Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 22
JOB, CHAP. 22. Verſ. 10, 11.
Therefore ſnares are round about thee, and ſudden feare troubleth thee;
Or darkneſſe, that thou canst not ſee, and abundance of waters cover thee.
THeſe two verſes have variety of expreſſions, but the intendment of all is one and the ſame, Snares and feares, and darkneſſe, and abundance of waters, ſignifie all manner of evills; All theſe are upon thee, becauſe thou haſt ſent widows away empty, and haſt ſuffered the Armes of the fatherleſſe to be broken; becauſe thou haſt done theſe things, therefore Snares are round about thee.
Some render the Originall Text to another ſence,foreign non ſignificat illationem aut convenientiam conſoquentis ad antecedens ſed convenientiam aptitudinemque antecedentis ad conſequens. Coc: not as bearing an effect of the former words, not as if hee had been puniſhed with theſe evills for thoſe ſinnes, but as if theſe evills had cauſed him to ſinne; and ſo the words are expounded, as a kinde of ſcorne; as if Eliphaz had ſayd, When thou didſt thoſe things, no doubt ſnares, or feares, or darknes, or waters came upon thee, thou was forc't by ſuffering theſe evills, to doe all this evill, wast thou not? was it not becauſe thou waſt preſt with ſnares and feares and darknes and waters, that thou didſt oppreſſe the widow and the fatherleſſe? All which Queſtions are reducible to theſe plaine Negations. Thou waſt not preſſed with any of theſe perplexities upon thy ſelfe, to oppreſſe the poore; there was no ſnare, no nor any feare neere thee, darkneſſe did not hinder thy ſight, nor did the waters of affliction cover thee; Thou haſt not been thruſt upon ſinne by theſe temptations, nor conſtrained by the moral violence of any incumbent neceſſity, but haſt done it freely: to ſin even in this manner and at this hight, hath not been thy refuge, but thy choyce; Thou haſt not acted theſe iniquities by any inſtigation eyther from perſons or providences, but upon thine owne election. This is a fayre ſence and a mighty reproofe; ſeeing (as was lately noted) every evill we doe is by ſo much the worſe, by how much wee have had the leſſe provocation, or ſolicitation to doe it.
But I rather take the words as wee render them to expreſſe the ſad effects and fruits of his ſinne; As if Eliphaz had ſaid; Becauſe thou haſt taken a Pledge of thy brother for nought, &c. becauſe thou haſt ſent widows away empty, and the armes of the fatherleſſe have been broken, therefore ſnares are round about thee, &c. The words may have a threefold Alluſion.
Firſt, To the beſiedging of a City, ſnares are round about thee,Hoſtile aliquid & obſidionale ſignificat. thou art now hemde in on every ſide with-troubles; as Chriſt threatens Jeruſalem; Thine enemies ſhall caſt a trench about thee, &c. A trench is but a great ſnare to catch men, as men catch birds and vermine in ſnares. Or
Secondly, The Alluſion may be to Impriſonment, thou art compaſſed with ſtrong walles, and ſhut in with gates, thou art ſhackel'd with iron ſnares.
Thirdly, The words may allude to hunting and fowling, in ſuch diſports nets and ſnares are ſet to take the intended game. Snares are often ſpoken of in Scripture, to intimate or ſet forth the afflictions and ſorrowes that entrap and hold the ſons of men. So that to ſay, Snares are round about thee, is no more but thus, troubles are round about thee; and theſe ſnares are ſometimes ſet by the hand of man, ſometimes by the immediate hand of God. Good things are often made a ſnare to the undoing of evill men, and evill things are often made a ſnare to the troubling, though not to the undoing of good men. But I ſhall not proſecute this alluſion, having ſpoken of it at the 18th Chap: v. 6, 7, 8. where Job complaines that God had taken him in his ſnare; as alſo in the 19th Chapter at the 5th verſe.
And ſudden feare troubleth thee.
