Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 38 · Verse 8-11
JOB, Chap. 38. Verſ. 8, 9, 10, 11.
8. Or who ſhut up the Sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had iſſued out of the womb?
9. When I made the Cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkneſs a ſwadling band for it.
10. And brake up for it my decreed place, and ſet bars and doors,
11. And ſaid, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, but no further; and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtayed.
THe Lord having queſtioned Job about the Fabrick of the Earth, and ſhewed the triumph and acclamations of Angels at it, in the former Context: He next leads him to the waters, or carrieth him to the Sea, there to conſider his Works of wonder. As Moſes in the beginning of Geneſis having ſummarily and in general, ſpoken of the Creation of Heaven and Earth, deſcendeth to particulars; ſo here we have the Lord paſſing from one part of the Creation to another; from the Creation of the Earth, to that other great part of the Creation, the Waters, or the Sea. Verſ. 8. Who ſhut up the Sea with doors? &c.
In theſe words, we have
Firſt, The Creation of the Sea.
Secondly, Its Conſtitution: both ſet forth by moſt elegant Metaphors.
The Creation or Production of the Sea, is ſhadowed by alluſion to an Infant breaking forth out of the womb (Verſ. 8.)
The Conſtitution or ſettlement of the Sea, is carried on in ſuitable Metaphors to the end of the eleventh Verſe.
Verſ. 8. Or who hath ſhut up the Sea with doors, when it brake forth? &c.
We have here,
Firſt, The Birth or Nativity of the Sea.
Secondly, What God did with the Sea, when it was born, and iſſued out of the womb: Then God ſhut it in with doors, and prepared garments and ſwadling bands for it; then he reſtrained the rage, force, and fury of it, and held it as his priſoner or captive in bonds. As ſoon as an Infant is born, it is bound up and ſwadled; and as ſoon as the Sea (as I may ſay) was born or come into the World, God took order with it; and to keep it in order, he provided doors to ſhut it in, and garments to bind it up with.
What the Scripture ſpeaks of Gods coercing the Sea, may be reduced to two heads:
Firſt, To that reſtraint which he laid upon the Sea, preſently upon its Creation, ſome ſay the firſt, others the third day of the Creation; according to that (Gen. 1.9.) God ſaid, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was ſo. Thus the Lord reduced it to a certain place.
Secondly, To that reſtraint which God laid upon it, after this reducement, that it ſhould no more return, to overflow the Earth. Both theſe reſtraints or laws put upon the Sea, are contained in this Context; the former of them in the eighth and ninth verſes: As ſoon as the Sea iſſued out of the Earth, God ſet up its doors, and made it bands. The latter of theſe, the giving of a ſpecial Law, that when it was ſhut in, it ſhould no more break forth, but according to his appointment, we have in the tenth and eleventh verſes, where it is ſaid, I brake up for it my decreed place, and ſet bars and doors; and ſaid, hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further; and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtayed.
So then, here we have;
Firſt, Bounds and limits aſſigned by God to that vaſt and unruly Element, the Water, that the Earth might be habitable and uſeful both for man and beaſt. And,
Secondly, We have the Lord reſtraining all power or liberty (which naturally it would have had and taken) to violate or break thoſe bounds: For had not God given the Waters of the Sea ſuch a ſpecial command (though bounds had been aſſigned them) they would quickly have broken their bounds.
Theſe two orders of God differ much, though not in the time when they were given out, yet in the nature of the thing; and both ſuppoſe the Sea in being, when theſe orders were given out; For when it is ſaid (verſ. 8.) It brake forth, as if it iſſued out of the womb; this implieth its birth and nativity: and when God ſaith, He ſhut it up with doors, this ſuppoſeth, that it not onelyonly had a being, but that it was violent and furious, and would have over-flowed all, and regained as large a Territory as it poſſeſſed at firſt, when it iſſued out of the womb of the Earth, even the face of the whole Earth, if the Lord had not bridled and reſtrained it.
Yet further, and more diſtinctly to open the words in their Order.
Quis Haec vox recte foreign repetitur …x verſu 5. & 6. Druſ.Verſ. 8. Or, Who ſhut up the Sea with doers?
The disjunctive particle Or, ſucceeds thoſe disjunctives (ver. 5, 6.) Who did this? Or, Who did that? Or, Who a third thing, concerning the Earths formation? Here again, Or, Who ſhut up the Sea with doors? The Hebrew is onelyonly, Shut up the Sea with doors; the word who is repeated out of the fifth and ſixth verſes. The Lord by this query or queſtion put to Job, would then have him, and now us know, that it was himſelf alone that did it: It was the Lord who bridled the Sea, and ſhut it up with doors; As if he ſaid, Where waſt thou, O Job, when I did this great thing? as thou gaveſt no aſſiſtance towards the laying of the foundations of Earth, and the faſtening of the corner-ſtone thereof; ſo tell me what aſſiſtance didſt thou give me in bringing forth, and ſetling the vaſt Sea: Or at leaſt (if thou canſt) give me an account h…w theſe things were done, and how they continue as they were done by an everlaſting decree: who hath ſhut up the Sea with doors, was it I or thou, or any other Creature? Thus the Lord ſtill brings Job upon his knees by humbling queſtions, knowing that he was not able to take any of that honour to himſelf. He poor man had no more to do in this great work, than he had in the former; and therefore he ought to ſubmit to the works of God in providence, whatſoever he was pleaſed to do, ſeeing all the works of Creation were done by God alone, without his counſel or aſſiſtance. Who hath foreign Saepe eſt protegere; aliqui legunt …bſ…pſu vel. circumſepſit, ac ſi eſſet a foreign ſopio, cum ſi… a foreign tego obiego operio. foreign autem per ſamech ſignificat ungere. Druſ.Shut up the Sea with doors?
