did wrong and did take away mens judgement and smote them without cause as Job had said v. 5 6. In unfolding this Argument 1. He declares how inconsistent it is with the nature of the Almighty and All-sufficient God to do wickedly and unjustly and that therefore all such thoughts of him should be rejected with abhorrency and indignation v. 10. 2. He asserts possitively that his way of rewarding men according to their works doth abundantly clear his justice v. 11. 3. This his just procedure is yet further confirmed by assuring men that he will do no wrong For being God even the Omnipotent and All-sufficient God he not only cannot be unjust his nature being infinitely holy and his will the rule of righteousness but he cannot be pressed with any necessity of doing wrong which would speak him to be impotent and not Almighty v. 12. Withall as that positive assertion v. 11. points out what will be his righteous reward to all men at last So those negatives v. 10 12. assure us that not only he will judge righteous judgement at last when men shall receive their final sentence but that at no time he is doing wrong to any however they cannot discern so much at some times which was Jobs weakness and fault From Verse 10. Learn 1. Men have frequent need to have their attention excited and quickened when they are hearing the things of God Therefore here again after that exhortation v 2. they are exhorted to hearken unto him 2. Wisdome is required to judge aright of God and to read all his dispensations as becometh and it speaks men to be truly wise when they attain to this Therefore Men of understanding or men of heart which in Scripture-language is the seat of understanding because mens light should affect their hearts are called to hearken in this matter 3. Whatever be the practice of those concerned or how slow of heart soever they prove in receiving convictions others ought to hear truth and to joyn with those who are for it to convince the stubborn Therefore doth he call to wise men to joyn with him that Job may be yet further convinced 4. Whatever be the thoughts of mens hearts under tentation Yet it is certain that God can do no injury and wrong to any For this is a fixed truth That wickedness and iniquity or the committing thereof are farr from God See Deut. 32.4 Psal 91.15 Rom. 9.14 He is just in his dispensations and true in his promises and that immutably See Psal 145.17 2 Thess 1.5 6 7. Heb. 6.10 5. Gods Almighty power needs not affright men as if he would abuse it to injustice For though he be the strong God as the name here signifieth and the Almighty yet he will not do wickedness nor commit iniquity or he will not do injustice which were both wickedness and iniquity See Chap. 37.23 Ps 99.4 6. Mens low thoughts of God contribute much to their mistakes and quarrellings of his dispensations Therefore also doth he call him the Almighty to convince Job how injurious he was in reflecting upon so high and All-sufficient a Lord. 7. Whoever they be that complain of Gods dispensations they do upon the matter quarrel God as unjust For so is here insinuated that Jobs complaints said God was not just 8. Men should hold that principle of Gods righteousness so fast that they not only quit it not whatever suggestions there be to the contrary Psal 22.3 with v. 1 2. But do entertain all contrary thoughts with detestation and abhorrency For saith he Farr be it from God c. intimating not only how contrary that was to the nature of God and so Abraham presseth this Argument Gen. 18.25 But that he abhorred to think so of God and so Paul entertains such a thought with a God forbid Rom. 9.14 From v. 11. Learn 1. Gods recompence will in due time abundantly clear his justice and righteousness Therefore he subjoynes by way of confirmation of what he had said v. 10. For the work of a man shall he render c. intimating that the righteousness of God will not need alwayes to be evidenced by dispute but will at last speak for it self in his publick actings though sometime his dispensations may be so wrapped in a cloud as we cannot discern by reason of our weakness that righteousness which is eminent in them See Psal 62.12 Prov. 24.12 and many the like places marked in the Margin of our Bible 2. Albeit no good works of men do merit a reward but only evil works Yet all rewards are according to mens works For the work of a man shall he render to him and every man shall find according to his wayes This doth not seclude Gods Soveraignty in free grace who doth make them who are evil become good that he may through Christ reward and crown his own grace in them and who may pass over the ill deservings of his people and do them good Psal 103.10 But the meaning is That God is not injust if he reward men according to their woâ—ks and consequently none of Adam's posterity have cause to complain of any hard Lot seeng they deserve much more and That his full and final reward at last will be according to mens works 3. God in rewarding men doth not look so much to every single act of men as to their wayes as here mans work which God renders to him is expounded to be his wayes that is to the tenour and general course of their lives and to their end in their undertakings as men choose a way to lead them to some place So that however every the least sin deserve eternal wrath and no multitude of good and excellent things beside can expiate or cover the least fault in men Yet according to the tenour of the Covenant of grace when men have closed with Christ and their hearts are sincere and the general course of their life is streight which necessarily imports repentance for their deviations the reward of free grace will be according to their better actings and not according to their failings and escapes And upon the other hand it will not avail men that they have some good practices if their hearts be unrenewed and the general course of their life abound with sinful actions Withall if God look to mens end in the good they do their doing of good things for evil and sinistrous ends will come in among the rest of their sinful actions and will be rewarded accordingly 4. God will make his rewards according to mens works effectual For he will cause every man or man where the indefinite expression is to be taken universally in this necessary proposition to find according to his wayes He will cause the wicked find their reward whether they will or not and it shall find them out in all their lurking places and he will find it for the godly as the word may also read and bring it to them and them to it when they know not
the wicked at any time prospered their prosperity was but momentany and ended in visible judgments And if the godly were at any time afflicted their afflictions speedily ended in visible blessings And therefore when they consider Jobs case being so suddenly turned out of his prosperity and so long and so sore afflicted beyond the ordinary tryals of faithful men especially carrying so ill under it as he had done chap. 3. They conclude that he behoved to have been either a grosly wicked man or a close hypocrite Hence they judge it their most seasonable way to prove him wicked and to bear him down and humble him that so they might have ground whereupon to comfort him being penitent That this was the drift of their Discourses will sufficiently appear from their several speeches and we may find Job noticing this as their particular and chief design chap. 21.27 28. chap. 32.1 they give him up as an obstinate man because he would not take with wickedness But Job upon the other hand maintains that neither love nor hatred can be known by outward afflictions but that Saints may be under as great outward trouble as the wicked And therefore he rejects their counsel to take with former wickedness and hypocrisie and begin anew to seek God and adheres to the testimony of his Conscience which bare witness to his Integrity notwithstanding all assaults from within or from without Hence he grants that he is a sinner but not that he is an hypocrite or wicked man That God is righteous who afflicted him and yet he is not unrighteous though afflicted by a righteous God albeit neither he nor they could sufficiently reconcile these two nor sufficiently clear how they were consistent That though he be not sinless nor perfect to seclude free grace Yet he was sincere according to the tenour of the Covenant of grace and perfect before men Those and many the like Principles we will find scattered throughout his speeches while he constantly insists to defend himself in the main cause 3. Having considered the state of the Controversie it is necessary We pass some verdict and censure upon the dispute on either hand whereby our thoughts may be regulated in going through it For albeit all that is here recorded be Sacred Scripture in so far as it contains an infallible account of what each of them said and that they spake so Yet when we consider that both parties are rebuked by God for what they utter in the debate and that they speak of many things in contradictory terms We can no further justifie the purposes uttered by them then we find the general consent of other Scriptures bearing witness thereunto as we cannot either justifie the complaints and tentations of Saints which are recorded in the Book of Psalms and elsewhere as sound Divinity but do look upon them as recorded in Scripture only for this end that their example and experience may serve for Caution and Instruction to the godly in all Ages Hence on the Friends part we may remark 1. They maintain a false principle throughout the Dispute That God afflicted none as he afflicted Job but wicked men which they insist so much upon because otherwise they were not able to reconcile such sharp dealing with the righteousness of God Whereas the Scripture elsewhere assures us that all things come alike to all Eccles 9.2 to which the Principle Job closely adhereth chap. 9.22 and elsewhere throughout the dispute 2. They do also express a rash and uncharitable judgment in their Discourse in that they judged of the godly mans state by his fits of tentation and disordered frame and expressions in the heat of his distemper Judging that to proceed from a wicked disposition and consequently to be the mark of a wicked man which was extorted from him through the violence of tentation and was only an evidence of that common infirmity of Saints which we find recorded in Scripture to have broken forth in David and other godly men as well as him Hence all their reflections upon his complaints do fall short of their conclusion to prove him a wicked man though indeed they reproved what was truly culpable in him 3. In their Doctrine concerning Gods Judgments upon wicked men which is the great Argument whereby they endeavour to prove him wicked we must acknowledge there is much truth if we take in eternal punishment among the rest to be inflicted upon the wicked whether they escape in this life or not and if we understand it of the deserving of all wicked men according to the sentence of the Law and that God useth so to deal with some wicked men whom he makes publick spectacles of his Justice to deterr others In these respects we find some of their speeches cited or at least alluded unto in other Scriptures as Job 5.13 with 1 Cor. 3.19 and several of their expressions will be found to have some parallels in other Books of the Old Testament Yet in their speaking of these outward and visible judgments that come on wicked men there is a double mistake One That they not only pleaded the Law-sentence and the Deserving of such men or that God did execute these threatnings accordingly on some even in this life which Job never denied chap. 27.11 12 13 14 c. But they pleaded also the real and actual execution of all that was threatned and that on every one of the wicked even in this life And so asserted that to be universally true which is only rue of some For Job agreeably to the Scriptures maintained that God exercised a great variety of dispensations toward wicked men in this life chap. 21.23 24 25. And as may be gathered from the scope of most of his speeches that oft-times God seeth it fit to spare wicked men in this life notwithstanding their ill-deserving yea and to heap prosperity upon them until their death That so he may exercise the faith and patience of the godly and may teach all to look out to a Day of Judgment and the eternal reward of Wickedness and Piety Another mistake is That they asserted these calamities to be proper to the wicked which are common also to the godly For albeit temporal calamities inflicted on a wicked man are real curses and fruits of his sin Yet the Scripture elsewhere cleareth that the same lots may also befal the godly either for chastisement or for the tryal of their faith and patience and that the supporting grace of God may he magnified in them as Jobs own experience doth witness Thus as to the external stroke there may be one event to the righteous and to the wicked c. Eccles 9.2 4. Their Doctrine concerning Gods Sovereignty Holiness and Justice whereby they laboured to drive Job from his confidence is true doctrine and therefore Job strives to out-strip them in commending those Attributes of God Yet they did ill apply this doctrine and made a bad use of it to crush a godly man as
Gods way of proceeding looked rather like an ignorant frail man than God and for this he is afterward reprehended by God And in particular this was his mistake That albeit God needed not take all this pains to come to the knowledge of him yet himself needed it to make him know himself and to know that God knew him better then he knew himself what weakness was in him notwithstanding his integrity what the grace of God in him would bear how it would shine in trouble c. Hence we may observe two chief causes of our mistake of Gods dealing 1. Because we do oft-times mistake his end in his work even when it seems most cross and bitter which is not as Job supposed to inform him but our selves not to find out wickedness but to discover grace or weakness where it is not to crush but to give comfortable experiences and proofs of his love These being often not observed we are ready to quarrel even when God is doing us good See Deut. 8.14 15 16. Joh. 13.7 2. Because we mistake his means which leâ—d to this end that by an eater he gives us meat that he puts us to sharpest tryals not because he minds to prove us wicked or reject us but that he may humble us and discover our graces for our comfort c. Vers 7. Thou knowest that I am not wicked and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand The Fifth Argument which followeth upon the former and confirmeth it is taken from the haâ—d case to which he was redacted on every hand by this way of procedure with him For if God by these troubles were seeking to convince and condemn him as a wicked man as he apprehends v. 6. this was hard measure For God knew well enough and he appeals to his knowledge that he was not wicked nor as the word also will bear will he be found to be wicked after the most exact tryal And yet upon the other hand all this integrity could not avail him But if God please thus to proceed in severity there is no remedy but he must be ruined neither himself nor any other could help him against so great a Party The sum of the Argument may be thus conceived as if Job had said A righteous man being oppressed by men may have his recourse to a Superiour in Heaven or Earth who will do him right But though I be really a godly man and not wicked yet none can secure me against thy Soveraignty and infinite Power if thou please to proceed thus against me Therefore I expostulate this with thee and that thou dost not walk by a rule whereby thy creature and thy righteous servant may subsist If we consider the truths that are insinuated in this reasoning we may Observe 1. Albeit all men while they are within time be sinners yet some do obtain mercy not to be wicked being implanted in Christ and covered by his righteousness having a real and through change wrought upon their nature and dispositions and not having only run from one extream to another and being real and serious in their endeavours against the remainders of sin Rom. 7.24 For Job here was not wicked 2. God is the Soveraign Judge of mens state and condition it must be remitted to his decision what we are and we muâ—â— rest only upon his approbation otherwise we do but deceive our selves 2 Cor. 10.18 Rev. 3 17 For saith he Thou knowest or it is upon thy knowledge that I am not wicked otherwise he could not have satisfied himself 3. Albeit such as are truly godly may be exercised and humbled with uncertainties and doubts about their state yet a godly man may attain to that certainty as to know that he is a godly man and not wicked and that God knoweth him to be such For saith Job Thou knowest that I am not wicked See 2 Cor. 13.5 2 Pet. 1.10 4. No tryal should cause a man quit the testimony of his integrity and of Gods approbation for Job cleaveth to it here 5. The comfort of a good Conscience consists in this that not only will it support a man under mistakes from Friends Chap. 16.20 but that he may avow it and appeal to God about it even when his dispensations seem to speak otherwise For so doth Job support himself by it now when God appears so terrible to him 6. God is Soveragn Lord over the most holy man to dispose of him at his pleasure and is so infinitely powerful and absolute that none can by right or force interpose to hinder him For so doth Job subjoyn that though he is not wicked yet there is none that can deliver out of thy hand This Dominion of God ought to be submitted unto in bearing trouble notwithstanding any testimony we have in our Consciences Yet in this reasoning Job's weakness doth appear 1. In that he looks on God as dealing with him as with a wicked man regreting that there was no remedy for an upright man but God would crush him were he never so upright and yet God â—as not dealing so with him Our own mistakâ—s of Gods mind and ends in trouble breed us much needless vexation Right thoughts of God and of his dealing would bring us much ease 2. In that albeit he acknowledge Gods Soveraignty in this matter yet he suâ—mits to it with a grudge and because he could not help it nor was there any remedy or help in his Integrity having to do with such a Party Submission pretended unto with a secret grudge is not acceptable to God especially when any testimony of a good Conscience begets or entertains this grudge as Job because he was not wicked grudges that he cannot help himself or be free of Gods Soveraign hand It is more beseeming if in any respect it can be seemly that unrenewed men having an evil Conscience do thus grudge and repine than that a good Conscience which is so much obliged to free grace should minister any occasion to it Vers 8. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about yet thou dost destroy me 9. Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me into dust again 10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk and crudled me like cheese 11. Thou hast cloathed me with skin and flesh and hast fenced me with bones and sinews 12. Thou hast granted me life and favour and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit 13. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart I know that this is with thee The sixth Argument is taken from Gods framing and preserving of him and explains that v. 3. of Gods despising the work of his hands This Argument and Expostulation 1. He propounds That God having taken so much pains to make a curious structure of him for so the word is to take pains and be at toil alluding to the manner of men who cannot do rare things without much pains should now destroy
speaks in this matter Partiality among men is when corrupt Lawyers and Judges having to do with a potent Client or party before them do not ponder nor respect his cause but only his person whose favour they desire to conciliate or keep and therefore they do say plead or pronounce what may please him or be for his interest without respect to Truth or Justice And thus did Job's Friends in this debate They did not search out nor pronounce according to the truth and justice of the cause but spake only what they thought was for God and against him in this matter 2. Job saith of their thus accepting Gods person in their contending for him that it was a wicked and deceitful talking for God and that both in respect of himself whom wickedly and with deceitful and cunning discourses they did condemn that they might justifie God who had afflicted him And in repect of God For it wronged him and put a lie and trick upon him as Job after clears to say his justice in afflicting Job could not otherwise be maintained then by their lies and deceits or false Doctrine Yea whatever were their intentions it reflected wickedly upon God and his Providence For under a pretence of giving him glory they said upon the matter that God could not be just if he afflicted and exercised godly men with the same outward calamities that befel the wicked 3. That we may yet further understand Job's mind in this challenge we are not to conceive that he doth challenge them for condemning him against their Light and Conscience For it is not to be doubted but their principles led them thus to judge of him whatever charity they had for him that he was a godly man before which made them astonished when at first they came to him and saw him so afflicted Chap 2.12 13. Far less is it his mind to challenge them that they would not pronounce that he was in the right and God in the wrong in this cause or in what he done to him Nor doth he at all quarrel them that they justified and commended God as holy and righteous in all his works and ways For himself labours to out-strip them in such commendations of God But the true fault which he challenges may thus be conceived Upon the one hand they judgâ—ng that God afflicted none as he did Job but only wicked men did conclude that God who had afflicted him could not be just if he who was afflicted were righteous as himself alleadged he was And therefore judging themselves bound to stand for Gods Righteousness as was indeed their duty if they had done it by lawful means and upon sound Principles they studyed by all means to condemn him never regarding his defences or the evidences of his grace that God might be glorified as just Upon the other hand Job maintained both that himself was righteous and that God was just who afflicted him though neither he nor they could reconcile these two And that therefore they were sinfully partial on Gods behalf who could find no other way to justifie God but by condemning him which God neither allowed nor needed And so in this challenge Job chargeth them with a true fault though as they were culpable on the one hand he was also faulty on the other hand in his bitter complaints about Gods dispensations because he could not see a reason why the righteous God should thus deal with him who was a reconciled man Having cleared the words From v. 6. Learn 1. Men are naturally impatient of contradiction and a plausible wrong cause begets such prejudices against Opponents that men will hardly hear them For he must exhort them in the very midst of his Discourse to bear and hearken It is no good symptome when men are irritated because any thing they do or say is spoken against 2. Albeit many personal wrongs and injuries be best answered and refuted by silence And albeit a fool should never be answered according to his folly or in his own terms Prov. 26.4 Yet when men do wrong God his Truth and themselves they ought to be opposed take it as they will and not suffered to live in an opinion that they only are in the right Prov. 26.5 For Job will have them hear his reasoning and hearken to the pleadings of his lips From v. 7 8. Learn 1. Even the worst of courses and ways are ordinarily masked with the fairest pretences and particularly that they are for God For so they pretended that by their erroneous doctrine they were pleading and contending for God and his Righteousness So oft-times oppression is commended as a following and acknowledgement of Providence Zech. 11.5 and an executing of his righteous judgments Jer. 50 7. Persecution is accounted good service to God Joh. 16.2 and a glorifying of him Isai 66.5 And every Errour fleeth to some such cloak and pretence Some entertain unworthy thoughts of Gods Providence pretending to free him from being the Author of sin Some will have Christs Body everywhere pretending his glory against the Arian Errour Some plead for Universal Redemption pretending to exalt Christs Sufferings which yet they enervate in the efficacy of it by making him die for those who never get benefit thereby Some cry up mans Free-will pretending that thereby they vindicate the Justice of God in punishing sin Some decry the obligation of the Law as to Believers pretending to exalt Christ and Free-grace c. In a word it may very generally be averred Totus mundus exercet Histrioniam The world of men who go wrong study nothing more then the art of Stage-players that they may appear to be any thing rather then what indeed they are And though this be a great tryal to honest and sincere hearts yet this may encourage them that such do so much the more make God their Party as they pretend to be for him when indeed they are nothing so but against him 2. Such pretexts will not justifie Errour nor should they hide it from men nor deterr them from appearing against it and from detecting the falshood of those pretexts For though they pretend to speak talk and contend for God yet Job will not admit of their opinion but tells them it is an accepting of his person an injury to God and to him also So Robbery will not be justified because men pretend to make a burnt-offering of it Isai 61.8 This General Doctrine may be branched out in several Rules and Instances wherein it is to be observed 1. In matters controverted we ought not to be swayed with what seems at first view to be most for God as his Friends gave out their opinion was but opinions are to be throughly searched to the very bottom till we find what really is and what only appears to be for God as Job doth here search and find out the cheat 2. If even Gods person ought not to be accepted when men pretend his glory in their Doctrine to wrong that
