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
is it that sin doth exceed or wherein consists the exceedingness of it I answer First There is an exceedingness of sin in the strengâ—h that it hath over us when it doth easily command and prevaile then we sin exceedingly oâ— then sin is exceeding sinfull it hath got a mighty hand over us O how sadly do the sins of many exceed thus they are held down by their corruptions as slaves and captives they cannot get themselves out from under the power of a base lust As the devil leads some so lusts and corruptions lead others captive at their will they are at the beck and command of sin Thus sin exceeds in the wicked who either know not God or who walk daily contrary to their knowledge Secondly That man doth exceed in his transgression or his transgression doth exceed who sins with or hath a very ill frame of heart in sinning Many a good man falls into sin and yet he hath not as I may say a base or wicked frame of heart in sinning but his very sinning is upon the matter against his own heart and the bent of his spirit his heart goeth not with it The more of the heart or will is mingled with any sin the more exceeding sinfull it is I may say of some men I would not be mistaken That they do evill with a better frame of heart than others do good there are some that do good with very bad yea with base hearts The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination how much more when he brings it with a wicked mind or as we put in the Margin with wickedness Pro. 21.27 that is either for applause to be seen of men or for profit to gain by men or in malice the better to compass revenge upon any man or sort of men under all which covers wicked men have brought their sacrifices that is have appeared in the outward worship of God or have taken up the form of godliness And whosoever doth thus hath a far worse frame of heart in doing good than a good man hath in doing evil who though he doth evil yet he delights not in it and closes not with it By how much any mans heart is more taken with sin by so much the more sinfull it is Thirdly The exceedingness of a sin may be measured by the circumstances of sinning then a man may be said to transgress and exceed in transgression when he sinneth First against light against the checks of his own conscience within as also Secondly when he sins against reproofs warnings and admonitions from without that man exceeds in sin who hath been told of it and yet goeth on Thirdly that man exceeds in sin who sins in the midst of much mercy and daily received or renewed favours as also he Fourthly who sins in the midst of many afflictions and judgements whether upon his person and family or upon the Nation where he liveth such as these not only sin or transgress but exceed in transgression Now the Lord in times of affliction sheweth men these and the like exceedings of their transgression and causeth them to confess not only that they are sinners and have transgressed but they are brought upon their knees to confess that they have exceeded in transgression And when this is done the Lord goeth on yet further to perfect the work of humiliation and repentance while they are bound in fetters and holden in the cords of affliction for then as it followeth Vers 10. He openeth also their ear to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity Still 't is Gods work he sheweth before and here he openeth as in the former verse he openeth their eyes to see so in this he openeth their ear to hear He openeth their ear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revelavit occulta abscondita revelatio auris notat intimam insinuationem This latter is more than the former this opening the ear to discipline is more than a shewing of sin and the exceeding sinfulness of it Opening the ear imports a close and home-discovery of a mans condition to him Psal 51.6 David after his great sin perceived the Lord shewing him or making him to understand wisdome secretly He openeth also their ear The word which we translate to open properly signifieth to reveale and in Scripture phrase the ear is said to be revealed or uncovered when a secret is brought to us 1 Sam. 20.2 Jonathan said to David God forbid thou shalt not die behold my father will do nothing either great or small but that he will shew it me or uncover my ear and why should my father hide this thing from me Saul also used the same Hebraisme or forme of speech when he upbrayded his servants with their unfaithfulness to him What saith he hath the son of Jesse such preferments for you and are you all so corrupted in your loyalty to me that all of you have conspired against me and there is none that sheweth me or uncovereth my ear that my son hath made a League with the son of Jesse Loquitâ—r de auro cordâ— mentis Scitum illud Mens audit mens vidit caetera surda et caeca sunt Drus Sam. 22.8 Will none of you uncover my ear that is discover the plot that is contrived for my ruine Then the ear is said to be opened or uncovered when any secret is made known to the mind as was further shewed at the 16th verse of the 33d Chapter where Elihu used this expression and therefore I shall not return to that matter but referre the Reader thither Only consider to what or for what the Lord is said to open the ear In the 33d Chapter Elihu told us that when the eyes of men are shut deep sleep being fallen upon them he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction Here Elihu saith God having men undâ—r the rod he openeth also their ear To discipline The Hebrew word is of the same extraction in both places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad castigationem i. e. Ne castigatio sit eis absque fructu vel ut ista disciplino seu correctione emendentur Pisc Instruction is for discipline and discipline tends unto instruction It is often rendred chastisement and generally signifies any severer course of instruction or education whereby we are drawn off from evil and unto good When Elihu saith He openeth their ear to discipline we may understand it two wayes First To fit them for instruction and counsel they heard possibly before but not with an open that is a ready and obedient ear The ear is shut though we hear much unless we submit and conforme to what we hear The ear seldome opens fully till the Lord smites as well as speaks and gives us both a word and a blow Secondly He openeth their ear to discipline that is to hearken what Gods chastening or correction speakes or what he speaks by his chastning The Lord would not have his chastnings unprofitable nor his rods
God We owe the full submission of our wills to the Will of God in a twofold respect First to whatsoever he willeth us to do or to his commanding will Secondly to whatsoever he will do with us or to his disp sing Will. In these and in all things let us strive to gâ—eaâ—en all the acting of our souls towards God because he is great Secondly If God be great then we may infer for consolation First Be not discouraged in prayer when you have great things to ask when your wants are great and your necessities urgent when you must have great supplies when small matters will not serve your turn In many caâ—es it is not a little help it is not a small matter which will do the thing which we sue unto God for now here is a mighty ground of comfort for us if we want great things we have a great God to go unto and how great soever our wants are they are all but small to the greatness of that God unto whom we go Ephes 3.20 He is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask or think and not only above what we actually ask and think but indeed beyond what possibly we can ask or think above what we are able to ask or think Therefore let us never be discouraged in prayer because of the greatness of the things that we have to ask of God Secondly Be not discouraged though as your wants so your dangers and your troubles are great How great soever the danger is you would be delivered from God is greater to whom you come for deliverance And therefore when a great Mountain stood in the way of the deliverance of the people of God Zech. 4.7 the Prophet speaks in his language Who art thou O great Mountain thou shalt become a Plain before Zerubbabel that is before the power of that God in whom Zerubbabel trusts and whose work Zerubbabel carries on Hence that holy confidence Psal 66.3 Through the greatness of thy power thine enemies shall submit themselves to thee or they shall yeild feigned obedience as we put in the margin which some render thus through the greatness of thy power thine enemies shall be found liars All the readiâ—gs magnifie the g eatness of God Through the g eâ—tness of thy power thine enemies the enemies of thy people shall â—ubmit they shall be found liars tâ—ey shall yeild feigned obedience they shall not be able with all their greatness to stand iâ— out against the great God Therefore be not discouraged at any time at the greatness of danger Though you walk through the very valley of the shadow of death that 's to be in the greatest danger yet as David did not so do not you fear no not that great danger while the great God is with you Thirdly Be not d scouraged though your sins are great when you come to aâ—k the pardon of them As the greatness of sin puts a very great damp upon the spirit of man in asking pardon so the greatness of God should take off that damp My thoughts are not your thoughts saith the Lord Isa 55.7 8 9. in this matter There is nothing wherein God doth more exceed man than in pardoning sin Mic. 7.18 If sin be great the mercy of God is great too infinitely greater than the sin of man if sin be great remember we have a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 not only a Priest but a high Priest and a great high Priest therefore fear not to ask the pardon even of the greatest sin in his name and for his sake And this is true it we respect either national or personall sins it may encourage us in asking pardon for nations how great soever their sins are Moses when the People had greatly sinned against God had recourse to this Numb 14.18 19. The Lord is of great mercy pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now Do thus also with respect to personal sins David made the greatness of his personal sin an argument to go to God for mercy Psal 25.11 Pardon my sin O Lord for it is great He was so far from being disheartened by the greatness of his sin to aâ—k the pardon of it that according to our reading he had great hope of pardon as well as sâ—w he had great need of pardon and all because he knew God was great in mercy Or if we read that text thus Pardon my sin O Lord though it be great the sense is much the same for as the former makes the greatness of his sin a reason provoking him to hasten unto God for pardon as great diseases hasten us in seeking remedies so the latter shews that the greatness of sin is no stop to the mercy and free grace of God in Christ for the pardon of it Christ in that Parable Mat. 18.24 gives instance of the greatest debt he tells us of one that owed his Lord ten thousand talents a vast sum a very vast sum a talent being according to the lowest computation three hundred pounds of money ten thousand times three hundred pounds is a huge sum so that here was a great debt now saith the text When the debtor had nothing to pay he came to his Lord or Creditor and he forgave him all He did not say wouldest thou have me or can I forgive such a debt as this What ten thousand talents He forgave it as if it had been a debt of two mites Thus and many other wayes we may improve this first Attribute of God mentioned in the text his greatness both as to our direction in duty and consolatition in every extreamity Behold God is great And we know him not That 's the second thing The words are plain but the tense is difficult for it may be objected Do not we know God Elihu said but just now in the very verse before the text Magnifie his works which men behold every man may see it man may behold it afar off Surely if the works of God may be known and seen by every one God himself may be known for he is known in his works as the Apostle argues Rom. 1.20 The things which he hath made make him known how is this then said That God is great and we know him not Doth not the Prophet in denouncing that dreadful curse Jer. 10.25 Poure out thy wrath upon the heaâ—hen that know thee not thereby intimate that all the people of God know him Doth not Christ tell us John 17.3 This is eternal life to know thee the onely true God They who have eternal life must have the knowledge of the true God But all true believers have eternal life already in hope and shall have it shortly in hand therefore they know God The Promise of the New Covenant is Heb. 11. They shall all know me from the least to the greatest that is all my Covenant-people shall know me How
not as noting the hand or power of God sealing men but â—ods sealing the hands of men putting them off from or besides their labour Thus by Snow and Rain he sealeth or shutteth up the hand of every man and why so the reason is given in the next words That all men might know his work God by extraordinary Snowes and Raines stops men from their work But what Is it that they should be idle No but that they may know his work Whose work Some understand it of mans own work As if the meaning were this God stops men a while from further or present work that they may take a view of their past works or he takes them off from their civil works and employments that they may employ themselves in considering their moral works as the Prophet admonished the Jews Isa 1.5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts consider your wayes Another Prophet reproved them for the neglect of this duty Jer. 8.6 No man saith what have I done The Lord often brings his people to hard sufferings that they may know their own doings or works This is a profitable sense yet I rather conceive that the work here intended is Gods work and so I shall prosecute the words That all men may know his work This woâ—k of God may be taken two wayes First More st ictly thus God by rain shuts up the hands of men from their woâ—k that they may know those extraordinary stormes of Snow and Rain which drive them in from their labour and shut up their hands from working are his special work Great Snowes Raines declare to all men the great power of God who doth not only astonish men by terrible thunder and lightning but can by Snow and Rain his much weaker weapons put them beside their purpose and stop their work Secondly Take his work more largly God sealeth up the hands of men that they having a vacancy from their own work may consider his he doth as it were force them from what they were doing or intended to do that so they may have leisure to take notice of what he hath done That all men may know his work Hence note First God can hinder or stop any man or all men in their work He when and as he pleaseth can seal up the hand of every man If God hath a mind to work none can lett him Isa 43.13 Who can seal the hand of God I may say also whose hand cannot God seal How easily did the Lord seal up the hand of the the builders of Babel Gen. 11.7 They were hot upon a mighty work but God by confounding their tongues sealed their