the learned Authors of it make fairly out from the Original to whom I refer the Reader and shall only offer two notes from it for instruction First The sorest afflictions that fall upon sinners in this life are little or nothing to what God might lay upon them There is no condition here actually so bad but possibly it might be worse though the darkness of night be upon us yet it may be darker with us God can make a night so dark that the former darkness may be called light God can add so much bitterness to that which is veâ—y bitter so much weight to that burden of affliction which is already very heavy that the former bitter may be called sweet and that former weight of affliction light Are any pooâ— sick or pained God can make them poorer sicker and so encrease their paine that former poverty sickness paine may go for riches health and ease And as present sufferings of one kind or other are but little to what they may be so they are but little to what we have deserved they should be The least mercy is more than we deserve and the greatest affliction is less than we deserve Et nunc quia nihil est quod visitavit ira ejus Drus He hath visited thee little or nothing so the word is saith Elihu according to this reading of the Text. The Lord hath not only not visited thee too much O Job but he may be said not to have visited thee at all or the All of thy visitaâ—ion is nothing to that which the Lord could have brought upon thee David gives a general assertion near this concerning the dealings of the Lord in his angry dispensations Psal 103.10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities that is our sins and our iniquities might have born out the Justice of God in laying heavier evils and troubles upon us than yet he hath done Sinners never have their full punishment till they come to hell As the sweetest joyes and strongest consolations which the godly find and feel on earth are only tasts and first-fruits of that they shall have in heaven so all the sorrows and sufferings of the wicked in this world are but tasts light touches and beginnings of sorrow compared with the pains and sorrows of the next world where sinners shall be payd their wages in full Vtrumque visitandi recensendi vel cognoscendi verbum in hoc loco judicis vel magistratis in peccatores animedversionem inquisitionem punitioni conjunctum importat Bold Secondly From the latter part of the verse thus translated Neither hath he made any great inquisition that is he hath not taken strict knowledge of thy sins though a multitude though even past number though there be abundance of them and they abounding in sinfulness yet he hath not made any great inquisition after them Hence Note The Lord doth not severely mark the sins of his people no not the multitude nor magnitude of their sins to punish them Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity implying that the Lord doth not mark in the sense here intended if thou shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand The word in that Psalm rendred to mark notes first to watch or to observe with exactest diligence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is therefore in the Noun rendred a watch Tower upon which a man is placed to take observation of all things that are done and of all persons that passe by or approach and come neer A Watch-man placed upon a high-Tower is bound industriously and critically to observe all Passengers and passages all that his eye can reach So saith the Text If thou shouldest mark as a Watch-man and eye with rigour every thing that passeth from us Who could stand That is make good his Cause in the day of his judgement and tryal before thee Secondly The word signifieth to keep in mind to lay up to have as it were a store and stock a memorial or record of such and such things by us In that notion it is said Gen. 37.11 Josephs Brethren envied him but his Father observed the saying he marked what Joseph spake about his Dreams he laid it up and did not let it passe away as a Dâ—eam or as a vision of the night Thus in the Psalm If the Lord should mark iniquity if he should treasure up our sins in his memory and keep them by him who were able to stand when accounted with The Lord in a way of grace seeth as if he saw not and winks at us oftentimes when we do amiss as he is said to have done at those times the times of ignorance when not only many things but even every thing was done amiss and out of order in the dark Gentile world before the approach of Gospel light Acts 17.30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at but new commandeth all men every where to repent That is the Lord took little notice of those untaught times in comparison of that strict notice which he will take of these times concerning which he gave command to his Apostles Go and teach all Nations and yet the strictest notice which he takes of our sins in these times is but little to what he might So much from that Translation of the Text our own runs thus Vers 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity We must expound this Verse in Connexion with the latter part of the former But now because it is not