The excellency of God in Judgment as well as in Power But what are we to understand by judgment in which Elihu saith God excells In answer to this Querie I shall first shew that Judgment is taken four ways in Scripture and then prove that God is excellent in Judgment with respect to every one of them First Judgment is an ability of judging A man of judgment and a wise man are the same When we say such a man is a man of Judgment or a judicious man we mean he is a prudent man he is able to discern things that differ he knows how to order state and determine doubtful things aright In this sence we are to understand it here the Lord is excellent in judgment that is in wisdome and prudence to set things right and to give every one his right he sees clearly how to mannage all his affayres and purposes by righteous meanes to right ends The prophet gives God the glory of this title expressely Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of judgment Blessed are they that wait for him That is the Loâ—d is infinitely furnished with wisdom he knows exactly not only what ought to be done but how and when to do it therefore waite for him And 't is encouragement to waite when we have a person of judgment and understanding a discreet and prudent person to waite upon God is a God of judgment in this sence theref re blessed are they that waite for him Secondly Judgement in Scripture is taken for that moderation or due measure which is observed in any thing that is done This follows the former for unless a man have a Judgment or true understanding in the thing it self he can never hit a right measure of it Thus I conceive that Scripture is to be understood Math 23.23 where Christ denouncing or thundering out woes thick and threefold against the proud hypocritical Pharisees he tells them Ye pay tythe of Anise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy that iâ— either they did not give a right judgment according to Law or their legal Judgments were given with rigour not at all attemper'd mixt and moderated with mercy Of such the Apostle James speaketh Chap. 2.13 He shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against Judgment In this sence the Lord is excellent in Judgment For as he hath wisdome and understanding to see what is just â—ight so in Judgment he remembers Mercy His patience is greaâ— before he gives Judgment and his moderation is great when he gives it He dealeth not with us according to our sins nor rewardeth us according to our iniquities Psal 103.10 that is his Judgments are not proportion'd to the greatness of our sins and iniquities For as it followeth at the 11th verse of that Psalme as high as the Heaveâ— is above the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him Therefore the Prophet brings in the Chuâ—ch praying thus Jer. 10.24 O Lord Correct me I conceive it is not a direct prayer for Correction but a submission to it As if he had said I will not murmur nor rebell against thy Correction O Lord Correct me but with Judgment that is with due moderation It cannot be meant of Judgment as it notes the effect of divine displeasure but Correct me moderately or as another text hath iâ— in measure as thou usest to correct thy people This meaning is plain fâ—om the opposition in the next words Not in thine anger least thou bring me to nothing Anger transports men to do things undecently wiâ—hout modeâ—ation we quickly exceed our limits if carried out in passion and though that anger which the Scripture attributes often to God never transports him beyond the due bounds of his wisdome and justice yet when God is said to do a thing in anger it notes his going as it were to the utmost bounds of justice this caused the Church to pray O Lord if the cup may not pass from me if it cannot be but I must be corrected then I humbly and earnestly beg thou wouldst be pleased to correct me in Judgment not in anger least thou bring me to nothing What the Church prayed for here the Lord promised elsewhere Jer. 30.11 I will not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished Thus God is excellent in Judgment He abates the severity of his proceedings and allayes the bitterness of the cup by some ingredients of mercy Thirdly Judgment in Scripture is put for the reformation of things when they are out of order In this sence it is used John 12.31 Now is the Judgment of this world Our late Annotators tell us that by Judgment is meant reformation As if Christ had said I am come to set all things in order that have been out of order and disjoynted in the Jewish Church and every where else Now is the Judgment of this world In this sence God is excellent in Judgment or he excells in this Judgment that is he is for reformation he will set all things right he will make crooked things strait he will make the rough places plain John the Baptist came before Christ in this work yet in this work Christ is before or exceeds John the Baptist The Lord Isa 4.4 will purge away the iniquity of the daughter of Zion with a spirit of Judgment and with a spirit of burning that is with a reforming and a refining Spirit And the Lord will send forth this Judgment unto victory Matth. 12.20 that is he will do it thorowly he will oveâ—come all the difficulties and put by all the obstacles which hinder the perfect reforma ion of things as well as â—f persons That 's the importance also of that great promise Isa 1.25 26. I saith the Lord will turn my hand upon thee or take thee in hand aâ—d purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tinn thâ—t is all those corruptions which have crept in upon thee I will restâ—re thy Judges as at the first and thy Councellors as at the beginning Things and persons are usually best at first The new broom â—ay we sweept clean As time consumes all things here beloâ— so it coâ—rupts most things and therefore when the Loâ—d promiseth to restore them to a primitive purity he promiseth the purest restauration all which is summ'd up in the 27th verse Sion shall be redeemed with Judgment which is not only if at all intended of a redemption by Judgment on her enemies but by that reformation which â—od would work upon themselves in taking away their dross and tinn Restoring their Judges as at the first and their Councellers as at the beginning Such a Judgment is spoken of Isa 30 22. Ye shall defile also that is utterly disgrace and deface the Covering of thy graven Images of Silver and the Ornament of thy molten Images of Gold
had Fathers of our flesh who for a few dayes chastened us after theâ—r own pleasure they to ease themselveâ— have put us to pain but the Lord doth it for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness There is just cause we should be afflicted when we provoke God by sin or when he would purge us from our sin or make us more holy And as it may be said God will not afflict because he doth not afflict us but when there is cause for it so Thirdly Because he doth not afflict us but when there is need 1 Pet. 1.6 nor more than there is need we shall not be afflicted an hour longer nor have a grain more of weight in the burden of our cross nor a drop more of gall and wormwood in the cup of our sorrows than we have need of Isa 27.7 8 9. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him in measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with him As if it had been said he shall have no greater a measure than is both useful and needful First to humble him for his sin secondly to subdue and mortifie his sin thirdly he shall have no more than is needful to exercise his graces his faith and patience no more fourthly than is needful to make him thankful for deliverance and sensible of mercy when it comes Thus as God who hath plenty of Justice will not afflict us but when there is need so not more than is need Fourthly It may be said He will not afflict because he doth not afflict us more than we can bear he tenderly considers our strength what we are able to stand under how long we are able to stand under it he will not break our backs nor our hearts unless by godly sorrow for or from sin by affliction God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.13 is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Hence whâ—n it is said Lam. 3.33 He doth not afflict willingly c. it follâ—weth vers 34. to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth The Lord makes many his prisoners yet then his bowels are opened towards them he will not crush nor tread them down as mire in the streets I saith the Lord Isa 57.16 will not contend for ever c. For if I should the Spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made I know what your spirits can bear and I will contend no longer than I know you are able to bear it Hence that Promise Psal 125.3 The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous least he put forth his hands to evil The Lord knows the rod may prevail over us so as to put us upon the doing of evil and therefore he will take order that it shall not Thus we may safely understand this assertion He will not afflict that is he afflicts not willingly he afflicts not till there is need nor will he afflict more than needs nor more than we are able or himself will enable us to bear he will either support us under or give us deliverance out of all our afflictions in due time I might hence or from the whole infer a double duty First Be Patient under affliction Secondly Be Comforted in affliction For God doth so afflict that he may be truly said not to afflict But having met with occasions for the ministring of such like counsels to the afflicted from other passages in this book it may suffice only to mind the Reader of them here This spake Elihu in the close or peroration of his discourse to stir up Job to consider all the dealings of God with him he would have him sit down with these four Doctrinal Conclusions upon his heart that God is Excellent in Power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice he will not afflict Surely he will not afflict more in measure nor longer in time than is need as Job seemed in his passion to intimate and charge God for which he had several reproofs before Thus far I have opened these words as they stand in our translation There are two or three different readings especially of the latter part of the verse which would not be altogether omitted and therefore I shall touch at them and then proceed to the next and last verse of this Chapter which is also Elihu's parting word or the conclusion of his large and close discourse with Job The first different reading is much insisted upon by some Interpreters Take it thus Omnipotens quem non assequimur amplus est virtute sed judicio mâ—gnitudine justitiae non affliget Merc. The Almighty whom we cannot find out is great in power but he will not afflict in judgment and plenty of justice This translation transposeth those words which we place in the end of the verse he will not afflict to the middle of it and it renders the copulative particle And by the adversative But This makes the sence of the whole verse more plain and easie than the former as also to rise up more fully to the purpose of Elihu As if he had thus summed up all that he spoke before or had contracted it into this sum Which things seeing they are so as I have declared we may certainly conclude Quamvis sit potentissimus tamen homines ante creatos tanti facit ut non utator omnipotentia sua ad eos summo jure pro meritis eorum affligendos Jun. that the Almighty is so full of majesty and power that we are no way able to reach compass and find him out Yet notwithstanding he is so full of goodnesse and mercy that he is very sparing towards men and will not afflict them according to their demerits nor up to the extremity of justice This exposition holds out clearly that temperament of the power and justice with the goodness and mercy of God which Elihu undertook to demonstrate at the fifth verse of the thirty sixth Chapter and so forwards He is great in power but he will not afflict in judgement Take this note from it How great soever the power of God is yet he doth not afflict sinful man according to the greatness of his power nor the utmost line of his justice The Lord is full of mercy full of sparing mercy he spareth his people as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 And indeed if God should afflict in plenty that is in extremity of justice what would become of the best of the holiest of men Who can withstand the power of the great God who can stand in judgment before him if he should mark iniquities Psal 130.3 Woe to the most innocent man alive if God should mark iniquities and not forgive iniquities And therefore it follows in the next or 4th verse of that Psalm
