Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 22
JOB. CHAP. 22. Verſ. 26, 27.
For then ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and ſhalt lift up thy face unto God.
Thou ſhalt make thy prayer unto him, and …e ſhall heare thee, and thou ſhall pay thy Vowes.
IT hath been ſhewed from the former context, how Eliphaz encouraged yea provoked Job to repentance, and returning to God by the propoſall of many promiſes, by promiſes of outward, and temporall mercies, gold, ſilver, and protection. He might have what he pleaſed of God for the comforts of this life, if his life were once pleaſing unto God. In this latter part of the Chapter he riſeth higher and propoſeth ſpirituall promiſes; And he begins with the beſt of ſpirituall promiſes, the free injoyment of God himſelfe.
Verſ. 26. For then ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, &c.
As if Eliphas had ſaid; If thou doſt indeed repent and turne from ſin, thy conſcience which now troubles, yea torments thee, ſhall have ſweete peace in God, and thou who now grovelleſt with thy eyes downe to the ground, by reaſon of thy preſſing guilt, and miſery, ſhalt then with confidence lift up thy face unto God in prayer, and thou ſhalt finde God ſo ready at hand with an anſwer, that thou ſhalt ſee cauſe chearefully to performe thy Vowes, which thou madeſt to him in the day of trouble; That's the generall ſcope of this latter part of the Chapter. I ſhall now proceed to explicate the particulars.
For then ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Allmighty.
The firſt word implyeth a reaſon of what he had ſaid before. Having ſpoken of temporall promiſes, he confirmes his intereſt in them by aſſuring him of ſpirituall; for then ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty. As if he had ſaid, God will not deny thee outward comforts in the creature, ſeing he intends to give thee the higheſt comforts, even delight in himſelfe. 'Tis an argument like that of the Apoſtle (Rom. 8.32.) He that ſpared not his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us all, how ſhall he not with him freely give us all things? Thus Eliphaz ſeemes to argue, ſeeing God will give thee himſelfe to rejoyce in, or to rejoyce in himſelfe, how can he deny thee gold and ſilver with thoſe other conveniencies which concerne this life? theſe being indeed as nothing in compariſon of himſelfe.
Then ſhalt thou delight, &c.
Then, that is, when thou returneſt to God, and not till then, then thou mayeſt expect to receive much ſweetneſſe from him, ſuch ſweetneſſe as thy ſoule never taſted or experienced to this day.
Then ſhalt thou have thy delight.
The word ſignifies to delight, or take contentment,foreign delectatus fuit co…pore vel animo. Sonai etiam aliqu…d delicatum & …o…e. whether it be outward contentment, or inward contentment, the delight of the body, or the delight of the minde; And ſo an univerſall delight, thy whole delight ſhall be in the Lord. Moſes (Deut. 28.56.) deſcribes thoſe women by this word, who were made up of delight; Thy tender and delicate woman, that is, ſuch as are ſo delicate that they are the delight of all who behold them, or who are themſelves altogether devoted to their delights, who (as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks of the wanton widdow (1 Tim. 5.) live in pleaſure; Theſe are threatned with ſuch calamities as ſhould render their very lives a paine to them. The word is uſed againe (Iſa. 58.13, 14.) where the Prophet ſpeaks of keeping the Sabboth; If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy pleaſure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight; what then? then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelfe in the Lord; thou ſhalt have curious delight, all manner of delight in the Lord, if thou call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and ſhalt honour him; if thou haſt a delight in duty, thou ſhalt have the delight of reward.
Thus Eliphaz, then ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty. And 'tis conſiderable that he doth not ſay, thou ſhalt have thy delight in the mercifull, or gracious God, but in the Allmighty; in him thou ſhalt have thy delight, whoſe power is over all, and who is able to doe whatſoever pleaſeth him. Even the power and allmightineſſe of the Lord ſhall be as pleaſant to thee as his mercy and loving kindneſſe.
Further, delight in the generall nature of it, conſiſts in theſe two things.
Firſt, In the ſuitableneſſe and conveniency of the object, and the faculty, whether ſenſitive or intellective.
Secondly, It conſiſts in the reflection and application of the faculty upon the object. So that to delight our ſelves in the Allmighty, hath theſe two things in it.
Firſt, A ſuitableneſſe in our ſoules to the Lord.
Secondly, The ſoules reflecting upon the Lord as good and gratious unto us. This reflect act breeds and brings in delight, and works the heart to an unſpeakeable joy in God. By this laſt and higheſt act of faith, we take in the ſweetneſſe of the Almighty, and delight our ſelves in him mightily. This faith doth not onelyonly ſuck the promiſes, wherein the love of God is evidenced to us, but is it ſelfe an evidence of the love of God to us. We ſucke and are ſatisfied with the breaſts of conſolation by beleeving (Iſa. 66.11.) that is, we beleeving draw forth that ſweetneſſe of the promiſe which the word declares to be the portion of Beleevers. Thus ſpirituall delight is made up; and therefore Saints are ſayd to rejoyce in beleeving, with joy unſpeakeable and full of glory (1 Pet. 1.8.) that is, having as much and as cleare a manifeſtation, yea participation and taſt of that Glory in beleeving, which is prepared and reſerved for them againſt the next life, as they are capable to receive, and more then they are able to expreſs, in this life. Then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelfe in the Allmighty, We may looke upon the words firſt as a command; and then obſerve, That, it is our duty to delight our ſelves in God.