with God and his service as Isai 33.14 2. From this it followeth That they prove themselves honest men who in the height of trouble will abide by it and go to God and keep his way and will not cast away confidence and dependance come what will For this is Job's proof of his honesty that he will come before God which an Hypocrite will not do Thus honesty is proved in troubles by waiting and desires Isai 26.8 by cleaving to Gods way Psal 44.17 c. by persevering in Prayer Psal 88.13 14 15. and by confidence in these Prayers expecting wonders to be shewed to the dead ere the honest seeker of God be utterly forsaken Psal 88.10 11. In a word when Saints blush and are ashamed to come to God Ezra 9.6 when they are affrighted with trouble or whatever their disadvantages be yet to come to God and cleave to him is good and a proof of honesty Vers 17. Hear diligently my speech and my declaration with your ears 18. Behold now I have ordered my cause I know that I shall be justified Unto all these commendations of his confidence and evidences of his sincerity Job subjoyns an inference and conclusion wherein he wisheth they would diligently attend to what he was to say to God both by way of declaration of his sorrow to plead for pity and especially by way of pleading his own integrity being confident as one who had considered and examined his own cause exactly that God would justifie and absolve him not approving every escape in him especially in the way of managing the debate but declaring him a righteous man in a Mediatour and that he had better cause in this debate betwixt him and them Hence Learn 1. Men in trouble should have much liberty and allowance to speak their mind and what they say should be well attended to as not being rashly spoken but from real pressure of mind For saith he hear diligently my speech and my declaration either of my sorrows or integrity or both with your ears This he presseth that so they might see what Truth is in what he said and what his case was that made him speak as he did Men get pressures to teach them to speak solidly and not at random and what such speak should not be sleighted but albeit all they say cannot be justified yet their pressures should plead for much allowance and compassion as in another case 2 King 4.27 2. Even good men when themselves are unconcerned are ordinarily but little sensible of the condition of others and do little regard their complaints Therefore he must double Exhortation that they would hear and hear diligently and with their 〈◊〉 The neglect of this duty is an ordinary presage â—f trouble to come upon our selves as Reuben observed Gen. 42.21 22. And the Disciples who were little tender of the multitude who crowded after Christ to enjoy his company which themselves had without interruption are sent away to Sea without him that they might learn to pity others who could not at all times be with him Matth. 14.15 22 c. 3. Saints may attain to assurance of Gods approbation As here Job knoweth he shall be justified This assurance hath been attained even in sad distresses Rom. 8.35 38. And for godly men to doubt of it is their sin though every doubting be not inconsistent with faith nor even with some degree of assurance And therefore such ought not to habituate themselves to unbelief and doubtings which may have sad fruits But they should study to attain assurance that they may manage their approaches to God with hope and confidence 4. Such as would maintain their confidence assurance and integrity ought to try and examine their own estate well For saith he Behold now I have ordered my causes or taken notice of all I have to say for my self Not only is a delusion in the main matter dangerous but even in every particular evidence of our sincerity and ground of confidence For if we build upon any unsure Principle the discovery of that may readily cast all loose when yet there is no cause why we should do so seeing one may be truly honest who yet may be mistaken of some evidences of it And therefore we ought to be very exact and cautious 5. Albeit men having searched themselves never so exactly cannot conclude that they can abide Gods search and judgment as he is a severe Judge nor yet that they are perfect according to the tenour of the Covenant of Works which is the meaning of Paul's words 1 Cor. 4.4 Yet it is of Gods great mercy that upon mens impartial search of themselves and finding things right they may believe God will absolve them and approve them as sincere according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace For so Job having ordered his cause knows that he shall be justified If our hearts do condemn us upon just grounds and not upon a mistake the thoughts of Gods Omniscience may indeed affright us 1 Joh. 3.20 But if our hearts upon solid grounds condemn us not thoughts of his Al-seeing eye need not weaken our confidence 1 Joh. 3.21 Vers 19. Who is he that will plead with me for now if I hold my tongue I shall give up the ghost In this verse Job concludes his first Argument upon which he hath so long insisted taken from his confidence professing that since he know of such a Judge as God was and had so studied his cause he would gladly know his party being ready to enter the lists with any of them in this quarrel Unto whâ—h 〈◊〉 subjoyns the Second Argument confirming and 〈◊〉 his resolution to plead his câ—use with 〈…〉 is taken â—rom his great pressure and dis◠〈◊〉 He dâ—clares that as his assurance to be 〈…〉 of which he hath already spoken is not â—mall so his pâ—nt pressure to speak was not little 〈◊〉 if he should hold his peace as they judged was his duty it would cost him his life Not only was he to dâ—e shortly hâ—ng in such a weaâ— condition and so if he spake not in time he would leave his integrity unclear'd under all the bloâ—s they had cast upon him and Gods severe dispensations seemed to charge him with But unless he got a vent to his grief by speaking and complaining it would crush him and hasten his death And this Argument is so pressing upon Job's own spirit that having once named it without more ado he betakes himself to God and begins his address to him in the following verses Doct. 1. Saints must resolve that they will not always get their assurance held up in confident assertions not contradicted by any person or thing but must lay their account to have it questioned with pleadings and fightings As Job here supposeth 2. They must not resolve to cast away their assurance when it is ooposed not only by temptations from within but by misconstructers from without But they ought valiantly and resolutely engage against whatsoever
And on the contrary he produceth his own observation of the wickeds so perishing which was so ordinary equitable and proportionable to their sin that it past for a common Proverb That the wicked did justly reap the fruit of their sinful ways and courses v. 8. In this Argument we may observe these truths 1. It is our duty to remark all the dealings of God with the sons of men in mercy or in judgment and to make use of them as Eliphaz here calls on Job to bring forth what he remembred and doth himself give an account of what he hath seen See Psal 28.5 37.35 36. 64.9 3.4 Isa 5.12 2. It is also commendable in fallible men that they do not imperiously obtrude their light on others but are as willing to receive as to offer light that so truth may be lifted out For in propounding this Argument he puts Job to bring forth his Observations as he gives an account what himself had seen 3. Such as lay claim to true Piety ought to be righteous persons by being sheltered under the wings of imputed righteousness and drawing vertue from Christ to enable them for a sincere and upright conversation so as they may be innocent and free at least of gross provocations For so are they here described the innocent and righteous 4. None who are truly godly do ever perish eternally nor are they so left in trouble as they have no door of hope here or hereafter For in that sense it is true none perish being innocent nor are the righteous cut off though Eliphaz take it more generally See 2 Cor. 4.8 9. 6.9 10. 5. As to be wicked is oft-times no easie task but laborious like plowing and expensive like sowing So they will sooner or later though not alwayes visibly here reap a proportionable reward of their wickedness For in this sense his own Observation ver 8. is true and just that as men sow so they should reap Gal. 6.7 8. Though there may a long time intervene betwixt the sin and the punishment as there is betwixt Seed-time and Harvest 6. When the Lord lets the wicked prosper and the godly seem to perish and be cut off in this life it may be sore tentation even to an holy man to think hardly of the godlies way because so afflicted For Eliphaz is induced on this account to condemn Job And albeit his Principles did mislead him so to judge yet even where mens light is clear it will not be easie to get over such stumbling blocks unless we go to the Sanctuary Psal 73.3 17. But beside these truths there are divers great mistakes in this Argument First In the main Argument taken from outward lots and dispensations in this life whereby he would prove Job and his Children to be wicked For the General Principle is false that none are so afflicted but the wicked and that every one who perisheth and is cut off as his Children were is wicked It hath been already cleared that the godly and wicked may fall under the same outward sufferings Eccles 9.1 2. and consequently that no mans former life ought to be judged by his present afflictions These Friends held as appears from their debates that there is no such stroke inflicted but as a punishment of sin according to the rule of strict justice But the Scriptures make clear that beside afflictions which are punishments properly so called there are also fatherly chastisements of such as are dear to God for their folly 1 Cor. 11.32 Psal 89.31 32 33. Tryals and exercises of faith 1 Pet. 1.6 7. and Martyrdom for a testimony to the truth Rev. 12.11 Yea the Scriptures do clear that not only the godly and wicked may be under the same affliction But that the wicked may prosper while the godly are in affliction Psal 73.3 12 13 14. And that the wicked may prevail to afflict him that is more righteous then himself Hab. 1.13 All which truths as they contrary to Eliphaz's principles so they may help us to judge righteous judgement concerning the various dispensations of God in the world and to judge charitably of these under affliction And particularly we may here conclude That events in war are no concluding argument to prove that those who are put to the worse have an unjust quarrel For people in a most just quarrel have been put to the worse by wicked men in a wicked quarrel because of their sins who have maintained the just cause as appears from the war with Benjamin Judg. 20. and the war of the ten Tribes against Judah 2 Chron. 28.6 7 8 9 10. Nor doth Gods determining against a people after a solemn Appeal prove the injustice of their Cause For 1. All wars are upon the matter an Appâ—al to God after that appeals to Justice by Law suits or to the people by Declarations do not put an end to Controversies And therefore if God may deny success in a righteous cause for holy and righteous ends where there is not a formal Appeal The solemnity of an Appeal hath nothing in it to oblige God beyond the equity of the Cause 2. Appeals have been made to God by his Saints as by David Psal 7.3 4 5. who yet have long suffered after their Appeal For Appeals in Scripture terms import no more then our committing of our cause to God that he in due time and by his own means may clear our innocency and this will certainly be granted 3. If an Appeal be made to God that by the next immediate event he may clear the righteous Cause such an Appeal is a great sin and aâ— lâ—miting of the Holy One of Israel And being a sin on both hands God useth to punish it rather in his people maintaining his cause then in Enemies owning an unjust cause For they who work wickedness are delivered when they tempt God Mal. 3.15 And not they who are Gods people maintaining his Cause and Truth And consequently in such a case The loss of a Battel is rather a proof of a just quarrel which God will not let prosper by sinful means then of an unjust Secondly As the general Principle is false and consequently concludes nothing against Jobs Children upon whom he reflects ver 10 1â— So the Application thereof to Jobs case is nothing sounder It is true he was sore afflicted and Job himself did not expect an issue and though he had been cut off out of this life it had not proved him wicked as hath been said yet he had not perished nor was cut off But in the issue God made it appear that he can raise up men when he pleaseth from the pit and when their bones lie scattered about the graves mouth to see his goodness in the land of the living Whence we may gather That Saints may seem to themselves and others to be in a desperate and lost condition when yet it will prove otherwise So also may a righteous Cause be triumphed over as irrecoverably
God that was upon him Now having in the former Chapter after the Preface propounded three Arguments to prove his Charge against Job In this Chapter 1. He adds his fourth and last Argument to prove that Job was not a godly but a wicked man Namely That no Saint was ever like him or in such a case ver 1. but he was very like the wicked both in his carriage ver 2. and his case ver 3 4 5. 2. Unto this Dispute he subjoyns two Exhortations unto Job sutable as he judged to his case 1. That he would repent and turn to God with submission and stooping which being ushered in with a motive taken from the consideration of the cause and rise of trouble ver 6 7. and propounded ver 8. is further pressed by many instances of Gods Providence in the world ver 9. 16. 2. That having repented and made his peace with God he would be patient under affliction considering the advantages and issue thereof if he will be penitent and patient ver 17. 26. Unto all which the Conclusion of the whole Discourse is subjoyned ver 27. Vers 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the saints wilt thou turn THis last Argument is the same in substance with that Second Argument Chap. 4 7-11 taken from Experience and that there was never any like him but wicked men And there is here also somewhat couched of his first Argument as may appear by comparing ver 2. with Chap. 4.5 6. Only here he repeats this Argument in a new dress with many new flowers of Eloquence as putting much confidence in the strength of it And in this verse he propounds the Argument negatively That no Saint was ever like Job If he should call to all the Saints alive or turn him to any of them that ever were none of them would be of his opinion or take his part nor would the experience of any of them testifie that ever they had been in a case like his or which may be gathered as a part of the charge ver 2. had behaved themselves as he did As for Papists who from this Text would gather that it is lawful to pray to Saints departed and that we may expect the benefit of their Intercession Beside that this doth cross the clear literal Exposition already given it would be considered 1. This Text doth not affirm any such thing as that it would be to purpose to call on Saints but doth insinuate the contrary that Saints will not answer any who call to them For these affirmative Questions are to be expounded negatively that there will be none to answer though he should turn to the Saints 2. Their interpreting of this Text to this sense doth over-turn their fancy of a Limbus Patrum wherein they dream that the godly Fathers were kept till the Ascension of Christ And consequently they not being in Heaven as they alledge men could not in Jobs days expect any benefit of their Intercession Some do understand these Saints of Angels and that upon other grounds then that fancy of their Intercession for men as that Job had no Vision by the Ministry of Angels as Eliphaz had Chap. 4. or Angels would all abandon him if he should contend with God But this Interpretation is contrary to the opposition that is here made betwixt these Saints and the wicked or foolish man ver 2. which leads us to understand that by Saints are meant godly men For this Argument as it hath been interpreted I have spoken to the weakness thereof on Chap. 4. That neither did they know or at least remember the case of all the godly before them as of Abel and those who belike were oppressed by Nimrod that mighty Hunter Gen. 10.9 though their case did not in all things quadrate with Jobs Nor is it a sure Argument to conclude a man wicked because he had no pattern of a godly man so exercised before him For the first sufferer could not have any instances of sufferers going before him Nor ought the soveraignty of God be so limited as that he may not deal with Saints otherwise then he hath dealt with others before With these cautions we may from this verse Learn 1. Among other encouragements of the people of God under trouble this hath its own weight when they find that others of the people of God have been in the like case before them whereby they may be assured that such a condition is consistent with Gods love and will have a good issue here or hereafter For Eliphaz supposeth it had been a great advantage if Job had any to answer him or parallel his case or could turn to any Saint who had been like him See 1 Pet. 4.12 2. It may please the Lord so to order the tryal of a Saint as his case may appear singular such as no other godly man hath been in the like And that either because they are the first that are exercised in such a sort or if there have been any so afflicted yet they do not know of it or if they know of the sad afflictions of others yet they may be ready to cry up their own tryal as singular Thus Eliphaz judgeth Jobs case to be singular which might in some sense be true all circumstances considered nor doth Job in his Replies stand on the disproving thereof but rather aggravates his own tryal all he can See Lam. 1.12 3. Albeit to be so afflicted as never Saint was before do not prove a man wicked as hath been said whose state and carriage are approved by the Word yet it is a sore aggravation of a tryal to a child of God to be put in a singular condition from all the rest of Saints And though the exercise of others ought not to be the rule and standart by which we must limit God in his dealing to us yet it is a difficulty not easily got over when we are so dealt with For albeit this reasoning of Eliphaz be but weak yet his making an Argument of it implies that it is apt to be a tentation And so the Saints have looked on it Lam. 1.12 Dan. 9.12 And this may warn us 1. Not to make too much noise when our tryals are but ordinary and such as the people of God have essayed before us See Psal 73.15 1 Cor. 10.13 For it were presumption in us to seek exemption from what hath been the ordinary lot of the godly It is an evidence we are his people when he deals with us as formerly with others beloved of him Heb. 12.7 8. and in the experience of others we may be helped to discern both causes of troubles and snares in them 2. It may warn us not to set our lusts passion self-love and love to ease on work to aggravate our tryals above what they are in reality For herein we are not only injurious to God and his dealing but to our selves also by creating many discouragements and tentations
humbly submissive to what he shall dispense For this also is found in a seeker unto God that he commit his cause to God or lay his words and matters as the Original imports before him that he may do therein as pleaseth him and make his requests known to God Phil. 4.6 let him give what answer he will See 2 Sam. 15.26 This submission imports 1. That a Supplicant should be free of bitterness and anxiety resting on God by humble confidence For the Prayers of anxiety are full of dross 2. That he ought to submit to what dispensations it pleaseth God to allow so long as he finds grace to seek on and is not driven from God as that wicked man was 2 King 6 33. 3. Though a godly man be not called to deny the truth of the grace of God in him or the Conscience of his integrity yet he ought not to build his expectations upon it but to commit all to Gods mercy from which he may expect more then he can promise himself upon the account of his integrity in it self considered Doct. 4. Albeit sin be the cause of trouble and we ought to be most sensible of sin under trouble yet no sight of God nor of God as a party in trouble ought to discourage us from seeking in to Him For the contrary is argued Because of these considerations concerning the cause of trouble ver 6 7. he infers here I would seek unto God or Surely I would seek unto God as it is in the Original For whether else can a man go or what amends can he make to God by his running away See Chap. 7.20 Yea Gods stroke is a call to come with our bleeding wound Hos 6.1 and he strikes for sin that we may bring both our wound and our sin to be cured by him Hos 5.15 5. Exhortations ought to be very tenderly and warily given to afflicted persons so as they may be cherished in duty And particularly Such as would press duties effectually ought to essay and commend them by their own practice As here Eliphaz recommends his counsel as a thing himself would follow in the like case I would seek to God c. Untender applications do oft-times â—ar good doctrine and it would be well remembred that it is hard to speak to afflicted broken minds That so men may deal prudently and tenderly with them and they themselves may remember they are in a distemper and therefore ought not to reject every thing as unwholesom which is unpleasant to their taste 6. Men at ease do readily think it a more easie task then indeed it is to prescribe a rule to the afflicted and that they would do far better under trouble then the afflicted do For Eliphaz doth here evidence his weakness no less then his tenderness even as to what is found in his counsel He thinks it easie to seek to God and calmly to submit and not to fret as Job did But had his soul been in Jobs souls stead and if these waves and billows which assaulted Job had passed over him he would not have found it so easie to avoid bitterness and submit to Gods dealing See Chap. 16.4 Vers 9. Which doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number This Exhortation is pressed by a motive taken from a due consideration of God as he is manifested in his works of Providence He had insinuated that God is the supreme cause of all trouble ver 6 7. and had pressed Job to seek unto God ver 8. Now he declareth that God hath so manifested himself by his works in the world as may encourage men to seek to him and may terrifie them if they will not For this end he doth first speak of Gods works in general ver 9. and then doth instance this general in some particulars such as Gods common Providence in the earth ver 10.11 and his more special Providences toward men both wicked ver 12 13 14. and the poor who are oppressed ver 15 16. In this verse God is described by some general properties of his works Such as 1. Greatness His works of Creation and many works of Providence are great in themselves and so is his work of Redemption Yea the meanest thing that he is about as he is about all things is great in this respect that a great God doth it and much of him may be seen in it 2 Unsearchableness A property of Gods works whereby God himself convinceth Job of ignorance and presumption Chap. 38 c. For not only is the nature of things wrought by God unsearchable but the manner also of working and bringing many things about Psal 92 5 6 7. And the reason and end of doing them as Joh. 13.6 3. Admirableness or that they are marvellous things As the former two properties may be referred to the works of Nature and the ordinary course of Providence which are great and unsearchable because the power and wisdom of God shine in them Rom. 1.20 So this third property may relate to those rare and marvellous Providences above or contrary unto the ordinary course of nature wherein God appears for his people Such as those recorded Dan. 3.27 6.22 and many the like Or it may rather be understood more generally that this is an effect of the other two Because they are great and unsearchable therefore they are marvellous things 4. That they are Innumerable the whole earth being full of his glory and riches Isa 6.3 Psal 104.24 and these kind of works being ordinary with him See further of these properties Job 9.10 Psal 72.18 Rom â—1 33 In general we may from these properties Learn 1. Such as would seriously draw near to God ought to study what he is that so they may know how to approach and what to believe and expect Therefore doth he subjoyn this description of God as necessary to be taken along with his purpose of seeking to him See Psal 9 10. Hâ—b 11.6 2. Albeit God can be fully taken up only by his Word yet so much of him doth shine in his working as may both invite sinners to come to him and discover their hazard who are rebellious Therefore he presseth him to seek unto God by an argument taken from his works or what he doth For here seekers of God will find that there are as great wonders daily wrought as any they shall need to be done for them and despisers of God may see by what God daily worketh that he can easily reach them 3. Gods works even in ordinary are so great and like himself that we must not expect to see through the riches of his glory shining in them but should look upon them as unsearchable For they are great and unsearchable So that when we see most in his working we should be humbled that we see no more And if this be true even of his ordinary works how much less are we able to sound the depth of his more special Providences about his people 4.
