and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin So then in the second verse you have the charge and in the third the proof of the charge Thinkest thou this to be right The word which we render to think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An hoc cogitasti in jus Heb notes more than a bare thinking even the devising or curious contriving of a matter in the brain hast thou formed this in thy Imagination and concluded it in thy Understanding for right for sound and wholsome Doctrine for a very truth There may be a threefold exposition of these words First As an appeal to Jobs own breast Thinkest thou this to be right let me ask thee the question Hast thou said well in this dost thou believe thou hast let thy Conscience judge and make answer I doubt not but thou wilt be self-condemned And indeed no guilty person can be absolved himself if himself being judge Secondly We may look upon the words not only as an appeal but as a reproof or objurgation Thinkest thou this to be right What man in his right mind would think so thou toldest thy wife in the second Chapter Thou speakest like one of the foolish women and may it not now be told thee Thou speakest like one of the foolish men Would any man in his wits utter a word of this import a word of so gross a savour of so dangerous a reflection upon the Justice of God or so much as intimate himself by any the remotest consequences more just more righteous than God why hath such a word dropt from thy mouth Thus he chides checks and reproves him Thirdly These words may have the sense of a denying question Thinkest thou this to be right Surely Job thou dost not think this to be right I cannot believe that thou thinkest this to be right thou are not surely so far left of Reason and of Grace as to think this to be right This sense gives some allay to or abatement of the former surely thou dost not think so though thou hast spoken so though thy words may have this meaning yet I hope this is not thy meaning I am unwilling to take up thy opinion from thy expression Thinkest thou this to be right From the first Exposition Note It is a strong way of conviction to put or refer a matter to his Judgement and Conscience against whom we make opposition Thinkest thou this to be right I refer it to thy own Conscience whether this be right yea or no and thus the Scripture speaks often When God would stop the mouth from all contradiction and not leave opposers a word to say he leaves it upon them to say all Moses intending to prove that none could prevaile against Israel unless God provoked by sin delivered Israel up into their hands gives this demonstration of it Deut. 32.31 Their Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Judges I refer this to our enemies opinion whether the Dunghil gods the Idols whom they serve and trust to be like Jehovah the living God whom we have and ought to serve and trust to You that are our enemies do you think your Rock is like our Rock I know you do not The Apostles Peter and John referred it back to the judgment of their Judges whether it were fit for them to obey their commands yea or no when they called them and charged them to preach no more in that name the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye We have received a command from God to preach Go teach all Nations Math. 28.19 and we have received a command from you not to preach now we leave it with you whether it be fit for us to obey God or you So the Apostle having admonished the Corinthians to flee from Idolatry presently adds 1 Cor. 10.14 15. I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say I have given you the rule and I leave it to your consideration what 's best and safest for you to do I speak as to wise men that 's a holy insinuation As if he had said I know you are wise men men of understanding and therefore I do not so much command you to obey what I say as to judge what I say I am much perswaded you cannot judge otherwise in this thing than I do There is so much truth and reason in what I say that you cannot but say so too The same Apostle speaks again in a like forme about womens praying uncovered Judge in your selves is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered 1 Cor. 11.13 As if he had said I do not stand wholly to my own judgement in this case of conscience I dare refer it to you and stand to yours Thus in many things we may appeal unto the Consciences of those we deal with no doubt the Conscience is often satisfied while the Will stands out Men of much understanding will dispute when Conscience hath nothing to say Yea some will for their own ends argue that to be right which in their Consciences they do not think to be so Thinkest thou this to be right Thou hast said it but dost thou think it I trow not Observe Secondly There is a Light within us that will shew us what 's amâ—ss or 〈◊〉 not right Elihu doth not direct Job immediately to the Word though that 's the authoritative and authentick Rule but to his heart thou hast a Light in thy self whereby thou mayest see that this is not right Thus the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.14 15. Doth not even Nature it self teach you that if a man have long haire it is a shame unto him but if a woman have long haire it is a glory to her for her haire is given her for a covering The Light which every man hath in him will shew this Again the Apostle Rom. 2.14 15. proveth that the old Gentiles had a light of Nature in them which shewed them many things amiss Thus he argueth For when the Gentiles that have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law they do them by Nature that is by the Light of Nature which shews them to do these things that is it sheweth them that they ought to be done and they do them as to the outward action by that Light these having not the Law that is the written Word published to them in that formality which the people of God have these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another This Light shewed those Gentiles so far what to do according to the Law as left them without excuse for not doing what it shewed Gospel Mysteries and matters of Faith are purely of Divine Revelation but what
every pressing danger let us go to God in faith and hope and he will either give us enlargements or do us good by and in our worst and greatest straits Thirdly Note As it is good when at any time we are in trouble to look to God so we should then look to God specially under this relation as he is our Maker It is good then to say God is my maker and I am the work of his hands therefore he will take care of me and deliver me out of the hand of my oppressors There are five duties which arise from this Consideration that God is our Maker First We should highly esteem and be thankfull for this benefit our making Secondly We should be confident that he who hath made us will preserve us Thirdly We should patiently submit to him when he afflicteth us himself or suffers others to afflict us Fourthly We should give him glory by believing that he will take care of us in or deliver us out of all our sufferings and afflictions Fifthly We should not think nor speak hardly of God because he hath made us subject to tryals and the exercise of patience neither should we take it ill that he hath made others so high or great that they have power to oppress us In all these respects we should look to God our maker and neither murmure at nor be afraid in a day of â—ffliction The Lord himself poynts us to that Isa 51.12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye and of the son of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker It is good in time of affliction to remember God in all our relations and in this as our maker in a three-fold making of us First As our maker in a natural capacity that is as he hath made these bodies of ours we may plead with and urge the Lord to take care of and preserve our bodyes because he ha h made them preservation is an act of providence and pâ—ovidence followeth creation Secondly As our maker in a civil capacity that is as he hath made us rich or poor high or low in the world or in any worldly enjoyments Pharaoh that great Dragon lying in the midst of the rivers said Ezek. 29.3 My river is mine own and I have made it for my self But grace teacheth us to say otherwise if we are rich or strong God hath made us so if our river be broad and deep full and over-flowing God hath made it so and if we are poor and weak if our river be naâ—row and shallow empty and dry God hath made it so and who shall say to him Why hast thou made it so That God is the maker of our crosse should make us quiet under it Thirdly A godly man should look to God in affliction as his maker in a spiritual capacity I do not mean as he hath made our spirits but as he hath made us spiritual or as we are his workmanship that 's the Apostles word created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 That we are thus wrought works much upon the heart of God in the day of our affliction That God hath made us men that we are his creatures is a good argument a faire plea and moves much but that he hath made us new men or new creatures his Sons by grace and Temples of his Spirit that he hath made us holy believing righteous is a far stronger argument a suller plea and moves much more A soul that can go to God thus and tell him he is his maker a soul that can say as 't is said of the Church Isa 54.5 My maker is my husband He that made me hath married me to himself a soul that can say this may indeed triumph in and over all his tribulations How sweet is it to have an interest in Christ and by him a relation to God as our maker in this respect When the Lord rejects a people to the utmost he saith he will not be stayd no not by this relation as their maker from doing it Isa 27.11 This is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour As if the Prophet had said If any argument could move the Lord to shew mercy this would do it to tell him he hath made such a people or he is their maker But there are none whom the Lord hath made in the third sense as to a new creation but he will have mercy on them and shew them favour his making of them such is a gâ—eater mercy and an higher favour thâ—n any they can ask of him nor are there any of that making who are of no understanding So then he that is made of God spiritually needs not care for all the unmaking or undoing he can receive from men nor fear that he shall ever be unmade or unmercy'd by God All he can lose in this world doth not cannot make him miserable who is made fit for the world to come He knoweth he hath an estate setled upon him by his Maker which cannot be taken away A man thus made may say to his spoylers Ye have taken nothing from me but the scraps and sweepings the parings and chippings of my estate The Archers indeed have sorely grieved me and shot at me but my bow abides in strength and the armes of my hands are made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. He that is spiritually made or made a new creature is made for ever and in every strait he may look to God his Maker as a helper and restorer He that made us when we were nothing can help us when we are reduced to a very nothing It is an encouragement to go to God for healing because he hath wounded us Come and let us return unto the Lord saith the Church for he hath torne and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will bind us up Hos 6.1 Much more is it an encouragement to go unto God to be our healer because he hath been our Maker He that hath made us can mend us He that built us can repaire us if we say as we ought and have been taught Where is God our maker Who giveth songs in the night Those words contain a second Consideration why the oppressed should seek to God he giveth songs that is matter of songs or cause of singing joy and comfort even in the night There are several opinions about the meaning of these words Some as I shewed before interpret this verse of the oppressors None of them say Where is God my maker who giveth songs in the night So the words are a description as of the great worldly security so of the great worldly felicity of those oppressors Poor men labour all day hard and being wearied out with their labours when night cometh they go to bed But prophane great and rich men
