to cause him know himself 3. No man can free himself from being quarreller of Gods Righteousness except the man who is sensible of sinfulness and misery under afflictions though he cannot condescend upon a particular cause for which God afflicts him Thus Job takes up man to be a frail sinful creature though he knew not in particular wherefore God contended with him Chap. 10.2 that he may witness that he is not quarrelling 4. Sense of sin is an especial mean to make a man carry right before God under trouble Therefore Job begins with this as his chief Argument why he would not quarrel with God For trouble and terrour may crush and silence the spirits of men but sense of sin bows them and makes them stoop to God In ver 3. Job as hath been said amplifieth that Argument formerly insinuated taken from mans sinfulness We need not enquire who this He is that will contend and with whom For it may be understood both of God and of the man that dare offer to quarrel with him And in sum it cometh to this Man is so environed with so innumerable infirmities and sins that if he should attempt to enter the lists with God and Gold undertake to contend with him he could not clear himself of one among never so many challenges but should be as often condemned as accused Hence Learn 1. Man is naturally a contentious striving creature As here is implied he would be at contending Not only is he apt to be contentious with men 1 Cor. 11.16 Rom. 2.8 Hab. 1.3 which is a fruit of flesh Gal. 5.19 20. but he is even ready to quarrel with God in the matter of his deep counsels Rom. 9.20 of his Law and Directions Rom. 8.7 Joh. 6.60 of his Providences and dispensations Psal 73. Jer. 12.1 Isa 45.9 58.3 and particularly in the matter of denying his own righteousness Rom. 10.3 This we should look upon as the result of our pride and the ordinary root and rise of much of our vexing exercise whereby we obstruct the use and profit we might reap by our condition 2. Nothing will subdue this proud contentious humour in man but sin discovered and charged home putting man to answer Either the Lord awaking the Consciences of contenders with him or with men either and so putting other work in their hand and curing their idleness which causeth contention or permitting them to fall in some sin to recover them from conceit and security which make them so quarrelsome 3. The best of the Children of God are environed with innumerable evils and frailties which may humble them For there are thousands of them here See Jam. 3.2 These should be seriously laid to heart Psal 40 11 12. lest we prove them to be not infirmities but presumptuous sins They should also be watched over and observed in every step of our way and when this is remembered it will call for charity one toward another and to bear one anothers burdens 4. Our unrighteousness and multitude of failings must be of Gods discovering when he comes to contend For he must make the challenge and put them to answer This is not only true of the wicked Psal 50.21 and of refined Formalists Rom. 7.9 But even of Saints who with David may lie over for a time in sin without discerning it either in the Glass of the Law or checks of their own Conscience till God come and put the Conscience to it So little cause have we to lean to our inherent grace And when we are most tender and vigilant in observing our own escapes yet how little are we able to pry into the Law or our own Consciences Who knoweth the perfection of the Law the depth of his own heart and all his escapes See 1 Joh. 3.20 This teacheth us to be mindful what strangers we are to our own errours Psal 19 12. and that therefore we ought not to lean to our own verdict of our selves 1 Cor. 4.4 Psal 139 23 24. 5. Albeit a spirit of bondage under tentation may cause Saints restore what they took not away and subscribe to every accusation of Satan as a true challenge yet all Gods challenges are true whether we see it or the conscience take with it or not And they are challenges which no man can ward off or answer but in a Mediator Every challenge of God is in it self a sentence of condemnation as often as we are challenged by him so often are we condemned For Man cannot answer him even one of a thousand He can neither deny them nor defend himself but must succumb in that debate See Rom. 3 4. Psal 130.3 and 143.2 This may demonstrate their folly who will not be concluded by the verdict of God in his Word concerning them but do stand out against it or who being convinced do not flee to a mediatour in whom alone they are able to answer to their dittay Vers 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered The Second Argument confirming this Assertion concerning the Righteousness of God and that he is not to be contended with as unrighteous is taken from the consideration of his power and wisdom This is propounded in this verse and amplified and enlarged in the several branches thereof His power especially though not secluding his wisdom ver 5. 10. and his wisdom especially ver 11. In this verse God is asserted to be wise and mighty where he is said to be wise in heart which is an expression borrowed from what the Scripture speaks of mens wisdom where the heart is taken not only for the seat of wisdom Prov 2 10. but for wisdom it self a man of heart is a wise man Job 34 34. Prov. 6 3â— 19 8. in the Original So the meaning here is that God is singularly and infinitely wise and powerful And in this 1. There is a proof of Gods Righteousness supposed For he neither wants wisdom which might cause him err or mistake in any thing nor wants he power for execution to cause him fail and come short in any of his purposes as we see men of best integrity may miscarry or come short through want of either of those 2. There is proposed an express argument wherefore God should not be contended with He being so wise and powerful none will offer to contend with him but fools seeing they are not able to prosecute a controversie with him either by skill or power And this is confirmed from experience that never any who yet essayed this course found it thrive in their hand Hence Learn 1. A right study of the Attributes of God will prove a solid ground for religious dispositions toward God it will help faith to judge what he is doing and will do and teach us to expect that his operations according to his Word will be like himself and that our behaviour before him should be sutable to such a One Therefore doth Job recâ—â—r to
troubles yet it is God only to whom they go for ease of them For though Satan had an hand in Job's afflictions yet his recourse is to God for ease 4. As troubles lying on may give a sore dash to confidence and to mens courage in maintaining of their integrity See on Chap. 9.34 So trouble may so crush their spirits that when it is removed the very fear of its returning will dash confidence and discourage For Job would have Gods hand removed far from him We should beware to give way to crushing lest that be a crosâ— when other crosses are gone 5. As God may seem terrible to his own in trouble much more is he so to the wicked So this being too much dwelt upon may add to their disadvantages in coming to God For he propounds this as another caution let not thy dread make me afraid This calls upon them who would comfortably come to God in trouble to pray that God may not be a terrour Jer. 17.17 and not to entertain only terrifying apprehensions of God as a party to their honesty which he is not and Job mistook in thinking Gods terrour would not allow him to avow his integrity though it be one blessed fruit of trouble to be made so sensible of his dreadfulness as to be afraid to offend him Psal 90.11 Neh. 9.32 6. Whatever discouragements afflicted Saints find in their approaches to God Yet the more humble they are they will find the fewer For Job premits all those cautions to his speaking to God only when he is to plead with him in a contentious way as a Plaintiffe or Defendant whereas had he been more patient and submissive he needed not have apprehended either Rods or Terrour to affright him in his humble addresses 7. Faith and the Testimony of integrity will make a man very bold in great hazards For in this offer Call thou and I will