Exposition of Job 8-10

The Speaker is Bildad; I shall not stay upon the person, who this Bildad was, of what line and pedigree, was touched in opening the 11. verse of the second Chapter, and therefore I shall pass to the matter about which he speaks.

He begins very chidingly,

The words import either, first, admiration, How long! As if he had said, Could any man have believed that thou wouldst have spoken such things as these, and these so long! How strangely hast thou forgot thyself, to twist such a thread, and spin out a discourse so sinfully, so frowardly, so long?

Secondly, The words may carry a sense of indignation in the Speaker, How long wilt thou speak these things? As if he had said, I am not able to bear thee any longer, I cannot endure such language, it grates harshly upon mine ear and is a burden to my spirit; for shame give over, hold thy peace, enjoin thyself silence, lock up thy lips, How long wilt thou speak these things?

Thirdly, The charge of an accusation may lie under these words, How long wilt thou speak these things? That is, How long wilt thou speak vain and foolish words, indiscreet and false words, dangerous and blasphemous words, imputing injustice unto God? Art thou obstinate and pertinacious? Wilt thou not yet hearken to the admonitions and wholesome counsel of thy friends? How long! Thus he taxes and censures him, How long wilt thou speak? We have the like sense in that Question, Psal. 4.2. where David contests with his hardened enemies, O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leesing? How long, and how long? it is matter of admiration, to think that reasonable creatures should be so unreasonable to love vanity, and to love it long. His spirit rises and boils so high with holy indignation, to see men so foolish, that his mouth must run over in censure and accusation, How long! The text of wisdoms expostulation, Prov. 1.22. (How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity?) bears the same gloss, one interpretation fits both.

These things.] The demonstrative particle may have reference to the words immediately fore-going, and only to them, How long wilt thou speak these things? That is, the things which thou hast spoken in the sixth and seventh Chapters. The language is undervaluing and contemptuous, How long wilt thou speak these things? Such poor stuff. How long wilt thou trouble thy Auditors with such matter, such fruitless, frothy, crude, and undigested matter; matter so injurious, so dishonorable to God, so unsavory, and unedifying to man.

Taking Job (under Bildads apprehension) as having failed and erred in his discourse. Observe, first,

Perseverance in evil is worse then the doing of evil, How long wilt thou sp • ak these things? If thou having spoken once amiss hadst recalled thyself, and stopped there, it had been more excusable, To outlash sometimes in a word, may be a wise man's case: but to make such a continued studied oration as this, and be out in all, and all to be an invective against heaven, who is able to bear it? To speak or do ill though but once, is too often by once; To act evil often, is to double every act. The shortest time is too long to serve any lust in. When the Apostle Peter (1 Pet. 4.3.) saith, The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles; his meaning is, the time past is too much: our lusts have got too much of our lives, as the world hath got too much of our loves. One minute is more then we owe to the service of sin. The sufficiency here spoken of is an excess; the time past of our lives is too much to work the will of the Gentiles. We may not make an equal division of our lives between our lusts and Christ, so much to Christ, so much to lust. Nothing is more unequal then this equality. We can never serve Christ too long, nor sin too short a time. We cannot bestow too much of our breath in holy speeches and conferences; nor can we bestow too little in those which are vain and sinful. We may justly take off those who are most concise and laconicall in useless discourses, with, How long will you speak these things? Frothie words are the waste of time as well as of breath.

Secondly, Note, Bildad rebukes Job for his lavish language.

It is our duty to be watchful over our words. How long wilt thou speak thus? We must observe our own words, and know what we speak. We should stop our own mouths, and put ourselves to silence, when the tongue grows unruly. It were very happy that some had power as well as authority over their own mouths, and knew how to put that bridle (spoken of in the Psalm) upon their own lips. It is better for a man to stop his own mouth by prudence, then that another should stop it by reproof.

Thirdly, Taking Bildads supposition still, that Job was in the wrong. Note,

It is our duty to give check to fruitless and frothy speeches, much more to blasp • emous and wicked speeches. Bildad thought it high time to silence Job, seeing Job would not silence himself. The Apostle represents to Titus the tongue-folly of the Cretans, There are many u • ruly and vain talkers among you, especially they of the circumcision; and what must be done with these, who cared so little what they said? He is counsel'd how to deal with them in the next words, Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, &c. It is a sin in the hearer to let another speak sinfully without a signification of his distaste. The word which the Apostle useth to Titus, is a metaphor taken from the muzling of barking, bawling dogs, when they open unseasonably and are unquiet, Rationall conviction is a Gospel-muzzle, and an effectual stop-mouth for unruly talkers. And it is observable, that the Apostle useth this similitude of muzling a dog, when he speaks of those of the circumcision, concerning whom he had given caution in a very suitable character ( Phil. 3.2.) Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision; that is, of those who stood for circumcision. Writing to the Philippians, he calls them dogs; and his advice to Titus is, they must be muz • 'd. The noxious issues of the tongue must either be cured or stopped, Evil words corrupt (which is worse then the corrupting of good air) good manners. An infection taken in at the ear, hath often poison'd the heart.

Fourthly, Taking Bildad as mistaken (and so he was) in this reproof and censure upon Job. Observe

Reproofs and often grounded upon mistakes. It is easy to reprove, what we do not apprehend. Bildad perceived not the reach and drift of Job, and yet he falls heavily upon him with reproofs. A due understanding of his scope, would have given a fair comment upon his words. But Bildad clothes the speech of Job, in a sense which he abhorred; and having put it in that ugly dress, he reproves and censures it accordingly. Many disfigure the opinions and doctrines of others with conceits of their own, and presuming they hold or mean thus and thus, they dispute not against the real opinion of the opposite party, but their own disguise. As the persons of the Primitive Christians were often put into Lions, or Bears-skins, by their barbarous and heathenish persecutors, and then baited with dogs; so are the opinions of many later Christians debated.

The Hebrew word for word runs thus, And the words of thy mouth a strong wind: We resume in this later clause, How long, and add, be like, to supply the sense. There is no term of comparison expressed in the original, yet the strength of one is implied, and therefore to fill up the meaning, we render, And how long shall the words of thy mouth be as a strong wind? M. Broughton translates it without a note of similitude, How long wilt thou talk in this sort, that the words of thy mouth be a vehement wind?

Words are air or breath formed and articulated, by the instruments of speech. Hence breath and words are put for the same in divers Scriptures (Psal. 33.6.) By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Breath in the later clause, is no more then word in the first, for it was a powerful word, which caused all the creatures to stand out in their several forms. So Isa. 11.4. He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips (or with the wind of his lips) shall he stay the wicked; It is not blowing upon wicked men that will slay them, but it is speaking to them; there is a power in the word of a Prophet, when spoken in the Name of Christ, which destroys those who will not obey it, Hos. 6.5. I have hewed them by my Prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth.

Secondly, Bildad is conceived to allude to a certain sort or sect of men. For from Cabir here translated strong, the name of certain Poets or old Prophets is derived, whom the Greeks and Latins called Cabirs or Cabirims. These men had an affected outward gravity, yet were full of words, and much given to Battology, repeating the same things over and over. Bildad ranks Job (say some) with those Prophets, How long shall the words of thy mouth be like those roming Cabirs, who by a needless multiplying of words, grated the ears, and burdened the spirits of all the hearers? Why doest thou speak, as if thou couldst carry the matter with empty words, and bare repetitions.

Thirdly, The word strong wind, may note the stoutness of Jobs spirit, or the magnanimity he expressed in his words. Jobs language was not cold and chill, as if his breath were frozen, but he spake with hight and heat, The spirit and courage of a man, breaths out at his lips; How long shall the words of thy mouth be a strong wind? When wilt thou yield to God, and lie humbly at his feet? What a heart hast thou? Thou speakest as big, as if thou hadst never been touched, as if God never laid one stroke upon thee; thou hast a weak body, but a stiff spirit: Thou speakest as if thou wouldst bear all down before thee, and by thy boldness, storm and bluster those out of countenance, who are here to give thee counsel.

Fourthly, Take in the similitude, How long shall the words of thy mouth be as a strong wind? That is, how long wilt thou speak so much, and speak so fiercely. For the word Caber is more then Gadol, which signifies barely great. Gramarians note, that it signifies both continued quantity and discreet quantity, multitude and magnitude. How many words wilt thou speak? and how great words wilt thou speak? Shall thy words be as a great, various, enfolded wind? (so the Vulgar,) Wilt thou blow all the points of the compass at once, and like a whirl-wind, invade and circle us on every side.

Such words are like a strong wind.

First, Because of their blustering noise. There are stormy and tempestuous words. The tempest of the tongue is one of the greatest tempests in the world. Passionate language troubles both the air and ear, makes all unquiet, like an enraged angry wind.

Secondly, In such words as in stormy winds there is great strength to bear all down before them, or to sway all to that point they blow for. As all the trees in a forest look that way which the wind sits: so all the spirits in any Assembly, are apt to turn that way which words bearing a fair show of reason direct. How often are the judgments and opinions of men, carried by words either to good or evil, to truth or error. And unless a man have good abilities of judgment and reason, to manage what he knows or holds, and to make himself master of it: It is a hard thing upon a large wind of another's discourse, not to have his opinion turned. Hence the Apostle ( Tit. 1.11.) speaking of vain-talkers, saith, Their words subvert whole houses; as a strong wind, so strong words blow houses down, They subvert whole houses; as that subverts the frame and materials of the house, so this the people or inhabitants of the house; when Christ breathed graciously towards Zacchaeus, he said ( Luk. 19.9.) This day is salvation come to this house; when false teachers breathe erroneously, subversion comes to many houses. The Apostle ( Ephes 4.14.) using this similitude about the doctrines of men, adviseth us to look to our ground, and that we be well rooted; That we be no more children, tossed too and fro, and carried with every wind of doctrine; as if he had said, The wind that blows from the lips of seducers (unless you be well established) will carry you to and fro like children, or wave your tops up and down as trees, yea endanger the pulling you up by the roots.

Thirdly, Strong words are as strong winds in a good sense, for as many strong winds purge and cleanse the air, making it more pure and healthy, so those strong wholesome winds from the mouths of men, purge the mind of error and cleanse the soul of sin: This is the special means which Christ hath set up to cleanse his people from infectious and noisome opinions. These he disperses and dispels by the breath of his Ministers, in the faithful and authoritative dispensation of the Gospel.

Fourthly, There are ill qualities in strong winds; some are infectious winds, they corrupt the air, conveying ill vapors to the places on which they breathe: So there is a strong, unwholesome wind of words, which carries unto sin or error. How often are the spirits and manners of men infected and poisoned by such a breath?

Fifthly, They may be compared unto strong winds, in regard of the lightness of them; the wind hath little solidity in it, and that's it, which Bildad especially reproveth in Job; here are a great many words, much of the tongue, but here's little matter, Words without weight are but wind: when you gather them up, weigh and consider them fully, you can make nothing of them, there's no tack in them. Wind will not feed, no more will such words; but wholesome and faithful words are meat and drink, strength and nourishment to the soul: Sound discourse yields a well tempered understanding, many refreshing morsels.

Lastly, They are like strong winds for the swiftness of them; words pass speedily, and fill all quickly; Their line is gone out thorough all the earth, and their words to the end of the world, Psal. 19.4. Another Psalm speaks as much of wicked men, Their tongue walketh thorough the earth, Psal. 73.9. as the wind runs from one part of the world to another: So do words, when they are sent upon an errand, either to do good, or to do hurt; Therefore God chose the Ministry of the Word, as an instrument to save his people. And it is the fittest instrument, running swiftly into the ears, and so conducting truth into the hearts of thousands at once. Upon the day of Pentecost ( Act. 2.2, 3.) when the Disciples met together, the text saith, Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting; first comes a rushing wind; what followeth? There appeared unto them cloven tongues with fire. These represented the manner how the Gospel should be conveyed thorough the world: The holy Ghost is sent in tongues, to show that by tongues tipped and inspired, acted and moved by the holy Ghost, the world should be subdued to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The tongue is the chief Organ of speech. And observe, with the tongues there comes a wind, a rushing wind, implying that words spoken by those tongues should be as a mighty rushing wind, and like that wind, which filled all the house where they sat, should fill the world, even all Nations with the sound of the Gospel; that, like a strong wind they should bear down the errors, sins and lusts of men before them, and like a wholesome wind, purge and winnow out all the filthiness and uncleanness, the chaff and dust of men's spirits. By cloven tongues and a rushing wind, wonders have been wrought in the world. As those unruly talkers (Tit. 1.11.) subverted, so those who talk by rule, have converted whole houses; The wind of words blows both good and evil to the world; and we may as much encourage holy tongues, Let your words he long and long, a strong wind: as check a vain talker in the language of Bildad, How long shall thy words be a strong wind.

From this general reproof, Bildad descends to a special charge against Job.

As if he had said, Job, thou hast spoken words which like a strong wind pervert all things, and turn them up-side-down. But, Doth God pervert? Doth he turn things up-side-down. This blasphemy is the interpretation of many of thy complaints. Thou seemest to lay this aspersion upon God. But (with indignation I speak it) doth God pervert judgment?

The Question is resolvable into a vehement negation, God doth not pervert judgment, neither doth the Almighty pervert justice. He gives it with a question for greater emphasis, Doth God pervert judgment? Dost thou think he will? Far be it from thee to think so; Injustice lies far from the heart of God, justice lies at his heart, He loveth judgment, Psal. 37.28.

To clear the Text, I shall briefly touch upon the single terms, 1. God. 2. Almighty. 3. Judgment. 4. Justice: And then show what it is to pervert judgment and justice; from all it will appear, how extremely opposite it is to the very nature of God to pervert either.

Doth God.] The word is, El, signifying the strong God, the mighty God, the powerful God. In the second clause, Doth the Almighty pervert justice? We have the word, Shaddai, which name of God was largely opened at the seventeenth verse of the fifth Chapter. I shall not stay upon it here, but only as it respects the point in hand, and so there are three interpretations of that title observable.

1. It notes God all-sufficient to do what he pleaseth, or to effect what he designeth: if he gives direction for any judgment to be executed, he is Shaddai, It shall be done. As he is El, a powerful Judge to give sentence, so he is Shaddai, an Almighty God to execute the sentence: There is no resisting his power, no getting out of his hands, his name is Shaddai.

Secondly, The word signifies, one who hath all abundance, plenty and fullness in himself; As also, whose power, goodness and bounty, flow out to the supply of others, himself having no need to receive from any other. He is a fountain of all for all. Hence Shaddai cannot but do justice; He that hath abundance in himself needs not take bribes to pervert justice, Needy Judges are often covetous Judges: they who have not a fullness of their own, are under a great temptation to wrong others, to supply their wants. But he that gives to all, needs not receive from any. This consideration sets God infinitely above one of the strongest temptations to injustice.

Thirdly, The word Shaddai, is rendered, The maker of all things. Will the Almighty, the maker of all things, who hath set the world in such an exquisite form and order, who hath given so much beauty to the creature; will he put things out of order, or do such a deformed act as this, pervert justice? He that is the maker of all things, and hath made them in number, weight and measure, will he turn the world up-side-down, or make confusion in the world▪ it is not possible he should.

So then the name Shaddai, in these three senses, is aptly applied to God, in opposition to the perverting of justice. As Abraham debates the matter with him ( Gen. 18.25.) Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? It is impossible for God who judgeth all men, to do an act of injustice unto any man. He that judgeth all can do injustice to none. God takes no advantage to be unjust, because none can call him to account for injustice. They should be furthest from doing wrong, who need not fear any appeal from them, or complaint against them, if they do wrong. The Judge of the whole earth hath none to judge him. He will do right to all, who cannot be judged by any.

Further, Consider those two words, judgment and justice. Judgment and justice are often put in Scripture for the same, and when put together, the later is as an epithet to the former, Psal. 119.121. I have done judgment and justice: that is, I have done judgment justly, exactly, to a hair. Sometimes they have a distinct signification.

First, Judgment signifies, that right which every man ought to do at all times ( Psal. 106.3. Isa. 5.7.)

Secondly, The Law or rule itself according to which every man is to do right, Levite. 26.26. Psal. 19.10. God calls all his Laws judgments, because they are all, most just and equal. Judgment hath a three-fold opposition, by which we may understand the nature of it.

First, Judgment is opposed to anger, rigor and severity, Jer. 10.24. Correct me, O Lord, but with judgment, not in thine angere That is, Correct me mercifully, moderately, and in measure: suffer not thy whole displeasure to arise; do not exact the utmost farthing. In which sense the judgments of God upon wicked men in hell, shall be without judgment: And thus to do a thing without judgment, is all one, as to do it without mercy.

2. Judgment is opposed to folly, or to foolishness: Judgment is wisdom; when we say, Such an one is a man of judgment, we mean, he is a wise man. Thus judgment is an ability to judge.

