stay at their post where they are appointed they must abide till called off upon pain of death Be thou there saith the Commander to his Souldier be thou there till I fetch thee off and when after signal given the battel begins the Souldier never leaves charging or pursuing the enemy till the trumpet sound a retreat So 't is in this case God saith to the Rain be upon the earth till thou hast wrought my purpose and done all my pleasure and there it is Thus we see the efficacy of Gods command upon these Meâ—eors the Snow and the Rain now follow the effects or what comes of it First we have that effect which respects man Vers 7. He sealeth up the hand of every man He That is God Sealeth up the hand Sealing in Scripture hath a threefold signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proâ—rie claudere occultare First It notes the hiding of a thing or the keeping of it secret and close that which is sealed is also concealed Isa 8.16 Bind up the Testimony seal the Law among my disciples There is a time wherein God commands the Law to be sealed and the Testimony to be bound up and that is a very sad time for though there are various apprehensions about the meaning of this command given the Prophet yet the most probable intendment of it is that God would not have him lose any more time in dealing with those faithless and profane scoffers of his message but reserve those sacred mysteries as secrets to be communicated only to the faithful who would with due reverence and faith religiously receive them Seal the Law among or for my disciples that is such as desire to learn or have been taught and learned of me and by learning are become spiritually skilful and learned as the word is rendred Isa 50.4 Woe to sinners when the Testimony is bound and the Law sealed which is the import I conceive of that place in the same Prophet Isa 29.11 And when in the Revelation Chap. 4.1 a Book sealed with seven seals was shewed to John he wept vers 4. because no man was found worthy to open and to read the Book c. implying that the Book was full of divine secrets hidden from the eyes or understandings of men and so must have continued if the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Root of David that is the Lord Jesus Christ had not prevailed to open the Book and to lose the seven seals thereof Sealed things are hidden things Is not this said the Lord Deut. 32.34 laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures That is is it not kept close and hidden there are not their cursed treasures of sin laid up among my righteous treasures of wrath The Church Cant. 4.12 is called a Fountain sealed because the waters by which she is refreshed and made fruitful are a hidden thing to the world or because the Church must keep her self apart and distinct from the prophane and unbelieving world That 's one thing we seal what we would hide or keep close Secondly the word importeth sometimes to finish or compleat a thing When a Writing is perfected then we seal it when a Letter is made up we seal it to that purpose the word is used Dan. 9.24 Where the Prophet speaking of Christs coming in the flesh and what he should then do saith He shall finish transgression that is he shall compleat by the sacrifice of himself all the sacrifices for transgression Christ had no hand in any transgression as to the doing of it but in this sence he finished all transgression that is he finished the sacrifices of atonement for transgression that so our transgressions might not be charged upon us Further that word as there used may very well bear the first sence of sealing He shall seal transgression that is he shall cover or hide our transgressions for that is the effect of the Mediatorship of Jesus Christ Thirdly To seal a thing is in common sence to confirm it Jer. 32.10 11. I said the Pâ—ophet subscribed the Evidence and sealed it that is I confiâ—med it and made it good in Law Now when 't is said here He seâ—leth up the hand ef every man I conceive we are to take it in the first sence that is he hideth or shuts up every mans hand The hand is the chief instrument of working and therefore to say God shuts up or seals the hand is an elegant Metaphor signifying that God puts a stop or stay to or that he takes men off fâ—om their work If a mans hands be bound or sealed up he cannot use them But how doth God seal up the hand of every man of every working man or labourer By the Snow and by the Rain saith Elihu because when God sends abundance of Snow upon the earth or when he sends the great Rain of his strength men cannot work Hiems inâ—rs dicitur quod homines â—â—gat desidere inertes complicatis mâ—â—ibus in a deep snow or in a great rain without doors Labourers are hindered from their labour And hence anciently Winter had this title given it dull or sluggish Winter because in the extreamity of winter weather many men are forced to sit as we say with their hands in their pockets or folded under their armes He sealeth up the hand of every man that is by tempestuous and fowl weather he bindes their hands and presseth them together as with a Seal In manu omnes homines obsignabit Mont. The Hebrew is In the hand he will seal or sealeth every man From which strict reading some have made a very impious interpretation of this Text thereupon grounding that as most use it most unwarrantable Art of Chiromancy as if God did put certain Lines Prints or