which he expected from Job Doubtlesse more of all these should have appeared in him and they should have appeared more in that time of affliction There are two things which God looketh for and aims at in the time of our affliction first the mortifying of corruptions that they woâ—k no more at least no more so strongly as they have done secondly The stirring up and acting of our Graces that they may be more woâ—king and work more strongly than ever they have done Where the Lord sees not these effects of affliction that our sins grow lesse and our graces more that we complain lesse and trust or believe more we are like to be afflicted more and he will discover his anger more Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger And thence Note Thirdly Distrust or impatience under the afflâ—cting hand of God or our not trusting God in our worst condition patiently is a very provoking sin We provoke the Lord to visit us in his anger when we do not trust in his mercy Our not trusting God must needs provoke him to anger for when we do not trust him we question him distrust or unbelief questions all that God is and all that God hath promised it questions his Truth and his Faithfulnesse his Power his Mercy and his Goodnesse all these which are the glory of God and in all which the sons of men ought to glorifie him these are all questioned and darkned when we put not forth acts of trust and reliance upon God in times of greatest affliction and extremity Is it not then a provoking sin I say not to with-draw trust from God and give it to an arm of flesh but not to put out fresh and full acts of trust upon God let our affliction or extremity be what it will The Children of Israel were in great extremity at the Red Sea a mighty Army pursuing them at the heels to destroy them and mighty waters being before them ready to swallow them up in these straits whilest they should have done their utmost to get and assure God to be their Friend the Psalmist tells us They provoked him Psal 106 7. But wherein lay their provocation that Scripture saith They remembred not the multitude of his mercies The former mercies of the Lord did not strengthen their trust in present troubles that was one provocation And as former mercies did not strengthen their trust so the present trouble drew out their distrust as another Scripture assures reporting their behaviour in it Exod. 14.11 And they said to Moses Because there were no Graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to dye in the Wildernesse Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt What were these fearful fore-casts these amazing bodements of an unavoidable as they apprehended ruine but the overflowings of unbelief or distrust in God and this was another provocation Former mercies are forgotten yea eaten up by unbelief as the seaven lean Kine in Pharaohs dream eat up the fat ones and present difficulties are aggravated by unbelief as if all the power of God could not remove and overcome them And will not the Lord think you visit in anger for such a sin as this Again As Elihu doth not say barely he hath visited but he hath visited in his anger or his anger hath visited so consider who was it that was thus visited in anger It was Job a Godly man a man perfect and upright Hence note Fourthly God visits or afflicts even his own people his elect and choicest servants with fatherly anger when they displease and provoke him We find the Scripture speaking expresly of the anger of God towards the best of his servants even towards a Moses as himself made confession Deuter. 1.37 when they displease him Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes saying thou also shalt not go in thither Moses was a most meek man the meekest man upon the face of the earth nor was he an inferior in any other grace yet the Lord was angry wi h him and angry with him upon that special occasion his unbeliefe Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore c. We read of the Lords anger breaking out against Aaron for another sin Numb 12.9 The anger of the Lord was kindled against them that is against Aaron and Miriam because they had spoken against Moses vers 1.8 Aaron was the High Priest and as he was high in office so eminent in grace and doubtless Miriam was a very gracious woman yet the Lord was not only angry with them but exceeding angry his anger waxed hot against them and kindled when they forgot their duty to Moses and remembred not their distance with reverence Solomon in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple speaks of the people of God collectively If they sin against thee and thou be angry with them The Lord is not only angry with the world but angry with his Church not only angry with Babylon but with Jerusalem And as Solomon spake that of the whole Nation of the Jewes supposing they might fall under the Lords anger all together as a body so he did experience it sadly in his own person 1 Kings 9.11 And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twâ—ce Wise Solomon departed from God through an evil heart of unbelief and vanity after the Lord had come and appeared to him more than once in grace and savour and the bitter effects or fruits of that departure appeared to him shortly after the Lord saith that Scripture was angry with Solomon and the sequel of his History tells us there went out very hot displeasure against him As these Scriptures are a proof of the Lords anger kindling against his people when they sin so we find the Church represented praising the Lord for quenching the fire of his angeâ— Isa 12.1 And in that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me When we turn from God his anger is turned against us and when we turn to God his anger is turned away from us When the Lord is angry what can comfort us but the turning away of his anger And by the very act of turning away his anger he comforts us though all the world be angry with us But some may say How doth the Lord who is said to love his people with an everlasting love visit them in anger To clear that we may distinguish of anger First There is correcting anger Secondly there is consuming or destroying anger Destroying anger is inconsistent with eveâ—lasting love but not correcting anger correcting anger may be very grievous therefore the Prophet deprecates it Jer. 10.24 Correct me O Lord in Judgement not in thy anger The
Peccatum 1 ocatur Deicidium appetens sc Deum destruere Sin is an enemy to God and would dethrone and thrust him out of the world therefore sâ—nners shall be dealt with as such as have highly hurt and wronged God Sinners have sometimes risen up to such expressions of wickednesse that they would even pull God out of Heaven it is in the nature of every sin and in the spirit of many sinners to do so they carry a dayly enmity in their hearts Therefore woe to those who say of God God is not hurt by our sins why then should we trouble our selves about them yes the Lord will at last let all sinners know he hath been concerned in their sins though they have not at all toucht his Essential Glory yet they have darkned and slurr'd the manifestations of his Glory And therefore I answer Secondly All those Scriptures before alledged importing that sin grieves God vexes him and is very burthensome to him all those are spoken either of God-man Jesus Christ who was made like unto us in all things except sin and is spoken of in the Historyes and Prophesies of the Old Testament Haec de Deo dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et intelligenda sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before he took flesh as having those in him sinlesse passions of anger and sorrow and grief which were found in him after he appeared in the flesh Or if expounded of God strictly considered then what is in those Scriptures spoken of God must be understoâ—d after the manner of men yet as becomes God who is without all passions and repentings Or they are to be understood not as importing Affections in God but Effects upon men When men sin God doth such things as angry men use to do such things as men do that are gâ—ieved with what others have done and repent of what themselves have done If grief anger repentance were properly wrought in God when we sin our sins must needs be some yea much annoyance to him But while man sees and feels such Effects as these passions produce the Lord is infinitely exalted above the least feeling of these passions he remains ever the same That 's it which Elihu signifieth and holds out to Job we may trouble one another and trouble our selves by sin but we cannot at all trouble God If thou sinnest what dost thou against him what unto him I shall conclude and gather up the sence of this Context in these four brief Deductions Take two of them Negatively and two Affirmatively First God doth not punish sinners in anger only though he be angry only with sin Secondly God doth not punish sinners at all for fear He fears none whom none can hurt The two Affirmatives take thus Fi st When God punisheth sin he doth it out of pure love to Justice or purely out of love to Justice Secondly God afflicts the godly in mercy 't is not because they have done him hurt but for their good Elihu proceeds further to prove that as Job could not hurt God by his sins so his righteousness and innocency were no advantage to him and therefore it must needs follow that his sins could only hurt and his righteousness only profit himself and such as were like himself Vers 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou hâ—m and what receiveth he at thy hands Vers 8. Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art and tâ—y righteousness may profit the son of man Elihu having shewed in the former verse that the sin of mâ—n cannot detract any thing from nor in the least hinder the happiness of God proceeds in the 7th verse to shew that the sinlesness yea that the righteousness of man cannot advantage nor advance the happiness of God And therefore lest he should seem to make both the sin and the righteousness of man to be of no use he states the matter in the 8th verse and tells us both to whom the wickedness of man is hurtfull and to whom the righteousness of man is profitable Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousness may profit the son of man but neither can thy wickedness hurt nor thy righteousness help or advantage God That 's the summe of these two verses Vers 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou him As if he had said There is no reason O Job that thou shouldest at any time as thou oftentimes hast proclaim thy own righteousness as if that added any thing to God Job was not ignorant of that But the speech of Elihu had this scope in it to reprove him for complaining that his goodness profited himself nothing because though he was far from wickedness yet he was afflicted whereas many wicked men prospered and lived in full content to which poynt his other friends had not answered And further Elihu urgeth Job with this because he had so industriously defended his own righteousness as if he would intimate that God was a gainer by it whereas if God at any time rewardeth our good deeds that proceedeth from his own goodness and Free Grace not from any obligation which we have put upon him by what we have done how well soever we have done it If thou be righteous what givest thou him This supposition if thou be righteous hath in it a grant if not an affirmation that a man may be righteous For though all men naturally or in nature are unrighteous yet thorough grace all men that is all men who receive grace are righteous And they who receive grace are righteous under a three-fold notion First they are righteous by an imputed righteousness or by the righteousness of another accounted to them and thus every godly man is righteous because freely justified Secondly they that have grace are righteous by an Inherent Righteousness by a stock or a principle of Righteousness planted in them at their Conversion In conversion not only the acts but the state and nature of a man is changed He who before was nothing but a bundle of unrighteousness becomes a righteous man that is he hath a â—ighteous principle planted in him and abiding with him Thus a godly man is righteous because he is sanctified Thirdly every man that hath grace is a Righteous man by a righteousness flowing out from him or by a practical righteousness he is righteous by the doing of Righteousness The former is Righteousness by Conversion this is Righteousness by Conversation and this slows from the former as the Apostle John speaks in his first Epistle Chap. 3.5 He that doth righteousness is righteous that is he is in a righteous state through Justification and hath righteousness planted in him through Sanctification And he that is thus righteous in his state is also a practiser of Righteousness in his way As it is said of that worthy paire Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 They were both Righteous walking in all the Ordinances and Commandements of God blameless Here was practical Righteousness they were righteous
ones in the Text crying in all these respects the burden was so heavy upon them that it made them cry out for the very weight of it and they cryed and called for some charitable or tender heart to come and ease them of it and deliver them from it Elihu doth not rest in speaking this once but repeats it again By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty These words poynt us expresly to the cause of their cry or out-cry it was the arme of the mighty which may be taken either properly or figuratively Properly the Arme is a well known and most usefull member of the body And because there is a great deal of strength and power in the arme therefore by a figure the arme signifieth strength might or power and to say they cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty is as much as to say they cry out by reason of the power of the mighty Severissimum dei supplicium immissione aut descensione Brachii significatur The arme is frequently in Scripture put for power the powerful wrath of â—od is called the arme of God The Prophet Isa 30.30 speaks of the lighting down of his arme When the Lord lets his arme fall oâ— light down upon a man a family or a Nation in wrath it crusheth either or all of them to pieces And as the powerful wrath so the powerful grace of God is called his arme Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our report to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed That is his mighty power working by and manifesting it self in Christ and in the ministery of the Gospel for the conviction conversion and salvation of sinners Thus also the arme of man is the power of man Dan. 11.6 She shall not retain the power of the arme neither shall he stand nor his arme That is his power shall fall or both he and she Bernire and Antiochus Theus shall fall and be powerless Psal 37.16 The arme of the wicked that is their power shall be broken but the Lord upholdeth the righteous They cry out by reason of the arme Of the mighty The same word which in the first part of the verse is translated multitude is here translated The mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what was the mightiness of these men There is a four-fold mightiness First there is mightiness of body that is natural might and 't is properly the might of the arme Secondly there is a mightiness in valour and in Armes Thus souldiers and warriers are mighty men they who having courage in their hearts have also weapons in their hands and swords by their sides are the mighty Such a one was Gideon to whom the Angel said Judg. 6.12 The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour Thirdly there is a mightiness of Authority And thus the Magistrate is a mighty man suppose he be weak in body yet he is mighty in power and can do great things Fourthly there is a mightiness of wealth and riches Thus Boaz is called a mighty man of wealth Ruth 2.1 Riches have so much might in them that in the Hebrew one word serves to signifie both might and riches We may understand the mighty man here in any or all these four senses The oppressed cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty They who have much bodily strength often oppress the weaker and so do the mighty in Armes and so do the mighty in Authority and so the mighty in riches have often done making the poor and the oppressed cry They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty From the former part of the verse Observe Oppression is a common sin Not only was Babylon stained with it but Jerusalem That 's an amazing passage Jer. 6.6 Thus hath the Lord of hosts said hew ye down trees and cast a Mount against Jerusalem This is the City to be visited she is wholly oppression in the midst of her Not only was Jerusalem a City but The City a City above all Cities to be visited by an oppressing enemy and whâ— even because she not only had oppressors in her but was oppression O how oppressive was that City which was oppression and that not only in some parts of her but wholly and that not in her skirts and suburbs but in the midst of her The Lord to shew that the Jewes were superlatively rebellious or most rebellious against him calleth them in the abstract rebellion as the Margin hath it Ezek. 2.7 and to shew how superlatively oppressive they were one against another He calls Jerusalem oppression Here in the Text we have a multitude of oppressions surely then there were a multitude of oppressors To heare of a multitude of sins of all sorts is very sad but when there is multitude of one sort and that one of the worst sort and such a sin as cannot go alone but draws after it a heap of almost all sorts of sin what a multitude of sins are there It cannot be denied but that oppression is a very common epidemical sin if we take and consider it in the full latitude of it For there is a two-fold oppression First there is a secret oppression To deceive defraud or go beyond another in the Apostles sense is to oppress him And thus 't is said Hos 12.7 He is a Merchant the balances of deceit are in his hand he loveth to oppress He doth not oppress by violence with a sword in his hand but by craft with balances in his hand he oppresseth while he over-reacheth in dealing and trading This sort of oppression runs up and down every where and though this kind of oppression make not a great cry yet it is a great sin a crying sin There is also a secret oppression under colour of Law many turn the very Rules of Justice into rods of oppression And this is by so much the worse by how much it hath the better cover Secondly there is an open oppression the Nimrods of the world the mighty Hunters taâ—e and vex and trouble all they can and would make all tremble before them or run from them as the Hare and Hart from their merry but merciless pursuers Now if both secret and open oppressions are so commonly practised oppression may justly beare the title of a common sin Secondly Note Oppression is a very crying sin That cannot but be a crying sin which makes so many cry Oppression then is a crying sin First as to the nature of it Secondly as to the effect of it Oppression cryeth and it makes those cry who are oppressed Solomon saith Eccles 7.7 Oppression maketh a wise man mad That which puts a man even out of his wits or besides the right use of his reason will put him much to the use of his tongue causing him to complain cry out and clamour But who are they that are most given to and deepest
idle away the day and sport and play and sing away the night As good men have holy songs in the night Isa 30.29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy Solemnity is kept c. So the wicked have their wanton vaine revelling songs in the night when their sensual Solemnities are kept Belshazer was drinking in the night and doubtless he had his musick songs that night And as he had his songs mirth and musick in the night so he said not Where is God my maker who giveth me songs in the night he instead of minding God his maker in his mirth minded only the gods which himself had made as the text speaks Dan. 5.4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver c. And thus 't is in proportion with all the wicked to whom God gives songs in the night they say not Where is God my maker This interpretation which carrieth the songs to the oppressors before spoken of contains a truth yet I shall not stay upon it but take the words as referring to the oppressed Here it may be queried how doth God give them songs in the night I shall not insist upon those conjectures which some have made about this giving songs in the night As First implying God so gracious that he giveth us not only in the day but in the night occasion of joy in sorrow namely the view and contemplation of the Heavens and Starrs which are very pleasant and refreshing Psal 19.1 Others Secondly conjecture that God may be said to give the sorrowful and oppressed ones songs in the night by the singing of birds in the night of that bird especially which hath its name from singing in the night the Nightingal Some insist much upon these interpretations It is I grant a great mercy of God that when the Sun is down we have Moon-light and Star-light and that in the night we have the innocent harmless birds to sing and make us pleasant melody But leaving these we may take the words in a double notion First Properly Secondly Metaphorically Properly and so to give songs in the night as the night is taken for night time imports the goodness of God to man not only in the day time but in the night Hence Note God in the night season as well as in the day gives his people matter of joy Night-mercies deserve and call for day-praises especially two sorts of night-mercies First Night preservations Psal 3.6 I laid me down and slept for thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety The night is subjâ—ct to many dangers Qui distribuit nocturnas custodias Sept The Septuagint render fully to this sense Who giveth watch or preservation in the night that 's matter of praise and thanksgiving to God Secondly he gives us cause of praise and singing not only for preserving our lives while we sleep in the night but for refreshing us with sleep in the night Psal 127.2 So he giveth his beloved sleep The Lord gives us not only safety but sleep Sweet sleep is a great mercy Eccl. 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or mucâ— and they who sleep sweetly get refreshing and renewings of strength after all their foâ—mer labours for new labours So thaâ— if we take night properly for the night time there is much occasion of rejoycing given by God to mankind in general and more peculiarly to his faithfull servants in reference to those common mercies of bodily safety and the return of natural strength and spirits Secondly Take night properly and then this assertion He giveth songs in the night may have this meaning The Lord gives his people a praising frame of heart in the night season Etâ—am cum nulla ad eum laudandum documenta circumfulgent intus Spiritu excitat ad laudes Jun When they are wrapped up and compassed about with outward darkness when they are solitary and alone when no worldly object holds out any occasion of comfort to them yet then the Lord lets in a light or shines into their sâ—uls by his good Spirit The Lord may well be said to give songs even in the night when by the immediate work of his Spirit he filleth our spirits with joyes unspeakable and glorious These aâ—e the most ravishing songs of the night Hence Note God by his good Spirit doth often suggest sweet meditations and comfortable thoughts to his people in the night In the night the Lord minds his servants either of such mercies as they have already received or of such as according to his promise he is ready to or will surely bestow that so they may be busied in that heavenly work of praising him and rejoycing in him when they awake or cannot sleep This was Davids experience Psal 17.3 Thou hast visited me in the night Men use to visit us in the day when we are up or awake But saith David God gives me visits in the night when I am in bed he gives me many a song or makes me to rejoyce When we are in our retirements or freest from the hurry of worldly businesses and enjoyments then we are in the fittest posture for the entertainment and enjoyment of God The Lord visits his servants in the night not only as David there to try them or as elsewhere to instruct them but to comâ—oâ—t them as David was assured Psal 42.8 The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his song shall be with me That is a song concerning him I will sing and rejoyce even in the night time because of the goodness and kindnâ—ss of God to me in the day The experience of Asaph or of David communicated in that Psalm to Asaph gives further proof of this Psal 77.6 where having said v. 1. I cryed unto God with my voyce and he gave eare unto me he adds v. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night that is those occasions of joy and singing which God hath heretofore given me These songs were sweeter to me than sleep As it sheweth an excellent frame of spirit to remember the Commandments of God in the night which David also professed as his practise Psal 119.55 I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night and have kept thy Law The name of God is any manifestation of God either in his word or works And again Psal 119.62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous judgements Some watch in the night to give thanks Psal 134.1 others give thanks when they wake at any time in the night both are acts of purest love to God and proceed from purest consolation in God Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him The Spouse doth not say only by night I sought him but by night on my bed I spend not the night in sleeping but in seeking him whom my soul loveth Psal 16.7 My reines instruct me in the night
many lessons more which they should be practising under sorrowful dispensations The Ox loweth and is taught no more when he wants fodder the Ass brayeth and is taught no more when he wants grasse but man is taught to act repentance and faith and patience and submission to the will of God in want How sad is it when we hear nothing but flesh cry in man or when nothing is cryed for by man but flesh that is the supplyes of Nature in the day of his distress As 't is said of those Hosea 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for corn and for wine and they rebel against me How miserable are they in their miseries whose tongues cry to God but not their hearts or their hearts being silent who cry for corne and wine not for grace and repentance or not for grace to repent who cry much because they suffer evil but not at all because they have done evil yea who are doing evil at the very time when they are crying out because of the evils which they suffer Such was the wretched frame of those in the Prophet They assembled themselves for corne and for wine and rebelled against God 'T is bad enough when there is crying and nothing but crying this is to cry but as beasts cry but to cry and rebel against God is to be worse than beasts for beasts do not rebel against God when they are pinched with want and cry It is sad to be in afflictions to be put to cry in afflictions is more sad only to cry for the affliction is yet more sad when nothing comes from a man but a cry there is nothing in the cryer but what is meerly of man but to be found sinning against God while we a e crying out in our affliction is most sad that 's the saddest and worst condition of man in affliction The Lord teacheth his people better let us shew our selves better taught than only to cry in our afflictions and let it be the abhorrence of our souls for ever to sin at all much more to sin up to rebellion against God in our affliction that it should be said of any of us as of that wicked King Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.22 that in the time of any distress we have trespassed more against the Lord. Thirdly Whereas those oppressed ones cryed yet according to the second interpretation continued proud and naught Observe The greatest oppression and worldly trouble cannot break the power of sin nor bring down the proud heart of man Neither oppression from man nor affliction from God can break the pride of mans spirit These were oppressed yet proud still Our estates may be broken our relations broken our comforts broken yet our hearts remain unbroken The oppressed are many times as proud as their oppressors and they who are unjustly dealt with are â—s bad as they that deale unjustly with them Oppressors though not all who oppress are alwayes bad and the oppressed are many times so too even as bad as their oppressors There is no proof of any mans grace or goodness by this that he is oppressed or wronged for he may be wronged and ground to powder with oppression yet his heart as hard as a nether Milstone and his spirit as high and as much lifted up as Lucifers There is nothing in affliction trouble or oppression that can humble the heart of man the Spirit of God God himself must do it Outward changes work no inward change we may be emptied from vessel to vessel from one condition to another yet have our sin-sent remaining in us It was indeed said of Moab Jer. 48.11 He hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity that is he hath not been troubled much in his own Land nor carried into strange Lands as Israel hath been therefore his tast remained in him and his sent is not changed that is as he still retains his civil state and strength so his spiritual vanity impiety and impurity even as Wines that have not been drawn off the Lees and put into other Cask to that the Scripture there alludes retain their first tast and sent or smel and are not meliorated or made more fit for the palat and stomack of those that drink them Now I say as many for want of changes or afflictions are not mended so some mend not though they have many changes and afflictions nor can any thing or affliction mend us or work a change of heart and life in us unlesse grace work with it Fourthly Whereas it is said they cry but none giveth answer God doth not hear and answer them Note The crys of proud or bad men how much soever they are oppressed do not move God nor will he answer them There is no reason he should answer their cry though they have reason enough to cry who will not answer his call his command let such cry and cry tear the air and rend their throats with crying they shall not be answered Job saith of the hypocrite Chap. 27.9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him No he will not Solomon leaves the contemners of wisdoms counsel under the same doom Pro. 1.28 Then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me But when was this Then in which they called and the Lord would not answer The 27th verse tells us The when or time of this rejection it was when they had most need of hearing and acceptation even when their feare that is the thing feared or at least which made them afraid came upon them as desolation and their destruction as a whirlwind when those sad Messengers came they sought God early that is earnestly and diligently but could not find him But what was the reason of this refusal They hated knowledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord v. 29. They had been wicked and nought before trouble came and when trouble was come they were no better therefore the Lord regarded not either their persons or their cryes The Lord saith the Apostle preaching to the Athenians Acts 17.27 is not far from every one of us yet 't is said Pro. 15.29 The Lord is far from the wicked but he heareth the prayer of the righteous He is far that is far from hearing and answering far from helping and relieving the wicked when they pray The Lord is not far from any of us as men for in him we live move and have our being v. 28. and he giveth to all life and breath and all things for the support of life and natural being but he is far from all proud men as to any complacency in their persons and as to the hearing of their prayers He is far from hearing them and he knows them a far off Psal 138.6 that is he deals with thâ—m as with men at a distance Thus the Lord told the
have to trust on him for help and may have the more assurance of his help while we trust him I shall now proceed to our own translation which fairly accommodates the scope of Elihu's dealing with Job in this place Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Elihu had reprehended two of Jobs sayings before in this Chapter here he reprehends a third Although thou sayest this thou shalt not see him although thou sayest it either secretly in thy heart the fool saith in his heart there is no God or although thou sayest it with thy mouth and hast openly declared thy despayre of seeing him Some passages in the discourse of Job do more than intimate and imply that he had said he should not see God And we may conceive that Elihu aimeth at that passage specially Chap. 23.8 9. where Job seems to say this thing Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hard where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him Now Elihu gives answer in this 14th verse shewing that alâ—hough God would not give him a present heaâ—ing upon his importunate call for it yet he might rest assured that God would do him justice and therefore adviseth him quietly to rest upon him Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him or canst not see him yet Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him In that 23d Chapter Job made a sad complaint that though he much solicited and desired to see God in what sense I shall open presently yet he could not be admitted he could not find him nor come near him I saith he cannot perceive him I cannot behold him I cannot see him we have all these words negatively expressed there as here Although thou sayest thou shalt not see or contemplate him There is a two-fold sight of God First immediate or in himself and thus God is seen only by himself and of himself to all others he is invisible No eye hath seen him nor can see him 1 Tim. 6.16 The Lord told Moses No man can see my face and live that is no man can see me immediately no man can have any ocular sight of me as we see those things that are before us God is a Spirit and therefore invisible Job doth not complain in this sense that he could not see God for he knew God was not to be seen nor did he wait for any such corporal view or sight or presence of God Secondly There is a mediate sight of God and that by a three-fold means First in or by his Word for that is one glass wherein we behold him Secondly there is a sight of God in his Works they are another glass wherein we see and behold him and those works are two fold First the works of Creation in them we may see or contemplate God all the world over in his power wisdome and goodness Rom. 1.19 20. Secondly his works of providence ordering and disposing all the motions of the creatures as himself pleaseth how much soever any of their motions are displeasing unto him Thus we may see God in his works that is it is seen by his works not only that he is but what he is or that he is Eternal and Infinite that he is Most Wise and Omnipotent that he can do all things or that nothing is too hard for him he having brought all things out of nothing There is a Third Medium or Means by which we may see God and that is His Son our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The light of the knowledge of the Glory of God shineth to us in the face of Jesus Christ that is in the person of Christ God-Man we may behold the glorious Grace of God unto poor sinful lost man All the beams of Divine Love are collected in and issue forth from the face of Jesus Christ He that would see how good how gracious how merciful the Lord is to sinners let him by an eye of Faith or spiritual Contemplation look Christ in the face and there he shall find the expresse Characters of all that Glory By these Means or mediately in all these wayes God may be seen and is seen by his People This threefold sight of God is the sight of Faith it is by Faith that we see him in his Word it is by Faith that we see him in his Works it is by Faith that we see him in his Son Thus we are to understand that of the Apostle concerning Moses Heb. 11.27 He endured as seeing him that is invisible We may also distinguish of this sight of God two ways there is a sight of God first in grace which is though a true and real yet an imperfect sight of which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see as in a glasse darkly Secondly There is a seeing of God in glory which is there called A seeing of him face to face Of that sight Christ speaks Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God As they now see him in the dispensations of his Grace here so they shall see him in the givings forth or manifestations of his Glory to them hereafter Now when Job complaineth or Elihu brings him in complaining That he should not see God we are not to understand it as if he despaired of ever seeing God in Glory or had concluded in his own breast that he should never see him in his ways of Grace or professed that at present he had no sight at all of God by faith for though I conceive Jobs sight of God by faith or in the actings of his Grace at that time was very low and dim yet some sight he had of him by faith enough I am sure to preserve and keep him from making any such negative Conclusion against himself that he should not see God in Glory But that which he chiefly intendeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intendit oculos Verbum viden i forense est pro astare corum aliquo cum magna causa fiducia â—a ut non demissâ— in terram vultu sed elato capite ad interroganturi resptâ—teniemque judicem oculos intrepide dirigâ—re q is audeat Bold that he feared he should not come to see him in such a day and way of tryal as he before desired in the 23d Chapter vers 8 9. or that God would never manifest himself so cleerly in his Providences and dealings about his case in this world as might acquit him and bâ—ing the matter in question to a full state that all might take notice of his wronged integrity Job was under a great Cloud at that time and feared that God had coveâ—ed himself with a Cloud also as the Church bemoaned her self Lam. 3.44 and therefore said I shall not see him I shall not â—ee him as a Judge acquitting me and giving sentence for me Some conceive that the Hebrew word rendred Seeing
do right But as sure as God knows every mans righâ— so certainly he will do him right Abraham pleaded thus with God Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Gen. 18.25 Certainly he will do right he cannot but do right Judgement is before him The Scripture is express He will reward every man and award to every man according to his works Every man shall have as he is for as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.6 He shall bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God that is every man shall have it who is fit for it every man shall have praise who is as we say praise-worthy how much soever he hath been dispraised slurr'd in his credit unworthily dealt with and accused in this world God will not hold or detain the truth of men in unrighteousnesse though men hold both the truth of God and the truth of men the truth of their Causes in unrighteousnesse Judgement is before the Lord. Fuâ—ther That Particle which we render yet gives us this Note God is never a whit the lesse Righteous because it doth not appear to us that he is so Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet Judgement is before him The wayes of God are often secret but none of them are unjust Judgement is before him even then when we think iâ— is farthest off from him Therefore if we will give God the glory of governâ—ng the world and of ordering all our personal conditions we must not measure him by the things we see or which appear for we cannot see the measure of his Judgement by what appears that which appears to us is not his Judgement something else is his judgement and he in the close will make his judgement clear to all men he will make it appear that judgment is his though what his judgement is doth not appear The mis-apprehensions or mis-constructions of men do not at all retard or stop the righteousnesse of God as the Apostle speaks in another case Rom. 3.3 Shall the unbelief of man make the Faith of God that is the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect God forbid God will be Faithful and True though all the world be Unbelievers and Lyars Now as the unbelief of man cannot make the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect so our not believing that Judgement proceeds or our saying it is delayed does not at all take off God from righteousnesse in doing Judgement he is doing Judgement righteously whatever apprehensions men have of his doings Judgement is before him Therefore trust thou in him Elihu according to the first reading of the former words exhorts Job to Repentance Judge thy self and here he exhorts him to Faith Trust thou in him Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him or wait and hope in him for seeing God is a Just and Righteous Judge he will not neglect or slight the Cause of any of his People therefore they have all the reason in the world to trust in him and wait upon him It is unbelief which makes haste Faith is content to wait and tarry The Original word hath several significations First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat 1. Dolere 2. Parturire 3. Manere Perseverare 4. Sperare Forte per metaphoram quia animus sperans futurâ—m gaudium cum dolore parturit Coc. More general to grieve or be in pain and trouble Secondly In special to bring forth or the pain of a woman in travel to bring forth there is much pain in that travel Thus some translate here Wait for him as a woman in travel waits for deliverance Thirdly As it signifies to have pain and to have that pain in bringing forth children so to attend to wait to stay quietly and expect Rest in the Lord saith David Psal 37.7 and wait patiently for him We may give the reason of this signification from that allusion The woman though she be in pain yet she patiently bears it because she hath hope a man shall be born into the world John 16.21 A woman in that pain hath not only patience but comfort under it because she hopes a child shall shortly be born who will recompence all her sorrows in bearing and bringing him forth into the world That 's the force of this word Trust in him Thou art in pain in trouble in travel for the present yet thou shalt have a blessed deliverance thou shalt certainly find that it is not in vain to trust upon God Thus Elihu aâ—viseth Job to such a patience as a woman in travel with child hath who bears her pains comfortably being refreshed and supported with an assurance and fore-sense of that joy which she shall have being once delivered Trust thou in him I have in some other places of this Book met with this Point of trusting in God Job said in the 13th Chapter of this Book vers 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him And therefore I shall not stay to open that general duty or the exercise of that Grace which here Elihu exhorts Job to Trusting in or waiting upon God Only from the Connexion Note First It is our duty to wait and trust upon God And 't is such a duty as will keep us close to all other duties a mind staid on God is a mind fit to move about any good work whatsoever which God calleth us unto Secondly Put all together Thou sayest thou shalt not see him thou art doubtful whether ever things will mend yet Judgement is before him therefore trust Hence Note When things are not clear to us when we have no light about what God is doing or what he will do yet it is our duty to trust and wait upon God We must wait upon God and trust in him though we do not see him yea though we cannot see him for Judgement is before him That of the Prophet Isa 50.10 is a clear proof of this duty and some expound this Scripture specially respecting outward dark providences as others of inward darkness or darkness of spirit Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darkness and hath no light as Job saith here I shall not see him What shall a poor benighted soul do in that case The answer or advice followeth Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God How dark soever our condition is yet it is our duty to trust upon God and if once we are enabled to give God the glory due to his name in confessing that Judgement is before him we shall readily trust upon him to order all things for us though all things seem out of order even to amazement though we see heaven and earth as it were confounded yet we shall readily trust upon him because we believe that even then Judgement is before him How soon can he turn our
