Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 26
JOB, CHAP. 26. Verſ. 11, 12.
The pillars of heaven tremble, and are aſtoniſhed at his reproofe.
He divideth the Sea by his power, and by his underſtanding he ſmiteth through the proud.
JOB ſtill proceedeth in the enumeration and illuſtration of the mighty works of God; what he doth in the clouds, and what in the heavens, was ſhewed from the former context; Here Job tells us what the Lord doth with the heavens; He who made the heavens and ſtretched out the North over the empty place, can make theſe heavens totter in their place and tremble, when he pleaſeth.
The pillars of heaven tremble, and are aſtoniſhed at his reproofe.
There are three things to be enquired into for the opening of this verſe.
Firſt, What is meant by the pillars of heaven.
Secondly, How the pillars of heaven may be ſaid to tremble, and be aſtoniſhed.
Thirdly, What we are to underſtand by the reproofe of God, Columnae coeli, i. e. Angeli contremiſcunt. Aquin: Angelos vocat columnas coeli, quia ſ…ilicet eorum officio adm…niſtratur motus coelorum. Aquin:when he ſayth, they are aſtoniſhed at his reproofe.
The pillars of heaven tremble.
There are various opinions about theſe pillars; firſt, many of the Latins hold, that theſe pillars of heaven are the Angells, by whoſe aſſiſtance (ſay ſome Philoſophers) the motions of the heavenly bodyes with their orbes or ſpheares are guided and maintained. And doubtleſſe as the Angels have great employments upon and about the earth, ſo alſo in and about the heavens, and therefore may (not improperly) be called the pillars of heaven; in which ſence alſo the Angels are called the powers of heaven, as ſome interpret (Math: 24.29.) where Chriſt propheſieth, that immediatly after the tribulation of thoſe dayes, the Sunne ſhall be darkened, and the Moone ſhall not give her light, the ſtarrs ſhall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven ſhall be ſhaken: Many of the antients interpret thoſe powers of heaven by the Angels; as if the Lord would doe ſuch things in that great day, as ſhould trouble and aſtoniſh not onelyonly men on earth, but the Angels in heaven, who may be called the pillars of heaven, as ſome eminent men for parts and power are called the pillars of the earth; And wee may ſuppoſe them pillars of heaven, not for the ſtrength and ſuſtainement of heaven,Stabilita…ē permanentē in natura angelorum intelligamus nemine Columnarum. Philip: but for the beauty and ornament of it. As we ſee many pillars in ſtately Pallaces, which are not placed there to beare up the weight of thoſe buildings, but only to adorn & beautifie them. Or Angels may be called the pillars of heaven, becauſe of the firmenes and ſtability of their owne nature, not as if they were any firmenes or eſtabliſhment unto heaven.
Secondly, By theſe pillars of heaven are conceaved to be meant the high mountaines of the earth, which ſeeme to touch the heavens, according to ſence, and ſo to ſuſtaine and beare them up, as pillars; but this opinion not being grounded upon any truth in nature, but onelyonly upon a popular errour, (though it be a truth that even theſe ſuppoſed pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofes of God) I ſhall not inſiſt at all upon this interpretalion.
Thirdly, Theſe pillars of heaven ſay others are the ayre; for as the loweſt parts of the earth are called the foundations of the earth, becauſe the foundation of a building is layd loweſt, ſo the lower parts of heaven, the ayre (which is ſometimes called heaven, yea the firmament of heaven, Gen. 1.20.) may be called the pillar of heaven. 'Tis true alſo that the Lord maketh dreadfull combuſtions by ſtormes and tempeſts in the ayre, inſomuch that thoſe pillars of heaven tremble, and are aſtoniſhed at his reproofe. But I ſhall not give this neyther as Jobs meaning here.
Terra tota velut orbis totius fundamentum ac firmanentum. Merc:Fourthly, By the pillars of heaven, others underſtand (not the ayre or the mountains) but the whole body on globe of the earth. Thus David ſpeakes (2 Sam. 22.8.) Then the earth ſhooke, and trembled, the foundations of heaven moved and ſhooke, becauſe he was wroth; where the foundations of heaven in the latter part of the verſe, may be expounded by the earth in the former part of the verſe. For if we conſider the whole fabricke of the world together, then the earth ſeemes to be the foundation or pillar of heaven. And frequent experiences in all ages, eſpecially in ſome parts of the world, have felt and reported the trembling of the earth. We commonly call it an Earth-quake; and Philoſophers teach us that the reaſon of it in nature is the ſtrength of vapours included in and ſtriving to make their way out of the bowels of the earth. And as this trembling of the earth hath a reaſon in nature, ſo it is often cauſed by ſpeciall command from God, as a reproofe of the ſinfullnes of man, or to awaken him from his ſin; yet,
Fifthly, I rather conceive, that this phraſe, The pillars of heaven, is uſed onelyonly in a generall ſenſe and not particularly intended eyther of Angels or mountains, of the ayre, or of the earth; but that the pillars of heaven, are the ſtrength of heaven: the ſtrength of a building conſiſts in the pillars that beare it up, take away the pillars, and it falls downe, as Sampſon ſayd to the lad that held him by the hand, ſuffer me that I may feele the pillars whereupon the houſe ſtandeth, and when he had once moved them, the houſe fell (Judg. 16.26.30.) ſo that when Job ſayth, the pillars of heaven tremble, the meaning is, the greateſt ſtrength of or whatſoever is ſtrongeſt in heaven, the heavens themſelves with all their ſtrength,Metaphorice haec dicuntur, non quod coelum columnas habeat quibus nitatur, ſed quod in vehementiori orbis concuſſione videatur nobis perindè ac ſinutent ejus columnae. Merc: foreign contritus concuſſus fuit. foreign ſtupēt denotat moram anamiin rei ſingularis conſideratione ad eam cognoſcendam & ae…imandam. Coc: tremble at the reproofes of God. So that this is onelyonly a figurative and Rhetoricall expreſſion, not that the heaven hath any materiall pillars by which it is ſupported, but becauſe in thoſe mighty concuſſions which God cauſeth in the world, it is as if the pillars or powers of heaven it ſelfe were ſhaken and did Trembleth and were aſtoniſhed at the reproofe of God.
