Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 23

Exposition of Job 22-26 · Commentary · Chapter 23

p. 388JOB, CHAP. 23. Verſ. 11, 12.

My foot hath held his ſteps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

Neither have I gone back from the commandement of his lips, I have eſteemed the words of his mouth more then my neceſſary food.

AT the 21^th and 22^th verſes of the former Chapter, Eliphaz having ſharply rebuked Job, gave him very wholeſome and holy counſell. Acquaint thy ſelfe now with him, and be at peace, receive the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart. In theſe two verſes Job profeſſeth that he had done ſo; that he had kept cloſe to God, followed him ſtep by ſtep, that he had not declined, or turned back, and that he had done all this out of pure love to the word. So that each member of this context ſeems to carry a direct anſwer to every member of that counſel which Eliphaz had there given him; As firſt, to that of Eliphaz, Acquaint thy ſelfe with God, (he ſayth) I have held his ſteps. That man takes and holds neere acquaintance with another, of whom it may be affirmed, that he treads in or holds his very ſteps. Againe, Eliphaz adviſed Job thus; Receive the Law at his mouth; Job anſwers, I have not gone back from the commandement of his lips, &c.

Or thus;

Firſt, He that takes hold of the ſteps of God, acquaints himſelfe with God.

Secondly, He that keeps the way of God and declines not from it, is at peace with God.

Thirdly, He that goeth not back from the commandement of his lips, receives the Law at his mouth.

Fourthly, He that eſteemeth the word of God more then his neceſſary food, hath ſurely layd up the word of God in his heart.

Job profeſſeth in theſe two verſes that he had done all this, and therefore he had already done what Eliphaz preſſeth him to doe. His whole converſation had exactly hitt the counſell given him.

p. 389Verſ. 11. My foote hath held his ſteps.

My foote] We are not to take the word foote, ſtrictly,Cum dicit, pes meus, pro eo habendum ac ſi dixiſſet, ego apprehendi greſſum ejus. Druſ: Verbum ſignificat aliquid violentèr detinere, ne labatur, aut fugiat, aut fluat. Bold. foreign for that ſpeciall member of the body ſo called; but by the foote we are to underſtand the whole man; my foote, that is, I my ſelfe have held his ſteps, I have held them; And he meanes ſuch a holding as hath a kinde of honeſt pertinaciouſneſſe in it, or a reſolvedneſſe not to let goe what is held, a reſolute holding, a cleaveing faſt to, a holding with a kinde of violence, ſuch as Jacob expreſſed to the Angel (Gen. 32.26.) I will not let thee goe except thou bleſſe me.

My foote hath held.

To lay hold is the proper action of the hand, not of the foote; and it is uſed here onelyonly as it ſignifies the keeping of a thing cloſe and faſt any way, ſo as not to part with it; or as it imports, a conſtant walking with God.

My foote hath held his ſteps, or upon his ſteps.

The word which ſignifies to goe, ſignifies alſo to be happy or bleſſed, and the reaſon is, becauſe our way or motion ſheweth what our end and reſt ſhall be; our happineſſe in the end lieth virtually in our way.

But what were thoſe ſteps that his foote took hold of? Steps in the Text may be taken two wayes.

Firſt, For thoſe ſteps which God hath appointed man to take,Veſtigia dei idem ſignificare, poterunt quod via dei, ſc. illius precepta & legem, quam nobis tenendam commonſtrat. Pined. Greſſum ejus accipe paſſivè id eſt ab eo definitum & monſtratum. Jun. Veſtigia dei ſunt divinae actiones quibus ille preit; vel ſunt ejus effectus ad extra, ſc. Charitatis, clementiae, juſtitiae veritatis. Pined. walking as and where God would have him; ſo theſe ſteps are the ſame with the law or way of God: not actively for the ſteps which God takes, but paſſively for the ſteps which he directs and appoints us to take.

Secondly, We may expound theſe ſteps for Gods own ſteps, not for the ſteps which he ſhews us in his word that we ſhould take, but for the ſteps which he ſhews in his practiſe, or in his example that himſelfe hath taken. My foote hath held his ſteps; ſo to follow the ſteps of another is to imitate him, and to follow the ſteps of God is to imitate him; the ſteps of God are thoſe holy actings wherein he goeth before us, and ſets us an example. Some of the workes of God are a rule, his actions are directions to us. Then Jobs meaning is, I have imitated God, and followed his example p. 390in all things that are imitable by man, I have ſo much acquainted my ſelfe with God, and have been ſo familiar with him that I have as it were coppied out his way in my life and converſation. Thus he ſpeakes of God as leading the way, and going before us; and (ſaith he) I have not ſatisfied my ſelfe to follow him at large, or in the ſame common path, but I have ſet my feete in his very ſteps, or I have followed him ſtep by ſtep.

Hence note.

That a godly man doth example himſelfe by God.

He followeth the way of God in his workes, as well as in his word, or he obeyeth God doing as well as commanding. Many of the workes of God are infinitely beyond our imitation, yet he workes ſo in other things that he hath deſcended to our imitation. And though we cannot follow God in any thing as to an equality, yet we may follow him in many things as to the ſimilitude of his workings; we may goe the ſame way that he goeth, and take the ſame ſteps that he hath taken, though we cannot take them in that perfection, nor goe with ſuch exactnes as he hath gone before us. A childe may write the ſame letters, the ſame words and lines, which the moſt acurate penman or artiſt in writing hath preſcribed him for a copie, and ſo the childe may be ſaid to hold the ſteps of his Maſter, letter for letter, word for word, line for line, though there be a wide difference diſcernable between their writings. To follow God is our dutie, Godlineſſe is Godlikeneſſe, or, an imitation of God, And practicall Chriſtianity is nothing elſe but our imitation of Chriſt, and that not onelyonly in doing but in ſuffering (1 Pet. 2.21.) For even hereunto are we called; becauſe Chriſt alſo ſuffered for us, leaving us an example that we ſhould follow his ſteps. …equere deum. Epict.Chriſt is not onelyonly a principle of holineſſe in us, or our ſpirituall life, but he is alſo a patterne of holineſſe according to which we ought to live. And the ſame Apoſtle repreſents the holineſſe of God, both as a rule, and as a motive of that holineſſe which ſhould be acted by us (1 Ep: 1.15, 16.) As he that hath called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of converſation, becauſe it is written (Lev: 11.14.) Be ye holy for I am holy. To be holy as God is in all manner of converſation, is ſtedfaſtly to hold the ſteps of God. And when (as Chriſt exhorts Math. 5.55.) Wee are mercifull as our father which is in heaven is mercifull. When as p. 391the Apoſtle exhorts (Eph. 4.32.) Wee forgive as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven us; when we are patient and long-ſuffering one towards another, as God is towards us all, then we take hold of his ſteps; this ſhould be our buſineſſe every day, to follow God in his word, and in his workes, to follow him fully. It is ſaid of Caleb (Num. 14.24.) My ſervant Caleb hath another ſpirit, he hath followed me fully. Here ſome may object, to follow the counſel of God fully, is the dutie of all, but to follow the example of God is ſurely beyond the attainment of any. This ſeemes to be a hight of holineſſe too high for man; For if Solomon ſaid (Eccl: 2.12.) What can the man doe that cometh after the King? even that which hath been already done, or (more cloſe to the Original) in thoſe things which have been already done. How much more may we ſay, What can the man doe that comes after God the King of Kings? can he doe that which hath been done already? I anſwer, no man can paralel the workes of God, but all men are called to imitate him in his workes; though we cannot follow him with equall ſteps, yet we may follow the equity and holines of his ſteps. This Job did and we (through grace) may doe. My foote hath held his ſteps, His way have I kept, and not declined.