Seals upon the hand of every man from whence it may be collected and concluded what as some call it his Fortune or Destiny will be in the world Which as it is an opinion wicked in it self so altogether hetrogeneal to this place the tendency whereof is not to shew how things shall work with men hereafter but how they are often hindered or stopt in or from their present work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vehementia omnem hominem recludit Merc. pagn There is yet another reading of the place thus He sealeth up every man with strength The word which we translate hand hâ—y translate strength and refer it to God he with streng h or by his mighty power shuts up every man The word hand may be rendred strength because by the hand men act violenâ—ly and put forth their strength And God may be said to shew his strength in â—o soâ—t and fluid a thing as snow and rain that thereby he may give proof how easily or with how small a matter in appearance hâ— can stop any man from his work and purpose There is a truth in this â—eading but I rather take the words as they stand in our translation
The Prophet saith concerning Ephraim Hos 7.9 Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not That is Enemies have swallowed up or taken away that wealth those riches they have subdued those Armies those Forces which he looked upon and boasted of as his strengâ—h they have broken him quite with Warrs Invasions yet Ephraim knew it not and not only so but as it followeth Yea Gray hairs are here and there upon him that is he hath many Symptomes or Signs or ruine and destruction yet he knoweth it not Grief of heart for great changes in our Estate change the hair many grow gray with sorrow So that when 't is said gray hairs are upon him 't is an allusion taken from the Body Natural to the Body Politick for as when the natural Body of a man hath gray hairs appearing or as Solomon allegorizeth Eccl. 12.5 when the Almond Tree flourisheth it is an argument that old Age and infirmities are coming upon him Gray hairs tell us that Death and the Grave are not farr off they signifie some decay of nature Now as the natural Body hath its gray hairs so a Politick Body the body of a State hath its gray hairs too that is somthing may come upon a State which sheweth that it is declining and waxing old that it is ready to break and go to the Grave I shall not stay to enquire what are the gray hairs of a Nation I only bring that Scripture to prove that many are insensible of the hand of God he visiteth in his anger yet man possibly a good man knoweth it not as Ephraim knew not of his gray hairs But did not Ephraim know his affliction or did not Job know his what is it to know or who may be said to know an affliction I answer they only know their afflictions or that God is visiting in his anger First who labour to find out the cause of Gods visitation If we feel the afflicting hand of God upon us and enquire not whence is this why is it so what hath moved or provoked the Lord to this manner of proceeding with us If I say we make not such enquiries we are visited in anger and know it not And therefore in that case the Prophet Jeremy exhorts the afflicted captivated Church of the Jewes in Babylon to search and try their wayes Lam. 3.41 that is to consider why it was so with them what was the cause of their captivity Till we sit down and make diligent search why we are visited why any affliction or calamity is upon our Persons and Families or upon the Kingdomes and Nations respectively where we live we know neither the day of our visitation nor what our visitation is Then only we know Gods visitation when we are studying the causes of it Scire est per causas scire To know a thing is to know it in the causes of it Secondly They may be said to know the visitation of the Lord that are studying as the cause which they have given so the ends and purposes which God hath in visiting them for how much soever we find and see the causes of an affliction yet till our hearts are drawn out to answer the ends of it we do not truly know it But you will say what are the usual ends which the Lord hath in afflicting his people I answer First to turn them from sin Secondly to unglew and wean them from the world Thirdly that they may live nearer to or more with him Fourthly that they may live more unto him or which takes in both the latter ends that they may enjoy him more while they live honour him more with their lives Now I say till we are upon this kind of study both of the causes of our visitation and the ends of it beg that we may both remove those causes comply with or answer those ends we may be said not to know the visitation of the Lord though it be and we are in great extremity And if this be to know the visitation of God surely many are perishing and sinking under the hand of his visitation wâ—â— yet know it not How many are there who neither endeavour to search out the causes nor to fulfil the ends for which the Lord visiteth them in his anger I conceive this assertion or supposition at least of Elihu's concerning Job both as to his not trusting God in his affliction and not knowing his visitation was though in part true and occasion'd on Jobs part yet over-harsh and severe nor was the inference which he made from it in the next verse less severe and harsh Vers 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain he multiplyeth words