must â—moâ—â— of his Friends against him This sharpning and quickning of our renewed tryals is ordered by God to keep us from formality and carelesness under them 3. The Children of God in their tryals may expect not only hard usage from God himself but to be hardly allowed audience by others in their complaints or get a good construction in what they say that so they may be fully tried on all hands For so doth Bildad carry toward Job and his discourses How long wilt thou speak these things and the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind full of violent impetuous passion but without any thing of reason Not only are the godly to lay their account to be mocked by the wicked in their troubles Psal 69.10 but to be a fear to their acquaintance Psal 31.11 and to have their godly friends not only mistaking but very angry at them as here This the Lord doth That he may wean his people from applause That he alone may have the glory of supporting them under all those loads superadded to their burdens And That by such examples as these we may be armed for such a tryal to have many godly friends on our tops and condemning us not only in a particular cause and debate but even in our personal state As here they dealt with Job 4. Passion prejudice and mistakes will breed ill constructions and misrepresentations of things which would appear otherwise to the impartial observer For from these causes it flowed that Bildad so judgeth of Job's discourses which were true and serious though mixed with frailty Prejudices do indeed hinder the sight of truth and our right estimation of things And while we charge every consequence that may follow upon a principle upon the maintainer of the principle as if that consequence were expresly intended by him while we charge every thing as a design upon a man that his way leads to and while we judge that such and such persons or persons so and so dealt with by God cannot have a good cause we will never judge right And therefore jealousie over our selves and love and calmness in reference to others are requisite if we would judge righteous judgment Vers 3. Doth God pervert judgment or doth the Almighty pervert justice In this verse which begins the second part of the Chapter he asserts the justice of God which he thought Job reflected upon and so taxes his doctrine more particularly And for confirmation of this Assertion he appeals to Job's own conscience if it be right to assert that God who is Omnipotent doth not walk according to the title of justice in his procedure with men As for the two words here used Judgment and Justice they may be taken indifferently as expressing one and the same thing Or if we distinguish them sometime one of them serves to express Gods righteous procedure in punishing the wicked and the other his procedure in vindicating the righteous when they are oppressed Yet so as both these words are indifferently used in Scripture to express the one or other of these Or they may be differenced thus judgment points at the accurate tryal of the cause speaking after the manner of men before he proceed to sentence and justice at his sentencing according as the cause requireth Or they may be more exactly differenced thus justice is between two the Judge and the Party judgment is betwixt three the Judg and two Parties And accordingly the meaning of Bildad's assertion may be thus extended That Job had no cause to impeach Gods justice neither in what he had inflicted upon him immediately by his own hand or in punishing him for his sins against himself nor yet in what he inflicted mediately by instruments or for his sins against his neighbours This is a true Assertion but Job is unjustly charged with the denial and quarrelling of it in their sense and accordingly he vindicates himself Chap. 9.2 For 1. Job's maintaining of his own righteousness is not a quarrelling of Gods righteousness who afflicted him Job held both to be true though he could not reconcile Gods deâ—ling with the testimony of his own Conscience that did evidence his weakness but not charge God with unrighteousness 2. As for his complaints of Gods dealing he was indeed more culpable therein and convinced to be so by God then he would at first see and acknowledge Yet therein he intended no direct accusation against Gods righteousness But they only shew that the weight of trouble and frailty of the flesh will put Saints so hard 〈◊〉 it that there will be a conflict betwixt Faith and Sense about Gods dealing in which case there is a liberty of laying out their perplexity before God as a mean to break and weaken their tentations This was Job's way though sometime his sense prevailed too much in it which because Bildad understood not through want of experience therefore he mistook him From this purpose we may Learn 1. The Justice of God is so uncontrovertedly clear in all his proceeding whether he act immediately or mediately by instruments that the Conscience of the greatest complainer when put to it seriously must subscribe to it and all are bound to the defence of it as witnesses for God So much doth Bildad's way of propounding this doctrine import He is not content nakedly to assert it that God is righteous but by way of interrogation puts it home to Job's Conscience as a truth he could not deny Doth God pervert judgment c And by his vehemency in asserting this he witnesseth his own bounden duty zealously to stand for the maintenance thereof And therefore they do sin egregiously who do indeed quarrel God Psal 73.10 Mal. 2.17 3.13 14 15. And Saints ought to be very careful of justifying God even in his hardest dispensations Neh. 9.32 33. Psal 22.3 51.4 and to be very wary of giving any occasion to others to misconstruct them as if they were quarrelling God as Job did to Bildad by his passionate complaints 2. Such as know God in his perfect and holy nature and Attributes will see clear cause to justifie God in his proceeding and particularly they who look upon his Omnipotent Power and All sufficiency will see that he can neither be moved to injustice by hope of any reward nor hindered to be just by the fear of the greatness of any or any other by-respect and therefore must be unquestionably just This confirmation of Gods righteousness is insinuated in that he calls him God who is infinitely pure and holy and the Almighty or All-sufficient And this doth teach us partly that the right way to judge of Gods dealing and his righteousness therein is not only to look downward upon his sharp dispensations wherein passion and sense may be ready to bemist us but to look upward to God the worker believing that his work is like himself whatever our sense say to the contrary And partly that such as quarrel Gods dealing do indeed reflect
supposed that there is much that is proud to be crushed by him and is clearly instanced ver 14. 2. This pride especially provokes God to anger and so draweth on more trouble For so is also supposed that God hath anger against such While we continue proud under trouble we will hardly get any sight of Gods love in it 3. This pride in contending with God appeareth yet more in that when God hath entered the lists with proud man and he finds himself too weak a party he will rather essay any other course for relief than stoop to God For he will run to proud helpers He will muster up all his stout-heartedness to endure what he cannot avoid and if God contend by outward trouble he will run to any refuge rather than to God Isa 9 9 10 13. 4. Gods anger is too sore a party for proud man and all created strength For when he persists in his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him All the power of Egypt to which the word rendered pride alludes here could not hold a Lowse off Pharaoh nor a Frog out of his Chamber See Mal 1.4 5. As utter undoing ruin will be the issue of Gods anger against proud man unless himself pass from it proud helpers will even stoop under him if he withdraw not his anger So God who hath made man and knows his mould and frame seeth it fit oft-times to quit the plea and put a close to the controversie and give over to contend with a worm For this is supposed as a reserved case wherein proud man is not crushâ—d if God will withdraw his anger And it is only if God will not withdraw his anger that the proud helpers do stoop under him which implyeth that sometime he will withdraw it And albeit the speech be absolute in the first language God will not withdraw c. yet the context and coherence thereof with the rest of the purpose doth evince that it must be understood by way of supposition That God not withdrawing his anger as some do well render it the proud helpers do stoop c. God is pleased thus to put an end to his controversie with his stubborn people partly upon the intercession of some among them Amos 7.1 6. partly to manifest his soveraignty in grace Isa 57.17 18. and to witness his tender regard to their frailty whom he hath chosen Psal 78.38 39. Yea he is pleased sometime to removes this plagues from off the wicked when yet they submit not or are but feigned in it as he dealt with Pharaoh And all this he doth to invite sinners to him who is so long suffering even toward the wicked and quitteth many a plea to impenitent and stubborn man and that he may encourage his people to intercede with him even when matters are very desperate and when mens disposition and way toward him pleading a controversie portends little good From ver 14. Learn 1. A godly man thinks little of all the world and least of himself especially when he is under the hand and rod of God For so doth Job here comparing himself with all others when he is now in such an afflicted and low condition If proud helpers do stoop How much less shall I answer him 2. True humility doth especially appear in a mans stooping under Gods hand without quarrelling For so doth Job here evidence it that he will not answer nor choose out words with God A murmuring spirit cannot in so far as it gives place to murmuring pretend to humility 3. Who so dare enter the lists with God and reason with him about any of his dealings as Plaintiffs they do provoke him to give them a sad challenge in other things and put them to defend and answer for themselves For both are here conjoyned to shew that they will be put to answer who dare attempt to reason with him This may discover the folly of complaining and murmuring and may warn such as give way to it to look for some other humbling work from God then to get leave to persist in that 4. It is an evidence of true humility and of spiritual wisdom also when men are made wise upon the expence of others and do not presume to stand out where others have slidden for so doth Job argue here The proud helpers do stoop How much less shall I answer him c Vers 15. Whom though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Judge The second ground of Job's resolution not to contend with God is taken from his hope to speed better another way He would not plead the righteousness of his cause or of his person in begun sanctification against God nor turn a defender to answer all that God could except against him but would hope to come better speed by humble supplication Whatever was Job's weakness in quitting this course here resolved upon for which he is rebuked by God Yet his doctrine doth teach 1. There is a righteousness attainable by faln and sinful man not a perfect personal and inherent righteousness according to the tenour of the Covenant of Works but beside imputed righteousness a righteousness of sincerity in begun sanctification Luk. 1.6 and a righteousness in respect of their cause or the matter of their tryal from God or men or both For Job supposeth that here though I were righteous as a thing attainable where he speaks of his righteous cause and sincerity in holiness and true piety 2. When men have attained to this righteousness and are so assured of it that they can plead it before and against men and may humbly own it before God through a Mediatour yet they have need to be humble when they consider that before the Tribunal of God only the Righteousness of Christ can bear them out For whom to wit God though I were righteous yet would I not answer Though he suppose his being righteous yet he will carry humbly before God 3. Whatever encouragement the Conscience of mens righteousness and integrity may otherwise afford them in going to God yet there is no pleading of this righteousness against God as a party or to the prejudice of his righteousness For this is it which he declines in particular to answer God when he turns challenger to maintain his righteousness against his complaints When God appears as a party he can find many faults which men either will not or cannot find And albeit he do in Christ accept of our sincerity in begun sanctification yet he can soon find it imperfect and poluted in it self And if it be so with the righteous How much more with the ungodly 1 Pet. 4.18 4. Humble supplication by a man who shelters himself under the wings of Christ and his imputed Righteousness and layeth claim to free grace in him is the best way of prevailing with God when he lets loose his hand and it will be so successful that contending is needless For saith he I would
it is not so with me Some read it as a reason of his offer Because I am not so with my self as if he had said I would debate my cause with God upon the terms propounded because I am nothing such in my own Conscience as your misapprehensions and aâ—â—ersions would represent me which yet do not move me sâ—â—ce I have a witness in my self to the contrary But the best reading according to the Original is But or because not so I with my self And so it contains both a regret and a resolution As if he had said seeing I am not so as I desire to be that I might plead my cause I have not that advantage to be delivered from Gods rod and terrour that I might get such an heaâ—ing of my cause Therefore I will give over to propound or make the offer and will do the best I can to digest all my grievances with my self in my own bosom A further account of which resolution is subjoyned in the next Chapter Whence Learn 1. Saints may be under disadvantages which God will not remove when they please and yet may remove them when they look upon them as past remedy For saith he But not so I. He obtained not now his desired liberty to plead his cause though afterward he did both with Elihu and God himself albeit the issue was not altogether such as he expected 2. Silent submission under hard dispensations is better then any disputation and quarrelling For so doth he resolve Because not so I with my self CHAP. X. Job having hitherto answered to what Bildad had said Partly concerning Gods Righteousness by acknowledging and magnifying of it Partly concerning his own righteousness by asserting and proving that without any prejudice to the Righteousness of God who had afflicted him he was a righteous man He cometh now to obviate what was insinuated in Bildad's discourse Namely That Job considering Gods Righteousness who had afflicted him and his own unrighteousness should seek to God and give over his complaints To this Job answers by his practice falling upon and renewing his wonted complaints Yet so as he indirectly labours to justifie his practice before his Friends in that he was so hard put to it before he began ver 1. And he more directly labours to justifie it in that he quits them as unfit Judges and dare go to God with his complaints and in that he presseth them home in his own judgment upon so strong and convincings grounds Some of which grounds are indeed sound Truths and clearly and positively asserted by him yet not sufficient to bottom his Conclusions or his Inferences from them proceed upon a mistake Others of them discover him to be brought to a great conflict betwixt faith and his tentation and present sense wherein he owns Truth but with a great debate And others of them declare him to be overpowred with his passion though he calm a little toward close of his discourse The Chapter may be taken up in two Parts In the first whereof to v. 20. we have his complaint or his endeavour to ease his sorrows by complaining This might be taken up in the rise of his complaint v. 1. The Proposition of it v. 2. and the prosecution of it v. 3 c. But I shall sum it up thus There is a complaint carried on in this Discourse which may be summed up in an expostulation with God that he did so sharply afflict him breaking him with present trouble and threatning him with more trouble yea even to cut him off with trouble This sum of his Expostulation may be gathered from ver 2 3 8 9 16 17. And his expostulating about this doth imply a request that God would not deal so with him This being scope of Job's Discourse the whole of it may be taken up in so many Arguments tending not only to justifie his complaints before his Friends as hath been said but chiefly to enforce his complaint and press his desire before God For as he judgeth there was no reason why his Friends should censure his complaint and much reason why God should regard it and change his dealing toward him Considering that he was put hard to it before he did complain ver 1. That it is hard measure if he be condemned before he be convinced of the cause and crime ver 2. That it doth not beseem God by dealing so hardly with him to oppress and sleight his own creature and servant and to seem to favour the wicked ver 3. That Good needs not this way of torturing him to find out what he is ver 4 5 6. That God knew he was not wicked and yet that would not avail him unless himself withdrew his hand ver 7. That God had made and preserved him and therefore he cannot but regret that he should so violently destroy his own workmanship ver 8.9 10 11 12 13. That he can see no cause of Gods dealing thus nor what God meant or intended by all this severity ver 14 15. That his trouble had put him in great confusion and therefore he thinks God should look to the greatness of his trouble which so confounded him ver 15 16 17. And that his trouble was so great it made him repent his being born and wish he had died from the womb ver 18 19. In the second part of â—he Chapter Job calming a little doth suâ—joyn to his former Expostulation a short Petition for respite and leave to breath a while before he died ver 20 21 22. Vers 1. My soul is weary of my life I will leave my complaint upon my self I will speak in the bitterness of my soul THis verse contains an account of the rise of Job's Expostulation and complaint which is the first Argument pressing his Friends not to misconstruct him and pleading with God that he would regard it and not deal so sharply with him For when he had resolved to smother his griefs Chap. 9.35 yet he could not but they made his life a burden to him And when again he laboured to suppress his complaints because of such a case yet he could not prevail But at last after many resolutions to the contrary his bitterness by reason of much affliction burst forth in a complaint and made him â—ry if he could find ease by so eloquent a way of pouring out his sorrows before God From which he leaveth it to be inferred That it beseemed God to respect such a complaint and the afflictions which pressed it out of him which were so great that he could not refrain from that way of it which was so contrary to his frequent resolutions and desires And That it was his Friends duty not to judge hardly of him though he complained when he was so pressed and put to it In general Obs 1. Gods Children while they are within time are made up of Flesh and Spirit Nature and Grace which under trouble will have strong wrestlings one with another taking resolutions time about
his hazard of what may ensue upon it as he elsewhere resolves Chap. 13.13 But the meaning is That when his weariness was like to make him complain and cry out grace and submission would as formerly Chap. 9.35 yet have smothered it and rather have sunk under the pressure then utter any thing of his passion to God or against his dealing Whence Learn 1. Much trouble affords occasion and matter of many lamentations and complaints and it is a demonstration of mans frailty that when he is hardly pressed he can do no more for his own relief but complain and lament Psal 102. in the Title For here it is supposed that Job's hard case pressed him to a complaint 2. Men do not a little feed and encrease their complaints under trouble by their own wearying and so making their burden uneasie For it is when he is weary of his life that he hath a complaint But formerly till his spirit wearyed he got it borne down Chap. â— 10 3. Albeit afflicted and grieved Saints may find great ease by pouring out their case to God yet the ill and bitter frame of their spirits is better suppressed than vented For saith he I will leave my complaint upon my self Thus did he labour not to sin with his lips Chap. 2.10 as not knowing but his passion if once it bâ—â—ke loose might utter worse language then simple complaints 4. Albeit men be driven from their good resolutions through the violence of their tentations yet it is their duty to essay them again For after his endeavours to ease himself Chap. 9.27 28. and to smother his grievances are overturned he will yet again essay to leave his complaint upon himself 3. Flesh at last over powers all his good resolutions I will speak in the bitterness of my soul or I am so put to it with grief and bitterness that I must give my self a vent Whence Learn 1. Saints may be put from their resolutions over and over again For here after he hath again resolved to bury his complaint he is put from it and he must speak and his passion for this time carrieth all before it This may teach Saints not to mistake such humblings in the matter of their resolutions and such violent fits in themselves 2. Saints resolutions of submission and patience will not hold when they only smother their sorrows and do not labour to cure that inwardly and at the root which they endeavour to suppress outwardly For therefore comes he at last to this I will speak notwithstanding all his former resolutions because he did not labour to remove the cause of his complaint by reading Gods dealing aright and seeking patience but did only leave it upon himself 3. Resolutions also will not hold when men take their burdens upon themselves and do not roll the grievancâ—s they would suppress over on God For in this also his resolution was defective that he will leave his complaint upon himself or smother it and take all the weight of it upon his own spirit and therefore it came to this issue I will speak 4. Much trouble and perplexity is apt to breed much soul-bitterness especially when nature and corruptions are let loose to read our lots and grapple with our difficulties For Job here confesseth his trouble had produced bitterness of soul 5. Bitterness of soul is not only a fountain of complaints and resentments against Gods dealing but it is very boisterous carrying down all good resolutions and a very bad Oratour before God For saith he I will speak in the bitterness of my soul Which imports that it was his bitterness that furnished those complaints which before he would have suppressed that it was bitterness also that overturned his former resolutions to be silent and drave him to this I will speak and that all the faults in his following Discourse slowed from this Fountain of bitterness which prompts a man to speak not what he ought but whatever it suggests were it such as the Disciples Prayer was Mar. 4.38 Vers 2 I will say unto God Do not condemn me shew me wherefore thou contendest with me In this verse we have Job's Proposition of his complaint which contains the second Argument justifying and pressing it He not only insinuates that his Friends should not censure those complaints which he dare propound to God leaving them as unfit Judges though this do not conclude strongly seeing men in passion may dare to speak that to God which is not meet But in the very Proposition of his case he insinuates this Argument against Gods present dealing and why he should deal more tenderly with him That it was very hard measure thus to condemn him before he be convinced of his crime The meaning is as if Job had said Lord by this way of Procedure thou seemest to deal with me as with a wicked man whom thou hast condemned to be thus consumed and cut off as such Now in this I request for a just procedure that I may understand the quarrel thou hast against me who am a righteous man before thou give me such hard measure and I expostulate that it is not so that either thou wilt not cease to proceed against me as a guilty and wicked man for so the word to condemn is in the Original to make wicked or to declare one to be such by the sentence and stroke of a Judge or else shâ—w me the cause and quarrel In this reasoning we may observe thâ—se Truths for our Instruction 1. Whatever distemper be in our spirits which we cannot get suppressed and calmed it is better to go to God with it then to mâ—â—â—â—ur and complain of him as it were behind back and albeit there may be much failing and dross in the way of such addressâ—s yet it is faith that goeth God with them and it evidenceth a man to be given to Prayer when even his very complaints run in that channel For albeit this address be full of distemper and passion as we may observe all along yet in so far Job is right that when he must speak v. 1. I will say it unto God saith he 2. To be condemned as a wicked man is sad to a Saint Any dispensation will be tolerable but that seeing therein a sight of mens own wickedness hides a sight of Gods favour and love in their lot Therefore Job deprecates his being condemned as a wicked man as the word imports when it is suggested by sense that it was so with him 3. A justified man whose sin is pardoned and who walks with God may plead against condemnation as a lot he cannot in reason expect seeing there is no condemnation to any that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 Therefore doth Job plead against that when suggested by sense and tentation as a thing that could not be and for which there was no cause according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace Do not condemn me shew me wherefore thou contendest with me as such a one
doth v. 9. as yet if God give strength or perfect strength in weakness we must not seek to shift trouble nor decline exercise upon his charges under pretence of weakness 4 We do oft-times breed our selves much disquiet by being more affrighted then we are really hurt as Job here was apprehensive that God would destroy him his sense suggesting that it was so See Isa 38.12 13. with Isa 51.12 13. 5. Whatever be the gracious condescendence of God in his dealing with men yet there is no cause that we should plead by way of quarrel and expostulation against Gods doing what he will with his own creature and the being which he hath given For why may not the Potter make and mar his own vessel at his pleasure Rom. 9.21 Jer. 18.6 And albeit Piety have the Promises yet we should beware to plead absolutely against any outward dispensation 6. When men by faith grounded upon the Word do see Gods affection toward them as Job did v. 13. they should not be too eager upon outward manifestations and proofs of his love but should bless God for that and acquiesce in it which were the way to get more Vers 14. If I sin then thou markest me and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity 15. If I be wicked wo unto me and if I be righteous yet will I not lift up my head The seventh Argument is taken from his condition and state who was afflicted and from his searching out what might be the Lords end in afflicting him The meaning is as if Job had said Lord What means all this severity For either thou lookest upon me as guilty of unrepented sin for which thou dost chasten me and if it be so thou hast thy will thou markest me and dost not spare me v. 14. where he doth not deny but he might be guilty of some such failing and withal doth submit to Gods pursuing of it if that were the quarrel yet there is a secret grudge that nothing but destruction could end that controversie or thou lookest upon me as a wicked and unrenewed man and so these afflictions are the effects of vindicative wrath broken forth upon me and if it were so wo unto me with my own consent I will never grant that but my abhorrence of the wickeds estate and lot will witness the contrary for me Or thou lookest upon me as a righteous man whom thou would humble and keep low by these rods and I stoop nor shall I insolently lift up my head and boast of it so as thou should need to toss me thus Therefore why dealest thou thus with me In this Argument those Truths may be observed 1. Trouble should make men inquisitive to know Gods mind and end in it and to be inquisitive and distinct in their own case whether they be wicked or regenerate what sin they have and in what degree and measure it is in them For so is Job put to search whether he hath sinned as the word is or what infirmities may have prevailed over him in the course of his life and whether he be wicked or righteous 2. A difference must still be made not only betwixt a mans frailty or his sinful nature and his state by grace but even betwixt his grosser failings and his being wicked Albeit it be Saints duties to watch over the very remainders of sin much more ought they to keep themselves from their iniquity or predominant evils Psal 18.23 Yet they may sometime fall in these evils and yet not take with wickedness as to the state of their person For Job puts a difference here betwixt his having sinned or his being overtaken with any predominant infirmity and his being wicked 3. God is a strict marker of sin even in his own people and albeit he will not cast them off yet he will not pass over their unrepented guilt For saith he If I have sinned then thou markest me and thou wilt not acquit me or deal with me as innocent from mine iniquity Thus did God pursue David's sin 2 Sam. 12.9 10 11 c. And thus the Lord proclaims his own Name Exod. 34.6 7. And therefore Saints should see how they acquit themselves of their daily contracted guilt lest the rod pursue them 4. Wicked men are undoubtedly and evidently to a right discerner under a wo and curse whatever their outward lot be their inward condition and state assures them of it For saith he If I be wicked wo unto me there needs no further proof of it if it once be clear that I am wicked See Isa 3.11 Eccles 8.12 13. 5. It is a mark of honesty when a man abhorreth the state of the wicked as woful because he is wicked For by this supposition If I be wicked c. Job doth noth question his own integrity for he maintains it all along but he gives this proof of it that he could not think of the wickeds estate without horrour and abhorrency of it Compare Chap. 9.29 See Psal 141.4 6. Albeit the ornament of righteous men be humility and sobriety yet they have a natural inclination to be puffed up because of it and to trust in their own beauty Ezek. 16.15 For he looks upon it as an evil to be avoided if he be righteous that he lift not up his head 7. Albeit godly and righteous men be prone not only to entertain a conceit of themselves when they are at ease but especially to take it ill if God afflict them yet Gods sends the rod to hide pride from them and when they stoop to reap that profit by it they give the rod less to do about them For so doth Job's reasoning imply that since though he were righteous yet would he not lift up his head therefore there was no necessity thus to pursue him Beside those truths we may in this arguing Observe some defects also for our Instruction 1. Though Job think he hath searched into all the causes and ends of Gods work about him that so he might implead his procedure yet Gods counsels are very deep and mans judgment shallow and confused as himself confesseth in the very next words and as Zophar's speech Chap. 11.7 8 12. may well be applyed to this purpose whatever was his own scope in it And even in this arguing albeit God had none of these ends before him in afflicting Job yet it was enough if he had a purpose to demonstrate his own absolute dominion over man and the power of his own grace in a weak creature This may warn us not to think that we can comprehend all Gods ends in his working or can discern all the wheels which he moveth at once 2. Though it be true that God will not utterly destroy or cast off his people for their sins and Job did mistake if he apprehended otherwise when he saith God marketh and will not acquit him yet it is but a distemper that maketh men grudge at Gods dealing as too severe and sharp For such a grudge