Wee may underſtand this feare; firſt, for the paſſion of feare, or for feare within: Secondly, for the occaſion of feare, which is feare without. Sudden feare troubleth thee, that is, the appearance or apprehenſion of ſome terrible thing cauſeth thee to feare.Paſſio pro objecto & materia ſuni in omni idiomate familiare. Sanct. Feare is often put in Scripture for the thing feared, for the object of feare, or for that which cauſeth feare. Thus alſo hope is put for the thing hoped for, and viſion for the thing ſeene, or the object of the viſion.
Thirdly, Some expound feare in the Text, for that ſpeciall feare which riſeth from guilt, or for terror of conſcience. Sudden feare troubleth thee; That is, thy conſcience flyes in thy face and affrights thee; thy feare flows not from any outward troubles that threaten thee, or from wants that afflict thee, but from thoſe wickedneſſes which have been committed by thee; thy conſcience vexeth and tormenteth thee, not onelyonly with feare, but with ſudden feare; feare ruſheth upon thee unexpectedly, violently, like an armed man. Sudden feare troubleth thee. Taking feare in all or any one of theſe interpretations.
Note.
Sudden feare ſurprizeth ſecureſt ſinners.
When they ſhall ſay peace and quietneſſe, then ſorrow and anguiſh come upon them as paine upon a woman in travell, and they ſhall not eſcape. The Prophet in viſion (Zech. 5.1.) Saw a flying roll; That flying roll was the Curſe; And it was called a flying roll, to note the ſpeedy and ſudden coming of thoſe judgements that were written in it; They came not onelyonly upon the ſpurre, but upon the winge. They came flying; Flying is a ſwift motion, and that motion is applyd to judgement, when once God giveth it a Commiſſion to come. Hence alſo (Deut. 32.41.) the ſword is called a lightning ſword, or a ſword that hath lightning in it; If I (ſayth the Lord) whet my glittering (or lightning) ſword. The ſword of the Lord is as Lightning; it hath burning and ſwiftneſs in it; divine vengeance cometh as Lightning. It is called alſo the overflowing ſcourge (Iſa. 28.15.) 'Tis a ſcourge becauſe the laſhes of it cauſe much ſmar… and paine, and 'tis an over-flowing ſcourge, to note the ſuddennes of it; The ſcourge comes in like a mighty flood.
Againe, This ſuddennes of feare, or of things feared, may have reference unto the ſecurity of wicked men, who though they have often heard of dangers, and judgements have been threatned upon them, yet they alwayes come ſuddenly upon them, becauſe they never prepare for them. To ſuch as are unprepared, evills are alwayes ſudden, how often ſoever they have been warned of them. As to him that is prepared, death is never ſudden, though he dye (as we vulgarly phraſe it) a ſudden death. So he that is unprepared for death, dyeth ſuddenly, though he dye that which wee commonly call a lingring death. Thus death and judgement ſhall come ſuddenly upon all ungodly men. It ſhall be (ſayth Chriſt, Matth. 24.37.) as in the dayes of Noah, they were eating and drinking, they were marrying, and giving in marriage, till the day that Noah entred into the Arke, and knew not till the floud came, and tooke them all away. But did they not know of the floud, till the floud came; aſſuredly they did, for Noah foretold them of and preached the coming of the floud, a hundred and twenty yeares before it came. (Gen. 6.3.) My ſpirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive (I will not alwayes be contending) yet his dayes ſhall be an hundred and twenty yeares; That is, he ſhall have an hundred and twenty yeares warning, all that time the old world had warning of the flould, and Noah preached upon that Text all that time; yet the