Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 23
JOB, CHAP. 23. Verſ. 8, 9, 10.
Behold I goe forward but he is not there, and backward but I cannot perceive him.
On the left hand where he doth worke, but I cannot behold him, hee hideth himſelfe on the right hand that I cannot ſee him.
But he knoweth the way that I take, when he hath tryed mee, I ſhall come forth as gold.
IN the two former verſes, Job expreſt much Confidence of a good iſſue in his Cauſe, could he but finde God and come to tryall. And he reneweth this againe at the 10th verſe, Expreſſing the ſame Confidence; When he hath tryed mee I ſhall come forth as gold. But though he was thus Confident of a faire coming off in Caſe he could finde God, yet he ſeemes in theſe words to caſt off all Confidence of finding him; foraſmuch as yet he could not, or had not. Expreſſing himſelfe here as a man that had travelled into all parts and quarters of the world, Eaſt, Weſt, North, and South, to finde a friend, yet could not meet with him. Behold I goe forward but he is not there, and backward but I cannot perceive him. On the left hand where he doth worke, but I cannot behold him, he hideth himſelfe on the right hand that I cannot ſee him.
There is a threefold ſcope held forth about theſe words.
Firſt, As if Job did here deplore his fruitles paines, in wiſhing for his appearing before God, and in appealing to his Tribunal; for as yet he ſaw himſelfe unanſwered and fruſtrated in his expectation; God did not appeare to him in his troubles, nor declare his purpoſe towards him.Declarat Job ſe non poſſe ratione humana, per res naturales (quas per quatuor mundi plagas ſignificat) cognoſcere certò & clare rationes divinorum judiciorum. Pined.
Secondly, His ſcope may be to aſſert the hiddennes of the wayes of God, or that the wayes of God are not to be found out, nor underſtood by all the paines and induſtry, by all the endeavours and diſquiſitions of man; let him turne himſelfe which way he will, Eaſt or Weſt, North or South, yet he muſt ſay, I cannot behold him.
Thirdly, Some conceive that Jobs intent is to declare his owne underſtanding or meaning in that earneſt wiſh which he lately made,Haec ſubjungit ad declarandū dei immenſita tem, ne quis putaret eum ex iſtimaſſe, deum corporeum eſſe aut corporali loco circumſcribi cum de illius tribunali loquutus eſt. Id: about his admittance to the Throne of God; O that I knew where I might finde him, that I might come even to his ſeat (v. 3d) He was not ſo groſſe as to thinke that God was Confined to any place, or that he had a Seat on which he ſate, as the Princes of the Earth have; and therefore he affirmes, that God is every where, and no where; that he is every where indeed, though he could not finde him appearing to him any where; as if he had ſayd, I doe not circumſcribe God in my apprehenſions to this or that place; I enquire after him Eaſt, Weſt, North, and South, that is, all the world over, yet I miſs of him and have not attained my purpoſe to this houre; for he hath not yet manifeſted himſelfe unto mee. This ſeemes to be the generall ſcope of theſe three verſes, which have two things eſpecially Conſiderable in them.
Firſt, Jobs ſolicitous Complaint of the Lords hideing himſelfe from him after all his ſearchings.
Secondly, The Comfort which Job tooke in the Integrity of his owne heart, and in the clearnes of his Conſcience, that if once he came to tryall, all would be well with him.
The 8th and 9th verſes are all of one Importance, which I ſhall briefly open, and then give ſome notes from them.
Verſ. 8. Behold!
Hee ſpeakes here as of ſome ſtrange thing, that God who is every where, ſhould be no where found by him; I goe forward, and backward, to the right hand, to the left, and finde him not.
Behold, I goe forward.
foreign aliquando temporis aliquando vero loci principium & prioritatem ſignificat.The word is applyed in Scripture to ſignifie both a priority in time, and a priority in place. Some Interpret it here of time, I looke to the times which were before, and now are paſt. In which ſence the word is uſed (2 King. 19.25.) Haſt thou not heard long agoe? That is, haſt thou not heard of the times which are forward, or which have been before. So (Prov. 8.23.) Wiſdome thus ſpeakes, I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the beginning, ere ever the earth was. So wee tranſlate it; the Hebrew is, I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the head of time, before the earth was. Chriſt was before the head of time, or the beginning of time; wee tranſlate it here as referring to a place; Behold, I goe forward, that is, as ſome render, I goe Eaſtward, or toward the Eaſt. The world Conſidered in it ſelfe hath neither forward nor backward, but man being conſidered as ſetting himſelfe to the Sun-riſing (for that's the natural poſture of man) then forward is Eaſtward, the Sun riſeth in the Eaſt. And then backward is Weſtward. The left hand is the North, and the right hand is the South; Such is the poſition of every man ſtanding with his face to the Eaſt. Thus here, Behold, I goe forward, that is, to the Eaſt, or I goe Eaſtward; for a man may goe forward, in a large ſence, though he goe to the North, or to the South, towards Eaſt or Weſt, which way ſoever he goes, he goes forward. But to goe forward,In Scriptura pars antica, Orientalis, poſtica occidentalis, Auſtralis dextra: Aquilonaris ſiniſtra. according to this ſtrict notion is to goe Eaſtward, not onelyonly becauſe the Jewes and Arabians were wont to worſhip toward the Eaſt, but eſpecially becauſe man doth naturally turne himſelfe toward the Eaſt, or the Sun-riſing. So the word is uſed (Gen. 2.8.) The Lord planted a garden Eaſtward in Eden, or forward in Eden. Behold I goe forward, but he is not there.
And not hee, ſaith the Originall, that is, hee is not to be found,Ante ibo, & non ipſe. Heb. or he is not to be had; not that Job did thinke the Eaſtern part of the world empty of God, for he was acquainted with the doctrine of Gods Omnipreſence, he knew that God is every where; but his meaning is onelyonly this, he doth not manifeſt himſelfe to mee, nor appeare according to my appeale to him, that I might argue my caſe, and reaſon my matters with him. I obtaine no diſcovery of God, but continue ſtill in darknes and diſſatisfaction; Behold I goe forward, but he is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive him.
The ſame word in Scripture (as was noted of the word Forward) ſignifieth that which is behinde both in time, and in place.foreign nunc ad tempus nunc ad locum reſpectum habet. It is applyed to that which is behinde in time (Eſa. 41.23.) where the Lord Challengeth the Idols to give a proofe of their Deitie, or that they were gods; Shew the things that are to come hereafter, or the things that are backward, and behinde in time, things that are to be done or to come to paſſe hereafter, and wee ſhall have ſome teſtimony of your God-head, or that ye are Gods. And as it ſignifies that which is behinde in time, ſo that which is behinde in place. Thus wee render it, I goe backward, and then (according to the former notion, forward beeing Eaſtward) backward is Weſtward. The Weſterne parts of the world are called the back parts of the world; not as ſome (groſſely enough) give the reaſon, becauſe the weſt parts of the world are the worſt parts of the world, or were fit onelyonly to be caſt behinde the back and be forgotten, as a more ignoble part of the world; but becauſe according to the poſition of a man looking toward the Sun-riſing which is Eaſtward, the Weſt is backward, or upon his backe.
And backward, but I cannot perceive, or (as the Original word ſtrictly beares) underſtand him; That is, I cannot finde any marke or print of Gods ſpeciall preſence with me there. God is as much hidden or ſecrets himſelfe from me as much in the Weſt, as in the Eaſt, both here and there my purſuits after him are fruitleſſe. I goe backward, but I cannot perceive him, nor doe I yet give over my enquiry; For as it followes;
Verſ. 9. I goe on the left hand where he doth worke, but I cannot behold him.
Theſe words are a deſcription of the Northern part of the world, for that is on the left hand, (as was ſayd) according to the moſt naturall poſition of mans body. And he addeth, where he doth worke; which addition gives a peculiar character or deſcription of the place, and is variouſly tranſlated.
