Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 38 · Verse 12-15
JOB, Chap. 38. Verſ. 12, 13, 14, 15.
12. Haſt thou commanded the morning ſince thy days? and cauſed the day-ſpring to know his place
13. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be ſhaken out of it?
14. It is turned as clay to the ſeal, and they ſtand as a garment.
15. And from the wicked their light is with-holden, and the high arm ſhall be broken.
THe Lord in dealing with Job, had already put ſundry Queſtions to him about the earth, and about the ſea, as hath been ſhewed in the former part of this Chapter; here the Lords calls his thoughts up into the ayre, or bids him look to the heavens, and duly conſider the light of the Sun. In this the Lord intends the ſame thing which he had done before, while he was queſtioning J…b about the Earth and the Sea, namely, to humble him, and b…ing him …o a full ſubmiſſion, by ſhewing him his weakneſs, and utter inſufficiency, as alſo to ſet forth his own wiſdom, power, and greatneſs: Haſt thou commanded the morning ſince thy days? &c. We may gather up the general ſenſe of theſe four verſes in o… this brief ſum. As if the Lord had thus beſpoken Job; If thou anſwereſt, that the things I have already queſtioned thee about, were before thy time, and therefore muſt needs be done, without either thy counſel or aſſiſtance; then I ask thee farther, Haſt thou ever haſtened or retarded, haſt thou quickened or ſtopt the riſing of the Sun, at any time ſince thou waſt born? or haſt thou ever cauſed the morning light in any one of theſe Jew days, which thou haſt ſeen, to ſpread it ſelf far and near, even every where, to the uttermoſt parts of the earth; that ſo thoſe evil doers and night-birds, who being children of darkneſs, cannot but hate the light, and love the works of darkneſs, might by its riſing be at once diſcovered and affrighted? This ſeems to be the purpoſe and ſcope of God in theſe words. More particularly, Verſ. 12. Haſt thou commanded the morning ſince thy days?
That's the firſt Queſtion; Haſt thou ſince thy days, given the morning its charge; to Mr. Broughton tranſlates, implying, that every morning the Sun receives as it were freſh orders from ſome hand or other? now, haſt thou given out orders for …e morning light; Doth the day-light obey thee? Doth the Sun ariſe at ſuch times and places as thou haſt appointed? Haſt thou commanded it (ſo we render) The word notes commanding with fulleſt authority,Verbum foreign v…t… jub…re, o…eſſ…, exhibere, ſiſter…, in actum & …o… ſpectum ed…c… re. Imperium voluntatis effica… intelligitur, quod ſtatim ſequitur eff…ctus. a command to appear and be ready upon duty, a command to ſtand forth and do what is enjoyned. This word of command is moſt proper unto God (Pſal. 33.9.) He ſpake the word, and it was done; he commanded, and it ſtood faſt. The command of God is a creating command, it puts things into act; his ſaying gives them a being; his calling them to work, makes them work, or ſets them a work. Now, ſaith God, Hast thou commanded the morning? Haſt thou, O Job, ſuch a word of command upon any c…eature, for the producing of any effect, motion, or action? Haſt thou commanded The morning?
A…anando latine dicitur mane, qu…d cum ſole man…t dies ab…ience.By the morning, the Lord means the morning light. As if he had ſaid, Haſt th u raiſed the Sun out of its bed, and brought forth the morning? haſt thou, like the Maſter or Lord of this great family, the World, called up thy ſervants, and ſet up thy light for them to work by? haſt thou commanded the morning, that is, cauſed the Sun to riſe, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoyceth as a ſtrong man to run a race (Pſal. 19.5.) No, ſaith the Lord, it was not, 'tis not thou that commandeſt the morning, it is I that command the morning. I commanded the firſt morning (Gen. 1.5.) I ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light; and the evening and morning were the firſt day. It was I, who the fourth day, ſaid, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night; and let them be for ſigns and for ſeaſons, for days and for years. It was I that made two great lights (the Sun and Moon) the greater light to rule the day, and the leſſer light to rule the night, (Gen. 1.14, 15, 16.) The firſt morning, and all the mornings, the light-bearer, or the light-bringer, came forth and appeared at my command, not at thine. Haſt thou commanded the morning Since thy days.
There is ſomewhat ſpecial in thoſe words, Since thy days. We may take them either of theſe two ways.
Firſt, As if the Lord had ſaid,Cum dixit, A diebus tuis, Oſtendit id antequam ille naſceretur factum eſſe, & perpetuum illum naturae ordinem in manu dei eſſe non hominum. Merc. Was there no morning before thy days? Or, Was there not a morning, befo…e thou hadſt a morning in the world? Did the birth of the morning wait till thou waſt born? Did it not look forth, no… appear, till thou didſt appear? Surely, there were mornings, hundreds of years before thou hadſt a morning in the world. The morning did not ſtay for thee, nor for thy day.
Secondly, Haſt thou commanded the morning ſince thy days? That is, ſince thou cameſt into the world? haſt thou had the honour, priviledge, and power to awaken and call up the morning, as thou doſt thy houſhold ſervants? Know, O Job, that, as there was a morning before thou waſt born, or hadſt a day in the world; ſo ſince thy day, thou haſt neither made the morning, nor raiſed up the morning light; that power is now in my hand, as it was before thou waſt in being; thou art but of yeſterday, of a few days: there was a morning before thy days; and ſince thy days many have continued and come forth daily: yet not at thy command, but at mine. As I brought forth the light in the firſt day of the Creation, ſo the fourth day I created the Sun, into which I gathered the light, and at whoſe riſing the morning ſhews it ſelf.
Hast thou commanded the morning ſince thy days?
'Tis a daring Queſtion; thou haſt not, I have done it, and not thou.
Hence Note, Firſt, What God will have done, he can command to be done, or it ſhall be done at his command.
The Lord needs not labour to produce the moſt difficult effects; he can produce them as a Lord, by a word ſpeaking; he needs not intreat, nor treat about the bringing forth of any matter, his will is enough to bring it forth. What God will have done, ſhall be done. Thus it was at the beginning, when God created all things, and gave them a being; and thus it hath been ever ſince for the moving of all things to their ſeveral ends, and iſſues, to this day; all hath been done by a word of command. David (Pſal. 148.) calling the Sun, Moon, and Stars, to praiſe the Lord, gives that as the reaſon (verſ. 5.) for he commanded, and they were created. Now, I ſay, as they were created at the firſt by his command, ſo they ſhine forth every day by the ſame command (Matth. 5.45.) He maketh his Sun to riſe on the evil and on the good. He that hath power, uſually ſaith to a perſon that is unwilling to do a thing, I will make you to do it; that is, you ſhall do it, whether you will or no. And 'tis ſaid by the Evangeliſt, He maketh his Sun to riſe, &c. which may ſeem to import a kind of unwillingneſs in the Sun to beſtow its light promiſcuouſly upon the evil as well as good (evil men are indeed unworthy that the Sun ſhould ſhine or the rain fall upon them) but God (who is infinite in goodneſs, and to ſhew that our good deeds ſhould not be ſhut up or narrowed to thoſe onelyonly who are good) layeth an irreſiſtible and an indiſpenſible charge upon the Sun, to riſe and ſhine with that indifferency to the good, and to the bad. The Sun would be aſhamed to ſhine upon wicked men, the Sun would even with-hold its beams, and rays, and deny them light or any comfort, it would not make the earth fruitful for them, had it not a command from the Lord: But having a command from him, it cannot with-hold nor divert its light, no not from thoſe who are children of darkneſs, and have conſtant fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſſe.
'Tis no ſmall matter of conſolation, to remember, that our God is a commanding God, that he can command the morning: which as it is a truth, with reſpect to the natural morning of every day, ſo to the myſtical or metaphorical morning. After a dark, black, and ſtormy night of ſorrow and trouble upon his Church or People, then the Lord can command the morning of joy and proſperity to ariſe upon them and comfort them. 'Tis comfortable living under and obeying his commands, who can command away our ſorrows, and by a word ſpeaking turn midnight into morning, and the ſhadows of death into the ſhining light of life; and therefore ſaith peremptorily without ifs or ands (Pſal. 30.5.) Weeping (or ſorrow) may endure for a night, but joy (or ſinging) cometh in the morning: that's a morning in a morning. We may have a morning of Sun light, and no morning of joy-light, as the Lord threatned his people in caſe of diſobedience (Deut. 28.6, 7.) In the morning thou ſhalt ſay, would God it were even; and at even thou ſhalt ſay, would God it were morning, for the fear of thy heart, wherewith thou ſhalt fear, &c. OnelyOnly God can make a morning of joy or inward light, to riſe with the mo ning light of the natu…al day; elſe we may have day without us, and darkneſs within us; Sun-light but no ſoul-light. And ſuch was the intendment of that dreadful threatning againſt the wicked, laſt mentioned out of Moſes. Whereas the godly in their darkeſt ou…ward condition, are under the ſweet influences of that gracious promiſe (Pſal. 97.11.) Light is ſown for the righte…us, and gladneſs for the upright in heart. And God can command that light to ſpring even in the hour and power of darkneſs, as Chriſt expreſſed his ſaddeſt day in this world (Luke 22.53.) The light of every morning is called the day-ſpring, at the latter end of this verſe; and the Lord can make light and gladneſs, or the light of gladneſs to ſpring up in our hearts, when and where he pleaſeth.
