upon that two-fold manifestation of the goodnesse of God as a God that willingly pardoneth sin and as a God that is unwilling to destroy sinners Or we may give the summe of these two verses according unto this second translation thus 1 Condono in quo est remissio culpae 2 Non destruam in quo est remissio paenae We have first an Exhortation to repentance from the most mercifull nature of God both as ready to forgive and as loth to destroy his creatures The former act importing the taking away of the guilt of sin the latter the remittal and removall of the punishment Secondly We have here a direction about repentance or to the penitent shewing how an humbled soule should behave himselfe toward God He ought to say thus What I see not teach thou me and if I have done iniquity I will doe no more Where we see the humbled soule in the exercise of a fourefold duty First He confesseth what sins he knoweth Secondly He confesseth or supposeth that he hath many sins which he doth not know Thirdly He entreateth the Lord to shew him every sin whether of heart or life which he knoweth not of Fourthly He engageth that he will not continue in any sin which the Lord shall discover to him or give him the knowledge of You have thus the generall scope of these two verses according to this second reading I shall now a little open the words and give Notes from them according to this translation But unto God who saith I forgive It may here be justly questioned how the Original can be render'd into such variety one translation saith It is meete to be sayd to God I have borne chastisemen this other saiâ—h â—o God who saith I forgive I will not destroy It ought to be said c. The first reading makes the words to be spoken by man this second reading gives the words as spoken both by God and man Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 latissimè patet si quid aliud Hebraicum inter alios tolerandi parcendi condonandi remittendi signifiâ—atum habet etiam solitariè positum ut hic or they are a direction given by the Spirit of God to man what to say to God Who saith I forgive I will not destroy I answer for the clearing of that doubt the difference of the readings ariseth from the copious significaâ—ion of one Hebrew word which is rendred many wayes in Scripture especially two First To bear in which sense we translate I have born chastisement The word chastisement as was shewed before is not expresly in the text but supplyed to make out the sense by our translaters I have born what thy hand thy chastisement Secondly It signifies also to pardon or to forgive I shall referre you to one Scripture in which that word is used in both these senses Gen 4.13 And Cain said unto the Lord my punishment is greater then I can bear that 's the text but if you read the margin of our larger Bibles that saith My iniquity is greater then that it may be forgiven or pardoned the text saith my punishment the margin saith my iniquity the same word signifieth both sin the cause and punishment the fruit Againe there the text saith My punishment is greater then I can bear and the margin saith my iniquity is greater then that it can be forgiven So that according to the text the words are Cains complaint against the justice of God that he dealt over-rigorously with him My punishment is greater then I can bear And according to the margin they are a description of his despair of the mercy of God my sin is greater then that it may be forgiven And as we find the word used in that place both for bearing and for pardoning So in severall other places it is translated by pardoning take but one Instance in the Psalms where we find it translated twice in the space of a few verses to forgive or pardon Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven And againe v. 5th I said I will confesse my iniquity and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin So that though there be a different version and translation of the word in this text of Scripture yet it is such as is consonant to the use of the word in other Scriptures and also to the truth of the whole Scripture Yea we know that in our English tongue to bear with a man signifies to forgive him his present fault or not to punish him and use extremity against him for it And therefore according to the exigence of any place the word may be translated either way and here it may be safely taken in both But to God who saith I forgive I will not destroy it ought or it is meete to be said what I see not teach thou me Elihu according to the reading now before us brings in God thus speaking yea even boasting thus of himselfe I forgive or I pardon Hence note First It is Gods owne profession of his owne selfe that he is a sin-pardoning God And God doth so much say or professe this of himselfe that when he was entreated by Moses to shew him his glory this was the chiefe thing which he sayd of himselfe Exod 34.6 7. And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed the Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Here 's my name saith God if you would know how I am called or what I would call my selfe this is it I am a God forgiving iniquity c. And as God pardoneth sin so there is none in heaven or in earth that pardoneth like him that hath such a name for pardon as God hath Mic 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity c. The gods of the Earth that is Kings and Princes give pardons and to doe so is the sweetest and choycest flower in the Crowne of Princes and they usually shew their Greatness by this act of grace when they come first to their Crowne and exercise of their soveraigne power The Princes or gods of the Earth can pardon but 't is no disparagement to put that question Can they pardon like God no their pardon is no pardon in comparison of Gods pardon yea their pardoning is a kinde of condemning compared with the pardoning grace of God The pardons which Kings give are but the shadow of his pardon who is King of kings Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgression As if he had said I am he and there is none else this glory is proper to me and none can partake with me in it nor will I give this glory to another All sins are committed against God and in a sense against him only therefore only to be pardoned by him Who can remit the debt but the Creditor Psal 51.1 Against thee thee only have I sinned What debt soever we
and messengers of his word with his Spirit he will impower them from on high and so we shall learn his Statutes and understand his wayes David ascribes even his skill in Military affairs to Gods teaching Psal 144.1 Blessed be the Lord my strength who teacheth my hand◠to war and my fingers to fight God only teacheth a man powerfully to be a good Souldier Surely then it is God only who teacheth us to be good Christians to be Believers to be holy He hath his seat in heaven who teacheth hearts on earth Secondly As these words hold out to us the temper of an humble sinner Note A gracious humble soul is teachable or is willing to be taught As it is the duty of the Ministers of the Gospel to be apt to teach that 's their special gift or characteristical property so 't is the peoples duty and grace to be apt to be taught to be willing to be led and instructed naturally we are unteachable and untractable As we know nothing of God savingly by nature so we are not willing to know we would sit down in our ignorance or at most in a form of knowledge To be willing to learn is the first or rather the second step to learning The first is a sight of our ignorance and the second a readiness to be taught and entertain the means of knowledge Thirdly The words being the form of a Prayer Note It is our duty to entreat the Lord earnestly that he would teach us what we know not It is a great favour and a mercy that God will teach us that he will be our master our Tutor Now as we are to ask and pray for every mercy so for this that God would vouchsafe to be our Teacher Psal 25.4 5. Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy paths Lead me in thy truth and teach me David spake it twice in prayer Lead me and Teach me Lead me on in the truth which I know and teach me the truths which I know not So he prayeth again Psal 119.26 Teach me thy Statutes make me to understand the way of thy precepts David was convinced that he could not understand the Statutes of God unless God would be his Teacher though he could read the Statutes of God and understand the language of them yet he did not understand the Spirit of them till he was taught and taught of God and therefore he prayed so earnestly once and again for his teaching When Philip put that question to the Eunuch Acts 8.30 Vnderstandest thou what thou readest He said how can I except some man should guide me Or unless I am taught Though we read the Statutes of God and read them every day yet we shall know little unless the Lord teach us Solomon made it his request for all Israel at the solemn Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.37 Teach them the good way wherein they should walk God who is our Commander is also our Counseller Fourthly From the special matter wherein this penitent person would be taught which is plain from part of the latter verse If I have done iniquity Note A gracious heart is willing to know and see the worst of himself He would have God teach him what iniquity he hath done David was often upon that prayer Psal 139.24 Search me O God and know my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me Lord shew me my sin as I would not conceal my sin from thee so I would not have my sin concealed from my self A carnal man who lives in sin though possibly he may pray for knowledge in some things and would be a knowing man yet he hath no minde that either God or man should shew him his sin He loves not to see the worst of himself his dark part he as little loves to see his sin as to have it seen But a godly man never thinks he seeth his sin enough how little soever he sins he thinks he sins too much that 's the general bent of a gracious mans heart and how much soever he sees his sin he thinks he sees it too little And therefore as he tells God what he knows of his sin so he would have God tell him that of his sin which he doth not know That which I know not teach thou me If I have done iniquity I will do no more There are two special parts of repentance First Confession of sin whether known or unknown This we have in the former part of the verse That which I see not teach thou me There is the confession of sin even of unknown sin The second part of repentance is reformation or amendment a turning from sin a forsaking of that iniquity which we desire God would shew us we have this second part of repentance in this latter part of the verse If I have done iniquity I will do no more But why doth he say If I have c. Had he any any doubt whether he had done iniquity or no every man must confess down right that he hath sinned and done iniquity without ifs or an's Solomon having made such a supposition in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.46 If they sin against thee presently puts it into this position for there is no man that sinneth not The Apostle concludes 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Therefore this If I have done iniquity is not to be understood as if this or that man as if he or any man might be without sin but when the penitent is brought in saying If I have done iniquity h◠meaning is First What ever iniquity I have done I am willing to leave it to abandon it I will do so no more Secondly Thus If I have done iniquity that is if I have done any great iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perverse agere if I have acted perverseness or perversly as the word signifieth I will do so no more to do iniquity is more then barely to sin As if he had said though I cannot promise that I will sin no more yet Lord if thou dost discover to me any iniquity any gross sin or perversenesse I will do that no more I will engage my self against that sin with all my might and to the utmost of my power by grace received I will keep my self pure from every sin If I have done iniquity Hence Note First A godly man hath a gracious suspition of himself that he hath done evil yea some great evil that he hath done amiss yea greatly amiss though he be not able to charge himself with this or that particular iniquity He knoweth he hath sinned done evil though he knoweth not every evil he hath done nor how sinfully he may have sinned he doubts it may be worse with him then he seeth Possibly he hath done iniquity Job in reference to his children chap. 1.5 had an holy suspition that in their feasting
a man of understanding every man is not a man of understanding in naturall and civill things much lesse in things divine and spirituall As some men have so much will or rather wilfulnesse that they are nothing but will and some have so much passion that they are nothing but passion so others have such riches and treasures of understanding as if they were nothing but understanding Now it is the speciall inspiration of the Almighty which giveth such an understanding that is an enlarged and an enriched understanding We say the inspiration of the Almighty g veth understanding The Hebrew is but one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intellectificat eos Brent which we may expresse as some doe It Intellectifieth So then the scope and meaning of this verse is plainly this That howsoever every man the meanest of men hath a reasonable soule yet the furniture of the understanding or mans fulness of wisdome and knowledge is by gift or inspiration of the Almighty and therefore some read the verse thus Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty maketh them to understand Thus Elihu would gâ—ine credit and authority to what he had to deliver as being by the teachings and dictates of the Spirit of God Est spiritus in hominibus spiratio autem omnipotentis docet Sept The Seventy comply fully with this rendering There is a spirit in men but the inspiration of the Almighty teacheth As if Elihu had said Though man be endewed with naturall knowledge and reason which can doe somewhat yet untill light shines from above till the spirit of God comes in and enlargeth the naturall spirit it cannot see farre nor doe any great matter Or take the sence of the whole verse thus in connection with what went before Though old age hath odds of youth yet one man as well as another hath a spirit of reason and judgement in him whereby through supply of speciall inspiration from God who can doe all things he may be able to know that which want of yeares denieth him From the words thus opened Observe First Wisdome or understanding is the gift of the Spirit of God We have a like assertion by way of question in the 38th Chapter of this booke ver 36. Who hath put wisdome into the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart who hath hath man put wisdome into himselfe or hath he made his own heart to understand the Question denies no man hath not done it Wisdome is an Influence or an Inspiration from the Almighty knowledge to order common things is of the Lord Isa 28.26 29. His God doth instruct him the husbandman he meanes to discretion in ordering the ground and doth teach him how much more in spirituall things and the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven Prov. 16.1 The preparation of the heart in man and the Answer of the tongue that is The fitting of the heart for any right answer of the tongue is from the Lord both the generall preparation of the heart for service or use and the speciall preparation of it to this or that service use is of the Lord so is the Answer of the tongue for the discharge of it Eccles 2.26 God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdome and knowledge and joy As God giveth man the knowledge of things so wisdome to know how to order and manage the things that he knoweth Some have more knowledge then they know how to manage their knowledge masters them they are not masters of their knowledge they have more knowledge then wisdome Now God gives to him that is good in his sight that is to the man whom he chooseth and is pleased with knowledge and wisdome and then he gives him joy that is Comfort in the exercise of that knowledge wherewith he is endued this is a notable and a noble gift of God We read Isa 11.2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirâ—t of wisdome and understanding It is a prophesie of Christ who being made in all things like to man had a naturall spirit or a reasonable faculty and he had that furnished by the spirit without measure the spirit of the Lord rested upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of Counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord even Christ as man received an unction or inspiration from the Almighty for the fullfilling of his Mediatoriall office much more doe meere men for the fullfilling of any office they are called unto 2 Cor 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves so much as to thinke a good thought Our sufficiency is by the Inspiration of the Almighty James 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above It is not a vapour that riseth out of the earth but an Influence which distills and drops downe from heaven it is from above that is from God who though he be every where filling both heaven and earth with his essentiall presence yet according to Scripture language his most glorious and manifestative presence is above and therefore to say every good gift is from above is all one as to say it is from God Daniel and those other three Noble youths of the Jewish race exceeded all the wise men of Chaldea in rare abilities and the Scripture tells us whence it was that they did so Dan. 1.17 As for these foure Children God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdome and the assertion is layd downe in General Dan. 2.21 He that is God changeth times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings he giveth wisdome to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding All these Scriptures speak with one Consent the language of this Text It is the Inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding And if we compare 1 Sam 10.1 with the 6th 9th 11th and 12th verses of the same Chapter we have a most remarkable passage to this purpose Where Saul having received the unction from Samuel both as an assurance of and a preparation for the exercise of his kingly office over Israel Samuel tells him ver 6. The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophecy with them that is with the company of Prophets spoken of in the former verse and shalt be turned into another man And the holy text adds ver 9. God gave or as we put in the margin turned him another heart There is a twofold turning or changing of the heart or of a man into another man First by gifts of Illumination Secondly by the grace of Sanctification the great change of the heart is that change of Conversion by the grace of Sanctification Saul was not turned into another man nor had he another heart as changed by Grace for he shewed still his old heart in his new kingly state but he had another heart or he was another man as changed by gifts
