Exposition of Job 22-26

Thou shalt decree. The word here translated to decree, signifies properly to divide, to cut asunder. So it is used (1 Kings 3.25.) when Solomon gave sentence between the two women that were harlots concerning the living Child, he saith, Divide the Child; my decree is that the Child shall be divided. Now hence by a Trope, the word signifies also to decree, to descide, or to determine a matter, because in all decrees about or determinations of a Controversy, there is (as it were) a Cutting off the buisines, a laying aside of one thing, and a sticking to another. When the whole matter is debated and weighed in Council, then the result and issue of all is drawn up and given out in a decree. So that to decree is to divide, or separate one thing from another, resolving upon that, which we conceive most just, and reasonable.

The Hebrew is, Thou shalt decree a word: it is usual in that language to put word for thing. And when he saith, Thou shalt decree a thing, we are not to understand it at large, as if whatsoever were decreed should be established, but the meaning is, thou shalt decree that which is right and good in it self, and good for thee. For the decree being made by a godly man, we cannot suppose that he should decree anything but that which is just and good; and so the signification of the former word is well applied to this, Thou shalt decree, that is, thou having by deliberation and serious discussion considered what is right, and having cut off all evil from thy sentence, thou decreeing such a thing, it shall be established unto thee.

There are yet two opinions concerning this decree, as it is an exposition of the former promises, Thou shalt be heard, and, thou shalt pay thy vows; that is, what thou suest for by prayer on earth, shall be decreed for thee in heaven. That is, thy prayer shall certainly be performed, thy prayers shall not be lost, no, They shall be as the Statutes and decrees of heaven. It is said of Elijah (1 Kings 17.1.) what he decreed was done? and what was his decree? his decree was his prayer; See how he speaks as if he had the command of heaven and earth, as if he had carried the keys of the Clouds at his girdle. As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. But what was this word of Elijah? the Apostle James expounds that for us, he telleth us what this word was, when Elijah said, it shall be according to my word (Jam. 5.17.) Elias was a man subject to the like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months: And he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her frruit. The Apostle explains, what the word of Elijah was, even a Prayer-word, he prayed and sought the Lord in that thing, and his prayer was as certainly performed to him, as if he had the whole power of decreeing what he would have. Thus here, thou shalt pour out a prayer, and thy prayer shall be as a decree established with God. So we read ( Gen. 32.24.) in the report of Jacob's wrestling with the Angel, that the word of Jacob was as a decree, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me; I will have a blessing; and it is said, as a Prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast prevailed. Jacob had what he would in prayer, he decreed a thing, and it was established to him. The prayers of Saints are decrees with God: and 'tis but reason they should be so; because their prayers answer the decrees of God, or they pray for that which God hath decreed; and indeed there is no Saint or Godly man would pray any other prayer, or ask anything of God, but what God hath determined and decreed before to give: As a Godly man would do nothing but what God hath commanded, so he would ask nothing but what God hath decreed. This is a comfortable truth, yet I rather conceive the sense of this place more general, and not tied up to that of prayer, and therefore

Secondly, Thou shalt decree a thing; that is, thou shalt take up a resolve, or a purpose; thou in thy wisdom and prudence shalt say in thy heart, I will do such a thing, or I would bring such a thing to pass, and it shall come to pass or be established. For as many men met together in Council, make Decrees; so any man in himself may make a decree; and we always make decrees in our own minds before we join in any decree with others; first, we speak in our minds, then we speak out our minds; Thou shalt decree a thing; that is, thou shalt resolve to go such a way, or to do such a thing, and it shall be done. Now, this Case of decreeing must be understood with a Caution, suppose the thing it self be just and lawful (as we touched before) yet a man must not make absolute decrees (that's the privilege of God, he only can make peremptory decrees, who hath all things in his power) we must decree submissively to the will of God, and say, if the Lord will, if the Lord please we will do such a thing. The Apostle ( James 4.12, 13, 14.) reproves those that would make peremptory decrees of what they would do in reference to outward affairs: Go to now ye that say today or tomorrow we will go into such a City, here is a decree, we will go to such a place, or do such a thing, we will continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. It is lawful for men to take up a purpose to go to such a place, and follow their trade to buy and sell, and get gain in an honest way, but no man must be peremptory in this, because we know not what shall be on the morrow; therefore, the Apostle directs; Ye ought to say, if the Lord will we shall live, and do this or that. Such decrees must be made with the Lord's good leave, or with a reference to his pleasure who alone doth whatsoever pleaseth him. As the persons so the works of all men are in the hand of God ( Eccl. 9.1.) And there they are; first, as to the performance of them; secondly, as the success of them. They take themselves for more then men, who decree the doing of lawful things without the leave of God. We must not only see what we do is according to the will of God, but we must have his goodwill for the doing of it; that is, as we must have a Law from God for what we do, so leave from God. Thus Paul teacheth us to speak by his own example (1 Cor. 4.19.) I will come unto you shortly if the Lord will. And again ( Chap. 16.7.) I must tarry a while with you if the Lord permit. Once more ( Phil. 2.19.) I trust in the Lord to send Timothy to you shortly. And even Heathens themselves by the light of nature have acknowledged such a submission as due unto their superior Power, their gods, therefore they used to express their resolutions thus; If the gods will; much more must Christians speak thus in all they undertake to do, we will do it, if God will.

That is, thou shalt have success in it, it shall be confirmed. The word in the Original signifies, to rise up, as also to stand. So some render it here; Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall rise up to thee. When a thing that we are determined upon, prospers and comes well on, we say it riseth up to us, whereas a business that fails, falls off from us, or goeth backward. But saith Eliphaz to Job, The thing which thou decreest shall rise or come up to thy mind, to thy desire, or as some read, It shall come to thee; we say, it shall be established. So the word is used frequently in Scripture ( Isaiah 40.8.) The word of the Lord shall stand. Now as the word of the Lord shall stand, so shall the word of man while it is according to the word of God. So the word is used in the Case of a virgins making a vow ( Numb. 30.4.) If the father hear it and say nothing it shall stand, or be confirmed; otherwise if he dislike, it is a void vow, a null vow. So that here, to rise up, or to be established, notes only the effectivenes and success of those decrees which this godly man should make, these shall be established unto him for his good, he shall have the comfort and benefit of them, while he aims at the Glory of God in them.

Hence note;

First, The success of our Councils and Decrees is a great mercy.

Eliphaz brings it in by way of promise, Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee. Success in any of our right actions is to be acknowledged as a mercy; and therefore the Lord doth so distinctly specify the successlesnes of the Jews after their return from Babylon in their rural and household businesses for neglecting to build his house ( Hag. 1.6.) to show that he had a Controversy with them; Ye have sown much, and brought in little (no success) ye eat, but have not enough, ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink (that is, ye are not satisfied) ye clothe you, but there is no warmth (which is the effect of clothing) and he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Which is a proverbial speech, implying that nothing sticks, nothing stays by a man, no more then money doth in a bag that hath holes in it, or water in a sieve, or in a leaking vessel. Successlesnes attended them in all they did, and that was their affliction. So when our Councils prosper, when what we advise to be done thrives in the doing; when the directing word of a man proves like the Creating word of God (Gen. first) who did but say; Let there be light, and there was light, let there be a firmament, and there was a firmament, &c. Thus when a man shall say, let such a thing be done and it is done, when everything comes forth at a word, like a new Creation, how great both a mercy and honor is this? When he saith, let there be deliverance, and there is deliverance, let there be victory, and there is victory, let there be peace, and there is peace; when in cases of greatest difficulty and utter impossibility to flesh and blood, he speaks like magnanimous Joshua (Josh. 10.13.) in a commanding language to the creature, while with strongest confidence in & humblest dependence upon God. Sun stand thou still upon Gibeah, & thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon, & the Sun stood still, and the Moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Who of the sons of men (who were not also the sons of God) were ever crowned with such an honor?

Secondly, He doth not say, he shall decree a thing and establish it, for man may decree a thing, but man cannot establish it; the decree is from one, the establishment is from another; and who is that other? Eliphaz doth not express who by name, but we may easily understand who it is, even God himself. For as it is God alone who hath given a being to all things, so he alone gives all things their establishment, whether they be things wrought by him, or wrought by us, God shall establish it, or it shall be established by the fiat, and consent of God.

Hence observe;

There are many who take wise, yea honest Councils, which yet are not established, because the Lord is not pleased to establish them, and the Lord doth often overthrow evil and malicious Counsels. We read ( Isaiah. 7.5, 6, 7.) of Councils and Decrees made; Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil Council against thee, saying (they decree a thing, what was it) let us go up against Judah to vex it (there was the decree) let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the Son of Tabeal. Here was their decree; we will vex this people, we will set a king among them, the Son of Tabeal. But what saith the Lord to this? Thus saith the Lord God (7 ver.) it shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. It is this word in the Text, it shall not be established. You have made a decree, but you have not my consent for the Establishment of it, and therefore it shall not stand, it shall not come to pass. Take another Scripture ( Isaiah 8.10.) The Lord doth as it were give them leave to make decrees: make as many decrees as you will, and sit together in Council, lay your Councils as deep as you can, take Council together, and it shall come to naught (you may take Council, but it is in my Power whether it shall succeed or no, and I have decreed concerning your decree, that it shall come to naught) speak the word and it shall not stand. The standing or not standing, the frustrating, or the fulfilling of our Decrees and Councils, it is from the Lord.

Thirdly, When he saith, Thou shalt decree a thing, and it sha •• be established unto thee. We may observe;

They have a kind of Assurance that what they say shall come to pass; though they have not an absolute Assurance, yet they have much assurance, though we cannot say in every particular Case, that their decree shall be Established to them, yet their decrees in general are under a promise of Establishment. Christ speaketh concerning the Decrees of a Church-Assembly ( Math. 18.18.) Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in heaven; that is, I will Establish your Decrees. If when you meet together in my name, you decree concerning a person to bind sin upon him, he shall be bound, if to loose or pronounce him pardoned, he shall be loosened, your decree on earth, shall be a decree in heaven, I will bind what you bind, and loose what you loose. Now in proportion, the Lord speaks the same concerning the decrees of any Godly man; what he binds on earth, the Lord doth bind in heaven, and what he looseth on earth, God looseth in heaven; that is, there is an Establishment of his decrees; and as the Church there hath a promise that the Lord will join with her in her decrees; so a Godly man hath a promise here that the Lord will join with him in his decrees. We have also an excellent confirmation of it, ( Isaiah 44.25, 26.) The Lord is many ways described in Scripture, but here he is described by disappointing and establishing the Councils of men. He it is that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolishness. Here is a description of God in reference to the disappoyntments which he puts upon his enemies, in frustrating their Councils and decrees; they boast of these and these tokens that assure them of good success, but the Lord frustrates their tokens. The Diviners say, O the Starrs promise good luck, and tell us we shall have good fortune; thus diviners boast, but the Lord maketh the diviners mad; how doth he make them mad? by making them see things fall out quite cross to what they have foretold or prophesied. Again, he turns wise men backward; that is, he turns the Councils of wise men backward, when they have resolved such a thing, the Lord sets it quite another way: this is the glory of God that he can give check to the Councils of the greatest Politicians, and deepest Machiavells, he turns them backward. Thus the Lord is set forth overthrowing the decrees of the wicked; but at the 26 ^•h ver. He is set forth establishing the decrees of the Godly. He it is that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the Council of his Messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, thou shalt be Inhabited, and to the Cities of Judah ye shall be built, &c God confirmeth the word of his servant; which may be understood not only of the word of Prophesy (though that be the scope of that place, as if it had been said, when the Lord sendeth forth his Prophets and holy Diviners, 'tis not with them as with false Prophets and heathenish Diviners, who making promises from the Stars of heaven, not from the God of heaven, are frustrated and disappointed; 'tis not thus with the Lord's holy Diviners, for he confirmeth the word of his Servants. Now, I say, we may understand that Text not only of that word of prophecy which the Lord puts into the mouths of his Servants by an immediate inspiration) but also of that word of prophecy, or decree, which any one of his faithful servants speaketh or maketh according to his already revealed will. This word of his servants the Lord confirmeth also, and performeth the Council of his Messengers. And the reason is (as was touched before about prayer) because there is a suitablenes between such words and decrees of his servants, and his own Decrees; for the designs of his servants falling in with his own designs, & so their decrees with his decrees, he in establishing their decrees, doth indeed but establish his own. For the servants of God desiering that their decrees may be suitable to the written or revealed will of God, they seldom miss of a suitablenes to the decrees of his hidden and secret will. So that their decrees are (as it were) the Duplicate or Counterpane of the Decrees of God; and therefore no wonder if they be under such a promise of success and establishment. The Lord saith concerning his own Decrees or thoughts; Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass (Isa. 14.24.) (Now if we think as God thinketh, then what we think shall come to pass too) and as I have purposed so shall it stand; If we purpose as God purposeth, then our purposes shall stand too. Again ( Isaiah 46.10.) I am the Lord and there is none else, I am God, and there is none like mē: declaring the End from the beginning, and from ancient time the things that are not yet done, saying, my Council shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. If then the Councils of Saints, be the Councils of God, he will do all their pleasure. That's the sum of this promise to Job; Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee. Which appears further from the last Clause.

Eliphaz in this promise might possibly have respect to Jobs former Complaint ( Chap. 19.8.) He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass; and he hath set darkness in my paths. As if Eliphaz had here said, thou didst Complaine a while ago that God set darkness in thy paths, do thou return unto the Lord, and the light shall shine upon thy ways, or there shall be light instead of darkness in thy paths. This light may be taken three ways.

First, A light of direction, thou shalt see what to do; So it answers the former promise, Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee. Thou shalt not make blind decrees, or decrees in the dark, thou shalt not decree at a venture, or at random; the light shall shine upon thy ways; thou shalt have the light of the Word, and the light of the Spirit to direct thee in making thy decrees, and for the ordering of thy whole conversation.

Secondly, Light shining upon his ways, is the prosperity of his ways; as if he had said, success shall attend thy undertakings, the favor of God and his blessing shall be upon what thou takest in hand; as the Sun shining upon the earth ripens the fruits thereof, so the light, heat, and influence of divine favor shall ripen thy undertakings, and bring them to a desired perfection. Light, in Scripture, is often put for prosperity, as hath been shown from other passages of this book.

Thirdly, The light shall shine upon thy ways; that is, thou shalt have personal Comfort and Contentment in thy ways; that's a different blessing from the former; 'tis possible for a man to be in a prosperous way, and yet himself to take no Comfort nor Contentment in it. When these three lights shine upon any man in his way, or upon the ways of any man, when the Lord shows him what he should do, when he prospereth & succeeds what he doth, and when he hath comfort & joy in what he is doing or hath don, then the blessing is full. As the Lord meets him that rejoiceth in his way and worketh righteousness, so the Lord doth often meet those that work righteousness in their way, causing them to rejoice; And then the light shines upon their way indeed. This is a further adddition unto the promise of success before given.

From the first notion of light, first Observe;

The steps of a Good man are ordered by the Lord (Psal. 37.23.) That is, the Lord gives him light to see how to order his steps; He hath not only an outward natural light shining in the air, and an outward spiritual light shining in the rule, but he hath an inward spiritual light shining in his heart, or that outward rule planted within, as it follows at the 31 verse of the same Psalm; The law of his God is in his heart, and none of his steps shall slide: The law in the heart is a rule within, which directs the good man what to do, and gives him such good direction, that none of his steps shall slide. He shall not walk like a man upon glass or ice, all whose steps are slips, or in danger of sliding, but he shall walk like a man upon plain firm ground, whose very steps are as sure as standings. As Saints who were darkness are made light in the Lord, in reference to their state, so they have light from the Lord, in reference to their walkings; and as they receive a light from God whereby they know all things, that is, those great things which concern Eternal life (1 Joh. 2.20.) Ye have an Unction from the holy one, and ye know all things. Now as they have a light promised them, that they may know all things, that is, all necessary saving truths or doctrines of salvation for attaining the next life, so a light is promised them whereby they may do all things; that is, all their necessary works, businesses, and affairs, which concern their duty in this life.

From the second notion of light, Observe;

As they shall have a light shining to show them their way, so to prosper them in their way: God is a Sun, and he is a Shield, ( Psal. 84.11.) And as he is a Sun to give light, and a Shield to protect, so, no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly; That is, he will not hinder or stop those good things from them which their souls desire, or move after, they shall prosper in their way, yea, when 'tis said, He will not withhold, &c. there is more intended then expressed, for the meaning is, he will plentifully give forth or pour out all good things to and upon them who walk uprightly.

From the third notion of light, learn;

Though their way be a way of much labor, yea and a way of much danger too, though it prove a way full of sweat & trouble, yet the Lord will cause a light to shine upon them, and refresh them in their way. To the righteous there rises up light in darkness: The light of joy in the darkness of sorrow, the light of comfort in the darkness of trouble; They who walk in the light of truth and holiness, usually find the light of joy and comfort in their way, and are sure to find it in their end. The ways of wisdom (saith Solomon, Pro. 3.17.) are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace; and if at any time her ways and paths are not peace and pleasantness (as to the outward man they often are not) while we are travelling in them, yet they are always so in the close of our travels. ( Psal. 37.37.) Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. Yea when others find most trouble in their way, then God is nearest to him for support, as it follows in the next words.

