to the cloud? canſt thou lift up thy voice to any one of them, as it were by name? We render it plurally, Canſt thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, to any one, or to all of them?

That (as it followeth) abundance of waters may cover thee.

As if the Lord had ſaid; If I lift up my voice to the clouds, they preſently diſſolve and melt, and abundance of waters flow down to cover man and beaſt; to cover the fields, the corn, the graſs; nor is it any marvel, if the clouds, thoſe thin, and, upon the matter, liquid bodies, melt and ſlow down at the voice of God, when…s at his voice the mountains flow down, and the rocks themſelves, even the hardeſt rocks are melted into waters, or give forth abundance of water (Num. 20.8.) Eliphaz ſaid to Job, at the 22. Chap. of this book, and the 11. Verſ. Abundance of waters cover thee. The words are the ſame there and here, but the ſence is very different; Eliph…z meant it there, of metaphorical waters, the waters of affliction, with which God covered, yea, almoſt over-whelmed and drowned Job; But the Lord ſpeaks here of natural waters. Job could not call to the clouds, and get abundance of thoſe waters to cover him, nor was he able in a way of command to get one drop of water from the clouds. The words are plain, and the ſcope of them obvious, even to convince Job yet further of his inability and frailty; or that he ought to leave God to the government of the world, to the government of Perſons, Families, and Nations, for as much as himſelf was not able to govern a cloud, nor to order out the leaſt ſhower of rain.

Hence Note; Man hath no abſolute or ſoveraign power over any creature.

Clouds will not be commanded, cannot be commanded, by the greateſt and mightieſt of the ſons of men. Job was a great Prince himſelf, yet he could not, neither can the greateſt Princes of the world command a ſhower nor a drop of rain to fall from the heavens. Man cannot command the clouds to rain, either when he will, or where he will, or how much he will; theſe p. 260powers belong to God alone. Yet in one ſen e man may lift up his voice to the clouds, and abundance of waters will cover him. There is a twofold voice of man? Fi…ſt, A commanding voice; And ſecondly, A praying voice. Let man lift up his commanding voice to the clouds, as long as he will he ſhall get down no rain, but if man by faith lift up his praying voice to the clouds, that is, to God, in whoſe hand the clouds are, he may get rain, yea, abundance of waters to cover him. (Zach. 10.1.) A k ye of the Lord rain, in the time of the latter rain, ſo the Lord ſhall make bright clouds, and give them ſhowers of rain, to every one graſs in the field. At the voice of man humbly praying, the Lord makes bright clouds; or (as our Margin hath it) l…ghtenings, which fore-run black clouds; to thoſe God gives ſhowers of rain, and thoſe ſhowers of rain give every one graſs, that is, they cauſe all ſorts of Vegetables to ſpring and flouriſh in the field…, both for man and beaſt. This was one of the caſes which Solomon put in his prayer, at the dedication of the Temple for the Lords anſwering of prayer. (1 Kings 8.35.) When heaven is ſhut up, and there is no rain, becauſe they have ſinned againſt thee; if they pray towards this place, and confeſs thy name, and turn from their ſins when thou afflicteſt them; then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the ſin of thy ſervants, &c. and give rain upon thy land. When the clouds are lockt up, when they are as braſs over our heads, prayer moves the Lord to open them, or to melt them down into ſhowers, for the refreſhing and fructifying of the earth. The Apoſtle James (Chap. 5.17, 18.) tells us, that …lias covered the earth with abundance of rain, by lifting up his voice in prayer. Elias (ſaith he) was a man ſubject to like paſſions as we are, and he prayed earneſtly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the ſpace of three years and ſix months: And he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. The holy hiſtory makes the ſame report (1 Kings 18 45.) And it came to paſs in the mean while that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain, &c. If we would have rain, we muſt ask for it, and lift up a praying voice to God, who commands the clouds; it is a vain thing for us to lift up a voice to the clouds in our own name, to command them to give us rain in the ſeaſon of it.

And as this is true of the clouds and rain, ſo of all creatures, p. 261Their powers and vertues, their efficacies and influences are not at our command, but if we look up to God and wait upon him in prayer, he can command them all to give out their vertues both to ſerve our neceſſities and accommodate our delights. Now, as in this queſtion God ſhews Job his inſufficiency to command water, ſo in the next to command fire from the clouds.

Verſ. 35. Canſt thou ſend lightnings that they may go, and ſay unto thee, here we are?

What lightning is, hath been ſhewed once or twice already, in this and the former Chapter, and therefore I ſhall not ſtay here in any diſcourſe, either about the nature or the wonderful effects of lightning.

But the Lords manner of ſpeaking, and his purpoſe in ſpeaking here about the lightning is very conſiderable, and calls for further diſcourſe. Canſt thou ſend lightnings that they may go, &c. As if the Lord had ſaid, If thou canſt not prevail with the clouds to ſend rain? canſt thou prevail with them to ſend lightning? haſt thou the command of thunder and lightning? will the lightnings come forth at thy bidding?

The words may have a double alluſion. 1. To the General of an Army commanding his Souldiers, and they going at his word. 2. To the Maſter of a Family, who gives orders to his Se vants, and they go at his word; Canst thou ſend lightnings that they may go And ſay unto thee here we are? or, as the Hebrew is, Behold us.