hands and they as 't is said v. 8. Left off to build the City Secondly When the text saith God sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work Observe How diligent soever men are about their own works yet they are slow enough too too slow to take notice of the workâ— of God When the hand of God is lifted up some will not see it they are not only backward to see it but opposite to the seeing of it and though others do not set themselves against yet they do not set themselves to the knowledge of his works 'T is a great and common sin our not studying to know the works of God we should study the works of God as much as we do the word of God we should study both his work of Creation and his works of Providence whether works of Mercy or of Judgment we should endeavour to know all his works From the universality of the expression that all mâ—n may know his work Note God would have all study this Book the book of his works They whose business and labours lie in fields the Plow-men and the Vine-dressers he would have them know his works as those special works of his the Snow and the Rain so his works in general The meanest of men cannot excuse their ignorance of the works of God seing the Text and Point tell us God drives them many times out of the field home to their houses and will not let them do a stroak of work more abroad on purpose that they might know his work Hence note Thirdly The aim and intendment of God in keeping us at any time from our work is that we may know more of his works It is a great part of our wisdom to answer the designes of God in all his providences to us We seldom think what God intends by a wet day by a rainy day by a tempestuous day we little think the aim of God in calling us from our works is to call us to the consideration of his work Some men would never find a time to bestow their thoughts upon the works of God if God did not take them off from their own work they would never be at leisure if he did not give them a leisure a vacation time and as here in this text seal up their hand God hath various wayes to take men off from the hottest pursuits of their own works he takes many off from them by sickness he binds them as prisoners to their beds others are taken off from their own business by proper imprisonment and restraint of liberty and why what is the reason of this is it not that they may know his work that they may well consider the dealings of God with them A sick bed is a School and so is a Prison where we should study both the Word and Works of God Let us remember when-ever God takes us off from our Callings by sickness or restraineth our liberty by imprisonment his gracious purpose is that we may know his work Possibly when we had liberty to go about our own work we could find little or would not find much leisure to meditate upon the works of God Well saith God I see I must take you off from your works else you will never be Students in mine That 's the effect of Snow and Rain with reference to man He sealeth up the hand of every maâ— that all men may know his work But here we have another effect with respect to beasts Vers 8. Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potius fera quam bestia a vivaâ—itate nam eadem vox vitam significat Drus There are two words in the Hebrew which signifie bruits or beasts The word here used properly signifies wild beasts the other tame beasts such as are for our use and brought up to our hand The text intends the wild beasts the beasts of the forrest the beasts of prey they go into dens these seek shelter in snow time or when the great rain of the strength of God falleth upon the earth The Psalmist Psal 104.20 describes the beasts ordinarily going out of their dens when the night comes Then saith he all the beasts of the forrest go forth Here we have the beasts whether night or day driven to
Lord hath not called thy name Pashur but Magor Missabib that is fear round about I will make thee a terror to thy self thy own Conscience shall be terrible to thee A man had better fall into the hands of the most cruel Tyrants in the World than into the hands of his own Conscience But when a man is a terrour to himself then to have the Lord a terrour to him likewise to have God appearing in terrible Majesty how dreadful is it The awakened Conscience of a sinner carrieth in it as a thousand witnesses so a thousand terrours and God in his anger is more terrible than a thousand consciences Secondly God is terrible to sinners in the day of outward trouble when as David speaks Psal 65.5 By terrible things in righteousness he answereth the prayers of his People When God is doing terrible things in the World how miserable is their case to whom God also is a terrour in that day A godly man when God is doing the most terrible things shaking Heaven and earth and as it were pulling the world about our ears yet because he finds God at peace with him he is well enough But as for impenitent sinners when God is doing terrible things what will become of them I may bespeak them in the words of the Prophet Isa 10.3 What will ye do in the day of your visitation and in the desolation which shal come from far to whom will ye flee for help and where wil ye leave your glory As if he had said whâ— or what can be a comfort to you when God is a â—errour to you And therefore another Prophet fore-seing such a terrible day coming makes this earnest deprecating prayer Jer. 17.13 O Lord be not thou a terrâ—ur to me in the evil day I know an evil a terrible day is at hand but Lord I beg this of thee that thou wilt not be a terrour to me in that day if men should be a terrour to me and God a terrour too it would be inâ—upportable Yet thus it will be with the unrighteous when God doth terrible things in righteousness and such things he will do in the latter dayes Take heed lest God appear with terrible Majesty to you in such a day Thirdly How terrible is God to impenitent sinners when awakened in the day of death What is Death In this Book Death is called The King of Terrours Now if when Deaâ—h is making its approaches to a person who lives in a contempt of the wayes and word of God if when his breath sits upon his lips ready to depart and the King of Terrours is ready to tear his caul and to rend his heart-strings asunder if then I say God appears in terrible Majesty what condition will such a one be in To have Death the King of Terrours and the Living the ever-living God in terrible Majesty falling upon a poor creature at once is a thousand deaths at once Fouâ—thly What will sinners do in the day of judgment that will be a terrible day indeed The Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 having said We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the body whether good or bad presently adds knowiâ—g therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men that is knowing how terrible the Lord will be to impenitent sinners to all whom he finds in their sins knowing this terrour of the Lord and how terrible the Majesty of the Lord will be to such in that day we perswade men we do all we can to pluck them out of their sins and turn them to God in Châ—ist Jesus who saves his people from their sins for to be sure that will be a most dreadful day to sinners Thus the Mâ—jâ—sty of God will be terrible to the wicked and ungodly especially in these four dayes Only they who fear the Loâ—d and take hold of his name by faith shall be able to stand befoâ—e his terrible majesty God will not be a terrour but a comfoâ—t to them â—hat fear him in every evill day Fu â—her the word as wâ—s shewed before signifies not only Majesty but Praâ—se With God is â—errible praise dreadful praise Hence note First The Lord is most praise worthy With the Lord is praise The Psalmist every where sâ—ts fo th the praise-worthiness of God and presseth this duty upon us I shall not stay upon it only remember with the Lord is praise that is he is to be praised And from the attribute of his praiâ—e or that with the Lord is terrible praise Note Secondly Even in those things which the Lord doth most graciously for us and is to be highly praised by us even in thâ—se he is to be feared dreaded and reverenced God is to be praised not only with joy and thankfullness but with fear and reverence for with him is terrible praise It is the express word of Moses in his song after the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea Exod. 15.11 Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holines fearful in praises We should not be affraid to praise God no we should be most forward to praise him but we should have a holy fear upon our hearts when we praise him Praise is the work of heaven from whence fear shall for ever be banished there will be perfect love and perfect love Casts out fear 1 Joh. 4.18 What-ever fear hath torment in it as all fear out of Châ—ist hath we shall have nothing to do with in that blessed life And even in this life praise which is the work of heaven on earth should be performed with such a spirit of love joy as is without all base tormenting fear we should have so much love to God in and for all the good things he doth for our soules especially ye and for our bodyes too in dealing out daily mercies that it should cast out all that fear which hath torment in it Yet there is a fear which should pâ—ssess our spirits while we are praising God a fear of reverence I mean which fear I doubt not will remaine in heaven for ever Glorified Saints shall praise God with that fear that is having an everlasting awe of the Majesty of God upon their hearts He is fearful in praises and therefore let us so praise him as remembering our distance so praise him as to be affraid of miscarrying in the duty and so instead of praising displease him in stead of honouring grieve him This duty of praise is very dreadful The Psalmist saith there is mercy or forgiveness with thee O Lord that thou mayst be feared Psal 130.4 Not only is the Lord to be feared in his wrath and in the executions of his justice but he is to be feared in his mercy in that greatest expression of his favour towards us the forgivness of our sins When we are in the highest exaltations of the mercy of God and of the God of our mercies yet then should our hearts be
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
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
them it had been better for us not to have received them 364 Merciful men have special favours from God 521 Merit no merit in the best of men 649 Mighty men apt to despise others 173 Mightiness of man four fold 57. Mightiness of God in two things or of two sorts 160. The migâ—tineâ—s of God set forth in seven assertions 161 162. Five Infereâ—ces frâ—m the mightiness of Gâ—d 164 165. Miâ—acles God doth â—ot Mi acles to preserve or deliver the wicked 191 192. Mi aclâ—s as easie to God as his ordinary works 535. Modeâ—ation of Spiâ—it proceeâ—s from true greatness of Spirit â—86 Modesty a great vertue and the grace â—f all our graces 158 Motions of the creature most violent and in appearance contingent under the dominion of God 450 N Name of God what 73 Nature workâ— of God in nature ought to be searched 145 Necessity no man necessitated to choose a sinful evil 283 Negatives in Scripture often carry a strong affirmation 153 187 188. Nero his seeming clemency 631 Night God gives his people occasions of rejoycing in the night as well as in the day 71. God gives his people a rejoycing frame of spirit in the night 72. Night taken two wayes 312 North-wind makes fair weather 603. why promotion is said not to come out of the North. 605 O Obeying and hearing expressed by the same word 237 Obedience due to the call of God either by his word or works 237. Obedience to God profitable to man 247. No obedience where no service 250. Good men fail in obedience 251 Oppression of three sorts 56. Oppression a common sin 58. Oppression is a crying sin 59. Power is commonly abused to oppression 59. Yet when poor oppress that worst 59 60. It is best to have recourse to God when oppressed by men 67. Oppression cannot bring down the pride of man 88 Oppressors mind not God 62 Oppâ—essed persons will be crying and complaining 86. Some under Oppression do nothing but cry and complain 87 P Pardon of great sins what may encourage us to ask it 372. The greatness of pardoning mercy in Gâ—d 634 635 Passion not to be quieted but by Reason 382 Perfection two-fold 157 Perswasion what it is 280 Pleasure distinguished of in what pleasures to spend our dayes is a mercy 243. How that Promise of spending their dayes in pleasure is made good to the godly 245 246 Plenty and Scarcity are at the dispose of God 414. God useth natural means as the cause either of Plenty or Scarcity 414 Poor in Spirit how pleasing to God 195 196. Poor taken two wayes in Scripture 195. Poor shall have right done them by God 197. Objections answered 198 199 Poverty it self an affliction and the poor afflicted by others 194 196. Power of greaâ— use to do good and a great temptation to do bad things 60 Power of three sorts 335. They who have Power are apt to do wrong 347 Power of God in câ—mmanding and working how excellent 619 Prayers of the proud and impenitent are not heard 89 92. The Prayers of vain persons are vain things 93. What prayers are vain shewed in seven particulars 93 94. How much God values holy prayers shewed three wayes 66 Holy pâ—ayer not alwayes presently answered but never disregarded 96. A dreadful judgment not to have prayer regarded 97. Not to pray in time of affliction very sinful shewed in three things 267. Prayers of the wicked not esteemed by God 307 Praise God fearfull in praises 611 Presumptuous sin what 35 Presumptions of evil men described 106 Presumption to do or speak amiss not fearing God should know it 589 Pâ—ide oppression cannot bring down the proud heart of man 88. Pride a bad Mother of three bad children 169. Pride and high-mindedness the same 458 Promises some make them not minding to perform them 629. Four things ascribed to God in Scr pture which assure us he will perform his promises 630 Pâ—omotion comes usually in a secret way 605 Pronounes mine thine have a great emphasis 149 Prophaning the Name of God what 34 Prosperity what 242. Promises of outward prosperity most in the Old Testament 246. Outward prosperity given many Godly 288 Protection of God towards man two-fold 191 Providences when they seem to cross Promises and Prophesies yet trust 113 Providential care of God towards his people is perpetual 206. Some works of Providence very plain 357. The Pâ—ovidence of God reacheth to all places 453. The Government of the world is as much of God as the creatiâ—n of it 536. Heathens dark about Pâ—ovidence ascribed all to Fortune and second Causes 536 537. Comfort to the godly that all things are under the Pâ—ovidence of God 537 Q Question one question put more than twenty times to Jâ—b and why 535 Qâ—ietness of the Air much more of mens Hearts is of God 562. Christ can make the heart quiet in the midst of all outward uâ—quietness 563 R Rain fiâ—e things spoken of it 384 385. Rain comes fiâ—st from the earth 388. The causes of Rain 389. God can with-hold the Rain when he pleaseth 389. Four Inferences from it 90 39â— That the water falls from Heaven in drops of Râ—in is of God 393. God hath store of Rain in his treasury 397. Râ—in a comparison between that â—nd the Word of God 397 398. Râ—iâ— sâ—all and great 471. Great Rain of Gods strength what 471. In what quantity soever the Rain falls it is by the special appointment of God 475. For what purposes Rain is sent 519. Rain undeserved 't is of free mercy that we have Rain 520 Rain-bow the signification of it 542 543. The forme and cause of it 543. Why expressed in the Greek by a word that signifieth to speak or shew forth 544. Whether the Rain-bow were before the flâ—â—d 544 545. The fitness of the Rain bow to assure mercy shewed in seven particulars 545 546 Ransom what it is several sorts of it Nothing but the blood of Christ can ransom sinners nor will that deliver some sinners 304 Remember taken two wayes 349 Reward and punishment without them Religion would vanish 14 Riches God regardeth not men for their riches or any outward greatness 306 309 Right how God gives it the poor 195 Righteous man righteous three wayes 39. A two-fold notion of the righteous 21. The Righteous alwayes under Gods eye 202 203. Righteous highly esteemed and exalted by God 213 Righteousness essential to God 11 Righteousness of two sorts 8 9. The righteousness or righteous actings of men contribute nothing to God 41. Three grounds of it 42 43. How and whom righteousness doth profit 51 52. Cautions about it 53. Righteousness when and how ascribed to God 147 Rods of two sorts 514. S Scholars great not alwayes the wisest men 177 Scourge God can make any creature a scourge to man 412 Sealing in Scripture hath a threefold signification 476. Sealing up of the hand what it signifieth 478 September how expressed in the Hebrew and why 448 Servant what it
