Exposition of Job 38-42

THis Chapter begins the last Act, or Conclusion of that great Disputation between Job and his three Friends, held forth in this Book. We have heard Jobs three Friends strongly charging him: We have heard Job stiffly defending himself: We have heard Elihu, though moderating the matter between them, yet sharply reproving him. Elihu was indeed a quick, but a necessary reprover, provided and sent by God:

First, To calm and cool Jobs spirit, di • quieted by enduring sharp afflictions from the hand of God, and heated by he • ing those sharper accusations from the tongues of men.

Secondly, To reclaim him from those over-eager defences of his own integrity, and likewise from those over-passionate complaints ab • ut the dealings of God, to a better and more submissive temper of spirit towards him, as also to lower thoughts of himself.

Elihu fell upon the useful point, and hit (as I may say) the Nail on the head, he struck the right Vein, and met with the peccant Humour: yet being young, and wanting gravity to set all home, and make it work; or, to make the impression deep enough upon Job, it was but need that God himself should second him, and he did it to purpose, or with full effect; pressing the same Arguments, for the main, which Elihu had begun; yet so, that we may manifestly discern a wide difference, whether we respect words or things, matter or manner, between men, how much soever assisted by the spirit of God, and God himself in speaking.

Here the Eternal God Jehovah, having seen his faithful servant, and stout Champion Job, contending and wrestling long with Satan, his professed enemy, and with his harsh and censorious, though both professed and real Friends, foreseeing also that if Job and his Friends (who had also been provoked by Elihu ) should have proceeded to answer him, a new broil must needs begin; God (I say) who never fails, nor forsakes his in their extremity, or in time of their greatest need, seeing and fore-seeing all this, stepped in most seasonably, and most graciously to undertake the decision of this great Controversy between Job and his Friends, in person, raising a stormy Wind, as a witness of his mighty presence, or to testify who was there, as also (though with a Fatherly love and affection, yet) impartially and plainly to convince Job of his error, showing him wherein he had offended, and bringing him at last upon his knees, in a self-abhorrence and repentance in dust and ashes.

Thus God the chief Judge, the great Arbitrator, and Determiner of all doubts and questions, and of all matters and things; the great God (I say) declared himself, to whom Job had made so many appeals, whom he so earnestly desired to take further and fuller cognizance of his Cause, He, even He comes forth as a just and righteous Judge, and lets him and his Friends know his mind and judgment in the case. So then,

The Question ventilated in this Book, is not stated according to the judgment of a man, who is subject to error, but according to the infinite wisdom and understanding of the great God, who searcheth the heart, and knoweth all secrets, who is light, and in whom there is no darkness at all.

And indeed, in the latter part of this Book, we may well conceive God himself speaking, he speaks so like himself: For here the understanding Reader may perceive a wonderful copiousness of speech, and largness of discourse, strengthened with the exactest and weightiest reasons, set forth with such variety of matter, with such gravity of expressions, with such pressing queries and and interrogations, that it very much excels all that had been spoken either by the Disputants or the Moderator.

And such was the condescension of God, that he seems to take the words out of Elihu 's mouth, and urge over his Arguments anew, before he would give the final sentence in this case; from which, as there could be no appeal, so, in which, there could be no mistake. All this the Lord contracts into two Orations, or Speeches, each to of which Job Answers, and subscribes by an humble submission.

The first of these Speeches, is contained in this thirty-eighth Chapter, and to the end of the thirty-ninth: To which God calls for an Answer in the two first Verses of the fortieth Chapter; and Job gives his Answer in the third, fourth, and fifth verses of that Chapter.

The second Speech or Discourse of God with Job begins at the sixth verse of the fortieth Chapter, and is continued to the end of the one and fortieth Chapter; to which we have Jobs Answer at the beginning of the forty second Chapter, to the end of the sixth verse; and then the Chapter closeth with God's special and irrefragable Judgment upon, or determination of the Question between Job and his Friends, as also with a description of Jobs blessed restauration after his fall, to a higher condition of outward prosperity and tranquility than ever he enjoyed before. Thus you have the sum of what's behind of the whole Book.

This Chapter with the next hold out the Lord's first Argumentation or di course with Job, and in it we may consider three things.

First, The Preface or Introduction, in the first, second, and third Verses of this Chapter.

Secondly, The Speech itself, to the end of the thirty-ninth Chapter.

Thirdly, God's demand of an Answer, or that Job should give him an account of himself, or of what he had said at the beginning of the fortieth Chapter.

The words under present consideration are a Preface or Introduction, leading to the whole business, and in them we may consider three things.

First, The Historians transition, or, an Historical transition, (verse. 1.) Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirl-wind, and said. This the Historian or Penman of this Book inserts to connect the matter of this Chapter with that which went before; he connects the discourse of Elihu, which ended at the thirty-seventh Chapter, with the discourse of God at the beginning of this: Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirle-wind, and said.

Secondly, We have here what the Lord said, in form of Preface, leading in the intended matter; and that,

First, By way of reprehension, or by a chiding Question about what Job had said (verse. 2.) Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? This is it which the Lord said, when he began with Job; Who is this that darkeneth counsel, by words without knowledge? As if he had said, let me see the man, or, who is the man that speaketh thus? I know there is a Question (and I shall speak somewhat to it afterwards) Whether these words were directed to Job or Elihu; yea, some Question, whether this whole Chapter be not intended to Elihu rather than to Job, (I shall answer that Question also afterwards) but I give it now in the analysis of the context, as I pu • pose, God willing, to state it when I come to the Answer of that Question: And therefore I say the reproof falls upon Job, whom God thus bespake, beginning with a chiding, Who is this that darkeneth counsel, by words without knowledge?

Secondly, by way of provocation to answer; or, we have here the Lord's command given Job to prepare himself for an Answer, as well as he could, to what himself should say (verse. 3.) Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. As the Lord reproved and chid him for what he had said, so the Lord exhorted and encouraged him to set and fit himself the best he was able, to answer what himself had to say unto him.

Thus we have the intendment of these three Verses; and if you would have in one word, a Prospect of the whole following Discourse, of God with Job, the Sum of it may be given and taken thus:

That as Elihu before, so now the Lord would have Job know and confess that no man must presume to be so bold with him as to question his doings; that's the great mark at which God aimed in all he said to Job. And the confirmation or proof of it is taken up from this unquestionable ground; No man must Question anything which God doth to him or with him, for this very reason, Because God doth it; or, because God often alone, always in chief, hath done and doth all things. God is the alone Creator of all things, he hath given all things their Being, he hath put all things into the Order in which they stand, and he preserves them in their standing; and if any evil befall man, the hand of God hath done it much more than the hand of any man: what then hath any man to do to question his doings?

Now that God alone hath created and doth order all things, he himself proves, by calling Job to show where he was When the Foundation of the Earth was laid, and Bounds were set to the Sea, &c. and so proceeds to assert and hold forth his sole Power in furnishing the Earth with Beasts, the Air with Fowls, and the Sea with Fish.

The Lord having thus given Job to understand, that the whole World is his Work, and that he gave Being to all the Creatures in the World for the help of man, without the help of man, would have him thereby also understand and be convinced, that he and all men ought to adore, and quietly submit to his providential workings, or the products of his Providence all the world over.

That's (as was said) the general Point carried through this whole Discourse of God with Job, the particulars whereof yield much matter both of Meditation and Admiration. I begin with the Preface:

In this Verse we have three things.

First, The Person answering.

Secondly, The Person answered.

Thirdly, The manner of his Answer.

The Person answering is, the Lord; the Person answered, is Job; the manner of the Answer is, out of a Whirle-wind; Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirle-wind.

In the first word of the Text, we have (that which our Translation makes emphatical) an intimation of the time or season of this Divine interposition; then the Lord answered, &c. The Hebrew Text doth not express this Adverb of time, there 'tis only, the Lord answered, but we well supply it, rendering, then the Lord answered; as if the Penman had said, at that very nick, instant or juncture of time, the Lord came in; the words were no sooner out of the mouth of Elihu, he had no sooner concluded his speech with Job, but the Lord began, and answered Job; and if the Lord had not just then interposed, possibly Job might have replied, and a new heat might have risen, to the increasing of his troubles, and the inflaming of all their Spirits (as was hinted before) therefore the Lord to stop all further proceedings, or speech between them two, began presently to speak himself. Then the Lord answered. Take this Observation from it;

It was time for the Lord to appear, lest this poor man should have been utterly swallowed up with sorrows, and over-whelmed with his affliction, or lest he should have been drawn out too long and too far in his bitter complainings and impatiency. The Lord is a God of judgment; blessed are they that wait for him (Isa. 30.18.) He is a wise God, and knows how to time every action; he knows when to appear, when to show himself. As he himself will not contend forever (Isa. 57.16.) so neither will he let others contend overlong, least the Spirit should sail before him, and the souls which he hath made. This is a comfortable truth with respect both to Nations, and Persons, both to the case of the Church of God in general, and of every believer in particular. The Apostle Peter having counseled the afflicted to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God (1 Pet. 5.6.) adds this encouragement (in the next words) to do so, that he may exalt you in due time: though not in your time, nor at your day, the day when you would have him do it; yet he will do it in time, and in due time, that is, when it shall be most fit and best for you. Thus he appeared to and for Job in the Text, when the sorrows of his heart were enlarged, and when he had most need of such an appearance. The Lord knows how at any time, and when 'tis the most proper time, to relieve his servants. Then

The word here used is Jehovah; and several of the Learned take notice, that it is here used with a special significancy: for in the discourses of Job and his friends throughout this Book, other names of God are, if not universally, yet mostly used, as El Shaddai, Eloah, &c. In the first Chapter indeed, where God is spoken of by the divine Historian or sacred Penman of this History, he is named Jehovah, as also in some other such like places; but in the body of the dispute not so: And two reasons may be given of it.

First, The name Jehovah imports the Being of God; and therefore God himself, being about to speak of his giving a Being to the whole Creation, and to several sorts of creatures, he is most properly represented by his name Jehovah, which, as it implieth that he is the First Being, the Fountain of his own Being, or that he is of himself, so, that he gives a Being to all things, and that in him (as the Apostle told the great Philosophers of Athens, Acts 17.) we live, and move, and have our being.

Secondly, The Lord (though he came in a Whirle-wind, yet) manifested himself in a clearer light to Job, than ever he had done before. Now, as in the third of Exodus, when the Lord sent Moses to the people of Israel to bring them up out of Egypt, to Canaan, (which was a great work, one of the greatest that was ever done in the world, and in which the Lord made the most glorious discovery of his Power, Justice, and Mercy; when God I say, sent Moses upon this service) he said unto him (Exod. 6.2, 3.) I am the Lord, I am Jehovah, and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the Name of God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them. God being about to make himself more known in the world, than he had been to that day, by his dreadful plagues upon Pharaoh, and the miraculous deliverance of his people out of Egypt (as he said ( chap. 9.16.) And in very deed, for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power, and that my name may be declared in all the earth. The Lord, I say, being about to do these great things for the manifestation of his own greatness) gave this charge to Moses at the sixth verse of the sixth chapter before mentioned; Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, &c. Thus in this latter part of the book of Job, the Lord being about to loosen the bonds of Jobs affliction, and to ease him of his burden, as also to declare and manifest himself more clearly to him than formerly (as he confessed ( chap. 42.5.) I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eyes have seen thee) he therefore assumed his great name Jehovah. Then the Lord

But some may say, Job had not spoken lately, much less last. Elihu spake out six whole Chapters since Job spake a word; and though Elihu gave him the liberty, yea almost provoked him to speak, yet he laid his hand upon his mouth, he spake not a word. How then can it be said, The Lord answered Job? To avoid this difficulty,

Some render, Then the Lord answered concerning, or about Job; And these turn the whole discourse of God in this and the next Chapter upon Elihu, in favor of Job. I shall touch upon that opinion and interpretation (as was said) afterwards: but at present affirm, that Job was the person to whom the Lord here directed his Answer; and to take off this doubt, how the Lord could be said to answer Job, when Job had not spoken last, but Elihu,

I answer (as upon a like occasion it hath been elsewhere shown in this book ch. 3.2.) that sometimes in Scripture, a Speech begun is called an Answer, where nothing had been spoken before, to which that speech could be applied in way of answer, Matth. 11.25. Matth. 17.4. The reason of this Hebraism, is because such as begin to speak, do either answer the necessity of the matter, or the desire of the hearers; and so they give a real and virtual, though not a formal Answer. Yet there are two considerations, in which we may apply the word Answer, formally and strictly taken, to Job.

First, If we consider Job's wishes and requests.

Secondly, If we consider Job's complaints, and (though the word be somewhat hard) his murmurings: The Lord may be said to answer Job, as to his wish, desire, or request; because Job had earnestly desired and requested more than once, that God would take his Cause in hand, or that he would have the hearing of it. Thus he spake at the third verse of the three and twentieth Chapter: O that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his Seat: I would order my Cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. Zophar also, one of Jobs friends, made the same request concerning Job (Chap. 11.2.) O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee: As if he had said, Eliphaz hath been speaking, and Bildad hath been speaking, and I am now about to speak, but O that God would speak. It was the wish of Job that God would speak, and it was the wish of this his friend, and now behold God appears, possibly beyond their expectation, though not beside their wish; for 'tis like they had not faith enough to believe that God would answer those wishes. So then, God may be said here to answer, because (as it was prayed) he now took the matter into his own hand, and in person (as I may say) argued the Case with Job, and finally determined his Cause.

Hence Note;

Job had no rule for such a Petition, that he might presently have a trial at the Tribunal of God; yet God was so gracious as to answer him in it, not only to his reproof, but to his comfort. The Name of God is, O thou that hearest prayer, (Psal. 65.2.) If carnal men have their extravagant prayers and wishes granted, 'tis in wrath; but if the Lord grant the passionate prayers and wishes of a godly man, it proves, though sometimes a present affliction, yet always, upon one account or other, a mercy in the issue. When the lusting Israelites wisht for flesh, the Lord heard their wishes; take Quails your bellies full, till they come out at your nostrils; but while the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God fell upon them. If the Lord grants what lust asketh, such pay dear for what they have for the asking. It hath been anciently said, many have their prayers heard in mere anger; so are all theirs who pray for what they have not, in mere discontent with what they have. The Lord heard Job, and not in anger, but in favor and condescension to him. Now if some not well grounded nor warranted requests of good men may be granted and answered (the Lord pitying their weakness, and eyeing their uprightness) in favor; how much more may they be confident, that their gracious and humble requests, such requests as are every way suitable to the Word and Will of God, shall be graciously answered!

Secondly, The Lord answered, as the Prayer and Wish, so the Complaints of Job; He had complained sometimes (though he were a mirror of patience) impatiently. These complaints the Lord answered, but it was with severe and sharp reproofs, as we find in the next verse.

To conclude this query, we may say, God had two great ends or designs in answering both the wishes and complaints of Job.

First, That he might humble and convince him, that he might stop his mouth and silence his complainings forever, as he did most effectually.

Secondly, That after his humiliation, and repentance, he might justify and acquit him, and also restore him to his former comforts and enjoyments, as he did most mercifully. This being the design of the Lord in speaking to Job, what he said, may well be called an Answer.

But how or in what manner did the Lord answer him? Surely, in such a manner, as never man was answered. The Lord answered Job

He answered him (as we say) to some Tune. A Whirlwind makes strange kind of Music. A Whirlwind is a sudden mighty loud-blustering Wind, taking away, or bearing down all before it. A Whirlwind is a Wind which moves whirling, and gyring about all the points of the Compass, no man knows where to have it, nor how to shelter himself from it. I have had occasion to speak of the Wind, and of the natural ordinary Whirlwind in the former Chapter. But here's a Whirlwind extraordinary, if not supernatural. There's much questioning among some Interpreters how we are to conceive of this Whirlwind. I would answer that point a little, and then give some account, why the Lord spake to Job out of such a Whirlwind.