The way of God is his Law, in that he will have us to walke, and that is called his way, becauſe he hath preſcribed it, and is the author of it; as that is mans way wherein he walks, ſo that is Gods way wherein he will have man to walke; Bleſſed is the undefiled in the way (Pſal. 119.1.) What the way is, he tels us in the next words, Bleſſed are they that keepe his teſtimonies, and who walke in the Law of the Lord. His law and teſtimonies are his way: now ſayth Job, As I have held his ſteps, or followed his example, ſo I have kept his way, that is, I have done that which he hath commanded. The way of God is put ſometimes in Scripture for that which himſelfe hath done (Ezek. 18.25.Via del & hominis ſumitur; 1 Pro itinere & greſſibus. 2 P…o ipſa via ſtrata.) Heare O houſe of Iſrael, is not my way equall, that is, the way wherein I my ſelfe have gone, the way of my diſpenſations to you, both in rewarding and puniſhing. And as the workes of providence, ſo the worke of Creation is called the way of God (Pro. 8.22.) The Lord poſſeſſed me in the beginning of his way, (that is, before he came forth in the worke of Creation) before his workes of old; his way and his workes are the ſame, or his workes are his way. But in this Text p. 392(as I touch't before) we may rather take way for that which God would have us doe, or for the way in which we ought to walke. And ſo we have the compleatnes of Jobs obedience, he imitated the example and he obeyed the command of God.

His way have I kept.

Yet further, There is a twofold keeping of the way of God;

Firſt, by practice and obedience, thus we keepe the way of God by ſubmitting to it.

Secondly, There is a keeping the way of God by protection and defence; Thus we keepe the way of God, when we ſtand up to maintaine it. We may take it here in both ſenſes; and in both, doubtleſſe, Jobs Spirit was led out to keepe the way of God.

Hence note.

A godly man keepes cloſe to the word of God.

He keepes cloſe to it by obeying it, and he keepes it cloſe by defending it; and this he doth as Job did it univerſally (for ſo this indefinite propoſition, His way have I kept, is to be underſtood) it was not this or that way, but any or every way of God which he kept. And thus a godly man keepes the way of God, though it be a difficult and (to the fleſh) an uneaſie way, though it be (among men) a reproachfull, and ignominious way, though it be (as to his outward concernements) a diſadvantageous and dangerous way, yet he keepes it: he that is through with God, doth not onelyonly keepe thoſe wayes which ſuit with his owne pleaſure and credit, with the ſafety of his owne intereſts and accommodations in the world, but if the way of God lie through difficulties, through dangers and diſgraces, he will yet keepe it. And if we thus keepe the way of God, we may be ſure, that the way of God, or rather the God of this way will keepe us, and keepe us in perfect peace, in ſpirituall freedome, ſafetie, and honour, though we have trouble in and from the world. His way have I kept, and which doth heighten his obedience, care, and zeale in keeping it.

He addes, And not declined.

foreignThe word ſignifies, to be unſteady, or to move every way; As if he had ſaid, I have kept his wayes ſtedfaſtly and unmoveably. Job p. 393ſpeakes both in the affirmative, I have kept, and in the negative, I have not declined. Some keepe the wayes of God a while, but they keepe not on, much leſſe doe they keepe up in keeping them. There is a twofold declining. Firſt, a declining from the way of God to evill and ſinfull wayes; and theſe are of two ſorts, firſt, erroneous opinions; ſecondly, wicked practices; ſecondly, there is a declining in the way of God, when though we keepe the good way, yet we are not ſo good in the way as we were, but ſlacke our pace & coole in our zeale to the good wayes of God. We may expound Jobs negative in reference to both theſe; as if he had ſayd, I have neither gone out of the way of God, nor have I been ſloathfull in it. 'Tis the higheſt commendation of man, thus to keepe the way of God, and not decline.

Hence note.

A godly man is, or ought to be, and 'tis his honour to be ſteady in a good way.

Perfeverance is our Crowne. The Apoſtle (1 Cor. 15.58.) Exhorts to be ſteady and unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord. We ſhould be alwayes moving in the worke of the Lord, but never moving out of the worke of the Lord: wee ſhould be as a rock in regard of ſtedfaſtnes, and as fire in regard of activenes. The Author to the Hebrewes (Chap. 10.23.) gives this admonition to beleivers, Let us hold faſt the profeſſion of our faith, without wavering, or without declining. There are ſome of whom we may ſay, they hold nothing, they hold no profeſſion, they dare not make a profeſſion leſt they ſhould be bound to ſtand to it, or they ſtand not to that which they have made; and as they hold no profeſſion, ſo they hold no poſition, but as to the doctrine of faith are meere ſcepticks, they are alwayes querying, but never concluding. The Apoſtle ſpeakes of ſome (2 Tim. 3.7.) who are ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; and there are others ever learning, but never willing to declare their knowledge of the truth; and they who hold nothing in doctrine, will not hold long in practice. Therefore ſaith the Apoſtle; Let us hold faſt our profeſſion, let us be ſteady in it, and that without wavering. And this is the great argument which the Apoſtle carries through that whole Epiſtle, to eſtabliſh the Saints, that ſo they might hold faſt, without wavering, and p. 394declining in the profeſſion of the faith. Let us take heed of eyther of thoſe waverings and declineings, before explained. Firſt, Let us not decline in the way, but keepe up in the ſame degree of holines and love to Chriſt. The Church of Epheſus is charged with this ſort of declineing; and therefore after Chriſt had given that Church a great and a deſerved commendation (Rev. 2.2.) I know thy workes, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canſt not beare them which are evill, and haſt tryed them that ſay they are Apoſtles, and are not, and haſt found them lyars; yet Chriſt comes with a rebuking, nevertheleſſe (at the 4^th verſe) I have ſomewhat againſt thee, becauſe thou haſt left thy firſt love; that is, thou haſt declined from, or abated in thy firſt heate of love. Epheſus did not totally forſake, nor caſt off Chriſt out of her love; Epheſus did not chooſe other lovers, nor ſay, ſhee would have no more to doe with Chriſt: The chiefe object of her love was the ſame, but her actings were not the ſame. The ſtreames of her affection did not run into another channel, but they were fallen and ebb'd in their former channel. 'Tis ſad, when Saints decline thus; we ſhould keepe up to the ſame height, to the ſame heate, to the ſame degree of love without declineing, we ſhould not onelyonly run at firſt ſetting out, but continue running, or as the Apoſtle ſpeakes (Heb. 12.1.) Run with patience, that is, run conſtantly, or with perſeverance, the race that is ſet before us. They that run in a worldly race, the neerer they come to the Goale, the faſter they run, and the more they ſtrive; ſo ſhould we in our holy race; we ſhould ſtill be growing and encreaſing with the encreaſe of God. A Saint ſhould be thankfull for the leaſt degree, but he ſhould not ſit downe in the greateſt degree he hath already attained unto. And though ſome who have grace doe not actually reach after more, yet they who ſay they have enough, or need no more, give too cleare an evidence againſt themſelves, that they have none at all. As the higher degrees of grace (under a temptation or deſertion) may be unthriving and unſtriving after perfection, ſo the loweſt degree of ſaving grace is (in its owne nature) thriving and ſtriving after more perfection. He that beleeves, truely, would beleeve more, and he that loves truely, would love more and more, till his love become a vehement flame, ſo vehement a flame that many waters ſhall not be able to quench it, nor the floods (of trouble and perſecution from the world) drowne it.

