Job 25 commentary

Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Ps 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can man, who is guilty and impure, appear before him? We need to be born again of water and of the Holy Ghost, and to be bathed again and again in the blood of Christ, that Fountain opened, Zec 13:1. We should be humbled as mean, guilty, polluted creatures, and renounce self-dependence. But our vileness will commend Christ's condescension and love; the riches of his mercy and the power of his grace will be magnified to all eternity by every sinner he redeems.

CHAPTER 25

THIRD SERIES.

Job 25:1-6. Bildad's Reply.

He tries to show Job's rashness (Job 23:3), by arguments borrowed from Eliphaz (Job 15:15, with which compare Job 11:17.

2. Power and terror, that is, terror-inspiring power.

peace in his high places--implying that His power is such on high as to quell all opposition, not merely there, but on earth also. The Holy Ghost here shadowed forth Gospel truths (Col 1:20; Ep 1:10).

3. armies--angels and stars (Is 40:26; Jr 33:22; Ge 15:5; "countless," Da 7:10).

his light--(Jas 1:17).

4. (Job 4:17, 18; 14:4; 15:14).

5. "Look up even unto the moon" (Job 15:15). "Stars" here answer to "saints" (angels) there; "the moon" here to "the heavens" there. Even the "stars," the most dazzling object to man's eye, and the angels, of which the stars are emblems (Job 4:18; Re 9:1), are imperfect in His sight. Theirs is the light and purity but of creatures; His of the Creator.

6. (Job 4:19-21; 15:16).

worm ... worm--Two distinct Hebrew words. The first, a worm bred in putridity; alluding to man's corruption. The second a crawling worm; implying that man is weak and grovelling.

Bildad the Shuhite - This is the last attack on Job; the others felt themselves foiled, though they had not humility enough to acknowledge it, but would not again return to the attack. Bildad has little to say, and that little is very little to the point. He makes a few assertions, particularly in reference to what Job had said in the commencement of the preceding chapter, of his desire to appear before God, and have his case tried by him, as he had the utmost confidence that his innocence should be fully proved. For this Bildad reprehends Job with arguments which had been brought forth often in this controversy, and as repeatedly confuted, Job 4:18; Job 15:14-16.

Dominion and fear are with him - God is an absolute sovereign; his fear is on all the hosts of heaven; and by his sovereignty he establishes and preserves order in the heavens, and among all the inhabitants of the eternal world: how canst thou, therefore, dare to appeal to him, or desire to appear before him?

Is there any number of his armies? - He has troops innumerable; he can serve himself of all his creatures; every thing may be a means of help or destruction, according to his Divine will. When he purposes to save, none can destroy; and when he is determined to destroy, none can save. It is vain to trust in his creatures against himself.

Upon whom doth not his light arise? - That is, his providence rules over all; he is universal Lord; he causes his sun to arise on the evil and the good, and sends his rain on the just and unjust.

How then can man be justified? - Or, ונה umah, With what, shall a man be justified with God? Though this is no conclusion from Bildad's premises, yet the question is of the highest importance to man. Neither Bildad nor any of his fellows could answer it; the doctrine of redemption through the blood of the cross was then known only through types and shadows. We who live in the Gospel dispensation, can readily answer the question, With what shall miserable man (אנוש enosh) be justified with God? - Ans. By bringing forward, by faith, to the throne of the Divine justice, the sacrificial offering of the Lord Jesus Christ; and confiding absolutely in it, as being a full, sufficient, and complete atonement and sacrifice for his sins, and for the salvation of a lost world. How, or with what (ומה umah) shall he be clean that is born of a woman? - Ans. By receiving that grace or heavenly influence communicated by the power and energy of the eternal Spirit applying to the heart the efficacy of that blood which cleanses from all unrighteousness. This, and this only, is the way in which a sinner, when truly penitent, can be justified before God: and in which a believer, convinced of indwelling sin, can be sanctified and cleansed from all unrighteousness. This is the only means of justification and sanctification, without which there can be no glorification. And these two great works, which constitute the whole of salvation, have been procured for a lost world by the incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was delivered for our offenses, and rose again for our justification; to whom be glory and dominion now and for evermore, Amen!

Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not - It is continually changing its appearance. It never appears twice in its whole revolution with the same face: it is ever waxing or waning; and its face is variegated with opaque spots. Its changeableness can never be compared with the unchangeable nature of God.

Yea, the stars are not pure in his sight - Whatever their excellence may be as stars, it is nothing in comparison with him from whom they have derived their being and splendor. See the notes on Job 4:18; Job 15:14-16. The Targum reads: "Behold, the moon is as yet spotted in her eastern part; the sun shines not; and the stars are not pure in his sight." Some think that by stars are meant those angels who kept not their first estate: this may be so, but I cannot see it in the text. It may, however, mean the heavenly host, as it is supposed to do, Job 28:7; but I still must hesitate on the propriety of such applications. It is probable this speech of Bildad was delivered in the night-season, when clouds interrupted the bright shining of the moon. The third verse seems to refer immediately to the stars, which to the naked eye are innumerable. The sun is not mentioned, because of his absence. This speech of Bildad is both confused and inconclusive. His reasoning is absurd, and he draws false conclusions from his premises. In the third verse, he says, "Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom does not his light arise?" But how absurd is the conclusion which he draws from his questions: - "How then can a man be justified with God, or he be clean who is born of a woman?" This has no relation to the premises; still to us the question is not difficult, and has already been answered in the notes: "A man can be justified with God," through the blood of Christ; and "he can be clean who is born of a woman." through the sanctification of the Spirit.

How much less man, that is a worm? - Or as the Targum - "How much more man, who in his life is a reptile; and the son of man, who in his death is a worm." Almost all the versions read, "Truly man is corruption, and the son of man a worm." The original is degradingly expressive: "Even because אנוש enosh, miserable man, is רמה rimmah, a crawling worm; and the son of Adam, who is תולעה toleah, a worm, or rather maggot, from its eating into and dividing certain substances." - Parkhurst. Thus endeth Bildad the Shuhite, who endeavored to speak on a subject which he did not understand; and, having got on bad ground, was soon confounded in his own mind, spoke incoherently, argued inconclusively, and came abruptly and suddenly to an end. Thus, his three friends being confounded, Job was left to pursue his own way; they trouble him no more; and he proceeds in triumph to the end of the thirty-first chapter.

Answered - Not to that which Job spake last, but to that which seemed most reprovable in all his discourses; his censure of God's proceedings with him, and his desire of disputing the matter with him. Perhaps Bildad and the rest now perceived that Job and they did not differ so much as they thought. They owned that the wicked might prosper for a while. And Job owned, they would be destroyed at the last.

Dominion - Sovereign power over all persons and things. Fear - Terror, that which justly makes him dreadful to all men, and especially to all that undertake to dispute with him. He - This clause, as well as the following verse, seems to be added to prove God's dominion and dreadfulness: he keepeth and ruleth all persons and things in heaven, in peace and harmony. The angels, though they be very numerous, all own his sovereignty, and acquiesce in his pleasure. The stars, tho' vast in their bulk, and various in their motions: exactly keep the order which God hath appointed them: and therefore it is great folly for thee to quarrel with the methods of God's dealings with thee.

Armies - Of the angels, and stars, and other creatures, all which are his hosts. Light - The light of the sun is communicated to all parts of the world. This is a faint resemblance, of the cognisance and care which God takes of the whole creation. All are under the light of his knowledge: all partake of the light of his goodness: his pleasure is to shew mercy: all the creatures live upon his bounty.

Man - The word signifies man that is miserable, which supposes him to be sinful; and shall such a creature quarrel with that dominion of God, to which the sinless, and happy, and glorious angels submit? God - Before God's tribunal, to which thou dost so boldly appeal.

Moon - The moon, tho' bright and glorious, if compared with the Divine Majesty, is without any lustre or glory. By naming the moon, and thence proceeding to the stars, the sun is also included.

Worm - Mean, and vile, and impotent; proceeding from corruption, and returning to it. The son - For miserable man in the last branch he here puts the son of any man, to shew that this is true even of the greatest and best of men. Let us then wonder at the condescension of God, in taking such worms into covenant and communion with himself!

