helples as is imaginable yet the Lord is able to save them he wil do it in the fittest season As this is true in reference to Princes and Nations in their publique capacity so private Christians may take up the comfort of it What though great distress and affliction be nigh and no hand to save you yet the Lord can save without hand if you are low he can raise you though none lend a hand to raise you if poor he can enrich you if weak he can strengthen you though you have no means for either It is an everlasting spring of comfort that the Lord can do all things without hand that he needs not be beholding to the creature nor stands in need of their help to effect either threatned judgments against Babylon or his promised mercies unto Sion Thus we have seen Elihu describing the righteous though severe dealings of God both with people and Princes who despise his counsels and provoke his wrath The reason why they fall under his wrath is further discovered in the next words JOB Chap. 34. Vers 21 22. For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and he seeth all his goings There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves IN the former verse Elihu reported the judgement of God both upon the people and upon the Princes of the earth In a moment shall they die c. In these two verses he gives us a proof that the Lord is righteous in judgement both upon Princes and people or he assignes the ground of it That the words are a reason of the former the Causal Particle in the beginning of the 21th verse puts it out of question Vers 21. For his eyes are upon the wayes of men As if he had said God doth not these things he troubles not Nations and Nobles People or Princes by an absolute and soveraigne power or because he will but he finds just cause to do it What men do is enough to justifie God in what they suffer He hath alwayes power enough in his hand to destroy all men and to turn this world back into its first nothing but he never useth his power nor puts it forth without cause For his eyes are upon the wayes of man c. God is a Spirit the simplicity of his Essence is his first and highest perfection he is purely incorporeal yet as the passions of man's minde so the members of his body are often in Scripture attributed unto God we read of the face of God of the hand of God of the ear of God and as in many other places so in this of the eyes of God Now as the ear of God notes only his power of hearing and the hand of God his power of working so the eye or eyes of God note only his power of seeing knowing and discerning the wayes of men And when Elihu saith his eyes are upon the wayes of man his meaning is only this he clearly discerns and understands the wayes of man These words his eyes are upon the wayes of man intimate First A present act he doth not say they were or they will be upon the wayes of man but they are Secondly They imply as a present so a continued act his eyes are so upon the wayes of man that they are never off them The eyes of God dwell as it were upon the wayes of man His eyes are said indeed to run to and fro through the whole earth 2 Chron. 16.8 yet they do not wander from one object to another but are fixed and setled upon every one Thirdly they imply an intentive act or the seriâ—usness of the heart of God upon the wayes of man We may behold a thing and yet take no great notice of it but when our eyes are said to be upon any thing this imports they are busied much upon it Fourthly This manner of speaking signifieth not only a clear sight but that which is operative carrying with it a most exact scrutiny or disquisition of the wayes of men according to that expression of the Psalmist Psal 11.4 His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men God doth not only behold but his eye-lids try the wayes of men that is he so looks upon them that he looks through them and discerneth what they are to the utmost God doth not only behold the body and bulk of our actions but the soul and spirit of them and while he seeth them he seeth into them All this and much more then we can apprehend is comprehended in those words His eyes are upon The wayes of man The word is plural not way but wayes which shews the extensiveness of the sight or knowledge of God The word being put indefinitely is to be taken universally His eyes are not confined to this or that object to this or that place to this or that person but his eyes look over all His eyes are upon the wayes of man Yet further the wayes of man may be distinguished First As they are either internal or external The internal wayes of man are the wayes of his heart as the Prophet hath it Isa 57.17 He went on frowardly in the way of his heart And these wayes of the heart our inward wayes are first our thoughts what we imagine and conceive secondly our affections what we love and what we hate what we rejoyce in and what we mourn for declare the way of our hearts Thirdly The wayes of the heart are a man's purposes resolutions and intentions what to do Fourthly The wayes of the heart are man's designes or his aims what he drives at or proposeth as his end in all that he doth In this latitude we are to understand the present Text when Elihu saith the eyes of God are upon the wayes of man remember they are upon his thoughts upon his affections upon his purposes upon his designes and aimes all these are before the Lord as it is said of Christ Johâ— 2.25 He needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man that is both the state of his heart and all the movings of it And if the Lord's eyes be upon the internal wayes of man then certainly they are upon the external wayes of man if he knoweth what work the heart is at or about certainly he knoweth what the hand is at or about He that knoweth which way the minde goeth cannot but know which way the foot goeth His eyes are upon the external wayes of man but 't is his chief glory that his eyes are upon the internal wayes of man Gen. 6.5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth He saw man's actions or outward wayes were very wicked but besides that saith the Text He saw that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually He saw the wayes within what was formed up or as the word there notes what creatures were made and fashioned in the minde of
But if what is awarded against him be right according to Law and sutable to Justice let the sentence be what it will let him be able to beare it or no much more if he be able also to beare it as in this case it is he hath no cause at all to desire a review of it Thus it is saith Elihu in all the dealings of God with man He will not lay upon man more then is right that he should enter into judgement with God To enter or goe into judgement as the word is is either to begin or renew a sute and to desire the hearing of the cause againe God makes no faulty Judgements why then should any cause determin'd by him come to a second hearing there may be reason enough among men to heare a cause againe but what God resolves needs not be reviewed much lesse reversed Here then Elihu meets with those frequent complaints of Job under his afflictions and likewise with those his severall motions and earnest petitions to have his cause heard afresh as if God had prest him too sore or at least had not done him right in suffering him to be so sorely prest by men Thus Elihu seemes to say God never gave any man any just cause to plead his cause over againe with him nor hath he given thee O Job any cause to desire it of him 'T is true carnall men yea and sometimes godly men when as Job here they are greatly afflicted are ready to thinke and say they are over-severely dealt with But the reason of Elihu stands good and firme against all these thoughts and sayings For he will not lay upon man more then is right Hence note God never wronged nor will wrong any man There are two speciall cases in which God never did nor ever will wrong man First he will not wrong man by denying him that reward which he hath freely promised no man shall serve God for naught he shall not say God hath promised but he hath not performed The experience of his people seale to the truth of his promises as wel as their faith imbraceth it That hope of man which is anchored in a promise of God never miscarried not made any man ashamed Secondly God will not wrong man by laying upon him a greater punishment then he hath threatned The Magistrate cannot be charged with laying more punishment upon an offender then is right if he punisheth him not more then the Law alloweth There may be a great deale of severity I grant in punishing up to the rigor of the Law but there is no unrighteousness in it The Mosaical law allowed of forty stripes now if they had layd forty-one upon any offender they had layd upon him more then was right because they exceeded the Law and to have layd full forty stripes which was the utmost they could by Law had been severe therefore they usually abated one stripe at least Hence the Apostle Paul saith 2 Cor 11.24 Of the Jewes five times received I forty stripes save one if they had given Paul forty stripes they had done no wrong as to the Law though one had been too many for and a wrong to him who had not broken their law Seeing the Lord lays no more upon the worst of sinners then the law alloweth he doth not lay upon man more then right Yea not only the chastisements which the Lord layeth upon his owne servants but the greatest punishments which he layeth upon the worst of the wicked in this world are much lesse then might with Justice be inflicted This was Ezra's humble acknowledgement before the Lord Ezra 9.13 And after all that is come upon us for our evill deeds and for our great trespasse seeing that thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve The punishment that was upon the people of Israel was exceeding great in so much that Daniel saith in his prayer Chap 9.11 12. Vnder the whole heavens hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem yet Ezra speaking of that very dispensation saith Thou hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve In this life the greatest of our punishments are lesse then the least of our sins Every sin or transgression of the Law deserves eternall death therefore in this life the greatest punishments that fall upon sinners are lesse then their sins As the least mercies which God bestoweth upon them are greater then the greatest of their deservings That was Jacobs free confession Gen 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of or I am lesse then all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant So the greatest punishments that fall upon them in this life are lesse then the least of their sins And in the next life where sinners shall have full measure heaped up pressed downe running over and that for ever yet then they shall not have one graine more either of weight or measure then they have deserved The Lord layeth upon no man in this life so much nor in that to come more then is right Hence it followeth Secondly Man hath no cause to complaine of God or God hath not given any man any cause to complaine whatsoever his sufferings are Why should he complaine who hath but his right As God hath not given any man a liberty to complaine so he hath not given any man just occasion or a true reason to complaine If the burden of punishment be heavy upon any man let him thanke his own sin or selfe for it he hath but his due from God We are often cruel to and wrong our selves God is usually mercifull and never but just to us yea how great soever any affliction is 't is a mercy that 't is no greater and God can quickly make it greater how great soever it is and still be just As he never doth more then he may so he never doth so much as he can in punishing us The Lord hath more in the treasures of his wrath then yet he hath powred upon the worst of sinners Nor indeed can the most capacious vessels of wrath hold all his wrath 't is as himselfe is infinite Cain sayd My punishment is greater then I can beare Gen 4.13 yet God could have made his punishment greater then it was Therefore Jeremy confessed Lam 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not Whatsoever is lesse then utter consumption hath some mixture of compassion in it every punishment hath somewhat of compassion in it except that of everlasting damnation O then let all flesh feare and tremble to enter into Judgement with God to complaine or take offence at any of his proceedings with them There are foure things considerable in God which should stop all mens mouths from daring to doe so First He is most powerfull there is no escaping out of his hands Secondly He is most wise and seeth quite through all that man hath done with his hand
say it Againe When Elihu saith Thou hast spoken in my hearing and I have heard the voyce of thy words He would convince Job to the utmost Hence note To accuse or condemne any man out of his owne mouth must needs stop his mouth Or To be condemned out of our owne mouth is an unanswerable condemnation When our owne sayings are brought against us what have we to say Christ told the evill and unprofitable servant who would needs put in a plea for his idleness and excuse himselfe for hideing his Lords talent in a napkin that is for not using or improving his gift Luk 19.22 Out of thine owne mouth will I judge thee thou wicked servant I will goe no further then thy owne words And we see as that evill servant had done nothing before so then he could say nothing because judged out of his owne mouth When the offenders tongue condemneth him who can acquit him Psal 64.8 So they shall make their owne tongue to fall upon themselves The tongues of some men have fallen upon them and crusht them like a mountaine and they have been pressed downe yea irrecoverably oppressed with the weight of their owne words The Apostle Jude tells us what the Lord will do when he comes to Judgement in that great and solemne day of his second Appearing v 15. He shall convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him He shall say to them are not these your words can you deny them or have you any plea for them Have you not spoken these things in my hearing And have I not heard the voyce of your words speaking thus and thus reproachfully of my wayes ordinances and servants This is like wounding a man with his own weapon 't is like the act of David in cutting off the head of Goliah with his owne sword He that is condemned by his owne saying dyeth by his own sword David saith of sychophants and slanderers Psal 55.21 Their words were smoother then oyle yet were they drawne swords Such draw these swords with an intent to wound other mens reputation or good name but they oftenest wound their owne And as their words who slander others rebound upon themselves and turne to their owne disgrace so also doe theirs for the most part who are much in commending or possibly only which was Jobs case in vindicating themselves Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing c. But what had Elihu heard Job speake the next words are an answer or declare the matter of his speech and in them as was said before in opening the Context Elihu first chargeth him with an over-zeale in justifying himselfe I have heard the voyce of thy words saying Vers 9. I am cleane without transgression I am innocent neither is there iniquity in me This thou hast sayd and this I charge upon thee as a great iniquity For the clearing of these words I shall doe these foure things because upon this charge the whole discourse of Elihu throughout the Chapter depends First I shall give the sence and explication of the words as here expressed by Elihu and some briefe notes from them Secondly I shall shew what matter of accusation or of fault there is in these words of Job as brought by Elihu in charge against him or how sinfull a thing it is for any man to say he is without sin Thirdly I shall enquire what ground Job had given Elihu to charge him with saying these things Fourthly which followeth upon the third I shall inquire whether Elihu dealt rightly and fairely with Job in bringing thi sore and severe charge against him First To open the words as they are an assertion Thou hast sayd I am cleane without transgression I am innocent neither is there iniquity in me Some distinguish the three terms used in the text as a deniall of three severall sorts of sin First That by being cleane without transgression he intends his freedome from sins against sobriety or that he had not sinn'd against himselfe Secondly that by being innocent his meaning is he had not done impiously against God Thirdly that by having no iniquity in him he cleares himselfe of wrong done to man These three sorts of sin containe sin in the whole latitude of it All sin is either against our selves strictly called intemperance or against God strictly called impiety or against man strictly called unrighteousnesse But though this hath a truth in it as to the distinction of sins yet it may be over-nice to conclude Elihu had such a distinct respect in these distinct expressions And it may be questioned whether the words will beare it quite thorow Therefore I passe from it and leave it to the readers Judgement Further as to the verse in generall we may take notice that the same thing is sayd foure times twice affirmatively I am cleane I am innocent And twice negatively I am without transgression There is no iniquity in me I am cleane without transgression The word which we render cleane implyeth the cleanest of cleannesse 't is rightly opposed to the word transgression which signifieth a defection or turning off from God Every sin in the nature of it is a defection from God but some sins are an intended or resolved defection from him Some even throw off the soveraignty of God over them and his power to command them not being willing to submit their backs to his burden nor their necks to his yoke These are justly called sons of Belial they not only transgresse the Law but throw off the yoke of Christ from their necks and his burden from their shoulderS and say like them Luke 19.14 We will not have this man reigne over us So then when Job sayd I am cleane without transgression he may be very well understood thus Though I have many failings yet I am free from defection though I have many weaknesses yet I am free from rebellion and obstinacy I still retaine an entire love to God and am ready to submit to his will though I often find my heart through corruption rising up against my duty I am turned aside through the strength of temptations but I turne not aside through the bent of my affections This doubtlesse or somewhat like this was Job's sence when ever he sayd I am cleane without transgression Hence note First Transgression is a pollution or Sin is a defilement If once men step over or besides the line and rule of holinesse the Law of God which to doe is transgression they become unholy Job supposed himselfe uncleane if guilty of transgression Sin is an uncleane thing and it maketh man uncleane This the Church confessed Isa 64.6 We all are as an unclean thing or person As if they had said Time was when there was a choice people among us who kept themselves pure from common defilements But now the contagion and corruption is so epidemicall and universal
of their heart And hence he concludes 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned spirituall objects must have a spirituall eye to see them Secondly this comes to passe sometimes from the judgment of God upon carnall men who as in mercy he causeth the blind to see so in wrath he striketh those that have no mind to see with greater blindnesse and punisheth their former rebellion and obstinacy against the word received with an impotency to perceive it Yea God doth not only leave such in the blindnesse of their mind and dullnesse of their understanding but gives them up to it The Prophet Isaiah was a Gospel Preacher he held out the light clearly yet his hearers were under such a doome that the very light which he held out blinded them so that the more he spake the lesse they perceived Isa 6.10 And he said go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed This is a dreadfull Scripture The Lord is highly provoked indeed when he judicially shuts up the eyes of men and hardens their hearts against his own messages not that he infuseth any hardness or instilleth any ignorance into them but gives them up to that ignorance hardnesse and darknesse which already possesseth them And then though God speak once or twice or a hundred times they perceive it not They that harden their hearts shall have them hardened by that which is the ordinary meanes to soften and melt them and they that shut their eyes against any truth are in danger of having them shut against all truth even by that means which usually openeth eyes Thus we see that this first sort of men meere carnall men cannot see ot perceive when God speaketh and why it is so Secondly which I conceive rather to be the meaning of Elihu here Man may be considered in his spirituall state That is as converted and renewed in spirit by the mighty working of the Spirit Now to men in this estate God speakes once yea twice and they perceive it not They that are spirituall doe not alwayes perceive spirituall things For First they have much corruption in them Though they are renewed yet they are renewed but in part we see in part and but darkly yea sometimes Saints can hardly see at all especially as to some dispensations and manifestations of God! he may speak once yea twice and thrice to them in such a thing or to such a purpose and they take little or no notice of it He may poynt unto them by such providences and by such Sermons and yet they look upon themselves as un-concerned not making any home-application of what they outwardly hear or see yea feele and smart under and all this by reason of some prevailing corruption Secondly this may proceed from their negligence and slothfullnesse good men are not alwayes carefull as they should much lesse criticall and wisely curious to observe every providence of God and to consider why or for what end such or such a word is sent to them As carnall men thrust the word from them so godly men faile much at all times and at some times wholly neglect to lay the word to heart They doe not compare themselves that is their lives and consciences their thoughts and wayes with the word and then no wonder if they perceive not what is spoken to them Even a Job may be hindred by his own indulgence from perceiving what God saith unto him The Prophet complained of the people of God for not striving to take hold of him Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee And may we not complaine that few stirre up themselves either to take hold of the word of God or that the word may take hold of them Paul exhorted Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 to stir up the Gift of God that was in him They that have received both gifts and grace may be much wanting to themselves in stirring them up Though we deny mans naturall power yet persons converted have a spirituall power which they often neglect to stir up When the servants of Benhadad 1 Kings 20.32 33. came to Ahab upon that message to beg his life it is said The men did dilligently observe whether any thing would come from him that they might take hold of and urge it in favour of their Master and as soon as Ahab had dropt that word he is my Brother as soon as they had that word they did hastily catch it and applyed it for their present purpose So they that are godly should observe what is spoken unto them what corruption is smitten by the word or by the rod of God and as soone as ever such a word is spoken they should take it up and apply it to themselves Thirdly those many lusts that are in the heart of a godly man not yet fully mortified as secret pride self-love and unbelief these hinder him from understanding the mind of God And therefore we are counselled by the Apostle James Chap. 1.21 to lay aside that is to get subdued and mortified all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and so receive with meekness the engraffed word which is able to save our souls As if he had said we can neither perceive nor receive the word savingly unlesse our lusts are cast out and cast off How much any man neglects this duty of mortifying his lusts by so much is he rendred both unable to perceive the word and unfit to profit by it Lastly Mr. Broughton renders the words thus God speaks once yea twice and man will not mark it We say man perceiveth it not he saith man will not mark it As our reading shews the weakness and imperfections or the negligence and slothfullnesse of man when he doth not perceive what God speaketh so his sheweth the obstinacy of man The will of man is as perverse as his understanding is blind Man hath not only a wound or a weaknesse in his will unto that which is good but he hath a rebellion in his will against that which is good and that not by some occasionall disgust or sudden gust of passion but he is naturally set and resolved against that which is good Man will not mark what God speaketh in his word and works Christ upbraids the Jews Joh. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life he chargeth the fault upon their wills 'T is certaine man hath a will not to come to Christ for life yet that is a forced and farre fetcht inference which some make from it that man hath therefore power and will to come
owne righteousness and goodness though we are both good and righteous is evill and very blameable For whereas Job said I am righteous he should rather have left others to say it he should have been satisfied that he was so without saying so and though it cannot be denied that Job was extreamly urged to it as hath been shewed more then once in opening this Booke and it had been but necessary for him to say it once or twice in his owne defence yet because he sayd it so often it drew and that deservedly this censure or charge upon him Hence take this corolary or inference If to speake much of our owne righteousness be displeasing then how abominable is it to be proud of it or trust upon it There is nothing more pleasing to God then to see man walking in wayes of righteousness nor is there any thing more displeasing unto God then to see a man lifted up with or leaning upon his owne righteousness If we make our owne righteousness our staffe God will make it our rod. And though he is farre from scourging us because we are righteous yet he will correct us if we proclaime our owne righteousness yea if we thinke it much or thinke much of it We must have a very great occasion when at any time we beare witness to our owne righteousness and goodness but if the heart be lifted up in pride or trust at all upon it this renders man odious in the sight of God God saved Noah out of that common deluge in which the old world perished For saith the Lord Gen 7.1 thee have I seene righteous before me in this generation Noah was righteous before God and was saved when others perished but surely had he vainely boasted or unnecessarily voted himselfe righteous before men he had perished as wel as others It comes much to one and the same account with God whether men be openly unrighteous or whether without a just cause and call they open their righteousness before men Secondly Note How righteous soever we are in life yea though we are righteous by faith which is our righteousness unto life yet we must not plead that for our freedome from afflictions We may plead the righteousness of faith against condemnation but not against correction if any man be in Christ he shall never be condemned but though a man be in Christ and justified by the highest actings of faith in the blood of the Covenant yet he may be severely corrected This was I conceive the principall scope and intent of Elihu in charging Job thus even to convince him that though he was a faithfull servant of God and of a very unstained conversation among men yet he must not thinke himselfe above the crosse but quietly and meekly submit to it Job spake sometimes fully to that poynt He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked if the scourge slay suddenly he laugheth at the tryall of the innocent Chap 9.23 yet at other times he forgot himselfe and therefore he was justly as to his present case and profitably as to the future issue remembred of it by this plaine and home-dealer Elihu Job hath said I am righteous And God hath taken away my Judgement As if he had sayd Once thou didst say God destroyeth the perfect and the wicked but now thou seemest to say thou art greatly wrong'd and thy Judgement quite taken away because being a righteous man thou art thus afflicted Mr Broughton renders But the Omnipotent keeps back my right As Judgement is right fully given so there is but little difference between keeping back our right and taking it away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est auserre declinare divertere subvertere therefore the word signifieth not only to take away or cause to decline to divert and subvert but to keep back or withhold any thing in any kind as Mr Broughton translates expressely This is the thing saith Elihu which Job hath said God hath taken away or kept back my Judgement But where did Job say this he said it Chap 27.2 As the Lord liveth who hath taken away my Judgement and the Almighty who hath vexed my soule Bildad charged Job with it Chap 8. 3. while he put this question to him Doth God pervert Judgement or the Almighty pervert Justice Implying that Job had spoken words reflecting upon the Justice and Judgement of God in taking away his Judgement But you will say What is Judgement and what is it to take away Judgement or how is a mans Judgement taken away I answer There is a three-fold notion of Judgement in Scripture First Judgement is the result or issue of a mans reason about any matter or question propounded to him God sometimes takes away mans Judgement in that sense and then he becomes a foole and unable to judge 'T is a dreadfull judgement when God thus takes away mans judgement and gives him up to a Reprobate or an unjudicious minde as he did the old Gentiles Rom 1.28 for then he will quickly doe those things which are not convenient not being able to distinguish nor discerne between true or false he must needs put light for darkness bitter for sweet sweet for bitter Elihu doth not represent Job complaining that God had taken away his judgement in this notion Secondly Judgement is any angry dispensation or wrath powred out or executed upon persons nations or Churches If judgement begin at the house of God that is if trouble or wrath begin at the Church of God what will the end of those be that obey not the Gospel 1 Pet 4.17 Davids Song consisted of two parts Psal 101.1 judgement was one of them I will sing of mercy and judgement This notion of judgement is every where found in Scripture yet neither is this the notion of it in this Scripture God had not thus taken away Jobs judgement he begg'd indeed that God would take away this his judgement and it was the matter of his complaint because he did not take it away Thirdly Judgement is right done or right due right due is judgement due right done is judgement done Thus David prayed Psal 72.1 Give the King thy Judgements O God and thy righteousness to the Kings son that is give him an understanding to doe right or to give every man his right To doe this is a thing so desireable in all men especially in Kings and Princes that when God at Gibeon sent young king Solomon a blanke from heaven and bid him aske what he would he asked only this 1 Kings 3.9 Give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discerne between good and bad This is properly the judgement intended here Job complained God hath taken away my Judgement that is my right or hath not done me right But how is Judgement taken away I shall answer it in three things First When right is quite subverted and over-throwne This the Prophet elegantly expresseth and reproveth Amos 6.12 Ye have turned judgement into
gall and the fruit of righteousness into Hemlock Right done is sweete and wholesome but right denied is bitter as Gall and banefull like Hemlock Secondly When Judgement is defer'd stopped or delayed then 't is taken away for a time To have judgement long delayed is alwayes next degree to the deniall of it and sometimes delay is more cruciating and grievous then a deniall Thirdly A mans judgement is sayd to be taken away when the ground or cause of Gods proceeding with him in judgement is hid or unmanifest Judgement as to us is not when the reason of it doth not appeare to us or when we see not the reason of it To feel Judgement and not to see the cause of it turnes it into a torment we say commonly Things that appeare not are as if they were not When the reason or ground of our sufferings is not understood 't is as if we suffered without any ground of reason When Job complained God hath taken away my Judgement we are not to understand him as if Elihu intended it in the first or grossest sence that God had subverted his judgement or had done him wrong Elihu could not suspect he had any such blasphemous opinion of God for that had fullfilled the Devills prophecy of him He will curse thee to thy face But when he sayd God hath taken away my Judgement he meant it according to the two latter interpretations either that God deferred long to restore him and answer his prayer or that God had hid from him the reason of his dealing with him so that he could not make it out how or why he was so sorely and grievously handled Job knew well his owne innocency but he did not well consider Gods soveraignty which alone answers enough for him how much soever he in this world afflicts the innocent And therefore for as much as God held him long in that sad condition and in the meane time hid his judgement or the reason of it from him this was Jobs grievance and the burden of it pressed him to cry out God hath taken away my Judgement In this he was too bold with God and therefore he justly fell under this censure of Elihu As if he had sayd It doth not at all become thee O Job as a creature as a man much lesse as a new creature or as a godly man to cry out as thou hast done that God hath taken away thy Judgement because he doth not give thee an account nor tell thee why he judgeth thee therefore humble thy selfe that ever thou hast sayd and take heed thou say it no more God hath taken away my Judgement Hence note First God sometimes lets the goodness of his most precious servants lâ—e in the dark He goeth unusuall wayes with many of his choycest servants he doth not alwayes declare their right nor deale with them according to the ordinary rule in giving good to them that are good as not alwayes evill to them that are evill the Lord is at his liberty in these present distributions he is supream and hath power over all flesh and so keepes their judgement in the clouds or a secret to himselfe Secondly Note The Lord sometimes is pleased to defer and delay to doe his servants right And thus he takes away their Judgement Though he hath a purpose to give it them yet he doth not presently give it them at last he will make even with all men each man shall have his judgement he will reward every one according to his worke and the righteous shall without doubt have a good reward Thirdly Note When God doth either hide or defer the Judgement of a godly man it doth very much affect yea and afflict his heart We are usually much afflicted with any dark dispensation upon many accounts especially upon this because it makes us obnoxious to every mans censure When God takes away our judgement we fall under the hard judgements of men And to lie under the ill opinions of men unvindicated or unrighted is no easie burden We have that promise Psal 37.6 He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgement as the noone-day The righteousness and judgement of a good man may be in a mid-night darkness as to man and till that be brought to the light of other mens knowledge himselfe hath sometimes little light of comfort Fourthly Note It is sinfull to complaine and to be troubled as if God had not done us right because we see it not done or because he deferrs to doe it In this Job was most faulty he uttered many passionate speeches about what God had done because things were not brought to an issue nor his condition stated and cleared up either to the world or to himselfe This troubled him more then the extremity of his paine or the greatest of his troubles How stiffely Job stood upon it that his Judgement was taken away will appeare yet further in the next words which Elihu makes further matter of accusation Vers 6. Should I lie against my right my wound is incurable without transgression In this verse we have two other parts of the Inditement brought against Job neere of the same nature with the former wherein he yet more vehemently urgeth his owne integrity and cryeth out both of the greatness and causelessness on his part of his present sufferings More distinctly Elihu in this verse chargeth him First That he did over-eagerly maintaine his owne cause Should I lie against my right Secondly That he spake of God as dealing over-harshly with him My wound is incurable without transgression These things saith Elihu thou hast also sayd Should I lie against my right We read the words as a Question others read them as a direct proposition There is a lie in Judging me or In judicando enim me mendacium est Vulg There is a lie against my right The word which we here translate right is the same which we translate Judgement in the former verse And when he saith There is a lie against my right It is as if he had plainly sayd I am falsely charged I am wrongfully accused I am not such a man as I am supposed nor have I done those things whereof I am suspected Every false accusation brought against a man is a lie against his right Secondly Others read it thus Super judiâ—ium meum faciam mentiri i. e. falsi arguam hominem qui volet mâ—cum contendere Cajet Item Chald I shall make liers against my right that is whosoever stands up to prove any thing against me as you have done saying I am wicked unrighteous or hypocriticall I shall be able to prove him a lier But neither the Grammaticall signification of the words will fairely beare this sence nor doth it well correspond with the former verse In judicio meo mentior Pisc Probarem si mentiri hoc sensu de persona dici inveniretur nam de re usurpari certum est Drus Thirdly Thus I lie
in my Judgement that is I am deceived in it or I fayle of it To lie in Scripture is to faile or to frustrate the hope of another Some insist much upon this sence as if he had sayd I come short of that which I looked for as my right or Judgement in this sence the word is often applyed to things but not to persons as some of the learned conclude upon this place Isa 58.11 Thou shalt be like a spring of water whose waters fayle not we put in the margin lie not or deceive not 'T is a promise made to those who keepe a true fast and keepe it truely God will be to them as a spring whose waters lie not All our fresh springs are or should be in God and he is a spring whose waters are always fresh No man ever came to him for matter and was frustrated of his expectation Thus also the word is used Hab 3.17 Although the labour of the Olive shall fayle that is though when you come to the Olive tree you find no Olives there nor see any hope of a drop of oyle in your whole Olive-yard yet you may still rejoyce in the Lord he is able to annoynt and fill you alwayes with the oyle of gladness Thus Job is conceived complaining here of his deceived hopes much in that sence as God himselfe in the Prophet Isa 5.7 is sayd to be deceived He looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousness but behold a cry I saith Job looked for better things I looked for light but behold darkness I looked to be acquitted but behold I am hardly thought of and censured on every hand I am quite disappointed matters fall out and are otherwise then I did expect In Jure meo mentior i. e. quum innocentiam meam defendo putor mentiri Pisc Fourthly I lie in my right is thus expounded I am thought to lie while I maintaine my right or say I am righteous I am judged a lyar for saying I have walked in the truth All these readings of the text are given from the affirmative translation But we as also severall oâ—hers translate by an interrogation intimating the heate and earnestness of his spirit in wiping off this aspersion Should I lie against my right I should not I will not As if Elihu had sayd Job hath insisted so much upon his owne righteousness and right that he will not be taken off from it upon any termes nay he hath saâ—d what should I knowing my selfe to be innocent because of this cry against me cry guilty to this inditement and so betray my owne innocency or give away my right Job stands so much upon his owne righteousness An par est ut montiar super innocentia moa Vatabl that if he should but acknowledge himselfe faulty he thinkes he should lie or wrong himselfe by speaking against his knowledge and conscience And indeed Job Chap 27.4 5 6. spake fully to this effect That it would be a wrong to or a lie against himselfe if he should not stand up to the uttermost in his owne right and defend his innocency and 't is probable Elihu hits at that passage while he chargeth him with this passionate expostulation What! Should I lie against my right Would you have me say as you say and so beare false witness or be a false witness against my selfe What ever comes of it I will not doe that I will not lie against my right nor let goe my integrity I will not in civility to any other mans understanding of me subscribe to my owne wrong or say I am what I am not or have done what I have not Elihu brings this as a strong proofe of the height of Jobs spirit as if to confesse his fault were to fall below himselfe yea to belie himselfe Should I lie against my right Hence note First To acknowledge we have done that which we have not done or that we are what we are not is to lie against our owne right or to wrong our selves As many lie by speaking more good of themselves then is true or by denying that evill which in truth they are guilty of so he that submits to that guilt which he is free from or confesseth more evill of himselfe then is true lieth against his owne soule So did that Amalekite 2 Sam 1.10 compared with 2 Sam 31.4 charge himselfe falsely with killing Saul in hope of a reward from David for his good newes As no man ought to lie against another much lesse against himselfe And as that man doth wickedly belie himselfe who saith he is better then he is for that 's horrible hypocrisie all such God will unmask one time or other who thus cover themselves with lyes and say like those in the Prophet they have dreamed when they have seene nothing but the vaine phansies of their own braines nor felt any thing but the presumption of their false hearts Now I say as he doth wickedly bely himselfe who saith he is better then he is so for any man to deny that good which God hath done for him or wrought in him or what he hath done or wrought in the feare and power of God is a dangerous way of denying and belying his owne right Hence secondly note No man ought to admit any charge against himselfe wherein he is not guilty It is not in our liberty to give up our owne integrity we may not give up the righteousness and innocency of others to a false witness if we can detect it much lesse our owne Let no man lie against his right It is our affliction only to be wronged by others but 't is our sin to wrong either others or our selves Yet Thirdly Note We may quickly over-act in standing upon our own right That caution of Solomon Eccl 7.16 seemes to carry this observation in it Be not righteous overmuch neither make thy self over-wise Why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe Some expound this precept as a rule of policy advising all to a moderation in the practise of that wherein there can be indeed no excesse true piety and religion as if it were a duty to study and comport our selves to a kind of neutrality and indifferency in the things of God lest we expose our selves to the wrath and rage of men who cannot beare it with patience to see any that are better or do better then themselves But I conceive the Spirit of God in Solomon was farre from breathing any such cold blast to nip either the buddings or highest growths of godlinesse and that he would not at all abate any in the practise of holinesse but intends one of or all these three things First to take men off from any opinionativenesse about what they judge to be righteous and themselves righteous in doing it willing them to take advice and not to lean to their own understanding nor to rest in their own dictates as infallible or Secondly when he saith Be not righteous overmuch his meaning