There is a two-fold rendring of that word tranſlated Shut up; We take it from a root which ſignifies to hedge in, or compaſs about, as alſo to protect; becauſe thoſe things which are compaſſed about with ſtrong hedges, are under protection, and ſafe from danger. Water being a fluid body, ſpreads it ſelf over all, the water cannot contain it ſelf in it… own bounds (fluids cannot) but it muſt be bound, it muſt be ſhut in, or ſhut up. The Lord ſhut up the Sea, as the waters of a great River are ſhut up by flood-gates; or as the waters upon which a Mill is built (ſome carry the alluſion to that) are pent for the ſervice of it, and are cauſed by art to run gradually or by inches, as the Maſter of that uſeful engine gives direction. Thus the Lord ſhut up the Sea.
The Sea is a great Convention or Aſſembly of Waters, as Moſes ſpake (Gen. 1.10.) The gathering together of waters, the Lord called Sea: The Sea is a confluence, or meeting of waters. There may be a great water, yet that not the Sea; the confluence of all or many waters together, that is Sea. The waters being thus gathered or aſſembled by the Lords Summons or Command, he hedged them in, or ſhut them up.
Secondly, Others render, Who anointed the doors of the Sea, Quis valvat. maris inunxit. Codur.when it brake forth, as if it had iſſued out of the womb. They who give this Tranſlation, derive the word from a root, which ſignifies to an…int. Some Interpreters inſiſt much upon this ſenſe of the word, and I find one who aſſerts it as the onelyonly ſenſe of it in this place; Who anointed the doors of the Sea, that is, the paſſages by which the Sea iſſued forth. And (ſaith he) the reaſon why other learned Interpreters pitch upon that Tranſlation of ſhutting up the Sea with doors, is becauſe they knew not what to make of anointing the doors of the Sea, nor to what practice ſuch an expreſſion ſhould allude, that the doors of the Sea were anointed: whereas indeed that notion of the Word bea…s the faireſt alluſion and proportion to the Metaphor of Child-bearing, begun in this, and carried on (as it were) profeſſedly in the next verſe, under which the Spirit of God is pleaſed to expreſs the coming forth, and original of the Sea: Now, ſaith my Author,Quaerit dominus a Jobo, quae lucina praeſuerit parentis naturae puerperlo quan do eſt enixa mare. Id. it is a thing commonly known both to Phyſitians and Mid-wives, that thoſe parts of the body by which the Infant comes into the world, u…e to be anointed, for its more eaſie paſſage: Thus ſaith God to Job, Didſt thou anoint the doers of the Sea, when it brake forth, as if it had iſſued out of the womb. It was my Mid-wiſery, my wiſdom and skill, not thine, that brought the Sea into the World, and gave it an eaſie birth, or delivered the Earth of it without hard labour. This makes the ſenſe of the whole Context run more clearly than our reading of it. And ſo we have Sea-doors of two ſorts in this Context: In this eighth verſe, the doors of the Sea are the doors by which the Sea came forth; and in the tenth verſe, we have the doors by which the Sea is kept in; whereas according to our rendring, the doors in both places are interpreted as keeping the Sea in; and ſo there would be a mention of the ſame doors twice; which though it may be admitted, yet this latter ſeems to be the cleareſt, as taking the firſt doors for thoſe by which the Sea was let out, or had its birth, and the latter, for thoſe doors by which the Sea is kept within its bounds. Who ſhut up the Sea with doors, When it brake forth.
foreign Exivit cum imp…tu.The word which we tranſlate to break forth, ſignifies in other places of Scripture the breaking forth of a Child in the birth: David uſeth it (Pſal. 22.9.) Thou art he that took me out of the womb; there it is taken (as Grammarians ſpeak) tranſitively, here intranſitively, When it brake foterth, noting a kind of rapture or violence; as when Tamar was in travel (Gen. 38.27, 28.) There were twins in her womb; and it came to paſs, when ſhe travelled, that the one put out his hand, and the Midwife took and bound upon his hand a ſcarlet threed, ſaying, this came out firſt; and it came to paſs, as he drew back his hand, that behold his brother came forth; and ſhe ſaid, how haſt thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee; therefore his Name was called Pharez. Thus the Sea brake forth violently, as if it had iſſued Out of the womb.
Ex occulto divinae providentiae. Aquin. Creavit deus terram non inanem ſed gravidam aquis, quae licet eodem temporis momento …What Womb? Some ſay of the Providence of God; ſay others, of the Decree or Counſel of God; for that is the womb, out of which all things proceed: A third ſaith, out of the Power and Omnipotence of God: All theſe ſayings are true, either of theſe is as the womb out of which all things iſſue; but theſe, the Providence, the Decree and Counſel, the Power and Omnipotence of God, are the Common Womb, out of which all things iſſue; whereas here the Lord ſeems to ſpeak of ſome ſpecial womb, out of which the Sea iſſued. And therefore I rather adhere to that Interpretation, which ſaith plainly, that the womb out of which the Sea is ſaid to iſſue, was the Abyſſe or bowels of the Earth. The Sea brake forth out of the bowels of the Earth, as out of a womb. The Earth is the Common Parent, the Parent of the Sea; the Sea was created in the bowels of the Earth; or the Earth was created big with the waters of the Sea, as a woman big with child, and ſhortly after the Lord cauſed the earth, like a woman with child, to travel and b…ing forth the Sea. So that the Lord doth here more diſtinctly open to us the manner of the Creation of the Sea, than in the firſt of Geneſis. It is true, the Element of Water hath its ſeat naturally above the Earth, it being the lighter Element; but as to the firſt conception of it, this Scripture implies, that its place was within the Earth, and that it iſſued forth from the Earth. The bowels of the Earth were the womb in which the Sea was conceived, and out of which, by the Word of the Lord, it iſſued. The waters were not at firſt created above the Earth (as ſome have affirmed) but they being created with the Earth, and conceived within the Earth, brake out of the Earth, and inveſted or covered it all over; and ſo continued in that condition till the third day, and then the Lord commanded them to retire into certain vaſt channels, now called Sea, that ſo the dry land might appear. Thus the Lord, when the waters were iſſued forth, diſpoſed of them in their proper place. According to this Interpretation, we are to take theſe words of the time paſt; Who is he that ſhut up the Sea with doors, when it brake forth? that is, after it had broken forth, after it had iſſued out, Who was he that then ſhut it up with doors? This deſcription of the Nativity of the Sea, may be drawn out into theſe conclu…ions:
Firſt, The Earth and Waters were created both together.
