is under the hand of God when God hath him fast in his fetters his wrath doth boyl his fury comes up in his face as it is said Ezek. 38.18 concerning the wrath of God towards his enemies this fully answers that assertion of Eliphaz Job 5.2 Wrath killeth the foolish man What wrath his own wrath he kills himself with vexing and fretting The hypocrite in heart is a wrathfull man when things go not right with him Some have so expounded that Eph. 2.3 Ye were by nature children of wrath even at others Children of wrath that is wrathfull children we are full of wrath full of anger by nature Though I do not take that to be the sense of the Apostle but that by children of wrath he means all men as borne under the wrath of God nor do I conceive this the proper meaning here though not unusefull They heap up wrath that is they grow angry vexed and troubled But Secondly Rather the wrath heaped up is the wrath of God which is the most dreadfull thing in the world and so these words may be expounded by those of the Apostle to an impenitent sinner Rom. 2.4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God To heap up wrath and to treasure up wrath are the same The abusers of the patience and long-suffering of God are treasuring up wrath against themselves from day to day and so do the hypocrites in heart They heap up wrath Hence Note First The wicked or hypocrites in heart grow more wicked while the hand of God his afflicting hand is upon them The more they are under the rod the more they rebell I ground it upon this If they did not heap up sin they should not heap up wrath were they not more vile wicked under their affliction there would not be more anger against them It was said of those that would have brought in the captives which was a very oppressing purpose 2 Chro. 28.13 ye shall not for Whereas we have effended against the Lord already ye intend to add more to our sins to our trespasse Then presently followeth For our trespasse is great and there is fierce wrath against Israel As if it had been said If ye do this thing ye will increase the wrath of God which is very fierce already and blow it up into a consuming flame While men grow more and more wicked and vile God groweth as to the manifestations of wrath more wrathfull When we hear of the increase of wrath we may be sure there hath been a proportionable increase of sin It is said of Ahaz who was a hypocrite in heart a very prophane person 2 Chron. 28.22 that in the time of his distresse he trespassed yet more against the Lord and trespassing more against the Lord he heaped up more of the Lords wrath against himself For 't is added v. 23. He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which smote him he got nothing but blows for his paines or impious piety in serving them And he said because the gods of the Kings of Syria help them therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me But what got he by this encrease of his sin Surely nothing but an encrease of wrath for it followeth in the same verse They were the ruine of him and of all Israel God makes new rods when men make new sins and he multiplyeth swords while men multiply transgressions The more men draw iniquity with cords of vanity the more they draw misery upon themselves and are held the faster in the cords of affliction Secondly When 't is said The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath We know hypocrites are cunning gamesters they hope to sin so closely and artificially that no hurt shall ever come to them by it yet The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath Hence Note The wiles and policies of hypocrites will availe them nothing They shall not avoyd wrath do what they can the Lord will find them out The Apostle saith Gal. 6.7 God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Let hypocrites in heart sow as cunningly as they can though they seem to sow only good seed yet they shall reap bad fruit because they sowed with a bad heart Hypocrites may deceive men and heap up their favours to themselves but they cannot deceive God who knows their hearts and will therefore consume them in his wrath which they have heaped up to themselves Thirdly Elihu puts it upon hypocrites in heart to be at this work of heaping up wrath All impenitent sinners do it but he puts it upon them especially All sinners open professed sinners that sin and hide it not that throw up even the very name and profession of Religion these all heap up wrath yet they heap up most and are here spoken of as the only helpers up of wrath who are hypocrites in heart Hence Note God is extreamly angry with hypocrites or the wrath of God doth burn extreamly hot against hypocrites He heats the Furnace of his wrath seven times hotter for hypocrites in heart than for ordinary sinners The Lord Isa 10.5 speaking of the Assyrian saith The staff in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoyle and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets The Lord put a staff in the hand of that great King of Assyria and he called it his indignation it was the Lords indignation which was a staff in the Assyrians hand But against whom will he send it That text answers against an hypocriticall Nation Who are they the people of his wrath God hath wrath for all sinners but the generation of hypocrites are the people of his wrath beyond all other people None abuse God like hypocrites For first hypocrites carry it towards God as if he were like the Idols of the Heathen that have eyes and see not ears and hear not hands and handle not feet and cannot walk That is they carry it towards God as if he were but an Idol satisfied with meer outward shews and services An Idol sinds no fault nor troubles any for their hypocrisie and false-heartedness All that is required in the Idols service is but outside and bodily exercise Thus the hypocrites deal with God as if he also would be satisfied and taken up with a little outside service or as if sacrifice would please him when his word is disobeyed 1 Sam. 15.23 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings
God what he is he ever was and ever will be there is neither encrease nor diminution of his strength But because things which are alwayes encreasing grow to a huge bigness and strength therefore he is said to encrease in strength or as our translation imports to excel in power He that excels in power is excellent in power The word rendred power implieth the power of doing the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of activity a power put forth in working he is excellent in power that is in ability to do whatsoever he pleaseth and when 't is said he is excellent in power in this kind of power iâ— notes that the power of God in doing doth wonderfully excel all thaâ— ever he hath done Ejus virtus in infinitum excedit omnes effectus suos Aquin. The effects or acts of the power of God are nothing as I may say to the faculty of his Power he can do more than he hath done He is so far from having over-acted himself I mean from having done more than he can do again which hath been the case of many mighty men and may be the case of any man how mighty a doer soever he is that he can do infinitely more than he hath done if he himself pleaseth he is excellent in power or of excelling power I have as was lately said opened this point of the power of God in other places of this Book whither I refer the Reader yet taking the power of God as the word is properly here intended for his working power Note The working power of God is excellent so excellent that it exceeds the apprehension of man There is a two-fold power of God and in both he is excellent First His commanding power his power of Soveraignty or Authority that 's a most excellent power 't is a power over all whether things or persons Secondly His power of working or effecting that which he commands Some have a power of commanding yet want a power of working they want a power to effect that which they command but whatsoever God hath a mind to command he hath an hand to effect and bring it about he can carry on his work through all the difficulties and deficiencies which it meets with in or by the creature He can do his woâ—k though there be none to help him in it though all forsake him and with-draw from his work yea he often worketh though there be not so much as an Intercessor to move him to work Isa 59.16 He saw that there was no man to do any thing and wondered that there was no Intercessor to entreat him to do somewhat for them Things were in a great exigency and there was not only no man that would put forth a hand but there was no man that would bestow a word for redress no man would bespeak either God or men for help What then must the work stand still or miscarry no saith the text His own arm brought salvation unto him that is set it ready at hand for him to bestow upon his people or his own arm brought that salvation to his people which they greatly needed and he graciously intended though he had not the contribution of a word towards it from any creature here below one or other God alone is self-sufficient and to man