observavit this Shaddai will not regard vanity he will not give it a look with respect no not one good look The word signifies to fix or set the eye with strong intention upon any thing or person The Prophet Elisha spake to this sense though he used another word when he said to the King of Israel 2 King 3.14 Were it not that I regard the presence of the King of Judah I would not look to thee nor see thee The Lord will not regard he will not look to vanity to the prayers of vaine men he will as it were shut his eyes he will not see though he doth see The Almighty will not regard it Hence Note First The prayers of vaine and evil persons are vaine things The Text doth not say their oaths are vaine and their lies are vaine and their idle words are vaine but their cry their crys in prayer to God are vaine yea vanity There may be vanity in the prayer of a good man but his prayer is not vanity That 's a just reproof upon the good works of many which Christ gave the Angel of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.3 I have not found thy works perfect or I have not found thy works full Though that Angel had done good works and possible was full of good works yet his works were not full A man may be full of prayer pray often yet his prayer not full his prayers may be empty vaine prayers that 's a vaine thing which is an empty thing How vaine are they whose best things are vanity If the prayers of a man are vanity then certainly all is vanity and we may say of him in the whole bulke of all he is vanity of vanities all is vanity When once God calls a mans prayer and hearing vanity when he calls those works which are good for the matter of them vanity then the man is indeed altogether vanity You will say when is prayer vanity or a vaine thing I shall answer it in a few particulars First That prayer is vaine or vanity which is not put up in faith A faithless prayer is a fruitless prayer All the prayers of an unbeliever or of him who is in a state of unbeliefe are vaine and the prayers of a believer that is who is in his state a believer are vaine if he hath not faith about that thing for which he prayeth Now if the prayer of a believer is vaine when he hath not actual faith then the prayer of an unbeliever must needs be vaine who hath no habitual faith Secondly All the prayers that are for our lusts or when we resolve to continue in the practise of any lust are vaine prayers When we do not pray with a purpose to glorifie God with what we shall obtain by prayer but only to serve our own turns and so bestow it upon our lusts that 's a vaine prayer James 4.3 Such praying is rather a mocking than a worshiping of God a serving of our selves rather than a serving of God How do they abuse God in prayer who cry to him for help whom they have no mind to honour who would faine be heard of God yet have no heart to hear God Thirdly That 's a vaine prayer when we pray meerly to get ease or deliverance from an affliction not at all minding our profiting by or the improvement of an affliction 'T is not faith in God but sense of our own smart which moves to pray when we rather look how to get off our burdens Tales clamores non fides sed malorum sensus extorquer than out of our sins or to get out of the fire than to get out our dross when we pray more to have the plague taken away than our hard and proud hearts that is a vaine prayer 't is like the prayer of Pharaoh who begged that he might be delivered but it was the plague of God for his sin for his hard heart that troubled him his hard heart his sinning against God never troubled him Pharaoh-like prayers are vaine prayers Fourthly Those prayers are vaine which we make in our own strength What can those prayers be which go forth in our strength seeing we are told that we know not what to pray much less then how to pray but as the Spirit of God helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 Unlesse the Spirit make intercession for us that is make our intercessions for us in our hearts as Christ maketh intercession for us in heaven we pray in vaine Fifthly Those are vaine prayers which we make in our own name not in the name of Christ And remember though it be an easie matter to name Christ in prayer yet 't is no easie matter to pray in the name of Christ 'T is as common as that which is commonest for all sorts of people yea for children to name Christ in prayer but to pray in the name of Christ is the peculiar work of the Spirit in the heart of a true believer If the Reader desire to know more distinctly what it is to pray in the name of Christ I refer him for some help towards it to the 17th verse of the 16th Chapter where also the requisites of pure and powerful prayer are more fully held out Sixthly Angry passionate prayers are vaine prayers The Lord loves zeal and much warmth of affection in prayer but he cannot abide wrath or any the least sparks of passion in prayer The Apostles Rule is 1 Tim. 3.8 I will that men pray every where lifting up pure hands without wrath and without doubting A peaceable heart is as necessary in prayer as a pure hand When a soul coming to God in prayer hath I know not what wrathful and angry disputes within himself against his Brethren how can he look for a gracious acceptance with God Will the Lord be pleased with us while we nourish secret displeasure against our Neighbour Now be sure when you go to God for mercy and favour that ye carry no wrath in your spirits towards man one or other therefore Christ hath taught us in that most perfect model of prayer which he hath left us when we ask the forgiveness of our own trespasses to forgive those that trespasse against us We must lay down our unquiet thoughts of revenge if we would have favour with and compassion from God Seventhly Those are vain prayers which are not both formed and matter'd according to the Will of God 1 John 5.14 which are not grounded upon a just cause and which are not directed to a right end Besides all these I may add all cold Prayers sleepy Prayers slight-spirited or heartless Prayers meer foâ—mal Prayers tongue-wording Prayers which are not soul-working and self-affecting Prayers are to them who pray so but vain Prayers or as the Text speaks vanity These Rules must be observed in all our prayer-addresses to God else prayer is vain or vanity and when the prayer it self is vain the person praying hath no hearing God will not hear vanity
this reading Elihu in these words prevents an objection which Job might take occasion to make from what he had said or wished rather at the 36th verse of the former Chapter My desire is that Job may be tryed unto the end That is further afflicted or afflicted to the utmost Against this desire of Elihu Job is by him supposed making his exception or objection in this verse As if he had said Why doest thou or what reason hast thou to desire that I should be yet again tryed by affliction What I pray would that profit me if I were afflicted yet more and more Can the suffering of evil do me good or make me better To this objection Elihu gives answer in the next verse and those which follow to the ninth and he doth it as the Asserter of this Interpretation judgeth by this Dilemma Thy afflictions would profit either God or thy self seeing God doth nothing in vaine but neither thy sufferings how grievous soever nor thy doings how righteous soever can profit God no more than thy sins or evil doings can damage God therefore it remains that if God afflict thee further it will be if thou hast a heart to improve it for thy profit This reading and the sense arising from it is much insisted on but as the former is very harsh so I conceive this latter is very dark and intricate and grounded upon the supposition of an objection very remote or not easily to be suggested in this discourse And therefore to avoyd both my own and the readers unnecessary trouble I shall take the Text as it stands in our Translation and offer somewhat for instruction from it How great sinfulness there is in saying There is no profit in the wayes of God I have shewed at the 21st Chap. vers 11 th and Chap. 34th vers 9. So that referring the Reader thither I shall here give only this Note It is very sinful to say we shall get no advantage by leaving sin We may well put the Apostles question Rom. 6.21 to our selves What fruâ—t have we in those things whereof we are now ashamed What benefit have we got by polluting our selves with sin But how vaine a question is it to say What profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin Elihu chargeth Job with this yet still remember he referrs not to his eternal but temporal condition And this was Asaphs or Davids temptation also as to his temporal condition even he the one or the other David or Asaph spake as much in express terms as Job is here charged with Psal 73.13 where complaining of the great tryals and troubles he had been under and of the prosperity of the wicked Behold saith he these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches But how is it with me Verily I have cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocency for all the day long have I been plagued and chastned every moment As if he had said What have I got by my holiness and forsaking of sin what have I gained by my strictest walkings and abstainings from the very appearance of evil Have I not reason to conclude in good earnest that I have cleansed my heart and hands in vaine seeing my sufferings are not lessned though my sins are seeing my punishments are renewed every morning though I am every morning upon the renewal of my repentance Thus spake the Psalmist in the day of his temptation and doubtless this day of his Temption had been a day of temptation and provocation to the Lord like that of Israels in the Wilderness Psal 95.7 had not the Lord come in by his grace and helped him to bite in his words at the very next verse If I say I will speak thus if I use such not only uncomely but wicked language as this I have cleansed my heart and hands in vaine Behold I should offend against the generation of thy children And when I thought to know this it was too wonderful for me that is it was beyond my skill to reconcile these works these providences of God towards me with his word and promises nor was I any whit less at a loss how to reconcile the prosperity and flourishing condition of wicked men with those terrible threatnings which the Lord in his Word every where thunders out against them These cross and intricate dispensations puzzel'd me greatly put my soul into a maze nor could I spel their meaning nor make out the sense of them Vntill I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end the woful Catastrophe the miserable end of wicked-men their slippery standing and their sudden falling as both are described v. 18 19 20. Then also I understood the blessedness of a godly mans estate both now and for ever in having God his guide and his portion v. 24 25 26. then I understood what profit and advantage comes by cleansing our selves from sin though to the eye it appeare not yea though all appearances speak the contrary To be cleansed from or to remove sin is profitable and advantagious First As to the removal of Judgement When we begin cleansing work the Lord usually makes an end of afflicting work For as one great end of sending affliction is to cleanse us from sin Isa 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin so our being cleanâ—ed from sin is usually the end of our afflictions When we are cleansed from sin we are troubled no more we smart no more speak then Is it no profit to be cleansed from sin when so many not only persons but Nations have been ruin'd because not cleansed from sin God gave his own people cleanness of teeth Amos 4.6 that is famine or want of bread because of the uncleanness of their hearts and lives and is it no profit to be cleansed from sin when for our sinfull uncleannesses God will cleanse us of all our comforts even to a morsel of bread 'T is therefore a speech both false in it self and highly diâ—honourable unto God to say I shall have no profit for still I shall suffer though I be cleansed from my sin whereas first there is more profit in being cleansed from sin than in being delivered from sufferings and secondly when once we are cleansed from sin we are in the fairest way to be cleared from and see an end of all our sufferings Secondly The more we are cleansed from sin the more communion we have with God and the more peace from God Is not this a great profit a profit besides the eternal reward a profit far better than any temporal reward Will not communion with God satisfie us for the loss of friends of estate or health Will not peace with God answer all the tribulations we can meet with in this world If therefore being cleansed from sin we have closer communion and sweeter peace with God let no man say
ones in the Text crying in all these respects the burden was so heavy upon them that it made them cry out for the very weight of it and they cryed and called for some charitable or tender heart to come and ease them of it and deliver them from it Elihu doth not rest in speaking this once but repeats it again By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty These words poynt us expresly to the cause of their cry or out-cry it was the arme of the mighty which may be taken either properly or figuratively Properly the Arme is a well known and most usefull member of the body And because there is a great deal of strength and power in the arme therefore by a figure the arme signifieth strength might or power and to say they cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty is as much as to say they cry out by reason of the power of the mighty Severissimum dei supplicium immissione aut descensione Brachii significatur The arme is frequently in Scripture put for power the powerful wrath of â—od is called the arme of God The Prophet Isa 30.30 speaks of the lighting down of his arme When the Lord lets his arme fall oâ— light down upon a man a family or a Nation in wrath it crusheth either or all of them to pieces And as the powerful wrath so the powerful grace of God is called his arme Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our report to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed That is his mighty power working by and manifesting it self in Christ and in the ministery of the Gospel for the conviction conversion and salvation of sinners Thus also the arme of man is the power of man Dan. 11.6 She shall not retain the power of the arme neither shall he stand nor his arme That is his power shall fall or both he and she Bernire and Antiochus Theus shall fall and be powerless Psal 37.16 The arme of the wicked that is their power shall be broken but the Lord upholdeth the righteous They cry out by reason of the arme Of the mighty The same word which in the first part of the verse is translated multitude is here translated The mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what was the mightiness of these men There is a four-fold mightiness First there is mightiness of body that is natural might and 't is properly the might of the arme Secondly there is a mightiness in valour and in Armes Thus souldiers and warriers are mighty men they who having courage in their hearts have also weapons in their hands and swords by their sides are the mighty Such a one was Gideon to whom the Angel said Judg. 6.12 The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour Thirdly there is a mightiness of Authority And thus the Magistrate is a mighty man suppose he be weak in body yet he is mighty in power and can do great things Fourthly there is a mightiness of wealth and riches Thus Boaz is called a mighty man of wealth Ruth 2.1 Riches have so much might in them that in the Hebrew one word serves to signifie both might and riches We may understand the mighty man here in any or all these four senses The oppressed cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty They who have much bodily strength often oppress the weaker and so do the mighty in Armes and so do the mighty in Authority and so the mighty in riches have often done making the poor and the oppressed cry They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty From the former part of the verse Observe Oppression is a common sin Not only was Babylon stained with it but Jerusalem That 's an amazing passage Jer. 6.6 Thus hath the Lord of hosts said hew ye down trees and cast a Mount against Jerusalem This is the City to be visited she is wholly oppression in the midst of her Not only was Jerusalem a City but The City a City above all Cities to be visited by an oppressing enemy and whâ— even because she not only had oppressors in her but was oppression O how oppressive was that City which was oppression and that not only in some parts of her but wholly and that not in her skirts and suburbs but in the midst of her The Lord to shew that the Jewes were superlatively rebellious or most rebellious against him calleth them in the abstract rebellion as the Margin hath it Ezek. 2.7 and to shew how superlatively oppressive they were one against another He calls Jerusalem oppression Here in the Text we have a multitude of oppressions surely then there were a multitude of oppressors To heare of a multitude of sins of all sorts is very sad but when there is multitude of one sort and that one of the worst sort and such a sin as cannot go alone but draws after it a heap of almost all sorts of sin what a multitude of sins are there It cannot be denied but that oppression is a very common epidemical sin if we take and consider it in the full latitude of it For there is a two-fold oppression First there is a secret oppression To deceive defraud or go beyond another in the Apostles sense is to oppress him And thus 't is said Hos 12.7 He is a Merchant the balances of deceit are in his hand he loveth to oppress He doth not oppress by violence with a sword in his hand but by craft with balances in his hand he oppresseth while he over-reacheth in dealing and trading This sort of oppression runs up and down every where and though this kind of oppression make not a great cry yet it is a great sin a crying sin There is also a secret oppression under colour of Law many turn the very Rules of Justice into rods of oppression And this is by so much the worse by how much it hath the better cover Secondly there is an open oppression the Nimrods of the world the mighty Hunters taâ—e and vex and trouble all they can and would make all tremble before them or run from them as the Hare and Hart from their merry but merciless pursuers Now if both secret and open oppressions are so commonly practised oppression may justly beare the title of a common sin Secondly Note Oppression is a very crying sin That cannot but be a crying sin which makes so many cry Oppression then is a crying sin First as to the nature of it Secondly as to the effect of it Oppression cryeth and it makes those cry who are oppressed Solomon saith Eccles 7.7 Oppression maketh a wise man mad That which puts a man even out of his wits or besides the right use of his reason will put him much to the use of his tongue causing him to complain cry out and clamour But who are they that are most given to and deepest
is translated quite through with respect to wicked oppressors who cast God out of their thoughts never saying Where is God my maker who hath set me up who hath given me this power and given me songs that is occasions of joy in the night The wicked have abundance they can feast it and sing it day and night yet mind not God the fountain and bestower of all This is a truth in it self and because the interpretation is insisted upon by some as the truth intended in the present Text Take this Note from it Oppressors put away the thoughts of God or mind not God when they do or are about to do mischief They make the oppressed cry but they say not Where is God They neither speak nor think of God who hath cloathed them with power and made their arme mighty We finde this frame frequently ascribed in Scripture to oppressors Elihu chargeth Job with it Chap. 22d where having told him to his face of many acts of oppression Thou hast stripped the naked of their clothing v. 6. Thou hast withholden bread from the hungry v. 7. And the armes of the fatherless have been broken v. 9. Having I say reckoned up these his supposed oppressions he concludes v. 13. And thou sayest How doth God know can he judge through the dark Cloud David in prayer speaks the same of his oppressors Psal 86.14 O God the proud are risen against me and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul and have not set thee before them Psal 94.5 6. They break in pieces O Lord thy people and afflict thine heritage They slay the widow and the stranger and murder the fatherless Yet they say the Lord doth not see it neither shall the God of Jacob regard it All these Scriptures may be resolved into the Text They say not Where is God my maker They who do all they can to unmake and undo their fellow-creatures care not to remember him who is the maker and creator of us all But Secondly I conceive those words None saith Where is God my maker are rather to be referred to the oppressed than to the oppressors The oppressed cry indeed but not unto God their maker As Job said Job 24.12 Men groan from out of the City and the soul of the wounded cryeth out yet God layeth it not to heart so here Elihu saith men groan and cry yet themselves lay not God to heart None saith Where is God my maker Thus our translation seems to carry it and thus 't is most generally understood None of the oppressed say c. Taking this sense Elihu here begins to assigne the reason why the oppressed are not delivered As if he had said 'T is true there are a multitude of pressures and oppressions and they transport all manner of men with passion the oppressed cry they make much ado when they suffer against them under whom they suffer But few or none are so wise in such a case as to recollect themselves and make serious application to God putting him in mind of his own gracious nature towards the work of his hands to have mercy upon it and in faith to seek to him for remedy and comfort as being only able to relieve and glad the heart in great extremities they look not to the hand of God when they cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty they only toyle and teare themselves with complaints they cry out of this and that man of this and that instrument but alas they find neither redress nor deliverance because they say not Where is God my maker That is they are more forward to complain of wrong done them by men than to remember what good or what favours God hath done them They do not particularly and specially apply themselves to God in their trouble they do not seek nor enquire early after God Non habet cogitationem deliberationem propositum quaerendi deum neque agnitionem aestimationemque beneficiorum ejus sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coc nor humble themselves before him or under his mighty hand neither do they consider what God is to them nor whether he be with them and in them and if they find not God near them not in them they consider not how they may be united to him or get him near them We find God when we heare his voyce speaking to us by his Word and Spiâ—it and hearken to his voyce we find God when we are at peace with him trust upon him confidently and rejoyce in him comfortably The oppressed considered not these things None saith Here is an universal Negative none that is not so much as one yet we may understand it with an allay none that is few or none as we commonly speak say Where is God my maker Possibly many say it with their mouths but few or none say it either fiâ—st heartily or secondly spiritually or thirdly humbly or fourthly repentingly or fifthly believingly or sixthly submittingly and therefore no wonder if they are not heard and helped when they cry It is a common thing for men in distress or under oppression to cry out O God O Lord The name of God is taken by many in vaine when any thing afflicts or hurts them but few call upon his name It is no easie matter to cry out in deed O God my maker or to say with a serious holy and gracious frame of spirit Where is God my maker There is a twofold understanding of these words Sunt verba optontis First Some look upon them as an earnest wish or prayer for help None saith Where is God my maker That is none saith O that God my maker would appear in the present manifestations of his power to succour and deliver me In which sense Elisha is conceived to speak when he smote the waters with Eliahs Mantle 2 Kings 2.14 And said Where is the Lord God of Elijah As if he had said O thou God of Elijah come shew thy glorious power and divide these waters Sunt verba gratulantis Secondly Others expound them as an expression of praise or as the words of a man looking up to God in thankfulness for former benefits in present straights Where is God my maker Where 's he that made me and hath preserved me hitherto As if Elihu had said none of these oppressed ones have recourse to God in the day of their calamity confessing and acknowledging his great goodness to them in their creation and further preservation which might much comfort and encourage their hearts under present grievances and pressures None saith Where is God my maker The word maker may be taken in a threefold notion First for him that hath given us our being As God is the maker of heaven and of earth so he is our maker Gen. 1.26 27. Secondly for him that hath continued us in and preserved our being for providence is a renewed creation Thirdly for him who haâ—h raised us up or preferred us
refers to a person brought before a Judge for the tryal of his Cauâ—e and standing before him not as a guilty Malefactor with a heavy heart and a down-look but as a man conscious of his own innocency with much honest boldnesse and well tempered confidence The words following intimate such a sence of that word Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him that is be bâ—ought to tryal yet Judgement is before him he will certainly try thee This I take to be the most proper Explication of these words Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Job spake this as the worst of his case as that which was a greater grief and misery to him than all his other miseries and griefs that God would not set him in a clear light before others or that himself should not have a clear light from God concerning his condition Hence Note The sight of God or Gods discoverie of himself in any dark case is very sweet to an upright and gracious soul Job had begged for this once and again though possibly as Elihu would here convince him he was something too forward in it and did not enough reflect upon himself yet as he had often desired it so doubtlesse it was exceeding much upon his heart that he might have a clear discovery from God The Apostle in somewhat a like case in being aspersed in his Ministry saith We are made manifest unto God 2 Cor. 5.11 It pleased him that he was manifest unto God But when God is pleased to manifest himself unto a Soul how pleasing is that When we can say now we see God we see him clearing up our way clearing up our integrity clearing up our state how satisfying is it And as it is most sweet and satisfying to see God clearing up our state to our own consciences so it is exceeding sweet to see him clearing up our actions to the eye of the world as the Apostle spake in the same place We are manifest unto God and I trust alsâ— are made manifest in your consciences As if he had said we hope God hath discovered us to you and your consciences do also attest with us and for us what we are Light is sweet the light of the air saith Solomon and it is pleasant to behold the Sun the Sun in the firmament how much more sweet is the light of divine favour as also of our own faithfulness shining into our hearts and upon our wayes so that we are able to say now we see the Lord graciously rolling away our reproach owning us and taking our part before and against all the opposing contradicting woâ—ld Secondly Note A godly man may lose the sight and present apprehension of God as owning of him and taking care of him It is so often as to our spiriâ—ual estate and it may be so as to our outward state hence those many complainings which we find in the Psalmes and those many deprecations as to the hiding of Gods face David would faine have kept sight of God O how he desired to see him to behold him yet many times he did not neither as to the assurance of his spiritual interest Saepe deus ostendit faciem suam sed non ita ut cupitait homines ideóque non vident se videre ut ita dicâ—m Coc nor as to the comforts of his outward condition Psal 13.1 Psal 27.9 Psal 30.7 As God sometimes sheweth himself in a kind of cloud or darkness in fire and tempest which is very terrible to the soul so he at other times discovers himself only a little or gives but a glimpse of himself clearly to stir up further desi es of seeing him and to make us weary of all we see in this world in these cases we may be said not to see God when we see him Many godly men are in such a dark condition that they think God hideth his face from them in displeasuâ—e when indeed he doth not but only tryeth them to see what is in them and whether they will obey him in hope and paâ—ience and keep close to him in holy walkings even when he seemeth to depart from them and withdraw his presence Thirdly Observe Good men are apt sometimes to make over-sad conclusions against themselves As evil men are apt to make over-good conclusions for themselves they doubt not but they shall see and enjoy God O what presumptuous thoughts have men and what peremptory though groundless conclusions do they make for themselves upon false and rotten premises they will say they know God and are known of God they see God and enjoy God when they know not the meaning much less have tasted the comfort of knowing God or of being known by him of seeing God or of enjoying him These mysterious experiences are not every man's meat nor every man's matters who makes title to the knowledge of God The Apostle saith expresly 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him And again Chap. 3.6 Whosoever sinneth that is loves and lives in sin hath not seen him neither known him Yet how many are there far from keeping the Commandements of God far from a holy life yea far from a holy state so far from such a holy life as of which it may be said in a Gospel sense that they sin not that indeed they do nothing else but sin yet these are apt to conclude they see God they see him by faith they know him they doubt not but he is their God Now as many carnal men are apt to make false conclusions to themselves of an interest in God when there is no such matter kindling a fire and compassing themselves about with their own sparks as the Prophet speaks Isa 50.11 that is with vaine conceits of their own blowing up that all is well with them when all that they who do so shall have at Gods hand is they shall lie down in sorrow So on the other side godly men often times make sad conclusions against themselves they say as Job in the Text they shall not see him who though as was shewed in opening the Text he did not conclude against his sight of God by grace or that he had no sight of him by faith yet he had not a comfortable sight as to his present enjoyment and he doubted whether ever he should in this world Jonah made such a conclusion Chap. 2.4 Then I said I am cast out of thy sight As Hezekiah said in his sickness Isa 38.11 I shall not see the Lord even the Lord in the Land of the living that is I shall die and shall no more go into the house of the Lord to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple which was the one thing even the only thing in this life which David desired and resolved to seek after Psal 27.4 So many while they live are apt to make such conclusions they
