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
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
the most unrighteous persons nor from any of their acts or wayes of unrighteousness And when it is said here The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous it is meant of a peculiar eye which the Lord hath upon the righteous he beholds both the righteous and the unrighteous yet he doth not behold the unrighteous as he beholds the righteous which I shall clear further by giving in a five-fold discovery what that eye of the Lord is which is upon the righteous foure of which are distinct and totally differing from that eye with which he beholdeth unrighteous men and from every one of them I shall give you an observation for our further profiting by this general assertion that the Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous There is a five-fold eye of God spoken of in Scripture First There is a discerning eye that eye by which be unerringly knoweth what every man is and what every man doth Hence note The Lord taketh exact and full notice of he clearly discerns the righteous in every condition This is true also of the unrighteous therefore David puts it universally Psal 11.4 His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men that is his sight discovers and discerns what they are of what sort soever they are We may see many men yet not discover what they are they may have a faire outside to our view whilest within they are foule and full of rottenness they may appear in Sheeps cloathing yet inwardly be ravening Wolves But the Lords eye is a trying eye he doth not only know who men are but he knows what they are Such is the importance of that Scripture Heb. 4.13 All things are naked and manifest to his eyes with whom we have to do that is the Lord doth so behold things and persons that he hath a clear understanding of them And though the Lords eye be thus upon all men yet this is specially affirmed of righteous men Psal 33.18 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and hope in his mercy Again Psal 34.15 His eye is over the righteous Both texts teach us that God considers not only what they do but as I may say how they do whether it be peace with them or whether it be trouble with them whether it be joy with them or whether it be sorrow with them the Lords eye is over them to discern not only whether and how they go but how things go with them Secondly The Lord hath a directing or a counselling eye Hence Note The Lord with his eye favourably guides directs and counsels righteous men This eye of the Lord as it denotes favour is peculiar to the righteous We have that expresly Psal 32.8 I will instruct thee and teach thee how I will guide thee with mine eye We put in the Margen I will counsel thee that is thee a Godly man a David spoken of v. 6 7. mine eye shall give thee counsel Men can give direction by the eye and they that are acquainted with them understand what they mean when they look this way or that way thus or so Solomon saith A naughty person winketh with his eyes he speaketh with his feet he teacheth with his fingers Pro. 6.12 13. that is all the postures and gestures of his body shew what he is stark naught and silently teach others to be naught The holy God also teacheth by his feet and fingers his goings and doings his workes and wayes teach us the work which we should do and the way wherein we should go he hath a providential eye the looks of providence give counsel to those who know how to look upon them and interpret them The Lord hath a providential eye upon the righteous not only to foresee their dangers but to direct their course he sheweth them their way and their work by this eye he tells them what pleaseth him and what displeaseth him by this eye this eye the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous He will guide the feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2.9 'T is possible for a righteous man sometime to be without counsel he may neither know what counsel to give himself nor what to take from others as Jehoshaphat said in his streight 2 Chron. 20.12 He knoweth not what to do yet as Jehoshaphat said then his eyes are towards the Lord and the Lords eyes are towards him When he is thus counselless there is a counselling a directing eye of God upon him though he at that present know not his way yea be out of his way yet he is not out of Gods eye and that will in due time shew him his way or bring him into his way again though God suffer him to go out of the way yet the eye of God is upon him even when he is out of his way and that eye will reduce and bring him back to his right way There is a directing a counselling eye of God Thirdly The Scripture speaks of a pitying and a compassionating eye of God It is ordinary with us to hear those that are in distress cry out to those who pass by cast an eye upon us look upon us and that is as much as to say pity us have compassion upon us this eye of pity the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous Hence note The righteous are under the compassionating the pitying eye of God When the people of Israel were in Egypt the Lord said to Moses Exod. 3.7 I have surely seen the affliction of my people and what kind of sight was that what eye of God was it which was upon them the words following and the whole series of Gods dealings also clear it that it was an eye of compassion I have surely