First, Some affirm that it was only a Visional Whirlwind: As if the Lord appeared (as it were) in a Tempest or Whirlwind to Job in a deep sleep, such as was upon Adam (Gen. 2.21.) when the Lord took one of his ribs, and made the Woman. In such a deep sleep, say they, Job saw a Whirlwind, and heard the Lord speaking to him out of it: As Ezekiel, who in a Vision looked, and behold a Whirlwind came out of the North; as we read in the first Chapter of that Prophesy, ( verse 4.)

Secondly, Others conceive that it was not a Visional, but a Metaphorical Whirlwind, or a Whirlwind in a figure; and we may give you a threefold Metaphor, or three things, to which this passage of Providence may allude to a speaking out of a Whirlwind.

First, God answered Job out of the Whirlwind; that is, when there was a great bussle or storm among the Disputants, conflicting about Jobs case; one moving this way, another thar, all being tossed about (as it were) with the wind of their several opinions in ventitalating his condition. Out of this Whirlwind it was (say some) or while all were thus discomposed in their spirits, and could not compose the matter in difference between them and Job, during this hurry or troublesome state of things and minds, the Lord arose and answered Job.

Secondly, The Lord may be said to answer Job out of the Whirlwind, because he spake to him angrily, displeasedly, and reprovingly. Anger, especially the Lord's Anger or Displeasure, is often in Scripture compared to a Storm or Tempest: As if this Whirlwind were nothing else but a sharp angry chiding. When a man chides, we say, The man's in a storm; and we may say with reverence, when the Lord speaks chidingly (as he did to Job ) he is in a storm, or (according to the Text) speaks out of a Sto my Whirlwind: Thus also, when the Lord speaks pleasingly, and gently, then he may be said to speak in a calm. There's a truth in that.

Thirdly, The Lord answered in a Whirlwind; that is, while Job, both as to his outward condition and inward disposition, or the frame of his spirit, was evidently in a great storm or toss. For doubtless, his spirit was very stormy and tossed up and down at that time, that is, much troubled and disquieted, upon the with-drawings of God, and the unkindness of his friends. Now when Job had this Sto • m, this Whirlwind in his spirit, the Lord appeared and answered him. Thus some conceive it, though not a Visional Whirlwind, yet a Metaphorical Whirlwind in those three senses opened. But

Thirdly, (with others) I take the Whirlwind here in proper sense, that is, for such a Whi • lwind as is often heard and felt, sounding, blustering, and making great disturbance in the air, blowing up Trees by the roots, and overthrowing Houses to the very foundation. One of the Rabbins calls it a dark cloud; several of the Moderns express it by a rainy or watery cloud, out of which issued that dreadful Storm, called a Whirlwind. Doubtless, some sudden extraordinary Wind, exceeding the constant order and common course of Nature, gathered the clouds at that time. Thus God at once hid the glory of his Majesty, and testified it (much after the same manner as he did at the promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai) when he answered Job out of the Whirlwind.

But it may be questioned, why did God answer Job out of a Whirlwind?

First, Such a way of answering was most proper to the dispensation of those Old Testament Times, when the Covenant of Grace lay covered with Legal Shadows, and was usually administered in a clothing or show of terror; especially (as was said before) at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai (Exod. 19. Deut. 4.12.) when, so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake (Heb. 12.21.) And surely the Lord appeared and spake very dreadfully to some of the Prophets in those Elder Times; especially to the Prophet Habakkuk, who thus reports the consternation of his mind ( chap. 3.16.) When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble. Now, Gospel Times being more clear and calm, Christ speaks more clearly and calmly; as it was phophesied ( Isa. 42.2, 3.) He shall not cry nor lift up his voice in the street: (Christ did not speak out of a Whirlwind) A bruised reed he shall not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth Judgment unto Victory: That is, he shall with all tenderness condescend to the weakest souls, and deal with them most sweetly, gently, and compassionately.

Secondly, The Lord spake in a Whirlwind, that he might show the greater State and Majesty, to awaken Job yet more, or to make him more attentive; as also to affect him yet more deeply with the apprehension of his Power and Glory; and to leave a greater impression upon his spirit of his own vileness, weakness, and nothingness. Job was yet too big in his own eyes, the Lord would annihilate or make him nothing; the Lord would beat him out of all conceit with himself, out of an opinion of his own integrity and righteousness, that he might see and confess there was no way but to lie at his foot, abhorring himself, and repenting in dust and ashes. Such to this day is the pride and stupidness of man's flesh, that he hardly attends the Word or Works of God, unless awed by some extraordinary Ministration.

Thirdly, We may conceive the Lord appeared and spake in this Whirlwind, that he might therein suit his appearance to the state and condition of Job at that time, or that he might (as it were) symbolize with Jobs troubled estate. Job, as I touched before, was in a Storm, and now God declares himself in a storm: and that is the reason, which some give, why the Lord appeared to Moses (Exod. 3.2.) in a burning bush; it was (say they) that his apparition might answer their present condition. The Children of Israel were then in the fire of affliction, and entangled in the bush of cruel bondage, they were scratched and torn with briars and thorns; and the Lord spake out of a burning bush to Moses, as here to Job out of the Whirlwind.

Fourthly, and lastly; I conceive the reason why the Lord spake o him in a Storm, or Whirlwind, was to let him know that he was not well pleased with him, but purposed to reprove and chide him. Though Job was a precious servant of God, yet God was not well pleased with many passages under his affliction, and therefore he would not flatter but humble him: For though Job spake from an honest heart, and what he said was truth, yet God did not like his manner of defense and pleading for himself: He was not pleased to see him hold up the Bucklers so long, when he should have laid them down rather, and submitted. David to show how greatly the Lord was displeased with his enemies, tells us what dreadful effects followed the hearing and granting of his prayer against them, ( Psal. 18.7, 8, 9, &c.) Then the Earth shook and trembled, the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth; there went a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured, coals also were kindled by it: he bowed the Heavens also and came down, and darkness was under his feet, &c. Thus the Lord appeared in an Earthquake, in smoke, in fire, and darkness, to make the proud opposers of his faithful Servant David, know how much his anger was kindled against them. Thus also when the Lord revealed himself to Elijah (1 Kings 19.11.) its said, a great and strong wind rent the mountains and brake the rocks; and after the wind, an Earthquake; and after the Earthquake, a fire, before the still voice was heard: And why all this, but to show that the Lord was highly displeased with the doings of the Kings of Israel at that time, and with that idolatrous generation; therefore he appeared in such a dreadful manner, while he purposed to conclude all in a still voice. Though the Lord was not in the Wind, in the Earthquake, nor in the Fire, yet these were fore-runners of his appearance, and signified that the Lord would shake that people with a mighty Wind and Earthquake of Judgment, yea even consume them with the fire of his wrathful jealousy, for their superstitious following after Baal, and deserting his appointed Worship. When the lusts of wicked men grow fiery and stormy, God will convince them with fire and storms; and if his own servants grow too bold with him, he will make them sensible of it, as here he did Job, by speaking to them out of a Whirlwind; though he be intended to speak to them at last as he did to Elijah, in a still voice, and to Job, with favor and approbation.

Thus much for the opening of these words, Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirlwind, and said.

Hence Observe;

What a wonder is it, that the Lord of Heaven and Earth, should admit, and enter into a parly with man, who is but a well-shaped clod of Earth! Solomon was in a kind of amazement at the mercy, when he said at the Dedication of the Temple (1 Kings 8.22.) But will God indeed dwell on Earth! And may not we, that God should come down to confer with an afflicted bed-rid man on Earth! I know some are of opinion, that the Lord spake by an Angel to Job; however, here was the Lord's presence, it was Jehovah, who manifested himself to Job, what Ministry soever he used: Thus the Lord is pleased often to interpose in the case and cause of his afflicted servants, though we see him not, nor have such formal apparitions, as here in the Text. The Lord, the high and lofty One, who dwelleth in the high and holy Place, dwelleth also with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit; and be dwelleth with him to revive him, (Isa. 57.15.) Therefore surely he manifests himself to him in his loving-kindness, which is better than life, and the very life of our lives. The Lord who hath Heaven for his Throne, and the Earth his footstool, saith by the same prophet ( Isa. 66.1, 2.) To this man will I look, (and lest any should take this man to be one of the mighty ones of this world, he giveth us both a signal specification, and clear character of this man to whom he looketh) even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my Word. And if the Lord look to such a man, if he vouchsafe him his gracious • ye, doubtless he also reveals himself graciously and freely to him.

Secondly, The Lord came here to instruct and teach Job. Several persons had dealt with him before, and they very worthy, good, and learned persons, and they came with a purpose to do him good; yet all would not do: All that his three friends said, who undertook him first in their turns, was to little purpose in appearance. And though Elihu, a spritely young man, discoursed him with much life and heat, yet neither could he do the business: Jobs spirit began indeed to yield upon the last engagement of Elihu with him; yet he did not convince him fully. God came at last, and he prevailed, he did the deed; Then the Lord answered Job.

Hence Note,

'It is the mercy of the New Covenant, that we shall be taught of God, and not by man only nor alone. As here Job had three or four, so we may have thrice three men toiling with us a long time in vain. The work is never well done, till God comes; and though we have not such appearances of God now, yet he doth the same thing in effect to this day. This and that man, a thousand men, yea a man who is an Interpreter, one of a thousand (as Elihu spake) may be laboring upon the conscience of a sinner, and never bring things home either to convince or comfort him, till God is pleased to come in by the power of his blessed Spirit, and then who can but be convinced and comforted! Hence our Lord Christ had no sooner reported the Covenant Promise out of the Prophet, They shall be all taught of God (John 6.45.) but presently he makes this inference from it, Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. We may say to all who are savingly wrought upon, as Christ to Peter, upon that Confession which he made ( Matth. 16.16. Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God) Flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you, but your Father which is in Heaven.

It was said by one of the Ancients, it is impossible to know God without God. And so said another, We must learn all that from God which we understand of God. Unless God be our Tutor, we shall never be good Scholars. We know neither God nor ourselves, any further than God teacheth us. Christ saith, Be not called Masters, for one is your Master, even Christ (Matth. 23.8.) There are two sorts of Masters. 1. Ruling or Commanding Masters. 2. Teaching Masters. To the former we are Servants, to the latter we are Scholars. In the eighth verse Christ speaks of Teaching Masters, as of Ruling Masters at the tenth verse. Now, when Christ would not have any man take upon him, or own the Title of Master or Teacher, his meaning is, that no man should arrogate to himself the honor of principal Teacher, which is the peculiar of God: but to acknowledge that all man's teaching is nothing without God's; as the Apostle also saith (1 Cor. 3.) We must learn from God whatever we know aright, either of God, or of ourselves. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, spake much of God to Job, but Job was never effectually humbled, till God spake.

Thirdly, Note;

No question can be truly stated, but by the Word of God. As the statutes of the Lord are right (Psal. 19.8.) So they show what is right, and what is not. A strait Rule declares itself to be strait, and detects the crookedness of whatsoever is crooked. The last appeal in all things doubtful is to the Law, ( Isa. 8.20.) To the Law, and to the Testimony; if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light, or (as the Margin hath it) no morning in them. The Sun of righteousness hath not risen upon them who speak and hold unrighteous things. Search the Scriptures, saith Christ ( John 5.39.) or, as 'tis well rendered in the Indicative Mood, Ye search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life. Nor did they think amiss in thinking so; but that which Christ secretly reproved, while he said so, was, that they did amiss, or contradicted the Scripture in their lives, while they boastingly thought so. Not what this or that man saith, but what God saith, is the true ground of man's faith. It was a worthy speech of Constantine in the Nicene Council, Let us take out of that Book divinely inspired, the solution of our Questions. It is not what the Fathers say, nor what the Pope saith, nor what Councils say; but what the Word of God saith, that must be heard and relied upon for salvation. The Word is the Judge, that is the rule of Judgment. As here, God was the personal Judge of this, so his Word must ever be the Normal Judge of all controversies.

Fourthly, Note;

Here was a little day of Judgment, here God came to determine a matter between Job and his three friends, and that was a terrible day; in it we have an image or representation of the last Judgment Day; God appeared in a Storm, in a Whirlwind: what think you will be the Lord's appearance, when he comes to judge the whole World! The Psalmist speaking of some particular day of Judgment which should fore-run the general judgment, sets it forth in dreadful Metaphors ( Psal. 50.3, 4.) Our God (These are the words of God's faithful servants, assuring themselves of a gracious deliverance from the cruelty of wicked men, by the goodness and mighty arm of God; Our God, say they) shall come, that is, he shall certainly come, though he seem for a while to defer and put off his coming; and shall not keep silence (as he hath been thought to do, either in not answering the prayers of his people, or in not punishing the presumption of his and their enemies, as he also said he did at the 21th verse of this Psalm) and then woe to the wicked, for, A fire shall devour before him (God will then appear as a consuming fire) and a mighty tempest (of wrath and indignation) round about him; (so that there can be no escape either before or behind, on one side or the other: And then ( v. 4.) He shall call to the Heavens from above, and to the Earth; that is, to the heavenly and earthly Powers, as witnesses against the ungodly, and as aids and assistants, that they may judge his people, that is, assert their integrity and maintain them in it. Now (I say) if there have been or shall be such dreadful appearances of God in this world, for the vindication of his people, and the avenging of them upon their enemies; what will his appearance be, when in the end of the world he shall come (as the Apostle Jade speaks ( v. 14, 15. of his Epistle) with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodlily committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him; That is, either directly, or reflexively, in letting their tongues loose to speak against them. The Apostle Paul having said (2 Cor. 5.10.) We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things, (that is, the fruit of the things) done in his body, (that is, while he was in the body) whether it be good or bad; he adds at the eleventh verse, Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. As if he had said, We know that will be a terrible day, Christ will come and answer sinners out of a Whirlwind, when he comes to Judgment; and therefore We (being fully persuaded of this ourselves) persuade men by all means to believe and repent, and get the peace of their souls well and surely settled upon good Gospel terms in this world, that so they may find peace in the great Day of Judgment, which will be the commencement or beginning of another world. They who know the terror of the Lord will both persuade others, and be persuaded themselves to look after reconciliation with God, that when Christ cometh terribly, they may appear before him comfortably, or that he may not be a terror unto them in that day.

Fifthly, Forasmuch as the Lord answered Job out of the Whirlwind (as was said) to affect him with the awe and reverence of his great Name, while he was speaking,

Observe;

Why did the Lord speak out of a Whirlwind? Surely, that Job might see his distance, or that he was but as a feather, even like a rolling thing, or thistle-down, before the Whirl-wind, which the Lord could scatter and blow away with the least breath of his mouth, as that allusion in the Prophet intimates ( Isa. 17.13.) And questionless all the wicked in the world, who contemn the Word of God preached by his Ministers, will be blown away by it as thistle-down or a rolling thing before the Whirl-wind of the Lord's fierce anger and displeasure; All such shall be carried away with a strong irresistable wind, and cast into the bottomless pit of perdition forever. The Lord who sometimes speaks out of a Whirl-wind, hath a whirl-wind always at his command to scatter those like chaff, who obey not what is spoken, as he threatened the enemies of Jacob (Isa. 41.16.)

Sixthly, From God's speaking out of the Whirlwind,

Note;

'It is no argument, that God is not with us, when storms and whirl-winds are up, whether with respect to Nations and Churches, or particular Persons. Do not think God is gone because there is a storm. Read ( Psal. 18. v. 6, 7, 8. Psal. 23.4. Psal. 91.15. Isa. 43.2, 3.) and you shall find that in the worst appearances the Lord is present. The Prophet speaks it expressly ( Nahum 1.3.) The Lord hath his way in the Whirl-wind, and in the storm, and the Clouds are the dust of his feet. When and where it's dark and troublesome the Lord is there, and there he is most; that's the Prophets meaning also, when he saith, The Clouds are the dust of his feet. By Clouds we may understand, not so much the Clouds of the Air, as cloudy Providences; these are round about him, while Judgment and Justice, yea while Mercy and Goodness are the habitation of his Throne. And these Clouds may be called the dust of his feet in a Figure; we know where Travelers pass often, their feet make a dust; now it shows that the Lord doth act much in the Clouds, that is in dark Providences, because 'tis said, They are the dust of his feet, as if he moved so much and so long in them, that he raised a dust with his motion. Do not think the Lord is gone, when whirl-winds and storms, that is outward troubles, come. The Lord answers out of the whirl-wind as often as he answers us by terrible things in Righteousness; and thus he often answers us ( Psal. 65.5.)