argue our blindness for he cannot be unreasonable in what he doth Vers 5. Seeing his days are determined the number of months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass 6. Turn from him that he may rest till he shall accomplish as an hireling his day The third Argument enlarging the first is taken from the certainty of his death at the time appointed by God He shews that his life is bounded by God even how many days and months he shall live that he must die at the time appointed by God and cannot pass those bounds and limits which are set to him and that in the mean time his life was but short and troublesome like the time of an hireling Whence he argues That seeing death is the appointed punishment of sin which he had acknowledged to be in himself v. 4. Gen. 2.17 And seeing God had fixed the time of that at his pleasure and had made life short and troublesome he thinks that God needs not add a new sentâ—nce to the former and bring man into judgment of new And therefore he pleads that God would not abandon him by turning altogether from him but forbear to pursue him with such rigour and let him take some breathing and respite from these extraordinary afflictions till he accomplish his course in his ordinary toil and labour whereof he will be content to see an end whensoever God will as the word imports The substance of the grounds of this Argument being made use of Chap. 7.1 2 c. to prove another conclusion that he might lawfully desire death I shall here shortly Obs 1. Mans life and days are bounded so that Man must come to a period and must quit life whether it be sweet or sowr bitter or comfortable For so is here held out His days are determined he hath bounds that he cannot pass See Psal 49.10 Eccl. 2.16 Heb. 9.27 Obs 2. God is the infallible and irresistible bounder of mans life even to months and days For his days are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds c. See Act. 17.26 This Truth 1. Doth not contradict other Scriptures which speak of the lengthening and shortening of mens days 2 King 20.1 6. Eccl. 7.16 17. Psal 55.23 For these speak of shortening or lengthening the days of Man in respect of what otherwise they might be according to probability or considering the course of Nature and second Causes but speak nothing of Gods altering the periods of Man's life which are set by himself Nor 2. Doth this warrant men to neglect lawful means which God hath appointed in order to his end as Paul reasons Act. 27.22 23 24. with 31. But it teacheth us 1. To adore the Universal Providence of God which extends it self to all persons and things See Matth. 10.24 30. Our not observing of this in common things makes us so Atheistical in greater matters 2. It teacheth us to submit to his will in all those turns and lots that befal us and in the use of all means of life to submit to live long in trouble or short while in ease as he pleaseth 3. It teacheth his people to rest confidently on him who hath Times and Seasons in his hand both of particular persons Psal 31.15 and of Nations also Gen 15.13 14. Jer. 29.10 Obs 3. Mans life till he come to his appointed end is but like a hirelings day For so is held forth v. 6. that he must accomplish as an hireling his day Not only is his life short like a day wherein the hireling is conduced to work But 1. Man ought not to be his own nor at his own work but his Masters For so it is with the hireling And if Man will not voluntarily do duty and what is commanded him Yet he shall be made to serve Providence whether he will or not And his most irregular enterprises shall be made subservient to Gods holy purposes Psal 76.10 2. Man is but an indigent empty creature standing in need of continual uninterrupted supply from God As an hireling must have wages if not meat also from his Master to maintain him at his work 3. Man must resolve to have much toil in the service of his Generation For he is like a toiled servant or hireling And this is the lot even of greatest Undertakers and Conquerours in the world Hab. 2.12 13. 4. Man is a servant who must be accountable for his work that he may be rewarded accordingly as it is with hirelings All this may teach men not to stumble if they find their life to be such as is here described And since it is thus they who sell Heaven for a Portion in this life make but a poor bargain and will get but sober chear for it Obs 4. Job's plea and desire in this Argument v. 6. hath somethings in it very commendable and imitable As 1. Turn saith he that is take away thy hand and displeasure evidenced by these severe afflictions Which Teacheth That it is only God who giveth a being or putteth an end to afflâ—ctions As this desire supposeth Also That as God appears to the afflicted to be angry when trouble is on So this affects a godly man most and the removal of this is more to him then the taking away of the affliction For he desires the cross to be removed under that notion of Gods turning frâ—m him and ceasing to pursue him in anger 2. Turn saith he from him in the third Person with an eye to what he hath spoken of all mens life and toil v. 5. and to shew that he would be content of the common lot of hirelings of Adam's posterity It Teacheth That it is an evidence of a subdued spirit when men do not seek to be singular in their lots and allowances but are content patiently to bear the common lots that befal mankind 3. Turn saith he that he may rest or have a cessation righteous and the wicked Christ will be glorified and admired in them 2 Thes 1.10 all clouds and mistakes will be cleared and when he raiseth their bodies he will raise their good Name also Vers 13. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave that thou wouldest keepe me secret until thy wrath be past that thou wouldest appoint me a set time and remember me 14. If a man die shall he live again All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change câ—mâ— 15. Thou shalt call and I will answere thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands The fourth Argument propounded in these verses and amplified and enlarged to the end of the Chapter is taken from the great perplexities and strange wishes to which his trouble drave him in so much that though he see somewhat of a black cloud in death in the foregoing verses yet here he would be content of something like it for a time The sum of the Argument whereof the Antecedent is expressed in
Original thus Mine eye poureth out or droppeth unto God And he who is true God and doth now subsist to exerce his Office shall plead for a man that is for Job himself spoken of in the Third Person to shew that it is a common priviledge of all godly men such as he was with God and the Son of Man as Christ was to become true Man also for his friend So the meaning of this will be Christ who is God and will become Man shall plead with God on my behalf who am at friendship with him This Interpretation hath those Truths in it That Christ the Mediatour was then known as in his Offices so also what he was or would be as to his Persons and Natures That it is in Christ only that godly men can think to stand or have their integrity approved and That Christs pleading and intercession is a sweet Antidote against the scorn and mistakes of dearest friends As he subjoyns this to what he said of them v. 20. But this doth not so well agree with Job's scope here who as formerly doth assert his integrity rather by wishing he might plead his cause with God if it were possible then by believing it was pleaded as is also implied in the repetition of this wish Chap. 17.3 And withal this verse so interpreted will have no connexion with the reason subjoyned v. 22. Therefore I had rather understand it according to his former practice of his wish that himself might plead his cause with God And for the Original Text which seems to favour the former reading it would be considered that the copulative particle and may be variously â—endered either and or as or otherwise as may best fit the scope Likewise the particle rendered for in both parts of the verse may be rendered for or with or to as frequently it is And if we render the verb which signifieth pleading not only in the Optative mode by way of wish as here it is but Impersonally also not that he or one might plead but that there might be pleading if I say the verb be thus rendered the Text will run fairly thus O that there might be pleading for a man that is that a man might have leave and opportunity to plead with God as a man pleadeth with his neighbour or friend And so the words contain a desire that he might plead his Integrity as familiarly with God as one man pleads with another who is his friend I shall not insist on the particular weaknesses that may be marked in this desire of which see Chap 9 34 35. Chap. 13.20 21 22. Here we may Learn 1. Mens scorn and misconstructions should put men to seek to have their condition cleared betwixt God and them For this Job would be at when scorned by his Friends 2. There is no small disadvantage on the creatures part in seeking to plead with God considering the distance that is betwixt God and them For that Job can wish this only imports that God cannot be pleaded with as with a neighbour or friend And this should be minded not only to terrifie those who presume to enter the lists with God as a Party but to make us sober and humble in all our approaches to him 3. Integrity doth not fear Gods Tribunal in Christ oppose it who will For this wish whatever weakness be in it imports also the strength of his faith that at all disadvantages of scorn from Friends and afflictions from God he is content to plead if he might 4. Men who have a good Conscience have need to guard well under afflictions and misconstructions that they miscarry not For Job did over-drive in the rashness and presumption of his offer It is not enough men have a good Conscience unless they bear it fair and soberly 5. Weaknesses may very often recurr and prevail over Saints in an hour of tryal As Job falls again and again upon his passionate wish This should humble us but not crush us as if we had no grace when we are thus assaulted and borne down 6. Saints may be long exercised with wishes and desires which are not satisfied For so was it with Job who not only is not satisfied as to the passionate and presumptuous way which he propounds for clearing of his integrity but even the substance of his desire which was to have his integrity made manifest is not granted till his tryal was perfected And in general it holds true that many desires of the godly are not satisfied either because they desire not good things in a right way or because it is unseasonable to grant their good desires or because God hath a mind to try them yet more Vers 22. When a few years are come then I shall go the way whence I shall not return In this verse we have the reason pressing this wish taken from the certainty as he judged of his near approach unto death which makes him desire to be cleared before he be removed In this he seems to reflect upon what Eliphaz had said of the wickeds being without hope to be delivered from trouble Chap. 15.22 For he expects no issue from his trouble but by death Only he is under no slavish fear as the wicked are nor will he grant that he is wicked though he have those apprehensions Doct. 1. Saints in their troubles may be in a great mistake concerning their condition and the issue thereof For albeit this General be true that mans life is but short being measured by a few years or years of number any time that can be numbered being short in comparison of Eternity yet he is mistaken in that he thought to die so shortly which that it is his mind in this expression though he speak of years appears from Chap 17 1. 2. Men had need to have their condition cleared against death come it being a dark passage in it self we have need of no clouds beside For upon this supposition that he is to die shortly he desireth to plead his cause that he may be cleared before-hand 3. Men ought so much the rather to have all clear against death that after it there is no helping of our condition if it be wrong as it is in other turns of our life For if once a man go that way he shall not return and this consideration made Job the more solicitous to be cleared 4. The more near men apprehend death to be approaching they should be the more busie For so was Job here supposing that death was near 5. Reproach and unjust imputations are in special a tryal whereof Saints would desire a good account before they die seeing other outward miseries end at their death but reproach will live after them as a blot upon their name For it is upon this account in part that he would be cleared that his Friends might cease to scorn and reproach him as a wicked man 6. The Conscience of mens integrity will not be quelled even with approaching death For Job
thy perfect Righteousness nor deal with me according to thy transcendent Greatness And then it followeth Who is he that will strike hands with me that is upon these terms I care not who enter the lists with me to debate on thy behalf or where shall I find any who will undertake to plead for thee on these terms This wish in the substance thereof agreeth well with his former regrets and desires Chap. 9 32 33 34 45. Chap. 13.20 21 22. And it is in answer to this and the like wishes that Elihu offers him so fair quarters in the way of debating and yet undertakes to convince him of sinful rashness Chap. 33.6 7. And in this his Proposal as we may read the strength of faith and of a good Conscience as also his weakness and presumption in his way of managing the same under tentation both which have been spoken to formerly So here we may further Learn 1. It is the great mercy of injured and misconstructed Saints that they have God to whom they may appeal who looks upon them otherwise then men oft-times do Therefore doth be so frequently desire to reason the matter with God when his Friends misconstructed him 2. It is not simply unlawful for Saints to plead their own integrity with God and to plead with him concerning his dispensations to them when they are hard put to it For the sum of Job's desire was lawful if it had been well managed See Jer. 12.1 For 1. Faith is allowed to plead with God against the verdict of Sense and when he seems to reject 2. We may plead an interest in his love and our own integrity notwithstanding any cross dispensations tentations or misconstructions Whatever tryal or exercise of faith there may be in any of these yet they give us no warrant or allowance to quit our grips 3. We may also if we keep within bounds seek light how to reconcile his love and his dealing toward us his Dispensations and our Priviledges Wherein Job had not failed if he had been moderate Yea those pleadings are so acceptable that ordinarily they are worse imployed in trouble who are not so taken up And some under tentation and trouble do quit their integrity and the testimony of a good Conscience as sinfully as Job maintained it while at every assault they are ready to look on all they have received and all the Evidences of the grace of God in them as nothing Doct. 3. Pleading with God in the matter of our integrity and his afflicting of us had need to be gone about with very much caution and fear For Job here and elsewhere premits cautions before he dare be confident in the challenge and yet he used not caution sufficient and therefore others may deboâ—d much more And because it is ordinary for people to miscarry in their thoughts and apprehensions of God and his dealing in sad times I shall speak somewhat to needful cautions about this matter And not to insist in speaking of the Atheist who by reason of trouble loseth sight of God and denieth his Providence Ezek. 9.9 or of the mad man who seeth God in afflictions only that he may blaspheme him Rev. 16.9 or of the passionate man though even a Saint who in his heat stands not expresly to contradict Gods verdict Jon 4 9. I shall only from Job's cautions and from his defects in not adding cautions sufficient give these Rules 1. It is our only safe course to go to God in our troubles and to look for an issue by debating and clearing matters with him as it were at the Fountain Therefore doth Job betake himself to God here and this at last cleared all his clouds Hence it is that they are reproved who in trouble mourn or roar one toward another but do not mourn to God Ezek. 24.23 2. However in our troubles we cleave to our integrity as to the state of our person and our righteous cause Yet we ought still to be sensible of the transcendent Purity and Power of God with whom we have to do For in this Job was right who durst not strike hands with any to debate his cause but upon some surety or assurance that God would not judge him according to his transcendent Holiness nor deal with him according to his great Power Hence 3. We must guard that our righteousness be not an occasion to make us swell with pride because we are afflicted For herein Job failed notwithstanding all his caution in that he handled his good cause too violently See Psal 73.10 11 c. The best of men have so much in them as deserve sharpest rods as we will find Elihu teaching him and when godly men do thus miscarry under cleanly tryals God is provoked to send rods dipped in their own guilt See Psal 51.4 4. We ought also to guard that we manage not our complaints or defences of our integrity with reflections on God neither taxing his Righteousness who afflicts nor bearing any grudge at him For herein also Job failed Chap. 40.8 See Jer. 12.1 5. We ought so to plead our integrity before God as we forget not his absolute Dominion that he gives not any account of his matters and that things are therefore righteous because he who can do no wrong doth them For in this Job was not sufficiently cautious who desired to plead with God on equal terms and on equal security as if he had been a creature like himself And for this he is taxed Chap. 33.12 13. 6. When we seek out reasons of Gods dealing with us we ought to do it with much submission suspecting our own eyes and discerning and not his righteousness when we cannot perceive them and adoring what we cannot comprehend nor dive into For this the Lord points at in these many puzzling questions in the end of this Book whereby he convinceth Job of his presumption and folly in debating with him who is so infinitely wise Doct. 4. Job is often wishing that those securities and cautions might be granted to him in order to his debating of his cause with God and is sorry that he cannot obtain his desire And yet when it is granted in Elihu's person Chap. 33.6 7. however he did indeed carry his main point and was cleared at last to be a righteous man Yet he carried it not as he expected but was much humbled and abased It teacheth That godly men may have longing desires after some things which will not prove satisfactory when they get them We oft times see so little mercy in our present condition that we promise to our selves but too much in future things or in any thing beside that which is present We are so little versed in the study and belief of Gods Infinite Wisdom about us that we foolishly think we could carve out better lots to our selves then he allows And we may sometime be so taken up with our sincerity in the general tenor and scope of our life that we forget our humbling
from their intended misapplication that this is the lot only of the wicked And therefore Job who was so afflicted must be a wicked man And if we do consider only these true Observations of what befel some of the wicked which Job doth acknowledge v. 17. c. And which they might reflect upon in this discourse it holds out 1. God may make the wickedness of some conspicuous in their plagues because they will see it in no other mirrour As here is seen in their houses and dwelling places 2. He may in justice smite not only the persons of the wicked but their children and familâ—es As here we are taught 3. He may smite them even with utter ruine so that they shall not be found any more As this question imports Where is the house Where are the dwelling places See Psal 37.35 36. 4. The authority and power of wicked men will be no fence against Gods vengeance but will rather make Gods justice more conspicuous in reaching them For even the house of the Prince may be a seeking if he be wicked 5. The number of wicked men combined together in evil can â—s little secure them from Gods vengeance as their power but God can reach many of them as well as one For the house of the Prince and the dwelling places or tent of the Tabernacles of wicked men in the plural number â—are all one to him Obs 2. If we consider their design in this remark which is to suggest to him that he is a wicked man because thus afflicted it teacheth 1. Afflictions upon godly men may have strange tentations fastned upon them and may be represented in a sad mirrour to the afflicted As here Job's case is represented to be not only full of sharp trials but an evidence of wickedness Hence the afflictions of the godly are frequently called tentations which are the saddest ingredient in them and the engine whereby Satan drives his design in them either to cause godly men run into a sinful course to be delivered from troubles Or to doubt of their good estate because of their troubles And in this we need not help from without to suggest tentations to us our own hearts being too prone to fasten tentations enough upon every affliction as we read in the tryals of David and others Hence to be hid from tentations under affliction may make any simple affliction easie And when we cannot get them avoided it is our duty to distinguish betwixt what is real and what is a tentation only in our lot And for the curing and removing of these tentations when they assault us we should consider That afflictions do weaken crush our spirits and weakness is the breach at which tentations do enter Psal 77.8 9. with 10. and therefore we should be upon our guard and know that we have our own weakness to accuse more than any thing else when tentations prevail upon us Further if we studied to be humble and bear down pride and did not love case too well but would be content to be at pains and stir up our selves to cleave to God tentations would do us little hurt For it is pride idleness and diffidence which put an edge upon our tentations Withal we should remember that we ought nor to lie down and die but are called to a battel and should not cast away our weapons though we prevail not at the first in the use of these means 2. It is one of the saddest of tentations when tryals contribute to bring mens Estate and their Interest in God in question as here his troubles are made use of to prove him wicked It is sad enough when mens sad lots seem to speak Gods Fatherly displeasure their rebellion in some particular miscarriages their distance from God their unbelief c. But it is much sadder when they seem to speak them wicked and cast off by God Hence we may gather 1. That the assurance of a mans good estate and reconciliation is a notable Cordial in all Afflictions and other tentations So long as that is not questioned men may grapple the better with other assauâ—ts and therefore men should study to make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 and to keep the evidences thereof clear Rom. 8.35 c. And on the other hand this imports that to be wicked and unreconciled to God is the saddest of conditions especially when God is reckoning with men as such 2. Though Saints may be sometime troubled with questions about their estate especially in great difficulties or upon gross miscarriages Yet they should not be so ready as oft times they are upon every assault to destroy and rase these very foundations seeing an interest in God may consist with sharp tryals and many distempers and failings a marriage bond stands firm when yet the parties may fail much in their duty one to another and the faith of that will enable them to bear troubles and help them to repent of and amend their faults 3. It should be looked upon as Satans great policy at every occasion to cast in doubts about our personal Interest and Reconciliation with God that so he may divert and take us off all other real fruit and use of our afflictions and tentations to which the Lord is calling us by these dispensations And while we are perplexed and debating about that without cause he finds a way to make us neglect our present work of Humiliation Repentance Self-denial c. or what other duties our condition calls for 4. We should remember that trouble and tentations do put us in a fever in which case we are very unfit to judge of our estate And therefore we should leave such a tentation till we be more fit to grapple with it And in the mean time should set about our present work and duty in bearing troubles and enduring assaults which will indeed prove that we have true grace and so refute the tentation 5. If at any time it vex us as it may fall forth that ever we yielded to these tentations which bring our grace in question yet we should not be discouraged For if it be not persisted in we should know that it is not an evidence of the want of grace to be troubled with such a tentation but godly men have been over-taken in the snare though they have recollected themselves again Obs 3. If we consider that these tentations are not suggested by his own heart but by his Friends it teacheth That besides tentations fastned upon our troubles by our own hearts God may permit others and even godly men to give a sad representation of our condition and estate as Job here found And as this tryal of Job from his Friends may be an encouragement to the godly in all ages in the like case So the Lords ends in putting of us to this kind of tryal from godly friends are 1. That we may be narrowly tryed when we are assaulted from within and from without 2. To prevent
