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
Almighty hath made most wise and understanding be ye most humble in your selves Secondly let me adde which is another dangerous rock upon which great gifts are apt to dash and split you take heed of despising those who have received lesse our portions are divided and allotted to us by the hand of God Divine wisdome gives us our portion of wisdome He that hath most hath no more then God hath given and he that hath least hath as much as God is pleased to give They despise the wisdome and question the understanding of God in giving wisdome who despise those to whom he gives lesse wisdome and understanding then he hath given to themselves Fifthly To those who have received but little I say also two things by way of caution First doe not envie those who have received much It is of God that they have more then you is your eye evil because the eye of God is good Secondly be not discontented with your own lesser portion doe not sit downe sullen say not we will doe nothing with what we have received because we have not as much as others we know the doome passed on him who having but one talent hid it in a napkin If we are discontent with a little portion or with one talent that little is too much and that one too many for us nothing doth more dim the glory of God nor more destroy and eate out our own comforts then discontent the Devill since his fall is the most disconcented spirit in the world and he was not contented while he stood he thought he was not high enough that was his undoing They who are discontent with the gift of God loose what is given and so fall into deeper discontent yea as the Apostle speakes in another case 1 Tim. 3.6 into the condemnation of the devill Sixthly Then let us not be lifted up in our owne naturall wisdome and reason he that would be wise must become a foole 1 Cor. 3.18 untill we see our owne wisdome folly we cannot attaine the wisdome of God or Godly wisdome Seventhly This shews us the reason of the various kinds and severall measures of gifts among the sons of men Men differ not more in the measures and degrees of their outward estates worldly riches titles and honours then they doe in the measures and degrees of their inward abilities wisdome knowledge and understanding men differ not more in the feature and figure of their faces then in the furniture of their minds One hath five talents another two a third but one And as the various degrees of the same gift so diversities of gifts are from the soveraigne pleasure of God The Apostle is large and very distinct in this matter 1 Cor. 12.4 8 9 11. There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same Sâ—â—rit to another prophecy to another discerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of tongues c. But all these worketh that one and the selfe-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will It is only the will of the Spirit the will of God which makes this division and diversification of gifts among men And as the Apostle sheweth here the rise or spring of all to be from God so he had shewed that the reason and intendment of all this is the benefit of men v. 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall What ever your gift is God hath given it for profit and use One hath skill in sciences another in languages one is more acute another more solid one hath a stronger judgement another a quicker phansie and a more searching invention One is best at an argument to convince the understanding another at a motive to quicken the affections one can confute an error and state a Controversie well and another can best discover sin and convince the Conscience one hath weight of matter but is slow of speech another hath a fluent tongue but is lesse materiall a third is both but all to profit withall Such a Character was given of those three Eminent men in the beginning of the reformation Res sine verbis Lutherus verba sine rebus Erasmus res verba Philippus Luther Erasmus and Melancthon Luther had matter and not words he did not affect any exactnesse of stile or speech Erasmus had words at will but lesse weight of matter Melancthon was full in both there was a concurrence or complication of many eminent gifts in him The same Erasmus mentioned last but one hath a like passage in his Preface to the workes of the Ancients which he with wonderfull skill and industry redeemed from many mistakes and set forth more defecate and pure to the view and use of the world where observing the different veines of divers Authors in their writings he concludes thus Severall men have their severall gifts as it pleaseth the gift giving Spirit to give to them In Athanasius we admire a serious perspicuity of speaking and in Chrysostome a flowing Eloquence in Basil besides his sublimity a pleasant language in Hilary we see a lofty stile well marcht with the loftinesse of his matter in Cyprian we reverence a spirit worthy the crowne of Martyrdome and we are in love with the sweet incentives and modesty of St Ambrose In Jerome we commend his rich treasures of Scripture-knowledge and must acknowledge in Gregory a pure and unpolisht sanctity He shuts up thus Least I should be tedious others â—â—ve from the bounty of the same Spirit their distinct abilities by which they are commended to the consciences of the Godly The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding And as this is true with respect to the gifts of Illumination which Elihu pitcheth here upon so 't is much more true in reference to the gifts of sanctification The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth a spirituall understanding to know sin and hate it to know Christ and love him so to know as to be conformed unto yea transformed into that which we know The Inspiration of the Almighty gives this understanding this heart-changeing and life-renewing understanding Againe There is a spirit in man and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding The word is Enos weake man Hence Note God can make the weakest and the unlikeliest of men wise and full of understanding It is no matter what the man is if God will use him he can make Enos to be Ish the weake man strong the ignorant a learned a knowing man Amos was a husbandman and God gave him an excellent understanding the Apostles were Fishermen and yet the Inspiration of the Almighty made them wise above many God can make the wise foolish and fooles wise The power of God triumphs over all humane power and in all humane infirmity So much the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to
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
parable asserting there was no such reall thing But this one passage gives an undeniable proofe that this was a reall history and the matter really acted This person being described by his owne name and his fathers name and the next of his kindred From the consideration of the person who carried on so great a part in this businesse Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite of the kindred of Ram who was of a strange Country and if allyed to Abraham yet at a great distance we may observe God did preserve a seed of religion and of holy men to maintaine his truth among those who lived in darke places and were wrapt up in many errors and superstitions This was also noted from the first words of this booke There was a man in the Land of Vz A man of gracious accomplishments and of a heavenly light Here also was Elihu the Buzite A man that had great knowledge about holy things as we shall see afterwards in those parts and times when and where abundance of darknesse blindnesse and ignorance reigned Having thus described Elihu The history proceeds Against Job was his wrath kindled because he justified himselfe rather then God In the former part of the verse it is said Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu Not specifying against whom nor the cause why here he doubles the same words with an addition first of the person with whom he was angry Against Job was his wrath kindled And as he tells us the marke or object of his wrath so he gives secondly the reason of it Because he justified himself rather then God Before I come to the explication of this latter branch take these two brief notes First A godly man in maintaining a good cause may give just reason of anothers passion or anger Job was a good man and his cause was good yet you see a wise and a good mans wrath is kindled Paul and Barnabas were two good men yet a difference arose between them Acts 15.39 And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder Secondly Considering the cause of this anger in generall Because he justified himselfe rather then God we see it was an anger for Gods cause Hence note Anger for God or in the cause of God is holy anger Though for the most part the flesh or our carnall corruption is the cause of anger and it begins at selfe yet sometimes it is stirr'd in the cause of God It is said of Moses the meekest man on earth Numb 12.3 that when he saw the idolatry of the people Exod. 32.19 His anger waxed hot He was so angry that he cast the Tables of the Law which God had written with his own hand out of his hand and broke them It is said Mar. 3.5 Jesus Christ looked about on them with anger being grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts He also exprest a great deale of zealous anger Joh. 2.15 When he made a whip of small cords and drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id genus irae notat quo fertur quis ad abolitionem peccati cum quo si sit veritas justissimus effectus est Coc Some of the Hebrews tell us that the word here used for anger signifieth anger carried out to the destruction of sin and that is a very gracious anger There are two things which exceedingly declare the holinesse of a mans spirit First when he can patiently beare loads of evills and wrongs in his owne cause or which have but a private respect Secondly When he is ready to take fire in the cause of God many dull and sluggish soules can heare God abused Hoc probes abnegationem tui mundi si injuriarum ferens sis peccatum autem ferre non possiis idque ita ut non ad vindicandum sed ad emendandum exstimulares and their spirits stirre no more then a stone Elihu was angry but it was in the cause of God or Because Job Justified himselfe rather then God When we are angry with sin we are angry as the Apostle adviseth us to be and sin not That 's anger without sin when we are angry with sin and are stirred up to oppose and suppresse the pride and insolency of mans spirit or speeches against God To be angry for our owne honour and interest or Gourd is an argument of undue love to selfe When God spared Nineveh the Prophet was exceeding angry Jon. 4.1 But his was sinfull anger because he was angry for his owne sake fearing to be called a false Prophet He set himselfe downe to see what would become of the City that he might have a personall glory and be cryed up for a Prophet indeed And when God had smitten his Gourd he was angry and angry unto the death ver 8. and all because he missed that which pleased himselfe Many can be angry when they themselves are discredited but when dishonour is cast upon God or his interest slighted how quiet and tame how cold and dull are their spirits The anger of this man was a noble anger as to the occasion and rise of it Jobs selfe-justification or Because he justified himselfe rather then God This is a high poynt and may justly provoke our anger Elihu was not angry with Job because he justified himselfe against his friends but because he justified himselfe rather then God Here a question will arise and it will ask some paines to determine it Was this true did Job justifie himselfe rather then God Was it possible Job should do so I shall give only a generall answer to this question Job did not justifie himself rather then God either explicitely or intentionally but by consequents he did And though it be granted that Job gave just occasion of this sharp reproofe by his rash and passionate speeches uttered in the heate of dispute and in the grief of his heart yet it cannot be denied that Elihu did somewhat strain Jobs words though not beyond their sence yet beyond his sence and gave them the hardest interpretation somewhat beside the rule of charity which they could beare nor did he observe that meeknesse and moderation which might well have become him to a man in that case O how hard is it not to offend or doe ill while we are doing well To cleare this a little further consider There is a twofold straining of words First beyond the sence of the words spoken Secondly beyond the sence of the speaker I doe not say Elihu in affirming this of Job strained his words beyond their sence but he strained them beyond Jobs sence Job spake words which might lay him under this censure that he justified himselfe rather then God But this was far from his intention For doubtlesse he had rather a thousand times his tongue should have been cut out of his mouth then to justifie himselfe with it rather then God or to speak a word to the disparagement of Gods Justice So then
somewhat a strange warning 2 Tim. 2.22 Flee youthfull lusts Timothy was young but was he noted for indulgence to any youthfull lusts what lusts doth he meane surely not drunkennesse nor uncleannesse nor any loose behaviour for though the most sober and temperate young men have in them the seed of all these yea of every lust yet Timothy at that time was a pattern a mirrour not only of sob iety but of holinesse and Paul was even forced to bid him take more liberty in the use of the creature then he used to allow himselfe Drink no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomack sake and for thy often infirmities Surely Timothy was a man that fled such youthfull lusts fast and far enough when he drank nothing but water and must be bid to drink a little wine 1 Tim 5.23 What lusts then were they which Timothy was exhorted to flee the words following ver 23 24 25. seeme to cleare it that because he was young he should take heed of rushing into unnecessary Questions and disputes which young men are apt to doe in the heat of their spirits nor are there any lusts of the lower or sensuall appetite to which the heart of man is more intemperately and vainely carried out then to those of the understanding and therefore the Apostle counsels Timothy to avoid unprofitable Questions knowing that these gender strife Those Questions cannot promote faith in or holinesse towards God which only stirre up and foment strife among men and the servants of the Lord must not strive but be gentle to all and patient These vertues and graces are opposed chiefely to the youthfull lusts which Paul exhorts Timothy to take heed of As if he had said Be not too hot-headed and hasty as young men are very apt to be in pursuing of controversies and entangling thy selfe in the thickets of Opinionists Elihu was of an excellent temper who because young was afraid and durst not shew his opinion Secondly Note It is good to feare and suspect our own judgements or to feare that we may erre they seldome doe or speak amisse who feare they may An over-confidence of being in the right hath setled many in a wrong way to be under a sence of our readinesse to fall preserves us from falling Hosea 13.1 When Ephraim spake trembling then he exalted himselfe There are severall sences given of that place but according to our translation the meaning is carried thus When Ephraim was in an humble frame and jealous of himselfe not confident nor over-bold as some are who presume to carry all before them when he spake trembling or did even tremble to speake then he did that which tended to his own advancement and exaltation This gracious trembling doth at once settle us the faster and rayse us the higher in the wayes and things of God It is a high poynt of wisdome to have low apprehensions of our selves though that be true Tanti eris aliis quanti tibi fueris You shall be esteemed of others as you esteem your selves If a man under-value himselfe others will yet 't is best erring on that hand Let the price be much too low rather then any thing too high when you are occasioned to put a value upon or rate your selves Againe Consider what an excellent speaker Elihu was when he came to it as will appeare hereafter yet see how he stood trembling he durst not speake nor offer his opinion Hence note Vsually they who have most ability to speak are most backward to speak or sparing of speech They are not easily brought to it who have it in them The belly of Elihu was as full with matter as an Egge with meate or a bottle with wine yet how slow was he in opening himselfe They who are and have least are most desirous if not ambitious to appeare most and would make up in seeming what they are not in being As Elihu in this verse hath shewed himselfe afraid to say any thing so he shewes us in the next who he hoped would have said all and altogether have saved him a labour Vers 7. I said dayes should speak and multitude of yeares should teach wisdome Or as the text may be rendred let dayes speak Loquantur dies sunt enim verba permittentis q.d. sinam loqui illos non praeripiam eis loquendi locum Pisc dayes shall not be hindred by me from speaking let dayes speak their fill But what meaneth he when he saith let dayes speak how can dayes speak 't is an elegancy in Rhetorick when that which belongs to a person is ascribed to a thing as here speech to time let dayes speak that is let those who number many dayes who have lived and seene many dayes let them speak they who have lived most dayes on earth are yet indeed as Bildad told Job Chap. 8.9 but of yesterday and so have lived as it were but a day yet according to common account some men are so very old that you may call them dayes and to them we may well say let Dayes speak Johannes de Temporibus We read of one who was called John of Times because he had lived if the Records spake true three hundred yeares and more An old man is a man of dayes and thus Elihu might say let dayes that is old men speak But Children can speak why then doth he say dayes should speak I answer There is a twofold speaking First naturall thus Children as soone as they are out of their swadling-bands learne to speak such speaking is but a naturall act Secondly There is a speaking which is an artificiall or studied act thus Orators and men of eloquence speake such speaking Elihu intended when he sayd dayes should speak He looked they should speake to purpose speak by rule even the quintessence of reason he presumed they would have brought forth somewhat worthy of their yeares and that he should have received such instruction from them as they had learned from old age it selfe I sayd dayes should speak Children can speak words but old men should speak things every word should have its weight their tongues should drop as the honey-combe and be a tree of life to feed and refresh many It is most truly said of the word of God in Scripture Every tittle of it hath a mountaine of sence a mighty weight of truth in it And surely the words of old men should be weighty and convincing They should speak truth with such evidence both of testimony and reason as may put to silence all those who speak against or besides either truth or reason As day unto day saith David Psal 19.2 uttereth speech that is every day speakes somewhat so men of dayes should speak much both for instruction and conviction I said dayes should speak Hence note That 's not to be esteemed as done at all which is not well done or not done to purpose An old man doth not speak unlesse he speaks wisely edifyingly and to
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
a man of understanding every man is not a man of understanding in naturall and civill things much lesse in things divine and spirituall As some men have so much will or rather wilfulnesse that they are nothing but will and some have so much passion that they are nothing but passion so others have such riches and treasures of understanding as if they were nothing but understanding Now it is the speciall inspiration of the Almighty which giveth such an understanding that is an enlarged and an enriched understanding We say the inspiration of the Almighty g veth understanding The Hebrew is but one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intellectificat eos Brent which we may expresse as some doe It Intellectifieth So then the scope and meaning of this verse is plainly this That howsoever every man the meanest of men hath a reasonable soule yet the furniture of the understanding or mans fulness of wisdome and knowledge is by gift or inspiration of the Almighty and therefore some read the verse thus Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty maketh them to understand Thus Elihu would gâ—ine credit and authority to what he had to deliver as being by the teachings and dictates of the Spirit of God Est spiritus in hominibus spiratio autem omnipotentis docet Sept The Seventy comply fully with this rendering There is a spirit in men but the inspiration of the Almighty teacheth As if Elihu had said Though man be endewed with naturall knowledge and reason which can doe somewhat yet untill light shines from above till the spirit of God comes in and enlargeth the naturall spirit it cannot see farre nor doe any great matter Or take the sence of the whole verse thus in connection with what went before Though old age hath odds of youth yet one man as well as another hath a spirit of reason and judgement in him whereby through supply of speciall inspiration from God who can doe all things he may be able to know that which want of yeares denieth him From the words thus opened Observe First Wisdome or understanding is the gift of the Spirit of God We have a like assertion by way of question in the 38th Chapter of this booke ver 36. Who hath put wisdome into the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart who hath hath man put wisdome into himselfe or hath he made his own heart to understand the Question denies no man hath not done it Wisdome is an Influence or an Inspiration from the Almighty knowledge to order common things is of the Lord Isa 28.26 29. His God doth instruct him the husbandman he meanes to discretion in ordering the ground and doth teach him how much more in spirituall things and the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven Prov. 16.1 The preparation of the heart in man and the Answer of the tongue that is The fitting of the heart for any right answer of the tongue is from the Lord both the generall preparation of the heart for service or use and the speciall preparation of it to this or that service use is of the Lord so is the Answer of the tongue for the discharge of it Eccles 2.26 God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdome and knowledge and joy As God giveth man the knowledge of things so wisdome to know how to order and manage the things that he knoweth Some have more knowledge then they know how to manage their knowledge masters them they are not masters of their knowledge they have more knowledge then wisdome Now God gives to him that is good in his sight that is to the man whom he chooseth and is pleased with knowledge and wisdome and then he gives him joy that is Comfort in the exercise of that knowledge wherewith he is endued this is a notable and a noble gift of God We read Isa 11.2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirâ—t of wisdome and understanding It is a prophesie of Christ who being made in all things like to man had a naturall spirit or a reasonable faculty and he had that furnished by the spirit without measure the spirit of the Lord rested upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of Counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord even Christ as man received an unction or inspiration from the Almighty for the fullfilling of his Mediatoriall office much more doe meere men for the fullfilling of any office they are called unto 2 Cor 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves so much as to thinke a good thought Our sufficiency is by the Inspiration of the Almighty James 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above It is not a vapour that riseth out of the earth but an Influence which distills and drops downe from heaven it is from above that is from God who though he be every where filling both heaven and earth with his essentiall presence yet according to Scripture language his most glorious and manifestative presence is above and therefore to say every good gift is from above is all one as to say it is from God Daniel and those other three Noble youths of the Jewish race exceeded all the wise men of Chaldea in rare abilities and the Scripture tells us whence it was that they did so Dan. 1.17 As for these foure Children God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdome and the assertion is layd downe in General Dan. 2.21 He that is God changeth times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings he giveth wisdome to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding All these Scriptures speak with one Consent the language of this Text It is the Inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding And if we compare 1 Sam 10.1 with the 6th 9th 11th and 12th verses of the same Chapter we have a most remarkable passage to this purpose Where Saul having received the unction from Samuel both as an assurance of and a preparation for the exercise of his kingly office over Israel Samuel tells him ver 6. The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophecy with them that is with the company of Prophets spoken of in the former verse and shalt be turned into another man And the holy text adds ver 9. God gave or as we put in the margin turned him another heart There is a twofold turning or changing of the heart or of a man into another man First by gifts of Illumination Secondly by the grace of Sanctification the great change of the heart is that change of Conversion by the grace of Sanctification Saul was not turned into another man nor had he another heart as changed by Grace for he shewed still his old heart in his new kingly state but he had another heart or he was another man as changed by gifts
that thought the Spirit in bonds or tyed to them Come say they Jer 18.18 let us devise devices against Jeremiah For the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor Counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet The Priests are of this opinion and Jeremiah is out of the way he is a false Prophet and therefore certainly we may proceed in our devices against him for we have the opinion of the Priests and Prophets with us Thus they spake as if the Spirit of God had been bound up to that order We ought to seeke wisdome at the Priests mouth yet they who rest upon their vvisdome may soone be deceived knowledge may perish from the Priests mouth and counsel from the ancient The great Cheate which the Pope hath put upon the world is That the Spirit of God is tyed to the pumells of his Chaire or that there he cannot erre But as particular men so whole Counsells of learned and aged men have erred True vvisdome is not the birth of time nor the peculiar of a party but the free gift of the Spirit of God who is most free both in what he giveth and to whom he giveth Therefore Secondly Let us not pin our faith or our Consciences upon men how great or how Ancient soever they are Let us give respect to the Ancient and the honourable not to doe it is not only uncivill but sinfull yet let us not give up our Consciences to them For great men are not alwayes wise neither doe the aged understand Judgement We must not reverence any mans person to the prejudice of the truth The opinions of great or ancient men are not to be received as Oracles without debate we have liberty to Consider of them and to Compare them with the rule We must prove all things and hold fast that only which is good Quae in philosophia dicuntur ea oportet existimatione ejus qui dicit detracta seorsum per se examinari Etenim canities dicentis gestus supercilist c. faciunt ad percallendum imperitum Auditorem Plutaret de Auditione A heathen gave that direction to those who heare philosophicall discourses You must take off all those considerations which concerne the person speaking and only mind what is spoken his Antiquity that he is an old man and his authority that he is a great man must not sway you His outward gesture tone and gravity his severe or demure lookes which much affect almost astonish unlearned auditors and make them ready to swallow any thing that is uttered must all be layd aside when the matter delivered and asserted comes to be examin'd and layd in the ballance Believe what is said because you judge it true doe not believe it true because such or such a man hath said it because an old man or a great man or a good man hath said it How strictly then and religiously is this to be observed in hearing the word of God and the doctrines of faith in that case be sure to lay aside all that concernes the speaker and weigh what he speakes alone and single in the Ballance of the Sanctuary Thirdly Then we ought not to despise what young men say because of their youth Tempora quippe virtutem non prima negant non ultima donant If old men be not alwayes wise then wisdome may be with the young sometimes an opinion is undervalued because it is the opinion of a young man and truths are not received because he that delivers them hath not seene many dayes As it is a sin to adore old age or to give up our faith and Conscience to it so it is a sin to slight youth in doing so we may slight the truth Paul saith to Timothy Let no man despise thy youth Which as it is a Caution to Timothy as hath been shewed to carry himselfe wisely and warily lest he should occasion others to slight or despise him so it is a Caution to the people that they should not despise him because of his youth That which is the true glory of gray hayess doth sometimes Crowne the youthfull head wisdome I meane and ripenesse of understanding Corpore Juvencula animo cana fuit Ambr de Agnete Ser 90. It was said of a godly woman Shee had a youthfull body but an aged mind Samuel was young in yeares but in grace elder then old Ely Jeremiah was young but how wise did the Inspiration of God make him Daniel was young yet wiser then all the Magicians and Astrologers Timothy and Titus were young yet honourable for p udence and piety and therefore seeing great men are not alwayes wise neither doe the aged understand Judgement as we should not accept what old men say because of their age so let us not slight what young men say because of their youth When God furnisheth young men with abilities and calleth them to his worke even old men must be willing at least not disdaine to heare them Christ must be heard in or by whom soeever he will speake God indeed doth usually serve himselfe by the aged yet he hath abundantly testified that truth is not bound up to old age Modesty should bridle young men from being over-forward to shew themselves but it must not shut or seale up their lips Old men must have the preheminence Elihu shewes us that order v. 7. I saith he said dayes shall speake and multitude of yeares shall teach wisdome We must first attend and give eare to our elders And when we are to chuse Officers or Governours to chuse ignorant Greene-heads before knowing Gray hayres were a perverting of all order Therefore men of yeares having grace and wisdome proportionable are to be preferred before the younger In that case it were a shame to advance young men with a neglect of the aged But when God gives more grace and understanding to young men then to ancients our approbation should follow his preparation and whom he qualifies best we should soonest chuse The order of Nature is good yet not alwayes fittest to be observed Right reason and the rule of the word of God must sway and cast our vote no the age and yeares of men When Samuel was sent to anoynt a King in the place of Saul among the sons of Jesse he looking on Eliab said Surely the Lords anoynted is before him 1 Sam 16.5 but the Lord said unto him v. 6 Looke not on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart Now as we are not to be taken with the beauty and stature of men so not with their gray haires and outward gravity Old men are not alwayes wise wisdome and a heart for God a good heart or a heart to doe good may dwell with a greene Head even with a greener then seven the eighth oâ— greenest of all so was Davids
hath convinced Job That is ye have not proved what ye have sayd Ye have called him an hypocrite and told him that he hath oppressed the poore and detained the right of the fatherless But ye have proved none of these evills against him Ye have not proved the matter of fact that he might sit downe penitentially confessing himselfe such an offender as ye have accused him to be Hence note We can never convince another by what we say untill we prove what we say If we reprove any man for an errour in his judgement and doe not prove it to be an errour or if we reprove a man for sin in practice and doe not prove his practice sinfull or that he hath practised that sin no conviction follows What is sayd and not proved comes to the eare only not to the conscience Therefore saith Christ John 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sin Find a spot in my life if you can I know you are ready to slander me with but you cannot convince me of evill It is sayd of Apollos Acts 18.28 He mightily convinced the Jewes How did he convince them not by reproving them only for not receiving the Messias he did not barely tell them ye are a company of unbelievers but he reproved them by proving the necessity of their receiving Christ the Messias and the evill of rejecting him shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ Here was proofe and so conviction followed He convinced them by authority by the testimony of the word comparing Scripture with Scripture the prophesie with the history of Christ The Apostle would have the Ministers of the Gospel mighty at this worke Tit 1.8 They must hold fast the faithfull word that they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Not only must they be able to rebuke gain-sayers this will not doe it they must also convince them or stop their mouths James 2.9 If any of you have respect to persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressours How doth the Law convince Not only by reproving but by proving It shews us a rule and saith there you have departed from it here is the line and there ye have transgressed or gone over it Thus ye are convinced that ye are transgressors He is both wise and faithfull he doth his worke like a workman that needeth not be ashamed who not only gives reproofe but proofe either of error in judgement or of evill in practise For the close of this poynt I may shew you three great convincers First The holy Spirit of God This office of the Spirit Christ sets forth John 16.7 I will send the Comforter and when he is come what shall he doe He will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of Judgement That is he will bring proofe home to the conscience to shew sinners their evill state and evill lives He will also bring home to their spirits the alsufficiency of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and so overcome their unbeliefe that they shall nor be able to refuse the offers of grace He will likewise shew them such reasons why they ought to be holy and walke in the wayes of righteousness that they shall neither have power nor will to gain-say The second great convincer is Conscience They who were so forward to accuse the woman taken in adultery John 8.9 were at last convicted by their owne Conscience and went out one by one Their conscience told them they were guilty if not for that sin yet of other sins as bad as that They were so far before from judging themselves for that they tooke no notice of their owne faults they were severe against the woman but they flattered themselves till Christ made their owne consciences their convincers And surely conscience will one time or other convince to purpose They who have refused or outstood conviction by the word yea and put by the motions of the Spirit shall at last find conscience convincing and speaking home to them The third great Convincer is Jesus Christ in person Of him in the performance of this office the Apostle speakes clearely Jude v 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints And what comes he to doe To execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Christ will make the greatest of ungodly ones in that great day to acknowledge that all their hard speeches which they have spoken against the Saints or godly men were spoken against him When prophane men are among their wicked companions they can jeare at the godly professors of the name of Christ even while they pretend to honour Christ But Christ will make them see that they scoâ—ned him while they scorned the least of those that feared him and believed on his name The great day will be a day not only of executing Judgement but of conviction every mouth shall be stopped and all the world of wicked men shall become guilty in their owne sight before God These are the three great Convincers The holy Spirit of God the Conscience of every man and Jesus Christ in the judgement of the great day And let those who now undertake that great worke of conviction often remember which was a little before mentioned and set downe the method to be used and observed in it First prove the matter and then reprove the man None were ever wrought to any good by bare reproofe much lesse by force Men are not to be driven into the faith by fire and sword by terrors and imprisonments conviction must doe it and that will doe it to purpose This is the first thing which Elâ—hu blamed and burdened Jobs friends with They reproved him but did not bring sufficient convincing proofe against him There was none of you that convinced Job Secondly He lays this to their charge that They had not answered his words As ye have not proved your owne allegations so ye have not refured nor infirmed his reasons But how could Elihu say They had not answered his words when to every word he spake we find their severall answers Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said The like is said of Zophar the Naamath te They had been answering all the while yet saith Elihu Behold there was none of you that answered his words I shall resolve this doubt by giving this note which was also given upon the 3d verse where see more Vnlesse we answer home to the matter and as we say hit the naile on the head we have given no answer We have not answered unlesse we give a satisfactory answer When the Respondent in Schooles acquits himselfe well The Moderator brings him off honorably saying Thy Answers suffice Jobs friends had been answering long and they made