answer or let me speak and answer thou me albeit his spirit did overdrive him Yet herein the greatness of his faith and courage appears that being sure of his own honesty he fears not guilt so he be secured against Gods Power and that he will debate his cause on any terms In this his miscarriage is not to be imitated yet it may teach men to be serious and to know what they are doing in the matter of Piety that so they may stand it out in a storm 8. Saints are very ready to miscarry in their dealing with God under trouble As here Job did For it is difficult under trouble to speak aright to God humbly and without reflection Mark 4.38 And as Satan may make a snare of mens real honesty to cause them miscarry in evil times by deceiving them with fair shews of good things or by their own presumption that they must be right because truly honest and godly So the testimony of a good Conscience may be ill to guide under cross-dispensations and the man that hath it being hard put to it may be so much the more unruly under the cross that his own Conscience doth not condemn him as Job was here And albeit it be their sin and folly so to do seeing the advantage of a good Conscience might sweeten all their trouble and it were a bitter ingredient in their cup to have an ill Conscience Yet such is mens weaknâ—ss in tentation that they cannot esteem aright their own mercies Vers 23. How many are mine iniquities and sins make me to know my transgression and my sin 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy Followeth his complaint and actual reasoning with God wherein he discovers the greatness of his distress and passion in that albeit his former desires and cautions be not granted yet upon any terms he proceeds to complain and expostulate with God And since God doth not call to make him Defendant as afterward he did he turns Plaintiffe and argues against Gods proceedings The scope of this Discourse as may be gathered from v. 24 25 26 27. Chap 14 3 6. and elsewhere is humbly to expostulate with God about his severe dealing with him to propound his tentations arising upon his condition and to offer reasons why he thought God should not so sharply afflict and exercise him His first Argument in these verses is taken from his innocence and integrity The Antecedent whereof we have v. 23. And the consequent v. 24. The meaning in sum is That being conscious to himself of no gross provocation or reigning sin which might provoke God to deal thus with him he desires God would shew him if there were any such whether more of them or any gross one for he alters the number from the plural to the singular vers 23. And supposing there was none such to be found he humbly argues against Gods deserting of him and by his deserting of him and the sad stroaks inflicted upon him dealing with him as with an Enemy seeing this was not agreeable to his way of proceeding with justified persons v. 24. For further clearing of this Argument Consider 1. Job is not here simply denying that he was a sinner for so he should lie and contradict his own Profession Chap 7.20 But he only denies that he was guilty of gross wickedness or reigning sin and particularly of hypocrisie wherewith they had charged him And this question is in substance the same with that Assertion Chap. 10.7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked Only the way of propounding it may be conceived with some reference to what Zophar had said Whereas he Chap. 11.5 6. had asserted that if God would speak to Job he would convince him that he had much more sin then himself knew Here Job puts the matter to God that he would determine that point debated betwixt them not whether he had more sin then himself knew for Job was too honest deny that but whether he had more or any of those gross wickednesses for which God useth to plague men as he did him 2. Job's Inference and Expostulation v. 24. upon the Supposition that he was no such man doth not import that he thought the sins whereof he was guilty though a Saint did not deserve all the afflictions that were upon him if God should proceed as a severe Judge according to the rigour of the Law But his scope may be thus conceived Partly He looks on God here as a Father who useth not to pursue such failings in his people in severe indignation and wrath and he looks upon his own sins as pardoned and therefore not to be remembered and therefore expostulates that God dealt otherwise Partly it may be conceived that Job did indeed fail in this reasoning For as he usually maintained against his Friends that God might afflict a godly man as he did him without any imputation to his holiness and righteousness and yet he expostulates with God about it here So he is indeed so hot in justifying himself against their imputations that he fails through weakness
to mourn and be humbled Yet it is an evidence of honesty when conscience is made of smothering them that they break not out in practice Therefore Job subjoyns that he gave no evidence of his hearts being deceived by laying wait at his Neighbours door 5. It is an unquestionable evidence of an heart over-powred by lust and proves a man to be guilty before God of a sin when not only there are inclinations to it but fixed resolutions to follow it and when he is so vehement in his desires and pertinacious in his resolutions as he watcheth all opportunities to fullfil his desires Therefore Job describes the adulterous attempts of those whose hearts are deceived by this That they lay wait at their Neighbours door which imports not only their endeavour to conveigh their design closely as Chap. 24.15 But their vigilant observing of all opportunities to enjoy their Neighbours wife This argues strong inclinations to sin when men goe about it with deliberation and take so much pains for these forbidden pleasures and it proves them guilty of Adultery when they set themselves in a sinful way to goe about it although they have not actually commited it From v. 10. Learn 1. It is just with God that mens sin be written in their punishment and that they be requited as they have served others For Job subscribes to it as just that his wifes Adultery were a punishment of his committing Adultery with other mens wives See 2 Sam. 12.10 11. Thus also doth it justly fare with Oppressours Deceivers and other sinners Is 33.1 2. It is a sad though a just punishment when sin is punished with sin either by giving up the persons who sin to commit more sin Rom. 1.26 28. Ps 81.11 12. or by giving up their nearest relations to bring dishonour shame and other miseries upon them by their sinful miscarriages For thus his wifes Adultery would be a punishment of his uncleanness as Absoloms rebellion and incest were the punishments of Davids sin If this were considered many who see no punishment of sin if they be free of outward plagues would find themselves sadly plagued of God even in that they are permitted and given up to sin 3. Unlawful lusts are violent and growing where once they get access For if once his wife grind to another others in the plural number will be admitted to bow down upon her 4. It is the will of God that men be modest particularly in their expressions about uncleanness For so much doth Jobs expression of his wifes Adultery teach us See Eph. 4.29 and 5.4 From v. 11. Learn 1. No other consideration will be so effectual or acceptable to God in restraining of sin as when men study the sinfulness thereof and upon that account avoid it Therefore Job subjoyns his consideration of the nature of this sin as a strong and acceptable motive to keep him from it 2. As there are degrees of sin so Adultery with with another mans wife when it is well considered upon will be found one of the most gross acts of sin and a very horrid and flagitious evil Not only because it is contrary to an express Law of God and is supposed here v. 9. to be committed with deliberation for these are common to it with many other sins but because it is a violation of the strict bond of a Marriage-Covenant it breeds discord and want of peace in families abuseth mens families by substituting a spurious issue to succeed them in their inheritance or possessions and breeds many quarrels among men Therefore it is here called an heinous crime See Pro. 6.30 31 32 33 34 35. 