3. Judgment opposed to injustice and wrong, which is the vulgar and common meaning.

We may take it in any of these senses here. As judgment is opposed to anger, so it is moderation in justice, Will the Lord pervert judgment? That is, will not he be as moderate in execut • ng judgment, as equity can admit? Hos. 11.9. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger. I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not man, the Holy One in the midst of thee, and I will not enter into the City. As an enemy having taken a City, to show them some favor, saith, I will not enter your City with my Army, to spoil and plunder you: so God speaks here, Though men be as wicked as they can, yet God will not be as angry as he can.

Again, Will he pervert judgment, as it imports wisdom? No, he walks exactly by the rule of wisdom, of the highest and purest wisdom. There are no mists or clouds of ignorance before the eye of his understanding. And as he hath no darkness, so no false lights.

Lastly, Take it as opposed to injustice; Will the Lord pervert judgment? Will he wrong any man? Carries he a matter sinisterly or partially? He will not do it.

Again, As judgment and justice are taken precisely or distinctly.

First, Judgment signifies due order in trying and finding out the state of a cause: And justice the giving of sentence upon that trial.

Secondly, Judgment is a clear knowledge of what ought to be done: And justice is the doing of that which we know. Justice is an evenness and uprightness of conscience, in passing everything according to received light.

Thirdly, Some distinguish them thus: Judgment is in condemning those that are guilty, and justice is in absolving and acquitting those that are innocent, or rewarding those who have done well.

Fourthly, Thus: Judgment respects capital causes which are for life; and justice respects civil causes, which are for estate or liberty.

Take them in any of these senses, or under whatsoever other distinction they are considerable. The Lord God El-Shaddai, is no perverter of either. He never disturbs or cloggs the order of trial; He is no hinderer of the sentence from due execution. He exactly understands every cause, and he awards what is due to every person. He wrongs no man in life or limb, in estate or liberty.

Thus we see what judgment and justice are: I shall now open what it is to pervert judgment and justice. The same word is used in both.

Doth God pervert?] Some translate it, supplant justice. And so it imports, secret, cunning ways of injustice; for to supplant, properly is to come behind a man, and to strike up his heels, and cast him down, or to lay somewhat in his way, upon which he may trip or stumble, and then fall. God doth not supplant justice, he lays no plots, he sets no snares to entangle or overthrow a man in his cause.

More largely, The word signifieth, To make crooked, and so it very well answers the point in hand. Judgment and justice are both carried by a straight line: They are the rectitude of our actions. To pervert judgment, is to make crooked lines: So we have the word ( Eccles. 1.16.) That which is crooked cannot be made straight. He means it of civil, not natural things, whose crookedness is often cured by art; but who can cure all civil evils; man is not able by all his diligence to turn the course of things which God hath determined, though to him there appear much crookedness, and many distortions. Solomon himself makes this interpretation (Chap. 7.13.) where he shows, that it is best to submit to God, because his will is irresistible, and the effects of it unavoidable, Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked? So then, to pervert judgment is to make judgment crooked; or to make judgment (to which all things and persons should bow) to bow itself down, as the word is also used, Eccles. 12.3. In the description of old-age, The strong men shall bow themselves; the legs and knees in old-age bow and double under us. To pervert justice is to cripple justice, to make it lame and halt. This word is translated to overthrow (Job 19.6.) Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me in with his net. Job speaks in a great passion, as if God had come upon him violently in judgment, and cast him: We say a man is overthrown or cast in his suit. God overthrows men and Nations; but he never overthrows justice. A man who overthrows his adversary, may settle justice. Job looked upon himself, as one against whom God had entered his action, and overthrown him in the suit. Lamenting Jeremiah cries out ( Lam. 3.59.) O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong (it is this word) Thou hast seen how I am vexed, and wrested by the hard dealings of men, judge thou my cause; Thou wilt judge me aright, and set me straight again.

Judgment is perverted two ways,

• 1. By subtlety.
• 2. By power.

First, Some pervert judgment by subtlety; They are wise to do evil. The Lord hath infinite wisdom, and so is able to go beyond and over-reach all creatures; he is wise enough to be-fool all the world: but he is not wise to do evil; His wisdom is not a trap or a snare to others, but an unerring guide and light to himself.

2. Some pervert judgment by violence and force: if they cannot untie the knot by craft, they will cut it asunder by power; and if they have not law for it, they have will for it, and an arm for it, and it shall be done. The Lord can do what he will, but he hath no will to do what is evil. He can put forth as much strength as he desires, but he hath no desire to pervert justice, or to act his power to over-awe and master it.

Further, To pervert judgment and justice, hath these two things in it.

• 1. To darken and obscure the rule of judgment.
• 2. To torture or mis-interpret the rule of judgment.

1. Judgment is perverted by darkening and obscuring the law or rule of justice. God doth not do so. He never casts a mist before his Word, or a veil over it, that he may act against it.

2. Neither doth he mis-interpret his law. A good law ill expounded is made the warrant of an evil judgment. A gloss corrupting the text of the Law corrupts justice. Where tongue and conscience are set to sale, the wit must find out somewhat to help the market.

The words opened invite these Observations. First, That

God is most exact in judgment, God is a just God. It is a high truth, and we should adore it, that whatsoever God doth, he is just in doing it. When reason cannot reach, or make it out, yet faith must; and we must honor God in what we cannot understand: The Lord is righteous in all his ways, though his ways are past finding out. For,

1. He hears every cause before he judges. He doth not judge one side, before he knows the other, or judge any man before he hath heard him fully out: We see both ( Gen. 11. and Gen. 18.) in those two great acts of justice, when God confounded the builders of Babel, and when he destroyed Sodom, I will go down and see whether it be altogether according to the report that is come up unto me. God needs no intelligence to be brought him unto heaven: neither doth he that fills all places go to any place to enform himself: but he speaks thus, to note how exact he is in point of justice; To show, that he deals with the children of men, as a man: who, hearing a report of such a thing done, saith, I will not judge of it by what I hear, but I will go see whether it be so or no. Without evidence of the fact, the sentence cannot be just, though it may be right.

2. He examineth and takes confession, which is another point of justice. So he proceeded with our first parents ( Gen. 3.) proposing interrogatories unto them, and then the judgment is pronounced according unto what was confessed; he judgeth them out of their own mouths, ver. 17. Because thou hast done this, and hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, therefore, &c.

3. God proceeds by the evidence of the Law, as well as by the evidence of the fact; and this also sets forth the exactness of his judgment: These two things make judgment perfect; you must not only have the evidence of the fact, that such a thing is done, but you must have the evidence of the Law condemning such a deed. Though God himself be an everlasting Law, and he may judge all from his own breast; yet he hath given out a Law, which gives the knowledge of sin. It is said, Rom. 2. They that have sinned without the Law, shall perish without the Law, as if some should be judged without Law: but he means without a Law formally published, not materially enacted. For he speaks of the Gentiles, who were not within the hearing of Mount Sinai, and had not seen that formality of a Law written in tables of stone; yet they had a Law written in their hearts; They that have not heard the Law published or seen it written in a book, shall be judged by the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing them witness, and their thoughts accusing, or else excusing one another.

4. God is impartial in giving judgment. He doth not strike one and spare another, who is under the same condemnation; nothing can sway or bias him, nothing can preponderate the balance of justice in his hand; you cannot put in any consideration to sway his beam, beside the right.

There are three things which usually cause men to pervert justice, The Lord is free from them all.

1. Fear of greatness. Some would do justice, but they dare not, the business concerns a great man, and to do justice upon such, is, To take a Bear by the tooth (as we say) or to play with the paw of a Lion. Now the Lord is not turned away for fear, nor deferrs he justice for any man's big looks, The day of the Lord (saith the Prophet, Isa. 2.) shall be against the high Oaks. He is El-Shaddai, the All-mighty, the all-powerful God, and therefore cares not for the might or power of man.

2. Hope of reward, that's another thing which causeth many to pervert judgment. With some their hope is stronger then their fear: They care not for the greatness of men, but they hope for gain. A bribe taken or promised clogs and obstructs the course of justice (Hos. 4.14.) Her Rulers with shame do love, Give ye; the Hebrew is, Her shields, Magistrates should be as shields to the people to protect them, but what did they? They love, Give ye, that word pleased them. They were more pleased with receiving rewards, then with doing right. The Lord is above all gifts, he is Shaddai, he hath all in himself, and needs not that any should give unto him; and he tells them expressly ( Ezek. 7.19.) That their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of his wrath; offer thousands of silver and gold, he will not stay judgment a minute for it, Prov. 11.4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath; In the day of man's wrath they sometimes will, but never in the day of God's.

Thirdly, Affection and nearness of relation pervert judgment. Many have clean hands, free from bribes, and stout hearts free from fears, yet they are overcome with affection and relations; these put out the eye of justice. The Lord is above all relations. As he commands us in our cleaving unto Christ, not to know father or mother, Yea to hate Father and mother, wife, &c. (and those are nearest to us) that we may keep close unto Christ: So himself doth not know the nearest relation, to pervert judgment or do wrong in favor of it. Hence he saith of Coniah (Jer. 22.24.) Though Coniah be as the signet upon my right hand, yet will I pluck him thence; Let him plead nearness (as men do, such a man is of your blood or alliance, pray spare him) God will not spare the signet on his right hand, that is, he will not stop justice upon any pretence of nearness or usefulness.

5. God is exact (take them dictinctly) both in judgment and in justice. He is as curious in searching out the cause, as in sentencing the person. As ready to acquit the innocent, as to condemn the guilty: as careful to relieve the oppressed, as to chasten the oppressor: as zealous in rewarding those who deserve well, as in punishing those who do evil. Not to reward is as great injustice, as not to punish. What God hath promised shall be performed, and what he threatens shall be inflicted. He will neither discourage goodness by neglecting it, nor encourage sin by winking at it. He hath bread in one hand, and a sword in the other.

Thus we see, The Lord is most exact in justice (Psal. 48.10.) The right hand of the Lord is full of righteousness. His power and might are his right hand; and that right hand hath nothing but righteousness in it. Few men come to that of Laban, It is in the power of mine hand to do thee hurt, but I will not: most do as much hurt as is in their power. God hath all power in his hand, but he wrongs no man. As none have now any cause to say, that they have received wrong from the hand of God: so at last all shall confess they have not.

Further, Bildad speaking upon supposition, that God was wronged injustice, teacheth us, That

It is a duty to vindicate the justice of God, whensoever we hear i • wronged. When we hear any wounding God is his faithfulness, truth, or justice, we should presently stand up to plead for him; What, will God be unfaithful? Will God pervert judgment? Will God be untrue? &c. Thus we should plead for God. When Jeremy could not make out the justice of God, he is an advocate for his justice, Lord, thou art righteous, yet let me plead with thee. He would not have the matter once questioned, though the manner was inquired.

Lastly, Observe, That

The judgments of God may be secrets to us, but they are never injuries to us. Justice is in all the dealings of God, but his justice is not always visible. His judgments are founded upon reason, when upon his will, for his will is the highest reason. God cannot be unjust, and he ever punishes those who are. He is so far from subverting judgment, that he subverteth Kings and Magistrates, yea Nations and Kingdoms for subverting judgment; To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not, Lam. 3.36. The Hebrew is, The Lord seeth not: That is, he doth not see it to approve it; but he doth see it to punish it. He is an avenger of those who will not avenge the oppressed. And as he looks for judgment in all places, so especially among his own people, upon whom he bestows most mercy. ( Isa. 5.2.) When the Lord done so much for his vineyard, He looked for judgments, and behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. God makes privy search thorough a Nation to find this jewel: Judgment between man and man in commerce, which is, commutative justice; judgment from Magistrates to the people, which is distributive justice: for these God is searching at this day; one of the greatest sins among us, is, the perverting of judgment: And until judgment return to man, how can we expect mercy should return from God? (Jer. 5.1.) Run to and fro thorough the streets of Jerusalem, and seek in the broad places thereof, if you can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that loves the truth, and I will pardon it. A Land is seldom filled with the judgments of God, till it is emptied of judgment among men. What a sad thing is it that there should be so many cries against injustice on earth, in a time when there is so much crying out for mercy from heaven! That in such a time when the judgments of God are upon ourselves, we should not learn righteousness to act it among ourselves! I am persuaded the Sword of war had been rusting in it's sheath to this day, if the Sword of justice had been used as it ought, both to punish offenders, and protect the innocent. And when the sword of justice shall be both ways employed, I doubt not but the sword of war shall be sheathed again, and employed no more, but be beaten into plow-shares, and our spears into pruning hoks. Keep ye judgment (saith the Lord by his Prophet, Isa 56.1) for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. God hath done terrible things in righteousness among us, and we hope he will do comfortable things in righteousness among us: seeing the righteous destructions of God have been upon us, and his righteous salvations (we hope) are near us, let not our righteousness be far off.

There may be a twofold sense given of these words.

First, Thus: Although thy children have sinned against him, and he hath cast them away for their iniquity: yet, if thou wile seek unto him, he will do thee good. Which translation makes the sense more clear then ours, If thy children have sinned against him, &c. The one is a supposition of what might be; the other a concession of what was.

Secondly, By way of proportion, thus: As thy children have sinned against him, so he hath cast them away for their transgression. And so Bildad argueth with Job upon the same principle that Eliphaz had done before, scil. that his sons and himself had exceedingly provoked God, and that therefore God had sent that judgment, and laid that heavy stroke upon them, If thy children, or, although thy children have sinned.

Against him.] That word is to be opened a little. The Hebrew is, Have sinned to him. Which is indifferently translated, either before him or against him; we take the later.

Every sin is committed against God; that's the first. Sin is most opposite to God. It is against God in his nature: against God in his will: against God in his very being. Sin would thrust God out of the world, if it were possible; and therefore it is rightly translated, They have sinned against him. No marvel if God do so much against sinners, when sin doth so much against him; but is it not a miracle, that God should do anything, especially such great things for sinners, when sin doth so much against him? David (Psal. 51.4.) saw his sin was so much against God, that he overlooks all others against whom it was, Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, which some mis-interpret, as if, because he was a King, he could do no injury to his subjects, and therefore saith, Against thee, thee only have I sinned. But, They who rule men, may sin against man: and David sinned in that act against man; First, by doing private wrong. Secondly, by giving public scandal. The reason then why David spake thus, was because the sin he had committed was so much against God, that though he had grievously offended against man, in taking away the life of one subject, the chastity of another, and by endangering the whole army to compass a cover for his sin, yet, in this his sin exceeded in sinfulness, that he sinned against God; and therefore he saith, Against thee, thee only; or, take it comparatively, the sin is so much against thee, that what is against any other is not worth the naming. God is not only wronged, but he is chiefly wronged in every sin. As, because in the wrong done to the life or estate of a subject, the King is chiefly wronged, therefore all indictments run in this style, Against the peace of our Sovereign Lord the King, his Crown and Dignity. Lastly, That place may be understood in the second sense of, Against thee, that is, Before thee; and so it seems to be expounded in the later part, Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that is, though others took no notice of this, though it was done in secret (2 Sam. 12.12.) yet it was committed clearly and plainly before thine eyes, thine eyes, which are ten thousand times brighter then the Sun, beheld me in the darkness of that folly; and therefore against thee have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; as noting that though it were concealed and hidden from men, yet it could not be concealed and hidden from God. If thy children have sinned against hi •

Bildads position is true in itself, but false in the application, If thy children have sinned against him. It is a truth that godly parents may have wicked children. Grace doth not always run in a blood. But it was unevident unto Bildad that Jobs children had sinned against God in his sense. It is not the common sinner whom Bildad meaneth; by sinning against God he intends, not the inevitable actings of sinful nature, but the voluntary studied improvements, heightnings, and provocations of sinful nature.

Further, In that he concludes, They were cast away for their transgression: He faileth again. It is a truth, that sin is the meritorious cause of punishment, Thy destruction is from thyself, saith the Lord, Hos. 13.9. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee, Jer. 4.18. Sin will help us to sorrow enough. Yet this is not a truth, that every man is afflicted for his sin. As no man knows the love or hatred of God: so no man knows the sin or holiness of man by all that is before him: we cannot argue everyone is cast away for his transgression, because he is cast away.

The Hebrew is very elegant, He hath sent them away in the hand of their transgression: or, He hath put them into the hand of their transgression. M. Broughton translates it so. As thy children have sinned against him: so he hath sent them into the hand of their trespasses. Into the hand, that is, into the power, as ( Chap. 5.20. the hand of the Sword, is, the power of the Sword: and (Psal. 63.10.) They shall fall by the Sword; the Hebrew is, They shall fall by the hand of the Sword. Then, He hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression, is, into the power of their transgression.

There are two things considerable about this expression of sending or giving up into the hand of transgression.