But how may theſe pillars (whatſoever they are) be ſayd to tremble and be aſtoniſhed? I anſwer, 'tis thus expreſſed in alluſion to men who being ſeverely reproved, menaced, and threatned, tremble, and are aſtoniſhed. Here are two termes uſed; firſt, they tremble, which word ſignifyeth (as it were) the pounding and ſhattering of the heavens to peices, or as if they were even ground to powder, or crumbled to duſt. Secondly, They are aſtoniſhed; The original word imports not a light, ſudden, tranſient aſtoniſhment, but an aſtoniſhment that ſtayeth, abideth, and taketh up the minde, or which draweth the minde to a deepe conſideration of the matter preſented, and thereupon to wonder and admiration. (Iſa: 29.9.) Stay your ſelves and wonder, that is, ſit downe and conſider this thing and wonder; barely to wonder is not enough, you muſt ſit downe, ſtay, and reſt your ſelves to wonder, you muſt take your fill of wonder at this thing. But how can the heavens be aſtoniſhed, which are not onelyonly without underſtanding but without life? I grant, that to be aſtoniſhed is proper onelyonly to rationall creatures, yet it is attributed to beaſts metaphorically, yea and to things inanimate or without life and ſenſe, as here, and Jer. 2.12. to the heavens; for as rejoycing is attributed to the heavens, and to the earth, to the mountaines, and to the valleys, all theſe are ſayd to rejoyce, to ſing; ſo alſo aſtoniſhment, feare and trembling are attributed to heaven and earth. And as liveleſſe creatures are ſayd to rejoyce, ſing, and praiſe God when men doe it, ſo likewiſe they are ſayd to tremble, when men tremble; when God doth ſuch things as affect men with aſtoniſhment, then alſo heaven and earth are ſpoken of as affected with aſtoniſhment.
foreign increpavit, objurgavit, reprehendit du…i…èr & cum poteſtate.Thirdly, What is meant by the reproofe of God, which cauſeth the pillars of heaven to ſhake and be aſtoniſhed. The word ſignifies, a ſore chiding, the ſevereſt reprehenſion, and that not a bare reproofe, but a reproofe with authority, and command, as a father or maſter reproveth his ſon or ſervant. Thus, when Joſeph told his dreame, That the Sunne, Moone, and eleven Starrs made obeyſance to him, Jacob his father rebuked him, and ſayd unto him, What is this dreame that thou haſt dreamed? ſhall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow downe our ſelves to thee to the earth? And when Joſhuah the high Prieſt ſtood before the Angel of the Lord and Satan at his right hand to reſiſt him (Zeph. 3.2.) The Lord ſaid to Satan, the Lord rebuke thee ô Satan, even the Lord that hath choſen Hieruſalem, rebuke thee. This rebuke had a threatening in it, and was ſpoken as with an angry countenance, in which there might be read diſpleaſure, and indignation. The vulgar tranſlates, not rebuke, but nod; The pillars of heaven tremble at thy nod; There is a reproofe in a nod,Pavent ad nutum ejus. Vulg: Sic illud poetae natu treme-facit Olympum. as it was ſayd anciently, He made Olympus tremble with a nod of his head. A nod of the head may ſignifie a reproofe as well as a word of the mouth. There is a twofold reproofe; firſt, verball or by words; ſecondly, reall or by action and geſture. A verball reproofe may be reall, but every reall reproofe is not verball. Both God and man can act reproofes as well as ſpeake them. And the word here uſed is applyed in Scripture not onelyonly to verball, and voyce reproofes, but to reproofes given by geſtures and by actions; for as the holy lives of Godly men who walke exactly are a reproofe to the world though they ſpeake not a word of reproofe, ſo the actings of God are reproofs, though he doth not ſpeake. Thus David ſayth, (Pſal. 9.5.) Thou haſt rebuked the heathen, thou haſt deſtroyed the wicked; How did God rebuke the heathen? even by deſtroying the wicked; that act of thine hath been a reproofe to the heathen, and ſhewed them their folly. In the ſame ſence 'tis ſayd againe (Pſal. 68.30.) Rebuke the company of ſpeare men, the multitude of bulls with the calves of the people, till every one ſubmit himſelfe with peices of ſilver. The rebuke there prayed for upon that boyſterous and bloody generation, was not a word but a worke of rebuke, that God would doe ſomewhat that might be a rebuke upon them, and a ſtop to them; as if he had ſayd, Seing this company of ſpeare men, and multitude of the buls will not heare any of thy words, ſeing they are not capable eyther of reproofe, or counſell, therefore rebuke them by ſome extraordinary hand, and viſible tokens of thy diſpleaſure (as it follows) ſcatter the people that delight in war. Thus ſome underſtand it here that God giveth a reproofe to the heavens, not by a word ſpoken, but by his providentiall actings and wonderfull workings in the world.
Further, this reproofe is expounded by that which is indeed the voyce of God (and ſo called in the 29th Pſalme) the Thunder; which though it hath a naturall cauſe (for which reaſon Atheiſts laugh at the ſimplicity of thoſe who are led up to the thoughts of God, and to a reverentiall aw of his power at the hearing of it) yet that doth not at all hinder but that God doth in a ſpeciall manner diſpoſe of it (as he doth of all other naturall things) when he pleaſeth to ſerve his providence in the demonſtrations of his wrath among the children of men. To which end we may ſay that God doth often ſend forth his voyce from the clouds, and chides from heaven in thunder. The voyce (this reprooving voyce) of the Lord is upon the waters (that is, upon the waters which are above the firmament) the God of glory thundereth, the Lord is upon many waters, the voyce of the Lord is powerfull, the voyce of the Lord is full of majeſty, the voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, hee breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon, the voyce of the Lord divideth the flames of fire, the voyce of the Lord ſhaketh the Wildernes, the Lord ſhaketh the Wildernes of Kades, &c. Thus the pillars of heaven, proper, and the pillars of heaven, in a figure, tremble at or are aſtoniſhed at theſe loud reproofes.
Hence obſerve.
The greateſt ſtrength of the creature trembleth at the angry diſpenſations and appearances of God.