Secondly, The Waters were at first created within the bowels of the Earth; for ſaith the Text, They iſſued forth, they brake forth.
Thirdly, At the Command of God, the Waters were brought forth out of the Earth, as a Child out of the Mothers Womb (Pſal. 33.7.) He gathereth the waters of the Sea together as an heap, he layeth up the deep in ſtore-houſes (Pſal. 104 verſ. 5, 9.) Bleſs the Lord, &c. who laid the foundations of the Earth, that it ſhould not be removed for ever; thou coveredſt it with the deep as with a garment: the Waters ſtood above the Mountains.
Fourthly, The Waters being thus brought forth, did at firſt cover the Earth, and ſo would have continued, if God had let them alone.
In the method of Nature things lie thus:
Firſt, The earth is loweſt, being the groſſeſt element.
Secondly, The water riſeth above the earth, as being more pure than that.
Thirdly, The air is above the water, as being much more pure than the water.
Fourthly, The fire gets above all, as being the thinneſt and pureſt of all the elements; and therefore the water iſſuing out of the earth, would have continually covered the face of the earth, if the Lord by his power had not ordered it off, and ſhut it up with doors, when come off, according to our reading the words in this verſe, and according to the general reading of the tenth verſe; where the whole earth being covered with water, the Lord brake up for it his decreed place, and there kept it faſt. Thus David (Pſal. 104.7, 8.) ſpeaking of the waters above the mountains and over-flowing all; preſently adds, At thy rebuke they fled, at the voice of thy thunder they haſted away; they go up by the mountains, they go down by the vallies, unto the place which thou haſt founded for them. There the Lord by David, as here by himſelf, ſets forth his mighty power, in the diſpoſal of the waters to a certain place.
But if we take that other reading of this verſe, Who hath annointed the doors of the Sea? then by doors we are not to underſtand that which ſtops the Sea from over-flowing the earth, as in the tenth verſe; but for thoſe paſſages at which the waters brake out of the earth, as an infant from the womb; which ſeems moſt diſtinct and clear.
And becauſe the Sea is ſo huge a body, ſo great a part of the world, we may (not unprofitably, I hope, before I paſs from this verſe) conſider a three-fold repreſentation of the Sea, or the Sea as a glaſs ſhewing us three things.
Firſt, The Sea hath in it a repreſentation of God himſelf in his divine perfections.
Secondly, Of the World in its various motions.
Thirdly, Of the heart of man in its vileſt corruptions.
The Sea carrieth in it, Firſt, A repreſentation of God himſelf; which may be taken in four things.
Firſt, In the hiddenneſs and unſearchableneſs of his wiſdom (Pſal. 36.6.) Thy judgements are a great deep, or a ſea; (Rom. 11.33.) O the depth of the wiſdom and counſel of God! how unſearchable are his judgements, and his wayes paſt finding out! None can fathom this Sea, there is not line enough in the underſtanding of Men and Angels to reach the bottom of God; he is a ſea without banks or bottom.
Secondly, The Lord is as the ſea in his goodneſs, ſending out ſo many ſweet ſtreams, and feeding all the ſprings of the earth (Pſal. 65.9, 10.) Thou viſiteſt the earth and watereſt it, thou greatly inricheſt it with the river of God, which is full of water; thou prepareſt them corn, when thou haſt ſo provided for it: thou watereſt the ridges thereof abundantly, &c.
Thirdly, As all the rivers come from the ſea, and return to it, ſo all good flows out and ſprings from God, and all the glory of his goodneſs ſhould return, or be returned to him in praiſes and thanksgivings.
Fourthly, The ſea is ſuch a vaſt body, that though it ſends forth water to feed the earth every where, and though all the rivers flow back into the ſea, yet the ſea is not at all abated by the water that it ſends forth, nor increaſed by all the water that returns to it. So how much ſoever God gives out to the creature (he gives out all) yet he is no more emptied by it than the ſea; and whatſoever returns the creature makes to him, they no more increaſe nor add to him, than the ſea is increaſed by the rivers falling into it: there is no ſenſible appearance of the heightening of the waters of the ſea, by the greateſt and vaſteſt rivers that disburden themſelves into it.
Secondly, As the ſea is an Emblem of the Living God, in whom we live, ſo of the world wherein we live.
Firſt, The ſea is a very unquiet part of the world. What ſtorms, what tempeſts are there upon the ſea? what rage and fury in the waves of it? ſuch an unquiet thing is this world, hurrying up and down, and inraged often by ſtorms and tempeſts ariſing from the luſts and paſſions of men, even to the ſwallowing up of all.
Secondly, The ſea is very unconſtant, it is now ebbing, and anon flowing. It is ſo with this world, and all things in it; our comforts are ſometimes flowing, and ſometimes ebbing; our peace comes, and anon it goes; we have ſome good dayes and more evil; the dayes of darkneſs are many, and the beſt meet with many of them in this world; the world is full of changes, the faſhion of it paſſeth away.