floud came upon them (ſaith the Text) and they knew it not; that is, they regarded not what Noah ſaid; they tooke no thought neyther to prevent the floud, nor to prepare for it. The Author to the Hebrews tels us, that Noah by faith being warned of God of things not ſeen as yet, moved with feare, prepared an Ark to the ſaving of his houſe, by which he condemned the world (that is, the then world, of unbeleefe and hardnes of heart) and became heyre of the righteouſneſſe which is by faith (Heb. 11.7.) Hee had a holy feare in him, and a faith alſo; a faith that the thing ſhould be done, and a feare of God who threatned to doe that thing. Thus by faith being moved with feare, he prepared an Arke for the ſafety of himſelfe and of his houſehold. Why did not the reſt alſo make preparation? they did not beleeve, nor did they feare. Chriſt rebuked hi…. Diſciples in the ſtorme at Sea (Matth. 8.) with, why are ye fearefull, O ye of little faith; The old world might have been rebuked, with, why are ye feareleſſe, even becauſe ye are of little, or rather of no faith at all. Ʋnleſſe dangers threatned be beleeved, they are never feared, and unleſſe they be both beleeved and feared, they are never avoyded. Whenſoever the Lord of ſuch ſervants ſhall come, he cometh in a day, when they looke not for him, and in an houre that they are not aware of (Matth. 24.50.) that is, he cometh ſuddenly. What can come more ſuddenly upon any man, then that which he looked not for, nor was at all aware of. Thus he ſhall come to cut them aſunder, and to appoint them their portion with hypocrites; There ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Sudden feare troubleth thee;
Verſ. 11. Or darkneſs, that thou canſt not ſee, and abundance of waters cover thee.
Some render this verſe by way of interrogation;Aut autu ſolus tenebras non videres & tanta ſcelera impunè ferres? Shalt thou not ſee darkneſs? and ſhall not the abundance of waters cover thee? ſhalt thou onelyonly not ſee darkneſs, and paſſe unpuniſhed for ſuch monſtrous wickedneſſes? As if he had ſayd; thou ſeemeſt to wonder, that darkneſs is upon thee, thou makeſt ſtrange of it, that flouds or abundance of waters cover thee. But haſt thou not deſerved and called forth theſe Judgements, by many ſinfull provocations?
Others render this Text, not as a Queſtion, but as a direct Aſſertion; Thou thoughteſt, that thou ſhouldeſt, or thou hadſt a conceit, that thou ſhouldeſt never ſee darkneſs, nor any trouble coming upon thee, thy heart was lift up in hope of Impunty; thou didſt perſwade thy ſelfe, that God had as high an opinion of thee, as thou hadſt of thy ſelfe, or thou haſt flattered thy ſelfe in thy ſinfull way, and thou thoughteſt that God would have flattered thee alſo.
But I ſhall rather (as we) connect it with the former verſe, carrying on the ſame intention; Or darkneſs, that thou canſt not ſee.
Darkneſs may be taken, eyther properly, or improperly; darkneſs properly taken is that of the ayre by the withdrawing of the Sunne; This is not here intended. Darkneſs improperly taken is that of our ſtate; and it is twofold. Firſt, Internall, which is indeed ignorance, or the darknes of the minde; As if he had ſayd, Darkneſs veyles the eye of thy underſtanding, that thou canſt not ſee, eyther the hand of God upon thee for thy ſinnes, or thoſe thy ſinnes which have cauſed God to lay his heavy hand upon thee. Thy underſtanding is darkned, that thou canſt not ſee; This intellectuall or internall darkneſſe is twofold.
Firſt, Naturall or inbred, every man hath naturally ſo much darkneſs in him, that as he cannot ſee the truths that are in the word of God, ſo he cannot ſee the intendment of the works of God.