In this and the following verse, Eliphaz gives a firm assurance to Job by way of promise, that he should not only be delivered, but should have two further privileges.

First, That himself should be exalted when others were cast down, or that he should be saved in times of common calamity, ver. 29.

Secondly, That he should be a means of safety to others, and should prevail with God for their deliverance: he shall deliver the Island of the Innocent, &c. verse. 30. That's the general scope of these two verses, according to our translation; as will further appear in the explication of them.

When they are pressed, or oppressed with mountains of affliction and trouble. So the word is used ( Isaiah 2.17.) The loftines of man shall be bowed down; that is, the lofty man shall be bowed down, as a man with a heavy burden upon his back. We say, when men are cast down, the word, men, is not expressed in the Hebrew text, 'tis there only, when cast down: and because that word is not expressed, therefore some supply out of the former clause, the word, way, The light shall shine upon thy way when it, that is, when thy way is cast down; though thou be now in a low condition, and though thou shouldest hereafter be cast into a low condition again, yet thou shalt say there is a lifting up, or, thou shalt be lifted 〈◊〉 If at any time thy ways be cast down in darkness, the light shall shine upon them, thou shalt say in faith, there is a lifting up. The Apostle speaks (in a language like this) of himself and of his fellow-Apostles (2 Cor. 4.8.) We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed. Thus here, when there is a casting down, or, when thy ways are cast down, yet thou shalt say there is a lifting up; Thou mayest be cast down, but not destroyed. Yet, I conceive, that Suplement of the word men, which we put into the Text, is more suitable to the scope of it, and then the sense is this, When men are cast down, that is, when sinners or ungodly men are cast down, when God comes to ruin his enemies, and make them desolate, then thou shalt say there is a lifting up. A lifting up for me and for such as I am.

This saying may be taken two ways, and in both 'tis the voice of faith.

First, Thou shalt say in prayer, or thou shalt pray, O Lord, let there be a lifting up. Thus it is expounded as a promise to Job, that when others were cast down, he should help them up again by prayer, thou shalt say, There is a lifting up, or, O Lord, let there be a lifting up, namely, of him who is cast down, lift him up O Lord. As prayer is in its own nature a lifting up of the soul to God ( Psal. 25.1.) so prayer in the effect of it hath a mighty power and prevalency with God for the lifting up both of our own bodies and outward estates, as also the bodies and outward estates of others out of the deeps of misery and trouble. Many a Godly man hath lifted himself and others out of the mire by prayer, while seeing a casting down, he hath said, There is a lifting up, or, O Lord, let there be a lifting up. This sense carrieth a high privilege; but I rather conceive that intended in the next verse. And therefore

Secondly, I shall take these words of Eliphaz as a promise, When men are cast down, thou shalt say, (or confidently affirm this thing) there is a lifting up: that is, I promise or assure thee O Job, that when thou shalt see the Lord bringing vengeance upon the wicked, when thou seest them fall on this side, and on that, when nothing is visible but the ruin and destruction of men and families, yea of Nations, that even then thou shalt say • there is a lifting up, that is, thou shalt have faith for thyself, that both thou and thine shall be lifted up, or saved and delivered in a time when many wicked men or thine enemies fall and perish, and shall never (as to any worldly enjoyment) rise anymore.

Hence observe;

When men were cast down in Sodom, when Sodom was overthrown, Lot was lifted up, and assured of his preservation. When all the men in the world were overwhelmed and swept off the face of the earth with a Deluge, there was a lifting up for Noah and his family, he and his were safely housed in the Ark floating upon the waters. Thus the Lord hath made provision for the preservation of his people, when thousands have been undone, and cast down on the right hand and on the left by common calamities; yea when they have been cast down, his people have been not only preserved, but exalted and lifted up. Thou shalt say there is a lifting up,

That is, the Lord shall save him; the vulgar reads thus; He that is humble shall be in glory. The Seaventy thus; Because thou hast humbled thyself thou shalt be saved.

But I shall keep to our Reading; he shall save the humble person (or according to the strictness of the Hebrew) He shall save him that is low of eyes, 'tis frequent in Scripture to express an humble person in this form; A man that hath low eyes; as high looks and lofty eyes, are everywhere in Scripture the periphrasis of pride. David said ( Psal. 101.5. ) him that hath an high look and a proud heart will I not suffer; for you may see pride in the eye, pride sits upon the eye, therefore David puts a high look and a proud heart both together there. And again ( Psal. 131.1.) Lord mine heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty. So that I say an humble person, and a person of low eyes, is the same, as a proud person, and a person of lofty eyes is the same in Scripture sense, and both are very significant Expressions; He shall save the humble person, this humble person, may be taken two ways, either passively, or actively.

Passively, so 'tis he that is cast down and laid low by affliction. Thus the humble person is the same with the humbled person; affliction is an humiliation, however the afflicted take it or carry it; and usually it makes men humble, at least in appearance and lowly in their looks, whereas in prosperity men lift up their eyes usually and look softily, as if they would reach heaven with their heads, while their hearts are far from it. But affliction makes men stoop. We may understand the Text of a person who is humble when humbled, who stoops down quietly to take up and bear his cross, and doth not in stoutness slight it, or in wantonness play with it, but is serious under the rebukes of God; He shall save the humble person.

Secondly, It may be taken actively, He shall save the humble person, that is, the person who is low in his own eyes, while in the greatest worldly heights, the person that humbles himself, and walks humbly with God and men when most exalted. Thus the Apostle James exhorts the brother of high degree, or the rich brother to rejoice in that he is made low (Jam. 1.10.) But if he be rich, how is he made low? he means it not of a lownes in state, but of a lownes or rather lowliness of spirit. The brother of high degree hath no cause to rejoice in his highness, but when he is low in his own eyes. Lownes of eyes is more then a virtue or common modesty, 'tis a Grace; That's in a spiritual sense, the most Grace-full look, which is the most humble look. He shall save the humble person. But with what salvation? I answer; Salvation is either temporal and bodily or eternal, usually called the salvation of the soul. We may expound this Text of both; The Lord saveth the humble person both body and soul both temporally and eternally.

Where note;

The Lord seems to take so much care to save the humble, as if there were none else that he took care to save, or regarded what became or them, whether saved or no. And the Lord speaks of proud persons as if he contemned none but under that name and notion. ( Jam. 4.6.) He resisteth the proud; he that is proud of his person, or parts, or estate, or wit, or power, the Lord resisteth him. And he speaks of the humble as if none were saved but under that name and notion, He saves the humble person • , or as that Text in James hath it, He giveth grace to the humble. What grace? There is a twofold grace; and both are given to the humble; First, he gives them the grace of favor or good will, he is kind to and respecteth the humble, or (as this text in Job hath it) He saves the humble person. Secondly, He gives much grace to the humble, as grace is taken for that gracious work of the Spirit in us, forming up faith, love, &c. in our souls. The Lord gives more of this grace also to the humble, that is, he addeth unto the graces which they have, and makes them more humble, more gracious: a man cannot be (in that sense) an humble person without grace; humility it self is a great grace, and the greater our humility is, the greater accession we have of other graces. Thus, I say, we may understand the text in James both ways; He giveth grace to the humble, that is, he favors and respects them, because they are gracious, and he addeth to or increaseth their graces. We have a promise very parallel to these of Eliphaz and James (Psal. 18.27.) Thou wilt save the afflicted people, but wilt bring down high looks. The word which we translate afflicted, signifies also one humbled, and humble, and so we might render the Psalm; Thou shalt save the humbled or the humble people; and that the humble are to be taken in to partake of the privilege of that promise, is plain from the opposite Terme in the latter clause of the verse; High looks; that is, high lookers God will bring down, but he will save the humble person. Men of low and mean estates are usually wrapped up with great ones in the same judgment, as the Prophet speaks ( Isaiah 5.15.) The mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled; there we have the mean man and the mighty man under the same wrathful dispensations of God. The wicked whether high or low, are far from salvation, but God knows how to make a distinction between the humble and the proud, when his wrath makes the greatest confusions in the world. Humility it is not only a sweet, but a safe grace, yea a saving Grace; we never go under the Covert of God so much as when we walk humbly with God; He will save the humble person.

The promise is continued to the man that returns to God, He shall deliver the Island of the Innocent; or as some translate, the Innocent shall deliver the Island. The sense is the same; He shall deliver the Island, that is, the Inhabitants of the Island; All shall be safe, the Island and they that dwell in it. There is another reading of the Text, which yet falls in fully and clearly with this; whereas we read, He shall deliver the Island of the Innocent, it may be read, He shall deliver him that is not Innocent. Now because this may seem a very wide difference in the translation, we are to Consider the ground of it, how this can be made out, that the same text should be rendered, the Innocent, and him that is not Innocent? The reason is because the word which we translate, Island, is taken by many of the Hebrew Doctors, as also by other translators, only for a negative particle, signifying not or that which is not. So the word is rendered (1 Sam. 4.21.) when Phineas his wife dying in travel gave the name to her Child, she said, He shall be called Ichabod, There is no glory, or not glory. And again, ( Pro. 31.4.) the word is used in the same sense; It is not for Kings O Lemuel, to drink wine; strong drink is not for Princes. So here, Thou shalt deliver the nocent, or the not Innocent. And so the whole verse is thus translated; God, because of or for the pureness of thy hands, will doliver the nocent, or those who are not innocent. Whereas we say, Thou shalt deliver the Island of the Innocent, or the Innocent shall deliver the Island.

Eliphaz spake before in the third person, here in the second; 'tis probable he did so purposely to make Job understand that he meant him. It is delivered &c. That is, the Island is delivered, according to our translation; how is it delivered? by the pureness of thine hands. The word notes the most exact purity and cleanness, like that of gold when it is refined in the fire, or of garments that are washed with Soape or Nitre; by this pureness it or the Island shall be delivered: and by the pureness of his hands, he means the pureness of his actions or administrations. The hand is the instrument of action, and pure or clean hands in Scripture are put for the purity or cleanness of our actions or conversation. While our doings are holy, our works righteous, just, and good, it may be said our hands are pure. And we may refer this especially to prayer; Thou shalt deliver the Island of the Innocent, and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands; That is, thou praying in the purity of thy hands, or with pure hands, shalt deliver the Island of the innocent, or (according to that other reading) those that are not innocent. And then, pureness of hands, or pure hands, are put as a sign for the thing signified, the gesture, for that which is done in that gesture. The lifting up of hands is a gesture in prayer, and the lifting up of pure hands, notes the purity of prayer. (1 Tim. 2.8.) I will that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy or pure hands. Now because 'tis usual in prayer to lift up the hands; and in prayer no hands but morally pure or holy hands should be lifted up (and so theirs are in Scripture sense whose lives are holy) therefore we may well conceive, that when he saith, it shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands, his meaning is this, it shall be delivered by holy prayer, or when thou prayest holyly, it shall be delivered. Thus Eliphaz doth not only promise Job, that himself in person should be lifted up and saved when others are cast down, but that he should be a means of saving and delivering others, and those not some few or all his own family, but that the whole Nation or Island in General should escape and fare the better for him. It shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands. Learn hence, this Great and famous Truth;

He doth good not only within his own walls, or to his own personal relations, but he is a Common good, a public mercy, a general Blessing, whether we Consider general Blessings either negatively, or affirmatively, that is, either as delivering from evil, or as bringing in of good, every way the Godly man is a general blessing, he shall deliver the Island of the Innocent, yea those that are not Innocent; the Lord will accept his prayer, and hear his request for the deliverance of a place, though there be many wicked ones in it. Abraham (Gen. 18.32.) had that privilege granted him, that for his sake and at his suite the Lord would have spared the wicked, the not Innocent, those who were most abominably polluted: if there had been but ten righteous persons there, Sodom had been saved from burning at the suit of Abraham. Much more will the Lord spare the Island of the Innocent, that is, where there are a great many Innocent ones, at the prayer and request of an Abraham, a man Eminent in faith and holiness. How often did Moses turn away the wrath of God, when it was breaking forth against the people of Israel (Psal. 106.23.) He said he would destroy them, (that is, the Lord said it) had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them. The Lord had as it were made a decree that he would destroy that people; but Moses comes and Interposeth for them, and the Lord spared them. We read ( Exod. 32.9, 10.) that how the Lord said to Moses, I have seen this people, and behold it is a stiff-necked people; Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them, and I will make of thee a great people; But did Moses accept this offer of advancement upon the ruins of that people? No, he deprecates his own honor, as it follows ( ver. 11 ^•h ) And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against this people &c? Then at the 14 ^th ver. The Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. Thus Moses by the pureness of his hands, holy prayer delivered a Nation that was not innocent, from consumption in the flames of the Lord's provoked Jelousie. Again ( Jere. 5.1.) the Prophet is Commanded to run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, to see and know in the broad places thereof, if he could find a man, if there were any that executed judgment, that sought the truth, and I will pardon, saith the Lord. One man should deliver the City that was not Innocent by the pureness of his hands. We see the Lord puts the whole issue upon this, if thou canst find a man. But were there not multitudes and throngs of men in Jerusalem? Why then was it proposed as a matter of difficulty to find a man there? Doubtless Jerusalem was a populous City, and was filled with men; but a man so qualified, a man of Justice, a man that sought the truth was hardly to be found there, and therefore if thou canst find (such) a man, I will pardon it saith the Lord. How pardon it? There is a twofold pardon: first, a pardon of the guilt of sin; secondly, a pardon of the punishment of sin. The Lord, upon the finding out of such a man, would not pardon the guilt of all that were there, nor give them an everlasting pardon, but pardoned they should be as to present punishment and ruin, they should be pardoned or saved from destruction for that time, if such a godly man could be found among them. Godly men save the wicked three ways.

First, They save them, when by their good Council and Instruction they turn them from their sins, and bring them to repentance; this is a happy way of saving them. And thus a godly man may save the wicked, every godly Minister of the Gospel is said to save not himself only, but (in this sense) those that hear him; because he offers and urgeth upon them the means of salvation. (1 Tim. 4.16.)

Secondly, As they may save them thus by being a means of their Conversion, so they may save them by being a means of their Direction; One godly man may save a whole Land by his directing Council, as well as he saveth many by his converting Counsel. Of this Solomon speaks clearly ( Eccle. 9.14, 15.) There was a little City and few men in it, and there came a great King against it, &c. Now there was found a poor wise man in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the City. That is, He gave wise and wholesome Counsel, which being followed, proved an effectual means for the deliverance of the City.

Thirdly, A godly man may be a public good to save and deliver others by his Prayers and Intercession, by seeking the Lord that they may be delivered, as the latter branch was opened, he saves them by the pureness of his hands, lifted up in prayer. Yet we must take this with a Caution; For we cannot affirm it universally, that the righteous have always this privilege (in the event) to deliver the Island or Nation wherein they are. But we may say, that this is a privilege which Saints have often been honored with, and which none but Saints have been honored with at any time to be the Savior's and Deliverers of a people among whom they dwell; For we know the Lord himself hath given express Exceptions to this rule ( Jer. 15.1.) where he tells the stubborn Jews by his Prophet; Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people; Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth; and it shall come to pass if they say unto thee, whither shall we go forth, thou shalt tell them, thus saith the Lord, such as are for death, to death; & such as are for the sword, to the sword, and such as are for famine, to famine. When he saith, Though Moses and Samuel stood before we; Some may ask, what to do? I answer, we are not to take it for a mute standing before the Lord, but a standing before the Lord with earnest Prayers, Intercessions, and Supplications, for the sparing of that people; Now saith the Lord, though Moses and Samuel (who in their generations were eminent godly men, and eminent favorites of God) though these should stand before me, earnestly praying for this people, yet my mind could not be toward them, that is, I would not spare them, nor save them from death, sword, famine, or captivity, no not at their entreaty. And we have a like Instance ( Ezek. 14.14.) Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it (there were but two named in Jeremy, but here three, though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it) they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness saith the Lord God. They might have the privilege mentioned by Eliphaz in the former verse, When men were cast down, they might say, there is a lifting up, or there is preservation for us, God will take care of us: but God would not be persuaded, no not by Noah, Daniel, and Job, to save the rest. So that there are cases wherein the Lord will not hear the Intercessions of the best of men for a sinful people. The Island of the wicked, or of the not Innocent shall not be delivered, no, not by the pureness of their hands; yet 'tis an experienced truth, that God hath spared a people for the sake of some Godly found among them; yea the reason why the Lord doth not destroy the world which lies in wickedness, is, much, in respect of them who walk in holiness. For were it not (as Elisha told Jehoram to his face in reference to good king Jehoshaphat, 2 Kings 3.14.) that God hath regard to their presence in the world, God would not so much as look towards the ungodly, nor see them for good. This honor have all the Saints, and how great an honor is it to be a public good, to be a Savior to an Island, to a Nation? Some indeed are of such narrow spirits, that if they may save themselves, and keep their own stakes, they care not what becomes of the public. But as it is a great honor to be active for the saving and delivering of a Nation, so it is a greater honor to have the safety and deliverance of a Nation attributed or given in to us by God himself (though not at all by way of desert, yet) in a way of favor. Paul was at Sea with no good company, yet when all looked to be swallowed up, An Angel of God appeared to him, saying, Fear not Paul, Thou must be brought before Caesar, and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee (Acts 27.23, 24.) That is, for thy sake, or because they are now in thy company, they also shall escape the rage of this tempest. They all owe their lives to thee henceforth as well as to me, for to thee have I given them. The men of this world might hence take notice of their own folly, who can hardly afford them a good word, or room to live in the world, for whose sake it is that they live. How often do they wish and seek their destruction, for whose sake it is, that themselves are not destroyed? How often do they accuse the Godly, as the troublers of a Nation, as the hinderers of public good: whereas they are indeed a common good, The Chariots and horsemen, The Protection and Defense, the Salvation and Deliverance of those States and Nations where they are. The breaches which wicked men make by sinning, they make up by praying, to turn away the Lord's wrath, that they be not consumed. We read how the Lord Complaines, that there was none found to make up the hedge, to stand in the gapp when he was coming to destroy them. ( Ezek. 22.30.) And it is said of Moses (Psal. 106.23.) that he stood before the Lord in the breach, that he should not destroy the Israelites. Which phrase of standing in the breach seems to bear an alusion to an Army besieging a City, who first plant their Canon, and make a breach, and then come to the storm. Thus the Lord deals many times with a people, he encampes against them, and batters them, he makes some breach upon them by troubles and divisions, and then expects that some should stand in the breach, and beseech him not to storm them with the whole Army of his Judgments. And the Lord takes it well when any of the Valiant Ones, when any of the Worthies of his Israel present themselves in the breach, praying with utmost importunity, that the Lord would withdraw those evils which threaten to come in at the breach like armed men and lay wast a Nation.

