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
thy mouth for ever speak not thus to God If thou art as thou canst not deny a thing formed by God then say not why hast thou made me thus And as now thou strivest with God about that which thou canst not understand so at last though now thou dost not thou shalt understand that thou oughtest not to have striven with him about it And indeed if men have a mind to strive with God they may find as many occasions for it in the doctrine of his conditionall decrees of foreseene faith repentance and persevering obedience as in his absolute We shall never want matter of quarrelling with God till we have learned simply that is graciously to submit Secondly This truth should much more quiet our spirits and stop our strivings in reference to our temporall estate And that First As wrapt up in common with others Did we consider the soveraigne power of God in ordering the affairs of Nations and Churches we would glorifie him in a gracious silence however we see things goe with them The Scripture urgeth us often to this fixednesse of mind in the midst of all publick revolutions and changes upon this only account Heare David Psal 46.9 10. Come behold the works of the Lord What works ruining works what desolation he hath made in the earth God made strange work in the World at that time Those countryes which before were as the Garden of God became like a desolate Wildernesse who was able to beare this with patience Yet the Spirit of God saith in the next words it must be patiently borne when God lets men strive and warre with one another to a common confusion yet no man may strive with God about it and the reason given why no man may is only this which is indeed all the reason in the world He is God So it follows in the Psalme Be still and know that I am God As if the Lord had said not a word do not strive nor reply whatever you see hold your peace know that I being God I give no account of any of my matters Thus the Prophet cautions the whole world Zech. 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord doe not dispute the doings of God doe not murmure at them for he is raised up out of his holy habitation That is God is going to work as a man raised out of his bed is therefore doe not you trouble your selves nor rise up against him in your words or thoughts what work soever he makes Like counsell is given Psal 75.5 Lift not up your horne on high speak not with a stiffe neck for promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South But God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another All great changes proceed from his judgment take heed of judging the sentence of the great Judge Remember That he whose name alone is Jehovah is the most high over all the earth Psal 83.18 Againe This is as true if we respect the private or personall estate of any man If God makes a man poor in estate or despised in the World if he make him sick or weak in body he must not say unquietly why doth God thus If he taketh away our Relations if he empty our families we must not strive with him When old Ely had received one of the saddest messages that ever was sent man It is the Lord said he let him doe what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 So David Psal 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 62.1 Truly my soul waiteth patiently upon God The word is my soul is silent before God And Psal 42.5 How doth David chide his soul for making a noyse Why art thou disquieted O my soul hope thou in God But you will say May we not at all strive what ever God doth in the World or with us must we sit downe under it or rest satisfied in it and say nothing I answer First we may and ought to be very sensible of all the dealings of God But we must not be unquiet under any of them It is one thing to feele the smart and another thing to dispute the rod. Some are under a kind of Stoicall stupidity they doe not strive with God because they doe not mind what God doth they are not sensible Others are stout sturdy and proud spirited they care not for the crosse they slight and despise rebukes Thus or upon these grounds not to strive with God is as bad if not worse then that striving with him which this poynt disswades and disapproves We may yea we ought to take notice of every stroak we receive from God Secondly As we should be sensible of the hand of God at any time upon us so we may pray for the removing of his hand 'T is not a sinfull but a gracious act to strive with God by prayer for deliverance out of trouble Thirdly A man under the Rod may use means to get it off and free himselfe from it even while he is quiet under it So then the quietnesse of mind in our afflicted condition here intended and pressed is opposed only first to fretting and repining Secondly to vexing and tumultuating Thirdly to distracting cares Fourthly to desponding fears Fifthly to killing sorrows Sixthly to uncomposednesse of spirit for our callings Seventhly to hard thoughts of God Eighthly to the using of any unlawfull meanes to help or rescue our selves out of the hand of evill And that we may be preserved from all these strivings against God and unquietnesse of spirit under any of his saddest and darkest dispensations which will certainly run us upon some of if not all those eight most dangerous rocks last mentioned Let me