idle away the day and sport and play and sing away the night As good men have holy songs in the night Isa 30.29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy Solemnity is kept c. So the wicked have their wanton vaine revelling songs in the night when their sensual Solemnities are kept Belshazer was drinking in the night and doubtless he had his musick songs that night And as he had his songs mirth and musick in the night so he said not Where is God my maker who giveth me songs in the night he instead of minding God his maker in his mirth minded only the gods which himself had made as the text speaks Dan. 5.4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver c. And thus 't is in proportion with all the wicked to whom God gives songs in the night they say not Where is God my maker This interpretation which carrieth the songs to the oppressors before spoken of contains a truth yet I shall not stay upon it but take the words as referring to the oppressed Here it may be queried how doth God give them songs in the night I shall not insist upon those conjectures which some have made about this giving songs in the night As First implying God so gracious that he giveth us not only in the day but in the night occasion of joy in sorrow namely the view and contemplation of the Heavens and Starrs which are very pleasant and refreshing Psal 19.1 Others Secondly conjecture that God may be said to give the sorrowful and oppressed ones songs in the night by the singing of birds in the night of that bird especially which hath its name from singing in the night the Nightingal Some insist much upon these interpretations It is I grant a great mercy of God that when the Sun is down we have Moon-light and Star-light and that in the night we have the innocent harmless birds to sing and make us pleasant melody But leaving these we may take the words in a double notion First Properly Secondly Metaphorically Properly and so to give songs in the night as the night is taken for night time imports the goodness of God to man not only in the day time but in the night Hence Note God in the night season as well as in the day gives his people matter of joy night-Night-mercies deserve and call for day-praises especially two sorts of night-night-mercies First Night preservations Psal 3.6 I laid me down and slept for thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety The night is subjâ—ct to many dangers Qui distribuit nocturnas custodias Sept The Septuagint render fully to this sense Who giveth watch or preservation in the night that 's matter of praise and thanksgiving to God Secondly he gives us cause of praise and singing not only for preserving our lives while we sleep in the night but for refreshing us with sleep in the night Psal 127.2 So he giveth his beloved sleep The Lord gives us not only safety but sleep Sweet sleep is a great mercy Eccl. 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or mucâ— and they who sleep sweetly get refreshing and renewings of strength after all their foâ—mer labours for new labours So thaâ— if we take night properly for the night time there is much occasion of rejoycing given by God to mankind in general and more peculiarly to his faithfull servants in reference to those common mercies of bodily safety and the return of natural strength and spirits Secondly Take night properly and then this assertion He giveth songs in the night may have this meaning The Lord gives his people a praising frame of heart in the night season Etâ—am cum nulla ad eum laudandum documenta circumfulgent intus Spiritu excitat ad laudes Jun When they are wrapped up and compassed about with outward darkness when they are solitary and alone when no worldly object holds out any occasion of comfort to them yet then the Lord lets in a light or shines into their sâ—uls by his good Spirit The Lord may well be said to give songs even in the night when by the immediate work of his Spirit he filleth our spirits with joyes unspeakable and glorious These aâ—e the most ravishing songs of the night Hence Note God by his good Spirit doth often suggest sweet meditations and comfortable thoughts to his people in the night In the night the Lord minds his servants either of such mercies as they have already received or of such as according to his promise he is ready to or will surely bestow that so they may be busied in that heavenly work of praising him and rejoycing in him when they awake or cannot sleep This was Davids experience Psal 17.3 Thou hast visited me in the night Men use to visit us in the day when we are up or awake But saith David God gives me visits in the night when I am in bed he gives me many a song or makes me to rejoyce When we are in our retirements or freest from the hurry of worldly businesses and enjoyments then we are in the fittest posture for the entertainment and enjoyment of God The Lord visits his servants in the night not only as David there to try them or as elsewhere to instruct them but to comâ—oâ—t them as David was assured Psal 42.8 The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his song shall be with me That is a song concerning him I will sing and rejoyce even in the night time because of the goodness and kindnâ—ss of God to me in the day The experience of Asaph or of David communicated in that Psalm to Asaph gives further proof of this Psal 77.6 where having said v. 1. I cryed unto God with my voyce and he gave eare unto me he adds v. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night that is those occasions of joy and singing which God hath heretofore given me These songs were sweeter to me than sleep As it sheweth an excellent frame of spirit to remember the Commandments of God in the night which David also professed as his practise Psal 119.55 I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night and have kept thy Law The name of God is any manifestation of God either in his word or works And again Psal 119.62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous judgements Some watch in the night to give thanks Psal 134.1 others give thanks when they wake at any time in the night both are acts of purest love to God and proceed from purest consolation in God Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him The Spouse doth not say only by night I sought him but by night on my bed I spend not the night in sleeping but in seeking him whom my soul loveth Psal 16.7 My reines instruct me in the night
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
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
God We owe the full submission of our wills to the Will of God in a twofold respect First to whatsoever he willeth us to do or to his commanding will Secondly to whatsoever he will do with us or to his disp sing Will. In these and in all things let us strive to gâ—eaâ—en all the acting of our souls towards God because he is great Secondly If God be great then we may infer for consolation First Be not discouraged in prayer when you have great things to ask when your wants are great and your necessities urgent when you must have great supplies when small matters will not serve your turn In many caâ—es it is not a little help it is not a small matter which will do the thing which we sue unto God for now here is a mighty ground of comfort for us if we want great things we have a great God to go unto and how great soever our wants are they are all but small to the greatness of that God unto whom we go Ephes 3.20 He is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask or think and not only above what we actually ask and think but indeed beyond what possibly we can ask or think above what we are able to ask or think Therefore let us never be discouraged in prayer because of the greatness of the things that we have to ask of God Secondly Be not discouraged though as your wants so your dangers and your troubles are great How great soever the danger is you would be delivered from God is greater to whom you come for deliverance And therefore when a great Mountain stood in the way of the deliverance of the people of God Zech. 4.7 the Prophet speaks in his language Who art thou O great Mountain thou shalt become a Plain before Zerubbabel that is before the power of that God in whom Zerubbabel trusts and whose work Zerubbabel carries on Hence that holy confidence Psal 66.3 Through the greatness of thy power thine enemies shall submit themselves to thee or they shall yeild feigned obedience as we put in the margin which some render thus through the greatness of thy power thine enemies shall be found liars All the readiâ—gs magnifie the g eatness of God Through the g eâ—tness of thy power thine enemies the enemies of thy people shall â—ubmit they shall be found liars tâ—ey shall yeild feigned obedience they shall not be able with all their greatness to stand iâ— out against the great God Therefore be not discouraged at any time at the greatness of danger Though you walk through the very valley of the shadow of death that 's to be in the greatest danger yet as David did not so do not you fear no not that great danger while the great God is with you Thirdly Be not d scouraged though your sins are great when you come to aâ—k the pardon of them As the greatness of sin puts a very great damp upon the spirit of man in asking pardon so the greatness of God should take off that damp My thoughts are not your thoughts saith the Lord Isa 55.7 8 9. in this matter There is nothing wherein God doth more exceed man than in pardoning sin Mic. 7.18 If sin be great the mercy of God is great too infinitely greater than the sin of man if sin be great remember we have a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 not only a Priest but a high Priest and a great high Priest therefore fear not to ask the pardon even of the greatest sin in his name and for his sake And this is true it we respect either national or personall sins it may encourage us in asking pardon for nations how great soever their sins are Moses when the People had greatly sinned against God had recourse to this Numb 14.18 19. The Lord is of great mercy pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now Do thus also with respect to personal sins David made the greatness of his personal sin an argument to go to God for mercy Psal 25.11 Pardon my sin O Lord for it is great He was so far from being disheartened by the greatness of his sin to aâ—k the pardon of it that according to our reading he had great hope of pardon as well as sâ—w he had great need of pardon and all because he knew God was great in mercy Or if we read that text thus Pardon my sin O Lord though it be great the sense is much the same for as the former makes the greatness of his sin a reason provoking him to hasten unto God for pardon as great diseases hasten us in seeking remedies so the latter shews that the greatness of sin is no stop to the mercy and free grace of God in Christ for the pardon of it Christ in that Parable Mat. 18.24 gives instance of the greatest debt he tells us of one that owed his Lord ten thousand talents a vast sum a very vast sum a talent being according to the lowest computation three hundred pounds of money ten thousand times three hundred pounds is a huge sum so that here was a great debt now saith the text When the debtor had nothing to pay he came to his Lord or Creditor and he forgave him all He did not say wouldest thou have me or can I forgive such a debt as this What ten thousand talents He forgave it as if it had been a debt of two mites Thus and many other wayes we may improve this first Attribute of God mentioned in the text his greatness both as to our direction in duty and consolatition in every extreamity Behold God is great And we know him not That 's the second thing The words are plain but the tense is difficult for it may be objected Do not we know God Elihu said but just now in the very verse before the text Magnifie his works which men behold every man may see it man may behold it afar off Surely if the works of God may be known and seen by every one God himself may be known for he is known in his works as the Apostle argues Rom. 1.20 The things which he hath made make him known how is this then said That God is great and we know him not Doth not the Prophet in denouncing that dreadful curse Jer. 10.25 Poure out thy wrath upon the heaâ—hen that know thee not thereby intimate that all the people of God know him Doth not Christ tell us John 17.3 This is eternal life to know thee the onely true God They who have eternal life must have the knowledge of the true God But all true believers have eternal life already in hope and shall have it shortly in hand therefore they know God The Promise of the New Covenant is Heb. 11. They shall all know me from the least to the greatest that is all my Covenant-people shall know me How