All-sufficient Such is the working power of God that he can work not only when he hath but a little help but when he hath no help at all Secondly The excellency of the woâ—king power of God appears in this that he can and will pâ—oduce the desired effect and bring his work to pass though many though all men oppose it and rise up against it though they set both heart and hand wit and will power and pollicy to cross yea to crush it The Lord is so excellent in power that he both can and will do his work through all opposition though mountains stand in his way though rocks stand in his way he will remove them or work through them Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it Neither strength nor craft neither multitude nor magnitude neither the many nor the mighty can lett it if the Lord undertake it Take a double Inference from this First 'T is matter of great comfort to all that fear God in their weakest condition and lowest reducements when they are fatherless and have none to help them As the Lord is excellent in his woâ—king power so he usually takes that time yea stayes that time till his servants are under the greatest disadvantages till they are at worst before he will put forth his power and work The Apostle saith of himself 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong that is then have I the strength of the Lord coming into my help And as it is with respect to particular persons so to the whole generation of his children when they are weak then are they strong that is then they have the strong God the God excellent in power appearing and working for them Secondly This alâ—o is a sad word to all that stand in the way of Gods working power His working power quickly works through all power and can work it down Babylon is a mighty powerful enemy but Rev. 18.8 we read of the downfal of Babylon and that her ruine shall come as in one day But how shall this be effected The answer is given in the close of the verse For strong is the Lord God which Judgeth her Suppose there should be no power in the world strong enough to pull down Babylon yea suppose all the powers in the woâ—ld should stand up foâ— Babylon 't is otherwise prophesied for the Kings of the earth shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and eate her flesh and burn her with fire but suppose I say all earthly power should appear for rather than against Babylon yet this is enough for us to rest in strong is the Lord which Judgeth her He is excellent in power and as it followeth In Judgment This comes in lest any should think because God is so excelent in power so mighty in strength that therefore he would carry things by violence or by meer force as the sons of men the mighty Nimrods of the world somtimes do If they have strength and power to do such or such things they regard not Judgment nor Justice they look not whether right or wrong therefore Elihu when he had said God is excellent in power presently adds and in Judgment As if he had said Though the Lord excel all in power and is able to crush the mightyest as a moth yet he will not oppress any by his power the worst of men shall find the Lord as much in judgment and righteousness as he is in strength and power And therefore O Job be assured God hath not done thee any wrong nor ever will This I conceive to be the scope of Elihu in the connexion of these two
in heart of two sâ—rts 645. In what seâ—ce God respâ—cteth not any that are wiâ—e 645 646. G d regardâ—th nâ—t the â—iâ—est men who do not fear him 646. The wi est men cannot hinder the Câ—uâ—sels of Gâ—d by their wisdom and pâ—licy 647. Thoughts of the wiâ—â— va n in two respects 648. None â—ise by nature nor are any erfectly wiâ—e in this world though they have grace 649 Wisdome how ascribed to the Fowls of the Air. 77. The Wisdome of Fâ—wls c. is of God 78. Wisdome of God wherein the strength of it consists 175. How God is only wise 177 178. Wisdome practical what 177. Six Inferences from the Wisdome of God 179 180 Wishes we apt to make strange wishes in times of distress 315 Words rash words turned against the Speaker 12. Sharp words somtimes most profitable 13. Word of God how like Rain 397 398. Word of God preached how like thunder shewed in five things 444. When the Word of God is duly attended shewed in three things 445 Three degrees of the Words coming to us 445 446. Word of God how it may be said to be dark 586 Wo ks of God in Nature to be exactly considered especially the Heavens 26. Some works of God beyond our apprehension 466. Two Inferences from it 467. Men slow to consider the works of God 480. God would have all men study his works 480 God stops men in their work that they may consider his works 481 Works of God of all sorts to be considered 529 530. How the works of God are to be considered shewed four wayes 531. Inference from it 532. The common and ordinary works of God are full of wonder 533 Works good works how profitable to our selves and others 52 5â— Work ours shewed us by God in affliction in a two-fold respect 223. Sin is properly our work 224. The faultiness of our work most clearly discovered in affliction 225. Works of God of all sorts are to be magnified 351. Works of Gâ—d visible or invisible 353. Men apt to forget and have low apprehensions of the works of God 356. It is our duty to magnifie the works of God 358. How they are magnified shewed five wayes 359 360. The Ends of God in any wo k much to be eyed 363. What those Ends are 364 365 Woâ—ld a godly man is content with a little of but not satisfied with all the world 288 Worldly comforts and mercies may soon meet with a st p. 419 Wrath of God what and where 296. Wrath appears in works of Judgement 297. We should by all means beware of the wrath of God 298. Wrath of God a fire infinitely more dreadful than fire 299 Y Years the measure of mans Life not of Gods 377. The word in Hebrew signifieth changes and why 377 Youth to die in youth what shewed three wayes 269. A TABLE OF Those Scriptures which are occasionally cleared and briefly illustrated in the fore-going EXPOSITIONS The First Number directs to the Chapter the Second to the Verse the Third to the Page of the BOOK Chap. Vers Page  Genesis  1. 6. 402. 2. 1 2. 241. 2. 16. 418. 7. 11. 393. 9. 12 13. 545. 15. 16. 191. 16. 14. 204. 21. 6. 119. 22. 14. 205. 25. 8. 273. 27. 33. 435. 27. 36. 459. 31. 29. 60. 37. 11. 117. 38. 26. 9. 45. 8. 360. 49. 20. 243.  Exodus  1. 17. 187. 4. 17. 515. 4. 43. 238. 5. 8. 200. 9. 16. 184. 14. 11. 122. 15. 11. 6â—1 18. 21. 109. 18. 22. 187. 20. 4 5. 119. 32. 25. 559. 38. 8. 570.  Leviticus  25. 21. 519. 26. 41. 327.  Numbers  9. 7. 387. 14. 17. 185. 16. 45. 241. 16. 46. 297. 17. 2. 514. 23. 14. 172. 32. 23. 513.  Deuteronomy  4. 2. 387. 5. 24. 593. 11. 12. 205. 16. 20. 629. 19. 5. 452. 28. 23. 390. 28. 24. 392. 29. 29. 176. 31. 29. 224. 32. 15. 448. 32. 31. 4. 32. 34. 427. 33. 2. 540.  Judges  9. 23. 563.  Ruth  1. 6. 119. 2. 1. 58.  I Samuel  1. 6. 457. 2. 3. 175 109. 12. 6. 64. 15. 23. 263. 22. 8. 230.  II Samuel  15. 31. 647. 16. 10. 360. 23. 15. 241. 24. 14. 283.  I Kings  2. 4. 318. 20. 28. 453. 22. 34. 45â— Â II Kings  3. 17. â—91 4. 2. 501.  I Chron.  12. 32. 428. 16. 25. 36â— 29. 10 16. 42.  II Chron.  20. 12. 282. 28. 13 22. 261. 31. 20 21. 616.  Job  9. 23. 302 14. 10. 15. 14. 21. 7. 188. 21. 25. 243.  Psalms  2. 1 2. 31. 2. 3. 221. 2. 12. 298. 7. 3. 195. 8. 3 4. 27. 9. 9. 336. 10. 3. 173. 10. 16. 380. 11. 4. 203. 12. 5. 196. 14. 2. 649. 16. 3. 42. 16. 7. 73. 17. 3. 72. 17. 13 14. 516. 18. 11. 408. 18. 41. 90. 25. 10. 11. 25. 11. 372. 29. 1 2 3 4 c. 461 462 30. 4. 125. 31. 6 7. 281. 31. 15. 379. 31. 23. 627. 32. 5. 615. 32. 7. 111. 32. 9. 83. 36. 4. 322. 36. 8. 286. 39. 5. 178. 42. 8. 72. 46. 10. 5â—8 49. 20. 81. 51. 3 4. 147. 51. 4. 412. 51. 15. 183. 52. 1. 173 60. 55. 23. 192. 5â— 1. 484. 58. 1 2. 630. 66. 3. 371. 66. 18. 322 95. 68. 8 9. 38â— 69. 33. 268. 72. 6. 397. 73. 1. 363 11. 73. 13. 18. 75. 6. 605. 77. 6. 72. 77. 19. 616. 78. 8 32. 365. 80. 1. 541. 81. 11. 331. 81. 16. 287. 84. 11. 189. 90. 11. 127 185 298. 92. 6. 353. 99. 12. 339. 102. 14. 31â— 102. 17. 96. 10â— 25 â—6 377. 103. 10. 116. 104. 34 35. 104. 106. 7. 12â— 107. 42. 9â— 13. 111. 2 7. 32. 111. 2 4. 358. 115. 3. 161. 116. 12. 43. 126. 4. 249 488. 130. 3. 117. 136. 2. 511. 138. 6. 90. 146. 3 4. 380. 147. 15 16. 472. 147. 18. 499. 150. 2. 369.  Proverbs  1. 32. 625. 6. 6. 83. 6. 12 13. 203. 10. 22. 285. 15. 29. 89. 16. 2. 552. 16. 3. 18â— â—0 12. 231. 21. 18. 302 21. 17. 244. 21. 27. 229 258. 21. 3â— 179. 22. 3. 427. 25. 13. 470. 25. 23. 491. 25. 27. 592 26. 1. 469. 28. 3. 59. 30. 4 40â— 31. 31. 356.  Ecclesiastes  1. 6. 505. 2. 14. 428. 8. 11. 626. 12. 2. 470. 12. 10. 588.  Canticleâ— Â 2. 14 96. 3. 1. 73. 4. 9. 210. 4. 12. 477. 4. 16. 491.  Isaiah  1. 2. 83. 1. 3. 529. 1. 15. 90. 1. 31. 211. 1. 25 26 27. 623. 3. 11. 193. 4. 4. 6â—3 5. 6. 389. 5. 13. 255. 5. 20. 325. 6. 2. 374. 8. 2â— 6. 8. 16. 476. 9. 13. 235. 10. 6. 190. 10. 3. 609. 10. 25. 1â—8 14. 27. 163. 17. 13. 4â—2 21. 1. 488. 25. 6. 2â—6 26. 7. 551. 26. 11. 532. 27. 4 5. 172 18â— 27. 7 8 9. 632. 27. 11. 628. 28. 7. 5â—1 28. 10 11. 138. 28. 22. 2 1. 28.
