unawares nor by the unceâ—tain changes of the Air but according to his direction and unchangeable purpose It is turned about by his Counsel The creatures do not govern themselves nor are they Masters of their own motions The way of man is not in himself surely then the way of the Cloud is not in it self Clouds take their course according to the order and command which they receive from God Again The Clouds are thus turned about by the Counsel of God that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them Hence note Clouds are sent about work there 's somwhat to be done by every Cloud God will not have a Vapour arise nor a Cloud stir for nothing he commands them to be doing And if God send Clouds abroad to work much more doth he send man forth into the world to do work appoints him what work to do The first Man was no sooner made and set up in a state of created perfection but he was presently set to work he must be doing Gen. 2.15 And the Lord God took the man or Adam and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress and to till it From the Angels in Heaven to the worms that creep upon the earth there 's no creature but hath somwhat to do yea not only the living and rational creatures but as here in the Text the very inanimate creatures the senseless creatures the Clouds have somwhat to do God sends them forth upon his business Every creature hath a service hath somwhat to do And therefore it will be ill with those whom God finds idle or doing nothing or nothing to any good purpose That servant had been doing to whom Christ in the Paâ—able is represented thus speaking at the last day Well done good and faithful Servant Thirdly observe The Clouds are faithful and ready Servants they do whatsoever the Lord commands them They are Gods Messengers and they will do any or every Eâ—rand which he sends them about and trusts them with 'T is the duty and commendation of a Servant to do whatsoever he is commanded A mans servant must do all his Masters just and lawful commands he must not take up this or that command to do it and pass by the rest The Rule is plain Col. 3.22 Servants obey your Masters in all things Much more must a Servant of God obey him in all things Acts 13.22 I have found David a man after mine own heart he shall fulfill all my Will David was a trusty servant he was not like Saul who did the Lords work to halves The Clouds are trusty Servants they do whatsoever God commands them and we may distribute the commands which God gives the Clouds into two Ranks First The command of God to the Clouds is somtimes for the hurt oâ— punishment of man God threatens and he executes vengeance by the Clouds Ezek. 13.13 Winds conveigh the Clouds and the Clouds pour down overflowing showrs in the anger of God and great hail-stones in his fury to consume and ruine all before them Secondly Clouds execute the command of God in a way of favour as they execute his threatnings so they fulfil his promises Hos 2.21 22. Both these commands to the Clouds are expresly mentioned in the next verse I only touch them here Now forasmuch as the Clouds are here described under the notion of the prest and faithful Servants of God doing whatsoever he commands take these Inferences from it First If Clouds do whatsoever God commands them then surely Christians ought to do whatsoever Christ commands them Shall the Clouds of God out do the children of God in obedience We find that admonition often urged in the Scripture of the New Testament especially in the 13th of Mathew and in the 1st 2d and 3d Chapters of the Revelation He that hath ears to hear let him hear But behold a wonder they that have no ears hear The Clouds have no ears and yet they hear and more than hear they do the commands of God What shall we say when Clouds hear and obey and men do neither Let us learn Duty from the Clouds We are sent to the School of Nature in holy Scripture almost throughout Elihu seems to say Go to the Clouds O ye that are either slothful or disobedient consider their work and be wise they are continually doing whatsoever the Lord commands them Secondly If the Clouds do whatsoever God commands them then here 's matter of comfort to all who do what God commands them surely God will not command the Clouds to do them any hurt who are doing his commands If you can say that you do the commands of God you may rest assured God will never give the Clouds a command to do you hurt I do not say but an affliction may drop out of the Clouds upon a man that is doing the commands of God or the Clouds may have a command to drop affliction upon him that is doing the commands of God but the Clouds drop no hurt upon any that do the commands of God And therefore seeing the Clouds even those Clouds that carry Storms and Tempests Thunder and Lightning Snow Hail and Rain the great Rain of his strength seing I say these Clouds that are the Treasuries and Magazines of such terrible things are at the command of God let not his faithful people fear for when the Winds are Stormy when the Clouds are black and carry as we think nothing but wrath and death in them God will take care of â—hem and charge his Clouds to do them no harm Clouds whatsoever they are doing are doing Gods commands and doubtless he will not give them any commands for their hurt who keep and do his commands And as 't is matter of comfort to the faithful Servants of God that he commandeth the Clouds in the Air so that he also commands those Clouds which are raised in the hearts of men or that sit and appear in their faces and foreheads We often see Clouds gather in the Brows of displeased mortals As some are clouded with sorrow so others are clouded with anger and wrath Those black Clouds in the faces of men are as dreadful as the blackest Clouds in the Air yet the Lord who commands the Clouds in the Air commands the Clouds of anger and choler of wrath and indignation rising out of the hearts and appearing in the faces of men and can blow them over or blot them out whensoever he pleaseth Thirdly If the Lord by his commands orders the Clouds and the Clouds are ready to execute his commands then let us have high thoughts of the power of God and of his commands If men refuse the commands of God if the stout and hard hearts of men will not stoop to them the Clouds of Heaven yea the clods of the earth will Whatsoever God commands he will have it done not one title not one Iota as Christ spake of the Law shall fall short or fail or be unfulfilled If such and such will
commons not ordinary fare but Full of fatness Fatness is put in Scripture to express the best of things if often signifieth the best of spiritual things Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house The house of God is the Church of God and God keeps a good house there are fat things and they who worship and wait upon him they shall have abundance of them their full satisfaction the fatness of Gods house is the riches of Grace the best of Gospel-Ordinances and promises the best of Gospel-comforts and mercies these are the fatness of the house of God these are the things which the Apostle intended while he told the Gentiles Rom. 11.17 That they were partakers of the rest and fatness of the Olive tree Thus also spake the Prophet Isa 25.6 In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make a feast of fat things what of such fat things as the Epicures of the world surfet upon Sheep and Oxen c no the feast of fat things which the Lord will make to his people is of spiritual things they shall have much of Christ much of grace here and an assurance of glory for hereafter This is the feast of fat things And though the Lord give to any of his servants the bread of adversity and the water of affliction though the fig-tree should not blossome to them though they should have neither Sheep in the fold nor Calves in the shall yet they may daily sit at this feast of fat things and be filled with joy in the Lord Hab. 3.17 c. And as fatness is used in Scripture to express the best of spiritual things so fatness expresseth the best of natural and outward good things Psal 65.11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness and thy paths drop fatness that is plenty and plenty of the best things which grow out of the earth by the blessing and benigne influences of Heaven I conceive spiritual good things the best of them are also shadowed under those expressions of Temporal Further Elihu doth not only say That which shall be set upon thy Table shall be fat Lautissimè suavissiméque vives but full of fatness which implyeth thus much Thou shalt have whatsoever may make thy life comfortable and happy for as by bread our dayly bread we are to understand all the necessaries of this life though bread be the meanest â—aâ—t of our sustenance yet it it is called the staff of life because the mâ—st necessary part of it so by fatness we are to understand all things delicate and delicious and those things which are most delicate and delicious are said to be full of fatness Hence Note First God who delivereth his people from trouble or out of streights can also fill and furnish them with comforts The mercy of God doth not only take away evil and so leave us it doth not only bring us out of our streights and there set us down but mercy proceeds to the bestowing of good upon us As we in obedience should not put off the Lord with abstaining from evil but ought to do good even abundance of good and not only bring forth good but much good fruit that 's our duty so the Lords mercy stayeth not in delivering us from evil but bestoweth good things the best things upon us and them in abundance Secondly In that those good things are exprest by fatness oâ— by being full of fatness Note The Lord thinks nothing too good for his good people When once a people or a person are accepted of God he â— no cost nor thinks any thing too costly for them the most â—ous things in the world are not too good for them Psal â— He would have fed them also with the finest of the wheat a honey out of the rocks should I have satisfied thee I would noâ—â—fed them with wheat only that 's good but with the finest wheâ—â— that 's the best we put in the Margin with the fat of wheat they should not have had the bran but the flowre and the finest of the flowre they should have had not only honey but honey out of the Rock which as Naturalists observe is the best and purest honey Surely God cannot think any thing of this world too good for his people who haâ—h not thought the next world too good for them Certainly God cannot think any of these outward enjoyments too good for his people who hath not thought his Son too good for his people that 's the Apostles argument Rom 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things even the best of outward good things when he seeth it good for us In this see the difference of the spirit of the world and of God to his people The world thinks nothing bad enough for those that are the choycest servants of God they are sorry to see that they have any thing that is good that they have a morsel of bread or a penny in their purses is thought too much for them by the world And if any trouble befall them itâ— good enough for them will the World say The World thinks any thing too good for the choycest servants of God how much more the choycest things But God hath other thoughts towards them he thinks nothing too good for them they shall be filled with fatness Thirdly In that Elihu makes promise of these outward things to the choyce servants of God whose ears are open to attend unto him Note Even outward mercies and a full Portion of outward mercies fall somtimes to the share of the faithful servants of God in this World Though such are not of this World much less are servants to the World yet God can make the woâ—ld serve them with its best and give them a full portion of the World though the World be not their portion The servants of God would not take all the World if it were offered them for their portion no not a thousand Worlds considering what a perishing thing this World is and that at best it is but a finite thing I say a servant of God would not take all the World at the hand of God for his portion though he is thankful for any thing for a little of it and unworthy of any the least part of it Howbeit many times God gives a large portion of this World to his people and that which he sets upon their Table that is outward good is full of fatness Indeed some of the choyce servants of God have been afraid when they have seen much of the World come in least God should put them off with such woâ—ldly things when their Table hath been full of fatness and dainties when they have had Houses and Lands Gold and Silver plenty they have been troubled least God should say to them There is your All. It is said of Luther when he had a considerable present sent him
praise him whether men do or no. All thy works shall praise thee saith David Psal 145.10 What then should they do for whom they are wrought The latter part of the verse shew what they will do who know what God hath wrought for them Thy Saints saith he shall bless thee They who have as most have low thoughâ—s can never give high pâ—aises of the works of God Thirdly In that this counsel and exhortion is given to Job in that this spur is as it were put to his sides Remember that thou magnifie Note The best men need monitours and remembrancers to quicken them about their duty of magnifying the works of God The Lord though he needeth not yet will have us to be his remembrancers to do our works for us if we would have our works done the Lord would have us by prayer to mind him of our own and of all his peoples condition Isa 62.6 Ye that are the Lords remembrancers so we put in the Margine and in the Text ye that make mention of the Lord c. The Lord will have us to be his remembrancers And though he is ever mindful of his Covenant yet he liketh it well to be put in mind of it But O what need have we of a remembrancer to put us in mind of the work of God and to magnifie his work We need a dayly remembrancer to put us in mind of what we should do how much more of what God hath done We need to be minded of that which 't is a wonder how we can forget our latter end or how frayle we are how much more do we need to be minded of those duties which fit us for our latter end and lead us to those enjoyments which never end Fâ—urthly Observe Such is the sinfulness of mans heart and his sluggishness that he hardly remembers to magnifie God for those works which he cannot but see Elihu urgeth Job and with him all men to remember that they magnifie even that work of his which men behold and which every man may see How slack are they in or to that great duty of magnifying God who when they see or may see if they will his mighty works yet mind not the magnifying of him Fifthly Observe Some works of providence are so plain that every man that doth not wilfully shut his eyes may behold them He is altogether stupid and blockish that seeth not what all may see Hence the Psalmist having said O Lord how great are thy works concludeth such among brutes and fools Psal 92.6 The brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this It was the saying of Plato an Heathen That man is worthy his eyes should be pulled out of his head who doth not lift them up on high that he may admire the wisdome of the Creatour in the wonderfull â—abrick of the world I may adde and in the works of providence Are they not such that as the Prophet speaks He that runs may read them Sixthly Consider why doth Elihu thus charge it upon Job surely to humble him for his sin in that he did not magnifie God for his works Hence Note It is a great aggravation of our neglect of praising God for his works or of our not magnifying the works of God seeing his works are obvious to every man even to the weaker and ruder sort of men If the very blind may see them how sinfully blind are they who see them not The works of God should be sought out Psal 111.2 4. If they lie in corners yet they are to be sought out and they are sought out of them that have pleasure therein If God should hide his work under ground if God should put his Candle under a bushel as Christ saith men do not Mat. 5. yet 't is our duty to seek it out and set it upon a Candlestick that all may behold it and praise him for it Now if the most hidden works of God must be sought out that they may be magnified surely then when the works of God stand forth and offer themselves to our view and we cannot tell which way to draw our eyes from them how great a sin is it not to behold them not to give him the glory of them Seventhly Observe To magnifie the works of God is mans duty yea it is a most necessary and indispensible duty This is the poynt chiefly intended by Elihu in his present discourse with Job This containeth the sum and substance of the whole Text. To magnifie the work of God is so necessary so indispensible a duty that A remember is put upon it lest at any time it should slip from us The Lord knowing how great how weighty how comfortable how profitable a duty it is to keep the Rest day prefixeth this word Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Exod. 20.8 I might give instance from several other Scriptures importing those duties which have a memento put upon them to be of great necessity and that the Lord will not bear with us if we lay them by or neglect the constant performance of them To forget any duty is very sinfull how much more those which we are specially warned to remember that we do them David was not satisfied in doing the duty of the text alone but must associate others with him in it Ps 34.3 O let us magnifie the Lord together that 's a blessed consort the consort of the blessed for ever The whole work and reward too of Saints in heaven is and eternally will be to magnify God and they have the beginnings of that work and reward who are sincerely magnifying his work here on earth God hath magnified his word in all things above his name Psal 138.2 and the reason is because his workes answer or are the fulfilling of his word to the praise of his glorious name Now if God hath magnified his word by his workes then we must magnifie his workes or him in his workes For wherein doth God magnifie his word but in his works He hath magnified his work by bringing his word forth in his works Surely then if God hath magnified his word by bringing it forth in his works then 't is our duty to magnifie the works of God which are the product effect and answer of his word But some may say how is that done I would give answer to this question in five things First Then we magnifie the work of God when we magnifie God for his work we cannot magnifie the mercy of God but by magnifying the God of our mercys We cannot magnifie his work while we neglect himself we magnifie God in his work first when we ascribe the whole efficiency of what we see done in the world to him and say This is the singer of God Or when we say according to this or that time What hath God wrought Numb 23.23 To magnifie the work of God is to give the whole of it to God 'T is the hand of God upon a work that sets