Delight in God, is both a priviledge and a duty, it is commanded in the Law, and it is promiſed in the Goſpel. God is pleaſed to give us many things in the world, not onelyonly for neceſſity, but for delight, A heathen looking upon the various proviſions which the Great Creator hath made not onelyonly for the maintenance of man in his being, but for his comfortable and pleaſurable being. Some of which affect the ſences, the eye, the eare, the taſt &c. others are ſweetly contentfull to the underſtanding, with all the faculties of the ſoule, He (I ſay) concludes this from it;Ne que enim neceſſitatibus tantu… noſtris proviſum eſt, uſ que in delicijs am… mur. Sen l. 4. de Benif. c. 5. The bountifull Creator hath provided for more then our neceſſity, or he hath provided more then will barely ſerve our turne to live upon, we are loved even up to our delights. Now I ſay, though the Lord hath provided delights for us in the creature, yet it is our duty, our greateſt, our higheſt duty to delight chiefly in the Lord, to delight in him firſt, and to delight in nothing but in reference unto him; nothing ſhould be pleaſing to us, but as there is an impreſſe or ſtampe of the love of God upon it, or as it taſts of his goodneſſe. And indeed what can delight us long but this thought? that God delighteth in us, or that we are a delight to God; that God is Good, and that God is good to us; having taſted his goodnes, we ſhould love and delight in him, above all our delights. The Pſalmiſt (Pſal. 137.6.) preferred Jeruſalem above his chiefeſt joy; how much more ſhould we preferre the God of Jeruſalem above our chiefeſt joy. God delighteth in man whom he hath made, and who is his ſon by Grace, next to Jeſus Chriſt who is his ſon by nature, and Jeſus Chriſt delighteth in man whom he hath redeemed, and ſhould not man delight in his maker, in his father, in his redeemer? We have a moſt divine deſcription of the delight which the Father takes in Chriſt his Son, and which Chriſt taketh in his redeemed ones, (Pro. 8.30, 31.) Then was I by him as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight (Chriſt was the delight of his father, and he delighted in his father) rejoycing alwayes before him; rejoycing in the habitable parts of his earth, and my delight was with the ſons of men. Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe takes up many of his delights with the ſonnes of men, whom he calls the habitable parts of the earth, even thoſe of the ſonnes of men that are a habitation of God through the Spirit.Hae ſunt piorum delicia & ſuv…ſſimae volupta…es, deo placa… to f…ui, cujus eliam deliciae ſunt habitare intereos qui ipſum animo reverentur & colunt. Now (I ſay) as the delight of the Father is in the Sonne, and the delight of the Sonne in the Father, and the delight both of Father and Sonne in the Saints, in the habitable parts of the earth, or with the ſonnes of men; ſo the delight of the ſonnes of men ſhould be in the Father, and in the Sonne; there ſhould our delight be, there ſhould we take our higheſt contentment.
Secondly, The words are rather to be taken for a promiſe; Then ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Lord; Then, that is, when thou turneſt from ſinfull delights, or delight in ſin, I aſſure thee of ſpirituall delight.
Whence obſerve; That they who mourne for, and turne from ſinne, ſhall have delights in the Lord.
When once ſinne is bitter to us, the Lord will be ſweete to us; and untill ſin be bitter to us, the Lord is not ſweete to us; ſinne hinders our delightfull enjoyment of the creature, it puts gall and wormwood into our diſh, and cup, it is that which makes all relations grievous and burthenſome to us; yet this is but a ſmall matter, that it hinders us from the contentment, and ſweetneſſes which are to be had in the creature; ſinne takes us off from delighting in God. That ſoule cannot delight in the Almighty, who loveth and continueth in the love of ſinne. If ſuch profeſſe delight in God, it is but a falſe boaſt, and a high preſumption; it is impoſſible for ſuch to delight in the Lord indeed. Job (Chap. 27.10.) ſaith of the hypocrite; Will he delight himſelfe in the Allmighty? will he alwayes call upon God? He may pretend to a delight in the Allmighty, he may have ſome flaſhes, ſome raptures, but his joyes and delights are not in the Allmighty, what joyes ſoever he hath they are in ſomewhat below God; the hypocrite may delight himſelfe in ſomewhat received from the Almighty, in ſome preſent benefit, or future expectation that he hath from the Almighty; he cannot delight in the Allmighty himſelfe, or in God as God.
As it is impoſſible in the nature of the thing, for a man to delight in ſin, and in God too; ſo God hath ſayd that he who hath a delight in ſin, ſhall not finde any delight in him. God hath ſayd, Delight thy ſelfe in me, and I will give thee the deſires of thy heart, (Pſal. 37.4.) But if any man will follow the deſires of his owne heart, he ſhall not delight himſelfe in God. Sinne ſeparateth between God and us (Iſa. 59.2.) that is, it ſeparates between the comforts and mercies which are in God, and us; ſin doth not, cannot ſeparate us from the power, or preſence, from the eye, or juſtice of God, ſo ſinne doth not ſeparate (for God is nigh to ſinners both to ſee what they are doing, and to puniſh them for what they …ve done ſinfully) but ſin ſeparates from all thoſe delights that flow from God, from thoſe joyes which his people take in him; yea ſin breeds a ſtrangeneſſe between God and the ſoule, ſo that the ſoule that loveth ſinne, cannot have any holy familiarity or converſe with God. The Lord ſaith to thoſe who repent (Iſa. 1.18.) Come let us reaſon together, &c. As if he had ſayd, I am now ready to debate the matter with you that repent, and how great ſoever your ſinnes have been, they ſhall be blotted out. Whereas before the Lord tells them that he was weary of them, and that they were a burthen to him in all their ſervices; Now when we are a burthen to God, God is never pleaſant to us; if the Lord ſay he is weary of us, we cannot ſay we delight our ſelves in him. Our delight and pleaſure in God is the fruit of his delight in and wel-pleaſednes with us.
Thirdly, Eliphaz propoſeth this delight in the Lord, as the moſt winning promiſe.
Hence note; Delight in the Lord is the higheſt and choiceſt mercy.
There is nothing better, nothing ſweeter then to delight in the Lord; delight in the Lord hath all true delights in it. David ſpeakes this out fully in that place lately quoted to another occaſion (Pſal. 37.4.) Delight thy ſelfe in the Lord, and he ſhall give thee the deſires of thy heart; that is, thou ſhalt have all thy deſires fullfilled in this thing; delight in the Lord will be the fullfilling of all thy deſires; not only ſhall they who delight themſelves in the Lord; have all their deſires filled up, but their very delight in the Lord is the fullfilling of all their deſires. What is the glory of heaven, but delighting in the Lord? And he who delights in the Lord, feeles not the want or abſence of any earthly Good. In thy preſence is fullneſſe of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore (Pſal. 16 11.) Heavenly glory is nothing but delight in God, and all earthly good is nothing without delight in God. We may affirme foure things of this delight, in oppoſition to all worldly delights.
