shall see God no more they shall not see him as long as they live they are afraid they shall never have comfort more nor peace more while they are in this world while they are on this side heaven yet whether ever they shall come to see him in heaven is their greatest their saddest their most heart-disquieting and heart-breaking doubt and feare And indeed as we cannot see God untill he gives us eyes so we cannot believe we shall see him untill he gives us hearts Many times his dealings both as to outward terrible providences and inward terrors are so dark that we can see nothing but darkness nor say any thing but as Job is here charged to say that we shall not see him Yea God doth often hide himself from his people on purpose to try whether they will trust him and wait upon him under such withdrawings for salvation whether temporal or eternal Isal 45.15 Thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Let us therefore take heed of saying he will be for ever hidden or that we shall never see nor behold him as a Saviour say not it is so dark with us that as now we see no light so our night shall never have a morning Fourthly From these words Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Note A good man is apt to give his heart and tongue too much liberty We should watch our hearts to keep out or cast out vaine thoughts we should strangle distrustful and unbelieving thoughts in the very birth that so our tongues may never bring them forth nor publish them to the offence of others Thou hast said thou shalt not see him But when our unbridled tongues have run at randome and spoken what is not right yet God will do what is right as the next words assure us Yet Judgment is before him These words plainly intimate that Jobs scope when he said he should not see God was that he should not see him as a Judge clearing up his cause or appearing to vindicate the wrong done him and to do him right As if Elihu had said Whatever thy opinion is concerning God that he will never appear in thy cause to do thee right yet know this O Job Judgement is before him and therefore I advise thee be thou better perswaded both of his presence with thee and of his providence over thee The word rendred Judgement is that from which one of the Patriarks had his name and it is a great elegancy Gen. 49.16 Dan shall Judge his people The proper name Dan is the same with the Verb which follows shall Judge When Judgement is said to be before the Lord it may be taken three wayes so we find it in the Sc ipture First we read there of Judgement as it is opposed to mercy These terrible and dreadful Judgements of God are every where spoken of Secondly Judgement is opposed to imprudence and want of understanding or discretion Judgement is a wise and clear sight or apprehension of things as we say such a one is a Judicious man or a man of a great Judgement Thirdly Judgement is opposed to injustice or to unâ—ighteousness thus we do judgement and justice Many have a great stock of judgement or understanding who yet will do little judgment that is little justice they have a right understanding of things yet will do little or nothing right Here when it is said Judgment is before him we are to understand it in the two latter senses for though it be a great truth that judgment as opposed to mercy is before the Lord And he shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy though as the Apostle adds in the same place James 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth or glorieth against Judgement The Lord hath judgements all manner of judgements about him yet that notion of judgement doth not belong to this place but the two latter Judgement is before him that is he is a God of infinite understanding and wisdome he seeth every thing to the utmost he goes to the bottome of every mans case yea to the very bottome of every mans heart he sees every action quite through and every person And as he knows the truth of every mans cause and case so he will do every man right according to the merit of his cause and case Justice and Judgement are the habitation of his throne while clouds and darkness are round about him Psal 97.2 that is though present dispensations are obscure as in Jobs case yet both the procedure and dealings of God as also the issue or determination which he gives in every matter is just and righteous to all men as well as gracious and comfortable to good and upright-hearted men Thus Judgement or this judgement is alwayes before him that is he hath a clear sight of it and he is ready to do it Hence Note First God hath a right and clear apprehension of all persons and actions His understanding is infinite The Lord is as Hannah spake in her Thanksgiving-Song 1 Sam. 2.3 a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed That is he knoweth them exactly to a grain as we do the weight of those things which we have laid in an even Balance It is required of Judges in that advice which Jethro gave to Moses Exod. 18.21 That they should be able men that is not so much men of able purses as of able parts men of able judgement and of more than common understanding even such as were able to look through every mans Cause that came before them Such is the ability of the Lords understanding to the full he is Omniscient He is light and in him is no darknesse at all And as in him there is no darknesse so nothing is dark to him the most intricate and knotty Case the most ravel'd and vext Cause that ever was is plain and evident before his eyes with whom we have to do and who hath to do with us Judgement is before him neither is there any Judgement before any other in comparison of him God hath so much light that Men and Angels are to him but darknesse God seeth so much that all others may be said not to see or to be stark blind even those Judges may be called blind who are not blinded we may say they have no eyes whose eyes are not put out with gifts compared with God How blind then are those Judges who are blinded and whose eyes are put out either by prejudice or passion by hopes or fears it cannot be but Judgement must be before God because as he cleerly sees and fully understands whatsoever comes before him so nothing can divert or biass him fâ—om doing every man right according to his sight and understanding Judgement is before him Hence Note Secondly God will do right to every man as sure as he knows the right of every man There are many who know what is right who know whose Cause is right yet will not
to what we should shun and avoid which is the work of God alone by his grace and Spirit Thus David shews how God is teaching while he is chastening Psal 99.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest out of thy Law God teacheth First by his Word that 's his ordinary way of teaching Secondly he teacheth by his Works and those both the workes of Creation and of Providence and by those whether workes of Mercy or of Judgement By all these meanes God teacheth But that which Elihu chiefly aimeth at in this place speaking to afflicted Job is his teaching by affliction Who teacheth like him As if he had said God doth not lay his hand upon thee by affliction only to make thee smart but to make thee wise he is instructing thee while he is afflicting thee Further as God teacheth by his Word and by his Works so he teacheth most eminently by his Spirit who alone maketh the teaching both of his Word and of his Works effectual upon the hearts of the hearers and beholders Many are taught but none to purpose without the Spirit Who teacheth like him Note Secondly God is no ordinary teacher The teachings of God are above all other teachings There is no teacher to be compared with God Elihu doth not say Who teacheth besides God There are many other teachers but there is not one who teacheth like him Some may say wherein doth the excellency of divine teaching lie how hath that the supereminence above all other teachings Take the answer briefly in seven words First none teacheth so plainly and clearly as God The teachings of men are but dark and obscure to the teachings of God Christ said John 16.26 I shall no more speak unto you in parables but I shall shew you plainly of the Father God speaks by his Word and Spirit to the lowest and meanest understanding Secondly none teacheth like God that is so mildly so moderately so condescendingly to the condition and capacity of those with whom he hath to do Christ said John 16.12 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now and therefore I will not say them now I will not buâ—den you beyond your strength I know what lessons what instructions you are fit for and I will give you only these and no moâ—e till ye are better prepared to receive them I will give you only milk because ye are children and so not able to digest-st ong meat Thirdly none teacketh like God so patienâ—ly and meekly There is nothing doth more provoke the passion of a teacher than the untowardness and dulness of those that are taught It was a very good Rule given by one of the Ancients he that will teach children must in a manner be a child He must consider what they are and forme himself to their condition else she will never have the patience to teach them O with what patience doth the infinite and only wise God teach his children Isa 28.9 10. He giveth line upon line and precept upon precept here a little and there a little Here is the patience of God He doth not say if ye cannot take it now I will teach you no more No saith God I will give precept upon precept and line upon line though former precepts have not been received yet I will give you more here a little and there a little ye shall have another little to the former little God was forty yeares tutoring and teaching the Israelites in the wilderness to fit them for the possession of Canaan These three yeares saith Christ have I come looking for fruit and all that while he was teaching them to make them fruitfull nor was he hasty then but upon the inâ—ercession of the vineyard-dresser waited one year more O the patience of God in teaching Fourthly none teacheth like him that is so constantly and continually He teacheth and he is alwayes teaching there is no hour no moment but one way or other God is reaching By every thing we hear or have to do with in the wayes of his providence he is teaching us B sides how constant is God in teaching us formally as 't is said in the Prophet Jer. 35.14 15. I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets rising up early and sending them As if the Lord did bestir himself in the moâ—ning to send our teachers betimes He soweth his seed in the morning and in the evening he doth not with hold his hand as he requireth us to do in all sorts of duty whether of charity and righteousness towards our nâ—ighbour or of piety and holy worship towards himself Eccl. 11.6 Fifthly none teacheth like him that is so truly so unerringly While men teach they sometimes mis-teach while they lead they often mis-lead they teach error for truth and unsafe doctrine for sound they build wood hay and stubble in stead of gold silver precious stone upon that sure foundation Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.12 The best the wisest and most knowing men may erre only God knoweth the full compass of all mysteries yea he is Truth therefore his teachings are most true Sixthly none teacheth like him that is so authoritatively Men teach in the name and authority of God but God teacheth in his own name and authority The Lord giveth Authentity to his own word If the Lord hath said it that 's warrant enough to receive it and believe it When Christ preached the people wondered at his doctrine Mat. 7.29 For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes that is there went forth a mighty command with the word of Jesus Christ He did not as I may say beg attention and submission to his doctrine but exact it upon them and draw it from them Where God teacheth he commandeth his word worketh mightily when he speaketh all must hear at their peril Whâ—â—e Princes give the rule and publish their Laws subjects must hear and obeâ— or suffer for not obeying How much more where God gives the Rule and publisheth his Law Seventhly who teacheth like him that is so effectually so efficatiously As God hath authority to charge his teachings upon us at our peril to receive them so he hath a power to work our hearts to the receiving of them Who teacheth thus like God The Mâ—â—isters of Christ teach in the authority of God and charge all to receive what they say in his Name but they cannot give an effect to the charge Isa 48.17 He teacheth to profit One translation saith He teacheth things profitable But that is a lean rendring for so doth every Minister that teacheth as he ought but our rendring carrieth the efficacy of the word of God in it He teacheth to profit that is he can make the dullest Scholar learn he can make the most stubborn heart to submit Christ speaking of this great work of God in teaching saith John 6.45 No man cometh unto me except the Father draw him What is that drawing It is this
The excellency of God in Judgment as well as in Power But what are we to understand by judgment in which Elihu saith God excells In answer to this Querie I shall first shew that Judgment is taken four ways in Scripture and then prove that God is excellent in Judgment with respect to every one of them First Judgment is an ability of judging A man of judgment and a wise man are the same When we say such a man is a man of Judgment or a judicious man we mean he is a prudent man he is able to discern things that differ he knows how to order state and determine doubtful things aright In this sence we are to understand it here the Lord is excellent in judgment that is in wisdome and prudence to set things right and to give every one his right he sees clearly how to mannage all his affayres and purposes by righteous meanes to right ends The prophet gives God the glory of this title expressely Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of judgment Blessed are they that wait for him That is the Loâ—d is infinitely furnished with wisdom he knows exactly not only what ought to be done but how and when to do it therefore waite for him And 't is encouragement to waite when we have a person of judgment and understanding a discreet and prudent person to waite upon God is a God of judgment in this sence theref re blessed are they that waite for him Secondly Judgement in Scripture is taken for that moderation or due measure which is observed in any thing that is done This follows the former for unless a man have a Judgment or true understanding in the thing it self he can never hit a right measure of it Thus I conceive that Scripture is to be understood Math 23.23 where Christ denouncing or thundering out woes thick and threefold against the proud hypocritical Pharisees he tells them Ye pay tythe of Anise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy that iâ— either they did not give a right judgment according to Law or their legal Judgments were given with rigour not at all attemper'd mixt and moderated with mercy Of such the Apostle James speaketh Chap. 2.13 He shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against Judgment In this sence the Lord is excellent in Judgment For as he hath wisdome and understanding to see what is just â—ight so in Judgment he remembers Mercy His patience is greaâ— before he gives Judgment and his moderation is great when he gives it He dealeth not with us according to our sins nor rewardeth us according to our iniquities Psal 103.10 that is his Judgments are not proportion'd to the greatness of our sins and iniquities For as it followeth at the 11th verse of that Psalme as high as the Heaveâ— is above the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him Therefore the Prophet brings in the Chuâ—ch praying thus Jer. 10.24 O Lord Correct me I conceive it is not a direct prayer for Correction but a submission to it As if he had said I will not murmur nor rebell against thy Correction O Lord Correct me but with Judgment that is with due moderation It cannot be meant of Judgment as it notes the effect of divine displeasure but Correct me moderately or as another text hath iâ— in measure as thou usest to correct thy people This meaning is plain fâ—om the opposition in the next words Not in thine anger least thou bring me to nothing Anger transports men to do things undecently wiâ—hout modeâ—ation we quickly exceed our limits if carried out in passion and though that anger which the Scripture attributes often to God never transports him beyond the due bounds of his wisdome and justice yet when God is said to do a thing in anger it notes his going as it were to the utmost bounds of justice this caused the Church to pray O Lord if the cup may not pass from me if it cannot be but I must be corrected then I humbly and earnestly beg thou wouldst be pleased to correct me in Judgment not in anger least thou bring me to nothing What the Church prayed for here the Lord promised elsewhere Jer. 30.11 I will not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished Thus God is excellent in Judgment He abates the severity of his proceedings and allayes the bitterness of the cup by some ingredients of mercy Thirdly Judgment in Scripture is put for the reformation of things when they are out of order In this sence it is used John 12.31 Now is the Judgment of this world Our late Annotators tell us that by Judgment is meant reformation As if Christ had said I am come to set all things in order that have been out of order and disjoynted in the Jewish Church and every where else Now is the Judgment of this world In this sence God is excellent in Judgment or he excells in this Judgment that is he is for reformation he will set all things right he will make crooked things strait he will make the rough places plain John the Baptist came before Christ in this work yet in this work Christ is before or exceeds John the Baptist The Lord Isa 4.4 will purge away the iniquity of the daughter of Zion with a spirit of Judgment and with a spirit of burning that is with a reforming and a refining Spirit And the Lord will send forth this Judgment unto victory Matth. 12.20 that is he will do it thorowly he will oveâ—come all the difficulties and put by all the obstacles which hinder the perfect reforma ion of things as well as â—f persons That 's the importance also of that great promise Isa 1.25 26. I saith the Lord will turn my hand upon thee or take thee in hand aâ—d purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tinn thâ—t is all those corruptions which have crept in upon thee I will restâ—re thy Judges as at the first and thy Councellors as at the beginning Things and persons are usually best at first The new broom â—ay we sweept clean As time consumes all things here beloâ— so it coâ—rupts most things and therefore when the Loâ—d promiseth to restore them to a primitive purity he promiseth the purest restauration all which is summ'd up in the 27th verse Sion shall be redeemed with Judgment which is not only if at all intended of a redemption by Judgment on her enemies but by that reformation which â—od would work upon themselves in taking away their dross and tinn Restoring their Judges as at the first and their Councellers as at the beginning Such a Judgment is spoken of Isa 30 22. Ye shall defile also that is utterly disgrace and deface the Covering of thy graven Images of Silver and the Ornament of thy molten Images of Gold
not regard vaine prayer so when thou sayest to him thou wilt not mark it that is attend to providences as thou oughtest he wil not regard thee There is a truth in this and the Original word may fairly bear this translation yet I shall not stay upon it but rather take this Context as the beginning of a new argument than as the inforcement of the former understanding it so the words have yet a reading different from ours Another modern translater disliking the former reading only in the first part of the verse gives his own thus In this also thou hast sinned Those words are supplyed to make up the sense Etiam in hoc pexasti quòd dixisti te non contemplaturum eum Judica te coram eo expecta eum Pisc as being the bringing in of a further charge against Job In this also thou hast sinned that thou hast said thou shalt not see him judge therefore thy self before him and look for him This is the matter of his new charge Thou hast said thou shalt not see him this is thy sin And having given him this charge Elihu gives him counsel according to this translation in the close of the verse Judge therefore thy self before him and look for him We say in our translation Judgement is before him that is before God this translation saith Judge thy self before him and the reason of it is because some take the word here as a Noune Aliqui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine exponunt Judicium alii pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbo imperativi modi Judica Merc others as a Verb of the Imparative mood Judge thy self before him and then look to him or trust in him that is thou hast failed greatly and sinned in taking up such a Conclusion as this that thou shalt not see God the sense of which I shall open when I come to our own translation therefore I advise thee to judge thy self thoroughly and humbly to acknowledge thy fault This translation is much insisted upon and because it hath a profitable sense I shall note two or three poynts from the latter part of the verse where it differs from ours and then proceed to our own Translation Job being charged with sin for saying that he should not see God is here advised to judge himself Judge thy self and look to or trust in him Hence Note It is our duty to judge our selves And 't is a great Gospel duty The Apostle gives it in plain words 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. We are very apt to judge one another but very backward to judge our selves It is a great work to erect a Tribunal as I may say in our own Souls and Consciences to sit in Judgement upon our selves which that we may do we must do these three things First we must send Summons to our selves we must cite our selves to our own Tribunal for alwayes before Judgement Summons must go out and be sent to the party offending Here we are to send Summons to our selves that is to call together all the powers of our souls to appear in this Judgement and answer what is or may be alledged against us And when we have Summoned our selves then secondly we are to examine search and try our selveâ— Lam. 3.41 Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. Thirdly having tryed and examined our selves before we can come to Judgement that Judgement which is here intended we must humble our selves under a Conviction of our own vileness and sinfulness whether of our nature or of our actions whether of our state or of our way for whereas there are two parts of Judgement Absolution and Condemnation we can never come to that part of Judgement the judging of our selves as persons worthy to be condemned by the Lord for our sins unless we are first convinced of our sins Now when we have summoned examined and convicted our selves then we are ready to judge our selves to judge our selves even with the judgement of condemnation respecting what we have done yet we should do it with hopes of absolution acting our faith upon the free grace and mercy of God through the satisfaction which Jesus Christ hath made for us Again The scope of this counsel or the reason why Elihu adviseth Job to judge himself was to shew that he had rashly judged of the wayes of God because he had not duly judged himself Hence Note Self-judging or judging our own doings will preserve us from rash judging the doings and dealings of God with us We shall never think God deals harshly or rigorously with us if we do but enter into and pass a right judgement upon our own souls As they that judge themselves shall not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.31 so they that judge themselves will never judge the Lord no they will acquit and justifie the Lord under all his proceedings even in his sorest and severest ones Thus did Ezra in reference to those great and unparalel'd sufferings of the Jewes in the Babylonian warr and captivity Chap. 9.13 Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve And so did Daniel Chap. 9.7 O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day Further Elihu concluded Job very much affected with or highly conceited of himself because he pleaded his own innocency or integrity so much and was so desirous to come to a hearing and have his matter tryed before God and therefore saith he Judge thy self Hence Note Self-judging will keep us from proud or high thoughts of our selves of our own wayes or works how good soever they are Suppose our wayes and our works pure and good as Jobs indeed were for the maine he was a man of the highest elevation in holiness and of greatest integrity yet if we would thoroughly examine and judge our selves consider our short comings in duty our sinnings against duty and the sins that cleave to our best duties we should find our very innocency to be guilty and our righteousness to be unrighteous and surely such a discovery would lay us very low in our own thoughts and go very far towards the subduing of that pride of our hearts which often ariseth from the contemplation of our own wel-doing Lastly Consider this counsel was given Job according to this translation with respect to that which follows Judge thy self and trust in or wait for him Hence Note We are never fit to trust nor to wait upon God in any of his providences till we judge our selves or Judging of our selves will dispose and prepare our hearts for trusting and resting upon the power goodness and mercy of God The more we judge and humble our selves the readier haâ—h God declared himself to help us in our extremities 1 Pet. 5 6. we also are then the readier to trust and wait on him both because we then see more clearly what need we
do right But as sure as God knows every mans righâ— so certainly he will do him right Abraham pleaded thus with God Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Gen. 18.25 Certainly he will do right he cannot but do right Judgement is before him The Scripture is express He will reward every man and award to every man according to his works Every man shall have as he is for as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.6 He shall bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God that is every man shall have it who is fit for it every man shall have praise who is as we say praise-worthy how much soever he hath been dispraised slurr'd in his credit unworthily dealt with and accused in this world God will not hold or detain the truth of men in unrighteousnesse though men hold both the truth of God and the truth of men the truth of their Causes in unrighteousnesse Judgement is before the Lord. Fuâ—ther That Particle which we render yet gives us this Note God is never a whit the lesse Righteous because it doth not appear to us that he is so Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet Judgement is before him The wayes of God are often secret but none of them are unjust Judgement is before him even then when we think iâ— is farthest off from him Therefore if we will give God the glory of governâ—ng the world and of ordering all our personal conditions we must not measure him by the things we see or which appear for we cannot see the measure of his Judgement by what appears that which appears to us is not his Judgement something else is his judgement and he in the close will make his judgement clear to all men he will make it appear that judgment is his though what his judgement is doth not appear The mis-apprehensions or mis-constructions of men do not at all retard or stop the righteousnesse of God as the Apostle speaks in another case Rom. 3.3 Shall the unbelief of man make the Faith of God that is the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect God forbid God will be Faithful and True though all the world be Unbelievers and Lyars Now as the unbelief of man cannot make the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect so our not believing that Judgement proceeds or our saying it is delayed does not at all take off God from righteousnesse in doing Judgement he is doing Judgement righteously whatever apprehensions men have of his doings Judgement is before him Therefore trust thou in him Elihu according to the first reading of the former words exhorts Job to Repentance Judge thy self and here he exhorts him to Faith Trust thou in him Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him or wait and hope in him for seeing God is a Just and Righteous Judge he will not neglect or slight the Cause of any of his People therefore they have all the reason in the world to trust in him and wait upon him It is unbelief which makes haste Faith is content to wait and tarry The Original word hath several significations First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat 1. Dolere 2. Parturire 3. Manere Perseverare 4. Sperare Forte per metaphoram quia animus sperans futurâ—m gaudium cum dolore parturit Coc. More general to grieve or be in pain and trouble Secondly In special to bring forth or the pain of a woman in travel to bring forth there is much pain in that travel Thus some translate here Wait for him as a woman in travel waits for deliverance Thirdly As it signifies to have pain and to have that pain in bringing forth children so to attend to wait to stay quietly and expect Rest in the Lord saith David Psal 37.7 and wait patiently for him We may give the reason of this signification from that allusion The woman though she be in pain yet she patiently bears it because she hath hope a man shall be born into the world John 16.21 A woman in that pain hath not only patience but comfort under it because she hopes a child shall shortly be born who will recompence all her sorrows in bearing and bringing him forth into the world That 's the force of this word Trust in him Thou art in pain in trouble in travel for the present yet thou shalt have a blessed deliverance thou shalt certainly find that it is not in vain to trust upon God Thus Elihu aâ—viseth Job to such a patience as a woman in travel with child hath who bears her pains comfortably being refreshed and supported with an assurance and fore-sense of that joy which she shall have being once delivered Trust thou in him I have in some other places of this Book met with this Point of trusting in God Job said in the 13th Chapter of this Book vers 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him And therefore I shall not stay to open that general duty or the exercise of that Grace which here Elihu exhorts Job to Trusting in or waiting upon God Only from the Connexion Note First It is our duty to wait and trust upon God And 't is such a duty as will keep us close to all other duties a mind staid on God is a mind fit to move about any good work whatsoever which God calleth us unto Secondly Put all together Thou sayest thou shalt not see him thou art doubtful whether ever things will mend yet Judgement is before him therefore trust Hence Note When things are not clear to us when we have no light about what God is doing or what he will do yet it is our duty to trust and wait upon God We must wait upon God and trust in him though we do not see him yea though we cannot see him for Judgement is before him That of the Prophet Isa 50.10 is a clear proof of this duty and some expound this Scripture specially respecting outward dark providences as others of inward darkness or darkness of spirit Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darkness and hath no light as Job saith here I shall not see him What shall a poor benighted soul do in that case The answer or advice followeth Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God How dark soever our condition is yet it is our duty to trust upon God and if once we are enabled to give God the glory due to his name in confessing that Judgement is before him we shall readily trust upon him to order all things for us though all things seem out of order even to amazement though we see heaven and earth as it were confounded yet we shall readily trust upon him because we believe that even then Judgement is before him How soon can he turn our
darkness into light who in the first Creation when all lay together in a confused heap and darkness over all bâ—ought forth light and set all in order The Lord can command light out of darkness good out of evil order out of confusion and he can do all this easily and at an instant therefore whatever the appearances of things are let not us judge according to appearance but hope and wait and stick to what God hath promised Though providences appear cross to promises and prophesies yet they never frustrate either Let us also be sure to stick to the commandements of God for we may rest assured God will stick to his promises To keep Commandements is our work to keep promises is Gods work though we fayle much in our work God will not fayle at all in his work To believe this is the highest and truest work of faith But if we are faithful in our work the keeping of Commandements we have a further evidence that God will be faithful in his work the keeping or fulfilling of promises a great part the most spiritual part of Gods fulfilling promises being his enabling of us to keep Commandements and then we shall be able to say not only in faith but from experience that Judgement is before him And untill we come to this conclusion of faith in dark times when we cannot see him the soul never sits down in rest Nothing fixes the soul but trust in God we are unquiet yea we boyle with unquietness and toss as the angry Sea with the windes till we trust fully upon God upon his wisdome and power upon his goodness and faithfulness and can say let him do as seems good in his eyes we know he is and will be good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart When we can once stay our minds on God we are quiet but when we must bring God to our mind and must have God go our pace or come at our time and work in our way none of which he will do what a do soever we make to have it so O how restless and troubled are we even like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest And O how much of this restless trouble discovers it self in the minds of many that I say not the most of men and all because they cannot trust God when they do not see him or because when they do not see him which was Jobs fayling they say they shall not see him If matters come not to pass according to their platforme and model or hit not the dates and dayes the times and seasons which they have fixt in their unscriptural Kalender or by a mistake of the Scripture Kalendar they are ready to say they shall not see him their hopes are as the giving up of the ghost that is they give all for lost and past recovery Many trust God as they do some men no farther than they see him they are the worst and coursest sort of men whom we trust no otherwise How dishonourable then how infinitely below God is such a trust Elihu would have Job and so should we trust God though he could not see him and said he should not Thou hast said thou shalt not see him yet trust in him Lastly From the illative particle therefore that is because Judgement is before him trust thou in him Note hence The consideration of the Righteousness and Justice of God is a mighty argument to provoke us to trust him and wait upon him Trust is not every bodyes due some as we speak proverbially are to be trusted no farther than a man can throw a Milstone that is they are not to be trusted at all Trust I say is not every bodyes due but to trust God is every bodyes duty yea and interest too for he is cloathed as much with righteousness and justice as he is with strength and power Will you not trust an honest man will you not trust a wise man We can come to a height of confidence in man sometimes if we think him a man of judgement and wisdome of honesty and faithfulness we can trust all we have in such a mans hand how much more should we say to God seeing Judgement is before him therefore will we trust in him We have an eminent Scripture urging this duty upon this ground Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of Judgement Judgement is there taken in the same notion as here in the Text he is a wise and a just God the Lord is a God of judgement what followeth Blessed are they that wait for him There can be nothing said more urging more encouraging to wait and trust on God to do us right then this He is a God of Judgement a righteous God Judgement is before him Thus far of the good counsel which Elihu gave Job in this his dark and deserted state and counsel it was worthy to be embraced with both armes and with an open breast and that Job had need of it he shews in the next words while he tells Job and us it was not so with him yet as appeared by the sad hand of God upon him and his own distemper under it JOB Chap. 35. Vers 15 16. 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain he multiplieth words without knowledge IN the close of the former verse Elihu called upon and exhorted Job to a patient reliance and trust on God Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him here in the 15th verse he shews that the reason why God visited him so sorely and yet continued his visitation upon him was because he did not as he ought patiently trust in and rely upon him There are several readings of this verse but I shall only mention one besides our own and having stayed a little about that go on to the explication of the Text as it lyes in order before us Some render thus But know now his anger hath visited thee but a little Hebr Nunc autem cito quod paululum te visitavit ira ipsius neque inquisivit multum admodum Merc Scito perexiguum esse quo te deus iratus plectit nisi levitèr in te inqui ere mâ—luisset Bez nothing neither hath he made any great inquisition The sense of the verse according to this rendring riseth thus As if Elihu had said God hath dealt with thee O Job far better than thou hast dealt with him or then thou hast cause to expect he hath not laid his hand so heavy upon thee as thy iniquity hath deserved and yet thou complainest much of his severity whereas indeed he hath not strictly inquired into the multitude of thy sins which if he had done he would certainly have brought upon thee a greater multitude of afflictions he would have afflicted thee much more Thou art too well used to complain thus That 's the summe of this rendring which