mortifie whaâ— grace hath the work of God put you upon the exercise of They only indeed magnifie the work of God who have such workings towards God It were better not receive a mercy than not to be bettered by a mercy It is not our crying up the works of God in our words but in our works which is the magnifying of them It is more safe for us to say nothing of what God hath wrought for us than to publish it or make our boast of it when we our selves do â—â—â—hing worthy of it in a way of condecency and proportion to it 'T is the design of God in giving promises to make us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Much more having given us any great performances of his promises doth he expect that we should be clean and holy O then what a pittiful course do they take who pretending to magnifie the works of God do such things as are a defilement both to flesh and spirit A third design of God in working for us is to make us trust him more or to be more in believing 'T is shewed Psal 78.4 what great things God did for the Jewish nation and for their fathers But what did God ayme at in all we have the answer v. 8. That they might set their hope in him and not forget his workes The aim which God had in those great works was that their hope might be set upon him that they might trust in him more then ever they had done The Lord by the great works he doth would gain upon our faith or cause us to trust him for the future How dishonorably do they carry it towards God who believe not his word much more they who believe not his workes that is who believe him not notwithstanding his workes as 't is said of Israel Ps 78.32 For all this they sinned still and believed not his wondrous works The Psalmist doth not mean that they did not believe such works had been done but the meaning is they did not trust God who had done those woâ—ks These and many more dutyes the Lord teacheth us by his word and he teacheth them also by his workes as it is said v. 22. who teacheth like him The Lord teacheth us many excellent lessons by his works if we had hearts to learn them Lay these things together in practise and they will be the best yea they are the only way of magnifying the works of God done for us And if the works of God are to be magnified all these wayes then they fall short of this duty First Who only make a report of the works of God who tell the story of what he hath done and so have done As we ought to adorne the doctrine of God Tit. 2. so likewise the doings of God or what God hath done by our doings Meer narratives about the work of God is far below magnifying his work Secondly They fail much more who extenuate and diminish the works of God whâ—â—bscure or eclipse his workes As in our confessions of repentance it is a sign of a bad heart barely to report our sins before God without aggravating them in their sinfulness but in confession to extenuate our sin sheweth a very rotten and naughty heart so in our confessions of praise meerly â—o report what God hath done for us without putting an accent or a due emphasis upon his mercies shews much â—oldness of spirit in the duty but to clip and lessen the workes of God to hide and darken them to abate and detract from them shewes a base and a wicked spirit Thirdly How do they fail in magnifying the workes of God who do not only conceal how good they are but bring up an ill report upon them as those searchers did upon the land of Canaan Those works and dispensations of God which like that land slow with milk and honey may be looked upon and censured by some as good for nothing but to eat up and consume those that are under them Fourthly They who ate impatient under any work of God who murmur and repine at it are far from magnifying the work of God Fifthly They are far from magnifying the work of God who think themselves so wise that they could mend the work of God had they the pensel in their hand they would make fairer work of it what hudling is here think some what confusion is here say others what sad work is here saith a third If we had the ordering of things what an orderly woâ—ld would we make if we had the ordering of things as God hath we would quickly cure and remedy all these disorders Though such formal speeches be not uttered yet such things are spoken in parables the actions of some tell us such are their thoughts as if they could mend the work of God and govern the world with greater moderation than t is though indeed we need not scruple to call the wisest man in the world a very dotard if he thinks so or that any thing can be done more equally than God hath done it Let all flesh adore let none presume to question the work of God let God alone with his work as he will have no controler so he needs no counseller Remember t is mans duty to magnifie his work not to mend it to shew how good it is not to attempt the making of it better And indeed as it is the highest poynt of presumption so of ignorance to meddle with the mending of it The Lord is a Rock saith Moses Deut. 32.4 and his work is perfect Who but a fool or who but by the over-working of his own folly would venture to mend that which is already not only perfected but perfect were it only the work of a man much more when it is the work of God the only wise God And that we may be provoked humbly to magnify and for ever deterred from that proud attempt of finding fault with or mending the work of God consider these three things First Take the argument in the text the plainness of the work of God it is such as may be seen afar off none can pretend ignorance of it or if they do that 's a vain covert or excuse every man may see it man may behold it afar off as most worthy to be magnified Secondly If we do not magnifie the work of God God will lessen his own works of mercy and favour toward us Thirdly He will do no more for us if we magnifie not what he hath done It is said Math. 13.58 Christ did not many mighty works there because of their unbeleif God will do no more mighty works for them who refuse or neglect to pay him a tribute of praise and glory for what he hath done JOB Chap. 36. Vers 26. 26. Behold God is great and we know him not neither can the number of his years be searched out ELihu having called upon Job to magnifie
thing to God he is above and beyond all the gifts and givings of the creature There is a three-fold ground of it why nothing can be given to God either to oblige him or to add any thing to him First All is due to him what-ever we do is a debt to him we cannot make the payment of a debt a gift Be as holy and as righteous as you will as exact in your walkings as you can it is all of debt and therefore not a gift Luke 17.10 When you have done all when you have run your whole Course of obedience both as to first and second Table duties say you are unprofitable servants we have done no more than was our duty to do There is no gift where all is due Secondly What-ever we do in a way of Righteousness is not a gift nor an advanâ—age to God for it was all first given us by God Nihil aceressit ei nostra justitia quae tota gratuitum est illius donum we and all that we have came first from him whatsoever we have we have had it of God It is said in that place before noted Acts 17.25 He is not worshipped of mens hands as if he needed any thing why for he giveth to all men life and breath and all things he gives all things and therefore he needs nothing nor can any thing properly be said to be given to him Scitum est illud sapientis Hebraei da illi de suâ— quia tu omnia tua illius sunt Tua ex tuis offerrimus tibi domine Drus Et lamsi qâ—od debemuâ— reddere deo cupiamus tamen de suo reddimus Salvi de Ecclâ— Cathol who giveth all things We have that remarkable Scripture 1 Chron. 29.10 where David praiseth the Lord for the offering and gift which he himself and his people had brought towards the building of the Temple And he desired that his offerings might be accepted of the Lord not so much as they were given by his hand as because they and the heart to give them were received from the hand of God Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the Congregation and said Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our Father for ever and ever for all that is in Heaven and in Earth is thine thine is the Kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all And now therefore O God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thy own have we given thee And again at the 16th verse All this store cometh of thee and all is thine own We cannot be said properly to give another that which is his own already whatever God receives of us came from himself And as whatsoever we give comes from God so every action or duty which we performe to God comes from God he bestows the power to do upon us before we can do any thing and therefore it cannot be any addition unto him There are two graces which we exercise very pleasing to God first Faith secondly Charity yet neither of these contribute any thing to God Faith is so far from giving God any thing that its whole work lyeth in receiving And though charity be a giving grace yet it gives to man only not to God So then what doth God receive of man surely nothing but his own David enquires Psal 116.12 What shall I return to the Lord for all his benefits Maâ—k that word return the Hebrew Text may be thus rendred What shall I make to return to the Lord of all his rendrings or contributions unto me As if he had said Lord I have received abundance from thee thou hast payd or recompenced me fully for all my paines and I am looking over it all and considering what of it I shall return to thee it is all thine own and now Lord what shall I return of it back again to thee What he received was returned if not in kind yet in effect and the retu n of that was but his duty it could not be his desert Christ indeed meâ—ited and satisfied because he gâ—ve of his own and as God-man wrought all righteousness for us in his own strength Thirdly The Lord receives nothing at our hands for he is full already We can put no more into a full vessel if there be any empty space you may put somewhat more into a Vessel but when it is as full as it can hold what can you put into it Who can make the Ocean fuller which hath in it the fullness of all waters All that we can give to God is not so much an encrease to him as a drop of the Bucket is to the whole Ocean Who can make the Sun b ighter all we do to or for God is not so much as a Candle to the Sun What can he receive who hath all things in himself God is infinitely full therefore there is no giving to him nor receiving by him at our hands That word which is one of the Titles of God holds forth as much he is Elshaddi that is A God every way full every way sufficient he is all-sufficient for us and he is Self-sufficient Est quidem pictas illis grata non autem utilis Plato in Euthyphra Manifestam est quod nulla re Deus nec amicis egebit Arist lib. 7. Eth. c. 12. Some of the Heathens had such notions and glimmeâ—ing apprehensions of Goâ— Plato saith The exercise of Godlinesse or of Worship is acceptable to God but is not at all profitable to God It is manifest saith Aristotle that God needs no friends nor any thing to help him The Sacrifices of the Jews were great and royal Offerings they brought their Sheep and Oxen and Bullocks and Goats in abundance yet the Lord would have them know he had no need of them Psal 50.8 I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices and burnt offerings to have been continually before me I will take no Bullock out of thy house nor he-Goat out of thy Folds for every Beast of the Forrest is mine and the Cattel upon a thousand Hills I know all the Fowls of the Mountains and the wild Beasts of the Field are mine If I were an hungry I would not tell thee for the world is mine and the fulnesse thereof Some conceive that Elihu aimes especially at those gifâ—s If thou bringest or givest many sacrifices what receiveth he at thy hand The Loâ—d doth not call for sacrifices because he is hungry that is hath need of them The Lord Zeph. 2.11 threatens the gods of the Heathen that he would starve or famish them that is he would destroy the means of their Worship But who can famish the Lord whose the world is and the fulness of it Now if God receives nothing at our hands by way of supply or addition then First No Creature is
neither will the Almighty regard it Consider that Elihu doth not only say God will not hear but he adds neither will the Almighty regard it The doubling of the matter in higher Language intimaâ—es somthing to us and we may note this from it As the Prayers of evil men are vain so they have not any the lest regard from God He will neither hear nor regard David saith Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my Prayer God will not hear a David a good man as to that particular prayer if he regard iniquity in his heart that is if he hold any the least complyance or secret correspondence with any sin yea if he hath not repented of and laboured to mortifie every known sin Doubtless then he will not regard the prayers of evil men when they pray also with an evil mind And when this and other Scriptures say he doth neither hear nor regard them there is more intended than expressed even that he doth reject and abhor them that they are a burden and an abomination to him The Scripture is much in shewing how much God makes of holy prayers For first God hath not only promised to hear but regard such prayers Psal 112.17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayers that is he highly prizeth and esteemeth them Secondly The Scripture telleth us God delighteth to hear such prayers they are sweet to him they are the best musick in his ears Let me hear thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce her prayer-voyce he means chiefly saith Christ to his Spouse Cant. 2.14 Thirdly The Scripture assureth us that God looks upon or reckoneth prayer as an honour done to him 't is an eminent part of worship 't is the giving of him glory certainly therefore take prayer purely God doth regard it very much he will have regard to that which he hath promised regard to he will have regard to that which is sweet and delightful to him which is an honour and brings glory to him therefore there must needs be a great matter in it when he saith He will not regard a prayer such a prayer must needs be very vile impure and stark naught in it self which he thus thrusteth from him or cannot away with It must be confessed that God sometimes defers to hear that is to answer the prayers of those that call upon him in faith and even their prayers who call upon him humbly and sincerely Holy prayers are not alwayes presently answered but holy prayers are never unregarded never rejected 'T is never said in Scripture God doth not regard the prayers of a godly man God may let him stay long for the answer of his prayer to try his faith and patience but he will not slight his prayer As it is the duty of all men to pray and the desire or delight of a godly man when his heart is in a right frame to pray so it is the priviledge of every godly man that his prayer is heard and regarded And as it is the sin of most wicked men that they pray not at all Psal 14.4 Jer. 10.25 so it is the misery of all wicked men that their prayers though they make many and long prayers are not heard are not regarded They are far from the grace and feare of God who regard not to pray unto him and they are as far from the mercy and favour of God whose prayers are not regarded And if a man be upon such bad terms with God that he is not regarded when he is at his best work his praying-woâ—k O how little is such a one regarded when he is at his worst work his sinning-work If some men are not regarded when they are praying to God what are they when they are swearing and blaspheming God when they are causlesly vexing or oppressing their brethren If some men are not regarded when they are praying what are they when they are revelling and reviling The Lords indignation breaketh out to the utmost against wicked men when he tells them the best of their duties their prayer is vanity and though they cry much to him he will not hear nor regard them The Lord hath not said to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vaine Isa 45.19 that is ye shall not seek me in vaine no as your prayers are honourable and acceptable unto me so they shall be profitable and beneficial unto you you that go forth weeping bearing and scattering this precious seed shall doubtless come again and bring your sheaves with you your prayers shall be returned with blessings upon your souls upon your bodies upon your estates upon your families in which you live as also upon the Nations and upon the Churches among whom you live Thus the seed of Jacob have found and shall further find by the blessed experiences of all these blessings that God hath not said to them Seek ye me in vaine He hath only said of them who are vaine your seekings of me are vaine in themselves and will be vaine fruitless answerless unto you for I the Lord will not hear vanity neither will I the Almighty regard it JOB Chap. 35. Vers 14. Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him THere is a two-fold rendring or translation of this 14t h verse First Some connecting it with the former and taking it in a dependance upon what Elihu had last affirmed concerning God He heareth not vanity Multo minus si diâ— is non contemplaris istud exauditurus eâ—t judica coram eo expecta eum Jun neither doth the Almighty regard it translate thus Much less will he hear thee if thou sayest thou doest not loâ—k to or regard this judge thy self therefore before him and waite for him As if Elihu should bring an argument from the less to the greater God will not hear vanity nor will the Almighty regard it how much less will he hear thee who sayest upon the matter that thou regardest not him or what he saith and doth That word which in the close of the 13th verse we render regard is the same with that in this 14th verse rendered see as if the whole were a rebuke or a conviction of Job for his stoutness in not viewing and contemplating the power and prerogative of God as he ought in laying his hand upon him and therefore saith Elihu if God will not hear those that pray vainly how much less will he regard thee who seemest not to regard him that is not to humble thy self before him as becomes thee to thy Soveraigne Lord And thereupon Elihu gives him counsel in the close of the verse Judge thy self before him and then waite for him or trust him as we render it Mr Broughton seems to speak in his translation much to this sense giving it thus So when thou sayest thou wilt not mark it judge before him and waite for him As God will