Secondly, Obſerve; The courſe of Nature in all its turns and changes, is moved by, and obedient to the command of God.
As God commands the morning, ſo the morning fails not to come at his command. When did you ever know the morning ſtop or ſtay a moment beyond the time, that God commanded it to come forth. We could never ſay to the Chariot of the Sun, as the Mother of Siſera ſaid of his, Why is his Chariot ſo long a coming? why ſtay the wheels of his Chario…? There was ſomewhat ſtopt Siſera's Chariot, that it could not come; and God took off the Chariot wheels of the Egyptians, in the Red Sea, and they drew heavily; yea, the Lord can take off the Chariot-wheels of any, though they drive as furiouſly as Jehu, ſo that they ſhall not come at their time: but who ever knew the morning ſtopt a minute or a moment beyond the exact time at which it ſhould come, or was expected? And as the Sun, ſo all natural things, keep their courſe, and ſlack not at the command of God. No creature diſobeys the command of God but man, who of all creatures hath moſt reaſon, and is moſt obliged to obey it. God never ſaid of the Sun, O that it had hearkned to my voice; but the ſons of men put him often to ſay ſo, as he once did to Iſrael, his ancient people (Pſal. 81.13.) How ſeldome do we keep time with God! How ſeldome do we come or go, juſt at his call! I have called (ſaith Wiſdome, Prov. 1.24, 25.) and ye refuſed, I have ſtretched out my hand, and none regarded. God never looked, one day of the year, for the morning, and it came not; but he hath come three years (as the Parable of the Fig-tree ſhews, Luke 13.) to man, looking for fruit, and hath found none. Will it not ſhame us, that the morning is obedient to the command of God, if we are not?
And the…efore as the former note was matter of comfort to us, ſo this may be matter of conviction to us, that the morning, that the Sun in the firmament (a liveleſs creature) receiving a command, ſhould conſtantly appear at the time which the Lord appoints, and that we, who are living creatures, that we, who are reaſonable creatures, yea, that we, who have not only reaſon, but grace (all believers have) ſhould not be obedient to, and obſervant of the Lords command, to come at his time, to appear at his call; how may it cauſe us to bluſh for ſhame! The Prophet ſaith, The Stork in the heavens, the Crane, the Tu…tle, and the Swallow, theſe know the time of their coming; they come in their ſeaſon. I may ſay alſo, the Sun, Moon and Stars, thoſe lights in the heavens, know their ſeaſon, and the time of their coming; they obey the command of the Lord, and ſhall not we know the judgement of the Lord, and obſerve the appointed times of our duty! which to obſerve, is as much our intereſt or benefit, as it is our duty. As often as we ſee the morning coming according to the command of God, let it provoke us to make haſt, and not delay, to keep his commandements.
Thirdly, Haſt thou commanded the morning? that is, the morning light, to come forth? No, it's I that have done it.
Hence Note; We are to acknowledge God as the Commander, yea, as the Former, Maker, and Author of the light.
This command of God hath reſpect, not onelyonly to his bringing forth the light every morning, or to his bringing forth the morning light every day into the world; but to his giving the light its being the firſt day of the world. God is the Father not onelyonly of ſpiritual light (Jam. 1.17.) but of natural (Pſal. 74.16.) The day is thi…e, the night alſo is thine; thou haſt prepared the light, and the Sun. This glory is aſcribed to God by his holy Prophet alſo (Jer. 31.35.) Thus ſaith the Lord, which giveth the Sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the Moon, and of the Stars, for a light by night. The Lord gives theſe, as well as command theſe; and who but God can do either? None can command the creatures unto their daily motion, but God; much leſs could any command the creatures into their firſt being, but God. How wiſe, how great ſoever men are, or ſeem to be in their own eyes or ſight, they cannot make nor bring forth the leaſt ray of light; much leſs can they make ſuch a world of light, as God hath made for the world. And ſurely there is no creature wherein we may ſee and contemplate more of God than in the light, which he made the firſt day, and now commandeth to make the morning day by day. Nor is there any thing in the whole compaſs of Nature, either more comfo…table or more admirable than the light. The commonneſs of it leſſens our eſteem of it; and becauſe it comes ſo conſtantly, and never fails, we are apt to look upon it as no great matter, as no great mercy; whereas indeed the light is not onelyonly uſeful and comfortable, but admirable; and that it deſerves theſe three attributes, I ſhall briefly ſhew; by giving a touch at each of them.
That, light is an admirable creature, muſt be confeſſed, if we conſider,
Firſt, Its original, or the way of its production. The Apoſtle treating about ſpiritual light, tells us whence the natural light came (2 Cor. 4.6.) God who commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs, &c. Light came, as it were, out of the womb of darkneſs. Now that, out of darkneſs, black darkneſs, ſuch a beautiful child, ſuch a goodly creature as light ſhould be brought forth, is it not marvellous? Yet thus it was, God commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs. The Hiſtory of the Creation reports, There was nothing but darkneſs upon the face of the earth, when the Lord ſaid, Let there be light. Darkneſs is totally contrary to light, 'tis the privation of light: Now, that the habit ſhould come forth out of the privation, light out of darkneſs, or life out of death, joy out of ſorrow, peace out of trouble, theſe are the wonderful works of God. And we may comfortably meditate upon this, when we want any kind of light: Whence did the Lord bring light at firſt? even out of darkneſs; therefore let us not think any darkneſs of trouble, a le…t to the Lords production of light. When we are in ſpiritual darkneſs (the ſtate of nature is a ſtate of darkneſs) that doth not hinder; the Lo…d can eaſily bring the light of the new creatu…e out of it: and when we are in the darkneſs of any trouble, though it be thick darkneſs, dark…eſs (as Job ſpake, chap. 10.22.) like darkneſs it ſelf, and where the light is as darkneſs; yet this doth not hinder, the Lord can bring light out of it. There's the firſt wonder, the Lord brought light out of darkneſs.
Secondly, Light is wonderful, in its operation, power, and efficacy, in that it doth ſo ſuddenly chaſe away, conquer, and overcome darkneſs. Light gets victory over darkneſs in a moment. There's no darkneſs can abide the face of light. As ſoon as God commands the morning, let it be as da k as pitch, the darkneſs muſt away, and fly before it. Da…kneſs cannot withſtand light, nor ſtand in the preſence of it; there's no long diſpute, light inſtantly gets the hands, the day, of darkn…ſs.
Thirdly, If we conſider the pure nature o… ligh…; 'tis as pure as purity it ſelf. Light hath an inſeparable and an inſuperable purity; though it may be a while ob…cured, yet it cannot be at all polluted. Philoſophers have ſpoken much about the natu…e of light, but none were ever able to comprehend it. Some ſaid, it is a habit or quality of a light ſome body; L…x diunt Phyſici eſt foreign, ſeu qualitas corporis …ucidi.yet none of their definitions reach it fully. They make it a quality; yet we may conceive it is rather to be ranked and reckoned among ſubſtances than accidents, it being a principal part of the Creation, and the expreſs ſubject of Gods work the firſt day of it.
Fourthly, The light is very wonderful in the changes and viciſſitudes of it. How it paſſeth and repaſſeth, how it increaſeth and decreaſeth, how it comes and goes, is an amazing conſideration.
Fifthly, Though the light be in continual changes, yet there's nothing more conſtant than the light, to its appointed time. Light never fails to come in its ſeaſon.
