Spirit of his mouth that is Jehovah by his Eternall Son and Spirit made all things The heavens and their host are there expressed by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole creation or for all creatures both in heaven and in earth Againe Psal 104.30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created The Spirit of God creates every day what is it that continueth things in their created being but providence That 's a true axiome in Divinity Providence is creation continued Now the Spirit of God who created at first creates to this day Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created The work of creation was finished in the first six dayes of the world but the work of creation is renewed every day and so continued to the end of the world Successive providentiall creation as well as originall creation is ascribed to the Spirit The Scripture is full of arguments to prove that the holy Ghost is God Which because this fundamentall truth is blasphemously spoken against I shall a little touch upon First As the Spirit createth and makes the naturall man consisting of body and soule so he regenerateth which is a greater creation the whole into a spirituall man therefore he is God John 3.5 Except a man be borne againe of water and of the Spirit that is of the Spirit who is as water he cannot enter into the kingdome of God The holy Ghost is also call'd The sanctifier sanctification is regeneration in progress and motion regeneration is sanctification begun and sanctification is regeneration perfecting from day to day 2 Thes 2.13 We are bound to give thanks to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth And the Apostle Peter writes to the Elect 1 Pet 1 2. according to the foreknowledge of God the father through sanctification of the Spirit Now who can doe these great things but God who can regenerate or give a new nature who can sanctifie or perfect that new nature but God alone Men and Angels must let these workes alone for ever or as we translate Psal 49.8 these acts cease for ever from men and Angels as much as the redemption of man from the grave or from hell from corruption or condemnation Secondly The Spirit is omniscient He knoweth all things 1 Cor 1.12 2 10.19 The Spirit knoweth all things yea the deep things of God He is not only acquainted with and privie to the surface and outside of things but he searcheth things to the bottom of them Nor doth he search only the deepe or bottome things of common men or of the chiefest of men Kings and Princes whose hearts are usually as much deeper then other mens as their persons and places are higher but the Spirit searcheth the deep things the bottome things of God the things of God that lye lowest and most out of sight the Spirit understandeth therefore the Spirit is God For as the Apostle argueth 1 Cor 2.11 No man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God or he that is God if the spirit that is in man were not man or the intellectuall power in man it could never know the things of man and if the Spirit of God were not God he could never search and know the deep the deepest things of God Thirdly As the Spirit of God knoweth all things as he searcheth the deep things even all the secrets and mysteries of God so he teacheth all things even all those secrets and mysteries of God which 't is needful or useful for man to know The Spirit is a teacher and he teacheth effectually Joh 16.13 When the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himselfe that is he shall not teach you a private doctrine or that which is contrary to what ye have learned of me but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake and he will shew you things to come Which last words are A fourth argument that he is God As the Spirit teacheth so he foretelleth all things 1 Tim 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressely that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devills The Spirit of God clearly foreseeth and infallibly foretelleth what shall be before it is therefore he is God The Lord by his holy Prophet Isa 41.23 challengeth all the false Idol gods of the Heathen to give that proofe of their Divinity Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods As if he had sayd Doe that and we will yield the cause Men and Devills may guesse at but none can indeed shew things to come but God Fifthly The Spirit appoints to himselfe officers and ministers in the Church therefore he is God Acts 13.2 The holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Sixthly The holy Ghost furnisheth those Officers whom he calleth with power and gifts as he pleaseth that they may be fit for the work or ministery of the Gospel 1 Cor 12.8.11 To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit c. But all these worketh that one and the selfe-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Now who can give wisdome and knowledge who can give them prerogatively following in this distribution or division of gifts no rule nor giving any other reason of it but his owne will except God only Seventhly The holy Ghost is sinned against therefore he is God Some possibly may object and say This is not a convincing or demonstrative argument that the holy Ghost is God because he is sinned against For man may sin against man All second table sins are sins against our Neighbour and the Apostle tells the Corinthians 1 Ep 8.12 that while they used their lawfull liberty in eating with offence they sinned against the Brethren I answer Whosoever is properly sinned against is God because God is the Law-giver And though many actions of men are direct wrongs to man yet in every wrong done to man God also is wronged and in strict sence he only is sinned against by man For the reason why any action is a wrong to man is because it is against some Law of God And if to be sinned against in strict sence be proper to God only then the argument stands good that the Holy Spirit is God because he is sinned against especially if we consider that there is such an Emphasis put upon sinning against the holy Ghost in the holy Scripture more if possible then upon sinning against the Father or the Son Math 12.31 Wherefore I say unto you saith Christ All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto
did beare such a construction And the Lord suffer'd Elihu to urge them upon him to the utmost Yet notwithstanding all that hath been sayd I doe conceive that Elihu had not the least imagination that the meaning of Job in those assertions concerning himselfe was that he had not sinned at all or that there was no sin in him But taking his words in the best and fairest construction they could beare he yet saw cause to check and reprove him for saying so much in that condition about his innocency whereas he should have been chiefly taken up in glorifying God and humbling himselfe under his mighty hand So much for the answer to the fourth query what reason Elihu had to charge Job thus It hath been shewed whaâ— may be sayd in favour of Job And also that Elihu might without breach of charity charge him with these sayings To shut up this verse take only two briefe notes from the whole First The best of men have their failings and are apt to over-report themselves Our most deliberate actions and speeches have some tincture of the flesh how much more those which passe us in a passion Though Job spake what was true yet he spake more then was meete And they that heard him might take just occasion of offence not knowing his spirit and the strain of his heart in speaking so The Apostle James saith James 3. 2. If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body He hath a mighty command over his spirit that can command his tongue especially when he is provoked It is a reall part of perfection not to offend in word This good man spake many things well yet all was not well spoken Againe In that Job spake thus under the pressure of affliction Observe In times of affliction it is better to be much in bewailing of sin then in making reports wherein we have not sinned There will no hurt come of that but while we are reporting our innocency and good deeds though what we speak be true yet 't is subject to construction and layeth us open to reproofe Lastly We may learne from the dealing of Elihu with Job That in all disputations and matters of controversie with others we should take heed that we fasten no uncharitable interpretation upon the words of our adversary nor adde any thing of our owne to them nor wrest them besides their grammaticall and genuine construction yet even those speeches which are true in some respect if they exceed the bounds of modesty may freely be reprehended For we ought not only to doe that which is good and speake that which is true for the matter but we ought to doe and speake in a good or becoming manner Thus farre of the first fault which Elihu found and reproved in Job his over-confidence in saying he was not faulty or in justifying himselfe In the two next verses he blames him with reflecting over-boldly and unduely upon the dealings of God The particulars whereof were expressed before in opening the whole Context and come now to be further opened Vers 10. Behold he findeth occasions against me Quaerit adversum me et invenit confractiones i.e. ut confringat et irrita faciat omnia mea studia instituta et conatuâ— ut nihil ossequar eorum quae quaero et instituo Merc Ecce confractiones adversum me invenit Bez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confractiones contritiones et quasi abolitiones Sunt qui reddunt occasiones quasi esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literis transpositis alij querelas Radix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde Hiphit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fregit confregit irritum fecit Merc and counteth me for his enemy These words containe the first part of the second charge For the clearing of which I shall first explicate the words then by way of observation shew what matter of charge or evill there is in them Behold he findeth occasions against me I have heretofore shewed the emphasis of that word Behold And therefore I passe it here Behold He that is God findeth occasions against me or strictly from the Hebrew he findeth breaches The verbe is translated Breake Psal 141.5 It imports such a breaking as is also a bringing to nought Psal 33.10 'T is likewise applyed to the breaking of the heart by discouragements Numb 32.7 And it is significantly enough translated here He findeth breaches against me that is something or other to make a breach upon me something to complaine of against me The word is rendred in these three sences First An occasion Secondly A Breach Thirdly as the Septuagint a complaint or accusation We may joyne all three together for a complaint or accusation is commonly an occasion of breaches among men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accusationem autem adversum me invenit Sept Qui querelas amâ—t quaerit occasiones unde illas excitat Bold Deus studiosè quaesivit ansam me persequendi he that loves breaches will seeke and seldome misseth occasions of complaint We say of a man that is of a troublesome spirit and given to contention which is also Mr Broughtons translation Behold he picketh a quarrell against me though I give him no just matter of offence yet he either findeth or maketh one Thus most of the Hebrew writers carry it he fâ—ndeâ—h occasions to alter his former course with me to cast me off to lay his hand upon me even to ruine and break me to pieces Hence observe To seeke occasions against another is hard and uncharitable dealing Josephs brethren were very suspitious of this Gen 43.18 The men were afraid because they were brought to Josephs house and they said because of the money that was found in our sacks mouth the first time are we brought in that he may seek occasion against us As if they had said we well perceive he would gladly have some matter to accuse us and so to detaine us upon that occasion Thus said the King of Israel 2 Kings 5.7 when Naman came to him with a message from his Prince to desire him that he would heale him of his Leprosie The King of Israel began presently to startle and thought it was nothing but a meere trick and a device to bring on some further designe what said he Am I God to kill and make alive that this man is come to me wherefore consider I pray you and see how he seeketh a quarrell against me They may be judged to watch for a discourtesie who desire courtesies of us beyond our power This made the King of Israel jealous that the King of Syria being confident of future successe by his former successes against Israel was by this device only seeking an occasion to renew the warre We have an eminent Scripture to this purpose Dan 6.4 5. Daniel being advanced high at Court it drew a great deale of envie upon him among the Princes and Presidents and therefore they resolved to try their
the meaning scope and mind of any sentence or the purpose of man in what he speaketh Thirdly there is the divine of spirituall interpreter who labours to bring the truths of God and the heart of man together The Apostle having treated about prophecying concludes 1 Cor. 14.25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth as if the man that beleeved not or one unlearned for of such he speaks vers 24. had said surely these men understand what is in my heart for they have brought the truth of God and my heart together so that I must confesse God is in them that is there is a divine wisdome or interpretation in them When Elihu faith If there be an interpreter we are to understand him in this last sence not of one that can interpret words like a Grammarian or give the scope and sence of words like a Logician but of one that hath a divine skill to bring the truths of God home to the heart of man that is to convince informe an ignorant conscience and to comfort relieve and support a troubled conscience If there be an interpreter Hence note The Ministers of Christ are the interpreters of the mind and good will of God toward poor sinners They interpret the mind of God as to peace and reconciliation as to grace and salvation as well as to duty and holiness of conversation 'T is the nicest and hardest thing in the world to interpret the mind of God aright to a sinner to bring his heart to a closing with the great truths and promises of the Gospel he that can doe this skilfully is worthy the name of an interpreter The Apostle saith of him who is but a babe in Christ and useth milke that is lives upon the lower and more easie principles of faith he is unskillfull in the word of righteousnesse Heb. 5.13 that is he knowes not how to make out and mannage for his own comfort the doctrine of free grace through the alone righteousness of Jesus Christ And therefore as first God himself is the author and fountaine of this grace as secondly Jesus Christ is the purchaser or procurer of the fruits of this grace to sinners as thirdly the effectuall worker of our hearts to receive this grace as also the witness-bearer and sealer of it to our souls is the holy Spirit as fourthly the word of the Gospell is the Charter and Covenant of this grace so fifthly the Ministers of Christ are the interpreters of this grace and they are or ought to be skillfull in this word of righteousness Their skill and duty is first to explaine what the Covenant is and rightly to lay down how the sinners reconciliation to God is wrought Secondly to make a sutable and seasonable application of it or to bring it home to the souls and consciences of poor sinners as they find their state to be And as the Ministers of Christ are Gods interpreters to his people so they are the peoples interpreters unto God They are the former two wayes First by opening the mind of God to his people Secondly by urging and pressing them to receive it both for their direction and consolation They are the latter four wayes First by laying open and spreading the peoples wants and weaknesses before God Secondly by confessing their sins and transgressions to God Thirdly by intreating the Lord for them or by praying for mercy pardon and forgiveness in their behalfe for sins committed Fourthly by giving thanks in their name for mercies received Thus they are first Gods mouth to the people in preaching declaring the Gospel Secondly the peoples mouth to God in prayer and thanksgiving And in both performe the worke and Office of an interpreter And if the Ministers of the Gospell are interpreters Then First Every Minister must be acquainted with the mind of God He must have skill in the mystery of the Gospel How shall he be able to interpret the mind of God to sinners who is not acquainted with the mind of God We have the mind of Christ saith the Apostle of himselfe and his fellow-labourers in the Gospel 1 Cor. 2.16 and when he saith we have the mind of Christ his meaning is not only this that they had the mind of Christ written in a book but they had a cleare understanding of it and so were fitted to interpret it to others Secondly As he must have the knowledge of the mystery so he must have the tongue of the learned Isa 50.4 That he may be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary that is to the wounded and troubled in conscience This is the interpreter intended by Elihu He is one that hath learned and is taught of God Humane learning the knowledge of Arts and Sciences is good and hath its use but divine learning or learning in divine things that is to be divinely learned 't is possible for one to have learning in divine things and not to be divinely learned is absolutely necessary to make him an interpreter It is not enough to know divine things but he must know them divinely or by the unction and teachings of the Spirit The Apostle John Rev 10.8 is commanded to eat the book this eating of the book signifieth the spirituall knowledg of divine truths in this sence we know no more then we eat then we as it were turn into our own substance that which is eaten becomes one with us the mystery of the Gospell must be eaten by the interpreter of Gospell mysteries A man cannot interpret the mind of God till he knows it and he cannot know the mind of God unlesse God himself reveals it so the Apostle argueth 1 Cor. 2. from 12 to 16. As no man knoweth the mind of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him so the things of the spirit of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit of God doth reveale them And therefore though a man may have an abillity to interpret the word of God as 't is an excellent book a book full of admirable knowledge he may I say have an abillity to interpret it soundly by humane learning yet no man can doe it savingly and convertingly but by the help of the Spirit Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant he will shew it effectually he will make them know it Thus David prayed Psal 119.18 Lord open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of thy Law Naturall parts and humane learning arts and languages may give us an understanding of the tenour and literal meaning of the Law of God but none of these can open our eyes to behold the wonders of the Law much lesse the wonders and mysteries of the Gospell The opening of our eyes to behold these
stile Psal 67.1 God be mercifull to us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us that is give us tokens and pledges of his favour Secondly How see we the face of God Doth not God tell Moses No man can see my face and live How then can the face of God be seene I answer The face of God which was touched before as taken for the essence of God or for his essentiall glory cannot be seene That 's too transcendent a glory for man to behold What we see of God is but some ray or beaming out of light and glory from himselfe we cannot see himselfe The essentiall or personall glory of God is that face which cannot be seene but the declarative glory of God is a face of God which may be clearely seene by faith in the light of his word and workes And to see the face of God is nothing else but for a man to know in himselfe as the Apostles word is in somewhat a parallel case Heb 10.34 that God is gracious to him that is to have an assurance of his favour or a reflect act of faith about it The holy Spirit sheweth us what God is and what the things of God are 1 Cor 2.12 We have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God that is that we mayâ—e enlightned with the knowledge of the grace goodness and favour of God to us discovered in the Gospel The Spirit sheweth us this blessed face of God and we see it by the actings of our faith all our visions of God in this life are visions of faith upon whose wings all our intellectuall powers soare aloft and are carried up to God Faith is not only a worke of the will in consent and application but a worke of the understanding by assent and knowledge Thus we see God as a Spirit is only to be seene with a spirituall eye The vision of God is intellectuall the vision of faith Videre faciem dei nihil aliud est quam sentire apud animum suum deum propitium Coc In Jubilo i. e. in quodam inexplicabili gaudio Aquin Thus the reconciled sinner finding God favourable to him he seeth his face with joy The word signifies joyfull acclamation or shouting for joy such as men use after great favours done them and benefits or rather bounties bestowed upon them There is a seeing of the face of God with terror so the wicked shall see God that is they shall have manifestations of Gods displeasure they shall be made to see him with shame and sorrow They shall say when they see him to the mountaines and rockes fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe They who never saw the face of God with joy shall see it with horror amazement Saints see it with joy they have unexpressible comfort and contentment in beholding God they shall rejoyce with shouting as in the yeare of Jubile when they sounded out their joyes with trumpets or made a joyfull noyse 'T is no ordinary but a triumphant joy with which the godly see the face of God Extraordinary sights affect with extraordinary joy Now the face of God being the highest and most glorious sight in the world it must needs affect the beholder with a glorious with a Jubilean joy He shall see his face with joy First It being sayd He shall see his face with joy upon his prayer and the humbling of himselfe before God Observe God hides or vayles his face till we humble our soules and seeke his face God will not be seene at all times no not by his owne people There are severall cases in which he turneth away his face in anger or drawes a curtaine as it were yea a cloud between himselfe and the soule And this he doth First and most usually to try his people how they can beare his withdrawings and to see whether or to what they will betake themselves when he takes himselfe so much from them that they cannot see him Secondly He doth it often to chasten and correct man for sin To be under the hidings of Gods face is the saddest effect of sin to a sencible or an awakened soule David made a grievous complaint because of this what ever the cause or occasion of it was Psal 13.1 The absence of God from him though possibly but for a short time was so tedious to him that he cryed out How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me Even Jesus Christ while he stood in the place of sinners bare the hiding of his fathers face as the summe of all those punishments which were due to and deserved by our sin This pressed him more then all bodyly sufferings and made him cry out while he hung upon the Crosse My God my God not why hast thou left me to be crucified but why hast thou forsaken me Math 27.46 Thirdly God hideth his face from some because the manifestations of it have not been received thankfully nor improved rightly We ought to give thankes for the light of the Sun shining in the ayre and also doe our worke in it Is it any wonder if God cloud and eclipse the light of his countenance towards those who neither prize it nor improve it If you would alwayes see the face of God then be ye alwayes seene at the worke and in the wayes of God Secondly Observe It is the sole priviledge of Gods Favourites or of those to whom he is favourable to see his face As no man can see that face of God his essentiall presence so none but Godly men shall see this face of God his comfortable or blessed-making presence Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb 12.14 There is a two-fold vision or sight of God and that negative assertion may be understood of either or of both There 's first a vision of God on earth thus we see his face as was shewed before in the actings of faith For though the Apostle opposeth these two faith and sight We walke by faith and not by sight 2 Cor 5.7 yet faith hath its sight we walke not by sight as the worldly men walk who doe as they see and make their eyes both the guide of their consciences and the in-bringers of their comforts we walke not by outward sight nor doe we make conclusions how to guide our conversations by what we see We walke by faith and that 's the sight which we have of God while we are here on earth which cannot possibly be without holiness faith being so great a part of our holiness and by drawing vertue from Christ dayly the maintainer of it all Secondly there is a sight of the face of God in glory And if none can enter into glory but holy men then no man without