quandoquidem igitur illa non extat invasit ira ejus qua odit et amolitur peccat m etiam in iis ques diligit et salvâ—s vult maxime Coc. He hath visited in his anger or strictly his anger hath visited That is God hath heavily afflicted thee God is far from all passion and perturbation of mind only he is said to be angry or to visit in his anger when he doth that which anger produceth among men when he casts down and punisheth when he lays his hand sorely upon the Creature then he is said to be angry then His anger hath visited The word notes quick breathing in the Nostrils anger appears or vents it self there as it is said of Paul when Saul Acts 9.1 And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord went unto the High Priest You might see anger as it were foam yea flame out of his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ira ejus visitavit and evaporate at his nostrils Thus saith Elihu Because it is not so his anger Hath visited To visit is properly to go to and see any person whom we respect and love thus we visit friends in civility and courtesie Secondly To visit is an act of pity and mercy and thus we visit the sick the widdow and the fatherlesse James 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction that is to go to them in pity either for the supply of their wants by our purse or for the comforting of their hearts by our counsel Thirdly We visit in care as well as in kindnesse that is when we go to our Families or Flocks or places of charge wheresoever they are and see that or whether all things are well and right with them or well and rightly done towards them according to the rules that such persons under our charge ought to act and live by Thus in Colledges and Hospitals there is a visitation of care to make enquiry of persons in trust about persons and things under their trust To the Point in hand there is a twofold visitation of God First He visits in love and mercy Ruth 1.6 Then she that is Naomi arose with her Daughter in Law that she might return from the Countrey of Moab for she had heard in the Countrey of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread That is God had shewed them kindnesse and mercy in relieving them from that devouring famine Again Gen. 21.6 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said that is he gave her the promised mercy of a Son Once more Luke 1.68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and that 's a blessed visitation indeed which brings redemption Thus the Scripture often speaks of Gods visitation in mercy Secondly There is a visitation of God in anger wrath and judgement The Law saith Exod. 20.4 5. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me That is punishing the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children these Children continuing in their Fathers ways to do sinfully such Children as take up the evil examples or tread in the bad steps of their fore-Fathers shall suffer for it The Prophet at once upbraided the impudent Jews and threatned them in this Language Jer. 6.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations nay they were not ashamed neither could they blush therefore they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. Again Isa 26.14 Therefore hast thou visiâ—ed and destroyed them There is a visitation for destruction that 's a sad visitation In this sense we read of a time of visitation Jer. 8.12 Jer. 10.15 We read of days of visitation Hosea 9.7 The dayes of visitation are come the dayes of recompence are come We read also of a year of visitation Jer. 23.12 For I will bring evil upon them even the year of their visitation saith the Lord. As also Chap. 11.23 I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth even the year of their visitation This is the visitation here spoken of it is a time a day a year of sore visitation with thee O Job Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger Hence Note First God expects the work of Faith and Patience when his afflicting hand is upon us Faith hath much work to do at all times but most in times of affliction There is also a use of two sorts of patience in our best dayes the patience of labouring in Gods work and the patience of waiting for the reward of our work after all our labours But in sad dayes the Lord expects we should exercise both patience in suffering and in waiting for deliverance out of all our sufferings then 't is that both Faith and Patience trusting and waiting must have their perfect work Secondly Note When the Lord doth not find or see as he expects the work of Faith and Patience in a time of affliction he will afflict more and more until he finds or works it This is it which Elihu saith in the Text Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger Job was sorely afflicted before but now he is visited in anger because he did not manifest such trust in God as he expected in that condition As when the wicked repent not of their sins under the punishing hand of God he will punish them more and more even seven times more for their sins Levit. 26.41 So when good men act not their Graces believe not trust not under the afflicting hand of God he usually afflicts them more and more gives them soarer stripes and layeth yet heavier burdens on them When God misseth what he lock'd for we may quickly feel what we looked not for Mr. Braughtons Translation speaks the Point fully But now for missing his anger doth visit Man seldome misseth tâ—ouble from God when God misseth duty from man and 't is a me cy that he doth not 't is mans mercy when God minds him of his deficiencies in duty though by a smart visiting rod. Thus the Lord spake of Davids Seed and 't is to be understood of all the Seed of Christ whom David typed Psal 89. If his children forsake my Law v. 30 31. Then vers 32. will I visit their transgressions with the Rod c. How true this charge of Elihu was as to Jobs omission of duty I shall not stay to enquire only this we know Job had professed trust in God yet because it was mingled with so much complaint with so many unbelieving expostulations Elihu might say the Lord missed the patience trust and confidence
are wrought above of those both useful and dreadful or terrible Meteors the snow and raine the windes the lightening and the thunder these things may be thought very forreigne and heterogeneal very far off from the business in hand but I will speak to thee of these things even of the woâ—ks of God in the Heavens in the Air in the Chambers of the Clouds and I will convince thee by what God doth there above of his righteousness in what he doth here below The wisdome and power of God in ordering those natural works in the Clouds and in the Air prove that man hath no cause to complain about his providential works on earth For as those wonderful visible works of God are real demonstrations of those invisible things of God his eternal power and God-head so they declare both his righteousness and goodness his wrath and mercy towards the children of men in the various dispensations of them And so although those things might be thought far from the poynt which Elihu supposed Job questioned at least by consequences the righteousness of God in his severe dealings with him yet indeed they contained principles or general grounds by which that which Elihu had engaged to maintain might be fully confirmed and unanswerably concluded This I conceive is the special afar off that Elihu intended to fetch his knowledge from as may appear in the close of this Chapter and in the next quite thorow I will fetch my knowledge from afar Hence note First The natural works of God or the works of God in nature are to be studied and searched out As the works of grace are afar off from all men in a state of nature so the works of God in nature are very far off from the most of men they know little of Gods works in the Heavens or in the Earth in the Sea or in the Aire yet all these are to be searched out with diligence by the sons of men Secondly Note The works of Creation and Providence shew that God is and what he is We may see who God is in what he hath done we say things are in their working as they are in their being God hath done like himself in all that he hath done his own works as well as his own Word speak him best Psal 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work c. The raine and snow declare the power of God Thunder and Lightening shew what he can do Thirdly Note Knowledge is worth our longest travel it will quit cost to go far for it We say Some things are far fetcht and dear bought true knowledge especially the knowledge of Jesus Christ deserves to be far fetcht and it cannot be too dear bought we must drive a strange kind of trade with the truths of God we must be alwayes buying and never selling yet that 's a commodity will never lye upon our hands never brayde If we were to fetch our knowledge from afar as to the distance of place we should not think much of it The Queen of the South fetcht her knowledge from afar she came a very great way undertook a long jouâ—ney to hear the wisdome of Solomon in that sense we should be willing to fetch our knowledge from afar yet some will scarce step over the threshold to fetch in knowledge It is prophesied Dan. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Knowledge ought to be travell'd for as much as any thing in the world We fetch our gold and silver and rich Commodiâ—ies afar off we go to the ends of the Earth for them through a thousand deaths and dangers we sayle within three inches of death for many moneths together to fetch woâ—ldly riches f om afar off and shall we not fetch knowledge afar off how far soever it is from us in distance of place and what labour or cost soever we bestow to fetch it in I will fetch my knowledge from afar I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker These words contain the ground purpose or designe of Elihu in this whole discourse which was to maintain the righteousness of God I saith he will ascribe the Hebrew strictly is give righteousness to my Maker here 's a very great undertaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give righteousness to God God gives and imputes righteousness to us 'T is the summe of the Gospel that God imputes or ascribes righteousness to sinners Now as God in a Gospel sense gives righteousness to us both the righteousness of justification which is lodged in the person of Christ and the righteousness of sanctification which is lodged in our own persons though the spring and principle of that also be in Christ still so we must give righteousness to God that is both believe and declare or publish to all the world that God is just and give him the praise of his justice which is the best and noblest work we can do on Gods behalf in this world There are two most excellent works which indeed contain all our work in this world First To do righteously or act righteousness our selves Secondly To ascribe righteousness unto God But you will say what is it to give or ascribe righteousness to God I answer It is to acknowledge that God is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works 'T is mans duty to justifie God to ascribe that righteousness to him which is properly his own 'T is Gods grace his free-grace to justifie man to ascribe that righteousness to him which is properly anothers David made profession of the former as his duty Psal 50.3 4. I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and clear when thou judgest That is I 'le confess my sin Is qui peccat et confitâ—tur deo peccatum justifi at deum cedens ei vincenti et ab eo gratiam sperans Ambros l. 6. in Luc that all the world may see the righteousness of thy dealings with me though thou shouldest deale never so severely with me though thou shouldest speak the bitterest things against me pronounce a sentence of heaviest judgement upon me The Apostle referring to this place in the Psalmes quotes the words in a passive forme and sense not of God judging man but of God judged by man Rom. 3.4 Let God be true but every man a lyar as it is written that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged As if David had said according to the Apostles reading out of the Septuagint which yet as learned Beza in his Annotations affiâ—meth Istud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 active meo quidem judicio necessario explicandum est ut Graeco Hebraeu respondeant Bez in Rom 3.4 ought to be expounded actively as if I say David had thus expressed himself Lord I know some men will take the boldness to question thee yea and to condemn thee
forgets God as his Maker will never remember much less answer and accomplish the ends for which he was made Thirdly I will ascribe righteousness to My Maker Note A godly man takes God as his own and appropriates him by Faith in all his Relations Faith takes not only a share in God but all of God My God my Father my Maker my Redeemer are strains of Faith A Believer doth as it were ingross God to himself yet desires and endeavours that all as well as himself may have their part and portion in God yea God for their Portion Job said Chap. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth He spake as if he had got a Redeemer not only to but by himself Thus also holy Paul of Christ Gal. 2.22 Who loved me gave himself for me as if he had been given for him alone and loved none but him This is the highest work of Faith and 't is the signification of our hottest love to God it shews endearedness of affection to him as well as neerness and clearness of interest in him when we thus take him as our own Saviour Father Maker I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker Observe Fourthly He who is the Maker of all men can be unrighteous to nâ— man nor is lyable to the censure of any man whatever he doth 'T is impossible that he who made us should wrong or injure us and that upon a twofold Principle First Of the respect he hath for Justice towards all those whom he hath made God is so tender that he doth not willingly or with his heart afflâ—ct nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth Lam. 3.33 34. much less will he as it followeth vers 35 â—6 turn away the right of a man before the face of the most High that is before his own face who is the Most High As if it had been said The Lord will not pervert Judgment in any mans Case that comes before him Or if we take those words before the face of the Most High as denoting the highest Judicatory on Earth as our Margin intimates putting there for Most High A Superiour then the meaning is The Lord doth not approve that any earthly Judge though Supream or most Superiour should turn aside the right of a man how inferiour soever for as the 36th verse hath it To subvert a man in his Cause the Lord approveth not or as the Hebrew is rendred seeth not that is he seeth it not with approbation but indeed with detestation and will severely punish such subverters of Justice Secondly It is impossible that he who hath made us should wrong or injure us upon the principle of his Soveraignty over all those whom he hath made He that gives all men their being he that gives all to all men that are in being can be unrighteous to no man whatsoever he taketh from him or doth with him We have Job in the beginning of this Book Chap. 1.21 ascribing righteousness to God his Maker upon this reason or principle The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. It is he that made me a man 't is he who once made me a rich man a great man the greatest man of all the men of the East Chap. 1.3 What if now he hath lessened me and left me little or nothing what if he hath now made me a mean man a poor man in account a no man what if God hath now stript me naked and taken all from me He hath taken nothing but what he gave why then should I take it ill at his hands or have so much as an ill thought of him the Lord gives and the Lord takes there 's no unrighteousness in all this If God should utterly undoe us he doth us no wrong if he should as it were unmake us let us consider he is our Maker then we must say there is no unrighteousness in him yea we shall be ready with Elihu in the Text to ascribe righteousness unto him And therefore as a Corollary from the whole Note Fifthly Whatsoever God doth with us or others we ought to maintain the honour of God and retain good thoughts of him both as righteous and good Though Heaven and Earth be moved though the World be full of confusion and unâ—ighteousness yet we must ascribe righteouâ—nesse to God Whatsoever or whosoever falls to the dust the Honour and Justice of God must not Thus far of Elihu's third Argument for attention the Fourth is at hand in the next verse Vers 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee As if he had said I am purposed to speak the truth and nothing but the truth therefore hear me Truly my words shall not be false He gives assurance for or warrants the truth of his words while he saith they shall not be false Negatives in Scripture often carry a strong affirmation The Father of a Fool hath no joy Non est â—â—num pro passimum est sic non remittâ—tur ei i. e. famietur Drus saith Solomon Prov. 17.21 that is he shall have a great deal of sorrow When the Scripture denyeth forgiveness to any sort of impenitent sinners or saith their sin shall not be forgiven the sense is they shall be punished When we say proverbially Goods ill gotten shall not prosper the meaning is they shall perish and do him mischief that hath gotten them not only shall he not thrive with them but they shall ruine and undoe him his goods ill gotten shall do him no good when the evill day is come much less shall they be able or he by them to prevent the coming of an evil day Once more When we say Such a thing is not ill done our intendment is 't is very well done excellently done So here when Elihu saith Truly my words shall not be false his meaning is I will speak truth and truth to the highest I will speak nothing but what shall endure the Touchstone and the Test I will not offer thee a Syllable of falshood what I alledge and urge either for God or against thee shall not be fetcht oâ— hammer'd out of my own brain and so subject to errour and mistake but such as God who cannot erre by whose Spirit and in whose stead I speak unto thee hath inspired me with or taught me for thy conviction and instruction Fourthly When he saith Truly my words shall not be false we may take it two wayes First As to the matter spoken Secondly As to the mind of the Speaker when truth is thus spoken t is truly spoken thus much Elihu engag'd for As if he had said The matter that I speak shall be true and I will speak it in truth or with a true mind and heart I will not speak any thing to flatter thee nor for my own ends to trouble thee my words shall be candid and sincere
can stop and bridle our boisterous and angry passions towards those that have offended us The Lord saith unto or concerning Pharoah Exod. 9.16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power c. What power The Lord shewed forth a twofold power in the raising up of Pharoah First the power of his Arm that he was able to cast down such a mighty Prince Secondly The power of his Patience that he spared him from ruin till he had sent ten messages to him and poured ten Plagues upon him The Lord was so provoked by Pharoah that he might have crushed him upon the first denyal but he forbare him long the Lord might well say I have set thee up that I might shew forth my power my power in forbearing thee long as well as in destroying thee at last The Apostle speaks of this power Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his power known the Lord will not only shew his wrath hereafter in breaking those vessels of destruction but he shews his power now in suffering them long and therefore he to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Here 's the strength of the Lords heart he bears long with wicked men Secondly There is a mighty power or strength of heart in God as in long-suffering towards impenitent sinners so in pardoning sinners who repent Who Magni animi est ignoscere but the Lord hath such a strength of Spirit to pardon and passe by offences After the People of Israel had mutined and murmured Sola sublimis et excelsa virtus est nec quicquam magnum nisi quod simul placidum Sen. and so provoked the Lord to the height Moses begs and bespeaks the power of the Lords pardoning-mercy Numb 14.17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity c. As if Moses had said Lord thou must put forth as much power in pardoning the sins of this People as ever thou didst in delivering them from their bondage-sufferings in Egypt Or thus O Lord thou mightest magnifie the power of thine anger in punishing this rebellious People but rather magnifie the power of thy patience and long-sufferance in sparing and pardoning them O what strength of heart is in God who passeth by the great transgressions of his People Thirdly The Lord hath a mightinesse of heart in executing his wrath upon his incorrigible enemies Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger The anger of God is such a thing as no man can go to the bottome of it in his thoughts The Lords wrath is powerful beyond all imagination and apprehension his anger as well as his love passeth knowledge In all these respects the Lord hath strength of heart or he is mighty in strength of heart as well as in hand or arm The greatest discoveries of Gods power are in the wayes of his mercy His Judgements are called his strange work but his mercy is his strength as the Prophet calls it Isa 27.5 where warning the Bryars and Thorns to take heed of warring with God he gives a sinner this counsel Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me But what is meant by the strength of God Some render Apprehendet arcem meam i. e. Christum Coc. Let him take hold of my Tower A Tower is a place of strength but here put for that which God glories in most as his chiefest strength even his goodnesse meâ—cy patience and long-sufferance yea Christ himself as if he had said Let not the sinner struggle with my strength let him not think by strâ—ng hand to overcome my strength but let him take hold of my Christ through whom all those glorious perfections of mine my Goodnesse Mercy Patience c. are given out to the children of men and he shall make peace with me This is the true strength of God nor doth any thing more set forth the strength of man than this that he is ready to pardon to forgive and passe by only impotent spirits are much for revenge 'T is our weaknesse not to passe by wrongs and injuries done to us To bear wrongs is to be like the high and mighty God to bear them in mind is to be like the lowest and weakest spirited men He is strong indeed who is strong in patience against Offenders and as strong in mercy to pardon humble ones as in power to punish stubborn and rebellious ones Secondly By way of Illation Note 'T is the greatness of Gods Spirit or the strength of his heart and mind which moderates him towards sinful man That which keeps men in a moderate frame towards men is true greatnesse of spirit They that are of such a spirit will neither despise those that are below them nor envy those that are above them not willingly oppose those that are equal to them The envy and opposition of others greatnesse ariseth from the meannesse and weaknesse of our own spirits The reason why one man is affraid that another should be high is because himself hath not a real highnesse of spirit or the reason why most oppose the greatnesse of others is the littlenesse of their own spirits Whence spring contentions and strifes envyings at and underminings of one another come they not from the narrownesse of our hearts that we cannot rejoyce in the good of others or from the impotent jealousies of our hearts that we fear others will do us hurt If such a one get up he will pull me down if such a one be high 't is dangerous to me therefore I must pull him down if I can whence comes this but from lownesse and poornesse of spirit from that pitiful thing in man called Pusillanimity The Lord hath so great a Spirit that as he envieth no mans greatnesse so he feareth no mans greatness and therefore doth that which is just and equal to all sorts of men bad and good as is further shewed in the next verse Vers 6. He preserveth not the life of the wicked but giveth right to the poor As if Elihu had said Though the Lord doth not despise any that are great yet he doth not respect any that aro bad he preserveth not the life of the wicked And as the Lord will not do any wrong to the rich so to be sure he will give right to the poor What Elihu had affiâ—med of God he now proveth by instances or particulars and that both in respect of the wicked and the godly That the Lord is most just and righteous he proveth thus He preserveth not the life of the wicked That 's the first instance and he expresseth it negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non viâ—ificat He preserveth not the life of the wicked he
Paul said he was in Deaths often but God had as often preserved his life but they are in Deaths alwayes whose life God never preserveth VVhat preservation of life can he have who hath not God for his preserver God in Creation or Propagation giveth us our life as to being but Preservation gives us our life as to well-being Can it be well with them that are not under the preservation of God To be redeemed by Christ would be but a small comfort unless we were also preserved by him Jude 1. To them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called If we were only redeemed from death and not preserved in life what were our spiritual life to us So I may say in respect of the life of the body to be meerly created or propagated what is it if we are not preserved 'T is a high Priviledge when a man can not only say he hath received life from God but his life is preserved by God That 's the first poynt He preserveth not the Life of the wicked Again From that other Interpretation of the words as not to preserve is as much as to destroy and ruine Note As God utterly disowneth so he will at last utterly ruine all wicked men He not only doth not favour them but pours out fury upon them Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name The Prophesie of Isaiah speaks no better concerning them than that prayer of Jeremy Isa 3.11 Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hand shall be given him And what can the hand of a wicked man earn the wages of sin is death he can get nothing but wrath and death nothing but tribulation and anguish here and eternal misery hereafter by the work of his hands VVoe to the wicked for the reward of his hands shall be given him that is eternal destruction and sorrow shall be given him according to the iniquity of his hand A godly man is rewarded according to the cleanness of his hands Psal 18.20 24. He labours to keep his hands much more his heart clean whatever the VVorld judge of him But woe to the wicked when God giveth them the reward of their hands of their unclean soul and filthy hands for what can such hands get or procure by all their labour but their own mischief and sorrow There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 57.21 No peace is to them because no good is done by them their portion lyes in promises who keep Commandements so theirs must needs lye in threatnings who do nothing but break them or break them in all they do My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord said David Pâ—al 104.34 As if he had said I know that I and eveâ—y Godly man shall receive so much good from the Lord that it doth me good at the heart to think of it But as for the wicked I can fore-see as we say with half an eye how ill it will be with them and so let it be I must subscribe to and vote with the righteous judgement of the Lord againâ—t them ver 35. Let the sinners be consumed out of the Earth and let the wicked be no more Lastly Consider these words He preserveth not the life of the wicked with respect to the wicked specially intended and treated of in this Context The Lord is mighty and despiseth not the mighty because they are mighty he preserveth not the wicked Hence Note Wicked men how mighty soever cannot preserve themselves nor doth the Lord undertake for their preservation The strongest of wicked men cannot stand by their own strength they cannot protect nor preserve themselves and the Lord will not put forth his strength to preserve them from falling As no mightiness no power can bear man up or maintain him against the Lord so not without the Lord if he preserveth not the life of the wicked they cannot escape death and destruction though high as Cedars and strong as Oakes They cannot but perish whom God preserveth not He preserveth not the life of the wicked But giveth right to the poor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pauperes afflicti Or to the afflicted Poverty it self is a great affliction and usually the poor are afflicted by others Here is a second instance of Gods goodnesse in the exercise of his power and might As He preserveth not the life of the wicked So he giveth right to the poor as he destroyeth wrong-doers so he will do right to those that suffer wrong Every word is considerable First He giveth that 's an act of bounty Secondly He giveth right that 's an act of equity And that Thirdly To the poor that 's an act of pity and charity Further When 't is said He giveth that implyes First a present or speedy act Secondly a constant and setled course of acting As the word giveth imports that the Lord doth it now and doth not put it off to hereafter only so it likewise importeth that the Lord will do it hereafter as well as now He giveth Right to the poor The poor suffer wrong but the Lord comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gives them right or rights them and that in a twofold notion First He gives them that right which is due to them according to his own righteous Laws or the righteous Laws of men That 's right done which is done according to a righteous Law Secondly He giveth them that right which is due to them according to the integrity of their own hearts and wayes We may say Thirdly The Lord giveth them right not according to the strictnesse of the Law but according to the integrity of their hearts Thus David prayed Psal 7.3 Judge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to mine integrity that is in me that is according to my honest meaning and the simplicity of my Soul As if he had said O Lord do me right men have done me wrong they have false and wrong apprehensions of me they raise false reports concerning me but thou O Lord who knowest my integrity wilt judge me accordingly and 't is my humble and earnest Prayer that thou wouldest He giveth right To the poor The poor in Scripture are taken two wayes First as they stand in opposition to the rich Secondly as they are opposed to the proud thus here he giveth right to the poor as well as to the rich and he will especially give right to the humble poor to the righteous poor to the poor in spirit Such the Prophet speaks of Isa 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that is poor He means not the poor in purse as such he means not those as such who wear poor cloaths the Lord doth not always look to or respect such poor for many such are both proud and wicked but he
sweet pleasant and easie in a twofold respect Fiâ—st comparatively to the service of sin and the world of lust and the devil that 's a weariness indeed as well as a baseness Secondly It is easie also if we consider the help we have in it The people of God serve him in a Covenant of Grace which as it calls them to work so it gives them help to work The New Covenant doth not call us as Pharaoh did the children of Israel to make brick and deny us straw yea under that Covenant we have not onely straw afforded us to make our brick but we have strength afforded us to make our brick thar is the very power by which we serve our Master is given in by our Master The Masters of this world set us a work but they give us no strength but what work soever God sets his Covenant-servants about he gives them strength to do it Then O how sweet is it to serve him and how readily should our hearts come off in his service Let me add one thing more which brings us to the next words serve him for his is not a lean service not an unprofitable service there is a reward promised to those who serve him yea his very service is a reward his work is wages Therefore what calls soever we have from him let us answer and serve him There are two things which should be the daily meditation of Saints or they should be continually acquainting themselves with them First The Cross of Christ that they may know how and be willing to suffer for him Secondly The Yoak of Christ that they may know how and be willing to serve him If they obey and serve him What then even that which was the last consideration prove king us to his service there is a reward in iâ— If they obey and serve him They shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures Here 's good wages who would not serve that Master who will pay him for his work in that desireable coyne Pleasure and Prosperity They shall spend their dayes in prosperity that is they shall run out their dayes in prosperity their dayes and their prosperity shall be like two parallel lines one as long as the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat tum consumere tum consummare significat etiam consumi desiderio quod dicitur aliquem deperire amore The word which we translate to spend signifies to finish and that in a double respect First in a way of Consumption Secondly in a way of Perfection or Consummation That which is consumed is finished or ended So the word is used Psal 90.7 Numb 16.45 The Lord saith to Moses Go you up from this Congregation that I may consume them in a moment I will dispatch them and make an end of them presently The Lord can soon rid his hand of sinners And as it notes a consuming by suddain judgements by diseases or age so by longing or desire 2 Sam. 23.15 And David longed 't is this word he was even spent and consumed with a longing desire and said Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate Now as that which is consumed or spent so that which is perfected is finished Thus Moses having set down the particulars of the whole work of Creation summes all up in this word Gen. 2.1 2. Thus the heavens and the Earth were finished and all the host of them that is God compleated or brought that great work of Creation to its utmost perfection he put as we may speak his last hand to it there was nothing more to be added Here in the text we aâ—e to take this word spend not only as it often signifies to spend in a way of Consumption but also to spend in a way of Perfection they shall perfect not barely wear out their dayes A godly man hath not so much consumed as perfected the dayes of his life when he is come to and hath ended the last day of his life They shall spend their dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In bono i. e. in omni jacunditâ—tâ— In prosperity or in good saith the Original Prosperity is a good thing a good blessing of God They shall spend their dayes in good we translate it in the 21 Chapter v. 15. in wealth Wealth also is a good blessing of God to those that are good and prosperity takes that in prosperity is a large word comprehending all good health and wealth honour and peace what-ever we can imagine to render our lives comfortable comes under the name of Prosperity They shall spend their dayes in prosperity or in good this reward they shall have from the Lord who serve him Is not this good wages The carnal rich man pleased himself and said Luke 12.19 Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares The godly do not please themselves that they have goods laid up for many years in their own Stock in their Lands in their Houses in their Purses in their Shops but they please themselves that they have good laid up for many years yea for eternity in the Promises of God They who serve him they shall spend their dayes in good they shall have good for every day and so finish their dayes with good yet this is not all They shall spend their dayes in prosperity And their years in Pleasures In the former words he promised dayes of Good here years of Pleasure as if he had said they shall enjoy their prosperity long they shall not only have Dayes but Years filled up with it One year containes many dayes how many dayes of pleasure are there in years of pleasure Our life is measured by days to shew the shortness of it the longest measure of it is by years They shall spend their years 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—t jucundis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affort jucunditatem delectaticâ— in pulchrâ—udinem rei nobis gratissimae In Canticis Parg. in Epithâ—lmiis Munst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ— pt in deloctâ—tionibus Pagn In Pleasures or as we may read it in sweetnesses in pleasuntnesses in deliciousnesses in beauties The word is used 2 Sam. 1.23 to shew the loveliness of Jonathan and Saul they were a pleasant pair a couple of goodly persons They shall spend their dayes in pleasantness or in pleasures Further Take notice the word is plural he doth not say they shall spend their dayes in pleasure but in pleasures implying all sorts and varieties of pleasure in Songs saith one in Marriage Songs saith a second in graceful Beauties saith a third and which may be all or any of these in delights saith a fourth But here are two Questions that I must give answer to for the clearing of this Scripture First The Question may be Is this a mercy much to be reckoned upon to spend our years in pleasure saith not the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.6 The widow that lives
fetters and held in cords De carcere educentur ad occisionem gladij Aquin. Per gladium iransire dicitur qâ—i gladio occiditur Drus but now the sword shâ—ll overtake them and they shall perish or be taken away by the sword The Hebrew is they shall pass away by the sword that is they shall die Man is said to pass away by the swoâ—d when the sword doth not pass by him but smites and kills him which is a temporal perishing It is said Isa 57.1 The righteous perish c. As the righteous perish by a natural death so they may perish by a violent death and possibly that may fall upon them when they attend not the providential dispensations of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—prie â—â—è miâ—sile aut jaâ—â—lum They shall perish by the sword or by the drawn weapon The word notes any weapon that is drawn or cast forth hence some translate it a Dart or Javeling which is shot out of the hand but it may also be applied to the Sword which being drawn forth out of the sheath is often sent upon deadly messages and may be numbered among missive weapons Now when Elihu saith they shall perish by the sword we may take the word sword properly or tropically Properly two wayes First for the sword of the Warrier Secondly for the sword of the Magistrate either justly punishing or grievously afflicting Some good men have acknowledged in great trials and sufferings under the hand of man that God hath met with them for their neglect or non-attendance to more immediate afflictions under his own hand Again take the sword tropically or improperly and so any sore affliction that greatly annoyeth especially if to death is called a sword in Scripture They shall perish by the sword under one notion or other if they do not obey Hence learn God will not spare no not his own People if they do not obey him God is full of sparing-mercy but the righteous may provoke him so that he will not spare no not them Judgement begins often at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 And if Judgement begin at the house of God what shall the end be of those that obey not the Gospel This is a terrible word The righteous may perish by the sword how dreadfully then shall the unrighteous the wicked the scorners of godliness perish If God will make his own people smart in his anger when they provoke him how will he speak to his enemies in his wrath and vex them in his fore displeasure Psal 2.5 Secondly From the gradation of their troubles First they were bound in fetters and holden in cords but now here 's a sword a devouring sword a killing deadly weapon Hence learn They who give not glory to God in lesser or in lighter afflictions draw greater upon themselves They may come from a cord to a sword from being bound to be slain God hath several sorts of Instruments to chasten his people with and as the best of outward good things may be the portion of evil wicked men so the worst of outward evils may be the portion of good men they may at any time and sometimes shall perish by the sword and as it followes They shall die without knowledge The sword is death a deadly sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall die Without knowledge or as the text may be read because they were without knowledge But is any righteous man without knowledge That the soul be without knowledge is not good saith Solomon Prov. 19.2 How then can he be good whose soul is without knowledge And seeing we interpret this text of the righteous how can it be said they die without knowledge I answer Knowledge may be taken in a more general sense and so no righteous man either lives or dies without knowledge he neither lives nor dies without the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ whom to know is eternal life John 17.3 and without the knowledge of whom all who are actually capable of such knowledge must die eternally he neither lives nor dies without the knowledge of himself as a sinner and of Christ who saveth him from his sins Such ignorances are inconsistent with the state of a godly man he may do foolishly but he is not a fool he may be wanting in some kind of knowledge but he doth not want knowledge he cannot be without saving knowledge though he may perish temporally without knowledge The first thing that God makes in the new creation is light the light of knowledge there he begins his work therefore we cannot take knowledge generally simply and absolutely in this text Dei monita per castigationes â—cire intelligere noluerunt Drus but as knowledge may be taken restrictively for knowledge in or about this or that particular so a good man may want knowledge there may be somewhat which the Lord would acquaint the righteous with and teach them by their fetters and afflictions which they do not learn and therefore they die without kâ—owledge or because they are without knowledge yet that want of knowledge together with all their other wants and ignorances are pardoned to them Further we may expound the words thus They shall die without knowledge that is without the knowledge or consideration of of that special affliction or judgement which is coming upon them Non est oratio affirmativa stultitiae vel negativa scientiae sed simplicitèr negat advertentiam Bold they shall die unawares not thinking nor so much as dreaming of such a judgement or that such a hand of God was so near them According to this interpretation Elihu intends either their inadvertency of that approaching scourge or calamity with which they are overtaken or their not understanding the reason of it Christ saith in the Gospel Luke 12.46 The master of that servant the evil servant shall come in a day which he knowes not of and in a time when he looked not for him Now as the last Judgement the great Judgement shall come upon the wicked in a time when they look not for it so the Lord may bring a special particular judgement upon some one or more of his own people when they do not think of it or never suspected that they should fall under it Good men are sometimes surprized and so they shall die without knowledge is no more than this they shall be taken unawares by a suddain unexpected judgement Though every godly man hath a preparation for the general judgement yet as to a particular one he may be much unprepared Lastly Some expound the words of more than inadvertency or bare nescience even of folly and some degree of affected ignorance which possibly may prevaile upon a righteous man in some cases and for a time but I rather adhere to the former interpretation because as was shewed before the whole context seems to intend a more ordinary case of a righteous man So then this Scripture holds out the sad issues