p. 395Secondly, as we ſhould thus take heed of declining in the way of grace, ſo we ſhould much more take heed, that we decline not from the way of grace, or as the Apoſtle Peter expreſſeth it (2 Ep: 2.31.) that we turne not from the holy commandement delivered unto us. This declining or turning from the commandements, is twofold; firſt, to the right hand; ſecondly, and to the left. The Scripture gives warning againſt both (Joſh. 1.7.) Be thou ſtrong and very corragious, that thou mighteſt obſerve, and doe according to all the Law which Moſes commanded, turne not from it to the right hand, or to the left. Againe (Pro. 4.25, 26, 27.) Let thine eye look right on, and let thine eye-lids look ſtreight before thee; ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy wayes be eſtabliſhed, turne not to the right hand, nor to the left, remove thy foote from evill; As if he had ſayd, there is evill both on the right hand, and on the left, therefore turne neyther to the one, nor to the other, that thou mayeſt remove thy foot from evill. But ſome may ſay, What is here meant by the right hand, and what by the left? and what are theſe declineings, or turnings? I anſwer; To turne to the right hand, notes exceſſe, when we will take upon us to doe more then God hath commanded, when we will needs over-doe, this is to decline to the right hand; for though, when man hath done his utmoſt through grace in this life (conſidering his in dwelling corruption) he alwayes falls ſhort of that exactnes which the Law requires, and ſo cannot poſſibly exceed the Law in holines; yet all they may be ſaid to act beyond the command, or to out-act the Law of God, as to the matter of their obedience, who doe that which God never commanded, nor ever came into his heart (as the Prophet ſpeakes, Jer. 7.31.) to command them. They who thus doe what God requires not, and as if God had been too ſcant in his rules, will needes give a new rule eyther to themſelves or others, and as if God had not given them lawes enow, will (in this ſence) be a law to themſelves or others, eyther in matters of practiſe or worſhip (And ſo indeed make voyd the Law of God by their tradition) theſe exceeders are the men who turne to the right hand, though indeed (except they repent this raſhneſſe) themſelves are likely to be ſet upon the left hand. Men never act more left-handedly then when they thus turne to the right hand, nor doe they ever wrong God more, then when they doe that which is right in their owne eyes: men never ſhew themſelves p. 396ſo fooliſh, as when they will be wiſer then God.

Againe, Declining or turning to the left hand, implyeth a ſinne in defect, when we doe leſſe then God commands, when we ſhorten, and ſtreighten the will of God in our obedience to it. Every naturall man thinkes a little much, yea he thinkes much to doe a little; and may therefore be ſayd to turne to the left hand, becauſe that is the unworking hand, or the hand which doth the leaſt work. A natural man eyther makes the Law of God voyd by doing that which is againſt it, or he lets it lie voyd by not doing it, and would be glad that this talent committed to him might for ever be wrapt up in a napkin, or be buryed in the earth. Both theſe turnings, whether to the right hand, or to the left, are evill. The way of holines, the good way lieth ſtreight forward, right on; It hath no turning either to the right hand, nor to the left. All the wayes of ſinne are called crooked wayes, and they are our owne wayes. (Pſal. 125.5.) As for ſuch as turne aſide to their crooked wayes, the Lord ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquitie. The Pſalmiſt calls them, Their crooked wayes; that is, wayes of their own deviſing; whereas the way of holines is the Lords way. To exceed or to doe more, to be deficient or to doe leſſe then God requires, both theſe are crooked wayes; the way of the Lord lyes ſtreight forward, right before us. (Pro. 28.18.) Who ſo walketh vprightly ſhall be ſaved, but he that is perverſe (or crooked) in his wayes ſhall fall at once. The motion of a godly man is like that of the kine that carryed the Arke (1 Sam. 6.12.) Who tooke the ſtreight way to the way of Bethſhemeſh, and went along the high way, lowing as they went, and they turned not aſide to the right hand, or to the left.

But you will ſay, Doe not good men, even the beſt of good men, decline ſometimes, and goe aſide? or doth it argue every man to be wicked who declines at any time? I anſwer; Job ſpeakes of what he had not done, not of what it was impoſſible for him to doe; he had not declined, yet he might have declined. Wee finde many declinings among the godly; how many are there that decline in degrees, who are godly in the maine; They love ſtill, but they have not the ſame warmth of love, the ſame heate of affection; They obey ſtill, but they have not the ſame ſtrength of obedience. There may be a declineing alſo not onelyonly in the way, but from the way, to the right hand ſometimes, and ſometimes to p. 397the left; there may be an exceeding, and there may be a coming ſhort in thoſe, as to actions, who, as to their ſtate, are come home to God; theſe things are poſſible, yea common, but we ſpeake of what many godly men doe, and what ſhould be the aime, and deſigne of every godly man, that is, to keepe the way of God, and not to decline, to keepe himſelfe up in ſpirituall ſtrength, and to keepe himſelfe onne in a ſpirituall courſe; yea every godly man may, and can ſay as David did (Pſal. 18.21,) I have kept the wayes of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. Though every godly man cannot ſay as godly Job did, I have kept his way, and not declined, yet every godly man may ſay as David, I have kept his wayes, and have not wickedly departed from my God; we ſhould be afraid of declineing and decaying, we ſhould ſtrive to be alwayes advancing and encreaſing. And as Saints are under a command to be ſuch, ſo they are under a promiſe to be ſuch, (Pſal. 92.12, 13, 14.) The righteous ſhall flouriſh like a Palme tree: he ſhall grow like a Cedar in Libanon. Thoſe that be planted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God, they ſhall ſtill bring forth fruit in old age: they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing. Here is not onelyonly a mention of growing, but of flouriſhing, and here's flouriſhing three times mentioned, and 'tis growing and flouriſhing not onelyonly like a tree, but like a Palme-tree, (which flouriſheth under opreſſion) and like a Cedar (not growing in ordinary places, but) in Lebanon, where were the goodlieſt Cedars. Nor doth the Spirit promiſe here a flouriſhing in boughes ane leaves onelyonly (as ſome trees doe, and doe no more) but in fruit; And this not onelyonly fruit for once in a yeare, or one yeare, but they ſtill bring forth fruit, and that not onelyonly in the yeares of their youth, or beginnings in grace, but in old age, and that not only in the entrance of that ſtate which is called old age, threeſcore yeares, but that which the Scripture calls the perfection of old age, threeſcore yeares and ten, as the learned Hebrewes obſerve upon the word uſed in the Pſalme. What a divine climax doth the Spirit of God make in this Scripture, to ſhew that the godly man, as to his ſtate, is ſo farre from declining, that he is ſtill climbing higher and higher? And if any ſhall aske how comes it to paſſe then, that ſome godly men are obſerved not onelyonly by themſelves, but by others, to decline often in and ſometimes from the wayes of God?

p. 398I anſwer, theſe declinings may be aſſigned to ſeverall Cauſes.

Firſt, To the power of ſome Corruption remaining much unmortified in them; as in a garden when the weeds grow high, the good herbs decline; And as in a field, when the weeds are ſtrong, the corne is weake; ſo it is here; the prevailing or growing of Corruption, is the declining of Grace in degree, and by reaſon of it, ſome (for a time) decline from the way.

Secondly, Declinings are from the prevalency of temptation; while Satan plieth ſome with temptation, he turneth them out of the way, or cauſeth them to walke but ſlowly in it. As temptation is a tryall of, ſo a hindrance unto grace, yea though corruption be kept much downe, yet ſome through a violent guſt of temptation have been over-borne.