And forasmuch as men of pure hands, or Godly men have this privilege to be a common Good, by being the deliverers of Nations from common evils and calamities, I shall hint some few things from it more distinctly.

First, We see wherein (under God) the strength and safety of Kingdoms and Common-wealths doth consist. It is not, so much, in the wisdom of the Counselor, or in the courage of the Soldier; It is not, so much, in Armies at Land, or Navyes at Sea; It is not, so much, in walled Cities and fortified Castles; It is not, so much, in union at home, or in leagues and confederacies abroad, as it is in the purity of men's hands, or in the holiness of their lives. Godlines is the Samson's lock, wherein the strength of a Nation lies. A Heathen could say, that A people were never safe by the standing of their walls, while themselves were falling in their virtues. It is therefore (if there were nothing better in it) good policy to encourage piety, and to • ndeavour the increase of a Holy Seed in any Nation. For as the Prophet speaks ( Is. 6.13.) As a teile tree and as an oak whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves, so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

Secondly, In this we see the honor which God puts upon Godly men. What can be greater then this, to be really (though perhaps far from being accounted so) the Deliverers and Savior's of their Country? What an honor was it to Abraham when God told a King, that he was beholding to Abraham for his life, or that favor must be granted to him at the suite and as it were sent him by the hand of Abraham (Gen. 20.7.) He shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live. An honor much like this God put upon Job also, at the latter end of this Book ( Chap. 42.8.) My servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept, lest I deal with you after your folly. Such Honor (in some degree) have all the Saints.

Thirdly, Let men honor those whom God honors thus; and let the Princes and Powers of the world be glad when they hear that they have many such in their Dominions. When such are subject to them, as rule with God. It is said of Zerxes (the Greatest Monarch in the world in his time) that when Themistocles came over to him (who was a man eminent for wisdom and Eloquence) that, being over-joyed at such a treasure, he cried out in his sleep; I have got Themistocles the Athenian. Spiritual wisdom renders men a Greater treasure to States, then moral wisdom can. Surely then they who are spiritually wise deserve to be rejoiced in. I am sure it is not safe to let them be discouraged by whom our safety is established, much less is it safe to let them fall, by whom in their capacity kingdoms stand; least of all, is it safe to cast them down, who (by the rule of divine politics) are State-upholders. Therefore let me say this to all the powers of this world, do not destroy those who have the privilege to be Savior's and deliverers. Yea, Take heed of deading and straitening their spirits in prayer for you, above all, take heed of turning their prayers against you. Do not provoke your own Horsemen to fight against you, and your own Chariot-wheels to run over you. As these are the best friends to a Nation, so the worst enemies. Better have many outwardly opposing you, then one (upon just ground) secretly praying, or but complaining to God against you. They who have no power at all in their hands▪ no not so much as to help or save themselves, may yet destroy many by the pureness of their hands, that is, they holding up pure hands in prayer, may bring down destruction upon many who are wicked, and the adversaries of Christ because their adversaries. But that which they mostly do, and that which they worst of all desire to do is, That Lands and Islands may be delivered by the pureness of their hands.

To shut up this point and Chapter, we see, that as the Saints are killed all the day long, by the wicked world, for the Lord's sake (Rom. 8.36.) that is, because they own the Lord and his ways: so the wicked of the world are spared even all the day long, or as often as they are spared by the Lord, for the sake of the Saints, that is, because the Lord owns and approves them and their ways, and doth therefore give peace to the world, that so in their peace, they also may have peace.

IN the former Chapter we had the third & last charge of Eliphaz against Job, in this and that which followeth Job makes his reply, and defends himself against what Eliphaz had objected and charged upon him. There are two opinions concerning the tendency of this reply.

First, Some interpret it in favor of Job, as if he only summoned his friends to the tribunal of God, being confident of a good issue there.

Secondly, Others enterpret it as a presumptuous suggestion against God himself, and the strictness of his proceedings with him, which they endeavor to prove upon (as they conceive) these four grounds of his complaint.

First, Because he complained that his afflictions were beyond all his complaints; and that what he had said was but little to what he felt, or to the greatness of his sorrow ( ver. 1, 2.) Eve • • o day is my complaint bitter, my stroke is heavier then my groaning. These words are conceived, to carry in them, at least, an intimation that Job thought himself too hardly dealt with, or that there was no just cause why he should be prosecuted and proceeded against with so much severity by the continued and renewed strokes of God upon him. And indeed it cannot be denied, That he (whosoever he is) is justly judged as over-bold with God, who judgeth any of the dealings of God with himself or with any other man over-severe. But we shall find, that though Job complained often that his sorrows (as to him) were exceeding great, yet he never complained, that (as to God) they were unjust.

Secondly, (Say they) because he complained, that he could not get admittance unto God, nor audience with him, which was a further aggravation of his sorrow. This he prosecutes from the third verse to the end of the ninth. 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, I would know the words which he would answer me &c. As if (according to the scope of this exposition) he had said, I have waited long under my pressures and burdens, with my petition in my hand, yea I have tendered up my petition, but as yet I can get no answer; Alas, I am greatly afflicted, yet, so far from being relieved, That I cannot be heard, I would therefore get near God, to spread and order my cause before him. To be heard and to be relieved, are often in Scripture sense the same thing, and always not to be heard signifies as much as not to be relieved. Till the Lord gives us his ear, he never gives us his hand, therefore Job must needs think himself far from being helped while he thought that he was not heard.

Thirdly, Because he complained that the Lord did thus afflict and try him, when he already knew what he was, and what he would be after his trial by the sorest afflictions; when he knew that he was innocent, & that he would continue & hold out in his innocence to the end. That he would not be weary of well-doing, though under the worst of sufferings. ( Ver. 10, 11, 12.) He knoweth the way that I take, &c. As if he had said; The Lord's needs not do this to try me, for he knoweth well enough who I am, and the way that I go; he knoweth both the frame of my heart and the course of my life; he knoweth how it is with me now, and that I shall be found such 〈◊〉 I have often professed myself to be, when he hath kept me to the utmost of his purpose in this fiery furnace of affliction. When he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold, that is, when all's done, he knows that I shall hereafter approve myself upright in heart, and that (through his grace, already bestowed upon me) I have hitherto kept his way, and not declined nor gone back ftom the commandments of his lips, yea that I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food. Thus Job is conceived complaining upon this account, that he should be so extremely afflicted, though the Lord knew his way, and that he was both a lover of his Word, and a keeper of his Commandments, and that he would persevere with joy in keeping them to the end, though he should not see the expected and desired end of those sorrows.

Fourthly, Because he is conceived complaining that he found the Lord altogether inexorable, so that no impression could be made upon him by anything he could say or do to take him off from his severity towards him. ( Ver. 13, 14.) He is of one mind, who can turn him (there is no dealing with God) and what his soul desireth, even that he doth (let it fall where and on whom it will, he will do it) for he performeth the thing that is appointed for me.

From all which Job inferreth, that he had cause enough to complain, much more that he did not complain without cause. ( Ver. 15, 16, 17.) Therefore am I troubled at his presence when I consider, I am afraid of him, for God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me, because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face. Thus you have the parts and scope of the whole Chapter, as 'tis supposed to be an over-bold complaint in reference to the dealings of the Lord with him.

From all which 'tis concluded, that though the Chapter begins with, Then Job answered, and said, yet, that Job doth not answer Eliphaz, nor apply himself to what he had said; but that being wearied with his often repeating, and renewing the same arguments against him, he doth, upon the matter, leave him and his friends, and all discourse with them; turning himself to God, and pouring his sorrows into his bosom; as if the answer were directed to God, and not at all to Eliphaz.

But I rather apprehend (according to the former interpretation of this reply) that Job doth here plainly hold forth an answer to what Eliphaz had objected or laid to his charge, and that being still so hotly opposed, he doth first defend his own integrity in this Chapter; and that, secondly, in the next he overthroweth the ground or foundation upon which his friends built their general opposition: affirming, that there is neither any certain time nor way in which the Lord doth punish wicked men in this world, and that therefore no argument can be framed, or judgment given of any man's condition by his present state, or the external dispensations of God towards him. Taking this sense, we may reduce the whole Chapter to these two parts.

First, A preface; secondly, the pleading it self.

The preface is laid down in the second verse; Even today is my complaint bitter, my stroke is heavier then my groaning; the pleading follows in the subsequent parts of the Chapter; the sum of which may be collected into this formal Argumentation.

Ye do falsely accuse him of wickedness, and hypocrisy, who is ready to plead his cause, and doth earnestly desire that he may do it before the throne of God.

But I am ready and do earnestly desire to plead my cause before the throne of God.

Therefore ye falsely accuse me of wickedness and hypocrisy.

The assumption only of this Syllogism is handled in this Chapter, from the second verse to the end; in which it appears, that Job was ready not only to dispute the point in controversy with his friends, but was most willing that the Lord should have the hearing of it; for so he saith, 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. That is, I would produce such arguments for myself, and against my opposers, as would render my cause just and innocent before God, how guilty soever I am found and represented in the opinion of men.

Thus far concerning the general state of this Chapter.

I shall next proceed to explicate the parts and particulars of it.

These words have occur'd often before, I shall not stay upon them. But what said he? and how did he answer?

Thus Job begins, This is at once his prologue to what he had to say, and his Apology for what he had (passionately) said already. Even today, or even this day. The word day is taken either more largely for the time near at hand, or strictly, for the present time. ( Psal. 95.8.) To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; That is, Hear his voice this instant day, and harden not your hearts one day longer. Again ( Deut. 4.8.) What Nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, that I have set before you this day, or at this present time. Jacob saith to Esau (Gen. 25.31.) Sell me this day thy birth-right; that is, let me have it now, let us strike up the bargain this hour, or before we part. Thus here, To day &c. As if Job had said, O friend Eliphaz, I perceive that after all those days of disputation which have passed between us, this day is like to be spent and run out in as harsh censures on your part, and in as bitter complaints on my part as any of the former.

The word rendered complaint, is translated also sometimes prayer, and sometimes meditation. (Gen. 24.69.) Isaac went out into the field to meditate, we put in the Margin, to pray. Hannah useth the same word (1 Sam. 1.16.) Account not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint (we put in the Margin, Meditation) and grief, have I spoken hitherto. Many complain, who pray not, some pray, who complain not, and others meditate, who do neither complain nor pray, yet usually we meditate, that we may consider what to pray about, & in prayer pour out our complaints both about those sins and wants and mercies, which have fallen under our meditation.

The Original word hath a twofold derivation, most render it as we, bitter; Bitterness in Scripture is often used by a metaphor, to denote anything which is grievous, troublesome, afflictive, or distasteful to us, because bitter things are so to the palate or taste of man. Bitter things are troublesome to sense, and troubles are bitter to the Spirit. Affliction is a bitter pill; thou writest bitter things against me, said Job to God before ( Chap. 13.26.) so that when he saith, my complaint is bitter, it sounds thus much, my complaint is as great as great can be, and I have the greatest reason to complain. For by complaint, we are to understand not only the act of complaining, but the matter upon which he did complain, or the cause of his complaint. As if he had said, My afflictions (about which I complain) are exceeding bitter, no marvel then if my complaint be so too.

Secondly, The word comes from a root, signifying to rebel, to disobey, to be exasperated, or (as some learned in the Hebrew give it) to vary or alter the frame of a man's spirit, and the disposition of his mind; because they who disobey and rebel, do certainly vary and change their minds from what they engaged to be, or professed they were before; they turn aside either from the lawful command given them, or from the promise and faith which they had given. So the word is used (1 Kings 13.26.) Where the sacred History tells us of a Prophet who was sent out upon a Message by the Lord unto Jeroboam, and though he faithfully performed the Message, yet hearkening to the counsel of another Prophet, he was slain by a Lion; Thus saith the Lord, for as much as thou hast disobeyed (or rebelled against) the mouth of the Lord, (that is, the words that proceeded out of the mouth of the Lord,) and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee, &c. Thy carcass shall not come into the sepulcher of thy fathers. Thus the word is translated by some in this Text, of Jobs disobedience or rebellion; And they render the whole sentence with an interrogation.

What, is my complaint this day accounted rebellion? as if I did contumaciously set myself against God, while I am pouring out my sorrows before him; whereas indeed, my complaint is rather rebellious or stout against your consolations, it yields not to them, nor is at all abated by them. The way or course which you take to comfort me, is too weak to graple with, much more is it too weak to conquer and subdue my sorrows.

Yet further, This sense and translation of the word, may be applied to that speech of Eliphaz in the former Chapter ( ver. 21.) exhorting Job to acquaint himself with God, and to be at peace. As if he had said, Leave off thy distances, lay down the weapons of that most unholy war which thou hast taken up against God. To which close rebuke Job answers here, what? Is my complaint to God looked upon by you as a combat with God? or do ye think that while I beg pity and favor of God, I have bid him defiance, or declared myself his enemy? What else can be the meaning of it, that you exhort me so seriously to reconcile myself to God? He that is called to make peace with another, is supposed to be at war with him, or at least to bear him ill will. So then, according to this rendering, and interpretation of the Text, the drift of his speech is to show how little ground there was, yea how unjust it was, that he should be accused of rebellion and contumacy against God, while he was only bemoaning his own sad condition, and putting up his complaint to God. We may form up his sense into this argumentation.

He cannot be justly accused of rebellion against God, who complains much, or greatly, when his grief is more or greater.

But my grief is more and greater then my complaint.

Therefore I cannot be justly accused of rebellion against God, because I complain.

Again, The text is thus rendered; Even today the sharpness or bitterness of my complaint remaineth, or my sorrow is as it was. I am no way eased but rather more afflicted by what you have said for the easing of my affliction. An improper plaster doth but enflame, not at all heal, the wound. So that, as according to the former interpretation, he took off their charge of impatience, contumacy, and rebellion against God, according to the mind of this he shows the weakness and insufficiency of what they had spoken, as to the allay of his sorrow, and the curing or satisfying of his distemperd spirit. So that here he seems to renew and confirm that opinion which he had given of his friends in their procedure with him ( Chap. 13.4.) Ye are forgers of lies, ye are all Physicians of no value: O that ye would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your wisdom. And again ( Ch. 16.2.) Miserable Comforters are ye all; Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest. So here, ye have done nothing yet effectually to remove my complaint: I am like a poor patient, who having been long under the Physicians hand, and suffered many painful applications, is yet as far from a cure as the first hour of his undertaking. Even today the bitterness the sharpness of my diseased mind remaineth. I have been in pain (as the Church speaks, Isa. 26.18.) I have as it were brought forth wind. Ye have not wrought any deliverance, neither hath this inhabitant (my sorrow) fallen by your hand.

Lastly, Some refer these words to the promise made by Eliphaz (Chap. 22.21.) exhorting Job to acquaint himself with God &c. and so good should come to him. But saith Job here, Though I am clear from what you accuse me; and also have communion with God in ways of holiness; yet I experience no such good as you promise, I am not brought into ways of comfort, but rather my sorrows increase, and my complaint is as bitter this day, as ever it was.

And (as it follows in the Text)

This he addeth as a further explication, or as a proof of the former part of the verse; as if he had said, If ye inquire why my complaint is so bitter, it is because my stroke is so heavy, even heavier then my groaning; And why should ye call my complaint rebellion, seeing I do not complain more, no nor so much as I have cause. My stroke is heavier then my groaning. Thus he is still laboring to acquit himself of that so often repeated accusation, impatience under the hand of God, and rebellion against him.