Seventhly, and Lastly, comparing the manner of God's coming and speaking to Job, with his intent in coming and speaking to him. The manner in which God came and spake was in a Whirl-wind; but what was his purpose? was it to blow the poor man away? no; it was but to himble him, and then to comfort and restore him.

Observe;

What more dreadful than a Whirle-wind? yet Job found this storm ushering in a sweet calm and a most comfortable sunshine. Job said ( chap. 9.16, 17.) If I had called, and he had answered me, yet would I not have believed, that he had hearkened to my v ice, for he breaketh me with a tempest, or a Whirld-wind. Now the Lord came in a Whirl-wind, and Job finds the quite contrary: God came in a Whirl-wind, not to break him, but to bind him up; not to condemn him, but to convince him; not to discourage him, but to comfort him; comfort comes out of a storm. Thus comfort hath come to many a poor soul, and it comes thus sometimes to the whole Church of God. When Jacob was in a stormy condition, because of his brother Esau, then the Lord came to him ( Gen. 32.) but how came he to him? one would have thought, that Jacob being in such a condition, the Lord who came to comfort him, would have taken him by the hand and embraced him, or walked aside with him, and told him, I am come to help thee, and deliver thee; be of good cheer, let not thy heart be troubled at the approach of thy bloody brother, for I am with thee. One would have thought (I say) the Lord should have treated him in some such manner; but what saith the text? (v. 24) there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. Poor Jacob was tugging, and swetting all night, as if he would sweat his heart out; here was a strange kind of greeting; 'tis not said the man saluted him, or spake a kind word to him, much less complemented with him, he only wrestled with him; and when he had toiled a geat while, he put his thigh out of joy • t (which was very course usage) and only said Let me go (which was very course language) yet the Lord came at that time with a full purpose to bless him, & deliver him out of the hand of Esau. Then be not afraid of storms, for the Lord hath sunshine in his heart, when there's nothing but a storm in his face. The Lord may come to you in poverty, and sickness, he may chasten you with pain upon your bed, and the multitude of your bones with strong pains, till you say as Hezekiah in his sickness ( Isa. 38.13) I reckoned till morning, that as a Lion, so will he break all my bones; and yet intend so much mercy, that you shll say (as David, Ps. 35.10.) All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and needy, from him that spoileth him. The Lord hath gracious purposes towards his people in saddest appearances. Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whilrl-wind, and said; What said he? His saying was as stormy as his appearing,

This Verse and ths next are a Preface to what God had further to say unto his afflicted servant Job. The former verse was the Historians Preface, these two are the Lord's.

We have here, First, A check lighting somewhere, Who is this?

Secondly, We have the matter for which this person is checked, and that is for darkening counsel.

Thirdly, We have that by which he is charged to have darkened counsel, and that is, By words without knowledge; and his ignorance or want of knowledge is implied, as discovered in speaking, or rather complaining so much concerning his own sufferings, and the severity of God's dealings with him, whereby he had at once cast a cloud upon the Justice, and reflected upon the goodness and mercy of God.

The words may be taken, First, as a bare enquiry after he man, Who is this? what man is this? as Saul spake of David after the victory which he had got over Goliath, Whose son is this youth? (1 Sam. 17.55.) but that I conceive is too flat and lean a sense in this place, as if the Lord did only make enquiry after the man. Therefore,

Secondly, These words, Who is this? carry in them a rebuke, who is it that hath done this? As if God pointing at Job, had said, is it you? I could not have believed that my servant Job would have so much forgotten himself, or have been so bold with me, as to reflect upon my just, though severe proceedings, by his weak reasonings, which faith only can make him understand aright. Such Questions in Scripture often carry a rebuke in them, yea,

Thirdly, more then a rebuke, they carry a slight or contempt of the person about whom the question is put. As when men presume (as some blasphemously have done) to say, Who is the Lord? What is the Almighty that we should serve him? they speak contemptuously and slightingly of God: So when God speaks thus to man, who is this? he may be said to speak slightingly of man. Again, as when man, speaking of himself, saith (as Psal. 8.4.) What is man that thou art mindful of him! he slights or vilifies himself; so when the Lord saith, who is this? or who is the other? it carrieth the same sense. Interrogations are quick sharp speeches, and usually those speeches are quick and sharp which begin with an Interrogation; and doubtless this Interrogation hath a double sharpness, or two stings in it.

First, Of rebuke or reprehension.

Secondly, Of a slight or diminution. Job, though indeed a man of an excellent spirit, had been too bold with God, and therefore no wonder if God spake (though he contemned him not) contemningly to him, Who is this?

Yet here it is questioned who the person was, whether Job or no, that is aimed at or intended in this rebuking or contemning Question.

There are two opinions about it, and the matter is carried on both sides (as one expresseth it) by no inconsiderable Arguments.

First, Some conceive, Elihu was the person concerned in this Question, Who is this? and they give several reasons for it; I shall only mention two. First, because he was the man that spake last; we had him speaking six Chapters quite through, while Job spake not a word; and therefore say they, it seems most probable, that when God came to speak, he would undertake him that spake last. Who is this?

Secondly, Because Elihu had not carried the matter so clearly and fully with Job as he should, but had failed, though not as Jobs three friends had done before; and that therefore as the Lord reproved and taxed them by name in the 42d Chapter, so here Elihu is taxed more covertly, for obs • uring his Counsel, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? These are the two chief Arguments which fasten the rebuke upon Elihu; and there are many learned Interpreters who carry it so, affirming that the whole discourse from the beginning of this 38th Chapter to the end of the 39th is directed to Elihu; and that God spake not to Job till the 40th Chapter. Yet some others say God reproved Elihu in this second Verse only, and spake comfort to Job in the third; Gird up thy loins like a man; and these interpret the first words of the Chapter, Then the Lord answered Job cut of the Whirl-wind, thus, he answered for Job, not to Job, as if the word Job were to be taken in the dative Case, signifying favor and respect from God to him.

But, by the favor of these learned Authors, who give this Interpretation, I shall rather adhere to those who affirm (and they are not a few) that the person here concerned and spoken to was Job himself, and I shall give you three or four Reasons of it, and so pass to the opening of the words.

First, Because the first Verse tells us expressly, that the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind; and that Interpretation which saith, he answered for, not to Job, is a little strain to the Text. Now the Lord speaking so expressly to Job in the first Verse, it is very congruous, that he should speak to him in the second, and not divert his speech from him to another person in the next words that he spake.

Secondly, Job himself took these words to himself in the forty second Chapter, at the third Verse, where he acknowledged that indeed he had spoken darkly, I have uttered things that I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not; he took (I say) the reproof contained or couched in those words to himself, which is a clear argument, that they were directed to him.

Thirdly, If we consider the whole frame of the Lord's discourse afterwards, beyond this preface, we shall find that he is not speaking for Job against Elihu, but for Elihu against Job, that is to humble Job; and therefore the Lord doth join in with Elihu, and useth the very same Arguments in the main (as will appear in opening the Chapter) which Elihu had insisted upon, namely from the works of God in the Creation, and his wonderful wisdom in ordering those works in Providence. So that the dealing of God with Job in these Chapters (as to the subject matter of it) very consentaneous or like to the matter which Elihu had handled and insisted upon, especially in the later part of his speech to Job; and therefore it doth not seem probable that God would reprove him for what he had spoken.

Fourthly, the manner of this rebuke seems to fit Job very fully, for therein he is not charged with any falsity or gross mistake (he indeed having spoken of God and the things of God, of his own innocence and piety, with the rewards of both, truly and worthily) but only with obscuring and darkening the things which he had uttered. His speech bearing much of the Image of his own troubled spirit and troublesome condition, was somewhat troubled and confused. Therefore I conclude that the person spoken to and reproved in this second verse was Job, not Elihu; Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? and it being resolved that he was the man, let me (before I proceed to the matter of this reproof) give out this brief Observation.

We have heard at the eighth Verse of the first Chapter, how God spake of Job, and now consider how God speaks to Job; There the Lord approved him highly, as not having his like or second on earth for well-doing; here the Lord reproved him sharply, for undue-speaking.

Hence Note;

When Satan came upon that solemn day, and stood before the Lord, God said unto him, Hast that considered my servant Job, that there's none like him in all the earth, a man perfect and upright; so perfect and upright both in his walking with me, and in his dealing with man, that he hath not his fellow? Thus God spake of him as to his former state. But now after Job had spoken long in this dispute, and had let fall some unwary and unbecoming speeches, see how God speaks to him, Who is this? as if he had been a man scarce worth the naming or speaking to. God will not flatter his Servants; if they do or speak what is not right, they are like to hear of it. Wherein he had spoken what was not right, or what his fault was, appears in the next words, Who is this

Words against knowledge are the worst words that can be spoken; the Lord did not charge Job thus far: words without knowledge are very bad, and thus far the Lord charged the words of Job, as also with that which is an unavoidable effect of such words,

Counsel, in the general natu • e of it, is light desired and held out; to give counsel is to give light in and about any matter. And therefore surely he that darkeneth counsel, commits a very great fault, yea, a solicisme or absurdity in morals. Counsel is the election or choice of proper means to a good end; or, Counsel is go d advices given, and (ought to be) received about things to be done. Hence the whole directive pa • t of the Word of God is called Counsel ( Psal. 73.24. Prov. 1.25, 30.) The doctrine of Reconciliation unto God by Christ is called, The Counsel of Peace (Zech. 6.13.) David, speaking of wicked proud men saith ( Psal. 19.6.) You have shamed the Counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge: As if it were poor counsel, and such as wec may be ashamed of, to advise any to put their trust in God. They darken Counsel indeed who are ashamed of it, or who shame it.

It is questioned, whose counsel, or what counsel Job is charged by God with darkening? There are two opinions about that.

First, Some expound it of Jobs own counsel, of that counsel which he gave, or held forth about the matter under dispute, that is, his sense and judgment in it.

Secondly, The Counsel which he darkened, was (say others) the Counsel of God, or his purpose and intendment in the sufferings of the righteous, and in suffering the wicked to prosper for a season. These works of God are a great secret, and therefore may well be expressed by the word Counsel. And usually when the word Counsel is put absolutely and alone, it is to be understood of the Counsel of God. Yet I conceive we may very well join these two opinions together, and say, Job darkened his own counsel and the counsel of God too; he delivered his own mind and sentiments so darkly (the delivering of a man's mind is his counsel) about the counsel of God, that he rather obscured both, than cleared either. And there are several things wherein Job may be charged to have spoken obscurely. Did he not darken the counsel of God, when he complained so very much and so often of his afflictions? Did he not darken his own counsel, and the counsel of God, when, as if the dispensations of God were everywhere alike to all, he said ( Chap. 9.22.) God destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. If the scourge slay suddenly, he laugheth at the trial of the innocent? Did he not darken counsel when he said, God dealt with him as an enemy, o • , as with an enemy? Surely he did not well attend the counsel of God in afflicting him, while he made such constructions of his affliction. The things which Job spake were true, yet Job delivered himself so darkly that his friends mis-understood him; they understood him, as if he meant that God dealt in his providences with the righteous as with the wicked, and were to the wicked as he is to the righteous, that is, as if he had no more regard to any godly man, than to a wicked man in afflicting him. In these (and some other things) Job did not sufficiently explain himself and he exceedingly stumbled or offended his friends and hearers, and so might be said to darken the counsel of God, that is the purpose of God, or what God hath in his counsels concerning his people, when under his afflicting hand. All such like passages falling from Job, the Lord might call a darkening of his counsel, or the casting of a cloud upon his righteous dealings, and at least an intimation that God had done him wrong. Words of such a tenor and tendency are justly charged to be words

Not that Job spake altogether ignorantly, understanding neither what he said, nor whereof he affirmed, as the Apostle charged some, who desired to be teachers of the Law (1 Tim. 1.7.) the Text cannot be so taken; but his words and affirmations were such as did not hold out a clear light of knowledge, either in his own understanding, or at least not to the understanding of his hearers. Thus Elihu charged Job (Chap. 35.16.) He openeth his mouth in vain, he multipileth words without knowledge. To speak one word without knowledge is too many; what is it then to multiply words without knowledge? He multiplieth words without knowledge, that is, he hath not given his sense and meaning in many things clearly, as he might and should. Here the Lord seems to take up the same charge against Job; Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? God consents with Elihu, as to the matter of his reproof; Elihu telling him, that he had multiplied words without knowledge; and God telling him, that he had darkened counsel by words without kowledge. Words ought to give light to the things we speak of or about; what we speak should be for the clearing up both of our own counsel and the counsel of God. So that it was a very great failing in Job, to darken either his own counsel or the counsel of God, by words without knowledge. Out own counsel should be delivered plainly, and so should the counsel of God much more. It is sad to gather clouds or raise a mist about our hearers, when we are professing to hold out the light. To puzzle and am •• e those whom we undertake to teach, is one of the worst accidents ('tis too too bad when 'tis the intent) of a Teacher. And therefore Job (though he had no intent to do it) is justly reproved for doing it; Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

These woe • ds (as was said) being at best an enquiry after the man, or a citation to appear and answer,

Note;

God would not let his servant Job pass; he censured Job that Job might censure himself; and points at him, that he might even see himself pointed at. As if he had said; What! is this my serv •• t Job? is it he that I heard speaking at such a rate of impatience and obscurity? I could not have thought that he would have uttered such words about my ways and works, either towards himself or others. Everyone of us (saith the Apostle, Rom. 14.12.) shall give an account of himself to God. Some have more to account for than themselves ( Heb. 13.17.) but all must give account for than themselves; Give an account of thy stewardship (Luke 19.2.) will be said one day to everyone. To be a Steward is the special office of some men in reference to men, but 'tis the general office of all men in reference to God. They cannot stand in the day of account, who have not repented of the evil they have done, nor rested on Christ by faith for the doing away of that evil. For the Lord will say to one, who is this that hath perverted my Truth? to another, who is this that hath disobeyed my Commands? to a third, who is this that hath distrusted my Promises? to a fourth, who is this that hath been so unthankful for my Mercies and Favors? He will also say, who is this that hath oppressed his Neighbor? and, who is this that hath been self-proud and wanton? The offender must appear, and so will his offenses. Yea, a citation will come out, as against all those who have against knowledge refused to walk in the light of God's counsel, so to all those (as here to Job ) who have darkened counsel any way for want of the light of knowledge. And who can stand in any of these accounts, either for not doing good, or for doing evil, without a Mediator, upon whose account alone we are accepted. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

Secondly, Taking these words as an humbling rebuke upon Job for his over-boldness, in speaking of God and his ways;

Note;

God will make all men know who they are, who himself is, and what they have done or spoken. When the Scripture saith, who is this? and what is man? When the Scripture asketh what, or who we are? it is either to abase the pride of man, or to convince him of his base fear of the proudest men, as appears specially in these two Scriptures. When good men are over-troubled at, or afraid of the power of man, then the Lord chides and shames them with this question ( Isa. 51.12.) Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man? As if he had said, what a fool art thou, what an ignorant creature are thou; the Lord spake there to his own people, and to them altogether, as is they were but one man) Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man that shall be made as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker? What a kind of creature art thou, to set so much by a man (let him be who he will) that thou shouldest be unduly afraid of him, who by nature is like thyself, frail and mortal, is if thou hadst nor the immortal God thy Maker for thy helper and defender! They act below men, who over-fear men, while they are in a way of duty to God. Who art thou, &c.

Secondly, The Scripture useth such questions when man is over-bold with, or not enough in the fear of God (which is the case here in the Text) If any man intrench upon the prerogative of God, he is like to hear of it, with a Who art thou? The Apostle ( Rom. 9.20.) by way of prevention, represents man so bold with God, as to darken his counsel, even his eternal counsel, by words without knowledge; Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? who hath resisted his will? When God, to show his unquestionable Sovereignty, saith, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; Then man begins to complain of God, and thinks he hath cause for it: But saith the Apostle, Who art thou that repliest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? When-ever man give occasion to say, that he fears man too much, or God too little; he is like to hear these rebuking and humbling questions, Who is this, or, Who art thou? Many have too high thoughts of others, and most of themselves, as if they were (as we say) some-body, that is, more than any-body, as if they were of some greater worth, or had some greater worthiness, than their neighbors. Now, whosoever have too hign thoughts either of others or of themselves, they always have too low thoughts of God; and therefore God, to show them their vanity, that all men are but emptiness, yea very nothingness compared with him, makes the best of men strike sail, or, God shoots down their top-sail, with such questions as these, Who are you? and, who is this?