shall see God no more they shall not see him as long as they live they are afraid they shall never have comfort more nor peace more while they are in this world while they are on this side heaven yet whether ever they shall come to see him in heaven is their greatest their saddest their most heart-disquieting and heart-breaking doubt and feare And indeed as we cannot see God untill he gives us eyes so we cannot believe we shall see him untill he gives us hearts Many times his dealings both as to outward terrible providences and inward terrors are so dark that we can see nothing but darkness nor say any thing but as Job is here charged to say that we shall not see him Yea God doth often hide himself from his people on purpose to try whether they will trust him and wait upon him under such withdrawings for salvation whether temporal or eternal Isal 45.15 Thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Let us therefore take heed of saying he will be for ever hidden or that we shall never see nor behold him as a Saviour say not it is so dark with us that as now we see no light so our night shall never have a morning Fourthly From these words Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Note A good man is apt to give his heart and tongue too much liberty We should watch our hearts to keep out or cast out vaine thoughts we should strangle distrustful and unbelieving thoughts in the very birth that so our tongues may never bring them forth nor publish them to the offence of others Thou hast said thou shalt not see him But when our unbridled tongues have run at randome and spoken what is not right yet God will do what is right as the next words assure us Yet Judgment is before him These words plainly intimate that Jobs scope when he said he should not see God was that he should not see him as a Judge clearing up his cause or appearing to vindicate the wrong done him and to do him right As if Elihu had said Whatever thy opinion is concerning God that he will never appear in thy cause to do thee right yet know this O Job Judgement is before him and therefore I advise thee be thou better perswaded both of his presence with thee and of his providence over thee The word rendred Judgement is that from which one of the Patriarks had his name and it is a great elegancy Gen. 49.16 Dan shall Judge his people The proper name Dan is the same with the Verb which follows shall Judge When Judgement is said to be before the Lord it may be taken three wayes so we find it in the Sc ipture First we read there of Judgement as it is opposed to mercy These terrible and dreadful Judgements of God are every where spoken of Secondly Judgement is opposed to imprudence and want of understanding or discretion Judgement is a wise and clear sight or apprehension of things as we say such a one is a Judicious man or a man of a great Judgement Thirdly Judgement is opposed to injustice or to unâ—ighteousness thus we do judgement and justice Many have a great stock of judgement or understanding who yet will do little judgment that is little justice they have a right understanding of things yet will do little or nothing right Here when it is said Judgment is before him we are to understand it in the two latter senses for though it be a great truth that judgment as opposed to mercy is before the Lord And he shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy though as the Apostle adds in the same place James 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth or glorieth against Judgement The Lord hath judgements all manner of judgements about him yet that notion of judgement doth not belong to this place but the two latter Judgement is before him that is he is a God of infinite understanding and wisdome he seeth every thing to the utmost he goes to the bottome of every mans case yea to the very bottome of every mans heart he sees every action quite through and every person And as he knows the truth of every mans cause and case so he will do every man right according to the merit of his cause and case Justice and Judgement are the habitation of his throne while clouds and darkness are round about him Psal 97.2 that is though present dispensations are obscure as in Jobs case yet both the procedure and dealings of God as also the issue or determination which he gives in every matter is just and righteous to all men as well as gracious and comfortable to good and upright-hearted men Thus Judgement or this judgement is alwayes before him that is he hath a clear sight of it and he is ready to do it Hence Note First God hath a right and clear apprehension of all persons and actions His understanding is infinite The Lord is as Hannah spake in her Thanksgiving-Song 1 Sam. 2.3 a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed That is he knoweth them exactly to a grain as we do the weight of those things which we have laid in an even Balance It is required of Judges in that advice which Jethro gave to Moses Exod. 18.21 That they should be able men that is not so much men of able purses as of able parts men of able judgement and of more than common understanding even such as were able to look through every mans Cause that came before them Such is the ability of the Lords understanding to the full he is Omniscient He is light and in him is no darknesse at all And as in him there is no darknesse so nothing is dark to him the most intricate and knotty Case the most ravel'd and vext Cause that ever was is plain and evident before his eyes with whom we have to do and who hath to do with us Judgement is before him neither is there any Judgement before any other in comparison of him God hath so much light that Men and Angels are to him but darknesse God seeth so much that all others may be said not to see or to be stark blind even those Judges may be called blind who are not blinded we may say they have no eyes whose eyes are not put out with gifts compared with God How blind then are those Judges who are blinded and whose eyes are put out either by prejudice or passion by hopes or fears it cannot be but Judgement must be before God because as he cleerly sees and fully understands whatsoever comes before him so nothing can divert or biass him fâ—om doing every man right according to his sight and understanding Judgement is before him Hence Note Secondly God will do right to every man as sure as he knows the right of every man There are many who know what is right who know whose Cause is right yet will not
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
are wrought above of those both useful and dreadful or terrible Meteors the snow and raine the windes the lightening and the thunder these things may be thought very forreigne and heterogeneal very far off from the business in hand but I will speak to thee of these things even of the woâ—ks of God in the Heavens in the Air in the Chambers of the Clouds and I will convince thee by what God doth there above of his righteousness in what he doth here below The wisdome and power of God in ordering those natural works in the Clouds and in the Air prove that man hath no cause to complain about his providential works on earth For as those wonderful visible works of God are real demonstrations of those invisible things of God his eternal power and God-head so they declare both his righteousness and goodness his wrath and mercy towards the children of men in the various dispensations of them And so although those things might be thought far from the poynt which Elihu supposed Job questioned at least by consequences the righteousness of God in his severe dealings with him yet indeed they contained principles or general grounds by which that which Elihu had engaged to maintain might be fully confirmed and unanswerably concluded This I conceive is the special afar off that Elihu intended to fetch his knowledge from as may appear in the close of this Chapter and in the next quite thorow I will fetch my knowledge from afar Hence note First The natural works of God or the works of God in nature are to be studied and searched out As the works of grace are afar off from all men in a state of nature so the works of God in nature are very far off from the most of men they know little of Gods works in the Heavens or in the Earth in the Sea or in the Aire yet all these are to be searched out with diligence by the sons of men Secondly Note The works of Creation and Providence shew that God is and what he is We may see who God is in what he hath done we say things are in their working as they are in their being God hath done like himself in all that he hath done his own works as well as his own Word speak him best Psal 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work c. The raine and snow declare the power of God Thunder and Lightening shew what he can do Thirdly Note Knowledge is worth our longest travel it will quit cost to go far for it We say Some things are far fetcht and dear bought true knowledge especially the knowledge of Jesus Christ deserves to be far fetcht and it cannot be too dear bought we must drive a strange kind of trade with the truths of God we must be alwayes buying and never selling yet that 's a commodity will never lye upon our hands never brayde If we were to fetch our knowledge from afar as to the distance of place we should not think much of it The Queen of the South fetcht her knowledge from afar she came a very great way undertook a long jouâ—ney to hear the wisdome of Solomon in that sense we should be willing to fetch our knowledge from afar yet some will scarce step over the threshold to fetch in knowledge It is prophesied Dan. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Knowledge ought to be travell'd for as much as any thing in the world We fetch our gold and silver and rich Commodiâ—ies afar off we go to the ends of the Earth for them through a thousand deaths and dangers we sayle within three inches of death for many moneths together to fetch woâ—ldly riches f om afar off and shall we not fetch knowledge afar off how far soever it is from us in distance of place and what labour or cost soever we bestow to fetch it in I will fetch my knowledge from afar I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker These words contain the ground purpose or designe of Elihu in this whole discourse which was to maintain the righteousness of God I saith he will ascribe the Hebrew strictly is give righteousness to my Maker here 's a very great undertaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give righteousness to God God gives and imputes righteousness to us 'T is the summe of the Gospel that God imputes or ascribes righteousness to sinners Now as God in a Gospel sense gives righteousness to us both the righteousness of justification which is lodged in the person of Christ and the righteousness of sanctification which is lodged in our own persons though the spring and principle of that also be in Christ still so we must give righteousness to God that is both believe and declare or publish to all the world that God is just and give him the praise of his justice which is the best and noblest work we can do on Gods behalf in this world There are two most excellent works which indeed contain all our work in this world First To do righteously or act righteousness our selves Secondly To ascribe righteousness unto God But you will say what is it to give or ascribe righteousness to God I answer It is to acknowledge that God is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works 'T is mans duty to justifie God to ascribe that righteousness to him which is properly his own 'T is Gods grace his free-grace to justifie man to ascribe that righteousness to him which is properly anothers David made profession of the former as his duty Psal 50.3 4. I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and clear when thou judgest That is I 'le confess my sin Is qui peccat et confitâ—tur deo peccatum justifi at deum cedens ei vincenti et ab eo gratiam sperans Ambros l. 6. in Luc that all the world may see the righteousness of thy dealings with me though thou shouldest deale never so severely with me though thou shouldest speak the bitterest things against me pronounce a sentence of heaviest judgement upon me The Apostle referring to this place in the Psalmes quotes the words in a passive forme and sense not of God judging man but of God judged by man Rom. 3.4 Let God be true but every man a lyar as it is written that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged As if David had said according to the Apostles reading out of the Septuagint which yet as learned Beza in his Annotations affiâ—meth Istud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 active meo quidem judicio necessario explicandum est ut Graeco Hebraeu respondeant Bez in Rom 3.4 ought to be expounded actively as if I say David had thus expressed himself Lord I know some men will take the boldness to question thee yea and to condemn thee
make our lives comfortable to us I answer Secondly This promise or promises of a like nature were fitted to the time wherein Elihu spake he spake of the times long before Christs appearing in the flesh when the Lord did as it were lead on his people very much by promises of temporal and outward prosperity of which the Scripture is more sparing in the new Testament where we are come to the fulness of Christ and the riches of the grace of God to us in him of which there is but liâ—tle comparatively spoken in the old Testament And therefore under that darker dispensation of spirituals the Lord saw it good to encourage that people to obedience by a multitude of very particular outward promises as we may read Deut. 28. He would bless their basket and their store the fruit of the field c. These promises were suted to the state of that under-age people who were led on and enticed by visible and sensible blessings as we do children with toyes and Gaudees and indeed all visible enjoyments are but such in comparison of spirituals Believers under the Gospel being come to a higher state to fuller attainments the promises made to them run not much in that channel yet it cannot be denied that the Gospel also holds out promises for temporals as well as the Law and this latter dispensation of the Covenant as well as the former hath provided sufficiently for our outward comforts Thirdly For answer let us consider the drift of the Spirit of God in this promise of pleasure Job had often complained of his own sorrowfull condition and concluded himself a man of sorrow for all the remainder of his dayes though his faith was strong for the resurrection of his body after death yet he had little if any faith at all that he should be raised out of that miserable estate wherein he was in this life He also had spoken somewhat rashly and amiss concerning the dealings of God with his servants in general as if nothing but trouble and sorrow did attend them and that the wicked went away with all the sweet and good of this world Now Elihu to take him off from these sad and almost despairing thoughtâ— as to the return of his own comforts and to rectifie his judgement in the general poynt as to the dealings of God with others he assureth Job that if righteous men being bound in fetters c. hear and obey God will break those bonds and cut the cords of their affliction and they shall spend the remainder of their dayes in prosperity and the rest of their years in pleasures So that Elihu in holding out this promise to Job would rather clear his judgement from an error concerning the lastingness or continuance of his pains and sorrows than heat his affections in the expectation of joyes and pleasures in this world Fourthly I answer Though the people of God have nor alwayes dayes of such outward prosperity nor years of such sensitive pleasures yet they have that which is better and if they have no pleasures they do not want them The Apostle could say Phil. 4.11 I have learned in what state scever I am therewith to be content What is pleasure if content be not We may have outward pleasures yet no content but he that hath content within cannot miss of pleasure A man may have riches but no contentment but he that hath contentment is very rich 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness with contentment is great gaine and great gaine is prosperity this great gaine this heart-pleasure or soul-rest contentment is the assured portion of those who obey and serve the Lord what-ever their outward portion be in this world And he may be said to spend his dayes in good and his years in pleasure who hath these pure gaines of gracious contentment resting the soul in God in all conditions The life of man that is the comfort of his life doth not consist in the abundance of that which he possesseth Luke 12.15 or in sense-pleasures but in that sweet composure and sedateness of his soul resting by faith in the promises of God or rather in the God of the promises and so sucking sweetness from them Lastly As though a servant of God should be exercised with sorrows all the dayes of his life yet he cannot be said to spend his dayes in sorrow because he meets with many refreshing intervalls and shines of favour from the face of God in the midst of those clouds so he may be said to spend his dayes in pleasure because at least when his dayes here are spent he consummates his dayes which is one signification of the word by an entrance into everlasting pleasures So much for the answer of these questions concerning this promise They shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasure From the promise it self Note Fiâ—st Obedience to God is profitable to man God hath no profit by our Obedience but we have God doth not call us to serve him in his work as we call servants to do our work to get his living by us or better himself no the Lord calls us to serve him and obey him for our own good They consult their own good best who do most good I may say these three things of those who do good and what is serving God but doing of good or what is doing good but serving God First they shall receive true good Secondly they shall for ever hold the best good the chief good they shall not only spend their dayes and years in good but when their dayes and years are spent they shall have good and a greater good than any they had in spending the dayes and years of this life they shall have good in death they shall come to a fuller enjoyment of God the chief Good when they have left and let fall the possession of all earthly goods Thirdly they that do good shall find all things working together for their good if they have a loss they shall receive good by it if they bear a Cross that shall bear good Outward troubles cannot disturb much less pollute our spiritual good for All things work together for good to them that love God who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Surely then the service of God is a gainful service a profitable service though the work may be hard and the way painful yet the wages will be sweet and the end pleasant The contemplation of this put David upon putting that question Psal 34.12 13. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good that is that he may enjoy good keep thy tongue from evil and thy mouth that it speak no guile depart from evil and do good The Psalmist makes Proclamation What man is he that would have good let him do good let him obey and serve God and he shall have good Again Consider the Promise in relation to the Persons described vers 8 9 10. They
few are there in power who do not much iniquity who do not either for want of better information or of a better conscience oppress grieve and afflict those that have to do with them or are subject to them God may do what he will yet will do nothing but what is right How infinitely then is God to be exalted in his truth and righteousness And thus the word of truth exalts him Deut. 32.4 2 Chr. 19.7 Rom 9.14 There is no unevenness much less aberration in any of the ways of God he never trod awry nor took a false step Who can say unto him without great iniquity thou hast wrought iniquity Hence we may infer If God works no iniquity in any of his wayes whether in his general or special providences Then All ought to sit down quietly under the workes of God Though he bring never so great judgments upon nations he doth them no wrong though he break his people in the place of dragons and cover them with the shadow of death he doth them no wrong Though he sell his own people for nought yet he doth them no wrong All which and several other grievances the Church sadly bemoans Psal 44. yet without raising the least dust concerning the justice of God or giving the least intimation of iniquity in those several sad and severe wayes Secondly We should not only sit down quietly under all the dispensations of God as having no iniquity in them but exalt the righteousness of God in all his dispensations as mingled also sprinkled with mercy Though we cannot see the righteousness of God in some of them yet we must believe he is not only so but merciful in all of them though the day be dark we cannot discern how this or that su es with the righteousnes much less with the goodness and mercy of â—od yet sit down we ought in this faith that both this and that is righteous yea that God is good to Israel in the one and in the other When the prophet was about to touch upon that string he first laid down this principle as unquestionable Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord yet give me leave to plead with thee about thy Judgments Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Why is it thus in the world I take the boldness to put these questions O Lord yet I make no question but thou art righteous O Lord. It becomes all the sons of men to rest patiently under the darkest providences of God And let us all not only not charg God foolishly but exalt him highly and cry up both his righteousness and kindness towards all his people For who can say to God thou hast wrought iniquity Having in several other passages of this book met with this matter also I here briefly pass it over JOB Chap. 36. Vers 24 25. 