seen or seeing I have seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt c. and I am come down to deliver them We read in that notable place Gen. 16.14 when Hagar was in a very sad and distressed condition being cast out of Abrahams family God had compassion on her and shewed her a Well where she might have water for her self and child and the text saith She called the name of the Well Beer-la-hai-roi that is the Well of him that liveth and seeth me As if she had said God hath seen me in my afflicted condition and he hath also had compassion on me That 's another great priviledge the righteous are under this pitying and compassionating eye of God and from thence follows The fourth eye of God his providing eye his caring eye Hence note The Lord doth so eye the righteous in their straits and afflictions with compassion that he also provides to deliver them out of their affliction out of their straits There is a providing eye of God continually beholding his people Of this providing eye Abraham spake Gen. 22.14 when he was put upon that hard task the sacrificing of his own son his Isaac the Lord had compassion on him and provided another sacrifice and therefore he called
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
falling before his Enemies hereupon David said I am in a great streight somewhat he must chuse and what-ever he chose it was evil that is penal evil but seeing it was so and could not be otherwise e malis minimum he would chuse the least he chose to fall into the hand of God rather than into the hands of men Into such kind of streights are the people of God sometimes cast they have somewhat before them to chuse but what-ever they chuse it is very hard and troublesome troublesome to stay and troublesome to go troublesome to abide by it and troublesome to flie from it every way it is a trouble and how many of the precious people of God have been brought into these troubles Only this is their comfort as well as their duty that though they may be in such streights as necessitate them to chuse a less good or a penal evil yet as God will not so man cannot bring them into any such streights as necessitate them to chuse a moral or sinful evil Troubles are streights He would have removed thee out of a streight into a broad place Hence Note Thirdly What-ever streights we are in God is able to inlarge us The hand of the Lord is not shortned that it cannot save Isa 59.1 There is no streight so strict but the Lord can open it and remove us out of it or it from us When the Children of Israel were in that great streight having the Sea before them and Pharaoh with his Host behind them the Loâ—d removed them out of that streight and brought them into a large place There are a thousand instances and experiences of this David saith Psal 130.1 Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord The depth there and streight here are the same under several Allusions David cryed out of the depth of misery when he was at the bottome of the piâ— he cryed unto God and was delivered We can be in no depth but the power and mercy of God can reach a hand to us and draw us out we can be in no streight but the power of God can and his love will make roome for us that we may escape Dum deus velit misereriquia bonus eâ—t possit quia oâ—nipotens est â—pse contra sâ— diâ—inae pietatâ—s januam claudit qui deum sibi aut non velle aut non posse misereri credit August Sâ—r 88. de Temp Seeing then as one of the Ancients speaks fully to this poynt God will help because he is so merciful and can because he is sâ— powerful that man shuts the doore of hope against himself who thinks or through unbelief fears that either God will not or cannot help him And therefore when at any time we are in a streight let the greatness of our streights be the exercise of our faith not a discouragement to it Some make their streights a stop to their faith they cannot believe they shall be delivered out of great streights but the greatness of our streights should quicken not deaden our faith it should encrease our faith not weaken it and so it will if we consider who it is that undertakes to remove his people out of their streights it is the great God and the more their streights are the greater their difficulties are the greater is his glory in removing any of them into a large place 'T is said in the Psalm The Lord makes a way for his anger he doth do so sometimes he makes a broad way for his anger yet remember he makes a way for his love and mercy too that his great power may be seen in opening our greatest streights Fourthly Whereas 't is not only said He would remove thee into a large place but into a large place where there is no streightness Observe God can bring his afflicted people perfectly out of streights and set them out of the reach of danger Oâ—r comforts in this world are usually mixed with sorrows our enlargements with streights yet â—he Lord is able to give us sorrowless comforts and such enlaâ—gements as shall not have the least shadow of a st eight in them As Jesus Châ—ist saveth us to the uttermost of soul streights oâ— we are saved through Christ to the uttermost of our sins that is of our guilt and danger of condemnation by sin so he can save us also to the uttermost of outward troubles he can give a perfect temporal salvation such a salvation as shall have nothing of feare or danger in this life Elihu speaks of such a salvation The Lord can save us to the uttermost of present perils and set us beyond the reach of peril even in such a place where there shall be no feare no suspicion of annoyance 'T is said Pro. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he giveth no sorrow with it The Lord makes some men rich or gives them a great estate yet they find sorrow enough with it but the Lord through his blessing can give riches and add no sorrow with it put no gravell in our bread nor gall in our cup but all shall be sweet to us that 's bringing us into a large place where there is no present streightness no nor appearing cause to feare any Thus the Nations are brought in rejoycing at the fall of Babylon Isa 14.7 8. The whole earth is at rest and is quiet they break forth into singing yea the fir-trees rejoyce at thee and the Cedars of Lebanon saying since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us Positio vel requies Heb a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est requiescere Metonymia adjuncti Pisc Est abstractâ—m pro concreto â—ositio requies pro iâ—s quae s per mensam deponuntur a serculariis Quemadmodum jumenta vocantur servitus hominum quia hominibus serviunt Bold Vicinae sunt radices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quievit â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posuit quod enim ponitur in aliquo loco ponitur ut requiescat Merc The Lord will work full deliverance for his people by Babylons fall when that falls Sion shall not feare the coming of any more fellers Christ will then give his faithfull people such enlargement as shall know no streights This is the first allusion He would have removed thee out of the streight into o broad place where there is no streightness it followeth And that which should be set on thy Table should be full of fatness Here 's the second mercy As if he had said The Lord would not have given thee a bare deliverance out of evil but thou should'st bave received abundance of good thou shouldst not only have roome enough but comfort enough That which should be set on thy Table should be full of fatness Some render That which resteth or abideth on thy Table that is thy meat and thy drink thy wine and thy oyle that which thou feedest upon should be of the best and most nourishing not bare
or warmth which is included in them or that they are kept up by the superiour heat of the Sun and Stars which first drew them up Secondly Others say these mighty Clouds are held up by the wind which keeping them in perpetual motion they fall not they descend noâ— but according to a divine order by which they are disposed of to several uses Thirdly Others ascribe it to the hollowness or spunginess of their nature which receiving and taking in the thin aire they are more easily kept up But when we have searched to the utmost for reasons in nature we must rise higher and resolve the question according to Scripture and divine Philosophy into the power and will of God The holding up of the Clouds is Gods work as well as the raising of them up He gave this law or command unto the Clouds in the day of their creation that they should not fall down nor distill a drop but by his own commandement and appoyntment Thus we find it expressed by Moses in his description of the creaâ—ion Gen. 1.6 Let the firmament that is Zanch de operibus dei â— 2. c. 1. the aire the inferiour aire next to the middle region divide the waters from the waters Here is a divine sanction there are waters above and waters below And saith God Let the firmament divide the waters from the waters that is those waters that are drawn up into Clouds in the aire a provision for Raine c. let them be kept above and divided from the Sea and waters that dwell below Thus there was a Law at first to keep quarter as I may say between those waters And Solomon speaking of the eternal Son of God of his co-eternity with the Father brings him under the name of Wisdome speaking thus of himself I was with him when he did this and that and among the rest Prov. 8.28 When he established the Clouds above that is when God made a Decree that the Clouds should stay above and not come down but at his call So 't is expressed Job 26.8 God bindeth up the waters in the thick Cloud and the Cloud is not rent under them 'T is not of it self that the Cloud having such a weight in it doth not rent and break but saith God it shall not Pro. 30.4 He hath bound the waters in a garment But what is the garment His own decree and puâ—pose is the garment which bindeth up the waters For as the waters of the Sea are bounded by the Decree of God Job 38.11 So likewise the waters in the aire are bound up by his Decree Psal 148.4 6. Praise him ye heaven of heavens and ye waters which are above the heavens he hath established tâ—em for ever and hath made a decree which shall not pass He hath established the waters which are above the heavens aswel as the waters below the heavens he hath established them by a decree like that of the Medes and Persians which shall not be disanulled So then here 's the answer to this second question How it comes to pass that the Clouds containing such floods of water which is an heavy body do not descend and overwhelm the earth This is by the power and decree or by the powerful decree of God who hath caused such a weak and thin substance as the Clouds made up only of Vapours to hold those mighty waters close and keep them prisoners that not a spoonful