That manner of ſpeech here we are or behold us, is a deſcription of the moſt ready obedience, either of Souldiers to their General, or of Servants to their Maſter. Will the lightnings obey thee thus, and ſay, here we are? Some expound theſe words, as ſuppoſed to be ſpoken by the lightnings, upon their return from ſome former ſervice given them in charge by God, as having diſpatcht what they were ſent for, and were ready to go again. Hence the Latine tranſlator gives it thus;Ʋt reverentia tibi dicent adſumus, Vulg. That they being returned (or after their return) ſhould ſay unto thee with reverence, here we are. 1. Ready to go whitherſoever thou wilt p. 262ſend us. 2. Ready to do whatſoever thou wilt enjoyn us. As if the Lord had ſaid; Canſt thou ſend forth the lightnings, and will they return to thee, and ſay, we have done thy commands, and here we are again to receive freſh commands, or new orders from thee? Surely, as the rain will not thus obey thee, ſo neither will the lightnings, neither the one nor the other will be thy ſervants, to go of thy errand, or execute thy will.

The ſame note which I gave before concerning the rain, might be taken up here again concerning the lightnings, They are not under the command of man, &c.

Secondly, for as much as the Lord here denies this priviledge, both reſpecting the rain and lightning unto man, he would have us underſtand and know that both are in himſelf; though you cannot, yet I can command them, both are under my dominion. While the Lord ſhews Job his impotency to command theſe meteors, he aſſerts his own omnipotency; as he hath made them, ſo he can rule them.

Hence obſerve; All treatures, even thoſe which ſeem to be moſt out of command, are fully under the command of God.

What, to appearance, is more out of command than the lightning, that quick, that piercing, that fierce and fiery creature, yet that ſtirs no more than a ſtone, till the Lord commands; and at his command it ſtirs, and is gone in a moment. The Lord God hath ſpoken (ſaith the Prophet Amos 3.8.) who can but propheſie? And as a faithful Prophet cannot but prophecy, ſo the not only faithleſs, but ſenſeleſs creatures cannot but do what God hath ſpoken. That of the Pſalmiſt (Pſal. 104.4.) which we read, who maketh his Angels ſpirits, his Miniſters a flaming fire; ſome render thus, who maketh the winds his meſſengers, and the flames of fire his miniſters. That is, he uſeth tempeſtuous winds and flames of fire as his meſſengers and miniſters. The ſame Hebrew word that ſignifieth an Angel, ſignifieth a Meſſenger, at large, and the ſame word that ſignifieth a Spirit, ſignifieth alſo the Wind. And as the words, ſo the truth will bear both tranſlations or conſtructions; for as thoſe higher or higheſt of rational creatures, the Angels; ſo thoſe high inanimate creatures, the winds and lightnings, which may properly be called flames of p. 263fire, are the Miniſters and meſſengers of God; that is, they go forth and Miniſter according to his Word, they ſay, Here we are. The Lord by a call or word ſpeaking can have whom and what he will to ſerve his purpoſe, and fulfil his decrees. It is ſaid (2 King. 8.1. as alſo, Pſal. 105.16.) The Lord called for a famine, a famine of bread; and he no ſooner called, but the famine came, and ſaid, Here am I; the famine preſently brake the ſtaff of bread, and did eat up all the good of the Land. The Prophet Haggai (Chap. 1.11.) repreſents the Lord, ſaying, I called for a drought (which is the uſual fore-runner of famine) and the drought ſaid, Here am I; it came preſently as ſoon as the Lord commanded. On the other hand, when the Lord made many promiſes under the new Covenant, among other things, he ſaid, I will call for plenty (Ezek. 36.29.) I will call for the corn, and will increaſe it, and lay no famine upon you. As in thoſe other places he called for famine and drought, ſo here he ſaith, I will call for plenty, and it ſhall ſay, Here am I; abundance of corn and graſs, and fruits of the earth came at that call. Lamenting Jeremiah ſpeaking of the woful captivity of the people of Iſrael, ſaith (Lam. 1.15.) The Lord called an aſſembly againſt me, that is, I conceive, an aſſembly of the Aſſyrians and Babylonians, an aſſembly of men, an army of men; he cauſed them to aſſemble and come together; he did but call, and they ſaid, Here we are, and we will go vex Judah and Jeruſalem. Thus, if the Lord call for famine and drought, if he call for an aſſembly of men, for men aſſembled with the ſword of war in their hand, to puniſh and chaſtiſe any people for their ſin; they will ſurely come and do his pleaſure: whatever the Lord calls for, cannot but come. Take this inference from it; If the Lord have ſuch a command upon all creatures, even the inanimate creatures; if the lightnings anſwer him when he calls, Here we are, Then how readily ſhould men, the beſt of viſible creatures anſwer his call and ſay, Here we are?

