Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 38 · Verse 19-21
JOB, Chap. 38. Verſ. 19, 20, 21.
19. Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkneſs, where is the place thereof?
20. That thou ſhouldeſt take it to the bound thereof, and that thou ſhouldest know the paths to the houſe thereof.
21. Knowest thou it, becauſe thou waſt then born? Or becauſe the number of thy days is great?
THe Lord having poſed Job in the former Context about the depth of the Sea, the darkneſs of Death, and the vaſtneſs of the Earth; here calleth him to an account about the light of the Sun, and the darkneſs of the Air, in theſe three verſes. As if he had ſaid, If thou knoweſt the breadth of the whole earth, about which I enquired laſt of thee; then tell me in what part of the earth doth the light dwell, and where is the place of darkneſs?
Verſ. 19. Where is the way where light dwelleth?
The Septuagint tranſlate, In what land doth light dwell? foreign. In qua terra. Sept. foreign Ʋbi via in quae habitat, ſcil. … poſt viae & itineris ſpatium emenſum.Or where is the land of light? We ſay, Where is the way? The Hebrew word notes a trodden beaten way, or (as we ſpeak) a high-way. Where is the way where light dwelleth? That is, whither light retireth, and doth, as it were, betake it ſelf in the night, when it hath gone its journey, and is paſt thy Horizon. For every one knows where light dwells, while the Sun is up with us, and ſhines upon us: But what becomes of it, or whither it goes, when 'tis gone from us, that's a queſtion, and here (ſay ſome) the queſtion.
The word which we tranſlate dwelleth, implieth a retirement,Verbum foreign eſt ad quietem & noctem traducendam alicubicommorari. a reſt after long labour and travel.
Where is the way where light-dwelleth? and as for darkneſs where is the place of it?
Here are two g…eat contra…ies (which cannot agree nor dwell together in any one ſubject, yet) met together in this Text, Light and darkneſs; and there is ſome, yea not a little darkneſs in this queſtion about the light. We need a great meaſure of Divine Light to anſwer this queſtion about the Light.
Where is the way where light dwelleth?
Tell me, O Job, if thou canſt, where light lodgeth, where it repoſeth it ſelf, when the Sun is gone down, and departed out of thy ſight? Tell me what way leadeth to the lodging of light? The words (as Interpreters give it) have in them a poet…cal tincture, as if the Sun ſetting, retired to his chamber, as we do, when the light and buſineſs of the day is ended. David ſpeaks of the Sun as a Bridegroom coming out of his chamber (Pſal. 19.5.) And when his race (as to us) is run every day, he hath a chamber ready for him: not that the Sun doth at all end its motion, or ſit down to reſt, but becauſe it ſeems to reſt, when it goeth down to us. As if the Lord had ſaid, Haſt thou travelled to the place of the Suns riſing and ſetting? Where is the way where the light dwelleth?
There may be a threefold anſwer given to theſe queſtions, as light is taken properly for the natural light, the light of the day, cauſed by the Suns approach; and as darkneſs is taken properly for natural darkneſs, cauſed by the with-drawing of the Sun.
Firſt, Some (becauſe the word dwelleth notes a ſtay or an abode, for ſuch is a dwelling place) anſwer the queſtion geographically, and ſay, light dwelleth under the Poles. There are two poles of the earth, the Northern and the Southern, under both which interchangeably light and darkneſs abide ſix moneths together; and becauſe of the long ſtay and abode of light and darkneſs there, Geographers reckon and conclude the dwelling of light and the place of darkneſs to be there, and that therefore the Sun hath two dwelling houſes, one in the North, the other in the South.