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afar off THese two verses contain the third advice counsel or exhortation given by Elihu to Job stirring him up to give glory to God in his providential proceedings with him There are three things considerable in these two verses First The general duty commanded which is to magnifie the work of God Secondly We have here a special reason or ground of that duty the visibility and plainness yea more than so the illustriousness of his work The work of God is not only such as some men may see but such as every 〈◊〉 â—ay see yea behold afar off Thirdly We have here an incentive to provoke to this duty in the first words of the Text Remember Vers 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold To Remember imports chiefly these two things First to call to mind what is past Mat. 26.75 Then Peter remembred the words of Christ. Secondly To remember is to keep somewhat in mind against the time to come in which sence the Law runs Exod. 20.8 Remember the rest-day that is keep it in mind that when-ever it cometh or upon every return of that day 〈◊〉 may be in a fit posture and preparation for it Remember the rest or sabbath day to keep it holy To remember in this place is set I conceive in a double opposition First To forgetfulness of the duty here called for remember and do not forget it Secondly To the slight performance of the duty here called for the magnifying of the work of God Remember that thou magnifie As if he had said Be thou daily and duely affected with it do not put it off with a little or a bare remembrance the matter is weighty consider it fully As if Elihu had said to Job Thou hast much forgotten thy self and gone off from that which is thy proper work I have heard thee much complaining of the workes of God but thy work should have been to magnifie the work of God Though God hath cast thee down and laid thee low yet thy business should have been to exalt the work of God Remember it would much better become thee to act another part than this thou shouldest have acted the part of a magnifier of the work of God not the part of a complainer gainst it Remember that thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augeas extollas ejus opus non accuses ut nunc facis Merc. Magnifie The root signifieth to encrease and extol We may consider a twofold magnifying of the work of God There is an inward magnifying of the work of God and there is an outward magnifying of the work of Goâ— First There is 〈◊〉 â—â—d magnifying of the work of God when we think highly 〈◊〉 it thus did the Virgin in her song Luke 1.46 My soul doth magnifie the Lord. Her heart was raised up and stretched out in high thoughts of God Secondly There is an outward magnifying of the work of God To speak highly of his work is to magnify his work to live holily and fruitfully is to magnifie his work We cannot make any addition to the work of God there is no such magnifying of it but we must strive to give the works of God their full dimension and not lessen them at all As we must not diminish the number of his works so we must not diminish the just weight and worth of them There is such a charge of God to the Prophet about his word Jer. 26.2 Go tell the people all the words that I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word Deliver thy message in words at length or in the full length of those words in which it was delivered unto thee We then magnifie the woâ—k of God when we diminish not a tittle As we cannot add any thing to it so we must neither abate nor conceal any thing of it To magnifie is not to make the works of God great but to declare and set forth the greatness of them that 's the magnifying here especially intended Remember
vastness that all must confess the hand of God hath done it Thirdly We then magnifie the works of God when we freely submit to God in them as just and righteous when we accept and take them kindly at his hand not only when they are outward kindnesses but crosses All the great words and rhetorick we can bestow upon the works of God will not magnifie them unless we freely submit to them as just and righteous They that would magnifie the works of God must say Judgment and righteousness are the habitation of his throne while they can see nothing but Clouds and darkness round about him Psal 97.2 I saith the Psalmist am in the dark about all that God is doing at this day yet of this I am as confident as confidence it self Judgment and Righteousness are the habitation of his throne I know God doth nothing amiss no not in the least Thus John in the Revelation Chap. 15.3 saw them that had gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name and they saith he sing the Song of Moses c. saying great and marvelous are thy works just and true are thy wayes The works of God in Judgment upon Babylon are full of justice and we magnifie them by proclaiâ—ing and crying them up as just yea the work of God in judgment upon Zion is exceedingly magnified when Zion submits to it and embraceth it as just and righteous It was the great sin of the house of Israel when they said Ezek. 18 25. The wayes of God are not equal As if they had said are these the Lords equal dealings that we his People should be given up to the hand of the enemy and suffer such things as these yea the house of Israel must say all the works of God not only his exalting works but his humbling works are equal just and righteous for we have sinned This is to magnifie the work of God Fourthly To magnifie the work of God is to look upon his work what-ever it is not only as having justice in it towards all men but as good and being full of goodness to his People Possibly it may be very hard work yet we must bring our hearts to say it is good work good to and for the Israel of God Thus the holy man of old magnified the work of God Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel This he spake while he was bemoaning himself under very afflicting providences We magnifie the afflicting works of God when we submit to them as just much more when we embrace them as good And it was very much the design of Elihu to bring Job off from disputing about the evils with which God had so long exercised him to a ready yeeldance that they were good for him and that in all the Lord intended nothing but his good Fifthly To magnifie the work of God is to answer the end of it Every work is magnified when it receiveth its end if a work be done yet if it have not its effect if it bring not that about to which it was designed the worker receives no honour from it nor is the work honoured To work in vain is a debasing a lessening of any work not a magnifying of it The Apostle was afraid to bestow his labour in preaching the Gospel in vain When people still continue in their blindness and unbelief c. this layeth the preaChing of the Gospel low but when souls are convinced and converted and come flocking in then the Gospel is magnified and the word of the Lord glorified as the Apostle prayed it might 2 Thes 3.1 Now as the word of God is magnified when it attains its end so the work of God is magnified when we give him or come up to those ends for which he wrought it But if we let God lose the end of his work we do what we can to debase his work as if he had done it in vain We say he works like a fool that hath not proposed an end to every woâ—k he dotâ— and he appears not very wise at least not very powerful who aâ—taineth not the end or ends for which he began his work The most wise God hath his end and aim in all his works in this world and this is the honour we do his work when we labour first to know and secondly to give him his end in every work But if any ask What are the ends of God in his work I answer They are very various First The chief end of all that God doth is the advancement of his own Name and Glory As he made all things for himself in Creation so he doth all things for himself in Providence That which is the sin of man is the holiness of God to seek himself It is most proper for God who is the chief good and whose glory is the ultimate end of all things to set up himself in all things Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself saith Solomon And the Apostle faith as much Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen All things are of him therefore all things should return unto him If we would magnifie any work of God we must be sure to give him this end the glory of it Let it not satisfie us that we are advanced or get up by the works of God unless we our selves advance his glory by them Many advance themselves and are lifted up with pride when God works for them or by them not at all minding that which they should chiefly mind the glorifying of God in by what he hath w ought either for themselves or others Secondly God hath this in design by all his works to make us better If it be a work of Judgment it is to make us better and then we exalt his works of Judgement when we are bettered by them when we are more humbled and weaned from the world by them And as 't is the design of God to make us better by his works of Judgment so by all his works of mercy The Apostle beseecheth us by the mercies of God to present our bodies that is our whole selves a living sacrifice in all holy service to himself Rom. 12.1 What will it advantage us to be bettered in our outward enjoyments by what God works or doth for us unless we learn to be better and do his work better that is unless our hearts be more holy and we more fruitful in every good word and work Some will magnifie the work of God by keeping a day of thanksgiving because they are richer or greater by what God hath wrought for them who yet are not a whit more holy or spiritual by it Wo to those who magnifie the work of God because they think it shall go better with them when themselves are not better Enquire therefore what lust hath the work of God moved you to