Thirdly Note;

Job had no intent to darken the counsel of God, yet he did it, Some make it their business (when they speak of the counsels of God) to darken them and raise a dust; these are either angry with the light, or envious at it, and unwilling that others should enjoy it. Some Patrons of Popery, the better to make their own excuse for obscuring or hiding the Scriptures in darkness from the People, have not feared to charge them with darkness & obscurity. And others by their ill and unskillful handling of the Scriptures have brought darkness and obscurity upon them. Though the Scriptures have many dark places in them, yet woe to those who say the Scriptures are dark; and let all take heed of darkening them, for they are the counsel of God. It is an easy matter to paddle in a clear stream, till it runs muddily; but it will not be for any man's ease or peace to do so in the clear crystal streams of the holy Scriptures. It is the unhappiness of some that they cannot but speak and write about the counsels of God obscurely; and there are others who glory that they can. It was said of a dark Pen, that While he w • uld have that read which he had written, he would not have that understood which was read; and while some would have that heard which they speak, they speak as if they would not have that understood which is heard. It is a great sin purposely and designedly to darken the Counsels of God; and 'tis a failing and an affliction to darken them, though we (as Job did not) design it not. We should labor to deliver our minds plainly concerning the mind of God, that what we utter may not be sound a darkening of his Counsel, but as much as in us is, a clearing of it. Counsel (as was touched before) is the giving of light in dark cases; and therefore we should enlighten Counsel.

Two things are the grace and excellency of a spaker:

First, To speak boldly and freely, to speak the truth out, not to clip nor straiten it.

Secondly, To speak plainly, to open the truth, and not to intricate nor involve it. Both these are comprised in one word, by the Apostle (2 Cor. 3.12.) where he saith (as we translate) therefore we use great plainness of speech; but the Margin hath great boldness of speech: the same word in the Greek signifies both plainness of speech and boldness of speech; and these are the two great virtues and ornaments of him that speaketh. Both these are again implied in that direction of the Apostle (1 Pet. 4.11.) If any man speak (about the things of God) let him speak as the Oracles of God; that is, let him speak as becomes him that hath to do with the Oracles of God, reverently, freely, and boldly; not as if he were speaking the opinions of men, much less, Old Wives fables. Or let him speak as the Oracles of God (speak) that is, plainly, clearly, not as the Oracles of the Heathens (spake) darkly, doubtfully. Let us take heed of wrapping up the truth of God, or entangling it, in uncertain expressions, which may be interpreted either way, or to quite contrary purposes: there is a great danger in this. We may give ourselves some scope, or take more liberty, when we are debating about worldly matters, or disputing the subtle questions and curiosities of Schoolmen: But when we have to do with the Secrets and Counsels of God, then let us beware and be sober. Some speak as rashly and inevidently of deepest Gospel Mysteries, as they talk of other men's crotchers, or as of their own trifles.

Fifthly, Consider, How did Job darken the Counsel of God? It was by words without knowledge.

Hence Note;

If Job, who had so great a measure of knowledge, darkened the Counsel of God by words without knowledge; what will they do that have upon the matter no knowledge at all? The Apostle speaks of such as more than darkening, even as wresting the Counsel of God (2 Pet. 3.16.) In Paul's Epitles (saith he) are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction. Some things in the Word are hard to be known, and they are made harder by such unlearned ones, as utter their own notions of them, by words without knowledge. 'It is very true, that many learned men have wrested and perverted the Word of God, and some of them have employed their learning on purpose to wrest and pervert it; but they that have not a comperent degree of learning and knowledge, what can they do else but wrest and darken the Word of God? I intend not human learning merely, in Arts and Sciences, though there be great use of them; but I mean especially Holy and Divine Learning. They that are not taught of God, nor have the light of God in them, cannot but darken the things and Counsels of God, how much human learning soever they have. The Prophet foretells us of Christ speaking thus of himself, as the great Prophet, ( Isa. 50.4.) The Lord hath given me the tongue the learned, that I should kn w how to speak a word in season to him that is weary; that is, to those who are wearied (not with bodily labors and travels, but) with soul-labors and travels, about the pardon of their sins, and the favor of God to their souls. He that speaks a word effectually for the refreshing of such weary ones, must open the Counsels of God to them; and he that doth so, must have the tongue of the learned, that is, a tongue taught of God how to speak, else he will never be able to do it knowingly, but through the darkness of his own mind will darken the Counsel of God concerning those dark souls, and so rather weary them more, than relieve them out of their weariness. That the soul be without knowledge is not good (Prov. 19.2.) that is, 'tis very bad, (such Negatives in Scripture intend their contrary Affi • matives) and as it is not good, or very bad for themselves, whosoever they are, so it is not good for them with respect to others, who are called to declare the Counsels of God to others. Souls without knowledge cannot open, but are apt to darken the Soul-counsels of God.

Sixthly, Inasmuch as God reproved Job for this,

Note;

We had need be cautious what we say, and not talk at random about the things of God. Job, a holy and a wise man, had a peal rung in his ear, for speaking words without knowledge, words not duly poized and placed. There are some who will catch at, and take hold of every slip of the tongue, they will make a man an offender for a word, which hath no real ground of offense in it; (as the Prophet spake, Isa. 29.11.) God may justly make a man an offender for a word, which he thought was without offece.

Lastly, Consider, when God came to reprove Job, he did not charge him with iny ill intentions, but with ill expressions. He indeed had darkened his Counsel by words Without knowledge, but God did not say he had a purpose and a mind to do it; nor did he say, that Job had spoken lastly, but that he had spoken truth obscurely. The Lord did not object hypocrisy or impiety against him, but imbecility; as not having handled the Judgments of God, nor delivered his own judgment clearly and prudently enough; but had huddled and put things so passionately and confusedly together, that some could not tell how to distinguish them from blasphemy.

Hence Note

If he did it in a heat of passion, God will not deal with him, as if he had done it in cold blood (as we sy) or with a settled resolution. The Lord will not call a slip of the tongue an error of the mind, much less a minded nor. God know the intent and purpose of every man that speaks; he weighs not only our actions, but words; he knows not only what we say, but why, and with what aims we say it: and therefore he never urgeth any man's sin beyond itself. Job had darkened the Counsel of God only by words without knowledge, therefore God would not charge him to have darkened his Counsel, knowingly, or against the light of knowledge. Yea, notwithstanding this fault, the Lord having reproved him for it, proceeds presently (as some interpret the next verse) to comfort and encourage him.

As if the Lord had said, thou hast spoken thus and ths of my Counsels, now give me an account of what thou hast spoken; Gird up thy loins like a man. To call a man to gird up his loins, is to bid him be in a readiness, or to prepare himself for any work. The strength of a man is in his loins, and they who are weak, are said to be loin-less. To gird up the lions, is a powerbial speech, and may be used to a man who weareth the shortest garments, yea to him who is naked. Hence the Lord bid Job to gird up his loins, who possibly was so weak, that he could not stand upon his legs; or possibly had no long garments at all. There is a girding the lions with sack-cloth, that is, with sorrow, implying the work of repentance and mortification ( Isa. 22.12.) In that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth. The two Witnesses of Christ are said to prophesy in sackcloth one thousand two hundred any sixty days (Rev. 11.3.) to note that they were in a sad or sorrowful conditoin all the days of their Prophesy: Thus Jobs loins had been girt a long time. But, Again, There is a girding of the loins with joy: Thou hast put off from me my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness (Psal. 30.11.) Also, There is a girding of the lions with strength ( Psal. 17.39.) Further, we may take notice of a fourfold use in Scripture, of girding up the loins.

First, There is a girding up the lions for travel, or when a man is to take a journey. Thus Elisha said to Gehazi (2 Kings 4.29.) Gird up thy loins, and take thy staff in thy hand, and go thy way, &c. It was a fashion in those Eastern Countries where they wore their garments long and ordinarily loose, to gird them up in travel.

Secondly, There is a girding up the loins for serving or waiting; so Christ expresseth it ( Luke 12.35.) Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men, that wait for their Lord. And he saith at the 37th vcese, Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching: Verily, I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them; that is, he will be ready to do them offices of love, as it were, in person; which is an expression of the greatest condescension: For when Christ would set forth the common custom among men, he saith ( Luke 17.7, 8.) Which of you having a servant plowing or feeding Cattle, will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field; Go, and sit down to meat, and will not rather say, Gird thyself and serve me, &c. Girding is preparatory to serving or waiting.

Thirdly, It notes in Scripture preparation for any labor or work that we are called to, whether of mind or body. He is always girt, that is ready for work, and industrious at it; whereas careless and idle persons, are always ungirt, and so unbless'd. When Jeremiah was called to that great work of the mind or inner man, the Lord said to him ( chap. 1.17.) Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee. A Prophets work begins at his heart, and ends at his tongue, yet for that his loins must be girt.

Fourthly, Girding up the loins, notes a preparation for Battle and War: Thus David spake of Christ, ( Psal. 45.3.) Gird thy sword upon thy thigh O most mighty. So spake that King to his proud Challenger, Let not him that girdeth on his armor, boast as he that putteth it off (1 Kings 20.11.) That is, let not him that prepareth himself for battle, carry it as he that hah won the day and got the victory. When the Apostle describing our spiritual warfare, minds us to stand, having our loins girt about with truth (Eph. 6.14.) he would also have us stand with our loins girt for the truth; that is, as another Apostle speaks, ( Jude 3.) to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints; or to undertake the defense and maintenance of the truth against all comers or opposers.

Girding in the Text is of this latter sort: Disputing is a kind of fighting and warring. Opponents and Respondents are like Combatants. Controversal Divinity is called Polemical Divinity. Disputes are Word-Wars. And there have been as hot wars made by the Pen, as ever were by the Sword. Thus the Lord seems to send Job a challenge to the battle by a further debate. Arm thyself like a mighty man, get ready for the duel, for I am purposed to try what a man thou art in arguing, or at an argument, I have heard thee too stiff in complaining, or at a complaint.

Lastly, This girding up of the loins hath (as some conceive) a spiritual intendment in it, noting the mortification of lust, or of the sensual appetite. They that go about any business for God, or with God, had need to have their lusts subdued. Gird up thy loins

That is, like a mighty man, a Giant, emphatically, as a man, with manly courage and activity; show thyself what a man thou a • t, let me see what thou canst do, thou hast heretofore braved it, and even challenged me, and desired that thou mightest come to the battle; O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat (chap. 23.3.) Now then, Gird up thy loins like a man, show thy strength, I mean to enter the list with thee, I have taken up the glove, as it were, and am resolved to try it out with thee. Gird up thy loins like a man, Do not play the child, do not trisle with me, do not think that I come to trifle with thee.

Some carry the opposition thus: Gird up thy loins like a man, not like a woman, who girds herself often for ornament only, and sometimes for ostentation; but like a man, that resolves to go about his work, and make a business of it; Thus, Gird up thy loins like a man. To do a thing strenuously and with expedition, is the work of a man, who is neither recarded by difficulty, not tired with labor, nor frighted with danger; therefore the Lord counsels Job to gird up his loins like as men do, when they set themselves about or undertake any great business; he would not have him do it, as tender weak women, or as effeminate men.

Taking these words in the first notion, as an encouragement to Job, or as comforting words (which I conceive to be a good sense)

Observe;

He knows how it is with us, and he will not suffer any temptation to take hold of us, but such as he will give strength to bear, and encourage us in the bearing of it. He saith to fainting ones (as here) Come gird up your loins, or as ( Heb. 12.12.) Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.

Secondly, Take the words in that other general notion, God calling Job to a great business, saith, Gird up thy loins, prepare thyself.

Whence, Note;

Never go about any work without your loins girt. A man whose mind is ungirt, is unready for any service, though he may have much outward readiness, and all manner of accommodations for it. When we pray, we should gird up our loins to prayer. The Prophet complained ( Isa. 64.7.) There's none calls upon thy Name. What none at all? Surely not so; they were not come to that height of Profaneness, as to throw up, or to throw off prayer quite. Many among the Jews, I may say all of them prayed, but they did not gird up their loins to prayer: That's fully the Prophets meaning, and alm • st his language in the next words, There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee. It is not enough to have a habit of grace, unless it be stirred up to duty, or unless we bestir ourselves in duty. The Apostle exhorts Timothy (2 Ep. 1.6.) Stir up the gift of God that is in thee. If fire be not stirred up, it grows dead, and gives little or no heat; 'tis so with our gifts and graces. Therefore in prayer, in hearing the Word, &c. gird up the loins of your mind, if you would either do any good in those duties, or get any. He that lies upon a sick-bed, must gird up the loins of his mind to beat his affliction; else he will never profit by it, nor answer the ends of God in it. No grace can be exercised by a soul ungirded: Therefore remember St. Peters counsel (1 Ep. 1.13.) Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope to the end (hope perfectly) for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As if the Apostle had said, ye can never act your hope to purpose, nor your faith to purpose, unless you gird up your loins. Habits of grace are unprofitable to us, without this actual preparation and excitation of grace. It is our duty ( Heb. 10.24.) to provoke (or stir up) others to love and good works; much more is it our duty to provoke and stir up ourselves.

Thirdly, In that he saith, Gird up thy loins like a man:

Note;

Solomon adviseth ( Eccl. 9.10.) Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; that is, do it like a man, vigorously, strenuously, do it with both hands, Quit you like men in doing it, be strong, as the Apostle exhorts (1 Cor. 16.3) To do the work of the Lord negligently and slightly, with half a heart or no heart, with half a hand or no hand, scarce with a little finger, with half strength, or no strength, this is not to do it like a man. We should be in doing, like the Sun in moving, which, saith David (Psal. 19.5.) As a Bridegroom cometh out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. If we would run our race like a strong man, strongly and prevailingly, we must be sure to do two things:

First, We must lay aside every weight, and the sin thut doth so easily beset us (Heb. 12.1.)

Secondly, We must (as here the Lord directs Job ) gird up our loins, and buckle to it.

Fourthly, As these words carry in them a kind of Irony, or divine scorn put upon Job by the Holy God; Come let me see what a man thou art; thou hast spoken often what thou wouldst do, and what thou wouldst say, if thou couldst have thy option, thy wish; now thou hast thy wish, let me see what a man thou art, thou wilt surely appear a brave man by the time that I have done with thee.

Hence Note,

Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity: How vain then is man at his worst! Job was low and in a bad condition, as to his outward man especially, when God dealt with him, and how did he carry it, in the day when God dealt with him? Did his heart endure, or were his hands strong (as the Prophet spake to those, Ezek. 22.14.) Did he carry it like a man? In one sense not, but like a child, he had not a word to speak; Once have I spoken, but I will speak no more; yet it must be confessed, he never carried it so like a godly man, as when, like a child, he had a word to speak. God will make man see what a nothing he is in his best condition, when girt and prepared, when armed (Cap-a-pe) all over, for any service for God; even then, man is a vain thing without the present assistance of God; what is he then when he is to contend or plead with God! If the whole world should lay their forces, or, as we say, compare notes together, what could they do in dispute with God? They that think they touch the clouds with their heads, would molder as dust at his feet.

That such was the contention to which the Lord here calls Job, and bids him gird up his loins, or be in a readiness for, appears plainly in the next words.

As if the Lord had said, Thou gavest me my choice (So Job did chap. 13.22.) whether I would be Opponent or Defendant; well then saith God, this is my choice, I will oppose, and do thou answer.

That is, put questions to thee; and we shall see presently how thick questions or demands came upon him like hail-shot, and he had not a word to answer, though God required it.