Secondly, When Aſtronomers anſwer theſe queſtions, Where is the way where light dwelleth? and where is the place of darkneſs? They ſay, The Eaſt is the place of light; and the Weſt, the dwelling of darkneſs: And the reaſon given is this, Becauſe the Sun riſeth in the Eaſt, and goes down in the Weſt, leaving the World,Forvide Titan obitus pariter tecum Alcides vid it & Ortus; novitque tuas utraſque domos. Sen. in Herc. Act. 4. Alludere videtur ad ſignorum Zodiaci ſpatia, per quae Sol curſum ſuum perragit, quae ab aſtrologis Manſiones vel Domus ſolent appellari. Itáque Zona illa ſive faſcia Zodiaci in cujus medio protenditur eccliptica eſt via ſolis, qui in tot habitare domus dicitur, quot in illa ſunt ſigna. Bold. that half of the World upon which it ſhined in the day, over-ſhadowed with darkneſs. It is by the acceſs and receſs, by the riſing and ſetting of the Sun, that we enjoy light or are wrapped up in darkneſs. And ſo Eaſt and Weſt are called by the ancient Poets the houſes or dwellings of the Sun.
Aſtronomers have found out, according to their doctrine, twelve houſes or dwelling places of the Sun; they imagine a girdle or bond paſſing quite through the heavens, which they call the Zodiack, and there a line which they call the Ecliptick, in which the Sun moveth, or which is the way of the light; and in this line, they place the twelve ſigns: the firſt of which the Sun entreth the firſt monethmonth of the year, and is called Aries, the ſecond Taurus, the third Gemini, &c. Theſe are onelyonly fictions by which they repreſent the gradual motions of the Sun in the ſeveral ſeaſons of the year, and they call them Manſion Houſes or Dwellings of the Sun.
Thirdly, According to vulgar underſtanding we may anſwer theſe queſtions, Where is the way where light dwelleth, &c. Plainly thus, Light dwelleth in the Sun, there light abides, and from thence ſhines to us. The Sun is the Veſſel or Store-houſe of light, the Luminary of the World by day, as the Moon and Stars are by nigh…. And as for darkneſs, that takes its place every where, as ſoon as the Sun leaves any place. As often as the Sun continuing his circular progreſs, viſits the other Hemiſphere, da…kneſs takes poſſeſſion of this. Light and darkneſs take their turns; the one alwayes going off, when and where the other enters upon the ſtage of the world.
Now though Philoſophers, with our own experience, tell us, that the reaſon of this, is, the acceſs and receſs of the Sun; yet it is unknown to us, how God hath thus tempered the courſe of nature, that day and night ſhould not be alwayes alike in any part of the World, but vary in both the Hemiſpheres, and that in the ſame Hemiſphere there ſhould be ſuch a ſetled inequality in the length of the nights and days. This dependeth wholly upon the will of God, who thus ſtated the motions of the heavenly bodies from the very beginning.
If it be asked, Why doth the Lord put theſe queſtions to Job, Where is the way where light dwelleth? Seeing every one may anſwer, light is in the Sun, light ſhines in and fills the Air, while the Sun is up; and darkneſs filleth the air when the Sun is gone down, darkneſs being the privation or want of light; or darkneſs (according to the uſual definition of it) being the ſhadow of the Earth coming between us and the Sun. When the opacous or thick body of the Earth interpoſeth between us and the Sun, darkneſs followeth. And if this be all, there ſeemeth not to be much difficulty in knowing where the light dwelleth, and where the place of darkneſs is; therefore ſurely that was not the ſole intendment of God in putting theſe queſtions to Job. But when he ſaith, Where is the way where light dwelleth? &c. It is as if he had ſaid, D…ſt thou underſtand the ordering and methodizing of l…ght and darkneſs? Or how it cometh to paſs, that one part of the World hath light while the other is covered with darkneſs, and how light returns to that other part? Haſt thou made this temperament and viciſſitude of light and darkneſs, or procured that the day ſhould be long in the ſame country, at one ſeaſon of the year, and ſhort at another? Hast thou diſpoſed the Sun to make ſhort nights in Summer, and long in Winter? This the underſtanding of man is not well able to comprehend, much leſs his power to effect. OnelyOnly the infinite wiſdom of God hath put light and darkneſs into this method, and given them their certain ſeaſons. And that this is the meaning of the Text, we may gather more clearly from the next verſe; for the Lord having ſaid, Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkneſs, where is the place thereof? preſently adds, Verſ. 20. That thou ſhouldeſt take it to the bound thereof, and that thou ſhouldeſt know the paths to the houſe thereof?