forgets God as his Maker will never remember much less answer and accomplish the ends for which he was made Thirdly I will ascribe righteousness to My Maker Note A godly man takes God as his own and appropriates him by Faith in all his Relations Faith takes not only a share in God but all of God My God my Father my Maker my Redeemer are strains of Faith A Believer doth as it were ingross God to himself yet desires and endeavours that all as well as himself may have their part and portion in God yea God for their Portion Job said Chap. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth He spake as if he had got a Redeemer not only to but by himself Thus also holy Paul of Christ Gal. 2.22 Who loved me gave himself for me as if he had been given for him alone and loved none but him This is the highest work of Faith and 't is the signification of our hottest love to God it shews endearedness of affection to him as well as neerness and clearness of interest in him when we thus take him as our own Saviour Father Maker I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker Observe Fourthly He who is the Maker of all men can be unrighteous to nâ— man nor is lyable to the censure of any man whatever he doth 'T is impossible that he who made us should wrong or injure us and that upon a twofold Principle First Of the respect he hath for Justice towards all those whom he hath made God is so tender that he doth not willingly or with his heart afflâ—ct nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth Lam. 3.33 34. much less will he as it followeth vers 35 â—6 turn away the right of a man before the face of the most High that is before his own face who is the Most High As if it had been said The Lord will not pervert Judgment in any mans Case that comes before him Or if we take those words before the face of the Most High as denoting the highest Judicatory on Earth as our Margin intimates putting there for Most High A Superiour then the meaning is The Lord doth not approve that any earthly Judge though Supream or most Superiour should turn aside the right of a man how inferiour soever for as the 36th verse hath it To subvert a man in his Cause the Lord approveth not or as the Hebrew is rendred seeth not that is he seeth it not with approbation but indeed with detestation and will severely punish such subverters of Justice Secondly It is impossible that he who hath made us should wrong or injure us upon the principle of his Soveraignty over all those whom he hath made He that gives all men their being he that gives all to all men that are in being can be unrighteous to no man whatsoever he taketh from him or doth with him We have Job in the beginning of this Book Chap. 1.21 ascribing righteousness to God his Maker upon this reason or principle The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. It is he that made me a man 't is he who once made me a rich man a great man the greatest man of all the men of the East Chap. 1.3 What if now he hath lessened me and left me little or nothing what if he hath now made me a mean man a poor man in account a no man what if God hath now stript me naked and taken all from me He hath taken nothing but what he gave why then should I take it ill at his hands or have so much as an ill thought of him the Lord gives and the Lord takes there 's no unrighteousness in all this If God should utterly undoe us he doth us no wrong if he should as it were unmake us let us consider he is our Maker then we must say there is no unrighteousness in him yea we shall be ready with Elihu in the Text to ascribe righteousness unto him And therefore as a Corollary from the whole Note Fifthly Whatsoever God doth with us or others we ought to maintain the honour of God and retain good thoughts of him both as righteous and good Though Heaven and Earth be moved though the World be full of confusion and unâ—ighteousness yet we must ascribe righteouâ—nesse to God Whatsoever or whosoever falls to the dust the Honour and Justice of God must not Thus far of Elihu's third Argument for attention the Fourth is at hand in the next verse Vers 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee As if he had said I am purposed to speak the truth and nothing but the truth therefore hear me Truly my words shall not be false He gives assurance for or warrants the truth of his words while he saith they shall not be false Negatives in Scripture often carry a strong affirmation The Father of a Fool hath no joy Non est â—â—num pro passimum est sic non remittâ—tur ei i. e. famietur Drus saith Solomon Prov. 17.21 that is he shall have a great deal of sorrow When the Scripture denyeth forgiveness to any sort of impenitent sinners or saith their sin shall not be forgiven the sense is they shall be punished When we say proverbially Goods ill gotten shall not prosper the meaning is they shall perish and do him mischief that hath gotten them not only shall he not thrive with them but they shall ruine and undoe him his goods ill gotten shall do him no good when the evill day is come much less shall they be able or he by them to prevent the coming of an evil day Once more When we say Such a thing is not ill done our intendment is 't is very well done excellently done So here when Elihu saith Truly my words shall not be false his meaning is I will speak truth and truth to the highest I will speak nothing but what shall endure the Touchstone and the Test I will not offer thee a Syllable of falshood what I alledge and urge either for God or against thee shall not be fetcht oâ— hammer'd out of my own brain and so subject to errour and mistake but such as God who cannot erre by whose Spirit and in whose stead I speak unto thee hath inspired me with or taught me for thy conviction and instruction Fourthly When he saith Truly my words shall not be false we may take it two wayes First As to the matter spoken Secondly As to the mind of the Speaker when truth is thus spoken t is truly spoken thus much Elihu engag'd for As if he had said The matter that I speak shall be true and I will speak it in truth or with a true mind and heart I will not speak any thing to flatter thee nor for my own ends to trouble thee my words shall be candid and sincere
as well as found and orthodox I will speak the truth and speak it in truth Some speak that which is false as I may say in the sincerity of their heart thinking it to be true and others speak truth in the falseness of their heart that is they have some by ends in speaking it from both those Elihu here clears himself and with both these Job had taxed his Friends Chap. 13.7 Chap. 17.5 Hence observe It is the highest Commendation of a Speaker to speak truth and the higher the Truth the higher the Commendation of the Speaker Words can have no greater beauty nor richer ornament than Truth and Truth is never more adorn'd than by plainness of Speech nor more beautiful than when like our first Parents in innocency 't is naked To speak truly is much more honourable than to speak eloquently one plain word of plain truth is better than a long painted Oration tinctured with the least errour What then are long Orations and large Volumes which have upon the matter as many errours as words as many lyes and flatteries as Periods and Sentences at best some in putting off their words do as others in putting off their wares mingle good and bad together 'T is dangerous to make such medlies As we must not put bad for good darkness for light bitter for sweet falshood for Truth so we must not blend or put bad among the good nor mix darkness with light nor falshood with Truth And as 't is dangerous to mix any falshood of Doctrine with Truth so to mix falshood of Heart with Truth of Doctrine or to speak Truth but not in truth The Apostle is zealous in protesting against falshood and professing for the Truth in both these respects First as to the truth of the Doctrine or of the matter spoken 2 Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which corrupt or deal deceitfully with the Word of God we do not adulterate or mix it with our own imaginations or inventions which he further confirms Chap. 4.2 We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty c. Secondly As he spake truth of Doctrine so he spake it in the truth of his heart as he assured the Corinthians in both the places last mentioned we are not only no corrupters of the Word of God but as of sincerity there 's truth of heart as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ And again We walk not in craftiness nor handle the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God He makes a protest yet once more in the same tenour and somewhat higher 2 Cor. 13.8 We can do nothing against the Truth O blessed Impotency but for the Truth O blessed Ability Who would not be weak against the Truth who would not be strong for the Truth which is strongest of all and will prevail And as we should speak nothing against the Truth so nothing but the Truth nothing beside the Truth nothing that may be any blemish or turn to the least disservice of the Truth yea though it should be as we hope for the service of that excellent and amiable thing called Peace a thing so excellent that we cannot over-bid nor pay too much for it unless we part with and pay away truth for it and if ever we do so we over-bid for it and over-buy it indeed and shall have cause at last to repent of our bargain and cry out we have burnt our Fingers and it would be well if that were all Therefore let us remember the Lords admonition by his Prophet Zech. 8.19 Love the Truth and Peace First Truth then Peace Nor was there ever any true Lover of Truth that was not also a Lover of Peace nor any true Lover of Peace but was such a Lover of Truth that he could lay down or let go his Peace for it One of the Ancients tells us Tantus sit in te veritatis amor ut quicquid dixeris juratum putes Hieron There ought to be so great a love of Truth in us that whatsoever we say to be true should be as much as if we had sworn it to be true or had delivered it upon Oath There is no more goodness in what we say than there is Truth in what we say A Lye in report or Discourse and a Lye in Doctrine or Dispute are both abominable to God and should be so to man therefore Elihu heartily disclaims it Truly my words shall not be false He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee This Assertion suits well with the fore-going Protestation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Integer scientiarum vel integer scientis Heb. He that is perfect in knowledge will not cannot utter words of falshood But who is that and where to be found Some understand it of God He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee that is God is with thee in this business and without all controversie it may be said of God in the highest and strictest sense of Peâ—fection He is perfect in knowledge The Lord is a God of knowledge 1 Sam. 2.3 as well as 〈◊〉 God of mercy he is as knowing as he is merciful perfect in both Taking the Text so 't is as if Elihu had said Thou hadst need O Job look to thy self and diligently attend to what is spoken for thou hast not to do with man with one like thy self only but thou hast to do with God Some insist much yea altogether upon this Interpretation of the word God is with thee therefore receive truth God cannot be deceiv'd nor doth he deceive therefore hearken and obey Yet Elihu might speak thus with respect to the message brought by himself for when man speaking in the Name of God speaks the mind of God to us it may be said God is with us and speaks to us by him The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 13.5 If any require a Sign or Token of Christ speaking in me Christ speaks while his Messengers and Ministers speak truth The same Apostle testified of the Thessalonians that they took his speaking as Gods speaking 1 Thess 2.13 When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God And therefore I conceive we are to understand the words of Elihu concerning Elihu himself yet not as in himself but as fitted for and assisted in the work by God He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee As if he had said Though I am but a young man yet thou hast not to deal with an ignorant man with one who is but a novice or smatterer in the things of God with one that is yet in the Elements of Divine knowledge and learning He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee And it is conceiv'd that Elihu speaks thus in the third person for Modesties sake as the Apostle Paul also did 2 Cor.
12.2 3. I knew a man in Christ c. He doth not say I Paul was caught up to the third Heaven and heard unspeakable words c. but I knew such a man Thus Elihu here and doubâ—less he had been lyable to censure as arrogating too much to himself had he spoken in the first person I that am perfect in knowledge am with thee Therefore he covers and conceals himself by expressing it in the third person He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee that is He that is with thee to convince thee of thy former errour and to give thee better counsel is perfect in knowledge But is that true was Elihu or is any man perfect in knowledge or as the Hebrew haâ—h it plurally in knowledges that is in all kinds of knowledge or in all the degrees of knowledge of any kind Surely No man is perfect in the knowledge of any one thing much less of all things 1 Cor. 13.9 12. We know in part and prophesie in part we see but darkly c. How then can it be said of Elihu He is perfect in knowledge I answer There is a twofold perfection First Absolute Secondly Comparative There 's no man living here below hath absolute perfection of knowledge yet one man being compar'd with another may be said to be perfect in knowledge another not There are various degrees of knowledge in man the highest degree of knowledge compar'd with the lowest may be call'd perfect knowledg Thus we are to understand Elihu speaking at the rate of a creature not of God or as becomes and is commensurable with the state of man in this life whose best perfection in knowledge is to know his own imperfections Secondly Elihu speaks not of any perfection of knowledge but of being perfect that is sincere in knowledge As if he had said What I know I know with an honest upright heart and intention I do not know to abuse thee or others I make not use of my knowledge to deceive the simple but to inform them Some are crafty and cunning in knowledge not perfect in it they are knowing as the Devil is knowing who takes his name Daemon from his knowledge yet he is not perfect but corrupt in his knowledge he is subtil and full of devices to do mischief with his knowledge That 's perfect knowledge which is sincerely imployed for the Glory of God and the good of those with whom we have to do So then the meaning of Elihu may be summ'd up thus in short He that is with thee that is my self will deal with thee to the best of my understanding and in the Integrity of my heart This also suits well with the former part of the verse Truly my words shall not be false Hence Note First Though no man knoweth all things yet some know much more than others One is a Babe and needs milk another is a grown Christian and can not only receive but give the strong meat of instruction Heb. 5.13 14. Some cannot understand wisdome when spoken by the perfect they know not how to learn yea some as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 3.7 are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Others can speak wisdome among them that are perfect 2 Cor. 2.6 that is they are got to the highest Form of Gospel knowledge and are fit to be Teachers Secondly Note Whether we know little or much this is the perfection of our knowledge honestly to imploy and improve it for the information of the ignorant and the conviction of those who are in errour If we have but one Talent of knowledge yet if we use it well we are perfect in knowledge They who have digged as they think to the heart and dived to the bottom of all Sciences yea into the heart of the Scriptures too yet if they keep their knowledge to themselves or know only for themselves if they have base ends and by respects in vending their knowledge if they trade with their knowledge for self only or to do mischief to others their knowledge is not only utterly imperfect but as to any good account nothing or none at all As he that slothfully hides his Talent so he who either vain-gloriously shews it or deceitfully useth it shall be numbred among those who have none Math. 25.29 Luke 8.18 Lastly Elihu speaking of himself in a third person Note Modesty is a great vertue and the grace of all our Graces He that saith I am perfect in knowledge knoweth not what is neerest him himself We should use our knowledge as much as we can but shew it as little as we can unless in the using of it 'T is best for us to take little notice of our own goodness and not to know our own knowledge Usually they have but little who are much in shewing unless much called to it what they have Empty Vessels sound most and shallow Brooks make the loudest noyse in passage Moses put a Vail upon his face as unwilling to have that Divine beauty seen While we are provoked and even necessitated to discover our knowledge we should cover our selves It is our duty to impart our knowledge but our folly to pâ—oclaim it Thus far Elihu hath been preparing his Patient Job to receive his Medicinal instructions he is now ready to administer them for the cure and quieting of his distempered mind JOB Chap. 36. Vers 5 6. 5. Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any he is mighty in strength and wisdome 6. He preserveth not the life of the wicked but giveth right to the poor ELihu having done prefacing proceeds to the matter of his discourse wherein he giveth a large description of the power wisdome and Justice of God in his disposure and government of the world First In things Civil which he prosecutes to the 26th verse of this Chapter Secondly In things Natural which he handles to the 23d verse of the following Chapter He begins in these two verses with an excellent Elogium or with the high praise of God in his divine perfections into which he leads us with a command of attention or serious consideration yea of wonder and admiration Vers 5. Behold God is mighty I have several times opened the sense and intendment of this word Behold and therefore will not stay upon it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnus grandis potens id est potentissimus But what are we to behold what is the sight which Elihu represents to our faith it is God in his might Behold God is mighty God is strong potent omnipotent God is mighty yea Almighty The words are a plain assertion of that royal Attribute the Mightiness or Almightiness the Potency or Omnipotency of God Elihu promised to ascribe righteousness unto God his Maker yet here he begins with his Mightiness and this we find often both ascribed to God and asserted by him When God made a Covenant with Abraham he thus offers himself to his faith though
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
He hath brought down the mighty from their seats and hath exalted the lowly and meek We have some Scripture-instances of such exaltations Joseph a righteous person was cast into bonds yet God sets him not only at liberty but on high he was with the King on the Throne Only in the Throne said Pharaoh Gen. 42.40 will I be greater than thou and all were commanded to bow the knee to him David a righteous person followed the Ewes great with young and the Lord set him upon the Throne upon the Throne of Israel Valentinian was committed to prison by the command of Julian the Apostate because he struck an Idolatrous Priest that would have sprinkled him aqua lustrali with their unholy holy water as he stood in the gate of the Temple where Julian was sacrificing to his Idol-gods yet he escaped that danger and afterwards ascended the Throne of that Great Empire The Lord knows both how to deliver the righteous out of trouble and to bring them to honour Lastly We may hence infer If the righteous are with Kings on the Throne then righteousness hath a reward Them that honour me saith the Lord 1 Sam. 2.30 I will honour It is no vaine thing to serve the Lord to be righteous and to do righteously cannot but issue well The Lord hath all promotions at his dispose Psal 75.6 7. And therefore he saith Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eate the fruit of their doings Isa 3.10 With Kings are they on the Throne Yet let me add by way of Caution that neither this Text nor the notes given from it are so to be understood as if all righteous persons might hence expect great advancements in this world or to be the special Favourites of Kings and Princes The word of God doth not feed such humours but mortifies them nor doth it cherish any such aspiring expectations in righteous men but teaches them quiet submission in their own private stations and callings to those who are upon the Throne So that while Elihu saith of the righteous With Kings are they on the Throne his meaning must be taken soberly and may be taken distinctly thus First That God hath great respect to and high favours for righteous men Secondly That he brings some of them as it is said of Daniel with the Prince of the Eunuches Chap. 1.9 into favour and tender love with Kings and Princes Thirdly That the Lord hath often advanced righteous persons to Thrones and Kingly Dignities And when-ever the Lord advanceth any of the righteous Etiamsi id externè non fiat semper tamen omnium fides pietas quorundam piorum exaltatione honoratur Coc. he makes good this promise because in the exaltation of one the faith and piety of all righteous persons or the whole kind of them is honoured and exalted Fourthly To be sure all the righteous shall be with Kings on the Throne hereafter Christ hath purchased and is gone to prepare a Kingdome for the righteous and will give them a better Crown than any this world affords an incorruptible one As now the righteous are spiritual Kings or Kings in a spiritual sense Rev. 1.6 that is they rule over and keep in subjection their own lusts and corruptions pride ambition love of the world wrath envy and whatever else in them doth rebell and exalt it self against the knowledge of God yea they as Kings in this world conquer the world by faith 1 Joh. 5.4 and the Prince of this world the devil through the power of Jesus Christ as I say all the righteous are now spiritual Kings in the sense given through grace here on earth so they shall be glorious Kings and reigne with Christ for ever in Heaven and then shall this word of God by Elihu be fulfilled to the utmost With Kings are they upon the Throne Yea he doth establish them for ever and they are exalted Elihu proceeds to shew the happiness of the righteous yet further The Lord doth not only advance them but establish them nor doth he only establish them for a while but even perpetuateth their establishment He establisheth them for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sedere in hac conjugatione sedere fecit The word is He makes them sit We render fully to the sense He establisheth them The Lord sets them up on high and then settles them on high Some get on high but they cannot keep on high they find no establishment there but God can establish For ever The for ever of this world is a long time The Lord saith of Sion Psal 132.14 Here will I dwell for ever that is long Thus in the text He will establish them for ever that is they shall have long establishment And if we take it as to their exaltation in the other world there God will establish them to the utmost latitude of for ever that is to eternity The Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in victoriam Sept Sic 2 Sam. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will establish them to victory The same word in the Hebrew signifies eternity and also victory because eternity overcomes and triumphs over all The Lord shall settle them to victory and that may have a good interpretation with respect to the power of God in setling them He shall settle them to victory that is they shall in his power overcome all difficulties that stand in the way of their establishment Hence Note As preferment so establishment is from God First He establisheth all things whether they be First natural things the heavens and the earth times and seasons Gen. 8.22 or Secondly Civil things States and Nations or Thirdly Spiritual things First the Gospel and the Church of the Gospel that he establisheth as a Rock against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile Mat. 16.18 so Isa 44.28 Psal 87.5 Secondly Grace in the hearts of his people 1 Pet. 5.10 and them in the wayes of grace 2 Thes 2.17 Chap. 3.3 Thus God establisheth all things Secondly He establisheth counsels and actions Isa 44.26 He confirmeth the word of his servants and performeth the counsel of his Messengers that is he makes good and brings to effect that word which they have given in counsel And as for actions Moses prayeth Psal 90.17 Establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Whatever is in our hands quickly molders away and as the enemies said when the Jewes built the walls of Jerusalem Neh. 4.3 If a Fox go up upon it it will fall unless the Lord establish it but neither the Foxes with their subtilty nor the Lyons with their power and cruelty shall be able to overthrow that wall or those actions which the Lord is pleased to establish for he doth establish them For ever Hence Note The Lord can establish not only for a time but for alwayes he can give a
