Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 30 · Verses 15-16
Verſe 15. Terrours are turned upon me: they purſue my ſoul as the wind: and my welfare paſſeth away as a cloud.
16. And now my ſoul is poured out upon me; the dayes of affliction have taken hold upon me.
In theſe Verſes, we have the third Head or Branch of Jobs preſent miſeries; Namely, the Soul-terrours, or, affrighting fears, which preſſed him. This he propounds, v. 15.—That terrours are turned upon him, or, have taken hold of him, after his peaceable frame of ſpirit, and do frequently recurr to vex his Soul. The ſadneſs of which condition is amplyfied from a four-fold effect of theſe terrours.
1. That they did impetuouſly drive and toſſe his ſoul, as an impetuous wind driveth chaff or ſtubble, or a …eeling cloud (as it is afterward) before it.
2. That his welfare (or, his ſtrength, health, and proſperity) is gone, not only ſo ſwiftly as a cloud is driven before the wind, but ſo totally as a cloud is ſcattered by an impetuous wind; ſo that there is no more hope of recovering it, than there is of fixing a reeling cloud, or of getting rain out of a ſcattered cloud.
3. That hereby the remainder of his ſtrength is ſo melted and exhauſted, and his ſoul (the fountain of life and courage) is ſo emptied of its ſtrength, that there is nothing left to ſupport him, but it is rather become a burden, and himſelf ready to ſuccumb and faint.
4. That his afflictions, and his thoughts of theſe evils, do ſo gripe and hold him faſt, that he knows not whither to turn him.
From. v. 15. Learn, 1. The dear children of God, and even theſe who have a good conſcience, and aſſurance of reconciliation, may yet, in a day of trouble, be aſſaulted with many terrours, or affrighting fears, about Gods diſpenſations towards them, and the iſſue of them; For, Job, who never quit his integrity, hath terrours. It is true, Terrours are threatned to come upon the wicked, as one of their plagues, Lev. 26.16. Deut. 32.25. Job 18.11. Jer. 20 4. and frequently elſe-where: Yet truly godly men may come under this ſad lot alſo; As we ſee in Jobs experience, here, and Chap. 6.4. and 7.14. In Hemans, Pſ. 88.15. and others. This is not to be thought ſtrange, if we conſider, That the diſpenſations of God toward godly men may be ſo ſtrange, as they cannot reconcile them with the teſtimony of their own conſciences, which cannot but affright them; That their being cruſhed with other trouble may make them fea…fully apprehenſive of everything; That while they look out to what is come upon them, through the perſpective of their preſent diſtreſſed condition, they will be ready to multiply fears and terrours for the future; And, That God may ſhake a rod of terrour over them (as, Chap. 7.14, 15.) to exerciſe their faith, and quicken them to their duty.
This, 1. Warns us to judge wiſely and charitably of ſouls that are under terrours; thoſe may ſpeak their weakneſs, or Gods purpoſe to excite them to their duty, and humble them, but they do not evidence their being graceleſs, if they run to God, and cleave to him, under them.
2. It warns us not to judge, not only of mens grace, but even of their preſent reconciled and good condition, by their fits of terrours; For, Job was not only a converted man, but his way and condition were approved of God, however terrours did aſſault him.
3. It war…s us to be moderate in our apprehenſions of what may befall us for the future, when for the preſent we are cruſhed by trouble, leſt thoſe contribute to beget and multiply our terrours and fears.
4. It teacheth, That if this be done in the green tree, and if godly men, walking tenderly, may be thus aſſaulted with terrours; what may be expected in the dry tree, and what terrours may they expect who are wicked, or (being converted, yet) do wander in ſinful courſes.
Doct. 2. Soul-affrightments and terrours are very ſad and humbling, eſpecially, when men are alſo under other preſſures; For, it is a ſad branch of Jobs complaint here, that he is under terrours, whereof he rehearſeth ſad effects in the reſt of the purpoſe. And though the Noun, Terrours, be plural, yet the Verb, To turn (as alſo that which followeth, To purſue) is ſingular, to intimate how diſtinctly he felt every one of them in particular. Thus they did diſtract, and cut off Heman, Pſ. 88.15, 16. And they put Job to chooſe any death, rather than endure them, Chap. 7.14, 15. And no wonder; For terrours are fears in their height and extremity, and therefore will confound and ſurcharge men; We are apt to multiply them, even as faſt as we can imagine and apprehend things, and ſo every thought breeds us a new terrour; And, if God be our party, and our ſpirits be already cruſhed before-hand, what wonder if terrours carry all before them, as will afterward be marked?
This, 1. Shews, How great their mercy it, who have a ſound and quiet Spirit, whatever their other troubles or preſſures be. See Pro. 18.14.