many long answers but Elihu the Moderator was forced to tell them ye have not answered sufficiently Lastly Elihu having heard all their answers and finding that they did not reach a proofe against Job nor answer his reasonings and replyes he speaks himselfe Hence note When we have weighed all duely and find that others have not done the deed we must not dissemble our judgements nor flatter them in their faulty answers Elihu would not doe so and the reason why he would not is layd downe in the next words Vers 13. Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome God thrusteth him downe not man In the former verse Elihu shewed his owne disappoyntment while he waited upon others I attended unto you saith he to Jobs three friends and behold there was none of you that convinced Job or that answered his words Then followes Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome c. In which words Elihu proceeds with his Preface that he might the more fairely fall into discourse with Job for having told Jobs friends that he had waited in vaine for satisfaction from their answers or replyes they having not convinced him either by solid reason or by Authentick Authority and testimony that he was so bad as they judged him to be He adds this I affirme Lost ye should say we have found out wisdome That is lest ye should say it boastingly and cry victory against his afflicted man The word is often used in Scripture to signifie saying with boasting or speaking in pride of spirit The Baptist Math. 3.9 tells the Pharisees Thinke not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father his meaning is doe not speake of your pedegree boastingly nor proudly that ye are Abrahams children will doe you no good unlesse ye are good like your father Abraham and doe as he did So here Rem acu tetimuâ— ipsum cardinum in quo tota controversia vertitur de Jobo Drus Lest ye should proudly say we have found out wisdome we have found the mystery of the whole matter we have found out the key which unlocks this secret or as Mr Calvins translater wittily as well as truly expresseth We have found out the beane in the Cake we say Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome That is that which will surely prove us wise men and gaine us the reputation of wisdome among all wise and knowing men What their speciall resolve was which they counted widome followes in the close of the verse according to our reading God thrusteth him downe not man But before I deale with that conclusion I shall briefly note two things from those words Lest ye should say we have found out wisdome First Man is very apt to speake boastingly to have high thoughts and then to utter great words of himselfe Man is a proud piece of flesh and a small matter will make him shew his pride and spread his plumes like that naturally-painted bird if not explicitely in words yet his spirit will swell and be puft up with towring conceits of himselfe The Prophet Habakkuk describes this temper Chap. 2.4 He that is lifted up his spirit is not upright in him A proud spirit is alwayes a false spirit They who thinke highly of themselves thinke themselves higher then they are And 't is a great argument that man is naturally very proud because God hath given so many stops and checks to his pride or hath made so many provisions against it The very contrivance of the work of Redemption in that way by the hand of Jesus Christ had this great designe in it For as the chiefe designe in reference to man was his salvation that was the ultimate end as to man so there was another designe in it why God would save man that way which the Apostle layeth downe 1 Cor 1.29 That no flesh should glory in his sight While God intended to give man glory he took a course to cut off all glorying from man God would not set up man againe to worke is owne salvation lest he should be proud of his workes Though we are now called to work out our owne salvation Phil. 2.12 yet it is wholly wrought by another and we are there commanded to work out our owne salvation with feare and trembling not with presumption and boasting Againe How apt is man to boast of any good he doth seeing he is not ashamed to boast sometimes when he doth evill and of that which is evill even of the lusts and lustings of his evill heart Psal 10.3 The wicked boasteth of his hearts desire And what good is there in the desire of a wicked mans heart He as such can desire nothing but what is worse then nothing sin or vanity and yet he boasts of it Yea man is ready to boast not only of evill done but of his ability to doe evill They in the Prophet boasted that they were mighty to drinke wine and men of strength to mingle strong drinke Isa 5.22 How doe some please themselves that they are in power only because that gives them an advantage to oppresse whom they please or all those with whom they are displeased David saw that spirit ruling and raging in spirefull Doeg whom he therefore checks Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe in mischiefe O mighty man The Apostle found those Phil. 3.19 who gloried in their shame That is in sinfull practices even making their belly their God whereof they ought to be ashamed The Prophet spake of their like long before Isa 3.9 They declare their sin as Sodome they hide it not As if it had been their ornament and their honour their beauty and bravery to be wicked But especially if bad men doe that which is good they boast of it A carnal man may for the matter doe good yea he may have a zeale for God Jehu said Come see my zeale for the Lord 2 Kings 10.16 But Jehu desired more to have his zeale for the Lord seene then to be zealous for the Lord. And so his was indeed zeale for himselfe not for the Lord. The Pharisees did many good things but they could not foâ—beare boasting in the good they did They doe all saith Christ who knew not only what they did but with what heart to be seene of men or to have prayse with men Yea not only are evill men ready to boast of the good they doe but the temptation lies hard also upon godly men to doe so their hearts are often unduely transported as with the thoughts of their gifts parts and graces so with what they doe through the gift of grace Our very graces much more our outward priviledges may be an occasion of boasting Pride and boasting are weeds which grow up from the best and richest soyle 'T is rare to see any man rich in gifts and graces and poore in spirit poverty of spirit is the purest and truest riches of grace Secondly As to the particular here spoken of Lest ye should say we
prerogative but with a respect also to our spirituall which is the best profit and for our good Now among the good things which God aymeth at in afflicting any man this is nor the least the purging out of his evills And therefore when we cannot ascribe the chastisement of man to man but to God alone 't is a witness against him at least it drawes a suspition upon him of some great sinfulness lodged in him or sinfull wayes walked in by him Thirdly Observe It is no Concluding argument against any man that he is wicked because God afflicts him immediately or how much soever the hand of God appeares in an affliction 't is no concluding argument against the afflicted 'T is one principall scope intended by Elihu in this discourse to shew that there were other causes reasons of Gods afflicting Job or any man else besides him And that we should not make Conclusions that the greatest sufferers are the greatest sinners For first though indeed God threatneth to punish the wicked who wilfully transgresse his Law yet he afflicts many without respect to wickednesse Secondly though God threatens the wicked only or chiefely at least yet he reserves a liberty to try the innocent yea as Job saith in the 9th Chapter He laughs at the triall of the innocent And therefore the most innocent are most tryed I have had occasion more then once to shew why they are most or so much tryed First for the exercise of their faith Secondly for the improvement of their patience thirdly to humble them Fourthly sometimes to set them up for examples to others as the Apostle James speaks Chap. 5.10 Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience The Prophets have suffered affliction and God hath let them suffer that they might be patternes of suffering and 't is so in many other instances Fifthly God doth it to mortifie their corruptions Sixthly to prevent future transgressions he hedgeth up their way with thornes Seventhly to discover or gaine a testimony of their sincerity They serve Christ to purpose who can suffer while they serve and bleed under his crosse while they sweat under his yoke Surely then there is no concluding against any man that he is a son of Behal or hath cast off the yoke of Christ because Christ burdeneth him with his crosse Yet this was the great Maxime which Jobs friends insisted upon He must needs be a wicked man because the Lord had thrust him downe not man But when we see good men thrust downe by the hand of God there is a better use to be made of it then to judge them and that is to be watchfull over our selves lest we put a rod into the hand of God to chasten us or a sword into his hand to wound us For as Christ spake Luke 23.33 If it be thus done to the greene tree what shall be done to the dry If Christ suffered so much who was a greene flourishing fruit-bearing tree what may we who are dry and barren trees Or take the meere sons of men some of them comparatively to others are as greene trees flourishing in grace and holinesse who yet are under sore affliction and if this be done to a greene tree what shall be done to those who are but dry barren fruitless trees yea trees that bring forth evill fruit The Apostle 1 Pet. 4.17 gives a sutable caution If Judgement begin at the house of God he does not say at the Temple of Idolls But if it begin at the house of God what will the end be of those that obey not the Gospel Let others looke to it when they see God afflicting his people when they see God bringing such troubles into his owne house what troubles may they expect who are indeed but a den of theeves and whose houses are yea who themselves are as a Cage of uncleane birds Thus we see the great argument disproved which Jobs friends used to prove him wicked because God did thrust him downe not man And saith Elihu this is it you say and boast of as your wisdome but indeed you have not convinced Job no not by this What you have taken for a demonstration is but a fallacy And though I might wave mine owne trouble in shewing that it is so because I am not the man but ye are the men to whom Job hath shaped his whole discourse yet I cannot forbeare to doe it only I promise you I will not tread in your steps nor take up your method in doing it That 's the summe of the words which follow Vers 14. Now he hath not directed his words against me nei-neither will I answer him with your speeches In this verse Elihu speakes Negatively in two things First He tells us that Job had not spoken professedly nor directly to him Secondly he tells us how he would not deale with Job that is not as his friends before had done Now he hath not directed his words against me As if Elihu had said I confesse I have not been at all spoken to all this while unlesse in common with all the Auditory and therefore might well enough looke upon my selfe as unconcern'd in this matter The word here used to direct hath a great elegancy in it and may be an allusion First to an Archer who aymes at or directs his arrow to the marke Secondly to a Warrier especially a Commander in warre who sets his men in battel array against the enemy As if Elihu had said Job hath not aymed at me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 digessit disposint ordinavit verbum bellicum de acie ordinanda dicitur Merc nor hath he ordered or set his words in order to opprsse me Job hath not drawne up his forces nor set himselfe in array against me but against you And so perhaps that hate and bitterness of spirit which you have contracted by this long-continued debate with Job hath given you occasion prudently to withdraw and forbeare the entertainment of any further discourse with him Yea possibly ye are now fallen into a deep contempt of him as a man forsaken of God and therefore to be no more dealt with by man But there is not the like reason for me to forbeare speaking with him seeing as he hath not at all opposed me so I am not at all disturb'd in my owne thoughts about him nor is my spirit imbittered with any unidictive motions against him and shall therefore enter the lists of this disputation with a peaceable and quiet minde or rather I shall being a person every way unprejudic'd doe my best endeavour to moderate and compose this great difference between you Now he hath not directed his words against me c. Hence note First Our words should be well ordered They should be drawne up like a wel disciplin'd Army in ranke and file Confusion in words is as bad as confusion in things Some heape up words but they
write after your Coppy nor take up directions from what you have done for I see you have gone and done amisse Againe When Elihu saith I will not answer him with your speeches Note Secondly What we speake should be our owne sence not the sence of others unlesse their sence either of things or persons be the same with ours Some pin their opinion upon the sleeves of others and they will be just of the judgement of such a man what he saith they will say As some expect that every one should be of their Judgement and say as they say they are many Masters which the Apostle James forbids My Brethren be not many Masters doe not take upon you to give the rule to all others some are proud at this rate they thinke themselves able to give the rule to all men so not a few are so easie that presently they will take up any thing as a rule from any Master whereas we should not be so apt to follow but labour to have the Judgment or reason of things in our selves rather then to take it up upon trust When Luther was much troubled about the dealings of God in the world to see how matters went and was saying within himselfe Surely it were better things were carried thus and thus while Luther I say was thus troubled he thought he heard this word of reproofe from God O Martin Martin Martine Martine in valde sapis sed ego non sum deus sequax I see thou art very wise thou canst give rules even to God himselfe but I am not a God easie to be led by men I will not take thy Counsell though I see thou hast an honest heart in what thou counsellest I have a way of my owne and I will have my owne way though the world yea though good men and my owne faithfull servants are grieved and mourne at it Man would appoint to God himselfe but God will not model matters by mans wisdome nor in his way Thus in the present case I only allude it is not good for us when we heare what others say presently to receive it or take the impression from them and so answer in their words or vote their opinions though they are wise and good men Elihu takes the liberty to dissent as in his opinion so in his Method of proceeding with Job I will answer but it shall not be with your speeches I will take my owne course Thirdly Note The faylings and mistakes of others should be our warnings not to doe the like Elihu observed where they missed as to the matter in hand he observ'd also wherein they missed as to the manner of proceeding and he observed both well and wisely to avoyd the like inconveniences and thereupon professed I will not answer him with your speeches Fourthly Note We should answer to every poynt and person with reason and sweetnesse not with passion and bitternesse There is no convincing others with wrath The wrath of man saith the Apostle works not the righteousnesse of God James 1.20 That is wrath will never bring about nor effect those righteous things or ends which God would have us ayme at The wrath of man puts him quite out of the way of righteousnesse both out of the way of right speaking and of right acting To shew much reason and little passion is our wisdome So the Apostle gives the rule 2 Tim 2.26 The servant of the Lord must not strive he doth not meane it of bodily striving As if he had said he must not be a fighter As when the Apostle saith 1 Tim 3.3 A Minister must not be a striker It can hardly be thought he should intend only if at all that Ministers should not be like grossly boysterous men who are not so much as Civill in their behaviour surely such are farre enough off from a fitness to be received into the Ministry therefore some expound the Apostle to the poynt in hand he must be no striker with his tongue in passion anger and wrath no word-striker There is great striking yea wounding with words Though Ministers must strike and wound with the authority of God yet not with their owne animosities They must wound the consciences of sinners with the Word and Spirit of God but not with their own wrathfull spirits such strikers they may not be nor may the servant of the Lord strive thus but be gentle to all men apt to teach yea patient in teaching It is a great exercise of patience to teach with line upon line precept upon precept When we see little received or heeded yet to insist upon it this is patience In meeknesse instructing such as oppose themselves if God peradventure will give repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth As the Apostle James exhorts Chap. 1.21 to receive the word with meeknesse that 's a most necessary rule in hearing the word for many times the hearer is in a passion there is such a storme in his bowels that he cannot heare to purpose therefore if any would receive the ingraffed word they must receive it with meeknesse I say also the word should be given out or spoken in meekness though not with coldnesse I doe not say with coldnesse or with a slightness of spirit but with meeknesse And the truth is milde speaking or meeknesse of speech as to the spirit and conscience of the hearer is not only most comfortable but most prevailing Meeknesse should be shewed even where there is the greatest zeale and zeale then prevailes most when there is most meeknesse in it The Apostle Jude saith Of some have compassion making a difference others save with feare That is save them by preaching that which may make them afraid scare them out of their sins but yet still this is to be done in a spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 If any one be over-taken in a fault what then rayle on him rage against him and revile him no but saith the Apostle ye that are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Bones must be set to that the word which we translate restore alludes with a tender hand Those three things which are required in a good Chirurgion or Bone-setter are as necessary in a reprover or in him that would reduce another from the error of his way First He must have an Eagles eye to discerne where the fault or fayling is Secondly A Lyons heart to deale freely with the faulty how great soever they are Thirdly A Ladies hand to use them gently and tenderly All which will more fully appeare while Lastly From the example of Elihu we collect and learne that a good Moderator or composer of differences must avoyd five things First slightness of spirit and of speech It is not good to speake lightly of little things but it is a shame to speake lightly of great things Weighty matters must be handled weightily and we should put not a little finger but our
love to act other mens parts rather then their owne and to intrude into Provinces which are not theirs But whatsoever our hand findes to doe as Solomon speakes Eccl 9.10 that is whatsoever is as Elihu here calls it our part that we should doe with all our might More was given about using our talent and shewing our opinion at the 10th verse of this Chapter whether I referre the reader Fourthly Elihu was here but an auditor not a disputant not a party he came in only upon the by yet having received a word he utters it Hence note Every man should thinke himselfe Concern'd to speake for the truth when 't is wronged and doe his best to right it Or we should take all occasions and seasons of doing good by our words as well as by our workes As it is not good to out-â—un providence so to neglect or foreslow it is not good Lastly Observe What others fayle in we should labour to supply in the cause of God and for his truth It is a proverbiall speech among the Hebrewes Vbi non est vir tu vir esto Where there is not a man there be thou a man That is if we see any unable to carry on and goe thorow-stitch with the worke before them we should lend a hand to helpe and supply them thus saith Elihu I will answer for my part I also will shew mine opinion And it seemes by that which follows Elihu did so not only to answer his duty but to empty and ease his spirit For In the 18th 19th and 20th verses he gives us that further account of his interposition about this controversie Vers 18. For I am full of matter Yea I am under a mighty Constraint there is a kinde of force upon me The Spirit within me Constraineth me I am full of matter The Original is I am full of words yet of more then words as appeares in the following part of this Chapter therefore we translate I am full of matter that is I am full of such words as are materiall words of truth words of sobernesse I am full of such words as will carry with them a Conviction home to thy Conscience O Job silence all thy complaints Cum ait se plenum amicorum impiam notare videtur Pined Or as if Elihu had said to Job's friends Though ye have spent your store upon Job yet I have store and plenty by me to spend upon him Thus he reflects upon them as scanty and short in their undertaking your Lamps have spent their oyle you have emptied your vessels so have not I I am full of matter The Spirit within me Constraineth me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil anxit angustovit pressit The text is My spirit in my belly Constraineth me Master Broughton renders My bellye 's spirit doth press me The Seventy render The spirit of my belly destroyeth me A Greek translater saith My spirit within me sets me on fire or I am all in a flame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comburit Sym. The word which we render Constraine signifies to press very sore Judges 14.17 And it came to passe the seventh day that he told her because she lay sore upon him or constrained him It may be questioned whose spirit or what spiâ—it it was that Constrained Elihu Some Expound it of the Spirit of God he dictates both words and matter to me Master Calvin seemes to Comply with this Exposition God hath printed such a marke in the doctrine of Elihu that the heavenly Spirit is apparent in his mouth God saith Elihu hath put his Seale to what I have to say therefore doe not receive it as the word of a mortall man the Spirit of God Constraines me Paul useth a word in the Greeke of like significancy 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ Constraineth me it presseth and overbeareth me I am not able to get out of the power of it Againe Others understand it of his owne spirit yet acted by the Spirit of God Prov 29.11 A foole uttereth all his spirit we translate all his minde the spirit pressing Elihu was his mind carried strongly or resolvedly bent upon this business The strong inclination or disposition of a mans mind to any thing good or bad is in Scripture language called his Spirit The Spirit within me The Hebrew is The spirit of my belly Which forme of speech notes only that which is most internall Spiritus ventris est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alacritas urgens existimulans ad loquendum Coc or lyeth closest within us Solomon saith of the words of wisdome Prov 22.18 It is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee The Original is in thy belly John 7.38 Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water That is out of his inward man there shall be a spirit in his spirit for this Christ spake of the Spirit which should be given and the same word is used of the wicked man Job 15.35 His belly that is his mind or understanding prepareth deceit And Solomon Cant 7.2 speaking of the Church saith Her belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lillies That is she is big with holy thoughts and conceptions as a woman great with child ready to be delivered A gracious heart is continually meditating and conceiving holy things which it brings forth and is as it were delivered of upon any good occasion The spirit within me Constraineth me What Elihu had thus spoken in plaine termes by way of assertion in this verse he illustrates by way of similitude or allusion in the next Vers 19. Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vinum novum vel mustum cui non est ademptum obthuraculum ut exhalet Iun it is ready to burst like new bottles Elihu prosecutes the same thing in another way and to shew how troublesome it was to refraine speaking any longer his thoughts being not only too many but too working to be enclosed in so narrow a roome as his owne breast he compares them to wine or to new wine which will either find or make its way out The whole similitude is exceeding elegant First he compares his thoughts or the matter he had in his mind to wine Secondly he compares his soule or spirit to bottles his inward man was the vessell that held this wine Thirdly he compares his long silence to the stople or Corke of the bottle Fourthly he compares that trouble and griefe of mind which this forbearance to speake brought upon him to the working which is in a bottle so stopt or having no vent Fifthly he compares his intended speaking to the opening of the bottle which gives it vent Behold my belly is as wine that is the thoughts of my belly are as wine The Chaldee Paraphrase saith as new wine which is full of spirits and being stopt is ready to breake the bottle which shews the mighty force which
Elihu's thoughts had upon him they would out there was no stopping of them Christ saith Math 9.17 No man putteth new wine into old bottles but men put new wine into new bottles why because they are stronger and so more fit to preserve the wine My belly is as wine It is ready to burst like new bottles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro utre non alibi reperitur saepe pro pythone quod qui hoc ariolaÌ„di genere uterentur velut ex utribus vocem emitterent Vnâ—e a Grecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicuntur Merc The word which we render bottles is never used in Scripture elsewhere in this sence but it is often used to signifie Wizards or such as have familiar Spirits Isa 8.19 Isa 29.4 because they who used those hellish arts by compact with the Devill did speak out of their belly so as it were out of a bottle Now saith Elihu My belly is as new wine that hath no vent and it is ready to burst like new bottles even new bottles will break unlesse the new wine have some vent And because though new bottles be stronger then old to keepe in wine yet the wine may be so strong as to breake them therefore Elihu here-by shewes that his desire or necessity of speaking was so urgent upon him that though he should strengthen himselfe yea strive with himselfe as much as he could to refraine from speaking yet speake he must I am full of matter c. Observe First A man should not speak especially in weighty matters till himselfe be well stored with matter Secondly Observe When some vessells are drawne quite dry and instruments spent and worne to the stumps when they can neither doe nor say any more then God fills up and furnisheth others for his purpose There was not a drop more to be squeez'd out of Jobs friends but Elihu was a full bottle Mal 2.15 there is a residue of the Spirit God hath more Spirit or spirituall abilities to dispose of and bestow then he hath yet disposed of to or bestowed upon any one or all the sons of men Thirdly Note God can furnish Instruments with proper gifts for the worke which he Calls them to Here was a man Cut out on purpose for this worke he was Clothed with a spirit of prudence and courage as well as with a spirit of discerning We have a wonderfull Example of this in Luther who came forth against all the powers of the papacy What a spirit had he his was a spirit of might his spirit Constrained him his belly was like a bottle full of new wine there was no stopping of it Others would have been daunted and cowed downe with the tenth of that opposition which he met with but he was bold as a Lyon who turneth not aside Againe Why did Elihu come forth why did his spirit constraine him what made his belly like wine Some charge him with pride and arrogancy of spirit as if he did it out of vaine ostentation to shew his parts and gifts to set himselfe above those other Worthyes who had dealt and discoursed with Job before But we have reason enough considering what he spake and what the issue of his speaking was to determine that he was moved with a zeale for God and to doe good to Job not with a spirit of pride to shew his learning wit or wisdome among men and therefore we finde that when the whole matter was brought to an issue and God himselfe came to deale with Job and his three friends God commends Job and reproves his three friends but there is no reproofe upon Elihu Now for as much as God himselfe doth not charge him what hath man to doe to charge him Not only charity but reason and judgement command us to thinke his designe honest and his aymes sincere while he professeth under so vehement an impulse or impression upon his spirit to engage and speake in this matter Hence note Thirdly To see truth ill handled should fill our spirits with much zeal for God That was it which drew Elihu to this engagement he saw those men though good men had put a disguise upon the things and dealings of God and if men disguise the truth and maintaine error if they deface the doctrines of faith and pure worship with their owne phansies and false glosses it should kindle a holy fire and fervour of spirit in us to assert and vindicate the truth Our spirit within us in all such cases should Constraine us Fifthly In that Elihu was so Constrained and pressed in spirit as wine which hath no vent or as a woman with Child ready to travell Note It is a paine not to speake when we have much to utter and much minde to utter it When Elâ—hu was full he had a Constraint upon him to vent his opinion David saith Psal 39.1 2 3. I held my peace even from good words he did not only forbeare idle and evill discourse but refrain'd from good but it was a trouble to him not to speak especially not to speak good words therefore he adds My heart waxed hot within me Jeremy found it no easie worke to keepe in words yea he describes himselfe as much pained by not delivering his minde as a woman is when not delivered in child-birth Jer 20.9 Then said I I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name but his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay There was wine new wine in his belly yea there was a fire within him as we may be weary with speaking so with not speaking or forbearing to speake Jer 4.19 My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart my heart maketh a noise in me I cannot hold my peace Read him in the like trouble upon the same occasion Jer 6.11 Eliphaz Chap 4.2 was thus pressed Who can withhold himselfe from speaking 'T is a great paine to be mind-bound or not to deliver our mind when our mindes are full and we full of desire to deliver it Sixthly When he saith I am Constrain'd I am like a bottle ready to burst It teacheth us The Spirit of God doth so over-power some men that they cannot containe The Pharisees and high Priests thought to stop up the Apostles those bottles full of the new wine of the mysteries of Christ and therefore gave them Counsell yea a command to speake no more in his name At the 10th verse they said of some in a common sence These men are full of new wine that is they are drunken but the truth was they were full of the Spirit full of Gospel-truths and like bottles full of new wine they could not hold And when the Pharisees and high Priests would have stopt up those bottles and charged them that they should speak no more in the name of Jesus they answered Whether it be meet to obey God or man judge ye for