not regard vaine prayer so when thou sayest to him thou wilt not mark it that is attend to providences as thou oughtest he wil not regard thee There is a truth in this and the Original word may fairly bear this translation yet I shall not stay upon it but rather take this Context as the beginning of a new argument than as the inforcement of the former understanding it so the words have yet a reading different from ours Another modern translater disliking the former reading only in the first part of the verse gives his own thus In this also thou hast sinned Those words are supplyed to make up the sense Etiam in hoc pexasti quòd dixisti te non contemplaturum eum Judica te coram eo expecta eum Pisc as being the bringing in of a further charge against Job In this also thou hast sinned that thou hast said thou shalt not see him judge therefore thy self before him and look for him This is the matter of his new charge Thou hast said thou shalt not see him this is thy sin And having given him this charge Elihu gives him counsel according to this translation in the close of the verse Judge therefore thy self before him and look for him We say in our translation Judgement is before him that is before God this translation saith Judge thy self before him and the reason of it is because some take the word here as a Noune Aliqui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine exponunt Judicium alii pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbo imperativi modi Judica Merc others as a Verb of the Imparative mood Judge thy self before him and then look to him or trust in him that is thou hast failed greatly and sinned in taking up such a Conclusion as this that thou shalt not see God the sense of which I shall open when I come to our own translation therefore I advise thee to judge thy self thoroughly and humbly to acknowledge thy fault This translation is much insisted upon and because it hath a profitable sense I shall note two or three poynts from the latter part of the verse where it differs from ours and then proceed to our own Translation Job being charged with sin for saying that he should not see God is here advised to judge himself Judge thy self and look to or trust in him Hence Note It is our duty to judge our selves And 't is a great Gospel duty The Apostle gives it in plain words 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. We are very apt to judge one another but very backward to judge our selves It is a great work to erect a Tribunal as I may say in our own Souls and Consciences to sit in Judgement upon our selves which that we may do we must do these three things First we must send Summons to our selves we must cite our selves to our own Tribunal for alwayes before Judgement Summons must go out and be sent to the party offending Here we are to send Summons to our selves that is to call together all the powers of our souls to appear in this Judgement and answer what is or may be alledged against us And when we have Summoned our selves then secondly we are to examine search and try our selveâ— Lam. 3.41 Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. Thirdly having tryed and examined our selves before we can come to Judgement that Judgement which is here intended we must humble our selves under a Conviction of our own vileness and sinfulness whether of our nature or of our actions whether of our state or of our way for whereas there are two parts of Judgement Absolution and Condemnation we can never come to that part of Judgement the judging of our selves as persons worthy to be condemned by the Lord for our sins unless we are first convinced of our sins Now when we have summoned examined and convicted our selves then we are ready to judge our selves to judge our selves even with the judgement of condemnation respecting what we have done yet we should do it with hopes of absolution acting our faith upon the free grace and mercy of God through the satisfaction which Jesus Christ hath made for us Again The scope of this counsel or the reason why Elihu adviseth Job to judge himself was to shew that he had rashly judged of the wayes of God because he had not duly judged himself Hence Note Self-judging or judging our own doings will preserve us from rash judging the doings and dealings of God with us We shall never think God deals harshly or rigorously with us if we do but enter into and pass a right judgement upon our own souls As they that judge themselves shall not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.31 so they that judge themselves will never judge the Lord no they will acquit and justifie the Lord under all his proceedings even in his sorest and severest ones Thus did Ezra in reference to those great and unparalel'd sufferings of the Jewes in the Babylonian warr and captivity Chap. 9.13 Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve And so did Daniel Chap. 9.7 O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day Further Elihu concluded Job very much affected with or highly conceited of himself because he pleaded his own innocency or integrity so much and was so desirous to come to a hearing and have his matter tryed before God and therefore saith he Judge thy self Hence Note Self-judging will keep us from proud or high thoughts of our selves of our own wayes or works how good soever they are Suppose our wayes and our works pure and good as Jobs indeed were for the maine he was a man of the highest elevation in holiness and of greatest integrity yet if we would thoroughly examine and judge our selves consider our short comings in duty our sinnings against duty and the sins that cleave to our best duties we should find our very innocency to be guilty and our righteousness to be unrighteous and surely such a discovery would lay us very low in our own thoughts and go very far towards the subduing of that pride of our hearts which often ariseth from the contemplation of our own wel-doing Lastly Consider this counsel was given Job according to this translation with respect to that which follows Judge thy self and trust in or wait for him Hence Note We are never fit to trust nor to wait upon God in any of his providences till we judge our selves or Judging of our selves will dispose and prepare our hearts for trusting and resting upon the power goodness and mercy of God The more we judge and humble our selves the readier haâ—h God declared himself to help us in our extremities 1 Pet. 5 6. we also are then the readier to trust and wait on him both because we then see more clearly what need we
do right But as sure as God knows every mans righâ— so certainly he will do him right Abraham pleaded thus with God Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Gen. 18.25 Certainly he will do right he cannot but do right Judgement is before him The Scripture is express He will reward every man and award to every man according to his works Every man shall have as he is for as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.6 He shall bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God that is every man shall have it who is fit for it every man shall have praise who is as we say praise-worthy how much soever he hath been dispraised slurr'd in his credit unworthily dealt with and accused in this world God will not hold or detain the truth of men in unrighteousnesse though men hold both the truth of God and the truth of men the truth of their Causes in unrighteousnesse Judgement is before the Lord. Fuâ—ther That Particle which we render yet gives us this Note God is never a whit the lesse Righteous because it doth not appear to us that he is so Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet Judgement is before him The wayes of God are often secret but none of them are unjust Judgement is before him even then when we think iâ— is farthest off from him Therefore if we will give God the glory of governâ—ng the world and of ordering all our personal conditions we must not measure him by the things we see or which appear for we cannot see the measure of his Judgement by what appears that which appears to us is not his Judgement something else is his judgement and he in the close will make his judgement clear to all men he will make it appear that judgment is his though what his judgement is doth not appear The mis-apprehensions or mis-constructions of men do not at all retard or stop the righteousnesse of God as the Apostle speaks in another case Rom. 3.3 Shall the unbelief of man make the Faith of God that is the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect God forbid God will be Faithful and True though all the world be Unbelievers and Lyars Now as the unbelief of man cannot make the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect so our not believing that Judgement proceeds or our saying it is delayed does not at all take off God from righteousnesse in doing Judgement he is doing Judgement righteously whatever apprehensions men have of his doings Judgement is before him Therefore trust thou in him Elihu according to the first reading of the former words exhorts Job to Repentance Judge thy self and here he exhorts him to Faith Trust thou in him Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him or wait and hope in him for seeing God is a Just and Righteous Judge he will not neglect or slight the Cause of any of his People therefore they have all the reason in the world to trust in him and wait upon him It is unbelief which makes haste Faith is content to wait and tarry The Original word hath several significations First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat 1. Dolere 2. Parturire 3. Manere Perseverare 4. Sperare Forte per metaphoram quia animus sperans futurâ—m gaudium cum dolore parturit Coc. More general to grieve or be in pain and trouble Secondly In special to bring forth or the pain of a woman in travel to bring forth there is much pain in that travel Thus some translate here Wait for him as a woman in travel waits for deliverance Thirdly As it signifies to have pain and to have that pain in bringing forth children so to attend to wait to stay quietly and expect Rest in the Lord saith David Psal 37.7 and wait patiently for him We may give the reason of this signification from that allusion The woman though she be in pain yet she patiently bears it because she hath hope a man shall be born into the world John 16.21 A woman in that pain hath not only patience but comfort under it because she hopes a child shall shortly be born who will recompence all her sorrows in bearing and bringing him forth into the world That 's the force of this word Trust in him Thou art in pain in trouble in travel for the present yet thou shalt have a blessed deliverance thou shalt certainly find that it is not in vain to trust upon God Thus Elihu aâ—viseth Job to such a patience as a woman in travel with child hath who bears her pains comfortably being refreshed and supported with an assurance and fore-sense of that joy which she shall have being once delivered Trust thou in him I have in some other places of this Book met with this Point of trusting in God Job said in the 13th Chapter of this Book vers 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him And therefore I shall not stay to open that general duty or the exercise of that Grace which here Elihu exhorts Job to Trusting in or waiting upon God Only from the Connexion Note First It is our duty to wait and trust upon God And 't is such a duty as will keep us close to all other duties a mind staid on God is a mind fit to move about any good work whatsoever which God calleth us unto Secondly Put all together Thou sayest thou shalt not see him thou art doubtful whether ever things will mend yet Judgement is before him therefore trust Hence Note When things are not clear to us when we have no light about what God is doing or what he will do yet it is our duty to trust and wait upon God We must wait upon God and trust in him though we do not see him yea though we cannot see him for Judgement is before him That of the Prophet Isa 50.10 is a clear proof of this duty and some expound this Scripture specially respecting outward dark providences as others of inward darkness or darkness of spirit Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darkness and hath no light as Job saith here I shall not see him What shall a poor benighted soul do in that case The answer or advice followeth Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God How dark soever our condition is yet it is our duty to trust upon God and if once we are enabled to give God the glory due to his name in confessing that Judgement is before him we shall readily trust upon him to order all things for us though all things seem out of order even to amazement though we see heaven and earth as it were confounded yet we shall readily trust upon him because we believe that even then Judgement is before him How soon can he turn our
darkness into light who in the first Creation when all lay together in a confused heap and darkness over all bâ—ought forth light and set all in order The Lord can command light out of darkness good out of evil order out of confusion and he can do all this easily and at an instant therefore whatever the appearances of things are let not us judge according to appearance but hope and wait and stick to what God hath promised Though providences appear cross to promises and prophesies yet they never frustrate either Let us also be sure to stick to the commandements of God for we may rest assured God will stick to his promises To keep Commandements is our work to keep promises is Gods work though we fayle much in our work God will not fayle at all in his work To believe this is the highest and truest work of faith But if we are faithful in our work the keeping of Commandements we have a further evidence that God will be faithful in his work the keeping or fulfilling of promises a great part the most spiritual part of Gods fulfilling promises being his enabling of us to keep Commandements and then we shall be able to say not only in faith but from experience that Judgement is before him And untill we come to this conclusion of faith in dark times when we cannot see him the soul never sits down in rest Nothing fixes the soul but trust in God we are unquiet yea we boyle with unquietness and toss as the angry Sea with the windes till we trust fully upon God upon his wisdome and power upon his goodness and faithfulness and can say let him do as seems good in his eyes we know he is and will be good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart When we can once stay our minds on God we are quiet but when we must bring God to our mind and must have God go our pace or come at our time and work in our way none of which he will do what a do soever we make to have it so O how restless and troubled are we even like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest And O how much of this restless trouble discovers it self in the minds of many that I say not the most of men and all because they cannot trust God when they do not see him or because when they do not see him which was Jobs fayling they say they shall not see him If matters come not to pass according to their platforme and model or hit not the dates and dayes the times and seasons which they have fixt in their unscriptural Kalender or by a mistake of the Scripture Kalendar they are ready to say they shall not see him their hopes are as the giving up of the ghost that is they give all for lost and past recovery Many trust God as they do some men no farther than they see him they are the worst and coursest sort of men whom we trust no otherwise How dishonourable then how infinitely below God is such a trust Elihu would have Job and so should we trust God though he could not see him and said he should not Thou hast said thou shalt not see him yet trust in him Lastly From the illative particle therefore that is because Judgement is before him trust thou in him Note hence The consideration of the Righteousness and Justice of God is a mighty argument to provoke us to trust him and wait upon him Trust is not every bodyes due some as we speak proverbially are to be trusted no farther than a man can throw a Milstone that is they are not to be trusted at all Trust I say is not every bodyes due but to trust God is every bodyes duty yea and interest too for he is cloathed as much with righteousness and justice as he is with strength and power Will you not trust an honest man will you not trust a wise man We can come to a height of confidence in man sometimes if we think him a man of judgement and wisdome of honesty and faithfulness we can trust all we have in such a mans hand how much more should we say to God seeing Judgement is before him therefore will we trust in him We have an eminent Scripture urging this duty upon this ground Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of Judgement Judgement is there taken in the same notion as here in the Text he is a wise and a just God the Lord is a God of judgement what followeth Blessed are they that wait for him There can be nothing said more urging more encouraging to wait and trust on God to do us right then this He is a God of Judgement a righteous God Judgement is before him Thus far of the good counsel which Elihu gave Job in this his dark and deserted state and counsel it was worthy to be embraced with both armes and with an open breast and that Job had need of it he shews in the next words while he tells Job and us it was not so with him yet as appeared by the sad hand of God upon him and his own distemper under it JOB Chap. 35. Vers 15 16. 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain he multiplieth words without knowledge IN the close of the former verse Elihu called upon and exhorted Job to a patient reliance and trust on God Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him here in the 15th verse he shews that the reason why God visited him so sorely and yet continued his visitation upon him was because he did not as he ought patiently trust in and rely upon him There are several readings of this verse but I shall only mention one besides our own and having stayed a little about that go on to the explication of the Text as it lyes in order before us Some render thus But know now his anger hath visited thee but a little Hebr Nunc autem cito quod paululum te visitavit ira ipsius neque inquisivit multum admodum Merc Scito perexiguum esse quo te deus iratus plectit nisi levitèr in te inqui ere mâ—luisset Bez nothing neither hath he made any great inquisition The sense of the verse according to this rendring riseth thus As if Elihu had said God hath dealt with thee O Job far better than thou hast dealt with him or then thou hast cause to expect he hath not laid his hand so heavy upon thee as thy iniquity hath deserved and yet thou complainest much of his severity whereas indeed he hath not strictly inquired into the multitude of thy sins which if he had done he would certainly have brought upon thee a greater multitude of afflictions he would have afflicted thee much more Thou art too well used to complain thus That 's the summe of this rendring which