without fruit to us and therefore he openeth the ear to discipline and sheweth us the meaning of such a cross or sickness of such a loss or affliction He openeth their ear to dâ—scipline Hence note First It is a special power of God which helps us to understand his mind either in his Word or in his Works We neither understand the dealings nor sayings of God if left to our selves the heart of man is shut his ear is deaf the ear of his heart that 's the ear here intended till God say as in the Gospel to the bodily ear Ephatha Be thou opened Pro. 20.12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord is the maker of them both That 's a great truth First of the sensitive ear and eye 't is the Lord who hath made the one to hear and the other to see as he told Moses Exod. 4.11 and as 't is said Psal 94.19 Secondly 't is as true if understood of the intellectual eye and ear the hearing ear and seeing eye that is the ear that heareth obediently and practically that ear is of Gods forming and making such an ear did God create Acts 16.14 where it is said A certain woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the City of Thyatira which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul Further what was the season of opening the ear It was a day of affliction when they were bound in fetters and holden in cords of affliction Hence learn God useth afflictions as medicines or means to restore spiritual hearing Man is often cured of his spiritual deafness both as to the voyce of the word and workes of God by sickness A good man in health Fles prospera donum est dei consolantis res odversa est donum dei admonentis quod igiturpateris un de plangis medicina est non paena castigatio non damnatio August in Psal 102. Qui juhentis verba non audiunt ferientis verberibus admonentur ut ad bona aeterna paenae trahant quos praemia non invitant Greg l. 26. Moral c. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et dicit peace prosperity may have his ears so stopped that the Lord sees it needful to send some sharp correction to get out the ear-wax and unlock them Prosperity saith one of the Ancients is the gift of God comforting us adversity is the gift of God admonishing us why then dost thou complain that thou sufferest thy suffering is a medicament not a punishment 't is for thy bettering not for thy undoing 'T is a favour to feel God striking when we have not heard him speaking and he therefore strikes that we may attend what he speaks When words do not prevaile to open the ear fetters and cords shall That 's the second designe of God when he brings the righteous into streights Then he openeth their ear to discipline The third is given in the close of this verse And commandeth that they return from iniquity Here 's the issue of the former two The shewing them their transgressions the opening their ear are that they may return from iniquity and here is a command that they must And commandeth that they return c. The Hebrew text may be rendred He speaketh or saith that they return from iniquity and this speaking may be expounded two wayes First by perswading He speaks perswadingly The Lords afflictions are perswasions his stroaks are entreaties he beseecheth us by ouâ— sorrows and sicknesses and weaknesses and pains that we would return from our iniquity Secondly we take speaking or saying in the highest straine He speaks by commanding he speaks authoâ—itatively Thus we render He commandeth The command of God is twofold First formal or express when God gives the rule in so many words Secondly vertual The command of God I conceive is here to be understood in this latter sense When the Lord afflicteth the righteous he vertually commands or sends out his Edict that they return from their iniquity The word return implyes them formerly following some iniquity gone far from the Lord This returning is repenting all the Scripture over I need say no more of that As by sin we turn from God so by repentance we return from iniquity and as the Lord at all times commands the righteous by his word so they even force him sometimes to command them by his rod which is called discipline in the former part of the verse because sinners feel paine and find matter to learn all at once He commandeth that they return from iniquity The word rendred iniquity signifies a vain empty thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet significationem nihili Ab operibus suis malis quae similia sunt vanitate nihilo Chald a thing of nought so the Chaldee paraphraseth it here He commands that they return from their evil works which are like to vanity and a thing of nought What is sin but a kind of nothing we look for great matters from sin but it is a vanity it is like an Idol nothing in the world that is it is not such a thing as it doth import or as it promiseth or as the opinion of men make it to be Iniquity is no such thing as it pretendeth or as is pretended The Lord commandeth that they return from iniquity that is from doing that which will profit them nothing at all or no more than a vaine thing a thing of nothing can And yet though iniquity be nothing good or profitable yet 't is all things evil and hurtfull nor had any thing ever hurt us or been evil to us had it not been for iniquity He commandeth that they return from iniquity Hence Note First Affliction hath a voyce God speaks loudly to us by affliction He speaks to us as loud in his works as he doth in his word he trumpets to us he thunders to us in his works God speaks aloud but sweetly to us in his works of mercy he speaks aloud but terribly to us in his works of judgement Secondly Seeing as was touched in opening the words this command is not to be taken for a standing Law for so God alwayes commands men to return from iniquity but the command here is a renewed act or a special dispensation there is as it were a fresh command issued when a man is under the afflicting hand of God Hence Note God reinforceth or reneweth his command to return from sin as often as he reneweth our afflictions That we return from iniquity is a standing an everlasting Law but when we are in affliction then there is as it were a fresh Edition of the command 't is as I may say new printed and proclaimed the fetters print this command upon our heels and the cords upon our hands that we return from iniquity Thirdly Note Iniquity is a vaine thing it is a nothing Shall we not then return from it one would think a little perswasion
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
to what we should shun and avoid which is the work of God alone by his grace and Spirit Thus David shews how God is teaching while he is chastening Psal 99.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest out of thy Law God teacheth First by his Word that 's his ordinary way of teaching Secondly he teacheth by his Works and those both the workes of Creation and of Providence and by those whether workes of Mercy or of Judgement By all these meanes God teacheth But that which Elihu chiefly aimeth at in this place speaking to afflicted Job is his teaching by affliction Who teacheth like him As if he had said God doth not lay his hand upon thee by affliction only to make thee smart but to make thee wise he is instructing thee while he is afflicting thee Further as God teacheth by his Word and by his Works so he teacheth most eminently by his Spirit who alone maketh the teaching both of his Word and of his Works effectual upon the hearts of the hearers and beholders Many are taught but none to purpose without the Spirit Who teacheth like him Note Secondly God is no ordinary teacher The teachings of God are above all other teachings There is no teacher to be compared with God Elihu doth not say Who teacheth besides God There are many other teachers but there is not one who teacheth like him Some may say wherein doth the excellency of divine teaching lie how hath that the supereminence above all other teachings Take the answer briefly in seven words First none teacheth so plainly and clearly as God The teachings of men are but dark and obscure to the teachings of God Christ said John 16.26 I shall no more speak unto you in parables but I shall shew you plainly of the Father God speaks by his Word and Spirit to the lowest and meanest understanding Secondly none teacheth like God that is so mildly so moderately so condescendingly to the condition and capacity of those with whom he hath to do Christ said John 16.12 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now and therefore I will not say them now I will not buâ—den you beyond your strength I know what lessons what instructions you are fit for and I will give you only these and no moâ—e till ye are better prepared to receive them I will give you only milk because ye are children and so not able to digest-st ong meat Thirdly none teacketh like God so patienâ—ly and meekly There is nothing doth more provoke the passion of a teacher than the untowardness and dulness of those that are taught It was a very good Rule given by one of the Ancients he that will teach children must in a manner be a child He must consider what they are and forme himself to their condition else she will never have the patience to teach them O with what patience doth the infinite and only wise God teach his children Isa 28.9 10. He giveth line upon line and precept upon precept here a little and there a little Here is the patience of God He doth not say if ye cannot take it now I will teach you no more No saith God I will give precept upon precept and line upon line though former precepts have not been received yet I will give you more here a little and there a little ye shall have another little to the former little God was forty yeares tutoring and teaching the Israelites in the wilderness to fit them for the possession of Canaan These three yeares saith Christ have I come looking for fruit and all that while he was teaching them to make them fruitfull nor was he hasty then but upon the inâ—ercession of the vineyard-dresser waited one year more O the patience of God in teaching Fourthly none teacheth like him that is so constantly and continually He teacheth and he is alwayes teaching there is no hour no moment but one way or other God is reaching By every thing we hear or have to do with in the wayes of his providence he is teaching us B sides how constant is God in teaching us formally as 't is said in the Prophet Jer. 35.14 15. I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets rising up early and sending them As if the Lord did bestir himself in the moâ—ning to send our teachers betimes He soweth his seed in the morning and in the evening he doth not with hold his hand as he requireth us to do in all sorts of duty whether of charity and righteousness towards our nâ—ighbour or of piety and holy worship towards himself Eccl. 11.6 Fifthly none teacheth like him that is so truly so unerringly While men teach they sometimes mis-teach while they lead they often mis-lead they teach error for truth and unsafe doctrine for sound they build wood hay and stubble in stead of gold silver precious stone upon that sure foundation Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.12 The best the wisest and most knowing men may erre only God knoweth the full compass of all mysteries yea he is Truth therefore his teachings are most true Sixthly none teacheth like him that is so authoritatively Men teach in the name and authority of God but God teacheth in his own name and authority The Lord giveth Authentity to his own word If the Lord hath said it that 's warrant enough to receive it and believe it When Christ preached the people wondered at his doctrine Mat. 7.29 For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes that is there went forth a mighty command with the word of Jesus Christ He did not as I may say beg attention and submission to his doctrine but exact it upon them and draw it from them Where God teacheth he commandeth his word worketh mightily when he speaketh all must hear at their peril Whâ—â—e Princes give the rule and publish their Laws subjects must hear and obeâ— or suffer for not obeying How much more where God gives the Rule and publisheth his Law Seventhly who teacheth like him that is so effectually so efficatiously As God hath authority to charge his teachings upon us at our peril to receive them so he hath a power to work our hearts to the receiving of them Who teacheth thus like God The Mâ—â—isters of Christ teach in the authority of God and charge all to receive what they say in his Name but they cannot give an effect to the charge Isa 48.17 He teacheth to profit One translation saith He teacheth things profitable But that is a lean rendring for so doth every Minister that teacheth as he ought but our rendring carrieth the efficacy of the word of God in it He teacheth to profit that is he can make the dullest Scholar learn he can make the most stubborn heart to submit Christ speaking of this great work of God in teaching saith John 6.45 No man cometh unto me except the Father draw him What is that drawing It is this
mortifie whaâ— grace hath the work of God put you upon the exercise of They only indeed magnifie the work of God who have such workings towards God It were better not receive a mercy than not to be bettered by a mercy It is not our crying up the works of God in our words but in our works which is the magnifying of them It is more safe for us to say nothing of what God hath wrought for us than to publish it or make our boast of it when we our selves do â—â—â—hing worthy of it in a way of condecency and proportion to it 'T is the design of God in giving promises to make us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Much more having given us any great performances of his promises doth he expect that we should be clean and holy O then what a pittiful course do they take who pretending to magnifie the works of God do such things as are a defilement both to flesh and spirit A third design of God in working for us is to make us trust him more or to be more in believing 'T is shewed Psal 78.4 what great things God did for the Jewish nation and for their fathers But what did God ayme at in all we have the answer v. 8. That they might set their hope in him and not forget his workes The aim which God had in those great works was that their hope might be set upon him that they might trust in him more then ever they had done The Lord by the great works he doth would gain upon our faith or cause us to trust him for the future How dishonorably do they carry it towards God who believe not his word much more they who believe not his workes that is who believe him not notwithstanding his workes as 't is said of Israel Ps 78.32 For all this they sinned still and believed not his wondrous works The Psalmist doth not mean that they did not believe such works had been done but the meaning is they did not trust God who had done those woâ—ks These and many more dutyes the Lord teacheth us by his word and he teacheth them also by his workes as it is said v. 22. who teacheth like him The Lord teacheth us many excellent lessons by his works if we had hearts to learn them Lay these things together in practise and they will be the best yea they are the only way of magnifying the works of God done for us And if the works of God are to be magnified all these wayes then they fall short of this duty First Who only make a report of the works of God who tell the story of what he hath done and so have done As we ought to adorne the doctrine of God Tit. 2. so likewise the doings of God or what God hath done by our doings Meer narratives about the work of God is far below magnifying his work Secondly They fail much more who extenuate and diminish the works of God whâ—â—bscure or eclipse his workes As in our confessions of repentance it is a sign of a bad heart barely to report our sins before God without aggravating them in their sinfulness but in confession to extenuate our sin sheweth a very rotten and naughty heart so in our confessions of praise meerly â—o report what God hath done for us without putting an accent or a due emphasis upon his mercies shews much â—oldness of spirit in the duty but to clip and lessen the workes of God to hide and darken them to abate and detract from them shewes a base and a wicked spirit Thirdly How do they fail in magnifying the workes of God who do not only conceal how good they are but bring up an ill report upon them as those searchers did upon the land of Canaan Those works and dispensations of God which like that land slow with milk and honey may be