Quando operatur. Pagn. In faciendo ipſum. Pagn. Dum operatur. Vatabl. Ʋbi facit opus ſuum. Iſidor:Firſt, On the left hand when he doth worke. Secondly, On the left hand, in his worke, or working; thirdly, On the left hand while he worketh; wee render, On the left hand where he doth worke, or where he doth his worke. Here a queſtion is rayſed, why is this deſcription given of the left hand, or of the Northern part of the world? doth not God worke on the right hand, or in the South as well as on the left hand, or in the North.
I anſwer; Though God worketh all the world over, yet God worketh in ſome parts of the world in a more eminent manner. God worketh ſo in ſome places, as if he did worke no where elſe: All places are the worke of God by Creation, and God worketh in all places by his providence. The workes of creation would run to ruine, if God did not ſuſtaine, and as it were keepe them in reparation by the workes of providence, yet as God worketh in ſome men, and by ſome men, more then in, nnd by others, ſome perſons are to him as his right hand, he calls them forth to be greatly inſtrumentall to him. So hee worketh in ſome places, and nations, and by ſome places and nations more then he doth in or by others. God is a free Agent, he worketh where he will, and he pitcheth upon ſome ſpeciall places, and perſons, (according to the pleaſure of his owne will) to worke in, and by, more then many others. And ſeing according to this Interpretation, The left hand where he is ſaid to worke ſo eminently, is the North.
Wee may obſerve; Firſt, That God worketh more in the Northern parts of the world then he doth in the South.
And the reaſon of this may be, becauſe the Northern parts of the world are more inhabited and peopled then the Southern are. And which may be a ſecond reaſon of it, The Inhabitants of the Northern parts of the world are more civillized and better inſtructed then the Southerne: Now the providences of God are moſt remarkable where there are moſt people, and they beſt taught and inſtructed, where the natural faculties of man are moſt raiſed and ſublimated by art and regular education, there or by them God doth his greateſt workes; thoſe places are (as it were) the ſtages whereon he acts and brings to iſſue the ſecret purpoſes and counſels of his heart, both in wayes of judgement and in wayes of mercy.
Beſides, we finde that the Northerne Nations have in all ages been the moſt active and warlike.
The Fourth Monarchy, That of the Romanes whoſe ſeate was more Northerly then any of the former three, was the moſt active and warlike of the Foure, and extended its Dominion by extreame and unwearyed induſtry further then any had done before. And thoſe irruptions of enemies and Armyes which gaue the greateſt checke to the Romane Greatneſs, and often plum'd or pull'd off the Feathers of that mighty Eagle, were ſtill made by thoſe people who lived and were bred up in climates more cold and Northerly then they; as all Hiſtoryes doe with one conſent make good. Inſomuch that it grew into a Famous Proverb;Omne malum ab aquilone. All evill comes from the North, that is, all troubles, invaſions, and devaſtations are brought upon the Nations by ſome hardy people or other coming out of the North. And the holy Scriptures of the Prophets are full of this obſervation (Jer. 1.14, 15.) Then the Lord ſayd unto me, out of the North an evill ſhall breake forth upon all the Inhabitants of the land. For lo I will call all the familyes of the kingdome of the North, ſaith the Lord, and they ſhall come, and they ſhall ſet every one his throane at the entrance of the gates of Jeruſalem, &c. By The North in this prophecy, he meanes Chaldea and Babylon, which are ſcituate North from Jeruſalem. And by all the familyes of the kingdomes of the North, he meanes all the Northerne parts under the obedience of the King of Babylon, who ſhould readily follow and ſerve him in his warres againſt Judea. Againe in the ſame Prophet (Ch 4.6.) I will bring evill out of the North (Ch. 6.1.) Evill appeareth out of the North (ver. 22) A people comes forth from the North (Chap. 10.22.) Behold a great commotion out of the North. And when the Lord promiſed to remove far away from his people the Northerne Army, (Joel 2.20.) he therein promiſed them the removall of all Armyes and troubles, becauſe the North had moſt of all, if not alone troubled and harrazed them with Armyes. Againe, In the North, the Goſpel (which is the higheſt teaching and inſtruction) hath been more generally and more clearely publiſhed then in the Southern parts of the world; ſo that in alluſion to that of the Prophet (Iſa. 30.26.) we may ſay, That the light of our Northern Moone hath been as the light of the Southern Sun, and that the light of our Sun hath been ſeven-fold to theirs, even as the light of ſeven dayes. And according to the greatnes of Goſpel light, the diſpenſations, and changes, which we have been under, have been very great; we eſpecially in this Northern Nation, with thoſe adjoyning to us and united with us under one Government, have had full Experience of, and may therefore (giving glory to God) ſeale to the truth of Jobs poſition; That God worketh on the left hand, or in the North. Have not we found God working in the North? What changes, what variety of action have our Northern parts both ſeene and felt? What wonders of mercy and ſalvation? what terrible things in righteouſnes hath God wrought of late among us? The heavens and the earth, States of all ſorts, The heavenly and the earthly, and of all degrees, the higher and the lower have been terribly ſhaken in theſe Nations. Providence hath wrought to amazement in our dayes; The Nations round about have heard the report of it, and wondered. Many have and will have cauſe to ſay of us, what hath God wrought! on the left hand, in our North, God hath been at worke indeed!
Moreover, we finde that Mount Sion (which was not onelyonly an eminent part of the literall Jeruſalem, but a figure alſo of the myſticall Jeruſalem, or whole Church of God under the Goſpel (Heb. 12.22.) This Mount Sion (I ſay) is Geographically deſcribed in our Northerly ſcituation (Pſal. 48.2, 3. Beautifull for ſcituation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Sion; on the ſides of the North, the City of the Great King. God is knowne in her pallaces for a refuge. As if he had ſayd, in Sion, on the ſides of the North God worketh wonderfully, as it follows expreſſely (v. 4, 5.) for lo the kings were aſſembled, they paſſed by together, they ſaw it and ſo they marveiled, they were troubled and haſted away: that is, Kings conſpiring againſt the Church were ſo terrified with the evidences of Gods power working mightily there, that they fled away, or as another Scripture phraſeth it, They came one way and returned ſeven. And in this forme of ſpeech is both the then Jeruſalem, and the Church ever ſince expreſſed, in that boaſt which the king of Babylon (who was a type of all the enemies of the Church cloathed with mighty power and ſoveraignty) makes againſt her, (Iſa. 14.13.) I will ſit alſo (that is, erect my throane) upon the Mount of the Congregation on the ſides of the North. Mount Sion was called the Mount of the Congregation, becauſe there the people of God the Jewes were famouſly knowne to congregate often together, and this (ſaith that proud boaſter) on the ſides of the North. And to compleate this notion of the workings of God in and from the North, Chriſt himſelfe is ſayd to be rayſed out of the North; For ſo ſome expound that Scripture (Iſa. 41.25.) I have rayſed up one out of the North, and he ſhall come, from the riſing of the Sun ſhall …e call upon my name, &c. This prophecy (I ſay) ſome expound of Chriſt, who ſhall gather his diſperſed and deſpiſed ones from all quarters of the world. The greateſt workes of God that ever were done, Chriſt did them; and therefore the North, may juſtly be called the place where he worketh, ſeing he rayſed Chriſt from thence.
Secondly, As the words are read thus; On the left hand while hee worketh; as if Job had ſayd, I look after God on the left hand, or in the North, even in the time while he is working, or doing great things, and yet I cannot behold him.
Obſerve; That God may be, and often is, working great things, and we not able to apprehend or behold him at his worke.
The inviſible thengs of God, even his eternal power and Godhead are ſeene in the things that are made, and that not onelyonly in the things that he made while he created the world, but alſo in the things which he makes while he governes the world, and yet himſelfe is not ſeene in making them; and that not onelyonly becauſe he is inviſible in his nature, but becauſe (which is the poynt in hand) the manner of his working is inviſible. In ſome things God workes ſo evidently, that the natural man cannot but ſay, The finger of God is here. But in other things he workes ſo ſecretly, that the ſpirituall man is not able to ſee where the finger of God is, unleſſe upon that general acknowledgement that the finger of God is every where. Solomon (Prov. 30.18.) ſaith, There be three things which are too wonderfull for mee; yea, foure which I know not; the way of an Eagle in the ayre, the way of a Serpent upon a rock, and the way of a Ship in the midſt of the Sea; even ſuch are the motions of God, the wayes and workings of God among the ſons of men; A ſhip in the Sea leaves no track, no path, you cannot ſee where the Ship hath ſailed; The ſhip plowes the Ocean, but the furrowes are unſeene as ſoone as made. A Serpent upon a rock, makes no dint, leaves no footſteps behinde him; the flying Eagle parts the aire, but there's no diſcerning where ſhee hath paſt.
