book at the second verse as the servant earnestly desireth the shadow c. When a labourer is hot and sweltered almost as we say at his work in the Sun how earnestly doth he desire the shadow We say in the Margine of that place he gapeth after the shadow A man when he is hot gapes to suck in fresh air Such an intendment and force there is in this word desire not long not for gape not after the night The night seems not to be a thing or a season so desireable that we should gape for it or long after it Solomon saith Eccl. 11.7 Surely light is pleasant and it is a comfortable thing for the eyes to behold the Sun but who hath a desire after the night what is the beauty or comeliness of the night that any should so much desire it why then doth Elihu here forbid Job as supposing he did to desire it desire not the night I answer the night may be taken two wayes or under a twofold notion First properly as that which casteth a vail or mantle of darkness over both persons and things and covers them from our sight in allusion to which the sense is this Do not hope to hide or conceal thy self from the eye or knowledge of God As thou canst not be ransomed as thou canst not be rescued from his power which was shewed before so desire not the night for thou canst not be obscured from his knowledge under the covert of it there is no hiding from God Though I judge that interpretation too gross which supposeth Elihu counselling Job not to desire the night as robbers and adultereâ—s to cover him while doing wickedly yet possibly he might think Job was not so free to confess the evils which he had done and therefore rather desired the concealment of them Secondly the night in Scripture as also in humane Authors is put improperly for death All the dead are wrapt up in a night of darkness Hence that counsel John 9.4 Work while you have the day the night cometh when no man can work We may work yea much work is done in the natural night It is said of the vertuous woman Prov. 31.18 Her candle goes not out by night she and her maids are at work in the night therefore it cannot be strictly meant that no man can work in the night The night there is the night of death Ne aspires ad illam noctem sc mortis qua abeunt populi ad locum suum Jun. Qua e medio tolluntur populi in loâ—o ipsorum Pisc or of an extream troublous life in these nights especially in the former no man can work for there is no wisdom nor device nor labour in the grave whether we are going Eccl. 9.10 According to this Scripture interpretation desire not the night is desire not death Job had put forth such desires more than once Chap. 7.15 My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life Mr. Broughton translates Breath not unto that night for peoples passage to their place That is saith he desire not death the common passage of all men as thou hast done Therefore Elihu seems here to call Job off from those desires do not thou peeviâ—hly or impatiently because of the trouble of thy life call for death lest it come too soon and it do by thee as it hath done by many others whom it hath cut off in judgment So it followes here Desire not the night When people are cut off in their place Death is a cutting off As many die in the night so when-ever any die they are cut off from this world and all the imployments of it they are cut off from their dearest friends and relations Death cuts off the thread of life and us from the comforts of this life The Hebrew is when people ascend The Original Scripture expresseth dying by ascending though the death of the wicked is rather a descending Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascendere pro excidi tolli â—umitur It is said by a late Writer concerning the heathen profane and wicked Emperors of Rome Such a one descended that is died in such a year of his abomination Now though the wicked descend when they die yet there is a sence also wherein all men may be said to ascend when they die and there is no doubt but the godly as to their more noble part ascend to God when they die Thus the word is used in the fifth Chapter of this Book at the 16th verse where Eliphaz speaking of the death of a godly man saith to Job Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh or ascendeth in his season David deprecated an immature death under this Metaphor Psal 102.14 Take me not away in the midst of mine age The word is let me not ascend in the midst of mine age that is before I have measured the usual course of life Translatio a condelis quarum lumen ascendit atque ita paulatim consumuntur ipsa Thus to ascend is the same with to be cut off death cuts off the best from this world and then they ascend to a better This sense of the words suits well with the latter exposition of the night as taken for the night of death The word ascend is conceived to have in it a double allusion first to corn which is taken up by the hand of the reaper and then laid down on the stubble Secondly unto the light of a candle which as the candle spends or as that which is the food of the fire is spending ascends and at last goes out and vanisheth There is yet a further sense of the whole verse thus Desire not the night c. That is do not curiously enquire the cause of that divine judgement by which God sometimes sweeps away whole nations good and bad together in the night or suddenly Or thus disquiet not thy mind in the night but rather rest in the will of God when thou seest or hearest of those great destructions which come upon persons or nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sub subter saepe significat in loco Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place that is when they die in or are removed from the place where they formerly lived and had their abode in which sense it is said of the dead their place shall know them no more Psal 103.16 How well soever any are setled death cuts them off in their place First Forasmuch as Elihu speaking to Job in this distressed estate wishes him not to desire the night Observe In times of distress and trouble we are apt to make many strange wishes or to express uncouth requests and desires The Prophet Jeremiah quits himself from this in one point chap. 17.16 I have not desired the woful day Lord thou knowest He was so far from desiring it that he prayed for the peace and prosperity of that people but though
not chastise them without cause nor correct them but for their good so when he doth them good or raiseth them up when he sheweth them any favour or giveth them any mercy he doth it not for their wisdom-sake or holiness-sake but for his Sons-sake or for his own Name-sake Acts of favour from God are purely from his free grace not from any desert in man so that every way his mercy is from himself and undeserved by us He respecteth not any that are wise in heart First As the wise in heart stand in opposition to those that fear God spoken of before being so stout that they do not humble themselves in his fear Note True wisdom is alwayes joyned with the fear of God Yea as Job concluded Chap. 28.28 The fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil which none do but they who fear the Lord is understanding Secondly Note God regardeth no man for his wisdom who doth not fear him Let men be never so learned and wise never so prudent and politick if they have not the true fear of God before their eyes he values them not he will not cast an eye of favour upon them they shall have no countenance with him no honour from him The most wise the only wise God cares not for the wisest of men who stand so much upon their own understanding as to stout it out with him He is not at all moved unless to displeasure by their wisdom who are puffed up with a conceit of their wisdom Thirdly When 't is said He respecteth not any that are wise in heart Note Wisdom without the fear of God will do no man good at last nor can it keep him off from evil Let no man think by his wisdom policy or subtilty to keep himself out of the reach of God If men will not fear and honour him he knoweth well enough how to deal with them and to recover his honour upon them Note Fourthly Let men be as wise and crafty as they will God is not afraid of them as if they could do him any hurt or spoil his designes as if they could out-wit him and over-throw his counsels Some take upon them as if they by their wisedom could hinder Gods purposes and counter-work him as if they could over-reach or undermine him We are much afraid of wise men If such a wise man if such a head-piece be against us we think surely he will works us a great deal of mischeife When David found his son Absalom rebelling against him and Achitophel joyning with him he prayed that God would turn his counsell into foolishness 2 Sam. 15.31 David feared that Achitophels going over to Absalom might have carryed the whole business against him But God doth not regard a whole conclave of Achitophels he cares not a straw for their plottings and contrivings The Lord is so far from fearing the counsels of the wise in heart that he can destroy them by their own wisdome and not only undoe their counsels but undoe them by their counsels The pit which they have digged they shall fall into it themselves and be entangled in the lime-twiggs which they have set up for others All this the holy Prophet intended when he said of God Isa 44.25 He frustrateth the tokens of the lyers and maketh the diviners mad He turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish Diviners grow mad when they see things issuing quite contrary to their predictions and expectations He that can destroy the wise with their own wisdom needs not fear the wisdom of the wisest 'T is the noblest way of vanquishing an enemy when we wound him with his own weapons and turn his own Artillery upon him Thus God dealeth with the wise in heart they are nothing in his hands they cannot put the least stop to what he hath a purpose to do but he can put a stop to all their purposes The foolishness of God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.25 is wiser than men He saith also in the third Chapter of the same Epistle vers 19. The wisdome of this world is foolishness with God for it is w iâ—â—en and that writing is taken out of this Book of Job Châ—p 5.13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness And again The Lâ—rd knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine and vain he knoweth them to be in a twofold respect First because sinfâ—ll or evill in themselves Secondly because he knows how to make them barren or abortive successless and ineffectual unto the wise So that they all become like most Adventurers at a Lottery going out with their hearts full of hopes but returning with their hands full of blanks Disappoyntment Disappoyntment being written upon all their counsels and undertakings Again Taking the wise in heart for those who are truly wise godly wise Learn Fifthly God will not forbear when he seeth cause to afflict those who are indeed the wisest and holiest of men Let no man think that because he is wise or holy he must not therefore be touched or medled with Some conceive the chief design of writing this Book was to let us see this truth That let men be never so holy never so upright or godly yet they must not claime priviledge from the cross nor complain when they are under it that God deals not well with them In this Job over-acted supposing there was no cause why such a man as he should have such severe chastenings and rebukes but let men be never so wise never so good God may see cause to lay his chastening rods upon them and had the Lord nothing else to say for it his soveraignty will bear him out in it against the best of men The clay must neither say to the Potter why hast thou made me so nor why hast thou marr'd me so Be silent O all flesh good as well as bad before the Lord. Lastly Observe What-ever favour what-ever mercy God bestoweth upon the holiest and wisest of men he doth it not with respect to any wisdome holiness or goodness in them but for his own Name sake or because he will He respecteth not the wise in heart No man can merit the least favour from God his is free grace All good cometh to us through the Son of his love and it was meerly of his love that ever his Son came to us and dyed for us Therefore let us not say such a one was a good man such a one was an holy man therefore it was so and so with him As what we are or can do cannot oblige him when he sees cause from giving us correction so he is un-obliged as to what we are or can do in giving us salvation whether temporal or eternal He respecteth not the wise in heart There are yet two other readings of the words which I shall set before the Reader and then conclude all The word which we translate respecteth Is certe non invenit sapientes quoscunque