1. It may note, That God had delivered up Jobs children unto the reign or dominion of their own sinful hearts, or had laid the rains in their necks, suffering their lusts to hurry them whither they would, to carry them captive unto every sin, and rush them head-long into every evil. The word—here used, signifies either simply, to send, or violently to cast, or to put a thing away from us: and so, it is as much as if Bildad had said, For ••• uch as thy children would sin against God, he suffered them to sin their fill; they being wicked, he gave them up to do all wickednesses; They loved to wander from him, and he let them wander. We have this sense of the word ( Prov. 29.15) A child left unto himself brings his mother to shame: The Hebrew is, A child sent away, sent to himself, or put into his own hands, A child sent away to himself, or left alone, bringeth shame, that is, will certainly run into vile and enormious courses, to the shame of her that bare him. A child left, or sent to himself, is one that hath no guide, no governor, no instructour but himself. A man that will learn only of himself, hath but a fool to his Master, How much more then a weak child, what a master, what a tutor hath a child, if he have none but himself. To be left or sent out to themselves is, to have none to counsel or advise them in a right way, or to give them any stop and check in an ill way. The character that Paul and Barnabas gave of the former times, when they preached to the Heathens at Lystra, was this ( Act. 14.16.) We exhort you to turn unto the living God that made heaven and earth, who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways. He let them go, and never stayed them at all, they had no bridle of restraint, not so much as a word to bring them back; He suffered all Nations, as if he had said, He left them in the hand of their transgression, that their own evil hearts should do what they would with them. In which sense we may also understand that place ( Act. 17.30.) when Paul at Athens disputed with the Philosophers, he tells them that now God began to look towards them, and had sent them the knowledge of Christ, The times of that ignorance God wicked at; but now he calleth all men everywhere to repent. The words undergo a twofold interpretation; Some thus, to note the indulgence of God, The time past of that ignorance God winked at; that is, he did not deal severely and strictly with them, when they sinned, because they had no means, or so little means to keep them from sin. And there is a truth in it, for though ignorance doth not totally excuse sin, yet it doth abate the degree and measure of sin. But there is another sense, which I rather embrace, The times of that ignorance God winked at; that is, in those times wherein there was so much darkness and blindness in the world, God let men go on in their sin; they sinned, and he never called upon them, he never opposed them, or sent any to teach them better. God did not manifest his will to them as unto the Jews, Psal. 147.19, 20. He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and judgments unto Israel; he hath not dealt so with any Nation, &c. So that this winking is opposed to favor, rather then to justice. To have the eye upon a place, or upon persons, is to show them favor, 1 King. 8.29. The later branch clears this meaning, But now he calleth all men everywhere to repent: now he doth not leave men in the hands of their transgressions: He doth not wink and let them do what they list; now Gospel-light is risen to the world, and there are many sent out to call in and reclaim wandering prodigals, many to cry, Return, return. He speaks of it as of the mercy and privilege of that age, beyond what the former ages had enjoyed. That of the same Apostle hath a parallel sense ( Rom. 1.20. & 26.) where describing the dealings of God with the Gentiles, who sinned against the light of nature, he concludes, Therefore God left them in the darkness of nature, in the worst of nature: they came not up so high, as the principles of nature might have led them in the worship of God, therefore he left them below the principles of nature in the things of man, He gave them up to vile affect • ons, which is as much as to say, He put them in the hands of their transgressions. And, ver. 28. He gave them over to a reprobate mind, to a mind that could not judge aright, which had not a true understanding of anything: Hence they elected the worst, and reprobated the best things. The like we have ( Psal. 81.11.) of God's own people the Jews, So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels. The Hebrew is, I sent them into the pertinency of their hearts, because I had so often called upon them, and they would not hearken, nor return unto me, therefore I said, forasmuch as you will not hear, you shall not hear; because you will not obey, you shall have none to call you to obedience; follow the counsels of your own hearts, as long as you will. This is the first sense, of putting or sending them into the hand of their transgression, scil. a leaving them to the reign of their lusts.

Secondly, (Which is the sense our translation holds out) Thou hast left them, or sent them into the hand of their transgression; That is, Thou hast left them in those evils, which their transgressions did deserve and call for. Our reading carries that meaning, He hath cast them away for their transgression: Others thus, He hath thrust them out of the world for their transgression, He hath suffered that to befall them which their transgression called for. According to these, the sense is, Thy children sinned against him, and he hath let those evils which their sin deserved fall upon them; He hath rewarded them according to their iniquity (Isa. 64.6, 7.) Our iniquities like the wind have taken us away: Thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed (or melted) us, because of our iniquities. The Hebrew is, Thou hast consumed or melted us in the hand, or in the power of our iniquities. And somewhat parallel to this sense, is that ( Gen. 4.6.) If thou dost ill (saith God to Cain) sin lies at the door; As if he had said, Thou shalt be given into the hand of sin presently, thy sin shall arrest thee, and bring those evils upon thee which it deserveth, thou shalt not need any other punishment, then thy own wickedness.

Hands and power are ascribed to sin, because God gives men over to those punishments which their sins challenge at his hands. Some sins have a louder voice then others; but every sin unpardoned (the mouth whereof is not stopped by the blood of Christ) cries to God for vengeance, till God put the sinner into the hand of sin, that he may at once receive pay for, and from his own folly. Observe from the former interpretation. First, That

The Lord doth often in judgment give man up to the power of his sinful lusts.

This is a general truth, though we cannot draw it down to the instance of Jobs children: The Lord in wrath leaves man to himself. Every man by nature sins freely, and many are left by God to a judiciary freedom in sinning. He cannot restrain himself, and sometimes God will not restrain him, but lets him take his fill of sin, and be as wicked as he will (Revel. 22.11.) He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; he that is filthy, let him be filthy still. This permission is the highest and sorest affliction. This liberty is worse then any bondage. Thus also the Church leaves those to their ignorance, who obstinately refuse instruction (1 Cor. 14.38.) He tha • is ignorant, let him be ignorant still. Those souls are in a desperate condition, who are put out of the care either of God or of his Church. Secondly, Observe, That

Sin is a punishment.

Sin is the punishment of sin: Thy children sinned against him, and he gave them into the hand of their sin; he never goes unpunished for sin, who sins and repents not. Thou, Lord (saith one of the Ancients) hast decreed it, and so it is, That every evil mind is it's own scourge. The Apostle tells us ( Heb. 10.31.) that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God: it is indeed; and it is as fearful a thing to fall into the hand of deadly sins, or dead works. How dreadful a thing is it to be under the power and tyranny of our own hearts. The committing of sin is worse then the enduring of trouble? The Lord doth not only punish men according to their sins, but he makes their sin their punishment, yea, their sins are their punishers. He puts them into the hand of sin, as into the hand of a tormentor. A Heathen could threaten a wicked man, thus, His manners shall be his revenge. Holiness carries its reward with it, and though no creature will recompense the good we do, yet doing good is a recompense. In keeping the Commandments of God, there is an exceeding great reward, Psal. 19.11. The act of keeping them is a reward, as well as the issue. A good work is pay enough to the worker. So also is an evil work, Prov. 1.32. The turning away of the simple shall slay him. A simple child, that will not be ruled, counsel'd or ordered (such Solomon speaks of, Ye simple ones, how long will ye love simplicity? That is, your own foolish, vain ways.) The turning away of such simple ones from the counsel of the wise, shall slay them. The way of sin is death, as well as the end or wages of it. As faith the Proverb of the Ancients (they are the words of David concerning Saul, 1 Sam. 24.14.) Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand shall not be upon him. David knew that Saul was a man so wicked, that he needed no other revenger but his own self, his own sin would bring misery enough upon him: therefore, saith he, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, that is, the punishment of wickedness proceedeth from the wicked man himself. Observe the occasion of those words, it was, when some about David advised him to slay Saul; not I, saith he, my hand shall not be upon him, I know he is a man so given up to sin, so enslaved to his own vile affections, that there's enough upon him already, and in a short time more will be upon him, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand shall not be upon him; I will leave him to the hand of his sin, which is his plague already, and which in a little time will attach him, and do me right, though he never would. When God took up a resolution against his own people, that he would not hear or be entreated, and protested his mind could not be towards them, he saith (Jer. 15.2.) Let them go forth, such as are for the sword to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity. This was a dreadful sentence; but for God to say to a people, Let them go forth in the ways of their sin; he that is for drunkenness, to be drunk; he that is for uncleanness, to be unclean; he that is for pride, to be proud; he that is for swearing to oaths; and he that is for envy, to be envious; and he that is for idolatry, to his idols. O how inconceivably miserable are such a people! To be left in the hand of these sins, is a spiritual judgment; and these sins will quickly bring in temporal judgments, and not long hence eternal.

From the later interpretation, Observe,

Sin shall not always go away unpunished by outward, sensible evils.

God will sink and cast men away for their transgressions: If sin be in the house, punishment lies at the doors, and will turn the lock and open it, or break it open upon the sinner. And though he hide himself in vaults or secret corners, yet his iniquity will find him out. He that will not cast away his transgression, shall be cast away for his transgression, whether he will or no.

So much for these words, wherein Bildad sets before Job the sinfulness of his children, thereby to vindicate the justice of God in giving them up to the dominion of their sin, or to destruction for their sin. In the next words he advises Job to take heed by their harms, and assures him of happy success, in case he do. As if he had said, Though they perished in their transgression, yet do not thou despair. For,

God hath been just in punishing thy children, and he will be merciful in pardoning thee, in accepting thy person, in prospering thy estate, if now at last thou apply thyself to seek him diligently; Though thy children have fallen into the hand of their transgression, yet there is hope that thou mayest escape. Thus he deals with him in a way of counsel, as Eliphaz had done before, Chap. 5. v. 8. I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause; this is the counsel I give thee, and the course I would take myself. Bildad speaks the same in effect, and almost in the letter; If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication unto the Almighty, &c, He would awake for thee.

There are two parts of Bildads counsel.

• 1. To humble himself in prayer, ver. 5.
• 2. To purge himself by repentance, ver. 6.

Or, we may look upon this counsel as a pattern of repentance, and turning to God, in three things.

• 1. To seek unto God.
• 2. To acknowledge our own unworthiness to receive any mercy from God.
• 3. To be sincere and upright-hearted with God in both.

We have met with the word more then once before; and in strictness of translation it sounds thus much, If thou wouldest seek unto God in the morning; or, If thou wouldest morning God, be with him early in the morning, that is, If thou wouldest seek unto him diligently: they that come in the morning about business, are diligent in their business. The Apostles rule is ( Heb. 3.) To day harden not your hearts; but here Bildad adviseth, Whilest it is morning, which is the first part or beginning of the day, pour out thy heart to God. So then, it may be taken for seeking God either at the first of the day, the morning; or, for any earnest, diligent and fervent seeking unto God in any part of the day; To seek God diligently, though in the night, is according to this Hebraism, a seeking him in the morning.

It was an ancient custom to seek God in the morning (take it in the letter) early in the morning. David professes this, Psal. 5.3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. And Heathens, by the light of nature, took this course in their profane and superstitious worship. Herodotus in his tenth book, tells us of the Persian Magi, who addressed themselves early in the morning to seek their false gods. And the Primitive Christians were wondered at for their early devotions. Pliny in an Epistle to Trajan, and Tertullian in his Apologeticks for the Christians, report their assemblies, before daybreak to pray and call upon God. And there hath been, and still is a superstitious abuse of this among the Papists, who call their morning prayers, their Mattins, because they begin early in the morning.

Hence, observe, First,

Prayer is our seeking unto God.

That's the general description of prayer. When we pray, our work is to get near to God, to find God; every soul that prays indeed, feels it self at a loss for somewhat, that God only can bestow. In God all that we want is to be found, and therefore he invites us to seek him. In this life the Saints are a generation of seekers: in the next, they shall be a generation of enjoyers; when God is fully found, there's nothing more to be sought: Having him, we have all. The work of heaven is to bless God for what we have found, not to seek him for what we want.

Secondly, God must be sought unto without delay.

As it is with vows, so with prayers, Deferre not to pay them; defer not to pray, Isa. 5.5. Seek him whilst he may be found, Matth. 6.33. Seek first the Kingdom of God; first in time; not only chiefly, but early, put not God behind in the later end of the day, or in the later end of your businesses. It is best to begin with him who is best.

Thirdly, God must be sought unto with diligence.

We must lay our strength and spirits out in seeking God. It is not a sleight enquiry which finds out God. We read that he is found of some who seek him not at all, but that he is found of any, who seek him negligently, we read not. Free-grace prevents those who have no ability to seek him, but it meets not those who will not lay out their abilities in seeking him. If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes.

The word which we translate [Make thy supplication] is very significant of the manner how we should seek unto God, namely, bottoming ourselves upon free grace alone. A thought of our own worth is inconsistent with a supplication; Call upon the Almighty for pity, saith M. Broughton, when we supplicate, we desire that to be done for us, for which there is no reason in us why it should be done. To make supplication: is to seek help and relief freely or gratis, acknowledging there is nothing in us worthy love. That adverb used in the first, and repeated in the second Chapter, where the devil objects, Doth Job serve God for naught, that is, without respect of good pay for his pains from God, that adverb (I say) comes from this verb. As we ought to serve God (in this sense) for naught, and not like mercenaries for our hire: So God helps us for naught, without looking to anything in us, or from us, as an hire of his help. The Baptist had his name (John) from this word, either because he preached the free grace of God in Christ, then exhibited; or, because God bestowed him upon his parents in their old-age, as a special grace and favor: The poor (saith Solomon, Prov. 18.23.) useth entreaties; some render it thus, The poor maketh, or speaketh supplications; a poor man hath nothing of desert to plead, why he should receive your charity, but he lies at your feet, and begs somewhat, because he is in want, because misery hath arrested and taken hold upon him: The poor useth entreaties, he doth not call for anything of right, and he will not wrest anything from you by force; he only supplicates your favor. We in our drawing nigh unto God should pray for grace and favor, as a poor man, begging an alms, who makes this his plea, that he is poor. So then, Bildads counsel to Job is this, Stand not upon thy terms with God, plead not thine own integrity and good works, but cast thyself at his feet for mercy, Make thy supplication unto him. The word is used by Moses, Deut. 3.23. when he describeth his own unbelief, for which God said he should not go into Canaan, And I besought the Lord at that time, saying, &c. When Moses perceived God was angry, he did not reckon his former good services to balance this failing, but he sought unto God for mercy, as one that had never done him any service at all. And as man expresses his desires of free grace by this word, so doth the Lord his highest actings of it, Exod. 33.19. I will be gracious unto whom I will be gracious. To show, that to make supplication, is, to desire the Lord to be gracious: and that to be gracious is to do that, which is desired by a supplication; the same word in the Hebrew signifies, both an act of lowest humility in us, namely the making a supplication, and an act of the highest grace in God, namely the granting of a supplication. Hence observe,

First, In seeking God we must look to receive all from his free grace and undeserved favor.

Seek unto God, and make thy supplication to him. Mercy in God is the spring of all the mercies received by man. What can a beggar, who comes to a King, ask upon desert? That's the condition of everyone that comes to God: we are a company of beggars, the riches both of temporal and spiritual blessings are treasured up in God. Blessed are the poor in spirit, they who look upon themselves as mean and low, as not having a rag of goodness about them, as emptied of themselves, are the vessels which God will fill, He that is full loatheth a honey-comb, and he that thinks he is full, is loathed so much by God, that his real emptiness shall never be filled. When Jacob held God so fast that he would not let him go without a blessing, he had quite let go all hold, yea, or opinion of his worthiness to receive a blessing, I am less then the least of all thy mercies (Gen. 32.10.) Then we are fit to receive great things from God, when we are little, & then fittest, when we are least in our own eyes. Yea, we must supplicate God, not only as a beggar, but as a traitor or a rebel doth a King: who hath not only nothing in him to commend him to his acceptance, or procure his favor, but much to provoke his wrath, and incur the weight of his displeasure. Every sin in itself renders us rebels against God. And though his own people, coming unto him in Christ, are under another notion, they are his sons, yet, even they ought to have such apprehensions of themselves for sin. Abraham believed in him that justifieth the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. Even Abraham, after he was justified in the sight of God through faith, looked upon himself as ungodly, in reference to his own works. In all our approaches to God, we should reflect upon ourselves, not only as having many wants, and no worthiness, but as having many sins, and (of our own) no goodness. God (in justice) visits iniquity upon them that hate him (Exod. 20.6.) And he showeth mercy unto thousands of them that love him, and keep his Commandments; They who love God and keep his Commandments, receive all from mercy. Justice punisheth those who break the Commandment, but mercy doth them good who keep the Commandments. We have at any time sin enough to merit the wrath of God; but we never have goodness enough to merit his favor. And as no objection from our sinfulness can obstruct the way of free grace from moving towards us: so no argument from our holiness can open the way, for free grace to move towards us. In all our duties we are to lie in the dust, yea, we are to lay our duties in the dust, and to seek all of God in humble supplications.

Consider this verse in connection with the former, and then two points are observable from it. Bildad assuring Job, that though his sons had fallen by their sin, yet, if himself would seek unto God, and make his supplication it might be well with him, teacheth us,

First, That the falls of others, whether into sin, or under judgment for sin, should be warnings to us.

Thou seest what is become of thy sons: let them be as a looking-glass for thee. Children may teach their parents, parents are often whipt upon their children's backs. The hand of God upon others points towards us, and while they are smitten we are instructed. The Apostle sums up the most remarkable judgments which fell upon the Jews in their passage from Egypt to Canaan, and closeth all with this application to Christians, These things happened unto them as ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, &c. to the intent that we should not lust, 1 Cor. 10.11. As if he had said, God let them fall into the hand of their sins, and their falls may help us to keep our feet. Their falls were types (so the word is) these things happened unto them typically, in them we may see what God will do with us, if we take their course, and go their way.