Theſe words ſhew that the former queſtions chiefly reſpect the order and diſpoſure of light and darkneſs.
That thou ſhouldeſt take it,
foreign Vi… habet accipiendi quaſi m anu.The Word ſignifieth the taking of a thing in ones hand. As if the Lord had ſaid, Doſt thou every morning take the light in thy hand, and bring it to the bounds or utmoſt limits thereof? Art thou able to direct the light where it ſhould abide, till ſuch time as it is to come forth ag…in to thee?
Nihil movetur quod non deducatur ipſa dei manu & poteſtate. Si ille manum non admoveat, immota iners jacebit & ſqualebit naturae. Potentiſſimus deus capit ſolem, accipit tenebras, ducitatque reducit. foreign.There is a manuduction, a divine manuduction of all the creatures by the wiſdome and power of God; he as it were leads the light, and leads the darkneſs …hither he pleaſeth. The creature remaineth unmoved and ſlu…ſh, it ſtirreth not till the Lord taketh it by the hand, or putteth forth his hand to diſpoſe of it as it pleaſeth him, to the uſe or place he hath appointed it; O…, To the bound thereof?
The Original Word ſignifieth a limit or utmoſt point; implying that the Lord brings the light to its due and proper place; and that, as he hath determined the bounds of mans habitation (Acts 17.26.) ſo he hath alſo bounded the habitation of light and darkneſs, for the benefit and ſervice of man: As if the Lord had ſaid,
Haſt thou done this, O Job? ſurely no; that's my work; I am he that taketh the Sun in my hand, and bringeth it to the bounds thereof; I direct at what point it ſhall riſe and ſet; It is I that know the paths to the houſe thereof, and ſo can readily call for it, and cauſe it to appear in time and place appointed: Thou knoweſt not where t… have the light, how to bring light forth; but I do. From theſe two verſes laid and conſidered together,
Obſerve, Firſt; Natural light and darkneſs have their ſpecial places, their dwelling places; yet they have no where a…y long abiding place.
A Tabernacle (not a ſtanding houſe) is ſet for the Sun (Pſal. 19.4.) A Tabernacle is a moveable houſe. The Sun hath a houſe every where, but it keeps houſe or abides no where. 'Tis not only alwayes moving in its place, but daily removing to other places; and ſo, conſequentially, is darkneſs. As it is thus with natural light and darkneſs, about which the queſtion is literally propoſed, ſo with civil light and darkneſs, about which the queſtion alſo is intended. Theſe have their places, their dwellings, and 'tis ſeldome that they dwell long in any one place. Light and darkneſs are not more interchangeable in the Air, than joy and ſorrow are in the ſtates and conditions of men.
We may likewiſe conclude, that ſpiritual light and darkneſs have their houſes and their dwellings. Spiritual light, both the light of knowledge, and the light of comfort, dwell,
Firſt, In Chriſt himſelf. In him as Mediator, all fulneſs dwells, (Col. 1.19.) and of his fulneſs we all receive grace for grace, (John 1.16.) I may ſay alſo light for light, light of every ſort, and light in every degree, …ful for us, is received from him.