do right But as sure as God knows every mans righâ— so certainly he will do him right Abraham pleaded thus with God Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Gen. 18.25 Certainly he will do right he cannot but do right Judgement is before him The Scripture is express He will reward every man and award to every man according to his works Every man shall have as he is for as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.6 He shall bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God that is every man shall have it who is fit for it every man shall have praise who is as we say praise-worthy how much soever he hath been dispraised slurr'd in his credit unworthily dealt with and accused in this world God will not hold or detain the truth of men in unrighteousnesse though men hold both the truth of God and the truth of men the truth of their Causes in unrighteousnesse Judgement is before the Lord. Fuâ—ther That Particle which we render yet gives us this Note God is never a whit the lesse Righteous because it doth not appear to us that he is so Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet Judgement is before him The wayes of God are often secret but none of them are unjust Judgement is before him even then when we think iâ— is farthest off from him Therefore if we will give God the glory of governâ—ng the world and of ordering all our personal conditions we must not measure him by the things we see or which appear for we cannot see the measure of his Judgement by what appears that which appears to us is not his Judgement something else is his judgement and he in the close will make his judgement clear to all men he will make it appear that judgment is his though what his judgement is doth not appear The mis-apprehensions or mis-constructions of men do not at all retard or stop the righteousnesse of God as the Apostle speaks in another case Rom. 3.3 Shall the unbelief of man make the Faith of God that is the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect God forbid God will be Faithful and True though all the world be Unbelievers and Lyars Now as the unbelief of man cannot make the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect so our not believing that Judgement proceeds or our saying it is delayed does not at all take off God from righteousnesse in doing Judgement he is doing Judgement righteously whatever apprehensions men have of his doings Judgement is before him Therefore trust thou in him Elihu according to the first reading of the former words exhorts Job to Repentance Judge thy self and here he exhorts him to Faith Trust thou in him Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him or wait and hope in him for seeing God is a Just and Righteous Judge he will not neglect or slight the Cause of any of his People therefore they have all the reason in the world to trust in him and wait upon him It is unbelief which makes haste Faith is content to wait and tarry The Original word hath several significations First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat 1. Dolere 2. Parturire 3. Manere Perseverare 4. Sperare Forte per metaphoram quia animus sperans futurâ—m gaudium cum dolore parturit Coc. More general to grieve or be in pain and trouble Secondly In special to bring forth or the pain of a woman in travel to bring forth there is much pain in that travel Thus some translate here Wait for him as a woman in travel waits for deliverance Thirdly As it signifies to have pain and to have that pain in bringing forth children so to attend to wait to stay quietly and expect Rest in the Lord saith David Psal 37.7 and wait patiently for him We may give the reason of this signification from that allusion The woman though she be in pain yet she patiently bears it because she hath hope a man shall be born into the world John 16.21 A woman in that pain hath not only patience but comfort under it because she hopes a child shall shortly be born who will recompence all her sorrows in bearing and bringing him forth into the world That 's the force of this word Trust in him Thou art in pain in trouble in travel for the present yet thou shalt have a blessed deliverance thou shalt certainly find that it is not in vain to trust upon God Thus Elihu aâ—viseth Job to such a patience as a woman in travel with child hath who bears her pains comfortably being refreshed and supported with an assurance and fore-sense of that joy which she shall have being once delivered Trust thou in him I have in some other places of this Book met with this Point of trusting in God Job said in the 13th Chapter of this Book vers 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him And therefore I shall not stay to open that general duty or the exercise of that Grace which here Elihu exhorts Job to Trusting in or waiting upon God Only from the Connexion Note First It is our duty to wait and trust upon God And 't is such a duty as will keep us close to all other duties a mind staid on God is a mind fit to move about any good work whatsoever which God calleth us unto Secondly Put all together Thou sayest thou shalt not see him thou art doubtful whether ever things will mend yet Judgement is before him therefore trust Hence Note When things are not clear to us when we have no light about what God is doing or what he will do yet it is our duty to trust and wait upon God We must wait upon God and trust in him though we do not see him yea though we cannot see him for Judgement is before him That of the Prophet Isa 50.10 is a clear proof of this duty and some expound this Scripture specially respecting outward dark providences as others of inward darkness or darkness of spirit Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darkness and hath no light as Job saith here I shall not see him What shall a poor benighted soul do in that case The answer or advice followeth Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God How dark soever our condition is yet it is our duty to trust upon God and if once we are enabled to give God the glory due to his name in confessing that Judgement is before him we shall readily trust upon him to order all things for us though all things seem out of order even to amazement though we see heaven and earth as it were confounded yet we shall readily trust upon him because we believe that even then Judgement is before him How soon can he turn our
The Prophet saith concerning Ephraim Hos 7.9 Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not That is Enemies have swallowed up or taken away that wealth those riches they have subdued those Armies those Forces which he looked upon and boasted of as his strengâ—h they have broken him quite with Warrs Invasions yet Ephraim knew it not and not only so but as it followeth Yea Gray hairs are here and there upon him that is he hath many Symptomes or Signs or ruine and destruction yet he knoweth it not Grief of heart for great changes in our Estate change the hair many grow gray with sorrow So that when 't is said gray hairs are upon him 't is an allusion taken from the Body Natural to the Body Politick for as when the natural Body of a man hath gray hairs appearing or as Solomon allegorizeth Eccl. 12.5 when the Almond Tree flourisheth it is an argument that old Age and infirmities are coming upon him Gray hairs tell us that Death and the Grave are not farr off they signifie some decay of nature Now as the natural Body hath its gray hairs so a Politick Body the body of a State hath its gray hairs too that is somthing may come upon a State which sheweth that it is declining and waxing old that it is ready to break and go to the Grave I shall not stay to enquire what are the gray hairs of a Nation I only bring that Scripture to prove that many are insensible of the hand of God he visiteth in his anger yet man possibly a good man knoweth it not as Ephraim knew not of his gray hairs But did not Ephraim know his affliction or did not Job know his what is it to know or who may be said to know an affliction I answer they only know their afflictions or that God is visiting in his anger First who labour to find out the cause of Gods visitation If we feel the afflicting hand of God upon us and enquire not whence is this why is it so what hath moved or provoked the Lord to this manner of proceeding with us If I say we make not such enquiries we are visited in anger and know it not And therefore in that case the Prophet Jeremy exhorts the afflicted captivated Church of the Jewes in Babylon to search and try their wayes Lam. 3.41 that is to consider why it was so with them what was the cause of their captivity Till we sit down and make diligent search why we are visited why any affliction or calamity is upon our Persons and Families or upon the Kingdomes and Nations respectively where we live we know neither the day of our visitation nor what our visitation is Then only we know Gods visitation when we are studying the causes of it Scire est per causas scire To know a thing is to know it in the causes of it Secondly They may be said to know the visitation of the Lord that are studying as the cause which they have given so the ends and purposes which God hath in visiting them for how much soever we find and see the causes of an affliction yet till our hearts are drawn out to answer the ends of it we do not truly know it But you will say what are the usual ends which the Lord hath in afflicting his people I answer First to turn them from sin Secondly to unglew and wean them from the world Thirdly that they may live nearer to or more with him Fourthly that they may live more unto him or which takes in both the latter ends that they may enjoy him more while they live honour him more with their lives Now I say till we are upon this kind of study both of the causes of our visitation and the ends of it beg that we may both remove those causes comply with or answer those ends we may be said not to know the visitation of the Lord though it be and we are in great extremity And if this be to know the visitation of God surely many are perishing and sinking under the hand of his visitation wâ—â— yet know it not How many are there who neither endeavour to search out the causes nor to fulfil the ends for which the Lord visiteth them in his anger I conceive this assertion or supposition at least of Elihu's concerning Job both as to his not trusting God in his affliction and not knowing his visitation was though in part true and occasion'd on Jobs part yet over-harsh and severe nor was the inference which he made from it in the next verse less severe and harsh Vers 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain he multiplyeth words without knowledge Here 's the conclusion of Elihu's third Discourse with Job Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Some connect this verse with the former according to the first reading of it before mentioned that giving a reason of this But now his anger or he in anger hath visited thee but a little or nothing c. Therefore thou O Job openest thy mouth in vain As if he had said Because the anger of God hath not punished Job sharply enough nor in proportion to the multitude and greatness of his sins therefore he speaks thus boldly and rashly Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain To open the mouth is a Pariphrasis of speaking As if he had said therefore Job speaks in vain To speak in vain or to use vain words is to speak to little or no purpose as I have had occasion to shew upon other places of this Book Chap. 15.2 Chap. 16.3 and therefore shall not stay upon it here Job was no vain speaker he used to speak words of weight words of soberness and truth yet was overborn by passion though not to speak vain words in the matter yet to speak or open his mouth in vain Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Consider the Inference therefore that is First Because he doth not humble himself in a patient dependance upon God Secondly because he doth not as he ought duly take notice of the purpose of God in visiting him Thirdly because he seems more solicitous and zealous in defending his own right and credit than the honour and righteâ—usness of God for all these Reasons he openeth his mouth in vain that is he loseth his labour in all this discourse and might as we speak proverbially have saved his breath to cool his broth Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain Taking the Charge which Elihu brought against Job in the former verse to be well grounded and true we may Note All our complaints to and debates with God as also all our Apologies for our selves in affliction are fruitless and succesless till we give Glory to God and answer his purposes in laying his hand upon us Gratio vana sensus atque sapientiae inops tantum sonitu verborum querimoniarum clamosa Unless our hearts bow to