3. It is one proof of the hainousness of Adultery that in all ages and places even before the Law was written and where it bare no sway it was punishable by the Magistrate in all Societies which pretended either to piety or civility For in Jobs time and country who lived before the Law it was an iniquity to be punished by the Judges or an iniquity of the Judges that is which belongs to the Magistrate to cognosce upon and punish it Thus was it also looked upon by Judab Gen. 38.24 and in Babylon where the written Law of God had no place Jer. 29.22 23. And where this sin is not punished by a Magistrate God justly causeth a Land smart for it Hos 4.2 4. It is a great evil and a shreud proof that men have no integrity or at least that it is dreadfully over-powred when men commit even these gross evils which are punishable by the Magistrates For as Job made conscience of all sin that thereby he might prove his integrity so particularly of iniquity to be punished by the Judges So that it must be very sad and evidence a very sinful frame at best when men make no conscience even of most scandalous or abominable sins were it even of these which are abhorred among the very Heathen 1 Cor. 5.1 From v. 12. Learn 1. The sense of Gods anger against sin and his vengeance which will pursue it is a very special motive above the fear of hazard from men to perswade men to avoid it Therefore after his considering what this sin might produce from the hand of Judges v. 11. he subjoyns this as yet a stronger motive that it kindles a fire of Gods anger 2. Though some may commit Uncleanness and Adultery whom the Magistrate cannot reach and Magistrates may be prone to spare others yet God will be about with all of them for it So much doth this argument subjoyned to the former import Thus many other evils which men do not notice such as disobedience to Parents profanation of the Sabbath c. do provoke God either to punish them by his own more immediate hand or to give them up to other sins which will bring them under the lash of justice 3. Gods anger against sin particularly Adultery is formidable in that it is never quenched except the sinner repent and flee to Christ but in the destruction of the sinner For it is a fire or this burning lust kindles a fire of Gods anger and judgements flowing there from that consumeth to destruction alluding to the destruction of Sodom which was destroyed by fire from Heaven as a meet recompence of their burning lusts 4. As Adultery is justly punished not only with eternal but temporal consumption and destruction of mens bodies Pro. 5.8 11. their reputation Pro. 5.8 9. and 6.32 33. and of their understanding Hos 4.11 So particularly with the destruction and ruine of their estates Pro. 5.8 10 and 6.26 Therefore he remarks in particular that this fire which consumeth to destruction would root out all his increase 5. To shut up this purpose it would be considered that though this with these preceding were arguments to disswade Job from committing this folly Yet we see by experience that many are so madd that though they know and cannot deny these truths they are not thereby deterred from these wicked pranks
calling them what they are not or not clearly and plainly what they are This teacheth 1. It is not sufficient that men do right things for the matter of them unless also they be done in a right way and manner So much in general are we taught by his example who would not only debate for God but he will do it in a right manner Hence we find in the Scriptures frequently that not only duties are prescribed and enjoyned but the qualifications of duties and performances also That Love be without dissimulation and flow from a pure heart with fervency That men do give chearfully what they bestow in charity That Faith be unfeigned c. Thus the Lord distinguisheth hypocrites from others not so much by the substance of external duties performed by either as by the manner of doing them and the end for which they do them Mat. 6.1 2 c. Yea saving grace is not simply necessary for the simple performing of many external duties For they may be gone about by unrenewed men and by the strength of common gifts yea their very corruptions such as self-seeking and the desire of applause may fill their sayls to let them on work But to perform them in a right manner necessarily requires saving grace This may check them who silence their consciences with the external performance of duties only while yet they have never employed Christ for grace to goe rightly about them 2. It is the will of God that men be ingenuous plain sincere and down-right in the matters and cause of God and in dealing with men and their condition when they have a calling thereunto whereby they do indeed witness that they respect the honour of God and the weal of their Neighbour For this in particular was his resolution here and is the positive assertion included in that negative that he will not give flattering titles to man For further clearing whereof Consider 1. The meaning is not that titles of honour should not be given to those to whom they are due or that due respects should not be paid to men even when we reprove their faults or that reproofs should not be dipped in love For the contrary is enjoyned 2 Thess 3.14 15. 2. Nor is it the meaning that men should not use prudent insinuations to get in upon men with their reproofs Such as Nathan used in reproving David 2 Sam. 12. But 3. The meaning is that for the fault it self it should be plainly and sincerely reproved without mincing and without flattering of the person guilty And men need to be thus faithfully and freely dealt with because their own interests passions self-love c. do oft-times hinder them from dealing faithfully with themselves And as it is the duty of some by reason of their office thus to give a certain sound So all are obliged by the Law of love not to suffer sin upon their Brother Lev. 19.17 Yea and to rebuke them sharply as they have a calling and opportunity if it be needful Tit. 1.13 See Gal. 2.11 Hence 1. They are culpable who make no conscience of free dealing in admonishing one another As if as Cain said they were not their Brothers keepers But do either choose to talk of mens faults behind their backs rather than admonish themselves or harbour prejudices and alienations from their Neighbours and do intend them a mischief upon the account of some faults real or supposed which they never labour to clear or remove by admonitions See 2 Sam. 13.22.28 Or do reprove them but bluntly as Eli did his Sons 1 Sam. 2.23 24 25. with 3.13 Or which is worst of all do flatter men in their sin to their hurt if not to their ruine See Prov. 28.23 and 29.5 2. They are also culpable who cannot endure to be freely dealt with by others but do make it a quarrel if men freely admonish and reprove them Gal. 4.16 It is an evidence of love to admonish where there is cause and of grace to admit of it Psa 141.5 Prov. 17.6 Secondly Consider the impediment to this duty or that which might if he dâ—d not avoid it tempt him to give these flattering titles which is the accepting of mans person or face Job complained that his Friends had thus wronged him in their pleadings for God Chap. 13.7 8. But Elihu is resolved against this and intimates That in the debate he will not look to their age abilities goodness for they were good men nor any other adjunct extrinsick to the cause but would consider the matter abstractly and in it self and rather speak to the advantage of truth than to please and gratifie man It may be taken up in this one Instruction That in speaking to truth or errour right or wrong in persons Men ought as to pay all due respects to mens persons and other qualities so to abstract from all things in the person extrinsical to the cause and deal with it singly and abstractly As considering that otherwise mens authority and other by respects may be a great tentation to hinder mens faithfulness For here Eâ—ihu will not accept any mans person that he may not give flattering titles to man Thus dealt Paul with Peter at Antioch Gal. 2.11 c. And did not think it inconsistent with his being in his own esteem less