Secondly, Theſe lights dwell in the hearts of every true believer. Faith and light can never be ſeparated: Though ſome who have faith may be in the dark, yet light is not ſeparated; it is onelyonly clouded, eclipſed or hidden from them. All believers are ſo much in a ſtate of light, that they are called light (Eph. 5.8.) and many of them live in a plentiful enjoyment of light. A worthy man of the former generation, lying upon his death-bed, a friend asked him whether the light ſhining into the room did not offend him? he anſw…red,Hic ſat lucis. Oecolampadius. putting his hand upon his heart, Here I have light enough. The heart of a godly man is the houſe of ſpiritual light, there he hath and holds the light of divine knowledge about the things of the Goſpel, and the light of divine comfort ariſing from that knowledge. It is alſo reported of Mr. Deering our Countrey-man, that in his laſt ſickneſs, and towards his end, being ſet upright in his bed for his eaſe, a friend requeſted him, that he would ſpeak ſomething for the edification and comfort of thoſe about him: Whereupon, the Sun ſhining in his face, he took occaſion to ſpeak thus, There is but one Sun in the world, and there is but one Sun of righteouſneſs which graciouſly ſhineth upon me; ſpeaking further, he concluded thus, I bleſs God, I have ſo much light of joy and comfort in my ſoul, that were it put to my wiſh or choice, I had rather a thouſand times die than live. As the hearts of theſe worthies were the dwelling place of light, ſo is the heart of every godly perſon in his meaſure and degree; the light of knowledge and of joy abide there. The Apoſtle ſaith (2 Cor. 4.6.) God who commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt: And where that ſhine of God gives the light of knowledge, the light of comfort cannot be withheld, unleſs it be for a ſeaſon, that the ſoul may rejoyce the more in the end, and at laſt without end. For,
Laſtly, There is an eternal light, the light of Glory, and that hath a certain dwelling place; that light dwelleth alwayes in heaven; and the Saints at reſt in heaven, dwell alwayes in that light. Eternal glory is called the inheritance of the ſaints in light, (Col. 1.12.)
Again, Spiritual darkneſs hath its place; and we ſhould labour to know the place of that darkneſs, to avoid it. Ignorance is ſpiritual darkneſs, and that dwells in the heart of every man by nature. All that continue in that ſad condition, have their underſtanding darkened through the ignorance that is in them, (Eph. 4.18.) and they who now are in the light, were once in the dark, yea they were darkneſs (Eph. 5.8.) Let it alſo be remembred, in whomſoever this darkneſs of ſin and ignorance abides, they muſt abide under the darkneſs of wrath and judgement for ever. The place where that darkneſs dwells is hell, and there outer darkneſs (as 'tis often called in the Goſpel) dwells, even ſuch darkneſs as wherein the damned are not onelyonly out of the poſſeſſion of the leaſt ray or glimmering of light, but without any hope or expectation of it. Hell is quite beyond the bound or boundaries of light; there's darkneſs and thick darkneſs, nothing but darkneſs. Thus we ſee light and darkneſs have their places, natural light and darkneſs have theirs, and ſo have ſpiritual and eternal light and darkneſs.
Secondly, From the ſcope of theſe two verſes,
Obſerve; It is God who diſpoſeth and ordereth light and darkneſs.
The queſtion was put to Job, whether he had diſpoſed of them; but he could not aſſume to himſelf, that he had taken or laid the light to the bound thereof, or knew the paths to the houſe thereof. Light and darkneſs are at the diſpoſe, and under the command of God alone. And as the work or power of God is wonderful in the diſpoſe of natural light and darkneſs, ſo 'tis much more wonneſs; in the diſpoſe of civil, ſpiritual, and eternal light and darkderful theſe the Lord taketh to their bound, and knoweth the paths to their houſe. I form light and create darkneſs (ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 45.7.) What light and darkneſs doth the Lord there ſpeak of? Surely of civil light and darkneſs, as the next words import, I make peace and create evil; I make and create them, I alſo direct and appoint them whither to go, whether to a Nation or to a man only, whether to this or that man or Nation. Darkneſs is of me as truly as light.