And thus Job ſeemes to ſpeake here; Though I goo to the North while God worketh, yet I can ſee no more of him, then of the way of an Eagle in the aire, or of a Serpent upon a rock, or of a Ship in the Sea, I cannot behold him while he worketh, nor the way of his working. And further, Hee hideth himſelfe on the right hand that I cannot ſee him.
foreign cooperire, involvere ſeu occultare ſignificat. Quaſi deus meridionali parte velut operimento ſeſe circumtegat. foreign eſt mare at foreign dextra unde etiam meridies dicitur foreign Theman Nomini Ja…in pra… ſitio Thau. Exo. 26.18. unde Theman ſi appellativè ſumatur dextrum Auſtrale ſive meridionale ſignificat ſi autem proprie eſt no… men regionis Auſtralis. Hieron.The word which we render hideth, ſignifieth, to wrap up with a covering, implying that God doth cover himſelfe from the eye of man, in or with the right hand part of the world. Some render it thus; He hideth his right hand, or his working hand, that I cannot ſee him. We render it well, hee hideth himſelfe on the right hand that I cannot ſee him. The right hand, is put in oppoſition to the left, mentioned in the former part of the verſe. There, in the South, God doth (as it were) purpoſely and artificially hide, and caſt a vaile over himſelfe (ſaith Job) leſt I ſhould ſee him there, hee keeps himſelfe yet more out of my view and reach then elſewhere. The word which we tranſlate, the right hand, ſignifies the Southern parts of the world (Cant. 4.16.) Awake O Northwinde, and come thou South, blow upon my Garden. (Exod. 26.18.) On the South (or right) ſide Southward. The word is alſo rendred, the right ſide, (2 Sam. 24.5.) On the right ſide of the City. Further the word ſignifies, as the right hand, ſo alſo ſtrength, becauſe the right hand is ſtrongeſt in moſt men and readyeſt for uſe. And ſo he hides himſelfe on the right hand may import (as was toucht before) that God hideth himſelfe even there, where he puts forth his ſtrength and power.
From all theſe expoſitions layd together, in that Job here ſaith, hee went forward and backward, or Eaſt and Weſt, on the right hand, and on the left, or North and South (from all I ſay) it appeares that Job was a great traveller, that he travel'd all the world over; yet where was Job when he ſpake all this? Was he not upon his bed? was he not Gods Priſoner, ſhut up in his Chamber, when he ſaid, I goe forward and backward, Northward and Southward, and yet I finde him not, perceive him not, ſee him not.
Hence learne.
Firſt, That God is every where.
Job knew there was a preſence of God forward and backward, Northward and Southward, He knew that God fills heaven and earth with his preſence. There is a preſence of God from which the worſt of men cannot goe, and there is a preſence of God into which, many times, the beſt of men cannot get; there was a preſence of God out of which Job could not get, while (according to his deſires) he could not get into the preſence of God.
Secondly, From thoſe various negatives here uſed, I cannot perceive him, I cannot behold him, I cannot ſee him.
Obſerve; God is a ſpirit, not viſible at all in himſelfe, and he onelyonly appeares, as and to whom himſelfe pleaſeth to appeare to and among men.
The appearances of God are not naturall but voluntary, when his will is to be ſeene he gives man the priviledge to ſee him. It is altogether impoſſible to ſee him with a bodily eye, (1 Tim. 6.16.) God onelyonly hath Immortality, dwelling in the light that no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee, that is, with bodily eyes, and as it is impoſſible to ſee him at any time with an eye of ſence, ſo he will not alwayes be ſeene by the eye of our underſtanding, no nor alwayes by the eye of faith. Faith ſhall hereafter be perfected in the viſion of God, but here faith is ſometime quite deprived of the viſion of God, He hideth himſelfe from the houſe of Jacob. Faith is oppoſed to all bodily ſight (2 Cor. 5.7.) We walke by faith not by ſight; and faith hath not alwayes a ſpirituall ſight. It is ſaid (Heb. 11.27.) that Moſes ſaw him that is Inviſible, he ſaw him with a ſpirituall eye, the eye of faith; wee have reaſon to beleeve, that Job at that time, ſaw God with an eye of faith, but he ſaw him not with an eye of underſtanding, to diſcerne the way of his working with him. They who are moſt ſpirituall and of the largeſt underſtanding in ſpiritualls, can no more comprehend God then a cockle-ſhel can containe the Ocean; and many who are ſpirituall, are ſo darke in their underſtandings, or God is ſo darke to their underſtandings, that they cannot ſo much as apprehend or diſcerne him, ſee or perceive him.
Thirdly, When Job ſayth, God hideth himſelfe on the right hand, or in the South, ſo that I cannot ſee him.
This teacheth us; That God doth ſometimes purpoſely withdraw and reſerve himſelfe from his moſt pretious ſervants.
The Propher hath a ſtrange deſcription of God (Iſa. 45.15.) Verily thou art a God that hideſt thy ſelfe (as if he had ſayd) it is thy uſe and cuſtome to doe ſo) O God of Iſrael the Saviour; hee was the God and Saviour of Iſrael, yet Iſrael could not ſee him, for he hid himſelfe; When God will conceale himſelfe, his Iſrael cannot ſee him. And hence wee finde in Scripture ſo many earneſt Deprecations, that God would not hide himſelfe, and ſo many vehement Expoſtulations when he did. Wherefore hideſt thou thy face (ſaith the Church, Pſal. 44.24.) and forgetteſt our affliction and oppreſſion? God hides himſelfe five wayes, or in five things from his people.
Firſt, He hides his favour and the light of his Countenance from his people. And (when this is hid God is hid) hee will not let them ſee the love which he hath in his heart towards them, yea (poſſibly) he lets them ſee anger, wrath, diſpleaſure; hee puts on the habit of an enemy, and deales with them as with enemies. Job complaines more then once that God hid his favour from him, and ſhewed him nothing but his dread and terror.
Secondly, God hides his workes from his people, hee will not let them be ſeen, nor be ſeene in them; O how unſearchable are thy Judgements, and thy wayes paſt finding out! God hath wayes and Judgements which man cannot reach unto. Some of his workes are acted (as we ſay) above bord, they are done in a cleare light, hee that runs may ſee and read them, and God in them; hee that runs may read love written upon ſome of them in letters of Gold, or with beames of light. And he that runs may read wrath written upon others of them in letters of blood, or with ſtreames of darknes, and the very ſhadowes of death; but ſome workes of God are ſo curtaynd about and vailed, ſo hidden and obſcured, that we cannot perceive them. Though all the works of God are works of light, yet many of them are in the darke to man; While judgement and righteouſneſſe are the habitation of Gods Throne, clouds and darknes are round about him, (Pſal. 97.2.)
Thirdly, God hideth the reaſon of his working. His works are often hid, but the reaſon of his working is oftener hid. Jeremy complaines, Why doth the way of the wicked proſper? Hee would know a reaſon of it; hee ſaw that God let the wicked proſper, but the reaſon he ſaw not.
Fourthly, The deſign, or end of the worke of God is a hidden thing; as God doth not let men ſee the reaſon why he doth this or that, ſo not his aime, and end, what he would have, or what he drives at in doing it. When God afflicts a Godly man, whether it be for the tryal of his graces, or to chaſten him for his failings, or for the purging out of his corruptions, is often his doubt: and as 'tis thus in perſonal workings, ſo alſo in publique workings; Whether God hath to doe with a Nation, or with a man onelyonly, hee hath his ſecrets.