The Greek is very elegant and expressive of this sense. For a type is such a form or representation of a thing, as is made by hard pressing or striking of it, such as we see in stamps and seals. It is the leaving of a mark with a blow; implying, that the Lord by those strokes upon his ancient people, left marks upon their bodies or printed letters there (the Greek word for a Printer is a Typewriter) which were legible to their posterity, and are to this day. Hence the scar which the nails made in the hands of our blessed Savior upon the cross, is called, The print of the nails; or, The type of the nails, Joh. 20.25. Such a type or print sufferings leave behind them. How many such types have we this day. Where can we go, but we may see the print of the Sword, and thrust our hands into wounded sides, Let us not be faithless, but believing? The Apostle Peter, (2 Epist. 2.6.) brings the apostate Angels, the old world, filthy Sodom, as admonitory examples unto those that should live ungodly. They made themselves evil examples by committing sin, and God made them good ensamples by punishing them for their sin.

Secondly, From the connection, observe,

That they who are equal in sin, may be unequal in punishment.

Job was (in the judgment of his friends) as deep in sin as his children; but though he had sinned like them, or more then they, yet he might be unlike them in suffering, or suffer less then they. God (saith Bildad ) hath taken them quite away, he hath but wounded you, and if you seek unto God he is ready to heal you. The same sinners for matter, are in heaven and in hell, that is, take two who have committed the same sins for matter, and for degree also (as sin is a transgression of the Law) and the one of these may be found in heaven, and the other in hell at the last day. Yea, I believe, there are many in heaven, that have committed greater sins then some that are in hell. It is not the matter of sin committed, but the obstinacy, impenitency, or unbelief of the sinner, which binds on the guilt, and seals up the sinner to judgments temporal, and to condemnation eternal.

Bildad counsels Job to seek God, yet he puts in a caution, If thou wert pure and upright: As if he had said, I advise thee to seek unto God, and to make thy supplication to him; but take heed of doing this with a purpose to continue in thy sin, If thou wouldst seek unto God, and make thy supplication to him in purity, and uprightness of heart, He would awaken for thee. Holy Prayers awake God. Be holy, and thou shalt be sure of audience and acceptance when thou prayest.

In the former verse he gave advice for the duty to be performed, here he gives advice in reference to the person who is to perform the duty. Thy duty is to seek unto God, and to make supplication to the Almighty, but look thine own heart be pure and upright. Take heed of coming to a holy God in thine unholiness.

Pure and upright.] The word signifieth to shine or glister, as glass or crystall, noting, that the purity of our lives in holiness shines as light, Mat. 5. Let your light so shine before men. The works of the Saints should be clear as Crystall; The word is used ( Lam. 4.7.) to set forth the exactest beauty, Her Nazarites were purer then snow, they were whiter then milk, they were more ruddy in body then rubies, their polishing was of Saphyr. The oil ( Levite. 24.2.) and the frankinsense ( Exod. 30.4. ) appointed for the use of the Sanctuary, are both thus expressed, pure oil, pure frankincense, shining oil, or shining frankincense, transparent oil, &c. such as you may look thorough, not obscure or dark. The oil and frankincense were a type of their purity, who had communion with God in holy things. The same word is used by David, complaining under a temptation ( Psal. 73.15.) of lost labor, or labor in vain in washing himself. Some wash in vain, because they are still unclean, and get not out their spots; others think they wash in vain, because, though clean, they cannot obtain their comforts. Thus David thought he had washed in vain, I said, Verily I have cleansed mine heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence, for I am chastened, &c. David by cleansing got the sin-spots out as well as most men, but he could not get the affliction-spots out, this was his temptation. Sin is a blot, a spot, an uncleanness, a filthiness; holiness is purity, beauty, honor, light; Things which have the greatest excellency and luster, are but the shadows of holiness.

There is a twofold purity: First, The purity of our natures, which is received at conversion. Secondly, The purity of our conversations, which is renewed by repentance; we may understand both, or either in this place.

And upright.] It is the word used in the first verse of the first Chapter, Perfect and upright. Here pure and upright: we may thus distinguish them: purity refers to outward acted holiness; or holiness of life; and uprightness, to inward sincerity, or holiness of the heart; and so his meaning is, If thou wert pure in thy ways, and sincere in thine ends; If thy outward man, and inward man were washed and reformed, Then he would awake, &c. Observe hence,

First, Holy persons fit for holy duties, and only they.

Sin is our separation from God, and holy duties are acts of communion with him: how then shall sin and duty stand together?

Make thy supplication, seek unto God, but be thou pure and upright. What have unholy persons to do about holy things? God cannot like the services of those who are unlike him. Prayer purifies, yet purifying must be a preparative to prayer. Psal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart (if I lodge filthiness there) God will not bear me; he will not regard my prayer. The blind man saw this truth, Joh. 9.31. (it seems this was a received maxim among them) God heareth not sinners. We are commanded to pray, lefting up pure hands, 1 Tim. 2.8. An Heathen being at sea in a great storm, and perceiving many wicked wretches with him in the ship, calling upon the gods, O (saith he) forbear prayer, hold your tongues, I would not have the gods take notice that you are here, they will sure drown us all if they do. If an Heathen by the light of nature could say this, much more may we by the light of Scripture, That God heareth not sinners, Isa. 1. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you, yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear, your hands are full of blood. As he speaks out the fullness of the grace of God ( Come let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, &c.) So also the necessity of gracious purity in man, Wash ye, make ye clean, &c. Observe,

Secondly, The prayers of the pure and upright are prevailing prayers.

In the next words God awakes, Jam. 5.16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Fervency of prayer effects nothing, unless the person praying be righteous, God is not melted into compassion by the heat of our words, but by the holiness of our hearts. In the prayer of a righteous man there is strength, prevailing strength, such, as God himself yields to. As a Prince thou hast power with God, and hast prevailed, saith he to Jacob when he wrestled with him. Observe,

Thirdly, It is no way contrary to the doctrine of free grace to say we must be holy, if we desire to be heard.

Bildads doctrine is an excellent piece of Divinity, Though he said before, Thou must seek unto God, and make supplication to him, that out of his free grace he would bestow a blessing upon thee, yet he adds, If thou were pure and upright. Though we are not heard, because we are pure and upright, yet none can come with a warrantable confidence to be heard in their impurity and hypocrisy: if they do, God will reject their confidences, and they shall not prosper in them. It is impudence, not confidence, to make supplication to God with a reserve, or a resolve in secret, to go on in sin. The greatest sinners in the world may come to God, they that are most impure and filthy, may find favor; yet every man that cometh unto God, must come with this desire, to have his impurities removed, and his backslidings healed, Unto the wicked, saith God, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or to take my covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instrustion, and castest my words behind thee, Psal. 50.16. It no way crosses the doctrine of grace, when with the same breath we say, God will do us good freely for his own names sake, and that, we must be pure and upright who come to God, With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure, and with the upright man thou w • lt show thyself upright, and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward, Psal. 18.25, 26. But doth the Lord take color from everyone he meets, or change his temper as the company changes? That's the weakness of sinful man, he cannot do so, with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of changing. God is pure and upright with the unclean and hypocritical, as well as with the pure and upright, and his actions show him to be so. God shows himself froward with the froward, when he deals with them, as he hath said he will deal with the froward; deny them, and reject them. God shows himself pure with the pure, when he deals with them as he hath said he will; hear them and accept them. Though there be nothing in purity and sincerity, which deserveth mercy, yet we cannot expect mercy without them. Our comforts are not grounded upon our graces, but our comforts are the fruits or consequents of our graces.

Bildad having shown Job his duty, shows him a promise of mercy, If thou wert pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee. There is a three-fold gradation of mercy in this promise.

• 1. That God would Awake for him.
• 2. That God would Prosper, or pacify his habitation.
• 3. That God would Abundantly increase and multiply him in his later end.

The first step of mercy, is, That God would awake for him. Surely now he would awake for thee. And there are three things observable about this.

First, The certainty of it, in the word [Surely] without all doubt or peradventure, if thou wouldest thus seek to him, He would awake.

Secondly, The speediness of it; Surely now he would awake, [Now] without delay or demure; thou shouldest no sooner seek to God, but find an answer of mercy from him.

Thirdly, The benefit of it to Job, He would awake for thee. For Job might say, I may awaken a sleepy Lion to rise up against me; God may be angry with my prayer, and instead of blessing pour out some further judgment upon me: No, saith Bildad, I assure thee, if thou thus seek to him, He will awake for thee, not against thee.

God sometimes awakes against us, Jer. 31.28. It shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them, to pluck up and to break down, and to destroy; and to afflict, so will I watch over them to build and to plant, saith the Lord. As the Lord would watch to do them a good turn; so he had watched to do them (as we speak) a shrewd turn. He threatens them with such a watchfulness, Chap. 44.27. I will watch over them for evil, and not for good. When we are dull and sleepy in doing the will of God, he will be watchful and active to afflict us. And when men cannot sleep till they do evil, God will not sleep till he brings evil. So, Daniel, in the ninth of that Prophecy and the 14. verse, having humbled himself before God in prayer and fasting, and confessed the sins of the people, concludes, Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us. God not only awakes, but watches to do a people evil, who have long abused his goodness; As men in maliciousness of spirit watch for advantages, and spy out opportunities to revenge themselves, All my familiars watch for my halting, saith Jeremy, Chap. 20.12. So the Lord in abundant holiness and exactness of justice, though with a great deal of wrath and severity, watches to revenge himself of a wicked people. He takes all opportunities and advantages against them, Thou hast watched evil, and brought it upon us. His love to a returning people is as vigilant, as his anger against a blacksliding people.

Awake.] The word signifies both to awake, and to arise. There are two interpretations of this awaking.

Some take the words transitively, thus, He will awake good for thee. Not, of Job awakening God by prayer, but of God awakening prosperity, or stirring up blessings for Job. As if Bildad had said, Joh, now blessings are (as it were) asleep, but if thou pray, God will awaken them; He will stir up mercies for thee, he will cure thy broken condition, he will restore that which is fallen, repair that which is ruined, and fetch thee up out of the grave of thy desolate estate. As a man's spirits, gifts, yea graces are sometime asleep and need awakening, so also are, and do our outward comforts. It is frequent in Scripture to call the repairing of a man's estate, or the bringing of good to him, the raising of him up, He raiseth the poor out of the dust; he awakens them out of that low condition. Job was in the dust, and his children in the grave, God made a resurrection of both for him. That's a good sense.

But rather understand it (as our translation reads) of God awakening, He will awake for thee.

He will awake.] The Psalmist assures us (Psal. 121.4.) He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep. God never sleepeth: How is it then said, that God awakes?

For the opening of this metaphor; First, As, The Church confesses and professes (Cant. 5.2.) I sleep, but my heart waketh; when the Church is asleep, yet her heart is awake towards God: So much more, when in regard of outward providences God seems to be asleep, his heart is awake toward his Church, his heart ( scil. his affection, &c.) never slumbereth nor sleepeth.

Secondly, God is said to sleep, when he doth not answer our prayers; and when he hears prayer, then he is said to awake. Hence the Septuagint render this text, not as we, He will awake; but, He will hear thy prayer for deliverance.

Thirdly, God sleeps, not in regard of the act, but the consequents of sleep. Natural sleep is the binding or locking up of the senses. The eye and ear of God is never bound. But to man's apprehension the affairs of the world pass, as if God did neither hear nor see. When men are asleep things are done, which they can take no notice of, much less stop and prevent. The Parable tells us (Mat. 13.) While men slept, the envious man came and sowed tares: While the householder slept, the thief brake the house: and the Pharisees direct the watchmen to say of Christ in the sepulcher, While we slept his Disciples came and stole him away. So now, when things are so carried in the world, as if the God of heaven did not regard or take notice of them; when he doth not prevent or hinder evil; when he doth not stop or restrain the rage and malice of men; this retiring of himself in the way of his providence, is called his sleep.

The complaint runs high, Psal. 44.9, &c. Lord, thou goest not forth with our Armies, we are become a reproach unto our enemies; Thou sellest thy people for naught; we are killed like sheep all the day long. There's a description of the confusion of things, then followeth (verse. 23.) Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off forever; wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression. Such a time was accounted the sleeping time of God.

Hence when God in the workings of his providence, searcheth out the wicked, and brings them to destruction; when he breaks their designs, and turns their counsels backwards; when he turns their wickedness upon their own heads, and catches them in the snare which they have laid for others, then he is said to awake, Ps. 78.65. He gave his people over to the sword, and the fire consumed the young men; then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, and like a giant refreshed with wine, He smote his enemies in the hinder parts, and put them to a perpetual shame. Such a time was accounted God's waking time.

So then, Sleeping and awaking, note only the changes of providence. Hence also the providence of God is described by an eye 2 Chron. 16.9.) which is the proper organ of sleeping, or waking; and the exactness of providence, is set out by seven eyes, Zech. 3.9. The Scripture speaks this language in reference to our soul-sleep and awakening. When we sin and let things go which way they will in our hearts, without taking any care, or keeping our watch against temptation, then we are asleep in sin: And when we begin to consider our estates, and return to ourselves, when we take notice how it is with us, and ask our hearts the question, What have we done? This in a spiritual sense is our awakening, Awake thou that sleepest, Ephes. 5.14. Our spiritual sleeping and waking are the decays or quickenings of soul-endeavors. And God's providential sleeping and waking are the seeming stops and visible motions of his power, mercy and justice in the world. This is the awaking which Bildad promises. If thou wouldest seek God, &c. Surely he would awake for thee.

The words opened teach us.

First, That holy prayer shall certainly be heard.

If thou make thy supplication to him, surely he will awake. God cannot sleep when a poor believing soul cries in his ears, If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayer (Psal. 66.18.) But verily God hath heard me, he hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. What, God turn prayer away? No, he cannot lie still (as I may so speak) when prayer knocks at the door, he must arise and open presently. That's a second note,

Prayer shall be heard presently.

What? presently? Yes, presently heard, though not presently answered; Surely now he will awaken for thee, even now. Holy prayers are never deferred the hearing, no not a minute, Isa. 65.24. Before they call I will hear, and while they are yet speaking I will answer. In the very act of praying the answer came forth: yea the answer sometimes antedates our asking, and the grant cometh before the petition. The giving out of the answer may be defer'd, but the answer is not defer'd. We may be heard, and heard graciously, and yet not presently receive the thing we ask; but every prayer is heard and laid up, as soon as put up; he hangs it upon the file, he hath it safe by him. Prayer receives an answer in heaven, as soon as spoken upon earth, though the answer be not returned to us on earth. God sleeps not at the prayer of those who are awake in prayer. Thirdly, Observe,

Prayer is the best means to awaken God.

God hath many ways to awaken man; and he hath directed man a way to awaken himself. When we are asleep he awakeneth us chiefly two ways: First, by the voice of his word: Secondly, by the voice of his rod. He now awakens us by the loud sounding trumpet, and the alarms of war: when God awakeneth us by judgments, it is time for us to awaken him by prayer. We find two things in Scripture which awaken God. First, the prayers of his own people. And secondly, the rage and blasphemy of his enemies, Psal. 78.65. The Prophet having described the cruelty and rage of the enemy, adds, Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine: David makes this an argument in prayer, (Psal. 7.) Because of the rage of mine enemies awake for me to the judgment which thou hast commanded. As if he had said, Lord, shall mine enemies rage, and wilt thou sleep? Wilt not thou awake for me? Arise, I pray thee. The noise of blasphemy, and the cry of violence from wicked men, stir up God when he seems to lie asleep. The noise of prayer, the cries and calls of faith in his own people, will not let him sleep. A man whose heart is drenched in the world, and drowned in rivers of earthly pleasures, prays himself asleep, and his prayers bring God asleep to: he sleeps when he prays, and God sleeps at his prayers, that is, God regards not his prayer; he is as one that sleepeth, as if he heard not what was said. A worldly man doth not hear what he speaks, he knows not what his own requests are. God sleepeth when men are thus asleep. But when we (as the Apostle directs) watch and pray, then God awakes at our prayers. As in the former verse Job was counseled to awake to pray to God, so now he is promised, That the Lord will awake when he prayeth.

Fourthly, Seeing the Lord is awakened by prayer. W • learn, That

Prayer ought to be very strong and fervent.

