to doe in a right manner we upon the matter doe not at all We may resolve these interrogations of the Text into negations How hast thou helped him that is without power is as much as this thou hast not helped him how savest thou the arme that hath no strength is indeed Thou hast not saved him how hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdome caryeth this meaning thou hast given him no counsell we use to say as good never a whit as never the better and how good soever any thing is that we doe if we doe it amisse it will be reckoned by God what reckoning soever men make of it as if we had done no such thing Moses said to the Lord under a temptation when he was troubled at the complaint of the people because the deliverance promised did not come on and they were not freed as was expected Lord wherefore hast thou so evill entreated this people why is it that thou hast sent me for since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy name he hath done evill to this people neither hast thou delivered thy people at all Exod. 5.23 Is this a deliverance this is no deliverance we are apt to thinke the mercyes of God no mercyes unlesse he give us full and perfect mercyes unlesse we presently receave all that we looke for we looke upon it as if we had receaved nothing at all But how truely may the Lord say to the children of men when they performe duties slightly and negligently ye have not done them at all ye have neyther prayed nor heard nor fasted at all because ye have been negligent in and unprofitable under them The workes and dutyes of the best are not every way full but the workes and dutyes of some are alltogether empty and they doe nothing in all they doe Fourthly In these severall interrogations are here held forth the severall effects of holy advice given according to the word and minde of God how hast thou helped him that is without power saved the arme that hath no strength counselled him that hath no wisdome As if he had sayd thou indeed hast offered me counsell from God if thou hadst managed it right this would have been the fruit of it I who have no power should have been helped and I who am as an arme without strength should have been saved Hence observe That the word of God or divine truths are mighty in operation when duely administred The word of truth conveigheth strength to the weake wisdome to the simple comfort to the sorrowfull light to those who are in darkenes and life unto the dead The word lifts up the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees The law of the Lord that is every holy truth saith David Psal 19.7 8. is perfect and what can it doe the next words tell us converting or restoring the soule The testimony of the Lord is sure and what can that doe the next words tell us making wise the simple The statutes of the Lord are right and what can they doe even that which is most sweete where it is done reioycing the heart The commandement of the Lord is pure in it selfe and it worketh gloriously in us enlightning the eyes I may say also The word of the Lord is mighty and it giveth strength to those who have no might As it is mighty for the pulling downe of strong holds casting downe imaginations every thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor 10.4 5. So it is as mighty for the raysing up of the weake for the lifting up of those who are cast downe and fallen below the knowledge of God through unbeliefe and for the bringing of poore soules out of captivity into that blessed liberty of faith in Christ What Great things the word rightly applyed and divine truths brought home with Authority have done and still can doe was shewed at the 4 â—h Chapter of that booke verse 3d and 4th As also at the 25 â—h verse of the sixth Chapter upon those words How forcible are right words Though we ought to helpe those who have no power by more then words yet words have holpen many who had no power as Job doth more then intimate while he reproves Bildad for his unskillfull wording it with him How hast thou helped c. And how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde Graecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Appellatio a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod esse significat sapientia enim rerum omnium existentium prima praecipua est Drus That which we render The thing as it is is but one word in the Original and it hath a threefold signification First It is put for the essence substance or being of a thing The Greek word for substance is very neere this in sound and may possibly be a derivative from it Secondly It signifieth that working or operation which flowes from being Things first are and then they act and they are to little or no purpose unlesse they act Thirdly It signifieth counsell advice wisdome or sound wisdome Prov. 3.21 so Mr Broughton translates And makest advice knowne aboundantly Others taking up the same notion render How hast thou declared wisdome abundantly As if he had sayd Thou thinkest thou hast opened a treasure and declared store of wisdome and knovledge in this discourse or that thou hast made a very wise and learned discourse whereas indeed it will be found leane and short in it selfe as also impertinent to the poynt in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad multitudinem vel multiplicitèr Our translation takes it in the first sense How hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is that is how hast thou declared the substance of the thing or the solid truth in plenty or as the Hebrew phrase imports in great number and with much variety Hence note First Every thing ought