Text If they obey and serve him Hence note The Lord expects our service and then especially when we suffer Religion and the Worship of God in the whole compass of it is nothing else but service a blessed service a free service a service infinitely more free than any thing the world calls freedom Exod. 4.23 Let my Son go that he may serve me that is worship me All the Sons of God are his Servants and they have most of the Son in them who have most of the Servant in them If any deny him service they deny their sonship or rather as the Apostle speaks of Non-sufferers in one kind or other Heb. 12.8 They are bastards not sons yea God expects whole and all service from us or that we should serve him with our all Deut. 10.12 Thou shalt serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart We must serve the Lord not only with the best we have but with all the best with the heart and all the heart We serve God no further than we obey him and we worship him no further than we serve him and that heartily To serve God as to love God is a very comprehensive word 't is the summe of all the duty of Man To serve God is to submit both to what he commands us and to what he layeth upon us To serve God is to submit to what he would have us do and to whatsoever he is pleased to do with us and so we serve him particularly under sufferings We should alwayes serve him actively and we are called sometimes to serve him passively All Believers are free and yet they must serve and they are made free on purpose to serve We are purchased by the blood of Christ that we might serve him Because we are bought with a price we must not be the servants of men saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.23 Whose servants then Surely the servants of God Servus tanquam in bello servatus We are conquered that we might serve The Latines say that a Servant is one that is saved in War taken and saved So it is with all the people of God they are taken in the holy war they are taken prisoners and so made servants to Jesus Christ Yet Believers are servants not only by conquest but compact and covenant every godly man hath as it were sealed Indentures with God he hath upon the matter put his ear to the Lords post to be boared thorow as you read Exod. 21.6 that he may be his servant for ever The Lord expects service But what is it to serve him First To serve him is to do his Will Secondly To serve him is to do his whole Will It is not the doing of this or that piece of the Will of God or this or that patch of the Will of God which renders us his servants but the doing his whole Will Thirdly To serve him is to do his Will only so saith the Scripture Him only shalt thou serve If it may be supposed that we could do the whole Will of God and yet do the will of any other or do our own will too in any thing contrary to his we were not his servants if we serve him not alone or if we serve him not only that is if in serving man we aim not chiefly at the serving of him or if all our services to men are not subservient or not in subordination to the service of God we serve him not at all Fourthly I may add this also To serve God is to do every thing under this contemplation that what we do is the Will of God 'T is very possible for a man to do that which is the Will of God and yet not to serve him in doing it which we never do till we do it because it is the Will of God His Will must be not only the Rule of what we do but the very Reason why we do it else our doings are not his servings They that do not attend this serve God but as a beast may serve him a beast may do that which is the Will of God the inanimate creatures serve him so We hear of stormy winds and tempests fulfilling his Will Psal 148. All living yea liveless creatures do that which is his Will but they do not attend this that it is his Will which they do So that I say to do his Will not considering that it is his Will is to serve him no otherwise than beasts or than the winds or stormes serve him And to do his Will ayming at our own wills or ends is to serve him but as a hypocrite serves him A hypocrite doth not serve God in what he doth though he doth many things which are materially the Will of God because in all he minds his own will more than the Will of God Lastly We must serve God as Sons Mal. 3.17 A Son serveth no less than a Servant yea much more though not as a servant for he knoweth more of his Fathers mind than a meer servant doth Joh. 15.15 and he knoweth that he shall have also though not Wages at the end of every day yet the inheritance in the end Obadiah was the proper name of one good man and it is a name common to all good men they are as that word imports Servants of the Lord. It is a common Theam to urge men to serve God but it is a rare thing to be indeed a servant of God To serve God is the Summe and Marrow of all knowledge in divinity and the great end why we came into this World and for which we are here detained Nor is it an easie matter to come up to or attain the holy skill of serving such a Lord and Master as he There must be a doing of his Will and of his whole Will and of his Will only and that under this precise contemplation that it is his Will to denominate us his servants or to make a proof that we serve him Now whether God teacheth us by his Word or by his Rod which is the teaching of this context O how readily should we obey and serve him To serve him is not only the design of our being made free that is we were not onely made free to serve him but to serve him is our freedom as was touch't before yea to serve him is not onely to be free but to serve him is to reign and rule They that serve God to purpose reign over the lusts of the evil World without and over their own lusts within nor can any reign over the lusts of the world without or their own within but only they who serve him and only so far as they serve him Every gracious act of service to God is the subjugation or bringing under of some lust or other in man Now if any should say surely this is a very sad Life to be alwayes serving or to lead only the life of a servant I answer To serve God or the service of God is
sweet pleasant and easie in a twofold respect Fiâ—st comparatively to the service of sin and the world of lust and the devil that 's a weariness indeed as well as a baseness Secondly It is easie also if we consider the help we have in it The people of God serve him in a Covenant of Grace which as it calls them to work so it gives them help to work The New Covenant doth not call us as Pharaoh did the children of Israel to make brick and deny us straw yea under that Covenant we have not onely straw afforded us to make our brick but we have strength afforded us to make our brick thar is the very power by which we serve our Master is given in by our Master The Masters of this world set us a work but they give us no strength but what work soever God sets his Covenant-servants about he gives them strength to do it Then O how sweet is it to serve him and how readily should our hearts come off in his service Let me add one thing more which brings us to the next words serve him for his is not a lean service not an unprofitable service there is a reward promised to those who serve him yea his very service is a reward his work is wages Therefore what calls soever we have from him let us answer and serve him There are two things which should be the daily meditation of Saints or they should be continually acquainting themselves with them First The Cross of Christ that they may know how and be willing to suffer for him Secondly The Yoak of Christ that they may know how and be willing to serve him If they obey and serve him What then even that which was the last consideration prove king us to his service there is a reward in iâ— If they obey and serve him They shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures Here 's good wages who would not serve that Master who will pay him for his work in that desireable coyne Pleasure and Prosperity They shall spend their dayes in prosperity that is they shall run out their dayes in prosperity their dayes and their prosperity shall be like two parallel lines one as long as the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat tum consumere tum consummare significat etiam consumi desiderio quod dicitur aliquem deperire amore The word which we translate to spend signifies to finish and that in a double respect First in a way of Consumption Secondly in a way of Perfection or Consummation That which is consumed is finished or ended So the word is used Psal 90.7 Numb 16.45 The Lord saith to Moses Go you up from this Congregation that I may consume them in a moment I will dispatch them and make an end of them presently The Lord can soon rid his hand of sinners And as it notes a consuming by suddain judgements by diseases or age so by longing or desire 2 Sam. 23.15 And David longed 't is this word he was even spent and consumed with a longing desire and said Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate Now as that which is consumed or spent so that which is perfected is finished Thus Moses having set down the particulars of the whole work of Creation summes all up in this word Gen. 2.1 2. Thus the heavens and the Earth were finished and all the host of them that is God compleated or brought that great work of Creation to its utmost perfection he put as we may speak his last hand to it there was nothing more to be added Here in the text we aâ—e to take this word spend not only as it often signifies to spend in a way of Consumption but also to spend in a way of Perfection they shall perfect not barely wear out their dayes A godly man hath not so much consumed as perfected the dayes of his life when he is come to and hath ended the last day of his life They shall spend their dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In bono i. e. in omni jacunditâ—tâ— In prosperity or in good saith the Original Prosperity is a good thing a good blessing of God They shall spend their dayes in good we translate it in the 21 Chapter v. 15. in wealth Wealth also is a good blessing of God to those that are good and prosperity takes that in prosperity is a large word comprehending all good health and wealth honour and peace what-ever we can imagine to render our lives comfortable comes under the name of Prosperity They shall spend their dayes in prosperity or in good this reward they shall have from the Lord who serve him Is not this good wages The carnal rich man pleased himself and said Luke 12.19 Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares The godly do not please themselves that they have goods laid up for many years in their own Stock in their Lands in their Houses in their Purses in their Shops but they please themselves that they have good laid up for many years yea for eternity in the Promises of God They who serve him they shall spend their dayes in good they shall have good for every day and so finish their dayes with good yet this is not all They shall spend their dayes in prosperity And their years in Pleasures In the former words he promised dayes of Good here years of Pleasure as if he had said they shall enjoy their prosperity long they shall not only have Dayes but Years filled up with it One year containes many dayes how many dayes of pleasure are there in years of pleasure Our life is measured by days to shew the shortness of it the longest measure of it is by years They shall spend their years 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—t jucundis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affort jucunditatem delectaticâ— in pulchrâ—udinem rei nobis gratissimae In Canticis Parg. in Epithâ—lmiis Munst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ— pt in deloctâ—tionibus Pagn In Pleasures or as we may read it in sweetnesses in pleasuntnesses in deliciousnesses in beauties The word is used 2 Sam. 1.23 to shew the loveliness of Jonathan and Saul they were a pleasant pair a couple of goodly persons They shall spend their dayes in pleasantness or in pleasures Further Take notice the word is plural he doth not say they shall spend their dayes in pleasure but in pleasures implying all sorts and varieties of pleasure in Songs saith one in Marriage Songs saith a second in graceful Beauties saith a third and which may be all or any of these in delights saith a fourth But here are two Questions that I must give answer to for the clearing of this Scripture First The Question may be Is this a mercy much to be reckoned upon to spend our years in pleasure saith not the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.6 The widow that lives
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
of prophane spirits usually dye in their youth and are cut off in the Flower of their Age. They who multiply their sins substract from their dayes and they have least gâ—ound of hope to live long who live ill As bloody so deceitful men such are hypocrites in heart shall not live out half their dayes They who live not out half their dayes dye in youth That also is the meaning of Eliphaz Chap. 15.32 where he saith The wicked man shall have his recompence before his time as also when he saith Chap. 22.16 They were cut down out of time that is before the ordinary time of cutting man down by Death was come And therefore I answer Secondly they die in youth needs not be taken in that strictness as importing that they die before they come to mens estate but only that they die before the common time of dying To die in youth signifieth any immature death or when death cometh suddainly upon any they may be said to die in youth Thus here they die in youth that is some immature or suddain death overtakes them they come to an hasty or untimely end they prolong not their dayes on earth Thirdly this dying in youth may refer to the hypocrites unpreparedness or unfitness to die Unprepared persons may be said to die in youth because youths or younger men aâ—e usually unprepared to die Hence that serious memento or warning given them Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Young men are commonly so unprepared to die that whosoever die unprepared may be said to die in youth yea though they die in old age they die infants I may say at least in alusion to that of the Prophet possibly it may be a proof of what I say Isa 65.20 An old man that hath not filled his dayes by being good and doing good dieth a child As a child may be said to die an hundred years old when he dies full of grace so a man of an hundred years old may be said to die a child an infant when he hath no grace for though he hath been long in the world yet he can hardly be said to have lived at all So then how long soever the hypocrite in heart hath had a being on the earth and a breathing in the air he alwayes dieth in youth or before his time Moritur cum Juventa Jun. Ponitur ב pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut cap. 9.26 Psal 143.7 Pisc Aeque morientur pari judicio Dei conterentur atque juveniles illi animi qui proterve obnituntur Deo palam ad omne flagitium projecti sunt Jun. Vt hic vita mori dicitur sic Authores Latini dicunt vita vivere vitam vivere vita moritur cum homo vitam cum morte commutat Drus Vita eorum suppleo ausertur Pisc Cum meritoriis Pisc Latini vacant cinaedos pathicos qui in concubitu libidinoso vice mulieris funguntur Id. because he hath not yet learned the way to eternal life There is yet another reading of the woâ—ds we say they die in youth that saith they die with youth or young men that is as dissolute deboyst vitious and riotous young men die so hypocrites die The hypocrite is opposed to the outwardly profane in his life but he shall be like him in his death As if Elihu had said look as vain voluptuous youths carnal youths or young men who give themselves up to their pleasures look as or how they die look what wrath is upon them when they die even so shall the hypocrites in heart die they die with the youth I shall touch this further upon the last clause where Elihu gives us this sence in other words and in words that more fully reach this sence for having said they die in or with youth he thus concludes And their life is among the unclean Here it may be queried forasmuch as he said before they die in youth how doth he here say Their life is among the unclean what life have they when dead I answer By their liâ—e we may understand that life which hypocrites in heart shall have after death which may be taken two wayes First for the life of the soul while the body remaines a consuming or consumed caâ—kass in the grave that life after death the life of their soules is among the unclean Secondly for the life which they shall have after the resurrection of their bodies that will be among the unclean too Some translate the words thus Their life is taken away among the unclean we say their life is among the unclean The word is is not in the original text and we may make the supply by a word signifying to take away Their life is taken away among the unclean that is they shall die like the worst of sinners they shall make no better an end than the unclean and profane no better than the most foul and filthy Sodomites as the original imports For The word which we render unclean hath a double yea a contrary signification holy and unholy clean and unclean They who are holy onely in name are most unholy in heart and life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Duo contraria signifiâ—at sanctura profanum pollutum scortatorem Recte simulatores effaeminatis comparat quia ex pravitate animi contingit quod homines sint simulatores est enim proprium magnanimi esse manifestum Aquin. The Scripture often by the same word expresseth things of utmost opposition so here he calleth those who are most unholy by a word which signifieth holiness the Hebrew saith their life is among the Sodomites Mr. Broughton translates and their life with fornicators Sodomites who are the most unclean and filthy sinners worse than fornicators are expressed by a word by this word which also signifieth holy or holy ones Deut. 23.17 There shall not be a Sodomites or an holy one among you and therefore as we read of Sodomites in the land who are sinners against the the law of nature 1 Kings 14.24 so according to that law of Moses we read 1 Kings 15.12 and Chapter 22.46 as also 2 Kings 23.7 of the destroying of the houses of the Sodomites and of the removing of Sodomites out of the land Sodomites being the most abominable of all unclean ones how unclean are they whose life is among them or whose life is taken away wiâ—h them The Spirit of God doth rightly compare hypocrites to Sodomites and filthy persons because it proceeds from the heat of some base lust or other that any are hypocrites 'T is proper to those who are magnanimous or of noble spirits to be open clear-hearted and ingenious Their life is with the unclean Hypocrites have a great affectation to be numbered among the clean and holy and possibly they have been or may be high in the opinion of men for holiness for very Sainâ—s But their life shall be among the Sodomites or the unclean It being a shame to
him to take heed of speaking or uttering any thing rashly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Custodivit servavit unduely or unbecomingly of God in respect of his troubles and sufferings and this he urgeth upon him by two sorts of arguments as will appear when I come to handle the two following verses Take heed regard not inniquity As if he had said beware be well advised what thou dost and what thou sayest The word which we here render take heed signifies to keep and preserve but most properly to prevent and keep off any evil that it fall not upon us The noun from this root signifies a watch tower upon which a person stands to observe and give warning of any danger or to descry any approaching enemy 'T is translated take heed as here so 1 Kings 2.4 where David upon his death-bed gives counsel to Solomon his son and successor what to do and how to walk in the way of the Lord that saith he the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me saying if thy children take heed to their wayes that is if they are very watchful over their wayes both as to their personal and princely walkings if they walk in my statutes then I will do thus and thus for them Thus saith Elihu take heed look about you have your eyes in your head be careful These take heeds are frequent in Scripture From whence before I come to the matter about which Elihu would have Job take heed Observe It is our duty to be heedful We cannot be dutiful unless we are heedful a headless person cannot be a faultless person This duty runs quite through all we have to do take heed first to the inward motions of the soul take heed how what you think Pro. 4.23 keep thy heart with all diligence with all keepings with all heedings it is this word in the text heed thy heart that is thy first stirrings and motions unto any work Secondly take heed as to the first motions of the soul so to the affections of the soul which are soul-motions formed up and stated take heed of your affections how and what you desire how and what you love how and what you hate Thirdly take heed to the tongue how you speak and what you speak where you speak and why or for what ends you speak there is a great deal of take heed belonging to the tongue Fourthly take heed to the ear when ye hear others speak take heed how you hear and when ye hear and what you hear infection may soon come in at those ports Fifthly take heed to the eyes what you behold the eyes are windowes which often let in vanity yea I may say venome and poyson into the soul In a word take heed of all your actions or of your whole conversaâ—ion take heed what you do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod saepe animi intentionem vel contemplationem valet ad aliquem finem utpote ad miserandum vel interrogandum vel adjudicandum Bold and how you do it see that ye walk circumspectly take heed in and about all these things that ye sin not especially that ye neither have nor carry on any design or work that is sinful take heed that ye be not found falling into that errour to avoyd which Elihu calleth or awakeneth Job to this watchfulness take heed Regard not iniquity Here is the special matter in the text about which Elihu advises Job to be heedful regard not iniquity The word rendred regard signifies the turning of the face to look upon any object that which we much regard we turn about to look upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniqâ—itas vanitas as that which we slight we turn away from it and will not look upon it we turn our face to a person or thing signifying our approbation and we turn away our face to shew our dislike and therefore we do well express this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Absurda indecentia Sept. which signifies to turn the face by regarding turn not thy face to iniquity look not to it give it not any respect or countenance regard not Iniquity The word signifies vanity properly All iniquity is vanity sin is vanity and sin hath brought vanity into the whole creation yea sin makes all things a vexation to us The Chaldee saiâ—h regard not a lie the Septuagint regard not things absurd or uncomly But what Iniquity doth Elihu here chiefly intend I answer It is a truth of Iniquity in general regard not any iniquity yet here Elihu speaks not in that compass as if he should say regard not robbery regard not murder regard not adultery and wantonness regard not any of these foul and gross sins but there was a special sin which Elihu had an aym at and which he thought Job gave too much regard unto regard not iniquity that is undue speeches and heart-g udgings or impatient complainings against the proceedings of God with thee that is do not stand so much complaining about what thou sufferest and justifying thy self in what thou hast done expostulate the matter no more with God wish not for the night of death c. This is to regard or turn thy face to iniquity take heed of these things do not regard these evils this kind of iniquity Further when Elihu saith regard not iniquity we are to expound him by these affirmatives slight it turn from it abhor it loath it despise it reject it all these affi matives are contained in that negative regard not Frequently in Scripture negatives intend their contrary affirmatives When that Scripture saith despise not prophesying 1 Thes 5. the meaning is ye shall regard it love iâ— follow it delight in it so on the other hand when this Scripture saith regard not iniquity the meaning is despise and oppose iniquity to the utmost Take heed regard not iniquity From this part of the verse thus opened Observe First It is no easie matter to keep our selves right when things seem to go wrong with us It is a hard thing to forbear iniquity when we are pinched with adversity not to speak unduely and uncomly not to speak amiss of God not to speak unbecoming our selves require â—reat caution in a day of distress We have need to take heed of this iniquity to be watchful in an evil day that we neither do nor say that which is evil When things are amiss with us we are very apt to speak and do amiss As soon as ever the hand of God toucheth us how do we grieve how do we complain how do we murmur how do we repine O regard not this 't is an iniquity to be taken heed of in a dark day in a day of trouble such as was upon Job as black a day was upon him as ever upon any in the world as to his personal condition If such a Cedar failed have not we poor Shrubs reason to look about in such
a day When an affliction is very great they that are for reputation great and strong in faith very choice believers experienced souldiers in the wars of Jesus Christ when an affliction I say growes very great how apt are they to be dismayed to be out of heart to despond to look upon themselves as undone and all undone O regard not turn from this iniquity It should not satisfie any servant of God that he avoids gross iniquities in practise he must make conscience of an impatient word and order his speech aright under the rod as well as his conversation Secondly Forasmuch as Elihu calls this an iniquity Observe Impatient speeches render us guilty let our afflictions and troubles be never so great Jobs affliction was as heavy as the sand yet Elihu tells him your complainings are your iniquity I have had occasion several times in this book to speak of the evil of complaining under the worst and sorest of afflictions and therefore I only name it here Thirdly taking iniquity in the largest notion Observe Sin deserves no respect from us Sinners deserve no respect much less doth sin 'T is one part of the character which David gives of a Citizen of Sion Psal 15.4 He is one in whose eyes a vile person that is a wicked person a person given up to his lusts is contemned That which makes a person vile and contemptible is worse than a vile person and therefore should have less respect or more contempt from us Remember sin is the only thing which makes any person vile should we then give any respect to sin should we give respect to that which brings utter disrespect upon us have we any reason to honour that which brings us to shame to regard that which makes us regardless both with God and all good men However some men are regarded with men for their wickedness I mean with wicked men they regard their like the more when they are most like them yet I say sin makes every man regardless with God and every good man Therefore regard it not yea slight it trample upon it Take that For a Fourth note in the affirmative Iniquity is utterly to be disregarded and abominated We should abhor it and cast it out of our soules we should throw it out of our conversation Note Fifthly To regard iniquity is the marke of a wicked man As 't is his property to disregard all good Psa 26.4 he seteth not his heart to that which is good he abhorreth not evill that iâ— he hath no regard to the good of duty and he hath a great regard to the evill of iniquity His not abhorring evill is to be interpreted in the affirmative he regards respects evil he prizes and values his very basest lusts before the Law and Will of God David disclaimeth this base spirit Ps 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my prayers Now who are they whose prayers God will not hear We have the answer made by the blind man Joh. 9. God heareth not sinners whom will he hear then seeing all are sinners His meaning is he hears not impenitent sinners unbelieving sinners such as trade on in a way of sin Thus David concluded if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me for if I regard iniquity I am of those sinners whose prayers God will not hear Though David had done great iniquities and had much iniquiâ—y in his heart yet he regarded no iniquity in his heart If I have locked to any iniquity in my heart saith he as the word is that is if iniquity in my heart be smiled upon if I have pleased my self with it if I have given it a good look I were a wicked man and God heareth not such Lastly from these words Elihu speaking thus to Job a godly man take heed regard not iniquity Note A godly man should take heed of doing any thing which may signifie the least respect or regard unto sin the least respect to the least sin Indulge not thy self in complainings and impatience lest thou be found to regard iniquity as Job is here charged in the next words For this thou hast chosen rather than affliction Here Elihu applieth the matter yet closer to Job I have advised thee to take heed not to regard iniquity and my admonition is not without cause I do not speak at random for I tell thee plainly thou hast chosen this rather than afflâ—ction that is thou hast regarded iniquity To choose is to regard This thou hast chosen rather that affliction This What This sin impatient complaining and expostulating with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elegit selegit this sin thou hast chosen The word which we translate to choose denotes a very serious and exact work of the soul Choice is a deliberate act we choose upon discussion and debate choice is made upon trial and proof Thus the word is used Exod. 17.9 Joshua was to take chosen approved experienced men to go to the war against Amalek David gathered all the chosen men of Israel 2 Sam. 6.1 And thus the Lord spake to the house of Jacob by the Prophet Isa 48.10 I have chosen thee Where I have chosen thee in the fire of affliction Affliction is a tryer and either discovers who are fit to be chosen or sits and prepares them to be chosen This thou hast chosen Rather than affliction But may we say that Job sat down and putting his affliction in one ballance and sin in another chose iniquity rather than affliction or sin rather than suffering Surely the bent of Jobs spirit the frame of his heart was far otherwise nor is it consistent with a gracious state or a state of grace to sit down and make a perfect election of any sin upon any tearms whatsoever Therefore the word choosing may be taken in a milder sence or in a more moderate intendment as if Elihu had said Thou hast spoken and done such things thou hast behaved thy self so under thine afflictions as that a man may say surely thou hast chosen iniquity rather than affliction thou hast given others great cause to judge thus of thee Elihu did not purpose to fasten this upon Job that he had purposely concluded to choose sin rather than affliction Prae afflictione i. e. magis quam afâ—l tionem hoc est tolâ—antiâ—â— afflictionis Meâ—â—n miâ— subjecti Pisc but he had taken liberty through the violence of his temptations anâ— the extreamity of his paines to use such impatient speeches anâ— actings as might be interpreted in a sence a choosing of iniquiâ—y that is impatience rather than affliction that is a quiet sufferance of affliction This thou hast chosen rather than affliction or As some render it For this cause hast thou chosen any thing rather than affliction thou hast choâ—en what came next rather than affliction or thou hast chosen this because of thine affliction so others read it that is thou hast been so prest with thine