the spirit of the Almighty gave him understanding for the Government which he was called to for whereas before he had only a private spirit taken up about cattel and the affaires of husbandry then God gave him a spirit of prudence and valour a spirit of wisdome and magnanimity a Noble and an Heroicall Spirit befitting the Governour of so great and populous a kingdome both in peace and warre Every Calling is a mystery much more the Calling of Kings and Supreame Magistrates It was said to Imperiall Rome Tu regere im perio populos Romane memento Hae tibi sint artes Doe thou remember to Rule Nations and Kingdomes let these be thy arts This Art the Spirit of the Lord gave Saul even knowledge and skill to rule and governe yea he had a gift of Illumination not only for government but for prophesie he was found amongst the Prophets and when v. 11th they asked wondering Is Saul also amongst the Prophets As if they had said How strange and unheard of a thing is this that Saul should be furnished with the gift of prophecy and joyne himselfe with the Prophets They who before were acquainted with his person and manner of education were even amazed at the sight And while they were surprized with this amazement one of the same place as it seemes wiser then the rest Answered and said but who is their father ver 12. That 's the speciall word for which I alledge this text What Saul among the Prophets is it not strange that he should be Inspired Then one Answered and said who is their father As if he had said Doe not any longer stand wondering at this thing but consider who is the father of Saul as a Prophet as also the father of all these Prophets Saul was the son of Kish as to naturall descent but he had another father as he was a Prophet and so all these Prophets had besides theit Fathers as men one and the same father as Prophets Therefore wonder not that ye heare Saul prophecying for all these whom ye heare and see prophecying have not these gifts by birth from men nor by industry from themselves but from God who is a free agent and inspireth whom he pleaseth The same God who by inspiration hath freely bestowed those gifts upon the other Prophets hath also inspired Saul with a gift of prophecy The Spirit of God is his father in that capacity as well as the father of these other Prophets And hence that Scripture runs in the plurall number who is their father Unlesse God give power from above the understanding is darke the memory unfaithfull the tongue stammering It is light from on high that teacheth the skill of prophecy Solomon had the greatest measure of understanding of any meere man since the fall of man and of him it is said 1 Kings 4.29 God gave Solomon wisdome and understanding exceeding much and largenesse of heart even as the sand that is on the sea-shore Solomons heart had been as narrow as another mans if the Inspiration of the Almighty had not widened it When Moses was so sinfully modest as to excuse his Embassie to Pharoah supposing himselfe not fitted for such an undertaking Exod 4.10 11. O my Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue God presently put the question to him Who hath made mans mouth c. As if he had said Cannot he give words into thy mouth who gave thee a mouth cannot he act thy organs of speech who made them Now therefore goe and I will be with thy mouth Est deus in nobis sunt et commercia caeli sedibus aethereis spiritus iste venit Ovid. and teach thee what thou shalt say The Inspiration of the Almighty shall give thee understanding Heathen Poets have boasted of their â—â—ptures and inspirations The people of God have a promise of the Spirit to lead them into all truth and to helpe them in maintaining those truths From this generall that the furniture of the understanding is the gift of God or by Inspiration of the Almighty take these hints by way of Coralary First If a right understanding flow from the Inspiration of the Almighty then pray for an understanding pray for the Spirit Ye have not because ye aske not saith the Apostle James 4.2 God gives wisdome but he gives it to them that aske it Jam 1.5 If any man want wisdome let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not God upbraideth us not either with our want of wisdome or with the abundance of wisdome that he is pleased to supply us with and give out to us When Solomon was put to his choice what to aske he said Give thy servant an understanding heart God gave Solomon wisdome but Solomon asked it first All good things are shut up in promises and the promises are opened to give out their good things when we pray Prov. 23.5 When thou Cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voyce for understanding then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God To pray well is to studâ—e well because by prayer light comes in from on high to make studies successfull and the worke to prosper in our hand As the Almighty breatheth downe on us so we must breath up to the Almighty To expect and not to pray is to tempt God not to trust him Secondly Doe not onely pray for wisdome but use meanes and be industrious for the obtaining of it The gift of God doth not take off the diligence of man God doth not worke in us that we should sit still Prov. 2.4 Then shalt thou know wisdome when thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure And where is this treasure to be had Surely in the mines of Scripture and in all those Appoyntments wherein God hath promised to meete his people to shine upon them and give them the knowledge of his wayes in Jesus Christ Thirdly Be thankfull for any gift of knowledge for every beame and ray of light be thankfull It is God who commands light to shine out of darknesse and that God who at first commanded light to shine out of darknesse dayly shineth into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Fourthly If understanding be from Inspiration then they who have received much understanding must be caution'd against two evills First not to be proud nor high minded that our gifts come from on high should make us very low in our owne eyes What hast thou that thou hast not received and if thou hast received it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it These are the Apostles soule-humbling and pride-mortifying questions or expostulations rather 1 Cor. 4.7 You that have received the greatest gifts whom the Inspiration of the
confound the wise and the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mighty And base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things which are that no flesh should glory in his presence God chuseth those things which have the greatest improbility for his worke that the power and successe of the worke may be ascribed to him alone When we chuse we should chuse those that are fit for the worke to which they are chosen we should not chuse a foole to governe nor one that is of low parts himselfe to teach others we should pitch upon the wisest and ablest we can get Joseph said well to Pharoah Gen. 41.33 Looke out a man discreet and wise and set him over the Land of Egypt We cannot make men wiser then they are and therefore we must chuse and take those that are wise to doe our worke But when God comes to doe his worke he often takes the foolish and the weake because as he calleth them to so he can fit them for his worke As the strongest opposition of nature against grace cannot hinder the worke of the Spirit when the Spirit comes he will make a proud man humble a covetous man liberall an uncleane person modest and temperate so the weaknesse of nature cannot hinder his worke If a man below in parts God can raise him Out of the mouths of babes aâ—d sucklings hast thou ordained strength Psal 8.2 or as Christ alledgeth that text Math 21.16 Thou hast perfected praise one might thinke Surely God will take the aged the learned and great for his praise no he ordaines praise to himselfe out of the mouths of babes and sucklings that is out of their mouths who in all natuturall considerations are no way formed up nor fitted to shew forth his praise Isa 32.4 The heart of the rash or hasty shall understand knowledge Heady and inconsiderate persons whose tongues as we say run before their wits shall then be grave advised and serious both in what they doe and as it followeth in what they say The tongue of the stammerers shall speake plainly that is cleare words with cleare reason or they shall speake well both in matter and forme right things rightly All this the Lord doth that he may honour himselfe and lift up his owne name only which alone is to be lifted up Never feare to put an empty vessell to a full fountaine no matter how empty the vessell be if the fountaine be full God delights in broken weake and empty creatures that he may mend strengthen and fill them There is a spirit in man in weake man and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Elihu having shewed the original of mans wisdome to be from God in this 8th verse makes an inference from it in the 9th The inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding And what then surely even hence it cometh to passe that Vers 9. Great men are not alwayes wise neither doe the aged understand Judgement It is well conceived by some Interpreters that the Apostle doth more then allude to even cite this text 1 Cor. 1.26 You see your Calling Brethren how that not many wâ—se men after the flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called If God should chuse only of mostly wise men they would be ready to say we are chosen for our wisdome If he should chuse and call only or mostly rich men they would be ready to thinke we are chosen for our riches If he should call only or mostly Kings and Princes they would conclude we are called for our Greatnesse Therefore the Lord passeth by most of these and calleth the Fisherman calleth the poore man the ignorant man and saith You that have nothing you that in the esteeme of the world are nothing doe you follow me who have all things and can supply you with all Thus here saith Elihu Great men are not alwayes wise Why not the reason is because God doth not alwayes bestow wisdome upon them It is the Inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding Greatnesse doth it not Not many wise men after the flesh not many Great or Noble are Called Elihu and the Apostle Paul speake the same thing almost in the same words This is also a proofe of the divine Authoritie of this booke as well as that 1 Cor. 1.19 taken out of the speech of Eliphaz in the 5th Chapter at the 13th verse He taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse c. Great men are not alwayes wise The word alwayes is not at all in the Originall text and therefore put in a different Character Great men are not wise but 't is well supplyed by that word alwayes For the meaning of Elihu is not that great men are never wise but not alwayes wise Great men the Rabbies the honourable men of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnus unde Rabbi Magister qui multam eruditionem habet Honorabiles Pagn Magnates Tygur men in Authoritie and great place are intended by this word The Officers which King Ahasuerus set over his feast are called Rabbies Est 1.8 so that we may expound it here in the largest sence as including all sorts and degrees of Great ones Great men are not alwayes wise That is wisdome neither floweth from nor is it alwayes associated with Greatnesse As some are little yet great little in the world yet great in true wisdome so others are Great yet little they are little in wisdome or have little true wisdome though they are great in the world or have great worldly wisdome Hence note It is not greatnesse of birth of place or power that can make any man wise nor doth it at all assure us that a man is wise because we see him exalted to and setled in a place of power and greatness The Prophet Jer. 5.4 5. finding some very incorrigible and hardned in sinfull courses concluded them meane persons and in the lowest forme of the people Therefore I said Surely these are poore they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the Judgement of their God To be poore and foolish is very common these are poore and foolish saith the Prophet but surely I shall finde the Great ones better accommodated with wisdome and thereupon he resolved I will get me to the great men and will speak unto them for they have knowne the way of the Lord and the judgement of their God That is these great men have had great meanes of knowledge and we have reason to suppose them as great in knowledge as they are in place or power But did the great men answer his expectation did he find that in them which he sought and looked for nothing lesse The great men proved more foolish or lesse in true knowledge then the poore as it followeth But these have altogether broken the yoake and burst the bonds As if he had said I