quem Deus Instituit Aquin. 1. 2 dae q. 21. Art 4. Ad primum nothing can be diminished nothing taken from God by any act of man Yet man as much as in him lyes takes away from and gives or brings to God when he either keeps or doth not keep that order which God hath appointed Sinners shall be judged and dealt with as they that have greatly annoyed and disadvantaged God as they that have rob'd and spoyl'd him as they that have smitten and wounded him as they that have abased him and laid him low And there is reason they should be judged as having done so forasmuch as they do their utmost to do so Thus they are described Psal 2.1 2. The Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers c. And why all this what was it for It was against the Lord and against hû Anointed This was done by the Princes and Great Ones of the world yet they were so far from being able to prejudice the Lord either in his Person or in his Interest that he did but laugh at them for it And 't is considerable that God is described there according to the notion used by Elihu in the Text sitting in the Heavens vers 4. He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision And why doth the Lord laugh surely because he sees they can no more hurt or hinder him in his purposes by any of or all their sinful advisings and attemptings than if they should hope to batter down the Heavens by discharging a Pot-gun against them And therefore he concludes with a triumphant Yet ver 6. Yet have I set my King after you have done your worst upon my holy Hill of Sion The sins of men do tuâ—n to the glory of God but to their own shame The sins of Gods own children turn to the gloâ—y of his mercy those huge heaps and numberless numbers of sins committed by his Children before Conversion what do they in the issue but lift up the glory of his Grace in the pardon of them And the rebellions committed by impenitent sinners going on in obstinacy to the end without Conversion what do they but lift up the glory of God in his Justice and wonderful judgements which he will bring upon them The sins of the old world which was a world of sin all flesh having corrupted their way before God and there being but one righteous Family found in it all those sins I say did not dammage God at all but indeed they glorified both his Patience and his Justice his Patience in sparing them so long even an hundred and twenty years after warning given his Justice in sending the Flood at last which brought swift destruction upon them and swept them all away The unnatural crying sins of Sodome did not hurt the God of Heaven but God took advantage thereby to gloâ—ifie his Justice in raining Fire and Brimstone upon them from Heaven Gen. 19.24 Pharaoh by all his opposition against the Israel of God did not disadvantage God but gave him an advantage to make his Power known by swallowing up him and his Egyptian Host in the waters of the Red Sea That which is done against the Will of God fulfills the Will of God The sins of men are so far from hurting the God of Heaven that they glorifie him among men on Eâ—rth while they behold him either turning the evil which is dore into good or punishing them â—or their evil doings That which men speak or do against God like an Arrow shot up into the Ayre falls down upon their own heads David Ps 111.2 breaks out wonderfully into the praise of God upon this consideration The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure in them These woâ—ks of God wherein we should take pleasure are not only wo ks of mercy to the Godly vers 3 4 5. but of vengeance upon the wicked vers 6. He hath shewed his people the power of his wâ—rks that he may give them the heritage of the Heathen The works of his hands are Verity and Judgement vers 7. That is judgement for Saints in saving them and upon sinners in consuming them De eo quod agitur contra Dei voluntatem voluntas ipsius vel mala in bonum convertentis vel mala punientis impletur August Enchirid c. 100. We should much contemplate the works of God in bringing glory to himself out of the sins of men The Angels sinned and sell man sinned as soon almost as he was set up These Creatures did that which God would not have done yet God brought about that which he would And thus it is to this day among all the childâ—en of men while they break holy Commandements God fulfills his holy Counsels no thanks to them yea woe to them So then the Lord hath no hurt by sin which way soever sinners turn themselves they cannot turn away his Counsels nor turn from his Counsels When they are disobeying his revealed will Miro et inaffabili modo non fit praeter ejus voluntatem quod etiam contra ejus voluntatem fit quia non fieret si non sineret nec utique nolens sinit sed volens Nec sineret bonus fieri male nisi omnipotens etiam de malo facere posset bene August in Psal 111. he is doing his secret will in which God is most righteous and in his season will lift up his Righteousnesse and Holinesse his righteous and holy Will in the face of all the sinners in the world and they shall know and confesse that he hath served his own wise and holy purposes even in those Providences wherein they have had no purpose but to serve their foolish and unholy lusts and pleasures We have an illustrious proof of this in that extreamly evil and unnatural practise of men good in the main the holy Patriarchs against their own Brother Gen. 50.20 who told them plainly when he meant them no evil but good But as for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it for good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive Further To clear the Point in general we may distinguish of sin as having a threefold opposition First Against our selves Secondly Against our Neighbour Thirdly Against God This division or distinction of sins must be so understood that the two former namely sin against our selves and against our Neighbour brings a real detriment and disadvantage to our selves and to our Neighbour But as sin hath respect to God it doth not bring any real detriment to him Only it may be said First The will of many sinners is raised up to that height of wickednesse as purposely to set themselves to dishonour God to blaspheme his name and do despight to the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10.29 which is the utmost length that sin or lust can go Secondly The nature of
every pressing danger let us go to God in faith and hope and he will either give us enlargements or do us good by and in our worst and greatest straits Thirdly Note As it is good when at any time we are in trouble to look to God so we should then look to God specially under this relation as he is our Maker It is good then to say God is my maker and I am the work of his hands therefore he will take care of me and deliver me out of the hand of my oppressors There are five duties which arise from this Consideration that God is our Maker First We should highly esteem and be thankfull for this benefit our making Secondly We should be confident that he who hath made us will preserve us Thirdly We should patiently submit to him when he afflicteth us himself or suffers others to afflict us Fourthly We should give him glory by believing that he will take care of us in or deliver us out of all our sufferings and afflictions Fifthly We should not think nor speak hardly of God because he hath made us subject to tryals and the exercise of patience neither should we take it ill that he hath made others so high or great that they have power to oppress us In all these respects we should look to God our maker and neither murmure at nor be afraid in a day of â—ffliction The Lord himself poynts us to that Isa 51.12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye and of the son of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker It is good in time of affliction to remember God in all our relations and in this as our maker in a three-fold making of us First As our maker in a natural capacity that is as he hath made these bodies of ours we may plead with and urge the Lord to take care of and preserve our bodyes because he ha h made them preservation is an act of providence and pâ—ovidence followeth creation Secondly As our maker in a civil capacity that is as he hath made us rich or poor high or low in the world or in any worldly enjoyments Pharaoh that great Dragon lying in the midst of the rivers said Ezek. 29.3 My river is mine own and I have made it for my self But grace teacheth us to say otherwise if we are rich or strong God hath made us so if our river be broad and deep full and over-flowing God hath made it so and if we are poor and weak if our river be naâ—row and shallow empty and dry God hath made it so and who shall say to him Why hast thou made it so That God is the maker of our crosse should make us quiet under it Thirdly A godly man should look to God in affliction as his maker in a spiritual capacity I do not mean as he hath made our spirits but as he hath made us spiritual or as we are his workmanship that 's the Apostles word created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 That we are thus wrought works much upon the heart of God in the day of our affliction That God hath made us men that we are his creatures is a good argument a faire plea and moves much but that he hath made us new men or new creatures his Sons by grace and Temples of his Spirit that he hath made us holy believing righteous is a far stronger argument a suller plea and moves much more A soul that can go to God thus and tell him he is his maker a soul that can say as 't is said of the Church Isa 54.5 My maker is my husband He that made me hath married me to himself a soul that can say this may indeed triumph in and over all his tribulations How sweet is it to have an interest in Christ and by him a relation to God as our maker in this respect When the Lord rejects a people to the utmost he saith he will not be stayd no not by this relation as their maker from doing it Isa 27.11 This is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour As if the Prophet had said If any argument could move the Lord to shew mercy this would do it to tell him he hath made such a people or he is their maker But there are none whom the Lord hath made in the third sense as to a new creation but he will have mercy on them and shew them favour his making of them such is a gâ—eater mercy and an higher favour thâ—n any they can ask of him nor are there any of that making who are of no understanding So then he that is made of God spiritually needs not care for all the unmaking or undoing he can receive from men nor fear that he shall ever be unmade or unmercy'd by God All he can lose in this world doth not cannot make him miserable who is made fit for the world to come He knoweth he hath an estate setled upon him by his Maker which cannot be taken away A man thus made may say to his spoylers Ye have taken nothing from me but the scraps and sweepings the parings and chippings of my estate The Archers indeed have sorely grieved me and shot at me but my bow abides in strength and the armes of my hands are made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. He that is spiritually made or made a new creature is made for ever and in every strait he may look to God his Maker as a helper and restorer He that made us when we were nothing can help us when we are reduced to a very nothing It is an encouragement to go to God for healing because he hath wounded us Come and let us return unto the Lord saith the Church for he hath torne and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will bind us up Hos 6.1 Much more is it an encouragement to go unto God to be our healer because he hath been our Maker He that hath made us can mend us He that built us can repaire us if we say as we ought and have been taught Where is God our maker Who giveth songs in the night Those words contain a second Consideration why the oppressed should seek to God he giveth songs that is matter of songs or cause of singing joy and comfort even in the night There are several opinions about the meaning of these words Some as I shewed before interpret this verse of the oppressors None of them say Where is God my maker who giveth songs in the night So the words are a description as of the great worldly security so of the great worldly felicity of those oppressors Poor men labour all day hard and being wearied out with their labours when night cometh they go to bed But prophane great and rich men
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