Secondly, That light is a moſt uſeful and beneficial creature, who can deny? ſeeing without light the whole Creation were a nothing to us. What had the world been to us, if God had not made light, and ſet up lights in it? The eye of the body (whi…h is the light of the body, Matth. 6.22.) were of no uſe to us without outward light. Till the Sun (which is the eye of the great world) ſhines, the eye (which is the Sun of the little world) is no advantage to us. There muſt be light in the aire, as well as light in the eye, elſe the moſt beautiful objects have no appearing beauty; and therefore the Lord made light the firſt day, that by it, the beauty of the whole Creation might be ſeen. Light diſcovers it ſelf and all other things: Light illuſtrates all the works of God, and ſets them in our ſight. And as all that God hath done, would be nothing to us without light, ſo we our ſelves could do nothing without light. We cannot work at all, or very hardly, or very badly, without light; hence that of David (Pſal. 104.22, 23.) The Sun ariſeth; man goeth forth to his work and to his labour, until the evening. (John 9.4.) The night cometh, wherein no man can work. Night of any ſort, is not for work, becauſe 'tis dark; and therefore they who work in the night, get artificial light to ſupply the want of natural. When the plague of darkneſs was upon the Egyptians, they ſate ſtill, and no man moved from the place where he was, till that plague was removed (Exod. 10.22, 23.) And as we cannot do the work of our Civil Callings without light, either natural or artificial; ſo we cannot do the work of our Chriſtian Calling, without ſpiritual light. When Christ the Sun of righteouſneſs ariſeth with healing in his wings, then we go forth (to our ſpiritual labour as Chriſtians) and grow up as the calves of the stall (Mal. 4.2.) How long ſoever we live in this world, we never go forth to that labour, till the Sun of righteouſneſs, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ariſeth upon us. It was ſaid to thoſe in the parable, that were hired at the eleventh hour (Matth. 11.6.) Why ſtand ye all the day idle. They of the eleventh hour were perſons, poſſibly, very buſie and laborious as to their Civil Callings in the world, but had ſtood idle all the day as to any ſpiritual work, as to any work of grace; they had not done God, nor their poor ſouls, one ſtroke of work all that while, until they were called, and the light of grace ſhined upon them. Jeſus Chriſt is the light which lightened the Gentiles, and the glory of Iſrael (Luke 2.32.) And whereſoever he comes, The people which ſat in darkneſs ſee a great light, and to them which ſat in the valley of the ſhadow of death, light ſprings up (Matth. 4.16.) And that a two-fold light;
Firſt, Light to be ſaved by.
Secondly, Light to ſerve God, or to do the work of God by.
Thirdly, How comfortable is the light! 'Tis ſo comfortable, that light and comfort are often put for the ſame thing. God is the Lord (aith David, Pſal. 118.27.) which hath ſhewed us light; that is, the light of counſel what to do, and the light of comfort in what we do, or after all our ſufferings. Light is not only a candle held to us, to do our work by, but it comforts and cheareth us in our work (Eccl. 11.7.) Light is ſweet, and a pleaſant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun. Hence that of David (Pſal. 65.8.) Thou makest the out-goings of the evening and morning to rejoyce; that is, thou makeſt men to rejoyce, they are glad, they rejoyce in, or at the out-goings of the morning. Man takes comfort at the firſt appearance of the light; light refreſheth him at its out-goings in the morning. And at the evening men rejoyce too, for then they go to their reſt, being wearied with the labour of the day.Poſſunt exitus matutini & v…ſpertini ſumi pro hominibus qui h…bitant ubi exit dies & ubi exit nox, i. e. pro Orientalibus & Occidentali…. Or we may thus expound that Pſalm, Thou makeſt the out-goings of the morning and the evening to rejoyce; That is, thou makeſt men who live at the out-goings of the morning, and at the out-goings of the evening to rejoyce. As if it had been ſaid, thou makeſt the Eaſtern people and the Weſtern people, all people from Eaſt to Weſt rejoyce. And that which makes all people to rejoyce, naturally, is the riſing of light with them in the Eaſt, and the coming of light towards them in the Weſt.
Thus we ſee what an excellent creature light is, both as it hath a continually renewed riſing in the morning of every day, and as it had its firſt being in the morning of the world, and both from the command of God. Whence take theſe inferences.
Firſt, When we behold the morning coming forth by the command of God; Let us conſider who God is, and what the beauty, and purity, the majeſty, and excellency of God are, who is clothed with light, and dwelleth in light, yea, who is light, and in whom there is no darkneſs at all. There is not any one creature, which God doth ſo formally predicate of himſelf, as this of light. As God is love (1 John 4.8.) ſo God is light, (1 John 1.5.) yet the light which ſhines to us, the morning, which God hath commanded for us, is but darkneſs to God, who hath commanded it. Light it ſelf is darkneſs, compared with God; yet 'tis the cleareſt ſhadow, the beſt reſemblance of God in Nature.
Secondly, As we ſhould conſider the excellency and beauty of God in the appearance of the morning, ſo his goodneſs, who hath made ſuch a creature for us, who hath alſo prepared ſo many veſſels to hold it and hold it out, or to diſpence it to us. 'Tis God who hath made thoſe great lights, the Sun to rule the day, and the Moon and Stars to rule the night (Gen. 1.16.) The day would be night to us, if God had not prepared the Sun (for though there were three days before the Sun was made, yet now 'tis the Sun which makes the day) and the night would be nothing but darkneſs to us, if God had not prepared the Moon and the Stars. How great then is the goodneſs of God to man, who hath made light for us, and who thus conveys and diſpenſeth it to us according to our need, both by day, and by night!
Thirdly, We ſhould hence be minded to pay our debt of thankfulneſs to God every day. Hiſtory tells us, that the ancient Rhodians or inhabitants of the Iſle called Rhodes, erected a mighty Coloſſus (according to their heatheniſh ſuperſtition) in honour of the Sun, who once a day at leaſt opened his face upon their Iſland, though it were over-caſt with clouds, muffled up, and vailed to all other parts of the world. Though, poſſibly, we do not ſee the face of the Sun every day, yet we enjoy the light and influences of it every day. God hath commanded the Sun in the Firmament to attend us, to be about us, to comfort us, every morning; and ſhall we be unthankful! If in a dark night a friend will but lend us a candle and a lanthorn, we thank him; What matter of thanks to God then ſhould it be, that he hath ſet up thoſe candles, thoſe torches, thoſe lamps of light for our comfort and guidance continually.
Fourthly, If God hath commanded the light, ſo excellent a creature to ſerve us, to be for our uſe, then let us make uſe of the light to ſerve the Lord in and by; let us make uſe of natural light, that of the Sun in the air; and of ſpiritual light, that of Chriſt the Sun in the Goſpel, moſt of all. Let us make uſe of natural light, as to civil, and of ſpiritual light, as to holy ends and enjoyments; let no beam of light ſhine to us in vain. It is ſinful, not to make a good uſe of natural light, 'tis very ſinful and dangerous not to make a good uſe of ſpiritual, 'tis condemnation to refuſe …pi…i…ual Goſpel light, and to love darkneſs rather than the light (John 3.19.)
Fifthly, Seeing the Lord ha h commanded the morning light for us, then by way of retribution, let us ſhine forth in obedience to his commands, and be as the morning light to glorifie God (Matth. 5.16.) We that have light made for us, ſhould carry our ſelves like lights. The Apoſtle either commends the Saints at Phillippi for ſhining, or commands them to ſhine as lights in the world (Phil. 2.15.) The Text runs in the Indicative Mood (by way of commendation) Among whom ye ſhine. The Margin hath it in the Imperative Mood (by way of command) Among wh…m ſh…ne ye as lights in the world. The Lord who hath commanded the Sun to …iſe for our light, hath commanded us to riſe and ſhine as lights, and be as ſo many Suns of light in the firm…ment of the Church, and in all places to which we come. Therefore (as our bleſſed Saviou…, the light and life of the world, hath counſelled us) Let our light ſhine (and ſo ſhine) before men, that they may ſee our good works, and glorifie our father which is in heaven (Matth. 5.16) We that have light commanded for us every day, how ſhould we be lights, and go forth as the Sun, caſting out our rays and beams, in a holy and godly converſation! And while we go forth and walk in ſuch a converſation, we go forth and walk as the Sun in its ſtrength, we enlighten all the world where we come, and dazel the eyes of the wicked world, or of the wicked in the world.
Sixthly, How ſhould we, who have light commanded for us, avoid all the works of darkneſs; yea, We ſhould (as the Apoſtle exhorts, Rom. 13.12, 13.) caſt off the works of darkneſs, and put on the armour of light; we ſhould walk honeſtly, as in the day: As in the day which the light of the natural Sun makes, and as in the day, which the light of the myſtical Sun, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, hath made.
