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
is venerable not which hath white hayre but which whiteneth with vertuous and worthy actions Senectus illa venerabilis est non quae canis sed meritis albescit Ambro lib 7. Epist 70. Elihu speaks here not only narratively but reprovingly he reflects upon the ancient whose abilities come not up to or doe not equall their yeares The aged may well blush and be ashamed to be sound ignorant of or unskilfull in any thing that they ought to know The Apostle shames the Hebrewes with this and tells them they were dull of hearing Heb. 5.11 12. because when for the time they ought to be teachers they had need that one should teach them againe which be the first principles of the oracles of God and were become such as had need of milke and not of strong meate As if he had said When for the time dayes and yeares which have gone over your heads the reproofe lyes there you should be able to teach others what a shame is it that you your selves should not be capable of those higher teachings which he calls strong meat but must be dealt with about the very principles of Religion and be fed like Children with milke and spoones How is it that you who should have had sences exercised to discerne both good evill should be so little able to distinguish them either in their minds or degrees These were spiritually Children while naturally old men They had not learned of their teachers when the Apostle had reason to hope they had been able to teach learners yea were learned teachers Some are exceeding old exceeding ignorant they have multitude of dayes upon them yet if asked they are not able to hold forth the least Number of divine truths possibly not one in a right understanding As gray haires are a crowne of glory when found in the way of righteousness so gray haires are crowns of glory when found in a way of wisdome knowledge and understanding otherwise to be old and dotish old and sottish how dishonorable is it yea they that are old and ignorant shall at last finde their old age a strong aggravation as of all their sins so especially of their ignorance JOB Chap. 32. Vers 8 9. But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Great men are not alwayes wise neither doe the aged understand judgement ELihu as was shewed in the former words having in vaine waited for the wisdome of the Ancient proceeds in this Context to give the reason why the Ancient are not alwayes wise Vers 8. There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding There 's the reason of it we render the first word of this eight verse by the Adversative particle But there is a spirit in man it is usually rendered by the Affirmative particle verily truly or indeed Mr Broughton saith Certes a spirit is in sad man These is some difference in opinion about this spirit affirmed to be in man Divers expound Elihu intending the Spirit of God there is a spirit that is the divine Spirit the holy Spirit of God or God the Spirit is in man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmach One of the Greek translations puts it into the text Surely the Spirit of God is in man and the Chaldee paraphrase gives it in a like expression Surely there is a prophetick spirit in the son of man or in the sons of men Some are induced to this interpretation because it would be say they but a cold argument to commend what he had to say for the rectifying Job by telling him that man hath a reasonable soule which is common to all men Yet I rather conceive that in this first part of the verse the spirit spoken of is the naturall spirit of man which in the latter part of the verse he affirmes is instructed by the inspiration of the Almighty with supernatural light for speciall services The word is often used in Scripture to note the reasonable soule or those powers of the soule which are the vessells of reason or in which naturall reason hath its seate and exercise There is a power of reasoning in man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animam rationalem denotat or a spirit which is able to discourse of all things there was such a naturall power implanted in man at his Creation and though that power be much weakned and broken by the fall yet there are to this day some remaines of it in all men as borne into this world Surely there is a spirit in man And because the word is universall or extendable to all men therefore it is more then probable the word spirit here is to be taken in the largest sence for every man hath not the Spirit of God yea the word here used for man notes man of the meanest ranke or lowest forme surely there is a spirit in enosh Mr Broughton translates in sad man in sickly man in weak man in the sickliest weakest and lowest of men there is a soule a spirit indued with reason this is as the substratum or ground of the whole businesse Surely there is a spirit in man And in the latter part of the verse Elihu sheweth what that is which heighteneth raiseth and improveth this naturall spirit certainly there is a spirit in man every man hath a reasonable soule And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Inest quidem hominibus vis illa rationatrix sed quae nisi dei afflatu dirigatur verè sapere non potest Bez. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anhelavit The worke of God inlightning man is expressed by breathing when Jesus Christ gave his Disciples the Spirit he breathed upon them or inspired them and said receive ye the holy Ghost John 20.22 For as in the first Creation when God gave man a naturall being he breathed into his nostrills the breath of life and man became a living soule Gen. 2.7 so in the second or new Creation God breaths a spirituall life into that life and man becomes a quickned soule And as his own soule is quickned by the holy Spirit of grace so he is fitted as an instrument in the hand of God to quicken the soules of others with grace or to instruct them in the wayes of grace The inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding But hath not the reasonable soule of every man an understanding Doubtlesse it hath Therefore I answer The understanding may be taken two wayes First for the facultie Secondly for the furniture and enrichings of it now though every man hath an understanding yet every man hath not a furnished and an enriched understanding a beautified and an adorned understanding The Scripture speakes of some men as if they were nothing but understanding Prov. 1.5 A wise man will increase knowledge and a man of understanding will attaine unto all Counsell Every man hath an understanding but every man is not
the spirit of the Almighty gave him understanding for the Government which he was called to for whereas before he had only a private spirit taken up about cattel and the affaires of husbandry then God gave him a spirit of prudence and valour a spirit of wisdome and magnanimity a Noble and an Heroicall Spirit befitting the Governour of so great and populous a kingdome both in peace and warre Every Calling is a mystery much more the Calling of Kings and Supreame Magistrates It was said to Imperiall Rome Tu regere im perio populos Romane memento Hae tibi sint artes Doe thou remember to Rule Nations and Kingdomes let these be thy arts This Art the Spirit of the Lord gave Saul even knowledge and skill to rule and governe yea he had a gift of Illumination not only for government but for prophesie he was found amongst the Prophets and when v. 11th they asked wondering Is Saul also amongst the Prophets As if they had said How strange and unheard of a thing is this that Saul should be furnished with the gift of prophecy and joyne himselfe with the Prophets They who before were acquainted with his person and manner of education were even amazed at the sight And while they were surprized with this amazement one of the same place as it seemes wiser then the rest Answered and said but who is their father ver 12. That 's the speciall word for which I alledge this text What Saul among the Prophets is it not strange that he should be Inspired Then one Answered and said who is their father As if he had said Doe not any longer stand wondering at this thing but consider who is the father of Saul as a Prophet as also the father of all these Prophets Saul was the son of Kish as to naturall descent but he had another father as he was a Prophet and so all these Prophets had besides theit Fathers as men one and the same father as Prophets Therefore wonder not that ye heare Saul prophecying for all these whom ye heare and see prophecying have not these gifts by birth from men nor by industry from themselves but from God who is a free agent and inspireth whom he pleaseth The same God who by inspiration hath freely bestowed those gifts upon the other Prophets hath also inspired Saul with a gift of prophecy