As men are gradual in their sleep, so is the Lord in his. A man is sometimes so slumberingly asleep that the least noise will awake him, you cannot stir, but he will hear it. At another time a man is so dead asleep, that though you hollow in his ear you cannot awake him, thunder cannot stir him. Sometimes God departs so little, that the least voice calleth him again, he comes at the first word; at another time he is gone so far, that (as to a man in a deep sleep) you must cry and cry again, call and call again, cry aloud before he hears. And we may (in a safe sense) apply that to the true God, which Elijah did to that false god, Baal; when his Priests were calling to him from morning to night, Elijah mocking, bids them cry aloud, it may be (saith he) he sleepeth: We may say (with reverence) thus, when any pray to God, and he doth not hear, pray aloud; not in regard of the voice and outward sound, but pray with louder desires of heart, with more fervency and zeal of spirit, Peradventure God sleepeth; peradventure he is in a deep sleep at this time, and he will not suddenly be awakened, therefore cry aloud. When God seemed to depart far from the Church of the Jews, with how much fervency do they cry after him (Isa. 51.9.) Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake, as in the ancient days, &c? They double and treble it upon him, and cry with an out-stretched voice, Art not thou he that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? What a clamour, what a holy stir was here, to awaken God. God himself sometimes seems (as it were) willing to take his rest; as when he said to Moses, Let me alone; he spake like a man that is in bed, or very sleepy, Do not trouble me, let me alone; as he in the Gospel ( Luk. 11.7.) when he was awakened in the night to come and give bread unto his neighbor, Do not trouble me (saith he) the doors are shut, and I am in bed with my children, I cannot rise and give thee, let me alone. Thus in some sense the Lord expresses himself to his people, I am now in bed, do not trouble me, Let me alone. What must we do in this case? We must knock harder at the door, as he in the Gospel did, For whom, though his neighbor would not rise and give him, because he was his friend, yet because of his importunity he rises and gives him as many loaves as he needed. We must be the more importunate to awake God, by how much he seems more unwilling to hear us; our modesty (in this case) pleases him not: we must call and call again: He will take it well at our hands, if we do so. We must give ourselves no rest, and let him take none; so the Prophet resolves (Isa. 62.1.) For Jerusalem's sake, I will take no rest, I will never give over praying; and at the sixth verse, I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night, you that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. If the Lord should carry it in the present answers of his providence, as if he were willing to rest, and desired not to be troubled in this business; be not you so put off: but with a holy boldness and confidence come to him and awaken him: take no answer, till ye have an answer. He is best pleased and most at ease, when (in prayer) we give him no rest. Lastly, Observe,

If God do but awake for us, all is presently well with us.

If the eye of God be upon us for good, that brings us in all good: therefore ( Zech. 2. ult.) when the Church was in her return from Babylon, the Prophet concludes with an exultation of spirit, Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord, for he is raised up out of his holy habitation; it is this word, He is awaked out of his holy habitation, now be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: All flesh, ye that are the wicked of the world, ye that are enemies, be ye silent, leave your boasting, your reproaching and blaspheming, for the Lord is awaked, now he begins to stir for his people, he will stop your mouths shortly: All flesh, takes in the Church and people of God too, O be ye silent, in regard of your fears and doubtings, murmurings and distracted complainings, silence all these, why? The Lord is awaked, he is raised up out of his holy habitation; that is, he that seemed before to confine himself to those higher regions, and as the Atheist speaks in Job, to walk in the circle of the heavens, not intermeddling with the earth: This God is now awaked, he is raised out of his holy habitation, and now ye shall know that he orders all things here below: therefore be silent, O all flesh. When Christ was asleep ( Matth. 8.25.) A grievous tempest arose (saith the text) insomuch as the Ship was covered with waves. When storms and tempests are upon the Church, God is then asleep, though even then he directs the storms, and gives law to the proud waves. But what did the Disciples in this storm? They awoke Christ, Master, save us, we perish; and as soon as ever Christ was awakened, He rebuked the storm, and there was a great calm. Thus, when we are tost up and down with contrary winds, and in danger to be split and sunk, if God once awake, all is calm. How quietly may they sleep for whom God wakes. I do not say they should sleep carelessly, but confidently they may. God doth not wake for us, to the intent we should sleep in security; but we may sleep quietly, when He shows himself awake for us, who (indeed) never slumbereth nor sleepeth. And if God awake not for us, all our watchfulness is as useless to us, as our sleepiness, The watchman waketh but in vain, except the Lord keep the City. Except he awake our watching can do no good; and if he awake, good will come, though we be asleep. It is our duty to be careful, and it is our comfort that the care of God is enough for us. The eye of divine providence helps us in many human improvidences. What their happiness is for whom God awakes, see in the next words.

This is the second degree or step of mercy promised; when the Lord awakes, he will awake to purpose. We say of some men, Early up, and never the near; They awake, and do little work: but if God awakes, see what he doth,

Some of the Rabbins understand these words as a description of the soul; The habitation of thy righteousness, that is, thy soul shall prosper, because the soul is the proper seat of righteousness and holiness. Righteousness belongeth to the inward man. Righteousness being a spiritual thing, is housed and lodged in the spirit, that's the habitation of it.

There are others of the Jews, who take this habitation of righteousness for the body, because the body is the habitation of the soul, in which righteousness is seated, and so the habitation of righteousness by a second remove is the outward man. The Lord shall bless thy body, which now lieth in a woeful plight, distempered and disfigured with sores and sicknesses.

But rather take the word habitation in those two ordinary Scripture-senses, either strictly for the place where Job dwelt; or more largely, for all that did belong unto him. The habitation of a man, is all his estate, and all that appertains to his estate; He will make thy habitation, that is, thy children, thy servants, thy fields, thy cattle, thy stock, thy all, to be prosperous.

The Chaldee Paraphrase readeth, He will make thy beautiful place to be prosperous. The word signifies beauty as well as an habitation, as was shown, upon Chap. 5. ver. 3. thither I refer the Reader. Then, habitation is the seat of a man's outward estate, and his estate: the shell and the kernel, the outside and inside of all he hath.

That is, the habitation where righteousness doth flourish, or wherein thou livest righteously.

But what is righteousness?

Righteousness is a very comprehensive word. The Philosopher tells us, it takes in all other virtues whatsoever, It is not a part of virtue, but all virtue.

When righteousness is set as distinct from holiness and piety, then it is restrained to our dealings with men. Righteousness relates to men, and holiness to God, Luk. 1.75. Tit. 2.12. Gospel-grace teaches us to live soberly, in opposition to the intemperance of our bodies: righteously, in opposition to wrong in our actions, godly, in opposition to all impiety and profaneness of our minds.

But righteousness here takes in our whole duty, whether to God or man, The habitation of thy righteousness; that is, the place where thou exercisest all manner of holy and righteous duties toward God and toward man. Righteousness toward man, first, in distributive justice, giving everyone his due in judgment, as thou art a Magistrate: Secondly, Righteousness towards man in commutative justice, giving everyone his due in commerce, as thou art a neighbor.

It is an elegant expression. The Church is sometimes called so, Jer. 31.23. Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, as yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah, and in the Cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity. The Lord bless thee, O habitation of righteousness, and mountain of holiness. This speech they shall use: It seems it had been an ordinary salutation thus to bespeak Judah, O thou habitation of justice or righteousness, and mountain of holiness. Every particular member of the Church is named, A tree of righteousness, Isa. 61.3. They shall be called trees of righteousness, the plantation of the Lord. Each Saint is a tree of righteousness, and all of them together are an habitation, a plantation of righteousness.

God himself is styled, The habitation of righteousness, because he (in a way of highest excellency, or in the most superlative degree) is the seat of righteousness; all righteousness is (as it were) housed, and dwelling in him. The Prophet ( Jer. 50.7.) describing the unkind usage which the true worshippers should find in the days of which he prophesieth; speaks thus, All that found them have devoured them, and their adversaries said, we offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord: They thought their brethren had sinned against the Lord, and that therefore they might trouble them without sin; They have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers. It is but justice (say they) for us to punish those, who sin against the habitation of justice. Men (take it in passage) do evil sometimes out of conscience, and think they do God good service, while they really wrong their brethren.

He shall make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. ] That is, he shall make it peaceable and quiet, settled and established. The word signifies peace, plenty and prosperity. He shall pacify or quiet the habitation of thy righteousness. The Septuagint thus, He shall restore it to, or repair it for thee.

There are three things in that word. It may note,

1. The quietness of all within his family. There shall be peace and a good agreement in thy habitation.

2. The abundance, the fruitfulness, the great increase of all within his family, he will make thee thrive.

3. The peaceable holding or enjoyment of all those good things, free from foreign invasion or oppressions. Do thus, and then neither Sabaeans nor Chaldeans shall anymore come upon thee and plunder thee. Thus he will make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

The sum of all is, as if Bildad had said unto Job: Thy habitation hath heretofore been an habitation of unrighteousness, of impiety, of tyranny, thy house hath been filled with spoil and oppression, thy Tabernacle hath been a Sanctuary for wickedness, a lodging or rendezvous for all manner of riot and intemperance, of rapine and injustice; but now, Job, if thou wilt make thyself pure and upright, thou shalt see the case will alter; whereas before troops and armies of miseries have invaded thee, and spoiled all thou hadst within and without; now, if in thy house, where wickedness formerly dwelt, righteousness shall enter and dwell, thou shalt see that with righteousness peace will enter too; Troubles will depart, when wickedness departs, and evils of punishment will dislodge with the evil of sin; when those better guests, righteousness and holiness come into, and are welcomed at thy house, then thy house shall be better; when thy heart, and thy life change, thy estate shall change; and those comforts which have so long been strangers from thee shall return; thy banished mercies shall come home again, adorn thy walls, and strengthen thy family.

This is the sum of what he promiseth in these words, He will make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. Hence observe,

First, Prosperity is in the power of God.

If he awakes he can make us prosperous and peaceful. If he do but speak the word our captivity shall teturn. He saith to a dry stick, flourish, and to a green tree, wither: his word is clothed with power to do good or evil.

Secondly, Observe, A righteous habitation shall be a prosperous habitation.

Whether we respect persons, families or nations, thus it is in the ordinary dispensations of God. As in regard of our spiritual and eternal estate, The work of righteousness is peace (Isa. 32.17.) so, in regard of our temporal and outward. Christ, who is the Prince of righteousness, is also, the Prince of peace. He brought righteousness into the world, and then peace came into the world. If he had not made an habitation of righteousness in the world, there had never been an habitation of peace in the world: in that work of his, the foundation of our prosperity was laid. Jesus Christ, who as a Priest purchased our peace, is also, The King of righteousness. Blessings crown the head of a righteous people (Jer. 31.23.) They shall say, the Lord bless thee, O habitation of righteousness. If thou art a habitation of righteousness, a blessing shall rest upon thee; The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17. as the spiritual Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost: So the joy and peace of worldly Kingdoms, is not meat and drink, but righteousness. When Kingdoms are holy habitations, they will soon be quiet habitations. In Isa. 26.2. Open ye the gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the truth may enter in; thou shalt keep him in perfect peace. God will give and preserve the peace of the righteous. Righteousness is the pillar of a State, and the parent of peace. The mountains (Psal. 72.3.) shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills by righteousness. Plant righteousness upon barren hills and mountains, and peace will flourish there.

I might hence infer a corollary, by the rule of contrary, That Unrighteousnesse makes unprosperous and unpeacefull habitations. An habitation of idolatry and false worship, an habitation of cruelty and hard dealing, shall be an habitation for owls and shreech-owls, a dwelling place for every unclean bird and beast; these shall take up their lodgings within such walls, and make their nests in such chambers.

Whilst we are filed (as the Apostle characterizeth the Gentiles, Rom. 1.) with all unrighteousness; it is no marvel if we are filled with all trouble. The Prophet Malachi brings in Edom thus reflecting upon himself (Chap. 1.4.) whereas Edom saith, I am impoverished &c. Edom began to be sensible all was not well with him. Hereupon he advises upon a way to help himself, and concludes thus, We will return and build the desolate places. This was their resolve; but what saith God to it? Even this, Will ye build, ye shall build, I will give you leave to build, but I will throw it down again. I will spoil your work. Why would the Lord be thus severe? The next words give a reason, They shall call thee, the border of wickedness, the people against whom the Lord hath indignation forever. Wickedness is a large word, and takes in all unrighteousness towards man, as well as impiety towards God. That building cannot stand long, where unrighteousness lies between the timber and the stones. God will pull down by night, what such men build by day. If then we would have buildings stand, and our habitations prosperous, let us labor to build with justice, and make ours, the habitations of righteousness. Look upon it in families, that which withers the comfort of a family, in children, in servants, is the unrighteousness found in a family; if there be unrighteousness there, no wonder, if there be decays and discontents there too. If there be unrighteousness in Cities; If (Psal. 55.11.) deceit and guile go not out of our streets, no marvel if complainings go not out of our streets. We call for peace and prosperity, O that peace would come! but if our hearts were set upon this, if we labored everyone with himself, and everyone with his brother, and everyone with the public to the uttermost of his line, that we may in our persons, in our families, in our policies, be an habitation of righteousness; how soon should we all be a prosperous habitation, an habitation of peace?

Two things make a Nation an habitation of righteousness.

First, When right is done speedily.

Secondly, When right is done impartially.

Tedious delays make Courts, prisons of righteousness, not habitations of righteousness. Partiall distributions show a place to be a market of righteousness (where he shall have it that bid • most for it) not an habitation of righteousness, where everyone ought to have it that comes for it; Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment (saith the Law, Levite. 19.15.) how shall they avoid it? The next words give direction, Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. Righteousness takes not notice of the persons of men, but of their causes. We must not do unrighteously in charity to the poor, as well as not in hopes, or for gifts from the rich.

Again, The Hebrew signifies a beautiful habitation. Righteousness loves to dwell in a fair house. It is so, when, first swept from bribes, these are filth in the house, and the corrupters of righteousness.

Secondly, A beautiful house hath store of lights in it. Justice and truth love not corners and close cels. Justice must act clearly: men cannot bear it, that, what falls upon their senses, should not be in the light of their understandings. God hath secret judgments, but man must not. One potsherd must show another, why he forms or breaks him thus in judgment.

Lastly, The beauty of the house of justice arises from good Laws, and good men to execute them. Righteousness cannot act without a rule; and rules cannot act themselves. Good Laws without good Magistrates never made any people a habitation of righteousness. It is not good Laws, but good men which make a Kingdom happy. Now, as unrighteousness makes a strong people weak, a rich people poor, an honorable people base, a great estate to decrease, and come to nothing: So righteousness makes a weak people strong, a poor people rich, a mean people honorable, a little estate increase and come to much. Thus Bildad assures Job with his next breath.

This is the third gradation. God will not only awake for thee, and make thee prosperous, but he will greatly increase thee. Thou shalt not only be set in as good a condition as thou wast, but in a far better.

Though the head of thy estate (so the Hebrew) though the first of thy estate were small.

The word small, notes a smallness either in quantity or in quality; and it is opposed to a double greatness ( Gen. 25.23.) Jacob and Esau are thus distinguished, the one shall be great, the other small, which we translate, the Elder shall serve the younger; the greater shall serve the less.

Though thy beginning was small.] The City that Lot desired ( Gen. 19.) is called Zoar, from this word, Is it not a little one? Though thy estate were but a Zoar, a little one, yet it shall be built of a larger compass.

The Septuagint raises the sense of the later clause, Though thy beginning was small yet thy later end shall be ineffable, such as none shall be able to tell over or describe. Thy estate shall be beyond account.

A Question arises how we are to make this comparis • n between Jobs beginning and later end? Whether we are to refer it to the estate he had before his affliction, compared with what he should have after his affliction; or, whether we are to understand it of the augmentation and increase of his estate after his affliction, which at the beginning should be but small, but afterwards should receive a mighty augmentation. The sense is good either way.

First, If we understand it of his estate before and after his troubles compared together, Though thy beginning or the first estate which God gave thee were small, yet thy later end, or the estate which God will give thee, when these storms are over-blown shall wonderfully increase.

Against this it may be objected, How can the former estate of Job be called small, when as it is said (Chap. 1.) that Job had a very vast estate? We have heard the inventory of his goods, the total sum or apprizement of all, being given in by God himself, That Job was the greatest of all the men in the East. How then can it be said, that his first estate was small? Though thy beginning were small.

I answer, comparatively it may be called small. An exceeding excess of greatness, lessens and littles any other greatness. The Moon is a great light, but the light of the Sun makes that light darkness. That which is glorious hath no glory, by reason of the glory that excelleth; he that is rich or great hath no riches or greatness, by reason of riches and greatness which excel. Job had a fair estate before, and was the greatest man of all the men of the East; but his estate is promised to be such as shall obscure the former, and render it inconsiderable. Accordingly, it is said, in the story of his restoring (Chap. 42.10.) That the Lord turned the captivity of Job; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Half is but a little to the whole. And at the 12. verse, The Lord blessed the later end of Job more then his beginning. Which words are a good exposition upon the text in hand. When Joseph sent for his father and brethren to come into Egypt (Gen. 45.20.) he saith, but as for your stuff, do not regard that, for the good of all the land of Egypt is before you. Joseph knew his father was a rich man. Jacob was no beggar: but let all that go for nothing, leave it to those that will take it up, all the good of Egypt is before you, what is all you have to the riches of Egypt? That's the first sense.

Observe •• om it, That

The Lord is able to repair all our losses with abundant advantages.

We complain of losses; I have lost a great estate, saith one, but the Lord is able to give thee such an estate, as that the greatness of the former shall not be remembered.

Secondly, They who lose much, usually have great repairs.