2. It warns men to be afraid of expoſing themſelves to terrours, by walking in ſinful wayes. See Chap. 31.23. Such will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, who is a conſuming fire, Heb. 10.31. and 12.29.
3. It ſerves to excite us to pity thoſe who are under ſoul-terrours, as being under a ſharp tryal, above any other preſſure.
4. It warns the people of God to take heed of voluntary cruſhing of their own Spirits, and that they entertain fortitude of minde, and endeavour to keep their fears from growing to the height of terrours; leſt, otherwiſe they breed themſelves the ſaddeſt of troubles.
5. Such as are under theſe terrours, may look upon themſelves as ſpecial objects of Gods compaſſion, if they will go to him with their grievances. OnelyOnly they ſhould learn to ſeek their cure in ſtrengthening of their own cruſhed Spirits, which is the method God preſcribes for relieving of themſelves.
Doct, 3. Soul-terrours are ſo much the ſadder, when they ariſe after a calm, and ſerenity of minde, as it may come to paſs; For, ſaith he, they are turned upon me, after my former ſweet dayes, and do recurre, after ſome intermiſſions. Albeit men be little ſenſible what a tryal it is when their ill condition is changed into a good condition (though it be indeed a tryal) yet they are ready to take it ill, if a cloud come after a ſun-ſhine, and godly-men, who have taſted of God's kindneſs, will not eaſily digeſt it, if afterward he exerciſe them with terrours. However, This,
1. Warns us that there will be changes in the conditions of the godly within time; and albeit they ſometime enjoy good daies, yet they ſhould not expect to dye in their neſt.
2. Hence, we ſhould not be ſurprized with ſuch changes, leſt the ſurprizal be worſe than the tryal it ſelf: Nor ought we, having formerly taſted of kindneſſe, become thereby more unfit to endure an hard lot, than if we had never enjoyed it.
3. Yet it may be expected that the tryal, or terrour, that cometh after a long calme and tranquility, will have ſo much the ſharper edge; For God purpoſeth to ſift and ſearch us by theſe changes of his right hand.
4. It is to be looked on as an evidence of our love and deſire after Gods favour, it terrour from him, and our being put to that ſchool after ſweeter enjoyments, be our burden and affliction, as Jeremiah 6.6.
Doct. 4. The Soul of man is a precious Jewel, in a right diſcerners account; For, the word here rendered, my Soul, ſignifieth, my Princely one, or, ingenuous Princeſs. So David ſpeaks of it (rather than of his animal life onelyonly) as his Darling, or, onelyonly one, Pſ. 22.20. It were a mercy if men would once learn to ſet a price and due value upon an in mortal Soul; for then they would make it their chief care to ſecure its intereſts, and would not hazard it for triſles.
5. It is a ſad and humbling fruit of Terrours, that, as the Soul of man is not able to abide or bear them, ſo, they they take away the Souls reſt, and do ſo violently toſſe it, that it knows not what to do; For, ſaith he, they purſue my Soul, (which dare not ſtand, but is forced to flee, when they aſſault) as the winde, even as the winde driveth and toſſeth clouds, and other light bodies, before it. Thus Job was toſſed throughout the night, Job 7.4. The Pſalmiſt was confounded with a multitude of thoughts reeling in his minde, Pſ. 94.19. And Jeremiah was not able to extricate himſelf from the heart-faintings that came upon him, Jer. 8.18. This may ſpeak ſomewhat to theſe who would be free of drawing on this ſad exerciſe. And,
1. As they ſhould guard that they do not cruſh their own Spirits; So, they ſhould avoid all ſin, (ſeeing every ſin tends to diſturb peace of mind and conſcience) and eſpecially, ſleeping in ſecurity, which juſtly provokes God to ſend thoſe toſſings to awake ſuch ſleepers.
2. They ſhould be carefull to reſt and acquieſce much in God, when they have caſe; leſt, otherwiſe, this reſtleſſeneſs be made their lot and exerciſe.
3. They ſhould alſo avoid idleneſs and vanity of minde; the bitter dregs whereof may prove to be terror and reſtleſſeneſs. Somewhat alſo is to be ſpoken here to theſe who are vexed with theſe toſſing terrours. And,
1. It is their advantage not to ſlee before them, but to ſet their faces againſt them, and ſleight them in God; For when men flee, they purſue the more eagerly.
2. They ſhould be looked upon, while they are their lot, as needfull to keep them going, and to purge them from their folly and vanity of minde. And to improve them is an effectual mean to take off their edge.
3. It muſt be their care, while they are thus toſſed, to ſee if they can reſt as a Ship reſts an Anchor; keeping their grip however they be toſſed, though they cannot reſt ſo quietly, as an Houſe reſts upon its foundation.
4. Even in this toſſed condition, they are bound by faith to bleſs God, who will guide them through this ſtorm, to a ſafe Harbour.