Lord hath not called thy name Pashur but Magor Missabib that is fear round about I will make thee a terror to thy self thy own Conscience shall be terrible to thee A man had better fall into the hands of the most cruel Tyrants in the World than into the hands of his own Conscience But when a man is a terrour to himself then to have the Lord a terrour to him likewise to have God appearing in terrible Majesty how dreadful is it The awakened Conscience of a sinner carrieth in it as a thousand witnesses so a thousand terrours and God in his anger is more terrible than a thousand consciences Secondly God is terrible to sinners in the day of outward trouble when as David speaks Psal 65.5 By terrible things in righteousness he answereth the prayers of his People When God is doing terrible things in the World how miserable is their case to whom God also is a terrour in that day A godly man when God is doing the most terrible things shaking Heaven and earth and as it were pulling the world about our ears yet because he finds God at peace with him he is well enough But as for impenitent sinners when God is doing terrible things what will become of them I may bespeak them in the words of the Prophet Isa 10.3 What will ye do in the day of your visitation and in the desolation which shal come from far to whom will ye flee for help and where wil ye leave your glory As if he had said whâ— or what can be a comfort to you when God is a â—errour to you And therefore another Prophet fore-seing such a terrible day coming makes this earnest deprecating prayer Jer. 17.13 O Lord be not thou a terrâ—ur to me in the evil day I know an evil a terrible day is at hand but Lord I beg this of thee that thou wilt not be a terrour to me in that day if men should be a terrour to me and God a terrour too it would be inâ—upportable Yet thus it will be with the unrighteous when God doth terrible things in righteousness and such things he will do in the latter dayes Take heed lest God appear with terrible Majesty to you in such a day Thirdly How terrible is God to impenitent sinners when awakened in the day of death What is Death In this Book Death is called The King of Terrours Now if when Deaâ—h is making its approaches to a person who lives in a contempt of the wayes and word of God if when his breath sits upon his lips ready to depart and the King of Terrours is ready to tear his caul and to rend his heart-strings asunder if then I say God appears in terrible Majesty what condition will such a one be in To have Death the King of Terrours and the Living the ever-living God in terrible Majesty falling upon a poor creature at once is a thousand deaths at once Fouâ—thly What will sinners do in the day of judgment that will be a terrible day indeed The Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 having said We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the body whether good or bad presently adds knowiâ—g therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men that is knowing how terrible the Lord will be to impenitent sinners to all whom he finds in their sins knowing this terrour of the Lord and how terrible the Majesty of the Lord will be to such in that day we perswade men we do all we can to pluck them out of their sins and turn them to God in Châ—ist Jesus who saves his people from their sins for to be sure that will be a most dreadful day to sinners Thus the Mâ—jâ—sty of God will be terrible to the wicked and ungodly especially in these four dayes Only they who fear the Loâ—d and take hold of his name by faith shall be able to stand befoâ—e his terrible majesty God will not be a terrour but a comfoâ—t to them â—hat fear him in every evill day Fu â—her the word as wâ—s shewed before signifies not only Majesty but Praâ—se With God is â—errible praise dreadful praise Hence note First The Lord is most praise worthy With the Lord is praise The Psalmist every where sâ—ts fo th the praise-worthiness of God and presseth this duty upon us I shall not stay upon it only remember with the Lord is praise that is he is to be praised And from the attribute of his praiâ—e or that with the Lord is terrible praise Note Secondly Even in those things which the Lord doth most graciously for us and is to be highly praised by us even in thâ—se he is to be feared dreaded and reverenced God is to be praised not only with joy and thankfullness but with fear and reverence for with him is terrible praise It is the express word of Moses in his song after the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea Exod. 15.11 Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holines fearful in praises We should not be affraid to praise God no we should be most forward to praise him but we should have a holy fear upon our hearts when we praise him Praise is the work of heaven from whence fear shall for ever be banished there will be perfect love and perfect love Casts out fear 1 Joh. 4.18 What-ever fear hath torment in it as all fear out of Châ—ist hath we shall have nothing to do with in that blessed life And even in this life praise which is the work of heaven on earth should be performed with such a spirit of love joy as is without all base tormenting fear we should have so much love to God in and for all the good things he doth for our soules especially ye and for our bodyes too in dealing out daily mercies that it should cast out all that fear which hath torment in it Yet there is a fear which should pâ—ssess our spirits while we are praising God a fear of reverence I mean which fear I doubt not will remaine in heaven for ever Glorified Saints shall praise God with that fear that is having an everlasting awe of the Majesty of God upon their hearts He is fearful in praises and therefore let us so praise him as remembering our distance so praise him as to be affraid of miscarrying in the duty and so instead of praising displease him in stead of honouring grieve him This duty of praise is very dreadful The Psalmist saith there is mercy or forgiveness with thee O Lord that thou mayst be feared Psal 130.4 Not only is the Lord to be feared in his wrath and in the executions of his justice but he is to be feared in his mercy in that greatest expression of his favour towards us the forgivness of our sins When we are in the highest exaltations of the mercy of God and of the God of our mercies yet then should our hearts be
joy and thanksgivings that God hath been good yea best to them considering their state in his sorest and severest dealings For all the paths of the Lord as wel hard as sofr as well those that are set with Bryars and Thorns as those that are set with Roses are mercy and truth mercy as much as truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal 25.10 He that shews mercy cannot but shew righteousnesse to his in all his wayes As he that doth righteousness is righteous 1 John 3.7 so he that is righteousnesse cannot but do righteous things God is not only righteous but righteousnesse he is essentially righteous his righteousnesse is himself A mans being and his righteousnesse are two things The man may subsist without righteousnesse all men by nature and while nothing but nature though much sublimated and refined if not converted are unrighteous but it is as impossible for God not to be righteous as not to be How can he who is righteous yea righteousnesse it self but do righteous things in all he doth in every cause in every proceeding whether with Persons Families or Nations Is it not then a most unrighteous thing to think or say God hath or can do any unrighteous thing Secondly Note He that complains that God deals over-severely with him or otherwise than is fit or otherwise than he hath deserved makes himself as to his Cause more righteous than God If we say a man deals otherwise with us then we have deserved at his hands we judge him as to that action uneven and unjust in his dealings Surely then if we think or speak hardly of the hardest wayes of God we speak and think hardly of God himself We cannot think well of God unlesse we say all that he doth is well done A thought that there is but one twig in our rod more than is meet or fit or more than is good for us or to think it abides one minute longer upon our backs than is meet or fit or good for us is to say Our righteousnesse is more than Gods yea 't is to say Our wisdom is more than Gods and our mercies are more than the mercies of God Therefore take heed of such thoughts Though we cannot see the righteousnesse of God in his works yet we must say his woâ—ks are righteous It can never be right not only to say Our righteousness is more than Gods but so much as to say Our righteousness is any thing to Gods Thirdly Note What we speak rashly may at any time be prest upon us hardly and is sometimes very uncharitably It is very usual with those who accuse or oppose others to take things doubtful for certainties their own conjectures for the assertions of their adversarie and every thing which hath a likenesse to an errour to be errour Elihu might have spoken more favourably to Job In disputando cavendum ne ex dictis adversarii per falsam consequentiam absurda deducamus quibus illum gravamus qua in re hic peccavit Elihu Pisc he might have construed his sayings more candidly than he did Had he taken Jobs words with a grain of Salt as we speak he needed not to have put so much Gall and Wormwood into his own Had he not interpreted Jobs complaints strictly according to the sound or letter but considered them with his scope his aime and purpose in speaking so together with the extream pain of his body and anguish of his soul when he spake so he had never given him such cutting answers But God justly and in much wisdome sharpned the spirit of Elihu to speak cutting words to Job that Job feeling the smart might be made sensible of his errour and at last be brought low and broken under his hand Milde words may skin a sore before 't is searcht to the bottom and so not only retard the Cure but endanger the Patient The holy Apostle fore-seeing the murmurings quarrels and disputes which flesh and blood would make about Election or Predestination doth not go about so much to answer them by Reason as to represse them by a strong Reproof and vehement Objurgation Rom. 9.20 Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God! shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus hath not the Potter power over the Clay c. Now as about that unsearchable depth of eternal Election so about present dreadful dispensations and providences our undue reasonings and tumultuating