The Spirit of God is his father in that capacity as well as the father of these other Prophets And hence that Scripture runs in the plurall number who is their father Unlesse God give power from above the understanding is darke the memory unfaithfull the tongue stammering It is light from on high that teacheth the skill of prophecy Solomon had the greatest measure of understanding of any meere man since the fall of man and of him it is said 1 Kings 4.29 God gave Solomon wisdome and understanding exceeding much and largenesse of heart even as the sand that is on the sea-shore Solomons heart had been as narrow as another mans if the Inspiration of the Almighty had not widened it When Moses was so sinfully modest as to excuse his Embassie to Pharoah supposing himselfe not fitted for such an undertaking Exod 4.10 11. O my Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue God presently put the question to him Who hath made mans mouth c. As if he had said Cannot he give words into thy mouth who gave thee a mouth cannot he act thy organs of speech who made them Now therefore goe and I will be with thy mouth Est deus in nobis sunt et commercia caeli sedibus aethereis spiritus iste venit Ovid. and teach thee what thou shalt say The Inspiration of the Almighty shall give thee understanding Heathen Poets have boasted of their â—â—ptures and inspirations The people of God have a promise of the Spirit to lead them into all truth and to helpe them in maintaining those truths From this generall that the furniture of the understanding is the gift of God or by Inspiration of the Almighty take these hints by way of Coralary First If a right understanding flow from the Inspiration of the Almighty then pray for an understanding pray for the Spirit Ye have not because ye aske not saith the Apostle James 4.2 God gives wisdome but he gives it to them that aske it Jam 1.5 If any man want wisdome let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not God upbraideth us not either with our want of wisdome or with the abundance of wisdome that he is pleased to supply us with and give out to us When Solomon was put to his choice what to aske he said Give thy servant an understanding heart God gave Solomon wisdome but Solomon asked it first All good things are shut up in promises and the promises are opened to give out their good things when we pray Prov. 23.5 When thou Cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voyce for understanding then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God To pray well is to studâ—e well because by prayer light comes in from on high to make studies successfull and the worke to prosper in our hand As the Almighty breatheth downe on us so we must breath up to the Almighty To expect and not to pray is to tempt God not to trust him Secondly Doe not onely pray for wisdome but use meanes and be industrious for the obtaining of it The gift of God doth not take off the diligence of man God doth not worke in us that we should sit still Prov. 2.4 Then shalt thou know wisdome when thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure And where is this treasure to be had Surely in the mines of Scripture and in all those Appoyntments wherein God hath promised to meete his people to shine upon them and give them the knowledge of his wayes in Jesus Christ Thirdly Be thankfull for any gift of knowledge for every beame and ray of light be thankfull It is God who commands light to shine out of darknesse and that God who at first commanded light to shine out of darknesse dayly shineth into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Fourthly If understanding be from Inspiration then they who have received much understanding must be caution'd against two evills First not to be proud nor high minded that our gifts come from on high should make us very low in our owne eyes What hast thou that thou hast not received and if thou hast received it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it These are the Apostles soule-humbling and pride-mortifying questions or expostulations rather 1 Cor. 4.7 You that have received the greatest gifts whom the Inspiration of the
incorruptible it hath naturally no seedes of dissolution in it because no contrariety no contrary qualities in it as all bodyes or corporeall substances have I know the Apostle saith 1 Tim 6.16 God only hath immortality it 's true he only hath it in himselfe independently originally but he derives and gives it as a talent to some creatures in a way of dependance upon himselfe Secondly Observe The soule brings in the life of the body The life of man What is the body without the soule but a lumpe of clay As soone as ever the soule departs life departs man dyeth and becomes a putrifying carkasse yet such is the folly of most men that all their care is for the life of the body which is at best a dying life they utterly neglect the soule which as it is the life of the body so it selfe never dyeth The soule is the Jewell the body is but the Cabinet the soule is the kernel the body is but the shell Will you be sollicitous about a Cabinet and a shell and slight the Jewel or throw away the kernel Will you take care of that which liveth the body and will you not take care of that which holds your life the soule Againe Note Life is the gift of God If the soule which is the cause of life in man be of God then the life of man is of God also The cause of the cause is the cause of the effect or thing caused But we need not argue it from Logick rules Scripture testimony being so aboundant in this thing Acts 17.25 He giveth to all life and breath and all things And v. 28. In him we live and move and have our being Spirituall and eternall life are the gift of God so also is naturall life And if so Then First Live to God Secondly Seeing God gives us life we should be willing to give our lives to God Yea Thirdly We should therefore be ready to give up or rather to lay downe our lives for God And as we should give up our lives to God when he calls for them by natural death so we should give up our lives for God when he calls us to beare witness to his name and truth by violent death I shall yet take notice of one thing further before I passe from this verse The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Some upon good grounds referre the first clause The Spirit of God hath made me to the creation both of soule and body and the second or latter clause the breath of the Almighty hath given me life to that quickning which we receive by the Spirit to the duties whereinto we are called in this life The breath of the Almighty hath given me life that is hath fitted and prepared me for the severall offices and services of life As if Elihu had sayd The Spirit of God hath not only made me a man but a man for worke yea the Spirit of God hath quickned me to the present worke and businesse I am come about Thus life imports not only spirituall life in the being of it but all the furniture ornaments and abilities of a spirituall life The Septuagint render this profession made by Elihu expressely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiratio omnipotentis est quae docet me Sept Haud me latet non a meipso sed a deo hunc prudentiae sensum me accepisse Nicet to this sence holding out a strong assurance which Elihu had that God had both called and prepared him for the service he was come about and engaged in The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath instructed me Another of the Greek Interpreters speaks as much I am not ignorant that of my selfe I am able to doe nothing but I have received this power from God As if Elihu had said The Spirit of the Almighty hath quickned me to this worke I am now upon and taught me what both to say and doe in thy case O Job Hence note God giveth not only the life of nature unto men but he fits them for all the duties and services of this life We indeed are scarcely to be reckoned among the living if we have no more but a naturall life what is it to be able to eate and drinke to heare and see and speake unlesse we have more then this we deserve not to be numbred or written among the living we are upon the matter but dead lumps and clods of clay It is the breath of the Almighty that quickens us and superadds ability to doe good that frames fashions and fits us for every good word and worke This is the life of man when a man is fitted for duty and service when he is furnished for imployment to stand God and his Brethren in some stead while he is in this world then he lives The motions impulses and influences the teachings and guidings of the Spirit of God are the life of our lives We can doe nothing of our selves till the Almighty bestows a new life upon us and as we can doe nothing at all in spiritualls till he gives us a new life so we can do nothing