blood which makes young men rash and precipitant and their zeal to out-strip their knowledge and light their youthful lusts want of experience c. will easily perceive that youth is not easie to manage aright Whereas to men of age many of these snares are broken Time and experience will let them see many things to be but folly and vanity which youth will not believe that they are such Those strong passions which do oft times master and over-power even true grace in younger persons may be more subdued and cooled in them c. This may let us see that it is a great mercy to be helped well through a time of youth and to be kept from the snares of it and the sad effects of these disadvantages which attend it 2. One great advantage of age above youth is in the matter of wisdome gathered by study and experience and in the cooling of their heat and passions which usually represent things to men through false Perspectives For this is the advantage intimated here On his own part he was afraid and durst not shew his opinion considering that he was young and they old Not only was he afraid lest he should goe without the bounds of his station in offering to speak before them but lest being but a young man he should miscarry in speaking to the matter it self And on their part he reckoned this their advantage That dayes or men of dayes should speak that is Not only is it their priviledge to speak when young men should be silent and hear but it is expected they should be able to speak to purpose on such weighty subjects and that multitude of years should teach wisdome that is their long life should be so improved as they may be taught much experimental knowledge by living long in the world which also they should teach and communicate to others It is true this difference betwixt age and youth doth not universally hold as Elihu afterwards tells them yet many times it proves true that age out-strips youth in these things as Rehoboam found by experience in the matter of his Counsellours 1 King 12. And however it hold eventually yet the characters here assigned of youth and old age do point out that it is a great defect in young men not to be well acquainted with their own precipitancy and want of experience And that it is a great shame for aged persons if as they have place to speak so they be not wise and able to speak to purpose and if the long time they have had hath not so taught them as makes them both able and willing to communicate their light to others who possibly are not so able or sensible of the good and evil of courses as themselves are But they themselves are no less rash and head-strong than if they were still children 3. It is an evidence of grace and a great mercy to young persons when they are made to discern and take notice of the disadvantages they lye under For so is Elihu sensible here of what might rationally be expected from his youth and their age Thus Solomon is sensible of the disadvantages of his youth 1 King 3.7 8 9. When young men are not sensible of their disadvantages they cannot but run headlong on snares while they think themselves wise enough and so prove in effect but mad fools Whereas these who are afraid lâ—st they do miscarry and so are not rash to do or speak any thing they prove themselves to be most able and do seldome miscarry 4. When God gives young men a blessed sight of their own disadvantages it will produce much sobriety As here it doth in Elihu See Tit. 2.6 And if we consider the words we will find these evidences of sobriety in young men 1. They who are sober will have no conceit of themselves For Elihu here is free of that And where conceit is it is an evidence that the weaknesses of youth are not well studied 2. Sober young men will have a good esteem of aged men and their opinions till they find very clear cause to judge otherwise For he judged that such should speak and teach wisdome 3. They will still be modest and respect age even when they are dis-satisfied with their opinion As here he waited till they had spoken out and reckoned that dayes should speak or had place to speak before him 4. They will be farr from presumptuous boldness and full of humble fears in their undertakings especially when they are called to oppose others who are elder than themselves As here he enters with much fear upon this undertaking Verse 8. But there is a Spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding 9. Great men are not alwayes wise neither do the aged understand judgement 10. Therefore I said Hearken to me I also will shew mine opinion Followeth to v. 21. the second branch of this Preface wherein he gives five Reasons why he now interposeth to speak in this cause The first Reason in these Verses is more general containing this in summ That the fountain of wisdome not being in man himself but from God who giveth it to whom he pleaseth v. 8. And who doth not always give it to great men and men of experience v. 9. Therefore though he be a young man yet they having given over he will hazard to speak somewhat in that cause v. 10. Which he might well undertake being indeed inspired by God as he tells them v. 18 19. though here he speak of that inspiration only in general and abstractly v. 