When the Lord ſaid to Abraham (Gen. 12.1.) Get thee out of thy Country, and from thy Kindred, and from thy Fathers houſe, unto a Land that I ſhall ſhew thee, he never diſputed the caſe, but (ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 11.8.) Obeyed and went out, not knowing whither he went. He never enquired what the place was to p. 264which he was to go, nor what accommodations he ſhould find when he came thither: Abraham knew he was to go whither God called him to go, though whither he was to go he knew not. And when long after this the Lord called to Abraham (Gen. 22.1.) he ſaid, Behold, here I am; or, Behold me; as if he had ſaid, Lord, I am here ready to obey thy command, to go of thy errand, to carry whatever meſſage thou ſhalt put into my mouth, to do whatever work thou ſhalt put into my hand; and that Abraham did not complement with God, it appears in the ſame Chapter; for though when God commanded him to offer up his Son, his only Son Iſaac, whom he loved, every word was enough to wound his heart, & the laſt deepeſt (to part with a Son is hard, with an only Son harder, with a ſon dearly beloved, is hardeſt of all, eſpecially when he muſt be not only paſſive but active in this loſs, & his own hand muſt give the parting blow) yet Abraham being called to this hard and hot ſervice, ſaid, Here am I, and readily obeyed. This readineſs at the call of God, David profeſſed from his own experience (Pſal. 27.8.) When thou ſaidſt, ſeek ye my face, my heart ſaid unto thee, thy face Lord will I ſeek. That is, as thou haſt commanded that I ſhould worſhip thee, ſo I do; or, what thou, O Lord, ſayeſt, is my deſire; thy command is not only the reſolution, but the requeſt and ſupplication of my ſoul. We have the like readineſs of that holy Prophet Iſaiah, who (after the Angel with a coal from the Altar had touched his lips, and cleanſed him from his filthineſs) hearing the Lord enquire for a meſſenger, Whom ſhall I ſend? preſently anſwered (as the lightning in the Text) Here am I, ſend me (Iſ. 6.8.) Lord, I am ready to go whitherſoever thou wilt ſend me. This ſhould be, &, in ſome meaſure is the temper of all believers; though they may have, & to their ſorrow, find many reluctancies and ſtops, yet this is in the heart of every true believer, to be ready at the call of God, & to ſay, Here I am. When the Apoſtle Paul had a call to preach the goſpel of Chriſt, which once he perſecuted, Immediately (ſaith he, Gal. 1.16.) I conferred not with fleſh and blood; he made no delayes, much leſs any excuſes, leaſt of all any d…nials, but was obedient to the heavenly Viſion. As ſoon as he had that viſion and call from God to go and preach the Goſpel, he never ſtood reaſoning and conferring with fleſh and blood, he put no queſtions, he asked not this or that mans opinion, whether it were beſt for him to go or not; neither p. 265did he confer with the fleſh and blood in his own heart, he conferred not with himſelf, he conſulted not his own ſafety, nor any carnal intereſts, but did as he was commanded. And unleſs we do thus, not only will the ordinary practiſe of ſervants to Maſters riſe up in judgement againſt us (Mat. 8.9. I am a man under authority (ſaid the Centurion) having ſoldiers under me; I have a ſuperior officer, and I have inferior ſoldiers, and I ſay to one go, and he goeth; and to another come, and he cometh: Such is or ought to be the carriage of ſoldiers and ſervants towards their Superiors. Now I ſay, unleſs we readily obey the voice of God, not only will the daily practiſe of ſervants, but the practiſe (if I may ſo ſpeak) of the lightnings from the clouds, will riſe up in judgement againſt us and condemn us. Shall a ſervant ſay, Here I am, at the call of man? Shall the lightning ſay, here I am, at the call of God? and ſhall not man ſay ſo at Gods call? Shall men put queſtions to Gods commands? Shall they query, Will the world bear it if I do this? or, will this ſtand with my eaſe and profit, with my credit or commodity, when God requires it? If any do ſo, the lightning may flaſh in the face of their conſciences, and not only blaſt them as ſtubborn and diſobedient, but brand them for fooliſh and unwiſe, or, at leaſt, for want of wiſdom; about which the queſtion is put to Job in the next verſe.

Verſ. 36. Who hath put wiſdom into the inward parts? and who hath given underſtanding to the heart.

Some Interpreters conceive, that at this verſe the Lord enters diſcourſe with, or begins to queſtion Job concerning living creatures; and beginning here with man, the chiefeſt of viſible living creatures, he proceeds to inferior living creatures, the beaſts of the earth, and the fowls of the air, as followeth in the 39^th Chapter: Yet the very next verſe offers a great objection againſt this opinion; for there return is made to the former matter, the works of nature. Verſ. 37. Who can number the clouds in w…ſ…om? or who can ſtay the bottles of heaven?

And therefore I rather conceive, that this 36th verſe is to be joyned with the two former already opened; as if here the Lord would convince man, that as he hath not power ſufficient to command, p. 266ſo not wiſdom enough to diſpoſe, either of the Rain or of the Lightnings; under which, by a Synechdoche, all other creatures may be comprehended. As if God had ſaid, Whatever wiſdom man hath, is of my putting into him; now I have not given him wiſdom enough, nor taught him how to order and diſpoſe the clouds and lightnings; and if I have not given him wiſdom for theſe things, whence ſhould he have it? So then, according to this way of interp…etation, the 37th verſe which followeth, gives a reaſon why man cannot attain to this priviledge, the government of the clouds, the diſpoſal of rain and lightnings, even becauſe God hath not given him any ſuch wiſdom. All the wiſdom which man hath, is the gift of God; but God hath not given man wiſdom to order the clouds and lightnings, therefore he hath no ſuch wiſdom.

Who hath p…t wiſdom into the inward parts?

Wi… may be taken either generally for knowledge, which is the … of the mind, and may be called ſpeculative knowledg… … p…ticularly, for prudence, which is practical knowledge, in the du… ordering and manage of things before us. Who hath pu… w…ſ…, … either ſort, Into the inward parts?