have found but wisdome Note Man is very prone to make boast of or glory in that which he calleth wisdome When he hath found out though but supposed wisdome he cannot containe he must cry it up Archimedes It is said of the old Mathematician when after long study and beating his braines he had found out a Conclusion in Geometry he ran about the Citie as if transported or ravished with this loud out-cry I have found it I have found it and thus Jobs friends were ready to cry out they had found they had found out wisdome There is indeed a very great temptation in the finding out or attaining of wisdome to puff man up and to make him vaine-glorious We have great cause to be humbled that we have so little wisdome and they that have any store as they thinke more then their neighbours are in great danger of being proud of it Knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor 8.1 When the head is full the heart grows high Yet this is to be understood of literall knowledge not of spirituall or of knowledge when and where it is alone without grace not of gracious knowledge The more a gracious man knowes the more humblâ— he is because his knowledge shewes him his own vileness and emptiness but the more a carnall man knowes the more proud he is became while such whatsoever or how much soever he knoweth he knoweth not himselfe nor doth he know any thing as he ought to know it as the Apostle speakes there at the second verse And as meere naturall men so they who are but smatterers or beginners in the wayes of godliness are also very ready to be transported with an opinion of their parts and knowledge And therefore the same Apostle gives it in charge to Timothy 1 Tim. 3.6 that he who is called and received unto Office in the Church should not be a novice he means it not so much of one that is young in yeares as of one that is young in the faith a new plant in the Church or one newly converted And he gives this as a reason Lest being puft up with pride he meanes by being in such a function or by having such reputation for wisdome and knowledge as is requisite to a Goâ—pel Minister he which is a sad fall if not a down-fall into utter ruine fall into the condemnation of the devill Not that the devill will condemne him for his pride no the more proud men are the more the devill approves of them nor is it the devills office to condemne it is his office to execute he is the executioner not the Judge and what ever he condemneth any man for he will not condemne him for pride no nor for any sin So that when the Apostle saith Lest he fall into the condemnation of the devill it is as if he had said Lest he be condemned for the same sin that the devill was condemned for which was pride And it was pride for he is the right father of the Gnosticks arising out of a high opinion or conceit of his owne wisdome and knowledge Zophar sayd Job 11.12 Vaine man would be wise But is it an argument of a mans vanity that he would be wise it is a mans duty to be wise that 's a good desire why then doth he say Vaine man would be wise The meaning is Vaine man would be in account for wisdome he would be reckoned among wise men or he desires more to be thought wise then to be wise A vaine man indeed cannot desire any good but in reference to some evill that cleaves to it and upon that account he may desire to be wise The first sin came into the world by an attempt to get wisdome or by a proud thought in the hopes of attaining farther wisdome The wisdome which our first parents sought for was not wisdome to know God for that is the most excellent wisdom It is eternall life to know God So then it was not wisdome to know God but it was wisdome to be knowing as God which they affected they would be high and lifted up above the rate of a creature in knowledge and that was their ruine And I shall shew in two things why there is such a temptation in wisdome or the reason why when we have found out that which hath a shew of wisdome in it we are so forward to applaud our selves boast in it First 'T is so because wisdome is no common Commodity as I may say wisdome is but in few hands if you consider the multitude of men in the world Now that which few have all who have it are ready to be proud of No man is proud of that which is every mans no man is proud that he is a man or proud that he hath reason because that is common to all men but all men are not wise all men are not learned all men have not an improved wisdome reason and understanding that hath a peculiarity in it and therefore of that many are proud Secondly Wisdome is not only rare but very usefull and which reacheth this poynt more fully very ornamentall and how apt are we to be proud of our ornaments A man is not proud of his ordinary Clothes nor a woman of her every-day dresse but when a man or woman have their ornaments and Jewells on their Gay-cloathing and rich apparel on then they are apt to be proud and lifted up so it is in this case Wisdome is like Gay-cloathing it is a Jewell an ornament and therefore man is under a temptation when he hath any thing of wisdome especially any eminency of wisdome about him to be lifted up and despise others yea to arrogate great things to himselfe and to presume that he can doe no small matters with his braine or the engine of his understanding It is a great attainment to be full of knowledge and full of humility high in parts and lowly in spirit Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome God thrusteth him downe not man or as others read God hath cast him downe not man The Omnipotent doth Toss him not man saith Mr. Broughton The word signifies to toss a man as it were in a blanket That is to toss him as we please farre enough from his pleasure or to toss him in open view As if they had sayd see how the omnipotent tosseth this man The Omnipotent tosseth him not man There are two references of these words given by Expositers First Some expound them as the words of Elihu Secondly Others as the words of Jobs three friends First Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome I saith Elihu say God shall thrust him downe not man That 's the principle by which I will deale with Job and so thrust him downe from that opinion which he hath of himselfe and humble him that 's the sence of the words thrust him downe according to this interpretation God shall doe it and not man Some of the learned insist much upon this
scelus est veritatem palliare Merc But it is a farre greater sin to commend the sins of others or to commend others in their sin And we may take the measure of this sin by the punishment of it When we heare the Lord threatning flatterers with suddaine destruction doth it not proclaime to all the world that their sin is full of provocation The Lord beares long with many sorts of sinners but not with sinners of this sort My maker would soone take me away Whence note Secondly God can make quicke dispatch with sinners As the grace of God towards sinners Nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia so his wrath needs no long time in preparations When we designe great actions we must take time to fit our selves Princes must have time to set out an Army or a Navy when they would either defend themselves against or revenge themselves upon their enemies But God can presently proceed to action yea to execution He that made all with a word speaking can destroy the wicked as soone as speake the word he can doe it in the twinkling of an eye with the turning of a hand My Maker would soone take me away Thirdly Because Elihu being about to speake in that great cause sets God before him and God in his judgements in case he should speake or doe amisse Note Thirdly They that doe or speake evill have reason to expect evill at the hand of God If I should flatter saith Elihu my Maker would soone take me away I have reason to feare he will not that God takes away every sinner as soone as he sins God rarely useth Martiall Law or executes men upon the place we should live and walke more by sence then by faith if he should doe so but any sinner may expect it God I say is very patient and long-suffering he doth not often take sinners away either in the act or immediately after the act of sin Yet there is no sinner but hath cause to feare lest as soone as he hath done any evill God should make him feele evill and instantly take him away David prayeth Psal 28.3 Draw me not away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity There is a two-fold drawing away with the workers of iniquity First to doe as they doe that is wickedly Thus many are drawne away with the workers of iniquity and 't is a good and most necessary part of prayer to beg that God would not thus draw us away with the workers of iniquity that is that he would not suffer the workers of iniquity to draw us away into their lewd and sinfull courses Secondly there is a drawing away to punishment and execution In that sence I conceive David prayed Lord draw me not away with the workers of iniquity who are taken away by some sudden stroake of judgement though I may have provoked thee yet let not forth thy wrath upon me as thou sometimes doest upon the workers of iniquity doe not draw me out as cattell out of the pasture where they have been fed and fatted for the slaughter Every worker of iniquity is in danger of present death and may looke that God will be a swift witness against him though most are reprieved yet no man is sure of that Againe In that Elihu represents God to himselfe ready to take him away in case of flattery and prevarication in that cause Note Fourthly It is good for us to over-awe our soules with the remembrance of the judgements and terrours of God 'T is profitable sometimes to converse with the threatnings as well as with the promises 't is profitable to remember what God is able to do against us as well as to remember what God is able to do for us Even believers should goe into the dreadfull treasuries of wrath into the thunders lightnings of divine displeasure as well as into the delightfull treasuries of mercy of love compassion it is good for a good man to thinke God may take me away as well as to thinke God will save and deliver me we need even these meditations of God to keepe downe our corruptions and to fright our lusts Though it be the more Gospel way to make use of love yet the Gospel it selfe teacheth us to make use of wrath 2 Cor 5.11 Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men Lastly Note When we goe about any great worke when we are either to speak or doe in any weighty matter it is good for us to set God before our eyes to thinke of and remember our Maker As in great undertakings we should remember our Maker waiting for and depending upon his assistance strength and blessing in what we doe or goe about so we should remember him to keepe our hearts right And to remember seriously believingly and spiritually that God beholds and seeth us in all our wayes and workes and that according to the frame of our hearts and the way that we take in every action such will the reward and the issue be cannot but have a mighty command and an answerable effect upon us We can hardly doe amisse with â—od in our eye And therefore as it is sayd of a wicked man Psal 10.4 that through the pride of his countenance he will not seeke after God God is not in all his thoughts So David said of himselfe though in that Psalme he speakes chiefely as a type of Christ and so in proportion or as to sincerity every godly man saith like David Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord alwayes before me because he is at my right hand therefore I shall not be moved that is as I shall not be utterly overthrowne by any evill of trouble so I shall not be overcome by any evill of temptation or I shall not be moved either in a way of discouragement by the troubles I meete with or in a way of enticement by the temptations I meete with How stedfast how unmoveable are they in the worke of the Lord how doe they keepe off from every evill worke who set the Lord alwayes before them and have him at their right hand Could we but set the Lord before us either in his mercies or in his terrors we should not be moved from doing our duty in whatsoever we are called to doe Thus farre Elihu hath drawne out his speech in a way of preface preparing himselfe for his great undertaking with Job He hath now fully shewed the grounds why he undertooke to deale with him and what method he would use in that undertaking In the next Chapter and so forward to the end of the 37th we have what he sayd and how he managed the whole matter JOB Chap. 33. Vers 1 2 3. Wherefore Job I pray thee heare my speeches and hearken to all my words Behold now I have opened my mouth my tongue hath spoken in my mouth My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart and my lips shall utter knowledge clearely ELihu having spent the whole
former Chapter in prefacing to Jobs friends directs his speech now to Job himselfe yet not without a renewed Preface as will appeare in opening this Chapter Wherein we may take notice of foure heads of his discourse First We have his Preface in the seven former verses of the Chapter Secondly A proposition of the matter to be debated or of the things that Elihu had observed in Job's speech about this Controversie from the 7th verse to the 12th Thirdly We have his confutation of what Job had affirmed from the 12th verse to the 31th Lastly We have his conclusion exciting Job to make answer to what he had spoken else to heare him speaking further in the three last verses of the Chapter Elihu in his Preface moves Job about two things First to attend what he was about to say Secondly To make reply to and answer what he should say Elihu moves Job to the former duty severall wayes First By a mild Entreaty and sweet Insinuation in the first verse Wherefore Job I pray thee heare my speeches and hearken to my words As if he had sayd I doe not come authoritatively and rigorously upon thee to command or demand thy attention but as a faithfull friend I desire thee to attend unto my speech and hearken to my voice Secondly He moves him to heare by professing his own readinesse and preparednesse to speak in the 2d verse Behold now I have opened my mouth my tongue hath spoken in my mouth that is I have been as it were tuning my instrument and fitting my selfe for discourse let me not loose my labour nor my study Thirdly He moves him to attend from the sincerity and gracious Ingenuity of his heart in that which he had to say to him This he layeth before him in the 3d verse My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart and my lips shall utter knowledge clearely What better Encouragement to heare And Fourthly Elihu moves him to heare from the Consideration of his present state as a man not only made by God but by him instructed for the work which he had undertaken the former of which is Exprest the latter Implyed in the 4th verse The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Thus Elihu Calls out Job to heare And Secondly As he invites him to heare what he had to say so he provokes him to answer what he should say vers 5. If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up As if he had said Be not discouraged take heart man doe thy best to defend thy selfe and make good thy owne cause against what I shall say Spare me not Doe thy best thy utmost Having thus encouraged him in General to answer he proceeds to give him two speciall Motives First From their Common state or Condition in the 6th verse Behold I am according to thy wish in Gods stead I also am formed out of the clay As if he had sayd You have often desired to plead with God or that God would heare your plea now consider I am in Gods stead though a man like your selfe Secondly He encourageth him from the tendernesse of his spirit toward him respecting his present Condition promising to deal with or treate him fairely gently in the 7th verse Behold my terror shall not make thee afraid neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee That favour Job hâ—d asked of God in the 9th Chapterâ— Let not thy terror make me afraid Now saith Elihu thaâ— which thou didst fear from God thou needest not at all feare in dealing with me My terror shall not make thee afraid c. Thus Elihu begins with Job that he might lead him to receive fairely or answer fully what he had to say The three first verses of the Chapter Containe the first part of the Preface wherein Elihu excites and calls forth Jobs attention by those foure Considerations already distinctly proposed the first whereof is layd downe Vers 1. Wherefore Job I pray thee heare my speeches and heerken to all my words Elihu begins very mildly sweetly insinuatingly even entreatingly and beseechingly Wherefore I pray thee The word which we translate I pray thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adhortartis vel excitantis tum etiam obsecranâ—â— is in the Hebrew language a monasyllable adverb of obsecration or exhortation I pray thee Hence note 'T is good to use gentlenesse towards those with whom we have to deale especially with those who are either outwardly afflicted or troubled in spirit Entreaties have great power and therefore though the Prophets and Apostles speake sometimes in a threatning way and command attention upon utmost peril yet for the most part they bespeake it with Entreaties 2 Cor 5.20 Now then we as Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God The Apostles went about a begging as it were with this message with the best message that ever was carried forth to the world Reconciliation unto God we pray you And againe 2 Cor 6.1 We then as workers together with him beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vaine that is the doctrine of the Gospel holding forth the grace and favour of God freely in Jesus Christ 1 Thes 4.1 Furthermore we beseech you brethren that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walke and to please God so ye would abound more and more As he did beseech them not to receive the grace of God in vaine so he did beseech them to a progress in an Improvement of that grace Again 1 Thes 2.7 We were gentle among you even as a Nurse cherisheth her Children how tender is a nurse to the infant hanging at her breast or dandled on her knee Speak ye Comfortably to Jerusalem was the Lords direction when she was in her warfare that is in a troubled and afflicted condition Isa 40.2 The Hebrew is Speak to her heart speak such words as may revive her heart and adde fresh spirits and life to her The Apostles rule for the restoring of those that are fallen is that they should be kindly treated Gal 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye that are spirituall restore such an one with the spirit of meeknesse It is a great poynt of holy skill so to order a reproofe as not to provoke so to speak as to speak open or pick the lock of the heart Affectionate Entreaties are blessed pick-locks which doe not straine the wards but effectually lift up the holders and shoote the bolt of the heart causing it to stand wide open to receive and take in the truth of promises counsels and reproofes Meeke words meeken the spirit 'T is hard to refuse what we perceive spoken in love and if any thing will soften a hard heart soft language is most likely to doe it When Abigail came out and met David upon his way hot