8. which might supply his want of years and experience For clearing of this purpose Consider 1. These tearms of Wisdome understanding and Judgement are here to be taken promiscuously for a gift of discerning to judge betwixt right and wrong and truth and errour in matters and opinions together with a gift of prudence or ability to speak rightly and pertinently to a cause For these are the particulars of which Elihu is treating which he expresseth by all these words 2. As for that Spirit which he saith is in man Some understand it of the reasonable Soul of man and take up the purpose thus That all men have a reasonable Soul which by the special inspiration of God may be so elevated that even young men by that assistance may comprehend these things which aged and experienced persons cannot know without it Others understand it of the Soul of man yet they take up the scope of the Verse thus That though there be such a Spirit in man yet it is not that but the inspiâ—ation of the Almighty which makes truly wise But it is clearer to understand it of the Spirit of God and so the latter part of the Verse is exegetâ—ke and explains the former That it is by that Spirit in man even by the inspiration of the Almighty that any attain to this understanding here spoken of 3. As for this Spirit or inspiration as it is not
Verse 19. Hast thou given the Horse strength hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder 20. Canst thou make him afraid as a grashopper the glory of his nostrils is terrible 21. He paweth in the valley and rejoyceth in his strength he goeth on to meet the armed men 22. He mocketh at fear and is not affrighted neither turneth he back from the Sword 23. The Quiver raileth against him the glittering spear and the shield 24. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage neither believeth he that it is the sound of the Trumpet 25. He saith among the Trumpets Ha Ha and he smelleth the battel afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shouting The fifth Instance is the Strength and Courage of the Horse which serveth man especially the Horse bred for War It is God and not man who hath given him great strength so that with his Neck and Breast he runs down what he rusheth upon as if a clap of Thunder had fallen upon it v. 19. And his Courage is no less than his Strength so that he will not be affrighted as a Grashopper but his Snortings and Neighings are terrible v. 20. This his courage appeareth especially in War for it maketh him paw on the ground with his feet and glory to run without fear among armed men and weapons v. 21 22 23. And he digs the earth with his feet or runs so quickly over it to come to the Battel as if he would swallow it up and finds nothing terrible in the Trumpet sounding the deadly Alarm to the Battel more than if it were a Whistle and not a Trumpet v. 24. But resounds to it by his Neighings when he perceiveth by the dreadful noise of Officers and Souldiers that the Battel is approaching v. 25. From this Instance gather 1. The creatures want of one kind of advantage is ordinarily made up with some other as the Ostrich outstrips the Horse in swiftness v. 18. and yet here the Horse excels in courage 2. Albeit God hath appointed some creatures to serve men yet that should not hide the Glory of God which shines in them As here the Lord points out his Glory by this Instance of the Horse to convince and humble Job 3. God who giveth strength and courage to very Beasts as here he doth to the Horse can very easily furnish his Saints therewith and keep them from fainting as they have need as Job had found by experience being made to triumph by faith in the midst of danger however he complained 4. If the Horse being so strong and couragious a Beast doth yet serve man and is subject to him Jam. 3.3 why should Saints be diffident but they may manage and overcome great difficulties in Gods strength 5. As the Horses courage appears eminently in War and in the midst of hazards so should Saints study to acquit themselves in a day of trial Job 4.3 4 5 6. Prov. 24.10 And God can furnish them against such a time above any thing that they could promise to themselves consulting their own dispositions and courage before it came 6. This strength and courage of the Horse is a great Excellency yet God hath no pleasure in it nor in the like excellencies which are in men Psal 147.10 Which should teach us not to conceit of our common excellencies and endowments but to delight more to be Saints than to have all that courage strength wisdom c. which are in men or beasts Psal 147.10 11. Jer. 9.23 24. 7. This fierce courage of the Horse must be managed and guided by men Jam. 3.3 To shew that fierceness is but a beastly disposition if it be not well managed Psal 32.9 10. And if men with a small Bridle do command the fierce Horse how much more should men be pliant to God And if they will not he hath Hooks and Bridles also for them Isa 37.29 Verse 26. Doth the Hawk fly by thy wisdom and stretch her wings toward the South 27. Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command and make her Nest on high 28. She dwelleth and abideth on the Rock upon the Crag of the Rock and the strong place 29. From thence she seeketh the prey and her eyes behold afar off 30. Her young ones also suck up blood and where the slain are there is she The sixth Instance is those noble Birds of Prey the Hawk and the Eagle For the first Albeit men have learned an art of training Hawks so that they flee after their prey when they let them loose and they return to them again because of their food yet it is not by any wisdom from men that they do flee but they know how to follow their prey before ever men take them who do but put them to the exercise of what they have by nature for their own recreation And particularly It is from God that the Hawk hath an Instinct to flee toward the South v 26. as wild Hawks in cold seasons and when they cast their old Feathers do flee into warmer Climates till their new Feathers grow up As for the Eagle it is from God that she hath that instinct and strength to mount streight upward an higher pitch than any other Bird can do and that for this end among others that she may build her Nest upon the high and unaccessible Rocks for the security of her young ones v. 27 28. And it is from God that she is able to discern her prey at so great a distance as some report that she not only seeth sar but will smell dead Corpses very far off and comes to it for blood and flesh to her self and to her young ones to whom she brings food till she can get them brought to it v. 29 30. In these Instances we may observe 1. So much of God may be seen in every thing that even the recreation of hawking and the flight of Birds may afford profitable and edifying Instructions as here the Hawk and Eagle are Instances of that glory of God which shineth in his Creatures 2. Since God â—iâ—ects all things even the flight of Birds as here is shâ—wed that it is Gods wisdom and not Job's that directs these Birds in their several motions who should presume to direct him or exempt themselves from his directions or orders concerning them and their Loâ—s 3. Since he directs very birds well sending hawks to the South when they need warmth and Eagles to â—he Rock for security of their young ones and that they may the more easily discern their prey who can justly suspect him in his guiding of men 4. The sagacity of the Eagle being an Embleme of what godly persons and Christians should be Mat. 24. 28. Luke 17.37 We should learn at them to flee above things below and contemplate things above as they look upon the Sun To build sure upon the rock where hazard cannot teach us Isa 33.16 Mat. 7.24 25. To discern and smell our mercies though they be very far off as Job did Chap.
sends on the trouble which we take occasion to be imbittered at and giveth way to mens own spirits yet it flows from their own passion pride and haste that they are so imbittered 5. Whatever be in the troubles of Saints whether really or in their apprehension Yet nothing of that warrants them to complain of God and his dealing or to be weary of their own life and lot For whatever Jobs case was yet his trouble was no relevant reason why he should so passionately desire to die Some are indeed more peevish and absurd then others in this particular who upon the very least discontent and crossing of their humor were it in never so great mercy would lie down and die as Jonah 4.2 3. Yet let men be able to instruct their case to be most really sad that is no reason why they should so desire death as to complain and expostulate if they be not satisfied The like sentence may we pass upon all our reasonings against any of Gods dealing Vers 21. Which long for death but it cometh not and dig for it more then for hid treasures 22. Which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can find the grave The second reason of his Expostulation and an effect of the former is taken from his earnest desire after death though it succeeded not That though he betook himself to no ill shift which might take away his life yet in his desires he longed as seriously for it as men do labour for treasures v. 21. And was not as all men naturally are afraid of death and the grave but would be glad to meet with it ver 22. Now his nature was afflicted to want what he desired and therefore he longs to be at it and expostulates that he is not satisfied If we look to the strength of this Argument Though it be the advantage of a godly man such as Job was that the testimony of his Conscience leads him to look death thus confidently in the face Yet not only doth Job now pursue this desire rather in Passion than with an eye to his Integrity and looking rather to death as the common end of all mens outward trouble then to what is beyond death But did his desire flow from never so holy a principle he soars too high and is too peremptory in it For we find that Saints in cold bloud have deprecated death in such gloomy days As we will find in many of the Psalms In particular In this reasoning we may Observe 1. He is too earnestly bent for death which was an evidence he was wrong and that God would not give it For God by his Providential Dispensation in continuing him alive retorted the Argument that because he doated much on death therefore it was not fit he should meet with it Whatever outward lot our hearts