Firſt, This is a reall delight, worldly delights are but ſhaddows, or pageant-like ſhewes of delight. The joyes of a hypocrite, are like his holines, meere appearances of joy; he hath no reall, no true joy, as he hath no true, no reall holineſſe. That man doth but faine a taſte of joy, whoſoever he is, that doth but faine the practice of holineſſe. Thus who wickedly hold out a holines which they feele not, ſhall talke of joyes which they finde not.
Secondly, Delight in the Lord is a ſtrong delight, yea it is a ſtrengthening delight; That muſt needs be ſtrong joy, which is ſtrengthening joy; ſuch is the joy of the Lord, as Nehemiah told that people (Neh: 8.10.) The joy of the Lord, is the ſtrength of the ſoule, the ſtrength of the inward man, it makes us mighty, it makes us giants to run our race, the race of holineſſe. The giant rejoyceth to run his race, becauſe he is ſtrong, and knowes he can doe it. The joy of the Lord is our ſtrength, and is both an evidence tha… wee are ſtrong, and a meanes to make us ſo. Worldly delights are weake, and they weaken us, Delight in the Lord is ſtrong, and it ſtrengthens.
Thirdly, It is a laſting delight; not like the crackling of thornes under a pott, (to which Solomon elegantly compares the laughter of the foole, Eccl. 7.6.) that make a noiſe, and a blaze for a while, but are preſently extinct. Now Solomons foole may be eyther, firſt, the prophane man in the world, or, ſecondly, the hypocrite in the Church; All the joyes of this payre of fooles, the prophane worldling, and the formal hypocrite are ſoone in and ſoone out, like crackling thornes. But joy or delight in the Almighty is a laſting delight, it is not for a fitt, or a pang, but for continuance, yea it continueth in the middeſt of all worldly ſorrows, for it overcomes and conquers them. There is a laughter in which (ſaith Solomon, Pro. 14.13.) the heart is ſorrowfull, and there is a ſor…ow in which the heart laughs; As ſorrowfull, yet alwayes rejoycing, ſaith the Apoſtle (2 Cor. 6.10.) Spiritual joy, or joy in the Lord is not extinguiſhed, though ſurrounded with worldly ſorrowes; Many waters cannot quench this vehement flame, this flame of God (as Solomon ſpeakes of love, Cant. 8.) neyther can the floods drowne it.
Fourthly, Delight in the Allmighty is a holy delight, a delight which makes us more holy; the delights of the world are impure, and they defile us, we ſeldome take in worldly pleaſures, but they leave ſome ſpot and taint upon our ſpirits or converſations; but the delights we have in the Lord are all pure, yea purifying delights, they make the ſoule more cleare, more holy, more heavenly, they make us like unto the Almighty, in whom our delight is. For look what the object is in which we delight, ſuch is the ſpirit of him that takes that delight; now the Lord in whom this delight is, being altogether holy, they that take delight in him, muſt needs be made or kept holy by it. As delight in worldly things makes the heart worldly, baſe and dreggiſh, ſo this refines and purifies it. The more we drinke of the rivers of this pleaſure, the more ſober we are, to be an epicure (as it were) in theſe delights, is the higheſt temperance. Our feeding cannot be too full, nor our drafts too large upon theſe delights. Solomon (Eccle. 2.2.) who had run a courſe through all worldly delights, and tryed them to the utmoſt, ſaid of laughter it is mad, and of mirth what doth it? there is a madneſſe in the mirth of the world, what doth it? that is, what good doth it to any man? many things it doth, it makes men vaine, fooliſh, diſſolute, diſpirited for any goodneſſe; but what good doth it? doth it make any man better, more holy, more wiſe or fit for duty, no, it can doe none of theſe things. But delight in the Lord, is all this, and can doe all this, it is true, ſtrong, ſtrengthening,Quum unus quiſq, licenter reſpicit id, in quo delectatur, ſubd…t, ver…ſeq: Aq…in. laſting, holy, a delight that makes us more holy. This is the portion of Saints at all times, though payd them in more or ſpecially at ſome times, and that eyther, firſt, reſpecting the ſtate and diſpoſition of their owne ſoules, as in the reſt, or ſecondly, the ſtate of and promiſed diſpenſations of God to the Church. (Iſa. 65.14.18. Iſa. 66.11.) Then (alſo in a ſpeciall manner) ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Lord. And becauſe every man doth freely or willingly looke to that in which he is delighted. Therefore Eliphaz addeth, And ſhalt lift up thy face to God.
But ſome may ſay, is that ſuch a great matter, is it any ſpeciall favour to lift up the face to God? ſeing to doe ſo is common to mankinde. The Naturaliſt ſaith,O… homini ſublime dedit. Ovid. That whereas other creatures looke groveling downeward, God gave man an erect countenance, and bid him looke heavenwards. How then doth Eliphaz promiſe, Thou ſhalt lift up thy face to God? We had the like expreſſion (Ch. 10.15.) If I be righteous, yet I will not lift up my head. And (Ch. 11.15.) Then ſhalt thou lift up thy face without ſpott. The lifting up of the head, and the lifting up of the face are the ſame; implying confidence, or a wel-grounded boldnes in him that doth ſo; For all theſe phraſes of ſpeech imply a lifting up of the minde or Spirit to God. As David ſaith (Pſal. 25.1.) Ʋnto thee O Lord doe I lift up my ſoule. Equiparantia ſun… caput vel oculos vel faciem vel animam ad deum levare. Bold.Eliphaz meanes not the lifting up of a heart-leſſe face or head, ſuch as the hypocrite or formaliſt lifts up to God in worſhip, nor the lifting up of a meere living head or face, ſuch as all men lift up to God according to the forme or frame of their natural conſtitution,Fiduciam habebis recurrendi ad deum. Aquin. but the courage and confidence of the ſoule, and that a holy courage and confidence, is here intended. And there are not many, who can thus lift up their face to God, as is promiſed here to Job by way of priviledge.
And ſhalt lift up thy face to God.