Seventhly, Remember, as God hath commanded a morning for us here, ſo he will command a light, or a morning, a morning light for all our actions hereafter. As God hath made the the light, ſo he will bring all things to light. Many now live in the light of this world, whoſe works are in the dark as well as theirs are works of darkneſs. Now as the Lord hath commanded a morning to ſhine for us to worke by, ſo he will have a morning wherein all our works ſhall be ſeen (1 Cor. 4.5.) He will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and the manifeſt the counſels of the heart. Men may dig deep, to hide their counſels from God; but God knows how to bring them and their counſels to the morning, and will cauſe a light to ſhine upon them, though they have no light of truth or righteouſneſs in them. God will bring every work into judgement with every ſecret thing (Eccl. 12.14.) We muſt all appear (ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.10.) or we muſt all be manifeſt; we muſt appear, and ſo muſt our works too. Thoſe works of men ſhall be light, as to their diſcovery, which are nothing but darkneſs, as to their impurity. Thoſe deeds which have no light in them, ſhall come in the cleareſt light, and be plainly ſeen to the bottom, both by Men and Angels. The Lord who hath commanded this mo…ning light for us to do our work in, will command another morning light to judge our works in, and to give us the reward of them. And let all the wicked of the earth, to whom the morning of any day (becauſe they are in danger to be diſcovered by it) is as the ſhadow of death (Job 24.17.) Let them (I ſay) conſider how many thouſand deaths that morning will be to them, which will actually, fully, and impartially diſcover all their wickedneſs, with all the ſecrets of it.
Laſtly, Conſider if the Lord hath beſtowed ſo great a mercy upon us, in commanding the morning, or in giving us light, the light of the Sun; then let us be minded, how great a mercy the Lord hath beſtowed upon us in commanding the light or morning of the Goſpel to come upon us. It was night with us, and ſo it would have been for ever, for any means we could have deviſed or uſed to help out ſelves out of it, till God commanded Chriſt, the bright Morning Star (Rev. 22.16.) and Sun of Righteouſneſs, to riſe and ſhine upon us. How unſpeakable a mercy is it, that ſuch a light ſhould appear to us, who not only were in darkneſs, but were darkneſs! If we account it a mercy, that God hath commanded a morning to ſhine to us; O what a mercy is it, that we have a Chriſt to ſhine upon us! That the Day-Star from on high hath viſited us! That he who is the true light, that enlightens every man that cometh into the world (John 1.9.) hath riſen upon us, both to ſcatter the darkneſs of ſin and ignorance, and to chear our ſouls with the ſweet beams of his healing wings.
So much of the firſt part of the verſe, Haſt thou commanded the m…rning ſince thy day, foreign S…ir… … au…r…. foreign Mane & foreign aurora d…ſſ…runt: Nam prima dici … di…tum … h…c a nigri… … ſpecio ut vid tur. Nam … res ſub di…rulo apparere in…ptur… nigric… vi…entur C…c. foreign E…t nigreſc…re, bin nigreſcentem lucem ſcil. diluculum ſignificat. Sol varie nec uno loco oritur; quotidie ejus lo…s mutatirut ſol aſcendit aut deſcendit in ſignis Zodiaci. Merc.And cauſed the day-ſpring to know his place?
That is, when and where it ſhould break forth and appear every morning. The day-ſpring is expreſt by a different word in the original from the morning light; it implieth the firſt of the morning, when the air is darkiſh or duskiſh; we commonly call it the gray of the morning. The word ſignifies to be dark, or that darkneſs, which we call twilight. When the day-ſpring uſhers in the morning, there is a kind of dimneſs in the light. Now ſaith the Lord, Haſt thou cauſed the day-ſpring to know its place? haſt thou taught it, where to ſhew it ſelf to the world? The Lord ſpeaks nere of the day-ſpring, as if it were a rational creature, that took inſtructions, or a word of direction, where to begin the morning light. God, not man, hath taught the day-ſpring to know its place. We have a like expreſſion (Pſal. 16.11.) Thou wilt ſhew me (or thou wilt cauſe me to know) the path of life. Thus the Lord makes the day-ſpring know the path to its own place. The day never ſprings twice immediately in one place, but is in a continual variation, as Aſtronomers with experience teach. The place of the light or Sun-riſing differeth every morning, and from thence we have the difference of the dayes. The Sun paſſing through the twelve ſigns of the Zodiack, beginning with Aries, &c. (I ſhall not trouble you with their names, which have been deviſed and are uſed only for learning ſake, the Sun, I ſay, paſſing every year th…ough theſe twelve Signs, all which Aſtronomers preſent unto us under various forms or figures, ſuch as themſelves fancied moſt uſeful to ſubſerve the underſtanding of that Art) according to the ſituation of theſe Signs, through which the Sun runs his courſe in the Heavens, the day-ſpring to us on Earth changeth its place every day, appearing ſometimes more ſoutherly, and ſometimes more eaſterly, as the Sun either aſcends to the Summer Solſtice, at which time the day is at longeſt, and the night at ſhorteſt, as about the eleventh of our MonethMonth called June; or when it deſcends to the Winter Solſtice, at which time the day is ſhorteſt, and the night longeſt, as about the eleventh of our December. To which we may add the Suns coming in its aſcending courſe to the middle point of the heavens, which makes the Vernal Equinox, at which time the day and night are of an equal length, as about the eleventh of out March; as alſo the Suns coming, in its deſcending courſe, to the other middle point of the heavens, which makes the Autumnal Equinox, at which time the day and night are again of an equal length, as about the eleventh of our September. Now according to all theſe variations of the Suns motion, the day-ſpring varieth its place day by day; and the Lord enquires of Job, how this comes to paſs; Haſt thou cauſed the day-ſpring to know its place? No, 'tis I that have made the day-ſpring to know its place, I have appointed it thoſe ſeveral ſtages where it ſhall riſe to day, and where to morrow, and where every day throughout the year; this is from my contrivement and appointment, not from thine. Haſt thou cauſed the day-ſpring to know its place?
Hence Note; Firſt, It is the Lord, who appoints every creature its proper place.
The beauty of the world, is from the order of the world; and that every creature knows its place, makes the whole creation amiable.foreign. The World is expreſſed in Greek by a word noting the beauty, and order of it. And that which renders the creatures not onelyonly beautiful but ſerviceable to man, is the order they are placed in. The Sun keeping its appointed courſe, makes Summer at one time, and Winter at another. The Sun ever moves in (unleſs ſtayed by miracle, as in Joſhua's time) but never moves out of its place. As no creature is burdenſome, ſo there's no creature unſerviceable, when kept in its place, as was ſurther ſhewed (verſ. 10.)
Note Secondly, The courſe of times and ſeaſons is firmly and inviolably ſetled by the command of God.
This fettlement was made in the Creation (Gen. 1.14.) And when the flood had made (as it were) a confuſion of the times, and ſeaſons, the Lord renewed this ſettlement (Gen. 8.22.) While the Earth remaineth, ſeed time, and harveſt, and cold, and heat, and Summer and Winter, and day and night ſhall not ceaſe. Read this fully (Jer. 31.35, 36. Jer. 33.20.) Sun and Moon know their time, and 'tis God, who hath taught them this knowledge, and given them this inſtruction. The light keeps its time, though it changeth its time every day (Pſal. 104.19.) He appointeth the Moon for ſeaſons, the Sun knoweth his going down. The Sun is inſtructed (as it were) where to riſe, and where to go down. The Sun follows the direction of God. There is no rational creat…re that doth ſo exactly follow the conduct of God, as the Sun. The Sun forgets not its duty, it never miſtook the hour either of its riſing or going down (as we more largely ſhewed a little before) it never miſtook a hairs breadth for place, nor a moment of its time. And as it moves according to the command of God: ſo nothing can ſtay its motion, but the command of God: And if He ſay, Sun ſtand thou ſtill, it will do ſo again, as in the days of Joſhua.
Now if all creatures keep their ſtation, and obſerve their motion according to the inſtructions they receive from God, ſhould not this be our inſtruction? If God hath cauſed the day-ſpring to know its place and time; if the Sun riſe where and when he would have it; Shall not we know our place and time? Shall not we be where and when God would have us? As every thing, ſo every perſon is moſt uſeful in his proper place and ſeaſon. The Sun is therefore ſo uſeful, becauſe it knows and keeps both, carrying and diſtributing its light up and down the world, to the ſons of men, anſwerably to its inſtructions, and that commiſſion given it from above.
