Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 22
JOB, CHAP. 22. Verſ. 23, 24.25.
If thou returne to the Almighty, thou ſhalt be built up, thou ſhalt put away iniquity farre from thy Tabernacles.
Then ſhalt thou lay up gold as duſt, and the gold of Ophir as the ſtones of the brookes.
Yea, the Allmighty ſhall be thy defence, and thou ſhalt have plenty of ſilver.
ELiphaz having invited Job (at the 21 verſe) to renew his acquaintance with God, and now againe preſſing him to returne to God, he reckons up thoſe advantages which might move, and incourage him … it; he tells Job what will follow his returne to, and acquaintance with God, and theſe advantages are of two ſorts.
Firſt, Temporall, and outward; ſecondly, ſpirituall, and inward; the temporall good things which he aſſures him of in caſe he repent, and turne to God, are ſet downe firſt more generally in the 23 verſe, Thou ſhalt be built up; ſecondly, They are ſet downe particularly; firſt, He ſhould then have riches, gold and ſilver in the 24•h verſe; ſecondly, protection, The Allmighty ſhall be thy defence, (v. 25.) as he will fill thy houſe; ſo he will guard thy houſe and keepe all ſafe.
In the following parts of the Chapter, Eliphaz aſſures him of eight bleſſings ſpirituall.
Firſt, Joy in God, ver. 26th; Thou ſhalt have thy delight in the Allmighty.
Secondly, Confidence, or holy boldneſſe before God; Thou ſhalt lift up thy face unto God; thou ſhalt not hide thy head, and run into …orners, but lift up thy face.
Thirdly, (which is an effect or part of the former) freedome in prayer; Thou ſhalt make thy prayer to him, (v. 27th)
Fourthly, He aſſures him of audience, or of an anſwer to his prayer in the ſame verſe; He ſhall heare thee, and thou ſhalt pay thy duplicate page duplicate page vowes; that is, thou in thy prayer having made vowes to God, God ſhall heare thy prayer, and ſo give thee occaſion to pay thy vowes.
Fifthly, He promiſeth him not onelyonly that his prayer ſhall be heard, but that his very purpoſes and deſignes ſhall be fullfilled; Thou ſhalt decree a thing, and it ſhall be eſtabliſhed to thee, v. 28. When thou reſolveſt upon ſuch a way, or courſe in thy affaires, thou ſhalt have this priviledge, thy decree ſhall ſtand.
Sixthly, He promiſeth him direction and counſell, what way he ſhould take, what courſe to run in the cloſe of the ſame verſe; And the light ſhall ſhine upon thy wayes; that is, thou ſhalt ſee what to doe, the Lord will give thee counſell.
Seaventhly, He gives him hope of riſing out of any trouble, or that vvhen others are overtaken with calamities, he ſhould be preſerved, at the 29th verſe; When men are caſt downe then thou ſhalt ſay, there is a lifting up, for God will ſave the humble perſon.
Eighthly, He promiſeth, that he ſhall not onelyonly have bleſſings perſonall, and family bleſſings, but he ſhall be a …blique bleſſing, (v. 30.) He ſhall deliver the Iſland of the innocent, and it is delivered by the pureneſſe of thy hand. Thus you have both the generall ſcope of this latter part of the Chapter; which is to ſtirre up Job to returne to God, and likewiſe the particular bleſſings and mercies which are held forth as arguments moving him to returne.
Verſ. 23. If thou returne unto the Allmighty.
To Returne is uſed frequently in Scripture in a metaphoricall ſenſe, and ſignifies as much as to repent; ſin is a going away from God, great ſinning is a going farre from God, a going, as it were, into a farre Country, ſuch ſinners would goe out of Gods ſight, and fall out of his memory. Eliphas had charged Job deeply with ſuch departures; and now he ſpeakes to him of returning.
And here wee may conſider the condition or ſtate of Job, and the ſeaſon in vvhichwhich Eliphaz preſſeth him to this duty, he was in an afflicted condition, the hand of God was upon him. Novv Eliphaz adviſeth him to returne; Intimating at leaſt, that the preſent diſpenſation of God towards him, vvas a ſpeciall opportunity for the duty he moved him unto.
Hence Note.
When God afflicts us, when his hand is upon us, he ſpeaks to us, repent, or beſpeaks our repentance.
How often in Scripture doth the Lord complaine as if he were vvholy fruſtrated of his deſigne, vvhen either nations or perſons being ſmitten by his judgements did not returne unto him, or repented not. (Iſa. 9.13.) They turne not to him that ſmiteth them; that is, they turne not to me the Lord: I have ſmitten them, and I alone can heale them, yet they turne not to me; as if the Lord had ſaid, I therefore ſmote them that they might bethinke themſelves of returning, but they turned not to me. As they turned not at my vvord, or to me ſpeaking, ſo they turned not at my ſword, or to me ſmiting. I ſee they are not onelyonly Sermon-proofe, my Prophets ſpake to them in vaine, but they are judgement-proofe alſo, my hand is upon them in vaine, they returne not. And as it was then, ſo at this day, for may vve not obſerve, ſome mouldering in their eſtates, cruſhed in their hopes, croſſed in their children, blotted and blaſted in their credit, weake and ſicke in their bodies, even tired and vvorne out under ſeverall afflictions, yet no thought of returning to the Lord, or of making their vvay perfect before him. So that the Lord may ſay to them, as he once did to his ancient people the Jewes (Iſa. 1.6.) Why ſhould ye be ſmitten any more, ye will revolt more and more. The returning of many is like that vvhichwhich Solomon ſpeaks of (Pro. 26.11.) As a dog returneth to his vomit, ſo a foole returneth to his folly; As Jeſurun waxed fat, and kicked, ſo ſome vvill be kicking while they waxe leane.
Further, Eliphaz doth not ſpeake barely to Job of returning, but he directs him to the object; If thou returne To the Allmighty.
And that is expreſſed in ſome tranſlations very emphatically,foreign revertere uſ que ad dominum, videtur idem eſſe cum foreign Returne home to the Allmighty, returne till thou comeſt to or reacheſt God, be thou ſure to repent home; ſo the word is uſed (Hoſ. 14.2. Joel 2.12. Amos 4.6. returne home to God, ſtay not ſhort of him in your repentance, that is, repent fully, ſeriouſly; And the intendment of Eliphaz in ſpeaking thus, might be to reprove Job for his former (by him ſuppoſed) hypocriſie:Si plane & ſerio, toto corde, nō ut ante hypocrita fuiſti &c. Merc: thou haſt returned before, but not to the Allmighty, ſurely thou didſt repent onelyonly as an hypocrite in former times when thou madeſt the greateſt ſhews of repentance. Therefore now repent as a ſincere convert. Thy former repentunce was to thee a fruitleſſe repentance, and therefore doubtleſſe but a fained and falſe repentance. Thou couldſt never after it recover out of thine afflicted, thy ruinous condition, and therefore ſurely thou didſt never by it recover out of thy ſinfull condition, or from thy ſins. But now, I promiſe thee, if thou returne to the Allmighty, thou ſhalt be built.