looked upon and censured by some as good for nothing but to eat up and consume those that are under them Fourthly They who ate impatient under any work of God who murmur and repine at it are far from magnifying the work of God Fifthly They are far from magnifying the work of God who think themselves so wise that they could mend the work of God had they the pensel in their hand they would make fairer work of it what hudling is here think some what confusion is here say others what sad work is here saith a third If we had the ordering of things what an orderly woâ—ld would we make if we had the ordering of things as God hath we would quickly cure and remedy all these disorders Though such formal speeches be not uttered yet such things are spoken in parables the actions of some tell us such are their thoughts as if they could mend the work of God and govern the world with greater moderation than t is though indeed we need not scruple to call the wisest man in the world a very dotard if he thinks so or that any thing can be done more equally than God hath done it Let all flesh adore let none presume to question the work of God let God alone with his work as he will have no controler so he needs no counseller Remember t is mans duty to magnifie his work not to mend it to shew how good it is not to attempt the making of it better And indeed as it is the highest poynt of presumption so of ignorance to meddle with the mending of it The Lord is a Rock saith Moses Deut. 32.4 and his work is perfect Who but a fool or who but by the over-working of his own folly would venture to mend that which is already not only perfected but perfect were it only the work of a man much more when it is the work of God the only wise God And that we may be provoked humbly to magnify and for ever deterred from that proud attempt of finding fault with or mending the work of God consider these three things First Take the argument in the text the plainness of the work of God it is such as may be seen afar off none can pretend ignorance of it or if they do that 's a vain covert or excuse every man may see it man may behold it afar off as most worthy to be magnified Secondly If we do not magnifie the work of God God will lessen his own works of mercy and favour toward us Thirdly He will do no more for us if we magnifie not what he hath done It is said Math. 13.58 Christ did not many mighty works there because of their unbeleif God will do no more mighty works for them who refuse or neglect to pay him a tribute of praise and glory for what he hath done JOB Chap. 36. Vers 26. 26. Behold God is great and we know him not neither can the number of his years be searched out ELihu having called upon Job to magnifie
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
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
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
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations CONTINUED UPON The Thirty-fifth Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Chapters of the Book OF JOB Being the Substance of Thirty-five LECTURES By JOSEPH CARYL Minister of the Gospel ROM 11.33 O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgements and his Wayes past finding out LONDON Printed by M. Simmons and are to be sold at her house in Aldersgate-street the next door to the Golden Lyon 1664. TO THE Christian Reader TO Those Especially of this CITY who have been THE PROMOTERS Of this WORK SIRS HAving in the Prefatory Epistle to the former part set forth the state of these three Chapters here presented and expounded together with the general scope of Elihu the speaker in them be pleased to look back thither for some help towards your satisfaction in those points All that I shall entertain you with in this Address is only to tell you that as I have now through the good hand of God with me finished my promised Commentary upon the whole Discourse of Elihu with Job divided into a Preface and four distinct Speeches contained and continued in six entire Chapters so I purpose through the same assistance to proceed with convenient speed in drawing up and sending out in one Volume more my slender apprehensions and meditations upon the remaining five Chapters of this Book In which it will appear how when Elihu doubtless with good success had acted the part of a wise and learned Moderator in that grand Controversie of Providence between Job and his three Friends Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar and had done both with him and them it will appear I say how God himself was pleased to come forth and undertake the matter in differenâ—e giving as the Supream Moderator of that Noble Disputation an unerring and an irrefragaâ—le Determination of it to the full conviction and in the issue to the full consolation of Job as also to the high content of of all that heard it even of his three Friends who though they were severely reproved and censured by God as having over-severely reproved and censured Job yet he graciously directed them a way to make their attonement and was not only reconciled unto them himself but reconciled them to his servant Job winding all up in Peace and Love in mutual rejoyceings and embracings Now the God of Peace Truth and Love lead us all into the love of Truth and Peace and teach us to profit alwayes by what hath at any time been written according to Truth upon those things which himself afore-time caused to be written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope That what is here written may be useful to all especially to those who are as Job was in a state of suffering till they come to be as Job is past all sufferings is the hearts desire and prayer of SIRS September 7th 1664. Your affectionate Friend to serve you JOSEPH CARYL ERRATA PAge 48. l. 8. dele hurt p. 92. l. 38. for eve r. eye p. 95. for 3. r. 2. p. 96. l. 7. for 112. r. 102. p. 147. l. 30. for 50. r. 51. p. 153. l. 28. for Fourthly r. Further. p. 165. l. 18. for 4. r. 3. p. 205. l. 34. for 29. r. 24. p. 300. l. 3. r. comfortable p. 322. l. 7. for 26. r. 36. p. 458. l. 35. dele it p. 551. l. 33. for 2. r. 1. AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations UPON The Thirty-fifth Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seaventh Chapters of the Book of JOB JOB Chap. 35. Vers 1 2 3. 1. Elihu spake moreover and said 2. Thinkest thou this to be right that thou saidst My righteousness is more than Gods 3. For thou saidst What advantage will it be unto thee and What profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin THis Chapter containeth the third Oration Speech or Address which Elihu made to Job in which he giveth answer to confutes and reproves three assertions or complaints we may call them complaining assertions with which he chargeth Job The First is laid down in the second and third verses Thinkest thou this to be right that thou saidst my righteousness is more than Gods For thou saidst What advantage will it be c. The answer of Elihu to this both complaining and as proposed proud assertion is found in the 4th 5th 6t h 7th and 8th verses of this Chapter The Second uncomely complaint is charged on Job at the 9th verse By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry they cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty To this Elihu gives answer in the 10th 11th 12th and 13th verses The Third is exprest in the former part of the 14th verse Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him To this Elihu begins to make answer in the latter part of the same verse and continueth â—iâ— answer to the end of the Chapter Yet judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him c. These are the general Parts of the whole Chapter I shall now proceed to the explication of particulars Vers 1. Elihu spake moreover and said Who this Elihu was I have shewed heretofore as also the spirit and temper of the man and it may well be said here Moreover he said for we have already heard many of his sayings in the 32d 33d and 34th Chapters of this Book This first verse is a connecting Preface to that which followeth for when Elihu had given Job liberty of speech or of answering for himself at the latter end of the former Chapter and had as we may suppose paused a while expecting what answer Job would make he perceiving that Job either had nothing to offer or would offer no more began again as if the Author of this Book had said when Elihu saw that Job would not reply or had nothing more to say for his own vindication he let him understand that he had more to say for his conviction Elihu spake moreover and said And he said many things and those very sharp things his words were indeed as goads and as nails yea as swords and spears in the heart of Job he objected against him such things as were in the matter very bad and such for the manner as a godly yea an ingenious man ought not only to be ashamed of but to abhorre And thus he undertakes him Vers 2. Thinkest thou this to be right that thou saidst my righteousness is more than Gods In this verse Elihu enters his renewed suit against Job or here he proposeth what he had to charge Job with Thinkest thou this to be right And in the next or third verse he endeavours to make good this charge or to prove that Job had said so for thou hast said c. As if he had said I will prove it to thy face that thou hast said My righteousness is more than Gods for thou hast said What advantage will it be unto thee
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
shall see God no more they shall not see him as long as they live they are afraid they shall never have comfort more nor peace more while they are in this world while they are on this side heaven yet whether ever they shall come to see him in heaven is their greatest their saddest their most heart-disquieting and heart-breaking doubt and feare And indeed as we cannot see God untill he gives us eyes so we cannot believe we shall see him untill he gives us hearts Many times his dealings both as to outward terrible providences and inward terrors are so dark that we can see nothing but darkness nor say any thing but as Job is here charged to say that we shall not see him Yea God doth often hide himself from his people on purpose to try whether they will trust him and wait upon him under such withdrawings for salvation whether temporal or eternal Isal 45.15 Thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Let us therefore take heed of saying he will be for ever hidden or that we shall never see nor behold him as a Saviour say not it is so dark with us that as now we see no light so our night shall never have a morning Fourthly From these words Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Note A good man is apt to give his heart and tongue too much liberty We should watch our hearts to keep out or cast out vaine thoughts we should strangle distrustful and unbelieving thoughts in the very birth that so our tongues may never bring them forth nor publish them to the offence of others Thou hast said thou shalt not see him But when our unbridled tongues have run at randome and spoken what is not right yet God will do what is right as the next words assure us Yet Judgment is before him These words plainly intimate that Jobs scope when he said he should not see God was that he should not see him as a Judge clearing up his cause or appearing to vindicate the wrong done him and to do him right As if Elihu had said Whatever thy opinion is concerning God that he will never appear in thy cause to do thee right yet know this O Job Judgement is before him and therefore I advise thee be thou better perswaded both of his presence with thee and of his providence over thee The word rendred Judgement is that from which one of the Patriarks had his name and it is a great elegancy Gen. 49.16 Dan shall Judge his people The proper name Dan is the same with the Verb which follows shall Judge When Judgement is said to be before the Lord it may be taken three wayes so we find it in the Sc ipture First we read there of Judgement as it is opposed to mercy These terrible and dreadful Judgements of God are every where spoken of Secondly Judgement is opposed to imprudence and want of understanding or discretion Judgement is a wise and clear sight or apprehension of things as we say such a one is a Judicious man or a man of a great Judgement Thirdly Judgement is opposed to injustice or to unâ—ighteousness thus we do judgement and justice Many have a great stock of judgement or understanding who yet will do little judgment that is little justice they have a right understanding of things yet will do little or nothing right Here when it is said Judgment is before him we are to understand it in the two latter senses for though it be a great truth that judgment as opposed to mercy is before the Lord And he shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy though as the Apostle adds in the same place James 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth or glorieth against Judgement The Lord hath judgements all manner of judgements about him yet that notion of judgement doth not belong to this place but the two latter Judgement is before him that is he is a God of infinite understanding and wisdome he seeth every thing to the utmost he goes to the bottome of every mans case yea to the very bottome of every mans heart he sees every action quite through and every person And as he knows the truth of every mans cause and case so he will do every man right according to the merit of his cause and case Justice and Judgement are the habitation of his throne while clouds and darkness are round about him Psal 97.2 that is though present dispensations are obscure as in Jobs case yet both the procedure and dealings of God as also the issue or determination which he gives in every matter is just and righteous to all men as well as gracious and comfortable to good and upright-hearted men Thus Judgement or this judgement is alwayes before him that is he hath a clear sight of it and he is ready to do it Hence Note First God hath a right and clear apprehension of all persons and actions His understanding is infinite The Lord is as Hannah spake in her Thanksgiving-Song 1 Sam. 2.3 a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed That is he knoweth them exactly to a grain as we do the weight of those things which we have laid in an even Balance It is required of Judges in that advice which Jethro gave to Moses Exod. 18.21 That they should be able men that is not so much men of able purses as of able parts men of able judgement and of more than common understanding even such as were able to look through every mans Cause that came before them Such is the ability of the Lords understanding to the full he is Omniscient He is light and in him is no darknesse at all And as in him there is no darknesse so nothing is dark to him the most intricate and knotty Case the most ravel'd and vext Cause that ever was is plain and evident before his eyes with whom we have to do and who hath to do with us Judgement is before him neither is there any Judgement before any other in comparison of him God hath so much light that Men and Angels are to him but darknesse God seeth so much that all others may be said not to see or to be stark blind even those Judges may be called blind who are not blinded we may say they have no eyes whose eyes are not put out with gifts compared with God How blind then are those Judges who are blinded and whose eyes are put out either by prejudice or passion by hopes or fears it cannot be but Judgement must be before God because as he cleerly sees and fully understands whatsoever comes before him so nothing can divert or biass him fâ—om doing every man right according to his sight and understanding Judgement is before him Hence Note Secondly God will do right to every man as sure as he knows the right of every man There are many who know what is right who know whose Cause is right yet will not