than the least of all Saints and not worthy to be called an Apostle to withstand such a Pillar to his face And as truth should be dearer to us than our nearest relations and it should be owned against whatsoever opposers So on the other hand it is a character that men are declining in their love and zeal for truth when they have mens persons in admiration in judging of Doctrines or courses as is fore-told Jude v. 16 And men may be thus swayed in matters of Opinion or Doctrine by their respect to persons Either upon the account of good or evil that they may receive from persons of such an opinion and way and so they will be on their side and flatter them who have power to do them good or evil which seems to be that admiring of persons because of advantage Jude v. 16. See Prov. 29.26 Or they are thus swayed out of their ignorance and simplicity And therefore when they look upon men who are godly and it may be streight in other things they resolve to follow them implicitely in all things and do conclude that what they do must be right because they do it which is in effect to put them in Gods room Thus Barnabas and others were carried away with Peters dissimulation till Paul removed that undue respect that way paid to his person and eminency Gal. 2 11 12 13. To clear this point a little further Consider 1. Wrong is wrong in any person be who they will yea mens wrongs are the greater because of these respects of eminency piety experience c. which they usually doat upon who are misâ—led by their example God hath given that Prerogative to
upon himself and do in so far call in question his holy and perfect Nature and Attributes 3. Though God be unquestionably righteous Yet his dispensations may at sometimes be such toward his people as they cannot easily reconcile his justice in his dealing with the testimony of their own Consciences concerning their own integrity For as Job could not reconcile these two and therefore complained so often that the righteous God dealt so with him who was a righteous man So this gave the rise to Bildad's stumbling and mistake of him who judged that Job could not but deny Gods righteousness so long as he pleaded his own integrity being so sore afflicted by God This as it bewrayes our blindness who are soon bemisted So it points out a great tryal of a mans integrity when it should seem the righteousness of God in afflicting him doth contradict any thing he can say for himself and yet he dare not quit his plea. 4. The study of Gods sovereignty will solve many difficulties in the sad lots and sufferings of Saints For this it was which Job forgot in his complaints and which Bildad did not mind in his challenge against Job Otherways the studying of Gods sovereignty in afflicting will leave to the afflicted righteous man the testimony of his good Conscience and yet take away all ground of quarrelling Gods sharpest dealing toward him Vers 4. If thy children have sinned against him and he have cast them away for their transgressions Bildad makes Application of this Assertion concerning the justice of God first in this verse to the case of Job's Children wishing him to adore Gods justice in dealing with them according to their desert and not to prove himself wicked by complaining of so just an act He only propounds the case and that very softly and by way of supposition that his Children were cut off for their sins and leaves the conclusion to be gathered by himself that therefore he should not quarrel Gods justice in this stroke This he doth partly out of tenderness toward Job who was so sadly afflicted in the loss of his Children of whose restauration there was no hope and partly because in the following verses he infers the conclusion in a contrary direction concerning his carriage in reference to what had befaln him or his Children In this doctrine concerning Job's Children we may observe these mistakes and failings 1. It was his errour to assert that none are suddainly cut off as Job's Children were but flagitious men sinners against God and transgressours For God may exercise even his dearest Children that way as Job asserts Chap. 9.22 and is aboundantly instanced in Scripture and yet put a difference betwixt them and the wicked in the life to come Outward dispensations of Providence have been of old made use of to plead against truth 2. It was his failing to judge so uncharitably of Job's Children merely upon the account of their afflâ—ctions when yet we find not that he had remarked any scandal in their lives Uncharitableness toward others whether without ground or on light ground is a great sin and an evidence that we are but little sensible of our own failings See Luke 13.1 5. 3. It was his fault to be so cruel to afflicted Job as that he will not suffer him to regret so sad a loss or to bemoan his wants but he will charge that upon him as wickedness and a charging of God with injustice as the dependance of this verse upon the preceding cleareth that to be his scope here Many grain-weights of allowance must be given and will be given by God to afflicted and broken spirits Yet this General Doctrine abstracting from his mistakes and failings may teach us 1. Real guiltiness not repented of will pursue the sinner till it bring him under the lash of vengeance For this is of truth If men sin against him he will cast them away or send them away by the hand of their transgression as it is in the Original Their sin will be the Executioner by whose hand God will send them to the pit Thus sin will find sinners out Numb 32.23 and it will pursue them at the heels till at last it overtake them and compass them about Psal 49.5 So that a man is never secure be his condition what it will so long as he is under unrepented sin 2. The Conscience of sin and guilt should stop the afflicteds mouth and leaves them nothing to say by way of quarrelling of Gods dealing For Bildad supposeth that if his assertion concerning Job's Children be true Job should have no more to say against Gods stroke and therefore he passeth over the conclusion with silence putting Job in mind to be silent also They are indeed not sensible enough of sin who quarrel their afflictions much Lam. 1.18 Hence it is that quarrellers are oftimes left to themselves to fall in sin or get their Consciences wakened upon them to make them sober See Psal 15.4 3. Just and irremediable strokes should be digested with silence nor should our affection keep up quarrels about what we cannot remedy For Job's Children who were deer to him being now gone and that not only justly as Bildad thought but irrecoverably there was no reason nor was it to any purpose to continue his quarrelling and complaints Thus was Aaron silenced Lev. 10.3 In such a case the next remedy and victory is to bear our cross Jer. 10.19 and not to lose our selves by impatience Luke 21.19 when we have lost our beloved mercies by the hand of God 4. The Lord may so order the tryals of his people that what is their own tentation and fear others may make it an accusation and challenge against them For what Job feared of his Children in their feasting Job 1.5 which was the time when they were cut off Job 1.18 19. Bildad doth now charge upon them This is made our lot that it may touch and try us neerly when our own tentations and the accusations of others do so concur together And as sometime the Lord hereby trieth our humility and ingenuity if we will take a challenge from others for what we can be content to charge upon our selves So oft-times God makes use of this as a mean to drive his people from some tentations wherewith they are much vexed till by such challenges they be rouzed up to examine better the truth of those fears which do so much haunt and perplex them Vers 5. If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes and make thy supplication to the Almighty 6. If thou wert pure and upright surely now he would awake for thee and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous 7. Though thy beginning was small yet thy latter end should greatly increase In these verses Bildad in the second place makes application of this Doctrine concerning Gods justice to Job's own case And exhorts him that in stead of quarrelling what was inflicted on his sons or himself he would seek the right use