Secondly, Judiciary, or inflicted (Iſa. 6.9.) Goe and tell this people, Stupidus esplanè niſi tua ſcelera harum tuarum calamitatū aquae more inundantium & obruentium cauſam eſſe vides. Merc:heare ye indeed, but underſtand not: and ſee ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their eares heavy, and ſhut their eyes. What were theſe eyes and eares that were to be made heavy and ſhut? Surely, they are to be underſtood, not of Organicall, but of intellectuall eares and eyes. But who was to ſhut theſe eyes? A holy Prophet. And how was hee to ſhut them? By prophecying or ſpeaking to them in the Name of the Lord. The proper worke of the Word is to open the eyes, and enlighten the minde. But when a people have long ſhut their owne eyes againſt, or onelyonly dallyed with (that tranſcendent mercy) the light, then God (which is the ſevereſt judgement) ſhuts their eyes, and darkens them with light. Of this Judiciary darkneſs, ſome interpre… the preſent Text, as if Eliphaz had ſayd; there is a worſe plague upon thee, then all thoſe ſpoken of, even blindneſs and confuſion of minde, ſo that thou canſt neyther ſee what brought thee into them, nor how to finde thy way out, but art as a man under water, or in the darke, amuzed in theſe thy afflictions, not knowing what to doe, or which way to turne thy ſelfe.
Secondly, Darkneſs taken improperly is Externall, ſo a ſtate of ſorrow and affliction, is a ſtate of darkneſs. As before ſnares, ſo here darkneſs, notes any troubleſome condition, or the trouble of any mans condition. And when to darkneſs, this is added, Darkneſs, that thou canſt not ſee, it may import the greateſt degree of darkneſs, even darkneſs in perfection, or as the Scripture ſpeaks, thick darkneſs, yea, outer darkneſs. There is a darknes in which wee may ſee, a darknes which hath ſome kinde of light in it, but when darknes is ſo thicke that we cannot ſee, that is, that we cannot ſee any thing in it, (as we commonly ſay of extreame darkneſs, 'tis ſo darke, that a man cannot ſee his hand) then 'tis perfect darkneſs. Light is not (properly) ſeene, but 'tis the medium or meanes by which wee ſee; much leſſe is darknes ſeene, it being properly that which intercepts and hinders ſight; yet 'tis rare to meete with darknes which hath not ſome mixture or tinctures of light, or with ſuch darknes as in which nothing at all can be ſeene: yet ſuch was this metaphoricall darknes, with which he ſuppoſed Job was muffled up. I have more then once in other paſſages of this Booke, met with and explained this terme, ſhewing how and why afflictions and troubles are expreſſed by it, and therefore I ſhall not now ſtay upon it. OnelyOnly here take notice,Gentiles idem ſentire guſtiebant dum, non eoſdem in proſperis, quos in adverſis adibant deos. In proſperis quidem ſolē, Jovem opulentū Minervam, Mercurium, Apollinem, hos omnes quaſi lucis & ſecundarum rerum largitores: at in adverſis tellurem, Neptunum & alios malorum depulſores, nocte multum potentes, quaſi tenebrarum ipſi domini eſſent. Bold. That the old Heathens had ſuch conceptions of darkneſs; And therefore being in a proſperous ſtate they had recourſe to the Sunne, to Jupiter, Minerva, Mercury, their Idol-Deities, as the diſpenſers of light and comfort; but being under ſufferings and ſorrows, they made their applications to the Earth, to Neptune, and others, whom they vainely beleeved, were Rulers of the Night and Lords of darkneſs, as if theſe could command and chaſe away all evills from them. Scripture Language is full of ſuch Deſcriptions about men in ſorrow. Darkneſs, that thou canſt not ſee; And abundance of waters cover thee.