The word which we tranſlate inward parts, ſignifies ſometimes the Reins, and ſometimes the Heart. The Chaldee paraphraſe renders, Who hath put wiſdom into the heart: The matter is not much, to which of them we determine it; for, though the heart in Scripture, is uſually put for the ſeat of wiſdom, and the Reins for the ſeat of the affections; yet David ſaith, My reins inſtruct me in the night ſeaſon (Pſal. 16.7.) To inſtruct or teach, is properly the work of wiſdom. The word is well rendred by us, the inward parts, for that takes in all; wiſdom lyeth within (Pſal. 51.6.) Behold thou deſireſt truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden (part) thou ſhalt make me to know wiſdom. The inward parts, in the fo…mer part of that verſe, and the hidden (part) in the latter, are the ſame; by both, or either, he means his ſoul in all the faculties or operations of it. And indeed, neither the Reins not the Heart, nor any, nor all the members of the body, are properly o… ſtrictly wiſdoms ſeat. Wiſdom is lodged in the p. 267ſoul, in the man of man, as ſome call it; and therefore that muſt needs be intended here:Sapientia non tantum in corde…ſed & in renibus aliquo modo poſita eſt. ie. Quòd omnis hominis affectus à divina quadam ſapientia irradietur. Coc. Renes foreign vocantur, ut quidam volent quia ſunt oblitae adipe. Drus. but becauſe Naturaliſts ſpeak of wiſdom, as lodged and exerciſed in bodily parts, ſome placing it in the heart, ſome in the head, others in the reins; therefore we may well place it (as our Tranſlation expreſſeth it) in the inward parts. The original word ſtrictly imports, that which is covered over, the root is rendred to cover; and Grammarians give this reaſon of it, becauſe the reins and kidneys are covered with fat. But ſeeing all the inward parts of man are in a ſenſe covered parts, that notation of the word may very well ſort with our Tranſlation; as alſo with that which is the expoſition of the inner parts, the mind or ſoul of man. So then, Who hath put wiſdom into the inward parts, is plainly this; Who hath planted it in the mind or ſoul of man? who hath rooted it there? who hath made man wiſe? ſome give the ſenſe thus, Who hath made man a reaſonable creature? or beſtowed that rational faculty upon man, whereby he is able to apprehend the truth of the works of God, and to inquire into, and find out many ſecrets in nature? Thus ſome (I ſay) expound it, ſpecially of that rational power with which man, as man, is naturally endowed, and not of wiſdom attained in Schools and Academies by ſtudy, or in the wo…ld by experience, which is but the lightning of reaſon,Quis poſuit, &c. inſinuans ſe de illa ſapientia lequi, quae nec co-operante ratione, nec induſtria humana, nec per ullam diſciplinam …quiſita eſt. Janſon. or of that natural wiſdom planted by God in man as a reaſonable creature. Taking this ſenſe, Who hath put wiſdom into the inward parts, is no more but this; Who hath made man a rational creature? who among men, can take this honour to himſelf, and ſay, I have put this wiſdom, called reaſon, into my ſelf or any man? ſurely none: 'Tis the ſole prerogative of God to put wiſdom, in the loweſt and commoneſt notion of it, reaſon, into the mind of man. Who hath put wiſdom into the inward parts?

Hence obſerve; Mans natural reaſon is the gift of God.

All wiſdom floweth from God, the eternal and inexhauſtible fountain of wiſdom; it is of God that all men have reaſon, as well as that any men have grace. Reaſon is a very great gift, take it barely, as unpolliſhed and unheightned, by ſtudy, by Arts, Sciences and experiences: Wiſdom, as planted in nature, is a high favour. As grace ſets one man above another, ſo this natural p. 68wiſdom ſets every man above the beſt of bruits. And as this wiſdom in man (which is properly called wiſdom) ſo that Analogical wiſdom, or that appearance of wiſdom, that is in many ſubtile b…uits, is of Gods putting & planting too. And if ſo, then much more thoſe higher indowments, the polliſhings and the inrichings of mans reaſon, are of God. Reaſon is that ground o… ſoyl, which being tilled and dreſs'd, manured and well wrought upon, brings forth thoſe excellent fruit… of wi…dom which ennoble the mind of man. (James 1.17.) Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above. The good gift, may be taken for natural wiſdom; that's of God: and the perfect gift, for infuſed wiſdom, eſpecially in ſpiritual things; that's more of God, that's chiefly from above, and c…mes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variableneſs nor ſhadow of turning. From this point we may infer,

Fi…ſt, Seeing wiſdom, both that which is planted in man, as a rational creature, and that alſo which man acquires by induſtry, is of God, Then God knoweth how wiſe any man is, and what any mans wiſdom amounts to. God can eaſily compaſs the wiſeſt man in the world. The wiſdom of ſome men is beyond the compaſs of many men; but the wiſdom of all men, is infinitely within the compaſs of God. He that hath put wiſdom into man, is himſelf wiſer than all men. Thus David argued (Pſal. 94.9.) He that planted the ear, ſhall not he hear? and he that formed the eye, ſhall he not ſee? doubtleſs he doth. God hath made ſight and hearing, and therefore the ſeeing and the hearing powers are tranſcendently in God. And as it followeth (verſ. 10.) He that teacheth man knowledge, ſhall not he underſtand? certainly he doth. He underſtands and knows, not only what men underſtand and know, but he underſtands how much underſtanding, and what knowledge any man hath; God looks through all.