shall shed forth till himself pleaseth The Clouds as some have well expressed it are like spunges filled with water and till God layeth his hand upon the Clouds that is till he gives a word and as I may say squeezeth or presseth them by his providence as we squeez a spung full of water the waters fall not Thus we see the reason why Elihu makes so great a matter of the spâ—eading of the Clouds and why the waters fall not presently together nor presently drop out of them but in their season A third Querie concerning the Clouds may be this Why are they placed above What is their use I answer The use of the Clouds may be considered two ways first there is a natural secondly a spiritual use of them First there is a natural use of them and that is twofold First That they may contain water in a readiness to moisten and fatten the earth Stores and treasures of rain are kept in them to supply the necessities of all earthly creatures Secondly The natural use of the Clouds is to attemper the the heat of the air and to be as a Curtain or Screen between us and the Sun If the Sun should alwayes shine fully upon the earth we were not able to abide it but the Clouds coming between do exceedingly qualifie and moderate the heat and fierceness of the Sun These besides others are their natural uâ—es And if we look into the Scripture we shall find many spiritual and gracious uses for which God hath made the Clouds First God hath set his Bow in the Clouds as a token of his favour unto mankind as a token of his general favour that he will not drown the world again Gen. 9.14 15. And it shall come to pass when I bring a Cloud over the Earth that the Bow shall be seen in the Cloud and I will remember my Covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh This is alluded to by the Prophet Isa 54.9 as a token of the special favour of God to his People that he will never break Covenant with them When Believers see his Bow in the Cloud they may be as well assured that they shall be freed from a deluge of wrath as that the world shall not be overwhelmed again with a deluge of waters Secondly We find the Lord making use of a Cloud or using the ministery of a Cloud in a gâ—acious way for the conducting of his People out of Egypt quite through the Wilderness unto Canaan That I grant was more than an ordinary Cloud and lower and nearer the earth than usually Clouds are yet it was doubtless of the same nature with other Clouds Exod. 13.21 Neh. 9.19 And therefore when the Pâ—ophet would assure the Church of guidance and protection he tells them Isa 3.5 The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by day and the shining of the flaming Fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence And we at this day may make this spiritual use accoâ—ding to Scripture of the Clouds which we behold as to mind us how the Loâ—d both protected and guided the People of Israel through the wilderness so to assure us that he will protect and guide us through the World Christ is this Cloud a covering protecting Cloud unto his Church and we may sweetly meditate upon him not only when we behold the Sun but as
shining of the Sun the Hebrew root signifies not only to shine but to break forth with shining in some very illustrious manner Deu. 33.2 The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seire unto them he shined forth from Mouâ—t Paran Moses carrieth a metaphor or borrowed speech quite through the verse repâ—esenting God as the Sun shining forth and shewing himself to the people of Israel in three seve al places as it were in as many distinct degâ—ees of gloâ—ious manifestation His glory shined first from Mount Sinai where he gave the Lâ—w. Secondly from Mount Seir or Edom where as I may say he gave the Gospel commanding Moses to make a Bâ—azâ—n Seâ—pent that they who looked on it might be cu ed of the poysonous wounds given them by the fiery Serpents Numb 21. An illustrious type of Christ Job 3.14 Thirdly the glory of the Lord shined from Mount Paran where Moses by command fâ—om the Loâ—d made repetition of the Law adding sundry Evangelical explications of it In all which the Loâ—d shined forth with a glorious brightness infinitely exceeding that of the Sun David in three of his Psalms speaking of the wonderfull appearances and discoveries of God First to save his people Secondly to judge and destroy his enemies useth this word which here we translate shine Psal 50.1 The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken and called the Earth from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same out of Zion the perfection of beauty God hath shined That beauty with which God shines out of Zion in the divine splendor and holiness of his worship and ordinances is very glorious Again Psal 80.1 Give eare O Shepherd of Israel thou that leadest Joseph like a flock thou that dwellest between the Cherubims shine forth that is declare thy self in thy mighty power as it followeth vers 2. Before Ephraim Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy self and come and save us And as the gracious appearances of God for the saving of his people so likewise the dreadfull appearances of God for the destruction of his enemies are expressed by this word Psal 94.1 O Lord Ged to whom vengeance beâ—ongeth O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self The Hebrew is and so we put it in the Maâ—gin shine forth Thus the word notes no ordinary shining