former Chapter in prefacing to Jobs friends directs his speech now to Job himselfe yet not without a renewed Preface as will appeare in opening this Chapter Wherein we may take notice of foure heads of his discourse First We have his Preface in the seven former verses of the Chapter Secondly A proposition of the matter to be debated or of the things that Elihu had observed in Job's speech about this Controversie from the 7th verse to the 12th Thirdly We have his confutation of what Job had affirmed from the 12th verse to the 31th Lastly We have his conclusion exciting Job to make answer to what he had spoken else to heare him speaking further in the three last verses of the Chapter Elihu in his Preface moves Job about two things First to attend what he was about to say Secondly To make reply to and answer what he should say Elihu moves Job to the former duty severall wayes First By a mild Entreaty and sweet Insinuation in the first verse Wherefore Job I pray thee heare my speeches and hearken to my words As if he had sayd I doe not come authoritatively and rigorously upon thee to command or demand thy attention but as a faithfull friend I desire thee to attend unto my speech and hearken to my voice Secondly He moves him to heare by professing his own readinesse and preparednesse to speak in the 2d verse Behold now I have opened my mouth my tongue hath spoken in my mouth that is I have been as it were tuning my instrument and fitting my selfe for discourse let me not loose my labour nor my study Thirdly He moves him to attend from the sincerity and gracious Ingenuity of his heart in that which he had to say to him This he layeth before him in the 3d verse My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart and my lips shall utter knowledge clearely What better Encouragement to heare And Fourthly Elihu moves him to heare from the Consideration of his present state as a man not only made by God but by him instructed for the work which he had undertaken the former of which is Exprest the latter Implyed in the 4th verse The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Thus Elihu Calls out Job to heare And Secondly As he invites him to heare what he had to say so he provokes him to answer what he should say vers 5. If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up As if he had said Be not discouraged take heart man doe thy best to defend thy selfe and make good thy owne cause against what I shall say Spare me not Doe thy best thy utmost Having thus encouraged him in General to answer he proceeds to give him two speciall Motives First From their Common state or Condition in the 6th verse Behold I am according to thy wish in Gods stead I also am formed out of the clay As if he had sayd You have often desired to plead with God or that God would heare your plea now consider I am in Gods stead though a man like your selfe Secondly He encourageth him from the tendernesse of his spirit toward him respecting his present Condition promising to deal with or treate him fairely gently in the 7th verse Behold my terror shall not make thee afraid neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee That favour Job hâ—d asked of God in the 9th Chapterâ— Let not thy terror make me afraid Now saith Elihu thaâ— which thou didst fear from God thou needest not at all feare in dealing with me My terror shall not make thee afraid c. Thus Elihu begins with Job that he might lead him to receive fairely or answer fully what he had to say The three first verses of the Chapter Containe the first part of the Preface wherein Elihu excites and calls forth Jobs attention by those foure Considerations already distinctly proposed the first whereof is layd downe Vers 1. Wherefore Job I pray thee heare my speeches and heerken to all my words Elihu begins very mildly sweetly insinuatingly even entreatingly and beseechingly Wherefore I pray thee The word which we translate I pray thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adhortartis vel excitantis tum etiam obsecranâ—â— is in the Hebrew language a monasyllable adverb of obsecration or exhortation I pray thee Hence note 'T is good to use gentlenesse towards those with whom we have to deale especially with those who are either outwardly afflicted or troubled in spirit Entreaties have great power and therefore though the Prophets and Apostles speake sometimes in a threatning way and command attention upon utmost peril yet for the most part they bespeake it with Entreaties 2 Cor 5.20 Now then we as Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God The Apostles went about a begging as it were with this message with the best message that ever was carried forth to the world Reconciliation unto God we pray you And againe 2 Cor 6.1 We then as workers together with him beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vaine that is the doctrine of the Gospel holding forth the grace and favour of God freely in Jesus Christ 1 Thes 4.1 Furthermore we beseech you brethren that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walke and to please God so ye would abound more and more As he did beseech them not to receive the grace of God in vaine so he did beseech them to a progress in an Improvement of that grace Again 1 Thes 2.7 We were gentle among you even as a Nurse cherisheth her Children how tender is a nurse to the infant hanging at her breast or dandled on her knee Speak ye Comfortably to Jerusalem was the Lords direction when she was in her warfare that is in a troubled and afflicted condition Isa 40.2 The Hebrew is Speak to her heart speak such words as may revive her heart and adde fresh spirits and life to her The Apostles rule for the restoring of those that are fallen is that they should be kindly treated Gal 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye that are spirituall restore such an one with the spirit of meeknesse It is a great poynt of holy skill so to order a reproofe as not to provoke so to speak as to speak open or pick the lock of the heart Affectionate Entreaties are blessed pick-locks which doe not straine the wards but effectually lift up the holders and shoote the bolt of the heart causing it to stand wide open to receive and take in the truth of promises counsels and reproofes Meeke words meeken the spirit 'T is hard to refuse what we perceive spoken in love and if any thing will soften a hard heart soft language is most likely to doe it When Abigail came out and met David upon his way hot
upon revenge yea having upon the matter sworn revenge against Nabal and his house yet her Entreaties and mild words overcame that mighty warriour at least took off the edge of his spirit and of all his party 1 Sam 25.33 Nor did he only accept of or submit to her counsel but gave thanks both to God and her for it Blessed be the Lord and blessed be thy advice which hast kept me this day from shedding-blood Gentle words like gentle raine soake deep and make the soule like a fruitfull tree bud and blossome For as passion in the speaker begets passion in the hearer and heate brings forth heate so kinde and kindly words are not only most usefull but most powerfull There is a rebuking and that Cuttingly or a speaking of cutting words usefull in some cases then especially when sinners have not only done evill but are setled and resolved in it But in case of affliction specially of inward affliction or trouble of spirit soft words are best and doe best Heare I pray thee saith Elihu And hearken to all my words Here 's hearing and hearkening to hearken is more then to heare to heare is barely to receive the sound of words but to hearken is to take up the sense of them or as it were to suck out the strength and sweetnesse of them to hearken is to weigh or ponder every tittle spoken and take the value of it The word in the text which signifies to hearken hath a singular elegancy in it One of the Rabbins renders Eare my words heare my words and Eare them The same word which in the verbe signifies to hearken which is the worke of the eare signifies also the eare or instrument of that worke in the noune To eare words notes the most diligent attention as to eye a thing notes the most accurate inspection The word signifies also the beam of a ballance because by the eare or by the two ears as by a ballance words are tryed and poysed whether they are weighty and solid or light and chaffy when Elihu saith hearken to or weigh my words he intimates that he meant to speak words which had worth in them or that he meant to speak matter more then words And therefore he would not have a word lost Hearken saith he To all my words To all not to this or that only but to all As if he had sayd I intend not and I hope I shall not speak one needlesse or unusefull words not a word beside the businesse Therefore hearken to all my words Hence note First They who speak to instruction admonition or exhortation should not use one word more then is usefull not a word more then is to the purpose Seeing every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account for it in the day of Judgement Math 12.36 How should every man take heed of speaking an idle word a word of which he can give no good account for any good it is likely to doe Idle words will make sad worke one day and words of no value or account will turne to a heavy account in the great day That 's an idle word which doth neither worke the heart for good nor strengthen the hand to or in a good worke And if we should be carefull not to speake one idle word or not one word unworthy to be heard how should we avoyd evill words or words which corrupt the hearers Secondly As the words referre to that duty which Elihu minds Job of and moved him to Hearkning to all his words Note They who heare especially about holy things and soule-matters should heare all One word should not be lost when every word is precious We gather up the filings and least dusts of Gold The eare should gather all that truth which the mouth scatters and the heart should lay it up as treasure We may charge many sorts of men with deficiency at eare-worke And surely if men will not heare all that they ought to believe and doe they can neither doe nor believe any thing that they heare First Some will not heare the word at all they are like the deafe Adder stopping their eares at the voyce of the charmer charme he never so wisely to them Secondly Others thinke that there 's not a word more to be heard but what they have heard already who can speak what they know not Thirdly There are few who hearken to any word that is spoken that is who make it their businesse to heare who heare with diligence and labour at it As it is a great labour to speak so I assure you it is no small nor easie labour to heare if you heare indeed and as you should To heare the word is the exercise of the whole soule Among many hearers there are but few hearkeners such I meane as weigh and consider what they heare Fourthly There are very few who heare and hearken to all the words of righteousnesse and salvation As some though they heare all yet hearken to halves so others will heare but halfe or only so much as pleaseth them of what is spoken When the King of Judah Jer 36.23 had the Role brought to him which Baruch had written from the mouth of Jeremiah he heard three or foure leaves of it read to him as he sate by the fire and then he caused it to be cut with a penknife and cast into the fire He did not read it out he had enough of it he had as we say his belly full but his heart was altogether empty he was very angry and vext at the word but not at all humbled nor affected with it and therefore would not heare all those words Againe To hearken is to obey to submit and yield up our selves to the truth we heare Samuel tells Saul 1 Sam 15.22 To obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams to obey and to hearken is the same thing the obedient eare is the hearkening eare Mine eare hast thou opened saith Christ Psal 40.6 This opening or digging of his eare as we put in the Margin signified his readinesse to obey as 't is expressed v. 7 8. Then sayd I loe I come I delight to doe thy will O my God And in reference to this he had sayd before v 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required that is for themselves or comparatively to that which in the volume of thy booke is written of me that I should doe Which clearely expounds and is almost the same in termes with that of Samuel To obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams Thus Elihu presseth Job to hearken to all his words obedientially or to hearken with a purpose to obey Take a few Considerations why we should both heare and hearken to that is obey the whole mind of God all those words which have the stamp of divine authority upon them First All the words of God are alike
the chaffe of unwritten traditions nor with the mixtures of humane iâ—â—entions They should be taught cleare knowledge as Elihu here speaketh This mercy was also prophecied Zeph 3.9 Then will I turne to the people a pure language or a Clean lip it is this word that is what they speak shall be pure truth Their language shall be not only Grammatically pure proper and genuine but Theologically pure without any tincture of error in it Secondly As the word is taken according to our translation Adverbially Note We ought to speake truth clearly Some speake cleare truths who yet doe not speak them clearly They speak great truths yet obscure them in their own way of expressions they who wrap up sound doctrine in hard uncouth words or deliver it in an unnecessary multitude of words doe rather puzzle and confound their Auditors then enforme or instruct them And they who speak not knowledge clearly are like those who mud the waters or raise a dust in the ayre which will not let others see distinctly what they hold or put in either Speaking in darke words and strange notions is like speaking in a strange language They only speak profitably who speak clearly We commonly say Truth seekes no corners truth would not be hid What are obscure and ambiguous words words of a doubtfull construction and interpretation but corners wherein many hide truth while they pretend to speak and publish it Such speakers as wel as they who speak in an unknowne language are Barbarians to their hearers And therefore as the Apostle in reference to an unknowne tongue so should we say in reference to any covert or obscure way of speaking in our owne mother tongue We had rather speak five words that others may be edified then ten thousand words in hard and strange expressions Though we speak in a knowne language yet doubtfull words hinder edifying as much as an unknowne language doth yea such are as a forreiner to their hearers while they speak in their owne Country tongue 'T is a speciall gift of God to speak knowledge clearly The Apostle hath left that excellent advice with all who are called to speak the great things of eternall life 1 Pet. 4.11 If any man speak that is if he speak about the things of God divine things let him speak as the Oracles of God What are they The oracles of God are the knowne word of God But how are those oracles to be knowne Surely as God spake them plainly and clearly The oracles of God were spoken without ambiguity therefore let no man speake them as the oracles of the devil were spoken or as the devill spake his oracles that is ambiguously and doubtfully The devill of old gave out all his answers and oracles doubtfully and darkly to his darke and blinded votaries what he sayd might beare severall Constructions And he spake so on purpose that whatsoever the event or issue proved to be he though the father of lyes might have the reputation of speaking truth Croesus Halym penetrans magnam perverâ—et opum vin The Devils oracle gave Croesus such an answer as he might Interpret either of a great successe or of a great overthrow when he asked counsel about his warres And when Saul came to Enquire of the Witch of Endor that is of the Devill 1 Sam 28.11 he gave him a doubtfull resolve To morrow shalt thou and thy Sons be with me v. 19. Which ambiguous answer might be understood as of the next day following so indefinitely of any day neere approaching Satan loves not to speake knowledge clearely But the servants and messengers of Christ must use great plainness of speech while they are treating of and giving out the mind of God to his people and be carefull that as the doctrine is sound which they deliver so there may be a clearness in their delivering of it Their lips as Elihu engaged his should ought to utter knowledge clarely JOB Chap. 33. Vers 4 5 6 7. The Spirit of God hath formed me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up Behold I am according to thy wish in Gods stead I also am formed out of the clay Behold my terror shall not make thee afraid neither shall my hand be heavie upon thee IN these foure verses Elihu still prosecutes a discreete praefatory insinuation both of himselfe and of his intended discourse into the heart of Job that both might find wellcome and good entertainment there Elihu had assured him at the third verse that he would speak in the uprightness of his heart or that he would deale candidly and clearly with him That was a strong argument to gaine attention And in this fourth verse he argueth with and urgeth Job to give him attention because he was a man of Gods making as Job also was The same hand wrought them both and therefore why should there be a strangenesse between them or an unwillingness to give or receive counsel and helpe from one another Vers 4. The spirit of God hath formed me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life I shall open these words two wayes First As a direct proposition or assertion Secondly In their connection and dependance as they are here used for an argument of perswasion First Consider the Text as an assertion The spirit of God hath made me c. The word doth not signifie barely to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciendi verbum artificiosam elaboratam agendi rationem affert Pined or to clap up a worke any how but to make with art to make skilfully to compose and fashion a thing with exactest grace comeliness and beauty Thus are we made by the Spirit of God Man is an excellent piece of worke yea man is the Master-piece of all the visible workes of God The Spirit of God hath made me There are two things here to be enquired First what we are to understand by the Spirit of God to whom Elihu attributes his making Secondly Why doth Elihu attribute his making to the Spirit of God To the former question I answer First negatively that by the Spirit of God we are not to understand a power or vertue put forth by God in which sence we sometimes read the Spirit of God in Scripture But by the Spirit of God here we are to understand God the Spirit In which sence we read Gen 1.2 The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters As also Math 3.16 He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him that is upon Jesus Christ baptized by John in Jordan The second question is Why doth Elihu attribute his making to the Spirit of God Regeneration or our new-making is properly the work of the Spirit but is Creation or our naturall constitution his work also Saith not Moses Gen 2.7 The Lord God formed man out of the dust of the earth Jehovah Elohim formed man
And if we look into the first of John ver 2 3. we read thus In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made There our maker for the making of all things is attributed to him is the Son the second person in the holy Trinity or the Word who as it followeth in that Chapter was made flesh Why then doth Elihu here ascribe his making to the Spirit And how are these Scriptures reconciled I answer By that received Maxime in Divinity The workes of the holy Trinity towards the creature are undevided So that while this Scripture ascribes the making of man to the Spirit or Third person in the Trinity it doth not at all crosse those which ascribe it to the first or second the Father or the Son The Spirit of God hath made me Hence note First Man as to his bodily making or the making of his body is the workmanship of God As we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good or holy workes Eph 2.10 so we are his workmanship created to common and naturall workes We have heard of that divine consultation or resolution rather Gen 1.26 Let us make man The Father made man and the Son made man and the holy Spirit made man The Father by the Son through the holy Spirit made man What a glorious what a mighty power is put forth for the production of such a poore creature as man is And this is true not only of the first man in his creation but of every man since the creation there is a concurrence of a divine power and workmanship in the setting up of man as man Psal 100.3 It is he that made us and not we our selves God doth not only make us holy men but he makes us men Hence David Psal 13 9-14 I am fearefully and wonderfully made He speaks there of the frame of his body though that be much more true in reference to the admirable frame of the new creature which is set up in the soule so indeed we are fearefully and wonderfully made Isa 27.11 This is a people of no understanding But did God ever make a people without naturall understanding Surely no but they were a people without spirituall understanding they did not understand what the mind and meaning of God was and what their owne duty was Such are a people of no understanding how wise soever they are in their owne eyes or in the eyes of the world what followeth Therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour That is God who made and formed them both in their naturall capacity as men as also in their civill and spirituall capacity as a Church and Nation or as a Nationall Church understanding it of the Jewes will not have mercy on them will not favour them We read the same Church at once looking to God as their maker and most earnestly moving and imploring his pity upon the same account Isa 64.8 9. But now O Lord thou art our father we are the clay and thou our potter and we all are the work of thy hand As if they had sayd Thou O Lord hast moulded us as thy creatures and fashioned us as thy Church when we were but a rude masse or heape without forme or comeliness therefore doe not marre thy owne worke doe not breake the vessels of thine owne making or as it followeth in the same Chapter Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever behold we beseech thee we are all thy people Hence consider First That we owe not only our well-being but our very being unto God And therefore Secondly No man ought to looke upon himselfe as his owne So the Apostle argues 1 Cor 6.19 Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your owne No man is his owne he is Gods who hath made him Saints and believers especially are not their own in that repsect as also because their bodies are the temple of the holy Ghost that is the holy Ghost hath sanctified them for himselfe for his peculiar service and for his habitation Now as the bodyes of Saints are the temple of the holy Ghost because he doth sanctifie them so they are the temple of the holy Ghost because he hath reared them up and built them That consideration should urge us to duty our bodies are temples built as well as temples sanctified by the holy Ghost And therefore we are not our owne at all nor in any respect and if we are not our owne at all but the Lords then we ought to be alwayes for the Lord. Hence Thirdly Hath the Spirit of God made us as Elihu saith then let the Spirit use us how sad is it that when the Spirit of God hath made our bodies and soules we should let the wicked spirit use either as he doth both the bodies and soules of carnall men to his base services The evill spirit did neither make your bodies nor your soules why should he have the command of either Therefore as your members have been weapons of unrighteousnesse to sin so let them be instruments of righteousnesse unto God Seeing the holy Spirit hath made us let not the evill spirit use so much as a little finger of us for he hath not made not only so much as a little finger of our hand but so much as the least haire of our heads as Christ saith we our selves cannot Math 5.36 white or blacke And therefore let not the evill spirit make use of one haire of our heads white or black as a flagge of pride and vanity or to be an occasion of sin to others He that maketh the house ought to have the possession and service of it either to dwell in it himselfe or to receive rent and profit from him that dwells in it The spirit having made us should not only have the rent and revenue but the full possession of us for ever That which is of God should be for God for him alwayes and only for him Secondly In that the making of man is attributed to the Spirit Observe The Spirit of God is God The holy Ghost is not only a power of God or a word gone out from God but the holy Ghost is God This is cleare from the efficiency of the holy Spirit The Spirit of God hath made me The work of creation is attributable to none but God That power which at first set up man in his creation continueth him to this day this power and great prerogative is given to the Spirit therefore the Spirit is God Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord his substantiall Word or Son were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath or
men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men As if he had said Though you sin against the Father and the Son it shall be forgiven you but if you sin against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven either in this world or in the world to come that is it shall never be forgiven Seeing then there is more in sinning against the holy Ghost then against the Father or the Son who are God the holy Ghost must needs be God For though there is no degree or graduall difference in the deity each person being coeternall coequall and consubstantiall yet the Scripture attributes more in that case as to the poynt of sinning against the holy Ghost then to sinning against the Father or the Son therefore certainly the holy Ghost is God Lastly The holy Ghost is the object of divine worship are not we baptized in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Is the Father and the Son God and the holy Ghost not God who is joyned with them in the same honour Shall a creature come in competition with God And doth not the Scripture or word of God direct us to pray for grace from the Spirit as well as from the Father or the Son 2 Cor 13.13 Rev 1.4 Thus we see how full the Scripture is in giving the glory of the same workes upon us and of the same worship from us to the Spirit as to the Father and the Son And therefore from all these premises we may conclude That the Holy-Ghost with the Father and the Son is God blessed and to be glorified for evermore The Spirit of God hath made me And the breath of the Almighty hath given me life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus ex ore egregiens halitus flatus anima proprie significat halitem pâ—r metonymiam effecti animam per synechdoâ—hen membri animal Pisc in Deut 10.16 The words carry an allusion as Interpreters generally agree to that of Moses describing the creation of man Gen 2.7 And the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrills the breath of life and man became a living soule Elihu speakes neere in the same forme fully to the same effect The breath of the Almighty hath given me life or enlivened me As if he had sayd That soule which the Lord hath breathed into me hath made me live The soule of man may be called the breath of the Almighty because the Almighty is expressed infusing it into man at first by breathing And therefore the word Neshamah which properly signifies the breath doth also by a Metonymie of the effect signifie the soule it selfe which causeth breathing Thus our translaters render it Isa 57.16 I saith the Lord will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before me and the soules which I have made As the soule of man was breathed in by God so the soule is that by which man breathes Breath and soule come and goe together Some comparing the originall word Shamaijm for the heavens with this word Neshamah which here we translate breath take notice of their neere affinity intimating that the soule of man is of a heavenly pedegree or comes from heaven yea the latine word mens signifying the mind is of the same consonant letters with the Hebrew Neshamah and as some conceive is derived from it So then I take these words The breath of the Almighty as a description of that part of man which is opposed to his body The Spirit of God hath made me that is hath set me up as a man in humane shape And the breath of the Almighty hath given me life that is this soule which the Almighty hath breathed into me hath made me a living man ready for any humane act or as Moses speakes God breathing into my nostrills the breath of life I became a living soule Hence observe First The soule of man floweth immediately from God 'T is the breath of God not that God liveth by breathing the way of his life is infinitely above our apprehension But 't is cleare in Scripture That the Almighty breathed into man the powers of life And therefore he is called by way of Eminence The father of spirits Heb 12.9 For though the Almighty is rightly entituled the Father of the whole man though both body and soule are the worke of God yet he is in a further sence the father of our spirits or soules then of our bodyes And here Solomon shewing how man is disposed of when these two are separated by death saith Eccl 12.7 Then shall the dust that is the body returne to the earth as it was and the spirit that is the soule shall returne to God who gave it The body is the gift of God but the body is not the breath of God it is not such an immediate gift of God as the soule is when the body of man was made at first God tooke the dust of the earth and formed his body out of it but when he gave him a soule he breathed that from himselfe it was an immediate effect of Gods power not dealing with nor working upon any prae-existing matter The spirit or soule of man is purely of God solely of God And hence we may inferre First Then the soule is not a vapour arising from the crasis or temperament of the body as the life of a beast is Secondly Then the soule of man is not traduced from the parents in generation as many learned men affirme especially to ease themselves of those difficulties about the conveyance of originall sin or defilement into the soule Thirdly We may hence also inferre then the soule is not corruptible it is an immortall substance How can that be corruptible or mortall which hath its rise as I may say immediately from God or is breathed in by the Almighty who is altogether incorruptible and immortal And whereas there is a twofold incorruptibility First by divine ordination that is God appoynts such a thing shall not corrupt and therefore it doth not so the body of man in it's first creation was incorruptible for though it were in it selfe corruptible being made out of the earth yet by the appoyntment of God if man had continued in his integrity he had not dyed And therefore it is said By sin came death yea doubtlesse if God should command and appoynt the meanest worme that moves upon the earth to live for ever or the most fading flower that groweth out of the earth to flourish for ever both the one and the other would doe so Secondly there is an incorruptibility in some things not meerely by a law or appoyntment of God but as from that intrinsecall nature which God hath bestowed upon them and implanted in them Thus the Angels are immortall they have an incorruptible nature and likewise the soule of man being breathed from the Almighty is in it's owne nature
our encrease 'T is the breath of the Almighty that teacheth us and if we can but humbly enough that is heattily acknowledge it we shall be taught and learne enough So much of these words as they are a direct assertion I shall consider them a little in their connection and reference both to what went before and to that which follows after which was the second consideration of this verse at first proposed First This verse may be connected with the three former verses and then the sence appeareth thus As if Elihu had sayd O Job I have moved thee to heare me patiently and attentively and let it not seeme grievous to thee to doe soe For though I am thy inferiour in age and degree yet I am a man as well as thou and I have a soule and body like thine yea the Spirit of God that made me hath also furnished me I have rceeived ability from God as thou hast I stand upon even ground or equall termes with thee as to creation and I am not altogether voyd of instruction and therefore as a man I have a possibility to understand reason and as a man indowed by the Spirit of God I have a capability to direct thee about the wayes of God or how to understand and comport with his providences towards thee Thou hast been long under the hand of God and long in the hands of men who have rather entangled and troubled thy mind then eased it who knowes but that I who all this while have been but a looker on may see somewhat in thy case which hath hitherto been hid from thy former undertakers Therefore pray favour me it may prove in the issue a favour to thy selfe with an houre or two of patient attention Take this note from it The consideration of our common originall that we have all one maker or are all come out of the hand of God should make us willing to heare and learne of one another Thus Elihu argueth Heare me why Because the Spirit of God hath made me as well as thee doe not despise what I have to say as if you were a man of another mould or pedigree the same God out of the same matter by the same Word and Spirit hath form'd us both Some pictures are more highly prized then others of the same person because drawne by a better hand by An Apelles or A Michael Angelo The fame of the Artist or workman puts a value upon the worke And the title of the Authour doth sometimes commend a piece more then in truth either the forme or matter But come among the sons of men all their faces and features are drawne by one hand The same most exact hand of God hath wrought and fashioned them all both as to their outside and inside both as to the forme of these houses of clay and as to all the ornaments and beautifyings of them As we all walke upon the same earth drinke out of the same water breath in the same ayre as we are all covered with the same Canopy of heaven and lighted with the same Sun so we are all made with the same hand The Spirit of God hath made one as well as another This man hath not had a better pencill nor a more skilfull Limner then that Thus we may argue from the common condition of man in nature to a mutuall condiscension among men Indeed Christians who have higher principles have also higher topicks arguments then that why they should condescend one to another and as the Apostle directs Eph 4.4 5 6. Keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Saints should be lowly and meeke with long-suffering forbearing one another in love as the Apostle there exhorts not only because one hand hath made all their bodyes but because they are one body though they are many naturall bodyes yet one mysticall body There is one body and one spirit As one Spirit hath made them so they are made one spirit There is also as it followeth one hope one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all How should all Saints be one who are comprehended and united under this seven-fold oneness That we have all one maker in nature is a very moving argument to meekness love and unity but that all believers are made one by Grace is a much more moving argument Againe We may consider these words in connexion with the three following verses and then as in connection with the former they are a prevention of Job's pride so in this they are a prevention of his feare or an encouragement of him to a chearfull hearing of what Elihu had to say Job had been dealt severely with by his three friends and the terror of God was upon him he was under much dispondency of spirit Now saith Elihu Answer me if thou canst stand up set thy words in order before me for the Spirit of God hath made me and given me life I am a creature and I am but a creature I am no more then thou art I am made of God and thou art made of God as well as I I was made out of the dust as thou art I am not God to terrifie thee but I am sent of God to counsel and comfort thee my hand shall not be heavie upon thee I promise to deale tenderly with thee I am such a one as thy selfe as I am not worse so I am not better we stand alike together in this dispute therefore thou mayest freely come forth and answer me who am but a poore creature as thy selfe is Thus Elihu bespeakes Job in the sixth and seventh verses If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up Behold I am according to thy wish Speake freely and cleare thy selfe if thou art able thou hast free leave for me Vers 5. If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up This verse may have a four-fold respect First To the insufficiency or incompetency of Job's parts and intellectuals to deale with Elihu in this matter as if they were a daring challenge Answer me if thou canst doe thy worst And hence some of the Ancients charge Elihu as if he came upon Job boastingly and spake thus in the pride of his owne spirit and in the disdaine of Job at once to shew and slight his weaknesse If thou canst answer me As if like some irrefragable Doctor he had said I shall speak such reason as I know thou canst not answer doe what thou canst set all thy wits aworke and beate thy braines as much as thou wilt thou wilt but loose thy labour and weary thy selfe in vaine Thus the meaning of Answer me if thou canst is Thou canst not answer But I suppose Elihu though hot spirited enough was yet of a better spirit temper then to speak either thus proudly of himselfe or despisingly of so worthy a man as he