*foreign quamvis multitudinē aut inundationē ſignificat cum celeretate quadam & ſtrepitu.The word rendred abundance, ſignifies a company or troope of waters, which meete and march together, even as horſes prepared for battell, and ready to give the charge. So the word is tranſlated (2 Kings 9.17.) A Watchman from the Tower ſayd, I ſee a company. And that was Jehu with his troopes, who came marching furiouſly with the revenge of God in his hand upon the houſe of Ahab. And ſo Ezek. 26.10. By reaſon of the abundance of their horſes, their duſt ſhall cover thee; thy walls ſhall ſhake at the noyſe of the Horſemen, and of the Wheeles, and of the Chariots. Reade the ſame uſe of the word (Iſa. 60.6.) The multitude (ſome read the inundation) of Camels ſhall cover thee; They ſhall come in ſuch abundance, that they ſhall come like a floud, and ſhall be as the gathering of many waters. Troopes of Horſes and Camels ruſh together as many waters; And waters ruſh and throng together, even as many horſes. Thus, here abundance, or an Army of waters come in upon thee and cover thee. Waters in Scripture frequently ſignifie afflictions, (Iſa. 43.2.) When thou paſſest thorow the waters (that is, thorow great afflictions) I will be with thee. (Pſal. 18.16.) Hee drew me out of many waters; That is, out of many afflictions. (Pſal. 66.12.) Wee went through fire and water, but thou broughteſt us forth into a wealthy place. Fire and water, note all ſorts of afflictions, hot and cold, moyſt and dry. And ſome conceive that water in a metaphoricall ſence is ſo often uſed in Scripture to ſignifie affliction; becauſe water in a proper ſence did once afflict the whole world. As the generall Judgement upon the world at the laſt day ſhall be by fire, ſo the firſt generall Judgement upon the world, was by water; it was a floud of waters, by which the Lord deſtroyed the old world. Likewiſe Pharaoh and his Hoſt of Aegyptians (which was the ſecond moſt Eminent Judgement, that ever was in the world) were overwhelmed by the waters of the red Sea. Thus Moſes ſang (Exo. 15.4, 5.) Pharaohs Chariot & his hoſt hath he caſt into the Sea, his choſen Captaines alſo are drowned in the red Sea; The depths have covered them, they ſanke into the bottome as a ſtone. And againe, (v. 10.) The Sea covered them, they ſanke as Lead in the mighty waters. Water being the Element and the Inſtrument, which God hath ſo often uſed in his angry diſpenſations towards ſinfull men, it may emphatically expreſſe any diſpenſation of his anger. Yet if we conſider the very nature of the thing it ſelfe, it carrieth ſignificancy enough to be the Embleme of ſaddeſt and ſoareſt affliction.
Firſt, There is in water a ſwallowing power; as water is eaſily ſwallowed, ſo it ſwallowes all up. Man cannot ſubſiſt in it when it is moſt peaceable, and he can hardly eſcape out of it when 'tis enraged. Sorrow and affliction are ſwallowers alſo; unleſſe mercy appeare and moderate them, they drowne and overthrow all. The Apoſtle uſeth that expreſſion when he adviſeth the Corinthians (2 Ep: 2.7.) To forgive and comfort the inceſtuous perſon, whom, according to his advice, they had formerly Excommunicated or caſt out from fellowſhip in the Church; Leſt (ſaith he) ſuch a one ſhould be ſwallowed up with over-much ſorrow. Sorrow of any ſort, even ſorrow for ſinne may poſſibly have an exceſſe, or an over-muchnes in it; and when ever it hath ſo (beyond the end for which it ſerves, for ſorrow is not of any worth in it ſelfe, but as it ſerves to a ſpirituall end, When (I ſay) ſorrow hath ſuch an exceſſe, then) not onelyonly the comforts, but the gifts and uſefullnes of the perſon ſorrowing, are in danger to be ſwallowed up by it.
Secondly, Water doth not onelyonly ſwallow up, but enter in; while it covereth the body, it fills the bowells. Thus affliction like water, fills within as well as covers without. David complaines that his affl…ctions did ſo (Pſal. 69.1.) Save me O God, for the waters are come in unto my ſoule. Not onelyonly have theſe waters ſweld over mee, but they are ſoakt into mee. Inward or ſoule-afflictions, as well as outward, and bodyly afflictions, are ſet forth by waters. (Pſal. 109.18.) As he cloathed himſelfe with curſing, like as with his garment, ſo let it come into his bowells (or within him) like water, and like oyle into his bones. Liquids penetrate, ſo doe afflictions.