to purpose till the Spirit acts stirres up that life in us It is the Spirit who first bestows Secondly encreaseth Thirdly excites our spirituall life puts the new creature into motion All our good thoughts and holy actings all our uprightnesse and sincerity all our strength and ability flow from the Spirit untill the holy Spirit workes in us we sit still and when the Spirit worketh we must not sit still I saith the Apostle Rom 15.18 will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed As if he had sayd My owne workes are not worth the naming I will not so much as mention any thing that Christ hath not wrought in me by the Spirit That was a mighty worke which he was enabled to doe to make the Gentiles obedient in word and deed Christ did not leave him to doe it in his owne power The breath of the Almighty enabled him and so he doth all those that are able and willing ready for and successefull in any such holy worke Let us therefore ascribe all to his working and quickening let us set down our severall Items of receit in our account-books confessing that we have nothing of our own This gift that grace that ability to doe to speake to suffer to act we have received from him Let the whole Inventory of our soules riches have Gods name written upon it and ascribed to his praise alone And if we thus uncloath our selves by giving God the glory of all we shall loose nothing by it for God will apparrell and furnish us deck and adorne us better every day The poorer we are in our selves the richer will he make us To be thus diminish't is the best way to
then Ish The wisest and most accomplisht the most perfect and mightiest of men as well as he is greater then Enosh sorrowfull or miserable man I answer the word Enosh is not to be taken exclusively as if when he saith the puissant is greater then the sorrowfull man he were not also greater then the greatest or strongest man but it notes that all men or man considered in his best estate is but weaknesse and wretchedness when put in the ballance with the great God or the puissant Lord what is man saith David one of the best and greatest of men a King Psal 144.3 that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him Now if it be even too much that God should make any account of man then what is any man in account to God O what man or Angel is able to cast up the account how much the great God is greater or more then man The words are plaine only there is somewhat yet to be added or touched upon to cleare up further the scope of Elihu in speaking thus to Job which I shall endeavour to cleare and make out when I have given a note or two from the words as they are a plaine proposition God is greater then man Hence Observe First God is Great He that is greater then the Greatest is certainly great he that is higher then the highest is high This greatness of God is every where celebrated in Scripture The Prophet Isa 12.6 calls the inhabitant of Zion to cry out and shout why For great is the holy One of Israel in the midst of thee that is the holy one of Israel who is in the midst of thee is both Great in himselfe and declares his greatness in thee Mal 1.14 I am a great King saith the Lord of hosts and my name is dreadfull among the heathens I need not stay to give particular Scriptures to hold forth the attribute of Gods greatness his greatness runs through all his attributes Whatsoever God is he is great in it He is great in power Psal 56.3 Psal 147.5 he is great in all sorts of power great in authoritative power and great in executative power As God commandeth what he pleaseth to be done so he can doe what he commandeth The power of man in doing is not alwayes commensurate with his power in commanding but Gods is He needs no helpe much lesse any leave to execute what he willeth Againe God is great in wisdome he hath the compasse of all things in his understanding God is so wise that he is called the only wise God 1 Tim 1.17 The wisdome of men and Angels is folly to his God is great also in his goodnes so great that Christ himselfe as man would not be called good but told him that called him so by way of rebuke There is none good but one that is God Math 19.17 Holy David brake out into the admiration of that goodness which God hath layd up yea of that which he dayly worketh for man How much more did he and ought we to admire that goodness which is not so much in himselfe as himselfe Psal 31.19 O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd up for them that feare thee which thou workest for them that trust upon thee before the sons of men The goodnesse which God acts and puts forth for the creature is a great goodnesse Isa 63.7 Neh 9 25â— but that goodnesse which is the goodnesse of his nature is a goodnesse as great as God is a goodnesse infinite in greatnesse Againe how often is God called great yea admired for his greatnesse in mercy When David 2 Sam 24.14 made choyce to fall into the hands of God he gave this reason of it For his mercies are great He is also great in wrath we read 2 Kings 23.26 of the fiercenesse of his great wrath And how great is his Love First in redeeming us by Christ Joh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. God loved us so much in that gift that no man could ever tell how much love he hath given us in it Secondly His love is great in quickning us with Christ Eph 2.4 God who is rich in mercy for the great Love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ His love both in redeeming and quickning us is so great that while we are called to the greatest study after the knowledge of we are told we cannot know the greatnesse of it Eph 3.18 That you may know the Love of God which passeth knowledge I will not stay upon this Attribute the Greatnesse of God onely take these five briefe inferences from it God is Great Then First God can doe great things the greatest things for us every thing is in working as it is in being they that are but little can doe but little God being great in his being that is in his power in his wisdome in his goodnesse in his mercy how easily can he doe great things The Scripture is abundant in shewing forth the great things which God hath done and will doe 2 Sam 7.22 23. Job 5.9 Psal 71.19 Psal 86.10 Psal 92.5 Psal 111.2 Psal 126.2 3. Psal 136.7 17. Joel 2.21 The workes of God in all ages and in all places have borne the stamp of and given testimony to his excellent Greatnesse We say There is nothing great to a great mind or to a man of a great spirit A Great spirited man will overcome not only great difficulties but seeming impossibilities yea he is glad to meete with greatest difficulties because they match the greatnesse of his mind Then certainly the Great God doth nothing but great and can doe the greatest things 'T is no matter how great the things are which we have need to be done for us if we can but interest the Great God in the doing of them God can doe great things in wayes of mercy for his people and he can doe great things in wayes of Judgement against his enemies Though his enemies be Great Oakes and Cedars he can hew them downe Amos 2.9 Though his enemies be as great as the greatest mountaines he can remove and level them Who art thou O great mountaine before Zorobabell thou shalt become a plaine Zech 4.7 that is the great power of God with Zorobabell can overthrow or overturne those powers which oppose or stand in the way of his Church and people though they appeare as inseparable and immoveable as a Great Mountaine Secondly If God be Great then he can pardon great transgressions you that are great sinners feare not Were not God a great God the least of our sins could not be pardoned were not he great in mercy and great in goodnesse our hearâ—s would fayle us yea our faith could have no bottome to come to him for the pardon of our great sins But why should great sins discourage us to aske
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