the house of Israel to bud forth and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them and they shall know that I am the Lord That is I will give thee boldnesse and liberty of speech time was when thou didst not dare to â—peake a word for God or of God of his praise name and worship or if thou didst it was but in a Corner or whisperd in secret but the time shall come when I will give thee the opening of the mouth thou shalt speak my truth and praises boldly and the Enemy shall know that I the Lord have procured thee this liberty 'T is a great mercy when God gives his people the opening of the mouth or liberty of speech to speak boldly no man hindring no nor so much as discouraging them The Prophet makes that the character of an evill time when the prudent keep silence Amos 5.13 As in evill or calamitous times it becomes the Godly prudent to be willingly silent adoring the justice of Gods severest dispensations towards them with patience and without murmuring at his hand So in some evill times they are forced to keepe silence though as David spake Psal 39.2 their sorrows be stirred either lest by speaking even nothing but truth and reason they draw further sorrows upon themselves or because they see it but lost labour to speake to a people obstinate and resolved on their way Fourthly This phrase of opening the mouth to speake notes the things spoken to be of very great worth such as have been long concocted and digested and at last ready to be brought forth as out of the treasury of an honest and understanding heart Os aperire est bene discussa et praemeditata habere dicenda Bold The heart is the treasury of words there they are stored up and from thence issued forth as Christ saith Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh As there is a stock of evill words in the hearts of evill men so of good and gracious words in the hearts of Godly men and when they open their mouthes according to this notion it is to bring forth the treasures and riches of their hearts to bring forth the gold and silver and precious things stored up there all these are very usefull interpretations of this phrase and I might give distinct observations from them but it may suffice to have named them I shall only adde that the last is conceived by some to be chiefely intended in the latter branch of this verse My tongue hath spoken in my mouth This seems a strange Expression where should the tongue speak but in the mouth when the tongue is out of the mouth can it speak as the mouth cannot speak without the tongue so the tongue cannot speak out of the mouth why then doth he say My tongue hath spoken in my mouth The Hebrew is In my palate the palate being a part of the mouth and one speciall Instrument of speech Naturalists reckon five The lips the tongue the teeth the palate the throat 't is put for all but there is more in it then so for every man speaks in his mouth Palatum â—ris coelum est Drus Praemeditata et quasi intelligentiae meae palato praegustata sum prolaturus Bez Bene sapui verba mea antequam illa efferendo tibi aliisque sapienda et gustanda traderem Bold Non sequarverba aliorum sed propries conceptus enunciabo Aquin or by the palate which is the heaven roofe or cieling of the mouth Therefore when Elihu saith My tongue hath spoken in my mouth or in my palate The palate may be considered as the instrument of tasting as well as of speaking We say such a thing is very savory to the palate And we call that Palate wine which is quicke and lively briske and pleasant to the tast Thus when Elihu saith here My tongue hath spoken in my mouth or palate His meaning is I have uttered only that which I have wel considered what my tongue hath spoken to you I have tasted my selfe I have put every word to my palate For as a man that that tasteth wine or any other sapid thing must have it upon his palate before he can make a Judgement whether it be sweet or sharpe quick or flat so faith Elihu my mouth hath spoken in my palate I tasted my words before I spake them Hence note Judicious and wise men will tast and try what they intend to speake before they utter it The speaker presents his words to the tast of the hearer For as this Scripture hath it at the 3d verse of the next Chapter The eare tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat now he that ventures his words to the tast and censure of others had need take a tast of them before he doth it My tongue hath spoken in my mouth Secondly From the scope of Elihu in adding this namely to gaine attention Note There is great reason we should heare that carefully which the speaker hath prepared with care They who regard not what they speake deserve no regard when they speake but a weighing speaker should have a weighing hearer And what any mans tongue in the sence of Elihu hath spoken in his mouth that we should heare not only with our eare but with our heart This a strong argument to quicken attention yet Elihu gives in another and a stronger in the next verse Vers 3. My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart my lips shall utter knowledge clearly In the former verse Elihu called for an open eare because he opened his mouth and was about to speak or had spoken what he had well tasted In this verse he presseth the same duty by professing all manner of Ingenuity and Integrity in what he was about to speake He would speake not only seriously but honestly not only from his understanding but his conscience My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart c. The meaning is not that the uprightnesse of his heart should be the subject upon which he would treat though that be a blessed and most usefull subject yet it was not the poynt he intended to discusse but when he saith My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart his meaning is my words shall flow from the uprightnesse of my heart I will speake in the uprightnesse of my heart or according to the uprightnesse of my heart my words shall be upright as my heart is the plain truth is this Sincerè et absque ullo suco proferam animi mei sensa Bez I will speak truth plainly I 'le speak as I thinke you may see the Image of my heart upon every word I will speak without dawbing without either simulation or dissimulation Some conceive this to be a secret reproofe of or reflection upon Jobs friends as if Elihu had suspected them to have spoken worse of Job then they could thinke him to be in their hearts But as
he invited them into the City as poore birds into a snare to destroy them presently He was seemingly troubled at their affliction and wept but his were Crocodiles tears he murthered them as soone as he had them in his power Thirdly Some speake against their hearts doctrinally or in the Doctrines which they propound and teach There are three sorts who speak amisse doctrinally First Some speak that which is not right in the uprightnesse of their hearts or I may say they speak that which is false with a true heart that is they think it to be a truth which they utter when 't is an error and will be found so at last When ever we see different opinions stifly maintained among honest and godly men which though it be a very sad sight yet it is too often seene in that case I say one side alwayes speaks that which is false with a true heart and utters error uprightly The truth is some men defend an error with better and more honest hearts then some others defend the truth For Secondly There are such as speak right without any uprightnesse of heart or they speak truth with a false heart this Elihu specially professeth against he would not only speak that which was right but with uprightnesse The Apostle found several teachers of this second sort Phil 1.16 17 18. Some preach Christ that is the Gospel yea the truth of Christ in the Gospel else the Apostle would not have rejoyced in it as he professeth he did at the 18th verse I therein doe rejoyce yea and will rejoyce Yet these men did not preach in the uprightnesse of their own hearts for saith he Some Preach Christ out of envy and strife and some out of good will they preached Christ pure Gospel yet not with pure hearts for he adds they did it supposing to adde affliction to my bonds They preacht to oppose the Apostles more then to set up Christ and though they preached the truth yet they did it more in pretence then in truth as 't is sayd at the 18th verse The same Apostle speakes of others 2 Cor 11.13 14. who preached what was true for the matter and yet he calls them false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and no marvell for Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angel of light They formed and shaped themselves into Angels of light and tooke up the doctrine of the faithfull Apostles of Jesus Christ in some things yet they did it not in the uprightnesse of their hearts but that they might weaken the estimation of the true Apostles in the hearts of the people and set up themselves there that so in other things they might with greater efficacy or more effectually mis-lead them or draw them into error Thus some are found speaking lyes in the truth of their hearts and others speaking truth in the falsenesse of their hearts Thirdly Many speak that which is false with a false heart This is the height of wickednesse The Apostle prophesieth of such 1 Tim 4.2 Who shall speake lyes in hypocrisie the matter they speak is a lye and they speak it with a base and false heart too And therefore he saith of these in the same verse Their consciences are seared with a hot iron that is they are insencible both of the mischiefe they doe and of the misery they must suffer Elihu professeth himselfe to be none of all these He spake that which was right and true in the uprightnesse and truth of his heart Such a one the Apostle directs the Gospel Deacon to be 1 Tim 3.9 Holding the mystery of faith in a pure Conscience which is the same with an upright heart And he tells us 1 Thes 2.4 5. That himselfe did not use any guile in the ministration of the Gospel He had truth on his side and he had truth in his heart as he also professed to his Brethren the Jewes Rom 9.1 2. I speak the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost c. And againe 2 Cor 2.17 We are not of those that Corrupt the truth we speak the truth and speak it truly He is a better speaker that speaks with an upright heart then he that speakes with an eloquent tongue He is the happy speaker who speakes more with his heart then with his tongue that can say with Elihu to Job My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart Words spoken of that subject and words flowing from that subject are lovely words Of this latter sort saith Elihu to Job My words shall be And my lips shall utter knowledge clearly Job had charged his three friends Chap 13. 4. that they were forgers of lyes Quia tribus amicis Jobus imposherat quod essent fabricatures mendaâ—ij hoc a se exâ—lâ—dit dicens sententiam labia mea puram loquentur Aquin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purum planum perspicuum a fuco alienum sincerum ab omni scoria doli aut mendacij purgatorem Merc This Elihu engageth against while he saith My lips shall utter knowledge clearly The word here translated Clearly is rendered two wayes First As an Adjective Secondly As an Adverb Many render it as an Adjective My lips shall utter cleare knowledge or distinct knowledge cleare as to the matter pure plaine without any adulteration deceit or guile as to the manner So the word is often used I might give you many Scriptures for it The Prophet speaking in the person of Christ Isa 49.2 saith He hath made me a polished shaft the Hebrew is a pure shaft a glittering shining shaft Jer 5.11 He made bright his arrowes there this word is used It is applyed also to Chiefe men 1 Chron 7.48 These were Choyce men pure men So saith Elihu My lips shall utter cleare shining pure knowledge Hence note We should speak cleare truth Truth without mixture truth well winnowed doctrine well refined The commandement of the Lord is a pure word Psal 19.8 There 's not any dross at all in it 't is like silver tryed seven times in the fire Psal 12.6 The Prophet among other blessings which God promiseth to his Church and people hath this Isa 30.24 The Oxen likewise and the young Asses that eare the ground shall eate cleane Provender free from the straw and chaff dust and darnel But may we not here renew the Apostles question 1 Cor 9.9 10. Doth God take care for oxen or saith he it altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt it is written That the mouth of the oxe treading out the corne should not be muzzl'd was written for the Ministers sake to assure them that while they labour in the Gospel to feed souls their bodies should be fed And that the oxen and young asses shall eate cleane provender was written for the peoples sake to assure them that Christ would send them such Ministers as should feed them with pure holy wholesome doctrine not with
Spirit of his mouth that is Jehovah by his Eternall Son and Spirit made all things The heavens and their host are there expressed by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole creation or for all creatures both in heaven and in earth Againe Psal 104.30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created The Spirit of God creates every day what is it that continueth things in their created being but providence That 's a true axiome in Divinity Providence is creation continued Now the Spirit of God who created at first creates to this day Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created The work of creation was finished in the first six dayes of the world but the work of creation is renewed every day and so continued to the end of the world Successive providentiall creation as well as originall creation is ascribed to the Spirit The Scripture is full of arguments to prove that the holy Ghost is God Which because this fundamentall truth is blasphemously spoken against I shall a little touch upon First As the Spirit createth and makes the naturall man consisting of body and soule so he regenerateth which is a greater creation the whole into a spirituall man therefore he is God John 3.5 Except a man be borne againe of water and of the Spirit that is of the Spirit who is as water he cannot enter into the kingdome of God The holy Ghost is also call'd The sanctifier sanctification is regeneration in progress and motion regeneration is sanctification begun and sanctification is regeneration perfecting from day to day 2 Thes 2.13 We are bound to give thanks to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth And the Apostle Peter writes to the Elect 1 Pet 1 2. according to the foreknowledge of God the father through sanctification of the Spirit Now who can doe these great things but God who can regenerate or give a new nature who can sanctifie or perfect that new nature but God alone Men and Angels must let these workes alone for ever or as we translate Psal 49.8 these acts cease for ever from men and Angels as much as the redemption of man from the grave or from hell from corruption or condemnation Secondly The Spirit is omniscient He knoweth all things 1 Cor 1.12 2 10.19 The Spirit knoweth all things yea the deep things of God He is not only acquainted with and privie to the surface and outside of things but he searcheth things to the bottom of them Nor doth he search only the deepe or bottome things of common men or of the chiefest of men Kings and Princes whose hearts are usually as much deeper then other mens as their persons and places are higher but the Spirit searcheth the deep things the bottome things of God the things of God that lye lowest and most out of sight the Spirit understandeth therefore the Spirit is God For as the Apostle argueth 1 Cor 2.11 No man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God or he that is God if the spirit that is in man were not man or the intellectuall power in man it could never know the things of man and if the Spirit of God were not God he could never search and know the deep the deepest things of God Thirdly As the Spirit of God knoweth all things as