The Hebrew is, my hand, the hand is taken for that which was done by the hand; The instrument for the effect; my hand, that is, the stroke of the hand that is upon me; whose hand was that? the hand of God he means. As if it had been said more expressly, The stroke of the hand of God upon me is heavier then my groaning. In the former part of the verse, he spake of the bitterness of his complaint, here of the heaviness of his stroke, or that the stroke given him was exceeding heavy. As bitter things are grievous to the palate, so heavy things are burdensome to the whole body; We are soon weary of that which is very heavy. And therefore ( Mat. 11.30.) when Christ would convince us that we have no reason to be weary of that burden, which he layeth upon us, (his holy counsels and commandments) he saith, My yoke is easy, and my burden light: My burdens are not like those which the Pharisees bind upon you, heavy and grievous to be borne (Math. 23.4.) So here, when Job saith, My stroke is heavy, he would have his friends know that his were (in themselves) no light afflictions (though there is a sense in which all the afflictions of the Saints are light, 2 Cor. 4.17.) but grievous to be borne.

Secondly, Some read the words thus, My stroke is heavier upon my groanings, or when I groan; As if he had said, the more I groan and sigh, the more I am wounded, I get nothing by my groanings but fresh smitings and additional sorrows.

Thirdly, Others translate the Hebrew word properly, not stroke (by a Metonymy of the effect) but hand. My hand is heavy upon (or because of) my groaning; that is, my hand is weak because of my groaning; a weak hand, is a heavy hand; that is heavy, which is not lifted up without difficulty. Now when the hand is weak we can hardly lift it to our head (as we say). The weak hand is a heavy hand, not because of the weight of it, but because of the weakness of it, or want of strength to wield anything with it, or to hold it up. In this sense we are to understand Job crying out, My hand is heavy because of my groaning; As if he had said; My strength fails me, my hands hang down, and through weakness I am not able to lift them up. In the fourth Chapter, Eliphaz told Job, that he by his good counsel had formerly strengthened the weak, or the loosened hands. Which form of speaking answers that of the Apostle ( Heb. 12.12.) Lift up the hands that hang down. Weakness is as a weight fastened to the hand, and holding it down. The hand is never so much fastened, as when it is (in this sense) made lax or loosened The Original word here used intimates, that much sorrow and trouble weigh down the hand; My hand is heavy because of my groaning, or (as we read) My stroke is heavier then my groaning.

Thus we have Job still complaining and groaning; whence was all this? even from the sense of his sore afflictions.

Which may teach us;

First, That affliction doth usually vent it self in complaints and groans.

While we are in the flesh, we are subject to affliction; and all affliction is grievous to the flesh, not only to flesh as it notes the corruption of the soul, but to flesh as taken for the constitution of the body. Affliction will be felt; It makes the flesh smart; and when the flesh smarts, it may make him complain and groan who is spiritual; yea, complaints and groans give some ease to our afflictions. As the pain of affliction causeth groaning & complaining, so groaning and complaining are some relief in our pains: & hence it hath been reported as one of the highest pieces of cruelty not to allow those who have been under exquisite pains to complain and groan; for though groaning doth not at all abate the pain, yet it doth somewhat divert our thoughts from it; and while we communicate it to others in complaints, we are somewhat the less sensible of it ourselves.

Secondly, Whereas Job checks his friends (according to the second exposition of the words) for calling or accounting his complaint rebellion.

Observe;

Many are ready to mis-interpret that which we speak deliberately, much more what we speak passionately and complainingly; Job spake sorrowfully, and he was presently judged to speak rebelliously: he was but humbling and bemoaning himself before God, yet he was esteemed as a man rising up against and warring with God. While Hanna was making a prayerfull complaint to God, Eli a good man thought she was overgon with wine (1 Sam. 1.14.) How long wilt thou be drunk, put away thy wine from thee. When the Apostles were uttering the great things of God, as some were amazed, so others mocked, saying, These men are full of new wine (Acts 2.13.) There are two sorts of words and actions most liable to mis-interpretation.

First, When we act or speak highly in holiness; for then the world looks upon those of soundest minds as mad, or vain, as distracted or drunken, these men (saith the world) are full of new wine; whereas indeed (as Peter makes answer in the Acts) they are not drunken, as is supposed, but filled with the Spirit. Festus told Paul, that he was beside himself, that much learning had made him mad, when he heard the discourse of his wonderful conversion to Christ, and holy conversation in Christ ( Acts 26.24.) And it seems that some among the Corinthians had no better nor other opinion of him, else he would not have made such an Apology for himself and fellow-servants in Gospel-work (2 Cor. 5.13.) Whether we be besides ourselves it is to God &c. that's a sober madness indeed which is to God. But thus still we see they who act or speak highest in grace, are censured as acting and speaking below nature. And as these whose graces are • oving aloft, are often suspected of madness,

So, secondly, they who lie below complaining under the pressures of nature by affliction, are as often suspected of and charged with impatience. A troubled spirit can hardly judge aright of it self, and is seldom rightly judged by others. I will end this point with two Cautions. The first to all, concerning those that are afflicted; The second to all that are afflicted.

To the former I say, judge charitably of those who complain bitterly; for as a man in a low condition knoweth not what himself would either be or do, were he advanced to the heights of honor and power; so he that is at ease, and well, knoweth not what himself would either be or do, were he in pain or overwhelmed with sorrows. Extreames in any •• ate are rarely borne with a well or duly tempered moderation.

Secondly, To the latter I say, let them expect to hear themselves hardly censured, and learn to bear it: let not such think strange of their sufferings, either under the hand of God, or by the tongues of men. Great sufferers speak often unbecommingly, and are as often so spoken of.

Thirdly, Forasmuch as the matter of this suggestion against Job, tumultuous and rebellious speeches, at least speeches savouring strongly of rebellion are incident to any Godly man in Jobs condition. Observe.

An unquiet spirit is not only a great burden to man, but a dishonor to God. Our dissatisfaction with the dealings of God, carrieth in it (at least an implicit) accusation of him, or that God hath not done well because it is ill (to sense) with us. There is a rebellion against the rod as well as against the word of God. For as our struggling and striving with the word of God and the unquietness of our hearts under any truth when it takes hold of us is rebellion against God, so to strive, and struggle, with the rod of God, or with the cross that he lays upon us is rebellion against him also. God speaks to us by his rod as well as by his word; and we spurn at God in wrangling with his rod, as well as in wrangling with his word. Yea to have hard thoughts of God, as that he is severe, and rigourous, that he hath put off his bowels of compassion towards us, and forgotten to be gracious; such thoughts, as these, of God under affliction, are rebellious thoughts. And as there is a rebellion in the thoughts against God in case of affliction, so also in the Tongue. Thus, to murmur is to rebel. I do not say that all complaining is rebelling, but all murmuring is; we may complain and tell the Lord how sad it is with us, how much our souls, our bodies, our estates, our relations bleed and smart. We may complain, and make great complaints without sin, but the least murmuring is sinful, yea in the very nature of it, so full of sin, that it usually and deservedly passeth under the name of Rebellion. The children of Israel were as often charged with rebellion as with murmuring; And therefore when they murmured for want of Water, Moses said unto them, Hear now ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this Rock? (Numb. 20.10.) And again, Moses chargeth this upon them with his last breath (as it were) Deut. 31.27. I know thy rebellion and thy stiff neck, behold while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord, and how much more after my death: yea the Lord himself chargeth rebellion upon that unparalleled pair of Brethren, Moses and Aaron themselves, because they had not so fully as they ought at all times and in all things submitted unto his divine dispensations among that people, ( Numb. 24.) The Lord spake to Moses, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, for he shall not enter into the Land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye (the Lord puts them both together in the sin) rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

Fourthly, whereas Job saith; Even today my complaint is bitter. Observe.

It is with afflictions as with diseases, there are some acute diseases, sharp and fierce for a while, but they last not, they are over in a few days; for either the disease departs from the man, or the man departs out of the world by the feircenes of his disease. There are also Chronicall diseases, lasting, lingering diseases, that hang about a man many days, yea months and years, and will not be gone while he lives, but lie down in the grave with him. Such a difference we find among thos • other afflictions and troubles which are not seated (as diseases) in the body, but reach the whole estate of man. Some are acute and sharp, like the fierce fits of a fever, but they last not; or like Summers sudden storms, which are soon followed with a succession of fair weather. But there are also chronicall afflictions, tuffe and immovable troubles, which abide by us, which dwell with us day after day, year after year, and never leave us while we live, or till we leave the world. Many a good man hath carried his affliction with him to the grave. If any shall object; how then is that of David true, ( Psal. 30.5.) Weeping may endure for a night, •• t joy cometh in the morning. I answer; First, That Scripture speaks of that which is often experienced, but not always: secondly, It is most true also that all our weeping is but for a night, yea but for a Moment (as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 4.17.) compared with that morning of joy when the day of our blessed eternity shall begin. Thirdly, the Psalm hath this scope chiefly, to show, that the troubles of the Saints are not everlasting, not that they are never lasting; or to show that the night of weeping shall at last conclude in a morning of joy to the Godly, not that their night of weeping shall presently conclude. For as some have only a Summers night, or a short night of sorrow, so others have a winters night, or a long night of sorrow. And this night of sorrow, may be as long not only as many natural days, or as somes years, but as long as all the natural days and years of this present life. The morning of joy is not to be understood of the next morrow after the sorrow began, for how long soever our weeping continues, it is night with us, and whensoever joy comes (though at midnight) 'tis morning with us. For sure enough as those sons of pleasure are described ( Isa. 56.12.) promising themselves the continuance of their joys; ( To morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, therefore come fetch wine and let us drink today, there will be wine enough for tomorrow too, thus they promised themselves that their pleasures should continue in a succession of many morrows, now as these sons of pleasure promised themselves the continuance of their delight) so many of the sons & daughters of sorrow have found and still find a continuance of their troubles, and have cause to say, this day is even as bad as yesterday was; yea our bitter cup, our wine of astonishment is much more abundant, our sorrow is greater this day then it was yesterday, that was a black sad gloomy day, and this is a day more black, sad, and gloomy then that was.

Fifthly, From these words; My stroke is heavier then my groaning. Observe.

The groans of some are heavier then their stroke, and the strokes of not a few are heavier then their groans. Some show more sorrow then they have, and others have more sorrows then they can show. I, saith Job, cannot tell you no not so much as by the language of my groaning, how heavy my stroke is. As there is a peace of God, a peace which he giveth to many of his people in this life which passeth all understanding (Phil. 4.6.) they have a sense of such peace sometimes upon their spirits as their understandings know not what to make of it, they are so far from being able to tell you what it is, that they are not able to conceive what it is, but must confess that their peace is greater and larger then their understanding, now (I say) as the peace which God gives his passeth their understandings) so the troubles and sorrows of many who are dear to God, exceed, or surpass all their expressions, they cannot declare, nor can any for them, how it is with them. Again, as there is in this life a joy in believing, which is unspeakable (1 Pet. 1.8.) so there is a sorrow in suffering which is unspeakable. And (which is very wonderful) these two meet sometimes in the same person, who at the very instant while his sorrow is so great that he is not able to express it, hath also sweet and ravishing joys beyond expression. Yet, I conceive (as to Jobs case) his spirit was dark, and his mind troubled, as well as his body was pained, and his outward estate torn and ruined.

Sixthly, From these words; My stroke is heavier then my groaning. Observe;

Job seems here to yield it, and confess, that if his stroke had not been so heavy, his groans had not been innocent; and if it be sinful to groan, and complain more, or beyond our strokes, how sinful is it to complain without any stroke at all? Some complain without cause, and groan before they are smitten, yea, some are ready to complain when they are encompassed about with many mercies, and are not satisfied when they are filled; they complain, because they have not what they would, or because others have more then they, though themselves have enough, if they knew what is enough. The Ox and the Ass are a rebuke to such; For as Job speaketh ( Chap. 6 ^th ) Will the Ass bray when he hath grass, or loweth the Ox over his fodder? Irrationall creatures will not complain when they have the conveniences of nature. Surely then those men act much below grace, who complain when they have food convenient, and health convenient, yea all things convenient (possibly abundant) for the support of nature; who complain when they have not so much as an akeing joint about them, or the scratch of a pin, no nor the want of a pin, nor of a shoe-lachet. Some complain when they have meat enough, because they have not sauce, yea some complain when they have both meat and sauce enough, the affluence of all things, not only for necessity but for delight. What shall we say of them who are never well neither full nor fasting; who are so far from having learned the Apostles lesson to be content in all estates, that are content in none. The people of Israel murmured not only when they wanted bread, but when they had it; when they had Manna they murmured for Quails, and at last they murmured at their very Manna, their souls loathed that light bread: Consider how •• at their sin is, who complain upon such terms as these, who complain before they are hurt, yea who complain when they have no cause but to be very thankful. We live in complaining times, many cry out of pressures and burdens, nothing pleaseth many among us, because everything is not as they please. Take heed your groanings be not heavier then your stroke, especially take heed ye be not found groaning without a stroke, and complaining over your blessings; the Lord hath healed our strokes in a great degree, but our complainings are not healed; If we be found complaining when we have no cause, or when we should be giving thanks, we may quickly provoke God to give us cause enough of complaining. God ha • h heavier strokes for them, whose groaning is heavier then their stroke, and he hath heaviest strokes for them, who groan when they are not stricken. When children cry for nothing, they are usually made to feel something which will make them cry to purpose. This humor is childish enough in children, it is worse in men, but it is worst of all in Christians, who are also the children of God. There are two things which God will not bear in his; First, when they grow wanton with a mercy; secondly, when they complain without a cross. To complain under a cross, is to act below grace; To complain of a cross, is to act against grace. To complain beyond a cross, is a defect of grace, but to complain without a cross, is a defect in nature.

The Apostles rule is (1 Thes. 5.18.) in everything give thanks, and he gives his reason for it in the words which follow, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Now, if it be the will of God that we should give thanks in everything, then it must be against his will that we should complain in anything. Complaining is contrary to thanksgiving. A godly man may see two things in the heaviest strokes of his affliction, which may provoke him to thanksgiving, at least, which may stop him from all immoderate complaining; First, That God hath a respect to his good in his heaviest afflictions, and that the issue shall certainly be good to him. Secondly, that how heavy so ever his stroke is, his sin hath deserved a heavier, and that God could have made it heavier, even his little finger heavier upon him, then his loins have been. That our stroke might have been heavier may stop our complaining, but our he •• st stroke shall turn to our benefit, should stir us up to thanksgiving: In heaven there will not be the least shadow of a cause to complain; Thanksgiving will be all our work, and the work of all in heaven; And by how much we are the more in thanksgiving and the less in complaining on earth (unless it be of and against ourselves for sin) the more heavenly we are. When we are stricken we should complain as little as we can, and we should always be able to say (as Job here) That our complaint is not greater then our stroke.

The Hebrew is, who will give me to know &c. The words are a form of wishing, ordinary among the Jews; Who will give, or who will grant me this or that, O that I knew &c. And it Intimates or Implyes two things.

First, A vehement and strong desire after somewhat much desierable; who will give me this? or where shall I have it?

Secondly, It Implyes self-Inability, or self-Insufficiency to attain and reach the thing desired. As if Job had said; I am not able of myself to find him, O that I knew where I might find him! O that I either had the light of this knowledge in myself, or that somebody would inform and teach me! O that I had a friend to Chalke me out the way, to lead me by the hand, and bring me near to God.

The vulgar latin Reading fixeth both those acts upon God as the Object; O that someone or other would give me to know and find him! As if his wish and longing desire were first to know God, secondly, to find him; or in finding to know him. Our translation determines this knowing in Job, and finding upon God. O That I knew where I might find him! Who it is that Job would find is not expressed in the text by name, nor is there any Anticedent in the verse before, with which we can Connect this relative him. Yet 'tis beyond question or dispute that he means God, O that I might find him! that is, God. But why did he not say, O that I knew where to find God, but, O that I knew where to find him? I answer, He doth it because his heart being full of God, he supposed that those to whom he spake had their hearts full of him too, and so would easily understand whom he meant, or that he could mean none but God.

We find such kind of abrupt speeches (as I may call them) in other Texts of Scripture, still arising from fullness and strength of affection in the speaker. See how Solomon begins his Love-song, his Song of Songs. The Song of Songs which is Solomon's, that's the title of it; How doth it begin? Let him kiss me &c. Here is a strange Exordium to a Song, none having been spoken of before, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! by whom the Church would be kissed she expresseth not, but her heart was so full of Christ, so full of love to Christ her Bridegroom, her husband, that she thinks it needless to mention him by name, when she speaks of him whose kisses she desired. Her love had passed through the whole Creation, through men and Angels, through all things here below, and fixed it self only upon Christ her Lord and Love. Therefore she never stood speaking personally of him, but only relatively, and leaves all to understand whom she intended. Thus saith Job, O that I knew where I might find him! when as he had not spoken of any distinct person before, in this Chapter. And we have a like passage flowing from a like abundant love to Christ, in the 20 ^•h of John ver. 15. where Mary comes to the Sepulcher (Christ being risen) and the Angel seeing her weep asked her the reason of it; To whom she replied, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him; having thus said, she turned her self back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus: he saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be the Gardener said, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him: She never names Christ, but only saith, If thou have borne him hence &c. because her heart was full of Christ, she thought his heart was full of him too, and that he understood her well enough whom she meant, though she said not whom she meant. Thus in the present text, Job was to God at that time, as Mary to Christ, at a loss for him, not knowing where to find him, God was as it were removed from him, as Christ was risen from the Sepulcher; Therefore he complainingly and affectionately enquires; O that I knew where I might find him! My soul is a thirst for God, my heart pants after him, O that I knew

The Hebrew word signifieth to find, by going out to meet a man, or (as we say) to light upon him. As Ahab said to Elijah (1 King. 21.20.) Hast thou found (or met) me O mine enemy? and he answered, I have found (or met) thee. So the word is used (2 King. 10.13.) Jehu met with the Brethren of Ahaziah King of Judah; In the Margin we say, Jehu found the Brethren of Ahaziah, that is, he met them upon the way, for he went out to meet them. Read also (1 Sam. 10.3.) As if the sense were thus given; O that I knew where I might find him! that is, whither I might go to meet him, though I should not find him by accident, or (as we say) stumble upon him; I would go out, I would travel, and take pains upon hopes to meet him.