parable asserting there was no such reall thing But this one passage gives an undeniable proofe that this was a reall history and the matter really acted This person being described by his owne name and his fathers name and the next of his kindred From the consideration of the person who carried on so great a part in this businesse Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite of the kindred of Ram who was of a strange Country and if allyed to Abraham yet at a great distance we may observe God did preserve a seed of religion and of holy men to maintaine his truth among those who lived in darke places and were wrapt up in many errors and superstitions This was also noted from the first words of this booke There was a man in the Land of Vz A man of gracious accomplishments and of a heavenly light Here also was Elihu the Buzite A man that had great knowledge about holy things as we shall see afterwards in those parts and times when and where abundance of darknesse blindnesse and ignorance reigned Having thus described Elihu The history proceeds Against Job was his wrath kindled because he justified himselfe rather then God In the former part of the verse it is said Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu Not specifying against whom nor the cause why here he doubles the same words with an addition first of the person with whom he was angry Against Job was his wrath kindled And as he tells us the marke or object of his wrath so he gives secondly the reason of it Because he justified himself rather then God Before I come to the explication of this latter branch take these two brief notes First A godly man in maintaining a good cause may give just reason of anothers passion or anger Job was a good man and his cause was good yet you see a wise and a good mans wrath is kindled Paul and Barnabas were two good men yet a difference arose between them Acts 15.39 And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder Secondly Considering the cause of this anger in generall Because he justified himselfe rather then God we see it was an anger for Gods cause Hence note Anger for God or in the cause of God is holy anger Though for the most part the flesh or our carnall corruption is the cause of anger and it begins at selfe yet sometimes it is stirr'd in the cause of God It is said of Moses the meekest man on earth Numb 12.3 that when he saw the idolatry of the people Exod. 32.19 His anger waxed hot He was so angry that he cast the Tables of the Law which God had written with his own hand out of his hand and broke them It is said Mar. 3.5 Jesus Christ looked about on them with anger being grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts He also exprest a great deale of zealous anger Joh. 2.15 When he made a whip of small cords and drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id genus irae notat quo fertur quis ad abolitionem peccati cum quo si sit veritas justissimus effectus est Coc Some of the Hebrews tell us that the word here used for anger signifieth anger carried out to the destruction of sin and that is a very gracious anger There are two things which exceedingly declare the holinesse of a mans spirit First when he can patiently beare loads of evills and wrongs in his owne cause or which have but a private respect Secondly When he is ready to take fire in the cause of God many dull and sluggish soules can heare God abused Hoc probes abnegationem tui mundi si injuriarum ferens sis peccatum autem ferre non possiis idque ita ut non ad vindicandum sed ad emendandum exstimulares and their spirits stirre no more then a stone Elihu was angry but it was in the cause of God or Because Job Justified himselfe rather then God When we are angry with sin we are angry as the Apostle adviseth us to be and sin not That 's anger without sin when we are angry with sin and are stirred up to oppose and suppresse the pride and insolency of mans spirit or speeches against God To be angry for our owne honour and interest or Gourd is an argument of undue love to selfe When God spared Nineveh the Prophet was exceeding angry Jon. 4.1 But his was sinfull anger because he was angry for his owne sake fearing to be called a false Prophet He set himselfe downe to see what would become of the City that he might have a personall glory and be cryed up for a Prophet indeed And when God had smitten his Gourd he was angry and angry unto the death ver 8. and all because he missed that which pleased himselfe Many can be angry when they themselves are discredited but when dishonour is cast upon God or his interest slighted how quiet and tame how cold and dull are their spirits The anger of this man was a noble anger as to the occasion and rise of it Jobs selfe-justification or Because he justified himselfe rather then God This is a high poynt and may justly provoke our anger Elihu was not angry with Job because he justified himselfe against his friends but because he justified himselfe rather then God Here a question will arise and it will ask some paines to determine it Was this true did Job justifie himselfe rather then God Was it possible Job should do so I shall give only a generall answer to this question Job did not justifie himself rather then God either explicitely or intentionally but by consequents he did And though it be granted that Job gave just occasion of this sharp reproofe by his rash and passionate speeches uttered in the heate of dispute and in the grief of his heart yet it cannot be denied that Elihu did somewhat strain Jobs words though not beyond their sence yet beyond his sence and gave them the hardest interpretation somewhat beside the rule of charity which they could beare nor did he observe that meeknesse and moderation which might well have become him to a man in that case O how hard is it not to offend or doe ill while we are doing well To cleare this a little further consider There is a twofold straining of words First beyond the sence of the words spoken Secondly beyond the sence of the speaker I doe not say Elihu in affirming this of Job strained his words beyond their sence but he strained them beyond Jobs sence Job spake words which might lay him under this censure that he justified himselfe rather then God But this was far from his intention For doubtlesse he had rather a thousand times his tongue should have been cut out of his mouth then to justifie himselfe with it rather then God or to speak a word to the disparagement of Gods Justice So then
Almighty hath made most wise and understanding be ye most humble in your selves Secondly let me adde which is another dangerous rock upon which great gifts are apt to dash and split you take heed of despising those who have received lesse our portions are divided and allotted to us by the hand of God Divine wisdome gives us our portion of wisdome He that hath most hath no more then God hath given and he that hath least hath as much as God is pleased to give They despise the wisdome and question the understanding of God in giving wisdome who despise those to whom he gives lesse wisdome and understanding then he hath given to themselves Fifthly To those who have received but little I say also two things by way of caution First doe not envie those who have received much It is of God that they have more then you is your eye evil because the eye of God is good Secondly be not discontented with your own lesser portion doe not sit downe sullen say not we will doe nothing with what we have received because we have not as much as others we know the doome passed on him who having but one talent hid it in a napkin If we are discontent with a little portion or with one talent that little is too much and that one too many for us nothing doth more dim the glory of God nor more destroy and eate out our own comforts then discontent the Devill since his fall is the most disconcented spirit in the world and he was not contented while he stood he thought he was not high enough that was his undoing They who are discontent with the gift of God loose what is given and so fall into deeper discontent yea as the Apostle speakes in another case 1 Tim. 3.6 into the condemnation of the devill Sixthly Then let us not be lifted up in our owne naturall wisdome and reason he that would be wise must become a foole 1 Cor. 3.18 untill we see our owne wisdome folly we cannot attaine the wisdome of God or Godly wisdome Seventhly This shews us the reason of the various kinds and severall measures of gifts among the sons of men Men differ not more in the measures and degrees of their outward estates worldly riches titles and honours then they doe in the measures and degrees of their inward abilities wisdome knowledge and understanding men differ not more in the feature and figure of their faces then in the furniture of their minds One hath five talents another two a third but one And as the various degrees of the same gift so diversities of gifts are from the soveraigne pleasure of God The Apostle is large and very distinct in this matter 1 Cor. 12.4 8 9 11. There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same Sâ—â—rit to another prophecy to another discerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of tongues c. But all these worketh that one and the selfe-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will It is only the will of the Spirit the will of God which makes this division and diversification of gifts among men And as the Apostle sheweth here the rise or spring of all to be from God so he had shewed that the reason and intendment of all this is the benefit of men v. 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall What ever your gift is God hath given it for profit and use One hath skill in sciences another in languages one is more acute another more solid one hath a stronger judgement another a quicker phansie and a more searching invention One is best at an argument to convince the understanding another at a motive to quicken the affections one can confute an error and state a Controversie well and another can best discover sin and convince the Conscience one hath weight of matter but is slow of speech another hath a fluent tongue but is lesse materiall a third is both but all to profit withall Such a Character was given of those three Eminent men in the beginning of the reformation Res sine verbis Lutherus verba sine rebus Erasmus res verba Philippus Luther Erasmus and Melancthon Luther had matter and not words he did not affect any exactnesse of stile or speech Erasmus had words at will but lesse weight of matter Melancthon was full in both there was a concurrence or complication of many eminent gifts in him The same Erasmus mentioned last but one hath a like passage in his Preface to the workes of the Ancients which he with wonderfull skill and industry redeemed from many mistakes and set forth more defecate and pure to the view and use of the world where observing the different veines of divers Authors in their writings he concludes thus Severall men have their severall gifts as it pleaseth the gift giving Spirit to give to them In Athanasius we admire a serious perspicuity of speaking and in Chrysostome a flowing Eloquence in Basil besides his sublimity a pleasant language in Hilary we see a lofty stile well marcht with the loftinesse of his matter in Cyprian we reverence a spirit worthy the crowne of Martyrdome and we are in love with the sweet incentives and modesty of St Ambrose In Jerome we commend his rich treasures of Scripture-knowledge and must acknowledge in Gregory a pure and unpolisht sanctity He shuts up thus Least I should be tedious others â—â—ve from the bounty of the same Spirit their distinct abilities by which they are commended to the consciences of the Godly The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding And as this is true with respect to the gifts of Illumination which Elihu pitcheth here upon so 't is much more true in reference to the gifts of sanctification The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth a spirituall understanding to know sin and hate it to know Christ and love him so to know as to be conformed unto yea transformed into that which we know The Inspiration of the Almighty gives this understanding this heart-changeing and life-renewing understanding Againe There is a spirit in man and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding The word is Enos weake man Hence Note God can make the weakest and the unlikeliest of men wise and full of understanding It is no matter what the man is if God will use him he can make Enos to be Ish the weake man strong the ignorant a learned a knowing man Amos was a husbandman and God gave him an excellent understanding the Apostles were Fishermen and yet the Inspiration of the Almighty made them wise above many God can make the wise foolish and fooles wise The power of God triumphs over all humane power and in all humane infirmity So much the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to
ingenuous to picke up this or that passage to take a piece here and a piece there we can never make a true judgement till the whole is layd together As many exceedingly mistake about the works of God so about the words of men because they judge the whole by this or that part Whereas they should judge of the parts by the whole As therefore we ought not to make conclusions about the providentiall works of God till the last Act or till all is concluded so we must not judge the discourses of men till the last word or till they have concluded their discourse Heare a man out and then answer him Ab aequo attentienem sibi conciliat Merc Thirdly Elihu seemes to chalenge it as his due to be heard speake after he had fully heard them speaking Hence note They who have had the patience to heare others ought to have the priviledge of being heard themselves Heare me saith Elihu Why so I have heard you It is but equall and rationall that he should have liberty of speaking who hath shewed an attentive perseverance in hearing From the last branch of the verse while ye searched out what to say Observe We ought to ponder and try what we speake before we speake it The worke of the tongue must follow that of the understanding Eccl 12.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words or words of delight words of pleasure The preacher sought But how did he seeke He sought diligently and earnestly The preacher sought but in what way did he seeke surely he sought by diligent study and earnest prayer to find out acceptable words What words were those not men-pleasing words not soft words which might passe with all sorts or humour all phansies not such words as would serve for pillows under bad mens elbows The acceptable words which the Preacher sought were words of truth and sobriety words of power and Authority in no other sence may we seeke out acceptable words or words of delight nor is there any true delight but in words of truth Thus every faithfull Preacher should seeke to find out acceptable words every holy and wholsome doctrine is made up of such words Only thole doctrines and exhortations which are formed and composed of such words are as the Apostle saith of the great doctrine of Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh to save sinners faithfull sayings and worthy of acceptation 1 Tim 1.15 Elihu tooke notice of this in Jobs friends they did not speak hand over head but searched what they might say most to the purpose as they judged of the cause in hand and to the profit of their hearers Elihu thought he had not yet spoken enough in way of apologie for himselfe And therefore the penman of this dispute represents him speaking further yet much to the same sence Vers 12. Yea I attended unto you and behold there was none of you that convinced Job or that answered his words I attended unto you That is I did not only desire to receive full satisfaction from you but I attended hoping at last to find it I stayed I did not make haste nor did I hasten you Vsque ad intima vestra considerabam vos Drus Some expound the word with a great significancy I did as throughly consider and attend what was sayd as if I had looked into you Thus saith Elihu I attended unto you But what did he find He found two faults in their words after he had attended unto them throughly First he found them faulty because none of them had convinced Job Their proofes did not make good their accusations The second fault which Elihu found was They had not refuted Jobs assertion As if he had said Ye have spoken much but upon the matter have done little I waited I attended expecting great things from you but I have bin deceived in my expectation For having taken out the strength and substance the spirits and quintessence of your speech I find nothing coming up either to a conviction of Job as faulty in matter of fact nor to an answer of him as defective in matter of argument So that when I have layd all that ye have spoken in the ballance it weighes too light Job is your match yea he hath over-matcht you Behold there is none of you that convinceth Job The Hebrew word which we here translate to convince answers the Greeke in the New Testament which is also translated To reprove or convince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And both the Hebrew and the Greek carry a threefold signification First to prove or to make good what is affirmed either first by reason and argument or secondly by testimony and authority When such proofes and reasons such testimonies and authorities are brought in as a man can make no exceptions against or cannot evade nor reply to then he is convinced The Apostle giving a description of faith Heb 11.1 saith It is the substance of things hoped for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the evidence or conviction of things not seene The Spirit of God makes conviction before faith acts He brings such proofes such cleare evidences that though the thing be not seene yet the soule sits downe convinced that it is so as fully as if we had seene it The greatest conviction we have to believe is from authority and testimony yea that 's properly and only faith when we consent to a thing upon the testimony and authority of another Secondly The word signifies to reprove or rebuke with words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math 18.15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him of his fault To reprove a man is First to tell him of his fault and then to blame him for it Every mans fault must be clearely proved before he can be justly reproved Thus the Baptist reproved Herod Luke 3.19 And because Light proves therefore it also reproves John 3.20 Every one that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved The same word is used Eph 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but rather reprove them And againe 1 Tim 5.20 Them that sin that is either openly before all or whose sin hath been proved before all rebuke before all and as the same Apostle directs Tit 2.25 Rebuke them sharply Thirdly The word signifieth as to prove and reprove so to chasten and correct to rebuke by the hand as well as by the tongue Heb 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum ab eo argueris Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children my son despise not thou the chastning of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him When thou art rebuked of him by blowes or receivest sencible convictions Rev 3.19 Whom I love I rebuke and chasten Here in the Text we must understand the word in the first sence There is none of you that
Others give their meaning thus rigidly We think it our wisdome to say no more but to remit or give him up to God as a man that is obstinate and will not be convinced Elihu told them a little before that none had convinced Job and here they are represented saying we indeed have left him to God as unconvincible by us and therefore God must thrust him downe not man there is a truth in this Some men are so obstinate in their wayes though evill and stiâ—fe in their opinions though grossest errors that there is no more dealing with them such as these are past mans skill to recall or reclaime Ista animi obfirmatio omne amplius loquendi desiderium adimit cum eo homine quum nemo homo poterit sed deus solus de ista animi pertinacia depellere Iun they must be left to God As in extreame dangerous cases of travel in child-birth the good women sigh and give over saying This is not womans worke we must leave her to the man So in dealing with some men after long labour and no successe we must even say This is not mans worke he must be left to God who alone can thrust him downe man cannot Thirdly That which is I conceive chiefly intended take thus I saith Elihu have undertaken after long waiting and expectance to shew mine opinion Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome That is an argument so strongly concluding Job a wicked man Cum Job affligatur inusitato modo affligatur idque adeo justo qui nec fallere nec falli potest in suo judicio consequitur planè Jobum esse improbuÌ„ Aquin Drus Merc that no wise man can object against it But what was that irreftagable argument by which Jobs friends hoped to conclude him and stop his mouth for ever Surely that which followeth in this verse God thrusteth him downe not man That Jobs friends layd the maine ground-worke of their hard opinion concerning him in the dealings of God with him is evident by what hath been shewed from many passages quite through the Booke All which may be resolved into the sence now given of this one God thrusteth him downe not man and therefore he is a wicked man Hence observe First The afflictions and thrustings downe of some men are ominently from the hand of God Every affliction is from God but some are more from God As God is more visibly seene in the lifting up of some men so in the casting downe of others Every man that is lifted up is lifted up by the hand of God 'T is the most High who one way or other setteth any man on high but in setting up some men on high his workings are so high that every man may see them and say The finger of God is there the hand of God hath done it 'T is thus also in thrusting men downe every affliction every thrusting downe is from God there is a hand of God in it for as Eliphaz spake Chap. 5.6 Affliction comes not forth of the dust nor doth trouble spring out of the ground Whence then are troubles Surely they drop downe from heaven they are from the earth as to the contracting of them but from heaven as to the contriving of them Yet there are some troubles which fall from heaven more apparently then others doe That is there is more of God more of the hand of God in such a dispensation then there is in others though there be a hand of God in every one therefore say Jobs friends God thrusts him downe and not man this mans afflictions are mighty stroakes from heaven For though God hath raised up and used instruments against him yet himselfe hath appeared most against him Secondly Observe Those afflictions wherein God doth eminently appeare against a man seâ—â—â— to beare the greatest witnesse against him of his sinfulnesse or wickednesse That was the scope of Jobs friends This is say they an undeniable argument that the man is wicked because there is such an eminent hand of God upon him This was the foundation upon which they built all their severall censures of him yea their hardest sentences against him And there is a faire probability in this way of arguing upon soure Considerations First It may be urged thus God is just men indeed are often unjust and unrighteous in the evill which they bring upon others but God is just and therefore he would not lay his hand upon any man in this manner unlesse he were a wicked man Surely his iniquity hath found him out whom the hand of God hath thus found out Secondly God is mercifull he is gracious Lament 3.33 He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men Now if God hath declared himselfe so unwilling to grieve the Children of men surely when we see him so willingly grieve a man as he hath grieved this or that man may we not say he is a wicked man Judgement is called Gods strange worke but in judging some he acteth as if judgement were his proper worke as if he were in his Element when he is laying heavie stroaks on their backs therefore may we not conclude such among the wicked Thirdly God is wise he cannot be deceived concerning any man therefore there is some great reason why he afflicts and what reason can more probably be given of a great affliction then some great sin As God is so true that he will not deceive any man so he is so wise that he cannot be deceived in any man He cannot misse his mark nor fall upon a wrong subject in his dispensations therefore we have faire warrant to say that a man against whom God appeares so much appeares very foule to him what ever faire appearances he may have among men Fourthly Take this Consideration also when men afflict their brethren they often do it either out of resolved malice or in heat of revenge but God cannot do it with such a spirit nor from such principles The highest acts of revenge in God are but the awards of Justice Againe Men will afflict others out of envie or to ease themselves as the Apostle speaks of parents chastning their children Heb 12.9 10. We have had fathers of our flesh which have corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much more be in subjection to the father of spirits and live For they verily for a few dayes chastned us after their owne pleasure or as that text may more clearely be rendred out of the original Greek as it seemed good to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro ut ipsis videbatur Bezâ— or as they thought good As if he had said They will doe it upon their naturall prerogative or the right of paternity without giving any account Yea a father will afflict and chasten his child sometimes in another sence for his pleasure That is to vent his passion and ease himselfe but God never chastneth us in passion noâ— ever purely upon