Lord doth often exercise that is as often as there is cause and we give him cause too often to exercise a smart and severe anger towards his own people but his consuming and destroying anger is the lot and portion of the wicked If his anger be kindled but a little namely against his enemies blessed are they that trust in him blessed are they that believe when that anger of the Lord breaks forth against unbelievers Or we may state it thus First God is angry with sinful persons thus he is angry with the world or with wicked men Secondly God is angry with persons for sinning there is a great difference between these two anger with sinful persons and anger with persons for their sin or for sinning and thus he is angry with his own people even with the godly when they sin though not for every sin Further We may distinguish of anger thus There is anger mixed with a desire of taking revenge upon those that we are angâ—y with a revengeful anger thus the Lord is angry only with the wicked Of this anger Moses speaks having described a presumptuous sinner who believes not only without a word but against the word who when he heareth the word of the curse blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkenness unto thirst then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man c. Deut. 29.19 20. Read more of this revengeful anger of the Lord Deut. 32.22 41 42. Secondly there is anger with a desire to reforme and reclaime those that we are angry with Thus a loving and indulgent father is angry with his child when he hath committed a fault he is angry not with an anger of desire to revenge but with an anger of desire to reforme And thus the Lord is angry with his own people with his choicest servants and dearest children when they forget their duty and play the wantons Lastly We may distinguish of anger thus There is First a temporary anger As there is a temporary faith in hypocrites so we may say there is a temporary anger in God against the faithful when offending that is he is angry with them for a while for a season Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holiness saith David Psal 30.4 But why doth he call them to singing we have the reason of it given at the 5th verse For his anger endureth but a moment he speaks there of the Lords anger against his Saints and peculiar people while they indeed have cause to mourn for provoking the Lord to anger they may also sing both because his anger endureth but for a moment that is because if that be all it endureth not at all a moment is of no endurance as also because in his favour is life weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Once more hear the Prophets report of the Lords anger Micah 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy God doâ—h not retain his anger for ever that is not long yea that not for ever is but a little while a moment and that but a small moment as the Prophet Isaiah spake Chap. 54.7 As if he had said The Lords anger is not retained so long as if it should be alwayes retained his anger towards you is soon blown over and gone upon the matter like a moment as soon as come Such is the anger which God discovers towards his own people Secondly There is an anger for ever an abiding wrath a fire of anger which never goeth out nor can be put out which is kindled in the breast of God against ungodly men and against them only as living and dying without repentance in their ungodliness Job a godly man was visited in the former not in this latter anger Yet for the fuller answer to this query as it concerns Jobs case I conceive Elihu speaks with the highest and hardest towards him For though it be a truth thâ—t the Lord discovers as was shewed before a fatherly anger towards his children when he chasteneth them for their sin yet he chasteneth them more or rather in love than in anger As whom he loves he rebukes and chastens Rev. 3.19 so he chastens and rebukes them in love And as for Job whom God dearly loved it is cleare from the first and second Chapters of this Book that God afflicted him not for any special sin or way of sinning but for his tryal and to set him up as a great pattern of patience to all succeeding generations Or we may say that God afflicted Job not because of any provocation which he had given him but at Satans instance and provocation Chap. 2.3 All that can be said for Elihu's help in saying that God visited him in anger is only this That though Job had not provoked the Lord to visit him in anger when he began to visit him yet some impatient and over-bold speeches of his or that liberty of speech which he took in expostulating and almost contesting with God about his afflictions might cause him to visit him in such anger as hath been set forth in answer to the query And now because it is not so because the Lord misseth those acts of grace trust and patience which thy case calleth thee to the exercise of He hath visited in his anger and what followeth Yet he knoweth it not in great extremity Et non advertit ad auctum valde i. e Nihil discrevit sc deus qued non visitaret etiamsi ea re visitatus magis dolerer Nam necesse erat visitatum ita tangi ut sentiret quod fieri non poterat si non pleraque charissima quóque bona adimerentur Coc Elihu seems to have spoken this turning himself to the company and complaining to them of Jobs insensibleness Yet he knoweth not c. Some refer this clause of the verse to God also He hath visited in his anger and taketh no notice of the great increase or of that which is greatly increased that is God hath spared nothing from his visitation although the party visited were never so much grieved or damnified in the loss and spoyle of his all There was a necessity saith this Author that he who was visited should be so toucht as to be sensible of the stroake which could not be unless the greatest of his encrease and those things which were most dear to him were taken away from him or he were stript naked and bereaved of them Our translation refers these words to the person visited as if he though reduced to the greatest extremities yet was not sensible of it or took no notice of what he suffered or was done to him Yet he knoweth it not in
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.
soever because he is high nor the great how great soever because gâ—eat God himself is great and mighty and they that are like usually rejoyce in those that are like them Therefore God being mighty himself doth not despise or reject those that are mighty because they are so there must be some other reason it is not their mightinesse why God despises and casts down the mighty God is mighty and despiseth not the mighty Hence Note The great God is no enemy to greatnesse God doth not despise the mighty the Kings and Princes of the Earth as they are such he hath no antipathy in him against greatnesse nor doth he reject any man because he is great if he doth at any time reject a great man it is because of the abuse of his greatnesse God dislikes no mans just power but the unjust exercise of that power The Authority and Power of man over man is of God therefore God doth not despise men because they are in power He ordaineth Powers There is no Power but of God the Powers that be Non potentia justa sed actio prava damnatur Greg. l. 26. c. 24. are ordained or as our Margin hath it ordered of God He puts power into the hands of men and disposeth of their power God cannot despise his own Ordination 'T is the abuse of Power and not the Power it self which the Lord sets himself against and that indeed he doth set himself against he despiseth the most mighty and powerful Princes of the World when they instead of governing are only vexing others with their Power This causeth him to poure contempt upon Princes Psal 107.40 and renders him terrible to the Kings of the Earth Psal 76.12 Yet the Lord is never so angry with nor doth he so aggravate the faults of those that are in Power as to make Power it self faulty Indeed when great and mighty men turn their Power into oppression then the Lord speaks as if he had conceived a displeasure against all great and mighty men yet he is not displeased with their greatnesse but with the mis-improvement of their greatnesse and mal-administration of their Power The Prophet puts the Question Hab. â— 8 Was the Lord displeased against the Rivers was thine anger against the Rivers was thy wrath against the Sea What was the reason why God turned the River of Nilus in Egypt into blood What was the reason why God divided the Red Sea Was he wrath with the River or with the Sea No he was wrath with the great Ones of Egypt his wrath was against Pharoah and the Egyptians Such an expression we have Nahum 1.4 He rebuketh the Sea and maketh it dry and dryeth up all the Rivers Bashan languisheth and Carmel and the Flower of Lebanon languisheth What was the meaning of all this it only signified that the Lord was highly displeased with the great and mighty Ones of the world who were to others as the Sea is to a River and as Carmel and Lebanon were to the Plains and low Valleys of the Earth exceeding them in height and greatnesse I say he was highly displeased with them because these carried it amiss in the exercise of their high Power it was not because they were high and great but because they had not exalted God in their highnesse nor acted towards man as became those who were advanced above and over other men Thus all along the Lord speaks against and rebukes the high and mighty upon no other account but the unrighteous administration of their might highness God quarrels with no man meerly for his might The Historyes of all Ages have reported the great and mighty men of the World opposing the mighty purely because they were so Some say they did it out of Reason of Statel but the true Reason of it usually was their own pride or envy Superbia parem non fert because they could not bear those that were equal with them as Pompey much lesse a Superiour as Caesar could not Or it was out of fear that the great would undermine their greatnesse or bring them down Thus mighty men oppose the mighty as mighty but the Lord is infinitely above these thoughts He is mighty and he despiseth not the mighty nor doth he set himself against them Magnificus magnificentias cogitabit Heb. because they are mighty The liberal Isa 32.8 deviseth liberal things and by liberal things shall he stand David a great P ince prayed Psal 51.12 that God would establish him by his free or Princely Spirit that being a mighty King he might never any more entertain low and unworthy thoughts of any man Maximus virtute cordis Coc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potens est robore cordis i. e. valet animi praestantia est magni animi ergo opera manuum suarum non contemnit Merc. nor do any thing unworthy of God or of himself Again Our Translation distributes the latter part of the verse into two Branches of the mightinesse of God He is mighty first in strength and secondly In wisdome This by others is rendred a single Proposition He is mighty in strength of heart Strength of heart may be taken three wayes First For courage in dangers Secondly For patience in troubles Thirdly For noblenesse and greatnesse of mind in all we do In this third or last sense we are to understand it here as if Elihu had said The Reason why the Lord being mighty doth not despise the mighty is this Because he excels all others not only in mightiness and power but in the nobleness of his Spirit The Lord hath such an heroical Spirit that he can do nothing below or unbecoming himself This is an excellent reading of the words Take two Notes â—rom it First By way of Assertion Secondly By way of Illation By way of Assertion thus The Lord hath a wonderful noble heart and magnificent Spirit He hath not only an outward power as many have but an inward power he is not only Master of others but as I may say he is Master of himself Many are Masters of others who are not at all Masters of themselves they are mighty in the strength of hand yet weak as to strength of heart The inward excellency and mightinesse of the heart of God may be seen eminently in a threefold respect First The Lord is mighty of heart as to patience and long-sufferance in bearing with those that are evil The Lord is infinitely above that patience which consists in the bearing of evil though that as was toucht before shews much strength of heart but he is continually in the exercise of that patience which consists in bearing with those that are evil And O how great is the strength and might of Gods heart in this Some of the Rabbies translate the Original Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long-suffering The Prophet Nahum speaks of God as slow to anger and great in power Chap. 1.3 It argueth strength of heart indeed when we