Hence note.
That, True repentance is a full, a home returning to God.
Much of the progreſſe of a Chriſtian is to goe backward, backward (I meane) from thoſe ſins and evills to which he hath (by temptation) been carried forth; nor (having ſinned) can any man goe forward till he returne to God. We reade in Scripture, of God returning to us, as well as of our returning unto God; in both there is repentance; when God returnes to us, he repents of the evill of puniſhment, that he hath brought upon us; and when we returne to God, we repent of the evill of ſin which we have committed againſt him: onelyonly be ſure (as the points directs) that ye returne home to God. The Prophet found Iſraels repentance defective in this (Hoſ. 7.16.) They returne (that is, they make a ſhew of repentance) but not to the moſt high. There is a repentance which brings the ſoule never the neerer unto God. And that's a repentance (as we ſpeake) never the neere, or to no purpoſe. Thus another Prophet taxeth their faſting (Zech. 7.5.) When ye faſted and mourned in the fifth and ſeaventh month, even thoſe ſeventy yeares, did ye at all faſt unto me, even to me? Obſerve how he doubles it upon that poynt, as if the whole emphaſis of repentance lay upon that poynt; To me, even to me. As David in confeſſing his ſin (Pſal. 51.4.) Againſt thee, thee, thee onelyonly have I ſinned &c. Many faſt, but not at all to God, they returne, but not at all to God. They faſt to themſelves, and returne to themſelves, that is, their own intereſt, not the honour of God is the motive and end of their faſting and repenting. And hence the Prophet is plaine and downeright with Iſrael in this caſe (Jer. 4.1.) If thou wilt returne, O Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, returne unto me; as if Iſrael had uſed to returne, but alwayes ſhort of God, or not to God, Iſrael made ſome ſtop in the worke of repentance before he came at God. Now then (ſaith the Lord by his Prophet) O Iſrael, if thou wilt returne, returne to me. If thou haſt any further purpoſe to returne, be perſwaded to returne to ſome purpoſe. Let not thy repentance be any longer ſuch as is to be repented of. All our returnings are but wanderings, unleſſe we returne to God.
But when may we be ſaid to returne to God?
I anſwer; firſt, when we returne out of a ſenſe of ſin againſt God, as well as of ſmart upon our ſelves; for when we returne only becauſe of ſmart, we returne to our ſelves rather then to God; as when it is ſaid in Hoſea (Chap. 7.16.) They returned, but not to the moſt high; we may ſee the reaſon of this charge at the 14th verſe; They have not cryed unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they aſſemble themſelves for corne and for wine, and they rebel againſt me. As if he had ſaid, all their crying and howling, is not becauſe they have ſinned againſt me, but becauſe their ſins have pincht them, they doe not mourne becauſe of their wickednes, but becauſe of their wants. 'Tis famine that moveth them, not my feare. They would faine be at their full tables againe, they are all for corne and wine, nothing for grace and holineſſe. We may ſay of ſome perſons repenting, as Job (Chap. 6.6.) of the wild Aſſe braying, Doth the wild Aſſe bray when he hath graſſe, or loweth the Ox over his fodder; he applyed it to his owne caſe, that he did not cry out without cauſe, he was, nor complaine when he felt no paine; but (I ſay) we may apply it to ſome perſons repenting. They would never bray if they had but graſſe enough, nor low if they had foddar enough; that is, if they had but outward comfort enough, corne and wine, health and ſtrength enough, did they but abound in theſe, you ſhould never heare them complaine nor ſhed a teare, how much ſoever they abound in ſin; All the vvorld cannot ſatisfie the ſoule of a godly man, till (after ſinning) he be reconciled to God; His ſoule is hungry and thirſty, notwithſtanding all his corne and wine, till he be filled with the favour of God. And, this is indeed to returne to the Allmighty.
Secondly, Then alſo we returne to the Almighty, when vve turne ſpecially from and mourne for that ſinne whereby vve have moſt provoked the Allmighty; when that which hath moſt offended God, is moſt offenſive and burdenſome unto us. For though in repentance, every ſin is to be repented of, yet ſome more; As Samuel ſaid to the houſe of Iſrael (1 Sam. 7.3.) if you doe returne to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the ſtrange Gods and Aſtaroth. But why doth he exhort them to put away that ſtrange God Aſtaroth, by name, more then any other of their ſtrange gods? I anſwer; it was becauſe they had moſt provoked the true God by worſhipping that ſtrange God, and therefore he counſels them as ever they would approve themſelves to have returned to God in their repentance, to looke to it, that they turned from that Idol. If every ſtrange God muſt be put away when we returne to God, how can we returne to God, if we put not away our Aſtaroth. Thus the rule was given by the king of Niniveh, in proclaiming a faſt (Jon. 3.8.) Let them turne every one from his evill way (that is, from his beloved ſin) and from the violence that is in their hands, that is, from the ſin of oppreſſion, by which they got much into their hands. But why doth he inſtance in that ſinne? Surely becauſe that was the common ſin of that City, they were an oppreſſing people, and loved the gaine of oppreſſion, or to get by violence; They lived more by the bloud of others, then by their owne ſweate, more by the violence, then the labour of their hands, therefore they muſt particularly repent of that ſinne. If the covetous man returne to God, he muſt turne from every ſinne, and from his covetouſneſſe. If the proud man returne to God, he muſt turne from every ſinne, and from his pride, this is the nature of returning to the Allmighty, yet
Thirdly, Unleſſe we doe all this with the whole heart, we doe not returne to the Allmighty (2 Chron. 6.38.) Jere. 3.10. Jere. 24.7. The wicked are ſerious and cordiall in ſinning, they muſt be ſo in repenting. But ſome ſinner poſſibly may ſay, I have gone away too farre to returne; No, Jer. 3.1. Thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers, yet returne unto me, ſaith the Lord. Another will ſay, I have ſliden back and relapſed, I have as it were, repented of my repentance. The Prophet anſwers this doubt (Jer. 3.12.) Returne thou back-ſliding Iſrael, ſaith the Lord. And againe (v. 14.) Turne O back-ſliding children, ſaith the Lord, for I marryed unto you &c.
If thou returne &c. Eliphaz having thus ſhewed him that it is his duty to returne to the Allmighty, now proceeds to ſhew that it will be his happines, and this he doth by an enumeration of thoſe manifold bleſſings which follow our returning to him. Whereof the firſt is, Thou ſhalt be built up.