to be declared as it is that is the naked truth ought to be declared It is our duty to speake of things as they are not to put colours upon them and so make them appeare what they are not or otherwise then they are truth is plaine and truth should be told plainely The naked truth or the thing as it is is most beautifull to the eye of the understanding And though Bildad did misreport what he spake of God yet he did not make a full report How hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is Secondly Hence note As we ought to speake the truth so to speake the truth out or all the truth Paul tells the Church of Eâ—hesus Acts 20.20 That he had kept nothing back that was profitable for them and sayth he ver 27. I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God Paul plentifully declared the thing as it was Bildad spake truth but not all the truth as to Jobs case
note That True repentance is a full a home returning to God Much of the progresse of a Christian is to goe backward backward I meane from those sins and evills to which he hath by temptation been carried forth nor having sinned can any man goe forward till he returne to God We reade in Scripture of God returning to us as well as of our returning unto God in both there is repentance when God returnes to us he repents of the evill of punishment that he hath brought upon us and when we returne to God we repent of the evill of sin which we have committed against him onely be sure as the points directs that ye returne home to God The Prophet found Israels repentance defective in this Hos 7.16 They returne that is they make a shew of repentance but not to the most high There is a repentance which brings the soule never the neerer unto God And that 's a repentance as we speake never the neere or to no purpose Thus another Prophet taxeth their fasting Zech. 7.5 When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seaventh month even those seventy yeares did ye at all fast unto me even to me Observe how he doubles it upon that poynt as if the whole emphasis of repentance lay upon that poynt To me even to me As David in confessing his sin Psal 51.4 Against thee thee thee onely have I sinned c. Many fast but not at all to God they returne but not at all to God They fast to themselves and returne to themselves that is their own interest not the honour of God is the motive and end of their fasting and repenting And hence the Prophet is plaine and downeright with Israel in this case Jer. 4.1 If thou wilt returne O Israel saith the Lord returne unto me as if Israel had used to returne but alwayes short of God or not to God Israel made some stop in the worke of repentance before he came at God Now then saith the Lord by his Prophet O Israel if thou wilt returne returne to me If thou hast any further purpose to returne be perswaded to returne to some purpose Let not thy repentance be any longer such as is to be repented of All our returnings are but wanderings unlesse we returne to God But when may we be said to returne to God I answer first when we returne out of a sense of sin against God as well as of smart upon our selves for when we returne only because of smart we returne to our selves rather then to God as when it is said in Hosea Chap. 7.16 They returned but not to the most high we may see the reason of this charge at the 14th verse They have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for corne and for wine and they rebel against me As if he had said all their crying and howling is not because they have sinned against me but because their sins have pincht them they doe not mourne because of their wickednes but because of their wants 'T is famine that moveth them not my feare They would faine be at their full tables againe they are all for corne and wine nothing for grace and holinesse We may say of some persons repenting as Job Chap. 6.6 of the wild Asse braying Doth the wild Asse bray when he hath grasse or loweth the Ox over his fodder he applyed it to his owne case that he did not cry out without cause he was nor complaine when he felt no paine but I say we may apply it to some persons repenting They would never bray if they had but grasse enough nor low if they had foddar enough that is if they had but outward comfort enough corne and wine health and strength enough did they but abound in these you should never heare them complaine nor shed a teare how much soever they abound in sin All the vvorld cannot satisfie the soule of a godly man till after sinning he be reconciled to God His soule is hungry and thirsty notwithstanding all his corne and wine till he be filled with the favour of God And this is indeed to returne to the Allmighty Secondly Then also we returne to the Almighty when vve turne specially from and mourne for that sinne whereby vve have most provoked the Allmighty when that which hath most offended God is most offensive and burdensome unto us For though in repentance every sin is to be repented of yet some more As Samuel said to the house of Israel 1 Sam. 7.3 if you doe returne to the Lord with all your hearts then put away the strange Gods and Astaroth But why doth he exhort them to put away that strange God Astaroth by name more then any other of their strange gods I answer it was because they had most provoked the true God by worshipping that strange God and therefore he counsels them as ever they would approve themselves to have returned to God in their repentance to looke to it that they turned from that Idol If every strange God must be put away when we returne to God how can we returne to God if we put not