in the world and what they ought to submit unto if it be made their loâ— As 1. When they are in a settled estate and all things go smoothly with them they may meet with a breach and wound For he breaketh me and there are wounds 2. This breach may be made suddainly and violently as if it were in great displeasure He breakâ—th me with a tempest This may teach us to digest breachâ—s and find them more sweet when come on in a more mild and calm way 3. This breach may be made by many strokes reaching uâ— in many of our concerns in body mind goods fâ—â—â—nds c. and reaching each of them by stroke after stroke He multiplieth my wounds This may teach us when we are under calamity rather to be looking and preparing for more then quarrelling what is lying upon us and to account it a mercy to want any tryal which in probability might befal us and that one waye of trouble is not following upon the back of another 4. These multiplied breaches and wounds may come upon us incâ—ssantly not suffering us to take our breath that we learn to acknowledge the mercy of breatâ—â—ng times See also Chap 7.19 5. Upon all these sâ—d ingredients in the Saints cup there may follow the sad affliction of being imbitterâ—d yea filled with bitterness at and because of them See King 4.27 Hereby the Lord discovers his mercy to those who possess a quiet mind under trouble and calleth them to be humbled whose bitter dispositions he permits to break loose and so discovers what is in their hearts Doct. 4 In all these sad tossings of Saints it is their duty and advantage not to lose the sight of Providence but to see an hand of God doing all these things that they may be humbled before him who puts them in the furnace to discover their dross and may be comforted when they know they are in his hand who is infinitely wise compassionate and faithful Therefore doth Job ascribe all this to God He breaketh me c. Yea even his bitterness he looks upon it as his weakness which God will have for wise ends discovered See Lam. 3.15 5. Saints are also bound to believe that all their sad lots from God may consist with their being righteous and approved of him For notwithstanding all Gods terrible dispensations toward him yet he asserts God did them without cause This is Gods own verdict concerning Job and his tryals Chap. 2 3. The meaning whereof is not that God had no cause nor end in doing all this nor yet that Job wanted sin to deserve all of it if that were his meaning it were a most passionate and unjust complaint even when he is declining to complain or contend But that he was not guilty of gross wickedness and hypocrisie which are the evils which God pursues with his wrath This Job was not convinced nor guilty of and therefore refuseth to take with it And this teacheth godly men not to mistake as if sad afflictions did prove them wicked and were sent to cause them renounce the testimony of their own Consciences And it may warn the wicked who may expect sad things when such things as these are done even to the righteous 6. The strokes which are inflicted upon Saints walking in their integrity should humble them and make them afraid of gross provocations for so much doth the scope of all this argument teach He who was so afflicted being innocent could not expect that contending with God would prosper in his hand It is a very sweet frame of spirit when mens good Conscience under trouble makes them the more tender and afraid to sin though oft-times their corruptions and weakness over-drive them to do otherwise Vers 19. If I speak of strength loe he is strong and if of Judgment who shall set me a time to plead The fourth ground of Job's resolution not to contend is the same in substance with that general Argument v. 12. taken from the power dominion of God which he repeats and acknowledgeth to be of force in his case to keep him from contending The sum is as if Job had said It were madness in me to offer to strive with God For if I presume to do it by the strong hand he is strongest and invincible and I am lying on a dunghil like a filthy Leper And if I offer to plead by way of argument and law there is no Superiour Judge to set a day for pleading betwixt him and me to cause parties compeere to give security to me in pleading and to execute the sentence But he is Supreme Judge who can do no wrong and from whom there is no appeal Hence Learn 1. God is the Omnipotent and strong Lord for whom nothing is too hard and with whom no creature can grapple for If a speak of strength lo he is strong This may teach Saints to trust in him in greatest difficulties and when he maketh use of weak means of help 1 Cor. 1.25 and to stoop before him 1 Cor. 10.22 2. As God is Omnipotent and invincible in power so he is also supreme and soveraign Judge accountable to none and before whom none can stand in judgement by the help of any creature For If I speak of judgment who shall set me a time to wit to plead as is well added in the Translation For the word imports an appointing of a solemn time for any affair and here for judgment and pleading in judgment as the context makes clear 3. God is then rightly known and acknowledged in his power and soveraignty when it humbleth us and makes us stand in awe to sin before him for Job brings in those as an argument here why he will not contend with God Vers 20. If I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse The fifth ground of his resolution is taken from the prejudice that would redound to himself by his pleading himself to be righteous and perfect before God Which is not to be understood as hath been marked before of his righteousness by justification nor of his sincerity and integrity in begun renovation and sanctification For these and even this last particularly he pleads before his friends and before God also according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace But it is to be understood of perfect righteousness and sinlesness before God and according to the Law and Covenant of Works and of his pleading of this or any other righteousness to the prejudice of the Righteousness of God who afflicted him And so the meaning is as if Job had said If I should presume thus to plead my righteousness He could not only put my Conscience to it to make me condemn my self with my own mouth but that same very proud speech in justifying my self were sufficient to condemn me not only by reason of the many failings which God would find in the way of my managing my defence
family and estate Shewing that all things were turned upside down and that instead of Instruments of Musick whereof he made use in the dayes of his mirth nothing but sorrow was now to be heard in his family Whence Learn 1. It is not unlawful for godly men to use mirth and be chearful provided they time it well Is 22.12 13. Amos 6.5 6. and be moderate and do not place happiness in it Eccl. 2.1 2. For Job here implyeth that he had not declined mirth in former times 2. As Instruments of Musick are very ancient For the Harp and Organ or some such delâ—ctable and sweet sounding Instrument as the word signifieth were in Jobs dayes yea long before him Gen. 4.21 So they may lawfully be made use of in the lawful expressions of our mirth For Job made use of them in his dayes of mirth and chearfulness And beside the civil use of these Instruments they had also a Ceremonial use in the Worship of God during the Paedagogy of the Law and it may be Job made such use of them also as divers of the Ceremonies were in use even before the Promulgation of the Law at Sinai But under the Gospel though vocal singing be enjoyned as an Ordinance to be still continued Eph. 5.19 Col. 3.16 Jam. 5.13 Yet there is no Precept for Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God in the New Testament Nor was it made use of in Churches for divers ages after Christ But the Ancients do clearly declare that it was not to be used under the Gospel and that it was not used in their dayes And if men bring in one Instrument into the Churches which was used under the Law there can no reason be given why they may not as well bring in all the rest of them as Timbrels Harps Psalteries Trumpets Cymbals c. 3. Not