forgets God as his Maker will never remember much less answer and accomplish the ends for which he was made Thirdly I will ascribe righteousness to My Maker Note A godly man takes God as his own and appropriates him by Faith in all his Relations Faith takes not only a share in God but all of God My God my Father my Maker my Redeemer are strains of Faith A Believer doth as it were ingross God to himself yet desires and endeavours that all as well as himself may have their part and portion in God yea God for their Portion Job said Chap. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth He spake as if he had got a Redeemer not only to but by himself Thus also holy Paul of Christ Gal. 2.22 Who loved me gave himself for me as if he had been given for him alone and loved none but him This is the highest work of Faith and 't is the signification of our hottest love to God it shews endearedness of affection to him as well as neerness and clearness of interest in him when we thus take him as our own Saviour Father Maker I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker Observe Fourthly He who is the Maker of all men can be unrighteous to nâ— man nor is lyable to the censure of any man whatever he doth 'T is impossible that he who made us should wrong or injure us and that upon a twofold Principle First Of the respect he hath for Justice towards all those whom he hath made God is so tender that he doth not willingly or with his heart afflâ—ct nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth Lam. 3.33 34. much less will he as it followeth vers 35 â—6 turn away the right of a man before the face of the most High that is before his own face who is the Most High As if it had been said The Lord will not pervert Judgment in any mans Case that comes before him Or if we take those words before the face of the Most High as denoting the highest Judicatory on Earth as our Margin intimates putting there for Most High A Superiour then the meaning is The Lord doth not approve that any earthly Judge though Supream or most Superiour should turn aside the right of a man how inferiour soever for as the 36th verse hath it To subvert a man in his Cause the Lord approveth not or as the Hebrew is rendred seeth not that is he seeth it not with approbation but indeed with detestation and will severely punish such subverters of Justice Secondly It is impossible that he who hath made us should wrong or injure us upon the principle of his Soveraignty over all those whom he hath made He that gives all men their being he that gives all to all men that are in being can be unrighteous to no man whatsoever he taketh from him or doth with him We have Job in the beginning of this Book Chap. 1.21 ascribing righteousness to God his Maker upon this reason or principle The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. It is he that made me a man 't is he who once made me a rich man a great man the greatest man of all the men of the East Chap. 1.3 What if now he hath lessened me and left me little or nothing what if he hath now made me a mean man a poor man in account a no man what if God hath now stript me naked and taken all from me He hath taken nothing but what he gave why then should I take it ill at his hands or have so much as an ill thought of him the Lord gives and the Lord takes there 's no unrighteousness in all this If God should utterly undoe us he doth us no wrong if he should as it were unmake us let us consider he is our Maker then we must say there is no unrighteousness in him yea we shall be ready with Elihu in the Text to ascribe righteousness unto him And therefore as a Corollary from the whole Note Fifthly Whatsoever God doth with us or others we ought to maintain the honour of God and retain good thoughts of him both as righteous and good Though Heaven and Earth be moved though the World be full of confusion and unâ—ighteousness yet we must ascribe righteouâ—nesse to God Whatsoever or whosoever falls to the dust the Honour and Justice of God must not Thus far of Elihu's third Argument for attention the Fourth is at hand in the next verse Vers 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee As if he had said I am purposed to speak the truth and nothing but the truth therefore hear me Truly my words shall not be false He gives assurance for or warrants the truth of his words while he saith they shall not be false Negatives in Scripture often carry a strong affirmation The Father of a Fool hath no joy Non est â—â—num pro passimum est sic non remittâ—tur ei i. e. famietur Drus saith Solomon Prov. 17.21 that is he shall have a great deal of sorrow When the Scripture denyeth forgiveness to any sort of impenitent sinners or saith their sin shall not be forgiven the sense is they shall be punished When we say proverbially Goods ill gotten shall not prosper the meaning is they shall perish and do him mischief that hath gotten them not only shall he not thrive with them but they shall ruine and undoe him his goods ill gotten shall do him no good when the evill day is come much less shall they be able or he by them to prevent the coming of an evil day Once more When we say Such a thing is not ill done our intendment is 't is very well done excellently done So here when Elihu saith Truly my words shall not be false his meaning is I will speak truth and truth to the highest I will speak nothing but what shall endure the Touchstone and the Test I will not offer thee a Syllable of falshood what I alledge and urge either for God or against thee shall not be fetcht oâ— hammer'd out of my own brain and so subject to errour and mistake but such as God who cannot erre by whose Spirit and in whose stead I speak unto thee hath inspired me with or taught me for thy conviction and instruction Fourthly When he saith Truly my words shall not be false we may take it two wayes First As to the matter spoken Secondly As to the mind of the Speaker when truth is thus spoken t is truly spoken thus much Elihu engag'd for As if he had said The matter that I speak shall be true and I will speak it in truth or with a true mind and heart I will not speak any thing to flatter thee nor for my own ends to trouble thee my words shall be candid and sincere
not I spare this City wherein are more than six score thousand persons that know not their right hand from their left and also much Cattle The Lord did not despise but pity them Go through all the sorts of men the Lord despiseth none the Lord despiseth not great men because great which will come to a further consideration upon another Translation of the Text nor mean men because mean he despiseth not men in prosperity because they are rich and prosperous nor doth he despise men in adversity because poor and unprosperous He despiseth not any upon any of these accounts the Lord despiseth none but the wicked and the ungodly the unbeliever and the impenitent and all them he despiseth and them he ever will despise how great how high how mighty how rich soever they are the Lord despiseth them and he will alwayes despise them He doth not despise any man because a great man if he be not a wicked great man and let men be never so poor or low the Lord looks not disdainfully upon them because they are so God doth not despise any man because he is in a bad case he only despiseth men because their case or Cause is bad and then he will despise them let them be who or what they will Such is the goodness of God and this goodness is his Glory That although the highest and greatest of men are but as worms to him or not so much to him as the dust of the Ballance or the drop of the Bucket yet he despiseth not any no not the lowest and least of men Sâ—condly When the Text saith he despâ—seth not there is more in it than is exprest We may take it affirmatively God gives all sorts of men due regard and favour he takes care of them and bestows suitable mercies upon them even upon the meanest and poorest of them if they be his if they be faithful and godly how doth the Lord own them how doth the Lord honour them how doth the Lord embrace and lay them in his bosome though they lye upon the Dunghil as Job did As when we are warned not to despise the chastnings of the Lord Heb. 12.5 we are taught to take them in good part and as when the Apostle admonisheth us 1 Thess 5.20 not to despise Prophesie his meaning is not only this that he would not have us slight it and throw it at ouâ— heels but he would have us give it due esteem and honour it as one of our choycest mercies he would have us set a gâ—eâ—t price upon it and bless God heartily for it So here when Elihu saith The Lord despiseth not any his purpâ—â—e is to shew that he respects and favours men according to their condition but most his own faithful and obedient Servants This Interpretaâ—ion may give us another Instruction God hath a due regard and respect to all sorts and conditions of men Having made all men he doth not throw them up to the wide world much less trample upon them himself but owns them preserveth them waâ—cheth over them all And as for his special people he tends them as a Nurse her infant or as a Father tenders his children he counsels them he guides them he directs and leads them he supports and comforts them he carries them through this world as it were in his own armes as the Eagle carries her young ones upon her wings 〈…〉 simila devorat â—â— consumat sed sibi siâ—ulia complactitur Brent The Lord is a consuming fire to burn up the wicked those that are unlike him and like him not but he is a warm Sun to cherish and a safe-guarding Shield to protect those that fear him and trust in his Name He indeed will be as a refining Fire to fetch out and consume the dross that he sees in his people and as a trying Fire by affliction to their Graces as Jobs case was But when he is so and doth so he is so far from despising them that he honours them and makes them more honourable And therefore having made Promise of being with his people when they should be called to walk through the fire Isa 43.2 he presently subjoyns vers 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable As if he had said Since thou hast given a proof that thou art good Metal and that thou hast lost and left nothing in the fire of affliction but thy dross I both honour thee my self and will cause others to honour thee also Again He despâ—seth not