but shining both with vengeance and with salvation which latteâ— falls in well with the Interpretation of the light shining in the Cloud which I shall open a little further And causeth the light of his Cloud to shine There are three Interpretations of these words First Some by the light of the Cloud understand the lightning which all know breaks through the Cloud and shines out wonderfully before it Thunders The light of lightning is a wonderfull light Scisne quòd deus nubem esset discussurus ac ea discussa serenitatem invecturus Merc Iris est lux in nube rorida et egregium opus deis de illa malumus exponere cum ante sulguris mentionem fecerit Scult Secondly Others understand by the light of his Cloud the light of the Sun scattering the Cloud and as it were tu ning the Cloud into light making light where none was or nothing but a thick dark Cloud Thiâ—dly Several learned Interpreters expound the light of his Cloud by the Rainbow which is also a very illustrious light and that is eminently the light of Gods Cloud 't is his light in the Cloud We may also call it a light of the Cloud for though the light of the Sun falleth upon the clouds yet the light of the Sun at other times is not so properly called the light of the Cloud as the light of the Rainbow is or as when the light of the Sun reflecting from or upon the Cloud causeth that Meteor which we call the Rainbow and therefore 't is emphatically expâ—est by this circumlocution the shining of the light of his Cloud The shining light of the Rainbow hath in it a great appearance of God for the help salvation and deliverance of his people 't is a token of the good-will of God to man And that we should rather expound this place of the Rainbow than either of the Lightning or the Sun-shine I shall briefly give these foure Reasons upon which I ground the Exposition First Elihu had spoken of the Lightning and of the Sun-shine in the former parts of his discourse and therefore it is not probable that he should return to either so soon Secondly In this whole philosophical Lecture of Elihu wherein he enteâ—s into the treasures of these lower Heavens there is no mention at all of the Rainbow unless we fix it upon this place therefore seeing he had spoken of the Lightning and of the Sun-shine in the former parts of his discourse and speaks not at all afterward of the Rainbow it is most probable that he intends it here Thirdly He is speaking of the wonders of God in the Clouds and surely his discourse would have been imperfect if he had omitted this Mirabilium mirabilissimum Naturae arcanum Graeci vocant iridem Thaumantias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab admiratione rum admirabilem figuram in aere exprimat which as some express it is the most wonderfull of wonderfull things among the Clouds and one of the great secrets in Natuâ—e I say he should have omitted a great part of that which belongs to the doctrine of the Meteors all Meteorological Writers particularly handling this Doctrine of the Rainbow if it be not found here We may take a fourth Reason of this Exposition because this light is said to shine in his Cloud 't is true all Clouds are his that is Gods Clouds but the Cloud in which the Rainbow doth at any time appear is in a way of peculiarity and higher significancy called the Cloud of God or Gods Cloud All the Clouds are as Gods Bow out of which he shoots his Arrows and Bolts they are also called the Seat of God on them he sitteth as upon his Throne Again they are called his Chariot upoÌ„ them he rideth in his Majesty but the Rainbow-cloud is as it were the Royal Robe or Diadem of God the special Clothing of God The Lord saith at the 13th verse of the 9th of Genesis where we have the first mention of the Rainbow I do set my Bow in the Cloud the Bow is Gods and the Cloud is Gods he is entitled to them both in a very eminent and special manner God calleth it his Cloud and his Bow Not only First because he made the Cloud the Sun-beams by which the Bow is made But Secondly and chiefly because he hath put it to a special use and given it a mystical signification And therefore here we may take notice that whereas the Rainbow is naturally a sign of Rain for it is alwayes accompanied with Clouds or at least with a Cloud ready to dissolve and melt into Rain and is therefore called by the Poet Nuncia
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
The excellency of God in Judgment as well as in Power But what are we to understand by judgment in which Elihu saith God excells In answer to this Querie I shall first shew that Judgment is taken four ways in Scripture and then prove that God is excellent in Judgment with respect to every one of them First Judgment is an ability of judging A man of judgment and a wise man are the same When we say such a man is a man of Judgment or a judicious man we mean he is a prudent man he is able to discern things that differ he knows how to order state and determine doubtful things aright In this sence we are to understand it here the Lord is excellent in judgment that is in wisdome and prudence to set things right and to give every one his right he sees clearly how to mannage all his affayres and purposes by righteous meanes to right ends The prophet gives God the glory of this title expressely Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of judgment Blessed are they that wait for him That is the Loâ—d is infinitely furnished