without knowledge Here 's the conclusion of Elihu's third Discourse with Job Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Some connect this verse with the former according to the first reading of it before mentioned that giving a reason of this But now his anger or he in anger hath visited thee but a little or nothing c. Therefore thou O Job openest thy mouth in vain As if he had said Because the anger of God hath not punished Job sharply enough nor in proportion to the multitude and greatness of his sins therefore he speaks thus boldly and rashly Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain To open the mouth is a Pariphrasis of speaking As if he had said therefore Job speaks in vain To speak in vain or to use vain words is to speak to little or no purpose as I have had occasion to shew upon other places of this Book Chap. 15.2 Chap. 16.3 and therefore shall not stay upon it here Job was no vain speaker he used to speak words of weight words of soberness and truth yet was overborn by passion though not to speak vain words in the matter yet to speak or open his mouth in vain Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Consider the Inference therefore that is First Because he doth not humble himself in a patient dependance upon God Secondly because he doth not as he ought duly take notice of the purpose of God in visiting him Thirdly because he seems more solicitous and zealous in defending his own right and credit than the honour and righteâ—usness of God for all these Reasons he openeth his mouth in vain that is he loseth his labour in all this discourse and might as we speak proverbially have saved his breath to cool his broth Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Taking the Charge which Elihu brought against Job in the former verse to be well grounded and true we may Note All our complaints to and debates with God as also all our Apologies for our selves in affliction are fruitless and succesless till we give Glory to God and answer his purposes in laying his hand upon us Gratio vana sensus atque sapientiae inops tantum sonitu verborum querimoniarum clamosa Unless our hearts bow to
c. Secondly he applies it by way of conviction that as yet surely he was unhumbled because still under the afflicting hand of God vers 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked judgement and justice take hold on thee So much concerning the state of these three verses in general I shall now go on to open them in order Verse 15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traxit exiraoeit detrâ—xit in piet extraxit ex aerumuâ— miseria ericulo or he pulls the poor out of affliction That is the sense of the word and the work of God We find the word used to signifie the pulling or drawing off of the shoo Deut. 25.19 As the shoo is tied or buckled to the foot and must be loosed before it can with any ease be drawn off Chalatz and lachatz two contraries save and undoe are sweetly used â—y Elihu in this verse Brough so afflâ—ctions are tyed to us till the Lord unlooseth and draweth them off from us or us from them To draw out of trouble or to draw us out of trouble is deliverance David expresseth himself by that word Psal 6.4 Return O Lord deliver or draw my soul that is me out of the enemies hand or out of the trouble which compasseth me about and is ready like deep waters to swallow me up He delivereth The poor in his affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est vox conjugata pauperum a paupertate miserum a miseria Pined Who are meant by the poor hath been shewed before I shall not stay upon it here only consider there are poor as to their outward state and poor as to their inward state that is first poor in spirit which is a blessed poverty and secondly poor in spirituals which is a miserable poverty The two former sorts of poor especially when joyned in one are here intended He delivereth the poor in his affliction or in his poverty There is a great elegancy in the Hebrew text 't is a word of the same root which signifieth the poor who are delivered and the affliction in which or out of which he or they are delivered We may translate the text thus he delivereth the poor in his poverty that is when he is in his poverty or affliction the Lord delivereâ—h him out of his poverty or affliction if poverty be his affliction oâ— whatsoever affliction comes under the name of poverty Hic ב redditur per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de ex the Lord delivereth him out of it I have upon other passages of this book spoken of this deliverance yet shall touch it here again because we ought always to remember it we are often in affliction often in trouble and therefore we have need ofâ—en to be put in mind and continually to bear in mind that God is a deliverer the deliverer of his people from or out of afflictions He delivereth the poor in his affliction Hence Note Deliverance is the work of God As â—he poor cannot deliver themselves in affliction so neither can the rich deliver the poor by his riches nor the strong by his power nor the wise man by his wisdom craft or pollicy The Lord often useth the help of man creature help in delivering the poor out of afflâ—ctions yet the whole effect is here and every where in Scripture attributed to God He delivereth the poor Deliverance of any soâ—t is of God yet more especially some sort of deliverances are as