of the night as the words may be rendred that 's a great aggravation of the judgement The night is a time of rest and midnight is the time of deepest rest so that for the people to be in a tumult or troubled at midnight is to be overtaken with matter of fear when fear seemed furthest off or when they suspected nothing to make them afraid David saith of some Psal 3.5 There were they in great fear where no fear was To fear at midnight is to fear when usually no fear is that is when people are at rest in their beds And so to say the people shall be troubled at midnight signifieth either First the coming of trouble upon a secure people Cum maximè securi upon a people who thought themselves and while they thought themselves not only out of the noise but reach of danger Or secondly It may signifie the coming of trouble upon a people altogether unfit to help themselves when a man is asleep he cannot give counsel how to prevent danger and while he is in his bed he is in no posture to oppose it All this may well be included in what Elihu saith The people shall be troubled at midnight Hence Note First There are National troubles as well as personal God can scare not only a family or this and that particular man but a whole people at once he cannot only make a childe or a woman but a multitude yea an Army of mighty men tremble like a childe and faint as the weakest woman A people are many yet every man shall be as if he were alone or but one in the midst of innumerable dangers and of a thousand deaths Moses in his Song foresaw the dread of Nations upon the report of the Lord 's miraculous conduct of Israel through the red Sea Exod. 15.14 15 16. The people shall hear and be afraid sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina all the inhabitants of Canaan shal melt away And when Christ speaks of those dreadful Prognosticks of his coming he not only saith There shall be signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars but upon the Earth distress of Nations with perplexity Luke 21.25 Secondly Observe Both personal and publick troubles are at the command of God as both publick and personal peace are A people as well as a person may and shall be troubled even at the midnight of their greatest security if God give the word I make peace saith the Lord Isa 45.7 and create evill that is the evill of trouble There will be occasion afterward to speak further of this poynt from those words v. 29. When he giveth quietness who can give trouble and when he hideth his face who can behold him Whether it be done against a nation or against a man only trouble of all sorts is at the command of God if he saith to such or such a mischiefe goe to a nation it will goe if he bid the sword trouble them if he bid pestilence trouble them if he bid famine trouble them if he bid their owne divisions trouble them the people shall be troubled yea they shall be troubled at midnight Whence note Thirdly Trouble takes or seazeth upon many when they least expect it God can send trouble when no man thinkes of it At midnight every one is in bed all are for rest and quiet The Lord usually executes his judgements upon the unwary world upon a secure people Exod 12.29 At midnight the Lord smote all the sirstborne in the land of Egypt c. And Pharoah rose up in the night he and all his servants and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt We read also 2 Kings 19.35 In that night the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred four-score and sive thousand It was not a day-battel but a night-battel When they were all gone into their tents and were at rest when the Army was secure In that night did the Lord fight them by an Angel and made a mighty slaughter among them Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slaine in the night Dan 5.30 even in that night wherein he made a feast to a thousand of his Lords and dranke wine before the thousand v. 1. In that night not only of his security but of his jollity and sensuality when he had even drowned himselfe and his great Lords with wine and belly-cheare in that very night the City was broken up and Belshazzar slaine History tells us what dreadfull work was made upon the Babylonians that night The great Judgement day is so described Jesus Christ will at last trouble the world at midnight The Day of the Lord so cometh saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5.2 as a thiefe in the night when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them c Christ himselfe shadowing his coming under the parable of the ten Virgins who all slumbred and slept tells us Math 25.6 At midnight there was a cry made Behold the Bridegroome conteth goe ye out to meete him Though some were in a better condition then others some wise some foolish yet all slept and it was a kind of midnight to them all Christ will come and the people shall be troubled at midnight and then there will be a dreadfull Cry among the secure drowsie world Therefore the Counsell of Christ is most proper Math 13.35 Watch because ye know not at what houre your Master may come whether at even or at midnight or at Cock-trowing or in the morning It is hard to be put to it at midnight 't is sad to be in a sleepy or slumbring condition when evill comes The Gospel sheweth us how much that man was troubled when his neighbour came to borrow bread of him at midnight Luke 11.5.7 Trouble me not my children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee If it be matter of trouble to be called out of our bed to doe a courtesie for a friend at midnight O what will it be to be called up to Judgement or to be surprized with any Judgement at midnight Therefore prepare and be ready for all changes At midnight the people shall be troubled And passe away These words are a third part of the description of the Judgement of God upon a people they shall die they shall be troubled they shall passe away that is some of them shall die all shall be troubled others shall passe away There is a three-fold notion of passing away First Some expound it thus They shall be carried captive out of their own Country This with the former two make up a perfect Judgement upon any people Some shall die or be slaine all shall be troubled and vext they shall be at their wits end and the rest shall be carried away captive Secondly They shall pass away that is they shall pass into their graves the forme of speech here used may well beare that
that man is apt to nourish himself in those vain hopes that he can hide himself from God or that he shall be hid from God I may cast the foolish presumptions of men about this thing into four sorts First Some hope to be hid in the croud or that they shall not be taken notice of among so many Secondly The eyes of others are so darkned that their sins are hid from themselves yea they take their vices for vertues their evil acts for good and because they see no evil in what they do they are perswaded or presume God doth not Thirdly Many are never so well pleased as when they are flattered or when others not only hide the sinfulness of their wayes from them but commend and extol them as vertuous and praise worthy And because their evil ways appear good to some men they cannot be convinced that there is any evil in them appearing to God Lastly As all impenitent sinners put their sins out of their own sight so nothing pleaseth them more then this imagination that they shall never come into the sight of God Surely the Lord would never urge this matter so often upon the children of men if it were not so But let sinners consider what they will do and what will become of them seeing as it is impossible that they should be hid so it will be most intollerable for them them to appear and stand before God in the day of judgement Psal 1.5 All must come to judgment and appear at the Bar but it will be an inexpressible grief to appear and not be approved or to appear and then be condemned Therefore be wise and hide your selves where you may be hid do not attempt to hide your selves which is the attempt of most sinners where you cannot be hid They who will needs hide themselves in that darkness and shaddow of death here spoken of shall be cast into utter darkness and abide for ever in that infernal valley of the shaddow of death in which there is no ease to be had and from which there is no release to be got Darkness and death will be the portion of those sinners in the next world who have studied to shaddow their sins with any kinde of darkness in this JOB Chap. 34. Vers 23 24 25. For he will not lay upon man more then right that he should enter into judgement with God He shall break in pieces mighty men without number and set others in their stead Therefore he knoweth their workes and he over-turneth them in the night so that they are destroyed IN the 23d verse being the first of this context Elihu further justifyeth the severest proceedings of God with man He that layeth upon man no more then is right may be justified in whatsoever he layeth upon him But God layeth upon man no more then is right Therefore c. The Assumption is expresse in the text Vers 23. For he will not lay upon man more then is right The text strictly rendred is He will not lay upon man more Our translaters supply the words then is right to determine what that more is which God will not lay upon man The words have a two-fold sence First Some interpreters render them as a direct deniall of any power seated in or liberty given unto man to plead capitulate or to come in judgement with God Elihu charging it upon Job that he had not done well in taking or using such a liberty to complaine about his condition addeth here according to this interpretation God neither hath nor will indulge man a liberty as he hath not given him a just cause to complain as if he had don him wrong Quia non ultra unquam ponet deus super virum i. e. potestatem homini nunquam faciet ut de se ille queri possir Merc Neque enim ultra in hominis potestate est ut veniat cum deo in Judicio Vulg And if man when God hath once declared his mind and published his sentence should make his defence or offer to produce his reasonings against it the Lord will not suffer it he will not permit man to proceed in such a way seeing the sentence of God and what he doth upon it is alwayes just and the right stands ever on his side as well as the soveraignty is ever vested in him Master Broughton translates the whole verse to this sense Therefore it is not for man ever to purpose to enter into judgement before the Omnipotent there is no appeale from God nor will he admit sinners by any artifices or delayes to interrupt the progresse of his justice Secondly The words as we render them carry both an assertion that God is just and a demonstration of it For he will not lay upon man more then is right that he should enter into judgement with God that is man hath no cause to enter into judgement with God if God should give him leave and let him be at his liberty in that poynt for God will not lay upon man more then is right There is another supply of a word which also beareth a good sense and suites wel with this exposition thus Non imponet ei amplius quam ferro possit Drus God will not lay upon man more then he can beare or hath strength to beare that he should enter into judgement with him if we reade the text so then that of the Apostle 1 Cor 10.13 is a cleare exposition of it There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it A temptation or affliction common to man is but such as man may beare God will not overburden his people he knoweth what flesh and blood as also what Grace can beare As a man would not lay such a weight upon a childe as would burthen a man we lay a childs burthen upon a child and a mans burthen upon a man so the Lord measures and weighs out his judgements in proportion to every mans strength he will not lay upon him more then he is able to beare That 's a good sense and hath a cleare reason in it why man should not complaine of what God layeth upon him it being only proportionate to his strength But I shall rather prosecute the text according to the supply given in our translation which makes the reason why all such complaints should be forborne and silenced to be this because the sufferings of man are never proportion'd beyond his desert He will not lay upon man more then right That is more then he hath deserved or is equitable in his case whatsoever is layd or imposed upon man beyond right he hath cause to complaine of and may traverse the Judgement or desire another hearing yea he may appeale to some higher Judge if there be any
yea all that hath been contrived in his heart Thirdly He is most just and will not be taken off from doing less neither can he be provoked to do more then is right to any man Fourthly How should man fear to enter into judgement with God seeing his judgments are past finding out they are as the Scripture saith a great deep we are not able to fathome them therefore wo unto those that complain of or murmure against them we should alwayes pray with David Psal 143.2 Lord enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified and we should alwayes be afraid to enter into judgement with God for he will not only justifie but magnifie himself and his works in the sight of all men living We should be so far from entring into judgement with God which many do when they think they do it not that we should continually beg him not to enter into judgement with us for we are not only unable to stand before him but must certainly be broken before him as it followeth Vers 24. He shall break in pieces mighty men without number and set others in their stead As Job had often complained of his own troubles so he had somtimes of the prosperity of wicked men or that God suffered them who were not worthy to live yet to live in pomp power and pleasure Thus he expostulated the matter chap. 21.7 Wherefore do the wicked live become old yea are mighty in power c. We may conceive Elihu removing that stumbling stone and answering him in these words while he telleth us what work the Lord often maketh in the world in those his lesser and particular dayes of judgement among the mighty of the world He not only striketh and woundeth troubleth and vexeth them but breaketh them yea breaketh them in pieces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est ictibus subigere mollire The words are a comparison between the mighty a potters vessel of whom David saith Psal 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt not only give them a knock or a crack but dash them in pieces as a potters vessel and he can break them so small that there shall not be found in the bursting of them as the Prophet speaks Isa 30.14 a shâ—rd to take fire from the hearth or to take water withal out of the pit Thus the Lord shall break in pieces not the poor and weak and mean but Mâ—ghty men Or as some render He shall break in pieces many men Hieronymus interpretatur multos the Hebrew word refers to both quantities to great in bigness and great in number but because we have their innumerableness mentioned distinctly in the next clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad utramque quantitatem refertur sed malo fortes Merc. it is best to render the word by greatness in power or might here For least any should think God could break only a few mighty men therefore it is said he shall break in pieces mighty men in all the notions of might the mighty in corporal strength the mighty in civil strength power or authority yea martial mighty men if they stand in his way and hinder his work Without number All these God breaketh in pieces like a Potters vessel as if they were but a swarm of flies and sweeps them away in a moment As if he had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita ut numerus eorum investigari non possit Pisc Certo numero contineri non possunt quos propter peccata Dei justitia conteret Aqui. God will give innumerable examples of his infinite power and unbyass'd justice in destroying the wicked he hath and will destroy so many of them that no man knoweth how many he hath destroyed or will destroy There is another reading of the words Our Translators put it in the margin of our Bibles He shall break in pieces mighty men without searching out which may have a two-fold interpretation First He shall break them in pieces and no man ought to search or enquire into his doings or say unto him as that mighty Monarch confessed Dan. 4.35 What doest thou And thus it answers what was said in the former verse They shall not enter into judgement with God Some have a priviledge at Sea to pass without searching no man must enquire what they carry or what their lading is surely when the Lord breaketh mighty men no man may search into his doings or enquire into his actions further then for his own instruction and admonition that he may answer the purpose of God in them and give him glory Secondly He will break them in pieces without searching that is Deus cui omnia nota sunt non opus habet in facta hominum inquirere Drus without any formal examination or usual wayes of Process at least without any known to us The Lord needs not to stand searching as men do to finde out matters against the mighty to frame articles or to bring in his Bill of Attainder against them God needeth not search to know because he knoweth all things without searching and therefore may justly break men in pieces without this kinde of searching or He will break them in pieces without inquisition that is without shewing cause why God doth not alwayes publish the reasons of his proceedings his judgements are often secret though never unjust We render well He will break in pieces mighty men Without number That is how many soever they are or though they are innumerable yet he will break them in pieces as one man Thus the word is used chap. 5.9 chap. 9.11 In both which places the Reader may finde the extent and emphasis of this expression without number further explained only consider that these mighty men without number may be taken two wayes First Collectively as combined by leagues or as marshall'd by orders into an Host as if he had said though an Army of them be gathered together even a numberles Army yet the Lord can break them in pieces Isa 8.9 Associate your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Secondly We may take these mighty men singly or personally Thus the Lord breaketh in pieces mighty men without number one after another one at this time and another at that time how many of them soever arise up one after another to oppose him to oppress his people or to do wickedly they shall surely be broken Mr Broughton renders to this sence He bruiseth mighty men without end he doth not break them without end as having no end in breaking them but as without end notes his breaking them endlesly or for ever If men will sin without end he can break them without end he can renew destruction as fast as they renew transgression Hence Observe First God can easily ruine the mightiest men of the world He can break them
mighty men that all may know his judgements are deserved by their works he makes their works known Secondly Others render He maketh them know or acknowledge their works The Lord at last by sore and severe judgements will extort confessions from the worst of them he will make the mighty acknowledge that their works have been nought and their wayes perverse In Scripture the same word signifies to know or to confess and acknowledg Thus here he makes them to know or to acknowledge what their works have been Thirdly Rather take it as we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non significat notum facio quod sciam sed tantum cognosco ideo transtuli cognoscit Drus of Gods act in taking notice of all they had done Therefore he knoweth their works As if Elihu had said these mighty men of the earth thought themselves under covert or that the Lord took no notice of them nor of their works their works were done in the dark and they supposed the Lord could not pierce into them but he will make it appear that he knew their works when he maketh his justice appear in punishing them for their works Hence Note We have an assurance that God knoweth the works of all mon because he punisheth all wicked works or the works of the wicked so punctually and exactly He punisheth many of them here and will punish them all hereafter when we see him breaking the mighty men of the world 't is a proof that God was in their Cabinet counsels and saw what was done there we may conclude he knew their works though men knew them not he could never lay his judgements so exactly upon them as he doth if he did not know their works That God knows the works of all men is a point I have met with before and therefore pass from it here And he overturneth them in the night There are several readings of this clause First Some thus Therefore the Lord knoweth their works and turneth into night that is he turneth their prosperity into adversity he bringeth trouble and affliction upon them they lived before in a day of prosperity in a day of power and worldly greatness but he turneth them into night Secondly Or as others thus He turneth the night that is he changeth the night into day Simul atque mutavit noctum c. Jun. i. e. Lucem protulit qua revelantur omnia in judicio ejus Id. he takes away the dark and close covers of their sins and makes them as manifest as the light Now as the Apostle saith Eph. 5.13 That which maketh manifest is light If God were not light he could not bring to light the hidden things of darkness nor manifest the counsels of the heart Thirdly thus Therefore he knoweth their works and when the night is turned he destroyeth them that is they are destroyed and perish as soon and as easily as the day takes place of the night or as soon as the night is turned into day so soon doth the Lord destroy them he can quickly make an end of them he can destroy them with the morning light We render and I judge that best He overturneth them their persons in the night and so Elihu points at the season or time of Gods breaking and overthrowing them he doth it in the night We may take it strictly as in the case of Pharaoh and the Egyptians Exod. 12.29 as also in that of Belshazzer Dan. 5.30 or in the night that is suddenly unexpectedly Though a man be destroyed in the day yet if it be done suddenly he looking for no such matter we may say it was done in the night because then men are most secure This way of expressing an unlookt for evil the coming of in the night was opened at the twentieth verse therefore I shall not stay upon it He overturneth them in the night So that they are destroyed Elihu said before He shall break in pieces mighty men Here he saith they are destroyed that is they shall be broken to purpose or throughly God doth not break them in pieces for correction but for destruction there are great breakings upon the persons and estates of some men and yet it is but for correction others the Lord breaketh for utter ruine as here so that they are destroyed The Original word signifieth to destroy as it were by pounding in a Morter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrivit atirivit contudit and the same word is used to signifie a contrite heart a heart broken by godly sorrow under the sense of sin They are destroyed or as it were ground to powder you may break a thing into many pieces yet not grinde it to powder or dust as corn in a Mill or spice in a Morter but these saith Elihu are not only broken to pieces but beaten to dust that 's the strength of the word which we render they are destroyed Hence Note What God hath a mind to do he can do it certainly and will do it throughly He breaks men in pieces so that they are destroyed and brought to dust When the Prophet declares the breaking of the four Monarchies it is said Dan. 2.35 They shall be as the chaffe of the Summer threshing upon the Mountains if the Lord will destroy the mightiest they shall certainly be destroyed as Balak said to Balaam I wo◠that whom thou cursest are cursed as if he had said thou canst curse effectually if thou wilt set thy self to it 't is not in the power of all the Balaams in the world to effect a curse though they pronounce a curse 't is only in the power of the Lord to curse effectually he can bless whom he pleaseth and they are blessed he can curse whom he pleaseth and they are cursed Thus as Ephraim lamenting his sin and sorrow confessed Jer. 31.18 Lord thou hast chastised me and I was chastised God paid him home as we speak if we chastise a childe he is chastised but when Ephraim saith thou hast chastised me and I was chastised his meaning is I was greatly and effectually chastised that is first In a literal sence I found thy hand heavie upon me it was a sore affliction that I was under Secondly In a spiritual sence Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised that is my heart was humbled and broken under thy chastisements in either notion we see the effectualness of the Lords work Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised And therefore Ephraim invited the Lord to another work Turn me O Lord and I shall be turned if thou wilt but turn thy Spirit upon this hard heart of mine it will be effectually turned it will be not only broken for sin but from sin As if he had said I have received reproofs and counsels from men and they have not turned me but Lord if thou wilt reprove and counsel me I shall be turned thus the Lord carrieth his work home to conversion in his spiritual dealings with some and to
and practices as procured them that ruine Thus the righteous rejoyce when they see the vengeance yea they wash their feere in the blood of the ungodly that is they get comfort and encouragement by seeing the Lord avenge their cause against their adversaries It is sayd Exod 14.30 31. that God having overwhelmed the Egyptians in the red Sea the Israelites saw the Egyptians dead upon the shoar God did not suffer the carcasses of the Egyptians to sink to the bottom of the Sea but caused them to lie upon the shoar that the Israelites might see them And when Israel saw that dreadfull stroak of the Lord upon the Egyptians It is sayd The people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his servant Moses Thus they were confirmed in their faith by Gods open Judgements upon the Egyptians They were smitten in the place of beholders or in the open sight of others There are yet two other interpretations of these words which I shall touch He striketh them in the place of beholders In loco videntium i. e. exiflentes in statu in quo videre poterant tum per naturalem rationem tum per sacram doctrinam quid esset faciendum et quid esset vitandum Aquin that is saith my Author in such an estate or condition wherein themselves might see both by that natural light which every man hath especially by the light of doctrine and instruction what they ought to doe and what to shun or avoyd In this sense to be smitten in the place of Seers is to see and behold to have light and understanding what to doe or forbeare doing and yet to act against that light and so provoke the Lord to strike us which is a great aggravation both of the sin and punishment of man A second gives it thus He striketh them in the place of seers or where they saw that is he striketh them in the eye of their understanding or in their Judgement he striketh them with spirituall blindness as the Sodomites were with corporall so that they are not able to see their way or what becomes them to doe This is a most severe stroake There are many who when they have abused the light and would not doe what they saw they ought God hath struck them with such blindness that they should not see what they ought to doe Both these are rather tropologicall Expositions then literall yet they may have their use and improvement by way of allusion In this place Elihu having thus held out the openness and exemplariness of the judgements of God upon wicked men proceeds in the following words to shew the equity and righteousnesse of them Vers 27. Because they have turned back from him and would not Consider any of his wayes Here I say lest any should surmise that God takes vengeance without cause the cause is named and assigned why God takes vengeance 't is because they turned back from him they in the pride and stoutnesse of their hearts which great men especially are much subject to refused to obey and follow God and therefore his wrath followed and brake them They turned back from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum è verbo de post eum sic alibi scortati sunt de post dominum i. e. deserto domino There is a two-fold turning back First Corporall Secondly Morall or spirituall none can corporally turn back from God though some attempt it to what hiding place soever we turn our selves we cannot be hid from him who filleth every place But there are many who morally turn back and depart from the living God Sinners would turn their persons back from God and hide their heads they would get quite out of his sight and reach though they cannot but all of them turn back from God in their hearts In two respects sinners in generall may be sayd to turne back from God First when he commands and they will not obey him or withdraw their obedience from his commandements Secondly when he entreates and invites them and they will not come to him nor accept his tendered respects and favours Thus the Lord complained of his owne people Psal 81.11 Israel would none of me God wooed them but they had other lovers and after them they would goe even Israel lightly regarded the God of Israel yea they made a defection from him More distinctly There is a three-fold turning back from God or they who turne back from God are of three sorts First There is a turning back from God by those who have openly followed him or made profession of his name Thus hypocrites and formalists turne back from God This the Scripture calls back-sliding revolting and going a whoring from God Such as these are like perfidious Souldiers who enter and list themselves in an Army marching with them for a while taking their pay yet soon after forsake their colours and turn to the enemy Thus many apostatize from God to the Devill and to the creature or as Paul sayd of Demas they forsake Christ and embrace this present world Luther was charged by his enemies that he was an Apostate and he acknowledged he was but he thanked God for it he indeed turned back from what he did once professe but it was to a better profession he did not turne from God to the world but he turned from the world to God and that 's a blessed Apostacy he did not turn from truth to error but from error to truth he did not turn from pure worship to Idolatry and superstition but from Idolatry and superstition to pure worship How wretched is their condition who are indeed Apostates who turn from God to the world from truth to error from pure worship to Idolatry and superstition from a holy conversation to prophaness loosness and libertenisme to a complyance with the world and a symbolizing with them in their lusts and wickednesse This abominable apostacy is a fruit of hypocrisie Hypocrites turne only their faces to God and Apostates turne their backes upon him or turn back from him And all they who turn only their faces unto God will for their owne advantage or to save themselves turn their backs upon him Hypocrites when put to it when the storme comes ever prove Apostates Secondly There is a turning from God found even in the best followers of God who is there among the Saints on earth that keepes constant un-interrupted communion with God The least degree of inordinate letting downe or turning the heart to the creature is a degree of turning back from God As holiness is our motion toward God and to act holyly is to keep the eye of the soule alwayes upon God so unholiness is an aversion from God David did not say nor could he say though as holy a man as lived that he had never turned from God he could only say that he had not wickedly departed from God Psal 18.21 Thirdly There is a turning back from God proper to all unregenerate
chastisement also is not expresly in the original there it is only I have borne but because bearing must needs import that somewhat is borne as a burthen and seeing according unto the subject matter that Elihu is upon with Job it must referre to some affliction or chastisement laid upon him therefore we fitly supply this word chastisement It is to be sayd unto God I have borne what it cannot be meant of any outward corporall burthen or visible loade layd upon his back but I have borne chastisement affliction or correction It is meete to be sayd unto God I have borne chastisement that is I both have and will beare whatsoever thou hast or shalt be pleased to lay upon me I will not dispute thy burthens but take them up So then this first part of the verse is a direction ministred to Job shewing him how to behave himselfe in the bearing of affliction He must not strive or struggle with them nor with God about them but sustaine them And this direction is not peculiar to Job's person or to his case alone but it belongs to all that are in affliction let their case be what it will all such ought to beare quietly or patiently to abide under the burthen which God layeth upon them I shall not stay upon the opening of the speciall signification of that word chastisement because it is not in the Hebrew text only thus chastisements are usually taken for those afflictions or afflicting providences which God layeth upon his owne children he layeth judgements upon the wicked and punishments upon the ungodly but properly and strictly that which falls upon his owne people is called chastisement For though in Scripture there are dispensations of God towards his owne people spoken of under the notion of judgement yet they have not a proper sense of judgement as proceeding from wrath and intended for revenge Wrath is the spring from whence judgements flow and as to their issue they tend to the satisfaction of Justice This God doth not expect at the hands of his owne children and therefore their afflictions are most properly called chastisements Surely it is meete to be sayd unto God I have borne chastisement Hence note It is our duty when the hand of God is upon us or when we are under chastisements to speake humbly meekly and submissively to God We ought alwayes to be humble and carry it humbly towards God but then especially when God by any afflicting providence is humbling us The Prophet Hos 14.2 calling that people to returne unto the Lord adviseth thus Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips As Elihu here makes a kinde of directory what a person in affliction should say unto God It is meete to say unto God that is for a man in thy case to say thus unto God so that Prophet by the Spirit saith Take unto you words and turne to the Lord and say or speake thus unto him though not strictly syllabically in so many words yet to this sence and purpose or according to this tenour speak thus Take away iniquity and receive us graciously And when the Prophet saith Take unto you words his meaning is not that they should affectedly study a forme of words for God much lesse that they should artificially counterfeit words which their hearts had not conceived or were not correspondent to their hearts many speake words even to God which never come neare but are meere strangers to the intents of their hearts but sincere words humble words words of supplication not expostulating words not quarrelling words not murmuring words not meere complaining words but take to you words of confession and submission and so present your selves and your condition before the Lord. The Preacher Eccles 12.10 sought to finde out acceptable words and so should we when we speake unto men Preachers of the word should seeke to finde out acceptable words not fine words not swelling words of vanity not slattering soothing words but acceptable words that is such as may finde easie passage into the heart or such words as may make their passage into the heart through the power of the Spirit of God Now if the Preacher sought to finde out acceptable words when he spake to the people much more should we when we speak to God O how should we labour then to finde out acceptable words All words are not fit to be spoken unto God the words that are in such cases as the text speakes of may be reduced to these two heads First They must be God justifying words that is words by which we acquit the Justice of God how sore and how heavy soever his hand is upon us When Daniel Chap 9.7 14. was laying before the Lord the calamitous state of that people they were under as sore judgements as ever nation was For under the whole heavens saith he there hath not been done as God hath done unto Jerusalem yet all the words he spake unto God tended unto the justification of God O Lord said he righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem c. We have not had one stroake more then we have deserved there hath not been a grain of weight more in our burthen then we have brought upon our selves there hath not been a drop in our cup more then we have given just cause for Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil and brought it upon us for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth for we obeyed not his voice these are words fit to be spoken unto God Secondly We are to take to our selves self-condemning self-abasing self-emptying words Such we finde in that chapter v. 5 6 7. To us belong shame and confusion of face c. these are the words we should take to our selves and thus it is meet to be said unto God whensoever his chastisements are upon us Secondly Observe It is our duty to acknowledge it to God that he hath chastened us when he hath We must own his hand in afflicting us as much as in prospering us in casting us down as much as in lifting us up in wounding us as much as in healing us It is meet to be said unto God we have born chastisement thy hand hath been upon us The neglect of or rather obstinacy against this is charged as a great sin Isa 26.17 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see that is they will not acknowledge thy most eminent appearances in anger against them 'T is so with many at this day though there be a hand of God as it were visibly afflicting their bodies and estates their children and families yet they will not see that it is a hand of God but say as the Philistines it is a chance or it is our ill fortune