As the lifting up of the light of Gods countenance, puts joy into the heart more then corn & wine, the beſt things of this world, ſo the darkenes of Gods countenance puts more trouble and ſorrow into our hearts, then gall and wormewood, the worſt of the world can doe. David deſcribes at large in what a kinde of hudle and hurry the world was in ſuch a day (Pſal. 18.13, 14, 15.) Then the earth ſhooke and trembled, the foundations alſo of the hils moved and were ſhaken becauſe he was wroth. The Lord alſo thundered in the heavens, and the higheſt gave his voyce, haileſtones and coales of fire, he ſent out his arrows and ſcattered them, and he ſhot out lightnings, and diſcomfited them, then the channels of waters were ſeene, and the foundations of the world were diſcovered at thy rebuke O Lord, at the blaſt of the breath of thy noſtrills. What David there ſpake of thunder, and lightning, and hayle-ſtones, hath been viſibly effected for the deſtruction of the enemyes of the people of God, and for the deliverance of his children. The hiſtory of Joſhuah gives us a famous inſtance at the 10th Chapter; and though it be not recorded that David obtained victoryes by ſuch immediate helpes from heaven, yet it is not improbable (conſidering the tenour of this Pſalme) that he did. And we have a notable inſtance of a victory obtained by Thunder and lightning in the Hiſtory of the Church, whence that Chriſtian Legion of Souldiers who had earneſtly prayed that God would appeare for their help, was called The Thundering Legion. But whether we expound this context in the Pſalme literally and ſtrictly, as expreſſing what God did for David in this kinde; Or figuratively, as expreſſing onelyonly thus much, that God did wonderfull things, in one kinde or other, in helping David againſt his enemyes, or whether we underſtand it myſtically, of what God doth to and for the ſoules and ſpirituall eſtates of men, yet it holds forth in all the utter inability of man to beare up when the Lord ſhewes himſelfe in any terrible demonſtrations of his preſence. Againe (Pſal. 104.32.) He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth, he toucheth the hills, and they ſmoake. There is a twofold looke of God; Firſt, there is the looke of Gods favour, and thus Saints often pray that God will looke downe from heaven upon them; this looke is the releiving, yea the reviving of the ſoule; ſecondly, there is a looke of diſpleaſure, an angry, a frowning looke, when clouds and ſtormes are ſeene in the brow: Thus in the Pſalme God is ſayd to looke on the earth frowningly, childingly, and then it trembled, he toucheth the hills, and they ſmoak, that is, they are as all on-fire; The natural hils ſmoake at Gods touch, and ſo doe the metaphoricall hills; when God toucheth the great men of the earth they ſmoake, preſently they fret and fume, till they breake out into a flame of rage, heating and vexing both themſelves and all that are neere them. (Iſa: 50.2.) Behold, at my rebuke I dry up (or I can dry up) the Sea, I am as able to doe it now with a word of my mouth, as I once did it for the deliverance of your forefathers, (Exo: 14.21.29.) I make (or I can make when I will with my rebuke) the rivers a wilderneſſe (that is, as dry as a deſert or wildernes uſeth to be) their fiſh ſtinketh, becauſe there is no water, and dyeth for thirſt. What ſtrange worke doth the rebuke of God make? By that he drieth the ſea, by that he maketh the river a wildernes: and as he doth this by the power of his reproofes upon the ſea and rivers natural, ſo upon the ſea and rivers myſticall. He can dry up thoſe worldly helpes which ſeeme as inexhauſtible as the ſea, and as laſting and conſtant to us as a river which is fed with a continuall ſpring. And when any power riſeth up againſt us as deepe and dangerous as the ſea, as wel ſupplyed and ſeconded as a river, yet we need not feare for God can preſently dry it up, and make us a paſſage over it, or through it. Yea they who are as well bottom'd and foundation'd as the earth, ſhall quickly feele the effects of his power (Pſal: 114.7.) Tremble thou earth at the preſence of the Lord: at the preſence of the God of Jacob. But ſome may ſay, if the earth trembleth at the preſence of God, then the earth muſt alwayes tremble, for God is alwayes preſent; or what is the preſence of God there ſpoken of? I anſwer, as there is a preſence of God, that maketh all thoſe that enjoy it to ſing for joy; In thy preſence is fullneſſe of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore (Pſal. 16.11.) ſo there is a preſence of God that is very terrible to the creature; yea that preſence of God which is comfortable to his people is terrible to his enemyes; for when the Pſalmiſt had ſayd (ver. 2.) Judah was his Sanctuary, and Iſrael his dominion; that is, a people ſanctifyed to him, and governed and protected by him; preſently it followeth; The ſea ſaw it and fled, Jordan was driven backe; The mountaines skipped like rams, and the litle hils like lambs. The Pſalmiſt perceaving all things in ſuch a trembling fit and confuſion, ſeemes to wonder what the matter was, and therefore puts the queſtion, What ayled thee, O thou ſea, that thou fleddeſt, yea mountaines that ye skipped, &c? And preſently maketh anſwer, Tremble thou earth at the preſence of the Lord; As if he had ſayd, the cauſe of all this terrour and trouble among the creatures, was nothing elſe but the preſence of God. And if the very ſence-leſſe creatures were ſencible of his wrathfull preſence, how much more muſt man both be ſencible of it, and ſtoop unto it. This the Lord inſinuates by a cutting queſtion (Ezek. 22.14.) Can thy heart indure, or can thy hands be ſtrong in the day that I ſhall deale with thee, I the Lord have ſpoken it, and will doe it. The Lord by his Prophet ſpeakes there to a people that had a double ſtrength; they were ſtrong hearted, and they were ſtrong handed, they had much force or outward power, and they had much courage or inward power; but neyther hand-ſtrength, nor heart-ſtrength, neyther force nor courage ſhall avayle you in that day (ſaith the Lord) that I ſhall deale with you after the dealings of an enemy in wrath and Judgement. God ſtrengthens the hands of his ſervants and encourageth their hearts to endure his ſevereſt dealings with them. But when he commeth to deale ſeverely with thoſe who are rebellious and wicked, their hearts who are ſtouteſt among them ſhall not be able to endure, nor can they ſtrengthen their hands. They who have ſtrengthned their hearts and hands moſt to commit ſin, ſhall be leaſt able to ſtrengthen them for the bearing of the puniſhment of ſin.
And hence by way of Coralary or inference conſider.