the learned Authors of it make fairly out from the Original to whom I refer the Reader and shall only offer two notes from it for instruction First The sorest afflictions that fall upon sinners in this life are little or nothing to what God might lay upon them There is no condition here actually so bad but possibly it might be worse though the darkness of night be upon us yet it may be darker with us God can make a night so dark that the former darkness may be called light God can add so much bitterness to that which is veâ—y bitter so much weight to that burden of affliction which is already very heavy that the former bitter may be called sweet and that former weight of affliction light Are any pooâ— sick or pained God can make them poorer sicker and so encrease their paine that former poverty sickness paine may go for riches health and ease And as present sufferings of one kind or other are but little to what they may be so they are but little to what we have deserved they should be The least mercy is more than we deserve and the greatest affliction is less than we deserve Et nunc quia nihil est quod visitavit ira ejus Drus He hath visited thee little or nothing so the word is saith Elihu according to this reading of the Text. The Lord hath not only not visited thee too much O Job but he may be said not to have visited thee at all or the All of thy visitaâ—ion is nothing to that which the Lord could have brought upon thee David gives a general assertion near this concerning the dealings of the Lord in his angry dispensations Psal 103.10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities that is our sins and our iniquities might have born out the Justice of God in laying heavier evils and troubles upon us than yet he hath done Sinners never have their full punishment till they come to hell As the sweetest joyes and strongest consolations which the godly find and feel on earth are only tasts and first-fruits of that they shall have in heaven so all the sorrows and sufferings of the wicked in this world are but tasts light touches and beginnings of sorrow compared with the pains and sorrows of the next world where sinners shall be payd their wages in full Vtrumque visitandi recensendi vel cognoscendi verbum in hoc loco judicis vel magistratis in peccatores animedversionem inquisitionem punitioni conjunctum importat Bold Secondly From the latter part of the verse thus translated Neither hath he made any great inquisition that is he hath not taken strict knowledge of thy sins though a multitude though even past number though there be abundance of them and they abounding in sinfulness yet he hath not made any great inquisition after them Hence Note The Lord doth not severely mark the sins of his people no not the multitude nor magnitude of their sins to punish them Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity implying that the Lord doth not mark in the sense here intended if thou shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand The word in that Psalm rendred to mark notes first to watch or to observe with exactest diligence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is therefore in the Noun rendred a watch Tower upon which a man is placed to take observation of all things that are done and of all persons that passe by or approach and come neer A Watch-man placed upon a high-Tower is bound industriously and critically to observe all Passengers and passages all that his eye can reach So saith the Text If thou shouldest mark as a Watch-man and eye with rigour every thing that passeth from us Who could stand That is make good his Cause in the day of his judgement and tryal before thee Secondly The word signifieth to keep in mind to lay up to have as it were a store and stock a memorial or record of such and such things by us In that notion it is said Gen. 37.11 Josephs Brethren envied him but his Father observed the saying he marked what Joseph spake about his Dreams he laid it up and did not let it passe away as a Dâ—eam or as a vision of the night Thus in the Psalm If the Lord should mark iniquity if he should treasure up our sins in his memory and keep them by him who were able to stand when accounted with The Lord in a way of grace seeth as if he saw not and winks at us oftentimes when we do amiss as he is said to have done at those times the times of ignorance when not only many things but even every thing was done amiss and out of order in the dark Gentile world before the approach of Gospel light Acts 17.30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at but new commandeth all men every where to repent That is the Lord took little notice of those untaught times in comparison of that strict notice which he will take of these times concerning which he gave command to his Apostles Go and teach all Nations and yet the strictest notice which he takes of our sins in these times is but little to what he might So much from that Translation of the Text our own runs thus Vers 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity We must expound this Verse in Connexion with the latter part of the former But now because it is not so What is not so what is missing what is wanting What had Job done amiss or what had he mist to do Elihu seems to answer he hath mist the doing of that duty to which he was moved in the close of the fore-going Verse expressed in those words Trust thou in him or wait upon him But now because it is not so that is Because thou dost not put forth such acts of holy confidence and patient waiting upon God as thou oughtest and as I admonished thee to do therefore God is engaged and even compelled to treat thee thus roughly and severely He hath visited in his anger As if he had said Though thou hast professed a trust in God yet thou dost not trust in him fully as becomes thee yea thou seemest sometimes as a man forlorn to cast up thy hopes therefore because thou dost not trust in him because it is not so as I have exhorted and directed thee the Lord hath visited in anger Mr. Braughton renders But now for missing his anger doth visit For missing that is for missing of duty or for not acting up to duty for not trusting fully in the Lord the Lord hath visited thee in his anger This sense is obvious and commodious according to our reading But now because it is not so Homo tentatur et in examen vocatur ut probetur ejus spes et patientia
quandoquidem igitur illa non extat invasit ira ejus qua odit et amolitur peccat m etiam in iis ques diligit et salvâ—s vult maxime Coc. He hath visited in his anger or strictly his anger hath visited That is God hath heavily afflicted thee God is far from all passion and perturbation of mind only he is said to be angry or to visit in his anger when he doth that which anger produceth among men when he casts down and punisheth when he lays his hand sorely upon the Creature then he is said to be angry then His anger hath visited The word notes quick breathing in the Nostrils anger appears or vents it self there as it is said of Paul when Saul Acts 9.1 And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord went unto the High Priest You might see anger as it were foam yea flame out of his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ira ejus visitavit and evaporate at his nostrils Thus saith Elihu Because it is not so his anger Hath visited To visit is properly to go to and see any person whom we respect and love thus we visit friends in civility and courtesie Secondly To visit is an act of pity and mercy and thus we visit the sick the widdow and the fatherlesse James 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction that is to go to them in pity either for the supply of their wants by our purse or for the comforting of their hearts by our counsel Thirdly We visit in care as well as in kindnesse that is when we go to our Families or Flocks or places of charge wheresoever they are and see that or whether all things are well and right with them or well and rightly done towards them according to the rules that such persons under our charge ought to act and live by Thus in Colledges and Hospitals there is a visitation of care to make enquiry of persons in trust about persons and things under their trust To the Point in hand there is a twofold visitation of God First He visits in love and mercy Ruth 1.6 Then she that is Naomi arose with her Daughter in Law that she might return from the Countrey of Moab for she had heard in the Countrey of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread That is God had shewed them kindnesse and mercy in relieving them from that devouring famine Again Gen. 21.6 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said that is he gave her the promised mercy of a Son Once more Luke 1.68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and that 's a blessed visitation indeed which brings redemption Thus the Scripture often speaks of Gods visitation in mercy Secondly There is a visitation of God in anger wrath and judgement The Law saith Exod. 20.4 5. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me That is punishing the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children these Children continuing in their Fathers ways to do sinfully such Children as take up the evil examples or tread in the bad steps of their fore-Fathers shall suffer for it The Prophet at once upbraided the impudent Jews and threatned them in this Language Jer. 6.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations nay they were not ashamed neither could they blush therefore they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. Again Isa 26.14 Therefore hast thou visiâ—ed and destroyed them There is a visitation for destruction that 's a sad visitation In this sense we read of a time of visitation Jer. 8.12 Jer. 10.15 We read of days of visitation Hosea 9.7 The dayes of visitation are come the dayes of recompence are come We read also of a year of visitation Jer. 23.12 For I will bring evil upon them even the year of their visitation saith the Lord. As also Chap. 11.23 I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth even the year of their visitation This is the visitation here spoken of it is a time a day a year of sore visitation with thee O Job Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger Hence Note First God expects the work of Faith and Patience when his afflicting hand is upon us Faith hath much work to do at all times but most in times of affliction There is also a use of two sorts of patience in our best dayes the patience of labouring in Gods work and the patience of waiting for the reward of our work after all our labours But in sad dayes the Lord expects we should exercise both patience in suffering and in waiting for deliverance out of all our sufferings then 't is that both Faith and Patience trusting and waiting must have their perfect work Secondly Note When the Lord doth not find or see as he expects the work of Faith and Patience in a time of affliction he will afflict more and more until he finds or works it This is it which Elihu saith in the Text Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger Job was sorely afflicted before but now he is visited in anger because he did not manifest such trust in God as he expected in that condition As when the wicked repent not of their sins under the punishing hand of God he will punish them more and more even seven times more for their sins Levit. 26.41 So when good men act not their Graces believe not trust not under the afflicting hand of God he usually afflicts them more and more gives them soarer stripes and layeth yet heavier burdens on them When God misseth what he lock'd for we may quickly feel what we looked not for Mr. Braughtons Translation speaks the Point fully But now for missing his anger doth visit Man seldome misseth tâ—ouble from God when God misseth duty from man and 't is a me cy that he doth not 't is mans mercy when God minds him of his deficiencies in duty though by a smart visiting rod. Thus the Lord spake of Davids Seed and 't is to be understood of all the Seed of Christ whom David typed Psal 89. If his children forsake my Law v. 30 31. Then vers 32. will I visit their transgressions with the Rod c. How true this charge of Elihu was as to Jobs omission of duty I shall not stay to enquire only this we know Job had professed trust in God yet because it was mingled with so much complaint with so many unbelieving expostulations Elihu might say the Lord missed the patience trust and confidence
which he expected from Job Doubtlesse more of all these should have appeared in him and they should have appeared more in that time of affliction There are two things which God looketh for and aims at in the time of our affliction first the mortifying of corruptions that they woâ—k no more at least no more so strongly as they have done secondly The stirring up and acting of our Graces that they may be more woâ—king and work more strongly than ever they have done Where the Lord sees not these effects of affliction that our sins grow lesse and our graces more that we complain lesse and trust or believe more we are like to be afflicted more and he will discover his anger more Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger And thence Note Thirdly Distrust or impatience under the afflâ—cting hand of God or our not trusting God in our worst condition patiently is a very provoking sin We provoke the Lord to visit us in his anger when we do not trust in his mercy Our not trusting God must needs provoke him to anger for when we do not trust him we question him distrust or unbelief questions all that God is and all that God hath promised it questions his Truth and his Faithfulnesse his Power his Mercy and his Goodnesse all these which are the glory of God and in all which the sons of men ought to glorifie him these are all questioned and darkned when we put not forth acts of trust and reliance upon God in times of greatest affliction and extremity Is it not then a provoking sin I say not to with-draw trust from God and give it to an arm of flesh but not to put out fresh and full acts of trust upon God let our affliction or extremity be what it will The Children of Israel were in great extremity at the Red Sea a mighty Army pursuing them at the heels to destroy them and mighty waters being before them ready to swallow them up in these straits whilest they should have done their utmost to get and assure God to be their Friend the Psalmist tells us They provoked him Psal 106 7. But wherein lay their provocation that Scripture saith They remembred not the multitude of his mercies The former mercies of the Lord did not strengthen their trust in present troubles that was one provocation And as former mercies did not strengthen their trust so the present trouble drew out their distrust as another Scripture assures reporting their behaviour in it Exod. 14.11 And they said to Moses Because there were no Graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to dye in the Wildernesse Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt What were these fearful fore-casts these amazing bodements of an unavoidable as they apprehended ruine but the overflowings of unbelief or distrust in God and this was another provocation Former mercies are forgotten yea eaten up by unbelief as the seaven lean Kine in Pharaohs dream eat up the fat ones and present difficulties are aggravated by unbelief as if all the power of God could not remove and overcome them And will not the Lord think you visit in anger for such a sin as this Again As Elihu doth not say barely he hath visited but he hath visited in his anger or his anger hath visited so consider who was it that was thus visited in anger It was Job a Godly man a man perfect and upright Hence note Fourthly God visits or afflicts even his own people his elect and choicest servants with fatherly anger when they displease and provoke him We find the Scripture speaking expresly of the anger of God towards the best of his servants even towards a Moses as himself made confession Deuter. 