And that not only civil, but ſpiritual and eternal light and darkneſs are at Gods diſpoſe, is as evident from the Scriptures of truth. Some lands may be called lands of light (like Goſhen) others (like Egypt under that three days plague) may be called lands of darkneſs. Of ſuch lands that complaint is made (Pſal. 74.20.) The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. All places of the earth full of ignorance, not knowing God, of atheiſme, not acknowledging God, of idolatry, worſhipping falſe gods, or the true God …alſly, may be called lands of darkneſs, or the dark places of the earth. Now as the Lord maketh one land a place of ſpiritual light, ſo he leaveth another to be a place of darkneſs. And he often maketh changes from darkneſs to light, that's mercy, and from light to darkneſs, that's wrath, in the ſame lands. Some lands which had ſate in darkneſs for ages and generations, the Lord hath viſited with Goſpel light; and ſome lands, which for ages and generations had that light, are now laid in darkneſs. How ſad a witneſs of this are the anciently famous ſeats of the Aſian and African Churches, now under Mahometan power!
And further, as the Lord diſpoſeth that outward ſpiritual light and darkneſs, giving the knowledge of the Goſpel to, or taking it away from Nations, as he pleaſeth; ſo he diſpo…eth inward light or darkneſs to every ſoul. Some gracious ſouls walk in the light of Gods countenance, and under the ſweet ſhinings of his face every day; others, who alſo (as the Prophet ſpeaks, Iſa. 50.10.) Fear the Lord, and obey the voice of his ſervants, walk in darkneſs, and ſee no light. Now, whence cometh this difference? Is it not of the Lord, who hath the command of our joys and of our ſorrows, and who appoints this kind of light and darkneſs their ſeveral and ſpecial places, according to the ſoveraignty of his own Will?
From all that hath been ſaid, we may draw down this concluſion, which the Lord did chiefly aim at in dealing with Job; That we are to own and acknowledge the hand of God in every condition: be it light, or be it darkneſs; be it joy, or be it ſorrow; 'tis all of God. There is nothing which concerns either the comfort or trouble of man, but comes forth from God, and is ordered by him; like as in all ages and revolutions of time, light and darkneſs have held their courſe, and kept their place, according to his inſtitution and direction. Job was in darkneſs, both as to his outward and inward eſtate; his body was pained, his ſoul was grieved, anguiſh …ll…d … ſpirit; and God would have him ſee, know, and acknowledge his hand in all. As if he had ſaid, Thou canſt no more diſpoſe the peace or trouble, the light or darkneſs of thy condition, than thou canſt diſpoſe of light or darkneſs in the air. All our changes, from darkneſs to light, from light to darkneſs, proceed from the unchangeable God. And as light and darkneſs have their conſtant turns in the air, ſo they have very frequent turns in the life of every man.
Therefore, they who when God cauſeth darkneſs to cover and compaſs them about, do not acquieſce and reſt in his good pleaſure, but murmur and are tumultuous; theſe (I ſay) do as if they would take upon them to order the courſe of light and darkneſs in the world; theſe do no otherwiſe, than as if at midnight they ſhould call for day, or at mid-day for night. Diſcompoſed ſouls are like ſick bodies; they who are ſick or ill at eaſe, cannot bear either night or day; in the day they deſire night, and in the night day: ſo it is with them of ſickly ſouls. Such are often heard ſaying in the morning, Would God it were evening, and in the evening, Would God it were morning: Nothing pleaſeth them. Did we acknowledge the hand of God in making it night, we ſhould ſit down quietly in our darkeſt night, as to impatience, even while we are moſt earneſtly praying for the return of morning light. Impatience was in a great meaſure Jobs failing, though he had a great meaſure of patience. He made (as we ſay) an ado in the night of his trouble, as if he would have made it day when God had made it night and darkneſs with him. O remember, the way of light, and the place of darkneſs, the bounds and paths of both are in the hand, or at the command of God.
Thirdly, In that the Lord put this among his own great works, and takes it out of the hand of Job, or of any other creature, to order light and darkneſs,
Note; The work of God in ordering light and darkneſs is wonderful.