thy mouth for ever speak not thus to God If thou art as thou canst not deny a thing formed by God then say not why hast thou made me thus And as now thou strivest with God about that which thou canst not understand so at last though now thou dost not thou shalt understand that thou oughtest not to have striven with him about it And indeed if men have a mind to strive with God they may find as many occasions for it in the doctrine of his conditionall decrees of foreseene faith repentance and persevering obedience as in his absolute We shall never want matter of quarrelling with God till we have learned simply that is graciously to submit Secondly This truth should much more quiet our spirits and stop our strivings in reference to our temporall estate And that First As wrapt up in common with others Did we consider the soveraigne power of God in ordering the affairs of Nations and Churches we would glorifie him in a gracious silence however we see things goe with them The Scripture urgeth us often to this fixednesse of mind in the midst of all publick revolutions and changes upon this only account Heare David Psal 46.9 10. Come behold the works of the Lord What works ruining works what desolation he hath made in the earth God made strange work in the World at that time Those countryes which before were as the Garden of God became like a desolate Wildernesse who was able to beare this with patience Yet the Spirit of God saith in the next words it must be patiently borne when God lets men strive and warre with one another to a common confusion yet no man may strive with God about it and the reason given why no man may is only this which is indeed all the reason in the world He is God So it follows in the Psalme Be still and know that I am God As if the Lord had said not a word do not strive nor reply whatever you see hold your peace know that I being God I give no account of any of my matters Thus the Prophet cautions the whole world Zech. 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord doe not dispute the doings of God doe not murmure at them for he is raised up out of his holy habitation That is God is going to work as a man raised out of his bed is therefore doe not you trouble your selves nor rise up against him in your words or thoughts what work soever he makes Like counsell is given Psal 75.5 Lift not up your horne on high speak not with a stiffe neck for promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South But God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another All great changes proceed from his judgment take heed of judging the sentence of the great Judge Remember That he whose name alone is Jehovah is the most high over all the earth Psal 83.18 Againe This is as true if we respect the private or personall estate of any man If God makes a man poor in estate or despised in the World if he make him sick or weak in body he must not say unquietly why doth God thus If he taketh away our Relations if he empty our families we must not strive with him When old Ely had received one of the saddest messages that ever was sent man It is the Lord said he let him doe what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 So David Psal 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 62.1 Truly my soul waiteth patiently upon God The word is my soul is silent before God And Psal 42.5 How doth David chide his soul for making a noyse Why art thou disquieted O my soul hope thou in God But you will say May we not at all strive what ever God doth in the World or with us must we sit downe under it or rest satisfied in it and say nothing I answer First we may and ought to be very sensible of all the dealings of God But we must not be unquiet under any of them It is one thing to feele the smart and another thing to dispute the rod. Some are under a kind of Stoicall stupidity they doe not strive with God because they doe not mind what God doth they are not sensible Others are stout sturdy and proud spirited they care not for the crosse they slight and despise rebukes Thus or upon these grounds not to strive with God is as bad if not worse then that striving with him which this poynt disswades and disapproves We may yea we ought to take notice of every stroak we receive from God Secondly As we should be sensible of the hand of God at any time upon us so we may pray for the removing of his hand 'T is not a sinfull but a gracious act to strive with God by prayer for deliverance out of trouble Thirdly A man under the Rod may use means to get it off and free himselfe from it even while he is quiet under it So then the quietnesse of mind in our afflicted condition here intended and pressed is opposed only first to fretting and repining Secondly to vexing and tumultuating Thirdly to distracting cares Fourthly to desponding fears Fifthly to killing sorrows Sixthly to uncomposednesse of spirit for our callings Seventhly to hard thoughts of God Eighthly to the using of any unlawfull meanes to help or rescue our selves out of the hand of evill And that we may be preserved from all these strivings against God and unquietnesse of spirit under any of his saddest and darkest dispensations which will certainly run us upon some of if not all those eight most dangerous rocks last mentioned Let me lay down a few considerations why we should not strive with God in such a manner And prescribe some preservatives to keep us at the greatest distance from it First Consider to strive with God dishonours God and darkens his glory for hereby we call his wisdome and goodnesse yea his truth and faithfulnesse to us in question What can be done more dishonourable to God then this God resented it as a great dishonour that Moses and Aaron did not sanctifie him that is give glory to his name before the children of Israel Num 20.12 and therefore told them Ye shall not bring the children of Israel into the land which I have given them As if he had sayd Ye have not honoured me as ye ought in this thing and therefore I will not honour you in that But what is it that Moses and Aaron did not sanctifie God in it was saith the text in not believing And what is that at best but a striving with God as to the truth of his word and his faithfulnesse in fulfilling it Secondly Such striving with God hinders the exercise of grace and stops the worke of the new creature He that striveth with God by way of murmuring can never strive with God by praying and believing
Christ to declare to man this righteousness for his uprightness And that hence it is as Elihu proceeds in the next verse to assure the sick man that God is and will be gracious to him Vers 24. Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going downe into the pit I have found a ransome These words hold out the generall issue and fruit of the labours and good counsell of that messenger or Interpreter dealing with the sick man and shewing him his uprightness There are three distinct interpretations which run quite through this verse and they arise from a different apprehension about the antecedent in this pronoune He then he is gracious unto him He who is that All the Popish interpreters refer it to the Guardian-Angel sent to attend on this sick man Then he the Angel will be gracious and he will say deliver him But as I then layd by that opinion that the messenger was an Angel properly taken so I shall not stay upon that which is a consequent of it here Secondly Severall of our Protestant interpreters referre this he to the Messenger or Interpreter to the Prophet or any spiritually wise and holy man sent of God to assist and help the sick man in his distresse Some are so positive in this opinion that they deny the text any other reference Hoc de nuncio dicitur non de deo aptè enim tribuitur nuncio etinterpreti voluntatis dei ut miscreatur hominis in summo vitae discrimine constituti Merl Et de gratia eum alloquutus dixerit redime cum nec desceÌ„dat in soveam expiatione quam inveni Jun Summa orationis quae apud deum pro afflictis habenda est Jun This is to be understood of the Messenger saith one and not of God And I grant 't is sutable to the business of the messenger who comes to comfort and instruct the sick man that he should pitty and compassionate him in that disconsolate condition and likewise pray for him according to the tenour of these words in the text or to the same effect O Lord God be gracious to him and deliver him let him not goe downe to the pit for the ransome sake which I have found As if Elihu had sayd When that faithfull messenger shall have declared the benefits and grace of God to the afflicted man then pittying his afflicted soule he shall pray for him O God deliver him from death and condemnation from the pit and from destruction for I have found and shewed him a ransome by which his soule may be delivered and his sins pardoned In the 19th Chapter of this Booke at the 27th verse Job useth this word in his application to his friends for their pitty to him and more favourable dealing with him Have pitty upon me have pitty upon me O my friends for the hand of God hath touched me As if he had sayd The hand of God presseth me sore O let not your hand be heavie upon me too This exposition carrieth a great truth in it and is not at all inconsistent with the letter of the text yet I shall not insist upon it but adhere rather to a third which makes the antecedent to this He to be God himselfe Then he is gracious That is when the messenger hath dealt with the sick man when he hath opened his condition to him and shewed him his uprightness or how he may stand upright before God or what his righteousnesse is before God and hath brought his heart to an unfeigned sorrow for his sin and to the actings