any Elihu in this sets out the honour of God he puts this as a Crown of Glory upon the head of his Power God is mighty yet he despiseth not any Hence Note To be mighty in Power and meek in Spirit shews an excellent God-like Spirit As God is great so good boâ—h are equally essential to him goodness gentleness and meekness meet together and are matcht with greatness and mightiness in God Nahum 1.8 The Lord is great in Power and slâ—â— to anger he is not presently in a flame with sinners but waiteth to be gracious Fury is not in me saith the Lord Isa 27.4 5. I do not presently execute my power because great in power Who would set the Bryars and Thorns against me in battel I would go thorow them and burn them tâ—gether or let him take hold of my strength and make peace with me and he shall make peace with me As if he had said If sinners of one sort or other who are to me or to my people like Bryars and Thorns vexing and troubling both me and them should take the boldness to contend with me I could quickly rid my hands of them even as soon as fire can consume Bryars and Thorns fully dry yet I rather advise them to humble themselves and humbly make suit for peace and they shall not find me inexorable though I am invincible they may have Peace for the asking though I fear not at all the issue of the War O that the mighty men of the World would strive to imitate this overture of the mighty God But oh how unlike are the most of the mighty men of this World to God! First Some mighty men of this World rather pride themselves that they can do hurt than please themselves that they may do good with their might Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou O mighty man that thou canst do mischief that thou canst tread and trample upon others this thy boast should be thy shame Mighty men are apt to despise all men upon the matter that are below them that are their underlings but why dost thou boast O thou mighty man seeing as it followeth in the Psalm the goodnesse of God who is mightier than thou endureth continually Secondly How unlike are they to God who having might and power in their hand despise the mean and the oppressed who come to them for Justice Such are not like God the Judgeâ— all men but like that Judge whose Character was Luke
looks to him that is poor in spirit or of a contrite spirit let such be in Rags and lye upon the Dunghil the Lord will look to them and he hath a threefold look for them First A look of honour as respecting their Persons Secondly A look of care to supply their wants Thirdly A look of justice to deliver them from wrong And if they that are poor in spirit be rich also in the world they shall not fail to receive right from the hand of the Lord. The Lord giveth right to all sorts of men against their wicked oppressors but his poor the Godly poor believing poor those that are poor not only in purse but in spirit are more peculiarly under this priviledge of being righted by the Lord. And usually in Scripture the word poor is taken in a good sence Nomen pauperis in bonum sumitur pauperes sunt populus Dei for good men as the word rich in an ill sence for evil men Jam. 5.1 Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you The Apostle speaks as if that were the case of all rich or as if he called all rich men to weeping and howling c. Yet some poor men are wicked and some rich men are righteous and therefore I conceive the word poor may be taken here for any wronged or oppressed poor yet especially for the Godly poor For though God giveth right to all men even the worst of men yet here the scope of Elihu is to shew that God takes most care of those whom the wicked do most not only neglect but injure and oppresse He giveth right to the poor Hence Note The poor especially the Godly poor are often wronged and go by the worst in the world Or thus The poor as poor usually suffer from and by the world As the world is apt to oppresse any poor so mostly the Godly poor Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poor I will arise 'T is possible a rich man may be oppressed a mighty man may be oppressed by one mightier than he but usually the poor are oppressed and they trampled on who are already underfoot And therefore the Lord saith For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise and set him at safety from him that puffeth at him This is not exclusive the Lord will arise for the help of the rich and great when any such are wronged but he is said to arise for the help of the poor as intimating that the poor seldome come by their right or find help in the world unlesse God arise to help them or help them to it and because he hath said he will help them to their right we may be sure he will Davids Faith was strong upon this promise Psal 18.27 Thou wilt save the afflicted people Psal 72.4 He shall judge the poor of the People Pâ—al 140.12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted And his Experience was as clear as his Faith was strong Psal 37.25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken that is I have often yea alwayes seen him helped one way or other and sometimes set on high from affliction Psal 107.41 The Lord careth so for the poor as if he cared for none else and the best of the poor are little cared for by any but the Lord. Zeph. 3.12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. The rich of this world trust to creature helps but as the Lords poor know they ought not to trust in creature help so they have it not to trust to and therefore they trust in the Name of the Lord not only out of choice which is their grace and duty but out of necessity And what will the Lord do for them that trust in him not only out of necessity but choice he will surely take care of them and do them right Secondly Note God rights the poor freely He giveth them right he doth not sell it What freer than gift They need not bribe for it As he freely giveth them the Righteousnesse of his Son to justifie them so they have common right of free gift to relieve them Note Thirdly The Lord relieves or rights the poor speedily He giveth implyeth a present act and that doubles the mercy Note Fourthly God will always right the wronged poor He giveth imports even a continued act as he did it in former times in the dayes of old so he doth it at this day and will do it always As the Lord giveth right speedily so constantly with him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning Most men do right only by fits but the Lord is ever giving right Lastly He giveth right to the poor not to this or that poor man but to the poor Hence Note The Lord distributes right to all that are wronged As his Mercy so his Justice is not confined to a few but floweth out to all But it may be objected Why then are so many poor without their right If the Lord giveth right and giveth it continually and impartially why do the poor cry and sigh and groan and mourn why see we so many tears of the poor If they have right why do they complain I answer First The Lord giveth right to the poor sometimes when the poor perceive it not Psal 97.2 Clouds and darknesse are round about him Righteousnesse and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne When a man cannot see the Lord doing right yet the Lord doth right The Sun shineth when eclipsed or covered with a Cloud The Lord never ceaseth to right the poor though neither poor nor rich perceive how or which way he doth it Secondly I answer He giveth right to the poor even when they want right or when they are under the sorest oppressions by supporting their hearts in this perswasion that he will give them right The poor have right when their minds are satisfied that they shall have right There is no true Godly poor man in the world how much soever afflicted but his heart is or may be satisfied that he shall have right That 's a sure word Psal 9.18 The needy shall not always be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever And therefore we may pray with confidence Forget not O Lord the Congregation of thy poor for ever Psal 74.19 The poor may rest in this assurance while their troubles rest upon them that God will bring forth their Righteousnesse as the Light and their Judgement as the Noon day Psal 37.6 He hath right who believes he shall have it as he that believeth hath everlasting life in hope long before he attains the possession of it John 3.36 Thirdly Though we say The Lord giveth right to the poor both speedily and constantly yet he reserveth to himself a liberty as to
several of the Kings of Judah they were brought from the throne to the prison Zedekiah and Jeckoniah and Manasseh had such sad changes when they highly provoked God they came from their Thrones to the prison from a Crown to the cords of affliction yea this hath been the lot of many other righteous men exalted they have been brought to the prison and laid very low in this world Solomon saith of one Eccles 4.14 Out of prison he cometh to reigne and of another he saith in the same verse He also that is borne in his Kingdome becometh poor such vicissitudes and revolutions come over the heads of the children of men yea good men are not exempted from such changes and revolutions Therefore be not offended if at any time you see good men in chaines and fetters in a condition of great affliction Thirdly From the manner of expression When they are bound in fetters and holden in cords Affliction is set forth and described by cords and fetters Hence note Afflictions are grievous to the flesh Are not fetters so are not cords so The word here translated cords is several times in Scripture applyed to signifie the pains of a woman in travel those are most dolorous paines such are some afflictions The Apostle speaking of affliction in generall Heb. 12.11 saith No chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous 'T is no easie thing to be in fetters and cords to be bound in chaines Afflictions streighten and press pinch gall like fetters they burthen the flesh they are no light matters Though the Apostle comparatively to the weight of glory calleth the heaviest outward afflictions light 2 Cor. 4.17 yet first in themselves and secondly to our flesh they are very heavy Therfore we should pity those that are in affliction as those that are in fetters and cords and we should pray for those that are in affliction as for those that are bound Every affliction is a kind of captivity If they be bound in fetters and holden in cords of affliction thus it may be with the righteous But is not this an argument that God hates them surely no we read the mind of God towards them notwithstanding this in the next verse Vers 9. Then he sheweth them their work That is when they are in cords and fetters But did he never shew them their work before yes doubtless he did but then especially and effectually then he sheweth he declareth he makes manifest to them or he causeth them to see and know their work The word in that conjugation signifieth not barely to shew but to make them see understand and consider their work he brings them to a review of what they have done and to see that they have done amiss Then he sheweth it is a shewing with power an efficacious shewing he sheweth them their work What work this their work may be considered two wayes First As to the matter of it what they had done Till we see what we have done we repent not of what we have done how much soever it ought to be repented of as the Lord complained of Israel by the Prophet Jer. 8.6 No man repented of his wickedâ—esse saying What have I done Secondly As to the vitiousnesse or falsenesse of it He sheweth them their work that is either what they had done which was evil in the matter of it or what they had done in an evil manner though in it self good â—he sheweth them the evil of their work the irregularity the crookednesse and sinfulnesse of their work That this is the meaning appeareth plainly in the words that follow Then he sheweth them their work and their transgression that is that there