The Lord having put queſtions to Job about the direction of the morning light, and by whom the day-ſpring is taught to know its place; proceeds to ſhew the work and effects of the day-ſpring and morning light. Haſt thou cauſed the day-ſpring to know its place?
Verſ. 13. That it might take hold of the ends of the Earth.
In this verſe we have two things concerning the day-ſpring, or the light.
Firſt, The powerful extenſiveneſs of it. The light takes hold; there's its power: It takes hold of the very ends of the Earth; there's its extenſiveneſs.
Secondly, We have one part or point of the uſefulneſs or beneficialneſs of light, when it thus takes hold of the ends of the earth; this good it doth, or this benefit comes by it, the ſhaking of the wicked out of it. As if it had been ſaid, The day-ſpring takes hold of the ends of the earth, for this end and purpoſe, that the earth may be freed from the wicked.
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth.foreign Ʋt apprehenderet. Rab Sel. Jarchi.
That is, that the morning, or the day-ſpring might, &c. Some of the Rabins refer thoſe wo…ds, that it may take hold, not to the day-ſpring, but to Job. As if the Lord had ſaid, Canſt thou, O Job, make the day to know its place, that thou mighteſt take hold of the ends of the earth, as I do, and ſhake the wicked out of it.
But rather, as we, That the day-ſpring might take hold,Ʋt extrema… terrarum oras radiis quaſi totidem digitis injectis prehendet. Bez. foreign Non tam phraſi poetica quam Hebraiſmo alae tribuuntur terrae. Pined. apprehend, and hold faſt the ends of the earth. Mr. Beza expreſſeth it in this elegancy, The Sun ſends forth its rays as ſo many fingers, to take hold of the utmoſt verges or ends of the earth.
The Hebrew is, The wings of the earth; and ſo Mr. Broughton tranſlates, To hold the wings of the earth. By the wings of the earth, according to an Hebraiſme very frequent in Scripture, we are to underſtand the extream or remoteſt parts of the earth. And becauſe the wings of a bird are ſtretched out to the very utmoſt, when ſhe flieth, the Hebrews call that which is the extream or utmoſt bound of any thing, the wings of it; and hence, in their language, the utmoſt part or hem of a garment is the wing of a garment, as here and elſewhere, the utmoſt parts of the earth are the wings of the earth (Iſa. 11.1, 2.) He ſhall ſet up an enſigne for the Nations, and ſhall aſſemble the out-caſts of Iſrael, and gather together the diſperſed of Judah from the four corners (or, as the Margin hath it, wings) of the earth. Thus the Lord ſpeaks of the light, Haſt thou cauſed the day-ſpring to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends or wings of the earth?
Hence Note; Firſt, The Suns light is wonderfully extenſive and diffuſive.
The Sun hath large arms, or rather long wings. Some hawks are called long winged: The ſame we may ſay of the Sun, that hath long wings indeed, reaching to the utmoſt ſtretch, ends or wings of the earth. The prophet Malachi comforts thoſe that fear the Name of the Lord, with this promiſe, The Sun of Righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe (to them) with healing in his wings. The Sun-beams, or the light that is conveyed in thoſe beams, are compared to wings, and they are ſpread to the very wings of the earth, and extend themſelves over the whole Hemiſphere. The morning light like lightning, is diffuſed from Eaſt to Weſt in a moment. When it is day with one half of the world, 'tis night with the other; but where the Sun comes, it gives light all over that half-face of the earth. The Sun is an univerſal benefit, and therefore the moſt excellent outward benefit. We ſay of every good thing, by how much 'tis the more common, communicative and extenſive, by ſo much the better it is. As evil, by how much it ſp…eads it ſelf the further, by ſo much the worſe it is; ſo good, by how much the more it ſpreads it ſelf, it is the better. As the natural light of the day, ſo the ſpiritual light of the Goſpel, is very diffuſive. When the Goſpel was firſt preacht by the Apoſtles of Chriſt (the day-ſpring from on high then viſiting the world) O how ſpeedily did that take hold of the ends of the earth! David (Pſal. 22.27.) ſpeaking of the Prophetical Office of Chriſt, in ſending forth the light of his truth, ſaith, All the ends of the earth ſhall remember and turn to God. What cauſed the ends of the earth to remember? and what did they remember? Surely it was the light of the Goſpel, taking hold of the ends of the earth, which cauſed the ends of the earth to remember God and themſelves; they ſaw their danger and their duty, and ſo turned to God. By the ends of the earth in that place of the Pſalm, we are to underſtand the inhabitants of the utmoſt parts of the earth; who had never remembred themſelves, never conſidered themſelves, never awakened out of ſin, never turned to God, if the light of the Goſpel had not ſhined to them. The natural light is not onelyonly very extenſive, but powerful; and ſo is the light of the Goſpel, it goes to the ends of the earth with wonderful effects. The Apoſtles had a Commiſſion from Chriſt, like that which God gives to the Sun, to carry their light, or to preach the Goſpel to every creature. The Sun gives light and influence to every creature (Pſal. 19.6.) His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof: Nor ſhall any thing be hid from the light, heat, and influences of the Goſpel.
Secondly, The light is exceeding ſwift, and ſpreads it ſelf far and near in a moment.
Many can go far, if you give them time; but the light goes very far, even to the ends of the earth (upon the matter) without time; it goes almoſt in an inſtant, in the twinkling of an eye, it immediately takes hold of the ends of the earth. As ſoon as the Sun ariſeth, light appeareth, day breaks, and with an unconceivable ſpeed illuſtrates all places within its eye, or which lie open to it. The body of the Sun moves faſt, to a wonder, but the beams of the Sun move faſter. David (Pſal. 139.9.) ſpeaks of the wings of the morning. If I take (ſaith he) the wings of the morning (that is the morning light) and fl…e to the utmoſt parts of the earth, even there ſhall thy hand lead me, &c. The morning light is winged, and moves with incredible ſwiftneſs. The Scripture ſpeaks of the morning light, with reſpect to its ſudden motion, as if it were a feathered or winged fowl, ſpreading its rayes as ſo many feathers or plumes, over all at an inſtant. Though darkneſs, thick darkneſs, hath got poſſeſſion of the earth in the night, yet no ſooner doth the light glimmer above the Horizon, but darkneſs is ſuddenly ſcattered. One would think there ſhould be a great battel, a long conteſt, between light and darkneſs, before light could conquer darkneſs, and get it off the face of the earth; whereas daily experience teacheth us that the morning having once opened its eye-lids, light gets an eaſie victory, and ſheddeth it ſelf abroad every where without controul. Darkneſs is ſoon diſpelled and driven out of the field by light. Darkneſs cannot ſtand its ground before the Sun, who is Lord of the day, according to the appointment of God.
Thus the day-ſpring takes hold of the ends of the earth. And if any ask, Why doth it ſo?
I anſwer, The day-ſpring is a great and a faithful ſervant to man. There are many uſes of light, many ſervices, which the light doth for us; I toucht ſome of them in opening the former Context. We have one eſpecial uſe or ſervice of it expreſſed in the cloſe of this verſe; It takes hold of the ends of the earth, That the wicked may be ſhaken out of it.
This latter part of the verſe ſeems to have little cognation with, and to be of a very difficult connexion with the former; for it may be ſaid, What hath this ſhaking of the wicked out of the earth to do with the light taking hold of the ends of the earth? I anſwer, The light that takes hold of the ends of the earth, is as a Serjeant to arreſt and take hold of the wicked, and ſo is a means to ſhake them out of the earth. The words may carry a double Metaphor,
Lux orat terrae tanquam pall…i apprehendit, & ita impios excutit. Rab. Solom.Firſt, To the ſhaking of a garment. When duſt or moths, or any thing hurtful to a garment, is found upon it, we ſhake it out. Thus the Lord ſends forth the morning light, to take hold of the ends of the earth, as of the ends of a great garment, that the wicked, who are but as duſt and vermin, may be ſhaken out of it.
Secondly, The metaphor or alluſion may be taken from a ſieve. As the ſieve is ſhaken when we would ſeparate the chaffe, or that which is vile and worthleſs from among the good corn; ſo the Lord by the light takes hold of the ends of the earth, and ſhakes the wicked like droſs or darnel, out of the company of honeſt men. I, ſaith the Lord (Amos 9.9.) will ſift the houſe of Iſrael among all Nations, like as corn is ſifted in a ſieve; yet ſhall not the leaſt grain fall upon the earth, that is, be loſt or periſh. But the wicked, who are as chaffe, ſhall be ſcattered, and periſh for ever, when the Lord ſifts them.