Secondly, That word signifies so to find as to take hold and apprehend, to take fast hold of a thing; and then, O that I might find him; is, O that I might lay hold on him; if I knew where I might have him, I would lay fast hold on him, and cleave close to him. So the word is used ( Isaiah 10.10.) As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the Idols, and whose graven Images did excel them of Jerusalem and Samaria. Thus spake the proud Assyrian, my hand hath found them; Why, the Kingdoms of the Heathen were not in a Corner, that he had need to search after them, he did not make a new discovery of those kingdoms, They were not, terra Incognita, an unknown or a new found land; that's not the meaning; but when he saith, my hand hath found them, the sense is, I have laid hold on them, and ceized them to my own use, I have added 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 them to my own dominion, and brought them under my subjection. So in the 14 verse of that Chapter; My hand hath found as a Nest the riches of the people, that is, I have laid hold on their riches, and said all's mine; I have taken the whole nest with all the eggs, all their goods and treasures, into my custody and possession. Thus Job would find God that he might lay hold on him for his own or own him as his. Thus also the word is used ( Psal. 21.8.) Thine hand shall find out all thine Enemies, thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. It is not meant only of a discovery of a person (though it be a truth, that the Lord will discover all that are his Enemies) but thine hand shall find them out, is, it shall take hold of them, grasp them, and arrest them. Thy hand shall find out all thine Enemies, though close, though Covert Enemies, not only thy above-ground Enemies, but thy under-ground Enemies, as well those that undermine thee, as those that assault thee. Once more, in the 116 ^th Psal. ver. 3. we have an Illustration of this sense; The sorrows of death Compassed me, and the pains of hell gate hold upon me. The Hebrew text is, the pains of hell found me: the pain • s of hell, that is, the greatest, the extremist pains, gat hold upon me; they found me, that is, they ceized upon me, and held me fast: a word of the same root is used in both parts of that text, that which we translate to get hold, is the same with that, I found trouble and sorrow, they found me and I found them; thus saith Job, O that I knew where I might find him, that I might take hold of him; why how doth the hand of a Saint find God? how doth he take hold of and apprehend God? how doth he as it were, arrest him, and keep him close? I answer, By faith, and reliance upon him; O that I knew where to find him; that the Lord might not be at such a distance from me, as he hath been, but that I finding him might fix my soul upon him. That's a good sense.

Yet I conceive in this place, we may rather expound Job speaking of God after the manner of Magistrates among men, who appoint certain places where to sit in Judgment, where to hear Causes, whither all that are wronged and oppressed resort for relief and right. (1 Sam. 7.17.) Samuel was the Chief Magistrate, The Judge in Israel: Now the text saith at the 16 ^th verse, that he went from year to year in Circuit (as we have the Judges of the Circuit) to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and Judged Israel in all those places, and returned to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he Judged Israel; As if he had said, his standing house was at Ramoth and thither all causes were brought and all persons grieved resorted for Justice in their several cases. He rid Circuit every year, that all the people might the more easily find him; yet he had a fixed seat. In alusion to this practice Job appealing from his friends to God saith, O that I knew where I might find him, and go to him for Judgment; O that I might have Audience before him in this great buisines.

But it may be said, Did not Job know where to find God? or was Job out of the presence of God?

I answer, the Lord carried himself to Job at that time as a stranger, and though he were with him (as he always is with all his) yet he did not find him; The Lord is with many of his people when they are not with him, that is, when they do not find him, or are not sensible of his presence. God is with his people, even when they walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet they are not always with God: yea God doth not always manifest himself to them while they walk in the most delicious and lightsome paradises of this life. God sometimes hides himself, so that they cannot make it out that God is present with them. God is never seen in regard of the invisibility of his nature, and he is often unseen in regard of the obscurity of his dispensations: as Job shows further at the 8 ^th verse, Behold I go forward but he is not there, and backward but I cannot perceive him. I go forward and backward, that is, I go every way, I take all courses to find him, but I cannot perceive God, for he hides and covers himself with clouds, that our prayers cannot come at him; as the Church complains ( Lament. 3.44.) though we are always present to God, yet God is not always present to us, that is, to our apprehension; as God is not at all present to our sense, so he is not always present to our faith; that's the meaning of Job, when he saith, I go forward but he is not there, &c. God is everywhere; whither can I go from his presence (saith David, Psal. 139.) If I go up into heaven he is there &c. yet saith Job, if I go forward he is not there, that is, I have no Enjoyments of God there; and upon this ground he saith in the present text, O that I knew where I might find him! Job was well acquainted with the doctrine of God's Omnipresence, he was far from thinking that there was any certain place where God was fixed, and whether he must repair as to the Kings and Princes of this world for help. Job knew better Divinity then this, he was acquainted with the nature and divine perfections of God, but he speaks as to his present want, O that I knew where I might find him!

Hence observe first,

Whatsoever, or whomsoever he finds, he thinks he hath found nothing, or nobody till he finds God; O that I might find him! How doth David (Psal. 42.1, 2.) show his unsatisfiednes till he found God. As the heart panteth after the water Brookes, so panteth my soul after thee, O God, my soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God? nothing but God was in his mouth, nothing in his desire; David had a kingdom, David had a Throne, David had honor and riches as much as he could desire, why would not these satisfy his thirst? Could not he sit down in these Enjoyments? no! David was hungry and thirsty, and pineing, and empty, and starveing, and dying, till he had God, till he had this special Enjoyment of God; for so we are to Expound that text, as this. A wicked man can take up on this side God, Cares not to find him, nay, is afraid to be found of him; he then saith (according to the text touched before) as Ahab to Elijah, Hast thou found me O mine Enemy? He would be glad if God would never find him, nor he find God. ( Ps. 10.4.) The wicked through the pride of his Countenance will not seek after God. The seat of pride is in the heart, but the prospect of pride is in the face; through the pride of his Countenance, that is, by reason of that pride which doth discover it self in his Countenance, which breaks out there, he will not seek after God, his pride will not let him seek after God. He that is proud, seeth not his need of God, and he that seeth not his need of God will never seek after him. Such a one is so far from longing after God, or saying, O that I might know where I might find him, that he will not so much as look after him, when he is told where he may be found. And not only so, but, God is not in all his thoughts; or as some render it, all his thoughts are, there is no God; yea not only are all his thoughts, but all his hopes are, that there is no God; if he can but strengthen himself in the unbelief of a God, then he is well; all the thoughts and hopes that please and delight him are that there is no God, so far is he from being solicitous to know God. 'It is a condition equally sad either when all a man's thoughts are, that there is no God, or when God is not in all his thoughts. A wicked man may talk of God sometimes, but God never comes near his heart, as the Prophet speaks ( Jer. 12.2.) Thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins; that is, from their desires and delights. 'It is what our reins say, not what our mouths say, that God respects. A Godly man's chief care is to be accepted with God, his thoughts are for God, and of God; and were it not for this thought, that God is, or that there is a God, and he a holy God, a just God, a gracious God, he would not think himself (as we say) worth the ground he goes upon. And as all his thoughts are that there is a God, so all his hope and faith is in him, and his desires are after him; O that I might find him, enjoy him, grasp him, take hold on him, who is The All of my desires and hopes and thoughts.

Secondly, Observe;

He hath no sensibly-spiritual Enjoyment of him; The children of light often walk in darkness; They who fear the Lord much, may be without the feelings of his love, and they who obey his holy commandments without the comfort of his precious promises. Even Christ himself was at such a loss for God, when he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me (Psal. 22.1.) Christ being to suffer for sinners, tasted of all those sorts of sufferings which are due to sin; He endured not only the punishment of sense in the pains of his body, but the punishment of loss in the hidings of his fathers comfortable presence from his soul. If this were done to the Green tree, much more to the dry, and if our head found an interruption of the presence of God, much more may we, who are his members.

Thirdly, Observe;

It is a sad thing not to find God, but it is far sadder to have no desires after him: Unbeleevers are always at a loss for God, they live without God in the world, such a life is a very death, but this is more deadly that they have no desires after God, that they make no enquiry, no search after him. Though Job were at a loss for God, yet his heart was full of desires to find him; and God (I may say) is most desirable to Saints while they are at a loss for him. Thus the Spouse speaks ( Cant. 3.1.) By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth, I sought him but I found him not. But because she found him not, when she sought him, did she give over seeking him? No, her desires of seeking and finding him were enflamed by her not finding him when she sought him; as it follows in the second verse; I will rise now and go about the City in the streets and in the broad ways, I will seek him whom my soul loveth, I sought him but I found him not. Thus her second labor in seeking of him was lost also. But doth not this quite discourage her, and kill her desires after him? will she not now give over seeking him? No not yet ( ver. 3.) The watch-men that go about the City found me, to whom I said, saw ye him whom my soul loveth? She is still enquiring and seeking, and at last she found ( ver. 4.) It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him, whom my soul loveth: I held him and would not let him go, &c. Many who enjoy Christ have not such strong desires after him as they who enjoy him not; as it is with other mercies, so with this, which is the highest and chiefest, the sum of all mercies, the Enjoyment of God, our desires to him grow quicker upon his absence, and we seldom prize his presence as we ought, till he is departed or withdrawn from us.

Again, we may consider Job here in a very afflicted Condition, what doth he do now? O that I knew where I might find him!

Note, Fourthly;

The presence of God is sweet, precious, and delicious to Saints at all times, but then sweetest when they find most bitterness in the world. How pleasant is the love of God when we are sensible of man's hatred? Some good men have so much sweetness and love in the world, that they cannot so well relish or taste the sweetness of the love of God; though indeed nothing argues the Excellency of the spirit of a Saint, then this, that the sense of the love of God to him, takes off the relish of all creature-love, in the midst of his highest Enjoyments of it. That soul is purely spiritual, which having abundance of worldly enjoyments, riches, friends, relations, all that he can desire, yet in the affluence and highest float of all these can say, that the sweetness which he tasteth in God drowns the relish of all these, and makes them as tastlesse as the white of an Egg in comparison of that sweetness which he hath tasted in the goodness of God; this is spiritualness in the very height of it; but usually God is then sweetest to us when the world is bitterest to us. Afflicted souls make most hast after God; and it is well to do so; it is a very sad sign, the worst Symptom that can appear upon the souls of any, when afflictions draw them off from God, or when they grow cold in their affections towards God, while the love of the world grows cold towards them. The Prophet ( Amos 6.7.) foreshoweth a very great calamity that should fall upon the people of God; Thou shalt go Captive with the first that go Captive, &c. And in the 8 verse; The Lord God hath sworn by himself saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the Excellency of Jacob, and hate his Palaces (As if he had said, though I have invested him with excellent privileges, & though he make a great profession of my name, yet because of his provocations and unworthy walkings) I will deliver up the City and all that is therein, there's Captivity; then comes Pestilence in the 9 ^•h verse; And it shall come to pass, if ten men remain in one house that they shall die; and they shall not bury them after the ordinary way, but burn them, and the nearest relations shall do it. ( Ver. 10 ^•h .) And a man's Uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, no, then shall he say hold thy tongue, for we may not make mention of the Name of the Lrrd. As if when all these evils and plagues were come upon them, they had been stopped or restrained from prayer, and totally withdrawn from God, by some prohibition from men, who were so far from calling the people to solicit God by prayer to take off his hand, that they forbid them so much as make mention of his name; As if they were either afraid or abhorred to mention the name of God, because he had been so terrible among them in his Judgments. And whereas we translate, We may not make mention of the names of the Lord. Our late Annotators take notice of two other readings. We have not, or, we will not make mention of the name of the Lord; Implying that the stop lay only in their own spirits, they being either so generally wicked, that they had no mind to call upon God, or so unbelieving that they thought their case desperate, and had no hope of help if they should. A Heathen hath said, That their gods were most worshipped when most displeased; but we have some Christians in name who will not worship God at all when they are under the tokens of his displeasure. Thoughts of God are never more pleasing to a gracious heart, nor more troublesome to a wicked, then when they are in trouble.

Fifthly, (which will further clear what was last observed)

Observe;

Job besides the hardship he found from strangers, had been hardly used by his friends. The use which he made of all this, was to make more use of or to get near unto God. O that I knew where I might find him. This was David's wisdom also ( Psal. 142.4, 5.) I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man would know me, refuge failed me, no man cared for my soul. When all slighted him, when none took care of him; what doth he in this case? The next words tell us what; I cried unto thee, O Lord, I said thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. As if he had said, Upon these unkindnesses, disrespects and slightings which I found in the world, I took occasion, yea I was stirred in my spirit to cry unto thee, O Lord, and to say, thou art my refuge, that is, then I made thee my refuge more then ever. Having made thee my choice in my best times, when men honored and embraced me, I am much encouraged in these evil times when men regard me not, and the more because they regard me not to make thee my refuge, to shelter my weather-beaten self in thy name and power. As the natural spirits in the body, when the air is very sharp, cold, and unkind to the outward parts, retire inwards, resort to the heart, keep close to the heart; whereas in warmer weather the spirits are drawn forth, and therefore we are more subject to faintings and swoonings in hot weather then in cold; so when it is cold weather in the world, when it is as it were frost and snow, storm and tempest, then our spiritual spirits resort and come in to God, and keep close to him. When we have most friends in the world, or when the world is most friendly unto us, then God is our best friend; his favor is the most beneficial and desirable favor, when we have as much as we can desire of favor among men. But when the world hates us and frowns upon us, especially when (as the Prophet speaks of some, Isa. 66.5.) Our Brethren hate us, and cast us out for the name sake of God himself, saying, Let the Lord be glorified. When 'tis thus with us (I say) our souls are even forced into the presence of God, to renew our interests in his love, and to assure our souls that we are accepted with him. If under such measure from men, we find not help in God, we must remain forever miserable. God alone is enough, All without God is nothing to a Godly man. The fullness of the creature without God cannot satisfy him, and the utmost want of the creature cannot discontent him while he enjoyeth God; the more he wants in the creature, the more he seeketh his content in God, and when he finds nothing below, he crieth out with greatest earnestness, O that I knew where I might find him, whose throne is above, and who is the only happiness of man while he is below.

Sixthly, We see how Inquisitive Job was after God, as he had a desire and a mind to find God, so he lays about him for information where and how to find him.

Hence observe;

O that I knew (saith Job) where I might find him! This was not an Idle wish; many are much in the Optative mood, full of wishings and wouldings; but their wishes are altogether wishes, and their desires nothing but desires; and such desires are killing desires; as Solomon hath taught us; The desire of the slothful killeth him (Prov. 21.25.) an Idle desire is a death to the desirer; A godly man's desires are active desires, they put him upon enquiry, lead him to the means of enjoying the good des • ered. And though God be unexpectedly found of some that seek him not, yet no man can expect to find God, but he that seeketh him. And indeed what should the Creature do, but be upon an enquiry after God? there is a Naturality in it, he being the supreme being, that we who have our being from him should seek after him. And the Apostle tells us ( Act. 17.26, 27.) that this is the design of God in making of one blood all Nations of men, for to dwell on the face of the earth, and in determining the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation (namely) That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from everyone of us, for in him we live, &c. The Lord is near all, he hath a presence in all places, with all persons; but the Lord would have all seek, feel, grope after him, even such as have but a dim light of him, as those have that do not seek so much with their eyes as with their hands, they only feel after the things which they would have. There is a light in the spirits of all men, that haply they may feel after God, and find him; They who have not Scripture light, Gospel light, the highest light, yet have some kind or degree of light; they have some glimmerings though no clear discernings; And that should put them on to seek God; much more should they seek after him, who have clearest light. And where there is any heat of affection to God, a little light will serve them to seek after him; they that are true desierers will be diligent seekers. And they, who seeking God, have found him, will seek him yet again, yea they will seek him more and more, as long as there is anything more of God to be found; And there will always be more of God to be found; for here we know God but in part, and therefore have found him but in part: and hence it is that all the Saints in this life, or on this side Glory, even they of the highest form and greatest proficiency in grace and knowledge, are called Seekers (this is the generation of them that seek him (Psal. 24.6.) not such seekers (as we find too many in these days) who, as if all were upon uncertainties in religion, say; they have as yet found nothing; for as there is something wherein the most knowing and strongest Christians may be to seek, so there are many things, yea all things necessary to salvation, or without which we cannot be saved, which the weakest may find and know sufficiently, though not sully. And as they who desire to find these things, will be diligent in seeking them, so they may know in themselves, or be fully assured that they have found them; and so even while they still continue to be seekers, know that they are already Finders.