To lift up the face, is taken under a twofold notion in Scripture, firſt,Faciei elevatio orantis habitus eſt. Pinec. as a geſture or bodily poſition in prayer; He that prayeth doth uſually lift up his face to God, and ſo to lift up the face to God, is to pray unto God. A corporal poſture being put often in Scripture to ſignifie a ſpirituall duty. Thus ſome underſtand it here; Thou ſhalt lift up thy face to God, that is, thou ſhalt pray; ſecondly (which further complyes with the duty of prayer. To lift up the face,Vultum attollit qui ſibi bene conſcius eſt animo que fidenti. Druſ. foreign. Sept. notes (as was touched before) confidence of ſpirit, and boldneſſe, courage, and aſſurance towards him, before whom the face is lifted up, whether God or man.
The Septuagint who rather paraphraſe then tranſlate this text, give this ſenſe fully; Thou ſhalt be confident before the Lord (or thou ſhalt act fiducially and boldly before him) and behold heaven chearefully. This lifting up the face is oppoſed to caſting downe the face, & that is a phraſe uſed in Scripture to ſignifie ſhame and fayling of ſpirit. When courage is downe, the countenance is down too; as we ſay, ſuch a man hath a downe looke, that is, there is an appearance of guilt upon him. The face is caſt downe three wayes; Firſt, by feare; ſecondly, by ſorrow; thirdly, by ſhame. Ezra. 9.6. O my God I am aſhamed and bluſh, to lift up my face unto thee; for our iniquities are increaſed over our heads. So (Luk. 18.13.) the Publican durſt not lift up his eyes to heaven, and poſſibly there was a complication of all theſe three cauſes why he durſt not, feare, ſorrow, ſhame; he was ſo much terrified, ſo much grieved, ſo much aſhamed of himſelfe, that he durſt not lift up his eyes to heaven. It was the ſpeech of Abner to Aſahel (2 Sam. 2.22.) Turne thee aſide from following me, why ſhould I ſmite thee to the ground, how then ſhould I hold up my face to Joab thy brother; that is, if I ſlay thee I ſhall be afraid to looke him in the face, nor can I have any confidence of his favour; and it is well conceived, that he ſpake thus (for it is indeed a very unuſuall thing for the Generall of an Army in the very heate of warre to looke after the favour of the Generall of the oppoſite Army, but (I ſay) 'tis conceived he ſpake thus) as being convinced that he had undertaken a bad cauſe in upholding the houſe of Saul againſt David, and therefore had miſgivings that he might ſhortly fall into the hands of Joab Davids Generall, and was therefore unwilling to provoke him by killing his brother. This made him ſay, How ſhall I hold up my face to thy brother Joab? As if he had ſayd, I ſhall obſtruct the way of my owne reconciliation to thy brother, (in caſe The turne of things in this warre caſt me into his hands) by killing thee. Againe we may looke backe to Gen. 4.5. where it is reported of Caine, That he was wrath, and his countenance fell; anger, and ſorrow, and ſhame, falling at once upon him (becauſe the Lord had reſpect to Abel and his offering, but had no reſpect to him or his) cauſed his countenance to fall; which phraſe ſtands in direct oppoſition to lifting up the face in all the three occaſions of it. For it implyeth firſt feare, which is oppoſed to boldnes; ſecondly, ſorrow or anger, which are oppoſed to content and joy; thirdly, ſhame which is oppoſed both to freedome of approach, and liberty of ſpeech. We have an expreſſion which paralels much with this, in that Prophecy of Chriſt (Pſal. 110.7.Q…od legitur Exod. …4.8. eg…eſſos filios Iſrael in manu excelſ…, Chalda…è dicitur, capite diſcooperto. i. e. palam, confidentèr ſine metu.) He ſhall drinke of the brooke in the way, therefore ſhall he lift up his head, that is, he ſhall riſe and appeare like a mighty Conquerour with boldneſſe, honour, and triumph. So Chriſt himſelfe prophecying of the troubles which ſhall be in the latter dayes, comforts the ſurviving Saints in this language; When theſe things begin to come to paſſe, then looke up and lift up your heads (that is, then take heart and boldneſſe) for the day of your redemption draweth nigh, (Luke 21.28.) that is, the day is at hand wherein you ſhall be freed from all feares and ſorrowes.
Hence obſerve; Holineſſe hath boldneſſe and freedome of ſpirit with God.
Then ſhalt thou lift up thy face unto God. As ſoone as Adam ſinned, he hid himſelfe from the preſence of the Lord amongſt the trees of the Garden, (Gen. 3.8.) He ran into the thickets for ſhelter, he durſt not appeare or ſhew his face. But when once we are reconciled to God, and ſinne is taken off, when we are freed from the bonds of guilt, then we have boldneſſe, reconciliation is accompanied with the ſpirit of adoption, whereby we cry abba father; we can then ſpeake to God as a childe to his father; the childe dares lift up his face to his father, and ſpeakes freely to him. Where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (faith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 3.17.) and that a threefold liberty. Firſt, a liberty from ſinne; ſecondly, a liberty unto righteouſnes, or a freenes and readines of ſpirit to doe good; thirdly, where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is a liberty of ſpeech or acceſſe, with boldneſſe in all our holy Addreſſes unto God. As the Apoſtle clearely ſheweth at the 12•h verſe of the ſame Chapter. Seing then that we have ſuch hope, we uſe great plainneſſe (or boldneſſe) of ſpeech, as wee put in the Margin of our Bibles to expreſſe the ſignificancy of the Greeke word in the full compaſſe of it. For as becauſe we have ſuch hope we ought to uſe great plainneſſe of ſpeech towards men in preaching and diſpenſing the Goſpel to them, ſo great boldneſſe towards God in receiving the offers and promiſes of the Goſpel, for our ſelves. Eliphaz having thus ſhewed what freedome Job, truely repenting, might have with God in prayer, proceeds in the next verſe to ſhew what ſucceſſe with God, or what fruit he ſhould have in prayer.
Verſe 27. Thou ſhalt make thy prayer to him, and he ſhall heare thee, and thou ſhalt pay thy Vowes.
In theſe words we have a further promiſe, leading to a further duty; as befor… the duty of returning to the Almighty, had a promiſe annexed to it of lifting up the face to God, or boldneſſe in prayer. So now the promiſe of being heard in prayer, is followed with a duty, The payment of vowes.
