have to trust on him for help and may have the more assurance of his help while we trust him I shall now proceed to our own translation which fairly accommodates the scope of Elihu's dealing with Job in this place Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Elihu had reprehended two of Jobs sayings before in this Chapter here he reprehends a third Although thou sayest this thou shalt not see him although thou sayest it either secretly in thy heart the fool saith in his heart there is no God or although thou sayest it with thy mouth and hast openly declared thy despayre of seeing him Some passages in the discourse of Job do more than intimate and imply that he had said he should not see God And we may conceive that Elihu aimeth at that passage specially Chap. 23.8 9. where Job seems to say this thing Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hard where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him Now Elihu gives answer in this 14th verse shewing that alâ—hough God would not give him a present heaâ—ing upon his importunate call for it yet he might rest assured that God would do him justice and therefore adviseth him quietly to rest upon him Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him or canst not see him yet Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him In that 23d Chapter Job made a sad complaint that though he much solicited and desired to see God in what sense I shall open presently yet he could not be admitted he could not find him nor come near him I saith he cannot perceive him I cannot behold him I cannot see him we have all these words negatively expressed there as here Although thou sayest thou shalt not see or contemplate him There is a two-fold sight of God First immediate or in himself and thus God is seen only by himself and of himself to all others he is invisible No eye hath seen him nor can see him 1 Tim. 6.16 The Lord told Moses No man can see my face and live that is no man can see me immediately no man can have any ocular sight of me as we see those things that are before us God is a Spirit and therefore invisible Job doth not complain in this sense that he could not see God for he knew God was not to be seen nor did he wait for any such corporal view or sight or presence of God Secondly There is a mediate sight of God and that by a three-fold means First in or by his Word for that is one glass wherein we behold him Secondly there is a sight of God in his Works they are another glass wherein we see and behold him and those works are two fold First the works of Creation in them we may see or contemplate God all the world over in his power wisdome and goodness Rom. 1.19 20. Secondly his works of providence ordering and disposing all the motions of the creatures as himself pleaseth how much soever any of their motions are displeasing unto him Thus we may see God in his works that is it is seen by his works not only that he is but what he is or that he is Eternal and Infinite that he is Most Wise and Omnipotent that he can do all things or that nothing is too hard for him he having brought all things out of nothing There is a Third Medium or Means by which we may see God and that is His Son our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The light of the knowledge of the Glory of God shineth to us in the face of Jesus Christ that is in the person of Christ God-Man we may behold the glorious Grace of God unto poor sinful lost man All the beams of Divine Love are collected in and issue forth from the face of Jesus Christ He that would see how good how gracious how merciful the Lord is to sinners let him by an eye of Faith or spiritual Contemplation look Christ in the face and there he shall find the expresse Characters of all that Glory By these Means or mediately in all these wayes God may be seen and is seen by his People This threefold sight of God is the sight of Faith it is by Faith that we see him in his Word it is by Faith that we see him in his Works it is by Faith that we see him in his Son Thus we are to understand that of the Apostle concerning Moses Heb. 11.27 He endured as seeing him that is invisible We may also distinguish of this sight of God two ways there is a sight of God first in grace which is though a true and real yet an imperfect sight of which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see as in a glasse darkly Secondly There is a seeing of God in glory which is there called A seeing of him face to face Of that sight Christ speaks Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God As they now see him in the dispensations of his Grace here so they shall see him in the givings forth or manifestations of his Glory to them hereafter Now when Job complaineth or Elihu brings him in complaining That he should not see God we are not to understand it as if he despaired of ever seeing God in Glory or had concluded in his own breast that he should never see him in his ways of Grace or professed that at present he had no sight at all of God by faith for though I conceive Jobs sight of God by faith or in the actings of his Grace at that time was very low and dim yet some sight he had of him by faith enough I am sure to preserve and keep him from making any such negative Conclusion against himself that he should not see God in Glory But that which he chiefly intendeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intendit oculos Verbum viden i forense est pro astare corum aliquo cum magna causa fiducia â—a ut non demissâ— in terram vultu sed elato capite ad interroganturi resptâ—teniemque judicem oculos intrepide dirigâ—re q is audeat Bold that he feared he should not come to see him in such a day and way of tryal as he before desired in the 23d Chapter vers 8 9. or that God would never manifest himself so cleerly in his Providences and dealings about his case in this world as might acquit him and bâ—ing the matter in question to a full state that all might take notice of his wronged integrity Job was under a great Cloud at that time and feared that God had coveâ—ed himself with a Cloud also as the Church bemoaned her self Lam. 3.44 and therefore said I shall not see him I shall not â—ee him as a Judge acquitting me and giving sentence for me Some conceive that the Hebrew word rendred Seeing
quandoquidem igitur illa non extat invasit ira ejus qua odit et amolitur peccat m etiam in iis ques diligit et salvâ—s vult maxime Coc. He hath visited in his anger or strictly his anger hath visited That is God hath heavily afflicted thee God is far from all passion and perturbation of mind only he is said to be angry or to visit in his anger when he doth that which anger produceth among men when he casts down and punisheth when he lays his hand sorely upon the Creature then he is said to be angry then His anger hath visited The word notes quick breathing in the Nostrils anger appears or vents it self there as it is said of Paul when Saul Acts 9.1 And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord went unto the High Priest You might see anger as it were foam yea flame out of his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ira ejus visitavit and evaporate at his nostrils Thus saith Elihu Because it is not so his anger Hath visited To visit is properly to go to and see any person whom we respect and love thus we visit friends in civility and courtesie Secondly To visit is an act of pity and mercy and thus we visit the sick the widdow and the fatherlesse James 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction that is to go to them in pity either for the supply of their wants by our purse or for the comforting of their hearts by our counsel Thirdly We visit in care as well as in kindnesse that is when we go to our Families or Flocks or places of charge wheresoever they are and see that or whether all things are well and right with them or well and rightly done towards them according to the rules that such persons under our charge ought to act and live by Thus in Colledges and Hospitals there is a visitation of care to make enquiry of persons in trust about persons and things under their trust To the Point in hand there is a twofold visitation of God First He visits in love and mercy Ruth 1.6 Then she that is Naomi arose with her Daughter in Law that she might return from the Countrey of Moab for she had heard in the Countrey of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread That is God had shewed them kindnesse and mercy in relieving them from that devouring famine Again Gen. 21.6 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said that is he gave her the promised mercy of a Son Once more Luke 1.68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and that 's a blessed visitation indeed which brings redemption Thus the Scripture often speaks of Gods visitation in mercy Secondly There is a visitation of God in anger wrath and judgement The Law saith Exod. 20.4 5. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me That is punishing the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children these Children continuing in their Fathers ways to do sinfully such Children as take up the evil examples or tread in the bad steps of their fore-Fathers shall suffer for it The Prophet at once upbraided the impudent Jews and threatned them in this Language Jer. 6.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations nay they were not ashamed neither could they blush therefore they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. Again Isa 26.14 Therefore hast thou visiâ—ed and destroyed them There is a visitation for destruction that 's a sad visitation In this sense we read of a time of visitation Jer. 8.12 Jer. 10.15 We read of days of visitation Hosea 9.7 The dayes of visitation are come the dayes of recompence are come We read also of a year of visitation Jer. 23.12 For I will bring evil upon them even the year of their visitation saith the Lord. As also Chap. 11.23 I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth even the year of their visitation This is the visitation here spoken of it is a time a day a year of sore visitation with thee O Job Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger Hence Note First God expects the work of Faith and Patience when his afflicting hand is upon us Faith hath much work to do at all times but most in times of affliction There is also a use of two sorts of patience in our best dayes the patience of labouring in Gods work and the patience of waiting for the reward of our work after all our labours But in sad dayes the Lord expects we should exercise both patience in suffering and in waiting for deliverance out of all our sufferings then 't is that both Faith and Patience trusting and waiting must have their perfect work Secondly Note When the Lord doth not find or see as he expects the work of Faith and Patience in a time of affliction he will afflict more and more until he finds or works it This is it which Elihu saith in the Text Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger Job was sorely afflicted before but now he is visited in anger because he did not manifest such trust in God as he expected in that condition As when the wicked repent not of their sins under the punishing hand of God he will punish them more and more even seven times more for their sins Levit. 26.41 So when good men act not their Graces believe not trust not under the afflicting hand of God he usually afflicts them more and more gives them soarer stripes and layeth yet heavier burdens on them When God misseth what he lock'd for we may quickly feel what we looked not for Mr. Braughtons Translation speaks the Point fully But now for missing his anger doth visit Man seldome misseth tâ—ouble from God when God misseth duty from man and 't is a me cy that he doth not 't is mans mercy when God minds him of his deficiencies in duty though by a smart visiting rod. Thus the Lord spake of Davids Seed and 't is to be understood of all the Seed of Christ whom David typed Psal 89. If his children forsake my Law v. 30 31. Then vers 32. will I visit their transgressions with the Rod c. How true this charge of Elihu was as to Jobs omission of duty I shall not stay to enquire only this we know Job had professed trust in God yet because it was mingled with so much complaint with so many unbelieving expostulations Elihu might say the Lord missed the patience trust and confidence
which he expected from Job Doubtlesse more of all these should have appeared in him and they should have appeared more in that time of affliction There are two things which God looketh for and aims at in the time of our affliction first the mortifying of corruptions that they woâ—k no more at least no more so strongly as they have done secondly The stirring up and acting of our Graces that they may be more woâ—king and work more strongly than ever they have done Where the Lord sees not these effects of affliction that our sins grow lesse and our graces more that we complain lesse and trust or believe more we are like to be afflicted more and he will discover his anger more Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger And thence Note Thirdly Distrust or impatience under the afflâ—cting hand of God or our not trusting God in our worst condition patiently is a very provoking sin We provoke the Lord to visit us in his anger when we do not trust in his mercy Our not trusting God must needs provoke him to anger for when we do not trust him we question him distrust or unbelief questions all that God is and all that God hath promised it questions his Truth and his Faithfulnesse his Power his Mercy and his Goodnesse all these which are the glory of God and in all which the sons of men ought to glorifie him these are all questioned and darkned when we put not forth acts of trust and reliance upon God in times of greatest affliction and extremity Is it not then a provoking sin I say not to with-draw trust from God and give it to an arm of flesh but not to put out fresh and full acts of trust upon God let our affliction or extremity be what it will The Children of Israel were in great extremity at the Red Sea a mighty Army pursuing them at the heels to destroy them and mighty waters being before them ready to swallow them up in these straits whilest they should have done their utmost to get and assure God to be their Friend the Psalmist tells us They provoked him Psal 106 7. But wherein lay their provocation that Scripture saith They remembred not the multitude of his mercies The former mercies of the Lord did not strengthen their trust in present troubles that was one provocation And as former mercies did not strengthen their trust so the present trouble drew out their distrust as another Scripture assures reporting their behaviour in it Exod. 14.11 And they said to Moses Because there were no Graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to dye in the Wildernesse Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt What were these fearful fore-casts these amazing bodements of an unavoidable as they apprehended ruine but the overflowings of unbelief or distrust in God and this was another provocation Former mercies are forgotten yea eaten up by unbelief as the seaven lean Kine in Pharaohs dream eat up the fat ones and present difficulties are aggravated by unbelief as if all the power of God could not remove and overcome them And will not the Lord think you visit in anger for such a sin as this Again As Elihu doth not say barely he hath visited but he hath visited in his anger or his anger hath visited so consider who was it that was thus visited in anger It was Job a Godly man a man perfect and upright Hence note Fourthly God visits or afflicts even his own people his elect and choicest servants with fatherly anger when they displease and provoke him We find the Scripture speaking expresly of the anger of God towards the best of his servants even towards a Moses as himself made confession Deuter. 1.37 when they displease him Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes saying thou also shalt not go in thither Moses was a most meek man the meekest man upon the face of the earth nor was he an inferior in any other grace yet the Lord was angry wi h him and angry with him upon that special occasion his unbeliefe Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore c. We read of the Lords anger breaking out against Aaron for another sin Numb 12.9 The anger of the Lord was kindled against them that is against Aaron and Miriam because they had spoken against Moses vers 1.8 Aaron was the High Priest and as he was high in office so eminent in grace and doubtless Miriam was a very gracious woman yet the Lord was not only angry with them but exceeding angry his anger waxed hot against them and kindled when they forgot their duty to Moses and remembred not their distance with reverence Solomon in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple speaks of the people of God collectively If they sin against thee and thou be angry with them The Lord is not only angry with the world but angry with his Church not only angry with Babylon but with Jerusalem And as Solomon spake that of the whole Nation of the Jewes supposing they might fall under the Lords anger all together as a body so he did experience it sadly in his own person 1 Kings 9.11 And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twâ—ce Wise Solomon departed from God through an evil heart of unbelief and vanity after the Lord had come and appeared to him more than once in grace and savour and the bitter effects or fruits of that departure appeared to him shortly after the Lord saith that Scripture was angry with Solomon and the sequel of his History tells us there went out very hot displeasure against him As these Scriptures are a proof of the Lords anger kindling against his people when they sin so we find the Church represented praising the Lord for quenching the fire of his angeâ— Isa 12.1 And in that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me When we turn from God his anger is turned against us and when we turn to God his anger is turned away from us When the Lord is angry what can comfort us but the turning away of his anger And by the very act of turning away his anger he comforts us though all the world be angry with us But some may say How doth the Lord who is said to love his people with an everlasting love visit them in anger To clear that we may distinguish of anger First There is correcting anger Secondly there is consuming or destroying anger Destroying anger is inconsistent with eveâ—lasting love but not correcting anger correcting anger may be very grievous therefore the Prophet deprecates it Jer. 10.24 Correct me O Lord in Judgement not in thy anger The