Again, Theſe words, That the wicked may be ſhaken out of it, are by ſome expounded actively; The day-ſpring taketh hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked may ſhake (ſc. themſelves) out of it. For when the light cometh, wicked men do, as it were, ſhake themſelves out of the earth; that is, they hide themſelves, and run their heads into a corner. They who in the night and darkneſs go abroad doing miſchief, following wicked purpoſes, when the light appears, diſ-appear, with-draw, and play (as we ſay) leaſt in ſight (Job 24.13.) The wicked are they that rebel againſt the light, they hate it, cannot endure it, they are like the wild beaſts of the earth, that raven in the night, but in the day couch in their dens and coverts, no man can tell where to find them (Pſal. 104.20, 21, 22.) Thou makeſt darkneſs, and it is night, wherein all the beaſts of the forreſt do creep forth, &c. The Sun ariſeth, they gather themſelves together, and lay them down in their dens. Thus the wild beaſts are ſhaken out of the earth, when the light appears, and ſo are wicked beaſt-like men (John 3.20.) Every one that doth evil, hateth the light. And as ſuch hate the ſpiritual light of the Goſpel, ſo they do not very well like the natural light of the day. Wicked men decline the light, and are called darkneſs, and their works are called the works of darkneſs; and therefore when the Sun ariſeth, theeves, robbers, and all of thoſe wicked trades, may be ſaid to ſhake themſelves out of the earth. He that doth evil, hates the light, he looks upon light as an enemy.
Fourthly, Theſe words,Mane judicia exercebantur. Druſ. Grot. Senſus horum verborum è, ut improbi die exorto trahantur ad judicia, ac ita terra excutiantur. Piſc. That the wicked might be ſhaken out of it, are rather to be underſtood of the wicked, as often apprehended in the morning, for evil done in the night. When the day-ſpring appears, it diſcovers wicked men, who being taken, examined, and tried, are by the Sentence of the Judge and Decree of the Magiſtrate, ſhaken out of the earth. God the Supream Judge, ſeems to ſearch the whole earth by the Candle of the Sun, as he once threatned to ſearch Jeruſalem with candles.
Hence Note, Firſt; Light is a diſcoverer.
Light makes all things manifeſt. As the light of the Word diſcovers the evil that is in the works of wicked men, and makes that manifeſt; ſo the light of the Sun diſcovers the perſons of wicked men, and makes them manifeſt. We cannot diſtinguiſh white from black, nor can we ſee where men are, nor what they are doing, till light be-friend us. And as the natural light makes things manifeſt, ſo much more doth ſpiritual light, the light of Law and Goſpel. By the power of that light wicked men are ſhaken and driven out of their ſins; by that light they ſee, judge, and condemn themſelves. And thus the wicked are indeed ſhaken out of the earth, that is, out of their earthly ſtate of ſin and unbelief.
Secondly, Note; Wicked men and light, are at no good agre…ment.
He that will continue in any evil, bears no good will to any kind of light.Odit lucem q…i turpiter agit. There is nothing more uncouth and diſpleaſing to a man that reſolves to live in ſin, than the light of the Word, yea, many times, than the light which ſhines in the air. Such ſay (as he of old) when the day begins to break,Lux inimi…a propirquat. Virg. Our enemy is coming. Common day-light (which is a great good) much more divine light (which is a far greater good) is counted an evil, by evil ones. What communion hath light with darkneſs (ſaid the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 6.14.) And as they who are light, ought not to have any complying communion with darkneſs; ſo they who are darkneſs, cannot have or hold any pleaſing communion with light.
Thirdly, If we take theſe words as holding out one main deſign of the Providence of God, in ſending the light every morning; namely, that the wicked may be ſhaken out of the earth. This ſhews that wicked men ſhould be ſpeedily proceeded with, and the earth unburdened of them. The ordinary uſe of the light is, that men may go forth to their labour (Pſal. 104.23.) Now, as that is one great uſe of light, that man may ſee his honeſt labour, and be guided to, or in the works of his calling; ſo another great uſe of it is, to apprehend wicked men, who do diſhoneſt work, and bring them to judgement. David ſaid (Pſal. 101.8.) I will early, or, in the morning, deſtroy all the wicked of the land: As ſoon as ever the light takes hold of the ends of the earth, if I can, I will take hold of evil doers; that is, I will not delay, much leſs, ſtop the courſe of juſtice againſt them that do wickedly. This was a kingly reſolve, Early will I deſtroy the wicked of the land. This was the Prophets counſel (Jer. 21.3.) Execute judgement in the morning, that is, with the firſt opportunity. It is not good to be raſh in judgement, nor is it to be ſlack in judgement. Wicked men are a burden to the earth, therefore 'tis fit with the firſt (when there is no other remedy) to unburden the earth of them.
There is yet another reading and expoſition of this latter part of the verſe, taking the word rendred wicked, not for perſons,Bolduc. but for things, and then 'tis read in the Neuter gender, The light takes hold of the ends of the earth, to ſhake wicked or evil things (that is, thoſe things which are noxious to the earth) out of it. The heat of the Sun riſing upon the earth, exhales and draws out hurtful vapours from the earth, which, abiding in the bowels of it, would hinder its fruit-bearing, or make it barren. This ſenſe is proſecuted all along by ſome Interpreters, quite thorow the 14th and 15th verſes, but I ſhall not ſtay upon it.
The Lord having ſhewed this uſe of the light which he commands every morning, ſhews (in the next verſe) ſome other uſes or effects of it.
Verſ. 14. It is turned as clay to the ſeal, and they ſtand as a garment.
This verſe (ſaith a learned Expoſiter) is ſo difficult,Locus difficilis eſt, & quo in extricando, ſi aliquis dixerit aliquid voriſimile, a benigno lectore reſpuendum non eſt. Sanct. that he not to be refuſed, who offers any thing probable towards the opening of it. I conceive it may beſt be underſtood as an Expoſition of thoſe words in the former part of the 13th verſe, That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, it is turned as clay to the ſeal; that is, the earth is turned as clay to the ſeal: for when the light paſſeth through the air, it ſets as it were a new ſtamp upon the earth. And then the former part of the 15th verſe, may be taken as an Expoſition of the latter part of the 13th verſe, That the wicked might be ſhaken out of it; and from the wicked light is with-holden; that is, they are utterly deſtroyed, and ſo ſhaken out of the earth.
It is turned as clay to the ſeal,foreign Sicut lutum ſigilli, i. e. cui ſigillum imponitur. Genitivus adjuncti. Piſc. and they ſtand as a garment.
Here are two metaphors to ſet out the renewed face of the earth, upon the riſing of the Sun, or the appearance of the morning light.
Firſt, From clay, altered by the ſeal.
Secondly, From mans putting freſh garments and ornaments upon his body.
It is turned as clay to the ſeal.
That is, The approach of light makes a great change upon the face of the earth, even as if it had received a new or freſh impreſſion, as clay doth from a ſeal. A piece of clay is a rude lump, without form or figure; but if you take a ſeal and ſtamp it, that clay readily receives any figure or coat of arms engraven on the ſeal; and ſo 'tis turned from what it was in appearance. Thus the meaning ſeems to be this: The earth before the Sun riſeth, is like a rude piece of clay (in the night we ſee no more beauty in the earth, than if it had no beauty at all; go to a well compoſed garden, walk there in a dark night, you cannot diſcern the figure of any border, nor the rareſt beauty of any flower, nor the pleaſanteſt fruit of any tree planted there, your eye cannot take in nor feaſt it ſelf upon any of thoſe delights, while darkneſs covers the face of the earth) but when the light comes,Terra ad Solis ex…ntum immut…ta, novas infinitus rerum aſp…ctabilium formas, inſt…rluti, quod ſiguli a…bitrio effirgitur recipiet, quibus tanquam veſto verſicolori induatur. …ez. then you ſee the form and figure of every thing before you, then the earth is turned as clay to the ſeal; the Sun, as it were ſtamps and impreſſeth a new beauty and bravery upon it; and then the earth, which lookt like a void or rude heap, appears in its form and figure, whether natural or artificial. This ſenſe is much inſiſted upon in opening this Scripture; and 'tis a good ſenſe, ſetting forth that benefit of the light, cauſing the earth to appear in its prope… ſhape, which night or darkneſs had hidden or obſcured.
Hence Note; The ſhining of the light puts a new face, in appearance, upon the face of the earth.