it was hard for Elihu to charge Job thus though Job had let fall some inconsiderate speeches which administred occasion for such a charge And as one of the Ancients speakes of difficulties and seeming contradictions in Scripture Distinguish the times and the Scriptures will accord So distinguish the time of this dispute take Job at the beginning of it before he was teazed and heated by his friends and then he spake at a very low rate of himselfe If I were righteous I would not know my owne soule But in the heat and towards the later end of this long dispute Job gave too much advantage for such a construction to be put upon his words that he justified himselfe rather then God then which nothing can be said more unjustifiable nor more reproveable Hence observe To justifie our selves doth usually and justly lay us open to the reproofe of others or To justifie our selves drawes blame upon our selves To justifie is foure wayes used in Scripture First which is the most remarkable and excellent act of it God justifieth man Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth This act of divine Grace consists in two things First in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to us Secondly in the free remission of our sins Secondly Man justifieth God Luk. 7.29 30. And all the people that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized with the Baptisme of John Where to justifie imports as much as to Glorifie doth Acts 13.48 And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord That is they readily approved and received the word of the Lord when we approve the Doctrine and doings of God his word and works then we justifie him And how ready should we be on all occasions to justifie God who only is and is altogether good when he is so graciously ready to justifie us who are evill altogether evill and ungodly Thirdly We read in Scripture of man justifying man which is done any of these three wayes First He that consents to what another hath done though the deed be evill justifieth him in doing it A secret liking of any mans action is as much as that amounts to the justification of his person Secondly He that openly approveth or applaudeth what another hath done justifieth him much more To consent with sinners is sinfull to flatter them in their sin is abominable Thirdly He that stands up to maintaine and defend what another hath done justifies him most of all All these acts of justification Job denied his friends while he said Chap. 27.5 God forbid I should justifie you That is that I should secretly consent to or openly approve and maintaine what you have said concerning me or you in saying it Fourthly The same man is said to justifie himselfe this selfe-justification is that which kindled the wrath of Elihu against Job The text is expresse Because he justified himselfe c. This justification of our selves is of two sorts First Internall and mentall when in our hearts we give sentence for or approve of our selves when we inwardly boast and glory of our selves whether in what we are or in what we doe and affirme The Pharisee Luk. 18.11 stood and prayed thus with himselfe or to himselfe that is silently God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publicane I fast twice in the weeke c. Thus he justified himselfe Secondly There is an externall and vocall selfe-justification when we openly commend and cry up our selves Thus Jehu justified himselfe 2 Kings 10.16 Come see my zeale for the Lord He would needs blow a trumpet and proclaime before all men how good a man he was and what good he had done Yet further the justification of our selves is two-fold First Lawfull yea and commendable Take that in two particulars First That man who is really and indeed in a justified state through the free grace of God in Christ he when a just occasion is offered may justifie himselfe declaratively before men For as we ought alwayes to justifie our selves declaratively by our works that is give evidence by our workes that we are justified by faith so we may justifie our selves by our words to magnifie the rich grace of God in justifying us freely through Christ David called others to take notice of what God had done for his soule Psal 66.16 Thus a beleever may lawfully at any time and at all times it is his duty to justifie himselfe before men by giving as the Apostle directs 1 Pet. 3.15 an answer to every one that asketh a reason of the hope that is in him that is of his justified state with meekness and feare Secondly A man that is sound at heart honest and upright with God may lawfully justifie himselfe as to the integrity of his intentions purposes and designes when he falls under other mens jealousies and suspicions David being often unjustly condemned by Saul was as often in this worke of justifying himselfe against him Psal 7.8 Judge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to mine integrity that is in me As if he had said I am judged unrighteously but I appeale to thy righteous judgement who fully knowest which I also know my conscience bearing witness mine integrity I appeale to thy mercy for the many sins which I have committed against thy selfe bâ—â— I appeale to thy Justice whether as I am accused I have at all sinned against Saul We may reade Paul doing the same at large while he professed 1 Thes 2.3 4. that he did not act upon covetous designes for himselfe nor was a flatterer of others but as he was allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so he spake not as pleasing men but God which tryeth the heart As it was the continuall practise of false Apostles and others to discredit Pauls Ministery by bringing his person out of credit so it was his continuall care to counter-worke them by a professed vindication of himselfe We may lawfully justifie our selves and our actings when we are not only suspected but falsly accused and wrongfully charged about them and that either of these two wayes First When we are charged to have done that evill which we never did then we may justifie our selves by a flat deniall David did so in that case Psal 7.3 4. O Lord my God if I have done this if there be iniquity in my hand c. As if he had said O God thou knowest I have not done this which many burden me with Againe Psal 35.11 False witnesse did rise up they laid to my charge things that I knew not I have not had so much as a thought to do that which they say I have actually done Thus he discharged himselfe of those crimes which indeed he never committed nor was guilty of Secondly We may justifie our selves lawfully when the good we have done is charged upon us as an evill deed or we looked
for an answer but could not attaine it they pumpt hard but the water would not come God hid the thing from their eyes so then they had not found any answer because after all their search they could not nor should it seeme strange to us that they could not At best we know but in part here and till God by his Spirit teach us we know nothing at all So that I say it should not seeme strange to us that these wise and good men could find no answer for Job but that which follows seemes strange even to amazement that though they could not yet which how also could they answer to their owne consciences had condemned Job What condemne a man and not answer him 't is worse then to condemne a man and not heare him Possibly he that is condemned unheard may yet deserve a condemnation But if we condemne a man unanswered he certainly as to us is condemned undeservedly And therefore this course of proceeding if any is liable not only to suspition whether it be right but to condemnation as utterly unrighteous Though it may be a good mans case not to find an answer yet surely a good man will not condemne when he cannot answer But it may be demanded Did Jobs friends indeed find no answer before they condemned him we have heard of their answers all along No sooner had Job ended his former speeches but they presently answered Chap. 4.1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said Chap. 8 1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said Chap. 11.1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and said yea they all three answered Job a second time and two of them a Third how then could Elihu justly say they found no answer and yet had condemned Job For answer to this objection I say They answered Job but they did not answer sufficiently The vulgar latine translation puts this glosse which is more then the rules of translation allow into the text rendring the originall thus Ed quòd non invenissent responsionem rationalem Vulg Because they had found no rationall answer and yet had condemned Job They did not find out nor hit upon the right answer Improper and insufficient answers how many soever of them we heape up against any mans argument are no answers they are not worthy to be called answers That only is an answer which carrieth a conviction in it which reacheth the state and strength of the question or removeth the objection In this sence Jobs three friends had found no answer and yet had condemned Job The Hebrew is they made him wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept posuerunt eum esse impium or condemned him as a wicked man So the Septuagint they had no answer for him and yet concluded him wicked we say they had condemned Job and the reason of it is because to condemne a man is to leave him under a supposal of wickednesse and to stigmatize or brand him for a wicked man All the wicked shall at last be condemned and none ought to be condemned nor are any condemned justly now but the wicked He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord Pro. 17.15 There is a very elegant transposition of the words in the Hebrew we may render the text thus He that justifieth the wicked and wickedeth the just c. The law of Moses gave an expresse rule against this perversion of Judgement in termes quite crosse to those in Solomon Deut 25.1 If there be any controversie between men and they come unto Judgement that the Judges may Judge them then they shall justifie the righteous and condemne the wicked Which you may render thus They shall justifie the just and wickedise the wicked that is they shall declare the just man just and the wicked man to be wicked That man either really is or is accounted wicked who is cast in his cause and condemned That was a dreadfull sentence the Scripture Acts 1.20 shewes it fulfilled upon the traytor Judas when he is judged let him be condemned Psal 109.7 we put in the margen let him goe out guilty or wicked In this sence Jobs three friends when they condemned him cast him as a wicked man though they had nothing to answer the plea which he made for his owne integrity We must not conceive any such wickednesse in them Damnarunt pro impio etsi nulla in eum crimina probare possent quibus ille suam vitam contaminassent Merc that they were resolved to condemne him right or wrong yet they held their conclusion against the light and reason of all his premises and though they could prove no ill against him yet vehemently suspecting him they concluded he was an ill man and so condemned him Hence note first Some will proceed to condemne both persons and opinions though they can give no reasonable account why they condemne either We read Isa 56.10 of dumbe doggs that cannot barke that is who know not what to speake oâ— say to purpose There are many who in this sence cannot barke yet they will bite and when they have no answer they will condemne and usually dumbe doâ—gs that cannot barke have the sharpest teeth and are best at biting or they are better at condemning then at answering As some finde an answer where there is none that is when such reasons are layd before them as are unanswerable yet they will not give over answering but still seek a knott in a rush and draw the saw of contention aâ—well without end as without cause so others cannot find an answer where it is yet when they cannot answer they can censure and condemne him for wicked or perverse whom they cannot prove so 'T is much easier to say a man is faulty then to find â—â—â—ault yet they who have a mind to find faults are seldome to seeke for somewhat or other which they call so Note secondly To condemne opinions or persons when we cannot answer them is a practise justly condemnable 'T is unjust as was intimated before to condemne a man before he is heard For though possibly a man unheard may have justice when he is condemned yet all agree 't is injustice to condemne him when he is not heard Now if it be injustice to condemne a wicked man before he is heard how unjust is it to condemne a man in whom we can find no wickednesse after we have heard him Thirdly From the manner of the phrase here used Note To condemne a man is to render him wicked Condemnation as was shewed is due only to the wicked and if an innocent be condemned he is reputed wicked and receives punishment as guilty As that sentence of condemnation which proceeds out of the mouth of God against impenitent sinners and evill doers bindes the guilt of their evill deeds upon them and delivers them up to punishment so he that condemnes his brother fastneth guilt upon him and speakes him deserving
is venerable not which hath white hayre but which whiteneth with vertuous and worthy actions Senectus illa venerabilis est non quae canis sed meritis albescit Ambro lib 7. Epist 70. Elihu speaks here not only narratively but reprovingly he reflects upon the ancient whose abilities come not up to or doe not equall their yeares The aged may well blush and be ashamed to be sound ignorant of or unskilfull in any thing that they ought to know The Apostle shames the Hebrewes with this and tells them they were dull of hearing Heb. 5.11 12. because when for the time they ought to be teachers they had need that one should teach them againe which be the first principles of the oracles of God and were become such as had need of milke and not of strong meate As if he had said When for the time dayes and yeares which have gone over your heads the reproofe lyes there you should be able to teach others what a shame is it that you your selves should not be capable of those higher teachings which he calls strong meat but must be dealt with about the very principles of Religion and be fed like Children with milke and spoones How is it that you who should have had sences exercised to discerne both good evill should be so little able to distinguish them either in their minds or degrees These were spiritually Children while naturally old men They had not learned of their teachers when the Apostle had reason to hope they had been able to teach learners yea were learned teachers Some are exceeding old exceeding ignorant they have multitude of dayes upon them yet if asked they are not able to hold forth the least Number of divine truths possibly not one in a right understanding As gray haires are a crowne of glory when found in the way of righteousness so gray haires are crowns of glory when found in a way of wisdome knowledge and understanding otherwise to be old and dotish old and sottish how dishonorable is it yea they that are old and ignorant shall at last finde their old age a strong aggravation as of all their sins so especially of their ignorance JOB Chap. 32. Vers 8 9. But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Great men are not alwayes wise neither doe the aged understand judgement ELihu as was shewed in the former words having in vaine waited for the wisdome of the Ancient proceeds in this Context to give the reason why the Ancient are not alwayes wise Vers 8. There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding There 's the reason of it we render the first word of this eight verse by the Adversative particle But there is a spirit in man it is usually rendered by the Affirmative particle verily truly or indeed Mr Broughton saith Certes a spirit is in sad man These is some difference in opinion about this spirit affirmed to be in man Divers expound Elihu intending the Spirit of God there is a spirit that is the divine Spirit the holy Spirit of God or God the Spirit is in man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmach One of the Greek translations puts it into the text Surely the Spirit of God is in man and the Chaldee paraphrase gives it in a like expression Surely there is a prophetick spirit in the son of man or in the sons of men Some are induced to this interpretation because it would be say they but a cold argument to commend what he had to say for the rectifying Job by telling him that man hath a reasonable soule which is common to all men Yet I rather conceive that in this first part of the verse the spirit spoken of is the naturall spirit of man which in the latter part of the verse he affirmes is instructed by the inspiration of the Almighty with supernatural light for speciall services The word is often used in Scripture to note the reasonable soule or those powers of the soule which are the vessells of reason or in which naturall reason hath its seate and exercise There is a power of reasoning in man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animam rationalem denotat or a spirit which is able to discourse of all things there was such a naturall power implanted in man at his Creation and though that power be much weakned and broken by the fall yet there are to this day some remaines of it in all men as borne into this world Surely there is a spirit in man And because the word is universall or extendable to all men therefore it is more then probable the word spirit here is to be taken in the largest sence for every man hath not the Spirit of God yea the word here used for man notes man of the meanest ranke or lowest forme surely there is a spirit in enosh Mr Broughton translates in sad man in sickly man in weak man in the sickliest weakest and lowest of men there is a soule a spirit indued with reason this is as the substratum or ground of the whole businesse Surely there is a spirit in man And in the latter part of the verse Elihu sheweth what that is which heighteneth raiseth and improveth this naturall spirit certainly there is a spirit in man every man hath a reasonable soule And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Inest quidem hominibus vis illa rationatrix sed quae nisi dei afflatu dirigatur verè sapere non potest Bez. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anhelavit The worke of God inlightning man is expressed by breathing when Jesus Christ gave his Disciples the Spirit he breathed upon them or inspired them and said receive ye the holy Ghost John 20.22 For as in the first Creation when God gave man a naturall being he breathed into his nostrills the breath of life and man became a living soule Gen. 2.7 so in the second or new Creation God breaths a spirituall life into that life and man becomes a quickned soule And as his own soule is quickned by the holy Spirit of grace so he is fitted as an instrument in the hand of God to quicken the soules of others with grace or to instruct them in the wayes of grace The inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding But hath not the reasonable soule of every man an understanding Doubtlesse it hath Therefore I answer The understanding may be taken two wayes First for the facultie Secondly for the furniture and enrichings of it now though every man hath an understanding yet every man hath not a furnished and an enriched understanding a beautified and an adorned understanding The Scripture speakes of some men as if they were nothing but understanding Prov. 1.5 A wise man will increase knowledge and a man of understanding will attaine unto all Counsell Every man hath an understanding but every man is not
a man of understanding every man is not a man of understanding in naturall and civill things much lesse in things divine and spirituall As some men have so much will or rather wilfulnesse that they are nothing but will and some have so much passion that they are nothing but passion so others have such riches and treasures of understanding as if they were nothing but understanding Now it is the speciall inspiration of the Almighty which giveth such an understanding that is an enlarged and an enriched understanding We say the inspiration of the Almighty g veth understanding The Hebrew is but one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intellectificat eos Brent which we may expresse as some doe It Intellectifieth So then the scope and meaning of this verse is plainly this That howsoever every man the meanest of men hath a reasonable soule yet the furniture of the understanding or mans fulness of wisdome and knowledge is by gift or inspiration of the Almighty and therefore some read the verse thus Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty maketh them to understand Thus Elihu would gâ—ine credit and authority to what he had to deliver as being by the teachings and dictates of the Spirit of God Est spiritus in hominibus spiratio autem omnipotentis docet Sept The Seventy comply fully with this rendering There is a spirit in men but the inspiration of the Almighty teacheth As if Elihu had said Though man be endewed with naturall knowledge and reason which can doe somewhat yet untill light shines from above till the spirit of God comes in and enlargeth the naturall spirit it cannot see farre nor doe any great matter Or take the sence of the whole verse thus in connection with what went before Though old age hath odds of youth yet one man as well as another hath a spirit of reason and judgement in him whereby through supply of speciall inspiration from God who can doe all things he may be able to know that which want of yeares denieth him From the words thus opened Observe First Wisdome or understanding is the gift of the Spirit of God We have a like assertion by way of question in the 38th Chapter of this booke ver 36. Who hath put wisdome into the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart who hath hath man put wisdome into himselfe or hath he made his own heart to understand the Question denies no man hath not done it Wisdome is an Influence or an Inspiration from the Almighty knowledge to order common things is of the Lord Isa 28.26 29. His God doth instruct him the husbandman he meanes to discretion in ordering the ground and doth teach him how much more in spirituall things and the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven Prov. 16.1 The preparation of the heart in man and the Answer of the tongue that is The fitting of the heart for any right answer of the tongue is from the Lord both the generall preparation of the heart for service or use and the speciall preparation of it to this or that service use is of the Lord so is the Answer of the tongue for the discharge of it Eccles 2.26 God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdome and knowledge and joy As God giveth man the knowledge of things so wisdome to know how to order and manage the things that he knoweth Some have more knowledge then they know how to manage their knowledge masters them they are not masters of their knowledge they have more knowledge then wisdome Now God gives to him that is good in his sight that is to the man whom he chooseth and is pleased with knowledge and wisdome and then he gives him joy that is Comfort in the exercise of that knowledge wherewith he is endued this is a notable and a noble gift of God We read Isa 11.2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirâ—t of wisdome and understanding It is a prophesie of Christ who being made in all things like to man had a naturall spirit or a reasonable faculty and he had that furnished by the spirit without measure the spirit of the Lord rested upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of Counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord even Christ as man received an unction or inspiration from the Almighty for the fullfilling of his Mediatoriall office much more doe meere men for the fullfilling of any office they are called unto 2 Cor 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves so much as to thinke a good thought Our sufficiency is by the Inspiration of the Almighty James 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above It is not a vapour that riseth out of the earth but an Influence which distills and drops downe from heaven it is from above that is from God who though he be every where filling both heaven and earth with his essentiall presence yet according to Scripture language his most glorious and manifestative presence is above and therefore to say every good gift is from above is all one as to say it is from God Daniel and those other three Noble youths of the Jewish race exceeded all the wise men of Chaldea in rare abilities and the Scripture tells us whence it was that they did so Dan. 1.17 As for these foure Children God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdome and the assertion is layd downe in General Dan. 2.21 He that is God changeth times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings he giveth wisdome to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding All these Scriptures speak with one Consent the language of this Text It is the Inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding And if we compare 1 Sam 10.1 with the 6th 9th 11th and 12th verses of the same Chapter we have a most remarkable passage to this purpose Where Saul having received the unction from Samuel both as an assurance of and a preparation for the exercise of his kingly office over Israel Samuel tells him ver 6. The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophecy with them that is with the company of Prophets spoken of in the former verse and shalt be turned into another man And the holy text adds ver 9. God gave or as we put in the margin turned him another heart There is a twofold turning or changing of the heart or of a man into another man First by gifts of Illumination Secondly by the grace of Sanctification the great change of the heart is that change of Conversion by the grace of Sanctification Saul was not turned into another man nor had he another heart as changed by Grace for he shewed still his old heart in his new kingly state but he had another heart or he was another man as changed by gifts
confound the wise and the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mighty And base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things which are that no flesh should glory in his presence God chuseth those things which have the greatest improbility for his worke that the power and successe of the worke may be ascribed to him alone When we chuse we should chuse those that are fit for the worke to which they are chosen we should not chuse a foole to governe nor one that is of low parts himselfe to teach others we should pitch upon the wisest and ablest we can get Joseph said well to Pharoah Gen. 41.33 Looke out a man discreet and wise and set him over the Land of Egypt We cannot make men wiser then they are and therefore we must chuse and take those that are wise to doe our worke But when God comes to doe his worke he often takes the foolish and the weake because as he calleth them to so he can fit them for his worke As the strongest opposition of nature against grace cannot hinder the worke of the Spirit when the Spirit comes he will make a proud man humble a covetous man liberall an uncleane person modest and temperate so the weaknesse of nature cannot hinder his worke If a man below in parts God can raise him Out of the mouths of babes aâ—d sucklings hast thou ordained strength Psal 8.2 or as Christ alledgeth that text Math 21.16 Thou hast perfected praise one might thinke Surely God will take the aged the learned and great for his praise no he ordaines praise to himselfe out of the mouths of babes and sucklings that is out of their mouths who in all natuturall considerations are no way formed up nor fitted to shew forth his praise Isa 32.4 The heart of the rash or hasty shall understand knowledge Heady and inconsiderate persons whose tongues as we say run before their wits shall then be grave advised and serious both in what they doe and as it followeth in what they say The tongue of the stammerers shall speake plainly that is cleare words with cleare reason or they shall speake well both in matter and forme right things rightly All this the Lord doth that he may honour himselfe and lift up his owne name only which alone is to be lifted up Never feare to put an empty vessell to a full fountaine no matter how empty the vessell be if the fountaine be full God delights in broken weake and empty creatures that he may mend strengthen and fill them There is a spirit in man in weake man and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Elihu having shewed the original of mans wisdome to be from God in this 8th verse makes an inference from it in the 9th The inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding And what then surely even hence it cometh to passe that Vers 9. Great men are not alwayes wise neither doe the aged understand Judgement It is well conceived by some Interpreters that the Apostle doth more then allude to even cite this text 1 Cor. 1.26 You see your Calling Brethren how that not many wâ—se men after the flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called If God should chuse only of mostly wise men they would be ready to say we are chosen for our wisdome If he should chuse and call only or mostly rich men they would be ready to thinke we are chosen for our riches If he should call only or mostly Kings and Princes they would conclude we are called for our Greatnesse Therefore the Lord passeth by most of these and calleth the Fisherman calleth the poore man the ignorant man and saith You that have nothing you that in the esteeme of the world are nothing doe you follow me who have all things and can supply you with all Thus here saith Elihu Great men are not alwayes wise Why not the reason is because God doth not alwayes bestow wisdome upon them It is the Inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding Greatnesse doth it not Not many wise men after the flesh not many Great or Noble are Called Elihu and the Apostle Paul speake the same thing almost in the same words This is also a proofe of the divine Authoritie of this booke as well as that 1 Cor. 1.19 taken out of the speech of Eliphaz in the 5th Chapter at the 13th verse He taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse c. Great men are not alwayes wise The word alwayes is not at all in the Originall text and therefore put in a different Character Great men are not wise but 't is well supplyed by that word alwayes For the meaning of Elihu is not that great men are never wise but not alwayes wise Great men the Rabbies the honourable men of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnus unde Rabbi Magister qui multam eruditionem habet Honorabiles Pagn Magnates Tygur men in Authoritie and great place are intended by this word The Officers which King Ahasuerus set over his feast are called Rabbies Est 1.8 so that we may expound it here in the largest sence as including all sorts and degrees of Great ones Great men are not alwayes wise That is wisdome neither floweth from nor is it alwayes associated with Greatnesse As some are little yet great little in the world yet great in true wisdome so others are Great yet little they are little in wisdome or have little true wisdome though they are great in the world or have great worldly wisdome Hence note It is not greatnesse of birth of place or power that can make any man wise nor doth it at all assure us that a man is wise because we see him exalted to and setled in a place of power and greatness The Prophet Jer. 5.4 5. finding some very incorrigible and hardned in sinfull courses concluded them meane persons and in the lowest forme of the people Therefore I said Surely these are poore they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the Judgement of their God To be poore and foolish is very common these are poore and foolish saith the Prophet but surely I shall finde the Great ones better accommodated with wisdome and thereupon he resolved I will get me to the great men and will speak unto them for they have knowne the way of the Lord and the judgement of their God That is these great men have had great meanes of knowledge and we have reason to suppose them as great in knowledge as they are in place or power But did the great men answer his expectation did he find that in them which he sought and looked for nothing lesse The great men proved more foolish or lesse in true knowledge then the poore as it followeth But these have altogether broken the yoake and burst the bonds As if he had said I
thought these great men had been wise but I see they are very fooles What can be a greater argument of folly then to breake those yoakes and bonds which the wisdome of God hath put upon us 'T is both our wisdome and our freedome to be bound by the most wise and holy will of God and hence the Prophet accounts this one as strong as a thousand arguments to prove that the Great men among the Jewes were not wise because they were not only unwilling to be bound to the obedience of the will of God but wilfully burst those bonds When Jesus Christ came into the world the great ones the Rabbies had the least true wisdome they would not believe on him nor receive him yea some boasted of this their unbeliefe as an argument of their wisdome John 7.48 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him No they were too wise to believe Faith in Christ was left to the fooles and counted folly by those wise men But this people say they meaning the common sort or ignorant vulgar who knoweth not the Law are cursed And they thought them accursed because they believed in and received Jesus Christ the chiefest blessing Great men are not alwayes wise in civill things very rarely in spirituall things They have not alwayes the wisdome of a man they seldome have the wisdom of a reall Christian They are not alwayes worldly wise or wise for this present world much lesse are they alwayes wise for the world which is to come Great in title and wise in truth are a sweete couple but seldome seene If so Then there is no taking of things upon trust from the greatest in the world As it is dangerous to follow the multitude Exod. 23.2 the most are usually the worst and they who are evill will leade to evill so there is no following great ones blindfold for even they are often blind or which is worse will not see And they who either doe not or will not see their own way may soone leade others out of the way and turne them aside to that which is not good Againe This first part of the verse Great men are not alwayes wise is rendred by the Septuagint men of many yeares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sep. or great in yeares are not alwayes wise The Original word may refer to greatnesse of age which consists in having lived many yeares as well as to greatnesse of honour which consists in the enjoying of high places and dignities But I rather adhere to our translation that the great men here intended are the Great in power and place not in yeares and dayes though it be a truth that such are not alwayes wise and if we take in that sence also it is a further confirmation of the generall truth in hand That wisdome is the gift of God and therefore those men are not alwayes wise whom vve might most probably looke upon as such For as we see Great men who have the advantage of meanes for education in learning are not alwayes the wisest so the aged vvho have that great advantage of time and experience to gather vvisdome are not Both often come short in abilities of understanding and prudence the former of their inferiors the latter of their Juniors This is expresse in the latter part of the verse and therefore needs not be inferred from this first part of it by way of interpretation Great men are not alwayes wise then followes this disjunctive proposition Neither doe the aged understand Judgement or that which is right The word Mishpat is taken two vvayes in Scripture first for the rule of Righteousnesse Samuel told the people the judgement or manner of the Kingdome 1 Sam 10.25 that is how the kingdome should be ordered and governed according to judgement and rules of righteousnesse Secondly Such an actuall Administration as is according to that rule of righteousnesse is in Scripture called judgement The aged doe not alwayes understand judgement in either notion they doe not alwayes understand the rule nor doe they alwayes act according to the rule which they understand they vvho fayle in one much more in both these doe not understand judgement Sometimes the aged are at a losse and know not vvhat to doe and oftentimes they are so entangled with their lusts that they will not doe vvhat they know Yet here remember these words are not to be taken as an absolute negation of vvisdome to the ancient much lesse as a reproach upon them For usually the aged are most understanding in judgement and we may more probably and doe more frequently finde Judgement with them then among those that are young And therefore when Elihu saith neither doe the aged understand Judgement his meaning is only this old age doth not give vvisdome nor is it the old mans priviledge only to understand judgement Hence note As honour or greatnesse of estate so age or greatnesse of yeares doth not confer wisdome upon any man Time doth neither stop nor convey knowledge and understanding old men have not their knowledge by their Antiquitie and therefore as no man is wise at all times so no man is made wise by time In strict sence vvisdome is not the daughter of time but the gift of the eternal It is not time but divine favour vvhich makes wise They are soone made wise and learned whom God will teach The teachings of God make young men like the ancients in vvisdome and without his teaching the aged are like children in folly Intelligentia juris non pendet a senectute Pisc God sometimes denieth vvisdome to the Ancient and sometimes he takes vvisdome from them And God suffers old men to act like children to goe out of the way to doe foolishly that he may staine the glory of all flesh and that all might both know and have their dependance on him alone Hence take two or three deductions First From the Connection of these two verses we learne that The spirit of God is not tyed to any age or degree of men The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Great men are not alwayes wise c. The Spirit of God is a free Spirit and as the Spirit is free because he moves without any desert in the object as also because he gives liberally plentifully and abundantly so the Spirit of God is free as to the choice of objects he gives here and not there he passeth by this man and takes hold of that he sometimes passeth by the rich and takes the poore Eccl. 9.15 The poore wise man saved the Citie sometimes he passeth by the old and takes the young and he doth all this that we might ascribe all to himselfe not to the age of man not to any thing in man God hath promised to be with his Church and with his Ministers by his Spirit to the end of the world but the Spirit hath his choice as to particular men and none have been more deceived then they
that come or stand in a day of Election before us JOB Chap. 32. Vers 10 11 12 13 14. Therefore I said Hearken to me I also will shew mine opinion Behold I waited for your words I gave care to your reasons whilest you searched out what to say Yea I attended unto you and behold there was none of you that convinced Job or that answered his words Lest ye should say We have found out wisdome God thrusteth him downe and not man Now he hath not directed his words against me neither will I answer him with your speeches ELihu having asserted this negative proposition in the former verse Great men are not alwayes wise neither doe the aged understand Judgement makes his inference from it in these words Vers 10. Therefore I sayd hearken to me As if he had said Though I am none of the great men of the world though I am none of the aged among the sons of men yet hearken unto me for seeing great and aged men are not alwayes wise nor have ingrossed all wisdome and understanding to themselves it is possible that some beames of wisdome may shine forth even from so meane a Junior even from such a puny as I must confesse I am We may also make the inference from the 8th verse There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Therefore I said hearken to me As if he had said Though I am a young man and have not had either those naturall or accidentall advantages of the ancient for the gathering of any great stocke or treasures of wisdome yet there is an inspiration of the Almighty which giveth understanding If the Lord will make use of me and inspire me if he please to breath his truths into me and irradiate my soule with divine light I may be able to doe and say some thing in this matter The inference you see followes well and without straine from either of those premises Therefore I said hearken to me It may be queried to whom did Elihu say this We translate the words indefinitely not determining them to this or thar person But the Original seemes to speake personally Therefore I said heare thou me Which may be understood two wayes First that Elihu directed his speech principally to Job Heare thou what I shall say Secondly that Elihu spake to the whole company there present as if they had been but one man we may speake in a congregation of hundreds and thousands we may speake to many as if there were but one to heare as what is spoken to a few may be intended to all Mark 13.37 What I say unto you my Disciples I say unto all watch So that which is said to all is surely said to every one in the assembly where 't is said Though we take Elihu here as speaking directly but to one person yet we must take him as desiring that every person present should take it as spoken to himselfe Hearken to me Hence note first When any speake reason and hold out truth they are to be heard No man should stop his eare with a prejudice to the person He that speaks truth deserves to be heard though as Elihu he be a young man or inferior to many in age yet he is to be heard though inferior to many in power and experience yet he is to be heard Eccle 4.13 Better is a poore and wise child then an old and foolish King that will not be admonished And better is a poore and wise child then an old man that can give no admonition As that man is in a sad condition whether king or subject that will not be admonished so that man be he never so ancient is not much to be regarded that is not able to give admonition But though both discreete young men and discreete poore men are to be heard when they speak truth and reason yet that of Solomon Eccle 9.16 is too often verified The poore mans wisdome is despised and his words are not heard Most conclude if a man be poore his counsell is so too and if he be young how can he be a counseller yet heare me saith Elihu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scientiam meam Mont. I also will shew mine opinion or my knowledge I will shew what my understanding is or what light God hath given me in this case The words are plaine Note from them What truth ot truths we have received and know we should communicate and make knowne 'T is a duty to shew our opinion when we have a call and an occasion to shew it as Elihu here had Some have knowledge who will not shew it They which Christ forbids Math 5.15 put their candle under a bushell God hath lighted a candle and set it up in some mens spirits yet they either quite conceale or much obscure it God hath given them a talent of knowledge and they like the unprofitable servant wrap it up in a Napkin They will not shew their opinion Not to shew what we have when called to it is a deniall that we have it As good not have a candle or a talent as let our candle be hid or hide our talent The very Heathen condemned this while they sayd Covered vertue is buried vertue Yea while a man covers his vertues parts and abilities he burieth himselfe alive or is dead while he lives As the Scripture saith they have only a name to be alive but are dead who make a shew of more then they have Rev 3.2 so they have a name to be dead or may be numbred among the dead who will not shew what indeed they have There are two things which hinder men from shewing their opinion First idlenesse they are loath to take the paines to shew it Secondly shamefastnesse There is a commendable modesty 't is not good to be over-forward in shewing our opinion But that modesty is sinfull which quite hinders us from shewing our opinion They who keepe in their knowledge and opinion either through idlenesse or shamefastnesse doe almost as ill as they who shew their opinion and declare their knowledge through pride and and high-mindednesse or meerely to shew themselves to shew their wit and to make a noyse of their parts and learning 'T is sinfull selfe-pleasing either to know only that we may know or to publish what we know only to be knowne With some 't is nothing that they have knowledge unlesse others know that they have it An affectation to appeare knowing is as bad as to be ignorant I will shew mine opinion said Elihu But why would he shew it We have reason to judge it was from the honesty of his heart not from the height of his Spirit And when ever we shew our opinion we ought to shew it out of an honest heart and for honest ends such as these First To instruct those who are ignorant Secondly To reduce those who are out of the way Thirdly To feed hungry soules with wholesome doctrine Prov.