shall see God no more they shall not see him as long as they live they are afraid they shall never have comfort more nor peace more while they are in this world while they are on this side heaven yet whether ever they shall come to see him in heaven is their greatest their saddest their most heart-disquieting and heart-breaking doubt and feare And indeed as we cannot see God untill he gives us eyes so we cannot believe we shall see him untill he gives us hearts Many times his dealings both as to outward terrible providences and inward terrors are so dark that we can see nothing but darkness nor say any thing but as Job is here charged to say that we shall not see him Yea God doth often hide himself from his people on purpose to try whether they will trust him and wait upon him under such withdrawings for salvation whether temporal or eternal Isal 45.15 Thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Let us therefore take heed of saying he will be for ever hidden or that we shall never see nor behold him as a Saviour say not it is so dark with us that as now we see no light so our night shall never have a morning Fourthly From these words Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Note A good man is apt to give his heart and tongue too much liberty We should watch our hearts to keep out or cast out vaine thoughts we should strangle distrustful and unbelieving thoughts in the very birth that so our tongues may never bring them forth nor publish them to the offence of others Thou hast said thou shalt not see him But when our unbridled tongues have run at randome and spoken what is not right yet God will do what is right as the next words assure us Yet Judgment is before him These words plainly intimate that Jobs scope when he said he should not see God was that he should not see him as a Judge clearing up his cause or appearing to vindicate the wrong done him and to do him right As if Elihu had said Whatever thy opinion is concerning God that he will never appear in thy cause to do thee right yet know this O Job Judgement is before him and therefore I advise thee be thou better perswaded both of his presence with thee and of his providence over thee The word rendred Judgement is that from which one of the Patriarks had his name and it is a great elegancy Gen. 49.16 Dan shall Judge his people The proper name Dan is the same with the Verb which follows shall Judge When Judgement is said to be before the Lord it may be taken three wayes so we find it in the Sc ipture First we read there of Judgement as it is opposed to mercy These terrible and dreadful Judgements of God are every where spoken of Secondly Judgement is opposed to imprudence and want of understanding or discretion Judgement is a wise and clear sight or apprehension of things as we say such a one is a Judicious man or a man of a great Judgement Thirdly Judgement is opposed to injustice or to unâ—ighteousness thus we do judgement and justice Many have a great stock of judgement or understanding who yet will do little judgment that is little justice they have a right understanding of things yet will do little or nothing right Here when it is said Judgment is before him we are to understand it in the two latter senses for though it be a great truth that judgment as opposed to mercy is before the Lord And he shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy though as the Apostle adds in the same place James 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth or glorieth against Judgement The Lord hath judgements all manner of judgements about him yet that notion of judgement doth not belong to this place but the two latter Judgement is before him that is he is a God of infinite understanding and wisdome he seeth every thing to the utmost he goes to the bottome of every mans case yea to the very bottome of every mans heart he sees every action quite through and every person And as he knows the truth of every mans cause and case so he will do every man right according to the merit of his cause and case Justice and Judgement are the habitation of his throne while clouds and darkness are round about him Psal 97.2 that is though present dispensations are obscure as in Jobs case yet both the procedure and dealings of God as also the issue or determination which he gives in every matter is just and righteous to all men as well as gracious and comfortable to good and upright-hearted men Thus Judgement or this judgement is alwayes before him that is he hath a clear sight of it and he is ready to do it Hence Note First God hath a right and clear apprehension of all persons and actions His understanding is infinite The Lord is as Hannah spake in her Thanksgiving-Song 1 Sam. 2.3 a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed That is he knoweth them exactly to a grain as we do the weight of those things which we have laid in an even Balance It is required of Judges in that advice which Jethro gave to Moses Exod. 18.21 That they should be able men that is not so much men of able purses as of able parts men of able judgement and of more than common understanding even such as were able to look through every mans Cause that came before them Such is the ability of the Lords understanding to the full he is Omniscient He is light and in him is no darknesse at all And as in him there is no darknesse so nothing is dark to him the most intricate and knotty Case the most ravel'd and vext Cause that ever was is plain and evident before his eyes with whom we have to do and who hath to do with us Judgement is before him neither is there any Judgement before any other in comparison of him God hath so much light that Men and Angels are to him but darknesse God seeth so much that all others may be said not to see or to be stark blind even those Judges may be called blind who are not blinded we may say they have no eyes whose eyes are not put out with gifts compared with God How blind then are those Judges who are blinded and whose eyes are put out either by prejudice or passion by hopes or fears it cannot be but Judgement must be before God because as he cleerly sees and fully understands whatsoever comes before him so nothing can divert or biass him fâ—om doing every man right according to his sight and understanding Judgement is before him Hence Note Secondly God will do right to every man as sure as he knows the right of every man There are many who know what is right who know whose Cause is right yet will not
great extremity Who knoweth not the Antecedent to he is Job according to this translation because he knoweth not But what did not Job know First He knew not the dealings of God with him to submit to them as he should Secondly He knew not that there was such a miss or deficiency in the acting of his graces he perceived not how weak a soul he had in that weak body his trust his faith did not act and yet he knew it not or took no notice of his fayling in those duties Thirdly He hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not that is he knoweth not the anger of God who visiteth him To know may be taken three wayes First For the bare notion or apprehension of a thing thus certainly Job did know that he was visited for he spake often and enough of it Secondly To know is to consider to lay a thing to heart Isa 1.3 My people doth not know Israel doth not consider the latter part is exegetical and expounds the former My people doth not know that is doth not consider So Hos 2.8 She did not know that I gave her corn c. Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thy anger that is who considers it who weighes what the anger of the Lord is we have sweet thoughts about the mercy and love and goodness of God yet 't is little very little of any of these that we know The love of God which we delight to know passeth knowledge Eph. 3.19 But for the anger of God which is so dreadful we seldome set our selves to the study of it none can know it comprehensively and few seek or labour to know it industriously considerately Thirdly To know is to be under a due sense of what we know We may know a thing and consider it yet not have a feeling of it I conceive we are to understand the word know here in these two latter senses He knoweth it not that is he doth not consider nor hath he a due sense either of the defect of his own graces that his faith acts not as it ought that his trust performes not its part as it should nor doth he know the anger of God in this visitation that is he knoweth not nor considereth the scope and meaning of God in this angry dispensation Yet he knoweth it not In great extremity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multitudo multum passim oâ—currit in Targ Interdum in Hebraismo Merc. The word signifieth any kind of encrease Mal. 4.2 They shall go forth and grow up as the Calves of the Stall So 't is used Jer. 50.11 Because ye are grown fat we put in the Margin big or corpulent Lev. 13.5 If the Plague of Leprosie he means encrease grow great and spread it self then c. Jobs affliction was a great one at first and it grew greater afterwards He was in great extremity or in extremities of what in great extremity First of loss and poverty in his Estate Secondly of pain and torment in his Body Thirdly of grief and anguish in his Soul In all these he suffered and suffered extreamly or in great extremity Mr. Broughton renders Because Job knoweth not this great plenty namely of sorrows which compass him about This was the censure of Elihu upon Job and Job had given Elihu too much ground for this censure Though Jobs Faith and trust were strongly at work somtimes yet they did not alwayes continue their work in the same degree or strength and while he often complained in his extremity that God dealt with him as with an enemy he did not well consider what that anger of God was in which he visited him during the time of that great extremity Yâ—â— he knoweth it not in great extremity As this not knowing is referred to his weakness in acting his Graces now it is not so yet he knoweth it not Note A godly man is not alwayes sensible of his defects and failings in grace As some have little or no Grace who yet conceit they have much Rev. 3.17 Thou sayest I am rich and encreased in goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and naked So others who have grace yea much grace in the habit as Job had may be very insensible how little it acts yea they may suppose it acts much when the actings of it are intermitted or extreamly suppressed by passion and corruption They may think their Faith strong or that they trust fully in God they may think themselves patient and humble under the hand of God and yet be greatly defective in the working of all these Graces I mean not such a deficiency only as is common to all believers the best come short in the exercise of grace but some great deficiency may be and yet the soul not sensible of it As some are over-sensible of their failings complaining that they have no Faith no Patience when they not only have Faith and Patience as to their Being but as to their working also and possibly working well It is a different work of the Spirit to act and stir up Grace in us and to discover to us the actings and stirrings of Grace Now as some godly men act Grace and know it not so in others that are godly Grace acts not and they know it not Faith is down and they know it not they can bear little or nothing patiently yet they take no notice of it Thus the words of Elihu concerning Job he knoweth it not referr to the former part of the verse It is not so that is his Graces act not yet he takes no notice of it but thinks Faith and Patience with other Graces work well enough Secondly As not knowing refers to the visitation of God He hath visited him in his anger and he knoweth it not yea though in great extremity though he have a very hard time of it Hence Note First A good man may not only be visited but extreamly visited by the hand of God He may be under many extremities at once extreamly visited in Body extreamly in Mind extreamly in his Relations extreamly in his Name extâ—â—amly in all his worldly concernments As there is no outward evil for the matter so none for the degree but a good man may be in it Let us be moderate in judging those who are in the extreamest extreamities of suffering Secondly Note Some good men or good men somtimes under very great afflictions are not sensible of the hand of the Lord upon them As a good man may receive many mercies and yet not observe at present how or from whom he receives them so he may be under angry visitations or dispensations in great extremity and not mind the dealing of God with him in it nor what he intendeth by it yea he may complain of the burthen and cry out under the pressure yet not know it at that time for his own good for his humbling or purging
God he will not bow his ear to us We only fill the air with words we are but sounding brass and tinkling Cimbals in all we say to God unless we do what God saith Elihu supposing Jâ—bs spirit yet unsubdued or not wrought and brought into a right frame under his affliction might well say he openeth his mouth in vaine and as it followeth to the same effect in the close of this verse and Chapter He multiplieth words without knowledge Here is another hard censure upon this good this holy and wise man Job Some Expositers fall heavy upon Elihu as charging Job too far he spake say they many things that were right but not rightly he spake many things that were true but he did not speak truly in fixing them upon Job he spake all uprightly but somewhat too rigorously And indeed if he had charged him so far as to say he had no knowledge at all and had not opened his mouth at all to purpose he had charged him beyond both truth and modesty But Elihu who was set up by God for this very end to humble Job had ground to tell him that as to some things he had both opened his mouth in vaine and multiplied words without knowledge that is he had spoken many words which seemed not to proceed from any sound or well-grounded knowledge and I may give a four-fold ground of it First Because he had not sufficiently attended and magnified the Soveraignty of God in laying those afflictions upon him Secondly Because he had not as he ought sate down quietly under the hand of God but often called to know the cause and that God would plainly tell him the reason or give him an account why he suffered Whereas he should have remembred that as many of the judgements of God are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out by man so he hath reserved some of them as secrets in his own breast and will no more give any man an account of them than any man ought to desire an account of them Thirdly Because he had not more considered his sin or had not been so much in considering the greatness of his sin as he had been in setting forth the greatness of his integrity For though it were true which Job spake that his way was upright and though God had given testimony to his uprightness and integrity in all his wayes yet he should not have insisted so much upon that poynt which had so much affinity with self-boasting though he intended it only for self clearing or for the righting of himself It had been more becoming him to have been aggravating his sin than setting forth his righteousness this was the poynt that Elihu struck at that he had justified himself too much and judged himself too little Yea Job was convinced of this at last Once have I spoken but I will speak no more that is of my own integrity or righteousness Fourthly He may be said to have multiplied words without knowledge because he had spoken so much in the aggravation of his afflictions 'T is true his afflictions were very great yet Elihu censures him deservedly because he took too much notice of them complaining often and often how heavy the hand of God was upon him yea that God was an enemy to him whereas he should rather have lookt upon the visitation of God as light and easie Inscritam objicit quod pugnantia saliem non satis inter se cohaerentia conjunaeit Merl or at least as but little comparatively to what the Lord was able to lay upon him or what his sin might justifie God in laying upon him Elihu having observed Job often and long striking upon that string hightning his sufferings and troubles had reason enough not only to call him off from it but to check him for it And therefore let us remember and be admonished that in all our afflictions we should not so much set forth the greatness of our suffering as the greatness of the mercy of God we should look upon little mercies as great it shews an excellent spirit when we heighten and greaten the mercy and goodness of God even in little things but we should speak of and look upon our greatest chastenings and afflictions as light and little Job fayled somewhat in all these things and in some of them his faylings were great and upon some of if not upon all these grounds I judge Elihu gave this judgement upon Job He openeth his mouth in vaine and multiplieth words without knowledge Job also yeilded himself thus faulty at last Chap. 42.3 Who is he there he speaks of himself in a third person Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderfull for me which I knew not I shall close my thoughts upon this Chapter with minding the Reader First of Elihu his candedness â—owards Job beyond what he found from his other friends for Elihu chargeth Job here only with vanity and inadvertency not with any premeditated wickedness or blasphemy as Eliphaz had done Chap. 22.13 14. Secondly let me mind the Reader of that liberty and plainness of speech which Elihu used towards Job in telling him of and censuring him for his faylings as also of that patience meekness and equanimity with which Job heard received and bare his sharpest censures not replying one word in passion nor so much as pleading the least excuse for his former passionateness but taking all in good part and doubtless improving all for his spirituall profit JOB Chap. 36. Vers 1 2 3 4. 