Job 13

(1.) If we look intra nos, within us: here we see our sins represented to us in the glass of conscience, lust, envy, passion. Our sins are like vermin crawling in our souls (Job 13:23). How many are my iniquities?

And though the Lord had cause enough against him, yet no cause is pleaded; it is resolved into an extraordinary dealing in which God took a liberty to glorify himself by singling out one of his stoutest and most valiant champions and setting him hand to hand to wrestle with the…

Yes, and after God has pardoned them also in our consciences as well as in heaven, yet the guilt may return again and leave us in darkness. Thus in Job 13:26, for the sins of his youth — which he had undoubtedly humbled himself for and had assurance of the pardon of — God did wr…

And the like was Heman's case, and this also long, even from his youth up (Psalm 88:14-15). So from Job (Job 13:24), yes, and from Christ himself: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' But concerning this, you will ask: how can this dealing of his stand with his everlastin…

When on the contrary carnal reason and our dark hearts (which are led by sense) are possessed with the sense — the deepest and most exquisite sense — and impressions of (that which the heart is most jealous of) God's sorest wrath and displeasure; and that felt and argued not med…

Faith is never stopped cold — it is a most desperate thing. Job vows he will trust God though he kills him (Job 13:15). So do you: whether God will condemn or save you, do what he will with you, do not cease to cast yourself upon him for mercy, nor to serve and love him.

Say that at the last day he shall need no other judge against you than yourself. Only beseech him to consider what honor it will be to him to pursue dry stubble and to break a poor dried leaf that crumbles under his fingers if he but touches it — as Job pleads (Job 13:25) — to b…

Thus did these believers in this place. And this faith did Job notably testify, when God had taken from him, children, goods, health, yea, and all that he had, yet then he said, Job 13:15, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him. And so must we endeavor to do if that case bef…

A child of God being conscious to himself of sin, takes the Candle and Lantern of the Word, and searches into his heart: he desires to know the worst by himself; as a man who is distempered in body, desires to know the worst of his disease. Though our joy lies in the knowledge o…

Only he would (to say so) have your consent to, and your approbation of what he does for the greater peace and tranquility of your own minds. Surely therefore it is meet, meekly and submissively to be said to God, whenever and however he chastises, I have borne chastisement, I w…

And to call sins to remembrance, is to punish sin: the Shunammite says, (1 Kings 17:18). Are you come to me (O man of God) to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? Job complains, (Job 13:26). You make me to possess the iniquities of my youth. Now though out of unbelief…

3. Let all this produce in you a holy obstinacy of trust and obedience, or an invincible confidence in God, and close adherence to him, whatever your dangers, straits and extremities be; and this will guard your heart against all tempting of God: 1. A resolute trust and dependen…

All the faith we have or can obtain is little enough in the time of temptation. Job, that said in his affliction, "Though the Lord kill me I will still trust in him" (Job 13:15, verse 26), says also that God wrote bitter things against him and made him to possess the sins of his…

The second rule is, that when we know not what to do, by reason of the greatness of our distress, we must then fix our hearts on Christ without separation. He that climbs up a ladder, or some steep place, the higher he goes, the faster he holds (2 Chronicles 20:12; Job 13:12). H…

Let us learn therefore to apply this doctrine to our use, as often as the calamities of this present life do press us: and let us not cease to hope in him, although all things seem utterly desperate. If he should kill me (says Job) yet would I trust in him (Job 13:17). And David…

A little Child approaches Superiors with Awe: So do the Saints approach God with holy Awe and Reverence. Job 13:11. Shall not his Excellency make you afraid, and his Dread fall upon you.

I know his love is like himself, unchangeable. Job. 13:1 having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end: for this God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death. Psalm 48:14 Did he love me in my youth, and will he cast me off in m…

We now understand, what a critical and dangerous season Youth is, the wonderful proclivity of that Age to every thing that is evil. Why else are they called Youthful lusts? 2 Timothy 2:22 When David asketh, Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? it's plainly enough implyed…

Thirdly, spirituall life shewes it selfe in resisting and enduring temptations: for every child of God has many and gricuous assaults, so as the righteous shall scarce be saved: and in all and every one of these, we must live by faith, and thereby relie on Christ, not on our sel…

And partly, because God for our exercise will make us feel the smart of old sins, which are already pardoned; as an old bruise, though it be healed, yet ever and anon we may feel it upon change of weather. Accusations of conscience may return, for sins already pardoned; as (Job…

When you are resolved, let him deal with you as an enemy, you will stick to him as a Father. (Job 13:15): "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Faith can take God as a friend, and Father, and put a good construction upon his dealings, when he seems to come against us as…

True it is that now and then he is called the father of our souls and of our spirits, according as he is spoken of in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 12:9). However, even as in respect of the flesh also, the honor and dignity of bearing the name of father, belongs not to any…

But afterwards: David, though he began with God betimes (Psalm 25:7), yet prays, Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgression. And (Job 13:26) For you write bitter things against me, and make me to possess the iniquities of my youth. Old bruises may trouble us long af…

He has upon special occasion dispensed with other Commands, but never with the ninth. With the seventh Commandment in the polygamy of the Patriarchs; and with the second in Hezekiah's Passover; but a man must not lie for God (Job 13:7-9), because this Commandment has more in it…

You will not be put off, as she cried so much the more, and the woman of Canaan turned discouragements into arguments. Job 13:15: Though he slay me yet will I trust in him. 4. The submission and resignation of faith (Matthew 6:33).