Things that appear not, are as if they were not. Nothing appears, but by the light. This is moſt true of ſpiritual light; when that ariſeth upon any place or people, that place or people are turned as clay to the ſeal, onelyonly with this difference, the natural light of the Sun doth only manifeſt what figures or ſtamps are already impreſſed upon the earth, it doth not make any there, which were not there before; but where the Sun-ſhine of the Goſpel comes, though it were a place as rude as Barbariſme it ſelf, 'tis turned into another ſhape, the people are quite another people in their manners and converſation. It was ſo with this Nation, we were once as rude heathens as any in the world; but by the light of the Goſpel we were turned as clay to the ſeal; we received the figure of Grace, the figure of Chriſtianity. And at this day, in thoſe places among the Indians, where the Goſpel hath lately come, marvelous changes are wrought upon them; they have another ſtamp upon their tongues, another kind of language; another ſtamp both upon hand and foot, another kind of working and walking than before. As the light of the Goſpel diſcovers evil perſons to themſelves (a natural man knows not of what ſhape he is, till he ſees himſelf in that light) ſo it makes them good, and puts a new ſtamp, a new figure upon them; it makes them indeed new creatures, new men; they are turned (through the mighty power of the Spirit accompanying that light) as clay to the ſeal. Such (that is, as bad as could be) were ſome of you (ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 6.11.) but ye are waſhed, &c. that is, ye are now other manner of men than once ye were. It is turned as clay to the ſeal, And they ſtand as a garment.
They ſtand; Who ſtand as a garment? The things of the earth, they ſtand to look on as a garment. All thing… preſent themſelves before us in a goodly hue, when the Sun riſeth; then they appear in their beauty, the whole body of the earth is then clothed to the eye of every beholder.Hoc hemiſtichium imperſonaliter accipio. Siſtent ſc omnes res tanquam cum veſtimento, i. e. ornatiſſina omnia lucis beneficio apparent, Coc. As light it ſelf is like a golden robe, which the earth puts off every night, and puts on again every morning; ſo light ſhews us all thoſe goodly things, which are the earths robes, or with which the earth is clothed, as with a garment. The earth is, not onelyonly as a thing without form, but as a naked thing, as a body without clothing to appearance, till the light appears; but as ſoon as the light appears, then whatſoever may be called the earths clothing, and apparel, appears alſo.
If any would know more diſtinctly, what the clothing, apparel, or garment of the earth is? I anſwer,
Firſt, That may be called the earths garment, which grows out of it; the graſs, corn, herbs, flowers, trees, all theſe vegetables are as a garment upon the earth.
Secondly, Not only vegetables, but animals, the beaſts of the earth, are as a garment to the earth (Pſal. 65.13.) The paſtures are clothed with flocks, the valleys alſo are covered with corn. Corn is to the valleys, what flocks are to the paſtures, their clothing.
Thirdly, Artificial things, as well as natural, are alſo the earths garment. All thoſe fair buildings, Towns and Cities, all thoſe goodly Edifices and Pallaces any where raiſed upon the earth, are they not as a garment to the earth? ſo then fruits and flowers growing out of the earth, flocks and herds living upon the earth,Ʋt ea mutata ſicut argilla ſigillari, ſiſterentur (illi) vel… indumento (obducto) Jun. i. e. ut cohiberentur improbi à pergendo & ſceleribus ſuis promovendis, tanquam ſi obvolverentur panno vultus aut pedes ipſorum ut ſequ…ns verſus amplius explicat. Jun. Ʋt mutetur ea ſicut lutum cui ſigilluxi imprimitur; & ſiſtentur (illi) tanquam (velati) indumento. Ʋt moris erat velari ſontes. Piſc. houſes and dwellings built on the earth, are a clothing to the earth; and they appear to be ſo, by the coming forth and appearance of the light; that ſhews the beauty and figure of the earth, the trimings and adornings of it: Thoſe things are to the earth, as a rich embroidered garment, and light manifeſts them to be ſo.
There is yet another expoſition of this 14th verſe, They ſtand as a garment, that is, the wicked ſpoken of in the latter end of the former verſe, and are there ſaid, to be ſhaken out of the earth; who are alſo ſpoken of, in the following verſe, where it is ſaid, Their light is with-holden, and their high arm ſhall be broken. Theſe wicked ones, when the light ſhines, are made to ſtand forth, as in a garment; That is (ſaith one Author, noted in the Margin) the wicked are then with-held from going on in their wickedneſs, or from proſecuting and promoting their evil deſigns and pu…poſes, as if their faces were wrapt or muffled quite up with a garment, and their feet faſt bound. Another gives the ſenſe thus; That they (namely the wicked) may be made to ſtand as covered over with a garment. The cuſtome of old, was to cover the faces of malefactors, when found and declared guilty of horrid crimes.
Both theſe Interpretations correſpond clearly with the Context, both before and after; the Lord giving this as a ſpecial ſervice, that the day-ſpring or light doth to mankind, the diſcovery and deſtruction of evil men; as will be ſeen more fully, in opening the next verſe.
Verſ. 15. And from the wicked their light is withholden.
It was ſhewed before, that this 15th verſe ſeems to be an Expoſition of the latter part of the 13th verſe. There it was ſaid, The light takes hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be ſhaken out of it; here it followeth, From the wicked, their light is with-holden; that is, wicked men, when the light hath diſcovered them, are with-holden from their light, or their light is with-holden from them.
But it may be enquired, What is this light called their light, which is with-holden from them?
I anſwer, Firſt, The light of their proſperity and peace, the light of the good things of this wo…ld.
Secondly, The light of the Sun,Deus lucem ſubducit impiis, i. e. vita illos orbat; Frangitquo eorum ſuperbiam & tyrannidem. Codur. even that ſhall be with-holden from them, they ſhall be ſhut up in cloſe and dark priſons and dungeons; they ſhall not have the light of the Sun, who have abuſed that light, or have done ſuch things in the dark, as the Sun would even bluſh to look on.
Thirdly, The light of their life, or their life ſhall be withholden from them; that is, they ſhall be put to death for their wickedneſs.
All theſe may be called their light, becauſe they ſometime enjoyed them; and their light in all or any of theſe notions, is ſaid to be with-holden from them, not as if they had a right to hold it longer, but becauſe they would fain have held it longer, if they might. Thus, from the wicked their light is with-holden; as if it had been ſaid, they are totally and finally deprived of all their good.
Now, whereas light in the ſenſe opened, is called their light, that is, the light of the wicked;
Note; Even the wicked have a title to light, or to good things.
God gives light or good things to the evil as well as to the good (Mat. 5.45.) He maketh his Sun to riſe on the evil and on the good; even they who are evil and are daily doing evil, enjoy the light of the Sun, and the light of all outward good things, thorow the patience and goodneſs of God. Much more may the godly when they ſee the light or good of this world, look upon it as theirs, as a part of their inheritance here below. As hereafter all the godly ſhall have an inheritance among the Saints in light, ſo many of them have an inheritance of light here, the Sun is a piece of their portion. God having adopted them to be his children, the Sun is a debtor to them, and they may reckon it among their good things, though not as their good; God having provided better things for them than the light of this world, or of any good thing, which they hold onelyonly in common with the world. From the wicked their l…ght is with-holden.
Note, Secondly; Wicked men forfeit, and ſo are deprived of the good things which God gives to them.
The wicked cannot long, ſhall not alwayes enjoy the good things of this world. When wicked men abuſe the light, eſpecially when they reſiſt the light of nature ſhining into their conſciences, and refuſe the light of the Goſpel ſhining in the Scriptures and Ordinances, and reſolve to walk on in the darkneſs of their minds, then from them that light of comfort and proſperity is with-holden; yea, they are often thruſt out of the light of the Sun, and out of the light of this preſent life, into that inner darkneſs of the grave, and into that outer darkneſs of hell (Matth. 25.30.) that is, into a darkneſs furtheſt remote, or at greateſt diſtance from light, even out of the reach of light. Doth God ſay to his own people when they ſin (Jer. 5.25.) Your ſins have with-holden good things from you? Much more then ſhall the light and all good things, or all the good things of light be with holden from the wicked, whoſe whole trade and buſineſs lies in works of darkneſs, or in ſinning againſt God. 'Tis bad with man, when God with-holds natural light, the light of the Sun, the good things of this world from him; but 'tis infinitely worſe with man, when God with-holds the light of the Goſpel, and the light of his countenance, any ſpiritual light or good from him, and ſhuts any up in the contrary darkneſs. From the wicked light is with-holden, And the high arm ſhall be broken.