ingenuous to picke up this or that passage to take a piece here and a piece there we can never make a true judgement till the whole is layd together As many exceedingly mistake about the works of God so about the words of men because they judge the whole by this or that part Whereas they should judge of the parts by the whole As therefore we ought not to make conclusions about the providentiall works of God till the last Act or till all is concluded so we must not judge the discourses of men till the last word or till they have concluded their discourse Heare a man out and then answer him Ab aequo attentienem sibi conciliat Merc Thirdly Elihu seemes to chalenge it as his due to be heard speake after he had fully heard them speaking Hence note They who have had the patience to heare others ought to have the priviledge of being heard themselves Heare me saith Elihu Why so I have heard you It is but equall and rationall that he should have liberty of speaking who hath shewed an attentive perseverance in hearing From the last branch of the verse while ye searched out what to say Observe We ought to ponder and try what we speake before we speake it The worke of the tongue must follow that of the understanding Eccl 12.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words or words of delight words of pleasure The preacher sought But how did he seeke He sought diligently and earnestly The preacher sought but in what way did he seeke surely he sought by diligent study and earnest prayer to find out acceptable words What words were those not men-pleasing words not soft words which might passe with all sorts or humour all phansies not such words as would serve for pillows under bad mens elbows The acceptable words which the Preacher sought were words of truth and sobriety words of power and Authority in no other sence may we seeke out acceptable words or words of delight nor is there any true delight but in words of truth Thus every faithfull Preacher should seeke to find out acceptable words every holy and wholsome doctrine is made up of such words Only thole doctrines and exhortations which are formed and composed of such words are as the Apostle saith of the great doctrine of Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh to save sinners faithfull sayings and worthy of acceptation 1 Tim 1.15 Elihu tooke notice of this in Jobs friends they did not speak hand over head but searched what they might say most to the purpose as they judged of the cause in hand and to the profit of their hearers Elihu thought he had not yet spoken enough in way of apologie for himselfe And therefore the penman of this dispute represents him speaking further yet much to the same sence Vers 12. Yea I attended unto you and behold there was none of you that convinced Job or that answered his words I attended unto you That is I did not only desire to receive full satisfaction from you but I attended hoping at last to find it I stayed I did not make haste nor did I hasten you Vsque ad intima vestra considerabam vos Drus Some expound the word with a great significancy I did as throughly consider and attend what was sayd as if I had looked into you Thus saith Elihu I attended unto you But what did he find He found two faults in their words after he had attended unto them throughly First he found them faulty because none of them had convinced Job Their proofes did not make good their accusations The second fault which Elihu found was They had not refuted Jobs assertion As if he had said Ye have spoken much but upon the matter have done little I waited I attended expecting great things from you but I have bin deceived in my expectation For having taken out the strength and substance the spirits and quintessence of your speech I find nothing coming up either to a conviction of Job as faulty in matter of fact nor to an answer of him as defective in matter of argument So that when I have layd all that ye have spoken in the ballance it weighes too light Job is your match yea he hath over-matcht you Behold there is none of you that convinceth Job The Hebrew word which we here translate to convince answers the Greeke in the New Testament which is also translated To reprove or convince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And both the Hebrew and the Greek carry a threefold signification First to prove or to make good what is affirmed either first by reason and argument or secondly by testimony and authority When such proofes and reasons such testimonies and authorities are brought in as a man can make no exceptions against or cannot evade nor reply to then he is convinced The Apostle giving a description of faith Heb 11.1 saith It is the substance of things hoped for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the evidence or conviction of things not seene The Spirit of God makes conviction before faith acts He brings such proofes such cleare evidences that though the thing be not seene yet the soule sits downe convinced that it is so as fully as if we had seene it The greatest conviction we have to believe is from authority and testimony yea that 's properly and only faith when we consent to a thing upon the testimony and authority of another Secondly The word signifies to reprove or rebuke with words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math 18.15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him of his fault To reprove a man is First to tell him of his fault and then to blame him for it Every mans fault must be clearely proved before he can be justly reproved Thus the Baptist reproved Herod Luke 3.19 And because Light proves therefore it also reproves John 3.20 Every one that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved The same word is used Eph 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but rather reprove them And againe 1 Tim 5.20 Them that sin that is either openly before all or whose sin hath been proved before all rebuke before all and as the same Apostle directs Tit 2.25 Rebuke them sharply Thirdly The word signifieth as to prove and reprove so to chasten and correct to rebuke by the hand as well as by the tongue Heb 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum ab eo argueris Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children my son despise not thou the chastning of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him When thou art rebuked of him by blowes or receivest sencible convictions Rev 3.19 Whom I love I rebuke and chasten Here in the Text we must understand the word in the first sence There is none of you that
hath convinced Job That is ye have not proved what ye have sayd Ye have called him an hypocrite and told him that he hath oppressed the poore and detained the right of the fatherless But ye have proved none of these evills against him Ye have not proved the matter of fact that he might sit downe penitentially confessing himselfe such an offender as ye have accused him to be Hence note We can never convince another by what we say untill we prove what we say If we reprove any man for an errour in his judgement and doe not prove it to be an errour or if we reprove a man for sin in practice and doe not prove his practice sinfull or that he hath practised that sin no conviction follows What is sayd and not proved comes to the eare only not to the conscience Therefore saith Christ John 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sin Find a spot in my life if you can I know you are ready to slander me with but you cannot convince me of evill It is sayd of Apollos Acts 18.28 He mightily convinced the Jewes How did he convince them not by reproving them only for not receiving the Messias he did not barely tell them ye are a company of unbelievers but he reproved them by proving the necessity of their receiving Christ the Messias and the evill of rejecting him shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ Here was proofe and so conviction followed He convinced them by authority by the testimony of the word comparing Scripture with Scripture the prophesie with the history of Christ The Apostle would have the Ministers of the Gospel mighty at this worke Tit 1.8 They must hold fast the faithfull word that they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Not only must they be able to rebuke gain-sayers this will not doe it they must also convince them or stop their mouths James 2.9 If any of you have respect to persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressours How doth the Law convince Not only by reproving but by proving It shews us a rule and saith there you have departed from it here is the line and there ye have transgressed or gone over it Thus ye are convinced that ye are transgressors He is both wise and faithfull he doth his worke like a workman that needeth not be ashamed who not only gives reproofe but proofe either of error in judgement or of evill in practise For the close of this poynt I may shew you three great convincers First The holy Spirit of God This office of the Spirit Christ sets forth John 16.7 I will send the Comforter and when he is come what shall he doe He will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of Judgement That is he will bring proofe home to the conscience to shew sinners their evill state and evill lives He will also bring home to their spirits the alsufficiency of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and so overcome their unbeliefe that they shall nor be able to refuse the offers of grace He will likewise shew them such reasons why they ought to be holy and walke in the wayes of righteousness that they shall neither have power nor will to gain-say The second great convincer is Conscience They who were so forward to accuse the woman taken in adultery John 8.9 were at last convicted by their owne Conscience and went out one by one Their conscience told them they were guilty if not for that sin yet of other sins as bad as that They were so far before from judging themselves for that they tooke no notice of their owne faults they were severe against the woman but they flattered themselves till Christ made their owne consciences their convincers And surely conscience will one time or other convince to purpose They who have refused or outstood conviction by the word yea and put by the motions of the Spirit shall at last find conscience convincing and speaking home to them The third great Convincer is Jesus Christ in person Of him in the performance of this office the Apostle speakes clearely Jude v 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints And what comes he to doe To execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Christ will make the greatest of ungodly ones in that great day to acknowledge that all their hard speeches which they have spoken against the Saints or godly men were spoken against him When prophane men are among their wicked companions they can jeare at the godly professors of the name of Christ even while they pretend to honour Christ But Christ will make them see that they scoâ—ned him while they scorned the least of those that feared him and believed on his name The great day will be a day not only of executing Judgement but of conviction every mouth shall be stopped and all the world of wicked men shall become guilty in their owne sight before God These are the three great Convincers The holy Spirit of God the Conscience of every man and Jesus Christ in the judgement of the great day And let those who now undertake that great worke of conviction often remember which was a little before mentioned and set downe the method to be used and observed in it First prove the matter and then reprove the man None were ever wrought to any good by bare reproofe much lesse by force Men are not to be driven into the faith by fire and sword by terrors and imprisonments conviction must doe it and that will doe it to purpose This is the first thing which Elâ—hu blamed and burdened Jobs friends with They reproved him but did not bring sufficient convincing proofe against him There was none of you that convinced Job Secondly He lays this to their charge that They had not answered his words As ye have not proved your owne allegations so ye have not refured nor infirmed his reasons But how could Elihu say They had not answered his words when to every word he spake we find their severall answers Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said The like is said of Zophar the Naamath te They had been answering all the while yet saith Elihu Behold there was none of you that answered his words I shall resolve this doubt by giving this note which was also given upon the 3d verse where see more Vnlesse we answer home to the matter and as we say hit the naile on the head we have given no answer We have not answered unlesse we give a satisfactory answer When the Respondent in Schooles acquits himselfe well The Moderator brings him off honorably saying Thy Answers suffice Jobs friends had been answering long and they made
many long answers but Elihu the Moderator was forced to tell them ye have not answered sufficiently Lastly Elihu having heard all their answers and finding that they did not reach a proofe against Job nor answer his reasonings and replyes he speaks himselfe Hence note When we have weighed all duely and find that others have not done the deed we must not dissemble our judgements nor flatter them in their faulty answers Elihu would not doe so and the reason why he would not is layd downe in the next words Vers 13. Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome God thrusteth him downe not man In the former verse Elihu shewed his owne disappoyntment while he waited upon others I attended unto you saith he to Jobs three friends and behold there was none of you that convinced Job or that answered his words Then followes Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome c. In which words Elihu proceeds with his Preface that he might the more fairely fall into discourse with Job for having told Jobs friends that he had waited in vaine for satisfaction from their answers or replyes they having not convinced him either by solid reason or by Authentick Authority and testimony that he was so bad as they judged him to be He adds this I affirme Lost ye should say we have found out wisdome That is lest ye should say it boastingly and cry victory against his afflicted man The word is often used in Scripture to signifie saying with boasting or speaking in pride of spirit The Baptist Math. 3.9 tells the Pharisees Thinke not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father his meaning is doe not speake of your pedegree boastingly nor proudly that ye are Abrahams children will doe you no good unlesse ye are good like your father Abraham and doe as he did So here Rem acu tetimuâ— ipsum cardinum in quo tota controversia vertitur de Jobo Drus Lest ye should proudly say we have found out wisdome we have found the mystery of the whole matter we have found out the key which unlocks this secret or as Mr Calvins translater wittily as well as truly expresseth We have found out the beane in the Cake we say Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome That is that which will surely prove us wise men and gaine us the reputation of wisdome among all wise and knowing men What their speciall resolve was which they counted widome followes in the close of the verse according to our reading God thrusteth him downe not man But before I deale with that conclusion I shall briefly note two things from those words Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome First Man is very apt to speake boastingly to have high thoughts and then to utter great words of himselfe Man is a proud piece of flesh and a small matter will make him shew his pride and spread his plumes like that naturally-painted bird if not explicitely in words yet his spirit will swell and be puft up with towring conceits of himselfe The Prophet Habakkuk describes this temper Chap. 2.4 He that is lifted up his spirit is not upright in him A proud spirit is alwayes a false spirit They who thinke highly of themselves thinke themselves higher then they are And 't is a great argument that man is naturally very proud because God hath given so many stops and checks to his pride or hath made so many provisions against it The very contrivance of the work of Redemption in that way by the hand of Jesus Christ had this great designe in it For as the chiefe designe in reference to man was his salvation that was the ultimate end as to man so there was another designe in it why God would save man that way which the Apostle layeth downe 1 Cor 1.29 That no flesh should glory in his sight While God intended to give man glory he took a course to cut off all glorying from man God would not set up man againe to worke is owne salvation lest he should be proud of his workes Though we are now called to work out our owne salvation Phil. 2.12 yet it is wholly wrought by another and we are there commanded to work out our owne salvation with feare and trembling not with presumption and boasting Againe How apt is man to boast of any good he doth seeing he is not ashamed to boast sometimes when he doth evill and of that which is evill even of the lusts and lustings of his evill heart Psal 10.3 The wicked boasteth of his hearts desire And what good is there in the desire of a wicked mans heart He as such can desire nothing but what is worse then nothing sin or vanity and yet he boasts of it Yea man is ready to boast not only of evill done but of his ability to doe evill They in the Prophet boasted that they were mighty to drinke wine and men of strength to mingle strong drinke Isa 5.22 How doe some please themselves that they are in power only because that gives them an advantage to oppresse whom they please or all those with whom they are displeased David saw that spirit ruling and raging in spirefull Doeg whom he therefore checks Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe in mischiefe O mighty man The Apostle found those Phil. 3.19 who gloried in their shame That is in sinfull practices even making their belly their God whereof they ought to be ashamed The Prophet spake of their like long before Isa 3.9 They declare their sin as Sodome they hide it not As if it had been their ornament and their honour their beauty and bravery to be wicked But especially if bad men doe that which is good they boast of it A carnal man may for the matter doe good yea he may have a zeale for God Jehu said Come see my zeale for the Lord 2 Kings 10.16 But Jehu desired more to have his zeale for the Lord seene then to be zealous for the Lord. And so his was indeed zeale for himselfe not for the Lord. The Pharisees did many good things but they could not foâ—beare boasting in the good they did They doe all saith Christ who knew not only what they did but with what heart to be seene of men or to have prayse with men Yea not only are evill men ready to boast of the good they doe but the temptation lies hard also upon godly men to doe so their hearts are often unduely transported as with the thoughts of their gifts parts and graces so with what they doe through the gift of grace Our very graces much more our outward priviledges may be an occasion of boasting Pride and boasting are weeds which grow up from the best and richest soyle 'T is rare to see any man rich in gifts and graces and poore in spirit poverty of spirit is the purest and truest riches of grace Secondly As to the particular here spoken of Lest ye should say we
in his Then all sorts and degrees of men are judged righteously when there is no regard had or notice taken in Judgement of what sort or degree any man is Judges are called gods and therefore should act like God without respect to men And as this is a truth in all those cases of judgement where Magistrates sit in the place of God so it is as true in all the private judgements and determinations of brethren concerning persons or things which by way of distinction from the former is commonly called the putting or referring of a matter in difference to men We must take heed in private judgements that we be not swayed according to the condition of persons nor must we make the fault great or lesse the cause better or worse because the person is greater or lesse friend or stranger to us The Apostle gives this counsel and caution to the Churches James 2.1 2 3 4 5. My Brethren have not the faith that is the doctrine of faith or profession of our Lord Jesus the Lord of glory with respect of persons For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring and there come in also a poore man in vile rayment and you have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say unto him sit thou here in a good place and say to the poore stand thou there or sit here under my footstool are ye not then partiall in your selves and are become judges of evill thoughts In administring the things of God which are spirituall we must observe no civill difference no distinction among men Christ hath given himselfe alike and equally to rich and poore bond and free and therefore as to Church-priviledges and enjoyments they must all be alike and equall unto us No man is to be knowne after the flesh in the things of the Spirit 2 Cor 5.16 that is no man is to be valued meerely upon natural or worldly accounts if we doe then as the Apostle James concludes in the place last â—efore mentioned are we not partiall in our selves that is as some also translate that reproving question Have we not made a difference a groundlesse difference or a difference grounded upon carnal respects rather then upon any solid reason and so as it follows in the close of the verse are become judges of evill thoughts that is have made our judgement of those persons according to the dictate of our owne evill and corrupt thoughts not according to the rule of the word Further this sin of respecting persons is found also in the ordinary converse of men For when we cast favours upon those that are ill deserving and commend those as we say to the skies who should rather fall under our severest censure and are led to doe all this also because the person is a kinsman or a friend for though eaeteris paribus other qualifications and circumstances being equall we are to respect friends and kindred who are our owne flesh before strangers yet vertue and worth should out-weigh relations and as Levi in doing Justice Deut 33.9 so we in bestowing rewards should not acknowledge our Brethren nor know our owne children but let such have our rewards who best deserve them I may adde this also To take up this or that forme of religion because such and such persons are in it and to reject another though better because none but a few that are despised and contemned are in it is a most dangerous way of respecting persons This was the meaning of that question John 7.48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him As if certainly that must alwayes be the best way and rule of believing which is professed by the rulers Or as if it were ground enough to reject a way of religion because the common people or the poore are mostly found in it Thus 't is storied of a Great Prince that was converted to the Christian faith and resolved to be baptized that seeing a great many poore men in his way as he went he asked to whom they belonged it was answered they were Christians and of that religion which he was entring into what doth Christ keep his servants so poore sayd he I will not serve such a Master and so drew backe even while he was but setting his face towards Christ I might instance the sinfullness of accepting persons in many other particular cases as well as these but these may suffice for a tast Let me not saith Elihu accept any mans person Neither let me give flattering titles unto man In the former part of the verse it was Ish here it is Adam Graeciverteum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognominandi per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverori et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mirari persona in reddiderunt Merc Et deum homini non aequabo Vulg I will not respect the person of the greatest men nor will I flatter any earthly any mortall man Mr Broughton renders That I respect an earthly man The vulgar latine translates the whole verse thus I will not accept any mans persons and I will not equall God to man As if he had sayd I will not measure God by man in his dealings and proceedings with man As my purpose is to speake truth and spare no man so I will not wrong God by drawing him downe to the rules of men What is man that he should compare with God But though this be a truth yet because it departs so farre from the Original text I will not stay upon it Our reading is cleare I will not give flattering titles There are severall other readings of these words which I shall propose and passe to our owne Apud hominem Praefatione non utar Jun Et apud hominem ne permutem nomina Coc Et ad hominem non nutato nomine loquar Merc Ego non ingratiam ejus tectis verbis utar occultè eum designans nomen proprium immutans Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat aliquem occultè designare Merc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est mutatis rerum nominibus agere ut non possis nisi obscurè quid sentiatur intelligi Cujus contrarium est aperire os et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellare Coc First I will not use a preface or I will not stand prefacing with man Flatteries are usually set forth in affected Prefaces and Apologies Secondly Let me not change names before men or let me not speak to man under a borrowed name That is let me speake plainly and clearly without ambages and fetches let me speake to every man and about every thing by its owne name and not with covered words as if I were unwilling to touch those to whom I speake Our translation is yet more cleare to the scope and tendency of this place I will not give flattering titles This sentence is but two words in the Hebrew The verbe signifies say the Rabbins to hide or conceale or to carry a matter closely
scelus est veritatem palliare Merc But it is a farre greater sin to commend the sins of others or to commend others in their sin And we may take the measure of this sin by the punishment of it When we heare the Lord threatning flatterers with suddaine destruction doth it not proclaime to all the world that their sin is full of provocation The Lord beares long with many sorts of sinners but not with sinners of this sort My maker would soone take me away Whence note Secondly God can make quicke dispatch with sinners As the grace of God towards sinners Nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia so his wrath needs no long time in preparations When we designe great actions we must take time to fit our selves Princes must have time to set out an Army or a Navy when they would either defend themselves against or revenge themselves upon their enemies But God can presently proceed to action yea to execution He that made all with a word speaking can destroy the wicked as soone as speake the word he can doe it in the twinkling of an eye with the turning of a hand My Maker would soone take me away Thirdly Because Elihu being about to speake in that great cause sets God before him and God in his judgements in case he should speake or doe amisse Note Thirdly They that doe or speake evill have reason to expect evill at the hand of God If I should flatter saith Elihu my Maker would soone take me away I have reason to feare he will not that God takes away every sinner as soone as he sins God rarely useth Martiall Law or executes men upon the place we should live and walke more by sence then by faith if he should doe so but any sinner may expect it God I say is very patient and long-suffering he doth not often take sinners away either in the act or immediately after the act of sin Yet there is no sinner but hath cause to feare lest as soone as he hath done any evill God should make him feele evill and instantly take him away David prayeth Psal 28.3 Draw me not away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity There is a two-fold drawing away with the workers of iniquity First to doe as they doe that is wickedly Thus many are drawne away with the workers of iniquity and 't is a good and most necessary part of prayer to beg that God would not thus draw us away with the workers of iniquity that is that he would not suffer the workers of iniquity to draw us away into their lewd and sinfull courses Secondly there is a drawing away to punishment and execution In that sence I conceive David prayed Lord draw me not away with the workers of iniquity who are taken away by some sudden stroake of judgement though I may have provoked thee yet let not forth thy wrath upon me as thou sometimes doest upon the workers of iniquity doe not draw me out as cattell out of the pasture where they have been fed and fatted for the slaughter Every worker of iniquity is in danger of present death and may looke that God will be a swift witness against him though most are reprieved yet no man is sure of that Againe In that Elihu represents God to himselfe ready to take him away in case of flattery and prevarication in that cause Note Fourthly It is good for us to over-awe our soules with the remembrance of the judgements and terrours of God 'T is profitable sometimes to converse with the threatnings as well as with the promises 't is profitable to remember what God is able to do against us as well as to remember what God is able to do for us Even believers should goe into the dreadfull treasuries of wrath into the thunders lightnings of divine displeasure as well as into the delightfull treasuries of mercy of love compassion it is good for a good man to thinke God may take me away as well as to thinke God will save and deliver me we need even these meditations of God to keepe downe our corruptions and to fright our lusts Though it be the more Gospel way to make use of love yet the Gospel it selfe teacheth us to make use of wrath 2 Cor 5.11 Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men Lastly Note When we goe about any great worke when we are either to speak or doe in any weighty matter it is good for us to set God before our eyes to thinke of and remember our Maker As in great undertakings we should remember our Maker waiting for and depending upon his assistance strength and blessing in what we doe or goe about so we should remember him to keepe our hearts right And to remember seriously believingly and spiritually that God beholds and seeth us in all our wayes and workes and that according to the frame of our hearts and the way that we take in every action such will the reward and the issue be cannot but have a mighty command and an answerable effect upon us We can hardly doe amisse with â—od in our eye And therefore as it is sayd of a wicked man Psal 10.4 that through the pride of his countenance he will not seeke after God God is not in all his thoughts So David said of himselfe though in that Psalme he speakes chiefely as a type of Christ and so in proportion or as to sincerity every godly man saith like David Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord alwayes before me because he is at my right hand therefore I shall not be moved that is as I shall not be utterly overthrowne by any evill of trouble so I shall not be overcome by any evill of temptation or I shall not be moved either in a way of discouragement by the troubles I meete with or in a way of enticement by the temptations I meete with How stedfast how unmoveable are they in the worke of the Lord how doe they keepe off from every evill worke who set the Lord alwayes before them and have him at their right hand Could we but set the Lord before us either in his mercies or in his terrors we should not be moved from doing our duty in whatsoever we are called to doe Thus farre Elihu hath drawne out his speech in a way of preface preparing himselfe for his great undertaking with Job He hath now fully shewed the grounds why he undertooke to deale with him and what method he would use in that undertaking In the next Chapter and so forward to the end of the 37th we have what he sayd and how he managed the whole matter JOB Chap. 33. Vers 1 2 3. Wherefore Job I pray thee heare my speeches and hearken to all my words Behold now I have opened my mouth my tongue hath spoken in my mouth My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart and my lips shall utter knowledge clearely ELihu having spent the whole
upon revenge yea having upon the matter sworn revenge against Nabal and his house yet her Entreaties and mild words overcame that mighty warriour at least took off the edge of his spirit and of all his party 1 Sam 25.33 Nor did he only accept of or submit to her counsel but gave thanks both to God and her for it Blessed be the Lord and blessed be thy advice which hast kept me this day from shedding-blood Gentle words like gentle raine soake deep and make the soule like a fruitfull tree bud and blossome For as passion in the speaker begets passion in the hearer and heate brings forth heate so kinde and kindly words are not only most usefull but most powerfull There is a rebuking and that Cuttingly or a speaking of cutting words usefull in some cases then especially when sinners have not only done evill but are setled and resolved in it But in case of affliction specially of inward affliction or trouble of spirit soft words are best and doe best Heare I pray thee saith Elihu And hearken to all my words Here 's hearing and hearkening to hearken is more then to heare to heare is barely to receive the sound of words but to hearken is to take up the sense of them or as it were to suck out the strength and sweetnesse of them to hearken is to weigh or ponder every tittle spoken and take the value of it The word in the text which signifies to hearken hath a singular elegancy in it One of the Rabbins renders Eare my words heare my words and Eare them The same word which in the verbe signifies to hearken which is the worke of the eare signifies also the eare or instrument of that worke in the noune To eare words notes the most diligent attention as to eye a thing notes the most accurate inspection The word signifies also the beam of a ballance because by the eare or by the two ears as by a ballance words are tryed and poysed whether they are weighty and solid or light and chaffy when Elihu saith hearken to or weigh my words he intimates that he meant to speak words which had worth in them or that he meant to speak matter more then words And therefore he would not have a word lost Hearken saith he To all my words To all not to this or that only but to all As if he had sayd I intend not and I hope I shall not speak one needlesse or unusefull words not a word beside the businesse Therefore hearken to all my words Hence note First They who speak to instruction admonition or exhortation should not use one word more then is usefull not a word more then is to the purpose Seeing every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account for it in the day of Judgement Math 12.36 How should every man take heed of speaking an idle word a word of which he can give no good account for any good it is likely to doe Idle words will make sad worke one day and words of no value or account will turne to a heavy account in the great day That 's an idle word which doth neither worke the heart for good nor strengthen the hand to or in a good worke And if we should be carefull not to speake one idle word or not one word unworthy to be heard how should we avoyd evill words or words which corrupt the hearers Secondly As the words referre to that duty which Elihu minds Job of and moved him to Hearkning to all his words Note They who heare especially about holy things and soule-matters should heare all One word should not be lost when every word is precious We gather up the filings and least dusts of Gold The eare should gather all that truth which the mouth scatters and the heart should lay it up as treasure We may charge many sorts of men with deficiency at eare-worke And surely if men will not heare all that they ought to believe and doe they can neither doe nor believe any thing that they heare First Some will not heare the word at all they are like the deafe Adder stopping their eares at the voyce of the charmer charme he never so wisely to them Secondly Others thinke that there 's not a word more to be heard but what they have heard already who can speak what they know not Thirdly There are few who hearken to any word that is spoken that is who make it their businesse to heare who heare with diligence and labour at it As it is a great labour to speak so I assure you it is no small nor easie labour to heare if you heare indeed and as you should To heare the word is the exercise of the whole soule Among many hearers there are but few hearkeners such I meane as weigh and consider what they heare Fourthly There are very few who heare and hearken to all the words of righteousnesse and salvation As some though they heare all yet hearken to halves so others will heare but halfe or only so much as pleaseth them of what is spoken When the King of Judah Jer 36.23 had the Role brought to him which Baruch had written from the mouth of Jeremiah he heard three or foure leaves of it read to him as he sate by the fire and then he caused it to be cut with a penknife and cast into the fire He did not read it out he had enough of it he had as we say his belly full but his heart was altogether empty he was very angry and vext at the word but not at all humbled nor affected with it and therefore would not heare all those words Againe To hearken is to obey to submit and yield up our selves to the truth we heare Samuel tells Saul 1 Sam 15.22 To obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams to obey and to hearken is the same thing the obedient eare is the hearkening eare Mine eare hast thou opened saith Christ Psal 40.6 This opening or digging of his eare as we put in the Margin signified his readinesse to obey as 't is expressed v. 7 8. Then sayd I loe I come I delight to doe thy will O my God And in reference to this he had sayd before v 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required that is for themselves or comparatively to that which in the volume of thy booke is written of me that I should doe Which clearely expounds and is almost the same in termes with that of Samuel To obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams Thus Elihu presseth Job to hearken to all his words obedientially or to hearken with a purpose to obey Take a few Considerations why we should both heare and hearken to that is obey the whole mind of God all those words which have the stamp of divine authority upon them First All the words of God are alike
the house of Israel to bud forth and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them and they shall know that I am the Lord That is I will give thee boldnesse and liberty of speech time was when thou didst not dare to â—peake a word for God or of God of his praise name and worship or if thou didst it was but in a Corner or whisperd in secret but the time shall come when I will give thee the opening of the mouth thou shalt speak my truth and praises boldly and the Enemy shall know that I the Lord have procured thee this liberty 'T is a great mercy when God gives his people the opening of the mouth or liberty of speech to speak boldly no man hindring no nor so much as discouraging them The Prophet makes that the character of an evill time when the prudent keep silence Amos 5.13 As in evill or calamitous times it becomes the Godly prudent to be willingly silent adoring the justice of Gods severest dispensations towards them with patience and without murmuring at his hand So in some evill times they are forced to keepe silence though as David spake Psal 39.2 their sorrows be stirred either lest by speaking even nothing but truth and reason they draw further sorrows upon themselves or because they see it but lost labour to speake to a people obstinate and resolved on their way Fourthly This phrase of opening the mouth to speake notes the things spoken to be of very great worth such as have been long concocted and digested and at last ready to be brought forth as out of the treasury of an honest and understanding heart Os aperire est bene discussa et praemeditata habere dicenda Bold The heart is the treasury of words there they are stored up and from thence issued forth as Christ saith Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh As there is a stock of evill words in the hearts of evill men so of good and gracious words in the hearts of Godly men and when they open their mouthes according to this notion it is to bring forth the treasures and riches of their hearts to bring forth the gold and silver and precious things stored up there all these are very usefull interpretations of this phrase and I might give distinct observations from them but it may suffice to have named them I shall only adde that the last is conceived by some to be chiefely intended in the latter branch of this verse My tongue hath spoken in my mouth This seems a strange Expression where should the tongue speak but in the mouth when the tongue is out of the mouth can it speak as the mouth cannot speak without the tongue so the tongue cannot speak out of the mouth why then doth he say My tongue hath spoken in my mouth The Hebrew is In my palate the palate being a part of the mouth and one speciall Instrument of speech Naturalists reckon five The lips the tongue the teeth the palate the throat 't is put for all but there is more in it then so for every man speaks in his mouth Palatum â—ris coelum est Drus Praemeditata et quasi intelligentiae meae palato praegustata sum prolaturus Bez Bene sapui verba mea antequam illa efferendo tibi aliisque sapienda et gustanda traderem Bold Non sequarverba aliorum sed propries conceptus enunciabo Aquin or by the palate which is the heaven roofe or cieling of the mouth Therefore when Elihu saith My tongue hath spoken in my mouth or in my palate The palate may be considered as the instrument of tasting as well as of speaking We say such a thing is very savory to the palate And we call that Palate wine which is quicke and lively briske and pleasant to the tast Thus when Elihu saith here My tongue hath spoken in my mouth or palate His meaning is I have uttered only that which I have wel considered what my tongue hath spoken to you I have tasted my selfe I have put every word to my palate For as a man that that tasteth wine or any other sapid thing must have it upon his palate before he can make a Judgement whether it be sweet or sharpe quick or flat so faith Elihu my mouth hath spoken in my palate I tasted my words before I spake them Hence note Judicious and wise men will tast and try what they intend to speake before they utter it The speaker presents his words to the tast of the hearer For as this Scripture hath it at the 3d verse of the next Chapter The eare tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat now he that ventures his words to the tast and censure of others had need take a tast of them before he doth it My tongue hath spoken in my mouth Secondly From the scope of Elihu in adding this namely to gaine attention Note There is great reason we should heare that carefully which the speaker hath prepared with care They who regard not what they speake deserve no regard when they speake but a weighing speaker should have a weighing hearer And what any mans tongue in the sence of Elihu hath spoken in his mouth that we should heare not only with our eare but with our heart This a strong argument to quicken attention yet Elihu gives in another and a stronger in the next verse Vers 3. My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart my lips shall utter knowledge clearly In the former verse Elihu called for an open eare because he opened his mouth and was about to speak or had spoken what he had well tasted In this verse he presseth the same duty by professing all manner of Ingenuity and Integrity in what he was about to speake He would speake not only seriously but honestly not only from his understanding but his conscience My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart c. The meaning is not that the uprightnesse of his heart should be the subject upon which he would treat though that be a blessed and most usefull subject yet it was not the poynt he intended to discusse but when he saith My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart his meaning is my words shall flow from the uprightnesse of my heart I will speake in the uprightnesse of my heart or according to the uprightnesse of my heart my words shall be upright as my heart is the plain truth is this Sincerè et absque ullo suco proferam animi mei sensa Bez I will speak truth plainly I 'le speak as I thinke you may see the Image of my heart upon every word I will speak without dawbing without either simulation or dissimulation Some conceive this to be a secret reproofe of or reflection upon Jobs friends as if Elihu had suspected them to have spoken worse of Job then they could thinke him to be in their hearts But as