write after your Coppy nor take up directions from what you have done for I see you have gone and done amisse Againe When Elihu saith I will not answer him with your speeches Note Secondly What we speake should be our owne sence not the sence of others unlesse their sence either of things or persons be the same with ours Some pin their opinion upon the sleeves of others and they will be just of the judgement of such a man what he saith they will say As some expect that every one should be of their Judgement and say as they say they are many Masters which the Apostle James forbids My Brethren be not many Masters doe not take upon you to give the rule to all others some are proud at this rate they thinke themselves able to give the rule to all men so not a few are so easie that presently they will take up any thing as a rule from any Master whereas we should not be so apt to follow but labour to have the Judgment or reason of things in our selves rather then to take it up upon trust When Luther was much troubled about the dealings of God in the world to see how matters went and was saying within himselfe Surely it were better things were carried thus and thus while Luther I say was thus troubled he thought he heard this word of reproofe from God O Martin Martin Martine Martine in valde sapis sed ego non sum deus sequax I see thou art very wise thou canst give rules even to God himselfe but I am not a God easie to be led by men I will not take thy Counsell though I see thou hast an honest heart in what thou counsellest I have a way of my owne and I will have my owne way though the world yea though good men and my owne faithfull servants are grieved and mourne at it Man would appoint to God himselfe but God will not model matters by mans wisdome nor in his way Thus in the present case I only allude it is not good for us when we heare what others say presently to receive it or take the impression from them and so answer in their words or vote their opinions though they are wise and good men Elihu takes the liberty to dissent as in his opinion so in his Method of proceeding with Job I will answer but it shall not be with your speeches I will take my owne course Thirdly Note The faylings and mistakes of others should be our warnings not to doe the like Elihu observed where they missed as to the matter in hand he observ'd also wherein they missed as to the manner of proceeding and he observed both well and wisely to avoyd the like inconveniences and thereupon professed I will not answer him with your speeches Fourthly Note We should answer to every poynt and person with reason and sweetnesse not with passion and bitternesse There is no convincing others with wrath The wrath of man saith the Apostle works not the righteousnesse of God James 1.20 That is wrath will never bring about nor effect those righteous things or ends which God would have us ayme at The wrath of man puts him quite out of the way of righteousnesse both out of the way of right speaking and of right acting To shew much reason and little passion is our wisdome So the Apostle gives the rule 2 Tim 2.26 The servant of the Lord must not strive he doth not meane it of bodily striving As if he had said he must not be a fighter As when the Apostle saith 1 Tim 3.3 A Minister must not be a striker It can hardly be thought he should intend only if at all that Ministers should not be like grossly boysterous men who are not so much as Civill in their behaviour surely such are farre enough off from a fitness to be received into the Ministry therefore some expound the Apostle to the poynt in hand he must be no striker with his tongue in passion anger and wrath no word-striker There is great striking yea wounding with words Though Ministers must strike and wound with the authority of God yet not with their owne animosities They must wound the consciences of sinners with the Word and Spirit of God but not with their own wrathfull spirits such strikers they may not be nor may the servant of the Lord strive thus but be gentle to all men apt to teach yea patient in teaching It is a great exercise of patience to teach with line upon line precept upon precept When we see little received or heeded yet to insist upon it this is patience In meeknesse instructing such as oppose themselves if God peradventure will give repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth As the Apostle James exhorts Chap. 1.21 to receive the word with meeknesse that 's a most necessary rule in hearing the word for many times the hearer is in a passion there is such a storme in his bowels that he cannot heare to purpose therefore if any would receive the ingraffed word they must receive it with meeknesse I say also the word should be given out or spoken in meekness though not with coldnesse I doe not say with coldnesse or with a slightness of spirit but with meeknesse And the truth is milde speaking or meeknesse of speech as to the spirit and conscience of the hearer is not only most comfortable but most prevailing Meeknesse should be shewed even where there is the greatest zeale and zeale then prevailes most when there is most meeknesse in it The Apostle Jude saith Of some have compassion making a difference others save with feare That is save them by preaching that which may make them afraid scare them out of their sins but yet still this is to be done in a spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 If any one be over-taken in a fault what then rayle on him rage against him and revile him no but saith the Apostle ye that are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Bones must be set to that the word which we translate restore alludes with a tender hand Those three things which are required in a good Chirurgion or Bone-setter are as necessary in a reprover or in him that would reduce another from the error of his way First He must have an Eagles eye to discerne where the fault or fayling is Secondly A Lyons heart to deale freely with the faulty how great soever they are Thirdly A Ladies hand to use them gently and tenderly All which will more fully appeare while Lastly From the example of Elihu we collect and learne that a good Moderator or composer of differences must avoyd five things First slightness of spirit and of speech It is not good to speake lightly of little things but it is a shame to speake lightly of great things Weighty matters must be handled weightily and we should put not a little finger but our
we cannot but speak the things that we have seene and heard you may cut out our tongues if ye will take away the organs of speech ye may but otherwise we cannot but speak As it is said of Christ they could not resist the Spirit by which he spake so they were not able to resist the Spirir by which the Apostles spake Some have such Impulses from the Devill upon them that they cannot but speak boldly as well as wickedly and blasphemously it is strange to see what some both old and new Impostors have done their bellyes have been like bottles full of new wine they have even burst to vent their wicked opinions Esuris suit auditores quibus omne quod sentit effundat quibus qualâ— quantus sit innotescat Non curat te docere vel a te doceri quod nescit sed ut scire sciatur quod scit Bernard Bernard discoursing of such an Opinionist in his time saith He hungers and thirsts for Auditors into whose bosomes he might empty himselfe and powre out all his sentiments that he might appeare who and how great a man he was He careth not to teach thee what thou knowest not nor to be taught by thee what he doth not know but that himselfe may be knowne to know what he knoweth Now if there be such pressures upon the spirits of vaine men to be delivered of their false and ayery concepâ—ions How much more when a man hath strong impressions from the Spirit of God 't is discernable by the matter that comes out of the bottle whether it be the wine of Sodâ—me or of Sion is he unable to containe himselfe Such a man must speake not only to instruct and refresh others but as it followeth in the next verse to ease and refresh himselfe Vers 20. I will speak that I may be refreshed The Hebrew is That I may breath or I may have roome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 latus dilatatus recreatuâ— loquar mihi latum erit i. e. erit mihi dilatio recreatio Merc Per verba evaporata interiorem fervorem ab anxietate â—esiderij requiescam .. Aquin The word properly signifies that which is enlarged or widened when a vessell is full and you draw some of the liquor out of it then there is room So saith Elihu I will speak that I may be refreshed or have roome I will open my lips and answer To open the lips is a preparation to speaking Christ opened his mouth and spake speaking is begun with opening the mouth a man may open his lips for other ends then for speaking and a dumbe man opens his lips who cannot speake yet no man can speak without opening his lips and why did Elihu open his lips it was to refresh himselfe Hence note He that speaks his minde easeth his minde 'T is good to speak to refresh our selves but 't is much better to speak for the refreshing of others yea we should speak though to our own paine that we may refresh others and speak away their paine Isa 50.4 Thou hast given me the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season to him that is weary They are good words indeed which refresh both the speaker and the hearers But the designe of speaking is rather for the refreshing of hearers then of the speaker How vainly then doe they spend their breath in speaking who speak without any designe of good or of refreshing either to themselves or others who speak only to be applauded and taken notice of to be cryed up and commended for eloquent speakers These are sad designes of speaking better be a stammerer then such an Orator better be dumb and not able to speake then to speak for such ends with greatest ability Unlesse we speak that others may be informed converted comforted edified saved some way or other bettered we were as good hold our peace and say nothing The holy Apostle professed 1 Cor 14.19 I had rather speak five words with my understanding that I might teach others also then ten thousand words in an unknowne tongue To speak strange words in an unknowne tongue may gaine us a name among men But neither are any soules gained nor doth any soule gaine the worth of one farthing in spirituall knowledge by hearing thousands and ten thousands of words spoken in an unknowne tongue We should thinke all those words even as lost to us by which we have not at least intended the gaine and good of others But suppose while we sincerely intend the good of others in speaking they get no good by what is spoken yet it shall not be without good to us for as Elihu here hoped so may we to be refreshed by it for when a man hath discharged his duty to God and man in speaking his mind it cannot but be a great ease to his minde Elihu had a great duty upon him to moderate and set this businesse right between Job and his friends to take downe that height of spirit that was in Job and to allay that sharpnesse and bitternesse of spirit that was in his friends When we have in sincerity discharged our duty to all others and done that which our Consciences charge upon us how doth it quiet and refresh our minds and how many have been burdened and disquieted in their spirits for neglecting this duty They I say who neglecting to speake when it was incumbent upon them to speak and the cause of God required it have found it a burden upon them long after When Mordecai had acquainted Queene Ester with the sad condition of the Jewes whose destruction Haman had plotted and advised the messenger to charge her that she should goe in unto the King to make supplication unto him and to make request before him for her people Est 4.8 She returned him answer by the same messenger that she could not doe this without running the hazzard of her owne life v. 10 11. yet Mordecai replyed v. 14. If thou Altogether holdst thy peace let the danger be what it will at this time then shall their enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jewes from another place but thou and thy fathers house shall be destroyed and who knowes whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time as this As if he had sayd It is thy duty to speake for thy people at such a time as this and therefore if thou doest not breake through all difficulties to speake thy silence will cost thee deare probably thou wilt loose thy owne life by it or if not then certainly thy conscience will trouble and vex thee for it as long as thou livest Many offend in speaking and we may in many cases offend both God and man yea our selves too when we see our opportunities lost by neglecting to speake JOB Chap. 32. Vers 21 22. Let me not I pray you accept any mans person neither let me give flattering titles unto man For I know not to give flattering titles in so
former Chapter in prefacing to Jobs friends directs his speech now to Job himselfe yet not without a renewed Preface as will appeare in opening this Chapter Wherein we may take notice of foure heads of his discourse First We have his Preface in the seven former verses of the Chapter Secondly A proposition of the matter to be debated or of the things that Elihu had observed in Job's speech about this Controversie from the 7th verse to the 12th Thirdly We have his confutation of what Job had affirmed from the 12th verse to the 31th Lastly We have his conclusion exciting Job to make answer to what he had spoken else to heare him speaking further in the three last verses of the Chapter Elihu in his Preface moves Job about two things First to attend what he was about to say Secondly To make reply to and answer what he should say Elihu moves Job to the former duty severall wayes First By a mild Entreaty and sweet Insinuation in the first verse Wherefore Job I pray thee heare my speeches and hearken to my words As if he had sayd I doe not come authoritatively and rigorously upon thee to command or demand thy attention but as a faithfull friend I desire thee to attend unto my speech and hearken to my voice Secondly He moves him to heare by professing his own readinesse and preparednesse to speak in the 2d verse Behold now I have opened my mouth my tongue hath spoken in my mouth that is I have been as it were tuning my instrument and fitting my selfe for discourse let me not loose my labour nor my study Thirdly He moves him to attend from the sincerity and gracious Ingenuity of his heart in that which he had to say to him This he layeth before him in the 3d verse My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart and my lips shall utter knowledge clearely What better Encouragement to heare And Fourthly Elihu moves him to heare from the Consideration of his present state as a man not only made by God but by him instructed for the work which he had undertaken the former of which is Exprest the latter Implyed in the 4th verse The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Thus Elihu Calls out Job to heare And Secondly As he invites him to heare what he had to say so he provokes him to answer what he should say vers 5. If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up As if he had said Be not discouraged take heart man doe thy best to defend thy selfe and make good thy owne cause against what I shall say Spare me not Doe thy best thy utmost Having thus encouraged him in General to answer he proceeds to give him two speciall Motives First From their Common state or Condition in the 6th verse Behold I am according to thy wish in Gods stead I also am formed out of the clay As if he had sayd You have often desired to plead with God or that God would heare your plea now consider I am in Gods stead though a man like your selfe Secondly He encourageth him from the tendernesse of his spirit toward him respecting his present Condition promising to deal with or treate him fairely gently in the 7th verse Behold my terror shall not make thee afraid neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee That favour Job hâ—d asked of God in the 9th Chapterâ— Let not thy terror make me afraid Now saith Elihu thaâ— which thou didst fear from God thou needest not at all feare in dealing with me My terror shall not make thee afraid c. Thus Elihu begins with Job that he might lead him to receive fairely or answer fully what he had to say The three first verses of the Chapter Containe the first part of the Preface wherein Elihu excites and calls forth Jobs attention by those foure Considerations already distinctly proposed the first whereof is layd downe Vers 1. Wherefore Job I pray thee heare my speeches and heerken to all my words Elihu begins very mildly sweetly insinuatingly even entreatingly and beseechingly Wherefore I pray thee The word which we translate I pray thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adhortartis vel excitantis tum etiam obsecranâ—â— is in the Hebrew language a monasyllable adverb of obsecration or exhortation I pray thee Hence note 'T is good to use gentlenesse towards those with whom we have to deale especially with those who are either outwardly afflicted or troubled in spirit Entreaties have great power and therefore though the Prophets and Apostles speake sometimes in a threatning way and command attention upon utmost peril yet for the most part they bespeake it with Entreaties 2 Cor 5.20 Now then we as Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God The Apostles went about a begging as it were with this message with the best message that ever was carried forth to the world Reconciliation unto God we pray you And againe 2 Cor 6.1 We then as workers together with him beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vaine that is the doctrine of the Gospel holding forth the grace and favour of God freely in Jesus Christ 1 Thes 4.1 Furthermore we beseech you brethren that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walke and to please God so ye would abound more and more As he did beseech them not to receive the grace of God in vaine so he did beseech them to a progress in an Improvement of that grace Again 1 Thes 2.7 We were gentle among you even as a Nurse cherisheth her Children how tender is a nurse to the infant hanging at her breast or dandled on her knee Speak ye Comfortably to Jerusalem was the Lords direction when she was in her warfare that is in a troubled and afflicted condition Isa 40.2 The Hebrew is Speak to her heart speak such words as may revive her heart and adde fresh spirits and life to her The Apostles rule for the restoring of those that are fallen is that they should be kindly treated Gal 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye that are spirituall restore such an one with the spirit of meeknesse It is a great poynt of holy skill so to order a reproofe as not to provoke so to speak as to speak open or pick the lock of the heart Affectionate Entreaties are blessed pick-locks which doe not straine the wards but effectually lift up the holders and shoote the bolt of the heart causing it to stand wide open to receive and take in the truth of promises counsels and reproofes Meeke words meeken the spirit 'T is hard to refuse what we perceive spoken in love and if any thing will soften a hard heart soft language is most likely to doe it When Abigail came out and met David upon his way hot
our encrease 'T is the breath of the Almighty that teacheth us and if we can but humbly enough that is heattily acknowledge it we shall be taught and learne enough So much of these words as they are a direct assertion I shall consider them a little in their connection and reference both to what went before and to that which follows after which was the second consideration of this verse at first proposed First This verse may be connected with the three former verses and then the sence appeareth thus As if Elihu had sayd O Job I have moved thee to heare me patiently and attentively and let it not seeme grievous to thee to doe soe For though I am thy inferiour in age and degree yet I am a man as well as thou and I have a soule and body like thine yea the Spirit of God that made me hath also furnished me I have rceeived ability from God as thou hast I stand upon even ground or equall termes with thee as to creation and I am not altogether voyd of instruction and therefore as a man I have a possibility to understand reason and as a man indowed by the Spirit of God I have a capability to direct thee about the wayes of God or how to understand and comport with his providences towards thee Thou hast been long under the hand of God and long in the hands of men who have rather entangled and troubled thy mind then eased it who knowes but that I who all this while have been but a looker on may see somewhat in thy case which hath hitherto been hid from thy former undertakers Therefore pray favour me it may prove in the issue a favour to thy selfe with an houre or two of patient attention Take this note from it The consideration of our common originall that we have all one maker or are all come out of the hand of God should make us willing to heare and learne of one another Thus Elihu argueth Heare me why Because the Spirit of God hath made me as well as thee doe not despise what I have to say as if you were a man of another mould or pedigree the same God out of the same matter by the same Word and Spirit hath form'd us both Some pictures are more highly prized then others of the same person because drawne by a better hand by An Apelles or A Michael Angelo The fame of the Artist or workman puts a value upon the worke And the title of the Authour doth sometimes commend a piece more then in truth either the forme or matter But come among the sons of men all their faces and features are drawne by one hand The same most exact hand of God hath wrought and fashioned them all both as to their outside and inside both as to the forme of these houses of clay and as to all the ornaments and beautifyings of them As we all walke upon the same earth drinke out of the same water breath in the same ayre as we are all covered with the same Canopy of heaven and lighted with the same Sun so we are all made with the same hand The Spirit of God hath made one as well as another This man hath not had a better pencill nor a more skilfull Limner then that Thus we may argue from the common condition of man in nature to a mutuall condiscension among men Indeed Christians who have higher principles have also higher topicks arguments then that why they should condescend one to another and as the Apostle directs Eph 4.4 5 6. Keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Saints should be lowly and meeke with long-suffering forbearing one another in love as the Apostle there exhorts not only because one hand hath made all their bodyes but because they are one body though they are many naturall bodyes yet one mysticall body There is one body and one spirit As one Spirit hath made them so they are made one spirit There is also as it followeth one hope one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all How should all Saints be one who are comprehended and united under this seven-fold oneness That we have all one maker in nature is a very moving argument to meekness love and unity but that all believers are made one by Grace is a much more moving argument Againe We may consider these words in connexion with the three following verses and then as in connection with the former they are a prevention of Job's pride so in this they are a prevention of his feare or an encouragement of him to a chearfull hearing of what Elihu had to say Job had been dealt severely with by his three friends and the terror of God was upon him he was under much dispondency of spirit Now saith Elihu Answer me if thou canst stand up set thy words in order before me for the Spirit of God hath made me and given me life I am a creature and I am but a creature I am no more then thou art I am made of God and thou art made of God as well as I I was made out of the dust as thou art I am not God to terrifie thee but I am sent of God to counsel and comfort thee my hand shall not be heavie upon thee I promise to deale tenderly with thee I am such a one as thy selfe as I am not worse so I am not better we stand alike together in this dispute therefore thou mayest freely come forth and answer me who am but a poore creature as thy selfe is Thus Elihu bespeakes Job in the sixth and seventh verses If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up Behold I am according to thy wish Speake freely and cleare thy selfe if thou art able thou hast free leave for me Vers 5. If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up This verse may have a four-fold respect First To the insufficiency or incompetency of Job's parts and intellectuals to deale with Elihu in this matter as if they were a daring challenge Answer me if thou canst doe thy worst And hence some of the Ancients charge Elihu as if he came upon Job boastingly and spake thus in the pride of his owne spirit and in the disdaine of Job at once to shew and slight his weaknesse If thou canst answer me As if like some irrefragable Doctor he had said I shall speak such reason as I know thou canst not answer doe what thou canst set all thy wits aworke and beate thy braines as much as thou wilt thou wilt but loose thy labour and weary thy selfe in vaine Thus the meaning of Answer me if thou canst is Thou canst not answer But I suppose Elihu though hot spirited enough was yet of a better spirit temper then to speak either thus proudly of himselfe or despisingly of so worthy a man as he