Thirdly, As the water is not mans proper Element, hee lives and breathe in the ayre, not in the water; So affliction is not our proper Element, though it be due to our ſinne, yet it is not proper to our nature. Man was not made to live in affliction, as the fiſh was made to live in the water; and therefore as it is ſaid; The Lord doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the Children of men, (Lam. 3.33.) 'Tis (as it were) beſides the nature of God, when he afflicts the children of men. So it is ſayd (Heb. 12.11.) No chaſtning for the preſent ſeemeth to be joyous, but grievous. Man is out of his Element when he is under chaſtnings. Hee was made at firſt to live in the light of Gods countenance, in the ſmiles and embraces of divine love. As man is out of his way when he ſins, ſo he is off from his end when he ſuffers; He was not deſigned for the overwhelming choaking waters of ſorrow and judgement, but for the ſweete refreſhing ayre of joy and mercy. It often proves a mercy in the event to be covered with theſe waters; To be covered with them, that we may be waſhed by them is a mercy, but onelyonly to be covered with them, eſpecially (as Eliphaz here ſaith Job was) to be deeply covered with them, is a deepe and ſoare affliction. Abundance of waters cover thee.
Hence note; That as God hath treaſures of mercy, and abounds in goodneſs, ſo hee hath treaſures of affliction, and abundance of wrath.
As God hath abundance of waters ſealed up in the Clouds, as in a treaſury, and hee can unlocke his treaſury and let them out whenſoever he pleaſeth, eyther to refreſh or overflow the Earth; ſo hee hath abundance of afflictions, and hee can let them forth, as out of a treaſury, when he pleaſeth. And as wee read (Ezek. 47.) that the waters of the Sanctuary, thoſe holy waters were of ſeveral degrees; firſt, to the Ankles, ſecondly, to the knees, then to the Loines, and then a river that could not be paſſed over, abundance of waters. Thus alſo the bitter waters, the waters of affliction are of ſeverall degrees: ſome waters of afflictions are but Ancle-deepe, they onelyonly make us a little wet-ſhod, there are other waters up to the knees; and others to the Loynes, and others wee may rightly call abundance of waters, a Sea of waters; I am come into deepe waters (ſaith David, Pſal. 69.2.) or into depth of waters, where the floods overflow mee; And having ſayd (Pſal. 42.6.) O my God, my ſoule is caſt downe within mee; He adds in the next words (v. 7.) Deepe calleth unto deepe at the noyſe of thy water-ſpouts: All thy waves and thy billowes are gone over me. Where, by deepe to deepe, by waterſpouts, by waves and billowes, he elegantly ſets forth his diſtreſſe, in alluſion to a Ship at Sea in a vehement ſtorme and ſtreſſe of weather; when the ſame wave upon whoſe back the veſſel rides out of one deep, plungeth it downe into another; Thus the afflicted are toſſed and overwhelmed in a Sea of trouble, till they are at their wits end, if not at their faiths end.
Take two or three Deductions from all theſe words layd together. Wee ſee, by how many metaphors, the ſorrows of this life are ſet forth, even by ſnares, and feares, and darknes, and waters.
Hence note; Firſt, That as God hath abundance of afflictions in his power, ſo hee hath variety of wayes and meanes to afflict the ſonnes of men; eyther for the puniſhment of their ſinne, or for the tryall of their graces.