Thirdly, The ſea water is a ſalt water, an unpleaſant water; and ſuch is the world, though many drink greedily of it, and would even draw it up, as the Scripture ſpeaks of Behemoth, drawing up Jordan. They who drink in worldly things, as if they could drink up the whole world, yet drink but ſalt and unpleaſant water.A…guſtine. One of the Ancients notes it as a great mercy to man, that God doth thus imbitter the world to us, making it brackiſh and diſtaſtful. And indeed God hath on purpoſe tempered the things of this world, that they ſhould not be too ſweet and luſcious for us, or leſt we ſhould diſtemper our ſelves by them, or ſurfeit upon them.
Thirdly, The Sea is an Emblem of the heart of man, eſpecially of a wicked mans heart. Man is a little world, and the heart of man hath a ſea of worldly vanities in it (Iſaiah 57.20.) The wicked are like the troubled ſea; and the heart of a wicked man is the moſt troubled and troubleſome part in him. The heart unchanged, is like the ſea:
Firſt, For turbulency or troubleſomneſs; what is more unquiet than the heart of man? no ſuch natural ſtorms upon the ſea; no ſuch civil ſtorms either at ſea or land, as there are carnal ſtorms in the heart of man; what a ſtir, what broils, doth the heart of man make many times!
Secondly, The heart of man is like the ſea, as it is ſalt, brackiſh and bitter, through the haſtineſs and raſhneſs of our ſpirits. The Prophet Habakkuk calls the Chaldeans a bitter and haſty Nation (chap. 1.6.) Haſty perſons are bitter perſons, perverſeneſs, peeviſhneſs and paſſions lodge in them.
Thirdly, The heart of man hath waves in it, full of pride like the ſea; what ſea hath ſuch proud waves as the heart of man hath! O how do many even deifie themſelves, think and ſpeak of themſelves as if they were more than man! It is ſaid of the King of Tirus (Ezekiel 28.2.) that he ſet his heart as the heart of God; how was that? not that his heart was faſhioned like the heart of God, but he was lifted up in a ſelf-ſufficiency, as if he (like God) needed no helper; and as he thought, he …ad no need of help from any, ſo he had no fear of hurt from any. How often do ſuch proud waves appear upon the ſea of mans heart? and who is there among the ſons of men, but finds theſe proud waves of his heart lifting him up beyond his ſphere and condition? And who but God, can ſhut up this ſea with doors, when its ſinfulneſs breaks forth, as if it had iſſued out of the womb? But leaving theſe metaphorical ſeas,Acr mar… impendet Graeci optime foreign multae enim nebulae ſolent oriri ſuper mare. Grot. Cum mare aliis aquis tanquam veſtitu & faſciis circumtegerem Jun. Quis illa denſa vaporum caligine tanquam faſciis illud involvit. Bez. Nubes paſſim a poetis dicuntur atrae, nigrae ſpiceae, imò interdum tenebrae & nox. Sanct. Nomen foreign ortumeſta verbo foreign quod ſignificatin volvere faſciis ſeu linteolis, quemadmodum ſolent involvi recens noti infantes. Ezek. 16.4. Piſc. I return to conſider what the Lord ſaid further, concerning the Sea Natural.
Verſ. 9. When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkneſs a ſwadling band for it.
As ſoon as the child is born and come into the world, the Mother or Midwiſe provides ſutable garments for it, and a ſwadling band. Thus the Lord continues the metaphor of childbirth; I, ſaith the Lord, provided a garment and a ſwadling band for the new-born ſea. And as the Text tells us, that the Lord made the ſea a garment, and a ſwadling band, ſo it tells us what they were: What was the garment made for the ſea? The Cloud. When the Lord had ſeparated the ſea from the earth, he made the clouds to cover it, as garments do a child, that comes naked into the world; and the cloud is a fit garment for the ſea. Clouds are water condenſed, and they diſſolve into water, and here the Lord having ſeparated the ſea from the earth, made the cloud, which is a kind of ſea, a ſea in the air, as a garment to cover and keep it warm. And becauſe a new-born child, leſt the limbs ſhould not grow right, hath not the liberty of its arms and feet for a time; but is wrapt up with a ſwadling band: therefore, in purſuance of the Allegory, the Text ſpeaks of a ſwadling band prepared for the ſea, as ſoon as it was born. But what was the ſwadling-band of the ſea? As the matter of its garment is a cloud, ſo its ſwadling-band is thick darkneſs; that is, ſay ſome, very dark clouds; making this latter part of the verſe but a repetition of the former: becauſe clouds are dark in themſelves, they are often expreſſed by darkneſs, they are called black clouds, and dark clouds, yea, ſometimes clouds are called darkneſs. So that the cloud, and the thick darkneſs, may be the ſame; onelyonly it is here expreſt in different terms, to ſhew the exactneſs of the Lords proceeding, and the accurateneſs of his providing for the due ordering of the unruly child the ſea. And that the ſea had at firſt ſuch a ſwadling-band, we find (Gen. 1.2.) Darkneſs was upon the face of the deep.
Hence, Firſt, From the purpoſe of the Spirit of God, as we may well conceive, in repreſenting the ſea in ſuch a dreſs, a child in ſwadling-bands:
Note; God can as eaſily rule and bind the ſea (a vast bulky body) as a mother or a nurſe can bind a little infant in ſwadlingbands.