perpetuity of establishment not only a lasting but an everlasting establishment he can give an eternity of establishment Here is compleat happiness What can we desire more than First to be in a great and good estate Secondly to be established there Thirdly to be established for ever They that are set high are set in slippery places unless the Lord be with them how much more if the Lord be against them Psal 73.18 But the Lord can set us as high as the highest Rock and yet make us as firme as the firmest Rock He doth establish them for ever And they are exalted Some read thus He establisheth them for ever when they are exalted which makes a very clear sense when they are got high the Lord doth establish them fully and finally We render it as a distinct act of God They are established for ever and they are exalted probably intending thus much that the Lord when he will do a thing can do it notwithstanding all opposition that either is or can be made against it he sets them with Kings on the Throne and doth establish them for ever yea they rise in power and dignity more and more They are exalted Hence Note What God will do shall be done If he saith to a person be exalted he shall be exalted if he saith to Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shall be laid Isa 44.28 it is done if he saith pull down Babylon down it must come even to the very foundation Ephraim said Jer. 30.18 Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised I found the effects of thy chastisement it came home to me What Goâ—â—ill work no man can lett or put a stop to Further From the other reading Note Whom God sets up no man can pull down till himself pleaseth He doth establish them for ever when they are exalted God is able to maintain his own acts whether in casting any down or exalting them When God laid the mountains and heritage of Esau wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness Mal. 1.3 Edom said at the next verse well I see we are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places As if Edom had said Though the Lord hath brought us thus low yet we doubt not to recover our former glory But what saith the Lord hear what in the next line Thus saith the Lord of Hosts They shall build or let them build but I will throw down Now I say as when the Lord pulls down none can build without his leave so whom the Lord exalteth none can pull down He establisheth them for ever when they are exalted Thus Elihu sets forth the exceeding kindness of God to and his care over the righteous not only his provident care as to their present condition but as to the abiding of their exaltation and the establishment of it for ever JOB Chap. 36. Vers 8 9 10. 8. And if they be bound in fetters and be holden in cords of affliction 9. Then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded 10. He openeth also their ear to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity THese three verses hold forth three things in particular all which concern the righteous of whom Elihu said in the former verse not only that God doth not withdraw his eyes from them but establisheth them on high or advanceth them highly in this world First That possibly they may be cast into sore afflâ—ctions even after their exaltation the newly promised lastingnes of it v. 8. Secondly That the procuring cause of these afflictions is their own sin for we find mention of their transgression in the 9th verse and of their iniquity in the tenth Thirdly That the purpose and designe of God towards them when they have brought themselves into streights are cast into an afflicted condition is very gracious and tends to their everlasting good And this designe is three-fold First To discover their sin to them that 's laid down at the 9th verse Then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions Secondly To prepare them for a better receiving of faithful counsel and instruction at the 10th verse He openeth also their ear to discipline Thirdly To bring them quite off from their sin that 's expressed in the close of the 10th verse and commandeth that they return from iniquity These are the parts this the purpose of the Context under hand Vers 8. And if they be bound in fetters There is some question who are to be understood as the Antecedent to this they if they who are they Some because the words following speak of transgression and iniquity conceive that surely it must be meant of wicked men or of the ungodly but El hu comes not upon that subject til the 13th verse there he turns his speech to such but the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath c. Therefore here he doth not speak of or to wicked but righteous men falling into trouble and affliction they that is the righteous c. Again Taking righteous men to be the Antecedent as the text plainly carries it yet there is a difference in opinion whether we are to understand Elihu speaking of righteous men in that special dignity described at the 7th verse such as are with Kings on the Throne or of righteous men in general I conceive we may understand the text of either And therefore First When Elihu saith If they be bound in fetters he may intend those righteous men who were so highly exalted in the former verse such a change may come upon them even they who were with Kings on the Throne may come to be bound in fetters and holden in the cords of affliction Secondly He may intend it of righteous men in any other condition for Elihu having shewed how graciously God dealeth in exalting some righteous men sheweth that God is gracious also unto those that are not exalted even unto those that are greatly afflicted and brought very low Briefly as in the former verse he spake of righteous men lifted up so here of righteous men cast down As if he had said If any of the righteous are at any time so far from being exalted with Kings on the Throne that they are cast upon the dunghill and are brought into great streights yet it is not because God takes no care of them or because he hath cast them out of his favour but it is thus with righteous men for many blessed ends and purposes which God hath upon them or towards them to shew them their sin to fit them for instruction and to bring them off from their iniquity Thus the words prevent an objection for Elihu having said he withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous but with Kings are they on the Throne some might say You can shew us very few such sights you can shew us few righteous men with Kings on the Throne or exalted highly in this world and we can shew you many righteous
in pleasure is dead while she lives If it be a dead life to live in pleasure how then is it here promised as a favour as a mercy to them that obey and serve God that they shall spend their years in pleasures I answer by distinguishing of pleasure pleasures are of two sorts First lawful and honest delights of such we read Gen. 49.20 where dying Jacob blessing of Asher saith Dabit deliâ—ias regis Hebr Mont He shall yield royal dainties or pleasures for a King meaning he shall give not only honest but honourable pleasures and contentments such as befit Kings Secondly There are unlawful and dishonest pleasures which the Apostle calleth Heb. 11.25 the pleasures of sin for a season A wo will be their portion who live in such pleasures Go to now ye rich men weep and howl saith the Apostle James Chap. 5.1 why so among other Reasons this is given for one vers 5. Ye have lived in pleasure wantonizing and gluttonizing and Epicurizing in such base pleasures you have lived therefore wo to you To live in sinful or unlawful pleasures is death and misery or a life worse than death but to live a life of lawful and honest pleasure is a mercy the mercy here promised and the very life of our lives Secondly We may distinguish of pleasures thus they are either first Corporal pleasures pleasures of the body of which we read Job 21.25 One dyeth in his full strength and another dyeth in the bitterness of his Soul and never eateth in pleasure that is he hath had no contentment in the body or no bodily contentment but was alwayes sickly crazy pining languishing and ill at ease his life was tedious even a burden to him for he could never eat in pleasure scarce last what he did eat Secondly There are Spiritual pleasures Psal 36.8 They shall drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures David speaks there of Saints what enjoyments and Joyes they have in the Church or House of God attending upon him in holy Ordinances Thirdly There are eternal pleasures Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of jâ—y and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Such are all the joyes of Heaven or of a glorified state Now when Elihu saith they shall spend their years in pleasures we are not to take it meerly for honest corporal pleasures for such a life at best is but the life of a Beast but we are to take these corporal pleasures either as heightned by better that is as spiritualiz'd by the sense of the love of God and mixed with spiritual pleasures or for those purely spiritual pleaâ—ures which the soul finds in communion with God alone having nothing to do or no intercourse with creatures drinking at the River of his pleasures in Prayer in Hearing in Meditation in breaking Bread in Singing Now to spend our dayes either in these purely spiritual pleasures taking in also those corporal pleasures so qualified as before and duly circumstantiated is a high a very high blessing and mercy indeed So then here is nothing to feed the fancy of Epicures here is no promise of sensual though of sensitive pleasures these only are pleasures sit for the Servants of God these pleasures only become Saints as for those other pleasures Christ saith of them in the Parable of the Sower Luke 8.14 They choak the Word of God and God will not feed his people with such pleasures as a reward of serving him as shall choak the Word and unfit them for his service No we are to watch against and deny our selves such pleasures as our Lord Jesus caution'd his Disciples Luke 21.34 Take heed least at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares As if he had said Take heed of carnal pleasures as much as of worldly cares for as they are alike destructive to the present purity of the Soul so they alike endanger our future peace and lay us open to the surprize of Judgment And as such pleasures ruine the state of the soul so of the body too with which they have nearest cognaâ—ion Hence that of Solomon Prov. 21.17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man There pleasure is opposed to work or labour He that is all for taking his pleasure and will not follow his Calling this man comes quickly to poverty and will dye a Beggar Suppose the pleasure be lawful yet if he loves pleasure and is at his pleasure when he should be at his labour he will soon be reduced to a morsel of bread and become a poor man But he that loveth unlawful pleasures shall not only be a poor man but will prove a wicked man Thou that art given to pleasures Isa 47.8 is the Character of Babylon God gives good men pleasure but 't is the mark of an evil man to be given to pleasure They that love pleasure are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 and such must needs be the worst of men And therefore we are not to understand this Text of any sinful pleasure nor of a life meerly lead in lawful pleasure that a man should be all upon his pleasure and lay aside his Calling Elihu doth not oppose pleasure to work labour or business but to trouble sorrow and affliction They that obey and serve the Lord shall spend their years in pleasures in honest pleasures that is they shall live not only contentedly but joyfully The Lord alloweth us to take any honest pleasure while we live but not to live in pleasure he alloweth us to take our delights but our delights must not take us There is yet another Query for it may be said Is this a truth that they who obey and serve the Lord shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures I answer to that First If we take it absolutely and universally we cannot affirme that every one who serveth and obeyeth God shall alwayes have pleasure that is outward comforts and contentments in this world many of the Lords faithfull servants have lived in paine and sorrow so that if as David spake in this case Psal 73.5 we should speak thus we should offend against the generation of his servants Some flourish in grace who wither in worldly comforts There is no certain connexion between these two Grace and outward peace or pleasure the providences of God vary in this poynt as himself pleaseth Neither is it true that the true servants of God do uninterruptedly or alwayes enjoy inward pleasures comforts and contentments for he that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants may walk in darkness and trouble of spirit and see no light Isa 50.10 We are therefore to understand this Scripture as others of like nature of that which is commonly done or of that which we may upon good ground expect from God and in faith wait for that if we serve and obey him he will
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