Affliction and trouble, which are the fruit of ſin, pull downe, and lay us waſt, godly ſorrow and repentance, which are our turning from ſin, have a promiſe of this good fruit, That we ſhall be built up againe.
This building up, may be taken two wayes; firſt, more generally for an encreaſe in all good things; ſecondly, more ſpecially for an encreaſe in children. In the Hebrew the ſame word,foreign filius inde dictus, quod aedifictum ſit & ſtructura parentium. Merc: which ſignifies a ſonne, ſignifies, to build, becauſe children build up their fathers houſe, or are their fathers building; in that ſenſe the word is often uſed, (Gen. 16.2. Gen. 30.3. Ruth 4.11.) It is ſayd (Exod. 1.21.) that God built the midwives houſes; which ſome interpret, he gave them children,Prolem dedit. Merc: or made them more fruitfull in child-bearing. We read in rhe law how that man was to be dealt vvith, who refuſed to take his brothers wife, according to the commandement of God in thoſe times, and the concluſion of all is (Deut. 25.9.) So it ſhall be done to the man that ſhall not build up his brothers houſe, that is, who refuſeth to marry his brothers widdow, and (through the bleſſing of God) to have children by her, which would be as the building up of his houſe, or the continuance of his name and family. Thus ſome underſtand the phraſe here; Thou ſhalt be built up, that is, thou, who haſt loſt all thy children; Thou, vvhoſe houſe hath been pul'd downe by the fall of a houſe (Ch. 1.19.) ſhalt have more children, and ſo thy houſe built up againe. But I rather take the phraſe here in that larger ſence, and ſo to be built up, implyeth all kinde of proſperity in outward things. (Mal. 3.15.) Now ye call the proud happy, yea they that worke wickedneſſe are ſet up, we put in the Margin, are built up, that is, they are very proſperous, they may have what they will in this vvorld, or (as we ſay) the world at will. And (note that by the way) 'tis the vvorſt character of an age, when they that worke wickedneſſe (which ruines the beſt built State) are built up. The Lord makes a promiſe in the language of this Metaphor to the Church, (Jer. 31.4.) I will build thee, and thou ſhalt be built, O virgin of Iſrael; As if he had ſaid plainly, I will bleſſe thee, and raiſe thee up out of the duſt of thy preſent deſolate condition, into a glorious fabricke of proſperity and honour; ſo it follows in the ſame text; Thou ſhalt againe be adorned with thy tabrets, and goe forth in the dances of them that make merry. This ſence of the word is cleare in that oppoſition uſed in the Pſalme (Pſal. 28.5.) Therefore ſaith the Lord, I will deſtroy thee, and not build thee up, that is, thou ſhalt be deſtroyed for ever, I will never repayre any of thy ruines, thine ſhall be as Aſaph ſpeakes (Pſal. 74.3.) Perpetuall deſolations. So that, when Eliphaz promiſeth Job, Thou ſhalt be built up; his meaning is, thy ruin'd ſtate ſhall be repayred, and thou ſhalt have not onelyonly a beautifull, but a wel foundation'd felicity.
Hence note; It is no vaine nor unprofitable thing to repent and turne to the Allmighty.
If we by repentance pull downe the ſtrong holds of ſinne, if we forſake and lay waſt our luſts, the Lord will build us up, he will build us up with all manner of bleſſings; repentance is fruitfull; There are many who profeſſe they repent, but they doe not bring forth fruits meete for repentance; but as true repentance is accompanyed with our fruits of holines and obedience towards God, ſo with Gods fruits, the fruits of his love and mercy towards us. Ther… is a kinde of repentance in hell, there's weeping, wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth, but that's a fruitleſſe repentance, as well as a faithleſſe repentance; the damned are under chaines of everlaſting darkneſſe. Unſound repentance, or the repentance of hypocrites in this life, is like the repentance of the damned in the next life, but true repentance is fruitfull. If we as the Baptiſt exhorted the Jewes (Math. 3.) Bring forth fruit meete for repentance, our repentance will bring forth fruit meete for us; we ſhall have good things of all ſorts, if we ſorrow (as the Apoſtle ſaith the Corinthians did) after a godly ſort; godly ſorrow is rewarded with joy; if we humble our ſelves, God will lift us up. The ſorrows of Goſpel repentance, are like the ſorrows of a woman in travaile, who (as Chriſt ſpeakes Joh. 16.21.) ſtraight way forgets her paine for joy that a man is borne into the world. The pangs and throws of godly ſorrow are therefore ſayd by the Apoſtle to cauſe repentance not to be repented of, becauſe that repentance brings forth joy to be rejoyced in, a maſculine joy, joy that a man-childe of Grace to build up our ſpirituall houſe is brought into the world. If thou returne to the Allmighty, thou ſhalt be build up. And Thou ſhalt put iniquity farre from thy tabernacles.
The word imports, firſt, putting away with indignation; ſecondly, putting away to the utmoſt diſtance; therefore we tranſlate, put away farre; 'tis but two words in the Originall; Thou ſhalt put iniquity farre &c. Iniquity may be taken either for ſinne, or for the effects of ſinne, that is, puniſhment; if we take it in the firſt ſenſe for ſin it ſelfe; and then, this latter clauſe muſt be underſtood as a duty; If thou returne to the Allmighty, thou ſhalt be built up, thou ſhalt put away iniquity farre from thee, that is, It is thy duty to put away iniquity farre from thee; as if Eliphaz here did ſet forth more fully what repentance is; thou ſhalt be built up if thou returne to the Allmighty; that is, if thou returne ſo as to put thy iniquity farre from thee; if we take iniquity in the ſecond ſence, for the puniſhment of iniquity, then the words are a promiſe, as if he had ſaid, if thou returne &c. then thou ſhalt rid and diſcharge thy ſelfe and thy houſe of all the troubleſome effects of ſin; Thou ſhalt put iniquity, or all the ſad iſſues and conſequents of iniquity, farre from thee, none of them ſhall touch thee to annoy thee.
Mr Broughton pitcheth upon the former ſence in his tranſlation; If thou caſt farre off unrighteouſneſſe from thy tents. That gives a perfect ſence to the whole ſentence, and from thence we may
Obſerve; That, in true repentance ſin muſt be utterly caſt off and put away.