had before him nor did Elihu look upon Job as such a puny to him or so much his underling as that he durst not hold up the Bucklers in dispute against him Elihu knew Job was an old experienced Souldier well vers'd in the wayes and things of God And therefore Secondly If thou canst may rather referre to the weaknesse and soarenesse of Job's body to the wounds or troubles which he had received and felt from the Almighty in his spirit then to any inability of his mind for argument As if Elihu had said I consider how it is with thee thou art a man diseased and distempered in thy body fitter to lye upon or keep thy bed then to stand up to a dispute fitter for a hospitall then for the Schooles Thou also hast a troubled and an afflicted spirit I doubt thou art not in case to answer me or to stand up longer in a way of dispute but this I say if thou canst answer me pray doe set thy words in order before me I will not lay this burden upon thee unlesse thou art willing to take it unlesse thou findest thou hast strength and spirit to beare and carry it through Answer me if thou canst otherwise I will speak my thoughts out and make what use of it thou pleasest Thirdly I conceive Elihu might here intend to let Job understand that he was resolved to put him to the utmost that he was resolved to bring the strongest arguments and use the quickest way of reasoning for his conviction that he could and that therefore he also adviseth Job to doe the like to doe his best to buckle himselfe to the businesse with all his might for he was not come to dally with him he would have him set his shoulders to the work and gather all the forces of his soule to the battaile he bids him bring forth even his horsemen for his defence as I may speak in allusion to that in the 12th of Jeremy If thou hast run with footmen and they have wearied thee how shalt thou contend with horses Elihu was purposed and resolved to bring out his greatest strength his horsemen to the battaile and therefore wisheth Job doe so too Thus he gives him faire warning If thou canst answer me doe thy utmost I am ready for thee Fourthly While Elihu saith If thou canst answer me set thy words in order before me stand up We may take his words as a gentle and sweete invitation to the worke As if he had sayd If thou hast spirits enow left to hold discourse with me or to reply upon me come friend spare me not set thy words in order before me I will not be a terror to thee Or there may be this condescending sence in these words of Elihu Doe not thinke O Job because I begin to speak that therefore I meane to speak all or to have all the discourse my selfe assure thy selfe I have no purpose to hinder thee in any defence which thou art able to make for thy selfe No though I am come with my best preparations to urge thee and reply upon thee as to all that hath past between thee and thy friends yet I am as willing that thou shouldest answer as I am ready prepared and prest to speake thou hast free leave to make thy Apologie to say what thou canst for thy selfe I intend not to impose upon thee nor by any Authority to compell thee to stand to my sentence as if I were thy Master or would Lord it over thee Doe and speake thy best for thy owne vindication I am ready to receive it from thee and give thee a faire account of my thoughts about it If thou canst answer me Set thy words in order before me 'T is a metaphorical speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often and most properly used for the marshalling of an Army and so is elegantly applyed here in this matter of controversie or polemicall discourse Set thy words thy reasons thy arguments as it were in battaile aray against me we had the word in the former Chapter at the 14th verse It is applyed also to the exactness of the heart in prayer not an affected exactness or curiosity about words or to word it with God but it notes exactness or spirituallness rather in meditating and disposing the strongest Scripture reasonings to prevaile with God in prayer Prayer is as it were a battaile fought in heaven not in wroth or revenge but with faith and holy submission Thus did Jacob when he wrastled with the Angel Gen 32. And thus David speaks Psal 5.3 In the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee and will look up or I will marshall my prayer I will bring up petition after petition pleading after pleading even till I am become like Jacob a Prince with God till I have won the field and got the day Thus the word is applyed by a metaphor both to disputations with men and supplications to God Further we may take the meaning plainly without any straine of rhetorique Set thy words in order before me Methode is good in every thing either an expresse or a covert methode Sometimes 't is the best of art to cover it in speaking there is a speciall use of methode for though as one said very well speaking of those who are more curious about methode then serious about matter Methode never converted any man yet methode and the ordering of words is very usefull Our speeches should not be heaps of words but words bound up not a throng of words but words set in aray or as it were in ranke and file The Prophet Joel 2.5 describes a terrible Judgement of God by a strong people set in battaile aray In pursuance of which sence Mr Broughton renders the next words not as we stand up but stand to it as Commanders say to their Souldiers stand to it and the Italian translation thus Set thy words in order before me present thy selfe to the Combate Thus he continues the metaphor As if he had said Chuse thy ground St◠quasi in acie ad pugnandum contra me convincendum me rationibus Drus and maintaine it like a valiant Champion I doe not desire thou shouldst yeild me an inch of ground yeild to nothing but the truth dispute every patch with me stand up stand to it stand as if thou wert to fight a battaile not only for thy honour but for thy life The Apostle 1 Cor 16.13 speaks in that language about our spirituall warre Watch ye stand fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viriliter agire quit your selves like men man it be strong There is such a sence in Elihu's exhortation here to Job Set thy words in order before me stand up Now in that Elihu when he was thus bent to speak and was so full of matter to speak that as he tells us in the former chapter He was like bottles of wine and that he could not hold yet gave Job faire law and bids him answer if he could
thunder to the obstinate and rebellious to the proud and presumptuous sinner they must cut him out a portion to his condition and save him if it may be with feare But the generall temper and carriage of the Ministers of the Gospel is meekness and gentlenesse they should be full of love and of compassion instructing even those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim 2.25 26. The Ministers of Christ must not deale out terror till there be a necessity of it And alwayes they who doe well or are humbled for the evill which they have done must be handled tenderly My terror shall not make thee afraid Neither shall my hand be heavie upon thee Onus meum super te non erit grave Targ Quidam vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita sumunt quasi veniat ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est incurvare q.d. opus meum quod tibi imponam non erit tale ut sub eo incurveris Bold Inflexit se super eum os suum Mont My Burthen shall not be heavie upon thee saith the Chaldee Paraphrase and so some translate out of the Hebrew taking the derivation of the word from a roote which signifieth to bow downe the backe as we doe when a burden is layd upon us So the word is rendred Prov 16.26 He that laboureth labours for himselfe for his mouth craveth it of him that 's our reading and we put in the Margent and his mouth boweth unto him The mouth of a labouring man boweth to him as begging that he would get and give it something to eate and satisfie the craving of his hungry stomacke 'T is sad to see some poore men so given to Idleness that they had rather starve then worke and when according to the propriety of this text in the Proverbs their mouth boweth to them that they would take paines to get a little bread to eate they had rather endure the burthen of hunger then the burthen of labour But I instance this place only for that word which signifies a burthen or to burthen Those dreadfull Prophecies which mere published against any people in Scripture are called Burthens The Burthen of Duma the burthen of Damascus the burthen of Babylon that is a prophecy which had a burthen of calamity in it able to break the backs of the strongest Nations So saith Elihu according to this translation My burthen shall not be heavie upon thee Others render it thus Eloquentia mea non erit tibi gravis Vulg My Eloquence shall not be heavie upon thee that 's farre from the text yet there is a truth in the thing As if Elihu had said Though I am about to speake and have much to speake yet I would not speak such words nor so many I hope as shall be burthensome to thee I would not burthen thee with Eloquence that is either with affected Eloquence or the over-flowings of Eloquence Multiplicity of expression is very burthensome nor is any thing in speech more grievous to a wise man then an unnecessary heape of words They who have a fluency of speech are usually more pleased to heare themselves speak then others are to heare them Elihu according to this reading spake discreetly and to the purpose while he thus engageth to Job I will not burthen thee with my Eloquence But I passe that also We translate fully and clearly to the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vota mea i. e. manus plaga ut Aleph sit addititium sive Hermanticum Drus My hand shall not be heavie upon thee The hand is taken two wayes properly and improperly it is not to be taken properly here we cannot suspect Elihu of any such rude behaviour that he would lay a violent hand on Job Improperly the hand signifies any act of a man towards man so a mans words may be his hand A mans hand may be heavie on him whom he never touched or came neere yea a mans hand may be heavie upon him whom he never saw Our hand is heavie upon others not only by outward violence upon the body but by any pressure upon the mind or inward man our vexing or troubling another whether by doing or saying that which afflicts him is the laying of a heavie hand upon him That 's the meaning of Elihu My hand shall not be heavie upon thee that is I will doe nothing nor will I say any thing which in it selfe shall be grievous and vexatious to thee We finde David complaining Psal 32.4 that the hand of God was heavie upon him day and night that is God appeared as displeased with him he could not get evidence of his love in the pardon of his sin This pressed his soule like an intollerable burthen Great afflictions of any kinde are a heavie hand upon us Elihu who saw the heavie hand of God upon Job already giveth him this comfortable promise That he would not adde griefe to his sorrow My hand shall not be heavie upon thee I know thou hast thy load already These latter words are of the same generall importance with the former And we may Note further from them Meekness and gentle dealing becomes us while we would reduce others from their error or reprove them for it My hand shall not be heavie upon thee The Apostle called God to record concerning the Corinthians 2 Cor 1.23 24. that it was to spare them that he had not come as then to Corinth As if he had sayd I was loth to lay so heavie a hand upon you or deale with such severity as your case required And yet he adds what severity soever I or others shall use towards you we shall use it Not for that we have dominion over your faith but as helpers of your Joy We shall not come with Lordly power upon you we purpose not to carry it by meere authority and command but of entreaty and love we will not Lord it over your consciences but only regulate them that your comforts may flow in more freely Hard words are oftentimes more pressing then the hardest blowes Words may weigh much more upon the spirit then a heavie burthen upon the backe I grant a heavie hand must be layd upon some there is no other way to deale with them The word is a hammer and a fire But as I intimated before we must distinguish of persons and of causes and accordingly lay our hand God hath not made his Ministers Lyons to scare his flock nor Bulls to gore them but Shepheards to feed them and watch over them And especially when the hand of God is upon any our hand should not For conclusion take here the laws of a just disputation Elihu in this Preface I have yet gone no farther gives Job free leave to answer and set himselfe to the battaile with him and promiseth to deale with him in the fairest and in the meetest way he could wish or
himselfe And as these charges so Job's answers have been opened heretofore upon those former passages and therefore I shall not stay much upon the poynt here Yet because Elihu reassumes this argument yea makes it his strongest argument against Job I shall a little consider whether he did rightly or no in this thing To cleare which we must remember that Job's innocency had received a three-fold testimony in this booke First He received a testimony from God himselfe and that a very notable and glorious one Chap 1. 8. Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man Secondly He received a further testimony from the pen-man of this book who having recorded the severall afflictions of Job and his behaviour under them repeats it twice Chap 1. 21. Chap 2. 10. In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly The testimony which God gave him referred to his former actions or conversation before his affliction The testimony which the writer gave him referred specially to his latter words or speeches under his affliction Besides these testimonies which are not at all questioned nor can be we find a third testimony and that he gives of himselfe Now though Elihu did highly reverence the testimony which God had given if we may suppose he had notice of it and would also the testimony of the pen-man of the booke had it then been written yet he questioned the testimony which Job gave of himselfe Now that there was some severity in this charge upon that suspition may appeare by considering it in a few particulars First It must be sayd on Job's part or in favour of him according to truth that he never affirmed he was not a sinner Nay we shall find him more then once twice or thrice confessing the sinfulness of his nature and the sins of his life We find him also confessing that notwithstanding all the righteousness and integrity in him yet he would owne none of it before God and that if he should justifie himselfe his owne cloaths would abhorre him Therefore Job was far from saying he had no sin in him in a strict sence Secondly Most of those passages wherein he speakes of himselfe as cleane and righteous may be understood of his imputative cleanness and righteousness as a person justified in the redeemer of whom he spake with such a Gospel spirit and full assurance of faith that he might well assert this of himselfe I know that being justified I am cleane and without sin It is no fault for a believer to say I am cleane without transgression through free Grace in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Much of what Job spake in this matter is to be taken that way Thirdly When Job affirmes these things of himselfe we may say this in favour of him he meanes it of great transgressions The words in the text note defection and wilfull swerving from the right way His friends charged him with hypocrisie with oppression with taking the pledge for nought with stripping the naked of their clothing Thine iniquity is great said Eliphaz and thy sin is infinite Now saith Job I am cleane I have no such transgressions And he might well answer his friends charge of impiety against God and iniquity towards men with a flat deniall yea with an affirmation of the contrary There is no such iniquity in me prove it if you can He was unblameable in the sight of man Fourthly In favour of Job this may be sayd what he spake of himselfe and of his owne righteousness was upon much provocation of when his spirit was heated by his friends who so constantly urged these crimes against him In these heats he spake highly of himselfe and though it doth not excuse any mans sin when he hath spoken sinfully to say I was provoked yet it doth abate the greatness of the sin Good Moses who was the meekest man upon the earth when through provocation he spake unadvisedly with his lips felt the smart of it and God reckoned sorely with him for it Yet to speake amisse upon provocation is not so much amisse as to speake so in cold blood or unprovoked Fifthly Elihu might have put a fairer interpretation and construction upon these sayings of Job He might have taken them in the best sence as Job meant them that he was righteous cleane and innocent in all his transactions with men and had not wickedly at any time departed from God And then ther had not been such matter of fault in what he said as was broughe against him Yet in vindication of Elihu it must be granted Job gave him occasion to rebuke and blame what he had said and that chiefly upon these three accounts First Because he spake many things of himselfe which had an appearance of boasting and so of vaine speaking A little truly sayd of our selves or in our owne commendation may be thought too much how much more when we say much Secondly He spake such things as carri'd a shew of over-boldness with God He did not observe his distance as he ought when he so earnestly pressed for a hearing to plead his cause before God especially when he so often complained of the severity of Gods proceedure with him with which Elihu taxeth him directly in the two verses following Upon both these grounds Elihu thought and was no doubt guided in it by the Spirit of God to cut him to the quick that Job might learne to speake more humbly of himselfe and more temperately to God And therefore Thirdly The Lord did righteously yea and graciously let out the spirit of Elihu upon him in another way then his friends before had done He did not charge him with wickedness in fact but dealt with him about the unwariness of his words Job could not say he had never spoken such words for such words he did speake though he did not speake them as Elihu tooke them When words are out they must stand to the mercy of the hearers and abide such a judgement as may with truth be made of them though possibly besides the purpose of the speaker A man in that case is not wronged he should learne to speak more warily and not give occasion of offence Doubtlesse the Lord had a gracious intent upon Job in stirring the spirit of Elihu to represent his words in the hardest sence that he might humble him Job's spirit was yet too high and not broken enough as it was afterwards Nor doth Job reply or retort upon Elihu for this And when the Lord himselfe began to deal with him he saith Who is this that darkeneth councell by words without knowledge Chap 38. 2. and Job himselfe being brought upon his knees confesseth Chap 42. 3. I have uttered that I understood not things too wonderfull for me which I knew not I have been too bold I confesse Though it was not Jobs purpose or meaning to speake so he had integrity in what he spake yet his words
did beare such a construction And the Lord suffer'd Elihu to urge them upon him to the utmost Yet notwithstanding all that hath been sayd I doe conceive that Elihu had not the least imagination that the meaning of Job in those assertions concerning himselfe was that he had not sinned at all or that there was no sin in him But taking his words in the best and fairest construction they could beare he yet saw cause to check and reprove him for saying so much in that condition about his innocency whereas he should have been chiefly taken up in glorifying God and humbling himselfe under his mighty hand So much for the answer to the fourth query what reason Elihu had to charge Job thus It hath been shewed whaâ— may be sayd in favour of Job And also that Elihu might without breach of charity charge him with these sayings To shut up this verse take only two briefe notes from the whole First The best of men have their failings and are apt to over-report themselves Our most deliberate actions and speeches have some tincture of the flesh how much more those which passe us in a passion Though Job spake what was true yet he spake more then was meete And they that heard him might take just occasion of offence not knowing his spirit and the strain of his heart in speaking so The Apostle James saith James 3. 2. If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body He hath a mighty command over his spirit that can command his tongue especially when he is provoked It is a reall part of perfection not to offend in word This good man spake many things well yet all was not well spoken Againe In that Job spake thus under the pressure of affliction Observe In times of affliction it is better to be much in bewailing of sin then in making reports wherein we have not sinned There will no hurt come of that but while we are reporting our innocency and good deeds though what we speak be true yet 't is subject to construction and layeth us open to reproofe Lastly We may learne from the dealing of Elihu with Job That in all disputations and matters of controversie with others we should take heed that we fasten no uncharitable interpretation upon the words of our adversary nor adde any thing of our owne to them nor wrest them besides their grammaticall and genuine construction yet even those speeches which are true in some respect if they exceed the bounds of modesty may freely be reprehended For we ought not only to doe that which is good and speake that which is true for the matter but we ought to doe and speake in a good or becoming manner Thus farre of the first fault which Elihu found and reproved in Job his over-confidence in saying he was not faulty or in justifying himselfe In the two next verses he blames him with reflecting over-boldly and unduely upon the dealings of God The particulars whereof were expressed before in opening the whole Context and come now to be further opened Vers 10. Behold he findeth occasions against me Quaerit adversum me et invenit confractiones i.e. ut confringat et irrita faciat omnia mea studia instituta et conatuâ— ut nihil ossequar eorum quae quaero et instituo Merc Ecce confractiones adversum me invenit Bez 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confractiones contritiones et quasi abolitiones Sunt qui reddunt occasiones quasi esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literis transpositis alij querelas Radix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde Hiphit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fregit confregit irritum fecit Merc and counteth me for his enemy These words containe the first part of the second charge For the clearing of which I shall first explicate the words then by way of observation shew what matter of charge or evill there is in them Behold he findeth occasions against me I have heretofore shewed the emphasis of that word Behold And therefore I passe it here Behold He that is God findeth occasions against me or strictly from the Hebrew he findeth breaches The verbe is translated Breake Psal 141.5 It imports such a breaking as is also a bringing to nought Psal 33.10 'T is likewise applyed to the breaking of the heart by discouragements Numb 32.7 And it is significantly enough translated here He findeth breaches against me that is something or other to make a breach upon me something to complaine of against me The word is rendred in these three sences First An occasion Secondly A Breach Thirdly as the Septuagint a complaint or accusation We may joyne all three together for a complaint or accusation is commonly an occasion of breaches among men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accusationem autem adversum me invenit Sept Qui querelas amâ—t quaerit occasiones unde illas excitat Bold Deus studiosè quaesivit ansam me persequendi he that loves breaches will seeke and seldome misseth occasions of complaint We say of a man that is of a troublesome spirit and given to contention which is also Mr Broughtons translation Behold he picketh a quarrell against me though I give him no just matter of offence yet he either findeth or maketh one Thus most of the Hebrew writers carry it he fâ—ndeâ—h occasions to alter his former course with me to cast me off to lay his hand upon me even to ruine and break me to pieces Hence observe To seeke occasions against another is hard and uncharitable dealing Josephs brethren were very suspitious of this Gen 43.18 The men were afraid because they were brought to Josephs house and they said because of the money that was found in our sacks mouth the first time are we brought in that he may seek occasion against us As if they had said we well perceive he would gladly have some matter to accuse us and so to detaine us upon that occasion Thus said the King of Israel 2 Kings 5.7 when Naman came to him with a message from his Prince to desire him that he would heale him of his Leprosie The King of Israel began presently to startle and thought it was nothing but a meere trick and a device to bring on some further designe what said he Am I God to kill and make alive that this man is come to me wherefore consider I pray you and see how he seeketh a quarrell against me They may be judged to watch for a discourtesie who desire courtesies of us beyond our power This made the King of Israel jealous that the King of Syria being confident of future successe by his former successes against Israel was by this device only seeking an occasion to renew the warre We have an eminent Scripture to this purpose Dan 6.4 5. Daniel being advanced high at Court it drew a great deale of envie upon him among the Princes and Presidents and therefore they resolved to try their
they have given the Lord occasion to destroy them when they have put a sword into his hand to smite them when by their unbeliefe and pride and neglect of knowne duties they have layd themselves open to ruine and destruction even then he hath held his hand and spared them Is it not then a great a grosse sin to charge the Lord that he seekes occasions against us Yea indeed as was touched before the Lord needs not seek occasion against any man for as much as the best of men give him too much occasion and too often He needs not stand to spy advantages against us we lay our selves too open and naked to him continually As in Fenceing when two that are very expert at that art are engaged there is watching for an occasion or advantage to get the mastery but if an expert Master of Defence be to deale with an ignorant fellow that knows not his postures nor how to use his weapon he needs not seeke occasion he may have him here and there and every where It is so with the best of Saints when they have to doe with God He needs not watch for an occasion where to hit or smite them for they through their ignorance and folly lay their naked breasts open to his stroakes every day Were he not infinite in mercy to cover our sins Ecce invenit in me vacillationes Scult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocat ea quae pij faciunt praeter rectum sed citra animum a deo aversum c. Coc and to pardon our transgressions we must needs perish under his justice Againe The word is rendred Infirmities faylings or lesser sins that 's another translation of the text and 't is a usefull one For as the former supposeth the Lord taking occasion where none at all was given so this supposeth him to take the least occasion As if Elihu supposed Job saying Behold he seeks out my little faults Quaesivit deus parva quaedam imo penè nulla peccata propter quae velut si nefanda crimina commisissem atroci me sententia condemnavit Bold my vacillations my trippings my stumblings in a word my infirmities We may take them two wayes First for his youthfull sins the slips of his youth Secondly for his dayly sins commonly called faylings As if Job had sayd Though I can charge my selfe and freely doe with many sins and weaknesses yet I am not a man chargeable with any crimes nor wickednesses mine are no black nor bloody sins no crimson no skarlet sins I have not sinned presumptuously or with a high hand I have not given scope to my lusts nor indulged my corruptions I have not pleased my selfe with displeasing God nor hath the bent of my soule been to breake his commandements as bonds yoakes or shakles put upon me by an enemy I have not rejected his dominion or rule over me in any wilfull defection or departure from his word Yet notwithstanding God findes out my infirmities and faylings and urgeth them sorely against me yea he deales with me as if I were his enemy even for those sins which I have committed through inadvertency or meere humane frailty Some Interpreters insist most upon this signification of the word as if the matter which Elihu charged Job with were that he should say God carried it towards him as an enemy for small faults or lesser sins Nor doe I see any thing which hinders the joyning of this and the former reading together for surely he seekes occasions to punish and vex anoâ—her who insists upon his lesser sins and imperfections as if they were great and grievous crimes From this laâ—ter or second sence of the word Observe First in General To take strict notice of the faylings infirmities or lesser sins of others is a poynt of very great severity Some are pleased with nothing more then to heare and discourse of other mens faylings 'T is a great fault to be picking up the lesser faults of others yet how many are there who if they can but see as it were any bare place they will be charging at it if they see but the least scratch or sore they as the fly love to be feeding upon it or raking in it 'T is our holinesse to take notice of the least sin in our selves and the more holy any man is the more quick-sighted and quick-sented he is in taking notice of his lesser sins when the least neglect of duty and of the least negligence in performance of duty any ill frame of heart any vaine thought any idle word any undue carriage any uncomelinesse is taken notice of and corrected this shewes an excellent frame of spirit and a great measure of Grace but it is not good to do so by others yea it is an argument we are very much wanting and fayling in holinesse our selves when we are so apt to take notice of and aggravate every want and fayling in our brethren Yea when as Christ saith Math 7.3 We see a mâ—te in our brothers eye we seldome see the beame in our owne And it is an argument men have beames in their owne eyes when they are so quick-sighted in looking after motes in their brothers eye I grant it is a duty to be watchfull over one another as brethren and to take notice for right ends of the least faylings and faults of any This is a duty if we doe it with a purpose to pray for them that they may walke more circumspectly or that we may lovingly reprove admonish and counsell them as also that we may consider our selves and our owne wayes lest we fall as they have done Thus to take notice of the least faylings of others is a great Gospel duty But to take notice of mens faults to censure or defame their persons to insult over them or accuse them this is the spirit of a Cham who mocked at his fathers nakedness And thus to be critticall about the faults of others argues that we are careless of our owne Secondly As to the particular case in the text for which Job is tax'd by Elihu that he said thus of God Observe To say or think of the Lord that he takes a strict and severe notice of our infirmities to reckon with us riggedly for them is very sinfull Such thoughts are a great derogation from the goodnesse and mercy of God The Lord doth not willingly see the faults of his people Though he seeth them yet he doth not willingly see them he is glad when it is with his people as it was at that time with Israel Numb 23.21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seene perversness in Israel But was there no sin to be seene in Jacob Was Israel altogether innocent at that time Surely they even they and even then were a sinfull people and had their faults neither few nor small but because there was no iniquity no perversness nor prevarication against God found among them at that time therefore he over-looked
all their ordinary faylings and transgressions As the Lord is so holy and of such pure eyes that he cannot behold any sin the least iniquity to approve of it Habak 1.13 so the Lord is so gracious and so full of compassion that he doth not severely take notice of nor look upon the lesser sins of his people David exalts the name and glory of God at large for this Psal 103.8 9 10. The Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger plenteous in mercy he will not alwayes chide They are alwayes chideing that are alwayes spying faults in children servants or relations they who take notice of every little fault shall finde chiding-worke enough in a family But the Lord will not alwayes chide neither will he keepe his anger for ever He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Like as a father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him A father doth not enquire into much lesse punish every neglect of his child I will spare them saith the Lord Mal 3.17 as a father spareth a son that serveth him If a father seeth or is well perswaded that his son hath a heart to serve him he will not curiously spy out the faults of his service but saith to his child It is well done or at least I take that well which thou hast done Yea the Lord is so farre from a strict inquiry after such faults that he passeth by great transgressions Mic 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his people he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Though Asa 1 Kings 15.14 was not through in the reformation the high places were not removed yet the Lord did not charge this upon him for presently it followeth in the sacred Story Neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect with God all his dayes Yea though Asa did fall into severall sins afterwards imprisoning one of the Prophets and oppressing some of the people and in his sickness seeking to the Physitians and not to the Lord yet the Lord did not charge these acts upon him He was so farre from a strict inquiry after his lesser sins that he tooke no notice of those greater sins but saith His heart was perfect all his dayes So in the case of David the Lord would not see many of his sins he would not blot David nor burden his owne memory with them but passed an Act of Oblivion upon them for ever Sarah Gen 18.12 spake very unhandsomely when the Angel came to her and told her she should have a son yet the Apostle 1 Pet 3.6 referring to that story gives Sarah a very high testimony or commendation for one good word that was mingled with a great many ill or undue ones yea and actions too for she laughed Notwithstanding all which Peter sets her as a patterne for all good women professing the Gospel to imitate He would have them be in subjection unto their owne husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are saith he as long as ye doe that which is well That one word which she spake well is recorded yea reported to her praise and all that were ill are buried in silence forgotten and covered The Lord hath respect to a little pure gold though mingled with a great deale of dross and ownes a little good Corne though a great deale of chaffe be in the same floore or heape Surely then he will not bring our infirmities and slips to account against us while our hearts are upright with him Thus you see what matter of charge there was in these words when Job sayd God sought occasion against him when he had given none or that he had only given some smaller occasion and yet God dealt with him as an enemy But did Job ever say That God sought occasions against him or tooke notice of his lesser sins so severely I answer Though some acquit Job wholly of this charge and recriminate Elihu with this accusation as a slander yet Job had spoken words which might give occasion to charge him thus as was shewed also concerning those former speeches I am cleane from transgression I am innocent there is no iniquity in me though Job had not spoken these or such like words with that scope and spirit as Elihu might seeme to alledge them yet he had given Elihu cause enough to say so while he spake more of himselfe then came to his share considering that he was a sinfull man and more then did become him in his condition being an afflicted man Upon both which accounts it had better becom'd him to have been much in humbling himselfe rather then at all in justifying himselfe Now as Job had spoken words which might beare out Elihu in his former charge Secundum veritatem neutruÌ„ diuit Job in sensu quem imponit in Elihu so we finde severall speeches or complaints concerning God which may justifie him in this As for instance Chap 14.16 17. For now thou numbrest or numbring thou numbrest my steps dost thou not watch over my sins As if he had sayd thou watchest me so strictly so narrowly that I cannot in the least step awry but presently I am observed and shall be sure to heare of it Yea my transgressâ—on is sealed up in a bag and thou sowest up mine iniquity that is thou keepest the memory of my sins thou dost not passe them by but hast them ready by thee When chast Joseps wanton mistresse disappoynted in her lust was resolved to seeke an occasion of revenge she layd up his garment by her untill her Lord came home Gen 39.16 To lay up the evill deed of another presageth ill to him And therefore when Elihu heard Job speaking thus might he not say Job hath sayd God seeketh occasions against me yea which is more as it followeth in the verse under hand And counteth me for his enemy These words having been insisted upon somewhat largely from other passages of this Booke Chap 13.24 19.11 Chap. 30.21 In all which places Job spake this complaint sometimes expressely alwayes Equivalently I shall not here stay upon the explication of them only for as much as Job having sayd That God took hold of small occasions given or sought occasions not given is presently charged further by Elihu with saying He counteth me for his enemy From this Connection of the former with the latter part of the verse Note To seek or take easie occasions against another is an argument that we beare no good will to him or It is a signe we look upon a man as an enemy when we are apt and ready to seeke or take occasions against him There are two things which we are very ready to doe towards those we beare no good will unâ—o or whom we account our enemies First to diminish the good which they doe to speak lightly of