Job was great above all others in the East, but now he shall be made greater then himself. As in spirituals, they that have, to them more shall be given, and they shall have more abundance; so they that lose much in temporals, to them more is given sometimes then they have lost, and they shall have abundance.

There is a second sense, to which the letter of the original doth rather incline, which makes both parts of the verse look only to his second estate, namely, his restauration: and so the sense is this, Though thou doest not presently thrive and grow up to a great estate, yet afterward thou shalt; Though after this breaking and undoing thou shouldst set up (as it were) but with a little stock, one friend bringing thee a piece of silver, another, a piece of gold, a third, a jewel, all making a purse for thee: and so thou beginnest but upon alms and charity, yet thy later end shall greatly increase. As if Bildad had said, Though God should now begin to comfort, and restore thee but with small matters, yet do not think he will so conclude with thee, he hath enough in store. The letter of the original is most clear for this, the words being assertive, rather then suppositive, Thy beginning shall be small, and thy later end shall greatly increase: which refers to the time future, not past, as we and others translate.

Hence observe, That

The Lord doth usually raise his people by degrees.

They do not receive all at once. It is true of persons, families and Nations. We must not look for all in a day. Outward mercies may come too fast upon us, there may be a glut of them. We may have more than we know how to order and take in, it may do hurt to receive all together. As it is with men that have been long pined with famine and hunger, and are grown out of their ordinary course, by reason of their necessitated abstinence: We do not presently give them all manner of good cheer, or bring them to a full table, and let them eat as much as they will; but we give them a little and a little at a time, and so by degrees bring their stomachs on, till they be wrought for plenty. So when the Lord brings persons or nations very low, he doth not bring in a glut of mercies at first, this would be more then they are able to bear, as they may be undone, if they have all at one receipt; but he gives they are able to take them in, and make a right use of them. As Jacob said to Esau his brother, when he invited him to march with him; no, saith Jacob, I cannot march thy pace, I must consider what my train is, I have flocks here that are great with young, And if I should over-drive them one day, they would all die: therefore (saith he) I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that are before me, and the children be able to endure. So it is in this case, the Lord in infinite wisdom gives, as men are able to receive. We may be over-mercy'd, as well as over-affli • ted; over-laden with comforts, as well as with sorrows. And therefore as the Lord doth correct in judgment and in measure: So also doth he restore. We have not full-tide in a moment, or in a quarter of an hour: it would be terrible, dangerous and troublesome, if when it is low water we should have full tide in a moment, but it comes in stealing by degrees, and at last it swells all over the banks. Such a stealing flood of mercies the Lord gives his people.

Therefore be cautioned. In the returns of mercy do not despise small things. Your beginnings may be inconsiderable, this is but a little, and that is but a little, but do not despise the first or second little. So the Prophet counsels ( Zech. 4.10.) Despise not the day of small things: The beginnings of mercy were scarce discernible, and they looked upon them as nothing, they thought they would never come to anything. Take heed (saith the Prophet) do not despise small things, there's more a coming. Hast thou but a little? Doth God make but some little repairs of outward comforts? Do not sleight these, look upon them as the beginnings of greater things. When Elijah sent his servant to go and look toward the sea whether he saw any sign of rain, he at last brought him word that he saw a little cloud arise out of the sea as big as a man's hand: would any one think that a prognostic of great rain? Elijah's servant might despise this, and say this is no sign of rain; but Elijah knew better, that little assured him there was a mighty shower at hand, he knew how it would work presently: Go, bid Ahab prepare his Chariot, and get him down, that the rain stop him not. Thus it is, respecting daily providences; if you see a mercy coming but as big as a man's hand, be psrswaded that the Lord sends it as a forerunner, as that which shall usher in large and extensive mercies. If we see the glimmering light of day break, we are not angry, because it is not presently high noon, or, because we have not full light, we know the light will come by degrees; Thy beginning shall be small, but thy later end shall greatly increase.

The word notes a very earnest, and a diligent search or enquiry: To inquire with industry, yea, with importunity. The grave hath it's name in Hebrew from this word, and so hath hell: because the grave (as it were) calls for, or enquires after all flesh; and hell with much earnestness gapes for wicked men, Eccl. 2.10. Whatsoever mine eyes desired. The eye is a strong asker.

It is applied sometimes to persons, and then it signifies, to inquire or consult what is to be done. Sometimes it is applied to things, and then it signifies, to ask that a thing may be done. Prayer is an enquiry after God, and the things of God, 1 Sam. 1.17, 20, 27. This word is used about Hannah's prayer to God for a child, Hannah conceived and bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.

Further, The word is applied to God, when he enquires after, or asks somewhat of us, as if he made his request and suit to us, ( Deut. 10.12.) And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? Or, what doth he inquire after in thee? It is this, To fear the Lord thy God &c.

Here, to inquire, is to use all endeavors and means to find out the best informations and resolutions, which the fathers in those former ages were able to give Job in the controversy then a foot between him and his friends, Enquire, I pray thee.

By the former we are not to understand those that were immediately preceding only, or those that were preceding for some few generations past, but as the Septuagint well renders it, by former generations, we may understand the first generation; begin at the first, and so come down all along, begin as high as thou canst. Enquire not only of those who lived since the flood, but of all who have been since God created man upon the earth; draw the line of thy search thorough all ages, and thou shalt find the pedigree of this truth from age to age, from generation to generation. Enquire, I pray thee, of the former

This word age, is taken three ways.

1. For the whole space of man's life; which, when it is doubled, signifies a very long life, Psal. 61.7. Thou shalt prolong the Kings life (or, according to the letter of the Hebrew, thou shalt add days to the days of the King) and his years as many gen • rations; or, as generation and generation, age and age: long and long, that is, very long; Two lives, or two men's ages, being (as it were) laid into one.

2. For some special part of man's life. Mans life is divided into several ages. Some divide it into four, alluding to the four parts of the year. Some, into five, infancy, childhood, youth, man's-estate, and old-age; comparing them to the five acts of an interlude, the Prologue whereof is infancy, and the Epilogue, decrepit old-age. Others into seven, in allusion to the seven Planets.

3. It is taken for an age of men, or the state of the time present. So in the Gospel, Christ calleth the Scribes and Pharisees, A generation of vipers, and an adulterous generation. As if he had said; You of this time and age of the world, are a viperous and an adulterous brood. So Psal. 14.5. God is in the generation of the righteous: That is, he favors that generation, or sort of men; God is in all generations, but such he delights in most; the wicked have cause enough to fear those, in whom God delights.

T •• t of the Prophet (which text hath variety of interpretations) is taken in this sense ( Isa. 53.8.) Who shall declare his generation? It is the word of the text, Who shall declare his age, or the generation of Christ? Some understand it of his eter •••• generation. Others of his ••••• rall generation, when he was •••• rnate, the mystery whereof was beyond words. A third, of that eternity which followed his passion. As if it were an Antithesis to those words, He was taken from prison, and he was cut off, but who shall declare his generation? You may quickly write up the days that Christ lived here upon earth, they were but few, even his pilgrimage was short on earth, but who can declare his generation? Those infinite and eternal ages and revolutions, thorough which he shall pass, though now you have quickly cut off his life? Others, by his generation understand the holy seed and issue, the children of Christ. His Cross was fruitful, and his sufferings productive of an infinite generation, Who can declare it? Though you cut off the Father, yet this father by dying will give life to an innumerable posterity, Who can declare his generation? So (verse. 10.) He shall see his seed. But besides all these we may with good probability interpret the word generation for the time when Christ sojourned in the flesh, Who can declare his generation? That is, who can describe the time or the age wherein Christ lived? As if he had said, you see here in this glass of prophecy how they will use Christ, how bloodily and cruelly they will deal with him, he shall be imprisoned, he shall be cut off and numbered among transgressors, Who can declare his generation? What pen is able with lively colors to paint out the several wickednesses and tyrannies of that age, acted against, and inflicted upon that holy and innocent lamb Jesus Christ, who came to die for the sins of the world? Surely his generation, or the story of his age will be such, as no pen is able to draw out, or fully to delineate, Who shall declare his age?

The age which Bildad calls Job to inquire into, is not a part of man's life, or the whole life of a man, or one age of men, or state of times, but the whole space of time from the very beginning, with all things done or suffered, and the persons who have been active or passive, doers or sufferers in those times. Thus inquire of the former age.

The reason why he called him to inquire of the former age, was, because in those times the will of God was not reduced to writing. The divinity of the first ages was traditional; The Scriptures were not composed for more than 2000. years after the creation, bu • • he mind of God was either immediately revealed, or carried from father to son, from generation to generation; being preserved, not in paper and 〈◊〉 or other formal records, but in the memories and hearts of t •• •• ithfull, until the giving of the D •• . Hence it was that Bildad refers Job to those revelations, or to the experiences of the fathers concerning the dealings of God in former ages.

Berosus in his eighth book of Antiquities, reports that the fathers after Adam set up two great pillars, upon which, some affirm they inscribed many divine truths: but he tells us that those pillars, (of which some monuments were seen after the flood) were filled rather with Astronomical observations, Mathematical scheams of the heavens and figures of stars; we cannot put much value upon either of these opinions. The former cannot warrant us that anything was registered and written by God's appointment, till the writing of the Law. And therefore Bildad, according to the usage of those times, sends Job for information to the traditions and reports of the fathers. For after the Law was written, the Prophets, in case of emergent doubts and controversies, sent the people, not to the traditions or experiences of former ages, but, To the Law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light, or no morning in them, Isa. 8.20. The word once written was the rule, and though it cannot speak, yet it must teach us how to speak. If we speak not according to this, there is no light in us. But the word not being written, Bildad advises Job well, Enquire of the former age,

Having counseled him to inquire of the former age; he addeth, Prepare thyself to the search of their fathers; as if he had said, though I bid thee inquire, yet I would not have thee rush hand over head upon this enquiry, Prepare thyself. The word signifies to lay a good foundation; Due preparations are the foundations of action. Hence it signifies also to establish; because a matter is established and confirmed by wise preparations and considerate addresses to it. Those things stand fastest about which we make not too much haste. Further, the word signifies the fixing of the mind, Fix thy heart upon this work; keep thy spirits intent ( Psal. 108.1.) My heart is fixed (saith David, which some render, My heart is prepared) I will sing and give praise. Prepare thyself

Before he advised him to inquire of the former age, here, To search their fathers; as if he had said, Do not confine thyself to the immediately fore-passed times, but go as high as thou canst: The former age (as was touched upon that passage) may include all times past: but here to avoid all mistakes, he gives it in expressly. The fathers of the former age, are the fathers of every age. All that have lived before us, come under the relation of our fathers. The fathers were dead, but they lived in their monuments and works: these he must search, so far as any mark or remembrance of them could be found. Hence observe,

First, That as it is a duty in all, so it was a custom in ancient times, carefully to record the dealings of God with them, for the use of ensuing generations.

To what end should Job search, if nothing were to be found; The Jews were commanded to remember the works of God for their learning after the word was written, Psal. 78.5. He established a testimony in Jacob, &c. That they should make them known to their children. God hath always had a book of his acts and monuments, as well as of his laws and institutions. Names given to children and yearly feasts, to stones and pillars, have been the preservatives and memorials of his wonderful works. The works of God are his holiness, justice, power, mercy, truth made visible. The administrations of God in one age, are for the instruction of all ages. God spake with Jacob only in person at Bethel, yet there the Scripture saith he spake with all his posterity, Hos. 12.4. He found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us. It is then a debt to posterity, to show them what God hath done for us. Observe,

Secondly, That it is our duty to inquire into the dealings of God in all ages.

It was their duty before the word was written, and it is a duty still. The works of God are to be studied and read over as well as his word, Deut. 4.20. & 32. Ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon earth; and ask from one side of heaven to another, inquire every way to see whether ever God dealt with a people, as he hath dealt with thee, whether God did ever assay to take to himself a Nation from the midst of another Nation by temptations, and by signs, and by wonders, &c. Enquire this of all the former times. So, Deut. 32.7. Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations, ask thy father and he will show thee, thy Elders and they will tell thee. The Psalmist promises to rehearse what these were enjoined to record, Psal. 78.3, 4. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. Our speaking of, and enquiring into, what God hath done, shows the harmony between his word and works. And the former providences of God are food for our faith, as well as the promises of God.

Thirdly, That which I shall rather insist upon, is this,

True antiquity ever gives a testimony to the truth.

Hence the Prophets send the people back to antiquity, Jer. 6.16. Enquire for the good old-way. Every old way is not a good way, but in every good old way we may walk safely and see the footsteps of truth. It is a received rule, That is truest which is ancientest. It is certainly so, for truth is not only ancient, but eternal. Truth is as old as God himself, for truth is nothing else but the mind of God, truth was with God from everlasting. Truth is commonly called the daughter of time, yet (in a sense) it is the mother of time, for it was before time was; and therefore (no question) that which is ancientest is truest.

Yet there is a great abuse of this principle. Look back to antiquity and consult with your fathers (say many) and see what they did, how they believed. But what is the antiquity they call us to consult with? It is not (as Moses spake in that place of Deuteronomy ) antiquity, since God created man upon earth, or since Jesus Christ was upon the earth, and gave out his Gospel-laws: but it is the antiquity of some later ages and editions, an antiquity far short of what is indeed the ancient time. The Apostle (1 Joh. 2.7.) gives us the definition of an old commandment, This is the old commandment which was from the beginning. Our sinful nature is called the old man, and yet it is a corrupt man. It is called the old-man not that it is older then the new man; the new man is not of a younger house, or later date then the old man. Holiness was before corruption. And the image of God upon man, elder then sin, the image of the devil. There are many corruptions in doctrine, in opinion, in worship, in practice, which go for very old: And there are many doctrines which we call new truths; Is it because those corruptions are older then these new truths? No, new truths are elder then the oldest corruptions. That which we call the new world, was created in the beginning, though discovered but yesterday. So new truths were given from the beginning, only they were unknown till of late; and we may well conceive that some goodly regions of truth are still (terra incognita) undiscovered; God having reserved them for the honor, and industry of some divine Columbus, who may give us an exacter sea-card of divine mysteries, then the world hath yet seen, though enough hath been seen from the beginning for the safe steering of our course to heaven. He that would inquire and make a diligent search for truth, must go to the first institutions, That's the old commandment which was from the beginning. The Prophet Ezekiel (Chap. 23.43.) speaks of some who were grown old in adulteries; that is, old in adulterating and corrupting the truth, and worship of God, That which is old may be old in evil, and fuller of errors then it is of days. We find when the good Kings of Judah reformed, they did not search only into what was done in the ages immediately before them, or what their next fathers had done, but they searched what was done in the times of their godly fathers, how many removes soever distant from them. Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29.6.) tells the Levites that their fathers were in an error, that they had trespassed, and done that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and had forsaken him; and Chap. 30.5. speaking of the observation of the Passover, he saith, They had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written; therefore, v. 7. he dehorteth them saying, Be not ye like your fathers which trespassed against the Lord God of your fathers; he doth not mean that they should not be like their first fathers, who had the truth purely committed to them, and so worshipped God purely; but be not like your immediate forefathers, or your corrupt forefathers, how many descents and generations so ever, ye can number from them. And this was a thing so strange, that when Hezekiah sent the Posts from City to City thorough the Countries of Ephraim and Manasseh with this message, that he would have a reformation according to the first institution or pattern, and would not have them stay in what their forefathers had done; It is said, verse. 10. That they laughed the messengers to scorn, and they mocked them, what must we now be wiser then our fathers? Yes, saith he, you have done evil a long time, you and your fathers, therefore I must bring you back to your first fathers, in comparison of whom, the fathers you claim by were but children, and those degenerate children. It is said of Josiah's reformation (2 King. 23.22.) That there was not the like from the days of the Judges, nor in all the days of the Kings of Israel and Judah, he went to the very beginning of all, there had not been such a thing done before. So that if any should have objected, why may not such a reformation serve us as served those Kings and Judges? No, saith Josiah, I will search what was beyond their time, into the remotest antiquities. The Church makes humble confession (Psal. 106.6.) We have erred with our fathers; let not any turn this into a stubborn resolution, and say, We will err with their fathers: if that be an error which our fathers believed and practiced, we will err with them. So those rebellious Jews pleaded (Jer. 44.17.) We will do as our fathers. They who will do as their fathers, may suffer with their fathers; they who will needs err by their fathers copy, may go to hell too by their fathers copy. Jerome once desired leave of Austin to err with seven fathers whom he found of his opinion, I should not desire that leave, nor envy any one the privilege. The Fathers are but children, when they err, and they who will err with their fathers, are worse then children.

Consider then to what antiquity and to what fathers you appeal. Many practices are very old, yet very erroneous. Many old sayings and old doings, must be unsaid and undone, or we shall be undone forever. How many old sayings of the Jews doth Christ gain-say (Mat. 5.) Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thus and thus, But I say unto you &c. And (Mat. 19.) answering the Question about divorce, Moses indeed for the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. Besides, some (like the Gibeonites ) feign antiquity, they can put a gray beard upon a green head; and their opinions will be found fennowed and mouldy with error, not with age. As we must take heed of novelties so we must be cautious about antiquities. Some antiquities of old men are no better than old wives fables of which the Apostle bids us beware; unlearned old wives fables are as authentic as many learned men's antiquities pleaded for. To have an itch after novelties, and to dote upon antiquities, are alike vain and dangerous. Old fables and young fancies are with me at the same rate, No man having drunk old wine (saith Christ, Luk. 5.35.) strait way calls for new, for he saith the old is better. Old is better then new, if it be as good as new. But any new truth is better then the oldest error; and every error, the elder it is, the worser it is.