lay down a few considerations why we should not strive with God in such a manner And prescribe some preservatives to keep us at the greatest distance from it First Consider to strive with God dishonours God and darkens his glory for hereby we call his wisdome and goodnesse yea his truth and faithfulnesse to us in question What can be done more dishonourable to God then this God resented it as a great dishonour that Moses and Aaron did not sanctifie him that is give glory to his name before the children of Israel Num 20.12 and therefore told them Ye shall not bring the children of Israel into the land which I have given them As if he had sayd Ye have not honoured me as ye ought in this thing and therefore I will not honour you in that But what is it that Moses and Aaron did not sanctifie God in it was saith the text in not believing And what is that at best but a striving with God as to the truth of his word and his faithfulnesse in fulfilling it Secondly Such striving with God hinders the exercise of grace and stops the worke of the new creature He that striveth with God by way of murmuring can never strive with God by praying and believing
be proud who knoweth himselfe to be which is a more humbling consideration then any of or then all the former a sinfull man We ought alwayes to be humbled for sin and shall we who are at all times sinning be proud at any time Secondly To cure pride of spirit Consider what ever man is as to this world he cannot be long what he is He that is high in the world cannot be long in his worldly heights He that is rich in the world cannot be long enjoy his worldly riches yea knowledge vanisheth all such kinde of knowledge learning and skill as men now have is a meere vanishing thing man in his highest perfections is very mutable and the higher he is the more mutable he is what hath he then to be proud of We have some changes every day and when a few dayes are past we shall come to our great change our change by death is but a few dayes off for the utmost of our dayes are but few As man is not to be accounted of by others so not by himselfe because his breath is in his nostrills and he may quickly perish Isa 2.22 Shall perishing things be proud things Shall they be lifted up with what they have who as to this world have so little being that they can scarcely be sayd to be By this argument all men are called off from trusting those that are highest in this world Psal 146.3 Their breath goeth forth And we have the same argument not to be high in our owne thoughts because our breath goeth forth and there is an end of us Thirdly Consider all those things which are as fewel and occasions of pride in man even for those man must shortly give an account And surely he who remembers that whatsoever he hath be it riches strength honour parts knowledge or learning he must come to a reckoning for it that man will not over-reckon himselfe so much for it as to be proud of it The Apostle concludes So then every man must give an account of himselfe to God Rom 14.12 That is of all his receits and of all his expences what hath been bestowed upon him and how he hath improved what hath been bestowed He must give an account of himselfe in his naturall capacity as a man and he must give account of himselfe in his civill capacity as a rich or great man and he must give account of himselfe in his spirituall capacity as he hath enjoyed meanes to make him gracious or to grow in grace He must give an account of himselfe about all the good things he hath received what good he hath done with them either to himselfe or others He that is serious upon such a meditation as this shall finde two effects of it First it will keep him very busie and free him from Idlenesse Secondly it will keep him very humble and free him from pride Who can glory vainely in his Stewardship for all we have is put into our hands as Stewards who I say can glory vainely in his Stewardship that alwayes heares this voyce sounding in his ears Come give an account of thy stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward O how ill an account will they make when they are asked what they have done with their riches who must answer We have been proud of them who being asked what have you done with your honour must answer we have been proud of it who being asked what have you done with your knowledge must answer we have been proud of it These will be sad answers in the day of account yet proud men whatsoever they have done with their receits must make this answer what other answer soever they make Fourthly Consider that the more any one hath received and it is the degree upon which pride riseth the more I say the more any one hath received in any kinde whatsoever the stricter will his account be for the account will be proportionable to what the receipt is Luke 12.48 To whom soever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more where much is sowne there God looks to reap much He looketh not only for improving but for sutable for proportionable improvement If he that had received five talents Math 25. had brought only two talents more and so made his five seven this had not been proportionable or if he that had received two had made them three this had not been proportionable but he that received five brought ten and he that received two brought foure This account was