1. THen answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

Not to that which Iob spake last, but to that which stuck most in Bildad's mind, and which seemed most reprovable in all his discourses; to wit, his bold censure of God's proceedings with him, and his avowed and oft repeated desire of disputing the matter with him.

2. Dominion and fear , are with him , he maketh peace in his high places.

i. e. Absolute and sovereign power over all persons and things, with whom to contend, is both rebellion and madness.

Actively understood, or terrour, i. e. that which justly makes him dreadfull to all men, and especially to all that shall undertake to dispute with him; awful Majesty, infinite knowledge, whereby he knows men's hearts and ways, far better than they know themselves, and sees much s[illegible: 1+ letters]n in them which themselves do not discover, and exact purity and justice, which renders him formidable to sinners.

Emphatically spoken▪ with him whom thou challengest, with him who is not lightly and irreverently to be named▪ much less to be contended with. And therefore it is thy duty to humble thy self for thy presumptuous words and carriages towards him, and quietly and modestly to submit thy self and thy cause to his pleasure. This Clause, as well as the following Verse, seems to be added to prove what he last said of God's dominion and dreadfulness: He keepeth and ruleth all persons and things in Heaven in peace and harmony, and the order which he hath established among them. The Angels though they be very numerous and differing in orders and ministeries, do all own his Soveraignty, and acquiesce in his Pleasure, without any disputing and murmuring. The Stars and heavenly Bodies though va[illegible: 1+ letters]t in their bulk, and various in their motions, yet exactly keep their courses and the order which God hath appointed them: And therefore it is great folly and impudence to exempt thy self from God's jurisdiction, or to quarrel with the methods of God's dealings with thee.

3. Is there any number of his armies ? and upon whom doth not his light arise?

Of the Angels, and Stars, and other Creatures, all which are his Hosts wholly submitting themselves to his Will, to be and do what God would have them: And therefore how insolent and unreasonable a thing is it for thee to quarrel with him! He spoke before of God's making peace; and here he mentions the Armies by which he keeps it.

Either 1. properly, his Sun, which riseth upon all, Mat. 5. 45. Or rather 2. metaphorically, all that is in men, which is or may be called light, the light of life, by which men subsist and are kept out of the state of the dead, called a land of darkness, Job 10. 22. The Light of Reason and Understanding, called God's Candle, Prov. 20. 27. by which thou, O Iob, art capable of arguing with God and with us, and all that peace, and prosperity, and comfort which thou ever didst enjoy, which oft comes under the name of Light, as Esth. 8. 15, 16. Psalm 97. 11. & 112. 4. which being here called light, is to continue the Metaphor, most fitly said to arise upon men: all this is from God, and therefore is wholly at his disposal, he freely gave it all, and he may justly take it away; as thou thy self didst truly observe and confess, Iob 1. 21. and consequently thou hast no reason to reproach God for disposing of his own as he pleaseth. Thou hast lost nothing which was thine own, and having no propriety, there is no foundation for any judicial contest with God.

4. How then, can man be justified with God ? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman ?

The word signifies Man that is miserable, which supposeth him to be sinful; and that such a Creature should quarrel with that Dominion of God, to which the sinless, and happy, and glorious Angels willingly submit, is most absurd and impious.

i. e. Before God's Tribunal, to which thou doest so boldly appeal. Thou mayst plead thy Cause with thy fellow-worms as we are, and expect to be justified, but wo to thee if the great God undertake to plead his Cause against thee; how severely and certainly wouldest thou then be condemned!

To wit, after the ordinary course; for otherwise Christ was born of a Woman, but in a singular manner. This Birth is alledged as an Evidence of man's filthiness, Io[illegible: 1+ letters] 14. 4. & 15. 14. Psalm 51. 5. and of his liableness to God's Curse and Wrath, Gen. 3. 16. Ephes. 2. 2. and consequently of his condemnation opposite to the justification here mentioned, and confidently expected by Iob in this Contest.

Marginal references: Chap. 4. 1[illegible: 1+ letters], &c. and 15. 14, &c.

5. Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not . yea, the stars are not pure in his sight .