darkness into light who in the first Creation when all lay together in a confused heap and darkness over all bâ—ought forth light and set all in order The Lord can command light out of darkness good out of evil order out of confusion and he can do all this easily and at an instant therefore whatever the appearances of things are let not us judge according to appearance but hope and wait and stick to what God hath promised Though providences appear cross to promises and prophesies yet they never frustrate either Let us also be sure to stick to the commandements of God for we may rest assured God will stick to his promises To keep Commandements is our work to keep promises is Gods work though we fayle much in our work God will not fayle at all in his work To believe this is the highest and truest work of faith But if we are faithful in our work the keeping of Commandements we have a further evidence that God will be faithful in his work the keeping or fulfilling of promises a great part the most spiritual part of Gods fulfilling promises being his enabling of us to keep Commandements and then we shall be able to say not only in faith but from experience that Judgement is before him And untill we come to this conclusion of faith in dark times when we cannot see him the soul never sits down in rest Nothing fixes the soul but trust in God we are unquiet yea we boyle with unquietness and toss as the angry Sea with the windes till we trust fully upon God upon his wisdome and power upon his goodness and faithfulness and can say let him do as seems good in his eyes we know he is and will be good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart When we can once stay our minds on God we are quiet but when we must bring God to our mind and must have God go our pace or come at our time and work in our way none of which he will do what a do soever we make to have it so O how restless and troubled are we even like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest And O how much of this restless trouble discovers it self in the minds of many that I say not the most of men and all because they cannot trust God when they do not see him or because when they do not see him which was Jobs fayling they say they shall not see him If matters come not to pass according to their platforme and model or hit not the dates and dayes the times and seasons which they have fixt in their unscriptural Kalender or by a mistake of the Scripture Kalendar they are ready to say they shall not see him their hopes are as the giving up of the ghost that is they give all for lost and past recovery Many trust God as they do some men no farther than they see him they are the worst and coursest sort of men whom we trust no otherwise How dishonourable then how infinitely below God is such a trust Elihu would have Job and so should we trust God though he could not see him and said he should not Thou hast said thou shalt not see him yet trust in him Lastly From the illative particle therefore that is because Judgement is before him trust thou in him Note hence The consideration of the Righteousness and Justice of God is a mighty argument to provoke us to trust him and wait upon him Trust is not every bodyes due some as we speak proverbially are to be trusted no farther than a man can throw a Milstone that is they are not to be trusted at all Trust I say is not every bodyes due but to trust God is every bodyes duty yea and interest too for he is cloathed as much with righteousness and justice as he is with strength and power Will you not trust an honest man will you not trust a wise man We can come to a height of confidence in man sometimes if we think him a man of judgement and wisdome of honesty and faithfulness we can trust all we have in such a mans hand how much more should we say to God seeing Judgement is before him therefore will we trust in him We have an eminent Scripture urging this duty upon this ground Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of Judgement Judgement is there taken in the same notion as here in the Text he is a wise and a just God the Lord is a God of judgement what followeth Blessed are they that wait for him There can be nothing said more urging more encouraging to wait and trust on God to do us right then this He is a God of Judgement a righteous God Judgement is before him Thus far of the good counsel which Elihu gave Job in this his dark and deserted state and counsel it was worthy to be embraced with both armes and with an open breast and that Job had need of it he shews in the next words while he tells Job and us it was not so with him yet as appeared by the sad hand of God upon him and his own distemper under it JOB Chap. 35. Vers 15 16. 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain he multiplieth words without knowledge IN the close of the former verse Elihu called upon and exhorted Job to a patient reliance and trust on God Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him here in the 15th verse he shews that the reason why God visited him so sorely and yet continued his visitation upon him was because he did not as he ought patiently trust in and rely upon him There are several readings of this verse but I shall only mention one besides our own and having stayed a little about that go on to the explication of the Text as it lyes in order before us Some render thus But know now his anger hath visited thee but a little Hebr Nunc autem cito quod paululum te visitavit ira ipsius neque inquisivit multum admodum Merc Scito perexiguum esse quo te deus iratus plectit nisi levitèr in te inqui ere mâ—luisset Bez nothing neither hath he made any great inquisition The sense of the verse according to this rendring riseth thus As if Elihu had said God hath dealt with thee O Job far better than thou hast dealt with him or then thou hast cause to expect he hath not laid his hand so heavy upon thee as thy iniquity hath deserved and yet thou complainest much of his severity whereas indeed he hath not strictly inquired into the multitude of thy sins which if he had done he would certainly have brought upon thee a greater multitude of afflictions he would have afflicted thee much more Thou art too well used to complain thus That 's the summe of this rendring which
of rigour when they see thy afflicting hand heavy upon me therefore either to prevent such rash judgements of man or that thou mayest gaine the day and have the better in the opinion of all good and wise men over thy Judges Behold I here freely confess my great sin with all the aggravating circumstances of it and surely they who know or shall hear how greatly I have sinned against thee cannot but justifie thee how great soever my sufferings may be To speak thus is to ascribe righteousness unto God in all that he doth whether with respect to his publique judgements upon Nations or particular upon persons in any way of affliction he is pleased and seeth need to exercise them with And the reason why Job was here charged by Elihu as a person not giving righteousness to God was because he did not sit down quietly and patiently under his hand in sufferings but muttered and complained as a man unsatisfied with though he did not openly murmur against the dealings of God with him To give righteousness to God is not only not to accuse him as unrighteous and unjust but to thank him for and honour him in all that he doth or to speak good of his Name under all our sufferings of evil Further to ascribe righteousness to God is to justifie him though he give never so much prosperity to unjust and wicked men Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talke with thee of thy judgements Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Some begin to think surely God is not righteous when they see the unrighteous prosper and at rest while righteous ones are afflicted with continual hurries and troubles but whatsoever God doth with us or ours whatsoever peace he gives to wicked men whatsoever trouble to good men he is still righteous and to acknowledge this sincerely is actually to do what Elihu undertakes to do even to ascribe righteousness to our Maker And surely that knowledge will quit the cost though we have fetcht it very far by which we are taught and have learn'd to ascribe righteousness for that 's the ascribing of gloâ—y to our Maker I saith Elihu will ascribe righteousness To my Maker There 's something in that expression very considerable Elihu doth not say I will ascribe righteousness to God but speaks of God under that relation His Maker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importat facere aliquid cum intentione diligentia energia quae valde enitet in formatione hominis Bold The word signifies not only in General to make or create of which work Moses treats in the first of Genesis but it notes the doing of a thing first with diligence secondly with skill great intention of mind 't is to draw all our spirits together in a work as Artists do This divine art or skill did chiefly appear and shine forth in the creation or formation of man Not that God straines himself in any work but he speaks thus to shew that the highest perfections and exactness imaginable yea beyond all imagination were centred and laid into the works of God or the things that he hath made will ascribe righteousness to My Maker He doth not say to the Maker of man or to the Maker of Heaven and Earth but to my Maker he appropriates that common work of God to himself God is the maker of every Creature the least worme the least fly is of his making yet Elihu speaks of it as his peculiar priviledge my Maker There 's a great Emphasis of affection in those Pronounes Mine Delicata sunt haec pronomina Meum Tuum Suum et plena affectionis pronomen hoc substantive ponitur pro amico Dulcesque meorum reliquias Virgil Aeniad 4. Ego meorum solus sum meus Terent Thine His. Elihu in this my intimates a friendly sweetness and closeness of relation between God and him To call another Mine is more than to call him a friend of mine And to say God is my Maker is more than to say He is the maker of me or the maker of my soul and body 'T is the Dialect of lovers Whom we love we call Ours It is so in the writings of Heathen Poets and Orators One of them said I must do this with the gifts of mine that is of my friends and another I only am my to mine Much love reignes in this Language of faith up and down the Scriptures chiefly in those raptures of divine delight between Christ and the Spouse in the Book of Canticles Elihu is here greatly affected as with the righteousness of God in all his works so in the workmanship bestowed on him I saith he will ascribe righteousness to my Maker Hence Note First God is the Maker of man I shall not stay upon that Secondly In that he holds himself engag'd to stand up for God as his Maker Note The Common benefits of God to man should be acknowledged and he honoured for them God hath made man and beast and he preserves man and beast A godly man sees peculiar mercy to him in both though they be common mercies General mercies should have they highly deserve special remembrances All the works of God are to be lookt to as personal engagements God hath made others as well as thee yet so remember him to be thy Maker as if he had made none but thee and indeed every one that is made is as much beholding to God as if he alone had been made As some things which are made in common for all men the Sun the Air c. are so made that no man could have more of them than he hath if they had been made for him only So though it be common to all men that God is their Maker yet no man could have more in his making if none had been made but he One of the Ancients represents all the Creatures offering themselves to man in general and speaking these three words Accipe Redde Cave First Receive us cheerfully for we were made for thee Secondly Render thanks for us daily for we are all made useful unto thee Thirdly Take heed you do not abuse us for you must give an account to our Maker and yours how you have used us And surely as we should strive to honour God for all things which he hath made so mostly for our own making The Lord is often in the Old Testament especially spoken of under this Relation Psal 121.2 Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth So Psal 124.8 Psal 95.6 Psal 146.6 Still God is remembred as the Maker of all things and he is thus remembred not only in opposition to Idols or false gods who are gods made by man not the makers of man but God is thus remembred and recorded in Scripture to preserve a grateful memory of God in man as he is the Maker of man He that
forgets God as his Maker will never remember much less answer and accomplish the ends for which he was made Thirdly I will ascribe righteousness to My Maker Note A godly man takes God as his own and appropriates him by Faith in all his Relations Faith takes not only a share in God but all of God My God my Father my Maker my Redeemer are strains of Faith A Believer doth as it were ingross God to himself yet desires and endeavours that all as well as himself may have their part and portion in God yea God for their Portion Job said Chap. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth He spake as if he had got a Redeemer not only to but by himself Thus also holy Paul of Christ Gal. 2.22 Who loved me gave himself for me as if he had been given for him alone and loved none but him This is the highest work of Faith and 't is the signification of our hottest love to God it shews endearedness of affection to him as well as neerness and clearness of interest in him when we thus take him as our own Saviour Father Maker I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker Observe Fourthly He who is the Maker of all men can be unrighteous to nâ— man nor is lyable to the censure of any man whatever he doth 'T is impossible that he who made us should wrong or injure us and that upon a twofold Principle First Of the respect he hath for Justice towards all those whom he hath made God is so tender that he doth not willingly or with his heart afflâ—ct nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth Lam. 3.33 34. much less will he as it followeth vers 35 â—6 turn away the right of a man before the face of the most High that is before his own face who is the Most High As if it had been said The Lord will not pervert Judgment in any mans Case that comes before him Or if we take those words before the face of the Most High as denoting the highest Judicatory on Earth as our Margin intimates putting there for Most High A Superiour then the meaning is The Lord doth not approve that any earthly Judge though Supream or most Superiour should turn aside the right of a man how inferiour soever for as the 36th verse hath it To subvert a man in his Cause the Lord approveth not or as the Hebrew is rendred seeth not that is he seeth it not with approbation but indeed with detestation and will severely punish such subverters of Justice Secondly It is impossible that he who hath made us should wrong or injure us upon the principle of his Soveraignty over all those whom he hath made He that gives all men their being he that gives all to all men that are in being can be unrighteous to no man whatsoever he taketh from him or doth with him We have Job in the beginning of this Book Chap. 1.21 ascribing righteousness to God his Maker upon this reason or principle The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. It is he that made me a man 't is he who once made me a rich man a great man the greatest man of all the men of the East Chap. 1.3 What if now he hath lessened me and left me little or nothing what if he hath now made me a mean man a poor man in account a no man what if God hath now stript me naked and taken all from me He hath taken nothing but what he gave why then should I take it ill at his hands or have so much as an ill thought of him the Lord gives and the Lord takes there 's no unrighteousness in all this If God should utterly undoe us he doth us no wrong if he should as it were unmake us let us consider he is our Maker then we must say there is no unrighteousness in him yea we shall be ready with Elihu in the Text to ascribe righteousness unto him And therefore as a Corollary from the whole Note Fifthly Whatsoever God doth with us or others we ought to maintain the honour of God and retain good thoughts of him both as righteous and good Though Heaven and Earth be moved though the World be full of confusion and unâ—ighteousness yet we must ascribe righteouâ—nesse to God Whatsoever or whosoever falls to the dust the Honour and Justice of God must not Thus far of Elihu's third Argument for attention the Fourth is at hand in the next verse Vers 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee As if he had said I am purposed to speak the truth and nothing but the truth therefore hear me Truly my words shall not be false He gives assurance for or warrants the truth of his words while he saith they shall not be false Negatives in Scripture often carry a strong affirmation The Father of a Fool hath no joy Non est â—â—num pro passimum est sic non remittâ—tur ei i. e. famietur Drus saith Solomon Prov. 17.21 that is he shall have a great deal of sorrow When the Scripture denyeth forgiveness to any sort of impenitent sinners or saith their sin shall not be forgiven the sense is they shall be punished When we say proverbially Goods ill gotten shall not prosper the meaning is they shall perish and do him mischief that hath gotten them not only shall he not thrive with them but they shall ruine and undoe him his goods ill gotten shall do him no good when the evill day is come much less shall they be able or he by them to prevent the coming of an evil day Once more When we say Such a thing is not ill done our intendment is 't is very well done excellently done So here when Elihu saith Truly my words shall not be false his meaning is I will speak truth and truth to the highest I will speak nothing but what shall endure the Touchstone and the Test I will not offer thee a Syllable of falshood what I alledge and urge either for God or against thee shall not be fetcht oâ— hammer'd out of my own brain and so subject to errour and mistake but such as God who cannot erre by whose Spirit and in whose stead I speak unto thee hath inspired me with or taught me for thy conviction and instruction Fourthly When he saith Truly my words shall not be false we may take it two wayes First As to the matter spoken Secondly As to the mind of the Speaker when truth is thus spoken t is truly spoken thus much Elihu engag'd for As if he had said The matter that I speak shall be true and I will speak it in truth or with a true mind and heart I will not speak any thing to flatter thee nor for my own ends to trouble thee my words shall be candid and sincere
by another word in the Original Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect or upright or sincere as our Margin reads it The same title is again repeated by Isaac when he dispatcht his son Jacob with a blessing to Padan-Aram to avoyd the fury of his brother Esau Gen. 28.3 Thus also spake the blessed Virgin Luke 1.49 He that is mighty hath done to me great things and holy is his Name The holy Scriptures every where exalt the name of God by this glorious Attribute The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken Psal 50.1 And he seems even to delight in this title The mighty God of Jacob. Jacob was mighty with God in prayer as a Prince he had power with God and prevailed and God loved and loves to put forth his might for Jacob his Church and people in answer of their prayers But I shall not stay in general upon this title only opening it a little shall make some inferences from it God is mighty in a two-fold notion First In authority or in command he commands in chief God is Soveraigne and Supreame the Legislative power is in his hand he gives Lawes and he gives the Law to all the world Psal 62.11 Once hath he spoken and I heard it twice that power Soveraignity Law-giving power belongs to God He is so mighty in this governing power that he doth not only give Lawes to rule Nations but he disposeth of all the Rulers in Nations Daniel Chap. 2.21 Chap. 4.17 And again Psal 22.28 The Kingdome is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations Secondly Besides this power of Authority which the Lord exerciseth paramount over all the world he hath also another power or might he hath the might of Strength as well as the might of Authority Some have a great a mighty Authority but they have little or no might to make good that Authority they cannot effect or carry on what they commâ—nd how much right soever they have to command yea how just and right soever that is which they command they have Authoritive might yet want Executive might they cannot bring about nor issue what they determine But when Elihu asserts Behold God is mighty we are to take it under both notions he is mighty as he hath the whole Legislative power in his hand and he is mighty as having also the whole Executive power in his hand The sons of men are jealous about these two Powers and labour to keep them in distinct hands that they who have the Legislative power may not have the Executive power also as fearing what they would do were they vested with both But God beyond all dispute hath both powers in himself and it is impossible they should be taken from him or devolved upon any others otherwise than himself pleaseth or permitteth behold and wonder God is mighty and O how mighty is God! in the union of these two powers and to set forth yet further the wonder of his might I shall give you seaven brief propositions or assertions concerning the might of God as it is twisted and made up of these two mights or powers First He is so mighty both in strength and power that all the might which is in the creature all the Legislative might and all the Executive might all the Authority and all the ability which is in any man is from him and by him that 's it which is said Pro. 8.15 By me Kings reigne and Princes decree Justice they have both their Authority and their power to execute that Authority from me every kind and degree of might whatsoever it is is but a derivation a rivolet from the Might and Power of God that 's the fountaine the spring of all Secondly Behold the mightiness of God as in giving so in taking away power whether the power of authority or of strength from the sons of men He taketh away might from the mighty Sometimes such power such authority such command is put into the hands of others that they who put it there know not how to get it out again but are mastered and over power'd with the very power which they trust others with but such is the might of God that whatever might of authority or strength he hath trusted or cloathed any of the Princes or Powers of this world with he can presently take it out of their hands again Psal 75.7 God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another and it is as easie with him to put down as it is to set up as he can make the weak strong so he can presently make the strong weak this is the glory of the might of God he can take away power as well as give it Thirdly Behold God is mighty for he can do whatsoever pleaseth him Certainly he is Almighty that can do so He whose power runs paralel with his will he who can act as far as he desires how mighty is he none of the mighty ones of this world can do this Oh what work would some men make in the world if they could do as much as they desire if their power should alwayes extend as far as or be commensurate with their Will yet thus it is with God The Scriptures of truth are clear in it Psal 115.3 where when some prophane wretches had scoffed and jeered the people of God wiâ—h where is your God they presently answer Our God is in heaven and he hath done whatsoever pleaseth him It is not what this man pleaseth or what that man pleaseth or what this sort or gange of men please but what the Lord pleaseth that is done and that he doth well how ill soever men do it both in heaven and in earth The Lord will not do all that he can for he could by his power reduce this world to its first principles a Chaos or into a nothing as it was before that but he can do whatsoever he will all things are possible to God yea all things are easie nothing hard or difficult to God And we may very well put a behold of admiration upon his might and such is the might of God who can do whatsoever he willeth Fourthly The Lord is so mighty that he can do all without the help of any Some men are very mighty but it is with other mens hands with other mens strength let them alone let them stand by themselves do but desert and leave them and what can they do just nothing But such is the mightiness of God the Almightiness of God that if all second causes if all persons powers and Nations should leave him in that which he intends should be done he can do it himself without them The Prophet setting forth the victory of Christ over his enemies represents him speaking thus Isa 63.3 I have trodden the wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me Which though many interpret of his passive conquest by suffering as a Priest yet most of his
active conquest as a King which he usually atchieveth by himself alone without any appearance of help from man And though Deborah in her Song Judg. 5. pronounceth a curse upon those that came not out to help the Lord against the Mighty yet it was not because the mighty God needed their help or service but because they did owe it him in duty should have given it him For that the Lord wants no help is further clear from the Prophet Isa 59.16 He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no Intercessor none so much as to speak a word therefore his arme wrought salvation and his righteousness it sustained him Not only no arme was put forth to help but no tongue so much as move or intercede for help to do it yet his own arme did it Thus the Prophet Isa 44.24 He stretcheth forth the Heavens alone and laid the Foundations of the Earth by himself Now as it was with the Lord in the work of Creation he had no helper no assistant he did it alone by himself so it is as true as to all works of providence Let all men forsake him as the Apostle Paul complained they did him 2 Tim. 4.16 and no man stand by him yet the Lord what his purpose and counsel is can bring to pass alone O behold this might he can do all things without the help of any and not only so but Fifthly God is so mighty that he can bring all things to pass or do what he pleaseth though all creatures should be displeased though all men and Angels though all second causes stand up to hinder and to stop him The Lord can work his will against every will against all contradictions and oppositions Thus the Prophet extols the power of God Isa 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall dâ—sanul it His hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back Where we have first the purpose of God none can disanull that Secondly the execution of that purpose He stretcheth out his hand to do such or such a thing who shall turn it back Let all men and Devils joyn forces and counsels let them strive to do it they shall not be able to do it We have a like confession Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will in the Armies of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his hand or say to him what dost thou Such is the mightiness of God that he can work not only when the creature doth not help him or when they apostatize from and desert him or his interest but though they set their hearts and heads their hands and their all against him they cannot stay him nor hinder his work I saith the Lord Isa 43.13 will work and who shall let it Sixthly Behold how mighty the Lord is he is so mighty that he can do all these things and never trouble himself in doing of them he can do all things and not be weary We see the mightiest among men the Powers of this world how they are toyled and moyled how they are worn out how they sweat and labour and are ready to faint and tire in bâ—inging some poor business some petty project about or to its issue But the greatest designes which the Lord hath in his heart to do he can do them without any wearisomness or trouble at all Isa 40.28 Dost not thou know that the Lord is not weary neither doth he faint and when the Prophet saith the Lord is not weary neither doth he faint the meaning is not this the Lord is somewhat weary only he doth not faint but the meaning is this he hath not the least wearisomness upon him no more than a man hath in turning his hand not only are all things possible to God or such as he can do if he put forth the utmost of his power and strength if he make as we say much adoe if he lay himself out to the full not only are things thus possible to God which yet argueth wonderfull might but behold the Lord is so mighty that there is nothing difficult unto him Not only can he possibly do great things but he can easily do them he can do them without the least trouble to himself There is nothing hard to him who can do every thing Mighty men have done great things but they will tell you they could hardly do them they were forced to turn every stone to straine every veine of their hearts to do them whereas the mighty God can do his work with as much ease as desire to have it done Seaventhly Behold God is mighty so mighty that he can do any thing but that which will argue that he is not almighty The Scripture speaks of something which the Lord cannot doe Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lye hath promised And again the Apostle saith of God not only making promise but oath to Abraham Heb. 6.18 That by two Immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye the heirs of promise might have strong consolation Once more 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himself We have these and such like negative Propositions concerning God telling us what he cannot do Now the only reason why it is said the Mighty God cannot do these things is because the doing of them would argue him not to be Almighty To lye is to be weak to deny himself would affirme his impotency therefore he cannot do these things the Lord is so mighty so strong that it is impossible for him to do any thing which should declare any weakness or impotency in him Thus I have given you seaven assertions concerning the might of God all which may very well call for a behold of admiration and astonishment at the mightiness of God Take a few Inferences from this grand Assertion First For Comfort Secondly For Terror Behold the Lord is Mighty Almighty this speaks comfort to the people of God First Surely then he can do whatsoever he hath promised to do and if so then look through the promises and see whether God hath not promised to do good things for his people in generall and for every believer in particular Behold the Lord is mighty these are not vaine words he can fill up and fulfill all his promises As he hath made promises so he can create performances Abraham was fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe Rom. 4.21 Secondly If the Lord be mighty in all those notions foreshewed then certainly he can do whatsoever we desire him to do according to his will As God hath not out-promised his power so we cannot out-pray the power nor out-ask the arme of God we may quickly out-pray the power of man and ask what he cannot do he may say I cannot do this for you it is not in my power but here is our comfort if what we pray and
not I spare this City wherein are more than six score thousand persons that know not their right hand from their left and also much Cattle The Lord did not despise but pity them Go through all the sorts of men the Lord despiseth none the Lord despiseth not great men because great which will come to a further consideration upon another Translation of the Text nor mean men because mean he despiseth not men in prosperity because they are rich and prosperous nor doth he despise men in adversity because poor and unprosperous He despiseth not any upon any of these accounts the Lord despiseth none but the wicked and the ungodly the unbeliever and the impenitent and all them he despiseth and them he ever will despise how great how high how mighty how rich soever they are the Lord despiseth them and he will alwayes despise them He doth not despise any man because a great man if he be not a wicked great man and let men be never so poor or low the Lord looks not disdainfully upon them because they are so God doth not despise any man because he is in a bad case he only despiseth men because their case or Cause is bad and then he will despise them let them be who or what they will Such is the goodness of God and this goodness is his Glory That although the highest and greatest of men are but as worms to him or not so much to him as the dust of the Ballance or the drop of the Bucket yet he despiseth not any no not the lowest and least of men Sâ—condly When the Text saith he despâ—seth not there is more in it than is exprest We may take it affirmatively God gives all sorts of men due regard and favour he takes care of them and bestows suitable mercies upon them even upon the meanest and poorest of them if they be his if they be faithful and godly how doth the Lord own them how doth the Lord honour them how doth the Lord embrace and lay them in his bosome though they lye upon the Dunghil as Job did As when we are warned not to despise the chastnings of the Lord Heb. 12.5 we are taught to take them in good part and as when the Apostle admonisheth us 1 Thess 5.20 not to despise Prophesie his meaning is not only this that he would not have us slight it and throw it at ouâ— heels but he would have us give it due esteem and honour it as one of our choycest mercies he would have us set a gâ—eâ—t price upon it and bless God heartily for it So here when Elihu saith The Lord despiseth not any his purpâ—â—e is to shew that he respects and favours men according to their condition but most his own faithful and obedient Servants This Interpretaâ—ion may give us another Instruction God hath a due regard and respect to all sorts and conditions of men Having made all men he doth not throw them up to the wide world much less trample upon them himself but owns them preserveth them waâ—cheth over them all And as for his special people he tends them as a Nurse her infant or as a Father tenders his children he counsels them he guides them he directs and leads them he supports and comforts them he carries them through this world as it were in his own armes as the Eagle carries her young ones upon her wings 〈…〉 simila devorat â—â— consumat sed sibi siâ—ulia complactitur Brent The Lord is a consuming fire to burn up the wicked those that are unlike him and like him not but he is a warm Sun to cherish and a safe-guarding Shield to protect those that fear him and trust in his Name He indeed will be as a refining Fire to fetch out and consume the dross that he sees in his people and as a trying Fire by affliction to their Graces as Jobs case was But when he is so and doth so he is so far from despising them that he honours them and makes them more honourable And therefore having made Promise of being with his people when they should be called to walk through the fire Isa 43.2 he presently subjoyns vers 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable As if he had said Since thou hast given a proof that thou art good Metal and that thou hast lost and left nothing in the fire of affliction but thy dross I both honour thee my self and will cause others to honour thee also Again He despâ—seth not any Elihu in this sets out the honour of God he puts this as a Crown of Glory upon the head of his Power God is mighty yet he despiseth not any Hence Note To be mighty in Power and meek in Spirit shews an excellent God-like Spirit As God is great so good boâ—h are equally essential to him goodness gentleness and meekness meet together and are matcht with greatness and mightiness in God Nahum 1.8 The Lord is great in Power and slâ—â— to anger he is not presently in a flame with sinners but waiteth to be gracious Fury is not in me saith the Lord Isa 27.4 5. I do not presently execute my power because great in power Who would set the Bryars and Thorns against me in battel I would go thorow them and burn them tâ—gether or let him take hold of my strength and make peace with me and he shall make peace with me As if he had said If sinners of one sort or other who are to me or to my people like Bryars and Thorns vexing and troubling both me and them should take the boldness to contend with me I could quickly rid my hands of them even as soon as fire can consume Bryars and Thorns fully dry yet I rather advise them to humble themselves and humbly make suit for peace and they shall not find me inexorable though I am invincible they may have Peace for the asking though I fear not at all the issue of the War O that the mighty men of the World would strive to imitate this overture of the mighty God But oh how unlike are the most of the mighty men of this World to God! First Some mighty men of this World rather pride themselves that they can do hurt than please themselves that they may do good with their might Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou O mighty man that thou canst do mischief that thou canst tread and trample upon others this thy boast should be thy shame Mighty men are apt to despise all men upon the matter that are below them that are their underlings but why dost thou boast O thou mighty man seeing as it followeth in the Psalm the goodnesse of God who is mightier than thou endureth continually Secondly How unlike are they to God who having might and power in their hand despise the mean and the oppressed who come to them for Justice Such are not like God the Judgeâ— all men but like that Judge whose Character was Luke
can stop and bridle our boisterous and angry passions towards those that have offended us The Lord saith unto or concerning Pharoah Exod. 9.16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power c. What power The Lord shewed forth a twofold power in the raising up of Pharoah First the power of his Arm that he was able to cast down such a mighty Prince Secondly The power of his Patience that he spared him from ruin till he had sent ten messages to him and poured ten Plagues upon him The Lord was so provoked by Pharoah that he might have crushed him upon the first denyal but he forbare him long the Lord might well say I have set thee up that I might shew forth my power my power in forbearing thee long as well as in destroying thee at last The Apostle speaks of this power Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his power known the Lord will not only shew his wrath hereafter in breaking those vessels of destruction but he shews his power now in suffering them long and therefore he to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Here 's the strength of the Lords heart he bears long with wicked men Secondly There is a mighty power or strength of heart in God as in long-suffering towards impenitent sinners so in pardoning sinners who repent Who Magni animi est ignoscere but the Lord hath such a strength of Spirit to pardon and passe by offences After the People of Israel had mutined and murmured Sola sublimis et excelsa virtus est nec quicquam magnum nisi quod simul placidum Sen. and so provoked the Lord to the height Moses begs and bespeaks the power of the Lords pardoning-mercy Numb 14.17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity c. As if Moses had said Lord thou must put forth as much power in pardoning the sins of this People as ever thou didst in delivering them from their bondage-sufferings in Egypt Or thus O Lord thou mightest magnifie the power of thine anger in punishing this rebellious People but rather magnifie the power of thy patience and long-sufferance in sparing and pardoning them O what strength of heart is in God who passeth by the great transgressions of his People Thirdly The Lord hath a mightinesse of heart in executing his wrath upon his incorrigible enemies Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger The anger of God is such a thing as no man can go to the bottome of it in his thoughts The Lords wrath is powerful beyond all imagination and apprehension his anger as well as his love passeth knowledge In all these respects the Lord hath strength of heart or he is mighty in strength of heart as well as in hand or arm The greatest discoveries of Gods power are in the wayes of his mercy His Judgements are called his strange work but his mercy is his strength as the Prophet calls it Isa 27.5 where warning the Bryars and Thorns to take heed of warring with God he gives a sinner this counsel Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me But what is meant by the strength of God Some render Apprehendet arcem meam i. e. Christum Coc. Let him take hold of my Tower A Tower is a place of strength but here put for that which God glories in most as his chiefest strength even his goodnesse meâ—cy patience and long-sufferance yea Christ himself as if he had said Let not the sinner struggle with my strength let him not think by strâ—ng hand to overcome my strength but let him take hold of my Christ through whom all those glorious perfections of mine my Goodnesse Mercy Patience c. are given out to the children of men and he shall make peace with me This is the true strength of God nor doth any thing more set forth the strength of man than this that he is ready to pardon to forgive and passe by only impotent spirits are much for revenge 'T is our weaknesse not to passe by wrongs and injuries done to us To bear wrongs is to be like the high and mighty God to bear them in mind is to be like the lowest and weakest spirited men He is strong indeed who is strong in patience against Offenders and as strong in mercy to pardon humble ones as in power to punish stubborn and rebellious ones Secondly By way of Illation Note 'T is the greatness of Gods Spirit or the strength of his heart and mind which moderates him towards sinful man That which keeps men in a moderate frame towards men is true greatnesse of spirit They that are of such a spirit will neither despise those that are below them nor envy those that are above them not willingly oppose those that are equal to them The envy and opposition of others greatnesse ariseth from the meannesse and weaknesse of our own spirits The reason why one man is affraid that another should be high is because himself hath not a real highnesse of spirit or the reason why most oppose the greatnesse of others is the littlenesse of their own spirits Whence spring contentions and strifes envyings at and underminings of one another come they not from the narrownesse of our hearts that we cannot rejoyce in the good of others or from the impotent jealousies of our hearts that we fear others will do us hurt If such a one get up he will pull me down if such a one be high 't is dangerous to me therefore I must pull him down if I can whence comes this but from lownesse and poornesse of spirit from that pitiful thing in man called Pusillanimity The Lord hath so great a Spirit that as he envieth no mans greatnesse so he feareth no mans greatness and therefore doth that which is just and equal to all sorts of men bad and good as is further shewed in the next verse Vers 6. He preserveth not the life of the wicked but giveth right to the poor As if Elihu had said Though the Lord doth not despise any that are great yet he doth not respect any that aro bad he preserveth not the life of the wicked And as the Lord will not do any wrong to the rich so to be sure he will give right to the poor What Elihu had affiâ—med of God he now proveth by instances or particulars and that both in respect of the wicked and the godly That the Lord is most just and righteous he proveth thus He preserveth not the life of the wicked That 's the first instance and he expresseth it negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non viâ—ificat He preserveth not the life of the wicked he