Firſt, If the pillars of heaven tremble before God, if pillars (whoſe nature is to ſtand ſtill) move at the preſence of God, what ſhall become of weake man, of man who is a worme? if the pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofe of God, then certainly the pillars of the earth cannot ſtand faſt at his reproofe. The pillars of heaven are the ſtro…geſt pillars. When Jehu ſent Letters to Samaria unto the rulers of Jezreel, adviſing them to ſet up one of the Sons of Ahab King and fight for him, the text ſaith (2 King. 10.4.) they were exceedingly affrayd, and ſayd, Behold two Kings ſtood not before him, how then can we ſtand? And thus may the ſtrongeſt pillars on earth cry out with feare at the diſpleaſure and reproofes of God, Behold the pillars of heaven tremble and are aſtoniſhed at his reproofes, how then can we be eſtabliſhed? Some men are or are eſteemed to be like James, Cephas, and John, pillars in the Church (Gal. 2.9.) and others are pillars in States and Commonwealths; So we may expound that of Hannah in her ſong (1 Sam. 2.8.) The pillars of the earth (that is, earthly powers or Magiſtrates) are the Lords, and he hath ſet the world upon them, for, indeed, the world would ſoone fall into confuſion, and ſhatter to peices (as to its civil capacity) if the Lord had hot founded it upon pillars of Government and Magiſtracy, or ſet up Magiſtrates and Governours as the pillars of it. And yet how often have theſe pillars of the earth trembled? how many of them have fallen and been broken at the rebukes of God? There is a ſort of pillars that ſhall never be moved; How great an honour is it to be made ſuch a pillar, and Chriſt hath taught us who ſhall be made ſuch a one (Rev: 3.12.) Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God; Such pillars ſhall not tremble, they ſhall not be aſtoniſhed, when all the pillars of the world are caſt downe with trembling and aſtoniſhment. David hath a ſtrange expreſſion (Pſal. 75.3.) The earth and all the inhabitants of it are diſſolved, (if ſo, whence was it that they were not utterly ruin'd and deſtroyed; He anſwers) I beare up the pillars of it. But how could David beare up the pillars of the earth, when all was diſſolved? he meanes it not of a natural but civill diſſolution; things were out of order, the bands and ligaments of government were ſorely broken, men were divided into partyes and factions. Thus the earth, and inhabitants thereof were diſſolved, which is the ſaddeſt condition a people can be in; when it was thus, when there was ſuch a rupture among the people, Then David the chiefe Governour (under God) laboured to heale the breaches, and to be a pillar to thoſe ſhaking pillars; He by his great wiſedome, Juſtice, moderation, and faithfullneſſe, bore up the bearers of the people, and ſupported their ſupporters, whether perſons or things; As if he had ſayd, though there be much confuſion in the earth, yet the Lord enables me to keepe things together, ſo that they fall not to the ground, and are not utterly ruined. It is a Great honour to be a pillar bearing up the building, but it is a greater honour to be a pillar bearing up the pillars; All good Magiſtrates have the former honour, and all ſupreame Magiſtrates, if good, have the latter; yet both theſe honours doe originally & primarily belong unto God; who as he maketh the pillars of heaven tremble, ſo he can firmely ſetle (and will while they willingly ſerve his ends and intereſts) the pillars of the Earth, though but earthly pillars.
Secondly, Take this alſo by way of Corrolary from the text; If the pillars of heaven tremble, and are aſtoniſhed at the reproofe of God; what ſhall we ſay of thoſe men, or of the hardneſſe of their hearts?
Firſt, Who, heare the reproofes of God dayly, yet tremble not. What? doe the pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofe of God, and ſhall not men! yet, thus more then bruitiſh are many men; They heare reproofes, ſevere reproofes againſt ſin, yet they tremble no more then the ſtones they ſtand upon, nor are moved any more then the ſeates they ſit upon; let God thunder, and lighten, and chide, and threaten, they are not ſtirred with it; The pillars of heaven ſhall riſe up in judgement againſt this dedolent and obdurate generation. The Prophet (Jere: 36.24.) reports a ſad ſtory of this; a threatening rolle was ſent to Jehoiakim king of Judah, written from the mouth of Jeremiah by Barucke; the King cauſed it to be read as he ſate at the fire, and then (whereas it might have been expected that he ſhould be cut at the heart with Godly ſorrow and contrition for his ſin) he cut it with the Penknife and caſt it into the fire that was on the hearth untill all the roll was conſumed in the fire that was on the hearth; yet they were not afraid nor rent their garments, neither the king, or any of his ſervants that heard all theſe words; as if it had bin ſayd, what a wonderfull hardneſſe was there upon the hearts of theſe men, that they could heare ſuch words read, words ſo full of terrour, words cloathed with ſuch reproofes, words which ſpake nothing but death, wrath, deſtruction, ruine, and deſolation, yet notwithſtanding all this they were not afraid, neither the King nor any of his ſervants regarded it. The heart of man is more hard then hardneſſe it ſelfe, till God ſoften it, or breaketh it; man moves not, he relents not, let God reprove, and thunder, let God doe what he will and ſay what he will, let God make (as it were) a hell upon the earth, and, in the greateſt earneſt, caſt abroad his firebrands, arrows, and death, in the dreadfulleſt repreſentations of wrath and judgement, yet man trembles not, nor is he any more aſtoniſhed then if all this were ſpoken in jeſt.
Secondly, What ſhall we ſay of thoſe who as they tremble not when they heare the reproofes of God, ſo they tremble not when they ſee his reproofes. When God makes his reproofes viſible, and writes them in blood; when he brings forth his reproofes in wofull effects (For as all our mercyes and comforts are nothing elſe but the promiſes made viſible; ſo all the judgements which God brings upon the world, are nothing but his reproofes and threatnings made viſible, when (I ſay) he brings forth his reproofes in wofull effects) how deſperately and indeed (though it may ſeeme a contradiction) how preſumptuouſly are they hardned in ſin, whoſe ey never affects their heart, who can ſee ſuch reproofs of God yet never tremble. It is ſaid in the Law of Moſes that puniſhment ſhould be openly executed upon the preſumptuous ſinner, (Deut. 17.13.) that all the people ſhould heare and feare, and doe no more preſumptuouſly; if all upon the hearing, ſhould feare, and feare ſo as to doe ſo no more, how much more ſhould all that ſee feare, and doe ſo no more?
Thirdly, What ſhall we ſay of thoſe who not onelyonly heare and ſee the reproofes of God, but feele them alſo, and yet tremble not: when the rod is upon their backs, a ſword in their bowels, judgements round about them, and death climbing up at their windowes, yet they are not aſtoniſhed; they are not onelyonly word proofe, but judgement proofe: they are not ſencible of what they feele, they are ſmiteen, yet not ſicke, ſorrow and griefe of heart toucheth them not, though they are ſmitten for their ſins, and peirced with many ſorrows. They are ſo farre from being troubled at the remembrance of former ſins while they ſmart under preſent afflictions, that with wicked King Ahaz they ſin yet more againſt God in the time of their affliction. They are ſo farre from turning as wiſedome counſelleth us (Pro: 1.23.) at the verbal reproofes of God, or at the reproofes of his mouth, that they will not returne while he reproves them with his hand. Surely, at laſt the trembling pillars of heaven ſhall reprove them, who tremble not, nor are aſtoniſhed at the reproofes of God.