Mr. Broughton renders, And let me see thy skill. The word is, Instruct me, or Make me to know, Wise me (as we say) I would fain be informed by thee, teach thou me, notify the matter to me, as the word may be translated. I will demand, and answer thou me. The Lord did not call upon him for Answers, as to be informed by him, but only to convince him that he could not answer him, as he confessed at the fifth verse of the fortieth Chapter; Once have I spoken, but I will not answer: nor indeed could he. To all the demands which the Lord made afterwards, he made no answer at all; so that these words, Answer me, or Instruct and inform me, are a gentle irony, whereby the Lord would make him know himself, or be sensible of his own ignorance or small attainments in knowledge; and thereby convince him, that he had done rashly, in desiring and wishing for such a debate or hearing of his cause. The Lord was pleased to rebuke him thus secretly, or in a figure, and not to fall upon him in plain downright terms. O thou weak and ignorant creature, who hast presumed to appear before me, and try thy cause with me: Now, Go to, Let me see what thou canst do, show thy best skill, put forth thy utmost strength of argument, in reasoning about or against my dealings with thee. Thus the Lord might have confounded him; but he was pleased to carry it in a milder way, yet in a way as effectual to humble and meeken Jobs spirit. God needs not press man by power, he can do it by reason or force of argument, and so stop his mouth forever. The Apostle saith ( Rom. 3.19.) All the world shall become guilty before God; and in the same Chapter he saith, God shall be justified in his sayings, and overcome when he is judged. The Lord always doth things with so much justice, and speaks with so much reason, that no man is able to answer a word, or reply upon him. And though he might silence or stop any man's mouth, by his mere Command and Authority, yet he condescends to do it rather by reason and demonstration, lest any should say, or complain, they were rather over-powered by the greatness of his Majesty, than cast by the right and equity of his Cause. Thus we see how the Lord in this Preface prepares Job to hearken to those demands that he had to put to him, and to answer them if he could; but Job (alas poor man!) had not a word to answer any one of those demands, which the Lord put to him, either in the following part of this Chapter, or in the next.

IN the former Verse, God told Job what himself would do, or in what method he would proceed with him; I will demand of thee (saith the Lord) or I will put the Question to thee: In this verse the Lord begins to make his Demands, to put Questions to Job, and calls for his Answer; these Demands or Questions contain the confutation of Jobs former complaining speeches against, or, at least, about the dealings of God. The first Question we have in this fourth verse;

For the clearing of this whole discourse, in which the Lord puts Questions or Demands to Job, I shall first consider the general scope of them all, and then the special matter contained and couched in the present context.

The scope which God seems to have in pressing Job with these Demands or Questions, may be threefold.

First, That by arguments from the less to the greater, he might show Job, that he was not able to comprehend the reason of his mysterious providential workings towards the children of men, seeing he could not give a reason of his sensible and natural works.

Secondly, That Job being put to confess his ignorance about worldly or natural things, he might be brought to have low thoughts of himself, and (as he did indeed at last in Chapter 42.) to abhor himself, repenting in dust and ashes: Therefore, as one of the Ancien • s saith upon this place; After God had a great while, as it were, debated with him, and questioned him by his rod, he now debated with him by word, putting Questions to him.

Thirdly, The Lord came thick and threefold (as we say) upon Job, with these searching Questions, thereby to convince him, that if by his own mighty power he had made, and by his wise providence had ordered the whole course of Nature, and all the parts of it, so exactly; surely then Job might collect and conclude that God in his administrations towards him, a particular single person, must needs carry all things in wisdom and with justice. And, that if God did show forth so much wisdom and faithfulness, in making, and in ordering the world, which was made for man, and for him among others of mankind; then much more was the providence of God rightly and duly administered unto all men, and him. If the Lord took such care of the Earth, when he had shown his power in making of it; if he took such care about the brute beasts and other creatures of the Earth, which are the stock of it; then doubtless he took a due care of man, and of him in particular, man being the chief part of this lower creation, and Job being a principal one among the sons of men.

More distinctly. In this Context, and those which follow, about the works of God, the conviction ariseth three ways upon Job, or God deals with him by a threefold argument; and all to humble him, and bring him upon his knees.

First, By comparing the eternity of God with Jobs time, who was but of yesterday; therefore saith he, Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth? As if he had said, pray how old are you, that you should take upon you to contend with me, about my dealings with you? As the Jews said ignorantly to Christ, whose day Abraham saw by faith, and was glad, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? (John 8.57.) So the Lord might say in the fullness of his knowledge, to Job, Thou art not yet a hundred years old, sure; Where (then) wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth?

Secondly, The Lord sets before Job his own Omniscience, and thereby convinceth Job of his ignorance, or of the little knowledge, as well as experience, that he had of things done long before: Declare (saith God) if thou hast understanding, at the fourth verse; and if thou knowest, at the fifth verse. As if the Lord had said, I can declare these things, I know these things; what's thy knowledge about them, in comparison of my knowledge? thy light is but darkness, and thy knowledge ignorance, compared with mine; therefore presume not.

Thirdly, The Lord convinceth Job by his helplesness to him, both in the Works of Creation and Providence; thereby setting forth his own Omnipotency, together with Jobs impotency; which was such as contributed nothing either to the Creation, or to the Government of the World. Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth, and did all these things? Didst thou come to give me either counsel how to do them, or lend me thy hand in the doing of them? Surely no; I did them alone, thou wast not in being, thou art not from the beginning. Thy knowledge is very small, and thy power and strength smaller, as to the bringing about of any of these things; therefore see thy vanity, in speaking thus complainingly, about my dealings with thee.

From and upon all these considerations, the Lord would have Job sit down and acknowledge, that it must needs be extreme rashness in him to find fault with any of his Dispensations, or plead with him about them: The general argument may be framed thus;

He is blame-worthy, that finds fault with or complains about anything in the Government of God, or will adventure to dispute, and debate with him about it; unless he have somewhat like the Eternity, the Wisdom, the Might, and Power of God.

But Job thou hast nothing like the Eternity of God, for thou art but of the other day; thou hast nothing like the Omniscience of God, for thou art ignorant of what God hath done, and destitute of counsel what to do thyself: Thou hast nothing like the Power of God, the Arm of God, thou art weak, thou canst not make the least worm, the least fly; surely, then thou canst do nothing towards the making of a world: Therefore thou art blame worthy, for finding fault with, and complaining about what God hath done.

The first Proposition is fully implied, throughout the discourse. The Assumption is expressed in many sharp and cutting queries, from the 4th ver. of this Chapter, Where wast thou, &c. to the 34th of the next. The parts of this Assumption are many; whereof the first treats of Creation, from this fourth verse to the 22d; the second of Providence in general, chiefly in the Meteors; from the 22d. verse to the end of this Chapter; the third, of special Providence towards the Beast of the Earth, and the Fowls of the Air, from the first verse of the 39 ^th Chapter to the end.

So that, the proof of this Assumption, that Job had no hand, g • ve no counsel, no furtherance, no assistance, in the Works of Creation and Providence; I say this Assumption, contains the history of the greatest things in all the parts of Nature: for whatsoever belongs to true Philosophy, may be reduced to it, or clearly di • covered in it; and herein we are taught the true use of Philosophy, even to raise the mind of man to the contemplation of the Eternity, Power, and Wisdom of God; as also of our own frailty, weakness, nothingness, and so to sit down in an humble submission, to whatsoever the Lord doth with us, or ours, in this world.

So much of the argument and general scope of this whole discourse.

The Lord begins with the Work of Creation, thereby humbling Job to this Confession, that he had nothing at all to do with it.

We have the Creation asserted in these words, and God is pleased to speak of it metaphorically, by a comparison drawn from Architecture, or the model of a Building: Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth?

Eliphaz put a question of a near impo • t with this ( Chap. 15.7.) Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? Here the Lord speaks the same language, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Wast thou made before the World? There was a sort of men spoken of by the Ancients, called (Proselunes) Men made before the Moon, who boasted that they were a people before the Moon was made: others said they were before the Earth. The Scripture tells us that man was made out of the Earth; well then might the Lord demand, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Wast thou before the Earth? Or before the Moon? Where wast thou? Surely thou wast nowhere, thou wast not in being, when I laid the foundations of the Earth; fo • as much as thy foundation is of the Earth, thou art but dust of the Earth; therefo • e where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Thou hadst no Being then, unless in my decree and purpose for the bringing of thee forth in thy season and generation. We may say, every man was somewhere, when God laid the foundations of the Earth; he was in the Purpose, Decree, and Counsel of God, which was from Eternity. Every man had a being in the mind of God, when God laid the foundations of the Earth; but where wast thou or any man, as to any existence, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Now if this be thy case, thou hast no reason to be so high and big in thy own thoughts, or to speak so discontentedly about my dealings with thee. Do I need thy counsel in governing the World, who needed it not in making the World? Where wast thou? &c.

And here we may take notice of the difference of Scripture language in this point, with respect to our Lord Jesus Christ; & by considering the different language of the Scripture concerning Christ, we have a clear argument to prove the God-head of Christ, or that he is God by Nature; forasmuch as he had his existence, when God laid the foundation of the Earth. Hear what Wisdom, substantial Wisdom, that is Jesus Christ, spake of himself ( Prov. 8.22.) The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way (that is, in the beginning of his ways of Creation) before his works of old; I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the Earth was. Where wast thou saith God to Job, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? But Jesus Christ the true Wisdom, saith, he was before the Earth was; When there was no depth, I was brought forth; when there was no fountain abounding with water. While as yet he had not made the Earth, nor the fields, n • r the highest parts of the dust of the World: When he prepared the Heavens, I was there: When he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the Clouds above; when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the Sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandments: When he appointed the foundations of the Earth: Then was I by him as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him, &c.

You see how the Spirit speaks concerning Christ, the true Wisdom, the substantial Wisdom, he was before God laid the foundations of the Earth; therefore he is God, he is eternal. But when God comes to speak to Job, a man, he saith, Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth? (John 1.1.) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God; and by him all things were made. Jesus Christ had a hand in making the World, in laying the foundations of it, the work is ascribed to him. Here's the glory of Jesus Christ above all creatures, and this is an unanswerable proof of the God-head and Divinity of Jesus Christ; as 'tis of man's frailty, when the Lord demands,

Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? 'It is as if the Lord had said, Remember how short a time thou hast been, how little a while it is since thou camest into the World?

There are two things which men should much consider;

First, How little a while they have been in this World.

Secondly, How little a time they have to stay in this World. Where wast thou,

The Hebrew is but one word, Where wast thou, when I founded the Earth? we say, When I laid the foundations of the Earth? What's a foundation? There are four things to be noted about a foundation.

First, A foundation is the lowest part of a building. The Top or Head-stone (Zach. 4.7.) and the foundation-stone, are at utmost distance; the one highest, the other lowest, the one first laid down, the other last set up.

Secondly, The foundation is an unseen part of the building: we behold the super-structure, the walls and towers, when raised, we behold the battlements and pinnacles; but we cannot behold the foundation, that's an unseen part of the building.

Thirdly, The foundation is the most necessary part of the building. There are some parts of a building, which are only for ornament and beauty; there are other parts of a building, which though they are somewhat necessary, yet not much necessary; the building might stand without them, but a foundation is of absolute necessity: there cannot be: continuing house without a foundation.

Fourthly, The foundation is the support of the whole building; that bears and upholds all the rest.

But some may say, What are the foundations of the Earth?

I answer, A foundation may be taken either properly, or metaphorically; formally, or allusively.

The foundations of the Earth are not formal, but metaphorical foundations: 'It is a speech borrowed from men, who must have a proper foundation for their buildings. The Earth is not laid upon any formal, but it hath a virtual foundation. The Scripture saith sometimes, that the Earth is founded upon the seas, and established upon the floods (Psal. 24.2.) yet in a proper sense, the Sea is not the foundation of the Earth. It's said also, ( Job 26.7.) He hangeth the Earth upon nothing. The whole bulk of Sea and Earth together, are one Globe, one Building, formed and compacted together.

But the Earth may be said to have foundations, and that God hath laid the foundations of it; for this reason: Because the Earth is set fast and firm, it is like a house that hath foundations, not only a foundation, but foundations; it stands most firm. A house built upon a rock ( Matth. 7.25.) stands fast and immoveably in all weathers, because built upon a sure foundation: A house built upon the sands, falls, it hath no sure foundation. The Earth is made firm, strong, and sure, as those houses or buildings that are raised upon rocks; and is therefore said to have foundations. Why is Heaven, or the state of glory, called a City having foundations (Heb. 11.10.) but because the state of glory, or that glorious City, is a firm state; or (as it is called in another place ( Chap. 13.14.) a continuing City: A City which shall itself continue forever, and whose Citizens (without succession) continue forever. Now though the Earth be but a moveable tent or weak cottage, in comparison of Heaven or our heavenly state; yet God in his infinite Wisdom and Power, hath formed and established it so firmly for the habitation of man and all inferior creatures, upon its own center; that the Lord may truly be said to have built it upon foundations, or to have appointed foundations for it: as 'tis often expressed elsewhere ( Psal. 102.25. Psal. 104.5. Prov. 8.29.) as well as here. Where wast thou,

The form of the words is considerable, in opposition to that opinion of some of the Ancients, who attributed the site of the Earth, and of the other Elements, not to any divine supernatural Power of the Maker, but to the very Nature of the Earth, or the necessity of the Matter; according to which, heavy things tend downward, and light things rise high; so according to that opinion, the Earth being a heavy body, falleth lowest, or took its place of its self. Now that this opinion may be consuted and shut out of doors, the Lord compares his making of the World, to the building of a house; which is ordered according to the reason of the builder: so that though it be a truth in Nature, that heavy things fall lowest, yet we are to ascribe all to the Wisdom of God, the Disposer of them; who hath done all things according to the pleasure of his own Will, and that with such admirable contrivance, that man is not able to comprehend it; as the last words of the verse intimate: Where wast thou, when I laid the foundation of the Earth? Declare if thou hast understanding.

But before I pass to those words in the latter part of the verse, I shall gather up some observations from this former part of it; Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? &c.

Hence Note, First;

Where wast thou? David (Psal. 39.4.) prayed that God would teach him how frail he was, as to the duration of his life; and he adds in the next verse, Mine age is nothing before thee. The age of man is nothing before God, if we consider it as to its beginning, or if we consider it as to its ending. When began the age of the most aged man? Are not all men of yesterday? God had an eternity of Being, before man was upon the face of the earth. And what's the age of man as to its continuance? As it began but yesterday, that is, a very little while ago, or but the day past; so it may end tomorrow, that is within a few days to come, yea possibly before the next day or the morrow cometh. Boast not of tomorrow ( Prov. 27.1.) both because thou knowest not what a day may bring forth, nor whether, as to thee, a tomorrow shall be brought forth. Death sweeps men suddenly from the face of the earth; only the Lord always is, and is always the same: All things change, but God is not changed: He is himself, and his years fails not: Then what's man's age compared to God?

Note, Secondly;

Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? God alone was before all things; yet he was not at all alone: For (as one of the Ancients saith) He was to himself a world, place, and time, and all things.

Thirdly;

It's possible for one to be first, and not to be eternal. One man may have a Being before another, and not have a Being from eternity; but God had an eternal Being, before the world had a Being, or man any Being in the world.

There are Things of three sorts:

First, Such as have had a beginning, and shall have an end, and be no more. Thus it is with all mere sensitive Creatures, the Beasts of the Earth, and Fowls of the Air; they perish, there's an end of their being, when they die, or come to the end of their lives.

Secondly, There are other things which have had a beginning, yet shall have no end; As Spirits, Angels good or bad, and the souls of men: yea, the bodies of men, though they are subject to, and are cut off by death, yet they shall return again; and having been sown in corruption, shall be raised in incorruption; and be clothed with immortality, which is a piece of Eternity.