are bent upon under tentation we may suspect it is an Idol And that God will guide those whom he loveth rather any way than that 2. The excess of his inclination after death made the want of it a cross so that he complaineth it cometh not whereas if he had been sober he might have found another out-gate and however yet his grief through the want of it had been less This teacheth Partly that it is an evidence of mens insobriety in desiring lawful things when they cannot brook a disappointment nor are content having done their duty to submit to what God shall think best For if Job had soberly desired death he would not have added but it cometh not Partly that many augment their own afflictions by unsober doating on out-gates of their own which being denyed them it heightens their grief their own Affections adding Oil to the flame As Jobs vehement longing after death renders the disappointment bitter He longs and digs for death but it cometh not Whereas sobriety affords a present out-gate of Gods providing His Salvation of his allowance and carving is near Psal 85.9 when salvation of our prescribing and desired by us is far off 3. His argument is ill founded That because he exceedingly desires death Therefore he may complain and quarrel if God do not yield it to him There is no reason that our will should be a law not only whereby we will walk our selves but pointing out and prescribing to God what he should do to us And yet this is the exercise of many They have an irregular lusting will and then they repine if it be not satisfied As if they were not to acknowledge a Lord over them Vers 23. Why is light given to a man whose way is hid and whom God hath hedged in 24. For my sighing before I eat and my roarings are poured out like the waters In these verses Job repeats the first reason of his Expostulation taken from his afflicted condition and doth enlarge it yet further that he may confirm the former reason that he did justly desire death so earnestly as he did And 1. He propounds the case in general ver 23. That any man may desire death and complain if it be with-held whose way is hid and hedged in or who is so over-whelmed with darkness and confusion and involved in a labyrinth of perplexities that he knows not what to make of his case nor whether to turn him and when he would turn himself to any hand to seek relief he finds God hedging him in on all hands without any hope of relief 2. He propounds his own case in particular v. 24. to instruct that he was a man so afflicted Shewing that his ordinary refreshments did not abate nor divert his sorrows but even before the face of his meat and while it was set before him his sighing and sorrow continued without intermission Yea his sorrows were so great as made him roare and that so impetuously and abundantly as a current of waters running down Not to insist on what hath been before marked That supposing all this were true of Jobs case yet he had his own imbittered spirit to blame for much of this disorder following upon his trouble And albeit the Lord had dealt so with him it was not a relevant reason why he should decline to stoop under Gods hand so long as he pleased leaving it upon God to order his dark path and submitting to digest his reâ—eshments with sorrow We may further from ver 23 learn 1. When people are in trouble it contributes to the heightning thereof that they do constantly pore upon it in all the aggravations thereof For Job is so much taken up with this subject that he returns to it again alter what he had said v. 20. 2. It is much to be adverted unto by these in trouble that self-love do not lead them to aggravate afflictions more because theirs then they would do if they were on others or then impartial observers would esteem of them Therefore both here and ver 20. he propounds the matter in Thesi and of any man whosoever thus afflicted to shew that he was not
sheweth what light he can cause arise unto his people even in darkness how God hath so disposed all things and ballanced them as he makes us dwell safely under such a weight of Clouds which hang over our heads in the thin air whereby he sheweth that he is able to preserve his people when they are kept under the hazard of eminent perils how much of God doth shine in warm seasons whence we may gather some Documents concerning the refreshful warmth of the light of his countenance lifted up upon us after cold blasts especially in our heavenly Countrey Also concerning the emptiness of all temporal enjoyments and the Mercy that is in their being moderated evidenced in this that however we desire hot seasons in cold weather yet we can no more endure the extremity of heat than of cold and that our Cloaths which sometimes we find comfortable do at other times prove a burden through heat And how much of his Glory shineth in the stately Canopy of the Firmament Psal 8 19. Whence we may gather how much more glorious those upper Mansions are But passing all these I shall only take a few Observations with an eye to Elihu's scope in these Instances And 1. All things in the world whether more permanent or transient are of Gods sole making As here we are taught Which affords much ground to Faith upon