Doct. 6. It is not onelyonly a cauſe, but another humbling fruit of terrours alſo, that the Soul can finde no welfare, where they are; For, ſaith he, my welfare paſſeth away; where, by his welfare, we are to underſtand, eſpecially, his Health and Proſperity. As it is very ſuitable that all things look ſad and deſolate upon a Childe of God, when God ſeems to be a terrour; So here we may alſo obſerve the emptineſs and vanity of all worldly contentments, which will faile us when we have moſt need, and when God cometh to deal in ſeverity with us. OnelyOnly we ought to be carefull, even in the midſt of terrours, to obſerve and acknowledge the mercies that are continued with us, and not to undervalue them.
7. When terrours get place, and prevail upon men, ordinarily there is a little hope of what is to come, as there is contentment in what is preſent; For, Job looks upon his welfare not onelyonly, as paſſed away, and gone for the preſent, but that it is paſſed away, as a cloud, which, being once ſcattered, can promiſe no rain for the future. Mens fears and terrours do not onelyonly make them a ſad life for preſent, but do bring up an ill report of all that may befall them for the future. Yet ſuch reports are not to be truſted, for Job was mercifully diſappointed.
8. If we conſider Jobs caſe, we will finde that theſe two things adde much to the diſquiet of troubled Souls.
1. When they have too high an eſtimation of what they want; For, Job, in his toſſed condition, accounts his former proſperous and healthfull condition, his welfare, or, Salvation. And it is true, it was a great mercy which he formerly enjoyed; yet probably in this his diſtreſs, he eſteemed more highly of it then when he did enjoy it, and that addes to his trouble. But we ſhould learn to live without all that which God is pleaſed to take from us, and ſhould reckon that to be our welfare, which we have (whatever it be) if we guide and improve it well.
2. When their expectations are too much fixed upon the things of time, and upon recovery out of trouble; For, ſometime, his condition looked like a cloud promiſing rain, ſo that when it paſſed away, the diſappointment rendered his condition the ſadder. Sober expectations would free us of much toyle and vexation
From V…rſe 16. Learn 1. As trouble in its time is very ſad (now, ſaith he, my Soul is powred out,) of which, ſee v. 1.) So Saints are not complementers in the matters of their exerciſe; But the grievouſneſs of what they complain of is ſeen in the ſad fruits thereof: For, he proves that his Soul was pu…ſued, v. 5. by very ſenſible effects, And now my Soul is powered out.
2 VVhatever the ſpirit of a man be able to do, as to bearing of common inſi…mities and troubles, Prov. 18.14 — Yet Soul terrours will overcome all his ſpirit and courage; For, ſaith he, my Soul is powred out, not in prayer, (as the phraſe ſometime importeth, Pſ. 61.8.) but become faint and weak, through irreſolution and other preſſures. The alluſion is to waters powred out, or to wax melted, as Pſ. 22.14 As natural courage it's alone will never do well in acting for Chriſt, as the iſſue of Peters Reſolution to dye with Chriſt doth witneſs; So they who have no more but that for bearing of trouble, and eſpecially Soul-trouble, will finde that trouble will preſs the life out of it.
3. A cruſhed Spirit, in ſtead of being a ſupporter under terrours, doth it ſelf become an heavy burden; For, ſaith he, it is pow…ed out upon me, or, lyeth upon me as an heavy preſſure and burden, when it is powred out and becomes faint. Thus a wounded Spirit is ſo far from being able to ſuſtain a mans infirmities, that ſelf becomes a burden, which, who can bear? Prov. 18.14. And a man, thus perplexed, becomes the heavieſt burden to himſelf, Job 7.20. VVhichWhich ſhews how good God is, who yet ſupports ſuch cruſhed one, Pſ. 73.26.
4. As Afflictions have their time and day, and may ſometime continue long, and for many daies; So, albeit, men naturally deſire to ſhift trouble; yet when it hath God's Commiſsion, it will ſeiſe upon the ſtouteſt and greateſt Shifter, and arreſt and keep him, as it were, in bands: For, ſaith he, the dayes of affliction have taken hold upon me. To ſeck to decline trouble (either the feeling of it, or making uſe of it, when we muſt feel it,) and to be as bullocks unaccuſtomed to the yoke, is the ready way to augment our ſorrow and trouble.
5. Men never knew preſſing trouble (whatever they have endured) who know not Soul-terrours, and perplexities; and where they are, other troubles will eaſily get in upon Spirits, to vex them: For, in both theſe reſpects Job ſaith, Now being under terrours, v. 15. the dayes of affliction have taken hold upon me; becauſe thoſe terrours were in themſelves a preſsing trouble, and becauſe they made his other troubles become preſsing upon him.