Thirdly, Declinings are cauſed in the good by the example of thoſe that are evill, therefore the Apoſtle gives that Caution (Rom. 12.2.) Not to be conformable to the world. A godly man is apt enough to write by a falſe copie, and to doe as he ſees the world doth. What was all their way, or their onelyonly way before converſion, they after converſion (through neglect of their watch) may be found ſtepping into, or taking a ſtep or two in. Before converſion our whole courſe, ſayth the Apoſtle (Ephe. 2.2.) is according to the courſe of this world; And the examples of the world have drawne many aſide, after they have come out from the world. The faſhions and vanities of the world, in pride and pleaſure, are very drawing. All examples, eſpecially evill examples (like the Loadſtone) have an attractive vertue in them; and many of the godly have been drawne aſide thus, and have declined, with much ſcandal, fot a while from the way of God.

Fourthly, Declinings are ſometimes from afflictions; and thoſe we may conſider of two ſorts, perſonall, or publique: both or either of theſe have cauſed many to decline. The cold froſt of affliction hath nipped the graces of ſome, and made them to turn aſide from the way of God. Therefore the Church (having reported her great troubles) ſpeakes it as an argument of much ſinceritie towards God, and ſtrength of Grace received from him. (Pſal 44.17, 18.) All this is come upon us (that is, all theſe common calamities and afflictions) yet have we not forgotten thee, nor dealt falſely in thy Covenant; our hearts are not turned back, neither are our ſteps declined from thy way; As if ſhe had ſaid, Theſe afflictions p. 399have been ſtrong temptations upon us to cauſe us to decline from thy wayes, but through grace we have kept our ground, and remained conſtant in thy Covenant, yea though thou haſt ſore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of death. As, many, yea moſt of the Saints have improved under the croſſe, ſo there have been ſome who either through their preſent unbeleefe, or forgetfulnes of the exhortation which (as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 12.5.) ſpeaketh unto them as unto children, have had their faintings and declinings under it.

Fifthly, Others decline through proſperitie, and worldly injoyments; when they grow rich in temporalls, they grow poorer in ſpiritualls. As their outward man encreaſeth, ſo their inner man decayeth; and as they flouriſh in the fleſh, ſo hey wither in ſpirit. Hence holy Agur prayed (Pro. 30.8, 9.) Give me not poverty, leaſt I be poore and ſteale, and take the name of God in vaine, (that would be a ſad declining) give me not riches, leſt I be full and deny thee, and ſay who is the Lord? That's a ſadder declining then the former. Povertie endangers grace much, but riches more. To be rich or great in the world, is a great temptation; Food convenient is the moſt ſweet and moſt untemptationleſſe condition. As hypocrites fall quite off from God, when they come onne much in the world; ſo the ſincere may be much hindred in their way. And as many godly men have declined through their owne proſperitie, ſo ſome have declined, or at leaſt have been in great danger of declining by the proſperitie of others. David was readie to decline from God, when he ſaw the proſperitie of ungodly men. (Pſal. 73.2.) As for me my feete were almoſt gone, my ſteps had well nigh ſlip't, when I ſaw the proſperitie of the wicked. David was almoſt downe, when he ſaw the wicked up Their ſtanding had almoſt given him a fall; My ſteps (ſayth h… had well nigh ſlipt; now if it put David, a man eminent in godlineſſe, ſo hard to it to keepe his ſtanding (all the grace in his heart, and aſſiſtance from God could ſcarce hold him up) how much more may they who come farre ſhort of David, decline by ſeing the proſperitie of wicked men? are not they readie to conclude, ſurely we ſhall thrive, and doe well enough, though we doe as others doe, who doe not trouble themſelves in a ſtrictnes about matters of religion as we have done, Verily (as it follows at the 13^th verſe) we have cleanſed our heart in vaine, and waſhed our hands in innocency. p. 400If we had ſpared our paines of labour, we could not have endured more paine of trouble; for all the day long have we been plagued, and chaſtned every morning. Such arguings as theſe ſhew great declinings. Yet they who are ſincere will ſoone recover themſelves againe, and ſay as David after he had reviewed this Temptation (ver. 15.) If we ſay we will ſpeake thus, we ſhould offend againſt the Generation of the righteous.

Now ſeing the Godly are ſo many wayes endangered to declining, let us be warned of it, and beware of it. Theſe are declining times, many profeſſors have ſhamed themſelves, and the profeſſion of the Goſpel. He is a Chriſtian indeed that can ſay in truth as Job did, I have kept his words and not declined; they that knew me many yeares agoe may finde me in as good, yea in a better plight then I was then. Hypocrites & true beleevers may look & act very like one another, but as the nature of their eſtates have alwayes a vaſt difference to the underſtanding, ſo the event gives a vaſt difference between them to the eye. Hypocrites keep the word of God a while, but they ever decline in the end finally from it, and ſometims throw it off in the way totally. When they are in the way they grow weary of it, & a ſmal matter working either upon their hopes or fears, will put them quite out of it. Every difficulty, every danger is to them a Lion in the way, cauſing them to decline from it; wheras to thoſe that are ſincere, difficulties are not ſtops, but incitements and ſpurres, they doe but provoke their zeale, they cannot quench it. And hence the holy Apoſtle ſends a challenge (Rom. 8.35.) to all the troubles, afflictions, and evills in the world: he bids them doe their worſt, and when they have done it, they ſhall not be able to ſeperate him from the love of God, neither from the love wherewith Go… …oved him, or from that love wherewith he loved God.

I have kept his wayes and not declined.

Secondly, Obſerve.

That ſinne is a declining from the way of God.

That's the Apoſtles definition (1 Joh. 3.4.) Sin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law; And tranſgreſſion is a going aſide, or a going over the line by which God hath chaulked us out our way. God hath not left us at our liberty, though he hath left us (as the Apoſtle James calls it, Chap. 1.25.) a perfect law of liberty. He p. 401hath not left us to travell over hedge and ditch, but hath ſhewed us our way, a high way and a way (as the Prophet ſpeakes, Iſa. 35.8.) And it ſhall be called the way of holines, the way-faring men, though fooles, ſhall not erre therein. Yet fooles are alwayes erring from it, all their walkings are wandrings, and their goings are goings aſtray who walke and goe on in a ſinfull way. The word which ſignifies ſinne in the Hebrew, imports moſt properly the miſſing of a mark; becauſe ſinning is a miſſing of the mark, and a declining from the way; I have kept his way, and not declined.

Verſ. 12. Neither have I gone backe from the commandement of his lips, &c.