Fifthly, As God hides what himſelfe doth, ſo he hides from us what he would have us doe, he hides his owne will from us in ſome things; we have indeed his Letters Patents, his proclaimed lawes before us in all things needfull to ſalvation; but there are ſome things which concerne particular actings in our lives, wherein a godly man may be very ignorant of the will of God, & much puzzled in his Spirit what to doe, whether this or that be the courſe which God would have him take. God hides himſelfe from us in the hidings of his will from us. For as when the Apoſtle ſaith (Epheſ. 4.20.) Yee have not ſo learned Chriſt, wee are not to underſtand Chriſt perſonally, but Chriſt according to the Revelation of himſelfe in the Goſpel, Chriſt there is the will or minde of Chriſt; ſo when God hideth himſelfe from or doth not diſcover himſelfe to us, the meaning may be this; hee doth not diſcover his minde and will to us, what he would have us doe, as to our particular caſe and condition. God keepes ſome long in ſuſpence, long in the darke about this poynt; ſo that they often cry out with that good King in his dangerous ſtrait, We know not what to doe, but our eyes are towards thee. (2 Chron. 20.12.) Many a man is in as great a ſtrait what to doe in regard of the darknes of his condition, as Jehoſaphat was, in regard of the dangerouſneſſe of it.
Fourthly, Note; That, a Gracious ſoule uſeth all meanes to attaine what he deſires, eſpecially to finde out the minde and will of God in his workings.
What elſe is the meaning of all this? why elſe went Job forward and backward? why went he on the right hand, and on the left? why did he thus traverſe his ground, and repreſent himſelfe in theſe buſie enquiries after God, travelling in the multitude of his thoughts upon his bed from ſea to ſea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, leaving no ſtone unturned (as we ſay) nor path untrodden, that he might get his cauſe determined, and his heart ſetled. Obadiah tells Eliah after he had met him (ſee how induſtrious the malice of Ahab, againſt that holy man, made him to to finde him out whom his ſoule hated, 1 King. 18.10.) As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdome whether my Lord hath not ſent to ſeek thee &c. Not that Ahab had ſent Meſſengers into every quarter of the world, but the meaning is, that he had been very diligent and induſtrious to finde out Elijah. And ſo ſaith Job, there is not any Corner under heaven, where I have not been ſeeking to finde him whom my ſoule loveth and longeth for. Thereby importing his exceeding diligence to finde God. They who have a deſire after God indeed, will take paines for him, they will ſeek him, Eaſt, Weſt, North, and South, and never complaine of the length of their journey. They will not ſtay till God comes home to their dores, but out they will go to ſeek him. For though it be a truth that no man can ſeek or looke after God, till God hath firſt looked after and found him, yet they whom God hath once found, have ſuch an impreſſion left upon their hearts, that when God ſeemes to leave them, and to be as loſt to them, they will more then ſeeme to looke after and ſeeke him while he is abſent from them; that is, while he hides himſelfe from them. Surely God hath never toucht the hearts of thoſe lazie profeſſors that would faine be ſaved, but will goe neither forward nor backward, neither North nor South after Jeſus Chriſt; whereas if their deſires were true and genuine, they would uſe all meanes, goe all due wayes, leave nothing unaſſayed that might probably bring them to the knowledge and enjoyment of him; O how buſie was Job's ſpirit to finde out God? And ſo buſie ſhould our ſpirits be to finde him out, both for comfort and for counſel in all the turnings of our lives.
Laſtly, Obſerve; That after the uſe of much meanes to finde God, yet poſſibly God may not be found by us as to our apprehenſion.
Job ſpared no paines to finde out God, and yet he could not ſpeed at that time, after all his ſearch he found him not, he perceived him not, he did not behold him; you may pray, and ſeek, and adviſe, and waite, follow this meanes and that meanes to finde out God, or to recover the ſence of his gracious preſence with your ſoules, and yet (for a long time) miſſe of him. This is one of the exerciſes which God is pleaſed to put his people to, hee therefore hides that we may ſeek him; he doth not hide himſelfe becauſe he will not be found, but he hides himſelfe becauſe he will be ſought; and yet when he is ſought, and ſought in a right way too, he will not preſently be found. For though none that ſeek him in ſincerity, but ſhall finde him at laſt (He hath not ſaid to the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek yee my face in vaine; that is, ſeek mee and never finde mee, the Scripture ſpeakes no ſuch thing) nor did Job alwayes ſeek and not finde; yet, as he in his time, ſo we in ours may ſeek him long and not finde him, and yet ſtill we muſt continue ſeeking, becauſe God hides himſelfe that we may ſeek him more, not that he would have us give over ſeeking. And therefore in times of deſertion, in hideing, and withdrawing times, doe not give over ſeeking; for the reaſon why God doth withdraw, is, that we may ſeek him more, and follow harder after him; that we may ſeek him (as Job did) Eaſt, Weſt, North, and South; that is, in all meanes, duties, ordinances, he will not alwayes hide himſelfe; that's the ſumme and ſcope of the 8th and 9th verſes.
Verſ. 10. But he knoweth the way that I take, when he hath tryed mee I ſhall come forth as gold.
Connecto hunc verſum cum 70. obtinerem a judice nam is novit. Eſt igitur aetiologia ſpei; caetera autem quaſi per parentheſin interſeruntur illo loco. Coc:Job could not finde the wayes of God, well (ſaith he) though I cannot finde out Gods wayes, yet God hath found out my wayes; though he is pleaſed to vaile his owne wayes, yet mine are open, He hideth himſelfe from me, but I am not hid from him. Hee knoweth the way that I take.
Further, In this verſe Job ſeemes to give a reaſon of his hope to ſpeed well at the ſeate or throane of God whether he had appealed (v. 3.7.) As if he had ſaid, Seing my heart tels me, my way is good, and my Judge knowes it to be ſo, how can it be but that my judgement from him ſhould be Good? He knoweth the way that I take.
Quamvis illum non poſſit homo perſpicere, a… ille perſpectas habet omnium mortalium actiones.To know, may be taken here two wayes; firſt, as an act of the Underſtanding onelyonly, hee knoweth, that is, hee fully perceiveth and apprehendeth what my way is.
Secondly, As it takes in an act of the affection too, Hee knoweth, that is, he approveth the way that I take; my way is pleaſing to him. When God is ſaid to know the way of the righteous (Pſ. 1.6.) the meaning of it is, he is wel-pleaſed with their way, and will proſper them in it, they ſhall have good ſucceſſe in what they goe about.
Againe, whereas we tranſlate, Hee knowes the way that I take, that is, my courſe of life, or converſation among men. The Hebrew is, Hee knoweth the way that is in mee, hee doth not onelyonly know my outward way, or the way that is without mee, but hee knowes my inward way, the way that is within mee. Wee have a way within us, and that is the way of our thoughts, and we have a way without us, and that is the way of our workes. Hee (ſaith Job) knowes the way that is in mee, therefore much more the way without mee, hee knowes mee through and through; As if he had ſayd, what though I cannot finde him, yet I will leave my cauſe with him; for he needs no information of mine, to lead him into the underſtanding of it; He himſelfe knows all things by himſelfe; Hee knoweth the way that I take, or that is in me.
There are three things which Job might aime at in this ſentence.
Firſt, an account why he was ſure of a right judgement from God, becauſe he was not onelyonly a Judge, but an eye-witneſſe of all the wayes that he had ever gone.
Secondly, A confutation of his friends opinion of him, as if he were a man that did not feare God; whereas he did acknowledge that both himſelfe and all his wayes were viſible and manifeſt unto God.
Thirdly, A ſtrong aſſertion of his owne innocency, ſeing he could ſpeake thus rejoycingly, that God knew all his wayes.
Hence obſerve; Firſt, The way of man, even his moſt ſecret way, or the way within him, is knowne to God.