Thou ſhalt make thy prayer to him &c.
foreign multiplicavit, propriè verba fortia f…d…t in Oratione.The word notes the powring out of many prayers, or of a multitude of words in prayer, yet not of bare w…rds, but of words cloathed with power, ſtrong prayers as well as many prayers. For as the Goſpel comes from God to us, not in word onelyonly, but in power and in the holy Ghoſt, and in much aſſurance, (1 Theſ. 1.5.) ſo prayer ſhould goe from us to God, not in word onelyonly, but in power, and in the holy Ghoſt, &c. Thus, ſaith Eliphaz, Thou ſhalt make many, and mighty prayers, ſtrong prayers, prevailing, conquering prayers; ſo the word is uſed (Gen. 25.21.) T…en Iſack intreated the Lord for his wife becauſe ſhe was barren; that is, he made many prayers to God, he made a buſineſſe of praying that he might have a ſonne, though there was a ſure promiſe made to Abraham that he ſhould have a ſonne, and that in him, and from him ſhould come the promiſed ſeed; yet Iſack was long without a ſonne, and he leaves it not careleſly in the decree of God, reſolving Idly, God hath ſaid I ſhall have a ſonne at leaſt, if not many ſonnes, why ſhould I trouble my ſelfe in the thing. No, Iſack had not ſo learned the minde of God, he was better skill'd in Divinity then ſo, to ſeparate the meanes from the end, or to conclude that wee need not pray for that which God hath purpoſed and promiſed. He I ſay, was better inſtructed then ſo, and therefore though he (doubtleſſe) did fully beleeve that God would fullfill the promiſe made to Abraham in giving him a ſonne, yet he entreated the Lord for his wife becauſe ſhe was barren: and he intreated the Lord earneſtly, he made plenty, abundance of prayers; for it cannot be ſuppoſed but that he had prayed for that mercy long before (for it was neere twenty yeares ſince his marriage to Rebeccah, as appeares plainely by comparing the 20 verſe of that Chapter with the 26•h, the former telling us, that he was forty yeares old when he marryed Rebeccah, and the latter that he was threeſcore when Rebeccah bare Jacob and Eſau. So that I ſay, we cannot ſuppoſe but ſo holy a man as Iſack had been ſuing out the good of the promiſe before) but when he perceived it ſticking ſo long in the birth, then his ſoule fell in travel about it, then he was very fervent in prayer, and would give the Lord no reſt; Then he entreated the Lord &c. The ſame is ſayd of Manoah (Judges 13.8.) Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and ſaid, oh my Lord, let the man of God which thou didſt ſend come againe unto us, and teach us what we ſhould doe unto the childe that ſhall be borne; he prayed then with much earneſtnes, or made prayers for direction in that thing. The word is often uſed to ſignifie abundance, (Iſa. 35.2.) It ſhall bloſſome abundantly. (Jere. 33.6.) Behold, I will bring in health, and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveale unto them the abundance of peace, and truth. Not onelyonly ſhall they have peace, and truth, but abundance of them. So here, thou ſhalt not onelyonly pray, but a ſpirit of prayer ſhall be powred out upon thee aboundantly. Thou ſhalt make thy prayer unto him.
Hence note;
Firſt, Prayer is a dutie.
We owe prayer to God as his creatures, or in regard of our naturall dependance upon him, much more as new creatures, or in regard of our ſpirituall dependance upon him.
Secondly, Note; It is our duty not onelyonly to pray, but to pray much, or to pray with much fervency.
The emphaſis of the Originall word here uſed, leades us to this as well as many Scripture Authorities. Cold asking invites a denyall, 'tis effectuall or working fervent prayer that prevailes much, (Jam. 5.16.)
Note, thirdly.
Prayer is due onelyonly to God.
Prayer is a part of holy worſhip, and all ſuch worſhip is proper to God alone; Thou ſhalt make thy prayer unto him. Saints and Angels worſhip God with us; we muſt not worſhip eyther Saint or Angel with God, no nor God by the helpe and mediation of Saints or Angels. We know no mediator of interceſſion, but he who is the mediator of redemption, the Lord Jeſur Chriſt.
Fourthly, Taking in the conſideration of the time, as before in the former part; Then ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Lord, then ſhalt thou make thy prayer to him.
Obſerve.
That, we are never in a fit frame for prayer, till wee turne from every ſin by repentance.
As the Lord will not heare us when we pray, if we regard iniquity in our heart (Pſal. 68.18.) ſo neyther are we in a fitnes to ſpeake to God in prayer, if we regard any iniquity in our hearts. Repenting and praying muſt be of the ſame length; unleſſe we repent continually, we cannot pray continually, becauſe we ſin continually. The more holy we are, the more free we are to pray. Sinne clogs and checks the ſpirit in this great duty, caſt off that weight, and then, ſhalt thou make thy prayer to him, And he ſhall heare thee.
To heare prayer, is more then to take notice of the matter or words ſpoken; to heare prayer, is to grant what we pray for; as our hearing the word of God is more then to take in the ſound or ſence of what is ſpoken; it is to ſubmit to and obey what is ſpoken; Now as we heare no more of the word of God, then we beleeve and practice, ſo the Lord heareth no more of what we pray (in a Scripture ſence) then what he granteth. There are two expreſſions in Scripture which note this.
Firſt, To have regard to a perſon, or to a prayer (1 Kings 8.28, 29.) when Solomon prayed at the dedication of the Temple, the Lords hearing of prayer, which he then beggd, is thus deſcribed, Have thou reſpect unto the prayer of thy ſervant, and to his ſupplication, &c. that thine eyes may be open toward this houſe night and day. Reſpicere eſt audire.So it is ſaid of Abel (Gen. 4.4.) that the Lord had reſpect to his offering, the Lord looked towards him, and accepted of him; to accept a prayer, is to heare a prayer.