from a great Pâ—ince the Duke of Saxony as I remember this came upon his heart I hope God will not put me off with these things with gifts from Princes I shall be hungry as long as I live if I have nothing to feed upon but what is of the World and poor as long as I live if I have no other treasure but what is earthly thereupon protested he would not be satisfied with the best things of this World though content with any thing Thus I say God deals bountifully with a liberal hand to some of his people especially This was made good in the former or Old Testament times when the promises went more upon externals as hath been shewed whereas now they go more upon spiritual and heavenly things yet there wants not examples of Gods dealing bountifully in outwaâ—ds with his faithful servants under the Gospel he hath caused that which was set upon their Table to be full of fatness This is the first part of the Application wherein Elihu acquaints Job what God would have done for him if he had carried it humbly as he should under his afflicting hand he had been out of his fetters and bonds before that time and set in a large place he had not fed so long upon ashes his Table had been full of fatness As in this verse Elihu applyed the matter to Job by shewing him how it should have fared with him or how graciously and bountifully God would have dealt with him if he had humbled himself as he ought and been duly affected with the afflicting hand then upon him so in the following verse he applyeth the Doctrine to him by telling him that the reason why he was at the present in such an afflicted condition was because he had not so humbled himself in his affliction Vers 17. But thou hast fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked therefore Judgment and Justice take hold on thee This is a home Application indeed he speaks to his face Thou hast done it thou hast fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked which is as a home so a very hard and heavy charge Take a twofold Interpretation of it First Some expound it I think not rightly of Jobs ill carriage in the time of his prosperity as if Elihu had reflected upon that Thou hast heretofore fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked and that First by a general ill course of life As Christ saith to the Pharisees Math. 23.32 Fill ye up the measure of your fathers some conceive Elihu speaking to Job in that sence Thou hast filled up the measure of the wicked following them in their evil wayes â—â—â—â—ium impii imple visti q.d. Optimi et incâ—rrupti judicis Offiâ—io desuisti impii munus et partes obiisti Cajet Sed receptissima vocis Originalis sententia est Judicium est non Officium Pined Secondly That in his Magistratical capacity or that being a Magistrate he had fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked that is what wicked men and their bad Causes wanted of weight and t uth of righteousness and goodness that he filled up by favour by accepting their persons and giving countenance to their wickedness Some charge him thus directly Thou hast done the part or Office of an unjust Judg when thou hadst power in thy hand thou wast defective short or wanting in discharging the Duty of an upright Judge but didst the work of a corrupt Judge corrupting Judgment to the full therefore now Justice and Judgment take hold of thee But as I said before this is not a right Exposition of the Text for Elihu never charged Job with a sinful course of life in former times or before his affliction as his friends had done though he chaâ—ged him with much sin in his carriage under his afflictions and it may be conceived that Job heard Elihu more patiently and equally than he heard his friends because Elihu dealt more equally and candidly with him than his Fâ—iends did he did not lay it upon him as if in the foregoing part of his life he had traded in wickedness but only reproved him for his boldness in dealing with and appealing so often unto God in his soars and sickness or because his spirit was not broken enough notwithstanding those sore breakings and sicknesses with which he was afflicted So then Elihu in saying this intended not that Job had fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked either by a wicked conversation or by perverting Justice in favour of the wicked Such a charge had been utterly inconsistent with the Testimony which God gave of him in the first Chapter of this Book Therefore Secondly Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked may be understood first that Job had gone near in his behaviour under his affliction to do even almost as Satan boasted and presumed to God he would do in the second Chapter that if God did but lay his hand home or closer upon him and touch his bone and his flesh then said Satan he will curse thee to thy face Now though Job did never in the height fulfill this wicked opinion or judgement of the Devil concerning him yet by his often complainings of and murmurings about the severe dealings of God with him and his not pittying him in his distress he verged upon it he came somewhat towards and much too near the fulfilling of that judgement of the wicked one and Elihu might say Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked thou hast done in a degree or shew as the Devil said thou wouldst if the hand of God were heavy upon thy body Secondly These words Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked may have this meaning Thou hast rendred thy self guilty of or obnoxious to that judgement which God useth to pronounce and execute upon wicked men Thirdly Thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked that is thou under the hand of God hast carried thy self as wicked men usually do thou hast imitated them in a great measure More impiorum causam tuam agisti impaticuter contra deum murmurando Sanct. What do wicked men when the hand of God is upon them they rage and murmur they toyl themselves and are full of the fury of the Lord as a wild Bull in a net thou seemest to have fulfilled this judgment of the wicked for thou hast been so far from humbling thy self as thou oughtest that thou hast stood it out and stouted it with God and desired a day of hearing Hast thou not in all this fulfilled the judgment of the wicked In the 34th chapter of this book at the 8th verse Elihu told Job that he had gone in company with the wicked that is that he had taken the same course with the wicked and as they use to do in the day of their calamity And that 's the meaning of Elihu's charge here Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked that is thou hast carried thy self too too like wicked men in the day of thy trouble Thus
his word This goodly Fabrick of the World was made by his word and all the creatures in the world will presently act upon a word from God Psal 33.9 He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Gods saying is doing This is a point of high consolation to all the people of God what-ever their affliction is God can command them out of it what-ever their wants are God can command a supply for them He that saith to the natural Snow and to the Rain to Stormes and Tempests be ye upon the earth can also say to the Snow and Rain to the Stormes and Tempests of trouble be ye not upon the earth He can do or undo by his word as himself pleaseth 'T is also matter of great terror to all that rise up against and disobey the word of the great God for though they 〈…〉 they see nothing at hand to interrupt them nothing to check them in the way of their lusts though they look upon themselves beyond the â—each of dâ—nger yet 't is but a word speaking from God and they are wrapt up in Snow and hurrican'd with a Storm and Tempâ—st He saith to the Snow c. This irresisible force of a word fâ—om God was nâ—â—ed also upon those words in the 9th Chapter vers 7. He câ—â—mandeth the Sun and it riseth not The Sun will not appear or 〈◊〉 will hide it self in an Eclipse or Cloud and daâ—ken the whole ea â—â— if Gâ—d do but give a command Thi dly tâ—ke the point yet more strictly and restrainedly as here in the text He saith to the Snow and to the Rain Snow and Rain are at the command of God Non tiâ—i videantur casibus moveriqui verbo Dei in omni motu suo deserviunt Quo vult Deus illuc fertur nubes sâ—ve pluviam sive nivem sive grandinem portat August in Psal 148. Psal 147.15 16. He sende h forth his commandment upon earth his word runneth very swiftly that word referrs to the particular matter in hand as appeareth in the very next Verse and the two which follow He giveth Snow like wool he scattereth the hâ—ar Frost like ashes he casteth forth his Ice like moâ—sels c. David applies the swift running of Gods word to these things and how swiftly these run on his errands we may see 1 Kings 18.44 For whereas there had been no rain for three years a half according to the word oâ— Elâ—jah the Pâ—ophet God did but say to the Rain come and it came and though Eâ—ijahs Servant at first saw a very small appearance of it only a Cloud like a mans hand yet presently the whole heavens were masked over with Clouds and there was a mighty rain The great rain of his strength Rain and Snow and Vapours quickâ—y fulfil his word Psal 148.8 God is the Lord of hosts and these creatures are his host these as well as men and ang ls are his hosts Psal â—4 10 Who is this king of glory the Lord of hosts is the king 〈◊〉 glory and 't is the great glory oâ— God â—hat he hath such hoâ—â—s at his command None of the Pâ—inces oâ— Powers of this wo lâ— have any such How long may they send their commands to the Snow before it will come or to the Rain before they can get a drop of it neither the one nor the other will stir at the command of man but at the command of God they haste away And if when the Lord saith to the Snow and to the Rain come and they come abide upon the earth and they abide there how will this reprove and condemn thousands of the children of men to whom the Lord speaks and speaks again and again he sends out his commandment and his word runs very swiftly to them yet they stir not they move not Surely Snow and Rain will rise up in judgement against those to whom the Lord hath said do this and they did it not to whom the Lord hath said do not this yet they did it The word represents all sorts of Creatures below man as well as the Angels above man readily obeying the command of God to teach man how readily he should obey his commands and how greatly he shall be condemned if he do not and that not only by the Angels in heaven but by the Snow and Rain that fall upon the earth Fourthly From the destinction which is here made of the rain the small rain and the great rain of his strength Note In what degree or quantity soever the rain falls it is by the special appointment of God If it be a small gentle soaking rain it is because God hath spoken to the small rain to go if it be a great a violent a smoaking rain a rain of his strength it is because God hath said to the great rain go We are not to stick in second causes but to have our hearts raised higher both as to the rain it self and to the proportions of it He maketh small the drops of rain as 't is said at the 27th Verse of the former Chapter and he can make great the drops of rain of the drops of rain g eat he can cast the rain into what mold he pleaseth great or small it shall be a sweetly-distilling rain or it shall be as Solomon speakes a fiercely sweeping rain Prov. 28.3 where he compares the poor man that oppresseth to a sweeping rain God hath sweeping rains and as 't is said Ezek. 13.13 overflowing showres in his hand and he sometimes sends not a watering showre not a refreshing or comforting showre in mercy not a showre to enrich and fatten the earth but an overflowing showre to drown the earth and destroy the fruits of it in his anger and this is true whether you take the showre properly or metaphorically If you take the showre properly for that which falls from heaven he sends the refreshing he sends the overflowing showre or if you take it metaphorically a showre may signifie any kind or degree of judgement he can send one judgement which shall be as small rain and he can send another which shall be as great rain as the rain of his strength an overflowing showre He can send forth as that allusion is used Jer. 12.5 his footmen and he can send forth his horsemen greater or lesser Judgments as himself pleaseth he proportiâ—ns and cuts them out according to his own infinite wisdome and righteous will Lastly From these words He saith to the snow abide on the earth or be thou on the earth stay there and so to the rain Observe Snow or Rain continue or stay upon the face of the earth till God calls them off When he saith be ye upon the earth upon the earth they will be until the same power that sent them fetch them back again These hosts are like a well ordered and well disciplined army wherein Souldiers sent out by the order of their General or superiour Officers must
affected with his fear It is both our duty and our commendation so to fear God as not to sin against him or to be kept from sinning against God by the fear of God that is lest God should punish us for our sins and give us to eat the bitter fruit of our own evil doings But to fear God because we hear and are assured that he is ready to pardon our sins especially to fear him when he hath given us a comfortable assurance that our sins are pardoned or even tâ—en to be filled with the fear of his great and reverend Name when we are actuâ—lly praising him and magnifying his free grace in Christ for the pardon of them this shewes a truly gratious spirit indeed With God is terrible Majesty and with God is terrible praisâ— he is at once to be praised and feared All this Elihu would fix upon the heart of Job from the consideration of the works of God his providencial works in the Air how much more should this fear affect us when we behold his terrible works of providence upon the Earth turning the world as it were upside down by the wonderful vicissitudes and revolutions which his hand brings to pass respecting either Persons and private Familyes or whole Kingdomes and Nations With God is terrible Majesty JOB Chap. 37. Vers 23 24. 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is excellent in Power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice He will not afflict 24. Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise of heart THese two Verses conclude the whole discourse of Elihu with Job The 23d verse is Doctrinal the 24th is the Use or Application of the Doctrine In the 23d verse we have a four-fold Doctrine held out concerning God First The Doctrine of his Incomprehensibleness We cannot find him out Secondly Of his Power He is the Almighty he is excellent in Power Thirdly Of his Righteousness he excells in Judgement and plenty of Justice But though he is thus full of Justice yet he is also very Gracious and therefore Fourthly We have the Doctrine of his Mercy and Tenderness towards the Creature in the last words of the Verse He will not afflict God is infinitely above man in Power and in Wisdom yet he never useth either the one or the other to the oppression or wrong of any man He will not afflict This is a very suitable peroration of the whole Narrative or matter declared which Elihu had so long insisted upon And having laid down this four-fold Doctrine concerning God he shews us the use of it in the 24th veâ—se where we have a practical Inference from what was before asserted concerning God Men do therefore fear him or therefore men ought to fear him As iâ— he had said Seeing God is thus incomprehensible thus powerful seeing he is thus excellent in Judgement in plenty of Justice as also in Goodness and Mercy therefore good men do and all men should fear him This is a very natural and undeniable Inference yet Elihu doth not leave it bare but adds a strong inforcement in the close of the verse why all men the greatest of men the wisest of men should fear God For he respecteth not any that are wâ—se in heart The wisest the greatest of men cannot carry it with God by their wisdom or policy by theiâ— gâ—â—aâ—ness or power therefore let them fear him This is the sum and scope of these two verses Vers 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out That is He is unâ—earchable and incomprehensible The Original strictly read iâ— The Almighty we cannot fiâ—d him out The Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oâ—nipotens nominativus absolute positus Pisc is a Nominative absolute as Grammarians speak we supply that word Touching As if he had said should we enter upon a discourse of the Almighty we cannot find him out Touching the Almighty That God is Almighty and what the word Shaddai here rendred Almighty doth import hath been shewed and opened already in other places of this Book especially in the fifth Chapter at the 17th verse and in the eighth Chapter at the 3d and 5th verses thither I refer the Reader for further satisfaction in that matter and pass from it here Touching the Almighty We cannot find him out This also I shall pass over in a word having spoken to it more fully Chap. 11.7 where Zophar puts this Question Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find him out unto perfection In which Questions Zophar challenged Job or any man else to set their understandings upon the tenters to put all their abilities to the utmost stretch to find out God if they could being assured they could not find him out unto perfection So then this assertion in the Text We cannot find him out beaâ—ing the same sence with those Questions I shall not stay upon it Only Note God cannot be compast by the enquiries of man Touching the Almighty we have but this to say of him We cannot say much of him or how much soever we say of him we say but a little of what he is or of what may be said of him for we cannot find him out We may find God but we cannot find him out God is to be found by every humble faithful seeker of him The Prophet Isa 55.6 calls us to that duty of seeking with an assurance of finding Seek ye the Lord whilst he may be found and so doth David Psal 32.5 For this that is for pardon of sin for grace and mercy or for this that is upon the experience which I â—ave had of thy readiness O Lord to pardon my sins even as soon as I confessed and acknowledged them for this I say shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found God may be found to do us good and shew us mercy when we seek him rightly there is a finding time or a time while God may be found Some give no other limit to this while or finding time than the limit of this life Dum adhuc in haâ— vita estis Rab. Jonath Deus invenire potest iâ—biquo quovis tempore ante obsignata decreta Abenâ— ezra And to be sure if he be not found while we are in this Life he can neither be sought noâ— found after this Life Yâ—t more strictly to seek him while he may be found as one of the Rabbins glosseth that place is to seek him before the Decree comes forth as the Prophet Zephany speaks Chap. 2.2 It is possible we may seek God and seek him too late and then there 's no finding of him Only they shall seek and find him who seek him in the finding time and they who do so shall certainly find as was said before God ready to do them good and shew them mercy But how much soever or how early soever we seek him we cannot find him out that is we cannot find
be feared because he is so gracious and full of compassion even while he doth afflict There is mercy with God not to afflict that 's sparing mercy and therefore he is to be feared there is mercy also with God in moderating our afflictions that 's sparing mercy too and therefore he is to be feared The graciousness of God manifested somtimes in sparing to afflict us and often in afflicting us sparingly should move us to fear him both greatly and alwayes and if sparing mercy should move us to fear him then much more should forgiving and pardoning mercy When the Lord Exod. 34.6 7. Passed by before Moses and proclaimed The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin c. At this proclamation of grace Moses vers 8. made haste and bowed his head towards the earth and worshipped How graceless then are they who when they hear that God is gracious merciful and abundant in goodness fear him not but grow wanton and abuse his kindness Now they who fear God upon the due consideration either of his power or goodness find their hearts First Much enlarged in the service of God or in doing the work and walking in the wayes of God Isa 60.5 Secondly This fear keeps their hearts to a close communion with God Jer. 32.32 I will put my fear in their heart and they shall not depart from me We usually not only depart but run from those whom we fear but the true fear of God Covenant-fear makes us cling about and keep close to him Thirdly This fear keeps up good thoughts and high estimations of God in the worst times or when he is pleased to bring the greatest troubles upon us An Israelite indeed who feareth the Lord and his goodness Hos 3.5 will say let God do what he will with him Truly God is good to Israel Psal 73.1 Let us consider whether we have these effects of a gracious fear working in our hearts upon the remembâ—ance both of the power and mercy of God Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise in heart These words as was touched before press the former duty of fearing God inferred from the greatness and excellency of his power judgment jâ—stice and mercy yet further upon us As if he â—ad said Men do therefore fear him Why Because He respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is in general he respects none who are so wise or wise in such a way as not to fear him upon those fore-mentioned grounds He respecteth not The word is seeth not There is an elegant paranomisie in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—imerâ— the words which signifie to fear and to respect or see being very near in sound God doth not see them with respect who do not see him with fear He seeth not any that are wise in heart It cannot be meant of the ordinary sight of the eye that he seeth not the wise in heart God seeth clearly who they are Nor can it be meant of the common apprehension of the mind that he knoweth not the wise in heart God understands fully what they are It must be meant then of a seeing with liking or special approbation God seeth not the wise in heaâ—t so as to like or app ove them Our translation is full and clear to that fence He respecteth â—ot oâ— he regardeth not any that are wise in heart that is he takes no notice of them they are not pleasing to him Or thus He respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is as they fear not him so he is not afraid of them He respecteth not any that are Wise in heart Oâ— wâ—se of heart But some may say Doth not God respect nor regard doth noâ— he take notice of those that are wise of heart Whom then doth he respect or regard of whom will he take notice if not of the wise in heart Hath the Lord any respect for fooles for ignorant men for ideots for sotts Surely men that are wise in heart are not only very amiable but honourable in the eyes of God Why then is it said He respecteth not any that are wise in heart I answer The wise in heart are of two sorts First there are some wise in heart who are so only in their own opinion in their own conceits or eyes they have great thoughts of their own wisdom and therefore as they are apt to despise men so they are far from the fear of God There is a wisdom in some men opposed to the fear of God whereas true wisdome in any man is the beginning of that fear as that fear is called the beginning of wisdom Psal 111.10 Qui sibi videntur esse sapientes Vulg. The vulgar Latine varie h the formeâ— part of the verse yet renders this latter part by way of glosâ— rather than translation They that seem to themselves to be wise and indeed the wise in heart whom God respecteth not are the proudly wise the selfishly wise such as are wise only in themselves and to themselves such as have only that wisdom which the Apostle calleth the wisdom of the flesh or the carnal mind Rom. 8.7 which is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed till mortified can be He that is carnally wise disputes the commands of God and takes the boldness to censure his works such wise men God respecteth not yea they are under his greatest disrespect Secondly Others are truly wise graciously wise wise for their souls wise for heaven wise for happiness submitting their wisdom to the will of God and doing his will They that are thus wise in heart the Lord respects and highly respects how can he do otherwise seeing this is the character of God himself Job 9.4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength And as God is wise in heart so according to their line and measure they that are godly are wise in heart too Therefore taking our translation the wise in heart intended by Elihu must needs be those that are only carnally wise politickly wise naâ—urally wise that is wickedly wise or at best vainly or vain-gloriously wise Further should we take the wise in heart for those that are truly wise graciâ—usly wise yet it must be acknoâ—ledged that even â—hey may so mis-behave themselves as to miss present respect from God And doubtless Elihu observing that Job had spoken somewhat highly of himself and did not carry it humbly enough under the hand of God though his spirit was broken and brought down at last checks him here by telling him God respecteth not any that are wise in heart no not him in that case and frame of spirit as lifted up in his own wisdom Yea Taking wise in heart in this best sence for the graciously wise it is not for their wisdom and holiness that God respecteth or favoureth them As he will
and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin So then in the second verse you have the charge and in the third the proof of the charge Thinkest thou this to be right The word which we render to think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An hoc cogitasti in jus Heb notes more than a bare thinking even the devising or curious contriving of a matter in the brain hast thou formed this in thy Imagination and concluded it in thy Understanding for right for sound and wholsome Doctrine for a very truth There may be a threefold exposition of these words First As an appeal to Jobs own breast Thinkest thou this to be right let me ask thee the question Hast thou said well in this dost thou believe thou hast let thy Conscience judge and make answer I doubt not but thou wilt be self-condemned And indeed no guilty person can be absolved himself if himself being judge Secondly We may look upon the words not only as an appeal but as a reproof or objurgation Thinkest thou this to be right What man in his right mind would think so thou toldest thy wife in the second Chapter Thou speakest like one of the foolish women and may it not now be told thee Thou speakest like one of the foolish men Would any man in his wits utter a word of this import a word of so gross a savour of so dangerous a reflection upon the Justice of God or so much as intimate himself by any the remotest consequences more just more righteous than God why hath such a word dropt from thy mouth Thus he chides checks and reproves him Thirdly These words may have the sense of a denying question Thinkest thou this to be right Surely Job thou dost not think this to be right I cannot believe that thou thinkest this to be right thou are not surely so far left of Reason and of Grace as to think this to be right This sense gives some allay to or abatement of the former surely thou dost not think so though thou hast spoken so though thy words may have this meaning yet I hope this is not thy meaning I am unwilling to take up thy opinion from thy expression Thinkest thou this to be right From the first Exposition Note It is a strong way of conviction to put or refer a matter to his Judgement and Conscience against whom we make opposition Thinkest thou this to be right I refer it to thy own Conscience whether this be right yea or no and thus the Scripture speaks often When God would stop the mouth from all contradiction and not leave opposers a word to say he leaves it upon them to say all Moses intending to prove that none could prevaile against Israel unless God provoked by sin delivered Israel up into their hands gives this demonstration of it Deut. 32.31 Their Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Judges I refer this to our enemies opinion whether the Dunghil gods the Idols whom they serve and trust to be like Jehovah the living God whom we have and ought to serve and trust to You that are our enemies do you think your Rock is like our Rock I know you do not The Apostles Peter and John referred it back to the judgment of their Judges whether it were fit for them to obey their commands yea or no when they called them and charged them to preach no more in that name the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye We have received a command from God to preach Go teach all Nations Math. 28.19 and we have received a command from you not to preach now we leave it with you whether it be fit for us to obey God or you So the Apostle having admonished the Corinthians to flee from Idolatry presently adds 1 Cor. 10.14 15. I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say I have given you the rule and I leave it to your consideration what 's best and safest for you to do I speak as to wise men that 's a holy insinuation As if he had said I know you are wise men men of understanding and therefore I do not so much command you to obey what I say as to judge what I say I am much perswaded you cannot judge otherwise in this thing than I do There is so much truth and reason in what I say that you cannot but say so too The same Apostle speaks again in a like forme about womens praying uncovered Judge in your selves is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered 1 Cor. 11.13 As if he had said I do not stand wholly to my own judgement in this case of conscience I dare refer it to you and stand to yours Thus in many things we may appeal unto the Consciences of those we deal with no doubt the Conscience is often satisfied while the Will stands out Men of much understanding will dispute when Conscience hath nothing to say Yea some will for their own ends argue that to be right which in their Consciences they do not think to be so Thinkest thou this to be right Thou hast said it but dost thou think it I trow not Observe Secondly There is a Light within us that will shew us what 's amâ—ss or 〈◊〉 not right Elihu doth not direct Job immediately to the Word though that 's the authoritative and authentick Rule but to his heart thou hast a Light in thy self whereby thou mayest see that this is not right Thus the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.14 15. Doth not even Nature it self teach you that if a man have long haire it is a shame unto him but if a woman have long haire it is a glory to her for her haire is given her for a covering The Light which every man hath in him will shew this Again the Apostle Rom. 2.14 15. proveth that the old Gentiles had a light of Nature in them which shewed them many things amiss Thus he argueth For when the Gentiles that have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law they do them by Nature that is by the Light of Nature which shews them to do these things that is it sheweth them that they ought to be done and they do them as to the outward action by that Light these having not the Law that is the written Word published to them in that formality which the people of God have these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another This Light shewed those Gentiles so far what to do according to the Law as left them without excuse for not doing what it shewed Gospel Mysteries and matters of Faith are purely of Divine Revelation but what
idle away the day and sport and play and sing away the night As good men have holy songs in the night Isa 30.29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy Solemnity is kept c. So the wicked have their wanton vaine revelling songs in the night when their sensual Solemnities are kept Belshazer was drinking in the night and doubtless he had his musick songs that night And as he had his songs mirth and musick in the night so he said not Where is God my maker who giveth me songs in the night he instead of minding God his maker in his mirth minded only the gods which himself had made as the text speaks Dan. 5.4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver c. And thus 't is in proportion with all the wicked to whom God gives songs in the night they say not Where is God my maker This interpretation which carrieth the songs to the oppressors before spoken of contains a truth yet I shall not stay upon it but take the words as referring to the oppressed Here it may be queried how doth God give them songs in the night I shall not insist upon those conjectures which some have made about this giving songs in the night As First implying God so gracious that he giveth us not only in the day but in the night occasion of joy in sorrow namely the view and contemplation of the Heavens and Starrs which are very pleasant and refreshing Psal 19.1 Others Secondly conjecture that God may be said to give the sorrowful and oppressed ones songs in the night by the singing of birds in the night of that bird especially which hath its name from singing in the night the Nightingal Some insist much upon these interpretations It is I grant a great mercy of God that when the Sun is down we have Moon-light and Star-light and that in the night we have the innocent harmless birds to sing and make us pleasant melody But leaving these we may take the words in a double notion First Properly Secondly Metaphorically Properly and so to give songs in the night as the night is taken for night time imports the goodness of God to man not only in the day time but in the night Hence Note God in the night season as well as in the day gives his people matter of joy Night-mercies deserve and call for day-praises especially two sorts of night-mercies First Night preservations Psal 3.6 I laid me down and slept for thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety The night is subjâ—ct to many dangers Qui distribuit nocturnas custodias Sept The Septuagint render fully to this sense Who giveth watch or preservation in the night that 's matter of praise and thanksgiving to God Secondly he gives us cause of praise and singing not only for preserving our lives while we sleep in the night but for refreshing us with sleep in the night Psal 127.2 So he giveth his beloved sleep The Lord gives us not only safety but sleep Sweet sleep is a great mercy Eccl. 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or mucâ— and they who sleep sweetly get refreshing and renewings of strength after all their foâ—mer labours for new labours So thaâ— if we take night properly for the night time there is much occasion of rejoycing given by God to mankind in general and more peculiarly to his faithfull servants in reference to those common mercies of bodily safety and the return of natural strength and spirits Secondly Take night properly and then this assertion He giveth songs in the night may have this meaning The Lord gives his people a praising frame of heart in the night season Etâ—am cum nulla ad eum laudandum documenta circumfulgent intus Spiritu excitat ad laudes Jun When they are wrapped up and compassed about with outward darkness when they are solitary and alone when no worldly object holds out any occasion of comfort to them yet then the Lord lets in a light or shines into their sâ—uls by his good Spirit The Lord may well be said to give songs even in the night when by the immediate work of his Spirit he filleth our spirits with joyes unspeakable and glorious These aâ—e the most ravishing songs of the night Hence Note God by his good Spirit doth often suggest sweet meditations and comfortable thoughts to his people in the night In the night the Lord minds his servants either of such mercies as they have already received or of such as according to his promise he is ready to or will surely bestow that so they may be busied in that heavenly work of praising him and rejoycing in him when they awake or cannot sleep This was Davids experience Psal 17.3 Thou hast visited me in the night Men use to visit us in the day when we are up or awake But saith David God gives me visits in the night when I am in bed he gives me many a song or makes me to rejoyce When we are in our retirements or freest from the hurry of worldly businesses and enjoyments then we are in the fittest posture for the entertainment and enjoyment of God The Lord visits his servants in the night not only as David there to try them or as elsewhere to instruct them but to comâ—oâ—t them as David was assured Psal 42.8 The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his song shall be with me That is a song concerning him I will sing and rejoyce even in the night time because of the goodness and kindnâ—ss of God to me in the day The experience of Asaph or of David communicated in that Psalm to Asaph gives further proof of this Psal 77.6 where having said v. 1. I cryed unto God with my voyce and he gave eare unto me he adds v. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night that is those occasions of joy and singing which God hath heretofore given me These songs were sweeter to me than sleep As it sheweth an excellent frame of spirit to remember the Commandments of God in the night which David also professed as his practise Psal 119.55 I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night and have kept thy Law The name of God is any manifestation of God either in his word or works And again Psal 119.62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous judgements Some watch in the night to give thanks Psal 134.1 others give thanks when they wake at any time in the night both are acts of purest love to God and proceed from purest consolation in God Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him The Spouse doth not say only by night I sought him but by night on my bed I spend not the night in sleeping but in seeking him whom my soul loveth Psal 16.7 My reines instruct me in the night