thoughts of heart concerning God breaking our bounds and forgetting with whom we have to do or who hath to do with us call for and deserve sharpest reproofs Who are you that reply against God! Who are you that think this to be right â—â—â—â—h you do or any thing wrong which God doth Who are you that you should presume to say so much as by inference that your righteousness is more than Gods or that it is any thing compared with the righteousness of God! Thou hast said my righteousness is more than Gods What Job had said which might give colour for this accusation hath been touched before in the mention of those Speeches or Passages forced from him by the greatnesse of his suffering But Elihu gives it us yet more expressely in the next verse Vers 3. For thou saidst What advantage will it be unto thee and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin As if he had said O Job If thou shouldest ask me when or where thou hast said My righteousness is more than Gods or how can I prove that thou hast said so I may soon answer thee and easily prove it thus thou hast said What advantage will it be unto thee c. Thou hast spoken as if no good were to be gotten by turning from evill or that thou sufferest evil being thy self free at least turned from doing evil and that therefore it availeth thee no more that thou art righteous than if thou wert the greatest sinner in the world So thou hast said and in saying so thou hast said what I have charged thee with But here the Question may arise again as much about the Proof as about the Charge When did Job say What advantage will it be unto me and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin I answer as he said not the former words contained in the Charge directly they were only a collection raised consequentially by Elihu so he said not these words which are the proof of the Charge expressely but by consequences For the clearing of this we must distinguish of what is meant by profit and advantage when Elihu saith Thou saidst What advantage shall it be unto thee and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin This advantage and profit may be considered First As to his eternal well-being and salvation Secondly as to his present ease and consolation We are not to understand it as if Elihu accused Job for saying That
the most unrighteous persons nor from any of their acts or wayes of unrighteousness And when it is said here The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous it is meant of a peculiar eye which the Lord hath upon the righteous he beholds both the righteous and the unrighteous yet he doth not behold the unrighteous as he beholds the righteous which I shall clear further by giving in a five-fold discovery what that eye of the Lord is which is upon the righteous foure of which are distinct and totally differing from that eye with which he beholdeth unrighteous men and from every one of them I shall give you an observation for our further profiting by this general assertion that the Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous There is a five-fold eye of God spoken of in Scripture First There is a discerning eye that eye by which be unerringly knoweth what every man is and what every man doth Hence note The Lord taketh exact and full notice of he clearly discerns the righteous in every condition This is true also of the unrighteous therefore David puts it universally Psal 11.4 His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men that is his sight discovers and discerns what they are of what sort soever they are We may see many men yet not discover what they are they may have a faire outside to our view whilest within they are foule and full of rottenness they may appear in Sheeps cloathing yet inwardly be ravening Wolves But the Lords eye is a trying eye he doth not only know who men are but he knows what they are Such is the importance of that Scripture Heb. 4.13 All things are naked and manifest to his eyes with whom we have to do that is the Lord doth so behold things and persons that he hath a clear understanding of them And though the Lords eye be thus upon all men yet this is specially affirmed of righteous men Psal 33.18 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and hope in his mercy Again Psal 34.15 His eye is over the righteous Both texts teach us that God considers not only what they do but as I may say how they do whether it be peace with them or whether it be trouble with them whether it be joy with them or whether it be sorrow with them the Lords eye is over them to discern not only whether and how they go but how things go with them Secondly The Lord hath a directing or a counselling eye Hence Note The Lord with his eye favourably guides directs and counsels righteous men This eye of the Lord as it denotes favour is peculiar to the righteous We have that expresly Psal 32.8 I will instruct thee and teach thee how I will guide thee with mine eye We put in the Margen I will counsel thee that is thee a Godly man a David spoken of v. 6 7. mine eye shall give thee counsel Men can give direction by the eye and they that are acquainted with them understand what they mean when they look this way or that way thus or so Solomon saith A naughty person winketh with his eyes he speaketh with his feet he teacheth with his fingers Pro. 6.12 13. that is all the postures and gestures of his body shew what he is stark naught and silently teach others to be naught The holy God also teacheth by his feet and fingers his goings and doings his workes and wayes teach us the work which we should do and the way wherein we should go he hath a providential eye the looks of providence give counsel to those who know how to look upon them and interpret them The Lord hath a providential eye upon the righteous not only to foresee their dangers but to direct their course he sheweth them their way and their work by this eye he tells them what pleaseth him and what displeaseth him by this eye this eye the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous He will guide the feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2.9 'T is possible for a righteous man sometime to be without counsel he may neither know what counsel to give himself nor what to take from others as Jehoshaphat said in his streight 2 Chron. 20.12 He knoweth not what to do yet as Jehoshaphat said then his eyes are towards the Lord and the Lords eyes are towards him When he is thus counselless there is a counselling a directing eye of God upon him though he at that present know not his way yea be out of his way yet he is not out of Gods eye and that will in due time shew him his way or bring him into his way again though God suffer him to go out of the way yet the eye of God is upon him even when he is out of his way and that eye will reduce and bring him back to his right way There is a directing a counselling eye of God Thirdly The Scripture speaks of a pitying and a compassionating eye of God It is ordinary with us to hear those that are in distress cry out to those who pass by cast an eye upon us look upon us and that is as much as to say pity us have compassion upon us this eye of pity the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous Hence note The righteous are under the compassionating the pitying eye of God When the people of Israel were in Egypt the Lord said to Moses Exod. 3.7 I have surely seen the affliction of my people and what kind of sight was that what eye of God was it which was upon them the words following and the whole series of Gods dealings also clear it that it was an eye of compassion I have surely seen or seeing I have seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt c. and I am come down to deliver them We read in that notable place Gen. 16.14 when Hagar was in a very sad and distressed condition being cast out of Abrahams family God had compassion on her and shewed her a Well where she might have water for her self and child and the text saith She called the name of the Well Beer-la-hai-roi that is the Well of him that liveth and seeth me As if she had said God hath seen me in my afflicted condition and he hath also had compassion on me That 's another great priviledge the righteous are under this pitying and compassionating eye of God and from thence follows The fourth eye of God his providing eye his caring eye Hence note The Lord doth so eye the righteous in their straits and afflictions with compassion that he also provides to deliver them out of their affliction out of their straits There is a providing eye of God continually beholding his people Of this providing eye Abraham spake Gen. 22.14 when he was put upon that hard task the sacrificing of his own son his Isaac the Lord had compassion on him and provided another sacrifice and therefore he called
fetters and held in cords De carcere educentur ad occisionem gladij Aquin. Per gladium iransire dicitur qâ—i gladio occiditur Drus but now the sword shâ—ll overtake them and they shall perish or be taken away by the sword The Hebrew is they shall pass away by the sword that is they shall die Man is said to pass away by the swoâ—d when the sword doth not pass by him but smites and kills him which is a temporal perishing It is said Isa 57.1 The righteous perish c. As the righteous perish by a natural death so they may perish by a violent death and possibly that may fall upon them when they attend not the providential dispensations of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—prie â—â—è miâ—sile aut jaâ—â—lum They shall perish by the sword or by the drawn weapon The word notes any weapon that is drawn or cast forth hence some translate it a Dart or Javeling which is shot out of the hand but it may also be applied to the Sword which being drawn forth out of the sheath is often sent upon deadly messages and may be numbered among missive weapons Now when Elihu saith they shall perish by the sword we may take the word sword properly or tropically Properly two wayes First for the sword of the Warrier Secondly for the sword of the Magistrate either justly punishing or grievously afflicting Some good men have acknowledged in great trials and sufferings under the hand of man that God hath met with them for their neglect or non-attendance to more immediate afflictions under his own hand Again take the sword tropically or improperly and so any sore affliction that greatly annoyeth especially if to death is called a sword in Scripture They shall perish by the sword under one notion or other if they do not obey Hence learn God will not spare no not his own People if they do not obey him God is full of sparing-sparing-mercy but the righteous may provoke him so that he will not spare no not them Judgement begins often at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 And if Judgement begin at the house of God what shall the end be of those that obey not the Gospel This is a terrible word The righteous may perish by the sword how dreadfully then shall the unrighteous the wicked the scorners of godliness perish If God will make his own people smart in his anger when they provoke him how will he speak to his enemies in his wrath and vex them in his fore displeasure Psal 2.5 Secondly From the gradation of their troubles First they were bound in fetters and holden in cords but now here 's a sword a devouring sword a killing deadly weapon Hence learn They who give not glory to God in lesser or in lighter afflictions draw greater upon themselves They may come from a cord to a sword from being bound to be slain God hath several sorts of Instruments to chasten his people with and as the best of outward good things may be the portion of evil wicked men so the worst of outward evils may be the portion of good men they may at any time and sometimes shall perish by the sword and as it followes They shall die without knowledge The sword is death a deadly sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall die Without knowledge or as the text may be read because they were without knowledge But