If one will not doe it another ſhall; if the ſnare will not, feare ſhall, if feare will not, darknes ſhall; and if darknes will not, the waters ſhall, and if waters of one hight will not doe it, hee will have waters deepe enough to doe it; abundance of waters ſhall doe it; hee hath variety of wayes to deale both with ſinners and with Saints
Secondly, Conſider the inference which Eliphaz makes, Therefore ſnares &c. are upon thee; That Is, becauſe thou haſt done wickedly in not releeving and in oppreſſing the poore, therefore ſnares have entangled thee. This (though falſe in Jobs particular caſe, yet) is a truth in General. And it teacheth us, That, There is an unavoydable ſequell between ſinne and ſorrow. Looke upon ſinne in its owne nature, and ſo the ſequell is unavoydable, ſinne is bigge with ſorrow; as affliction burdens the ſinner, ſo ſinne is burdend with affliction. Sinne hath all ſorts of affliction in its bowells; and wee may ſay of all the evills that afflict us, they are our ſinnes. Sinne is formally the tranſgreſſion of the Law, and ſinne is virtually the puniſhment of tranſgreſſors. Many (I grant) are afflicted for tryall of their graces (as hath been ſhewed before) but grace had never been thus tryed if man had not ſinned. Sinne is the remote cauſe of all afflictions, and it is the next or immediate procuring cauſe of moſt afflictions. Would any man avoyde the ſnare, let him feare to ſinne; would he avoyd feare, let him feare to doe evill; would he keepe out of darkneſs, and not be covered with abundance of waters, let him take heed hee drinke not iniquity like water, let him have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull workes of darkneſs. God tells the ſinner plainely what portion he is to expect; Say woe to the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands ſhall be given him, (Iſa. 3.11.) Wee may as well hope to avoyd burning when we run into the fire, or dirtying when we run into the mire, as to eſcape ſmarting when we run into ſinne.
Yet more diſtinctly, wee may conſider all thoſe evills comprehended under thoſe words in the Text, Snares, darknes, &c. eyther in reference to wicked men, or to the Saints. Snares and darknes upon the wicked, are the iſſues of divine wrath. While theſe ſad diſpenſations are ſent out and meete with Saints, they are the iſſues of divine love. For though a godly man may provoke God to anger, and finde by many evidences that God (as to his actings) is angry with him, yet as to his perſon he alwayes loves him. And therefore (as a wicked mans Table is made his ſnare, ſo) he is aſſured that his ſnare ſhall be made to him a Table, that his darkneſs ſhall worke light, his evills good to him. He is alſo aſſured that the Lord will d…liver him out of theſe ſnares, and cut the coards of the wicked. (Pſal. 129.4.) That hee will deliver him from feare, from darknes, and bring him up out of the abundance of waters which cover him, as David ſpeaks (Pſal. 32.6.) For this (that is, becauſe thou art ſo gracious) ſhall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayſt be found (The Hebrew is, in a finding time, which according to our tranſlation, notes the ſeaſon when God may be found, as the Prophet ſpeaks (Iſa. 55.6.) Yet it may be well expounded for the time when trouble finds, that is, takes hold of the godly man. And ſo the word is uſed (Pſal. 116.3.) The paines of hell gat hold of me (we put in the Margin) found me. In which ſence the word is uſed alſo, Pſal. 21.8. Thine hand ſhall finde out, (that is, take hold of, and apprehend) all thine enemies, thy right hand ſhall finde out thoſe that hate thee. Now in this finding time, eyther when God may be found, or when trouble finds a godly man, he (ſetting himſelfe to pray) hath this promiſe, ſurely in the floods of great waters, they (that is, the floods of great waters, by which are meant, great dangers) ſhall not come nigh him, (that is, the Godly man) to hurt or drowne him. Sometimes prayer keeps the flood off, and alwayes prayer delivers the Godly man out of the flood. Wicked men have no minde to come nigh God with their hearts (and ſo ſome enterpret the latter part of this verſe in the Pſalme) nor will God admitt them nigh unto himſelfe, in the floods of great waters. And the floods of great waters ſhall not (which is the ſcope of our reading) come nigh the Godly man for his hurt, when he drawes nigh to God in prayer with his heart.