away our Astaroth Thus the rule was given by the king of Niniveh in proclaiming a fast Jon. 3.8 Let them turne every one from his evill way that is from his beloved sin and from the violence that is in their hands that is from the sin of oppression by which they got much into their hands But why doth he instance in that sinne Surely because that was the common sin of that City they were an oppressing people and loved the gaine of oppression or to get by violence They lived more by the bloud of others then by their owne sweate more by the violence then the labour of their hands therefore they must particularly repent of that sinne If the covetous man returne to God he must turne from every sinne and from his covetousnesse If the proud man returne to God he must turne from every sinne and from his pride this is the nature of returning to the Allmighty yet Thirdly Unlesse we doe all this with the whole heart we doe not returne to the Allmighty 2 Chron. 6.38 Jere. 3.10 Jere. 24.7 The wicked are serious and cordiall in sinning they must be so in repenting But some sinner possibly may say I have gone away too farre to returne No Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet returne unto me saith the Lord. Another will say I have sliden back and relapsed I have as it were repented of my repentance The Prophet answers this doubt Jer. 3.12 Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord. And againe v. 14. Turne O back-sliding children saith the Lord for I marryed unto you c. If thou returne c. Eliphaz having thus shewed him that it is his duty to returne to the Allmighty now proceeds to shew that it will be his happines and this he doth by an
wee pray not to change the minde of God but to fullfill it wee pray for the fullfilling of his decrees not for the altering of them for the fullfilling of his counsels not the voyding of them And because God is in one minde and none can turne him we have the more incouragement to pray For all the good things that are in the minde counsel and purpose of God to doe for us and bestow upon us are borne and brought into the world usually by the hand of prayer Prayer is as it were the midwife to bring our blessings to the birth Therefore though prayer cannot turne God yet we have no reason to turne from prayer There is yet a fourth thing which may stop men but cannot stop God And that is nearnes of relation Men are often turned out of the way when a neare relation stands in their way They purposed to doe this or that but that such a friend or such a kinsman hath turned them from their purpose 'T is rare to finde such a spirit as the Lord by Moses observed and highly commended in the Tribe of Levi Deut. 33.9 Who said unto his father and to his mother I have not seene him neyther did he acknowledge his Brethren nor knew his owne children That is hee was not turned by the nearest relations from executing that terrible sentence of the Lord upon the children of Israel his Brethren after they had made the Golden Calfe of which you may read at large Exod. 32.26 27 28 29. It is truely sayd That relations have little entity in them but they have the greatest efficacy in them And their efficacy hath never appeared more in any thing then in this The turning of man from his purpose or his duty But relations have no efficacy in them to stop or turne the Lord from his purposes Isa 27.11 It is a people that have no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them he that formed them will shew them no favour As if the Prophet had sayd When the Lord threatens to bring evill upon you possibly ye will say we are the worke of thy hands he hath made us surely then he will not destroy us We finde that argument pleaded Isa 64.8 But now O Lord thou art our father we are the clay and thou our potter and we all are the worke of thy hand Be not wroth very sore O Lord c. To plead our relation to God by Christ is the strongest plea in prayer and to plead any relation to God hath a great strength in it Yet while some urge these they signifie nothing and have no force at all They who are like that people in the Prophet a people of no understanding spirituall idiots such as have no knowledge to doe good or no practicall understanding in the things of God such I say may urge their relation and get nothing by it He that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour The Lord professeth strongly against any power which a relation shall have upon him to turne him or take off the processe of his Judgement under high provocations from the highest of men Jer. 22.24 As I live saith the Lord though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim King of Judah were the signet upon my right hand yet would I pluck thee thence and give thee into the hand of them that seeke thy life c. To be as the signet upon the right hand notes the most intimate neerenes of relation yet the Lord breakes thorough this and will not be turned away by it from the severest actings of his owne purposes Thus it hath appeared that as the Lord is unchangeable in himselfe so nothing can change him He is in one minde who can turne him And what his soule desireth eâ—â—â— that he doth Hence observe That God doth whatsoever he will or whatsoever he desires to doe There is no bound to the power of God but his owne will When the Heathen asked in scorne Where is your God The Psalmist tells them plainely both where he was and what he had been doing Psal 115.3 But our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleased The doings of God know no bounds but his owne pleasure He hath done whatsoever he pleased He will