1.37 when they displease him Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes saying thou also shalt not go in thither Moses was a most meek man the meekest man upon the face of the earth nor was he an inferior in any other grace yet the Lord was angry wi h him and angry with him upon that special occasion his unbeliefe Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore c. We read of the Lords anger breaking out against Aaron for another sin Numb 12.9 The anger of the Lord was kindled against them that is against Aaron and Miriam because they had spoken against Moses vers 1.8 Aaron was the High Priest and as he was high in office so eminent in grace and doubtless Miriam was a very gracious woman yet the Lord was not only angry with them but exceeding angry his anger waxed hot against them and kindled when they forgot their duty to Moses and remembred not their distance with reverence Solomon in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple speaks of the people of God collectively If they sin against thee and thou be angry with them The Lord is not only angry with the world but angry with his Church not only angry with Babylon but with Jerusalem And as Solomon spake that of the whole Nation of the Jewes supposing they might fall under the Lords anger all together as a body so he did experience it sadly in his own person 1 Kings 9.11 And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twâ—ce Wise Solomon departed from God through an evil heart of unbelief and vanity after the Lord had come and appeared to him more than once in grace and savour and the bitter effects or fruits of that departure appeared to him shortly after the Lord saith that Scripture was angry with Solomon and the sequel of his History tells us there went out very hot displeasure against him As these Scriptures are a proof of the Lords anger kindling against his people when they sin so we find the Church represented praising the Lord for quenching the fire of his angeâ— Isa 12.1 And in that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me When we turn from God his anger is turned against us and when we turn to God his anger is turned away from us When the Lord is angry what can comfort us but the turning away of his anger And by the very act of turning away his anger he comforts us though all the world be angry with us But some may say How doth the Lord who is said to love his people with an everlasting love visit them in anger To clear that we may distinguish of anger First There is correcting anger Secondly there is consuming or destroying anger Destroying anger is inconsistent with eveâ—lasting love but not correcting anger correcting anger may be very grievous therefore the Prophet deprecates it Jer. 10.24 Correct me O Lord in Judgement not in thy anger The
active conquest as a King which he usually atchieveth by himself alone without any appearance of help from man And though Deborah in her Song Judg. 5. pronounceth a curse upon those that came not out to help the Lord against the Mighty yet it was not because the mighty God needed their help or service but because they did owe it him in duty should have given it him For that the Lord wants no help is further clear from the Prophet Isa 59.16 He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no Intercessor none so much as to speak a word therefore his arme wrought salvation and his righteousness it sustained him Not only no arme was put forth to help but no tongue so much as move or intercede for help to do it yet his own arme did it Thus the Prophet Isa 44.24 He stretcheth forth the Heavens alone and laid the Foundations of the Earth by himself Now as it was with the Lord in the work of Creation he had no helper no assistant he did it alone by himself so it is as true as to all works of providence Let all men forsake him as the Apostle Paul complained they did him 2 Tim. 4.16 and no man stand by him yet the Lord what his purpose and counsel is can bring to pass alone O behold this might he can do all things without the help of any and not only so but Fifthly God is so mighty that he can bring all things to pass or do what he pleaseth though all creatures should be displeased though all men and Angels though all second causes stand up to hinder and to stop him The Lord can work his will against every will against all contradictions and oppositions Thus the Prophet extols the power of God Isa 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall dâ—sanul it His hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back Where we have first the purpose of God none can disanull that Secondly the execution of that purpose He stretcheth out his hand to do such or such a thing who shall turn it back Let all men and Devils joyn forces and counsels let them strive to do it they shall not be able to do it We have a like confession Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will in the Armies of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his hand or say to him what dost thou Such is the mightiness of God that he can work not only when the creature doth not help him or when they apostatize from and desert him or his interest but though they set their hearts and heads their hands and their all against him they cannot stay him nor hinder his work I saith the Lord Isa 43.13 will work and who shall let it Sixthly Behold how mighty the Lord is he is so mighty that he can do all these things and never trouble himself in doing of them he can do all things and not be weary We see the mightiest among men the Powers of this world how they are toyled and moyled how they are worn out how they sweat and labour and are ready to faint and tire in bâ—inging some poor business some petty project about or to its issue But the greatest designes which the Lord hath in his heart to do he can do them without any wearisomness or trouble at all Isa 40.28 Dost not thou know that the Lord is not weary neither doth he faint and when the Prophet saith the Lord is not weary neither doth he faint the meaning is not this the Lord is somewhat weary only he doth not faint but the meaning is this he hath not the least wearisomness upon him no more than a man hath in turning his hand not only are all things possible to God or such as he can do if he put forth the utmost of his power and strength if he make as we say much adoe if he lay himself out to the full not only are things thus possible to God which yet argueth wonderfull might but behold the Lord is so mighty that there is nothing difficult unto him Not only can he possibly do great things but he can easily do them he can do them without the least trouble to himself There is nothing hard to him who can do every thing Mighty men have done great things but they will tell you they could hardly do them they were forced to turn every stone to straine every veine of their hearts to do them whereas the mighty God can do his work with as much ease as desire to have it done Seaventhly Behold God is mighty so mighty that he can do any thing but that which will argue that he is not almighty The Scripture speaks of something which the Lord cannot doe Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lye hath promised And again the Apostle saith of God not only making promise but oath to Abraham Heb. 6.18 That by two Immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye the heirs of promise might have strong consolation Once more 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himself We have these and such like negative Propositions concerning God telling us what he cannot do Now the only reason why it is said the Mighty God cannot do these things is because the doing of them would argue him not to be Almighty To lye is to be weak to deny himself would affirme his impotency therefore he cannot do these things the Lord is so mighty so strong that it is impossible for him to do any thing which should declare any weakness or impotency in him Thus I have given you seaven assertions concerning the might of God all which may very well call for a behold of admiration and astonishment at the mightiness of God Take a few Inferences from this grand Assertion First For Comfort Secondly For Terror Behold the Lord is Mighty Almighty this speaks comfort to the people of God First Surely then he can do whatsoever he hath promised to do and if so then look through the promises and see whether God hath not promised to do good things for his people in generall and for every believer in particular Behold the Lord is mighty these are not vaine words he can fill up and fulfill all his promises As he hath made promises so he can create performances Abraham was fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe Rom. 4.21 Secondly If the Lord be mighty in all those notions foreshewed then certainly he can do whatsoever we desire him to do according to his will As God hath not out-promised his power so we cannot out-pray the power nor out-ask the arme of God we may quickly out-pray the power of man and ask what he cannot do he may say I cannot do this for you it is not in my power but here is our comfort if what we pray and
looks to him that is poor in spirit or of a contrite spirit let such be in Rags and lye upon the Dunghil the Lord will look to them and he hath a threefold look for them First A look of honour as respecting their Persons Secondly A look of care to supply their wants Thirdly A look of justice to deliver them from wrong And if they that are poor in spirit be rich also in the world they shall not fail to receive right from the hand of the Lord. The Lord giveth right to all sorts of men against their wicked oppressors but his poor the Godly poor believing poor those that are poor not only in purse but in spirit are more peculiarly under this priviledge of being righted by the Lord. And usually in Scripture the word poor is taken in a good sence Nomen pauperis in bonum sumitur pauperes sunt populus Dei for good men as the word rich in an ill sence for evil men Jam. 5.1 Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you The Apostle speaks as if that were the case of all rich or as if he called all rich men to weeping and howling c. Yet some poor men are wicked and some rich men are righteous and therefore I conceive the word poor may be taken here for any wronged or oppressed poor yet especially for the Godly poor For though God giveth right to all men even the worst of men yet here the scope of Elihu is to shew that God takes most care of those whom the wicked do most not only neglect but injure and oppresse He giveth right to the poor Hence Note The poor especially the Godly poor are often wronged and go by the worst in the world Or thus The poor as poor usually suffer from and by the world As the world is apt to oppresse any poor so mostly the Godly poor Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poor I will arise 'T is possible a rich man may be oppressed a mighty man may be oppressed by one mightier than he but usually the poor are oppressed and they trampled on who are already underfoot And therefore the Lord saith For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise and set him at safety from him that puffeth at him This is not exclusive the Lord will arise for the help of the rich and great when any such are wronged but he is said to arise for the help of the poor as intimating that the poor seldome come by their right or find help in the world unlesse God arise to help them or help them to it and because he hath said he will help them to their right we may be sure he will Davids Faith was strong upon this promise Psal 18.27 Thou wilt save the afflicted people Psal 72.4 He shall judge the poor of the People Pâ—al 140.12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted And his Experience was as clear as his Faith was strong Psal 37.25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken that is I have often yea alwayes seen him helped one way or other and sometimes set on high from affliction Psal 107.41 The Lord careth so for the poor as if he cared for none else and the best of the poor are little cared for by any but the Lord. Zeph. 3.12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. The rich of this world trust to creature helps but as the Lords poor know they ought not to trust in creature help so they have it not to trust to and therefore they trust in the Name of the Lord not only out of choice which is their grace and duty but out of necessity And what will the Lord do for them that trust in him not only out of necessity but choice he will surely take care of them and do them right Secondly Note God rights the poor freely He giveth them right he doth not sell it What freer than gift They need not bribe for it As he freely giveth them the Righteousnesse of his Son to justifie them so they have common right of free gift to relieve them Note Thirdly The Lord relieves or rights the poor speedily He giveth implyeth a present act and that doubles the mercy Note Fourthly God will always right the wronged poor He giveth imports even a continued act as he did it in former times in the dayes of old so he doth it at this day and will do it always As the Lord giveth right speedily so constantly with him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning Most men do right only by fits but the Lord is ever giving right Lastly He giveth right to the poor not to this or that poor man but to the poor Hence Note The Lord distributes right to all that are wronged As his Mercy so his Justice is not confined to a few but floweth out to all But it may be objected Why then are so many poor without their right If the Lord giveth right and giveth it continually and impartially why do the poor cry and sigh and groan and mourn why see we so many tears of the poor If they have right why do they complain I answer First The Lord giveth right to the poor sometimes when the poor perceive it not Psal 97.2 Clouds and darknesse are round about him Righteousnesse and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne When a man cannot see the Lord doing right yet the Lord doth right The Sun shineth when eclipsed or covered with a Cloud The Lord never ceaseth to right the poor though neither poor nor rich perceive how or which way he doth it Secondly I answer He giveth right to the poor even when they want right or when they are under the sorest oppressions by supporting their hearts in this perswasion that he will give them right The poor have right when their minds are satisfied that they shall have right There is no true Godly poor man in the world how much soever afflicted but his heart is or may be satisfied that he shall have right That 's a sure word Psal 9.18 The needy shall not always be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever And therefore we may pray with confidence Forget not O Lord the Congregation of thy poor for ever Psal 74.19 The poor may rest in this assurance while their troubles rest upon them that God will bring forth their Righteousnesse as the Light and their Judgement as the Noon day Psal 37.6 He hath right who believes he shall have it as he that believeth hath everlasting life in hope long before he attains the possession of it John 3.36 Thirdly Though we say The Lord giveth right to the poor both speedily and constantly yet he reserveth to himself a liberty as to
Lord hideth himself as to sense and present appearance but he never hideth himself as to the real continuance of his love and care towards his Church or People This Objection some made to one of the Ancients the Lord said they may seem to withdraw his eyes from the righteous because he suffers them to fall under the oppression of the unrighteous Famulos suos nunc m gis respicit nam jam praevidet quid eis miserecorditer recompenset Greg in loc No saith he The Lord beholds the righteous though they perish by the hand of the unrighteous yea when it is worst with them the Lords Eye is upon them for good both to see how they carry it or behave themselves in their Sufferings and likewise to provide a full reward and recompence for them after all their sufferings Before I pass from this part of the verse let me make these two Inferences First If the Lord never withdraweth his Eyes from the righteous then let the righteous know their own Priviledge and Mercy How happy are they upon whom the Eyes of the Lord abide alwayes for good The Lord cannot endure to have good men out of his Eye as Parents say of their darlings and Princes of their Favourites If we were assured that the Eye of a great 〈◊〉 who loveth us were alwayes upon us if he should promise to have an eye to us That 's an ordinary Promise among men I will have an Eye to you that is I will take care of you if we have I say but such a word from a man in Power we think we have got a great revenue such a great Lord will have an eye to us we have his word he will not take off his care from us How much then should we boast and rejoyce in spiriâ— that the Lord hath said I will alwayes have a care of you I will never withdraw mine eyes from you I will never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 As it will be the eternal happiness of Believers in Glory alwayes to behold or see God Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God they have some sight of him here in a Glass but they shall see him face to face that is they shall see him clearly as clearly as the creature is capable of seeing or enjoying him now I say as it is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven alwayes to behold God so it is the happiness of Saints here on earth that the Lord doth alwayes behold them that his eye is never withdrawn from them Consider therefore you that are in a righteous state whose acts and words and walkings are also righteous consider your Priviledge consider what it is to have the Lord Jesus alwayes setting his eye upon you to have the Lords directing and counselling eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords pitying and compassionating eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords providing and caring eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords delighting and well-pleased eye alwayes upon you to have the eyes of the Lord thus upon you and to have them alwayes upon you what can ye desire more Thus 't is promised 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect with him And whose hearts are perfect with him but the hearts of the righteous this is their priviledge Jesus Christ Zech. 3.9 is called The stone and saith the Text upon one stone shall be seven eyes There are two interpretations given of that Prophesie First thus upon one stone shall be seven eyes that is the eyes of all men shall be upon that stone upon Christ Seven is a perfect definite Number put for all numbers the eyes of all shall be upon the stone upon Christ although he be to the wicked or to them that believe not a stumbling stone and a rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.8 yet to them that believe he is a most precious stone and as they are alwayes beholding the beauty of that precious stone so Jesus Christ doth indeed invite all eyes to behold him Isa 65.1 Behold me behold me he would have us take off our eyes from all others and look steddily on him Let all eyes be upon the stone that 's a good interpretation There is a second which suits the present poynt I am upon fully Seven eyes shall be upon one stone that is the eyes of God shall be upon Jesus Christ This is a promise made unto him as Mediator when he came in the flesh or in our nature to do that great work for us Then saith the Prophet upon one stone shall be seven eyes which seven eyes note the perfect knowledge of God and so the perfect care that God would have of Chriâ—â— to bear him up through that woâ—k of our Redempâ—ion Vpon one stone shall be seven eyes I will take caâ—e of him I will p ovide for him and I will delight in him As Jesus Christ is all eye and Jesus Christ doth enlighten all eyes that is all that see are enlightened by Jesus Christ so the eyes of God the eyes of the Father were alwayes upon him in favour in love in care when he was here in this world about that great work of our salvation and he had abundunt experience of the eyes of his Father upon him Now mark it this was the great promise made to Christ the Stone that upon him should be seven eyes the eyes of the Lord should be alway and fully upon him And this is the priviledge of every one that hath part and interest in this stone Jesus Christ every righteous person hath seven eyes upon him the Lord God beholds him exactly perfectly and alwayes He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous A second inference is this If the Lord never withdraweth his eyes from the righteous Then let the righteous know their duty What 's that Never to withdraw their eyes from the Lord. There is a threefold eye which a righteous man should never withdraw from God First An eye of faith Secondly An eye of hope Thirdly An eye of dependance and that First for direction in all his wayes Secondly for protection in all his dangers I will lift up mine eyes saith David Psal 121.1 unto the hills from whence cometh my help And again Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a mayden unto the hand of her Mistress so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on us that is we never withdraw our eyes from him while we have need of his mercy and that is alwayes Walk before me that is with an eye of faith hope and dependance was the Lords charge to the father of the faithfull Gen. 17.1 I have set the Lord alwayes before me that is I
which the neglect of giving God the glory of his corrections and chastenings may bring upon the righteous Hence note Disobedience or neglect of duty is dangerous wheresoever it is found The Church of Corinth felt this many of them died in the sence given without knowledge or not having a due spiritual knowledge of Christ in the holy supper which the Apostle calls their not discerning the Lords body 1 Cor. 11.29 and presently tells them ver 30. for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep that is are taken away by death Any kind or degree of sin is dangerous not to obey a hint of providence not to obey an intimation of the mind of God in an affliction may be very dangerous afflictions may end in destructions and fetters in death if the purpose of God in them be not attended and answered by us Secondly note Not to obey when God calls and commands is folly and ignorance Such do as if they had no knowledge at all what or how to do Lastly in that he saith they shall dye without knowledge we may learn this from it The ignorance and heedlesness of men undo them and bring destruction upon them Many die because they have no knowledge others not heeding or minding what they know Holy David confessed that in on◠point he was ignorant and foolish even as a beast Psal 73.22 and when good men act like beasts without a due improvement of reason and understanding they may perish as to this temporal life like beasts Isa 5.13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge The Prophet I conceive is to be understood as this text not that they had no knowledge at all or were utterly ignorant but they had no knowledge as to that special dispensation of God how to make use of it or improve it at least they took no heed no care to use or improve it and saith he they therefore are gone into captivity they are brought under bondage to their enemies they are scattered ruin'd and as to this world quite lost and undone Wicked men are undone by acting against their knowledge good men may be undone by acting below their knowledge or by not acting according to what they know or should have known and so through their ignorance or heedlesness they dye without knowledge JOB Chap. 36. Vers 13 14. 13. But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath they cry not when he bindeth them 14. They die in youth and their life is among the unclean ELihu having put the case of the righteous in these two conditional propositions last opened as somewhat doubtful what at least some of them may do as to a right-improvement of outward afflictions he proceeds in these two verses to shew the case of the wicked wholly desperate in their affliction There is an if put upon the righteous but he is conclusive upon the hypocrite to be sure he will neither hear nor obey neither submit nor conform to the voyce of the rod. So that in these words he sets forth the common yea constant issue of the hand of God upon hypocrites in heart Possibly good men righteous men may not alwayes answer the expectation of God when affliction is upon them but as for hypocrites they alwayes heap up wrath And in this we may conceive Elihu hath a respect to Job For though he did not conclude him to be an hypocrite in heart yet he put it home upon him to consider the matter whether he himself had not at least acted and carried it like an hypocrite in heart under the afflicting hand of God forasmuch as he was no more humbled and subdued under it And indeed Elihu turns every stone and tryeth every way to bring down the spirit of Job And therefore as he had shewed what the usuall effects of the hand of God upon the righteous are so he tells him how it is with the wicked in that case thereby to put him upon the triall whether he had not reason to suspect himself to be an hypocrite because his carriage was so like theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 13. But the hypocrites in heart c. That adversative particle shews that he is dealing upon another subject hypocrites in heart are far from righteousness I have discoursed somewhat largely concerning the hypocrite in chap. 34 v. 30. upon these words That the hypocrite reign not lest the people 〈…〉 snared Therefore I intend not here to revive that subject but shall only a little open the additional tearm or amplification which is here put upon the hypocrite Elihu doth not say barely hypocrites heap up wrath but The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath as implying some special character and brand of hypocrisie upon the persons here aimed at An hypocrite in heart is no more but this nor is it any thing less than an hearty hypocrite he is one that is not to the halves but wholly hypocritical he that is but half with God such is the hypocrite is wholly profane wholly wicked The same word which signifyeth an hypocrite signifyeth a profane person and so we put it in the margine of this text The hypocrite or the profane in heart This expression is very paralel with that of the Apostle Paul Col. 1.21 Ye that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked workes yet now hath he reconciled He doth not only call natural men enemies to God as indeed they all are the wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God But he calls them enemies in their minds that is such as have a mind to be enemies or such as have a good will to do evil So here an hypocrite in heart is a man heartily hypocritical whosoever is an hypocrite is an hypocrite in heart Hypocrisie is that which lyeth at the bottome it is an heart-sin though hypocirsie act and vent it self at the tongue and by the hand yet all hypocrisie lyeth at the heart nevertheless every hypocrite is not strictly taken an hypocrite in heart The hypocrite in heart is opposed to the upright in heart Psal 92.11 The hypocrite in heart hath a heart as full of hypocrisie as the upright in heart would have hearts full of uprightness Yet further to characterize the hypocrite in heart Take these three considerations to clear it Data opera inpius est First an hypocrite in heart is one who doth evil not out of mistake but our of designe not because he cannot do otherwise but because he will not and is resolved on it such a sinful piece or such a piece of sinfulness is the hypocrite in heart he sins as he should love and serve and obey God with all his heart Secondly as this hypocrite doth evil upon design so also he doth good with a wicked mind It is possible for a man to do good unsincerely or not to be sincere in the doing of it and yet not to do it with a wicked mind and
purpose or with a base design There are many who do good who come to duty whether in family or congregation who mind not what they do nor have any love to it or zeal for it here is hypocritical attendance in that they set not themselves to meet with God or find God in the duty yet possibly such come not with a wicked purpose nor with a plot in their heads in doing these duties that 's proper to the hypocrite in heart Thus we may understand that of Solomon lately opened upon another occasion Prov. 21.27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind A man may be wicked as to his state yet not do a thing with a wicked mind not bring a sacrifice which includeth all holy services with an unholy purpose but the hypocrite in heart when-ever he doth any good hath a plot in it as he alwayes serves God with a reserve he hath somewhat that he doth with-hold he cometh by halves so he alwayes serves God with a design He may make a fair shew and a great noise in profession but ever he hath some end of his own in it Jehu said Come see my zeal for God He was about a good work the destroying of Ahabs House and Baals Priests this he called zeal for the Lord but he did all this with a wicked mind for the great thing upon his heart was to get into the Throne â—o be a King he made use of all those specious acts of zeal only as a stirrup to raise himself into the saddle the matter he aimed at was to establish the kingdom of Israel to himself and his posterity That 's a second thing as the hypocrite doth evil purposely so when he doth good he hath a purpose a plot in it more than is good he doth it not either for the honour of God or for the enjoyment of God which are the best ends of every good action and without a pure eye without which no action how good soever in it self is good to or turnes to the good of the actor Thirdly The hypocrite in heart I conceive is such a one as knows himself to be an hypocrite There are many hypocrites who little thinke that they are hypocrites yea they may think themselves very upright and honest in what they do ignorant deluded souls understand not their own case Laodicea was wretched and miserable these are false and hypocriticall but know it not As some judge or rather mis-judge themselves hypocrites who are upright in the maine with God and honest at heart How frequent are such complaints and self-wronging accusations So many are hypocrites or rotten at heart who know it not The heart is deceitfull above all things saith the Prophet Jer. 17.9 and desperately wicked who can know it And among all men common hypocrites know least oâ— their own hearts But the hypocrites in heart know their hearts are rotten and falâ—e to what they professe Induunt pallium pretatis et colorem sanctitatis haec enim est proprietas radicis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc infiâ—ere rem alieno colore â—el obmibere et velare alieno pallio The politick hypocrite knoweth that all he doth is but in shew and that he doth but act a paâ—â— in Religion as a Player upon the Stage when he is most religious he doth but take a colour or die or paynt himself with Religion which is the signification of the word here used in the Hebrew but iâ— not religious he doth but put a faire glosse or disguise upon himselâ— that he may appear what he is not or what he knows himself not to be He knoweth in himself that he is naught while he would be known by and to others as good The Apostle speaking of the grievous sufferings of some primitive Christians saith Heb. 10.34 They took joyfully the spoyling of their goods knowing in themselves that they have a better and a more enduring substance that is they knew they were in a present gracious state and that there remained for them an eternal happy state Thus also an hypocrite in heart is one that knoweth in himself or in his heart that he doth but pretend to be good and that whatsoever good he doth it is only in pretence and is therefore as the Apostle speaks of the Heretick Tit. 3.11 condemned of himself while he acquits or commends himself never so well to others Thus it appears how bad how base the hypocrite in heart is in his best appearances and how much he excels and bears away the Bel fobaseness and badness I may say for madness too from all common hypocrites Now as they exceed in sin so they shall in misery the next words assure us of that But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath Elihu having described the persons that he dealeth with or about he also sets forth both their wofull and sinâ—ull condition And he doth it three wayes First By what they do They heap up wrath For a man to be labouring continually only to make heaps of wrath for himself in what a wofull condition is that man Secondly He shews their bad both sinfull and wofull condition by what they will not do that we have at the latter end of the 13th verse They cry not when he bindeth them They heap up wrath that they do They cry not when he biâ—deth them That they do not Thirdly He sets forth their wofull condition by that which is an inevitable consequent and fruit of such doing and not doing the evil which they suffer that we have v. 14 They die in youth and their life is among the unclean These are the parts of the wofull condition of hypocrites in heart I shall give a touch upon each of them Fiâ—st Consider what they are doing If you would know their trade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ponunt iram 't is this They are heaping up wrath they add wrath to wrath till they make a mighty masse or heap of it There is a difference among some interpreters what wrath is here intended They heap up wrath Aliqui ponunt iram intelligunt exâ—ondescunt in deum Merc First Some conceive that Elihu meaneth their own wrath Hypocrites in heart heap up wrath that is when God doth at any time bind them in fetters and holdeth them in the cords of affliction as he spake in the former context these hypocrites in heart what do they Do they obey Do they turn from iniquity Do they amend their hearts or lives No They heap up wrath they grow angry they vex and rage instead of repenting that 's all these hypocrites do when the Lord hath bound them in fetters and holds them in the cords of affliction they are all in a slame they are mad with rage and fury Some both of the Ancients and Moderns insist upon this opinion and it is a very great truth that when the hypocrite ih heart
and Sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord â— Saul had been very carefull to bring home sacrifices He had not obeyed the command of God yet hoped to put him off with a sacrifice But what were heards and flocks of cattel to be sacrificed when Saul rebelled against God Nothing provokes God more than outward services of worship when they are not accompanied with inward and universal submission to his will for that 's no better a sacrifice no purer worship than a Heathen payes to his Idol-god Hypocrites offer God only the blind and the lame Mal. 1.14 that is maymed and imperfect services there is imperfection in the services of the best but theirs are imperfect services so imperfect blind and lame that they are fit only for the blind and the lame so Idol-gods are called 2 Sam. 5.8 And do not they heap the wrath of the true God who serve him no better than false gods are served by their Idolatrous Devoâ—ionists Secondly There must needs be a continual heaping up of wrath by Hypocrites for if not to set the heart right provokes God to wrath Psal 78.8 The Lord was exceedingly displeased with the Israelites because they set not their heart aright Now if the Lord be so angry when the heart is not set aright much more must it provoke the Lord when then do purposely set their hearts wrong when they do evil knowingly advisedly when as it were they study to do evil To do good only in shew doth more displease the Lord than the doing of that which in shew is evil or which is evil above-board known to be so by all beholders As Hypocrites often deceive men so they attempt to deceive God himself This cannot but heap up wrath being it self so great a heap of sin They who think God will be pleas'd with outward Services alone or have no care to give him inward are alike displeasing to him Therefore among all sorts of sinners the Lord declares his wrath and thunders woe upon woe in the Gospel against Hypocrites They have heaped up wrath and it shall be heaped upon them They shall have their Portion in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone That 's the first thing what they do They heap up wrath When the hand of God is upon them they are so far from coming forth humbly and penitentially to turn away his wrath or to seek his face that they provoke him more and more and dreadfully enflame the reckoning against themselves They heap up wrath Secondly Elihu tells us what the Hypocrites in heart do not They cry not when hâ— bindeth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vincire pro castigare species pro genere Licet hanc doctrinam in communi Elihu propâ—nat verisimile tamen est Jobum dicendo pungere But is it a fault or so great a fault not to cry when God bindeth us Are we commanded or bound to cry when we are bound in fetters and holden in cords of affliction wherein lyeth this sin That will appear while I shew what crying is here intended To cry is First to complain and make a noyse this is the cry of impatience Secondly to mourn and be sorrowful this is the cry of Repentance Thirdly to pray to supplicate yea to pray mightily to pray strongly and this is the cry of Faith Luke 18.7 Shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him That is which pray mightily to him night and day The hypocrite in heart often makes the first cry when God bindeth him the cry of impatience but never the two latter he makes not either the cry of Repentance or the cry of Faith in Prayer when God bindeth him This lets us see the second Part of the wickedness of these hypocrites 't is the omission of a most necessary duty yea of two They act very sinfully for they heap up wrath they act not holily for they do not cry when God binds them that is they neither repent nor pray or they repent not heartily they pray not earnestly in the day of their affliction Hence note First Hypocrites humble not themselves when God humbleth them When he binds them as it were hand and foot they are tongue-tyed and heart-tyed The Lord said of such Hos 7.14 They cryed not unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for Corn and Wine and rebel against me They howled and made a noyse but saith the Loâ—d all the while they cryed not to me There was no Repentance no Prayer in their cry they cryed not with their heart Hypocrites will first complain much when God binds them secondly they murmure much when God binds them thirdly they will vex themselves like a Bull in a Nett when God binds them Fourthly they will rail and curse when God binds them but repent or pray they do not Isa 8.21 They shall pass through it hardly bested and hungry and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry they shall fret themselves and curse their King and their God and look upward Here was blaspheming but no crying no repenting no praying no deprecating the hand of God or the Judgment felt in an humble and spiritual way Hypocrites cry not to the Lord though he makes them cry they are readier to find fault with God than with themselves in the day of adversity they neither cry the cry of godly sorrow for their sin nor the cry of godly Prayers for help out of their affliction They who are false with God in times of Peace seldom if at all repent or duty apply themselves to God for help in times of trouble the reason is The Conscience of the hypocrite in heart tells him Anteactae turpis â—itae â—emâ—ria anintum enervat he hath dealt basely with God and therefore when he is in streights or bound what face what faith what liberty of spirit can he have to cry to God Such hypocrites often cry out despaiâ—ingly but oh how rately are they brought to cry either believingly or repentingly when God bindeth them Secondly Consider this cry a little further as a Prayer-cry Hypocrites in heart may be much for prayer in time of prosperity they were not hypocrites else if they did not pray they were openly prophane not hypocrites Christ speaking of hypocrites Math. 6. tells us they pray much and Math. 7. they cry Lord Lord. Hypocrites are much in praying especially in times of prosperity yet here he saith They cry not when he bindeth them that is in the day of adversity Hence Observe That which is not done uprightly will not be done constantly Hypocrites cry to God only in shew at best and when 't is best with them but when they fall into a troubled condition they cry not they even lay down their shew they throw up their duties when they miss their desires They who have prayed often in a time of prosperity not throwing away their sins coming into
few are there in power who do not much iniquity who do not either for want of better information or of a better conscience oppress grieve and afflict those that have to do with them or are subject to them God may do what he will yet will do nothing but what is right How infinitely then is God to be exalted in his truth and righteousness And thus the word of truth exalts him Deut. 32.4 2 Chr. 19.7 Rom 9.14 There is no unevenness much less aberration in any of the ways of God he never trod awry nor took a false step Who can say unto him without great iniquity thou hast wrought iniquity Hence we may infer If God works no iniquity in any of his wayes whether in his general or special providences Then All ought to sit down quietly under the workes of God Though he bring never so great judgments upon nations he doth them no wrong though he break his people in the place of dragons and cover them with the shadow of death he doth them no wrong Though he sell his own people for nought yet he doth them no wrong All which and several other grievances the Church sadly bemoans Psal 44. yet without raising the least dust concerning the justice of God or giving the least intimation of iniquity in those several sad and severe wayes Secondly We should not only sit down quietly under all the dispensations of God as having no iniquity in them but exalt the righteousness of God in all his dispensations as mingled also sprinkled with mercy Though we cannot see the righteousness of God in some of them yet we must believe he is not only so but merciful in all of them though the day be dark we cannot discern how this or that su es with the righteousnes much less with the goodness and mercy of â—od yet sit down we ought in this faith that both this and that is righteous yea that God is good to Israel in the one and in the other When the prophet was about to touch upon that string he first laid down this principle as unquestionable Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord yet give me leave to plead with thee about thy Judgments Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Why is it thus in the world I take the boldness to put these questions O Lord yet I make no question but thou art righteous O Lord. It becomes all the sons of men to rest patiently under the darkest providences of God And let us all not only not charg God foolishly but exalt him highly and cry up both his righteousness and kindness towards all his people For who can say to God thou hast wrought iniquity Having in several other passages of this book met with this matter also I here briefly pass it over JOB Chap. 36. Vers 24 25. 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afar off THese two verses contain the third advice counsel or exhortation given by Elihu to Job stirring him up to give glory to God in his providential proceedings with him There are three things considerable in these two verses First The general duty commanded which is to magnifie the work of God Secondly We have here a special reason or ground of that duty the visibility and plainness yea more than so the illustriousness of his work The work of God is not only such as some men may see but such as every 〈◊〉 â—ay see yea behold afar off Thirdly We have here an incentive to provoke to this duty in the first words of the Text Remember Vers 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold To Remember imports chiefly these two things First to call to mind what is past Mat. 26.75 Then Peter remembred the words of Christ. Secondly To remember is to keep somewhat in mind against the time to come in which sence the Law runs Exod. 20.8 Remember the rest-day that is keep it in mind that when-ever it cometh or upon every return of that day 〈◊〉 may be in a fit posture and preparation for it Remember the rest or sabbath day to keep it holy To remember in this place is set I conceive in a double opposition First To forgetfulness of the duty here called for remember and do not forget it Secondly To the slight performance of the duty here called for the magnifying of the work of God Remember that thou magnifie As if he had said Be thou daily and duely affected with it do not put it off with a little or a bare remembrance the matter is weighty consider it fully As if Elihu had said to Job Thou hast much forgotten thy self and gone off from that which is thy proper work I have heard thee much complaining of the workes of God but thy work should have been to magnifie the work of God Though God hath cast thee down and laid thee low yet thy business should have been to exalt the work of God Remember it would much better become thee to act another part than this thou shouldest have acted the part of a magnifier of the work of God not the part of a complainer gainst it Remember that thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augeas extollas ejus opus non accuses ut nunc facis Merc. Magnifie The root signifieth to encrease and extol We may consider a twofold magnifying of the work of God There is an inward magnifying of the work of God and there is an outward magnifying of the work of Goâ— First There is 〈◊〉 â—â—d magnifying of the work of God when we think highly 〈◊〉 it thus did the Virgin in her song Luke 1.46 My soul doth magnifie the Lord. Her heart was raised up and stretched out in high thoughts of God Secondly There is an outward magnifying of the work of God To speak highly of his work is to magnify his work to live holily and fruitfully is to magnifie his work We cannot make any addition to the work of God there is no such magnifying of it but we must strive to give the works of God their full dimension and not lessen them at all As we must not diminish the number of his works so we must not diminish the just weight and worth of them There is such a charge of God to the Prophet about his word Jer. 26.2 Go tell the people all the words that I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word Deliver thy message in words at length or in the full length of those words in which it was delivered unto thee We then magnifie the woâ—k of God when we diminish not a tittle As we cannot add any thing to it so we must neither abate nor conceal any thing of it To magnifie is not to make the works of God great but to declare and set forth the greatness of them that 's the magnifying here especially intended Remember
rains cause or produce plentifull fruits ordinarily from the Earth and little rains little fruits Sixthly and lastly man is nourished and hath his outward Comforts encreased or lessened in proportion to the fruits which the Earth bringeth forth or to the fruitfulness of the Earth All these things attend and depend upon one another They pour down according to the vapour thereof and God draws up in proportion to what himself purposeth they shall pour down Thus we see how God by the Sun draws out the moisture and sap of the Earth to return it back with advantage Drawing up the moisture makes the Earth languish and her fruits wither sending it down again makes the Earth green flourishing and fruitful They pour down rain c. And what more Elihu answers Vers 28. Which the Clouds do drop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunc Coelum nunc nubes denotâ—t a tenuissimâ— earum Substantia Drus Here he speaks more expresly and tells us more clearly than before what the vapours are made up into According to the vapour thereof which the Clouds do drop As Clouds are made of vapours so they are the receptacles or vessels of rain which they hold as was shewed before as long as God pleaseth and when he gives the word then they drop And distill upon man abundantly That 's another elegant word implying the manner in which the rain comes or falls it is as by a distillation Here also 't is expressed for whose use or sake principally the rain is sent The Clouds saith the Text drop and distill upon man yet we know men get themselves out of the rain as soon and as fast as they can The rain falls upon the earth and abides there yet 't is said to distil upon man because the rain distils at mans request and for mans sake That other creatures are cherished by the rain is not for themselves but for man as man is not cherished and maintained by those creatures for himself but for God As the rain distills chiefly for the glory of God so nextly for the relief and comfort of man and for man it distills Abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Super hominem multum vel super homines affluentèr ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit adverbium quod eù minùs se probaâ— mihi quia Rab. hic scrilitur eum Cametz Drus There is a double reading of this word Some take it as an Adjective to the Substanâ—ive man rendring thus it distills upon many men we take it adverbially Which distill upon man plentifully that is in great plenty upon man We may take in both readings without strain to the Text or departure from the matter in hand For as the rain all 's or distills upon man abundantly so upon abundance of men the rain we know falls sometimes very plentifully and at times or one time or other all the world over watering every mans ground and serving every mans turn or occasions Therefore Elihu expresseth the blessing fully when he saith The Clouds distill upon man abundantly or upon abundance of men Hence Note First The Lord haih rain enough in store He hath vessels plentifully filled for the watering of the Earth and The Lord is so free in his dispensation of the rain that as he gives it to many in number so to many in kind he maketh his rain to fall as well as his Sun to shine upon the just and on the unjust Math. 5.45 It shews the exceeding goodness as well as the bounty of God that the evill partake of his benefits as well as the good And for our further improvement of this bounty of God remember that if God be so abundant and liberall in blessings to us we ought in proportion to abound in duty towards him or as the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 15.58 we should be stedfast and immoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. Some do only a little I may say only here a stitch and there a stitch of work for God but we should abound in it and that not only now and then by fits but be alwayes fixed in it especially we should do so with respect to that which the rain is a Symbol of the word of God When God drops and distills the rain of Gospel tâ—uths and holy soul-saving instructions abundantly upon us how should we abound in every good word and work It was prophesied of Christ Psal 72.6 He shall come down as rain upon the mown grass as showers that water the earth Some of the Ancients expound that place of the coming down of Christ in his Incarnation then indeed he came down like rain upon the mown grass he came down sweetly and powerfully 'T is true also that Christ who is God the Word the substantial Word comes down as rain in and with the declarative word of God preached and faithfully dispenced to the souls of men and when Christ comes down thus to us we should rise up to him and return fruits of grace according to the showres of grace which we have received The Prophet gives us an elegant comparison of the natural and spiritual rain in their effects and issues Isa 55.10 11. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give feed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it Now what is the pleasure of God in giving his Word what is the arrand upon which he sends it 'T is I grant sometimes to harden deafen and blind a people Isa 6.9 10. 't is sometimes to be a savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 These are dreadfull judiciary purposes of God in sending his Word nor doth it ever please the Lord to send his Word upon this arrand but when he is sorely displeased by a peoples slighting and contempt of his Word The thing which primaâ—ily pleaseth him the purpose which he chiefly puâ—sueth in sending his Word is that his people may have as the Apostle speaks Their fruit unto holiness in this life and in the end everlasting life For these ends the Lord is daily distilling upon us the rain of his Word both in commands and promises and in both abundantly Therefore let us labour to abound in returns of faith of love of hope of self-deniall of zeal for God and of fruit-bearing unto God If when God distills the natural rain that should provoke us to fruitfulness in spiritualls how much more when he pours down so much spiritual rain upon us For the close of this meditation consider That As the natural rain First softens the earth and mollifies it Secondly cleanseth the earth and washeth it Thirdly enricheth the earth and makes it fruitfull Fourthly comforts the earth and makes every