Thus wee have ſeene the ſinnes of Job drawne out into a Charge, and the Judgement of Eliphaz upon it, what the event, the ſequell, or Iſſue of thoſe ſinnes, was ſnares and feares, and waters and darkneſs.
There is yet one thing further, that I ſhall here take notice of from the conſtant courſe of Jobs friends in dealing with him. Wee ſee that ſtill they charge him with ſinne, and ſtill inſiſt upon it, that all his afflictions & miſeries were the fruits of his ſinne. Job (as hath appeared in opening ſeverall paſſages of this Booke) hath as often diſproved their inference, and denied that his ſufferings were cauſed by his ſinne, at leaſt not by any ſuch way of ſinning, as they charged him with. Labouring alſo much to enforme them that God hath many other reaſons why he afflicts his people, and that God might take libertie to afflict him, though he were no ſuch kinde of creature as they rendred him; yet notwithſtanding all hee could ſay, eyther to purge himſelfe or better conforme them, they perſevered in the ſame opinion, both concerning his perſon, and the cauſe of his afflictions.
Whence Note; It is hard to convince thoſe who are under a miſtake, whether about perſons, or doctrines.
Error is as binding upon the conſcience, and as ſtrongly embraced by the affections, as truth is; For it binds and is embraced, not in the name of an error, but in the name of truth. And men are therefore wedded to, and in love with their owne conceptions, becauſe (how monſtrous and hard-favoured ſoever in themſelves, yet) nothing is more beautifull in their eye then they. No man (fayth the Apoſtle) ever hated his owne fleſh, but loved and cheriſhed it. The fleſh of our minds (ſuch are all falſe principles and poſitions) is more loved and cheriſhed by us, then the fleſh of our bodies. Beſides, when men have once taken up an opinion, they thinke it a diſhonour to lay it downe againe. 'Tis rare to finde a man that will yeeld up his Judgement, though it be a miſguided one, or acknowledge that he is in an error, though he begins to take ſome knowledge, or at leaſt ſome ſuſpition of it. A light intimation or onelyonly the Appearance of a probability will amount to a proofe againſt eyther perſons or doctrines which we like not; but the cleareſt demonſtrations will hardly raiſe a Jealouſie againſt what we like. Let Job ſay what he will in his owne caſe, he cannot be beleeved by his friends, and his friends will ſay againe what once they had ſayd, though it had been more then once before fully anſwered. The preſent age hath given us ſad experiences of this thing. For, as many have been unſtable and toſſed to and fro with every winde of (falſe) doctrine, ſo others have been ſtubborne and unmoved from their errors, though the ſtrongeſt winds of truth have breathed, yea blowne hard upon them. And thoſe prejudices which have (with ſo much ſeverity) been taken up by brethren againſt brethren; how doe they remaine, in many minds, as mountaines, unmoved to this very day?
I know not which is worſe, unſetlednes in the truth, and an eaſineſs to let it goe, or tenaciouſneſſe in an error, and a hardnes to let it goe. Nor doe I well know which is worſe, a readineſs to take up hard thoughts of our brethren, or an un-readines to lay them downe. Were the lawes of love to man, and zeale for God obſerved, theſe extreames would alwayes be avoyded. Pure zeale for God would fixe us in the truth, and make us more eaſie to be brought off from our moſt applauded errors. True love to man, would cauſe us to examine every ground of ſuſpicion againſt a brother twice, before we doe indeed ſuſpect him once; And it would cauſe us to rejoyce in any appearance of his innocence, whereby we might diſcharge our owne Spirits of all ſuſpicions concerning him. Our love (as the Apoſtle prayes, Phil. 1.9.) ought to abound in knowledge and in all Judgement. That is, wee ought to love Judiciouſly as well as affectionately or ſincerely. So that, true love will not over-looke the faults of another, nor will it approve againſt light. Yet true love is ready to entertaine any light offered, that grounds of ſuſpition may be removed, and we reſtored to a right underſtanding of our brethren.