Thirdly, There is a Being, which is without beginning, and without ending; and that is God's Being only, or the Being of God; who thus expressed himself to Moses, I am, and I am that I am; (Exod. 3.14.) That word takes in all Time, past, present, and to come; yea, past, present, and to come, are all one in God's Being ( Psal. 90.1.) Thou hast been our habitation, from generation to generation: That is, We thy people, have always, or in all revolutions of time, dwelt or sheltered ourselves in thee: and then at the second verse, they confess not only their being in him throughout all generations, but his most blessed Being before all generations; Before Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the Earth, and the World; even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. The first Being is an eternal Being, and therefore the Prophet saith ( Isa. 57.15.) God inhabiteth Eternity. The Eternal dwells in Eternity. But what is Eternity? One of the Ancients calleth it, The perfect possession of a boundless or limitless life, whole, and all at once. Eternity hath no terms, nor bounds of beginning or ending: 'It is a possession of all at once, there is nothing past, or to come; but all is always present to God.

Note, Fourthly;

The Apostle Paul (Acts 17.28.) discoursing with the Athenians, having said, In him we live, and move, and have our being; convinceth them further by that saying of their own Poets, for we are also his offspring; We spring from him as from a root or fountain. With him is the fountain of lives (Psal. 36.9.) even of natural life, as well as of spiritual and eternal: Every life, every being, is but a stream issuing from Jehovah. And as every life is from God, so also is the being of all things without life. The Lord gave the lifeless Earth its being, its beginning. Some Naturalists have asserted the eternity of the World, and so the eternity of the Earth: They could not compass which way or how the World could have a beginning, and therefore said it had none. Here we have the Founder of the World, God himself, teaching man this Divine Philosophy about the beginning of the World, and taking it to himself, I laid the foundations of the Earth. When the Heathen Philosopher read what Moses had written concerning the Creation of the World; Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finished, and all the host of them (Ger. 2.1.) He presently said, The man speaks wonders, but how doth he prove what he hath spoken? Where are his demonstrations? He would put Moses to his proof: but Moses's proof was faith in the testimony of God. Through faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God; so that things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear (Heb. 11.3.) We understand the Work of Creation, yet not by the strength of natural reason, but through faith; which gives credit to the Word of God, and persuades the heart that the report therein made is a truth. For though some Philosophers have evinced by arguments grounded upon reason, that the World was made; yet that it was made by the Word of God, either the Essential Word, the Son of God spoken of ( John 1.1.) who is the efficient cause of it; or by the Declarative Word, spoken of in this place of the Hebrews, which was the means or instrumental cause of making the World ( Gen. 1.3, 6.) This, I say, cannot at all be understood by reason, but purely and only by faith, because it is so revealed in the Scriptures.

Fifthly, In that the Lord here saith, I laid the foundations of the Earth:

Observe;

The stability of the Earth is of God, as much as the being and existence of it ( Psal. 104.5.) He laid the foundations of the Earth, that it should not be removed forever. There have been many Earthquakes or movings of the Earth in several parts of it, but the whole body of the Earth was never removed, so much as one hairs breadth out of its place, since the foundations thereof were laid. Archimedes the great Mathematician, said, If you will give me a place to set my Engine on, I will remove the Earth. It was a great b • ag; but the Lord hath laid it fast enough for man's removing. Himself can make it quake and shake, he can move it when he pleaseth; but he never hath nor will remove it. He hath laid the foundations of the Earth that it shall not be removed, nor can it be at all moved, but at his pleasure; and when it moves at any time, it is to mind the sons of men that they by their sins have moved him to displeasure. There hath been or will be a shaking of the Earth in mercy, for we have it in a promise ( Heb. 12.26.) Whose voice then (namely at the giving of the Law) shook the Earth; but now he hath promised, saying, yet once more I shake not the Earth only, but also Heaven. Some understand this promise as fulfilled at the coming of Christ in the flesh, at which time indeed there were notable and amazing motions and alterations both in Heaven and Earth. Others expound it of the Day of the ultimate Judgment; not a few of some great providential dispensations of God, which shall shake not the Earth only, but also the Heavens, as taken in a Metaphor for earthly and heavenly things, referring to the Church of God and the Kingdoms of Men. I shall not interpose in this matter about the sense of that Text: but only say, whatever the Apostle meant by Earth or Heaven, and the shaking of it, yet this remains as an unshaken Axiom, that the Fabric of the Earth (properly taken) stands fast: The Lord hath laid the foundations of it, that it should not be removed. David to show the stedfastness of his faith, put that supposition ( Psal. 46.2.) Therefore will not we fear, though the Earth be moved. The Prophet also did the like, to assure us of the stability of the Covenant of Grace ( Isa. 54.10.) yet we need not fear that either the Earth shall be removed, or the Mountains depart. Such suppositions show indeed the immovableness of the Word which God hath spoken, not the moveableness (by any natural power or natural decay) of the Earth, whose foundations he hath laid. And hence the Psalmist argues the Lord's faithfulness to his Word ( Psal. 119.90. ) All earthly things move, but the Earth wherein all these motions are made, stands still (Eccl. 1.4.) The Earth can no more move, than the Heavens can stand still. Some modern Philosophers have turned the scale of Nature, and would persuade us that the Heavens stand still, and the Earth moves: but 'tis good for us to stand to and abide by the Scripture, which tells us, the Earth stands still and abideth; or it abideth, that is, it standeth, as the Margin explains it ( Psal. 119.90.) And that it standeth still or abideth, not only because it hath still a being (as things in motion have) but because it is still, or stands without moving, is so much my faith, as well as my sense, that I see no reason to be moved from it.

Sixthly, The Power and Will of God are the only foundation of the Earth. 'It is said by the Psalmist, he hath founded it upon the waters (as was shown before) yet that cannot be meant properly; for how can water, a fluid body, naturally bear up or sustain the Earth, a heavy body, and not at all boyant? We all see it hangeth or standeth in the air. But what foundation can the air be to the Earth, which will scarcely bear a feather. It remains then undeniable that the Will and Power of God are the foundations of the Earth: There's nothing can be given or assigned in reason, if you look not to the Will of God, for the foundation of the Earth. Besides that, there's no bottom for it. One of the Ancients giving a description of the Creation, saith, All things are laid up in his Power and Will; these are the foundations, the stay, and establishment of all things. And as it is so with respect to the standing of the Earth, so, with respect to all those great things which God hath promised to do in the Earth; the foundation of them all, is his own Power and Will, or his Powerful Will. The foundation laid in Election, and the foundation laid in Redemption by Jesus Christ (other foundation can no man lay for all our spiritual comforts, present privileges, and future hopes (1 Cor. 3.11.) These foundations, I say) were laid in the Will of God, Lo I come to do thy Will, O God, (Heb. 10.7.9.) The Will of God is the foundation and establishment of all things, whether Natural or Civil, Spiritual or Eternal.

Seventhly, From the scope of these words we may

Observe;

And therefore man ought to be quiet, and sit down in his governing as well as in his Creating Will. To convince and persuade Job of this, is (as hath been touched) the purpose of God in all that followeth. He that hath made the World, governs the World; and if so, shall poor creatures, you or I, or any other, though a Job, find fault with his government of it? Will a Master-Builder suffer any one to find fault with his work, who understands not how to lay a stone in it, much less to give the rule or direction for the whole work? Forasmuch then as the Lord is not only the Master-Builder, but the sole Maker of this great House, the World, it becomes man, for whose use it was made, to acquiesce or rest quietly in his Government of it. Surely, the Maker of all things, hath a right to dispose of all things; and therefore all persons are to be satisfied in his disposal of them.

From the whole verse and the observations given upon it, take these Scripture inferences.

First, The Scripture makes this inference from it; God is one, and there is none like to him (Isa. 40.26. Isa. 46.8.) To whom will ye liken me? to whom will you compare me? I am he that stretched out the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth. there's none like to him in Wisdom, none in Power, who laid the foundation of the Earth. There was never such a visible piece of work done in the World, as the making of the World; therefore the • e is none such as the Maker of the World. The hypocrite is brought in dreaming that God was altogether such as himself (Psal. 50.21.) And 'tis, as it hath been, the common guise of Idolaters, to think that God is no better than their Idol. But what the Lord by his Prophet ( Jer. 10.11, 12) taught the captive Jews to say to their great Lord's the Babylonians, the same hath he taught us to say to all Hypocrites and Idolaters: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens: Then presently followeth (as in Job) He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. As if it had been said, Will ye imagine that the Idols which you have made, are like him, who made you and all things? And 'tis considerable, that whereas the whole Prophesy of Jeremy is written in the Hebrew Tongue, this eleventh verse, which holds out at once a testimony and a threatening against those Idolaters, is written in the Chaldean Language, with which the Jews by their long Captivity in Babylon were well acquainted; that so the Babylonians might hear of it, and know that the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, was altogether unlike their gods, who did never so much as arrogate to thems • lves any hand in, much less, the sole power of making heaven and earth.

Secondly, Take this Scripture inference. Seeing the Lord hath laid the foundations of the earth, by his own Power and Wisdom, then, He is the Proprietor of the whole earth, or the whole earth is the Lord's proper possession (Psal. 34.1.) The earth is the Lord's, a • d the fullness thereof; the Lord made it, and it is his. He was not called, nor set a work to build this great House for another; but he made i • , as by his own power, so for his own pleasure; all the inhabitants of the earth are his tenants: and not only the earth, but the whole stock and furniture of it is his: For as the Lord made the earth, so all that the earth is stored with. Thus spake Abraham (Gen. 14.22.) to the King of Sodom, who bid him take the goods to himself: I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord, the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, &c. As if he had said, The Lord who is possessor of heaven and earth, is my portion, my possession; and he can give me enough of the earth, yea he will give me heaven also: therefore, I will not take anything of thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abraham rich. The Lord, who is possessor of the earth, can give his people what earthly portions, or possessions of the earth he pleaseth. And let us remember, what earthly portions soever we have in this world, we have no reason to boast; seeing all is the Lord's, and we are but his stewards and tenants at will. And because 'tis the Lord's earth which we possess, let us also remember to pay our rent, our quit-rent to him, that is, thanks duly and daily; lest we provoke him to distrain upon us, or to take the forfeiture, and turn us out of all. Many hold lands from great Lord's, to pay only some small rent or service, in a way of acknowledgement; O let us remember to pay our rent to our Great Land-Lord, The Lord of the whole earth. They who acknowledge, what they have is his, or that they have and hold all they have of him; will honor him with what they have, even with their substance, and with the first fruits of all their increase, (Prov. 3.9.)

Thirdly, We may infer; Seeing God founded the earth, He is also the Ruler of it. And that the Lord rules the earth, is a mercy to all men on the earth. The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice (Psal, 97.1.) That is, men of the earth have cause to rejoice, because they have God, who is infinitely both wise and good, to rule them. The Lord is King over all the earth; sing ye praises with understanding (Psal. 47.7.) And surely they who understand what a King he is, will praise him.

Fourthly, We may be encouraged to go unto God, or apply ourselves to God, about all things here on earth, seeing • e hath laid the fou • dations of the earth. The Lord having invited his people to ask him things to come concerning his sons, and concerning the work of his hands, to command him (Isa. 45.11.) adds this in the next words, as an encouragement to do so; I have made the earth, and created man upon it: As if he had said, Ask of me whatever you would have me do, or would have done on earth; for I am he that created the earth. It may help our faith much, when (as David expresseth it, ( Psal. 11.3.) the very foundations (of earthly things) are destroyed, to consider that God laid the foundations of the earth: In such a case it may be said (as it followeth there in the Psalm) What can the righteous do? but may it not be said even in that hard case, when foundations are destroyed, What cannot the Lord do, who laid the foundations of the earth? This argument the Psalmist also useth ( Psal. 124.8.) Our help stands in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Though earth and heaven shake, and seem to be confounded or mingled together, yet he who made heaven and earth without help, can give us help, or be our helper. If our help stood in the best of men made of earth, they might fail us; but while our help stands in him that made the earth, he will never fail us, for he hath said he will not ( Heb. 13.5.) and their experience who have trusted the Lord, hath said it too ( Psal. 9.10.) This is the great privilege of all that believe, they may address to God by Christ for anything in this earth, because he is the Maker of it; and having made it by a word speaking, what cannot he do for them, if he speak the word?

Fifthly, Let us be much in praising the Lord for his wisdom, power, and greatness, all which gloriously appear and shine forth in his laying the foundations of the earth. David makes this a special part of Divine praise ( Psal. 136.6.) We should not only praise the Lord for the great things he hath done on the earth, but for this, that he hath made the earth. The work of God in laying the foundations of the earth, calls as loudly for our praise, as anything (except our redemption from the earth ( Rev. 5.9. chap. 14.3.) which ever God wrought upon the face of the earth. The making of the earth calls us to praise the Lord:

First, Because he hath made so vast a body as this earth is, or because he hath made such a large house for us.

Secondly, Because he hath founded it so miraculosly, hanging upon nothing that appears, but in the air; yet standing more firmly than any house built upon a rock.

Thirdly, We should praise the wisdom of God, that hath formed it so exactly, and adorned it so richly: It's not a house huddled and clapt up together, without skill or art, though it was made word a word speaking in six days, yet it was made with infinite wisdom, as is more particularly held out ( v. 5.) where the Lord speaks of laying the measures thereof, and stretching the line upon it; as also of fastening the foundations and laying the c • rner-stone thereof; all which •• ew it is not a house clapt up in haste, but made with admirable exactness: so that (as 'tis usual when great houses are built) there were great acclamations made at the building of it; as we have it the seventh verse of this Chapter, then the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy, to see such a magnificent pile reared up.

Lastly, Take this inference; If the visible world be such a building, what is the invisible world, the City having foundations, which God hath prepared for those that love him?

Thus much of the first part of Jobs Conviction, he had nothing to do in laying the foundations of the earth, and he had as little in setting up and finishing that goodly structure, as will appear in that which followeth.

Yet before the Lord proceeded any further to question Job about this great work of Creation, he requires or calls for his answer in the close of this fourth verse, to the question propounded in the former part of it; Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth?

God challengeth Job to answer: The Hebrew is, If thou knowest understanding. And so the word is used ( Isa. 29.24.) where we render, They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, or (as the Margin hath it) shall know understanding. Again, Hiram said (2 Chron. 2.12.) Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth; who hath given to David the King a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding; The Original is thus strictly read, Knowing prudence and understanding. Daniel spake in the same form ( chap. 2.21.) He giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. To know is a work of the understanding: No man knoweth anything, but by the help of his understanding. The understanding is the first or Master-wheel in that noble engine the soul of man; and when rightly informed and enlightened, all the other wheels or faculties of the soul move aright, unless over-poized by passions and self-ends. Every rational creature hath an understanding, yet every rational creature doth not know understanding, that is, doth not, is not able to speak knowingly, or to use and act his understanding knowingly about every matter. The Lord supposeth Job might be defective here, and therefore bespeaks him thus, Declare, if thou hast understanding, or knowest understanding: As if he had said, The things which I question thee about, may possibly be too high or too big for thy understanding, such as possibly thou canst not reach. And hence, some render or rather paraphrase the Text thus; Declare, if thou art skillful in such great things as I now speak of: If thou art so wise as thou seemest to be by thy former contesting with my provide • ces, declare thy wisdom in this point, wherein I know thou wilt but declare thy ignorance, thy infancy, or inability to speak, as one speaks: Thou wilt show thyself but a child, while thou goest about to resolve this question. An experienced Architect, is not to be corrected by a Novice, who never took tool in hand, nor hath ever read line about that Art: Wilt thou therefore, who art made of the earth, undertake to reprehend my work, who made the earth, in ordering and disposing the condition of man on earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.

Note, First;

A man must see into a matter, by the eye of his mind, before he can duly declare his mind, sense, or sentence about it. A fools bolt (we say) is soon shot; his tongue runs before his wit: but a wise man will not declare (no man can declare well) before he understands: His wit keeps pace at least with his tongue; He that answereth a matter (saith Solomon, Prov. 18.13.) before he heareth it, it is folly and shame to him. It is so also him that heareth it, if he answereth it before he understands it. Declare, if thou hast understanding.

Note, Secondly;

Declare, if thou hast understanding, how the foundations of the earth were laid. Man knoweth not where he was, not what he was, before he was: how then should he declare how anything was done by God before he was? The great thing which God would inform Job in, is the same which the Apostle would inform us all in ( Rom. 11.33, 34.) while he brake out as a man amazed at the sight of a tremendous gulf in this passionate Exclamation, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out! for who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counselor?