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
maketh not or suffereth not the wicked to live The Hebrew strictly is He doth not enliven the wicked So the word is used concerning the Midwives that feared God Exod. 1.17 They did not obey the word of the King but saved the Male Children alive or they enlivened the Male children They who preserve do upon the matter give a new life The like Expression we have Exod. 18.22 Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live The Hebrew is thou shalt not vivifie or enliven a Witch They who have commerce with the Devil the Prince of the Air they who Trade with Hell to satisfie the lusts and curiosities of evill men on earth are not worthy to breath in the Air or live upon the face of the Earth He preserveth not the life of the wicked There are two things in this negative speech of Elihu First God doth not shew any favour to nor indulge wicked men in their evil wayes He that will not so much as pâ—eserve their lives doth not give them favour while they live Life and savour are two distinct things Job 10.12 Thou hast granted me life and favour Favour with life is the pâ—iviledge of the living favour is better than life The Lord doth but seldome reprieve much less doth he at any time favour or pardon impenitently wicked men Secondly When Elihu saith he preserveth not the life of the wicked Non vivificat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro intersâ— it et omni vita spoliat Coc. we are to understand it by an ordinary Figure wherein less is expressed than is to be understood He preserveth not that is first he is not solicitous about their preservation he cares not much what becomes of them and not only so but Secondly he destroyeth the life of the wicked the Lord will certainly ruine and utterly undoe them one time or other one way or other he will do it either immediately by his own Arme by some notable stroke of vengeance from himself or he will do it by means he will find out and impower instruments that shall destroy the very life of the wicked And I conceive Elihu brings in this Proposition concerning God in answer to what Job had observed and complainingly alleadged about the Prosperity of the wicked Chap. 21.7 Wherefore doth the wicked live become old yea are mighty in power As if Job had intimated that the Lord surely did shew not only some but much respect unto wicked men they did not only live but they lived a long time and not only a long time a bare life but were mighty in power and over-powered yea oppressed many with their might Elihu replyeth here notwithstanding this Allegation which seemed to reflect upon the Justice of God that the Lord preserveth not the Life of the wicked Mark first he doth not say he preserveth not the Life of a man that sinneth for then whose life should be preserved but he preserveth not the life of the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of a man who sinneth presumptuously and goeth on impenitently who is incorrigible Secondly he doth not say God suffereth not a wicked man to live for then most men being wicked in all Ages of the world the world would be very thin and almost naked of Inhabitants But he preserveth not saith he the life of the wicked that is he sets no stoâ—e by them as we do of those things which we carefully preserve We may compare this verse with that of Job Chap. 34.26 27 28. where 't is said of mighty oppressoâ—s the Lord striketh them at wicked men that is as he useth to strike wicked men in the open sight of others because they turned back from him and would not consider any of his wayes So that they cause the cry of the poor to come up to him and he heareth the cry of the afflicted Now as there Elihu speaks affirmatively he striketh wicked men so here he speaks negatively which is the same in effect God doth not preserve the life of the wicked and as there he said God heareth the cry of the afflicted or poor so here he giveth right to the poor These Texts are of the same sence and expound each other From the former part of this sixth verse already opened he preserveth not the life of the wicked Observe First Wicked men are out of Gods Protection they can expect no favour from him They are out-lawed Some persons are out-lawed by men and then if any man injure them or kill them they can have no remedy by the Law they have their amends as we say in their own hands the Law gives them none Wicked men are out of Gods love and therefore out of his care he turns them up as we say to the wide World to shift for themselves whether they sink or swim 't is all one to him He is neither Sun nor Shield to the wicked he is both to the godly Psal 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly As a Sun he giveth out the warm Beams of his savour to refresh and revive them when the World leaves them cold and comfortless And as a Shield he defends and saves them when the World strikes at them and vexes them he will keep them safe from evil as with a Shield The wicked have no share in this not in any such-like promise the Lord is rather Fire and Sword than Sun or Shield to them he neither comforts them while they live nor preserves their lives from death But some may say Doth not God preserve the lives of the wicked Is it not said Job 7.20 He is the preserver of men Which indefinite seems to carry it for all men And Psal 36.6 Thou preservest man and beast Yea wicked men not only live but prosper and flourish in the World as Job complained Chap. 21.7 Wherefore do the wicked live becâ—me old yea are mighty in power Surely then they are preserved and if God do not preserve them who doth Man hath no more power to preserve his own life than to give himself life how is it then that the Text saith God doth not preserve them or that they are out of Gods Protection I answer First It cannot be denyed but that the wicked hold their lives and all the good things they have possibly they have many good things of God But the wicked and their liveâ— or the lives of the wicked are preserved only by that common Pâ—ovidence of God which extends even to the Beasts of the field they are not preserved by any special Providence or Promise of preservation made to them their Souls are not bound in the bundle of life with the Lord their God as Abigail assured David his should be 1 Sam. 25.29 nor are they as one very well expresseth it in the Language of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 4.3 written or reckoned among the living in Jerusalem Neither