Secondly, If God hath put wiſdom into man, then he can take wiſdom from man, he can deſtroy the wiſdom of the wiſe, he can turn the wiſdom of an Achithophel into fooliſhneſs. As he can make a fool wiſe, ſo he can make a wiſe man a fool, or befool the wiſeſt men.

Thirdly, If all wiſdom be of the Lords putting in, then let none be proud of their wiſdom. There is nothing that we are ſo apt to be proud of as of our wiſdom. If we have but better natural p. 269parts than others, we are preſently lifted up above others; if we have better acquirements than others, we are apt to be proud of our ſelves. A little knowledge puffeth up, and indeed that which puffeth up is but a little. True wiſdom, though great, doth not puff up, for that leads us to him that gives us wiſdom, and that will keep us humble.

Fourthly, We may infer, if the Lord hath put wiſdom into man, then man ought to be thankful to the Lord for the wiſdom he hath. As man ſhould not be p…oud of his wiſdom, becauſe how much ſoever he hath, he hath received it; ſo man ought to be very thankful for wiſdom, becauſe how much or how little ſoever it is he hath received it. If all receipts from God call for thanks, how much more this receipt of wiſdom? which, next to grace, is the moſt precious thing we receive from him, and is it ſelf ſometimes put for grace.

Fifthly, If wiſdom be of Gods putting into man? then let men be careful to uſe their wiſdom for God. That ſtock which another man hath put into our hands, he expects we ſhould uſe it for him; eſpecially, that we ſhould not uſe it againſt him, or to his diſadvantage. How wicked are they, who are ſo far from uſing their wiſdom for God, that they uſe it againſt God, that is, againſt his intereſt, truth, and ſervants. Pharaoh ſaid (Exod. 1.10.) Come on, let us deal wiſely with them. And what was it for, but to vex and enſlave Gods firſt born, the people of Iſrael. He that imploys his wiſdom to any evil purpoſe, imployeth it againſt God, and ſo armes himſelf with what he hath received from God to reſiſt God: Wo to thoſe who do ſo. Wiſdom is of Gods giving; uſe it then for him, and dedicate it to him; above all, take heed of uſing it againſt him. It had been better for that man that he had been a bruit, than that he ſhould be ſo brutiſh, as to imploy his underſtanding and reaſon againſt God.

Sixthly, If the Lord hath put wiſdom into man; Then man muſt be accountable to God for his wiſdom, as alſo for all the other talents which he hath received. Wiſdom is a great talent; they who are ſo wiſe as to know what that means, will uſe it tremblingly, that they may give their account rejoycingly. They are wiſe indeed who daily conſider, whence or from whom they had their wiſdom, and before whom they muſt come to a reckoning, p. 270what they have done with it, even before him who hath put all their wiſdome into them. Who hath put wiſdom into the inward parts?

Or who hath given underſtanding to the heart?

foreign …pp…llatio eſt cordis vel mentis, à foreign quod eſt proſpicere unde foreign picturae quae proſpiciuntur dictae, & metaphortcè picturae ſeu proſpectus cordis i. e, imaginationes ſeu ſpecies reri…, quae ve…uti in corde pinguntur, vel à delineatione conceptuum animi. Merc. foreign Thargum interpretatur foreign cordi, à foreign quod eſt proſpicere… ſic vocatur cor, quia ſpeculatur & conſiderat omnia, Druſ. Quisdedit gallo intelligentiam? Vulg.This latter part of the Verſe is of the ſame ſence with the former, only it is doubled to ſhew the certainty of the thing; underſtanding in the heart is the ſame with wiſdom in the inward parts.

Yet here is a word in the Original uſed for the heart, different from what is commonly uſed, and ſo occaſions a difference among Interpreters and Tranſlaters. Grammarians derive it from a word that ſignifieth to look or behold, to ſee and and foreſee, and the Noune ſignifieth a picture, becauſe pictures are pieces of art, which draw all mens eyes to behold and look upon them; and the heart is therefore expreſt by this word, becauſe it forms, and as it were (by its imaginative faculty) draws the picture of all things in it ſelf, or becauſe in the heart or mind of man the forms of all things are repreſented: Mans imagination delineates and ſhapes a thouſand varieties within it ſelf, or man hath the picture and proſpect of all matters in his heart, and therefore the ſame word ſignifies the heart and a picture, drawn and delineated to the life. That's the force of the word which here we render heart.