had before him nor did Elihu look upon Job as such a puny to him or so much his underling as that he durst not hold up the Bucklers in dispute against him Elihu knew Job was an old experienced Souldier well vers'd in the wayes and things of God And therefore Secondly If thou canst may rather referre to the weaknesse and soarenesse of Job's body to the wounds or troubles which he had received and felt from the Almighty in his spirit then to any inability of his mind for argument As if Elihu had said I consider how it is with thee thou art a man diseased and distempered in thy body fitter to lye upon or keep thy bed then to stand up to a dispute fitter for a hospitall then for the Schooles Thou also hast a troubled and an afflicted spirit I doubt thou art not in case to answer me or to stand up longer in a way of dispute but this I say if thou canst answer me pray doe set thy words in order before me I will not lay this burden upon thee unlesse thou art willing to take it unlesse thou findest thou hast strength and spirit to beare and carry it through Answer me if thou canst otherwise I will speak my thoughts out and make what use of it thou pleasest Thirdly I conceive Elihu might here intend to let Job understand that he was resolved to put him to the utmost that he was resolved to bring the strongest arguments and use the quickest way of reasoning for his conviction that he could and that therefore he also adviseth Job to doe the like to doe his best to buckle himselfe to the businesse with all his might for he was not come to dally with him he would have him set his shoulders to the work and gather all the forces of his soule to the battaile he bids him bring forth even his horsemen for his defence as I may speak in allusion to that in the 12th of Jeremy If thou hast run with footmen and they have wearied thee how shalt thou contend with horses Elihu was purposed and resolved to bring out his greatest strength his horsemen to the battaile and therefore wisheth Job doe so too Thus he gives him faire warning If thou canst answer me doe thy utmost I am ready for thee Fourthly While Elihu saith If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up We may take his words as a gentle and sweete invitation to the worke As if he had sayd If thou hast spirits enow left to hold discourse with me or to reply upon me come friend spare me not set thy words in order before me I will not be a terror to thee Or there may be this condescending sence in these words of Elihu Doe not thinke O Job because I begin to speak that therefore I meane to speak all or to have all the discourse my selfe assure thy selfe I have no purpose to hinder thee in any defence which thou art able to make for thy selfe No though I am come with my best preparations to urge thee and reply upon thee as to all that hath past between thee and thy friends yet I am as willing that thou shouldest answer as I am ready prepared and prest to speake thou hast free leave to make thy Apologie to say what thou canst for thy selfe I intend not to impose upon thee nor by any Authority to compell thee to stand to my sentence as if I were thy Master or would Lord it over thee Doe and speake thy best for thy owne vindication I am ready to receive it from thee and give thee a faire account of my thoughts about it If thou canst answer me Set thy words in order before me 'T is a metaphorical speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often and most properly used for the marshalling of an Army and so is elegantly applyed here in this matter of controversie or polemicall discourse Set thy words thy reasons thy arguments as it were in battaile aray against me we had the word in the former Chapter at the 14th verse It is applyed also to the exactness of the heart in prayer not an affected exactness or curiosity about words or to word it with God but it notes exactness or spirituallness rather in meditating and disposing the strongest Scripture reasonings to prevaile with God in prayer Prayer is as it were a battaile fought in heaven not in wroth or revenge but with faith and holy submission Thus did Jacob when he wrastled with the Angel Gen 32. And thus David speaks Psal 5.3 In the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee and will look up or I will marshall my prayer I will bring up petition after petition pleading after pleading even till I am become like Jacob a Prince with God till I have won the field and got the day Thus the word is applyed by a metaphor both to disputations with men and supplications to God Further we may take the meaning plainly without any straine of rhetorique Set thy words in order before me Methode is good in every thing either an expresse or a covert methode Sometimes 't is the best of art to cover it in speaking there is a speciall use of methode for though as one said very well speaking of those who are more curious about methode then serious about matter Methode never converted any man yet methode and the ordering of words is very usefull Our speeches should not be heaps of words but words bound up not a throng of words but words set in aray or as it were in ranke and file The Prophet Joel 2.5 describes a terrible Judgement of God by a strong people set in battaile aray In pursuance of which sence Mr Broughton renders the next words not as we stand up but stand to it as Commanders say to their Souldiers stand to it and the Italian translation thus Set thy words in order before me present thy selfe to the Combate Thus he continues the metaphor As if he had said Chuse thy ground St◠quasi in acie ad pugnandum contra me convincendum me rationibus Drus and maintaine it like a valiant Champion I doe not desire thou shouldst yeild me an inch of ground yeild to nothing but the truth dispute every patch with me stand up stand to it stand as if thou wert to fight a battaile not only for thy honour but for thy life The Apostle 1 Cor 16.13 speaks in that language about our spirituall warre Watch ye stand fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viriliter agire quit your selves like men man it be strong There is such a sence in Elihu's exhortation here to Job Set thy words in order before me stand up Now in that Elihu when he was thus bent to speak and was so full of matter to speak that as he tells us in the former chapter He was like bottles of wine and that he could not hold yet gave Job faire law and bids him answer if he could
Sure enough man hath a will not to come he hath not only an inabillity but an enmity and an opposition in his will against Christ he will not come to Christ that he may be saved but would take up his salvation somewhere else he would be his own Saviour or let any one save him rather then be saved by Christ all things considered especially this that he must deny himself and neither be found trusting to his own righteousnesse nor acting any unrighteousnesse if he desires to be saved by Christ And as there is a resistance in the will of man against the true dispensation of Gospell grace so against any other dispensation whereby God speaketh to him The unchanged will of man riseth up against the will of God manifested in his works as much as against his will manifested in his word Isa 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see If his hand be lifted up in publick judgments they will not see it if in family or personall judgments and afflictions they will not see it but shut their eyes and hoodwink their own understandings Yea they are oftentimes so wilfully or rather so madly blind that they had rather say it is the hand of blind Fortune then the hand of the Allmighty and All-seeing God Now who is so blind as they that will not see Till this rebellion against the holy will of God with which the will of man is filled be cast out and subdued let him speake once yea twice let him speake by word or works by promises or by threatnings by good or evill yet man will not mark it Thus much in generall of Gods revealing himself to man In the next words we have the distinct wayes set downe by and in which he revealeth himself In a dreame c. JOB Chap. 33. Vers 15 16 17 18. In a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumberings upon the bed Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man He keepeth back his soule from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword ELihu having said in the former verse that God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not proceeds to give instance of those severall wayes by which God speaketh to man His first Instance is given v. 15. where he brings in God speaking to man in dreams and visions And as he shews us God speaking in dreams and visions so he sets downe his aymes or ends in doing so and they are three-fold First God aimes at mans instruction v. 16. Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction The second aime of God in such dispensations is repentance and humiliation v. 17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man The third and last end here exprest why God speaks by dreams and visions is mans salvation v. 18. He keepeth back his soule from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword These are the parts and specialties considerable in this context Vers 15. In a dream in a vision of the might c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pinguis grossus ex vaporibus crassis provenit somnus quem somnia consequunâ—ur The roote of the word rendred a dreame signifieth that which is thick grosse or fat and by a metaphor a dreame because dreams are naturally caused by gross and thick vapours arising from the stomack fuming up into the head Sleep is caused immediately by vapours and dreams are our work in sleep A dream is an Imagination which the minde frames and formes or which is formed and framed in the minde while we sleepe or A dream is the worke of the soule while the body is asleep Sleepe is the binding up of the outward sences hearing seeing feeling c. yet then the inward sences phantasie and memory are at liberty and free to worke The phantasie is very quick and nimble when the body lieth as a logge and stirres not The phantasie as we say builds Castles in the ayre and makes strange Chimera's in the braine by day much more by night In Dreams there is an image of things or persons represented to us When Pharoah dreamed he saw seven leane kine and seven thin ears as also seven fat kine and seven full ears of corne Jacob saw a ladder in his dreame reaching up to heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending Joseph saw his brethrens sheaves doing obeysance to his sheafe he saw also the Sun and Moone and eleven Starrs doing obeysance to him Nebuchadnezzar dreaming saw an Image with the head of gold with shoulders and breast of silver with belly and thighs of brass and leggs of Iron c. These dreamers had images as clearely represented to their mindes as any thing can be to the most waking and wakefull eye of the body And though in many dreams there are no such formall similitudes presented to the mind but only a voyce heard speaking yet nothing can be declared to us in a dreame without forming in our mind some kind of likenesse When it is sayd that God came to Abimelech Gen 20. and to Laban Gen 31. and an Angel of the Lord to Joseph Math 1. speaking to them in dreames they had such things exhibited to and impressed upon them as gave the former two assurance that God spake to them and the third that he was spoken to by an Angel of God Further We may distinguish of dreames First some are meere naturall dreames and they arise foure wayes First from the temperature of the body Melancholly and flegmaticke persons have their speciall dreames and so have men of a sanguine and of a cholericke complection The first encline to dreame of sad the second of sottish the third of pleasant things and the last of wrathfull wranglings and contendings Secondly Naturall dreames are caused by the diet or food which we eate speciall meate inclining to speciall thoughts and imaginations Thirdly Meere naturall dreams flow from the buisiness or speciall worke wherein we have been ingaged in the day as Solomon speakes Eccles 5.3 a dreame cometh thorow the multitude of buisiness that is a man dreams at night of what he hath been doing in the day Fourthly Naturall dreames arise from vehement affections to or desires of what we want and would have Thus Isa 29.7 The hungry man dreams he eats and the thirsty man dreams he drinks For being pincht with hunger and parcht with thirst his appetite is not only strong but fierce and violent after meat and drinke These and such like are naturall dreams I call them so because the rise or reason of them is seated in nature and they are such as have no other cause but what is common and naturall to man Nature let alone or left under such outward accidents will produce such dreames Seconldy There are diabolicall dreams the devill knows
He came into the world with an open eare to all the will of God and therefore it followeth in the 7th and 8th verses of that Psalme Then said I loe I come in the volume of thy booke it is written of me I delight to doe thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart Christ is brought in by another Prophet speaking to the same poynt with some little variety but with very great significancy of expression Isa 50.4 5. He wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine eare to heare as the learned we usually say Sleep is in the eye yet this prophecy intimates a sleep in the eare thou hast wakened mine eare What we are to understand by this wakened eare is cleare in the next words of the same prophecy The Lord hath opened mine eare that 's the word of Eliphaz and the consequence of opening the eare set downe in the Prophet is the same now given in this poynt The Lord hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious He doth not say The Lord opened mine eare and I heard but I was not rebellious that is I gave up my selfe to obey the word or command which I heard The same Prophet Isa 48.8 describing the rebellion of the Jewes puts this as the reason of it Yea thou heardest not that is thou didst not attend yea thou knewest not that is thou didst not understand yea thine eare was not opened as if he had sayd thine unopened eare was the cause why thou diddest neither attend nor understand nor obey the word spoken to thee So much of the first gracious designe of God in speaking to men by dreams and visions of the night Then he openeth the ears of men The second is given in the latter part of the verse And sealeth their Instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signavit obsignavit confirmavit perfecit The word signifies not only to seale but to perfect or conclude He sealeth Instruction There is a threefold use of seales and sealing First to distinguish one thing from another Secondly to keep things safe and secret Thirdly sealing is to confirme and ratifie A Bond Deed or Evidence in writing till it hath a Seale is but a scrip of paper of no force but when once the Seale is put to it then it is confirmed then there is strength and force in it A seale fortifies the writing or maketh it authentick He sealeth their Instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radico 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vincivit ligavit per metaphoram castigavit erudivit corripuit verbis aut verberibus The word here used signifies both correction and Instruction and so it is rendred by some here He openeth their eares or sealeth their chastisement Mr Broughton takes that sense And imprinteth why they are chastised that is as himselfe expounds it when he hath chastised them he sealeth up the decree of their judgement or as another He proposeth it unto them as firme and concluded if they doe not repent and imprinteth in their mind the certainty of it as also the true cause of it We render fully to the sense of the word and scope of the text Disciplinameorum velut impresso sigillo consignat Tygur He sealeth their instruction that is upon the opening of the eare there is a sealing or a setting home the word which is received When the eare is opened to receive God will make men hold what they have received The sealing of instruction signifies the efficacy energy Phrasis obsignandi eruditionem denotat efficaciter crudire sc ut non concedatur ei qui cruditur non attendere et vim eruditionis non sentire Coc or effectuall working of God with the word he ratifies and confirmes it to the soule he maketh his word as sure to them as a sealed Bond both with respect to the duty commanded and the mercy promised And indeed we have as much need to have Instruction sealed as to have the eare opened for 't is possible the eare may be opened we may heare and understand and in some sense believe yea obey and yet not have the instruction sealed The instruction is then sealed when we keepe what is received as the eare is opened when we receive what is offered Unlesse the instruction be sealed we heare and obey only for the present not for the time to come that is we doe not retaine and hide the word received for use and practise Now whether we take this sealing in reference either to correction or instruction it yeelds us matter of profitable meditation First As it referrs to correction Note God assureth sinfull man that he shall smart for it unlesse he hearken and obey It is as sure that he shall as if he saw it under hand and seale Castigationem eorum obsignat i e. significat eis se certo eos castigaturum nisi a peccato destiterint non secus ac si sententiam hanc literis mandasset easque literas obsignasset Pisc Vellicans ipsoruÌ„ aures et imminentes ipsis castigationes an â—â—is ipsorum insculpens Bez or as if the sentence were engraven upon his conscience and fixt before his eyes If the eare be not obedient to instruction the back must submit to correction If the word will not doe it the rod must if teaching will not serve the turne chastning shall He sealeth their correction Every correction threatned is not certainly inflicted for Elihu saith afterward v. 26. He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable to him but the meaning is mans correction is sealed in case he proceeds on in his sin if he does not give proof that his eare is opened by his obedience to instruction there is no escaping correction The correction of the dearest children of God is sealed if they heare and doe not God will not cocker his stubborne children nor spoyle them by sparing the rod He will certainly meet with them one time or other either by sicknesse or poverty or reproach the order the warrant is sealed for their correction We may much more apply this to the wicked to the ungodly and rebellious who though they have their outward ears open yet their hearts remain shut If the correction of the godly be sealed in that case to be sure the destruction of the wicked is they are sealed for death yea they are sealed for hell the writ of their eternall Judgement is sealed If Judgement must begin at the house of God where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare what shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel of God Further Take it as we render it referring to instruction He sealeth their instruction Whence note God is able to set home his instructions effectually upon the soule He can leave such an impression upon the heart as as shall never be forgotten nor worne out He can make every word stick And so this is but a further illustration of what was said before he openeth their
ears to receive the word and then sealeth instruction upon them The Apostle speaking of some persons converted who were the fruit of his ministry saith Ye are the seale of mine Apostleship 1 Cor 9.2 3. that is ye confirme and ratifie my ministry that it is of God and that God is in it Now as the conversion of sinners and the building up of Saints is the seale of our ministry so the sealing of instruction upon the soule is the conversion of sinners and the edification of Saints When a sinner is converted his instruction is sealed upon him and when a Saint is built up and edified and increaseth in the things of God then instruction is sealed upon him also And untill we thus profit by the word we have the word as I may say without a seale nothing fastens upon us Thus much of the first designe of God in sending dreams and visions in those times it was to open the ears of men and to seale their Instruction This being only a generall benefit aymed at by those meanes we have those which are more speciall set downe in the words which follow Vers 17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man This 17th verse containes two of those blessed ends or designes of God in revealing himselfe to man by dreams and visions or by visions in a dream of which Elihu spake in the two former verses as then he takes an opportunity to open the ears of men and seale their Instruction to fasten and fix his word upon them to make it stick and stay by them so in all this his purpose is That he may withdraw man from his purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 auferre erit vel mutare in melius The word rendred to withdraw signifies to take off or put away to remove or change for the better Isa 1.16 Put away the evill of your doings that is doe no more evill or as the Lord speakes by another Prophet Jer 44.4 O doe not this abominable thing that I hate we render the word in the other sense Job 27.2 He hath removed my Judgement farre from me There is in man a kind of settledness and resolvedness upon his purpose he will on but saith Elihu the Lord withdrawes him he stretcheth forth his hand and pull's him back He withdraweth Man Adam the earthly man The proper name of the first man is the common name of all men Man is earthly by nature and so are all his naturall purposes To draw an earthly man from that which is earthly is no easie matter only the power of God can doe it He withdraweth man From his purpose The word which we render purpose properly signifies a worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fecit and so it is translated not only elsewhere but here by severall Interpreters Mr. Broughton is expresse That the earthly man leave off to work and then by work he means an evill work as by purpose an evill purpose The word work set alone usually signifies an evill work as the word wife put alone is taken for a good wife Prov. 8.22 He that findeth a wife findeth good every one that findeth a wife doth not find good there are many bad wives only he that findeth a good wife findeth good Vt a mâ—vâ—aâ— homo opus scâ— suum et animuâ— malum Iun So on the contrary the word worke standing here alone implyeth a bad work And to withdraw man from his work or from his purpose is to withdraw him from his evill work or purpose The Septuagint gives it clearly so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept that he may withdraw man from unrighteousnesse And Mr. Broughton glossing his own translation saith that he leave off mans work and do the work of God Againe This terme work seemes opposed to the thought or concupiscence of the inner man he withdraweth man from his work that his hand may not effect what his heart hath contrived that the bitter root may not bring forth evill and bitter fruit Or if we follow our translation the sence will be the same He withdraweth man from his purpose that is he checks and stops the inward motions and workings of mans heart and so keeps him from bringing it to perfection by an outward evill work Jam. 1.15 Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished brings forth death God in great mercy takes man off from his purpose when he finds him upon an evill device or purpose he crusheth the Cockatrice's egge that it may not be hatched and destroyeth the conception of those Babylonish brats that they may never come to the birth Mic. 2.1 Woe to them that devise mischief on their beds when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand The work begins at the heart there 't is plotted and contrived the heart is the work house of sin now the Lord withdraws man from his purpose and will not suffer the inward work to be accomplished by the outward work Further we may refer these words either to what is past or to what is to come some translate referring it to what is past that he may turn Vt avertat hominem ab iis quâ— fecit Vulg. or withdraw man from those things which he hath done that is from those evills to which he hath already set his hand this is done by giving man repentance which is our being humbled for and turning away from any evill already committed Our translation refers it to what is intended to be done for that 's a purpose So the meaning is God doth these things that he may keep man from doing that evill or mischief which he hath resolved upon or at least is forming and hammering in his thoughts Abimelech had an evill purpose for the matter though possibly the purpose of his heart was not evill for he said to God and God said he spake true in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this Gen. 20.5 6. he was I say about an evill purpose for the matter when he thought to take Abrams wife from him but the Lord came to him in a dream and withdrew him from the evill of his purpose Laban intended evill or hard dealing to Jacob but the Lord met him also in a dreame and withdrew him from his purpose saying Gen. 31.24 Take heed thou speak not to Jacob neither good nor bad that is hinder him not in his journey either by threathings or by promises Thus man is taken off or withdrawn from evill purposes by preventing grace and from evill workes by repenting grace I shall prosecute the words according to our reading only which imports that when man hath some evill purpose upon his heart the Lord visits him in dreames and visions of the night to withdraw him from that purpose Hence observe First Man is very forward and eager upon
through the abundance of revelations he should he exalted above measure there was given him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him 2 Cor 12.7 that is God used extraordinary means to humble him As here God is said to humble by visions so there Paul being endanger'd to pride by receiving visions God found a strange way to humble him even by the bufferings of the messenger of Satan who is the Prince of pride and as God speaketh of the Leviathan at the 42d Chapter of this booke v. 34. a king over all the children of pride God doth so much resist pride that he cannot but resist the proud James 4 6. and scorne the scorners Pro 3.34 yea he hath told us of a day Isa 2.11 wherein the lofty lookes of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed downe and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day There are foure speciall pride subduing Considerations First They who are proud of what they have are like to have no more When the Apostle had sayd James 4.6 He resisteth the proud he presently adds but giveth more grace to the humble As if he had sayd Though the Lord hath given proud men much for 't is some gift of God and usually a great one of which men grow proud yet he will now stop his hand and give them no more The Lord gives to them who are humble and praise him not to those who are proud and praise themselves Secondly Not only doth the Lord stop his hand from giving more to those who are proud but often makes an act of revocation and takes away that which he hath already given As he who Idly puts his talent into a napkin so he who vainely and vain-gloriously shews it is in danger of having it taken away from him It is as sinfull to shew our talent proudly as to hide it negligently Nebuchadnezzar boasted proudly of his kingdome and presently it was sayd to him The kingdome is departed from thee Hezekiah boasted of his treasure Isa 39.6 and by and by the Lord told him his treasure should be taken away though not immediately from him yet from his posterity and carried to Babylon 'T is so in spiritualls when we proudly shew our treasure the treasures of our knowledge or other gifts and attainments the Lord many times in judgement sends them into captivity takes them from us and strips us naked of that cloathing and adorning whereof we are proud Thirdly If God doth not take all away yet what remaines is withered and blasted it dries up and comes to little if it be not quite removed yet it appeares no more in its former beauty and luster When God with rebukes correcteth man for this iniquity he maketh his beauty the beauty of his parts and gifts yea of his graces to consume away as David expresseth it Psal 39.11 like a moth O what a dryness and so a decayedness falls upon that soule from whom the soaking dewes and drops the sweete influences of heaven are restrained And surely if they are restrained from any they are from proud men No marvaile then if others see and they feele their witherings and even sencible declinings every day Fourthly Suppose the gifts and parts of a proud man continue florid and appeare stil acting in their former strength vigour and beauty yet God sends a secret curse upon them and though he doth not wither them yet he doth not delight in them not give them any acceptation The best things how long soever continued to proud men are no longer blessings to them yea it had been good for them that either they had never had them or that they had been soone taken away That as one sayd falsely of the life of man in generall Optimum est non nasci proximum cito mori but truely of wicked men It had been best for them not to have been borne and their next best would be to dye quickly So I may say in this case of proud men It had been best for them they never had received any eminent gifts from God and their next best would be to have them quickly taken away For as wicked men in General if they dye unconverted the longer they live the worser they live and every day by adding new heapes of sin heape up further wrath against the day of wrath So proud men in speciall the longer they have and hold their gifts their riches their honours their powers doe but abuse them the more to the increase of their sin here and without repentance shame hereafter And therefore to shut up this observation and the exposition of this verse I shall only give some few directions or counsels for the cure of this soule-sickness pride or for the pricking of a pride-swolne heart that so the winde that noxious winde of ostentation by which proud men are vainely puft up in their fleshly mindes may be let out and voyded First Let the proud man consider what he is Some have asked blasphemously What is the Almighty as we saw at the 21th Chapter of this Booke But it may well enough be asked What is man that the Almighty should be mindfull of him Psal 144.3 4. and may we not much more question againe What is man that he should be so mindfull of himselfe David a great king said to the Lord 2 Sam 7.18 Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Thus every man should say to himselfe or put the question to his owne soule Who am I or what am I that I should have a proud thought All men indeed differ in some things and some differ in very many things Men of high degree and men of low degree differ men of knowledge and ignorance differ learned and unlearned men differ And it is not only as I may say a peice of heraldry but a peice of divinity to keep up the differences of men Yet what is any man whether high or low knowing or ignorant learned or urlearned that he should be proud they all agree in this they are all dust and ashes they are all but as a shaddow or a vapour they are all as grasse or as a flower of the field and at their best estate in the very hight of their excellency they are altogether vanity How much soever men differ in other things yet in this they all agree or are all alike in this they are all vanity Then what is man that he should be proud shall dust and ashes shall a passing shaddow or a disappearing vapour shall withering grasse or fading flowers shall vanity it selfe be proud The best of men at their best are the worst of all these why then should any man be proud Yea I may put the question further How can any man be proud who knoweth what man is and acknowledgeth himselfe to be but a man I will adde yet further in this questioning way How can any man
corruption Man is called not only Adam noting the matter of which he was made earth red earth but he is called Enosh that is sorrowfull sighing groaning man he is a pined and a pining man He is also called Abel vanity a poor vain man which two latter Titles have befallen man since man fell from God Fourthly which may check the grosse Atheisme of many Observe Pain and sicknesse come not by chance nor are we to stay in nature for the cause of their coming They come not at all by chance nor doe they come altogether from naturall causes Nature hath somewhat to doe in their coming but somewhat else much more even so much more that in respect of that naturall considerations may be quite shut out and the whole cause ascribed to that But what is that surely nothing else but and nothing lesse then the will of God He is pleased to give commission to pains and sicknesses and then they come Elihu would teach Job what he owned before that God was the sender and orderer of all his afflictions as of the losses he had in his estate and children so of the pains and sicknesses which he felt in his body Moses tells the children of Israel not only that sword and captivity but the Pestilence Consumptions Feavers and burning Agues are sent by God himself Deut. 28.21 22. What are diseases but the Lords Messengers When he pleaseth he can trouble the temper and cause the humours of the body to corrupt He can make them contend with one another to the death let Physitians doe what they can to quiet and pacifie them Yea though some skillfull Physitians have kept their own bodies in so due a temper and to so exact a diet that they could not see which way a disease could take hold of them or have any advantage against them yet sicknesse hath come upon them like an armed man and carryed them away to the grave Further When Elihu saith of the sick man the multitude of his bones are chastened with strong paine Note No man is so strong but the Lord is able to bring him down by pain and sicknesse He that is strong as an Oake and hath as it were a body of brasse and sinews of iron yet the Lord can make him as weak as water The Lord hath strong pains for strong men and can quickly turne our strength into weaknesse Thus Hezekiah lamented in his sicknesse Isa 38.13 I reckoned till morning that as a Lion so will he break all my bones God can arme diseases with the strength of a Lion who not only teareth the flesh but breaketh the bones with his teeth David saith Psal 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth surely every man is vanity The word there rendred beauty signifieth desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desiderabile bene sanum et bene curatum corpus denotat thou makest his desire or that which is most desireable in him to fade away we well translate beauty because beauty draweth the desires of man after it and is so much desired yea lusted after by man Now as when the Lord doth but touch the body he can make the beauty so also the strength of it to consume away as a moth Sixtly whereas it is said He is chastened with pain upon his bed We learne The Lord can make those things easelesse and restless to us which use to give us most ease and rest He that being up is weary weary with walking riding or labouring hopeth to find ease in his bed yet then doth pain deny him rest there and filleth him as Job complained Chap. 7.4 with tossings too and fro unto the dawning of the day The Lord can make the Stocks or a Rack easie to us and our beds as uneasie to us as the Stocks or a Rack usually are Lastly observe The purpose of God in chastening man with sickness is to teach and instruct him not vex and destroy him The Lord hath many designes upon man when he afflicts him about all which he instructs him by affliction He designes First To humble and breake the stoutness of mans spirit hence sicknesses and afflictions are called humiliations and the same word signifies both to be afflicted and humbled Secondly To make men taste how bitter a thing sin is This is thy wickâ—dness saith the Lord of his sore Judgements brought upon his people Israel Jer 4.18 Because it is bitter Ye would not taste the evill or bitterness of sin by instruction therefore I will teach you by affliction Thirdly To put sorrowfull sinfull man upon the search of his owne heart and the finding out of the errour of his wayes While men are strong and healthfull they seldome find leisure for that worke And therefore they are confined by sickness to their houses to their chambers yea to their beds that they may attend it and read over the whole book of their lives Lam 3.39 40. Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Let us search and try our wayes and turne to the Lord. That 's mans worke upon his bed and 't is Gods aime in binding him to his bed that he may have liberty for that worke Fourthly Afflictions are design'd by God to bring man out of love with sin yea to stirre up a holy hatred and revenge in him against it as upon many other accounts so upon this because it rewardeth him so ill and he finds such unsavoury fruits of it A little digging will discover sin to be the roote of all those evill and bitter fruits which we at any time are fed with in this world Sin is the gall in our cup and the gravel in our bread and we are made to taste bitterness and finde trouble that we may both know and acknowledge it to be so Fifthly The purpose of God in afflicting us is to set us a praying to and seeking after him We seldome know our need of him till we feele it Hos 5.15 In their affliction they will seek me early affliction puts man upon supplication yet every man who is afflicted doth not presently seek God many in their affliction mind not God they seek to men not to God a crosse without a Christ never made any seek God but affliction through the workings of the Spirit of Christ is a meanes to bring the soule to God and we see the effect of it at the beginning of the next Chapter in the same Prophet Hos 6.1 Come let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heale us c. Sixthly God is pleased to exercise us with crosses for the exercise of our Graces or to set grace aworke Grace hath most businesse to doe when we are taken off from all worldly business and are layd upon our bed our sick-bed Some worke is not done so well any where else as there And many graces worke best when 't is worst
cited They shall be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold God will be favourable to them that is he will give them favours to wear for him he will put markee of honour upon them they shall not only be benifited but beautified and crowned with salvation God expressed that highest favour and most indeared affection which he bare to his own Son as serving him by no better nor more emphaticall word then this Isa 42.1 Behold my serâ—ant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth What is or can be more delightfull to God then his Son and what can be more comfortable to man then to hear and know that God delighteth in him and bears favour to him through his Son with the same affection as he doth to his only begotten Son He will be favourable unto him Whence note First God is well pleased with he is favourable to and delighted in an humble sinner When a sinner is brought upon his knees and becomes a suppliant when as he is laid low by affliction so he lyeth low in prayer and supplication then the Lord will be savourable to him and shew his delight in him The Lord delighteth not in the strength of the horse he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man Ps 147.10 11. No man is favoured by God because of his outward favour because he hath a beautifull face or strong cleane limbs yea not only hath the Lord no pleasure in any mans legs but not in any mans braines how reaching soever nor in any mans wit how quick soever nor in any mans judgment how deep soever nor in any mans tongue how eloquent or well spoken soever but the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy in those that walk humbly with him and call upon him Let me saith Christ to his Spouse Cant. 2.14 hear thy voyce for it is sweet he meanes it not of an artificiall singing voyce but of a spirituall praying voyce That 's the musick which the Church makes for Christ Nothing is so tunable nor takes the eare and heart of Christ like the voyce of prayer and praise from a gracious heart All the beauties and rarities both of persons and things are dull and flat yea wearisome and loathsome to God in comparison of a gracious honest humble soul Princes have their favourites they are according to the language of this Text favourable to some above many either because they are beautifull and goodly persons or because they are men of excellent speech prudence and comportment All godly men are Gods Favourites he is favourable to them not only above many men in the world but above all the men of this world who have their portion in this life And he therefore favours them because they are the purchase of his Son and the workmanship of his Spirit convincing them of and humbling them for their sins as also creating them after God in righteousness and true holiness Such shall be his favourites Secondly Consider the coherence or dependance of these words He shall call unto God and he will be favourable unto him Whereas before all his complainings and outcryes stood him in no stead now being humbled effectually and taking hold of the righteousness shewed and offered him by the Messenger of God he no sooner makes suit to God but is heard Hence Note God first shewes regard to the person then to the offering to prayers and services This truth may be understood two wayes First in reference to the state of grace When Abel and Cain brought their sacrifices or offerings God had respect to Abel and his offering but to Cain and his offering had no respect Gen. 4.4 5. Abel was in a state of grace Cain was not so the Apostle states their case Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he his person was righteous God testifying of his gifts and what did he testifie surely that his gifts were brought in faith and were presented from a principle of grace which Cain had not and therefore God did not approvingly testifie of his gifts Till we close with God by faith God doth not close with our services by acceptance Secondly as this is true in reference to the state of grace so in reference to somewhat in the present actings or dispositions of those who are gracious 'T is possible for a godly man to act so sinfully and to be so ill disposed to the frame of his heart that God may seem to deny acceptation to his prayers and services David said Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me And God told the Jewes his Covenant people Isa 1.15 When ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood Thus while they who have a state interest in Christ walke unworthy of it they are under the frownes of God and his dis-acceptation of all their duties till they renew their repentance and humble themselves And I conceive this was the case of the sick man in the Text in whom doubtlesse he aimed at Job whom Elihu granted to be a godly man yet under great distempers of spirit which must be healed removed before he could so call upon or pray unto God as he would be favourable to him or give him testimonie of his favour Thus we see in both these references how the person of a man must be respected and in favour before his prayers can For as we can have no benefit by the intercession of Christ till we accept his person so God will not give us any benefit by our supplications till himself accepteth our persons which he doth only in Christ Many would be saved by Christ they would be pardoned and get to heaven they would enjoy the benefits and priviledges which he hath purchased for his people but they neglect Christ himself nor doe they think of closing with his person Now I say as unlesse we have respect to the person of Christ and desire union with him we have nothing to doe with his benefits so unless God hath respect to our persons we get no benefit no answer of our prayers Thirdly Note To have the favour of God or to be accepted with him is the top and summe of all desireable favours 'T is the Alpha and Omega the first and last of all other favours to find God favourable to us if God be favourable to us it matters not much who frowns upon us or what foul weather we meet with in this world And as to be in his favour should be the chief of all our desires so to be assured of his favour should be the chief of all our studies and cares 2 Cor. 5.7 Herein saith the Apostle we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him The word notes to labour ambitiously as if he had said
of all things say Naturalists especially of all men runs out to good And the better any man is the better is that good which he desireth yea if any man be truly good he desireth that which is best for the enjoyment of God wherein alone happinesse doth consist is his ultimate and highest end But what doth he to reach this end Solomon poynts us to two things First he separateth himselfe from all those lets and impediments which stop up the way or lye crosse to his desire Secondly He seeketh and intermedleth with all wisdome with all reall and substantiall wisdome as the word there used signifieth for he knoweth that nothing but such wisdome acted in wise wayes is proper and successefull for the promoting of that noble end Now if nothing but wisdome can lead us to that end what is there worth the learning or knowing except that which makes us wise Fourthly From that frame of spirit which Elihu observed in Job Note They that are humble and meek are fittest to learne wisdome God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 The humble soule hath received grace already and that grace received is the way to all grace Psal 25.9 The meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach his way The way of God is wisdome and they whom God teacheth shall undoubtedly learne it Lastly To teach spirituall wisdome or to teach man how to be spiritually wise is the best lesson that can be taught They are blessed Masters who make such Schollars The whole discourse of Elihu is about spirituall wisdome not about the wisdome of the world which God will destroy not how to climbe the pinnacles of honour and get high in the world not how to gather riches and to lade our selves with thick clay it was not how to be great or rich but it was how to be holy and humble how to give glory to God and be fitted for glory with God these were the lessons of wisdome which Elihu taught Job and these are lessons chiefly to be taught and learned by every man who undertakes to be a teacher or desires to be a learner Thus Elihu hath concluded his first discourse with a promise to teach Job wisdome and how well he performed and made good his promise will appeare to his praise in opening the following Chapters JOB Chap. 34. Vers 1 2 3 4. Furthermore Elihu answered and said Heare my words O ye wise men and give ear to me ye that have knowledge For the car tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat Let us chuse to us judgement let us know among our selves what is good THe former Chapter concluded Elihu's first discourse with Job and we may well suppose that he had made some pause to try whether Job would give him an answer as he had Invited him to doe But perceiving him silent and forbearing to speak he himselfe proceeds to this second speech In which we may consider First His Preface in the foure first verses Secondly His charge or accusation brought against Job from the 5th verse Inclusively to the 10th Exclusively Thirdly We have the refutation of what Job said of himselfe and seem'd to charge upon God this is prosecuted with much variety from the 10th to the 30th verse of this Chapter In the foure last verses Elihu gathers up the strength of all he had sayd and makes his Conclusion The foure verses now under hand are a Preface to this second undertaking of Elihu with Job In which we have First His transition from what he had said to what he was about to say in the first verse Furthermore Secondly We have his address or application to those about him for audience and diligent attention to what he had to say in the 2d and 3d verses Heare O ye wise men c. Thirdly We have his motion and the motion which he makes is that the whole proceedure of the businesse might be both faire and friendly as also judicious and just or that they might to the utmost endeavour after a right understanding and discerning of the matter before them v. 4. Let us chuse to our selves judgement c. Vers 1. Furthermore Elihu answered and said or and Elihu answered and said It may here be questioned by what propriety of speech it can be said that Elihu answered seeing Job made no reply to what he had sayd before To this query I say First that in Scripture both the beginning of a speech and the continuance of it where nothing hath been interposed is called an answer we find it so frequently in the Gospel Math 11.25 Then Jesus answered and said there was no question no discourse antecedent yet it is called an answer The like is observable in the 17th of Mathew v. 4. and John 2.18 Secondly We may resolve the doubt thus though Job said nothing now to which Elihu made answer yet he had said much which was yet unanswered altogether unanswered by Elihu therefore Elihu might say that he proceeded to answer the many matters of Jobs former speech to which as yet he had given no answer This may suffice to shew how or why that which he sayd further was an answer let us now consider what Elihu answered and said Vers 2. Heare my words O ye wise men and give eare to me ye that have knowledge As if he had said I will not be my owne Judge in this matter I referre it to the judgement of wise and knowing men let them determine it We may here take notice First of the character given the persons to whom Elihu spake or did address his speech they were wise men men that had knowledge Secondly We may take notice of the earnestness of his exhortation or admonition to mind what he had to say Give ear O ye wise men O ye men that have knowledge For the clearing of these words we must enquire first who is a wise man who a man that hath knowledge a wise man in distinction to a man that hath knowledge is a man of mature judgement of cleare understanding and solid prudence in the managing either of discourses or actions A man of knowledge is one that hath improved his understanding by study reading or long experience Some men are wise who yet have not much knowledge and some have a great deale of knowledge who have very little wisdome Now Elihu speaks to his auditory as consisting or made up both of wise and knowing men O ye wise men that have great understanding and judgement and O ye men of knowledge that have attained to learning and skill in all things knowable heare my words and give eare Here was a choice and select auditory wise men and men of knowledge Secondly It may be queried whom Elihu intends by these wise men and men that had knowledge Some conceive he takes in all that were present at that long and solemn conference between Job and his friends and that he deciphers the whole Company under