so What is not so what is missing what is wanting What had Job done amiss or what had he mist to do Elihu seems to answer he hath mist the doing of that duty to which he was moved in the close of the fore-going Verse expressed in those words Trust thou in him or wait upon him But now because it is not so that is Because thou dost not put forth such acts of holy confidence and patient waiting upon God as thou oughtest and as I admonished thee to do therefore God is engaged and even compelled to treat thee thus roughly and severely He hath visited in his anger As if he had said Though thou hast professed a trust in God yet thou dost not trust in him fully as becomes thee yea thou seemest sometimes as a man forlorn to cast up thy hopes therefore because thou dost not trust in him because it is not so as I have exhorted and directed thee the Lord hath visited in anger Mr. Braughton renders But now for missing his anger doth visit For missing that is for missing of duty or for not acting up to duty for not trusting fully in the Lord the Lord hath visited thee in his anger This sense is obvious and commodious according to our reading But now because it is not so Homo tentatur et in examen vocatur ut probetur ejus spes et patientia
office and place be to do Jâ—sâ—ice yet they have noâ—hing of justice no tincture of it in them They neither feare God nor regard maâ— to do him any justice as the unjusâ— Judge is described Luk. 18.2 and with most Justice is a very â—carce Commodity they have but a very little of it and they disâ—â—ibute it very poorly and sparingly Where almost is the man to be found that hath plenty of justice in himâ—elf and distributes it plentifully to others There was surely a great scarcity of Justice in the Justicers of Jerusalem when the Lord by his Prophet Jer. 5.1 offered to pardon the whole City if upon the sending forth of his Wâ—it of Enquiry the name of any one man could be returned that executed Judgment O that Dearth of Justice and in what place may we hope to find plenty of justice among men when so little of it was to be found in Jerusalem the City of God yet this may comfort us that though there be little of it in or among men there is plenty of it in God And that there is plenty of justice in God I would demonstrate these five wayes First He hath plenty of justice who deals justly with every man God giveth every man his due all his due and nothing but his due More distinctly take this in two branches First he that rewards all that are good with good not this or that man not his kinsman or his friend only but every man that is good with good he hath plenty of Justice Thus doth God The respect which God hath to the persons of good men is like the respect which good men have to the commands of God it is universall he respects them all As they give him plentifull obedience having a respect to all his Commandements so he gives them plentifull Justice he hath respect to all their persons to all their workings to all their wayes which are holy just and good Again Secondly He hath plenty of Justice who punisheth all that do evil not winking at nor sparing friends or kindred Surely then there is plenty of justice in God for as he rewards all the good with good so he rewards all evil men with evil that 's all the reward they shall have and they shall have plenty of it Psal 31.23 He plenteously rewardeth the proud doer The proud shall have and drink up the last the residue the remainder the very dregs of the bitter cup of the cup of trembling as the Hebrew elegancy used by the Psalmist intimates Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil for there is no respect of persons with God Rom. 2.9 11. As he will punish none but evil-doers so he will punish them every one except they repent Secondly With the Lord is plenty of Justice for he knows the whole Compass of Justice he hath the clear Idea of it in his understanding he knows all the rules of it or rather is the rule of it All the rules of Justice came out from him and are but the signification of his own mind therefore he must needs know them and be well skilled in them Some men have a good mind to do justice yet have no plenty of it because they are unskilfull in the rule of it the Lawes both of God and man A Judge that is blind thâ—ough ignorance and hath not a gift of knowledge and understanding in the Law faulters in doing or is unfit to do Justice as much as â—e â—hat is blinded with gifts oâ— byass'd by relations and private passiâ—ns he that is blind the former way cannot have and he that is blinded by any of the latter wayes will never dâ— plenty of Justice But as the Lord hath an infinitely cleaâ— eye as to the rule â—o no gift can blind him nor can any relation put ouâ— his eyes from seeing a faulâ— nor divert him from punishing it Isa 27.11 It is a people of no understanding either to do goâ—â— or to depaâ—t from evil therefore he that made them that 's a neer relâ—â—ion will not have mercy on them and he that formed them that 's the â—ame will shew them no favour As if the Lord had said Justice shall be done though the work of my own hands be uâ—done by it There 's plenty of