is some transgâ—ession or fault possibly many faults and transgressions in their work Then he sheweth them their work Hence Note Fiâ—st Sin is properly the work of man That is of the flesh in man Gal. 5.19 The works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery c. Good is Gods work in us evil is our work against the mind of God Sin is often called the work of our hands Psal 28.4 Give them after the work of their hands render to them their desert that is what they have deserved by their sins Moses declared his fear and holy jealousie concerning the children of Israel in this Language Deut. 31.29 I know that after my departure ye will utterly corrupt your selves because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger by the work of your hands Idolatry is specially called the work of mans hands because Idolaters either worship that as a god or God by that which their hands have wrought Rev. 9.20 They repented not of the works of their hands that they should not worship Devils and Idols of Gold and Silver and Brasse c. Yet Idolatry is much more the work of the heart than of the hand And as Idolatry so any other sin whether of heart or tongue may be called the work of our hand it being that which is most properly our work though originally the Devils work As to pardon sin is properly the work of God so to commit sin is properly the work of man There is no work so much ours as that no work properly ours but bad work all the good we do is the work of God in us or by us Secondly Note Man doth not see the falseness and faultiness of his own work till God sheweth it him There may be many cracks and flaws in our good works which we perceive not we are ready to think and say All 's well we have done very well until God lets us see our work in his light in the light of his Word and Spirit and then we shall see cause to be humbled for those works which we were proud of and sometimes boasted in The Prophet Haggai 1.5 called the Jews to consider their ways they saw their wayes but they considered not their wayes and therefore they saw not the evil and error of their wayes As we see many of the works of God yet see not the excellency or admirable contrivance of them till himself sheweth it so we see many of our own works yet we see not the sinfulnesse vanity and folly that is in them till God shew it unto us he maketh us see our work as it is Thirdly From the circumstance of time when it is that the Lord sheweth unto man his woâ—k the falseness of his woâ—k the Text saith Then he sheweth them their work that is when they are bound in fetters and holden in cords of affliction Hence Note The badness or sinfulness of our works is most usually and most cleerly discovered to us in times of affliction then sheweth he them their work Josephs Brethren did a very ill work in selling him into Egypt and in putting off their Father with a lye yet they took little notice of this work for many years but when they were bound in fetters and holden in
from a great Pâ—ince the Duke of Saxony as I remember this came upon his heart I hope God will not put me off with these things with gifts from Princes I shall be hungry as long as I live if I have nothing to feed upon but what is of the World and poor as long as I live if I have no other treasure but what is earthly thereupon protested he would not be satisfied with the best things of this World though content with any thing Thus I say God deals bountifully with a liberal hand to some of his people especially This was made good in the former or Old Testament times when the promises went more upon externals as hath been shewed whereas now they go more upon spiritual and heavenly things yet there wants not examples of Gods dealing bountifully in outwaâ—ds with his faithful servants under the Gospel he hath caused that which was set upon their Table to be full of fatness This is the first part of the Application wherein Elihu acquaints Job what God would have done for him if he had carried it humbly as he should under his afflicting hand he had been out of his fetters and bonds before that time and set in a large place he had not fed so long upon ashes his Table had been full of fatness As in this verse Elihu applyed the matter to Job by shewing him how it should have fared with him or how graciously and bountifully God would have dealt with him if he had humbled himself as he ought and been duly affected with the afflicting hand then upon him so in the following verse he applyeth the Doctrine to him by telling him that the reason why he was at the present in such an afflicted condition was because he had not so humbled himself in his affliction Vers 17. But thou hast fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked therefore Judgment and Justice take hold on thee This is a home Application indeed he speaks to his face Thou hast done it thou hast fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked which is as a home so a very hard and heavy charge Take a twofold Interpretation of it First Some expound it I think not rightly of Jobs ill carriage in the time of his prosperity as if Elihu had reflected upon that Thou hast heretofore fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked and that First by a general ill course of life As Christ saith to the Pharisees Math. 23.32 Fill ye up the measure of your fathers some conceive Elihu speaking to Job in that sence Thou hast filled up the measure of the wicked following them in their evil wayes â—â—â—â—ium impii imple visti q.d. Optimi et incâ—rrupti judicis Offiâ—io desuisti impii munus et partes obiisti Cajet Sed receptissima vocis Originalis sententia est Judicium est non Officium Pined Secondly That in his Magistratical capacity or that being a Magistrate he had fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked that is what wicked men and their bad Causes wanted of weight and t uth of righteousness and goodness that he filled up by favour by accepting their persons and giving countenance to their wickedness Some charge him thus directly Thou hast done the part or Office of an unjust Judg when thou hadst power in thy hand thou wast defective short or wanting in discharging the Duty of an upright Judge but didst the work of a corrupt Judge corrupting Judgment to the full therefore now Justice and Judgment take hold of thee But as I said before this is not a right Exposition of the Text for Elihu never charged Job with a sinful course of life in former times or before his affliction as his friends had done though he chaâ—ged him with much sin in his carriage under his afflictions and it may be conceived that Job heard Elihu more patiently and equally than he heard his friends because Elihu dealt more equally and candidly with him than his Fâ—iends did he did not lay it upon him as if in the foregoing part of his life he had traded in wickedness but only reproved him for his boldness in dealing with and appealing so often unto God in his soars and sickness or because his spirit was not broken enough notwithstanding those sore breakings and sicknesses with which he was afflicted So then Elihu in saying this intended not that Job had fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked either by a wicked conversation or by perverting Justice in favour of the wicked Such a charge had been utterly inconsistent with the Testimony which God gave of him in the first Chapter of this Book Therefore Secondly Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked may be understood first that Job had gone near in his behaviour under his affliction to do even almost as Satan boasted and presumed to God he would do in the second Chapter that if God did but lay his hand home or closer upon him and touch his bone and his flesh then said Satan he will curse thee to thy face Now though Job did never in the height fulfill this wicked opinion or judgement of the Devil concerning him yet by his often complainings of and murmurings about the severe dealings of God with him and his not pittying him in his distress he verged upon it he came somewhat towards and much too near the fulfilling of that judgement of the wicked one and Elihu might say Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked thou hast done in a degree or shew as the Devil said thou wouldst if the hand of God were heavy upon thy body Secondly These words Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked may have this meaning Thou hast rendred thy self guilty of or obnoxious to that judgement which God useth to pronounce and execute upon wicked men Thirdly Thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked that is thou under the hand of God hast carried thy self as wicked men usually do thou hast imitated them in a great measure More impiorum causam tuam agisti impaticuter contra deum murmurando Sanct. What do wicked men when the hand of God is upon them they rage and murmur they toyl themselves and are full of the fury of the Lord as a wild Bull in a net thou seemest to have fulfilled this judgment of the wicked for thou hast been so far from humbling thy self as thou oughtest that thou hast stood it out and stouted it with God and desired a day of hearing Hast thou not in all this fulfilled the judgment of the wicked In the 34th chapter of this book at the 8th verse Elihu told Job that he had gone in company with the wicked that is that he had taken the same course with the wicked and as they use to do in the day of their calamity And that 's the meaning of Elihu's charge here Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked that is thou hast carried thy self too too like wicked men in the day of thy trouble Thus
the price upon any woâ—k and makes it worthy to be magnified As in some Pictures this â—ets a price upon them to say they are such a mans work the work of such a famous Artist the work of Apelles or of Michael Angelo So if we would magnifie any pâ—ovidential work we must say it is the woâ—k of the great God it is he that haâ—h done it the eye of our mind must look directly at God in ruling and governing of the woâ—ld While we pore much upon or stay our thoughts about second causes we cannot exalt the work of God though we call it Gods wâ—rk yet if our hearts hang about second causes the work cannot be exalted as his 'T is a depression of the work of God to put any thing of man upon it To honour the work of God is to give him the whole effect of the work As we then magnifie God when we look to him alone with a single eye as the end of all our works There is nothing doth magnifie God in what we do but our looking to God as the end of all we do Let our work be what it will never so glittering never so gay and glorious in the eye of the world yet if it be not consigned over to God it is a base and pittiful work if any man dedicates his work to himself he dishonours his work Now I say as it magnifieth our work when we make God the end of our work so that which magnifieth Gods work is when we look upon him not only as having an hand in it but as being both the beginner and ender of it If we take or give this to the creature that is sit down in this or that Instrument as the means by which we have attained our end or as the end of what we have attained we spoil the work as to God or despoil God of his work Remember this and this only magnifieth our work when we with a single eye look to God as the author and as the end of it Every work we see done is magnified and God in it when we look to God as the Alpha and Omega as the Author and Ender of it Nor is this true only in those works of God which he doth more immediately but where men act most and are very instrumental Let us therefore ascribe every work to God and that first in afflicting us such an eye Joseph had Gen. 45.8 It was not you that sent me hither but God that is not so much you as God saith Joseph to his brethren I do not say it was you though you were unkind brethren it was not you that sent me hither but God I look at him more than at you in that