We returne not at all to the Allmighty, till we wholy turne from ſinne, nor will the Allmighty build up our houſe, till we put iniquity quite out of our houſe; till we turne it out of houſe and home; out of the houſe of our family, out of the home of our hearts; nor is it enough to put ſinne away a little, or a little way, but it muſt be put farre away. There are ſeverall degrees of putting away ſin; firſt, There is a putting it away out of our practice, or converſation, ſo that it hath no viſible being or abode in us or with us. This is a putting of ſin away, but this is not a putting of ſin farre away. Secondly, There is a putting of it out of our affections, or out of our hearts; not as if we could keepe it (while we are in the body) from having a place or dwelling there, but as keeping it from having a throane or reigning there. This is to put ſin very farre away from us; it is no great thing to put ſinne out of our hands, but 'tis hard to get it out of our hearts; hypocrites will (poſſibly) lay downe the practice of it, but ſtill their ſpirits cleave to it, they are not at all alienated from the love of it, but onelyonly reſtrained from the acting of it; ſuch are oftentimes kept from doing iniquity, but they do not at all put away their iniquity, much leſſe put it far away. As it is with a naturall man in reference to his doing of Good, ſo to his not doing of evill; If good be at any time in his practice, yet it is farre from his ſpirit, he hath no minde to it, he cannot ſay the law of God is in his heart, or that he delights to doe it; ſo if evill be at any time put out of his practice, yet it is ſtill in his ſpirit, his minde is toward it, he cannot ſay that his heart is withdrawne from it, or that he hates it. No, but as the Prophet Ezekiel ſpeakes of the ſtubborne Jewes (Ezek. 11.21.) Their heart walketh after the heart of their deteſtable things. As every Godly man is (in the maine) like David, A man after Gods owne heart, and walketh after the heart of God; ſo every ungodly man is a man after the heart of the devill, and every Idolater or worſhipper of falſe Gods (who is one of the worſt of ungodly men) is after the heart of his falſe gods, and he walketh after the heart of his falſe Gods, which the Prophet calls deteſtable things. Whatſoever is moſt after the heart or according to the deſires and commands of an Idol, that the Idolatrous heart walketh after; that is, he loves it, he delights in it, and thus doth every naturall mans heart walke after the heart of his luſt, though ſometime his feete walke not after it, or he may ſeeme to lay it out of his hand. But he that turnes indeed from ſin, deales with it, when he is repenting of it, as the Lord doth when he is pardoning it. How is that? The Lord in pardoning ſin, puts it farre from us (Pſal. 103.12.) As farre as the Eaſt is from the Weſt, ſo farre hath he removed our tranſgreſſions from us; That is, he hath removed them from us to the utmoſt imaginable diſtance; for ſuch is that of the Eaſt from the Weſt: they and we ſhall no more meete together againe, then the Eaſt and Weſt ſhall or can meete at all. And thus in repenting a godly man deſires to put his ſin as farre from him as the Eaſt is from the Weſt, that he and they may never meete together in the practice of them, as he is aſſured that God hath ſo pardoned them that they and he ſhall never meete together in the puniſhment of them.
Thou ſhalt put away iniquity farre from thy Tabernacles.
Innuit ante hac …ec Jobum nec e us filios culpa vacaſſe, ideocum everſum & filios extinctos. Merc:In which words he includes more then his owne perſonall repentance; for by the Tabernacles, we are to underſtand the whole family or houſehold, the tabernacle conteining, is put for the perſons contein'd; in this Eliphaz ſeemes to ſtrike at Job for his former courſe, as if he ſaid, Wickedneſſe hath lodged not onelyonly in thy heart, but in thy houſe, in thy family, children and ſervants. And this ſurely was it which provoked the Lord to cruſh thy family of children and their ſervants with the fall of a houſe; now therefore I counſel thee to put away iniquity from thy tabernacle, that is, from all that belong to thee, from all that are under thy ſhadow, and are committed to thy truſt and charge.
Hence obſerve; That they who repent truly ſhould indeavour to purge ſinne not onelyonly from themſelves, but from all that belong to them.
They ſhould cleanſe not their perſons onelyonly, but their families, they ſhould ſweep their houſes, as well as their hearts from ſin. (Gen. 35.2.) Then Jacob ſaid to his houſehold, and to all that were with him, put away the ſtrange Gods (or, the eſtranging Gods (ſuch are Idols, they are not onelyonly ſtrange, becauſe new Gods, and ſtrange, becauſe 'tis a ſtrange or wonderfull thing that man ſhould be ſo beſotted as to worſhip ſuch things for Gods, but they are eſtranging Gods) becauſe they withdraw or ſteale away the heart from the true God; therefore ſayd Jacob put away the ſtrange Gods) that are among you, and be cleane, and change your garments. This outward changing of their garments ſignified the changing or cleanſing of their ſoules. God principally lookes at that, and the outward ceremony hath no acceptance at all without the inward ſincerity; In compariſon of which, as the Lord ſaid in Joel, Rent your hearts, and not your garments, ſo he would ſay here, change your hearts, and not your Garments. Now Jacob was very carefull, that this bleſſed change of Garments, betokening the change and cleanſing both of heart and life, ſhould be the livery of all his family and houſehold. Family ſinnes bring family judgements as well as perſonall: and they that have the charge of a family, have (in a great degree) a charge of ſoules as well as of bodies; every Maſter of a family hath cure of ſoules; And he is to ſee ſo farre as lieth in him, that no ſinne nor wickedneſſe remaine or be harboured in his family, that his children and ſervants live not in ignorance, nor in any evill. In the 6th of Numbers, Moſes gives charge to the Congregation, That they ſhould depart from the tents of thoſe wicked men, Corah, Dathan, and Abiram; it is dangerous to be neere the families of the wicked, but it is more dangerous to have wickedneſſe remaining in our family, in our ſervants, or in our children. And if Maſters endeavour not by all due meanes, to remove ſin out of their family, that in a little time may remove them out of their family, or (as we ſay) eate them out of houſe and home. Thou ſhalt put away iniquity farre from thy Tabernacle. Thus much of this part of the verſe, in the firſt ſence, as iniquity is taken for ſin; yet,
Further, as the word iniquity is taken for puniſhment, thou ſhalt put away iniquity (or the effects of iniquity) farre from thy Tabernacle; and then the words are both a new promiſe and a further explication of what is meant by being built up, which was the former promiſe; Thou ſhalt be built up, and all evill ſhall depart away from thy Tabernacle. Iniquity, which properly ſignifies the evill of ſin, is often put in Scripture, for the evills of trouble and ſuffering; and as all acknowledge this to be a truth, ſo ſome judge it the truth ſpecially intended in this place. I ſhall therefore briefely, note from it, That, when we truely returne to God from ſin, then ſuffering evills depart from us and ours.
For though the Lord be pleaſed to diſpence variouſly for triall of his people, and often ſuffers the evill of affliction to hang about their Tabernacles, who deſire ſincerely, and endeavour faithfully to put all iniquity farre from their Tabernacles, yet this is the promiſe of God, and this hath been often experienced by Godly men; That God hath turned trouble out of their doores, when they have humbly and zealouſly laboured to turne ſin out of their hearts.