Secondly, The hearing of prayer is deſcribed by the preſence of God with thoſe that pray. (Iſa. 58.9.) Then ſhalt thou call, and the Lord ſhall anſwer, thou ſhalt cry, and he ſhall ſay, here I am. This is a wonderfull condeſcenſion, 'tis even as when a Maſter calling to his ſervant, he anſwereth, here, Sir, here I am; and that is as much as to ſay, I am ready to your command, I am ready to doe what you will have me, here I am; ſo ſaith that promiſe in the Prophet, Thou ſhalt cry, and the Lord ſhall ſay, here I am, that is,Adeſſe eſt a… dire. I am ready to doe what you aske, I am even ready (O unſpeakeable Goodnes) at your command (as our tranſlation of the 11•h verſe of the 45th Chapter of Iſayah, ſpeakes out in plaine termes,) or I am willing to doe what you will have me to doe. All which is in effect and vertually contained in the word of the Text. He ſhall heare thee. This teacheth us, Firſt, That God is the hearer of prayer.
It is the Lords title, O thou that heareſt prayer, unto thee ſhall all fleſh come (ſaith David, Pſal. 65.2.) God is not onelyonly A hearer of prayer, but he is The Hearer of prayer; to heare prayer is his peculiar prerogative and priviledge as wel as his goodnes and mercy; none in heaven or earth have a will to heare prayer as God doth, nor have any a power to doe it. No creatures eare is long enough to reach the complaints, nor his ſtocke large enough to ſupply the wants of all his fellow creatures. The crowne of this honour fits none but God himſelfe. He ſhall heare thee.
Secondly, Note; It is a great mercy, a mercy comprehending all mercy, to be heard in prayer.
He ſhall heare thee; Man cannot deſire a richer favour then to be heard of God. To have audience in the Court of Princes, and among the great men of the earth is a great favour. What greater worldly priviledge can a man have then this, that he hath the eare of thoſe who are greateſt in the world? When a man ſaith, I have the Princes eare, I can be heard when I ſpeake, we thinke he hath ſpoken enough to make him a man. How great a mercy is it then to have the eare of God? to have ready audience in the Court of heaven? that as ſoone as we call, the Lord is ready to anſwer, here I am, what's the matter? what would you have? it ſhall be done, your requeſt is granted. And to ſhew that to be heard by God is the ſumme of all mercies, or all our mercies wrapt up in one, the Scripture teſtifies that not to be heard of God is the ſumme of all judgements, or all judgements wrapt up in one. When the Lord refuſeth to heare, or ſayth he will not heare thoſe that pray, then wrath is comming upon them to the uttermoſt. Thus the Lord threatned the Jewes (Iſa. 1.15.) When ye ſpread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you, yea when ye make many prayers I will not heare, your hands are full of bloud; As it is an argument of the greateſt ſinfullneſſe of man againſt God not to pray; Powre out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name, (Jere. 10.25.) So it it an argument of the greateſt wrath of God upon man not to be heard in prayer. He that is not heard receives nothing, and he that is heard receives all. And this is the Saints priviledge by Jeſus Chriſt, their prayers are heard, they have welcome audience at the throane of Grace continually. And hence by way of Corallary from the former obſervation, we learne, that Holy prayers are fruitfull and gainefull prayers.
God hath not ſaid to the ſeed of Jacob, ſeeke ye me in vaine; Hee that goeth forth and weepeth bearing pretious fruit, (this pretious fruit faith and prayer, or the prayer of faith) ſhall doubtleſſe (there's no hazard nor peradventure in the caſe) come againe rejoycing, bringing his ſheaves with him. His ſhowry ſeed-time ſhall be bleſſed with a fruitfull and plentifull harveſt. The wicked make many adventures, many voyages by prayer, ſuch as it is, heavenwards, yet come home without ladeing, without any fraight at all. Their prayers are all loſt, and turne to no profit; and indeed theirs are not prayers but words, or babling rather. But holy prayer, the prayer of the holy is prevailing;At quibus cum que tandē modis peccator oret, verum etiam eſt nunquam exaudiri peccatorem ex dignitate ſuae perſonae aut meriti ſed ex dei gratia & miſericordia. Bold. Thoſe ſhowers of prayers and teares which beleevers ſend up to heaven, are like the raine (as the Prophet ſpeakes, Iſa. 55.10.) which commeth downe, and the ſnow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give ſeed to the ſower, and bread to the eater. Even thus the word of prayer which goeth out of the mouthes, or hearts rather of beleevers, returnes not to them voyd, but proſpers in the thing whereto they ſend it. As appeares yet more fully in the next words of this verſe ſpoken by Eliphaz; He ſhall heare thee; What then?
And thou ſhalt pay thy Vowes.
That is, God will give thee the mercies which thou didſt pray for, and thereby give thee occaſion to pay the vowes which thou didſt make to him in caſe he performed thy deſire in prayer. Eliphaz is not exhorting Job (directly) to pay vowes; but he is aſſuring him that his prayer ſhall be heard, and ſo fully anſwered, that he ſhall ſee reaſon and have aboundant cauſe to pay them, and to pay them both fully and chearefully.
Thou ſhalt pay thy Vowes.
The word ſignifies free votive promiſes made to God, foreign ſignificat votivas promiſſiones deo factas quae obligant, nec retractari nec ſolvi propria authoritate poſſunt. Bold.yet obligatory upon man; for howſoever as the word implyeth, there ought to be the greateſt freedome and voluntarines in making a vow, yet a vow being made, there is an obligation, a bond or tye upon him that made it to performe or pay it; He that voweth binds himſelfe, but he cannot unbind or abſolve himſelfe from his vow, nor can he retract or call in his lawfull vow.
Eliphaz, I ſuppoſe, here mentions the payment of Vowes, becauſe the godly in thoſe times did often make Vowes. When Jacob (Gen. 28.20.) fled from his brother Eſau, he in caſe of his ſafe returne, vowed a vow, ſaying, If God will be with me, and will keepe me in this way that I goe, and will give me bread to eate and rayment to putt on, ſo that I come to my fathers houſe againe in peace, then ſhall the Lord be my God, (that is, I will owne and honour him, love and depend upon him more then ever) And this ſtone which I have ſet up ſhall be Gods houſe, and of all that thou ſhalt give me I ſhall ſurely give the tenth to thee. Here's the tenour and forme of the moſt ancient and famous vow that ever was made. Likewiſe Hauna (1 Sam. 1.11.) vowed a vow, and ſaid, O Lord of hoaſts, if thou wilt indeed looke on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give to thy handmaid a man-childe, then will I give him unto the Lord. We reade often in the Pſalmes of paying of Vowes, Pſal. 66.13, 14. Pſal. 50.14. Pſal. 76.11. Pſal. 116.14. And we have the command for it (Eccl. 5.4.) Pay that which thou haſt Vowed.