And ſurely the Spirit of God would have us to take notice, that though the ſea, be indeed ſuch a giant, ſuch a monſter, as will make a heart of oak ſhake, or a heart of braſs melt, yet what is it to God, but an infant? he can bind it and lay it to ſleep, even as a little child. And if the great ſea be in the hand of God as a little child, what is great to God! and how great is God! What is ſtrong to God! and how ſtrong is God! What or who is too great, or too ſtrong for God to deal with? Cannot God, who hath ſwadled the turbulent ſea, provide ſwadling-bands to wrap up the ſtouteſt and moſt turbulent ſpirits of this world? Job …p…aking of himſelf, wondered that God ſhould deal ſo with him (chap. 7.12.) Am I a Sea or a Whale, that thou ſetteſt a watch over me? The ſea is a boiſterous creature, and had need be watched; Am I a Sea or a Whale, ſaid Job? Though a man be as a ſea or a whale, God can watch him, and bind him from doing miſchief. Therefore fear not any power of the creature, though a great ſea, while your behaviour is good; but fear the Lord, who binds the ſea to its good behaviour. Nations are before him but as the drop of a bucket (Iſa. 40.15.) A Nation confidered in it ſelf, is a mighty ſea, much more The Nations, which indefinite is univerſal, taking in all Nations; yet they are all but as the drop of a bucket: and how eaſily can we diſpoſe of the drop of a bucket? Even ſo eaſily can God diſpoſe of thoſe who are as the ſea in opinion and appearance.
Secondly, Conſider what the Lord makes the ſwadling-band of the ſea; ſome ſtrong thing no doubt: the Text tells us it is but a dark cloud or a miſt ariſing from the ſea; theſe are the bands with which God binds this mighty giant the ſea.
Hence Obſerve, The Lord can make weak and improbable means to do and effect the greateſt things.
One would think we ſhould have heard of ſome other matter, even of adamantine chains, to bind the Sea with; but we ſee miſts and fogs and clouds ſhall do it, if God will. Miſts are but vapours gathered up and thickened a little in the air. Is it not a wonder, that they ſhould get the upper hand of, and bind the ſea? ſo that as ſoon as a miſt riſeth in the air, by and by the ſea is ſtill. There is indeed a natural reaſon why, as calms are ſeldome without miſts, ſo miſts can never be without calms; becauſe miſts cannot endure nor live in the wind, much leſs in a ſtorm, but muſt preſently be diſperſed or blown away by it; yet 'tis much, that a miſt, or a fog, or a cloud in the air, ſhould have a binding force upon the ſea. This was the Lords work, to keep the ſea quiet in its place. And having conſidered this, we are called to conſider another Work of God, whereby he keeps the ſea from roving out of its place, in the two verſes following.
Verſ. 10. And brake up for it my decreed place, and ſet bars and doors, &c.
Here the Lord ſpeaks of the ſecond ſtate of the ſea, according to one reading, though according to ours of the firſt.
When the Lord had ſaid, Let the waters be gathered together into one place, he prepared a place to receive the waters; as when a man would have a place to hold water, he digs or makes an earthen veſſel or receptacle for it. So when the waters iſſued out of the earth in their nativity, the Lord gathered them together into a ſea, and prepared a ſtupendious pit; or as ſome follow the alluſion here of a new-born infant wrapt in ſwadling-bands, he provided a great bed or cradle to put it into. That vaſt concave into which the waters are put, is ſomewhat like a cradle; thoſe channels (I ſay) which God made for the ſea, are as the cradle wherein it is laid. The banks and ſhores are thoſe bars and doors with which the infant is kept in his cradle. What can be ſpoken more ſignificantly than theſe ſimilitudes, to expreſs the greatneſs of God, who keeps in the ſea by his power, and leads it forth gently into ſeveral creeks and boſoms, for the ſafety of Naviga…i…n, and repreſſeth its fury and violence by the ſands and ſhores? Thus ſaith the Lord, I brake up for it my decreed place, a hollow place, for the holding of the ſea.
foreign Et fregi, i. e. decidi v…l decrevi…i per ill… ſt…tuti… …eum, q. d. de i… decretum meum co…ſtitui, cum ei limi…es ſunt à me praefiniti. Merc. Vocabulum terr… recte hic ſuppleri, tum ipſa hiſtoriae veritas, tum p…opria figniti…atio v…rbi foreign evincit: Itaque alii n…n recte cum v…rbo illo …runt v…m foreign in Hebr…o def…it prepoſitio foreign pro foreign Piſc. Cum difregi pro eo (ſ… terra…) decreto meo, i. e. Alveos velut …unas exaravi & circummu…i…i. Jun.Some tranſlate, And eſtabliſhed my decree upon it; for the word place, is not expreſſed in the Text, there it is only and brake up my decree; but it is more clear to the general ſenſe of the Text, and to the particular ſenſe of the Hebrew word, to interpret it, of breaking up a decreed place for the ſea, than of eſtabliſhing a decree for the ſea; which is a conſequent of the former: and therefore I underſtand it only of a fitting room for the ſea, here called a decreed place, or a place determined, a place not only ſound out as convenient, but determined and ſet; I brake up for it my decreed place, or my ſtatuted place, a place that I appointed by an ordinance of heaven, that place did I break up for it; that is, I made a veſſel or channel like a cradle, big enough, and broad enough, and deep enough, to hold the vaſt waters of the ſea. I brake up for it my decreed place.
Note, Firſt; The Lord who made the ſea, made alſo a place for it.
The ordering and placing of all things is of God, as well as the making of them; God hath provided a place for every thing, and put every thing in its place. God is the God of Order. And how comely and orde…ly are all things, while they are kept in, and all perſons while they keep in the place which God hath decreed for them, and put them in! The Elements do not ponderate, are not burdenſome in their place. The ſea troubles us not while it keeps or breaks not out from that decreed place, which God at firſt brake up for it. There is not the leaſt worm, but hath a decreed place. And as God hath appointed men their time (there is a decreed time for their birth, and for their continuance in life, they die alſo, and go out of the world in a decreed time) ſo there is a decreed place for every man, and that two-fold:
Firſt, Of his habitation, in what part of the world he ſhall live (Acts 17 26.)