Eliphaz having incouraged Job by this generall promiſe, he draweth it forth into particulars. And that, firſt, in reference to outward things.
Verſ. 24. Then, ſhalt thou lay up gold as duſt, and the gold of Ophir as the ſtones of the brookes.
foreign munire. Aurum lectiſſimum quaſi ab igne munitum, aut quod ſit h… mini munimentum.Then, that is, when thou haſt acquainted thy ſelfe with God; then, when thou haſt laid up his law in thy heart; then, when thou haſt returned to the Almighty thy ſelfe, and put away iniquity farre from thy Tabernacle; Then thou ſhalt lay up gold as duſt, &c. The word which we render Gold, ſignifies to fortifie, or to defend, and it is tranſlated a defence at the 25th verſe Solomon ſaith (Eccl. 7.12.) not onelyonly, That wiſdome is a defence, but that money is a defence, (that is, it procures defence) and Gold is the chiefe of money. Though Gold be not a defence formally, yet virtually it is; Gold defends it ſelfe againſt all the forces of fire, and it is a principall meanes of defending us againſt the fire and fury of the Greateſt dangers. Thou ſhalt lay up Gold as duſt, &c. But Chriſt ſayth (Math. 6.19,) Lay not up treaſures for your ſelves on earth. And it was a rule given concerning the King of Iſrael in the Leviticall Law, long before Iſrael had a King, (Deut. 17.17.) He ſhall not greatly multiply to himſelfe ſilver and gold. How then, doth Eliphaz ſay, that he who repents, ſhall lay up gold as the duſt? is that fit worke for him? I anſwer, the words are not to be underſtood as an exhortation to bend his endeavours to the gathering of riches; but as a promiſe from God that he ſhall, by a bleſſing from above, gather ſtore of riches here below. Thou ſhalt lay up gold as the duſt. By gold here, and ſilver in the next verſe, we are to underſtand all manner of riches; becauſe gold and ſilver are the chiefe riches, therefore all is contained under them. And when he ſayth, Thou ſhalt lay up gold as the duſt, the words receive variety of renderings; ſome thus, Thou ſhalt lay up gold above the duſt; as if he ſhould ſay; thou ſhalt have more gold than duſt, which is a ſtraine of rhetoricke, expreſſing aboundance; Others read, Thou ſhalt lay vp gold upon the duſt; As (Pſal. 24.2.) He hath founded it upon the Seas; A third renders, Thou ſhalt lay up gold by the duſt; Like that (Pſal. 1.3.) A tree planted by the river ſide: A fourth thus,Et pone in pulvere Aurum. Coc: Noli animum auro apponere, nimiſ que illud diligere, ſed nihili aeſtima, deijce in terram unde ortum eſt aeſtima ut terram & lapides petrae. Scull. Pone ubi deus & Natura poſuit. Coc. by way of counſell; And lay gold in the duſt. Which two latter readings, are expounded as a direction given to Job, how he ſhould lay up gold, he muſt not lay up gold in his heart and ſpirit, but in the duſt, or by the duſt; As if he had ſaid; Put that purer duſt, that better concocted, and refined duſt, in the common duſt; put the duſt to duſt; put thy gold in its proper place, where God and nature put it. 'Tis but duſt, and ſo a fit companion for the duſt; yea (ſay ſome) 'tis as if Eliphaz had ſayd; Doe not ſo much as make roome for it in thy houſe, provide not cheſts for it, let it lie where it had its originall; It came from the duſt, there leave it, returne it backe to its owne Country, to the place of its nativity. A Heathen hath this notion concerning gold and ſilver, &c. And he labours much to ſhew that the ſite & poſition of theſe things in nature, holds forth how we ought to receive and eſtimate them;Nulli nos vitio natura conciliat, nihil quidē quod avaritiam noſtram irritaret poſuit in aperto: pedibus aurum & argentū ſub jecit, calcandum ac premendum dedit, & quicquid eſt propter quod calcamur & premimur. Sen: ep: 94. Even nature (by which he meanes the ordinary courſe ſet in nature) draws us off from coveting Gold and ſilver; there is nothing which may provoke or ſtirre up covetouſneſſe, which God hath advanced or ſet up high in the order of nature; Gold and ſilver are the chiefe objects of Covetouſneſſe, now both theſe, as alſo whatſoever elſe man is preſſed about, and as it were trodden underfoote in the dirt for, by burdenſome or covetous cares, God hath thruſt or trodden under our feete; Gold doth not fall out of the clouds of heaven, hut lieth under the clods of the earth; there God hath put them to be trampled and trodden under our feete, that we might ſcorne to have our affections trampled upon and trodden underfoote by them, or ſuch things as they. So then, All that this interpretation or tranſlation aymes at in ſaying Gold muſt be put in the duſt, is onelyonly to ſhew us, that our eſtimations ſhould be taken off from it, or that we ſhould place it as low in our thoughts, as God hath placed it in the order of nature. And this is a ſpirituall ſenſe, ſuiting that of our Saviour; Lay not up for your ſelves treaſures on earth, make not great preparations to keepe your earthly treaſures, eſpecially let them not be kept in your heart, or lie there where Chriſt onelyonly and the treaſures of heaven ought to be layd up. Put your gold in the duſt, or let it be eſteemed as duſt, ſeing at beſt it is but wel concocted duſt. So Gold and ſilver are called Amos 2.7. That pa…t after the duſt of the earth upon the head of the poore. So the Prophet deſcribes their extreame covetouſnes, who will be rich, though it be by empoveriſhing thoſe who are pooreſt.
Yet I conceive in this place Eliphaz hath another ayme; And that where be ſaith; Thou ſhalt lay up Gold as the duſt, his meaning onelyonly is, thou ſhalt lay up plenty of Gold, or …ou ſhalt gather much riches; for the duſt of the earth or ſand of the Sea are uſed frequently to ſignifie abundance, or the exceeding numerouſneſſe of things, or perſons; Who can count the duſt of Jacob? and the number of the fourth part of Iſrael (Numb. 23.10.) that is, they are as the duſt that cannot be counted, or numbred; that was the promiſe made to Abraham (Gen. 13.16.) I will make thy ſeed as the duſt of the earth. So here, Thou ſhalt lay up gold as the duſt, that is, gold more then thou canſt tell, or caſt up; Thou ſhalt have not onelyonly enough, but even more then enough. Job was very rich before, now ſaith Eliphaz, Thou ſhalt have gold as the duſt, thy riches ſhall be encreaſed, thou ſhalt have a greater ſtore and ſtocke then ever. Thou ſhalt lay up gold as the duſt. And as it followeth The Gold of Ophir as the ſtones of the brooke.