of faith upon the promise then God is gracious and then he gives out the word for his restoring and orders it to be presently dispatcht away to him saying deliver him unloose him unbind him let him not goe downe into the pit I have found a ransome Taking this for the generall sence of the Text I shall proceed to open the particulars Then he will be gracious or then he will have mercy upon him as Mr Broughton translates Then and not before till then the Lord lets his bones ake and his heart tremble till then he suffers him to be brought so low that he is reckoned among the dead but then though not before he sheweth himself gracious unto him When a poor man is reduced to the utmost extreamity then is Gods opportunity then is the season of mercy and the Lord therefore lets us be at the lowest that we may be the more sencible of his goodness in raising and lifting us up The Lord suffers many as Paul spake of himself 2 Cor. 1.9 to have the sentence of death in themselves that they may learn not to trust in themselves but in him who raiseth the dead We seldome give God either the glory of his power by trusting him or of his goodnesse by thanking him for our deliverances till we are brought to the last cast as we say or to such an exigent as leaves no visible meanes in probabillity no nor of possibility to escape And when 't is thus with us then he is gracious Secondly Then he is gracious that is when the man is doubly humbled when the mans heart is graciously broken when the man is growne into an abhorrence of himself and of his sin or loathes himself for his sin as much as he loathed his meat as 't is said in the former verse when his heart is thus taken quire off from all that is below in the world and gathered up beleevingly to Jesus Christ in the word of promise Then he is gracious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Misertus gratificatus gratia prosecutus fuit ex gratia donavit benesecit The Originall word hath many comfortable significations in it yet all resolvable into this one he is gracious It signifies to pity to have compassion tenderly to regard to bestow grace to doe good there is enough in the bowells of this word to bear up the spirit of the sickest body or of the most troubled soul It is said Gen. 6.8 Noah found grace or favour in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was the only man that held out the grace of God in that age him only did God find perfect or upright in his Generations Gen. 6.9 and Noah only was the man that found grace or favour in the eyes of the Lord in that generation Gen. 6.8 God was gracious to him and his when the whole world periâ—hed by water That proper name John is derived from this word when God gave Zachary and Elizabeth a Son in their old age he also directed how he would have him called ye shall call his name John which name as we may well conceive was assigned him either because God did very graciously and favourably bestow that gift upon his Parents in their old age and so shewed them much favour a child at any time is a great favour from God especially in old age or secondly because John was to open the Kingdome of Grace to preach the
upon the matter even exhaust and undoe themselves by liberallity unto others and they who give most or have most to give cannot alwayes give It is said in this Book Chap. 37.11 By watering he wearieth the thick cloud that is God commandeth the cloud to give raine so long that it hath not a drop more to give but is quite spent Springs or fountaines are never wearied or spent with watering because their waters come as freely and as fast as they goe God is an everlasting spring of grace and goodness He is not wearyed nor emptyed by what he giveth out to or doth for the creature because all floweth from his naturall graciousnesse as from a fountaine Then he is gracious I would urge the second reference of that word then a little further It was shewed before that it might refer First to the extreamity of the sick man Secondly to the sick mans humiliation or the right disposure of his spirit to receive renewed acts of grace and favour from the Lord. Hence observe Secondly God usually dispenseth or giveth out acts of grace when we repent and turne from sin Si aegrotus ille monitis illius nuncij paruerit ac proinde resipuerit tum c. Pisc when we believe and lay hold upon the promise Then he is gracious It is said Isa 30.18 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious The Lord hath alwayes a gracious disposition a gracious nature he alwayes hath a store and a stocke a rich stocke and store of mercy by him but he doth not alwayes give it forth no he waits to be gracious that is he waits till we are in a fit frame till we are in a due temper to receive his grace And because as to the dispensings of grace God waits to be gracious therefore many retard and hinder their owne good they are not yet in a frame to receive their vessell is not yet seasoned to hold mercy The Lord waited to be gracious to David after his grievous fall and therefore he did not give Nathan a Commission to say Thy sin is done away till Davids heart was broken and had said 2 Sam 12.13 I have sinned against the Lord But when once that word fell from him then Nathan declared how gracious the Lord was to him As soone as David said I have sinned that 's an act of repentance presently Nathan said the Lord hath done away thy sin that 's an act of grace When did Ephraim heare a word of comfort from God The Prophet tells us Jer 31.18 19 20. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe that is mourning over and bewayling his sin saying thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoake We have him there also praying Turne me O Lord and I shall be turned c. Upon this how graciously how meltingly did the Lord speak Is Ephraim my deare son is he a pleasant child since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still or in remembring I remember him my bowells are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him Now I will manifest my grace and acquaint him with my goodness The Lord was very gracious to Saul afterwards Paul he sent Ananias to him with a message of mercy as to restore the sight of his bodyly eyes so to assure him that he should be an instrument in the hand of Christ to open the eyes of many and a chosen vessel to beare his name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Acts 9.15 But when was this message delivered him the text tells us v. 11. For behold he prayeth the man is in the dust he is brought upon his knees his spirit is broken that word he prayeth comprehends the whole worke of a gracious soule as to his humiliation and returning to the Lord. In the parable of the prodigall Son his father is represented abundantly gracious to him but he did not signifie it he did not send the ring not the rich robe to him when he was abroad in a strange Country among harlots drinking and wasting his estate time and strength vainely we read of no acts of grace to him then but when being pinched with famine and hunger he came to himselfe and began to bethink himselfe of coming back to his fathers house and that he had brought himselfe by his own folly to beggery and want and husks when he was upon these termes or resolves to goe home to his father and cast himselfe at his feet as unworthy the name or priviledge of a Son then his father ran to meete him fell on his neck and kissed him then he put on the ring and cloathed him with the robe then he killed the fatted calfe and made a feast for him All which sceane of mercy doth but hold out this one word in the text Then he is gracious There are two sorts of gracious acts of God First some are acts of absolute grace or of preventing grace These are put forth upon and exercised towards the creature before there is any the lest preparation in the heart to draw them out or invite the bestowing of them Thus the grace of God in election is absolutely free there was no prevision of any qualification in man moving God to elect him And so that wonderfull act of grace in which election first descends and discovers it selfe effectuall vocation is absolutely free God calls a sinner when he is in the heat and hurry of his evill wayes pursuing his lusts in the height of his pride and in the hardness of his impenitent heart Now if when God first calleth a sinner there is nothing in him but sin What can move God to call him but free grace A third absolute act of grace is justification God doth not justifie a sinner for any thing that he finds or sees in us As to us 't is altogether free He justifieth the ungodly Rom 4.5 when that wretched infant was in its blood which expresseth a miserable uncleane poluted condition then was a time of love Ezek 16.8 then was God gracious What loveliness was there in that infant representing the best of men in that fallen naturall estate to draw out the love of God nothing at all yea she was altogether unlovely yet then saith God thy time was the time of love or then was the time of putting forth love in her conversion and vocâ—tion Then I sayd unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live And because the thing might seeme not only strange but even impossible that the heart of God should be towards such a wretched one for good the word is doubled yea I sayd unto theâ— when thou wast in thy blood live These acts of absolute free grace are the glory of the Covenant of grace for if the Covenant should hold out acts of Grace only upon our pre-dispositions when should we receive any act of grace The promise is not of this tenour I will pardon them when