And we cannot but be convinced that it is ſo, if we conſider; Firſt, The conſtant ſucceſſion of day and night in all places. As ſure as the day cometh, the night will come; and as ſure as the night is come, day is coming. There is an unchangeable change between light and darkneſs, they mil… …or a moment in their comings or returnings. Secondly, If we conſider light and darkneſs as to their increaſe or decreaſe in any place, thus, Day unto day uttereth ſpeech, and night unto night ſheweth knowledge (P…al. 19.2.) which ſome think was a well known Adage or Proverbial Speech among the Jews, importing the power of God over, and his guidance of them both. God brings the light to the bound of it, to day at this hour, or minute of the hour, to morrow at that. There is a conſtant inconſtancy, an uneven evenneſs between light and darkneſs upon the face of the earth. We never have light or darkneſs twice of the ſame length in the ſame place and ſeaſon; yet they ever keep their place and ſeaſon all the world over: where you had them the laſt year, upon ſuch a day, there you may have them this, without a moments variation, though they have varied their courſe many moments every day ſince. Thus exactly doth the Lord take or lead the light to its bound, and knows the paths to the houſe thereof.
And as there is a great glory coming to God, in ordering light and darkneſs, as to the outward face of things; ſo there is a greater, as to the inward ſtate of his people, their ſoul-ſtate. And though the Lord doth not keep ſuch a conſtant courſe in that, yet he obſerveth a rule in all the revolutions of it. We have ſometimes light and ſometimes darkneſs in our ſouls: Now the light of comfort increaſeth towards us, and anon the night of ſorrow darkeneth upon us. Our ſouls meet often with theſe turns and changes. Let us adore the wiſdom, and ſubmit to the holy will of God in all. For though ſoul-light be alwayes deſirable, as well as comfortable, yet ſoul-darkneſs may ſometimes be uſeful; and this uſe it hath, as often as it comes, even to try how we can truſt God in the dark; as alſo to let the world know that we are reſolved through grace to keep cloſe to the light of commandements, how long ſoever we are kept from, or are at a loſs for the light of promiſes.
Laſtly, We may conſider from this Text, that as light hath its ſpecial houſes or dwellings, ſo it hath a ſpecial way to its dwelling chalked out (as it were) and appointed by God. And is there not a way, a path, to ſpiritual, to eternal light? The way to theſe lights is Chriſt, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14.6.) He is the true, the onelyonly way to life, to ſpiritual life and light; yea, he is the way to eternal light and life. Holineſs and faith in Chriſt are the paſſing way to this light, but Chriſt himſelf is the way procuring light. Without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, and without holineſs no man can ſee God. Chriſt is the meriting way, faith and holineſs are the qualifying way, leading us to the houſe and dwelling of this light. As ſin and unbelief, or the ſin of Unbelief, is the way leading to eternal darkneſs (O how many go this way to the generation of their fathers, where they ſhall never ſee light (Pſal. 49.19.) ſo faith and holineſs, or holy Faith, is the way, the path to everlaſting light and life.
Thus much of the enquiry made about the way and path of light and darkneſs, which as they are literally to be underſtood of natural light and darkneſs: ſo by them God led Job, and in him us, to conſider his diſpoſure of all ſorts of light and darkneſs.
Now, That Job might be convinced of his own ignorance in, and inſufficiency for an anſwer to theſe queſtions, God calls him to conſider the late beginning and ſhortneſs of his life, knowledge being gathered up by experience, and length of days affording both time and opportunity for the gathering up of experiences. Job was but of yeſterday, in compariſon of the day wherein the interchanges of light and darkneſs were appointed; and therefore (ſhould it be ſuppoſed that days could teach him how theſe things came to paſs, yet) he could not but be much unprepared for a ready and ſatisfying anſwer to theſe queſtions.
Verſ. 21. Knoweſt thou it, becauſe thou waſt then born? Or becauſe the number of thy days is great?
The queſtion ſtill proceeds about the natural light and darkneſs.
Knoweſt thou it?
That is, what I laſt put to thee. If thou knoweſt it, how cameſt thou by thy knowledge? Knoweſt thou it, Becauſe thou waſt then born?