is under the hand of God when God hath him fast in his fetters his wrath doth boyl his fury comes up in his face as it is said Ezek. 38.18 concerning the wrath of God towards his enemies this fully answers that assertion of Eliphaz Job 5.2 Wrath killeth the foolish man What wrath his own wrath he kills himself with vexing and fretting The hypocrite in heart is a wrathfull man when things go not right with him Some have so expounded that Eph. 2.3 Ye were by nature children of wrath even at others Children of wrath that is wrathfull children we are full of wrath full of anger by nature Though I do not take that to be the sense of the Apostle but that by children of wrath he means all men as borne under the wrath of God nor do I conceive this the proper meaning here though not unusefull They heap up wrath that is they grow angry vexed and troubled But Secondly Rather the wrath heaped up is the wrath of God which is the most dreadfull thing in the world and so these words may be expounded by those of the Apostle to an impenitent sinner Rom. 2.4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God To heap up wrath and to treasure up wrath are the same The abusers of the patience and long-suffering of God are treasuring up wrath against themselves from day to day and so do the hypocrites in heart They heap up wrath Hence Note First The wicked or hypocrites in heart grow more wicked while the hand of God his afflicting hand is upon them The more they are under the rod the more they rebell I ground it upon this If they did not heap up sin they should not heap up wrath were they not more vile wicked under their affliction there would not be more anger against them It was said of those that would have brought in the captives which was a very oppressing purpose 2 Chro. 28.13 ye shall not for Whereas we have effended against the Lord already ye intend to add more to our sins to our trespasse Then presently followeth For our trespasse is great and there is fierce wrath against Israel As if it had been said If ye do this thing ye will increase the wrath of God which is very fierce already and blow it up into a consuming flame While men grow more and more wicked and vile God groweth as to the manifestations of wrath more wrathfull When we hear of the increase of wrath we may be sure there hath been a proportionable increase of sin It is said of Ahaz who was a hypocrite in heart a very prophane person 2 Chron. 28.22 that in the time of his distresse he trespassed yet more against the Lord and trespassing more against the Lord he heaped up more of the Lords wrath against himself For 't is added v. 23. He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which smote him he got nothing but blows for his paines or impious piety in serving them And he said because the gods of the Kings of Syria help them therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me But what got he by this encrease of his sin Surely nothing but an encrease of wrath for it followeth in the same verse They were the ruine of him and of all Israel God makes new rods when men make new sins and he multiplyeth swords while men multiply transgressions The more men draw iniquity with cords of vanity the more they draw misery upon themselves and are held the faster in the cords of affliction Secondly When 't is said The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath We know hypocrites are cunning gamesters they hope to sin so closely and artificially that no hurt shall ever come to them by it yet The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath Hence Note The wiles and policies of hypocrites will availe them nothing They shall not avoyd wrath do what they can the Lord will find them out The Apostle saith Gal. 6.7 God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Let hypocrites in heart sow as cunningly as they can though they seem to sow only good seed yet they shall reap bad fruit because they sowed with a bad heart Hypocrites may deceive men and heap up their favours to themselves but they cannot deceive God who knows their hearts and will therefore consume them in his wrath which they have heaped up to themselves Thirdly Elihu puts it upon hypocrites in heart to be at this work of heaping up wrath All impenitent sinners do it but he puts it upon them especially All sinners open professed sinners that sin and hide it not that throw up even the very name and profession of Religion these all heap up wrath yet they heap up most and are here spoken of as the only helpers up of wrath who are hypocrites in heart Hence Note God is extreamly angry with hypocrites or the wrath of God doth burn extreamly hot against hypocrites He heats the Furnace of his wrath seven times hotter for hypocrites in heart than for ordinary sinners The Lord Isa 10.5 speaking of the Assyrian saith The staff in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoyle and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets The Lord put a staff in the hand of that great King of Assyria and he called it his indignation it was the Lords indignation which was a staff in the Assyrians hand But against whom will he send it That text answers against an hypocriticall Nation Who are they the people of his wrath God hath wrath for all sinners but the generation of hypocrites are the people of his wrath beyond all other people None abuse God like hypocrites For first hypocrites carry it towards God as if he were like the Idols of the Heathen that have eyes and see not ears and hear not hands and handle not feet and cannot walk That is they carry it towards God as if he were but an Idol satisfied with meer outward shews and services An Idol sinds no fault nor troubles any for their hypocrisie and false-heartedness All that is required in the Idols service is but outside and bodily exercise Thus the hypocrites deal with God as if he also would be satisfied and taken up with a little outside service or as if sacrifice would please him when his word is disobeyed 1 Sam. 15.23 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings
affliction they throw away their prayers Prayer will forsake them who forsake God while they pray Such as want Faith will not have a heart to pray in their wants If holy Duties cause us not to leave our sins sinning will at last cause us to throw off our holy Duties Will or doth the hypocrite pray alwayes was Jobs denying question at the 27th Chapter of this Book They who do not love prayer cannot hold out in prayer They who do not find a sweetness in drawing near to God in good Times will soon withdraw from him in evil Times Thirdly They cry not when he binds them Note Hypocrites when they have most need of prayer are least in the use of it When more need of Prayer than in time of affliction yet the hypocrite bound in affliction is bound in spirit from supplication Fourthly They are said not to cry though in some sense as hath been shewed they do cry when God bindeth them Hence Note That holy Duty which is not rightly and holily done is reckoned by God as not done at all What almost is more common among hypocrites yea among some prophane ones than to pâ—ay and desire others to pray for them in time of affliction Pharaoh will needs have Moses pray for him and when Ahab was threatned with a binding he humbled himself yet this goes for nothing and gets nothing at most but what Ahab got a reprieve from some present or temporal punishment Fifthly Those words are brought in as an aggravation of the sinfulness of the hypocrite he doth not cry when God binds him he prayeth not when God afflicts him Hence Note It is an heightning of our sin to neglect prayer in time of affliction It is a sin to neglect prayer at any time but their sin is exceeding sinful who neglect it then who cry not to God when God binds them Is it not extreamly evil that they should not pray at all or but little when they should be all and alwayes in prayer Affliction doth as it were naturally draw us yea forcibly drive us to God In their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5.14 As if the Lord had said If ever they will seek me surely they will seek me then and then they will seek me early that is earnestly and with all their hearts Therefore how unnaturally sinfull are they who in their affliction will not seek God! The Prophet saith Isa 26.16 Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Yet the hypocrite will not pray when chastened How sinful it is not to pray when God binds us appears upon many accounts First To neglect prayer in time of affliction is very sinful because then we have most occasion for it Secondly In time of affliction God especially calls us to prayer he commands us at all times but chiefly then Is any among you afflicted is that any mans case let him pray Jam. 5.14 What should an afflicted man do else What is he so much engag'd to do by his own necessity what so much by the will of God as to pâ—ay Affliction which takes us off from many other woâ—ks sets us upon and about this Thirdly Prayer in time of affliction is under most promises to be heard Now not to pray not to cry to God when we have so many promises to assure us of hearing encreaseth our sin in the neglect of prayer Though I do not say the hypocrites prayer is under these promises of hearing yet it shall be reckoned as a sin that he haâ—h not prayed in affliction because there are so many promises of hearing prayer in affliction The Lord is very gracious to those thaâ— cry in affliction and the hypocrite hath often heard that he will be so how wretchedly sinâ—ul is he then against God as well as regardless of his own good it God hear not of him or from him in his affliction Psal 102.17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer that is graciously accept and answer it Again Psal 69.33 The Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not his Prisoners that is any who are bound in affliction For I suppose that Text is not to be restrained to those only who are shut up in prisons but takes in all those that are bound in any trouble In which sense the word is used Lam. 3.34 The Lord doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth The Hebrew is All the bound of the earth by whom he means as chiefly the Jewes gone into Captivity who were more properly bound so any detained under any calamity whatsoever to all or any of them that Scripture is applyable The Lord doth not willingly afflâ—ct Seeing then there are so many promises made to those that cry in affliction this will be urged upon the hypocrite as an heightning of his naglect that he hath not cryed when God bound him Thus we see the second part of these hypocrites misery by what they do not They cry not when he bindeth them The third thing by which the woful misery of hypocrites in heart is set forth is by what they suffer Vers 14. They dye in youth and their life is among the unclean They dye in Youth The Hebrew is their Soul dyeth The Soul strictly taken is immortal and dyeth not yet 't is often said in Scâ—ipture the Soul dyeth the Soul being taken either First for the Life or Secondly for the Person To say their Soul dyeth in youth is no more than to say as we translate they dye in youth The word rendred Youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—gnifies in the Root of it to shake and trouble or to make some great concussion hence some render the Text In tempestate Vulg In excussione Rab. Sal. q. d. Excussione et vt afflictionum in quibus sunt peribunt They dye in a Tempest or in a Storm One of the Jewish Doctors gives it thus They shall dye with a stroaker shaking that is they shall perish by the force and violence of that affliction which hath arrested and taken hold of them But I conceive our reading is clear They dye in Youth because Youth is the most stirring time of our life or that time of life wherein we use the most violent motions without and are subject to the most violent passions within therefore the Hebrew expresseth both by one word Now when we say They dye in Youth the meaning is they dye in the prime in the best in the most flourishing time of their life in the spring of their dayes But is it true that all hypocrites in heart dye in youth Do not many who discover themselves to be but hypocrites dye in old age I answer Such-like Scriptures do not intend an universality as to every individual but only shew that 't is so for the most part or often so Hypocrites in heart men
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
express the abomination of that sort of sinners by a word proper to them the Scripture by an Euphemisme calls them holy we translate the Scripture sense and call them unholy or unclean Their life is among the unclean among Sodâ—mites Thus as the death of the hypocrite here is fully expressed in the former words He shall die with the youth that is like those sinful Sodomitish youths like those youths who live in the heat of abominable lusts though he seemed to have an heat of holiness so their life heâ—eafter is fully expressed in these latter words Their life is with the unclean This clearly sets forth hypocrites they are spiritual adulterers they pretend love to Christ as their husband but their hearts go a whoting after the world And therefore as their life was really in this world though they pretended otherwise so it shall be visible in the world to come among the unclean Hence Note First They who are like the unclean in this life shall be wrapped up with them in the next life after death or in the second death They who live like the wicked shall dy like the wicked and live with them if theirs may be called a life for evermore The hypocrite with all his varnish and fair colours shall not die like a godly man nor live with him after death though he hath lived the life of a godly man as to appearance yet he shal not die so nor live so when the dead rise he shal die and live like and among his own company the unclean He was secretly unclean in his life and he shall openly live among the unclean when he dyes Balaam a Sorcerer a Witch a false Prophet how did he beg that he might die the death of the righteous and that his last end might be like his Num. 23.14 The hypocrite would sain die like those whom he hath imitated and made a shew of all the dayes of his life But did Balaam dy like the righteous no he dyed as he lived like one that had loved the wages of unrighteousness Though hypocrites have lived in reputation with godly and good men yea have been reputed godly and good men yet when they die they shal go down among the unclean even among the debauched and filthy Sodomites they shal go to their own place and to their own company It is said of Judas when he hanged himself Acts. 1.25 He went to his own place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his proper place All things naturally tend to that which is congeniall or like to them heavy things downward light things upward What place is congenial to what place is the center of wicked men Surely Hell the bottomless pit is their own place and that 's the meaning of the text there Judas was a great while among the Apostles in an high place in a very excellent place he went like an Apostle or for an Apostle but that was not his owne place he was an hypocrite and when he dyed then he went to his owne place to thâ—t place which was proper to him In this life good and bad are mingled together in the same place the hypocrites and the sincere may be in one House in one Cong egation in one Church in the purest Church on eaâ—th there may be hypocrites in heart as well as sincere but when hypocrites die they shall be divided from all those with whom they were never truly or in heart united If it were possible all the godly or sincere should be in one place as to spirituals here that 's most comely and desirable though not attainable yet we cannot make the separation perfect in this life but at death it will be done perfectly death will not leave one hypocrite among the sincere not a weed among the herbs nor a chaff in the floor death will make perfect separation after death all the holy shall be gathered together into one society and all the unholy into another society by themselves It is said of Abraham he was gathered to his people Gen. 25.8 Not only to his kindred in the flesh but to all those that were of his faith Death will gather all to their proper place and company Godly Josiah was gathered to his fathers 2 Chron. 