Verſ. 12. He divideth the ſea by his power, and by his underſtanding he ſmiteth through the proud.
The generall ſcope and ſenſe of this verſe, is an illuſtration of the power and wiſedome of God by a twofold effect; firſt, by dividing and vexing the mighty waters of the ſea with boyſtrous winds and ſtormes; ſecondly, by ſtopping and appeaſing them when they are in their higheſt rage and proudeſt fury, as if they were ſmitten to death.
Firſt, He divideth the ſea by his power.
foreign movit commovit volvit, per Antiphraſin quievit.The word which we render to divide, hath a twofold ſignification, in a contrariety, as is frequent in the Hebrew; Firſt, to move and roule, to ſtirre up, and trouble, as the waters and waves of the Sea are by the winds; which doe ſo move and ſtirre them as that they ſeeme to divide and cut them aſunder, and cauſe them to daſh one againſt another, and ſo it is applicable to the Sea in a ſtorme; ſecondly,Virtute ſedavit mare. Sept: Virtute ejus quieſcit mare. Vatabl: it ſignifyes to quiet and appeaſe, and ſo it is applicable to the Sea in a calme. The ſeventy render it, ſo here, He hath appeaſed the Sea by his power: and a learned Hebrician gives the ſame ſence, By his power the Sea is quiet. And 'tis indeed an act of the ſame power to quiet the Sea, to huſh the winds, and command a calme, as to rayſe ſtormes upon the ſea, or to put the ſea into a ſtorme; but I ſhall not proſecute that ſenſe in this firſt part of the verſe, becauſe the latter part of it ſpeakes rather of that poynt, as will appeare in the opening of it; And ſo the whole verſe giveth us a compleate deſcription of the mighty power of God upon the mighty waters; firſt, in cauſing their rage and fury; ſecondly, in cauſing them to be ſtill, and quiet. The exerciſe of which two powers cary a compleate Empire and Dominion over the Seas.
He divideth the ſea.
There is a generall interpretation of the verſe which I ſhall touch before I pitch upon that which I conceave moſt proper. This diviſion of the Sea, and ſmiting through the proud, is ſuppoſed to be a deſcription of Gods dealing with Pharaoh and his Aegyptians, when he brought the people of Iſrael out of Aegypt, at which time (the Hiſtory telleth us that) he divided the ſea by his power, and by his underſtanding he ſmote through the proud, or through Rahab. The diviſion of the Sea is unqueſtionable (Exod. 14.21.) And Moſes ſtretched out his hand over the Sea, and the Lord cauſed the Sea to goe backe by a ſtrong Eaſt-winde all that night, and made the Sea dry land, and the waters were divided. The latter part of the verſe is as cleare in the plaine ſignification of it, to the ſame worke of providence, for then, By his underſtanding did God ſmite through the proud. And the word Rahab, which we tranſlate proud, is often uſed in Scripture to ſignifie Aegypt. Thus (Pſal. 87.4.) I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me, that is, of Aegypt and Babylon; as if he had ſayd, thoſe places which have been the greateſt enemyes to the people of God, ſhall deſire to joyne with the people of God, Sion ſhall have converts from Aegypt and Babylon. And the reaſon why Aegypt is expreſſed in Scripture under this word, ariſeth from both ſignifications of it; firſt, ſtrength, for Aegypt was a very ſtrong Nation, and therefore the Iſraelites were reproved for going to them for helpe, and relying upon their ſtrength, which though great in it ſelfe, yet ſhould be to them but a broken reed; ſecondly, as it ſignifyeth pride, or the proud; men are uſually proud of ſtrength, and Aegypt being a ſtrong Nation, was alſo a very proud Nation; yet this Aegypt, this Rahab, ſtrong and proud, ſhall fall downe and humble her ſelfe before the Lord. And though now Aegyptians be ſtrangers from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, yet of them it ſhall be ſayd that they were borne (by a ſecond or new ſpirituall birth) in Sion. We have the like ſence of the word, and almoſt the ſame phraſe of ſpeech with this in Job (Pſ. 89.9, 10.) Thou ruleſt the raging of the ſea, when the waves thereof ariſe thou ſtilleſt them; then followeth in the next words, Thou haſt broken Rahab as one that is ſlaine (that is, Aegypt) thou haſt ſcattered thine enemies with thy ſtrong arme. And againe (Iſa: 51.9.) Awake, awake ô arme of the Lord, put on ſtrength; The Pſalmiſt ſayth, Thou haſt ſcattered thine enemies with thy ſtrong arme; the Prophet prayeth, Awake, awake ô arme of the Lord, As in the ancient dayes, in the generations of old, art thou not it, that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the Dragon, art not thou it which hath dryed the Sea? &c. Which plainly hints the deſtruction of Pharaoh and his hoſt in the red Sea. Job alſo ſeemes to ayme at that noble, and notable act of divine power, and underſtanding: And the words of the text (as all muſt grant) without any ſtraine or trouble are applicable to it; The onelyonly difficulty lyeth in this, becauſe it is not agreed upon by any Chronologers, who have ſearched ſtrictly, and critically into thoſe times, that Job lived after the departure of the people of Iſrael out of Egypt; Haec accipere de decem plagis Egypti vix permittit aetas Jobi, quem mo…tuum put…n… eo anno quum I…aelitae eg…eſſi ſunt ex Egypto. Druſ: Non plaet haec referre ad diviſionem maris rubri in Egypto Iſ…aelita ingratia quia ante illud ēpus, credimus fuiſſe J b & generalitèr potius loquitur de dei operibus. Merc:yea ſome affirme, that Job dyed that very yeare when the Iſraelites departed out of Egypt, and if ſo, then he could not make inſtance ſo many yeares before he dyed (unleſs prophetically) concerning that miraculous diviſion of the red Sea, and the deſtruction of the Egyptians. Beſides this, another argument is alledged to invalidate this interpretation; becauſe all along Job inſtanceth in the generall works of God, what he doth in the heavens, in the earth, in the ayre, and here in the Sea, ſo that it doth not ſeeme probable that Job ſhould deſcend to the mention of that particular providence of God to the Iſraelites; though that may ſerve for a glorious proofe & illuſtration of the poynt upon which Job hath ſo long inſiſted. The workes of God in ordering the workes of nature, beare the reſemblance of his workes among the children of men; His repreſſing the raging of the Sea, looketh like his repreſſing the rage of the wicked who are like the troubled Sea.
He divideth the Sea by his power.