Job proceeds with his negative profeſſion, having ſaid before, I have not declined, he ſaith the ſame thing againe in other words; I have not gone backe from the commandement of his lips. See, how often he repeats, and inculcates this poynt, both that he might be beleived, and that he might ſhew how confident he was in the uprightnes of his owne heart; I have not declined, neither have I gone backe. By theſe various expreſſions, and often repetitions, Job ſets forth in generall the exactnes of his care in keeping cloſe to God; neither have I gone backe. The word ſignifies both to depart, and to touch; and ſome put both ſignifications together here,foreign receſſit, deceſſit, palparit, tetegit; Ita recedere a re aliqua, ut tangi aut contrectari nequeat. implying ſuch a departure from a thing or perſon, as not at all to touch or come neere it againe; which is a totall apoſtacy, or deſertion from it; As if Job had ſaid, I have not apoſtatiſed from the wayes of God. But this ſeemes leſſe then what he ſpake before; for having ſayd, I did not decline, what need he ſay, I did not apoſtatize, for he that doth not ſo much as decline, is farre from apoſtatiſing. I anſwer, that in this negative there is that ordinary figure extenuation, ſpeaking leſſe then is intended, or intending more then is expreſſed, and ſo, not to goe backe from, is to goe forward in, or to proceed on in the commandements of God; and ſo the ſenſe riſeth higher; I have kept his way, and have not declined, Non recedere a mandatis eſt illa opere complere tenere, non dimittere de manu aut actione. Pined.neither have I gone backe from his commandement; I have kept cloſe to it without the leaſt willing declenſion. I have not layd the commandement out of my hand, much leſſe have I put it out of my heart. And then we are to interpret this negative, I have not gone backe, by this affirmative, I have ſtood to thy commandements conſtantly p. 402and reſolvedly. The Scripture is full of ſuch negatives. Thus when the Lord makes that promiſe (Joel 2.26.) My people ſhall never be aſhamed; It ſeemes to be but a ſmall matter, that the people of God ſhall not be aſhamed, but the meaning is, they ſhall be highly honoured, they ſhall have a name and reputation in the world, they ſhall make their boaſt in & of me their God all the day long. So when the Apoſtle gives that negative counſel; (1 Theſ. 5.18.) Deſpiſe not propheſie, his purpoſe is to exhort the Theſſalonians, and us in them to the readieſt embraces and higheſt eſtimations of it. Not to deſpiſe, is to honour propheſie, that is, the preaching of the word in a due expoſition and application of it to exhortation, and edification and comfort. So then, there is much more in theſe words, I have not gone backe from the commandement; then thus, I have not turned, or apoſtatized from the commandement, I have not throwne up, nor abjured my profeſſion; Jobs meaning is, I have kept ſtrictly and firmely to it, I have aſſerted it, and affirmed it, and will maintaine it to the end: as I have hitherto lived, ſo I am purpoſed to dye in the obedience of it. I have not gone backe from the commandement of his lips. We finde the word uſed in ſuch a ſignification (Prov. 17.13.) Who ſo rewardeth evill for good, evill ſhall not depart from his houſe, Semper familiariter in illius domo verſabitur.or, evill ſhall not goe backe from his houſe. As evill ſhall come, ſo evill ſhall not goe backe, he ſhall not be able to diſmiſſe it when it cometh; evill ſhall keepe cloſe to his houſe, dwell and abide in his houſe, or hang upon him like an unwelcome gueſt, he ſhall not get it out for ever. Againe, (Iſa. 54.10.) The mountaines ſhall depart, and the hills ſhall be removed, but my kindneſſe ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. Thus the Lord aſſures his people of the grace and good of the new Covenant; The mountaines ſhall depart, that is, though the mountaines depart, or let them depart, and the hills remove, yet my kindnes ſhall not depart, or, it ſhall not goe back from you; that is, my kindneſſe ſhall imbrace you, ſticke cloſe to you, and abide with you for ever; ſo here, I have not gone backe, that is, I have imbraced, and ſtuck to the commandement of his lips. We alſo finde ſuch a ſenſe of the word, (Mich. 2.3.) Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, againſt this family doe I deviſe an evill, from which you ſhall not remove (or withdraw) your neckes; that is, the evill which I deviſe againſt you ſhall remaine upon you, and ſtick by p. 403you, ye ſhall not get this yoake off your neckes, nor your neckes out of this collar; it ſhall be an abiding evill, which will not goe backe; as ye have not gone backe from the evill of ſin, ſo ye ſhall not goe backe from the evill of puniſhment, it will not remove from you, nor ſhall ye remove from it. So here, I have not gone backe, or removed my necke from the commandement of God, I have not ſtirred a foote from it.

Yet further, that which before, he called the way of God, here he calls the commandement of his lips; lips are the inſtruments of ſpeech. God is a ſpirit, and hath no corporeall parts: the Scripture ſpeakes thus of God after the manner of men; becauſe men ſpeake with their lips (their lips being a principall inſtrument of ſpeech) therefore the commandement which God hath made knowne, and ſpoken (in a way peculiar to himſelfe) is called the commandement of his lips. Praeceptum labiorum, i. e. praeceptum labijs ejus pronounciatum. Genitivus adjū cti vel efficientis. Piſc.M^r Broughton tranſlates ſtrictly to the letter; His lips lawes I caſt not off. And when Job calleth the commandements of God, the commandements of his lips, it hath a great force in it, to oblige man to reverence, and obey them. They are not commandements which he hath publiſhed by others onelyonly, he hath alſo publiſhed them himſelfe. They are the commandements of his lips, that is, thoſe commandements which as he made and others ſpeake in his name, ſo he hath ſpoken them too.Emphaticus eſt iſte Hebraiſmus ad majorē praeceptorū dei commendationē reverentiam & obſervantiam, ſc. quod ab ipſo dei ore prolata. Bold. He is both the Author and the publiſher of them. (Exod. 20.1.) And God ſpake all theſe words and ſayd. David (Pſal. 66.13, 14.) puts that imphatically upon his holy vowes, to ſhew how he was engaged to performe them; I will goe into thy houſe with burnt offerings, and I will pay thee my vowes that my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath ſpoken when I was in trouble: As if he had ſaid, my vowes are not onelyonly ſuch as I have conceaved in my heart, and reſolved in my owne thoughts, but I have ſpoken them out and declared them openly, therefore it lyes upon me not onelyonly in conſcience, but in honour to pay and performe them. If we muſt doe what our lips have uttered, much more wuſt we doe what God hath uttered with his lips. Lip-labour will not anſwer thoſe commandements which are the labour of Gods lips. Therefore ſaith Job, I have not turned back from the commandement of his lips.

Hence Obſerve; Firſt, A godly mans way is forward, he doth not turne backe.

He doth not decline, either to the right hand or to the left, p. 404much leſſe doth he goe backe; he doth not onelyonly ſtay where he was, but he is better then he was, his courſe is onward and forward. (Job 17.9.) The righteous ſhall hold on his way. It is bad enough not to goe forward, but to goe backward is farre worſe. If any draw backe (ſaith God, Heb. 10.38.) my ſoule ſhall have no pleaſure in them. And what pleaſure can their ſoules take, in whom the ſoule of God takes no pleaſure? To draw backe is perdition: as they who draw backe are the moſt forward to deſtroy others (Hoſ. 5.2.) The revoulters are profound to make ſlaughter) ſo they ſhall be ſure to be deſtroyed themſelves. The people of Iſrael in their travels through the wildernes to Canaan, did often diſcover this ſpirit of Apoſtacy (Pſal. 78.41.) They turned backe and tempted God; We finde them at a conſultation about it (Numb. 14.4.) They ſaid one to another, let us make us a Captaine, and let us returne into Egypt. Our Lord Jeſus had ſuch a ſort of men, who followed him in perſon (Joh. 6.66.) From that time many of his Diſciples went backe from him, and walked no more with him. They were Diſciples who went backe, and there were many of them, ſo many that Chriſt (in the next verſe) ſayd to the twelve, Will ye alſo goe away? Then Peter anſwered, Lord, whether ſhall we goe? thou haſt the words of eternall life: As if he had ſayd, we cannot mend our ſelves whether ſoever we goe; why then ſhould we goe from thee? As a Godly man goeth on, ſo he ſeeth reaſon why he ſhould. 'Tis as irrationall as ſinfull, to goe backe from him who hath the words of eternall life, or from the commandement of his lips, who hath given the promiſe of life. The Apoſtle Paul had a reaching ſpirit, and he was alwayes reaching forward (Phil. 3.12, 13.) Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that, for which alſo I am apprehended of Chriſt Jeſus; As if he had ſayd, I would to the utmoſt anſwer the deſigne which Chriſt had upon me, when he firſt tooke hold of me effectually by his grace. Paul was ſo farre from going backe, that he forgot what was backward. Some remember what is paſt, or what they have done ſo much, that they forget what is to be done But (ſaith Paul) this one thing I doe, forgetting thoſe things which are behinde, and reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before, I preſſe towards the marke; for the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. The marke and the price are alwayes before us, there is no coming at the marke, nor winning p. 405of the price by turning backe. (Prov. 4.18.) The path of the juſt is like the ſhining (or morning) light, which ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day. The path of the unjuſt (if it have any light in it) is but like the evening light, which ſhines leſſe and leſſe, which declines and goeth downward, till the perfect night, and till himſelfe be wrapt up in everlaſting darkneſſe. The Sun in the firmament went backe by miracle for a ſigne to Hezekiah that he ſhould recover the health of his body. But if we ſee any goe back who have heretofore ſhined like the Sunne in a Goſpel pofeſſion, we have juſt cauſe to looke upon it as a ſad ſymtome, that their ſoules are in a dangerous, if not in an irrecoverable condition. I have not gone backe (ſayth Job) from the commandement of his lips.