exalting and raising me up And if God will raise up who can keep down Fifthly We may take the words in this general sense Whosoever is exalted in this world God exalteth him The Sparrow cannot fall to the ground nor the least thing or person be lifted from the ground but by the hand of God As he exalteth some in a way of special favour so he exalteth the worst of men in a way of common providence As none can be exalted if he say no God is able to put a barr or a stop to any mans exaltation so he can exalt whom he will and none are able to put a barr or a stop to their exaltation Behold God exalteth by his power Hence Note God is able to exalt any person how low soever brought how much soever despised Elihu spake this purposely to Job who was in a low condition brought as it were to the very gates of death and he makes this large description of the power of God in exalting those that are cast down purposely to comfort Job to erect his spirit and cheare his heart with a blessed confidence that how much soever he was at present under-foot or under-hatches yet he might hope for better things even to be lifted up if he humbled himself under the mighty hand of God Psal 9.9 The Lord will be a refuge the word in the Text answers this or an high place for the oppressed Places of refuge are usually high places and therefore the same Hebrew word signifieth both an high place and a place of refuge Psal 107.41 He setteth the poor on high from affliction and maketh him families like a flock The Prophet Isa 33.16 Having spoken of the man that walketh in his integrity tels us how it shall be with him He shall dwell on high The word is He shall dwell in the high places that is he shall dwell in God who is most high for evermore God will exalt him even to as much safety as himself is in his place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks bread shall be given him Particeps erit divinae faelicitatis atque consors tecti aâ—ntonsâ—c his water shall be sure He shall be housed with God yea housed in God he shall be fed by God he shall lodge under his roof and sit as it were at his Table he shall have bread enough and water enough and both sure enough And if the Lord exalteth thus by his power let none be discouraged in their afflictions and castings down The Lord alone is sufficient yea all sufficient and he exalteth not only by his will that is he hath not only a will to exalt but he exalteth by his power that is he hath power enough to exalt whom he will What power soever is in the creature 't is the Lords power 't is a stream from his Ocean and when the Lord is pleased to remove all power from the creature he hath a sufficient reserve of power in himself or in his own hand by which he can command deliverance yea exaltation Therefore do not speak either despondingly or desparingly as if all hope were gone when at any time all humane power is gone for God exalteth by his own power and as it followeth in the Text Who teacheth like him As if Elihu had said God is not good only at acting but he is good at instructing and he is best at both He is best or beyond all in power He is best or beyond all in wisdome and understanding and therefore who teacheth like him At the 15th verse of this Chapter we have the substance of what is here asserted and so upon the matter 't is but the same thing repeated there it is He delivereth the poor here He exalteth by his power There 't is said He openeth their ear to instruction here Who teacheth like him The words are a divine chalenge Who teacheth like him B ing forth the man bring forth the Angel that can The word which here we tender to teach in its first sense signifieth to cast a Dart Javelin or Stone It signifieth also to raine Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commune ad pluviam et ad dâ—ctrinam vel legem qua perfunditur et excolitur animus ad frâ—ctus bonorum operum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the raine which fals from heaven because that is as it were cast from the clouds to the earth Hence by a Metaphor it signifieth to teach or instruct because holy doctâ—ine or instruction cometh down like raine from heaven upon the minds and hearts of those that are taught My doctrine shall distill as the dew and my speech shall drop as the raine said Moses Deut. 32.1 And hence the whole Law of God is expressed by a word in the Hebrew coming from this roote that being powred down from heaven in showres of doctrine to make men fruitfull in every good word and work In answer to which some translate this latter part of the verse Nullus ei similu in Legislatoribus Vulg There is no Law-giver like unto him Who is a Law-giver like him or there is no Law-giver like him To give Law or to be a Law-giver is more than barely to be a teacher though he that teacheth doth also in a sense give Lawes Here I conceive we take the fittest and most suitable signification of the word when we render it by teaching Who teacheth like him As if he had said None can teach like God and therefore surely none can teach him how to governe the world or to dispose of any mans person or condition as thou O Job hast rashly or overboldly done for while thou hast complained so much and so often of his dealings with thee thou hast upon the matter attempted to teach him But Who teacheth like him Where shall we find any able to give instruction and apply doctrine like God God is exalted infinitely in power and yet he condescends to be a teacher or an instructer God doth not stand upon his power only he saith not I have power to do what I will I can force all men to my will or break them if they will not but he instâ—ucts and perswades he labours to allure the soul into a right understanding of his will and submission to it Who teacheth like him Hence note First The great goodness of God that he who hath all power to command should yet vouchsafe to instruct that he who is the Judge will also be the Teacher of his People This is the great Pâ—omise in the Covenant of grace They shall be all taught of God John 6.45 Some things may be known by the light of nature of which knowledge God is the Author in the same sense as he is of all natural Powers and faculties But here Eliâ—â— intends a spiritual knowledge both of God and of our selves or a teaching of divine things by divine chastenings both with respect to what we should do and desire as also with respect
will part with them on the account of man Only that which God hath taught us abideth with us and that no man can take from us Men may take the life of such a one from him which God hath given him but they cannot take the truth from him which God hath taught him What God teacheth is written as it were with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond it is graven upon the tables of the heart for ever Thus we may in some measure discern who are taught of God and seeing they who are taught of him are so taught we may very well insist upon Elihu's chalenge Who teacheth like him And as there is no teacher like God so neither is there any ruler like God this also is taught us by Elihu as a matter out of question while in the next verse he proceeds to make more questions or two questions more Vers 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro jubere or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity This verse holds out two things First the soveraignty Secondly the integrity of God God is supream in power and he is righteous in the use of his power and therefore O Job thou hast much forgotten both thy self and him in making so many complaints about thy condition which is indeed to enjoyn God his way or prescribe to him how he shall govern the world And seeing no man hath enjoyned God his way who can question him about it what way soever he is pleased to take either with whole Nations or with any of the sons of men Who hath enjoyned him his way or visited him No man hath no man can enjoyn him his way God hath no visitors over him Mr. Broughton renders Who gave him charge over his wayes Like that Chap. 34.13 The way of God is any course which himself taketh either in governing the world in general or any person in particular who shall instruct him about either what or how he shall do whom he shall spare whom he shall punish whose heart he shall soften whose he shall harden whom he shall save whom he shall destroy how he shall teach which way he shall lead in a word how he shall administer justice and order any of his matters all must be bound to and by his Lawes he cannot be bound to or by the lawes and prescripts of any either in works of Judgment or of Mercy either in doing good to and for man or in dealing out of evil Further Who hath enjoyned him his way By the way of God we may understand both the actions of God themselves as also the reasons moving him to those actions As if Elihu had said Who hath taught God what to do Who hath or who can direct him what to do Who may be so bold with God who is the soveraign Lord over all the earth thus to enjoyn him his way Hence note God is the first mover of all that himself doth No man hath shewed him or enjoyned him his way He is the fountain of light he seeth what to do who hath been his counsellor 1 Cor. 2.16 that is no man hath or may instruct him Isa 40.13 Rom. 11.34 Again he is the fountain of power none hath authority to direct him he is above all as he needs not the counsel of any so he receiveth the rule from none I have had occasion more than once in the process of this Book to say somewhat of the soveraignty of God over all creatures and therefore only remind it here Who hath enjoyned him his way Or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity The world is full of iniquity but in God there is none at all As God is not obliged to give any men an account of his works so no man can find any the least real fault or defect in any of them and if his works do not appear so to us now yet at last they will appear to all without any shadow of iniquity Samuel called together the Israelites and demanded 1 Sam. 12.3 Whose oxe have I taken c. Whom have I defrauded c. Come charge me witness against me who can say I have wrought iniquity It was much and a rare thing for Samuel to carry it so justly that none could challenge him but when all the world shall be summoned before God he will be able to put the question Who of all the sons of men can say I have wrought iniquity None can say it but with utmost impudency and highest blasphemy It is impossible for God to work iniquity not only is his Command but his Will totally against it What-ever God works is according to his own Will and his Will is the Rule of Righteousness therefore he can do no iniquity There is no iniqui y in acting or working according to the Law If men act according to their will they usually act iniquity because their will is noâ— a Law and 't is seldome conformed to the Law The will of no man is so right or so fixed in the right as to be received foâ— a Law But seeing what-ever God doth he doth it according to his oâ—n Will and his Will is the righteous Rule of all things therefore all must be right which he doth Who-ever took him tripping in his dealings Who can say he bath wrought iniquity But why doth Elihu speak thus to Job Had he ever said that God works iniquity I answer He had not Yet because he thought God might have done better by good men or have given out that which was more suitable to their estate than such continual sorrows and afflictions as he endured therefore this saying is deservedly imputed to him For it would have become Job and doth every man to say that is best done which God doâ—h and that he hath chosen or pitched upon the best and most proper meanes of doing his own choisest servants good even when 't is worst with them in the world or when he afflicts them with the greatest evils For Who can then say he hath wrought iniquity Hence observe First The infinite purity of God as also his love to righteousness and justice Who though he be so absolute in power that none can call him in question none can enjoyn him his way and therefore none can question him for his way yet he is so perfect in righteousness that no fault can be found in him nor any error in his way Though the Lord hath power to do what he will yet he hath no will to do wrong with his power The Lord neither doth nor can do wrong to those who have to their power continually wronged him And indeed he that hath all power in his hand can have nothing but right in his heart How few are there in power though their way be injoyned to them though they have power meerly by commission from superior powers though their power be such as they are to give an account of yet I say how
vastness that all must confess the hand of God hath done it Thirdly We then magnifie the works of God when we freely submit to God in them as just and righteous when we accept and take them kindly at his hand not only when they are outward kindnesses but crosses All the great words and rhetorick we can bestow upon the works of God will not magnifie them unless we freely submit to them as just and righteous They that would magnifie the works of God must say Judgment and righteousness are the habitation of his throne while they can see nothing but Clouds and darkness round about him Psal 97.2 I saith the Psalmist am in the dark about all that God is doing at this day yet of this I am as confident as confidence it self Judgment and Righteousness are the habitation of his throne I know God doth nothing amiss no not in the least Thus John in the Revelation Chap. 15.3 saw them that had gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name and they saith he sing the Song of Moses c. saying great and marvelous are thy works just and true are thy wayes The works of God in Judgment upon Babylon are full of justice and we magnifie them by proclaiâ—ing and crying them up as just yea the work of God in judgment upon Zion is exceedingly magnified when Zion submits to it and embraceth it as just and righteous It was the great sin of the house of Israel when they said Ezek. 18 25. The wayes of God are not equal As if they had said are these the Lords equal dealings that we his People should be given up to the hand of the enemy and suffer such things as these yea the house of Israel must say all the works of God not only his exalting works but his humbling works are equal just and righteous for we have sinned This is to magnifie the work of God Fourthly To magnifie the work of God is to look upon his work what-ever it is not only as having justice in it towards all men but as good and being full of goodness to his People Possibly it may be very hard work yet we must bring our hearts to say it is good work good to and for the Israel of God Thus the holy man of old magnified the work of God Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel This he spake while he was bemoaning himself under very afflicting providences We magnifie the afflicting works of God when we submit to them as just much more when we embrace them as good And it was very much the design of Elihu to bring Job off from disputing about the evils with which God had so long exercised him to a ready yeeldance that they were good for him and that in all the Lord intended nothing but his good Fifthly To magnifie the work of God is to answer the end of it Every work is magnified when it receiveth its end if a work be done yet if it have not its effect if it bring not that about to which it was designed the worker receives no honour from it nor is the work honoured To work in vain is a debasing a lessening of any work not a magnifying of it The Apostle was afraid to bestow his labour in preaching the Gospel in vain When people still continue in their blindness and unbelief c. this layeth the preaChing of the Gospel low but when souls are convinced and converted and come flocking in then the Gospel is magnified and the word of the Lord glorified as the Apostle prayed it might 2 Thes 3.1 Now as the word of God is magnified when it attains its end so the work of God is magnified when we give him or come up to those ends for which he wrought it But if we let God lose the end of his work we do what we can to debase his work as if he had done it in vain We say he works like a fool that hath not proposed an end to every woâ—k he dotâ— and he appears not very wise at least not very powerful who aâ—taineth not the end or ends for which he began his work The most wise God hath his end and aim in all his works in this world and this is the honour we do his work when we labour first to know and secondly to give him his end in every work But if any ask What are the ends of God in his work I answer They are very various First The chief end of all that God doth is the advancement of his own Name and Glory As he made all things for himself in Creation so he doth all things for himself in Providence That which is the sin of man is the holiness of God to seek himself It is most proper for God who is the chief good and whose glory is the ultimate end of all things to set up himself in all things Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself saith Solomon And the Apostle faith as much Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen All things are of him therefore all things should return unto him If we would magnifie any work of God we must be sure to give him this end the glory of it Let it not satisfie us that we are advanced or get up by the works of God unless we our selves advance his glory by them Many advance themselves and are lifted up with pride when God works for them or by them not at all minding that which they should chiefly mind the glorifying of God in by what he hath w ought either for themselves or others Secondly God hath this in design by all his works to make us better If it be a work of Judgment it is to make us better and then we exalt his works of Judgement when we are bettered by them when we are more humbled and weaned from the world by them And as 't is the design of God to make us better by his works of Judgment so by all his works of mercy The Apostle beseecheth us by the mercies of God to present our bodies that is our whole selves a living sacrifice in all holy service to himself Rom. 12.1 What will it advantage us to be bettered in our outward enjoyments by what God works or doth for us unless we learn to be better and do his work better that is unless our hearts be more holy and we more fruitful in every good word and work Some will magnifie the work of God by keeping a day of thanksgiving because they are richer or greater by what God hath wrought for them who yet are not a whit more holy or spiritual by it Wo to those who magnifie the work of God because they think it shall go better with them when themselves are not better Enquire therefore what lust hath the work of God moved you to
of the aire spreading themselves all the Heavens over v. 29. Thirdly He tells us of the sudden changes and successions of rain and faire weather of a cloudy and serene sky v. 30. Fourthly He sets forth the different purposes of God in dispensing the rain which are sometimes for judgement someâ—imes for mercy v. 31 32. Fifthly He intimates the Prognosticks of it or what are the signes and foreâ—unners or foretellers of it v. 33. The two verses under-hand hold out the first poynt the formation and generation of the rain Vers 27. He maketh small the drops of water That is God as it were coynes and mints out the water into drops of rain As a mighty masse of gold or silver is minted out into small pieces so a huge body of water is minted out into small drops that 's the sum of these words according to our rendring The Hebrew word rendred He maketh small hath a two-fold signification and that hath caused a three-fold translation of these words First It signifieth to take away oâ— to withdraw according to this signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ademit substraxit a two-fold power of God is held forth about the drops of water First Substraxit deâ—u stillas aquâ—rum scâ— ex mari fluminiâ—us â—â— loc is humidis quae fundunt pluviam ad nubeni ejus Haustus vapor ex aqua cogitur in nubem quae dainde sundit pluviam Merl Qui ausert stillas pluviae Vulg. The power of God in drawing the water up from the Earth to make rain for that in Nature as we shall see afterwards is the cause of â—ain God draws up the water from the Earth which he sends down upon the Earth he draws up the vapours and the vapours become a Cloud and the Cloud is dissolved into rain Secondly The word may very well expresse according to other texts of Sc ipture the putting forth of the power of God in stopping staying keeping back and with-holding rain from the eaâ—â—h when â—od hath drawn water from the earth he can hold it frâ—m the eaâ—â—h as long as he pleaseth The Chaldee Pa aphrase saith He forbids the drops to water the earth or he sends forth a proh bition to the clouds that they give no water The vulgar Latine speaks to the same sence who takes away drops of rain that is from the earth Mr. Broughton renders he withdraws dropping of water In this sence I find the word rendred expresly Numb 9.7 where certain persons are brought in by Moses thus complaining Wherefore are we kept back that we may not offer an offering to the Lord with the children of Israel It is a case there were some it seems suspended from bringing their offerings to the Lord and they demand a reason of it to give which Moses saith stand still and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you But I quote that scripture only for the force of the word wherefore are we kept back or with held which was for some uncleanness Thus you have the first signification of the word and a double translation upon it both very pertinent to the nature of the rain and the Lords dealing with man in it which is the subject Elihu is insisting upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—nuit diminuis Secondly The original word signifies to diminish or lessen or make a thing small so 't is rendred Exod. 5.8 when the children of Israel complained that they were oppressed in making brick This commandement came from Pharaoh The tale of bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them you shall not diminish ought of it It is this word Again Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add to the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it Man must not make the word of God smaller or greater than it is 'T is high presumption to use either subtraction from or addition to the word of God Thus also the word is used in the case of second or double marriages Exod. 21.10 If he take him another wife her food that is the food of the first wife her raiment and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish Our translators take up this sense of the word as noting the diminishing of a thing in the quantity of it He maketh small the drops of water or he makes the water fall in small drops whereas if the water were left to it self it would poure down like a sea or like a flood to sweep all away This is the work of God and though it be a common yet it is a wonderful work He maketh small the drops of rain A drop is a small thing and therefore the Prophet when he would shew what a small thing or indeed what a nothing man is yea all the nations of the earth are to God saith Isa 40.15 The nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance Behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing The Spirit of God piâ—cheth upon this comparison when he would set forth that great distance between God and man Man is but a drop to God But are not all drops small why then doth he say He maketh small the drops The reason is because though all drops are smâ—ll yet some drops are smaller than others and we read of great drops in the Gospel History of Christs agony in the Garden which was an immediate suffering in his soul from the hand of his Father pressing him with that weight of wrath which was due for our sins Luke 22.44 He sweat as it were great drops of blood As God made Christ sweat great drops of blood for our sins so he makes the Clouds to sweat small drops of water for our comfort He maketh small The drops of rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guttavit guttatim fluxit The Verb of this Substantive is used Joel 3.18 In those dayes it shall come to pass that the mountaines shall drop down new wine by which we are to understand the plentiful effusion of the Spiâ—it promised in the latter dayes David describing the Lords glorious march thorow the wilderness saith Psal 68.8 9. The earth shâ—ok the heavens also dropped at the presence of the Lord thou O God didst send a plentiful rain whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary Which Scripture principally intends the spiriâ—ual rain which drops down upon believers and refresheth their wearied souls And therefore by a Metaphor this phrase to drop signifies to prophesie or preach the word of God because that like rain falls silently Sâ—binde Praeceptuci auriâ—ulis hoc instillare memento Horat. Lib. 1. lip 8. and as it were in drops upon the hearers it falls in at the ear and soaks down to the heart it soaks quite thorow as Moses spake Deut. 32.2 My dâ—ctrine shall drop as the rain and my speech shall destil as the dew And as the word is used