their life nor their death is precious in the Lords sight as both of the meanest Saints are Psal 116.15 The special Promises of preservation are made to the godly the common Providences of preservation extend to the wicked God preserves many wicked men but not one of them can plead a Promise for his preservation or say Lord thou hast undertaken to preserve me I have thy Word or Warrant for my preservation So then the Lord doth not preserve the life of any wicked man upon a word of Promise Secondly I answer When the lives of the wicked are preserved they are not preserved for any love which God bears to their persons as such but either First to bring them into a better state that is to turn them from their wickedness that being converted they may be saved at last according to his purpose Or Secondly they are preserved to serve some ends and purposes of his in this World For though God hath no pleasure in them yet he makes some use of them and doth his pleasure by them Or I may say they are preserved to be Executioners of his displeasure in chastening and correcting his own people The King of Assyria was preserved in great Power and to what end I will send him against an hypocritical Nation Isa 10.6 He must go on my Errand though he meaneth not so nor doth his heart think so as the Lord spake vers 7. He hath other matters and designs in his head but I have this use of him and of his power even to punish the people of my wrath The Lord made use also of Nebuchadnezar and his Army to serve him in the destroying of Tyrus and of him and his Army he saith They wrought for me Ezek. 29.20 Thus the Lord doth some of his work his strange work especially his work of Judgment by the hands of wicked men and therefore he preserves their lives Yea he preserves them many a time to be a help and a defence to his people A Thorn Hedge keeps the Pasture that strange Cattle break not in and eat it up Wicked men are as Bryars and Thorns and they are suffered to live because the Lord can make use of them as a Fence to his people When the Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a Flood after the woman the Church that he might cause her to be carryed away of the Flood then the Earth that is earthly carnal men helped the Woman Rev. 12.15 16 The Lord used bad men to do that good work the preservation of his distressed and persecuted Church Thirdly As the Lord suffers many wicked men to live that they may be brought out of their sins so he suffers others to live that they may fill up the measure of their sins Why did the Lord preserve the Amorites was it because he loved or liked them no but because they were not then ripe for Judgment Gen. 15.16 The Iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full Some wicked men are to fill up their dayes that they may fill up the measure of their Fathers sins by their own as Christ threatned the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 23.32 Such a grant of life though for a thousand years is worse than a thousand Deaths Fourthly we may answer The wicked are not so much preserved from as reserved unto further wrath 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished God doth not presently punish all the wicked nor take away their lives there is a day of Judgment coming and till that day come their lives are preserved as persons reserved unto Judgment Fifthly VVhen wicked men are said to be out of the Lords Protection consider There is a twofold Protection First ordinary Secondly extraordinary The Lord doth preserve and protect wicked men in an ordinary not in an extraordinary way he doth not work wonders much less miracles to preserve them as he often doth for the preservation of his own people God will not be at such cost in preserving of wicked men as he is at in the preserving the lives and liberties of his eminent Servants rather than they shall perish or not be preserved he will somtimes work a miracle and put Nature out of its course to save their lives VVhen those three VVorthies were cast into the midst of the burning fiery Furnace God stopt the rage of that furious Element that the Fire had no power upon their bodyes nor was an hair of their head singed neither were their Coats changed nor the smel of fire had passed on them Dan. 3.27 Did we ever hear that the Lord restrained the power of the fire to preserve wicked men When Daniel a man precious in the sight of God was cast into the Lions Den the Lord preserved his life also by stopping the Mouths of the Lyons Dan. 6.22 Did we ever hear that God preserved the lives of wicked men in such a way No sooner were Daniels accusers cast into the Lyons Den but the Lyons had the Mastery of them and brake all their bones in pieces e're ever they came to the bottome of the Den v. 24. The Lord doth not preserve the lives of the wicked by miraculous manifestations of his Power and Glory Sixthly I answer Though some wicked men are commonly preserved as other men yet many by their wickedness hasten their ruine and shorten the number of their dayes We may distinguish of wicked men First wicked men may be taken in a General notion for all that are unconverted and unregenerate Many persons pass for honest and good men in the world who yet are wicked being carnal and abiding in a state of nature wicked men of this sort are ordinarily preserved Secondly Take wicked men and such I conceive the Text especially intends for notorious wicked men such as are murderers blasphemers c. the Lord doth not preserve the lives of such but lets mans Justice seize upon them or divine vengeance overtake them Psal 55.23 The blood-thirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his dayes that is he shall not live half so long as he might according to the course of Nature because of his nefarious sinful courses Histories are full of dreadful Tragedies sealing to this Truth with the blood and untimely death of gross offenders How often have we seen or heard of the Veâ—geance of God following and falling upon those that were signanter notoriously wicked and of â—â—ese we are especially to understand the Poynt and Text He preserveth not the life of the wicked Take this Inference from all that hath been said about this awakening Observation How sad is the life of a wicked man indeed of any man on this side the Line of grace but especially of any very wicked man He can scarce be said to live whose life is not preferved by God a wicked man is alwayes in death seeing God doth not preserve his life The Apostle
Paul said he was in Deaths often but God had as often preserved his life but they are in Deaths alwayes whose life God never preserveth VVhat preservation of life can he have who hath not God for his preserver God in Creation or Propagation giveth us our life as to being but Preservation gives us our life as to well-being Can it be well with them that are not under the preservation of God To be redeemed by Christ would be but a small comfort unless we were also preserved by him Jude 1. To them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called If we were only redeemed from death and not preserved in life what were our spiritual life to us So I may say in respect of the life of the body to be meerly created or propagated what is it if we are not preserved 'T is a high Priviledge when a man can not only say he hath received life from God but his life is preserved by God That 's the first poynt He preserveth not the Life of the wicked Again From that other Interpretation of the words as not to preserve is as much as to destroy and ruine Note As God utterly disowneth so he will at last utterly ruine all wicked men He not only doth not favour them but pours out fury upon them Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name The Prophesie of Isaiah speaks no better concerning them than that prayer of Jeremy Isa 3.11 Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hand shall be given him And what can the hand of a wicked man earn the wages of sin is death he can get nothing but wrath and death nothing but tribulation and anguish here and eternal misery hereafter by the work of his hands VVoe to the wicked for the reward of his hands shall be given him that is eternal destruction and sorrow shall be given him according to the iniquity of his hand A godly man is rewarded according to the cleanness of his hands Psal 18.20 24. He labours to keep his hands much more his heart clean whatever the VVorld judge of him But woe to the wicked when God giveth them the reward of their hands of their unclean soul and filthy hands for what can such hands get or procure by all their labour but their own mischief and sorrow There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 57.21 No peace is to them because no good is done by them their portion lyes in promises who keep Commandements so theirs must needs lye in threatnings who do nothing but break them or break them in all they do My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord said David Pâ—al 104.34 As if he had said I know that I and eveâ—y Godly man shall receive so much good from the Lord that it doth me good at the heart to think of it But as for the wicked I can fore-see as we say with half an eye how ill it will be with them and so let it be I must subscribe to and vote with the righteous judgement of the Lord againâ—t them ver 35. Let the sinners be consumed out of the Earth and let the wicked be no more Lastly Consider these words He preserveth not the life of the wicked with respect to the wicked specially intended and treated of in this Context The Lord is mighty and despiseth not the mighty because they are mighty he preserveth not the wicked Hence Note Wicked men how mighty soever cannot preserve themselves nor doth the Lord undertake for their preservation The strongest of wicked men cannot stand by their own strength they cannot protect nor preserve themselves and the Lord will not put forth his strength to preserve them from falling As no mightiness no power can bear man up or maintain him against the Lord so not without the Lord if he preserveth not the life of the wicked they cannot escape death and destruction though high as Cedars and strong as Oakes They cannot but perish whom God preserveth not He preserveth not the life of the wicked But giveth right to the poor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pauperes afflicti Or to the afflicted Poverty it self is a great affliction and usually the poor are afflicted by others Here is a second instance of Gods goodnesse in the exercise of his power and might As He preserveth not the life of the wicked So he giveth right to the poor as he destroyeth wrong-doers so he will do right to those that suffer wrong Every word is considerable First He giveth that 's an act of bounty Secondly He giveth right that 's an act of equity And that Thirdly To the poor that 's an act of pity and charity Further When 't is said He giveth that implyes First a present or speedy act Secondly a constant and setled course of acting As the word giveth imports that the Lord doth it now and doth not put it off to hereafter only so it likewise importeth that the Lord will do it hereafter as well as now He giveth Right to the poor The poor suffer wrong but the Lord comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gives them right or rights them and that in a twofold notion First He gives them that right which is due to them according to his own righteous Laws or the righteous Laws of men That 's right done which is done according to a righteous Law Secondly He giveth them that right which is due to them according to the integrity of their own hearts and wayes We may say Thirdly The Lord giveth them right not according to the strictnesse of the Law but according to the integrity of their hearts Thus David prayed Psal 7.3 Judge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to mine integrity that is in me that is according to my honest meaning and the simplicity of my Soul As if he had said O Lord do me right men have done me wrong they have false and wrong apprehensions of me they raise false reports concerning me but thou O Lord who knowest my integrity wilt judge me accordingly and 't is my humble and earnest Prayer that thou wouldest He giveth right To the poor The poor in Scripture are taken two wayes First as they stand in opposition to the rich Secondly as they are opposed to the proud thus here he giveth right to the poor as well as to the rich and he will especially give right to the humble poor to the righteous poor to the poor in spirit Such the Prophet speaks of Isa 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that is poor He means not the poor in purse as such he means not those as such who wear poor cloaths the Lord doth not always look to or respect such poor for many such are both proud and wicked but he
the name of that place Jehovah Jireh the Lord will see or provide that is as the Lord hath seen and provided for me so he will see and provide for all his in their greatest exigents and extremities What Abraham said all the seed of Abraham may say in the day of their distress Jehovah Jireh the Lord will see and provide And as the Lord hath a seeing and a providing eye for his in times of distress so at all times Moses said of the Land of Israel Deut. 11.12 It is a Land of hills and of vallies a Land which the Lord thy God careth for The eyes of the Lord thy God are alwayes upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year The eyes of the Lord are upon the land that is upon the people of the land or upon the land for the peoples sake who dwell in it What to do the text answers to care for it that is to provide all things for their good to give raine in season and the fruits of the earth not only for the support but comfort of his people We read of the same eye promised to the people of Israel in the Land of their captivity Jer. 29.6 I will set mine eyes upon them for good and I will bring them again into this Land I will not only give them a look or a glance but fix or set mine eyes upon them for good that is to do them good It is a proverbial saying amongst us The Masters eye fattens the Horse The Masters eye is a caring a providing eye he will take care that the Horse shall be well fed Certainly Gods eye is a sattening eye they shall be fat and flourish from whom God will not withdraw his providing eye at least they shall have necessaries or food convenient both for soul and body Fifthly The Scripture speaks of a delighting eye or of an eye of complacency and thus also the Lords eye is upon the righteous he beholdeth them with high content he is as I may say taken with them Isa 66.1 To him will I look that is poor Among all objects none so pleasant or pleasing to God as the poor What poor doth he mean surely the righteous poor or the poor in spirit as was shewed upon the former verse let such a one be whom he will to him will I look mine eye is greatly pleased to behold such a one The word used by Elihu in this Text doth further clear it while he saith He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous How pleasant is any object to our eyes from which we cannot withdraw or take them off but must be continually feeding them upon it Some cannot take off their eyes from unlawfull wanton objects because they are so delighted in them they have as the Apostle Peter speaks eyes full of adultery and such can never glut their eyes with adulterous objects Now certainly the Lord is exceedingly taken with the beauty the spiritual beauty of a righteous person with the comliness the spirituâ—ll comliness of those that are godly when the Text saith He withdraweth not his eyes from them but carries them as it were alwayes in his eye Among the Latines to carry one in our eye is an expression of singular high content delight and pleasure taken in such a person We may say of all the righteous the Lord carrieth them in his eye and therefore he is highly pleased and delighted with them In oculù oliquem gestare est eum vehementer amplecti diligere Thus you have this five-fold eye which the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous and in that the text saith he doth not withdraw or abate or diminish his eye from them but looks fully upon them it gives us this fixth note The inspection of God upon his compassion towards his care of his delight in the righteous is perpetual Though God doth afflict yet he never ceaseth to love or care for his people Elihu was much upon that industriously to remove the scandal of the crosse which 't is like then did and still doth offend many and causeth them to stumble when they see the righteous afflicted therefore he would assure us that God never withdraweth his eye from them but his care of and pity to Non solum Satagentem attentamque curam denotat haec phrasis sed perseverantem continuam minimeque deflectentem Bold yea pleasure in them is everlasting That eye of his which carries all this in it is never shut towards them The Lord saith of the Church Isa 49.16 Thy walls are continually before me As the walls of Sion so the walls of every righteous person in Zion or of every true Sionist are continually before the Lord he withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Psal 121.4 he that neither slumbers nor sleeps needs not withdraw his eyes from us and he that hath a tender regard to us will not The Prophet Isa 27.3 speaking of the Church under the Allegory of a Vineyard brings in the Lord giving this assurance I will water it every moment I will keep it night and day He that waters a Vineyard every moment never withdraws his eyes from it now by watering is meant the supply of whatsoever good the Vineyard or Church of God stood in need of to be so supplyed is to be well watered The providence of God as to our spirituall and temporall estate watcheth over us continually to water us But some may question here Doth not the Lord withdraw his eyes from the righteous are his eyes continually upon them what then is â—â— meaning of that Scripture Psal 44.23 and of several others of like importance Awake Lord why sleepest thou That was at once the voyce of the Church and her complaint surely the Lords eyes were withdrawn from the Church when he was asleep I answer The Lord sleeps with respect to his Church as the Church sleeps with respect to the Lord Cant. 5.2 I sleep saith the Spouse but my heart waketh Indeed the Lord doth act sometimes so towards the righteous or lets things go so with the righteous as if he were asleep as if he took no notice of them yet still his heart waketh towards them So that his sleeping doth not imply an intermission of his care but only a suspension of the effects of his care For while the Lord lets things go so as if he were asleep he then wakes and watches as much over the righteous over his Church and people as at any other time when they have the highest actings of his providence for their outward peace and preservation And if that other sort of Scriptures should be objected against his perpetual watching over the righteous or that he never withdraws his eyes which say he hideth his face and turns himself away from them I answer Those Scriptures are all of them to be understood according to the former interpretation the
Lord hideth himself as to sense and present appearance but he never hideth himself as to the real continuance of his love and care towards his Church or People This Objection some made to one of the Ancients the Lord said they may seem to withdraw his eyes from the righteous because he suffers them to fall under the oppression of the unrighteous Famulos suos nunc m gis respicit nam jam praevidet quid eis miserecorditer recompenset Greg in loc No saith he The Lord beholds the righteous though they perish by the hand of the unrighteous yea when it is worst with them the Lords Eye is upon them for good both to see how they carry it or behave themselves in their Sufferings and likewise to provide a full reward and recompence for them after all their sufferings Before I pass from this part of the verse let me make these two Inferences First If the Lord never withdraweth his Eyes from the righteous then let the righteous know their own Priviledge and Mercy How happy are they upon whom the Eyes of the Lord abide alwayes for good The Lord cannot endure to have good men out of his Eye as Parents say of their darlings and Princes of their Favourites If we were assured that the Eye of a great 〈◊〉 who loveth us were alwayes upon us if he should promise to have an eye to us That 's an ordinary Promise among men I will have an Eye to you that is I will take care of you if we have I say but such a word from a man in Power we think we have got a great revenue such a great Lord will have an eye to us we have his word he will not take off his care from us How much then should we boast and rejoyce in spiriâ— that the Lord hath said I will alwayes have a care of you I will never withdraw mine eyes from you I will never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 As it will be the eternal happiness of Believers in Glory alwayes to behold or see God Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God they have some sight of him here in a Glass but they shall see him face to face that is they shall see him clearly as clearly as the creature is capable of seeing or enjoying him now I say as it is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven alwayes to behold God so it is the happiness of Saints here on earth that the Lord doth alwayes behold them that his eye is never withdrawn from them Consider therefore you that are in a righteous state whose acts and words and walkings are also righteous consider your Priviledge consider what it is to have the Lord Jesus alwayes setting his eye upon you to have the Lords directing and counselling eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords pitying and compassionating eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords providing and caring eye alwayes upon you to have the Lords delighting and well-pleased eye alwayes upon you to have the eyes of the Lord thus upon you and to have them alwayes upon you what can ye desire more Thus 't is promised 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect with him And whose hearts are perfect with him but the hearts of the righteous this is their priviledge Jesus Christ Zech. 3.9 is called The stone and saith the Text upon one stone shall be seven eyes There are two interpretations given of that Prophesie First thus upon one stone shall be seven eyes that is the eyes of all men shall be upon that stone upon Christ Seven is a perfect definite Number put for all numbers the eyes of all shall be upon the stone upon Christ although he be to the wicked or to them that believe not a stumbling stone and a rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.8 yet to them that believe he is a most precious stone and as they are alwayes beholding the beauty of that precious stone so Jesus Christ doth indeed invite all eyes to behold him Isa 65.1 Behold me behold me he would have us take off our eyes from all others and look steddily on him Let all eyes be upon the stone that 's a good interpretation There is a second which suits the present poynt I am upon fully Seven eyes shall be upon one stone that is the eyes of God shall be upon Jesus Christ This is a promise made unto him as Mediator when he came in the flesh or in our nature to do that great work for us Then saith the Prophet upon one stone shall be seven eyes which seven eyes note the perfect knowledge of God and so the perfect care that God would have of Chriâ—â— to bear him up through that woâ—k of our Redempâ—ion Vpon one stone shall be seven eyes I will take caâ—e of him I will p ovide for him and I will delight in him As Jesus Christ is all eye and Jesus Christ doth enlighten all eyes that is all that see are enlightened by Jesus Christ so the eyes of God the eyes of the Father were alwayes upon him in favour in love in care when he was here in this world about that great work of our salvation and he had abundunt experience of the eyes of his Father upon him Now mark it this was the great promise made to Christ the Stone that upon him should be seven eyes the eyes of the Lord should be alway and fully upon him And this is the priviledge of every one that hath part and interest in this stone Jesus Christ every righteous person hath seven eyes upon him the Lord God beholds him exactly perfectly and alwayes He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous A second inference is this If the Lord never withdraweth his eyes from the righteous Then let the righteous know their duty What 's that Never to withdraw their eyes from the Lord. There is a threefold eye which a righteous man should never withdraw from God First An eye of faith Secondly An eye of hope Thirdly An eye of dependance and that First for direction in all his wayes Secondly for protection in all his dangers I will lift up mine eyes saith David Psal 121.1 unto the hills from whence cometh my help And again Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a mayden unto the hand of her Mistress so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on us that is we never withdraw our eyes from him while we have need of his mercy and that is alwayes Walk before me that is with an eye of faith hope and dependance was the Lords charge to the father of the faithfull Gen. 17.1 I have set the Lord alwayes before me that is I
He hath brought down the mighty from their seats and hath exalted the lowly and meek We have some Scripture-instances of such exaltations Joseph a righteous person was cast into bonds yet God sets him not only at liberty but on high he was with the King on the Throne Only in the Throne said Pharaoh Gen. 42.40 will I be greater than thou and all were commanded to bow the knee to him David a righteous person followed the Ewes great with young and the Lord set him upon the Throne upon the Throne of Israel Valentinian was committed to prison by the command of Julian the Apostate because he struck an Idolatrous Priest that would have sprinkled him aqua lustrali with their unholy holy water as he stood in the gate of the Temple where Julian was sacrificing to his Idol-gods yet he escaped that danger and afterwards ascended the Throne of that Great Empire The Lord knows both how to deliver the righteous out of trouble and to bring them to honour Lastly We may hence infer If the righteous are with Kings on the Throne then righteousness hath a reward Them that honour me saith the Lord 1 Sam. 2.30 I will honour It is no vaine thing to serve the Lord to be righteous and to do righteously cannot but issue well The Lord hath all promotions at his dispose Psal 75.6 7. And therefore he saith Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eate the fruit of their doings Isa 3.10 With Kings are they on the Throne Yet let me add by way of Caution that neither this Text nor the notes given from it are so to be understood as if all righteous persons might hence expect great advancements in this world or to be the special Favourites of Kings and Princes The word of God doth not feed such humours but mortifies them nor doth it cherish any such aspiring expectations in righteous men but teaches them quiet submission in their own private stations and callings to those who are upon the Throne So that while Elihu saith of the righteous With Kings are they on the Throne his meaning must be taken soberly and may be taken distinctly thus First That God hath great respect to and high favours for righteous men Secondly That he brings some of them as it is said of Daniel with the Prince of the Eunuches Chap. 1.9 into favour and tender love with Kings and Princes Thirdly That the Lord hath often advanced righteous persons to Thrones and Kingly Dignities And when-ever the Lord advanceth any of the righteous Etiamsi id externè non fiat semper tamen omnium fides pietas quorundam piorum exaltatione honoratur Coc. he makes good this promise because in the exaltation of one the faith and piety of all righteous persons or the whole kind of them is honoured and exalted Fourthly To be sure all the righteous shall be with Kings on the Throne hereafter Christ hath purchased and is gone to prepare a Kingdome for the righteous and will give them a better Crown than any this world affords an incorruptible one As now the righteous are spiritual Kings or Kings in a spiritual sense Rev. 1.6 that is they rule over and keep in subjection their own lusts and corruptions pride ambition love of the world wrath envy and whatever else in them doth rebell and exalt it self against the knowledge of God yea they as Kings in this world conquer the world by faith 1 Joh. 5.4 and the Prince of this world the devil through the power of Jesus Christ as I say all the righteous are now spiritual Kings in the sense given through grace here on earth so they shall be glorious Kings and reigne with Christ for ever in Heaven and then shall this word of God by Elihu be fulfilled to the utmost With Kings are they upon the Throne Yea he doth establish them for ever and they are exalted Elihu proceeds to shew the happiness of the righteous yet further The Lord doth not only advance them but establish them nor doth he only establish them for a while but even perpetuateth their establishment He establisheth them for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sedere in hac conjugatione sedere fecit The word is He makes them sit We render fully to the sense He establisheth them The Lord sets them up on high and then settles them on high Some get on high but they cannot keep on high they find no establishment there but God can establish For ever The for ever of this world is a long time The Lord saith of Sion Psal 132.14 Here will I dwell for ever that is long Thus in the text He will establish them for ever that is they shall have long establishment And if we take it as to their exaltation in the other world there God will establish them to the utmost latitude of for ever that is to eternity The Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in victoriam Sept Sic 2 Sam. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will establish them to victory The same word in the Hebrew signifies eternity and also victory because eternity overcomes and triumphs over all The Lord shall settle them to victory and that may have a good interpretation with respect to the power of God in setling them He shall settle them to victory that is they shall in his power overcome all difficulties that stand in the way of their establishment Hence Note As preferment so establishment is from God First He establisheth all things whether they be First natural things the heavens and the earth times and seasons Gen. 8.22 or Secondly Civil things States and Nations or Thirdly Spiritual things First the Gospel and the Church of the Gospel that he establisheth as a Rock against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile Mat. 16.18 so Isa 44.28 Psal 87.5 Secondly Grace in the hearts of his people 1 Pet. 5.10 and them in the wayes of grace 2 Thes 2.17 Chap. 3.3 Thus God establisheth all things Secondly He establisheth counsels and actions Isa 44.26 He confirmeth the word of his servants and performeth the counsel of his Messengers that is he makes good and brings to effect that word which they have given in counsel And as for actions Moses prayeth Psal 90.17 Establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Whatever is in our hands quickly molders away and as the enemies said when the Jewes built the walls of Jerusalem Neh. 4.3 If a Fox go up upon it it will fall unless the Lord establish it but neither the Foxes with their subtilty nor the Lyons with their power and cruelty shall be able to overthrow that wall or those actions which the Lord is pleased to establish for he doth establish them For ever Hence Note The Lord can establish not only for a time but for alwayes he can give a
perpetuity of establishment not only a lasting but an everlasting establishment he can give an eternity of establishment Here is compleat happiness What can we desire more than First to be in a great and good estate Secondly to be established there Thirdly to be established for ever They that are set high are set in slippery places unless the Lord be with them how much more if the Lord be against them Psal 73.18 But the Lord can set us as high as the highest Rock and yet make us as firme as the firmest Rock He doth establish them for ever And they are exalted Some read thus He establisheth them for ever when they are exalted which makes a very clear sense when they are got high the Lord doth establish them fully and finally We render it as a distinct act of God They are established for ever and they are exalted probably intending thus much that the Lord when he will do a thing can do it notwithstanding all opposition that either is or can be made against it he sets them with Kings on the Throne and doth establish them for ever yea they rise in power and dignity more and more They are exalted Hence Note What God will do shall be done If he saith to a person be exalted he shall be exalted if he saith to Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shall be laid Isa 44.28 it is done if he saith pull down Babylon down it must come even to the very foundation Ephraim said Jer. 30.18 Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised I found the effects of thy chastisement it came home to me What Goâ—â—ill work no man can lett or put a stop to Further From the other reading Note Whom God sets up no man can pull down till himself pleaseth He doth establish them for ever when they are exalted God is able to maintain his own acts whether in casting any down or exalting them When God laid the mountains and heritage of Esau wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness Mal. 1.3 Edom said at the next verse well I see we are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places As if Edom had said Though the Lord hath brought us thus low yet we doubt not to recover our former glory But what saith the Lord hear what in the next line Thus saith the Lord of Hosts They shall build or let them build but I will throw down Now I say as when the Lord pulls down none can build without his leave so whom the Lord exalteth none can pull down He establisheth them for ever when they are exalted Thus Elihu sets forth the exceeding kindness of God to and his care over the righteous not only his provident care as to their present condition but as to the abiding of their exaltation and the establishment of it for ever JOB Chap. 36. Vers 8 9 10. 8. And if they be bound in fetters and be holden in cords of affliction 9. Then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded 10. He openeth also their ear to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity THese three verses hold forth three things in particular all which concern the righteous of whom Elihu said in the former verse not only that God doth not withdraw his eyes from them but establisheth them on high or advanceth them highly in this world First That possibly they may be cast into sore afflâ—ctions even after their exaltation the newly promised lastingnes of it v. 8. Secondly That the procuring cause of these afflictions is their own sin for we find mention of their transgression in the 9th verse and of their iniquity in the tenth Thirdly That the purpose and designe of God towards them when they have brought themselves into streights are cast into an afflicted condition is very gracious and tends to their everlasting good And this designe is three-fold First To discover their sin to them that 's laid down at the 9th verse Then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions Secondly To prepare them for a better receiving of faithful counsel and instruction at the 10th verse He openeth also their ear to discipline Thirdly To bring them quite off from their sin that 's expressed in the close of the 10th verse and commandeth that they return from iniquity These are the parts this the purpose of the Context under hand Vers 8. And if they be bound in fetters There is some question who are to be understood as the Antecedent to this they if they who are they Some because the words following speak of transgression and iniquity conceive that surely it must be meant of wicked men or of the ungodly but El hu comes not upon that subject til the 13th verse there he turns his speech to such but the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath c. Therefore here he doth not speak of or to wicked but righteous men falling into trouble and affliction they that is the righteous c. Again Taking righteous men to be the Antecedent as the text plainly carries it yet there is a difference in opinion whether we are to understand Elihu speaking of righteous men in that special dignity described at the 7th verse such as are with Kings on the Throne or of righteous men in general I conceive we may understand the text of either And therefore First When Elihu saith If they be bound in fetters he may intend those righteous men who were so highly exalted in the former verse such a change may come upon them even they who were with Kings on the Throne may come to be bound in fetters and holden in the cords of affliction Secondly He may intend it of righteous men in any other condition for Elihu having shewed how graciously God dealeth in exalting some righteous men sheweth that God is gracious also unto those that are not exalted even unto those that are greatly afflicted and brought very low Briefly as in the former verse he spake of righteous men lifted up so here of righteous men cast down As if he had said If any of the righteous are at any time so far from being exalted with Kings on the Throne that they are cast upon the dunghill and are brought into great streights yet it is not because God takes no care of them or because he hath cast them out of his favour but it is thus with righteous men for many blessed ends and purposes which God hath upon them or towards them to shew them their sin to fit them for instruction and to bring them off from their iniquity Thus the words prevent an objection for Elihu having said he withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous but with Kings are they on the Throne some might say You can shew us very few such sights you can shew us few righteous men with Kings on the Throne or exalted highly in this world and we can shew you many righteous
might serve the turn to hasten our return from a nothing and shall not a command do it when I say a nothing remember as was shewed sin is no such thing as you look upon it to be where are the profits that you have reaped by sin where are the contents and pleasures that you have taken by sin the profit the pleasure and content of sin are nothing there is no advantage to be had by sin Sin is something in the ill effects of it if you would have paine and dishonour and reproach you may have enough of it in sin and you will find sin a something in that sense but sin is a nothing that is no such thing as you expect and look for and therefore be perswaded to return from it Lastly From the whole text take notice of the purpose of God what he hath in his heart when he afflicteth his people the righteous for their iniquities and faylings for their faults and uneven walkings The scope of God in all this is not their hurt but good it is not to destroy them for their sin but to destroy their sin it is not to withdraw himself from them but to draw them nearer to himself all the hurt that the Lord intends us by any affliction is but to get out our dross and to fetch out our filth to bring us off from those things that will undo and ruine us for ever And how great an argument of the goodness of God is it that he designeth the evils which we suffer in these dying bodies to heal the evils and help on the good of our immortal souls that 's all the hurt that the Lord means us And the Lords heart is so much in this design the return of those he afflicts from their iniquity that he seems confident of it that when any are in affliction surely they will return Hosea 5.15 In their affliction they will seek me early surely they will And therefore the Prophet speaks of the Lord as defeated and disappointed of his purpose when he seeth such as he hath afflicted continuing in their sin Isa 9.13 The people turneth not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts As if he had said 'T is a wonder that being smitten they have not returned what a strange what a cross-grain'd people are these What doth the Lord smite you that you should run farther from him and follow your iniquity closer or hold it faster you may be ashamed that you turn not unto him that speaks to you but when you are smitten will you not return from iniquity remember the Lord therefore suffers you to be bound in fetters that you may be loosed from your sins he therefore suffers you to be holden in the cords of affliction that you might let go your transgressions Take heed you be not found disappointing him of his purpose How well it will be with those who do not disappoint him and how ill 't is like to be with such as do will appear further and fully in the two next verses JOB Chap. 36. Vers 11 12. 11. If they obey and serve him they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures 12. But if they obey not they shall perish by the sword and they shall die without knowledge IN the former Context we heard what the blessed designes of God are upon the righteous when they are bound in fetters and holden in the cords of affliction namely to convince them of their sin to fit them for the receiving of Instruction and to bring them clear off from iniquity In these two verses Elihu proceedeth to shew what the issue of those afflictions will be in a double respect or case First In case the afflicted come up to and answer the forementioned designes of God that is if they take knowledge of their sin if their ears be opened to Instruction if they return from iniquity what then he tells us v. 11. If they obey and serve him they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures that shall be the issue the blessed issue of all the afflictions with which they were exercised Secondly He shews us how those afflictions will issue in case the afflicted come not up to those designes of God in case they are not brought to a knowledge of sin nor receive instruction nor return from iniquity what then he tells us that v. 12. if they obey not this will be the consequent of their obstinacy they shall perish by the sword and they shall die without knowledge We have a parallel Scripture to this almost in terms Isa 19.20 If ye hear and obey ye shall eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and rebell ye shall be devoured with the sword This text not only carries the sense but almost the words by which Elihu expresseth both the Lords pleasure and displeasure in this place to Job Vers 11. If they obey or hear That is take out the lesson taught them if they do that which the affliction teacheth them or which God teacheth by their affliction by their cords and fetters then c. The same word is frequently in Scripture used for obeying and hearing Psal 81.8 11 13. Psal 95.7 To what purpose is our hearing the will of God without obedience to it When young Samuel said at the Lord's call Speak for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3.10 his meaning was Lord I am ready to do what thou speakest We hear no more than we obey and therefore obeying and hearing may well be exprest by the same word The text is plain I shall only give this Note and pass on It is our duty to hear and obey when-ever God calls or speakes either in his word or in his works That which this text holds out specially is the voice of God in his works what God speakes by Fetters what he speakes by Cords If ever we hear and obey the voice of the Lord it should be when he teacheth us as Gideon taught the men of Succoth Judg. 8.16 with thornes and briars of the wilderness O let us take care of hearing and obeying this voice For First God is the Lord and therefore to be obeyed Secondly God is a Soveraign Lord and therefore much more to be obeyed Thirdly As all the Commands so all the Chastisements of God are just and righteous therefore they are most of all to be obeyed Fourthly To obey the Commands of God whether taught us in his Word or by his Rod is good yea best for us therefore we should obey for our own good If they obey And serve him or worship him The word which here we render to serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religio at numinis cultus est servitus quaedam is very often in Scripture rendred to worship and sometimes worshipping is expounded by serving Mat. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve that also is the mind of the