skilful to discern a fair day a foul day there are natural prognosticks of these things but ye hypocrites cannot discern the signs of the times Do ye not think God hath given you warning hath he not fore-shewed what he will do with you and with this City if ye were wise ye might undeâ—stand that shortly it will be overthrown and so it was by Titus Vespatian not long after God gives as clear signs of the changes that shall be in times as he doth concerning the change of the weather And that 's one thing which doth very much fore-shew it when God puts it into the hearts of his Ministers unanimously to fore-warn approaching troubles Such warnings were given to Hierusalem not only by Châ—ist Josephus lib. 7. c. 12. de Belio Judaico but afterward by others Josephus in his History reports of one thâ—t could not by any punishment be stopt from crying up and down the City for several years after this manner A voyce from the east a voyce from the west a voyce from the four windes a voyce against Jerusalem and a voyce against the Temple There was also as the same Author reports a voyce heard in the Temple Let us depart hence The Jewes generally would not believe these voyces but went on and were angry when any told them of a Cloud coming over their day yet they found them all verified in the subversion of their city by the Romans Such fore-warnings were given the Palatinate and other parts of Germany before those great evils came upon them Some way or other God hath alwayes shewed when these showres were coming and when a people grow weary of their warnings when they grow more prophane and wicked under them this is a sure sign a fatal prognostick that God is coming with a showre of wrath and is ready to pour down a storm of vengeance upon them And surely these warnings both with respect to natural changes in the Air and civil changes in the affairs of this World argue the wonderful goodness of God that he would have us prepare for all dispensations He will not send a showre of rain but would have us prepared for it and when he is about to send those great showrs of Judgment upon the world he would have his people ready and prepared and therefore by some means or other he tells them before hand what is at hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pecus Thus the noyse thereof sheweth concerning it or telleth us the storm is coming But is there nothing else that fore-tels this Yes it followeth The cattel also concerning the vapour The very beast of the field give notice of the vapour The Hebrew is that which goeth up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so we read in the margin The rain comes down and the vapours go up and the going up of the vapour is an argument of the coming down of the rain As the noise or thunder in the Clouds sore-sheweth a storm so the cattel concerning the vapour they tell us the rain is coming down by their apprehenson of the vapour which goeth up Some render not vapour but plants or herbs trees or grass these go up or ascend out of the earth as well as vapours Our translation is plain The cattel also the very sheep and oxen yea the fowles of the air will tell when we shall have foul weaher before such stormes come usually they run to shelter hiding and shifting for themselves as well as they can against the storm Cattel presage rain Plinius lib. 18. c. 35. Natural History Virgilius in Georg. l. 1. Pliny in his Natural History speaks much of the natural sagacity that is in beasts swine sheep and oxen whereby they perceive change of weather The Poet Virgil also verifies largely and acurately of these things reporting how husbandmen that keep cattel will gather by what they see in the cattel what the weather will be The cattel also concerning the vapour Hence Note Bruit Creatures by a natural instinct perceive the approaching changes of the weather And why hath God given them that natural instinct Why are they quick-sented and quick-sighted yea many times moâ—e quick-sighted than men are Surely it is first that those poor Creatures may provide themselves of shelter and not be abroad in the storm rain or wind in a time of danger or inconvenient to them This may be of use to us God would teach us by the very dumb Creatures the Bruits what our duty is the Cattel the Swine the Sheep will witness against us if we do not take notice of nor observe the signs of the various dispensations of God or when he is about to vary his dispensations Can the Cattel tell when it will be fowl weather and are men so stupid are they especially that profess the Gospel so stupid that they understand none of these things The Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 8.7 reproves the people of Israel upon this account by the fowles of heaven as was shewed upon another occasion at the 11th Verse of the 35th Chapter The Stork in the heavens knoweth his appointed time and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow know the times of their coming that is they will not stay in any place where it is not fit nor safe for them to stay and they will not come to any place till they know all things are suitable and ready for them But my people knoweth not the judgment of their God they are more senseless than the very fowls of heaven in this And therefore the prophet checks them v. 8. How do ye say we are wise and the Law of the Lord is with us You count your selves very wise yet ye are not so wise in this matter as the Stork and the Crane and the Swallow for they observe their times but you do not It is a great part of our wisdom to see what God is doing or what he is about to do before he doth it It is said Prov. 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth an evil When evil is come every one can see it though some will scarce see it then as the Prophet complained Isa 26.11 When thy hand is lifted up they will not see it but usually that which is done or doing we can see when we feel an evil we can see it but the prudent that is the godly man fore-seeth the evil How comes he to fore-see it not by any hellish divination not by star-gazing not by asking the Devil what shall be hereafter as Saul did he would fore-see the evil but he went to the Devil to a Witch for it 1 Sam. 28. Now a godly man doth not fore-see the evil by any such wayes or means but by a diligent collection of things compaâ—ing one with the other or by the connection of causes with their effects and of antecedents with their consâ—quents by these he plainly fore-seeth that such or such an evil is coming even as the beast fore-sees the storm is coming by the
exactly what they aâ—e what they would be and what they would do And as by waters common people or nations so by mountaines and hills the great the mighty ones of the nations are exprest Princes and honourable men are as great mountains Thus spake the Prophet The day of the Lord shall be against the mountains Isa 2. that is against the mighty men of this world Hence that deriding question Who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel Zac. 4.7 That is O thou great man who art thou surely thou art not so much as a mole-hil before the God of Zerubbabel who when he comes down the mountaines melt down at his presence Isa 64.1 who if he doth but touch the mountains they smoake Psal 144.5 as if struck with Thunder God weighs these mountains of the earth that is he considers and unstands them exactly God weighed him who was the greatest mountain of a man in his time Belshazzar was the sole Monarch of the earth he had almost the whole known world at his command yet the Lord said of him Dan. 5.22 Thou art numbred thou art weighed and thou art found too light Thirdly As God weigheth men of all sorts so he weigheth the actions of all sorts of men 2 Sam. 2.3 By him actions are weighed that is all actions are weighed by him the least actions are weighed by the mighty God and so are the greatest he knoweth how to poyse them and so make use of them that they â—ay effâ—ct what is answerable to his own counsel and purpose This is it which the Prophet intended when he said of the Lord Thou most upright dost weigh the path of the Just Isa 26.7 that is the motions and goings or doings of the Just The pathes of the Just come often into very uneven ballances in this world every one will be weighing them one gives this judgement of them and another that few hit right the most of men being either blinded with ignorance of them or prejâ—diced wiâ—h malice against them But the comfort of the just is the most upright weigheth their path and will give the just weight of them Fourthly and lastly God weigheth the very spirits of men All the wayes of man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits saith Solomon Prov. 16.2 The Lord doth not only weigh actions and pathes that is the whole outward course and tenour of our lives but he weighs our spirits that is the principles from which our actions flow and by which we are carried on in our pathes he findes one man to be of a light of a vain spirit and another man to be of a proud high spirit a third to be of a covetous having holding spirit a fourth of an envious spirit that cannot bear the good of another and a fifth to be of a revengful spirit that wil do another as much hurt as he can Again the Lord by weighing finds out them whosoever they are that have a weighty serious spirit that have an upright sincere spirit that have a heavenly gracious spirit God knowes who they are that have a spirit for the things and wayes of God in the midst of all contradictions of men and having thus weighed the spirits of men he disposeth of them and deals with them accordingly And I may add this to the question in the text Dost thou know the ballancing of spirits Surely no for thou knowest not the ballancing of the Clouds which may be known much easier The wonderous works of him which is perfect in knowledge Mr. Broughton renders The miracles of the perfect in knowledge As if he had said the shining of the light in his Cloud and the ballancing of the Clouds are to be numbred among the wonderous works of him that is perfect in knowledge The wonderousness of Gods works was touched at the 14th verse I shall not stay upon that here only mark how Elihu describes God by a periphrasis or circumlocution he doth not say the wonderful works of God but the wonderful works of him That is perfect in knowledge This is a description of God and such a description as will fit none but God who hath and who only hath not â—nly knowledge but the perfection of it We need not name God when we speak of him that is perfect in knowledge it can be meant of none but him Elihu at the 4th verse of the former Chapter said to Job He that is perfect in knowledge meaning himself as that text was expounded is with thee In what sense Elihu might say of himself that he was perfect in knowledge was there shewed and here it must be shewed and confessed that neither Elihu was nor any the most knowing