Further, To explicate this Text, It may be inquired what a Vow is?
I anſwer, A Vow is a ſolemne, free, and voluntary promiſe made to God, of things lawful, weighty, & poſſible, to further & help us to glorifie God in our obedience. In which deſcription we have, firſt, the nature of a Vow, It is a ſolemne promiſe, not a bare promiſe. Secondly, the object; It muſt be made to God; Thirdly, the manner of it, It is a free and a voluntary promiſe; for though a lawfull vow layeth a neceſſity upon us to keepe it, when once wee have made it, yet there is not an antecedent neceſſity of compulſion upon us to make it; ſo that, a vow ought to be a moſt free, and voluntary act. Fourthly, in this deſcription of a vow, we have the generall matter of it. As firſt, it muſt be of things lawfull, wee may not vow that which we may not doe, eyther expreſſely, as they did (Act. 23.12, 13.) who vowed to kill Paul, or implicitly, as Herod did who promiſed to give the daughter of Herodias whatſoever ſhe ſhould aske, limiting her onelyonly as to the quantitie of her demand, ſhe muſt not aske above halfe the kingdome, but leaving her without limits as to the quality of her demand, whether good or evill, lawfull or unlawfull made no matter. And thus many conceive Jephtah fayled, implicitly vowing to doe that, which was unlawfull for him to doe, (Judg. 11.30, 31.) Secondly, a vow muſt be of things weighty and ſerious, wee muſt not vow about trifles. Thirdly, it muſt be of things poſſible, through grace, though we muſt vow weighty things, yet we muſt not vow things impoſſible, eyther in their own nature, or without extraordinary aſſiſtance and ſtrength from God. Fifthly, we have here the ends of a vow; firſt, to Glorifie God; ſecondly, to oblidge us more ſtrictly to obedience.
Hence Note; Firſt, It is lawfull to make a Vow.
All the Scripture teſtimonies before alledged confirme that propoſition.
Secondly, Vowes lawfully made, ought to be kept.
Thou ſhalt pay thy vowes, hath in it the nature both of a promiſe and of a command; Vowes are bonds, we muſt take heed of breaking them; if wee breake our vowes, God will breake our peace. The word which we tranſlate to pay a vow, ſignifies alſo to give peace and quietneſſe, implying that till the vow be payd wee cannot have peace. A man that is in bonds to men hath no peace till he diſchargeth or hath prepared to diſcharge his debt, and therefore an acquittance or a diſcharge for a debt, is commonly called, A quietus eſt, implying that till a man hath got a diſcharge, he is not at quiet. We are at our liberty whether we will vow or no, but we are not at our liberty whether we will pay our vowes or no. And therefore Solomon doth not onelyonly exhort to the payment of vowes, but to the ſpeedy payment of them (Eccl. 5.4.) When thou voweſt a vow unto God deferre not to pay it, for he hath no pleaſure in fooles; That is, he is greatly diſpleaſed with fooles; he means it not of ſuch as are called fooles for the want of a natural underſtanding, but for the want of a good conſcience, & ſuch are all they, who flatter God with their haſtines in making vowes, and then mock him by their ſlownes in or neglect of paying them. And therefore, take foure Cautions about Vowes.
Firſt, Be not frequent in making vowes; vowing muſt not be like praying, an every days work, we may not vow, as we muſt pray, alwayes, and without ceaſing. Many have brought themſelves into great ſnares by multiplying vowes; and we have need to be caution'd in this thing, becauſe the nature of man is carried much to it. The Heathens made many vowes, eſpecially when they were in any diſtreſſe, and ſo meere carnal men will doe to this day, vow great things, what they will be, and what they will doe, if trouble be upon them. It is ſayd that thoſe Heathen Marriners made vowes when the ſtorme was over and the danger paſt (Jon. 1.16.) Many make vowes in a ſtorme whether at Sea or Land, which they little minde when the ſtorme is done. But thoſe Heathens (which may be a rebuke to ſome Chriſtians) made vowes of praiſe and thankfullnes when they had eſcaped the ſtorme. And this is a further proofe of that naturalnes which is in man to make vowes. And the reaſon of it is, becauſe this ſatisfieth a natural man, and fills him with confidence that he ſhall receive good from God, becauſe he hath vowed duty to him. Man loves to be upon his owne bottome, and thinkes he ſhall ſurely engage God to be mercifull, while himſelfe promiſeth to be dutifull and thankfull. Now (I ſay) though there be ſtill a lawfullnes of vowes in theſe Goſpel times, yet take heed of making many vowes, eſpecially of conceiting to oblidge God by any of them. As the former may prove a ſnare, and an entanglement to us, ſo the latter is a diſhonour to God, who never ſhewes us mercy more freely, then when wee binde our ſelves moſt to duty.
Secondly, When ever you vow be ſure you doe it in the ſtrength of Chriſt. None diſcover more weakeneſs in keeping vowes, then they who make vowes in their owne ſtrength, or not wholy in the ſtrength of Chriſt. Some have vowed never to commit ſuch a ſinne more, and they never committed it ſo much as after they had vowed. Some have thought to get cure and remedy againſt ſuch a corruption or luſt by a vow, and yet that luſt or corruption hath prevailed more upon them after their vow. The reaſon of all is, becauſe they have eyther put their vow in the roome of Chriſt, as if that could helpe them alone, or elſe they have made their vowes alone without relyance upon the power of Chriſt. That rule of the Apoſtle which obtaines in all caſes of duty, doth moſt in this; Whatſoever ye doe in word or deed, doe all in the name of the Lord Jeſus, giving thankes to God and the Father by him (Col. 3.17.)