2. We are freed from those doubts and fears and terrors which accompanied the state of sin (Job 36:8): If they be bound in fetters, and be held in the cords of afflictions. Job 13:27: You put my feet also in the stocks. Lamentations 3:7: He has hedged me about, that I cannot get…

Now to pick an answer out of God's silence, and a gracious answer out of his rebukes, shows great faith. Job says (Job 13:15), Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him. Faith supports us under the greatest pressures; when God seems to deal like an enemy, yet even then trusts i…

God will bring his creatures to such a thorough obedience. You may have no visits of his love, no beam of his grace, though you meet with a dumb oracle, and he seems to cast you off, and you have many fears, yet venture through with a holy obstinacy that you will not give over,…

1. In all afflictive providences. Those who are poor and destitute, or in prison and banishment, or bereft of children, or oppressed with guilty fears, or assaulted with any other calamity (Job 13:15): Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him; still he is a good God. Here is t…

Joseph was made a slave, that he may be made governor of Egypt: his brethren sell him, that they may worship him: and he is cast into prison, that he may be preferred at court. Thus God by shame brings to honor; by misery, to happiness; by sorrow, to comfort; and by death, to li…

And by extremities he still tries his children: our graces are never exercised to the life, till we are near the point of death; that is faith which can then depend upon God. (Job 13:15) "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." And (Psalm 23:4) "Indeed, though I walk throug…

Sometimes the aim of it is merely for correction for former sins; it is a penal over-clouding for our unkind and ungracious dealing with him. God may do it for sins; indeed, many times for old sins long ago committed, he may charge them anew upon the conscience (Job 13:24, compa…

The changes of this world perplex our faith; therefore we should not look to the instability of things below, wherein there are continual vicissitudes, but to the sure covenant. 4. Not only when our hopes are delayed and obscured by the changes and chances of this world, but con…

We may speak what we will, and we will speak what we may: Oh, what an unruly tongue has that man, who can say his tongue is his own! Patient Job in a fit of passion did say, let me alone that I may speak, and come of me what will (Job 13:13). Alas, isn't it thus with many, when…

When Saul excused his sin under the pretense of sacrifice, it was yet called rebellion, and reputed as witchcraft, a most abominable thing (1 Samuel 15). Job upbraids his friends with this irreligious piety; says he (Job 13:7), Will you speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitful…

The sins of youth will lie heavy upon an old age; indeed, if God gives repentance to you when you are old, it will cost you the dearer, that you did repent no sooner; and you will regret it, that you have been so long in sin, and are now to live but a little while to testify you…

Secondly, be convinced of the misery and desperate danger of a natural condition, for until we see the plague of our hearts, and the misery of our state by nature, we shall never be brought out of ourselves, to seek help in another. Thirdly, be convinced of the utter insufficien…

For because the light [illegible] reflect [illegible] it comes to be reflected. So Job complained (Job 13:26), You make me to possess the sins of my youth. So David (Psalm 77:4), You keep my eyes waking.

And David prays: forgive me the sins of my youth. If the memory of sins past is a trouble to the godly man, oh what a rack, what a gibbet will it be to the heart of him who lacks grace (Genesis 4:7; Job 13:26; Psalm 25:7)? The misery on the right hand is prosperity and ease, whi…

What though it were so? Yet I will trust in God (Job 13:15). What if he throw me in hell?

3. In the greatest extremity believe, even as David in the borders of Hell (Psalm 23:4): Indeed though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; it's a litote, I will believe good. It's a cold and a dark shadow to walk at death's right side (Job 13:1…

Indeed, but the spirit of revelation was in Jeremiah, who doubted when he complained (Jeremiah 15:18) to God of God, 'Will you be to me altogether as a liar, and as waters that fail?' (Jeremiah 20:7-9, 14-16). Job doubted (Job 13:14) when he said, 'Why do you hide your face, and…

Nor is that of Jeremiah's to be put in Christ's golden censer to be presented to the Father (Jeremiah 15:18): "Will you be altogether to me as a liar, and as waters that fail?" Nor that of Job (Job 13:24): "Why do you hold me for your enemy?" Christ washes sinners in his blood,…

Notable is that place, Revelation 9:1-6. It is a lively description of the Friars and Priests of the Church of Rome, being let out of the bottomless pit of ignorance and darkness, in which their religion was hatched; they had a mighty power, by pressing the terrors of the law, t…

All such afflictions are like wormwood and gall to us: so the Church complains, God has made me drunk with wormwood (Lamentations 3:15, 19). And (Job 13:26) You write bitter things against me. Thirdly, there is another bitterness caused by a man looking upon Christ, and that is…