The Lord having put this question to Job about the Creation of the Earth in general, proceedeth more distinctly, to put him questions about that work in allusion to buildings.

And here are four things in these two verses which have a twofold respect to buildings: Here are two things which have respect to the form and symmetry of a building: And here are two things which have respect to the strength and firmness of a building.

The form, symmetry, and right order of a building, is laid down in the fifth verse, where the Lord speaks of the measures of the earth, and of stretching out a line upon it. The measuring of a building, and the stretching out of the line upon it, respect the right ordering and modelling, or the due frame of the fabric.

The two other things that concern the strength of a building, are the laying of the foundation and the fastening of the corner-stone; both these we have in the sixth verse: Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof? So then, we have here these two great and necessary concernments of a building:

First, The due form.

Secondly, The firmness of it.

When a builder intends to raise a fabric, he first considereth and measureth the ground or plat where he intends to build: With respect to this, saith God, Who hath laid the measures thereof?

Secondly, When he is building, he useth his line to keep the work level and right: with respect to which God saith, Who hath stretched the line upon it?

Thirdly, The builder, that his work may be substantial, will be sure to fix his foundation sure: in respect of which, the Lord enquires of Job; Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?

Fourthly, The builder will be very careful to set right the corner-stone which holds the walls together: with respect to which he demands an account in these words, Who hath laid the corner stone thereof?

That is, taken the measures of the earth: These measures respect the quantity or dimensions of the earth, its length, breadth, and thickness; these were laid merely according to the good pleasure of God, which no man is able to give a reason of; and therefore, he adds, if thou knowest. The word which we render laid, implies a laying with art, as also with care and diligence; in all keeping a due decorum or proportion, respecting the length, breadth, and deepness of the building. God used this word when he spake to Moses about the fabric of man's body (which is a little world, a compendium of the greater world) ( Exod. 4.11.) Who hath made man's mouth? or who hath made the deaf or the seeing? &c. The Text is, Who hath laid man's mouth? Who hath laid it in that due proportion, or so placed it, that it may fit with the whole, and every member, that it with the eyes, ears, &c. may stand in perfect order, both for use and ornament? Thus the Lord hath laid the measures of the earth; He measured out the several parts of it, where the valleys should be, and where the plains; where the hills and mountains, and where the rivers and channels: He measured all these, that is, he disposed them in a comely order. There is a great appearance of the wisdom of God in settling everything in its proper place, that one may answer in proportion with another; the perfection and beauty of the whole ariseth out of the symmetry and proportionableness of the parts. Who hath laid the measures thereof?

Further, This laying the measures, notes, as the exactness, so the greatness of the work. In Scripture language, a building of measures, or an house of measures, signifieth a great house or building ( Jer. 22.14.) Woe to him, that saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers: The Hebrew is, an house of measures, that is, of a great measure. The Septuagint render it, a measured house, a house having a due proportion of longitude and latitude, of heighth and depth. When the searchers sent by Moses came back and reported the state of the land which they had viewed, we saw (said they) men of a great stature, (Numb. 13.32.) The Text is, men of measures, vast and tall men. Little things have little need of measuring, and 'tis scarce worth while to do it: But as great things are greatly to be admired, so they are worthy to be measured. How great, how marvelous is that mystical City and Temple, whose measures were taken and shown to Ezekiel in a Vision ( chap. 40.41, 42.48. v. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35.) Such is the earth in greatness, that God only, who is himself altogether immeasurable (and therefore greatest of all) can lay, and hath laid the measures of it. Who hath laid the measures thereof?

The Lord puts this supposition again to his question; as before, Declare, if thou hast understanding, so here, if thou knowest. Some read these words ironically, thus, Declare, for th • u (doubtless) knowest, who hath laid the measures thereof. Thou art so wise and skillful a man, that surely thou canst declare this secret. Mr. Broughton hits the same sense; For thou wilt be skillful, that is, thought skillful, and taken among men for (no babe) a knowing man; and therefore canst give me a good account of the measures of the earth, both as to its circumference and diameter; that is, what the compass of it is, and what the depth through the middle of the earth is. Thus the words carry in them a cutting irony, the matter being so much beyond Jobs knowledge, of which the Lord saith to him, For thou knowest; which we render, If thou knowest? But the Hebrew particle ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) is rather and oftener (I suppose) used in a causal, than in a conditional signification.

Here it may be said, what difficulty is there in this Question, Who laid the measures of the earth? Job might easily answer, God laid them. Therefore I conceive, not only, yea not so much, who laid them, as how they were laid, or what they are, is here intended.

The most learned and studied Mathematicians could never give a right measure of the earth, nor yet agree about that matter. They measure it first as to the depth of it, what the diameter of the earth is from top to bottom; but they differ much in opinion what the depth or diameter of the earth is: Some have reckoned it three thousand and fifty miles. O • hers have said it containeth six thousand and seventy miles. And a third sort have concluded that it is seven thousand one hundred and seventy miles. Thus they guess, but could never yet come to know the true measures of the earth in deepness. And if we consider the Perimiter or circumference of the earth, there hath been as much variety of conjecture about that. Some of the learned have reckoned the earth fifty thousand miles in compass. O • hers make it thirty and four thousand six hundred twenty five. A third computation gives it to be thirty one thousand and five hundred miles. There are who have brought it down to twenty two thousand five hundred; yea, to twenty thousand and four hundred miles. And they who are judged most exact among the Moderns, have reduced the account of the compass of the whole earth to nineteen thousand and fourscore miles. Thus the learned and wise men of the world, after their greatest studies, know not what the measures, the just measures of the earth are, nor how they were laid: And therefore God might well say to Job, Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Who ever could say to this day without mistake, what the measures of it are? That is one thing. A second followeth

As if he had said, Who hath made the earth so exactly? To do a thing in print and to do it by line, are proverbials of the same signification.

The line is an instrument of great use in building. Carpenters and Masons must have their line and plummet, else they cannot keep their work even. Now saith the Lord to Job, Who hath stretched the line upon it? The Lord still pursues the allusion to a building.

To stretch forth the line, signifies in Scripture:

First, The exercise of power. And then, Who hath stretched the line upon it, is, Who hath ordered and governed the earth? The Apostle Paul spake of the line, and of stretching forth the line in this sense (2 Cor. 10.8.) where having said, that he had power from God, a spiritual power, not for destruction, but for edification; he presently adds ( verse. 13.) But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule (or line, as we put in the Margin) which God hath distributed unto us; for we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure: That is, we are not greedy of, nor do we grasp more power than is given and allowed us of God; nor will we exercise our power further than Christ hath appointed and commanded us. This stretching forth of the line is the exercise of power, and that's a metaphorical sense of it.

Secondly, To stretch the line, is to build, or to make preparation for building ( Zech. 1.16.) Thus saith the Lord, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies; my house shall be built in it, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Again ( chap. 4.10.) Who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel. When the Lord would assure his people that Jerusalem should be restored, he doth it by promising the stretching forth of the line, and the sight of the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, commanding, overseeing, and directing the work. The line and plummet being of much and most necessary use for the right setting of a building, signified that God was about to build.

Thirdly, The stretching forth of the line upon a place, with some addition, notes the destruction of it, or the pulling of it down (2 Kings 21.13.) I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: That is, I will make her desolate, as Ahab and Samaria were; and so the latter part of the verse expounds it; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping and turning it upside down. Again ( Isa. 34.11.) I will stretch forth upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness: That is, It shall be utterly ruined. And ( Isa 18.2, 7.) Woe to the land shadowing with wings, &c. that saith, Go ye swift messengers to a Nation meted out and trodden down. The Hebrew is, Go to a Nation of line, (as you have it in the Margin) that is, to a Nation who have the line stretched ou • upon them for desolation; not a line stretched upon them to build them, but to destroy them; a Nation who are or shall be broken down, as it were by line; they shall come to perfect ruin, or ruin shall come on them in full perfection. As when the Lord will build, he doth it by line, that is, exactly and fully, even with a divine skill; so when he will destroy fully, he is said to mete out for destruction. We have the word used both with respect to destruction and edification, to building up, and pulling down, in that one place (2 Sam. 8.2.) where it is said, that David smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he, to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive; and so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts. Some understand this act of David in measuring the Moabites with a line, strictly and literally; that David having made a full Conquest of their Country, did cause it to be measured with a line, and then appointed or allotted two thirds of the Land, together with the inhabitants, to ruin and destruction; receiving only the third of the people to mercy, and reserving only a third part of the Land to be planted by them. Others take it only allusively, that having conquered them, he used them and their Country at his own pleasure, as we do that which we measure out by line. But whether we take David's measuring the Moabites with a line in the one sense or in the other, it fully reaches this third notion of it under hand.

Here in the Text when the Lord demanded of Job, Who hath stretched the line upon it? It is as if he had said, Shew me, if thou canst, who hath given this great building, this fabric of the earth such symmetry, such a proportion and evenness, that no fault or flaw can possibly be found in it. From these two figurative expressions in the fifth verse, implying the exactness of the earths frame,

Note;

'It is done (as it were) by measure and line. The Lord is infinitely above the use of measures or lines, yet condescending to our understanding, he gives us to know that 'tis as perfect a piece as if he had done it by measure and by line. Survay the whole world, or any part of it, is it not a most exact piece? The heavens are as the roof of the house, the earth as the floor and foundation of it; those elements air and water, as the walls and sides of it: The lower parts of the earth are as pillars and bases, hills and high mountains appear like emboslements of the earth to the eye of the beholder. What can be added, whether we consider the completeness of the whole, or the symmetry of the parts? Have we not reason to say admiringly, or to cry out (as Psal. 104.24.) O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast th • u made them all; the earth is full of thy riches: so is the great a • d wide sea, &c. Our hearts should be drawn up by all the works of God to admire his workmanship. That thy name is near thy wondrous works declare (said David, Psal. 65.1.) speaking of the Woe • ks of Providence; and that the name of God is near his Works of Creation declare also, his name is written upon them, that is, his power, wisdom and goodness. And therefore when we behold this Woe • k of God in special, his laying the measures of the earth, we should admire both his goodness, wisdom and power. There are five things in this part of the Creation, the earth, as expressed to be done by line and measure, which may raise up our admiration of God.

First, The greatness of the work: It is a vast piece, or pile, a huge fabric, though but a point to the Heavens. We admire great buildings; but what are the greatest buildings upon earth, to the earth itself, which the Lord hath built!

Secondly, The harmony or uniformity of the building, and so the beauty of it.

Thirdly, The compactness of the building, as knit close together, and so the firmness of it.

Fourthly, That all was done in so short a time. We say, Rome was not built in a day. Solomon was seven years in building the Temple (1 Kings 6.38.) And he was thirteen years in building his own house (1 Kings 7.1.) And doubtless, Solomon laid out all the power and skill he had for the setting up of those buildings: But behold a greater building than either the Temple which Solomon built for God, or the house which he built for himself, set up (as we say) in a trice. The Lord finished all his work in six days, and that part of it, the earth, in one: Nor did the Lord take either six days to finish the whole work, or one to finish any one part of it, because he needed so much time to do it in; but because he would not do it in less.

Fifthly, The Lord did all this without the use of any instrument, rule or compass, axe or hammer; though here is mention made of a measure and of a line. The skillfullest A • chitect cannot raise up any considerable building without these; though he hath the platform and idea of it in his head, yet take away his line and his rule, and he can do nothing. But such is the glorious skill and power of God, that though he is pleased to speak of a measure and of a line; yet we must not be so gross, as to think that he made use of any. The whole work was natural to God, and therefore he needed no artificial helps; nor was any instrument employed in it, but only his own creating word and will. Some faithless Atheists of old (and possibly there are such at this day) asked in scorn with what tools and instruments, with what ladders and scaffolds, this building was set up: But let us at once pity such in their unbelief and horrible profaneness, and labor to edify or build up ourselves in grace and holiness, in the faith and fear of his great Name, who built this world without tools or instruments, without ladders or scaffolds.

Secondly, As our hearts should be drawn out in admiration, so in thankfulness, forasmuch as God hath made such a world for us: he hath laid the foundations of the earth, he hath measured it out, and stretched the line upon it, that we might have the use of it, that we might tenant and inhabit this house. Man is the chief inhabitant of the earth; that other creatures dwell there, is for the service of man: then let us be thankful. Our greatest cause of thankfulness is, that the Lord hath made another house for us, of which the Apostle professeth his assurance (2 Cor. 5.1.) We know, that when the earthly house of this Tabernacle (whether of our body, or of the body of this world) is dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. O how should we rejoice in, he thankful for that house! But that we have this inferior house built for us (which is also a building of God, an house not made with hands, but purely and immediately by the power of God) is and should be continual matter of great thankfulness.

Thirdly, Seeing the Lord hath thus laid the measures of the earth, and stretched forth the line upon it; seeing he hath made such an exact building for us, this earth: let us walk exactly and orderly upon this earth, which he hath made. As he hath laid his measures in framing the earth, so we should keep our measures in living upon the earth. He hath stretched out his line upon it, and we should take heed that we do not exceed our line. God hath given a line, by which man's conversation should be squared as exactly as any building is or can be by line. As the work of God for us is beautiful, so should our works be. We (as to our spiritual state) are a Creation, a new noble Creation: And certainly, he who made the earth, this old outward Creation in such exactness, hath also made the new Creation, our spiritual heavenly state much more (if more may be) exactly; he hath made it by measure and by line. Let us therefore walk, and speak, yea, and think, by measure and by line; let us appear and approve ourselves as the building of God, as the work of God's holy Spirit, fair and beautiful. Many profess godliness; but do they appear as God's Workmanship, as if God had stretched his line, and laid the measure of the New Spiritual Creation upon them? Believers are the Workmanship of God (Eph. 2.10. ) and so they should appear as) created in Christ Jesus unto good works; which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. The Apostle saith ( Phil. 1.27.) Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ, whom ye believe in. The Gospel is an exact thing, ordered in all things as David spake of it (2 Sam. 23.5.) under the notion of the everlasting Covenant. Now, saith St. Paul, Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ; let it be an orderly conversation: I may say also, let your conversation be such as becometh the earth ye walk upon; that's an accurate frame, the Lord hath made it in measure, and stretched the line upon it: Let us take heed we be not found walking besides that line, those measures which he hath given us.

Fourthly, If God hath been thus exact in framing the earth, as it were, by line and measure for us; if he hath given us so perfect a piece to inhabit and dwell in while we are in this sinful state: What do you think is that paradise which he hath prepared for us in our sinless state! What are the measures of our heavenly City! What the lines that have been stretched out upon those eternal Mansions! If visible things which our eye seeth, are so taking; what are things invisible! And if this earth which we tread on, be a Looking-glass (as indeed it is) wherein we may see the wisdom and power of God; what will heaven be? How will that reflect the wisdom, power, and goodness of God? If this world be a beauty, and is therefore expressed by a word in the Greek signifying beauty, comeliness, decency; what will that world be which is to come! Thus much of the exactness of the building. The next verse holds out the strength and firmness of it.

Two things make a building strong and firm.

First, The fastening of the foundations.

Secondly, The right laying of the Corner-stone.

We had the laying of the foundations at the fourth verse, here we have the fastening of them. If a foundation be laid loosely, the building will not stand. Christ in the Parable ( Mat. 7.27.) speaks of a foundation laid in the loose sand, that could not make a firm building. But the house which had its foundation laid on a compacted rock, or had the rock for a foundation, stood fast in all winds and weathers. The Lord hath not only laid the foundations of the earth, but hath fastened the foundations; he hath built upon a Rock. You will say, what is that rock-like thing upon which the foundations of the earth are fastened? I answer, it is nothing but the power and will of God. The will and power of God are the pillars or bases upon which the earth is fastened and made sure forever.

The word which we translate foundations, is often in Scripture rendered sockets (Exod. 26.19. chap. 35.11. chap. 38.27. Cant. 5.15.) Now sockets are places cut in timber and stone, or cast in metal, in which the several strengthening pieces of a building are fastened; and such is the foundation to a house, the fastening of it. Foundations are laid in the ground, and beams are fastened with sockets. Mr. Broughton translates; Whereupon are the foundations thereof sunk fast. We usually say, we must sink a foundation: Foundations are sunk, and then the Superstructure fastened on it.