God wraps up himſelfe often in the darknes of ſecrecy as to man, but man is never in that darknes as to God; the very children of darknes, and the wayes of darknes are in the light to him. And as the wayes of evill men, and the evill of their wayes, ſo the wayes of good men, and the goodnes of their wayes, are knowne to God. We need not feare that the good we doe or have done (though no eye of man ſee it) ſhall be loſt in the darke. We ſcarce know our owne wayes, and wee cannot know our owne hearts, but God doth. (Jerem. 17.9.) The heart of man is deceitfull above all things, and deſperately wicked, who can know it? No man can know all the wayes of his heart; he cannot come to the bottome of his owne heart, though he may know the bent of it; but (ſaith God) I ſearch the heart; much of our heart is a ſecret to our ſelves, but to God nothing of it is; he knowes our inſide fully. As he knowes our actions, ſo the grounds upon which wee act, and the ends for which we act, and the heart with which wee act; thus God knowes the way that every man takes. And thus none but God can know the wayes of man. Wee can trade no farther then upon the borders of mens wayes, their outward acts, as for the ſpirit and principle of them, whence they flow, as for the aymes and ends of them, whether they are flowing, with theſe God alone is intimate. And with theſe God is more intimate then man can be with that which is wholly outward.
And ſeing God knowes all the wayes which man takes; let no man goe about to hide his wayes from God; 'Tis vaine to hide any thing from him, who ſees all that is hidden. He that comes before a Judge that knowes what he hath done, and is able to prove it, why ſhould he deny it? The heart of a naturall man is not more buſied about any thing then in making veiles for his ſin; the firſt thing that man did after he had ſin'd was, to make ſuch a veile. As all men have ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion, ſo they cover their tranſgreſſions according to the ſimilitude of his covering. The Holy Ghoſt (Pſal. 32.1.) calleth them bleſſed whoſe ſins are covered, but it is with a covering of Gods provideing, not of their owne; woe to thoſe whoſe ſinnes are hid by a covering of their owne provideing; God hath given us his Son our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in his righteouſneſſe, for our covering; while our ſins are ſo covered bleſſed are we, but if we cover them with a covering of our owne, God will lay them open for ever to our ſhame. Wo to the rebellious children, ſaith the Lord, (Iſa. 30.1.) that take counſel but not of me, and that cover with a covering, but not of my Spirit, that they may adde ſin unto ſin; if we cover our ſins with any thing but the righteouſnes of Chriſt, we cover them with a ſin, not onelyonly becauſe all our righteouſnes (which is the beſt thing of our owne that we have to cover them with) is ſinfull, but becauſe the very act of covering them ſo is a ſin; and therefore in ſo doing, what doe we but adde ſin unto ſin? And if to cover our ſins with our owne righteouſneſſe be a ſin, how doe we heape ſin upon ſin while we cover it (as many endeavour to doe) with our denyalls, diſſemblings and excuſes?
Secondly, Conſider with what Confidence Job ſpeakes; hee had diſcourſed of his fruitles labour and travell in the uſe of all meanes to finde God; well (ſaith he) yet it is a Comfort that God knowes my wayes, though I cannot finde out his.
Hence Note.
It is the Joy of the upright, that God knowes them and their wayes, yea the wayes that are in them.
Thus Jeremy (Chap. 12.3.) having complained of the proſperity of evill men before the Lord, concludes, But thou O Lord knoweſt mee, thou haſt ſeen mee and tryed my heart toward thee; this was the Prophets joy, and ſo it was the Apoſtles, when he ſayd; But wee are made manifeſt unto God (2 Cor. 5.11.) That's the thing that pleaſeth us. David (1 Chron. 29.17.) ſpeakes in the ſame frame of ſpirituall contentment; I know alſo ô my God that thou tryeſt my heart, and haſt pleaſure in uprightnes; This was a pleaſure to David, this was his Joy and crowne of Rejoycing, that God knew him; and a godly man hath much Cauſe of rejoycing in this, that God knowes him perfectly, conſidering how much he is miſtaken and miſunderſtood by men. When our wayes are miſtaken by men, 'tis great content to remember, that God knowes the way that we take without the leaſt miſtake. For this aſſures a godly man of three things.
Firſt, That God will reckon his wayes ſuch as they are, and him ſuch a one as he is. He is much aſſured that God will never put a falſe gloſſe, or an unjuſt conſtruction (which men are apt to doe) upon the text of his life.
Secondly, This aſſures him that his workes of righteouſneſſe ſhall not want a reward; for God is not unrighteous to forget our worke and labour of love (Heb. 6.10.) that is, he will not let us goe without a reward for ſuch workes; for as then we are ſaid not to forget the word of God, when we obey it; ſo God is ſaid not to forget our workes when he doth reward them.
Thirdly, This aſſures him that God will give teſtimony to his integrity, and beare his witnes (when moſt ſeaſonable) to his righteous workes. Though men will not give him Teſtimony, yet God who knowes his wayes will; God will not doe leſſe for a good man then a good Conſcience will; For as an evill Conſcience will accuſe, ſo a good Conſcience will excuſe. (Rom. 2.15.) Their Conſciences in the meane time accuſing or excuſing one another. Conſcience knowes our wayes, and therefore Conſcience gives Teſtimony againſt them that doe evill, and Conſcience will give Teſtimony with thoſe that doe well: let all the world clamour againſt them, Conſcience will not, becauſe Conſcience knowes the way that a man takes. Much more then will God Teſtifie for that man whoſe way is good; and how ſweet is this! 'Tis ſweete and ſatisfying to a gracious ſoule to doe good, but when God himſelfe ſhall teſtifie for a gracious ſoule, that he hath done good, this is much more ſweete and ſatisfying. (1 Joh. 3.20, 21.) If our heart (or Conſcience) condemne us, he is greater then our heart (or Conſcience) and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemne us not, then have we confidence toward God: even this confidence, that God will not onelyonly not condemne us, but acquit us, yea and teſtifie for us; And as it is worſe to be condemned by God then by Conſcience, ſo it is better and ſweete… to be acquitted by God then by our owne Conſcience, when once our Conſciences are acquainted with his acquittall of us and teſtimony for us. Yea, there is this further Comfort in it, that for as much as our wayes are knowne to God, he will give teſtimony of them to others, as well as to our owne Conſciences. The world ſhall know what our wayes are one time or other, as well as God knowes them now: they who are moſt prejudiced againſt them, and draw the blackeſt lines over them, ſhall one day be made to know, that they did not know the beauty of them. And this God will doe; eyther
Firſt, In this world by ſome extraordinary providence; as David ſpeakes (Pſal. 37.6.) Hee ſhall bring forth thy righteouſneſs as the light, and thy judgement as the noon day. A mans righteouſneſſe may lye in obſcurity, or in the darke, no man knowing it, and moſt men judging him unrighteous, and wicked, but Providence ſome time or other will bring forth this mans righteouſnes as the light, and his juſt dealing as the noon day.
Or, Secondly, If a good mans wayes lye hid from the world all the dayes of his life in this world, yet the Apoſtle aſſures him, that in the great day God will proclaime them in the eares of all the world. (1 Cor. 4.5.) Judge nothing before the time, till the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darknes, and will make manifeſt the Councels of the heart. So then a day is coming which will make thorough lights in the world, and bring to light the moſt hidden things of the darkeſt darknes. And by theſe hidden things of darknes, and Counſels of the heart, wee are to underſtand not onelyonly evill things, and wicked counſels (ſure enough God will bring them to light) but even thoſe righteous things, and good Councels of the heart, which have layne in the darke, or unrevealed: God will bring to light all the hidden things of darknes, the good as well as the bad, and then ſhall every man, that is, every good man, every godly man, have praiſe of God. The praiſe of man is very pleaſing unto man, but O how unſpeakeably pleaſing is the praiſe of God! And this opens a vaſt difference, between the hypocrite and the ſincere; Can a hypocrite rejoyce in ſecret, ſaying thus; God knoweth the way that I take? Hee cannot ſay thus; and I may ſay three things of the hypocrite in oppoſition to this.