neither will the Almighty regard it Consider that Elihu doth not only say God will not hear but he adds neither will the Almighty regard it The doubling of the matter in higher Language intimaâ—es somthing to us and we may note this from it As the Prayers of evil men are vain so they have not any the lest regard from God He will neither hear nor regard David saith Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my Prayer God will not hear a David a good man as to that particular prayer if he regard iniquity in his heart that is if he hold any the least complyance or secret correspondence with any sin yea if he hath not repented of and laboured to mortifie every known sin Doubtless then he will not regard the prayers of evil men when they pray also with an evil mind And when this and other Scriptures say he doth neither hear nor regard them there is more intended than expressed even that he doth reject and abhor them that they are a burden and an abomination to him The Scripture is much in shewing how much God makes of holy prayers For first God hath not only promised to hear but regard such prayers Psal 112.17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayers that is he highly prizeth and esteemeth them Secondly The Scripture telleth us God delighteth to hear such prayers they are sweet to him they are the best musick in his ears Let me hear thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce her prayer-voyce he means chiefly saith Christ to his Spouse Cant. 2.14 Thirdly The Scripture assureth us that God looks upon or reckoneth prayer as an honour done to him 't is an eminent part of worship 't is the giving of him glory certainly therefore take prayer purely God doth regard it very much he will have regard to that which he hath promised regard to he will have regard to that which is sweet and delightful to him which is an honour and brings glory to him therefore there must needs be a great matter in it when he saith He will not regard a prayer such a prayer must needs be very vile impure and stark naught in it self which he thus thrusteth from him or cannot away with It must be confessed that God sometimes defers to hear that is to answer the prayers of those that call upon him in faith and even their prayers who call upon him humbly and sincerely Holy prayers are not alwayes presently answered but holy prayers are never unregarded never rejected 'T is never said in Scripture God doth not regard the prayers of a godly man God may let him stay long for the answer of his prayer to try his faith and patience but he will not slight his prayer As it is the duty of all men to pray and the desire or delight of a godly man when his heart is in a right frame to pray so it is the priviledge of every godly man that his prayer is heard and regarded And as it is the sin of most wicked men that they pray not at all Psal 14.4 Jer. 10.25 so it is the misery of all wicked men that their prayers though they make many and long prayers are not heard are not regarded They are far from the grace and feare of God who regard not to pray unto him and they are as far from the mercy and favour of God whose prayers are not regarded And if a man be upon such bad terms with God that he is not regarded when he is at his best work his praying-woâ—k O how little is such a one regarded when he is at his worst work his sinning-work If some men are not regarded when they are praying to God what are they when they are swearing and blaspheming God when they are causlesly vexing or oppressing their brethren If some men are not regarded when they are praying what are they when they are revelling and reviling The Lords indignation breaketh out to the utmost against wicked men when he tells them the best of their duties their prayer is vanity and though they cry much to him he will not hear nor regard them The Lord hath not said to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vaine Isa 45.19 that is ye shall not seek me in vaine no as your prayers are honourable and acceptable unto me so they shall be profitable and beneficial unto you you that go forth weeping bearing and scattering this precious seed shall doubtless come again and bring your sheaves with you your prayers shall be returned with blessings upon your souls upon your bodies upon your estates upon your families in which you live as also upon the Nations and upon the Churches among whom you live Thus the seed of Jacob have found and shall further find by the blessed experiences of all these blessings that God hath not said to them Seek ye me in vaine He hath only said of them who are vaine your seekings of me are vaine in themselves and will be vaine fruitless answerless unto you for I the Lord will not hear vanity neither will I the Almighty regard it JOB Chap. 35. Vers 14. Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him THere is a two-fold rendring or translation of this 14t h verse First Some connecting it with the former and taking it in a dependance upon what Elihu had last affirmed concerning God He heareth not vanity Multo minus si diâ— is non contemplaris istud exauditurus eâ—t judica coram eo expecta eum Jun neither doth the Almighty regard it translate thus Much less will he hear thee if thou sayest thou doest not loâ—k to or regard this judge thy self therefore before him and waite for him As if Elihu should bring an argument from the less to the greater God will not hear vanity nor will the Almighty regard it how much less will he hear thee who sayest upon the matter that thou regardest not him or what he saith and doth That word which in the close of the 13th verse we render regard is the same with that in this 14th verse rendered see as if the whole were a rebuke or a conviction of Job for his stoutness in not viewing and contemplating the power and prerogative of God as he ought in laying his hand upon him and therefore saith Elihu if God will not hear those that pray vainly how much less will he regard thee who seemest not to regard him that is not to humble thy self before him as becomes thee to thy Soveraigne Lord And thereupon Elihu gives him counsel in the close of the verse Judge thy self before him and then waite for him or trust him as we render it Mr Broughton seems to speak in his translation much to this sense giving it thus So when thou sayest thou wilt not mark it judge before him and waite for him As God will
refers to a person brought before a Judge for the tryal of his Cauâ—e and standing before him not as a guilty Malefactor with a heavy heart and a down-look but as a man conscious of his own innocency with much honest boldnesse and well tempered confidence The words following intimate such a sence of that word Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him that is be bâ—ought to tryal yet Judgement is before him he will certainly try thee This I take to be the most proper Explication of these words Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Job spake this as the worst of his case as that which was a greater grief and misery to him than all his other miseries and griefs that God would not set him in a clear light before others or that himself should not have a clear light from God concerning his condition Hence Note The sight of God or Gods discoverie of himself in any dark case is very sweet to an upright and gracious soul Job had begged for this once and again though possibly as Elihu would here convince him he was something too forward in it and did not enough reflect upon himself yet as he had often desired it so doubtlesse it was exceeding much upon his heart that he might have a clear discovery from God The Apostle in somewhat a like case in being aspersed in his Ministry saith We are made manifest unto God 2 Cor. 5.11 It pleased him that he was manifest unto God But when God is pleased to manifest himself unto a Soul how pleasing is that When we can say now we see God we see him clearing up our way clearing up our integrity clearing up our state how satisfying is it And as it is most sweet and satisfying to see God clearing up our state to our own consciences so it is exceeding sweet to see him clearing up our actions to the eye of the world as the Apostle spake in the same place We are manifest unto God and I trust alsâ— are made manifest in your consciences As if he had said we hope God hath discovered us to you and your consciences do also attest with us and for us what we are Light is sweet the light of the air saith Solomon and it is pleasant to behold the Sun the Sun in the firmament how much more sweet is the light of divine favour as also of our own faithfulness shining into our hearts and upon our wayes so that we are able to say now we see the Lord graciously rolling away our reproach owning us and taking our part before and against all the opposing contradicting woâ—ld Secondly Note A godly man may lose the sight and present apprehension of God as owning of him and taking care of him It is so often as to our spiriâ—ual estate and it may be so as to our outward state hence those many complainings which we find in the Psalmes and those many deprecations as to the hiding of Gods face David would faine have kept sight of God O how he desired to see him to behold him yet many times he did not neither as to the assurance of his spiritual interest Saepe deus ostendit faciem suam sed non ita ut cupitait homines ideóque non vident se videre ut ita dicâ—m Coc nor as to the comforts of his outward condition Psal 13.1 Psal 27.9 Psal 30.7 As God sometimes sheweth himself in a kind of cloud or darkness in fire and tempest which is very terrible to the soul so he at other times discovers himself only a little or gives but a glimpse of himself clearly to stir up further desi es of seeing him and to make us weary of all we see in this world in these cases we may be said not to see God when we see him Many godly men are in such a dark condition that they think God hideth his face from them in displeasuâ—e when indeed he doth not but only tryeth them to see what is in them and whether they will obey him in hope and paâ—ience and keep close to him in holy walkings even when he seemeth to depart from them and withdraw his presence Thirdly Observe Good men are apt sometimes to make over-sad conclusions against themselves As evil men are apt to make over-good conclusions for themselves they doubt not but they shall see and enjoy God O what presumptuous thoughts have men and what peremptory though groundless conclusions do they make for themselves upon false and rotten premises they will say they know God and are known of God they see God and enjoy God when they know not the meaning much less have tasted the comfort of knowing God or of being known by him of seeing God or of enjoying him These mysterious experiences are not every man's meat nor every man's matters who makes title to the knowledge of God The Apostle saith expresly 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him And again Chap. 3.6 Whosoever sinneth that is loves and lives in sin hath not seen him neither known him Yet how many are there far from keeping the Commandements of God far from a holy life yea far from a holy state so far from such a holy life as of which it may be said in a Gospel sense that they sin not that indeed they do nothing else but sin yet these are apt to conclude they see God they see him by faith they know him they doubt not but he is their God Now as many carnal men are apt to make false conclusions to themselves of an interest in God when there is no such matter kindling a fire and compassing themselves about with their own sparks as the Prophet speaks Isa 50.11 that is with vaine conceits of their own blowing up that all is well with them when all that they who do so shall have at Gods hand is they shall lie down in sorrow So on the other side godly men often times make sad conclusions against themselves they say as Job in the Text they shall not see him who though as was shewed in opening the Text he did not conclude against his sight of God by grace or that he had no sight of him by faith yet he had not a comfortable sight as to his present enjoyment and he doubted whether ever he should in this world Jonah made such a conclusion Chap. 2.4 Then I said I am cast out of thy sight As Hezekiah said in his sickness Isa 38.11 I shall not see the Lord even the Lord in the Land of the living that is I shall die and shall no more go into the house of the Lord to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple which was the one thing even the only thing in this life which David desired and resolved to seek after Psal 27.4 So many while they live are apt to make such conclusions they
the learned Authors of it make fairly out from the Original to whom I refer the Reader and shall only offer two notes from it for instruction First The sorest afflictions that fall upon sinners in this life are little or nothing to what God might lay upon them There is no condition here actually so bad but possibly it might be worse though the darkness of night be upon us yet it may be darker with us God can make a night so dark that the former darkness may be called light God can add so much bitterness to that which is veâ—y bitter so much weight to that burden of affliction which is already very heavy that the former bitter may be called sweet and that former weight of affliction light Are any pooâ— sick or pained God can make them poorer sicker and so encrease their paine that former poverty sickness paine may go for riches health and ease And as present sufferings of one kind or other are but little to what they may be so they are but little to what we have deserved they should be The least mercy is more than we deserve and the greatest affliction is less than we deserve Et nunc quia nihil est quod visitavit ira ejus Drus He hath visited thee little or nothing so the word is saith Elihu according to this reading of the Text. The Lord hath not only not visited thee too much O Job but he may be said not to have visited thee at all or the All of thy visitaâ—ion is nothing to that which the Lord could have brought upon thee David gives a general assertion near this concerning the dealings of the Lord in his angry dispensations Psal 103.10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities that is our sins and our iniquities might have born out the Justice of God in laying heavier evils and troubles upon us than yet he hath done Sinners never have their full punishment till they come to hell As the sweetest joyes and strongest consolations which the godly find and feel on earth are only tasts and first-fruits of that they shall have in heaven so all the sorrows and sufferings of the wicked in this world are but tasts light touches and beginnings of sorrow compared with the pains and sorrows of the next world where sinners shall be payd their wages in full Vtrumque visitandi recensendi vel cognoscendi verbum in hoc loco judicis vel magistratis in peccatores animedversionem inquisitionem punitioni conjunctum importat Bold Secondly From the latter part of the verse thus translated Neither hath he made any great inquisition that is he hath not taken strict knowledge of thy sins though a multitude though even past number though there be abundance of them and they abounding in sinfulness yet he hath not made any great inquisition after them Hence Note The Lord doth not severely mark the sins of his people no not the multitude nor magnitude of their sins to punish them Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity implying that the Lord doth not mark in the sense here intended if thou shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand The word in that Psalm rendred to mark notes first to watch or to observe with exactest diligence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is therefore in the Noun rendred a watch Tower upon which a man is placed to take observation of all things that are done and of all persons that passe by or approach and come neer A Watch-man placed upon a high-Tower is bound industriously and critically to observe all Passengers and passages all that his eye can reach So saith the Text If thou shouldest mark as a Watch-man and eye with rigour every thing that passeth from us Who could stand That is make good his Cause in the day of his judgement and tryal before thee Secondly The word signifieth to keep in mind to lay up to have as it were a store and stock a memorial or record of such and such things by us In that notion it is said Gen. 37.11 Josephs Brethren envied him but his Father observed the saying he marked what Joseph spake about his Dreams he laid it up and did not let it passe away as a Dâ—eam or as a vision of the night Thus in the Psalm If the Lord should mark iniquity if he should treasure up our sins in his memory and keep them by him who were able to stand when accounted with The Lord in a way of grace seeth as if he saw not and winks at us oftentimes when we do amiss as he is said to have done at those times the times of ignorance when not only many things but even every thing was done amiss and out of order in the dark Gentile world before the approach of Gospel light Acts 17.30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at but new commandeth all men every where to repent That is the Lord took little notice of those untaught times in comparison of that strict notice which he will take of these times concerning which he gave command to his Apostles Go and teach all Nations and yet the strictest notice which he takes of our sins in these times is but little to what he might So much from that Translation of the Text our own runs thus Vers 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity We must expound this Verse in Connexion with the latter part of the former But now because it is not so What is not so what is missing what is wanting What had Job done amiss or what had he mist to do Elihu seems to answer he hath mist the doing of that duty to which he was moved in the close of the fore-going Verse expressed in those words Trust thou in him or wait upon him But now because it is not so that is Because thou dost not put forth such acts of holy confidence and patient waiting upon God as thou oughtest and as I admonished thee to do therefore God is engaged and even compelled to treat thee thus roughly and severely He hath visited in his anger As if he had said Though thou hast professed a trust in God yet thou dost not trust in him fully as becomes thee yea thou seemest sometimes as a man forlorn to cast up thy hopes therefore because thou dost not trust in him because it is not so as I have exhorted and directed thee the Lord hath visited in anger Mr. Braughton renders But now for missing his anger doth visit For missing that is for missing of duty or for not acting up to duty for not trusting fully in the Lord the Lord hath visited thee in his anger This sense is obvious and commodious according to our reading But now because it is not so Homo tentatur et in examen vocatur ut probetur ejus spes et patientia
which he expected from Job Doubtlesse more of all these should have appeared in him and they should have appeared more in that time of affliction There are two things which God looketh for and aims at in the time of our affliction first the mortifying of corruptions that they woâ—k no more at least no more so strongly as they have done secondly The stirring up and acting of our Graces that they may be more woâ—king and work more strongly than ever they have done Where the Lord sees not these effects of affliction that our sins grow lesse and our graces more that we complain lesse and trust or believe more we are like to be afflicted more and he will discover his anger more Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger And thence Note Thirdly Distrust or impatience under the afflâ—cting hand of God or our not trusting God in our worst condition patiently is a very provoking sin We provoke the Lord to visit us in his anger when we do not trust in his mercy Our not trusting God must needs provoke him to anger for when we do not trust him we question him distrust or unbelief questions all that God is and all that God hath promised it questions his Truth and his Faithfulnesse his Power his Mercy and his Goodnesse all these which are the glory of God and in all which the sons of men ought to glorifie him these are all questioned and darkned when we put not forth acts of trust and reliance upon God in times of greatest affliction and extremity Is it not then a provoking sin I say not to with-draw trust from God and give it to an arm of flesh but not to put out fresh and full acts of trust upon God let our affliction or extremity be what it will The Children of Israel were in great extremity at the Red Sea a mighty Army pursuing them at the heels to destroy them and mighty waters being before them ready to swallow them up in these straits whilest they should have done their utmost to get and assure God to be their Friend the Psalmist tells us They provoked him Psal 106 7. But wherein lay their provocation that Scripture saith They remembred not the multitude of his mercies The former mercies of the Lord did not strengthen their trust in present troubles that was one provocation And as former mercies did not strengthen their trust so the present trouble drew out their distrust as another Scripture assures reporting their behaviour in it Exod. 14.11 And they said to Moses Because there were no Graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to dye in the Wildernesse Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt What were these fearful fore-casts these amazing bodements of an unavoidable as they apprehended ruine but the overflowings of unbelief or distrust in God and this was another provocation Former mercies are forgotten yea eaten up by unbelief as the seaven lean Kine in Pharaohs dream eat up the fat ones and present difficulties are aggravated by unbelief as if all the power of God could not remove and overcome them And will not the Lord think you visit in anger for such a sin as this Again As Elihu doth not say barely he hath visited but he hath visited in his anger or his anger hath visited so consider who was it that was thus visited in anger It was Job a Godly man a man perfect and upright Hence note Fourthly God visits or afflicts even his own people his elect and choicest servants with fatherly anger when they displease and provoke him We find the Scripture speaking expresly of the anger of God towards the best of his servants even towards a Moses as himself made confession Deuter. 1.37 when they displease him Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes saying thou also shalt not go in thither Moses was a most meek man the meekest man upon the face of the earth nor was he an inferior in any other grace yet the Lord was angry wi h him and angry with him upon that special occasion his unbeliefe Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore c. We read of the Lords anger breaking out against Aaron for another sin Numb 12.9 The anger of the Lord was kindled against them that is against Aaron and Miriam because they had spoken against Moses vers 1.8 Aaron was the High Priest and as he was high in office so eminent in grace and doubtless Miriam was a very gracious woman yet the Lord was not only angry with them but exceeding angry his anger waxed hot against them and kindled when they forgot their duty to Moses and remembred not their distance with reverence Solomon in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple speaks of the people of God collectively If they sin against thee and thou be angry with them The Lord is not only angry with the world but angry with his Church not only angry with Babylon but with Jerusalem And as Solomon spake that of the whole Nation of the Jewes supposing they might fall under the Lords anger all together as a body so he did experience it sadly in his own person 1 Kings 9.11 And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twâ—ce Wise Solomon departed from God through an evil heart of unbelief and vanity after the Lord had come and appeared to him more than once in grace and savour and the bitter effects or fruits of that departure appeared to him shortly after the Lord saith that Scripture was angry with Solomon and the sequel of his History tells us there went out very hot displeasure against him As these Scriptures are a proof of the Lords anger kindling against his people when they sin so we find the Church represented praising the Lord for quenching the fire of his angeâ— Isa 12.1 And in that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me When we turn from God his anger is turned against us and when we turn to God his anger is turned away from us When the Lord is angry what can comfort us but the turning away of his anger And by the very act of turning away his anger he comforts us though all the world be angry with us But some may say How doth the Lord who is said to love his people with an everlasting love visit them in anger To clear that we may distinguish of anger First There is correcting anger Secondly there is consuming or destroying anger Destroying anger is inconsistent with eveâ—lasting love but not correcting anger correcting anger may be very grievous therefore the Prophet deprecates it Jer. 10.24 Correct me O Lord in Judgement not in thy anger The
God he will not bow his ear to us We only fill the air with words we are but sounding brass and tinkling Cimbals in all we say to God unless we do what God saith Elihu supposing Jâ—bs spirit yet unsubdued or not wrought and brought into a right frame under his affliction might well say he openeth his mouth in vaine and as it followeth to the same effect in the close of this verse and Chapter He multiplieth words without knowledge Here is another hard censure upon this good this holy and wise man Job Some Expositers fall heavy upon Elihu as charging Job too far he spake say they many things that were right but not rightly he spake many things that were true but he did not speak truly in fixing them upon Job he spake all uprightly but somewhat too rigorously And indeed if he had charged him so far as to say he had no knowledge at all and had not opened his mouth at all to purpose he had charged him beyond both truth and modesty But Elihu who was set up by God for this very end to humble Job had ground to tell him that as to some things he had both opened his mouth in vaine and multiplied words without knowledge that is he had spoken many words which seemed not to proceed from any sound or well-grounded knowledge and I may give a four-fold ground of it First Because he had not sufficiently attended and magnified the Soveraignty of God in laying those afflictions upon him Secondly Because he had not as he ought sate down quietly under the hand of God but often called to know the cause and that God would plainly tell him the reason or give him an account why he suffered Whereas he should have remembred that as many of the judgements of God are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out by man so he hath reserved some of them as secrets in his own breast and will no more give any man an account of them than any man ought to desire an account of them Thirdly Because he had not more considered his sin or had not been so much in considering the greatness of his sin as he had been in setting forth the greatness of his integrity For though it were true which Job spake that his way was upright and though God had given testimony to his uprightness and integrity in all his wayes yet he should not have insisted so much upon that poynt which had so much affinity with self-boasting though he intended it only for self clearing or for the righting of himself It had been more becoming him to have been aggravating his sin than setting forth his righteousness this was the poynt that Elihu struck at that he had justified himself too much and judged himself too little Yea Job was convinced of this at last Once have I spoken but I will speak no more that is of my own integrity or righteousness Fourthly He may be said to have multiplied words without knowledge because he had spoken so much in the aggravation of his afflictions 'T is true his afflictions were very great yet Elihu censures him deservedly because he took too much notice of them complaining often and often how heavy the hand of God was upon him yea that God was an enemy to him whereas he should rather have lookt upon the visitation of God as light and easie Inscritam objicit quod pugnantia saliem non satis inter se cohaerentia conjunaeit Merl or at least as but little comparatively to what the Lord was able to lay upon him or what his sin might justifie God in laying upon him Elihu having observed Job often and long striking upon that string hightning his sufferings and troubles had reason enough not only to call him off from it but to check him for it And therefore let us remember and be admonished that in all our afflictions we should not so much set forth the greatness of our suffering as the greatness of the mercy of God we should look upon little mercies as great it shews an excellent spirit when we heighten and greaten the mercy and goodness of God even in little things but we should speak of and look upon our greatest chastenings and afflictions as light and little Job fayled somewhat in all these things and in some of them his faylings were great and upon some of if not upon all these grounds I judge Elihu gave this judgement upon Job He openeth his mouth in vaine and multiplieth words without knowledge Job also yeilded himself thus faulty at last Chap. 42.3 Who is he there he speaks of himself in a third person Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderfull for me which I knew not I shall close my thoughts upon this Chapter with minding the Reader First of Elihu his candedness â—owards Job beyond what he found from his other friends for Elihu chargeth Job here only with vanity and inadvertency not with any premeditated wickedness or blasphemy as Eliphaz had done Chap. 22.13 14. Secondly let me mind the Reader of that liberty and plainness of speech which Elihu used towards Job in telling him of and censuring him for his faylings as also of that patience meekness and equanimity with which Job heard received and bare his sharpest censures not replying one word in passion nor so much as pleading the least excuse for his former passionateness but taking all in good part and doubtless improving all for his spirituall profit JOB Chap. 36. Vers 1 2 3 4. 1. Elihu also proceeded and said 2. Suffer me a little and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee ELihu hath already made three addresses or speeches to Job and here he begins a fourth this and the next Chapter are wholly spent in it and are the issue of his whole discourse with this sorrowful man In which we may consider three parts First The Preface or rather the Prefaces of his speech Secondly The Body or Substance of his Speech Thirdly The Conclusion of it The Preface or Prefaces the Introductions of this Discourse of Elihu with Job are contained in the foure verses of this Text under hand The Body of his Discourse is begun at the fifth verse inclusively and continued to the 23d verse of the next Chapter exclusively The Conclusion of all is laid down in the two last verses of the 37 Chapter In this copious Discourse or long Oration Elihu brings not any new assertion or saying of Job to be proved against him nor doth he reprove Job for any new fault but insists upon the proof of what himself had asserted before to shew that God is righteous or to maintain the righteousness of God which he doth variously by
of rigour when they see thy afflicting hand heavy upon me therefore either to prevent such rash judgements of man or that thou mayest gaine the day and have the better in the opinion of all good and wise men over thy Judges Behold I here freely confess my great sin with all the aggravating circumstances of it and surely they who know or shall hear how greatly I have sinned against thee cannot but justifie thee how great soever my sufferings may be To speak thus is to ascribe righteousness unto God in all that he doth whether with respect to his publique judgements upon Nations or particular upon persons in any way of affliction he is pleased and seeth need to exercise them with And the reason why Job was here charged by Elihu as a person not giving righteousness to God was because he did not sit down quietly and patiently under his hand in sufferings but muttered and complained as a man unsatisfied with though he did not openly murmur against the dealings of God with him To give righteousness to God is not only not to accuse him as unrighteous and unjust but to thank him for and honour him in all that he doth or to speak good of his Name under all our sufferings of evil Further to ascribe righteousness to God is to justifie him though he give never so much prosperity to unjust and wicked men Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talke with thee of thy judgements Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Some begin to think surely God is not righteous when they see the unrighteous prosper and at rest while righteous ones are afflicted with continual hurries and troubles but whatsoever God doth with us or ours whatsoever peace he gives to wicked men whatsoever trouble to good men he is still righteous and to acknowledge this sincerely is actually to do what Elihu undertakes to do even to ascribe righteousness to our Maker And surely that knowledge will quit the cost though we have fetcht it very far by which we are taught and have learn'd to ascribe righteousness for that 's the ascribing of gloâ—y to our Maker I saith Elihu will ascribe righteousness To my Maker There 's something in that expression very considerable Elihu doth not say I will ascribe righteousness to God but speaks of God under that relation His Maker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importat facere aliquid cum intentione diligentia energia quae valde enitet in formatione hominis Bold The word signifies not only in General to make or create of which work Moses treats in the first of Genesis but it notes the doing of a thing first with diligence secondly with skill great intention of mind 't is to draw all our spirits together in a work as Artists do This divine art or skill did chiefly appear and shine forth in the creation or formation of man Not that God straines himself in any work but he speaks thus to shew that the highest perfections and exactness imaginable yea beyond all imagination were centred and laid into the works of God or the things that he hath made will ascribe righteousness to My Maker He doth not say to the Maker of man or to the Maker of Heaven and Earth but to my Maker he appropriates that common work of God to himself God is the maker of every Creature the least worme the least fly is of his making yet Elihu speaks of it as his peculiar priviledge my Maker There 's a great Emphasis of affection in those Pronounes Mine Delicata sunt haec pronomina Meum Tuum Suum et plena affectionis pronomen hoc substantive ponitur pro amico Dulcesque meorum reliquias Virgil Aeniad 4. Ego meorum solus sum meus Terent Thine His. Elihu in this my intimates a friendly sweetness and closeness of relation between God and him To call another Mine is more than to call him a friend of mine And to say God is my Maker is more than to say He is the maker of me or the maker of my soul and body 'T is the Dialect of lovers Whom we love we call Ours It is so in the writings of Heathen Poets and Orators One of them said I must do this with the gifts of mine that is of my friends and another I only am my to mine Much love reignes in this Language of faith up and down the Scriptures chiefly in those raptures of divine delight between Christ and the Spouse in the Book of Canticles Elihu is here greatly affected as with the righteousness of God in all his works so in the workmanship bestowed on him I saith he will ascribe righteousness to my Maker Hence Note First God is the Maker of man I shall not stay upon that Secondly In that he holds himself engag'd to stand up for God as his Maker Note The Common benefits of God to man should be acknowledged and he honoured for them God hath made man and beast and he preserves man and beast A godly man sees peculiar mercy to him in both though they be common mercies General mercies should have they highly deserve special remembrances All the works of God are to be lookt to as personal engagements God hath made others as well as thee yet so remember him to be thy Maker as if he had made none but thee and indeed every one that is made is as much beholding to God as if he alone had been made As some things which are made in common for all men the Sun the Air c. are so made that no man could have more of them than he hath if they had been made for him only So though it be common to all men that God is their Maker yet no man could have more in his making if none had been made but he One of the Ancients represents all the Creatures offering themselves to man in general and speaking these three words Accipe Redde Cave First Receive us cheerfully for we were made for thee Secondly Render thanks for us daily for we are all made useful unto thee Thirdly Take heed you do not abuse us for you must give an account to our Maker and yours how you have used us And surely as we should strive to honour God for all things which he hath made so mostly for our own making The Lord is often in the Old Testament especially spoken of under this Relation Psal 121.2 Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth So Psal 124.8 Psal 95.6 Psal 146.6 Still God is remembred as the Maker of all things and he is thus remembred not only in opposition to Idols or false gods who are gods made by man not the makers of man but God is thus remembred and recorded in Scripture to preserve a grateful memory of God in man as he is the Maker of man He that
their life nor their death is precious in the Lords sight as both of the meanest Saints are Psal 116.15 The special Promises of preservation are made to the godly the common Providences of preservation extend to the wicked God preserves many wicked men but not one of them can plead a Promise for his preservation or say Lord thou hast undertaken to preserve me I have thy Word or Warrant for my preservation So then the Lord doth not preserve the life of any wicked man upon a word of Promise Secondly I answer When the lives of the wicked are preserved they are not preserved for any love which God bears to their persons as such but either First to bring them into a better state that is to turn them from their wickedness that being converted they may be saved at last according to his purpose Or Secondly they are preserved to serve some ends and purposes of his in this World For though God hath no pleasure in them yet he makes some use of them and doth his pleasure by them Or I may say they are preserved to be Executioners of his displeasure in chastening and correcting his own people The King of Assyria was preserved in great Power and to what end I will send him against an hypocritical Nation Isa 10.6 He must go on my Errand though he meaneth not so nor doth his heart think so as the Lord spake vers 7. He hath other matters and designs in his head but I have this use of him and of his power even to punish the people of my wrath The Lord made use also of Nebuchadnezar and his Army to serve him in the destroying of Tyrus and of him and his Army he saith They wrought for me Ezek. 29.20 Thus the Lord doth some of his work his strange work especially his work of Judgment by the hands of wicked men and therefore he preserves their lives Yea he preserves them many a time to be a help and a defence to his people A Thorn Hedge keeps the Pasture that strange Cattle break not in and eat it up Wicked men are as Bryars and Thorns and they are suffered to live because the Lord can make use of them as a Fence to his people When the Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a Flood after the woman the Church that he might cause her to be carryed away of the Flood then the Earth that is earthly carnal men helped the Woman Rev. 12.15 16 The Lord used bad men to do that good work the preservation of his distressed and persecuted Church Thirdly As the Lord suffers many wicked men to live that they may be brought out of their sins so he suffers others to live that they may fill up the measure of their sins Why did the Lord preserve the Amorites was it because he loved or liked them no but because they were not then ripe for Judgment Gen. 15.16 The Iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full Some wicked men are to fill up their dayes that they may fill up the measure of their Fathers sins by their own as Christ threatned the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 23.32 Such a grant of life though for a thousand years is worse than a thousand Deaths Fourthly we may answer The wicked are not so much preserved from as reserved unto further wrath 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished God doth not presently punish all the wicked nor take away their lives there is a day of Judgment coming and till that day come their lives are preserved as persons reserved unto Judgment Fifthly VVhen wicked men are said to be out of the Lords Protection consider There is a twofold Protection First ordinary Secondly extraordinary The Lord doth preserve and protect wicked men in an ordinary not in an extraordinary way he doth not work wonders much less miracles to preserve them as he often doth for the preservation of his own people God will not be at such cost in preserving of wicked men as he is at in the preserving the lives and liberties of his eminent Servants rather than they shall perish or not be preserved he will somtimes work a miracle and put Nature out of its course to save their lives VVhen those three VVorthies were cast into the midst of the burning fiery Furnace God stopt the rage of that furious Element that the Fire had no power upon their bodyes nor was an hair of their head singed neither were their Coats changed nor the smel of fire had passed on them Dan. 3.27 Did we ever hear that the Lord restrained the power of the fire to preserve wicked men When Daniel a man precious in the sight of God was cast into the Lions Den the Lord preserved his life also by stopping the Mouths of the Lyons Dan. 6.22 Did we ever hear that God preserved the lives of wicked men in such a way No sooner were Daniels accusers cast into the Lyons Den but the Lyons had the Mastery of them and brake all their bones in pieces e're ever they came to the bottome of the Den v. 24. The Lord doth not preserve the lives of the wicked by miraculous manifestations of his Power and Glory Sixthly I answer Though some wicked men are commonly preserved as other men yet many by their wickedness hasten their ruine and shorten the number of their dayes We may distinguish of wicked men First wicked men may be taken in a General notion for all that are unconverted and unregenerate Many persons pass for honest and good men in the world who yet are wicked being carnal and abiding in a state of nature wicked men of this sort are ordinarily preserved Secondly Take wicked men and such I conceive the Text especially intends for notorious wicked men such as are murderers blasphemers c. the Lord doth not preserve the lives of such but lets mans Justice seize upon them or divine vengeance overtake them Psal 55.23 The blood-thirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his dayes that is he shall not live half so long as he might according to the course of Nature because of his nefarious sinful courses Histories are full of dreadful Tragedies sealing to this Truth with the blood and untimely death of gross offenders How often have we seen or heard of the Veâ—geance of God following and falling upon those that were signanter notoriously wicked and of â—â—ese we are especially to understand the Poynt and Text He preserveth not the life of the wicked Take this Inference from all that hath been said about this awakening Observation How sad is the life of a wicked man indeed of any man on this side the Line of grace but especially of any very wicked man He can scarce be said to live whose life is not preferved by God a wicked man is alwayes in death seeing God doth not preserve his life The Apostle