Lord hideth himself as to sense and present appearance but he never hideth himself as to the real continuance of his love and care towards his Church or People This Objection some made to one of the Ancients the Lord said they may seem to withdraw his eyes from the righteous because he suffers them to fall under the oppression of the unrighteous Famulos suos nunc m gis respicit nam jam praevidet quid eis miserecorditer recompenset Greg in loc No saith he The Lord beholds the righteous though they perish by the hand of the unrighteous yea when it is worst with them the Lords Eye is upon them for good both to see how they carry it or behave themselves in their Sufferings and likewise to provide a full reward and recompence for them after all their sufferings Before I pass from this part of the verse let me make these two Inferences First If the Lord never withdraweth his Eyes from the righteous then let the righteous know their own Priviledge and Mercy How happy are they upon whom the Eyes of the Lord abide alwayes for good The Lord cannot endure to have good men out of his Eye as Parents say of their darlings and Princes of their Favourites If we were assured that the Eye of a great 〈◊〉 who loveth us were alwayes upon us if he should promise to have an eye to us That 's an ordinary Promise among men I will have an Eye to you that is I will take care of you if we have I say but such a word from a man in Power we think we have got a great revenue such a great Lord will have an eye to us we have his word he will not take off his care from us How much then should we boast and rejoyce in spiriâ— that the Lord hath said I will alwayes have a care of you I will never withdraw mine eyes from you I will never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 As it will be the eternal happiness of Believers in Glory alwayes to behold or see God Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God they have some sight of him here in a Glass but they shall see him face to face that is they shall see him clearly as clearly as the creature is capable of seeing or enjoying him now I say as it is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven alwayes to behold God so it is the happiness of Saints here on earth that the Lord doth alwayes behold them that his eye is never withdrawn from them Consider therefore you that are in a righteous state whose acts and words and walkings are also righteous consider your Priviledge consider what it is to have the Lord Jesus alwayes setting his eye upon you to have the Lords directing and counselling eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords pitying and compassionating eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords providing and caring eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords delighting and well-pleased eye alwayes upon you to have the eyes of the Lord thus upon you and to have them alwayes upon you what can ye desire more Thus 't is promised 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect with him And whose hearts are perfect with him but the hearts of the righteous this is their priviledge Jesus Christ Zech. 3.9 is called The stone and saith the Text upon one stone shall be seven eyes There are two interpretations given of that Prophesie First thus upon one stone shall be seven eyes that is the eyes of all men shall be upon that stone upon Christ Seven is a perfect definite Number put for all numbers the eyes of all shall be upon the stone upon Christ although he be to the wicked or to them that believe not a stumbling stone and a rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.8 yet to them that believe he is a most precious stone and as they are alwayes beholding the beauty of that precious stone so Jesus Christ doth indeed invite all eyes to behold him Isa 65.1 Behold me behold me he would have us take off our eyes from all others and look steddily on him Let all eyes be upon the stone that 's a good interpretation There is a second which suits the present poynt I am upon fully Seven eyes shall be upon one stone that is the eyes of God shall be upon Jesus Christ This is a promise made unto him as Mediator when he came in the flesh or in our nature to do that great work for us Then saith the Prophet upon one stone shall be seven eyes which seven eyes note the perfect knowledge of God and so the perfect care that God would have of Chriâ—â— to bear him up through that woâ—k of our Redempâ—ion Vpon one stone shall be seven eyes I will take caâ—e of him I will p ovide for him and I will delight in him As Jesus Christ is all eye and Jesus Christ doth enlighten all eyes that is all that see are enlightened by Jesus Christ so the eyes of God the eyes of the Father were alwayes upon him in favour in love in care when he was here in this world about that great work of our salvation and he had abundunt experience of the eyes of his Father upon him Now mark it this was the great promise made to Christ the Stone that upon him should be seven eyes the eyes of the Lord should be alway and fully upon him And this is the priviledge of every one that hath part and interest in this stone Jesus Christ every righteous person hath seven eyes upon him the Lord God beholds him exactly perfectly and alwayes He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous A second inference is this If the Lord never withdraweth his eyes from the righteous Then let the righteous know their duty What 's that Never to withdraw their eyes from the Lord. There is a threefold eye which a righteous man should never withdraw from God First An eye of faith Secondly An eye of hope Thirdly An eye of dependance and that First for direction in all his wayes Secondly for protection in all his dangers I will lift up mine eyes saith David Psal 121.1 unto the hills from whence cometh my help And again Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a mayden unto the hand of her Mistress so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on us that is we never withdraw our eyes from him while we have need of his mercy and that is alwayes Walk before me that is with an eye of faith hope and dependance was the Lords charge to the father of the faithfull Gen. 17.1 I have set the Lord alwayes before me that is I
He hath brought down the mighty from their seats and hath exalted the lowly and meek We have some Scripture-instances of such exaltations Joseph a righteous person was cast into bonds yet God sets him not only at liberty but on high he was with the King on the Throne Only in the Throne said Pharaoh Gen. 42.40 will I be greater than thou and all were commanded to bow the knee to him David a righteous person followed the Ewes great with young and the Lord set him upon the Throne upon the Throne of Israel Valentinian was committed to prison by the command of Julian the Apostate because he struck an Idolatrous Priest that would have sprinkled him aqua lustrali with their unholy holy water as he stood in the gate of the Temple where Julian was sacrificing to his Idol-gods yet he escaped that danger and afterwards ascended the Throne of that Great Empire The Lord knows both how to deliver the righteous out of trouble and to bring them to honour Lastly We may hence infer If the righteous are with Kings on the Throne then righteousness hath a reward Them that honour me saith the Lord 1 Sam. 2.30 I will honour It is no vaine thing to serve the Lord to be righteous and to do righteously cannot but issue well The Lord hath all promotions at his dispose Psal 75.6 7. And therefore he saith Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eate the fruit of their doings Isa 3.10 With Kings are they on the Throne Yet let me add by way of Caution that neither this Text nor the notes given from it are so to be understood as if all righteous persons might hence expect great advancements in this world or to be the special Favourites of Kings and Princes The word of God doth not feed such humours but mortifies them nor doth it cherish any such aspiring expectations in righteous men but teaches them quiet submission in their own private stations and callings to those who are upon the Throne So that while Elihu saith of the righteous With Kings are they on the Throne his meaning must be taken soberly and may be taken distinctly thus First That God hath great respect to and high favours for righteous men Secondly That he brings some of them as it is said of Daniel with the Prince of the Eunuches Chap. 1.9 into favour and tender love with Kings and Princes Thirdly That the Lord hath often advanced righteous persons to Thrones and Kingly Dignities And when-ever the Lord advanceth any of the righteous Etiamsi id externè non fiat semper tamen omnium fides pietas quorundam piorum exaltatione honoratur Coc. he makes good this promise because in the exaltation of one the faith and piety of all righteous persons or the whole kind of them is honoured and exalted Fourthly To be sure all the righteous shall be with Kings on the Throne hereafter Christ hath purchased and is gone to prepare a Kingdome for the righteous and will give them a better Crown than any this world affords an incorruptible one As now the righteous are spiritual Kings or Kings in a spiritual sense Rev. 1.6 that is they rule over and keep in subjection their own lusts and corruptions pride ambition love of the world wrath envy and whatever else in them doth rebell and exalt it self against the knowledge of God yea they as Kings in this world conquer the world by faith 1 Joh. 5.4 and the Prince of this world the devil through the power of Jesus Christ as I say all the righteous are now spiritual Kings in the sense given through grace here on earth so they shall be glorious Kings and reigne with Christ for ever in Heaven and then shall this word of God by Elihu be fulfilled to the utmost With Kings are they upon the Throne Yea he doth establish them for ever and they are exalted Elihu proceeds to shew the happiness of the righteous yet further The Lord doth not only advance them but establish them nor doth he only establish them for a while but even perpetuateth their establishment He establisheth them for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sedere in hac conjugatione sedere fecit The word is He makes them sit We render fully to the sense He establisheth them The Lord sets them up on high and then settles them on high Some get on high but they cannot keep on high they find no establishment there but God can establish For ever The for ever of this world is a long time The Lord saith of Sion Psal 132.14 Here will I dwell for ever that is long Thus in the text He will establish them for ever that is they shall have long establishment And if we take it as to their exaltation in the other world there God will establish them to the utmost latitude of for ever that is to eternity The Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in victoriam Sept Sic 2 Sam. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will establish them to victory The same word in the Hebrew signifies eternity and also victory because eternity overcomes and triumphs over all The Lord shall settle them to victory and that may have a good interpretation with respect to the power of God in setling them He shall settle them to victory that is they shall in his power overcome all difficulties that stand in the way of their establishment Hence Note As preferment so establishment is from God First He establisheth all things whether they be First natural things the heavens and the earth times and seasons Gen. 8.22 or Secondly Civil things States and Nations or Thirdly Spiritual things First the Gospel and the Church of the Gospel that he establisheth as a Rock against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile Mat. 16.18 so Isa 44.28 Psal 87.5 Secondly Grace in the hearts of his people 1 Pet. 5.10 and them in the wayes of grace 2 Thes 2.17 Chap. 3.3 Thus God establisheth all things Secondly He establisheth counsels and actions Isa 44.26 He confirmeth the word of his servants and performeth the counsel of his Messengers that is he makes good and brings to effect that word which they have given in counsel And as for actions Moses prayeth Psal 90.17 Establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Whatever is in our hands quickly molders away and as the enemies said when the Jewes built the walls of Jerusalem Neh. 4.3 If a Fox go up upon it it will fall unless the Lord establish it but neither the Foxes with their subtilty nor the Lyons with their power and cruelty shall be able to overthrow that wall or those actions which the Lord is pleased to establish for he doth establish them For ever Hence Note The Lord can establish not only for a time but for alwayes he can give a
prosecuteth the admonition which he had given Job in the 21 verse to take heed of uttering any thing rashly concerning Gods dealings with him or of choosing iniquity rather than affliction And he presseth the admonition by two great arguments First From the power and wisdome of God in the 22t h verse Behold God exalteth by his power who teacheth like him Secondly He urgeth it by an argument taken from the soveraignty of God as also from his most exact Justice v. 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity As if he had said Take heed how thou accusest the Justice of God in any of his dealings with thee If God be of such power of such wisdome of such soveraignty of such integrity then consider well what thou speakest yea what thou thinkest of God beware thou speakest not a word nor conceivest a thought amiss of him Consider I say God himself his wayes and works thoroughly and thou wilt conclude with me That though many in the world have great power and have left the markes of it in many places and upon many persons yet none like God either first in doing his own work or secondly in directing or teaching us how to do ours So that Elihu by this report and commendation of the power and wisdome of God seems to comfort Job in the assurance or hope of better things Ecce deus excelsus in fortitudine sua Vulg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excelsus est intransitive sumi potest attollit robur suum i. e. robâ—re suo excelsus est if he would hearken to and accept his counsel for as God had mightily afflicted and broken him so he was as mighty to heal those breaches and deliver him he only waited to see him in a better frame that he might be gracious Isa 30.18 That 's the general sum of the words Vers 22. Behold God exalteth by his power Some read God is high in his own power that carrieth Elihu's reason strongly in it God is exalted in his power above all others and therefore it is no way sutable or consentaneous unto reason that the greater power should be questioned much less condemned of injustice by the lesser power There must be a parity a co-ordination or a co-equality at least if not a superiority where judgement is given That 's a great truth God is exalted in his own power David Psal 21.13 turns it into a prayer or wish Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength He makes a like prayer Psal 108.5 The Lord in other places declareth himself pâ—remptorily in it Psal 46.10 Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the Heathen I will be exalted in the Earth It shall be so whether men will or will not whether men will or no God will be exalted because he is exalted in his own power not in any derived power or power given him from the creature Men or Angels The power which God puts forth in his works exalt him or shew him to be a great a mighty God Behold God is exalted by his own power But we translate the Text and so I conceive it more fitly sutes the scope of Elihu as expressing an act of God towards others Behold God exalteth by his power So Mr Broughton Mark the Omnipotent sets up by his strength Behold As hath been shewed is a note both of attention and admiration God The strong God the potent the omnipotent God who is able to overcome all difficulties Exalteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elevare exaltare corroborare stabilem inconcussum reddere The word which we render to exalt signifieth to set in an inaccessible height or to exalt veâ—y high and not only so but to establish in that exaltation yea so to confirme and corroborate him that is set up in such a height that no power is able to molest trouble or afflict him and therefore a word coming from this root signifieth a fortified Castle or Tower such places if any are exalted and lifted up on high Behold God exalteth As if Elihu had said God is not only exalted in himself he is not only lifted up beyond the reach of all creature-annoyances but he is able to lift up others and he doth actually exalt his when he pleaseth beyond the reach of all danger beyond the hurtfull power of those who hate them and therefore have a mind to hurt them God is so exalted above others that he can exalt others also He exalteth by His Power He hath the power in himself The word which we render power signifieth First That might and strength which is corporal the might and strength of the body Secondly Inward might and strength whether acquired or infused the might of the mind wisdome and pollicy Thirdly Civil might and power honour and riches Whatever maketh a man strong comes under the notion of this word and every way in all the Notions of power God is exalted He exalteth by his power But seeing 't is barely asserted He exalteth by his power nothing being expressed it may be questioned whom doth he exalt or what doth he exalt I answer Forasmuch as the Scripture leaveth it at large and undetermined we may apply this assertion to any either thing or person God exalteth whom he pleaseth and what he pleaseth VVe may take it distinctly these five wayes First He exalteth Himself by his power that is he exalteth his own Name and Glory which is nearest to him yea as himself Secondly He exalteth every work which he will undertake and engage upon He doth not only lay the Foundation of his work and rear up the VValls a little way but he exalteth by his power till he hath set up the Head-stone of his work as the Prophet Zechariah speaketh Chap. 4.7 all that love and fear him shouting and crying Grace Grace to it He exalteth his works of Providence as once he did his work of Creation to full perfection Thirdly The Lord exalteth those that fear him for they are most properly his Favourites and whom should he exalt but those whom he favoureth All the worldly exaltations of evill men are but depressions and abasements compared with those exaltations and advancements which God intendeth for all that fear him and some he exalteth much in this VVorld Fourthly and more specially He exalteth by his power such Job then was those that are cast down by the oppressing power of men even the poor and those that have no help Thou art he saith David Psal 9.13 that liftest me up or exaltest me from the gates of death When I am perishing when I am ready to be swallowed up with death when I am at the greatest loss even as to life it self then thou liftest me up thou liftest me up from the very gates of death Again Psal 18.48 He delivereth me from mine enemies yea thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me When they are casting me down God is