that the whole body of our people lookes like a lump of filthinesse and uncleannesse We are over-spread with a loathsome Leprosie from head to foote from top to toe Holinesse keeps us faire and righteousnesse sweet Secondly Note A sinlesse person is a cleane person When we arrive at perfect freedome from sin we shall be cleane indeed perfectly cleane And according to the degree or proportion of our freedome from sin in this world is our cleannesse in this uncleane world Secondly Thou hast said I am innocent so we read There are two significations given by the learned which are of very usefull consideration for the clearing up of this text First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tegere pretegere unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 portus in quo naves sunt tectae et â—â—iae a vento Merc the Hebrew word which we translate innocent is derived from a roote which signifieth to hide to cover or protect And that two wayes First to protect actively or to defend others Secondly It notes protection passively or to be protected by another Some conceive that Elihu here intended it of Job in an active signification whereas we say I am innocent they say I protect and so referre to him as a Magistrate I have protected the oppressed I have protected those whom the sons of violence have prosecuted Indeed Job speaks his practice much in that Chap 29. 12. I delivered the poore that cryed and the fatherless and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I caused the widdows heart to sing for joy Job had been a great Protector of the poore And by this word the Hebrews expresse an haven or harbour for Ships Because harbours or havens are places of protection to Ships First they are places of protection to Ships from winds and storms they are safe places from rocks shelfs and sands a Ship in harbour is under protection from the dangers of the Sea Secondly A Ship in harbour is under protection from enemies and Pirats while shee is abroad at Sea if enemies come shee must shift for her selfe shee must run or fight but in the harbour she is under the protection of the State or Country where she arriveth Thus all Magistrates are or should be a just Magistrate is a good harbour for all that are in danger of the winds and stormes of the rocks and rage of wicked men Good Governours are an harbour and oppressors like storms and rocks That 's one sence of the word in the active signification And taking it in this sence Job asserts highly for his owne honour while he saith I have been a protectour of the oppressed I have been a harbour or a haven to the weather-beaten poore Secondly Others take this protection passively I have been protected Job was once protected from all outward evill from the invasion of devills and evill men God made such an hedge about him that Satan could not touch him But the sence given of this protection here intended is spirituall I have been protected from the evill of the world or from the evill world I have been kept from that pollution and corruption which as the Apostle Peter speaks is in the world through lust And that is a blessed yea the best part of a Saints protection he is kept through the power of God through faith unto salvation He is not given up to the defilements and apostacy of times or places the Lord preserves his spirit and his wayes pure and cleane Our translation I am innocent compared with this I have been kept or protected from sin The one is a very good exposition and illustration of the other For innocency is our safety and integrity our best keeper Innocency is our faire haven and safest harbour When the windes are highest and the Seas most rough and angry there if any where we may shelter and anchor our selves from the storme and tempest Thus David prayed Psal 25.21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me that is let me be preserved in mine integrity and uprightness And that he had been so preserved he tells us Ps 41.12 As for me thou upholdest me in mine integrity He that can say I am innocent shall have cause to say I am protected the innocent person is under covert God protecteth the innocent yea maketh innocency their protection Man is never so well shelter'd as by the righteousness of Christ and by his own innocency 'T is guilt which leaves our breast naked to every dart and thrust Againe to come a little nearer to our translation though this be very significant I am innocent 'T is a negative I have done no hurt or I have no guilt upon me The Rabbins tell us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex Rabinico verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exponunt quod significat pectere se mundare Lotus ego Targ Tersus ego sum Coc the word cometh from a roote which signifieth to wash and so the Chaldee Paraphrase renders I am washed Others thus I am brushed or comb'd Mr Broughton I am neat like a man that hath put on his apparrell decently some are in a slovenly habit or their cloaths are foule but Job could say as to his better part and spirituall cloathing I am innocent washed brushed comb'd I have no filth in my skirts nor foulenesse in my hands I goe not in the nasty habit of sin but in the lovely comely beautifull dresse of Grace Thus various is the sence of the word which we translate innocent Job's conversation was so well ordered that it had not a plight nor an haire common infirmities excepted amisse or out of order Our translation gives in his mind fully yet it is not unprofitable to take in this plenty and copiousness of elegant metaphors rising out of the original words here rendred I am innocent But if we take the word strictly then to be innocent is to doe or to have done no hurt to be harmelesse and so guiltlesse of the hurt or harme of any Hence note Sin is an hurtfull thing It hurts first our selves Secondly it hurts others in whose sight it is committed either first by the ill example given them or secondly by injury done to them either first in their credit or secondly in their estates Yea thirdly sin hurts God himselfe It hurts God in his honour Innocency is properly that which doth no hurt Innocent persons are harmelesse persons no man ever hurt himselfe or others much lesse the name and honour of God while he holdeth his innocency Job's last assertion is Neither is there iniquity in me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pravitas est rectitudini opposita Iniquity is that pravity either of spirit or action which is contrary to all that righteousness or rectitude which the rule of Gods word requireth It comprehends both the irregularity of our actions and the irregularity of our thoughts or conceptions 'T
Hoc nominè justus non es quod deum in jus provocare ausus â—s Merc There is a third antecedent which we may take up from severall passages in the former part of the Booke and that is because thou hast so often and so importunately desired to plead with God and hast made so many suites for a hearing with him as if thou hadst somewhat to say which might acquit thy selfe and shew reason why God should not deale thus with thee For though Job did not desire to plead with God as having any intent to accuse him of doing him wrong yet he was therefore to be blamed because he desired to plead with him seeing it becomes man to submit to the judgement of God without murmuring or complaining So then Elihu had cause to charge him with this God indeed passed it by as knowing it did not proceed as in the wicked from malice but from weakness and ignorance as Job also himselfe humbly confessed at last Behold thou hast too often called for Justice in this thou art not just Mr Broughton renders Loe here thou art not in the right These words in this or here may also have a negative reference to what Job had been charged with before by his friends As if Elihu had sayd I doe not charge thee with such crimes as thy friends have loaded thee with heretofore I doe not burden thee with grosse impiety nor with hypocrisie I doe not tell thee thou hast oppressed the poore or wronged the widdow and the fatherlesse I have nothing of this sort to say against thee But in this or here I have somewhat to say wherein my judgement also is that thou art not just nor in the right for however thou art otherwise or in other things upright and righteous however just thou hast been in thy transactions with men and pure in thy worship toward God yet in this I am sure and I dare say it openly and avowedly thou art no wayes justifiable much lesse just in that thou hast cryed up thy owne innocency and spoken so much of the hard dealings of God with thee yea hast been so bold as to desire a day of hearing even before God himselfe Let this be the Question or matter under debate Whether or no Job speaking thus highly of himselfe and thus boldly of God hath done right or no Elihu undertakes the negative he engageth to prove that Job had not done well or right how innocent soever he was in speaking so much of his own innocency or how hardly soever God dealt with him in making so many complaints of his severity Elihu undertakes to prove this negative and Job never durst undertake the affirmative that he had done right or well in speaking or doing so and therefore in the close of the business he sits downe convinced that he had been too bold with God and too forward in justifying himselfe His argument which runs through this whole discourse to make good his negative assertion may be formed up thus He that speakes much of his owne righteousnesse and seemes to reflect upon the righteousnesse of God at least that God hath been over-rigorous with him is not just nor justifiable in this But thou O Job hast spoken thus of thy selfe and thus of God in the extremity of thy paine and in the anguish of thy spirit Therefore in this thou art not just nor justifiable No man of understanding can take thy part or be an Advocate for thee in this matter As for me I must needs be and am resolved to be an Advocate for God against thee The Major or first proposition is not exprest in the text the conclusion is given in the beginning of the 12th verse and the assumption or 2d proposition is collected from Job's owne mouth in severall places of this Booke Againe besides the generall scope of the words and the tendency of Elihu in this dispute we may consider the manner of his speech how he deales with Job Behold in this thou art not just In this manner of treating with Job the sweetnesse of his spirit and likewise the boldnesse of it are observable These two vertues or excellencies of an Advocate shew themselves plainly in this one passage Behold in this thou art not just For consider First He expresseth his reproofe negatively he doth not say Behold in this thou art wicked or thou hast impiously blasphem'd the name of God but he speakes at as low a rate as may be Behold in this thou art not just or justifiable thou hast not done right or thou art not right there is a great good temper of spirit and a mixture of much meeknesse in such negative expressions it being much lesse to say to a man in this thou art not just nor justifiable then to say positively or directly in this thou art unjust and deservest to be condemned For though there be no difference in the thing between not being just and being unjust yet there is much more mildness in the words and a man takes lesse offence when told that he is not just then in being told that he is unjust The imputing of a crime to a man is more and worse then the denying him a vertue or that he is vertuous Hence note We ought to temper our reproofes with much gentlenesse and meeknesse We should not speake cutting words if other words will serve the turne Thus the Apostle directs us Gal 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken with a fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted deale as gently with a fallen brother as thou wouldest with a man whose bones are dislocated or broken so much the metaphor there used imports There is a time indeed when we must rebuke as the Apostle gives direction Tit 1.13 sharply or cuttingly we must goe to the quicke that they may be found in the faith but there is a great regard to be had to the state and spirits of those with whom we have to deale As it is our duty to receive the word with meeknesse James 1.21 some receive the word proudly riggidly in the worst sence they can yea they receive it rebellingly now as we ought to receive the word with meeknesse so 't is good to speake the word with meeknesse with as much meeknesse and tendernesse as the case will beare Secondly consider this manner of speaking Behold in this thou art not just Elihu tells him plainly of his faults he reported them before and here he applyed them home to his person Behold in this thou rememberest thy owne words Thou canst not but take notice what thou hast spoken now I tell thee in this thing thou art not just Elihu doth not speak doubtingly nor fearefully nor doth he tell Job what the thoughts of others were upon the matter but he tells him directly categorically plainly from himselfe in this thou art not just Hence note We are to hold out our convictions
say how was Job such a mirror such a patterne of patience as the Apostle James makes him Chap 5.11 if he manifested so much impatience as might be interpreted by others though not intended by him a deniall of the Greatnesse of God I answer though all agree and the testimony of the Spirit of God is enough to confirme it though all should not agree that the patience of Job was exceeding great yet no man may say nor doth the Spirit of God in Scripture say it that his patience was perfect his patience was such as exceeded the most yea for ought that we know the best of men yet his was but the patience of a man of a man compassed about with the like passions as other men His patience was sincere and without hypocrisie but his patience was not compleate nor without infirmity or his patience we may say was perfect as to the kind but it was not perfect as to the degree His patience deserved both commendation and imitation yet he shewed at times such impatience as deserved reproofe and should not be imitated but mortified and avoyded Good men doe not only act lesse in goodnesse sometimes but ill and much amisse And while we see tallest Cedars fayle they shall not utterly fall Job did not Let him that thinketh he standeth that is who hath a strong opinion of his owne strength take heed lest he fall as the Apostle cautions him 1 Cor 10.12 for even the impatient complaints of Job in his sufferings like those sufferings of the Israelites for their sins spoken of in the former verses of that Chapter fell from him for an ensample or type and are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Thus you see the reason why Elihu tooke up this common principle Quae pueris ipsis deâ—antata sunt nobis in gravi lucta perturbatione ut nova quaedam proponenda sunt Mert. which every Child learnes out of a Caâ—echisme to convince this holy man with What was more knowne to Job or to any knowing man then this that God is greater then man yet Elihu chose this as the most commodious and effectuall argument to compose his spirit and quiet him after all his distempered and tumultuating complaints nor hâ—th Elihu yet done arguing downe the hight and unquietnesse 〈◊〉 Job's spirit We have him both reproving him for it by way of question and giving him another unanswerable argument against it in the next verse Vers 13. Why dost thou strive against him for he giveth not account of any of his matters The words are a reproving question As if he had sayd Thou dost ill very ill to strive There is a four-fold striving three of which are held forth in Scripture under the word of the text First There is a striving with outward force and power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contondere pertinet ad judicialem forensem litem ad dei tribunal instituendamâ—e quod saepe pustulavit Job either personally man with man properly called contention or more generally nation with nation properly called warre Secondly There is a legall striving a striving by way of plea about matters of right and title The word in the text chiefly imports such a judiciary striving a strife in law when the adverse party or Plaintiffe impleads and commenseth his suit against the Defendant Striving is taken in this sence and joyned with warring in the description of that contest which Jephtah had with the King of the Children of Ammon Judg 11.25 And now art thou any thing better then Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab did he ever strive against Israel or did he ever fight against them That is did he either make warre with Israel or did he so much as challenge and plead his right to their land by law That other name which Joash Gideons father occasionally gave him Judg 6.31 32. takes part from this word Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal saying Let Baal plead against him because he hath throwne downe his altar As if he had sayd Let Baal come and enter his action against my Son if he please and let my Son alone to answer him Thirdly There is a logicall striving or a striving by dint of argument and reason Thus disputants strive and Books of controversie about matters of faith and worship are called Bookes of Polemicall Divinity Nor indeed hath any kind of strife been carried on with higher and hotter animosities then those mannaged by tongue and pen in writing and disputing Foutthly The word is applyed to any angry passionate chideing and complaining Thus 't is used in that famous history Exod 17. where thâ— people of Israel having journeyed from Sin and pitched in Repâ—â—â—â—m v. 1. did chide with Moses from which act v 7th He called the place Massa and Meribah because of the chideing of the chidren of Israel and because they tempted the Lord sayiâ—g Is the Lord among us or not Because the people of Israel strove with Moses or rather with God himselfe Therefore to keepe them under the sence of this sin and provocation Moses called the name of the place Meribah which signifieth Striving In this last sence as striving is used by way of chideing and complaining we are to understand it here Why dost thou strive against him saith Elihu That is why doest thou chide and complaine about the dealings of God with thee or because he will not render thee a reason of his dealings with thee in this affliction Job made many striving and chideing complaints his first were eminently such Chap 3.11 Why dyed I not from the womb why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly why did the knees prevent me or why the breasts that I should sucke He chideth hard about the hardnesse of his condition in this life who chideth because he liveth Read him in the same language Chap 10.18 and in a language not much unlike it in severall other places Yea Job doth I say not formally yet vertually call out or challenge God more then once to plead with him and make good his cause against him Why dost thou strive with him For he giveth no account of any of his matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth properly to answer and so the text might well enough be rendred here out of the originall he answereth not Mr Broughton saith He will not speake for all his dealings If If any man demand of God a reason of his doings he may chuse whether he will give it him or no He will not be brought to a reckoning He will not he needeth not to answer or give an account Of any of his matters or of any of his words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is frequent in the Hebrew to expresse matters or things by this word which in strictness signifieth but a word Chap 19.28 Seeing the root of the matter the text is the root of the
affliction which appeared to admiration at the beginning of it The state of grace abideth alwayes 't is not as some affirme loseable 't is not like the best things of this world perishing But though a state of Grace abideth alwayes yet every mans grace if any mans doth not alwayes abide in the same state A true frame of grace shall never be destroyed but the heart of a gracious man doth not alwayes continue in the same frame The heate of grace may be cooled the hight of it abated the strength of it weakned and the beauty of it faded He that a while agoe walked and acted very humbly may upon another temptation act very proudly and walke as if he were above all his brethren He that one while hath acted very self-denyingly may at another time act very self-seekingly He that hath acted very lovingly the very law of love being stamped upon his words and workes may at another time act very unlovely and lovelesly and doe things which are very much beside and below yea contrary to the fulfilling of that royall Law He may be so far from bearing his brothers burden which is the fulfilling of that law of Christ Gal 6.2 that he may be a burden to his brother And while at one time you might have done and spoken almost what you would to him and he could beare it at another time doe what you can or speake what you can he is offended Such changes and varieties are found upon the most gracious frames of spirit which the best of Saints have in this world We have only this to hold to the state of grace is unchangeable and we are waiting for such a frame of grace as shall never change That gracious frame in which the hand of God will set us up in the day of our resurrection to glory shall never change nor decline a haires breadth to all eternity We shall be as pure and as holy and as spirituall and as heavenly and as meeke and as full of the praise of God for ever as ever As full to eternity as in the very first moment in which that glorious frame shall be set up But in this life to how great a degree of grace soever we attaine we seldome retaine the same degree but are flowing and ebbing like the water waxing and waining like the Moone Job was sound striving with God who a little before had so humbly submitted and was so fully resigned unto him Secondly Observe There is a spirit in man very apt to strive with God Doe ye thinke saith the Apostle Jam 4.5 that the Scripture saith in vaine The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envie or as the margin hath it enviously surely no the Scripture doth not speake this in vaine and if any thinke it doth their thoughts are vaine Now as there are lustings in men to envie against their brethren because of the gifts and good things of God which they enjoy so there are lustings in men to discontent against God because of the evills which themselves suffer When God seemes to contend with us we really fall to contending with God The waters of Meribah will be an everlasting winess of this of which Moses sayd Numb 20.13 This is the water of Meribah because the children of Israel strove with the Lord and he was sanctified in them The Apostle doth more then intimate this readiness of man to strive with God while by a vehement expostulation he checks it and reproves all men for it 1 Cor 10.22 Doe we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger then he They presume much upon their strength who are forward to strive they especially who provoke and challenge others to strive with them There is a spirit in man which stouts it with God even to a provocation of strife with him But you will say When may we be sayd to strive with God I answer we doe it these foure wayes First Man striveth with God by disobeying his commands that 's a strife with his holiness The lawes of God beare the image or stampe of his holiness All disobedience is an unanswerableness to the Law wilfull disobedience is a making voyd the Law He that is resolved to sin wisheth there were no Law to stop him from sinning or to punish him when he hath sinned What greater strife can be raised against the Law-giver then to wish he had given no such Law Secondly Men strive with God by not believing or distrusting his promises That 's a strife with his faithfulness or with his power Unbeliefe is one of the worst wayes if not the worst of all the wayes of striving with God The reason why that place at the rock in Horeb was called Meribah Exod 17.7 was because the people did not believe They thought they must dye with thirst in the wilderness when they saw no water They fell to this sin againe a second time upon the like occasion while they abode in Kadesh Numb 20.1 2 3. And as the people strove there with God by their rebellious unbeliefe so also did Moses and Aaron by their unbeliefe that God would give water to such rebells as it follows in the same Chapter v. 10 11 12. There is no sin so often or so properly called a provocation as unbeliefe is Yea by unbeliefe we strive so much with God that we are sayd to weary him Isa 7.13 O how doe they weary God who either thinke him so weake that he cannot or so unfaithfull that he will not make good his word or performe his promises The first of these is alwayes in unbeliefe the latter often Thirdly We strive with God by not bearing his hand or by our impatience under the cross which his hand layeth upon us while we quarrell with the rod we quarrell with God who chasteneth us with it This was the most speciall way in which Job strove with God and the sinfulness of it hath been severall times toucht upon in this booke Fourthly any murmuring word about yea any discōtented thought with our owne condition though not vented by words though it be kept in and lye close in the bosome is a striving with God And so likewise is any tumultuating thought about his providences towards others and his stating of affaires in the world Now as there is such a sinfull principle in man to strive with God so considering as hath been shewed how many wayes it workes and many more wayes of its working might be shewed this I say being considered we may be found striving with God before we thinke of it yea while we oppose the very thought of it Therefore as Gamaliel warned the Jewes saying Acts 5.39 Take heed what ye doe lest haply ye be found even to fight against God Those Jewes did not thinke their opposing the Messengers and Ministers of Christ was a fighting against God But Gamaliel told them plainely it was So in many other cases we may do say that which brings us under the same