not indure to have any articles put upon him nor any circles or limit-lines drawne about him The power of God is regulated and determined by nothing but his will A great Prince once sayd That he had indeed a circle about his head meaning his Crowne but he would not beare it to have a circle about his feete he must goe which way himselfe pleased and doe whatsoever his soule desired Yet there are circles drawne about all the powers of the world only God hath none His government is purely arbitrary Nor is it fit that the government of any but his should be so 'T is neither fit nor safe that any should governe arbitrarily or purely at will but he whose will is altogether pure but he whose will is so farre from needing a rule that it is one yea the onely unerring One. Ezek. 24.14 I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will doe it I will not goe backe neither will I spare neither will I repent according to thy wayes and according to thy doings shall they judge thee saith the Lord God As if the Lord had said It is my will to have it thus and therefore it shall be thus That which is most sinfull in man is most holy in God to act according to his owne will Mans will is to crooked a rule for others to guide their actions by or for himselfe to guide his actions by He that saith I will doe this or that because I will doth nothing as he ought There should be much willingnes but none of our owne will in what we doe But as Gods will should be both the rule and reason of our actings so it alwayes is of his owne There is as I may say an holy wilfulnes in God He will have what he will and he will doe what he will God will not doe many things which he can but he can doe whatsoever he will and whatsoever he will doe he is just and righteous in doing it And this is the glory of God to have such a power and such a will And there being such a power in God with such a will we need not feare his power We leave men to their will as little as we can whom we trust with much power When men in power have nothing but their will to guide them wee presently feare oppression and tyranny and that we shall be farre from leading peaceable and quiet lives under them in all godlines and honesty which is the most desireable and blessed fruit of Magistracy Nor is this a pannicke or groundlesse feare seing the will of man is corrupt and sinfull selfeish and revengefull
highest of the learnedst of the holiest of the best of men Can a man be profitable unto God The word is El The strong God Can the strongest man be profitable unto the strong the mighty the omnipotent the Almighty God Can he be profitable Can he bring any advantage gaine or profit to God Should he reason with unprofitable talke saith Eliphaz Chap. 15.3 or with words that bring in no Profit A word of the same root signifies a Treasurer who is a keeper of publique Profits Esay 22.15 Goe get thee unto this Treasurer even unto Shebna Can a man be profitable Thus Eliphaz reproves Job for insisting so often upon his own innocency as if that were an Advantage to God As if he had said how holy or righteous soever any man is the Lord receives no advantage by him So that Eliphaz it seems apprehended Job trusting or boasting of somewhat in himselfe as if he had thought God his debtor or that hee had done somewhat for which God was beholding to him And upon this ground that God is debtor or beholding to no man Eliphaz undertakes Job And though his supposition was false yet his position was true and gives us this profitable observation That the best of men cannot oblige God or merit any thing at his hand That which is our duty to doe cannot merit when we have done it We cannot oblige either God or man by performing our owne obligation Thus Christ argues Luk. 17.7 Which of you having a servant ploughing or feeding Cattell will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field goe and sit downe to meate And will not say unto him make ready wherewith I may sup and gird thy selfe and serve me till I have eaten and drunken and afterward thou shalt eate and drinke Doth he thanke that servant because he did the things that were commanded him I trow not So likewise yee when yee have done all these things which are commanded you say wee are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to doe Where Christ proves that because the servant had done no more then was his duty to doe therefore he did not merit in doing it When you have done all that is commanded you say yee are unprofitable servants He that doth all those things that are commanded him is a man indeed a man of worth a man of men yet let that be granted that he reacheth to the utmost line of the Command he is an unprofitable servant he hath but done his duty There is another Parable in this Gospel of Luke that seems to be somewhat opposite to this Chap. 12. v. 36 37. And ye your selves be like unto men that waite for their Lord when he will return from the wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immediately Blessed are those servants wâ—om when the Lord cometh he shall finde so watching that is at their worke Watching is not meant here of a bare waking or not being asleep for a man may watch in that sense and yet be as bad as a sleeper To be found awake and yet idle to be found awake yet doing nothing is as blameable as to be found asleep So that to be found watching is to be found intent upon and labouring in the work of the Lord. Blessed be those servants whom when their Lord cometh he shall find so watching what wil he do Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himselfe and make them to