which he could not answer and repell Verse 6. Will he plead against me with his great power No but he would put strength in me 7. There the righteous might dispute with him so should I be delivered for ever from my Judge The third Particular in this branch of his complaint is an account of his encouragements which make him so earnestly desire to plead his cause with God One v. 6. is That he would thus if he could have access come unto God because God would not employ his great power against him in the debate but would even strengthen him to plead and prevail Or God would not destroy him when he appeared to debate his integrity but would only produce Arguments if there were any against him as some read the latter part of the Verse and strengthen him to answer if he had any thing to say And it is indeed true That God will not employ his power to crush men if they be able to answer what may be excepted against them Yet if any come presumptuously to plead they deserve that he should put forth his power to cause them know themselves Another ground of encouragement v. 7. is That at the Throne of grace the righteous may plead their cause with God and by that debate and the sentence upon it he should not only be delivered from their slanders who took upon them to be his Judges but from Gods condemnatory sentence in the day of Judgement and from the judgement and sentence which he might pass by vertue of his transcendent Soveraignty From v. 6. Learn 1. If God proceed in justice or exercise his Soveraignty over the best of men and put forth his power against them they cannot stand For Job declines to have God so pleading with him 2. God in his dealing with Saints doth not proceed according to their perfection but their sincerity nor doth he employ his Soveraign power to crush them For Will he plead against me with his great power No. See Job 37.23 24. Psal 99.4 This is a great encouragement to humble Saints though Job did justly fore-fault his priviledge if God had pleased to deal in severity by his pride and passion 3. God not only with-holds his great power in pleading with his people but he strengthens his people when he pleads with them to make them prevail For He would put strength in me or would put in me for strength is not in the Original that which would bear me out in this plea. Thus did he strengthen Jacob to wrestle and prevail with himself Gen. 32. And thus doth he deal with his people even when he leaves them to be pursuers of him Ps 63.8 4. As Saints who know the great power of God will not hazard to make it their party So they dare not lean to their own inherent strength as sufficient to bear them out even when God condescends to plead most gently and tenderly with them For Job needs that strength should be put in him even when God makes no use of his great power in pleading From v. 7. Learn 1. Albeit God allow not quarrellings such as many of Jobs pleas were yet he approves of the pleading of Faith at the Throne of grace For there they may dispute with him if they manage their plea in a right way 2. God allows his Saints even their righteousness and integrity though they be conscious to themselves of many imperfections For the righteous might there dispute with him But hypocrites who are neither perfect nor sincere should not dare to appeal to him 3. Godly men in their pleading may lawfully challenge the effects of Gods goodness and plead against his harsh usage of them and desire him that he would reconcile his present dealing with their priviledges and the testimony of their consciences providing they do all this modestly and reverently For so much is imported in this disputing or arguing which is indeed allowed to the righteous if they do not miscarry in the managing of it 4. Saints notwithstanding their integrity are obnoxious to the misconstructions of men and lyable to the Justice and Soveraignty of God if he please to put it forth to call them to an account for every miscarriage For these are to be understood by that Judge which Job desires to be delivered from 5. Saints by pleading and prevailing at the Throne of grace are liberate from these Tribunals and Judges Gods approbation there fortifieth them against all slanders and answers all the accusations of the Law For so by pleading my cause at the Throne of grace and disputing there with him I should be delivered from my Judge 6. When God assoyles his people at the Throne of grace he assoyles them for ever so that however the godly man may in his tenderness mind his faults often and God may put him in mind thereof to excite him to more tenderness and caution yet the sentence passed there will stand valid and ratified in the great day For saith he so should I be delivered for ever from my Judge Verse 8. Behold I goe forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him 9. On the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him The last Particular of this branch of the complaint is the Complaint it self wherein he regrates that though he had this earnest desire to find God that he might plead his cause with him and had these grounds of hope to be absolved yet let him turn himself where he will upon all hands he cannot get a sight of God nor access to him to plead his cause For clearing whereof Consider 1. Jobs scope in all this is not to deny Gods Omnipresence or that he is to be seen in his works upon every hand But only to assert that he could not find nor discern him in so sensible if not also a visible way of presence as he might plead his cause with him as one party doth with another 2. While he mentions his going forward and backward to the left and to the right hand in his successless quest the meaning is only this that no where and by no means could he meet with God And as to what he speaks of the left hand where he doth work some do understand it of the Northern parts of the World which are on a mans left hand when he stands with his face toward the East the West being behind him the South on his right hand and the East before him which was the way of designing the quarters of the World among the Hebrews where Gods working is more conspicuous as being more inhabited than Southern Climates But however the Jews did indeed so design the quarters of the World and Job alludes to it this is too subtil to be looked on as Jobs scope here For though he speak of his working only here yet it is not to be doubted but that he saw him in his
themselves together It is sad when right is thus overturned by might yet such as have a right cause may expect sooner or later to find a Friend and Patron Prov. 23.10 11. Verse 5 Behold as wild asses in the desert go they forth to their work rising betimes for a prey the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children 6. They reap every one his corn in the field and they gather the vintage of the wicked Job proceeds to v. 12. to give instances of Oppressours who turn open Robbers and live in the desert like wild Asses as was very frequent in Arabia and Job had experienced in his own case and yet are not visibly plagued Several branches and acts of their cruelty are pointed at in these and the following verses And First in these verses he sheweth how they subsist by robbery That they are so active and early about it that even in the Wilderness they purchase a livelyhood for themselves and their families v. 5. Either by robbing of passengers who pass by or as it is v. 6. by taking the Corns and Vintage of others as if it were their own Whence Learn 1. Some men may come to such an height of wickedness as may be matter of wonder and astonishment to serious beholders Therefore is a behold prefixed to all this See Jer. 2.12 2. Men may so far degenerate in following evil courses as they look rather like beasts than men in their sensual and violent courses For these Robbers are as wild asses in the desert See Psal 49.20 2 Tim. 4.17 yea they may become more stupid and brutish than very beasts Is 2.3 Jer. 8.7 3. In particular some wicked men and especially Robbers do resemble the wild asses in the desert Not only because they live solitary and not among civil Societies Jer. 2.24 Job 39 5 6 7. and it must be very sad when robbery leaves the desert where its residence should be if it have any at all and cometh to abide openly among civil Societies But because they are lawless mis-regarders of Authority and Laws as the wild Asse is Job 39.5 7. And violent in their lusts and desires as the wild Asse snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure Jer. 2.24 Whoso are thus impetuous and lawless as men may be in other courses than that of robbery may expect in due time such restraints as are suitable for beasts Psal 32.9 10. See also Isa 37.29 4. It is a character of wicked men that they make sin their very work and trade For these Robbers when they goe a robbing goe forth to their work Wicked men do not stumble upon a sinful course accidentally nor are hurried to it through the power of tentation But they do intend and design it It is their trade wherein they delight and about which they spend their time and strength and they are skillful in it while as they are reprobate to every good work Tit. 1.16 5. It is also the character of wicked men given up to sin that they are industrious diligent and active in it As these Robbers rise betimes for a prey See Prov. 4.16 Mic. 2.1 2. 6. As Oppressours will have a livelyhood if it be above ground and will shift for themselves and their families by robbing in the desert as wild Asses feed themselves and their young ones there Job 39.8 So it is an evidence that men drive some ill trade when they keep up themselves and their families in a rank and yet have no visible means and subsistence But as it were the very wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children It were good if men would conform themselves to their lots which would prevent many ill shifts 7. It is no evidence that God approves of wicked men and their way that he suffers them to prosper in it or subsist by it For though these be wicked Robbers yet the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children 8. It is great cruelty and oppression when men take the fruit of other mens labours as if they were their own and reap where they sow not For it is the great sin of these Robbers that they reap every one his corn or the corn which they take as their own or its that is the fields corn and that they gather the vintage of other men Men ought to live on the sweat of their own brows Gen. 3.19 And these who are thus oppressed ought to look upon that lot as the fruit of sin Deut. 28.30 33. And it should be looked on as a great mercy to be delivered from such an affliction Is 62.8 9. 9. While he calls it the vintage of the wicked which they gather the words may be thus read The wicked such as these Robbers proclaim themselves to be by their practices gather the vintage But the Noun the wicked being singular it will not so well agree with the Verb in the plural they gather unless we take it distributively that every one of these wicked men concurr to gather the vintage of others As the words are rendered they may import That Robbers and Oppressours spare neither good nor bad So that wicked men gain nothing by their impiety as the piety and innocency of others will not secure them from these barbarous hands Or that some Robbers and Oppressours do spoyl others upon this pretence that they are wicked men whom they rob As Naboth was made wicked that he might lose his Vineyard 1 King 21.9 10 c. Which is most horrid and abominable oppression when mens wealth is their crime and makes them wicked Or that to do wrong even to wicked men will not assoyl the Actors but it is oppression in the sight of God even to gather the vintage of the wicked Verse 7. They cause the naked to lodge without clothing that they have no covering in the cold 8. They are wet with the showers of the mountains and embrace the rock for want of a shelter Here we have an account of further acts of their cruelty that they use violence to mens persons when they come into their hands stripping them of their very apparel which should cover them from the cold so that they are left destitute in the open air And being stripped in the wilderness farr from home and it may be driven out of their houses as well as stripped of their apparel they are glad to flee to hills and rocks to be a shelter against storms Whence Learn 1. Cruelty hath no bounds nor mercy when men are given up to it For these Robbers will strip men and drive them to these sorrowful shifts Hazael once engaging in an evil course will goe a further length than he dreamt of at first 2 King 8.11 12 13. 2. All the sad consequents of oppression will lye at the doors of Oppressours and they must answer for them before God For here when they strip men it is charged upon them that they cause the naked to lodge without clothing that they have
desert them or afflict them yet more And afflicted persons are hereby taught not to expect that one affliction will hide them from another when God hath them to try exactly 4. Albeit Magistrates ought to do justice to all nor ought they to countenance poor men indifferently in whatsoever cause they have Exod. 23.3 Yet it is their Duty by vertue of their Office to protect the poor in their just rights For Job delivered the poor that cryed or from crying so that they needed cry no more and the fatherless c. 5. Albeit Magistrates in protecting and delivering the poor can look for no reward from them and may expect to be much maligned and hated by Oppressours Yet it is a blessed work so to do and a mean and way to be blessed of God Prov. 24.11 12. And such Magistrates ought to be blessed by these who are helped by them For in all these respects it is true that the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon Job 6. It is the duty of the afflicted when God raiseth up Instruments to do for them to be comsorted in his providence and care even though their condition be otherwise sad For even the desolate and sad widows heart did sing for joy by Jobs means 7. It is no strange thing to see compassionate men meet with misery themselves As here befell Job who had been a compassionate man to the afflicted Hereby the Lord in his wise and holy providence layeth stumbling blocks in the way of many as no doubt many took advantage of Jobs misery to reproach him and his justice and tenderness as we have heard from Chap. 22.5 6 7. And hereby also God teacheth godly men to be sober and denied to all the good they are enabled to do that they may not alwayes expect visible advantages thereof but may be satisfied in the testimony of a good Conscience Verse 14. I put on righteousness and it cloathed me my judgement was as a robe and a diadem Lest any might object that Job did all this for the poor out of an affected desire of vain-glory and popularity or as being byassed with pity He in this Verse vindicates his practice and clears that he did all this justly and in righteousness which he persevered in and gloried in it above a robe and diadem and all other ornaments of his magistracy and dignity Whence Learn 1. No action can he rendred acceptable by any pretences unless it be good in it self Nor will pity to the distressed render a Magistrate approved unless his actings be just and he so relieve them that he do no wrong to others For therefore doth Job clear that his actings for the poor and fatherless c. v. 12 13. were in righteousness and judgement Where the two words righteousness and judgement may signifie one and the same thing Or judgement subjoyned to righteousness may import that he did not alwayes judge according to the strict rigour of the Law but did observe moderation and equity when the cause required it 2. It will not commend a Magistrate nor be comfortable to him that sometime he is just unless he be constant in it against all opposition For Job put on righteousness and it cloathed him his judgement was as a robe and a diadem Righteousness and Judgement were no less conspicuous in his administrations and habitual to him than his very garments and they did cover him on his head as a diadem and on his body as a robe so that there could be no access for injustice at any passage and being so it proved indeed warm and comfortable as mens garments are to their bodies that good practice being indeed commendable wherein men are habitual and constant and from which they are not driven by any tentations 3. As Magistrates have their badges of honour and eminent persons have that allowance in their apparel to which inferiour persons ought not to aspire as Job had his robe and diadem So to a godly discerning Magistrate the faithful discharge of his Office is his chief crown and ornament without which he is but a Statue in all his robes and splendour For Jobs righteousness and judgement were in his eyes a robe and diadem Yea vertues are the chief ornament of any person without which their gorgeous apparel doth but serve to cover so many monsters See 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Verse 15. I was eyes to the blind and feet was I to the lame 16. I was a Father to the poor and the cause which I knew not I searched out In these Verses Job gives a further and more particular account of his pains and the active assistance which he gave to the afflicted in judging their cause That he was any thing to them that they needed to set their cause right He helped such as had no skill in legal proceedings with his counsel and so was as eyes to the blind He was feet also to the lame not only in supporting those who were weak and like to be crushed and their righteous cause ready to be lost by the violence of potent Adversaries but in directing and helping them to act and strirr in defence of their cause and it may be going about it himself And he was in a word not only a Judge but a Father to all the poor and searched out the cause which he knew not that is he took pains to sift it to the bottom that he might find out what truth and justice was in it Or he searched out causes which otherwise he could not know as not being brought before him because either persons were unwilling or durst not complain that so he might prevent contentions and remove secret grudges and discontents among the people Or he searched out every cause that came before him even the causes of these persons whom he knew not as well as the cause of his acquaintances Doct. 1. It is not enough that Magistrates do judge justly in causes as they come and are presented before them But they must have a care especially if they be superiour Magistrates that righteous causes be not crushed in the very entry and either hindred from being presented in judgement or misguided and mis-represented in judgement through the simplicity weakness or poverty of the party wronged but that all these defects be supplyed For Job was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame c. He either acted all that was needful himself or caused others do it and saw that it was done and did not leave all to his inferiour Officers 2. As variety of causes and persons come before Magistrates and innocent persons may lye at many disadvantages So Magistrates must be ready to do all that the poor need who are oppressed and for any poor oppressed persons who need their help and that never so often For he was eyes or feet or whatever they needed in any cause and he was all those to the blind and lame indefinitely and he was those things to them not
very attentive and ponder what is said Therefore he adds Hear and hearken to my words As many men are not careful at all to hear which is the fruit of their Atheistical contempt of God or of their proud conceit that they know already any thing that can be said So very few of those who do hear are serious in that matter or do close with and feed upon what they hear till it leave an impression upon them 4. As men ought alwayes to avoid idle speeches Matth. 12.36 and particulary in dealing with afflicted persons they should be careful to speak nothing but that which is to the purpose and useful So it is a duty to hear men out and take what they say altogether before a judgement be passed upon their Doctrine For saith he Hearken to all my words as being all profitable and when taken together they will be found clear and pertinent As it is mens duty if we speak in general and abstractly of this matter to hear and receive all that God speaks to them and not what pleaseth them only considering that it is all alike true and of equal authority and that a contempt of God in any thing he speaks shakes loose that authority which binds all his Word upon them Jam. 2.10 So particularly in debates men ought to be heard till they speak out their mind not crying them down when they speak any thing we like not how true soever as the Jews did to Paul Act. 22.21 22. nor judging of their opinion by any one unsafe expression which the rest of their discourse may either clear or make it appear that they have no unsound meaning in it Thus also all the truths of God should be joyned in our practice making use of directions encouragements reproofs c. all of them in their own place and order wherein both the secure and presumptuous and the discouraged and crushed do fail and mistake 5. It is not easie to perswade even wise and good men to hear instruction and reproof patiently and without slighting the messenger and message For he must intreat Job here I pray thee hear So peevish are we that we must be intreated to admit even of that which is necessary and good for us 6. General resolutions or our allowing of things in our judgement will not alwayes bear us out when it comes to particulars For notwithstanding that general request that he might be allowed liberty to use freedome Chap. 32.21 he must yet renew his request to Job to hear him when he comes to put that resolution in practice as knowing that however Job could not but approve of this general that it was fit and just he should use freedome yet he might be ready to startle when he should touch him upon the sore And therefore we should be jealous of our selves and of our good general resolutions if ever we be put to a particular tryal 7. Men irritated by trouble and by ill usage under it become readily broken minded peevish and ill to deal with For so is here also supposed of Job that he is so broken with his troubles and his Friends miscarriages that he must be intreated and prayed to hear 8. Honesty and kindness will teach men not only to be gentle and discreet in making way for their addresses but even to pity and follow the peevishness of men who are under trouble that they may gain ground upon them For so doth he deal with afflicted Job following him with intreaties that he would hear him And it is of general verity that as men do themselves an ill turn who harbour prejudices at them who should do them good for Satan begins with prejudices at Messengers that the Word it self may at last be disrelished also So Messengers sent by God should be careful to do nothing which may justly alienate mens minds from their message and especially those who are in trouble For oft-times those are like sick persons who reject even necessary Food and Physick because they have a prejudice at the Cook or Physician Ver. 3. Behold now I have opened my mouth my tongue hath spoken in my mouth The following purpose to v. 8. may be reduced to two Arguments perswading Job to hearken to him 1. Because he will speak truth sincerely and clearly to him v. 2 3. 2. That being his fellow-creature v. 4. he will deal equitably and on equal terms with him giving him liberty to answer for himself v. 5. and proceeding with him according to his own desire when he wished that he might plead his cause with God v. 6 7. But that I may unfold this purpose more fully I shall speak to it more distinctly as containing five Arguments of attention As for this Verse albeit it seem to be but a transition to that which followeth and a part of the following Argument v. 3. both the Verses together importing this that being now to speak v. 2. he will speak sincerely and clearly v. 3. Yet if we consider it more narrowly it contains the first Argument pressing attention to this purpose That if Job will consider that he is now at last speaking and how he entred upon it he will find himself obliged to hear him The strength of this Argument will better appear if we consider the words particularly And First He points it out as remarkable that now he speaks Behold saith he now I have opened c. He had not spoken before till now that his time came to speak Yea he had not only forborn to speak till they had given him place and he had heard all the deâ—ate and so was more able to speak to purpose but he had not spoken till he had well digested and meditated upon that which was suggested to him by the Spirit of God Chap. 32.18 And now after all this he hath the confidence to speak his mind It teacheth That a modest man who is not rash in his discourses nor presumptuous in his undertakings ought to be respected For Elihu carrying so craves that Job will hear him upon that account Secondly He was now begun to speak Chap. 32. and was willing to proceed if he would hear him yea now after that general Preface he is coming to the very matter which particularly concerned Job and he had already assured him what course he would follow in dealing with him Chap 32 21. And therefore he desired audience It teacheth 1. The opportunity of having one fitted to speak to our condition is not to be slighted For he being now to speak as the Spirit inspired him ought to be heard A Messenger one of a thousand is not alwayes ready it hand and therefore it will be sad if men let such an opportunity slip 2. Men who are known to be modest ought to be trusted upon their word and to have credit so long as they have given no evidence of falshood For having modestly entred upon this debate and having promised to deal faithfully he presseth that he may
This is a work of God wherein much of him is to be seen Psal 139.14 2. A man sensible of his own infirmity when he goeth about a work of God is like to prosper and ought to be attended unto it being an evidence he will not despise them with whom he hath to do and that he will not provoke God For he propounds that he is sensible he is but a weak creature as an Argument why Job should hear him 3. Such as consider their obligations to God were it but upon the account of their being made by him will be faithful in their serving of him For this is his motive and an Argument that he will be faithfull in publishing the truth of God as he professeth Chap. 36.3 that he will ascribe righteousness to his Maker 4. Such as do consider how easily God makes man will from thence also gather how easily God can enable him and endow him with gifts if he please For this also is an Argument why Job should not despise him because of his youth seeing he was Gods workmanship as well as himself and the Spirit who made him and gave him life could as easily furnish him with abilities Verse 5. If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up The fourth Argument of attention and a consequent of the former is That being sensible they were fellow-creatures he would not take advantage of his afflictions nor quarrel at what he should say in his own defence so as to interrupt him as it seems his other Friends did but if he had any thing to say he will allow him to stand up and answer or to take courage and stand to it and reply if he can This his frank offer doth neither proceed from insolency nor from any doubt he had of the truth of his own cause but serveth to testifie his patience and meek condescendence to Job that thereby he may engage him to hearken more attentively Doct. 1. It is an evidence of honesty when men desire not to prevail in their cause unless it be just and right For here he desires not Job to be of his opinion unless he can convince him by reason in a fair dispute 2. Equity ought to be observed in all Disputes and whatever respect be otherwise due to mens eminency or gifts yet in Disputes Parties are Peers as in Games all are Equals Therefore he desires here that reason may only carry it and that neither Jobs advantages over him in respect of eminency in dignity or piety nor his advantages in having to do with an afflicted man might bear any sway 3. It doth evidence a sound and sober Spirit when men how clear soever their own light be are content to hear the judgement and light of others For though he doubted not of the truth of what he was to speak yet saith he If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me or order them the best thou can to defend thy self against my accusations 4. A man that hath a good cause and an answer to return to what is objected against him may stand to it and take courage For saith he Stand up or be couragious and resolute intimating that he had cause so to do if he had truth on his side Verse 6. Behold I am according to thy wish in Gods stead I also am formed out of the clay 7. Behold My terrour shall not make thee afraid neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee Some read the first part of v. 6. thus I am as thou of God the same in substance with what followeth in the Verse and an intimation that he is his fellow-creature But our Translation rendereth it better and so it is the last Argument pressing attention and an amplification of the two preceding Arguments That Job could not now decline to hear him and plead his cause with him if he had any thing to say seeing in his appearing God had granted him that which he had so often desired For he had often desired to plead his cause with God himself provided that he would not appear terrible to him nor bear him down with his great power and sad afflictions See Chap. 9.32 35. and Chap. 13.18 22. And now he had his desire For he is ready to appear as a Champion for God and in his stead having his Commission for that effect from an impulse of the Spirit upon him and being of the same mettal and mould with himself being formed out of the clay in the creation of the first man as well as he he needed not fear his terrour nor would he crush him with his power Doct. 1. Men may obtain many of their passionate desires and yet be much humbled when they are granted For here Job gets his will Behold I am according to thy wish or mouth that which thou spake and desiredst with thy mouth in Gods stead and yet when all this is granted he loseth his cause as to any thing he had to plead against God and is humbled for his miscarriages however he prevailed in his cause against his Friends 2. God needs not except he please appear in terrible Majesty to put passionate men to silence seeing he can make a weak man like themselves beat them For however Job thought he might hazard to debate even with God and might expect to prevail yet Elihu a man like himself offers to put him to silence in Gods stead as indeed he did however God thought fit to appear himself at last that he might put the cap-stone upon what Elihu had begun to do 3. It is mans great mercy that seeing he could not endure that God should appear in glorious Majesty to speak to him Exod. 20.18 19. nor the more glorious ministry of Angels God is pleased to employ weak men in his stead For saith Elihu as a Messenger sent of God upon this business Behold I am in Gods stead Which should both teach these Messengers to deal with those with whom they have to do as in Gods stead 2 Cor. 4.17 and 5.20 And should teach others to reverence them as the Ambassadours of Christ 1 Cor. 4.1 Gal. 4.14 And not to despise them because they are men of like passions considering that God in employing such condescends to the weakness of men who cannot admit of other Messengers 4. Those who are employed in that eminent trust of speaking in Gods stead ought to be well ballanced with humility lest being puffed up they fall into the condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. 3.6 For so is Elihu sensible what he is even formed out of the clay when he is thus employed in Gods stead 5. Men will be helped to humility by considering their base and vile Original common to them with all men and that however God put some lustre and beauty upon all men and more eminently upon some by conferring special gifts and employments upon them yet men are nothing else but as it were so many bitts and parcels