great affliction which was brought upon me by your envy and unbrotherly unkindness towards me Such an eye David had when he was under a very grievous black dark providence when his son rose up against him and when his subject Shimei cursed him even then he magnified that work of God by ascribing it wholly unto him 2 Sam. 16.10 The Lord hath said unto him curse David He magnified God in that great affliction by looking at the hand of God alone in it and passing by Shimei's both undutifulness and extream malignity He said as much while he tells us he said nothing in a like or as bad a case Psal 39.9 I opened not my mouth because thou diâ—st it Hence that reproof in the Prophet Isa 5.12 They regard not the work of the Lord nor consider the operation of his hand Secondly Let us ascribe every woâ—k to God in exalting us such an eye had the Church to God Psal 44.1 2 3. Our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their dayes Thou didst drive out the heathen by thy hand and plantedst them they got not the land in possession by their own sword c. but by thy right hand and thine arm c. Here is no mention at all of Joshua's achievements and famous victories in subduing the Canaanites c. All is given to God and he alone exalted for that exalting work That 's the first answer Then we magnifie the work of God when we acknowledge him alone both in afflicting and exalting us Secondly Then we magnifie the work of God when we beat out as it were and sift all the circumstances of his work as we say to the bran that so we may find out every perfection every glory of it when we do not only behold and see the woâ—k but when as direction is given Ps 48. We walk about Zion tell her towers and consider her pallaces that is when we do not look upon things only in the bulk but make an exact scrutiny or take a full view of every part We cannot magnifie the work of God by a bare beholding of it but by prying into every circumstance of it or by considering what excellencies and rarities are in it As we magnifie our sinful works in one sence we should magnifie our sins that is aggravate them not magnifie them to applaud them or glory in them but to make our selves ashamed of them as I say we magnifie our sinful works or what we have done sinfully when we consider all the circumstances of our sins as committed against light and love against mercy and goodness against the patience and forbearance of God against our own professions and promises against our experiences and priviledges all which should oblige us to holiness and engage us to a gracious circumspection in all our wayes and walkings lest at any time we should sin against God and grieve his Spirit So we magnifie the works of God when we eye all the circumstances of them and consider them as done for us when we could do nothing for our selves as done for us when we must have perished and been undone unless God had appeared for us as done for us when we deserved not the least good to be done for us as done for us when none would do any thing for us none caring for our soules as done for us when none could do any thing for us These and such like circumstantial considerations exceedingly magnifie the work of God A bare behold a transient look may discover no great matter but if we seriously weigh every particular we shall then see cause enough to magnifie the work of God Eliah 1 Kings 18.43 commanded his servant to go look towards the sea and when he went first he saw nothing but being commanded to go seven times he at the seventh saw a little cloud rising out of the sea as big as a mans hand but at the last heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain If we would look again and again if we would look seven times upon the work of God that which at first seemed nothing or afterwards no bigger than a mans hand or no bigger than a mans hand could effect and bring about will at last be magnified to such a
very mighty very powerful even clothed with an irresistible power and might And therefore if we take the Prophet David in 29th Psalm before mentioned speaking in the former part of it of the effects of Natural Thunder only yet toward the close of the Psalm he applyeth it to the Word of God while he saith v. 9. And in his Temple doth every one speak of his glory that is the Word and Ordinances of God ministred in his Church or Temple will put every one to acknowledge and speak of the glorious Power of God even much more than the mighty Thunder which soundeth in our eares or the subtil Lightning which flasheth in our eyes There is a far more royal power in the Thunder of the Word than in the word of Thunder This terrifyeth only to Conviction but that terrifieth to Salvation for after God speakes terror there in his Threatnings he speaks comfort in the Promises and when he hath affrighted us with a sense of our sins and of his wrath due to us for our sins as with an horrible tempest he presently refresheth us with the gentle gales of revealed gâ—ace and with the pleasant amiable Sun-shine of his favour by Jesus Ch iâ—t And therefore in respect both of the Natural and Spiritual Thunder considered in the circumstances and consequences of it Elihu might well conclude as he doth in the last words of this Verse and matter Great things doth he which we cannot comprehend We may take these words not only as intending the great things of the Thunder which indeed are such as we cannot comprehend but as a transition from Thunder to those other great things that God doth set forth in the latter part of the Chapter Great things doth he God doth the least things but he can do great things he doth great things Which we cannot comprehend The Hebrew is He doth great things and we know not Fâ—cit magna non cognoscimus Heb. which may be expounded two wayes First We know not that is we take no notice of them God doth great things and we are very backward to consider them Secondly We know not that is he doth such great things that let us consider and study them as long as we will let us break our brains to find out the greatness of them yet we shall never find it out He doth great things that we cannot comprehend The text is clear and the sense profitable in either Interpretationâ— he doth great things which we do not consider or he doth great things that when we have considered them and done the most we can we cannot come to the full knowledge of them Naturalists speak much of the causes of these things yet the clearest sighted among them could not see the bottom of them nor reach the utmost reason of them Great things doth he which we cannot comprehend Hence note It is both proper and easie to God to do great things He is the great God so great that doing great things is no weariness to him Tâ—e tâ—xt doth not say hâ— hath done great things oâ— he will do great things buâ— he doth grea things he is alwayes doing g eat tâ—â—â—gs and 〈◊〉 is a poâ—nt improveable for the comfort of the people 〈◊〉 God When a great matter is to be done we say who shall do it 〈◊〉 when we are in great troubles and dangers we sâ—y who shall deliver us If small matters be to be done we think we oâ— oâ—her men like our selves can do them but when great mâ—â—â—â—rs are to be dâ—ne we hardly believe that God can do them for us yet 't is all one with God whether the thing be great or little that is to be done if he please to undertake the doing of it It is questioned Amos 7.2 By whom shall Jacob arâ—se for he is small They looked to this and that creature and saw Jacob so small and low that they thought he could never rise again but remember Jacobs God is great and he doth great things this great thing especially to raise them that are low and small What-ever your condition is remember God is great and can as well do great things as little as easily make a world as give you a morsel of bâ—ead there is nothing hard to God He doth great things and according to the strictness of the Hebrew text we know not that is we consider them not we take little notice of them Hence observe The sons of men are commonly very slight thoughted about the great works of God When God thunders maâ—velâ— we know them not we lay them not to heart The Prophet Isa 5.12 sheweth how busie the caâ—eless Jews were in their miâ—th and jollity but they regarded not the work of the Lord neither considered the operation â—f his hands When God is doing gâ—eat thingâ— oâ—e man is getting wealth another taking his pleasure but they regard not at all or have very little regard to what God is doing Again from our reading Great things doth he which we cannot comprehend Note God doth great things that are beyond the greatest of our apprehensions such things as after all our study we are short in and short of As it is our sin that we take not paines enough to know the great things that God doth so God doth things so great that when we have done our best or after all our paines we cannot know them fully though we know their outside yet little of their inside though we know their effects yet little of their causes and contrivances To know a thing is to know it in the causes of it Scire est per causas scire to see the reason of it A man knoweth not the things that he knows till he seeth the reason of what he knows How little doth man know of or see into the reason of the great things that God doth How little do we see of the marvels that are in the works of God The love of God passeth knowledge Ephes 3.19 Though we labouâ— to know it and 't is our sin that we labour not more to know it yet we cannot it surpasseth all our knowledge And as that love of God which is the first mover of all the good and great things that he doth for his people â—â—â—seth our knowledge so the things that are the effects of that love to his people are so great that they pass our knowledge Hence we may infer these two duties First Let us be much in the admiration of the great things that God doth Where knowledge ends there admiration should begin It was a shame for a Philosopher to admire because he was supposed to know the whole compass of nature but 't is no shame for a Christian to admire there being many things not only in the â—pecial dispensations of grace but in the common dispensations of providence which he cannot know comprehensively the whole compass of which he cannot graspe or take in with the best of his understanding Secondly