Lastly, Observe;

As there is a finding time, so there is a finding place, and finding means; There is a finding time, saith holy David (Psal. 32.6.) For this shall everyone that is godly pray to thee, in a time when thou mayest be found. The Hebrew is, in a finding time; though I would not give any one a stop from seeking God at any time, yet I must say there is a special finding time. And this the Apostle calls the Accepted time (2 Cor. 6.2.) that is, the time which we ought to lay hold upon, or accept, as also, the time, wherein we shall be acceptable or find acceptation. There is also a finding place, there is a where as well as a when God specially is to be found, I mean it not of a mere locality, as if God were now to be found more in one place then in another; for Paul saith, (1 Tim. 6.8.) I will that men everywhere lift up pure hands without wrath and doubting. And Christ told the woman ( Joh. 4.21.) The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem worship the father; not as if Christ had forbid the worship of the father in those places for the time coming; but he enlargeth public worship to all places, or abrogates all differences of place under the Gospel as to the worship of the Father. Yet if any man shall inquire, where may I find God, or say as Job here; O that I knew where I might find him! I would answer; First, Seek him in his promises, search the Scriptures, there you will find God. Secondly, Look for him in his Ordinaces, of prayer and preaching &c. for there he hath promised to be present; Where two or three are met together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Math. 18.20.) When the Church or Spouse in the Canticles (Chap. 1.7, 8.) Askes the Question; Tell me (O thou whom my soul loveth) where thou feedest? where thou makest thy flocks to rest at Noone? Christ her Beloved, answers, If thou know not (O thou fairest among Women) go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids besides the Sheepherds tents; That is, follow the holy practices and examples of the Saints in all former ages, which the Apostle calls walking in the steps of the faith of Abraham (Rom. 4.12.) And again, hearken to the voice of faithful Teachers, who as Shepherds feed the flock of God with knowledge and understanding. Waite at these Shepherds tents (saith Christ) and there thou shalt find a presence of God with thee, and his blessing upon thee.

Thirdly, And above all, Seek God in Christ; The father is only to be found in the Son; Look to Jesus Christ, and in him you cannot but behold God; for he is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person (Heb. 1.3.) and therefore as he that hath the Son hath the Father also, so he that (by an eye of faith, and in the light of the Word and Spirit) Beholdeth the Son beholdeth the Father also. For the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given us in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4.6.) The light of the knowledge of the goodness of God, of his mercy, Justice, holiness (which are his glory) shineth forth from Jesus Christ; that is, in and by Christ it appears gloriously, that God is exceeding good, merciful, just, & holy. Therefore to every wearied soul complaining of the loss of God, and crying out, O that I knew where I might find him! The sum of all the Counsel that I can give, or indeed that can be given is this; Seek God in Christ, and he will be found. O that I knew where I might find him,

Some conceive these words as the issue of a distemperd spirit: others tax Job with too much boldness, that he being but dust and ashes should thus press upon God, and that he was afterwards reproved for it in the 38 ^th Chapter of this Book, verse the first and second; Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said (there he found him) who is this that darkeneth Council by words without knowledge, gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. And again, in the 40 ^th Chap. ver. 2 ^d , 3 ^d , 4 ^th , 5 ^th , Shall he that Contendeth with the Almighty instruct him, he that reproveth God let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord and said; Behold I am vile, I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer, yea twice, but I will proceed no further, As if he had acknowledged his error and overboldnes in pressing upon God; as in other places, so also in this; O that I might come even to his seat.

Yet I conceive that Job in this passage, doth but put forth the nobler and higher actings of his faith, and that he speaks this, not as forgetting the distance of dust and ashes, from the glory of God, or from the glorious God, but as remembering the promise, and as insisting upon his privilege as a believer who is invited to come, and to come with boldness to the throne of Grace. For though that promise was not given out as to the formality of it in those times, yet the virtue of it was, though in a lower degree then now. To come with boldness to the throne of grace, sounds much like this, to come even to his seat, and this Job did not only as emboldened by the clearness of his conscience towards men, but as by the freeness of the Grace of God in Christ towards him. In pursuance whereof it is well conceived by a learned enterpreter, that there is a metonymy, in the word which signifies a prepared seat, that is, such a seat as whereon God presents himself to poor sinners, prepared and ready to give them both admittance to himself and a gracious audience of their requests and suites. The word which we translate seat, signifieth a prepared place, a place fitted, implying somewhat special and peculiar unto God. Heaven is called the habitation of his holiness and of his glory (Isaiah 63.15.) yet wheresoever the Lord is, he makes it a heaven. Thus also he can make any place where he is a hell. The wicked shall be punished with everlasting fire from the presence of the Lord, (2 Thes. 1.9.) that is, the very presence of the Lord shall be a hell and torment to them. The Lord can be both terrible and gracious in his presence anywhere; yet he is somewhere more graciously, some where more terribly present. Some cannot bear those expressions, The Throne of God, the seat of God, heaven, and hell. As if these were but the Imaginations, fancies and fictions of man's brain. But the Lord hath his seats and dwelling places, whence and where he declares himself, both in mercy and in judgment, both in his holiness and in his glory. ( Isa. 6.1.) I saw also the Lord sitting upon his Throne, high and lifted up. Thus the Lord manifested himself in vision to the Prophet; and David confesseth, Thy Throne O God is forever and ever (Psal 45.6.) that is, thy Power and Soveraigntie. David speaks not of a material Throne such as Kings have; the Power and Sovereignty of God are his throne wheresoever he is, and is pleased to declare himself in his sovereignty and power. So that when Job saith, O that I might come even to his seat or throne, the meaning is, O that I might come as near him as possibly I may, I would not stand at a distance, or keep aloof off, as a guilty malefactor, but draw near to him in a holy and well-grounded confidence. Thus Job speaks in answer to that Charge of Eliphaz in the former Chapter, Is not thy wickedness great, and thine iniquities infinite? Now (saith Job ) you shall see what my sins are, and what my guilt, seeing I dare venture even to the very throne of God, where no hypocrite dares appear. While Job professeth, That if God after the manner of men should sit in open Judgment (there will be such a Judgment at the last day) he would come near to him, and not be afraid, he seems fully assured of his own integrity, or of the goodness of his cause, as also that God would be good unto him.

Hence observe;

Adam having sinned, and the guilt of his sin being upon him, durst not come to the Seat, to the Throne of God: God came to him in the cool of the day to examine and question him about his sin, but he hid himself among the trees of the garden, he withdrew, not daring to abide him: and that's the state of all sinners, who have the guilt of sin upon them, they hide, they run from God, when once their Consciences are awakened. As sin in the act of it is a turning or departure from the holiness of God, so sin acted or sin in the guilt of it causeth not only a departure but a running and a hiding from the justice of God. Guilty sinners are so far from coming up to his Seat, that they cannot endure to come in his sight; a malefactor hath little mind to come before the Judge, or to the Bench where the Judge sitteth. Solomon saith ( Prov. 20.8.) A king that sitteth in the Throne of Judgment, scattereth away all evil with his eyes. We may understand it thus, he scattereth evil actions, and evil persons, evil works and evil workers with his eyes; there's not an evil man willing to appear, or that dares to appear before him. They who are self-condemned, must needs be afraid that others will condemn them also. Magistrates sitting in Judgment are terrible to guilty malefactors. Or thus, He scattereth the evil with his eyes; that is, he makes evil men reveal and scatter their most secret evils, by his prying into them, and industrious Examination of them; that evil or wicked practice which they had bound up in their hearts, and said, none shall know it, he scatters and discovers. Solomon's proverb carries an experienced truth in it both ways. And we may argue from it, That if an earthly King or Magistrate, sitting on the Throne, scattereth all evil with his eyes, how much more doth God? neither any evil matter, nor any evil man can stand before him. And seeing the Lord discovers all the evil that is in the hearts and ways of men, what can give perfect boldness in coming to the Throne of God, but only an Interest in Jesus Christ, in whom the throne of God is become a Throane of grace to sinners? Were it only a Throne of Judgment and Justice, no flesh could stand before it, but being a Throne of grace, the worst of sinners, who wait for grace, may come near, and the nearer they come the welcomer they are. A godly man is never better then when he is near God, and then thinks himself best when he is nearest unto God; all his happiness in this life and his glory in that which is to come, doth consist in his nearenes unto God.

Secondly, Whereas Job saith; O that I might come even to his Seat. Observe.

That's the design of Job, he had appealed from the Judgment of his friends, and begged the Judgment of God; He was resolute in it, to stand or fall according to his sentence. But why was Job so desirerous of the Judgment of God? why would he go to his Throne, and appeal to him? When men make appeals from one Throne to another, they have their reasons for it; When Paul said, I appeal to Caesar (Act. 25.11.) doubtless he was fully persuaded that he should find better terms with Caesar then among the Jews; So when Job saith, I appeal to God (which is the highest appeal, and beyond which there lies no appeal) doubtless Job was fully persuaded that he should find better terms at God's tribunal, then he had found among his friends. And Job might have many grounds of better terms from God. For

First, God is wise, even a God of Judgment, who would not receive Judgment from a wise and understanding Judge, especially from him who is wisdom and understanding.

Secondly, God is Omniscient; there are many wise Judges, but no Omniscient Judges in the world. Princes are said to have long hands, and very clear eyes, they can reach far, and see far, but they cannot see all; but God is able to Judge the secrets of all hearts, for he sees all secrets, and knows what man cannot. For that reason a godly man loves the Judgment of God, because he knows his heart; And for the same reason wicked men, hypocrites especially, are afraid of the Judgment of God: they know if their outward actons should come to be scan'd, much more if their hearts should be turned outward, it must needs go ill with them. Most hypocrites carry it fair only for a while before the world, they at last discover themselves, the disease breaks out at their fingers ends, or at their tongues end; Their words or works discover the rottenness of their hearts, and the formality of their profession. But some hypocrites carry it fair to the world all their days, and fear not the Judgment of men, yet even then a thought of the Judgment of God is dreadful to them, whereas the Saints, even all who are sincere, desire God to Judge them; for indeed their hearts are better then their ways, and their affections then their actions, and they know that God discerns with what heart and spirit everything is done, as well as what is done. He doth not Judge by appearances (as we ought not, Joh. 7.24.) and therefore his is a righteous Judgment. God doth not judge things as they appear, but as they are, unless they are as they appear, and whatsoever their appearance is, he can judge them as they are. He can judge by discerning what is in the deep, and follow a matter to the very spring of it; therefore I will go to God (saith the upright heart) my desire is that he should Judge my cause.

Thirdly, The Lord is a gracious and a merciful Judge; he is as full of pity as he is of wisdom, and as ready to relieve as he is quick-sighted to discern.

Fourthly, The Lord is very patient; First, patient to hear; and secondly, patient to bear. Patience to hear is a great encouragement; many Judges are weary of the work, they will not hear a poor man out, but God will; and God is patient also to bear with and pass by the failings of his people, whose uprightness he knows.

Lastly, A Godly man knows that God his Judge hath received an atonement, that he is made for him, and upon grounds of Justice and righteousness is become his friend. Some who have bad Causes, yet come up to the Throne of man boldly, because they know the Judge is made for them by a bride, and so will give sentence on their side, be it right or wrong. Saints know that the Judge is made for them, but made in a holy manner, not with base bribery to blind his eyes to pervert justice, but he hath received an atonement, he is appeased and satisfied by a Mediator at his own appointment. If God should search the best of Saints narrowly, they must needs fall in judgment, yet they know they shall stand in judgment, because the Judge is reconciled to them by Christ; yea Christ who made the Atonement, and is the reconciler, is the Judge, this encourageth Saints to come to God; For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life (Rom. 5.10.) The case standing thus with believers, who seeth not ground for their appeal from the judgment, either of open enemies, or (as Job did) mistaken Friends; O that I might come even to his Seat.

In the two next verses, Job tells us what he would do if his appeal were granted and himself admitted to the seat of God.

Thus he describes his intended behavior before his Judge, in allusion to legal proceedings, where the Plaintiff brings in his bill, and the Defendant his answer.

The Hebrew word which we translate to order, is a military term, properly used for the ordering of an Army, or the putting of them into a Posture for a battle, we call it Marshalling an Army. And hence it is applied to the ordering of any other thing ( Psal. 23.5.) Thou wilt prepare a Table for me in the midst of mine enemies, to order a Table is to set dish by dish, there is a kind of method in setting dishes at great feasts; Thou wilt prepare a Table for me. Again ( Ps. 50.21.) God speaks to the hypocrite about his sinful doings; I will set them in order before thee; that is, those sins, and confused practices of which thou hast said in thy heart, I shall never hear more of them, shall be brought forth and set like a terrible Army in rank and file before thee. Job speaks to this sense, I would order my cause before him, or, to his face, as the Hebrew Text hath it, that is, in his presence.

I would have arguments enow or good store to prove that your proceeding hath been unequal toward me; And when he saith; I would fill my mouth with arguments, it shows that his heart was full of arguments Christ teacheth us to argue so ( Luk. 6.45.) Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; Jobs heart was full, therefore he would fill his mouth. David prayeth ( Psal. 71.8.) Let my mouth be filled with thy praise. And the Church speaks of her joy when God had turned their captivity, ( Psal. 126.2.) Then was our mouth filled with laughter. In this language God bespeaks his people ( Psal. 81.10.) Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Open it by faith, and I will fill it, with what? fill it with mercy, and with blessings. So here; I would fill my mouth with arguments; that is, I would not want matter to speak for myself, or in my own cause. The vulgar reads it, I will fill my mouth with Chidings, or, with reproofs. The word properly signifies, Conviction; and then we are to understand it in reference to his friends; I would abound with convincing, reproving, or chiding arguments against you, who, have thus long reproached me; I would bring such arguments as should not only be a proof of mine own integrity, but a reproof of my friends severity. Some arguments have only a proof in them; others have a reproof too. Job would fill his mouth with arguments, which should be both proofs for himself, and reproofs to his opposers. Job had not a word to say against God, but he had much to say against his friends. I would fill my mouth with Arguments.

Note from it.

As the passion of anger will administer weapons to a man though he be no great fighter, so those passions of grief and sorrow will administer arguments to him though he be no great disputer. A troubled soul will hardly be put to a stand or non-plus. They who suffer much will always have somewhat to say; If nature deny (said one of old) yet Indignation will make a man a Poet; And if nature deny, yet sorrow will make a man a Logician; and trouble will make a man an Advocate in his own cause. The tongues of many are tipped with Oratory, they have excellent words and strong reasons too from the pressures that are upon their spirits: trouble of spirit fills the mouth with Arguments two ways.

First, Against themselves, how strongly will some in that case dispute against their own peace? what arguments will they bring against any comfort that is offered them? and how nimbly will they reply to any one that goes about to answer them? how will they find out new mediums, when those are foiled by which they have formerly nourished their unbelief, and discouraged themselves from taking hold on mercy. 'It is wonderful to hear the pleadings of a troubled spirit; and 'tis one of the hardest tasks in the world to answer the doubts which such a man will make against himself.

Secondly, The troubles of many fills their mouths with arguments for themselves; that's the meaning of Job here in this place; I would fill my mouth with arguments to maintain my Cause; I should not want either matter or words, to plead this busienes, were I before the Throne of God, and yet I would not be so free and forward to speak, as to neglect or slight what is spoken to me, as it follows.

Some are so hasty to speak, that they will not hear, they are so forward to plead their own Cause, that they will not receive the opinion of another. Job discovers an equal spirit to both; As I would order my Cause, and fill my mouth with arguments, so I would know the words that he would answer me too, I would have the good manners, or the grace rather, to heed and understand what God would say to me.

The Septuagint render it thus; I would know the healings which he would speak to me; or as another, What medicine or way of cure he would praescribe and administer to me; and this might respect either the quieting of his Spirit, or the repairing of his credit and good name, which had been sorely and deeply wounded by his friends, not only suspecting but charging him as an hypocrite or wicked man. This is a fair sense, only it straitens the Text; For we may suppose Job in this address and application to God ready to hear whatsoever God should say unto him, whether his were words of approbation or reproof, whether for him or against him. Though Job had (doubtless) a strong confidence, that God would approve of him and give sentence on his side, yet considering his own weaknesses and distempers of mind, he might well conceive that some things had fallen from him or been done by him which might deserve and call for chidings and rebukes, as the issue indeed was. And therefore it was most congruous that he should present himself before the Lord in a frame of heart to receive reprehensions as well as consolations. I would know the words that he would answer me and understand &c.

Knowing, and understanding, may be taken here two ways; First, for Considering and weighing what God would say, or what Award he would make; In which he seems closely to check his friends, who thought him so dull and incapable, that surely he did not apprehend nor understand their answers. Well (saith Job ) whatsoever you think of my dullness to understand your answers, or what you have said, yet I doubt not but I shall understand the answers of God, or what he shall say unto me.