looks to him that is poor in spirit or of a contrite spirit let such be in Rags and lye upon the Dunghil the Lord will look to them and he hath a threefold look for them First A look of honour as respecting their Persons Secondly A look of care to supply their wants Thirdly A look of justice to deliver them from wrong And if they that are poor in spirit be rich also in the world they shall not fail to receive right from the hand of the Lord. The Lord giveth right to all sorts of men against their wicked oppressors but his poor the Godly poor believing poor those that are poor not only in purse but in spirit are more peculiarly under this priviledge of being righted by the Lord. And usually in Scripture the word poor is taken in a good sence Nomen pauperis in bonum sumitur pauperes sunt populus Dei for good men as the word rich in an ill sence for evil men Jam. 5.1 Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you The Apostle speaks as if that were the case of all rich or as if he called all rich men to weeping and howling c. Yet some poor men are wicked and some rich men are righteous and therefore I conceive the word poor may be taken here for any wronged or oppressed poor yet especially for the Godly poor For though God giveth right to all men even the worst of men yet here the scope of Elihu is to shew that God takes most care of those whom the wicked do most not only neglect but injure and oppresse He giveth right to the poor Hence Note The poor especially the Godly poor are often wronged and go by the worst in the world Or thus The poor as poor usually suffer from and by the world As the world is apt to oppresse any poor so mostly the Godly poor Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poor I will arise 'T is possible a rich man may be oppressed a mighty man may be oppressed by one mightier than he but usually the poor are oppressed and they trampled on who are already underfoot And therefore the Lord saith For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise and set him at safety from him that puffeth at him This is not exclusive the Lord will arise for the help of the rich and great when any such are wronged but he is said to arise for the help of the poor as intimating that the poor seldome come by their right or find help in the world unlesse God arise to help them or help them to it and because he hath said he will help them to their right we may be sure he will Davids Faith was strong upon this promise Psal 18.27 Thou wilt save the afflicted people Psal 72.4 He shall judge the poor of the People Pâ—al 140.12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted And his Experience was as clear as his Faith was strong Psal 37.25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken that is I have often yea alwayes seen him helped one way or other and sometimes set on high from affliction Psal 107.41 The Lord careth so for the poor as if he cared for none else and the best of the poor are little cared for by any but the Lord. Zeph. 3.12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. The rich of this world trust to creature helps but as the Lords poor know they ought not to trust in creature help so they have it not to trust to and therefore they trust in the Name of the Lord not only out of choice which is their grace and duty but out of necessity And what will the Lord do for them that trust in him not only out of necessity but choice he will surely take care of them and do them right Secondly Note God rights the poor freely He giveth them right he doth not sell it What freer than gift They need not bribe for it As he freely giveth them the Righteousnesse of his Son to justifie them so they have common right of free gift to relieve them Note Thirdly The Lord relieves or rights the poor speedily He giveth implyeth a present act and that doubles the mercy Note Fourthly God will always right the wronged poor He giveth imports even a continued act as he did it in former times in the dayes of old so he doth it at this day and will do it always As the Lord giveth right speedily so constantly with him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning Most men do right only by fits but the Lord is ever giving right Lastly He giveth right to the poor not to this or that poor man but to the poor Hence Note The Lord distributes right to all that are wronged As his Mercy so his Justice is not confined to a few but floweth out to all But it may be objected Why then are so many poor without their right If the Lord giveth right and giveth it continually and impartially why do the poor cry and sigh and groan and mourn why see we so many tears of the poor If they have right why do they complain I answer First The Lord giveth right to the poor sometimes when the poor perceive it not Psal 97.2 Clouds and darknesse are round about him Righteousnesse and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne When a man cannot see the Lord doing right yet the Lord doth right The Sun shineth when eclipsed or covered with a Cloud The Lord never ceaseth to right the poor though neither poor nor rich perceive how or which way he doth it Secondly I answer He giveth right to the poor even when they want right or when they are under the sorest oppressions by supporting their hearts in this perswasion that he will give them right The poor have right when their minds are satisfied that they shall have right There is no true Godly poor man in the world how much soever afflicted but his heart is or may be satisfied that he shall have right That 's a sure word Psal 9.18 The needy shall not always be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever And therefore we may pray with confidence Forget not O Lord the Congregation of thy poor for ever Psal 74.19 The poor may rest in this assurance while their troubles rest upon them that God will bring forth their Righteousnesse as the Light and their Judgement as the Noon day Psal 37.6 He hath right who believes he shall have it as he that believeth hath everlasting life in hope long before he attains the possession of it John 3.36 Thirdly Though we say The Lord giveth right to the poor both speedily and constantly yet he reserveth to himself a liberty as to
without fruit to us and therefore he openeth the ear to discipline and sheweth us the meaning of such a cross or sickness of such a loss or affliction He openeth their ear to dâ—scipline Hence note First It is a special power of God which helps us to understand his mind either in his Word or in his Works We neither understand the dealings nor sayings of God if left to our selves the heart of man is shut his ear is deaf the ear of his heart that 's the ear here intended till God say as in the Gospel to the bodily ear Ephatha Be thou opened Pro. 20.12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord is the maker of them both That 's a great truth First of the sensitive ear and eye 't is the Lord who hath made the one to hear and the other to see as he told Moses Exod. 4.11 and as 't is said Psal 94.19 Secondly 't is as true if understood of the intellectual eye and ear the hearing ear and seeing eye that is the ear that heareth obediently and practically that ear is of Gods forming and making such an ear did God create Acts 16.14 where it is said A certain woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the City of Thyatira which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul Further what was the season of opening the ear It was a day of affliction when they were bound in fetters and holden in cords of affliction Hence learn God useth afflictions as medicines or means to restore spiritual hearing Man is often cured of his spiritual deafness both as to the voyce of the word and workes of God by sickness A good man in health Fles prospera donum est dei consolantis res odversa est donum dei admonentis quod igiturpateris un de plangis medicina est non paena castigatio non damnatio August in Psal 102. Qui juhentis verba non audiunt ferientis verberibus admonentur ut ad bona aeterna paenae trahant quos praemia non invitant Greg l. 26. Moral c. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et dicit peace prosperity may have his ears so stopped that the Lord sees it needful to send some sharp correction to get out the ear-wax and unlock them Prosperity saith one of the Ancients is the gift of God comforting us adversity is the gift of God admonishing us why then dost thou complain that thou sufferest thy suffering is a medicament not a punishment 't is for thy bettering not for thy undoing 'T is a favour to feel God striking when we have not heard him speaking and he therefore strikes that we may attend what he speaks When words do not prevaile to open the ear fetters and cords shall That 's the second designe of God when he brings the righteous into streights Then he openeth their ear to discipline The third is given in the close of this verse And commandeth that they return from iniquity Here 's the issue of the former two The shewing them their transgressions the opening their ear are that they may return from iniquity and here is a command that they must And commandeth that they return c. The Hebrew text may be rendred He speaketh or saith that they return from iniquity and this speaking may be expounded two wayes First by perswading He speaks perswadingly The Lords afflictions are perswasions his stroaks are entreaties he beseecheth us by ouâ— sorrows and sicknesses and weaknesses and pains that we would return from our iniquity Secondly we take speaking or saying in the highest straine He speaks by commanding he speaks authoâ—itatively Thus we render He commandeth The command of God is twofold First formal or express when God gives the rule in so many words Secondly vertual The command of God I conceive is here to be understood in this latter sense When the Lord afflicteth the righteous he vertually commands or sends out his Edict that they return from their iniquity The word return implyes them formerly following some iniquity gone far from the Lord This returning is repenting all the Scripture over I need say no more of that As by sin we turn from God so by repentance we return from iniquity and as the Lord at all times commands the righteous by his word so they even force him sometimes to command them by his rod which is called discipline in the former part of the verse because sinners feel paine and find matter to learn all at once He commandeth that they return from iniquity The word rendred iniquity signifies a vain empty thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet significationem nihili Ab operibus suis malis quae similia sunt vanitate nihilo Chald a thing of nought so the Chaldee paraphraseth it here He commands that they return from their evil works which are like to vanity and a thing of nought What is sin but a kind of nothing we look for great matters from sin but it is a vanity it is like an Idol nothing in the world that is it is not such a thing as it doth import or as it promiseth or as the opinion of men make it to be Iniquity is no such thing as it pretendeth or as is pretended The Lord commandeth that they return from iniquity that is from doing that which will profit them nothing at all or no more than a vaine thing a thing of nothing can And yet though iniquity be nothing good or profitable yet 't is all things evil and hurtfull nor had any thing ever hurt us or been evil to us had it not been for iniquity He commandeth that they return from iniquity Hence Note First Affliction hath a voyce God speaks loudly to us by affliction He speaks to us as loud in his works as he doth in his word he trumpets to us he thunders to us in his works God speaks aloud but sweetly to us in his works of mercy he speaks aloud but terribly to us in his works of judgement Secondly Seeing as was touched in opening the words this command is not to be taken for a standing Law for so God alwayes commands men to return from iniquity but the command here is a renewed act or a special dispensation there is as it were a fresh command issued when a man is under the afflicting hand of God Hence Note God reinforceth or reneweth his command to return from sin as often as he reneweth our afflictions That we return from iniquity is a standing an everlasting Law but when we are in affliction then there is as it were a fresh Edition of the command 't is as I may say new printed and proclaimed the fetters print this command upon our heels and the cords upon our hands that we return from iniquity Thirdly Note Iniquity is a vaine thing it is a nothing Shall we not then return from it one would think a little perswasion
Job is here censured not strictly as if he had done like wicked men but because he did not suffer so patiently as became a good man this was in him a fulfilling of the judgment of the wicked Hence note Not to submit heartily and humble our selves freely when the afflâ—cting hand of God is upon us is to do very sinfully even like the wicked I shall not stay upon this having spoken of the extream sinfulness of murmuring and impatience under the hand of God heretofore Secondly Note If we give way to any corruption or passion it will quickly carry us a very great way in sin and from our duty They that are good in their state may sometimes in their acts as Job here fulfil the judgment of the wicked As hypocrites fulfil in appearance the judgment of the upright that is do like upright men so the upâ—ight may in appearance do like hypocrites and then they also fulfil the judgement of the wicked Job said to his wife in the second chapter Thou speakest like a foolish woman and now Elihu tells him thou hast spoken and done as a wâ—cked man Note Thirdly They who do like the wicked must not think much if they be numbred with the wicked and involved in the same outward evils and judgments which usually fall upon wicked men Though we may not judge such a mans eternal estate like that of the wicked yet as to this or that act we may without breach of charity number him among the wicked and he may quickly feel the same smart which the wicked feel They that are godly should act like godly men and not do any thing that represents the lusts or practises the judgement or conversation of the ungodly left it be said in one sence or other of them as here Elihu of Job you also have fulfilled the judgement of the wicked Therefore judgment and justice take hold of thee As if he had said I told thee before if thou had'st humbled thy self thou shouldest have had a large place and full table store of mercies and favours but now judgment and justice take hold of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are two words which sometimes are used distinctly but here they signifie the same thing or the one is but an explanation of the other Justice and Judgment some take justice for the habit and judgment for the act exercise or decree as if he had said Justice hath sent forth Judgment upon thee and now both take hold of thee God hath noâ—ed thy sin in thy sad condition Yet the original doth not determine it upon Jobs person expresly it doth not say Justice and Judgment take hold of thee but Justice and Judgment take hold we supply they take hold of thee for that 's it which Elihu intends Justice and Judgment take hold of thee O Jâ—b nor will they let thee go We find the word so used in several places Prov. 3.18 Wisdom is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her And as the believers closing with and hold-fast upon Christ is expressed by this word so also is the hold which sin takes of an unbeliever Prov. 5.22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin Judgment and Justice take hold of thee Hence Note First God will not indulge sin in any no not in his own servants If a Job do like wicked men he shall smart like the wicked Though God will not cast any of his servants to hell for ever yet they may be cast into a temporary hell The Lord told David as much in case his Children should disobey him and break covenant with him though he would not cast them off yet they should pay dearly for it He would visit their transgressions with a râ—d and their iniquities with stripes Psal 89.32 The History of Davids children makes good that Prophesie and so hath the dealings of God with believers in all ages who are the seed the children of David mystical that is of Christ whom and whose spiritual children the Spirit of God chiefly pointed at in that Psalm They that do like evil men shall suffer like evil men Justice and Judgment properly and strictly take hold of the wicked and disobedient only as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient c. Yet when they that are righteous are found doing like the lawless and disobedient the Law that is Justice and Judgment will take hold of them Tygurina legit intâ—ansitive Causa judicium retinebunt i. e. sustent bunt vigorem suum quamdiu impius fueris Again Some read the words intransitively Justice and Judgment shall hold or hold on still that is they will hold on their course or way in punishing as long as thou hold'st on thy course or way in sinning Hence note So long as any man lives in any sinful way he shall find Justice and Judgement taking hold of him Justice will not leave sinners till they have left their sins Again Justice and Judgment take hold of thee that is they hold thee fast Hence note There 's no getting out of the hand of divine Justice Men oftentimes get out of the hand of man's justice they can break prison they can file off their fetters and cast their cords from them but none can break Gods prison none can get out of the hands of divine Justice As Justice and Judgement shall take hold of attach and arrest sinners so they will hold them fast they cannot make an escape nor can any rescue them till God signes a warrant for their release We cannot hinder God in the exercise or execution of Justice nor turn him aside from his purpose either by our power or pollicies God can easily hinder men of their purposes and can undo what-ever they have done but none can make the Justice and Judgment of God let go their hold Therefore let us take heed while we hold sin and iniquity nothing can deliver us from the hand or hold off the sin-chastning and avenging hand of God However men fail the Justice and Judgment of God are everlasting they hold on their course still though men do not Though we could pluck the Sun out of the firmament yet not Justice out of the hand of God We can neither put God besides his rule nor force him from his purpose These are the two great Prerogatives of God he hath first a righteousness which cannot be perverted secondly a Justice which cannot be interrupted JOB Chap. 36. Vers 18 19 20. 18. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroke then a great ransom cannot deliver thee 19. Will he esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength 20. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place IN these three verses Elihu presseth the Application of the former Doctrine upon Job by
Jeremy did not desire the evil day to come on others yet when the evil day was come upon himself we find him venting strange and strong desires of that kind Chap. 9.2 O that my head were a fountain and mine eyes rivers of tears that I might weep night and day for the slain of the daughter of my People He had visions of slaughter and he did even beg a head melted into water for abundant mourning over that day But what were his other what were his further wishes with respect to himself at that time we have them in the next verse O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of a wayfaring man that I might leave my people and go from them for they be all adulterers a company of treacherous men What uncomfortable desires had Jeremiah as to that day of distress O how did he covet to have a retiring place any hole in the wilderness like a wayfaring man that he might leave his people and see them no more because they were so wicked and their wickedness he foresaw would bring down such dreadful evils upon them And as he wisht this sad retirement upon the foresight of evils to come so we find him in another place Chap. 20.14 15 16 c. wishing that he had never been born to see such presnet evils We have the like plain wish of David in the day of his trouble Psal 55.2 Attend unto me O God and hear me I mourn in my complaint and make a noise because of the voice of the enemy because of the â—ppression of the wicked for they cast iniquity upon me and in wrath they hate me they charged him with evils that he had not done my heart is sore pained within me the terrors of death are fallen upon me fearfulness and trouble are come upon me and horror hath overwhelmed or covered me David was at that time in a very sad day you see and what was his wish that day we have it at the 6th verse And I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest lo then would I wander far off and remain in the wilderness Holy David could not keep his heart in those distresses from extravagant wishes David had the integrity of a dove as he often pleaded before the Lord and being distrest he wished also for the wings of a dove that he might flee away and get out of the reach of all those impendent calamities How usual is it for good men in bad dayes to breath out such wishes one wishes that he had never been born rather than to see such a day another wishes he may die presently rather than live in such a day When the Apostle John had given the prophesie of dreadful judgments to come upon the wicked world or the world of wicked men he presently tells us what their wishes or desires will be Rev. 9.6 And in those dayes shall men seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flee from them Most men flee death that 's a misery but death sleeth from some men and that 's a greater misery They are in the worst of conditions who would have death when death will not be had Their lives are worse than death who only wish to die What non-sense wishes and desires had they also in the day of the Lords anger mentioned in the same book Chap. 6.16 Who said to the mountaines and to the rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. It is possible for good men sometimes to have strange wishes but O how lamentable are the wishes of wicked men and unbelievers who have no part nor interest in Jesus Christ in those times when Conscience is wounded and awakened or when a day of the Lords wrath or judgment from the Lord appeareth When Christ the Lamb shall sit upon the throne and call them to give an account O then they will wish for rocks and mountaines to fall upon them that they might not appear how glad will they then be to be hidden with an everlasting night They cannot but desire the night who have sinned against light Holy Job could not forbear to desire the night of death in the day of his distress what desires then must the wicked have who have no hope beyond this life Again as to the vanity of that design of some in desiring the night for shelter Note There is nothing can cover us from the eye or secure us from the hand of God What is darkness to God who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Desire not the night As gold and silver cannot ransom sinners as great forces all the Armies on earth forces of strength cannot help sinners so the night cannot hide them they that are in the grossest darkness are never the more out of Gods sight The darkness is not darkness to him the darkness and the light to him are both alike Psal 139.11 12. and therefore he said before vers 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up to heaven thou art there c. Wheresoever we are God is who is every where nothing can keep us off from or keep us out of the eye of God Lastly as the night is taken for death Desire not the night Hence note It is a vain wish to desire death for our rescue or escape from the evils of this life Death is it self an evil the worst of natural evils How can that help us out of our evils of trouble which is it self the most troublesom evil The Lord promiseth some of his people that they should die before the evil day Josiah and Hezekiah had such promiâ—es 'T is a favour to die as they did in the assurance of eternal life before we feel the evils of this life But death considered in it self is no relief against evil and as it is the worst of natural evils in it self so it carrieth those who are unprepared and unprovided for it to worser evils than any they can meet with in this life Some desire death to escape the evils of this life when as soon as they die they go to the evils of another life which are the second death such a death as hath no second and descend not only to the grave but to hell And what hath any one got by leaving the troubles of this life to fall into the dolors of that second secondless death They only dream of security by death who are unprepared go die Death is good for none but those who are fitted for and have by faith laid hold upon eternal life JOB Chap. 36. Vers 21. Verse 21. Take heed regard not iniquity for this thou hast chosen rather than affliction IN this verse Elihu gives Job another serious admonition or re-enforceth the former warning
few are there in power who do not much iniquity who do not either for want of better information or of a better conscience oppress grieve and afflict those that have to do with them or are subject to them God may do what he will yet will do nothing but what is right How infinitely then is God to be exalted in his truth and righteousness And thus the word of truth exalts him Deut. 32.4 2 Chr. 19.7 Rom 9.14 There is no unevenness much less aberration in any of the ways of God he never trod awry nor took a false step Who can say unto him without great iniquity thou hast wrought iniquity Hence we may infer If God works no iniquity in any of his wayes whether in his general or special providences Then All ought to sit down quietly under the workes of God Though he bring never so great judgments upon nations he doth them no wrong though he break his people in the place of dragons and cover them with the shadow of death he doth them no wrong Though he sell his own people for nought yet he doth them no wrong All which and several other grievances the Church sadly bemoans Psal 44. yet without raising the least dust concerning the justice of God or giving the least intimation of iniquity in those several sad and severe wayes Secondly We should not only sit down quietly under all the dispensations of God as having no iniquity in them but exalt the righteousness of God in all his dispensations as mingled also sprinkled with mercy Though we cannot see the righteousness of God in some of them yet we must believe he is not only so but merciful in all of them though the day be dark we cannot discern how this or that su es with the righteousnes much less with the goodness and mercy of â—od yet sit down we ought in this faith that both this and that is righteous yea that God is good to Israel in the one and in the other When the prophet was about to touch upon that string he first laid down this principle as unquestionable Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord yet give me leave to plead with thee about thy Judgments Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Why is it thus in the world I take the boldness to put these questions O Lord yet I make no question but thou art righteous O Lord. It becomes all the sons of men to rest patiently under the darkest providences of God And let us all not only not charg God foolishly but exalt him highly and cry up both his righteousness and kindness towards all his people For who can say to God thou hast wrought iniquity Having in several other passages of this book met with this matter also I here briefly pass it over JOB Chap. 36. Vers 24 25. 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afar off THese two verses contain the third advice counsel or exhortation given by Elihu to Job stirring him up to give glory to God in his providential proceedings with him There are three things considerable in these two verses First The general duty commanded which is to magnifie the work of God Secondly We have here a special reason or ground of that duty the visibility and plainness yea more than so the illustriousness of his work The work of God is not only such as some men may see but such as every 〈◊〉 â—ay see yea behold afar off Thirdly We have here an incentive to provoke to this duty in the first words of the Text Remember Vers 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold To Remember imports chiefly these two things First to call to mind what is past Mat. 26.75 Then Peter remembred the words of Christ. Secondly To remember is to keep somewhat in mind against the time to come in which sence the Law runs Exod. 20.8 Remember the rest-day that is keep it in mind that when-ever it cometh or upon every return of that day 〈◊〉 may be in a fit posture and preparation for it Remember the rest or sabbath day to keep it holy To remember in this place is set I conceive in a double opposition First To forgetfulness of the duty here called for remember and do not forget it Secondly To the slight performance of the duty here called for the magnifying of the work of God Remember that thou magnifie As if he had said Be thou daily and duely affected with it do not put it off with a little or a bare remembrance the matter is weighty consider it fully As if Elihu had said to Job Thou hast much forgotten thy self and gone off from that which is thy proper work I have heard thee much complaining of the workes of God but thy work should have been to magnifie the work of God Though God hath cast thee down and laid thee low yet thy business should have been to exalt the work of God Remember it would much better become thee to act another part than this thou shouldest have acted the part of a magnifier of the work of God not the part of a complainer gainst it Remember that thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augeas extollas ejus opus non accuses ut nunc facis Merc. Magnifie The root signifieth to encrease and extol We may consider a twofold magnifying of the work of God There is an inward magnifying of the work of God and there is an outward magnifying of the work of Goâ— First There is 〈◊〉 â—â—d magnifying of the work of God when we think highly 〈◊〉 it thus did the Virgin in her song Luke 1.46 My soul doth magnifie the Lord. Her heart was raised up and stretched out in high thoughts of God Secondly There is an outward magnifying of the work of God To speak highly of his work is to magnify his work to live holily and fruitfully is to magnifie his work We cannot make any addition to the work of God there is no such magnifying of it but we must strive to give the works of God their full dimension and not lessen them at all As we must not diminish the number of his works so we must not diminish the just weight and worth of them There is such a charge of God to the Prophet about his word Jer. 26.2 Go tell the people all the words that I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word Deliver thy message in words at length or in the full length of those words in which it was delivered unto thee We then magnifie the woâ—k of God when we diminish not a tittle As we cannot add any thing to it so we must neither abate nor conceal any thing of it To magnifie is not to make the works of God great but to declare and set forth the greatness of them that 's the magnifying here especially intended Remember
that thou magnifie his works I shall not stay upon that other reading Remember that thou art ignorant of his work The same word which we translate Memento quod ignores opus ejus Vulg. Hieronimus confundit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potius errare quam ignorare significat Drus to magnifie with the variation of a point signifieth to erre hence that translation There is a profitable sense in it for indeed the best knowledge which we have of the work of God may be called ignorance and we said to be ignorant of that work which we are most knowing in Yet because this is straining of the Text I pass it by and keep to our own rendring Remember that thou magnifie His work What work Here is no work specified therefore I answer First All the workes of God are here included Magnify his work What-ever is a work of God what-ever hath the stamp and inscription of God upon it see that thou magnifie it Secondly and more specially We may undeâ—stand this work of God to be the work of Creation Hujus mundi opificium intelligo Bold the goodly structure and fabrick of this visible world and indeed that 's a work so great and magnificent that it ought to be continually remembred and magnified Thirdly Others restrain it more narrowly to that part of the work of God which is eminent in the heavenly meteors and wonderful changes in the air together with the motions and influences of the stars of which we shall find Elihu discoursing at large like a divine Philosopher in the next Chapter There are strange works of God in these lower heavens where those meteors are born and brought forth Remember to magnifie those works Fourthly I rather conceive though such works of God are afterward spoken of that Elihu intends the work of Providence in both the appearances of it as it is a white or black work as it is for good or for evil as it is in judgment or in mercy A modern Interpreter pitcheth upon the former and upon one particular of the former as if Elihu had directly led Jobs thoughts back to the Deluge that work of God in bringing the Flood upon the old woâ—ld and if we can but go back and honour God for his past works of Providence we shall magnifie him for his present As if Elihu had said Thou complainest that thou art overflowed with a deluge of afflictions but doest thou remember how God destroyed the whole world at once in the universal flood But though I think that may be taken in among other works yet to restraine it to that is a great deal too narrow for this Text. Therefore under this work of God we may comprehend any great work of God which is upon record or which we have heard of wherein he hath shewed his power wisdome and justice Remember his work The work of providence Those works of providence which are afflictive have a great place in this Text because the person spoken to was one in an afflicted condition And I conceive Elihu directs Job not so much to magnifie God for the day of prosperity and Sun-shine which he once had as for the day of adversity and darkness which then covered him Remember that thou magnifie his work Which men behold Which the sons of Enosh behold saith Mr Broughton But the word Sons is not in the Text there 't is only men or weak men The word which we translate to behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a double signification and that hath caused a double translation It signifieth first to sing secondly De quo cecinerunt viri Quod laudaruni justi viri Chald to see or behold It is translated by several in the former sense Remember that thou magnifie his work whereof men have sang The Chaldee Paraphrase saith For which just men have given praise in Psalmes and songs Beholding fully a good thing and praising it or praising God for it go together as Mr Broughtons glosse expresseth it out of Ramban Gracious and holy men do not only speak but sing the wonderful works of God And that praises were in song or verse both the Scriptures and many ancient Authors testifie God works and men sing the praises of God for his works as Moses David and Deborah did And we find all the Saints Rev. 15.3 singing praises to the Lord for the great work which he will do in bringing forth Judgement to perfection upon Babylon Thus it is a truth the work of God is to be sung and set forth in meeter or in verse We take the other translation Which men behold which with respect to that which followeth v 25. where both expressions refer to the eye is I conceive most proper Magnifie the work of God which men behold As if Elihu had said O Job I advise thee to leave off searching into the secrets of God and set thy self to consider and magnifie those works of God which are plain and lye open to every mans eye The word rendred Behold may note both a transient and an intense or fixt beholding to look wishly as we say to look fastning the eye solicitously yea it imports not only to behold with the eye of the body but with the eye of the mind Some Interpreters put an Emphasis upon the word men Quae viderunt non hominos sed viri praestantes ut sit nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic alibi in loco ubi non sunt viri virum te praesta Drus as noting excellent men vertuous men men of vertue in their qualities and of excellency in theiâ— abilities such are men indeed worthy men worthy the name of man as it hath been said of old Where there are no men do thou play the man act and speak like a man Some men have nothing but the outside of a man This is a good notion For good men holy men men of divine excellency are most quick-sighted and quick-sented First espying the appearances of God in any of his providences and then making a due improvement of them Therefoâ—e saith Elihu magnifie his work which men that is holy and good men behold and take notice of David speaking of the woâ—ks of God in that notable place Psal 92.6 saith A brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this that is such a one as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non tam exâ—ellentes quam miâ—â—â— et pleiâ—â—â—s vâ—â— omnes â—â—mmo homines significat cannot behold the work of God And therefore it is more than a cri icisme to restraine the word men to men of this sort yet it must be granted that the word signifies not only excellent men but any sort of men whether wise or foolish rich or poor and the weake sort of men more specially than the stronger and more noble in any kind And to take the word in that universality as compassing and
in Prophesies of mercy and instruction so of judgment and desolation Thus the Lord charged his Prophet Ezek. 20.46 Son of man set thy face towards the south and drop thy words towards the south and propheâ—â—e against the forest of the south field Again Ezek. 21.2 Son of man set thy face towards Jerusalem and dâ—op thy words towards the holâ— place and prophesie agaâ—nst the land of Israel Once more Amos 7.16 Drop noâ— thy word against the house of Isaac So thaâ— I say this dropping is usâ—d frequently as in a natural so in a spiritual sence He maketh small the drops Of water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forma duali significantur aquae duplices The word is of the Dual Number in the Hebrew and so it signifies both sorts of water the waters of heaven and the waters of the earth the upper and the nether waters the â—pper waters in the Clouds and the nether waters in the Springs We find them spoken of together in the first of Genesis at the 7th verse God divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament We find the upper waters spoken of singly Psal 104.3 Who layest the beams of the chambers in the waters Chambers are above And in the first of Genesis at the 9th verse we find the lower waters alone Let the waters be gathered together under the heavens Rabbi Selo exponit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multiplicat quia dum ita guttatim aquae decidunt multiplicantur Merc. Under-heaven waters are the lower waters One of the Rabbies renders the words thus He multiplieth the drops of rain and the reason of it is which falls in with our translation because the less any one thing is made the more is the general mass out of which it is made multiplied From the words thus far opened we may note somewhat for our instruction Taking the former signification of the words He draweth up the drops of water Observe The ordinary rain which watereth the earth is first fetched from the earth Plavia est vapor calidus humidus ex aquis locis humidis virtute Solis Stellarum usque ad mâ—diam aeris regionem elevatus ibi propteâ— loci frigiditatem in nubem condensatus c. Garc. de Meteorol part 2. cap. 25. God raiseth vapours from the earth and then watereth the earth with them All the rain which falls upon the earth was raised from the earth If I were to answer that question in nature What is Rain I might resolve it thus Rain is the moisture of the earth drawn up by the heat of the Sun into the middle Region of the Air which being there condensed into clouds is afterwards at the will of God dissolved and dropt down again in showers The Clouds at the command of God hold fast and at his command they break and let out their waters upon the earth This is as was toucht before a very ordinary yet a very admirable work of God As in spirituals all those acts of grace in faith and love and joy c. by which our hearts and souls are carried up to heaven come first from heaven so that rain which comes down upon us from heaven was first fetched from among us by the mighty power of God Rain according to natural Philosophy is thus generated The water and moisture of the earth being attenuated by the heat of the Sun-beams become vapours which being so rarified and resolved into an airy substance are by the same heat of the Sun drawn up to the middle region of the air where being again condensed or thickened into water they melt down into rain at the appointment of God We may consider rain briefly in all the causes of it Thus First The efficient cause of rain is God Secondly The instrumental cause is the heat of the Sun Thirdly The material cause is the moisture of the Sea and watery Land Fourthly The final cause of it is 1. Supream the glory of God 2. Subordinate and that threefold First the benefit Secondly the punishment Thirdly the instruction of man Secondly From that other signification of the word as it notes withdrawing or keeping back upon which some insist much Observe God when he pleaseth can with-hold the water or the rain He can give a stop to the rain and then the clouds yeeld us no more water than a stone He with-holds the drops of water The Lord threateneth the Vineyard with this stop Isa 5.6 I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it which is true of a natural and proper Vineyard and of proper natural rain though it be meant there of the people of God whom he metaphorically or improperly calleth his Vineyard and the rain there intended is the rain of instruction usually falling upon them Now as God doth often forbid the showers of the word that they fall no more upon a people as he sends forth a prohibition to stop the spiritual rain so he also stops and prohibits the natural rain Amos 4.7 8. I have with-holden the rain from you when there was yet three moneths to the harvest and I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city one piece was rained upon and the piece whereupon it rained not withered so two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water but were not satisfied Thus in case of disobedience to his divine Law the Lord threatened to stop the common Law of nature and to make the heavens brass and the earth iron Deut. 28.23 And when the heavens are brass that is when they yeeld no more moisture than brass then the earth is as iron that is it yeelds no more food for the sustentation of man or beast than a bar of iron doth Such stops the Lord hath often put upon the courses of nature and can do again when he pleaseth though I believe he never did nor ever will do so but when highly displeased and provoked by the sin of man Take two or three inferences from it First If the rain or drops of water come not in their season let us acknowledge the hand of God It is God that hath lockt up the clouds when-ever they are lockt up God hath forbidden the clouds to let down their rain when-ever they with-hold it Men and Devils can no more stop the rain than make it Secondly When we want rain let us go to God for it 'T is the prerogative of God alone to help us in that streight and therefore the holy prophet sends a chalenge to all other powers or declares them disabled for this help Jer. 14.22 Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain or can the heavens give showers neither the one nor the other can The heavens cannot dispose of a drop though they possesse a sea of water God must hear the heaven before the heavens can