Text If they obey and serve him Hence note The Lord expects our service and then especially when we suffer Religion and the Worship of God in the whole compass of it is nothing else but service a blessed service a free service a service infinitely more free than any thing the world calls freedom Exod. 4.23 Let my Son go that he may serve me that is worship me All the Sons of God are his Servants and they have most of the Son in them who have most of the Servant in them If any deny him service they deny their sonship or rather as the Apostle speaks of Non-sufferers in one kind or other Heb. 12.8 They are bastards not sons yea God expects whole and all service from us or that we should serve him with our all Deut. 10.12 Thou shalt serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart We must serve the Lord not only with the best we have but with all the best with the heart and all the heart We serve God no further than we obey him and we worship him no further than we serve him and that heartily To serve God as to love God is a very comprehensive word 't is the summe of all the duty of Man To serve God is to submit both to what he commands us and to what he layeth upon us To serve God is to submit to what he would have us do and to whatsoever he is pleased to do with us and so we serve him particularly under sufferings We should alwayes serve him actively and we are called sometimes to serve him passively All Believers are free and yet they must serve and they are made free on purpose to serve We are purchased by the blood of Christ that we might serve him Because we are bought with a price we must not be the servants of men saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.23 Whose servants then Surely the servants of God Servus tanquam in bello servatus We are conquered that we might serve The Latines say that a Servant is one that is saved in War taken and saved So it is with all the people of God they are taken in the holy war they are taken prisoners and so made servants to Jesus Christ Yet Believers are servants not only by conquest but compact and covenant every godly man hath as it were sealed Indentures with God he hath upon the matter put his ear to the Lords post to be boared thorow as you read Exod. 21.6 that he may be his servant for ever The Lord expects service But what is it to serve him First To serve him is to do his Will Secondly To serve him is to do his whole Will It is not the doing of this or that piece of the Will of God or this or that patch of the Will of God which renders us his servants but the doing his whole Will Thirdly To serve him is to do his Will only so saith the Scripture Him only shalt thou serve If it may be supposed that we could do the whole Will of God and yet do the will of any other or do our own will too in any thing contrary to his we were not his servants if we serve him not alone or if we serve him not only that is if in serving man we aim not chiefly at the serving of him or if all our services to men are not subservient or not in subordination to the service of God we serve him not at all Fourthly I may add this also To serve God is to do every thing under this contemplation that what we do is the Will of God 'T is very possible for a man to do that which is the Will of God and yet not to serve him in doing it which we never do till we do it because it is the Will of God His Will must be not only the Rule of what we do but the very Reason why we do it else our doings are not his servings They that do not attend this serve God but as a beast may serve him a beast may do that which is the Will of God the inanimate creatures serve him so We hear of stormy winds and tempests fulfilling his Will Psal 148. All living yea liveless creatures do that which is his Will but they do not attend this that it is his Will which they do So that I say to do his Will not considering that it is his Will is to serve him no otherwise than beasts or than the winds or stormes serve him And to do his Will ayming at our own wills or ends is to serve him but as a hypocrite serves him A hypocrite doth not serve God in what he doth though he doth many things which are materially the Will of God because in all he minds his own will more than the Will of God Lastly We must serve God as Sons Mal. 3.17 A Son serveth no less than a Servant yea much more though not as a servant for he knoweth more of his Fathers mind than a meer servant doth Joh. 15.15 and he knoweth that he shall have also though not Wages at the end of every day yet the inheritance in the end Obadiah was the proper name of one good man and it is a name common to all good men they are as that word imports Servants of the Lord. It is a common Theam to urge men to serve God but it is a rare thing to be indeed a servant of God To serve God is the Summe and Marrow of all knowledge in divinity and the great end why we came into this World and for which we are here detained Nor is it an easie matter to come up to or attain the holy skill of serving such a Lord and Master as he There must be a doing of his Will and of his whole Will and of his Will only and that under this precise contemplation that it is his Will to denominate us his servants or to make a proof that we serve him Now whether God teacheth us by his Word or by his Rod which is the teaching of this context O how readily should we obey and serve him To serve him is not only the design of our being made free that is we were not onely made free to serve him but to serve him is our freedom as was touch't before yea to serve him is not onely to be free but to serve him is to reign and rule They that serve God to purpose reign over the lusts of the evil World without and over their own lusts within nor can any reign over the lusts of the world without or their own within but only they who serve him and only so far as they serve him Every gracious act of service to God is the subjugation or bringing under of some lust or other in man Now if any should say surely this is a very sad Life to be alwayes serving or to lead only the life of a servant I answer To serve God or the service of God is
were bound in Fetters and holden in Cords of affliction Now saith Elihu here they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures Hence Note There is no condition so low and forlorn but the Lord is able to bring us out of it and into the enjoyments of fullest comforts He can change our Iron Fetters and Cords into Rings of Gold and Bracelets he can translate our dayes of trouble and our years of pain into dayes of prospeâ—ity and years of pleasure it was so with Job in the issue and he was the man that Elihu here intended Job was long bound in fetters and holden in the cords of affliction yet as Elihu told him he should so he did afterwa ds spend his dayes in prosperity and his years in pleasure the Lord doubled his Cattel to him his friends fil'd his Coffers and his Cabinets Every man gave him a peace of money and every one an Ear-ring of Gold his children also were the same foâ— number his daughters the fairest in the Land himself also lived in the fulness of this outward Prosperity till he was full of dayes and he fed upon the delicious fruits of this Promise all his after-dayes Manasseh having run a course of unparallel'd wickedness was at last taken by the Captains of the host of the King of Assyria among the Thorns and they bound him with fetters and carryed him to Babylon 2 Chron. 33.11 yet when in his affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers he was entreated of him and brought again to Jerusalem where he spent his dayes in prosperity and his years in pleasure If we turn to the Lord in affliction the Lord is ready to turn away our affliction or as the Church prayed in the half turn of her affliction Psal 126.4 to turn our captivity as the streams in the South that is to make both a most admirable and a most comfortable turn of our condition Streams in the hot Southern Countries are rare the Rain of those Lands usually is dust Streams in the South are also very welcome How glad are they of a cooling Showre from a Cloud who daily feel and are fainted with the scorching Beams of the Sun Such a turn shall they have saith Elihu who being holden in the cords of affliction turn from iniquity obey and serve the Lord. Thirdly From the matter of the Promise Note A comfortable passage through this life is a very great mercy as well as the hope of happiness for ever in the other life 'T is prosperity and pleasure in this world though nor meer worldly prosperity and pleasure which is here pâ—oâ—ised and we are not to slight any thing that comes by promise yea we should highly esteem those things which considered in themselves are little worth as they come to us through the Promise We may quickly over-rate and over-reckon outward things in themselves and we ever do so if we rate or reckon them any better than vanity but as they are promised and bestowed in a way of savour from God and as they are a part of the purchase of Christ and handed to us by him so are even outward things to believers thus they are very valuable Upon these terms to live and spend our dayes in good and our years in honest lawful pleasures is a great mercy From the whole take two Corolaries First How blasphemous then is their Opinion who say it is a vain thing to serve the Lord or that there is no profit in calling upon him which blasphemy was resuted Chap. 21.14 Secondly Would we have a good end of or out-gate from our afflictions then let us hear and obey Thus much of the first case what the issue of their afflictions shall be who obey The Second issue upon the contrary case followeth in the 12th verse Vers 12. But if they obey not they shall perish by the Sword and dye without knowledge Here contraries are set one over against another for their fuller illustration If they obey not that is if those righteous men spoken of before vers 7. obey not What it is not to obey is clear by what I said was to obey in opening the former verse I shall only take notice that in this latter part it is not said If they obey not and serve him not but only if they obey not and I conceive Elihu saith no more or proceeds no further because they who deny obedience will certainly deny service therefore he stops at that If they obey not They who are good in their state may often fail in doing that which is good for of those this Text yet speaks and is generally interpreted The Hypocrite in heart is spoken of in the next verse but here Elihu is speaking of the righteous and because he is so therefore by this disobedience cannot be meant an obstinate rebellion but a sloth or carelesness in attending to the Call of God for the amendment of some evil in their lives If they obey not Hence Note The calls and commands of God are not alwayes obeyed no not by good men not by the righteous The call and command of God is not at all obeyed by the wicked and it is not alwayes obeyed by the righteous The righteous sometimes hear the word but do not answer it and sometimes they feel the rod and do not attend it they cry out of the smart of the rod and of the sores which the lashes of the rod have made upon them they weep over or because of their sores yet they do not presently give glory to God by obeying him and leaving their sinnes I mean as to that special point of duty in which God would have them obey him and as to those special sins which God by that affliction calls upon them to leave Many good men do not presently understand the purpose of God in this or that affliction and while it is so with them they must needs fail in answerableness to it I know every godly man hath a general bent to obey God and serve him It is not with the godly in their afflictions as with the wicked under theirs of whom the Prophet speaks Isa 9.13 They did not turn to him that smote them yet even such Scriptures are in a degree applicable to many of the people of God they do not alwayes turn to him that smiteth them when they are exercised with variety of calamities they mind not the Lord as they ought And hence it is I say that though the righteous have a general bent to obedience yet they sometimes come short of that obedience which a special affliction or correction calleth them to yea they may be so short in answering it that the Lord may proceed to lay heavier and greater afflictions upon them even to the taking of them out of the world as it followeth in this verse If they obey not They shall perish by the sword Before they were bound in
is under the hand of God when God hath him fast in his fetters his wrath doth boyl his fury comes up in his face as it is said Ezek. 38.18 concerning the wrath of God towards his enemies this fully answers that assertion of Eliphaz Job 5.2 Wrath killeth the foolish man What wrath his own wrath he kills himself with vexing and fretting The hypocrite in heart is a wrathfull man when things go not right with him Some have so expounded that Eph. 2.3 Ye were by nature children of wrath even at others Children of wrath that is wrathfull children we are full of wrath full of anger by nature Though I do not take that to be the sense of the Apostle but that by children of wrath he means all men as borne under the wrath of God nor do I conceive this the proper meaning here though not unusefull They heap up wrath that is they grow angry vexed and troubled But Secondly Rather the wrath heaped up is the wrath of God which is the most dreadfull thing in the world and so these words may be expounded by those of the Apostle to an impenitent sinner Rom. 2.4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God To heap up wrath and to treasure up wrath are the same The abusers of the patience and long-suffering of God are treasuring up wrath against themselves from day to day and so do the hypocrites in heart They heap up wrath Hence Note First The wicked or hypocrites in heart grow more wicked while the hand of God his afflicting hand is upon them The more they are under the rod the more they rebell I ground it upon this If they did not heap up sin they should not heap up wrath were they not more vile wicked under their affliction there would not be more anger against them It was said of those that would have brought in the captives which was a very oppressing purpose 2 Chro. 28.13 ye shall not for Whereas we have effended against the Lord already ye intend to add more to our sins to our trespasse Then presently followeth For our trespasse is great and there is fierce wrath against Israel As if it had been said If ye do this thing ye will increase the wrath of God which is very fierce already and blow it up into a consuming flame While men grow more and more wicked and vile God groweth as to the manifestations of wrath more wrathfull When we hear of the increase of wrath we may be sure there hath been a proportionable increase of sin It is said of Ahaz who was a hypocrite in heart a very prophane person 2 Chron. 28.22 that in the time of his distresse he trespassed yet more against the Lord and trespassing more against the Lord he heaped up more of the Lords wrath against himself For 't is added v. 23. He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which smote him he got nothing but blows for his paines or impious piety in serving them And he said because the gods of the Kings of Syria help them therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me But what got he by this encrease of his sin Surely nothing but an encrease of wrath for it followeth in the same verse They were the ruine of him and of all Israel God makes new rods when men make new sins and he multiplyeth swords while men multiply transgressions The more men draw iniquity with cords of vanity the more they draw misery upon themselves and are held the faster in the cords of affliction Secondly When 't is said The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath We know hypocrites are cunning gamesters they hope to sin so closely and artificially that no hurt shall ever come to them by it yet The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath Hence Note The wiles and policies of hypocrites will availe them nothing They shall not avoyd wrath do what they can the Lord will find them out The Apostle saith Gal. 6.7 God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Let hypocrites in heart sow as cunningly as they can though they seem to sow only good seed yet they shall reap bad fruit because they sowed with a bad heart Hypocrites may deceive men and heap up their favours to themselves but they cannot deceive God who knows their hearts and will therefore consume them in his wrath which they have heaped up to themselves Thirdly Elihu puts it upon hypocrites in heart to be at this work of heaping up wrath All impenitent sinners do it but he puts it upon them especially All sinners open professed sinners that sin and hide it not that throw up even the very name and profession of Religion these all heap up wrath yet they heap up most and are here spoken of as the only helpers up of wrath who are hypocrites in heart Hence Note God is extreamly angry with hypocrites or the wrath of God doth burn extreamly hot against hypocrites He heats the Furnace of his wrath seven times hotter for hypocrites in heart than for ordinary sinners The Lord Isa 10.5 speaking of the Assyrian saith The staff in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoyle and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets The Lord put a staff in the hand of that great King of Assyria and he called it his indignation it was the Lords indignation which was a staff in the Assyrians hand But against whom will he send it That text answers against an hypocriticall Nation Who are they the people of his wrath God hath wrath for all sinners but the generation of hypocrites are the people of his wrath beyond all other people None abuse God like hypocrites For first hypocrites carry it towards God as if he were like the Idols of the Heathen that have eyes and see not ears and hear not hands and handle not feet and cannot walk That is they carry it towards God as if he were but an Idol satisfied with meer outward shews and services An Idol sinds no fault nor troubles any for their hypocrisie and false-heartedness All that is required in the Idols service is but outside and bodily exercise Thus the hypocrites deal with God as if he also would be satisfied and taken up with a little outside service or as if sacrifice would please him when his word is disobeyed 1 Sam. 15.23 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings
also render it after so the copulative Vau is expounded Lev. 17.15 Jer. 10.13 Thus here Faciet eum intelligere quod pro peccatis punitur Aquin He delivereth the poor in afflion after he hath opened their ears that is after he hath made them understand that sin hath caused their sufferings and hath also made them obedient and ready to receive counsel from him as that phrase of opening the ear hath been opened He openeth or when or after he hath opened their ears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radic◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coarctaâ—it pressit coâ—pressit vim intulit praeposito in saepo valet per. in oppression or by oppression The word notes extream oppression we read it Num. 22.25 in the story of Balaam where 't is said his Asse crushed or pressed or oppressed his foot against the wall while he was going to curse the people of Israel that so Balak might oppresse them This word is used also Judg. 4.3 1 Sam. 10.18 and by it Elisha shewed how he would have Jehorams messenger handled 2 Kings 6.32 Oppression takes fast hold The Lord takes fast hold of sinners by oppression and will not let them go till he hath opened their ears but as soon as he hath opened their ears in or by their oppressions then out of hand he delivereth them in if not out of their afflictions From the connection of this with the former part of the verse Observe The evil of oppression or trouble is preparatory to or a usual meanes to fit us for our receiving of good He delivereth them in affliction when he hath opened their ears in or by oppression When once the soul by hearing the cry of the oppressor is made obedient to the call of God then God comes and workes deliverance Good men while free from evil are oftentimes like the wilde ass described in the 39th chapter of this book such as will not hear nor regard the crying of the driver though he be not an exactor as the word there signifies and we put in the Margine but a fair and gentle driver Few hear when spoken to till they feel as well as hear and therefore the Loâ—d first sends them into trouble that they may hear and having by that meanes opened their eares to heaâ— he bâ—ings them out of trouble When we are truly humbled by affliction we are near deliverance from affliction The plaister must be kept on till the wound be healed The Lord will not leave off scourging or correcting his people till he hath brought them to such a postâ—re that they are fit for mercy The Lord helps and heals those who submit and if they whom he hath bound with the cords of affliction call humbly for release and relief he will not forsake them but restore them in due time to their former felicity He delivereth the poor in affliction when he hath opened their eares in or by oppression Elihu having laid down this general Doctrine makes Application of it in the two verses following Vers 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place Thus Elihu proceeds from the general Thesis or assertion of Gods deliverance to the Hypothesis accommodating the Doctrine to Jobs Case and Person Even so he would have removed thee c. This 16th verse contains the first part of the Application made to Job where Elihu informs him what the issue would undoubtedly have been if he had submitted which he did not as he ought to the afflicting hand of God and had not which he did and ought not filled his mouth and the eare of God with bitter complaints nor stood so stifflly upon his own defence and vindication This Elihu doth by a double allusion First to the bringing of a man out of close prison into a state of freedom or into an open air This he gives us in the former part of the verse even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place Secondly he doth it by alluding to the furnishing of a mans table with store not only of wholsome but of delicious meates who before fared very hardly This he doth in the close of the verse and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness As if he had said if thou had'st harkened to the voyce of God thou should'st have had both liberty and plenty had'st thou been bettered by thy troubles it had been better for thee and much better with thee thou hadst been enlarged fully thou hadst been supplyed abundantly with all manner of good things desirable even to the utmost of thy desires that 's the general scope of this verse more particularly Even so would he have removed thee out of a strait into a broad place Some read the verse with a retro-respect or as looking back to the time past as if Elihu had bid Job remember his former experiences whether God heretofore dealt not bountifully with him To this sense besides others Mr. Broughton translates which hath turned thee from distresses mouth Sic etiam averterat to ab ore angustiae in latitudinem cui non fuberat pressura ferculum mensae tuae plenum erat pinguedine Jun. to largeness where is no straitness and that which was laid upon thy table was full of fatness and he gives the gloss upon his own translation thus God once made thee wealthy and would again thou hast had experience how good a master and how liberal the Lord is to those that serve him thou thy self didst enjoy prosperity a long time farre from all trouble or touch of affliction Thus I say some refer the words to the time past but I rather keep to our own translation which expresseth the original text as an assurance of what Job should have had and might have expected in time had he complied as he ought with the purpose of God in his afflictions Even so would he have removed thee out of a strait into a broad place As if he had said God who useth and loveth to deliver the poor out of affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est proprie incitare fere ad malum a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would also have delivered thee out of thy afflâ—ction had'st thou been humbled under thy affliction had'st thou fallen down before him hadst thou submitted the matter to him and not disputed it with him as thou hast done hadst thou confessed his justice and not accused it or complained about it even so would he have removed thee c. The word which we translate to remove signifieth also To move or to perswade because he that perswades another Ex eadem radiâ—e variae loctiones interpretationes pullularant Pined moveth or removeth him from his opinion or intendment or from what his practise was before and brings him to be or do somwhat that he did not or was not before To be perswaded is to be inwardly moved to be moved
in mind And therefore they who perswade or entice others to evil are said to turn them from the Lord and to thrust them out of the way which the Lord commandeth them to walk in Deut. 13.5 To perswade in any degree is to move Josh 15.18 and some perswade so strongly that they make in others great removes Further It signifies to deceive as will appear if you compare Text and Margin 2 Kings 18.32 and those Texts 2 Chron. 32.11 15. all concerning one matter He that is deceived is usually deceived by perswasion and is drawn away by some enticements Now because he that perswadeth or deceiveth another endeavoureth to turn or remove him from what he holdeth or intendeth to the contrary therefore as we render this word signifies also to remove to bring from one place to another or from one state to another He would have removed or translated thee Out of a streight into a broad place Here are two sorts of places a streight and a broad place What a streight place properly taken is all know The Heb ew is He would have removed thee out of the mouth of the streight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angustia et adversarius Hinc Septuaginta reddunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Septuagint render He would have removed thee out of the mouth of the enemy An enemy puts us to streights and thâ—refore the same word signifies a streight and an enemy he would have removed thee out of a streight place the hand of an enemy is so But moâ—e generally by the streight place we are to understand any kind of tribulation or trouble whatsoever Troubles of any sort are justly called streights for they inclose and imprison us they abridge us of our liberty they ty us short up where we can scarce stir or breath A man in trouble is a man in streights Some expound these words allegorically taking the mouth of the streight for Hells mouth they that descend thither are indeed in everlasting streighâ—s for though Tophet be deep and large as the Prophet speaks Isa 30.33 yet all that are there are in streights Hell is la ge to take in but streight to let out Gehenna est ampla ad recipiendum et angusta ad emittenâ—um so streight that it will not let one out for ever Others expound it tropologically or with respect to manners he would have delivered thee out of the mouth of the streight that is from the power of thy sins and corruptions for they indeed are streights and though we easily fall into them yet we hardly get ouâ— De putâ—o peccati et prâ—vae consuctudinis cuâ—â— ingressus facilis exiâ—us prâ—â—â— anguâ—tuâ— Gregor or free of them again But we need not take up either Allegories or Tropologies the words are plain That which Elihu here intenâ—s by streights is great trouble deep misery into which a man being cast knows neither how to subsist nor how to escape Yeâ— out of that streight place he promiseth deliverance He would have removed thee out of a streight Oâ—â—ng sliâ—â— eâ—t ingeas â—â—laâ—itas abyssuâ— mâ—â—â—rum in quam deâ—ersus homo nâ—que subsistere nâ—que emergere potest Into a broad place That is to liberty and prosperity which are in Scripture compared to a broad place where a man hath room enough Thou hast known my Soul in adversity sai h David Psal 31.7 8. and hast not shut me up in the hand of the enemy thou hast set my feet in a large Room that is in a prospeâ—ous condition Thus Elihu here promiseth on Gods behalf He would have removed thee out of a streight into a large place Where no streightness is Spâ—tium latum est â—mo laâ—issimum ubi nâ—lla angustia est That 's a broad place indeed No streightness implyeth greatest enlargement or enlargment to the uttermost not only of need but desire A broad place where there is no streightness is full libâ—rty or fill of liberty A man may be in a very good in a very free condition and yet have some streights To be in so good a condition as to have no streights at all is the top and perfection of freedom And surely The full attainment of such an enlargedness is the reward of the next life not the enjoyment of this life The way of the wicked Vâ—t impiâ—rum est lata angustissimâ—e via justo am est angusta latissime et definit in latitudinem jucund ssimam in this life is most streightly broad the way of the righteous in this life is broadly streight and endeth in a broadness of everlasting blessedness God at last will remove all his out of a streight into a broad place where there is no streightness Hence First See the Author of our deliverance is again here remembâ—ed He would have removed c. As before he delivereth the poor in afflâ—ctions so here again He would have removed thee out of a streight into a broad place As all our mercies are of the Lord so let us acknowledge him in all Secondly From the Allusion Note Troubles are streights He is in a streight that knows not what to do thus 't is often with us in our troubles It was so with good Jehoshaphat 2 Chro. 20 12. when a mighty Enemy came up against him Lord said he we know not what to do but our eyes are towards thee he was in a streight what to do here on earth but he had a b oad place to look to even to heaven to the Lord of heaven and earth our eyes are towards thee As if he had said Lord we are in a streight but thou art never in streights Lord counsel us what to do Lord help us to do it The afflicted many a time know not what to do and many times they cannot do what they know they know this thing would do them good but they cannot do it they know that might be helpfull to them but they cannot reach it He is in a streight that doubts what good to chuse much more is he in a streight who seeth that what-ever he chuseth he must chuse some evil Paul was in the former streight and David in the latter Paul was in a streight it was a trouble to him being doubtfull which good to chuse Phil. 1.23 I am in a streight betwixt two betwixt what two betwixt two very good things namely living here in doing good and going to heaven to receive his reward he was in a streight whether to live here to do more work or to go to heaven to receive the reward of his work 'T is some trouble but a blessed trouble when we are in a doubt which good to chuse But they are in very great trouble who are in such a streight that whatsoever they chuse they must chuse evil That was Davids streight 2 Sam. 24.14 the Lord gave him a choyce and a very sad one of three evils either of famine or of pestilence or of flying and
say I have let you sin for your profit For though the Lord is able to and often doth bring good out of sin yet not instrumentally but occasionally Therefore the Scripture atâ—ributes no profit to sin but speaking of sin it saith What fruit have ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6 21. shew your gain what are your advantages what the revenues which your lusts have brought in what have you got by your malice by your wrath by your conformity and compliance with the world have these b ought you in any advantage are you bettered by them what fruit have you of those things whereof you are now ashamed Let us therefore often consider Moses's choyce Heb. 11.25 Moses was a wise and a holy man and what did he He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Herein try your spirits Christ set two things before Moses Come Moses here 's affliction you must be afflicted and afflicted with the people of God which are the greatest afflictions you shall be sure to be lashed with the smartest soâ—rest Rod in their Company or here is Egypt and all the contentments that sin can give which will you have Moses O give me afflictions with the people of God said Moses Let the world ruffle and rant in the pleasures of sin for a season for my part I will have affliction O give me affliction In this choyce Moses approved himself a wise man and understood his good So did the Martyrs Come will you have a pâ—ison or deny Christ a Halter or forsake the Faith will you into this fire or will you commit that iniquity O say they give us Prisons Halters Fires rather than conform to your wickedness Remember this Point this is a needful Point for us at all times I would adde these three things further about it Chuse affliction rather than sin why First Because sin is worse than all affliction Secondly Because sin is the Sting of all afflâ—ction If you are in an afflicted condition and your consciences tell you you have been base vile complying with the VVorld and dissembling or false-hearted with God if your hearts tell you you have been rotten at the heart this will be the sting of your afflictions What is the sting of death The Apostle answers 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin Would a man chuse a sting Surely you chuse a sting when you chuse sin and that which will afflict you beyond all your afflictions Thirdly Sin is worse than affliction for when God would declare his severest wrath and bring the greatest affliction upon the children of men when he resolves to affliâ—t a person or a people to the utmost he doth not say I will make this man a poor man or I will send plague or sickness or famine among this people but he saith I will deliver him or them up into the hands of their sins or to the power of their lusts Psal 81.11 Israel would none of me saith the Lord they were coy they had other lovers they would have the world they chose sin rather than God and to go a whoring after the creature rather than keep close to him What then So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts As if the Lord had said Pray take your course you that love your own inventions take your fill of them you that love and would have the vanities of the world take your fill of them The Lord doth not threaten them with famine and pestilence no nor with hell but he threatens them with sin and leaves them to the power of iniquity Thus he gave up the old Gentile Romans to vile affections Rom. 1.26 28. Let them be victorious let them be rich let them subdue all Nations under their iron hands let Rome be the Head and Mistresse of the world and command all people let all stoop to their power but saith God I will give them up to vile affections they shall be basely Idolatrous and basely wanton and basely gluttonous and basely drunken and basely ambitious and basely envious As they were above all people of the world in outward glory and power so God left them under the power of their lusts and gave them up to glut themselves with wickedness He gave them up to a reprobate minde to do things that are not convenient 'T is the most terrible of all afflictions when God makes a sin an affliction and gives men up to hardness of heart to pride to a spirit of loosness and wantonness here is a mischief indeed the mischief of sin Lastly Observe Our Avoydance of or escape from the greatest affliction in the world will not bear us out in the choyce of any iniquity We may understand and prosecute this poynt two wayes First As to guilt It will no way excuse us before God to say I forbore to do duty when commanded by God I did evill because commanded by man not out of any dislike of my duty or liking of iniquity but only to avoyd those afflictions which I saw inevitably falling upon me in case I had either done the one or not done the other This plea will not hold before God for any mans discharge from guilt upon either account And though there may be some seaâ—ons wherein a duty may be laid by or omitted yet there is no season wherein any iniquity may be chosen or committed Secondly We cannot be excused as to Discretion We are fools and act below not only gracious but rational men if we chuse iniquity to avoyd any affliction whether that affliction or suffering be first our own or secondly the suffering of others First though nearly related very near to us wife children c. Secondly though many never so many a whole Nation a whole world the Church I believe that assertion of St Augustine will be found sound and Orthodox Divinity Better let the world perish than attempt to save it by telling an officious ly The evil of sin is so bad that if any good could come by it which of it self cannot it were not worth the having Some said in the Apostles times they said it of the Apostles Rom. 3.8 Let us do evil that good may come of it God by his infinite power wisdome and goodness brought good out of evil even salvation to man out of the fall of the first man but if any man or sort of men shall project the obtainment of good by the doing of evil the Apostle in the same place hath given them this doom Their damnation is just nothing is more just or righteous than their damnation who hope to get good for themselves or others by doing evil which is it self injustice and unrighteousness JOB Chap. 36. Vers 22 23. 22. Behold God exalteth by his power who teacheth like him 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity IN these two verses Elihu
exalting and raising me up And if God will raise up who can keep down Fifthly We may take the words in this general sense Whosoever is exalted in this world God exalteth him The Sparrow cannot fall to the ground nor the least thing or person be lifted from the ground but by the hand of God As he exalteth some in a way of special favour so he exalteth the worst of men in a way of common providence As none can be exalted if he say no God is able to put a barr or a stop to any mans exaltation so he can exalt whom he will and none are able to put a barr or a stop to their exaltation Behold God exalteth by his power Hence Note God is able to exalt any person how low soever brought how much soever despised Elihu spake this purposely to Job who was in a low condition brought as it were to the very gates of death and he makes this large description of the power of God in exalting those that are cast down purposely to comfort Job to erect his spirit and cheare his heart with a blessed confidence that how much soever he was at present under-foot or under-hatches yet he might hope for better things even to be lifted up if he humbled himself under the mighty hand of God Psal 9.9 The Lord will be a refuge the word in the Text answers this or an high place for the oppressed Places of refuge are usually high places and therefore the same Hebrew word signifieth both an high place and a place of refuge Psal 107.41 He setteth the poor on high from affliction and maketh him families like a flock The Prophet Isa 33.16 Having spoken of the man that walketh in his integrity tels us how it shall be with him He shall dwell on high The word is He shall dwell in the high places that is he shall dwell in God who is most high for evermore God will exalt him even to as much safety as himself is in his place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks bread shall be given him Particeps erit divinae faelicitatis atque consors tecti aâ—ntonsâ—c his water shall be sure He shall be housed with God yea housed in God he shall be fed by God he shall lodge under his roof and sit as it were at his Table he shall have bread enough and water enough and both sure enough And if the Lord exalteth thus by his power let none be discouraged in their afflictions and castings down The Lord alone is sufficient yea all sufficient and he exalteth not only by his will that is he hath not only a will to exalt but he exalteth by his power that is he hath power enough to exalt whom he will What power soever is in the creature 't is the Lords power 't is a stream from his Ocean and when the Lord is pleased to remove all power from the creature he hath a sufficient reserve of power in himself or in his own hand by which he can command deliverance yea exaltation Therefore do not speak either despondingly or desparingly as if all hope were gone when at any time all humane power is gone for God exalteth by his own power and as it followeth in the Text Who teacheth like him As if Elihu had said God is not good only at acting but he is good at instructing and he is best at both He is best or beyond all in power He is best or beyond all in wisdome and understanding and therefore who teacheth like him At the 15th verse of this Chapter we have the substance of what is here asserted and so upon the matter 't is but the same thing repeated there it is He delivereth the poor here He exalteth by his power There 't is said He openeth their ear to instruction here Who teacheth like him The words are a divine chalenge Who teacheth like him B ing forth the man bring forth the Angel that can The word which here we tender to teach in its first sense signifieth to cast a Dart Javelin or Stone It signifieth also to raine Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commune ad pluviam et ad dâ—ctrinam vel legem qua perfunditur et excolitur animus ad frâ—ctus bonorum operum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the raine which fals from heaven because that is as it were cast from the clouds to the earth Hence by a Metaphor it signifieth to teach or instruct because holy doctâ—ine or instruction cometh down like raine from heaven upon the minds and hearts of those that are taught My doctrine shall distill as the dew and my speech shall drop as the raine said Moses Deut. 32.1 And hence the whole Law of God is expressed by a word in the Hebrew coming from this roote that being powred down from heaven in showres of doctrine to make men fruitfull in every good word and work In answer to which some translate this latter part of the verse Nullus ei similu in Legislatoribus Vulg There is no Law-giver like unto him Who is a Law-giver like him or there is no Law-giver like him To give Law or to be a Law-giver is more than barely to be a teacher though he that teacheth doth also in a sense give Lawes Here I conceive we take the fittest and most suitable signification of the word when we render it by teaching Who teacheth like him As if he had said None can teach like God and therefore surely none can teach him how to governe the world or to dispose of any mans person or condition as thou O Job hast rashly or overboldly done for while thou hast complained so much and so often of his dealings with thee thou hast upon the matter attempted to teach him But Who teacheth like him Where shall we find any able to give instruction and apply doctrine like God God is exalted infinitely in power and yet he condescends to be a teacher or an instructer God doth not stand upon his power only he saith not I have power to do what I will I can force all men to my will or break them if they will not but he instâ—ucts and perswades he labours to allure the soul into a right understanding of his will and submission to it Who teacheth like him Hence note First The great goodness of God that he who hath all power to command should yet vouchsafe to instruct that he who is the Judge will also be the Teacher of his People This is the great Pâ—omise in the Covenant of grace They shall be all taught of God John 6.45 Some things may be known by the light of nature of which knowledge God is the Author in the same sense as he is of all natural Powers and faculties But here Eliâ—â— intends a spiritual knowledge both of God and of our selves or a teaching of divine things by divine chastenings both with respect to what we should do and desire as also with respect
teaching as ye may see vers 45. Every one therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me That is every one whom the Father hath vouchsafed to teach and instruct that man cometh to me that is he believeth and obeyeth the Gospel and submitteth both in judgment and practise Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me There is not one whom God hath undertaken to teach that doth miscarry Isa 32.4 The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge or the heart of the hasty Now hasty and rash persons are heady and inconsiderate persons and therefore none of the wisest they usually have little judgment or discretion who are much in passion but God can make the heart of the rash to understand knowledge that is he can make them understand and know things aright who seem most uncapable of and are naturally at the greatest distance from a rightness of knowledge and understanding To close the Point take these inferences from the who I. First If God be such a teacher then stay not in the bare teachings of men What are the teachings of men to the teachings of God Though you should have an Angel from heaven to speak to you yet stay not in his teachings wait for the teachings of God Till ye are taught of God ye never learn to purpose Set your selves not only as in Gods presence but as under his Spirit to be taught wait for the moving of the Spirit in every ordinance as they did for the Angels moving of the waters who lay at the poole of Bethesda for healing Joh. 5.4 Secondly Seeing God teacheth thus paramount seeing none teach like him then submit to his teaching Do not question any of his rules of life or doctrines of faith they are all righteous and full of divine truth you cannot do amiss if you do nor believe amiss if you believe no nor miss of blessedness in doing and believing what he hath taught Thirdly Then appear as they who are taught of God You will say How or when doth it appear that we are or have been taught of God I shall answer that query in four things First If you are or have been taught of God his teaching unteacheh or emptyeth you that in a threefold respect First of your own carnal principles The great business of divine teaching is to unteach to take men off from their own Will and Reason from their own Rules as also from those Customes which they have received by tradition from their fathers If you would appear as taught of God you must lay down all these The teachings of grace empty the soul of what it hath taken up by Nature Secondly the teachings of God empty the soul of all self-righteousness If ye be taught of God ye will be nothing in your selves Paul before the teachings of God came had confidence in the flesh and boasted in his own righteousness but when he was taught of God he threw off all those Thirdly If ye are taught of God that will certainly unteach and empty you of all unrighteousness The Apostle speakes fully to that Ephes 4.20 21. Ye have not so learned Christ if so be that ye have been taught as the truth is in Jesus If ye have been divinely taught then this teaching hath emptyed you of the old man as of all self-righteousness so of all unrighteousness towards others It is impossible any should take in the teachings of God and yet hold any sinfull practisings Secondly divine teachings as they empty and unteach the soul so they keep it very humble Knowledg endangers us naturally to high thoughts of our selves and hath a tendency in it to pâ—ide 1 Cor. 8.1 Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth Take knowledge barely as received of men even the knowledge of divine things for ye may have a humane knowledge of divine things this usually makes the heart swell but the knowledge we have from the teachings of God makes us humble it will cause us to cry out as the Prophet did when the Lord appeared and let out a more than ordinary manifestation of his glory Isa 6.5 we are undone It was so with Job when the Lord had schooled him and made himself more fully known to him thâ—n ever before he presenâ—ly cried out Chap. 41.5 I have heaâ—d of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes Nothing keeps the soul so humble as the teachings of God Where we see any proud of what they have learned it is an argument that either they were never taught of God or that as yet they have not understood his teachings Thirdly The teachings of God do not only empty and humble the soul but they transform the soul and change it into another thing than it was as to its state and qualities The teachings of God change not only our manners but our very natures they not only give a light to the Understanding but a newness to the Will new Affections new Desires This is it which the Apostle calls the new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 and that this creature is wrought to its highest perfection by the teachings of God he sheweth 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. The glass wherein we have this sight of the glory of God is chiefly the Word The glory into which we are changed by those sights is our conformity to that holiness which shineth in the Word And this change is twofold First from sin to grace which is a degree of glory Secondly from glory to glory that is from a high to a higher and at last to the highest degree of grace Look what the Word is and calleth us to be that are we when taught according to the truth of the word by the power and Spirit of God Fourthly The teachings of God confirm the soul in that which is taught or we have learned If God teach any divine lesson that will stick We receive many lessons from men and let them slip as the Apostles word is Heb. 2.1 Doctrine taught us of God settles upon us we hold the substance of it and hold forth the fruit or power of it in every season of our lives yea if trouble or persecution arise for the truth they who are taught of God will hold it fast though they let go all they have in this world for it If God teach us the doctrine of Free Grace how we are justified by the righteousness of Jesus Christ without our own works If God teach us the doctrine of pure Worship how he is to be served and honoured according to his own will without the Traditions of men as Christ spake Mat. 15.9 If I say God teach us these or any other saving truths we cannot but hold them whereas they who have received them from men