he searcheth the deep things even all the secrets and mysteries of God so he teacheth all things even all those secrets and mysteries of God which 't is needful or useful for man to know The Spirit is a teacher and he teacheth effectually Joh 16.13 When the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himselfe that is he shall not teach you a private doctrine or that which is contrary to what ye have learned of me but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake and he will shew you things to come Which last words are A fourth argument that he is God As the Spirit teacheth so he foretelleth all things 1 Tim 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressely that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devills The Spirit of God clearly foreseeth and infallibly foretelleth what shall be before it is therefore he is God The Lord by his holy Prophet Isa 41.23 challengeth all the false Idol gods of the Heathen to give that proofe of their Divinity Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods As if he had sayd Doe that and we will yield the cause Men and Devills may guesse at but none can indeed shew things to come but God Fifthly The Spirit appoints to himselfe officers and ministers in the Church therefore he is God Acts 13.2 The holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Sixthly The holy Ghost furnisheth those Officers whom he calleth with power and gifts as he pleaseth that they may be fit for the work or ministery of the Gospel 1 Cor 12.8.11 To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit c. But all these worketh that one and the selfe-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Now who can give wisdome and knowledge who can give them prerogatively following in this distribution or division of gifts no rule nor giving any other reason of it but his owne will except God only Seventhly The holy Ghost is sinned against therefore he is God Some possibly may object and say This is not a convincing or demonstrative argument that the holy Ghost is God because he is sinned against For man may sin against man All second table sins are sins against our Neighbour and the Apostle tells the Corinthians 1 Ep 8.12 that while they used their lawfull liberty in eating with offence they sinned against the Brethren I answer Whosoever is properly sinned against is God because God is the Law-giver And though many actions of men are direct wrongs to man yet in every wrong done to man God also is wronged and in strict sence he only is sinned against by man For the reason why any action is a wrong to man is because it is against some Law of God And if to be sinned against in strict sence be proper to God only then the argument stands good that the Holy Spirit is God because he is sinned against especially if we consider that there is such an Emphasis put upon sinning against the holy Ghost in the holy Scripture more if possible then upon sinning against the Father or the Son Math 12.31 Wherefore I say unto you saith Christ All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto
before we judge either of things or persons Though we may judge rightly of that we have not heard or of that which we have heard slightly yet we are not right Judges of any matter till we have heard it 'T is possible to hit upon a right judgement blind-fold but Judges must not be blind nor judge blind-fold To judge right not knowing it to be so shall have no better reward then a wrong judgement Yea they that are called to judge must both heare and give eare else they may quickly give wrong judgement Againe Elihu is speaking here to wise and good men yet how strictly doth he exhort them Heare and give eare Hence note Good men are often dull of hearing and had need to be put forward Christ tells his Disciples that many are judicially so and we know that all are naturally so Math 13.15 and the Apostle tells the Hebrewes they were so Chap 5.11 where treating of Christ called of God an high Priest after the order of Melchisedeck he concludeth of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing ye are dull of hearing But how did their dullness of hearing make those things hard to be spoken or uttered may it not be easie enough for a man to utter that which others are dull to heare I answer the Apostles meaning seemes to be this It was hard for him to utter or expound them so as they might perceive the cleare truth of those great mysteries because their internal eare or apprehending faculty was weake and dull There is a stople in the eare of man and 't is hard to pull it out When any one speakes to purpose 't is the duty of those that are present to heare and yet he that speakes had need to invite and presse all to heare yea to heare and give eare The words of the wise are goads to provoke and pricke us on to heare the truth as well as nayles to fasten it Eccl 12.11 Elihu having called wise men to heare or eare his words sheweth the use or force of the eare in the next verse Vers 3. For the ear tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat In this verse Elihu gives the reason why he so earnestly exhorted them to heare and give ear The ear tryeth words that is by the hearing of the ear words are tryed It is the office of the eare to conveigh words to the understanding that so a judgement may be made of them before they are either received or rejected The word which we translate to try 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pericula fecit probavit signifies to try as gold is tryed in the fire the eare is as it were a furnace wherein words are tryed the ear will discover whether what is sayd be dross or pure mettal The Prophet Zach 13.9 speaketh of a third part of men that should be brought thorow the fire and tryed as the fire of affliction and persecution tryeth persons so man hath a fire and a touchstone in his eare which tryeth words The ear is given not only to heare a sound of words not only to understand the general meaning of words what they signifie in any language but the eare is given to try the sense and soundness of words And when Elihu saith words speaking indefinitely he includeth all words of one sort or other it tryeth good words and it tryeth bad words it tryeth heavenly words and it tryeth earthly words it tryeth naturall words and it tryeth spirituall words the truth or falshood of words are brought to tryall at the barre and tribunall of the eare But in what manner or after what similitude doth the eare try words The answer followeth as the mouth tasteth meat In the 12th Chapter we had the same expression and therefore I shall not stay upon it here Only there the sentence is made up by a particle Copulative The ear tryeth words and the mouth tasteth meat Here by a particle of likeness The eare tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat There is a faire analogy or proportion between the eare and the mouth in discriminating their proper obiects Hearing and tasting are two of those five excellent usefull senses which God hath planted in the nature of man the other three are seeing smelling feeling Here we have a comparison between two of the five senses look what the mouth is to meat the same is the ear to words In the mouth the sense of tasting is placed as a Judge to discerne between good and bad savory and unsavory meates and the eare of a man which receiveth words is accompanied with an understanding whereby we apprehend what is true what is false what is to be approved and what refused And the comparison runs yet more clearely while we consider that as the food which the mouth receiveth is prepared for the helpe of our natural or bodily life so the words of instruction which the eare receiveth are prepared for the food of our soules and the maintaining of our spirituall life Some conceive the comparison is not here made between the two senses of tasting and hearing but that both are compared to those wise and knowing men spoken of and to whom appeale is made in the former verse For as all the senses are not fitted to judge of words and meates but only the eare and palate so all men are not fit nor capable to judge of weighty matters and profound questions but only wise and knowing men And so according to this interpretation both or either of these sensitive faculties and both or either of their properties are alike compared to wise and learned men who are able not only to understand the sound of words but also exercise a judgement upon them both to discerne and determine what there is of truth and right in them Sapientia est sapida scientia Hence that saying of the Ancient Wisdome is a savory knowledge Wise men tast and savour the things which they know He surely was a wise man who sayd of the word of God Jer 15.16 Thy words were sound and I did eate them and thy word was to me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Heare O ye wise men and give ear to me ye that have knowledge the ear tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat that is as the ear of a man tryeth words and as the mouth of a man doth tast meat so wise and knowing men try and tast that which is spoken and heard Thus both these sensitive faculties their properties and powers are compared to wise men who doe not only heare the voyce of him that speaketh but sit downe to consider it The mouth having taken meat and chawed it tasts it and makes a judgement of it Thus wise men deal with all they hear so that look what these two natural faculties doe with naturall things with words naturally spoken with meat naturally eaten the same they who are wise and knowing do to what is spoken spiritually and rationally
they have directly done or spoken yet stand it out in pleading their excuse and will never fall downe before reproofes though what they have done or spoken amisse be so plaine that it needs no proofe We should be carefull to speake and doe such things as are not subject to reproofe but when through ignorance or rashness we have run into an error either of speech or practise we should be so humble as to subject our selves to reproofe and take it well that we are rebuked for any evill As it doubles an offence to undertake the defence of it so not to defend an offence abateth and lesseneth it And as he who goeth about to cover his fault by finding out arguments and pleas for it sheweth that he hath a will or purpose to continue in it so he that is silent and hath not a word to say for it gives a good testimony both of his sorrow that he ever committed it and of his resolution never to commit it any more They are highly to be commended who live unblameably and they deserve no small commendation who being sensible of their owne fayling can patiently beare the blame of it without replying upon their reprovers JOB Chap. 34. Vers 10 11. Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding far be it from God that he should doe wickednesse and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity For the work of a man shall he render unto him and cause every man to find according to his wayes ELihu having done with Jobs charge for severall unwarrantable sayings in the former context begins his refutation here and directs his speech First To Jobs friends speaking to them from the 10th to the 16th verse Secondly To Job himselfe from the 16th verse of this Chapter to the 34th In the two verses now read we have two generall poynts First A vehement deniall of any unrighteousnesse in God v. 10. Secondly A strong proofe or demonstration that there is no unrighteousnesse in God at the 11th verse He enters this confutation of Job or the vindication of the honour of God from what Job had sayd with an inviting Preface Vers 10. Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding Elihu like a cunning Orator often stirr'd up his auditors to attention and made frequent insinuations to winde himselfe and what he had to say into their good opinion Here he bespake not the promiscuous multitude or common sort of hearers but wise men or men of understanding such as are most fit to judge the weight and strength of those arguments and reasons by which any poynt is proved and confirmed Hearken unto me ye men of understanding The Hebrew is ye men of heart so the Margin hath it As the heart is the principle of naturall life so the principles powers of the rationall life are often ascribed to the heart Job told his friends Chap. 12.3 I have a heart we render I have an understanding as well as you Egregiè cordatus homo i. e. valde sapiens Cic 1. Tuscul and in good Authors a hearty man signifies not only a man of courage or a man of spirit but a man of knowledge and understanding a man more then ordinarily wise a man of the highest Elevation for wisdome is called a hearty man Naturalists have ascribed the moving of severall passions to severall internall parts of the body laughter say they riseth from the spleene anger from the Gall love from the liver but to the heart they give more then a passion understanding which is the noblest faculty of reason Here Elihu calls upon men of heart or of understanding to hearken to him Hence note First The best may need to have their attentions quickened Some will not heare at all they are like the deafe adder Psal 48.4 5. that stoppeth her eare which will not hearken to the voyce of the charmtr charming never so wisely The Prophet reproves such Jer. 6.10 To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may heare behold their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken behold the Word of the Lord is to them a reproach they have no delight in it they cannot hearken that is they will not or they cannot hearken that is spiritually and obedientially though they have a naturall yet they have not a gracious eare as the same Prophet chap. 11.6 7 8. upbraided them yet they obeyed not nor enclined their eare This sinfull deafnesse the Lord complained of also Psal 81.8 Heare O my people saith God and at the 11 verse My people would not hearken to my voyce Now as bad men will not heare at all to purpose so the best seldome hear so well or to so good purpose as they ought and might Men of heart or of understanding are sometimes slow of hearing and may need to have their eare awakened Secondly note It is an incouragement in speaking to have understanding hearers When a people have not only eares but hearts to heare then the word is heard indeed We may suppose understanding men will probably prove the best hearers the Prophet was in hope to find it so though he failed of his hopes Jer. 5.4 Surely these are poore they are foolish men of low parts and thin intellectualls for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgment of their God I will get me to the great men and will speake unto them for they have knowne the way of the Lord they are wise surely and understanding yet he was disappoynted in his recourse to them as it followeth in the same verse but these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds There is a naturall wisdome which hindereth the hearing of the word therefore the Apostle saith Not many wise men after the flesh are called that is savingly called the word hath its full effect upon few of them they are not prevailed with to beleeve and obey they are called but they come not Though wisdome be an advantage to profitable hearing yet all naturall wise men doe not hear profitably nor indeed can any by all the wisdome of nature Thirdly note A man without understanding is a heartlesse man Headlesse men are heartlesse men It is said Hos 7.11 Ephraim is like a silly dove without a heart All the people of God are or should be innocent doves like doves for innocency and gracious simplicity but how unbecoming is it that any of them should be doves for sillinesse or silly doves without a heart that is without any spirit or courage for God and the things or wayes of God To be without a heart is to be without a due apprehension of the mind of God or any true conformity thereunto 't is to have no knowledge either to doe good or to be good all such are silly doves without a heart without understanding and all such are yet unfit and unprepared hearers Hearken to me ye men of understanding Farre be it from God that he should doe wickedly The Septuagint