impediments removed For the day is coming wherein all men even the most stubborn will be made to hear whether they will or not And that wofull comfort of hardening ourselves against what the Word can say will fail the most stubborn and stout-hearted at last Nor need men entertain prejudices at the Word because it speaks alwayes sad things to them For if they would hear and improve what is unpleasant it would speak comfortably to them at last 5. As God can remedy this evil of a stopped ear in man and must be the Physician to cure it Act. 16.14 Is 50.4 5. And doth sometime employ sharp means to cure it in his Children Job 36.10 15. and therefore is to be looked unto for what we want and acknowledged in what we have of this mercy For so much doth this phrase of opening the ear import when it is made use of to express Gods effectual operation upon his people So God hath given to his people sufficiency of external means to cure this evil and the more singular the means are they should hear the better For so much doth this phrase import That God afforded this as a sufficient mean to open the ears of men and that that extraordinary mean contributed to that end When God speaks to the Creatures he should find patent doors and albeit we want those extraordinary means yet the Word preached ought to be no less effectual Luk. 16.29 30 31. And when God comes to speak by his rods of which after to press home his Word or when he makes his Word more lively than is usual in the mouths of his Servants or continueth his Word with us in sad times it should rouze us up so much the more 6. It is not enough that men hear and understand and be affected for the present unless what they hear leave a constant impression upon them For as God seals his doctrine by his authoritative publishing thereof so this instruction should be sealed and leave an impression upon us See Heb. 2.1 Jam. 1.23 24. 7. When God reveals his mind especially in a more singular and eminent way men have sufficiency of means to cause what God saith take impression upon them For those means are here held out as sufficient to seal mens instruction Thus did Daniel's Visions affect him And albeit men have not now extraordinary Revelations yet as hath been marked from Luk. 16. the consideration of Gods Authority speaking in his Word is sufficient in its own kind as a mean to cause men tremble Ezra 10.3 Is 66.5 For men will not readily slight what a Prince saith unto them farr more should the Word of the great God have impression upon us And where the Word prevails not he is provoked to write his mind in deep and sad characters of affliction Chap. 36.8 9 10. Verse 17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man In this and the following Verse Elihu gives a more particular account of what God saith by dreams and visions and what is the scope of that instruction which he seals thereby v. 16. In this Verse we have an account of the more immediate scope thereof Namely to humble man and bring him to repentance As for the first part of the Verse if we take the word Purpose in a strict sense it will import That man naturally is a purposing projecting Creature who would lay down his own setled way which he means to follow and prosecute neglecting dependance upon God That man chooses this way that he may exalt himself in pride as is supposed in the latter part of the Verse as Master and Orderer of his own affairs and That God doth overturn all these fine projects of proud men Not only do the messages of his Word speak against this evil and his rod doth actually overturn these projects if the Word be not obeyed but even the variety of wayes whereby God then manifested his mind all which are comprehended under these mentioned v. 15. served to abase man and keep him in a continual and humble dependance upon the pleasure of God in his purposes But the word must be taken in a larger sense for Work as it is in the Original or some evil work and undertaking from which God withdraws and calls men by his Word which was then revealed in dreams and visions Thus mans work is all one with his transgression Chap. 36.9 And as for the latter part of the Verse And hide pride from man To hide pride here is to take it away and withdraw man from it so that it becomes as a thing that is hid and lost which appears not and cannot be found or by taking away that which pride feeds upon to prevent mans pride and so to hide it from him that he shall never find it nor any thing whereof to be proud And this is added to the former either as a particular instance of that general of mans work which is to be abandoned Pride being an especial evil work whereof God would have his people free or as Gods end in instructing man to abandon his evil work and that by letting man see his work to be mourned for and amended he layeth his pride and lets him see there is no cause for it In summ the meaning of the whole Verse is That the messages of Gods Word even when directed to godly men tend to lead them to renew their repentance daily and by what they see of their own evil works to make them have a low esteem of themselves To clear this yet a little more Consider 1. The first part of this Verse is concisely expressed in the Original For the words From his are a Supplement and the Original hath only word for word To withdraw or cause to remove mans work Hence some render it thus That man as the Agent may remove work and so the purpose will run very smoothly That God instructs man v 16. that may remove work or abandon evil courses But as in the following part of the Verse it is God who hides pride so it seems clearer to understand the first part of the Verse of him also That he by instructions withdraweth man c. And as for the Supplements required to this reading the Particle From is here brought from the latter part of the Verse as is not unusual in this language to clear the reading that he withdraws man from work as well as he hides pride from man And as for the relative His which must be supplyed also in the other reading it is not only expresly added Chap. 36.9 their work but the subject matter necessarily implyeth it For that God withdraws man from work is not to be universally taken that God turns men idle from duties of a lawful calling or from good works but only from these evil works which are not the works of God but their own as they are corrupt men 2. It being Elihu's scope as hath been cleared and otherwise he could not
speak to Jobs case and complaint whom he acknowledgeth to be a godly man to give an account of the instructions which God gives to godly men by his Word which was then revealed in these extraordinary wayes We are not to conceive that this is all and the only instruction which Gods Word affords to such that they should repent and be humble For his Word is sent also to comfort godâ—y men But the meaning is Partly that whatever else Gods Word speak to godly men this lesson of daily humiliation and renewing of repentance is still to be taken alongst with it Yea the more God speak of comfort and things refreshful they should learn this lesson the faster as we find Saints have done in their familiar addresses to God Gen. 18.27 and in Gods special manifestations to them Is 6.5 Job 42.5 6. Partly and especially when good men are in Jobs temper complaining that God should afflict them who are righteous then this lesson is most proper for them to silence and put them from their clamours 3. I see no cause to apprehend that Elihu in propounding this instruction to Job doth intend to charge Job with any particular evil work such as Abimelech Gen. 20. and Lâ—ban Gen. 31. were upon when God restrained them by a dream or vision But his scope is more generally to point out that this holds true of all the godly and so of Job that they have daily works or out-breakings from which they need to be withdrawn and if Job had minded this he would not have swelled so high as he did in his complaints and resentments about his condition From this Vese Learn 1. Even the best of men within time have corruptions their crooked byasses works and projects which are not good For so is here supposed even of godly men to whose condition Elihu is speaking Godly men should mind this much and study their filthiness notwithstanding their privileges which will let them see that they are Adam still as he is here called or have somewhat of old Adam in them They should also remember that this is their own work as hath been explained They can neither charge it upon God Jam. 1.13 nor doth Satan though a busie tempter deserve all the blame that oft-times is cast upon him but the true rise of mans miscarriage is from his own lust Jam. 1.14 2. Not only have Saints Original corruption to look to but out-breakings and works also which should be grievous to them when their weakness comes out and above ground For here a godly man hath even a work which is not good which though it may be extended to signifie mans inward projects and machinations also yet most properly it signifieth those visible fruits which flow from that inward root of corruption 3. It is the will of God that his people do daily renew their repentance for their infirmities and miscarriages and that they goe daily to the opened Fountain to be cleansed from them For Man should be withdrawn from this work and should remove it from him and turn from it by repentance Where this is neglected and we do not call our selves daily to an account it may tend to great confusion in a day of distress and may even bring our reconciled estate into question 4. It is the great scope of the Word whereby God speaks to his people to draw them to this daily renewing of their repentance For God instructs by dreams and visions to withdraw man from his work The Doctrine of God approves of no sin even in Saints but teacheth them so much the more to aggravate them as they are committed by them And as the saddest messages tend not to drive us away from God but rather to invite us to him So most comfortable messages should quicken and promove our repentance Therefore we should try our profitâ—ng by the Word by our frequency in the exercise of repentance and when messages are any way odd and singular as here it was extraordinarily revealed they should speak the louder to invite to this exercise 5. Repentance for failings should be joyned with reformation and abandoning of those evils for which men are grieved For this dispensation tends to withdraw man from or cause him remove his work It is sad when this reformation follows not upon convictions and yet it may be so with Saints either because their convictions are not deep and solid enough or because they do not put them in Christs hand who only can gâ—ve a good account of them 6. Among other evils incident to the people of God Pride is a special evil as here is instanced This is an evil which in others feeds upon empty shadows such as their birth riches honours bodily perfections successes natural or acquired endowments c. But in Gods people it is ready to feed upon their best things their gracer privileges singular mercies and deliverances See Jer. 7.3 4. 2 Chron. 32.24 25. 2 Cor. 12.7 1 Cor. 4.7 7. Whosoever are not daily calling themselves to an account for their failings and renewing their re-repentance daily but possibly are murmuring and complaining because of their sad lots they are not free of pride how much soever they are crushed For so much may be gathered from the connexion and scope that till men be withdrawn from their work Pride will not be hid from them and that Jobs complaints evidenced that he was not free of this evil and that he neglected the better work of repenting daily which would have kept him humble And this is a certain truth that no afflictions will humble a man however they crush him unless he be exercised with the conscience and sense of sin 8. God is a great enemy to pride and his Word hath sufficiently declared how ill he is pleased with it For the scope of this instruction is to hide pride from man See Psal 138.6 Dan. 4.37 Jam. 4.6 Prov. 6.16 17. It is a sin which in it self is a folly 2 Cor. 12.11 a sin for which there is no cause seeing we do but our duty in our highest attainments yea not so much as our duty Luk. 17.10 and an evil which declares men to be nothing in reality Gal. 6.3 It robs God of his glory Rom. 11.36 and crosseth his great design of abasing all flesh before him 1 Cor. 1.29 30. And therefore must be hatâ—ful to him 9. Albeit proud men bulk much in their own eyes and great men are much subject to this evil of pride Yet no greatness real or imaginary doth warrant men to entertain it For even Geber as it is in the Original the mighty or great man ought to have pride hid from him If even greatest of men consider that they are vanity at their best estate Psal 39.5 that they will not long continue what thâ—y are but death will level them with others Psal 49.10 11 12. that the more they have received they have the stricter account to make Luk. 12.48 and that pride doth blast
and provoke God to take away all their excellencies If I say they did consider these things they would find how little cause they had to be puffed up with pride 10. It is the will of God and the scope of his instructions by his Word that men do not pretend to abominate pride while yet their practice declareth that they hugg it in their bosomes But that they endeavour to remove it and rid themselves of it For Pride must be hid from man Which doth not import that it is sufficient that pride be hid and lurking though it be not mortified and subdued but that it must be so hid from man as he shall not find it The phrase to hide signifieth sometime to take a thing quite away as Job 3.10 It seems to be a Metaphor taken from mens burying of these things which they desire not to be seen as Moses hid the Aegyptian whom he slew Exod. 2.12 Thus that is said to be hid which is destroyed and brought to nothing Is 29.14 with 1 Cor. 1.19 Now mens sin is said to be hid two wayes One is by a free pardon when a sinner hiding himself under Christs shadow gets his sins pardoned and covered Neh. 4 5. Psal 32.1 and 85.2 And it is certain that such as repent of their pride must have pardon for their by-gone pride whatever reformation there be for the futuâ—e But this is not principally meant here For by a pardon sin is properly hid from Gods revengeful eye not from man save in so farr as a pardon hides him from the penal effects of his sin The other way of hiding sin is when it is hid from the man himself not by keeping him from seeing his guilt and inclinations to sin but by removing of the sin from him And in this sense it is taken here and it imports That the man who heeds the instructions of the Word concerning his pride will 1. Not satisfie himself with claiming to a pardon when he is convinced of his guilt in it but will endeavour to have it removed from him that the mortification of the evil may be a comfortable evidence of the pardon of â—t 2. He will endeavour to remove it from him with detestation as an evil which he cannot endure to look upon but it must be hid out of his sight as is said of the Idols of penitents Is 30.22 3. Being sensible of his own propensity to that evil he will study to prevent it by hiding from himself all causes and occasions of it and tentations to it He will not study his graces and his privileges without studying his infirmities which may be a counter-ballance to him he will be sparing to reflect upon his afflictions at least he will be careful not to aggravate them lest his corruption and pride be thereby irritated and in studying of his sad lots he will be careful also to study his ill deservings and the mercies which are continued with him and the mercies remembred in wrath which may keep his Spirit sober 4. That all these endeavours may be effectual it should be his care to abide under Christs shadow that vertue from him may prevent the budding of that evil Doct. 11. It may encourage men to hearken to the voice of God in his Word if they consider that his quarrel is not against their persons but their sins that he intends not their destruction or to crush them but only their humiliation and reformation and that the only loss they will sustain if they manage his instructions well is the hiding of pride and the causes and occasions thereof from them For this is declared to be the scope of his instruction which he seals unto and upon man To withdraw man from his work and hide pride from man and men do wrong themselves when they make another use thereof Verse 18. He keepeth back his Soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword In this Verse Elihu gives an account of a further and more mediate scope of the Lords dealing with his people by dreams and visions and a result of the former Namely That the Lord leads them to renew repentance and to be humbled that so he may prevent their further hurt if they do it not even the pit and some violent death by the sword or the like violent means The words Soul and Life being different in the Original the first part of the Verse may be understood of the Souls going to Hell at death and the latter part of the manner of their death that it shall be violent And albeit godly men of whom Elihu's scope is chiefly to speak will not actually goe to Hell nor doth Elihu say that here but rather on the contrary that God prevents it yet their failings of their own nature do deserve it and therefore God makes use of the Word here to prevent it and if that succeed not he hath the rod c. as after followeth to effectuate it Or the phrases may be taken promiscuously the latter explaining the former That God keeps their Soul or Life from the pit or grave and death and that not an ordinary but a violent death which otherwise they would incurr if they hearken not to the Word or lesser rods As we find God dealt with Josiah whom he cut off in his presumptuous attempt against Pharaoh Necho and thus did he chasten some of the Corinthians for their miscarriages 1 Cor. 11.30 From this Verse Learn 1. The people of God do therefore run on in their miscarriages and follies and do neglect the renewing of their repentance because they consider not the hazards which they run by these courses Therefore are they informed of their danger here 2. Albeit the eternal state of the godly be secured by Christ yet their failings and particularly their pride do deserve the pit and albeit God prevent that hazard to the godly yet beside the fears of their eternal destruction they may be sharply chastised and even taste of a violent death For so much is here intimated That by their miscarriages and particularly by their pride they run the hazard of the pit and of perishing by the sword 3. It is one great cause of mens mistaking Gods dealing towards them that they can easily feel and resent the want of some mercies which they have enjoyed but they do not study and remark preventing mercies Therefore here lest men should mistake Gods disquieting of them with visions and dreams and his putting them to the unpleasant task of humiliation and repentance Elihu lets them see what hazards are prevented thereby and that he keepeth back the Soul from the pit and the life from perishing or passing namely out of the body by the sword by these means 4. There is nothing so sad which befalleth the people of God but it tends to prevent somewhat that is sadder which otherwise would befall them For here all this trouble by visions and dreams and the toyl of repentance and humiliation
mercy daily So that Job had no cause to complain of his afflictions seeing God might proceed further against him even to the taking away of his life Doct. 1. Mans breath and life is a borrowed loan which he holds by Gods gift For it is his spirit and breath Man 's indeed by use but Gods as the Author and Giver of it and therefore he gathers it to himsâ—lf when he recalls it as his own gift Both the words Spirit and Breath may signifie one and the same thing or the first may signifie his rational soul and the second his animal life common to him with beasts However this should teach men to make good use of their life and breath and not employ it against God They who look upon their enjoyments as their own will readily abuse them Ps 12.4 2. God may when he will take back his own loan and that easily For he can gather unto himself his spirit and breath See Psal 90.3 and 104.29 And therefore we should not promise unto our selves long tacks of our life See Luk. 12.19 20. 3. Albeit God be not moved with any thing about man as if it were a great business Yet as he doth nothing at randone so we should look upon the taking away of life as a very serious and important business Therefore doth he express this act thus as Gods setting his heart upon man Not that he is so taken up as we are with weighty businesses nor yet only because he doth not proceed to do this at randome but acts in it as a weighty matter however we do not alwayes see that or that he sets his heart in love upon his own people even when he is cutting them off But he speaks thus of God that we may learn to set our hearts and be serious about this change 4. Men by death return to God either to appear before him in judgement to receive the reward of their sin or to be absolved by him and to abide with him for ever For he gathereth the spirit and breath to himself Eccles 12.5 6 7. 5. Gods Dominion over the lives of men is irresistable For if God gather these unto himself man must perish his unwillingness will not help him 6. No person hath any priviledge against a sentence of death when or wheresoever God shall be pleased to pronounce it For All flesh shall perish together if he please 7. Whatever man think of himself in his life yet death will give him an humbling sight of himself For then he is found to be flesh and turns again to dust from whence he was taken Gen. 3.19 8. However men quarrel Gods exercising of his Dominion in some cases yet upon a serious review they may rather find cause to admire his goodness than to quarrel his severity For in answer to Jobs complaints that God had afflicted him Elihu lets him see that God might cut him off and not him only but all flesh together And it should be our work to study such mercies in our saddest grievances Verse 16. If now thou hast understanding hear this hearken to the voice of my words Elihu having propounded these Arguments to the Auditory doth now to v. 31. lay them more distinctly before Job himself And 1. He turns himself to Job and calls for his attention v. 16. 2. He propounds the Argument taken from Gods dominion and justice v. 17. 3. He amplifieth and instanceth it in several particulars wherein the exercise of dominion and justice are conspicuous Namely his dealing with Kings and Rulers v. 18.19 with People and Nations together with their Rulers v. 20 23. and with mighty men v. 24 28. 4. He recapitulates the Argument pointing out the efficacy of Gods administrations v. 29. and his end in some of those acts of his dominion and justice formerly mentioned v. 30. In this Verse Elihu turns himself from the Auditory and expresly and particularly addresseth his speech to Job craving that he would give him an hearing and that he would apply this Doctrine to his case whereby he should give a proof of his wisdome and understanding Doct. 1. General Doctrine is not sufficient to do Souls good without application Therefore doth Elihu tell over again to Job what he had already spoken to the Auditory 2. Mens case may be very plainly spoken unto who yet need to be rouzed up to make application For though he hath been speaking to this very business before yet he must direct his speech to Job end call upon him to hearken to the voice of his words and apply 3. In order to application men should be attentive hearers to which they need frequently to be excited Therefore again after all the former excitations he calls him to hear and hearken that so he might apply and be convinced 4. As men do evidence their wisdome by being willing to be taught For so is here supposed that if he have understanding he will hear of which also before So it is not enough to hear unless we understand For here understanding is required with hearing 5. There is great wisdome required in taking up the mind of God in his dark dispensations toward his people and in the World For this is the particular subject in hearing whereof he requireth understanding 6. Not only are natural men uncapable to perceive the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 and weak Saints unable while they continue such to comprehend many points of truth Joh. 16.12 But even men eminently wise and godly may have their wits to seek in some difficult and trying cases and when they are under the power of affliction and tentation For this Supposition If thou hast understanding imports no denial that Job was wise in an eminent measure but that his understanding had need to be quickened and he had need to rid himself of those mists which involved and darkened his judgement if he would take up this matter well Verse 17. Shall even he that hateth right govern And wilt thou condemn him that is most just In this Verse he summarily propounds the Argument taken from Gods Dominion and Justice for he joyns them both together to which he desires he may hearken As for the first part of the Verse Shall even he that hateth right govern The word govern in the Original is to bind up as a Chyrurgion And so it may point at a particular act of his government that he binds up and heals those whom he hath smitten upon their repentance as it is Chap. 5.18 Which speaks that he cannot be unjust or hate right seeing he is content upon repentance to heal those whom he hath smitten But the word is taken more generally for governing and a Ruler is called an Healer or binder up for it is the same word that is here Is 3.7 because government in the exercise thereof should tend to prevent or to heal and bind up breaches that are made upon or among a people And thus the Argument runs well That God being the
dispensations 3. Man is a very querulous Creature and full of discontents so that he is ready to complain of his lot when he should be improving it As here is supposed 4. Man is ready to come to that height in his complaints as even to quarrel God and to presume to think that he will call him to an account For that is the height of his impatience that he will enter into judgement with God 5. The Lord takes pleasure to keep up a right understanding betwixt himself and man particularly betwixt his people and himself and doth use all necessary means which may prevent their quarrels with him For here he doth what may prevent their entring into judgement with him 6. Whatever men think yet none of Gods dispensations gives them any cause to quarrel him For he layeth not that upon man that he should enter into judgement with God Hence it is that the people of God have retracted their complaints upon second thoughts Psal 77.7 8 9 10. Lam. 3.18 22. Verse 24. He shall break in pieces mighty men without number and set others in their stead The exercise of Gods Dominion and Justice is yet further instanced to v. 29. in what he doth to mighty men whereby he clears further what he had said of Kings and Princes v. 18. That he will reckon even with the most mighty of them and prosecutes what he had spoken of mighty men v. 20. In this Verse the instance is propounded That he breaks multitudes of mighty men and puts others in their places Whence Learn 1. It is seriously and much to be studied that mens might cannot resist Gods hand Therefore is that truth here again repeated Wherein we may read the vanity and uncertainty of all earthly power and might especially if men abuse it to the dishonour of God who can so easily reach them And Gods people may comfort themselves in this when they are oppressed by mighty men that the God whom they serve is able to break that yoak of oppression 2. The more eminent wicked men be the more conspicuous will Gods hand be in plaguing them Therefore also is this instance so much insisted upon because the glory of God shines eminently in it And therefore eminent examples of Gods power and justice should be well marked 3. It is not an ordinary stroak but even ruine and crushing that wicked great men may expect from God who when he begins will also make an end 1 Sam. 3.12 For he shall break in pieces mighty men 4. God can reckon with many mighty men as well as with one For he shall break in pieces mighty men without number The word is without searching out and so it may import That he needs no search to find out a quarrel against them nor should we dipp and search into the reasons of such dispensations But it rather imports That he will break so many that there is no searching into the number of them So that the multitude of those that combine against him will not secure them against him and the multitude of those who have been crushed by him may assure those who follow their footsteps that they shall not be able to stand 5. As God may raise up whom he will and conferr power and authority upon them Psal 107.40 41. and 113.7 8. Dan. 2.21 Psal 75.6 7. So when God hath crushed many mighty men he will yet have a care of the government of the World and will not want others to serve him in those stations For he sets others raiseth them up and establisheth them in their stead Verse 25. Therefore he knoweth their works and he overturneth them in the night so that they are destroyed 26. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others Followeth a threefold Amplification of this calamity of mighty men First More generally from the cause and rise of it v. 25. That God doth this because he takes notice of their wicked wayes The words are not Because he knoweth but Therefore he knoweth their works but the sense is one Either thus He destroyes them therefore because he knoweth their works and brings them to remembrance Or however they think that God doth not notice their wayes yet his judgements will demonstrate the contrary from which it may be concluded that therefore it is certain he knoweth their wayes because he overthrows them Secondly From the manner of it 1. That he overturns and destroyes them in a dark night of trouble and inexpectedly or turns about the night that is he turns their day of prosperity into a dark night of trouble so that they are destroyed v. 25. 2. That he punisheth them visibly and exemplarily as being eminently wicked men v. 26. Doct. 1. However wicked men will not believe that God noticeth their wayes Yet God will in due time give proof that he doth know and observe them For therefore he knoweth their wayes or gives proof of it by smiting of them 2. The calamities of wicked men will sadly overturn all their enjoyments and projects For he overturneth them or simply overturneth and maketh a dreadful revolution 3. Hence it comes to pass that the wickeds trouble is very dark and terrible unto them as it is not with godly men For it is a night or in the night 4. Wicked men may expect not to be threatened only but to be actually and throughly destroyed For he overturneth so that they are destroyed or crushed 5. There are stroaks peculiar to wicked men which all the wicked do deserve and may in justice expect For he strikes them as wicked men not that he strikes them as if they were wicked men when yet they are not such nor yet only because they are wicked but that he inflicts those calamities which are the common desert of all wicked men 6. How high soever wicked men be yet God who is no accepter of persons will reach them for their wickedness as well as others For thus also he strikes them even those mighty ones as other wicked men 7. God seeth it meet sometime to make the calamities of wicked men publick exemplary and remarkable that others may fear For he striketh them in the open sight of others or in the place of beholders as at a publick execution And the word to strike imports such a striking as will cause men admire and clap their hands and whereby God will openly triumph over them who so often insulted over his Law See Prov. 1.24 25 26. Verse 27. Because they turned back from him and would not consider any of his wayes 28. So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him and he heareth the cry of the afflicted The third Amplification of this calamity is taken from a more particular account of his Justice in it which is cleared from the consideration of their sin Wherein 1. The fountain and root of all their sin is Apostacy from God and their not considering of his wayes or the way which