34.28 and the wicked are said Psal 49.19 to go to the generation of their fathers where they shall never see light Death will send every one to his owne The hypocrite shall no more shuffle himself among the righteous nor Satan himself nor any of his Sons among the Sons of God every man shall be for ever among his like Further note The smoothest-faced and closest hypocrite in the world shall fare as bad or no better then the foulest and deboystest sinner They shall die with the vile and be taken away among the unclean The fairest hypocrite shall have no more esteem with God then the foulest Sodomite that ever was in the world Christ saith if any refuse to receive the Gospel it shall be worse with them then with Sodom the cry of whose sins went up to heaven nor shall it be any whit better but rather worse with them who â—eceive the Gospel of Christ only in shew their hearts not being right with him How woful is their present condition who daily heap up wrath who in the sense opened die in or with youth and whose life after death is among the unclean JOB Chap. 36. Vers 15 16 17. 15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth their ear in oppression 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place where there is no straitness and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked judgement and justice take hold on thee ELihu having shewed how terrible God will be how dreadfully he will deal with subtile hypocrites The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath proceeds in this context to do two things further First that he might raise some hope in Job if he did it last humble himself he repeats the gracious dealings of God with humble and upright-hearted ones at the 15th verse I say he repeats it because he had spoken of it before vers 6 7. and this is a very useful and profitable repetition by which Job is doubly admonished to raise himself from his despair of a better condition forasmuch as God doth not afflict with a purpose to destroy but that he may heal and help the afflicted The greatest design of God in chastening us should be alwayes remembred that he intends only our good especially to make us thereby better or more partakers of his holiness Secondly he makes application of the whole doctrine to Job and that two wayes First by way of consolation assuring him he had been delivered in case he had humbled himself duly deeply before the Lord v. 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a large place
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
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-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
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
Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Although we should have prosperity or fair weather as long as we live in this world yet there is a day of wrath coming be not then to seek of a hiding place which is only to be had in and by Jesus Christ He is the man chiefly intended by the Prophet Isa 32.2 That shall be a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest If you are without him in that day you stand naked to the wrath of God and that will quickly soak into you or sink you for ever Secondly As the beasts going to their dens for shelter may instruct us so it may reprove and upbraid us and it will be at last a dreadful reproof upon all that are backward in this thing to provide themselves of a Covert against the Storm The Jewes as hath been formerly toucht were upbraided with the Crane the â—urtle and the Swallow because they knew the time of their coming Jer. 8.7 They knew when such a Countrey would be unfit or unsafe for their stay and therefore they removed to places more comfortable to and commodious for them But saith he my people know not the judgement of the Lord. As if he had said my people have not so much wit or fore-cast as the Crane and the Swallow they know not what is good and safe much less what is best and safest for themselves let it snow and rain never so fast either they stand it out and out-dare it or they seek such coverts from it as cannot be a covering to them 'T is said the very Vermine Mice and Rats will by a natural presage come out of a house that is ready to fall They are more senseless than Mice or Rats who hasten not to a place of safety when they perceive the foundation of that sinful State wherein they stand sinking and the walls cracking on every hand How faithless then are they how presumptuous and senseless who hasten not out of Babylon when they hear the Scriptures of truth saying not only that Babylon shall fall or is falling but as of a thing already done and past Babylon is fallen is fallen Is it not dangerous to stay in a falling house in a house which shall so certainly fall that 't is said and said again 't is fallen 't is fallen O take heed of a hard heart when you hear of a falling house or of a storm ready to fall upon your heads When God threatned Pharaoh to bring a storm of hail upon the land of Egypt that was indeed a rain of his strength a mighty rain of hail the text saith Exod. 9.20 He that feared the word of the Lord amongst the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattel flee into the houses but they whose hearts were hardned let them stay abroad and so they perished Sinners you hear of a worse storm of hail threatned than that which fell upon Egypt even the great rain of the strength of the Lords wrath revealed from heaven against you shall the beasts in such a day of distress go into dens and remain in their places and do you think to abide the day of the Lords terrible coming Do you think to stand it out when he appeareth The Prophet foreshewing the day of Christs first coming in frail flesh said Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a refiners fire and like fullers sope Now if the day of Christs first coming was such as sinners could not abide when he came only with refining fire to fetch out the dross of their sins and purge away their corruptions shall sinners impenitent and unbelieving sinners I mean presume that they shall be able to abide or endure that day of his second coming when he shall come with consuming fire to punish and take vengeance on them for their sins Away with these vain confidences which as the Prophet told the Jewes Jer. 2.37 the Lord will certainly reject and in which you can never prosper and go into those holes of the rock the wounds of a crucified Saviour in which and in which only you may be safe and saved for ever from the Snow and great Rain of Gods strength the power of his anger which none know at present Psal 90.11 but all must feel who are not sheltred from it by Jesus Christ who delivereth us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 JOB Chap. 37. Vers 9 10 11. 9. Out of the South cometh the Whirlwind and cold out of the North. 10. By the breath of God Frost is given and the breadth of the Waters is straitned 11. Also by watering he wearieth the thick Cloud he scattereth his bright Cloud ELihu having spoken of Thunder and Lightning as also of Snow and Rain with their effects upon man and beast at the 6th 7th and 8th verses last opened he in the 9th and 10th verses speaks of the Winds with their effects first Cold Secondly Frost or first of the VVind secondly of the Cold and thirdly of the Frost and then at the 11th verse of the wonderful works of God in disposing and dispersing the water in the Clouds for the refreshing of the earth by Rain in its season In the 9th and 10th verses I say he discourseth of the Winds and though there be four Cardinal or principal VVinds the East VVest North and South which are subdivided into thirty-two VVinds according to the Mariners Compass yet here Elihu treats by name of two VVinds only the South-VVind and the North-VVind which two are often and eminently spoken of in Scripture which two as they come from directly contrary Points in the Heavens so they produce contrary effects famously known among men on earth And therefore I conceive Elihu gives instance only about them as being more generally taken notice of Vers 9. Out of the South cometh the Whirlwind c. The word which we render the South properly signifieth a Chamber an inner Room or secret place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cubiculum interius penetrale omne quod in intimis partibus est a Chamber within a Chamber which is the most private retiring Room or Chamber Gen. 43.30 Judg. 16.9 2 Sam. 13.10 1 Kings 20.30 Cant. 3.4 VVe say Out of the South c. And the Reason why the South is expressed by that word which signifieth a secret Chamber is because the South Pole is scituate or placed in the most secret part of the VVorld Polus Antarcticus occultatur a nobis uâ—pote depressus â—ub nostro Horizâ—nte secundum quâ—ntitatem qua Polus Arctiâ—â—s super Horizoâ—tem elevatur Aquin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—proriptuariis superveniunt dâ—lores Sept. as to them who inhabit Northern Climates they who live nearest the North Pole are farthest removed from the South And as the same word in the Hebrew Tongue signifieth the South and an inner Chamber so at the 9th Chapter of this Book vers 9.
to cherish and comfort the fruits of the Earth But besides these common and ordinary ends of sending rain somewhat extraordinary seems to be intended when the Text saith He causeth it to come for mercy or favour What 's the favour or special meâ—cy that comes by rain Surely it is the sending of such a rain and such a blessing with it as causeth the earth to bring forth abundantly The Lord can more than supply wants he can give plenty he can give as much in one year as may serve for two or three Sive ad Benignitatem scâ—ut benigne fiat terrae citra necessitatem ut cum pluvâ—â— descendit summo aestu ad aerem refrigerâ—ndum Drus Thus he pâ—omised Levit. 25.21 Then I will Command my blessing upon you in the sixth year and it shall bring forth fruit for three years the sixth year was the year before the Sabbath-year for then they were not to till the gâ—ound Now if you carefully observe my Sabbath-year saith God you shall have no want though you do not sow This is a mercy when God sends in a double or treble Crop when he not only sends enough to serve the tuâ—n or to keep us alive but abundance and plenty so that the floars shall be full of wheat and the fats shall overflow with wine and oyle as the promise is expressed Joel 2.24 Hence note God is not only a just but a bountifull Master He doth not only give us enough for necessity but for delight and contentment if we use his boun y well and turn not his blessings to his dishonour plenty will be our mercy The Clouds come somtimes for Correction God sweepes away even our necessaries by raines which are therefore in Scriptuâ—e called sweeping raines at other times the Clouds come for mercy and empty themselves to fill us with the blessings of the earth that we both by corrections and favours may be led to repentance and receive further mercy not only mercy fâ—om the Clouds but mercy above the Clouds Thus the words stand in a fair opposiâ—ion and one part of the verse illustrates the other Yet I conceive there is somwhat further in these woâ—ds for mercy or in mercy and free benignity which may intimate thus much to us That even the Rain from the Clouds and fruits of the earth are not given us of desert but of free favour and mercy They come for mercy or as a mercy God doth not seed the World because he owes them any thing but because he is mercifull we do not oblige him to give us a drop of rain or a morsell of bread sweet showres from Heaven and plentifull harvests on Earth are acts of grace mercy favour and good-will unto man God payeth men wages in nothing but in punishment whâ—n God punisheth he payes wages that which is deserv'd if God send the Clouds for Correction we have what our sins have procured and brought upon us but if he send plenty we have mercy a gracious bounty or largess from the hand of God our daily bread is not pay nor wages but reward and mercy much lesse is that which is more or beyond our daily bread We by sin deserve that the Heavens should be as the Lord thâ—eaten'd his ancient people in case of disobedience as bâ—ass and the Eaâ—th as iron but we have not deserv'd that the Heavens should drop fatness and the Earth yeild her increase this is mercy Not only are we to look upon the Pardon of sin as a meâ—cy and Redemption by the blood of Christ as a mercy and Justification through his Righteousness as mercy and eternall life as a mercy or coming from mercy and free grace but we are to receive every bit of bread as coming to us through mercy freely and not upon any account of our own workings or deservings And if we cannot deserve a showre no nor a drop of rain from the Clouds if we cannot deserve a Crop of Corn from the Earth then surely we cannot deserve grace or peace from God or eternal life and happiness with God Therefore how should we magnifie and admiâ—e the mercy and free grace of God for spiritual thingâ— when we see such cause of magnifying him even for temporal good things if the Clouds are favourable to us it is of mercy Further That notion may be well improv'd which some give of this word reading the Abstract by the Concrete we say For mercy they say for the mercifull that is for the liberall benigne and mercifull man the man of a large heart to dâ— good God causeth the Cloud to come somtimes for Correction usually for his land to conveigh common comforts and he hath his times wherein he causeth it to come for the merciful that is in special favour to those that are mercifull and good and gâ—acious both as they have received grace from God and as they have done good things for and among men He that watereth shall be watered also himself Pro. 11.24 Thus you see the three-fold Message that God sends the Clouds upon either to Correct men for their sin or for his Land that the Creature in general may have subsistence or for special favour and mercy to his peculiaâ— people and for those above the rest of good men who are mercifull and ready to do good JOB Chap. 37. Vers 14 15 16. 14. Hearken unto this O Job stand still and consider the wondrous works of God 15. Dost thou know when God disposed them and caused the light of his cloud to shine 16. Dost thou know the ballancings of the clouds the wonderous works of him which is perfect in knowledge THis context begins the second part of the Chapter wherein Elihu First exciteth Job to a serious contemplation of the wonderful works of God this is expressed in the 4th verse Secondly He urgeth the weakness and inability of Job and indeed of any man to understand the full compass of those works And this he doth First In general as to them all in the beginning of the 15th verse Dost thou know when God disposed them Secondly he sheweth his inability as to particulars or the several kinds of the works of God First As to his causing of the Light to shine in the close of the 15th verse Secondly As to his weighing or ballancing of the Clouds verse 16th The summe of these three verses together with the two next which follow make up an earnest exhortation that Job considering and comparing that great power and wisdom of God which appear shine in those forementioned works with his own weakness and insufficiency would therefore humble himself and not venture any further to contest or plead with God And because many of the Lords providential works are unsearchable as wel as these which are natural therefore Elihu would not have Jâ—b busie himself in any curious prying into those which concerned his present condition For if there be infinite and unerring wiâ—dom tempered with mercy and justice with