not as noting the hand or power of God sealing men but â—ods sealing the hands of men putting them off from or besides their labour Thus by Snow and Rain he sealeth or shutteth up the hand of every man and why so the reason is given in the next words That all men might know his work God by extraordinary Snowes and Raines stops men from their work But what Is it that they should be idle No but that they may know his work Whose work Some understand it of mans own work As if the meaning were this God stops men a while from further or present work that they may take a view of their past works or he takes them off from their civil works and employments that they may employ themselves in considering their moral works as the Prophet admonished the Jews Isa 1.5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts consider your wayes Another Prophet reproved them for the neglect of this duty Jer. 8.6 No man saith what have I done The Lord often brings his people to hard sufferings that they may know their own doings or works This is a profitable sense yet I rather conceive that the work here intended is Gods work and so I shall prosecute the words That all men may know his work This woâ—k of God may be taken two wayes First More st ictly thus God by rain shuts up the hands of men from their woâ—k that they may know those extraordinary stormes of Snow and Rain which drive them in from their labour and shut up their hands from working are his special work Great Snowes Raines declare to all men the great power of God who doth not only astonish men by terrible thunder and lightning but can by Snow and Rain his much weaker weapons put them beside their purpose and stop their work Secondly Take his work more largly God sealeth up the hands of men that they having a vacancy from their own work may consider his he doth as it were force them from what they were doing or intended to do that so they may have leisure to take notice of what he hath done That all men may know his work Hence note First God can hinder or stop any man or all men in their work He when and as he pleaseth can seal up the hand of every man If God hath a mind to work none can lett him Isa 43.13 Who can seal the hand of God I may say also whose hand cannot God seal How easily did the Lord seal up the hand of the the builders of Babel Gen. 11.7 They were hot upon a mighty work but God by confounding their tongues sealed their hands and they as 't is said v. 8. Left off to build the City Secondly When the text saith God sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work Observe How diligent soever men are about their own works yet they are slow enough too too slow to take notice of the workâ— of God When the hand of God is lifted up some will not see it they are not only backward to see it but opposite to the seeing of it and though others do not set themselves against yet they do not set themselves to the knowledge of his works 'T is a great and common sin our not studying to know the works of God we should study the works of God as much as we do the word of God we should study both his work of Creation and his works of Providence whether works of Mercy or of Judgment we should endeavour to know all his works From the universality of the expression that all mâ—n may know his work Note God would have all study this Book the book of his works They whose business and labours lie in fields the Plow-men and the Vine-dressers he would have them know his works as those special works of his the Snow and the Rain so his works in general The meanest of men cannot excuse their ignorance of the works of God seing the Text and Point tell us God drives them many times out of the field home to their houses and will not let them do a stroak of work more abroad on purpose that they might know his work Hence note Thirdly The aim and intendment of God in keeping us at any time from our work is that we may know more of his works It is a great part of our wisdom to answer the designes of God in all his providences to us We seldom think what God intends by a wet day by a rainy day by a tempestuous day we little think the aim of God in calling us from our works is to call us to the consideration of his work Some men would never find a time to bestow their thoughts upon the works of God if God did not take them off from their own work they would never be at leisure if he did not give them a leisure a vacation time and as here in this text seal up their hand God hath various wayes to take men off from the hottest pursuits of their own works he takes many off from them by sickness he binds them as prisoners to their beds others are taken off from their own business by proper imprisonment and restraint of liberty and why what is the reason of this is it not that they may know his work that they may well consider the dealings of God with them A sick bed is a School and so is a Prison where we should study both the Word and Works of God Let us remember when-ever God takes us off from our Callings by sickness or restraineth our liberty by imprisonment his gracious purpose is that we may know his work Possibly when we had liberty to go about our own work we could find little or would not find much leisure to meditate upon the works of God Well saith God I see I must take you off from your works else you will never be Students in mine That 's the effect of Snow and Rain with reference to man He sealeth up the hand of every maâ— that all men may know his work But here we have another effect with respect to beasts Vers 8. Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potius fera quam bestia a vivaâ—itate nam eadem vox vitam significat Drus There are two words in the Hebrew which signifie bruits or beasts The word here used properly signifies wild beasts the other tame beasts such as are for our use and brought up to our hand The text intends the wild beasts the beasts of the forrest the beasts of prey they go into dens these seek shelter in snow time or when the great rain of the strength of God falleth upon the earth The Psalmist Psal 104.20 describes the beasts ordinarily going out of their dens when the night comes Then saith he all the beasts of the forrest go forth Here we have the beasts whether night or day driven to
Lord hath not called thy name Pashur but Magor Missabib that is fear round about I will make thee a terror to thy self thy own Conscience shall be terrible to thee A man had better fall into the hands of the most cruel Tyrants in the World than into the hands of his own Conscience But when a man is a terrour to himself then to have the Lord a terrour to him likewise to have God appearing in terrible Majesty how dreadful is it The awakened Conscience of a sinner carrieth in it as a thousand witnesses so a thousand terrours and God in his anger is more terrible than a thousand consciences Secondly God is terrible to sinners in the day of outward trouble when as David speaks Psal 65.5 By terrible things in righteousness he answereth the prayers of his People When God is doing terrible things in the World how miserable is their case to whom God also is a terrour in that day A godly man when God is doing the most terrible things shaking Heaven and earth and as it were pulling the world about our ears yet because he finds God at peace with him he is well enough But as for impenitent sinners when God is doing terrible things what will become of them I may bespeak them in the words of the Prophet Isa 10.3 What will ye do in the day of your visitation and in the desolation which shal come from far to whom will ye flee for help and where wil ye leave your glory As if he had said whâ— or what can be a comfort to you when God is a â—errour to you And therefore another Prophet fore-seing such a terrible day coming makes this earnest deprecating prayer Jer. 17.13 O Lord be not thou a terrâ—ur to me in the evil day I know an evil a terrible day is at hand but Lord I beg this of thee that thou wilt not be a terrour to me in that day if men should be a terrour to me and God a terrour too it would be inâ—upportable Yet thus it will be with the unrighteous when God doth terrible things in righteousness and such things he will do in the latter dayes Take heed lest God appear with terrible Majesty to you in such a day Thirdly How terrible is God to impenitent sinners when awakened in the day of death What is Death In this Book Death is called The King of Terrours Now if when Deaâ—h is making its approaches to a person who lives in a contempt of the wayes and word of God if when his breath sits upon his lips ready to depart and the King of Terrours is ready to tear his caul and to rend his heart-strings asunder if then I say God appears in terrible Majesty what condition will such a one be in To have Death the King of Terrours and the Living the ever-living God in terrible Majesty falling upon a poor creature at once is a thousand deaths at once Fouâ—thly What will sinners do in the day of judgment that will be a terrible day indeed The Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 having said We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the body whether good or bad presently adds knowiâ—g therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men that is knowing how terrible the Lord will be to impenitent sinners to all whom he finds in their sins knowing this terrour of the Lord and how terrible the Majesty of the Lord will be to such in that day we perswade men we do all we can to pluck them out of their sins and turn them to God in Châ—ist Jesus who saves his people from their sins for to be sure that will be a most dreadful day to sinners Thus the Mâ—jâ—sty of God will be terrible to the wicked and ungodly especially in these four dayes Only they who fear the Loâ—d and take hold of his name by faith shall be able to stand befoâ—e his terrible majesty God will not be a terrour but a comfoâ—t to them â—hat fear him in every evill day Fu â—her the word as wâ—s shewed before signifies not only Majesty but Praâ—se With God is â—errible praise dreadful praise Hence note First The Lord is most praise worthy With the Lord is praise The Psalmist every where sâ—ts fo th the praise-worthiness of God and presseth this duty upon us I shall not stay upon it only remember with the Lord is praise that is he is to be praised And from the attribute of his praiâ—e or that with the Lord is terrible praise Note Secondly Even in those things which the Lord doth most graciously for us and is to be highly praised by us even in thâ—se he is to be feared dreaded and reverenced God is to be praised not only with joy and thankfullness but with fear and reverence for with him is terrible praise It is the express word of Moses in his song after the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea Exod. 15.11 Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holines fearful in praises We should not be affraid to praise God no we should be most forward to praise him but we should have a holy fear upon our hearts when we praise him Praise is the work of heaven from whence fear shall for ever be banished there will be perfect love and perfect love Casts out fear 1 Joh. 4.18 What-ever fear hath torment in it as all fear out of Châ—ist hath we shall have nothing to do with in that blessed life And even in this life praise which is the work of heaven on earth should be performed with such a spirit of love joy as is without all base tormenting fear we should have so much love to God in and for all the good things he doth for our soules especially ye and for our bodyes too in dealing out daily mercies that it should cast out all that fear which hath torment in it Yet there is a fear which should pâ—ssess our spirits while we are praising God a fear of reverence I mean which fear I doubt not will remaine in heaven for ever Glorified Saints shall praise God with that fear that is having an everlasting awe of the Majesty of God upon their hearts He is fearful in praises and therefore let us so praise him as remembering our distance so praise him as to be affraid of miscarrying in the duty and so instead of praising displease him in stead of honouring grieve him This duty of praise is very dreadful The Psalmist saith there is mercy or forgiveness with thee O Lord that thou mayst be feared Psal 130.4 Not only is the Lord to be feared in his wrath and in the executions of his justice but he is to be feared in his mercy in that greatest expression of his favour towards us the forgivness of our sins When we are in the highest exaltations of the mercy of God and of the God of our mercies yet then should our hearts be
affected with his fear It is both our duty and our commendation so to fear God as not to sin against him or to be kept from sinning against God by the fear of God that is lest God should punish us for our sins and give us to eat the bitter fruit of our own evil doings But to fear God because we hear and are assured that he is ready to pardon our sins especially to fear him when he hath given us a comfortable assurance that our sins are pardoned or even tâ—en to be filled with the fear of his great and reverend Name when we are actuâ—lly praising him and magnifying his free grace in Christ for the pardon of them this shewes a truly gratious spirit indeed With God is terrible Majesty and with God is terrible praisâ— he is at once to be praised and feared All this Elihu would fix upon the heart of Job from the consideration of the works of God his providencial works in the Air how much more should this fear affect us when we behold his terrible works of providence upon the Earth turning the world as it were upside down by the wonderful vicissitudes and revolutions which his hand brings to pass respecting either Persons and private Familyes or whole Kingdomes and Nations With God is terrible Majesty JOB Chap. 37. Vers 23 24. 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is excellent in Power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice He will not afflict 24. Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise of heart THese two Verses conclude the whole discourse of Elihu with Job The 23d verse is Doctrinal the 24th is the Use or Application of the Doctrine In the 23d verse we have a four-fold Doctrine held out concerning God First The Doctrine of his Incomprehensibleness We cannot find him out Secondly Of his Power He is the Almighty he is excellent in Power Thirdly Of his Righteousness he excells in Judgement and plenty of Justice But though he is thus full of Justice yet he is also very Gracious and therefore Fourthly We have the Doctrine of his Mercy and Tenderness towards the Creature in the last words of the Verse He will not afflict God is infinitely above man in Power and in Wisdom yet he never useth either the one or the other to the oppression or wrong of any man He will not afflict This is a very suitable peroration of the whole Narrative or matter declared which Elihu had so long insisted upon And having laid down this four-fold Doctrine concerning God he shews us the use of it in the 24th veâ—se where we have a practical Inference from what was before asserted concerning God Men do therefore fear him or therefore men ought to fear him As iâ— he had said Seeing God is thus incomprehensible thus powerful seeing he is thus excellent in Judgement in plenty of Justice as also in Goodness and Mercy therefore good men do and all men should fear him This is a very natural and undeniable Inference yet Elihu doth not leave it bare but adds a strong inforcement in the close of the verse why all men the greatest of men the wisest of men should fear God For he respecteth not any that are wâ—se in heart The wisest the greatest of men cannot carry it with God by their wisdom or policy by theiâ— gâ—â—aâ—ness or power therefore let them fear him This is the sum and scope of these two verses Vers 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out That is He is unâ—earchable and incomprehensible The Original strictly read iâ— The Almighty we cannot fiâ—d him out The Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oâ—nipotens nominativus absolute positus Pisc is a Nominative absolute as Grammarians speak we supply that word Touching As if he had said should we enter upon a discourse of the Almighty we cannot find him out Touching the Almighty That God is Almighty and what the word Shaddai here rendred Almighty doth import hath been shewed and opened already in other places of this Book especially in the fifth Chapter at the 17th verse and in the eighth Chapter at the 3d and 5th verses thither I refer the Reader for further satisfaction in that matter and pass from it here Touching the Almighty We cannot find him out This also I shall pass over in a word having spoken to it more fully Chap. 11.7 where Zophar puts this Question Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find him out unto perfection In which Questions Zophar challenged Job or any man else to set their understandings upon the tenters to put all their abilities to the utmost stretch to find out God if they could being assured they could not find him out unto perfection So then this assertion in the Text We cannot find him out beaâ—ing the same sence with those Questions I shall not stay upon it Only Note God cannot be compast by the enquiries of man Touching the Almighty we have but this to say of him We cannot say much of him or how much soever we say of him we say but a little of what he is or of what may be said of him for we cannot find him out We may find God but we cannot find him out God is to be found by every humble faithful seeker of him The Prophet Isa 55.6 calls us to that duty of seeking with an assurance of finding Seek ye the Lord whilst he may be found and so doth David Psal 32.5 For this that is for pardon of sin for grace and mercy or for this that is upon the experience which I â—ave had of thy readiness O Lord to pardon my sins even as soon as I confessed and acknowledged them for this I say shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found God may be found to do us good and shew us mercy when we seek him rightly there is a finding time or a time while God may be found Some give no other limit to this while or finding time than the limit of this life Dum adhuc in haâ— vita estis Rab. Jonath Deus invenire potest iâ—biquo quovis tempore ante obsignata decreta Abenâ— ezra And to be sure if he be not found while we are in this Life he can neither be sought noâ— found after this Life Yâ—t more strictly to seek him while he may be found as one of the Rabbins glosseth that place is to seek him before the Decree comes forth as the Prophet Zephany speaks Chap. 2.2 It is possible we may seek God and seek him too late and then there 's no finding of him Only they shall seek and find him who seek him in the finding time and they who do so shall certainly find as was said before God ready to do them good and shew them mercy But how much soever or how early soever we seek him we cannot find him out that is we cannot find