1. Elihu also proceeded and said 2. Suffer me a little and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee ELihu hath already made three addresses or speeches to Job and here he begins a fourth this and the next Chapter are wholly spent in it and are the issue of his whole discourse with this sorrowful man In which we may consider three parts First The Preface or rather the Prefaces of his speech Secondly The Body or Substance of his Speech Thirdly The Conclusion of it The Preface or Prefaces the Introductions of this Discourse of Elihu with Job are contained in the foure verses of this Text under hand The Body of his Discourse is begun at the fifth verse inclusively and continued to the 23d verse of the next Chapter exclusively The Conclusion of all is laid down in the two last verses of the 37 Chapter In this copious Discourse or long Oration Elihu brings not any new assertion or saying of Job to be proved against him nor doth he reprove Job for any new fault but insists upon the proof of what himself had asserted before to shew that God is righteous or to maintain the righteousness of God which he doth variously by
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
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
the work of God in general proceeds to draw him to the magnifying of the special works of God in naturals Yet before he leads him to the consideration of the greatness of those works he invites him to consider God himself who is the Author and Disposer of them and he invites him to consider God is three things all which we find laid down in this 26th verse First In his Greatness Behold God is great Secondly In his Incomprehensibleness He is great and we know him not Thirdly In his Eternity Neither can the number of his years be searched out Surely he is most worthy our consideration who is great and so great that he cannot be comprehended and who is eternally great whose years are numberless Vers 26. Behold God is great The word Behold is here a note both of Attention and admiration O mind O admire the greatness of God God is great The word rendred great properly signifies an encreasing growing greatness God is without all encrease or growth being for ever the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et multus magnus multus robore Drus Septuaginta legunt multus i. e. omnibus numeris perfectus atque omnibus perfectionibus cumiloâ—is yet he may be said to encrease to be magnified and multiplied as I may say according to the apprehensions which we have of him This word bears the signification both of much and many God is but one and the one-most one yet in this sence many So the Septuagint renders it here he hath or is many that is he hath all perfections in him the lines of all excellency and virtue of all glory and perfection center in God alone Thus God is much and God is many the one God is many he hath many he hath all eminencies and excellencies bound up boundlesly in him Again God is great in himself or in his being Whatsoever is in God is God and therefore whatsoever is in God is great The power of God is the powerful God and therefore his power must needs be great the wisdom oâ— God is the wi e God and therefore his wisdom most needs be very great the mercy of God is the merciful God and therefore his mercy must needs be very great And thus we may pâ—oceed in our meditations quite through all the divine Attributes And as God is great in his being so he is great in his working he doth great things The Psalmist â—aith he is good and doth good he is also great and doth great things he is the tâ—â—st the chief and the best being and his doings are such as he is he doth like himself God is great and he hath an excellent an excelling greatness Praise him saith David Psal 150.2 according to his excellent greatness or as the words may well bear according to his muchness of greatness for when the Scripture saith God is great this positive is to be taken as a superlative God is great that is he is greatest he is greater than all so great that all persons and all things are little yea nothing before him Isa 40.15 Behold the nations are to him but as the drop of the bucket and are counted but at the smal dust of the ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing they are as nothing and they are counted to him as less than nothing and vanity How great is God in comparison of whom the greatest things are little things yea the greatest things are nothing Behold God is great From this excellent Attribute the greatness of God I have made several Inferences already at the 12th verse of the 33d chapter yet I shall infer some things further here both for our direction and consolation First If God he great and greatest then fear him greatly Great is the Lord said David in his thanksgiving-song 1 Chron. 16.25 he also is to be feared above all gods that is above all the great powers on earth and above all the imaginary powers of heaven Idols who are the fancied powers of heaven are sometimes called gods in Scripture so likewise are Princes or Magistrates who are eal powers on earth Now saith David who was one of those gods and a great one fear him above all gods Why Because he is above all gods he is higher than the highest and he is greater than the greatest therefore fear him above all gods yea therefore fear or worship him all ye gods Psal 97.7 Many say with their mouthes God is great yea infinitely greater than man yet they fear men especially great men more than God Secondly If God be great then love him greatly Shall this great God have but little love from us The Law of love with respect to God is exprest two wayes in Scripture first as to the truth of it and secondly as to the measure or degree of it The love which is given to God must be a true love a sincere love yet not only so but the love which is given to God must be the greatest love Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might and with all thy strength with all thy heart sincerely with all thy might and strength greatly Thirdly If God be great then serve him greatly or do him great service Take heed of offering the lean and the lame the halt and the blind to this great King A great King must not be put off with little services with small pittances of duty Fourthly If God be great then believe him greatly let us have great faith in the great God Jesus Christ rebukes his disciples Mat. 8.26 O ye of little faith have you God to pitch your faith upon who is great have you his power and his mercy and his truth and his faithfulness all which are great to rest upon and have you but a little faith That woman Mat. 15.28 gave glory to God in believing when she believed greatly and therefore Christ cryeth up and magnifyeth the greatness of her faith O woman great is thy faith Fifthly The great God is greatly to be praised he doth great things for us therefore we must return great thanks to him That also we have expresly 1 Chron. 16.25 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised The great God must have great praises for he doth great things As every sin we commiâ— against God hath a greatness in it upon this consideration because he is a great God against whom we sin Take heed of the least sin for that is great being committed against the great God so whatsoever duty this of pâ—aise especially we perform to God we should strive to raise it up to the gâ—eatest to the highest because the great God the high God is concerned in it or it is consigned to the great to the high God Sixthly If God be great we ought to give him great submission or to submit greatly to him Great submission to God is the substance of all duty to
them in remembrance that God made their fore-fathers dwell in tents when he brought them out of Egypt as also to mind them that here they had no abiding place but were to seek one to come And as this place of publick worship so any place for private dwelling was called a tabernacle Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house until c. Said David Ps 132.3 that is into my house which though it be a royal Pallace yet I look upon it but as a movable tabernacle But doth God dwell in a movable house God is immovable he makes no removes yet wheresoever God is pleased to shew himself in his power and marvelous works there we may say his tabernacle is The tabernacle of God where this noise this mighty noise is made is nothing else but the Clouds before spoken of The Clouds are Gods tabernacle they are called so expresly by a word of very near cognation unto this Psal 18.11 He maketh the Clouds his pavilion A pavilion is an extraordinary tabernacle a pavilion is that tabernacle which is proper to a King or to the General of an Army Now saith the Psalmist He maketh the Clouds his pavilion In them he shews his power and glory They are also called the chariots of God Psal 104.3 Deut. 32.6 and he is said to come in the Clouds as a Prince in his chariot He came in a thick Cloud Exod. 19.9 and he descended in a Cloud Exod. 34.5 which here is called his tabernacle So then the Clouds together with all that middle region of the air where the rain now and fiery meteors are generated are in Scripture allegorically called the tabernacle of God because there he seems often to dwell or reside for the producing of many wonderful works upon this inferiour world We may take the word here in a double allusion unto a tabernacle or unto two sorts of tabernacles First There were ordinary tabernacles wherein men dwelt The ancient Hebrews dwelt in tents or tabernacles these were tabernacles for civil use or for habitation in allusion unto which the Apostle speakes of the body wherein the soul dwels 2 Cor. 5. When the earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved we know that we have a building of God an hsuse not made with hands eternal in the heavens Secondly There were tabernacles for military use souldiers tents or tabernacles As the whole heavens so the clouds especially may be called the tabernacle of God in both respects they aâ—e his house wherein he sits unseen and doth wonders all the woâ—ld over in them he shâ—weth his power and appears gloâ—iously and as a great Pâ—ince or mighty General he sends out his edicts and orders from the clouds he commands winds stormes tempests snow haile for several dispensations to go from thence according as his own infinite wisdom seeth fit and the cases of men require whether in wayes of Judgment or of mercy as Elihu tells us yet more distinctly at the 31th verse For by them saith he judgeth he the people he giveth meat in abundance The clouds are very fit and commodious for Gods use in any of these respects either for the terrifying and punishing of the wicked or for the helping and feeding of them that fear him Now forasmuch as the clouds are called the tabernacle of God upon these accounts Learn first There God is said to be especially where he especially workes God is no more in one place of the woâ—ld than in another as to his being and existence for he is every wâ—ere he filleth heaven and earth We must not think that God is shuâ— up in the clouds as a man in his tabernacle but because God workes much in the clouds and doth great things by the rain thunder and lightening therefore the cloudes whence these Meteors issue are called his tabernacle Where-ever God works much he is said to dwell Why is God said to dwell with them that are of an humble and contrite heart even because he workes much in them and much by them So because many great works of God are done in the Clouds as we shall see more particularly hereafter therefore the Lord is said to dwell there as in his tabernacle Secondly When 't is said Who can understand the noise of his tabernacle Observe The most dreadful storms and tempests the roaring winds which we hear at any time are sent out by God they are the noise of his tabernacle They go when he saith go Psal 148.8 Stormy winds and tempests fulfilling his will We may think stormes of all thingâ— least under command and order yet they are under an exact order The most stormy winds go not an haires breadth besides or beyond the commission which God gives them As often as we hear the roaring noise of the wind much more of thunder let us remember 't is the noise of his tabernacle Vers 30. Behold he spreadeth his light upon it and covereth the bottom of the sea Elihu insists still upon the workes of God He spreadeth his light Some understand by this light the lightening and it is a great truth God wonderfully spreads the lightening upon the daâ—k clouds as if they were all in a flame That 's clear to the eye when it lighteneth and God is sâ—yd Psal 144.6 To cast forth his lightening which comes neer this word in the text he spreadeth it But because in the next châ—pter Elihu speakes purposely of the lightening therefore I shall not stay upon that sence here but decline it Rather take light in the common notion He spreadeth his light that is the light of the Sun which is eminenâ—ly called Gods Light upon it that is upon the cloud spoken of in the forme verse and so the two parts of this verse yeild us a deâ—cripâ—ion as I conceive of the weather-changes made by God When we have had much rain and stormes God can presently spread his light upâ—n the cloud that is cause the light and heat of the Sun to conquer the clouds and scatter them And he also covereth the bottom of the Sea That is by and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes it very dark by the gathering of thick clouds even as dark as the bottom of the Sea whither the light cannot come or dark to the bottom of the Sea Râ—dices maris sunt profundissimae infimaeque illius partes The original is the roots of the Sea that is the lowest parts of the Sea which we significaâ—tly translate the bottom of the Sea Some explicate the whole veâ—se He spreads his light upon the face of the whole heavens and spreads the waters over the Ocean so that no bottom can be seen scarcely found Mr. Broughton by the roots of the Sea understands the earth Another saith he makes mention of the roots of the Sea because the waters of the Sea are as it were the roots of the Clouds they chiefly supplying the matter of which they are made Vapours drawn from