the work of God in general proceeds to draw him to the magnifying of the special works of God in naturals Yet before he leads him to the consideration of the greatness of those works he invites him to consider God himself who is the Author and Disposer of them and he invites him to consider God is three things all which we find laid down in this 26th verse First In his Greatness Behold God is great Secondly In his Incomprehensibleness He is great and we know him not Thirdly In his Eternity Neither can the number of his years be searched out Surely he is most worthy our consideration who is great and so great that he cannot be comprehended and who is eternally great whose years are numberless Vers 26. Behold God is great The word Behold is here a note both of Attention and admiration O mind O admire the greatness of God God is great The word rendred great properly signifies an encreasing growing greatness God is without all encrease or growth being for ever the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et multus magnus multus robore Drus Septuaginta legunt multus i. e. omnibus numeris perfectus atque omnibus perfectionibus cumiloâ—is yet he may be said to encrease to be magnified and multiplied as I may say according to the apprehensions which we have of him This word bears the signification both of much and many God is but one and the one-most one yet in this sence many So the Septuagint renders it here he hath or is many that is he hath all perfections in him the lines of all excellency and virtue of all glory and perfection center in God alone Thus God is much and God is many the one God is many he hath many he hath all eminencies and excellencies bound up boundlesly in him Again God is great in himself or in his being Whatsoever is in God is God and therefore whatsoever is in God is great The power of God is the powerful God and therefore his power must needs be great the wisdom oâ— God is the wi e God and therefore his wisdom most needs be very great the mercy of God is the merciful God and therefore his mercy must needs be very great And thus we may pâ—oceed in our meditations quite through all the divine Attributes And as God is great in his being so he is great in his working he doth great things The Psalmist â—aith he is good and doth good he is also great and doth great things he is the tâ—â—st the chief and the best being and his doings are such as he is he doth like himself God is great and he hath an excellent an excelling greatness Praise him saith David Psal 150.2 according to his excellent greatness or as the words may well bear according to his muchness of greatness for when the Scripture saith God is great this positive is to be taken as a superlative God is great that is he is greatest he is greater than all so great that all persons and all things are little yea nothing before him Isa 40.15 Behold the nations are to him but as the drop of the bucket and are counted but at the smal dust of the ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing they are as nothing and they are counted to him as less than nothing and vanity How great is God in comparison of whom the greatest things are little things yea the greatest things are nothing Behold God is great From this excellent Attribute the greatness of God I have made several Inferences already at the 12th verse of the 33d chapter yet I shall infer some things further here both for our direction and consolation First If God he great and greatest then fear him greatly Great is the Lord said David in his thanksgiving-song 1 Chron. 16.25 he also is to be feared above all gods that is above all the great powers on earth and above all the imaginary powers of heaven Idols who are the fancied powers of heaven are sometimes called gods in Scripture so likewise are Princes or Magistrates who are eal powers on earth Now saith David who was one of those gods and a great one fear him above all gods Why Because he is above all gods he is higher than the highest and he is greater than the greatest therefore fear him above all gods yea therefore fear or worship him all ye gods Psal 97.7 Many say with their mouthes God is great yea infinitely greater than man yet they fear men especially great men more than God Secondly If God be great then love him greatly Shall this great God have but little love from us The Law of love with respect to God is exprest two wayes in Scripture first as to the truth of it and secondly as to the measure or degree of it The love which is given to God must be a true love a sincere love yet not only so but the love which is given to God must be the greatest love Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might and with all thy strength with all thy heart sincerely with all thy might and strength greatly Thirdly If God be great then serve him greatly or do him great service Take heed of offering the lean and the lame the halt and the blind to this great King A great King must not be put off with little services with small pittances of duty Fourthly If God be great then believe him greatly let us have great faith in the great God Jesus Christ rebukes his disciples Mat. 8.26 O ye of little faith have you God to pitch your faith upon who is great have you his power and his mercy and his truth and his faithfulness all which are great to rest upon and have you but a little faith That woman Mat. 15.28 gave glory to God in believing when she believed greatly and therefore Christ cryeth up and magnifyeth the greatness of her faith O woman great is thy faith Fifthly The great God is greatly to be praised he doth great things for us therefore we must return great thanks to him That also we have expresly 1 Chron. 16.25 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised The great God must have great praises for he doth great things As every sin we commiâ— against God hath a greatness in it upon this consideration because he is a great God against whom we sin Take heed of the least sin for that is great being committed against the great God so whatsoever duty this of pâ—aise especially we perform to God we should strive to raise it up to the gâ—eatest to the highest because the great God the high God is concerned in it or it is consigned to the great to the high God Sixthly If God be great we ought to give him great submission or to submit greatly to him Great submission to God is the substance of all duty to
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
the true knowledge of Jesus Christ and to encourage the faithfull dispencers and professors of it both by your favour and example worshiping the Lord in the beauty of holiness If any should ask Why is the Lord to be so worshipped why must he have such high honours from those that are high what doth he in the World which calls for such adoration David answers Meteorologically as well as Theologically he answers from the Clouds vers 3. The Voyce of the Lord is upon the Waters the God of glory thundreth the Lord is upon many Waters The voyce of the Lord is powerful the voyce of the Lord is full of Majesty As if he had said Although the Lord Jesus Christ will not set up an outward pompous political Kingdome such as that of Cyrus or Alexander c. yet by the Ministry of the Gospel he will erect a spiâ—itual Kingdome and gather to himself a Church that shall abide for ever out of all the Nations of the earth For the Gospel shall be carryed and preached to not only the people of Israel the Jewes but to the Gentiles all the world over that the minds of men may be awakened enlightned and moved with that unheard of Doctrine of Salvation by Christ which had been hid from Ages and Generations And though many shall be hardned against and oppose that glad-tydings yet because the God of glory thundereth that is because the voyce of the Lord is powerful and full of Majesty he accompanying the Ministry of the Gospel with power and terror like that of Thunder home to the Consciences of men for their conviction and conversion therefore it shall do great and glorious things subduing the greatest and stoutest sinners to the obedience of his Will This Thunder will cast down the strong holds of sin and every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. This is it which the Prophet David intendeth according to this allegorical interpretation by the effects of Thunder elegantly expressed vers 5 6 7 8 9 The Voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars yea the Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon that is proud and high-minded men who are in their own conceit as tall as Cedars these he will make to see that they are but shrubs these he will humble and break â—heir hearts by true repentance for the pride of their hearts and all the abominations of their lives Further vers 6. He maketh them also to skip like a Calf Lebanon and Syrion like a young Vnicorn that is the Lord by his thundering powerful voyce first will make them skip as frighted with fear and secondly as revived with joy Yet more vers 7. The Voyce of the Lord divideth the Flames of fire that is will send and divide to every one as they need 1 Cor. 12.11 the holy Spirit who is compared to and called Fire Mat. 3.11 and who came as with a Thunder-storm of a mighty rushing wind and with the appearance of cloven Tongues like as of fire and sate upon each one of the Apostles Acts 2.2 3. Nor did this Voyce of Thunder accompanied with divided flâ—mes of fire reach Jerusalem only for as it follows vers 8. The Vâ—yce of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness the Wilderness of Kadesh that is the Lord by the voyce of the Gospel shall go forth with power to those Gentiles who are like a wilderness barren oâ— goodness and unmanur'd in spirituals though they dwell in well-govern'd Cities and are well-furnished with Morals It shall go forth also to those Gentiles who inhabit wast wildernesses and are not so much as reduced to civility These wildernesses the thundering voice of the Lord hath shaken heretofore and doth shake at this day and will yet further shake that the fulness of the Gentiles may come in Many of these wildernesses hath the Lord turned into fruitful fields and pleasant lands by the voice of the Gospel sounding among them For in these wildernesses as it followeth vers 9. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve that is they that were as wild as untaught and untamed as the hind or any beast in the forrest he brings to the sorrows of theiâ— new-birth to Repentance and Gospel-humiliation And in doing this He as the Psalmist goes on discovereth the forrests that is opens the hearts of men which are as thick set and full grown with vanity pride hypocrisie self-self-love and self-sufficiency as also with wantonness and sensuality as any forest is over-grown with thickets of trees and bushes which deny all passage through till cleared away by cutting down or burning up Such an opening such a discovery doth the Lord make in the forrests of mens hearts by the Sword and Fire that is by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel and when all this is done the forrest becomes a Temple and as that verse concludes In his temple doth every one speak of his glory And if the floods of ungodliness rise up against this people whom the thunder and lightning of the Gospel have subdued to Christ and framed into a holy Temple then the Psalmist assureth us vers 10. The Lord sitteth upon the flood that is 't is under his power he ruleth and over-ruleth it yea The Lord sitteth King for ever and v. 11. The Lord will give strength to his people the Lord will bless his people with peace Thus the Lord thundereth marveilously and these are glorious marvels which he thundereth he converts sinners The thunder of the Gospel frights them out of sin and the grace of it gives them peace Thus though I like not their way who are given to allegorize the Scriptures yet I doubt not but we may make a profitable use both of this and many other Scriptures by way of allegory This being an undeniable truth which is the ground of it That the Lord puts forth as it were the power of Thunder and Lightning in the preaching of his Word these two things are to be marked First That Thunder and Lightning are a kind of Word of God to us they tell us though confusedly yet plainly enough for the conviction and condemnation of gainsayers there is a God the greatest Princes of the world have taken notice of Thunder and Tempest that there is a God over all governing all nor needs there any more teaching than that to condemne Athiests and Mockers at Religion We say proverbially of some men who make a rude noise they are so loud that we cannot hear God Thunder for them yet know there 's no noise can so drown the voice of Gods Thunder in the Clouds but it will condemn all that hear it not so as to acknowledg God in it Secondly We should mark that as Thunder and Lightning are a kind of Voice or Word of God to us so the Word of God or the Voice of God speaking in his Word is a kind of Thunder and Lightning to us
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
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
out how good how merciful God is or the utmost extent of his goodness and mercy which Zophar in the place before cited calleth a finding of him out to perfection I may give you a five-fold Negative to shew wherein God cannot be found out First We cannot find him out as to the infiniteness of his Eâ—sence and Being that 's beyond the line of a created Understanding Secondly We cannot find him out as to the excellency of his Attributes or the manner of his being who can tell how wise God is how holy how just how powerful how good We may easily find his divine perfections all the world over we may find them in every leaf of the book of the Scripture yea in every leaf of the book of the Creature but we cannot find them out any where to perfection Thirdly We cannot find out the depth of his Counsels God hath some Arcana secrets which he hath reserved in his own power as Christ told his disciples in the first of the Acts vers 6. when they would needs be prying into that secret of his councel the time of restoring the kingdom to Israel There are many councels of God lockt up in his own boâ—om which we cannot find out nor must we be bold and curious in searching into them Fourthly The Lord cannot be found out no not in his works of Pâ—ovidence which are acted outwardly or by which he brings forth his councels to act Psal 77.19 His foot-steps are not known not only are not any of his secret councels known but some oâ— his very foot-steps his treadings his goings are not fully known God goeth so that we cannot find where he gâ—eth he leaves no track as we say behind him Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable aâ—e his Judgments not only his councels but how unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out That 's the very expression of the text There are many providences of God which we find and feel which we see and cannot but see yet we cannot find them out that is we are not able to give a direct answer why God doth this or that nor how this or that was done Consider that Scripture 2 Chron. 31.20 21. where we have a most singular character of Hezekiah and of his government Thus did Hezâ—kiah throughout all Judah and wrought that which was gâ—od and right and truth before the Lord his God and in every wâ—rk that he began in the service of the house of God he did it with all his heart and prospered So the 31th chapter concludes yet the 32d begins thus After these things and the establishment thereof Sennacherib King of Assiria came and entred into Judah and encamped against the fenced Cities One would have thought Hezekiah being thus zealous for the Reformation of the Church of God in Judah and Jerusalem and having done all that concerned it with a perfect heart that surely such a Prince should have lived in peace and prospered all his dayes yet presently his Kingdome was invaded by a potent enemy Sennacherib comes against him and fills him and all his people with fear of utter subversion This was a secret of providence very hard to find out a depth which who can fathome That when a good King with his Counsel had been indeavouring a true Reformation and that with a perfect heart he should presently see war at his gates Solomon saith Pro. 16.7 When a mans ways please the Lord he makes his enemies to be at peace with him Yet it was no sooner said of King Hezekiah that his wayes pleased the Lord but the very next paragraph of his Chronicle reports an enemy making war upon him Fifthly Take this also We cannot find out God in the dispensations of his Free Grace in the Gospel â—here are such mazes such mysteries of love and goodness and kindneâ—s in Jesus Ch ist as though it be our duty to be searching after them and in them all our dayes though we ought to be continually digging in those golden Mines to find out the treasures hidden there yet we can never find them out Therefore the Apostle Ephes 3.8 calls them The unsearchable riches of Christ not unsearchable because it is unlawful to search after them but unsearchable because when we have searched to the utmost we cannot find them out as he speaks in the close of that chapter that we may be able to