was to speake And in this sence the most of men all bad men have no understanding Psal 14.2 and Job though a good man had much deficiency in his If now thou hast understanding heare this Hence note He that hath not a right a sound a spirituall understanding can scarce be said to have any understanding at all There are many understanding men who have not this understanding or an understanding for this While David saith Psal 49.20 Man that is in honour and understandeth not he supposeth that a man ascended to the highest pitch of honour may yet be without understanding that is without a right a sound a spirituall understanding and then as it followeth there he is like the beasts that perish Beasts have no understanding at all the rationall or intellectuall power is proper to man A man in honour not having this honour a right understanding may be numbred among the beasts If thou hast understanding Hear this As if he had said I am not calling thee to hear an idle story or a trivial matter Hear this there is an emphasis in the words both as to the Act and Object It is questioned what Elihu particularly intendeth by this some refer it to what he had spoken before in Job's audience though directed to his friends Hear what I have spoken to thy friends in the former part of the chapter in vindication of the righteousness of God Secondly Others refer it to what Elihu was now about to say I have not yet done I have not yet brought out all my reasons arguments I have not emptied my treasures I have yet more to say Hear this A third sort refer these hortatory words hear this in the former part of the verse to what he had already spoken and those in the latter part of the verse hearken to the voice of my words to what he had yet to speak but it is not much to the matter to which we refer them it being clear that what he had said and what he had to say was matter of weight and so hear this is emphatical this great this deep this useful and necessary point of Doctrine which I already have declared or am now about to declare unto thee Hence Note That which we hear we should labour to understand Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom It is not enough to hear the word with our ears or to have it in our mouths it must dwell in our memories and it must dwell there not in a beggerly poor fashion but richly which it never doth till we have a sound and clear understanding of it and are both in heart and life conformed to it yea transformed into it that is it which the Apostle meaneth by the dwelling of the word in us richly in all wisdome And he further assureth them chap. 2.1 2. that he had a great conflict for them that is as we put in the Margin he had a great fear or care of them that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge He had held forth those great mysteries the mysterie of God considered essentially the mysterie of the Father considered personally the mysterie of Christ considered mediatorily and therefore he presseth them to get a full assurance of understanding about all these mysteries When Christ was discoursing with his disciples after his resurrection Luke 24.45 it is said He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures and then they did not take in what he spake only at the ear but at the heart also Thus Acts 16 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul that is he gave her an inward ear and caused her to understand the things which he spake Secondly Note Whatsoever we hear is lost and but scattered in the ayre if we do not understand it Though we have it in our books yea though we have it in our memories 't is lost if we understand it not we read of a book sealed within and on the back-side with seven seals Rev. 5.1 we read also v. 4. that John wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book That sealing of the book was nothing else but the shutting of it up from the understanding and when Christ opened the book he gave the understanding of it the whole book of God is a sealed book unless we have an understanding or a saving knowledge of the truths therein contained What John said Rev. 13.18 of counting that mysterious number of the Beast must be said in its proportion of the whole mysterie of godliness let him that hath understanding count and consider them Note Thirdly Every understanding is not fit to receive the Truths of God An unregenerate man is not fit to receive any of the Truths of God The natural man that is the man who hath nothing but nature in him perceiveth not the things of God he hath not a sutable faculty for them and as a natural mans understanding cannot at all receive the things of God so every degree of a spiritual understanding cannot receive all the truths of God or not all the things of God in all their truth The Apostle distributes persons into several degrees and calls some babes and others grown or perfect men that is such as have an understanding fit to take in and digest the highest and deepest things of God and hence it is that Christ told his disciples John 16.12 who had a renewed understanding only 't was in a low degree I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now I suppose the reason why Christ saith they could not bear those many things was not because being many they were too great a burden for their memories though possibly there might be somwhat in that but their inability of bearing those many things was chiefly in their understanding There are some truths which though a man can remember yet he cannot bear them and the more he remembers them the less he can bear them the weight and mysteriousness of them even cracks his brain till he receives more light from God and more strength of understanding he cannot bear them If thou hast understanding hear this And hearken to the voice of my words This latter part of the verse is but the repetition or further enforcement of the same thing we had the like expressions chap. 33.1.8 and therefore I shall not stay upon this only Note further from the whole The beginning of true wisdome is to have a readiness to hear and to shew our selves teachable Some overween themselves so much as to matter of knowledge that they will not be taught they judge themselves so learned and
man Thus if we take the wayes in that distinction of internal and external the eyes of God are upon them Secondly Take the wayes of man as differenced in their kinds as they are either good or evil the eyes of the Lord are upon both They are saith Solomon Prov. 15.3 in every place beholding the evil and the good that is the evil wayes and the good wayes of men But saith not the Prophet Habbak 1.14 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil Which may seem at first reading to imply that God doth not behold the evil wayes or actings of men I answer if we distinguish the word behold we shall soon reconcile these Scriptures To behold is either to discerne what is before us or to behold is to approve what is before us There is a seeing of knowledge and there is a seeing of contentment now when the Prophet saith the Lord is of purer eyes then to behold evil his meaning is he doth not he cannot behold evil with contentment or approbation otherwise the Lord beholds evil even all the evil in the world both good and evil are before him who is himself only and altogether good His eyes are upon the ways of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not only upon the wayes of this or that man but of every man let man be what he will for a man let him be a great man or a mean man let him be a rich man or a poor man let him be a wise man or a fool let him be an ignorant or a knowing man let him be a holy or a prophane man let him be a subtle or a simple man his eyes are upon him Those things which difference men among themselves make no difference at all among them as to the eye of God His eyes are upon the wayes of whomsoever you can câ—ll man And he seeth all his goings This latter clause of the verse is of the same sence with the former therefore I shall not stay upon the opening of it The Scripture often useth Synonoma's and repeats the same thing in other terms to shew the truth and certainty of it and surely the Spirit gives a double stroke here to strike this truth home into our hearts and fasten it in our mindes He beholdeth the wayes and he seeth alâ— the goings of man The word translated seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a very curious or critical sight as was opened before Again these latter words say he seeth All his goings Where we have the universal particle exprest which was only understood in the forme And though these two words wayes and goings may be expounded for the same thing yet in this conjunction we may distinguish them by understanding the word wayes for the constant course of a man's life and the word goings for his particular and renewed motions in those wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incedore cum pompa propriè deambulare The Original word rendred goings signifies somtimes going with much caution yea with a kinde of state or pomp yet frequently any ordinary going Now when Elihu asserts The Lord seeth all his goings we may sum up the matter under these five considerations He seeth First Where he goeth what his path is Secondly He seeth whether he is going what he makes the end of his journey or travel Thirdly when he goeth or sets out what time he takes for every undertaking Fourthly how far he goeth the Lord takes notice of everystep what progress he makes in any business good or bad Fifthly he seeth in what manner he goeth with what heart with what mind or frame of soule he goeth Thus distinct and exact is the Lord in beholding the wayes and in seeing all the goings of man Hence note First Surely the Lord is a God of knowledge If we could conceive a man to have his eyes in all places and upon all persons an eye upon all hearts and an eye in all hearts as wel as an eye upon all hands you would say this man must needs be a knowing man especially if he have such an eye as the eye of God is a discerning eye a distinguishing eye a trying eye an eye which seeth to the bottome of whatsoever it seeth Hannah sayd this in her song 1 Sam. 2.3 Speak not so proudly let not arrogancy come out of your lips for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed 'T is not a slight superficial knowledge which God hath of things or persons by him actions are weighed and so are the Actors God puts all into an even ballance and he will weigh both persons and actions to a graine yea every word and thought shall goe into the ballance It was said to that great Monarch Belteshazer by a hand-writing upon the wall Thou art weighed in the ballances The Lord weighed that great King he weighed all his power and the exercise of it and he that weigheth Kings will not leave the meanest subject unweighed by him actions are weighed We many times passe over our actions without consideration and never take the weight of them at least we never weigh them in the Sanctuary ballance If they will beare weight in the ballance of the world we presume they will in Gods ballance also But as the Lord is a God of knowledge otherwise then man is so by him actions are weighed otherwise then by man It is said of Idolls Psal 115.15 They have eyes and see not but we may say of the Lord Jehovah the true God the living God he hath properly no eyes yet he seeth and his faculty of seeing is infinitely above that which himselfe hath planted in man The Atheist while he is about the worst work in the world the breaking in pieces of the people of God and afflicting his heritage while he is slaying the widow and the stranger and murdering the fatherlesse while he is I say at such kind of worke as this he saith Psal 94.7 The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it But what saith the Psalmist to him and such as he v. 8 9. Vnderstand ye brutish among the people he that formed the eye shall not he see Those words of the Prophet to King Asa 2 Chron 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run too and fro through the whole earth are an allusion to a man who having a desire to know much or to see all in the world runs up and down travels from place to place from Country to Country for information The Lord would have us know that he knoweth every thing as exactly as they who run from place to place to see what 's done in every place It is prophecyed of the latter times Dan 12.4 Many shall run too and fro and knowledge shall be increased that is many shall be so graciously greedy of knowledge that they will refuse no labour nor travel to attaine it They will run too and fro to inquire and search for it they
will not thinke any time or labour lost if they may but gaine that precious commodity by it called true knowledge or the knowledge of the truth And that expression of running too and fro may wel be expounded they shall by discourse and arguing beare out the truth In discoursing the mind runs too and fro faster then the feete can in travelling In discourse we run from poynt to poynt from reason to reason from objection to objection from question to question till we come to solid answers and conclusions and so knowledge is increased The Lord is surely a God of knowledge whose eyes run too and fro without motion and see the bottome of all things without discourse or argumentation Secondly Note The Lords knowledge of man never abateth he is alwayes observing and alike observing what men doe and what men are The best the most waking men have their slumbrings and sleepings but the Lord neither slumbreth nor sleepeth his eyes are upon the wayes of man And when the Scripture saith The Lord doth neither slumber nor sleepe we may understand it in a twofold reference First as to the protection of his people Psal 121.4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep that is he watcheth over them so uncessantly so unweariedly that no danger can approach them without his knowledge Secondly he never slumbereth nor sleepeth as to the observation and consideration of all people he never takes his eye off from the wayes of man Thirdly Note The Lords knowledge or sight of mans wayes is universall and everlasting The All-seeing God seeth all our wayes and he seeth them alwayes And he seeth them all alwayes by one act The Lords view or prospect of things is not successive one after another but conjunctive all at once The Lord hath a large eye and an everlasting eye yea is all eye He knows all things First past or that have been Secondly present or that are Thirdly future possible or that shall be Thus saith the Lord in the Prophet Isa 46.10 I am God and there is none like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done And upon this read the Lords challenge of all the Idolls in the world Isa 41.21 22 23. Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and know the latter end of them or declare us things to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods As if the Lord had sayd if ye can tell us all that 's past or any thing that is to come as I can then ye may take the honour of God otherwise ye are but lyes and vanities Againe the Lord knows all things First without distraction and secondly he knows all things with clearest distinction it is no more trouble to the Lord to see all things then to see one and he seeth all things as if he had but one thing to see From the consideration of this knowledge of God let me give foure or five inferences for instruction First which is most naturall to the text if the Lords eyes be upon the wayes of man if he seeth all his goings then all the Lords Judgements are right The Judges of this world may have a principle of righteousnesse in them and we may call them just and righteous Judges yet all their Judgements are not alwayes right For as some men are so ignorant that they know nothing at all so there are none so knowing as to know all things the clearest sighted Judges doe not see all that may concerne them in giving Judgement even among them some may be blinde and many blinded some are blinde and cannot see much others are blinded and will not see all that they see they are blinded possibly with bribes and gifts with hopes or feares with passions and prejudices And how cleare-sighted and honest-hearted soever any are yet they cannot see all somewhat may lye out of their sight Hence it cometh to passe that a just Judge may doe that which is unjust he cannot see quite through every matter though he set himselfe to search the matter before he giveth Judgement But as the Lord is all righteousnesse in his principle and beares an everlasting love to righteousnesse so he hath a cleare sight of all things and persons and therefore he must needs give a righteous Judgement concerning all things actions and persons Though he overthrow nations he is righteous though he overthrow Princes he is righteous because he seeth into all things and proceedeth upon certain knowledge of every mans case and condition He cannot erre in Judgement who hath no error in his Judgement nor any deviation in his will Secondly If the Lords eyes are upon all the wayes of men then certainly sinners whose wayes are evill shall never goe unpunished For if he have a principle of righteousnesse in him and an eye to see all their unrighteous wayes they cannot escape his justice Say to the wicked woe to him for he shall eate the fruit of his doings Isa 3.11 The righteous God knoweth the unrighteousnesse of man and therefore woe to the unrighteous man Thirdly Take this conclusion Then no godly man no good man shall goe unrewarded or loose the reward of that good which he hath done The Lord is righteous and he seeth every one that doth right or the righteousnesse of every mans way and it is his promise to reward the righteous therefore they shall be rewarded This is matter of strong consolation and great encouragement to all that are righteous If the Lord seeth all they doe nothing which they have well done shall be lost in the dark or lie in the dust God will bring forth their righteousnesse as the light and their just dealing as the noone day And as the knowledge which God hath of their wayes assureth the righteous that they shall be rewarded for so that they shall be assisted and protected in their doing righteousnesse The Prophet makes that inference in the place before-cited 2 Chron 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run too and fro through the earth what followeth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them or as we put in the Margin strongly to hold with them whose heart is perfect towards him The Lord is alwayes strong and alike in strength his hand is not shortned at any time that he cannot save yet he doth not alwayes shew his strength but as he is strong so he will shew himselfe strong for the perfect or upright in heart that is he will act his strength to the utmost for the safety and assistance of those whose hearts are perfect with him So then as they that are good and doe good shall be rewarded for the good they have done so they shall be protected in the dangers and evills they incurre while they are doing good Another Prophet speakes both these inferences from this principle of the knowledge or