proportionable to the receipt and therefore to these their Lord sayd Well done good and faithfull servants God looks for doubling as I may say that we should make his five ten his two foure Therefore why should any man be proud of what he hath received seeing the more he hath received the more great and stricter will his account be Fifthly That pride may be cured and hid from your eyes I advise That in the midst of your fullness you would think of your emptiness and in the midst of your perfections of your deficiencies think how much and in how many things you are wanting when any thought of pride ariseth concerning what you enjoy or wherein you abound He that thinks how much he is wanting will not be proud how much soever be aboundeth and indeed our wantings being a great deale more then our aboundings and our imperfections then our perfections should be to us greater matter of humbling then our abounding or perfections can be an occasion of pride To cleare this further Consider your deficiencies two wayes First in your selves consider how low you are in knowledge how low in grace how low in duty remember that there is a great deale of darkness in the best of your light a great deale of water in the best of your wine and a great deale of dross in the purest of your silver remember these weaknesses in your selves and then say as blessed Paul Phil 5.22 I count not that I have already attained that is that I have attained perfection I am very much behinde very much below my duty I am below what I might be and have attained to both in the light of knowledge and in the strength of grace I am below what I might be attained to both as to zeale for and as to faith in God O how many are our deficiencies when we have profited most Secondly Consider your deficiencies in reference to others The Apostle saith 2 Cor 10.12 They who compare themselves with themselves are not wise The reason why many think themselves over-wise is because they do not as they ought compare themselves with others or if they compare themselves with others they compare themselves only with those that are below not with those who are above themselves They who compare themselves with themselves or with those only who are below themselves are not wise though they think themselves very
and as in the former sense 't is the prerogative of Kings to be Keepers of the Law so it is their piety and their goodness to be Keepers of them in the latter 'T is possible a King may be a Keeper of the Law by Conservation and yet not be a Keeper of it by Observation but then he shines most bright in the sphear of his Royal Soveraignty when he is every way a keeper of the Law of God and so far as they respect himself of his own Further Is it fit to say to a King Belial As Belial designs an unprofitable person a man good for nothing a man of no use what Upon the Throne and yet of no use to a Nation How high an indignity is this to Regal dignity Kings are set up for the greatest use for the most important services even for the profit and advantage of mankinde especially of all within their Kingdoms and Dominions as all are to serve them in their state so they count it their chiefest honour to advance the peace and profit of all their peaceable and profitable subjects Therefore nothing can be said more dishonourably to a King then this Thou art good for nothing an unprofitable person Belial Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked And to Princes ye are ungodly The word rendred Princes signifies munificent bountiful free willing Principes hic vocantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a liberalitate munificentia quasi tu dicas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drus so Princes are called to shew what they are or should be men of bountiful noble munificent heroick free spirits open hearted and open handed they who are so are Princes in truth as well as in Title The holy Spirit of God or God the holy Spirit is called a Princely Spirit Psal 51.12 we read it Free Spirit and this free Princely Spirit of God makes all his people of a free Princely spirit of a large heart both as to duty God-wards and as to charity man-wards Psal 110.3 In the day of thy power the people shall be willing they shall be as Princes they shall serve thee as sons not as slaves a Royal Spirit is conveyed into them by the Spirit in the day of the Power of Jesus Christ or when he conquers them to the obedience of himself By this appellation worldly Princes the Princes of this world are expressed in sacred language that so their very names might minde them of being such and of doing such things as are the ornament both of their persons and places These two high Titles in the Text Kings and Princes are somtimes taken for the same and in strictest sence Princes are the next degree or but one remove from Kings Again There are some called Princes who have the supreame power within their own Territories Others are called Princes who have a delegated or derived power from Kings The Apostle speaks of such 1 Pet. 2.13 charging the Church and people of God to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as supream or unto Governours as sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well Elihu brings in both for the fuller confirmation of his point and the stronger conviction of