The Tygurine Tranſlation renders the words thus;Habeſnè cognitum tempus quo naſceboris. Tygur. Doſt thou know the time when thou waſt born? As if the Lord had argued thus with Job; Thou doſt not know the hour of thy own Nativity, or when thou waſt brought forth; how much leſs the way or manner either of their production or conſtitution, which were brought forth and eſtabliſhed many ages and generations before thine. Doeſt thou know when thou waſt born?
But I rather adhere to our own reading, Knoweſt thou it, becauſe thou waſt then born? That is, becauſe thou livedſt then, and haſt lived ever ſince, and ſo haſt gathered up the knowledge of theſe things by obſervation. Surely when I put theſe things in order, when I diſpoſed the way, and the dwelling, the path and place of light & darkneſs, and took them to their bound, thou hadſt not ſo much as a being; how then cameſt thou to this knowledge! I know, and thou muſt needs confeſs, it is not becauſe thou waſt then born; waſt thou? The purpoſe of God in this queſtion, as to ſhew that he was before the Creation of the world, even from everlaſting, therefore knew all things; but that Job was of little ſtanding in the world, and therefore knew little, eſpecially not thoſe things propoſed. There is a double reading and underſtanding of this verſe.
Some both of the ancients and moderns expound it ironically, as if the Lord to humble Job, put a ſcorn upon him in ſuch a tenour as this: Doubtleſs thou knoweſt the dwelling of light, and the place of darkneſs, thou knoweſt when and how I ſetled the motions of the heavens, and the changes which they make here in this lower world; Annociſſimus es.becauſe thou art as old as the heavens, or contemporary with the worlds creation; Thou waſt born ſure, when I did theſe things? As if the Lord had ſaid plainly and reprovingly, Wilt thou who (upon the matter) waſt born but three days ago, Triduo natus. Si harum rerum vias te noſ ſe dixeris, item dic te tunc extitiſſe. Chryſ. Olymp.or yeſterday, wilt thou take upon hee to underſtand my matters, as if thou couldſt number as many years as the whole Creation? Some holding the ſame ſenſe, render the Text cuttingly enough, thus; If thou ſayeſt thou knoweſt the way of theſe things, thou art beſt alſo to ſay, thou waſt born, or in being, when theſe things were done. Knoweſt thou it, becauſe thou waſt then born?
Or becauſe the number of thy days is great? Even as great as ever any ſince Adam.
We render both the parts of the Text as a plain Interrogation, Knoweſt thou it, becauſe thou waſt then born? yet carrying a cloſe rebuke. As if the Lord had ſaid, Waſt thou born, when I diſpoſed of theſe things? Is the number of thy days ſo great, that thou art able to reach ſuch knowledge? Surely no; therefore ſit down ſilent, let thy mouth be ſtopt with this conviction, that thou knoweſt not theſe things; and if not theſe, which are before thee, and obvious to thy ſight, light and darkneſs; much leſs art thou able to underſtand my ſecret councels and hidden purpoſes in the ways of my providence co…cerning thee: Therefore leave vexing thy ſelf, and commit all thy concernments unto me, reſt in my Will, ſubmit to my Power; for thou art no m…re able to reach my mind, than thou art able to tell what was done before thou waſt born. Knoweſt thou it, beca…ſe thou waſt then born? Or becauſe the number of thy days is great?
Hence Note, Firſt; God onelyonly, who was before all things, knoweth the way and diſſpoſition of all things.
God, who made all things, was before any thing was made. How great is the number of his years who is eternal! The preſcience or ſore-ſight of God paſſed through the whole ſeries or through all the ſucceſſions of the creature, before it had a being. He who is without beginning, without end, knoweth and declareth (as he ſpake of himſelf by the Prophet, Iſa. 46.10.) the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done. M…n by report may have ſome underſtanding of things which were done before he was born; but till he was born he knew nothing of himſelf, or, of his own knowledge.