Psalmes The 32d Psalme as also the 42d Psalme is called Maschil as much as to say a teaching or an instructing Psalme a Psalme giving understanding and requiring deep and serious consideration Thus in the text they would not consider nor understand nor know nor contemplate any of his wayes The Hebrew is all his wayes that is none at all of them The wayes of God in Scripture are taken in a two-fold notion First for those wherein he would have us walk such are the wayes of his commandements they are called the wayes of God because he directs us to walke in them A holy life consists in our walking with God and we cannot walke with God any further or any longer then we keep in the wayes of his commandements It is sayd of the children of Israel after the death of Joshua Judg 2.17 they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in obeying the commandements of the Lord but they did not so To obey the commandements is to walke in the way of them Taking the wayes of God in this sence when Elihu saith They would not consider any of his wayes his meaning is they did not intend nor had any heart to set themselves to learne the mind of God revealed in his word concerning their duty or what they ought to doe they know not the wayes of God practically The word properly denotes the wisdome and prudence which stayeth not in notion but proceeds to action These men lived as if they had never heard of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad prudentiam sapientiam practicam rerum agendarum pertinet at least never understood the Law of God which is the rule of life They considered not the wayes of God to walke in them as Moses exhorted the people of Israel Deut 29.9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant to doe them Secondly The wayes of God are those wherein himself walketh the works of God are the wayes of God the works of his providence either in mercy or in judgement either in doing good or in doing evil that is poenal evil these are the wayes of God in these God shewes himself as in a way in these he goeth forth in his power and goodness in his mercy and justice All these divine glories and perfections are discovered in the works of God Thus David is to be understood when he saith Psal 25.10 All the wayes of God are mercy and truth to them that fear him and keep his Covenant that is all the providential works of God are mercy and truth though all of them are not mercy in the matter or precisely taken as works done though none of them are mercy respecting some persons to whom they are done for many of them are materially chastisements afflictions and crosses to good men and all of them are wrath and judgement to evil and impenitently wicked men yet they are all mercy in the issue or result of them to good men or to those who fear God and keep his covenants For whether he do good or whether he do evil whether he wounds or whether he heals all these providential wayes of God are as truth in themselves so mercy to his people or as the Apostle concludes Rom. 8.28 They work together for good to them that love God and are the called according to his purpose In both these sences we may expound this Text They would not consider any of his wayes that is they would neither consider the Lawes of God which were the way wherein they should walk towards him nor would they consider the works of God which are the wayes wherein himself walketh towards them This was the spirit of that evil generation intended in this Scripture they had not much understanding in and less consideration of the wayes of God Hence first we may take notice Elihu doth not say they did not consider his wayes but they would not It was not so much an act of carelesness and negligence as of contempt and rebellious resolution Hence Observe Evil men have no will to consider or understand the good wayes of God yea their will is against such an understanding A natural man liketh not to retain God in his knowledge Rom. 1.28 Now he that doth not like to retain God in his knowledge or had rather think of any thing then of God he can never while such like to retain the wayes of God in his knowledge he that layeth God out of his thoughts will much more lay the law of God out of his thoughts The natural man hath not only a blindness in his minde which hinders him from discerning the things of God they being discernable only by a spiritual eye but he hath an obstinacy in his Will or he hath not only an inability to know but an enmity against the knowledge of that which is spiritual He shuts his eyes and draws a curtain between himself and the light which is ready to dart in upon him away with this light saith he Thus he rebelleth against the light and as his understanding is dark so his affections are corrupt Solomon gives us all this in the expostulations of wisdome with wicked men Prov. 1.20 21 22. Wisdome cryeth c. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge That which a man hateth he hath no will no minde to know An impotency or inability unto God argues a very sad condition but a rebellion a frowardness a wilfulness against it demonstrates a condition much more sad not to know because we have no means of knowledge will make us miserable enough but not to know because unwilling to receive or because wilfully set against the means of knowledge renders any mans condition most miserable Such were these in the Text They would not consider any of his wayes Secondly Elihu saith not they did not know any of his wayes or they knew not which way to go but they would not consider them There is no man but knowes some yea many of the ways of God that is of those wayes wherein God would have him to walk these wayes of God are written in the heart by nature there is an impression of the Will of God upon every soul though not such an impression or writing as grace maketh there that 's another kinde or manner of work for when once through grace the Law of God is written in and impressed upon the heart then the heart is suited to the Law yea the heart is not only conformed unto but transformed into the Law of God whereas by nature the Law is written only so far as to give us the knowledge of the Law and a conviction of that duty or conformity which we owe to it The men here intended by Elihu knew the Law or wayes of God by the light of a natural conscience but not by the light of a renewed conscience and therefore they would not consider any of his wayes
righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore If thou repentest indeed the sin that cometh after will not be added to thy former because that is done away through Grace A godly man according to the former poynt would not adde or commit another act of sin to his former as it is sayd of Judah Gen 38.26 who had committed folly with Tamar He knew her againe no more Though his sin was great yet doubtlesse his heart was humbled and he returned not to his former sin But the wicked man continues in his wickednesse yea he blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of miâ—e heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut 29.19 Every new sin is an addition to his former sins because he alwayes liveth in sin They who would not have the captives brought into the City gave this reason 2 Chron 28.13 For whereas we have offended against the Lord already ye intend to adde more to our sins c. O take heed of sinning so as to joyne sins together As in Arithmeticke when we adde summe to summe what an huge summe may we quickly make Therefore breake off sin by repentance that if thou sinnest againe it may not be an adding of sin to sin That 's a dreadfull prophesie and threatning Psal 69.27 Adde iniquity to their iniquity and let them not come into thy righteousnesse How doth the Lord adde iniquity to iniquity will he cause any to sin more or will he doe any iniquity No the meaning is as our margin intimates the Lord will adde the punishment of their iniquity to their iniquity or he will give them up to the power of their owne lusts and vile affections so that they cannot but renew the acts of sin and adde one iniquity to another It is a blessed worke when we are much in the additions of grace to grace and of good workes to good 'T is the designe and businesse of a gracious heart to adde grace to grace that is the exercise of one grace to another till every grace be exercised 2 Pet 1.5 Give diligence to adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience Here is a blessed addition When a good man hath done well once he adds to doe more he adds more acts of the same kind and he adds to doe good acts of any other kinde He adds patience to godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity thus he is busied in a blessed way of addition But the addition of sin to sin is the bitter fruit of rebellion against God Isa 30.1 Wo to the rebellious children that cover but not with a covering of my Spirit that they may adde sin to sin They that make excuses for sin committed adde sin to sin yet by these coverings we may understand not only excuses and pretences for sin acted but our owne good acts for to cover sin with any thing of our owne is to adde sin to sin Yet I conceive the adding of one kind of sin to another is the addition there meant The Israelites sayd to Samuel when they were brought to a sight of their sin 1 Sam 12.19 We have added unto all our sins this evill to ask us a King They refused the Lords government and asked a king in the pride of their hearts and so added sin to sin Thus 't is sayd of Herod Luke 3.20 That to all his evill deeds he added this that he shut up John in prison And as there is an adding of severall kinds of sin so of severall acts of the same kind of sin oath to oath and adultery to adultery and wrong-dealing to wrong-dealing this day some oppresse their brethren and the next day they doe the same O let such remember what additions the Lord will make to them he will adde punishment to punishment he will adde the same kind of punishment several times he will adde sword to sword and famine to famine and pestilence to pestilence and he will adde punishments of various kinds The Prophet reports what various or if I may so speake heterogeneal kindes of sin men added and strung up together Hos 4.2 By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood Surely God will make blood touch blood in a way of punishment as men make blood touch blood in a way of sin The adding of sins makes an addition of plagues When Jehoiakim the King heard the roll read he threw it into the fire and burnt it Jer 36. but could he burne or make an end of the threatnings no v. 32. And there were added besides unto them many like words It is sayd Rev 22.18 If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke To adde any thing to the holy word of God is as sinfull as to take from the word or act against it God can adde plagues as fast as men adde sins When sin is added to sin then guilt is added to guilt and punishment to punishment Take heed of this addition resolve with the penitent soule in the text If I have done iniquity I will adde no more JOB Chap. 34. Vers 33 34 35. Should it be according to thy mind he will recompence it whether thou refuse or whether thou chuse and not I therefore speak what thou knowest Let men of understanding tell me and let a wise man hearken unto me Job hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdome IN the Context of these three verses Elihu doth chiefly these two things First he appeales to the Conscience of Job v. 33. Should it be according to thy mind ask thy selfe whether it should be so yea or no. Secondly he appeals to the judgement of Jobs friends yea of all wise and understanding men concerning what Job had spoken or whether he had not spoken unwisely in the 33d and 34th verses Let men of understanding tell me and let a wise man hearken unto me Job hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdome The scope of Elihu in these words is yet further to humble Job and to provoke him to repentance for his inconsiderate speeches Yet Elihu doth not call Job to repentance upon the same grounds or termes as his three friends had done They moved him to repentance upon the Consideration of his former wicked life as they supposed but Elihu moves him to repentance upon the Consideration of his imprudent and rash speeches under the afflicting hand of God Vers 33. Should it be according to thy mind This verse is delivered in as much variety as any text thorowout the whole Book and as a learned writer upon it concludes Si omnes lectiones versiones interpretationes persequeremur plus tenebrarum quam lucis afferemus Pined If we should stay upon all the various readings translations