in my Judgement that is I am deceived in it or I fayle of it To lie in Scripture is to faile or to frustrate the hope of another Some insist much upon this sence as if he had sayd I come short of that which I looked for as my right or Judgement in this sence the word is often applyed to things but not to persons as some of the learned conclude upon this place Isa 58.11 Thou shalt be like a spring of water whose waters fayle not we put in the margin lie not or deceive not 'T is a promise made to those who keepe a true fast and keepe it truely God will be to them as a spring whose waters lie not All our fresh springs are or should be in God and he is a spring whose waters are always fresh No man ever came to him for matter and was frustrated of his expectation Thus also the word is used Hab 3.17 Although the labour of the Olive shall fayle that is though when you come to the Olive tree you find no Olives there nor see any hope of a drop of oyle in your whole Olive-yard yet you may still rejoyce in the Lord he is able to annoynt and fill you alwayes with the oyle of gladness Thus Job is conceived complaining here of his deceived hopes much in that sence as God himselfe in the Prophet Isa 5.7 is sayd to be deceived He looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousness but behold a cry I saith Job looked for better things I looked for light but behold darkness I looked to be acquitted but behold I am hardly thought of and censured on every hand I am quite disappointed matters fall out and are otherwise then I did expect In Jure meo mentior i. e. quum innocentiam meam defendo putor mentiri Pisc Fourthly I lie in my right is thus expounded I am thought to lie while I maintaine my right or say I am righteous I am judged a lyar for saying I have walked in the truth All these readings of the text are given from the affirmative translation But we as also severall oâ—hers translate by an interrogation intimating the heate and earnestness of his spirit in wiping off this aspersion Should I lie against my right I should not I will not As if Elihu had sayd Job hath insisted so much upon his owne righteousness and right that he will not be taken off from it upon any termes nay he hath saâ—d what should I knowing my selfe to be innocent because of this cry against me cry guilty to this inditement and so betray my owne innocency or give away my right Job stands so much upon his owne righteousness An par est ut montiar super innocentia moa Vatabl that if he should but acknowledge himselfe faulty he thinkes he should lie or wrong himselfe by speaking against his knowledge and conscience And indeed Job Chap 27.4 5 6. spake fully to this effect That it would be a wrong to or a lie against himselfe if he should not stand up to the uttermost in his owne right and defend his innocency and 't is probable Elihu hits at that passage while he chargeth him with this passionate expostulation What! Should I lie against my right Would you have me say as you say and so beare false witness or be a false witness against my selfe What ever comes of it I will not doe that I will not lie against my right nor let goe my integrity I will not in civility to any other mans understanding of me subscribe to my owne wrong or say I am what I am not or have done what I have not Elihu brings this as a strong proofe of the height of Jobs spirit as if to confesse his fault were to fall below himselfe yea to belie himselfe Should I lie against my right Hence note First To acknowledge we have done that which we have not done or that we are what we are not is to lie against our owne right or to wrong our selves As many lie by speaking more good of themselves then is true or by denying that evill which in truth they are guilty of so he that submits to that guilt which he is free from or confesseth more evill of himselfe then is true lieth against his owne soule So did that Amalekite 2 Sam 1.10 compared with 2 Sam 31.4 charge himselfe falsely with killing Saul in hope of a reward from David for his good newes As no man ought to lie against another much lesse against himselfe And as that man doth wickedly belie himselfe who saith he is better then he is for that 's horrible hypocrisie all such God will unmask one time or other who thus cover themselves with lyes and say like those in the Prophet they have dreamed when they have seene nothing but the vaine phansies of their own braines nor felt any thing but the presumption of their false hearts Now I say as he doth wickedly bely himselfe who saith he is better then he is so for any man to deny that good which God hath done for him or wrought in him or what he hath done or wrought in the feare and power of God is a dangerous way of denying and belying his owne right Hence secondly note No man ought to admit any charge against himselfe wherein he is not guilty It is not in our liberty to give up our owne integrity we may not give up the righteousness and innocency of others to a false witness if we can detect it much lesse our owne Let no man lie against his right It is our affliction only to be wronged by others but 't is our sin to wrong either others or our selves Yet Thirdly Note We may quickly over-act in standing upon our own right That caution of Solomon Eccl 7.16 seemes to carry this observation in it Be not righteous overmuch neither make thy self over-wise Why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe Some expound this precept as a rule of policy advising all to a moderation in the practise of that wherein there can be indeed no excesse true piety and religion as if it were a duty to study and comport our selves to a kind of neutrality and indifferency in the things of God lest we expose our selves to the wrath and rage of men who cannot beare it with patience to see any that are better or do better then themselves But I conceive the Spirit of God in Solomon was farre from breathing any such cold blast to nip either the buddings or highest growths of godlinesse and that he would not at all abate any in the practise of holinesse but intends one of or all these three things First to take men off from any opinionativenesse about what they judge to be righteous and themselves righteous in doing it willing them to take advice and not to lean to their own understanding nor to rest in their own dictates as infallible or Secondly when he saith Be not righteous overmuch his meaning
he doth not thus put out his power We live and live comfortably we enjoy not only our lives but many mercies of this life and therefore surely God doth not deale rigorously much lesse unrighteously with man He that doth all men good beyond their deserts will not punish any man beyond his demerits He that doth not exercise his power alwayes where he might will not exercise it all where he ought not That 's the summe and scope of Elihu in the context under hand Vers 14. If he set his heart upon man To set the heart upon any thing or person is a Scripture expression often used noting more then barely to think upon or mind both or either It signifieth to have deep and serious thoughts to think with consideration and attention yea with some height and heat of affection And all this whether that thing which the heart and affections are set upon please or displease be comfortable or grievous for both love and hatred hope and feare are thoughtfull of and sollicitous about their severall objects Hence that caution Psal 62.10 If riches encrease set not your heart upon them we naturally love riches and therefore as naturally spend many thoughts both how to get and how to keepe them If a man have riches or an encrease of riches it is not unlawfull for him to thinke or them yet we should be as sparing of our thoughts that way as can be our thoughts and the bent of our soules should alwayes be upon God but that which the Psalmist forbids is the setling of our hearts As if he had sayd Let not your thoughts stay or dwell there Riches are themselves transient things therefore they should have but our transient