either immediate from himselfe in those dreames and visions to the Prophets or mediate by the Prophets And though now God doth not speake to us immediately as he did to the Prophets before Christ came in the flesh and to the Apostles after he was come in the flesh yet All the Propheticall and Apostolicall writings are the speakings of God to us besides what he dayly speaketh to us answerable to what is written both inwardly by the workings of his Spirit and outwardly by the workes of his providence For he speaketh once c. Hence note In what way soever God reveales his minde unto man he speakes unto him Every manifestation of the will of God to us is a Sermon what man speaketh to us according to the word of God is to be received as the word of God For as God speaketh to us though not formally yet expressely in the holy Scriptures which are his word so he speaketh to us vertually though not expressely by his works And that First by his workes of creation by them God is continually opening and manifesting himselfe to man in his wisdome power and goodnesse He speaketh to us Secondly by his works of providence whether first they be works of mercy every mercy hath a voyce in it every blessing a speech or secondly whether they be works of judgement Micah 6.9 The Lords voyce cryeth unto the Citie and the man of wisdome shall see thy name heare ye the rod and who hath appointed it Sicknesses and losses the crosses and troubles that we meet with in the world cry aloud to us especially when they make us as they often doe cry aloud As the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge Psal 19.1 2. so those things that are done and acted night and day utter the mind and speak out the heart of God unto man For God speaketh once yea twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in una pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in una vice The Hebrew is in once that is for one Turne or Time or by one meanes or way The word once hath a threefold signification in Scripture all which are applyable to the text in hand First Once is as much as surely certainly verily irrevocably Thus Psal 89.35 Once have I sworne by my holinesse that I will not lie unto David That is I have surely sworne certainly sworne irrevocably sworne my word yea my oath is out and it is immutable That which God in this sence once saith it is alwayes sayd or 't is sayd for ever how much more that which he swareth Thus the Apostle argueth Heb 6.17 18. God willing more abundantly or more then needed as to him and the truth of the thing in it self to shew unto the heires of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye namely his promise and his oath we might have strong consolation c. In like notion we may expound that once which we finde Heb 9.27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die or to dye once and after that cometh the judgement Some referre once to dye as if the meaning were it is appointed unto men to dye once that is men must expect to dye a naturall death which happens but once and once at least equivalently will and must happen to all men Others referre the once to appointed in the sence of this present exposition It is appointed once that is God hath certainly and firmly appointed established and decreed this thing he hath ratified it in heaven that men must dye This statute is irrevocable The thing is appointed and there is no reversing or revoking of that appointment This is a good sence and sutable enough to the scope of Elihu God speaketh once that is what he speaketh is a sure and certain word an infallible word the word setled for ever in heaven Psal 119.89 his promise is not only sure but most sure As the Apostle speakes 2 Pet. 1.18 19. And this voyce which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount We have also a more sure the Comparative imports the Superlative a most sure word of prophecy whereunto ye doe well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts As the whole propheticall so the whole historicall and doctrinall word of God is most sure being once spoken it is spoken for ever And written as with a pen of iron and the point of a Diamond and that upon a rocke which cannot be removed That which was vaine-gloriously and beyond the line of man sayd of the Law of the Medes and Persians Dan 6.8 is only true of the word of God it altereth not Secondly This once speaking Semel loquitur deus et secundo id ipsum non repetet Vulg Quia quod sufficienter factum est iterare superfluum est Aq notes the speaking of a thing so sufficiently or fully that there is enough sayd at once and so no more needs be sayd The vulgar translation takes up this sence God hath spoken once that is he hath spoken fully or sufficiently for mans instruction and admonition at once and therefore he translates the latter part of the verse thus And he doth not repeate it the second time That which is done at once sufficiently needs not be done a second time This is a truth There is a sufficiency and a fullnesse in the word of God once spoken there needs nothing to be added or as others expound this translation When once God speakes that is resolves and determines a thing he doth not as man who often repents of what he hath purposed bring it into a second consideration for he cannot erre and therefore he needs decree but once But though this be a truth yet I doe not conceive it to be the meaning of this place because it doth not well agree with what goes before and lesse with that which followeth at the 29th verse Loe all these things worketh God oftentimes or as our Margin hath it twice and thrice with man And therefore here Elihu rather intimates the variety of those wayes by which God reveales himselfe to man then the sufficiency of any one of them For though we grant any one of them sufficient yet God out of his abundant goodnesse is pleased to reveale himselfe more wayes then one and more times then once Thirdly This once may be taken exclusively so iâ— Scripture once is once and no more once and not againe or as we say once for all and so it is opposed to the repeating and acting over of the same thing Thus Abisha sayd to David 1 Sam 26.8 God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore lâ—â— me smite him I pray thee
concerning the state of his Church to the end of the world revealed to him in severall visions I saith he Rev. 1.10 was in the spirit on the Lords day c. That 's is a famous promise which was first reported by the Prophet Joel Chap 2.28 and after repeated by the Apostle Peter Acts 2.17 I will poure out my Spirit upon all flesh c. and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams Thus it is every where clear in Scripture that dreames and visions were frequent both in the Old Testament times and in the beginning of the New But now in these last dayes as the Apostle saith Heb. 1.2 3. passing from those former wayes of Revelation described in the first verse God having spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds who is also the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse Image of his person God I say having spoken to us by his Son and we having now a clearer manifestation of the mind of God then the old fathers had the Son who once spake to us in person on earth still speaking to us in the Gospell every day therefore now for any to look after dreams and visions or visible apparitions for the revealing of the mind of God is to goe backward to the old state of the Jewish Church or to the infancy of the Gospell Church while the Canon or Rule of the Scripture as to all matters of faith and holy life was not fully finished and compleated And though we ought to be farre from limiting God yet he hath limited us from looking after any wisdome in the knowledge of his will above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 The Apostle also testifying by the Spirit of God that the Scripture is sufficient to make every man wise to salvation and the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto all good works that good work especially of helping others to salvation 1 Tim. 3.15.17 Ardentibus votu precatus sum ut daret mihi deus certuÌ„ sensum scripturae et pactum feci cum domino deo meo ne mihi visiones vel somnia mitteret Luth. loci com quartae clasâ—is Luther observing how many were deluded in his time by dreames and visions which they falsely attributed to God as the immediate Author of them earnestly prayed about two things First that God would give him a sound understanding of his mind revealed in the Scriptures Secondly that he would nor send him dreames or visions yea saith he I even contracted with God that he would not And doubtlesse he did this upon a double ground First to oppose the wild opinions and practices of those who had nothing to pretend for them but dreames and visions Secondly to advance the honour of the written word in its sufficiency not only without the help of any humane tradition but without any further divine revelation And therefore though God should please to speak to us now by dreames and visions yet that were only as the Apostle speaks about his adding of an oath to his promise Heb. 6.17 to shew that he is ex abundanti more abundantly willing to satisfie our weaknesse by such a condiscention then that there is a necessity of it with respect to any deficiency of the Scriptures fullnesse And hence it is that if men shall professe they have received any thing from God by dreams or visions concerning what is either to be beleeved or done the matter of those dreams must be examined and weighed at the ballance of the Scriptures and is no further to be credited then as 't is found agreeable thereunto It cannot be denyed but that men may make profitable use of their dreames at this day they may see much of themselves when their eyes are shut up by sleepe Evill men may see their lusts at worke in the night and find out what lust is most working and wakefull in them What is said in History of the ancient Persian Kings that they were seldome seen in the day but came to view in the night is true of a mans speciall sin or of that sin which reignes and Kings it in him What ugly apparitions of lust hath many a man in his nightly dreams especially of those filthy lusts which are most proper to the night Thus also good men have sometimes a clearer sight of their graces in the night by dreames then in the duties of the day What holy frames of heart what lively actings of grace what sweet and ravishing communion with God have many godly men found and felt in dreames That may at lest be somewhat of Davids meaning when he said Psal 16.17 My reines also instruct me in the night season Lastly Though we cannot make any certaine conclusions either what we are or what we are to doe from dreames yet from them they who are wise and watchfull may sometimes gather strong conjectures about both or either To make dreames the rule or warrant of what we doe is extreamly dangerous yet that we may have hints what to do in a dreame I nothing doubt nor can there be any danger in it while the matter hinted is consonant to the rule of the word both as that which is lawfull to be done and lawfull for us all circumstances considered to doe Otherwise whatsoever we may think our selves warned or warranted to doe by dreames is but a mock or trick put upon us by the Devill or a deceit of our own foolish selfish hearts Thus we have seene the first way of Gods speaking to men of old by dreames and visions of the night what work God is pleased to make with and in man by such speakings will appeare distinctly in the three following verses Vers 16. Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth there instruction In this verse Elihu gives us the first of those gracious designes or purposes of God in sending dreams or visions of the night then he openeth the ears of men There is a twofold eare of man first externall that organ of hearing placed in the head Secondly internall that power of hearing seated in the heart God can uncover or open both There are but few who have their outward eare stopt we rarely meet with a deaf man But we every where meete with and speak to those who are internally deafe The Lord openeth this inward eare and he only is able to doe it God opened the heart or internall eare of Lydia to attend to the things which were spoken of Paul Acts 16.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sep. The Septuagint render this place of Job expressely so Then he openeth the mind of men Their translation comes close to the sence though not to the letter of the Originall Quidam hanc loquendi formulam natam esso putant ex hebraeorum consuetudine qui cum antiquis seculis prolixam alerent comam eaque aures operirent si quis
of their Countenance testifieth against them that is they look proudly though which should lay them in the dust they live very lewdly yea they are proud of their lewdness Thirdly How often doth pride bud in apparell in vaine fashions and new-fangled attires in the affected adornings and trimmings of a body of clay What are these but the buddings of pride yea the flaggs and banners of pride Some are as proud of their gay dresses as the Peacock of his feathers We commonly say Fine feathers make fine birds but how foolish are those birds that are proud of Feathers Secondly There is pride of heart or pride budding in the spirit of man which doth not shew it selfe only the mind swels within When men have high thoughts of themselves though they doe not as the Apostle Jude hath it speake great swelling words of vanity yet they have great swelling thoughts of vanity then pride buddeth in their spirits their minds swell and the mind will swell more then the tongue The tongue swells mightily but the heart much more The spirit of a man may lift up it selfe on high when the man looks very demurely Hab 2.4 Behold his soule which is lifted up is not upright in him If the soule be lifted up the man falls He that is high-minded cannot be upright in his minde It may be questioned Whence it cometh to passe that the soule of man is so much and so often lifted up with pride What causeth this swelling and heaving of his spirit I answer First Some are proud of their birth either that they are borne of great men or that they are borne of good men The Baptist admonished the Jewes of this piece of pride Math 3.19 Thinke not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father As if he had sayd I well perceive what makes you as we speake proverbially stand so much upon your pantafloes and talk within your selves at such a rate of your selves is it not because you are of Abrahams stock But I say unto you let not your heart swell with these thoughts we are Children of Abraham for God is able even of these stones to raise up children to Abraham that is God will not want a people though he should lay you aside and entertaine you no longer for his people Secondly Others are proud of riches yea they boast of the multitude of their riches Psal 49.6 Even they who desire to hide their riches as much as they can yet cannot but tell the world they are proud of their riches so proud that they slight and contemne all men that have not as much riches as they O what rejoycings have most rich men over their riches Hezekiah a great King and a Good man a rare conjunction had much of that upon his spirit Isa 39.2 when Ambassadours came from Babylon He was glad of them and shewed them all his treasure He affected they should see what a rich King he was and what masses of Gold and silver as well as what multitudes of men were at his command Thirdly Many are proud of their honours and powers in the world They are high-minded because they are set in high places 'T is a dishonour to some great men that they have not truely great spirits And 't is the temptation of all great men to have proud spirits Fourthly Not a few are proud of their bodyly perfections and strength many a soule is defiled and deformed with pride by the bodyes beauty and fairenesse many look not after the beauty of holinesse while they doat upon the beauty of their owne comelinesse they see themselves in their beauty till they are proud of it and care not which should be our greatest care and shall be our greatest priviledge Isa 33.17 to see the King in his beauty As some trust in their spirituall beauty Ezek 16.15 so others over-weene their corporall both are the effects of pride and the first is by so much the worse of the two by how much it riseth from a better object Fifthly Many are proud of their naturall parts proud of their gifts proud of their wit proud of their memory proud of their eloquence and abilities of speaking As knowledge it selfe puffeth up 1 Cor 8.1 so doe all those endowments which serve either for the getting or expressing of our knowledge Gifts and abilities whether naturall or improved and acquired doe not more fit us for service then tempt us to and unlesse grace worke mightily taint us with pride Sixthly As many are proud of what they have so others are proud of what they have done they are proud of their actions their spirits swell with the thoughts of their owne workes Some are so wicked that they are proud of their evill workes The Apostle saith They glory in their shame Phil 3.19 David complain'd of many Psal 4. who turned his glory into shame but these turne their shame into glory that is they are proud of that for which they ought to be ashamed Now if some are proud of the evill of the mischief which they have done how easily may we grow proud of the good which we have done proud of our duties proud of our righteous deeds proud of our charitable deeds to men proud of our prayers to God proud of our zeale for God as Jehu was who sayd Come and see my zeale for the Lord. The heart of a good man may soone have too much to doe with what he hath done his thoughts may quickly worke too much towards and upon his owne workes But as for hypocrites and selfe-seekers who doe good to be seene of men they cannot forbeare seeing it themselves and surely that sight of the eye cannot but affect the heart with pride Seventhly Pride riseth often from the successe of what is attempted and done men are proud of victories The Assyrian is described Isa 10.13 14. triumphing and insulting because he had put downe the nations as a valiant man And Hab 1.16 we have the Chaldeans sacrificing to their net and burning incense to their drage because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous that is they boasted of and gloried in their great atchievements in warre so it seemes to be explained in the next words v. 17. Shall they therefore empty their net and not spare continually to slay the nations Eighthly Pride springeth out of the very mercies and salvation of God Thus 't is sayd of Hezekiah 2 Chron 32.25 after he had received two great mercies First deliverance from a great enemy and Secondly from a great sicknesse He rendred not againe according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up How lifted up not in thankfulnesse for he rendred not according to the kindnesse but in pride and high-mindednesse for presently it is said v. 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart Ninthly The heart is lifted up and waxeth proud with Church-Priviledges Some say they are in the Church or they are the
this power or priviledge to become the sons of God they are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh Joh. 1.13 that is the best of the creature contributes nothing to the bringing forth of new creatures the sons of God Fifthly flesh by a figure is put for all that in religion or in the worship of God which is outward or open to the eye whatsoever comes under any humane observation is but the flesh of Religion or the flesh of worship In this sence the Apostle puts the question Rom. 4.1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh hath found What he means by the flesh he tells us in the next words he was not justified by works that is not by any thing that did appeare not by any thing done to him or done by him He was not justified by Circumcision or by the use of any externall rite he was not justified by his own righteousness or obedience to the Law The same Apostle also calls the very worship of the Gospell as to the outward part of it flesh Phil. 3.3 For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh That is in any outward work or priviledge which we have in our Gospell state All this flesh likewise ought to be consumed in our apprehensions that is we must make nothing of it nor reckon it any thing in our account for justification in the sight of God or acceptance with him Secondly Flesh properly taken is that integrall and similar part of the body which is opposed to blood and bones to veins and sinews When Elihu saith his flesh is consumed we are to understand it either in this proper sence or in the second figurative sence before named as flesh is put for the whole body his flesh is consumed that is his flesh in opposition to his bones spoken of before or his flesh that is his outward man Is consumed The Originall word signifies to wax old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonuit consenuit in piet consumsit for as when a man recovers from sicknesse his flesh is said to returne like the flesh of a child So when he is under the extreamity of any sicknesse his flesh as it were waxeth old or withereth like the flesh of an old man Thus 't is translated Lamâ—n 3.4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old that is though I am not old in yeares or how young soever I am yet God by many sufferings hath made me look like an old man I am decayed and weake David speaking of wicked worldly men tells us Psal 49.14 Their beauty shall consume in the grave As death and the grave make a totall and finall consumption of the beauty of bad men that is of all that splendour and bravery wherein they lived while they lived in the body so paines and sicknesses do exceedingly consume the body and eate out the flesh As a tyrannicall oppressor eates out the people under his government in which sence this word is applyed Dan. 7.25 Or as a garment is worn out by time and using The flesh is often in Scripture compared to a garment and dying to uncloathing because when we dye we put off the flesh The garment of the flesh that beautifull garment waxeth old and weares out apace on a sick bed Sicknesse not only staineth and abateth the beauty of it but wasteth it deeply so that as it followeth it cannot be seene Or as Mr Broughton renders his flesh wasteth away from sight or he hath no flesh left to be seene Againe When it is sayd his flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seene some expound it thus His flesh is so consumed away that the seer withdraweth from it or no man cares to see it that is the sick man is so discoloured and wasted that visiters and spectators start and are almost frighted to looke upon him The flesh of man in a healthfull and flourishing condition is a lovely spectacle and draws beholders but the flesh of a very sick man is a gastly spectacle and a regreet to the beholder We love not to see that which we doe not like Beauty attracts deformity withdrawes the eye It is sayd of Jesus Christ himselfe that he was so deformed by his sufferings Isa 52.14 that many were astonish'd at him his vissage was so marred more then any man and his forme more then the sons of men and Isa 53.3 We hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not that is he was so dis-figured by sorrow that no man cared to look upon him Thus 't is often with the sick And this is a profitable and a probable sense of the text in hand His flesh is consumed away and then he who before delighted to see it is troubled at the sight of it or is rather affrighted then pleased in seeing it Quid si carnem consumâ— Ã visu per elegantom hyperbelen esset tam manifestè indies marcâ—ssere ut quasi ab ipso respicientis oculo consumi videatur Bold There is yet a fourth reading which further aggravates the sick mans consumption His flesh is consumed in sight that is say some his flesh doth consume so fast that a man may almost see him consume as we say of some plants they grow so fast that we may almost see them grow so we may say of those that decline and fade much we may see them consume their flesh consumeth even to the eye or to view He that lookes stedfastly upon them may see them fade and wither like a flower yea they seeme to fade by his looking or fixing his eye on them Hence note First The flesh of man is a very fading and declining thing It quickly consumes and drips away in a disease A violent feaver or any other acute disease dries up the spirits and drinkes up the moysture and how soone doth such a man decay and as the extremity of a disease so extreame want of food or famine consumes the flesh Hunger having nothing to eate feeds upon the flesh of the hungry till all be eaten up We read Lam 4.8 how rudely famine dealt with the flesh of those delicate Nazarites who were purer then snow whiter then milke they were more ruddy in body then rubyes their polishing was of Saphire yet the next words tell us Their visage is blacker then a coale they are not knowne in the streets their skin cleaveth to their bones it is withered it is become like a sticke And though a man escape sicknesse and famine doth not eate up his flesh yet time that great eater will old age will wast what famine and sicknesse have not toucht As the Prophet threatned what the Caterpillar hath left the Canker-worme shall devoure so what sicknesse leaves time will certainly consume Thus bodily flesh is every way liable to a consumption and therefore the
keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him When God layeth his yoke or crosse upon us 't is our duty to be silent and submit Zach 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation that is the Lord begins to worke therefore let all men or men of all sorts and degrees be quiet and say nothing either discontentedly or complainingly In all these Scriptures holding our peace is called for and commanded or shewed at the workes of God Secondly There is a holding of our peace at the word of God or at what God speaketh Thus 't is when not only the tongue but the heart is silent and every thought is brought into subjection or captivity to the obedience of Christ The heart of man often speakes much and is very clamorous when he saith nothing with his tongue That 's to hold our peace indeed when the heart is quiet let God say or doe what he will 'T is not more our duty to resist the Devill that is all his hellish whisperings and temptations to the doing of evill then 't is to submit to God in all his speakings and dispensations Elihu speaking in the name of the Lord faithfully adviseth Job in this sence to hold his peace Hence learne We ought to submit and keep silence when the truth of God is spoken Or when the minde of God is brought unto us there must be no replying but obeying no disputing but submitting They have learned much who know how and when to say nothing Solomon saith Eccl 3.6 There is a time to keep silence and a time to speake but this kind of silence is in season at all times we ought alwayes to be silent thus that is alwayes submit to the minde of God We need to be minded of this because the pride and over-weening of man is great We have need to put a bridle upon our tongues much more upon our hearts it is hard to bring our wills and our understandings under we are apt to strive and struggle when truth comes neere us yea to kick at it when it comes very neeâ—â— and home to us though indeed the neerer it comes the better nor can it ever come too neere The Apostle James apprehended this when he gave that admonition Chap 1.21 Receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your soules Meeknesse is that grace which moderates anger a passionate or fierce spirit receiveth not the word but riseth up against it turnes not to it but upon it and which is worst of all turnes it to evill not to good turnes light into darknesse and so the word of life becomes a savour of death for want of a due submission to it Therefore hearken and hold your peace when the word of God is spoken Do not say it is but the word of man because delivered by man God speaks in and by his faithfull Messengers ye oppose the authority of the living God not a mortall dying creature when you reject the word And remember it is not only our duty but our liberty to give up our selves prisoners to the truths of God we are never so free as when bound by it or to it And as we should hold our peace at or submit to all the truths of God in all cases so especially in these three First When we are reproved for our sins in practice then we should not stand excusing what we have done but repent of it Secondly When we are shewed our errour in opinion then we should not stand disputing and arguing for what we hold but recant it 'T is time to hold our peace when once it appeares to us that we doe not hold the truth To erre is common to man but to persevere in an errour to the defence and patronage of it is more then inhumane devilish Thirdly We should hold our peace when our duty is plaine before us then we should not stand questioning it but doe it Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe saith Solomon Eccl 9.10 that is whatsoever appeares to be a duty doe it with all thy might Hold thy tongue but doe not withhold thy hand when once thy hand hath found what must be done Elihu at this time was dealing with Job upon all these three poynts He told him his sin that he had been too querious and impatient he shewed him his error that he had been too bold with God because innâ—cent towards men And he pressed him to duty both that and how he ought to humble himselfe before the Lord. The Apostle treating about that great poynt of justification tells us God will at last cause all men to hold their peace Rom 3.19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every month may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God that is man will have nothing to say but sit downe silent and hold his peace or only say I am nothing I have deserved nothing but death and condemnation when he once understands the holiness and strictness of the law together with the unholiness and looseness of his owne heart and life Hence note It speakes yea proclaimes a gracious prudence to know how and when to hold our peace and say nothing When men insist upon their owne conceit and reason when they logick it unduely with God or men and will needs seeme to know more then the word teacheth them what doe they but give evidence against themselves that as yet they know nothing as the word teacheth or as they ought to know and themselves least of all 'T is pride and presumption not prudence and understanding which opens such mens mouths We never profit by what we heare till in the sence opened we have learned to hold our peace The counsel which Elihu gave Job was to hold his peace yet he layd no constraint upon him to refraine necessary speaking but put him upon it in the next verse Vers 32. If thou hast any thing to say answer me speake for I desire to justifie thee Lest Elihu should be interpreted to have taken too much upon him or to have denied Job his liberty of speaking when he sayd hold thy peace he here calls him to speake This is a full proofe that his intent was not to barre him from speaking but only that he should forbeare unnecessary speaking As if he had sayd Now that I have gone thus farre if I have spoken any thing that thou at unsatisfied in and dost desire I should explaine my selfe about speake thy minde freely for though I have more to say yet I will not hinder thee from saying what thou canst fairely say for thy selfe neither will I ever-burthen thy memory with too much at once therefore come now and answer if thou wilt or canst to what is already spoken The Hebrew is If thou hast words answer me that is if thou hast arguments to defend thy selfe with or to