Againe, from all theſe expreſſions, in that Job ſpeaking of the ſame thing, calls it, the way of God, the commandement of his lips, and (in the latter part of this verſe) the word of his mouth, to which he had cleaved and wholy devoted himſelfe for the guiding of his whole man in the duty which he owed and had been carefull to pay both to God and man.

Obſerve.

The word of God is the onelyonly rule of life.

And in this poynt the word or commandement of God is to be taken in a double oppoſition; firſt, to our owne deviſes and rules; ſecondly, to the deviſes and rules of other men; man muſt not preſcribe to himſelfe, nor may we receive the preſcriptions of men, to order our practiſe by. God is the onelyonly Law-giver, and we muſt receive the Law from his mouth. He that will pleaſe God, muſt ſhutt all his own imaginations out of doores, and have nothing to doe with them; 'Tis not what man hath a minde to doe, but what the minde of God is he ſhould doe, that pleaſeth him, or is eyther a worſhip or a ſervice acceptable to him. We never diſhonour God more then when we take upon us to ſerve him our owne way, and leaving his rule make a rule for our ſelves. Such a ſerving of God is rebellion againſt him; as was told Saul by the Prophet (1 Sam. 15.22.) Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings, and ſacrifices, as in obeying the voyce of the Lord. Saul thought he had done very well when he ſaved the ſheep and oxen for ſacrifice; But he was told, that to obey is better then ſacrifice, and to hearken then the fat of Rams. God had commanded burnt p. 406offerings, and ſacrifice, but he had no delight in them when his owne voyce was not obeyed, or when they were offered, eyther beſide or againſt his command. (Luk. 16.15.) That which is highly eſteemed among men, is an abomination to the Lord: His thoughts are not our thoughts, eyther in the doing of what is good, or in the pardoning of what is ſinfull. As man is apt to thinke, that God will not pardon what he hath done ſinfully, ſo that he will accept of what he thinkes he hath done holyly, though he hath no rule for the doing of it, but what himſelfe hath deviſed. We alwayes fayle in our meaſure, while we meaſure God by our ſelves. And it is as dangerous to take the rule of our actions from men, as not to take the rule of God. In this ſence we muſt call no man Maſter, nor may we be the ſervants of the wiſeſt men. And as we muſt not be the ſervants of men, becauſe (which is the Apoſtles reaſon, 1 Cor. 7.23.) We are bought with a price; that is, dearely redeemed by Chriſt; ſo neyther may we be the ſervants of men, in following their dictates, becauſe we have received a word from God, whom alone we ought to follow, and none elſe, but in ſubordination to or complyance with his word and the commandement of his lips, or as it followes in the concluſion of this verſe, the words of his mouth.

I have eſteemed the words of his mouth more then my neceſſary food.

Job having given us two negatives, I have not declined, I have not turned backe, as proofes of his integrity and holines, now gives us an affirmative to make up the fullnes of his proofe. Not to doe evill is commendable, but to doe good is a higher commendation. I have eſteemed the words of his mouth. foreignThe Hebrew word ſignifies two things; firſt, to hide or conceale; ſecondly, to priſe, value, or eſteeme. Some render this Text by the former, not as we, I have eſteemed the words of his mouth, In ſinu meo abſcondi verba oris ejus. Vul…. Graecos ſecetus foreign legit non foreign at ventit ac ſi ſcriptum eſſet, foreign in ſinu meo abſcondi. Merc.but I have hid or layd up the words of his mouth, that's a good reading, and ſo M… Broughton tranſlates; More then my daily bread have I layd up the words of his mouth. The Vulgar gives another reading, In my boſome have I hid the words of his mouth: in this, following the Septuagint, who by the change of a letter in the Originall, tranſlate the word which we render, More then my neceſſary or ſtatute food in my boſome; But I paſſe that as a miſtake of the text in that word, yet p. 407in the former part it conſents with M^r Broughton; I have hid, or layd up the words of his mouth more then my daily bread. And as this tranſlation holds out a truth in it ſelfe, ſo the ſenſe meets with ours; for as the Originall word doth as properly ſignifie to hide, or lay up, as to eſteeme, ſo thoſe things are layd up or hidden by us, which are of moſt eſteeme. And this action of hiding or laying up the word, is often ſpoken of in Scripture, both as the practiſe, and as the duty of the Saints. (Pſal. 119.11.) I have hid thy commandements in my heart. And the rule is given by wiſedome (Prov. 2.1.) My ſonne, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandements with thee. Wiſdome counſelleth us not onelyonly to receive, but to hide the commandements. And (Pro. 4.20, 21.) Wiſdome goeth yet further; My ſonne, attend to my words, incline thine eare to my ſayings, let them not depart from thine eyes, keepe them in the midst of thy heart. The heart (as Naturaliſts ſay) is in the midſt or center of the body. Holy truths muſt be kept in the midſt of the heart, in the midſt of the middle, that is, in the ſafeſt place, in that moſt retyred chamber, the midſt of the heart. But why ſhould theſe words be hidden in the heart, which are and ought to be proclaimed in the eare and upon the houſe-top? I anſwer; wee hide things, firſt, that we may know where to have them; what is throwne at our heeles, wee know not where to have. Secondly, We hide things for ſafety, or from danger as well as to have them ready at hand for uſe. There are enemies who watch their opportunity to ſteale the word away from us, and therefore, it is our wiſdome as well as our duty to hide it or lay it up ſafe. So that in both notiōs we ought to hide the word of God; firſt, that wee may have it at hand for uſe: as it is ſayd of the Good houſe-holder in the Goſpel, that he layeth up, and hath in his treaſure, things both new and old. Secondly, that it may be kept out of the hand of the theife, who would rob us of that precious treaſure. Satan and the world, are Word-ſtealers, and they ſteale away the Word, not becauſe they deſire to make any uſe of it, but leſt we ſhould; therefore as Gideon (Judg. 6.11.) threſhed wheat by the wine-preſſe to hide it from the Midianites, ſo, ſeing there are myſticall Midianites, who dayly ſteale away the Word (that moſt neceſſary and precious wheat) from thouſands who have heard and received it, we ſhould (in a holy jelouſie and ſuſpition of them) hide it out of their reach. In converſion God p. 408puts the Law in our minde, and writes it in our heart; And through that grace received and dayly renewed, we alſo are enabled to lay it up there.Pectus meum feci Bibliothe cam dei. Hieron: de Nepotiano. A Good man (as one of the ancients ſpeaketh) makes his heart Gods library, there he layeth up whole volumes of holy precepts, and of precious promiſes. And looke what precepts or promiſes he finds in the Bible, or written booke of the Word of God, the ſame he finds tranſcribed into his owne heart, and ſo into his life. But I will not inſiſt upon that reading, I have laid up the words of his mouth, more then my neceſſary food.