few are there in power who do not much iniquity who do not either for want of better information or of a better conscience oppress grieve and afflict those that have to do with them or are subject to them God may do what he will yet will do nothing but what is right How infinitely then is God to be exalted in his truth and righteousness And thus the word of truth exalts him Deut. 32.4 2 Chr. 19.7 Rom 9.14 There is no unevenness much less aberration in any of the ways of God he never trod awry nor took a false step Who can say unto him without great iniquity thou hast wrought iniquity Hence we may infer If God works no iniquity in any of his wayes whether in his general or special providences Then All ought to sit down quietly under the workes of God Though he bring never so great judgments upon nations he doth them no wrong though he break his people in the place of dragons and cover them with the shadow of death he doth them no wrong Though he sell his own people for nought yet he doth them no wrong All which and several other grievances the Church sadly bemoans Psal 44. yet without raising the least dust concerning the justice of God or giving the least intimation of iniquity in those several sad and severe wayes Secondly We should not only sit down quietly under all the dispensations of God as having no iniquity in them but exalt the righteousness of God in all his dispensations as mingled also sprinkled with mercy Though we cannot see the righteousness of God in some of them yet we must believe he is not only so but merciful in all of them though the day be dark we cannot discern how this or that su es with the righteousnes much less with the goodness and mercy of â—od yet sit down we ought in this faith that both this and that is righteous yea that God is good to Israel in the one and in the other When the prophet was about to touch upon that string he first laid down this principle as unquestionable Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord yet give me leave to plead with thee about thy Judgments Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Why is it thus in the world I take the boldness to put these questions O Lord yet I make no question but thou art righteous O Lord. It becomes all the sons of men to rest patiently under the darkest providences of God And let us all not only not charg God foolishly but exalt him highly and cry up both his righteousness and kindness towards all his people For who can say to God thou hast wrought iniquity Having in several other passages of this book met with this matter also I here briefly pass it over JOB Chap. 36. Vers 24 25. 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afar off THese two verses contain the third advice counsel or exhortation given by Elihu to Job stirring him up to give glory to God in his providential proceedings with him There are three things considerable in these two verses First The general duty commanded which is to magnifie the work of God Secondly We have here a special reason or ground of that duty the visibility and plainness yea more than so the illustriousness of his work The work of God is not only such as some men may see but such as every 〈◊〉 â—ay see yea behold afar off Thirdly We have here an incentive to provoke to this duty in the first words of the Text Remember Vers 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold To Remember imports chiefly these two things First to call to mind what is past Mat. 26.75 Then Peter remembred the words of Christ. Secondly To remember is to keep somewhat in mind against the time to come in which sence the Law runs Exod. 20.8 Remember the rest-day that is keep it in mind that when-ever it cometh or upon every return of that day 〈◊〉 may be in a fit posture and preparation for it Remember the rest or sabbath day to keep it holy To remember in this place is set I conceive in a double opposition First To forgetfulness of the duty here called for remember and do not forget it Secondly To the slight performance of the duty here called for the magnifying of the work of God Remember that thou magnifie As if he had said Be thou daily and duely affected with it do not put it off with a little or a bare remembrance the matter is weighty consider it fully As if Elihu had said to Job Thou hast much forgotten thy self and gone off from that which is thy proper work I have heard thee much complaining of the workes of God but thy work should have been to magnifie the work of God Though God hath cast thee down and laid thee low yet thy business should have been to exalt the work of God Remember it would much better become thee to act another part than this thou shouldest have acted the part of a magnifier of the work of God not the part of a complainer gainst it Remember that thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augeas extollas ejus opus non accuses ut nunc facis Merc. Magnifie The root signifieth to encrease and extol We may consider a twofold magnifying of the work of God There is an inward magnifying of the work of God and there is an outward magnifying of the work of Goâ— First There is 〈◊〉 â—â—d magnifying of the work of God when we think highly 〈◊〉 it thus did the Virgin in her song Luke 1.46 My soul doth magnifie the Lord. Her heart was raised up and stretched out in high thoughts of God Secondly There is an outward magnifying of the work of God To speak highly of his work is to magnify his work to live holily and fruitfully is to magnifie his work We cannot make any addition to the work of God there is no such magnifying of it but we must strive to give the works of God their full dimension and not lessen them at all As we must not diminish the number of his works so we must not diminish the just weight and worth of them There is such a charge of God to the Prophet about his word Jer. 26.2 Go tell the people all the words that I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word Deliver thy message in words at length or in the full length of those words in which it was delivered unto thee We then magnifie the woâ—k of God when we diminish not a tittle As we cannot add any thing to it so we must neither abate nor conceal any thing of it To magnifie is not to make the works of God great but to declare and set forth the greatness of them that 's the magnifying here especially intended Remember
the price upon any woâ—k and makes it worthy to be magnified As in some Pictures this â—ets a price upon them to say they are such a mans work the work of such a famous Artist the work of Apelles or of Michael Angelo So if we would magnifie any pâ—ovidential work we must say it is the woâ—k of the great God it is he that haâ—h done it the eye of our mind must look directly at God in ruling and governing of the woâ—ld While we pore much upon or stay our thoughts about second causes we cannot exalt the work of God though we call it Gods wâ—rk yet if our hearts hang about second causes the work cannot be exalted as his 'T is a depression of the work of God to put any thing of man upon it To honour the work of God is to give him the whole effect of the work As we then magnifie God when we look to him alone with a single eye as the end of all our works There is nothing doth magnifie God in what we do but our looking to God as the end of all we do Let our work be what it will never so glittering never so gay and glorious in the eye of the world yet if it be not consigned over to God it is a base and pittiful work if any man dedicates his work to himself he dishonours his work Now I say as it magnifieth our work when we make God the end of our work so that which magnifieth Gods work is when we look upon him not only as having an hand in it but as being both the beginner and ender of it If we take or give this to the creature that is sit down in this or that Instrument as the means by which we have attained our end or as the end of what we have attained we spoil the work as to God or despoil God of his work Remember this and this only magnifieth our work when we with a single eye look to God as the author and as the end of it Every work we see done is magnified and God in it when we look to God as the Alpha and Omega as the Author and Ender of it Nor is this true only in those works of God which he doth more immediately but where men act most and are very instrumental Let us therefore ascribe every work to God and that first in afflicting us such an eye Joseph had Gen. 45.8 It was not you that sent me hither but God that is not so much you as God saith Joseph to his brethren I do not say it was you though you were unkind brethren it was not you that sent me hither but God I look at him more than at you in that great affliction which was brought upon me by your envy and unbrotherly unkindness towards me Such an eye David had when he was under a very grievous black dark providence when his son rose up against him and when his subject Shimei cursed him even then he magnified that work of God by ascribing it wholly unto him 2 Sam. 16.10 The Lord hath said unto him curse David He magnified God in that great affliction by looking at the hand of God alone in it and passing by Shimei's both undutifulness and extream malignity He said as much while he tells us he said nothing in a like or as bad a case Psal 39.9 I opened not my mouth because thou diâ—st it Hence that reproof in the Prophet Isa 5.12 They regard not the work of the Lord nor consider the operation of his hand Secondly Let us ascribe every woâ—k to God in exalting us such an eye had the Church to God Psal 44.1 2 3. Our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their dayes Thou didst drive out the heathen by thy hand and plantedst them they got not the land in possession by their own sword c. but by thy right hand and thine arm c. Here is no mention at all of Joshua's achievements and famous victories in subduing the Canaanites c. All is given to God and he alone exalted for that exalting work That 's the first answer Then we magnifie the work of God when we acknowledge him alone both in afflicting and exalting us Secondly Then we magnifie the work of God when we beat out as it were and sift all the circumstances of his work as we say to the bran that so we may find out every perfection every glory of it when we do not only behold and see the woâ—k but when as direction is given Ps 48. We walk about Zion tell her towers and consider her pallaces that is when we do not look upon things only in the bulk but make an exact scrutiny or take a full view of every part We cannot magnifie the work of God by a bare beholding of it but by prying into every circumstance of it or by considering what excellencies and rarities are in it As we magnifie our sinful works in one sence we should magnifie our sins that is aggravate them not magnifie them to applaud them or glory in them but to make our selves ashamed of them as I say we magnifie our sinful works or what we have done sinfully when we consider all the circumstances of our sins as committed against light and love against mercy and goodness against the patience and forbearance of God against our own professions and promises against our experiences and priviledges all which should oblige us to holiness and engage us to a gracious circumspection in all our wayes and walkings lest at any time we should sin against God and grieve his Spirit So we magnifie the works of God when we eye all the circumstances of them and consider them as done for us when we could do nothing for our selves as done for us when we must have perished and been undone unless God had appeared for us as done for us when we deserved not the least good to be done for us as done for us when none would do any thing for us none caring for our soules as done for us when none could do any thing for us These and such like circumstantial considerations exceedingly magnifie the work of God A bare behold a transient look may discover no great matter but if we seriously weigh every particular we shall then see cause enough to magnifie the work of God Eliah 1 Kings 18.43 commanded his servant to go look towards the sea and when he went first he saw nothing but being commanded to go seven times he at the seventh saw a little cloud rising out of the sea as big as a mans hand but at the last heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain If we would look again and again if we would look seven times upon the work of God that which at first seemed nothing or afterwards no bigger than a mans hand or no bigger than a mans hand could effect and bring about will at last be magnified to such a
vastness that all must confess the hand of God hath done it Thirdly We then magnifie the works of God when we freely submit to God in them as just and righteous when we accept and take them kindly at his hand not only when they are outward kindnesses but crosses All the great words and rhetorick we can bestow upon the works of God will not magnifie them unless we freely submit to them as just and righteous They that would magnifie the works of God must say Judgment and righteousness are the habitation of his throne while they can see nothing but Clouds and darkness round about him Psal 97.2 I saith the Psalmist am in the dark about all that God is doing at this day yet of this I am as confident as confidence it self Judgment and Righteousness are the habitation of his throne I know God doth nothing amiss no not in the least Thus John in the Revelation Chap. 15.3 saw them that had gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name and they saith he sing the Song of Moses c. saying great and marvelous are thy works just and true are thy wayes The works of God in Judgment upon Babylon are full of justice and we magnifie them by proclaiâ—ing and crying them up as just yea the work of God in judgment upon Zion is exceedingly magnified when Zion submits to it and embraceth it as just and righteous It was the great sin of the house of Israel when they said Ezek. 18 25. The wayes of God are not equal As if they had said are these the Lords equal dealings that we his People should be given up to the hand of the enemy and suffer such things as these yea the house of Israel must say all the works of God not only his exalting works but his humbling works are equal just and righteous for we have sinned This is to magnifie the work of God Fourthly To magnifie the work of God is to look upon his work what-ever it is not only as having justice in it towards all men but as good and being full of goodness to his People Possibly it may be very hard work yet we must bring our hearts to say it is good work good to and for the Israel of God Thus the holy man of old magnified the work of God Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel This he spake while he was bemoaning himself under very afflicting providences We magnifie the afflicting works of God when we submit to them as just much more when we embrace them as good And it was very much the design of Elihu to bring Job off from disputing about the evils with which God had so long exercised him to a ready yeeldance that they were good for him and that in all the Lord intended nothing but his good Fifthly To magnifie the work of God is to answer the end of it Every work is magnified when it receiveth its end if a work be done yet if it have not its effect if it bring not that about to which it was designed the worker receives no honour from it nor is the work honoured To work in vain is a debasing a lessening of any work not a magnifying of it The Apostle was afraid to bestow his labour in preaching the Gospel in vain When people still continue in their blindness and unbelief c. this layeth the preaChing of the Gospel low but when souls are convinced and converted and come flocking in then the Gospel is magnified and the word of the Lord glorified as the Apostle prayed it might 2 Thes 3.1 Now as the word of God is magnified when it attains its end so the work of God is magnified when we give him or come up to those ends for which he wrought it But if we let God lose the end of his work we do what we can to debase his work as if he had done it in vain We say he works like a fool that hath not proposed an end to every woâ—k he dotâ— and he appears not very wise at least not very powerful who aâ—taineth not the end or ends for which he began his work The most wise God hath his end and aim in all his works in this world and this is the honour we do his work when we labour first to know and secondly to give him his end in every work But if any ask What are the ends of God in his work I answer They are very various First The chief end of all that God doth is the advancement of his own Name and Glory As he made all things for himself in Creation so he doth all things for himself in Providence That which is the sin of man is the holiness of God to seek himself It is most proper for God who is the chief good and whose glory is the ultimate end of all things to set up himself in all things Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself saith Solomon And the Apostle faith as much Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen All things are of him therefore all things should return unto him If we would magnifie any work of God we must be sure to give him this end the glory of it Let it not satisfie us that we are advanced or get up by the works of God unless we our selves advance his glory by them Many advance themselves and are lifted up with pride when God works for them or by them not at all minding that which they should chiefly mind the glorifying of God in by what he hath w ought either for themselves or others Secondly God hath this in design by all his works to make us better If it be a work of Judgment it is to make us better and then we exalt his works of Judgement when we are bettered by them when we are more humbled and weaned from the world by them And as 't is the design of God to make us better by his works of Judgment so by all his works of mercy The Apostle beseecheth us by the mercies of God to present our bodies that is our whole selves a living sacrifice in all holy service to himself Rom. 12.1 What will it advantage us to be bettered in our outward enjoyments by what God works or doth for us unless we learn to be better and do his work better that is unless our hearts be more holy and we more fruitful in every good word and work Some will magnifie the work of God by keeping a day of thanksgiving because they are richer or greater by what God hath wrought for them who yet are not a whit more holy or spiritual by it Wo to those who magnifie the work of God because they think it shall go better with them when themselves are not better Enquire therefore what lust hath the work of God moved you to
is it then said God is great and we know him not When Paul was at Athens he sound an Altar with that Inscription To the unknown God Act. 17.23 They worshipped a God whom they knew not but certainly we must know whom we worship Ye worship ye know not what was Christ's reproof of the Samaritans John 4.22 We know what we worship that is whom we worship For answer to this when the text saith God is great and we know him not we may say First That even heathens the untaught untutored and uncatechized heathens do or may know God that is they may know him in some degree or other they may yea they do know him as the Apostle saith Rom. 1.20 so far as to leave them without excuse they have no plea nor can they make any apologie for themselves Secondly 'T is certain all believers I mean all true believers know God savingly or so far as is sufficient for their salvation Every believer knows God There is no faith in God without the knowledge of God Thirdly Which shall be the point of Observation from this part as well as an answer to the question None know God fully perfectly comprehensively That 's Elihu's meaning when he saith God is great and we know him not that is we know not how great he is or we know not the utmost of his greatness God only knoweth himself fully and comprehensively There is no proportion between the greatness of God and the understanding of a man The greatness of God is infinite the understanding of a man is but finite and limited the deepest understanding among men yea the understanding of Angels is but shallow compared with God Thus we are to understand this text God is great and we know him not There is a greatness in every thing of God transcending the possibility of any created understanding This some give for the reason why the Seraphims spoken of Isa 6. are said with two of their wings to cover their faces they were not able to bear the light of the knowledge of the glory of God For though Christ in that admonition which he gave to take heed of offâ—nding and despising the little ones gives this reason for it Mat. 18.10 For in heaven there Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven though I say it be a truth that the holy Angels and blessed Saints above do alwayes behold the face of God yet neither Saints nor Angels not the Saints in glory nor the glorious Angels can fully comprehend the greatness and majesty of God and therefore the Prophet as was said represented the Angels covering their faces with their wings We have heard of King Hiero putting the question to Simonides a Philosopher What God was who desiâ—ed not being able to give a sudden answer that the King would respit him till next day when next day came he desired a second and when that came he desired a third and still the more he searched the farther he was from finding his answer This is true not only of Philosophers who see but by the dark light of Nature but of those who are enlightened divinely or from above they who receive much light from God cannot comprehend the light of God the more they search into it the more they see themselves short of it The most we know of God is not so much as the least part of that which we know not of him and when we know as much of God as is knowable by man yet it may be said as in the text God is great and we know him not Hence take three brief Corolaries or Deductions First If God be great and we know him not that is we are not able to comprehend him then we must rest satisfied with what God hath manifested of himself and of his will God hath manifested himself these four wayes First In his Word Secondly In his works of Creation and Providence Thirdly In his Son Fourthly By his Spirit These wayes God is pleased to manifest himself or make himself known unto his People now what knowledge of God can be gathered up in these wayes what can be learned of him out of his word out of his works by considering him in his Son and by waiting for the help of his blessed Spirit we must labour to take in but take heed of a bold pressing into the secrets of God or of a curious prying into the nature of God which indeed will but dazle our eyes and the more we think or look into it the blinder we shall be Secondly If God be so great that we know him not Then we ought not presumptuously to enquire into a reason of the works and wayes of God for that which is true of God himself is true of his works and of his wayes we cannot know them in the sence opened Therefore the Apostle speaking about that wonderful dispensation of God the laying aside of the Jewes and calling of the Gentiles Rom. 11.33 cryeth out O the depth of the knowledge and wisdom of God! how unsearchable are his Judgments and his wayes past finding out As God himself cannot be fully known so neither can his wayes nor works Thirdly If God cannot be fully known neither in himself nor in his works Then take heed of murmuring or complaining of the wayes works and dealings of God Will you find fault with that which you neither do nor can fully know how little is it of any of the works of God that we know how little a way do we see into them let us not find fault with that thing the perfections whereof we cannot find out say not why is it thus why doth God let things go thus why are his providences ordered thus there are many such queryings in the hearts of men and some such are exprest by the tongues of men But remember the Lord cannot be known in his works therefore let us not complain of his works but sitting down in silence submit to them let us as David Be dumb because God hath done it Psal 39.9 David was silent not only with respect to the soveraignty of God who he knew had power and liberty to do whatsoever he pleased but with respect to his incomprehensibility because he knew he was not able to know or understand the bottome-reason of that which God had done This some conceive the special intendment of Elihu in this Text as reproving Job for his many complaints and murmurings and disputings about the dealings of God with him in the extremity of his sufferings Therefore said he Consider God is great and we know him not Yet let none be discouâ—aged in seeking after the knowledge of God because 't is told us we cannot know God yea let no man think to excuse himself in his neglect of pursuing the knowledge of God because this Text saith we cannot know him Some possibly will say If God be so great that we cannot know him then why should we labour after
In that eternity or eternal estate of glory which believers shall at last arive unto even they shall enjoy all at once because all their enjoyments shall be in God or God shall be their whole enjoyment Secondly God is infinitely happy and blessed He hath all that ever he had or that ever he can have all at once or already nothing of his blessedness is either to come to him or gone from him therefore he must needs be infinitely blessed Here in this world some men have had a kind of blessedness they have been rich and great they have been in power they have had their fill of pleasure but now they have it not all is perished and gone and past away There are others in expectation of great matters of great riches of great honours of great contentments in this world but as yet they have them not we say of many Their lands are not come into their hands their estate is but yet in reversion and expectation Thus it is with men some have had it and it is gone and others though they may have it yet it is not come But now with the Lord all is present and therefore how infinitely happy is he A man would think himself very happy if he could have all the contentments that ever he had scattered through the several dayes and years of his life gathered into one moment it is thus with God and thus in proportion it shall be with us when we come to that blessed state of eternity Thirdly If God be eternall if there be no searching out of his years then Time is in the dispose and ordering of God He that inhabiteth eternity is the Lord of time God is said to inhabite eternity Isa 57.15 that is he is eternall and therefore he is the disposer of all times he that made time will order time he ordereth time as to persons and he orders time as to Nations he orders times and all the changes of times he ordereth not only the duration of time but the condition of times all is from him whose yea s cannot be searched out David said Psal 31.15 My times are in thy hands that is my personal times in all the changes of them troublesome or comfortable joyfull or sorrowfull are ordered at thy will by thy power and wisdome And with respect to Nations Daniel said Chap 2.21 He changeth times and seasons The Lord puts a new face of things upon Sâ—tâ—es and Kingdomes what changes hath not cannot the Lord mâ—re among the sons of men The reason of all is he is eternall Fourthly If there be no searching out the number of the years of God if he be eternall then How ought we to reverence and adore God! We have a Command from God to reverence those who have attained many years in this world which alass are very few none at all to the years of God the aged the gray-headed must be reverenced Lev. 19.32 And one reason of that Law may be because the aged have some shadow of Gods eternity upon them they who have many years have some resemblance of him the number of whose years cannot be searched out therefore God will have them reverenced Now if the ancient are to be reverenced how much more God himself who is called Dan. 7.9 The ancient of dayes Fifthly If God be eternall then we may trust him yea therefore we ought to trust him Psal 74.12 Thou art my King of old commanding deliverances O how did Davids confidence arise upon this that God who was King of old is King now and will be King for ever Psal 10.16 The Lord is King for ever and ever the Heathen are perished out of his Land that is they shall surely perish God will not alwayes bear with evill men in his Land For if because God was King of all the Lands he therefore drave the old Heathen out of Canaan and planted his people there doubtless if they who bear the name of his people there live so like the old Heathen that they may be called Heathen he will also cause them to perish out of his Land and all because he is King for ever and ever and therefore can do it at one time as well as at another and now as easily as at any time heretofore Trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Isa 26.4 David a Great Prince makes it an argument to draw off our trust from men from the greatest men from Princes because they are not for ever Psal 146.3 4. Trust not in Princes nor in any Children of men why not many reasons may be given why not but the only reason there given is their frailty and the consequents of it His breath goeth forth c. As if he had said Suppose Princes are never so good and just and gracious in the exercise of their Power yet trust not in them for they die their breath goeth forth and then all their thoughts perish all the reall purposes which they had as also the promises which they made for your good die with them and can do you no good The number of their years may be searched our and run out their years are not for ever Now the contrary of that which is an argument used by the Spirit of God to draw off our trust from the gods here on Earth is an argument to draw on and engage our trust strongly to the God of Heaven His breath goeth not forth none not one of his thoughts shall perish therefore trust in him Sixthly If there be no searching out the number of the years of God then Be not troubled if God seem to stay and not to do the work which you expect this or that year If God doth it not this year he hath another year to do it in there is no searching out the number of his years We may say of any man if he doth not his work this year he may be gone before the next but if God doth not his work this year he may do it next year or two or ten years hence he hath time enough even all time before him therefore the Prophet having said Hab. 2.3 The vision is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie presenâ—ly adds Though it tarry wait for it As if he had said The Lord who hath all times and seasons in his power will do his work in the best time and season he will do what he hath promised when it is most sit to be done if he doth it not at the time when we expect yet let us wait he is the Master of time God who is eternal cannot be scantied of time The number of his years cannot be searched out 'T is a known maxime among the wise men of the world Take time and you may do any thing What cannot God do who knoweth all times and can take what time he will Seventhly Which followeth upon the former God will carry on his
designes through all the world He will carry them through against all Psal 92.8 9. Thou Lord art most high for evermore Lo thine enemies shall perish thine enemies who would hinder thy work they shall certainly fall Christ is called The first and the last He saith St John Rev. 1.17 laid his right hand upon me and said fear not I am the first and the last Why should he not fear what did Christ offer to cure him of his fear Christ doth not give him a bare disswasive Fear not but a rational ground why he should not fear Fear will not be blown away with a breath Our passions are never truly quieted nor attempered but by reason Upon what ground then would Christ take off Johns fear even upon this in the Text I am the first and the last As if he had said John why doest thou fear knowest thou not who I am what a Lord and Master thou servest Why John I tell thee I am the first and the last and therefore thou mayest be sure I will do my work and none shall lett me John had wonderfull things in vision shall all these be done thought he yea saith Christ Fear not I will carry on my designes all the designes that Christ had in the world were then in vision Eternity triumphs over all difficulties The Eternall will see the last man born as we say he will have the last word and the last blow I am the first and the last Lastly From this Consideration of God let us take a prospect of our selves what poor short-lived short-breathed Creatures we are There is no searching out the number of the years of God but we may quickly search out the number of our own years our life is but a span long Psal 39.5 yea our age is nothing before God Did we consider the eternity of God what should we judge of our span-long life we are said to be of yesterday Some expresse man thus He is yesterday as if he were not to day but were already past while he is The best that can be said of him is this he is but of yesterday and possibly he shall not have a to morrow but the Lord is for ever and ever the same And though we are short-lived as to this world though our years may soon be told over yet let us remember that God hath called us to the participation of eternity though we have not the eternity of God which is without beginning yet we shall have an eternity from God without end every man is everlasting as to his soul The godly shall be blessed for ever and there is an eternal estate of wo and misery to the wicked the number of the years of their sorrows and sufferings who live and die without Christ cannot be searched out The number of the years of the joy and blessedness and rest and happiness and tranquility of those that believe of those that are faithfull of those that are godly of those that walk with and fear God I say the number of the years of their joy and happiness cannot be searched out neither No man can number or tell how long-lasting the felicity of Saints shall be As the number of the years of God cannot at all be searched out so he hath given man as to his future estate a numberless number of years And it were well if we who enjoy this life and are dying every moment would often consider there is a life coming which will never die the number of our years also in that sense cannot be searched out The thoughts of eternity should swallow up all our time yet alass how doth time or the things which are but temporary swallow up in most men the thoughts of eternity What-ever we do in time should be to fit us for eternity yet alass most use their time so as if they did not believe or at least hoped there would not be any such thing as eternity Did we but spend two or three minutes of time every day in the serious remembrance of our eternal estate it would be an effectual means to make us both holy in and contented with what-ever temporal estate we meet with in this world We should be earnestly searching after God all our dayes did we consider what it imports to us that the number of his years cannot be searched out Thus Elihu labours to draw Job to the consideration of God himself who is the Author of those great providential works both of those he had spoken of before the works of providence ordering men here in civils as also of those works of providence in natural things of which he comes to treat largely both in the latter part of this Chapter and in most of the next Where we shall find Elihu giving us as iâ— were a Systeme or body of natural Philosophy in his discourse about the wonderfull works of God which he is calling Job to consider JOB Chap. 36. Vers 27 28. 27. For he maketh small the drops of water they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof 28. Which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly ELlihu having shewed the greatness of God himself in the former verse proceeds to shew the greatness of his wo ks he had done it before as to Civil Administrations and the ordering of humane affaires in casting down and lifting up the sons of men he doth it now in natural things or in ordering the motions of nature still in reference unto man He describes the greatness of the works of God aloft or above in the Aire and in the Clouds as he had before described the greatness of his works here below on the Earth The whole remainder of Elihu's speech in this Chapter and to the end of the 37th is spent in a philosophical discourse about the Meteors and those various operations and changes that are wrought in the Aire he discourseth of Rain of Thunder and Lightning of Snow and Winds from all which works of God in Nature Elihu would convince Job of the Justice and Righteousness of God as well as of his power which was his chief purpose He begins this philosophical Lecture or Lecture of divine Philosophy with the Rain in the two verses now read and he mingles much of that matter in this and the following Chapter He speaks here I say of the Rain which is a dispensation of God usually both very profitable comfortable what more profitable or more comfortable than the rain It is also a dispensation of God sometimes very dreadfull and hurtfull The Lord sends the very same Creature upon contrary services sometimes for good sometimes for evill aâ— one time as a blessing and at another as a curse to the inhabitants of the earth What Elihu speaks of the Rain in this Chapter may be reduced to five heads First He sheweth the manner of it's formation and generation v. 27 28. Secondly The vastness or huge extent of the vessels containing it which are the clouds
hear the earth that is answer the necessities of the earth And as the heavens cannot give man rain so neither can the gods of mans making and placing there such are all the vanities or vain Idols of the Gentiles The prophet having shewed us that these cannot sheweth us who can give rain in the next words Art not thou he O Lord our God surely thou art he therefore we will wait upon thee for thou hast made all these things Solomon at the dedication of the Temple puts this as one special case wherein they were to apply to God by prayer 1 Kings 8.35 When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee If they pray c. then hear thou in heaven The prophet sends the people in that exigent to God Zec. 10 1. Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the later rain As if he had said if ye would have rain you must ask for iâ— and be sure ye ask it of none but him ask of the Lord. As it is God that gives out or with-holds the rain so he gives it our or with-holds it at the voice of prayer The Apostle saith of Elias Jam. 5.17 he was a man subject to the like passions that we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months and he prayed again and the heavens gave rain At hiâ— word the Lord stopt rain and at his word he gave rain Let us therefore confess that God is the author or father of the rain He causeth vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth he maketh lightnings for the rain Ps 135.7 He covereth the heaven with clouds he prepareth rain for the earth Ps 147.8 God covereth the heaven with clouds by drawing up vapours from the earth which are the matter of these clouds and in those clouds he prepares the rain by the rain sent down makes the grass to grow upon the mountains The encrease of vegetables is the effect of rain God hath the rain in his power and to acknowledge him in it is our duty Deus sibi Soli clavem pluvtae refervat Targ. Hierosol in cap. 3. Gen. 'T is a great part of our spiritualness to acknowledge God in naturals as well as spirituals or â—hat the key of the clouds as well as the key of the heart is in the hand of God and in his only One of the Antients speaking to this point said Let us not ascribe rain to the Saints much less to Witches Papists have their Saints to whom they pray for rain and Atheists go to Witches for rain The modest and moderate Heathen will â—ise up against such in judgement they ascribed rain to their gods though false gods they had Epethites or Titles of Honour for their Idols Imbriferi serenatores testifying their faith in them and dependance upon them for the showers of heaven they called them shower-bringing gods and fair-weather-making gods If heathens would yet ascâ—ibe the rain to their gods not to men not to any inferiour powers how abominable are they who professing the knowledge of Jehovah the only true God do not acknowledg him alone in this In times of drought many will say We hope we shall have rain when the Moon changeth or when the Wind turns now though there be somewhat in natuâ—e both in the change of the Moon and turn of the Winds as to the change of weather yet to speak much of or expect any thing from either argues some withdrawing of the heart from God and God to shew the folly of such hath often with-held the rain though the Moon hath changed more than once and the Wind turned to all quarters and passed through all poynts of the Compass Thirdly Let us take heed of provoking the Lord he can quickly stâ—p our Comforts those common outward comforts the rain and showrs of heaven and then as to this Life in how sad a case are we As the Lord hath not left himself without witness namely of his goodness in sending rain and fruitful seasons so he can quickly leave a witness of his Justice and displeasure or of his just displeasure by with-holding rain and as a consequent of that fruitful seasons from us Were it only to have rain and fruitful seasons we should take heed of displeasing God If a man had such power as to with-hold rain from your land you would take heed of diâ—pleasing him How dangerous then is it to provoke God who cannot only with-hold the rain from your land but can as the Scripture saith make the rain of your land to be powder and dust Deut. 28.24 that is give you powder and dust instead of rain When the rain is long with-holden the earth grows hard and being much trodden or traveled on dusty this dust being raised up by the wind shall come down instead of rain or that 's all the rain which I will give you The Lord hath our natural comforts in his hand as well as our spiritual and eternal Further As this with-holding of the rain sometimes so the holding up of the rain at any time shews the great power of God to hold the water in the aire is the work of God as much as to with-hold it from the earth The water is a heavy body and all heavy things tend downward is it not a wonder that such a mighty weight of water should hang in the aire and be there held up if it were not held there it would not stay there but come down and drown all What holds it up the Cloud is a thin substance yet it holds the water as well as the strongest vessel bound with hoopes of iron But by what power doubtless by the power of God The water hath no consistence in it self it is a fluid slippery body now what can hold the water that none of it leakes out but the power of God There are many millions of drops in one little cloud and every drop is of it self ready to slip away yet the whole cloud yeelds no more water then a rock till God orders it Let us contemplate the Almightiness of God who can hold such a mighty body of water in the aire or who as Job spake Chap. 26.8 bâ—â—deth up the waters in his thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them These notes arise from that translation which imports the Lords power in drawing the water fâ—om the earth as also in with-holding it from the earth when there is need and in holding it when there is no need We translate He maketh small the drops of â—ater Not only hath God made the body of the water which is one of the four general Elements of which all bodies are compounded and made but he makes the water into small drops or maketh small the drops of water Hence note That the water falls from heaven by dropâ— comes to pass by the