Job Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes who stand about his Throne and serve him in his Government ye are ungodly Ye regard neither right nor reason neither what 's fit to be done nor what to be advised That 's the sence of the words as they are an argument from the less to the greater If it be an uncomely and undecent thing saith Elihu to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly How much more to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes c. Hence Note First Men are not all of a rank or all are not of an equal state in this world This Text speaks of Kings and Princes and the most of men are inferiour not only to Kings but to Princes God hath not made man upon earth as minims in writing all of a height but as in the alphabet of Letters some are longer and deeper then others so in the Alphabet of mankinde some men are bigger and higher then others Kings and Princes are but men yet they are men in a great letter or they are among men as the Aleph among the letters which as it is first in order so it signifies a Prince a Chief a Leader And if the most wise God had not ordered such an inequality among men how should order have been kept among men Nothing considering the corruptions and lusts of men can be more unequal then that equality which some have vainly contended for among men All men would fall down into confusion if some were not above That which keeps all up is only that some are uppermost Kings and Princes Secondly which is here principally aimed at Note It is most uncomly and sinful to revile or give reproachful words to Kings or Princes When we say It is not fit we say less then the thing is or then the Text intendeth there is more evil in it then a bare unfitness 't is indeed a very great wickedness and ungodliness to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly To say so is expresly against the Rule Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not revile the gods or as we put in the margin Judges nor curse the Ruler of thy people And the Apostle Paul quotes this Text Acts 23.5 when himself had slipt in that point as he stood before the Judgement seat and pleaded his own integrity for when Ananias the high Priest commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth Paul said unto him God shall smite thee thou whited wall This drew a reproof upon him presently from them that stood by v. 4. Revilest thou Gods high Priest And what doth Paul answer v. 5. I wist not Brethren that he was the high Priest for it is written Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people There hath been much dispute about that answer I wist not that he was the high Priest Certainly Paul saw and knew that he was the high Priest and it is as certain that he did not tell a lye when he said I wist not that he was the high Priest His meaning I conceive was only this as if he had said having received such unjust usage in the Court as to be openly smitten in time of hearing I confess I was in a passion and did not consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I ought that it was the high Priest I spake rashly and unadvisedly I wist not that is I deliberated not with my self who it was I spake to for I ought not to have used such language the Scripture also having forbidden it which saith Thou shalt not curse the Ruler of thy people It will not bear us
in a pretence made long prayers As it is a very great point of ungodliness prophaneness indeed to say What profit is there in serving the Lord So it is gross hypocrisie to take up Religion meerly for profit there is profit even worldly profit in Religion Godliness is profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4.8 and hath the promise of this life as well as of that to come but wo to those that take it up designing profit and the filling either of their purses or their bellies Our Saviours Divine Spirit quickly discovered this carnal spirit in his followers John 6.26 Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Judas followed Christ but the motive of it was in the bag John 12.6 The zeal of Demetrius to his Idol Diana was kindled by as pure a fire as the zeal of these hypocrites to Jesus Christ Acts 19.24 By this we get our living They know nothing of the life of Religion who are religious only that they may live If profit be the Loadstone of our profession our profession will never profit us for what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world by a profession of the name of Christ if he lose his own soul Sathan charged Job with this gross hypocrisie chap. 1.9 Doth Job fear God for nought as if he had said Job findes 't is no lean business to be religious and therefore no wonder if he be found so religious Who would not do and be as much as he in Religion to have his fields full of Cattel and his folds full of Sheep and his house full of Riches He knows well enough which side his bread is buttered on what makes for his profit all the account he makes of Religion is that he perceives by his books and the inventory of his goods that it turns every year to a good account Jobs slander is the just charge of many they use Religion but as a stalking horse to catch worldly riches Fourthly The grosse hypocrite often designes that which is higher in the esteeme and more taking upon the spirits of many then worldly riches even worldly power