The Moon, though a bright and glorious Creature, Iob 31. 26. Cant. 6. 10. if compared with the splendour of the Divine Majesty, is but as a dark and earthy lump, without any lustre or glory. He names the Moon and the Stars, rather than the Sun, because they many times are eclipsed or disappear even to our Eyes, which is a plain evidence of their utter obscurity in respect of God's Light: whereas the Sun, though that also be obscure, if compared with God, yet it casts a constant and most clear light. Or by naming the Moon, and thence proceeding to the Stars, the Sun is included between them.

He can discern many spots and blemishes in them which we cannot see; and in like manner he can discover those corruptions or sins in us which are unknown to our own Consciences, which should make thee, O Iob, tremble to appear before his Tribunal.

6. How much less man that is a worm : and the son of man which is a worm ?

To wit, mean, and vile, and impotent, proceeding from corruption, and returning to it, and withal filthy and loathsom, and so every way a very unfit person to appear before the high and holy God, and much more to contend with him.

The same thing repeated in other words; onely for miserable man in the last Branch he here puts the son of any man, of what degree or quality soever, to shew that this is true even of the greatest and best of men.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 22. 6.

Job 25:1-6   1  Then began Bildad the Shuhite, and said:   2  Dominion and terror are with Him,

He maketh peace in His high places.   3  Is there any number to His armies,

And whom doth not His light surpass?   4  How could a mortal be just with God,

And how could one born of woman be pure?   5  Behold, even the moon, it shineth not brightly,

And the stars are not pure in His eyes.   6  How much less mortal man, a worm,

And the son of man, a worm!Ultimum hocce classicum, observes Schultens, quod a parte triumvirorum sonuit, magis receptui canentis videtur, quam praelium renovantis. Bildad only repeats the two commonplaces, that man cannot possibly maintain his supposedly perverted right before God, the all-just and all-controlling One, to whom, even in heaven above, all things cheerfully submit, and that man cannot possibly be accounted spotlessly pure, and consequently exalted above all punishment before Him, the most holy One, before whom even the brightest stars do not appear absolutely pure. המשׁל is an inf. abs. made into a substantive, like השׁקט; the Hiph. (to cause to rule), which is otherwise causative, can also, like Kal, signify to rule, or properly, without destroying the Hiphil-signification, to exercise authority (vid., on Job 31:18); המשׁל therefore signifies sovereign rule. עשׂה, with הוּא to be supplied, which is not unfrequently omitted both in participial principal clauses (Job 12:17., Psa 22:29; Isa 26:3; Isa 29:8; Isa 40:19, comp. Zec 9:12, where אני is to be supplied) and in partic. subordinate clauses (Psa 7:10; Psa 55:20; Hab 2:10), is an expression of the simple praes., which is represented by the partic. used thus absolutely (including the personal pronoun) as a proper tense-form (Ew. §168, c, 306, d). Schlottman refers עשׂה to המשׁל ופהד; but the analogy of such attributive descriptions of God is against it. Umbreit and Hahn connect בּמרומיו with the subject: He in His heights, i.e., down from His throne in the heavens. But most expositors rightly take it as descriptive of the place and object of the action expressed: He establishes peace in His heights, i.e., among the celestial beings immediately surrounding Him. This, only assuming the abstract possibility of discord, might mean: facit magestate sua ut in summa pace et promptissima obedientia ipsi ministrent angeli ipsius in excelsis (Schmid). But although from Job 4:18; Job 15:15, nothing more than that even the holy ones above are neither removed from the possibility of sin nor the necessity of a judicial authority which is high above them, can be inferred; yet, on the other hand, from Job 3:8; Job 9:13 (comp. Job 26:12.), it is clear that the poet, in whose conception, as in scripture generally, the angels and the stars stand in the closest relation, knows of actual, and not merely past, but possibly recurring, instances of hostile dissension and titanic rebellion among the celestial powers; so that עשׂה שׁלום, therefore, is intended not merely of a harmonizing reconciliation among creatures which have been contending one against another, but of an actual restoration of the equilibrium that had been disturbed through self-will, by an act of mediation and the exercise of judicial authority on the part of God.

God Exalted and Man Abased. (b. c. 1520.)