knowing many things which it much concerns them to know 817. We know but little of that we know and there is much which we know not 818 Knowledge much knowledge should be in those who have enjoyed much meanes of knowledge 48. Knowledge ought to be communicated 49 Knowledge or what we know is to be communicated 72. Two things hinder some from communicating what they know 72. What and whose knowledge puffeth up 85. A man of knowledge who properly 495. A twofold knowledge 507 Sinning against the light of knowledge very sinfull 699. Knowledge the fountaine of speech 842 Knowledge of God over all 660 Vid Omniscience L Law how it convinceth 80. Two wayes of keeping the Law 624. Law of God how written in the heart by Grace 709 Lawes bad Lawes great snares 778 To lie what it signifieth in Scripture 522. To lie or beare false witness against our selves is very sinfull 523 Life of man in this life at longest short 42. Severall divisions of mans life 42. Life is the gift of God a threefold inference from it 171. The life of man is at the call of God 592 Life and soule how they differ 329 Life a great blessing 459 Light to see light what it imports 458 Love and to love not to love God and good things is to hate them 611 612 Love of God to man what and how great is little knowne 818 Lusts in the understanding as strong as those in the sensuall appetite 44 Luther Erasmus Melancthon their different character 60. Luther how he thought himselfe rebuked by God 99. Luther a man of great courage 113. His prayer about two things 288. How he confessed himselfe an Apostate 700 Ly to deceive with a ly the worst deceit 203 M Magistrates how they should be to men like a Harbour to Ships 200. Why expressed by the same word in the Hebrew which signifieth both binding and healing 609. God highly displeased when they mis-governe a people 780 Maker God is the maker of all men in a threefold consideration 132. It is good to remember God as our maker 133. God is the maker of our bodyes 162. Three inferences from it 164. That God is the maker of all men should make all men meeke one towards another 174 Malefactors their faces covered 748 Man and man are of a measure 182 183. Two inferences from it 183 Man a fraile creature 187 Many or one make no difference with God 731 Marius what he was to the Romanes 789 Meate dainty meate two cautions about our using it 348 Meekness both in hearing and speaking the word how necessary 101. It is good to use meekness towards all especially the afflicted 143 189 192. 230 Maschil the title of some Psalmes what it signifieth 707 Men not made by God all of a ranke 625. All men are the worke of Gods hands in a twofold respect 633. All men divided into three sorts by the Papists in respect of their soule-state 813 Mercy God declares himselfe more enclined to it then to wrath and Judgement 811 Method in speaking how usefull 178 Mid-night trouble what it signifieth 644 Mind of man man would have his own mind vide will Ministers should speak as in Gods stead 184. And are so to be heard 185 Their meekness in dealing with souls 192 193. Ministers are Messengers 372. How they should speak 373. They ought to be heard and how because Christs Messengers 374 Vide Interpreter Mighty men of three sorts 649. The mightiest men have no might against God 652. God can easily overthrow the mightiest men of the world 681 682 Ministery of man nothing without God 822 Mis-judging one another very common 9 Moderator or composer of differences between others foure things required in him 101 102 Moment what it signifieth in Scripture 639 Mouth the opening of the mouth imports foure things in Scripture 149 Murderer how hatefull 400 Murmuring no cause to murmure at any of the dealings of God shewed in foure things 678 N Names the giving of significant names to children very usefull 11 12 Nations God sometimes hideth his face from whole Nations 739. Three things noted concerning Gods hiding his face from a Nation 740. What those mischiefes and evills are which throng in usually upon a Nation when God hideth his face from them 743 O Obedience to the Law if not universal is not obedience 711 712. Obedience twofold takes in the whole duty of man 792 Obstinate persons not to be further dealt with 7. They must be left to God 90 Occasion God loveth to see occasion of doing good to men 446 Occasions to seeke occasions against others a great piece of uncharitableness 210. How to doe so is against the law of love shewed by seven steps 211 212 213. It is a signe that we looke upon a man as an enemy when we seeke occasions against him 221 Old age doth not make men wise 65 66. Spirit of God not tyed to any age 66 Old men a twofold stamp of God upon them 38. Old men elegantly called men of dayes 45 46. How old men should speak 46. Old men have reason to be wiser then the young 48. Old men should be apt to teach 49. 'T is a reproach to old men to be ignorant 49 Omission-sins or the neglect of doing a duty easier to be observed then failings in doing a duty 819 Omniscience of God caution from it 226. God knoweth all our goings 569. The exactness of Gods knowledge of all things 660. The everlastingness and universality of Gods knowledge 661 662. Five inferences from it 662. to 665 Once taken three wayes in Scripture 266 267 Opinion our opinion or what we hold is to be shewed and how 72. Nine honest ends in shewing our opinion 72 Oppression cryeth though the oppressed doe not 718 719. Oppression will cause a cry 720. Cry of the oppressed brings vengeance upon oppressors 723 Oracles of the devill doubtfull 160 Ordinances of worship why called the face of God 431 P Pardon God pardoneth greatest sins 236. Free grace extendeth to the pardon of the worst sinners 451. Pardon of sin proper to God 805. How man is sayd to forgive or pardon him that hath wronged or offended him 805. The pardoning grace of God is boundlesse 806. God pardoneth presently and continually 807. Pardon takes sin off from us 808. Pardon is free not clogg'd with hard termes 809. God will never destroy any whom he hath pardoned 812 Pardon of sin takes away two things 813. Pardon of sin is a precious mercy shewed upon foure grounds 814. The consideration of Gods readiness to pardon sin should make us resolved not to sin 815 Passion we must not answer nor reprove with passion but with reason 100 Patience provoked turnes to greater passion 40. Patience of God towards sinners 466 Peace of nations the speciall gift of God 733. That peace considered two wayes 733. If God will give peace to nations none can stop it 735 Three sorts of men most likely to doe it
no sin but now ye say we see therefore your sin remaineth that is your sin remaineth upon you in the power and guilt of it In that sense also Christ useth the word Math 13.14 Hearing ye shall hear and not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive ye shall have only such a knowledge of God and of the things of God of his word of his works as will be of no other use to you then to leave you without excuse Seeing ye shall see but not perceive ye shall have a fruitless and an unprofitable sight That which I see not or have no understanding of teach thou me is the prayer of the humble soule But what were those things which he feared or supposed he did not see Those unseene things might be of three sorts First Those sins which he did not see and those in a double notion either corruptions dwelling in him or evills acted by him What corruptions or what transgressions I see not acquaint me with anoynt mine eyes that I may see them Secondly Those favours and mercies which he did not see we have many mercies which are not knowne to us or of which we take little yea no notice at all those good turns which I have received and have not been thankfull or have not improved and made sutable returns for them shew thou me Thirdly Among the things not seene we may number the purposes aimes and ends of God in laying those chastisements upon him As if he had sayd If I have not yet apprehended what thou drivest at in my affliction shew it me I beg and heartily desire a discovery of it And if I have acted unduely with respect to thy aimes in chastising me I will doe so no more The acts of God are plaine but his aymes lie close and are not perceived but by an enlightned yea and a very attentive eye That which I see not c. Hence observe First The choycest servants of God may be much in the darke about and short in the knowledge of many things which it much concerns them to know Though every believer hath an eye and an eye open to see the things of God the things which concern his peace yet the clearest-sighted among believers know but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 We all know but we do not know all Those words of the Apostle may have a twosold understanding First we know but a little of any thing that which we know we have but a part of it in our knowledge in this life we know nothing throughly nothing to the bottome no not common principles David saith Psal 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandement is exceeding broad There is such a perfection in thy commandement that I cannot see nor can any man come to the out-side of it in this world And as the holiness of God in the Law is exceeding broad so there is a hight a depth a length and a breadth in the love of God revealed in the Gospel which exceedeth all our knowledge Eph 3.19 That ye may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge c. We know but a part of that love of God the fruits and effects whereof are all our portion We are not able to comprehend though we labour to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height of it Our measure of loving God is to love him out of measure but 't is a very small measure of the love of God to us which we can know Thus we know but little of that we know Secondly We know in part that is there are many things which we know not at all we have no knowledge of some things which may be fully knowne Though we know many of our sins and corruptions yet we have sins and corruptions which we know not of Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors Who can understand the errors of his understanding who can understand the errors of his will who can understand the errors of his affections who can understand the errors of his actions who can understand them all yet they are all understandable There are many errors in all these which we know not to be errors therefore we have need every one of us to pray as David there did Clense thou me from my secret faults From secret faults in my understanding from secret faults in my will and affections in my practice and conversation The secret faults which he asked pardon for were not those faults which he had committed in secret or which other men know not of but those faults which were secrets to himselfe or which himselfe knew not of Further we know not our faults First either in reference to the doing of evill or sins of commission nor Secondly in reference to the not doing of good or sins of omission nor Thirdly doe we know our faults in reference to the manner of doing that which is good Though we doe not quite omit a duty yet we faile many times in the doing of it We doe little of the good which we ought and little of the good which we doe is done as it ought We have secret sins not only of commission in doing that which is evill and of omission in not doing that which is good but also in doing good There are many flaws and errors in our doing of that which is good which though we perceive not yet the pure eyes of God perceive So then as we see not all our errors in omitting duties so we see not all our errors in performing duties to see them requireth a spirituall sight indeed Many can see when they omit a duty altogether and charge themselves with a fault for it but our faults in performance of duty in prayer in hearing none take notice of them but they who have a spiritual eye nor do they alwayes take notice of all of them nor fully of any of them at any time We are much in the dark about these errors which accompany our holy duties The iniquities of our holy things are many and they lie very close We may quickly and easily fall into them but we cannot easily discerne them For First though we performe an act of worship of Church-worship of instituted worship right for the substance yet we may miss and erre in severall circumstances and not come up exactly to the outward performance of it Secondly much more may we run into errors and faults in the performance of duty as to the internall part of it or that frame of heart with which a duty is to be performed We seldome I may safely say we never come up to that zeale to that self-abasement to that faith to that love and delight which should be in us when we approach to and appeare before God in the duties of his holy worship whether publick or private The best of Saints come farre short of knowing all the evill and faylings of their evill and deceitfull hearts while they are engaged about
that which is good how much more are they short in the knowledge of God and therefore what reason have we to say as Elihu here directs the penitent soule to say That which I know not teach thou me Secondly Note It is the duty of the most knowing servants of God to confesse their ignorance When Elihu would have Job say That which I see not teach thou me he would have him confesse that there was some goed or evill which he did not see He that desireth God to teach him what he doth not see doth therein acknowledge that he doth not see all that he ought Our understandings are imperfect as well as our wills and affections and our sins or imperfections wheresoever they are must be confessed The deficiency of our knowledge or the imperfection of our understanding must be confessed as well as the imperfection of our will to doe good and of our doing good David layeth load upon himselfe in confessing the faultinesse of his understanding or inability to judge aright of what he saw before him Psal 73.22 So ignorant was I and foolish even as a beast before thee And the speciall poynt wherein he confessed his ignorance was about the outward dispensations of God in suffering wicked men to flourish He had ignorant apprehensioÌ„s and was quite out in that matter and therefore befools himselfe and calls himselfe a beast so far was he from seeing the mind and designe of God as became a Saint Such an acknowledgement Agur made Pro 30.2 I am more brutish then any man I have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge of the holy This worthy man confessed his ignorance and as the more we know the more we see our ignorance so the more we know the more we confesse our ignorance They that have but little knowledge are especially defective in this poynt of knowledge to see their ignorance and are therefore but little troubled with their ignorance Many think they know enough some possibly think they know all They who have least knowledge are least conscious of their own ignorance And as there are many sins of ignorance so ignorance it selfe is a sin and therefore to be confessed and bewailed before God Thirdly When Elâ—hu brings in the penitent person confessing his ignorance and begging instruction It teacheth us Sins of ignorance need pardon As our ignorance needs pardon so doe our sins of ignorance The law of Moses teacheth this Levit 4.2 If a soule shall sin through ignorance c. he shall bring his sacrifice He must make an attonement for his sin of ignorance And we have further directions about offerings for sins of ignorance when they are discovered and made knowne to the sinner himselfe Lev 5.2 3 4 5 6. Then saith the Law he shall be guilty that is if when he knoweth his sin he doe not performe what the Law requireth in such cases then he is not only ceremonially but morally guilty as a neglecter if not as a despiser of the ordinance and appoyntment of God for his cleansing That which I see not teach thou me The words are a prayer for divine teaching The teaching of God is two-fold First Immediate by his Spirit John 14.26 The Spirit which is the comforter shall come and teach you all things And againe 1 John 2.27 The anoynting that is the Spirit which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you that is ye need not rest in or pin your faith upon the teachings of man as you must not despise so ye need not depend upon the instruction of man Secondly There is a mediate teaching God teacheth by meanes instruments and ordinances First by the ministery of his word Secondly by the works of his hands He teacheth First by his works of creation Secondly by his works of providence they are our masters tutors and instructers Now when this penitent person prayeth Teach thou me we may understand him of both these teachings First of immediate teaching by the Spirit who is the anoynting Secondly of teaching by meanes by the preaching of the word of God and by his providences in what way soever God is pleased to teach us our hearts should stand open to receive instruction And what way soever we receive instruction it is God that teacheth us Though men be the instruments yet the effect is of him Hence Note First God only is able to teach or shew us the things which we know not Men alone cannot Christ said to his Disciples when he commissioned them Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations And Eph. 4.11 When he ascended up on high he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers yet no Teachers can bring home instruction without the teachings of God The tenour of the new Covenant runs thus Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. And again Jer. 31.34 They shall teach no more every one his neighbour c. that is they shall not be left to the teachings of man or the teaching of God shall be so glorious that all shall acknowledge it though there be instruments yet the flowing forth of the spirit shall be such that instruments and means shall be little taken notice of For when he saith they shall not teach every one his neighbour it is not an absolute Negative but shews that there shall be a more excellent teaching as when the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.6 Christ hath made us able Ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit This Negative is not absolute for the Apostles did teach the Letter and the Spirit is usually conveyed by the Ministery of the letter or of the external word the word is as it were the chariot wherein the Spirit rideth and cometh by the ear to the heart So that when Paul saith We are Ministers not of the letter c. his meaning is we are rather or we are more the Ministers of the Spirit then of the letter The inward teaching accompanying our Ministery carryeth the matter both for conviction and conversion both for illumination and consolation not the outward teaching John 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me And how long soever we go to School to men how long soever we sit under the Ministery of the ablest Gospel Preachers in the world we come not to Christ till the Father teacheth till he joyn his inward teaching to the outward teaching of the Minister the light and life of grace is not received It is God who teacheth effectually men teach but instrumentally Thus it was prophesied of the Gospel times Isa 2.3 Micah 4.2 Many Nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths that is he will accompany the Ministers