or to get very high if not uppermost in the world 'T is no new thing for men to make religion a stayre to ascend the highest roomes among men or a stirrup to get into the saddle of honour and when they have got high enough then downe with the stayres or 't is no matter for the stirrup by which they ascended Jehu was very zealous in the cause of God and for reformation but his designe was for a kingdome or his owne exaltation 2 Kings 10.16 he made a noyse of much piety Come see my zeale for the Lord yet all was but a piece of State-hypocrisie His care in destroying Ahabs house and Baals Priests according to the command of God was but to pave the way to the throne The same way Absolom was taking to his fathers Crowne he told the people he was troubled that they were no better governed that they had no quicker dispatch in their suites and businesses he told his father he had made a vow and desired the liberty of his absence from Court that he might goe and performe it all he pretended was righteousnesse and religion yet he intended only to get an advanâ—â—ge to make his party strong that so he might thrust his fa her out of the throne and get up himselfe He seemed a Saint whilâ— he meant to be a Traytor The History of the Church reports of Juliaâ— the Apostate Socrates Hist Ecclesiast lib 3. c. 1. that when his predecessor being a Christian held the Empire he highly pretended the profession of Christ and read a Gospel-Lecture in the Church of Nichomedia yet while he was in shew a Christian and in hope an Emperour he was in heart a pagan He saw the times served him not to act the pagan openly and therefore he subtlely betooke himselfe to his disguise and personated the Christian even in the mortified way of a monasticke life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tandem simulationem professionis christianae penitus deposuit Socrat ubi supra that he might smooth his way to the Empire To which having once attained he presently put off his disguise and to his utmost disgraced and opposed the name and faith of Christ which he had formerly owned and professed Thus I have touch't upon the foure grand designes of the Grosse hypocrite First praise among all men Secondly revenge upon some men Thirdly the gaine of worldly riches Fourthly the attainment of power dominion and Greatness in the world These are as the foure wheeles of Satans chariot wherein he hurrieth thousands to the land of darkness while they would be esteemed children of the light Or some one of these is as the primum mobile first mover of which Philosophers speake in their doctrine of the heavens carrying many with a rapt and violent motion in the spheare of religion while they have in the Interim a secret undiscerned natural motion of their owne directly opposite to this by which they hope at last to steale on faire and softly to their wished periods Having thus farre shewed the close purposes of the designing hypocrite who is so hatefull to God and hurtfull to man I shall a little discover and unmaske his hypocrisie by shewing how we may know him how we may looke through these vayles and see his ugly face Designing hypocrites are usually discovered these foure wayes First By their affectation to be seene and taken notice of they that will have praise and glory with men must needs affect to be seene of men for no glory comes to man from men but by what falls under the eye and observation of man Job saith of murderers Chap 24.13 They are of those that rebell against the light they know not the wayes thereof nor abide in the paths thereof The murderer cannot endure the light either natural or moral because that tells who he is or what he hath been about The contrary in one sense is true of the hypocrite he loveth the light and will doe nothing willingly but as he may be taken notice of and seene of men as for those acts or exercises of religion which are private retirements between God and his owne soule he is a great stranger to them he cannot delight in them but any thing that may fall under publick observation he can be forward enough in Christ Math. 6.5 gives us this plaine discovery of the hypocricall Pharisees They love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seene of men This was so much in Jehu's heart that he could not but blab it out with his tongue 2 Kings 10. Come see my zeale A false fire kindled his zeale else he had not made such a blaze It was insincere rotten-hearted Saul that sayd 1 Sam 15.13 Come thou blessed of the Lord I
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