'Tis the ſame thing in another tenour of words; the Hebrew is, Thou ſhalt lay up Ophir as the ſtones of the brooke. The word gold is not expreſſed in the Originall; yet it may wel be underſtood;Ophir Nomen inſula unde au…u… primae no…ae adferebatur; quod inde Ophir appellatum hoc eſt, ut quidam opinantur Obryſum quaſi Ophiriſum. Druſ. Ophir is put for the Gold of Ophir, becauſe Ophir was the place of Gold, yea of the richeſt Gold (1 Kings 9.27, 28.) They came to Ophir and fet from thence gold foure hundred and twenty tallents, and brought it to king Solomon. Ophir was a noted place in thoſe times for gold, both in reference to the plenty and purity of it. 'Tis a queſtion much controverted, where Ophir is; ſome making it to be an Iland in Africa; others place it in India; ſince the diſcovery of America or the Weſt Indyes, many contend, that Ophir is now called Peru; and they have (as they conceive) a probable ground for this opinion from that place in the Holy Story (2 Chron. 3.6.) Where 'tis ſayd, He (that is,Vid: Bold. in hunc locum Jobi. Solomon) garniſhed the houſe with pretious ſtones for beauty, and the gold was gold of Paruaim, which is neere in ſound to the name of that Gold-abounding Country in America called Peru. I ſhall not undertake to decide this Geographicall Controverſie about Ophir; That wch is agreed on all hands is enough for my purpoſe, and the explication of this Text, that Ophir was a Country famous in ancient times, both for the plenty and excellency of the Gold found there and brought from thence. Therefore ſayd Eliphaz, Thou ſhalt lay up Ophir, that is, the Gold of Ophir, pure and pretious Gold.
As the ſtones of the brooke.
That is, thou ſhalt have abundance of gold; to lay up gold … the duſt, and to lay it up as the ſtones of the brooke, or as the ſtones of the valley, are paralel expreſſions for plenty of Gold, ſuteable to thoſe hyperbole's (2 Chron. 1.15.) The king made ſilver and gold at Jeruſalem as plenteous as ſtones &c. And Chap. 9 of the ſame booke (v. 27.) The king made ſilver in Jeruſalem as ſtones, and Cedar trees made he as the Siccamore trees that are in the low plaine in abundance. Thus in the text Job is promiſed to lay up the Gold of Ophir, as the ſtones of the brooke.
The Vulgar tranſlation reads differently; He ſhall giv… Thee for earth a Rocke, Dabit pro terra ſilicem & pro ſilice torrentes aureos. Vulg.and for a Rocke ſtreames of Gold; which is a proverbiall ſpeech, implying a change for the better; as if he ſaid, thou before who hadſt a ſandy foundation, ſhall now build upon a rock, as (Math. 7.27.) And we finde ſuch language in the Prophet (Iſa. 60.17.) where the Lord promiſeth, for braſſe I will bring gold, for Iron ſilver, for wood braſſe, &c. So here, For earth I will give thee ſtone, and for ſtone Golden brookes, or brookes of Gold, that is, thoſe brookes where gold is, or, I will give thee much Gold out of thoſe brookes.
Id que ponendo pro pulvere lectiſſimum aurum, & pro rupe Ophirin…m ſtuviatile. Jun.Junius ſeemes to favour this tranſlation moſt of all, rendring the whole verſe thus, connexing it with the former; Thou ſhalt be built up &c. and that by giving thee for duſt the choiceſt gold, and for the rocke the river gold of Ophir. By all aſſuring Job of a happines in his civil ſtate in caſe he did change or mend in his ſpirituall ſtate. Then he who had ſo great a change in his worldly eſtate for the worſe, ſhould have a greater change in his worldly ſtate for the better. The next verſe is a continuation of the promiſe, much to the ſame intent, and almoſt in the ſame words, and therefore I ſhall open that alſo before I give any obſervations.
Verſ. 25. Yea the Allmighty ſhall be thy defence, and thou ſhalt have plenty of ſilver.
There is ſome difference in the reading of this verſe, for the word which we tranſlate defence, is the ſame which we tranſlate gold in the former verſe. And hence ſome tranſlate thus; thy gold ſhall be mighty; Making the word Shaddai (which is one of the names of God, and uſually rendred Almighty) to be as an Epithite to the word Gold, Thy Gold ſhall be ſtrong or mighty. And thus ſome tranſlations render the word Shaddai (Ezek. 1.24.) where the Prophet ſaith, I heard the noiſe of their wings like the noiſe of great waters, as the voice of the Allmighty; ſo we render; but others thus; As a mighty voice; So in the preſent text, whereas we ſay, The Almighty ſhall be thy defence, or according to the ſtrictnes of the word; The Almighty ſhall be thy Gold; others give it thus; Thy Gold ſhall be mighty. And this anſwers the latter clauſe of the verſe, where we reade; Thou ſhalt have plenty of ſilver; yet put in the Margin, Thou ſhalt have ſilver of ſtrength, or, ſtrong ſilver. Theſe readings have an elegancy in them.
But I ſhall keepe to our owne, which is profitable to us and ſutable to the text; Yea the Almighty ſhall be thy defence; the particle (yea) ſhewth that this is a h…gher ſtep of mercy then the former; as if he had ſaid, Thou ſhalt not onelyonly have gold which is a defence, but better then gold, even the Almighty for thy defence, or, God who is better then Gold, will be thy defence, and the defence of thy Gold. The Hebrew word is plural, Defences, which intimates; firſt, all ſorts of defence; ſecondly, ſtrong defence; The Almighty ſhall be thy defences; All manner of defence, and a ſtrong defence unto thee.
Hence note; God himſelfe is pleaſed to be the Lord protector of his people (who repent and turne to him) both in their perſons and eſtates.
There are many in the world who have gold, but there are few who have this defence for it. The Prophet Haggai ſpeakes of thoſe who earned money, but put it into a bag with holes; that is, they could not hold or keepe what they had gotten. It is the Lord that eſtabliſheth the creature to us, and defends it for us. The beſt things in the world take wings and are gone, unleſſe the Lord ſtay them with us; and unleſſe the Lord defend and keepe them for us, they will ſoone be puld out of our poſſeſſion. Some mens eſtates waſt away they know not how, there is a hole in the bottome of the bagge they thought not of. Others have their eſtates violently taken away from them, becauſe the Lord is not their defence. The Lord is The protector of his people, the Lord is a Caſtle, a ſtrong Tower, all manner of fortifications about his people, to defend their eſtates and perſons, much more their ſoules. And Eliphaz ſeems to mind Job that he once had, but now had loſt this defence; God once made ahedg about him, or rather was a hedg about him, but he opened a gap or withdrew, and then in came the Sabeans and Caldeans and ſpoyled all. Now then (ſaith he) returne to the Lord, and he will once againe be thy defence. How ſafe are they that have God for their defence, who live under the ſhaddow, and covert of the Almighty! How ſafe are they (I ſay) and all that they have.