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 2 Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places. 3 Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise? 4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? 5 Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. 6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Bildad is to be commended here for two things:—1. For speaking no more on the subject about which Job and he differed. Perhaps he began to think Job was in the right, and then it was justice to say no more concerning it, as one that contended for truth, not for victory, and therefore, for the finding of truth, would be content to lose the victory; or, if he still thought himself in the right, yet he knew when he had said enough, and would not wrangle endlessly for the last word. Perhaps indeed one reason why he and the rest of them let fall this debate was because they perceived that Job and they did not differ so much in opinion as they thought: they owned that wicked people might prosper a while, and Job owned they would be destroyed at last; how little then was the difference! If disputants would understand one another better, perhaps they would find themselves nearer one another than they imagined. 2. For speaking so well on the matter about which Job and he were agreed. If we would all get our hearts filled with awful thoughts of God and humble thoughts of ourselves, we should not be so apt as we are to fall out about matters of doubtful disputation, which are trifling or intricate.

Two ways Bildad takes here to exalt God and abase man:—

I. He shows how glorious God is, and thence infers how guilty and impure man is before him, v. 2-4. Let us see then,

1. What great things are here said of God, designed to possess Job with a reverence of him, and to check his reflections upon him and upon his dealings with him: (1.) God is the sovereign Lord of all, and with him is terrible majesty. Dominion and fear are with him, v. 2. He that gave being has an incontestable authority to give laws, and can enforce the laws he gives. He that made all has a right to dispose of all according to his own will, with an absolute sovereignty. Whatever he will do he does, and may do; and none can say unto him, What doest thou? or Why doest thou so? Dan. iv. 35. His having dominion (or being Dominus—Lord) bespeaks him both owner and ruler of all the creatures. They are all his, and they are all under his direction and at his disposal. Hence it follows that he is to be feared (that is, reverenced and obeyed), that he is feared by all that know him (the seraphim cover their faces before him), and that, first or last, all will be made to fear him. Men's dominion is often despicable, often despised, but God is always terrible. (2.) The glorious inhabitants of the upper world are all perfectly observant of him and entirely acquiesce in his will: He maketh peace in his high places. He enjoys himself in a perfect tranquillity. The holy angels never quarrel with him, nor with one another, but entirely acquiesce in his will, and unanimously execute it without murmuring or disputing. Thus the will of God is done in heaven; and thus we pray that it may be done by us and others on earth. The sun, moon, and stars, keep their courses, and never clash with one another: nay, even in this lower region, which is often disturbed with storms and tempests, yet when God pleases he commands peace, by making the storm a calm, Ps. cvii. 29; lxv. 7. Observe, The high places are his high places; for the heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's (Ps. cxv. 16) in a peculiar manner. Peace is God's work; where it is made it is he that makes it, Isa. lvii. 19. In heaven there is perfect peace; for there is perfect holiness, and there is God, who is love. (3.) He is a God of irresistible power: Is there any number of his armies? v. 3. The greatness and power of princes are judged of by their armies. God is not only himself almighty, but he has numberless numbers of armies at his beck and disposal,—standing armies that are never disbanded,—regular troops, and well disciplined, that are never to seek, never at a loss, that never mutiny,—veteran troops, that have been long in his service,—victorious troops, that never failed of success nor were ever foiled. All the creatures are his hosts, angels especially. He is Lord of all, Lord of hosts. He has numberless armies, and yet makes peace. He could make war upon us, but is willing to be at peace with us; and even the heavenly hosts were sent to proclaim peace on earth and good will towards men, Luke ii. 14. (4.) His providence extends itself to all: Upon whom does not his light arise? The light of the sun is communicated to all parts of the world, and, take the year round, to all equally. See Ps. xix. 6. That is a faint resemblance of the universal cognizance and care God takes of the whole creation, Matt. v. 45. All are under the light of his knowledge and are naked and open before him. All partake of the light of his goodness: it seems especially to be meant of that. He is good to all; the earth is full of his goodness. He is Deus optimus—God, the best of beings, as well as maximus—the greatest: he has power to destroy; but his pleasure is to show mercy. All the creatures live upon his bounty.