Secondly, Note; Man by reaſon of his ſhort life, knoweth little.
They who have been but a ſhort time in the world, muſt needs be ſhort in the knowledge of many things; nor can they know much of any thing. Much knowledge is got by much ſtudy and travel. And if the beſt improvers and redeemers of time know but little, at moſt, becauſe they were but lately born, and have had but little time; ſurely they who have trifled away their time ever ſince they were born, muſt needs know very little. We who came into the light ſo lately, cannot get much light about naturals, and how little is it then that we have or can about ſpirituals! But if we miſ-ſpend that inch of time that we have in this world, we may go out of it, knowing as little to purpoſe as we did at all (which was nothing at all) before we came into it.
Thirdly, Note; They who have been longeſt in the world, have been but a little while in it, and poſſibly have lived much leſs.
Knoweſt thou it, becauſe thou waſt then born? Waſt thou then born? Surely no, nor till many ages after. They who number moſt days, number but a few days; it was but the other day ſince we had not ſo much as a day in this world. Waſt thou then b…rn?
Fourthly, Note; As it is but a little while ſince any man was born into the world, ſo there is no man born, that hath long to stay in this world.
As the number of our days paſt is not great, ſo neither can the number of our days to come be great. Here we have a Text, yea a Map of our Mortality, and a memorial of our ſhort ſtay or quick paſſage through this world. No man hath had many days ſince he came into this world; they that have had moſt, have had but few to eternity. As for the moſt of men, they go out of the world with a very few days upon their backs; and as none have many days, ſo none know how many days they ſhall have. Our life hath theſe two things in it, which ſhould continually humble us, and keep us not onelyonly awake, but watchful:
Firſt, Our days in this life are few, our life is ſhort in this world.
Secondly, Our days are unfixed, as to us, our life is uncertain. They that reckon upon many days in this life, uſually fall ſhort of their reckoning. 'Tis or ſhould be matter of humiliation to us, that we are ſhort-liv'd, ſhort breath'd creatures; we who were born into the world but the other day, ſhall in a few days (no man knows how few) paſs out of the world again.
Laſtly, The Lord, by this queſtion, would teach Job, that it is he who taketh care of us, and orders both our coming in, and our going out of this world. It is God, by whom the days are numbred, and the years appointed which we have had and are to have here below. And as the days of our life, ſo the condition which we ſhall live in, reſteth and dependeth upon the wiſdome and providence of God. As we took no care of our ſelves, nor could, before we were; ſo all the care we take for our ſelves, while we are, can avail us nothing without God. Which of us by taking care, can add one cubit to his ſtature (Matth. 6.25.) and which of us by taking care, can add one moment to his life, all is in the hand of God. And 'tis our duty to live as free from all troubleſome cares while we are in the world, as we were free from any care at all before we came into the world. It is enough that God hath undertaken for us, and would have us ſit down in his care of us. Chriſt ſaid (Matth. 10.29, 30.) with reſpect to ſufferings, Fear not, for are not two ſparrows ſold for a farthing? and one of them falleth not to the ground, without your Father. It is God, who orders and diſpoſeth the life of a ſilly bird, and by him the very hairs of our head (worthleſs excreſſions) are numbred; ſurely then, the days of your lives, and all the changes of them, are ordered, diſpoſed, and numbred by him. And if ſo, we ſhould in this ſenſe, be as quiet, and as much at eaſe in our ſpirits, concerning the things of this life, as we were before we lived. Light had its dwelling place appointed, and darkneſs was diſpoſed of without any care of ours; and all our care can neither create light for us, nor remove any darkneſs, that is upon us. Let us onelyonly be careful of that duty we are called to, and leave the burden of our cares to him who hath called for them (Pſal. 55.22.) and would have us reſt in this aſſurance, that he careth for us (1 Pet. 5.7.) what cannot he command for us in our places, who commands light and darkneſs to their places; therefore it will be our wiſdome, at once to take as much pains, and as little care as we can.