comprehend with all Saints the height and depth and length and breadth and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge Under all these considerations and many many more God is past finding out Whence take three brief Inferences First Do not search too far that is beyond what is written into the counsels of God no nor into the works of God For though as it is said Psal 111.2 the works of God are great sought out by all them that have pleasure therein yet they that have the greatest pleasure in them cannot in all points find them out It is our duty to search the works of God but to think we can find out the bottom of his works would be our sin Secondly If the Almighty cannot be found out no not in his works of providence then Take heed of censuring or finding fault with his works Shall we censure what we cannot know and find fault with that which we cannot find He that censures what another doth should first have the full compass of what he doth and be able to look quite thorow it which the most eagle-eyed soul in the world cannot as to what God doth in this world And therefore though you see no reason for what is don do not complain for there may be a reason for the doing of it which you do not see and the reason is often such and lyes so deep that you cannot see it And know this is reason enough why you should forbear censuring what is done because God doth iâ— though you can give no oâ—her reason why it is done Thirdly If God be past finding out in his works and much more in himself then be not so much as discontented with his works You are not yet come to the bottom you have not seen the last man born as we say you know not what God will make of it till he hath done all therefore take heed of murmuring and discontent Zech. 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is risen out of his holy habitation Though his rising be visible yet we cannot see all the concernments and intendments of his rising therefore be silâ—nt altogether from fear and discontents and though not from all enqâ—i ies about it yet from a presumption of finding out all by enquiâ—ies For As touching the Almighty we cannot find him out That 's the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is excellent in power Tâ—at's the second Mr. Broughton reads He is huge of strength The word rendâ—ed excellent properly signifies to encrease There is no encrease of the strength of
not chastise them without cause nor correct them but for their good so when he doth them good or raiseth them up when he sheweth them any favour or giveth them any mercy he doth it not for their wisdom-sake or holiness-sake but for his Sons-sake or for his own Name-sake Acts of favour from God are purely from his free grace not from any desert in man so that every way his mercy is from himself and undeserved by us He respecteth not any that are wise in heart First As the wise in heart stand in opposition to those that fear God spoken of before being so stout that they do not humble themselves in his fear Note True wisdom is alwayes joyned with the fear of God Yea as Job concluded Chap. 28.28 The fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil which none do but they who fear the Lord is understanding Secondly Note God regardeth no man for his wisdom who doth not fear him Let men be never so learned and wise never so prudent and politick if they have not the true fear of God before their eyes he values them not he will not cast an eye of favour upon them they shall have no countenance with him no honour from him The most wise the only wise God cares not for the wisest of men who stand so much upon their own understanding as to stout it out with him He is not at all moved unless to displeasure by their wisdom who are puffed up with a conceit of their wisdom Thirdly When 't is said He respecteth not any that are wise in heart Note Wisdom without the fear of God will do no man good at last nor can it keep him off from evil Let no man think by his wisdom policy or subtilty to keep himself out of the reach of God If men will not fear and honour him he knoweth well enough how to deal with them and to recover his honour upon them Note Fourthly Let men be as wise and crafty as they will God is not afraid of them as if they could do him any hurt or spoil his designes as if they could out-wit him and over-throw his counsels Some take upon them as if they by their wisedom could hinder Gods purposes and counter-work him as if they could over-reach or undermine him We are much afraid of wise men If such a wise man if such a head-piece be against us we think surely he will works us a great deal of mischeife When David found his son Absalom rebelling against him and Achitophel joyning with him he prayed that God would turn his counsell into foolishness 2 Sam. 15.31 David feared that Achitophels going over to Absalom might have carryed the whole business against him But God doth not regard a whole conclave of Achitophels he cares not a straw for their plottings and contrivings The Lord is so far from fearing the counsels of the wise in heart that he can destroy them by their own wisdome and not only undoe their counsels but undoe them by their counsels The pit which they have digged they shall fall into it themselves and be entangled in the lime-twiggs which they have set up for others All this the holy Prophet intended when he said of God Isa 44.25 He frustrateth the tokens of the lyers and maketh the diviners mad He turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish Diviners grow mad when they see things issuing quite contrary to their predictions and expectations He that can destroy the wise with their own wisdom needs not fear the wisdom of the wisest 'T is the noblest way of vanquishing an enemy when we wound him with his own weapons and turn his own Artillery upon him Thus God dealeth with the wise in heart they are nothing in his hands they cannot put the least stop to what he hath a purpose to do but he can put a stop to all their purposes The foolishness of God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.25 is wiser than men He saith also in the third Chapter of the same Epistle vers 19. The wisdome of this world is foolishness with God for it is w iâ—â—en and that writing is taken out of this Book of Job Châ—p 5.13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness And again The Lâ—rd knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine and vain he knoweth them to be in a twofold respect First because sinfâ—ll or evill in themselves Secondly because he knows how to make them barren or abortive successless and ineffectual unto the wise So that they all become like most Adventurers at a Lottery going out with their hearts full of hopes but returning with their hands full of blanks Disappoyntment Disappoyntment being written upon all their counsels and undertakings Again Taking the wise in heart for those who are truly wise godly wise Learn Fifthly God will not forbear when he seeth cause to afflict those who are indeed the wisest and holiest of men Let no man think that because he is wise or holy he must not therefore be touched or medled with Some conceive the chief design of writing this Book was to let us see this truth That let men be never so holy never so upright or godly yet they must not claime priviledge from the cross nor complain when they are under it that God deals not well with them In this Job over-acted supposing there was no cause why such a man as he should have such severe chastenings and rebukes but let men be never so wise never so good God may see cause to lay his chastening rods upon them and had the Lord nothing else to say for it his soveraignty will bear him out in it against the best of men The clay must neither say to the Potter why hast thou made me so nor why hast thou marr'd me so Be silent O all flesh good as well as bad before the Lord. Lastly Observe What-ever favour what-ever mercy God bestoweth upon the holiest and wisest of men he doth it not with respect to any wisdome holiness or goodness in them but for his own Name sake or because he will He respecteth not the wise in heart No man can merit the least favour from God his is free grace All good cometh to us through the Son of his love and it was meerly of his love that ever his Son came to us and dyed for us Therefore let us not say such a one was a good man such a one was an holy man therefore it was so and so with him As what we are or can do cannot oblige him when he sees cause from giving us correction so he is un-obliged as to what we are or can do in giving us salvation whether temporal or eternal He respecteth not the wise in heart There are yet two other readings of the words which I shall set before the Reader and then conclude all The word which we translate respecteth Is certe non invenit sapientes quoscunque