with willingness 4. As we presume oft times to bring God to our Bar by censuring his dispensations Hab. 1.13 14. So it is very laudable service to plead for him whether against our selves or others As here it is Elihu's commendable scope to speak on Gods behalf Thus did Jeremiah plead for God against himself Jer. 12.1 And whoso do otherwise will get cause to repent of it Ps 73.21 22. 5. Such is the perversity of some and the weakness of others of the Sons of men that they can very frequently tax God but will need the help of others to clear their mistakes otherwise they cannot do it themselves For Job needs one to speak on Gods behalf Which may warn us when we are in trouble to suspect our own judgements and that our passion haste self-love c. may readily bemist us 6. Albeit in our passions we think we have reason for our mistakes and that little or nothing can be said against our apprehensions yet God is so holy and so just that when men have said most there is still more to say for him whereby we may be convinced that it is not an act of charity but of justice to have a good opinion of him and his dealing Therefore saith Elihu after all he hath spoken formerly I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf or that there are yet words to be spoken for God So that they sin hainously who have wrong thoughts of him and his holiness in his dispensations may be cleared upon more accounts than one And when the tide turns and the children of God cool of their feavers they will have thoughts of Gods dispensations far different from those they entertained in their distempers as the Psalmist found by experience Ps 73.3 c. with v. 16 17 18 19 20. and Ps 77.7 8 9. with v. 10 c. And they will see cause to admire those infinite perfections of God which shine in his guiding things below and are every way so holy and unreprovable 7. It beseems the people of God as to hearken to all that God saith unto them by his Messengers so particularly to give good ear to what is said for vindicating of God from their misconstructions For the subject matter of his discourse and that be is to speak on Gods behalf is here propounded as an Argument to presse attention Saints should delight to hear that subject of the commendation of God and particularly they should not be obstinate and willfull in maintaining of their own mistakes as if they were unquestionably right in them But being sensible of their own ignorance and weaknesses and loathing to live in such termes with God they should be glad of any mean and help which may clear them to them Verse 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousnesse to my maker This second Argument taken from the subject matter of his discourse is here further prosecuted and amplified And 1 He sheweth what way he will take in his pleading for God and that he will fetch his knowledge from afar Which may both point at this in general That in managing this cause he will not bring forth what first comes to hand what his humane reason suggests and his weak judgement fancieth but what he searcheth into and gets by inspiration from above And at this in particular That in debating this cause he will not break in at first upon Jobs particular ease but will fetch a rise to his discourse from more remote and general principles and grounds concerning Gods nature and Attributes and his ancient works and proceedings which when they are well studied will easily furnish light for clearing of Jobs case And this we finde to be his way and method throughout this Discourse 2. He declareth what his scope will be in pleading even to ascribe or give righteousness to God that is to plead that he is One who can do no wrong nor ought he to be complained of as if he had done any 3. He insinuates a reason why he will thus plead even because he is his Maker of which see chap. 32.22 Which doth not so much point out that Gods being a Creatour and his making of all his creatures among which Elihu was one so holily and wisely pleads for him against all our misconstructions and quarrels about particular dispensations of Providence As that his being Gods creature did engage him to own his Makers quarrel Yet so as this Argument was not peculiar to him alone but Job himself had the like engagement to have joyned with him in the same cause Doct. 1. Such as do speak in Gods name or for him should make conscience to speak that which is worth the hearing and in some measure sutable to the purpose treated of As here Elihu promiseth to fetch his knowledge from afar See Psalm 78.1 2 3. 2. If men would speak aright for God they must not speak at randome nor trust their corrupt reason or sense but they should search well into matters and especially should seek light from God himself and study to be near him For in this respect doth Elihu promise to fetch his knowledge from afar 3. If men were but true to their common principles they would easily refute their mistakes of God in their particular cases As here Elihu fetcheth his knowledge from afar or from general and acknowledged principles to refute Job who otherwise was ready to mistake in his own particular 4. What ever we think of Gods dealing in our particular case Yet his common and general way of working pleads for him and whoso are not satisfied with his common way of proceeding but would be singularly dealt with they are in the wrong For therefore also makes he use of knowledge from afar or of an account of Gods ancient way of working in the world in this cause 5. Whoever have due and right thoughts of God or do plead â—ightly for him must exalt him as holy and righteous in all his proceedings For this is his scope in pleading to ascribe righteousness unto him 6. Were there no other engagements lying upon us our very being which we have from God obligeth us to plead for him and that against any who dare oppose him were they otherwise never so great or dear to us For hereby he sheweth himself to be engaged in this quarrel and indirectry taxeth Job that he joyned not with him because God was his Maker And if this be a strong engagement upon men how much more ought they to plead for God who are engaged to him upon the account of many special favours Verse 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee The third Argument pressing attention is taken from the manner of his handling this subject and that he will speak truly and sincerely to Job and not as he charged his other Friends to have done Chap. 13.7 8. and 17.5 This he confirmeth from
to guide God and set him down at their feet to be directed by them For by this question he would reflect upon Jobs way as presuming to enjoyn and prescribe unto God by his dissatisfaction and complaints 4. It is a fault incident to too many that they can pretend submission to Gods will before-hand hoping thereby to get their will who yet are ready to carp when in the issue they are put to it to prove their submission For as some are ready to enjoyn him his way before-hand so others may seem to decline that who yet are ready enough to say Thou hast wrought iniquity if his work do not please them when it is done 5. Whatever be mens miscarriages of this kind yet as God must not be prescribed unto before he work so he must not be carped at when he hath wrought But as we ought to wait for the declaration of his will so we ought to stoop and adore when it is declared considering that he can do no wrong and that his works may abide our most severe examination and censure For Who can say Thou hast wrought iniquity 6. Albeit men in their passions think they have reason enough for prescribing to God and carping at him Yet they are but raving in their feavers when they so judge Their own consciences and reason will condemn them in cold blood and discover unto them sad matter of repentance for their folly For so much doth these questions import whereby the truth of these assertions is referred to mens own consciences as a thing they cannot deny 7. The Soveraignty of God is a subject which will never wear bare and empty to a right discerner were it never so oft spoken of and repeated and which is needful to be much inculcated and dwelt upon by men when they are under fits of distemper For these causes is this subject so often repeated and insisted upon in this Book Verse 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afarr off The third Proof of the greatness of God is taken from the consideration of his most obvious works wherein it doth clearly shine In prosecution whereof 1. He generally propounds the Proof ver 24 25. 2. Being to clear it by particular instances he premits and repeats his Proposition concerning the greatness of God to keep Job in mind of his scope ver 26. 3. He confirmeth this truth by many particular instances v. 27 33. and in the next Chapter In these Verses he propounds his Proof That even Gods obvious works not his work and dispensations toward Job which the beholders do remark as some understand the words but his common works which are seen by all are to be magnified And the force of the Argument is If there be so much to be admired and magnified even in his common works How much less can men comprehend his mysterious Providence in some particular dispensations about his people This Argument is 1. Propounded by way of counsel unto Job that he should magnifie Gods work Whereby he sheweth his friendliness to Job in giving him so warm an advice whence also it is that he insists to give so many instances to confirm this Argument in the following Discourse 2. It is amplified that this work which he desires Job to magnifie is a work which men do behold and every man may behold it afarr off Whereby he not only clears what works they are he is speaking of even works which are obvious to all But quickens him to magnifie them considering that all men take some notice of them or do sing of them as the Vulgar Latine reads it And for mens beholding these works afarr off it may further amplifie the matter that men see and take notice of these works even at a distance from them as the Sun and Clouds c. are discerned and noticed by men though they be at a great distance above them of which after Or they see his hand in them even afarr off or at first view and though they be not very attentive But further though those be truths yet the phrase seems chiefly to import that though they see somewhat of God in them yet they do not see them perfectly but as men see things at a great distance and so it points out that there is more in them than they see From these Verses Learn 1. Much of God is to be seen even in his ordinary working For that is the work or operation of God which is here propounded as a proof of his greatness And though the word be singular yet it relates not to any one work only but to many as the following instances do clear and it holds true also of all of them See Ps 19.1 2. Rom. 1.19 20. 2. Gods greatness as it shines in his ordinary operations ought to be magnified and exalted and not slighted because these works manifesting it are common and ordinary For saith he Magnifie his work 3. It is specially required of men when they are distempered in their own particular cases that they study Gods works in general wherein they are less concerned Whereby they may be instructed in good principles concerning God which will be of use to clear their mistakes about their own condition Therefore by way of diversion he draws Job to the study of the common works of Providence which might help to send him back in a better frame to judge of his own case and he might thereby be excited to ascribe that glory to God which he had endeavoured to obscure by his complaints 4. Men are ordinarily great neglecters of Gods ordinary works and particularly Saints in a distemper are prone to study nothing which may help to clear them but do lye still poring upon their own condition whereby they do but heighten their distempers For here there is need to bid Job remember this to magnifie his work 5. It is a great proof of love and kindness to wait upon distempered friends and to sweeten reproofs with seasonable advices For instead of arguing he lovingly adviseth Job and wakens him out of his dreams Remember that thou magnifie his work 6. As it is the common duty of all men to study Gods works and all men have some sight and knowledge of them So this should be a spurr in the side of the godly to quicken them to diligence For this is a motive to excite Job to this duty that it is a work which men behold every man may see it Not only are the works in themselves obvious and visible but somewhat is seen of them and in them by every ordinary observer and therefore Job should be careful to magnifie him 7. It speaks the frailty of men whose name is Enosh here v. 25. and the depths and rich treasures that are even in Gods ordinary works that however all men see somewhat of them even afarr off yet they cannot reach or take them up fully For Man may
pointing out the causes effects and signes thereof Which may teach us in general That many things may concurr in one work of God to demonstrate his glory shining in it In the Verses Consider First The Causes and Antecedents of this rain v. 29 30. Which are 1. The Clouds a proper material cause of rain 2 The noise of his Tabernacle or of the Clouds which are called his Tabernacle Ps 18.11 and his Chariot Ps 104.3 whereby we are to understand either the high winds which sometime goe before rain or rather because of that which followeth of Lightning v. 30. the Thunder which is an antecedent going before rain at some-times and a cause thereof in so farr as by bursting through the watery cloud it breaketh it and causeth it dissolve in rain 3. Light or Lightnings which accompany the Thunder and are antecedents to the rain Of these he saith That none can understand the spreading of the clouds how they cover the Sky sometime very speedily and are hurried here and there or the noise of thunder which is made in the clouds Or how the lightnings having broken through the clouds do not only spread themselves upon them as if they were all covered therewith but do even cover the Sea and that with such impetuousness as if they would dive into the very roots and bottom thereof Doct. 1. The vâ—ry dark clouds are bright documents of Gods incomprehensible majesty and his glory shines in spreading them out and driving them here and there and yet keeping them from breaking For here the spreading of the clouds is a document of his greatness which none can understand fully and as it points him out So that even a dark cloudy day may be a speaking Preaching to those who have discerning and a spiritual mind 2. Thunder and lightnings coming before rain are another document of the greatness of God which none can fully comprehend For this is another proof of his assertion Can any understand the noise of his Tabernacle Behold he spreadeth his light upon it or upon his Tabernacle c. The noise of thunder before rain doth not only point out the glorious majesty of God whose voice it is as is at length prosecuted Ps 29. But doth further shew that every thing that is terrible is not hurtful to all who are ready to be affrighted therewith As thunder doth but rarely destroy any and but few of those who hear its dreadful noise The lightnings comming from the place where rain is and upon which the rain followeth may teach us How little we need to look to probabilities in what we want since men may expect rain even whence fire cometh And the lightnings being spread upon the clouds and darting down to the very bottom of the Sea may let us see How God can enlighten our darkness Psal 18.28 even by a light brought out of our dark cloud Psal 112.4 How immense and omnipresent he is who can not only spread his light upon the cloudy Sky but cover the Sea with it and that very suddenly How infinite and effectual his knowledge is who can make his light spread so farr as even to lighten the World Ps 77.18 even the Sky and Sea and can make it cover the very bottom or roots of the Sea and penetrate thither And How much of Gods glory is manifested in the World which man cannot overtake to comprehend seeing he not only fills the Earth and Sky with his glory but doth manifest it in the Sea where men do not so frequently converse to see his wonders in the deep Ps 107.24 and that to the bottom thereof where man cannot dive to see it 3. Then are the works of God rightly studied and God rightly seen in them when men do not drown themselves in nature and in the study of the second causes but do see God in them whose works they are As here it is called his light And when they look upon Gods revealing of himself by them as but an obscuring of himself that he may reveal himself to their capacity As the clouds are called his Tabernacle where in manifesting himself to men he involves and hides himself that he cannot be seen as he is in himself Thus also the very brightness as well as the dark clouds is but the hiding of his power Hab. 3.4 Secondly The Effects of rain which cometh out of these clouds after the thunder and lightning or the Ends for which it cometh upon the Earth v. 31. Namely to plague some and give plenty to others It is said he doth these things by them in the plural number that is not only by rain but by thunder and lightning which may have influence upon the Earth either for hurt as when they destroy and blast the Creatures or for good as when they scour and purifie the Air that the influences thereof may be more benign And they have also a more mediate influence upon the effects of the rain they way whereof they prepare by bursting through the cloud This teacheth 1 Means and second causes will prove unto men even according as God employes them for judgement or mercy as here we see See Deut. 8.3 2. Even that which is a judgement to some may prove a mercy to others For by rain and thunder c. he judgeth the people and giveth meat 3. Tempestuous and terrible-like things may do good to whomsoever God pleaseth As by thunder lightning and rain he gives meat So that men need not be afraid of improbable-like things if God interpose 4. As meat is a great mercy being so necessary daily and a mercy wherewith if we have raiment also we should be content 1 Tim. 6.8 So God is to be acknowledged as the giver of it who employeth second causes to produce it and blesseth them for that effect and puts his blessing in it when it is produced without which it would do us no more good than the Earth from which it cometh Deut 8 3. Therefore it is marked as his great mercy to some that he giveth meat See Psal 104.27 28. 5. God when he pleaseth can give proof that he is not close handed in his dispensations bâ—t can give meat in abundance as here we are taught See Act. 14.17 So that when we are straitened in these thâ—ngs we are not to quarrel or question his fulness but should look to another cause Thirdly The Time and Way of this preparation for the rain v. 32. Namely That God when he pleaseth covereth the light of the Sun and Sky with these clouds and hindereth the bright shining thereof upon the Earth by the interposition of the clouds The Original Text in the latter part of the Verse is very concise but the Supplements which make it clear are necessarily understood in it For his command upon it that is upon the light or against it which is the reading of the Original imports an interdâ—ction that it should not shine and that which cometh betwixt or occurreth which is
Thunderbolt But Elihu speaks of it as it points out somewhat of God That it is a voice of God sounding under the whole Heaven with Lightnings going before it Hereby teaching That however men may lawfully search into the natural causes of things in studying the works of God yet to rest there without ascending up to see somewhat of God in them will tend little to edification but is near of kin to Atheism Particularly in this Description Consider 1. This Thunder in its nature and kind is a sound and noise of the voice of God v. 2. that is a voice whereby he speaks to men and makes himself and his mind known as men declare their mind by their word So Psal 29. throughout Hence we may learn 1. The works of God do us good in so far as they speak and are Gods voice to us as here the thunder gets that name not only because of its loud noise but because thereby somewhat is spoken to us 2. Thunder hath a speaking voice to right discerners it speaks what the Majesty and Dreadfulness of the Speaker is what the efficacy of his Word is when he pleaseth to make use of it which can pierce like a Sword and Thunderbolt Heb. 4.12 What dreadful Language he hath for them who will not hear the calm 〈◊〉 and how great his Mercy is in speaking to us 〈◊〉 â—â—k men seeing we could not endure his thundering voice Exod. 20.18 19. 2. As for the extent of his sound and voice He directeth it under the whole heaven v. 3. Not than it is heard in all places at once but that he may send it where he pleaseth under the whole heaven and where-ever he sendeth it it is heard far and near Which as it speaks his Majesty whose voice is heard so far off So further 1. It saith that he will be heard by them to whom he he is pleased to speak and hath a voice for the deafest 2. That the most dreadful thunder is subject to his command to be directed whither he pleaseth 3. The concomitants of this thundering voice are Lightnings which v. 3. are declared to be of a like extent with the voice and for the order betwixt these two it is declared v. 4. that the thunder followeth the Lightning Not in order of Existence for the cloud must break with a noise before the Lightning appear but in that order wherein they appear to our senses For our sight being a quicker sense than that of Hearing and the Light passing through the Air in an instant while the sound thrusts it self through the air but by degrees we see the light before we hear the sound Hence we may gather 1. Gods Majestick Lightnings attending his voice may yet discover more of the Majesty of the Speaker and may shew what pains he takes and what splendor and glory he displayeth to have his voice regarded and what need we have of warnings to excite our attention to hear as Lightnings in ordinary excite us to hearken to the voice that followeth 2. This order here put betwixt the Voice and Lightnings doth point out That the hearing is a more dull and slow sense than seeing And therefore we should be careful to quicken it in hearing yet so as the many turns and windings in our ear which is the cause of this flowness should warn us to be very cautious and circumspect in trying what we hear 3. Meditation should be a means to make our thoughts rise and grow in taking up the excellency of God For now after he hath thought and spoken a while of this voice of God he calleth it the voice of his excellency 4. The necessary connexion betwixt the voice and these Concomitants v. 4. Where the Relative them may be referred to Lightnings many of them in the plural number which are not stayed or kept back when his voice of thunder is heard or to be heard And thus thunder is still accompanied with Lightnings though sometime we see lightnings when we hear not thunder Or it may be referred both to Lightnings and Rain of which he hath spoken Chap. 36.27 28 30. both which accompany the thunder It may point out 1. That Gods fixing and observing of an order and course of Nature in Thunders Lightnings Rain as also in day and night summer and winter may be of use to strengthen the Churches Faith in other cases as use is made of it in expecting a Day and a Summer after a Night and Winter of trouble Psal 74.16 17. 2. The many Glimpses and Rays of glory which he manifests together in those concurrent works of his power when we are surrrounded with them all at once may let us see how unable we are to take up all his works or all that is in them we cannot have studied his glory shining in the Lightnings when presently we are alarmed with the glorious voice of his Thunder and with the rain after that which will sooner confound us than we can fully comprehend them Thirdly A Conclusion of this Instance and a transition to the rest of his Instances v. 5. Wherein is shewed that as God is marvellous in his thunderings so he hath many other incomprehensible works some of which are afterward instanced as proofs of this Hence learn 1. When men have had never so many after-thoughts of Gods workings they will never see cause to abate their estimation thereof or of his glory shining therein but rather to encrease it as here he shuts up the former Instance with this God thundereth marvellously with his voice 2. Men see little if they see not matter of admiration in Gods works for he thundreth marvellously as there are indeed many wonders in it How dreadful the sound is which is made by a Vapour in the Air how it should kindle it self by its conflict with the watery Cloud how the Thunderbolt should melt the money and yet not burn the Purse in which it is and break the bones and yet make no visible breach in the skin and many the like wonders which are recorded by Naturalists and Historians 3. It is not one work only wherein we may see the marvellous hand of God but any one doth demonstrate what is in all whether we see it or not as here he subjoyns to this commendation of the Thunder great things doth he c. to teach us to see that in Snow Rain c. which are the following Instances which we see in Thunder 4. As men are ignorant of Gods works so the cause thereof and of our not seeing wonders in them flows from our own shallowness and incapacity for great things doth he which we cannot comprehend Verse 6. For he saith to the Snow Be thou on the earth likewise to the small rain and to the great rain of his strength 7. He sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work 8. Then the Beasts go into dens and remain in their places The second sort of Instances to confirm