turn the sence of the words into another channell Absit a me coram domino impie ager◠c. Sept as if Elihu spake here in his own vindication and not in Gods and so they render the Text personally of Elihu Farre be it from me that I should do wickedly before God or that I should pervert Justice before the Almighty as if Elihu had said I am now to speake before God or in Gods presence God being my witnesse therefore I had need look to it while I am speaking before the righteous God that I speake righteously and while I speak before the God of truth that I speak according unto truth farre be it from me that I should doe wickedly before God there is a truth in this translation But this is not a true translation according to the Hebrew nor is it the truth of this place Elihu speaking in so weighty a matter might well say farre be it from me to pervert justice so much as in a word because I speake before God and am in the presence of the Almighty We should not speak a word amisse in his sight or hearing who seeth and heareth what all men doe and say whatsoever they are doing or saying especially when they are doing or saying that which is of neare concernment to himselfe This rendring gives us a usefull caution But doubtlesse Elihu's purpose here was not to shew with what reverence of God himselfe was about to speak but that he was about to speak for the vindication of the righteousness of God which he thought Job had wronged by that assertion when he said vers 9. It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God Hereupon Elihu with some heat of spirit turnes upon him in these words Farre be it from God that he should doe wickedly The word rendred God forbid is often used in Scripture implying the greatest detestation and utter abhorrence of that which is extreamly offensive to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profanum aut pollutum esse A deo procul est omne profanum Affectionem indicat animi qui scelus aliquid a se vel ab alio deprecatur et horret Sanct the root of it signifieth any thing that is prophane filthy or polluted because all prophane things and persons are farre from God that is such as he utterly abhorreth Further the verbe signifieth as to pollute or to prophane so to offer violence to wound and kill uniustly or murtherously which sence complyeth fully with the businesse in hand Job had complained that his innocency at least that he being innocent was sorely afflicted and wounded and lay as it were weltring in in his gore and blood Hereupon Eiihu stands up to vindicate the righteousnesse and justice of God Farre be it from God c. When a Judge doth unrighteously he offereth violence to the Law and viciates that chast Virgin Justice committed to his care and keeping All acts of injustice are therefore farre from God even the abomination of his soul because polluted and filthy in themselves as also such as pollute and defile all those that use them Thus Abraham spake to God Gen. 18.23 25. Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked that be farre from thee c. He spake of it with indignation as a thing most unworthy of God to wrap up good and bad in the same common calamity When all Josephs brethren as one man Gen. 44.17 offered to become his prisoners God forbid said he that I should doe so ye shall not all suffer for one mans sault let that be farre from me he that is found in fault only shall be my prisoner Thus Elihu would remove the remotest suspicion of unrighteousnesse from God when he saith farre be it from God that he should doe wickedness Hence note We should reject all unworthy thoughts of God with indignation and detestation The Apostle shewed a spirit full of this fire Rom. 3.5 6. Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance I speak as a man that is naturall or carnall men are apt to think so but God forbid or let it not be once named by those who name that is profess the name of God If every one who nameth the name of Christ must depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 woe to those who say that Christ himself closeth with any iniquity As God himself puts all evill farre from him so should we put the least thought of it farre from God What can be more unjust then to have so much as the shadow of a thought that God doth any injustice away with such blasphemous suggestions can he who is the very rule of righteousnesse doe unrighteously To throw this dirt into the face of God hath as much absurdity and irrationallity as blasphemy in it None but they who know not God can have such apprehensions of him To doe wickednesse is farre from God and therefore let man be farre even as farre as the east is from the west from saying or thinking that he doth any Farre be it from God That he should doe wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat quodvis peccati genus quod contra aequitatis sit normam omnique careat legis ratione Bold The Text is farre be it from God from wickedness we render that he should doe wickedness The word signifieth wickedness of the worst sort that wickedness which does not only break the Law so every the least sin doth but slights it and denyeth it any reverence or regard It is farre from a godly man to sin at this rate to doe wickednesse Then O how farre is it from God that he should doe wickedness And from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity Elihu useth two Titles or Names of God First the strong God the mighty God Secondly Almighty the Allsufficient God farre be it from the Allsufficient that he should doe any iniquity He that hath all things in his power and can command Heaven and Earth heart and hand he that is able to supply all deficiencies in the creature by his allsufficiency farre be it from this Allmighty God that he should commit iniquity towards man Strength without goodnesse is alwayes unprofitable and often hurtfull Goodness without strength is very unusefull because so weake But where both strength and goodness meere and center in the same person as he is able to doe much good so he hath no will to doe evill or offer injury to others How then should the Allsufficient commit iniquity The word rendred iniquity signifies any crookedness or perversnesse any distortion of right and justice Now right or justice is distorted many wayes chiefly these five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fraudem aliquando innuit Et generaliter diutur de omni injuria omnique malo contra leges First by a flat denyall of it Secondly by a tedious delaying of it Thirdly by punishing where there is no fault Fourthly by not rewarding where there is desert Fifthly Justice or right
is distorted by giving the same or a-like award to those who are unlike or in their acts or deserts whether good or bad not the same To doe any of these perverse or crooked things is the doing of iniquity or the perverting of Justice All these Elihu removeth farre from God while he saith Farre be it from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity God will not cannot commit iniquity either by denying or delaying justice either by not punishing or rewarding where there is cause or by dealing out alike to those in whose doing and dispositions there is an utter unlikeness Farre be it from the Almighty that he should commit any of these iniquities Hence note First To doe any act of injustice is wickednesse Elihu taxed Job for complaining of Gods Justice v. 9. And here he saith Far be it from God that he should doe wickednesse Injustice is wickednesse against God who commandeth us to be just and it is wickednesse against man who is alwayes wronged by injustice Secondly As to that particular which Elihu chargeth Job with Note If the Lord should not reward those that serve him and delight in him he were uxrighteous Heb 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love He is not unrighteous to forget it that is not to recompence it by forgetting it he doth not meane the letting of it slip out of his mind but the not making a due returne to it or the not giving it a just reward It is unrighteousnesse in God not to reward those who serve him because he hath promised to reward them Say to the righteous it shall be well with him Isa 3.10 The promises run to it all the Scripture over and as it would be unrighteousnesse in God not to reward those that do well so not to pardon them that have done ill when they confesse their evill deeds because he hath promised to pardon them and therefore the Scripture saith 1 John 1.9 If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins The Scripture doth not say he is mercifull to forgive us our sins though mercy act to the highest in the forgiveness of sin but he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and the reason why the Scripture saith so is because forgiveness of sin in case of confession is under a promise To come short of our promises is to be unrighteous promises are bonds upon the promiser and oblige to performance Thirdly Note The strong God the mighty God neither doth nor can doe any unrighteousnesse or iniquity I say he neither doth nor can doe iniquity God can doe no iniquity because in him there is none He is my rocke saith David Psal 92.15 and there is no unrighteousnesse in him As none can doe righteousnesse but they that are righteous so he that neither is nor can be unrighteous cannot doe any unrighteousnesse That in the Psalme is very considerable that while he saith There is no unrighteousnesse in God he immediately before said He is my rocke implying that God can no more be moved or removed from doing righteously then a rocke can be removed out of its place We find Moses also giving God the same attribute when he spake of his indeclinableness in justice Deut 32.4 He is a rocke his worke is perfect all his wayes are Judgement The wayes of God are not all judgement as Judgement is opposed to mercy some of his wayes are mercy and others of them are Judgement but all his wayes are judgement as Judgement is opposed to injustice or unrighteousnesse that 's the signification of Judgement when Moses saith All his wayes are Judgement he is a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he The Apostle puts this denying question with much vehemency Rom 9.14 What shall we say then is there unrighteousnesse with God God forbid And 't is very considerable that the Apostle put this question with so much abhorrence presently after he had spoken of that Act of God which is so much quarrelled at by the sons of men as unrighteous and unjust Esau have I hated and Jacob have I loved and that when they had done neither good nor evill v. 11. What say some will God doe thus will he hate or love before ever men doe good or evill yeas such acts of love and hatred of election and rejection are gone out from God And because Paul foresaw that men according to their narrow apprehension would be ready to say surely God is not right in this therefore he subjoynes What shall we say then is there unrighteousnesse in God As if he had sayd I know some men will be ready enough to say so and thinke they have reason enough to say so They all must needs say so who measure God by their shallow braines such are the deepest braines compared with God and therefore Arminius with his followers that they may avoyd this difficulty carry the interpretation of this Scripture to another poynt as if it had nothing to doe with the eternall purpose of God concerning man but only respected his dealings with them about temporalls or his dealing out temporalls to them I urge that text because it hath occasion'd through mans corruption great contending and quarrelling about the righteousness of God yea some have presumed there can be no maintaining that opinion of the absolute decree without fastening unrighteousnesse upon God But the Apostle by the Spirit foreseeing this fleshly objection hath forelayed and prevented it concluding O man who art thou that replyest against God shall the clay contend with the potter c. Now as in this act of eternal Election so in all providentiall acts the Lord is infinitely unmoveably and unspottedly just and righteous he not only doth righteous things but he cannot doe any thing that is unrighteous And this seeming impotency is the reall power of God and his most glorious perfection For as 't is from the weaknesse of man that he can doe iniquity so 't is from the power of God that he cannot That God cannot lye that he cannot doe any unworthy thing is an argument of his omnipotence God can no more doe iniquity then he can cease to be God his righteousnesse his justice is himselfe the Justice of God is the just God the righteousnesse of God is the righteous God he hath not only a principle of righteousnesse in him as man may have and every Godly man truely hath but he is righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer A Heathen Poet had this apprehension of his Idol Gods They love not unrighteousnesse but honour Justice But Jehovah the true the living God doth more then affectionately love and honour Justice He is is essentially Just That man who is in a state of righteousnesse loves to be doing and will doe righteous acts things and persons are in their working as they are in their being He that doth righteousnesse is righteous 1 John 3.7 God is righteous
all flesh perisheth and turneth again unto what it once was dust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word which we render to gather signifieth to add one thing or person to another When Rachel had conceived and bare a son Gen. 30.22 23. she called from this word his name Joseph and said the Lord shall add to me another son Thus here If God add or gather to himself his spirit and his breath that is the spirit and breath of man c. We may distinguish between these two Spiritus animam flatus vitam quae ab anima provenit conservatur significat ego opinâ—r idem esse hoc loco Sanct. spirit and breath Some insist much and curiously upon this distinction The spirit denoting the soul or the internal rational power of man and the breath that effect of life which followeth or floweth from the union of soul and body The life of man is often expressed by breath Cease ye from man whose breath or life is in his nostrils Isa 2.22 If once man's breath goeth out his life cannot stay behinde the spirit of a man is in this sence distinct from his breath for when the breath is vanished and is no more the soul or spirit liveth The Apostle in his prayer for the Thessalonians 1 Thess 5.23 puts soul and spirit together The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved harmless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ There 't is most probable by the soul he intends the inferiour powers in man or his affections and by the spirit his higher powers of reason and understanding yet the spirit is often put for that whole part of man which is contradistinct to his body Into thy hands I commend my spirit that is my soul not forgetting my body And I conceive we may safely expound it here in that latitude as comprehending the whole inner man Yet it is all one as to the sence of this place whether we take spirit and breath distinctly or for the same the spirit being so called from spiration or breathing If he gather unto him his spirit and his breath The gathering of the spirit and breath of man unto God is but a periphrasis or circumlocution of death or of man's departure out of this life when man was formed or created Gen. 2.7 it is said God breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living soul And when man dyeth his breath or spirit may be said to be gathered or returned back unto God so then the meaning of Elihu in this double supposition If he set his heart upon man if he he gather to himself his spirit and his breath is clearly this if God were once resolved or should but say the word that man must presently die die he must and that presently Hence Note First God can easily do whatsoever he hath a minde to do If he do put his heart upon the doing of any thing it is done Men often set their hearts yea and their hands unto that which they cannot do if men could do that which they set their hearts to do or have a minde to do and thereupon set their hands to do we should have strange work in the world 'T is a mercy to many men that man is often frustrated in his thoughts and purposes in his attempts and undertakings and 't is a glorious mercy to all that have an interest in God that God never lost a thought nor can be hindred in any work he setteth his heart upon He that can lett or stop all men in their works can work and none shall lett or stop him What God will do is not defecible or undoeable if I may so express it by any power in heaven or earth And as God can do what he will and ask no man leave so he can do what he will without trouble to himself 't is but the resolve of his will the turning of his hand or the cast of his eye all which are soon dispatcht and 't is done Thus God breathed out his wishes for the welfare of Israel Psal 81.13 O that my people had hearkned unto me c. I should soon have subdued theâ—r enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries As if he had said I could and would have eased them of all their enemies even of all that rose up against them easily even with the turning of my hand What is more easily done or moâ—e speedily done then the turning of a hand Many things are hard to man and indeed very few things are easie to him except it be to sin or to do evil he can do evil easily some things are not only hard but too hard impossible for man but there is nothing hard much less too hard for God he can easily do the hardest things yea the hardest things are as easie to him as the easiest for as Psal 139.12 Darkness hideth not from the sight of God the darkness and the light are both alike to him so hardness hinders not the work of God hardness and easiness are both alike to him if he set his heart upon it From this general truth take two inferences First How should we fear before this God How should we tremble at the remembrance of and walk humbly in our highest assurance with this God We are much afraid to displease those men who can easily hurt us and in whose hand it is to ruine us every hour But O how little are we in this thought to fear the Lord to take heed of displeasing the Lord who can with ease either help or hurt either bring salvation or destruction who in a moment can thrust the soul out of the body and cast both into hell Secondly We may hence make a strong inference for the comfort of the people of God when their straits are most pinching and their difficulties look like impossibilities and are so indeed while they look to man when their enemies are strongest and the mountains which stand in the way of their expected comforts greatest if then God will be entreated to set his heart and cast his eye upon them their straits are presently turned into enlargements difficulties become easie and mountains plains If we can but engage the Lord his own promise is the surest engagement and indeed all that we can put upon him or minde him of if I say we can thus engage the Lord to be with us who can be to our hurt many will be to their own against us Secondly Note Our life is at the beck dispose and pleasure of God He can gather the spirit and the breath to himself whensoever he pleaseth Psal 104.29 Thou hidest thy face and they are troubled and thou takest away their breath they die and return to their dust If God hideth his face from us 't is death while we live but if he take away our breath we cannot live but die Psal 90.3 Thou
turnest man to destruction and sayest Return ye children of men Here 's man turning and returning upon the saying of God man turneth to death he returneth to dust and shall at last return from the dust and all this when God saith he must Our life is a very frail thing and it is in the hand of God to continue or take it away to let us hold it or gather it home to himself Thirdly From the manner of speaking If he gather to himself his spirit and his breath Note When man dieth he is gathered to God When as Solomon allegorizeth the death of man Eccl. 12.6 7. The silver cord is loosed and the golden bowl broken c. Then shall the dust that is the body return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God who gave it that is each part of man when he departeth this world shall go its proper way and return to that which is most congenial to it his body to the earth from whence it is his soul to God of whom it is God is a Spirit the creating Spirit and our created spirits are gathered to God when they are separated from the body yet remember there is a two-fold gathering or returning of the spirit to God First To abide and be blessed with him for ever thus the spirits of believers or saints only are gathered to God when they depart out of this world Secondly There is a gathering of the spirit to God to be judged and disposed of by him to receive a sentence of life or death from him And thus the spirit of every man or woman that dieth is gathered to God be they good or bad believers or unbelievers Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for men once to die but after this the judgement 'T is the Statute Law of God man must die and the sound of Judgement is at the heels of death That Text saith but after this the Judgement The general day of judgement shall not be till the resurrection of man from the dead But there is a personal judgement or a determining of every mans state when he dieth and for that end every mans spirit is gathered to God to receive his sentence The spirits of wicked men are gathered to him and condemned the spirits of the righteous are gathered to him and acquitted We are come saith the Apostle Heb. 12.23 to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect David knew he must be gathered to God but he earnestly deprecated such a gathering as most shall have Psal 26.9 Gather not my soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men It is this word when sinners die they are gathered but David would not be gathered as they are gathered They are gathered to God but it is that they may be for ever separated from him they are gathered to a day of vengeance and wrath Therefore David prayed Gather not my soul with sinners Death is called a gathering in a threefold reference First A gathering to our people Thus it is said of Aaron Num. 20.24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people for he shall not enter into the land c. Death separates the people of God from their people that is from those that are like them on earth but it will be a means of bringing them into the society of their people or fellow believers who are gone before them into heaven Secondly Death is called a gathering to our Fathers 2 Chron. 34 28. Behold I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace There 's a gathering to a more special company and that with other like Scriptures are an argument that we shall know our relations in heaven For to be gathered to our Fathers spoken of in the first part of the verse is more then to be gathered to the grave spoken of in the latter and by our fathers we are to understand more of our fathers then the grave hath in its keeping which is but their bodies even their souls which are kept in heaven Thirdly According to the phrase of this Text death is called a gathering to God If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath Whence Note Fourthly The spirit or soul of man hath its original from God It is of him to whom it returneth The soul or spirit of man is of God in a more special way then his body is for though God giveth both yet the Scripture in the place before named speaks of the soul as the gift of God but passeth by the body Eccles 12.7 The dust shall return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God who gave it 'T is God not man alone who hath given us these bodies but 't is not man but God alone who hath given us these spirits therefore men are called the fathers of our flesh that is of the body in way of distinction from God who is the father of spirits Heb. 12.9 We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live that is shall we not rather be subject to God then to man Father of spirits is an Attribute or Title too high and honourable for any but God One of the Ancients in his gracious breathing after God brake out into this holy Passion My soul O God came from thee and my heart is unquiet or restless until it return to thee again God is our center and our rest He gathereth to himself mans spirit and when he doth so what then what 's the issue of it Elihu tells us what in the next verse Vers 15. All flesh shall perish together and man shall turn again to his dust As if he had said As soon as ever the spirit is gathered the flesh is consumed or as we render perisheth All flesh may be taken in the largest sence not only for all men that live but for all living creatures Thus largely Moses extendeth it Gen. 6.17 Behold saith the Lord I will bring a flood of water to destroy all flesh that is all the Beasts of the earth and Fowls of the ayre together with Mankinde except a few of each in the Ark so Psal 136.25 Who giveth food to all flesh that is to man and beast for his mercy endureth for ever Yet some understand this first part more narrowly for all flesh except man because he addeth in the latter part of the verse and man shall return again to his dust But I conceive we are to take all flesh here for all men and only for men it being usual in Scripture to put the same thing twice under different expressions So then All flesh that is every man be he who he will shall perish Thus as all flesh is restrained to man so it extendeth over all men yea over all things of man Isa 40.6 All flesh is grass and all the