Nebuchadnezzar confessed Dan. 3.29 who whâ—n those three Worthies were delivered out of the fiery furnace maâ—e a decree that every People Nation and Language which spake any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach Meshach aâ—d Abednego should be cut in pieces c. and he did it upon this ground because saith he there is no other God that can deliver after this sort He had an opinion that his god could deliver but he appropriated the glory of that deliverance to their God there is no god can deliver after this sort no god but the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego can check and stop the rage of fire and b ing out those unburnt who are cast into the burning That 's the first thing Deliverance is of the Lord. Secondly He delivereth the poor Note The lowest and meanest are the objects of deliverance When it 's worst with us then usually God cometh in He will be seen in the Mount and provide at a pinch he loves to do for us when we can do nothing for our selve Take the poor in any notion but especially for such as being destitute of all help and means of deliverance are also poor in spi it not trusting to any help or humane arm these these are the persons whom the Lord delights to deliver and herefore God is so often spoken of in Scriptu e as espousing the cause and quarrel of the Widow and the Fatherless Thirdly From the manner of expression He delivereth the poor in affliction Note They who are not delivered from affliction may yet be delivered in affliction God doth not alwayes deliver his People from affliction either not suffering affliction to fall upon them or presently bringing them out of affliction but he is engaged by promise to deliver them in affliction and this he doth sometimes by checking the affliction that it shall not hurt them sometimes by enabling them to bear yea to conquer the affliction how much soever it hurts them He delivered those in the third of Daniel in the fiery fuâ—nace by checking the fire that it should not hurt them and Daniel in the Lions den by checking the hungry Lyons that they did not devour him He delivered Job and David and Jeremie and the Apostles and all the Martyrs who loved not their lives to the death for the testimony of Jesus by causing them to glory in and triumph over all their tribulations He delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth their ears in oppression What 's meant by opening the ear was shewed at the 10th verse of this Chapter and at the 16th verse of the thirty third Yet consider somewhat in the words anew And openeth their ear The Hebrew copulative particle which we render and is often in that language used to denote a season or special time and then it is rendred by when thus here he delivereth the poor in affliction when he hath opened their ears by or in oppression Thus also Psal 139.16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them The Hebrew is and not one in them as if he had said God had a full Idea or platform of Davids b dy before it was framed so here he delivereth the poor in affliction and openeth or when he hath opened their ears in oppression that is taught them effectually to make a good use of their afflictions We may
also render it after so the copulative Vau is expounded Lev. 17.15 Jer. 10.13 Thus here Faciet eum intelligere quod pro peccatis punitur Aquin He delivereth the poor in afflion after he hath opened their ears that is after he hath made them understand that sin hath caused their sufferings and hath also made them obedient and ready to receive counsel from him as that phrase of opening the ear hath been opened He openeth or when or after he hath opened their ears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radic◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coarctaâ—it pressit coâ—pressit vim intulit praeposito in saepo valet per. in oppression or by oppression The word notes extream oppression we read it Num. 22.25 in the story of Balaam where 't is said his Asse crushed or pressed or oppressed his foot against the wall while he was going to curse the people of Israel that so Balak might oppresse them This word is used also Judg. 4.3 1 Sam. 10.18 and by it Elisha shewed how he would have Jehorams messenger handled 2 Kings 6.32 Oppression takes fast hold The Lord takes fast hold of sinners by oppression and will not let them go till he hath opened their ears but as soon as he hath opened their ears in or by their oppressions then out of hand he delivereth them in if not out of their afflictions From the connection of this with the former part of the verse Observe The evil of oppression or trouble is preparatory to or a usual meanes to fit us for our receiving of good He delivereth them in affliction when he hath opened their ears in or by oppression When once the soul by hearing the cry of the oppressor is made obedient to the call of God then God comes and workes deliverance Good men while free from evil are oftentimes like the wilde ass described in the 39th chapter of this book such as will not hear nor regard the crying of the driver though he be not an exactor as the word there signifies and we put in the Margine but a fair and gentle driver Few hear when spoken to till they feel as well as hear and therefore the Loâ—d first sends them into trouble that they may hear and having by that meanes opened their eares to heaâ— he bâ—ings them out