Secondly, Of his ſtation, or vocation, what part he ſhall act in the world, to ſerve his generation, or to get his living. He that abides within the bounds of his calling, abides in his place, though he every day move or remove from place to place. It is beſt for our ſelves and for others alſo to abide in our decreed places; as it is a mercy to us all, that the ſea abides where God placed it. If men break out of their places, they may quickly do miſchief like the breach of the ſea: To prevent which God brake up for it his decreed place, and not only ſo, but as it followeth in the cloſe of this tenth verſe, Set bars and doors.
In the eighth verſe we have only doors; he hath ſhut up or annointed the doors of the ſea; but here we have bars and doors. It is an alluſion to ſtrong Cities and Caſtles, or to great mens Houſes, which have not only doors, but doors barred and double lockt. Bars ſtrengthen doors, and keep them faſt and ſure. A ſtrong door, if not well lockt and barred, may quickly be broken open; therefore the Lord to make all faſt, tells us that when he had put the ſea into his decreed place, that it ſhould no more return to cover the earth at its own pleaſure, or according to its natural bent (for there is a deſire, that is, a natural bent in the ſea to be over-flowing all, and to repoſſeſs the place from which it was at firſt with-drawn; the Lord I ſay tells us that) he then ſet doors and bars to keep it in, and ſhut it up faſt enough. And if you enquire what is meant by theſe doors and bars, with which 'tis ſhut in? Some anſwer, The ſands of the ſea, others the rocks, clifts and banks; theſe are bars and doors by which the ſea is ſhut in. But though theſe things are indeed as bars and doors to keep the ſea from returning again; yet that which is the great bar and door, is the word of command from God, as appears fully in the next verſe.
Verſ. 11. And ſaid, hitherto ſhalt thou come,Et dixi, ei ſc. proſopopeia. Dicere dei eſt jubere & conſtituere quid fiat. and no further.
The Saying of God, is Gods Command and Law; And ſaid. To whom? To whom did the Lord ſpeak? He ſaid it to the ſea; though a ſenſeleſs creature, a creature without reaſon, yea without life, yet the Lord ſaid it, and he ſaid it to the ſea, and he ſpake it as angry with the ſea. As if he had ſaid, I ſee what a raging creature thou art, what a froward ungovern'd child thou art like to prove; therefore I ſay, hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further. We may take this ſaying of the Lord, under theſe two notions.
Hebraei foreign pro termino ponunt, ut apparet, Ezek. 41.15. ideo recte foreign vertitur hoc uſque. C…t.Firſt, As expreſſing the firmneſs of what was done; He ſaid, that is, reſolved, determined, and concluded, made it a Law, a Law like that of the Medes and Perſians, not to be reverſed by any power.
Secondly, He ſaid, as noting the facility of the work. When the Lord took a courſe to ſhut up theſe doors, and to put on theſe invincible bars, what did he? He ſaid it, and it was as ſoon done as ſaid; ſo that this word He ſaid, notes the infinite ſoveraignty and power of God, that by a word ſpeaking the matter was done; He ſaid, Hitherto ſhalt thou come.
The Lord gives the ſea line; He makes it a priſoner, but not a cloſe priſoner; He gives it a great ſcope, large room to role and tumble its waves in; Hitherto thou ſhalt come, that is, hitherto thou maiſt come. It is not a Command that the ſea ſhould alwayes come ſo far, but it is a diſpenſation or a permiſſion, that thus far the ſea may come, but no further. As if the Lord had ſaid, I have drawn a line, and I have ſet a mark, I have given thee a bound, ſo far to go, hitherto ſhalt thou come, But no further.
Rabbi Levi.The Hebrew is, Thou ſhalt not add; Thou ſhalt not go beyond the bound which I have ſet thee, to deſtroy the earth. A Jewiſh Writer gives a double expoſition of this, But no further.
Firſt, Of the waves and the waters in the midſt of the ſea. When waves riſe in the main ocean, how high they may riſe and toſs the ſailing ſhip, we cannot tell; but God knows.
Secondly, Of the waves roaring at the ſea-ſhore. To both he ſaith, Hitherto ſhall ye come, and no further.
And here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtayed.
Why doth the Lord call them proud waves? it is not becauſe they are proud properly, but by a Metaphor; they lift up their heads as proud men do, and are therefore called proud waves. Thus Jethro ſpake of Pharaoh and his hoſt (Exod. 18.11.) In the things wherein they dealt proudly, the Lord was above them. Pharaoh and the Egyptians, like the proud waves of the ſea, thought to have ſwallowed up all Iſrael; but God made the ſea to ſwallow them up. Proud men, like mighty waves, think to ſwallow up all; but He is above them, that ſaith to the ſea, Here ſhall thy proud waves Be ſtayed.
The Hebrew is, And here it ſhall ſet it ſelf againſt the pride of thy waves. As if the Lord had ſaid, if they come here,foreign Fluctus recte dicti, quia volvuntur ventis. Et magnos volvunt ad littora fluctus. Dicuntur etiam foreign a fragore vel quod franguntur in littora & ſcopulos, vel quod inter ſe colliduntur. my doors ſhall meet them, my commands like bars ſhall ſtop them, that they ſhall not be able to go a ſtep further; they ſhall not conquer my commands, nor break down the doors, nor diſſolve the bars, which I have ſet up. The word rendred waves properly ſignifies a heap; becauſe waves role in heaps one upon the neck of another.
Firſt, In that this Text makes ſo particular a deſcription of the proviſion which God made to keep the ſea in order; as ſoon as it was born, he bound it up in ſwadling-bands, and then brake up a decreed place for it, and there ſet up bars and doors, that it ſhould come no further. He put the ſea under confinement.