is any righteous man without knowledge That the soul be without knowledge is not good saith Solomon Prov. 19.2 How then can he be good whose soul is without knowledge And seeing we interpret this text of the righteous how can it be said they die without knowledge I answer Knowledge may be taken in a more general sense and so no righteous man either lives or dies without knowledge he neither lives nor dies without the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ whom to know is eternal life John 17.3 and without the knowledge of whom all who are actually capable of such knowledge must die eternally he neither lives nor dies without the knowledge of himself as a sinner and of Christ who saveth him from his sins Such ignorances are inconsistent with the state of a godly man he may do foolishly but he is not a fool he may be wanting in some kind of knowledge but he doth not want knowledge he cannot be without saving knowledge though he may perish temporally without knowledge The first thing that God makes in the new creation is light the light of knowledge there he begins his work therefore we cannot take knowledge generally simply and absolutely in this text Dei monita per castigationes â—cire intelligere noluerunt Drus but as knowledge may be taken restrictively for knowledge in or about this or that particular so a good man may want knowledge there may be somewhat which the Lord would acquaint the righteous with and teach them by their fetters and afflictions which they do not learn and therefore they die without kâ—owledge or because they are without knowledge yet that want of knowledge together with all their other wants and ignorances are pardoned to them Further we may expound the words thus They shall die without knowledge that is without the knowledge or consideration of of that special affliction or judgement which is coming upon them Non est oratio affirmativa stultitiae vel negativa scientiae sed simplicitèr negat advertentiam Bold they shall die unawares not thinking nor so much as dreaming of such a judgement or that such a hand of God was so near them According to this interpretation Elihu intends either their inadvertency of that approaching scourge or calamity with which they are overtaken or their not understanding the reason of it Christ saith in the Gospel Luke 12.46 The master of that servant the evil servant shall come in a day which he knowes not of and in a time when he looked not for him Now as the last Judgement the great Judgement shall come upon the wicked in a time when they look not for it so the Lord may bring a special particular judgement upon some one or more of his own people when they do not think of it or never suspected that they should fall under it Good men are sometimes surprized and so they shall die without knowledge is no more than this they shall be taken unawares by a suddain unexpected judgement Though every godly man hath a preparation for the general judgement yet as to a particular one he may be much unprepared Lastly Some expound the words of more than inadvertency or bare nescience even of folly and some degree of affected ignorance which possibly may prevaile upon a righteous man in some cases and for a time but I rather adhere to the former interpretation because as was shewed before the whole context seems to intend a more ordinary case of a righteous man So then this Scripture holds out the sad issues
falling before his Enemies hereupon David said I am in a great streight somewhat he must chuse and what-ever he chose it was evil that is penal evil but seeing it was so and could not be otherwise e malis minimum he would chuse the least he chose to fall into the hand of God rather than into the hands of men Into such kind of streights are the people of God sometimes cast they have somewhat before them to chuse but what-ever they chuse it is very hard and troublesome troublesome to stay and troublesome to go troublesome to abide by it and troublesome to flie from it every way it is a trouble and how many of the precious people of God have been brought into these troubles Only this is their comfort as well as their duty that though they may be in such streights as necessitate them to chuse a less good or a penal evil yet as God will not so man cannot bring them into any such streights as necessitate them to chuse a moral or sinful evil Troubles are streights He would have removed thee out of a streight into a broad place Hence Note Thirdly What-ever streights we are in God is able to inlarge us The hand of the Lord is not shortned that it cannot save Isa 59.1 There is no streight so strict but the Lord can open it and remove us out of it or it from us When the Children of Israel were in that great streight having the Sea before them and Pharaoh with his Host behind them the Loâ—d removed them out of that streight and brought them into a large place There are a thousand instances and experiences of this David saith Psal 130.1 Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord The depth there and streight here are the same under several Allusions David cryed out of the depth of misery when he was at the bottome of the piâ— he cryed unto God and was delivered We can be in no depth but the power and mercy of God can reach a hand to us and draw us out we can be in no streight but the power of God can and his love will make roome for us that we may escape Dum deus velit misereriquia bonus eâ—t possit quia oâ—nipotens est â—pse contra sâ— diâ—inae pietatâ—s januam claudit qui deum sibi aut non velle aut non posse misereri credit August Sâ—r 88. de Temp Seeing then as one of the Ancients speaks fully to this poynt God will help because he is so merciful and can because he is sâ— powerful that man shuts the doore of hope against himself who thinks or through unbelief fears that either God will not or cannot help him And therefore when at any time we are in a streight let the greatness of our streights be the exercise of our faith not a discouragement to it Some make their streights a stop to their faith they cannot believe they shall be delivered out of great streights but the greatness of our streights should quicken not deaden our faith it should encrease our faith not weaken it and so it will if we consider who it is that undertakes to remove his people out of their streights it is the great God and the more their streights are the greater their difficulties are the greater is his glory in removing any of them into a large place 'T is said in the Psalm The Lord makes a way for his anger he doth do so sometimes he makes a broad way for his anger yet remember he makes a way for his love and mercy too that his great power may be seen in opening our greatest streights Fourthly Whereas 't is not only said He would remove thee into a large place but into a large place where there is no streightness Observe God can bring his afflicted people perfectly out of streights and set them out of the reach of danger Oâ—r comforts in this world are usually mixed with sorrows our enlargements with streights yet â—he Lord is able to give us sorrowless comforts and such enlaâ—gements as shall not have the least shadow of a st eight in them As Jesus Châ—ist saveth us to the uttermost of soul streights oâ— we are saved through Christ to the uttermost of our sins that is of our guilt and danger of condemnation by sin so he can save us also to the uttermost of outward troubles he can give a perfect temporal salvation such a salvation as shall have nothing of feare or danger in this life Elihu speaks of such a salvation The Lord can save us to the uttermost of present perils and set us beyond the reach of peril even in such a place where there shall be no feare no suspicion of annoyance 'T is said Pro. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he giveth no sorrow with it The Lord makes some men rich or gives them a great estate yet they find sorrow enough with it but the Lord through his blessing can give riches and add no sorrow with it put no gravell in our bread nor gall in our cup but all shall be sweet to us that 's bringing us into a large place where there is no present streightness no nor appearing cause to feare any Thus the Nations are brought in rejoycing at the fall of Babylon Isa 14.7 8. The whole earth is at rest and is quiet they break forth into singing yea the fir-trees rejoyce at thee and the Cedars of Lebanon saying since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us Positio vel requies Heb a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est requiescere Metonymia adjuncti Pisc Est abstractâ—m pro concreto â—ositio requies pro iâ—s quae s per mensam deponuntur a serculariis Quemadmodum jumenta vocantur servitus hominum quia hominibus serviunt Bold Vicinae sunt radices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quievit â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posuit quod enim ponitur in aliquo loco ponitur ut requiescat Merc The Lord will work full deliverance for his people by Babylons fall when that falls Sion shall not feare the coming of any more fellers Christ will then give his faithfull people such enlargement as shall know no streights This is the first allusion He would have removed thee out of the streight into o broad place where there is no streightness it followeth And that which should be set on thy Table should be full of fatness Here 's the second mercy As if he had said The Lord would not have given thee a bare deliverance out of evil but thou should'st bave received abundance of good thou shouldst not only have roome enough but comfort enough That which should be set on thy Table should be full of fatness Some render That which resteth or abideth on thy Table that is thy meat and thy drink thy wine and thy oyle that which thou feedest upon should be of the best and most nourishing not bare
commons not ordinary fare but Full of fatness Fatness is put in Scripture to express the best of things if often signifieth the best of spiritual things Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house The house of God is the Church of God and God keeps a good house there are fat things and they who worship and wait upon him they shall have abundance of them their full satisfaction the fatness of Gods house is the riches of Grace the best of Gospel-Ordinances and promises the best of Gospel-comforts and mercies these are the fatness of the house of God these are the things which the Apostle intended while he told the Gentiles Rom. 11.17 That they were partakers of the rest and fatness of the Olive tree Thus also spake the Prophet Isa 25.6 In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make a feast of fat things what of such fat things as the Epicures of the world surfet upon Sheep and Oxen c no the feast of fat things which the Lord will make to his people is of spiritual things they shall have much of Christ much of grace here and an assurance of glory for hereafter This is the feast of fat things And though the Lord give to any of his servants the bread of adversity and the water of affliction though the fig-tree should not blossome to them though they should have neither Sheep in the fold nor Calves in the shall yet they may daily sit at this feast of fat things and be filled with joy in the Lord Hab. 3.17 c. And as fatness is used in Scripture to express the best of spiritual things so fatness expresseth the best of natural and outward good things Psal 65.11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness and thy paths drop fatness that is plenty and plenty of the best things which grow out of the earth by the blessing and benigne influences of Heaven I conceive spiritual good things the best of them are also shadowed under those expressions of Temporal Further Elihu doth not only say That which shall be set upon thy Table shall be fat Lautissimè suavissiméque vives but full of fatness which implyeth thus much Thou shalt have whatsoever may make thy life comfortable and happy for as by bread our dayly bread we are