Christ makes this an argument of faith in God for food and cloathing Mat. 6.26 Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them are not ye much better than they How little faith have you who knowing that God feeds the fowls of the air yet cannot trust him for your food He giveth food in abundance Thirdly note Plenty and scarcity are at the dispose of God He can give meat in scarcity as well as meat in abundance he can give cleanness of teeth as well as fulness of bread And as he can strengthen the staff of bread so break it and cause us to eat bread by weight and with care and to drink water by measure and with astonishment Ezek. 4.16 To eat by weight and drink by measure is to eat and drink in the want of bread and water as is expressed vers 17. And as these changes of our natural so of our spiritual food are from the Lord Amos 8.11 I will send a famine What famine not of bread but of hearing the word of the Lord. 'T is the Lord who sends plenty and scarcity of bread whether for the soul or for the body Fourthly In that he saith by them he giveth meat in abundance Note God useth natural meanes as the cause either of plenty or scarcity The Lord could give us abundance if he pleased without rain but he rarely gives abundance but by rain he sends rain out of the Clouds to water the earth and make it fruitful The Lord could make our souls fruitful in every good work without the preaching of the word but he seldom doth it I believe never when the word may be had without the preaching of the word And therefore the Lord by his Prophet makes a comparison between or a paralel of these two Isa 55.10 11. As the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth c. The Lord useth rain and snow yea wind and thunder to fit the earth as he useth his Word and holy Ordinances to fit the soul to bring forth fruit to himself He could do both alone but he improveth that order of nature and grace which himself at first set up and instituted to bâ—ing about these excellent ends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praebebit escâ—m per multam Sept. By them he giveth meat in abundance The Greek translation renders all manner of muchness From the whole learn what cause we have to acknowledge the goodness of God in every shower of rain and fleet of snow for by them he giveth us our meat We should hence also be minded to fear the Lord and to take heed of his displeasure It is said Asts 12.20 when Herod was highly displeased with them of Tire and Sidon they came with one accord to him and having made Blastus the Kings Chamberlain their friend desired peace because their Country was nourished by the Kings Country O how much more should we labour to avoid the displeasure of God and hasten to make our peace with him seeing our Country is nourished by his Country The heavens nourish the earth else the earth could not afford any thing for our nourishment We are fed rather from the heavens than from the earth The clouds drop down and make the earth fat to give grass for cattel and co n for man Elihu speaks nothing of the Earth but of the Clouds fâ—om them we are fed Lately consider Elihu joynes both effects expresly By them he judgeth the people he giveth meat c. Hence note The Lord can make the same creature either beneficial or hurtful to us That which is an instrument in his hand for good to his servants is often a plague and a scourge to his enemies The rain which at one time moistens the earth at another time drowns it the rain which at one time cherisheth the creatures at another time choaks them The winds which at one time fan the air and cool it at another time enrage and vex it the winds which at one time sweeten and cleanse the air at another time corrupt and infect it The Lord can with the same creatures furnish himself for any dispensation By them he judgeth the people and by them he giveth meat in abundance JOB Chap. 36. Vers 32 33. 32. With clouds he covereth the light and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh between 33. The noise whereof sheweth concerning it the cattel also concerning the vapour THese two verses have a Character of difficulty and obscurity put upon them by several interpreters Hujus et sequentis versus difficultas et obscuritas tanta semper ab omnibus enarratoribus habita est ut vix alius in toto hoc libro ne dicum in toto sacro codice locus isto impenetrabilior esse videatur Bold and some have concluded them the most difficult and darkest portion of the whole Book of Job yea of the whole Book of God And should I reckon up all the various Grammatical constructions of these words together with the distinct interpretations given upon them I should weary my self and rather perplex than advantage the Reader And therefore I shall speak to these two verses First as they are laid down plainly in our translation according to which with submission to the judgement of those learned Authors I see neither any great difficulty nor obscurity in them and shall afterwards give a brief account at least of some of those different readings and translations which I find upon them The words as I conceive according to the mind of our translators and as the Text clearly beareth hold out two things concerning the raine of which Elihu had spoken before First What is naturally preparatory to raine or foule weather that we have in the 32d verse With clouds he covereth the light and commandeth it not to shine by the Cloud that cometh between Secondly We have that which is declaratory of raine or as some call them the Prognosticks and signs of raine these are laid down in the 33d verse The noise thereof sheweth concerning it the Cattel also concerning the vapour Vers 32. With clouds he covereth the light He that is God covereth the light with Clouds We heard of the Clouds at the 29th verse but the word there used is not that which is used in this 32d verse Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amâ—igua est ad manus nubes proprie volas denotat ad nubes refero quia de iis hactenus actum et quia propriè curvaturas significat quales in unaquaque mibo duae sunt convexa concava De Dieu in loc The word here made use of by Elâ—hu signifies generally any thing that is hollow or concave as
which is a Cloud in a figure troublesome and afflictive Providences There is no light of what kind soever it is but there may be a Cloud to intercept it and come between us and that even the light of the favour of God the light of his countenance which is the most blessed light of all even that light hath many a Cloud The clouds of ouâ— sins cause the Lord to cloud his face with anger and displeasure and hinder the light of his favour and loving kindnâ—ss from shining upon our souls Secondly In that Elihu saith He câ—mmandeth it not to shine Note The Lord hath a soveraign power over all creatures He sends forth his commanding word not only to Angels and Men but to Beasts yea to inanimates he sends out his orders and edicts to the Clouds of the Air to the Light of the Sun to things without life and they submit presently and obey he speaketh to the light as if it were a â—eaâ—onable creature he commandeth it not to shine and it shineth not The hosts of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth are at the diâ—pose of God the wâ—â—le course of nature moves and stands still at his word and pleaâ—ure The Sun stood still in the dayes of Jâ—shua at his command and by the same command the Sun wenâ— backward in the days of Hezekiah and 't is by his command that the Sun withdraws its light and is muffled up with Clouds at any time He commandeth it not to shine Take these Inferences from it First Then what cannot God do He that commands the light not to shine and it shineth not Is any thing too hard for him who but God can stop the Sun from shining If all the Princes and Potentates of this world should joyn their forces their counsels together and send a prohibition to the Sun to stay its light and forbear its shining one moment they were not able to do it yet if the Lord do but speak the word the Sun shineth not he can give it a prohibition and supersede the going forth of its light to us yea he hath power enough not only to coveâ— the Sun with Clouds but to turn it into a Cloud and to blot it out of the heavens Secondly learn hence In what dependance we are upon God for every thing God can keep the light from us every day if he pleaseth and wrap us up in perpetual darkness as he plagued the Land of Egypt with thick darkness for three dayes together 'T is true the Sun riseth and goeth down in a natural course yet still by a divine order and commission As God can sorbid the Light by interposing Clouds so he can sorbid the Clouds to give us showers and bind up all the sweet influences of heaven from destilling upon the earth to make it fruitful He can speak to our garments that they warm us not to our food that it nourish us not to our physick that it cure and heal us not to all our relations that they comfort us not to all our possessions and riches that they content us not O let us remember that we depend upon God for Rain for Light for Sun-shine for all it is at his word that they all put themselves forth to do us good and at his word they are all staid and stopt in their motion from doing or bringing us any good Leâ— us remember also God can command another light not to shine he can by a word stop the progress of the Word and stay that blessed and most beautiful light the light of the Gospel from shining to us by some Cloud or other coming between To how many nations of people where that light sometimes shined hath God long since sent a command and it shineth not It shined brightly in former Ages upon the African Churches but now for a long time God hath said to the light of the Gospel shine not upon them there 's scarce any light at all at most but a glimmering of Gospel-Light in all that vast continent a quarter-part of the world What mighty Dominions are now possest by the followers of Mahomet both in Europe and Asia where the light of the Gospel did once shine very brighâ—ly and gloriously How famous were those seven Asian Churches men ioned and writ to by the command of Christ and the ministry of his servant and Secretary John Rev. 1.2 3. yet now darkness possesseth all those places and the Alcoran hath thrust out the Gospel and whence is all this Surely God commanded and that light shined not nor hath it shined with any bâ—ightness for many hundred years Jesus Christ who threatened Ephesus with the removal of her Candlestick hath removed all those Candlesticks and put out their ligâ—â—â— The same stop can God give to the Gospel-light which hath shined among us blessed be his Name for many years together Let us take heed that we forfeit not that blessed light that we provoke not the Lord by our abuse of it and unthankfulness for it to send out a command that it shine not among us any more We read in the Prophets how divine light was prohibited both to the People and to the Prophets The stop of it to the People we have Amos 8.9 I will cause the Sun to go down at noon and I will darken the earth in the clear day The Prophet speaks not here at all of the stop of natural light nor doâ—h he only intend the stop of that metaphorical light Prosperity in outward things which the Lord doth often eclipse and daâ—ken when men dream least of it or have no more fear about it than â—hey have that the Sun will go down at noon day but he at least intends if it be not his principal intendment to shew that a grievous judgmâ—nt was hastning upon them as to their spiritual enjoyments that the light of divine knowledge what to believe and what to practise was declining and ready to go down though they thought it was but noon with them and the day very clear For as the famine threatned vers 11. is expounded upon the place by the Prophet himself not to be a famine of bread and a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord so the darkness threatened in this 9th verse is not to be restrained to the loss of their worldly liberties and comforts but extended to those which were spiritual and divine the failing of vision and the removing of the light of the Word And as in this Prophet we find the light departing from the People so in the third of Micah vers 6 7. we find God commanding the light not to shine to the Prophets the false prophets he meanes there for so he describeth them vers 5. Therefore shall night be unto you the prophets who deceive my people who teach them vanity and lead them to Idolatry and superstition therefore I say shall night be unto you that ye shall have no vision and it shall be dark
thunder The Roman Historian reports of that great Emperour who commanded all the world and made the nations to tremble that yet he himself trembled at this Augustus Caesar was so afraid of thunder that when-ever he travelled abroad he caused the skin of a Sea Calfe to be carried about with him because it was in their superstition believed to be an Amulet or preservative against any hurt by thunder And the same Author tells us of another of that ranke a heathen Roman Emperour that was so afraid of thunder that he would hide his head when he heard it and sometimes ran under a bed for shelter I shall have further occasion to speak of the terribleness of thunder at the 4th and 5th verses I touch it here because according to our interpretation this was it at which the heart of Elihu trembled Secondly Taking the words more generally as this trembling might arise from the consideration of any other of the wonderful woâ—ks of God Note The great appearances of God in his power may and should affect us even with feare and trembling The heart of man may wel move out of his place when he considers how dreadful God is in his place and what wonders he both doth and can do David casting his eye up to the heavens and the host of them Psal 8. concludes with admiration v. 8. O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world They who have but little knowledge of the works of God cannot be much affected with them they who know them deeply cannot but be deeply affected with them Fooles and ignorant persons slight or lightly pass by any thing that God doth or speaks but they who are wise hearted will lay both his Word and Wo ks to heart their heaâ—ts will tremble and be moved out of their place Holy King David adviseth the Kings and Judges of the earth to serve the Lord with fear and to rejoyce with trembling Ps 2 11. And the holy Apostle Paul exhorteth all Christans to work out their salvation with fear and trembling Philip. 2.12 Now if we are to tremble in our dayly service how much more under dreadful providences For the close of this poynt remember there is a four-fold trembling or moving of the heart at the appearances of God or at the discoveries of his Power and Glory in his Word and in his Works First That which is natural Isa 7.2 When it was told the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart that is the heart of Ahaz was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the Wood are moved with the wind And when Felix heard Paul reasoning of righteousness temperance and the judgment to come he trembled The Judge trembled at the voyce of the prisoner 'T is natural for man to fear and tremble at the report of any truth which renders him guilty or of any trouble which over-masters his ability to withstand or avoyd it Secondly There is a Legal trembling proceeding from a spirit of bondage or the dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of God against sin Rom. 8.15 This in many is precedaneous to their true conversion and as a needle makes way for the spirit of grace and adoption by which thread they are united fastned unto God through faith walk in a child-like fear before him all their days Thirdly There is a penal or judiciary fear and trembling God in judgement sometimes fills the heart of sinful man with fear as the punishment of his sin They who have no fear of God in their hearts to keep or over-aw them graciously from sinning and living in a course of sin are delivered up to a spirit of fear which continually pursueth them with dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of God and of some imminent and impendent evils ready to fall upon them for their sins A dreadful sound is in their ears as Eliphas told Job Chap. 15.21 yea as he speaks there vers 24. trouble and anguish make him afraid they prevail against him as a King ready to battel The Lord threaten'd it as one of the sore Judgments that he would bring upon his People the Jewes for their disobedience Deut. 28.65 I will give thee a trembling heart yea he threaten'd Isa 52.17 to give them the dregs of the Cup of trembling Ezekiel Chap. 12.18 was commanded to tremble as a sign to the People of that penal fear and trembling which God would send upon them Such was that trembling spoken of Ezek. 26.16 Then all the Princes of the Sea shall come down from their Thrones and lay away their Robes and put off their broidered garments and shall cloath themselves with tremblings Doubtless they had little mind to such change of rayment they had rather have been cloathed with raggs but the Lord would make them do it And as those confederate Princes or friends of Tirus should cloath themselves with trembling so 't is prophesied Zech. 15.2 that Jerusalem should be not only a burthensome stone but a cup of trembling to all her enemies As if the Lord had said This shall be their punishment who would make my Jerusalem tremble I will make them tremble at the remembrance of Jerusalem or at the sight of those great things which I will do against them and for Jerusalem Fourthly There is a spiritual a gracious trembling and moving of the heart that 's it which this point calls us to and to which in those places lately mentioned both David Psal 2.11 and the Apostle Phil. 2.12 call us to It was well with Ephraim when it was thus with him Hos 13.1 When Ephraim spake trembling he was exalted that is when he was in a trembling humble self-denying frame he prospered and all things succeeded well with him The Lord is never better pleased with us than when he sees us in these tremblings Isay 66.2 To him will I look that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word These trembling ones are the men that God hath an eye upon and respect unto The prophet Habakkuk spake of himself Chap. 3.16 much like Elihu in the text When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice c. The prophet fore-saw a day of trouble and trembled at it and this gave him assurance that he should not tremble when he saw it for said he in the next words I trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble The more we tremble in our selves the more rest we have in God None have so little fear when trouble comes as they who fear before it comes Noah by faith moved by fear prepared an arke to the saving of his house Heb. 11.7 Thus to fear a flood is the best way to escape it 'T is not courage but stupidity not to fear and tremble when we hear of the judgments of God They who tremble graciously shall never tremble despairingly At this my heart trembleth c. Elihu having thus
we count iâ— a mercy in hoâ— seasons And such is the goodness oâ— God that in tâ—ose places where the heat is most troublesome there are many cool Bâ—iezes We read Gen. 3.8 of the cool of the day or as the Margin hath it the wind of the day implying that the extream heat of the day is usually asswaged and cooled by the wind The Prophet Jer. 14.6 describing a time of drought saith The wild Asses did stand in the high places they snuffed up the wind like Dragons To snuffe the wind in time of drought is a great refreshing wind refresheth the body as well as food and 't is some refreshing in famine or want of food Thirdly The wind is a Rain-bringer We say when the wind riseth there will be rain Thus 1 Kings 18.45 before the mighty rain which Elijah foretold we read of a wind The Heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain When Elisha told those three Kings distressed for want of water Ye shall not see wind neither shall ye see rain yet that valley shall be filled with water 2 Kings 3.17 he thereby implyed that wind is the ordinary fore-runner of rain We indeed translate Prov. 25.23 The North wind driveth away the rain yet we put in the Margine The North wind bringeth forth the rain It is true of both the wind scattereth and driveth away the rain the wind also bringeth rain Fourthly The wind causeth vegetables to flourish A sweet gale of wind is not only good for man and beast but for the grass and for the herbs for plants and trees the blowing of the winds maketh them flourish in allusion unto which the Church speaks Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out that is that my Graces my faith in thee 〈◊〉 love to thee c. may put forth and appear The spiritual wind the breathings of the Spirit draw forth spiritual fruit from the heart and in the life of believers as the natural draws forth the natural fruits of the Earth Fifthly The winds are beneficial and helpful for the drying up of the waters they make the earth clean as well as the air It is said Gen. 8.1 â—fter the whole world was drowned God made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters asswaged The wind is a dryer as well as the Sun Sixthly There is a great use of the winds as to artificials What mighty things are done by the wind By it Mills are turned to grin'd Corn a Land and Ships are moved to carry boâ—h Men and Merchandizâ— at Sea there were hardly any passing from Nation to Nation 〈◊〉 dis-joyned by water but by the advantage or help of winds by the help of winds Merchants bring treasure and precious things from one end of the earth to the other These and many more are the common benefits of the winds for which the Lord brings them out of his treasures Secondly The winds have their evil effects God sends them somtimes for a plâ—â—â—e oâ— in a way of Judgment Fiâ—st Winds 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ect the air the Lord can send as a cleansing so a co ruâ—ting â—ind Secondly As wind bâ—ings rain so it hinders or blows away the rain Thi dly The Lord sends the wind to break and overthrow all that stâ—nds before it What doth not the whiâ—lwind overthrow Houses and Trees at Land are blown down Goodly Ships at Sea richly laden have been sunk and over-set by tempestuous winds God sent a whirlwind out of his treasure which caused the Mariners in Jonah to cast their Merchandize into the Sea and Jonah himself too What cross and tempestuous winds did the Apostle Paul meet with in his voyage to Rome Acts 27. Further That the Lord bringeth the winds out of his treasure is matter of great comfort to all that have an interest in the Lord He can command the winds for them and against their enemies the wind cometh out of his Chamber and it shall do as he commandeth It is said Nahum 1.3 The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm and the clouds are the dust of his feet That is he ruleth whirlwinds he walks in and works by the whirlwind and by storms And as we may take it properly so metaphorically that iâ—â—â—in the most tempestuous dispensations and providences when the world is as it were in an Haricane as boysterous winds in some places are called In the greatest concussiâ—nâ— and confusions whether of things or persons the Lord carrieth on his work in a regular course As the great tossings of the air by natural winds so the greatest tossings of affairs by the stâ—ong and various passions of mens spirits in the woâ—ld which we may call civill winds yea whirlwinds are undeâ— the ordering of divine power and wisdome The Prophet Isa 17.13 admonisheth the wicked to take heed and give glory to God For saith he the Nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters But God shall rebuke them and they shall flee far off and shall be chased as the chaffe of the mountaines before the wind and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind A rolling thing is unsteadfast at all times and a whirlwind will make that roul and tumble which is very steadfast it maketh Trees to shake it maketh strong Towers tremble Now if the whirlwind causeth things that are fixed and strong to shake and move what will it do to those that are light and unfixed rolling things That which is as men judge fixt and steady as a Rock shall be as a rolling thing before the whirlwind of the Lords displeasure The Margin of our Bibles calls this rolling thing Thistle-down We know what the down of a Thistle is which at â—ome seasons of the year falls off and is the lightest thing imaginable When there is not a breath of wind stirring the Thistle-down will stir roll and move from place to place what then think you will become of Thistle-down before a mighty wind a whirlwind The wicked shall be as Thistle-down before the whirlwind but the people of God need not fear for as 't is said of the Sea so of the wind his way is in it he rules the proper and he rules the metaphorical whirlwinds which toss and tumble the state and affaires of this world To close this matter We may take notice of several wonderfull things in and about the wind and because Elihu ranks this among the great works of God who doth marveilous things which we comprehend not Nulla propemodum regio est quae aliquem ventum ex se Nascentem circa se cadentem non habeat Sen l. 5. Natur quest c. 17. Plin l. 1. cap. 47. In iusula Lesbo Oppidum Mytilene magnificè aedifiâ—atum est sed imprudentèr positum quod in ea civitate cum Aaster flat homines aegrotant Vitru l. 1. c. 5. not only in Thunder and Lightning in Snow and
allusion to those showres of rain powred from the clouds And as the Lord powres out his Spirit which can never be wearied or drawn dry so the Lord makes use of many thick clouds which hold much spiritual rain even to weariness for the refreshing of wearied souls I mean such Ministers as he hath furnished with great gifts and graces such as are not as the Apostle Jude compareth some Teachers Clouds without water but as true and faithful Teachers should be full of water The waterings of any Apollo are at the Lords disposeâ— He saith drop thy word here drop thy word there and thou shalt not drop thy word any more here or there The Lord hath often been so bountiful to Nations and Churches that he hath even wearied many thick clouds to water them with the rain of his word That of the Psalmist though it be true of the rain properly taken falling upon the earth is most true of spiritual rain falling upon the Churches Psal 65.10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly thou setlest the furrows thereof And so is thaâ— also to be understood Psal 68.9 Thou O God didst send a plentiful rain or rain of liberalities whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary Thou didst even weary the thick cloud to confirm that is to refresh thy weary people And seeing they who carry and dispence the Word are in Scripture emblematically expressed by Clouds Isa 60.8 Who are these that flee as a cloud and as the doves to their windows The Preachers of the Gospel come as so many clouds and the Prophet tells us the Word cometh down as rain and snow from heaven Isa 55.10 which supposeth a cloud from whence it cometh foâ— saith the Lord So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please Seeing I say the dispensers of the Word are compared to clouds let them that sit under the droppings of these clouds take heed they be not unfruitful or like that ground which drinketh in the rain yet beareth nothing but briars and thorns whose end is to be burned God hath wearied and quite spent many of these thick clouds by continual dropping upon and watering the souls of men yet how barren how fruitless are they If but one of the clouds of heaven be wearied in watering the earth we soon after discern the face of the earth refreshed and renewed by it And shall God weary those heâ—venly clouds by watering men on earth and men remain unrefreshed unrenewed Clouds of sorrow and darkness will at last weary all those with their waterings and droppings upon them who when God hath wearied his Clouds by watering them with the word of life from Heaven yet remaine altogether barren and unfruitfull By watering he wearieth the thick Cloud He scattereth his bright Cloud The former part of the verse spake of a thick Cloud Nubes ex cujus discussione lucem restituit Hâ—nc appellat nubem lucis dei qua dispulsa lux et serenitas inducitur Merc this latter speaks of a bright Cloud The Hebrew is The Cloud of his light which I conceive is here added First to shew that Clouds of all sorts serve the purposes of God the thick Cloud and the bright Cloud the dark Cloud and the light Cloud are made use of by him And as he doth weary the Cloud that is full of water so he scattereth the Cloud that is full of light or he scattereth his bright Cloud Yet some considering it is not said in the letter of the Text Nubem lucis non dicit lucidam sed quae lucem abscondit Coc A light Cloud but a Cloud of light understand by a Cloud of light such a Cloud as hides and hinders the light and which being scattered light and faire weather succeed Yet rather as before But why is it here said that he scattereth his bright Cloud possibly because he hath no use of his bright Cloud but of his thick Cloud only when he would water the earth And indeed Clouds which are only bright or which have much light but no water are of little use Some have much light of knowledge but no water of instruction to drop upon others such Clouds God disperseth and scatters It is not an outward faire appearance which can bring us into acceptance with God The bright Cloud shall be scattered if it have no rain in it to water the earth Againe Some translate His light scattereth the Cloud So the text may be read according to the letter of the Hebrew as if the meaning were this God by the Sun-beams dispels or disperseth the Cloud for Clouds are scattered sometimes by the wind sometimes by the Sun That which gathered the Cloud may also scatter it The Sun draweth up the vapours of which Clouds are formed or compacted and soone after the Sun dissolveth the Clouds which it had gathered The same power makes and unmakes the Cloud gives it a body and takes it away His light scattereth the Cloud That 's a truth also For as brightness or light is scattered among the Clouds and makes the Clouds appeare bright so brightness or light scatters Clouds or causeth them to disappeare Elihu having thus discoursed of wind and cold of freezing and thawing of working some Clouds to weariness and of scattering others proceeds in the two following verses to shew the special uses which the Lord makes of all those motions in the air and impressions upon the Earth with the Inhabitants of it whether in a way of Judgment or of Mercy JOB Chap. 37. Vers 12 13. 12. And it is turned about by his counsel that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth 13. He causeth it to come whether for correction or for his land or for mercy IN the former verse Elihu spake of the Clouds of the thick Cloud wearied with watering and of the bright Cloud scattered by the Wind or Sun In these two verses he further sets down two things more generally concerning the Clouds First He shews whence the motion of the Cloud is and by what or whom directed It is turned about by his counsel in the beginning of the 12th verse and he causeth it to come at the beginning of the 13th verse There we have the Spâ—ing of the Clouds motion Secondly Elihu shews the purpose or the design of the Lord in turning about the Clouds by his counsel which design is laid down two wayes First In general That they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth that 's the first purpose of God in moving the Clouds they are to execute his Commands and that 's his general purpose Secondly We have his special purposes or designs laid down in the close of the 13th verse and they are three-fold He turneth about the Cloud and causeth it to come First For Correction Secondly
not others shall if Jewes will not Gentiles shall if the Jewes will not carry it like the children of Abraham God can and will raise up children unto Abraham of the Stones of the street he will nor want instruments to answer his Counsels nor to execute his commands God will shake Heaven and Earth but he will have his Will done and his decrees perfected yea he will dissolve and ruine them rather than not have his Word fulfilled That of David Psal 136.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name is true of the word of command as well as of the word of pâ—omise God will magnifie the word of his promise above all his Name and he will also magnifie the word of his command above all his Name that is his Word is as a glass wherein his Name that is his Holiness his Power his Goodness his Faithfulness his Mercy his Justice and his Wrath are to be seen and shall be seen in the accomplishments of it towards the children of men Therefore fear and admire this mighty God who will find means for the executing of his Word for the doing of all that he hath spoken The Clouds shall do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the World in the earth Fourthly If the Clouds are turned about by his Counsel if he doth as it were hale the Ropes to turn the Clouds which way soever he pleaseth then Whensoever you see the Clouds gathered by the wind remember God hath somwhat to do there 's somwhat to be done these Clouds are the Servants of God there 's some command or word of God or other to be fulfilled We do not as we ought consider the Counsel of God in the motion of the Clouds yea some when the Clouds gather and the storms of Wind or Rain of Thunder and Lightning break forth are more ready to think of the Counsel of the Devil than of God they are apt to say surely There 's Conjuring abroad What 's that but the executing of the Devils Counsel whereas we should say God doth it by his Counsel Take heed of neglecting God when you see the Clouds do not attribute their motion or the most dreadful Storms that proceed from them to any thing beside the Counsel of God for there is not the least vapour can rise out of the earth for the making of a Cloud but he causeth it to ascend there are not any materials gathered toward the constituting of a Cloud but they are under Gods hand he causeth the vapours to ascend and there is not the least breath of wind can stir to move the Clouds Clouds are moved with the wind but as God hath appointed neither bad Angel nor good can stir a Cloud but as God willeth And therefore look to the hand and counsel of God in all these things take heed of staying in any work of Nature do not ascribe these impressions and perturbations in the Air to the power of the Devil and wicked Arts all is of the Lord whatsoever is done One of the Ancients said concerning the Devils when they desired leave to enter the Swine Why should any of the sheep of God be afraid of the Devil when the Devils cannot have power over the Swine without leave from God The Devil cannot move a breath of wind but according to the will of God though he be the Prince of the Air yet there is a Prince above him to whose commands all are subject both in Heaven and in Earth Fifthly If it be so that God commands the Clouds whensoever they come with their storms or showrs then ascribe the praise of all the good you receive from the clouds to God and be humbled under the hand of God whensoever you receive outward dammage from the clouds do not say it is a chance Sixthly Learn hence the greatness and the soveraignty of God say as they did admiringly Math. 8.27 Who is this that both the Winds and Seas and Clouds obey him None of the words of the Lord shall fall to the ground as an Arrow or Dart that misseth thâ— Mark or as water spilt that cannot be gathered up again which latter allusion is specially intimated 1 Sam. 3.12 19. Here in the Text Elihu sets forth the Power and Soveraignty of God having all creatures at his beck and command as hath been shewed already from other passages in this Book and more will occurr hereafter The Soveraignty of God over men can never be duly acknowledged till we acknowledge his Soveraignty over Winds and Rain Hail and Snow which lye in the Bowels and bosome of the clouds and from thence are dispenced to the earth at the will of God Seventhly and lastly If the clouds do whatsoever God commands them if they be such faithful servants to God then surely the clouds will one day rise up or come forth as witnesses against all that resist the commands of God Not to obey them is bad enough but to resist them is far worse Christ would awaken the Scribes and Pharisees by telling them Math 12.41 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the Judgment against this Generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah as also the Queen of the South because she came from far to hear the wisdome of Solomon If Jesus Christ uâ—ged those instances of the men of Niniveh and of the Qâ—een of the South to terrifie that Generation for not obeying his commands or foâ— not receiving the Promises of the Gospel doubtleâ—s then in the g eat Day the very clouds and winds shall come in as witnesses against all those that have resisted the will of God in any of his commands Have the Clouds will he say done whatsoever I commanded them and have you resisted have you cast my words behind your back when the very Clouds have taken up embrac'd and fulfilled them The Clouds will be a swift witness against all those that rebel against the commands of God The Snow and Rain the Winds and Storms fulfilling his word will bring in a casting Evidence against all those who have cast his word behind their backs All this we may read and see in the commanding power of God over the Clouds and in their readiness to obey Elihu proceeds Vers 13. He causeth it to come whether for Correction or for his Land or for Mercy He that is God causeth It that is the Cloud He causeth the Clâ—ud to find so the Hebrew to find every place and every person concerning whom it hath received command and commission from God Thus the word is used by Moses Numb 32.23 If ye will not do so behold ye have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out that is the punishment of your sin and that Judgment which God will pour out upon you for your sin will find you out wheresoever ye are In this sence the Cloud will find us out we render well He causeth it to come that is