justice And as God knows the rule of the Law perfectly and will not be turned aside from it so he knows the matter of fact perfectly and cannot be mislead about that Upon which mistake some who have great knowledge of the rule of the Law yet do not plenty of justice they often condemn the innocent and acquit the nocent because they find not out the truth of their cause but are misinformed about it But the Lord is a God of knowledg by him actions are weighed he knows not only the matter of Law but the matter of fact too and therefore with him there is plenty of Justice Thirdly There must needs be plenty of Justice wi h God because he knows the spiâ—it and hearâ— with which every man acts he knoweth whether a thing be done maliciously or meerly by a surprize of passion Justice is guided much by that consideration in some cases The Lo d knows the heart wherewith every thing is done and the design or ayme of every man in doing it As he will make manifest the Councels of the heart at last to all so now the Councels of the heart a e manifest to him therefore he must nâ—eds be plentiful in justice Fourthly God is clothed wiâ—h sufficient power to execute justice therefore wiâ—h him there is plenty of it Some have a good mind to do justice they know the Law the fact too yet are shortned and straitned in doing justice because they have not power or are not able to carry it out against potent offenders but are forced to forbear the doing of justice because at present they cannot The doing of justice requireth strength of hand as well as strength of Law and integrity of heart David had a good mind to do justice upon Joab though neerly related to him â—â—en he had under a pretence of friendship slain Abner but he â—aw himself under a necessity of forbearance at that time and therefore said I am this day weak though anoynted King and these sons of Zerviah be too hard for me But there are no sons of Zerviah too hard for the Lord he can call them to an account at any time David knew that very well and therefore he referred Joab to Gods Justice in the close of that verse 2 Sam. 2.39 The Lord shall reward the doer of evill according to his wickedness Can thine heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the dayes that I shall deal with thee saith the Lord by his Prophet Ezek. 22.14 They cannot therefore with him is plenty of Justice Fifthly The Lord cannot but have plenty of justice for his very natuâ—e is justice Man doth that readily and plentifully which he doth
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
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
to come to that place or person to that Nation or People to which himself hath appointed it He causeth it to come Whether for Correction or for his Land or for Mercy Here are three ends or purposes of God in communicating and commanding forth the Clouds and we may take those three ends two wayes The first of these and the last concern Man more specially the second concerns all other creatures both Plants and Beasts of the earth it concerns all from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hysop on the wall among the Plants and from the Lion to the Mouse or to the least of living or sensible creatures among the Beasts all wâ—ich God according to his Soveraign Power and Justice doth either comfoâ—t or afflict as he pleaseth Again The ends which God aimeth at respecting Man are either for Correction or for Mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sive ad virga◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sive in disciplinam First He causeth the Cloud with whatsoever is its burden Hail or Rain or Snow to unlade and disburden it self for correction The Hebrew is for a Rod so we put in the Margin A Rod is for correction therefore we translate for correction for disciâ—linâ— God sends tâ—â— Clouds to whip or discipline a people Fuâ—ther the wâ—â—d signifies a Rod under a twofold Notion Fiâ—â—t A Râ—â— or a Sâ—â—ff to smite or strike with in which sence it is called Prov. 22.15 The Rod of correction and at the 8th verse of the same Chap er The Rod of anger as also Isa 10.5 O Assâ—rian the Rod of mine anger saith God Here 's a Râ—d to smite with Secondly It signifies a Rod to govern with or to rule with and hence this word denotes the Scepter of a Prince The two great Emblems of Magistracy are a Sword and a Scepter The Scepter is in the fashion of a Rod or VVand which imports chastening and correction and from hence it was that the chief of the Tribes of the Children of Israel Numb 17.2 were commanded to take every one of them a Rod according to the house of their Fathers twelve Rods and to write every mans Name upon his Rod and lay them up in the Tabernacle of the Congregation c. Now those Rods given in by the Princes of the Tribes were as so many Emblems of their Power and Authority because to the chief Magistrate the punishment of the faults and miscarriages of all under his government did belong And hence the same word signifies a Magistratical Rod or Scepter of Government and a Tribe or whole Family under the Rod oâ— Scepter of a Governour because as Rods or Bâ—anches gâ—ow from