Hence, Note; The ſea left to it ſelf, would miſchief all; the ſea would return and cover the earth quickly.
As ſoon as ever it brake forth out of the earth, it covered the earth; and ſo it would do again, if the Lord ſhould let it alone. David took ſpecial notice of this work of God (Pſal. 104.9.) Thou haſt ſet a bound that they (the waters ſpoken of verſ. 6, 7, 8.) cannot paſs over, that they turn not again to cover the earth. Which plainly implieth, that the waters would turn again to cover the earth, and ſo recover their firſt liberty, even to overſpread the face of the whole earth, did not God reſtrain and hold them in, as was ſhewed before in the general explication of this verſe.
Secondly, Note; The creature can go no farther than God permits or ſuffers.
Rational creatures often go beyond the commands of God; but neither they, nor any creature, can go beyond the counſel of God: They who tranſgreſs or paſs over the line of his revealed will, cannot paſs over the line of his ſecret will. The Lord ſecretly puts a ſtop to all creatures, as here, to the ſea. How extravagant ſoever mens ſpirits are, or their practices are, yet they are under an over-ruling power. The ſea hath continued under this command ever ſince God made it; it hath gone no further than the Lord would. Though it be a truth that the ſea hath broken viſible and natural, yea artificial banks, and bounds, and bars; yet it hath never broken thoſe ſpecial inviſible banks, bounds, and bars,Deus non ſibi eas rerum leges fixit quas nequeat ad tempus cum libot mut…re. which God hath made for it, his decree. When God gave the ſea viſible banks, and bounds and bars, he did not intend them for banks, and bounds, and bars to his own will; and therefore he ſometimes bids the ſea go beyond and break its viſible bounds and bars. He commanded a general deluge in Noahs time; then all was ſea, no dry land appeared: And though we have the Lords promiſe that he will never deſtroy the world, how ſinful ſoever, by an univerſal deluge any mo…e (Gen. 9.11.) yet Hiſtories and experiences have told us there have been many particular inundations of the ſea, breaking its anciently known bounds and bars; nevertheleſs it never did nor ever ſhall break the bars of this word, hitherto ſhalt thou come, but no further. The divine pillar of this (Ne plus ultra) No further, ſtands inviolable. If the ſea break bounds at any time, 'tis becauſe God hath given it a ſpecial commiſſion to do ſo, for the puniſhment of men, who break their bounds by ſin. The ſea is ſtill Gods priſoner, and goes not out of thoſe doors which God hath ſet up and barred, without his licence; it ſtirs not a foot from the decreed place which God broke up for it, but as he lengthens its chain.
Thirdly, Note; To God alone that power belongs, which keeps the ſea within compaſs.
It is not the ſands, nor the banks, nor the rocks, that can do it. The water is a very barbarous and head-ſtrong element, none can put a bridle into the lips of it, but God himſelf. A late Hiſtorian, ſpeaking of the ſiege of Rochel, ſaith there was a ſtupendious dike made, which might be called a bridle to the ſea: but God alone can make a bridle for the ſea; his word in the Text, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further, is the bridle. Some diſpute whether it be not a continued Miracle, that the ſea is kept within its compaſs. We ſay miracles are diſcontinued; and I conceive 'tis beſide the nature of a miracle, to be continual; yet, without diſpute, 'tis a continued marvel or wonder, that the ſea is thus kept in; if the Lord ſhould let it looſe, if he ſhould remove the bar and unlock the door of that prohibition here given it, but one hour, no natural doors nor bars could hinder it from returning to cover the face of the earth. Take a few inferences from the whole.
Firſt, The ſea is Gods, and he hath made it.
(Pſal. 95.5.) And he made it, as to declare his own glory, ſo to promote our good (Pſal. 104.25, 26.) The earth (O Lord) is full of thy riches; ſo is this great and wide ſea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both ſmall and great beaſts; there go the ſhips; there is that Leviathan whom thou haſt made to play therein. O magnifie God, who hath made the ſea ſo vaſt, ſo wide, ſo great, yet ſo uſeful and commodious. As the ſea is a terrible creature, ſo a beneficial creature, bringing forth and feeding an innumerable company of beaſts, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks. We may as ſoon number the ſands, as the ſhoals of fiſh bred and nouriſhed in thoſe mighty waters.
Secondly, As the ſea is the Lords, and he made it; ſo the ſea is the Lords, and he maſters it.
(Pſal. 89.9.) Thou ruleſt the raging of the ſea; when the waves thereof ariſe, thou ſtilleſt them. Glorifie the Lord in this. No earthly potentate can coerce the ſea. Xerxes preſumed he could tame the He…eſpont, a little brook comparatively to the Ocean, but it would not obey him; he diſciplined it with three hundred ſtroaks for attempting his bridge of boats, but it would not mend; he caſt fetters into it, as if it had been his vaſſal, but it would not be bound. It is God who binds the ſea, That knows no Lord but him that made both it and the dry land. It was proof enough of Chriſts Divinity, that rebuking the winds and the ſea, there was a great calm. This made the men marvel, ſaying, what manner of man is this (ſurely he is more than man) that even the winds and the ſea obey him (Matth. 8.26, 27.) When ſome Courtiers would have flattered our Daniſh King Canutus into a belief that his power was more than humane, he commanded his chair to be ſet on the Sea-ſhore at the time of flood; and ſitting down, thus beſpake that Element; I charge thee not to enter my land, nor wet theſe robes: but the ſea keeping on its courſe, he roſe up, and ſpake in the hearing of all about him; Let all the inhabitants of the world know, that vain and weak is the power of Kings; and that none is indeed worthy of that Name, but he that keeps both heaven, and earth, and ſea in obedience.