Hoc nominè justus non es quod deum in jus provocare ausus â—s Merc There is a third antecedent which we may take up from severall passages in the former part of the Booke and that is because thou hast so often and so importunately desired to plead with God and hast made so many suites for a hearing with him as if thou hadst somewhat to say which might acquit thy selfe and shew reason why God should not deale thus with thee For though Job did not desire to plead with God as having any intent to accuse him of doing him wrong yet he was therefore to be blamed because he desired to plead with him seeing it becomes man to submit to the judgement of God without murmuring or complaining So then Elihu had cause to charge him with this God indeed passed it by as knowing it did not proceed as in the wicked from malice but from weakness and ignorance as Job also himselfe humbly confessed at last Behold thou hast too often called for Justice in this thou art not just Mr Broughton renders Loe here thou art not in the right These words in this or here may also have a negative reference to what Job had been charged with before by his friends As if Elihu had sayd I doe not charge thee with such crimes as thy friends have loaded thee with heretofore I doe not burden thee with grosse impiety nor with hypocrisie I doe not tell thee thou hast oppressed the poore or wronged the widdow and the fatherlesse I have nothing of this sort to say against thee But in this or here I have somewhat to say wherein my judgement also is that thou art not just nor in the right for however thou art otherwise or in other things upright and righteous however just thou hast been in thy transactions with men and pure in thy worship toward God yet in this I am sure and I dare say it openly and avowedly thou art no wayes justifiable much lesse just in that thou hast cryed up thy owne innocency and spoken so much of the hard dealings of God with thee yea hast been so bold as to desire a day of hearing even before God himselfe Let this be the Question or matter under debate Whether or no Job speaking thus highly of himselfe and thus boldly of God hath done right or no Elihu undertakes the negative he engageth to prove that Job had not done well or right how innocent soever he was in speaking so much of his own innocency or how hardly soever God dealt with him in making so many complaints of his severity Elihu undertakes to prove this negative and Job never durst undertake the affirmative that he had done right or well in speaking or doing so and therefore in the close of the business he sits downe convinced that he had been too bold with God and too forward in justifying himselfe His argument which runs through this whole discourse to make good his negative assertion may be formed up thus He that speakes much of his owne righteousnesse and seemes to reflect upon the righteousnesse of God at least that God hath been over-rigorous with him is not just nor justifiable in this But thou O Job hast spoken thus of thy selfe and thus of God in the extremity of thy paine and in the anguish of thy spirit Therefore in this thou art not just nor justifiable No man of understanding can take thy part or be an Advocate for thee in this matter As for me I must needs be and am resolved to be an Advocate for God against thee The Major or first proposition is not exprest in the text the conclusion is given in the beginning of the 12th verse and the assumption or 2d proposition is collected from Job's owne mouth in severall places of this Booke Againe besides the generall scope of the words and the tendency of Elihu in this dispute we may consider the manner of his speech how he deales with Job Behold in this thou art not just In this manner of treating with Job the sweetnesse of his spirit and likewise the boldnesse of it are observable These two vertues or excellencies of an Advocate shew themselves plainly in this one passage Behold in this thou art not just For consider First He expresseth his reproofe negatively he doth not say Behold in this thou art wicked or thou hast impiously blasphem'd the name of God but he speakes at as low a rate as may be Behold in this thou art not just or justifiable thou hast not done right or thou art not right there is a great good temper of spirit and a mixture of much meeknesse in such negative expressions it being much lesse to say to a man in this thou art not just nor justifiable then to say positively or directly in this thou art unjust and deservest to be condemned For though there be no difference in the thing between not being just and being unjust yet there is much more mildness in the words and a man takes lesse offence when told that he is not just then in being told that he is unjust The imputing of a crime to a man is more and worse then the denying him a vertue or that he is vertuous Hence note We ought to temper our reproofes with much gentlenesse and meeknesse We should not speake cutting words if other words will serve the turne Thus the Apostle directs us Gal 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken with a fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted deale as gently with a fallen brother as thou wouldest with a man whose bones are dislocated or broken so much the metaphor there used imports There is a time indeed when we must rebuke as the Apostle gives direction Tit 1.13 sharply or cuttingly we must goe to the quicke that they may be found in the faith but there is a great regard to be had to the state and spirits of those with whom we have to deale As it is our duty to receive the word with meeknesse James 1.21 some receive the word proudly riggidly in the worst sence they can yea they receive it rebellingly now as we ought to receive the word with meeknesse so 't is good to speake the word with meeknesse with as much meeknesse and tendernesse as the case will beare Secondly consider this manner of speaking Behold in this thou art not just Elihu tells him plainly of his faults he reported them before and here he applyed them home to his person Behold in this thou rememberest thy owne words Thou canst not but take notice what thou hast spoken now I tell thee in this thing thou art not just Elihu doth not speak doubtingly nor fearefully nor doth he tell Job what the thoughts of others were upon the matter but he tells him directly categorically plainly from himselfe in this thou art not just Hence note We are to hold out our convictions
word is found in me So here He giveth not account of any of his words or matters Againe The originall saith He giveth not account of all his matters We translate full and right to the sence when we say He giveth not account of any of his matters For the meaning of Elihu is not that God giveth an account of some though that be a truth but not indeed of all his matters he hath some reserved cases and counsels but his meaning is that he is not oblidg'd to give any man an account of so much as of any of his matters And then that universall is to be taken distributively Aâ—l for any So we render it Psal 147.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Psalmist shewing the speciall priviledges of Gods people saith He hath not dealt so with all nations We translate more emphatically He hath not dealt so with any nation God was so far from giving the same priviledge to all nations which he gave to his Israel that he gave not the same to any nation As if he had sayd God hath honoured his peculiar people with peculiar favours goe enquire and search all the nations of the world and ye shall not picke out a people upon whom God hath bestowed such rich and precious mercies as he hath upon his Israel And to this day the Israel of God in every nation enjoy such spirituall priviledges and mercies as the Nations with whom they are civilly mingled know not of But to the poynt Thus here He giveth not account of all that is not of any of his matters Most of the Greeke translaters render according to the strictnesse of the letter not matters but words Quid igitur ipsum vocas in judicium omnes enim sermones ejus sunt ejusmodi quibus contradici non possit Theod Graeci in prima persona 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbis meis non in tertia ut nos legimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbis suis quasi Elihu mimicâ—s verba Jobi referat cur cum eo ausus es contendere dicens quia omnibus verbis meis non respondet c. Bold Why dost thou strive with him for his words are such as to whâ—ch none can answer As if the meaning of Elihu were when God speakes no man is able to reply upon him or contradict him His sayings are indeed irrefragable Thus they glosse their translation Why dost thou call him into Judgement or strive with him for all his speeches are such as cannot be contradicted If God oppose who can answer and if God answer who can oppose him That 's a good sence though not a good translation Some others interpret the latter part of the verse as containing Job's answer to the question put by Elihu in the first part of it Why dost thou strive with God saith Elihu To which Job is supposed replying Because he gives me not an account of my matters God doth not answer to my words and therefore pardon me if I complaine or strive with him I hope while I am thus unanswered you will hold me excused if I move againe and againe yea even strive for an answer But the Grammar of the text is against this reading the words being plainly in the third person his matters not in the first my matters and 't is too great a boldnesse with the text to make such a change in the translation Besides 't is more agreeable to the scope of the place to take the latter part of the verse as a reason given by Elihu why Job should not strive with God then to take it as a reason given by Job why he did I find a learned translater among the Modernes who taking the latter part of the verse as a reason given by Job of his striving with God spoken of in the first Quare adversus eum litigas quod de omnibus rebus suis non respondeat Jun yet keepes to the third person Why dost thou strive with him Because he will not give an answer or an account of all his matters As if Elihu had sayd I plainly perceive the cause why thou O Job art so unquiet and still persistest striving with God 'T is even because he doth not answer thy so often repeated desire to summon thy appearance before him and then to give thee an account of his proceedings with thee But consider man art thou well in thy wits knowest thou what thou dost or sayest wilt thou a poore narrow-hearted creature take it ill at the hands of the great God and as it were strive with him btcause he doth not render a reason of all his matters and expound all his doings unto thee The argument may be formed thus He is not just or right who striveth with God because God doth not give him a reason of all his actions and administrations But thou seemest to strive with God because he hath not given thee an account or reason of his administrations towards thee therefore thou art not just This is a faire and proper sence yet I shall keepe to our reading and make this latter part of the verse as a ground or reason given by Elihu why Job ought not to strive with God as those two other readings make it a reason why he did As if Elihu had sayd Why dost thou strive against him Consider as God is greater then man so he is absolute in his greatnesse or his is a soveraigne Greatnesse For he giveth not account of any of his matters This I conceive the best and clearest rendring of these words which thus understood yeilds us severall usefull observations First upon the whole matter thus Gracious men doe not alwayes hold out the same gracious frame of spirit There was a time when Job was far from striving with God far from doing or speaking any thing which had the least shadow or savour of it Time was when Job was altogether for and in submitting to God Let God doe what he will with him he had not a word to say against him After all the sad reports and messages which were brought to him of the devastation of his whole estate in the field yea of the disasterous death of all his children in one day and at once did Job strive with God did he utter one word of complaint or so much as of any dissatisfaction No not one but gave Glory by this confession The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. Was not here a cleare yeilding of himselfe up to God to doe what he would with him Did he not freely lay himselfe low when God had layed him at the lowest who ever heard or read of a more perfect worke of patience in a meere mortall man Yet in the process of the business Job did not only speak such words as carried a shadow of striving with God but were reall strivings and uncomely pleadings with him His heart did not retaine that first sweet submissive frame throughout the
arcanum Further the Hebrew is as we put in the Margin He revealeth or uncovereth the eares of men This revealing or uncovering of the eare say some noteth only private speaking and is a similitude taken from a common custome among men who when they would convey their mind secretly to a friend that stands by put their head near to his eare and take up the brim of his hat or put by his haire if long that they may whisper in his eare Thus in a dreame God whispers and speaks silently unto men This seems to have a sutablenesse with that Chap. 4.12 13. where Eliphaz spake of a thing brought secretly to him or that was whispered or stoln into him But I conceive there is more in this place then the intendment of a secret and private conveyance of the mind of God unto man in a vision or dreame And therefore this opening of the eare imports the removing or taking away of that whatsoever it is which hinders the effectuall hearing or obeying of those messages which God sends to men When God spake in a dream he did more then speak aliquid in illorum aures in susussirare vellet deducebat defluentes copillos et in apertes aures tacito â—â—â—mure aliquid instillabat Sanct Cinthius aurem vellit et admonuit c. Horat. Loquitur et audire facit Aurem revelare vel aperire est insinuare aliquid auribus animisque quod intimis sensibus reponendum sit Clariorem et penetrantiorem insinuationem voluntatis divinae denotat Coc he open'd the ear yea he gave an eare to hear This powerfull work of God upon the heart is elegantly expressed by opening the eare because when the ears are stopt we cannot hear till that which stops them is pluckt out or taken away so that here we have speaking with effect or the cleare and penetrating power of the Spirit of God sweetly and prevailingly insinuating his mind to man God speaks so as he will be heard Hence Observe First The eare of man is naturally stopt against the teachings of God There are many things which stop the eares of man or man hath many eare stoppers I will name seven all which God removes and takes away when he effectually reveals his mind to man First the eare of man is stopt with ignorance that 's a thick vaile or covering upon the eare and keeps out the mind of God till it be removed And Secondly Unbelief is another ear-stopper till the Lord removeth that we cannot hear Thirdly Impenitency or hardnesse of heart stops the eare there are a number of Scriptures I might give for each of these Fourthly the love of any particular sin is an eare-shutter or an eare-stopper and the Lord removes that when he opens the eare Fifthly Prejudices stop the eare prejudices somtimes against the person speaking somtime against the word spoken That man will never hear a word to purpose who hath a prejudice against the person or a prejudice against the word either a prejudice against the man or against the matter Sixthly Pride stops the eare too the proud man will not hearken therefore God humhles and brings down the spirit that the word may be heard Seventhly and lastly the World is a great ear-stopper that locks up the eare against the word the world in the profits of it and the world in the pleasures of it and the world in the cares of it and the world in the fears of it the world by or in every one of these stops the eare and by these the ears of all men naturally are stopped so that they are as it is said Psal 58.4 like the deafe adder that stops her eare and will not hear the voyce of the charmer charme he never so wisely Till all these stoppers are removed and the eare opened there is no receiving of the word Secondly Observe God is able to open and unlock the eare of man Though it hath never so many stopples in it he can pull them out never so many locks upon it though all the seven spoken of and seven more obstruct the ear yet he can open them all and make a free and uncontroulable passage for his word into the remotest and closest chambers of the soul God can speak loud enough not only to make the deafe but the dead hear his voyce Verily verily I say unto you saith Christ Joh. 5.25 the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voyce of the Son of God and they that hear shall live By the dead he means not those who are corporally but spiritually dead that is dead in sins and trespasses and in danger of eternall death for their sins and trespasses even these heard the voyce of the Son of God then speaking personally and heard it afterwards ministerially in the dispensation of the Gospell and that voyce revived them not only by giving them the comfort of that naturall life which they had before but by bringing in a new spirituall life which before they had not Then the internall eare is opened to purpose when those internall or mystically darke graves of sin are opened and the soul comes forth into the light of life Yet more distinctly God may be said to uncover or open the eares of men when he doth these four things First When he makes us not only to heare but to attend not only to heare but to hearken or not only to heare but to give eare Many give the word of God the hearing but they doe not give eare to the word of God Secondly God opens the ear when he makes us not only attend but understand or when he takes the vaile off from our minds The Apostle saith of the Jewes 2 Cor 3.14 The vaile remaineth upon them untaken away to this day in the reading of the old Testament and it doth so still so that as they could not so yet they cannot Looke to the end of that which is abolished that is to Christ who was the end or scope at which the whole Ceremoniall Law now abolished did then ayme When once the eâ—re is divinely opened then the vaile of ignorance and spirituall blindnesse is taken off from the mind both as to that greatest truth and all other necessary truths The opened eare is an understanding eare Thirdly God openeth the eare when he causeth us to believe what we perceive and understand As faith sets the whole soule aworke for God so faith is the great worke of God upon the soule When the eare is opened truth is not only knowne but savingly believed Fourthly This opening of the eare maketh the soule obedient Jesus Christ in that great prophecy of him Psal 40.6 to shew his ready obedience to his fathers command saith Mine eare hast thou opened or digged The eare of Christ was never shut in the least either through ignorance or unbeliefe but he is sayd to have his eare opened only to shew his constant preparedness and readiness for obedience
signifies Eminency or Excellency because men are usually proud of that wherein they are eminent and excell there lyes the temptation to pride And therefore as a man should turne away his eyes from a beautifull harlot lest she should ensnare him so God hides mans owne beauties eminencies and excellencies even his best workes from him lest he should be proud of them and so goe a whoring after them or as God did with the body of Moses he not only buryed him but hid him for 't is sayd Deut 34.6 No man knoweth of his sepulcher to this day and 't is well conceived that the reason why God hid his sepulcher was lest the people of Israel should be drawne aside to some undue or superstitious veneration of him So God hideth by some meanes or other that which is most eminent in us from us lest it should draw us aside to some undue estimation of it and so prove but matter or fewel for pride to kindle upon Thus the Lord hideth pride from us when he hideth that from us which considering our corruption may probably make us proud And the originall word here used to signifie the man from whom God hideth pride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a neere cognation to this notion about hiding pride it selfe Man is twice exprest in this verse yet not by the same word The first word notes man in the weaknesse of his constitution an earthly man This second notes man in the powerfulness of his condition a strong man a mighty man an eminent man a man with all his furniture in the fullness of his earthly glory and greatness when man hath much naturall power much civill power with the various additions and ornaments of both these powers upon him then man is in greatest danger to be proud then God hideth pride from man And who can hide pride from such a man but God alone Men commonly blow up such men with pride by great applauses and such men have mostly great thoughts and high apprehensions of themselves and are very forward to discover which is the greatest discovery of their weakness their owne pride God only hideth pride from man that is he makes it not to be as well as hinders i'ts appearing that which is hidden is as if it were not The word is used in that sense Job 3.10 Because he did not hide sorrow from mine eyes Sorrow is hidden from us when the matter of sorrow is so taken away that we sorrow not at all To hide pride is to take away the matter and occasion the incentives and motives of pride whatsoever is a nurse of pride or doth encourage the pride of our hearts that 's to hide pride from man Againe We may take this word pride in a large sense as Comprehending all sin He withdraweth man from his purpose and hideth pride that is sin of all sorts from man and doubtlesse there is pride of one kinde or other in every act of sin There is a heightening of the spirit against God some dissatisfaction with the mind and will of God and thence a setting up of our will against the will of God in every sinner especially in bold and wilfull sinners Such sinners would not let the will of God stand but desire that their own may This is pride This in some degree is mingled with every sin and pride leads to all sin therefore in Scripture sometimes an humble or meek man is oppos'd not only to a proud man in speciall but to a wicked man in generall Psal 147.6 The Lord lifteth up the meek he casteth the wicked down to the ground Where the wicked man in the latter part of the verse stands in opposition to the meek or humble man in the former part of it Nor can it be denyed but that as pride is in it selfe a very great wickedness so it gives a propension and fitnesse for the doing of all manner of wickednesse And thus take it in the largest sense 't is a truth that God hideth pride that is every sin from man otherwise he would soone shew forth any sin as much as pride But I rather keep to that strictnesse of Interpretation here as pride is oppos'd to humilitie which is not only a choyce grace but the ornament of all those graces which are hidden in the heart and held out in the life of a gracious man And thus the Lord by exercising man with dreams and visions in his affliction doth first stop and check the very purposes of evill that they come not to act and when man hath brought to passe or acted any good purpose he keeps him from ostentation He hideth pride from man It being the Lords designe to hide pride from man by those fore-named dispensations Observe First Man is naturally much disposed and very prone to pride Those things which Children are apt to abuse or hurt themselves with their parents hide from them They will hide edge-tooles from them lest they get a wound by medling with them They will hide fruit from them lest by eating overmuch they get a surfet Thus the Lord our tender father often hides all the means and occasions of pride from the eyes of his children because they are so ready to boast and lift up themselves in pride Man as was shewed at the 13th verse of the former Chapter is a proud piece of flesh and hath much proud flesh in him The Prophet saith Ezek 7.10 Pride hath budded pride hath a roote and it brings forth fruit There is a two-fold pride or pride of two sorts First secret unseene pride or pride of heart Secondly open visible pride or pride of life In allusion to the Prophets metaphor we may say there is pride in the bud and pride in the roote pride buddeth outwardly First At the tongue men speak proud words they speak boastingly and vaine-gloriously Psal 75.5 Speak not with a stiff neck that is speak not proudly Pride budded at the tongue of Nebuchadnezzar Dan 4.30 when he walked in his Pallace and said Is not this great Babell that I have built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty Here was pride budding at the tongue Secondly Pride buddeth also at the eye in scornfull lofty looks David profest that his heart was not haughty nor his eyes lofty Psal 131.1 The haughtiness of many mens hearts may be seene at those windowes of the body the eyes in lofty looks These are threatned with a downfall Psal 18.27 The Lord will bring downe high lookes that is proud men who looke highly And againe Isa 2.11 The lofty lookes of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of man shall be bowed downe Once more saith the Lord Isa 10.13 I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Asyria and the glory of his high lookes There we have pride in the roote a stout heart and pride in the fruit high lookes Isa 3.11 The shew
of their Countenance testifieth against them that is they look proudly though which should lay them in the dust they live very lewdly yea they are proud of their lewdness Thirdly How often doth pride bud in apparell in vaine fashions and new-fangled attires in the affected adornings and trimmings of a body of clay What are these but the buddings of pride yea the flaggs and banners of pride Some are as proud of their gay dresses as the Peacock of his feathers We commonly say Fine feathers make fine birds but how foolish are those birds that are proud of Feathers Secondly There is pride of heart or pride budding in the spirit of man which doth not shew it selfe only the mind swels within When men have high thoughts of themselves though they doe not as the Apostle Jude hath it speake great swelling words of vanity yet they have great swelling thoughts of vanity then pride buddeth in their spirits their minds swell and the mind will swell more then the tongue The tongue swells mightily but the heart much more The spirit of a man may lift up it selfe on high when the man looks very demurely Hab 2.4 Behold his soule which is lifted up is not upright in him If the soule be lifted up the man falls He that is high-minded cannot be upright in his minde It may be questioned Whence it cometh to passe that the soule of man is so much and so often lifted up with pride What causeth this swelling and heaving of his spirit I answer First Some are proud of their birth either that they are borne of great men or that they are borne of good men The Baptist admonished the Jewes of this piece of pride Math 3.19 Thinke not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father As if he had sayd I well perceive what makes you as we speake proverbially stand so much upon your pantafloes and talk within your selves at such a rate of your selves is it not because you are of Abrahams stock But I say unto you let not your heart swell with these thoughts we are Children of Abraham for God is able even of these stones to raise up children to Abraham that is God will not want a people though he should lay you aside and entertaine you no longer for his people Secondly Others are proud of riches yea they boast of the multitude of their riches Psal 49.6 Even they who desire to hide their riches as much as they can yet cannot but tell the world they are proud of their riches so proud that they slight and contemne all men that have not as much riches as they O what rejoycings have most rich men over their riches Hezekiah a great King and a Good man a rare conjunction had much of that upon his spirit Isa 39.2 when Ambassadours came from Babylon He was glad of them and shewed them all his treasure He affected they should see what a rich King he was and what masses of Gold and silver as well as what multitudes of men were at his command Thirdly Many are proud of their honours and powers in the world They are high-minded because they are set in high places 'T is a dishonour to some great men that they have not truely great spirits And 't is the temptation of all great men to have proud spirits Fourthly Not a few are proud of their bodyly perfections and strength many a soule is defiled and deformed with pride by the bodyes beauty and fairenesse many look not after the beauty of holinesse while they doat upon the beauty of their owne comelinesse they see themselves in their beauty till they are proud of it and care not which should be our greatest care and shall be our greatest priviledge Isa 33.17 to see the King in his beauty As some trust in their spirituall beauty Ezek 16.15 so others over-weene their corporall both are the effects of pride and the first is by so much the worse of the two by how much it riseth from a better object Fifthly Many are proud of their naturall parts proud of their gifts proud of their wit proud of their memory proud of their eloquence and abilities of speaking As knowledge it selfe puffeth up 1 Cor 8.1 so doe all those endowments which serve either for the getting or expressing of our knowledge Gifts and abilities whether naturall or improved and acquired doe not more fit us for service then tempt us to and unlesse grace worke mightily taint us with pride Sixthly As many are proud of what they have so others are proud of what they have done they are proud of their actions their spirits swell with the thoughts of their owne workes Some are so wicked that they are proud of their evill workes The Apostle saith They glory in their shame Phil 3.19 David complain'd of many Psal 4. who turned his glory into shame but these turne their shame into glory that is they are proud of that for which they ought to be ashamed Now if some are proud of the evill of the mischief which they have done how easily may we grow proud of the good which we have done proud of our duties proud of our righteous deeds proud of our charitable deeds to men proud of our prayers to God proud of our zeale for God as Jehu was who sayd Come and see my zeale for the Lord. The heart of a good man may soone have too much to doe with what he hath done his thoughts may quickly worke too much towards and upon his owne workes But as for hypocrites and selfe-seekers who doe good to be seene of men they cannot forbeare seeing it themselves and surely that sight of the eye cannot but affect the heart with pride Seventhly Pride riseth often from the successe of what is attempted and done men are proud of victories The Assyrian is described Isa 10.13 14. triumphing and insulting because he had put downe the nations as a valiant man And Hab 1.16 we have the Chaldeans sacrificing to their net and burning incense to their drage because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous that is they boasted of and gloried in their great atchievements in warre so it seemes to be explained in the next words v. 17. Shall they therefore empty their net and not spare continually to slay the nations Eighthly Pride springeth out of the very mercies and salvation of God Thus 't is sayd of Hezekiah 2 Chron 32.25 after he had received two great mercies First deliverance from a great enemy and Secondly from a great sicknesse He rendred not againe according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up How lifted up not in thankfulnesse for he rendred not according to the kindnesse but in pride and high-mindednesse for presently it is said v. 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart Ninthly The heart is lifted up and waxeth proud with Church-Priviledges Some say they are in the Church or they are the
Psal 38.3 Legendo vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et lis ossium ejus vehemens est i. e. dolor ossium ejus per quem cum ipso velut litigat Pisc Sunt ex Hebraeis qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multitudo quia per י scribatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etsi legatur per ו exponunt pro contentione quasi deus cumossibus ejus contendat Merc As if Elihu had sayd the paine and anguish by which God doth contend with all his bones is strong or God hath a strong controversie with his bones upon his sicke bed Lastly The vulgar translates He maketh all his bones to wither decay and rott When there is a consumption or a withering among the bones how intolerable is the paine Broken bones cause the acutest paines but decaying bones the most constant paine Withering bones are opposed to fatned bones in that promise made to him that fasts spiritually not carnally only in abstaining from flesh Isa 58.11 The Lord will make fat thy bones As if he had sayd Doe not feare that thou shalt pine by spirituall fasting I will make fat thy bones Which is true even in regard of that which is naturall the Lord reneweth bodily strength to those who humble themselves soule and body The body shall not suffer in this service of the Lord if the soule be truly afflicted in it Yet when he saith he will make fat thy bones it respects especially their spirituall strength that thrives best in a day of holy abstinence and fasting Here when 't is sayd their bones shall wither through paine it notes the declining of the whole body because as the bones are strong in themselves so they are the strength and support of the whole outward man When God smites the bones then he shakes the pillars and rafters of our earthly house and threatens the downfall of it He is chastened with paine upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain Taking these words in connection with the former where Elihu spake of those dreames and visions by which God speakes to man and supposing as there he doth that because the man is not well awakened by those dreames and visions from his security therefore the Lord sendeth pain and sickness upon him as a second meanes to humble him and make him understand himselfe Observe They that will not be instructed by dreames that is by gentler meanes shall be instructed by paines They who will not take instruction even in their sleep shall be taught by that which will keep them awake Severall Scriptures tell us of the Lords proceeding with man from words to blowes And if the Lord proceeds from dreames which are warnings in sleepe to blowes if when he hath spoken to us in a dreame we hearken not he will chasten us with paine even the multitude of our bones with strong paine And then much more will he proceed from words to blows with them that are warned to awake if they heare not and take warning That 's an awakening word to those who sleepe waking Psal 7.12 13. If he turn not he will whet his sword He bath bent his bowe and made it ready If men will not returne upon word-admonition and reproofe the Lord hath his arrowes and his sword to reprove them with Turne ye at my reproofe saith the Lord Pro 1.23 I give you warning to turne but if you doe not then as presently it followeth I will laugh at your calamity and mock when your feare cometh As you have seemed to mock at my counsels so I will mock at your calamities that is I will shew you no pity as you have shewed me no respect Thus the Lord deales with proud rebellious man who casts off his yoake yea sometimes he deales very severely with his owne people for they may put him to it if words will not serve their turne words in sleepe and words when awake they may expect blowes next and be made to feele the hand of God because they have not understood or not obeyed his will Secondly From the manner of expression He is chastened with paine upon his bed The Spirit of God useth a word referring to instruction both by smiting and speaking to shew that there is a voyce in the rod. Hence note The chastisements of God upon us are our documents When God sends sicknesse and grievous paines he reproves sinners from Heaven and chides them for the errours of their lives The chastenings of the Lord are speakings He speaketh by his rods beyond all the eloquence of words Mic. 6.9 Hear ye the rod. The voyce of God is in his rod that speaks so loud from Heaven in many stroaks that the prophanest sinners on earth are sometimes forced to heare and acknowledge it As those Magicians were forced by the plaine evidence of the fact to say Ez. 8.19 This is the finger of God So they must say This is the voyce of God He speaks to us and speaks to purpose in these afflictions The voyce of God in affliction exceeds all the rhetorick and perswasions of mortall-men The crosse is a schoole in which they who are dull at hearing what God speaks to them in his word are wonderfully quickened up by his rod. The words of the wise saith Solomon are goads And surely these goads of affliction are pricking piercing words for the promoting and putting on of a lazy soul in Gods worke Job had desired God to speak with him Elihu answers Why dost thou desire more answers or directions from God Hath not God spoken to thee in these soares and sicknesses in these chastisements with pain upon thy bed Is God wanting to thy instruction hath he not clearly told thee his mind and thy duty hath he not written yea engraven his will upon thy diseased flesh What are the paines the corruption the consumption the strange deformity and sad transfiguration of thy body but as so many voyces of God speaking and speaking aloud to thee repent and humble thy selfe Therefore attend hearken to and meditate upon the answers which he hath impressed or printed legibly upon thy head face and wrinkled forehead Thou hast his answer his own way therefore be satisfied and doe not stand defiring that God would answer thee after thy way nor complaining because he doth not And we may reply not only to obstinate sinners but to many of the people of God when they enquire what the mind of God is or what he intends towards them His providences give you many items and memorandums which if you can spell out and read you may know his meaning This lesson the signification of the word offereth us as the connection of the words offered in the former Thirdly learne hence Man is a poor crazy creature subject to all diseases and infirmities Yea he is not only subject to them but he is the subject of them His body is as it were a vessell of naturall corruption as his soul is a vessell of morall