only is the carnal mirth of wicked men justly put to silence and turned into doleful howlings and lamentations Is 24.7 8 9. Jer. 7.34 and 25.10 Jam. 4.9 Rev. 18.21 22 23. But even godly men who use mirth lawfully may be exercised with such a change For My Harp is turned into mourning and my Organ into the voice of them that weep So that men are not to expect that such mirth will alwayes continue And albeit such changes call men to examine their former wayes yet not alwayes to quarrel their former practice as sinful because there is a change of their note and song CHAP. XXXI This Chapter contains the third and last part of Jobs Discourse and Apology Wherein having declared in the two preceding Chapters what a sad change had befallen him now he proceeds to clear that notwithstanding all this change he was a sincere godly man For which end he describes and makes profession of his integrity in several duties especially of the second Table of the Law and confirms the truth of his assertions partly by giving an account of the reasons perswading him so to walk partly by imprecations or submission to punishments if it were otherwise than he asserted partly by positive assertions yet seconded by a tacite Oath or Imprecation insinuated in that expression If I did so or so partly by appealing to God and desiring to have his cause discussed before him v. 35. c. His scoâ—e in all which assertions is not to boast proudly with the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 12. of his own righteousness and integrity but to correct his Friends mistakes and perswade them of his honesty and integrity that so they might cease to reproach and afflict him any more and would rather pity him as an afflicted godly man For further clearing of this Discourse and his general scope in it Consider 1. It is not to be conceived that Job did place all his Religion and Piety in those things only which he here professeth to have been his study and practice But he mentions them only as so many fruits of his faith in the promised Messiah who alone was his righteousness and life And he insists mainly upon these particular practices whatever other religious practices were observed by him because those were proofs of his integrity in these matters wherein they suspected that he had been wanting when they judged him to have been an Oppressour a man puffed up with his prosperity unmerciful c. and proves that he was free of these gross evils which use to be remarkably punished in this life Hence we are not to conceive that Job doth here enumerate all the duties that are to be performed by a godly man though indeed he speak very amply and to most of all the Commandements eveâ— albeit he lived before the Law was given at Sinai for that were no easie task and it is not to be doubted but he made conscience of other duties also whereof he hath been giving some account in all his discourses and even in the former parts of this discourse he hath asserted his fidelity in his publick Office Chap. 29. and his sympathizing with others in trouble Chap. 30.25 But here he speaks abundantly to wipe off all these aspersions which were cast upon him by his Friends and others 2. As for his method and order in this enumeration of the duties he professeth to have observed we need not trouble our selves about it as if we were to conceive that either he observed the order of the Ten Commandements which were not then published on Sinai nor written on the two Tables nor is that method observed here or that he speaks of sins which he avoided in such an order as according to his growing age he might have been tempted to commit them as he begins at Fornication because it is incident to young men But we are thus to conceive that the holy man did enumerate them as they came to his remembrance in the discourse and therefore after it seems he was about to close v. 35 36 37. he vindicates himself from a new alledged crime which came not to be remembred till then v. 38 39 40. The Chapter may be taken up according to the several vertues and duties of holiness whereof he makes profession in this order That he was chast as to the matter of Fornication with a Maid v. 1 2 3 4. That he was sincere and upright in his conversation v. 5 6. And just and true in it v. 7 8. That he was free of Adultery or chast as to committing of Uncleanness with other mens Wives and lived in conjugal chastity with his own wife v. 9. 12. That he was moderate and righteous in his dealings with his very Servants v. 13 14 15. That he was humane and helpful to all in distress v. 16. 23. That he was no doater upon his wealth nor carnally confident because of it v. 24 25. That he was pure in his worship and free of Idolatry v. 26 27 28. That he was free of malice or a desire of private revenge even when he was tempted to it v. 29 30 31. That he was given to
Hospitality v. 32. That he was an ingenuous Confessour of his failings v. 33. And That he was full of fortitude in prosecuting and maintaining of Justice v. 34. Unto all which he subjoyns a desire That he may have a fair hearing with any Adversary before God v. 35 36 37. And closeth with a further profession That he was just and upright in his dealings with Labourers and others v. 38 39 40. Verse 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I think upon a maid THe first vertue whereof Job makes profession is Chastity as to a maid or that he was free of the sin of Fornication This he not only asserts but confirms his assertion by giving an account of the reasons which pressed him thereunto One whereof is couched in his very profession or assertion in this Verse and other express reasons are subjoyned v. 2 3 4. In this Verse we have 1. His profession or assertion That he was careful to avoid even thinking upon a maid to lust after her and that for this end he made a covenant with his eyes or keeped them as it were under a Law and firm resolution and endeavour that they might not wander after nor dwell upon objects of his lust lest otherwise they might prove a mean to poyson and infect his heart 2. The Reason of this resolution here couched Why then Or Why should I think upon a maid This Reason concludes strongly whether we consider it abstractly and in it self Why should I think c. That is I considered that there is no advantage and profit nor even true and solid pleasure in such a course and therefore would not follow it Or whether we consider it relatively and as it may have a respect to the covenant he had made I made a covenant Why then should I think c. That is being under such bonds and resolutions it had been a double guiltiness if he had suffered his mind to wander It is here further to be considered That he makes this profession of being free of uncleanness with maids not as if he had been guilty of other kinds of uncleanness whereof also he purgeth himself v. 9. But because maids when they were grown up and become marriageable as the word here imports were apt to have proven a great tentation to him especially in his youth and therefore he begins first to clear himself of that and that even in his youth he was kept free of that evil to which men in that period of their life are very prone And withall he doth hereby testifie his tenderness in that he kept himself from that evil which ordinarily is looked upon by many as a small sin In general from the scope of this whole discourse Learn 1. As true piety and greatness are not inconsistent so holiness is no reproach but an ornament to men in greatest dignity For Job the greatest man of these in the East Chap. 1.3 is a very pious and tender man Which may reprove these who because of their Grandeur do look upon piety as below them and must take liberty to prove their greatness by breaking the commands of God It also reproves them who are ready to look upon such accurate walking in any person farr more in great persons as preciseness and needless scrupulosity It is a very great evil and a sad prognostick to a Land when great persons are thus principled Eccl. 10.16 2. True grace being tenderly entertained will flourish wonderfully under many disadvantages For here we see a man hath so eminent knowledge and is so careful of the practice of holy duties even