We render, I have eſteemed the words of his mouth, &c. Theſe two rendrings of the word give light to each other. That which we eſteeme we hide, and the more we eſteeme a thing, the more carefully we hide it. No man will lay up that which is worth nothing; what we hide is of value, at leaſt we judge it to be ſo. Childrens pockets are often full of Bables, but to them they are no Bables; they eſteeme them as men doe gold and ſilver, elſe they would not take them up, much leſſe lay them up.

I have eſteemed the words of his mouth.

Before it was the commandement of his lips; ſome make a diſtinction between theſe, expounding the commandement of his lips, for the preceptive part of the word, and the word of his mouth, for the promiſſive part of the word, or for the promiſes, which are gracious declarations and manifeſtations of the love and good will of God to ſinfull man.Dicta oris diſtinguo a praeceptis. dictum oris eſt verbum gratioſae nunciationis et promiſſionis, q. d. gratiam annunciatam libentè… accepi animi fide. Coc: As if Job in the former words had a reſpect chiefely to the Law, or rule of doing, and in this latter to the Goſpel or ground of beleeving. But though I ſee not well how theſe ſeemes can beare that diſtinction, yet the matter doth, yea and ſeemes to require it; for though a godly man eſteemes the precepts of God as well as the promiſes, and the commandements are the words of Gods mouth as well as the promiſes, yet the promiſes are the moſt feeding, fatning, and refreſhing part of the word, and if ſo, ſurely they were not left out, yea poſſibly were principally intēded by Job in this place, that he might ſhew how his Spirit was carried out to the full latitude and compaſſe of the minde of God, both in the Law and in the Goſpel. And becauſe the promiſes have ſo much ſoule-food in them, he doth therefore elegantly preferre them before his neceſſary food.

I have eſteemed the word of his mouth.

p. 409But how much, or at what rate did he eſteeme them? it follows in the next words.

More then my neceſſary food.

There is yet ſome variety obſervable in the reading of theſe latter words. Some give it thus;A ſtatuto meo abſcondi eloquia oris ejus. Mont: Ex ſtatuto meo vel more meo, ut ab …nevute aetate aſſuevi praetermittere, quae deus odio habet. i. e. plena electione & deliberatione fixa apud ſe, non externè tantum et levitèr divinam legem cuſtodire apud ſe decreverit. Cajet: Aliqui ad actiones hominis conſuetas quas de more facit referunt; ut antiquius habuerit legem domini animo recondere & ei operam dare quam ſolita & conſtitua ſibi ac uſitata facere. Merc: foreign proprie ſtatutum et decretum ſonat, & hinc certam & decretam cibi rationem. Quicquid advictum & vitam fovendam ac tuendam eſt neceſſarium foreign appellatur. Merc: I have eſteemed or hid the word of his mouth, according to my former manner, or as I was wont to doe: As if he had ſayd; what I now profeſſe is no new thing with me, I have not taken up this eſtimation of the word now on the ſuddaine, upon my ſick-bed, I have done ſo long before now, and ſo I doe ſtill. As it was ſaid of Timothy, that from a childe he had learned the Scripture.

Againe, Taking the ſame reading, the ſence may be given thus; Ʋpon election and deliberation, I eſteeme the word of his mouth; As if he had ſaid, I doe not eſteeme the word of God for nothing, or as not having conſidered it, and judged of the excellency of it, but upon long debate, conſultation, and tryall, I have pitcht my election upon it.

Further, Some in theſe words conceave Job alluding to thoſe things which men doe out of long cuſtome, or according to their ancient courſe of life. As if he had ſayd; There is nothing more fixed and ſetled, eyther in my heart, or in my practiſe, then the Law of God; Obedience to it is now become to me as another nature. I ſlight in compariſon of that, all humane Lawes and Conſtitutions; as alſo all my owne moſt practiſed formes and cuſtomes.

We render, I have eſteemed the words of his mouth more then my neceſſary food. The Original word ſignifies a ſtatute, or a law, and ſo any thing which is eſtabliſhed or appointed for our uſe, as a law, or ſtatute is. And becauſe our food, our neceſſary food, is that which is cut out or appoynted to us, eyther by God or man, therefore this word is applyed to ſignifie dayly bread, or neceſſary food. Banquets, and great feaſts, are without all meaſure, and bounds, they know no law, but are uſually full of exceſſe, both as to what is prepared, and to what is conſumed, 'tis ſeldome that either providers or eaters keepe the rule in feaſting. But a due neceſſary food, which is for the maintaining of our lives, and the renewing of our ſtrength, to goe on in our callings, this food hath a bound, and we eate (as it were) by meaſure, or by ſtatute; therefore we tranſlate neceſſary food, others appoynted food, or a p. 410portion. So the word is uſed (Gen. 47.22.) OnelyOnly the Land of the Prieſts bought he not, for the Prieſts had a portion aſſigned them of Pharoah, and they eate the portion which he gave them; their aſſigned portion is expreſſed by this word; a portion it was to live upon; ſuch as Schollers have in Colledges, and Almes-men in Hoſpitalls by the Statute of their Founders. And in the booke of the Proverbs, we have it twice uſed in ſuch a ſenſe (Pro. 30.8.) Remove from me vanity, and lyes, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, or with my ſtatute bread; that is, give me ſo much onelyonly as the law of nature, or the law of my neceſſity and conveniency calls for, to fit me for duty; with this ſtatute bread let me be fed, let others have their full tables, this ſhall ſerve my turne. Againe (Pro. 31.15.) Shee ariſeth alſo while it is yet night (ſpeaking of the good houſe-wife) and ſhe giveth meate to her houſe-hold, and a portion to her maidens; ſhe doth not throw the houſe out at windows, or make havock of all, as not caring which end went forward. And as ſhe is no prodigal waſter, ſo ſhe is neyther niggardly nor ſcraping, neither pineing nor pinching, but giveth a meete portion to her maidens. So here, I have eſteemed the word of thy mouth more then my neceſſary food. This ſmall proportion of food greatens the ſenſe of the Text, and heightens Jobs holineſſe and piety very much; for when we come to full tables, where there is exceſſe, our ſtomacks loath the meate, and the more meate there is, the leſſe ſome are able to eate, becauſe the ſtomacke is over-charged with the ſight of it. Appetie may be dull'd with abundance; but when we finde onelyonly a convenient, neceſſary ſtatute portion, as it were, ſo much as is needfull to ſatisfie hunger, and give ſome moderate delight, this pleaſeth moſt, and is more eſteemed by temperate perſons then the greateſt feaſt in the world. A man doth not nautiate his neceſſary food, or loath what hunger craves; a cruſt of bread, and that which is courſe is pleaſant then; neceſſary food is the ſweeteſt food, and we are beſt ſatisfied with that which breeds no ſatiety. We live moſt comfortably with that food, without which we cannot live at all comfortably. So then, when Job ſaith here, I eſteemed the word of his mouth more then my neceſſary food, it is as if he had plainely ſayd, I tooke more care for, and had a higher eſteeme of the food of my ſoule, then for that food of my body, which neceſſity forceth every man to eſteeme.

p. 411Hence note.

Firſt, That, a godly man hath a high eſtimation of the word of God.