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
flight and bold thoughts of God to take up high and reverential thoughts of God this this is to fear God Yet a little further and more distinctly I conceive here in this place to fear God stands in a four-fold opposition Fiâ—st Men should fear him and not murmure at what he doth Secondly They should fear him and not lightly pass by what he doth Thirdly They should fear him and not question him about what he doth Fourthly They should fear him and not curiously search or prie into what he doth The Lord having such power to do such wisdom in doing such a mixture of mercy with justice in all that he doth men should only admire and improve his doings not murmure at nor lightly pass by nor question nor curiously pry into what he doth Thus to fear God as faithful in all his works and to fear offending him in any of our own workâ— is the summe of Godliness Hear the conclusion of all saith Solomon Eccl. 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandements this is the whole of man that is as we translate the whole duty of man Secondly Taking the word men more strictly as signifying not strong or mighty men but weak afflicted men Note When God is afflicting us we ought to be much in the fear of God What when the hand of God is upon us shall our hearts be lifted up against him or in our selves what shall not our hearts stoop when our backs are burdened with sorrows and bowed down with a cross Not to fear God when we are at furthest remove from fear or trouble in the world is an argument of a very bad heart but not to fear him when fear is round about us or when himself is chastening and correcting of us argueth a much worse frame of heart Holy David gave this character of his enemies Psal 55.19 Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God What shall we say of them who fear not God though they have many changes such changes I mean as Job felt and cryed out of in the bitterness of his soul Chap. 10.17 Changes and war are against me And 't is conceived that Elihu aimed particularly at Job in this passage as if he were the man who though under great changes and in great troubles yeâ— behaved himself unlike those who truly fear the Lord. Thirdly Note It is so much the duty of man to fear God that it may well be supposed of all men that they fear him He can scarce be looked upon as a man who doth not fear God Doth he know himself to be a weak man who doth not tremble at the remembrance of the Almighty God Doth he know himself to be a sinful man who doth not tremble at the remembrance of the holy of the most holy God This duty of fear is due to God upon so many accounts even common accounts from man that we may conclude surely every man feareth God Shall we not fear him who is incomprehensibly great in power and in judgment and in plenty of justice What! not fear him who made us and preserveth us who feeds and cloaths us What! nor fear him in whose hand our breath is and all our wayes These and many more are common accounts upon which all men may see both reason and their own engagement to fear God So then as because it is so much the duty of a Son to honour his Father and of a Servant to fear his Master therefore the Scripture supposeth all Sons and Servants doing it Mal. 1.6 A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master He doth noâ— say a Son ought to honour his Father and a Servant his Master but he honoureth or doth honour That person deserveth not the name of a Son that doth not honour his Father nor is he worthy the name of a Servant that doth not honour his Master Now I say as the Scripture takes it for granted upon this ground the naturalness of the duty thâ—t every Son honours his Father and every Servant his Master so it doth and so may we that every man feareth God And doubtless if a Son or Servant deserves not to bear the name of these relations unless they honour and fear Father and Master how much less do they deserve to be called Men who do not fear God the Almighty God! Again from those two particular heads upon which this fear is grâ—unded First Therefore with respect to the power and justice of God Secondly Therefore with respect to the mercy and tenderness of God Note Fiâ—st God is to be feared because he is so full of power and justice then especially when by some eminent and special act of providence he declares his power and is doing justice By how much the more God puts himself forth in his power and justice by so much the more he is to be feared 'T is prophesied Rev. 15.3 that when God shal shew forth his great power and execute the severity of his justice upon Antichrist then they who shall get the victory over the beast and over his image c. shall sing the Song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints What followeth Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name The vengeance to be poured upon Babylon will be so great a demonstration of Gods power and justice that it will give occasion to all men the faithful especially yea it will call upon them aloud to fear God Who shall not fear thee As if he had said surely there is no man so stupid so stout-hearted or so hard-hearted but if he see God in or at this wo k he will have dreadful apprehensions of him and fear befoâ—e him Yet this is not spoken of such a fear as Christ hath fore-told shall seize upon and possess the hearts of men before his gloâ—ious appeaâ—ing Luke 21.25 26. There shall be signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the Earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waters roaring mens hearts failing them for fear c. It shall not be I say such a fear a heaâ—t-failing but a heart-enlarging fear not such aâ— fear as they have or rather as hath them who have their hope only in this life these shall fear with an amazing desponding despairing fear but such a fear as they have who through grace have risen up to a full assurance of hope or are begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for them The second ground of this fear is the mercy and goodness of God who though he be thus powerful and just yet he will not afflict that is he will not afflict without mercy and tenderness to his people Hence observe God is to
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
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
have to trust on him for help and may have the more assurance of his help while we trust him I shall now proceed to our own translation which fairly accommodates the scope of Elihu's dealing with Job in this place Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Elihu had reprehended two of Jobs sayings before in this Chapter here he reprehends a third Although thou sayest this thou shalt not see him although thou sayest it either secretly in thy heart the fool saith in his heart there is no God or although thou sayest it with thy mouth and hast openly declared thy despayre of seeing him Some passages in the discourse of Job do more than intimate and imply that he had said he should not see God And we may conceive that Elihu aimeth at that passage specially Chap. 23.8 9. where Job seems to say this thing Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hard where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him Now Elihu gives answer in this 14th verse shewing that alâ—hough God would not give him a present heaâ—ing upon his importunate call for it yet he might rest assured that God would do him justice and therefore adviseth him quietly to rest upon him Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him or canst not see him yet Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him In that 23d Chapter Job made a sad complaint that though he much solicited and desired to see God in what sense I shall open presently yet he could not be admitted he could not find him nor come near him I saith he cannot perceive him I cannot behold him I cannot see him we have all these words negatively expressed there as here Although thou sayest thou shalt not see or contemplate him There is a two-fold sight of God First immediate or in himself and thus God is seen only by himself and of himself to all others he is invisible No eye hath seen him nor can see him 1 Tim. 6.16 The Lord told Moses No man can see my face and live that is no man can see me immediately no man can have any ocular sight of me as we see those things that are before us God is a Spirit and therefore invisible Job doth not complain in this sense that he could not see God for he knew God was not to be seen nor did he wait for any such corporal view or sight or presence of God Secondly There is a mediate sight of God and that by a three-fold means First in or by his Word for that is one glass wherein we behold him Secondly there is a sight of God in his Works they are another glass wherein we see and behold him and those works are two fold First the works of Creation in them we may see or contemplate God all the world over in his power wisdome and goodness Rom. 1.19 20. Secondly his works of providence ordering and disposing all the motions of the creatures as himself pleaseth how much soever any of their motions are displeasing unto him Thus we may see God in his works that is it is seen by his works not only that he is but what he is or that he is Eternal and Infinite that he is Most Wise and Omnipotent that he can do all things or that nothing is too hard for him he having brought all things out of nothing There is a Third Medium or Means by which we may see God and that is His Son our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The light of the knowledge of the Glory of God shineth to us in the face of Jesus Christ that is in the person of Christ God-Man we may behold the glorious Grace of God unto poor sinful lost man All the beams of Divine Love are collected in and issue forth from the face of Jesus Christ He that would see how good how gracious how merciful the Lord is to sinners let him by an eye of Faith or spiritual Contemplation look Christ in the face and there he shall find the expresse Characters of all that Glory By these Means or mediately in all these wayes God may be seen and is seen by his People This threefold sight of God is the sight of Faith it is by Faith that we see him in his Word it is by Faith that we see him in his Works it is by Faith that we see him in his Son Thus we are to understand that of the Apostle concerning Moses Heb. 11.27 He endured as seeing him that is invisible We may also distinguish of this sight of God two ways there is a sight of God first in grace which is though a true and real yet an imperfect sight of which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see as in a glasse darkly Secondly There is a seeing of God in glory which is there called A seeing of him face to face Of that sight Christ speaks Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God As they now see him in the dispensations of his Grace here so they shall see him in the givings forth or manifestations of his Glory to them hereafter Now when Job complaineth or Elihu brings him in complaining That he should not see God we are not to understand it as if he despaired of ever seeing God in Glory or had concluded in his own breast that he should never see him in his ways of Grace or professed that at present he had no sight at all of God by faith for though I conceive Jobs sight of God by faith or in the actings of his Grace at that time was very low and dim yet some sight he had of him by faith enough I am sure to preserve and keep him from making any such negative Conclusion against himself that he should not see God in Glory But that which he chiefly intendeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intendit oculos Verbum viden i forense est pro astare corum aliquo cum magna causa fiducia â—a ut non demissâ— in terram vultu sed elato capite ad interroganturi resptâ—teniemque judicem oculos intrepide dirigâ—re q is audeat Bold that he feared he should not come to see him in such a day and way of tryal as he before desired in the 23d Chapter vers 8 9. or that God would never manifest himself so cleerly in his Providences and dealings about his case in this world as might acquit him and bâ—ing the matter in question to a full state that all might take notice of his wronged integrity Job was under a great Cloud at that time and feared that God had coveâ—ed himself with a Cloud also as the Church bemoaned her self Lam. 3.44 and therefore said I shall not see him I shall not â—ee him as a Judge acquitting me and giving sentence for me Some conceive that the Hebrew word rendred Seeing
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
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