We may take that act two wayes, eyther, firſt, as dividing is uſed in an ordinary ſenſe, to cut out and part one thing or one peece of a thing from another. It is a great and powerfull worke of God, to divide the Sea, or the whole bulke of waters to ſeverall parts of the world, and for the accommodation of ſeverall Countries. At firſt the waters covered the whole earth, all was a great deepe, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, (Gen. 1.2.) Nothing was to be ſeene, or there was no face of any thing but water. And therefore as it is ſayd (Gen. 1.7.) that the Lord ſeparated or divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. So (Gen. 1.9.) God ſaid let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appeare, and it was ſo, and God called the dry land earth, and the gathering together of waters he called Sea. And as that Scripture in Geneſis ſheweth that the Sea is the Gathering together of waters; ſo other Scriptures ſhew that the waters of the Sea are divided or run out in ſeverall Diviſions. The 104th Pſalme is a continued meditation of the mighty power of God put forth both in creation and providence; where the Pſalmiſt having ſayd of God (v. 5.) Who layd the foundations of the earth that it ſhould not be removed for ever; he addeth (v. 6, 7, 8.) Thou covereſt it (that is, the whole earth) with the deepe as with a garment; the waters ſtood above the mountaines, (that is, the waters were higher then the higheſt mountaines.) But what did God then? at thy rebuke they fled, at the voyce of thy thunder they haſted away (that is, when thou didſt ſpeake powerfully and ſtrongly to them, as with the voyce of thunder) they goe up by the mountaines, they goe downe by the valleys, unto the place which thou haſt founded for them; thou haſt ſet them bounds that they may not paſſe over, that they returne not againe to cover the earth. As the waters are now put into one great veſſel, ſo they are caryed out in ſeverall great channels all the world over for the conveniency of trafficke, and for the more eaſie entercourſe of nation with nation. Mr Broughton expounds his tranſlation fully to this purpoſe; Of a Generall water, he made many; and he tranſlates the latter part of the verſe fully to that ſence; And by his wiſedome he parted the maine water, or pride, that is, the proud Sea; that threatneth to drowne the land. So that though the Sea be but one body of waters, yet it is divided into many members, and receaves different names, according to the differing names, whether of Iſlands or Continents, whoſe ſhoares it waſheth.
Secondly, Others expound this diviſion of the Sea, of the violent motion of the Sea. So, He divideth the Sea, is, he maketh the Sea rage, and waters riſe up againſt waters, as perſons or nations doe when they are divided among themſelves. Sometimes the Sea is (as if it were) all of one peice, in union, and concord, all is calme and quiet; by and by, the Lord divides the Sea, ſets wave againſt wave, flood againſt flood, water againſt water, as if the Sea were broken into a thouſand factions. It is ſayd in that myſticall Scripture (Dan: 7.2.) That the Prophet ſaw in his viſion by night, and Behold the foure winds of heaven ſtrove upon the great Sea; That is, there were great troubles and commotions rayſed in all parts of the world, which vexed, divided, and turmoyled the nations, even as the Sea is when boyſterous winds, eſpecially when all the winds are let out of priſon to ſtrive and contend with one another. Men make many fights at Sea, and God many times makes the Seas fight. Which fightings and dividings of the Sea, are a cleare embleme of all the diviſions and fights, which ariſe among men, and are acted eyther at Land or Sea.
Hence note.
The diviſions, ſtormes, and ragings of the Sea are by the power of God.
The Pſalmiſt is much upon this, (Pſal. 107.23, 24, 25.) They that goe downe to the Sea in ſhips, that doe buſienes in great waters, theſe ſee the workes of the Lord in the deepe, for he commandeth and rayſeth up the ſtormy winde, which lifted up the waves thereof, (where note, they are lifted up by Gods command) they mount up to the heaven, they goe downe againe to the depths, their ſoule is melted becauſe of trouble. (Jon: 1.4.) The Lord ſent out a great winde into the Sea, and there was a mighty tempeſt in the Sea. (Jere: 10.13.) God is ſaid to bring the winde out of his treaſure (and Prov: 30.4.) To gather the winde in his fiſt. The winde is ſent out, and the winde is gathered in, 'tis treaſured up, and 'tis diſburſed out by his owne appoyntment to ſerve his providences and deſignes towards men, both in mercy and in Judgement.
We may hence inferre, that As the Lord divideth the Sea, ſo the Earth.
When men are all of a minde, all as one man, he can ſever and divide their ſpirits, and then cauſe them to daſh againſt one another like the waves of a tempeſtuous Sea. The old world was of one minde, but the Lord came downe, and divided them, when he ſaw them united in that worke (Gen. 11.6.) The people are one, and they have all one language, and this they begin to doe, and now nothing will be reſtrained from them which they have imagined to doe, ſo the Lord confounded their language, and ſcattered them abroad; They were building a Babel to ſecure themſelves againſt a ſecond deluge, and to get them a name leſt they ſhould be ſcattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. Therefore God brought their feares upon them, and ſcattered them. We lay our ſelves moſt open to that judgement, which we labour moſt to prevent in a ſinfull way. As there are diviſions among men which are their ſin, ſo God ſends diviſions among men which are their puniſhment. And as God ſends diviſions among men for the puniſhment of ſome, ſo for the probation or tryall of others. Chriſt ſaith (Math: 10.35. I am come to ſet a man at variance againſt his father, and the daughter with her mother, and the daughter in law againſt her mother in law; and a mans enemies ſhall be they of his owne houſe. Such diviſions the Lord makes on the earth, that it may appeare how ſtrongly and immoveably his faithfull ones are united unto him. As we are to aſcribe our union, ſo our diviſions to God; it is he that ordereth all theſe things, though they flow from the corruption, pride, and ſelfeiſhneſſe of men. When there are diviſions and emulations among us, we ſhew our ſelves (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, 1 Cor: 3.3.) and walke as men; But God ſheweth himſelfe righteous, and acteth as God; He divideth the Sea by his power, And by his underſtanding he ſmiteth through the proud.
The dividing of the Sea was aſcribed to the power of God in the former part of the verſe,foreign eſt ictu deprimere, ut quum paxillus ictu corpori ſolido imprimitur. and here his ſmiting through the proud is aſcribed to his underſtanding. The word ſignifies to ſtrike ſo, as to deſtroy, or kill, to ſtrike dead. (Iſa: 30.26. Numb: 24.8.) God ſtriketh home when he ſtriketh the proud.