thing that moves upon it and grows out of it to rejoyce Fifthly sometimes drowns the earth and destroys the Inhabitants of it As I say the natural rain doth all these things so also doth the spiritual rain the word of God That First mollifieth Secondly cleanseth Thirdly fructifieth Fourthly comforteth the hearts of all those that receive it and Fifthly The rain of the word drowns and destroys all those that rise up against it or will not receive it JOB Chap. 36. Vers 29 30 31. 29. Also can any understand the spreadings of the Clouds or the noise of his Tabernacle 30. Behold he spreadeth his light upon it and covereth the bottom of the sea 31. For by them he judgeth the people he giveth meat in abundance ELihu having spoken of the wonderfull work of God in forming and sending rain in the two former verses speaks next of the Clouds which are as vessels containing the rain and in which the rain is carried and conveighed up and down the world for the use of man or for those services to which God hath appoynted it He begins with a denying Question Vers 29. Also can any understand the spreading of the Clouds As if he had said To what I said before I adde this Here is another secret in nature Can any understand the spreading of the Clouds He doth not say can vulgar ignorant and unlearned persons understand but can any Can the wisest can the most learned Can the best studied Philosophers understand the spreading of the Clouds Can they understand That is they cannot understand But have not men especially learned men understanding enough to ascend the clouds and discover the nature of them Surely their understandings are very mean or very much clouded who understand not what the spreading of the clouds meaneth I answer though Elihu's question hath a negation in it yet not a total negation 〈◊〉 doth not exclude the understanding of men wholly out of 〈◊〉 clâ—uds he only denieth man a full understanding of all thin◠〈…〉 â—ch concern either the nature or motion of the clouds Wh◠〈◊〉 understand much about the spreading of the clouds but they cannot understand all The best of godly men undeâ—stand not much or see but a little way into spiritual things And the wisest of worldly men do not cannot see all in natural things Can any understand The spreading of the Clouds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expansiones vel differentias nubium cum aliae steriles sint aliae pluviam aliae grandinem mitâ—ant Sed reclius expansiones vertitur Merc Here are First the Clouds Secondly the spreading of them The word which we translate spreading hath a two-fold signification First with the alteration only of a poynt upon one letter it signifieth The difference of things in any kinde And then the Text is read Can any understand the difference of the Clouds that is the variety that is among the clouds The clouds are not all of a likeness nor all of a bigness there are clouds of many sorts and sizes there are clouds which breed snow and clouds which breed haile clouds which breed raine and clouds which breed thunder and lightning Some clouds are empty called clouds without raine or water Pro. 25.14 Jude v. 12. and other clouds are full of water There is a difference also of clouds as to our sight and view some are black some white some red some are greenish others palish clouds from which various colours and appearances Prognosticks are made of the change of weather as Christ told the Pharisees Mat. 16.2 3. Naturalists observe very many differences in the clouds nor is it without wonder that the clouds which are made all of one matter vapours drawn from below should produce such and so many different effects that according to this reading we have reason to put the question Who can understand the differences of the Clouds We read it and that well and full to the Hebrew Text Who can â—nderstand the spreading of the Clouds or their expansion The most cunning and knowing men in the mysteries of nature caâ—not either tell how far the clouds will spread or to what poynt and part of the world they will convey their water and as I may say unburden themselves Thus the words refer back to the two former verses The Clouds are spread as a Curtain or as a piece of Tapestry or as a mighty Canopy Who can understand the spreading of them The spreading of them First as they carry raine or Secondly the spreading of them as some expound the place as they convey the Lightening which the Scripture saith Math. 24.27 Passeth from one end of heaven to the other from the East to the West who knoweth how far the Lightning will spread in the Clouds Thus some connect it with the following verse Who can understand the spreading Of the Clouds There is a special derivation of the word rendred Clouds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nubes a densitate est crassamentum aâ—â—is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stillare vel a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cadere from the Hebrew Greek and Latine all pretending to the nature of the Clouds The Hebrew word properly noteth the thickness or grossness of the Clouds the Greek word noteth the dropping nature of the Clouds being derived from a roote which signifieâ—h to drop or which is near the fame to descend the roote word signifying to fall the Latine word is taken from covering because the Clouds mask or cover the face of Heaven and often hide and screine the shining of the Sun from us Now because Elihu is upon a work of nature and insists upon it all along in the next Chapter I shall therefore to clear the matter propose and answer three Questions concerning the Clouds First What is a Cloud or what is the nature of the Clouds A cloud is a moist vapour drawn up from the earth or water by the heat of the Sun into the middle region of the Aire as Naturalists divide the Aire where being by the coldness of the place congealed and as it were knit together it hangeth and continueth there till it be broken up at the dispose of God and sent down for the comfort or correction of man in raine snow haile c. The clouds of heaven derive their pedigree from the moisture found on earth and to the earth they return their moisture Secondly Seeing the Clouds are such mighty bodies and contain as I may say whole seas of water in them and water being a heavy body naturally descends or tends downward as all heavy things do it may be questioned and indeed it is a wonder how those Clouds are kâ—pt aloft in the Aire how comes it to pass that such heavy bodies such floods of water do not presently fall violently and at once shed themselves down upon and overwhelme the earth To that I answer First Some say the Clouds are kept up by that natural inbred heat
heart trembled and it moved out of its place 2. Hear attentively the noise of his voice and the sound that goeth out of his mouth THis Chapter concludes the Conference of Elihu with Job and it consists of three parts First In it we have an enumeration together with a description of divers Meteors or wonderful works of God in the Air Thunder and Lightning Snow and Rain yet before Elihu speaks of them he doth two things by way of Preface to lead us with more reverence towards God into that discourse of Nature in which much of God appeareth First Elihu tells us how himself was affected either with the present sense oâ— with the fore-apâ—â—ehension of those things concerning which he was about to speak At this also my heart trembled and it moved out of its place Secondly He stirs up the whole Auditory then present and all others to a diligent attention and serious consideration of them Vers 2. Hear attentively the noise of his voice and the sound that goeth out of his mouth Having spoken thus in way of Preface Elihu proceeds first to a description of Thunder with its immediate fore-runner as to our sence the eye being quicker to receive its object than the ear thâ—ugh in truth and according to reason its companion the Lightning in the three Verses following 3 4 5 concerning both which he shewes First that they go not at random but have a guide he directeth it that is the Thunder and Lightning Secondly He shews the extent of their motion and Gods direction they are not confined to this or that part He directeth it under the whole heaven and his lightnings unto the ends of 〈◊〉 earth in the same Verse Thirdly He speakes of the irrevocableness of Gods decrees and orders about them at the 4th Verse After it a voice roareth c. and he will not stay them when his voice is heard Fourthly He concludes about these and many other works of God with an Elogie of all his works First In their greatness Secondly In their incomprehensibleness or he concludes them not only great but wonderful and incomprehensible Vers 5. God thundereth marvelously with his voice he doth great things which we cannot comprehend Having thus spoken of Thunder and Lightning he proceeds Secondly To shew the power of God which he describes in Snow and Rain First from their efficient cause at the 6th Verse Secondly By their effects First Towards men in the 7th Verse Secondly Upon or towards irrational Creatures the Beasts of the earth at the 8th Verse Thirdly He sets forth the Power of God in the Winds concerning which we have First Their original whence they come Vers 9. Secondly Their effects or what they produce cold and frost in the latter part of the 9th and 10th Verses Fourthly He treats of the Clouds and about them he declares four things First The melting or dissolving of them into Rain at the 11th Verse Secondly The scattering and dispersing of them by the wind in the latter part of that Verse Thirdly The disposing and ordering of them by the counsel and command of God at the 12th Verse Fourthly Their uses ends and operations at the thirteenth Verse Thus we have the first general part of the Chapter opened containing a description of the Meteors or manifold works of God in the Air all which hold forth and advance his mighty power and righteous administrations in this world towards the children of men which was the poynt that Elihu had laboured in all along and undertaken to demonstrate In the second part of this Chapter Elihu upon the whole matter gives Job serious counsel and admonition wherein First He stirs him up to consider these wonderful works of God at the 14th verse Secondly He asserts and urgeth the weakness and inability of Job or indeed of any man to understand them fully this he doth First In general at the beginning of the 15th verse Dost thou know when God disposed them c. Secondly More particularly in their several kinds First Of the Rainbow at the latter end of that 15th verse and caused the light of his Cloud to shine Secondly Of the Clouds and their various motions at the 16th verse Thirdly Of the heat according to the wind vers 17. Fourthly Of the Heaven or Skie vers 18. All which were such as he could not give a clear account of and therefore at the 19th verse Elihu bids Job do it if he could as for himself he durst not venture upon it verse 20. nor can any saith he vers 21.22 see far into these natural things or into the nature of these things These are the special poynts of his admonition to Job and from these he passeth to the Third Part or Conclusion of the Chapter and of his whole discourse with Job wherein First He makes a recapitulation of or sums up all that he had said of the unsearchableness of God in his works this he doth in the former part of the 23d verse Secondly He sets down positively what God is in a three-fold Excellency First Of Power Secondly Of Judgment Thirdly Of plentiful Justice at the middle of the 23d verse Thirdly He tells us what God will not do at the end of the 23d verse He will not afflict and from all makes two inferences at the the 24th verse Fiâ—st That therefore men ought to honour and to fear him Secondly That therefore God is not in the reverence nor fear of any man in the close of that 24th verse He respecteth not any that are wise of heart Thus I have given a prospect of the whole Chapter Now to particulars beginning with those two verses by which Elihu leads in his discourse of those wonderful workes of God First By shewing how himself was affected with them Secondly By calling upon others to be affected as himself was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propter hoc Vers 1. At this also my heart trembled At this that is by reason of this or for this cause or because of this so the word is rendred Gen. 2.23 She said Adam of his wife or Second-self shall be called woman because she was taken out of man So here at this or for this cause my heart trembleth It may here be questioned what it was at which the heart of Elihu trembled I shall give a double answer to that querie First Some conceive that while Elihu was speaking about or about to speak further of that marvelous work of God the Thunder God to confirm what he had said or should say at that very instant caused it to thunder that so Job might be in a more humble reverential frame and so the better prepared to receive what Elihu had further to say unto him That there was a storm at or about that time may appear from the first verse of the 38th Chapter then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said and we find that God hath often given great discoveries of himself in or by Thunder
and Lightning In Thunder and Lightning the Law was delivered to Moses on mount Sinai Exod. 19.6 And to affect the peoâ—le of Israel when they had provoked God by their peremptory and discontented way of asking a King Samuel coming to deal with them about it 1 Sam. 12.16 17 18. said Stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes Is it not wheat-harvest to day I will call unto the Lord and he shall send Thunder and Rain that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great And the Lord sent Thunder and Rain that day even while Samuel was speaking for their conviction and humiliation as the next words shew and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel Thus possibly while Elihu was about to speak of Thunder for the humbling of Job God commanded it to Thunder for his deeper humiliation and if so the cause why Elihu trembled is apparent enough The terrible Thunder-claps which then rent the Clouds and even shook the earth might well cause him to tremble Secondly We may understand these words at this my heart trembleth with reference to the whole matter which Elihu had before him what he had begun to speak and was further to speak of Gods dreadful power might shake his heart with astonishment The due apprehensions of the greatness of God may soon strike man into a fit of trembling it did Job as himself confessed at the 21th Chapter of this Book v. 5 6. Mark ye and be astonished and lay your hand upon your mouth for when I remember I am afraid and trembling takes hold of my flesh as if he had said Quoties mihi divinae majestatis abyssus in mentem venerit expavesâ—it â—or meum c. Brent while I duly consider the great things that I have spoken those greater things if greater may be that I am about to speak I cannot but tremble and stand as one filled with astonishment How was the Apostle Paul amazed at that most mysterious dispensation of God in casting off his ancient people the Jewes the seed of Abraham his friend for so long a time Rom. 11.33 O the Depth c. At this my heart trembleth that is I am heartily afraid The heart is here put for the whole inner man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Motus commotus fuit corpore aut anima ex cura aut metu mali 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. or for all the powers of the soul and the word rendered to tremble notes a disturbance of the whole man both of soul and body the Septuagint render it by the same Greek word used Math. 2.3 where upon the wise mens coming from the East to inquire concerning the King of the Jewes it is said When Herod heard this he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him That news of a new King put them into a grievous fright they knew not what to make of it nor which way to turn themselves in such a turn of affaires in such a new world as that new-born King might make This word is else-where in Scripture used to note the suddenest surprize and the strongest possession of fear Thus when Isaac through the subtilty of Rebekah had given the blessing to Jacob which he intended for Esau 't is said that upon the appearance of his mistake he trembled exceedingly Gen. 27.33 Doubtless it did wonderfully astonish the good old man to think that God should carry him beyond and beside his own purpose to bless the yonger brother instead of the elder This strange disappointment by the over-ruling providence of God put him to a stand and troubled his thoughts more than a little especially because he was now taught that by his carnal affections to Esau he was running quite cross to the mind of God revealed Chap. 25.23 Read the same force of the word Exod. 19.16 to which the Apostle reâ—eâ—â—ing saith Heb. 12.21 So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Read also the same impoâ—tance of the word 1 Sam. 4.13 Chap. 14.15 Such was the Condition of Elihu he was deeply affected tâ—embling â—ook hold of him The Spirits run to the heart in a time of feaâ— or upon a sudden fâ—ight as Ciâ—iz ns to the Castle in a day of danger and then the outward members being deseâ—ted by the spirits grow cold and tremble There is a natural infirmity called The palpitation or trembling of the heart But this of Elihu was supernatural at least some-what more then natural as arising either from the consideration of what God hâ—d done or of what himself was about to speak and not only did his heart tremble but Cordis palpitatio totius animae concursus ad cor in pavoribus oâ—idens est Galen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effluxit Sept. Evulsum est August Emotum est Hieron Salit seu subsilit Tharg Hiâ— verbis excessum quem Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant puto denotari quae 〈◊〉 effectus causam admirationem cum pavore subsequi solet Bold Et humâ—nas motura tonitrua montes Ovid. 1. Met. Was moved out of its place Which is added to set forth the exceeding greatness of that fear which seized upon him The Text speaks as if his heart were indeed removed or taken out of his body It is usual in Scripture to affirm that as done which is like to be done The ship was said to be broken John 1.4 and the net Luke 5.6 because both were in eminent danger of breaking We say of a man in great fear his heart is ready to leap out of or out at his mouth One of the Ancients renders here my heart is pluckt out the septuagint It floweth out the Chaldee paraphrase takes up the foâ—mer expression my heart leaps or jumps which as it doth sometimes for joy so often for ear or at the unexpected appearance of danger Some conceive by this moving of his heart out of his place that Elihu was in a kind of extasie that he was as it were carâ—ied out of himself upon the hearing of that dreadful voice of God the thunder taking it so Note Thunder is a terrible thing It hath made and may make the stoutest heart to tremble One of Christs Apostles was called Lebbeus Mat. 10.3 as much as to say the hearty man or all-all-heart Now he that is Lebbeus a man of the greatest courage the most hearty man may be put to a tremble at this when he heares it thunder Heathens have spoken much of this and by a peculiar word have called those who are much amazed men thunder struck Hos Laetinus Attonitos vocat Attonitus est cui casus vicini fulminis sonitus tonitruum dant stuporem Serv in tertium Aenid Tonitrus dici videtur a terrendo quod conterreat hominem Aliqui a tono ruendo quia magno cum sonitu fiat irruat Suetonius de Augusto Caliguâ—a men being so much amazed at the sound of
thunder The Roman Historian reports of that great Emperour who commanded all the world and made the nations to tremble that yet he himself trembled at this Augustus Caesar was so afraid of thunder that when-ever he travelled abroad he caused the skin of a Sea Calfe to be carried about with him because it was in their superstition believed to be an Amulet or preservative against any hurt by thunder And the same Author tells us of another of that ranke a heathen Roman Emperour that was so afraid of thunder that he would hide his head when he heard it and sometimes ran under a bed for shelter I shall have further occasion to speak of the terribleness of thunder at the 4th and 5th verses I touch it here because according to our interpretation this was it at which the heart of Elihu trembled Secondly Taking the words more generally as this trembling might arise from the consideration of any other of the wonderful woâ—ks of God Note The great appearances of God in his power may and should affect us even with feare and trembling The heart of man may wel move out of his place when he considers how dreadful God is in his place and what wonders he both doth and can do David casting his eye up to the heavens and the host of them Psal 8. concludes with admiration v. 8. O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world They who have but little knowledge of the works of God cannot be much affected with them they who know them deeply cannot but be deeply affected with them Fooles and ignorant persons slight or lightly pass by any thing that God doth or speaks but they who are wise hearted will lay both his Word and Wo ks to heart their heaâ—ts will tremble and be moved out of their place Holy King David adviseth the Kings and Judges of the earth to serve the Lord with fear and to rejoyce with trembling Ps 2 11. And the holy Apostle Paul exhorteth all Christans to work out their salvation with fear and trembling Philip. 2.12 Now if we are to tremble in our dayly service how much more under dreadful providences For the close of this poynt remember there is a four-fold trembling or moving of the heart at the appearances of God or at the discoveries of his Power and Glory in his Word and in his Works First That which is natural Isa 7.2 When it was told the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart that is the heart of Ahaz was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the Wood are moved with the wind And when Felix heard Paul reasoning of righteousness temperance and the judgment to come he trembled The Judge trembled at the voyce of the prisoner 'T is natural for man to fear and tremble at the report of any truth which renders him guilty or of any trouble which over-masters his ability to withstand or avoyd it Secondly There is a Legal trembling proceeding from a spirit of bondage or the dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of God against sin Rom. 8.15 This in many is precedaneous to their true conversion and as a needle makes way for the spirit of grace and adoption by which thread they are united fastned unto God through faith walk in a child-like fear before him all their days Thirdly There is a penal or judiciary fear and trembling God in judgement sometimes fills the heart of sinful man with fear as the punishment of his sin They who have no fear of God in their hearts to keep or over-aw them graciously from sinning and living in a course of sin are delivered up to a spirit of fear which continually pursueth them with dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of God and of some imminent and impendent evils ready to fall upon them for their sins A dreadful sound is in their ears as Eliphas told Job Chap. 15.21 yea as he speaks there vers 24. trouble and anguish make him afraid they prevail against him as a King ready to battel The Lord threaten'd it as one of the sore Judgments that he would bring upon his People the Jewes for their disobedience Deut. 28.65 I will give thee a trembling heart yea he threaten'd Isa 52.17 to give them the dregs of the Cup of trembling Ezekiel Chap. 12.18 was commanded to tremble as a sign to the People of that penal fear and trembling which God would send upon them Such was that trembling spoken of Ezek. 26.16 Then all the Princes of the Sea shall come down from their Thrones and lay away their Robes and put off their broidered garments and shall cloath themselves with tremblings Doubtless they had little mind to such change of rayment they had rather have been cloathed with raggs but the Lord would make them do it And as those confederate Princes or friends of Tirus should cloath themselves with trembling so 't is prophesied Zech. 15.2 that Jerusalem should be not only a burthensome stone but a cup of trembling to all her enemies As if the Lord had said This shall be their punishment who would make my Jerusalem tremble I will make them tremble at the remembrance of Jerusalem or at the sight of those great things which I will do against them and for Jerusalem Fourthly There is a spiritual a gracious trembling and moving of the heart that 's it which this point calls us to and to which in those places lately mentioned both David Psal 2.11 and the Apostle Phil. 2.12 call us to It was well with Ephraim when it was thus with him Hos 13.1 When Ephraim spake trembling he was exalted that is when he was in a trembling humble self-denying frame he prospered and all things succeeded well with him The Lord is never better pleased with us than when he sees us in these tremblings Isay 66.2 To him will I look that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word These trembling ones are the men that God hath an eye upon and respect unto The prophet Habakkuk spake of himself Chap. 3.16 much like Elihu in the text When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice c. The prophet fore-saw a day of trouble and trembled at it and this gave him assurance that he should not tremble when he saw it for said he in the next words I trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble The more we tremble in our selves the more rest we have in God None have so little fear when trouble comes as they who fear before it comes Noah by faith moved by fear prepared an arke to the saving of his house Heb. 11.7 Thus to fear a flood is the best way to escape it 'T is not courage but stupidity not to fear and tremble when we hear of the judgments of God They who tremble graciously shall never tremble despairingly At this my heart trembleth c. Elihu having thus
the God of glory speaking to us Some will excuse themselves they are ignorant they have never been taught to know God But did such never hear it thunder that â—eacheth much of God so much as will make them inexcusable who obey him noâ— who tremble not at his Power and Majesty Thunder calls for and more it commands our fear of our reverence and submission unto Goâ— eâ—â—â—cially when God together with this voice sends his arrowâ— bolâ—s o bullets to do great things against his enemies as he did against Pharaoh Ezod 9.23 and against the Philistines 1 Sam. 7.10 Yea the Lord threatened to distress Jerusalem with Thunder and with Earth-quake and with great noise Isa 29.6 Now if Thunder be the Voice of God or the noise of his Voice then take these brief Inferences from it First Let us see what a powerful and mighty God we have When it thunders every believing soul may â—ay This is the Voâ—ce of my Father what cannot he do for me that can speak thus Secondly If God hath such a dreadful Voice if he thunder with his Voice we should learn to secure aim and fence â—ur selves against the dread and danger of Thundeâ— by the actings of Faith in him and of Repentance and godly Sorrow for our sinnings against him Some of the Heathens have given pittiful counsel what to do in time of thunder Seneca was a wiâ—e man Adversus tonitrua coelorum minas subterraneae damus dei defussi in altum specus remedia sunt Sen. lib. 6. Natur. quest cap. 4. yet he directs to poor shifts in such extreamities The remedies saith he against Thunder and the Batteries of the heavens are under-ground houses caves or holes of the earth to hide our selves in These were the best helps he could advise his Roman Gallants to when God uttered his mighty voice in Thunder But Christians know better how to hide themselves even in the goodness of God against those terrible appearances of his Power Thirdly If God speak with such a Voice as this in the Air take heed of slighting his Voice whensoever he speaks in the Church as Athiests and Epicures do He who speaks so loud in Thunder can thunder upon us at any time The Word preached if not obeyed will at last come upon all those who obey it not with as great a terror as Thunder Fourthly Let us not be amazed and frighted at Thunder as Heathens or Unbelievers Fifthly Let us not think lightly of it as if it either came by chance or meerly from natural causes Sixthly Let us fear the God of Thunder not fear Thunder as a God Some have superstitiously thought Thunder was a God and adored it so 't is reported of the Lithuanians anciently Lithuani fulmon deum esse puâ—abant propterea illud adorabant Cromeruâ— l. 15. Hist Pol. and possibly some of them do so to this day Secondly In that Elihu calls so earnestly for attention to this voice Hear attentively the noise of his Voice Learn Those things which are most easie to be heard possibly may not at all be understood Who doth not hear when it thunders but how few are there who attend or understand the Thunder or hear Thunder attentively God speaks to us not only with a stiâ—â— voice few hearing or attending him but though he thunders few attend him yea those wo ks of providence which speak lowder than Thunder and shine cleâ—rer â—â—an the Lightning yet are neither heard noâ— seen As When his hand is lifted up some will not see Isa 26.11 So when his Voice is liâ—ted up when 't is lifted up not only like a trumpet but like thunder when he speaks most audibly yea most terribly some will not hear and he is not heard by many much less diligenâ—ly attended to how loudly how terribly soever he speaketh The Lord often thunders by the voice of this Word what are his teâ—rible threats but loud thunder-claps yet few hear or though they hear yet they attend not Not to hear the voice of God in his Word is as if you did not attend to the voice of Thunder Every word of God though spoken with a still voice hath a greater force in it than Thunder from the Clouds As the terrible works of God are signified by Thunder Rev. 10.3 4. So the terrible words of God his threatning words against impenitent sinners are resembled to Thunder And therefore such as the Lord fitted among his own Apostles for that dispensation are called in Scripture Sons of Thunder Mark 3.17 And they who dispence the Word with a strong voice and fiery zeal are truly so called to this day and may be said both to Thunder in their Exhortation and to Lighten in their Conversation And indeed the Word of God truly and faithfully dispensed by any is like Thunder For First As Thunder so the Word spoken is the Voice of God and a more excellent and distinct Voice than Thunder that only shewing in general that God is or that he is great and powerful this shewing us distinctly who and what God is and what he requireth of us Secondly Thunder throwes down and dissipates high things So doth the Word of God 2 Cor. 10.5 Thirdly Thunder is irresistable by any power of man it will make its way through all opposition so is and doth the Word of God Fourthly Thunder pierceth very subtilly it reacheth the bones quite through the flesh the Word of God doth more it divideth soul and spirit and the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heaâ—t Heb. 4.12 Fifthly Thunder breaketh the hardest things which resist it but not soft things so the Word of God breaks the stout but binds up the contrite spirit it resists the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Now if the Word of God be in all these respects like Thunder Let us not only hear but attend or as the text saith hear attentively the sound of his voice If any ask when do we both hear and attend with the inward and outward ear the Thunder of God or his voice both in his works and in his word I answer First When we are stirred up to high and holy thoughts of God We are never rightly affected with the Word of God till our hearts are wrought up to and deeply at least truly affected with the God of the Word Secondly When our hearts are raised up in thankfulness for any discoveries of God in his goodness and mercy to us who can so easily destroy us by his power He that trembles at this voice of God and hath no sense nor tast of his goodness nor is moved to praise and serve him trembles only like a bruit beast Thirdly When we learn to depend and hang upon him for all as he that can do all things graciously for us as well as speak so terribly to us then we hear diligently the noise of his voice axd the sound that goeth out of his