in his Then all sorts and degrees of men are judged righteously when there is no regard had or notice taken in Judgement of what sort or degree any man is Judges are called gods and therefore should act like God without respect to men And as this is a truth in all those cases of judgement where Magistrates sit in the place of God so it is as true in all the private judgements and determinations of brethren concerning persons or things which by way of distinction from the former is commonly called the putting or referring of a matter in difference to men We must take heed in private judgements that we be not swayed according to the condition of persons nor must we make the fault great or lesse the cause better or worse because the person is greater or lesse friend or stranger to us The Apostle gives this counsel and caution to the Churches James 2.1 2 3 4 5. My Brethren have not the faith that is the doctrine of faith or profession of our Lord Jesus the Lord of glory with respect of persons For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring and there come in also a poore man in vile rayment and you have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say unto him sit thou here in a good place and say to the poore stand thou there or sit here under my footstool are ye not then partiall in your selves and are become judges of evill thoughts In administring the things of God which are spirituall we must observe no civill difference no distinction among men Christ hath given himselfe alike and equally to rich and poore bond and free and therefore as to Church-priviledges and enjoyments they must all be alike and equall unto us No man is to be knowne after the flesh in the things of the Spirit 2 Cor 5.16 that is no man is to be valued meerely upon natural or worldly accounts if we doe then as the Apostle James concludes in the place last â—efore mentioned are we not partiall in our selves that is as some also translate that reproving question Have we not made a difference a groundlesse difference or a difference grounded upon carnal respects rather then upon any solid reason and so as it follows in the close of the verse are become judges of evill thoughts that is have made our judgement of those persons according to the dictate of our owne evill and corrupt thoughts not according to the rule of the word Further this sin of respecting persons is found also in the ordinary converse of men For when we cast favours upon those that are ill deserving and commend those as we say to the skies who should rather fall under our severest censure and are led to doe all this also because the person is a kinsman or a friend for though eaeteris paribus other qualifications and circumstances being equall we are to respect friends and kindred who are our owne flesh before strangers yet vertue and worth should out-weigh relations and as Levi in doing Justice Deut 33.9 so we in bestowing rewards should not acknowledge our Brethren nor know our owne children but let such have our rewards who best deserve them I may adde this also To take up this or that forme of religion because such and such persons are in it and to reject another though better because none but a few that are despised and contemned are in it is a most dangerous way of respecting persons This was the meaning of that question John 7.48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him As if certainly that must alwayes be the best way and rule of believing which is professed by the rulers Or as if it were ground enough to reject a way of religion because the common people or the poore are mostly found in it Thus 't is storied of a Great Prince that was converted to the Christian faith and resolved to be baptized that seeing a great many poore men in his way as he went he asked to whom they belonged it was answered they were Christians and of that religion which he was entring into what doth Christ keep his servants so poore sayd he I will not serve such a Master and so drew backe even while he was but setting his face towards Christ I might instance the sinfullness of accepting persons in many other particular cases as well as these but these may suffice for a tast Let me not saith Elihu accept any mans person Neither let me give flattering titles unto man In the former part of the verse it was Ish here it is Adam Graeciverteum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognominandi per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverori et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mirari persona in reddiderunt Merc Et deum homini non aequabo Vulg I will not respect the person of the greatest men nor will I flatter any earthly any mortall man Mr Broughton renders That I respect an earthly man The vulgar latine translates the whole verse thus I will not accept any mans persons and I will not equall God to man As if he had sayd I will not measure God by man in his dealings and proceedings with man As my purpose is to speake truth and spare no man so I will not wrong God by drawing him downe to the rules of men What is man that he should compare with God But though this be a truth yet because it departs so farre from the Original text I will not stay upon it Our reading is cleare I will not give flattering titles There are severall other readings of these words which I shall propose and passe to our owne Apud hominem Praefatione non utar Jun Et apud hominem ne permutem nomina Coc Et ad hominem non nutato nomine loquar Merc Ego non ingratiam ejus tectis verbis utar occultè eum designans nomen proprium immutans Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat aliquem occultè designare Merc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est mutatis rerum nominibus agere ut non possis nisi obscurè quid sentiatur intelligi Cujus contrarium est aperire os et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellare Coc First I will not use a preface or I will not stand prefacing with man Flatteries are usually set forth in affected Prefaces and Apologies Secondly Let me not change names before men or let me not speak to man under a borrowed name That is let me speake plainly and clearly without ambages and fetches let me speake to every man and about every thing by its owne name and not with covered words as if I were unwilling to touch those to whom I speake Our translation is yet more cleare to the scope and tendency of this place I will not give flattering titles This sentence is but two words in the Hebrew The verbe signifies say the Rabbins to hide or conceale or to carry a matter closely