before the Law was written that he makes conscience of very small things Which may give a sad check to them who are more loose in times of greater light and those who lay all the blame of their many neglects only upon their disadvantages and external impediments 3. True piety must not be measured by mens observing of any one particular duty or other but it is a very comprehensive task of many duties all which must be made conscience of or at least a respect must be be had to all the Commandements enjoyning them Ps 119.6 For here Job proveth his integrity and piety by so many particular proofs and evidences Mens tenderness or seeming to be tender in one duty doth not warrant them to take a latitude to themselves in many other duties as many do put on a mask of piety in some things that they may walk as they please in many other things See Jam. 2.10 4. Such as would prove themselves to be truly godly and would have the testimony of a good conscience and be able to silence Calumniatours in a day of tryal ought to make much conscience of the duties of the second Table Therefore Job instanceth his integrity chiefly in those as being undoubted evidences of his piety and furnishing him with arguments to refute his Friends See Mal. 2.13 Mat. 5.23 24. 5. Where men have been and are tender walkers that will afford them a sweet cordial in trouble and when they are reproached by others For now Job finds it sweet when he reflects upon his former life that he hath so many things to say for himself It is true they who find after such a reflection that they have deborded much have yet a remedy if they goe to him who is exalted to give repentance and remission of sins Yet it is unspeakably sweet when mens consciences afford them such an ample testimony in a day of trouble that they have walked uprightly in the general course of their life Is 38.3 And for attaining of this men should examine their own wayes frequently and seriously that so they may be distinct in giving an account thereof as Job is here For confusion and indistinctness is a great obstructer whether of humiliation and amendment of faults that they may come up to such a testimony or of comfort if they have walked uprightly And men should remember that times may come when applause may fail them and prosperity abandon them which bear up many against challenges Hos 12.7 8. And that they will be driven to try what testimony their consciences will afford them without which they will be in peril to sink as here it was with Job And therefore they should be accurate and sincere that their consciences do not spting a leak upon them in their greatest storms In particular from this Verse Learn 1. Fornication is an evil condemned by God and which hath been hateful to godly men in all ages when in a right frame For Job here avoided it If we speak generally of unlawful lusts they brought judgements upon the Old World upon Sodom and upon the Benjamites Judg. 20. They draw men to other sins as Uncleanness drew the Israelites to commit Idolatry with the Midianites Num. 25.1 2. And they waste mens bodies and estates Pro. 5. And even Fornication is a transgression against the Law of God and is a wrong done by
sufficient to prove mens piety that they use some Hospitality even toward strangers unless they do it readily chearfully and so as may witness no constraint or unwillingness in the matter For Job opened his doors to the Traveller or toward the way to witness how willing he was to receive them and to wait upon them that he might invite and bring them in As men ought to be ready to every good work Tit. 3.1 So in particulars in their charity they ought to be ready to distribute willing to communicate 1 Tim. 6.18 And they ought to use Hospitality without grudging 1 Pet. 4.9 Verse 33. If I covered my transgressions as Adam by hiding mine iniquity in my bosome The eleventh Vertue whereof he makes profession the truth whereof he confirms by a tacite asseveration is Ingenuity in confessing of his faults when at any time he fell into them So that he was no fosterer of sin as a bosome-darling nor did be hide and palliate extenuate and excuse his sins but did freely confess them before God and before others also as the cause required in all the aggravations thereof and did judge himself for them While he adds that he did not thus cover his sin as Adam the name Adam may be taken properly for the name of the first man whose fall and the covering of his transgression Gen. 3.12 were not unknown to Job nor yet his own natural inclination derived to him by that fall of Adam to imitate him in the like course though by grace he was enabled to overcome that his inclination Or the name may be taken appellatively as the common name of all mankind who being infected by the fall of Adam do generally use to palliate and cloak their sins And so the meaning is That he did not act after the manner of men by nature in confessing and acknowledging his sins but acted upon a principle of regeneration whereby he became a new man Both those readings may be joyned together for as Adam first began so all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation do follow his footsteps in cherishing and hiding of their sin Doct. 1. As the most righteous of meer men in this life are not free of sin so they make conscience to remark their failings For Job had and can here tell he had transgressions and iniquity Whereby also he obviates an exception that might be put in against this Apology and vindication of himself as if he delighted only to found his own praises and boast of his perfections therein To obviate this he clears here That he asserts not his perfection and sinlessness in all things but only his sincerity in this his Apology and that he looks upon it as indeed it is as a part of a godly mans integrity and proof of his righteousness to be sensible of his failings 2. It is the mark of a godly man ingenuously to take with his faults neither denying or hiding them nor defending excusing or extenuating them For Job did not cover nor hide his sin or did not cover it that it might be hid and not appear at all or not appear in its true coloers As for the sins of other men it is our duty to cover them by endeavouring to turn them from them by admonitions Lev. 19.17 with Jam. 5.20 by forgetting and digesting wrongs and injuries in love Pro. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.8 by constructing as tenderly and charitably as lawfully we may of their failings 1 Cor. 13.5.7 by not blazâ—ng abroad their infirmities Gen. 9.21 22. and other the like acts of love But as for mens own sins Albeit it be not required that they should uncover all even their secret sins to men nor is it possible that they can distinctly overtake and enumerate them all in their confessions to God Ps 19.12 And albeit it should be their desire and endeavour to have their sins covered before God by a free pardon Ps 32.1 Jer. 50.20 Yet they should beware of sinful coverings of their own whereby they think to spare their sins or avoid the punishment which they deserve Hence Men should not conceal their sin as thinking it enough if they get them hid from the eyes of men as Achan did Josh 7.20 21. They should not deny their sin as Ananias and Saphira did Act. 5.2 8. They should not justifie their sin with Jonah Jon. 4.9 They should not extenuate their sin with Aaron Exod. 32.24 nor excuse it with these who are mentioned Luk. 14.18 19. They should not cast the blame of their miscarriages upon others as some father them upon Satan as Evah did Gen. 3.13 Whereas however Satan be a cunning and active Seducer yet mens own dispositions are the great movers in their debordings Others do blame others with whom they have to do as Aaron did Exod. 32.22 23 24. and Saul 1 Sam. 15.13 14 15. as many say they swear only because others will not believe them that they are passionate and do injuries to others because they provoke them and that they do such and such evils because they see others who it may be are better men than themselves do so or worse all which are but figg-tree leaves since we are bound to live by rules and not by examples and since no miscarriage of others warrants us to sin against God Others