before we judge either of things or persons Though we may judge rightly of that we have not heard or of that which we have heard slightly yet we are not right Judges of any matter till we have heard it 'T is possible to hit upon a right judgement blind-fold but Judges must not be blind nor judge blind-fold To judge right not knowing it to be so shall have no better reward then a wrong judgement Yea they that are called to judge must both heare and give eare else they may quickly give wrong judgement Againe Elihu is speaking here to wise and good men yet how strictly doth he exhort them Heare and give eare Hence note Good men are often dull of hearing and had need to be put forward Christ tells his Disciples that many are judicially so and we know that all are naturally so Math 13.15 and the Apostle tells the Hebrewes they were so Chap 5.11 where treating of Christ called of God an high Priest after the order of Melchisedeck he concludeth of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing ye are dull of hearing But how did their dullness of hearing make those things hard to be spoken or uttered may it not be easie enough for a man to utter that which others are dull to heare I answer the Apostles meaning seemes to be this It was hard for him to utter or expound them so as they might perceive the cleare truth of those great mysteries because their internal eare or apprehending faculty was weake and dull There is a stople in the eare of man and 't is hard to pull it out When any one speakes to purpose 't is the duty of those that are present to heare and yet he that speakes had need to invite and presse all to heare yea to heare and give eare The words of the wise are goads to provoke and pricke us on to heare the truth as well as nayles to fasten it Eccl 12.11 Elihu having called wise men to heare or eare his words sheweth the use or force of the eare in the next verse Vers 3. For the ear tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat In this verse Elihu gives the reason why he so earnestly exhorted them to heare and give ear The ear tryeth words that is by the hearing of the ear words are tryed It is the office of the eare to conveigh words to the understanding that so a judgement may be made of them before they are either received or rejected The word which we translate to try 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pericula fecit probavit signifies to try as gold is tryed in the fire the eare is as it were a furnace wherein words are tryed the ear will discover whether what is sayd be dross or pure mettal The Prophet Zach 13.9 speaketh of a third part of men that should be brought thorow the fire and tryed as the fire of affliction and persecution tryeth persons so man hath a fire and a touchstone in his eare which tryeth words The ear is given not only to heare a sound of words not only to understand the general meaning of words what they signifie in any language but the eare is given to try the sense and soundness of words And when Elihu saith words speaking indefinitely he includeth all words of one sort or other it tryeth good words and it tryeth bad words it tryeth heavenly words and it tryeth earthly words it tryeth naturall words and it tryeth spirituall words the truth or falshood of words are brought to tryall at the barre and tribunall of the eare But in what manner or after what similitude doth the eare try words The answer followeth as the mouth tasteth meat In the 12th Chapter we had the same expression and therefore I shall not stay upon it here Only there the sentence is made up by a particle Copulative The ear tryeth words and the mouth tasteth meat Here by a particle of likeness The eare tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat There is a faire analogy or proportion between the eare and the mouth in discriminating their proper obiects Hearing and tasting are two of those five excellent usefull senses which God hath planted in the nature of man the other three are seeing smelling feeling Here we have a comparison between two of the five senses look what the mouth is to meat the same is the ear to words In the mouth the sense of tasting is placed as a Judge to discerne between good and bad savory and unsavory meates and the eare of a man which receiveth words is accompanied with an understanding whereby we apprehend what is true what is false what is to be approved and what refused And the comparison runs yet more clearely while we consider that as the food which the mouth receiveth is prepared for the helpe of our natural or bodily life so the words of instruction which the eare receiveth are prepared for the food of our soules and the maintaining of our spirituall life Some conceive the comparison is not here made between the two senses of tasting and hearing but that both are compared to those wise and knowing men spoken of and to whom appeale is made in the former verse For as all the senses are not fitted to judge of words and meates but only the eare and palate so all men are not fit nor capable to judge of weighty matters and profound questions but only wise and knowing men And so according to this interpretation both or either of these sensitive faculties and both or either of their properties are alike compared to wise and learned men who are able not only to understand the sound of words but also exercise a judgement upon them both to discerne and determine what there is of truth and right in them Sapientia est sapida scientia Hence that saying of the Ancient Wisdome is a savory knowledge Wise men tast and savour the things which they know He surely was a wise man who sayd of the word of God Jer 15.16 Thy words were sound and I did eate them and thy word was to me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Heare O ye wise men and give ear to me ye that have knowledge the ear tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat that is as the ear of a man tryeth words and as the mouth of a man doth tast meat so wise and knowing men try and tast that which is spoken and heard Thus both these sensitive faculties their properties and powers are compared to wise men who doe not only heare the voyce of him that speaketh but sit downe to consider it The mouth having taken meat and chawed it tasts it and makes a judgement of it Thus wise men deal with all they hear so that look what these two natural faculties doe with naturall things with words naturally spoken with meat naturally eaten the same they who are wise and knowing do to what is spoken spiritually and rationally
they try and judge it But I conceive we need not insist strictly upon this For whether we compare these two senses in their severall operations to wise men or whether we compare them in their operations one with another yet according to the sense of our translation the meaning of Elihu is the same namely that those wise men to whom he spake should not only hear but try what they heard because they had received a power so to do for the ear tryeth words even at the mouth tasteth meat There is a twofold eare there is an outward eare Auris interna dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae vox alibi legitur in Graeca editione pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum sit ipsa mens quae verba et res dijudicat Drus and an inward eare And so a twofold tryall The outward eare tryeth words of what signification they are whether they are as we say good English or Latine c. It tryeth them also as to their grammaticall sense or the construction of what is spoken in the letter The inward eare or understanding tryeth them as to their logicall sense scope and tendency as to their use and force in the matter they are spoken to Both wayes the eare tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meate only with this difference that the tryall which the mouth makes is meerly sensitive and both begun and perfected in the mouth but the tryall which the ear makes is chiefly intellectuall it is begun at the ear but perfected by the understanding It is the mind which judgeth the eare only brings in the report of things to the mind Hence Note First The sense of hearing is a great mercy and of great use to mankind The eare is the chiefe Gate or inlet to the soul Aurem audientem dicit auditorem verbi obedientem Beda nor were our eares given only for an Ornament to the head but for the enriching and bettering of the heart The naturally rationall eare given to heare and try words is a mercy but when a spiritually rationall ear is given with it to heare and try words that 's a mercy indeed Solomon saith Prov. 20.12 The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them These naturall senses are of Gods own creation and the use of them his blessing yet common to all mankind good and bad but the spirituall senses of seeing and hearing are a speciall priviledge promised to the elect and a fruit of Gospel grace Isa 35.5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall be unstopped He meaneth it not either only or chiefly of the bodily eyes and eares though Christ wrought miracles upon them and healed both the blind and deafe in the dayes of his flesh but of the eyes and eares of the soul which are often darke and stopt while the other are free enough in the exercise of their severall faculties The seeing eye which both Solomon and Isaiah intend is the eye which so seeth as that it followeth the good which it seeth and that 's their hearing eare which beleeveth and obeyeth what it heareth A superficiall seeing eye is a blind eye and a formall hearing eare is a deafe eare in the sight and account of God We say it is the symptome of some distemper or growing disease upon the body when the pallate doth not rellish meate Surely it argueth a diseased and sick soul when we have no mind to heare nor find rellish in the word of God Secondly Note Words are not to be received nor submitted to nor beleeved as true till they are tryed Itching eares are bad 2 Tim. 4.3 Trying eares are good You will not swallow your meat till you have chewed and tasted it nor should you swallow words till you have tryed them why else have we eares to heare why are we trusted with reason to judge things with or with rules to judge them by There is no greater Tyranny in the World then to command a man to beleeve by an implicit faith as others beleeve or to impose our opinions and assertions upon those that hear them and not to give them liberty to try them This is to be at once as the Apostle James expresseth it Chap. 3.1 many Masters or many Masters where we should not be one But some will say when the Word of God is preached is that to be tryed by men have we a liberty to take that into consideration or to take and refuse it as we are perswaded in our own judgments I answer The word of God is not to be brought to the barre nor to be tryed by man The word of God is our Judge therefore ought not to be judged by us the word of God is perfect and how can we that are imperfect judge that which is perfect The word of God is truth and all men are lyars we are not therefore to judge the word of God nor try that Yet when any man speaks of or from the word of God we are to try what he speakes that is whether what he speaks be according to the word of God and his doctrine or interpretation grounded on the Text. Every one that speakes about spirituall things professeth he brings the word of God and it must be tryed whether he doth so or no. It is a truth to which all are to submit without dispute by beleeving that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners to wash away their sins with his blood This is the word of God yet when this truth is Preached we may consider whether it be mannaged according to the word of God or no. This great doctrine which containes the summe of the Gospel may have such things mingled with it as are not to be received for the word of God Some in the primitive time thought and taught that there was no salvation by Christ unlesse they still kept the ceremoniall Law and were circumcised though they held that fundamentall truth that Christ dyed to save sinners yet when they came to the explication of it they destroyed it by urging a necessity of continuing the ceremoniall Law whereas others judged rightly that faith only without the use of any Jewish ceremony purifieth the heart Therefore a counsell of spirituall and godly wise men was called to consider of this matter Acts 15.6 What to doe not to try the Word of God but to try which of those two different opinions was according to the Word of God Thus when we hear a Sermon though the Word of God and Christ crucified be the generall subject of it and that is not to be tryed but received by faith and obeyed yet what is spoken upon it and delivered about it as the mind of God in the Scripture that is to be tryed 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spirituall tryeth or judgeth all things And againe 1 Cor. 14.29 the Apostle gives this counsell about prophesying Let one or two speak and let the
what is good what is right is a gracious work of a renewed will as Gods Election of us from Eternity so our Election of God and the things of God at any time is a very gracious worke This affirmative act To chuse to us judgement seemes to imply a negative the rejecting or laying aside of whatsoever is contrary to or a hindrance of Judgement that is the laying aside First of all animosities or undue heates of spirit Secondly of all prejudices and undue prepossessions Thirdly of all groundlesse suspitions and jealousies of the person we have to deale with we can never chuse judgement till we are cleare of all these The original word rendred to chuse signifies in the noune a young man a man in the flower of his age in the best of his life when his breasts as Job spake at the twentieth Chapter are full of milke and his bones of marrow and the reason is given because our younger time is our chusing time as to our way in this world it should be so much more for heaven or the things of another world Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth saith Solomon Eccl 12.1 Some render those words expressely In the dayes of thy elections or chusings As if he had sayd Remember to chuse God in thy chusing dayes when thou chusest thy calling in which to live when thou chusest a wife In diebus electionum tuarum Mont with whom to spend thy life then be sure and remember above all things to chuse God When Moses was a young man he was famous for this Choice Heb 11.25 26. He chose the reproach of Christ rather then the riches of Egypt when he had all the riches and honours of Egypt presented to him and courting him on the one side and the reproach of Christ affliction poverty disgrace threatning him on the other side he chose these rather who would thinke that man wise who should chuse the reproach of Christ in appearance nothing but dirt and dross before the riches of Egypt yet Moses never shewed his wisdome and learning so much in all the learning of the Egyptians as he did in that Choice Let us chuse Judgement Judgement may be taken two wayes First Judicium est causae inquisitio Judicium pro aequo Merc. for the act of enquiry let us discourse and debate this matter to find out what is just Judgement is the result or sentence given upon hearing and debate And most properly a right sentence is Judgement and that by Judgement Elihu meanes a right sentence appeares clearely from the next words And let us know among our selves what is good Communis hic sit nobis propositus scopus ut accurata judicij lance quae hactenus in hac causa dicta sunt probemus quod optimum est approbemus Scult Let us know that is let us so try by the ear what shall be spoken that we may come to a right knowledge to a right gust or tast of what is good There is a two-fold knowledge First of simple intelligence when we know any thing as it is precisely in its owne nature true or false good or evill Secondly of approbation when we conclude what we know to be true or good We may take in both here especially the latter It being doubtlesse the desire of Elihu to find truth and goodness if it were to be found on Jobs side And when he saith That we may know what is good we may understand it either Comparatively or Positively that we may know what is good is first that we may know good from evill Secondly that we may know among good things what is better yea what is best let us not only distinguish between good and bad but between good and better better and best The reason of man is able to put a difference not only between wheat and tares but if you bring him severall samples of wheat or other graine he is able to judge which is the better which is best a knowing man will judge to two pence in a bushell which is best so in all other commodities we not only judge between that which is good and that which is stark nought but when we have many parcels and particulars of any kinde before us good and usefull we judge which is the best which the principall Thus in spiritualls we are not only to judge of things so farre as to know good from evill which yet is a very good piece of knowledge for many put darkness for light and light for darkness bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter as the Prophet complained Isa 5.20 that is they huddle all things together in a Chaos of confusion but it should be our care to know good from good yea to know what excells among things that are excellent 'T is well when we know truth from falshood but we should labour to know which among truths is the most precious truth Paul having spoken of what was good yea of the best gifts saith Yet I will shew you a more excellent way 1 Cor 12.31 As if he had sayd sayd This is a good way you are in the exercise of the best gifts but here 's a more excellent way the exercise of grace Thus here I take good not so much Positively as Comparatively Let us know what is good that is what is best and what is best of all Let us chuse to our selves Judgement and know among our selves that which is good First In that he saith Let us chuse to our selves Judgement Observe We must consider deliberately and maturely before we pass Judgement Judgement is a choice thing and must be made upon choyce it is not to be snatched up hastily but duely chosen They that are upon the choyce either of things or persons should be much in Consideration How uncomely besides unrighteous is it to judge men or matters rashly to be hurried on to election with passion or to judge upon heare-sayes and Conjectures This is not to chuse Judgement but to snatch it up to chuse Judgement is to doe it with mature deliberation there must be much weighing else properly no judging rash judgement is usually wrong judgement and that layeth us open to another judgement Judge not that ye be not judged is Christs warning Math 7.1 that is doe not judge hastily or harshly doe not judge rashly nor rigidly much lesse falsely for if you do you shall be judged righteouâ—â—y indeed as to your case but not comfortably as to your condition They who will not chuse Judgement doe in the issue chuse Judgement that is not using deliberation in Judgement they draw deservedly upon themselves a judgement of condemnation Secondly Taking it more generally Let us chuse to our selves Judgement or that which is right Note It is not enough for us to doe Judgement or that which is right but we must chuse it 'T is a worke of no acceptation with God to doe that which is just unlesse
they have directly done or spoken yet stand it out in pleading their excuse and will never fall downe before reproofes though what they have done or spoken amisse be so plaine that it needs no proofe We should be carefull to speake and doe such things as are not subject to reproofe but when through ignorance or rashness we have run into an error either of speech or practise we should be so humble as to subject our selves to reproofe and take it well that we are rebuked for any evill As it doubles an offence to undertake the defence of it so not to defend an offence abateth and lesseneth it And as he who goeth about to cover his fault by finding out arguments and pleas for it sheweth that he hath a will or purpose to continue in it so he that is silent and hath not a word to say for it gives a good testimony both of his sorrow that he ever committed it and of his resolution never to commit it any more They are highly to be commended who live unblameably and they deserve no small commendation who being sensible of their owne fayling can patiently beare the blame of it without replying upon their reprovers JOB Chap. 34. Vers 10 11. Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding far be it from God that he should doe wickednesse and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity For the work of a man shall he render unto him and cause every man to find according to his wayes ELihu having done with Jobs charge for severall unwarrantable sayings in the former context begins his refutation here and directs his speech First To Jobs friends speaking to them from the 10th to the 16th verse Secondly To Job himselfe from the 16th verse of this Chapter to the 34th In the two verses now read we have two generall poynts First A vehement deniall of any unrighteousnesse in God v. 10. Secondly A strong proofe or demonstration that there is no unrighteousnesse in God at the 11th verse He enters this confutation of Job or the vindication of the honour of God from what Job had sayd with an inviting Preface Vers 10. Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding Elihu like a cunning Orator often stirr'd up his auditors to attention and made frequent insinuations to winde himselfe and what he had to say into their good opinion Here he bespake not the promiscuous multitude or common sort of hearers but wise men or men of understanding such as are most fit to judge the weight and strength of those arguments and reasons by which any poynt is proved and confirmed Hearken unto me ye men of understanding The Hebrew is ye men of heart so the Margin hath it As the heart is the principle of naturall life so the principles powers of the rationall life are often ascribed to the heart Job told his friends Chap. 12.3 I have a heart we render I have an understanding as well as you Egregiè cordatus homo i. e. valde sapiens Cic 1. Tuscul and in good Authors a hearty man signifies not only a man of courage or a man of spirit but a man of knowledge and understanding a man more then ordinarily wise a man of the highest Elevation for wisdome is called a hearty man Naturalists have ascribed the moving of severall passions to severall internall parts of the body laughter say they riseth from the spleene anger from the Gall love from the liver but to the heart they give more then a passion understanding which is the noblest faculty of reason Here Elihu calls upon men of heart or of understanding to hearken to him Hence note First The best may need to have their attentions quickened Some will not heare at all they are like the deafe adder Psal 48.4 5. that stoppeth her eare which will not hearken to the voyce of the charmtr charming never so wisely The Prophet reproves such Jer. 6.10 To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may heare behold their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken behold the Word of the Lord is to them a reproach they have no delight in it they cannot hearken that is they will not or they cannot hearken that is spiritually and obedientially though they have a naturall yet they have not a gracious eare as the same Prophet chap. 11.6 7 8. upbraided them yet they obeyed not nor enclined their eare This sinfull deafnesse the Lord complained of also Psal 81.8 Heare O my people saith God and at the 11 verse My people would not hearken to my voyce Now as bad men will not heare at all to purpose so the best seldome hear so well or to so good purpose as they ought and might Men of heart or of understanding are sometimes slow of hearing and may need to have their eare awakened Secondly note It is an incouragement in speaking to have understanding hearers When a people have not only eares but hearts to heare then the word is heard indeed We may suppose understanding men will probably prove the best hearers the Prophet was in hope to find it so though he failed of his hopes Jer. 5.4 Surely these are poore they are foolish men of low parts and thin intellectualls for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgment of their God I will get me to the great men and will speake unto them for they have knowne the way of the Lord they are wise surely and understanding yet he was disappoynted in his recourse to them as it followeth in the same verse but these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds There is a naturall wisdome which hindereth the hearing of the word therefore the Apostle saith Not many wise men after the flesh are called that is savingly called the word hath its full effect upon few of them they are not prevailed with to beleeve and obey they are called but they come not Though wisdome be an advantage to profitable hearing yet all naturall wise men doe not hear profitably nor indeed can any by all the wisdome of nature Thirdly note A man without understanding is a heartlesse man Headlesse men are heartlesse men It is said Hos 7.11 Ephraim is like a silly dove without a heart All the people of God are or should be innocent doves like doves for innocency and gracious simplicity but how unbecoming is it that any of them should be doves for sillinesse or silly doves without a heart that is without any spirit or courage for God and the things or wayes of God To be without a heart is to be without a due apprehension of the mind of God or any true conformity thereunto 't is to have no knowledge either to doe good or to be good all such are silly doves without a heart without understanding and all such are yet unfit and unprepared hearers Hearken to me ye men of understanding Farre be it from God that he should doe wickedly The Septuagint
be answered for whether good or bad Math. 12.36 37. For every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment for by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned that is it shall be rendered to thee according to thy words or as thy words have been so it shall be with thee Nor secondly are we to take the works of a man exclusively or in opposition to his thoughts as if God would render to man what he hath acted outwardly but not what he hath acted inwardly or would passe by his thoughts We must give an account of our thoughts which are the spring of our works as well as of our words which are the publishers and proclaimers of them God shall bring every work saith Solomon Eccl. 12.14 to judgment and every secret thing the most secret whispers of the tongue and the most secret plottings contrivings devisings designings yea the simple and single thinkings of the heart These are not only the moulds and principles of every work but every one of these is a work and all of them the whole work of the inner man whose work or what is wrought there is chiefly as well as only under the inspection and eye of God Againe The work of a man shall he render unto him c. He doth not say the works of another man shall he render to any man but the work of a man shall he render to him he that doth the work shall have the reward the works of one man shall not be rendered to another but every mans own works shall As the faith of another man shall not help us if we have no faith Abrahams faith who had a mighty faith will doe us no good if we have no faith of our own so the good works of another man shall doe us no good if we have none of our own And as not the good works so the evill works of others shall not be rendered to us The hurtfull works of others shall not hurt us if we doe no hurt I grant we may partake of the evill works of others yea we may make other mens works our own either by consenting to them before they are done or by approving them after they are done or by not reproving them when we have opportunity In these and many other cases we may make other mens evill works our own and so farre as other mens works are our own God shall render them also unto us Hence that caution given by the Apostle to Timothy 1 Tim. 5.22 Lay hands suddainly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sins keep thy self pure They that partake in any of those wayes mentioned before or in any other way of any mans sins may also quickly partake of his punishment Thus John heard a voyce from Heaven Rev. 18.4 saying come out of her that is out of Babylon my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Not only is that work ours which we doe but that also may be ours by participation which others do And by what title soever a work becomes any mans the worke of the man shall God render unto him And he will cause every man to find according to his wayes This latter part of the verse containes the same thing with the former in another cloathing of words In semita virt inveniet eum Some read the Text thus and he will find every man in his way let man goe in what way he will God will meet with him That 's a truth God will meet or find a man in a good way to incourage guide assist and reward him And God will meet or find a man in an evill way to stop oppose and punish him God will find every man in his way and man shall find God to him according as the way is wherein he findeth him We render very well and fully to the sence he will cause every man to find according to his way I find an Interpreter over-curiously distinguishing between a mans work and his way which doubtlesse here in effect Cajetanus are the same yet there may be a graduall difference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 via actiones significat quatenus ad finem diriguntur Quemadmodum via initur metae et termini causa Emphaticè via dicuntur actiones ad certum finem directa Coc work being taken for this or that particular act and way for a continued course either good or evill Againe The way of a man may be considered in association with his ends Every man goeth such or such a way for some speciall end no man takes a step in any way without a purpose nor doth any wise or good man take a step in any way without a good purpose Yet there is finis operis an end or issue of the work as also finis operantis an end proposed by the worker And oftentimes that proves to be the end of a work which was not the end purposed by the worker The end of a mans work or way proves sometimes better and sometimes worser then he proposed Possibly a man may not find according to that end of his way and work which he intended not whether good or evill But assuredly whatsoever good or evill end a man proposeth to himself when he enters upon his work or way God will cause him to find accordingly So that when Elihu saith God will cause every man to find according to his way he intimates that God will not only render to man according to the matter of his work or outward path of his way but well considereth every mans scope and intendment or what he would have his work issue in and causeth him to find as he findeth that to be As the end which man proposeth to himselfe hath a great influence upon his way so upon his account with God about it This is a good sence God will cause every man to find according to his way both as his way is taken for the matter or course of his actions as also sor the scope and design of them Hence Observe First Every man shall have according to what he hath done Our receivings will be according to our layings out whether good or evill God is so farre from doing any man wrong that every man shall have his due reward Psal 62.12 Also to thee O Lord belongeth mercy for thou renderest to every man according to his work And lest any should hope to escape the evill which at least some of their evill works deserve by the secrecy of them that hope is quite dashed because God is the searcher and seer not only of our works but of our hearts Prov. 24.12 Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it and he that keepeth the soul doth not he know it what followes and shall not he render to every man according to his works Solomon speaks in that place
in shall be unpunished Further God will not render to man according to the opinion he hath of himselfe A bad man and the worst of his workes may be good in his owne conceit He may flatter himselfe in his owne eyes untill his iniquity be found to be hatefull Psal 36.2 But God will render unto man according to what his workes are in truth Secondly God will not render to man according to the thoughts which others have of him and of his work some are high in the opinion not only of the world but of some Good men they have a name to be alive while they are dead and their workes dead workes but God will render to man according to that cleare certaine and infallible knowledge which himselfe by whom actions are weighed 1 Sam 2.3 hath of them Thirdly God will not render to man according to his good meanings when his workes are evill many will confesse they have done amisse but they had good intendments in it A right end will not excuse us if our way be wrong There is no pleading of meanings against commandements nor will sincerity of intentions cover the deformity and irregularity of actions The Apostle pronounceth a fearefull doome against those who sayd Rom 3.8 Let us doe evill that good may come whose damnation is just Fourthly As God will not render according to a mans good ends if his worke be evill so remember God will not render to man according to his good workes if his ends are bad Therefore consider your end when you enter your way and begin your worke Pro 21.27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with an evill mind that is when he hath some bad end in doing it A wicked mans sacrifice is an abomination to the Lord at the best but much more when he hath base designes in his sacrifices or holy services Herod sayd to the wise men Math 3.8 Goe and search diligently for the young child and when ye have found him bring me word againe that I may come and worship him also It was a good worke to enquire after Christ and worship him but his end was to destroy him Jezebel pretended a holy fast but her end was to feast her selfe with revenge upon innocent Naboth The best workes of hypocrites will have an ill returne because they doe them with an evill mind There are three sorts of good workes which will never turne to a good account First Those good works which are done but for a season temporary good workes or the good workes of temporary professors such as are described Math 13.5 7. by the 2d and 3d grounds who bring forth for a while but afterwards fall away such good workes I say shall not have a good reward If your goodness be as the morning cloud and as the early dew it passeth away it will doe you no good He that endureth to the end shall be saved and none but he Math 10.22 Christ exhorts the Church Rev 3.11 Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crowne They loose the good workes they have done who hold not out in doing them It will not advantage us to begin in the Spirit if we end in the flesh Secondly Those good works which are trusted to or boasted of will never make a good returne Though a man should continue doing good all the dayes of his life yet if he buildeth his hope upon it his hope shall be cut off and his trust that is what he trusteth to shall be a spiders web that is weake like that because like that woven out of his owne bowels he shall leane upon his house but it shall not stand he shall hold it fast but it shall not endure Job 8.14 15. you and your workes will perish together if you depend upon your workes Good workes trusted to are as dangerous to the soule as evill workes persevered in Thirdly Those good workes which are done for base ends to serve men or to compasse a worldly interest shall have no reward from God but that which shall be upon every soule that sinneth and repenteth not anguish and tribulation JOB Chap. 34. Vers 12 13. Yea surely God will not doe wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert Judgement Who hath given him a charge over the earth or who hath disposed the whole world ELihu proceedeth in the proofe of this poynt the vindication of the righteousnesse of God with a strong asseveration Vers 12. Yea surely There is a mighty force of affirmation in the originall words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irgons est in origi-nali assertionu vis we may parallel them with those assertive speeches frequently used by our Saviour Jesus Christ in the Gospel Amen Amen Verily verily I say unto you Yea surely is as much as verily verily as if Elihu had sayd There is no question to be made of what I affirme that God is righteous or will not doe wickedly as the Apostle writ to Timothy about the great mystery of the Gospel God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim 3.16 without controversie great or as the word imports confessedly on all hands great is the mystery of Godlinesse so here Elihu might speak to Job This is a truth beyond dispute or controversie an unquestionable truth and such a truth that if once confessed will quickly determine all the Questions which are depending between you and me There are some Master-truths ruling truths such a one is this in the text Yea surely or undoubtedly God will not doe wickedly Hence note It becomes us to grow up into highest confidences about the truths of God especially about the truth and Justice of God We should not be as meteors hanging in the ayre speaking with hesitation possibly it is so peradventure it is true but as the Apostle directs the Collossians Chap. 2.3 We must labour to grow up unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding as there is a full assurance of faith in believing of hope in waiting or expecting so also of understanding in apprehending the things of God We should be in a sense Masters of truth and then we are so indeed when truth hath fully mastered us and prevailed upon both our judgement and affections and we are led captive by light to the love and obedience of it We have cause to bewayle those much more have they cause to bewayle themselves who are but Scepticks or Questionests in Religion never coming to a poynt nor able after a due making up of their thoughts to say Thus it is and by this we will abide as Elihu did in the then present case delivering himselfe confidently yea surely or verily verily God will not doe wickedly To cleare the meaning in this Negative assertion we must take in the highest affirmatives of the holinesse and Justice of the righteousnesse truth and faithfulnesse of God For it sounds like a flat and low commendation of God to say
he will not doe wickedly for so it may be sayd of every honest man He will not do wickedly but seeing in this Negative commendation given by man to God as in all the Negative commandements given by God to man all affirmatives are to be understood what can be sayd more to or more sound out his praise and glory then this God will not doe wickedly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est aliquando impium pronunciare condemnare aliquando vero impiè agere vel iniquè quippiam facere Merc The word here used for doing wickedly signifies two things First to pronounce any person wicked and Secondly to doe any thing which is wicked both these often meete together For in many cases to pronounce a person wicked is to doe a wicked thing he that condemneth a just person pronounceth him wicked and what thing can be done more wickedly then that Some take the word in that sence here as a deniall that God either hath done or ever will condemne the innocent There are two things wherein men doe very wickedly with respect to the persons of men both which the Lord abhorres First when they condemne the innocent Secondly when they acquit or cleare the guilty The former way of doing wickedly is chiefly removed from God here by Elihu as the latter is directly and expressly by himselfe Exod 34.7 The Lord the Lord c. that will by no meanes cleare the guilty To pronounce a guilty person innocent or an innocent person guilty if ignorantly done is a great piece of weaknesse and if knowingly done is a great piece of wickednesse Yet because the latter part of the verse speakes particularly to cleare God from wrong Judgement therefore I conceive we may better expound this former part of it more largely as a generall deniall of any evill act whatsoever done by God Surely God will not doe wickedly Neither will the Almighty pervert Judgement The Almighty who hath power to doe what he will hath no will to doe this evill He will not pervert Judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 detorquobit curvabit The word signifies both to pervert and subvert as also to bow wrest or put out of order to mingle or blend those things together which should be for ever separated or as we say to mingle heaven and earth yea heaven and hell together so doe they who mingle good and ill right and wrong together To pervert Judgement is to doe all this for then which Abraham assured himselfe was farre from God Gen 18.25 The righteous are as the wicked that is the righteous fare as ill as the wicked or the wicked fare as well as the righteous But the Almighty will not pervert Judgement that is the right which belongs to any man and therefore he will-doe every man right We had the same position in termes Chap 8. 3d and we have had this whole verse equivalenâ—ly in the 10th of this Chapter where Elihu sayd Far be it from God that he should doe wickednesse and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity Here only one verse intervening Elâ—hu reports and repeats the same matter againe but it is no needlesse or vaine repetition for which Christ reproved the prayer of the Heathens Math 6.7 there are many repetitions in Scripture but not one vaine one how often soever the same truth is repeated there it hath its weight and use not only as it is still a truth but as it is a truth repeated And therefore I shall give a threefold reason why this truth is here againe repeated which will also lead us to a fuller improvement of it First Because this truth is as it were the hinge upon which the whole controversie between Job and Elihu is turned Job was unsatisfied because he was so ill handled and therefore Elihu tells him often that God is righteous and that he will not wrong any man Hereby giving Job to understand that God had done him nothing or done nothing to him but right Such grand swaying controling truths should be often and can scarce be too often repeated Secondly Elihu repeated this againe because 't is such a truth as no man can too much no nor enough weigh and consider the value and worth of it Now that which cannot be too often nor too much thought of cannot if rules of prudence be observed be too much or too often spoken of There is scarce any man who hath not sometimes at least indirectly and obliquely some hard thoughts of the proceedings of God either in reference to himselfe or to others Nor is there any thing that we have more temptations about then that surely we are not in all things rightly dealt with and that the dispensations of God are not so even as they might These sinfull suspicions are dayly moving and fluctuating in the heart of man and therefore this opposite principle ought to be fastened and fixed there to the utmost that the will and workes of God are all just and righteous yea that his will is the rule of all righteous workings or that as whatsoever is done in this world is done by the disposure of God so God though the thing be evill and unjust is just and good in the disposure of it Therefore unlesse we resist or contradict the will of God we must say whatsoever comes to passe comes righteously to passe because it comes to passe by the determinate will and counsell of God Thirdly Elihu repeates this assertion that he might the more commodiously make his transition or passage to the matter following and prosecute it with greater successe And therefore I shall not stay longer upon those words only Note First This great truth that God will not doe wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert Judgement convinceth those not only of injudiciousnesse but of wickednesse who though they are ready to acknowledge in generall God is just yet as to those particular providences which concerne them or wherewith themselves are pincht doe not cannot acquiesce and rest in the will of God with freedome and satisfaction That which is just should not displease us though in it selfe it be very bitter and unpleasant to us Secondly This truth is a ground of comfort to all the people of God who are under heavy pressures from this evill world or who receive little reward or incouragement as to sense from the good hand of God Such are apt to say with the kingly Prophet Psal 73.13 14. Verily in vaine have we cleansed our heart and washed our hands in innocency for all the day long have we been plagued and chastened every morning David was under a temptation when he was under hatches he could hardly perceive it worth the while to take paines in cleansing and washing either heart or hand while God was so constant and frequent in correcting and chastening him with so heavy a hand Yet David soone after recovered out of this temptation and concluded the Psalme with this particular assurance v. 28. It is