vapour or that which goeth up The prudent man fore-seeth an evil approaching by way of argument For thus he reasons if God be an unchangable God if he be as holy as just as powerful as zealous as jealous now as eveâ— he was and if sin be the same as ever it was if sin be as fowl in it self if it be as loathsome and as burthensome to God if it be as pernicious and hurtful to man now as ever it was then surely when men run such and such sinful courses such and such will be the effects such and such the fruits Thus a pruden man seeth the effect in the cause the consequent in the antecedent This was Solomons purpose when he said Eccles 2.14 The wise mans eyes are in his head You may say so are the fools eyes too Where are his eyes else But when Solomon saith The wâ—se mans eyes are in his head his meaning is they are there to purpose the wise man well observes and marks how things go and whither things tend he considers how things go and whither things are going but the fool walketh in darkness that is he walketh as if he had no eyes in his head as if his eyes were in his heels not in his head It is said 1 Chron. 12.32 concerning the men of Issachar They were wise concerning the times and to know what Israel ought to do They knew what the times required and what God required in those times what special duties were incumbent upon them from the dispensations of God It is a great mercy and a great part of our wisdom to be thus wise and if we arâ— not we shall be found and judged more bruitish â—han the bruit beast for the Cattel also give warning concerning the vapour they give notice when rain and storms are coming Thus I have held out the sence of the words as they are laid down plainly in our translation But there are very many differences among Interpreters as was hinted before in the reading and rendring of these words all which arise from some diffiâ—ulâ—y in the Gramatical construction and copious signification of the Hebrew text I might give you more than three and three several intepretations of these words but as I said before I should rather perplex the Reader than confirm him yet I shall name three when I have only shewed which words in the text occasion this variety in translation First the word rendred by us Clouds signifieth also the hands Secondly the word rendred cometh between signifieth an Intercessor or one that prayeth as also an opposer who stands up against and resists â—he force of another Thirdly the word rendred noise signifieth when deâ—ived from another root a friend or familiar Fouâ—thly the woâ—d rendred cattel signifieth also possession or that which is possessed and taken from another root emulation or strife Fifthly the word which we translate as an Adverbe also signifieth likewise anger Sixthly the word rendred vapour signifieth an ascension or going up and so plants or herbs which grow out of â—ne ground and ascend into the air according to their growâ—h are elegan lâ— expressed by it All these diffeâ—ences found in the single tearms are made use of by Interpreters as will appear while I give you a taste of three differenâ— trâ— slations Fiâ—st The common Latine translator renders thus In his hands he hideth the Light and commands it to come again he speaks of it or declares it to his friend that it is his possession and that he may ascend or come to it This rendring is marvelous different from ours yet there is some sooting for it in the Original and it may receive a useful sense The whole text being accordingly expounded as an argument of Gods great favour to godly men from whom though he at any time hideth the light yet t is but for a time he commands it to return again and tells them as his friends light is their possession and that at last they shall ascend up into light There is a second Classis of Interpreters In utraque vole occultat lucem praecipit ei super occurrente Judicat hoc tumultus ejus aemulatio ira adversus ascendeutem Bez. who expound these two Verses wholly as a description of the Clouds meeting together and assaulting one another like two great Champions and Warriors in battel The learned Beza translates the first part of the 32d Verse conformably to the Vulgar Latine last spoken of He hideth the light in either hand or both hands and the latter part of that Verse together with the whole 33d Verse in conformity to the sense now given He gives it namely the light or Lightening command concerning that which meets or comes against it namely where and how to receive the foâ—ce or charge of the other cloud that is ready to assault it the noise the strife the anger of it against the ascender or cloud coming up plainly declareth this Some of the Jewish Doctors insist much in the description of this conflict between the Clouds above and the ascending Clouds concerning which the reader may consult them for further information but the difficulties of this translation noted by Modern Expositers especially by Mercer and Merlin are so many that it may suffice to name it Thirdly Mr. Broughton thus By hands he covereth the light and chargeth it as man doth pray declaring his favour towards him the cattel and also plants The meaning is which several others follow in translating and opening this conâ—ext That when God covereth the light or causeth darkness yet at the intercession or prayer of his people he makes a change and causeth great serenity giving comfortable times thereby declaring his favour towards them yea and towards the cattel and the plants which feed upon ascend or grow up out of the earth Junius consents fully with this sense whose Translation and gloss upon it I shall present the reader and submit all to his judgment and consideration With his hands he hideth the light that is he makes it dark as laying his hand upon it and he fâ—rbids it namely his hand to hide the light any longer because of him that intercedeth that is Noah in the time of the general flood and the Godly who according to the example of Noah come to God Jam. 5.16 declaring towards him that is the Godly man praying and worshiping God his good will yea towards the cattel and fruits of the earth These are the most eminent conceptions which I find upon the text all of them containing truths and such as may occasion useful meditations But I rather adhere to our own version in which as the power of God in changing the weather is held out so his goodness in giving signs and warnings of it both by the noises which we hear in the air and by some unusual actions and motions which we may see among Cattel here upon the earth JOB Chap. 37. Vers 1 2. 1. At this also my
Clouds a ruine to the world so he often makes them a correction 1 Sam. 12.18 19. Ezra 10.9 we have had many examples both of sweeping Rains and dreadful Thunders Lightning and Tempest coming forth from the Clouds The Apostle saith Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness c. God hath revealed his wrath from Heaven chiefly in and by the Ministry of his VVord he may be said also to reveal his wrath from Heaven against sinful man in and by the Ministry of the Clouds they have often lifted up their Voyce like a loud Trumpet and louder than a Trumpet to tell the sons of men of their tranâ—gâ—ession and to reprove them for their sin And therefore when we see extraordinary gatherings of the Clouds we should take instruction lest we provoke the Lord to send or cause them to come for correction The Clouds drop down many good Lessons and admonitions and if they are not attended to the next thing they drop is a Rod or Correction He causeth it to come whether for correction Or for his Land For whose Land Some refer it to the Cloud that is Pronomen sua alii ad nubem reserunt ut dicat pro terra in qua genita juit Drus for the Land out of which the Cloud was made for the Vapours which arise out of the Land by the attractive power of the Heavens make Clouds As if the meaning were he causeth the Cloud to fall down upon that Land out of which it was raised whereas oftentimes a Cloud is made of Vapours raised from one Land or Country and by the command of God is carryed to another Land or Country very far off But I rather take the Antecedent to his to be God himself His Land that is Gods Land or the Land of God But then the Question is what are we to understand by his Land hath God a Land distinct from others as the Princes of the World have are not all Lands his I answer First The truth is all the World is Gods Land so that wheresoever the Clouds fall they fall upon his Land Psal 50.12 The World is mine and the fulness of it saith the Lord. God is the great Land-lord of all the World Secondly Somtimes in special the habitable part of the World is called the Land of God Psal 24.1 there being a part of the World supposed uninhabitable or wherein no man dwels Thirdly His Land that is the Land which God doth peculiarly own Exod. 19.5 You are a peculiar Treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine As the Israelites were the Lords peculiar people so some Lands are his peculiars he specially calls them his Land Peculiaritèr terra Dei vocatur terra sancta in qua Dei cultus exercetur Sic nominat unamquamque gentem cui bene vult and entitles himself to them beyond all other Lands The Land of Canaan was called The Lords Land because he was known and worshipped there Hos 9.3 We may say in general Look in whatsoever Country or place God is truly known honour'd and worshipped that is his Land and that 's the Land here chiefly intended say some by his Land He causeth it to come whether for correction Or for his Land That is for the good and benefit of that Land wherein his Name is professed and himself truly worshipped That 's a good sence For doubtless the Lord takes more care of such a Land than of any other Land The eyes of the Lord were upon the Land of Canaan he took care of it from the beginning of the Year to the end thereof even to water it with the Rain of Heaven Deut. 11.12 Thus 't is said Psal 68.9 10. Thou O God didst send or shake out a plentiful Rain a Rain of munificences or liberalities whereby thou didst confirm thine Inheritance when it was weary Thy Congregation hath dwelt therein Every Land to which God bears special respect and good-will which whensoever he doth he doth it with respect to the people inhabiting there may be emphatically called His Land Yet Fourthly Forasmuch as the latter word for mercy seems to imply that special favour which God bestowes upon his own people in sending forth the Clouds with Rain therefore by His land I rather conceive the earth in general is meant or yet to take it more particularly that part of the earth which no man claims which is scaâ—ce habitable by man that which is a wast Wilderness or Desart for wild beasts that Land which is overgrown with Trees and Bushes a Land which no man dresseth or bestoweth any culture or husbandry upon even for that Land doth God take care as his Land thither he sends Rain that the Beasts may have Pasture and Plants moysture that it may be watered and provided for as well as those Lands that men by their care and industry manure as their own peculiars 'T is said Chap. 38.26 He that is God causeth it to rain on the earth where no man is on the Wilderness wherein there is no man Thus in the Tâ—x He causeth it to come for his land a Land which hath no owner but himself Hence Observe God hath an universal respect to and care over all his Creatures Wheresoever God hath a foot of Land in the World though no foot of man comes there he sends the Clouds to do it service for the sake only of wild Beasts living there and of Trees and Plants growing there Psal 36 6 Lord thou preseâ—â—st Man and Beast Not only doth God preserve men but bâ—â—â— and where no men are God provides for beasts that they may have food and live We may hence argue as the Apostle did in another case 1 Cor. 9 9. Doth God take care for Oxen Hath he respect to the wast Lands to the wild Beasts of the Wilderness surely then he will take care of inhabited Lands he will cause the Cloud to come and water the Land where men dwell especially where good men dwell to them he causeth it to come as it followeth in the Text For Mercy The third Message about which the Clouds are sent or caused to come is for favour God dispenceth mercy by the Cloud he causeth it to come for mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei propensam omnibus benefaciendi voluntatem denotat The Original word rendred mercy hath a great significancy in it this especially a bountiful good-will towards others without respect to merit or any antecedent obligation When here 't is said He causeth it to come for Mercy we are to understand much more than was meant before when 't is said He causeth it to come for his land to feed the beasts and nourish the Plants and I conceive we may give a twofold interpretation of it First For Mercy that is for some eminent uses besides those that are for meer necessity to water the earth Rain is sent First To purge Secondly to cool the air Thirdly