But who or what are the proud ones, whom God ſmiteth through? The word is Rahab, (as was toucht before in the generall interpretation of the verſe) ſignifies two things; firſt, ſtrength, ſo ſome render it here; By his underſtanding he ſmiteth through ſtrength; that is, thoſe things which are ſtrongeſt. The very weakeneſſe of God is ſtronger then man, and therefore there is nothing ſo ſtrong, but God can quickly ſmite it through or deſtroy it. Secondly, it ſignifyeth pride, becauſe men uſually are proud of their ſtrength; whence that caution (Jer. 9.23.) Let not the mighty man glory in his might. Any kinde of ſtrength is apt to make man proud; the ſtrength of his eſtate, and purſe, is a great temptation to pride; ſtrength of body, ſtrength of parts, ſtrength of wit and underſtanding (which is the higheſt, and nobleſt naturall ſtrength) puts on to pride, yea (ſo ſtrange are the wayes and methods of temptation) the very ſtrength of grace or ſpirituall ſtrength hath blowne up ſome with pride; For though humility flow properly from the ſtrength of grace, and the more grace the more humility, yet upon a preſumption of the greatneſſe and ſtrength of their graces, ſome have been proud and high-minded, that is, they have not lived in ſuch dependance upon Chriſt as they ought. Our ſtrength lyes much in the ſence of our weakenes, becauſe, then we goe out of our ſelves to Chriſt for ſtrength, that is the meaning of the Apoſtles confeſſion, When I am weake, then am I ſtrong (2 Cor. 12.10.) And they who are ſtrong in themſelves, muſt needs be weake, becauſe the ſtrength of God goeth out againſt them. And therefore it will not be unprofitable for us, before I come to the ſpeciall explication of the proud here intended, to meditate upon and make uſe of this Scripture in the full latitude & compaſſe of the word. For whoſoever he is that is proud, whether he be proud of his naturall or civill or ſupernaturall ſtrength, let him looke to himſelfe, God underſtandeth him, and by his underſtanding he will ſmite through the proud. The proud man is alwayes in danger of falling, though (becauſe of his pride) he leaſt of all men, eyther feareth or ſuſpecteth a fall. How can they be ſafe againſt whom God hath declared himſelfe an enemy. There's no armour of proofe againſt the ſtroakes of God, if God ſmite as an enemy, he ſmiteth through, and ſo he alwayes ſmiteth the proud. Saul attempted more then once to ſmite David to the wall with his Javelin; yet David avoyded his blow and got out of his furious preſence; But when God caſteth his Javelin at the proud, they ſhall not eſcape a ſmiting through and nayling to the wall. By his underſtanding he ſmiteth through the proud.
But more diſtinctly, who is the proud in the text whom God ſmiteth through?
Firſt, Some ſay the Devill; He indeed is the proud one, his pride was his fall from God, and God hath ſmitten him through for his pride.
Secondly, Others underſtand by the proud, the whale in the Sea; Et ſcientia ſtratus eſt cetus. 70 i. e ſuo imperio ſubegit.thus the ſeventy tranſlate, and by his knowledge he hath deſtroyed the Whale or Leviathan, of whom the Lord ſaith (in the 41th Chapter of this booke, v. 34.) He is a king over all the children of pride.
Intelligentia ſia percuſſit Gigantus. Targ:Thirdly, The Chaldee paraphraſe ſayth, He hath ſmitten through the Giants. Which whether it be meant of the Whales who are Giants among the fiſhes of the Sea; or of Giants who are like Whales at land, bigger and more formidable then the reſt of men, the ſence is the ſame; both agreeing in this, that God can quickly deſtroy and ſubdue thoſe who are greateſt, ſtrongeſt, and ſo proudeſt in this world. But leaving all theſe ſuppoſitions, I ſhall conclude,
Fourthly, That by the proud, we are rather to underſtand the ſtrong and mighty waves and waters of the Sea in their greateſt hight and pride. This holdeth fayreſt correſpondence with the former part of the verſe, He divideth the ſea by his power, that is,Percutit, i. e. domat & compeſcit ſuperbiam maris. Druſ: Sua potentia ſc…n…it mara, & intelligentia ſua compeſcit ejus ferociam. Tygur: Cum deus tranquillat mare, percutere et …onculcare videtur ſuperbum Pined: He rayſeth ſtormes, and ſo divides the waters, and when the Sea is in its greateſt rage, then by his underſtanding he ſmiteth through the proud, the proud waves, aad ſo maketh a calme; The ſea in it ſelfe, eſpecially in its ſwellings and ſtormings is a proud creature; and that title or epethite of pride is often given to it: we reade (Pſal: 124.5.) of proud waters, and (Job 38.11.) of the proud waves, at the 13th verſe of the Epiſtle of Jude, we reade, of raging waves of the ſea, and (Luke 21.25.) of roring waves of the ſea. The Prophet (Jer: 12.5.) ſpeaketh of the ſwelling of Jordan; ſo that when Job ſayth, by his underſtanding he ſmiteth through the proud; we may clearely interpret him of the ſea-waves, then which nothing in appearance is more proud and ſwelling; and therefore when God allayeth and guideth the high-growne waves of the Sea, he may well be ſayd, to ſmite through the proud.
Hence note.
God knoweth how to bring downe the Sea in its greateſt rage and pride.
God doth it by his underſtanding, as wel as by his power; As God hath power enough to divide the Sea, and make it ſtormy, ſo he hath underſtanding enough to calme and quiet it. We read (Math: 8.23, 24, 25, 26, 27.) That Chriſt being entred into a ſhip with his Diſciples, a great tempeſt aroſe, inſomuch that the ſhip was covered with the waves, but he was aſleepe. And his Diſciples came to him and awoke him, ſaying, Lord ſave us we periſh. And he ſaith unto them, why are ye fearefull, O ye of little faith? then he aroſe and rebuked the winds and the Sea, and there was a great calme. This is a plaine exemplification and expoſition of Jobs aſſertion, by his underſtanding he ſmiteth through the proud; When the Sea was as furious as a mad man, who hath loſt his reaſon, and will heare none, yet then Chriſt by his divine power and wiſedome made it as obedient as they who have and act moſt reaſon are, when they heare the moſt rational and preſſing perſwaſions, or (we may ſay) that he huſht the Sea as a mother doth her crying childe, and rock't it into a ſleepe; yea he doth not onelyonly calme the Sea, but kill it, or ſtrike it dead (as the word of the text imports.) There is a particular ſea which is called The Dead Sea, But God can make all the ſeas Dead Seas, and then he delights moſt to doe it, when they threaten to ſwallow up all living.