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
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
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
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
goodliness thereof as the flower of the field that is all men are perishing and all that man hath meerly as a man is as fading and perishing as himself is Some take notice that man was not called flesh till after his fall It 's said before when God set him up in that primitive purity of his Creation Man became a living soul He was not spoken of at first as flesh but as a living soul Gen. 2.7 but as soon as man had sinned he was called flesh as if he had no soul There may two other reasons be given why man is called flesh both following from the former First Because man since his fall doth most for his flesh and neglects his soul altogether till being planted into the second Adam he is brought out of that wretched condition into which he fell by and with the first Adam Secondly He is called flesh because since the fall man is become weak and frail both as to Naturals and Morals Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwaies strive with man for that he also is flesh As if the Lord had said Now man declareth himself to be flesh indeed he acts like an impotent sorry creature he acts as if he scarce had a soul in him as if he were no more then the beasts of the earth My spirit shall not alwaies strive with man for that he also is flesh and therefore v. 30. God told Noah The end of all flesh is come before me that is Man and all his worldly glory shall all be swept away with a deluge of water as here All flesh shall perish together There is a two-fold perishing First By way of annihilation Secondly By way of transmutation When Elihu saith all flesh shall perish we are not to understand it of annihilating all flesh God can do that he can turn man back into that nothing out of which he was made but the perishing in the Text importeth only a change Death is called a change a change to perishing as that good great woman said I will go in unto the King and if I perish I perish Hest 4.16 that is If I die I die The Prophet laments Isa 57.1 The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart All flesh shall perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Together That is without exception one as well as another rich and poor high and low strong and weak all are alike in the hand of God Psal 33.13.15 The Lord looketh from heaven he beholdeth all the sons of men c. he fashioneth their hearts alike or together that is he fashioneth the hearts of all men God doth not so fashion mens hearts alike as to make them all alike faces do not differ so much as hearts but as he fashions one mans heart so anothers he fashions the heart of a King as well as the heart of a begger All flesh shall perish together none either by power or policy can stand against a displeased God Again We may take the word together for all at once God can make a total devastation in the earth and sweep all away as filth with the besome of destruction He can destroy all the world of all men who are the chiefe part of the world together or at one blow so that as the Prophet Nahum speaks Chap 1.9 Affliction shall not rise up a second time All flesh shall perish together And man shall returne againe unto dust Or he shall goe backe unto dust that is he shall dye that 's the sentence which God gave upon man when he had sinned Gen 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou returne unto the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou returne Man was dust before he sinned yet he had not returned to dust if he had not turned from God by sin Sin brought in death and death brings us to the dust All flesh shall perish together and man shall returne againe unto dust Hence observe There is no one man hath more priviledge then another against the sentence of death The Greatest Prince dyeth as soone as the meanest peasant Death can as soone and as easily breake into the strongest fort or tower of stone as into the meanest cottage of reeds High and low shall perish together Let none hope to secure themselves by any thing of this world from going out of this world Riches availe not in the day of death Pro 11.4 High Titles and honours availe not strength availeth not beauty availeth not none of these can be a protection if God send out a writ or summons to the grave Happy are they who get an assurance of life after death for none have an assurance of life against death Againe In that death is here expressed under this notion of perishing Observe Man is but in a perishing condition while he is in this world As all the things of the world are so is man while he abideth if I may say he abideth in this world Christ earnestly exhorts John 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth Why should we labour that