one Root so many Tribes or Families from one Father thus the Twelve Tribes of Israel spâ—ung from Jacob. And that 's the Reason why the Latine Translator renders this place not as we whether for correction but Whether for a Tribe the meaning of which reading Whether for a Tribe or for his Land is thus given VVhether it be for one particular place or for the whole Country or earth in general as will further appear in opening those words For his Land This Translation of the Vulgar Latine and the Inteâ—pretation given upon it sutes well with that of the Prophet 〈◊〉 4.7 where the Lord saith I caused it to 〈◊〉 upon one City and not upon another Here was Rain for a Tribe and not for his Land not an universal Rain all the Land over he causeth it to rain upon one City not upon ano her upon one Tribe not upon another that 's a good sence and the word will bear it Yet I rather take it here for a Rod which imports chastening or correcting as we translate Whether it be for Correction They that carryed the Rod or the Scepter had also the power of correction in their hand as was toucht before and that may be one Reason why when God sent Moses to Pharaoh Exod. 4.17 upon that great Message the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt he commanded him to take his Rod in his hand which Rod held out these two things First that Mâ—ses came not as a private man to him but like a Prince like an Embassador from the great King or like one whom he had appointed to take upon him the government of that people with a Scepter in his hand Secondly to let Pharaoh know that as God sent him with a power or cloathed him with a Commission to treat with him so with a power to scourge or plague him even with ten Plagues As if the Lord had said O Pharaoh Seest thou this Rod in the hand of my servant Moses assure thy self thou shalt have stroke upon stroke plague upon plague if thou wilt not let my people go But of that by the way He causeth it to come for correction or for a Rod. Hence note God can correct us by any of his Creatures He can make any thing a Rod he can make nearest Relations a Rod. A Son is somtimes a Rod to his Father how often have miscarrying and undutiful children been made a Rod of correction to their Parents and they are usually so when Parents have not duly corrected their children for their undutifulness and miscarriges What are cruel men but Rods to other men Some men have been the scourges of Mankind Attila once a great Commander in War and King of the Hunnes was called The Rod or the Scourge of God Flagellum Dei And so God himself called the Assyrian the Rod of his anger Isa 10.5 David called all wicked men in gâ—â—â— the Sword of God in his prayer for deliverance from them Psal 17 1â— â—â— Deliver my soul from the wicked thy sword from men which are thy hand O Lord thy correcting hand men ordain'd for Judgment and establisht for Corâ—â—â—tion as the Prophet spake of the Chaldeans Hab. 1.12 Who have their portion in this life And as the Lord makes men so the Beasts of the earth a Rod for the correction of Man Thus the Lord threatned by his Prophet I will send among them Sword and Pestilence and noysome Beasts Here in the Text we have a Rod made of a Cloud a strange kind of Rod I 'le send it for a Rod it shall come for correction Parents correct their children wiâ—h Rods God corrects the world with Floods first with unseasonable secondly with superfluous Rains O what severe corrections hath God laid upon the world by the Clouds The Clouds have been terrifying destroying Rods Exod. 9.18 23. Clouds have destroyed the Fruits of the earth for the sin of Man and taken away the hopes of the Harvest Rain from the Clouds hath ruined the dwellings of men and spoyled boâ—h Coâ—n and Cattel Rain from the Clouds was that overflowing scourge which destroyed the whole earth in the dayes of Noah then God caused the Cloud to come I cannot say for correction but for ruine for an universal ruine and devastation And as God then made the
had Fathers of our flesh who for a few dayes chastened us after theâ—r own pleasure they to ease themselveâ— have put us to pain but the Lord doth it for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness There is just cause we should be afflicted when we provoke God by sin or when he would purge us from our sin or make us more holy And as it may be said God will not afflict because he doth not afflict us but when there is cause for it so Thirdly Because he doth not afflict us but when there is need 1 Pet. 1.6 nor more than there is need we shall not be afflicted an hour longer nor have a grain more of weight in the burden of our cross nor a drop more of gall and wormwood in the cup of our sorrows than we have need of Isa 27.7 8 9. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him in measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with him As if it had been said he shall have no greater a measure than is both useful and needful First to humble him for his sin secondly to subdue and mortifie his sin thirdly he shall have no more than is needful to exercise his graces his faith and patience no more fourthly than is needful to make him thankful for deliverance and sensible of mercy when it comes Thus as God who hath plenty of Justice will not afflict us but when there is need so not more than is need Fourthly It may be said He will not afflict because he doth not afflict us more than we can bear he tenderly considers our strength what we are able to stand under how long we are able to stand under it he will not break our backs nor our hearts unless by godly sorrow for or from sin by affliction God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.13 is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Hence whâ—n it is said Lam. 3.33 He doth not afflict willingly c. it follâ—weth vers 34. to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth The Lord makes many his prisoners yet then his bowels are opened towards them he will not crush nor tread them down as mire in the streets I saith the Lord Isa 57.16 will not contend for ever c. For if I should the Spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made I know what your spirits can bear and I will contend no longer than I know you are able to bear it Hence that Promise Psal 125.3 The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous least he put forth his hands to evil The Lord knows the rod may prevail over us so as to put us upon the doing of evil and therefore he will take order that it shall not Thus we may safely understand this assertion He will not afflict that is he afflicts not willingly he afflicts not till there is need nor will he afflict more than needs nor more than we are able or himself will enable us to bear he will either support us under or give us deliverance out of all our afflictions in due time I might hence or from the whole infer a double duty First Be Patient under affliction Secondly Be Comforted in affliction For God doth so afflict that he may be truly said not to afflict But having met with occasions for the ministring of such like counsels to the afflicted from other passages in this book it may suffice only to mind the Reader of them here This spake Elihu in the close or peroration of his discourse to stir up Job to consider all the dealings of God with him he would have him sit down with these four Doctrinal Conclusions upon his heart that God is Excellent in Power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice he will not afflict Surely he will not afflict more in measure nor longer in time than is need as Job seemed in his passion to intimate and charge God for which he had several reproofs before Thus far I have opened these words as they stand in our translation There are two or three different readings especially of the latter part of the verse which would not be altogether omitted and therefore I shall touch at them and then proceed to the next and last verse of this Chapter which is also Elihu's parting word or the conclusion of his large and close discourse with Job The first different reading is much insisted upon by some Interpreters Take it thus Omnipotens quem non assequimur amplus est virtute sed judicio mâ—gnitudine justitiae non affliget Merc. The Almighty whom we cannot find out is great in power but he will not afflict in judgment and plenty of justice This translation transposeth those words which we place in the end of the verse he will not afflict to the middle of it and it renders the copulative particle And by the adversative But This makes the sence of the whole verse more plain and easie than the former as also to rise up more fully to the purpose of Elihu As if he had thus summed up all that he spoke before or had contracted it into this sum Which things seeing they are so as I have declared we may certainly conclude Quamvis sit potentissimus tamen homines ante creatos tanti facit ut non utator omnipotentia sua ad eos summo jure pro meritis eorum affligendos Jun. that the Almighty is so full of majesty and power that we are no way able to reach compass and find him out Yet notwithstanding he is so full of goodnesse and mercy that he is very sparing towards men and will not afflict them according to their demerits nor up to the extremity of justice This exposition holds out clearly that temperament of the power and justice with the goodness and mercy of God which Elihu undertook to demonstrate at the fifth verse of the thirty sixth Chapter and so forwards He is great in power but he will not afflict in judgement Take this note from it How great soever the power of God is yet he doth not afflict sinful man according to the greatness of his power nor the utmost line of his justice The Lord is full of mercy full of sparing mercy he spareth his people as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 And indeed if God should afflict in plenty that is in extremity of justice what would become of the best of the holiest of men Who can withstand the power of the great God who can stand in judgment before him if he should mark iniquities Psal 130.3 Woe to the most innocent man alive if God should mark iniquities and not forgive iniquities And therefore it follows in the next or 4th verse of that Psalm
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