Further, Take notice, The word which here we render foundations or sockets, is not that which properly signifieth a foundation: And from it the word Adon is derived, which signifieth a Lord, or Master, or chief among men; because Lord's and Princes are or should be as the sockets and pillars of a Nation, to fasten and secure all in their places: and upon the fall of Princes often followeth the fall and ruin of Nations. The Spanish word Don, or Lord, is supposed a derivative from it. And from this Appellative, one of the proper Names of God is formed, by the addition of a letter in the end: Under which royal Title he is represented to our faith as the Lord and Upholder of all things. Some have observed, that God is called by this Name one hundred thirty and four times in Scripture. All which show, that he who is the Creator, is also the Sustainer and Supporter of the whole fabric of Nature; such is the significancy of this word. Now when the Lord asks, Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? There's no answer can be given to this question, but what was given to the former. God hath fastened them upon himself, in his power and will they stand sure.

As if he had said, Who made the parts of the earth to keep so close together, and to keep up one another? This is another very considerable part in a building. As strong buildings must have a sure foundation to hold up the whole; so they must have corner-stones to hold the parts together. The corner-stone bindeth and strengtheneth the fabric, as well as gives beauty and ornament to it.

There are two sorts of corner-stones:

First, There is a corner-stone laid below or beneath in the earth with the foundation. The Master-builder is very careful to set that right.

Secondly, There is a corner-stone laid upon the foundation, or in the joining of the walls, both below as soon as the building appears above ground, and up to the top or utmost height of the building. Our Lord Jesus Christ is expressed in Scripture under the notion of a corner-stone as to both these uses.

First, He is the corner-stone laid below in the earth with the foundation ( Isa. 28.16.) Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: So we translate this latter part of the verse. Some others render it thus, A corner-stone founded upon a foundation; implying, that Ch • ist is the lowest, the chiefest and firmest foundation stone, as well as a tried precious corner-stone. The Apostle affirms both these of Christ in one verse ( Eph. 2.20.) Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets (not upon their persons but doctrine, which is Christ) Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone: In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord. Again (1 Pet. 2.4, 5.) To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men; but chosen of God and precious: Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, &c.

Some conceive, that in this place, the Lord fore-shown Job the Incarnation of Christ, who is the true corner-stone, knitting all in One. For mostly, when the Scripture would set forth the security of our salvation by Christ, it doth it by this resemblance: Upon him believers are founded, and in him fastened. If we had not Christ a corner-stone for our salvation, it were not possible that our salvation should be sure to us: The building cannot be fixed without it. Christ is said to be our peace, who hath made both one ( Eph. 2.14.) where the Apostle speaks first of taking away the middle wall of partition, and then of making both (that is Jews and Gentiles) one by Christ, the only corner stone. By one and the same faith in Christ, two people, Jews and Gentiles, are joined in one: As in the corner of a building, two walls always meet and are closed together by the corner-stone. And as Christ is a corner-stone laid in with the foundation, so he is a corner-stone upon the foundation in the continued rising of the building, till raised to the top. As the corner-stone hath its use in any part of the corner, from the foundation to the roof, so it is placed in the highest part of the building; There Christ is the chief corner-stone. The Prophet speaks thus of Christ ( Zach. 4.7.) And he (that is Zerubbabel) shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying grace, grace unto it; which seems to signify, that Christ should be manifested and brought publicly forth, like the chief or uppermost corner-stone. The corner-stone is called the Head-stone, because 'tis set above in the building; and 'tis called also the Head-stone, because it is polished, and appeareth above the rest, like an head above the body. Thus you see the use of the corner-stone in Scripture, as applied to Christ, in allusion to a building, for the security and firmness of it: the corner-stone being that which bindeth the building, and fastens the contiguous walls together. Here the Lord speaking of his framing the Earth, tells us of a corner-stone, to show that the frame of the earth shall stand and continue unshaken, & undivided. In opposition to this phrase, when the prophet describeth the irreparable destruction of Babylon, or that it shall be ruined without recovery; he expresseth it thus ( Jer. 51.26.) And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundation; but thou shalt be desolate forever, saith the Lord. Babylon shall have neither foundation nor corner-stone; as much as to say, it shall never be built. Magistrates and chief Governors are also called corner-stones ( Psal. 118.22.) The stone which the builders refused, is become the head-stone of the corner. Which words as they relate to Christ chiefly, so also to King David, as a type of Christ. The Scripture in several other places gives that title to great men (1 Sam. 14.38. Judges 20.2. Isa. 20. Zeph. 3.6.) In all these Texts Princes and great men are called corners or corner-stones, because, as the corner-stone holdeth the wall together, so they hold Nations (in their civil capacity) together. Who laid the corner-stone thereof? saith God to Job; Tell me who did it? Didst thou do it? Did Angels do it? Consider the greatness, the firmness of the work; and thou wilt be convinced, that it was I that laid the corner-stone thereof. So then, the general sense of this verse is to show the stability of the Work of God. Here are foundations, and foundations fastened in the wisdom and power of God, who is an everlasting strength, the rock of ages (Isa. 26.4.) Here also the corner-stone is laid, therefore all is sure and firm.

Now what did the Lord aim at in all this? Surely, it was not barely to convince Job, that the earth was a beautiful piece, and a strong one: There was somewhat else in it; and what was that? Even to convince Job, that forasmuch as he could not deny, but this admirable and well ordered building, was the work of God; that therefore he should sit down satisfied in all his other works. If God alone perfected this work by his power, if he contrived it by his wisdom; shall man find fault with any of the works of God? Doth not he who put the world into this beautiful frame wherein we see it, carry on all his works on earth in beauty and order, though we see it not? And is there not a firmness and strength in all his works? Is there not a measure laid in all his providences, and a line stretched out upon all his dealings with the children of men? Hath he not fastened the foundations, and laid the corner-stone of all his dispensations right? Job seemed to speak sometimes, as if the Lord had not dealt with him in measure; nor stretched an equal line upon his proceedings; he looked upon all as off the hooks, and out of course. Now, saith the Lord, have I laid the measures of the earth, and stretched the line upon it? Have I fastened the foundations and laid the corner-stone thereof? Have I done all these things; and dost thou think that I will let the world in general, or any man's case in particular, run to ruin; as if my works of providence had neither foundation nor corner-stone? Remember, O Job, and well consider, that as when in the beginning I saw the earth without form and void (Gen. 1. ) I, by a creating word, commanded it into form and fullness: So when thou seest nothing but (Tohu and Bohu) confusion and disorder, voidness and darkness, in the earth, even then I am laying the measures of Justice, and stretching the line of Truth and Equity, upon all that is done or suffered; and will bring forth my work in full perfection: Nothing shall be amiss, or out of order, when my work is finished, how much soever it may seem to be amiss, as to beginnings or present actings. Therefore, O Job, leave off thy complainings, and rest quietly in my dealings.

Some have questioned the Natural Works of God, yet 'tis impossible to mend any part, or the least pin of them. And 'tis as impossible for the wit and understanding of Men or Angels to mend anything in the Providential Works of God. That's the scope of this discourse, even that the consideration of God's power and wisdom in making the world, should b • idle our curiosity, and awe our spirits, when they begin to quarrel with, yea, but to query about anything that God hath done; though it appear to us altogether irregular and confused, or as done without either line or measure. The Lord's work is beautiful and glorious, 'tis also sure and strong. As his Promise or Covenant is ordered in all things and sure (2 Sam. 23.5.) So are his Providences too (for they are the issues and accomplishments of his Promises) o • dered as to means, and sure as to the end; They shall end o • issue in b inging about the things which are laid in the foundation and corner-stone of his purposes, counsels, and decrees; all which work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Rom. 8.28.)

And to convince Job from the Works of Creation, that he ought not only to acquiesce or rest quietly under the Works of Providence, whatsoever they were, but to rejoice in them; the Lord tells him in the next verse that there was great rejoicing, yea, shouting for joy, when the foundations of the earth were fastened, and the corner-stone thereof laid.

THere are two opinions among learned Interpreters concerning the general state of this verse:

First, Some here reassuming the first words of these questions proposed at the fourth verse by God to Job, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth? &c. make this the second instance of God's mighty power in the works of Creation; Where wast thou, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? As if the Lord had said, I have as yet questioned thee only where thou wast when I made the earth, which is the most inferior part of the world: But now I purpose to rise higher in my discourse, and therefore I put these questions to thee; Where wast thou, when I set up the morning stars, those sparkling lights, which shine to the earth, through the firmament of heaven; as also the sons of God, those blessed spirits? all which sang together and shouted for joy, at the appearance of my power and wisdom.

Secondly, Others connect these words in a continued sense and sentence with the verse going before; Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth? &c. at which sight, the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Taking the words thus, they carry an allusion to, or are a similitude taken from noble buildings or structures, whose foundations use to be laid with solemnity, and their corner-stones to be set up with shouting and acclamation. That it was anciently customary, to make such acclamations at the laying of the foundation of some eminent building, besides what is clear out of human Authors and Histories, we have several Scripture evidences. The 87 ^th Psalm throughout, setting forth the structure of the Gospel Church, of the spiritual Zion, by way of prophesy, begins thus; His foundation is in the holy mountains; there's the foundation of Zion laid: Then followeth, as at the second verse, The Lord loveth the gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou City of God! Selah. As if he had said, there was a great acclamation, high praises at the laying the foundation of Zion; with which the Psalm closeth more expressly ( v. 7.) As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my Springs are in thee. Again ( Psal. 118.22, 23, 24.) there is no sooner mention made of the corner-stone (the stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner) but presently we have acclamations about it; This is the Lord's doing, it is marvelous in our eyes: This is a blessed work indeed, This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. That corner-stone of salvation Jesus Christ, being laid, as I may say, all the stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy; This is the day which the Lord hath made. If we go to those material buildings which were figurative of the Church and Christ, we shall find the like ( Ezra 3.10.) When the Jews at the return of their Captivity, began to build the Temple, the Text saith at the tenth verse; And when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord, then they set the Priests in their apparel; and with their voices, with the Levites, and the sons of Asaph, to praise the Lord. As soon as the foundation was laid, they were all in song, and raised up in holy rejoicings; though some of the old men, who remembered the first Temple, wept when the foundation of this was laid. That Scripture ( Zach. 4.7.) speaks of the same thing, where the Prophet, in the Spirit, fore-seeing the disappointments of all the enemies of the people of God, thus triumphs over them by faith; Who art thou, O great Mountain, before Zerubbabel? thou shalt become a plain; he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shouting. That is, the building of Jerusalem, or the restoring of the Temple shall be brought to perfection; and then they shall cry, grace, grace, unto it.

Now in allusion to the practice both of men in common, and of the people of God in special, at the raising of great structures; the Lord tells us here, that when he laid the foundations of the earth, and when he fastened the corner-stone thereof, there was a Triumph made: Then the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Thus we have the state of this verse, either taking it for another instance of the power of God in creating the Stars and the Angels; or else subjoining it as an acclamation to the former instance of the power of God; the Stars and Angels rejoicing at the laying of the foundations of the earth. And the general reason why the Lord b • ings in the stars and the sons of God rejoicing at the laying the foundations of the earth, and finishing that work, we may conceive to be this; that the Lord would thereby convince Job of his murmuring and complaining, or of the unquietness of his spirit under the works of his providence. As if he had said, The stars and all the sons of God rejoiced at the founding of the Earth, extolling the work, and congratulating the appearances of my power and glory in it. Now, who art thou, that when I have put forth my power and wisdom in this work of my providence towards thee, thou shouldst complain, and find fault with what I have done, instead of resting and rejoicing in it! Surely, O Job, thou thinkest my works of providence are imperfect, though my work of Creation was not; but consider, was the Creation in the very first part of it such, as caused all the sons of God to rejoice, and wilt thou, who sayest thou art a son of God, sit unsatisfied with any of my works? Thus the Lord handles Job, and from that testimony which the stars and his sons gave of the Works of Creation, reproves him for his unquietness under his Works of Providence.

So much for the general state of the words: Yet to clear them farther in general, before I come to the particulars, there are three veins of interpretation opened about them.

First, Some interpret this whole verse concerning the stars or the heavenly bodies, not only taking the first part of the verse literally for the stars in heaven; but by the sons of God in the latter part of the verse, they understand the stars in a figure; as I shall show more fully, when I come to the opening of those words. Thus they expound the whole verse concerning the glory and praise which the stars in heaven gave to God, for the Work of Creation at the laying of the foundations of the Earth.

A second sort of Interpreters expound the whole verse of the Angels, and not of the Stars properly at all; they suppose the morning Stars to be Angels in a figure, and the Sons of God to be Angels in the letter: and so expound the whole verse of the Angels, as if the words were a description only of that joy which the Angels of Heaven only expressed, when they saw God beginning the Work of Creation, or laying the foundations of the Earth.

The third sort of Interpreters divide the sense, expounding the first part of the verse properly for the Stars, those studs of light, with which the Heavens are adorned, wh • ch (in their kind) are brought in singing at the Creation of the Earth; and by the Sons of God in the latter part of the verse, they understand the Angels, those spiritual substances, who are the Native Inhabitants of Heaven; they especially are represented shouting for joy, when that work was begun.

I cannot adhere to the first sort of Interpreters, giving all to the Stars, nor to the second, giving all to the Angels (though that hath many learned Authors, who press it hard) but following the middle way, shall take the former part of this verse, for the Stars of Heaven; and the latter, for the Angels in Heaven.

There are single Stars, and Stars (as I may say) in a combination, commonly called a Constellation. There is an Evening Star and a Morning Star (which yet are but one) called by the Greeks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and by the Latins Lucifer, The light bringer: because that Star appears very bright immediately before daybreak, or before the Sun riseth; and the same Star which ushered or led in the Sun in the morning, comes behind the Sun in the evening, and is then called Hesperus, The Evening Star.

Here the Lord speaks in the plural number, of the morning Stars, not in the singular, of a morning Star. And the Lord calls them morning Stars (say some) because the Stars appear most clearly, and shine most brightly, near the approach of the morning, or break of the day.

Secondly, Others conceive them so called, because they were created or formed in the very morning of the World; they were early made. For though (as I shall touch afterward) as to their perfection, the Stars were made the fourth day; yet their Creation is comprehended in the work of the first day, under those general words ( Gen. 1.1.) In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth; the Heavens contained all the Stars in their materiality, though not yet formally produced; for the Stars being but the thicker part of the Heavenly Orb, when the Heavens were made, the Stars were also made: and may therefore be called Morning Stars, as being made in the Morning of the World, early made.

Thirdly, They may be called Morning Stars, because they (according to their manner) expressed their joy early or betimes in the Morning of the World, or as soon as the Lord had laid the foundations of the Earth. Those things which are done early, are done in the morning; and they who do things in the morning, have the denomination of the morning upon them. The Poet anciently said Aeneas was (Matutinus) A Morning Man, because he was early at his work; so these may be called Morning Stars, because they were early at work, singing the praise of God. Thus the reason why the Wolf hath this Epithite, An Evening Wolf, is because he doth his work, he comes forth for his prey, in the evening ( Hab. 1.8. Zeph. 3.3.) In the former Prophet, the Chaldean Horse-men are compared to Evening Wolves, for fierceness; and in the latter, the Judges of Israel are set under the same comparison, for blood-sucking cruelty. And as thus, upon different accounts, some are called Morning Men, others Evening Men; so 'tis upon no good account, that any are called Night-men, though the general reason of it be the same with the former, because they do their bad work, or works of darkness, under the shadow and favor of the Night. The Thief, the Murderer, the Adulterer, are Night-men, all these are wont to do their work in the Night ( Job 24, 13, 14, 15, 16.) Thus there are men of the Night, men of the Evening, and men of the Morning, or Morning Men. In this sense the Stars may be called Morning Stars, because they were so early at that best work, the praises of God. When the Morning Stars

Singing is an act of the voice; and as there is a natural singing (that of birds) so an artificial. But how could Stars sing, either artificially, seeing they have no reason, or naturally, seeing they have not so much as a life of sense?