any that are sent upon business John 13.16 Apostolus hic non specialis muneris sed generale nomen est missum cum mandatis significans Grot He that is sent let him be who he will or upon what occasion soever he is sent is not greater then he that sends him So then the Ministers of the Gospel are called the messengers of Christ First Because they are sent by Christ and have a Commission from him Secondly They are his messengers because they are instructed by Christ and carry forth his mind they may not speake their owne words nor their owne sence but the word which they bring is or ought to be what they have received or what Christ hath put into their mouthes that 's their duty And the messengers of Christ are to speak his mind First Plainly 1 Cor 2.4 In the demonstration of the Spirit Secondly boldly not flattering the persons nor fearing the faces of men Thirdly They should speak authoritatively though they beseech and beg and pray yet they are to doe all as having a warrant for what they doe and as being cloathed with power from on high If any man speak saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.11 let him speak as the Oracles of God As he is to speak the Oracles of God so as the oracles of God Some speak who doe not speak the oracles of God but their owne opinions Others speak the oracles of God materially that is they deliver divine truths yet they doe not speak them as the oracles of God with that authority which becomes the Gospel we say of some They marr their tale in the telling Though they report or tell the mind of him that sent them yet they spoyle it in reporting it The Ministers of the Gospel spoyle their message unlesse they report it plainly boldly and with Authority Thirdly If Ministers be the messengers of Christ surely then they are to be heard and their message is to be received if God sends a messenger to us shall we not open the doore to him if a friend send a messenger to us he takes it very ill and well he may if we doe not 'T is below civility 't is an high affront to a man not to receive his message what is it then to the most high God! How dreadfull is that woe which Christ pronounceth against such as refuse either his messengers or their message Math 10.14 15. Whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words When ye depart out of that house or City shake off the dust of your feete Implying that God would so shake them off or esteeme them no more then the vilest dust Yea as another Gospel hath it Mark 6.11 implying that as they had not received the testimony which his messengers bare of him so their dust should be kept as a testimony against them And lest the mischiefe threatned them in this aenigmatical or covert speech should not be understood Christ himselfe expounds it in the next words Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of Judgement then for that City Further 'T is not enough barely to receive Christs Messengers they must be received as the Messengers of Christ Such a reception the Apostle found among the Galatians Chap. 4.14 And my temptation or daily affliction which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angell of God even as Christ Jesus And what is said of the Messenger is to be understood also of his message both are to be received as from Christ How is that you will say Take it in these four words First when 't is received gladly Acts 2.4 It should be the joy of our hearts the Psalmist calls it the joyfull sound Ps 89.15 to hear a word from Christ Secondly when it is received reverently and respectfully as giving honour to the message and the Messenger for Christs sake Thirdly when 't is received obedientially as submitting to the word else your respectfull and joyfull receiving the message of Christ is but a complement or piece of Courtship Fourthly when their whole message is thus received as Cornelius said to Peter Acts 10.33 We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God We must receive not only those things that sute us well but those things that are most crosse to our corrupt natures and interests whether of worldly profit or pleasure this is to receive the Messengers and messages of Jesus Christ as his If there be a Messenger An Interpreter That 's a second stile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dulcuit inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oratorem vel interpretem significat qui◠dicentis sermones dulces auditoribus sunt Novar or Title given to the man sent to the sick sinner The Hebrew word here rendred an Interpreter cometh from a root signifying sweetnesse or to sweeten Some conceive the Latine word Mel for honey hath its originall from it because the message or interpretation that comes from God should be sweet as honey to us David professeth The word of God is sweeter then honey and the hony-comb Psal 19.10 As if he had said 't is sweeter to the soul then that which is sweetest to sense Now the messenger sent from God is called an interpreter because he is sent to interpret and declare the mind of God to his people Mr. Broughton renders A Teacher The word interpreter may be taken three wayes First For any one that interpreteth tongues or languages Thus 't is said Gen. 42.23 Joseph spake to his brethren by an interpreter they 't is like did not understand the Egyptian language and he either for state or to conceale himself the better would not seem to understand theirs Secondly There is an interpreter of misteries as well as of languages Many things spoken in our own language may need an interpreter more then the words of a strange language We read Prov. 1.6 of a Parable and the interpretation of it Parables are wise but hard and dark sayings they need an interpreter The Gospel is a mystery and he that can expound and declare the mysteries of the Gospel is an interpreter indeed Thirdly The word interpreter is taken in a larger sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cortè est advocatus quem Chaldaei vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paracletum significat eadem voce oratorem Rhetorem Drus for any person that interposeth between two or that indeavours the setling of any matter in difference either between God and man or between man and man Isa 43.27 Thy Teachers we put in the Margin interpreters have transgressed against me As if he had said they who as Mediators should have prayed for thee to me and have declared my will to thee are themselves depraved Further We may distinguish of a threefold interpreter First a grammaticall interpreter whose business is to give the sence of words Secondly a logicall interpreter who gathers up
the meaning scope and mind of any sentence or the purpose of man in what he speaketh Thirdly there is the divine of spirituall interpreter who labours to bring the truths of God and the heart of man together The Apostle having treated about prophecying concludes 1 Cor. 14.25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth as if the man that beleeved not or one unlearned for of such he speaks vers 24. had said surely these men understand what is in my heart for they have brought the truth of God and my heart together so that I must confesse God is in them that is there is a divine wisdome or interpretation in them When Elihu faith If there be an interpreter we are to understand him in this last sence not of one that can interpret words like a Grammarian or give the scope and sence of words like a Logician but of one that hath a divine skill to bring the truths of God home to the heart of man that is to convince informe an ignorant conscience and to comfort relieve and support a troubled conscience If there be an interpreter Hence note The Ministers of Christ are the interpreters of the mind and good will of God toward poor sinners They interpret the mind of God as to peace and reconciliation as to grace and salvation as well as to duty and holiness of conversation 'T is the nicest and hardest thing in the world to interpret the mind of God aright to a sinner to bring his heart to a closing with the great truths and promises of the Gospel he that can doe this skilfully is worthy the name of an interpreter The Apostle saith of him who is but a babe in Christ and useth milke that is lives upon the lower and more easie principles of faith he is unskillfull in the word of righteousnesse Heb. 5.13 that is he knowes not how to make out and mannage for his own comfort the doctrine of free grace through the alone righteousness of Jesus Christ And therefore as first God himself is the author and fountaine of this grace as secondly Jesus Christ is the purchaser or procurer of the fruits of this grace to sinners as thirdly the effectuall worker of our hearts to receive this grace as also the witness-bearer and sealer of it to our souls is the holy Spirit as fourthly the word of the Gospell is the Charter and Covenant of this grace so fifthly the Ministers of Christ are the interpreters of this grace and they are or ought to be skillfull in this word of righteousness Their skill and duty is first to explaine what the Covenant is and rightly to lay down how the sinners reconciliation to God is wrought Secondly to make a sutable and seasonable application of it or to bring it home to the souls and consciences of poor sinners as they find their state to be And as the Ministers of Christ are Gods interpreters to his people so they are the peoples interpreters unto God They are the former two wayes First by opening the mind of God to his people Secondly by urging and pressing them to receive it both for their direction and consolation They are the latter four wayes First by laying open and spreading the peoples wants and weaknesses before God Secondly by confessing their sins and transgressions to God Thirdly by intreating the Lord for them or by praying for mercy pardon and forgiveness in their behalfe for sins committed Fourthly by giving thanks in their name for mercies received Thus they are first Gods mouth to the people in preaching declaring the Gospel Secondly the peoples mouth to God in prayer and thanksgiving And in both performe the worke and Office of an interpreter And if the Ministers of the Gospell are interpreters Then First Every Minister must be acquainted with the mind of God He must have skill in the mystery of the Gospel How shall he be able to interpret the mind of God to sinners who is not acquainted with the mind of God We have the mind of Christ saith the Apostle of himselfe and his fellow-labourers in the Gospel 1 Cor. 2.16 and when he saith we have the mind of Christ his meaning is not only this that they had the mind of Christ written in a book but they had a cleare understanding of it and so were fitted to interpret it to others Secondly As he must have the knowledge of the mystery so he must have the tongue of the learned Isa 50.4 That he may be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary that is to the wounded and troubled in conscience This is the interpreter intended by Elihu He is one that hath learned and is taught of God Humane learning the knowledge of Arts and Sciences is good and hath its use but divine learning or learning in divine things that is to be divinely learned 't is possible for one to have learning in divine things and not to be divinely learned is absolutely necessary to make him an interpreter It is not enough to know divine things but he must know them divinely or by the unction and teachings of the Spirit The Apostle John Rev 10.8 is commanded to eat the book this eating of the book signifieth the spirituall knowledg of divine truths in this sence we know no more then we eat then we as it were turn into our own substance that which is eaten becomes one with us the mystery of the Gospell must be eaten by the interpreter of Gospell mysteries A man cannot interpret the mind of God till he knows it and he cannot know the mind of God unlesse God himself reveals it so the Apostle argueth 1 Cor. 2. from 12 to 16. As no man knoweth the mind of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him so the things of the spirit of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit of God doth reveale them And therefore though a man may have an abillity to interpret the word of God as 't is an excellent book a book full of admirable knowledge he may I say have an abillity to interpret it soundly by humane learning yet no man can doe it savingly and convertingly but by the help of the Spirit Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant he will shew it effectually he will make them know it Thus David prayed Psal 119.18 Lord open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of thy Law Naturall parts and humane learning arts and languages may give us an understanding of the tenour and literal meaning of the Law of God but none of these can open our eyes to behold the wonders of the Law much lesse the wonders and mysteries of the Gospell The opening of our eyes to behold these
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
received and in receiving more grace favour and comfort from God as will appeare in opening the words Vers 26. He shall pray to God and he will be favourable to him and he shall see his face with joy for he will render to man his righteousness Elâ—hu gave us before one meanes of the sick sinfull mans recovery from his bodyly and soule sickness that was the counsell and instruction given in by the messenger the interpreter one of a thousand And here he sets downe another meanes by which he is restored to both especially to the sweetness of both He shall pray unto God The word here used to pray signifieth not barely to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multiplicavit propriè verba fortia et magnacopia fudit in oratione inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supplices Zeph. 3.10 or put up requests to God 'T is a word with an emphasis implying the Multiplying of prayer and that not the multiplying of prayer so much by number as by weight the powring forth or multiplying of strong prayers or as it is sayd of Christ In the dayes of his flesh Heb. 5.7 the offering up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares There may be a multiplying of weak insignificant words in the eares of God by prayer But the faithfull people of God through the Spirit powre out many strong words in prayer as Christ did in the dayes of his flesh to him who is able to save them from death or danger and give them life When Elihu saith He shall pray he intends such prayers even the urgency importunity or vehemency of the soule in prayer When Isaac saw his wife Rebecca was long barren he was forty yeares old before he married and many yeares being elapsed in marriage there was no appearance of Children Then saith the Text Gen 25.21 Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife because shee was barren and the Lord was entreated of him and Rebecca his wife conceived It cannot be imagined that Isaac being so holy and gracious a man had not prayed for that mercy before Doubtless he prayed that God would fullfill the promise to his father Abraham in giving him a childe but when he saw the promise so long delayed or stick so long in the birth then he intreated the Lord 't is this word he powred out many and strong prayers The word is used againe concerning Manoah after his wife had received a promise from the Lord of hearing a Son afterwards called Sampson Judg 13.8 Then Manoah entreated the Lord and sayd O my Lord let the man of God which thou didst send come againe unto us c. Fearing they might not fully follow the instructions given his wife for the education of their son he earnestly begged of the Lord further direction in that matter That prophecy either of the Gentiles to be converted or of the returne of the dispersed Jewes expresseth them by this word Zeph 3.10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants shall come even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offerings As if the Prophet had sayd They shall spend themselves in supplications at their returne they shall come with strong petitions with mighty prayers as making prayer their business They shall not come with frozen affections and cold requests but with hearts flaming up in the ardency of their desires and urgency of their supplications to the Lord. That 's the force of the word He shall pray As if Elihu had sayd He shall not come with dead-hearted prayers and petitions as many doe in their sicknesses and sorrowes nor with a formal Lord have mercy upon me and helpe me but he shall make a business of it he shall pray to purpose he shall pray with his whole strength In which sence the Lord bid Ananias goe to Saul afterwards Paul Acts 9.11 For behold he prayeth intimating that he had never prayed all his dayes before nor indeed had he though being brought up a strict Pharisee he was much in the forme of prayer ever prayed in power before He shall pray Some understand this He relating to the messenger praying for the sick man He shall pray and God will be favourable to him That 's a truth 't is the worke and duty of the messenger to pray for as well as advise the sick man But I conceive rather the person here intended praying is the sick man for himselfe who after he hath been counselled directed and advised by the messenger what to doe applyeth himselfe to the doing of it Further Some who agree that the sick man is the person praying yet understand it of prayer after his recovery who finding himself healed and strengthened prayeth unto God for grace or for a right use of his health strength But I rather understand it of his prayer unto God in the time of his affliction who when his sins and transgressions have been laid before him by the messenger and his soul-soars searched to the bottome and faithfully dealt with and so brought to a sight of himselfe and of his sin with the sad effects of it visible upon this pained and consumptive body is then stirred to seek the Lord and entreat his favour He shall pray unto God Hence Note Sicknesse is a prayer season Prayer is a duty never out of season yet at some times more in season and most in season in times of affliction Is any man afflicted let him pray James 5.13 And among all afflictions the affliction of sickness seemes to be a speciall season calling for this duty Therefore in the 14. verse of the same Chapter assoon as he had said is any man afflicted let him pray it followeth is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him 'T is high time for us when sick to look about us to call in prayer-aide or helpe from others in prayer yet 't is not enough fot the afflicted or the sick to get others to pray for them they must pray for themselves some put off the duty of prayer to others and think it sufficeth if they send bills to ministers or move friends to pray for them I know sickness indisposeth to prayer bodily paine and weakness hinder continuance and abiding in the duty but that doth not excuse the sick from praying for themselves To desire others to pray for us in bodyly sickness and neglect it our selves is an ill symptome of a sick soul yea to desire others in that case to pray for us when we have no heart to pray for our selves is too cleare a prognostick that their prayers will not profit us nor be prevailing for us Pharoah when under those dreadfull plagues could send for Moses and Aaron more then once and said unto them entreat the Lord for me Exod. 9.27 28. Chap. 10.16 17. But we read not that he entreated the Lord for himself Simon Magus when struck with the terrible threatnings of Peter said Pray ye to the
stile Psal 67.1 God be mercifull to us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us that is give us tokens and pledges of his favour Secondly How see we the face of God Doth not God tell Moses No man can see my face and live How then can the face of God be seene I answer The face of God which was touched before as taken for the essence of God or for his essentiall glory cannot be seene That 's too transcendent a glory for man to behold What we see of God is but some ray or beaming out of light and glory from himselfe we cannot see himselfe The essentiall or personall glory of God is that face which cannot be seene but the declarative glory of God is a face of God which may be clearely seene by faith in the light of his word and workes And to see the face of God is nothing else but for a man to know in himselfe as the Apostles word is in somewhat a parallel case Heb 10.34 that God is gracious to him that is to have an assurance of his favour or a reflect act of faith about it The holy Spirit sheweth us what God is and what the things of God are 1 Cor 2.12 We have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God that is that we mayâ—e enlightned with the knowledge of the grace goodness and favour of God to us discovered in the Gospel The Spirit sheweth us this blessed face of God and we see it by the actings of our faith all our visions of God in this life are visions of faith upon whose wings all our intellectuall powers soare aloft and are carried up to God Faith is not only a worke of the will in consent and application but a worke of the understanding by assent and knowledge Thus we see God as a Spirit is only to be seene with a spirituall eye The vision of God is intellectuall the vision of faith Videre faciem dei nihil aliud est quam sentire apud animum suum deum propitium Coc In Jubilo i. e. in quodam inexplicabili gaudio Aquin Thus the reconciled sinner finding God favourable to him he seeth his face with joy The word signifies joyfull acclamation or shouting for joy such as men use after great favours done them and benefits or rather bounties bestowed upon them There is a seeing of the face of God with terror so the wicked shall see God that is they shall have manifestations of Gods displeasure they shall be made to see him with shame and sorrow They shall say when they see him to the mountaines and rockes fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe They who never saw the face of God with joy shall see it with horror amazement Saints see it with joy they have unexpressible comfort and contentment in beholding God they shall rejoyce with shouting as in the yeare of Jubile when they sounded out their joyes with trumpets or made a joyfull noyse 'T is no ordinary but a triumphant joy with which the godly see the face of God Extraordinary sights affect with extraordinary joy Now the face of God being the highest and most glorious sight in the world it must needs affect the beholder with a glorious with a Jubilean joy He shall see his face with joy First It being sayd He shall see his face with joy upon his prayer and the humbling of himselfe before God Observe God hides or vayles his face till we humble our soules and seeke his face God will not be seene at all times no not by his owne people There are severall cases in which he turneth away his face in anger or drawes a curtaine as it were yea a cloud between himselfe and the soule And this he doth First and most usually to try his people how they can beare his withdrawings and to see whether or to what they will betake themselves when he takes himselfe so much from them that they cannot see him Secondly He doth it often to chasten and correct man for sin To be under the hidings of Gods face is the saddest effect of sin to a sencible or an awakened soule David made a grievous complaint because of this what ever the cause or occasion of it was Psal 13.1 The absence of God from him though possibly but for a short time was so tedious to him that he cryed out How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me Even Jesus Christ while he stood in the place of sinners bare the hiding of his fathers face as the summe of all those punishments which were due to and deserved by our sin This pressed him more then all bodyly sufferings and made him cry out while he hung upon the Crosse My God my God not why hast thou left me to be crucified but why hast thou forsaken me Math 27.46 Thirdly God hideth his face from some because the manifestations of it have not been received thankfully nor improved rightly We ought to give thankes for the light of the Sun shining in the ayre and also doe our worke in it Is it any wonder if God cloud and eclipse the light of his countenance towards those who neither prize it nor improve it If you would alwayes see the face of God then be ye alwayes seene at the worke and in the wayes of God Secondly Observe It is the sole priviledge of Gods Favourites or of those to whom he is favourable to see his face As no man can see that face of God his essentiall presence so none but Godly men shall see this face of God his comfortable or blessed-making presence Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb 12.14 There is a two-fold vision or sight of God and that negative assertion may be understood of either or of both There 's first a vision of God on earth thus we see his face as was shewed before in the actings of faith For though the Apostle opposeth these two faith and sight We walke by faith and not by sight 2 Cor 5.7 yet faith hath its sight we walke not by sight as the worldly men walk who doe as they see and make their eyes both the guide of their consciences and the in-bringers of their comforts we walke not by outward sight nor doe we make conclusions how to guide our conversations by what we see We walke by faith and that 's the sight which we have of God while we are here on earth which cannot possibly be without holiness faith being so great a part of our holiness and by drawing vertue from Christ dayly the maintainer of it all Secondly there is a sight of the face of God in glory And if none can enter into glory but holy men then no man without
O that my people had hearkned unto me and Israel had walked in my wayes I should soone have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves but their time should have endured for ever I should have fed them also with the finest of the wheate c. As if the Lord had sayd How glad should I have been if my people had been but fitly qualified to give me occasion of removing all evill from them and of doing them all manner of good The holy Prophet speakes the heart of God in the same readiness Isa 30.18 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you As if he had sayd The Lord expects your reformation that he may not proceed in rigour against you or as some conceive rather he only delayeth his putting an end to your troubles till ye are humbled expecting a seasonable time to shew you that mercy in bestowing of which he will exalt and advance his owne name and honour when once he seeth you fitted and duely prepared to receive it The Lord saith David Psal 14.2 looked downe from heaven upon all the children of men to see if there were any did understand and seek God There he is represented looking downe from heaven to see if any did understand as here he looketh upon men to see if any doe repent saying I have sinned c. The Lord often yea alwayes looketh downe upon Nations Cities and people to see if any have a right understanding of him or a will with upright affections to him The Lord at this day is looking upon the sick and looking upon the sound to see if there are any who are going on faithfully in a right way or repenting that they have gone wrong He looketh upon men And if any say I have sinned c. In this latter part of the verse we have the matter expressed which the Lord looketh upon men for 't is repentance and godly sorrow for sin If any say I have sinned That is if any repent When the Lord saith If any say I have sinned he doth not meane it of a bare saying so but if any say so laying his sin to heart if any say so from a true sence of the evill of sin if any say so burden'd with sin and tasting the bitterness of it if any shall say I have sinned and say it thus then c. The word which we translate sinned notes a mistake of our ayme or way As if it had been sayd If any man say I have gone besides the line and done besides the rule Sin is in all men a missing of the mark and a stepping out of the right path it is also in very many as 't is expressed in the next clause a perverting of that which is right If any say I have sinned and perverted that which is right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curvus obliquus contortus perversus Latini dicunt curvos mores The word implyeth more then ordinary sinning more then sins of infirmity which arise from ignorance and mistake even those which are committed with a resolvedness of spirit and purpose of heart or they imply not those sins which a man falls into unadvisedly and unawares but those which he commits upon deliberation and in the eye of the Law that shewing him plainly what is right and that he ought not to pervert it So then in strictness of sence to pervert that which is right is to be willingly yea wilfully unrighteous The Church making a graduall confession of her sin by three steps puts this word in the midst Psal 106.6 We have sinned with our fathers we have committed iniquity 't is this word or done that which is crooked and perverse we have done wickedly Cain the first man born sinned thus Gen 4.13 My punishment is greater then I can beare so we render or as we put in the margin mine iniquity is greater then can be forgiven Cains sin was a perversness he knew he perverted that which was right in slaying his brother So that here we have the confession of sin with the aggravation of it a notorious sin The penitent person doth not only say I have sinned but I have sinned greatly or I have perverted that which was right To sin and to pervert that which is right are materially the same only the latter intimates the manner how a sin is committed namely when we would not be ruled by the Law but accommodate the Law as if it were a leaden or lesbian rule to serve our lusts so perverting that which was right that we might countenance and embolden our selves in doing wrong If any aske What is right Surely right is First The Law Secondly that which is done according to Law The statutes of God are right rejoycing the heart Psal 19.8 The word of God is right and the rule of right yea it is a ruling right To pervert that which is right or to pervert the law of righteousness is to act against the light and convictions of conscience which will be our Judge One of the latine interpreters useth a harsh and course word to presse this by yet full and proper to the scope Peccavi et rectum torrificavi Cajet Praevaricatus sum à probitate Tygur I have tâ—rtified or writhed and bended that which was right Another renders it I have prevaricated from that which was right Our word gives the sence fully enough I have sinned and perverted that which was right Hence note First Sin must be confessed The Lord looks for it He looketh upon men to see whether any will say I have sinned He will have their sin out of their own mouths When Nathan brought the parable home to David and sayd Thou art the man he presently fell into confession I have sinned 2 Sam 12.13 But some may say Is this confession of sin sufficient to say I have sinned I answer First a generall confession of sin or that we have sinned is not sufficient unlesse we are also willing and ready to confesse before the Lord all our particular sins Some are ready enough to say they have sinned who yet will scarse be brought to acknowledge any particular sin yea many say Peccatores se esse plerique confitentur etiam qui se vel peccasse non credunt Greg l. 24. Moral c 12. they are great sinners who know not how or in what they have sinned not what it is to sin Therefore barely to say I have sinned is not a Gospel confession of sin I answer Secondly Though a generall confession is only expressed in this and many other Scriptures yet a speciall confession is intended The prodigal Son Luke 15.19 sayd I will returne to my father and I will say to my father I have sinned against heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son He did not