sit down to meate and will come forth to serve them In the 17th Chap. Christ saith If a servant have been hard at worke in the service of his Lord even as a man that is come from Plow or from feeding his Cattell yet his Master doth not say to him sit downe to meate but first bids him gird him self and serve him and afterward goe to meat But here 't is said the Lord presently girds himself and makes his servants sit down to meat and will come and serve them so that here he speaks as if the Lord were much beholding to these servants whereas before hee speaks of them as unprofitable servants to whom he was not at all beholding For the clearing of these two Parables we are to distinguish them by their scopes The scope of the Parable in the 12th Chapter is to shew that the diligent servant shall receive much from the hands of the Lord or that the labour of the diligent servant shall not be in vaine or unprofitable to him But the scope of the Parable in the 17th Cha. is to shew that the most diligent servant cannot doe any thing that is profitable unto his Lord. He may do that which may be profitable to himselfe but he can do nothing that can be profitable to his Lord that 's the scope of the 17th Chapter which falls in fully with the Text and Observation that I am now upon There is a wide difference between these two parables To shew what a diligent servant may expect is one thing and what the most diligent servant can challenge or require is another For indeed those servants in the 12th Chapter to whom the Lord administers the Supper or to whom he ministers at Supper must say that they are unprofitable servants to the Lord though they are to acknowledg to the praise of their Lord that his service hath not been unprofitable unto them and they must say so upon these Considerations First he is their Lord they his servants not their owne 1 Cor. 6.20 Yee are bought with a price yee are not your owne therefore glorifie God in your bodies in your spirits which are Gods God is the owner of our bodies and spirits our selves are the Lords Now if we our selves our bodies and our spirits are the Lords then much more are our services his If the person be anothers all the work done by him must be his too Secondly the house wherein these servants are feasted is the Lords The whole fabrick of heaven and earth is his house He hath set it up to entertain and feast his people in Thirdly All the cheere and good things with which the Lord feasteth his servants all the comforts which grace holds out in this life or glory in the next life are of his owne provision the whole furniture of the Table is of his cost and charge therefore they are obliged to their Lord not their Lord to them he is indeed profitable unto them but they are not profitable unto him They by their sloath and idlenesse might deserve to be sent supperlesse and hungry to bed but by all their pains and diligence they could not deserve their Supper Can a man be profitable unto God Secondly Observe That God is absolutely Independent and Perfect in him selfe If there be an impossibility that man should be profitable unto God then he is Self-sufficient and altogether Independent in reference to man He that cannot receive any addition is perfect in himselfe and he that
might be some drosse in him that he had not found And now he would be re-tryed that he might come forth purest gold Pure gold feares neither the furnace nor the fire neither the Test nor the Touchstone nor is weighty gold afraid of the Ballance He that is weight will be weight how often soever he is weighed he that is gold will be gold how often soever he is tryed and the oftener he is tryed the purer Gold he will be what he is he will be and he would be better then he is Every man of Jobs mettal saith or may say Let him try mee and I shall come forth as gold JOB CHAP. 23. Vers 11 12. My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined Neither have I gone back from the commandement of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food AT the 21th and 22th verses of the former Chapter Eliphaz having sharply rebuked Job gave him very wholesome and holy counsell Acquaint thy selfe now with him and be at peace receive the law from his mouth and lay up his words in thy heart In these two verses Job professeth that he had done so that he had kept close to God followed him step by step that he had not declined or turned back and that he had done all this out of pure love to the word So that each member of this context seems to carry a direct answer to every member of that counsel which Eliphaz had there given him As first to that of Eliphaz Acquaint thy selfe with God he sayth I have held his steps That man takes and holds neere acquaintance with another of whom it may be affirmed that he treads in or holds his very steps Againe Eliphaz advised Job thus Receive the Law at his mouth Job answers I have not gone back from the commandement of his lips c. Or thus First He that takes hold of the steps of God acquaints himselfe with God Secondly He that keeps the way of God and declines not from it is at peace with God Thirdly He that goeth not back from the commandement of his lips receives the Law at his mouth Fourthly He that esteemeth the word of God more then his necessary food hath surely layd up the word of God in his heart Job professeth in these two verses that he had done all this and therefore he had already done what Eliphaz presseth him to doe His whole conversation had exactly hitt the counsell given him Vers 11. My foote hath held his steps My foote We are not to take the word foote strictly Cum