The Latine tranſlation renders at a great diſtance from us, yet the letter of the Text may bear that reading alſo. Who hath given underſtanding to the Cock? Interpreters following this tranſlation, conceive that here the Lord begins to queſtion Job about irrational living creatures; Having ſaid, who hath put wiſdom into the inward parts? to wit, of man; he now adds who hath given underſtanding to the Cock? The ſame word that ſignifieth the heart, ſignifies alſo a Cock; as the heart foreſeeth and looketh upon things afar off, ſo the Cock foreſeeth the riſing of the Sun and the break of day, and therefore hath his name from his fore-ſight. They who follow this Tranſlation, ſpeak many things of the wonderful fore-ſight of the Cock: and ſurely God hath placed a natural wiſdom in that creature conſtantly to underſtand the hours of the night. A Cock is a natural clock p. 271to any family, he hath his firſt, and ſecond, and third crowings;Talmundici in Judaicis precationibus dicunt at docent cum gallus canit dicendum eſſe, Laudetur qui gallo dat intelligentiam. Gallus enim haud dubio non aliunde quam à Deo didicit noctis momenta diſ…ernere proclivius tamen eſtut pro corde exponamus, Merc. Plin l. 10 c. 21. Cantavit Gallu… non ut tempora diſtingueret, ſed ut petrus paenitere…, Ambroſ. and having a kind of natural inſtinct concerning the courſe and return of the Sun, he claps his wings and crows, as rejoycing at his coming, and willing to awaken all to entertain him and prepare themſelves for labour, ſtudy and buſineſs, at his approach. But I ſhall not ſtay upon this; And the general ſtream of interpreters keeps in the former channel, expounding this latter part of the Verſe as the former, with reſpect to man. Who hath given underſtanding to the heart? It is a truth (I grant) which the Jewiſh Talmudiſts teach, that God is to be praiſed who hath given ſuch underſtanding to the Cock, that he is able to diſtinguiſh the hours of the night, and tell us of the approaching day, that it ſurprize us not like ſluggards unawares. The natural Hiſto…ian reports the uſeful qualities of the Cock: And one of the Antients wittily takes notice of the Cocks crowing in the Goſpel, which awakened Peter, according to Chriſts prediction, Before the Cock crow twice, thou ſhalt deny we thrice: The Cock (ſaith he) was a Preacher to call Peter to repentance. Chriſt made uſe of a Cock to preſs that eminen… Diſciple into a conviction of, and ſorrow for his ſin; for at the crowing of the Cock, he remembred the words of Chriſt, went out and wept bitterly.

But that the queſtion propounded to Job in this Verſe concernes the wiſdom given to man, not to beaſts or birds, is plainly proved by the queſtions put him in the two Verſes following. Which ſhew that though God hath given man wiſdom ſufficient for many great purpoſes, yet not for the purpoſe there expreſſed, as not for ſeveral other purpoſes.

Verſ. 37, 38. Who can number the clouds in wiſdom? or who can ſtay the bottles of heaven, when the duſt groweth into hardneſs, and the clouds cleave faſt together?

In theſe two Verſes we have two queſtions more propounded by God to Job. The firſt whereof is about the numbring,foreign the ſecond (though under another title) about the ſtopping of the clouds.

Who can number the clouds in wiſdom?

The word rendred clouds is ſometimes tranſlated heavens, and ſo a learned Interpreter gives it here; to which he adds this p. 272gloſs,Quis tam prudenter fecit? caelus eo numero quo ſunt, Vatabl. Who hath made the heavens with ſuch wiſdom in that number wherein they are? who can number them? The word rendred number ſignifieth both to number things Arithmetically, and to demonſtrate them Logically; and it may be taken in either or both ſenſes here, who can number the clouds in wiſdom? that is, who hath wiſdom ſufficient to tell how many clouds there are? Man hath not arithmetick enough to number them. The clouds are many in their ſorts or kinds, and they are many more in their ſingula…, or (if I may ſo ſpeak) individuals; there are many ſorts of clouds, and there are many of every fort; as there are many ſorts of living creatures, and very many of every ſort, ſo of the clouds; we may as well number the waves of the ſea or the ſtars, as the clouds of heaven. If we look up to one part of heaven, we may ſee more clouds than we can number; how great then is the number of the clouds in the whole circumference of the heavens?

Again, taking the word as it ſignifieth to demonſtrate logically, or to declare, the queſtion imports thus much; Who can clearly and perfectly ſet forth the nature of the clouds or the various effects which they produce, and ſervices which they are imployed in? Who can, either in the former ſenſe or in this, number the ſtars of heaven?

Hence note; The wiſeſt among men can neither exactly tell how many the clouds are, nor fully demonſtrate what they are.

As the number and nature of the ſtars, ſo of the clouds (which are beneath the ſtars) exceed mans wiſdom. The leaſt and loweſt works of God are above mans reach, how much more his greateſt works, and thoſe which are far above?

Yet further, from this word which we tranſlate to number, to declare, or demonſtrate, that precious ſtone the Saphir, mentioned often in Scriptures hath its name;Quis ſapphirinas effecit nubes ſapientia? Jun. and ſo the Text is rendred thus, who can make the clouds ſaph…rine, or like a Saphir? the meaning is, who can make the clouds bright and clear l ke the Saphir-ſtone? The Saphir is a moſt pleaſant reſplendent and beautiful gem: That glorious throne which was ſhewed the Prophet in viſion (Ezek. 1.26.) had the ap…earance …f a Saph…-ſtone, that is, it had a moſt excellent and illuſtrious appearance. Now p. 273ſaith the Lord who can make the clouds (dark of themſelves) like a Saphir-ſtone? that is, ſerene, pleaſant, beautiful, and delightful to the eye. God can make bright clouds (Zech. 10.1.) clouds wonderful fair and pleaſant to behold, even as pleaſing to the eye as a precious Saphir. As this tranſlation holds out a truth in it ſelf, ſo 'tis very ſutable to that which followeth, Or who can ſtay the bottles of heaven?

Clouds darken the heavens,Hunc interpretationem poſtul…e videtur antitheſis quum additur, & lagenas coeli quis collocet, q d. quis …oelum num …renum ac ſulum, nunc verò nubilum reddat, Piſc. but when the Lord ſtayeth the clouds from rain, then the heavens are clear like a Saphir; God can make the heavens cloudy or clear.