are perfect in knowledge like God or as God is The Apostle saith of the best knowers in this world 1 Cor. 13.9 We know in part and we prophesie in part we behold darkly as in a glass They that have the clearest eye-sight the purest intellectuals know but in part and see but darkly which is far from perfectly therefore I say this description of perfect in knowledge hath a peculiar meaning here proper only to God as will appear more particularly in opening this Observation from it God is not only full of knowledge but perfect in knowledge or The knowledge of God is perfectly perfect That 's perfectly perfect to which nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken Such is the knowledge of God it is impossible to add any thing to it and it is as impossible to diminish it God cannot forget or unlearn any thing already known nor can he know any more things no nor any thing moâ—e than he already knoweth therefore he is perfect in knowledge More distinctly the knowledge of God is peâ—fect For First He knoweth all things what-ever is knowable he knoweth He knowes First All things past Secondly He knowes all things present Thi dly He knows all things to come Isa 46.10 He declareth the end from the beginning Now he that knowes all things past present or to come is perfect in knowledge Secondly He is perfect in knowledge for he knowes all things at once in one prospect oâ— by one aspect he doth not know one thing after another nor one thing by another he knows all at once Thirdly He is perfect in knowledge for he knows all things as they aâ—e â—e doâ—h nâ—t know things according to appearance only or as they are held foâ—th to be Many will make fair shews and offer both themâ—elves and their actions as very good holy righteous religious yet the Lord who seeth through them seeth them 〈◊〉 nought quiâ—e thâ—ough Heb. 4.12 All things are naked and manifest to him He seeth to the skin he seeth thâ—ough cloaks and â—izâ—rds yea he seeth through skin and all he lookes into the breast the breasts of men are to him as if they were cut open as the word there imports Fourthly He is perfect in knowledge For he knoweth all
The excellency of God in Judgment as well as in Power But what are we to understand by judgment in which Elihu saith God excells In answer to this Querie I shall first shew that Judgment is taken four ways in Scripture and then prove that God is excellent in Judgment with respect to every one of them First Judgment is an ability of judging A man of judgment and a wise man are the same When we say such a man is a man of Judgment or a judicious man we mean he is a prudent man he is able to discern things that differ he knows how to order state and determine doubtful things aright In this sence we are to understand it here the Lord is excellent in judgment that is in wisdome and prudence to set things right and to give every one his right he sees clearly how to mannage all his affayres and purposes by righteous meanes to right ends The prophet gives God the glory of this title expressely Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of judgment Blessed are they that wait for him That is the Loâ—d is infinitely furnished with wisdom he knows exactly not only what ought to be done but how and when to do it therefore waite for him And 't is encouragement to waite when we have a person of judgment and understanding a discreet and prudent person to waite upon God is a God of judgment in this sence theref re blessed are they that waite for him Secondly Judgement in Scripture is taken for that moderation or due measure which is observed in any thing that is done This follows the former for unless a man have a Judgment or true understanding in the thing it self he can never hit a right measure of it Thus I conceive that Scripture is to be understood Math 23.23 where Christ denouncing or thundering out woes thick and threefold against the proud hypocritical Pharisees he tells them Ye pay tythe of Anise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy that iâ— either they did not give a right judgment according to Law or their legal Judgments were given with rigour not at all attemper'd mixt and moderated with mercy Of such the Apostle James speaketh Chap. 2.13 He shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against Judgment In this sence the Lord is excellent in Judgment For as he hath wisdome and understanding to see what is just â—ight so in Judgment he remembers Mercy His patience is greaâ— before he gives Judgment and his moderation is great when he gives it He dealeth not with us according to our sins nor rewardeth us according to our iniquities Psal 103.10 that is his Judgments are not proportion'd to the greatness of our sins and iniquities For as it followeth at the 11th verse of that Psalme as high as the Heaveâ— is above the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him Therefore the Prophet brings in the Chuâ—ch praying thus Jer. 10.24 O Lord Correct me I conceive it is not a direct prayer for Correction but a submission to it As if he had said I will not murmur nor rebell against thy Correction O Lord Correct me but with Judgment that is with due moderation It cannot be meant of Judgment as it notes the effect of divine displeasure but Correct me moderately or as another text hath iâ— in measure as thou usest to correct thy people This meaning is plain fâ—om the opposition in the next words Not in thine anger least thou bring me to nothing Anger transports men to do things undecently wiâ—hout modeâ—ation we quickly exceed our limits if carried out in passion and though that anger which the Scripture attributes often to God never transports him beyond the due bounds of his wisdome and justice yet when God is said to do a thing in anger it notes his going as it were to the utmost bounds of justice this caused the Church to pray O Lord if the cup may not pass from me if it cannot be but I must be corrected then I humbly and earnestly beg thou wouldst be pleased to correct me in Judgment not in anger least thou bring me to nothing What the Church prayed for here the Lord promised elsewhere Jer. 30.11 I will not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished Thus God is excellent in Judgment He abates the severity of his proceedings and allayes the bitterness of the cup by some ingredients of mercy Thirdly Judgment in Scripture is put for the reformation of things when they are out of order In this sence it is used John 12.31 Now is the Judgment of this world Our late Annotators tell us that by Judgment is meant reformation As if Christ had said I am come to set all things in order that have been out of order and disjoynted in the Jewish Church and every where else Now is the Judgment of this world In this sence God is excellent in Judgment or he excells in this Judgment that is he is for reformation he will set all things right he will make crooked things strait he will make the rough places plain John the Baptist came before Christ in this work yet in this work Christ is before or exceeds John the Baptist The Lord Isa 4.4 will purge away the iniquity of the daughter of Zion with a spirit of Judgment and with a spirit of burning that is with a reforming and a refining Spirit And the Lord will send forth this Judgment unto victory Matth. 12.20 that is he will do it thorowly he will oveâ—come all the difficulties and put by all the obstacles which hinder the perfect reforma ion of things as well as â—f persons That 's the importance also of that great promise Isa 1.25 26. I saith the Lord will turn my hand upon thee or take thee in hand aâ—d purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tinn thâ—t is all those corruptions which have crept in upon thee I will restâ—re thy Judges as at the first and thy Councellors as at the beginning Things and persons are usually best at first The new broom â—ay we sweept clean As time consumes all things here beloâ— so it coâ—rupts most things and therefore when the Loâ—d promiseth to restore them to a primitive purity he promiseth the purest restauration all which is summ'd up in the 27th verse Sion shall be redeemed with Judgment which is not only if at all intended of a redemption by Judgment on her enemies but by that reformation which â—od would work upon themselves in taking away their dross and tinn Restoring their Judges as at the first and their Councellers as at the beginning Such a Judgment is spoken of Isa 30 22. Ye shall defile also that is utterly disgrace and deface the Covering of thy graven Images of Silver and the Ornament of thy molten Images of Gold
thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence This is the Judgment of reformation which God hath and will further work among his people till Sion be built up in perfect beauty and Jerusalem become the praise of the whole earth Thus also God is excellent both in power and in Judgment Fourthly Judgment signifies those evills which God brings upon impenitent sinners that 's a very frequent notion of Judgment in Scripture and the Lord is excellent in this Judgment and that First Upon his own people when they provoke him and sin against him 1 Pet. 4.17 If Judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel There 's Judgment beginning at the house of God that is God will bring evill upon his own house the Church even sore troubles and persecutions The Lord will not spare them who have been slight with him forgetfull of him formal in profession or wanton and vaine in conversation This is a great part of the Lords excellency in Judgment he brings Judgment upon his own house The Lord saith the Prophet Isa 5.16 shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness that is in bringing his righteous Judgments upon Israel his peculiar people We find that Gospel Prophet Isaiah often interweaving the wyre and whipcord of corporal bondage with the silk and scarlet thread of Sions dâ—liverances Secondly In Judgment towards his enemies Psal 149.9 He will execute on them the Judgment that is written and that is no inconsiderable nor easie Judgment The servants of God may smart sorely under these Judgments but the wicked and rebellious shall perish and sink under them How dreadfull is that profession or protestation which the Lord made by Moses Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold of Judgment I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me Some possibly may object Surely there is no such appearance of Gods excellency in Judgment upon the wicked of the woâ—ld the enemies of his name and wayes It grew to a Proverb Mal. 2.17 Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of Judgment Evill men seem to be good in the eyes of the Loâ—d when they enjoy good and if it be so said some