Firſt, The hypocrite endeavours to hide and put his wayes out of the ſight of God, as much as he can; As he hath not the light of Gods countenance, or of his favour ſhining upon him, ſo he deſires not to have the light of his knowledge ſhining into him. (Iſa. 29.15.) the Prophet deſcribes ſome ſeeking deep to hide their Councels from the Lord, and their workes are in the darke (both in natural and moral darknes) and they ſay, who ſeeth us, and who knoweth us? The endeavour of the hypocrite is that he may be hid. And
Secondly, He cryes alls hid; as it is his endeavour, that God ſhould not, ſo it is his hope that God doth not know his wayes, much leſſe his heart; He is often ſure that men doe neither ſee nor know, & he alwayes preſumes that God doth not; and therefore as one out of doubt he puts his doubts, who ſeeth? and who knoweth? Though flaſhes of feare come in upon him, ſometimes, yet he flatters himſelfe with preſumptious hopes and falſe perſwaſions, that God knowes him not, ſees him not, and that his dark way ſhall never be diſcovered; and as in that place of the Prophet, they ſpeake indefinitely, thereby inferring that God doth not ſee them; ſo wee have them in the Pſalme ſpeaking directly that God ſhall not. (Pſal. 94.5, 6, 7.) They breake in pieces thy people O Lord, and ſlay the widdow and ſtranger, and murther the fatherles; yet they ſay, the Lord ſhall not ſee, neither ſhall the God of Jacob regard it; As if they had ſayd, though God ſhould ſet himſelfe to ſearch us out, and would never ſo faine ſee what we are doing, yet he ſhall not. We will carry it ſo cloſely and cunningly, that the eye of God ſhall not reach us. Their workes were ſo foule and bloody, that the Sunne might be aſhamed to looke upon them, and they were ſo cloſe that they beleeved God could not look upon them, or bring them to ſhame for them.
Thirdly, 'Tis a terror to an hypocrite to remember, that God knoweth his wayes. That which Job ſaith of the wicked in generall, is moſt proper to hypocrites (Chap. 24.17.) The morning is to them even as the ſhadow of death; if one know them, they are in the terrours of the ſhadow of death. The Hebrew is very conciſe, if know; we make up the ſence thus, if one know them, that is, if God or man know them and their wayes, if they be apprehended and diſcovered, any way, in their abominable wayes, they are in the terrours of the ſhadow of death; that is, they are ready to dye with the fright and terror of it. Hypocrites are ſo farre from rejoycing in this, that God knowes the way which they take, that to be knowne eyther of God or man is their torment.
Thirdly, Conſider why doth Job appeale to God in this Cauſe depending between him and his friends? The reaſon was, becauſe he knew his friends miſ-judged him through their ignorance; Therefore he deſiered to be heard by a Judge, that perfectly knew his wayes, and ſo was able to make a righteous judgement of him.
Hence Obſerve; God is every way fitted to be a righteous Judge.
There are two things eſpecially that fit a man, to be a Judge.
Firſt, That he hath a principle of righteouſnes in him, that he be not byaſſed and turned aſide from doing right indifferently without reſpect of perſons.
Secondly, That he hath a principle of light in him, that he be (as Jethro adviſeth Moſes) a man of knowledge. Both theſe meete perfectly in God; He is juſt and righteous in all his wayes, and hee knowes all our wayes. Some Earthly Judges erre for want of a Principle of righteouſnes; and ſo in things which they plainely know and ſee as cleare as the light, are ready to be drawne and wrought off by reſpects and intereſts. Againe, there are other Earthly Judges, who are right and honeſt enough in their Principles, nothing can take them off, or miſlead them to the right hand or to the left, but they want knowledge and underſtanding to diſcerne between good and evill, right & wrong, they cannot ſee into the merit of the Cauſe, or the integrity of the perſon before them, and thereupon ſtumble in Judgement. Indeed the beſt of Earthly Judges cannot alwayes (when they have done their beſt) finde out who hath the good Cauſe, and who hath the bad; and many times they that plead blinde them with their Rhetorick, ſetting a faire gloſſe upon a foule Cauſe, or making a faire Cauſe looke foule, and ſo the Judge is deluded; ſeing he judgeth of things as witneſſed and repreſented, as alledged and legally proved, and ſo it may fall out that while he judgeth righteouſly, his judgement may not be right. But we (as Job here) have cauſe to rejoyce that we have to doe with a Judge, who as he is both righteous and knowing, ſo he knowes all things and perſons in themſelves, and not from others. He needs not that any ſhould teſtifie of man, for he knoweth what is in man (Joh. 2.25.) Hee knowes the way that is in me, or the way that I take: and as it followes; When he hath tryed mee I ſhall come forth as gold.
Mr. Broughton reads thus; Tryed he me I ſhould come forth Gold; that is, if God (as I deſire) would vouchſafe to try me, I ſhould appeare what I am indeed, not what I now appeare.
When he hath tryed mee.
There are divers wayes of tryall, three eſpecially; God tryes, firſt, by proſperity, that's a tryall; a full eſtate diſcovers a man, as well as a low and empty eſtate doth. To know how to abound is as high a poynt of grace as how to want (Phil. 4.12.) to have power in our hands, diſcovers us as well as to be oppreſt by power. Magiſtracy ſhewes the man, and it ſhewes many to be but men. Magiſtratus indicat virum.Great power over men is a great temptation to man, and ſo likewiſe is the praiſe of men. (2 Cor. 6.4.) But in all things approving our ſelves as the Miniſters of God in much patience, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſes, &c. and by what elſe? by the Armour of righteouſneſs on the right hand, and on the left, by honour and diſhonour, by evill report and good report. We approve our ſelves, and tryall is taken of us as well by things on the right hand, as by thoſe upon the left, as well by honour, as by diſhonour. The good report or praiſe which a man meets with in the world is as great a tryal as the ill report or diſpraiſe which he meets with in the world; 'tis a great tryal to be diſpraiſed, to have dirt throwne in our faces, and it is a great tryal to be prais'd, to be commended, and applauded, to be lifted up in the thoughts & upon the tongues of men. Solomon hath an excellent paſſage (Prov. 27.21.) As the fineing pot for ſilver, and the furnace for gold, ſo is a man to his praiſe; that is, a man is tryed by his praiſe, as the ſilver is tryed in the fineing pot, and as the gold is tryed in the furnace. Whenever you are praiſed, you are tryed; Then your humility and ſelfe-denyall are tryed; Then you are tryed whether when you are praiſed by men, you can give the whole glory to God. Herods praiſe was the fineing pot, and the furnace wherein he was tryed, it made him appeare to be but droſſe indeed. His hearers Cryed the voyce of God and not of man; When you cry up ſuch a Preacher, ſuch a Magiſtrate, ſuch a Souldier, ſuch an Oratour, you put him into the fineing pot, & he that is but droſſe conſumes. The wormes eate up Herod, becauſe he gave not Glory to God (Act. 12.23.) As it was a moſt dreadfull, ſo it was a moſt righteous judgement, that he ſhould be eaten up of wormes, who forgot that he was one, and forgot it ſo farre that he was pleaſed with their applauſes, who cryed him up for a God. Worldly proſperity, power and praiſe are the right hand, way, by which God tryeth the ſonnes of men.
Secondly, God doth uſually try by affliction, and that's the left hand way. (James 1 12.) Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation (meaning affliction) for when he is tryed he ſhall receive the crowne of life, &c. That is, when thoſe temptations and afflictions have tryed him, and he hath approved himſelfe in the tryall; then, he ſhall receive the crowne of life, &c. (1 Pet. 1.6.) Though now for a ſeaſon (if need be) yee are in heavines through manifold temptations, that the tryal of your faith being much more precious then of gold that periſheth, Cos aurum probat rectam tentamina mentem. Natura vexata p…edit ſeipſam.though it be tryed with fire, might be found to praiſe, &c. Affliction is the tryall of our faith in God, and of our patience under the hand of God. When nature is vext it ſhewes it ſelfe, and ſo doth grace. Affliction diſcovereth both what our vertues and what our corruptions are.