gone David describeth a proud man puffing at his enemies Psal 10.5 He is puffed up and swelled with high conceits of himselfe as if he had some great matter in him and he puffs at others as if he could do some great matter against them forgetting that himselfe is but as to his being in this world a puffe of wind which passeth away As then we need not feare what hurt man can doe us so we should not hope nor have any expectation from him that he by his owne power how great soever his power is can doe us any good Wherein as to either of these purposes is man to be accounted of Man is an excellent creature a creature of high account as bearing the image of God his soul is of more worth then the gaine of the whole world Math 16.26 and thus he is more to be accounted of then all that in the world is most accounted of But consider him as to the fraylety of his life and the possibility yea probability of his suddaine passage out of this world and then wherein is he to be accounted of If we oppose man to God or compare man with God or trust man in stead of God he is as vaine and worthlesse as any thing a thing of nothing or lesse then nothing JOB Chap. 34. Vers 16 17. If now thou hast understanding heare this hearken to the voice of my words Shall even he that hateth right govern and wilt thou condemne him that is most just ELihu having thus farre applied himselfe to Jobs friends upon an Assurance that they were men of understanding for so he bespake them at the 10th verse Hearken unto me ye men of understanding He now turneth his speech particularly to Job and he doth it upon a hopefull supposition that he also was a man of understanding Vers 16. If now thou hast understanding heare this The word which we render understanding is not a noune but the infinitive of a verbe in the Hebrew and it may be rendred thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum accentu in penultima non potest esse nomen verbale sed infinitivus loco nominis Si est intelligere i. e. intelligentia Drus Scire tuum nihil est c. Juven Videamus beato vivere vestrum quale sit Cic Hoc vereri perdidi i. e. pudorem Plaut Non caret aculeis Apostrophe quibus Jobi attentionem excitat Si vel mica est in te bonae mentu Merc Infinitivus intelligere non plenam intelligentiam indicat sed vel tenuissimum intellectum qui infinitivus actionem praesentem non habitū significat Stupidum ergo et vecordem Jobum appellat c. Bold Si quid sanae mentis habes Bez If thou hast to understand that is if thou hast an ability to understand which in sense is the same with our translation If thou hast understanding This forme of speaking by the infinitive for the noune is frequent both in Scripture and other Authors Thus 't is sayd Your to know is nothing that is your knowledge is nothing unlesse another know it or be made knowing by it Let us see saith the Oratour what thy to live blessedly is that is what thou countest blessedness And another I have lost to be ashamed that is shamefastness or modesty Thus Elihu If thou hast to understand heare this But it may be questioned did Elihu indeed suspect whether Job did understand or were an understanding man Every man hath an understanding as he is a man To understand is the property the inseparable property of a reasonable creature Why then doth Elihu put a doubt upon Job in this and say If now thou hast understanding c. I answer Elihu indeed deales with Job as if he were somewhat below man in this businesse at least as if he were dull and slow to receive and apprehend what had been spoken to him and therefore by this Apostraphe he excites and stirres him up to set his understanding a-work to the utmost As if he had sayd Although thou hast a habit of understanding yet thou hast not acted it like an understanding man nor given such proofe of it in this matter as is expected Further These words If now thou hast understanding referre not to the faculty but to the speciall attributes of his understanding chiefely to these three First To the soundness of it If thou hast any thing of a sound understanding The understandings of many are sicke and diseased their understandings are tainted and infected with errours and misperswasions Now if thou hast any thing of a sound understanding left in thee if there remaine yet any strength in thy understanding to apprehend the force of those arguments and reasons which I shall propose to convince thee by heare this Erroneous understandings are altogether unfit to entertaine truth As there must be a sutableness between the stomack and the meat else it is not digested so between the minde and the object else it cannot be received Secondly To the uprightness or impartiality of it If thou hast understanding that is if thou hast an unbiassed understanding Sometimes the affections turne aside and bribe the understanding self-interest puts a blinde upon the understanding When a man hath a minde to that which is not right he will have a minde to understand any thing that opposeth it Thirdly To the spirituallness of it If thou hast understanding that is a renewed a spirituall an holy understanding or the understanding of the holy heare this A man may have a great naturall understanding a deep judgement and yet be a very childe or a man of no understanding in the things of God Only a spirituall understanding is suited to spirituall things as the object is such must the faculty be that faculty which deales a-right about spirituall things must be a spirituall faculty The Apostle speakes concludingly 1 Cor 2.14 The natural man that is the man unconverted or unregenerate perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned And therefore the same Apostle professeth to the Colossians Chap 1.9 We doe not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding The will of God being spirituall cannot be truely knowne but by a spirituall understanding According to this three-fold attribute of the understanding we may expound Elihu speaking to Job If thou hast a spirituall understanding an unbiassed understanding a sound understanding heare this As if he had sayd I have spoken and am about to speake such things as may call out the strength the best the utmost line of a sound impartiall and spirituall understanding to sound the bottome and the depth of them Thus he provokes him to attend not only with his eare but with his understanding with the best of his understanding with the best underderstanding to the things he
Numb 12.1 though they were thus neerely related yet speaking irreverently of Moses the Chiefe Magistrate the Lord sayd to them v. 8. Wherefore were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses Yet how common is this sin the tongues of men walke exceeding loosly in their discourses about the persons and powers of Princes And we every where find most pleased to heare well of themselves and ill of others or to speake well of themselves and ill of others and the higher they are who are spoken of or of whom they speake evill the more they are pleased both in hearing and speaking evill of them How unruly are their tongues who cannot forbeare their rulers Thus much of Elihu's question as it is resolved into a Negative proposition It is not fit to say to a King thou art ungodly We may further consider it as an argument from the greater to the lesse to prove That it is a most wicked thing to speake a word unduely of God Is it fit to say to a King Thou are wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly Vers 19. How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes Who is that The words are a cleare Periphrasis of God he accepts not the persons of Princes As if Elihu had said the Kings and Princes of the earth expect such great respect from their subjects that no man should dare to censure them or speake evill of them though they doe evill or deale unjustly how much more unfit is it to speake evill of God or to charge his government with injustice who never doth any evill all whose wayes are not only just but justice He that accepteth not the persons of Princes who are the greatest of men can have neither will nor motive to deale unjustly with any man I shall not stay to shew what it is to accept persons because that hath been shewed at the 7th verse of the 13th Chapter as also Chapter 32.21 only I 'le give it in one word To accept persons is to have more respect to the man then to the matter and that 's a very common fault among men and as commonly condemned by God 'T is a received axiom He that would or doth put on the person of a Judge must put off the person of a friend that is he must not be sway'd by any respect whatsoever of friendship or allyance but must judge purely as the cause deserveth Nor shall I stay to urge the greatness of the sin of speaking any thing uncomely of God that also hath been spoken to in many former passages of this Chapter Only from these words How much lesse to him that accepth not the person of Princes Note First That which ought not to be done or spoken to the greatest of men ought much lesse to be either done or spoken to God The reason is because first God is infinitely more to be reverenced then any man Secondly because God is infinitely more able to take vengeance and certainly will of any that shall doe or speake evill to him then the greatest among the children of men Yet how many are there who dare not offend a man not a great man especially either by word or deed who are not afraid by both to offend and provoke the great God O remember the force of this text If it be not fit to speake unduely of Princes How much lesse of him that accepteth not the persons of Princes Hence note Secondly God is no accepter of persons He hath no respect to Princes in prejudice to truth and righteousnesse but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse be he never so poore is accepted with him Acts 10.35 and in every nation he that feareth him not but worketh unrighteousnesse be he never so great is unacceptable yea abominable to him The Scripture often attributes this glory to God Deut 10.17 2 Chron 19.7 Gal 2.6 Col 3.25 And as it is the glory of God that he is no accepter of persons so it is the duty of man Deut 1.17 Judgement must proceed and conclude with respect to the rule and command of God not with respect to the persons of men or our relations to them Levi was highly commended for this Deut 33.9 who sayd unto his father and to his mother I have not seene him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his owne children c. When man accepteth not the persons of men he acteth most like God of whom Elihu saith He accepteth not the persons of Princes Nor regardeth the rich more then the poore That 's a further description of God He doth not regard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aguoscere familiaritèr tractare that is acknowledge or know the one more then the other He is in the best things as communicative to and converseth as familiarly with the poore as the rich yea he doth not value or prize the rich man more then the poore the poor man is worth as much as the rich man in Gods account suppose the rich man worth thousands yea ten thousands of gold and silver and the poore man so poore that he is not worth a shilling yet in the account of God the poor man is worth as much as the rich man The Scripture speakes of two sorts both of rich and poor men There are men rich in spiritualls such Christ intimates who are Luke 12.20 rich towards God or as he speakes of the Church of Smyrna Rev 2.9 rich in grace I know thy poverty but thou art rich That is I know thou art poor in earthly pelfe but rich in spiritualls The Apostle James puts the question Chap 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome Now it is most certaine that God regardeth the rich in spiritualls more then the poore in spiritualls he highly regardeth those that are poore in spirit and pronounceth them blessed Math 5.3 for theirs is the kingdome of heaven But he regardeth not those who are poore in spiritualls not them especially who boast of their spirituall riches when they have none they that have them are thankfull for them they do not boast of them as the Church of Laodicea did of whom Christ sayd Rev 3.16 17. I will spew thee out of my mouth because thou sayest I am rich encreased in goods and knowest not that thou art poore Thus you see there are a sort of rich men whom Christ regardeth more then the poore of that sort But as poore and rich are distinguished meerely by aboundance and want by the smallness and greatness of their portion in the things of this world as Dives and Lazarus in the parable were so he regardeth not the rich more then the poore When a poor man is gracious as wel as poore God regardeth him more then any rich man who hath no grace And when either both have grace alike or both are alike without grace he regardeth them both alike When rich and poore
we consider the different interests which have been abetted and hotly pursued by too many in this nation is it not marveilous in our eyes that our peace is continued divided interests make greatest distances open those breaches through which trouble usually enters upon a nation When a people are of one mind of one heart and way trouble can scarce find any way to come in among them But only God who peremptorily gives quietnesse can give quietnesse to and prevent the trouble of a people who are divided in opinions affections and Interests As therefore it is the most desireable mercy that a people may be all united as one man in one mind heart and way according to the mind heart and way of God so it is a most admirable mercy to see their peace continued while any considerable part among them are dis-united in any of especially if in all these Fourthly Consider that since the time of our peace we have had many changes we have been emptied from vessel to vessel from hand to hand from government to government and from governour to governour and is it not matter of astonishment as wel as of thanks-giving that yet we have quietness how many have waited and hoped yea desired and longed for our day of trouble by these changes revolutions and vicissitudes but yet we have peace Must we not then conclude If God giveth quietnesse none can make trouble neither our sins nor our divisions nor our animosities nor our changes shall put it into any mans power though they put an advantage into many mens hands to make trouble where the Lord our God is graciously freely pleased to give us quietness Yet let us be in a holy feare lest we at last provoke God and sin away our quietness and make trouble for our selves The condition of a people who doe so is very wofull for surely as it followeth in the text If he hideth his face who then can behold him This latter part of the verse is applicable to a nation as well as the former and therefore before I come to speake of either with respect to a single person or a man only Observe God sometimes hideth his face from whole nations even from those nations that have the outward profession of his name As there are national mercies so national calamities as his people in common may have the shinings of Gods face upon them so the hidings of his face from them Did not God hide his face from the people of Israel his peculiar people when they were though a professing people yet a very sinfull provoking people Isa 59.2 Is it not sayd Jer 7.12.14 15. Goe ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh where I set my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel God would not alwayes owne that place which he signally called his owne and had set his name there and that at first which was a great endearement of it to him but when they sinned much against him he would not so much as give them a looke of favour no nor of pitty till they turned from their wickednesse yea he made his severe proceeding with them a president to his people in another Generation as it followeth in the same place Therefore will I doe unto this house which is called by my name wherein ye trust and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers as I have done to Shiloh And I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your brethren even the whole seede of Ephraim There 's a nation cast out of the sight of God To be cast out of Gods sight is more if more can be then Gods hiding his face from a people The Church complained bitterly of this latter Ps 44.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and our oppression We use to say Out of sight out of minde and when God leaves a nation under affliction as if he did not minde them nor cared what became of them then the Scripture saith he hideth his face from them or casteth them out of his sight I shall only adde three things about this hiding of the face of God from a nation First This hiding of his face is not a sudden act of God he doth not presently nor easily hide his face from a people He tells them often he will doe it before he doth it once The Lord warned the old world long before he brought the flood Gen 6.3 And the Lord sayd my spirit shall not alwayes strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his dayes wherein I will spare him and wait for his repentance shall be an hundred and twenty yeares Of this patience the Apostle spake telling us 1 Pet 3.19 20. That Christ by the Spirit which quickned him went and preached to the spâ—rits in prison not in prison when he preached to them but in prison ever since for not obeying what he preached as the text saith which sometime were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water God did not presently hide his face from that debauched Generation who had corrupted all their wayes but gave them long warning even an hundred and twenty years And how often did God give warning before he withdrew or hid his face from the people of Israel his special people He sent his Prophets rising early and sending them saying Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate Jer. 44.4 And in another place O Jerusalem be instructed lest my soul depart or be disjoynted from thee Jer. 6.8 as if he had said I am loth to depart yea I will not depart if thou wilt but now at length hearken to my voice and receive instruction Secondly As God is long before he begins to hide his face from a Nation so he doth it not all at once but gradually or by several steps we read Ezek. 9.3 how the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of the house Then chap. 10.18 The glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house and stood over the Cherubims And then chap. 11.23 The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood upon the Mountain which is on the East side of the City When the Lord was departing from them he did it by degrees he withdrew and hid himself by little and little as in the Eclipse of the Sun whether partial or total we observe the light gradually shut in and hidden from us Thirdly As God is long before he hideth his face and long in hiding it from a Nation so which makes it dreadful his face being once hid continueth long hid from Nations He doth not return presently to them as he often doth to particular persons
that which is good how much more are they short in the knowledge of God and therefore what reason have we to say as Elihu here directs the penitent soule to say That which I know not teach thou me Secondly Note It is the duty of the most knowing servants of God to confesse their ignorance When Elihu would have Job say That which I see not teach thou me he would have him confesse that there was some goed or evill which he did not see He that desireth God to teach him what he doth not see doth therein acknowledge that he doth not see all that he ought Our understandings are imperfect as well as our wills and affections and our sins or imperfections wheresoever they are must be confessed The deficiency of our knowledge or the imperfection of our understanding must be confessed as well as the imperfection of our will to doe good and of our doing good David layeth load upon himselfe in confessing the faultinesse of his understanding or inability to judge aright of what he saw before him Psal 73.22 So ignorant was I and foolish even as a beast before thee And the speciall poynt wherein he confessed his ignorance was about the outward dispensations of God in suffering wicked men to flourish He had ignorant apprehensioÌ„s and was quite out in that matter and therefore befools himselfe and calls himselfe a beast so far was he from seeing the mind and designe of God as became a Saint Such an acknowledgement Agur made Pro 30.2 I am more brutish then any man I have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge of the holy This worthy man confessed his ignorance and as the more we know the more we see our ignorance so the more we know the more we confesse our ignorance They that have but little knowledge are especially defective in this poynt of knowledge to see their ignorance and are therefore but little troubled with their ignorance Many think they know enough some possibly think they know all They who have least knowledge are least conscious of their own ignorance And as there are many sins of ignorance so ignorance it selfe is a sin and therefore to be confessed and bewailed before God Thirdly When Elâ—hu brings in the penitent person confessing his ignorance and begging instruction It teacheth us Sins of ignorance need pardon As our ignorance needs pardon so doe our sins of ignorance The law of Moses teacheth this Levit 4.2 If a soule shall sin through ignorance c. he shall bring his sacrifice He must make an attonement for his sin of ignorance And we have further directions about offerings for sins of ignorance when they are discovered and made knowne to the sinner himselfe Lev 5.2 3 4 5 6. Then saith the Law he shall be guilty that is if when he knoweth his sin he doe not performe what the Law requireth in such cases then he is not only ceremonially but morally guilty as a neglecter if not as a despiser of the ordinance and appoyntment of God for his cleansing That which I see not teach thou me The words are a prayer for divine teaching The teaching of God is two-fold First Immediate by his Spirit John 14.26 The Spirit which is the comforter shall come and teach you all things And againe 1 John 2.27 The anoynting that is the Spirit which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you that is ye need not rest in or pin your faith upon the teachings of man as you must not despise so ye need not depend upon the instruction of man Secondly There is a mediate teaching God teacheth by meanes instruments and ordinances First by the ministery of his word Secondly by the works of his hands He teacheth First by his works of creation Secondly by his works of providence they are our masters tutors and instructers Now when this penitent person prayeth Teach thou me we may understand him of both these teachings First of immediate teaching by the Spirit who is the anoynting Secondly of teaching by meanes by the preaching of the word of God and by his providences in what way soever God is pleased to teach us our hearts should stand open to receive instruction And what way soever we receive instruction it is God that teacheth us Though men be the instruments yet the effect is of him Hence Note First God only is able to teach or shew us the things which we know not Men alone cannot Christ said to his Disciples when he commissioned them Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations And Eph. 4.11 When he ascended up on high he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers yet no Teachers can bring home instruction without the teachings of God The tenour of the new Covenant runs thus Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. And again Jer. 31.34 They shall teach no more every one his neighbour c. that is they shall not be left to the teachings of man or the teaching of God shall be so glorious that all shall acknowledge it though there be instruments yet the flowing forth of the spirit shall be such that instruments and means shall be little taken notice of For when he saith they shall not teach every one his neighbour it is not an absolute Negative but shews that there shall be a more excellent teaching as when the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.6 Christ hath made us able Ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit This Negative is not absolute for the Apostles did teach the Letter and the Spirit is usually conveyed by the Ministery of the letter or of the external word the word is as it were the chariot wherein the Spirit rideth and cometh by the ear to the heart So that when Paul saith We are Ministers not of the letter c. his meaning is we are rather or we are more the Ministers of the Spirit then of the letter The inward teaching accompanying our Ministery carryeth the matter both for conviction and conversion both for illumination and consolation not the outward teaching John 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me And how long soever we go to School to men how long soever we sit under the Ministery of the ablest Gospel Preachers in the world we come not to Christ till the Father teacheth till he joyn his inward teaching to the outward teaching of the Minister the light and life of grace is not received It is God who teacheth effectually men teach but instrumentally Thus it was prophesied of the Gospel times Isa 2.3 Micah 4.2 Many Nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths that is he will accompany the Ministers