The vulgar latine is ſo full of this ſenſe,Erit que omnipotens contra honeſtes tuos. Vulg. that he leaves out the word defence, and o…l ſaith; The Almighty ſhall be (or ſhall ſtand up for thee) againſt thine enemies; and in this perfect outward happineſſe conſiſteth. For to have much, and that ſecured, is all we can deſire for the things of this world. Many have gold, and riches ſtore, but the thing that troubles them is this, how to make all ſure; Returne to the Lord, and he ſhall be thy defence; he ſhall be an aſſurance Office to thee, he ſhall protect thee againſt all windes and weathers, againſt all enemies and pirates; The Almighty ſhall be thy defence and the defence of thy gold.
Further, Becauſe the word which we render defence, ſignifieth gold alſo, as was ſhewed; therefore ſome keepe to that reading, and thus tranſlate this 25 verſe,Erit que omnipotens lectiſſimum aurum tuum & argentū vireſ que tibi. Jun. And the Almighty ſhall be thy choice gold, and ſilver, and ſtrength unto thee. Which reading is likewiſe followed by Maſter Broughton; And the Almighty will be thy plentifull gold and ſilver of ſtrength to thee. This ſenſe of the word is comfortable indeed; for to have told Job onelyonly this; Thou ſhalt lay up gold as the duſt, and gold of Ophir as the ſtones of the brooke; this had been though a great mercy, yet but a common mercy, ſuch as the men of the world have and enjoy. Many that know not God lay up gold as the duſt, and they who ſerve him not, have often ſtore of ſilver. But when God himſelfe ſaith, I will be your Gold and ſilver, This is not onelyonly the richeſt of temporall, but the riches of all ſpirituall mercies. For when 'tis ſayd, the Lord ſhall be thy choice gold and ſilver of ſtrength to thee, the meaning is, he will be better to thee then the choiceſt Gold, and a greater ſtrength then ſilver unto thee. This is a rare and a diſtinguiſhing mercy. Wicked men may have gold from God, but no wicked man hath God for his gold.
Hence note; That God himſelfe is the riches, and fullnes, the gold and ſilver of his people.
The Lord is my portion, ſaith my ſoule; whoſe ſoule ſayd this? It was the ſoule of a mourning Jeremie. And when ſayd he this? even then, when their lands and houſes were poſſeſſed by the enemy, even then, when their Gold and ſilver with all their goodly things were carryed captive into Babylon; Then Jeremy ſayd, The Lord is my portion (Lam. 3.24.) the Gold and ſilver which I had in my houſe are gone, but my Gold & ſilver in heaven is not gone into captivity, he is my portion ſtill and for ever. They who have God for their gold and ſilver, are happier and richer then gold and ſilver can make them: What can be ſaid more to draw our hearts to God, then this promiſe, that God will not onelyonly give us riches, but that himſelfe will be our riches? What can be ſayd more to take a covetous mans heart off from the love of his gold then this? take thy heart off from thy Gold, and God will be thy gold. And ſo what can be ſpoken more prevailingly to the voluptuous man, who delights to ſwim in rivers of ſenſual pleaſures; O take off thy heart from theſe pleaſures of ſin, which are but for a ſeaſon, and God will be thy pleaſure for evermore. What ſtronger argument to take downe the ambition of man, who hunts after high places and dignities in the world? then to tell him, withdraw from this purſuite, and God will be thy honour, and thy high place. Wee may ſay to the ambitious, to the covetous, to the voluptuous, and in a word to all ſorts of ſinners, Ye ſhall finde all that your ſins can offer you, and infinitely more in God; your honours, and pleaſures, your gold and ſilver, you ſhall have altogether in him. One of the antients ſpeaks well and truly to the point; That man is too, Nimis eſt avarus cui deus non ſufficit. Bern. Deus meus & omnia.too covetous whom God doth not ſuffice, or, who is not ſatisfied with God. The onelyonly true reaſon why any man is not ſatisfied with God is, becauſe he knoweth not God; He that can ſay knowingly, the Lord is my God, cannot but ſay, I am ſatisfied. When God is ours, all is ours. And the pooreſt who are rich in faith, have as great a ſhare in this riches, as the richeſt. God is the poore mans gold, they that have neyther gold nor ſilver in their purſe (as Peter ſayd to the impotent man) may have God in their hearts. The Almighty is their gold, and ſilver too, as it followeth in the text.
And thou ſhalt have plenty of ſilver.foreign a radi…e foreign laſſus fatigatus fuit. A…gentum laſſitudinum; quod prae copia laſſos reddit homines numerando illud vel cer…è appendendo. Nam olim appendebant argentum, unde penſionis vocabulum in ſermone latino. Druſ.
Some render, Thou ſhalt have ſilver of wearineſſe; He meanes it not of ſilver, as it wearies a man in the getting of it, but he meanes it of ſo great a quantity or ſumme of ſilver, as ſhall weary a man to tell it, or trouble him to weigh it. The manner of accounting ſilver was anciently by weight; hence what is payd in money is called a penſion. We tranſlate fully to that ſenſe, thou ſhalt have plenty of ſilver; for they that have ſo much as tires and wearies them to tell or weigh it, have ſtore enough. We put ſilver of ſtrength in the Margen. Silver is a ſtrong metall, and it is ſtrength, great ſtrength to Man. This rendring ſuites beſt with the beginning of the verſe. The Almighty ſhall be thy defence, and thou ſhalt have ſilver of ſtrengths, Nihil tam ſanctum quod violari, nihil tam munitum, quod non expugnari pecunia poſſit. C…c. foreignor ſilver to ſtrengthen thee. As for plenty, that was fully ſet forth in the former verſe, where he is promiſed Gold as the duſt, and the gold of Ophir as the ſtones of the Brooke. Beſides, the word is divers times applyed to expreſſe ſtrength by, but rarely if at all in Scripture to expreſſe plenty by, and here our tranſlaters render it ſo, not properly but tropically, as appeares before; for properly it expreſſeth the greateſt ſtrength, as firſt, The ſtrength of the Ʋnicorne (Num. 23.22.) God brought him out of Egypt, he hath as it were the ſtrength of an Ʋnicorne; Secondly, The ſtrength of Mountaines (Pſal. 95.4.) therefore I conceive it is beſt rendred ſilver of ſtrength; as gold is cloathed with a word which ſignifies defence, ſo ſilver is joyned with a word that ſignifies ſtrength, becauſe there is much ſtrength and defence in both, money being the ſinews or ſtrength of warre; So that to ſay, Thou ſhalt have ſilver of ſtrength, is as if he had ſaid, thy ſilver ſhall be a ſtrength, or a bleſſing to thee; Some have ſilver and it is no ſtrength to them; or he calleth it, ſilver of ſtrength, becauſe it ſhould be confirmed, and eſtabliſhed for his uſe and in his poſſeſſion. He ſhould finde, by experience, that there was tacke in it, that it was ſolid ſilver, or ſilver that had ſtrength in it. So then, theſe are but ſeverall expreſſions of the ſame thing, all which gathered together heighten up the promiſe of this outward mercy; he ſhould have gold, and God would be his defence, yea his gold, and he ſhould have ſilver plenty, enough of it to make a man weary to tell it, or he ſhould have ſilver of ſtrength, his ſilver ſhould be a ſtrength to him, and all this is aſſured him upon his repentance and returne to the Almighty.