mouth For the close of this matter I shall only adde That though we ought to be affected with the voice of God in his Word as with his voice in Thunder yet let us not stay in that which notes chiefly if not only that dread of God which the word leaves upon our spirits but let us look after and labour for that effect of the Word which like the beames and light of the Sun may warme our hearts with joy and leave strongest impressions of the kindness and favour of God upon them Mr. Forbes opening that Scripture Rev. 14.2 where St. John saith He heard a voice from heaven and that of three sorts First He heard a voice as the voice of many Waters Secondly As the voice of a great Thunder Thirdly He heard the voice of harpers harping wâ—th their harpss Upon consideration of this threefold voice which St. John heard the fore-named worthy Author takes up a meditation to this puâ—pose The word of God saith he hath three degrees of operation in the hearts of men First It comes into mens eares as the sound of many waters which is a kind of confused noise and commonly bringeth neither terror nor joy but a wondering acknowledgment of a strange force and more than humane power as we read of those Mark. 1. who having heard the word of Christ were astonished at his doctrine v. 22. and were all amazed v. 27. insomuch that they questioned among themselves what thing is this what new doctrine is this But knew not what to make of it The second degree is that the Word of God cometh to the ear of man like Thunder which causeth not only wonder but greater astonishment and amazement Both these may be in a wicked prophane person and are often found upon common professors But â—here is a third degree or effect of the Words operation which strictly taken is proper and peculiar to the Elect and that is when the Word heard is as the voice of harpers harping with their harpes that is when the Word doth not only affect us with admiration or strike the heart with astonishment and terrour like the sound of many waters and the voice of Thunder but also filleth it with sweet peace and joy in the Holy Ghost when the Word is like melodious musick to the soul ravishing us with divine delights and raising us up to a heavenly life while we are here sojourning on this earth JOB Chap. 37. Vers 3 4 5. 3. He directeth it under the whole heaven and his Lightning unto the ends of the earth 4. After it a voice roareth he thundereth with the voice of his excellency and he will not stay them when his voice is heard 5. God thundereth marvelously with his voice great things doth he which we cannot comprehend ELihu having shewed in the two former verses how much himself was affected with what God then did or with what himself was about to say concerning the doings of God having also called upon others for due attention and laboured to make the same impression upon their spirits that he found upon his own he proceeds to speak to the special matter First To the workes of God in those terrible fiery Meteors Thunder and Lightning which he doth in the three verses now under discussion and then goeth on to speak of other wonderful works of the wonder-working God in the following part of this Chapter as was before shewed in laying open the whole Vers 3. He directeth it under the whole heaven This verse holds forth the divine guidance of those things which seem most remote from any guidance He directeth it under the whole heaven Here we may consider First In whose hand this guiding power is He that is God directeth it Secondly how far he guideth or the extent of his guiding power 't is not limited but universal far and near even under the heaven and to the ends of the earth There is some variety as of reading so of interpretation about this verse arising from the various significations of that word which we render directeth there is a threefold sence given of it Aliqui a Rabinic◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est resolvere humectare exprimere Hinc September ab illis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tishâ—i dictus qâ—â—si expressoâ—â—â— quod eo â—â—â—se fiat Vindeâ—â—a Merc. First As taken from a root which signifieth to press or sqeeze and so 't is applyed to the pressing of grapes which causeth the juice or liqour of them to flow out And upon that consideration the seventh month of the year our September hath its name among the Jews from this word because then the Vintage being ready the ripe Grapes are gathered and prest into Wine From this notion of the word some render the text thus he presseth or dissolveth it under the whole heaven that is God presseth the Cloud as a bunch of Grapes is pressed these Intepreters make that the antecedâ—nt to it he presseth it that is the Cloud and so causeth it to rain 'T is God who presseth and as I may say squeezeth the Clouds by his power and then showers fall down and distil upon the ea th uâ—der the whole Heaven That 's a tâ—uâ—h and some-where else spoken of in this book wheâ—e we read of Gods melting or pressing the Clouds as we do a bunch of Grapes or a spung so causing them to give forth rain Alii a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intueri respicere considerare quasi Deus omnia sub coelo consideret Sed nec Grammatica convenit tum euim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicendum fuerat nec sensus admodum propter afflâ—â—um Merc. Subier omnes coelos ipse confiderat Vulg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est dirigi re rectificare Secondly Others derive the word from a root that signifieth to behold attentively to behold and consider Thus the latine translator renders it he considereth under the whole heaven that is according to this interpretation there is a Providence of God a wise and an unerring Providence of God at work in all places he considers and takes notice of all things under heaven the least motion of the Creature falls under his inspection He beholdeth or considereth under the whole heavens that 's a truth also yet I conceive with others the Grammar of the Text will not well comply with this reading Therefore Thirdly I conclude our own translation most suitable both to the Original text and to the scope of this whole Chapter Now according to our rendring the word comes from a root which signifieth to set a thing right or strait and from that a person who is right a man of a right spirit who squares and orders his actions by a right rule and to a right end is expressed Chap. 1.1 where Jobs character is given by this word A man perfect and right we say upright that is a man that hath right aimes and walkes by
the true knowledge of Jesus Christ and to encourage the faithfull dispencers and professors of it both by your favour and example worshiping the Lord in the beauty of holiness If any should ask Why is the Lord to be so worshipped why must he have such high honours from those that are high what doth he in the World which calls for such adoration David answers Meteorologically as well as Theologically he answers from the Clouds vers 3. The Voyce of the Lord is upon the Waters the God of glory thundreth the Lord is upon many Waters The voyce of the Lord is powerful the voyce of the Lord is full of Majesty As if he had said Although the Lord Jesus Christ will not set up an outward pompous political Kingdome such as that of Cyrus or Alexander c. yet by the Ministry of the Gospel he will erect a spiâ—itual Kingdome and gather to himself a Church that shall abide for ever out of all the Nations of the earth For the Gospel shall be carryed and preached to not only the people of Israel the Jewes but to the Gentiles all the world over that the minds of men may be awakened enlightned and moved with that unheard of Doctrine of Salvation by Christ which had been hid from Ages and Generations And though many shall be hardned against and oppose that glad-tydings yet because the God of glory thundereth that is because the voyce of the Lord is powerful and full of Majesty he accompanying the Ministry of the Gospel with power and terror like that of Thunder home to the Consciences of men for their conviction and conversion therefore it shall do great and glorious things subduing the greatest and stoutest sinners to the obedience of his Will This Thunder will cast down the strong holds of sin and every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. This is it which the Prophet David intendeth according to this allegorical interpretation by the effects of Thunder elegantly expressed vers 5 6 7 8 9 The Voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars yea the Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon that is proud and high-minded men who are in their own conceit as tall as Cedars these he will make to see that they are but shrubs these he will humble and break â—heir hearts by true repentance for the pride of their hearts and all the abominations of their lives Further vers 6. He maketh them also to skip like a Calf Lebanon and Syrion like a young Vnicorn that is the Lord by his thundering powerful voyce first will make them skip as frighted with fear and secondly as revived with joy Yet more vers 7. The Voyce of the Lord divideth the Flames of fire that is will send and divide to every one as they need 1 Cor. 12.11 the holy Spirit who is compared to and called Fire Mat. 3.11 and who came as with a Thunder-storm of a mighty rushing wind and with the appearance of cloven Tongues like as of fire and sate upon each one of the Apostles Acts 2.2 3. Nor did this Voyce of Thunder accompanied with divided flâ—mes of fire reach Jerusalem only for as it follows vers 8. The Vâ—yce of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness the Wilderness of Kadesh that is the Lord by the voyce of the Gospel shall go forth with power to those Gentiles who are like a wilderness barren oâ— goodness and unmanur'd in spirituals though they dwell in well-govern'd Cities and are well-furnished with Morals It shall go forth also to those Gentiles who inhabit wast wildernesses and are not so much as reduced to civility These wildernesses the thundering voice of the Lord hath shaken heretofore and doth shake at this day and will yet further shake that the fulness of the Gentiles may come in Many of these wildernesses hath the Lord turned into fruitful fields and pleasant lands by the voice of the Gospel sounding among them For in these wildernesses as it followeth vers 9. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve that is they that were as wild as untaught and untamed as the hind or any beast in the forrest he brings to the sorrows of theiâ— new-birth to Repentance and Gospel-humiliation And in doing this He as the Psalmist goes on discovereth the forrests that is opens the hearts of men which are as thick set and full grown with vanity pride hypocrisie self-love and self-sufficiency as also with wantonness and sensuality as any forest is over-grown with thickets of trees and bushes which deny all passage through till cleared away by cutting down or burning up Such an opening such a discovery doth the Lord make in the forrests of mens hearts by the Sword and Fire that is by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel and when all this is done the forrest becomes a Temple and as that verse concludes In his temple doth every one speak of his glory And if the floods of ungodliness rise up against this people whom the thunder and lightning of the Gospel have subdued to Christ and framed into a holy Temple then the Psalmist assureth us vers 10. The Lord sitteth upon the flood that is 't is under his power he ruleth and over-ruleth it yea The Lord sitteth King for ever and v. 11. The Lord will give strength to his people the Lord will bless his people with peace Thus the Lord thundereth marveilously and these are glorious marvels which he thundereth he converts sinners The thunder of the Gospel frights them out of sin and the grace of it gives them peace Thus though I like not their way who are given to allegorize the Scriptures yet I doubt not but we may make a profitable use both of this and many other Scriptures by way of allegory This being an undeniable truth which is the ground of it That the Lord puts forth as it were the power of Thunder and Lightning in the preaching of his Word these two things are to be marked First That Thunder and Lightning are a kind of Word of God to us they tell us though confusedly yet plainly enough for the conviction and condemnation of gainsayers there is a God the greatest Princes of the world have taken notice of Thunder and Tempest that there is a God over all governing all nor needs there any more teaching than that to condemne Athiests and Mockers at Religion We say proverbially of some men who make a rude noise they are so loud that we cannot hear God Thunder for them yet know there 's no noise can so drown the voice of Gods Thunder in the Clouds but it will condemn all that hear it not so as to acknowledg God in it Secondly We should mark that as Thunder and Lightning are a kind of Voice or Word of God to us so the Word of God or the Voice of God speaking in his Word is a kind of Thunder and Lightning to us
goodness in all the outward dispensations of God ordering the motions and Meteors of the Heavens the Clouds the Rain the Snow and Hail the Lightning and the Thunder then surely Job ought to sit down convinced that there is a like temperament of eqâ—ity with severity and of goodness with sharpnesse in all his dealings with men and was with him in particular That 's the scope and purpose of Elihu all along in reading Job this Philosophical Lectuâ—e or in putting Questions to him about the things of Nature and the regiment of God in these inferiour heavens the Air where all things seem to move without rule or by no rule other than what Nature alone imposeth Vers 14. Hearken unto this O Job We have more than once met with this awakening exhortation which calleth for such an harkening as if a man were to be all ear in attending what is spoken We may well render it Ear this O Job take it drink it in at thine ear Hearken Vnto this Elihu doth not exhort him to attention in general but draws it down to some special matter Hearken unto this O Job Which words may have a double reference either First to what he had said before vers 13th telling him how God sends the Rain and causeth the Cloud to come either for correction or for his land or for mercy Hearken unto this O Job here 's a lesson for thee remember it well God sends forth these servants of his the Clouds to do his work either for correction or for mercy either in favour or in judgment Hearken unto this O Job Or Secondly The words may refer to that which followeth and so as one calls them they are an Exordium a brief Exordium or short preface to what Elihu had further to say as if he would a little relieve the spirits and quicken the attention of Job by acquainting him that he had some new matter to lay before him As if he had said I have not yet uttered all my mind I have somewhat more upon my heart which I cannot hold in both for thy conviction and instruction Hearken unto this O Job Yet it may be questioned why Elihu should thus stir up his attention either to consider what he had spoken or what he was now about to speak Was Job a heedless an un-attentive hearer We may conceive he was occasioned to give him this spur or excitation for these three reasons or at least some of them First We may suppose that Job having been entertained with a long discourse began to grow weary and slacken his attention and therefore as when we see one in a congregation remisse in hearing or sleeping out a weighty point we jog him or say Hearken to this so Elihu here Hence note First A good hearer of the Word may sometimes want an awakening word He that is not as Job was not a first nor second nor third-ground-hearer but as Job was a fourth-ground-hearer one that heareth with a good and honest heart yet even he may a little let down his watch and give just occasion to the speaker for such a short diversion as Elihu here used Hearken I pray to this There is a willingness of spirit in all fourth-ground or right-hearted hearers yet there is also even in them a weakness of the flesh corruption may be stirring temptation may be working therefore 't is no unnecessary jealousie in the Ministers of the Gospel sometimes to mingle or interweave such passages as these in speaking to them pray hearken stir up and awaken your selves There may be need of this I say where there is a general good bent of heart Some pretending hearers are like the Idols of the heathen who have eyes and see not eares and hear not who when they are hearing set themselves at least give way to sleep and willingly yeeld to the drowsiness of their spirits this sheweth an evil heart but a good man may be overtaken with drowsinesse and find much indisposition to duty while he is in duty and then he will count it a favour to hear such a word as this cast in Pray hearken Secondly Elihu might afresh provoke him to more serious attention because the matter he had to deliver was of more importance or did more nearly concern him than what he had said before Hence note Though the whole truth of God is to be attended to yet there are some truths that call for special attention Here is an accent put upon the point in hand Hearken to this We should not let any truth fall to the ground truth is precious quite through and we may say of truth as of gold the very filings of it are precious We save the least dust of Gold every grain of it is of worth and so is every grain or the least dust of divine truth One jot one tittle of the Law saith Christ Mat. 5.18 shall in no wise passe till all be fulfilled Surely then no jot no tittle of it should be lightly passed by by us Yet there are some divine truth like studs of masse gold or as jewels which ought to be more carefully attended to and laid up in the cabinet of the heart Some truths have an emphasis a Selah set upon them O hearken to these Christ saith in the Gospel about the tything of mint annise and cummin These things ye ought to do but be sure ye do not leave the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith undone Matth. 23.23 so say I attend to the least truths but be sure ye attend to fundamental truths to those truths upon which the whole weight of the soul stands Such is The great Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the flesh and the great Grace of Faith in that Mystery These with several others are the fundamentals the very vitalls of Religion all falls and dies unlesse ye stand fast and live in these O hearken unto them Thirdly Elihu may be conceived to speak thus to Job because he saw him about to interrupt him possibly he might perceive a little passion stirring in him therefore not only to keep up his attention or to wind up his watch but to repress and keep down some stormy troubled motions rising in his spirit Elihu made this short interlocution or digression Hearken to this O Job suffer me to speak out do not take me off I have not yet done Hence note Patience is necessary in a good hearer And that not only for the doing what is heard but for the hearing of it As we can never bring forth the fruit of that which we hear without patience so neither can we without patience hear that which should make us fruitful The great grace to be exercised in hearing the Word is Faith yet we have need of Patience in hearing the Word and that in a double respect First We have need of Patience as to continuance in hearing Some would fain have done presently they cannot sit it out an hour is an year to them the
word is a weariness to them they soon think they have enough Secondly There is need of patience for submission to what is heard How short soever the Sermon is yet when it pincheth the conscience and pricketh the heart it is not easily born They who hear quietly some woâ—ds of truth will not enduâ—e some other we hardly continue hearing with any patience when to us the word heard is a hard saying and bares hard upon either our consciences or our practises when the singer is as it were laid upon and presseth the sore few can endure it 'T is easie to hear pleasing things but that which crosseth our spirits or our wayes calls for patience When Stephen the Proto-martyr preached to the Jews and brought the word home to their consciences by that close application Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ear ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as yâ—ur Fathers did so do ye At this word or when they heard these things they were cut to the heart saith the text and they gnashed on them with their teeth their patience was quite spent they could hear no longer And when St. Paul spake to that gâ—eat Assembly Acts 22.1 22 23. They gave him audience unto this word I will send thee to the Gentiles and then lift up their voices and said away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live Then they cryed out and cast off their clothes and threw dust in the air Thus they raved and were enraged like angry yea like mad dogs when once their title was questioned or as we speak their coppy-hold toucht by the mention of the Gentiles whom they greatly despised and judged themselves so much above Hearken to this to this pinching word to the word that strikes upon your lusts The length of a Sermon spoiles the patience of some but the strength and searching power of it spoiles the patience of more A sincere heart is willing to hear all and is most pleased to hear that word which gives deepest wounds to any corruption of heart or transgression of life Such words are wholsome though bitter or sharp and the more they make us smart the more medicinal and healing they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stat sc permentis rectitudinem Aquin. Hearken unto this O Job Stand still and consider the wonderous works of God Elihu not only desires Job to hearken but to stand still and consider There is a twofold standing still First Bodily I do not conceive Elihu imposing any such gesture or composure upon Job as to stand still and not stir his body The Hebrew is but one word stand up There is a liberty as to any comly gesture of the body in hearing a man may lawfully sit as-well as stand and hear yet to stand up and hear sheweth a readinesse of the mind and a hungring desire after the Word Secondly There is a standing still of the mind The body may stand as still as a stake or stone while the mind is in strong motion yea while there are most vehement commotions and perturbations in the mind This still-standing of the mind in hearing what is spoken may be taken in a double opposition First To any impatience unquietness or uncomposedness of the mind when the word is spoken Secondly To any irreverence slighting or disregarding of the word spoken To stand still is to get the spirit quiet to hear patiently or to stand still is to get the heart into a reverential frame to hear affectionately So then to stand still implieth both patience and reverence We have like admonitions in the 30th chapter of this book vers 20. and chapter 32d vers 16. Yea that admonition of Balaam was of like sence with this Num. 23.18 Rise up Balak and hear When Balaam was about to deliver his parable and declare the mind of God concerning Israel he called upon Balak to rise and stand up that is to entertain the message with respect Hearken unto this O Job stand still Hence note We ought to be in a gracious quietness and composure of spirit when we are called to hear and mind what God hath done or spoken Further We ought to have a quiet sedate composed spi it not only when we hear doctrinal truths delivered from the word of God but also when we hear of the providences and various woâ—ks of God As this word stand still may refer to the words going before Hearken unto this so to those which follow Consider the wonderful works of God And then the duty required in them reaches both his Word and Works It is a great power of grace which causeth the heart to stand still in this sence that is to be in a quiet frame when the works of God trouble us or are troublesome to us Thus Mâ—ses bespake the Israelite Exod 14.12 Stand still and see the salvation of God It was a very tâ—oublesome time with the Israelites they were ready to give themselves and all they had for lost when Moses exhorted them to stand still Nothing but faith in God can make us stand still when we are ready to fail and that will certainly do it Unbelief makes the heart as unquiet as theirs was upon the report of a war against Judah Isa 7.2 And his heart that is the heart of Ahaz was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind 'T is hard travel of soul to staâ—d still and see the salvation of God when every thing seen threaâ—ens desâ—lation The Lord is represented requiring us to do so Psal 46.10 Be still and know that I am God When the Psalmist had spoken of the desolating works of God he added this word from the Lord be still as if he had said the Lord commandeth you â—o be of a quiet and composed spirit when all things seem to be in a hurry or confusion for he had said before vers 8. Come behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth Yet even now saith the Lord Be still and know that I am God David at the beginning of the Psalm had professed a fâ—rm purpose in himself and in all the faithful wâ—th him for such a still-standing how-ever things moved or matters should go yea tumble in this world vers 1 2. Though the earth be moved and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof roar c. We will not fear God is our refuge and strength How comely is it for man thus to stand still in a silent and believing consideration of what God hath done or is doing to which Elihu called Job expresly in the next words stand still Consider the wonderous works of God Here is First Consideration Secondly Consideration of the works of God Thirdly Consideration of the wonderous works of God To consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligere is