dicit pes meus pro eo habendum ac si dixisset ego apprehendi gressum ejus Drus Verbum significat aliquid violentèr detinere ne labatur aut fugiat aut fluat Bold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that speciall member of the body so called but by the foote we are to understand the whole man my foote that is I my selfe have held his steps I have held them And he meanes such a holding as hath a kinde of honest pertinaciousnesse in it or a resolvednesse not to let goe what is held a resolute holding a cleaveing fast to a holding with a kinde of violence such as Jacob expressed to the Angel Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me My foote hath held To lay hold is the proper action of the hand not of the foote and it is used here onely as it signifies the keeping of a thing close and fast any way so as not to part with it or as it imports a constant walking with God My foote hath held his steps or upon his steps The word which signifies to goe signifies also to be happy or blessed and the reason is because our way or motion sheweth what our end and rest shall be our happinesse in the end lieth virtually in our way But what were those steps that his foote took hold of Steps in the Text may be taken two wayes First For those steps which God hath appointed man to take Vestigia dei idem significare poterunt quod via dei sc illius precepta legem quam nobis tenendam commonstrat Pined Gressum ejus accipe passivè id est ab eo definitum monstratum Jun. Vestigia dei sunt divinae actiones quibus ille preit vel sunt ejus effectus ad extra sc Charitatis clementiae justitiae veritatis Pined walking as and where God would have him so these steps are the same with the law or way of God not actively for the steps which God takes but passively for the steps which he directs and appoints us to take Secondly We may expound these steps for Gods own steps not for the steps which he shews us in his word that we should take but for the steps which he shews in his practise or in his example that himselfe hath taken My foote hath held his steps so to follow the steps of another is to imitate him and to follow the steps of God is to imitate him the steps of God are those holy actings wherein he goeth before us and sets us an example Some of the workes of God are a rule his actions are directions to us Then Jobs meaning is I have imitated God and followed his example in all things that are imitable by man I have so much acquainted my selfe with God and have been so familiar with him that I have as it were coppied out his way in my life and conversation Thus he speakes of God as leading the way and going before us and saith he I have not satisfied my selfe to follow him at large or in the same common path but I have set my feete in his very steps or I have followed him step by step Hence note That a godly man doth example himselfe by God He followeth the way of God in his workes as well as in his word or he obeyeth God doing as well as commanding Many of the workes of God are infinitely beyond our imitation yet he workes so in other things that he hath descended to our imitation And though we cannot follow God in any thing as to an equality yet we may follow him in many things as to the similitude of his workings we may goe the same way that he goeth and take the same steps that he hath taken though we cannot take them in that perfection nor goe with such exactnes as he hath gone before us A childe may write the same letters the same words and lines which the most acurate penman or artist in writing hath prescribed him for a copie and so the childe may be said to hold the steps of his Master letter for letter word for word line for line though there be a wide difference discernable between their writings To follow God is our dutie Godlinesse is Godlikenesse or an imitation of God And practicall Christianity is nothing else but our imitation of Christ
man chafed and enraged as a man full of wrath and fury but as a man most tenderly affected and full of pity for a bruised reade shall he not breake and smoaking flax shall he not quench a bruised read and smoaking flax are emblems of the weake of the arme without strength of those who are without wisdome Christ will not deale roughly with those he will not breake the bruised read nor quench the smoaking flax that is such as are broken with the sence of sin such as are weake in faith such as are so much over-powred by corruption that they doe rather smoake and make an ill-sented smother then burne or shine in a gracious profession such as are thus low and meane in spiritualls Christ will not breake with his power nor quench with his rebukes till he send forth judgement to victory that is till he hath perfected their conversion and hightned their graces to the full and caused the better part in them to prevaile over the worse as the house of David did over the house of Saul till it arive at a blessed victory And againe Isa 61.2 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me for whâ—t because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Here is helping those that have no power and saving the arme that hath no strength Thus Christ handles those who through temptation affliction or any trouble are brought low For the neglect of this duty the Lord reproves the Shepheards Ezek. 34.2 3 4. Son of man prophesie against the Shepheards of Israel prophecy and say unto them thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepheards Woe be to the Shepheards of Israel that doe feed themselves should not the Shepheards feed the flockes That is should they not