2. What low things are here said of man, and very truly and justly (v. 4): How then can man be justified with God? Or how can he be clean? Man is not only mean, but vile, not only earthly, but filthy; he cannot be justified, he cannot be clean, (1.) In comparison with God. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing to God's, Ps. lxxxix. 6. (2.) In debate with God. He that will quarrel with the word and providence of God must unavoidably go by the worst. God will be justified, and then man will be condemned, Ps. li. 4; Rom. iii. 4. There is no error in God's judgment, and therefore there lies no exception against it, nor appeal from it. (3.) In the sight of God. If God is so great and glorious, how can man, who is guilty and impure, appear before him? Note, [1.] Man, by reason of his actual transgressions, is obnoxious to God's justice and cannot in himself be justified before him: he can neither plead Not guilty, nor plead any merit of his own to balance or extenuate his guilt. The scripture has concluded all under sin. [2.] Man, by reason of his original corruption, as he is born of a woman, is odious to God's holiness, and cannot be clean in his sight. God sees his impurity, and it is certain that by it he is rendered utterly unfit for communion and fellowship with God in grace here and for the vision and fruition of him in glory hereafter. We have need therefore to be born again of water and of the Holy Ghost, and to be bathed again and again in the blood of Christ, that fountain opened.

II. He shows how dark and defective even the heavenly bodies are in the sight of God, and in comparison with him, and thence infers how little, and mean, and worthless, man is. 1. The lights of heaven, though beauteous creatures, are before God as clods of earth (v. 5): Behold even to the moon, walking in brightness, and the stars, those glorious lamps of heaven, which the heathen were so charmed with the lustre of that they worshipped them—yet, in God's sight, in comparison with him, they shine not, they are not pure; they have no glory, by reason of the glory which excelleth, as a candle, though it burn, yet does not shine when it is set in the clear light of the sun. The glory of God, shining in his providences, eclipses the glory of the brightest creatures, Isa. xxiv. 23. The moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Sion. The heavenly bodies are often clouded; we plainly see spots in the moon, and, with the help of glasses, may sometimes discern spots upon the sun too: but God sees spots in them that we do not see. How durst Job then so confidently appeal to God, who would discover that amiss in him which he was not aware of in himself? 2. The children of men, though noble creatures, are before God but as worms of the earth (v. 6): How much less does man shine in honour, how much less is he pure in righteousness that is a worm, and the son of man, whoever he be, that is a worm!—a vermin (so some), not only mean and despicable, but noxious and detestable; a mite (so others), the smallest animal, which cannot be discerned with the naked eye, but through a magnifying glass. Such a thing is man. (1.) So mean, and little, and inconsiderable, in comparison with God and with the holy angels: so worthless and despicable, having his original in corruption, and hastening to corruption. What little reason has man to be proud, and what great reason to be humble! (2.) So weak and impotent, and so easily crushed, and therefore a very unequal match for Almighty God. Shall man be such a fool as to contend with his Maker, who can tread him to pieces more easily than we can a worm? (3.) So sordid and filthy. Man is not pure for he is a worm, hatched in putrefaction, and therefore odious to God. Let us therefore wonder at God's condescension in taking such worms as we are into covenant and communion with himself, especially at the condescension of the Son of God, in emptying himself so far as to say, I am a worm, and no man, Ps. xxii. 6.

CHAP. XXV. Verſe 1 Then anſwered Bildad the Shuhite, and ſaid.]

A Pithy and ponderous ſpeech he here maketh, though little to the purpoſe; for he quite digreſſeth from the queſtion in hand concerning the wickeds flouriſhing, and Saints ſufferings, and chuſeth to ſing the fame ſong with his fellowes, concerning the power and Purity of God above all Creatures. See Job 4.18. and 15.15. Some men are of that mind, that they will never be ſaid or ſet down, but ſtrive to have the laſt word. This was Peters vanity and the reſt of the Diſciples, Math. 26.35. which our Saviour winked at till time ſhould confute them, as it alſo did ſoon after.