Hence note What-ever stands in the way of our comforts God can quickly remove it When Clouds cover the light from us God hath â—is wind ready to chase them away and clear up the weather Never did any such thick and dark Cloud of sorrow and trouble hang over the heads or fill the hearts of the people of God but he had means at hand to dispell and scatter it or he could scatter it himself without means When dreadfull Clouds of danger looked black upon and threatned the Church of God during the Reign of Julian the Apostate Athanasius said It is but a little Cloud Nâ—becula est citò transibit a wind will shortly cleanse it away His meaning was now we are compassed about with fear and trouble but peace and prosperity will not stay long before they return This is true also if we carry it yet in a more spiritual way as to those Clouds of sorrow which often darken and afflict our minds in the midst of outward prosperity or in the clearest Sun-shine-day of peace that ever was in this world when these inward Clouds dwell as it were upon the soul the Lord hath a wind which passeth and cleanseth them away too What is that wind it is his holy Spirit The word in the text Bolduc is used often to signifie not only the natural wind in the air but that divine wind the Holy Ghost who is compared unto the wind in many places of Scripture and his opperations are like those of the wind For as the wind bloweth where it listeth we hear the sound thereof but know not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so saith Christ is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.8 And as our Regeneration is wrought by that secret yet strong and powerfull wind so likewise is our consolation The Spirit of God doth those â—ffices in our hearts which the winds do in the air As the wind dispells and sweeps away the Clouds which are gathered there so the Spirit of God cleanseth our souls from those Clouds and foggs of ignorance and unbelief of sin and lust which are gathered in and would else abide for ever upon our hearts From all these Clouds the holy Spirit of God cleanseth us in the work of Regeneration And from all those Clouds which trouble our Consciences the holy Spirit cleanseth us in the work of Consolation Some Interpreters expound the words only in this mystical sense quite rejecting the proper But though by allusion we may improve the words to this spiritual sense yet doubtless Elihu speaks here of the winds properly taken or of the natural winds and their sensible effects and so according to our reading this Text as it hath been opened teacheth us what sudden changes God makes in the Air. Now the light is shut up or shut in and anon it is let out again and all by the powerful hand of God who doth administer these things to us interchangeably as himself pleaseth Secondly The text according to another reading which others insist much upon and conceive pertinent to the scope of Elihu runs thus â—im enim non respiâ—iunt homines lucem quum nitida est in superioribus nubibus quas ventus transiens purgavit Translatio Jun For now men cannot see the bright light in the Clouds when the wind passeth and cleanseth them Mr Broughton translates clearly so his words are these And now men cannot look upon the light when it is bright in the Air then a wind passeth and cleanseth it And then the sence of the whole verse is plainly a setting forth of the excellency or superexcellency rather of the light of the Sun which is so clear and splendid that if the Air be but cleansed from Clouds if it be but a pure Air no man is able to face it nor his eye directly to behold it We behold all things by the light of the Sun but no man can stedfastly behold the light in the Sun no man can look right up to the Sun when it casts forth its fiery rayes and shines bright upon us And this some conceive so genuine and clear an exposition of the Text that the light of it may seem to obscure and darken all others Now according to this second reading the whole verse with that which followeth contains an argument to confirm the former proposition laid down at the 20th verse If a man speak he shall be swallowed up that is if a man come too nigh unto God and be over-bold with him he shal even be swallowed up of his brightness that it is so I prove thus saith Elâ—hu The very light of the Sun Nemo potest adversis oculis â—itidum solem contueri quis ergo ferat praesentiâ—m Majestaâ—â— dei Jun which shines in the Air is so bright and so powerful that no man is able to hold up his eyes against it And if so then from the lesser to the greater his argument riseth thus If when the Sun shineth brightly no man is able to look upon it then much less are we able to behold the bright Majesty of God or to comprehend his greatness This rendring hath a very profitable sense in it leading Job to reason thus with himself I plainly see by all that hath been discoursed that for as much as I am not able to bear the brightness which breaks through the Clouds nor the noise of Thunder of which Elihu spake before for as much as I am not able to bear the fiercenesâ— of a great Rain nor the coldness of the Frost nor the impetuousness of the Wind nor the violence of a Tempest for as much as I am not able to bear the clear light of the Sun shining in my face therefore surely I am much less able to bear the Majesty and glory of God if he should unvaile or open himself unto me Thus I say Elihu leads Job to an humbling conviction that he could not stand before the glorious Majesty of God because he was not able to endure the brightness of the Sun shining upon him If the light of the Sun the Created light be too excellent for mortal eyes then what is God the Creating light what is God who dwelleth in light who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all 'T is a Maxime in Nature Excellens visibile visum destruit A â—isible object exceeding bright dazles the eye and even destroys the sight And why was all this spoken to Job Surely to bring him upon his knees as afterwards it did to humble him to take him off from his frequent appeals or desires of approach to God for the debate and determination of his cause The sum of all in a word is as if Elihu had said O Job thou canst not see the bright light of the Air if the wind do but fan it and cleanse the Clouds how then shalt thou be able to dispute thy cause before God to whom the most glorious
thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence This is the Judgment of reformation which God hath and will further work among his people till Sion be built up in perfect beauty and Jerusalem become the praise of the whole earth Thus also God is excellent both in power and in Judgment Fourthly Judgment signifies those evills which God brings upon impenitent sinners that 's a very frequent notion of Judgment in Scripture and the Lord is excellent in this Judgment and that First Upon his own people when they provoke him and sin against him 1 Pet. 4.17 If Judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel There 's Judgment beginning at the house of God that is God will bring evill upon his own house the Church even sore troubles and persecutions The Lord will not spare them who have been slight with him forgetfull of him formal in profession or wanton and vaine in conversation This is a great part of the Lords excellency in Judgment he brings Judgment upon his own house The Lord saith the Prophet Isa 5.16 shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness that is in bringing his righteous Judgments upon Israel his peculiar people We find that Gospel Prophet Isaiah often interweaving the wyre and whipcord of corporal bondage with the silk and scarlet thread of Sions dâ—liverances Secondly In Judgment towards his enemies Psal 149.9 He will execute on them the Judgment that is written and that is no inconsiderable nor easie Judgment The servants of God may smart sorely under these Judgments but the wicked and rebellious shall perish and sink under them How dreadfull is that profession or protestation which the Lord made by Moses Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold of Judgment I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me Some possibly may object Surely there is no such appearance of Gods excellency in Judgment upon the wicked of the woâ—ld the enemies of his name and wayes It grew to a Proverb Mal. 2.17 Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of Judgment Evill men seem to be good in the eyes of the Loâ—d when they enjoy good and if it be so said some Where is the God of Judgment I answer First the Lord hath left testimony enough upon Record and written it in the blood of many thouâ—ands to justifie himself that he is excellent in Judgment by taking vengeance on the wicked Did he not excell in Judgment upon the sinning Angels 2 Pet. 2.8 Jude 6. was he not excellent in Judgment when he destroyed the whole world for sin when he burnt Sodom and Gomorrah with fire for sin How many instances might I give of this from Scripture God hath sufficiently declared himself excellent in this punitive Judgment I answer Secondly God indeed doâ—h not presently execute Jâ—dgment upon all the wicked we shoâ—ld rather be lead by sence than by faith if he should do so if he should smite sinners as soon as they provoke him yea if God should take that course he must even break the world to peices and destroy whole generations at once Thirdly God suffers sinners a while that his councels may be fulfilled for though the wicked obey not the command of God yet they fulfill the councel of God Acts 4.28 and they do it chiefly when he with-holdeth Judgment from them Fourthly Unless the Lord did a little give stop to the execution of Judgment in this kind it would neither appear how good nor how bad some men are Let some have but a little power in their hands and the world at will then you shall see whither they will go and what they will do And wâ—en bad men are suffered to go on unpunished and to be a punishment to others then it appears more fully how good some are and that in a twofold respect First because they refraine from evill though they see that they also possibly might do it impune and not suffer in this world Secondly because â—hey hold fast both theiâ— profession and practise of Godliness how much soever they suffer for it in this world from evill men Fifthly God is executing Judgments upon wicked men while he seems to spare them from judgment Pro. 1.32 The prosperity of fools slayeth them Sâ—me think a wicked mâ—n is mighâ—ily favoured when he is in prosperity no that prosperity is his destruction and destruction is Judgment in perfection The table of a wicked man is made his snare his full table faâ—tens his heart which is the sorest of all judgments To be unâ—ensible is worse than any punishment of sense to be hardned or heartned in doing evill is more penall than the suffering of any evill Now while wicked men escape the suffering of evill they grow resolved that is hardned and heartned in doing iâ— or to do it Take Solomons observation or experience in the caâ—e Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed upon themselves or others therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully sâ—t in them to do mischief So then there are many invisible judgmen s upon wicked men when we see no hand touch them nor judgment neer them God giveâ— them up to vile affections and to a reprâ—baâ—e mind Rom. 1.26 28. to their own counsels Psal 81.12 and to strong dâ—lusâ—oâ—â— by â—â—hers 2 Thes 2.11 Theâ—e heavy loads oâ— judgment may be on their hearts upon whose backs we see not sâ— much as a gaine weight of judgment Thus the Lord is excellâ—nt in judgment in all the notions of it I have inâ—â—anced fouâ—e Now lâ—st any should think that God at any time breaks the rule of justice in his zeale for this latter sort of judgment or while he is powring out vengeance upon the wicked therefore it follâ—ws in the next place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in plenty of Justice God executes great wrath upon sinners but there is gâ—eat Justice Justitiâ— est constâ—ns perpetua voluntas suum cuique tribuendi Justin plenty of Justice in it There is store â—nd abundance of justice and righteousness in his most rigorous juâ—gments A little justice is a most precious thing how precious then is plenty of jâ—stice Justice in it self is the giving of every one his due and where justice is in any man it constanâ—ly bends and enclines his heart to do so his especially with whom there is as in God plenty of justice And indeed what-ever God hath he haâ—h plenty of it He hath mercy and plenty of it he iâ— plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 Aâ—d with him iâ— pleâ—teous redemption Pâ—al 130.7 There is also plenty of justice in him Some men have no Justice at all in them though their
naturally it is as impossible for God not to do justice as it is for him not to be A man may be unjust and yet be a man but God cannot be God and not do justly Seeing then it is his nature to do justice there must needs be plenty of justice with him And how severe soever the judgments of God are there is nothing but justice in them Justice Justice shalt thou follow was the command of God to the Judges of Israel by Moses that is as we translate that which is altogether just shalt thou follow Dâ—ut 16.20 As that promise of peace peace notes plenty of peace Isa 26.3 so this command of doing Justice Justice notes plenty of Justice Certainly then the Lord himself will do jâ—stice plentifully Justice Justice will he dâ— Take two Infeâ—encâ—s from this assertion First This tâ—uth is matter of comfort to and sweetly smiles upon the iâ—st that the Lord hath plenty of justice in him for then doubtless he will performe all his good words of p omiâ—e to them 'T is the part of a just man to perfoâ—me his word God is faithful to his word what-ever men are It hath been â—aid If you wâ—uld know what some men mean never to do then loâ—k to their promises Eorum quae appetebat ne qui quam prae se ferebat eorum quae dicebat ne quicquam facere colâ—bâ—t Suidas de Tiberio It was a very dishonorable Character which Suidas gave of the Romane Emperour Tiberius He never made shew of having what he desired or had a mind to nor ever minded to do what he had promised But God the great God is so tâ—ue and just to his word or promise that his people may take strong consolation from every word of promise Tit 1.2 In hâ—pe of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised No man could ever challenge God of any faylure in promise There are four things ascribed to God in Scripture which may assure us that he will be just in performing all his promises First He remembers them all Psal 111.5 Psal 115.12 Secondly He is unchangeable and in one mind Job 23.13 14. Thirdly He is the Almighty and ever furnisht with power to perform them Fourthly He is most faithfull and will not deny nor falsifie them Heb. 10.23 Secondly This truth hath a most dreadfull aspect and frownes terribly upon the ungodly and unjust That God hath plenty of Justice Justice enough to bestow among them all is enough to confound them all though they make a Covenant with death and with hell are at agreement yet their Covenant and agreement shall be dissolved Isa 28.15 16. The Scripture speaks Justice often to sinners specially to those unjust ones who weigh the violence of their hands Psal 58.1 2. that is who oppress with a kind of exactness who do not tumble it out palpably or in a lump but weigh it out now a little and then a little The Loâ—d knoweth how to deal with such cunning perverters of Justice and will at last make them acknowledge both that themselves had no justice in them and that himself hath plenty of it And who now laying these five considerations together will not acknâ—wledge that the Lord hath plenty of justice But the inference which Elihu makes from it in the close of the verse seems if nâ—t a kind of denial yet a great abatement of it for having said He is excellent in plenty of Justice the next words are He will not afflict This may seem at first hearing a strange connection will he not afflict how then hath he plenty of Justice Doth not God afflict who afflicts then have men the power of affliction in their hands or hath Satan the power of affliction in his hand Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground said Eliphaz Chap. 5.6 Saith not the Scripture every where affliction comes down from heaven or that 't is of God did not Job say Chap. 1.21 The Lord hath taken that is afflicted me by taking away my all of this world and doth not God himself say Psal 89.30 31 32. If his children forget my Law I will punish their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes How then saith Elihu God will not â—ffl ct I answer First In general Elihu speaks thus in answer to a doubt or to remove a feare arising upon the whole of what had been said of God For if God be such a God so excellent in power and in Judgment and in plenty of Justice then surely our case is very sad may some say who can abide to be neere or stand before such a God O saith Elihu feare not He will not affl ct More particularly I answer First Though God be excellent in Judgment and plenty of Justice yet it may be said he will not afflict because in some sense he hath not a will to afflict or he doth not afflict with his will that is he delights not to afflict he hath declared himself more ready to shew mercy than to execute judgment In one Prophet he saith Ex corde Heb ex animo libens Vatabl I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth Ezek. 18.32 and another Prophet saiâ—h of him He doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the children of men Lam. 3.33 This Pâ—ophet was there bemoaning the greatest affliction that ever befell the people of God yet saith he God doth not afflict willingly he doth not afflict with his heart as the word there is expâ—essed in the Margin when he afflicts it is as it were a work of his hand not of his heart yea a work that he would gladly rid his hands of What once that câ—uel Tyrant Nero said when he was to â—â—â—ne a Waâ—rant foâ— the Execuâ—ion of an offender O Quâ—m vellem nesâ—ire litâ—ras How glad should I be if I could not write my name This spake he possibly when his heart waâ— as full of blood as it could hold yet thus he spake to signifie a great unâ—illingness to afflict This is most true of the great God though he be a God of excellent power and judgement and plenty of justice yet he doth not afflict willingly he could be glad that he might never have an occasion to afflict that he might never be provoked â—o draw his sword no nor so much as to use his rod in this wo lâ— Secondly It may be said God will not afflict because he never afflicteth without a just cause his unlimited power never tempts him nor doth any passion transport him to a desire of taking undue revenge upon any he hath plenty of Justice and therefore cannot afflict but when he sees great reason for it Did not our sin call for our affliction were there not some great pâ—ovocation on our part or some profit to come to us by it we should never hear of nor feel his rod. The Apostle saith Heb. 12.9 10. We have
Secondly We have an enforcement of this Inference by a cogent reason For he respecteth not any that are wise in heart Who these wise-hearted ones are whom God respecteth not will appear in the opening those words Men do therefore fear him The word rendred Men properly signifieth weak or feeble men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vir miser imbecillus as also men in affliction men under the afflicting hand or rod of God This strict acception of the word renders the opposition more cleare setting the lowest of humane frailty against the highest divine power Yet we need not stand strictly upon the Grammatical signification of the word but may take men in all their divisions and formes men be they high or low afflicted or in prosperity ought therefore to fear him Only it may seem most sutable in way of application to Job for Elihu to use this word in that restrained sence Afflicted feeble men do fear him As if he had said O Job thou art a weak man a man greatly afflicted thou hast been long under the rod and chastning hand of God therefore thou oughtest to fear him and not expostulate the matter with him as thou hast done Men do Therefore fear him This illative Therefore hath reference as was intimated to all that was said in the former verse yet we may take it specially in these two particulars Therefore men do fear him Why First Because he is so great so immense so incomprehensible so powerful so just because he hath such plenty of justice therefore men do fear him Secondly Therefore men do fear him Why Because though he be cloathed with power justice and judgement yet he will not afflict that is he will not afflict extreamly in any of thoâ—e four sences before given he moderates his power by compassion in his sharpest dispensations towards his people there is a great mixture of love mercy with his justice therefore men do fear him As if Elihu had thus bespoken Job Others fear God because they experience or find him kind and good to them even in afflictiâ—n how then cometh it to pass that thou hast from the beginning carried it as if God mixt no kindnes nor shewed any tenderness in his afflicting of thee why is it that thou hast cursed thy day that thou hast complained that ever thou wast born that thou hast so often wished for death Why hast thou said that thou art not only pressed but even oppressed that though thy cause be good yet thâ—u hast born the heaviest loads of evill Why dost thou strive with him These are no arguments of thy fear but of an impatient and fretful spirit if not of a kind of rage and fury against God himself These are no proofs that thou doest acknowledge his goodness in afflicting thee and so fear him for by these thou dost rather charge and accuse him of harshnesse and severity Now though it may be said as it hath often in the opening this Book that Job spake such words partly in the heat of his passion partly through the greatnesse of his pain partly through the infirmity of his flesh as also being much moved and provoked by the grievous censures of his friends yet notwithstanding all this his words were such as neither could nor ought to be wholly excused so that Elihu might say Men do therefore fear him But O Job thou hast carried it as if thou didst not fear him thou hast not behaved thy self like other men under the same or a like afflicting hand of God For though Job is to be reckoned among men that feared God yea in the highest form of those that feared him yet he failed much in his affliction as to the expression of this holy fear Thus we have that two-fold reference in which Elihu saith Therefore do men fear him First Because of his great power Secondly Because of that great tendernesse which he useth in the exercise of his power Which yet Job did scarce acknowledge as appeared by his complainings and murmurings about the dealings of God Men do therefore fear him so we render Ideo timebunt eum homines Mont. Verbum futuri temporis solet denotari idquod debet quod expedit fieri quare timebunt idem erit quod timere debent timere jubentur yet 't is considerable that the Hebrew runs in the future time Men will therefore fear him that is men should therefore fear him or men therefore ought to fear him Words in the Hebrew of a future signification bear the importance of a present duty what good 't is said men will do is as if it had been said they do or ought to do And as to the duty here spoken of the fear of God we may make this conclusion All good men do fear God upon those accounts and all men should or ought to fear him The thing is to be done whether men do it or no. Where an expresse command is given every man concerned is bound to obey and where or who is the man that is not concern'd in this command fear the great and gracious God Men do therefore Fear him What it is to fear God was shewed largely at the 28th Chapter of this Book and the last Verse Deum vereri Deum timere Proprieveretur Deum pius timet superstitiosus Tamen hanc differentiam interpretes non observant nam passim timere usurpant pro vereri Drus therefore I shall not stay upon it hear Only remember the word signifieth a gracious a child-like fear not a servile flavish fear There are two words by which the fear of God is expressed in the Latine tongue which we may expresse thus to fear God or to be afraid of God Good men fear God but wicked men are afraid of God Now though the words are often used promiscuously and to fear is sometimes taken in the worser sometimes in the better sence yet here we are to take it in the best sence Therefore do men fear him that is they ought to stand in awe and not sin against him they should submit to not dispute his dealings The fear of God in the general notion of it is nothing else but Piety and Religion or the whole worship of God To say a man is godly or religious is all one as to say he is a man fearing God Now whereas usually a general rule is urged to lead in a general practise here a general practise is urged as leading to a general rule Men do therefore fear him Whence we may take this general Observation It is the duty of all men of every man to fear God Men one or other ought to have high and honourable thoughts of God they ought to have holy and reverentiall thoughts of God they ought to put far away from them all slightness and vanity of spirit when they think or speak of God they ought to put far from them all boldness and presumption when they have to do with God To put away all