be more intent upon the feeding of their flocke with spiritualls then upon the feeding of themselves with temporalls should they not labour more to feed the peoples soules then their owne bellyes surely they ought But what did the Shepheards of Israel The next words shew us both what they did and what they did not Ye eate the fat and ye cloath you with the wool ye kill them that are fed These things they were forward enough to doe But see what they did not ye feed not the flock That 's a general neglect of duty then followeth their neglect of particular duties The diseased have ye not strengthened neyther have ye healed that which is sicke neyther have ye bound up that which was broken neyther have ye brought againe that which was driven away by force of Satans temptation neyther have ye sought that which was lost through selfe-folly and corruption Here is a large enditement against the Shepheards All which may be summed up in Jobs language to Bildad They did not helpe those who had no power they did not save the arme without strength nor counsel those who had no wisdome See againe how the Prophet describes the compassionatenesse of God to his people in an afflicted condition Isa 27.8 In measure that is moderately when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth his rough winde in the day of the East winde that is when affliction like an East winde blowes feircely upon his from the world then he stayeth his rough winde he will not bring his rough winde out of his treasures to joyn with the East-winde God will deale gently with his when they are hardly dealt with by men And thus it is our duty when it is a day of the East winde a day of trouble and temptation upon any soule to stay the rough winde to breath gently to give refreshment and ease to the weary soule How hast thou helped him that hath no power how savest thou the arme that hath no strength Secondly Observe The manner how we performe any duty is to be attended as well as the matter Bildads businesse was to comfort the sorrowfull to strengthen the infirme how did he performe this his strengthening was a weakning his helping was a grieving of Job already weake and grieved and the reason was because he failed in the manner or mannaging of this worke we must be carefull as to doe good for the matter so to doe it effectually which cannot be unlesse it be done rightly Some goe with an honest purpose to helpe who yet administer no helpe at all to every such helper it may be sayd with rebuke How hast thou helped him that is without power how unhandsomely hast thou done it what worke hast thou made of it Thou hast but entangled the poore soule worse then before This runs through all duties We may say to some How have you prayed and called upon God They onely speake a few words present a few petitions but without a heart without faith without a sense of the presence of God or of their owne wants how have such prayed call ye this prayer we may say to others how have you heard the word of God is this to heare what to reâ—eive the sound or the sense of the word and never to minde it more never to digest nor turne what is heard into practice is this hearing We may say to others how have you fâ—sted and humbled your soules before God Is this a fast that God hath chosen a day for a man to hang downe his head like a bullrush Is this fasting to God even to God No This is but a mock-fast a No-fast God hates such formality in praying hearing fasting with a perfect hatred A body exercised and a soule sitting still is not worship God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth In the truth or according to the rule of his owne word as also in the truth or according to the sincerity of our owne hearts unlesse we worship God in this twofold truth we worship him not at all as he will be worshipped how much soever we seeme to have a will to worship him As Job here puts a question mixt with admiration and indignation to his helper How hast thou helped him that hath no power How ilfavordly how bunglingly hast thou done it So the Lord will put such a question to many of his worshippers How have ye worshipped him that hath all power how slightly how formally how hypocritically have ye done it Therefore in all duties looke to the manner as well as to the matter and labour to doe them well as well as to doe them To neglect the doing of a duty or the doing of it negligently are alike offensive unto God and he will say to the latter with as much displeasure How hast thou done what I commanded as he will to the latter Why hast thou not done what I commanded yea Thirdly Observe That which is not done as it ought is to be judged as if not done That which we strive not
M Magistrates that are bad most ready to favour such as are so 73. Why evill Magistrates are compared to Oakes 74. Evill Magistrates favour the great 75. They should take speciall care of the widdow and the fatherles 86. They are the eyes of the people 587. They are the pillars of the earth 789 Majesty of God dreadfull to his owne people 454 Man can no way be profitable unto God Objections answered 7 8. Man is a very poore thing 712. Man compared to the meanest things 713. To a worme 714 Manner how duty is to be performed as considerable as the duty it selfe 725 That which is not done in a right manner is not done at all 726 Maschil the title of several Psalmes what it importeth 15 Meanes God can doe the greatest things without any visible meanes 759 Meditation what it is 220 Mercy of God in what sence sin may be sayd to overcome it 44 Merit The best of men cannot oblidge God or merit any thing at