Where is the God of Judgment I answer First the Lord hath left testimony enough upon Record and written it in the blood of many thouâ—ands to justifie himself that he is excellent in Judgment by taking vengeance on the wicked Did he not excell in Judgment upon the sinning Angels 2 Pet. 2.8 Jude 6. was he not excellent in Judgment when he destroyed the whole world for sin when he burnt Sodom and Gomorrah with fire for sin How many instances might I give of this from Scripture God hath sufficiently declared himself excellent in this punitive Judgment I answer Secondly God indeed doâ—h not presently execute Jâ—dgment upon all the wicked we shoâ—ld rather be lead by sence than by faith if he should do so if he should smite sinners as soon as they provoke him yea if God should take that course he must even break the world to peices and destroy whole generations at once Thirdly God suffers sinners a while that his councels may be fulfilled for though the wicked obey not the command of God yet they fulfill the councel of God Acts 4.28 and they do it chiefly when he with-holdeth Judgment from them Fourthly Unless the Lord did a little give stop to the execution of Judgment in this kind it would neither appear how good nor how bad some men are Let some have but a little power in their hands and the world at will then you shall see whither they will go and what they will do And wâ—en bad men are suffered to go on unpunished and to be a punishment to others then it appears more fully how good some are and that in a twofold respect First because they refraine from evill though they see that they also possibly might do it impune and not suffer in this world Secondly because â—hey hold fast both theiâ— profession and practise of Godliness how much soever they suffer for it in this world from evill men Fifthly God is executing Judgments upon wicked men while he seems to spare them from judgment Pro. 1.32 The prosperity of fools slayeth them Sâ—me think a wicked mâ—n is mighâ—ily favoured when he is in prosperity no that prosperity is his destruction and destruction is Judgment in perfection The table of a wicked man is made his snare his full table faâ—tens his heart which is the sorest of all judgments To be unâ—ensible is worse than any punishment of sense to be hardned or heartned in doing evill is more penall than the suffering of any evill Now while wicked men escape the suffering of evill they grow resolved that is hardned and heartned in doing iâ— or to do it Take Solomons observation or experience in the caâ—e Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed upon themselves or others therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully sâ—t in them to do mischief So then there are many invisible judgmen s upon wicked men when we see no hand touch them nor judgment neer them God giveâ— them up to vile affections and to a reprâ—baâ—e mind Rom. 1.26 28. to their own counsels Psal 81.12 and to strong dâ—lusâ—oâ—â— by â—â—hers 2 Thes 2.11 Theâ—e heavy loads oâ— judgment may be on their hearts upon whose backs we see not sâ— much as a gaine weight of judgment Thus the Lord is excellâ—nt in judgment in all the notions of it I have inâ—â—anced fouâ—e Now lâ—st any should think that God at any time breaks the rule of justice in his zeale for this latter sort of judgment or while he is powring out vengeance upon the wicked therefore it follâ—ws in the next place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in plenty of Justice God executes great wrath upon sinners but there is gâ—eat Justice Justitiâ— est constâ—ns perpetua voluntas suum cuique tribuendi Justin plenty of Justice in it There is store â—nd abundance of justice and righteousness in his most rigorous juâ—gments A little justice is a most precious thing how precious then is plenty of jâ—stice Justice in it self is the giving of every one his due and where justice is in any man it constanâ—ly bends and enclines his heart to do so his especially with whom there is as in God plenty of justice And indeed what-ever God hath he haâ—h plenty of it He hath mercy and plenty of it he iâ— plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 Aâ—d with him iâ— pleâ—teous redemption Pâ—al 130.7 There is also plenty of justice in him Some men have no Justice at all in them though their
But with thee is forgiveness As God is most bountiful in giving so is he most merciful in forgiving This holds the head of believing and repenting sinners above water and keeps them from sinking into the bottomless gulfe of despaire that they have a forgiving God to go unto and that there is none like him in forgiving Mich. 7.18 None forgiving so freely Isa 42.25 â—o abundantly Isa 55.7 none so constantly and conâ—inually as he There is forgiveness with thee 't is a continued a perpetual act Now because God pardons so freely he doth not he will not he cannot because he will not punish extreamly God dealeth with sinners in measure because he dealeth with them in a Mediator Though he be great in power yet he will not afflict according to the greatness of his power or the plenty of his justice Secondly Some of the Jewish Doctors render the latter part of the verse thus whereas we say He is excellent in judgement and in plenty of justice he will not afflâ—ct they say Judiâ—ium copiam justitiae non affliget i. e. jus non pervertet Merc. ex Rabbinis He will not afflict judgement and plenty of justice that is as they give the gloss Though he be great in power yet he will not pervert justice We may well say justice is afflicted when it is perverted and then justice is perverted when any man is wronged or when at any time the wronged or wrongfully afflicted are not righted and relieved Thus God will not afflict justice These translators do not joyn the word afflict as we to the person of man but to the justice of God or the actings of his justice He is great in power but he will not afflict he will not oppress judgement and justice This is doubtless a great truth in it self yet I doubt whether it be the truth intended by Elihu in this place Certainly God will not do any man wrong though he hath power enough all power in his hand yea God will do all men right though he be great in power yet what affliction soever he layeth upon the creature shall be no affliction to justice or judgement to that justice or judgement with which God is cloathed and will declare by executing it among the children of men But I pass this as over-nice Thirdly Others render thus He is excellent in power Non respondebit Tygur Probarem si esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fonte nunc cum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potest aliter legi quam affliget vexaâ— Drus Merc. and in judgement and plenty in justice he will not answer The woâ—d which we translate to afflict with some alteration in the Hebrew pointing signifieth also to answer and so the words carry a sence of the absolute soveraignty of God who is so great in power and in judgement and plenty of justice that he will not answer that is though men complain of his justice or think he hath done them wrong or at least is over-severe towards them yet he will not come to an answer he will give no man a reason of his wayes Of this Elihu spake expresly Chap. 33. v. 13. He giveth not an account of any of his matters God is so powerful that no man can call him to an account and so just in the use or exercise of his power that there is no reason why any should But though this also be a great truth yet because Elihu had asserted it fully before as also because this translation is grounded upon a change in the ordinary pointing of the Hebrew word from which I conceive with others we ought not easily to recede therefore I shall not stay upon it Nor shall I more than mention that apprehension of some Raboins who thus give out a 4th sence or interpretation of the words whereas we say As touching the Almighty we cannot find him out Omnipotentem non invenimus multum robore judicio Et taliâ— sit tamen talem eum non experimur in mâ—ndatis suiâ— ut immodice nos oneret aut immodicam a noâ—is exiget justitiam c. Rabbi Selc moth Rambam he is excellent in power and in judgement c. They say thus although the Almighty be great in power and in judgment and plenty of justice yet we find him not so That is we do not find him putting out the gâ—eatness of his power or the exactness of his justice in the commands which he hath laid upon us or in the duties which he hath required of uâ— he doth not over-burthen us nor exact hard things of us And they instance in the rules which God gave about offerings and sacrifices he required say they of some only a turtle dove or a pair of young pigeons of others but a lamb or a bullock such things he required for sacrifice as were of easie price and might easily be obtained he did not put us upon the getting of strange and rare beasts as Buffes or Unicorns or any sort of creature which may put us to much paines in getting them or to much expense in buying them And as in these so in other things God hath graciously condescended to our weakness as appears every where in the Law Thus the Jewish Writers make out their translation and though it be a truth that in one sense the Ceremonial Law was as St Peter in that council at Jerusalem declared Acts 15.10 A Yoak which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear yet there was much favour mixed with it which caused the Lord to appeale in that point to their own consciences or to make themselves the Judges Mâ—ch 6.3 O my people what have I done unto thee or wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me And as God though great in power did not over-lay the Jews so much less hath he over-laid us Christians with duty 1 Joh. 5.3 His Commandements are not grievous And Christ said of his yoke and burden Mat. 11.10 My yoke is easie and my burden is light Christ may lay what burdens he pleaseth upon us but he is not pleased to lay any grievous burdens upon us This therefore is a truth both as to them and us yet I conceive it beside the design of Elihu in this place and I only mind the Reader of these different interpretations of all which some good improvement may be made So much of this verse The whole discourse of Elihu concludes in the next Vers 24. Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise in heart This verse containeth two things First a practical inference by way of use from that fourfold doctrine held forth in the former verse concerning God As if Elihu had said For as much as the Almighty is incomprehensible so that we cannot find him out for as much as he is mighty in power and judgement and plenty of justice so that we can neither avoid him nor delude him therefore men do fear him