Again Bildad advises Job to prepare himself to the search of his fathers. Hence observe,

We must not presume to find truth with ease, or to come slightly by it.

Prepare thyself (Prov. 2.3.) If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding: if thou dig for it as silver, and search for it as for hid treasures, then thou shalt find, &c. A man that will find silver, must prepare and fit himself to search for silver. That lies not upon the surface, but in the bosom and bowels of the earth. There are four things wherein this preparation consists.

1. Humility: God doth not teach but resist the proud, he gives more grace (humility is much grace) to the humble. A lowly minded man shall know the mind of the most high God.

2. Holiness submitting to and practicing the truth we know prepares us for the receiving of more truth. He that doth the will of Christ shall know his doctrine, John. 7.17.

3. Prayer: Doth any man want wisdom, let him ask of God Jam. 1.5. Truth is the daughter of God, and he will not bestow her in marriage upon our minds, unless we ask him.

4. Love unto truth. Truth is a beauty, and deserves our love; to love truth is not a civility, but a duty: to search for truth without love to truth, is a dishonor to truth; and as the not receiving the love of the truth, is the cause why many apostatize and fall from it, so it is a reason why many are still ignorant and cannot come at it. As God, the Father of truth must be asked his good will before we can have her: So truth the daughter of God shall be loved before we have her.

Bildad having thus advised Job to search antiquity, giveth him a reason of his advice, a modest reason, reflecting upon himself and upon his friends.

As if he had said, the reason, why we refer thee to the former ages, is, because we are able to say so little of ourselves and from our own experience, we are but of yesterday, that is, the time we have lived is very little, our days have been few upon earth. Truth is the daughter of time, and we are scarce sons of time, we are but of yesterday.

Yesterday] Taken in our common speech, signifies only the day immediately going before. 2. It is put for the time a little before, and is as much as lately, 2 King. 9.26. Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons: That is, It is not long since Naboth and his sons were slain, and their blood is as fresh in my memory, as if it were in my eye. 3. It is put for all time, how long so ever past ( Heb. 13.8.) The Apostle Hebraizing, saith, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever; yesterday is not put for the day immediately before, or for many days before, but for all days before, even from the beginning of the world; yea, not only are all days past included in yesterday, but the eternity, which is past.

Yesterday and the day before, are often translated before or heretofore, Gen. 31.2, 5. Exod. 40.10. Ruth 2.11. 2 Sam. 5.2. noting time not much past, the present.

In this place by yesterday, we are not to understand all time past, nor the time immediately past, but small time past, We are but of yesterday, that is, we have lived but a while in the world (yet they were old men) the days which we have seen are as nothing, he expresses their lives by the least complete time past, to show that they had lived but a little time past.

So, in Scripture, this phrase, tomorrow (opposite to yesterday) signifies not only the day immediately to come, but any time to come indefinitely (1 Sam. 28.19.) the devil answers Saul, To morrow thou and thy sons shall be with me; he did not know exactly and precisely that it should be the very next day, but he useth a word which would save his credit, if it should have fallen out many days or some years after. To morrow may be any time to come. As then tomorrow signifies the immediate day coming, or all time to come, so yesterday signifies the immediate day past, or all time past. Thus one of the Ancients speaks of Matthew, Yesterday a Publican, today a Preacher: that is, he was heretofore a Publican, and now a Preacher.

Bildad styleth himself and his friends yesterday, to show they had been but short-lived, though they had lived long. Some have given us the date of their years, or an account how old they were. They reckon Bildad an hundred and forty, Eliphaz an hundred and fifty, and Zophar an hundred and twenty years old. In what records the years of their nativities were found, I know not: but probable enough it is, that they were ancient men; And ( Chap. 15.10.) Eliphaz speaks as much, With us are both the gray-headed and very ancient men, much elder then thy father. Yet Bildad calleth himself and them, but as of yesterday, either absolutely, because the life of man is short, or comparatively to the lives of the fathers in the first age of the world, who lived much longer. His meaning then is, we will not bound thee to our experiences, who have lived but a while, but enform thyself from them who lived many years ago, and lived many years, some of them nine hundred years and more; inquire of Methuselah, and his contemporaries who are able to give thee a better account then we. Therefore he addeth,

The particle [And] is here causal, We are but of yesterday, therefore we know nothing; in which sense we read it often. Take an instance ( Ezek. 23.31.) Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister, therefore I will give her cup into thine hand: The Hebrew is, And I will give her cup into thy hand, thou shalt pledge her in the same cup of affliction. So here, We are but of yesterday and know nothing; that is, We are but of yesterday, therefore we know nothing.

The negation is not absolute but comparative. We know nothing, that is, we neotericks know but little in comparison of those who lived long ago, and lived so long, even many centuries, gathering knowledge, and making up their observations: for ( Chap. 12.12.) With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding. Hence observe,

The short life of man is not sufficient to gain much knowledge.

We are but of yesterday, and we know nothing, we cannot know much who live but little. The great Physician complained long ago, Life is short, and art is long; Natural life is not long enough for the journey of natural knowledge. How much less is it for divine knowledge, in the mystery of Christ: which is the art of all arts, and science of sciences. Those mysteries are very long, and our lives are very short, therefore at our best, we come short in the knowledge of them. Hence the Apostle (1 Cor. 13.) speaking of the most perfect knowledge we have in this life, concludes, We know but in part; there is a vast ocean of truths in the Gospel, but we are straightnecked vessels, we take in truth but by drops; we are long a taking it in, and we have not long to take it in; hence the emptiness of those who are fullest. He that hath much to learn, and out a little to live, cannot learn much. And as our time is little, so we lose a great deal of our time. Our losses of the time we have, hinder more then our having but little time. Our days are few, but if we could number them, we should apply ourselves to, and gain to ourselves a sufficient stock of holy wisdom. The greatest reason why we profit no more in knowledge, is because we improve our time no more, though that be a reason also, because we have no more time.

Secondly, Observe, how modestly Bildad speaks of himself, and of his friends, We are but of yesterday, and we know nothing.

It becometh us to have humble thoughts of our own knowledge, how much soever we know.

These were neither children nor fools, who had to do with Job, they were the wisest of that age, Oracles of wisdom, yet we know nothing, saith Bildad. The best of our knowledge here, is to know our imperfections; it is as much knowledge as we can reach, to know wherein our knowledge cometh short. The Apostle (1 Cor. 8.2.) is direct, He that thinketh he knoweth anything, knoweth nothing as he ought to know: He would not have us think that we know anything: Though he had said in the former verse, We know that we all have knowledge; the Apostle knew it, but he would not have them think it. His meaning is, I grant there is knowledge abroad in the world, I have some, and you have some. We know that we all have knowledge: which yet some understand, as if he spake in a secret irony, against those who bragged so much of their knowledge, Yea, We know you have knowledge, but let me tell you thus much, you who stand so much upon your knowledge, He that thinketh he knoweth anything, knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. How can that be? Is not a man to think that he knows what he knows? Must a man think himself ignorant, or otherwise, he must be accounted ignorant? Surely no. There are very many that know much, and they may think that they may know something, yea, that they know many things. But observe the word there, He that thinketh: the word doth not signify a simple apprehension of a thing, or a bare and naked knowledge, for so a man may reflect upon his own knowledge, and know that he knows as well as what he knows: but it imports thinking, with a kind of insolency and pride of spirit, with affectation, boasting and vain-glory in that knowledge. He that thinketh he knows anything, that is, he that vaunts and stands upon his knowledge, who conceits he hath so much knowledge, such a head-piece that he can carry all before him by the strength of his wit and parts, such a knowing man knows nothing, That man's wisdom is but conceit, who is wise in his own conceit. In this sense we have the word ( Mat. 3.9.) where the Baptist bespeaks the Pharisees, Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; Think not, it was not a sin for them to think that Abraham was their father, and that they were descended from him, but, think not, that is, do not think of this, and so be proud of it. Be not lifted up upon an outward privilege, which will stand you in no stead at all, if you stand upon it: Except you be changed and born again of the Spirit, it will not avail you that you are born of Abraham's flesh: If Abraham's faith be not in your hearts, it shall be no advantage to you that Abraham's blood runs in your veins. The word is so used again (Phil. 3.4.) If any one thinketh he may be confident, I much more: If any one may have an opinion of himself in regard of outward privileges, surely I may, but I will not. So then an opinion or a conceitedness of our knowledge blasts all our knowledge, such a man knoweth nothing as he ought to know; he knoweth somewhat by rote, but he doth not know anything (as a Christian ought) by heart. By how much we have the more true knowledge of the highest objects, by so much we have the lower thoughts of our knowledge. It is best to know as much as we can of the best things, and to think as little as we can of ourselves.

But were not the days of all the fathers a shadow? Yes, the longest life is but a long shadow; he means comparatively, our lives are shorter by much then theirs were, and therefore but a shadow.

There are three sorts of shadows. 1. Natural. 2. Civil. 3. Spiritual.

First, A natural shadow is a dark light caused by the coming of some thick body between us and the Sun. This is a shadow in a proper and strict acception.

Secondly, Besides the natural, there is a civil shadow, Protection is a shadow: and to be under a shadow, is to be protected. We translate ( Numb. 14, 9.) Their defense is departed from them, the Hebrew is, Their shadow, So Isa. 4.5. & 25.4.

Thirdly, A shadow is taken for a dark or imperfect representation of things spiritual; so all the Ceremonies of the old Law are called shadows ( Heb. 8.5. & 10.1. & 9.9. Col. 2.17.) Ceremonial worship is expressed by a shadow, because it was but an obscure representation of the truth: The Ceremonies were interposed between Christ the true light and us, and so cast a shadow of him. Or, as a Painter, who is to draw the lively figure or shape of a man, at first makes an obscure draught, or some imperfect lines of the body, but afterwards gives it beauty and luster to the life. The Mosaical rites were such a shadow of heavenly things. Yet further, a shadow (which comes nearest the meaning of this text) notes the least imaginable sign or semblance of a thing: So ( Jam. 1.17.) when the Apostle saith, That with God the Father of lights, there is not so much as a shadow of turning, he means, there is not the least sign or token of turning with God.

When Bildad saith, Our days upon earth are but as a shadow, we may understand it, either of the time past, and so our life is but as a shadow that is gone. Or, it may be meant of the whole life of man taken together. The life of man (take it from the beginning to the ending, from the Alpha to the Omega, from the first to the last of it) is a shadow. The comparison is frequent in Scripture, I shall not need to stay upon it. See two or three particulars of the resemblance.

1. The life of man is as a shadow, because it hath little in it that is substantial, a shadow is opposed to a substance; our life rather seems to be, then is, it is so quickly gone.

2. A shadow (though sometimes it be put for protection and safety, yet) implies unsettledness and uncertainty; if a man stands or rests under a shadow, the shadow will leave him, 'twill be gone from him, and betray him to the scorching Sun-beams; a shadow never keeps long in one place, but varies with the motion of the Sun, and when it is high noon the shadow goes quite up, and is not. There is such an uncertainty in the life of man, it holds not one tenor, it stays not in any state, there is a deceitfulness in it, changes are upon it. The greatest certainty of our lives, is, that they are uncertain.

In general, the life of man being compared to a shadow, teaches us, that it is short, moveable and inconstant, there is no hold or tack in it, Psal. 102.11. My days are like a shadow that declineth. The increase of our days hath a declension in it, 1 Chron. 29.15. We are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as the shadow. How doth he explain that? There is none abiding in our days, as there is no abiding in a shadow. Many of the Ancients have represented the life of man, not only as a shadow, but less then a shadow, A dream of a shadow, a shadow of a sh • dow an Idol of a sh • dow which is the lowest expression that can be, as much as to say, a nothing of nothing. An Idol is nothing in the world. God made no such thing in the world. And though our days be made by God in the world, yet they are no such thing as God made, or as the world makes them. We have met with points about the shortness and transitorines of man's life often in this book, I shall therefore only add a word here.

It is our wisdom forasmuch as our life on earth is as a shadow, that we improve this shadow to gain assurance of eternal light: Life here is but a fleeting shadow, that to come is an abiding substance. Shall we for the pleasures and comforts of a life, which is no more enduring then a shadow, hazard the pleasures and comforts of a life, which endures forever. A man hath not a shadow of reason, not a shadow of true wisdom and understanding, who will spend out a shadowish life in those things which are but a shadow, neglecting that which is the true light, and will bring us to eternal light?

Bildad having put in this parenthesis as a reason why he sends Job to the fathers, gives him an encouragement at the tenth verse, to make this enquiry, he tells him what he shall get for his pains in consulting with those former ages, and with the fathers.

As if he had said, Thou shalt not lose thy labor by enquiring into those ancient times, shall not they teach thee? Certainly, they shall, thou shalt not come away empty, undirected, uncounsel'd.

How, could they teach? They were dead and gone, they were past many ages before. Bildad may be conceived to answer, Though the fathers are dead, yet they will speak to thee, and counsel thee, as well as if they lived and stood before thee with ourselves. They shall teach thee, and they shall instruct thee. And more then that, they will not only teach thee in a complement, and speak words to thee, but they will speak their very hearts to thee: thou shalt find that they will give thee cordial counsel, They will utter words to thee out of their heart.

The meaning of that is, either: First in general, they will give thee the real conceptions of their minds about these points, they will speak sincerely, they will not speak to thee from the teeth outward, but from the heart inward. Secondly, they will speak wisely and judiciously to thee about these things; they will utter, not so much words as oracles to thee out of their heart.

The heart is the seat of knowledge and understanding, and a wise man is (homo cordatus) a hearty man, a man with a heart; and a fool in Scripture is said to be a heartles man, a man without a heart; he cannot utter words from his heart, who wants a heart, he utters them from his mouth, or from his tongue. A fools heart is in his mouth, and a wise man's mouth is in his heart; he speaks that which lies in the in-most recesses and closets of his spirit: he speaks from meditation, he brings what he speaks to his heart, and from his heart utters what he speaks. Christ assures us, That a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil things. Every heart is a treasury. When a good man speaks evil, he speaks not from his heart (though he hath a stock of sinfulness in him) but from his lips; and when an evil man speaks good, he speaks it not from his heart, but from his lips: for he hath no stock or treasury of good within. An hypocrite speaks good with a heart and a heart, with a double heart. A fool speaks without a heart, yet of the two, it is better to have no heart then two.

Or we may take the meaning of the words, as a secret reproof of Job; If thou wilt look after these fathers, and search them, they will not speak as thou hast done, rashly, unadvisedly and indiscreetly, but they will speak from their hearts, they will utter things of weight and serious consideration. From hence observe,

First, That old men are presumed to have a great stock of knowledge.

Go to the fathers, they will certainly teach thee. Every man should labor to have a proportion of knowledge to his proportion of years, we should not be children in understanding, when we are men in time. The Apostle reproves such as are so ( Heb. 5.2.) When (saith he) for the time you ought to be teachers (look upon the years that are gone over your heads, and you ought to be teachers; you should have much in your hearts for the instruction of others, yet so it is) you have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and you are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Secondly, observe, They who are dead and gone, yet speak to us as if they were living.

Bildad sends Job to the ancient fathers, Go, they will teach thee and utter words out of their heart. Whilest we consider what they have spoken and done, it is as if they now spake, Heb. 11.4. Abel by faith offered a better sacrifice then Cain, and being dead he yet speaketh. They who are dead speak by their works, and they speak by the words which they spake, while they were alive. The records which they have left give us counsel to this day. When the rich man (it is the scope of the Parable) I say, when the rich man ( Luk. 16.2 • .) desired that Lazarus might go from the dead to speak to his brethren, Abraham answers him, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them, &c. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. They have Moses and the Prophets; but Moses and the Prophets were dead and gone; how have they Moses and the Prophets? they have not the men before them, but they had their writings and records: they who read the Prophets writings, hear their speakings. Books are silent voices.

If Moses and the Prophets may be heard when dead and gone, then much more may we hear Christ, since he died and rose, and his Apostles who are dead. And whereas some have an opinion that they do not know the mind of Christ, or that they cannot reform the Church or their Churches till Christ himself come from heaven to do it, or till there be Apostles sent personally to do it (they wanting an Apostle, cannot order the worship and ordinances of God, and therefore conclude against a present Church-state) I say to such, if that be your ground that you must have Christ and his Apostles to settle all for you; you have your desires. Look into the works and word of Christ, into the writings and practices of his Apostles, both for your rule and pattern. If Abraham could say, they have Moses and the Prophets, they may hear them: surely, we may say much more, we have Christ and his Apostles whom we may hear and consult about all the institutions and orders that concern the frame of his Church. We need not stay till Christ come down in person from heaven, or till new Apostles are sent, and furnished with instruction for this work, for we have Christ and his Apostles already, we hear what Christ spake, we read the rules which he gave concerning the ways of his worship and government of his Church (in all the essential and constitutive parts of either) to the end of the world.