Firſt, He doth not onelyonly eſteeme it, but he eſteems it as food.

Secondly, He eſteemes it as neceſſary food.

Thirdly, He eſteemes it more then neceſſary food.

Here are three ſteps, by which his eſtimation of the word of God is to be taken. David ſaith of a godly man (Pſal. 1.2.) His delight is in the law of the Lord. The word there uſed ſignifies both will, and delight. Some render it (voluntas) will, and others (voluptas) delight. We may take in both, his will, and his delight is in the law of the Lord, or he delightfully wills it. Would you know where the delight and joy of a Godly man is; it is in the law of the Lord, there 'tis fixed, and no where elſe comparatively, but in the Lord of the Law. Theſe two are inſeparable, he that delights in the Law hath firſt delighted in the Lord, and he that delights in the Lord, cannot but delight in the Law. There are two metaphors uſed in Scriptute, which ſhew the eſtimation and delight which Saints have in the law of God, or in the word of his mouth.

Firſt, As the word is compared to food; ſecondly, as the word is compared to treaſure: the word is often compared to food, and the moſt delicious food (Pſal. 119.103.) How ſweete are thy words unto my taſte, yea ſweeter then honey to my mouth. And (Pſal. 19.10.) They are ſweeter then the honey and the honey-combe: He doth not meane the honey-combe barely, as the veſſell wherein the honey is kept, but by the honey-combe he means the honey that flows or drops immediately and (as I may ſay) naturally without any art, or preſſing out of the combe, which is eſteemed the pureſt honey; ſuch is the law of God to the ſpirituall palate of a Godly man. That feaſt (Math. 22.2. Luke 14.16.) to which ſinners are invited, is onelyonly the declaration of the word, and minde of God in the Goſpel. The word of Grace is the greateſt feaſt which God makes his people. Againe, the word is as often compared to treaſure: what the eſteeme, and deſire of man is to treaſure, I need not ſtay to tell you. The Judgements of God (ſaith David, Pſal. 19.10.) are more to be deſired then Gold, yea then much fine gold. And againe (Pſal. 119.72.127.) The law of thy mouth is better to me then thouſands of Gold and ſilver. p. 412And (ver. 127.) when he ſaw how ſome made voyd the Law of God, he ſayth, Therefore I love thy commandements above Gold, yea above fine Gold. As if he had ſayd, becauſe I ſee ſome men eſteeme and reckon thy law as if it were droſſe, and throw it up as voyd and antiquated, or taking the boldnes, as it were, to repeale and make it voyd, that they may ſet up their own luſts and vaine imaginations, becauſe I ſee both prophane and ſuperſtitious men, thus out of love with thy Law, therefore my love is more enflamed to it, I love it above gold, which leads the moſt of men away captives in the love of it; and I eſteeme it more then that which is moſt eſteemed by men, and gaines men moſt eſteeme in this world, Fine Gold; yea as he ſayd (Pſal. 19.) more then much fine Gold.

Secondly, Obſerve.

A high and reverentiall eſteeme of the word of God, workes the heart and keepes it cloſe to the obedience of the word.

Job having ſaid before, I have kept the commandements of his mouth, I have kept his wayes, and not declined, I have not gone back, now comes to the ſpring of all this conſtancy in obedience, I have eſteemed the words of his mouth, &c. Love is the ſpring of action, and eſteeme is the top of love; we love nothing which we doe not eſteeme, and what we love much we thinke we can never eſteeme enough; And what we thus love and eſteeme, we ſtrive to keepe cloſe unto. They that receive the truth, and doe not receive the love of it, quickly turne from it to beleive a lye, yea God therefore ſends them ſtrong deluſion to beleive a lye, becauſe they received not the love of the truth. As not to love, the truth is a ſin, ſo it is puniſhed with another ſin, the love of error. Though we have taken much truth into our underſtandings, yet unleſſe we take it into our affections alſo, we cannot hold it long. 'Tis love which holds the heart and the word together. No man willingly obeyes that Law which he doth not love. Before David could ſay, The Law is my meditation all the day, he ſayth, O how I love thy law (Pſ. 119.97.) The hypocrite, who hates inſtruction, and caſts the word of God behinde his backe; that is, ſlights and vilifies it to the utmoſt (for ſo much to caſt behinde the backe imports, the hypocrite, I ſay, who thus caſts the word of God behinde his backe) will be talking of the word, and have it much in his mouth, yea he will mouth it ſo, or be ſo talkative about it, that God reproves or p. 413checks him for it (Pſal. 50.16.) Ʋnto the wicked ſaith God, What haſt thou to doe to declare my ſtatutes, or that thou ſhouldeſt take my Covenant in thy mouth. So then, the hypocrite was very buſie with his tongue, and he could ſpeake much of that which he loved never a whit. But was the hypocrite a man of his hands alſo? was he buſie in obeying the word which he had caſt behinde his back? The next words of the Pſalme (ver. 18, 19, 20, 21.) tell us what he was buſie about, even this, he was breaking the Law as faſt as he could; When thou ſaweſt a theife, then thou conſenteſt with him, and haſt been partaker with Adulterers, &c. The inditement is large, and upon many heads, yet all true, and is therefore cloſed with, Theſe things haſt thou done (ver. 21.) I the Lord am witnes, and ſo is thy owne Conſcience. That Scripture is a cleare glaſſe, wherein we may ſee how all they will uſe the Law of God, who doe not highly eſteeme the words of his mouth. We may read Jobs text backward for their character; Their feete have not held his ſteps, his way have they not kept, but declined, they have gone back from the commandement of his lips. And why ſo? for they have eſteemed the words of his mouth no more then their un-neceſſary food, no more then the ſcraps that fall from their Table, no more then (as the Proverb ſaith) their old ſhoes. I have eſteemed the word of his mouth more then my neceſſary food.

When Job ſaith, I have eſteemed the word of his mouth, &c. It is, as if he had ſayd, this is enough for me that God hath ſayd it, to make me eſteeme it.

Hence obſerve.

Thirdly, Whatſoever God ſaith, is to be eſteemed for his owne ſake, or becauſe he hath ſayd it.

As God needs not borrow light from any what to ſpeake, ſo he needs not borrow teſtimony or Authority from any to ratifie what he hath ſpoken. He is to be beleeved for himſelfe. His words need no ſanction, but (ipſe dixit) I the Lord have ſayd it, or thus ſaith the Lord; that is enough to ſilence all queryes and diſputes both about the truth of what is delivered, and the neceſſity of our obedience to it. As the word of Gods mouth is to be obeyed, ſo it is therefore to be obeyed, becauſe it is the word of his mouth. That he hath ſayd it muſt command our faith; As he is the true God, ſo he is the God of truth. Every word of his mouth is pretious. p. 414As what God hath ſpoken muſt be the rule of our faith, ſo that he hath ſpoken it muſt be the reaſon of our faith. I have eſteemed the words of his mouth, &c.

Laſtly, From both theſe verſes, we may take notice of the ſeverall ſteps, by which Jobs piety did ariſe to ſo eminent a hight.

Firſt, He ſtrongly tooke hold of the ſteps of God.

Secondly, He diligently kept his way.

Thirdly, He declined not, eyther to the right hand, or to the left.

Fourthly, He went not backe from the Holy commandement, both which negatives may be reſolved into this affirmative, He walked very cloſely and exactly with God, in utmoſt perſeverance.

Fifthly, He tooke a delightfull care about all thoſe things, which the word of God called him unto, even beyond all the care which he tooke for thoſe things which are moſt conducible to and neceſſary for the comforts of his body or natural life.