good for me to draw neere to God as he had begun it v. 1. with a generall assurance Truely God is good to Israel even to such as are of a cleane heart God is good to those who have a cleane heart even when they are in the greatest sufferance of evill and therefore they who are cleane hearted have no reason at any time to say nor shall they long say they have cleansed their heart in vaine Though now they smart yet in due season they shall be well rewarded for their washing The Judgements of God are such Judicia dei plenè nemo comprehendit justè nemo reprehendit August lib 2. de Civ ◠Dei cap 23. as no man can fully comprehend such as no man can justly reprehend The Almighty will not pervert Judgement Those foure things which cause men to pervert Judgement are at the furthest distance or remove from God whereof the first is envie at the good condition of others The second is groundlesse and unreasonable love or hatred of their persons The third is feare of frownes from those that are great or feare of after-claps Many are deterr'd from giving but a just measure either of reward to good men or punishment to evill men lest themselves should receive hard measure from those who like neither The fourth is hope of gaine or their private advantage For as some pervert Judgement for bribes already received so others for bribes promised or upon expectation of some future favours Now God I say is infinitely above these foure and all other imaginable by-respects upon which Judgement is perverted every day by the sons of men God is above all envy yea above all that hatred or love which perverts Judgement he is above all feare of evill and hope of good God hath nothing to feare seeing none can reach him much lesse hurt him neither hath he any thing at all to hope for seeing he is in the full possession of all happinesse and blessednesse that is of himselfe Why then or upon what account should the Almighty pervert Judgement so that if at any time we have any unbecoming thoughts of the Justice of God either that he afflicts the good without reason or prospers the wicked against it all this ariseth from our ignorance or the shortnesse of our sight We have not a full or perfect prospect of things we see but a little way backward we are not wise to compare what 's past with what 's present nor can we at all infallibly foresee any thing future or discerne what shall be Whereas God at once hath all things before him he seeth what is past as well as what is present and what shall be hereafter as well as what hath been and so the compleatnesse and indefectibility of his owne Justice in all And when we in the great day shall see all the workes of God in the world brought and presented together as in one view we shall then say from the evidence of sight as now we ought from the evidence of faith that the Almighty hath not in any one thing perverted Judgement And therefore the Apostle doth most excellently and appositely call that day The day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God Rom 2.5 Elihu having strongly asserted with a yea surely that the Almighty will not pervert Judgement yet stayeth not in a bare though so strong an assertion which he might but gives us the proofe and confirmation of it as he hath denied that God will so he proveth by undeniable arguments that God will not doe wickedly that the Almighty will not pervert Judgement And this he doth in the next or 13th verse and the two that follow Vers 13. Who hath given him a charge over the earth or who hath disposed the whole world These words as was intimated before are an argument proving that God neither hath nor can doe wrong That as to the case in hand he had not done Job wrong yea that as to all cases he can wrong no man This argument is grounded upon the soveraignty supremacy or absolute authority of God over all men The summe and force of it may be gathered up into this forme He cannot doe injustice to any who of right hath an absolute power arising from and residing in himselfe to doe what he will with or towards all men But God hath such a power Therefore he cannot doe any injustice That God hath such an absolute power arising from and residing in himselfe Elihu proves by a kind of Challenge Who hath given him a Charge over the earth Produce the man let him shew his face if he dareth It is an expression of the same importance with that of the Apostle Rom 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of Gods Elect let us see the man let us see the devill that shall so lay any thing to the Charge of Gods Elect as to prevaile in his Charge 't is also like that other triumphant query in the same Chapter v. 31. If God be with us who can be against us That is who can be so against us as to hurt us or carry the day against us Thus here Who hath given him a Charge over the world let us see who As if he had sayd Are there any above God from whom he deriveth his power Or have any committed the Government of the earth to him as his trust and charge for the mannagement whereof he is to be accountable unto them Surely no. And if no then either God is just or all the world must be in confusion or under oppression without any redresse or remedy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sequento 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sumitur pro Jubere juxta morem Syriacū hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praefecti Merc Mr Broughton renders Who before him looked to the earth We say Who hath given him a Charge over the earth The ordinary signification of the word is to visit and that First In a way of favour to see what others want so we visit the poore or how they doe so we usually visit the sick and sometimes those that are well in health Secondly It signifieth to visit in a way of judgement or to punish those that have done amisse Thus the Lord threatens to visit that is to punish the iniquity of the fathers upon the children Exod 20.5 Thirdly The word signifieth to command to issue out orders to give a charge This signification of the word is very frequent both in Scripture and in dayly use Visiters we know have power of Government yea they have power over Governours to order and give them a charge that they doe or to examine whether they have done the duty of their place In this latter sence we render it here Who hath given him a Charge over the earth And so we read it 2 Chron 36.23 Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia all the kingdomes of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me And he hath
he doth not thus put out his power We live and live comfortably we enjoy not only our lives but many mercies of this life and therefore surely God doth not deale rigorously much lesse unrighteously with man He that doth all men good beyond their deserts will not punish any man beyond his demerits He that doth not exercise his power alwayes where he might will not exercise it all where he ought not That 's the summe and scope of Elihu in the context under hand Vers 14. If he set his heart upon man To set the heart upon any thing or person is a Scripture expression often used noting more then barely to think upon or mind both or either It signifieth to have deep and serious thoughts to think with consideration and attention yea with some height and heat of affection And all this whether that thing which the heart and affections are set upon please or displease be comfortable or grievous for both love and hatred hope and feare are thoughtfull of and sollicitous about their severall objects Hence that caution Psal 62.10 If riches encrease set not your heart upon them we naturally love riches and therefore as naturally spend many thoughts both how to get and how to keepe them If a man have riches or an encrease of riches it is not unlawfull for him to thinke or them yet we should be as sparing of our thoughts that way as can be our thoughts and the bent of our soules should alwayes be upon God but that which the Psalmist forbids is the setling of our hearts As if he had sayd Let not your thoughts stay or dwell there Riches are themselves transient things therefore they should have but our transient thoughts Set not your hearts upon them for they may quickly be unsetled Samuel bespake Saul in the same language about a worldly concernment when he went out to seek his fathers Asses 1 Sam 9.20 Set not thy mind on them 'T is like Saul was over-burdened with this thought What 's become of or what shall I doe for my fathers Asses Be not sollicitous about them saith Samuel greater things are towards thee Abigail useth the same forme of speaking to David concerning Naball 1 Sam 25.23 Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial lay not to heart what Nabal hath sayd or done Thus Jonadab took off Davids feare that in one day he had been deprived of all his Sons 2 Sam 13.33 Now therefore let not my Lord the King take the thing to heart to think that all the Kings sons are dead for Amnon only is dead We are as apt to set our heart upon our losses as upon our enjoyments And to shew how little Pharoah regarded the heavy hand of God upon him it is sayd after Moses had turned all the waters that were in the river to blood Exod 7.23 And Pharoah turned and went into his house neither did set his heart to this also That is he slighted what God had done Let God speak and strike once and againe Apponere cor est vello decernere constituere q. d. Si ei suus animus suggererit Vatabl yea a third time yet hard-hearted men doe not lay it to heart nor set their heart upon it Thus here in the Affirmative it is sayd of God If he set his heart upon man that is if he doe but intend and mind this matter he can quickly bring it about even the perishing of all flesh If he set his heart upon man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Valet contra Si poneret concra eum cor suum i. e. si sibi proponeret hostiliter eum aggredi Pisc The text is rendered also If he set his heart against man The Hebrew particle signifieth not only upon but against Amos 7.16 Prophesie not against Israel c. And the generall sence of that reading may be given two wayes First If he set his heart against man to enquire strictly into his life and wayes if he should critically mark all his errours or faults and so resolve to proceed against him he might soon make an end of him as it followeth in the next verse As the strongest so the best and holyest of men are not able to stand before him Thus the words are an answer given by Elihu to that frequent request of Job that God would let him come near to judgement and hear his cause argued and debated before him even at his Bar but saith Elihu according to this sence If God set his heart against man if he doth but strictly enquire into his condition course and conversation it would be sad with him All men must perish Those two places in the Psalmes answer this interpretation fully Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who should stand That is No man shall We cannot stand in our righteousness before God how then shall we stand in our iniquities And therefore the second Text deprecates the Lord 's severe enquiry into our purest and most perfect services Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Secondly If he set his heart against man that is If he have a general purpose to destroy and ruine him by his absolute Soveraignty he can easily do it what God hath a minde to do or only willeth it to be done he hath power enough to do it He can make any man miserable and not only strip him of the comforts of this life but of his life too And as he hath power enough if he would use it so he hath soveraign unquestionable authority enough to bear him out in the use of his power Now seeing God who is cloathed with this absolute power yet doth not exercise such a power but having given man a being continues to very many men a comfortable being in this world and doth not willingly grieve or afflict any of the children of men nor execute any vengeance upon them without their desert surely then God is righteous he will not do wickedly Thus we have the importance of the Translation If he set his heart against man We say which also beareth fairly enough the same sence If he set his heart upon man Si direxerit ad eum cor suum spiritum illius flatum ad so trahet Vulg. If he gathereth unto himself his Spirit and his breath Some render it thus If he set his heart upon or against man he will gather unto him his spirit and his breath and then as it followeth All flesh shall perish together We repeat the supposition according to the Hebrew Text If he set his heart upon man If he gather to himself his spirit and his breath then c. Take either reading the general sense is the same and in brief 't is this If God have a minde to it he can quickly thrust all men out of the world He that gave man his spirit and his breath can at pleasure recal both and then
is said to hate one of them so I conceive that Scripture is to be understood Luke 14.26 where Christ gives the rule concerning Disciple-ship If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple When Christ layeth this charge upon his Disciples to hate wife and children c. would he have his Disciples turn their hatred upon those relations the rule of the Word forbids that So then his meaning is only this if in case of following me a man finde any stop or hindrance by these he must not let out his love so to wife and children c. as to hinder his coming to or following of me Every man must take off so much love from these dearest worldly enjoyments as hinders men in following Christ and he who through grace is enabled to do so is in a true and clear Gospel sence said to hate them That which we can leave for Christ we hate in comparison of that love which we bear to Christ Thus in the Text and Point they may be said to hate the right who bear not a due proportion of love unto it not to love righteousness with highest warmest affections is a degree of hatred Some love the right but they love it lightly they love it less then riches and gain and and therefore for self-gain they turn aside from and forsake the right Some will speak fair for Justice till the offer of private advantage either put out their eyes or stop their mouths he that loves not to do right to others more then to enrich himself will quickly wrong others to enrich himself Now he that upon any terms or considerations whatsoever though it were to the advantage only of some others who are poor and distressed much more when it s for his own advantage is drawn to pervert the right is a hater of it Remember any lesser degree of love to that which is right may at any time be interpreted the hatred of it and when we love it less then our own concernments we cannot resist temptations which entice us to do that which will declare a direct hatred of it Thirdly From the whole tenour of these words Shall he that hateth right govern Note They that hate right or righteousness are altogether unfit to Govern or to be Governours Nothing is more contrary to the state of Government or the qualification of a Governour then to hate right righteousness is the sphear wherein he ought to walk and never to move out of it 't is the business he hath to do the trade which he hath to drive whatsoever he doth in that capacity he must be doing righteous things So far as any man hath the power of Government in his hand if it be but over a family much more over a Nation he ought to do right Davids prayer for himself as a King and for his son who was to succeed him in the Kingdom was only and altogether this Psal 72.1 Give the King thy judgements O Lord and thy righteousness unto the Kings son that is teach both me and him what is right give us a heart conformable to it and a readiness of minde alwayes to do it That 's the scope of his prayer when he said Give the King thy judgements O Lord and thy righteousness to the King's son Nor doth he barely pray for the gift of judgement and righteousness but he puts the stamp of God upon them Give them thy judgement and thy righteousness It is possible for Kings to have a judgement of their own and a righteousness of their own which are not the judgements nor the righteousness of God For as there is a righteousness of God which some being ignorant of trust to a righteousness of their own for the justification of their person so there is a righteousness of God for the government of man which some neglecting use only a righteousness of their own both in condemning and justifying other mens both persons and causes Princes being in Gods place should exalt the righteousnesse of God in the governing of men And therefore the same David in his dying song spake thus 2 Sam 23.3 He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the feare of God who ever he is he must be just and he must be just in the feare of God which he can never be but in giving out the righteousnesse of God that is in dispensing that for righteousnesse which is right according to the will of God And if he must doe right thus how shall he doe it if he hate it no man will doe that willingly or constantly which he hateth he that hates right is so farre from doing it himselfe that he cannot abide others should doe it Whereas a governour is not only to doe right himselfe but to appoynt others to doe it and to see that they doe it or else to punish them for not doing it The Rulers of the earth are sayd to beare the sword Rom 13.4 And they are sayd to be Shields Psal 47.9 They are shields to protect the good and swords to take vengeance of those that doe evill both which are the workes of righteousnesse And if so shall ever he that hateth right governe And wilt thou condemne him that is most just Fieri nè potest ut qui omnibus imperat juris amans non sit aut quicquam injuste agat Merc The scope of Elihu in the former part of the verse was to demonstrate that God is no hater of right or righteousnesse for he is not only A Governour but The Governour all the world over or over all the world and it were a most absurd thing to thinke that he should be the Governour of the world and yet be a hater of right can it be imagin'd that he who ruleth all men should wrong any man Now seeing God who ruleth all is alwayes most righteous wilt thou O Job condemne him saith Elihu that is most just God our governour is so farre from hating that he is ever promoting justice he that is so is most just and wilt thou condemne him that is most just Wilt thou condemne To condemne is to sit in Judgement and give sentence against another Wilt thou condemne or give sentence against God Wilt thou as some translate according to the strictness of the Original make him wicked that is most just Et an justum insignem impium facis Heb Elihu makes use of a very hard and severe word and it is conceived that he purposely pitcht upon it or pickt it out to convince Job that it is no small fault or offence to complaine of or to quarrell with the dealings of God 'T is indeed to condemne God and to make him wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 validum justū i. e. qui valdè justus est Drus Num eum qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justus est ut
sense for death is a passing away a passing out of this world Psal 37.36 Transire intelligo non pro migrare aliò sed pro abire in sepulchrum Merc Loe he passed away and was gone that is he died And that which is as death to the heavens and the earth their great change when ever it shall be is called a passing away Math 5.18 Till heaven and earth passe away one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe away from the Law till all be fullfilled that is the Law shall stand in force as long as the world stands Thus to passe away is to die But I conceive we are to expound this third branch of the Judgement distinctly from the former two and therefore for as much as we have death in the first words it will not be proper to take in death here againe or to expound passing away by dying The third notion of they shall passe away is they shall run or flee for it they know not whether they shall flee for their lives from the danger impending over them As some shall die and all be troubled so not a few shall endeavour to save their lives by flight Christ in the Gospel foretold the great troubles and afflictions which should come upon Jerusalem and in them there was a sad concurrence or meeting of these three Judgments in the text For when after forty yeares the Romans invaded and ruin'd their City many dyed were destroyed by sword and famine all the people were troubled Oh in what a hurry were they to see the Romane Eagle displayed before their Gates and then they passed away that is as many as could withdrew and got out of the danger It is reported in history that before the Seidge of that City a voyce was heard in Jerusalem saying Migremus hinc let us passe from hence they who believed that warning departed soone after And as some passed away before the Judgement came so when it was come many were striving to be gone or to passe away Therefore Christ admonished them Math 24.20 Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabath day I conceive we are to understand this text distinctly of such a passing away In a moment shall they die and the people shall be troubled at midnight and passe away they shall doe what they can to secure themselves by out-running the danger Note from it First God hath variety of meanes to humble a sinfull people Into how many wayes doe the Judgements of God divide themselves severall persons beare severall parts here is death to many trouble to all flight to some That in the Prophet answers it fully Jer 15.1 where the Lord protesting that nothing no not the intercession of Moses and Samuel should take him off from his resolve against that people saith Such as are for death to death and such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captivity to the captivity There 's pestilence and sword and famine and captivity ready at the call of God to take away a provoking people Secondly Note To passe away or to be put to our flight is a grievous Judgement To flee from the face of the pursuer to run for our lives who knows the trouble and terror of it but they that have been in it what a mercy is it that our dwellings are continued to us that we abide in our places that we neither die in a moment are not surpriz'd by midnight-feares but rest quietly in our beds though feares at midnight have been ready to surprize us What a mercy is it that we are not passing away running fleeing into the wildernesse as the poore Churches of God have done in severall ages So much of Judgement upon the people in that three-fold notion of it We have here also Judgement upon Princes And the mighty shall be taken away without hand Not only the many but the mighty shall feele the Judgements of God For as 't is sayd in the former verse He accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poore The mighty and the meanest of men are alike to God when they are alike in sinning against God If they doe evill alike they shall suffer evill alike God accepteth no mans person The mighty shall be taken away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fortis robustus excellens fortitudine pluraliter Abirim in genere forte significat The word rendred mighty taken plurally is used in Scripture to denote not only mighty men but any creature that excells in might And therefore according to the exigence of the place it signifies sometimes Angells who being spirits exceed all flesh in might The people of Israel in the wilderness did eat Angells food Psal 78.5 the food of the Abirims of the mighty or strong ones And as it is applyed to Angells who exceed the strongest men in strength so it is applyed to any sort of strong beasts to the horse Jer 47.3 to Bulls Isa 34.7 Jer 50.11 Psal 22.13 Psal 68.31 Thus the word riseth above man to Angells and falls below man to the beasts of the earth here 't is applyable only to strong and mighty men of whom yet there are three sorts First Some are men of a mighty arme Secondly Others are mighty in Armes Thirdly There are men mighty in Authority The first of these is a natural mighty man he hath a mighty arme a strong body or he excells in bodily strength The second is a marshall mighty man a souldier a man of warre The third is the Magistratical mighty man he is cloathed with power both to punish and reward Possibly he may have no bodily might yea possibly he is no souldier yet a man of such power he is that he commands whole Nations Now take the word Mighty in any of these three senses and it is a truth the mighty shall be taken away the mighty in strength of the Arme the mighty in strength of Armyes the mighty in power and dignity are by the hand of the Almighty God taken away They shall take them away saith the Hebrew text that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et amovent potentem impersonaliter Pisc say some according to the first translation mentioned the people shall violently take away the mighty But by an usuall Hebraisme we may read it Impersonally the mighty shall be taken away concealing or leaving it to be understood by whom Like that speech to the rich man Luke 12.25 This night doe they require thy soule of thee so we put in the Margin that is as the text hath it this night thy soule shall be required of thee they shall take thy soule that is it shall be taken away so here they shall take away the mighty that is the mighty shall be taken away or removed We may take notice of a two-fold remove or taking away First There is a
will not thinke any time or labour lost if they may but gaine that precious commodity by it called true knowledge or the knowledge of the truth And that expression of running too and fro may wel be expounded they shall by discourse and arguing beare out the truth In discoursing the mind runs too and fro faster then the feete can in travelling In discourse we run from poynt to poynt from reason to reason from objection to objection from question to question till we come to solid answers and conclusions and so knowledge is increased The Lord is surely a God of knowledge whose eyes run too and fro without motion and see the bottome of all things without discourse or argumentation Secondly Note The Lords knowledge of man never abateth he is alwayes observing and alike observing what men doe and what men are The best the most waking men have their slumbrings and sleepings but the Lord neither slumbreth nor sleepeth his eyes are upon the wayes of man And when the Scripture saith The Lord doth neither slumber nor sleepe we may understand it in a twofold reference First as to the protection of his people Psal 121.4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep that is he watcheth over them so uncessantly so unweariedly that no danger can approach them without his knowledge Secondly he never slumbereth nor sleepeth as to the observation and consideration of all people he never takes his eye off from the wayes of man Thirdly Note The Lords knowledge or sight of mans wayes is universall and everlasting The All-seeing God seeth all our wayes and he seeth them alwayes And he seeth them all alwayes by one act The Lords view or prospect of things is not successive one after another but conjunctive all at once The Lord hath a large eye and an everlasting eye yea is all eye He knows all things First past or that have been Secondly present or that are Thirdly future possible or that shall be Thus saith the Lord in the Prophet Isa 46.10 I am God and there is none like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done And upon this read the Lords challenge of all the Idolls in the world Isa 41.21 22 23. Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and know the latter end of them or declare us things to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods As if the Lord had sayd if ye can tell us all that 's past or any thing that is to come as I can then ye may take the honour of God otherwise ye are but lyes and vanities Againe the Lord knows all things First without distraction and secondly he knows all things with clearest distinction it is no more trouble to the Lord to see all things then to see one and he seeth all things as if he had but one thing to see From the consideration of this knowledge of God let me give foure or five inferences for instruction First which is most naturall to the text if the Lords eyes be upon the wayes of man if he seeth all his goings then all the Lords Judgements are right The Judges of this world may have a principle of righteousnesse in them and we may call them just and righteous Judges yet all their Judgements are not alwayes right For as some men are so ignorant that they know nothing at all so there are none so knowing as to know all things the clearest sighted Judges doe not see all that may concerne them in giving Judgement even among them some may be blinde and many blinded some are blinde and cannot see much others are blinded and will not see all that they see they are blinded possibly with bribes and gifts with hopes or feares with passions and prejudices And how cleare-sighted and honest-hearted soever any are yet they cannot see all somewhat may lye out of their sight Hence it cometh to passe that a just Judge may doe that which is unjust he cannot see quite through every matter though he set himselfe to search the matter before he giveth Judgement But as the Lord is all righteousnesse in his principle and beares an everlasting love to righteousnesse so he hath a cleare sight of all things and persons and therefore he must needs give a righteous Judgement concerning all things actions and persons Though he overthrow nations he is righteous though he overthrow Princes he is righteous because he seeth into all things and proceedeth upon certain knowledge of every mans case and condition He cannot erre in Judgement who hath no error in his Judgement nor any deviation in his will Secondly If the Lords eyes are upon all the wayes of men then certainly sinners whose wayes are evill shall never goe unpunished For if he have a principle of righteousnesse in him and an eye to see all their unrighteous wayes they cannot escape his justice Say to the wicked woe to him for he shall eate the fruit of his doings Isa 3.11 The righteous God knoweth the unrighteousnesse of man and therefore woe to the unrighteous man Thirdly Take this conclusion Then no godly man no good man shall goe unrewarded or loose the reward of that good which he hath done The Lord is righteous and he seeth every one that doth right or the righteousnesse of every mans way and it is his promise to reward the righteous therefore they shall be rewarded This is matter of strong consolation and great encouragement to all that are righteous If the Lord seeth all they doe nothing which they have well done shall be lost in the dark or lie in the dust God will bring forth their righteousnesse as the light and their just dealing as the noone day And as the knowledge which God hath of their wayes assureth the righteous that they shall be rewarded for so that they shall be assisted and protected in their doing righteousnesse The Prophet makes that inference in the place before-cited 2 Chron 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run too and fro through the earth what followeth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them or as we put in the Margin strongly to hold with them whose heart is perfect towards him The Lord is alwayes strong and alike in strength his hand is not shortned at any time that he cannot save yet he doth not alwayes shew his strength but as he is strong so he will shew himselfe strong for the perfect or upright in heart that is he will act his strength to the utmost for the safety and assistance of those whose hearts are perfect with him So then as they that are good and doe good shall be rewarded for the good they have done so they shall be protected in the dangers and evills they incurre while they are doing good Another Prophet speakes both these inferences from this principle of the knowledge or
to stand The Lord can establish those whom he setteth up The Lord doth not only set up but keep up whom he pleaseth Though they are weak whom he setteth up yet he can keep them up though they whom he setteth up are opposed by the strong yet he can keep them up He can make a shrub stand fast though opposed by a Cedar and a reed to stand firm like a rock though opposed by an Oak Thirdly Note The Lord taketh care of the Government of the world He is not for breaking work only he is for setting and setling too God will not let the body of a people perish for want of a head but when in judgement he hath broken one in pieces he in mercy sets up another Mighty men are like pillars which bear the weight of a whole Commonwealth or Kingdom God rarely deals with Nations as Sampson did with the house wherein the Philistims were assembled who at once pull'd away the pillar and pull'd down the house but if he pulleth away one pillar he puts in another that the house may stand God will not leave the world without rule or rulers when he takes with one hand he gives with another when Judas the Traytor was broken Christ found out a better man Matthias to set in his stead And when the whole Nation or Church of the Jewes was broken and rejected God called in the Gentiles and set them up for a Church and people to himself in their stead and which is the greatest instance of all when Jesus Christ was taken from the earth when he left the world who was the mighty one he was first broken in pieces for our sins and afterwards taken away yet he gave a supply and left us another in his stead I will not leave you comfortless saith he John 14.18 I will come unto you though not till the great day in person yet every day in the gifts and graces of my Spirit I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14.16 Again John 16.13 When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth God sent the Spirit in Christ's stead he doth that for us which Christ did for us while he abode on the earth and therefore the holy Spirit is not unfitly call'd the Vicar of Christ here on earth he feeds the flock of Christ he looks to his people he teacheth he comforteth them in Christ's stead And thus in Nations when God breaketh one Governour he sets up an other in his stead he will not leave Nations without guides and leaders nor suffer the staff of Government to be utterly broken which is the greatest plague that can come upon any people From the whole verse take these tree deductions First There is a vanity and an uncertainty at least the vanity of uncertainty in all worldly greatness and powers God blasts and breaks them as he pleaseth The most substantial things on earth are but as a shaddow or like the Land-sea's continually flowing and ebbing One is cast down and another is exalted one is broken and another is set up yea the same man who was lately exalted and set up may quickly be cast down and broken There is no assurance to be had of the best things here below but only this that we cannot be sure of them and 't is good for us that we cannot be sure of the best things here below both because we are so apt to say It is good for us to be here where yet our best things are not to be had as also because by this consideration we may be provoked to look after and make sure of better things then any are here enjoyed even those best things which are under hope Secondly Great examples of God's judgements are to be eyed and marked Why doth Elihu call Job to this consideration but that he might be humbled and give God glory it is not for nought that God breaks in pieces the mighty ones of the earth 1 Cor. 10.11 All these things have hapned unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come As all those things among the Jewes were Types so all that God doth to this day upon the Princes and Powers of the world Nunquam culpam suam reprobi nisi in poena agnoscunt Greg. lib. 25. Moral cap. 9. are but as types and ensamples they are for admonition that we should consider those sins which have brought such judgments upon men such breaking judgements and avoid them some will never see sin in it self but in the judgments of God all may see what sin is when mighty men are broken in pieces what will God do with the rest if they sin against him and provoke the eyes of his glory Zenacharib that proud Prince who invaded the land of Israel in the time of Hezekiah being broken in pieces by his own bowels his sons slew him it was ordered to be writ upon his Tomb In me intuens pius esto Herod lib. 2. Let every one that seeth me learn to fear God and not to defie him as I have done The breaking of the powers of the earth should exceedingly exalt the fear of God in our hearts Quicunque celsa dominatur aula me videat tu Troja nunquam documenta dedit sors majora quam frogili loco starent superbi Senec. in Troad de Hecuba Act 1. Sc. 1. It is better to learn wisdome by the punishment of others then by our own Thirdly If God will break the mighty though many yea though innumerable This is comfort to the people of God when they are opprest and broken by oppressors let them remember God is able to break their oppressors though they rise up like Hydra's heads one after another read the whole fifty and second Psalm as also the 39th and 40th verses of the 107th Psalm as a clear proof of this Elihu having shewed what sad breaches God makes upon mighty men makes a fourth inference in the words following Vers 25. Therefore he knoweth their works and he overturneth them in the night so that they are destroyed For as much as God breaketh them it is an argument that he knoweth what they are and what they have been doing There is a threefold reading of these words First Some read them as implying God's making others to know their works God maketh the secret sins of men visible Propterea facit ut nota sint facta ipsorum Bez. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognoscit aliqui exponunt faci cognoscere sc facit ut ab omnibus eorum scelera cognoscantur Merc. by his visible judgements Wrath seen may give us a sight of sin Some insist much upon this exposition and 't is a truth the Lord by his judgments brings to light and doth as it were spread open as in the face of the Sun the wickedness and wicked deeds of
confusion in his temporal punishments upon others Thus he threatned his owne people for their confidence in Egypt and contempt of his holy word Isa 30.13 This iniquity shall be unto you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant And he shall breake it as the breaking of a potters vessel that is broken in pieces he shall not spare so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth or to take water withall out of the pit that is ye shall be made utterly uselesse and unserviceable That piece of a vessel is of no use which will not serve for either of those little uses the taking of a little fire from the hearth or a little water out of the pit And if God sometime breake his owne professing people thus small for their sins how small will he breake his professed enemies read for this the last breaking and down-fall of Babylon Rev 18.21 22 23. Therefore take heed how you fall into the Lords hand for he can not only break you in pieces but break you to powder he can break you to destruction The Lords purposes and the effects of them his works are never without effect for good or evil for the better or for the worse JOB Chap. 34. Vers 26 27 28. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others Because they turned back from him and would not Consider any of his wayes So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him and he heareth the cry of the afflicted ELihu having in the former words shewed the impartiall vengeance of God upon the wicked proceedeth to shew two things further about it in these words First The manner of it v. 26. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others Secondly The causes grounds or reasons of it in the 27th and 28th verses why doth God strike them it is because they turned back from him and would not Consider any of his wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 percussâ—t volam ad volam adversas manus collisit Significat aliquid cum sono deijcere vel coÌ„plodere unde aliqui de ejectione ignominiosa cum sibilis exponunt Alij volunt peti metaphoram à vesica vento turgente quae pede compressa cum sonitu rumpitur Scult Pro improbis complosit eos Tharg In loco improborum complodit eos Jun So that they cause the Cry of the poore to come unto him their impiety in turning from God and their iniquity in oppressing the poor provoked the Lord to strike them as wicked men in the open sight of others Vers 26. He striketh them as wicked men The word which we render strike specially notes the striking of one hand against the other our hands clasht or struck together make a sound or noise Thus some Interpret the word here He strikes them with an Ignominious sound Many rejoyce and clap their hands when they fall They are destroyed with shouting Others take the metaphor from a bladder filled with winde which being cast on the ground and stampt upon with the foot breaks with a noise or gives a crack in the breaking Wicked men in all they thinke and purpose and doe are but wind and when they break they break like bladders which have nothing of solidity only breath and fume in them Such an Elegancy there is in this word hitting the vanity and vacuity or emptiness of wicked men all their filling being but like that of a bladder which puffes them up but never makes them wise or solid men Further I find this word used for striking in a three-fold sense First For striking with sorrow and shame such was that of repenting Ephraim Jer 31.19 Who when he thought on his wayes was ashamed and smote upon his thigh Secondly For striking with scorne and derision Lam 2.15 All that passe by clap their hands at thee they hisse and wagge their head at the daughter of Jerusalem Thirdly There is also a striking with anger and indignation Thus Balak being vext because he could not have his purpose to bribe Balaam to curse the people of God Smote his hands together Numb 24.10 and the Lord himselfe is exprest expressing his angry indignation against his owne people the Jewes by this gesture Ezek. 22.13 Behold therefore I have smitten my hands at thy dishonest gaine c. There is then a speciall Emphasis in the smitting or striking here intended besides the generall meaning of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extinâ—it autem impios Sept Pro impijs strinxit eos Bold i. e. vinculis funibusque ligare fecit eos tanquam impios atqueâ—â—a spectandos palam deduci et proponi Bold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causalis est propterea quod impij sunt illud quasi saepe non similitudinem sed veritatem significat et idem valet quod utpote c. The Lord destroyes wicked men in such a manner that all who behold it are filled with the admiration of his righteousnesse and with a detestation of their lewdnesse The Septuagint say He hath Extinguished wicked men As if they were but smoaking firebrands or the stinking snuffe of a candle Another renders it He binds them the word signifying also to bind or straightenâ— The Lord brings forth evill men as it were bound hand and foot to Judgement We say clearely He striketh them and that in no ordinary way but As wicked men So we translate yet the particle which we render as may here according to its frequent use else-where carry in it a reason He strikes them because they are wicked so some read the text not as we by way of similitude how God striketh them but as giving an account why God striketh them even because they are wicked men Mr Broughton saith For the wicked he maketh plentifull riddance of them which hath a good sense in it but takes somewhat too great a liberty with the original text And because the reason of this striking is held forth in the verses following it is more distinct to say he strikes them not because they are wicked men but as wicked men that is as wicked men use to be strucken or as they use to be proceeded against in a way of Justice God striketh the mighty men of whom he spake before as common offenders or malefactors Though they are great on earth yea though they are in title Gods upon earth yet God strikes them as the basest of wicked men they shall not only dye as 't is sayd Psal 82.7 or fall like one of the Princes but they shall dye like the worst of men like wicked men Hence note First They that doe like the wicked shall be dealt with by God as the wicked how high or mighty soever they are in this world And as they who are openly wicked shall be dealt with as wicked men though they be high in the world so
they that are really wicked shall be dealt with as wicked men though they make a high profession of godliness in the Church even them will God strike also as wicked men Christ speakes of some Math 7.22 who made a lâ—â—d profession of religion with whom yet he dealt as with wicked men Depart from me saith he I know ye not ye workers of iniquity Though God doth not deal alike with all wicked men yet he deales with them all like wicked men There is not one wicked man in the world but he shall be dealt with according to his kind that is as a wicked man and shall have that for his portion which is the portion of their Cup who are wicked As the Godly so the wicked whether prophane or false and hypocriticall shall be esteemed and handled by God like themselves or as they are Secondly From the first word as it is taken causally upon which many insist Note The reason why wicked men â—ne stricken is because they are wicked Were not men wicked they should never feele such stroakes from the hand or rather iron rod of God If any smart and are ruin'd they may thank themselves for it that is their sins for it their sufferings are the fruits of their sin The Prophet told the sinfull Jewes so Jer 4.18 they had an affliction upon them which did reach even to the heart God made their hearts ake he struck them to the heart but why did he so the answer is Thy sin and thy doings have procured those things to thee c. He striketh them as wicked men In the open sight of others Locus videntium locus patens frequens celebris omnium oculis expositus Par Importat visionem paradigmaticam et exemplarem Merc These words are a further description of the manner how God strikes the wicked he doth it openly or as we put in the margin In the place of beholders that is in such a place and in such a manner that all may behold it we say He strikes them in the open sight of others that is he punisheth them in an exemplary way or that they may be an example of warning unto others For The place of seers or of beholders is some open and eminent place oppos'd to a Corner as Paul sayd pleading his cause before king Agrippa Acts 26.26 This thing was not done in a Corner no it was done as upon the house-top even in the place of beholders The Lord will not have to doe with wicked men only in a Corner He will have witnesses of his doings with them There shall be enow to take notice how he handles them therefore he often takes open vengeance on them in the frequent assembly and concourse of many beholders both approving and reverencing yea adoring the impartiall equity of the supreame Judge and his care of humane affaires So then the words are an allusion to the execution of Common malefactors who dye by the Judgement of the Magistrate such being condemned and sentenced by the Judge are not put to death in the prison or in a hole but are taken out and carried to some noted place of execution or a Scaffold is purposely erected where a multitude of spectators are admitted to come and behold the Tragedy When our Lord Jesus Christ who to deliver us from our transgressions was numbred with transgressors when he I say was crucified The Evangelist saith Luke 23.35 The people stood beholding and the Rulers also with them derided him Christ himselfe was strucken as a wicked man in the place of Beholders And so have many thousands of his faithfull witnesses The wicked deale with them often as the Lord dealeth sometimes with wicked men they are brought forth from prison to death and executed in the open sight of others All things in this world come alike to all no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them Eccl 9.1 2. The Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and his fellow-Apostles to shew the publick disgrace which they were put to saith We are made a spectacle to the world to Angels and to men 1 Cor 4 9. The Greeke is we are a Theater to the world c. As if he had sayd all see how we are used And as bloody persecuters make the faithfull servants of Christ a spectacle so Christ will at last make wicked men a spectacle to the world to Angels and to men Thus it is prophecied Isa 66.24 that all flesh who come to worship before the Lord shall goe forth and looke upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against him c. They shall be stricken in the place of Beholders or Seers Some expound that word Seers Videre saepe significat cum voluptate aliquid spectare Scult as implying more then ordinary seers or more then barely such as see what is done namely such as are delighted and pleased with what is done yet not as it is a suffering of paine by man but as it is an act of Justice from God Hence note God oftentimes doth Justice upon sinners openly The Judgements of God are of two sorts Some are secret others are manifest he can doe execution upon men when none see it nay he doth the severest executions upon some men when they themselves doe not see it that 's the sting and severity of the Judgement that they have not so much as any sence of the wrath of God when the full vialls of his wrath are powring out upon them But many of the Judgements of God are open As he striketh some so secretly that none can see it so others so visibly that all may see it Thus the Lord commanded Moses Numb 25.4 when Israel had joyned themselves unto Baal-peor Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sun By the heads of the people we may understand either the capitall offenders those who were most active and ready in that wickednesse or their principall Rulers who in stead of stopping them from or punishing them for those offences gave way to them or at least wincked at them These must be hanged against the Sun that is as Elihu speakes here in the open sight of others or in the place of seers Thus they were made an example of caution that all might see and feare and doe no more presumptuously Read the like executions of divine Judgement threatned 2 Sam 12.11 12. Isa 26.11 John in the Revelation Chap 15.4 prophecyeth of the Saints triumphing at the fall of Babylon and singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lambe saying Great and marvellous are thy workes c. for thy Judgements are made manifest God hath now stricken Babylon his great enemy in the open sight of others his Judgements were right before they are alwayes right but till then not manifest David saith Psal 9.16 The Lord is knowne by the Judgement which he executeth now if the Lord be knowne by the Judgement which