Thirdly, God tryeth man by a kinde of examination; David ſpeakes of that (Pſal. 17.3.) Thou haſt proved mine heart, thou haſt viſited mee in the night, thou haſt tryed mee and ſhalt finde nothing. In the night the ſoule is free from buſines with the world, and therefore freeſt for buſines with God, & then did God prove and viſit David, that is, examine and ſift him, by calling to his minde all his wayes and workes in former paſſages; And the iſſue of this tryall was, he found nothing, not that his ſoule was empty of good things, or that there was nothing evill in him, but God upon examination found nothing of that evill in him, which ſome men ſuſpected him of, Namely, eyther any ill will or evill deſigne againſt Saul, in reference to whom he called his cauſe a righteous cauſe, or the right (ver. 1.) Heare the right, O Lord, &c. Thus God tryed David; And thus earthly Judges try men; They examine them, and their caſe, that's cald a tryall; in this third ſence wee are chiefly to underſtand the meaning of Job in this place. Job had long before undergone a tryall by proſperity and praiſe, Job was at that time under tryall by affliction, he had paſt the former and was under the latter, yea, he was deep in it,Intelligitur de ſtricto dei examine in ſuo judicio ad quod Job provocaverat. Merc: but as yet hee had not come to this tryall of Examination, or to a judiciary tryall, which hee earneſtly beggd of God. All men ſhall come to ſuch a tryall in the Great day. Wee muſt all appeare before the Judgement ſeate of Chriſt, that every one may receive the thingt done in his body, accordeng to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (2 Cor. 5.10.) Some expound Job appealing here to that Judgement. But I conceive that the whole tendency of his diſcourſe aymes at an earlyer Judgement or day of tryall then that. And though (poſſibly) his expectation was not great, if any at all, that God would grant him a private Seſſion (as we may call it) for his perſonall tryall, yet (to ſhew that he had not the leaſt ſuſpition of being acquitted in that day whenſoever it ſhould be, he importunately profeſſeth he could wiſh it might be the next day, and that he would refuſe no paines nor travell, for the procuring of ſuch a day, were it to be obtained; being fully ſatisfied from the light and dictates of his owne Conſcience, that when the Lord had ſo tryed him, he (as David ſpake in the place lately opened) ſhould finde nothing, no ſuch fault or guilt as was charged upon him. Chriſt writing to the Angel of the Church of Epheſus, gives him this among other commendations, (Rev. 2.2.) Thou hast tryed them which ſay they are Apoſtles and are not, and haſt found them lyars. Many appeare fayre in holines, and boaſt highly of their priviledges, (even as high as an infallible Spirit and immediate miſſion) who yet being tryed and throughly examined by the Church, or by thoſe who are ſpirituall, and have ſences exerciſed to diſcerne both good and evill, will be found lyars, counterfeit ſtuffe, and lighter then vanitie. But Job was perſwaded that though God ſhould try him, not onelyonly ſhould nothing be found againſt him, nor he found a lyar, but that much would be found for him, and himſelfe be found in the truth, as he plainely expreſſeth in the cloſe of the verſe; when hee hath tryed mee, whut then?
I ſhall come forth as gold.Egrediar ex hoc igne probationis meae expurgatiſſimus Coruſcabi… innocentia mea. Pined.
Here's the iſſue of the tryal. There are ſeaven words uſed in the Original for gold; That in the text notes the colour or yellownes of it,foreign generale vocabulum eſt a colore ſulvo ſeu flavo, & transfertur ad aliarum rerum munditiem ſignificandum, ſic ab aura & aurora aurum derivat Iſidor: Plenus vino aureo, i. e. ſplendido velut aurum. and is applyed to ſignifie any thing that is bright, or ſhineing, pure and ſplendid, as Gold is. (Zach. 4.12.) wee read of golden pipes which did empty the golden oyle (or, according to the letter of the Hebrew, the Gold) out of themſelves. That ſpirituall oyle was called golden or gold, becauſe, like gold, ſhineing, pure and precious. The gifts and graces of the Spirit are golden oyle indeed. So (Jer. 51.7.) Babylon hath been a golden Cup in the hand of the Lord; Which ſome expound tropically; taking the Continent for the thing contained; The cup for the wine, Called golden wine, becauſe of the ſplendidnes and beauty of it (as Solomon ſpeakes, Pro. 23.31.) When it giveth his colour in the cup. Or Babylon is called a Golden cup; firſt, becauſe of the great glory, wealth, and illuſtrious pomp of that Empire, deſcribed in Daniel (Chap. 2.32.38.) by a head of Gold, and marked out in Iſaiah, by the name of the Golden City (Iſa. 14.4) and ſecondly, becauſe God had cauſed other Nations to drinke deep of his wrath by the power of the Babylonian Empire. Upon which account Myſticall Babylon is ſayd to have a Golden cup in her hand (Rev. 17.4.) Gold, is the King, the chiefe of metals; gold is among metals as the Sunne is among the Starres and Planets of Heaven, the glory and Prince of them all. So that when Job ſaith, I ſhall come forth as gold, his meaning is, I ſhall come forth pure and in much perfection. Gold is firſt the moſt precious metal; ſecondly, the moſt honourable metal; thirdly, the moſt weighty metal; fourthly, the moſt durable metal; fifthly, the moſt deſirerable metal: Every one is for gold;Aurum per ignem probatum ſymbolum eſt j…ſtorum nam ill… minime laedit examen …gnis, per iſta igitur verba vir ſanctus candorem ſuae innocentiae & conſcientiae puritatem maximam cir…umloquitur. Bold. So that when Job ſaith, I ſhall come forth gold, his meaning is, as if he had ſayd, my tryall will not diminiſh, but rather adde unto me; I ſhall be precious, honourable, weighty, durable, deſireable after I have been in the furnace or fineing pot of my ſoreſt and ſevereſt Tryalls. And he ſpeakes thus in oppoſition to his friends, who had an opinion of him as if he were but droſſe or the off-ſcoureing of all things (as the Apoſtles were reckoned in their time) I ſhall come forth not droſſe and traſh, but gold, as if he had ſayd, Were I once tryed, I ſhould be for ever quit of thoſe Charges brought in againſt mee, and of thoſe ſcandals caſt upon mee, I ſhould ſhine in reputation and honour like pure gold coming out of the fire. I ſhould recover my good name, and be found a man loyall to God and righteous towards men.
Hence note.
Grace renders man excellent and precious.
Every godly man is gold, yea he is more precious then fine gold; The fineſt gold is but droſſe to Grace; the wicked of the world are reprobate ſilver, or refuſe ſilver (Jer. 6.30.) the Saints are finer then Gold refined in the fire, for they are precious, they are honourable, they are uſefull, they are dureable and laſting, they ſhall endure everlaſtingly, they are weighty in their worth, and their portion is an eternall weight of glory.
Secondly, Whereas Job ſaith, when I am tryed I ſhall come forth as gold.
Obſerve.
A godly man is no looſer by being tryed, yea he gaines by it.