Verſe 2. Dominion and fear are with him] God is therefore to be feared, becauſe Lord over all. If an earthly King be ſo Dread a Soveraign, if an apparition of Angels hath ſo amazed the beſt men, who would not fear that King of Nations, ſith to him doth it appertain? Jer. 10.7. God is greatly to be feared in the Aſſemblies of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him, Pſal. 89.7. Power and terror are with him, ſo the Vulgar hath it here. He that is able to deſtroy both body and ſoul in hell, is ſurely to be feared, yea therefore to be feared, Matth. 10.28. If ſervants ſhould fear their Maſters becauſe they have power over the fleſh, Col. 3.23. what ſhould we do, ſith he can ſooner undo us, then bid it be done?

He maketh peace in his high places.] Or, Among his high perſons, thoſe heavenly Courtiers the Angels and Saints. By an unchangeable Decree God keepeth all perſons and things in the heavens, both viſible and inviſible in a moſt firm and quiet condition, ſo that there is no claſhing, but an happy harmony amongſt them.Senault. He appeaſeth (ſaith One) the differences of the Elements, and obligeth them to force their own inclinations, to preſerve the quiet of the world. He ſhakes all the heavens with ſo much evenneſſe, that in the contrariety of their motions they never diſorder themſelves. Finally, He maintaines peace amongſt the Angels, and tempering his Juſtice with his Goodneſſe, he makes himſelf equally loved and feared of thoſe bleſſed Spirits Therefore Job did ill (ſaith another Interpreter) to offer to make a diſturbance there, Mayer. Job 23.4. (as Bildad at leaſt conceited he did) where there was all peace.

Verſe 3. Is there any number of his Armies?] God is Lord of Hoſtes: and (as the Rabbins well obſerve) he hath his upper forces and his lower forces, as his Horſe and Foot ready preſt. The upper are here chiefly meant, viz. the Angels and Stars, as appeareth by the Context. An eſt numerus expeditorum? ſo Brentius rendreth it; Tremellius, turmariorum, of his Troopers? they are innumerable, and yet no variance amongſt them: this is admirable. The Army of Niniveh was quiet, no falling out nor complaining in their hoſtes, therefore did their King march on, paſſe through, Nahum. 1.12. the Turks Military Diſcipline at this day, is beyond that of all other Nations in the world beſides; yea beyond that of the old Greeks or Romans. There is no quarrelling heard at any time amongſt their many ſouldiers,Cuſp. de Caſ. p. 475. no nor any words at all. Perpetuum ſilentium tenent ut muti, ſaith Cuſpinianus: There is perpetual ſilence kept, and moſt ready obedience yeelded to the dumb ſignes and noddings of their Officers. But all this is nothing to that in heaven. Of Gods Hoſtes, together with their number, order and obedience: ſee my Treatiſe called, the Righteous Mans Recompence pag. 868.869.

And upon whom doth not his Light ariſe?] that is, his Sun, that Prince of Planets, but ſervant of the Saints, (as his Name importeth) whoſe going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. Pſalm 19.6 It is called, His Light, becauſe as he made it, ſo he gathered into it as into a Veſſel, that firſt light, which before was ſcattered here and there in the heavens. Some there are that underſtand this Text of the light of Gods Omniſcience; others of his Benificence: Qui[illegible: 1 letter] eſt quem non ſuperet luce bonitate ſuae? Merlin. Who is it whom he overcometh not with the light of his goodneſſe: Surely all the good that is in the Creature is but a ſpark of his flame, a drop of his Ocean.

Verſe 4 How then can man be juſtified with God?] Homo frivolus, ſo the Tygurines tranſlate: How can frivolous man, ſorry man, Morbis mortique obnoxius, Man ſubject to diſeaſes and death; how can ſuch a man, ſo mortal and miſerable, a maſſe of Mortalities, a Map of miſeries, a very mixture and compound of dirt and ſin, be juſtified with God? How can he be perfect of himſelf without the gift of grace, without an Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the Juſt One, who alone is the propitiation for our ſins, 1 John 2.2. Rom. 3.25. who is made unto us of God, wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, &c. 1 Cor. 1.30?

Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?] And therefore born in ſin and under a curſe, the ſign whereof appeares in the womans bearing and bringing forth, Gen. 3.6. Our whole Nativity is impure. Hence in the Law it is commanded, that the woman ſhould be unclean ſeven dayes, that the child ſhould be circumciſed on the eighth day; and that the mother ſhould remain three and thirty dayes in the blood of her Purification, Levit. 13. for by Nature we are all children of wrath: and That which is born of the fleſh, is fleſh. Neither can any one bring a clean thing out of an unclean, Chap. 14.4. See the Note there. Surely as a ſlave begetteth a ſlave, ſo doth a ſinner beget a ſinner. Hence we are loathſome to God, as a toad is to us, becauſe poiſon is in the nature of it. Infantes ergo non ſunt inſon[illegible: 1 letter]es; Infants are not Innocents, though we commonly call them ſo, becauſe free from actual ſin, they having not yet ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion, as the Apoſtle expreſſeth it, Rom. 5.14. But the firſt ſheet or blanket wherein they are covered, is woven of ſin, ſhame, blood and filth, as may be ſeen Ezek. 16.4, 6, This ſhould teach us modeſty and lowly-mindedneſſe.

Ʋnde ſuperbit homo cujus concepti[illegible: 1 letter] turpis!

Verſe 5. Behold even to the Moon, and it ſhineth not.] i.e. Either deſcend in thy thoughts from the higheſt Orbs as low as the Moon: Or elſe aſcend from Gold, Gems, Jewels, and other Orient reſplendent Creatures, as high as the Moon and Stars, and comparing them with the ſurpaſſing Majeſty of God, thou ſhalt find no more beauty or brightneſſe in them then is in a lump of earth, or clod of clay: thoſe heavenly Lights will appear to be as ſo many ſnuffs. Or if thou canſt diſcover no ſpots and blemiſhes in them, yet God can, without the help of any ſuch Perſpective Glaſſes as Gali[illegible: 2 letters]aeus gat him, to diſcry mountains in the Moon. Some think it was by Moon light that this ſpeech was uttered, and therefore the Moon is mentioned. But as the Moon is confounded, ſo the Sun alſo is aſhamed when the Lord of hoſtes wil diſplay the beams of his glory,Mr. Abbot. Iſai. 24.23, and 60.19. There is a Learned Interpreter who thus paraphraſeth the Text: Conſider, that by reaſon of the Fal of man, the very creatures, that in themſelves are ſinleſſe, yea the very Moon and Stars (that are ſo far from earth, and ſo neer to heaven) have contracted defilement, and are blemiſhed: ſo that with God, for mans ſake, and by mans ſin, even they are not accounted free from pollution in his ſight: Thus he. The viſible heavens are defiled by our ſins, and muſt therefore be purged by the fire of the laſt day; as of old the Veſſel that held the Sinne-Offering was to be broken if earthen, or to paſſe the fire, if of better Metal.

Yea, the Stars are not pure in his ſight] What ever they are in ours. A thing that I ſee in the night may ſhine, and that ſhining proceed from nothing but rottenneſſe. There is a comparative imperfection and impurity in the Stars and Angels, chap. 4.18.

Verſe 6. How much leſſe man that is a worm] He ſaith not, as a worm, but a worm it ſelf. So Pſal. 22. I am a worm and no man; nullificumen hominis. as Tertullian ſomewhere phraſeth it.Vermis parvus in carnc out caſeo naſcent, Exod. 16.24. David in the Arabick ſignifieth a worm (ſaith One) to which he may ſeem in that Pſalm to allude. The word here rendred a worm, ſignifieth a ſmall worm bred in cheeſe or fleſh, a Mite, a Maggot. Others ſay, it ſignifieth rottenneſſe, which hath no ſtrength. Hereby man convinced of his infirmity, vanity and impurity ſhould learne Virium ſuarum [non-Latin text not transcribed] agnoſcere, to give glory to God, and to take ſhame to himſelf.

And the Son of man which is a worm] Lumbricus, quo vix quidquam contemptius nominari poteſt; So vile and abject a creature is man: The greater is Gods mercy to look upon ſuch a walking dunghil: Learn hereby to know God and thy ſelf, which is the higheſt point of heavenly wiſdom.