Elihu's Assertion are those storms and alteraâ—ions of the air and seasons which usually fall forth in Winter to v. 11. In these Verses 1. He propounds the Snow and the smaller and greater Rain which at Gods command fall and stay upon the earth v. 6. 2. He subjoins the effects thereof especially of snow and great rains Namely That they put men from their work especially from those works which they have to do abroad that they may see and notice Gods work v. 7. and drive beasts to their dens v. 8. From v. 6. Learn 1. Even Winter-storms and foul seasons are useful Documents and Instructions to point out somewhat of God as here the snow and the rain are instanced for that effect See Psal 147.16 17. 148.8 2. It spâ—aks much of God that he can produce variety of Dispensations out of the same mean and cause as he can out of the Clouds send Snow when the Vapours are not fully resolved or small rain and great rain as he pleaseth 3. God is no less to be adored in lesser than in greater works as here his glory shineth in the small rain as well as in the great rain of his strength or that the rain which demonstrates his strength by its own vehemency and by his bearing up the Cloud wherein it is This speaks much of him and should preach to men when it cometh but the small rain or ordinary showers of rain as the word is speaks his glory no less if it were but that he moderates it 4. It speaks out much of God that not only he works all these works but doth all of them by a word For he saith to the snow c. as he did also at the first Creation of all things And in this respect also the Centurion gives Christ the glory of his Omnipotency and absolute Dominion Matth. 8.8 9. 5. God is also to be acknowledged and glorified in the continuance of his Dispensations For he saith to the snow be thou on the earth so long as he pleaseth and so also to the Rain From v. 7 8. Learn 1. It is God who giveth men opportunity to work or sets them idle as he pleaseth For by these storms he sealeth up the hand of every man or hindereth their work abroad as if their hand were shut up under a Seal 2. An idle time needs not be unprofitably and idly spent if men were thrifty For here is subjoyned that God hath an end in sealing up the hand of men and work for them such at a time And oft-times God puts men from the works of their ordinary Callings by sickness storms Piracies c. because they take little leisure for this work 3. It should be mens special exercise when they are restrained from their Callings to study to know God and his works well for that is his end hâ—re That all men may know his or Gods work This in general doth import That men at such a time should be exercised in piety contemplaring God and his works for which they ordinarilyt take litâ—le leisure when they are busie about their Calling But more particularly it imports that they should study those works of God which retard and obstruct their work as being not only their present task assigned unto them by providence but a Document that their work and the success thereof depend upon him and his Providence which men do little consider that they may acknowledge him in all their ways till he do thus obstruct their work and consequently that they should try their own works well that they be such is they may go to God about them and depend upon him for his Blessing and success in them and not such as provoke him to stop their way in following of them 4. Though the most of men be so stupid that they see little of God especially in the matter of their Callings yet his hand is so obvious that they are inexcusable who see it not and God is provoked to cause them see it for all men may know his work even by a stormy day and when they do not see it in ordinary he sends such interruptions to cause them see it See Isa 26 11. 5. The very Beasts are under the dominion and providence of God and must submit and stoop to him as here we are taught v. 8. 6. Gods power over Beasts and his providence about them are speaking Documents to men for for this end is this Instance brought in here Their not being able to stand out in a storm is a witness against mens Rebellion who endeavour to stand out against God and do not seek to a refuge in stormy times Their running only to Dens and lurking places in storms doth proclaim the beastly disposition of men who are no better exercised in knowing the works of God when they are idle v. 7. than the very beasts who remain in their dens during a storm And Gods providing shelters for the very beasts against a storm sheweth how ready he is to provide a refuge for them who employ him Verse 9. Out of the South cometh the Whirlwind and Cold out of the North. 10. By the breath of God Frost is given and the breadth of the Waters is straitned In these Verses he speaks of the Whirlwinds or winds involved in a cloud which maketh them reel about when they break forth which come out of the South or hidden places where the Antarctick Pole is which is not seen by them who live under the Northern or Arctick Pole and of Cold which cometh out of the North where the Sun appears least v. 9. Where the North is designed by those Soattâ—rings or scattering winds for that is the name in the Original which come out of it and are the causes of the cold And this is further explained v. 10. That by the breath of God or a cold wind Frost cometh which congealeth the waters and so lesseneth them Doct. 1. God is to be seen and magnified in every one of his works how contrary soever as in Frost Cold Heat Rain and Whirlwinds 2. God hath variety of Dispensations wherewith to exercise men as he pleaseth as here we see 3. God hath as it were his Store-houses in several Quarters of the world whence he bringeth forth those varieties of Dispensations as here he hath the South and North for Whirlwinds Cold and Frost Wherein whatever may be seen of the course of Nature the infinite Wisdom of God doth shine and men may see what he hath in store for them according as they walk before him As Deut. 32.34 Verse 11. Also by watering he wearieth the thick Cloud he scattereth his bright Cloud 12. And it is turned round about by his counsels that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth 13. He causeth it to come whether for correction or for his land or for mercy The third soâ—t of Instances are the Rains especially those in the Spring Concerning which
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
sweet unto them when they are restored for so much is intimated unto Job by this Instance 2. That which befals the wicked is amplified v. 15. That their light shall be withholden not only by their being put to flee into corners but by their being deprived of all light of comfort in their evil way and of the light of Life when Magistrates shall punish them and break their lofty and insolent power as is added in the end of the v. Whence Learn 1. It is much and seriously to be studied how little allowance the wicked have to share in these comforts which are allowed on others therefore is this again repeated how prejudicial the common mercy of light proves to the wicked 2. All the light of comfort or life that wicked men have is in hazard for they lie under the lash of having their light withholden 3. The mercies of wicked men are nothing the surer that they have probabilities that they shall continue for their light shall be withholden and intercepted 4. Men that are proud and insolent in the exercise of their power may expect to be crushed for the high arm shall be broken 5. It is useful to the godly to study the Lot of the wicked that they may be humbled and excited to walk tenderly therefore is this inculcated so much upon Job that he may beware of the wickeds pranks which make the light sad and dreadful to them and might humble him now when God appeared Verse 16. Hast thou entred into the Springs of the Sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth 17. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death 18. Hast thou perceived the breadth of the Earth Declare if thou knowest it all As in the former Verses God had informed Job how little command or skill he had of the light so here he proceeds to speak of the opposite darkness which may allude somewhat to Gods dark dispensation toward him and sheweth that he was as little acquainted with the places of darkness such as the springs or weeping sources which drop continually of the See into which he had never entered and the depth in the search whereof he had never travelled v. 16. Also the gates of death or the inferiour parts of the earth where the dead are kept and where none can come living and the approach whereunto casts the shadow of death upon men or would affright them with deadly horrour Hither Job had never come v. 17. Yea there are things which are lightsom and visible in themselves and yet are dark to him as never seen by him such as the breadth of the earth or the circumference thereof which is spoken of according as it is represented to our sense not round but broad which however Geometers guess at it yet they cannot tell it exactly nor give a reason why it is not broader or narrower far less could Job or any man else travel over it all himself that he might know it all or all its dimensions by ocular inspection or know what is in doing through the wide world but he would find many a Remora in that journey v. 18. By this Instance is pointed out 1. That as light so darkness also is ordered by God and known to him for these Questions propounded to Job do intimate that God knew all those things and if Job were ignorant of them it did not beseem him to compete with God as he did See Psal 139.11 12. 2. Man is ignorant and soon put to a non-plus in many things many things are shut up in darkness from him as the springs and depth of the Sea and the Gates of death and of the shadow of death and many things are visible which yet he cannot reach as the breadth of the earth all of it For so much do these Questions import So that man should be sensible of his Ignorance and not presume to measure all by his skill nor mistake albeit many things be in the dark to him 3. Not only doth God order and know the places of darkness but even in darkness and what is unaccessible his Glory doth shine no less than in what is visible For so much doth this Instance import the scope whereof as of all the rest is to convince Job of the Glory and Majesty of God From which in reference to the scope and to Job's present case we may further gather 1. Gods glory shines in his works no less in what is hid than in what is visible to us 2. Hence in dark cases we must not think all is wrong because we cannot comprehend them and what is in them for he brings deep things out of darkness 3. We should in stead of quarrelling rather see cause to adore him who employs deep and unsearchable wisdom about us so that it is as easie to dive into the depth of the Sea c. as to comprehend it 4. As we rest satisfied albeit there be many things in Gods works which we cannot reach so ought we also to submit in our own case when it is dark 5. Yea as the more unsearchable the depth the gates of death c. be the more they speak of him so the further our condition be taken out of our own fight we ought to expect the more of him in it Verse 19. Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place thereof 20. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof 21. Knowest thou it because thou wast then born or because the number of thy days is great In these Verses the places of light and darkness are spoken to conjunctly whereof whatever conjectural knowledge men may have yet they have not so perfect knowledge as either to direct them to their places and prescribe them their home and bounds if they should wander abroad or to be able by travel to go to that place v. 19 20. This he amplifieth v 21. That those things were ordered before Job was born so that he might as well fancy that he was born before he had a being as think to have the command of them And as he could not have skill of those things by being at the first ordering thereof so neither by long experience since for the experience of never so many years could not supply that defect of knowledge Hereby is pointed out 1. That we have abundance of the works of God at our door wherein we may see much of him even every day and night and every vicissitude of light and darkness 2. If men have not the command nor can direct the least of Gods ordinary works How much less should they dare to prescribe to God who ordereth them all 3. The works of God though never so obvious do require our serious and second thoughts to take them up aright therefore are those things here spoken of again 4. It
and in such a way 4. No rod is so sad to a Child of God as a dumb rod when he can know nothing of the cause end or use of it that he might walk accordingly and justifie God For this makes God seeming to condemn Job â—ad unto him when he knew not wherefore he contended with him 5. Mens afflictions may be so involved and intricate through their own mistakes or otherwise that even Saints when they are under trouble may feel the stroke but see no more till God teach them who when he hath inflicted a stroke must give light to discern his mind in it and grace to make use of it For when Job is sadly afflicted he is yet left in the dark till God shew him wherefore he contended with him Where his ignorance did not slow so much from his present desertion and confusion as from this false Principle that God was condemning him as a wicked man In which case it was no wonder if he could see no cause for that having the testimony of a good Conscience However Saints in trouble may expect to have other perplexities beside this and that when they have taken up the nature of their trouble aright only as a tryal or chastisement they may yet be kept in the dark about the particular cause of it or the special use they should make of it Beside those Truths we may here also observe some failings and weaknesses in Job and his reasonings which may serve for caution and instruction to us 1. It was but his mistake while he judged by his present sense that God was condemning him and this raised the tempest in his soul It is our weakness to fasten mistakes upon Gods dealing and by so doing make our lot more unsupportable then really it is Likewise It should seriously be looked upon as a mistake That even saddest afflictions do always speak Gods condemning of the afflicted For he may chastise them most sharply whom he approves 2. Albeit God were not condemning him to perish eternally with the wicked for neither could that be nor did Job believe it was so but dealing with him in outward corrections as he useth to deal the wicked when he plagues them for their wickedness yet it was his fault not to see sufficient cause of all this within himself but he will put God to it to shew wherefore he contended For the best of Saints have sins which deserve more then all this Psal 130.3 143.2 and even Original sin in man doth justifie God in inflicting saddest corrections For the wages thereof is death Rom 5 12 14. 3. Though he had never so much integrity and could see no procuring cause of his afflictions yet there was cause enough why God should exercise even an innocent and much more why he should try him to draw forth what either of weakness or of grace was in him 4. Though he could neither see a procuring cause nor the final cause of Gods dealing yet it became not him to quarrel with God as if his dealing were unjust For absolute soveraignty in God might silence him and God is not bound to give a reason of his ways as himself acknowledged Chap 9.12 Vers 3. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands and shine upon the counsel of the wicked Followeth Job's Prosecution of the complaint which he had propounded v. 2. wherein he presseth his Expostulation and desire by several other Arguments beside those formerly insinuated in the Rise and Proposition of his complaint In all which he leaveth to his Friends to judge of the relevancy and justness of his complaint by the strength of his reasons propounded to God to whom alone he makes his address So the third Argument pressing his expostulation and desire in this verse doth prosecute what he had propounded v. 2. and give some general hints of what is further enlarged in the â—est of his discourse In it he points out his apprehension of what was in Gods severe dealing in condemning him and dealing with him as a wicked man 1. That it seemed to be an oppression of a righteous man 2. That it seemed to speak Gods despising of him who was the work of his hands both by Creation and by Grace for so it may be interpreted by what he subjoyns in this discourse both of Gods creating of him and of his grace in him 3. That God by his dealing toward him seemed to give favourable countenance to the plots projects and courses of the wicked Partly while the wicked as well as his Friends were ready to judge him to be a wicked man because afflicted Partly while God seemed to concur with and approve the deeds of the Sabeans and Chaldeans who robbed him and to give occasion to other wicked men to insult over him and abuse him now when he had afflicted him as Chap. 30.1 14. But chiefly while the wickeds prosperity and his adversity confirmed them who measure all things by outward advantages in this opinion that piety is of no worth Thus the counsel of the wicked is expounded of their sleighting of Piety because of their own prosperity Ch. 21.7 15. with 16. See Eccl. 8.11 Mal. 2.17 3.14 15. Upon these apprehensions Job founds his Argument which he propounds by way of question to God Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress c The meaning whereof is as if he had said Lord doth it beseem thy Nature and Goodness or can it be any pleasure or profit to thee thus to oppress and sleight thy own creature and servant and to seem as if thou would confirm and harden the wicked in their evil way The sense and use of this Argument and Expostulation may be reduced to these three General Heads First As to the way of propounding this Argument as also some that follow it is by way of question to God Is it good to thee that thou shouldest oppress c Wherein we have the language of two parties within him his sense and his faith His sense would absolutely have concluded all this to be true of God that he delighted to oppress and despise him and shine upon the counsel of the wicked But faith could not subscribe to all these conclusions and not being able to refute them yet it stands as it were a great stone in an impetuous River to stop the current of tentation if it were but with a question Can it be as sense saith as Psal 77.7 8 9. And here faith goeth further and propounds the matter to God wherein as sense layeth out its apprehensions of Gods dealing so faith propounds those apprehensions as questions to be resolved and cleared by God From this way of pleading in general Learn 1. Tentations may flie very high under trouble even against God himself For all that is here questioned was suggested to Job So also those apprehensions Psal 77. We are not to think it strange if a storm raise
intended in his tryal we are to remember another Argument taken from the Soveraign Dominion of God which clears the case yet further From v. 9. Learn 1. It is not simply our being afflicted and made miserable by trouble that God doth mind Lam. 3.33 34. nor is it that which we should be chiefly affected with under afflictions but we should mind another lesson taught by it which if we neglect our sense of trouble will be to little purpose Therefore here is subjoyned an account of Gods end in afflicting and of the lesson we should learn under the cross See Josh 7.8 9. with v. 10 11. It is the property of beasts to feel only the smart of a rod but men and especially godly men should make another use of it And yet many fail in this and do long for deliverance when they really obstruct it by their negligence or their fair promises in trouble which they would soon forget if they were delivered But whatever God be pleased to do according to his Soveraignty in grace we should still remember that sad process that may justly pursue us till we mind some other thing in our trouble beside our afflictions Lev. 26.14 40 41 42. 2. This may sufficiently justifie God in afflicting his people that the best of them have sins which deserve and may procure affliction and especially miscarriages under trouble which may continue them For they have work which is transgression and Job did slâ—de in the hour of his tryal Such as are imbittered because of trouble do prove that they have little sense of sin And they who look not upon their lesser sins of infirmity as sufficient to procure any trouble that cometh upon them are justly given up under the Cross â—o miscarry more grossely as Job did Whence it cometh to pass that afflictions which were but simple tryals before become real chastisements for sin as here he intimateth it fared with Job 3. No affliction should be accounted bitter which may help to cure and purge out sin For upon that account is Gods righteousness here vindicated that he afflicts to discover and purge out sin They evidence their love to sin who repine at rods and they who would find trouble easie ought to be diligent in purging of sin and that will make it sweet Ps 119.67 71. 4. When God afflicts his people most sharply his aim is only to cure their sin and it will have no worse effects unless they turn incorrigible For he binds them in the cords of affliction v. 8. for this very end See Is 27.9 He intends not their hurt but only the destruction of sin unless as we sayâ— they will take the ridders-stroaks by interposing to spare their lusts 5. The right cure of sin must begin at the discovery of it and at convictions for it without which there will be no reformation or it will not prove sound For this work begins at shewing them their work and where this root is not the fruits will not follow or they prove but withered and blasted 6. Men do not readily see sin nor are solidly convinced of it till they be in trouble For when they are bound v. 8. then he sheweth them their work Either the affliction must point it out mens sin being written upon their rods or when they rage and fret or will not stay to admit of or digest reproofs affliction tameth and holdeth them So that it must be sad when convictions decay under trouble 7. Whatever men attain of convictions under the rod yet it is not the rod of it self but God by it who worketh and produceth them For he sheweth them their work 8. Conviction is wrought by Gods leading men through their work by examination till they find out what transgression is in it For he sheweth them their work and their transgressions which he discovereth to them in their work when they see it well 9. True and solid convictions under trouble will discover sin in its aggravations both in the frequency thereof that there are transgressions and in the nature thereof that there are transgressions wherein they have exceeded or prevailed and run violently â—ver all bounds and limits as waters overflow their banks If the Law should discover sin to be sinful Rom. 7.13 much more when the rod is joyned with it should sin be seen in its aggravations Jer. 2.19 10. When God comes to plead against sin by the rod it is an evidence of the greatness of sin were there no other thing to prove it but that he must plead his quarrel that way For when they are bound v. 8. then he sheweth that they have exceeded They must be no small faults which provoke God to plead against his people in the publick view of all and therefore they should beware of extenuating sin at such a time From v. 10. Learn 1. Conviction of sin were it never so great is not all the fruit that should follow upon chastisements but there should be also conversion and turning from sin For this is subjoyned to the discovery formerly mentioned that they return from iniquity without which it will be to little purpose to sigh and turn backward Lam. 1.8 2. Men will never be brought to turn from sin in earnest till first they be brought under discipline and order which is opposite to that inbred opposition which is in their hearts to Christs Kingdome and Bonds Psal 2.3 and 12.4 to that excessive love of pleasures which causeth men behave themselves as bullocks unaccustomed to the yoak Jer. 31.18 Job 21.14 and to that wild fruit of security which meeting with affliction drives men further away Therefore they must first be under discipline before they return from iniquity And no particular practice or endeavour will thrive well or be to any purpose till first we set our selves to come under this yoak of discipline and to submit to the will of God in every thing 3. For bringing men under this york of discipline there is need of an open discovered car that a passage may be opened to instructions to get in to the heart For he openeth also with that discovery v. 9. their ear to discipline Of this see v. 15. Chap. 33.16 Is 50.4 5. Psal 40.6 And it imports 1. That our advantage cometh not simply by our being afflicted but by some instruction conveighed to the heart by the ear accompanying it Psal 94.12 2. That there are many impediments in the way to hinder out receiving of this instruction such as laziness Is 50.4 subtil wiles Psal 58.4 5. habitually contracted indisposition Matth. 13.15 rebellion Jer. 22.21 and 44.16 and divers others of which see on Chap. 33.16 3. That as a time of affliction is a time of teaching many lessons Psal 94.12 So the Cross should help to pierce our ear and make us tractable as Act. 9.6 4. As this is the scope of afflictions so when God sends the rod he will one way or other cause men to hear Is 26.11 Jer. 1.15
16. 5. As mens seeing of God to be their party in teaching them by rods should quicken them to receive instruction So it is himself who maketh those means effectual For he not only sheweth men their work v. 9. but he openeth also their car to discipline Doct. 4. Such as come under discipline will be opposite to iniquity because it is iniquity and so to all of it and will not be opposite to some iniquity only because it is prejudicial or upon other by-respects For here there followeth a returning from iniquity be what it will 5. Persons brought under discipline will also see that nothing will avail unless they turn from sin and that it is not enough they hide it Job 20.12 or lay it by till another time For then they will see that they must return from iniquity 6. Albeit the Lord do alwayes interpose his Authority to command men to abandon sin Yet in afflictions especially he is said to command this because afflictions come when intreaties and milder messages do not avail Jer. 22.21 And then he will have his Authority take place and sends a Messenger which is peremptory and will not goe away without his errand For then he commandeth that they return from iniquity Verse 11. If they obey and serve him they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures 12. But if they obey not they shall perish by the sword and they shall dye without knowledge In the third branch of this part of the Vindiction we have an account of the Certification subjoyned to this Instruction and what shall be the consequences of mens improvement thereof well or ill Namely That if they obey they shall have a sweet and comfortable life for the rest of their time v. 11. And if not they shall be cut off by some judgement v. 12. Whereas it is added that they dye without knowledge which would seem to speak them utterly ignorant of God and so cannot agree to Elihu's scope who is speaking of Gods afflicting righteous men The words may be read They dye because they have no knowledge or are cut off because of their folly and miscarriages which may suit well enough with the condition of some persons who yet have true piety Or this may be understood of the lot of wicked hypocritical Professours of whom be hath occasion also to speak in this part of his Vindication for reasons to be marked on v. 13 14. which he propounds that he may deterr righteous men from their courses by shewing what their lot will be From v. 11. Learn 1. Though afflictions be curses in themselves yet they are blessed to the people of God As here is verified of some who are supposed to obey and serve when they are chastened and instructed 2. The blessed fruits of affliction begin at tenderness and hearkening to the Word of God particularly to those lessons which are inculcated by the rod For they obey or hear 3. Where mens hearts are made tender and to tremble at the Word they will not only amend bygone faults but will engage themselves to serve God by doing or suffering as they shall be called For they obey and serve him or become servants to wit to God to whom all service is due as the relative Him must be understood though it be not expressed 4. Mens changing of their way from evil to good brings a sweet change in their lot from adversity to prosperity and pleasure For if they obey and serve him they shall spend their dayes in pâ—osperity and their years in pleasures This is sometimes verified in temporal deliverances according to the tenour of the promises made to righteous walkers Lev. 26.3 13. and Deut. 28.1 14. and particularly to the people of God repenting of their sin under the rod Jer. 31.19 20. And so Job found in experience But however God dispense as to those things yet it will be fully verified in Heaven And whereas this promise relates especially to deliverances within time as both the words and the opposite threatening v. 12. make clear which are not alwayes granted to godly men even when they repent of their sins under the red It would be considered that though the troubles of godly and penitent persons continue yet a change in their disposition will make a change in their lot as to them For all will speak love to them and is attended with Christs peace Joh. 16.33 and what crusheth their Idols promoveth their happiness and honours God will not be bitter Yea all will be for their good as the word rendred prosperity is in the Original Rom. 8.28 and so should be pleasant 5. Saints should observe the sweetness not only of the whole tenour of their life but of every day and moment of it As here their mercies are observed and measured by dayes as well as by years From v. 12. Learn 1. Even some of Gods dear Children may prove stubborn and untractable under the rod For it is supposed they may not obey or not hear 2. It is a fruit of Saints folly and ignorance when they are not reclaimed by the rod which causeth them mistake Gods mind in afflicting or think to bear out in their stubbornness or think that God will pity them though they turn not to him Thus they obey not because they have no knowledge as the words may be read 3. When lesser stroaks do not reform and reclaim Saints God is provoked to encrease and augment For here after bonds v. 8. a sword or dart cometh 4. Men may be truly godly and get their Souls for a prey who yet may be chastened with death and even a violent death for their folly For here it is supposed that some righteous men may perish by the sword and dye See 1 Cor. 11.30 32. Verse 13. But the Hypocrites in heart heap up wrath They cry not when he bindeth them 14. They dye in youth and their life is among the unclean 15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth their ears in oppression In the fourth and last branch of this part of the Vindication we have an account of the various events of this dispensation of affliction upon Professours of piety How they take with it and what cometh of it Where he ranks Professours of Religion and Piety into two sorts according to their different carriage under the rod and the different events which befall them 1. Close Hypocrites who do but augment and encrease wrath against themselves by their neglecting to cry to God in their trouble v. 13. and do provoke God to cut them off even in youth as the vilest of Sodomites v. 14. 2. The truly godly or poor whose car being opened under oppression to receive instruction for that must be first wrought though it be last named in the Text they are thereby fitted for and get deliverance v. 15. For further clearing of this purpose Consider 1. Though Elihu in all this part of the Vindication be speaking