Thirdly, observe, They that teach others should teach their own hearts to speak.

It is best speaking to others with the heart. The heart will teach better then the tongue, yea better then the understanding, • he word which comes from the heart of the teacher, goes soonest to the heart of the hearer.

Fourthly, observe, The heart is the true repository or treasury of holy truths.

You may see where the fathers, the holy men in ancient time laid up truth: they utter words out of their heart, then, truth was laid up there. Truth is (as it were) the heart of God, and therefore we must put it into our hearts. David hid the Commandments of God in his heart: Mary laid up the words of Christ there. To have the word only swimming in our brains, is to as little purpose, as to have it only in our Note-books. To have truth only in our brains or in our books, will do us as little good as water in our shoes. It is a sad thing to consider how many thousand Sermons are written almost word for word in books, and scarce a letter of them written in the heart. The promise of the new Covenant is, that God will write his law in our hearts: Let not any rest satisfied in having the word written in their books.

Observe further, Holy men of old did highly esteem the word and truths of God.

You may know the esteem they had of these by the place where they laid these; the heart is the best place, the fairest room in man. To put a thing into the heart, notes highest esteem and approbation. When we say a thing is in our hearts we cannot say more to express our esteem of it. When the Apostle ( Phil. 1.7.) professes to the Philippians, I have you in my heart; his meaning is, you are most dear and precious to me. When we see a man preparing a special place, a safe place, a convenient place to lay a thing in, we conclude that the thing he would lay up is of value and account with him: when we are preparing and fitting our hearts to put the word and truths of God in, hereby we give a real testimony, that we honor the word of God. For the most part the truths of God (as we say of things we neglect) are cast at men's heels rather then laid up in their hearts. We may know the esteem a Queen of England had of the City of Calais, when she said, It was in her heart, and there they should find it, if they opened her.

So much concerning these three verses, containing an argument from antiquity, and the testimony of the first ages, by which Bildad confirms his former position, That God is just.

It cannot. The original word for a rush speaks its nature; the root signifying to suck and drink in, or always to be guzling down. The rush lives in liquor, and is always drinking. These abounded near the banks of Nile in Egypt. There Moses was put into an Ark or skiff made of bulrushes, Exod. 2.3. The Prophet ( Isa. 18.1, 2.) tells us of a land, sending Ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters.

In strength, luster and beauty. The word implies growing with a kind of pride, so plants do in a rich or proper soil, they lift up their heads, and carry it highly.

Which is as much as to say, can a man live without food? Mire is the rushes meat and drink. It loves and delights in a moorish soil, and by the rivers side. A rush upon the dry land, is like a fish upon the dry land. At most the rush among vegetables and plants, is like those fowls and beasts among sensitives, which live part upon the water, and part upon the land.

The word signifies any fertile place for grass, a meadow, Gen. 41.2. Pharaoh saw in his dream seven welfavoured kine, and fatfleshed, and they fed in a meadow. Some render it so here, Can the meadow grow without water? Both flags and medows are such drinkers, that they quickly wither, if they want water: which Bildad gives us plainly in the next verse.

Whilest it is yet in his greenness.] Or, shooting up in his stem. Some derive the Hebrew word from Ab, Father; and so it may be rendered from the letter of the Hebrew, though the expression be somewhat uncouth. While it is yet in it's paternity, or fatherhood, that is, while it is flourishing and procreative. Others derive it from Abib, which signifies an ear of corn, or the ear with the stalk. Hence the month Abib among the Jews had its name, because in those climates, corn was then eared and began to be ripe; it was the first month to the Israelites, because of their coming out of Egypt, and answered to part of our March, and part of April, Exod. 13.4. Chap. 23.15. This day came ye out in the month Abib, this month shall be to you the beginning of months. So then this greenness of the rush implies the strength and best of it, the goodliness and beauty of it.

That is, before it is cropped and pulled up by the hand, or is fully ripe.

That is, sooner or more speedily then any other herb of lesser show, but better rooting. There are two causes why trees wither, both which are here removed from the rush, and yet it withers.

First, Age, but the rush withers while it is young in its greenness.

Secondly, Violence, when it is pulled up or cut down by force of hand: but the rush withers, while it is not cut down. Both argue enough, the little subsistency which the rush hath in itself; to seek any further account about it, were but to seek a knot in a rush.

Bildad having explained his similitude, now applies it. The comparison may be made out three ways.

First, That hypocrites are kept in life and luster, by outward, earthly supplies only, as the rush is by mire and water; and therefore when these fail, they fail also.

Secondly, As the rush dies, because it hath no water; so an hypocrite declines and wastes, because he is not watered by the blessings of God, and hath no rooting in grace. The seed cast on the stony ground (Matth. 13.6.) withered, because it had no earth. • he lack of earth to the one is the same with the lack of water to the other.

Thirdly, In the general, that as a rush flourishes a while, but quickly withers; so the best estate of an hypocrite, his greenness is of no long continuance; his seeming graces, like his joys, are but for a moment. Hence observe,

Natural things are shadows to us of spiritual.

We may learn many lessons from speechless creatures. While we turn the leaves and peruse the contents of this great volume the book of nature, we may find much of the God of nature. David took instructions from it daily (Psal. 8.) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindful of him? I say likewise, when we behold the grass and flowers of the field, the flag, the rush in the water: we may not only put the Question, What is man? but we may resolve the Question, what the man is: when we look upon the meanest creatures, we may see pieces of ourselves, they are as we are in many considerations, and we as they; what is man? Man is as grass. What is a wicked man an hypocrite? He is a rush, He is like the chaff which the wind drives away. What is a godly man? He is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. The Spirit of God from things sensible and visible, raiseth us up to things spiritual and invisible.

The Ancients were very frequent in this kind of study, perusing the book of nature, and taking helps to better the understanding by every object of the eye. It is well observed by one of them, That God sent us the book of nature, before he sent the book of Scripture. The mind of God was written upon the things which he had made, before he made tables or books to write his mind in. The Fathers had many revelations from the beginning, but they had not Scripture from the beginning. Some conceive that Isaac going out into the fields to meditate, meditated upon the text of the creature, and used to raise his heart by those steps of earth to heavenly contemplations. It is said of Solomon (1 King. 4.32, 33.) That he spake three thousand Proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five, and that he spake of trees, from the Cedar tree that is in Leba •• n, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; which Josephus expounds thus, Solomon applied his three thousand parables or similitudes unto those trees or plants about which he discoursed, drawing some divine moral from every plant, whose nature as a Philosopher he had described.

More distinctly for the spiritualizing of this similitude, consider wherein a wicked man or an hypocrite, is like unto a rush; the rush may be of good value to us, being thus improved.

First, The rush is a very spongy, hoven, hollow substance, it is not solid or close-grain'd: An hypocrite hath no solidity, we call him a hollow-hearted man.

Secondly, Hypocrites are well compared to a rush or a flag, because in windy weather they sit which way soever the wind sits. They take no ha •• by a storm, because they yield to every turn: let the wind blow which way it will, the rush breaks neither body nor branch. Let things turn which way they will, hypocrites can shift, and bend, and yield with them. And therefore when storms arise, which pull down and destroy many goodly trees of God's own planting, these rushes continue. Hypocrites keep their standing, because they never stand. A great man being asked how he kept his honor and preferment in so many changes of wind and weather, of times and Princes, answered, By being a willow, and not an Oak. He that can sway, seldom breaks. Hypocrites in the Church and State, live by the same principles.

Thirdly, A bulrush or a flag in time of a storm hangs down the head, but when the storm is over, it holds up the head, and stands upright again. This resemblance between the hypocrite and a bulrush is given by the Prophet (Isa. 58.5.) Is this the fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, &c? The bulrush in a storm seems to be humbled to the very ground, but in fair weather it is as high as ever. Hypocrites in times of public humiliation, hang down their heads, and seem to lay their mouths in the dust, but when the day is past, they quickly forget their sorrows, If I (saith the Apostle, Gal. 1.18.) build again the things which I have destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. Hypocrites are the worst sort of transgressors, for they seem to destroy their sins one day, but they indeed build them again the next.

Fourthly, The rush and the flag grow only in miry places, where they may have abundance of water and moisture, which notes a kind of sensuality in them, and therefore they have their names from drinking. So hypocrites seem to be heavenly, but are indeed earthly: they are like the rush, they cannot live without store of water, they are sensual, they must please their appetites, and delight their palates. The Apostle describes them so, They serve not the Lord Jesus, but their own bellies; they must be supported with the affluence of outward things, else they cannot hold out, in profession. Whereas the godly and true believers can live, when the water is drain'd or dry'd away, when outward things fail and are gone. So the Prophet Habakkuk professes, Chap. 3. ult. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, though the fields shall yield no meat, and there be no herds in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, and will joy in the God of my salvation. A godly man will grow when all the world decays to him; he will rejoice in God when all outward comforts fail him; hypocrites must have sensual supplies, or they are lost. A feigned love of spiritual things is ever joined with a true love of worldly things. Christ speaks of some who followed him more for the loaves then for the word. And Judas followed his Masters bag, more then his Master.

Fifthly, Bulrushes or flags yield no fruit at all, they only make a fair show; hypocrites how green so ever they are, what show or profession soever they make, yield no fruit of holiness.

Sixthly, A bulrush or a flag withers sooner then any other herb, that is, then other herbs that are not seated so near the water. And this agrees well with the hypocrite, for when the hypocrite begins once to wither, he withers quickly. He never had any true life, and he will not long appear to have any. When one that hath made a fair profession begins to decay, he decays sooner than a mere civil man; a civil man will hold out in honesty and justice a great while, but a hypocrite gives over holiness and godliness presently. Besides, God blasts and withers an hypocrite sooner than any other man, because he hath abused and wronged God more then any other man. When judgments come they fall first upon hypocrites, The hypocrites in Zion tremble, Isa. 33. Trembling will take hold upon the profane and openly wicked, but trembling takes hold foonest upon hypocrites; they have most cause to tremble, who were confident without a cause. False hope is the parent of real fear; and they who believe without repenting, shall repent without believing.

So are the paths.] So, that is, thus it comes to pass, this is the way and the end of all those who forget God.

The path of a man is taken two ways.

First, For his state and condition, Psal. 1. The way of the wicked shall perish; that is, the whole state of a wicked man shall perish.

Secondly, For his course and conversation, Job 33.11. He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths, that is, he takes notice of the whole course of my life; all my conversation, all my tradings and dealings are before God. This path of man's course and conversation is twofold. There is an internal, and there is an external path. The internal is that of the mind; the mind hath it's course, the heart hath a way, Isa. 57.17. He went on frowardly in the way of his heart. The external path is that of outward actions: That which we usually do, is our path. Thus the actions and works of God are called the paths of God, Job 40.19. Behemeth is the chief of the ways of God. Prov. 8.22. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. Psal. 77.13. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary; that is, thy actings and doings are seen there.

Our actions are compared to a path in two respects. 1. Because we are frequent in them, that which is a man's course he treads every day. 2. They are called our paths, because they lead us to same end; every path leads us to some place or other. Some actions lead to life, and some to death, some lead to heaven, some to hell, some to Christ, and some to Satan, to one of these ends, we are travelling and journeying all the days of our lives.

To forget God imports these four things.

1. Not to think of God, we forget that which we mind not. The first act of remembering is thinking. The thief on the cross prayed, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom; that is, think of me for good. God is not in all the thoughts of a wicked man • o obey or honor him, and a wicked man is not in all the thought of God (in this sense) to bless or pardon him.

2. To forget God, is to disobey God, or not to do the will of God, Deut. 8.11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his Commandments. As to remember God is to do the will of God, Eccles. 12.1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth: that is do the will of thy Creator in the days of thy youth: so to forget God, is to disobey God, not to do his will. God is said to forget us when he doth not our will, that is, when we in prayer propose • u • d •• fe to God to do them for us, the not doing of those things for us, into forget us. David expostulates, Psal. 77.9. Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious? He had prayed much at the beginning of the Psalm with success, I cried unto God with my mouth, even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. He puts up other requests, which finding no present answer or sensible acceptance, he cries out, Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious? Now, as when the Lord doth not our will, he is said in Scripture to forget us, so when we do not the will of God, we indeed forget him.

3. To forget is lightly to esteem, to sleight the Lord. That which a man highly esteems, he keeps in his memory, and treasure it up there; and when a man forgets a thing, especially when he willfully forgets it, he disrespects it, he sleights and contemns it, Jer. 30.14. All thy lovers have forgotten thee; that is, thy lovers care not for thee, they sleight and esteem lightly of thee. When a man comes not at one, whom he loves, he is said to forget him, Jer. 2.32. Can a maid forget her ornaments. or a bride her attire? A maid hath a great esteem of her ornaments; especially of her wedding ornaments, and therefore she is often thinking of them; it may be she can hardly sleep the night before, for thinking of the rich garments, yea the bracelets and babbles she is to wear upon the wedding day. Can a bride forget her attire? Will she throw these by the walls (as we speak) or cast them at her heels? Yet, saith the Lord, My people have forgotten me days without number. They have lightly esteemed me, I am not so much to them as new clothes, who am indeed their life; I am not so much remembered as unnecessary curiosities, from whom they receive all things necessary, and whose favor is the one thing necessary.

4. To forget God is to depart from God. We stay with God no longer then we remember him: as we cannot have communion with truth, so not with the God of truth, without an act of memory (Heb. 12.5.) Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord &c. A word forgotten is to us of no more use then a word never spoken. We are without all the good we forget; and to forget God is (Ephes. 2.12.) to be without God in the world, or, to live on earth as if there were no God in heaven, either in regard of mercy to be received, or of duty to be performed. Hypocrites forget God all these ways; though their natural memory may be good, yet spiritual memory (and that only holds spiritual things) they have none. Observe hence,

First, That the hypocrite is a forgotter of God.

Every wicked man is forgetful of God. Hence we find these put together, Psal. 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the Nations that forget God: But this is the special character of an hypocrite, he is a forgetter of God. Consider this (saith the Psalmist) ye that forget God; that is, ye hypocrites consider this ( 〈◊〉 50.22) for he speaks of such as had taken their covenant of God in their mouths; What hast thou to do (verse. 16.) to take my Covenant in thy mouth? As if he had said, thou professest to be in Covenant with me, to have an interest in me, Yet when thou sawest a thief, then thou consentest with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers, thou givest thy mouth to evil, &c. Hypocrites take the Covenant of God in their mouths, but cast it out of their lives, God is near in their mouths, but from their reins (Jer. 12.2.) If the hypocrite did not forget, that God is about his bed, and about his path, and espieth out all his ways, he could not be so false with God, so polluted in his ways, so rotten in his inward parts. If an hypocrite did not forget, that God being a spirit delighteth to be worshipped in Spirit, he would never be satisfied in worshipping him with his body. If he did not forget that God is jealous, that he will not hold them guiltless who take his name in vain, he durst not (which is his every days work) take the name of God in vain.

Secondly, observe, That forgetfulness of God (howsoever it seems no great matter, yet) is exceeding sinful, a wickedness of the highest stature.

Forgetfulness of God is therefore a great wickedness, because God hath done so many things to be remembered by. What could the Lord have done more to make himself remembered then he hath done, Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of darkness? (saith the Lord, Jer. 2.31.) the words are an aggravation of their forgetfulness. As if the Lord had said, I have been a light to you wheresoever you go, and wheresoever I go my steps drop fatness for you, and am I forgotten? Where can we set a step but we tread upon a remembrance of God? Every creature holds forth God unto us. He hath left his remembrance upon every ordinance, Do this in remembrance of me, saith Christ in that great ordinance of his Supper: yea all the works of his providence are remembrancers of him. He leaves an impression of his wisdom, holiness, justice, power upon all he doth. Now for us to forget God who hath (as it were) studied so many ways to fasten himself in our remembrance, must needs be extremely sinful. Further it is very sinful to forget God, because God doth so abundantly remember us. He hath not only done that which may cause man to remember him; but he hath man always in his remembrance, especially his own people, He hath graven them upon the palms of his hands, and they are continually before him. They who desire to preserve their friends fresh in memory, get their pictures in their houses, or engrave them upon rings and jewels which they wear always about them. But he that cuts the image of his friend in his flesh, or draws it upon his skin, how zealous is he of his friends remembrance? Pictures and annulets may be lost, but our hands cannot fall off. When the Lord would show how mindful he is of his Church, he assures her that he carries her picture always about him, not drawn upon a Tablet, or engraven upon the signet of his right hand, but upon the palms of his hands; as if he should say, I must lose myself, before I can lose the sight of memory of thee ( Isa. 49.16.) He remembers her so, that he cannot forget her. And because the characters and stamps of nature are more abiding and indelible then those of art, therefore he saith ( verse. 15.) Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. A woman may break the bonds of nature, but God will never break the bonds of his own free grace. May not all this raise us into David's