especial power wisdom and goodness of God The water if left to it self would â—all whole like a sea upon us or like a mighty floud in such quantities as would instead of refreshing overwhelm the earth When God drowned the world it is said Gen. 7.11 The same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up and the windows or flood-gates of heaven were opened We are not to imagine that heaven hath windows oâ— flood-gates but God did not put forth his mighty power to make small the drops of rain but let it come all at once those waters which were before bound up in the clouds by the decree of God were now by his decree let loose in a wonderful manner and measure and came down not in drops but in streames and spouts the clouds did not as formerly destil their burden Pluvia in nubibus velut in linteo continetur atque in illis velut compressa guttatim distillâ—tur but ease themselves of it at once or altogether Rain ordinarily as sweat through the Pores of the skin passeth by degrees through the Pores of the Clouds yet God can let it out all at once Sea-men who take long Voyages tell us they meet with spouts of wateâ— endangering great ships So then this making small the drops of water is to be ascribed to a threefold Attribute of God Fiâ—st It is a woâ—k of his power nor is it done without a kind of Miracle that the water comes down as it were through a sive or watering-pot Secondly It is a work of divine wisdom The Lord knowing that the earth cannot digest huge portions of water at once divides it into little po tions that the earth may gradually receive and let it soak into iâ—s bosom for the feeding of Plants and the supply of all câ—eatuâ—es that live upon it Thirdly 'T is a work also of divine Goodness for if God did not make small the drops of water if it should come down whole it would drown the earth instead of comforting and fattening it Behold then the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God in making small the drops of water Though Philosophers have attempted to find out and assigne a reason in Nature about this falling of the rain in drops yet they have not fully attained the reason why nor the manner how God doth this we must ascribe it chiefly to the power wisdome and goodness of God in ordering it for the benefit of man yea of all living creatures Plane admirabilem et tremendum in illu et per illa fefe exhibet deus Merc And surely Elihu leads us to consider the wonders of those things which are common and naturall to convince us that forasmuch as we cannot clearly see the reason of those lesser things we should take heed of prying into greater and remoter secrets and he would have Job particularly know that seeing he could not find out the way of God in these natural things much less could he find out the way and whole designe of God in those his providential dealings with him He maketh small the drops of water and then as it followeth in this verse They pour down rain according to the vapour thereof Though the water be made into small drops yet he doth not say they drop down but they pour down rain that is the drops fall plentifully that frequent expression in Scripture of pouring down every where implyeth plenty or abundance The promise of pouring out the Spirit in the latter dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundit fundendo purgaovit active item percolatus exâ—olatus de faecatus suit Imber nimbus plu â—a notes the abundance of the Spirit that shall then be given The word signifies also to straine implying that the rain is contained in the Clouds as it were in a linnen cloath which being pressed distills the water in small streams or drops as it were through a strainer They pour down Rain There are three words in the Latine the first of which notes a showre or gentle rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pluvia hiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum transitivum in Hiphil significat feâ—it â—luere quo certe innuitur deum esse Authorem pluviae Fagius in Gen the second a stormy or fierce rain the third rain in generall Rain in this place may be taken in all or either of these notions for at one time or other the Clouds pour down drops into all sorts of rain Rain as I said is made of vapours drawn up and here he saith They pour down rain According to the vapour thereof There are two sorts of vapours there are dry vapours and moist vapours dry vapours say Naturalists are the matter of the wind and the moist are the matter of the rain Now saith Elihu they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof that is Pluviae quasi fluviae eo q òd fluant Isidor Quae fundunt pluviam post nebulam â—jus Pisc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat vâ—porem et nubem significâ—t etiam calamitatem hinc versus ita vertitur nam subtrahit stillas aquarum quae fundebant pluviam ad calamitatem ejus Jun look in what proportion the Sun draweth the vapours into the Aire in that proportion doth the rain fall upon the Earth or in the samâ— proportion that the vapour is drawn up in that proportion is the rain let down Some render the word which we translate vapour a cloud that is after the water is drawn up into a Cloud it pours down rain proportionably Another translation renders it Affliction or trouble and give the whole verse thus He draweth up the drops of water which poured down rain to their Calamity This the lea ned Author applyeth particularly to the Flood in Nâ—ahs time but I shall not stay upon that Our reading is clear They pour down rain according to the vapour thereof that is in the same proportion that vapours come up the rain falls down First In that as the rain is made of the vapour so according to the vapour or in proportion to the vapour such are the showres of rain Note According to what is naturally received returns are naturally made And if the Clouds of Heaven return to man naturally according to that they receive from the Earth how is man on earth bound morally or in duty to return according to what he receives from Heaven Let us mind our accordings and proportions to the dealings and dispensations of God The Clouds of the aire will condemn us at least witness against us if we receive much and return little I passe this Only here we may take notice of six things in Concatination one with another First vapours are drawn up from the Earth Secondly they are made into watery Clouds Thirdly from thence they are sent back to moisten the Earth Fourthly the rain sent down is proportionable to the vapour that went up Fifthly according to that proportion the Earth is made more or lesse fruitfull plentifull
rains cause or produce plentifull fruits ordinarily from the Earth and little rains little fruits Sixthly and lastly man is nourished and hath his outward Comforts encreased or lessened in proportion to the fruits which the Earth bringeth forth or to the fruitfulness of the Earth All these things attend and depend upon one another They pour down according to the vapour thereof and God draws up in proportion to what himself purposeth they shall pour down Thus we see how God by the Sun draws out the moisture and sap of the Earth to return it back with advantage Drawing up the moisture makes the Earth languish and her fruits wither sending it down again makes the Earth green flourishing and fruitful They pour down rain c. And what more Elihu answers Vers 28. Which the Clouds do drop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunc Coelum nunc nubes denotâ—t a tenuissimâ— earum Substantia Drus Here he speaks more expresly and tells us more clearly than before what the vapours are made up into According to the vapour thereof which the Clouds do drop As Clouds are made of vapours so they are the receptacles or vessels of rain which they hold as was shewed before as long as God pleaseth and when he gives the word then they drop And distill upon man abundantly That 's another elegant word implying the manner in which the rain comes or falls it is as by a distillation Here also 't is expressed for whose use or sake principally the rain is sent The Clouds saith the Text drop and distill upon man yet we know men get themselves out of the rain as soon and as fast as they can The rain falls upon the earth and abides there yet 't is said to distil upon man because the rain distils at mans request and for mans sake That other creatures are cherished by the rain is not for themselves but for man as man is not cherished and maintained by those creatures for himself but for God As the rain distills chiefly for the glory of God so nextly for the relief and comfort of man and for man it distills Abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Super hominem multum vel super homines affluentèr ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit adverbium quod eù minùs se probaâ— mihi quia Rab. hic scrilitur eum Cametz Drus There is a double reading of this word Some take it as an Adjective to the Substanâ—ive man rendring thus it distills upon many men we take it adverbially Which distill upon man plentifully that is in great plenty upon man We may take in both readings without strain to the Text or departure from the matter in hand For as the rain all 's or distills upon man abundantly so upon abundance of men the rain we know falls sometimes very plentifully and at times or one time or other all the world over watering every mans ground and serving every mans turn or occasions Therefore Elihu expresseth the blessing fully when he saith The Clouds distill upon man abundantly or upon abundance of men Hence Note First The Lord haih rain enough in store He hath vessels plentifully filled for the watering of the Earth and The Lord is so free in his dispensation of the rain that as he gives it to many in number so to many in kind he maketh his rain to fall as well as his Sun to shine upon the just and on the unjust Math. 5.45 It shews the exceeding goodness as well as the bounty of God that the evill partake of his benefits as well as the good And for our further improvement of this bounty of God remember that if God be so abundant and liberall in blessings to us we ought in proportion to abound in duty towards him or as the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 15.58 we should be stedfast and immoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. Some do only a little I may say only here a stitch and there a stitch of work for God but we should abound in it and that not only now and then by fits but be alwayes fixed in it especially we should do so with respect to that which the rain is a Symbol of the word of God When God drops and distills the rain of Gospel tâ—uths and holy soul-saving instructions abundantly upon us how should we abound in every good word and work It was prophesied of Christ Psal 72.6 He shall come down as rain upon the mown grass as showers that water the earth Some of the Ancients expound that place of the coming down of Christ in his Incarnation then indeed he came down like rain upon the mown grass he came down sweetly and powerfully 'T is true also that Christ who is God the Word the substantial Word comes down as rain in and with the declarative word of God preached and faithfully dispenced to the souls of men and when Christ comes down thus to us we should rise up to him and return fruits of grace according to the showres of grace which we have received The Prophet gives us an elegant comparison of the natural and spiritual rain in their effects and issues Isa 55.10 11. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give feed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it Now what is the pleasure of God in giving his Word what is the arrand upon which he sends it 'T is I grant sometimes to harden deafen and blind a people Isa 6.9 10. 't is sometimes to be a savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 These are dreadfull judiciary purposes of God in sending his Word nor doth it ever please the Lord to send his Word upon this arrand but when he is sorely displeased by a peoples slighting and contempt of his Word The thing which primaâ—ily pleaseth him the purpose which he chiefly puâ—sueth in sending his Word is that his people may have as the Apostle speaks Their fruit unto holiness in this life and in the end everlasting life For these ends the Lord is daily distilling upon us the rain of his Word both in commands and promises and in both abundantly Therefore let us labour to abound in returns of faith of love of hope of self-deniall of zeal for God and of fruit-bearing unto God If when God distills the natural rain that should provoke us to fruitfulness in spiritualls how much more when he pours down so much spiritual rain upon us For the close of this meditation consider That As the natural rain First softens the earth and mollifies it Secondly cleanseth the earth and washeth it Thirdly enricheth the earth and makes it fruitfull Fourthly comforts the earth and makes every
the waters of the Sea by the heat of the Sun become Clouds and these Clouds cover both Earth and Sea far and near Thus 't is matter of wonder to see such great and sudden changes in the air that the same Sun with its beames should exhale those vapours which are condensed into Clouds and that soon after those Sun-beams should scatter and dissolve those Clouds or thaâ— now the heavens should be so masked with Clouds as to make all dark and in a little space all return to its former brightness and bâ—â—uty He spreadeâ—h hiâ— Light Wha is there in the world that is not Gods â—â—re he calleâ—h Light his Hence note God loves to entitle himself to Light in an especial manner Mat. 5.44 He causeth his Sun to shine c. The Moon is his as well as the Sun and the Stars are his as much as either but because the Sun is the greater Vessel and conveigher oâ— Lighâ— therefore saith Christ He causeth his Sun to shine on the evil and the good c. God himself is Light and the Father of Lights Jam. 1.17 which is true not only of spiritual Light by which the things of God are discovered to us but also of natural Light the light of the Sun that 's Gods Light too he is the Father of it Secondly note The changes which we see in the air from fair to fowl weather from calms to tempests are from God It is not in the creature to make one day or hour fair or foul As Christ gives the reason why no man should swear by his head because he cannot make an hair white or black he cannot change the colour of an hair nor make a hair of any colour So it is not in the power of any man to make one day fair or foul that 's Gods peculiar He spreadeth his Light upon the Clouds and covereth the bottom of the Sea Vers 31. For by them he judgeth the People he giveth meat in abundance This 31th Verse gives us the effect of all that which Elihu had spoken before of the rain of storms and tempests and we may add of lightening and of thunder By them he judgeth the people and giveth meat in abundance Here are two effects First an effect grievous Secondly an effect gracious The former proceeds from the justice the latter from the mercy and goodness of God By them that is by the rain by the winds c. he judgeth the people To judge is taken three wayes in Scripture First To judge is to rule or govern When it is said such a man judged Israel the meaning is he ruled and governed Israel That 's the language of the book of Judges every where when their Governours are spoken of Secondly To Judge is to determine or give sentence in a special case Deut. 25.1 Thirdly To judge is to punish or afflict and thus often in Scripture when God punisheth any person or people he is said to judge them Psal 51.4 That thou mayest be cleared when thou judgest that is when thou afflictest or layest thine hand upon me saith David as God had threatened by Nathan that the sword should not depart from his house this moved David to make confession Against thee thee only have I sinned that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and cleared when thou judgest As if he had said my confession O Lord will be thy justification all may see I have given thee abundant cause to lay thy chastening hand upon me Heb. 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge though men let them pass yet God will not he will punish them Again in that notable place 1 Cor. 11.31 32. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. What it is to be judged the Apostle sheweth in the next words But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord. The Apostle warns the Church to take heed how they came to the solemn assemblies lest coming rashly and unpreparedly the hand of God should fall heavy upon them by weakness sickness and death When Elihu saith By them he judgeth the People We are to take judging in this third sence He judgeth that is he afflicteth and punisheth men by these things Thus the Allusion is elegantly followed The Lord from his tabernacle or throne in the Clouds sends forth Edicts and signes his Warrants for the punishment both of nations and persons windy stormes rain and thunder going forth as executioners of his orders and appointments By them he judgeth the people Hence observe First God can make a scourge of any of the creatures By them that is by the rain and by the wind he judgeth the people He can use what instrument he pleaseth to afflict and chasten us with Read the holy Scriptures read the Histories of the Church and you will find all sorts of creatures summoned one time or other and sent forth as Gods messengers to punish the pride and stubbornness the impenitency and perversness of mens hearts and wayes How many creatures did God make use of to punish Pharaoh with and many of them veâ—y contemptible ones among the rest the hail rain and thunder spoken of in this place were his instruments of vengeance in plaguing that hardned King Whensoever God afflicts a people by the creatures he judgeth them by the creatures Let us take heed that we provoke not God to turn those things which were given for our good to our hurt that he make not what was made our servant our punishment God made all creatures serviceable and useful to man but through sin they become grievous and destructive to man By them he judgeth the people He giveth meat in abundance Escam ad copium Heb. i. e. copiosum Here is the second effect wrought or produced by these creatures He giveth that is God giveth meat that is all kind of food and provision for the life both of man and beast and he giveth it in abundance He doth not give it scantly or nigardly in small portions and piâ—tances but in full measure pressed down heaped up and running over By them that is Dat escam multis mortalibus Hieron by the rain and by the wind c. God gives us our meat in abundance One translation saith He giveth meat to many that is to all Hence note First Our daily food is the gift of God He giveth meat No man gets his own bread unless God giveth it God must give it before we can get it Secondly note God is a free bountiful and liberal house-keeper He giveth meat in abundance he giveth to very many yea to all and he giveth very much he giveth meat to all the fowles of the Air and to all the fishes of the Sea to all men and beasts living on the earth they all receive food from God he giveth food to all flesh Psal 136.25 He filleth every living thing Psal 147.9 He giveth to the beast his food and feedeth the young ravens when they cry
the God of glory speaking to us Some will excuse themselves they are ignorant they have never been taught to know God But did such never hear it thunder that â—eacheth much of God so much as will make them inexcusable who obey him noâ— who tremble not at his Power and Majesty Thunder calls for and more it commands our fear of our reverence and submission unto Goâ— eâ—â—â—cially when God together with this voice sends his arrowâ— bolâ—s o bullets to do great things against his enemies as he did against Pharaoh Ezod 9.23 and against the Philistines 1 Sam. 7.10 Yea the Lord threatened to distress Jerusalem with Thunder and with Earth-quake and with great noise Isa 29.6 Now if Thunder be the Voice of God or the noise of his Voice then take these brief Inferences from it First Let us see what a powerful and mighty God we have When it thunders every believing soul may â—ay This is the Voâ—ce of my Father what cannot he do for me that can speak thus Secondly If God hath such a dreadful Voice if he thunder with his Voice we should learn to secure aim and fence â—ur selves against the dread and danger of Thundeâ— by the actings of Faith in him and of Repentance and godly Sorrow for our sinnings against him Some of the Heathens have given pittiful counsel what to do in time of thunder Seneca was a wiâ—e man Adversus tonitrua coelorum minas subterraneae damus dei defussi in altum specus remedia sunt Sen. lib. 6. Natur. quest cap. 4. yet he directs to poor shifts in such extreamities The remedies saith he against Thunder and the Batteries of the heavens are under-ground houses caves or holes of the earth to hide our selves in These were the best helps he could advise his Roman Gallants to when God uttered his mighty voice in Thunder But Christians know better how to hide themselves even in the goodness of God against those terrible appearances of his Power Thirdly If God speak with such a Voice as this in the Air take heed of slighting his Voice whensoever he speaks in the Church as Athiests and Epicures do He who speaks so loud in Thunder can thunder upon us at any time The Word preached if not obeyed will at last come upon all those who obey it not with as great a terror as Thunder Fourthly Let us not be amazed and frighted at Thunder as Heathens or Unbelievers Fifthly Let us not think lightly of it as if it either came by chance or meerly from natural causes Sixthly Let us fear the God of Thunder not fear Thunder as a God Some have superstitiously thought Thunder was a God and adored it so 't is reported of the Lithuanians anciently Lithuani fulmon deum esse puâ—abant propterea illud adorabant Cromeruâ— l. 15. Hist Pol. and possibly some of them do so to this day Secondly In that Elihu calls so earnestly for attention to this voice Hear attentively the noise of his Voice Learn Those things which are most easie to be heard possibly may not at all be understood Who doth not hear when it thunders but how few are there who attend or understand the Thunder or hear Thunder attentively God speaks to us not only with a stiâ—â— voice few hearing or attending him but though he thunders few attend him yea those wo ks of providence which speak lowder than Thunder and shine cleâ—rer â—â—an the Lightning yet are neither heard noâ— seen As When his hand is lifted up some will not see Isa 26.11 So when his Voice is liâ—ted up when 't is lifted up not only like a trumpet but like thunder when he speaks most audibly yea most terribly some will not hear and he is not heard by many much less diligenâ—ly attended to how loudly how terribly soever he speaketh The Lord often thunders by the voice of this Word what are his teâ—rible threats but loud thunder-claps yet few hear or though they hear yet they attend not Not to hear the voice of God in his Word is as if you did not attend to the voice of Thunder Every word of God though spoken with a still voice hath a greater force in it than Thunder from the Clouds As the terrible works of God are signified by Thunder Rev. 10.3 4. So the terrible words of God his threatning words against impenitent sinners are resembled to Thunder And therefore such as the Lord fitted among his own Apostles for that dispensation are called in Scripture Sons of Thunder Mark 3.17 And they who dispence the Word with a strong voice and fiery zeal are truly so called to this day and may be said both to Thunder in their Exhortation and to Lighten in their Conversation And indeed the Word of God truly and faithfully dispensed by any is like Thunder For First As Thunder so the Word spoken is the Voice of God and a more excellent and distinct Voice than Thunder that only shewing in general that God is or that he is great and powerful this shewing us distinctly who and what God is and what he requireth of us Secondly Thunder throwes down and dissipates high things So doth the Word of God 2 Cor. 10.5 Thirdly Thunder is irresistable by any power of man it will make its way through all opposition so is and doth the Word of God Fourthly Thunder pierceth very subtilly it reacheth the bones quite through the flesh the Word of God doth more it divideth soul and spirit and the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heaâ—t Heb. 4.12 Fifthly Thunder breaketh the hardest things which resist it but not soft things so the Word of God breaks the stout but binds up the contrite spirit it resists the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Now if the Word of God be in all these respects like Thunder Let us not only hear but attend or as the text saith hear attentively the sound of his voice If any ask when do we both hear and attend with the inward and outward ear the Thunder of God or his voice both in his works and in his word I answer First When we are stirred up to high and holy thoughts of God We are never rightly affected with the Word of God till our hearts are wrought up to and deeply at least truly affected with the God of the Word Secondly When our hearts are raised up in thankfulness for any discoveries of God in his goodness and mercy to us who can so easily destroy us by his power He that trembles at this voice of God and hath no sense nor tast of his goodness nor is moved to praise and serve him trembles only like a bruit beast Thirdly When we learn to depend and hang upon him for all as he that can do all things graciously for us as well as speak so terribly to us then we hear diligently the noise of his voice axd the sound that goeth out of his
vel retardabit aliquis fulmen vel fulgur cum deus emittere petit Scult Neque differt illa cum audienda est vox ejus Jun i. e. fulgetra tonitruum praenuncia exhibet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non differt i. e. praemittit Jun Some understand the raine and showers which usually follow upon or after a great thunder and we commonly call them thunder showers Others understand the Lightning and the Thunder as if he had said When Gods purpose is declared that there shall be lightning and thunder he will not stay them or take them by the heele as the word properly signifieth whence Jacob had his name because when Esau was coming into the world Jacob took him by the heele as if he would have stayed or stopped his birth at least have got into the world before him and therefore Esau said Gen. 27.36 Is he nâ—t rightly called Jacob for he hath supplanted me these two times Which some render according to the letter of the Text My brother may well be called an Heeler for he hath heeled me these two times In this sense the Lord will not stay the birth and breaking forth of these terrible twins Thunder and Lightning Lastly learned Junius referrs them to the Lightnings only rendring He doth not defer them when his voyce is to be heard which he thus expounds He sends lightning before foretelling thunder will follow But I conceive the former exposition more cleare which refers this not staying or he will not stay both to thunder and lightning in consort or together Hence note When once God speaks the word and is resolved upon the doing of a thing there is no stopping of him nor will he stay his work He will not take thunder and lightning by the heele when he hath bid them go We have a parallel sense to this câ—ncerning the thunder and lightning of divine Judgements Zeph. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together O gather your selves together before the decree bring forth As if he had said If once the decree bring forth if once God declare that wrath shall come there is no recalling of it He will not stay it when his voyce is heard for then Isa 43.13 The Lord will work and nâ—ne shall let him he will not stop it himself and none else can Thunder and lightning shall come whosoever stand in their way must down And as none can lett God by power so none shall lett him by prayer if once he be resolved ahd hath sent forth his decree therefore do not provoke the Lord to give out the word for then your case is desperate There 's no opposing the work of God or God in his working He will not stay them when his voyce is heard Vers 5. God thundreth marveilously with his voyce great things doth he that we cannot comprehend Consider how often this word is repeated He roareth with his voice He thundereth with the voice of his excellency and here He thundereth marveilously This may teach us First which hath been noted before that the works of God in nature are to be heeded Secondly that we are very backward to heed them Thirdly this is so often ascribed to God least we should think that thunder is only a work of nature God thundereth marveilously Tonat mirabilia Hebr Numerus pluralis indicat ingentem admirationem stuporem mortalium ad vocem tonitrui Pined The words may be read God thundereth marvels 't is in the plural number We render well God thundereth marveilously but there is a greater Emphasis taking it in the plural number God thundereth marvels Consider thunder and lightning in a proper or in a metaphorical sense there are many marvels or wonders in them Naturalists observe many marvels in natural thunder and lightnings these sometimes melt the sword without hurt to the scabbard dissolve the mettal not consuming the purse break the bones and not the flesh these spoyl the Wine without staving or breaking the cask kill or stifle the child in the womb and not the mother God thunders marveilously in these things Again how many marveilous Judgments hath God wrought by thunder how often hath he destroyed the enemies of his people and the blasphemers of his great Name by thunder and lightning from Heaven Anastatius the Emperour an Eutichian persecutor of the Orthodox Christians was slaine by thunder The History of the Church speaks of a Christian Legion or Brigade of Christians in the Army of Aurelius the Emperour who earnestly prayed the whole Army being in a great strait that God would appear for their help and the defeating of the enemy whereupon the Loâ—d sent raine for their reliefe as also thunder and lightning by which the enemy was discomfited and destroyed whereupon that Legion was called The thundering Legion When Julian the Apostate meerly to despite the prophesie of Christ Mat. 24. who had said of the Temple at Jerusalem there should not be left one stone upon another Julian I say in despite of this prophesie yea to despite it gave command for the building of the Temple at Jerusalem and upon his command there was a great quantity of materialls brought together for that purpose but the Lord seeing the pride of this enemy sent a marveilous thunder with an Earthquake which not only amazed the workmen but scattered those materials put a stop to the work Now as there are many marvels wrought by natural thunder and lightning so also by that which is spiritual Nor will it be unuseful for us to consider them upon occasion of what is said of natural thunder in this Scripture God thundereth marveilously in the dispensation of his Word or in his dealings with the souls of sinners to bring them home to himself and to turn them from their sins We may not excluding the proper sense profitably expound the whole 29th Psalm in this spiritual sense wherein the Lord under the Allegory of a terrible thunder-tempest seems to give a prophetical description of his mighty power in propagating the Gospel to the ends of the earth which goeth not out as an empty sound beating the aire but with wonderful efficacy convincing the world of sin and of their need of Christ to save them from their sins And to shew that this is the scope of the Psalm David begins it with a strong exhortation v. 1 2. Give unto the Lord O ye mighty give ye unto the Lord glory and strength Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness As if David had said O ye the mighty Princes and Potentates of the world who in most places and times have contemned God and his holy worship and being your selves either irreligious or engaged in a false religion have used your power against and hindered the progress of the Gospel and the advancement of true religion I advise and admonish you to lay down that spirit to embrace thâ— Gospel to love the power of godliness to propagate
their dens by a storm or by the Snow then they go to their dens and places of shelter or as we speak to Covert The word rendred Dens signifies a place of ambush or of lying in wait such are the dens of wild beasts as it is said of the wicked Psal 10.9 He lieth in wait secretly as a Lion in his den 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ereb a verbo Arab insidiari Et ingreditur bestia in insidias i. e. in latibula unde insidiatur Merc. to catch the poor c. It is this word Such kind of retreats have the wild beasts they have their dens which are alâ—o places to watch for their prey And as they often go to their dens upon choice or of their own accord so they are sometimes driven to them as in the text for shelter against a storm Then the beasts go into dens And remain in their places They not only go into dens but there they remain they keep home the storm keps them in As when the flood of waters the great rain of Gods strength was upon the earth Noah was shut into the Ark and there he remained Gen. 7. he did not only go in but stayed in till the flood was asswaged so it is said here of the beasts they remain in their places they will not budge nor peep out till the storm be over Hence note First Thâ— Providences of God in various seasons affect the very beasts of the earth Those creatures which live only a life of sense yet partake somewhat of reason at least they act according to reason they are sensible of what God doth though they know not that he doth it And is not this a great reproof to those who are not only not sensible of but slight those â—everer dispensations of God how beast-like are those men who have not so much sence of the dealings of â—od as the beasts have who though they have a knowledge beyond bruits yet they use their knowledge no better no nor so well as bruits and so they are either as the Prophet saith bruitish in their knowledge or as the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 2.12 They are as bruit beasts in humane shape made to be taken and destroyed How can they avoid being taken and destroyed by the judgments of God or as Elihu expresseth it by the great rain of his strength who take not so much notice of them as to see their danger and get into a hiding place For Secondly When the beasts go into dens and remain in their places what is it that moves them to it Surely 't is to be as we say out of harms way Hence note Every creature by the light of nature would get out of danger Great snowes and rains of strength are dangerous or g ievous to beasts therefore they avoid them they will not stand in the open air while a storm lasts if they can help it Beasts will save themselves as well as they can and if so then take these two Inferences from it First For our instruction We are sent to school by God himself more than once to the beasts and creeping things of the earth Solomon sends us to the Ant a creeping thing he bids us consider her wayes and be wise Elihu in this text sends us to the wild beasts of the earth to Lions and Bares to Tigers and Wolves and bids us consider their wayes and be wise Here is matter of instruction for us What is that Get out of harmes way make haste out of danger when the cold Snow comes and the great Rain of the strength of God take heed you be not found abroad without a a shelter Surely God who hath provided dens for the beasts and places for those wilde creatures to hide themselves in hath not left us without a niding-place when the great rains of trouble fall or threaten to fall God invited his people of old where to look for and whither to go for shelter in such a rainy day Isa 26.20 Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy door about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be over-past For Behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity As if he had said Hide your selves till the storm be over till the great rain of my streng h be gone God who hath put an instinct into the creatures to go to their dens to their places in a stormy season doth specially call to men and among men specially to his own people when 't is a time of indignation to go into their Chambers and hide themselves till it be overblown Do not stand out in the rain do not stand in the storm get into your chambers what are these Chambers surely not the chambers of our houses they are poor refuges the rain of his strength will break or soak into those chambers how well soever roofed or ceiled The chambers in which the people of God are called to hide themselves are God himself the Power of God the Faithfulness of God the Truth of God the Goodness of God in these Chambers he calls his people to hide themselves Solomon assureth us Prov. 81.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe As God hath taught the beasts to run into their dens so he instructs us in his Word to run into his Name as to a strong tower where we may be safe David said Psal 57.1 Vnder the shadow of thy Wings shall be my refuge until this calamity be over-past That is I will put my self under thy protection while the stormy showers last The Hen gâ—thereth her young ones under her wings so would Christ the Jewish Nation both for comfort and safety and they refused him What followed The next verse tells us Desolation What could save them when the Roman Eagle spread her wings against them who would not come under the wing of Jesus Christ Matth. 23.37 'T is not any worldly refuge not any arm of flesh but the shadow of the Lords wings that can hide us in an evil day from the evil of the day They who get and keep close to God by Fai h need not fear the worst stormes which this world can raise against them And hence let sinners in general take warning suppose you should live all your dayes in this world without a storm I mean without any outward trouble yet remember there will be a stormy day the day of the great rain of the strengâ—h of God will come he will rain down vengeance upon all the ungodly in that day Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest in that day Psal 11.6 Therefore see that you have a refuge against that day when many shall as it is said Rev. 6. Call to the rocks hide us and to the mountains fall upon us cover us from the presence of him that sits on the
Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Although we should have prosperity or fair weather as long as we live in this world yet there is a day of wrath coming be not then to seek of a hiding place which is only to be had in and by Jesus Christ He is the man chiefly intended by the Prophet Isa 32.2 That shall be a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest If you are without him in that day you stand naked to the wrath of God and that will quickly soak into you or sink you for ever Secondly As the beasts going to their dens for shelter may instruct us so it may reprove and upbraid us and it will be at last a dreadful reproof upon all that are backward in this thing to provide themselves of a Covert against the Storm The Jewes as hath been formerly toucht were upbraided with the Crane the â—urtle and the Swallow because they knew the time of their coming Jer. 8.7 They knew when such a Countrey would be unfit or unsafe for their stay and therefore they removed to places more comfortable to and commodious for them But saith he my people know not the judgement of the Lord. As if he had said my people have not so much wit or fore-cast as the Crane and the Swallow they know not what is good and safe much less what is best and safest for themselves let it snow and rain never so fast either they stand it out and out-dare it or they seek such coverts from it as cannot be a covering to them 'T is said the very Vermine Mice and Rats will by a natural presage come out of a house that is ready to fall They are more senseless than Mice or Rats who hasten not to a place of safety when they perceive the foundation of that sinful State wherein they stand sinking and the walls cracking on every hand How faithless then are they how presumptuous and senseless who hasten not out of Babylon when they hear the Scriptures of truth saying not only that Babylon shall fall or is falling but as of a thing already done and past Babylon is fallen is fallen Is it not dangerous to stay in a falling house in a house which shall so certainly fall that 't is said and said again 't is fallen 't is fallen O take heed of a hard heart when you hear of a falling house or of a storm ready to fall upon your heads When God threatned Pharaoh to bring a storm of hail upon the land of Egypt that was indeed a rain of his strength a mighty rain of hail the text saith Exod. 9.20 He that feared the word of the Lord amongst the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattel flee into the houses but they whose hearts were hardned let them stay abroad and so they perished Sinners you hear of a worse storm of hail threatned than that which fell upon Egypt even the great rain of the strength of the Lords wrath revealed from heaven against you shall the beasts in such a day of distress go into dens and remain in their places and do you think to abide the day of the Lords terrible coming Do you think to stand it out when he appeareth The Prophet foreshewing the day of Christs first coming in frail flesh said Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a refiners fire and like fullers sope Now if the day of Christs first coming was such as sinners could not abide when he came only with refining fire to fetch out the dross of their sins and purge away their corruptions shall sinners impenitent and unbelieving sinners I mean presume that they shall be able to abide or endure that day of his second coming when he shall come with consuming fire to punish and take vengeance on them for their sins Away with these vain confidences which as the Prophet told the Jewes Jer. 2.37 the Lord will certainly reject and in which you can never prosper and go into those holes of the rock the wounds of a crucified Saviour in which and in which only you may be safe and saved for ever from the Snow and great Rain of Gods strength the power of his anger which none know at present Psal 90.11 but all must feel who are not sheltred from it by Jesus Christ who delivereth us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 JOB Chap. 37. Vers 9 10 11. 9. Out of the South cometh the Whirlwind and cold out of the North. 10. By the breath of God Frost is given and the breadth of the Waters is straitned 11. Also by watering he wearieth the thick Cloud he scattereth his bright Cloud ELihu having spoken of Thunder and Lightning as also of Snow and Rain with their effects upon man and beast at the 6th 7th and 8th verses last opened he in the 9th and 10th verses speaks of the Winds with their effects first Cold Secondly Frost or first of the VVind secondly of the Cold and thirdly of the Frost and then at the 11th verse of the wonderful works of God in disposing and dispersing the water in the Clouds for the refreshing of the earth by Rain in its season In the 9th and 10th verses I say he discourseth of the Winds and though there be four Cardinal or principal VVinds the East VVest North and South which are subdivided into thirty-two VVinds according to the Mariners Compass yet here Elihu treats by name of two VVinds only the South-VVind and the North-VVind which two are often and eminently spoken of in Scripture which two as they come from directly contrary Points in the Heavens so they produce contrary effects famously known among men on earth And therefore I conceive Elihu gives instance only about them as being more generally taken notice of Vers 9. Out of the South cometh the Whirlwind c. The word which we render the South properly signifieth a Chamber an inner Room or secret place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cubiculum interius penetrale omne quod in intimis partibus est a Chamber within a Chamber which is the most private retiring Room or Chamber Gen. 43.30 Judg. 16.9 2 Sam. 13.10 1 Kings 20.30 Cant. 3.4 VVe say Out of the South c. And the Reason why the South is expressed by that word which signifieth a secret Chamber is because the South Pole is scituate or placed in the most secret part of the VVorld Polus Antarcticus occultatur a nobis uâ—pote depressus â—ub nostro Horizâ—nte secundum quâ—ntitatem qua Polus Arctiâ—â—s super Horizoâ—tem elevatur Aquin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—proriptuariis superveniunt dâ—lores Sept. as to them who inhabit Northern Climates they who live nearest the North Pole are farthest removed from the South And as the same word in the Hebrew Tongue signifieth the South and an inner Chamber so at the 9th Chapter of this Book vers 9.