19 20. 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 ELihu having in the former part of the Chapter rehearsed many of the wonderful woâ—ks of God in natural things beyond his reach bids Job reach them if he could or he invites Job if he could to give â—im some diâ—ection what account to give unto God about them p ofessing that he himself knew not could not tell what to say telling him alsâ— that he was much assured no man else could If a man speak s rely he shall be swallowed up As if Elihu had said Now thou hast heard the work of God thus at large discoursed I appeal to thee if any man know how to d spute or fault his doings as for our partâ— we cannot tell what to alledge or reply against theâ— because we cannot see the depth of â—is wâ—sdom nor reach the bâ—ttom of his administrations And so the whole context may contain an aâ—gument from the less to the gâ—eateâ— If we are ignoâ—ant of or can hardly apprehend these natural things how much more must we be ignorant of and unable to search into the secrets and reserved cases of divine Providence We know little of our selves how much less of God! That 's the generall scope and intendment of these two verses Vers 19. Teach us what we shall say for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness There is a twofold interpretation of the former part of this 19th verse some expounding it as a serious motion or a motion in good eaâ—nâ—st made by Elihu in his own name oâ— in the name of those about him that Job would give them counsel in that matter Teach us shew us what we shall say unto him as for our pa t s we are compassed about with so much darkness that we know not what to say fuâ—ther or more than we have al eady about â—hese matters from whence he would infer or intimate that much less did he or they about him know what to say more of Jobs matters or of the dealings of God with him Thus according to this interpretation Elihu seemeth to prosecute what he â—pake formerly I desire to justifie thee I would gladly undeâ—take the patronage of thy cause or find out a way how to acquit thee of all those rash speeches and impaâ—ient complaints that proceeded fâ—om thee but as yet for my part I see not how to do it and therefore if thou dost pray shew me Irrisoriè subdit dicens ostende nobis c. Aquin. Secondly And that more generally these words are expounded as if in them Elihu had put a kind of slight or scorn upon Job triumphing and inâ—ulting over him as his inferiour in disputation As if he had said Go to now O Job seeing thou thinkest thy self so wise and just that thou art able to plead and debate thy cause with God himself teach us who are nothing to thee and who ingeniously confess our selves ignorant how to resolve those questions lately proposed to thy consideration We are overwhelmed with deep darkness and have no hope to dispel it or get out of it unless thou canst give us light Thus I say the words are generally expounded as spoken with a kind of stomack or carrying in them the sense of a secret subsannation as if Job were moâ—â—ole to see than they all that were about him as if they 〈◊〉 and blind Age magistrum and he alone had the wit Now you that are so g eat a Master and so ready a Teacher come shew us play the Masteâ— and act the Tutors part teach us what we shall say to him But I rather adhere to the former exposition takâ—ng the words as a plain motion though not altogether without a mixture of reproof Teach us what we shall say If thou wouldest have us say anything in thy cause give us instruction An Advocate when his Clyant comes for counsel tells him if you would have me plead your cause give me instructions open your case to me that I may plead it for you thus here teach us shew us what we shall say give us directions if thou art able Job had said Chap 23.4 He would order his cause before God and fill his mouth with arguments pray saith Elihu give us some of those arguments now as for me and those that are with me we are utterly unprovided what arguments to use how to argue how to plead any thing for the justification of thy speeches and behaviour in thy affliction Therefore teach us what we shall say unto him The text is make us to know Teaching makes men knowing he that teacheth another endeavours to conveigh knowledge into him and therefore the same word may very well signifie to teach and make to know forasmuch as the tendency of teaching is for the beginning or for the encreasing of knowledge Teach us What we shall say unto him That is to the Almighty God is the Anâ—ecedent to this Relative he what shall we say to God in thy defence we would do our best our utmost if we knew how There are two soâ—ts of persons who call for teaching First Usually they desire others to teach them who are convinced or sensible of their own ignorance and would be deliveâ—ed from oâ— brought out of it Thus David prayed that God would teach him that he would teach him his Statutes Psal 119.33 66. The sick man in the 34th Chapter of this Book is represented humbly craving this favour vers 32. That which I see not teach thou me Here 's the true genius and desire of a leaâ—ner he would be taughâ— he is convinced that he wants knowledge very much or is very ignorant and therefore he would be taught But Secondly Some call upon others to teach them meerly to convince them of their ignorance and inability to teach them or to shew that it is a great presumption in them to pretend to the knowledge of such things as they call upon them to teach In this latter sense we are to understand this desire oâ— motion of Elihu saying to Job Teach us what we shall say unto him 〈◊〉 is what defence we shall make for thee or what foâ— our selves if â—e were in thy case or had such a mind to plead with God as thou hast exprest more than once Elihu moves Job to teach them knowing that he was not able to teach them or to let him know that he had not knowledge enough to teach them in that matter Teach us what we shall say unto him For we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness A faâ—ie tenebrarum Heb. In this latter part of the verse Elihu gives Job a reason why he and his fellows would though they knew he could not teach them be taught by him As if he had said we plainly and cleaâ—ly acknowledge that we are
Hence note What-ever stands in the way of our comforts God can quickly remove it When Clouds cover the light from us God hath â—is wind ready to chase them away and clear up the weather Never did any such thick and dark Cloud of sorrow and trouble hang over the heads or fill the hearts of the people of God but he had means at hand to dispell and scatter it or he could scatter it himself without means When dreadfull Clouds of danger looked black upon and threatned the Church of God during the Reign of Julian the Apostate Athanasius said It is but a little Cloud Nâ—becula est citò transibit a wind will shortly cleanse it away His meaning was now we are compassed about with fear and trouble but peace and prosperity will not stay long before they return This is true also if we carry it yet in a more spiritual way as to those Clouds of sorrow which often darken and afflict our minds in the midst of outward prosperity or in the clearest Sun-shine-day of peace that ever was in this world when these inward Clouds dwell as it were upon the soul the Lord hath a wind which passeth and cleanseth them away too What is that wind it is his holy Spirit The word in the text Bolduc is used often to signifie not only the natural wind in the air but that divine wind the Holy Ghost who is compared unto the wind in many places of Scripture and his opperations are like those of the wind For as the wind bloweth where it listeth we hear the sound thereof but know not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so saith Christ is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.8 And as our Regeneration is wrought by that secret yet strong and powerfull wind so likewise is our consolation The Spirit of God doth those â—ffices in our hearts which the winds do in the air As the wind dispells and sweeps away the Clouds which are gathered there so the Spirit of God cleanseth our souls from those Clouds and foggs of ignorance and unbelief of sin and lust which are gathered in and would else abide for ever upon our hearts From all these Clouds the holy Spirit of God cleanseth us in the work of Regeneration And from all those Clouds which trouble our Consciences the holy Spirit cleanseth us in the work of Consolation Some Interpreters expound the words only in this mystical sense quite rejecting the proper But though by allusion we may improve the words to this spiritual sense yet doubtless Elihu speaks here of the winds properly taken or of the natural winds and their sensible effects and so according to our reading this Text as it hath been opened teacheth us what sudden changes God makes in the Air. Now the light is shut up or shut in and anon it is let out again and all by the powerful hand of God who doth administer these things to us interchangeably as himself pleaseth Secondly The text according to another reading which others insist much upon and conceive pertinent to the scope of Elihu runs thus â—im enim non respiâ—iunt homines lucem quum nitida est in superioribus nubibus quas ventus transiens purgavit Translatio Jun For now men cannot see the bright light in the Clouds when the wind passeth and cleanseth them Mr Broughton translates clearly so his words are these And now men cannot look upon the light when it is bright in the Air then a wind passeth and cleanseth it And then the sence of the whole verse is plainly a setting forth of the excellency or superexcellency rather of the light of the Sun which is so clear and splendid that if the Air be but cleansed from Clouds if it be but a pure Air no man is able to face it nor his eye directly to behold it We behold all things by the light of the Sun but no man can stedfastly behold the light in the Sun no man can look right up to the Sun when it casts forth its fiery rayes and shines bright upon us And this some conceive so genuine and clear an exposition of the Text that the light of it may seem to obscure and darken all others Now according to this second reading the whole verse with that which followeth contains an argument to confirm the former proposition laid down at the 20th verse If a man speak he shall be swallowed up that is if a man come too nigh unto God and be over-bold with him he shal even be swallowed up of his brightness that it is so I prove thus saith Elâ—hu The very light of the Sun Nemo potest adversis oculis â—itidum solem contueri quis ergo ferat praesentiâ—m Majestaâ—â— dei Jun which shines in the Air is so bright and so powerful that no man is able to hold up his eyes against it And if so then from the lesser to the greater his argument riseth thus If when the Sun shineth brightly no man is able to look upon it then much less are we able to behold the bright Majesty of God or to comprehend his greatness This rendring hath a very profitable sense in it leading Job to reason thus with himself I plainly see by all that hath been discoursed that for as much as I am not able to bear the brightness which breaks through the Clouds nor the noise of Thunder of which Elihu spake before for as much as I am not able to bear the fiercenesâ— of a great Rain nor the coldness of the Frost nor the impetuousness of the Wind nor the violence of a Tempest for as much as I am not able to bear the clear light of the Sun shining in my face therefore surely I am much less able to bear the Majesty and glory of God if he should unvaile or open himself unto me Thus I say Elihu leads Job to an humbling conviction that he could not stand before the glorious Majesty of God because he was not able to endure the brightness of the Sun shining upon him If the light of the Sun the Created light be too excellent for mortal eyes then what is God the Creating light what is God who dwelleth in light who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all 'T is a Maxime in Nature Excellens visibile visum destruit A â—isible object exceeding bright dazles the eye and even destroys the sight And why was all this spoken to Job Surely to bring him upon his knees as afterwards it did to humble him to take him off from his frequent appeals or desires of approach to God for the debate and determination of his cause The sum of all in a word is as if Elihu had said O Job thou canst not see the bright light of the Air if the wind do but fan it and cleanse the Clouds how then shalt thou be able to dispute thy cause before God to whom the most glorious