be feared because he is so gracious and full of compassion even while he doth afflict There is mercy with God not to afflict that 's sparing mercy and therefore he is to be feared there is mercy also with God in moderating our afflictions that 's sparing mercy too and therefore he is to be feared The graciousness of God manifested somtimes in sparing to afflict us and often in afflicting us sparingly should move us to fear him both greatly and alwayes and if sparing mercy should move us to fear him then much more should forgiving and pardoning mercy When the Lord Exod. 34.6 7. Passed by before Moses and proclaimed The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin c. At this proclamation of grace Moses vers 8. made haste and bowed his head towards the earth and worshipped How graceless then are they who when they hear that God is gracious merciful and abundant in goodness fear him not but grow wanton and abuse his kindness Now they who fear God upon the due consideration either of his power or goodness find their hearts First Much enlarged in the service of God or in doing the work and walking in the wayes of God Isa 60.5 Secondly This fear keeps their hearts to a close communion with God Jer. 32.32 I will put my fear in their heart and they shall not depart from me We usually not only depart but run from those whom we fear but the true fear of God Covenant-fear makes us cling about and keep close to him Thirdly This fear keeps up good thoughts and high estimations of God in the worst times or when he is pleased to bring the greatest troubles upon us An Israelite indeed who feareth the Lord and his goodness Hos 3.5 will say let God do what he will with him Truly God is good to Israel Psal 73.1 Let us consider whether we have these effects of a gracious fear working in our hearts upon the remembâ—ance both of the power and mercy of God Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise in heart These words as was touched before press the former duty of fearing God inferred from the greatness and excellency of his power judgment jâ—stice and mercy yet further upon us As if he â—ad said Men do therefore fear him Why Because He respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is in general he respects none who are so wise or wise in such a way as not to fear him upon those fore-mentioned grounds He respecteth not The word is seeth not There is an elegant paranomisie in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—imerâ— the words which signifie to fear and to respect or see being very near in sound God doth not see them with respect who do not see him with fear He seeth not any that are wise in heart It cannot be meant of the ordinary sight of the eye that he seeth not the wise in heart God seeth clearly who they are Nor can it be meant of the common apprehension of the mind that he knoweth not the wise in heart God understands fully what they are It must be meant then of a seeing with liking or special approbation God seeth not the wise in heaâ—t so as to like or app ove them Our translation is full and clear to that fence He respecteth â—ot oâ— he regardeth not any that are wise in heart that is he takes no notice of them they are not pleasing to him Or thus He respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is as they fear not him so he is not afraid of them He respecteth not any that are Wise in heart Oâ— wâ—se of heart But some may say Doth not God respect nor regard doth noâ— he take notice of those that are wise of heart Whom then doth he respect or regard of whom will he take notice if not of the wise in heart Hath the Lord any respect for fooles for ignorant men for ideots for sotts Surely men that are wise in heart are not only very amiable but honourable in the eyes of God Why then is it said He respecteth not any that are wise in heart I answer The wise in heart are of two sorts First there are some wise in heart who are so only in their own opinion in their own conceits or eyes they have great thoughts of their own wisdom and therefore as they are apt to despise men so they are far from the fear of God There is a wisdom in some men opposed to the fear of God whereas true wisdome in any man is the beginning of that fear as that fear is called the beginning of wisdom Psal 111.10 Qui sibi videntur esse sapientes Vulg. The vulgar Latine varie h the formeâ— part of the verse yet renders this latter part by way of glosâ— rather than translation They that seem to themselves to be wise and indeed the wise in heart whom God respecteth not are the proudly wise the selfishly wise such as are wise only in themselves and to themselves such as have only that wisdom which the Apostle calleth the wisdom of the flesh or the carnal mind Rom. 8.7 which is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed till mortified can be He that is carnally wise disputes the commands of God and takes the boldness to censure his works such wise men God respecteth not yea they are under his greatest disrespect Secondly Others are truly wise graciously wise wise for their souls wise for heaven wise for happiness submitting their wisdom to the will of God and doing his will They that are thus wise in heart the Lord respects and highly respects how can he do otherwise seeing this is the character of God himself Job 9.4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength And as God is wise in heart so according to their line and measure they that are godly are wise in heart too Therefore taking our translation the wise in heart intended by Elihu must needs be those that are only carnally wise politickly wise naâ—urally wise that is wickedly wise or at best vainly or vain-gloriously wise Further should we take the wise in heart for those that are truly wise graciâ—usly wise yet it must be acknoâ—ledged that even â—hey may so mis-behave themselves as to miss present respect from God And doubtless Elihu observing that Job had spoken somewhat highly of himself and did not carry it humbly enough under the hand of God though his spirit was broken and brought down at last checks him here by telling him God respecteth not any that are wise in heart no not him in that case and frame of spirit as lifted up in his own wisdom Yea Taking wise in heart in this best sence for the graciously wise it is not for their wisdom and holiness that God respecteth or favoureth them As he will
not chastise them without cause nor correct them but for their good so when he doth them good or raiseth them up when he sheweth them any favour or giveth them any mercy he doth it not for their wisdom-sake or holiness-sake but for his Sons-sake or for his own Name-sake Acts of favour from God are purely from his free grace not from any desert in man so that every way his mercy is from himself and undeserved by us He respecteth not any that are wise in heart First As the wise in heart stand in opposition to those that fear God spoken of before being so stout that they do not humble themselves in his fear Note True wisdom is alwayes joyned with the fear of God Yea as Job concluded Chap. 28.28 The fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil which none do but they who fear the Lord is understanding Secondly Note God regardeth no man for his wisdom who doth not fear him Let men be never so learned and wise never so prudent and politick if they have not the true fear of God before their eyes he values them not he will not cast an eye of favour upon them they shall have no countenance with him no honour from him The most wise the only wise God cares not for the wisest of men who stand so much upon their own understanding as to stout it out with him He is not at all moved unless to displeasure by their wisdom who are puffed up with a conceit of their wisdom Thirdly When 't is said He respecteth not any that are wise in heart Note Wisdom without the fear of God will do no man good at last nor can it keep him off from evil Let no man think by his wisdom policy or subtilty to keep himself out of the reach of God If men will not fear and honour him he knoweth well enough how to deal with them and to recover his honour upon them Note Fourthly Let men be as wise and crafty as they will God is not afraid of them as if they could do him any hurt or spoil his designes as if they could out-wit him and over-throw his counsels Some take upon them as if they by their wisedom could hinder Gods purposes and counter-work him as if they could over-reach or undermine him We are much afraid of wise men If such a wise man if such a head-piece be against us we think surely he will works us a great deal of mischeife When David found his son Absalom rebelling against him and Achitophel joyning with him he prayed that God would turn his counsell into foolishness 2 Sam. 15.31 David feared that Achitophels going over to Absalom might have carryed the whole business against him But God doth not regard a whole conclave of Achitophels he cares not a straw for their plottings and contrivings The Lord is so far from fearing the counsels of the wise in heart that he can destroy them by their own wisdome and not only undoe their counsels but undoe them by their counsels The pit which they have digged they shall fall into it themselves and be entangled in the lime-twiggs which they have set up for others All this the holy Prophet intended when he said of God Isa 44.25 He frustrateth the tokens of the lyers and maketh the diviners mad He turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish Diviners grow mad when they see things issuing quite contrary to their predictions and expectations He that can destroy the wise with their own wisdom needs not fear the wisdom of the wisest 'T is the noblest way of vanquishing an enemy when we wound him with his own weapons and turn his own Artillery upon him Thus God dealeth with the wise in heart they are nothing in his hands they cannot put the least stop to what he hath a purpose to do but he can put a stop to all their purposes The foolishness of God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.25 is wiser than men He saith also in the third Chapter of the same Epistle vers 19. The wisdome of this world is foolishness with God for it is w iâ—â—en and that writing is taken out of this Book of Job Châ—p 5.13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness And again The Lâ—rd knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine and vain he knoweth them to be in a twofold respect First because sinfâ—ll or evill in themselves Secondly because he knows how to make them barren or abortive successless and ineffectual unto the wise So that they all become like most Adventurers at a Lottery going out with their hearts full of hopes but returning with their hands full of blanks Disappoyntment Disappoyntment being written upon all their counsels and undertakings Again Taking the wise in heart for those who are truly wise godly wise Learn Fifthly God will not forbear when he seeth cause to afflict those who are indeed the wisest and holiest of men Let no man think that because he is wise or holy he must not therefore be touched or medled with Some conceive the chief design of writing this Book was to let us see this truth That let men be never so holy never so upright or godly yet they must not claime priviledge from the cross nor complain when they are under it that God deals not well with them In this Job over-acted supposing there was no cause why such a man as he should have such severe chastenings and rebukes but let men be never so wise never so good God may see cause to lay his chastening rods upon them and had the Lord nothing else to say for it his soveraignty will bear him out in it against the best of men The clay must neither say to the Potter why hast thou made me so nor why hast thou marr'd me so Be silent O all flesh good as well as bad before the Lord. Lastly Observe What-ever favour what-ever mercy God bestoweth upon the holiest and wisest of men he doth it not with respect to any wisdome holiness or goodness in them but for his own Name sake or because he will He respecteth not the wise in heart No man can merit the least favour from God his is free grace All good cometh to us through the Son of his love and it was meerly of his love that ever his Son came to us and dyed for us Therefore let us not say such a one was a good man such a one was an holy man therefore it was so and so with him As what we are or can do cannot oblige him when he sees cause from giving us correction so he is un-obliged as to what we are or can do in giving us salvation whether temporal or eternal He respecteth not the wise in heart There are yet two other readings of the words which I shall set before the Reader and then conclude all The word which we translate respecteth Is certe non invenit sapientes quoscunque
intuetur Bez signifying properly to see some keep to that propriety of it and render the text thus He seeth not all wise in heart that is when the Lord looketh among the children of men he doth not find many yea scarce any of them wise Thus the sense runs in connection with the foâ—mer part of the verse Men should be so wise as to feare God and not dispute any of his proceedings But he seeth or knoweth that all are not so yea he findeth that a great many even the most of men by much are very fools The truth is all men naturally are no better Psal 14.2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God but he did not find one wise in heart among all the children of men as Descendants from the first Adam And when he cometh among the best of men men of a second birth the seed and descendants of the second Adam he doth not see them so wise as to give him glory in every condition nor under every dispensation yea he finds a great deal of folly in their hearts Taking this sense of the words Elihu seems here again to give Job a close rebuke as not having behaved himself so wisely under his sufferings as became a man professing the feare of God 'T is rare to find a man wise throughout a man having true wisdome of heart and oâ—dering himself according to the rules of that wisdome in all the turnes and changes of his life Secondly The latter part of the verse is translated thus Men though never so wise in heart Non videbit cum omnis sapiens corde vel non v debunt cum sc deum omnes sapientes â—orde q. d nullus eorum ipsum videbit Drus cannot see him This reading runs the construction of the words quite another way The former said He seeth not all wise in heart this saith Men wise in heart cannot see him The sence of which reading may be thus conceived The wisest men cannot see God he is both invisible and incomprehensible As men cannot see him at all by sence so neither can they comprehend him by reason As the eye cannot take him in who is invisible so neither can a finite understanding take him in who is infinite in understanding We have a sight of God through faith in this life Thus Moses saw him who is invisible Heb. 11.27 We see him here darkly through a glass the glass of his word and woâ—ks of his ordinances and providences 1 Cor. 13.12 But the clear sight of him face to face the sight of him as he is is reserved to hereafter 1 Cor. 13.12 1 John 3.2 These two latter readings of this latter part of the verse hold out usefull truths for further meditation but I adhere to our own as more clear in the originall as also more sutable to the scope and intendment of the foregoing discourse Elihu having said this sits down and is silent leaving Job to meditate upon and consider what he had said And now no sooner had Elihu wound up his bottome and made an end but behold God began and took Job in hand he spake to him out of the whirlwind at the beginning of the next Chapter and brought him upon his knees before he had done with him as will appeare further if the paâ—ience of God give time and opportunity to go so far To him be all the praise and glory who hath helped thus far Ameâ— A TABLE Directing to some speciall Points noted in the Precedent EXPOSITIONS A ADvocate To be one for God a great honour as well as a duty 140. Three wayes of being an Advocate for God 141. They who are Advocates for God should have audience and may have courage 142 Aetna the top of it said to be covered alwayes with snow 472 Affliction many cry and complain in it who look not to God in it 65. God comforts his in affliction 73. To cry in affliction and not to repent is very sad 87. The sorest afflictions of this life are little to what God might lay upâ—n sinners 115. God expects the work of faith and patience in affliction and if he see it not he will afflict more 120. God looks for two things in time of affliction 121. God afflicts his children with fatherly anger 123. A good man under great affliction may not be sensible of Gods hand 129 Whâ— are sensible in affliction 130. Ends of affliction 131. The best men may fall into the worst afflictions 221. Afflictions are grievous to the flesh 223. How Gâ—d shews us 〈◊〉 work in affliction 224 225. Afflictions are perswasions 232. Affliction hath a loud voyce 233. Gods design in afflâ—ction 234. Not profiting by lesser draws on greater â—fflictions 253. Affliction a seas n for prayer 267. They that are humbled in affl ction are neer deliverance from affliction 278. Hard to keep our selves from sin in times of great afflâ—ction 320. Any affliction is to be chosen rather than sin 327. Six wayes affliction good sin not at all 328 329. Affliction compared to cold weather 495 God can afflict us by any of his creatures 515. In what sense God may be said not to afflict shewed in foure things 631 632. God doth not afflict man in extremity 634. God sometimes afflicteth the wisest and holiest men 648 Africa called Ammonia and why 559 Anestatius the Emperour slaine with Thunder 460 Anger how the Lord is angry with his children and visits them in anger 124 125 Apostates their case desperate 304 305 Appeales to our selves very convincing 4 Arme what it signifies in Scripture 57 Artaxerxes long-hand why so called 41 Athanasius his saying concerning the troublesâ—me reigne of Julian 601 Attila called the scourge of God 515 Attributes of God how distinguisht 177 Augustus Caesar his fearfulness of Thunder 437 B Babylon dangerous being in it because threatned with falling or with a fall 485 Ballancing or weighing three or foure things which God is said in Scripture to ballance 550 551 Bath col what 456 Beasts of the earth how they teach us 75. How we are taught more than the beasts of the earth 76 77 79. Men act sometimes below the beasts 81. Beasts affected with the providences of God in changes of weather 482. This a reproof to many men 483 Beholding a far off may import foure things 355 Belial son of Belial who 16 Benefits common benefits of God to be much acknowledged 150 Blaspheming the name of God what 34 Blood of Christ what kind of sinners that will not ransome 304 Bounty of God he thinks nothing too good for his good servants 287 Breath of the Lord what 496 C Cattel foreshew weather-changes 427 Why G d hath given them such a natural instinct 427 Cham the name of one of Noahs sons what it signifies 558 Changes God gives warning of them 425. Changes in all things both natural and civil 564. Changes the state of
The Prophet saith concerning Ephraim Hos 7.9 Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not That is Enemies have swallowed up or taken away that wealth those riches they have subdued those Armies those Forces which he looked upon and boasted of as his strengâ—h they have broken him quite with Warrs Invasions yet Ephraim knew it not and not only so but as it followeth Yea Gray hairs are here and there upon him that is he hath many Symptomes or Signs or ruine and destruction yet he knoweth it not Grief of heart for great changes in our Estate change the hair many grow gray with sorrow So that when 't is said gray hairs are upon him 't is an allusion taken from the Body Natural to the Body Politick for as when the natural Body of a man hath gray hairs appearing or as Solomon allegorizeth Eccl. 12.5 when the Almond Tree flourisheth it is an argument that old Age and infirmities are coming upon him Gray hairs tell us that Death and the Grave are not farr off they signifie some decay of nature Now as the natural Body hath its gray hairs so a Politick Body the body of a State hath its gray hairs too that is somthing may come upon a State which sheweth that it is declining and waxing old that it is ready to break and go to the Grave I shall not stay to enquire what are the gray hairs of a Nation I only bring that Scripture to prove that many are insensible of the hand of God he visiteth in his anger yet man possibly a good man knoweth it not as Ephraim knew not of his gray hairs But did not Ephraim know his affliction or did not Job know his what is it to know or who may be said to know an affliction I answer they only know their afflictions or that God is visiting in his anger First who labour to find out the cause of Gods visitation If we feel the afflicting hand of God upon us and enquire not whence is this why is it so what hath moved or provoked the Lord to this manner of proceeding with us If I say we make not such enquiries we are visited in anger and know it not And therefore in that case the Prophet Jeremy exhorts the afflicted captivated Church of the Jewes in Babylon to search and try their wayes Lam. 3.41 that is to consider why it was so with them what was the cause of their captivity Till we sit down and make diligent search why we are visited why any affliction or calamity is upon our Persons and Families or upon the Kingdomes and Nations respectively where we live we know neither the day of our visitation nor what our visitation is Then only we know Gods visitation when we are studying the causes of it Scire est per causas scire To know a thing is to know it in the causes of it Secondly They may be said to know the visitation of the Lord that are studying as the cause which they have given so the ends and purposes which God hath in visiting them for how much soever we find and see the causes of an affliction yet till our hearts are drawn out to answer the ends of it we do not truly know it But you will say what are the usual ends which the Lord hath in afflicting his people I answer First to turn them from sin Secondly to unglew and wean them from the world Thirdly that they may live nearer to or more with him Fourthly that they may live more unto him or which takes in both the latter ends that they may enjoy him more while they live honour him more with their lives Now I say till we are upon this kind of study both of the causes of our visitation and the ends of it beg that we may both remove those causes comply with or answer those ends we may be said not to know the visitation of the Lord though it be and we are in great extremity And if this be to know the visitation of God surely many are perishing and sinking under the hand of his visitation wâ—â— yet know it not How many are there who neither endeavour to search out the causes nor to fulfil the ends for which the Lord visiteth them in his anger I conceive this assertion or supposition at least of Elihu's concerning Job both as to his not trusting God in his affliction and not knowing his visitation was though in part true and occasion'd on Jobs part yet over-harsh and severe nor was the inference which he made from it in the next verse less severe and harsh Vers 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain he multiplyeth words without knowledge Here 's the conclusion of Elihu's third Discourse with Job Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Some connect this verse with the former according to the first reading of it before mentioned that giving a reason of this But now his anger or he in anger hath visited thee but a little or nothing c. Therefore thou O Job openest thy mouth in vain As if he had said Because the anger of God hath not punished Job sharply enough nor in proportion to the multitude and greatness of his sins therefore he speaks thus boldly and rashly Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain To open the mouth is a Pariphrasis of speaking As if he had said therefore Job speaks in vain To speak in vain or to use vain words is to speak to little or no purpose as I have had occasion to shew upon other places of this Book Chap. 15.2 Chap. 16.3 and therefore shall not stay upon it here Job was no vain speaker he used to speak words of weight words of soberness and truth yet was overborn by passion though not to speak vain words in the matter yet to speak or open his mouth in vain Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Consider the Inference therefore that is First Because he doth not humble himself in a patient dependance upon God Secondly because he doth not as he ought duly take notice of the purpose of God in visiting him Thirdly because he seems more solicitous and zealous in defending his own right and credit than the honour and righteâ—usness of God for all these Reasons he openeth his mouth in vain that is he loseth his labour in all this discourse and might as we speak proverbially have saved his breath to cool his broth Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Taking the Charge which Elihu brought against Job in the former verse to be well grounded and true we may Note All our complaints to and debates with God as also all our Apologies for our selves in affliction are fruitless and succesless till we give Glory to God and answer his purposes in laying his hand upon us Gratio vana sensus atque sapientiae inops tantum sonitu verborum querimoniarum clamosa Unless our hearts bow to
God he will not bow his ear to us We only fill the air with words we are but sounding brass and tinkling Cimbals in all we say to God unless we do what God saith Elihu supposing Jâ—bs spirit yet unsubdued or not wrought and brought into a right frame under his affliction might well say he openeth his mouth in vaine and as it followeth to the same effect in the close of this verse and Chapter He multiplieth words without knowledge Here is another hard censure upon this good this holy and wise man Job Some Expositers fall heavy upon Elihu as charging Job too far he spake say they many things that were right but not rightly he spake many things that were true but he did not speak truly in fixing them upon Job he spake all uprightly but somewhat too rigorously And indeed if he had charged him so far as to say he had no knowledge at all and had not opened his mouth at all to purpose he had charged him beyond both truth and modesty But Elihu who was set up by God for this very end to humble Job had ground to tell him that as to some things he had both opened his mouth in vaine and multiplied words without knowledge that is he had spoken many words which seemed not to proceed from any sound or well-grounded knowledge and I may give a four-fold ground of it First Because he had not sufficiently attended and magnified the Soveraignty of God in laying those afflictions upon him Secondly Because he had not as he ought sate down quietly under the hand of God but often called to know the cause and that God would plainly tell him the reason or give him an account why he suffered Whereas he should have remembred that as many of the judgements of God are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out by man so he hath reserved some of them as secrets in his own breast and will no more give any man an account of them than any man ought to desire an account of them Thirdly Because he had not more considered his sin or had not been so much in considering the greatness of his sin as he had been in setting forth the greatness of his integrity For though it were true which Job spake that his way was upright and though God had given testimony to his uprightness and integrity in all his wayes yet he should not have insisted so much upon that poynt which had so much affinity with self-boasting though he intended it only for self clearing or for the righting of himself It had been more becoming him to have been aggravating his sin than setting forth his righteousness this was the poynt that Elihu struck at that he had justified himself too much and judged himself too little Yea Job was convinced of this at last Once have I spoken but I will speak no more that is of my own integrity or righteousness Fourthly He may be said to have multiplied words without knowledge because he had spoken so much in the aggravation of his afflictions 'T is true his afflictions were very great yet Elihu censures him deservedly because he took too much notice of them complaining often and often how heavy the hand of God was upon him yea that God was an enemy to him whereas he should rather have lookt upon the visitation of God as light and easie Inscritam objicit quod pugnantia saliem non satis inter se cohaerentia conjunaeit Merl or at least as but little comparatively to what the Lord was able to lay upon him or what his sin might justifie God in laying upon him Elihu having observed Job often and long striking upon that string hightning his sufferings and troubles had reason enough not only to call him off from it but to check him for it And therefore let us remember and be admonished that in all our afflictions we should not so much set forth the greatness of our suffering as the greatness of the mercy of God we should look upon little mercies as great it shews an excellent spirit when we heighten and greaten the mercy and goodness of God even in little things but we should speak of and look upon our greatest chastenings and afflictions as light and little Job fayled somewhat in all these things and in some of them his faylings were great and upon some of if not upon all these grounds I judge Elihu gave this judgement upon Job He openeth his mouth in vaine and multiplieth words without knowledge Job also yeilded himself thus faulty at last Chap. 42.3 Who is he there he speaks of himself in a third person Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderfull for me which I knew not I shall close my thoughts upon this Chapter with minding the Reader First of Elihu his candedness â—owards Job beyond what he found from his other friends for Elihu chargeth Job here only with vanity and inadvertency not with any premeditated wickedness or blasphemy as Eliphaz had done Chap. 22.13 14. Secondly let me mind the Reader of that liberty and plainness of speech which Elihu used towards Job in telling him of and censuring him for his faylings as also of that patience meekness and equanimity with which Job heard received and bare his sharpest censures not replying one word in passion nor so much as pleading the least excuse for his former passionateness but taking all in good part and doubtless improving all for his spirituall profit JOB Chap. 36. Vers 1 2 3 4. 1. Elihu also proceeded and said 2. Suffer me a little and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee ELihu hath already made three addresses or speeches to Job and here he begins a fourth this and the next Chapter are wholly spent in it and are the issue of his whole discourse with this sorrowful man In which we may consider three parts First The Preface or rather the Prefaces of his speech Secondly The Body or Substance of his Speech Thirdly The Conclusion of it The Preface or Prefaces the Introductions of this Discourse of Elihu with Job are contained in the foure verses of this Text under hand The Body of his Discourse is begun at the fifth verse inclusively and continued to the 23d verse of the next Chapter exclusively The Conclusion of all is laid down in the two last verses of the 37 Chapter In this copious Discourse or long Oration Elihu brings not any new assertion or saying of Job to be proved against him nor doth he reprove Job for any new fault but insists upon the proof of what himself had asserted before to shew that God is righteous or to maintain the righteousness of God which he doth variously by