Cadunt impii à foelicitate ſua, & vires (id ſignificat brachium excelſum) debilitantur… redduntur infirmae. Vatabl. Brachium elatum eſt po…entia & ſuperbia impiorum. Piſc.Whoſe high arm? Surely the high arm of the wicked; they ſhall be deprived both of their light of comfort, and of their arm of ſtrength: wherein,
Fi…ſt, They prided themſelves. And
Secondly, Wherewith they oppreſſed others.
The former is the effect of their ſtrength; the latter is the uſe which they uſually put their ſtrength to.
Strength is often expreſt in Scripture by the arm; read Pſal. 10.15. Pſal. 37.17. Ezek. 30.22. And a high arm notes great ſtrength. The Lord is ſaid to do his great things with a ſtretched out (or a high arm.) Mans arm may here be called an high arm, becauſe the arm of man uſeth to be lifted up on high to ſtrike hard and home. The higher the arm is lifted up, the heavier it falls, and the deeper impreſſion it makes. To ſin with a high hand, is in Scripture language to ſin preſumptuouſly and audaciouſly. They ſin with a high hand, who ſin againſt light, or in the face of counſel and reproof. And as they ſin mightily, or with all their might, who ſin with a high hand; ſo they act mightily, or with all their might, they lay on load (as we ſay) who reſolving to do any thing, have a high arm to do it wi…h. When the arms of wicked men are high, they muſt needs act highly in wickedneſs. Now when any act evil to the height, with heat and boldneſs, God will take a courſe with them; as it followeth in the cloſe of the verſe, The high arm, that is, ſuch a high arm Shall be broken.
'Tis an alluſion to the puniſhing of malefactors,Damnabitur ad mortem & quidem cruciabilem, qualis eſt in rota fractio. Grot. by breaking their bodies or bones upon a wheel. To be broken, is to be utterly ſpoiled. A broken heart is a great mercy (Pſal. 51.17.) but a broken arm notes a great miſery.
This Scripture threatens the high arm with breaking, yet it leaves us unreſolved, or faith nothing expreſly, about theſe three Queries:
Firſt, Whoſe high arm is here threatned with breaking?
Secondly, By whom the high arm ſhall be broken?
Thirdly, How or by what means, or in what manner it ſhall be broken?
I anſwer to the firſt, Theſe terrible words are not levell'd nor intended againſt any high arm (eo nomine) upon that account, becauſe it is high. God is not angry with the highneſs of men. They who are higheſt, and have the higheſt arm among men, may be highly pleaſing unto God. The higheſt powers on earth, are of Gods ordaining and appointing; now, God cannot be againſt his own ordinances and appointments; therefore he never b…eaks the high arm, becauſe 'tis high in power, but becauſe 'tis high in wickedneſs. So then we may be confident, 'tis only the high arm of the wicked which is here threatned to be broken.
To the ſecond and third Queries, I anſwer in a word; It is God who breaks the high arm, and he breaks it in what manner, and by what means ſoever pleaſeth him.
In which we may ſee a ſignal work of divine Providence, which doth not ſuffer the difference of good and evil, of right and wrong, to paſs long unobſerved. And in this paſſage poſſibly, the Lord might intend a refutation of what Job ſaid (Chap. 10.3.) That God ſhined upon the Counſels of the wicked: For ſeeing the very light or life of the wicked is with-holden from them, and their high arm broken, doth not God declare and teſtifie that he loveth righteouſneſs, and hateth iniquity? And if the miniſtration of Divine Juſtice lye in the dark at any time, doth not the return of the light every day intimate, that a day of the revelation of the righteous Judgment of God is at hand? The high arm ſhall be broken.
Hence Note, Firſt; Wicked men may grow high, and have a very high and ſtrong arm.
Therefore be not ſcandalized when 'tis ſo. The moſt high God often ſuffers it to be ſo. The wicked man in the Text is he that hath the high arm.
Note, Secondly; As all men by nature are altogether w…cked in their ſtate, ſo ſome of them are extreamly wicked in their lives;
They ſin with an high hand, or with an high arm; they ſin as if they would dare God himſelf. Not onelyonly have wicked men been high in power, and high in place; but there they have ſinned highly, and ſtretched forth their hand againſt Heaven it ſelf.
Note, Thirdly; Obſerva in voce foreign hoc verſiculo & v. 13. literam צ in Bibliis magnis & …empl. emendatis ſuſpenſam eſſe, i. e. non eodem tenore cum aliis ſcriptam ſed ſupra caeteras ſurſum verſas pender… hoc modo foreign quod forſun myſterio non caret, quaſi lux impiis & totus eorum ſplendor ſit in ſuſpenſo non ſtabilis. Merc.The wicked, how high or how ſtrong ſoever they are, they ſhall be broken.
A learned Interpreter takes notice, that in the larger Bibles, and moſt correct Copies, the Hebrew Word ſignifying the wicked, both in this 15th verſe, and in the 13th verſe, hath one letter raiſed up higher than the reſt, and exceeding the ordinary form of writing; as may be ſeen, if the Reader pleaſe to caſt his eye upon the quotation in the Margin. This (ſaith my Author) is not (poſſibly) without a miſtery; even to intimate thus much, that all the proſperity and outward ſplendor of the wicked hangs in ſuſpence, or is very tottering and unſtable. But whatever occaſioned that irregularity in the Hebrew writing, or whatever it may import, this is a ſure truth, that the higheſt eſtate of the wicked is very unſure.
The Lord (who as Solomon ſaith, Eccl. 5.8) is higher than the higheſt (on earth) can quickly bring down the higheſt, and break or cruſh the ſtrong arm, as one would break a reed, or cruſh a moth. Thus the Lord beſpake Edom by his Prophet (Jer. 49.16.) O thou that dwelleſt in the clifts of the rock, that holdeſt the height of the hill; though thou ſhouldeſt make thy neſt as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, ſaith the Lord. And thus the Lord ſpake by another Prophet concerning the Amorite, (Amos 2.9.) His height was like the height of the Cedars, and he was ſtrong as the Oaks; yet I deſtroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath; that is, I utterly deſtroyed him. Yea, the very being of the wicked high and ſtrong, is an argument that they ſhall be brought low, deſtroyed, and broken to pieces. When Babylons arm ſhall be in its higheſt height, When ſhe ſhall ſay in her heart, I ſit as a Queen (that is, on high) and am no Widdow, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow. When Babylon is thus prophecying all good of her ſelf, and promiſing all good to her ſelf, then ſhall her plague come in one day, death and famine, and mourning, and ſhe ſhall be utterly burnt with fire; for ſtrong is the Lord, who judgeth her (Rev. 18.7, 8.) He will break her high arm, and break it when ſhe thinks it higheſt, and her ſelf ſafeſt. David whoſe arm God raiſed on high, affirmed all this of wicked high ones in general, or of all thoſe, who ſhould be found high in wickedneſs (Pſal. 92.7, 8.) When the wicked ſpring as graſs, and when all the workers of iniquity do flouriſh, it is that they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever. As if he had ſaid, that's the meaning of their proſperity, you may ſpell that our of it, or make that interpretation of it, they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever. As the Lord remembers his people in their low eſtate, becauſe his mercy endureth for ever (Pſal. 136.23.) ſo he will take vengeance on the wicked in their high eſtate, becauſe his juſtice endureth for ever.
The leaſt ſin deſerves a breaking; but when the arm of ſin is grown very high, we may ſay the Lords arm cannot hold, he muſt break ſuch high arms. The Prophet Jeremy (chap. 6.6.) ſpeaking of Jeruſalem, ſaith, This City is to be viſited; how viſited? There is a twofold viſiting:
Firſt, In favour, care, and kindneſs.
Secondly, In wrath and judgement.
Uſually when the Scripture ſpeaks of viſiting a City or a Land, it is meant in wrath and in judgement. Shall I not viſit for theſe things, ſaith the Lord? (Jer. 5.9.) Surely I ſhall, there is no avoiding my viſitation. What kind of viſitation is meant, the next wo…ds evidence, Shall not my ſoul be avenged on ſuch a Nation as this? To be viſited with vengeance and wrath, is a ſad Viſitation, and ſo was Jeruſalem to be viſited. But why was the City Jeruſalem to be viſited in wrath? there's no City whoſe inhabitants are ſo juſt and righteous, but the Lord may viſit them in wrath; but of this City the Lord ſaid, it is wholly oppreſſion; they are given up to oppreſſion, every one is oppreſſing and wronging his brother; now when they ſinned at this rate, when their arm was thus high in wickedneſs, then it was to be broken. There is a righteous God that judgeth the earth; and therefore the high arm of unrighteouneſs ſhall be broken.