which it may lean in greatest difficulties See Rom. 4.17 2 Cor. 4.6 1 Pet. 4.19 2. Not only Gods power in making but his Wisdom in ordering all things ought to be observed For he disposed them So that there is not so much as an hot day but his Wisdom shâ—nes in it 3. As all things are ordered by God so they are at his Command and in his Hand to sâ—cure his People As he causeth the light of his Cloud to shine when he wâ—ll ballanceth the Clouds c. 4 As Gods Gâ—ory shineth in every one of his particular works so it shines yet more illustriously if we consider many of them together For which cause they are here represented to Job together 5. Not only singular and extraordinary works of God but even those which are ordinary and obvious are full of deep and unsearchable things For here he goeth no further than to the Sky Clouds Heat c. to convince Job that God is incomprehensible in his works 6 Gods works being all so incomprehensible it is the duty of those who would contemplate them aright to raise their thoughts of them As here they are called his wondrous works v. 16. which he again repeats from v. 14. 7. In studying of the works of God we should ascend up to high thoughts of himself As here he subjoyns to his sight of those wondrous works that he is perfect in knowledge 8. Whatever else we see in Gods works we should be careful to observe his perfect and infinite Wisdom to be adored and trusted by us therefore doth he point him out as perfect in knowledge and declared to be such by the operations of his hand 9. Whatever may be the frame of men unconcerned or how easie soever they think Lessons are yet men under tentation are not easily brought to adore God in his working or to learn these Lessons which are inculcated thereby Therefore must this counsel v. 14. be so much pressed upon Job by so many new Instances For men are then peevish too confident of their own opinions and apprehensions apt to pore too much upon their own case c. All which do darken their understanding 10. When men are disordered and mistake in their thoughts of God he hath not one only but many witnesses to convince them and even to overwhelm their stiffness as here he heaps up instances to refute Job 11. Whoso study Gods ordinary works well will find cause to stoop to him in his singular dispensations as here we are taught For if no man be his Counseller in his ordinary working nor will he give an account of it nor should any murmure at it much less will he give an account of his special dispensations about man but man must acquiesce and submit to his pleasure And we who are but of yesterday and ignorant of what is most obvious as here he confounds Job by enquiring what he knoweth of these works must not think to pry into his deep counsels Verse 19. Teach us what we shall say unto him for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness 20. Shall it be told him that I speak if a man speak surely he shall be swallowed up In the second branch of this Application Elihu checks Job for his desire to plead with God the reproof whereof he coucheth in a counsel or desire by way of sharp Irony v. 19 That if Job desired to plead with God or would have them Elihu or any of his Friends to plead or interpose for him he would give them inâ—ormation how to go about it and furnish them with some of those Arguments wherewith he said he was well stored Chap. 23.4 This in effect imports that however Job was so daring as to desire to plead yeâ— he could satisfie no impartial and unconcerned man that he had a just ground of Plea or valid Arguments to produce This is further confirmed from their experience and observation that God could not be so pleaded with 1. Because it is impossible mans darkness and ignorance and the mysteries in Gods dispensations being so great that none can order their pleas or defences before him v. 19. 2. Because of the hazard that is in such an attempt v. 20. Where he alludes to the customs of those times wherein men did record their Names in a Book or otherwise gave publick notice that they were to plead such a Cause as they did also write all their disputes in the Cause Chap. 19.23 31.35 Now Elihu professeth that he durst not make any intimation to God that he was about to speak in these terms that Job desired to plead with him seeing he could not plead but he was in hazard to be swallowed up From v. 19. Learn 1. It is mens great fault that they presume to quarrel with God as this check given to Job imports 2. It heightens mens faults when they are not satisfied to harbour inward thoughts of secret murmurings and resentments against God which yet are their sin but they presume to utter and speak them out For this check imports That Job was about to say somewhat unto him 3. How high soever mens resolutions fly in their passions yet they will not know how to follow them out in cold blood for he supposeth that Job cannot teach what to say nor convince even the Auditory who were but men that he had any valid Arguments or defences 4. However men will not be convinced of their irrational presumption in offering to plead with God as a party while they are in their fits of distemper yet it may help to calm them if they consider that no