thoughts Set not your hearts upon them for they may quickly be unsetled Samuel bespake Saul in the same language about a worldly concernment when he went out to seek his fathers Asses 1 Sam 9.20 Set not thy mind on them 'T is like Saul was over-burdened with this thought What 's become of or what shall I doe for my fathers Asses Be not sollicitous about them saith Samuel greater things are towards thee Abigail useth the same forme of speaking to David concerning Naball 1 Sam 25.23 Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial lay not to heart what Nabal hath sayd or done Thus Jonadab took off Davids feare that in one day he had been deprived of all his Sons 2 Sam 13.33 Now therefore let not my Lord the King take the thing to heart to think that all the Kings sons are dead for Amnon only is dead We are as apt to set our heart upon our losses as upon our enjoyments And to shew how little Pharoah regarded the heavy hand of God upon him it is sayd after Moses had turned all the waters that were in the river to blood Exod 7.23 And Pharoah turned and went into his house neither did set his heart to this also That is he slighted what God had done Let God speak and strike once and againe Apponere cor est vello decernere constituere q. d. Si ei suus animus suggererit Vatabl yea a third time yet hard-hearted men doe not lay it to heart nor set their heart upon it Thus here in the Affirmative it is sayd of God If he set his heart upon man that is if he doe but intend and mind this matter he can quickly bring it about even the perishing of all flesh If he set his heart upon man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Valet contra Si poneret concra eum cor suum i. e. si sibi proponeret hostiliter eum aggredi Pisc The text is rendered also If he set his heart against man The Hebrew particle signifieth not only upon but against Amos 7.16 Prophesie not against Israel c. And the generall sence of that reading may be given two wayes First If he set his heart against man to enquire strictly into his life and wayes if he should critically mark all his errours or faults and so resolve to proceed against him he might soon make an end of him as it followeth in the next verse As the strongest so the best and holyest of men are not able to stand before him Thus the words are an answer given by Elihu to that frequent request of Job that God would let him come near to judgement and hear his cause argued and debated before him even at his Bar but saith Elihu according to this sence If God set his heart against man if he doth but strictly enquire into his condition course and conversation it would be sad with him All men must perish Those two places in the Psalmes answer this interpretation fully Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who should stand That is No man shall We cannot stand in our righteousness before God how then shall we stand in our iniquities And therefore the second Text deprecates the Lord 's severe enquiry into our purest and most perfect services Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Secondly If he set his heart against man that is If he have a general purpose to destroy and ruine him by his absolute Soveraignty he can easily do it what God hath a minde to do or only willeth it to be done he hath power enough to do it He can make any man miserable and not only strip him of the comforts of this life but of his life too And as he hath power enough if he would use it so he hath soveraign unquestionable authority enough to bear him out in the use of his power Now seeing God who is cloathed with this absolute power yet doth not exercise such a power but having given man a being continues to very many men a comfortable being in this world and doth not willingly grieve or afflict any of the children of men nor execute any vengeance upon them without their desert surely then God is righteous he will not do wickedly Thus we have the importance of the Translation If he set his heart against man We say which also beareth fairly enough the same sence If he set his heart upon man Si direxerit ad eum cor suum spiritum illius flatum ad so trahet Vulg. If he gathereth unto himself his Spirit and his breath Some render it thus If he set his heart upon or against man he will gather unto him his spirit and his breath and then as it followeth All flesh shall perish together We repeat the supposition according to the Hebrew Text If he set his heart upon man If he gather to himself his spirit and his breath then c. Take either reading the general sense is the same and in brief 't is this If God have a minde to it he can quickly thrust all men out of the world He that gave man his spirit and his breath can at pleasure recal both and then
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
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
it is from the negligence of this man or from the malice of that other man All this while there is no acknowledgement of the hand of God They say not with Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord nor with David Psal 39.9 10. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Remove thy stroke away from me I am consumed by the blow of thine hand It is as much our duty and for the glory of God to confess that our afflictions are of God as our mercies and favours Thirdly Observe The chastenings of God must be born they must be endured Many are chastised who cannot say they have born chastisements It 's an ordinary thing to be under chastisement but it s a great thing and requires much holy skill and spiritualness to bear a chastisement the duty of a Christian lies most in two points First in doing or in active obedience Secondly in suffering or in passive obedience and there is as much of God as much of grace as much of holiness yea I may say much more held out in bearing and in suffering then there is in acting or in doing But you will say what is it to bear that you make it so difficult a matter to bear chastisements How must chastisements be born or what is it to bear them I will answer the question under two heads First Negatively To bear chastisement is not First meerly to finde or feel it upon our shoulders as a burthen which pincheth or presseth us so a beast may bear Secondly it is not a bearing meerly because we cannot help it or be rid of our burden for so the worst of men may bear they bear the greatest burthens that God layeth upon them because they cannot avoid them nor ease themselves of them Thirdly It is not a bearing stoutly or slightingly to make nothing of it so proud men bear men of unsubdued spirits unto God and his word regard not what they bear nor what God doth to them Fourthly It is not a bearing them sowrly or sullenly for so discontented persons bear yea so the devil beareth the burthen which the hand of God hath laid upon him Fifthly Nor is it a bearing chastisement faintly or dispondingly so weak believers bear To bear and faint is not the bearing of faith Neither of these are the bearing of chastisement which Elihu intends in this counsel when he saith It is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisment Thus ye see the Negative what the bearing of it is not Secondly I answer affirmatively To bear a chastisement as an act or work of grace is First to bear it sensibly that is feeling the weight of the hand of God and tasting the bitterness of that cup of sorrow which he giveth us to drink Secondly 'T is a bearing of it submittingly humbly patiently laying our selves down at the foot of God and saying as Eli did Let him do what seemeth him good or as David 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth good unto him We never bear any evil of affliction well till we can say with a sweet resignation of our selves to God do with us what seemeth to thee good And for our encouragement I may say nothing can hurt a godly man which seemeth good to God Thirdly 'T is a contentful bearing or a bearing contentedly Thus Christ spake Psal 40. and 't is cited by the Apostle Heb. 10. Lo I come to do thy will I am content to do it what was that It was to bear or suffer the greatest part of what Christ was to do was to bear or suffer the chastisement of our peace Isa 53.5 and in suffering to be made a sacrifice for us his contentment to do the will of God was a contentment to suffer Of such a spirit should the people of God be bearing chastisement not only patiently but contentedly this is hard but this cannot be left out in the full exercise of that grace Fourthly 'T is to bear it more then contentedly willingly how free was Christ to bear when he said John 18.11 The cup which my father hath given me shall I not drink it Surely I will I am willing to drink it though it be a bitter cup. We are not to will our sufferings but to suffer them willingly there is