his hand 4 Mind of man hath a formative faculty in it 131 Mis-interpretation Two sorts of words and actions most lyable to misinterpretation 306 Moone in what sence it shineth not 708 710 Mouth of God how we may be sayd to receave the Law from it 222 223 To receave the Law from the mouth of God stands in a double opposition 224 Murder committed upon two grovnds 563. The greatnes of the sin of murder shewed two wayes by Scripture 567. Nine other considerations shewing the greatnes of the sin of murder 568 569 Murmuring against the rod or severest dealings of God is rebellion 207. Mutability of man in bis natural and civil strength 779 780 N Naked who in a Scripture sence 58 Nature uncleanenes of nature runs through all men 705. Sinfullnes of nature consisteth cheifely in two things 707 Necessary food what 409 410 Necessity cannot excuse sinfull actions 57 Need makes a little mercy seeme great 65 Negative commandements and threatnings of God alwayes imply the affirmative and so usually doe the Negative practices of men 635 Nimrod whence so called 550 Northerne part of the world why called the place where God worketh 362. God workes more in the Northerne parts of the world then in the Southerne 363. The Gospel hath been more clearly taugbt in the Northerne then in the Southerne parts of the world 364 O Occasions or acts leading to sin are to be avoyded as wel as the sin it selfe 4â—0 Omnipotency of God It is as easie with him to doe a thing as to desire to doe it 400 Omnipresence of God 108. Two deductions from the omnipresence of God 113. God is every where yet some where especially to be found 325 Omniscience of God to deny that is to deny his being 120. Sinners fancy to themselves that God seeth them not in all their wayes 129. That God is omniscient cleared 131. Queries about it answered 133 Onenes of God both in his nature and mind 419 Ophir the place of Gold queried where it is 243 Opportunity a wicked man watcheth it to doe evill 573 Oppression of the poore the most sinfull act of oppression 60. 501. The promotion of the wicked proves the oppression of the righteous 506. Poore most subject to oppression 506. Oppression falls often upon the innocent under pretence of some wickednes 523. Oppression is a crying sin makes the oppressed cry 541 P Pardon of sin the infinite freenes of God in it and the unlikenes of his thoughts to mans about it 127 128. Pardon twofold 292 Peace Gâ—d ready to be at peace with us when we apply to him 215. Peacâ—making is the worke of God 686 Peace stands in a fivefold opposition 687. Where God is most eminently there is most peace 689 Perfection of our wayes what 20 Person The state of every person to be considered to whom we speak 731 Persecution and persecuters bounded by God 777 Perseverance the duty and honour of a godly man 393. Not to persevere in a good way the mark of evill men 562. Perswasion more then a moral perswasion in conversion of a sinner to God 638. The power of perswasion 433 Phylacteries among the Jewes what they were and their use 228 Pillars of heaven what 781 Plato one of his cheife lessons to his Schollars 118 Pleasing of men how we may how we must not please men 733 Pleasure all the pleasure which God taketh is in himselfe or in the fullfilling of his owne good pleasure in Christ 26 Pledge taking a pledge when sinfull shewed in two things 50. 498 Poore a poore man oppressed or oppressing how grievous 60. Want of compassion to the poore the marke of a wicked man 66. The poore have a right in what rich men have 68. Not to doe good to the poore is sinfull as well as to them injury 70. Honest poore lesse regarded by wicked men then their beasts 74. Poore most oppressed 84. Some will oppresse the poore to enrich themselves 499 The sinfullnes of taking from the poore shewed in two things 501 Power when evill men are in power all good men are in danger 643. Power supreame proper to God 677. Three arguments of the power of God 759. Power The more power we have to prevent evill the greater is our sin if we doe not 77. Power of God twofold 338. The greatness of the power of God shewin foure things 339 340. The power of God is no way terrible to a godly man 342. Power twofold 639. The rule by which wicked men act is their power 640 Prayer may have a twofold stop 217. We must pray much for that whereof we have a sure promise that God will doe it 263. Prayer due to God onely 264. We are never in a fit frame to pray till we turne from sin 264. To heare prayer what 265. God is the hearer of prayer 265. It is a mercy including all mercy to be heard in prayer 266. Prayer profitable 266. Prayer is a lifting up both in the act and effect 285. Prayer of the righteous shall not prevaile in some cases 293. Prayer is strong worke a threefold strength needfull in prayer 350. God most willing to heare the prayers and pleadings of the righteous 352. God is not changed by our prayers 433. God will not sometimes be at all entreated by prayer 434 435. Case answered how we can pray in faith seing God is not altered from any thing he intended by prayer 346 Presence of God most desired by the godly 318. God can quickly make his presence terrible and grievous to us 452 Presumption a threfold presumption of wicked men 165 166. Other presumptions of evil men 588 589 Pride seene in the eye 654. Pride causeth contention 800. Profit man cannot profit God 10. Eight Conclusions made from that principle that man cannot profit God 11 12 13 In what sence a man may live and act to bis owne profit 16 Propriety in lands and goods given by God 487. Objections against it answered 487 488 Prosperity and