Who can ſtay the bottles of heaven? that is, the clouds, who can ſtay them, or (as the Hebrew ſtrictly) who can cauſe them to lye down? Maſter Braughton renders, who can deſtill the barrels of heaven? The word here uſed ſignifies a bottle, or any veſſel wherein liquor is preſerved; and it may be taken either fo… a bottle made of skin, a leathern bottle, or for a bottle made of clay, an earthen bottle, a Potters bottle, as 'tis called (Iſa. 30.14.) The clouds are like a leathern or an earthern bottle, which as it holds the liquor, ſo being unſtopped and held up, the liquor runs out; who can ſtay the bottles of heaven? that is, if God once unſtop the clouds, they preſently pour down in and who can ſtay them from raining? no man can. That's a plain ſence; as if the Lord had ſaid, who can hinder the clouds from giving down rain, if once opened? who but I can reſtrain the rain (which is heavy of it ſelf and tends naturally downwards) from falling out of the clouds?

There is another reading of this part of the verſe,Con…entum coeli qun dormire faciet, Vulg. foreign per quinque puncta ſignificat N…hlium, in ſtrumentum muſicum utri ſimile & habens chordas quae pulſantur. who can ſlay the harmony of heaven? The Vulgar Latine renders, who can make the muſick of heaven ſleep, that is, ceaſe, or be quiet. The reaſon of this tranſlation is this, becauſe the ſame word which ſignifieth a bottle, ſignifies alſo a muſical inſtrument ſomewhat reſembling the form of a bottle (Pſal. 33.2.) Thus ſome take it here, as intending that muſical or melodious harmony, which antient Philoſophers have affi…med is made by the motion of the heavenly ſphears; yet by this they do not mean a proper muſical ſound or harmony, ſuch as the Pythagoreans dreamed of, which ſome other learned men have ſaid is ſo ſweet and raviſhing, that if we did but hear i…, we could neither p. 274eat, nor drink, nor ſleep: Yea, they tell us, that Moſes while he did not eat, nor drink, nor ſleep thoſe forty days in the Mount, was all that while taken up, and raviſhed with that Muſick; but you may put that among Jewiſh fables.

Sober men following this tranſlation, who can ſtay the muſick of heaven? underſtand by it only the harmonious concord and agreement, which all the heavenly Orbes unfailably obſerve in their ſeveral courſes, without the leaſt jarr or diſcord. That's a truth, ſhewing the great wiſdom and power of God, who hath put the heavens into ſuch a ſweet order, that they move, not only conſtantly, but harmoniouſly. Though the motion of the heavens makes no audible or proper muſick, yet it makes an intelligible or metaphorical muſick, that is, the heavens move orderly, there is an agreement in their motion, which is the the ſweeteſt muſick in heaven among Saints and Angels, and among good men on earth. We ſay of men moving peaceably in their places, as becomes them, there is a harmony among them. And how bleſſed a thing would it be, to ſee all ſorts of men moving orderly in their ſpheres? what a harmony would it make, to ſee every one doing his duty, and doing it in his place? whereas to omit duty, makes our lives uſeleſs; and to do it out of our place, makes us troubleſome and unharmonious. And therefore, though I inſiſt not upon this reading, yet it were well if all would inſiſt upon the moral of it, labouring to make harmony (as much as may be) in all their motions. But I paſs from it, and reſt in our own,

Who can ſtay the bottles of heaven, that is, who can make them leave raining? The Lord by a late queſtion convinced Job that no man can make it rain (verſ. 34.) Canſt thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? and by this queſtion he would convince him, that no man can obſtruct or hinder the rain. Who can ſtay the bottles of heaven?

Hence obſerve, It is God who ſtayeth or reſtraineth the clouds from raining.

Should not the Lord put ſtopples into thoſe bottles? ſhould not he cloſe up thoſe barrels, they would drop down continually? and in ſtead of watering, drown the earth. When in the days of Noah the Lord opened the bottles of heaven forty days together, p. 275who could ſtop or ſtay them? Did not the clouds pour down till the whole world was over-whelmed? and unleſs the Lord did now ſtay the clouds, and forbid them to give out their whole ſtock, they would again over-whelm the world. There are Seas of waters above our heads, God keeps them in from hurting the earth, and lets them out to help i…. The next verſe intimates at leaſt this power of God over the clouds and the ſeaſon when he exerciſeth it: Who can ſtay the bottles of heaven?

Verſ. 38. When the duſt groweth (or is poured) into hardneſs, and the clods cleave faſt together?

The Margin of our Bibles gives us the former part of the verſe in a very different tranſlation, thus, When the duſt is turned into mire. The earth hath had its fill, if not too much rain, when the duſt is turned into mire? And when 'tis ſo, who but God ſtayeth the bottles of heaven from pouring down overmuch?

But I ſhall only open the reading in the Text, of which there are two interpretations.

Firſt, Some expound it of ſtaying the rain when there is moſt need of rain, or when the earth wants it moſt, or in a time of drought: For then the earth groweth hard like a molten-pillar, and the clods thereof cleaving one to another make clefts in the body of the earth. In a time of great drought, the earth at once cleaves aſunder, and runs cloſet together, as it were to ſuccour it ſelf. Who ſtayeth the bottles of heaven, when the earth is chapt and gapes for rain to ſoften and cool it? Surely man doth it not, nor can he be ſaid to do it (unleſs meritoriouſly) It is God alone who efficiently ſtays the clouds from rain in a time of drought, or when the neceſſities of the earth call aloud for it. Taking the words in this ſenſe.