a vast difference between these two I do not say we are to will our sufferings but we are to suffer them willingly we must suffer what and how and when and how long God will and when God willeth our sufferings we must suffer with our wills or be willing to suffer Fifthly To bear chastisement in the sence here intended is not only to bear it with our will but with our affections not only willingly but acceptably and embracingly 't is to say welcome cross because it is the will of God There is no chastisement that we can rejoyce in or have any affection to considered in it self but to bear chastisement in contemplation of the will of God should work our hearts to an accepting to an embracing to a welcoming of it we should say to all our sufferings welcome by the will of God Sixthly 'T is to bear it prayerfully we must bear silently in opposition to complaining but we must not bear silently in opposition to praying While chastisement is upon our backs supplications must be in our mouths and we must pray first That we may see the reason why or for what cause God chasteneth us Secondly We must pray that we may answer the ends which God aimeth at in chastening us Thirdly That we may have fresh power to bear his chastenings Fourthly That God would be pleased to remove our chastenings While we bear chastenings we may pray and pray hard that God would take them away David had no sooner said I opened not my mouth that is complainingly because thou didst it Psal 39.9 but presently he opened his mouth in prayer vers 10. Remove thy stroke away from me While we bear our cross patiently and willingly it would be our sin not to pray for deliverance from it To say I am under a chastisement and let the Lord keep it upon me as long as he will I will never ask him to take it off were a most unbecoming frame of spirit They that bear affliction most cheerfully should pray most earnestly to be eased of it we must be willing to bear them alwayes yet we must pray that we may not bear them long If a childe under the rod of a parent should not say pray father stay your hand it is enough but let him go on striking and never intimate a desire of his forbearance this were a signe of stubbornness not of patience and submission 'T is as bad not to ask release from our troubles as to murmure at them or to be unquiet under them Remember then you must be as much in the exercise of prayer as of patience under the cross and that in these four
respects Thus you have the answer to that question by which it appears that 't is no easie matter to say what Elihu saith It is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement There is yet another question for some may demand why should chastisements be thus born I answer First We must bear them according to all the rules before given because they come from God Our afflictions are Gods allotment we must bear what he appoints therefore old Eli though he had failed and sinned greatly and so brought a cloud of calamity upon himself and his family the very report whereof as Samuel told him would make both ears of every one that heard it to tingle yet he composed his spirit to a submissive hearing of it upon this single consideration It is the Lord and there is enough in that consideration to make all men submit For first The Lord is supream and therefore what he doth must be born Secondly He is a Father a childe must bear what a Father layeth upon him and as the Lord is a father so he is not a hasty imprudent or passionate father but a most wise and judicious father therefore 't is our interest as well as our duty to bear his chastisements Yea he is a gracious tender and compassionate father and when we know he that layeth a hand of affliction upon us hath also a heart full of compassion towards us we should willingly bear his hand Secondly Chastisements are to be born in the manner directed because they are for our good and shall we not bear what is good for us It is good for me said David Psal 119.71 that I have been afflicted and so the Apostle Heb. 12.10 For they verily for a few dayes chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Chastisements are for our profit and shall not we bear that which is for our profit If God should lay chastisements on us for our hurt meerly to vex us to put us to pain or meerly because he delights in our sufferings who could bear them But it is meet to bear what God layes upon us because he doth it for our good and profit Thirdly We must bear chastisements in the manner shewed because unless we bear them so they will do us no good or we shall have no profit by them and that 's a misery indeed To bear smart and finde no advantage coming in by it to drink gall and to have no sweetness come out of it to endure loss and to have no kinde of profit by it is very grievous Now what ever chastisement is laid upon any it doth them no good and they can have no profit by it unless they bear it as was before described it is not the bare being afflicted that doth us good but it is the wise management or the skilful bearing of it that doth us good and therefore we finde that the Apostle Heb. 12.11 when he had said There is no affliction joyous for the present but grievous adds Nevertheless afterwards it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness but to whom What to every one that is afflicted have they these sweet fruits No but to them that are exercised thereby Afflictions bring no sweet fruits to them that have them unless they be exercised by them how exercised Afflictions exercise every one that hath them they are to all a passive exercise but to be exercised notes here an active exercise they who graciously exercise themselves in affliction shall without doubt finde benefit and fruit by affliction But some may say what is it to be thus exercised by affliction I answer for the opening of that Scripture to be exercised is First To be much in searching our own hearts and wayes or how 't is with us and what hath been done by us Eccles 7.14 In the day of adversity consider that is bethink your selves First What God is doing Secondly What you have been doing Thirdly What becomes you to do in such a day The prophet points us to the two latter Duties of such a day in one verse Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord. To search our wayes is to consider what we have been doing to turn to the Lord is the great thing to be done in a day of adversity Secondly As this exercise of the soul consists in searching our own hearts so in searching the heart of God if I may so speak that is in an humble enquiry to the utmost what God meaneth by any affliction what hath moved him to afflict us and we have as much cause to search Gods heart as our own in this case Thus in that National affliction 2 Sam. 21.1 when the famine continued three years year after year it is said David enquired of the Lord why is it thus he search'd Gods heart by desiring an answer from the Lord what sin it was which provoked him to that sad dispensation And thus we should be enquiring of God by prayer what sin he striketh at or what grace he specially calleth us to act by any affliction which he sendeth either upon our families or persons Thirdly There is an exercising of our selves in searching the affliction it self first into the nature of it Secondly into the circumstances of it how timed and measured by what hand and in what way the Lord deals with us this is a great exercise and unless we are thus exercised under affliction we get smart and loss and bitterness but no good at all by it So much for the first counsel given Job by Elihu It is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement His second counsel as it lies here in the order of the Text is about the reformation or the amendment of what is amiss I will not offend any more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat magna nocendi cupiditate ardere sicut mulieres ardent desiderio concipiendi foetum transfertur in secunda conjugations vel ad parturientium dolores vel ad concupiscendi libidinem Moller in Psal 7.14 It is fit the afflicted should say unto God I wil not offend The root of the word here used signifieth somtimes the pains of travel in childe-bearing Cant. 8.5 I raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee And again Psal 7.14 Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief and brought forth falshood It signifieth also in Scripture to corrupt or to pollute Neh. 1.7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee and have not kept the commandments nor the statutes nor the judgements which thou commandest thy servant Moses To deal corruptly or to do corruptly what is it but to sin against or offend God Every offence or sin springs from the corruption of our own hearts and is a corruption of our wayes and manners Both these