Secondly, They note a reverence and respect to the word of God; I would know the words that he would answer; that is, submit to them, I would not oppose the Judgment or Opinion of God concerning me. Though Job did not sit down or acquiesse in the judgment of his friends, yet he would reverence and sit down quietly in the judgment of God, & in the answer which he should please to give. In either of these interpretations, the sense is good. I would know; that is, I would study to find out the mind of God, and understand what he saith to me, and then reverently submit thereunto.

Further, This form of speaking, I would know the words, and I would understand &c. seemeth to imply a vehement desire in Job to know the mind of God concerning him. As a man that is accused longs to hear the mind of the Judge, as for others 'tis not much to him what they say for him or against him. As Paul spake in a like case (1 Cor. 4.3.) With me it is a very small thing to be judged of you, or of man's judgment &c. he that judgeth me is the Lord; that is, to his judgment I must stand; He is above all.

Hence note.

I would know the words that he would answer me, and this not only (according to the supposition which Job makes here) if God should speak to him personally, or mouth to mouth; but in what way soever God should speak to him. It is the great care of a Godly man to know the word of God written and delivered over to us, as the rule of our life and faith; for indeed therein we have our judgment, and our answer: as Christ saith, the words that I speak, they shall judge you at the last day; that is, by the word you shall be judged. Likewise it is the care of a Godly man to understand what God speaks to him by his works and providences, by his rods and chastenings. In these the Lord speaks to us and gives us answers. They who are wise, will study to know and understand them. We may conceive that Job had respect to two things especially, about which he desired that he might understand the answer, and words of God to him.

First, That God would show him the true Cause of his affliction; for he did not take that to be the Cause which his friends had so often suggested, and so disputed upon that Fallacy all along, which Logicians call, The putting of that for a Cause which is not the Cause. Therefore Job hoped to know of God what he would say, as to the reason why he did Contend with him.

Secondly, What God would say to him by way of Direction and Council, by way of remedy and redress, he was solicitous to understand the mind of God, and what God expected from him under this dispensation. So that Jobs scope was not at all (as Eliphaz suspected) to plead his own righteousness and holy walkings before God, as if God had been beholding to him for them, and so must needs grant him (as having deserved it) whatsoever he should ask. But that he might be acquainted with the holy will and purpose of God concerning himself, and to be instructed by him about the grounds and ends of his long and sharp affliction, that so he might bear it more cheerfully, and more fruitfully. As also (and that principally) that he might hear from his Majesty which was the great point in controversy between him and his friends) whether he did correct and chasten him as a son, or punish and take vengeance on him, as on a rebel; and so set him among the examples of caution for sinners in time to come.

Secondly, Note.

Job would not rest in his friends judgment, but in God's judgment he would rest, and inquire no further; I (saith he) freely yield up myself to that; if the Lord should pronounce me Innocent, I would rest in his sentence, and be thankful; if the Lord should pronounce me faulty, yet I would rest in his sentence, and be patient; yea then I would ask mercy and beg his grace for the pardon of my failings. God is an Infallible Judge, and therefore no man ought to question his determinations; Indeed, Every mouth shall be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God (Rom. 3.19.) that is, acknowledge thenselves guilty before him when he judgeth. And as there is no avoiding the judgment of God, so a godly man desires to rejoice in it. Good is the word of the Lord, said Hezekiah (2 King. 20 19.) When a very sore sentence was past against him, and he said, is it not Good? if peace and truth be in my days? By good in the former part of the verse, he means just and equal; as if he had said, though this word be full of gall and wormwood, yet it is no other then I and my people have deserved and drawn upon ourselves: By good in the latter part of the verse, he means Gracious and merciful; as if he had said, God in this sentence hath mixed the good of justice and equity, with the good of graciousnes and mercy, or in the midst of Judgment he hath remembered mercy. Thus also when God gave sentence by fire against the two sons of Aaron; Moses said to Aaron; This is that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified (Lev. 10.3.) Now, when Aaron heard this, the text saith; And Aaron held his peace. He murmured not, he contradicted not, but rested patiently in the judgment of God. And thus Job was resolved to give himself up to the judgment of God whatsoever it should be. And we shall find him (in the next words) hoping strongly to find God very sweet and gracious to him, could he but obtain a hearing at his Judgment seat.

I know he is clothed with Majesty, and that the greatness of power is his; but will he plead against me with it? The Hebrew text is, will he plead with me; to plead with and to plead against are the same. To plead is a Law term; He that pleadeth against another, discovers either the faultines of his person when accused, or the weakness of his Title when controverted. This word is used by the Prophet ( Isa. 57.16.) I will not contend (or plead) forever, I will not argue my own prerogative, nor will I argue thy sinfulness always, or without end; why not? if I should, the spirit would fail before me, and the souls which I have made; where, though spirit and soul are put synechdochically for the whole man, that is, for flesh and spirit, for soul and body together, yet the Lord mentions only spirit and soul, because of their strength to bear divine contendings beyond the body or the flesh. As if he had said, even that which is strongest in man would fail, if God should always contend.

Will he plead against me with his great power? or strictly to the Letter, with the multitude of his power, with the forces of his power. The power of God is great, yea the power of God is greatest, all his power is almighty power, yet God doth not always put forth the greatness of his power; He is a most free agent, and so can restrain and hold in his own power, when he pleaseth, and not use it to the terror of a poor creature, or plead against him with it.

Again, The power of God may be taken two ways; First, for his strength, or his power of doing and executing; secondly, for his prerogative authority, or his power of commanding and ruling; we may interpret it here of the latter; will God deal with me by his prerogative power, think you? will he oppress me with his mere authority? I have another opinion of God; surely he will not do so; For he is good and gracious, and he will attemper his prerogative with pity, & his great power with much mercy. Will he plead against me with this great power? Jobs question is a confident negation (such negative interrogations are frequent in Scripture) will he? is, he will not plead against me with his great power; but Job is not satisfied that his speech carrieth a negation in it, and therefore lest any should not fully enough understand him so, he expresseth his negative; will he plead with me with his great power; no, His power is not, nor ever will it be against me. He will take some other course with me, he will deal with me upon the account of goodness and mercy, not upon the account of power; He will not break me a bruised reed, nor quench me who am but smoking flax, he will rather bind me up and cherish the least spark which he perceiveth alive in me. Will he plead against me with his great power?

Hence observe;

The power of men and Angels is his; What power soever, whether for kind or degree, is in the hand of any creature, that power belongs to God. Thus David, a man of Great power states it, God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this, That power belongeth unto God. The power that is scattered and divided all the world over is centred and united in him. God hath a greatness of power, in commanding and disposing what and how things shall be done, he also hath a greatness of power in doing and executing what he hath commanded. The commands of men are often unperformed, either because they to whom their commands are sent have no power to perform them, or because they want power to back their own commands. We may consider the Greatness of the power of God several ways.

First, As he can do all things, and is omnipotent, there is nothing too hard for him, his hand is not shortened in reference to the longest or the greatest works, and difficulties. And as he can do whatsoever he hath a will to do, so he will do whatsoever he pleaseth to have done, whatsoever he purposeth to do, whatsoever is upon his heart to do: none of his counsels ever failed, nor have any of the thoughts of his heart been frustrated. Men often purpose to do, but they seldom have power to do what they have purposed; they are big with the conceptions of many great matters, but when the children come to the birth, they have no strength to bring forth. God never fails in his power to do whatsoever he hath a purpose or a mind to do, God hath power enough to back his commands, and he can supply power to those whom he calleth to execute them.

Secondly, The greatness of God's power is seen in this; that He hath a right to do all that he doth. As he hath a fullness of strength, so a fullness of Authority; he doth not usurp or intrench upon any other power in what he doth, nor upon any man's property in what he hath; it is his due to do what he doth, and to have what he hath. God is supreme, giving the Law to all, receiving the Law from none; his is not a tyrannical, but a just and a righteous power; his is not a might without right, but a might with right. What the Prophet speaks of the Chaldeans (Hab. 1.7.) is true of God in every sense, in the strictest sense; His judgment and his dignity proceedeth of himself; he is a law unto himself, his rule is internal, and his power intrinsical. All derive power from him, therefore his power is altogether underived. Power underived must needs be great power, yea the Greatness of power.

Thirdly, The greatness of his power appeareth further in this, that no man may presume to question him for what he doth. He hath great power in what he doth, whom none may so much as ask what doest thou? Nebucadnezzar (a heathen in highest earthly power) confesseth as much of the power of God, as soon as he regained the reason of a man ( Dan. 4.34, 35.) At the end of the days (that is, after the term of seven years was accomplished, when for the heart of a beast a man's heart was restored to him) I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine eyes to heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most high, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation; and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what dost thou? that is, none may so much as question, much less reprove him for anything that he doth. Though there are many who in the pride of their hearts, and through the forgetfulness of their duty, will presume to question God about what he hath done, and even control his doings; yet of right or according to rule, none can. Hence the Apostle having asserted the sovereignty of God, he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth, brings in some questioning his proceedings; but he checks them soundly for their boldness in questioning, and instructs them by many upbrayding questions, that they ought not to put that or any such question. Thou wilt say then (ver. 18, 19, 20.) why doth he yet find fault, for who hath resisted his will? nay but who art thou ô man, that repliest against God, shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel of honor, and another of dishonor? what if God were willing to show his wrath in some, as well as his grace & mercy in others, what have you or I to do with it? who gave you or I leave to examine God upon intergatoryes about it? Thus he pleads the power or prerogative of God, this must silence all our queries, and satisfy all our doubts; none may ask him a reason of what he doth; the reason is in himself. The will of God is his reason; and there is all the reason in the world it should; for his is not only a sovereign will, but a just and a holy will. Solomon saith ( Eccl. 8.4. Where the word of a king is, there is power, and who may say unto him, what dost thou? In all lawful administrations, it is true of kings and supreme earthly powers, in what form soever, none may say unto them what do ye? their word must stand: much more is this true of him who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lord's, who is the supreme power of heaven and earth; all whose ways are equal, and his dispensations righteous, though we see not the equity and righteousness of them. That, is not only great, but the greatest power, which none may question.

Fourthly, This also demonstrates the greatness of God's power, that none can stop or hinder him in what it hath a mind to do: what he appoints he executes, and none can stop it, or as ( Nebuchadnezzar speaks in the place before mentioned, Dan. 4.35.) stay his hand. The hand of the strongest power upon the earth may be, and hath been staid; kings have had a check, their hands have been stayed, but none can stay the hand of God; I will work (saith he) and none shall let it (Isa. 43.17.) God should do but little work in the world, if men could let it. Wicked men would let or hinder God in all his works, and the godly (through their mistakes) would hinder him in some of his works; but none can; He speaks to the Sun and it shineth not, yea he speaks to the Sun and it moveth not. This is the greatness and the muchnes of the power of God.

But, saith Job, Will he plead against me with this great power? All this power God hath (and this power he can put forth) but he will not put it forth against me (saith Job 1.) And what was Job that he should be thus confident, and rise up to such a strong assurance that God would not use his strength against him? Job was a godly man, a man fearing God, a man perfect and upright, a man full of faith, even full of faith (though he lived in dark times, and under dark dispensations, yet, I say, he was a man full of faith) in the Redeemer. Now it is no wonder if a man of this character, a man thus qualified and privileged had this confidence, and was much assured that he should prosper and speed in it, That God would not plead against him with his great power.

Hence Observe;

That God will deal with him according to the greatness of his mercy, not according to the greatness of his power; The greatness of the power of God is an exceeding great comfort to the sincere, because they know it is acted towards them in the greatness of his mercy. It is comfortable to hear that the Lord, who (as the Prophet describes him, Nah: 1.3.) is great in power, is also slow to anger (the greatness of man's power doth usually quicken not clogg his passions) but it is more comfortable to know, that God who is great in power, is quick and speedy to show mercy. And hence it is that a true believer rejoiceth in the power o • God as well as in his mercy, because he knoweth that God hath declared himself powerful for him, as well as merciful. He knoweth God will not put forth power alone, or nothing but power towards him. God doth exercise all his refreshing attributes, and divine perfections, in dealing with Saints Whereas upon the wicked he exerciseth his power chiefly, though not only. What if God to make his power known endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, saith the Apostle ( Rom. 9.22.) God pleads with the wicked according to the tenor of the Covenant of works, but with Believers according to the Covenant of grace, in which he doth as it were uncloath himself of his power, and clothe himself with love, mercy, goodness, and tenderness to his people. The Lord (as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 93.1.) is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself, he is clothed also with mercy, and with that he hath girded himself; he pleads with his people (I grant) in righteousness, as well as in mercy (as the Apostle speaks ( Rom. 3.25, 26.) God hath set forth Jesus Christ, to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his rightenesse, for the remission (or passing over) of sins that are past through the forbearance of God, to declare I say at this time his righteousness; and the justifyer of him that believeth in Jesus. The justice or righteousness of God was never so fully declared as in Christ; for God did not spare him at all, but he having taken our debt upon him, discharged it to the utmost farthing. God pleaded against Christ with his great power, and with his perfect righteousness; To which plea Christ made answer with as Great a power (his being the power of God) and with as perfect a righteousness, his being also the righteousness of God. And hence it is, that when God comes to plead with Believers, he pleads not against them with his power and righteousness, seeing Christ with both pleads for them; He pleads for them not only as he is Jesus Christ the righteous, but as he is the mighty, the All-powerful God. This is the chiefest ground of a believers confidence, that God (as Job here saith) will not plead against him with his great power. What then did Job believe would God do with him? the next words inform us what his faith was in that particular.

(So we render) the Hebrew is only thus; He will put in me; what he would put is not expressed in the Original; which hath caused some variety of opinion what it should be that the Lord would put into him; and I find a threefold conjecture in the point.

First, The supplement is made thus; He would produce arguments or reasons against me; and this is conceived most suitable to the context, and scope of the place, as also to the action of pleading before spoken of; would he plead with or against me with his great power, no, but he would show me the reason of his dealings with me; he would not proceed against me in a martial but in a legal way, not in a prerogative but in a discoursive argumentative way: he would show me the cause why he thus contendeth with me, and hath so sorely afflicted me. God would condescend so far to my weakness as to give me an account, though I dare not presume to call him to an account; and though he hath both power and right to deal with me as he pleaseth, yet I am much assured that he would be pleased to tell me why he deals thus with me. This interpretation is clear to the general scope of the context, and argues nothing unbecoming that holy confidence which the Grace of the Gospel, alloweth, a believer in, yea encourageth him unto, when in any distress he approacheth unto God for the relief and comfort of his troubled Spirit.

Secondly, Another thus; Will he plead against me with his great power, no, but he would put his heart upon me; that is, he would embrace me with his favor and lay me in his bosom. Though his hand hath been exceeding heavy upon me, yet I believe his heart is towards me; though he hath smitten me with the wound of an enemy, yet he will receive me as a friend; and give me signal testimonies of his love. I should not feel the weight of his hand, but see the tenderness of his bowels and his heart moving towards me. This also is an interpretation full of truth, and as full of comfort to a wearied soul.

Thirdly, The supplement made in our translation reacheth both the former, and suites also to the former branch of the Text, with much elegancy; Would he plead against me with his great power, no, but he would put power, or strength into me, he will be so far from putting out his strength against me, that he will put his strength into me, he knoweth my weakness, how unable I am to contend with or bear up against his power, and therefore he would put power into me. M ^r Broughton renders clearly to this sense, Would he by his great power plead against me, no, but he would help me; help is power, and he that helpeth another, administers power to him; he either puts new strength into him, or joins his strength with him. So then, Job was assured that God would put strength into him, or be his strength to help and carry him through all the difficulties that lay before him.

Hence Observe.

He trusts no more to his own strength or power, then to his own righteousness or worthiness. As our Justification before God is purely founded in the righteousness of Christ, so all the actings of our sanctification are maintained by the strength of Christ. Holy Job spake nothing of his own strength, yea he spake as having no strength of his own. A Godly man knows his own strength is but weakness, and that when he prevails with God it is with a power which he hath from God. Paul useth a form of speech which we may call a divine riddle (2 Cor. 12.10.) When I am weak then I am strong, he predicates or affirms one contrary of another, weakness is contrary to strength, how a weak man should be strong, and then especially strong when he is weak, is hard to conceive by those who are spiritual, and is inconceivable by those who are carnal. This assertion is enough to pose and puzzle nature; He that is weak is strong, or the readiest way to get strength is to be weak. The truth and the Apostle Paul's meaning is plainly this; When I am weak in my own sense and opinion, when I am convinced that I have no power of my own, then I feel power coming in, then Christ strengthens me, and I am strong, then I experience that word, My grace is sufficient for thee. When I find the waters of my own cistern low and failing, then I have a supply from the Spirit. So the Apostle spake, ( Phil. 1.19.) I know that this also shall turn to my salvation through your prayers, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The first Adam received all his strength at once, we now receive our strength by daily fresh supplies from the second Adam. The word there used by the Apostle, which we render supply, signifieth an under-supply, implying thus much, that as the natural body and each particular member of it, is supplied with sense and motion, together with a suitable strength and ability from the head, so believers who are altogether the mystical body of Christ, and each of them members in particular, are supplied from Christ their head by the Spirit, with spiritual life, motion, and strength of Grace for every duty to which they are called, or which is required of them. And because as this is so in its self, so believers are instructed in it; therefore they disclaim and go out of their own strength, that the power of Christ may rest upon them. Christ fills none but the hungry, nor doth he strengthen any but the weak. They who think they have anything of their own, shall receive nothing from him; unless Christ be all in all to us, he will not be anything at all to us.