of trouble When we are truly humbled by affliction we are near deliverance from affliction The plaister must be kept on till the wound be healed The Lord will not leave off scourging or correcting his people till he hath brought them to such a postâ—re that they are fit for mercy The Lord helps and heals those who submit and if they whom he hath bound with the cords of affliction call humbly for release and relief he will not forsake them but restore them in due time to their former felicity He delivereth the poor in affliction when he hath opened their eares in or by oppression Elihu having laid down this general Doctrine makes Application of it in the two verses following Vers 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place Thus Elihu proceeds from the general Thesis or assertion of Gods deliverance to the Hypothesis accommodating the Doctrine to Jobs Case and Person Even so he would have removed thee c. This 16th verse contains the first part of the Application made to Job where Elihu informs him what the issue would undoubtedly have been if he had submitted which he did not as he ought to the afflicting hand of God and had not which he did and ought not filled his mouth and the eare of God with bitter complaints nor stood so stifflly upon his own defence and vindication This Elihu doth by a double allusion First to the bringing of a man out of close prison into a state of freedom or into an open air This he gives us in the former part of the verse even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place Secondly he doth it by alluding to the furnishing of a mans table with store not only of wholsome but of delicious meates who before fared very hardly This he doth in the close of the verse and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness As if he had said if thou had'st harkened to the voyce of God thou should'st have had both liberty and plenty had'st thou been bettered by thy troubles it had been better for thee and much better with thee thou hadst been enlarged fully thou hadst been supplyed abundantly with all manner of good things desirable even to the utmost of thy desires that 's the general scope of this verse more particularly Even so would he have removed thee out of a strait into a broad place Some read the verse with a retro-respect or as looking back to the time past as if Elihu had bid Job remember his former experiences whether God heretofore dealt not bountifully with him To this sense besides others Mr. Broughton translates which hath turned thee from distresses mouth Sic etiam averterat to ab ore angustiae in latitudinem cui non fuberat pressura ferculum mensae tuae plenum erat pinguedine Jun. to largeness where is no straitness and that which was laid upon thy table was full of fatness and he gives the gloss upon his own translation thus God once made thee wealthy and would again thou hast had experience how good a master and how liberal the Lord is to those that serve him thou thy self didst enjoy prosperity a long time farre from all trouble or touch of affliction Thus I say some refer the words to the time past but I rather keep to our own translation which expresseth the original text as an assurance of what Job should have had and might have expected in time had he complied as he ought with the purpose of God in his afflictions Even so would he have removed thee out of a strait into a broad place As if he had said God who useth and loveth to deliver the poor out of affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est proprie incitare fere ad malum a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would also have delivered thee out of thy afflâ—ction had'st thou been humbled under thy affliction had'st thou fallen down before him hadst thou submitted the matter to him and not disputed it with him as thou hast done hadst thou confessed his justice and not accused it or complained about it even so would he have removed thee c. The word which we translate to remove signifieth also To move or to perswade because he that perswades another Ex eadem radiâ—e variae loctiones interpretationes pullularant Pined moveth or removeth him from his opinion or intendment or from what his practise was before and brings him to be or do somwhat that he did not or was not before To be perswaded is to be inwardly moved to be moved
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
God what he is he ever was and ever will be there is neither encrease nor diminution of his strength But because things which are alwayes encreasing grow to a huge bigness and strength therefore he is said to encrease in strength or as our translation imports to excel in power He that excels in power is excellent in power The word rendred power implieth the power of doing the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of activity a power put forth in working he is excellent in power that is in ability to do whatsoever he pleaseth and when 't is said he is excellent in power in this kind of power iâ— notes that the power of God in doing doth wonderfully excel all thaâ— ever he hath done Ejus virtus in infinitum excedit omnes effectus suos Aquin. The effects or acts of the power of God are nothing as I may say to the faculty of his Power he can do more than he hath done He is so far from having over-acted himself I mean from having done more than he can do again which hath