he executeth then the Judgement which he executeth must be knowne it must be an open Judgement and such are very many of the Judgements of God they are acted as upon a stage And I may give you an account in three particulars why the Lord will sometimes doe Justice in the place of beholders or in the open sight of others First That there may be witnesses enow of what he doth and so a record of it kept at least in the minds and memories of faithfull men for the generations to come Secondly The Lord doth it not onely that he may have witnesses of his Justice but also that his Justice and the proceedings of it may have an effect and a fruit upon those who did not feele it nor fall under it This was the reason why the Lord threatned to punish Jerusalem in the sight of the nations Ezek 5.5 6 7 8 14 15. Jerusalem dicitur medium terrae ut pote quae su in quarto climate ideo autem urbem in medio mundi constitutam et quisi in loco videntium elegit deus ut sicut beneficia ita et supplicia eorum omnibus essent conspicua Pined Thus saith the Lord God this is Jerusalem I have set it in the midst of the nations and Countryes that are round about her God is sayd Psal 74.12 To work salvation in the midst of the Earth that is in Jerusalem or among his people who were placed as it were in the Center and middle part of the world not that Jerusalem stood exactly in the midst of the world but because many Nations stood about it that might well be called a City standing in the midst of the nations and therefore it is added v. 8. Thus saith the Lord God Behold I even I am against thee and will execute Judgement in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations God would execute Judgement in Jerusalem a City placed in the midst of the nations that as the nations had taken notice of the extraordinary favours benefits deliverances and salvations which God wrought for Jerusalem so they might also take notice of his judgements and sore displeasure against them Jerusalem was not seated in some nooke corner or by-place of the world but in the midst of the nations that both the goodnesse and severity of God towards them might be conspicuous And that the nations round about seeing the sufferings of that people for their sin might feare and tremble to sin as they had done for if Jerusalem the seate of instituted worship and Gods peculiar people were not spared when they provoked God their neighbours might well conclude surely we shall not be spared As the Lord himselfe argued it against those uncircumcised nations Jer 25.20 Behold I will bring evill upon the City that is called by my name and should ye goe utterly unpunished Certainly no! If God punish his own people in the sight of the heathenish nations when they doe wickedly what then are heathen nations to expect who doe nothing but wickednesse And this by the way may give the Alarme and be a very awakening consideration to all the Churches and people of God at this day throughout the world If God did strike Jerusalem of old that is his people there as wicked men even in the open sight of others if the Lord was so wroth with his people that he polluted his inheritance and gave them into the hand of the Chaldeans Isa 47.6 If he forsooke his house and left his heritage and gave the dearely beloved of his soule into the hands of her enemies Jer 12.7 and sayd v. 9. Mine heritage is to me as a speckled bird the birds round about her are against her yea if he in the close of that verse invited the worst of men under the name of beasts to spoyle them Come ye assemble all the beasts of the field come to devoure Now I say If God struck his ancient people the Jewish Church as wicked men by wicked men in the open sight of others O let the Gentile Churches take heed lest they also be stricken after the same manner Many Churches in Germany and else-where have been stricken so already in this last age let the remnant both there and else-where remember themselves and give glory to God before he cause such darknesse to come upon them and strike them also as wicked men in the open sight of others God lets some sinners suffer or punisheth them openly both because he would have all others take notice that he dislikes what they have done as also because he would not have others doe the like lest they be made like them both in the matter and manner of their sufferings 'T is a favour as well as our duty to be taught by other mens harmes and to be instructed by their stroakes to prevent our own And as the Lord strikes some wicked men openly that others may feare and not doe the like so that they who have done the like may be humbled for and repent of what they have done God doth not alwayes powre out the same Judgements upon all those that have done the same wickedness the whole world would be in blood if he did so but he takes here and there one that the rest bethinking themselves and with repenting Ephraim smiting upon their thigh may prevent the Lord from smiting them at all especially from striking them as wicked men in the open sight of others It is sayd Rev 11.13 that after by a great earth-quake the tenth part of the City fell and in the earth-quake were slaine of men seven thousand the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven And surely the reason why after one man hath been chastised or stricken others take their turnes too is because they did not take warning by his chastisements and sufferings Did we but mind the scope of God in punishing any openly the striking of one might save hundreds or thousands from being stricken but because men are so secure and so slow to take warning by what God doth to others therefore they are called forth one after another to suffer and feel his heavy hand in their own persons Thirdly God strikes some wicked men in open view or in the place of beholders for the comfort of his own people and for their encouragement Psal 58.10 11. The righteous shall be glad when he seeth the vengeance not that he shall be glad of the vengeance purely as it is a hurt or a suffering to the creature but the righteous shall be glad when he seeth the vengeance of God as it is a fulfilling of the threatning of God against the sin of man and an evidence of his own holiness Psal 64.9 10. God shall shoot suddenly at the wicked all that see them shall flee away that is they that see how God deales with them shall get away least ruine overtake them or they shall flee away which is their best course from such courses
to us The hiding of Gods face is a manifestation of his displeasure In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment saith God to the Church Isa 54.8 This form of speaking is borrowed from their usage or practice who refuse to admit into their presence or so much as look upon such whom they either really hate or would seem at least to be much displeased with As David gave command concerning Absalom 2 Sam. 14.24 Let him turn to his own house and let him not see my face When God withdraweth the wonted expressions of his love and kindness from a person or a people then according to Scripture sense and language he is said to hide his face from them Deut. 30.20 Psal 30.7 Secondly The hiding of Gods face notes a refusal to help those who in straits cry to him for relief and deliverance For if we will not give a man our eye we will hardly give him our hand if we will not so much as look upon him we will hardly assist him When God hides his face 't is as much as his denyal of succour Thus David bemoaned himself Psal 13.1 Why hidest thou thy face that is Lord why withdrawest thou thy help from me That he was sensible of such withdraws is plain by the prayer which he made vers 3. Consider and hear me O Lord my God and by the reason of it given vers 4. Lest mine enemies say I have prevailed against him We finde David deprecating the hiding of Gods face upon the same ground Psal 44.24 Psal 69.17 The Prophet is very express in this point Isa 59.1 2. The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavie that it cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear that is as he distasteth and is displeased with you so he denyeth you his usual help and assistance because ye have great-sinned against him Thirdly the hiding of God's face notes not only some distaste and a denyal of help but a total slight or refusal of any care concerning us Isa 40.27 Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God that is Why sayest thou the Lord takes no care at all of me and in that sense Job spake chap. 24.1 Why seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty do they that know him not see his dayes that is why seeing God doth not neglect times and seasons and how things go in the world there time is put for things done in time why I say seeing God hath not cast off the care of the things of this world is it thus with me Why am I as a man forlorn and utterly cast off We may expound Elihu in all or any of these senses when he hideth his face or withdraweth his favour that is when God is displeased and refuseth to help when God throweth up the care of a mans person or condition it cannot but go and be ill enough with him for as it followeth Who then can behold him The face of God as taken for his essential being cannot at all be seen nor can we at all behold him There shall no man saith the Lord Exod. 33.20 see my face and live But as the face of God is taken for any manifestation of his being whether in wrath or in love in judgement or in mercy so it may be seen Now when God hideth his face that is his favour and will not give out any pleasing manifestations of himselfe who can behold him that is who can behold him with comfort who can stand before an angry God or abide his presence As the gracious presence of God is the sweetest so the wrathfull presence of God is the most bitter thing in the world When he hideth his face who can behold him Some expound thus if God will not shew his face if he is not pleased to reveale himselfe no man can know or see any thing of him that 's a truth We can know no more of God then himselfe will reveale of himselfe to us 't is in his light Psal 36.9 that is in the light which he causeth to shine from himselfe that we see light or what and who himselfe is who is light and in whom there is no darknes at all If God will hide his power or his wisdom or his truth or his mercy from us who can see any thing of them though all these perfections be alwayes more glorious in him then the beams of the Sun yet unlesse God shew them us we cannot perceive them We see the light of God in Gods light if God hath a minde to conceale himselfe or draweth as it were a curtaine between the creature and himselfe who can behold him we cannot by any study or skill or art or endeavour of ours come to any sight or knowledge of God further then himselfe makes himselfe knowne This exposition is both true and usefull yet I conceive when Elihu saith Who then can behold him his meaning rather poynts at these two things First Who can have any comfortable enjoyment of him to behold a man whose displeasure we suspected and find acceptance and freedome with him is compared to our beholding the face of God I have seene thy face as though I had seene the face of God and thou wast pleased with me sayd Jacob to Esau Gen 33.10 when his brother treated him so lovingly contrary to his expectation he looked upon it as an evidence of the favour of God to him Or Jacob being much affected with the countenance and kindness of Esau compared his face to the face of God because in his reconciled face he saw as it were the face of God smiling upon him This was Davids argument that God favoured him Psal 41.11 because his enemies did not triumph over him much more is it an argument of Gods favour when they speake and act friendly towards us or when we behold their face and are accepted Joseph threatened his brethren yee shall not see my face or behold me except your brother be with you Gen 43.3 if you come without him either I will not admit you at all into my presence or I will look sowerly upon you Thus to behold God is to see his face as 't is sayd Chap 33.26 the repenting sick man should with joy Secondly Who can have any confidence in him or boldness with him David speaking of godly and upright men saith Ps 34.5 They looked or shall look unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed that is they beheld God or came to him with much assurance of his favour Some dare not so much as look another in the face for shame or feare but when we look a man in the face it sheweth we have either confidence in him and freedome with him or courage enough against him Now if God
both these Leaders as if he had said Thy Prophets and thy Princes mislead thee and cause thee to erre And therefore at ver 14. of the same chapter God declareth his displeasure against them professing that he would enter into judgement with the Ancients of his people and the Princes thereof The same Prophet Isaiah chap. 9.16 complains of the same thing again The Leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are lead of them are destroyed The Hebrew is they that bless this people so we put it in the margin The Leaders of the people were so called either because it was a part of their office to pronounce the blessing upon the people or because the false Prophets used to sooth up the people in their sins and as another Prophet hath it to sow pillows under their elbows as if they were in a very blessed condition and should do well enough notwithstanding all the clamours of the true Prophets against them And so the latter words they that are led of them are sutable to the former in the Hebrew being thus read in the margin they that are called blessed of them that is declared or assured by them to be in the right way and so such as should come to a blessed end though indeed their end proved destruction And if they who are misled or called blessed fall into destruction surely their misleaders who call them blessed shall not escape If the blinde lead the blinde both fall into the ditch Matth. 15.14 only the blinde leader or misleader shall fall deepest into it Fifthly Observe As God is displeased with the hypocrite when he useth his power to ensnare the people so the Lord somtimes puts him besides his power or takes his power from him that he may no longer ensnare the people The ultimate scope of the place is not only to shew the Lord displeased with the hypocrite but displacing him When the Prophet had summon'd all sorts Priests and people and the house of the King he addes Judgement is towards you because ye have been a snare upon Mizpah Hos 5.1 Thus as God pulls down hypocrites because they are hateful to himself so because they are hurtful to others hurtful to their Civil Liberties and worldly Interests over which God is tender hurtful also to their spiritual Liberties and soul Interests over which God is more tender The Kings of Israel who were very wicked and did much ensnare the people went of their Governments most of them very speedily God did not let them reigne long yea the whole Kingdom of Israel which had not one good King was dissolved long before the Kingdom of Judah which had many good Kings God did not suffer the hypocritical Kings of Israel to hold their power but gave them into the hand of the King of Assyria 2 Kings 17.6 because vers 8. they walked in the statutes of the heathen and of the Kings of Israel which they had made From the whole verse I would give one Note by way of Corrolary A hypocrite is of all persons most unfit for publick service How unfit is he to have power in his hand who can use it no better then for the ensnaring of the people A hypocrite is of a private spirit he is all for himself and therefore most unfit for publick trust We may say of the hypocrite as the Prophet Ezek. 15.3 of the Vine Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work or will men take a pin of it to hang a vessel thereon No it is not fit for that mean purpose or service much less would a man take a Vine to hew a beam or a pillar for a house out of it Magistrates are as pillars of the house or like great beams to hold up and fasten all the hypocrite is so far from being fit Timber to make a pillar of the house that he is not fit to make a pin to hang a vessel on upon the wall Power is never so improperly employed as in making snares and yet that 's the usual employment or improvement which hypocrites high or low put it to Qui regnare facit hominem hypocritam propter offendicula populi Vulg. Constituens regem hominem delatorem propter scandala quae in populo Chald. Non sunt ita repugnantes hae interpretationes quin una ex altera consequatur Nam si non sinit Deus diutius regnare hypocritam certe aliquandiu smit dat enim reges in iram Merl. I have thus far opened the Text and given these Notes from it according to our reading yet before I pass from it I shall minde you of another reading or version of this whole verse which carryeth the sence quite into another channel Thus Who meaning God maketh or suffereth at least the hypocrite to reigne because of the offences or sins of the people The Chaldee Paraphrase the Septuagint and Vulgar Latine agree in this and the dependance for clearing of it may be made out thus Elihu having shewed in the 29th verse that if God giveth quietness none can make trouble and that if he hideth his face none can behold him whether it be done against a Nation or against a man only proceeds in this verse to shew the justice of God in punishing the people by putting power into the hypocrites hand The learned Mercer I grant is not satisfied with this rendring as not being so sutable to the Grammatical construction of the Hebrew Text yet holding the first he makes this as a consequent of it confessing that it may be taken in this sense That the hypocrite reigne not who did once reigne because of the sins of the people and so it intimates the sins both of the Prince and people Thus both readings correspond and are not repugnant but subservient to each other For if God suffer not the hypocrite to reigne any longer 't is an argument that for a time he suffered him to reigne for the sins of the people that is to be an instrument of his wrath and vengeance upon them for their sins The same word signifies both a snare and sin a snare set by others and an offence or sin committed by our selves and well it may seeing nothing doth more ensnare us then our own sins And as some are led into sin by the snares which others lay for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forte interpretes pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum puncta olim voealia deessent legerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regnare faciens Drus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne sint offendicula quidam propter offendicula populi Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etiam propter signifiâ—at Drus Possit ita accipi ne regnet homo hypocrita qui quidem regnabat ob offendicula populi ut utriusque Regis populi delictum notetur Merc. so very many by sinning bring themselves into snares and usually when a people have entangled themselves in the snares of sin God sets evil
men at once to rule over them and entangle them with the snares of those sufferings which are most proper to their sins And thus 't is conceived Elihu answers those expostulating demands which Job puts chap. 21.7 Wherefore do the wicked live become old yea are mighty in power Here are three questions First Why do they live they are not worthy to breathe Secondly Why become they old they deserve to be cut off in their youth and not to live out half their dayes Thirdly Why are they mighty Why do they command all who use their might only to do mischief Elihu answers these questions in a word God giveth power into the hands of evil men because of the sins of the people As if he had said if at any time you see the wicked in great power and prosperity 't is a signe the people are very wicked and God will punish and scourge them by the hands of such for their wickedness This is a truth and much is said by some Interpreters for the making of it out from the Text but taking it as 't is given I shall only give you two Notes from it First Bad Princes are set up by the permission yea disposition of God He makes evil men to reigne The same power which brings wicked men into the world sets wicked men high in the woâ—ld It is of God that any wicked man hath a place in the wo ld and it is of God that any wicked man gets into the high places of the world All the Kings of Israel from first to last were stark naught Cujus jussu homines nascuntur hujus jussu reges constituuntur apti his qui in illo tempore ab ipsis regnantur Irene l. 5. c. 24. and very wicked yet they were all of God's setting up though their own ambition or the satisfying of some lust put most of them upon aspiring to get up In the first book of the Kings chap. 11.29 30 31. Ahijah the Prophet finding Jeroboam the first and worst of them in the way caught the new Garment that was on him and rent it into twelve pieces and he said unto Jeroboam take thee ten pâ—eces for thus saith the Lord the God of Israel behold I will rend the Kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten Tribes to thee This Jeroboam was so bad a man that he was not content to sin alone but made Israel to sin yet even him did God set up and sent a Prophet to him to tell him so How unholy soever men are in their place and how unjust soever in the exercise of their power yet the holy and just God for reasons known to himself placeth them in power Secondly Observe God permits wicked Princes to reigne as a punishment of the reigning sins and wickednesses of the people The power of wicked Princes is the punishment of a wicked people Quidam reges ad utilitatem subjectorum dantur conservationem justitiae quidam autem ad poenam Dei justo judicio in omnibus aequaliter superveniente Irene l. 5. c. 25. Some Princes and Magistrates are given as a blessing for the protection peace and profit of a Nation and for the exaltation of righteousness in it Others are given as a curse for the vexation trouble and impoverishing of a Nation The Lord takes this fully upon himself Hos 13.11 I gave them a King in mine anger c. Angry providences are the fruit of sin God gave Saul in anger he gave Jeroboam and the rest of the Israelitish Kings in anger and as he gave them in anger so he took them away in wrath The sins both of Princes and people produce mutual ill effects towards one another First The sins of the people are the cause somtimes why good Princes are immaturely or suddenly taken away from them Josiah that good King was removed very early for the sin of Judah Pharaoh Necho had never slain him had not the people been unworthy of him Hence that of Solomon Prov. 28.2 for the transgression of a land many are the Princes thereof He means not as I conceive many together but many successively that is good Princes go quickly off the stage one after another for the transgression of the people of the land But as it followeth in the same verse by a man of understanding knowledg the state thereof shal be prolonged Our Translaters render these latter words in the plural number as the margin hath it by men of understanding wisdom shall they likewise be prolonged that is when there are many godly wise and understanding men in a Nation God blesseth them with long-lived and aged good Kings or Governours Secondly Whole Nations or a people are somtimes punished for the sins of their Princes Jer. 15.4 the Lord tells the Jewish state he would bring all that evil upon them for the sin of Manasseh Regum lapsus poena populoruÌ„ est sicut enim eorum virtate servamur ita eorum errore periclitamur Quid enim possit habere corpus reipublicae capite languido The sins of Princes prove oftentimes the sufferings of the people As both by and for their goodness and vertues a people are blessed so by and for their evills errors and vices a people are endangered yea sometimes ruined When the Head of a Kingdome or Common-wealth is sicke the Body is seldome well Thirdly The sins of a people bring destruction both upon their Princes and themselves together and wrap all up in one ruinous heape as Samuel threatned the people of Israel 1 Sam 12.25 If ye still doe wickedly ye shall be destroyed both you and your King He speakes not a word of any sin in their King but tells them that their wickednesse may bring destruction not only upon themselves but upon him also Fourthly which is the poynt in hand the sins of a people cause the Lord to set evill Princes over them When once a people refuse the sweet and easie yoke of Christ or say we will not have this man to rule over us he in Judgement sends such to rule over them as shall lay heavy yokes upon them indeed God useth some Princes as his staff to support a people and as his shield to defend a people yea as his Sun to cherish and influence them with aboundance of mercies He useth others only as his sword to wound them or as his scourge to correct them for their sin Vterum fert civitas haec timeo autem ne pariat virum CorrectoreÌ„ malae insolentiae vestrae Theogn Cur Domino Phocam imperatorem constituisti responsum datum quiâ— non inveni pejorem Cur superbis non es creatus Episcopus quod dignus sacerdetio sis sed quod civitas tali digna erat Episcopo Anast Deus quibusdaÌ„ malis tanquam carnificibus usus est ad sumendum de aliis paenas quod verum esse de plerisque tyrannis arbitror Tale medicamentum fuit Argentinu Phalaru
righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore If thou repentest indeed the sin that cometh after will not be added to thy former because that is done away through Grace A godly man according to the former poynt would not adde or commit another act of sin to his former as it is sayd of Judah Gen 38.26 who had committed folly with Tamar He knew her againe no more Though his sin was great yet doubtlesse his heart was humbled and he returned not to his former sin But the wicked man continues in his wickednesse yea he blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of miâ—e heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut 29.19 Every new sin is an addition to his former sins because he alwayes liveth in sin They who would not have the captives brought into the City gave this reason 2 Chron 28.13 For whereas we have offended against the Lord already ye intend to adde more to our sins c. O take heed of sinning so as to joyne sins together As in Arithmeticke when we adde summe to summe what an huge summe may we quickly make Therefore breake off sin by repentance that if thou sinnest againe it may not be an adding of sin to sin That 's a dreadfull prophesie and threatning Psal 69.27 Adde iniquity to their iniquity and let them not come into thy righteousnesse How doth the Lord adde iniquity to iniquity will he cause any to sin more or will he doe any iniquity No the meaning is as our margin intimates the Lord will adde the punishment of their iniquity to their iniquity or he will give them up to the power of their owne lusts and vile affections so that they cannot but renew the acts of sin and adde one iniquity to another It is a blessed worke when we are much in the additions of grace to grace and of good workes to good 'T is the designe and businesse of a gracious heart to adde grace to grace that is the exercise of one grace to another till every grace be exercised 2 Pet 1.5 Give diligence to adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience Here is a blessed addition When a good man hath done well once he adds to doe more he adds more acts of the same kind and he adds to doe good acts of any other kinde He adds patience to godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity thus he is busied in a blessed way of addition But the addition of sin to sin is the bitter fruit of rebellion against God Isa 30.1 Wo to the rebellious children that cover but not with a covering of my Spirit that they may adde sin to sin They that make excuses for sin committed adde sin to sin yet by these coverings we may understand not only excuses and pretences for sin acted but our owne good acts for to cover sin with any thing of our owne is to adde sin to sin Yet I conceive the adding of one kind of sin to another is the addition there meant The Israelites sayd to Samuel when they were brought to a sight of their sin 1 Sam 12.19 We have added unto all our sins this evill to ask us a King They refused the Lords government and asked a king in the pride of their hearts and so added sin to sin Thus 't is sayd of Herod Luke 3.20 That to all his evill deeds he added this that he shut up John in prison And as there is an adding of severall kinds of sin so of severall acts of the same kind of sin oath to oath and adultery to adultery and wrong-dealing to wrong-dealing this day some oppresse their brethren and the next day they doe the same O let such remember what additions the Lord will make to them he will adde punishment to punishment he will adde the same kind of punishment several times he will adde sword to sword and famine to famine and pestilence to pestilence and he will adde punishments of various kinds The Prophet reports what various or if I may so speake heterogeneal kindes of sin men added and strung up together Hos 4.2 By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood Surely God will make blood touch blood in a way of punishment as men make blood touch blood in a way of sin The adding of sins makes an addition of plagues When Jehoiakim the King heard the roll read he threw it into the fire and burnt it Jer 36. but could he burne or make an end of the threatnings no v. 32. And there were added besides unto them many like words It is sayd Rev 22.18 If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke To adde any thing to the holy word of God is as sinfull as to take from the word or act against it God can adde plagues as fast as men adde sins When sin is added to sin then guilt is added to guilt and punishment to punishment Take heed of this addition resolve with the penitent soule in the text If I have done iniquity I will adde no more JOB Chap. 34. Vers 33 34 35. Should it be according to thy mind he will recompence it whether thou refuse or whether thou chuse and not I therefore speak what thou knowest Let men of understanding tell me and let a wise man hearken unto me Job hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdome IN the Context of these three verses Elihu doth chiefly these two things First he appeales to the Conscience of Job v. 33. Should it be according to thy mind ask thy selfe whether it should be so yea or no. Secondly he appeals to the judgement of Jobs friends yea of all wise and understanding men concerning what Job had spoken or whether he had not spoken unwisely in the 33d and 34th verses Let men of understanding tell me and let a wise man hearken unto me Job hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdome The scope of Elihu in these words is yet further to humble Job and to provoke him to repentance for his inconsiderate speeches Yet Elihu doth not call Job to repentance upon the same grounds or termes as his three friends had done They moved him to repentance upon the Consideration of his former wicked life as they supposed but Elihu moves him to repentance upon the Consideration of his imprudent and rash speeches under the afflicting hand of God Vers 33. Should it be according to thy mind This verse is delivered in as much variety as any text thorowout the whole Book and as a learned writer upon it concludes Si omnes lectiones versiones interpretationes persequeremur plus tenebrarum quam lucis afferemus Pined If we should stay upon all the various readings translations
and interpretations of it we should rather darken then enlighten rather entangle both hearers and readers then unfold the text There are at least six distinct translations of this verse which I shall passe only with the naming of them and then proceed to open the words as they stand in our owne which comprehends the summe and substance of what is held out in most of them First Some give it thus Should he reward it according to thy minde though thou hast despised the one and chosen the other yet will not I therefore speake what thou knowest As if he had sayd Why should God reward him as thou wouldest have him doe it Though thou hast refused to submit to Gods mercy and hast called for justice yet I dare not doe so If thou know better teach me Secondly Another thus Should it come from thee how he should recompence is when thou hast refused his correction but thou shalt choose and not I therefore speake what thou knowest The sence of which translation may be thus represented Shouldest thou who hast sinned and refusest to be corrected teach God how he should correct thee Thou mayest thinke so but I doe not shew me better if thou canst Thirdly Should that come from thee which he will punish I speak it because thou hast refused Gods correction because thou hast chosen that which I would not Now speak what thou knowest As if he had sayd Why shouldest thou speak against Gods proceedings to bring farther trouble upon thee my desire of easing thee is the cause why I speak thus I should never have accused God as thou hast done if I had been so handled by him But if thou hast any thing to except against what I say speak freely Fourthly Did such a speech come from thee He will recompence it that thou hast rejected him But thou choosest this way and not I now speak what thou knowest As if Elihu had thus expressed himselfe to Job I never heard thee speak so humbly as I have taught thee v. 31 32. Surely God will punish thee because thou hast spoken proudly against his proceedings with thee But this is nothing to me who like not of such courses If thou canst defend thy selfe so doe An ergo haec oratio profecta est a te rependet illud si spreveris si hac oratione tuti c. Jun Thus Junius connecting this verse with the former wherein is shewed what a penitent person should say to God translates and expounds the whole to this sence Now therefore consider hast thou spoken in such a manner surely God will recompence it to thee if thou refusest to speak so thus he deterreth him by the consideration of the event or of what might follow upon his refusal and then he deterreth him by his owne example but if thou choosest to doe otherwise truely I will not Thou shalt goe alone for me Now then speak what thou thinkest Fifthly An igitur en tua opinione rependet deus illud quod homo fecerit dicendo c Pisc Should therefore God recompence that which man hath done according to thine opinion saying because thou dislikest this it is but equall that thou shouldest choose another and not I. And what doest thou know speake man Sixthly Mr Broughton renders thus Should that come from thee which he will punish as thou doest loath as thou likest where I would not Now speake what thou thinkest All these rendrings may be reduced to this one common sence O Job whatsoever thou sufferest or by what meanes soever thou art fallen into this misery is it fit that God should be ordered by thy opinion and Judgement And surely O Job I must tell thee plainly nor canst thou deny it that thou hast not rested nor sat down quietly in the determination and decree of God concerning thee But thou wouldest rather be chusing and prescribing to God how and in what way he should deale with thee and dispence his providences to thee then satisfie thy selfe in his appoyntments and pleasure Farre be it from me that I should follow thy example or tread in thy steps as to this matter yet if thou hast any thing to reply to what I have urged say onne bring it forth let me and all in thy presence heare and judge of it Thus Elihu poynts Job to his grand error that he did not readily approve nor quietly submit to the Judgement of God in his owne case And so had not spoken reverently enough of God nor humbly enough of himselfe The reason of these various readings and rendrings mentioned is the conciseness of the Hebrew text which leaves some words to be understood and supplyed for the compleating of the sense And because the most skilfull Interpreters are not perfectly acquainted with the dialect or manner of speech used in those more remote and ancient times therefore they must needs differ both in their translations and expositions yet which may free the reader from all prejudices against the holy Scriptures either as obscure or dubious they all center and agree in that which is true in it selfe as also in the principall scope and drift of Elihu in this discourse with Job Having thus given some account of the various translations of this verse I shall now close with the explication of our owne Should it be according to thy mind Thus Elihu bespeaks Job Should it be he doth not say what but leaves us to the whole matter should this or that or t' other thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or any thing be according to thy mind the Hebrew text is but one word which we translate according to thy mind or as thou wouldst have it Num ex tuo consilio et arbitratu rependet illud sc bonum vel malum sed de malo proprie accipio Merc should it be from thee that is should God take counsell or direction from thee or goe to thee as an Oracle to be taught which way to deal with thee or with any man else should it be from thee The matter which Elihu insists upon respects the dispensations of God So his meaning is should God cut out the workes of his providence according to thy order should God reward or should God punish should God set up or should God pull down should God bring trouble or should God cause peace according to thy mind must he needs ask counsell of thee before he proceed to any of these resolutions no! He will recompence it whether thou refuse or whether thou chuse The former part of the verse is a question or Interrogation Should it be according to thy mind He will recompence c. That 's the answer and it containes both a negative and an affirmative he will not doe according to thy mind but he will doe according to his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will recompence it The verb signifies to pay or appease and make quiet and the
heare and consider the matter let them speake their minds we should not leane to nor rely upon our owne understanding in the things which concerne our selves only much lesse in those wherein others are concerned more then our selves Eyes see more then an eye And though it be an argument of too much weakness to see with other mens eyes yet it is an argument of much goodness and humility to call in the helpe of other mens eyes Secondly Note The more wise men agree in any matter the greater is the Conviction One man may speak to Conviction but if many speak the same it is a very strong Conviction Many I confesse may center and agree in a wrong Judgement yet we ought to have a reverend esteeme of and not easily differ from that Judgement wherein many wise and understanding men agree Christ speaking of Church-proceedings and censures saith Math 18.19 If two of you who constitute the least number much more if a greater number of godly wise men shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall be done for them c. So still the more wise holy and learned men agree in any poynt the greater is our conviction and the stronger our obligation to submit to it He that doth not heare a single brother his fault is great much more if he heare not two or three most of all when he doth not heare the Church speaking to him and testifying against him in the name of Jesus Christ Thirdly Elihu having made a long discourse appeal's to wise men Hence note He that believeth he hath spoken truth is not afraid to have it considered by those who are best able to judge what is true Truth feares not any test or tryall He that offers pure gold and silver cares not who toucheth it or takes the Assay Wisdome is sure enough to be justified of her children They who understand truth and love it can doe nothing against the truth but for it Fourthly Elihu having discoursed long is willing to referre it to men and to let them judge of it Hence note He that hath spoken truth in his uprightness hath reason to believe that he shall have the Consent of the upright with him There is a samenesse of spirit in all wise and godly men for the maine and for the most part it is so in particulars If a godly man conscienciously judge such an opinion to be truth he may be much assured that other wise and godly men will be of his opinion too He dares say as Elihu Let wise men hearken unto me Fifthly and lastly In that Elihu makes his appeal to wise men to men of heart Note All men are not fit to give their Judgement in a case All are not Competent Judges nor prepared to give an opinion and if they doe 't is not much to be regarded wise men specially godly wise men men of a holy understanding are the men whose judgement and opinion is to be regarded Elihu having bespoken the thoughts and opinion of wise men seemes to give his owne in the next words Vers 35. Job hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdome When Elihu had offered it to the Consideration of wise and understanding men whether Job had spoken right about that great poynt Submission to the absolute Soveraignty of God he forbare not first and plainly to declare his owne understanding of it Job hath spoken without knowledge The Hebrew is not in knowledge or not knowingly that is ignorantly foolishly a very high charge Job hath spoken without knowledge yet we are not to understand it as if Elihu thought Job an Ignorant or an unknowing man he could not but know otherwise but as to this particular case he reports him as a man that had spoken without knowledge and declared himselfe both beside his duty and the rule Hence note They who are very wise and knowing in many things yet may be out in some The best of men are not perfect either in grace or knowledge We may know much and yet come short in what we ought to know A man may speak some things very understandingly and yet speak other things very erroneously A Job may be out sometimes Job hath spoken without knowledge And his words were without wisdome When the Lord comes to decide this great Controversie in the last Chapter of this Book he tells Job's three friends that their words had not been right as the words of Job and yet here Elihu saith Job's words were without wisdome or not in wisdome When God said the words of Job were right we may understand it that they were so according to their general tenour or they were so comparatively to what his friends Eliphaz Zophar and Bildad had said in his case or at least his last wo ds after God had throughly convinced and humbled him were so though in many things he had fayled in speech or spoken those things which were not right before Yet here Elihu spake truth while he sayd his words were without wisdome in the speciall poynt he had to doe with him about and so much Job himselfe acknowledged I have spoken once yea twice but I will speak no more I will no more set my wisdome against the wisdome of God nor presume to have things goe according to my mind let God doe what he will with me hereafter Consider how well this good man tooke the plain-dealing of Elihu It might be expected that Job would quickly have risen up in passion especially when he heard himselfe thus urged But being convinced with what Elihu spake he gave him not a word much lesse an angry word Hence note A good man where he is faulty will heare reproofe with patience A gracious heart will soone be angry with himselfe for speaking or doing amisse but he can take it well to heare himselfe reproved when he hath indeed either spoken or done amisse Nor are there many greater and clearer arguments of a gracious heart then this To beare a reproofe wel is a high poynt of commendation Grace may be shewed as eminently by our patience when we are rebuked for doing that which is evill as by our forwardness and zeale in doing that which is good When Nathan the Prophet applyed the parable home to David after he had not only committed but continued long impenitently in his grievous sins of adultery and murder telling him to his face Thou art the man 2 Sam 12.7 and not only telling him so but at once upbrayding him with all the former benefits and kindnesses of God to him threatning him with many dreadfull future judgements v. 8 9 10 11 12. when I say he was thus sharply dealt with it might have been feared that this Great king would have risen up in passion and roared like a fierce Lyon upon the Prophet yet we heare nothing from him but words of sorrowfull confession and humble submission v. 13. I have sinned against the Lord. The boldnesse