do not spare to cast the blame of their sinning even on God himself and his dispensations at least indirectly as Adam did Gen. 3.12 Thus many do blame ill times their poor and mean condition their callings c. for their miscarriages and debordings All these are sinful wayes of covering sin unto which this may be added That men knowing themselves to be guilty and not being willing to defend their sin should not cover it by not confessing of it or repenting for it as David did Ps 32.3.5 3. As godly men may fall even in gross faults and many of them So if they be indeed tender they will not think light of them especially if they should endeavour to palliate and hide them Therefore Job not only supposeth that he had transgressions in the plural number but he calls his transgressions iniquity Whereby he not only intimates his own tender frame of heart which made him aggravate all his miscarriages but doth further shew that if he did endeavour to cover his least failing this were a way to make it more sinful and even an iniquity Thus David speaks of an iniquity of that sin which he long concealed Ps 32.3.5 4. Men by concealing or extenuating of their faults do not only aggravate them before the Lord but do also evidence their great love to them For so much is imported in hiding of covered sins in his bosome that men do cover their sins because they delight lovingly and warmly to embrace them And so the words may also be read hiding mine iniquity in my love or because I love it In this respect the phrase my transgressions and mine iniquity will import not generally every
meekly stoop Job 23.6 and 37.23 Psal 99 4. We may hazard much upon him and stoop to dark dispensations when we consider how much is made clear unto us 2. There is nothing can make a dispensation intollerably sad if it speak and have a lesson to us nor is ouâ— condition hopeless so long as God is in speaking tearms For whereas Job complained of it as a sad case that he knew not what God said or meant by all he did to him Elihu gives him this as a comfort that God speaks or was in speaking tearms and inculcating some lesson thereby See Psal 94.12 Dispensations are very terrible when they are dumb and nothing is said by God under them as 1 Sam. 28 5 6. Which they have need to look to to whom neither word nor rod speak any thing 3. As God is still speaking by his Word to them who enjoy it So there are none of his dispensations if they be well read but they say somewhat to us and even those of them which are most dark and wherein his Soveraign dominion shines most have lessons in them if it were but to teach us submission For he asserts it as universally true that God speaks to man Thus all the works of Creation and Providence Mercies and Crosses do preach some instruction See Ps 19.1 2. Mic. 6.9 Eccles 7.14 And therefore we should not only see what God doth but observe what God saith by it as his Messenger Nor are we to mistake though it seem to speak reproof only and no comfort for if that be well improved it will produce comfort at last 4. It is nothing strange to see God say much when yet man doth little perceive it For that is the challenge here As for mens perceiving of what he speaks by the Word it will come to be spoken of in its own place v. 16. But as for his dispensations and particularly afflictions which are principally intended here and afterward instanced not only are they oft-times not at all considered Is 42.25 Hos 7.9 but read wrong when they are considered 2 Chron. 28.23 Jer. 44.17 18. And hence it cometh to pass that dispensations are but ill improved and the bad fruits thereof are but answerable to mens inadvertency ignorance or errour in observing of them Is 1.5 and 9.9 10. and 22.12 13. Hos 5.13 and 7.14 16. Now it is nothing strange as to see the natural man not perceive the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 So even to see godly men ignorant of or mistaking God in his dispensations like Samuel who ran to Eli when God called him as Job did here mistake perceiving somewhat but not rightly and because of that did miscarry Hence we find Saints made sensible of their own bruitishness in the things of God Prov. 30.2 3. particularly in reading and â—mproving the dispensations of God Ps 73.21 22. with v. 11 12 13 14. Now these mistakes ignorances and the fruits following thereupon may flow from those among other causes 1. An aversion to affliction or to the dispensation under which we are This so stupifieth and distempers some that when once that is made their lot they can advert to nothing else but are madded like wild bulls in a net Is 51.20 2. Inadvertency and levity of Spirit Whence it cometh to pass that men lay not their condition to heart Is 42.25 especially if the matter wherewith they are exercised be light 3. Selfishness Whence it cometh to pass that if dispensations do not nearly touch men themselves even though they concern the Nation or common interests wherein they are also concerned they do not lay them to heart Is 5.11 12. Am. 6.3 4 5 6. So that if the goad be not still in their own sides they are sensible of nothing 4. Idols byasses and unsound principles Whence it comes to pass that as the Proverb hath it As the Fool thinks so the Bell clinks or sounds that in his ears men do read Providential dispensations not as God speaks by them but as themselves are affected and according to the Idol of their own hearts Thus Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.23 and those Jews Jer. 44.17 18. being possessed with this principle That the prospering way was only right and approved they put a wrong Commentary upon Gods Providences 5. Ignorance Whence it cometh to pass that men run away from God because of some dispensations which he hath sent of purpose to bring them to him 6. Atheism and mens losing a sight of Providence in what occurrs in the World Whence it comes to pass that men read what they please in their lots and never enquire after Gods mind in them See Ezek. 9.9 and Zeph. 1.12 7. When men goe not to the Word and gather Gods mind in his dispensations from it they will walk in the dark and multiply mistakes For they to whom chastenings are blessed must be taught out of the Law Ps 94.12 8. Men do oft-times involve themselves in darkness and mistakes because they make use of false Perspectives in reading Gods dispensations Thus many do look upon their lots as their passion and pride and the conscience of their own ill deservings do represent them unto them Yea they look more to what the dispensation saith or is like to produce of it self than to what God saith or will do by it 9. While men do not consider that God speaks divers lessons by one dispensation as in Jobs case God preached both submission to his Soveraignty and humiliation for sin thereby and frequently humiliation and comfort may be designed in one and the same dispensation they do lose or neglect one part or other of their lesson From all this we may gather That men should be humbled for these causes of their mistakes That they should employ God much for light to help them to understand his dispensations otherwise they will wander and That they should make much use of the Word which only is the true Commentary to expound dispensations Fourthly Consider this Argument as it is amplified and the challenge aggravated from this consideration That God condescends to speak once yea twice or frequently and yet man comes no better speed in perceiving of it It teacheth 1. It proclaims the Lords great condescendence and kindness that he doth not take neglecters of means of instruction at their first word but followeth them with mean after mean and with frequent renewing of the means to cause them learn their lesson and receive instruction For he not only speaketh once but yea twice where a certain number is put for an uncertain importing that he speaks frequently See Is 28.13 Ps 62.11 It is great mercy that God who is not bound to any speaks if it were but once and men should be afraid to neglect the very first admonition Heb. 3.7 8. seeing they have no assurance that after he hath spoken once he will speak any more and the way of propounding this here first once then twice or the second time imports that