Junonis Virg. Aeneid 4. the Harbingresse of Juno yet on the contrary God appoynts it as a sign of faire weather And indeed God often works by contrary means lest we should stick in means and ascribe the effect more than is due to them So then the Rainbow hath two different significations the first natural of Rain nor doth God promise to hinder or alter this course of nature Secondly preternatural or instituted of faire weather which Philosophy and the world is altogether ignorant of only the Chuâ—ch and people of God understand it by faith upon the testimony or revealed will of God that as often as the Bow appeareth in the Cloud they have a renewed assurance that God will remember the Earth and moderate the Rain nor doth this depend upon the nature of or various colours appearing in the Rainbow but purely upon the will and institution of God And theâ—efore we ought by a firme faith to embrace the word of promise to which this sign is annexed without that the Rainbow is nothing else to us but the image or representation of the rayes of the Sun or Moon impressed upon the Clouds I shall not insist upon any large discourse of the Rainbow only take two or three things This Meteor hath three Attâ—ibutes above the rest First it is the most illustrious and beautifull Secondly the most desirable and comfortable Thirdly the mâ—st strange and wonderfull of all the impressions visible in the air This is properly expressed by a Bow because the forme of it usually is semicircular Luther saith he saw a Rainbow in the forme of a perfect Circle and others report they have seen it in the forme of a strait line But in what-ever form it appeaâ—s the natural cause of it is the reflection of the Sun or of the Moon for there are Rainbows in the night as well as in the day it is caused I say by the reflection of the light of the Sun or Moon upon or from a watery or dewey Cloud opposite to either Iris ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est dicere sive loqui Iris est arcus qui ex reflexione luminis â—um solaris tum luâ—â—ris in nubem roâ—idâ—â— oppositam gignitur Garcae The Latine word Iris is derived from a greek word which signifieth to speak or to relate somthing The Rainbow is eleganâ—ly so called because it foreshews somtimes rain somtimes faire weather A Rainbow in the morning is a sign of showres in the afternoon it betokens serenity and alwayes it proclaims to us the pâ—omise of God for the moderation of rain or it speaks thus much to all the world that God will so measure out the Rain fâ—om the Clouds that it shall never swell to an universal Deluge or to a drowning of the whole woâ—ld again Thus the Rainbow hath a speech a language of mercy in it towards the present world It speaks also the Justice of God upon the old world minding us of that Deluge of water that drowned them for their sin they had so defiled the Earth by their evil manners and prophaness by their will-worship Superstition and Idolatry that God in wrath sent a Flood of water not to wash or refresh but to destroy them The Rainbow minds us of that dreadfull Judgment of God upon a corrupt World And although the Rainbow gives us assurance that the World shall not be drowned again how sinfull soever it is yet some from the various colours of the Rainbow whereof one is red and fiery tell us it proclaims that the World shall at last be consumed by Fire The Apostle Peter is plain that it shall be so 2 Ep 3.10 The Elements shall melt with fervent heat nor is it meerly a phancy to say that the fiery colours in the Rainbow are set there by God to mind us of it Some have questioned whether the Rainbow were before the Flood or no The reason or ground of the question is given from that saying of God Gen. 9.13 I will set my Bow in the Cloud it seems then there was no Rainbow before the Flood I answer The Rainbow may be considered two wayes First as to its natural being Secondly as to its mystical use If we consider the Rainbow as to its natural being it was before the Flood for the causes of it were before the Flood which are watery Clouds and the shining of the Sun Now when sufficient causes appear in act the effect doth certainly follow But as to its mystical use it was not before the Flood Water had its natural elementary being and use before Baptisme was instituted but it had not a spiritual use till then we may say the same of the Rainbow Some I know of the Moderns Luther and Melancthon assert it was not in being till then but we have reason to vary from that opinion with reverence to those worthy men For God did not say in the 9th of Genesis I will make or create my Bow in the Cloud but I do set my Bow in the Cloud and it shall be there for a token of a Covenant between me and the Earth The Rainbow had no such signification nor was it set in the Cloud for any such purpose before that time So then Take the Rainbow as to its mystical use so I grant it was not before the Flood till then God had never caused the light of his Cloud to shine as a Covenant-token The Rainbow had alwayes a natural signification in it but that is not all it hath now also a Theological divine and mystical signification and is become as the Seal of that Covenant with mankind for God instituted the Rainbow as a Sacramental sign so we may expresse it for our better understanding both between himself and the whole World in general and in special between himself his Covenant people Gen. 9. v. 12 13 14 15. It was given I say on purpose to Seal the truth of the Promise that the whole Earth should no more be overwhelm'd with a Deluge or Flood of water Which though it be such a promise as the whole Creation hath the benefit of yet the faithfull only understand the mysterie of it and have their faith exercised upon it and strengthened by it So that while the Rainbow is the sign of a temporal Covenant to all creatures the godly may look upon it with reference to all spiritual and eternal mercies by Christ in whom all the promises of mercy are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 And there is a gâ—eat fitness in it to hold forth mercy both temporal and spiritual in several particulars First This Rainbow is in the Cloud and God placed it in the Cloud because out of the Cloud came the Rain which drowned the old world God could have drowned the world only by letting out or breaking up the Springs of water from the earth but he opened the Cataracts of Heaven also to do it And therefore God to secure the world against such another vengeance
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
wrath what rage what outrage soever there is in the eaâ—th all 's hushâ— and still Elihu affiâ—med this strongly when he put that challenging question Chap. 34.29 When he giveth quietness who then can make trouble whether against a nation or a man only Natural quietness much more civil but above all spiritual quietness is of the Lord. When there is the greatest unquietness in the Air and in the affaires of this woâ—ld when as it is said of those times 2 Chron. 15.5 There is no peace to him that goeth out nor to him that comes in but great vexations are upon all the inhabitants of the countryes men contending with and like beasts â—eaâ—ing one an other yet even then there may be spiâ—iâ—ual quietness in the soul of a believer he may sit still and unmovâ—able in the savouâ— and love of God though the earth be moved yea â—emoved and the hills carried into the midst of the Sea This is eminently the woâ—k of of God he can give quietness to the soul in â—hâ— midst of all worldly unquietness Christ â—aid to his disciples and in them to all believers John 16.33 These things have I spoken to you that ye might have peace in the world ye shall have tribulation The meaning of Christ is not to assuâ—â— his di ciples that theâ— shall have peace in him after they have had tribulation in the wo ld but that their inward spiâ—itual peace shall Synchronize or be contemporary with their outward woâ—ldly tâ—ibulations To have trouble without and peace within at the same time This is the special gift of God The text tells us God quieteth the earth and as that gift of natural quietness is a mercy so civil quietness is a great mercy and spiritual quietness quietness of heart and tranquility of mind especially in the midst of tribulations is the greatest mercy of all We should pray earnestly that God would keep the earth quiet oâ— quiet the earth when ever we find it unquiet by some gracious South wind but above all that he would quiet our spirits by the sweet breathings of his blessed Spirit that though at any time there should be nothing which God forbid but unquietness on the earth yet we may have much quietness in our hearts Again consider the former context told us of stormes and tempestâ— of thunder and lightening of snow and rain driving men from their labour in the field to their homes and houses and the wild beasts of the fields to their dens and coverts Now this text speakes of warmth of calmes and quietness He quieteth the earth by the South wind Hence observe There is a continual vicissitude in natural things As no day of the year is of the same continuance or length as to light so very few are of the same complexion or temâ—er as to heat and cold fair or fowl weather stormes or calmes Now if there be such a vicissitude in natuâ—al things then do not wonder that there is a vicissitude in civil things or in the affaires and condiâ—ions of men in this woâ—ld If after the faire weather of health and peace the fowl weather of sâ—ckness and trouble come upon us if after calmes we meet with stormes let us not be troubled A heathen Poet said Nemo confidat nimium secundis nemo desperet meliora lapsis Res Deus nostras celeri rotatas turbine versat Sen. in Thyesle We should not be diffident in a stormy day that we shall never have quietness nor should we be confident in a quiet day that we shall never have a storm David a holy man was once exceedingly out in both in his adversity he said I shall never be established that was the sence of his saying when in his haste he said all men are liars Psal 116.11 In his prosperity he said I shall never be moved The Lords favour had made his mountain stand stâ—ong and he began not only to think but conclude it would alwayes stand in the same strength till his experience consuted that fancy Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30.6 7. 'T is good for us to be in expectation of and preparation for all sorts of changes seeing all things here below are changable That great Monarch said Dan. 4.4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house and flourishing in my pallace yet presently he saw in a dream that all his flourishing prosperity was but like a dream that passeth away and while those boasts of an earthly greatness and settlement were in his mouth vers 30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdome c. There fell a voyce from Heaven vers 31. saying O King Nebucadnezar to thou it is spoken the Kingdome is departed from thee All sublunary things the surest and best setled estates not only of the men of this world or of worldly men but of all men even of good men in this world are as subject to changes as the Moon is or as the wind and weather Lastly Whereas when Elihu to the question Knowest thou how thy garments are warm puts this addition when he quieteth the earth with the South wind Job might say that 's an answer to the question If you ask me how my garments are warm I answer By Gods quieting the earth with the South wind But here is something more intended though this be a cause of warmth yet not all the cause It is possible for the weather to be warm and our garments not warm It was shewed before that God is able to suspend the working or effects of nature as through his power a man may be in the fire and yet the fire not burn him it was so with the Three Children in Daniel so a man may be in the Sun-shine and his clothes not warm him God can stay or stop the influences and effects of the Sun The shining of the Sun and the quietness of the Air are true reasons of the warmth we feel in our garments yet not all the reason And therefore Elihu would convince Job by this question that if he could noâ— give the whole reason of Naturals much less could he of providentials And as he convinceth him of his insufficiency and incompetency to deal and debate wiâ—h God by his ignorance abâ—ut the warmth of his garments that coveâ—ed him So in the next verse he convinceth him of weakness and inability by calling him to consider the mighty power and self suffiâ—iency of God who alone without any of his or of any mans assistance made and spread out the mighty garment the Skie which enwraps and covers all men and all things on earth That 's the general import of the following question Vers 18. Hast thou with him spread out the Sky which is strâ—ng and as a molten lâ—â—king-Glasse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P rtitur pro praeterno hâ—c ex ipsa sententia liquet Deus enim secâ—â—t expandit coelus cum eos crearetâ—nâ—â— expandit eos
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
had Fathers of our flesh who for a few dayes chastened us after theâ—r own pleasure they to ease themselveâ— have put us to pain but the Lord doth it for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness There is just cause we should be afflicted when we provoke God by sin or when he would purge us from our sin or make us more holy And as it may be said God will not afflict because he doth not afflict us but when there is cause for it so Thirdly Because he doth not afflict us but when there is need 1 Pet. 1.6 nor more than there is need we shall not be afflicted an hour longer nor have a grain more of weight in the burden of our cross nor a drop more of gall and wormwood in the cup of our sorrows than we have need of Isa 27.7 8 9. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him in measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with him As if it had been said he shall have no greater a measure than is both useful and needful First to humble him for his sin secondly to subdue and mortifie his sin thirdly he shall have no more than is needful to exercise his graces his faith and patience no more fourthly than is needful to make him thankful for deliverance and sensible of mercy when it comes Thus as God who hath plenty of Justice will not afflict us but when there is need so not more than is need Fourthly It may be said He will not afflict because he doth not afflict us more than we can bear he tenderly considers our strength what we are able to stand under how long we are able to stand under it he will not break our backs nor our hearts unless by godly sorrow for or from sin by affliction God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.13 is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Hence whâ—n it is said Lam. 3.33 He doth not afflict willingly c. it follâ—weth vers 34. to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth The Lord makes many his prisoners yet then his bowels are opened towards them he will not crush nor tread them down as mire in the streets I saith the Lord Isa 57.16 will not contend for ever c. For if I should the Spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made I know what your spirits can bear and I will contend no longer than I know you are able to bear it Hence that Promise Psal 125.3 The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous least he put forth his hands to evil The Lord knows the rod may prevail over us so as to put us upon the doing of evil and therefore he will take order that it shall not Thus we may safely understand this assertion He will not afflict that is he afflicts not willingly he afflicts not till there is need nor will he afflict more than needs nor more than we are able or himself will enable us to bear he will either support us under or give us deliverance out of all our afflictions in due time I might hence or from the whole infer a double duty First Be Patient under affliction Secondly Be Comforted in affliction For God doth so afflict that he may be truly said not to afflict But having met with occasions for the ministring of such like counsels to the afflicted from other passages in this book it may suffice only to mind the Reader of them here This spake Elihu in the close or peroration of his discourse to stir up Job to consider all the dealings of God with him he would have him sit down with these four Doctrinal Conclusions upon his heart that God is Excellent in Power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice he will not afflict Surely he will not afflict more in measure nor longer in time than is need as Job seemed in his passion to intimate and charge God for which he had several reproofs before Thus far I have opened these words as they stand in our translation There are two or three different readings especially of the latter part of the verse which would not be