to come to that place or person to that Nation or People to which himself hath appointed it He causeth it to come Whether for Correction or for his Land or for Mercy Here are three ends or purposes of God in communicating and commanding forth the Clouds and we may take those three ends two wayes The first of these and the last concern Man more specially the second concerns all other creatures both Plants and Beasts of the earth it concerns all from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hysop on the wall among the Plants and from the Lion to the Mouse or to the least of living or sensible creatures among the Beasts all wâ—ich God according to his Soveraign Power and Justice doth either comfoâ—t or afflict as he pleaseth Again The ends which God aimeth at respecting Man are either for Correction or for Mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sive ad virga◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sive in disciplinam First He causeth the Cloud with whatsoever is its burden Hail or Rain or Snow to unlade and disburden it self for correction The Hebrew is for a Rod so we put in the Margin A Rod is for correction therefore we translate for correction for disciâ—linâ— God sends tâ—â— Clouds to whip or discipline a people Fuâ—ther the wâ—â—d signifies a Rod under a twofold Notion Fiâ—â—t A Râ—â— or a Sâ—â—ff to smite or strike with in which sence it is called Prov. 22.15 The Rod of correction and at the 8th verse of the same Chap er The Rod of anger as also Isa 10.5 O Assâ—rian the Rod of mine anger saith God Here 's a Râ—d to smite with Secondly It signifies a Rod to govern with or to rule with and hence this word denotes the Scepter of a Prince The two great Emblems of Magistracy are a Sword and a Scepter The Scepter is in the fashion of a Rod or VVand which imports chastening and correction and from hence it was that the chief of the Tribes of the Children of Israel Numb 17.2 were commanded to take every one of them a Rod according to the house of their Fathers twelve Rods and to write every mans Name upon his Rod and lay them up in the Tabernacle of the Congregation c. Now those Rods given in by the Princes of the Tribes were as so many Emblems of their Power and Authority because to the chief Magistrate the punishment of the faults and miscarriages of all under his government did belong And hence the same word signifies a Magistratical Rod or Scepter of Government and a Tribe or whole Family under the Rod oâ— Scepter of a Governour because as Rods or Bâ—anches gâ—ow from one Root so many Tribes or Families from one Father thus the Twelve Tribes of Israel spâ—ung from Jacob. And that 's the Reason why the Latine Translator renders this place not as we whether for correction but Whether for a Tribe the meaning of which reading Whether for a Tribe or for his Land is thus given VVhether it be for one particular place or for the whole Country or earth in general as will further appear in opening those words For his Land This Translation of the Vulgar Latine and the Inteâ—pretation given upon it sutes well with that of the Prophet 〈◊〉 4.7 where the Lord saith I caused it to 〈◊〉 upon one City and not upon another Here was Rain for a Tribe and not for his Land not an universal Rain all the Land over he causeth it to rain upon one City not upon ano her upon one Tribe not upon another that 's a good sence and the word will bear it Yet I rather take it here for a Rod which imports chastening or correcting as we translate Whether it be for Correction They that carryed the Rod or the Scepter had also the power of correction in their hand as was toucht before and that may be one Reason why when God sent Moses to Pharaoh Exod. 4.17 upon that great Message the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt he commanded him to take his Rod in his hand which Rod held out these two things First that Mâ—ses came not as a private man to him but like a Prince like an Embassador from the great King or like one whom he had appointed to take upon him the government of that people with a Scepter in his hand Secondly to let Pharaoh know that as God sent him with a power or cloathed him with a Commission to treat with him so with a power to scourge or plague him even with ten Plagues As if the Lord had said O Pharaoh Seest thou this Rod in the hand of my servant Moses assure thy self thou shalt have stroke upon stroke plague upon plague if thou wilt not let my people go But of that by the way He causeth it to come for correction or for a Rod. Hence note God can correct us by any of his Creatures He can make any thing a Rod he can make nearest Relations a Rod. A Son is somtimes a Rod to his Father how often have miscarrying and undutiful children been made a Rod of correction to their Parents and they are usually so when Parents have not duly corrected their children for their undutifulness and miscarriges What are cruel men but Rods to other men Some men have been the scourges of Mankind Attila once a great Commander in War and King of the Hunnes was called The Rod or the Scourge of God Flagellum Dei And so God himself called the Assyrian the Rod of his anger Isa 10.5 David called all wicked men in gâ—â—â— the Sword of God in his prayer for deliverance from them Psal 17 1â— â—â— Deliver my soul from the wicked thy sword from men which are thy hand O Lord thy correcting hand men ordain'd for Judgment and establisht for Corâ—â—â—tion as the Prophet spake of the Chaldeans Hab. 1.12 Who have their portion in this life And as the Lord makes men so the Beasts of the earth a Rod for the correction of Man Thus the Lord threatned by his Prophet I will send among them Sword and Pestilence and noysome Beasts Here in the Text we have a Rod made of a Cloud a strange kind of Rod I 'le send it for a Rod it shall come for correction Parents correct their children wiâ—h Rods God corrects the world with Floods first with unseasonable secondly with superfluous Rains O what severe corrections hath God laid upon the world by the Clouds The Clouds have been terrifying destroying Rods Exod. 9.18 23. Clouds have destroyed the Fruits of the earth for the sin of Man and taken away the hopes of the Harvest Rain from the Clouds hath ruined the dwellings of men and spoyled boâ—h Coâ—n and Cattel Rain from the Clouds was that overflowing scourge which destroyed the whole earth in the dayes of Noah then God caused the Cloud to come I cannot say for correction but for ruine for an universal ruine and devastation And as God then made the
goodness in all the outward dispensations of God ordering the motions and Meteors of the Heavens the Clouds the Rain the Snow and Hail the Lightning and the Thunder then surely Job ought to sit down convinced that there is a like temperament of eqâ—ity with severity and of goodness with sharpnesse in all his dealings with men and was with him in particular That 's the scope and purpose of Elihu all along in reading Job this Philosophical Lectuâ—e or in putting Questions to him about the things of Nature and the regiment of God in these inferiour heavens the Air where all things seem to move without rule or by no rule other than what Nature alone imposeth Vers 14. Hearken unto this O Job We have more than once met with this awakening exhortation which calleth for such an harkening as if a man were to be all ear in attending what is spoken We may well render it Ear this O Job take it drink it in at thine ear Hearken Vnto this Elihu doth not exhort him to attention in general but draws it down to some special matter Hearken unto this O Job Which words may have a double reference either First to what he had said before vers 13th telling him how God sends the Rain and causeth the Cloud to come either for correction or for his land or for mercy Hearken unto this O Job here 's a lesson for thee remember it well God sends forth these servants of his the Clouds to do his work either for correction or for mercy either in favour or in judgment Hearken unto this O Job Or Secondly The words may refer to that which followeth and so as one calls them they are an Exordium a brief Exordium or short preface to what Elihu had further to say as if he would a little relieve the spirits and quicken the attention of Job by acquainting him that he had some new matter to lay before him As if he had said I have not yet uttered all my mind I have somewhat more upon my heart which I cannot hold in both for thy conviction and instruction Hearken unto this O Job Yet it may be questioned why Elihu should thus stir up his attention either to consider what he had spoken or what he was now about to speak Was Job a heedless an un-attentive hearer We may conceive he was occasioned to give him this spur or excitation for these three reasons or at least some of them First We may suppose that Job having been entertained with a long discourse began to grow weary and slacken his attention and therefore as when we see one in a congregation remisse in hearing or sleeping out a weighty point we jog him or say Hearken to this so Elihu here Hence note First A good hearer of the Word may sometimes want an awakening word He that is not as Job was not a first nor second nor third-ground-hearer but as Job was a fourth-ground-hearer one that heareth with a good and honest heart yet even he may a little let down his watch and give just occasion to the speaker for such a short diversion as Elihu here used Hearken I pray to this There is a willingness of spirit in all fourth-ground or right-hearted hearers yet there is also even in them a weakness of the flesh corruption may be stirring temptation may be working therefore 't is no unnecessary jealousie in the Ministers of the Gospel sometimes to mingle or interweave such passages as these in speaking to them pray hearken stir up and awaken your selves There may be need of this I say where there is a general good bent of heart Some pretending hearers are like the Idols of the heathen who have eyes and see not eares and hear not who when they are hearing set themselves at least give way to sleep and willingly yeeld to the drowsiness of their spirits this sheweth an evil heart but a good man may be overtaken with drowsinesse and find much indisposition to duty while he is in duty and then he will count it a favour to hear such a word as this cast in Pray hearken Secondly Elihu might afresh provoke him to more serious attention because the matter he had to deliver was of more importance or did more nearly concern him than what he had said before Hence note Though the whole truth of God is to be attended to yet there are some truths that call for special attention Here is an accent put upon the point in hand Hearken to this We should not let any truth fall to the ground truth is precious quite through and we may say of truth as of gold the very filings of it are precious We save the least dust of Gold every grain of it is of worth and so is every grain or the least dust of divine truth One jot one tittle of the Law saith Christ Mat. 5.18 shall in no wise passe till all be fulfilled Surely then no jot no tittle of it should be lightly passed by by us Yet there are some divine truth like studs of masse gold or as jewels which ought to be more carefully attended to and laid up in the cabinet of the heart Some truths have an emphasis a Selah set upon them O hearken to these Christ saith in the Gospel about the tything of mint annise and cummin These things ye ought to do but be sure ye do not leave the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith undone Matth. 23.23 so say I attend to the least truths but be sure ye attend to fundamental truths to those truths upon which the whole weight of the soul stands Such is The great Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the flesh and the great Grace of Faith in that Mystery These with several others are the fundamentals the very vitalls of Religion all falls and dies unlesse ye stand fast and live in these O hearken unto them Thirdly Elihu may be conceived to speak thus to Job because he saw him about to interrupt him possibly he might perceive a little passion stirring in him therefore not only to keep up his attention or to wind up his watch but to repress and keep down some stormy troubled motions rising in his spirit Elihu made this short interlocution or digression Hearken to this O Job suffer me to speak out do not take me off I have not yet done Hence note Patience is necessary in a good hearer And that not only for the doing what is heard but for the hearing of it As we can never bring forth the fruit of that which we hear without patience so neither can we without patience hear that which should make us fruitful The great grace to be exercised in hearing the Word is Faith yet we have need of Patience in hearing the Word and that in a double respect First We have need of Patience as to continuance in hearing Some would fain have done presently they cannot sit it out an hour is an year to them the
from the Clouds put his Bow in the Cloud A second significancy of mercy in the Rainbow is because the Bow is bended upwards or Heaven-ward the Bow doth not stand bent to the Earth or downward the string of the Bow is towards us not the back of it He that would shoot hath the bottom or back of the Bow in his hand and the string is towards himself but God that he might shew he doth not intend to shoot that Arrow any more holds the string of the Bow downwards which no man doth that hath a mind to shoot The Lord by this Bow in the Cloud shoots no man unlesse it be as one well expresseth it with admiration and love or I may say the Lord having shot his Arrowes of immoderate Rain from the Region of the air for mans chastning seems to return to Heaven with his Bow reversed as a token of peace and serenity to the woâ—ld or that in Judgment he remembers his Covenant-mercy The wicked are said to bend their Bow they make ready their arrow upon the string that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart Psal 11.2 But he that tuâ—ns the string of his Bow downwards is not ready nor seems minded to shoot at all Thiâ—dly This bow shews mercy because there is no Arrow seen at it or with it Concisit iris aquas alimentaque nubibus assert Ovid 1. Metam Fourthly It sheweth or signifieth mercy because the Rainbow usually appears when Rain is ready to come implying that the Rain shall not hurt us and so we have a support of our faith as soon as we have any appearance of feare Fifthly When-ever the Rainbow appears there is clearness in some part of the air for it cannot be but when the Sun shines In the time of the Flood the light of the Sun was wholly obscured All the dayes which the world had during that dreadfull Rain weâ—e like the day described Joel 2.2 Zeph. 1.15 dayes of darkness and of gloominess dayes of Clouds and of thick darkness Therefore 't is said Gen. 8.22 Day and night shall continue for ever Intimating that in the time of the Flood the day was so obâ—cured so black that it could scarcely be known to be day or distinguished from night But now when the Rainbow is seen the Sun shines to give assuâ—ance that though there be an appearance of Rain Lux in rube rorida mille effiâ—it colores et varias et pulcherrimas lucis temperationes Plin Natur Hist l. 12. c. 24. yet the light of the day shall not cease Sixthly The various colours of the Rainbow are very significant for our comfort making as some Naturalists have told us a thousand sweet delights for the eye by the admirable mixtures and shadowings of colours therein discernable Seventhly The Natu al Historian assureth us that where the Rainbow at any time toucheth the Earth as we may often observe it doth it leaveth a fragrant smell upon the grass shrubs and bushes Thus you see how properly and fitly the Rainbow is called The shining of the light of his Cloud as also what significations of favour are discernable in it From this explication of the words we may note Fiâ—st After troubles and stormes God will give his people comforts and calmes He causeth the light of his Cloud to shine Clouds are dark things but while the Cloud shews Rain Gods light in the Cloud shews faire weather That 's matter of rejoycing to all that fear God as with respect unto that particular Judgment of the Deluge so of all evils and troubles which fall upon them in this woâ—ld This light shining in the Cloud may comfort and refresh us in the darkest night of sorrow It is said Psal 97.11 Light is sowne for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart And in the 4th of the Revelations which is as it were a Prologue or Preface to all the Prophesies of the dark times that should come upon the world and over the Church of God in this world we find Jesus Christ is represented with a Rainbâ—â—â—bout him vers 3. I was in the spirit and behold a Throne seâ—â—â—eaven and one sat on the Throne and he that sat was to look upon like a Jasper and Sardix stone and there was a Rainbow round about the Throne in sight like to an Emrald From this Throne it is that Jesus Christ doth as I may say dispence all the affaires of his Churches and people Now though Jesus Christ in the providential or mediatorial government of his Churches doth often send Clouds upon them and though Clouds and darkness are round about him yet the Throne hath a Rainbow about it And why a Rainbow to shew that Jesus Christ is mindfull of his Churches and people to save them when the Serpent casts out Floods to drown them 'T is said Rev 12.15 The Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a Flood after the Woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the Flood but Jesus Christ that sitteth upon the Throne hath a Rainbow about hâ—â— which gives assurance that the Floods shall not quite overwhelme the Church she shall be delivered though it be in a Wilderness from those mighty water-floods of persecution raised and caused by the Serpent and his seed against the seed of the Woman or against the Woman and her seed Though Christ may suffer great Floods of sorrow and tribulation to be powred upon them yet there is a Rainbow about the Throne to which we may look and get our faith confirmed that the Woman and her Seed shall not be swallowed up Take one place more Rev. 10.1 I saw another mighty Angel coming down from heaven that was Jesus Christ cloathed with a cloud that is with dark dispensations such as his people should not well know what to make of but what follows and a Rainbow was on his head That Prophesie leads into a description of the greatest pressures and troubles that ever the Church of God was to suffer in this world Jesus Christ was cloathed with a Cloud but for the comfort of his Church there was a Rain-bow on his head there was light shining in this Cloud to bear up the spirits of his people that the mischief should not be to their destruction though it might be very much not only to their tryal but correction And we find the Church supported though not directly under this notion of a Rain-bow yet by a promise plainly hinting if not referring to it Isa 54.9 In the 8th verse the Prophet tells us that the poor Church was in very great trouble Why Surely because of some cleâ—â—ly providences which interrupted the light of Gods counteâ— from shining upon them at least to their apprehension for thus he bâ—spake the Church In a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment there was the Cloud but with everlasting loving-kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer there 's
exactly what they aâ—e what they would be and what they would do And as by waters common people or nations so by mountaines and hills the great the mighty ones of the nations are exprest Princes and honourable men are as great mountains Thus spake the Prophet The day of the Lord shall be against the mountains Isa 2. that is against the mighty men of this world Hence that deriding question Who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel Zac. 4.7 That is O thou great man who art thou surely thou art not so much as a mole-hil before the God of Zerubbabel who when he comes down the mountaines melt down at his presence Isa 64.1 who if he doth but touch the mountains they smoake Psal 144.5 as if struck with Thunder God weighs these mountains of the earth that is he considers and unstands them exactly God weighed him who was the greatest mountain of a man in his time Belshazzar was the sole Monarch of the earth he had almost the whole known world at his command yet the Lord said of him Dan. 5.22 Thou art numbred thou art weighed and thou art found too light Thirdly As God weigheth men of all sorts so he weigheth the actions of all sorts of men 2 Sam. 2.3 By him actions are weighed that is all actions are weighed by him the least actions are weighed by the mighty God and so are the greatest he knoweth how to poyse them and so make use of them that they â—ay effâ—ct what is answerable to his own counsel and purpose This is it which the Prophet intended when he said of the Lord Thou most upright dost weigh the path of the Just Isa 26.7 that is the motions and goings or doings of the Just The pathes of the Just come often into very uneven ballances in this world every one will be weighing them one gives this judgement of them and another that few hit right the most of men being either blinded with ignorance of them or prejâ—diced wiâ—h malice against them But the comfort of the just is the most upright weigheth their path and will give the just weight of them Fourthly and lastly God weigheth the very spirits of men All the wayes of man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits saith Solomon Prov. 16.2 The Lord doth not only weigh actions and pathes that is the whole outward course and tenour of our lives but he weighs our spirits that is the principles from which our actions flow and by which we are carried on in our pathes he findes one man to be of a light of a vain spirit and another man to be of a proud high spirit a third to be of a covetous having holding spirit a fourth of an envious spirit that cannot bear the good of another and a fifth to be of a revengful spirit that wil do another as much hurt as he can Again the Lord by weighing finds out them whosoever they are that have a weighty serious spirit that have an upright sincere spirit that have a heavenly gracious spirit God knowes who they are that have a spirit for the things and wayes of God in the midst of all contradictions of men and having thus weighed the spirits of men he disposeth of them and deals with them accordingly And I may add this to the question in the text Dost thou know the ballancing of spirits Surely no for thou knowest not the ballancing of the Clouds which may be known much easier The wonderous works of him which is perfect in knowledge Mr. Broughton renders The miracles of the perfect in knowledge As if he had said the shining of the light in his Cloud and the ballancing of the Clouds are to be numbred among the wonderous works of him that is perfect in knowledge The wonderousness of Gods works was touched at the 14th verse I shall not stay upon that here only mark how Elihu describes God by a periphrasis or circumlocution he doth not say the wonderful works of God but the wonderful works of him That is perfect in knowledge This is a description of God and such a description as will fit none but God who hath and who only hath not â—nly knowledge but the perfection of it We need not name God when we speak of him that is perfect in knowledge it can be meant of none but him Elihu at the 4th verse of the former Chapter said to Job He that is perfect in knowledge meaning himself as that text was expounded is with thee In what sense Elihu might say of himself that he was perfect in knowledge was there shewed and here it must be shewed and confessed that neither Elihu was nor any the most knowing are perfect in knowledge like God or as God is The Apostle saith of the best knowers in this world 1 Cor. 13.9 We know in part and we prophesie in part we behold darkly as in a glass They that have the clearest eye-sight the purest intellectuals know but in part and see but darkly which is far from perfectly therefore I say this description of perfect in knowledge hath a peculiar meaning here proper only to God as will appear more particularly in opening this Observation from it God is not only full of knowledge but perfect in knowledge or The knowledge of God is perfectly perfect That 's perfectly perfect to which nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken Such is the knowledge of God it is impossible to add any thing to it and it is as impossible to diminish it God cannot forget or unlearn any thing already known nor can he know any more things no nor any thing moâ—e than he already knoweth therefore he is perfect in knowledge More distinctly the knowledge of God is peâ—fect For First He knoweth all things what-ever is knowable he knoweth He knowes First All things past Secondly He knowes all things present Thi dly He knows all things to come Isa 46.10 He declareth the end from the beginning Now he that knowes all things past present or to come is perfect in knowledge Secondly He is perfect in knowledge for he knowes all things at once in one prospect oâ— by one aspect he doth not know one thing after another nor one thing by another he knows all at once Thirdly He is perfect in knowledge for he knows all things as they aâ—e â—e doâ—h nâ—t know things according to appearance only or as they are held foâ—th to be Many will make fair shews and offer both themâ—elves and their actions as very good holy righteous religious yet the Lord who seeth through them seeth them 〈◊〉 nought quiâ—e thâ—ough Heb. 4.12 All things are naked and manifest to him He seeth to the skin he seeth thâ—ough cloaks and â—izâ—rds yea he seeth through skin and all he lookes into the breast the breasts of men are to him as if they were cut open as the word there imports Fourthly He is perfect in knowledge For he knoweth all
north With God is terrible Majesty THe two verses last opened may be taken as a Parenthesis to the former discourse concerning Gods wonderful works in nature forming those dreadful impressions of Thunder and Lightening Storms Tempest in the Air whereby Elihu having represt as he supposed the swelling of Jobs spirit by calling him to teach them what to say to God in his cause for they as he had handled it could not order their speech by reason of darkness nor durst Elihu venture that it should be told God he intended to speak knowing or foreseing that if he made such an attempt he might soon be swallowed up by the incomprehensible greatness and glory of God Elihu I say having made this little diversion or digression as he had done sometimes before to coole and calme the spirit of Job he returns to his former matter in these words and considers further the works of God in those higher Regions the Aireal heavens how he muffles up and covers the light and how he unvailes and opens it again by his own power and according to the pleasure of his will The words are plain according to our translation I shall open them breifly as they are here set down and then give out a further reading of them which raises the scope and intendment of Elihu yet higher Vers 21. And now men see not the bright light which is in the Clouds And now Some have conjectured that at this very instant of time while Elihu was discoursing there happened a sudden change in the Air or in the face of the Heavens therefore he saith and now do not the heavens grow dark so that men cannot see the bâ—ight light which is in the Clouds as if here were a preparation to that Whirlwind or Tempest out of which God himself is said to speak to Job at the beginning of the next chapter Yet I apprehend we need not expound the word now so stâ—ictly with respect to the present season or moment of time but rather to the present matter as we often use that particle Now both in speech and writing not so much to denote the direct instant or present time as for a leading word to the matter which is to follow And now men see not or they cannot see the bright light which is in the Clouds Light is the most visible thing in the world though indeed we are not so properly said to see the Light at all as to see all things by the light for it is Light which maketh manifest as the Apostle speaks Ephes 5.13 But though Light be in vulgar sense so visible in its own nature and in strictest sense that which maketh all things visible yet by accident or by some providential interposition light it self is not alwayes to be seen Light is often hidden from our eyes and then as Elihu speakes here men see not the bright light The word which we translate bright light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prâ—prie candidus unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Candens lâ—pra Drus Propriè dâ—notat nâ—viâ— instar egregiâ— splendidum candi dum esse Rab. Kinhi signifies the whiteness of Snow and I find it applied Levâ—t 13.2 to the whiteness of Leprosie if there shall appear in the flesh a bright or shining spot a spot like snow then c. And hence it is said of Gehazi 2 Kings 5.27 that when his master called him to account about his going after Naaman found him flatteâ—ing and faulty he laid that sore judgment upon him The leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed for ever and he went out of his presence a leper as white as Snow It is this word which signifies as any extraordinary whiteness and clearness so the cleâ—â—ness and whiteness of Snow in particular which hath a kind of transparency in it and is full of light Yet the light which is in the Clouds when the Sun shineth is much more bright than Snow Now men see not the bright light Which is in the Clouds Or in the Skie for the word here used as hath been shewed before signifies the Skie the Firmament and somtimes the Air as well as the Clouds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aethera tenui ejus substantia nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat comminuere Drus and it imports the natural thinness of those Coelestial Bodies in that higher and upper Region of the World Men see not the bright light which is in the Clouds Light is properly in the Sun the Sun is the vessel the vehicle the seat the chariot of Light but as Light is in the Sun subjectively so Light is in the Clouds objectively and also as they are a Medium through which the Light is conveighed and passeth to us Yet somtimes men see not that bright Light which is in the Clouds for Clouds being very thick or thickened they become to us as an opacous Body through which the Light can neither find nor make its way and then there 's no beholding the Light of the Sun shining upon them in its greatest brightness while the Air is thus Clouded Men see not the bright Light which is in the Clouds Hence note God can make that which is most visible in it self invisible unto us There is alwayes bright Light in the Air when and where the Sun is up and gotten above the Horizon The Sun shines continually how dark soever the weather be but God can draw such a Curtaine of Clouds Vapours and Mists in the day time between us and the bright face of the Sun that we cannot behold it Light alwayes is but Light is not alwayes to be seen when Clouds come between the Sun is darkened in the clear day We may infer as a further improvement of natural things to those which are spiri ual That the light of God's face or countenance that is the light of his favour shines ever towards his faithful servants though it be not alwayes seen Clouds coming between may shadow them from that blessed Light Psal 97.2 Clouds and darkness are round about him that is his dispensations aâ—e daâ—k and cloudy yet as then Righteousness and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne that is as then he doth right to all sorts of men so then also Mercies and Loving-kindnesse stand round about his Throne or as the Apostle expresseth it Heb. 4.16 his Throne is then A Throne of Grace that is he hath Grace or Favour in his heart to bestow upon all his People who come to him not with a presuming but a believing boldness Our sins and transgressions are called a Cloud a thick Cloud Isa 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy transgressions and as a Cloud thy sins Sins are Clouds and those Clouds often hinder us from seeing the bright light of the face of God shining upon us and as our sins usually hinder us from seeing that bright light which is in the face of God so God sometimes
in general any laudable or praise-worthy thing With God all that is which is worthy to be and ought to be commended praised honoured by men and Angels We translate well With God is Majesty Others With God is praise Jacob saith of Judah the Kingly Tribe Gen. 49.8 Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise The Vulgar Latine expresseth it thus With God is fearfull praise Some read the words as a Doxology or giving of glory unto God not as we With God is terrible Majesty but unto God be reverent or terrible Majesty that is let the Glory and Majesty of God be acknowledged in all these things which have been spoken of in all those strange changes and impressions which he works in the air and which are obvious unto the eyes of the Children of men With God is Majesty with God is praise or unto God be praise for all his works and not only praise and Majesty but Terrible Majesty Majesty to be feared to be reverenced to be dreaded to be trembled at With God is terrible Majesty Hence note First Majesty belongs eminently unto God With God is Majesty As the Scripture speaking of power saith Power belongeth unto God Psal 62.11 that is properly and fundamentally all power is in God what-ever power is in the Creature it is but a derivative from Gods power So Majesty is originally and fundamentally in God what-ever the Majesty of the Kings and Princes of this world is it is but a stream a ray issuing from the Majesty of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnificentia 70. as the Greek version hath it from his Magnificence We may discern the Majesty of God in every thing that he is or is spoken of him The Majesty of God is in his Greatnesse his is a Great Majesty The Majesty of God is in his Highnesse his is a High Majesty The Majesty of God is in his honour his is a most honourable Majesty the Majesty of God is in his Word he speaks with Majesty his is a most Majestical Word the Majesty of God is in Works Majesty is stampt and printed upon all that he doth What shall I say there is Majesty in the Wisdom of God and Majesty in the Justice of God and Majesty in the Goodness of God and Majesty in the Power of God there is Majesty in the Love of God and there is Majesty in the Wrath of God there is Majesty in the Truth and Faithfulness of God every thing God hath hath a Majesty in it therefore he is said Psal 93.1 to be clothed with Majesty Psal 96.6 Honour and Majesty are before him I saith David Psal 145.5 will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wonderous works Every-where the Scripture sets forth the Majesty the wonderful Majesty of God Note Secondly Gods Majesty is a terrible Majesty The Majesty of Kings is dreadful and terrible but I may say the Majesty of Kings the Majesty of Solomon and of Ahashuerus the Majesty of Nebuchadnezzar and of Alexander either first in their Robes or secondly in their Buildings or thirdly in their Feastings or fourthly in their Followers and Attendants which four do chiefly hold out the Majesty of Princes is but a mean thing a very little thing a nothing in comparison of the Majesty the Glorious Majesty the terrible Majesty of God His is a terrible Majesty indeed And therefore they are rebuked Isa 26.10 Who will not behold the Majesty of the Lord. What not behold such a dreadful Majesty such a terrible Majesty The Scripture sets forth not only the Majesty but the terribleness of the Majesty of God read at leisure Deut. 7.21 Nehem. 9.32 Psal 47.2 Therefore say unto God how terrible art thou in thy works Pâ— 66.3 Say this unto God for vers 5. He is terrible in his doings toward the children of men even to all sorts of men to the great as well as to the small to the high as well as to â—he low to Princes as well as to the People Psal 76.12 He is terrible to the Kings of the earth God is terrible in his Majesty to those who have the most terrible majesty And as the Lord can appear terrible out of all places so he is most terrible out of his holy places Psal 68.35 that is terrible Judgments are sent by God out of his Sanctuaries or holy places upon all them who prophane or despise who pollute or abuse â—his holy things Take these two Inferences from the consideration of the terrible Majesty of God First We need not fear the terribleness of any creature while we have the terrible Majesty of God with us As he hath been so still he is as the Prophet spake Isa 25.4 5. A strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall And therefore the Prophet concluded in the latter end of the 5th verse The branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low Secondly If God hath such terrible Majesty then as it is a comfort to his people against the terrible ones so what a terrour should this be to those who are not his people especially to those who are openly rebellious who kick against his Majesty and will not behold with reverence the Majesty of the Lord Let them remember With God is terrible Majesty The Pâ—ophet foretels a day wherein the Majesty of the Lord will terrifie the most potent sinners and make them at their wits end Isa 2.10 12 19 21. Enter into the Rock and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low it shall be upon the Cedars of Lebanon c. that is upon those that are high like the Cedars of Lebaâ—an and strong like the Oaks of Bashan And they shall go into the holes of the Rocks and into the caves of the earth c. And why all this the Text answers vers 19. For fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he shall arise to shake terribly the earth O the terribleness of Gods Majesty to all those who tremble not at his Majesty to the proud who are lifted up in their own thougâ—ts who are high in their own imaginations yea the Majesty of the Lo d will be terrible to all impenitent sinners in that day I may say moâ—e distinctly in these four dayes First In the day of Conscience or when their own Consciences are a terrour to them How sad is it for a man to have God and his own Conscience terâ—ible to him at once When sinners are awakned when God sets their sins in order before them they are a terrour to themselves as it is said of Pashur Jer. 20.3 The