to understand all the necessaries of this life though bread be the meanest â—aâ—t of our sustenance yet it it is called the staff of life because the mâ—st necessary part of it so by fatness we are to understand all things delicate and delicious and those things which are most delicate and delicious are said to be full of fatness Hence Note First God who delivereth his people from trouble or out of streights can also fill and furnish them with comforts The mercy of God doth not only take away evil and so leave us it doth not only bring us out of our streights and there set us down but mercy proceeds to the bestowing of good upon us As we in obedience should not put off the Lord with abstaining from evil but ought to do good even abundance of good and not only bring forth good but much good fruit that 's our duty so the Lords mercy stayeth not in delivering us from evil but bestoweth good things the best things upon us and them in abundance Secondly In that those good things are exprest by fatness oâ— by being full of fatness Note The Lord thinks nothing too good for his good people When once a people or a person are accepted of God he â— no cost nor thinks any thing too costly for them the most â—ous things in the world are not too good for them Psal â— He would have fed them also with the finest of the wheat a honey out of the rocks should I have satisfied thee I would noâ—â—fed them with wheat only that 's good but with the finest wheâ—â— that 's the best we put in the Margin with the fat of wheat they should not have had the bran but the flowre and the finest of the flowre they should have had not only honey but honey out of the Rock which as Naturalists observe is the best and purest honey Surely God cannot think any thing of this world too good for his people who haâ—h not thought the next world too good for them Certainly God cannot think any of these outward enjoyments too good for his people who hath not thought his Son too good for his people that 's the Apostles argument Rom 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things even the best of outward good things when he seeth it good for us In this see the difference of the spirit of the world and of God to his people The world thinks nothing bad enough for those that are the choycest servants of God they are sorry to see that they have any thing that is good that they have a morsel of bread or a penny in their purses is thought too much for them by the world And if any trouble befall them itâ— good enough for them will the World say The World thinks any thing too good for the choycest servants of God how much more the choycest things But God hath other thoughts towards them he thinks nothing too good for them they shall be filled with fatness Thirdly In that Elihu makes promise of these outward things to the choyce servants of God whose ears are open to attend unto him Note Even outward mercies and a full Portion of outward mercies fall somtimes to the share of the faithful servants of God in this World Though such are not of this World much less are servants to the World yet God can make the woâ—ld serve them with its best and give them a full portion of the World though the World be not their portion The servants of God would not take all the World if it were offered them for their portion no not a thousand Worlds considering what a perishing thing this World is and that at best it is but a finite thing I say a servant of God would not take all the World at the hand of God for his portion though he is thankful for any thing for a little of it and unworthy of any the least part of it Howbeit many times God gives a large portion of this World to his people and that which he sets upon their Table that is outward good is full of fatness Indeed some of the choyce servants of God have been afraid when they have seen much of the World come in least God should put them off with such woâ—ldly things when their Table hath been full of fatness and dainties when they have had Houses and Lands Gold and Silver plenty they have been troubled least God should say to them There is your All. It is said of Luther when he had a considerable present sent him
Job is here censured not strictly as if he had done like wicked men but because he did not suffer so patiently as became a good man this was in him a fulfilling of the judgment of the wicked Hence note Not to submit heartily and humble our selves freely when the afflâ—cting hand of God is upon us is to do very sinfully even like the wicked I shall not stay upon this having spoken of the extream sinfulness of murmuring and impatience under the hand of God heretofore Secondly Note If we give way to any corruption or passion it will quickly carry us a very great way in sin and from our duty They that are good in their state may sometimes in their acts as Job here fulfil the judgment of the wicked As hypocrites fulfil in appearance the judgment of the upright that is do like upright men so the upâ—ight may in appearance do like hypocrites and then they also fulfil the judgement of the wicked Job said to his wife in the second chapter Thou speakest like a foolish woman and now Elihu tells him thou hast spoken and done as a wâ—cked man Note Thirdly They who do like the wicked must not think much if they be numbred with the wicked and involved in the same outward evils and judgments which usually fall upon wicked men Though we may not judge such a mans eternal estate like that of the wicked yet as to this or that act we may without breach of charity number him among the wicked and he may quickly feel the same smart which the wicked feel They that are godly should act like godly men and not do any thing that represents the lusts or practises the judgement or conversation of the ungodly left it be said in one sence or other of them as here Elihu of Job you also have fulfilled the judgement of the wicked Therefore judgment and justice take hold of thee As if he had said I told thee before if thou had'st humbled thy self thou shouldest have had a large place and full table store of mercies and favours but now judgment and justice take hold of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are two words which sometimes are used distinctly but here they signifie the same thing or the one is but an explanation of the other Justice and Judgment some take justice for the habit and judgment for the act exercise or decree as if he had said Justice hath sent forth Judgment upon thee and now both take hold of thee God hath noâ—ed thy sin in thy sad condition Yet the original doth not determine it upon Jobs person expresly it doth not say Justice and Judgment take hold of thee but Justice and Judgment take hold we supply they take hold of thee for that 's it which Elihu intends Justice and Judgment take hold of thee O Jâ—b nor will they let thee go We find the word so used in several places Prov. 3.18 Wisdom is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her And as the believers closing with and hold-fast upon Christ is expressed by this word so also is the hold which sin takes of an unbeliever Prov. 5.22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin Judgment and Justice take hold of thee Hence Note First God will not indulge sin in any no not in his own servants If a Job do like wicked men he shall smart like the wicked Though God will not cast any of his servants to hell for ever yet they may be cast into a temporary hell The Lord told David as much in case his Children should disobey him and break covenant with him though he would not cast them off yet they should pay dearly for it He would visit their transgressions with a râ—d and their iniquities with stripes Psal 89.32 The History of Davids children makes good that Prophesie and so hath the dealings of God with believers in all ages who are the seed the children of David mystical that is of Christ whom and whose spiritual children the Spirit of God chiefly pointed at in that Psalm They that do like evil men shall suffer like evil men Justice and Judgment properly and strictly take hold of the wicked and disobedient only as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient c. Yet when they that are righteous are found doing like the lawless and disobedient the Law that is Justice and Judgment will take hold of them Tygurina legit intâ—ansitive Causa judicium retinebunt i. e. sustent bunt vigorem suum quamdiu impius fueris Again Some read the words intransitively Justice and Judgment shall hold or hold on still that is they will hold on their course or way in punishing as long as thou hold'st on thy course or way in sinning Hence note So long as any man lives in any sinful way he shall find Justice and Judgement taking hold of him Justice will not leave sinners till they have left their sins Again Justice and Judgment take hold of thee that is they hold thee fast Hence note There 's no getting out of the hand of divine Justice Men oftentimes get out of the hand of man's justice they can break prison they can file off their fetters and cast their cords from them but none can break Gods prison none can get out of the hands of divine Justice As Justice and Judgement shall take hold of attach and arrest sinners so they will hold them fast they cannot make an escape nor can any rescue them till God signes a warrant for their release We cannot hinder God in the exercise or execution of Justice nor turn him aside from his purpose either by our power or pollicies God can easily hinder men of their purposes and can undo what-ever they have done but none can make the Justice and Judgment of God let go their hold Therefore let us take heed while we hold sin and iniquity nothing can deliver us from the hand or hold off the sin-chastning and avenging hand of God However men fail the Justice and Judgment of God are everlasting they hold on their course still though men do not Though we could pluck the Sun out of the firmament yet not Justice out of the hand of God We can neither put God besides his rule nor force him from his purpose These are the two great Prerogatives of God he hath first a righteousness which cannot be perverted secondly a Justice which cannot be interrupted JOB Chap. 36. Vers 18 19 20. 18. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroke then a great ransom cannot deliver thee 19. Will he esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength 20. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place IN these three verses Elihu presseth the Application of the former Doctrine upon Job by
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-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