Secondly, Observe;

As he knows what strength such need, so he gives them the streng • h they need; He will put strength in me, maybe the confidence of any soul in Jobs case. We are not able to stand before God under the burden of our corruptions, nor yet are we able to walk before him under the burden of our duties, unless himself be pleased to administer strength to us. And surely if we have cause even to glory in our infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon us (2 Cor. 12.9.) then much more have we cause to glory in the power of Christ, when we find so many infirmities resting in us. The Prophet saw this fully while he said ( Isa. 45.24.) Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength, even to him shall men come, in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory. That we have strength in and from the Lord, is to us a ground of holy Glorying as well as that we have righteousness in him. For though to be justified be a higher favor then to be strengthened, yet unless we were strengthened, as we could not take in the comfort of our Justification freely, so neither could we give God the glory of it so fully as we ought. And as it is the joy of believers that God will put strength into them when they are humbled under the greatest weaknesses, so that their strength is still in him. For God doth not so put it into us, as to put that strength out of himself. The strength which God puts into us is a strength still residing in himself. The strength which we have received, as well as that which we have not yet received, is still in the hand of God. And from his hand we shall receive renewalls of strength for all our needs and purposes. Take five instances in special.

First, A Believer shall receive strength to do, or an acting power from Christ; Though Christ hath done all for us, yet we have much to do for Christ, and (such is the mystery of Godliness) that the same Christ who hath done all for us, will also do all in us. Christ layeth a yoke upon the necks of his people, and a burden upon their shoulders, but he puts power and strength into their shoulders to carry his yoke and bear his burden; and that's the reason why he calls his yoke easy, and his burden light, it is not so considered in it self, as if we could make light work of the work of Christ; but his burden is light, because he hath promised to give his at least a sufficient strength to bear it. A heavy burden is not grievous to equal strength, & it is light to a superior or greater strength. As all our sins (the least whereof is a burden too heavy for us to bear) are light to us through the righteousness of Christ, so all the commandments of God (the least of which is too hard for us alone) are light to us through the strength of Christ. This was the Apostle Paul's profession, I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me, (Phil. 4.13.) A little is too much for us, all is but little for Christ; as we have the anointing of the Spirit, whereby we know all things, (1 Joh. 2.20.) so we have the strengthening of the Spirit, whereby we do all things It is a high privilege, that Saints who receive their work from heaven, receive their strength from heaven too. And that as God puts his commands upon them, so he puts this power into them. The Lord is so far from requiring work of us, without giving us wages for what we have done, that he doth not require work of us without giving us strength to do it. When we look upon our reward it might seem that we have done all ourselves, but when we look upon his assistance, it is as evident that we have done nothing of ourselves. The Lord is not like those Egyptian task-masters who called for brick, but would not give straw; no, the Lord who calls for brick, doth not only give us straw, but strength, even hands, and hearts to do our work. Gospel-grace or new-Covenant-grace promiseth us strength to do what we are commanded to do.

Secondly, The Lord gives us, as strength to do, so to suffer, strength to bear his cross as well as his yoke: so the Apostle comforts the Corinthians (1 Ep: 10.13.) No temptation (that is, no affliction, for as every temptation hath trouble in it, and is therefore justly called an affliction, so every affliction hath a trial in it, and is therefore justly called a temptation, in which sense the Apostle there saith, no temptation) hath taken hold of you, but that which is common to man, but God is faithful that will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but with the temptation will make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it. As if he had said; be not afraid that you shall be oppressed with the burden of any affliction or temptation which ye endure in my cause or for my name sake; for ye shall receive an ability commensarable to your affliction, whatsoever it is; you shall be supported in those afflictions which are immediately from the hand of God, much more in those which are from the hand of man, even in the extremist and hottest persecutions. Paul had experience of this (2 Tim. 4.17.) There he tells a sad story of the fearefullnesse if not of the unfaithfullnes of men, even of good men to him in an evil day, and he tells as comfortable a story of the presence and faithfulness of God to him in an evil day, even in the worst and blackest day that this world could lowre upon him in. At my first answer, no man stood with me (that is, no man appeared to strengthen, to comfort me) all men forsook me, I pray God it be not laid to their charge, (What then? was he left of all, because left of all men, no such matter, All men left him, but God who is but one One-most God, and who alone is more then all men abode by him, as it follows in the Text) notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon; that is, out of the danger of my deadly persecutors, even out of the danger of Nero himself, by whose power so many had been destroyed. The Lord always stands by his in time of affliction and trial, either to strengthen them in it, or to strengthen them out of it, that is, to escape it; either to deliver them from the danger of it, or to encourage them in the dangers of it.

Thirdly, The Lord puts strength into his people to mortify corruption, he gives us not only power against, but power over our lusts. Fleshly lusts and corruptions are strong, and if we have not strength from Christ to subdue and conquer them, they will be too hard for us, and foil us. We are easily and presently foiled, by pride, by covetousness, by wrath, by envy, all these passions and lusts will trample us under their feet in the dirt of all sinfulness and pollution both of flesh and spirit, unless we receive power from on high to subdue and mortify them. ( Rom. 8.13.) If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live; that is, ye shall live comfortably, holyly, and eternally. The deeds of the body, that is, sinful deeds, and the root of them sinful lusts, count all weapons (as Leviathan doth spears and swords) but straw and stubble, rather to be laughed at then feared, except only the weapons or power of the Spirit. And when once we take our lusts to task with the weapons of the Spirit, they presently fall and die before us. The Spirit is the strength of God in us for the mortification of Corruption.

Fourthly, We are strengthened, or God puts strength into us for the resisting and conquering of the temptations of Satan; we meet with many assaults from the devil, and from the world, who are confederate with our lusts. These we must resist steadfast in the faith; and that not only in the faith as the faith imports soundness of doctrine or divine truth, but as The faith imports dependence upon Christ for strength and assistance. Peter, being a chief, a grandee in the train of Christ, or among the Disciples of Christ, was Satan's eye-sore, and the fairer mark for his fiery darts; Satan's fingers itcht to be doing with him, he (saith our Savior) desired to have him that he might sift him as wheat (Luk. 22.31.) that is, to sift him thoroughly, not to fetch out his chaff from him, but indeed to make him chaff. How was Peter upheld? I have prayed for thee (saith Christ) that thy faith fail not; that is, I have prayed that God would put strength into thee, that thy faith fail not; if once faith fail we are overcome. But is faith our strength? No; but faith goes to and takes hold of him who is our strength, or who puts strength into us that we fall not in temptation. But you will say, Peter fell, and he fell grievously, his fall was great; he denied his Master. 'It is true, Peter fell, but he did not fall away, his faith did not fail, that is, it was not totally lost, and therefore when Christ looked upon him, and by that look renewed his strength, he gat up again: even when he denied Christ there was a seed of faith remaining in him, though like a tree in the winter, his fruit was gone, yea and his leaves too, and he looked dead and withered, yet there was sap in the root; his faith failed not; whence was this? he had an invisible supply of strength from God; I have prayed (saith Christ) that thy faith fail not. The prayer of Christ failed not, and therefore his faith did not; Christ prayed that he might have strength by believing, and though he had not so much faith as to preserve him standing, yet he had so much faith as to raise him from his fall. And what Christ prayed for Peter, he prayed for all that should believe on his name, that in all their resistings of, and contendings with temptation, their faith also may not fail. As faith is one principal piece of our spiritual armor whereby we overcome temptation, so it fetches in that which is the whole of the whole Armor of God, even the strength of God. When the Apostle exhorts Saints ( Eph. 6.11.) To put on the whole armor of God; He premises another most needful exhortation, or exhorts them first ( v. 10.) to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; implying, that it is not any one piece, no nor the whole armor of God abstractly or precisely taken, which is our strength, but that the God of this Armor is our strength in the spiritual combat. Though our loins were girt about with truth, and we have on the breast-plate of righteousness, though our feet were shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, and we have the shield of faith in our hand; though we should take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, yet, if thus arrayed, it were possible for us to neglect or forget the God of the Word, it were not possible for us to conquer, the footmen, lesser, much less the horsemen, Greater, least of all, The Charets of iron, the greatest temptations of the Prince of darkness. As no carnal weapon hath anything at all to do, so no spiritual weapon can do anything at all in this war without the strength of God; or rather (to conclude this point) all these spiritual weapons and Armor are nothing else but the strength of God, or the various puttings forth of the strength of God in weak man.

Fifthly and lastly, God gives us strength to pray to and plead our cause before him; he will not dazzle us with his glory, nor confound us with his Majesty when we come to plead with him, but he will put strength into us. In prayer we prevail with God, but the strength whereby we prevail with God, comes from God; yea he doth not only give us strength in prayer to act by, but he acts that strength in prayer. ( Rom. 8.26.) Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Prayer is strong work, it calls forth the whole strength of the soul, nor doth the soul in anything show its strength more then in prayer; praying is wrestling, and how can we wrestle without strength? Even the king of Ninevy gave this direction at his fast ( Jon. 3.8.) Let them cry mightily. And our Lord Jesus Christ in the days of his flesh offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears (Heb. 5.7.) Now, the Spirit is the strength of God in us, for prayer: he helpeth our infirmities, and we are only a bundle of infirmities without his help. There is a threefold strength needful in prayer, and God by the Spir • t puts these three strengths into us.

First, The Spirit helps us with strength of argument to plead with God.

Secondly, The Spirit helps us with strength of faith in taking hold upon God.

Thirdly, The Spirit helps us with strength of patience in waiting upon God till we receive what we have prayed for. Jacob by this threefold strength had power with God in prayer (Hos. 12.3.) and it was the power or Spirit of God by which he had this threefold strength to prevail with God. Thus we are strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man (Eph. 3.16.) We are strong to do, and strong to suffer, we are strong to mortify corruptions, and strong to conquer temptations, we are strong to pray and strong to plead our cause at the throne of Grace, when God puts strength into us. Job who had received great strength from God in all the former cases, was assured that he should receive strength also in the last, were he admitted to the seat of God. Would he (there) plead against me with his great power? No, but he would put strength in me, to plead with him. And as he was thus assured that God would put strength into him to plead his cause, so also liberty and freedom to do it; as appears more fully in the next verse.

There; where? he means at the seat of God, as if he had said; Could I but once come to the throne or seat of God, I should have free leave and liberty enough to open and argue, to state and debate my case, my long controverted and yet unresolved case with him. He would not plead against me with his great power of Authority, but he would give me the power of liberty to dispute, and reason out that matter with him. Several passages in the former part of this Book, clearly hold out this sense. ( Chap. 9.34, 35.) Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me; then would I speak and not fear him, but it is not so with me; as yet God pleadeth against me with his great power. Again, ( Chap. 13.21, 22.) Withdraw thy hand far from me, and let not thy dread make me afraid (as if he had said, Plead not against me with thy great power) then call thou and I will answer, or let me speak, and answer thou me. Those Texts already opened are of the fame general scope and tendency with this underhand; There (that is, All things being put into such a posture) the righteous might dispute with him.

Some read the text in the first person; There, I, being righteous might dispute with him. Others, thus; I should be found righteous if I did dispute with him; As if he had said; I make no doubt of proving myself righteous or innocent in this controversy with my friends; There I should not be found a false-hearted hypocrite, God who knows both my thoughts and my ways, would judge otherwise of me, then men have done.

We read the text indefinitely, not restraining it to his person, but as taking in any that are righteous; The righteous, that is, any righteous man might dispute with him there; his Court, his tribunal is free, and open for all that are upright or righteous. In what sense the word righteous is used in this Book hath been opened more then once. In a word, the righteous man is not he that is legally righteous, but righteous in a redeemer, or righteous as opposed to an hypocrite. In both these senses, we may take the word here; The righteous may dispute with him.

The word is properly applied to scholasticke exercises; where questions being put, arguments are brought by the opponent, which the respondent takes away, and the Moderator states between them both. This is the nature and manner of a strict dispute. But in a large or vulgar sense, every discoursing and reasoning about a doubtful point is called disputing. There the righteous may dispute with him.

Hence note.

As the prayer of the upright is the delight of God, so their modest and humble disputings are not displeasing to him. A righteous man may plead with God freely, but he must not plead with God proudly, either crying up and boasting in his own righteousness, or laying the least imputation of unrighteousness upon the ways of God in dealing with him. The righteous dispute with God, yet they know and keep their distance, and while they do so, God is willing they should, and welcomes them when they do draw nigh to him, disputing as well as praying. In opposition to which 'tis said ( Psal. 5.5.) The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity. The foolish, that is, the wicked man, the hypocrite with his false-hearted and flattering tongue, are an abomination to God. The foolish man that the Psalmist means, is not the man low in parts, but unsound in spirit. This foolish man shall not stand in the sight of God, nor will God hear him either disputing or praying, but reject him with his disputes and prayers. Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity, and to the wicked God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth (Psal. 50.16.) God will not endure it, that wicked men should speak of him, much less will he endure, that a wicked man should dispute with him. God will have nothing to do in way of arguing, and reasoning, either with a person or with a people, while he or they continue in their sins. ( Isa. 1.15, 16.) When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; yea when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood; that is, either of bloody sins in special, as murder and oppression, or of sins in general; for every sin is blood and bloody, every sin may be called blood: and while the hands are full of blood in either sense, God will not hear, that is, he will not graciously hear or accept so much as one of many prayers. But are the wicked and their prayers and their disputings excluded forever? while they continue such, or to do such things they are; and therefore in the next words, the Lord by his Prophet gives them this counsel; Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow; here's a description of a righteous person, righteous in his way, upright with God and men; and with such God will speak, such may dispute with him, as it follows ( v. 18.) Come now, and let us reason together. We know (saith the blind man after he was healed) ( Joh. 9.31.) that God heareth not sinners (that is, such as plead for or please themselves in any sin) but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth; him he heareth praying, and him he heareth disputing. Whereas of the prayings of the wicked he saith, they are but mere babblings, and of their disputings, they are but vain fanglings. If (saith David, Ps. 66. 18.) I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear me; God will not regard his prayers, therefore not his disputes, who regards iniquity; but to the righteous and to such as repent of and turn from their unrighteousness, the Lord saith, Come let us reason together, let us dispute the point; Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Where take notice, by the way, that while God saith, your sins which were as scarlet shall be as white as snow, we are not to think that sin shall ever change color, or be other then it is in the eyes of God: so that your sin shall be as snow, is you sinners shall be so. It is a very hard thing, and next to an impossibility to change the nature of a sinner, yea or the custom of a sinner ( Jer. 13.23.) but it is altogether impossible to change the nature and constitution, yea or the complexion and color of a sin, that looks ever red, but the reddest sinner may turn white as snow. And when once the sinner is turned white, God is ready to hear both his prayers, and disputes. God loves to hear such penitents confessing their sin, unburdening their conscience, pleading the promise. And he loves to hear the righteous holding out and maintaining the righteousness of their ways (against all the clamours and calumnies of men) before him. There the righteous may dispute with him.

Secondly, Note;

The righteous have access to God, and boldness with him in the blood of Christ; So that they dare not only, first, tell him of their own wants, or secondly, of their wrongs from others, or third-of their integrity, and the uprightness of their hearts with him, and that he knows it is so, but fourthly (which argues the greatest hight of holy boldness) they dare tell him of all the sins which they have committed against him, and dispute with him for mercy as their right upon the account of his own promise and covenant made with Christ in their behalf, while respecting and reflecting upon themselves they can justify God in condemning them forever under wrath. Here is the right Gospel-Logic; These are the holy subtleties which the Spirit teacheth; These are none of the disputers of this world, whose wisdom (as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 1.20.) God hath made foolish and will destroy; but these are Divine Disputants indeed, or disputers for another world, whose wisdom is of God, and who are wise unto salvation. These righteous ones may dispute with him.

Job proceeds from the thesis to the hypothesis, from the third person to the first; The righteous man pleads with him, but he doth not say, so should the righteous be delivered forever from his judge; but so shall I be delivered forever from my judge; thus he puts himself expressly into the number of the righteous or upright, and his argument stands thus;

He that is righteous, or upright, may dispute and be acquitted or delivered when he disputes with his Judge.

But I am righteous, or upright.

Therefore I shall be delivered from my judge when I dispute with him.

The Major proposition is laid down in the former part of this verse; The Assumption in v. 11 ^th , 12 ^th . The conclusion appears in the latter part of this 7 ^th verse, and in the 10 ^th .

So should I be delivered forever from my Judge; That is, I should escape the severity of his sentence. The Judge hath him that comes before him in hold, he hath him in his hand or power when his case is pleading, but when a man is acquitted, then he is delivered from his Judge, that is, from the condemning sentence of his Judge, then he is pronounced free, or (as we say) acquitted by Proclamation; no man may then medle with him, or charge his crime upō him. Job was assured that he should come off well at his trial, and that there could be no bringing of the matter about again. I should be delivered forever; that is, I should never be questioned more, I should see an end, or final dermination of my cause.

The word which we translate forever, signifies both victory, and eternity; I should be delivered victoriously and eternally, or unto victory or eternity from my Judge.