praeparat terram ante seminatorem 'T is but one word in the Hebrew which we translate hold thy peace and it signifieth properly to dig or plow the ground and by a metaphor to thinke of or to meditate because thoughts goe deep in the soule a man doth as it were plow up his own spirit while he is meditating or thinking seriously Pro 3.29 Devise not evill or it is this word plow not up evill that 's a bad soyle indeed to be plowing up They that plow evill shall sow the wind and except they repent reape the whirlewind The prophet exhorting Ephraim to break up their fallow ground and sow in righteousness that they might reap mercy Hos 10.12 reproves them v. 13. for a very unprofitable piece of husbandry by this word Ye have plowed wickedness ye have reaped iniquity ye have eaten the fruit of lyes that is ye have plotted devised and contrived wicked things and ye have fared accordingly Now as the word signifieth to meditate by a metaphor from digging or plowing so by the figure antiphrasis or contrary speaking it signifies to forbeare doing or speaking to sit still or as we render it here to hold our peace and say nothing Isa 41.1 Keepe silence before me O Islands Psal 50.3 Our God shall come and shall not keep silence that is he will speak aloud Elihu bespeakes Job in the affirmative hold thy peace be silent Some conceive Job began to interrupt Elihu Vidatur Jobin se avertisse vel displiceÌ„tiae signum dedisse illum igitur ad so audiendum invitat Scult or gave some token of dislike while he was discoursing as if he had received his speech with disgust and not only inwardly stomacked at it But did not forbeare to discover it by some significant gesture or frowne and that Elihu perceiving this desired him to hold his peace As if he had sayd If you desire to reape any benefit by what I speak be patient and doe not interrupt me But I conceive there was no such height nor heate of spirit in Job at that time He began now to be sedate and quiet enough being somewhat convinced of his former error and intemperance of speech But some may say was it not an over-bold part in Elihu a young man to impose silence upon Job or to bid him hold his peace I answer Elihu doth not bid Job hold his peace either first as if he had seene him unwilling to let him speake or would not heare him any more Job was a very patient hearer he heard his friends patiently and he had heard Elihu too with silence and patience yea though Elihu offered him leave yea almost provoked him to speake v. 5. yet he did not but gave him scope to speake out Nor did Elihu speake this secondly as if he slighted Job or thought him a man unable to answer him or speake to purpose for presently in the next verse he desireth him againe to speake Nor thirdly as if he had such high thoughts of his owne wisdome and loved so much to heare himselfe speake as some men doe that he cared not to heare others but would engrosse all the discourse Nor was it fourthly because he saw such an affectation in Job to speake that he needed as the Apostle speaks of some Tit 1.11 to have his mouth stopt It was not upon any of these or such like reasons that Elihu desired Job to hold his peace but it was either first that himselfe might speak more clearely and carry his matter through to his understanding or secondly that he might set the matter more home upon his conscience and move him to consider yet more seriously what he had sayd of the various wayes of Gods dealing with man to humble his soule and bring him neerer to himselfe or lastly that Job might perceive and take notice that he was the man aymed at in all the foregoing parable As if he had sayd Sir downe quietly and consider with thy selfe whether all this discourse hath tended or whether or no thou art not the man intended in it As Christ when he had spoken that parable of the sower concluded Math 13.9 He that hath an eare to heare let him heare that is let him take it home to himselfe or as Christ concludeth his Epistles to the seven Churches in the second and third Chapters of the Revelation with He that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches so doth Elihu to Job in speciall Mark-well O Job and hearken unto me hold thy peace This silence was made of old in great assemblyes Majestate manus by putting the hand to the mouth and then stretching it forth Acts 12.17 Acts 13.16 Chap. 19.23 Chap. 26.1 If any would know yet more distinctly what Elihu meant when he bid Job hold his peace I answer First Negatively not a bare silence or saying nothing but affirmatively when he sayth hold thy peace it might note these two things First That he would have him much in the worke of consideration or to forbeare speaking that he might be more in meditating and weighing and laying things to heart he would have him bring what he had spoken to the ballance of the Sanctuary and then to his owne heart A man is never more busie then when he thus holds his peace Secondly When he saith hold thy peace it might note that he desired his submission to the counsel given or to be given him He would have him bridle his tongue in token that his spirit was brideled He would have Jobs silence say speake on I will say nothing let the truth of God reigne and rule over me by thy word What Samuel answered to the Lord himselfe 1 Sam 3.10 Speak Lord for thy servant heareth that should we answer to those who speak to us from the Lord speak ye we will heare and hold our peace or we should say with good Cornelius when Peter came to him Acts 10.33 We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God When a man holds his peace upon these termes 't is a signe he layeth downe his owne wisdome and his will he doth not stand upon his pantofloes as we say nor abound in his owne sence but is ready to be delivered or cast into the mould of any holy and wholesome doctrine which shall be delivered unto him They are in the fittest frame to hold the truth which others speake who can withhold themselves from speaking Further There is a two-fold holding of the peace First at the works of God or at what God doth Lev 10.3 when God had smitten the two sons of Aaron dead with fire frâ—m heaven Aaron held his peace that is he did not murmure at nor contradict what God had done That also was Davids temper Psal 39.9 I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it The Prophet Jeremy describes an humbled soule in the same posture Lam 3.28 He sitteth alone and
keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him When God layeth his yoke or crosse upon us 't is our duty to be silent and submit Zach 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation that is the Lord begins to worke therefore let all men or men of all sorts and degrees be quiet and say nothing either discontentedly or complainingly In all these Scriptures holding our peace is called for and commanded or shewed at the workes of God Secondly There is a holding of our peace at the word of God or at what God speaketh Thus 't is when not only the tongue but the heart is silent and every thought is brought into subjection or captivity to the obedience of Christ The heart of man often speakes much and is very clamorous when he saith nothing with his tongue That 's to hold our peace indeed when the heart is quiet let God say or doe what he will 'T is not more our duty to resist the Devill that is all his hellish whisperings and temptations to the doing of evill then 't is to submit to God in all his speakings and dispensations Elihu speaking in the name of the Lord faithfully adviseth Job in this sence to hold his peace Hence learne We ought to submit and keep silence when the truth of God is spoken Or when the minde of God is brought unto us there must be no replying but obeying no disputing but submitting They have learned much who know how and when to say nothing Solomon saith Eccl 3.6 There is a time to keep silence and a time to speake but this kind of silence is in season at all times we ought alwayes to be silent thus that is alwayes submit to the minde of God We need to be minded of this because the pride and over-weening of man is great We have need to put a bridle upon our tongues much more upon our hearts it is hard to bring our wills and our understandings under we are apt to strive and struggle when truth comes neere us yea to kick at it when it comes very neeâ—â— and home to us though indeed the neerer it comes the better nor can it ever come too neere The Apostle James apprehended this when he gave that admonition Chap 1.21 Receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your soules Meeknesse is that grace which moderates anger a passionate or fierce spirit receiveth not the word but riseth up against it turnes not to it but upon it and which is worst of all turnes it to evill not to good turnes light into darknesse and so the word of life becomes a savour of death for want of a due submission to it Therefore hearken and hold your peace when the word of God is spoken Do not say it is but the word of man because delivered by man God speaks in and by his faithfull Messengers ye oppose the authority of the living God not a mortall dying creature when you reject the word And remember it is not only our duty but our liberty to give up our selves prisoners to the truths of God we are never so free as when bound by it or to it And as we should hold our peace at or submit to all the truths of God in all cases so especially in these three First When we are reproved for our sins in practice then we should not stand excusing what we have done but repent of it Secondly When we are shewed our errour in opinion then we should not stand disputing and arguing for what we hold but recant it 'T is time to hold our peace when once it appeares to us that we doe not hold the truth To erre is common to man but to persevere in an errour to the defence and patronage of it is more then inhumane devilish Thirdly We should hold our peace when our duty is plaine before us then we should not stand questioning it but doe it Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe saith Solomon Eccl 9.10 that is whatsoever appeares to be a duty doe it with all thy might Hold thy tongue but doe not withhold thy hand when once thy hand hath found what must be done Elihu at this time was dealing with Job upon all these three poynts He told him his sin that he had been too querious and impatient he shewed him his error that he had been too bold with God because innâ—cent towards men And he pressed him to duty both that and how he ought to humble himselfe before the Lord. The Apostle treating about that great poynt of justification tells us God will at last cause all men to hold their peace Rom 3.19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every month may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God that is man will have nothing to say but sit downe silent and hold his peace or only say I am nothing I have deserved nothing but death and condemnation when he once understands the holiness and strictness of the law together with the unholiness and looseness of his owne heart and life Hence note It speakes yea proclaimes a gracious prudence to know how and when to hold our peace and say nothing When men insist upon their owne conceit and reason when they logick it unduely with God or men and will needs seeme to know more then the word teacheth them what doe they but give evidence against themselves that as yet they know nothing as the word teacheth or as they ought to know and themselves least of all 'T is pride and presumption not prudence and understanding which opens such mens mouths We never profit by what we heare till in the sence opened we have learned to hold our peace The counsel which Elihu gave Job was to hold his peace yet he layd no constraint upon him to refraine necessary speaking but put him upon it in the next verse Vers 32. If thou hast any thing to say answer me speake for I desire to justifie thee Lest Elihu should be interpreted to have taken too much upon him or to have denied Job his liberty of speaking when he sayd hold thy peace he here calls him to speake This is a full proofe that his intent was not to barre him from speaking but only that he should forbeare unnecessary speaking As if he had sayd Now that I have gone thus farre if I have spoken any thing that thou at unsatisfied in and dost desire I should explaine my selfe about speake thy minde freely for though I have more to say yet I will not hinder thee from saying what thou canst fairely say for thy selfe neither will I ever-burthen thy memory with too much at once therefore come now and answer if thou wilt or canst to what is already spoken The Hebrew is If thou hast words answer me that is if thou hast arguments to defend thy selfe with or to
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
sense for death is a passing away a passing out of this world Psal 37.36 Transire intelligo non pro migrare aliò sed pro abire in sepulchrum Merc Loe he passed away and was gone that is he died And that which is as death to the heavens and the earth their great change when ever it shall be is called a passing away Math 5.18 Till heaven and earth passe away one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe away from the Law till all be fullfilled that is the Law shall stand in force as long as the world stands Thus to passe away is to die But I conceive we are to expound this third branch of the Judgement distinctly from the former two and therefore for as much as we have death in the first words it will not be proper to take in death here againe or to expound passing away by dying The third notion of they shall passe away is they shall run or flee for it they know not whether they shall flee for their lives from the danger impending over them As some shall die and all be troubled so not a few shall endeavour to save their lives by flight Christ in the Gospel foretold the great troubles and afflictions which should come upon Jerusalem and in them there was a sad concurrence or meeting of these three Judgments in the text For when after forty yeares the Romans invaded and ruin'd their City many dyed were destroyed by sword and famine all the people were troubled Oh in what a hurry were they to see the Romane Eagle displayed before their Gates and then they passed away that is as many as could withdrew and got out of the danger It is reported in history that before the Seidge of that City a voyce was heard in Jerusalem saying Migremus hinc let us passe from hence they who believed that warning departed soone after And as some passed away before the Judgement came so when it was come many were striving to be gone or to passe away Therefore Christ admonished them Math 24.20 Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabath day I conceive we are to understand this text distinctly of such a passing away In a moment shall they die and the people shall be troubled at midnight and passe away they shall doe what they can to secure themselves by out-running the danger Note from it First God hath variety of meanes to humble a sinfull people Into how many wayes doe the Judgements of God divide themselves severall persons beare severall parts here is death to many trouble to all flight to some That in the Prophet answers it fully Jer 15.1 where the Lord protesting that nothing no not the intercession of Moses and Samuel should take him off from his resolve against that people saith Such as are for death to death and such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captivity to the captivity There 's pestilence and sword and famine and captivity ready at the call of God to take away a provoking people Secondly Note To passe away or to be put to our flight is a grievous Judgement To flee from the face of the pursuer to run for our lives who knows the trouble and terror of it but they that have been in it what a mercy is it that our dwellings are continued to us that we abide in our places that we neither die in a moment are not surpriz'd by midnight-feares but rest quietly in our beds though feares at midnight have been ready to surprize us What a mercy is it that we are not passing away running fleeing into the wildernesse as the poore Churches of God have done in severall ages So much of Judgement upon the people in that three-fold notion of it We have here also Judgement upon Princes And the mighty shall be taken away without hand Not only the many but the mighty shall feele the Judgements of God For as 't is sayd in the former verse He accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poore The mighty and the meanest of men are alike to God when they are alike in sinning against God If they doe evill alike they shall suffer evill alike God accepteth no mans person The mighty shall be taken away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fortis robustus excellens fortitudine pluraliter Abirim in genere forte significat The word rendred mighty taken plurally is used in Scripture to denote not only mighty men but any creature that excells in might And therefore according to the exigence of the place it signifies sometimes Angells who being spirits exceed all flesh in might The people of Israel in the wilderness did eat Angells food Psal 78.5 the food of the Abirims of the mighty or strong ones And as it is applyed to Angells who exceed the strongest men in strength so it is applyed to any sort of strong beasts to the horse Jer 47.3 to Bulls Isa 34.7 Jer 50.11 Psal 22.13 Psal 68.31 Thus the word riseth above man to Angells and falls below man to the beasts of the earth here 't is applyable only to strong and mighty men of whom yet there are three sorts First Some are men of a mighty arme Secondly Others are mighty in Armes Thirdly There are men mighty in Authority The first of these is a natural mighty man he hath a mighty arme a strong body or he excells in bodily strength The second is a marshall mighty man a souldier a man of warre The third is the Magistratical mighty man he is cloathed with power both to punish and reward Possibly he may have no bodily might yea possibly he is no souldier yet a man of such power he is that he commands whole Nations Now take the word Mighty in any of these three senses and it is a truth the mighty shall be taken away the mighty in strength of the Arme the mighty in strength of Armyes the mighty in power and dignity are by the hand of the Almighty God taken away They shall take them away saith the Hebrew text that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et amovent potentem impersonaliter Pisc say some according to the first translation mentioned the people shall violently take away the mighty But by an usuall Hebraisme we may read it Impersonally the mighty shall be taken away concealing or leaving it to be understood by whom Like that speech to the rich man Luke 12.25 This night doe they require thy soule of thee so we put in the Margin that is as the text hath it this night thy soule shall be required of thee they shall take thy soule that is it shall be taken away so here they shall take away the mighty that is the mighty shall be taken away or removed We may take notice of a two-fold remove or taking away First There is a
in pieces as an earthen vessel with an iron rod and how soon is that done Both the holy Scriptures and humane Histories abound with such examples What a number of mighty men inhabited the old world There were Giants in the earth in those days Gen. 6.4 yet God overthrew them all by a flood they sank like lead in those mighty waters What mighty men inhabited Canaan before the children of Israel came to possess it The searchers of the land brought in a report that they were but as Grashoppers to them they had Cities walled up to heaven yet the Lord broke in pieces all those mighty men Sihon the King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan and when David came to the Crown he in Gods strength destroyed the rest of them What mighty men were they that sate upon the Throne of the four Monarchies They had in their dayes the rule of the whole world yet the Lord brake them in pieces First the Assyrian then the Persian the Grecian and the Roman Monarchs were also broken in pieces This was revealed to the golden head in a dream Dan. 2.35 Then was the Iron the Clay the Brasse the Silver and the Gold broken in pieces and became like the chaffe of the Summer threshing floor The mighty men of Israel when they sinned mightily the mighty men of the ten Tribes yea the mighty men of the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin God brake in pieces his own mighty people could not stand before him when they corrupted themselves and would not be made clean God breaketh mighty men as easily as they break his commandments And usually when mighty men come to that height of sinning to sin or break his Commandments with ease he commands them for his own ease as he is pleased to speak Isa 1.24 to be broken in pieces To sin with ease is a sure signe of a hard heart yea of a prophane heart He was a mighty man of this temper whose breaking in pieces the Lord threatned in such wrathful Rhetorick by his holy Prophet Ezek. 21.25 26 27. And thou prophane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come when iniquity shall have an end thus saith the Lord God Remove the Diadem and take off the Crown this shall not be the same Exalt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturn overturn overturn and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is and I will give it him What breaking words are here Even a treble overturn denounc'd against the mighty Thus said the blessed Virgin while her soul was magnifying the Lord and her Spirit rejoycing in God her Saviour Luke 1.52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree Secondly In that he breaketh in pieces the mighty without nmuber Observe 'T is no matter to God either how mighty or how many the wicked are I have heretofore spoken of the multiplyed acts of Divine Justice and of the unwearied out-goings of his powerful providence to abate the pride of man and therefore I shall not stay upon it but only caution the mighty ones of the earth in the words of the Psalmist upon this point exprest in the very words of this Text for God having said to his Son to whom he had given the Nations for an inheritance Psal 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron and in case of their non-submission to his Scepter dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel he presently adds ver 10. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way Yet though God be often at breaking work he is not alwayes at it for when he hath broken in pieces mighty men without number he as it followeth in the Text will Set others in their stead We may suppose these words given in upon a two-fold account First To shew the absoluteness of the power of God as well in setting up as in casting down Secondly To shew that we need not be dismayed nor discouraged when we see God breaking in pieces some or many mighty men for he can finde out others to supply their room Ne ex hoc credatur deperire humani generis status addit stare facit alios Aquin. and fill up the breaches which he hath made He sets others in their stead The force of the Hebrew is He shall make others to stand and that 's more then barely to set another in the stead or place of those that are removed and broken God is able not only when many fall to raise up others but he can also establish and settle those whom he raiseth up That 's the meaning of Elihu when he saith And set others in their stead Elihu doth not determine who or what these others are God may make his choice where and of whom he pleaseth in what family or tribe he pleaseth to set up in the place of those mighty men whom he at any time is provoked to break in pieces The words are plain Note only two things from them First God hath as absolute a power to set up as to pull down when and whom he pleaseth Psal 75.6 7. 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 The same Soveraignty of God is asserted Dan. 4.17 To the intent that the living may know that the most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will and setteth up over it the basest of men God somtimes setteth up those that are base in their conditions or manners for a scourge or punishment somtimes he setteth up those that are base in their state or condition being either men of meanest birth or men laid lowest by affliction Psal 113.7 8. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil that he may set him with Princes even with the Princes of his people No man is so poor but the Lord can enrich him no man so low but he can raise him up He can bring a man from a dunghil to a Palace and from the dust to a Throne Saul was cast down God broke him in pieces though a mighty man and set up David in his stead He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds from following the Ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his Inheritance Psal 78.70.71 When God pull'd down Haman the great favourite of Ahasuerus who had plotted to advance Mordecai to the gallows and ruine the whole seed of the Jewes God did not only break him and his plot but really advanced Mordecai into greater favour and confidence with his Prince then ever Haman had before Secondly Note from the force of the word to make
to God Gen 18.21 The fall of a poore man makes a report as farre as heaven Among men the fall of Princes and mighty men makes a huge noyse all the world is filled with the fall of a Prince 't is told every where A great Prince is fallen But I tell you the fall of a poore godly man of the meanest of the servants of God makes a greater cry then the fall of the greatest Prince in the world who is not so The fall of a poore man by the oppression of the wicked possibly is not heard a mile from the place where it was done on eatth yet it reacheth up to heaven oppression hath not only a voyce but a very loud voyce To wrong a rich man who can beare the wrong and be a rich man still is a sin which hath a voyce in it but the sin which the Scripture saith hath a cry in it is the oppressing of a poore man There is no liberty given to wrong a rich man and that would be considered Some take a kinde of liberty if he be a rich man that they are to put a reckoning upon they thinke they may doe it somewhat largely and say he is able to beare it But be the man never so rich and able to beare it yet to wrong him is a sin and a sin that God will take notice of to punish And though he can beare the wrong done yet the wrong-doer will hardly be able to beare it when he comes to reckon with God for it Thus I say to wrong the rich offends God but to wrong the poore cryeth to God and as it followeth in the text He heareth the cry of the afflicted Many cryes come up to God which he doth not heare he doth not regard them and 't is possible for a poore man to cry to God and God not heare him in the sence here spoken of Some poore men cry as we say before they are hurt they cry rather out of discontent then want they cry because they have not what they desire not because they have not what they need God will not heare the cry of such though poore but when a poore man is afflicted when a poore man that is humbled as the word here signifies and layd low in his state is low also in spirit and lowly in minde God heareth the cry of such a poore man If a poore man have a proud spirit or is humorous God will not heare him though he cry The word here rendred afflicted signifies not only a man destitute of helpe of strength of friends of assistance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inopes id est destituti ope nec valentes resistere sed malum potius tolerantes et subjicientes se dei Coc such is the reach and strength of that word but he is one of a submitting patient spirit or it noteth a man not only first unable to resist his oppressor but secondly unwilling at least not forward to make resistance but sitting downe by the losse quietly or possessing his soule in patience when he hath lost all that he possessed by oppression The Lord hears the cry of this afflicted man he will not reject his cry nor stop his ears against it And when Elihu saith He heareth the cry of the afflicted his meaning is he yeilds or grants him the thing he cryes for Hence note First God graciously heares the cry of humble oppressed ones Whosoever cry to him upon just cause being indeed opprest though they are not godly yet God will take notice of their cry for he will right the oppressed as oppressed and therefore the Jewes had those cautions Exod 22.23 Deut 24.15 not to wrong any servant or stranger let him be who or whence he would lest he cry to me saith God and it be sin to thee But when any are not only opprest and suffer wrong but are also godly of humble and lowly spirits they are heard much more when it is not only a cry of nature but a cry of grace not only a complaining cry but a praying cry God will certainly hear Luke 18.12 Shall not God avenge his own elect that cry to him day and night when it is not only a complaining cry that they are under oppression but a believing cry to be or that they shall be delivered from oppression when it is a holy cry the cry of the elect God cannot but hear their cry He heareth other cryes he heareth the cry of the Ravens when they call upon him and provides for them much more will he hear the cry of Saints the cry of believers the cry of the humbled and humble Secondly as hearing notes granting Observe The cry of the oppressed brings vengeance upon oppressors Read Psal 12.6 Eccles 10.26 Isa 33.1 Jer. 22.16 All these Scriptures teach this truth that the cry of the oppressed brings vengeance on oppressors Let the mighty remember 'T is dangerous medling with Gods poor 't is dangerous medling with any poor but most dangerous medling with Gods poor Some will say there is such a great man it is dangerous medling with him and they are afraid to wrong him they dare not do it if ever say they he should come to know it he may break our backs sit on our skirts and crush us with his power but if they can get an underling a man below them they presume there is no great danger in oppressing him what can he do if he bark he cannot bite if he hath a tongue he hath no teeth we can deal with him well enough Thus I say men think it dangerous to wrong great men but conclude they may do what they please with the poor and those that are underlings but we should more fear to wrong a poor man then to wrong a rich man though we ought not to do either yet I say we should more fear to wrong the poor then the rich because the poor are under the special protection of the great God they are under more promises of protection then the great men of the world are Therefore Solomon gives that serious caution Prov. 23.10 11. Enter not into the Vineyard of the fatherless do not oppress the poor fatherless for his avenger is mighty and God will plead his cause for him You think you may do any thing with the poor and fatherless O saith wise Solomon take heed do not invade the heritage of the fatherless we are not to take the fatherless there in a strict sence for those whose parents are dead but any that are poor and low are fatherless as the Prophet calls them Hos 14.3 In thee the fatherless findeth mercy beware saith he how you deal with the fatherless for his Redeemer is mighty though he hath no might yet he hath a mighty Redeemer and he will plead his cause for him Possibly the poor man cannot plead with thee he cannot try it out with thee in Law he cannot see an Advocate but God can and will be his
chastisement also is not expresly in the original there it is only I have borne but because bearing must needs import that somewhat is borne as a burthen and seeing according unto the subject matter that Elihu is upon with Job it must referre to some affliction or chastisement laid upon him therefore we fitly supply this word chastisement It is to be sayd unto God I have borne what it cannot be meant of any outward corporall burthen or visible loade layd upon his back but I have borne chastisement affliction or correction It is meete to be sayd unto God I have borne chastisement that is I both have and will beare whatsoever thou hast or shalt be pleased to lay upon me I will not dispute thy burthens but take them up So then this first part of the verse is a direction ministred to Job shewing him how to behave himselfe in the bearing of affliction He must not strive or struggle with them nor with God about them but sustaine them And this direction is not peculiar to Job's person or to his case alone but it belongs to all that are in affliction let their case be what it will all such ought to beare quietly or patiently to abide under the burthen which God layeth upon them I shall not stay upon the opening of the speciall signification of that word chastisement because it is not in the Hebrew text only thus chastisements are usually taken for those afflictions or afflicting providences which God layeth upon his owne children he layeth judgements upon the wicked and punishments upon the ungodly but properly and strictly that which falls upon his owne people is called chastisement For though in Scripture there are dispensations of God towards his owne people spoken of under the notion of judgement yet they have not a proper sense of judgement as proceeding from wrath and intended for revenge Wrath is the spring from whence judgements flow and as to their issue they tend to the satisfaction of Justice This God doth not expect at the hands of his owne children and therefore their afflictions are most properly called chastisements Surely it is meete to be sayd unto God I have borne chastisement Hence note It is our duty when the hand of God is upon us or when we are under chastisements to speake humbly meekly and submissively to God We ought alwayes to be humble and carry it humbly towards God but then especially when God by any afflicting providence is humbling us The Prophet Hos 14.2 calling that people to returne unto the Lord adviseth thus Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips As Elihu here makes a kinde of directory what a person in affliction should say unto God It is meete to say unto God that is for a man in thy case to say thus unto God so that Prophet by the Spirit saith Take unto you words and turne to the Lord and say or speake thus unto him though not strictly syllabically in so many words yet to this sence and purpose or according to this tenour speak thus Take away iniquity and receive us graciously And when the Prophet saith Take unto you words his meaning is not that they should affectedly study a forme of words for God much lesse that they should artificially counterfeit words which their hearts had not conceived or were not correspondent to their hearts many speake words even to God which never come neare but are meere strangers to the intents of their hearts but sincere words humble words words of supplication not expostulating words not quarrelling words not murmuring words not meere complaining words but take to you words of confession and submission and so present your selves and your condition before the Lord. The Preacher Eccles 12.10 sought to finde out acceptable words and so should we when we speake unto men Preachers of the word should seeke to finde out acceptable words not fine words not swelling words of vanity not slattering soothing words but acceptable words that is such as may finde easie passage into the heart or such words as may make their passage into the heart through the power of the Spirit of God Now if the Preacher sought to finde out acceptable words when he spake to the people much more should we when we speak to God O how should we labour then to finde out acceptable words All words are not fit to be spoken unto God the words that are in such cases as the text speakes of may be reduced to these two heads First They must be God justifying words that is words by which we acquit the Justice of God how sore and how heavy soever his hand is upon us When Daniel Chap 9.7 14. was laying before the Lord the calamitous state of that people they were under as sore judgements as ever nation was For under the whole heavens saith he there hath not been done as God hath done unto Jerusalem yet all the words he spake unto God tended unto the justification of God O Lord said he righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem c. We have not had one stroake more then we have deserved there hath not been a grain of weight more in our burthen then we have brought upon our selves there hath not been a drop in our cup more then we have given just cause for Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil and brought it upon us for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth for we obeyed not his voice these are words fit to be spoken unto God Secondly We are to take to our selves self-condemning self-abasing self-emptying words Such we finde in that chapter v. 5 6 7. To us belong shame and confusion of face c. these are the words we should take to our selves and thus it is meet to be said unto God whensoever his chastisements are upon us Secondly Observe It is our duty to acknowledge it to God that he hath chastened us when he hath We must own his hand in afflicting us as much as in prospering us in casting us down as much as in lifting us up in wounding us as much as in healing us It is meet to be said unto God we have born chastisement thy hand hath been upon us The neglect of or rather obstinacy against this is charged as a great sin Isa 26.17 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see that is they will not acknowledge thy most eminent appearances in anger against them 'T is so with many at this day though there be a hand of God as it were visibly afflicting their bodies and estates their children and families yet they will not see that it is a hand of God but say as the Philistines it is a chance or it is our ill fortune