affected with his fear It is both our duty and our commendation so to fear God as not to sin against him or to be kept from sinning against God by the fear of God that is lest God should punish us for our sins and give us to eat the bitter fruit of our own evil doings But to fear God because we hear and are assured that he is ready to pardon our sins especially to fear him when he hath given us a comfortable assurance that our sins are pardoned or even tâ—en to be filled with the fear of his great and reverend Name when we are actuâ—lly praising him and magnifying his free grace in Christ for the pardon of them this shewes a truly gratious spirit indeed With God is terrible Majesty and with God is terrible praisâ— he is at once to be praised and feared All this Elihu would fix upon the heart of Job from the consideration of the works of God his providencial works in the Air how much more should this fear affect us when we behold his terrible works of providence upon the Earth turning the world as it were upside down by the wonderful vicissitudes and revolutions which his hand brings to pass respecting either Persons and private Familyes or whole Kingdomes and Nations With God is terrible Majesty JOB Chap. 37. Vers 23 24. 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is excellent in Power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice He will not afflict 24. Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise of heart THese two Verses conclude the whole discourse of Elihu with Job The 23d verse is Doctrinal the 24th is the Use or Application of the Doctrine In the 23d verse we have a four-fold Doctrine held out concerning God First The Doctrine of his Incomprehensibleness We cannot find him out Secondly Of his Power He is the Almighty he is excellent in Power Thirdly Of his Righteousness he excells in Judgement and plenty of Justice But though he is thus full of Justice yet he is also very Gracious and therefore Fourthly We have the Doctrine of his Mercy and Tenderness towards the Creature in the last words of the Verse He will not afflict God is infinitely above man in Power and in Wisdom yet he never useth either the one or the other to the oppression or wrong of any man He will not afflict This is a very suitable peroration of the whole Narrative or matter declared which Elihu had so long insisted upon And having laid down this four-fold Doctrine concerning God he shews us the use of it in the 24th veâ—se where we have a practical Inference from what was before asserted concerning God Men do therefore fear him or therefore men ought to fear him As iâ— he had said Seeing God is thus incomprehensible thus powerful seeing he is thus excellent in Judgement in plenty of Justice as also in Goodness and Mercy therefore good men do and all men should fear him This is a very natural and undeniable Inference yet Elihu doth not leave it bare but adds a strong inforcement in the close of the verse why all men the greatest of men the wisest of men should fear God For he respecteth not any that are wâ—se in heart The wisest the greatest of men cannot carry it with God by their wisdom or policy by theiâ— gâ—â—aâ—ness or power therefore let them fear him This is the sum and scope of these two verses Vers 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out That is He is unâ—earchable and incomprehensible The Original strictly read iâ— The Almighty we cannot fiâ—d him out The Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oâ—nipotens nominativus absolute positus Pisc is a Nominative absolute as Grammarians speak we supply that word Touching As if he had said should we enter upon a discourse of the Almighty we cannot find him out Touching the Almighty That God is Almighty and what the word Shaddai here rendred Almighty doth import hath been shewed and opened already in other places of this Book especially in the fifth Chapter at the 17th verse and in the eighth Chapter at the 3d and 5th verses thither I refer the Reader for further satisfaction in that matter and pass from it here Touching the Almighty We cannot find him out This also I shall pass over in a word having spoken to it more fully Chap. 11.7 where Zophar puts this Question Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find him out unto perfection In which Questions Zophar challenged Job or any man else to set their understandings upon the tenters to put all their abilities to the utmost stretch to find out God if they could being assured they could not find him out unto perfection So then this assertion in the Text We cannot find him out beaâ—ing the same sence with those Questions I shall not stay upon it Only Note God cannot be compast by the enquiries of man Touching the Almighty we have but this to say of him We cannot say much of him or how much soever we say of him we say but a little of what he is or of what may be said of him for we cannot find him out We may find God but we cannot find him out God is to be found by every humble faithful seeker of him The Prophet Isa 55.6 calls us to that duty of seeking with an assurance of finding Seek ye the Lord whilst he may be found and so doth David Psal 32.5 For this that is for pardon of sin for grace and mercy or for this that is upon the experience which I â—ave had of thy readiness O Lord to pardon my sins even as soon as I confessed and acknowledged them for this I say shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found God may be found to do us good and shew us mercy when we seek him rightly there is a finding time or a time while God may be found Some give no other limit to this while or finding time than the limit of this life Dum adhuc in haâ— vita estis Rab. Jonath Deus invenire potest iâ—biquo quovis tempore ante obsignata decreta Abenâ— ezra And to be sure if he be not found while we are in this Life he can neither be sought noâ— found after this Life Yâ—t more strictly to seek him while he may be found as one of the Rabbins glosseth that place is to seek him before the Decree comes forth as the Prophet Zephany speaks Chap. 2.2 It is possible we may seek God and seek him too late and then there 's no finding of him Only they shall seek and find him who seek him in the finding time and they who do so shall certainly find as was said before God ready to do them good and shew them mercy But how much soever or how early soever we seek him we cannot find him out that is we cannot find
thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence This is the Judgment of reformation which God hath and will further work among his people till Sion be built up in perfect beauty and Jerusalem become the praise of the whole earth Thus also God is excellent both in power and in Judgment Fourthly Judgment signifies those evills which God brings upon impenitent sinners that 's a very frequent notion of Judgment in Scripture and the Lord is excellent in this Judgment and that First Upon his own people when they provoke him and sin against him 1 Pet. 4.17 If Judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel There 's Judgment beginning at the house of God that is God will bring evill upon his own house the Church even sore troubles and persecutions The Lord will not spare them who have been slight with him forgetfull of him formal in profession or wanton and vaine in conversation This is a great part of the Lords excellency in Judgment he brings Judgment upon his own house The Lord saith the Prophet Isa 5.16 shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness that is in bringing his righteous Judgments upon Israel his peculiar people We find that Gospel Prophet Isaiah often interweaving the wyre and whipcord of corporal bondage with the silk and scarlet thread of Sions dâ—liverances Secondly In Judgment towards his enemies Psal 149.9 He will execute on them the Judgment that is written and that is no inconsiderable nor easie Judgment The servants of God may smart sorely under these Judgments but the wicked and rebellious shall perish and sink under them How dreadfull is that profession or protestation which the Lord made by Moses Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold of Judgment I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me Some possibly may object Surely there is no such appearance of Gods excellency in Judgment upon the wicked of the woâ—ld the enemies of his name and wayes It grew to a Proverb Mal. 2.17 Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of Judgment Evill men seem to be good in the eyes of the Loâ—d when they enjoy good and if it be so said some Where is the God of Judgment I answer First the Lord hath left testimony enough upon Record and written it in the blood of many thouâ—ands to justifie himself that he is excellent in Judgment by taking vengeance on the wicked Did he not excell in Judgment upon the sinning Angels 2 Pet. 2.8 Jude 6. was he not excellent in Judgment when he destroyed the whole world for sin when he burnt Sodom and Gomorrah with fire for sin How many instances might I give of this from Scripture God hath sufficiently declared himself excellent in this punitive Judgment I answer Secondly God indeed doâ—h not presently execute Jâ—dgment upon all the wicked we shoâ—ld rather be lead by sence than by faith if he should do so if he should smite sinners as soon as they provoke him yea if God should take that course he must even break the world to peices and destroy whole generations at once Thirdly God suffers sinners a while that his councels may be fulfilled for though the wicked obey not the command of God yet they fulfill the councel of God Acts 4.28 and they do it chiefly when he with-holdeth Judgment from them Fourthly Unless the Lord did a little give stop to the execution of Judgment in this kind it would neither appear how good nor how bad some men are Let some have but a little power in their hands and the world at will then you shall see whither they will go and what they will do And wâ—en bad men are suffered to go on unpunished and to be a punishment to others then it appears more fully how good some are and that in a twofold respect First because they refraine from evill though they see that they also possibly might do it impune and not suffer in this world Secondly because â—hey hold fast both theiâ— profession and practise of Godliness how much soever they suffer for it in this world from evill men Fifthly God is executing Judgments upon wicked men while he seems to spare them from judgment Pro. 1.32 The prosperity of fools slayeth them Sâ—me think a wicked mâ—n is mighâ—ily favoured when he is in prosperity no that prosperity is his destruction and destruction is Judgment in perfection The table of a wicked man is made his snare his full table faâ—tens his heart which is the sorest of all judgments To be unâ—ensible is worse than any punishment of sense to be hardned or heartned in doing evill is more penall than the suffering of any evill Now while wicked men escape the suffering of evill they grow resolved that is hardned and heartned in doing iâ— or to do it Take Solomons observation or experience in the caâ—e Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed upon themselves or others therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully sâ—t in them to do mischief So then there are many invisible judgmen s upon wicked men when we see no hand touch them nor judgment neer them God giveâ— them up to vile affections and to a reprâ—baâ—e mind Rom. 1.26 28. to their own counsels Psal 81.12 and to strong dâ—lusâ—oâ—â— by â—â—hers 2 Thes 2.11 Theâ—e heavy loads oâ— judgment may be on their hearts upon whose backs we see not sâ— much as a gaine weight of judgment Thus the Lord is excellâ—nt in judgment in all the notions of it I have inâ—â—anced fouâ—e Now lâ—st any should think that God at any time breaks the rule of justice in his zeale for this latter sort of judgment or while he is powring out vengeance upon the wicked therefore it follâ—ws in the next place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in plenty of Justice God executes great wrath upon sinners but there is gâ—eat Justice Justitiâ— est constâ—ns perpetua voluntas suum cuique tribuendi Justin plenty of Justice in it There is store â—nd abundance of justice and righteousness in his most rigorous juâ—gments A little justice is a most precious thing how precious then is plenty of jâ—stice Justice in it self is the giving of every one his due and where justice is in any man it constanâ—ly bends and enclines his heart to do so his especially with whom there is as in God plenty of justice And indeed what-ever God hath he haâ—h plenty of it He hath mercy and plenty of it he iâ— plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 Aâ—d with him iâ— pleâ—teous redemption Pâ—al 130.7 There is also plenty of justice in him Some men have no Justice at all in them though their