Thirdly, Then tremble at the power of God, who can let the ſea looſe upon us in a moment. We tremble at the ſea if it break looſe; then tremble at the power of God, who can let looſe the ſea. It is he that calleth for the waters of the ſea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: the Lord is his Name. (Amos 9.6.)
Fourthly, when the ſea breaks bounds in any degree, either when we ſee a ſtorm at ſea, or a deluge at land, let us go only to the Lord, who onelyonly can ſtill the raging of the ſea, and put ſwadling-bands about it, even as if it were a child. God alone is to be invocated, when the winds are tempeſtuous, and threaten either a deluge at land, or a wrack at ſea. Heathens invoked Neptune and Aeolus. Popiſh votaries call upon St. Nicholas and St. Chriſtopher. Let us learn of the Diſciples, who fearing to be ſwallowed up of a tempeſt, went to Chriſt, and ſaid, Maſter, ſave us, we periſh (Matth. 8.27.) The poor Mariners in Jonah called every one upon his God (Jorah 1.5.) but none of them called upon the true God. It is Jehovah the Lord, the true God onelyonly, that raiſeth the ſtormy wind, which lifteth up the waves of the ſea; and it is he that maketh the ſtorm a calm (Pſal. 107.24, 25, 29.)
Fifthly, If the ſea, ſo vaſt and violent a creature receive the bridle from God, and is bound up by him, even as an infant in ſwadling-bands; how much more ſhould man receive the bridle from him! The Lord ſaith to the ſons of men, hitherto ſhall ye come, and no further; hitherto your works and actions ſhall go, and no further: yet how do the men of the world over-flow and break their bounds! The prophet makes this application clearly (Jer. 5.22, 23.) Fear ye not me, ſaith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my preſence? which have placed the ſand for the bound of the ſea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot paſs it; and though the waves thereof toſs themſelves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not paſs over it: but this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart, they are revolted and gone. As if he had ſaid, The ſea doth not revolt againſt my command, but this people doth; they are more unruly than the ſea. All the wicked, at beſt, are like the troubled ſea, that cannot reſt (as the Prophet ſpeaks, Iſa. 57.20.) How much worſer then are they than the ſea, when they are at worſt?
Laſtly, We may hence infer for our comfort; If the Lord hath put bounds to the natural ſea, what unnatural ſea is there, to which the Lord cannot put bounds? There is a five-fold metaphorical ſea, to which the Lord hath ſaid, hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further: Or, at leaſt, he hath ſaid, though thou come hither, thou ſhalt come no further. This the Lord hath ſaid,
Firſt, To the ſea of mans wrath. The wrath of man is a grievous ſea, and of that David ſaith (Pſal. 76.10.) The wrath of man ſhall praiſe thee, the remainder of wrath ſhalt thou reſtrain. Let men be as angry as they will, let them be as ſtormy as a ſea; yet the Lord hath ſaid, hitherto ſhall ye come, and no further: For (Pſal. 65.7.) He ſtilleth the noiſe of the ſeas, the noiſe of their waves, and the tumult of the people. Yea, great men raging like the ſea, are ſometimes ſtopt by very ſmall matters, ſuch as the ſea-ſands. The Chief-prieſt and Elders of the people, were offended at Chriſt, and therefore queſtioned his Authority; yet forbare to anſwer his queſtion, as they had moſt mind to do it, for fear of the people (Matth. 21.23, 26.)
Secondly, He bounds the ſea of the devils rage. The devil is a ſea in bonds. We read of a ſpecial thouſand years, wherein it is propheſied that Satan ſhall be bound (Rev. 20.2.) yet indeed he is alwayes bound, elſe no man could live a quiet hour for him, nor have any reſt from his furious temptations and vexations, but his profeſſed ſlaves and votaries.
Thirdly, There is a ſea of Affliction which we meet with in this world; the Lord bounds that alſo, and ſaith, hitherto it ſhall come and no further (1 Cor. 10.13) There hath no temptation taken you, but ſuch as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that you may be able to bear it.
Fourthly, The Lord ſets a bound to the ſea of prophaneneſs and ungodlineſs in the world; that's a ſea that would over-flow all; and that is a ſea, f…r whoſe over-flowing, we have cauſe to pour out floods of tears. Hence that prayer of David (Pſal. 7.9.) O let the wickedneſs of the wicked come to an end! Did not the Lo…d put an end to the prophaneneſs and ungodlineſs of men, they would be endleſs in prophaneneſs and ungodlineſs. The unj…ſt knoweth no ſhame (Zeph. 3.5.) That is, he is never aſhamed of any injuſtice, but would go on to do unjuſtly and wickedly (in infinitum) who knows how long!
Fifthly, The Lord ſets a bound to the ſea of error and falſe d…ct ine; the Lord ſaith, Hitherto ſhalt thou c me, and no further. Error would be as extravagant and boundleſs as the ſea, if the Lord did not bound it. Epiphanius in his treatiſe of hereſies, alludes to this Scripture, for the comfort of himſelf and o…hers, when he ſaw ſuch a high-grown ſea of error broken in upon the Church. As Jannes and Jambres withſtood Moſes, ſo do ſuch ungodly men withſtand the truth of Chriſt; but (ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 3.9.) They ſhall proceed no further. Did not the Lord give a ſtop to the ſpirit of ſeduction that goeth out from the Devil and the falſe Prophet, it would bring in a deluge of deluſions upon the whole world, and (as Chriſt himſelf hath fore-warned us, Matth. 24.24.) deceive if it were poſſible, the very Elect. But there is a bar and a bound for this ſea alſo; though they come hitherto, to this and that perſon with their errors, to this and that point of error, yet they ſhall proceed no further; and here, even here, their proud and poiſonous waves ſhall be ſtayed.