Hence note; Firſt, That godlineſſe is the beſt and neereſt way, even to worldly gaine.
Godlines is gainfull, though a godly man ſhould die a beggar; but beſides there is worldly gaine in it, theſe promiſes are not made in vaine. Chriſt ſpeaks as much (Math. 6.33.) Seeke firſt the kingdome of God, and the righteouſneſſe thereof, and all other things (even gold and ſilver) ſhall be added to you. And the Apoſtle is full for it (1 Tim. 4.8.) Godlineſſe is profitable for all things, 'tis good to make men rich, it will bring in worldly profits; Godlines hath the promiſe of gold as well as of grace, of ſilver, as well as of pardon and peace, doe not thinke that godlineſs is barren of outward bleſſings, or that we muſt needs looſe all gaine in this world, by getting that which fits us for the Glory of the next world. Know, that as the Lord makes his wayes ſweet to his people by inward communications of himſelfe, revealing his love and grace to them, yea in them, ſo he makes his wayes ſweete to his people by giving them outward good things, bleſſing their basket and their ſtore, filling their hearts with food and gladnes.
Secondly, Note; That, The godly man may lawfully poſſeſſe earthly riches, gold and ſilver.
It is no ſin to be rich, but when riches are got by ſin; Poore Lazarus lay in the boſome of rich Abraham; As many poore men may be called the Devills poore, ſo ſome that are rich may be called Gods rich men. Againe, if Godlines have a promiſe (as it hath) of riches, then the godly may lawfully poſſeſſe riches; which alſo may be inſtruments in their hands of glorifying God, and doing good among men. Nor can it be denyed, that they know beſt how to uſe the things of the world, and how to be the beſt Stewards of earthly treaſures, who are inſtructed for the kingdome of heaven, and are (as the Apoſtle Peter exhorts Saints to be (1 Pet. 4.10.) Good Stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Thirdly, Note; That riches, gold and ſilver are at Gods diſpoſe.
He beſtows them where, and upon whom he pleaſeth. This promiſe of plenty of gold, upon repentance and returning to the Almighty, muſt needs proceed from this ſuppoſition, that the Almighty hath gold and ſilver in his power. The world is the Lords, and the fullnes of it (Pſal. 50.12.) God is the beſt Indies for gold. If any would trade for gold proſperouſly, let them trade heavenward; for God is every where Lord of the ſoyle, and he ſaith of all the pretious mines hidden in the bowels of the earth, They are mine. See how the Lord ſpeaks as the great proprietour of all the gold, and ſilver, of all the good things of this world; (Hoſ. 2.8, 9.) Shee did not know that I gave her corne, and wine, and oyle, and multiplyed her ſilver and gold, which they prepared for Baal, therefore I will returne, and take away my corne in the time thereof, and my wine in the ſeaſon thereof, and will recover my wool and my flaxe &c. All's mine. Thus the Lord voucheth himſelfe the great owner of all theſe things, all the gold & ſilver, all the wool and the flaxe, all the corne and wine are his. When the people and Princes of Iſrael with David their king offered ſo willingly and ſo liberally Gold and ſilver &c. for the building of the Temple. David makes this confeſſion for them all (1 Chro. 29.14.) All things come of thee, and of thine owne have we given thee. And may he not doe what he will with his owne? Men thinke they may, ſurely God both may and will.
Fourthly, Obſerve; That, the plenty and ſtability of the creature, is from God as well as the poſſeſſion of it.
Eliphaz promiſeth Job from the Lord gold as the duſt, and as the ſtones of the brooke, with ſilver of ſtrength, that we have it in ſuch or ſuch a proportion is from the Lord, as much as that we have any thing at all; he can give much as well as little, & that our proportion hath a defence and ſtrength in it is from the Lord; therefore we ſhould honour the Almighty for every portion and proportion of worldly riches, and for the eſtabliſhment of our portion whatſoever it is. Silver and gold have no ſtrength in them unleſſe the Lord who giveth theſe give them ſtrength, and bid them ſtay with us to doe us good. Laſtly, Obſerve; We may lawfully poſſeſſe abundance of outward things.
'Tis ſinfull to make abundance our aime, or to contend for much in temporals; to doe ſo in and about ſpiritualls is our duty, and our contention for the higheſt degree our commendation. We ſhould deſigne it, to lay up the Gold of Grace, as the duſt, and the ſilver of ſanctification as the ſtones of the brooke; We ſhould forget all that we have, that we might get what we have not. Our deſireings while pitcht upon an eternall object cannot be immoderate, but in temperals they quickly may: and therefore as to them, our moderation ſhould be known to all men. Yet if God give in abundance of temporals in the lawfull exerciſe of our callings, we may warrātably enjoy it as a bleſſing from him. The providence of God doth often bound us to a little, and we ought to be contented with the leaſt portion of outward things, with bare food & rayment; but the word of God doth not bound us to a little, nor doth it ſay it is unlawfull to have much. And as it is not unlawfull to have much of the world, ſo it is a great exerciſe and tryall of our Graces to have much; As there are ſome Graces of a Chriſtian which come not to tryall till we are in want, ſo there are other Graces which come not to tryall unleſſe we have aboundance. Want tryeth our patience, and our dependance upon God for a ſupply of what we have not; and aboundance tryeth our temperance, our humility, our liberality, yea and our dependance upon and faith in God, for the ſanctifying, bleſſing, and making of that comfortable to us which we have. When a rich man ſeeth an emptines in his aboundance without the enjoyments of God in it, he exerciſeth as high a grace, and ſheweth as heavenly a frame of mind, as that poore man doth who ſeeth and enjoyeth a fullnes in God, in the midſt of all his emptines. And therefore Paul puts both theſe alike upon a divine teaching, (Phil. 4.12.) In all things I am inſtructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to ſuffer need. And had it been unlawfull to enjoy plenty, Eliphaz had never preſſed Job to repentance by this motive, The Almighty ſhall be thy defence, and thou ſhalt have plenty of ſilver.