allusion to those showres of rain powred from the clouds And as the Lord powres out his Spirit which can never be wearied or drawn dry so the Lord makes use of many thick clouds which hold much spiritual rain even to weariness for the refreshing of wearied souls I mean such Ministers as he hath furnished with great gifts and graces such as are not as the Apostle Jude compareth some Teachers Clouds without water but as true and faithful Teachers should be full of water The waterings of any Apollo are at the Lords disposeâ— He saith drop thy word here drop thy word there and thou shalt not drop thy word any more here or there The Lord hath often been so bountiful to Nations and Churches that he hath even wearied many thick clouds to water them with the rain of his word That of the Psalmist though it be true of the rain properly taken falling upon the earth is most true of spiritual rain falling upon the Churches Psal 65.10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly thou setlest the furrows thereof And so is thaâ— also to be understood Psal 68.9 Thou O God didst send a plentiful rain or rain of liberalities whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary Thou didst even weary the thick cloud to confirm that is to refresh thy weary people And seeing they who carry and dispence the Word are in Scripture emblematically expressed by Clouds Isa 60.8 Who are these that flee as a cloud and as the doves to their windows The Preachers of the Gospel come as so many clouds and the Prophet tells us the Word cometh down as rain and snow from heaven Isa 55.10 which supposeth a cloud from whence it cometh foâ— saith the Lord So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please Seeing I say the dispensers of the Word are compared to clouds let them that sit under the droppings of these clouds take heed they be not unfruitful or like that ground which drinketh in the rain yet beareth nothing but briars and thorns whose end is to be burned God hath wearied and quite spent many of these thick clouds by continual dropping upon and watering the souls of men yet how barren how fruitless are they If but one of the clouds of heaven be wearied in watering the earth we soon after discern the face of the earth refreshed and renewed by it And shall God weary those heâ—venly clouds by watering men on earth and men remain unrefreshed unrenewed Clouds of sorrow and darkness will at last weary all those with their waterings and droppings upon them who when God hath wearied his Clouds by watering them with the word of life from Heaven yet remaine altogether barren and unfruitfull By watering he wearieth the thick Cloud He scattereth his bright Cloud The former part of the verse spake of a thick Cloud Nubes ex cujus discussione lucem restituit Hâ—nc appellat nubem lucis dei qua dispulsa lux et serenitas inducitur Merc this latter speaks of a bright Cloud The Hebrew is The Cloud of his light which I conceive is here added First to shew that Clouds of all sorts serve the purposes of God the thick Cloud and the bright Cloud the dark Cloud and the light Cloud are made use of by him And as he doth weary the Cloud that is full of water so he scattereth the Cloud that is full of light or he scattereth his bright Cloud Yet some considering it is not said in the letter of the Text Nubem lucis non dicit lucidam sed quae lucem abscondit Coc A light Cloud but a Cloud of light understand by a Cloud of light such a Cloud as hides and hinders the light and which being scattered light and faire weather succeed Yet rather as before But why is it here said that he scattereth his bright Cloud possibly because he hath no use of his bright Cloud but of his thick Cloud only when he would water the earth And indeed Clouds which are only bright or which have much light but no water are of little use Some have much light of knowledge but no water of instruction to drop upon others such Clouds God disperseth and scatters It is not an outward faire appearance which can bring us into acceptance with God The bright Cloud shall be scattered if it have no rain in it to water the earth Againe Some translate His light scattereth the Cloud So the text may be read according to the letter of the Hebrew as if the meaning were this God by the Sun-beams dispels or disperseth the Cloud for Clouds are scattered sometimes by the wind sometimes by the Sun That which gathered the Cloud may also scatter it The Sun draweth up the vapours of which Clouds are formed or compacted and soone after the Sun dissolveth the Clouds which it had gathered The same power makes and unmakes the Cloud gives it a body and takes it away His light scattereth the Cloud That 's a truth also For as brightness or light is scattered among the Clouds and makes the Clouds appeare bright so brightness or light scatters Clouds or causeth them to disappeare Elihu having thus discoursed of wind and cold of freezing and thawing of working some Clouds to weariness and of scattering others proceeds in the two following verses to shew the special uses which the Lord makes of all those motions in the air and impressions upon the Earth with the Inhabitants of it whether in a way of Judgment or of Mercy JOB Chap. 37. Vers 12 13. 12. And it is turned about by his counsel that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth 13. He causeth it to come whether for correction or for his land or for mercy IN the former verse Elihu spake of the Clouds of the thick Cloud wearied with watering and of the bright Cloud scattered by the Wind or Sun In these two verses he further sets down two things more generally concerning the Clouds First He shews whence the motion of the Cloud is and by what or whom directed It is turned about by his counsel in the beginning of the 12th verse and he causeth it to come at the beginning of the 13th verse There we have the Spâ—ing of the Clouds motion Secondly Elihu shews the purpose or the design of the Lord in turning about the Clouds by his counsel which design is laid down two wayes First In general That they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth that 's the first purpose of God in moving the Clouds they are to execute his Commands and that 's his general purpose Secondly We have his special purposes or designs laid down in the close of the 13th verse and they are three-fold He turneth about the Cloud and causeth it to come First For Correction Secondly
unawares nor by the unceâ—tain changes of the Air but according to his direction and unchangeable purpose It is turned about by his Counsel The creatures do not govern themselves nor are they Masters of their own motions The way of man is not in himself surely then the way of the Cloud is not in it self Clouds take their course according to the order and command which they receive from God Again The Clouds are thus turned about by the Counsel of God that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them Hence note Clouds are sent about work there 's somwhat to be done by every Cloud God will not have a Vapour arise nor a Cloud stir for nothing he commands them to be doing And if God send Clouds abroad to work much more doth he send man forth into the world to do work appoints him what work to do The first Man was no sooner made and set up in a state of created perfection but he was presently set to work he must be doing Gen. 2.15 And the Lord God took the man or Adam and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress and to till it From the Angels in Heaven to the worms that creep upon the earth there 's no creature but hath somwhat to do yea not only the living and rational creatures but as here in the Text the very inanimate creatures the senseless creatures the Clouds have somwhat to do God sends them forth upon his business Every creature hath a service hath somwhat to do And therefore it will be ill with those whom God finds idle or doing nothing or nothing to any good purpose That servant had been doing to whom Christ in the Paâ—able is represented thus speaking at the last day Well done good and faithful Servant Thirdly observe The Clouds are faithful and ready Servants they do whatsoever the Lord commands them They are Gods Messengers and they will do any or every Eâ—rand which he sends them about and trusts them with 'T is the duty and commendation of a Servant to do whatsoever he is commanded A mans servant must do all his Masters just and lawful commands he must not take up this or that command to do it and pass by the rest The Rule is plain Col. 3.22 Servants obey your Masters in all things Much more must a Servant of God obey him in all things Acts 13.22 I have found David a man after mine own heart he shall fulfill all my Will David was a trusty servant he was not like Saul who did the Lords work to halves The Clouds are trusty Servants they do whatsoever God commands them and we may distribute the commands which God gives the Clouds into two Ranks First The command of God to the Clouds is somtimes for the hurt oâ— punishment of man God threatens and he executes vengeance by the Clouds Ezek. 13.13 Winds conveigh the Clouds and the Clouds pour down overflowing showrs in the anger of God and great hail-stones in his fury to consume and ruine all before them Secondly Clouds execute the command of God in a way of favour as they execute his threatnings so they fulfil his promises Hos 2.21 22. Both these commands to the Clouds are expresly mentioned in the next verse I only touch them here Now forasmuch as the Clouds are here described under the notion of the prest and faithful Servants of God doing whatsoever he commands take these Inferences from it First If Clouds do whatsoever God commands them then surely Christians ought to do whatsoever Christ commands them Shall the Clouds of God out do the children of God in obedience We find that admonition often urged in the Scripture of the New Testament especially in the 13th of Mathew and in the 1st 2d and 3d Chapters of the Revelation He that hath ears to hear let him hear But behold a wonder they that have no ears hear The Clouds have no ears and yet they hear and more than hear they do the commands of God What shall we say when Clouds hear and obey and men do neither Let us learn Duty from the Clouds We are sent to the School of Nature in holy Scripture almost throughout Elihu seems to say Go to the Clouds O ye that are either slothful or disobedient consider their work and be wise they are continually doing whatsoever the Lord commands them Secondly If the Clouds do whatsoever God commands them then here 's matter of comfort to all who do what God commands them surely God will not command the Clouds to do them any hurt who are doing his commands If you can say that you do the commands of God you may rest assured God will never give the Clouds a command to do you hurt I do not say but an affliction may drop out of the Clouds upon a man that is doing the commands of God or the Clouds may have a command to drop affliction upon him that is doing the commands of God but the Clouds drop no hurt upon any that do the commands of God And therefore seeing the Clouds even those Clouds that carry Storms and Tempests Thunder and Lightning Snow Hail and Rain the great Rain of his strength seing I say these Clouds that are the Treasuries and Magazines of such terrible things are at the command of God let not his faithful people fear for when the Winds are Stormy when the Clouds are black and carry as we think nothing but wrath and death in them God will take care of â—hem and charge his Clouds to do them no harm Clouds whatsoever they are doing are doing Gods commands and doubtless he will not give them any commands for their hurt who keep and do his commands And as 't is matter of comfort to the faithful Servants of God that he commandeth the Clouds in the Air so that he also commands those Clouds which are raised in the hearts of men or that sit and appear in their faces and foreheads We often see Clouds gather in the Brows of displeased mortals As some are clouded with sorrow so others are clouded with anger and wrath Those black Clouds in the faces of men are as dreadful as the blackest Clouds in the Air yet the Lord who commands the Clouds in the Air commands the Clouds of anger and choler of wrath and indignation rising out of the hearts and appearing in the faces of men and can blow them over or blot them out whensoever he pleaseth Thirdly If the Lord by his commands orders the Clouds and the Clouds are ready to execute his commands then let us have high thoughts of the power of God and of his commands If men refuse the commands of God if the stout and hard hearts of men will not stoop to them the Clouds of Heaven yea the clods of the earth will Whatsoever God commands he will have it done not one title not one Iota as Christ spake of the Law shall fall short or fail or be unfulfilled If such and such will
to come to that place or person to that Nation or People to which himself hath appointed it He causeth it to come Whether for Correction or for his Land or for Mercy Here are three ends or purposes of God in communicating and commanding forth the Clouds and we may take those three ends two wayes The first of these and the last concern Man more specially the second concerns all other creatures both Plants and Beasts of the earth it concerns all from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hysop on the wall among the Plants and from the Lion to the Mouse or to the least of living or sensible creatures among the Beasts all wâ—ich God according to his Soveraign Power and Justice doth either comfoâ—t or afflict as he pleaseth Again The ends which God aimeth at respecting Man are either for Correction or for Mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sive ad virga◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sive in disciplinam First He causeth the Cloud with whatsoever is its burden Hail or Rain or Snow to unlade and disburden it self for correction The Hebrew is for a Rod so we put in the Margin A Rod is for correction therefore we translate for correction for disciâ—linâ— God sends tâ—â— Clouds to whip or discipline a people Fuâ—ther the wâ—â—d signifies a Rod under a twofold Notion Fiâ—â—t A Râ—â— or a Sâ—â—ff to smite or strike with in which sence it is called Prov. 22.15 The Rod of correction and at the 8th verse of the same Chap er The Rod of anger as also Isa 10.5 O Assâ—rian the Rod of mine anger saith God Here 's a Râ—d to smite with Secondly It signifies a Rod to govern with or to rule with and hence this word denotes the Scepter of a Prince The two great Emblems of Magistracy are a Sword and a Scepter The Scepter is in the fashion of a Rod or VVand which imports chastening and correction and from hence it was that the chief of the Tribes of the Children of Israel Numb 17.2 were commanded to take every one of them a Rod according to the house of their Fathers twelve Rods and to write every mans Name upon his Rod and lay them up in the Tabernacle of the Congregation c. Now those Rods given in by the Princes of the Tribes were as so many Emblems of their Power and Authority because to the chief Magistrate the punishment of the faults and miscarriages of all under his government did belong And hence the same word signifies a Magistratical Rod or Scepter of Government and a Tribe or whole Family under the Rod oâ— Scepter of a Governour because as Rods or Bâ—anches gâ—ow from one Root so many Tribes or Families from one Father thus the Twelve Tribes of Israel spâ—ung from Jacob. And that 's the Reason why the Latine Translator renders this place not as we whether for correction but Whether for a Tribe the meaning of which reading Whether for a Tribe or for his Land is thus given VVhether it be for one particular place or for the whole Country or earth in general as will further appear in opening those words For his Land This Translation of the Vulgar Latine and the Inteâ—pretation given upon it sutes well with that of the Prophet 〈◊〉 4.7 where the Lord saith I caused it to 〈◊〉 upon one City and not upon another Here was Rain for a Tribe and not for his Land not an universal Rain all the Land over he causeth it to rain upon one City not upon ano her upon one Tribe not upon another that 's a good sence and the word will bear it Yet I rather take it here for a Rod which imports chastening or correcting as we translate Whether it be for Correction They that carryed the Rod or the Scepter had also the power of correction in their hand as was toucht before and that may be one Reason why when God sent Moses to Pharaoh Exod. 4.17 upon that great Message the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt he commanded him to take his Rod in his hand which Rod held out these two things First that Mâ—ses came not as a private man to him but like a Prince like an Embassador from the great King or like one whom he had appointed to take upon him the government of that people with a Scepter in his hand Secondly to let Pharaoh know that as God sent him with a power or cloathed him with a Commission to treat with him so with a power to scourge or plague him even with ten Plagues As if the Lord had said O Pharaoh Seest thou this Rod in the hand of my servant Moses assure thy self thou shalt have stroke upon stroke plague upon plague if thou wilt not let my people go But of that by the way He causeth it to come for correction or for a Rod. Hence note God can correct us by any of his Creatures He can make any thing a Rod he can make nearest Relations a Rod. A Son is somtimes a Rod to his Father how often have miscarrying and undutiful children been made a Rod of correction to their Parents and they are usually so when Parents have not duly corrected their children for their undutifulness and miscarriges What are cruel men but Rods to other men Some men have been the scourges of Mankind Attila once a great Commander in War and King of the Hunnes was called The Rod or the Scourge of God Flagellum Dei And so God himself called the Assyrian the Rod of his anger Isa 10.5 David called all wicked men in gâ—â—â— the Sword of God in his prayer for deliverance from them Psal 17 1â— â—â— Deliver my soul from the wicked thy sword from men which are thy hand O Lord thy correcting hand men ordain'd for Judgment and establisht for Corâ—â—â—tion as the Prophet spake of the Chaldeans Hab. 1.12 Who have their portion in this life And as the Lord makes men so the Beasts of the earth a Rod for the correction of Man Thus the Lord threatned by his Prophet I will send among them Sword and Pestilence and noysome Beasts Here in the Text we have a Rod made of a Cloud a strange kind of Rod I 'le send it for a Rod it shall come for correction Parents correct their children wiâ—h Rods God corrects the world with Floods first with unseasonable secondly with superfluous Rains O what severe corrections hath God laid upon the world by the Clouds The Clouds have been terrifying destroying Rods Exod. 9.18 23. Clouds have destroyed the Fruits of the earth for the sin of Man and taken away the hopes of the Harvest Rain from the Clouds hath ruined the dwellings of men and spoyled boâ—h Coâ—n and Cattel Rain from the Clouds was that overflowing scourge which destroyed the whole earth in the dayes of Noah then God caused the Cloud to come I cannot say for correction but for ruine for an universal ruine and devastation And as God then made the
the Rain-bow for this is as the waters of Noah for as I have sworn the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth which was signified by the Rain bow so have I sworn that I will be no more wrath with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed any more saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Then follows O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faâ—r colours and thy foundations with saphiers and I will make thy windows of agats and thy gates of carbuncles As if he had said though I â—â—â—e hid my face yet I wil return for this is as the waters of Noah that is I have as certainly resolved in my self that this unnatural flood shall not drown thee as I once promised and am so resolved still that the natural flood shall never drown the world again and mark how he expresseth it as I have sworne When we read the history in Genesis it is not said that the Lord swore but the Lord to shew that his word is as good as his oath tells us that what he spake to Noah was as if he had sworn it especially seeing he gave such a sign for the performance of it I might shew from other Scriptures that God is sometimes represented swearing when yet we read of no oath formally given It is said Exod. 32.13 God sware to Abraham and his Seed to which the Apostle refers Heb. 6.13 17. God confirmed it by an oath yet if we look those scriptures Gen. 12.2 3. Ch. 15.7 Ch. 17.7 we find only the Lord said c. The Lords saying is as good that is as sure as his swearing and shall as certainly be performed For a conclusion of this matter let it be remembred that the Lord by causing the light of his Cloud to shine at first gave and still gives a sign or a seal to strengthen faith Signs and seals are appendices to the Covenant or great Charter of all our mercies Signs and seales are visible words God speaks by them to the eye I will set my Bow in the Cloud God saith the Bow shall be a sign he also hath made Water a sign in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme and he hath made Bread and Wine signes in the holy Sacrament of the Supper God hath been pleased from the beginning so far to condescend to mans weakness as to give him not only his Word or Promise but Signes to confirm it And therefore did the Lord give a sign because as himself hath both an all-sufficient power and full purpose to performe his promise so he would have the faith of all that are under the Covenant well assured of his faithfulness in performing it Thus we see the spiritual usefulness of this interpretation taking the light of his Cloud for that illustrious sign the Rain-bow set by God in the Cloud and most fitly called the light shining in his Cloud which he doth not cause to shine ordinarily or every day as the Sun doth but at special times testifying his eminent favour to some and his care over all mankind Knowest thou when he caused the light of his Cloud to shine Elihu proceeds further with Job upon interrogatories Vers 16. Dost thou know the ballancing of the Clouds the wonderful work of him that is perfect in knowledge Here 's another question The general scope of all these questions was handled before I shall now only poynt at that which this question specially aymes at Mr. Broughton reads Dost thou know the poysing of the thick vapours This is a wonderful woâ—k of God The Clouds are huge ponderous bodies who is able to guess how much a Cloud weighs Librationes nubis appellat eleganter meo quidem judicio cum in aere appensae velut librantur a Domino Merc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertitur libramenta a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponderavit ad trutinam direâ—it mutata ט in ש yet God ballanceth the Clouds he as it were puts them into scales and knows what they weigh he so orders them that one part doth not over-power the other but both hang with an even poise in the air this is a wonderful work of God Dost thou know how God doth this or how he makes the Clouds bigger or lesser how he placeth them higher or lower according to the service and use to which he hath appoynted them Can any man do this Can any man fully understand how such vast bodies as the Clouds should be poised or ballanced how they hover over our heads and are kept from falling upon us We must have recourse to the wisdome and pâ—wer of God for this Dost thou know the ballancing of the Clouds Hence we may infer First If man knoweth not the ballancing of the Clouds then much less can he ballance them And Secondly Note 'T is by a divine power that the Clouds are upheld and ballanced All heavy things tens downward what then but God keeps the Clouds up which are so heavy 'T is a wonder that we have not Seas of waters rather than showers poured upon us from the Clouds They that travaile far at Sea see the Rain coming down by spouts or like a flood in some places and certainly the Clouds would come down every where like a stood if God did not hold them up From which particular instance Elihu would have us take up this general truth that All things are kept in an even ballance by the wisdome and power of God The things of the world if God did not ballance them how would they tumble and fall awry yea run to ruine were there not a ballancing operation in the arm of God over all the affairs and businessess of men what a hudle and confusion would all be in We read in Scripture of foure things which God is said to weigh or to ballance they are all very considerable First It is said God weigheth the waters Job 28.25 which may be understood not only of the waters above in the Clouds but of the waters also in the Sea he knows to a dram to a grain how much all the waters weigh Secondly Which are also vast things It is said Isa 40.12 He weigheth the mountains in scales the hills in a ballance And as both these are true taken litterally so they are true also if you take them mystically or metaphorically St John was shewed the judgment of the great whore in a vision who sitteth upon many waters Rev. 17.1 Who are meant by waters is explained there v. 15. even Peoples and Multitudes Nations and Tongues The people of the world are compared to waters and well they may foâ— their instability Vnstable they are as water Gen. 49.4 and for their aptness to swell and rise up into floods Now the Lord weigheth these mysticall Waters Multitudes and Nations he knows
that man be swallowed up who over-boldly speaks to God about the great mysteries of providence or about any matter too high for him And therefore O Job thou hast not done well to speak so often of pleading with God and surely if any man after thy example speak complainingly of what God hath done or himself hath suffered at the hand of God he is sure to be undone He shall be swallowed up Hence observe Man is not able to bear the Glory and Majesty of God God dwels in the light which no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 Mans darkness is not able to comprehend Gods light if he venture too near it he will soon be swallowed up The vulgar Latine renders that place Proverbs 25.27 He that is a searcher of Majesty shall be oppressed by the Glory Qui perscâ—utator est â—â—â—â—statis â—â—â—â—metura giâ—â—iâ— Vulg. that is whosoever searcheth boldly into the Majesty of God shall be swallowed up by the Glory of God We translate that text in the Proverbs thus For men to search their own glory is no glory There is a truth in the former translation though it be not a true translation for a man that searcheth into the Majesty of God shall be overpowered with his Glory And as man is soon overpowered or swallowed up by the Majesty of God so also by and in the Mysteries of God Ch â—â—â— told his disciples John 16.12 That he had many things to say unto them which they were not able to bear If they who had received so much grace could not bear the deeper mysteries of the Gospel spoken to them by Christ cloathed with frail flesh how much lesse can any man bear the Majesty oâ— God in speaking to him or God speaking to him in his Majesty And so some translate and read the words of Elihu in the text under hand For if he speak man shall be devoured or swallowed up that is if God speak man who before thought himself Some-body or that he was able to reason with him will be quite confounded in himself by the infinite wisdom of God his tongue will faulter or cleave to the roof of his mouth and he rendered unable to speak one word in his own defence Moses Exod. 19.12 was commanded to set bounds about Mount Horeb that the people might not come too neer the reason was that the people might by those bounds be warned not to be curious or over-bold in their approaches to the Majesty of God nor over-busie in prying into his Secrets As if it had been said if you come to near you will be even swallowed up Moses repeating to the Israelites the terrible Majesty of God in giving the Law at Mount Horeb minds them in what a trembling frame they then were Deut. 5.24 25 26. And ye said behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire we have seen this day that God doth talk with man and he liveth which implieth that man in this life cannot bear the fuller manifestation of God and live Now therefore why should we die for this great fire will consume us if we hear the voice of God any more then we shall die What was this great fire It was God himself that is an extraordinary appearance of God who is several times in Scripture exprest by fire As if they had said We acknowledge that we have had wonderful condescention and mercy from God that we have heard him speak and live but that we live is not only a mercy but a miracle therefore we poor wormes dare not run the hazzard a second time if we hear him speak any more we shall die Therefore they desired Moses who in that was a type of Christ Gal. 3.19 to go near and be as a Mediator between them and God that they might not have to do with God immediately but receive the Law by his hand Such is the infinite Majesty of God though it will be our blessednesse in the next life for ever to enjoy it that here in this Life we are not able to receive it The Glory of God is so pure that man cloathed with corruptible flesh blood cannot sta d before it the very glimpses of it astonish and leave us for dead Rev. 1.16 17. Man must dye before he can see God and live his body must be glorified before he can bear that weight of glory which consists in beholding the face of God or in knowing him in our proportion as we are known 1 Cor. 13.12 But though as the Israelites there said of themselves we cannot hear God speak and live yet cannot we speak to God and live or and not be swallowed up I answer it in these three things First If a man speak to God as questioning his dealings with him or as calling God to an accâ—â—nt â—hich in somâ—â—ence Job did and therein went beyond â—i liâ—e 〈◊〉 shâ—ll be â—allowed up Secondly 〈…〉 â—k to God as presuming that he can câ—â—◠〈…〉 â—nd Goâ— oâ— all â—he dealings of God with 〈…〉 suâ—â—ly be swallowed up The thoughts of 〈…〉 â—hâ—â—ghâ—s and his wayes aâ—â—ve our wayes as h gh â—s the 〈…〉 â—bâ—ve the earth Isa 55.9 Thi â—ly 〈…〉 speak to God in our own name or in a self-right 〈…〉 â—â—n also we shall surely be swallowed up Job aâ— we hâ—vâ—â—â—â—uiâ—â—eâ— him before never attempted to speak to God in his own rigâ—â—eousnesse though he often magnified his own righteousnesse both befo e and towards men Woe to all the righteousnesse of man before the most righteous God But Job was too bold according to the first answer in asking an account or a reason of God concerning his sufferings there was his failing and for that he received this check by Elihu If a man speak he shall be swallowed up The meanest the poorest believing soul may come and speak and speak boldly to God in the name of J sus Christ Heb. 4.16 Thus we may come and welcome coâ—ing thus we sâ—all noâ— be â— allowed up with the Mâ—jâ—sty much lâ—sse â—ith the wrath or displeasure of God If coming thus we aâ—e swallowed up it will be only wiâ—h the love and favouâ— of God â—ith the gâ—odnâ—sse and kindnesse of God And to be swallâ—wed â—p thus will be the sweetest morsel that ever we swallowed even perfect blessednesse and life for evermore Whâ—n once death is swallowed up in victoâ—y and mortality of liâ—e thâ—n shall we be swallowed up in gloâ—y And theâ—efore whatsoever the Lord doth with us or ours in this world let us be silent befoâ—e him humbly adoring his Soveraignty and Wisdom not in the least questioning either his Righteousnesse or his Goodnesse for if a man speak so Surâ—ely he shall be dreadfully swallowed up JOB Chap. 37. Vers 21 22. 21. And now men see not the bright light which is in the Clouds but the wind passeth and cleanseth them 22. Fair weather cometh out of the
in general any laudable or praise-worthy thing With God all that is which is worthy to be and ought to be commended praised honoured by men and Angels We translate well With God is Majesty Others With God is praise Jacob saith of Judah the Kingly Tribe Gen. 49.8 Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise The Vulgar Latine expresseth it thus With God is fearfull praise Some read the words as a Doxology or giving of glory unto God not as we With God is terrible Majesty but unto God be reverent or terrible Majesty that is let the Glory and Majesty of God be acknowledged in all these things which have been spoken of in all those strange changes and impressions which he works in the air and which are obvious unto the eyes of the Children of men With God is Majesty with God is praise or unto God be praise for all his works and not only praise and Majesty but Terrible Majesty Majesty to be feared to be reverenced to be dreaded to be trembled at With God is terrible Majesty Hence note First Majesty belongs eminently unto God With God is Majesty As the Scripture speaking of power saith Power belongeth unto God Psal 62.11 that is properly and fundamentally all power is in God what-ever power is in the Creature it is but a derivative from Gods power So Majesty is originally and fundamentally in God what-ever the Majesty of the Kings and Princes of this world is it is but a stream a ray issuing from the Majesty of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnificentia 70. as the Greek version hath it from his Magnificence We may discern the Majesty of God in every thing that he is or is spoken of him The Majesty of God is in his Greatnesse his is a Great Majesty The Majesty of God is in his Highnesse his is a High Majesty The Majesty of God is in his honour his is a most honourable Majesty the Majesty of God is in his Word he speaks with Majesty his is a most Majestical Word the Majesty of God is in Works Majesty is stampt and printed upon all that he doth What shall I say there is Majesty in the Wisdom of God and Majesty in the Justice of God and Majesty in the Goodness of God and Majesty in the Power of God there is Majesty in the Love of God and there is Majesty in the Wrath of God there is Majesty in the Truth and Faithfulness of God every thing God hath hath a Majesty in it therefore he is said Psal 93.1 to be clothed with Majesty Psal 96.6 Honour and Majesty are before him I saith David Psal 145.5 will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wonderous works Every-where the Scripture sets forth the Majesty the wonderful Majesty of God Note Secondly Gods Majesty is a terrible Majesty The Majesty of Kings is dreadful and terrible but I may say the Majesty of Kings the Majesty of Solomon and of Ahashuerus the Majesty of Nebuchadnezzar and of Alexander either first in their Robes or secondly in their Buildings or thirdly in their Feastings or fourthly in their Followers and Attendants which four do chiefly hold out the Majesty of Princes is but a mean thing a very little thing a nothing in comparison of the Majesty the Glorious Majesty the terrible Majesty of God His is a terrible Majesty indeed And therefore they are rebuked Isa 26.10 Who will not behold the Majesty of the Lord. What not behold such a dreadful Majesty such a terrible Majesty The Scripture sets forth not only the Majesty but the terribleness of the Majesty of God read at leisure Deut. 7.21 Nehem. 9.32 Psal 47.2 Therefore say unto God how terrible art thou in thy works Pâ— 66.3 Say this unto God for vers 5. He is terrible in his doings toward the children of men even to all sorts of men to the great as well as to the small to the high as well as to â—he low to Princes as well as to the People Psal 76.12 He is terrible to the Kings of the earth God is terrible in his Majesty to those who have the most terrible majesty And as the Lord can appear terrible out of all places so he is most terrible out of his holy places Psal 68.35 that is terrible Judgments are sent by God out of his Sanctuaries or holy places upon all them who prophane or despise who pollute or abuse â—his holy things Take these two Inferences from the consideration of the terrible Majesty of God First We need not fear the terribleness of any creature while we have the terrible Majesty of God with us As he hath been so still he is as the Prophet spake Isa 25.4 5. A strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall And therefore the Prophet concluded in the latter end of the 5th verse The branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low Secondly If God hath such terrible Majesty then as it is a comfort to his people against the terrible ones so what a terrour should this be to those who are not his people especially to those who are openly rebellious who kick against his Majesty and will not behold with reverence the Majesty of the Lord Let them remember With God is terrible Majesty The Pâ—ophet foretels a day wherein the Majesty of the Lord will terrifie the most potent sinners and make them at their wits end Isa 2.10 12 19 21. Enter into the Rock and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low it shall be upon the Cedars of Lebanon c. that is upon those that are high like the Cedars of Lebaâ—an and strong like the Oaks of Bashan And they shall go into the holes of the Rocks and into the caves of the earth c. And why all this the Text answers vers 19. For fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he shall arise to shake terribly the earth O the terribleness of Gods Majesty to all those who tremble not at his Majesty to the proud who are lifted up in their own thougâ—ts who are high in their own imaginations yea the Majesty of the Lo d will be terrible to all impenitent sinners in that day I may say moâ—e distinctly in these four dayes First In the day of Conscience or when their own Consciences are a terrour to them How sad is it for a man to have God and his own Conscience terâ—ible to him at once When sinners are awakned when God sets their sins in order before them they are a terrour to themselves as it is said of Pashur Jer. 20.3 The
God what he is he ever was and ever will be there is neither encrease nor diminution of his strength But because things which are alwayes encreasing grow to a huge bigness and strength therefore he is said to encrease in strength or as our translation imports to excel in power He that excels in power is excellent in power The word rendred power implieth the power of doing the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of activity a power put forth in working he is excellent in power that is in ability to do whatsoever he pleaseth and when 't is said he is excellent in power in this kind of power iâ— notes that the power of God in doing doth wonderfully excel all thaâ— ever he hath done Ejus virtus in infinitum excedit omnes effectus suos Aquin. The effects or acts of the power of God are nothing as I may say to the faculty of his Power he can do more than he hath done He is so far from having over-acted himself I mean from having done more than he can do again which hath been the case of many mighty men and may be the case of any man how mighty a doer soever he is that he can do infinitely more than he hath done if he himself pleaseth he is excellent in power or of excelling power I have as was lately said opened this point of the power of God in other places of this Book whither I refer the Reader yet taking the power of God as the word is properly here intended for his working power Note The working power of God is excellent so excellent that it exceeds the apprehension of man There is a two-fold power of God and in both he is excellent First His commanding power his power of Soveraignty or Authority that 's a most excellent power 't is a power over all whether things or persons Secondly His power of working or effecting that which he commands Some have a power of commanding yet want a power of working they want a power to effect that which they command but whatsoever God hath a mind to command he hath an hand to effect and bring it about he can carry on his work through all the difficulties and deficiencies which it meets with in or by the creature He can do his woâ—k though there be none to help him in it though all forsake him and with-draw from his work yea he often worketh though there be not so much as an Intercessor to move him to work Isa 59.16 He saw that there was no man to do any thing and wondered that there was no Intercessor to entreat him to do somewhat for them Things were in a great exigency and there was not only no man that would put forth a hand but there was no man that would bestow a word for redress no man would bespeak either God or men for help What then must the work stand still or miscarry no saith the text His own arm brought salvation unto him that is set it ready at hand for him to bestow upon his people or his own arm brought that salvation to his people which they greatly needed and he graciously intended though he had not the contribution of a word towards it from any creature here below one or other God alone is self-sufficient and to man All-sufficient Such is the working power of God that he can work not only when he hath but a little help but when he hath no help at all Secondly The excellency of the woâ—king power of God appears in this that he can and will pâ—oduce the desired effect and bring his work to pass though many though all men oppose it and rise up against it though they set both heart and hand wit and will power and pollicy to cross yea to crush it The Lord is so excellent in power that he both can and will do his work through all opposition though mountains stand in his way though rocks stand in his way he will remove them or work through them Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it Neither strength nor craft neither multitude nor magnitude neither the many nor the mighty can lett it if the Lord undertake it Take a double Inference from this First 'T is matter of great comfort to all that fear God in their weakest condition and lowest reducements when they are fatherless and have none to help them As the Lord is excellent in his woâ—king power so he usually takes that time yea stayes that time till his servants are under the greatest disadvantages till they are at worst before he will put forth his power and work The Apostle saith of himself 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong that is then have I the strength of the Lord coming into my help And as it is with respect to particular persons so to the whole generation of his children when they are weak then are they strong that is then they have the strong God the God excellent in power appearing and working for them Secondly This alâ—o is a sad word to all that stand in the way of Gods working power His working power quickly works through all power and can work it down Babylon is a mighty powerful enemy but Rev. 18.8 we read of the downfal of Babylon and that her ruine shall come as in one day But how shall this be effected The answer is given in the close of the verse For strong is the Lord God which Judgeth her Suppose there should be no power in the world strong enough to pull down Babylon yea suppose all the powers in the woâ—ld should stand up foâ— Babylon 't is otherwise prophesied for the Kings of the earth shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and eate her flesh and burn her with fire but suppose I say all earthly power should appear for rather than against Babylon yet this is enough for us to rest in strong is the Lord which Judgeth her He is excellent in power and as it followeth In Judgment This comes in lest any should think because God is so excelent in power so mighty in strength that therefore he would carry things by violence or by meer force as the sons of men the mighty Nimrods of the world somtimes do If they have strength and power to do such or such things they regard not Judgment nor Justice they look not whether right or wrong therefore Elihu when he had said God is excellent in power presently adds and in Judgment As if he had said Though the Lord excel all in power and is able to crush the mightyest as a moth yet he will not oppress any by his power the worst of men shall find the Lord as much in judgment and righteousness as he is in strength and power And therefore O Job be assured God hath not done thee any wrong nor ever will This I conceive to be the scope of Elihu in the connexion of these two
thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence This is the Judgment of reformation which God hath and will further work among his people till Sion be built up in perfect beauty and Jerusalem become the praise of the whole earth Thus also God is excellent both in power and in Judgment Fourthly Judgment signifies those evills which God brings upon impenitent sinners that 's a very frequent notion of Judgment in Scripture and the Lord is excellent in this Judgment and that First Upon his own people when they provoke him and sin against him 1 Pet. 4.17 If Judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel There 's Judgment beginning at the house of God that is God will bring evill upon his own house the Church even sore troubles and persecutions The Lord will not spare them who have been slight with him forgetfull of him formal in profession or wanton and vaine in conversation This is a great part of the Lords excellency in Judgment he brings Judgment upon his own house The Lord saith the Prophet Isa 5.16 shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness that is in bringing his righteous Judgments upon Israel his peculiar people We find that Gospel Prophet Isaiah often interweaving the wyre and whipcord of corporal bondage with the silk and scarlet thread of Sions dâ—liverances Secondly In Judgment towards his enemies Psal 149.9 He will execute on them the Judgment that is written and that is no inconsiderable nor easie Judgment The servants of God may smart sorely under these Judgments but the wicked and rebellious shall perish and sink under them How dreadfull is that profession or protestation which the Lord made by Moses Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold of Judgment I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me Some possibly may object Surely there is no such appearance of Gods excellency in Judgment upon the wicked of the woâ—ld the enemies of his name and wayes It grew to a Proverb Mal. 2.17 Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of Judgment Evill men seem to be good in the eyes of the Loâ—d when they enjoy good and if it be so said some Where is the God of Judgment I answer First the Lord hath left testimony enough upon Record and written it in the blood of many thouâ—ands to justifie himself that he is excellent in Judgment by taking vengeance on the wicked Did he not excell in Judgment upon the sinning Angels 2 Pet. 2.8 Jude 6. was he not excellent in Judgment when he destroyed the whole world for sin when he burnt Sodom and Gomorrah with fire for sin How many instances might I give of this from Scripture God hath sufficiently declared himself excellent in this punitive Judgment I answer Secondly God indeed doâ—h not presently execute Jâ—dgment upon all the wicked we shoâ—ld rather be lead by sence than by faith if he should do so if he should smite sinners as soon as they provoke him yea if God should take that course he must even break the world to peices and destroy whole generations at once Thirdly God suffers sinners a while that his councels may be fulfilled for though the wicked obey not the command of God yet they fulfill the councel of God Acts 4.28 and they do it chiefly when he with-holdeth Judgment from them Fourthly Unless the Lord did a little give stop to the execution of Judgment in this kind it would neither appear how good nor how bad some men are Let some have but a little power in their hands and the world at will then you shall see whither they will go and what they will do And wâ—en bad men are suffered to go on unpunished and to be a punishment to others then it appears more fully how good some are and that in a twofold respect First because they refraine from evill though they see that they also possibly might do it impune and not suffer in this world Secondly because â—hey hold fast both theiâ— profession and practise of Godliness how much soever they suffer for it in this world from evill men Fifthly God is executing Judgments upon wicked men while he seems to spare them from judgment Pro. 1.32 The prosperity of fools slayeth them Sâ—me think a wicked mâ—n is mighâ—ily favoured when he is in prosperity no that prosperity is his destruction and destruction is Judgment in perfection The table of a wicked man is made his snare his full table faâ—tens his heart which is the sorest of all judgments To be unâ—ensible is worse than any punishment of sense to be hardned or heartned in doing evill is more penall than the suffering of any evill Now while wicked men escape the suffering of evill they grow resolved that is hardned and heartned in doing iâ— or to do it Take Solomons observation or experience in the caâ—e Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed upon themselves or others therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully sâ—t in them to do mischief So then there are many invisible judgmen s upon wicked men when we see no hand touch them nor judgment neer them God giveâ— them up to vile affections and to a reprâ—baâ—e mind Rom. 1.26 28. to their own counsels Psal 81.12 and to strong dâ—lusâ—oâ—â— by â—â—hers 2 Thes 2.11 Theâ—e heavy loads oâ— judgment may be on their hearts upon whose backs we see not sâ— much as a gaine weight of judgment Thus the Lord is excellâ—nt in judgment in all the notions of it I have inâ—â—anced fouâ—e Now lâ—st any should think that God at any time breaks the rule of justice in his zeale for this latter sort of judgment or while he is powring out vengeance upon the wicked therefore it follâ—ws in the next place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in plenty of Justice God executes great wrath upon sinners but there is gâ—eat Justice Justitiâ— est constâ—ns perpetua voluntas suum cuique tribuendi Justin plenty of Justice in it There is store â—nd abundance of justice and righteousness in his most rigorous juâ—gments A little justice is a most precious thing how precious then is plenty of jâ—stice Justice in it self is the giving of every one his due and where justice is in any man it constanâ—ly bends and enclines his heart to do so his especially with whom there is as in God plenty of justice And indeed what-ever God hath he haâ—h plenty of it He hath mercy and plenty of it he iâ— plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 Aâ—d with him iâ— pleâ—teous redemption Pâ—al 130.7 There is also plenty of justice in him Some men have no Justice at all in them though their
be feared because he is so gracious and full of compassion even while he doth afflict There is mercy with God not to afflict that 's sparing mercy and therefore he is to be feared there is mercy also with God in moderating our afflictions that 's sparing mercy too and therefore he is to be feared The graciousness of God manifested somtimes in sparing to afflict us and often in afflicting us sparingly should move us to fear him both greatly and alwayes and if sparing mercy should move us to fear him then much more should forgiving and pardoning mercy When the Lord Exod. 34.6 7. Passed by before Moses and proclaimed The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin c. At this proclamation of grace Moses vers 8. made haste and bowed his head towards the earth and worshipped How graceless then are they who when they hear that God is gracious merciful and abundant in goodness fear him not but grow wanton and abuse his kindness Now they who fear God upon the due consideration either of his power or goodness find their hearts First Much enlarged in the service of God or in doing the work and walking in the wayes of God Isa 60.5 Secondly This fear keeps their hearts to a close communion with God Jer. 32.32 I will put my fear in their heart and they shall not depart from me We usually not only depart but run from those whom we fear but the true fear of God Covenant-fear makes us cling about and keep close to him Thirdly This fear keeps up good thoughts and high estimations of God in the worst times or when he is pleased to bring the greatest troubles upon us An Israelite indeed who feareth the Lord and his goodness Hos 3.5 will say let God do what he will with him Truly God is good to Israel Psal 73.1 Let us consider whether we have these effects of a gracious fear working in our hearts upon the remembâ—ance both of the power and mercy of God Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise in heart These words as was touched before press the former duty of fearing God inferred from the greatness and excellency of his power judgment jâ—stice and mercy yet further upon us As if he â—ad said Men do therefore fear him Why Because He respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is in general he respects none who are so wise or wise in such a way as not to fear him upon those fore-mentioned grounds He respecteth not The word is seeth not There is an elegant paranomisie in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—imerâ— the words which signifie to fear and to respect or see being very near in sound God doth not see them with respect who do not see him with fear He seeth not any that are wise in heart It cannot be meant of the ordinary sight of the eye that he seeth not the wise in heart God seeth clearly who they are Nor can it be meant of the common apprehension of the mind that he knoweth not the wise in heart God understands fully what they are It must be meant then of a seeing with liking or special approbation God seeth not the wise in heaâ—t so as to like or app ove them Our translation is full and clear to that fence He respecteth â—ot oâ— he regardeth not any that are wise in heart that is he takes no notice of them they are not pleasing to him Or thus He respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is as they fear not him so he is not afraid of them He respecteth not any that are Wise in heart Oâ— wâ—se of heart But some may say Doth not God respect nor regard doth noâ— he take notice of those that are wise of heart Whom then doth he respect or regard of whom will he take notice if not of the wise in heart Hath the Lord any respect for fooles for ignorant men for ideots for sotts Surely men that are wise in heart are not only very amiable but honourable in the eyes of God Why then is it said He respecteth not any that are wise in heart I answer The wise in heart are of two sorts First there are some wise in heart who are so only in their own opinion in their own conceits or eyes they have great thoughts of their own wisdom and therefore as they are apt to despise men so they are far from the fear of God There is a wisdom in some men opposed to the fear of God whereas true wisdome in any man is the beginning of that fear as that fear is called the beginning of wisdom Psal 111.10 Qui sibi videntur esse sapientes Vulg. The vulgar Latine varie h the formeâ— part of the verse yet renders this latter part by way of glosâ— rather than translation They that seem to themselves to be wise and indeed the wise in heart whom God respecteth not are the proudly wise the selfishly wise such as are wise only in themselves and to themselves such as have only that wisdom which the Apostle calleth the wisdom of the flesh or the carnal mind Rom. 8.7 which is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed till mortified can be He that is carnally wise disputes the commands of God and takes the boldness to censure his works such wise men God respecteth not yea they are under his greatest disrespect Secondly Others are truly wise graciously wise wise for their souls wise for heaven wise for happiness submitting their wisdom to the will of God and doing his will They that are thus wise in heart the Lord respects and highly respects how can he do otherwise seeing this is the character of God himself Job 9.4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength And as God is wise in heart so according to their line and measure they that are godly are wise in heart too Therefore taking our translation the wise in heart intended by Elihu must needs be those that are only carnally wise politickly wise naâ—urally wise that is wickedly wise or at best vainly or vain-gloriously wise Further should we take the wise in heart for those that are truly wise graciâ—usly wise yet it must be acknoâ—ledged that even â—hey may so mis-behave themselves as to miss present respect from God And doubtless Elihu observing that Job had spoken somewhat highly of himself and did not carry it humbly enough under the hand of God though his spirit was broken and brought down at last checks him here by telling him God respecteth not any that are wise in heart no not him in that case and frame of spirit as lifted up in his own wisdom Yea Taking wise in heart in this best sence for the graciously wise it is not for their wisdom and holiness that God respecteth or favoureth them As he will
not chastise them without cause nor correct them but for their good so when he doth them good or raiseth them up when he sheweth them any favour or giveth them any mercy he doth it not for their wisdom-sake or holiness-sake but for his Sons-sake or for his own Name-sake Acts of favour from God are purely from his free grace not from any desert in man so that every way his mercy is from himself and undeserved by us He respecteth not any that are wise in heart First As the wise in heart stand in opposition to those that fear God spoken of before being so stout that they do not humble themselves in his fear Note True wisdom is alwayes joyned with the fear of God Yea as Job concluded Chap. 28.28 The fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil which none do but they who fear the Lord is understanding Secondly Note God regardeth no man for his wisdom who doth not fear him Let men be never so learned and wise never so prudent and politick if they have not the true fear of God before their eyes he values them not he will not cast an eye of favour upon them they shall have no countenance with him no honour from him The most wise the only wise God cares not for the wisest of men who stand so much upon their own understanding as to stout it out with him He is not at all moved unless to displeasure by their wisdom who are puffed up with a conceit of their wisdom Thirdly When 't is said He respecteth not any that are wise in heart Note Wisdom without the fear of God will do no man good at last nor can it keep him off from evil Let no man think by his wisdom policy or subtilty to keep himself out of the reach of God If men will not fear and honour him he knoweth well enough how to deal with them and to recover his honour upon them Note Fourthly Let men be as wise and crafty as they will God is not afraid of them as if they could do him any hurt or spoil his designes as if they could out-wit him and over-throw his counsels Some take upon them as if they by their wisedom could hinder Gods purposes and counter-work him as if they could over-reach or undermine him We are much afraid of wise men If such a wise man if such a head-piece be against us we think surely he will works us a great deal of mischeife When David found his son Absalom rebelling against him and Achitophel joyning with him he prayed that God would turn his counsell into foolishness 2 Sam. 15.31 David feared that Achitophels going over to Absalom might have carryed the whole business against him But God doth not regard a whole conclave of Achitophels he cares not a straw for their plottings and contrivings The Lord is so far from fearing the counsels of the wise in heart that he can destroy them by their own wisdome and not only undoe their counsels but undoe them by their counsels The pit which they have digged they shall fall into it themselves and be entangled in the lime-twiggs which they have set up for others All this the holy Prophet intended when he said of God Isa 44.25 He frustrateth the tokens of the lyers and maketh the diviners mad He turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish Diviners grow mad when they see things issuing quite contrary to their predictions and expectations He that can destroy the wise with their own wisdom needs not fear the wisdom of the wisest 'T is the noblest way of vanquishing an enemy when we wound him with his own weapons and turn his own Artillery upon him Thus God dealeth with the wise in heart they are nothing in his hands they cannot put the least stop to what he hath a purpose to do but he can put a stop to all their purposes The foolishness of God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.25 is wiser than men He saith also in the third Chapter of the same Epistle vers 19. The wisdome of this world is foolishness with God for it is w iâ—â—en and that writing is taken out of this Book of Job Châ—p 5.13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness And again The Lâ—rd knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine and vain he knoweth them to be in a twofold respect First because sinfâ—ll or evill in themselves Secondly because he knows how to make them barren or abortive successless and ineffectual unto the wise So that they all become like most Adventurers at a Lottery going out with their hearts full of hopes but returning with their hands full of blanks Disappoyntment Disappoyntment being written upon all their counsels and undertakings Again Taking the wise in heart for those who are truly wise godly wise Learn Fifthly God will not forbear when he seeth cause to afflict those who are indeed the wisest and holiest of men Let no man think that because he is wise or holy he must not therefore be touched or medled with Some conceive the chief design of writing this Book was to let us see this truth That let men be never so holy never so upright or godly yet they must not claime priviledge from the cross nor complain when they are under it that God deals not well with them In this Job over-acted supposing there was no cause why such a man as he should have such severe chastenings and rebukes but let men be never so wise never so good God may see cause to lay his chastening rods upon them and had the Lord nothing else to say for it his soveraignty will bear him out in it against the best of men The clay must neither say to the Potter why hast thou made me so nor why hast thou marr'd me so Be silent O all flesh good as well as bad before the Lord. Lastly Observe What-ever favour what-ever mercy God bestoweth upon the holiest and wisest of men he doth it not with respect to any wisdome holiness or goodness in them but for his own Name sake or because he will He respecteth not the wise in heart No man can merit the least favour from God his is free grace All good cometh to us through the Son of his love and it was meerly of his love that ever his Son came to us and dyed for us Therefore let us not say such a one was a good man such a one was an holy man therefore it was so and so with him As what we are or can do cannot oblige him when he sees cause from giving us correction so he is un-obliged as to what we are or can do in giving us salvation whether temporal or eternal He respecteth not the wise in heart There are yet two other readings of the words which I shall set before the Reader and then conclude all The word which we translate respecteth Is certe non invenit sapientes quoscunque
looks to him that is poor in spirit or of a contrite spirit let such be in Rags and lye upon the Dunghil the Lord will look to them and he hath a threefold look for them First A look of honour as respecting their Persons Secondly A look of care to supply their wants Thirdly A look of justice to deliver them from wrong And if they that are poor in spirit be rich also in the world they shall not fail to receive right from the hand of the Lord. The Lord giveth right to all sorts of men against their wicked oppressors but his poor the Godly poor believing poor those that are poor not only in purse but in spirit are more peculiarly under this priviledge of being righted by the Lord. And usually in Scripture the word poor is taken in a good sence Nomen pauperis in bonum sumitur pauperes sunt populus Dei for good men as the word rich in an ill sence for evil men Jam. 5.1 Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you The Apostle speaks as if that were the case of all rich or as if he called all rich men to weeping and howling c. Yet some poor men are wicked and some rich men are righteous and therefore I conceive the word poor may be taken here for any wronged or oppressed poor yet especially for the Godly poor For though God giveth right to all men even the worst of men yet here the scope of Elihu is to shew that God takes most care of those whom the wicked do most not only neglect but injure and oppresse He giveth right to the poor Hence Note The poor especially the Godly poor are often wronged and go by the worst in the world Or thus The poor as poor usually suffer from and by the world As the world is apt to oppresse any poor so mostly the Godly poor Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poor I will arise 'T is possible a rich man may be oppressed a mighty man may be oppressed by one mightier than he but usually the poor are oppressed and they trampled on who are already underfoot And therefore the Lord saith For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise and set him at safety from him that puffeth at him This is not exclusive the Lord will arise for the help of the rich and great when any such are wronged but he is said to arise for the help of the poor as intimating that the poor seldome come by their right or find help in the world unlesse God arise to help them or help them to it and because he hath said he will help them to their right we may be sure he will Davids Faith was strong upon this promise Psal 18.27 Thou wilt save the afflicted people Psal 72.4 He shall judge the poor of the People Pâ—al 140.12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted And his Experience was as clear as his Faith was strong Psal 37.25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken that is I have often yea alwayes seen him helped one way or other and sometimes set on high from affliction Psal 107.41 The Lord careth so for the poor as if he cared for none else and the best of the poor are little cared for by any but the Lord. Zeph. 3.12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. The rich of this world trust to creature helps but as the Lords poor know they ought not to trust in creature help so they have it not to trust to and therefore they trust in the Name of the Lord not only out of choice which is their grace and duty but out of necessity And what will the Lord do for them that trust in him not only out of necessity but choice he will surely take care of them and do them right Secondly Note God rights the poor freely He giveth them right he doth not sell it What freer than gift They need not bribe for it As he freely giveth them the Righteousnesse of his Son to justifie them so they have common right of free gift to relieve them Note Thirdly The Lord relieves or rights the poor speedily He giveth implyeth a present act and that doubles the mercy Note Fourthly God will always right the wronged poor He giveth imports even a continued act as he did it in former times in the dayes of old so he doth it at this day and will do it always As the Lord giveth right speedily so constantly with him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning Most men do right only by fits but the Lord is ever giving right Lastly He giveth right to the poor not to this or that poor man but to the poor Hence Note The Lord distributes right to all that are wronged As his Mercy so his Justice is not confined to a few but floweth out to all But it may be objected Why then are so many poor without their right If the Lord giveth right and giveth it continually and impartially why do the poor cry and sigh and groan and mourn why see we so many tears of the poor If they have right why do they complain I answer First The Lord giveth right to the poor sometimes when the poor perceive it not Psal 97.2 Clouds and darknesse are round about him Righteousnesse and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne When a man cannot see the Lord doing right yet the Lord doth right The Sun shineth when eclipsed or covered with a Cloud The Lord never ceaseth to right the poor though neither poor nor rich perceive how or which way he doth it Secondly I answer He giveth right to the poor even when they want right or when they are under the sorest oppressions by supporting their hearts in this perswasion that he will give them right The poor have right when their minds are satisfied that they shall have right There is no true Godly poor man in the world how much soever afflicted but his heart is or may be satisfied that he shall have right That 's a sure word Psal 9.18 The needy shall not always be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever And therefore we may pray with confidence Forget not O Lord the Congregation of thy poor for ever Psal 74.19 The poor may rest in this assurance while their troubles rest upon them that God will bring forth their Righteousnesse as the Light and their Judgement as the Noon day Psal 37.6 He hath right who believes he shall have it as he that believeth hath everlasting life in hope long before he attains the possession of it John 3.36 Thirdly Though we say The Lord giveth right to the poor both speedily and constantly yet he reserveth to himself a liberty as to
thing that procures his wrath That 's the meaning of this caveat do nothing that blowes up or incenses the wrath of God But what is it that blowes up wrath It is sin every sin hath that in it which may blow up wrath The Apostle saith The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men not only against this or that ungodliness noâ— only against this or that degree of ungodliness 't is neither against ungodliness of some special kind nor of some special degree but against all ungodliness therefore all ungodliness and all unrighteousness is to be avoided And as we should do nothing to provoke wrath so we should do every thing which may prevent wrath Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son why lest he be angry and his wrath kindle Who is the Son and what 's this kissing of the Son which pâ—events wrath The Son is Christ he is the Son of God this kissing is a kiss of homage an humble submission to Jesus Christ by faiâ—h and obedience it is a Gospel receiving of Châ—ist to kiss the son is to receive Christ as ouâ— King as our Pâ—iest as our Pâ—opheâ— to receive Christ in the whole manifestation of his Mediatorship Do this to prevent wrath kiss the Son And consider how terrible he repoâ—ts that wrath to be If his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are they that put their trust in him On then take heed that you do not provoke the wrath of God and do your utmost to prevent it which nothing can do but kissing the Son that will and that only can do it submit to Jesus Christ receive Jesus Christ without him it is impossible to prevent wrath Hâ— that believes not the wrath of God abideth on him Johs 3.36 Jesus Christ alone is he which delivereth us from the wra h to come 1 Thes 1.10 And if we further consider this wrath from the expression both of the Psalm and of the Text it should make us who are so fearful of and who so shift from the wrath of men exceedingly afraid of the wrath of God The word as was shewed before comes from a root which signifieth the heat of fire implying that the wrath of God is fire and Heb. 10.27 it is called fiery indignation yea God himself Heb. 12.29 is called a consuming fire Why doth the Scripture express him and his wrath by fire Surely because fire is well known to us and we are well able to conceive how dreadful a thing fire is when it is in its rage and fury when it hath got the mastery Fire is a comfortable servant but a dreadful master Now as fire is the most dreadful element so wrath is the most dreadful attribute of God yet I may say that elementary fire which as to our sence is so dreadful is but a sun-shine compared to the wrath of God as will appear if we consider it in two things First it burns internally The visible fire burns but visible things outward things but this fire burns within scorches the conscience burns the soul burns that which all the fires in the world cannot reach cannot touch God is a Spirit and the wrath of God is a fire that burnes the spirits and will for ever afflict and torment the consciences of wicked men The hottest fires which the most enraged malitious Persecuters kindle cannot touch the spirit the conscience is quiet the soul triumphs while the flesh fries in the fire 'T is the fire of divine wrath alone which hath power upon the soul and a burning there is ten thousand times more painful than the burning of our flesh Secondly the wrath of God burns eternally Your fires here though they are dreadful yet they go out they consume themselves by consuming the matter or fuel cast into them they cannot continue alwayes because they eat up and devour that which maintaines them But the wrath of God burns continually God is called a consuming fire not because the fire of his wraâ—h consumes but because he consumeth sinners in the fire of wrath and when we say he consumeth sinners in his wrath or his wrath consumeth sinners we are not to understand it of a consumption as to being but only as to a well or comfortabe being for not only the soulâ— but the very bodies of sinners shall remain in this fire of the wrath of God for ever unconsumed The bodies of the damned shall be raised again at the great day and being re-united to their souls both shal abide unconsumed in the fire of this consuming wrath eternally The great dread of ordinary fire is that it consumes what it burns but the greatest dread of this fire is that it consumes not that which it burns O therefore take heed of the wrath of God the wrath of God is terrible as to corporal and temporal judgements much more as to spirituall and eternal judgments that is as the fire of his wrath burns both internally and eternally Because there is wrath beware Lest he take thee away with his stroke Here the danger is exprest If the Lord be angry he can soon take thee away with a stroke he can remove yea hurry thee away out of all thy present joys and enjoyments to everlasting sorrows The word imports a violent remove The stroke here spoken of is like that Chap. 24.26 He striketh them as wicked men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum comâ—losione in the open sight of others that is he shames them as well as punisheth them as he strikes them with his hand to their confusion so he strikes or claps his own hands together in dirision as 't is said Chap. 27.23 Men shall clap their hands at him and shall hiss him out of his place we may take it in both these significations Lest he take thee away with a stroke that is lest he strike thee so as to make an utter end of thee or lest he take thee away with derision clapping his hands at thee and pouring contempt upon thee Have we not reason to beware of that wrath which in either sense can take us away with his stroke Yet I conceive a third sense may be given of these words Lest he take thee away with his stroke that is lest he take thee away suddenly even as suddenly as a stâ—oke can be given Hence Note First God can presently strike to destruction He can take the strongest away with a stroke he can do it wi h one stroke The Lord needs not stand cutting and slashing hacking and hewing as we say all day long one stroke of his will do it He took away Herod at one stroke Acts 12.23 He took away Ananias and Saphira at one stroke Acts 5.5 Nadab and Abihu were taken away with one stroke Lev. 10.1 All these perished and so have thousands more as with a stroke so suddenly at one stroke The Lord can strike home as Abishai said to David in the case of Saul when he found him in the
Trench Let me strike him at once and I will not strike him a second time The Lord threatned Nah. 1.9 to bâ—ing destruction upon those at once when he told them Affliction should not rise a second time as if he had said I will not strike another blow at them I 'le hit them home and do my woâ—k with one blow We need not fear how many or how mighty his enemies are he can rid himself of them with one stroke The Lord strikes some to take away their sin thus he strikes his own people others he strikes to take away their persons thus he strikes the wicked especially those who enemy-like designedly strike at Him his Name his Truth his Glory Elihu doth not say Beware least he strike thee but least he take thee away with a stroke The Lord often strikes his own faithful servants they receive many a stroke many a lash many a blow many a chastisement at his hands but he doth not take them away with a stroke as he doth the wicked The Lord strikes his servants to take away their sins and he strikes wicked men to take away their lives to destroy them utterly Secondly As the word signifieth taking away with clapping â—f the hands or with derision Note God will even laugh at the ruine of wicked men He will clap his hands at their fall We read Prov. 1.26 27. how Wisdome called and cried and none would answer all set her calls and counsels at naught what followed I said Wisdome that is Christ will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh as much as is said in the Text I will take them away with a stroke or with clapping my hands with a kind of deriding plaudite at their going off or rather at their being thrust off the Stage of this world They are in the most sad condition whom God not only destroys but derides they have most cause to mourn in their affliction at whose affliction God laughs It is said Job 9.23 God will laugh at the tryal of the innocent and why was shewed in opening that place I only touch it now upon this occasion The Lord knows the innocent will come off with honour will stand it out in their tryal bravely he sees what Courage Faith Patience they will manifest in and under their sufferings Now as the Lord even claps his hands and laughs when his chosen noble ones go forth to the tryal knowing they will honour him in their tryal so the Lord laughs at the destruction of the wicked knowing that his Justice and Righteousness shall have a full stroke at them and lay both their shame and sin open to all the world That the Lord in his wrath takes away with a stroke should make us all beware fear and tremble but that which followeth may make us wary fear and tremble much more for saith Elihu in the close of the verse Then a great Ransome cannot deliver thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redemptionis Pretium quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeci appellant The word rendred a Ransome signifies that which is paid as a price for the deliverance of a Captive out of bondage Thus Christ gave himself a Ransome for sinners But here is a Case wherein no Ransome will be taken no though it be not a small petty Ransome but a great Ransome of that saith Elihu it cannot deliver thee As if he had said When once God is so far provoked that the Decree is gone forth to destroy thee then it will be in vain to think of getting off by Ransome Here it may be queried What is this great Ransom that will not deliver There is a twofold Ransome by one of which the people of God are somtimes delivered and alwayes by the other First The people of God are somtimes ransomed or delivered by the destruction and ruine of the wicked that 's their Ransom and that not seldom proves a great Ransome It is said expresly Prov. 21.18 The wicked shall be a Ransome for the righteous how a Ransome for the righteous will a wicked man pâ—y a Ransome for the righteous or will the wicked man offer himself a Ransome for him and say I 'le dye instead of the righteous man surely there 's no such thing to be expected from him Peradventure for a good man saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 8. one would even dare to dye that is one good man may possibly be willing to lay down his life for another good man Scarcely for a righteous man would one dye that is for a man who only gives every man his due oâ— doth every man right but for a good man that is for a man that hath been very kind and bountiful to others some would even dare to dye yet he that doth so must be supposed to be a righteous and a good man himself For it cannot be thought that a wicked man would give himself a Ransome for the righteous that he would dye for him whom he doth not love yea whom he usually hates to the death How then is it affirmed by Solomon that the wicked shall be a Ransome for the righteous The meaning is God will destroy the wicked to save the righteous or he will save the righteous even through the blood and destruction of the wicked In that sence the wicked are many times a Ransome for the righteous rather than the righteous shall perish the Lord will destroy the wicked Thus the Lord spake by his Prophet of old Isa 43.3 I gave Egypt for thy Ransome Ethispia and Sheba for thee How was Egypt a Ransome for Israel had they any mind to deliver the people of God no but rather than God would not have Israel saved he destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the Red Sea Thus the Lord makes the wicked a Ransome for the righteous Though Egypt were a very goodly Country yet God destroyed it by ten Plagues that he might deliver Israel Though Pharaoh was a great Prince he drowned him in the Sea rather than his people should go back into Captivity Solomon gives us this sense of the Prophets words fully in his own Prov. 11.8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wâ—cked cometh in his stead Secondly There is another a more excellent Ransome for the people of God and that is the Blood of Jesus Christ We are bought with a price dearly bought and that 's the Price with which we are bought 1 Cor. 6.20 that 's a Ransome which sets sinners fâ—ee and makes them free indeed Joh. 8.36 free fâ—om sin anâ— free unto righteousness Math. 20.28 He gave himself a Ransome for many for a great many for all who believe and take hold of his Name When Elihu saith A great Ransome cannot deliver ' â—is not to be understood of the Ransome which Christ hath paid that 's a Ransome so great so precious that it hath and doth and will for ever deliver the greatest the worst of sinners who run to it
hopes of avoiding evil and keeping out of hazzard and harmes-way But what-ever worldly good any gain or danger they escape by choosing iniquity that choice brings them into greater danger and subjects them to the loss of a greater good This thou hast chosen rather than affliction The particular iniquity as hath been shewed was impatience Hence note He that gives himself up to unquietness and impatience under the afflicting hand of God chooses sin rather than affliction The Lord by Moses told his People when they should be brought into great tribulation because of their sin and uneven walkings because of their breaking the Lords Statutes and Commandments Lev. 26.41 If they shall accept of the punishment of their Iniquity then it shall be well with them If at such a time ye stand not complaining and murmuring against me but shall well accept or take the punishment kindly and kiss the Rod acknowledging how you have provoked me and walked unworthy of former mercy then I will shew you favour and renew your mercies But if in affliction you fall a murmuring and say surely the Lord hath cast us quite off there 's no hope you chuse iniquity rather than affliction Thirdly Elihu in this doth not only reprove Job for doing that which was very evil in it self but he reproves him for doing that which was very evil to himself this thou hast chosen rather than affliction As if he had said Thou dost not know thine own good in making this choyce We say He is a wise man that understands his own good Hence note They make a very bad and miserable choyce for themselvâ—s who chuse iniquity rather than affliction Thus Solomon concludes for Wisdom Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul He that sinneth wrongs Christ but Christ passeth that over and seemeth to say I will bare your wrongs but pray take heed to your selves will you not love your selves will you not abstain from sin out of love to your selves he that sinneth against me wrongs his own soul all that hate me that is my wayes they love death And surely there is no great beauty in death that we should love it and desire it They chuse very ill for themselves that chuse sin the wages whereof is death I grant to chuse affliction is but a hard choyce affliction is not good in it self but affliction if chosen may prove good it may be very good to us it may bring in much good to us and therefore there is wisdome not only in chusing any affliction rather than sin but in chusing some one affliction rather than another But what good doth he chuse that chuses sin Happy is the man that endures correction or affliction saith the Scripture in many places but doth it say any where Happy is the man that commits iniquity If you chuse affliction rather than iniquity you chuse a great deal of good First David could say upon tryal Psal 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Did ever David say it is good for me that I have sinned which is to unlearn or break Statutes did he ever please himself in thinking that he had sinned he did even please himself that he had been afflicted that was good because he learned Commandments by it he grew a better Scholler then he was in that best learning of all the knowledge of the Commandments of God Again Secondly It is good to be afflicted why afflictions are the exercises of our Graces the exercise of our Faith the exercise of our patience the exercise of our self-denyal 'T is a good thing to have our Graces exercised for thereby they are encreased If you chuse affliction you shall probably have that good by it the encrease of your best things your Graces Thirdly Affliction purgeth out our corruptions and that is good Is it not good to have a disease or an ill humour purged out this good comes by affliction But doth the committing of sin purge sin doth the Stock of sin abate by sinning does the ill humour spend it self no the ill humour rather increaseth When you chuse sin you weaken your Graces and cherish your corruptions but when you refuse sin your corruptions weaken or spend their strength Do you think when you have committed one sin that the soul is made more unable to or more averse from the same or another sin When you have satisfied the call of one lust will it now let you alone and call no more no not at all the more you sin the more you may the more you sin the more doth the Stock of sin increase and grow in you Fourthly Affliction is a means to take us off or wean us from the World O what a good is that we being so apt to dote upon it The sin of the Age is falling in love with the World therefore it may be good for us to be soundly afflicted that we may be weaned from the World and from all things in the world and be kept where our true interest is in the bosom of Christ or close to him But if you chuse iniquity will that take you off from the World no the more sin the more love of the World for sin and the World are akin they are of a Blood therefore the more you have to do with the one the more you will have to do with the other Fifthly Affliction bâ—ings us nearer to God That which takes us off from the World brings us neerer to God this is an excellent advantage a great good of affliction But chuse sin and will that bring us neerer to God Sin is a departure from God The Lord saith to sinners Ye are departed and gone Sin is so far from bringing us nearer to God that as all in a state of sin are far off from God so every act of sin widens the distance and puts us farther off from God Sixthly Affliction is our conformity to Christ If you chuse affliction you chuse that which makes you look like Christ for he was a man of sorrows in this world he was not in the ruff and jollity in the power and pomp of this world but low and of no reputation acquainted with grief all his dayes If then you chuse affliction rather than sin you chuse conformity to Christ but chusing iniquity rather than affliction you take up the utmost disformity to Christ who knew no sin nâ—r was any guile found in his mouth He took all our afflictions upon him but he would not touch our sin as a doer of it only as in our stead a sufferer for it How great is the good of affliction But is there any good at all in sin Upon all these considerations the Apostle saith When God the Father of spirits afflicts his sons and daughters he doth it for their profit that they may be partakers of his holiness Heb. 12.10 11. The Lord afflicts us for our profit but he doth not