Thirdly, In things which are directly commanded or directly forbidden in the Law of God, we are not to vow the doing, or not doing of the thing in it ſelfe, but only a greater care & ſtricter watch over our ſelves, eyther for the doing of the one, or not to doe the other. As for example, we ſhould not vow abſolutely, that wee will not worſhip Idols, that we will not ſweare, that we will keepe the Saboath, that we will honour our parents, that we will doe no murder, for all theſe duties are expreſſely commanded by God, and are therefore paſt being vowed by us. OnelyOnly thus, wee (obſerving the treachery of our owne hearts) may vow more care and diligence in and about all theſe things. And thus wee are to underſtand that of Jacob (Gen. 28.21.) vowing that the Lord ſhould be his God; as alſo that of David (Pſal. 119.106.) I have ſworne and will performe it, that I will keepe thy righteous judgements. David kept them before, but now he would be more ſtrict then before in keeping them. So then, when we vow things already commanded or forbidden, we muſt pitch and place our vow not upon the matter of the commandement, but upon the manner and intenſenes of our ſpirits in keeping it.
Fourthly, Let not vowes about indifferent things be perpetuall. All vowes about things expreſſed in the Law of God muſt be perpetuall, becauſe the things themſelves are allwayes a duty. For the affirmative precepts of the Law are at all times binding, and the negative binde at all times. But as for things which are not preciſely under a Law; As for example, in the affirmative, to pray ſo many times in a day, to reade ſo many Chapters of the holy Scriptures in a day, to heare ſo many Sermons in a weeke; and in the negative, not to drinke any wine or ſtrong drinke; not to weare ſilke or lace for or upon our Apparrel, not to take ſuch or ſuch a recreation in it ſelfe lawfull. I ſay in theſe caſes, let not vowes be perpetuall but limited to a ſeaſon, leſt thereby wee entangle our owne ſoules, and caſt our ſelves into temptation, while (through a zeale not according to knowledge) we uſe ſuch meanes to avoyd it. Make no vowes to binde your ſelves at all times in things which are not neceſſary at all times, eyther to be done or not to be done.
From the whole verſe, Obſerve; That, the anſwer of prayer received from the Lord, doth call us to pay and performe all the duties that we have promiſed or vowed to the Lord in prayer.
Though we doe not alwayes make ſtrict and formal vowes when we pray, yet every prayer hath ſomewhat of a vow in it, ſo that having prayed at any time, we may ſay, The vowes of God are upon us; for when we pray we promiſe, and then eſpecially we doe ſo, when we pray under any preſſure of trouble, or when we have any extraordinary requeſt to make; then, I ſay, we engage our ſelves in a more ſolemne manner to ſerve and walke with God. And ſo the returne or anſwer of ſuch prayers ingageth us more ſtrongly to duty. For whereſoever the Lord ſoweth, there he lookes to reape, and where he hath ſowed much, he looks to reape much; but then and there chiefly when we promiſe him fruits of duty for our receipts of favour and mercy. Did we take notice of this, we ſhould not be found as we are ſo much in arreare to the Lord, eyther for our private or publique mercies? What promiſes have we made in the day of our diſtreſſe? that we would be holy, that we would ſtrive againſt and mortifie our ſinnes, or the deeds of the body through the Spirit & power of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Now let conſcience ſpeake; have wee performed our promiſes? have we paid our vowes? we can hardly ſay that we have put up a prayer which hath not had an anſwer by bleſſings and ſucceſſes; God hath been to us a prayer-hearing God; have we been to him a vow-paying people? Who amongſt us is now more active for God? or more carefull to pleaſe him then before? Who amongſt us is more watchfull over his heart, or more circumſpect in his walkings then he was before? Who is more carefull over his family, that it may be holy? or more zealous for the publicke, that it may be reformed, then he was before? What manner of men ſhould we be in all holy converſation and Godlines, did we but pay thoſe vowes and make good thoſe engagements which have gone out of our lips, and we have layd upon our ſelves before the Lord, in the day of our trouble? how juſt, how pure, how righteous a Nation ſhould we be were we what we promiſed our utmoſt endeavours to be? the Lord hath done much for us; let us up and be doing for him; let us make good what we have ſpoken to the Lord in vowing and promiſing, ſeing the Lord hath performed what we have ſpoken to him in praying and calling upon his name. God hath anſwered us at the firſt call, yea ſometimes before we called; let us not put God to call a ſecond and a third time, much leſſe often and often for the payment of our vowes. For though the Lord in patience waite many dayes for the payment of vowes, yet according to righteouſnes we ſhould not let him waite one day for it. All theſe ſpirituall debt-bills are payable at ſight or upon demand; God ſhewes us our owne bills and bonds wherein we ſtand engaged to his Majeſty every day, and every day (by ſome or other of his Atturneyes, that is, by ſome meanes or other) he makes his demand, therefore pay to day, pay every day, for we can never come wholy out of theſe debts to God, or ſay, we owe him nothing, how much ſoever, we have payd him. And know, that if when God hath heard us, we be ſloathfull in paying our vowes, eyther God will heare us no more, or wee ſhall heare of him (and that, as we ſay, with both eares) till he make our eares tingle, and our hearts ake for not paying them. Swift Judgements have often followed theſe ſlow payments. And though they have not been ſwift in comming preſently upon the neglect, yet when they have come, they have come ſwiftly upon the neglecters. And as wee may alwayes ſay of the evills and Judgements which come upon any of the people of God, as the Prophet in a like caſe doth to the people of Iſrael (Jer. 4.18.) Thy way and thy doin…s have procured theſe things unto thee this is thy wickednes. So in moſt caſes when evills and judgements fall upon and afflict the people of God, we may ſay, Your not doing what you have promiſed, hath procured theſe things unto you; This is your vow-breaking or your neglect of paying your vowes. And how juſt is it that their troubles ſhould not onelyonly be renewed, but even doubled and trebled, yea, ſeventimes more encreaſed upon them, who ſlight and throw off thoſe very duties which they tooke upon them in the day of their trouble, in expectation to have their troubles removed. Every mans mouth will be ſtopt, when he ſuffers for not doing that good which the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken, how much more will his mouth be ſtopt, and he have nothing to ſay for himſelfe, who ſuffers for not doing that good, or for not forbearing that evill, which his owne mouth hath ſpoken, and ſolemnly charged upon himſelfe as a duty in the preſence of the Lord. They will have leaſt to ſay for themſelves who goe againſt or come not up to what themſelves have ſayd. Then pay your vowes.