God what he is he ever was and ever will be there is neither encrease nor diminution of his strength But because things which are alwayes encreasing grow to a huge bigness and strength therefore he is said to encrease in strength or as our translation imports to excel in power He that excels in power is excellent in power The word rendred power implieth the power of doing the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of activity a power put forth in working he is excellent in power that is in ability to do whatsoever he pleaseth and when 't is said he is excellent in power in this kind of power iâ— notes that the power of God in doing doth wonderfully excel all thaâ— ever he hath done Ejus virtus in infinitum excedit omnes effectus suos Aquin. The effects or acts of the power of God are nothing as I may say to the faculty of his Power he can do more than he hath done He is so far from having over-acted himself I mean from having done more than he can do again which hath been the case of many mighty men and may be the case of any man how mighty a doer soever he is that he can do infinitely more than he hath done if he himself pleaseth he is excellent in power or of excelling power I have as was lately said opened this point of the power of God in other places of this Book whither I refer the Reader yet taking the power of God as the word is properly here intended for his working power Note The working power of God is excellent so excellent that it exceeds the apprehension of man There is a two-fold power of God and in both he is excellent First His commanding power his power of Soveraignty or Authority that 's a most excellent power 't is a power over all whether things or persons Secondly His power of working or effecting that which he commands Some have a power of commanding yet want a power of working they want a power to effect that which they command but whatsoever God hath a mind to command he hath an hand to effect and bring it about he can carry on his work through all the difficulties and deficiencies which it meets with in or by the creature He can do his woâ—k though there be none to help him in it though all forsake him and with-draw from his work yea he often worketh though there be not so much as an Intercessor to move him to work Isa 59.16 He saw that there was no man to do any thing and wondered that there was no Intercessor to entreat him to do somewhat for them Things were in a great exigency and there was not only no man that would put forth a hand but there was no man that would bestow a word for redress no man would bespeak either God or men for help What then must the work stand still or miscarry no saith the text His own arm brought salvation unto him that is set it ready at hand for him to bestow upon his people or his own arm brought that salvation to his people which they greatly needed and he graciously intended though he had not the contribution of a word towards it from any creature here below one or other God alone is self-sufficient and to man All-sufficient Such is the working power of God that he can work not only when he hath but a little help but when he hath no help at all Secondly The excellency of the woâ—king power of God appears in this that he can and will pâ—oduce the desired effect and bring his work to pass though many though all men oppose it and rise up against it though they set both heart and hand wit and will power and pollicy to cross yea to crush it The Lord is so excellent in power that he both can and will do his work through all opposition though mountains stand in his way though rocks stand in his way he will remove them or work through them Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it Neither strength nor craft neither multitude nor magnitude neither the many nor the mighty can lett it if the Lord undertake it Take a double Inference from this First 'T is matter of great comfort to all that fear God in their weakest condition and lowest reducements when they are fatherless and have none to help them As the Lord is excellent in his woâ—king power so he usually takes that time yea stayes that time till his servants are under the greatest disadvantages till they are at worst before he will put forth his power and work The Apostle saith of himself 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong that is then have I the strength of the Lord coming into my help And as it is with respect to particular persons so to the whole generation of his children when they are weak then are they strong that is then they have the strong God the God excellent in power appearing and working for them Secondly This alâ—o is a sad word to all that stand in the way of Gods working power His working power quickly works through all power and can work it down Babylon is a mighty powerful enemy but Rev. 18.8 we read of the downfal of Babylon and that her ruine shall come as in one day But how shall this be effected The answer is given in the close of the verse For strong is the Lord God which Judgeth her Suppose there should be no power in the world strong enough to pull down Babylon yea suppose all the powers in the woâ—ld should stand up foâ— Babylon 't is otherwise prophesied for the Kings of the earth shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and eate her flesh and burn her with fire but suppose I say all earthly power should appear for rather than against Babylon yet this is enough for us to rest in strong is the Lord which Judgeth her He is excellent in power and as it followeth In Judgment This comes in lest any should think because God is so excelent in power so mighty in strength that therefore he would carry things by violence or by meer force as the sons of men the mighty Nimrods of the world somtimes do If they have strength and power to do such or such things they regard not Judgment nor Justice they look not whether right or wrong therefore Elihu when he had said God is excellent in power presently adds and in Judgment As if he had said Though the Lord excel all in power and is able to crush the mightyest as a moth yet he will not oppress any by his power the worst of men shall find the Lord as much in judgment and righteousness as he is in strength and power And therefore O Job be assured God hath not done thee any wrong nor ever will This I conceive to be the scope of Elihu in the connexion of these two
thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence This is the Judgment of reformation which God hath and will further work among his people till Sion be built up in perfect beauty and Jerusalem become the praise of the whole earth Thus also God is excellent both in power and in Judgment Fourthly Judgment signifies those evills which God brings upon impenitent sinners that 's a very frequent notion of Judgment in Scripture and the Lord is excellent in this Judgment and that First Upon his own people when they provoke him and sin against him 1 Pet. 4.17 If Judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel There 's Judgment beginning at the house of God that is God will bring evill upon his own house the Church even sore troubles and persecutions The Lord will not spare them who have been slight with him forgetfull of him formal in profession or wanton and vaine in conversation This is a great part of the Lords excellency in Judgment he brings Judgment upon his own house The Lord saith the Prophet Isa 5.16 shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness that is in bringing his righteous Judgments upon Israel his peculiar people We find that Gospel Prophet Isaiah often interweaving the wyre and whipcord of corporal bondage with the silk and scarlet thread of Sions dâ—liverances Secondly In Judgment towards his enemies Psal 149.9 He will execute on them the Judgment that is written and that is no inconsiderable nor easie Judgment The servants of God may smart sorely under these Judgments but the wicked and rebellious shall perish and sink under them How dreadfull is that profession or protestation which the Lord made by Moses Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold of Judgment I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me Some possibly may object Surely there is no such appearance of Gods excellency in Judgment upon the wicked of the woâ—ld the enemies of his name and wayes It grew to a Proverb Mal. 2.17 Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of Judgment Evill men seem to be good in the eyes of the Loâ—d when they enjoy good and if it be so said some Where is the God of Judgment I answer First the Lord hath left testimony enough upon Record and written it in the blood of many thouâ—ands to justifie himself that he is excellent in Judgment by taking vengeance on the wicked Did he not excell in Judgment upon the sinning Angels 2 Pet. 2.8 Jude 6. was he not excellent in Judgment when he destroyed the whole world for sin when he burnt Sodom and Gomorrah with fire for sin How many instances might I give of this from Scripture God hath sufficiently declared himself excellent in this punitive Judgment I answer Secondly God indeed doâ—h not presently execute Jâ—dgment upon all the wicked we shoâ—ld rather be lead by sence than by faith if he should do so if he should smite sinners as soon as they provoke him yea if God should take that course he must even break the world to peices and destroy whole generations at once Thirdly God suffers sinners a while that his councels may be fulfilled for though the wicked obey not the command of God yet they fulfill the councel of God Acts 4.28 and they do it chiefly when he with-holdeth Judgment from them Fourthly Unless the Lord did a little give stop to the execution of Judgment in this kind it would neither appear how good nor how bad some men are Let some have but a little power in their hands and the world at will then you shall see whither they will go and what they will do And wâ—en bad men are suffered to go on unpunished and to be a punishment to others then it appears more fully how good some are and that in a twofold respect First because they refraine from evill though they see that they also possibly might do it impune and not suffer in this world Secondly because â—hey hold fast both theiâ— profession and practise of Godliness how much soever they suffer for it in this world from evill men Fifthly God is executing Judgments upon wicked men while he seems to spare them from judgment Pro. 1.32 The prosperity of fools slayeth them Sâ—me think a wicked mâ—n is mighâ—ily favoured when he is in prosperity no that prosperity is his destruction and destruction is Judgment in perfection The table of a wicked man is made his snare his full table faâ—tens his heart which is the sorest of all judgments To be unâ—ensible is worse than any punishment of sense to be hardned or heartned in doing evill is more penall than the suffering of any evill Now while wicked men escape the suffering of evill they grow resolved that is hardned and heartned in doing iâ— or to do it Take Solomons observation or experience in the caâ—e Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed upon themselves or others therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully sâ—t in them to do mischief So then there are many invisible judgmen s upon wicked men when we see no hand touch them nor judgment neer them God giveâ— them up to vile affections and to a reprâ—baâ—e mind Rom. 1.26 28. to their own counsels Psal 81.12 and to strong dâ—lusâ—oâ—â— by â—â—hers 2 Thes 2.11 Theâ—e heavy loads oâ— judgment may be on their hearts upon whose backs we see not sâ— much as a gaine weight of judgment Thus the Lord is excellâ—nt in judgment in all the notions of it I have inâ—â—anced fouâ—e Now lâ—st any should think that God at any time breaks the rule of justice in his zeale for this latter sort of judgment or while he is powring out vengeance upon the wicked therefore it follâ—ws in the next place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in plenty of Justice God executes great wrath upon sinners but there is gâ—eat Justice Justitiâ— est constâ—ns perpetua voluntas suum cuique tribuendi Justin plenty of Justice in it There is store â—nd abundance of justice and righteousness in his most rigorous juâ—gments A little justice is a most precious thing how precious then is plenty of jâ—stice Justice in it self is the giving of every one his due and where justice is in any man it constanâ—ly bends and enclines his heart to do so his especially with whom there is as in God plenty of justice And indeed what-ever God hath he haâ—h plenty of it He hath mercy and plenty of it he iâ— plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 Aâ—d with him iâ— pleâ—teous redemption Pâ—al 130.7 There is also plenty of justice in him Some men have no Justice at all in them though their
office and place be to do Jâ—sâ—ice yet they have noâ—hing of justice no tincture of it in them They neither feare God nor regard maâ— to do him any justice as the unjusâ— Judge is described Luk. 18.2 and with most Justice is a very â—carce Commodity they have but a very little of it and they disâ—â—ibute it very poorly and sparingly Where almost is the man to be found that hath plenty of justice in himâ—elf and distributes it plentifully to others There was surely a great scarcity of Justice in the Justicers of Jerusalem when the Lord by his Prophet Jer. 5.1 offered to pardon the whole City if upon the sending forth of his Wâ—it of Enquiry the name of any one man could be returned that executed Judgment O that Dearth of Justice and in what place may we hope to find plenty of justice among men when so little of it was to be found in Jerusalem the City of God yet this may comfort us that though there be little of it in or among men there is plenty of it in God And that there is plenty of justice in God I would demonstrate these five wayes First He hath plenty of justice who deals justly with every man God giveth every man his due all his due and nothing but his due More distinctly take this in two branches First he that rewards all that are good with good not this or that man not his kinsman or his friend only but every man that is good with good he hath plenty of Justice Thus doth God The respect which God hath to the persons of good men is like the respect which good men have to the commands of God it is universall he respects them all As they give him plentifull obedience having a respect to all his Commandements so he gives them plentifull Justice he hath respect to all their persons to all their workings to all their wayes which are holy just and good Again Secondly He hath plenty of Justice who punisheth all that do evil not winking at nor sparing friends or kindred Surely then there is plenty of justice in God for as he rewards all the good with good so he rewards all evil men with evil that 's all the reward they shall have and they shall have plenty of it Psal 31.23 He plenteously rewardeth the proud doer The proud shall have and drink up the last the residue the remainder the very dregs of the bitter cup of the cup of trembling as the Hebrew elegancy used by the Psalmist intimates Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil for there is no respect of persons with God Rom. 2.9 11. As he will punish none but evil-doers so he will punish them every one except they repent Secondly With the Lord is plenty of Justice for he knows the whole Compass of Justice he hath the clear Idea of it in his understanding he knows all the rules of it or rather is the rule of it All the rules of Justice came out from him and are but the signification of his own mind therefore he must needs know them and be well skilled in them Some men have a good mind to do justice yet have no plenty of it because they are unskilfull in the rule of it the Lawes both of God and man A Judge that is blind thâ—ough ignorance and hath not a gift of knowledge and understanding in the Law faulters in doing or is unfit to do Justice as much as â—e â—hat is blinded with gifts oâ— byass'd by relations and private passiâ—ns he that is blind the former way cannot have and he that is blinded by any of the latter wayes will never dâ— plenty of Justice But as the Lord hath an infinitely cleaâ— eye as to the rule â—o no gift can blind him nor can any relation put ouâ— his eyes from seeing a faulâ— nor divert him from punishing it Isa 27.11 It is a people of no understanding either to do goâ—â— or to depaâ—t from evil therefore he that made them that 's a neer relâ—â—ion will not have mercy on them and he that formed them that 's the â—ame will shew them no favour As if the Lord had said Justice shall be done though the work of my own hands be uâ—done by it There 's plenty of justice And as God knows the rule of the Law perfectly and will not be turned aside from it so he knows the matter of fact perfectly and cannot be mislead about that Upon which mistake some who have great knowledge of the rule of the Law yet do not plenty of justice they often condemn the innocent and acquit the nocent because they find not out the truth of their cause but are misinformed about it But the Lord is a God of knowledg by him actions are weighed he knows not only the matter of Law but the matter of fact too and therefore with him there is plenty of Justice Thirdly There must needs be plenty of Justice wi h God because he knows the spiâ—it and hearâ— with which every man acts he knoweth whether a thing be done maliciously or meerly by a surprize of passion Justice is guided much by that consideration in some cases The Lo d knows the heart wherewith every thing is done and the design or ayme of every man in doing it As he will make manifest the Councels of the heart at last to all so now the Councels of the heart a e manifest to him therefore he must nâ—eds be plentiful in justice Fourthly God is clothed wiâ—h sufficient power to execute justice therefore wiâ—h him there is plenty of it Some have a good mind to do justice they know the Law the fact too yet are shortned and straitned in doing justice because they have not power or are not able to carry it out against potent offenders but are forced to forbear the doing of justice because at present they cannot The doing of justice requireth strength of hand as well as strength of Law and integrity of heart David had a good mind to do justice upon Joab though neerly related to him â—â—en he had under a pretence of friendship slain Abner but he â—aw himself under a necessity of forbearance at that time and therefore said I am this day weak though anoynted King and these sons of Zerviah be too hard for me But there are no sons of Zerviah too hard for the Lord he can call them to an account at any time David knew that very well and therefore he referred Joab to Gods Justice in the close of that verse 2 Sam. 2.39 The Lord shall reward the doer of evill according to his wickedness Can thine heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the dayes that I shall deal with thee saith the Lord by his Prophet Ezek. 22.14 They cannot therefore with him is plenty of Justice Fifthly The Lord cannot but have plenty of justice for his very natuâ—e is justice Man doth that readily and plentifully which he doth
had Fathers of our flesh who for a few dayes chastened us after theâ—r own pleasure they to ease themselveâ— have put us to pain but the Lord doth it for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness There is just cause we should be afflicted when we provoke God by sin or when he would purge us from our sin or make us more holy And as it may be said God will not afflict because he doth not afflict us but when there is cause for it so Thirdly Because he doth not afflict us but when there is need 1 Pet. 1.6 nor more than there is need we shall not be afflicted an hour longer nor have a grain more of weight in the burden of our cross nor a drop more of gall and wormwood in the cup of our sorrows than we have need of Isa 27.7 8 9. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him in measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with him As if it had been said he shall have no greater a measure than is both useful and needful First to humble him for his sin secondly to subdue and mortifie his sin thirdly he shall have no more than is needful to exercise his graces his faith and patience no more fourthly than is needful to make him thankful for deliverance and sensible of mercy when it comes Thus as God who hath plenty of Justice will not afflict us but when there is need so not more than is need Fourthly It may be said He will not afflict because he doth not afflict us more than we can bear he tenderly considers our strength what we are able to stand under how long we are able to stand under it he will not break our backs nor our hearts unless by godly sorrow for or from sin by affliction God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.13 is faithful 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 bear it Hence whâ—n it is said Lam. 3.33 He doth not afflict willingly c. it follâ—weth vers 34. to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth The Lord makes many his prisoners yet then his bowels are opened towards them he will not crush nor tread them down as mire in the streets I saith the Lord Isa 57.16 will not contend for ever c. For if I should the Spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made I know what your spirits can bear and I will contend no longer than I know you are able to bear it Hence that Promise Psal 125.3 The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous least he put forth his hands to evil The Lord knows the rod may prevail over us so as to put us upon the doing of evil and therefore he will take order that it shall not Thus we may safely understand this assertion He will not afflict that is he afflicts not willingly he afflicts not till there is need nor will he afflict more than needs nor more than we are able or himself will enable us to bear he will either support us under or give us deliverance out of all our afflictions in due time I might hence or from the whole infer a double duty First Be Patient under affliction Secondly Be Comforted in affliction For God doth so afflict that he may be truly said not to afflict But having met with occasions for the ministring of such like counsels to the afflicted from other passages in this book it may suffice only to mind the Reader of them here This spake Elihu in the close or peroration of his discourse to stir up Job to consider all the dealings of God with him he would have him sit down with these four Doctrinal Conclusions upon his heart that God is Excellent in Power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice he will not afflict Surely he will not afflict more in measure nor longer in time than is need as Job seemed in his passion to intimate and charge God for which he had several reproofs before Thus far I have opened these words as they stand in our translation There are two or three different readings especially of the latter part of the verse which would not be altogether omitted and therefore I shall touch at them and then proceed to the next and last verse of this Chapter which is also Elihu's parting word or the conclusion of his large and close discourse with Job The first different reading is much insisted upon by some Interpreters Take it thus Omnipotens quem non assequimur amplus est virtute sed judicio mâ—gnitudine justitiae non affliget Merc. The Almighty whom we cannot find out is great in power but he will not afflict in judgment and plenty of justice This translation transposeth those words which we place in the end of the verse he will not afflict to the middle of it and it renders the copulative particle And by the adversative But This makes the sence of the whole verse more plain and easie than the former as also to rise up more fully to the purpose of Elihu As if he had thus summed up all that he spoke before or had contracted it into this sum Which things seeing they are so as I have declared we may certainly conclude Quamvis sit potentissimus tamen homines ante creatos tanti facit ut non utator omnipotentia sua ad eos summo jure pro meritis eorum affligendos Jun. that the Almighty is so full of majesty and power that we are no way able to reach compass and find him out Yet notwithstanding he is so full of goodnesse and mercy that he is very sparing towards men and will not afflict them according to their demerits nor up to the extremity of justice This exposition holds out clearly that temperament of the power and justice with the goodness and mercy of God which Elihu undertook to demonstrate at the fifth verse of the thirty sixth Chapter and so forwards He is great in power but he will not afflict in judgement Take this note from it How great soever the power of God is yet he doth not afflict sinful man according to the greatness of his power nor the utmost line of his justice The Lord is full of mercy full of sparing mercy he spareth his people as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 And indeed if God should afflict in plenty that is in extremity of justice what would become of the best of the holiest of men Who can withstand the power of the great God who can stand in judgment before him if he should mark iniquities Psal 130.3 Woe to the most innocent man alive if God should mark iniquities and not forgive iniquities And therefore it follows in the next or 4th verse of that Psalm
But with thee is forgiveness As God is most bountiful in giving so is he most merciful in forgiving This holds the head of believing and repenting sinners above water and keeps them from sinking into the bottomless gulfe of despaire that they have a forgiving God to go unto and that there is none like him in forgiving Mich. 7.18 None forgiving so freely Isa 42.25 â—o abundantly Isa 55.7 none so constantly and conâ—inually as he There is forgiveness with thee 't is a continued a perpetual act Now because God pardons so freely he doth not he will not he cannot because he will not punish extreamly God dealeth with sinners in measure because he dealeth with them in a Mediator Though he be great in power yet he will not afflict according to the greatness of his power or the plenty of his justice Secondly Some of the Jewish Doctors render the latter part of the verse thus whereas we say He is excellent in judgement and in plenty of justice he will not afflâ—ct they say Judiâ—ium copiam justitiae non affliget i. e. jus non pervertet Merc. ex Rabbinis He will not afflict judgement and plenty of justice that is as they give the gloss Though he be great in power yet he will not pervert justice We may well say justice is afflicted when it is perverted and then justice is perverted when any man is wronged or when at any time the wronged or wrongfully afflicted are not righted and relieved Thus God will not afflict justice These translators do not joyn the word afflict as we to the person of man but to the justice of God or the actings of his justice He is great in power but he will not afflict he will not oppress judgement and justice This is doubtless a great truth in it self yet I doubt whether it be the truth intended by Elihu in this place Certainly God will not do any man wrong though he hath power enough all power in his hand yea God will do all men right though he be great in power yet what affliction soever he layeth upon the creature shall be no affliction to justice or judgement to that justice or judgement with which God is cloathed and will declare by executing it among the children of men But I pass this as over-nice Thirdly Others render thus He is excellent in power Non respondebit Tygur Probarem si esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fonte nunc cum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potest aliter legi quam affliget vexaâ— Drus Merc. and in judgement and plenty in justice he will not answer The woâ—d which we translate to afflict with some alteration in the Hebrew pointing signifieth also to answer and so the words carry a sence of the absolute soveraignty of God who is so great in power and in judgement and plenty of justice that he will not answer that is though men complain of his justice or think he hath done them wrong or at least is over-severe towards them yet he will not come to an answer he will give no man a reason of his wayes Of this Elihu spake expresly Chap. 33. v. 13. He giveth not an account of any of his matters God is so powerful that no man can call him to an account and so just in the use or exercise of his power that there is no reason why any should But though this also be a great truth yet because Elihu had asserted it fully before as also because this translation is grounded upon a change in the ordinary pointing of the Hebrew word from which I conceive with others we ought not easily to recede therefore I shall not stay upon it Nor shall I more than mention that apprehension of some Raboins who thus give out a 4th sence or interpretation of the words whereas we say As touching the Almighty we cannot find him out Omnipotentem non invenimus multum robore judicio Et taliâ— sit tamen talem eum non experimur in mâ—ndatis suiâ— ut immodice nos oneret aut immodicam a noâ—is exiget justitiam c. Rabbi Selc moth Rambam he is excellent in power and in judgement c. They say thus although the Almighty be great in power and in judgment and plenty of justice yet we find him not so That is we do not find him putting out the gâ—eatness of his power or the exactness of his justice in the commands which he hath laid upon us or in the duties which he hath required of uâ— he doth not over-burthen us nor exact hard things of us And they instance in the rules which God gave about offerings and sacrifices he required say they of some only a turtle dove or a pair of young pigeons of others but a lamb or a bullock such things he required for sacrifice as were of easie price and might easily be obtained he did not put us upon the getting of strange and rare beasts as Buffes or Unicorns or any sort of creature which may put us to much paines in getting them or to much expense in buying them And as in these so in other things God hath graciously condescended to our weakness as appears every where in the Law Thus the Jewish Writers make out their translation and though it be a truth that in one sense the Ceremonial Law was as St Peter in that council at Jerusalem declared Acts 15.10 A Yoak which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear yet there was much favour mixed with it which caused the Lord to appeale in that point to their own consciences or to make themselves the Judges Mâ—ch 6.3 O my people what have I done unto thee or wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me And as God though great in power did not over-lay the Jews so much less hath he over-laid us Christians with duty 1 Joh. 5.3 His Commandements are not grievous And Christ said of his yoke and burden Mat. 11.10 My yoke is easie and my burden is light Christ may lay what burdens he pleaseth upon us but he is not pleased to lay any grievous burdens upon us This therefore is a truth both as to them and us yet I conceive it beside the design of Elihu in this place and I only mind the Reader of these different interpretations of all which some good improvement may be made So much of this verse The whole discourse of Elihu concludes in the next Vers 24. Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise in heart This verse containeth two things First a practical inference by way of use from that fourfold doctrine held forth in the former verse concerning God As if Elihu had said For as much as the Almighty is incomprehensible so that we cannot find him out for as much as he is mighty in power and judgement and plenty of justice so that we can neither avoid him nor delude him therefore men do fear him
signifies every believer a Servant 238 Service and Worship often the same in Scripture 237. God expects our seâ—vice and then especially when we suffer under his hand 237. To serve God what or the service of God described 238 239. To seâ—ve God our Freedâ—m 240. Service of God pleasant and easie in a twofold respect 240. Service of God not lean but prâ—fitable 240 241 Sight of God two-fold immediate mediate and that by a threefold means 102. The sight of God or his discovery of himself to us very sweet to the the soul 104 Signes of changes in the weather and other natural things 424. Inferences from it as to other thâ—ngs 424 Signes why given by God 549 Sin how sinful it is to say there is no profit in leaving sin 17. The benefit or profit of leaving sin 19. God receives no hurt or damage by the sin of man how many or how great soever his sins are 31. Yet sinners shall be dealt with as if they had hurt him and why 31. How the sins both of good and evil men turn to the glory of God 32. Sin considered in a threefold opposition 33. Sin dâ—th six things to God yet cleared how no damage to him 34 35 36. The least sin hurtful 47 48. Sin hurts the whole Creation but chiefly man 48 49. The sad effects of sin as well as the filthy nature of it should move us to avoid it 48. Sin hurts others but thâ—se most who commit it 49. Sin is vâ—cal 92. God doth not severely mark the sins of his people 116. Sin mans work 224. God doth not suffer sin to grow potent in his people 226. There is an excessiveness in some sins 227. In what sence sin may reign in a righteous man 228. Sin may be seen and not the exceedingness of it 228. The exceedâ—ngness of sin shewed in three things 228 2â—9 Sin a vain thing how 234. God will not indulge sin in any 293. Sin should have no respect 321. Sin not to be chosen in any case 324. Sin strictly taken cannot be chosen 325. Vpon what accounts sin is chosen by many 325 326. They make a very bad choice who choose sin rather than affliction 372. Sin worse than any the worst affliction 330 331 Singing an act of Praise 352 Skie two things considerable in it clearness and strength 568. How the skie may be said to be strong 569 Snow what it is 469. When it usually falleth 469. Six things wonderful concerning the Snow 472. Snow how like wâ—ol shewed in three things 472 473. Snoâ— and Rain at the command of God 474 Sodomites how expressed in the Hebrew 271 Song in the night what 70 71 73 Soveraignty of God over all creatures three Inferences from it 14 20 Soul how taken in Scripture 268 South why expressed by a word that signifies a secret place 487. Whirlwinds come from it 488 Sparing mercy God will not spare his own if they obey not 252 Speaking two things of great use in it 139. Speaking of two sorts 232 233 Spirits of men weighed â—y God 552 Standing-still two-fold that of the mind to what opposed 527 Star-gazers their vanity 27 Stormes in the hearts of men allayed by God 562 Streight who may be said to be in it 282. No streight so great but God can deliver out of it 283 Strength of heart wherein it consists 175. 183. Strength of wisdom in God two-fold 175. There is no strength against the Lord. 311 Suddenness of divine Judgments 300 Sufferings did not hurt the Martyrs and why 51 Sun in its brightness cannot be looked upon 602 Swearing the Lords saying as much as his swearing 549 Sword how taken in Scripture 252 T Tabernacle what 407 408 Teacher God is pleased to be a Teacher of his people 338. The teachings of God above all teachings 339. How God exceeds all Teachers shewed in seven things 339 340. Three Inferences from it 342. Several Evidences of our having been taught of God 342 343 344. Teaching 'T is mans shame when he acts not according to the teachings of God 82. Teaching is to make us knowing 576. There are two sorts of persons who call for teaching 577 Terribleness of God to sinners in four dayes 609 Thundering Legion 460. Thunder a terrible thing 436. Thunder the Voyce of God 440 442. Thunder called the Voyce of God in a twofold respect 442. Six Inferences from it 443. Word of God like Thunder shewed in five things 444. Thunder Gods Hera d. 454. Thunder how it followeth Lâ—ghtning 454. Why we see the Lightning before we hear the Thunder 454. Six degrees or sâ—rts of Thunder 455. Thunder described 457. Marvels in Thunder 460. The effects of the Word like those of Thunder 461 462. Two Inferences from it 464 Tiberius the Romane Emperour his Character 630 Time at the dispose of God 379 Trembling what 436. Great appearances of God should make us tremble 437. A fourfold trembling 437 438 Troubles are streights 281 282 Trusting in God a Duty in darkest times 112. Tâ—ust in God fixes the heart 113. Some not to be trusted 114. We should trust God more upon experience of what he hath wrought 365. The Eternity of God a groâ—nd of trusting him 380 Truth will prevail though many be against it 23. No matter if we are alone so Truth be on our side 23. Some speak Truth with false hearts others speak falsly with a true heart 153. To speak truth a high commendation of the Speaker 154. Truth taught us by God four effects of it 342 343 344. Some Truths are specially to be attended to 524 U Valentinian his zeal and advancement 213 Vanity what aâ—d who 92 Visiting of three sorts 119 Undeâ—standing how an undeâ—â—â—anâ—ing man may be said not to undersâ—aâ—d 81 Uprightness That which is not done uprightly will not be done constantly 266 W Waiting on God in hardest times 112 113. Warnings Gâ—d gives them before he sends great Judgmeâ—ts 425 426. Warning God gives waâ—ning before he strikes 455 Water of two sâ—rts 388. Waâ—er held up in the Air by the Power â—f God 392 Way of God what it is 345 Whirlwind what 489 Wickedness what 47 Wicked men out of Gods Protection he takes not care of them 189. How God doth and doth not preserve the lives of the wicked 189 190. Wicked not so much preserved as reserved 191. Wicked men of two sorts 192. Their life sad 192. God will at last utterly destroy them 193. God will not be taken off by any outward respect from destroying them 301 Winds four Cardinal 487. What the Wind is 489. Winds come at Gods appoyntment 489. God makes a twofold use of the Wind. 490. Six uses of it for mercy or for the good of man 490 491. Winds the Broomes of Heaven 490. Afflicting effects of the Wind. 492. Seven Wonders observable in the Winds 493 494. What the Wind is 598. Causes of the Wind. 599. Life preserved by the Wind. 599. Spirit of God compared to the Wind. 601 Wise
in heart of two sâ—rts 645. In what seâ—ce God respâ—cteth not any that are wiâ—e 645 646. G d regardâ—th nâ—t the â—iâ—est men who do not fear him 646. The wi est men cannot hinder the Câ—uâ—sels of Gâ—d by their wisdom and pâ—licy 647. Thoughts of the wiâ—â— va n in two respects 648. None â—ise by nature nor are any erfectly wiâ—e in this world though they have grace 649 Wisdome how ascribed to the Fowls of the Air. 77. The Wisdome of Fâ—wls c. is of God 78. Wisdome of God wherein the strength of it consists 175. How God is only wise 177 178. Wisdome practical what 177. Six Inferences from the Wisdome of God 179 180 Wishes we apt to make strange wishes in times of distress 315 Words rash words turned against the Speaker 12. Sharp words somtimes most profitable 13. Word of God how like Rain 397 398. Word of God preached how like thunder shewed in five things 444. When the Word of God is duly attended shewed in three things 445 Three degrees of the Words coming to us 445 446. Word of God how it may be said to be dark 586 Wo ks of God in Nature to be exactly considered especially the Heavens 26. Some works of God beyond our apprehension 466. Two Inferences from it 467. Men slow to consider the works of God 480. God would have all men study his works 480 God stops men in their work that they may consider his works 481 Works of God of all sorts to be considered 529 530. How the works of God are to be considered shewed four wayes 531. Inference from it 532. The common and ordinary works of God are full of wonder 533 Works good works how profitable to our selves and others 52 5â— Work ours shewed us by God in affliction in a two-fold respect 223. Sin is properly our work 224. The faultiness of our work most clearly discovered in affliction 225. Works of God of all sorts are to be magnified 351. Works of Gâ—d visible or invisible 353. Men apt to forget and have low apprehensions of the works of God 356. It is our duty to magnifie the works of God 358. How they are magnified shewed five wayes 359 360. The Ends of God in any wo k much to be eyed 363. What those Ends are 364 365 Woâ—ld a godly man is content with a little of but not satisfied with all the world 288 Worldly comforts and mercies may soon meet with a st p. 419 Wrath of God what and where 296. Wrath appears in works of Judgement 297. We should by all means beware of the wrath of God 298. Wrath of God a fire infinitely more dreadful than fire 299 Y Years the measure of mans Life not of Gods 377. The word in Hebrew signifieth changes and why 377 Youth to die in youth what shewed three wayes 269. A TABLE OF Those Scriptures which are occasionally cleared and briefly illustrated in the fore-going EXPOSITIONS The First Number directs to the Chapter the Second to the Verse the Third to the Page of the BOOK Chap. Vers Page  Genesis  1. 6. 402. 2. 1 2. 241. 2. 16. 418. 7. 11. 393. 9. 12 13. 545. 15. 16. 191. 16. 14. 204. 21. 6. 119. 22. 14. 205. 25. 8. 273. 27. 33. 435. 27. 36. 459. 31. 29. 60. 37. 11. 117. 38. 26. 9. 45. 8. 360. 49. 20. 243.  Exodus  1. 17. 187. 4. 17. 515. 4. 43. 238. 5. 8. 200. 9. 16. 184. 14. 11. 122. 15. 11. 6â—1 18. 21. 109. 18. 22. 187. 20. 4 5. 119. 32. 25. 559. 38. 8. 570.  Leviticus  25. 21. 519. 26. 41. 327.  Numbers  9. 7. 387. 14. 17. 185. 16. 45. 241. 16. 46. 297. 17. 2. 514. 23. 14. 172. 32. 23. 513.  Deuteronomy  4. 2. 387. 5. 24. 593. 11. 12. 205. 16. 20. 629. 19. 5. 452. 28. 23. 390. 28. 24. 392. 29. 29. 176. 31. 29. 224. 32. 15. 448. 32. 31. 4. 32. 34. 427. 33. 2. 540.  Judges  9. 23. 563.  Ruth  1. 6. 119. 2. 1. 58.  I Samuel  1. 6. 457. 2. 3. 175 109. 12. 6. 64. 15. 23. 263. 22. 8. 230.  II Samuel  15. 31. 647. 16. 10. 360. 23. 15. 241. 24. 14. 283.  I Kings  2. 4. 318. 20. 28. 453. 22. 34. 45â— Â II Kings  3. 17. â—91 4. 2. 501.  I Chron.  12. 32. 428. 16. 25. 36â— 29. 10 16. 42.  II Chron.  20. 12. 282. 28. 13 22. 261. 31. 20 21. 616.  Job  9. 23. 302 14. 10. 15. 14. 21. 7. 188. 21. 25. 243.  Psalms  2. 1 2. 31. 2. 3. 221. 2. 12. 298. 7. 3. 195. 8. 3 4. 27. 9. 9. 336. 10. 3. 173. 10. 16. 380. 11. 4. 203. 12. 5. 196. 14. 2. 649. 16. 3. 42. 16. 7. 73. 17. 3. 72. 17. 13 14. 516. 18. 11. 408. 18. 41. 90. 25. 10. 11. 25. 11. 372. 29. 1 2 3 4 c. 461 462 30. 4. 125. 31. 6 7. 281. 31. 15. 379. 31. 23. 627. 32. 5. 615. 32. 7. 111. 32. 9. 83. 36. 4. 322. 36. 8. 286. 39. 5. 178. 42. 8. 72. 46. 10. 5â—8 49. 20. 81. 51. 3 4. 147. 51. 4. 412. 51. 15. 183. 52. 1. 173 60. 55. 23. 192. 5â— 1. 484. 58. 1 2. 630. 66. 3. 371. 66. 18. 322 95. 68. 8 9. 38â— 69. 33. 268. 72. 6. 397. 73. 1. 363 11. 73. 13. 18. 75. 6. 605. 77. 6. 72. 77. 19. 616. 78. 8 32. 365. 80. 1. 541. 81. 11. 331. 81. 16. 287. 84. 11. 189. 90. 11. 127 185 298. 92. 6. 353. 99. 12. 339. 102. 14. 31â— 102. 17. 96. 10â— 25 â—6 377. 103. 10. 116. 104. 34 35. 104. 106. 7. 12â— 107. 42. 9â— 13. 111. 2 7. 32. 111. 2 4. 358. 115. 3. 161. 116. 12. 43. 126. 4. 249 488. 130. 3. 117. 136. 2. 511. 138. 6. 90. 146. 3 4. 380. 147. 15 16. 472. 147. 18. 499. 150. 2. 369.  Proverbs  1. 32. 625. 6. 6. 83. 6. 12 13. 203. 10. 22. 285. 15. 29. 89. 16. 2. 552. 16. 3. 18â— â—0 12. 231. 21. 18. 302 21. 17. 244. 21. 27. 229 258. 21. 3â— 179. 22. 3. 427. 25. 13. 470. 25. 23. 491. 25. 27. 592 26. 1. 469. 28. 3. 59. 30. 4 40â— 31. 31. 356.  Ecclesiastes  1. 6. 505. 2. 14. 428. 8. 11. 626. 12. 2. 470. 12. 10. 588.  Canticleâ— Â 2. 14 96. 3. 1. 73. 4. 9. 210. 4. 12. 477. 4. 16. 491.  Isaiah  1. 2. 83. 1. 3. 529. 1. 15. 90. 1. 31. 211. 1. 25 26 27. 623. 3. 11. 193. 4. 4. 6â—3 5. 6. 389. 5. 13. 255. 5. 20. 325. 6. 2. 374. 8. 2â— 6. 8. 16. 476. 9. 13. 235. 10. 6. 190. 10. 3. 609. 10. 25. 1â—8 14. 27. 163. 17. 13. 4â—2 21. 1. 488. 25. 6. 2â—6 26. 7. 551. 26. 11. 532. 27. 4 5. 172 18â— 27. 7 8 9. 632. 27. 11. 628. 28. 7. 5â—1 28. 10 11. 138. 28. 22. 2 1. 28.