up to Satan or a putting him into the very power of the devill for a time 1 Cor 5.4 5. it is the end or designe which makes this lawfull our business in the ministry and in all Church-administrations is to put soules out of the power of Satan to rescue them out of the hand of the devill to recover those that are led Captive by him at his will yet saith the Apostle Deliver such a one unto Satan put him into the devills hands for what end For the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus This makes the prayer or act of the Church lawfull because the intendment is the destroying of that which ought to be destroyed or to destroy that in man which will be the destruction of man his flesh his lust his pride his covetousnesse his wantonness For the destruction of this flesh deliver him to Satan that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Thus we may pray and wish for affliction upon others but 't is a prayer which must be managed with a great deale of caution lest our prayers to God in that kinde be found ill wishes to men That which Elihu had in his thoughts when he desired Job might be tryed to the very end was that he might be prevented from going on in the way wherein he was to the end Yea I conceive a man may pray for afflictions upon himselfe rather then he should goe on in a course of sin or when he findes that other wayes and means which God hath used with him have not been effectuall to subdue his corrupt heart to mortifie his lusts and to bring him off from a course of sin but that as it is sayd in the next verse he is in danger of adding rebellion to his sin A godly man had much rather that God should make him poore sicke weake and nothing in this world then let his corruptions have dominion over him He desires rather God should take the world quite out of his hand the◠that the world should get into his heart or be as fuel to feed and enflame his lusts Thus Elihu desired that Job might be tryed Bono ipsius optat hoc non odio aut malevolentia Drusi because tryalls by affliction are for our purging refining and bettering Love was the roote of this wish nor hatred or ill will Let Job be tryed to the end Why we may take the latter part of the verse for a reason why as wel as for the matter about which he would have him tryed Because of his answers for wicked men Propter responsiones communes cum hominibus improbis Bez Tanquam unus è numero virorum vanorum Pisc Let him be tryed concerning those words which he hath spoken in common with or after the manner of vaine men He hath spoken words wherein he seemes to comply with wicked men to say as they say to consent with them and to be of their opinion this was charged upon him directly by Elihu at the 8th verse of this Chapter What man is like Job who drinketh up scorning like water which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity and walketh with wicked men that is though Job in his conversation or carriage of his life hath not yet in this discourse he hath strengthened the hands of wicked men or confirmed them in their opinion speaking so much of the heavy pressures of God upon him and desiring to often to come to a hearing as if he had some wrong done him We are not to understand these words of Elihu Because of his answers for wicked men As if he charged Job to doe so directly or as if he had formally taken upon him to plead or advocate the cause of wicked men we are not I say to understand him so grossly nor had it been true to say that Job opened his mouth or spake thus for wicked men but his meaning is he hath spoken such things as in common apprehension seeme to comply with the opinions of wicked men or with the speeches which they use when they are like him in a troubled condition Or againe Because of his answers for wicked men that is that he may acknowledge the answers he hath given are not such as doe become a godly man but rather savour of such a spirit as unbroken proud persons hold forth in the time of their affliction who are never pleased with but alwayes complaining at divine dispensations Lastly These words Because of his answers for wicked men may possibly have this sence Because he hath spoken such things as may serve the turne of wicked men for answers or as if he would instruct them what to answer when at any time they are under the hand of God He may be sayd to answer for another man who any way prompts him how or what to answer And while a good man speakes amisse in any case he teacheth yea and encourageth bad men to speake so too Yet I rather incline to the first interpretation that Elihu would have Job tryed because his answers were such as it might be judged he had taken wicked men for his patterne in giving them and not as if in them he had given a patterne to wicked men Hence note First A good man may sometimes act the part of a wicked man or he may speak like wicked men as if he were one of them Though his state be as different from the state of wicked men as light is from darknesse or as sweet from soure or white from black yet as to some actions or speeches he may beare a resemblance to them Good men and bad men doe as I may say enter-common in many things a wicked man whose heart is nought who is yet in an unregenerate estate for I meane not by a wicked man him only that is flagitious a murderer a whoremonger a drunkard but a wicked man is any one that is unregenerate whose heart is not yet changed Now I say a wicked man may speak and doe many things like a godly man he may heare the word and pray and performe outward duties which are like and are take them materially the same which godly men performe Thus he enter-commons with godly men and this is the case of all hypocrites who make a pretence of religion when they have no acquaintance with the power of it And thus through temptation and in some very burthensome afflictions a godly man may speak as a wicked man such hasty rash provoking speeches may passe from him as proceed from the ungodly only here is the difference those evill speeches or actions proceed from the state of the one and only from the temptation of the other Secondly From the phrase or forme of speech in which the originall expresseth wicked men The words are Men of wickedness or iniquity As if it had been sayd the worst of wicked men This shews us what man naturally is he is a
twice at once that is I heard it speedily and I heard it believingly as soon as ever the word came to me I received it and I received it not only with my eare but with my heart That 's a blessed way of hearing and they who heare so at first speaking may well be sayd to heare that twice which God speaketh once But how sad is it that God should speake twice thrice yea foure times and yet not be heard so much as once When Job was brought upon his knees Chap 40.5 he said Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Job began to be sensible of that which Elihu was working him to that he had been too forward yea too forward with God Job began to see his error and recanted it I have spoken once yea twice but I will proceed no further 'T is good that after once or twice sinning or failing we yet say we will proceed no further O how deplorable is mans condition when the Lord shall say I have spoken once yea twice but now I will proceed no further I will speake no more And this usually comes to passe when men are dull and slow of heart to understand what he speaketh which as naturall men alwayes so godly men often are as it followeth in this text He speaketh once yea twice Yet man perceiveth it not That is apprehendeth not sometimes that God is speaking to him and he seldome understandeth what God is speaking to him There is a little varietie in the exposition of this latter clause of the verse The word man not being expressely in the Hebrew and therefore we finde it put by our translaters in a distinct character the text runs only thus God speaketh once yea twice he perceiveth it not This hath occasion'd the vulgar latine interpreter to referre this last clause of the verse to God also giving out the sence thus God speaketh once and a second time he doth not repeate it Semel loquitur deus et secundò id ipsum non repetit Vulg. As if here were a warning given that all should attend the very first motion of Gods voyce to them For he speaketh once and doth not repeate the same But I shall not stay upon that because I see not how the Hebrew word by us rendred to perceive can with any tolerable significancy be rendred to repeate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice intendit oculos prosperit animadvertis viderit Semel loquitur deus et secundo illud non considerat Scult yet there is a second rendring of the text in the same tenour giving a genuine sence of that word which is very profitable and proper enough to the scope of the place God speaketh once and he doth not consider upon it a second time That is when God speaks or decrees to give forth any thing he doth not take it into consideration againe or review and bring it about upon second thoughts as men often doe yea it is their duty though it be a duty arising from their frailty so to doe Men ought to consider often and review their owne words as well as their works But saith Elihu according to this reading God speaks once and doth not consider of it againe for he hath the measure and compasse of all things so fully in himselfe that he needs not turne backe his thoughts upon any of his determinations as if there could be a mistake or any error in them This is a very glorious truth highly advancing the name of God above every name among the best of the children of men And it ariseth clearely from the text leaving out the suppliment which we make of the word man Yet according to the opinion of the most and best expositers yea according to the clearest scope and tendency of the text that word man is rather to be supplyed God speaketh once yea twice And man perceiveth it not 'T is common in Scripture to leave such words unexpressed as must necessarily be understood And therefore I shall only insist upon our owne translation Yet before I proceed to that I shall touch upon another reading of these words as referring unto man which doth not so much carry a reproofe of mans dullnesse as a commendation of Gods goodnesse thus God speaks once yea twice Loquitur deus semel et duabus vicibus ad eum qui non consideravit eam Pisc if man perceiveth it not As if he had sayd If man be so weake and darke so dull and slow of apprehension as not to perceive Gods minde at his first speaking yet God is usually so gracious and condescending as to speake twice or a second time even to that man This reading doth exceedingly exalt and set forth the goodnesse and graciousnesse of God and we have frequent experience of it that when God speakes once and findes creatures dull of hearing he speakes a second time Our reading gives in these words as a charge of mans darknesse and slownesse to apprehend the meaning of God speaking to us either in his word or works God speakes once yea twice Yet man perceiveth it not The Hebrew is man seeth it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non viderit illud sc homo quod deus loquitur Verbo hoc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elihu utitur sexies Job ter Zophar semel Videtur isto verbo diligens et clara significari speculatio et observatio curiosa Coc. There is an eye in the understanding the mind of man heholdeth the sence of words even as his bodily eye beholdeth the colours and dimensions of any materiall object Yet the eye of mans mind is so bleared and dim-sighted that though God speak once yea twice he seeth he perceiveth it not That is he doth not clearly perceive it Elihu makes use of this word six times Job thrice Zophar once in all which places they intend an exact observation and through speculation of the matter which they treate upon either in the affirmative or in the negative here as a rebuke to man Elihu makes use of it in the negative man perceiveth it not Hence note Man of himself cannot perceive the mind of God in spirituall speakings or God speakâ—ng about spirituall things The propheticall Sermons are called visions The vision of Isaiah the son of Amos which he saw Isa 1.1 yet when they preached them to the people many of them saw nothing their visions were to the people as parables or darke sayings Man in generall falls under a twofold consideration first as unconverted or carnall and in that state he perceiveth not at all when God speaks once and twice yea thrice he perceiveth nothing And that proceeds from a double ground First from the naturall pravity of his heart and the blindnesse of his mind Of such the Apostle saith Eph. 4.18 They have their understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse
of their heart And hence he concludes 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned spirituall objects must have a spirituall eye to see them Secondly this comes to passe sometimes from the judgment of God upon carnall men who as in mercy he causeth the blind to see so in wrath he striketh those that have no mind to see with greater blindnesse and punisheth their former rebellion and obstinacy against the word received with an impotency to perceive it Yea God doth not only leave such in the blindnesse of their mind and dullnesse of their understanding but gives them up to it The Prophet Isaiah was a Gospel Preacher he held out the light clearly yet his hearers were under such a doome that the very light which he held out blinded them so that the more he spake the lesse they perceived Isa 6.10 And he said go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed This is a dreadfull Scripture The Lord is highly provoked indeed when he judicially shuts up the eyes of men and hardens their hearts against his own messages not that he infuseth any hardness or instilleth any ignorance into them but gives them up to that ignorance hardnesse and darknesse which already possesseth them And then though God speak once or twice or a hundred times they perceive it not They that harden their hearts shall have them hardened by that which is the ordinary meanes to soften and melt them and they that shut their eyes against any truth are in danger of having them shut against all truth even by that means which usually openeth eyes Thus we see that this first sort of men meere carnall men cannot see ot perceive when God speaketh and why it is so Secondly which I conceive rather to be the meaning of Elihu here Man may be considered in his spirituall state That is as converted and renewed in spirit by the mighty working of the Spirit Now to men in this estate God speakes once yea twice and they perceive it not They that are spirituall doe not alwayes perceive spirituall things For First they have much corruption in them Though they are renewed yet they are renewed but in part we see in part and but darkly yea sometimes Saints can hardly see at all especially as to some dispensations and manifestations of God! he may speak once yea twice and thrice to them in such a thing or to such a purpose and they take little or no notice of it He may poynt unto them by such providences and by such Sermons and yet they look upon themselves as un-concerned not making any home-application of what they outwardly hear or see yea feele and smart under and all this by reason of some prevailing corruption Secondly this may proceed from their negligence and slothfullnesse good men are not alwayes carefull as they should much lesse criticall and wisely curious to observe every providence of God and to consider why or for what end such or such a word is sent to them As carnall men thrust the word from them so godly men faile much at all times and at some times wholly neglect to lay the word to heart They doe not compare themselves that is their lives and consciences their thoughts and wayes with the word and then no wonder if they perceive not what is spoken to them Even a Job may be hindred by his own indulgence from perceiving what God saith unto him The Prophet complained of the people of God for not striving to take hold of him Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee And may we not complaine that few stirre up themselves either to take hold of the word of God or that the word may take hold of them Paul exhorted Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 to stir up the Gift of God that was in him They that have received both gifts and grace may be much wanting to themselves in stirring them up Though we deny mans naturall power yet persons converted have a spirituall power which they often neglect to stir up When the servants of Benhadad 1 Kings 20.32 33. came to Ahab upon that message to beg his life it is said The men did dilligently observe whether any thing would come from him that they might take hold of and urge it in favour of their Master and as soon as Ahab had dropt that word he is my Brother as soon as they had that word they did hastily catch it and applyed it for their present purpose So they that are godly should observe what is spoken unto them what corruption is smitten by the word or by the rod of God and as soone as ever such a word is spoken they should take it up and apply it to themselves Thirdly those many lusts that are in the heart of a godly man not yet fully mortified as secret pride self-love and unbelief these hinder him from understanding the mind of God And therefore we are counselled by the Apostle James Chap. 1.21 to lay aside that is to get subdued and mortified all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and so receive with meekness the engraffed word which is able to save our souls As if he had said we can neither perceive nor receive the word savingly unlesse our lusts are cast out and cast off How much any man neglects this duty of mortifying his lusts by so much is he rendred both unable to perceive the word and unfit to profit by it Lastly Mr. Broughton renders the words thus God speaks once yea twice and man will not mark it We say man perceiveth it not he saith man will not mark it As our reading shews the weakness and imperfections or the negligence and slothfullnesse of man when he doth not perceive what God speaketh so his sheweth the obstinacy of man The will of man is as perverse as his understanding is blind Man hath not only a wound or a weaknesse in his will unto that which is good but he hath a rebellion in his will against that which is good and that not by some occasionall disgust or sudden gust of passion but he is naturally set and resolved against that which is good Man will not mark what God speaketh in his word and works Christ upbraids the Jews Joh. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life he chargeth the fault upon their wills 'T is certaine man hath a will not to come to Christ for life yet that is a forced and farre fetcht inference which some make from it that man hath therefore power and will to come
commanded a deep sleep to fall on Adam when he tooke the rib out of his side and formed the woman We read also Gen 15.12 that a deep sleep fell on Abraham when God revealed to him what should become of his posterity and how they should be in Egypt and there much oppressed foure hundred yeares c. It is said also 1 Sam 26.12 A deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them that is upon Saul and his guards who lay round about him And that might be called a sleep from the Lord both because it was a sleep which the Lord sent and because it was an extream deep sleep Secondly there are dreams in ordinary sleep or in very slumbrings or noddings upon the bed we may call them waking dreames Thus Elihu sheweth God taking severall times or seasons for the revealing of himselfe in dreams sometimes in deep sleep and often in the least and slightest sleeps called slumbrings I shall not here insist upon or discourse the way of Gods manifesting himselfe to the Ancienrs by dreams visions but referre the Reader to what hath already been done upon the 4th Chapter at the 12th and 13th verses where Eliphaz speaks almost in the same manner as Elihu here about visions And indeed there is a very great Consent between their two parts in this booke that of Eliphaz and this of Elihu They were both holy and propheticall men both of them had the same designe in speaking about dreams and visions namely to convince and humble Job and both of them expresse themselves in terms of a very neere Cognation So that if the reader please to consult that place Job 4.12 13. he will find these words farther cleared as to the nature and severall kinds of visions And if he turne to what hath been done upon the 14th verse of the 7th Chapter he may find the doctrine of dreams further opened Only let me adde here a note or two First It hath been the use of God to reveale his mind by dreams And I may give you five reasons why God used to apply himself to man in dreams First because in sleep man is as I may say at best leisure for God to deal with him he is not distracted with businesse nor hurried with the labours of this life but is at rest Secondly when we are awake we are very ready to debate and discusse what we receive by our own reason we are ready to Logick it with God but in sleep we take things barely as offered without discussions or disputes Thirdly in sleepe when all is quiet that which God represents takes and leaves a deeper impression upon the mind of man Common experience teacheth us how dreams stick and how those apprehensions which we have in our sleep dwell abide with us when awake Fourthly I conceive the Lord doth this chiefly that he may shew his divine skill in teaching instructing man or that he hath a peculiar art in teaching he teaches so as none of the masters of learning were ever able to teach and instruct their Schollars There was never any man could teach another when he was asleep they that are taught must at lest be awake yea they must not only be awake but watchfull but now God is such a teacher such an instructor that when we are asleep he can convay instruction and teach us his lessons this I say doth wonderfully magnifie the divine skill and power of God who is able to make us heare and understand doctrine even when we are asleep and cannot heare There may be also a fifth consideration moving God to this Possibly God would hereby assure us that the soul is a distinct essence and hath its distinct operations from the body and that even death it self cannot deprive the soul of man of its working For what is sleep but a kind of death sleep is a short death and death is along sleepe Now when the body is upon the matter laid aside the soul can goe to work when the body lyes like a block and stirs not the soul can bestir it self about many matters and run its thoughts to the utmost ends of the earth yea and raise them up to the highest heavens in blessed intercourses with God himself There 's no need to prove the matter of fact that 't is so what night with reference to some or other doth not utter this poynt of knowledg nor need I stay to prove that this is if not a demonstrative yet a very probable argument of the distinct substantiallity of the soul from the body namely its operations when the body with all its proper and peculiar faculties and powers is a sleepe and contributes nothing to those operations For though it be granted that some irrationall creatures who have no immortall part nor any thing substantiall in them distinct from their bodies though it be granted I say that these may have dreames yet their dreams differ as much from those of men as themselves doe Secondly Note The revelation of the mind of God by dreams and visions was much yea most used in those ancient times When God had not so fully revealed his mind by Scripture or his mind in the Scripture then he spake often in dreams and visions and hence the old Prophets were called seers The Apostle reports God speaking at sundry times and in divers manners in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets Heb. 1.1 The Greek text hath two very significant words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former most properly implying how God gave out his mind in divers measures or how he parcelled it out the other implying the severall wayes in which he gave it out As the measures were various sometimes more sometimes lesse of his mind about divine matters and mysteries being dispersed so the wayes manners and formes of this dispensation were very various yet the most usuall way was by dreams and visions Numb 12.6 If there be a Prophet among you saith the Lord I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a vision and speak to him in a dreame Yea we find that in the first dayes of the Gospel dreames and visions were frequent The Apostle falling into a trance had a vision Acts 10.10 He saw heaven opened and a certain vessell descend c. And when Christ would have the Apostle Paul carry the Gospell into Macedonia a vision appeared to him in the night Acts 16.9 There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying come over to Macedonia and help us The same Apostle saith 2 Cor. 12.1 2. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord whether in the body I cannot tell or out of the body I cannot tell Pauls soul was wrapt up in such high and intimate converses with God that he even forgot how it was with his body or had little to doe with it Which suites well with that description which the Apostle John gave of himself when he had the whole mind of God