been the case of many mighty men and may be the case of any man how mighty a doer soever he is that he can do infinitely more than he hath done if he himself pleaseth he is excellent in power or of excelling power I have as was lately said opened this point of the power of God in other places of this Book whither I refer the Reader yet taking the power of God as the word is properly here intended for his working power Note The working power of God is excellent so excellent that it exceeds the apprehension of man There is a two-fold power of God and in both he is excellent First His commanding power his power of Soveraignty or Authority that 's a most excellent power 't is a power over all whether things or persons Secondly His power of working or effecting that which he commands Some have a power of commanding yet want a power of working they want a power to effect that which they command but whatsoever God hath a mind to command he hath an hand to effect and bring it about he can carry on his work through all the difficulties and deficiencies which it meets with in or by the creature He can do his woâ—k though there be none to help him in it though all forsake him and with-draw from his work yea he often worketh though there be not so much as an Intercessor to move him to work Isa 59.16 He saw that there was no man to do any thing and wondered that there was no Intercessor to entreat him to do somewhat for them Things were in a great exigency and there was not only no man that would put forth a hand but there was no man that would bestow a word for redress no man would bespeak either God or men for help What then must the work stand still or miscarry no saith the text His own arm brought salvation unto him that is set it ready at hand for him to bestow upon his people or his own arm brought that salvation to his people which they greatly needed and he graciously intended though he had not the contribution of a word towards it from any creature here below one or other God alone is self-sufficient and to man All-sufficient Such is the working power of God that he can work not only when he hath but a little help but when he hath no help at all Secondly The excellency of the woâ—king power of God appears in this that he can and will pâ—oduce the desired effect and bring his work to pass though many though all men oppose it and rise up against it though they set both heart and hand wit and will power and pollicy to cross yea to crush it The Lord is so excellent in power that he both can and will do his work through all opposition though mountains stand in his way though rocks stand in his way he will remove them or work through them Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it Neither strength nor craft neither multitude nor magnitude neither the many nor the mighty can lett it if the Lord undertake it Take a double Inference from this First 'T is matter of great comfort to all that fear God in their weakest condition and lowest reducements when they are fatherless and have none to help them As the Lord is excellent in his woâ—king power so he usually takes that time yea stayes that time till his servants are under the greatest disadvantages till they are at worst before he will put forth his power and work The Apostle saith of himself 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong that is then have I the strength of the Lord coming into my help And as it is with respect to particular persons so to the whole generation of his children when they are weak then are they strong that is then they have the strong God the God excellent in power appearing and working for them Secondly This alâ—o is a sad word to all that stand in the way of Gods working power His working power quickly works through all power and can work it down Babylon is a mighty powerful enemy but Rev. 18.8 we read of the downfal of Babylon and that her ruine shall come as in one day But how shall this be effected The answer is given in the close of the verse For strong is the Lord God which Judgeth her Suppose there should be no power in the world strong enough to pull down Babylon yea suppose all the powers in the woâ—ld should stand up foâ— Babylon 't is otherwise prophesied for the Kings of the earth shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and eate her flesh and burn her with fire but suppose I say all earthly power should appear for rather than against Babylon yet this is enough for us to rest in strong is the Lord which Judgeth her He is excellent in power and as it followeth In Judgment This comes in lest any should think because God is so excelent in power so mighty in strength that therefore he would carry things by violence or by meer force as the sons of men the mighty Nimrods of the world somtimes do If they have strength and power to do such or such things they regard not Judgment nor Justice they look not whether right or wrong therefore Elihu when he had said God is excellent in power presently adds and in Judgment As if he had said Though the Lord excel all in power and is able to crush the mightyest as a moth yet he will not oppress any by his power the worst of men shall find the Lord as much in judgment and righteousness as he is in strength and power And therefore O Job be assured God hath not done thee any wrong nor ever will This I conceive to be the scope of Elihu in the connexion of these two