with wisdom he knows exactly not only what ought to be done but how and when to do it therefore waite for him And 't is encouragement to waite when we have a person of judgment and understanding a discreet and prudent person to waite upon God is a God of judgment in this sence theref re blessed are they that waite for him Secondly Judgement in Scripture is taken for that moderation or due measure which is observed in any thing that is done This follows the former for unless a man have a Judgment or true understanding in the thing it self he can never hit a right measure of it Thus I conceive that Scripture is to be understood Math 23.23 where Christ denouncing or thundering out woes thick and threefold against the proud hypocritical Pharisees he tells them Ye pay tythe of Anise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy that iâ— either they did not give a right judgment according to Law or their legal Judgments were given with rigour not at all attemper'd mixt and moderated with mercy Of such the Apostle James speaketh Chap. 2.13 He shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against Judgment In this sence the Lord is excellent in Judgment For as he hath wisdome and understanding to see what is just â—ight so in Judgment he remembers Mercy His patience is greaâ— before he gives Judgment and his moderation is great when he gives it He dealeth not with us according to our sins nor rewardeth us according to our iniquities Psal 103.10 that is his Judgments are not proportion'd to the greatness of our sins and iniquities For as it followeth at the 11th verse of that Psalme as high as the Heaveâ— is above the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him Therefore the Prophet brings in the Chuâ—ch praying thus Jer. 10.24 O Lord Correct me I conceive it is not a direct prayer for Correction but a submission to it As if he had said I will not murmur nor rebell against thy Correction O Lord Correct me but with Judgment that is with due moderation It cannot be meant of Judgment as it notes the effect of divine displeasure but Correct me moderately or as another text hath iâ— in measure as thou usest to correct thy people This meaning is plain fâ—om the opposition in the next words Not in thine anger least thou bring me to nothing Anger transports men to do things undecently wiâ—hout modeâ—ation we quickly exceed our limits if carried out in passion and though that anger which the Scripture attributes often to God never transports him beyond the due bounds of his wisdome and justice yet when God is said to do a thing in anger it notes his going as it were to the utmost bounds of justice this caused the Church to pray O Lord if the cup may not pass from me if it cannot be but I must be corrected then I humbly and earnestly beg thou wouldst be pleased to correct me in Judgment not in anger least thou bring me to nothing What the Church prayed for here the Lord promised elsewhere Jer. 30.11 I will not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished Thus God is excellent in Judgment He abates the severity of his proceedings and allayes the bitterness of the cup by some ingredients of mercy Thirdly Judgment in Scripture is put for the reformation of things when they are out of order In this sence it is used John 12.31 Now is the Judgment of this world Our late Annotators tell us that by Judgment is meant reformation As if Christ had said I am come to set all things in order that have been out of order and disjoynted in the Jewish Church and every where else Now is the Judgment of this world In this sence God is excellent in Judgment or he excells in this Judgment that is he is for reformation he will set all things right he will make crooked things strait he will make the rough places plain John the Baptist came before Christ in this work yet in this work Christ is before or exceeds John the Baptist The Lord Isa 4.4 will purge away the iniquity of the daughter of Zion with a spirit of Judgment and with a spirit of burning that is with a reforming and a refining Spirit And the Lord will send forth this Judgment unto victory Matth. 12.20 that is he will do it thorowly he will oveâ—come all the difficulties and put by all the obstacles which hinder the perfect reforma ion of things as well as â—f persons That 's the importance also of that great promise Isa 1.25 26. I saith the Lord will turn my hand upon thee or take thee in hand aâ—d purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tinn thâ—t is all those corruptions which have crept in upon thee I will restâ—re thy Judges as at the first and thy Councellors as at the beginning Things and persons are usually best at first The new broom â—ay we sweept clean As time consumes all things here beloâ— so it coâ—rupts most things and therefore when the Loâ—d promiseth to restore them to a primitive purity he promiseth the purest restauration all which is summ'd up in the 27th verse Sion shall be redeemed with Judgment which is not only if at all intended of a redemption by Judgment on her enemies but by that reformation which â—od would work upon themselves in taking away their dross and tinn Restoring their Judges as at the first and their Councellers as at the beginning Such a Judgment is spoken of Isa 30 22. Ye shall defile also that is utterly disgrace and deface the Covering of thy graven Images of Silver and the Ornament of thy molten Images of Gold