flight and bold thoughts of God to take up high and reverential thoughts of God this this is to fear God Yet a little further and more distinctly I conceive here in this place to fear God stands in a four-fold opposition Fiâ—st Men should fear him and not murmure at what he doth Secondly They should fear him and not lightly pass by what he doth Thirdly They should fear him and not question him about what he doth Fourthly They should fear him and not curiously search or prie into what he doth The Lord having such power to do such wisdom in doing such a mixture of mercy with justice in all that he doth men should only admire and improve his doings not murmure at nor lightly pass by nor question nor curiously pry into what he doth Thus to fear God as faithful in all his works and to fear offending him in any of our own workâ— is the summe of Godliness Hear the conclusion of all saith Solomon Eccl. 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandements this is the whole of man that is as we translate the whole duty of man Secondly Taking the word men more strictly as signifying not strong or mighty men but weak afflicted men Note When God is afflicting us we ought to be much in the fear of God What when the hand of God is upon us shall our hearts be lifted up against him or in our selves what shall not our hearts stoop when our backs are burdened with sorrows and bowed down with a cross Not to fear God when we are at furthest remove from fear or trouble in the world is an argument of a very bad heart but not to fear him when fear is round about us or when himself is chastening and correcting of us argueth a much worse frame of heart Holy David gave this character of his enemies Psal 55.19 Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God What shall we say of them who fear not God though they have many changes such changes I mean as Job felt and cryed out of in the bitterness of his soul Chap. 10.17 Changes and war are against me And 't is conceived that Elihu aimed particularly at Job in this passage as if he were the man who though under great changes and in great troubles yeâ— behaved himself unlike those who truly fear the Lord. Thirdly Note It is so much the duty of man to fear God that it may well be supposed of all men that they fear him He can scarce be looked upon as a man who doth not fear God Doth he know himself to be a weak man who doth not tremble at the remembrance of the Almighty God Doth he know himself to be a sinful man who doth not tremble at the remembrance of the holy of the most holy God This duty of fear is due to God upon so many accounts even common accounts from man that we may conclude surely every man feareth God Shall we not fear him who is incomprehensibly great in power and in judgment and in plenty of justice What! not fear him who made us and preserveth us who feeds and cloaths us What! nor fear him in whose hand our breath is and all our wayes These and many more are common accounts upon which all men may see both reason and their own engagement to fear God So then as because it is so much the duty of a Son to honour his Father and of a Servant to fear his Master therefore the Scripture supposeth all Sons and Servants doing it Mal. 1.6 A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master He doth noâ— say a Son ought to honour his Father and a Servant his Master but he honoureth or doth honour That person deserveth not the name of a Son that doth not honour his Father nor is he worthy the name of a Servant that doth not honour his Master Now I say as the Scripture takes it for granted upon this ground the naturalness of the duty thâ—t every Son honours his Father and every Servant his Master so it doth and so may we that every man feareth God And doubtless if a Son or Servant deserves not to bear the name of these relations unless they honour and fear Father and Master how much less do they deserve to be called Men who do not fear God the Almighty God! Again from those two particular heads upon which this fear is grâ—unded First Therefore with respect to the power and justice of God Secondly Therefore with respect to the mercy and tenderness of God Note Fiâ—st God is to be feared because he is so full of power and justice then especially when by some eminent and special act of providence he declares his power and is doing justice By how much the more God puts himself forth in his power and justice by so much the more he is to be feared 'T is prophesied Rev. 15.3 that when God shal shew forth his great power and execute the severity of his justice upon Antichrist then they who shall get the victory over the beast and over his image c. shall sing the Song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints What followeth Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name The vengeance to be poured upon Babylon will be so great a demonstration of Gods power and justice that it will give occasion to all men the faithful especially yea it will call upon them aloud to fear God Who shall not fear thee As if he had said surely there is no man so stupid so stout-hearted or so hard-hearted but if he see God in or at this wo k he will have dreadful apprehensions of him and fear befoâ—e him Yet this is not spoken of such a fear as Christ hath fore-told shall seize upon and possess the hearts of men before his gloâ—ious appeaâ—ing Luke 21.25 26. There shall be signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the Earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waters roaring mens hearts failing them for fear c. It shall not be I say such a fear a heaâ—t-failing but a heart-enlarging fear not such aâ— fear as they have or rather as hath them who have their hope only in this life these shall fear with an amazing desponding despairing fear but such a fear as they have who through grace have risen up to a full assurance of hope or are begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for them The second ground of this fear is the mercy and goodness of God who though he be thus powerful and just yet he will not afflict that is he will not afflict without mercy and tenderness to his people Hence observe God is to
be feared because he is so gracious and full of compassion even while he doth afflict There is mercy with God not to afflict that 's sparing mercy and therefore he is to be feared there is mercy also with God in moderating our afflictions that 's sparing mercy too and therefore he is to be feared The graciousness of God manifested somtimes in sparing to afflict us and often in afflicting us sparingly should move us to fear him both greatly and alwayes and if sparing mercy should move us to fear him then much more should forgiving and pardoning mercy When the Lord Exod. 34.6 7. Passed by before Moses and proclaimed The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin c. At this proclamation of grace Moses vers 8. made haste and bowed his head towards the earth and worshipped How graceless then are they who when they hear that God is gracious merciful and abundant in goodness fear him not but grow wanton and abuse his kindness Now they who fear God upon the due consideration either of his power or goodness find their hearts First Much enlarged in the service of God or in doing the work and walking in the wayes of God Isa 60.5 Secondly This fear keeps their hearts to a close communion with God Jer. 32.32 I will put my fear in their heart and they shall not depart from me We usually not only depart but run from those whom we fear but the true fear of God Covenant-fear makes us cling about and keep close to him Thirdly This fear keeps up good thoughts and high estimations of God in the worst times or when he is pleased to bring the greatest troubles upon us An Israelite indeed who feareth the Lord and his goodness Hos 3.5 will say let God do what he will with him Truly God is good to Israel Psal 73.1 Let us consider whether we have these effects of a gracious fear working in our hearts upon the remembâ—ance both of the power and mercy of God Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise in heart These words as was touched before press the former duty of fearing God inferred from the greatness and excellency of his power judgment jâ—stice and mercy yet further upon us As if he â—ad said Men do therefore fear him Why Because He respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is in general he respects none who are so wise or wise in such a way as not to fear him upon those fore-mentioned grounds He respecteth not The word is seeth not There is an elegant paranomisie in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—imerâ— the words which signifie to fear and to respect or see being very near in sound God doth not see them with respect who do not see him with fear He seeth not any that are wise in heart It cannot be meant of the ordinary sight of the eye that he seeth not the wise in heart God seeth clearly who they are Nor can it be meant of the common apprehension of the mind that he knoweth not the wise in heart God understands fully what they are It must be meant then of a seeing with liking or special approbation God seeth not the wise in heaâ—t so as to like or app ove them Our translation is full and clear to that fence He respecteth â—ot oâ— he regardeth not any that are wise in heart that is he takes no notice of them they are not pleasing to him Or thus He respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is as they fear not him so he is not afraid of them He respecteth not any that are Wise in heart Oâ— wâ—se of heart But some may say Doth not God respect nor regard doth noâ— he take notice of those that are wise of heart Whom then doth he respect or regard of whom will he take notice if not of the wise in heart Hath the Lord any respect for fooles for ignorant men for ideots for sotts Surely men that are wise in heart are not only very amiable but honourable in the eyes of God Why then is it said He respecteth not any that are wise in heart I answer The wise in heart are of two sorts First there are some wise in heart who are so only in their own opinion in their own conceits or eyes they have great thoughts of their own wisdom and therefore as they are apt to despise men so they are far from the fear of God There is a wisdom in some men opposed to the fear of God whereas true wisdome in any man is the beginning of that fear as that fear is called the beginning of wisdom Psal 111.10 Qui sibi videntur esse sapientes Vulg. The vulgar Latine varie h the formeâ— part of the verse yet renders this latter part by way of glosâ— rather than translation They that seem to themselves to be wise and indeed the wise in heart whom God respecteth not are the proudly wise the selfishly wise such as are wise only in themselves and to themselves such as have only that wisdom which the Apostle calleth the wisdom of the flesh or the carnal mind Rom. 8.7 which is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed till mortified can be He that is carnally wise disputes the commands of God and takes the boldness to censure his works such wise men God respecteth not yea they are under his greatest disrespect Secondly Others are truly wise graciously wise wise for their souls wise for heaven wise for happiness submitting their wisdom to the will of God and doing his will They that are thus wise in heart the Lord respects and highly respects how can he do otherwise seeing this is the character of God himself Job 9.4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength And as God is wise in heart so according to their line and measure they that are godly are wise in heart too Therefore taking our translation the wise in heart intended by Elihu must needs be those that are only carnally wise politickly wise naâ—urally wise that is wickedly wise or at best vainly or vain-gloriously wise Further should we take the wise in heart for those that are truly wise graciâ—usly wise yet it must be acknoâ—ledged that even â—hey may so mis-behave themselves as to miss present respect from God And doubtless Elihu observing that Job had spoken somewhat highly of himself and did not carry it humbly enough under the hand of God though his spirit was broken and brought down at last checks him here by telling him God respecteth not any that are wise in heart no not him in that case and frame of spirit as lifted up in his own wisdom Yea Taking wise in heart in this best sence for the graciously wise it is not for their wisdom and holiness that God respecteth or favoureth them As he will