This may be a great ſupport to us among the ſtormes which we meete with here at land. When men and nations are divided and raging againſt one another, God can quiet them; It is an eaſie matter to make diviſions among men, but it calls for much holy skill and wiſedome, even the wiſedome of God, to heale and ſoder them. And when the ſpirits of men are proudeſt and lifted up like the high waves of the ſea, then uſually tis Gods time to appeare and ſtrike them through At his word (as the Prophet ſpeakes, Iſa: 11.13.) The envy of Ephraim ſhall depart, and the adverſaries of Judah ſhall be cut off, Ephraim ſhall not envy Judah, and Judah ſhall not vexe Ephraim. Whence is it that Ephraim envyeth Judah? whence is it that Judah vexeth Ephraim? is it not from their pride? ſaith not Solomon (Pro: 13.10.) By pride commeth contention. How then ſhall the contention between Ephraim and Judah ceaſe, but by ſtriking through their pride? When there is leſſe pride among men, there will be more peace, and God will ſmite the proudeſt rather then his people ſhall not have peace. As the Jewes were divided among themſelves, ſo likewiſe were the Jewes and Gentiles, Till Chriſt reconciling both to God in one body by the Croſſe, did ſlay enmity thereby (Eph: 2.16.) And how did he ſlay their their enmity, even by ſmiting through their pride, and humbling their ſpirits under his owne croſſe or ſufferings, by which, and the throane of Grace, they were at once reconciled to God, and one to another.
Secondly, That God who can appeaſe the rage of the proud ſeas, can alſo appeaſe or deſtroy the rage of the proudeſt men who oppoſe his people. So ſome underſtand that, (Zech: 10.11.) where we have a propheſie of bringing the children of Iſrael out of Egypt and Aſſyria into their owne land; And he ſhall paſſe through the ſea with affliction, and he ſhall ſmite through the waves in the ſea, and all the deeps of the river ſhall dry up; that is, Chriſt the deliverer of his people, ſhall paſſe through the nations who are like the red Sea, ſtanding in the way of his peoples returne, and he will afflict them, or bring much affliction upon them, and he will ſmite thoſe who like proud waves ſhall threaten to ſwallow them up; ſo that the deepes of the river, even thoſe hindrances, which it was thought could never be removed, ſhall dry up at his command or rebuke, and the pride of Aſſyria ſhall be brought downe, and the ſcepter of Egypt ſhall depart away, that is, they who ſhall then be to the people of God, as Egypt and Aſſyria were of old, hard Taske-maſters and leaders of them into Captivity, ſhall be ſubdued and removed, when they are proudeſt and in their greateſt power. 'Tis matter of ſtrong conſolation to all the faithfull, that they ſerve a God who is able to reconcile the divided ſpirits of his own people one to another, and cauſe all their envy to depart from them; who is able alſo to reconcile their greateſt adverſaryes to them, and eyther to ſtay their enmity, or to ſlay them as enemyes.
Thirdly, 'Tis matter of comfort to the people of God. For he who can appeaſe the rage of the Sea, can alſo appeaſe the rage of Satan, and ſmite through the proud waves of his Temptations. Satan goeth about continually to raiſe ſtormes, and vex poore ſoules; O the rage of temptation that many poore ſoules are under, how doe the billowes of it riſe like a violent ſea, wave after wave, guſt after guſt. As God himſelfe rayſeth ſtormes of temptation againſt a poore ſoule (thus David ſpake in his owne caſe, Pſal. 42.7. Deepe calleth unto deepe at the noyſe of thy water-ſpouts: all thy waves and thy billowes are gone over me) which yet in due time he will appeaſe; ſo when Satan by his leave or command, direction or permiſſion rayſeth ſtormes of temptation, which he hath no mind to allay but rather to encreaſe and double dayly more and more, yet O wearyed and weather-beaten ſoule, be of good cheere, the Lord can ſmite through the proud enemy Satan, with all his floods, and waves of temptation, and make a calme.
Laſtly, Let them alſo remember this and be comforted who finde proud waves, proud luſts, and corruptions, ſtirring and raging like a Sea within them. For that which is ſaid by the Prophet of the wicked, is true in part of the righteous, and ſometimes it is in a very great meaſure fullfilled in them (The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot reſt, (Iſa: 57.20.) that is, they are like the Sea in a ſtorme which is ſo, not onelyonly becauſe of the unquietneſſe of their ſpirits about the providences and dealings of God with them, but becauſe their violent luſts hurry them this way and that way as the ſea is toyled and toſſed by the windes, this (I ſay) is true alſo in part of Saints) ſome more, ſome leſſe are like a troubled Sea, yea they have a Sea of ſinfull luſts within them, which the Lord is pleaſed ſometimes to divide and ſtirre up; their corruptions ſtorme and bluſter, and Satan labours to make them bluſter more & more. We dayly heare the complaints and cryes of ſoules, thus toſſed, comming to Chriſt, as his Diſciples once did, and crying to him, Maſter ſave us we periſh; we feare we ſhall be over-whelmed and drowned in this Blacke Sea of our corruptions. To ſuch Chriſt ſaith, O ye of little faith, wherefore do ye thus feare, cannot I ſmite through the proud, the proud waves of your hearts. Is unbeliefe the proud wave, that ye feare will ſwallow you up? Chriſt can give you ſuch an encreaſe of faith as ſhall ſwallow up your unbeliefe; is pride it ſelfe the proud wave that is like to overwhelme you? Chriſt who ſmiteth through the proud in Judgement, will alſo ſmite through thy pride in mercy. It is a great act of Grace in man to deſire God to ſtrike through his pride, and it is a great act of mercy to man when God doth ſo. The more God ſmiteth our ſins, the more he declares his love to and his care of our ſoules. The remainders of pride in the Saints ſhall be ſmitten through; but ſinners who remaine in their pride ſhall be ſmitten through themſelves. God whoſe power and underſtanding are made known by ſmiting through the proud waves of the Sea, will at laſt make his Juſtice and his holynes knowne by ſmiting through the proud hearts of men, or rather men of proud hearts. Proud men ſtrike at God, yea kicke againſt him, no wonder then if he ſtrike and kicke them. All the ſufferings of Chriſt are wrapt up under that one word, His humiliation, implying that as he was ſmitten for all our ſins, ſo moſt of all for our pride. That man whoſe pride is not ſmitten to death or mortifyed by the death of Chriſt, ſhall ſurely be ſmitten to death, even to eternall death for his pride. As God underſtandeth thoroughly who are proud, ſo by his underſtanding he will ſmite through the proud.