altogether omitted and therefore I shall touch at them and then proceed to the next and last verse of this Chapter which is also Elihu's parting word or the conclusion of his large and close discourse with Job The first different reading is much insisted upon by some Interpreters Take it thus Omnipotens quem non assequimur amplus est virtute sed judicio mâ—gnitudine justitiae non affliget Merc. The Almighty whom we cannot find out is great in power but he will not afflict in judgment and plenty of justice This translation transposeth those words which we place in the end of the verse he will not afflict to the middle of it and it renders the copulative particle And by the adversative But This makes the sence of the whole verse more plain and easie than the former as also to rise up more fully to the purpose of Elihu As if he had thus summed up all that he spoke before or had contracted it into this sum Which things seeing they are so as I have declared we may certainly conclude Quamvis sit potentissimus tamen homines ante creatos tanti facit ut non utator omnipotentia sua ad eos summo jure pro meritis eorum affligendos Jun. that the Almighty is so full of majesty and power that we are no way able to reach compass and find him out Yet notwithstanding he is so full of goodnesse and mercy that he is very sparing towards men and will not afflict them according to their demerits nor up to the extremity of justice This exposition holds out clearly that temperament of the power and justice with the goodness and mercy of God which Elihu undertook to demonstrate at the fifth verse of the thirty sixth Chapter and so forwards He is great in power but he will not afflict in judgement Take this note from it How great soever the power of God is yet he doth not afflict sinful man according to the greatness of his power nor the utmost line of his justice The Lord is full of mercy full of sparing mercy he spareth his people as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 And indeed if God should afflict in plenty that is in extremity of justice what would become of the best of the holiest of men Who can withstand the power of the great God who can stand in judgment before him if he should mark iniquities Psal 130.3 Woe to the most innocent man alive if God should mark iniquities and not forgive iniquities And therefore it follows in the next or 4th verse of that Psalm
Secondly We have an enforcement of this Inference by a cogent reason For he respecteth not any that are wise in heart Who these wise-hearted ones are whom God respecteth not will appear in the opening those words Men do therefore fear him The word rendred Men properly signifieth weak or feeble men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vir miser imbecillus as also men in affliction men under the afflicting hand or rod of God This strict acception of the word renders the opposition more cleare setting the lowest of humane frailty against the highest divine power Yet we need not stand strictly upon the Grammatical signification of the word but may take men in all their divisions and formes men be they high or low afflicted or in prosperity ought therefore to fear him Only it may seem most sutable in way of application to Job for Elihu to use this word in that restrained sence Afflicted feeble men do fear him As if he had said O Job thou art a weak man a man greatly afflicted thou hast been long under the rod and chastning hand of God therefore thou oughtest to fear him and not expostulate the matter with him as thou hast done Men do Therefore fear him This illative Therefore hath reference as was intimated to all that was said in the former verse yet we may take it specially in these two particulars Therefore men do fear him Why First Because he is so great so immense so incomprehensible so powerful so just because he hath such plenty of justice therefore men do fear him Secondly Therefore men do fear him Why Because though he be cloathed with power justice and judgement yet he will not afflict that is he will not afflict extreamly in any of thoâ—e four sences before given he moderates his power by compassion in his sharpest dispensations towards his people there is a great mixture of love mercy with his justice therefore men do fear him As if Elihu had thus bespoken Job Others fear God because they experience or find him kind and good to them even in afflictiâ—n how then cometh it to pass that thou hast from the beginning carried it as if God mixt no kindnes nor shewed any tenderness in his afflicting of thee why is it that thou hast cursed thy day that thou hast complained that ever thou wast born that thou hast so often wished for death Why hast thou said that thou art not only pressed but even oppressed that though thy cause be good yet thâ—u hast born the heaviest loads of evill Why dost thou strive with him These are no arguments of thy fear but of an impatient and fretful spirit if not of a kind of rage and fury against God himself These are no proofs that thou doest acknowledge his goodness in afflicting thee and so fear him for by these thou dost rather charge and accuse him of harshnesse and severity Now though it may be said as it hath often in the opening this Book that Job spake such words partly in the heat of his passion partly through the greatnesse of his pain partly through the infirmity of his flesh as also being much moved and provoked by the grievous censures of his friends yet notwithstanding all this his words were such as neither could nor ought to be wholly excused so that Elihu might say Men do therefore fear him But O Job thou hast carried it as if thou didst not fear him thou hast not behaved thy self like other men under the same or a like afflicting hand of God For though Job is to be reckoned among men that feared God yea in the highest form of those that feared him yet he failed much in his affliction as to the expression of this holy fear Thus we have that two-fold reference in which Elihu saith Therefore do men fear him First Because of his great power Secondly Because of that great tendernesse which he useth in the exercise of his power Which yet Job did scarce acknowledge as appeared by his complainings and murmurings about the dealings of God Men do therefore fear him so we render Ideo timebunt eum homines Mont. Verbum futuri temporis solet denotari idquod debet quod expedit fieri quare timebunt idem erit quod timere debent timere jubentur yet 't is considerable that the Hebrew runs in the future time Men will therefore fear him that is men should therefore fear him or men therefore ought to fear him Words in the Hebrew of a future signification bear the importance of a present duty what good 't is said men will do is as if it had been said they do or ought to do And as to the duty here spoken of the fear of God we may make this conclusion All good men do fear God upon those accounts and all men should or ought to fear him The thing is to be done whether men do it or no. Where an expresse command is given every man concerned is bound to obey and where or who is the man that is not concern'd in this command fear the great and gracious God Men do therefore Fear him What it is to fear God was shewed largely at the 28th Chapter of this Book and the last Verse Deum vereri Deum timere Proprieveretur Deum pius timet superstitiosus Tamen hanc differentiam interpretes non observant nam passim timere usurpant pro vereri Drus therefore I shall not stay upon it hear Only remember the word signifieth a gracious a child-like fear not a servile flavish fear There are two words by which the fear of God is expressed in the Latine tongue which we may expresse thus to fear God or to be afraid of God Good men fear God but wicked men are afraid of God Now though the words are often used promiscuously and to fear is sometimes taken in the worser sometimes in the better sence yet here we are to take it in the best sence Therefore do men fear him that is they ought to stand in awe and not sin against him they should submit to not dispute his dealings The fear of God in the general notion of it is nothing else but Piety and Religion or the whole worship of God To say a man is godly or religious is all one as to say he is a man fearing God Now whereas usually a general rule is urged to lead in a general practise here a general practise is urged as leading to a general rule Men do therefore fear him Whence we may take this general Observation It is the duty of all men of every man to fear God Men one or other ought to have high and honourable thoughts of God they ought to have holy and reverentiall thoughts of God they ought to put far away from them all slightness and vanity of spirit when they think or speak of God they ought to put far from them all boldness and presumption when they have to do with God To put away all
affected with his fear It is both our duty and our commendation so to fear God as not to sin against him or to be kept from sinning against God by the fear of God that is lest God should punish us for our sins and give us to eat the bitter fruit of our own evil doings But to fear God because we hear and are assured that he is ready to pardon our sins especially to fear him when he hath given us a comfortable assurance that our sins are pardoned or even tâ—en to be filled with the fear of his great and reverend Name when we are actuâ—lly praising him and magnifying his free grace in Christ for the pardon of them this shewes a truly gratious spirit indeed With God is terrible Majesty and with God is terrible praisâ— he is at once to be praised and feared All this Elihu would fix upon the heart of Job from the consideration of the works of God his providencial works in the Air how much more should this fear affect us when we behold his terrible works of providence upon the Earth turning the world as it were upside down by the wonderful vicissitudes and revolutions which his hand brings to pass respecting either Persons and private Familyes or whole Kingdomes and Nations With God is terrible Majesty JOB Chap. 37. Vers 23 24. 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is excellent in Power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice He will not afflict 24. Men do therefore fear him He respecteth not any that are wise of heart THese two Verses conclude the whole discourse of Elihu with Job The 23d verse is Doctrinal the 24th is the Use or Application of the Doctrine In the 23d verse we have a four-fold Doctrine held out concerning God First The Doctrine of his Incomprehensibleness We cannot find him out Secondly Of his Power He is the Almighty he is excellent in Power Thirdly Of his Righteousness he excells in Judgement and plenty of Justice But though he is thus full of Justice yet he is also very Gracious and therefore Fourthly We have the Doctrine of his Mercy and Tenderness towards the Creature in the last words of the Verse He will not afflict God is infinitely above man in Power and in Wisdom yet he never useth either the one or the other to the oppression or wrong of any man He will not afflict This is a very suitable peroration of the whole Narrative or matter declared which Elihu had so long insisted upon And having laid down this four-fold Doctrine concerning God he shews us the use of it in the 24th veâ—se where we have a practical Inference from what was before asserted concerning God Men do therefore fear him or therefore men ought to fear him As iâ— he had said Seeing God is thus incomprehensible thus powerful seeing he is thus excellent in Judgement in plenty of Justice as also in Goodness and Mercy therefore good men do and all men should fear him This is a very natural and undeniable Inference yet Elihu doth not leave it bare but adds a strong inforcement in the close of the verse why all men the greatest of men the wisest of men should fear God For he respecteth not any that are wâ—se in heart The wisest the greatest of men cannot carry it with God by their wisdom or policy by theiâ— gâ—â—aâ—ness or power therefore let them fear him This is the sum and scope of these two verses Vers 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out That is He is unâ—earchable and incomprehensible The Original strictly read iâ— The Almighty we cannot fiâ—d him out The Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oâ—nipotens nominativus absolute positus Pisc is a Nominative absolute as Grammarians speak we supply that word Touching As if he had said should we enter upon a discourse of the Almighty we cannot find him out Touching the Almighty That God is Almighty and what the word Shaddai here rendred Almighty doth import hath been shewed and opened already in other places of this Book especially in the fifth Chapter at the 17th verse and in the eighth Chapter at the 3d and 5th verses thither I refer the Reader for further satisfaction in that matter and pass from it here Touching the Almighty We cannot find him out This also I shall pass over in a word having spoken to it more fully Chap. 11.7 where Zophar puts this Question Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find him out unto perfection In which Questions Zophar challenged Job or any man else to set their understandings upon the tenters to put all their abilities to the utmost stretch to find out God if they could being assured they could not find him out unto perfection So then this assertion in the Text We cannot find him out beaâ—ing the same sence with those Questions I shall not stay upon it Only Note God cannot be compast by the enquiries of man Touching the Almighty we have but this to say of him We cannot say much of him or how much soever we say of him we say but a little of what he is or of what may be said of him for we cannot find him out We may find God but we cannot find him out God is to be found by every humble faithful seeker of him The Prophet Isa 55.6 calls us to that duty of seeking with an assurance of finding Seek ye the Lord whilst he may be found and so doth David Psal 32.5 For this that is for pardon of sin for grace and mercy or for this that is upon the experience which I â—ave had of thy readiness O Lord to pardon my sins even as soon as I confessed and acknowledged them for this I say shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found God may be found to do us good and shew us mercy when we seek him rightly there is a finding time or a time while God may be found Some give no other limit to this while or finding time than the limit of this life Dum adhuc in haâ— vita estis Rab. Jonath Deus invenire potest iâ—biquo quovis tempore ante obsignata decreta Abenâ— ezra And to be sure if he be not found while we are in this Life he can neither be sought noâ— found after this Life Yâ—t more strictly to seek him while he may be found as one of the Rabbins glosseth that place is to seek him before the Decree comes forth as the Prophet Zephany speaks Chap. 2.2 It is possible we may seek God and seek him too late and then there 's no finding of him Only they shall seek and find him who seek him in the finding time and they who do so shall certainly find as was said before God ready to do them good and shew them mercy But how much soever or how early soever we seek him we cannot find him out that is we cannot find