He who before was reputed but as droſſe, and had much droſſe in him, comes out of the tryal as gold, and loſeth nothing of his weight, worth, or beauty by being tryed, he onelyonly loſeth (a good loſſe) his droſſe and the rubbiſh of his corruptions. Grace is not onelyonly grace ſtill, but more gracious even glorious after tryall. Some ſpeake of grace as if it were but droſſe, conſumeable in the fire; as if every temptation and tryal endanger'd it to an utter conſumption, or as if, like lead, it would quite evaporate, and ſpend to nothing in the fire. They ſticke not to affirme, that a true beleever may loſe all his graces, and how much ſoever enricht before by the Spirit, yet prove a bankrupt in ſpiritualls. Job was Confide…t that his gold would hold the tryal, both of the hotteſt afflictions, and of the ſtricteſt examinations. He had been tryed long in the furnace of affliction heated ſeaven times more then ordinary, and yet held his integrity, and though he ſhould come to tryal at the Judgement-ſeate of God, which is more then ſeventy-times ſeven times ſtricter then the Judgement-ſeate of man (according to truth) can be, yet he nothing doubted, that nothing (as to the general bent of his heart and frame of life) ſhould be found or appeare but integrity ſtill. That is but droſſie grace, natural grace, if not hypocritical grace, or a counterfeit onelyonly of grace, which a…ides not in the day of tryall. They who looſe the grace which they have ſhewed, had onelyonly a ſhew of grace. Hypocrites ſhall …o…e all at their tryal, their paint, their varniſh will not endure the fire, eyther of a laſting affliction, or of that laſt examination; when once a hypocrite is tryed, then he is ſham'd. He may goe currant for pure gold a great while, but at laſt he appeares but as a gilded ſepulcher or droſſe of gold. (Pſal 119.119.) Thou putteſt away all the wicked of the earth like droſſe. And the Lord ſpeaking of the degenerate houſe of Iſrael (Ezek. 22.18.) ſaith, The houſe of Iſrael is to me become droſſe, all they are braſſe, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midſt of the furnace, they are even the droſſe (or droſſes) of ſilver; That is, though they are a profeſſing people, and hold out my name, yet I having tryed and examined them throughly, finde them to have nothing but a name of profeſſion; They being tryed are come forth like droſſe. The Apoſtle (1 Cor. 3.13,) Allegorically ſhadowing out all ſorts of ſuperſtructive doctrine, by Gold, ſilver, precious ſtones, wood, hay, ſtubble, ſaith, If any man build upon this foundation (that is, Chriſt) Gold, ſilver, precious ſtones, wood, hay, ſtubble, every mans worke ſhall be made manifeſt, for the day ſhall declare it, becauſe it ſhall be revealed by fire, Dum p…obantur toti in fumum abeunt.and the fire ſhall try every mans worke of what ſort it is. If any mans worke abide which he hath built thereupon, hee ſhall receive a reward; if any mans worke ſhall be burnt, he ſhall ſuffer loſs, &c. The wood, hay, ſtubble, ſhall be burnt, but the gold, ſilver, precious ſtones, will abide the tryall of fire. Whether it be the fire of perſecution, tribulation, and temptation (nothing but holy truth can abide theſe fires) or the fire of the holy Spirit (who in Scripture is often compared to fire, and) who together with the light of the Word revealeth the ſoundnes or falſenes of all doctrines delivered by men, and like fire conſumes what is falſe, but gives a further brightnes and luſtre to the truth. Even truth untryed may be counted droſſe, but being tryed it comes forth like gold. Now, as the truth of doctrines, ſo the truth of perſons, in their workes and graces will abide when they come to the Teſt or tryall; God who puts away all the wicked of the earth as droſſe, will gather up all the godly of the earth as Gold, when he hath tryed them, and try them he will. We read (Dan. 7.9, 10.) how dreadfully God comes to Judgement; I beheld till the thrones were caſt downe, and the ancient of dayes did ſit; his Throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheeles as burning fire; a fiery ſtreame iſſued and came forth from before him, the judgement was ſet, and the bookes were opened. Which whether it be meant of the laſt Judgement, or of ſome ſpeciall Judgement upon a particular ſtate or oppreſſing power, comes all to one as to the poynt in hand; while it ſhewes that God in the tryal of men will examine their perſons, and their actions, as by fire. Of every ſuch tryall it may be ſayd (as Mala. 3.2, 3.) Who may abide the day of his coming? and who ſhall ſtand when he appeareth? (The Prophet ſpeakes of the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, at which time he was alſo mighty in Spirit) for he is like a refiners fire, and like fullers ſoape, and he ſhall ſit as a refiner and purifier of ſilver. When Chriſt came in the fleſh to redeeme us, he came with fire alſo to purge and ſanctifie us, and he comes with fire whenſoever he comes in the Spirit to comfort and enlighten us, and at laſt when he comes in glory, he will come with fire to try, examine, and judge us. When he comes to try us thus, All the faithfull ſhall come forth as Gold, but the wicked and their works will burne and be conſumed. When Saints come to tryal at laſt they will ſtand, and when they are tryed here, they will mend; firſt, their Corruptions will be the more outed, and, ſecondly, their graces will be the more acted. We may read this iſſue of their tryal (Zech. 13.9.) And it ſhall come to paſſe that in all the Land, ſaith the Lord, two parts therein ſhall be cut off and dye, but the third ſhall be left therein. Whether we take the Land in particular for Iſrael and the people of the Jewes, or typically, for all profeſſors thorowout the world, two parts ſhall be cut off and dye, but the third ſhall be left therein. And what will God doe with them? or how will he deale with them? We may ſee what at the 9th verſe. And I will bring the third part thorow the fire (of affliction and examination) and I will refine them as ſilver is refined, and try them as gold is tryed (and what will be the iſſue of this?) And they ſhall call on my name, and I will heare them. Here faith and prayer (in which all graces are exerciſed) are put for all graces. When they are in this fire they ſhall call on my name, In igne deum amantèr invocant & candido & germano ſunt erga illum ſtudio. Theod.and I will heare them, and I will ſay (when they are in the fire) it is my people, and they ſhall ſay, the Lord is my God. They who pray in the fire of tryall, or in the fiery tryall, declare evidently, that they are Gold in the fire; but they to whom God ſaith in the fire of their tryalls, yee are my people, and they who (being ſtill in the ſame fire) can ſay, the Lord is our God, are declared both by God and themſelves eminently, that they are gold in the fire. They are as the choyceſt gold, as the Gold of Ophir, of whom the Lord ſaith, (by an act of diſtinguiſhing love) yee are my people, and who can ſay to God (by an act of appropriating faith) the Lord is our God. Surely then Saints loſe nothing in the fire (but what is not worth the holding) while God finds and owns them, and they finde and owne God in the fire.
Further, Some read this latter part of the verſe as an offer; Let him try mee, Probat me.and I ſhall come forth as gold; as if Job had ſaid, I doe not refuſe, but deſire a tryall; God knowes my way, the way that is in me, let him come and try mee, yea I am ready to come to him for my tryall.
Hence note.
A ſincere heart is willing to be tryed.
'Tis a great part of the worke of a godly man to try himſelfe and his workes, and it is one of his greateſt wiſhes, that God would try him, and his workes. They who are ſincere are much in trying themſelves; Let us ſearch and try our wayes (ſay they) and turne againe unto the Lord. And they who are much in ſelfe tryal and Examination, are willing to be tryed and examined both by God and man; ſure enough, They that try themſelves much, are not afraid of the tryal of man, no nor of the tryal of God. If we compare the firſt verſe of the 139th Pſalme with the 23…, we ſhall ſee what an anſwer there is in them as to this poynt. At the firſt verſe David ſaith, O Lord, thou haſt ſearched mee and knowne mee: at the 23 verſe hee prayes; Search mee O God, and know my heart; why did David pray thus to God; Search mee and know my heart? having ſaid before, Thou haſt ſearched mee and knowne mee. Seing David knew that God had ſearched him, what needed he to pray that God would ſearch him? why did he begge God to doe that which hee had done already? The anſwer is at hand. David was a diligent ſelfe-ſearcher, and therefore he was ſo willing to be ſearched, yea he delighted to be ſearched, by God; and that not (as was ſaid) becauſe himſelfe had done it already, but alſo becauſe he knew God could doe it better. Hee knew by his owne ſearch, that he did not live in any way of wickednes againſt his knowledge, and yet he knew there might be ſome way of wickednes in him that he knew not of. And therefore he doth not onelyonly ſay, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; but he adds (ver. 24.) ſee if there be any wicked way (or any way of paine and griefe) in me. (The ſame word ſignifies both, becauſe wicked wayes lead in the end to paine and griefe) and lead me in the way everlaſting. As if he had ſaid; Lord, I have ſearched my ſelfe, and can ſee no wicked way in me, but Lord thy ſight is infinitely clearer then mine, and if thou wilt but ſearch me, thou mayeſt ſee ſome wicked way in me which I could not ſee, and I would faine ſee and know the worſt of my ſelfe, that I might amend it and grow better, therefore Lord, if there be any ſuch way in me, cauſe me to know it alſo; O take that way out of me, and take me out of that way, lead me in the way everlaſting. David had tryed himſelfe, and he would againe be tryed by God, that he being better tryed, might become yet better. He found himſelfe Gold upon his owne tryall, and yet he feared there might be ſome droſſe in him that he had not found, And now he would be re-tryed that he might come forth pureſt gold. Pure gold feares neither the furnace nor the fire, neither the Teſt nor the Touchſtone, nor is weighty gold afraid of the Ballance; He that is weight will be weight, how often ſoever he is weighed: he that is gold will be gold, how often ſoever he is tryed, and the oftener he is tryed the purer Gold he will be; what he is he will be, and he would be better then he is. Every man of Jobs mettal ſaith or may ſay, Let him try mee, and I ſhall come forth as gold.