that which is good how much more are they short in the knowledge of God and therefore what reason have we to say as Elihu here directs the penitent soule to say That which I know not teach thou me Secondly Note It is the duty of the most knowing servants of God to confesse their ignorance When Elihu would have Job say That which I see not teach thou me he would have him confesse that there was some goed or evill which he did not see He that desireth God to teach him what he doth not see doth therein acknowledge that he doth not see all that he ought Our understandings are imperfect as well as our wills and affections and our sins or imperfections wheresoever they are must be confessed The deficiency of our knowledge or the imperfection of our understanding must be confessed as well as the imperfection of our will to doe good and of our doing good David layeth load upon himselfe in confessing the faultinesse of his understanding or inability to judge aright of what he saw before him Psal 73.22 So ignorant was I and foolish even as a beast before thee And the speciall poynt wherein he confessed his ignorance was about the outward dispensations of God in suffering wicked men to flourish He had ignorant apprehensioÌ„s and was quite out in that matter and therefore befools himselfe and calls himselfe a beast so far was he from seeing the mind and designe of God as became a Saint Such an acknowledgement Agur made Pro 30.2 I am more brutish then any man I have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge of the holy This worthy man confessed his ignorance and as the more we know the more we see our ignorance so the more we know the more we confesse our ignorance They that have but little knowledge are especially defective in this poynt of knowledge to see their ignorance and are therefore but little troubled with their ignorance Many think they know enough some possibly think they know all They who have least knowledge are least conscious of their own ignorance And as there are many sins of ignorance so ignorance it selfe is a sin and therefore to be confessed and bewailed before God Thirdly When Elâ—hu brings in the penitent person confessing his ignorance and begging instruction It teacheth us Sins of ignorance need pardon As our ignorance needs pardon so doe our sins of ignorance The law of Moses teacheth this Levit 4.2 If a soule shall sin through ignorance c. he shall bring his sacrifice He must make an attonement for his sin of ignorance And we have further directions about offerings for sins of ignorance when they are discovered and made knowne to the sinner himselfe Lev 5.2 3 4 5 6. Then saith the Law he shall be guilty that is if when he knoweth his sin he doe not performe what the Law requireth in such cases then he is not only ceremonially but morally guilty as a neglecter if not as a despiser of the ordinance and appoyntment of God for his cleansing That which I see not teach thou me The words are a prayer for divine teaching The teaching of God is two-fold First Immediate by his Spirit John 14.26 The Spirit which is the comforter shall come and teach you all things And againe 1 John 2.27 The anoynting that is the Spirit which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you that is ye need not rest in or pin your faith upon the teachings of man as you must not despise so ye need not depend upon the instruction of man Secondly There is a mediate teaching God teacheth by meanes instruments and ordinances First by the ministery of his word Secondly by the works of his hands He teacheth First by his works of creation Secondly by his works of providence they are our masters tutors and instructers Now when this penitent person prayeth Teach thou me we may understand him of both these teachings First of immediate teaching by the Spirit who is the anoynting Secondly of teaching by meanes by the preaching of the word of God and by his providences in what way soever God is pleased to teach us our hearts should stand open to receive instruction And what way soever we receive instruction it is God that teacheth us Though men be the instruments yet the effect is of him Hence Note First God only is able to teach or shew us the things which we know not Men alone cannot Christ said to his Disciples when he commissioned them Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations And Eph. 4.11 When he ascended up on high he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers yet no Teachers can bring home instruction without the teachings of God The tenour of the new Covenant runs thus Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. And again Jer. 31.34 They shall teach no more every one his neighbour c. that is they shall not be left to the teachings of man or the teaching of God shall be so glorious that all shall acknowledge it though there be instruments yet the flowing forth of the spirit shall be such that instruments and means shall be little taken notice of For when he saith they shall not teach every one his neighbour it is not an absolute Negative but shews that there shall be a more excellent teaching as when the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.6 Christ hath made us able Ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit This Negative is not absolute for the Apostles did teach the Letter and the Spirit is usually conveyed by the Ministery of the letter or of the external word the word is as it were the chariot wherein the Spirit rideth and cometh by the ear to the heart So that when Paul saith We are Ministers not of the letter c. his meaning is we are rather or we are more the Ministers of the Spirit then of the letter The inward teaching accompanying our Ministery carryeth the matter both for conviction and conversion both for illumination and consolation not the outward teaching John 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me And how long soever we go to School to men how long soever we sit under the Ministery of the ablest Gospel Preachers in the world we come not to Christ till the Father teacheth till he joyn his inward teaching to the outward teaching of the Minister the light and life of grace is not received It is God who teacheth effectually men teach but instrumentally Thus it was prophesied of the Gospel times Isa 2.3 Micah 4.2 Many Nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths that is he will accompany the Ministers
and messengers of his word with his Spirit he will impower them from on high and so we shall learn his Statutes and understand his wayes David ascribes even his skill in Military affairs to Gods teaching Psal 144.1 Blessed be the Lord my strength who teacheth my hand◠to war and my fingers to fight God only teacheth a man powerfully to be a good Souldier Surely then it is God only who teacheth us to be good Christians to be Believers to be holy He hath his seat in heaven who teacheth hearts on earth Secondly As these words hold out to us the temper of an humble sinner Note A gracious humble soul is teachable or is willing to be taught As it is the duty of the Ministers of the Gospel to be apt to teach that 's their special gift or characteristical property so 't is the peoples duty and grace to be apt to be taught to be willing to be led and instructed naturally we are unteachable and untractable As we know nothing of God savingly by nature so we are not willing to know we would sit down in our ignorance or at most in a form of knowledge To be willing to learn is the first or rather the second step to learning The first is a sight of our ignorance and the second a readiness to be taught and entertain the means of knowledge Thirdly The words being the form of a Prayer Note It is our duty to entreat the Lord earnestly that he would teach us what we know not It is a great favour and a mercy that God will teach us that he will be our master our Tutor Now as we are to ask and pray for every mercy so for this that God would vouchsafe to be our Teacher Psal 25.4 5. Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy paths Lead me in thy truth and teach me David spake it twice in prayer Lead me and Teach me Lead me on in the truth which I know and teach me the truths which I know not So he prayeth again Psal 119.26 Teach me thy Statutes make me to understand the way of thy precepts David was convinced that he could not understand the Statutes of God unless God would be his Teacher though he could read the Statutes of God and understand the language of them yet he did not understand the Spirit of them till he was taught and taught of God and therefore he prayed so earnestly once and again for his teaching When Philip put that question to the Eunuch Acts 8.30 Vnderstandest thou what thou readest He said how can I except some man should guide me Or unless I am taught Though we read the Statutes of God and read them every day yet we shall know little unless the Lord teach us Solomon made it his request for all Israel at the solemn Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.37 Teach them the good way wherein they should walk God who is our Commander is also our Counseller Fourthly From the special matter wherein this penitent person would be taught which is plain from part of the latter verse If I have done iniquity Note A gracious heart is willing to know and see the worst of himself He would have God teach him what iniquity he hath done David was often upon that prayer Psal 139.24 Search me O God and know my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me Lord shew me my sin as I would not conceal my sin from thee so I would not have my sin concealed from my self A carnal man who lives in sin though possibly he may pray for knowledge in some things and would be a knowing man yet he hath no minde that either God or man should shew him his sin He loves not to see the worst of himself his dark part he as little loves to see his sin as to have it seen But a godly man never thinks he seeth his sin enough how little soever he sins he thinks he sins too much that 's the general bent of a gracious mans heart and how much soever he sees his sin he thinks he sees it too little And therefore as he tells God what he knows of his sin so he would have God tell him that of his sin which he doth not know That which I know not teach thou me If I have done iniquity I will do no more There are two special parts of repentance First Confession of sin whether known or unknown This we have in the former part of the verse That which I see not teach thou me There is the confession of sin even of unknown sin The second part of repentance is reformation or amendment a turning from sin a forsaking of that iniquity which we desire God would shew us we have this second part of repentance in this latter part of the verse If I have done iniquity I will do no more But why doth he say If I have c. Had he any any doubt whether he had done iniquity or no every man must confess down right that he hath sinned and done iniquity without ifs or an's Solomon having made such a supposition in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.46 If they sin against thee presently puts it into this position for there is no man that sinneth not The Apostle concludes 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Therefore this If I have done iniquity is not to be understood as if this or that man as if he or any man might be without sin but when the penitent is brought in saying If I have done iniquity h◠meaning is First What ever iniquity I have done I am willing to leave it to abandon it I will do so no more Secondly Thus If I have done iniquity that is if I have done any great iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perverse agere if I have acted perverseness or perversly as the word signifieth I will do so no more to do iniquity is more then barely to sin As if he had said though I cannot promise that I will sin no more yet Lord if thou dost discover to me any iniquity any gross sin or perversenesse I will do that no more I will engage my self against that sin with all my might and to the utmost of my power by grace received I will keep my self pure from every sin If I have done iniquity Hence Note First A godly man hath a gracious suspition of himself that he hath done evil yea some great evil that he hath done amiss yea greatly amiss though he be not able to charge himself with this or that particular iniquity He knoweth he hath sinned done evil though he knoweth not every evil he hath done nor how sinfully he may have sinned he doubts it may be worse with him then he seeth Possibly he hath done iniquity Job in reference to his children chap. 1.5 had an holy suspition that in their feasting
Rom. 11.34 Who hath been his Councellor As God had none to counsel him concerning his eternal purposes so we must not adventure to counsel him as to his daylie providences or dispensations either toward our selves or others the true rule of our life is to yeild our selves to be ruled by God He will recompence it whether we chuse or whether we refuse And not I. As if he had said If thou wilt struggle with the will of God thou mayest but I will not God will go his own way and do as he sees good say thou what thou canst or howsoever it please or displease thee And for mine own part I dare not entertain or give way to a thought of prescribing to him in any of these things what he should do no nor be unsatisfied with much less censure what he hath done Therefore if thou canst acquit thy self of this crime and accusation which I have laid to thy charge as thou didst theirs who spake before do it say what thou canst for thy self Hence Note He that sees another do amiss ought to take heed of doing the like himself Again As these words and not I refer to the word recompence He will recompence whether thou chuse or whether thou refuse the meaning of them may be conceived as if Elihu had thus bespoken Job If thou dost smart for thy pride and the height of thy spirit if God pay thee home for it do not lay the fault upon me I have given thee counsel to direct thee better I desire not thou shouldest come under such a handling but certainly God will do it When we have declar'd the minde and will of God in the severity of his judgements upon sinners it is good for us to say God will do it and not we The Prophet Jeremiah chap. 17.16 having warned them of an evil day addes Nor have I desired the woful day Lord thou knowest it Jeremy had spoken woful things against that people but saith he I have not desired that woful day though I have prophesied of it So Elihu seems to speak he will recompence and not I though it be not in my minde yet I assure thee 't is the mind of God Yet further Some read these words with the former as an Interrogation or rebuking question made by God himself What Should you chuse and not I Election or choice is my priviledge not thine thou must not think to prescribe to me Verba Dei per Mimesmesse puto Merc. I will chasten and afflict as I think fit or according to my own will not according to thine Thus he brings in God speaking to Job thou findest thy self much aggrieved and complainest that thou art afflicted more then is meete It should seem then that I must do what thou thinkest fit not what I think fit my self Surely thou must give me the rule how much how long and in what manner I must correct both thy self and others Should you chuse and not I How uncomely Therefore speak what thou knowest Here Elihu gives Job time to reply as he had done at the 33d chap. vers 5. as if he had said If thou knowest any thing against what I have spoken or art able to make any objection against it speak if thou thinkest I have not spoken right shew me my errour and spare not Hence Note First When we have declar'd what we judge to be the minde of God in any case we should give others liberty of speaking their minds also This is my opinion speak what thou canst against it we should speak 2 Cor. 1.24 Not as having Dominion over the faith of others but as helpers of their joy The Ministers of Christ must speak as Servants to not as Lords of the faith of others Elihu did not carry it as a Lord over the faith of Job but left him to make good his own opinion and practise if he could Secondly Note Knowledge is the fountain of Speech We need no other light to speak by then that of reason the understanding should feed the Tongue we must not speak at a venture but keep to Rule and take our ayme The Apostle Paul tells us of some who make a great noise but know not what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim 1.7 they speak they understand not what and vent what they can give no account of Speak what thou knowest Thirdly Note We should speak when called what we know Knowledge is a Talent and must not be hid in a Napkin if thou know better then I speak pray speak do not hide thy knowledge As Elihu would have Job speak in his own case so he inviteth others to speak about his case as it followeth in the next verse Vers 34. Let men of Vnderstanding tell me c. In this 34th verse Elihu turns his speech to Job's friends again presuming of or not questioning their consent to what he had said being confident that himself was in the right and that they were wise enough to apprehend it He was perswaded that all wise men either were or upon hearing the matter would be of his minde and that therefore what Job had spoken was very defective of wisdome as he concludes in the thirty-fifth verse Let men of understanding tell me c. He appeales to Jobs friends or any other men of understanding let them saith he Consider what I and he have spoken Viri cordis i. e. cordâ—ti cor notat fapientiam et carere cor dicitur qui descipit Cum Jobo non putat amplius producendum esse colloquium Quare viros vocat intelligentes Sanct. Et vir sapiens audit i. e. audiet me et mihi acquiescet in hoc Merc and give their judgement impartially concerning the whole matter in debate between him and Job Let men of understanding tell me c. The Hebrew is men of heart the heart is the seat of understanding according to Scripture language there we read of a wise heart and of an understanding heart and it saith of a foolish or indiscreete person he hath no heart he is a man without a heart Ephraim is a silly dove without a heart Hos 7.11 that is he doth not understand Mr Broughton translates Sad men of heart will speake as I and the wise person that heares me As in the former part of the verse Elihu called for speakers so in the latter he calleth for hearers Let men of understanding tell me And let a wise man hearken to me or as some render a wise man will hearken to me The word rendred hearken signifies more then to heare even to submit to obey a wise man will hearken to me that is he will assent to and consent with me he will vote with me and declare himselfe to be of my mind In that Elihu appealed to wise and understanding men Note First It is not good to stand to our owne Judgements altogether in dealing with the Consciences of others Let wise men let men of understanding
there is store of sin in the multitude of words They that will be speaking much slip much Job saith he multiplyeth words against God There is a multiplying of words against God two wayes First directly Secondly by way of reflection or rebound Elihu could not say Job had spoken nor could he presume he would speak one word much lesse multiply words against God directly He knew Job was a godly man but he asserts he had or feared he might multiply words against God reflectively that is speak such words as might cast dishonour upon God such words as God might take very ill at his hands and interpret as spoken against himselfe Hence note They who speake unduely of the wayes and proceedings of God with them in this world speake against God himselfe The business of Elihu in all this discourse was to hold forth the evill frame of Jobs heart signified by the intemperance of his language under the dealings of God God had afflicted and chastned Job he had multiplyed wounds upon him and Job in the heate of his spirit and bitterness of his soule making many complaints about the workings of God with him is charged with multiplying words against God We may speak against God before we are aware yea we may speake many words against God when we thinke we have not spoke one word against him While we speake impatiently of the proceedings of God in the world and murmur at his dispensations to our families or persons what doe we but multiply words against God we speake much for our selves to God yea I may say we highly commend our selves to God when we submit to his doings and say nothing but in a silent admiration adore his dealings and waite for a good issue of them Aaron proclaimed both his humility and his faith in holding his peace when the Lord slew his two sons Nadab and Abihu strangely with fire for offering strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not Lev 10.1 2 3. But how many are there who proclaime their pride and unbeliefe by not being able to hold their peace under the afflicting hand of God when his hand scarce toucheth them or when he doth but lay the weight of his little finger upon them in comparison of that heavy stroake which fell upon Aaron We are in much danger of sinning when at any time we speake many words or as Elihu speaketh multiply words he is a rare man that speaketh many words and but some amiss Now if to multiply words at any time even when we are most composed exposeth us to error in our words how much more when our tongues utter many words in the bitterness and discomposure of our spirits And as to speak amisse in any matter is to sâ—n against God so to speak much amisse of our sufferings or of the severest providences of God towards us is to speak much or to multiply words though nor intentionally yet really and indeed against God O then forbeare this multiplication of words lest you multiply sins Speak but little unlesse in the praise of God take heed how you speak of what God is doing to others or doing to your selves Let your words be few and let them be weighed for God will weigh your words and you may heare from him in blowes what he heareth from you in words 'T is a dangerous thing to be found speaking words against God yet this may be the case of a good man whose heart is with God and whose heart is for God even while he hath a general bent of heart to lay himselfe out in speaking and doing for God he through passion and temptation may be found speaking against God What we speake discontentedly of the wayes or works of God is a multiplying of words against God himselfe Thus I have given out and finished my thoughts upon the Preface which Elihu made to lead in his discourse with Job as also upon two stages of his discourse with him Job sits silent and answers him not a word which Elihu perceiving takes liberty to urge him further with two distinct discourses more contained in the three Chapters following which if the Lord give life and leave may be opened and offered to the readers use and acceptance in convenient season A TABLE Directing to some speciall Points noted in the precedent EXPOSITIONS A ABraham a threefold gradation in his name 13 Acceptance with God is our highest priviledge 429 Accepting of persons wherein the sinfullness of it is 119 120. To accept persons in prejudice to the truth is a high offence 121. Some speciall wayes wherein we run into this sin 124 125. 630. God is no accepter of persons 631 Account God giveth no account to man 253. All men must give an account to God 254. 322. God will call all men to account 664 Accusations not to be taken up hastily or meerely by heare-say 195 196 Addition of sin to sin proper to the wicked 828. It is very dangerous to make such additions 830 Adversity a night 688 Affliction must not be added to the afflicted 90. The afflictions of some men more eminently from the hand of God 91. These afflictions which are most eminently from God seeme to beare the greatest witness of the sinfullness of man 91. Foure grounds of it 92. Yet it is no concluding argument 93. Godly men most afflicted seven ends God hath in afflicting them 93 94. What use we should make of it when we see godly men much afflicted 94. In affliction it is better be found bewayling our sin then reporting our innocency 208. We hardly keepe good thoughts of God when we are afflicted and suffer hard things 223. Afflictions put a double restraint upon us 224. How affliction carrieth in it matter of disgrace 225. God speaks to us by affliction 340. Nine designes of God in afflicting man 343 344. Times of affliction must be times of confession 450. Afflictions designed for the good of man 472. No pleading of our innocency or righteousness for our freedome from affliction 515 516. The Lord takes liberty to afflict them greatly whose sins are not great 529. We must not complaine of the greatness of our affliction how little soever our sins are 529. In affliction we should speake humbly and meekely to God 789. The hand of God must be acknowledged in our afflictions 791. Affliction or chastning must be born 791. What it is to beare affliction shewed many wayes 792 793. We must pray for the taking away of an affliction while we are willing to beare it 794. What it is to be exercised under affliction 796. The sin and danger of breaking out of an affliction 801. Who may be sayd to breake from or out of an affliction 801. Affliction tryeth us 852. How it may be lawfull to pray or wish for affliction to fall upon others 852 Alexander the Great his speech to a Souldier of his owne name 12 Amazement what 103 Anarchy the worst of national judgements 746 Angels good or bad
you may save them make them afraid that they may not be damned save them with fear plucking them as it were out of the fire Sinners are runing into the fire and do not perceive it they are tumbling down to hell and consider it not they must be pulled out of the fire else they will burn in it for ever The great businesse of the Gospell is to pull souls like firebrands out of the burning Fourthly note They who turn from their evill purposes and the pride of their hearts escape wrath the pit and the sword The wages of sin is death and well are they that escape that misse such wages If a sinner turne from his purpose from his sinfull way if his pride be subdued and he emptied of himself then his soul if kept from destruction and his life from perishing by the sword JOB Chap. 33. Vers 19 20 21 22. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain So that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meat His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen and his bones that were not seen stick out His soul draweth neare unto the grave and his life to the destroyer THe context of these foure verses containeth a description of the second meanes which the wisdome of God is pleased often to use for the humiliation of man and for the discovery or revelation of his mind unto him He speaketh in a dream in a vision of the night as was shewed before he speaketh also by paines and sicknesses as is now to be considered Vers 19. He is chastened also with pain That particle which we render also gives the text an emphasis He is chastened also For it imports that here is a further addition or supplement of meanes whereby the Lord doth awaken sinners to attend and obey his voyce The subject of these foure verses is a sick man or the sickness of man A sorrowfull subject And the sickness of man is set forth in these foure verses by foure sad symptomes or effects The first is paine grievous paine ver 19. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong paine The second symptome of this sickness is loss of appetite and his nauceating all manner of food v. 20. So that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meat The third symptome of his sickness is a generall languishment or consumption all his body over v. 21. His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen and his bones that were not seene stick out The fourth and last symptome of this grievous sickness is fainting swooning or a readiness to expire and give up the ghost v. 22. His soul draweth near to the grave and his life to the destroyer That is he is sick and even sick to death All these are speciall symptomes of a sick man or of the sickness of man I begin with the first Vers 19. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed The word which we render to chasten hath a twofold signification in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reguit reprehendit corripuit verbis sive factis First to reprove or convince both by authority and reason Lev 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke him or reproving thou shalt reprove him that is Thou shalt surely reprove him And in that famous Prophecy concerning Christ Isa 11.4 He shall reprove with equity we put in the margin He shall argue with equity or convince by such reasons and arguments as shall carry the greatest equity in them Thus when Christ had finished his Sermon on the mount it is sayd Math 7.28 29. The people his Auditors were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes This Sermon carrying so great a reproofe of the Scribes and Pharisees both as to their life and doctrine throughout may well be expounded as a fullfilling of that ancient prophecy It being confessed in another place of the Gospel even by the Officers that were sent to attach him John 7.46 Never man spake like this man The words of Christ had so much evidence so much equity in them that they who came to take and catch him were taken and caught if not to conversion yet to such a conviction by what he spake that they could not though they highly displeased their Masters in saying so but say Never man spake like this man As if they had sayd Surely the man that speakes thus is more then a man Secondly The word often signifies to correct which is also to instruct correction is for instruction Chastning is the most reall reproving And so we render it He is chastened Man is instructed not only by speech and counsell but by stripes and corrections Thus David prayed Psal 6.1 O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure The first word which we render rebuke is that in the text As if he had sayd Lord doe not rebuke me by angry afflictions let me not find thee greatly displeased and my selfe sorely chastned at once He deprecates the same againe and how grievous the effects of such dispensations are he sheweth Psal 38.1 Rebuke me not in thy wrath Psal 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity He means it not only of word-rebukes but of hand-rebukes also when thou with such doubled rebukes dost chasten man for iniquity What then The effects of it follow even the staining of the glory of all flesh Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth And so some interpret that Psal 105.15 He reproved Kings for their sakes speaking of his owne people the Lord did not only speak to those Kings but made them feel his hand for his peoples sake Abimelech felt his hand for Abrahams sake And so did Pharoah that hard-hearted King in a whole decade of plagues for Israels sake whom he had oppressed and would not let goe We render the word in this second sense for a rebuke by blowes or by correction which yet hath a language in it and speaks with a loud voyce to man He is chastened with paine upon his bed Paine is both the concomitant and effect of sickness The word noteth First the paine of the body caused either by the violence of inward distempers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doluit corpore vel animo or from the outward stroake of a wound Gen 34. When the sons of Jacob had prevailed with the Shechemites to receive Circumcision It came to passe on the third day when they were sore or pained with the wound of it Simeon and Levi came upon them Gen 34.25 Secondly the word signifieth as bodyly paine caused any way so paine of the mind which is griefe or sorrow Psal 69.29 I am poore and sorrowfull Sorrow is alwayes the effect of paine either outward or
inward either of the flesh or spirit yet the wounds of the spirit cause the greatest paine for of that Solomon saith Pro 18.14 Who can beare it The same Solomon Pro 14.13 speaking of a wicked man in his highest jollity saith In laughter the heart is sorrowfull His conscience aketh if he have an awakened conscience even while he laugheth and surely while the heart is sorrowfull and pained laughter yeeldeth little pleasure We may take paine in this text in both senses but specially in the former The sick man is often pained in mind but alwayes in his body He is chastened with pain Vpon his bed There he used to have rest but being sick his bed becoms restless to him To be upon the Bed is a periphrasis of sickness That of Christ Luke 17.34 There shall be two in one bed the one shall be taken and the other left as it may be meant of any two Bedfellowes especially of husband and wife in their health so some take it principally of two in a sick bed Grace takes hold of one and not of another upon a sick bed I insist not upon that sense though it be a probable and a profitable one But surely to say A man is chastened with paine upon his bed implyeth the man to be in extraordinary pain as to say such a man keepes his bed implyeth he hath more then an ordinary sickness or that he is very sick We have three expressions in our language gradually setting forth the sicknesse of a person First we say he keepes his house He that is not well doth not goe abroad sickness houseth him Secondly we say he keepes his chamber that 's a further degree when sickness hath brought a man up staires and shut him in his chamber he is sicke indeed Thirdly we say such a man keeps his bed The meaning of which every one understands to be that he is dangerously or extreamly sick Thus when Elihu saith He is chastened with pain upon his bed we may conceive him so ill that either he must not or is not able to sit up And Elihu in speaking thus seemes to have relation to what Job had sayd Chap 7.13 When I sayd my bed shall comfort me and my couch shall ease my complaint Then thou scarest me with dreames and terrifiest me through visions As if he had sayd O Job thou indeed hast had recourse heretofore to thy bed for refreshing and comfort in silent meditations and soliloquies with God but he terrified thee with dreames and spake to thee by scaring visions to turne thee from thy purpose And not only so but finding thee deafe to those admonitions or not regarding them yea still continuing thy unquiet murmurings he hath now even made thee bed-rid or unable to rise from thy bed Though Elihu spake here in the third person yet in all his speech he intended and poynted at yea set forth and poynted out Jobs condition He is chastened with paines upon his bed And the multitude of his bones with strong pain A man may have paine yea many paines yet no paine in his bones Bones are to the body as beames and rafters as posts and pillars are to a hovse And when pain comes to the bones when it shakes those posts and pillars it must needs be a very strong paine Satan sayd to God concerning Job while he sought new tryalls for him in the second Chapter of this Book vers 5. Touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face And that he might be fully tryed the Lord suffer'd Satan to afflict him to the bone nor did Satan leave a bone unafflicted what Elihu spake here of man in Generall was true of him The multitude of his bones were chastned with strong paine To have any one bone in paine is an affliction much more to have many bones pained and aking at once But when the multitude of a mans bones that is all his bones are pained together that 's grievous Multitude ossium dicitur pro omnibus ossibus quam multâ— sunt Coc And such a man is the while as it were upon a rack That by the multitude of bones here spoken of we are to understand not only many or a great many of his bones but all his bones may appeare from Job 4.14 where Eliphaz describing those terrible visions with which God sometime visited him saith A spirit passed before my face the haire of my flesh stood up c. which made all my bones to shake We put in the margin The multitude of my bones The multitude of his bones are all his bones he hath not so much as one bone free The whole systeme of his bones is as it were confounded and disjoynted The multitude of his bones is chastned with strong paine The word paine is not express'd in the latter part of the verse the Hebrew is The multitude of his bones with strong paine Mr Broughton renders thus And all his bones with a sore one The word which we translate strong signifieth two things First as we render strength or might Psal 74.15 Thou driedst up mighty rivers God dryed up the river Jordan for his people to passe through yea and the red Sea Secondly the word signifieth perpetuall lasting or continuall So some render that place in the Psalmes not strong or mighty rivers but he dryed up everlasting or perpetuall rivers such as had alwayes run with a full streame and were not like those deceitfull brookes spoken of in the 6th Chap of this book v. 15th to which Job compared his Brethren which in winter over-flow the bankes but in summer what time they waxe warme they vanish when it is hot and are consumed out of their place Now in this place I conceive we may take the word in either sense either for strong and great or chronicall and lasting paine The man is so sick that he hath no good houres no comfortable intermissions his paine continueth And because the word paine is not in the text therefore it hath caused severall rendrings of these words yet all meeting in the same sense First Some joyne the word strong to bone or make it an epethite of the mans bones Though the multitude of his bones be strong that is though he were once a strong man sound and perfect all over or as we say sound wind and limbe not crazy not having the least flaw in him yet he is chastened all over with paine In multitudine ossium ejus est fortis i. e. acris acerbus dolor Secondly Others thus in the multitude of his bones or in all his bones there is a strong one that is a strong paine or griefe seizeth and possesseth all his bones Thirdly Thus The contention of his bones is strong the word which signifieth a multitude being alike in the letters with another which signifieth contention or strife hath given occasion for this reading that of David is neere the same There is no rest in my bones