Obſerve; God can ſtop any of our mercies (as here the rain) when we have moſt need of them.

I (ſaith the Lord Amos 4.7.) have withholden the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harveſt, and I cauſed it to rain upon one City, and cauſed it not to rain upon another City; one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not, p. 276withered. One months drought before harveſt threatens a ſcarſity or dearth of Corn; but two, yea, three months drought, muſt needs uſher in a dreadful famine.

Voce… foreign …o ſerment…ti…m …erbo foreign qu…d …gnificat, …rmentari atque int…meſcere, E. Piſc.The ſecond interpretation of theſe words ſeems yet more clear, Who can ſtay the bottles of heaven, when the duſt groweth into hardneſs, and the clods cleave faſt together? that is, who but God can ſtop rain when there is no farther need of rain? As it the Lo…d had ſaid, When the bottles of heaven have given out ſo much rain as may ſit the earth for fruit-bearing, or when the ground hath had its fill, ſo that the light duſt is turned into lumps of earth, and that duſt which was raiſed and toſſed with every breath of wi…d, is clodded and agglutinated by water into a maſſie ſubſtance; when, I ſay, 'tis thus with the earth, who can ſtay or ſtop the bottles of heaven, from raining more, to the ſp…il of all, but my ſelf? So then the true uſe of rain is held forth in this 38. verſ. namely, that the duſt of the earth being moiſtened with rain, may coaleſce or be joyned cloſe together. This, I conceive, is the moſt natural and proper ſenſe of the Text. For the earth, which by drought was cru…bled into duſt, rain falling plentifully upon it, is knit again into one body, like meal or flower into which leven is put, and ſo is made ready to receive,Humore aquae terrae puries continentur, & uniuntur quae ante disjunctae fuerant, Merc. Ʋt perfuſio ſit formentandae terrae, ut conglutinentur glebae, Jun. Tranſ, I. e. ut terram quum pulverulenta eſt, ab ariditate immiſſis pluviis ſermentet ad glebarum com…agem & rerum ex ea naſcentium alimentum, Jun. nouriſh, and b ing forth whatever grain is caſt into the boſome of it.

Rain falling upon the duſt embodies it. The ground moulders in a time of drought; but when rain comes, that hardens it. The duſt (as we commonly ſay) ſlyes before, but as drought cleaves the earth, ſo rain cauſeth the parts to unite; an… then the earth, which like a heap of ſand would not hang together, becomes ſolid and fit for tillage. Now when ſo much rain hath fallen as prepares the earth, and (as the word imports) fermentates or levens it to receive the ſeed caſt into it, then, who ſtayeth the bottles of heaven?

Hence note, Firſt, Rain compacts the earth.

As moiſture looſens compacted things, ſo it compacts or knit, together looſe things. The earth is ſoon made duſt by droughts, and it would be a very duſt-heap, if it had no moiſture to reunite it. The Lord threatens his people, in caſe of diſobedience p. 277(Deut. 28.24.) to make the rain of their Land powder and duſt; that is, they ſhould have duſt and powder, inſtead of water. Long drought turns the earth to duſt. In this learn, how great a mercy there is in rain.

Secondly note, The Lord knows when the earth hath had ſufficient rain.

And therefore (unleſs in judgement) he will not let the clouds run waſt; he will ſtay his bottles from letting down one drop more, when once the duſt (by rain falling upon it) groweth into hardneſs, and the clods cleave faſt together.

Note Thirdly, 'Tis a mercy, when the earth hath enough, that God ſtops the bottles.

As it is a duty, when we have drank enough, to ſtop the bottle, that is, to give over drinking; ſo 'tis a mercy, that the Lord ſtops the bottles when the earth hath drank enough. When the earth hath enough, the Lord ſometimes will not ſtop the bottles of heaven, but lets them pour down rain, till the fruits of the earth are utterly ſpoyled; and this he doth for the puniſhment of mans ſin always, and ſometimes for the puniſhment of thoſe ſpecial ſins, mans unthankfulneſs for, and abuſe of the fruits of the earth; that is, becauſe he did not ſtay the bottle, when he had taken enough.

Now, if the Lord knows when to give rain, and when to ſtop it, with reſpect to husbandry, and the natural fruits of the earth, then doubtleſs he knows and will take care to give rain for the ſouls of his people, when they have need. (Pſal. 68.2.) Thou, O God, didſt ſend a plentiful rain, whereby thou didſt confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary; which is ſpecially meant of ſpiritual rain. There are bottles of heaven which water ſouls. The Preachers of the word are thoſe bottles or clouds, which hold and deſtil the myſtical rain; & the Lord will not ſtop them, till he ſees the hearts of men made fit to bring forth the fruits of righteouſneſs & holineſs; he will not ſtop (I ſay) that ſpiritual rain, till this be effected, unleſs in judgement to a people, that have deſpiſed the rain, and ſlighted thoſe ſhowers of divine doctrine; againſt ſuch the Lord will ſtop the bottles of heaven, & then their ſouls turn to duſt, p. 278and their hearts become hard as rocks, or like the mountains, upon which neither rain nor dew falls, fruitleſs and barren of every good word and work.