light of the Sun is but a Cloud yea but as a clod of earth The next words carry on this conviction yet further Vers 22. Fair weather cometh out of the North with God is terrible Majesty The former part of this verse hath a respect to the latter part of the former The wind passeth and cleanseth them fair or bright weather cometh out of the North. It hath been shewed before in opening the 9th verse of this Chapter that the South wind ingenders the Rain and causeth foule weather here saith Elihu fair weather cometh out of the North. The North wind saith Solomon Pro. 25.22 driveth away Rain so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue The North wind blows coldly yet it blowes clearly it clears the Air from Clouds We render Fair weather cometh out of the North. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aurum The word translated fair weather signifieth gold gold cometh out of the North. Fair weather in its season is worth much gold and may well be called golden weather the Sun in such seasons gilds both the Air and Earth with his precious beams And I find an ancient Interpreter sticking much upon the strict signification of the Hebrew word maintaining that gold is to be taken here properly Out of the North cometh gold because saith he in the Northern Countryes through the greatness of Cold the heat in those parts is so pent in the bowels of the Earth that it more fully concocts and refines the gold than in other places Out of the North comes gold that is the purest gold But I conceive that was not at all the business of Elihu here and I find the Scripture in another place expressing that which is shining beautifull and precious by gold Zach. 4.12 The oyle which the two Olive-branches emptied out of themselves through the two golden pipes is called gold or golden oyle that is Lux quovis auro splendidior â—ez bright oyle pure oyle and so because the light of the Sun shining in fair weather is purer and more defecate than the purest gold therefore this Scripture expresseth it by gold through the North a golden cometh saith Mr Broughton Again Some taking the word gold here metaphorically for any pretious thing take the word North metaphorically also for any evil thing that is for any affliction trouble or sorrow which we meet with in this world these are indeed as a cold chilling North-wind and so they will needs give the sence of this Scripture mystically thus Out of the North cometh precious things that is afflictions which are as a cold chilling North-wind make us more precious or through cold chilling afflictions we are made more and more precious Job saith and this text may have such an allusion and I give it no further to that Chap. 23.10 When he hath tried me I shall come forth gold that is I shall come forth precious Whether God doth try us by the North or by the South whether by the heat of prosperity or by the cold of adversity if we are under his tryal and are faithfull we come out gold we come out more precious from our tryals than we came in The Apostle hath a like allusion 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Ye are now for a season in heaviness if need be through manifold temptations that is troubles tribulations and afflictions That the triall of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found to praise c. Thus Out of the North comes Gold or this precious thing a tryed faith That 's a truth from the allegorical sense of this place but I shall not stay upon it The proper meaning is Elihu would have Job and all men know God hath his several Climates or places out of which he sends and dispenceth fair and foul weather foul weather cometh out of the South and fair out of the North. Out of the North cometh fair weather The Hebrew word rendred North signifieth hiding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondit occuliavit hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 septentrio aquilo quasi abscondita quia sol ibi multo per annum temp re ibi non conspiciatur because the remote parts of the North are much hidden from the Sun a great part of the year being quite dark and therefore the Northern Climate may well be called the hidden part of the world Some put a Question upon those words of David Psal 75.6 Promotion comes neither out of the East nor out of the West nor from the South Here are three of the foure Winds specified and it is said Promotion comes from neither of them But why is it not also said that Promotion comes not from the North that 's the question I answer It were answer enough to say that we ought not to put questions curiously about such things it should satisfie us that the Spirit of God is pleased to say it is so and no more Yet some tell us the reason why it is not said Promotion cometh not from the North is because indeed it cometh out of the North which say they is intimated in the Hebrew word for the Nâ—rth which signifies â—idden or secret Promotion comes not from the East nor West nor South but from the North saith this Author it comes from the North in a figure or mysterie that is it comes from some hidden providence or secret hand which many take no more notice of than we do of the furthest part of the North. God promotes many in this world to power and sends them great prosperity we see not how or which way The causes and contrivances of it are hidden close and in the breast of God This also is a truth in that sence we may say Fair weather cometh from the North. Promotion is visible but the manner of it is a secret we see not the causes for which nor the wayes in which it cometh It is enough to touch these niceties and to touch them can do no hurt while the matter arising from them hath the clear consent of and is harmonious with other plain places of Scripture Fair weather cometh out of the North and as it followeth With God is terrible Majesty This is the Epiphonema the exulting conclusion of both these verses yea of Elihu's large discourse concerning the works of God in Naturalls As if Elihu had said All these things God doth and tell me then is not terrible Majesty with God in God or with God is terrible Majesty The word which we render Majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 celsitudo majestas a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem deduâ—unt quod est confiteri celebrare laudare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmach Ad deum formidolo a laudatio Vulg comes say Grammarians from a root which signifies to confess to acknowledge to celebrate because Majesty Greatness or Excellency is and ought to be much acknowledged confest and celebrated The word notes
naturally it is as impossible for God not to do justice as it is for him not to be A man may be unjust and yet be a man but God cannot be God and not do justly Seeing then it is his nature to do justice there must needs be plenty of justice with him And how severe soever the judgments of God are there is nothing but justice in them Justice Justice shalt thou follow was the command of God to the Judges of Israel by Moses that is as we translate that which is altogether just shalt thou follow Dâ—ut 16.20 As that promise of peace peace notes plenty of peace Isa 26.3 so this command of doing Justice Justice notes plenty of Justice Certainly then the Lord himself will do jâ—stice plentifully Justice Justice will he dâ— Take two Infeâ—encâ—s from this assertion First This tâ—uth is matter of comfort to and sweetly smiles upon the iâ—st that the Lord hath plenty of justice in him for then doubtless he will performe all his good words of p omiâ—e to them 'T is the part of a just man to perfoâ—me his word God is faithful to his word what-ever men are It hath been â—aid If you wâ—uld know what some men mean never to do then loâ—k to their promises Eorum quae appetebat ne qui quam prae se ferebat eorum quae dicebat ne quicquam facere colâ—bâ—t Suidas de Tiberio It was a very dishonorable Character which Suidas gave of the Romane Emperour Tiberius He never made shew of having what he desired or had a mind to nor ever minded to do what he had promised But God the great God is so tâ—ue and just to his word or promise that his people may take strong consolation from every word of promise Tit 1.2 In hâ—pe of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised No man could ever challenge God of any faylure in promise There are four things ascribed to God in Scripture which may assure us that he will be just in performing all his promises First He remembers them all Psal 111.5 Psal 115.12 Secondly He is unchangeable and in one mind Job 23.13 14. Thirdly He is the Almighty and ever furnisht with power to perform them Fourthly He is most faithfull and will not deny nor falsifie them Heb. 10.23 Secondly This truth hath a most dreadfull aspect and frownes terribly upon the ungodly and unjust That God hath plenty of Justice Justice enough to bestow among them all is enough to confound them all though they make a Covenant with death and with hell are at agreement yet their Covenant and agreement shall be dissolved Isa 28.15 16. The Scripture speaks Justice often to sinners specially to those unjust ones who weigh the violence of their hands Psal 58.1 2. that is who oppress with a kind of exactness who do not tumble it out palpably or in a lump but weigh it out now a little and then a little The Loâ—d knoweth how to deal with such cunning perverters of Justice and will at last make them acknowledge both that themselves had no justice in them and that himself hath plenty of it And who now laying these five considerations together will not acknâ—wledge that the Lord hath plenty of justice But the inference which Elihu makes from it in the close of the verse seems if nâ—t a kind of denial yet a great abatement of it for having said He is excellent in plenty of Justice the next words are He will not afflict This may seem at first hearing a strange connection will he not afflict how then hath he plenty of Justice Doth not God afflict who afflicts then have men the power of affliction in their hands or hath Satan the power of affliction in his hand Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground said Eliphaz Chap. 5.6 Saith not the Scripture every where affliction comes down from heaven or that 't is of God did not Job say Chap. 1.21 The Lord hath taken that is afflicted me by taking away my all of this world and doth not God himself say Psal 89.30 31 32. If his children forget my Law I will punish their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes How then saith Elihu God will not â—ffl ct I answer First In general Elihu speaks thus in answer to a doubt or to remove a feare arising upon the whole of what had been said of God For if God be such a God so excellent in power and in Judgment and in plenty of Justice then surely our case is very sad may some say who can abide to be neere or stand before such a God O saith Elihu feare not He will not affl ct More particularly I answer First Though God be excellent in Judgment and plenty of Justice yet it may be said he will not afflict because in some sense he hath not a will to afflict or he doth not afflict with his will that is he delights not to afflict he hath declared himself more ready to shew mercy than to execute judgment In one Prophet he saith Ex corde Heb ex animo libens Vatabl I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth Ezek. 18.32 and another Prophet saiâ—h of him He doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the children of men Lam. 3.33 This Pâ—ophet was there bemoaning the greatest affliction that ever befell the people of God yet saith he God doth not afflict willingly he doth not afflict with his heart as the word there is expâ—essed in the Margin when he afflicts it is as it were a work of his hand not of his heart yea a work that he would gladly rid his hands of What once that câ—uel Tyrant Nero said when he was to â—â—â—ne a Waâ—rant foâ— the Execuâ—ion of an offender O Quâ—m vellem nesâ—ire litâ—ras How glad should I be if I could not write my name This spake he possibly when his heart waâ— as full of blood as it could hold yet thus he spake to signifie a great unâ—illingness to afflict This is most true of the great God though he be a God of excellent power and judgement and plenty of justice yet he doth not afflict willingly he could be glad that he might never have an occasion to afflict that he might never be provoked â—o draw his sword no nor so much as to use his rod in this wo lâ— Secondly It may be said God will not afflict because he never afflicteth without a just cause his unlimited power never tempts him nor doth any passion transport him to a desire of taking undue revenge upon any he hath plenty of Justice and therefore cannot afflict but when he sees great reason for it Did not our sin call for our affliction were there not some great pâ—ovocation on our part or some profit to come to us by it we should never hear of nor feel his rod. The Apostle saith Heb. 12.9 10. We have