is set our selves with our whole strength and might to pursue perishing things seeing we our selves are perishing The more perishing we are the more reason we have to looke after and labour for those things which doe not which cannot perish When the Apostle saith 1 Pet 1.18 We are not redeemed with corruptible things from our vaine conversation c. He doth not instance in flowers or fruits of the earth which quickly rot but in gold and silver which are the most durable and lasting metalls even these are corruptible but we our selves as to this bodyly life are corruptible not only as gold and silver but as the most fading flowers and summer fruits of the earth Further From that other description of death as 't is called a returning againe unto dust We learne Man is of the dust Unlesse man as to his body were of the dust when he began to live he could not be sayd to returne unto dust when he dyeth or departs this life Many men pore upon their pedegree and heir minds swel with pride because they are of such or such a noble descent but let them remember man is of the dust The soule or spirit of man is indeed from above as was shewed before and the body of man is I grant a compound of all the foure Elements Our bodyly spirits say Naturalists are of the fire our breath of the ayre our blood of the water and our flesh and bones are most properly of the dust of the earth yet the whole body of man is denominated dust or earth or as the Apostle stileth it 2 Cor 5.1 'T is an earthly house If our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved For though we may truely say there is water and ayre and fire in this house yet because earth is the predominant Element the whole body beares the denomination of
mighty men that all may know his judgements are deserved by their works he makes their works known Secondly Others render He maketh them know or acknowledge their works The Lord at last by sore and severe judgements will extort confessions from the worst of them he will make the mighty acknowledge that their works have been nought and their wayes perverse In Scripture the same word signifies to know or to confess and acknowledg Thus here he makes them to know or to acknowledge what their works have been Thirdly Rather take it as we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non significat notum facio quod sciam sed tantum cognosco ideo transtuli cognoscit Drus of Gods act in taking notice of all they had done Therefore he knoweth their works As if Elihu had said these mighty men of the earth thought themselves under covert or that the Lord took no notice of them nor of their works their works were done in the dark and they supposed the Lord could not pierce into them but he will make it appear that he knew their works when he maketh his justice appear in punishing them for their works Hence Note We have an assurance that God knoweth the works of all mon because he punisheth all wicked works or the works of the wicked so punctually and exactly He punisheth many of them here and will punish them all hereafter when we see him breaking the mighty men of the world 't is a proof that God was in their Cabinet counsels and saw what was done there we may conclude he knew their works though men knew them not he could never lay his judgements so exactly upon them as he doth if he did not know their works That God knows the works of all men is a point I have met with before and therefore pass from it here And he overturneth them in the night There are several readings of this clause First Some thus Therefore the Lord knoweth their works and turneth into night that is he turneth their prosperity into adversity he bringeth trouble and affliction upon them they lived before in a day of prosperity in a day of power and worldly greatness but he turneth them into night Secondly Or as others thus He turneth the night that is he changeth the night into day Simul atque mutavit noctum c. Jun. i. e. Lucem protulit qua revelantur omnia in judicio ejus Id. he takes away the dark and close covers of their sins and makes them as manifest as the light Now as the Apostle saith Eph. 5.13 That which maketh manifest is light If God were not light he could not bring to light the hidden things of darkness nor manifest the counsels of the heart Thirdly thus Therefore he knoweth their works and when the night is turned he destroyeth them that is they are destroyed and perish as soon and as easily as the day takes place of the night or as soon as the night is turned into day so soon doth the Lord destroy them he can quickly make an end of them he can destroy them with the morning light We render and I judge that best He overturneth them their persons in the night and so Elihu points at the season or time of Gods breaking and overthrowing them he doth it in the night We may take it strictly as in the case of Pharaoh and the Egyptians Exod. 12.29 as also in that of Belshazzer Dan. 5.30 or in the night that is suddenly unexpectedly Though a man be destroyed in the day yet if it be done suddenly he looking for no such matter we may say it was done in the night because then men are most secure This way of expressing an unlookt for evil the coming of in the night was opened at the twentieth verse therefore I shall not stay upon it He overturneth them in the night So that they are destroyed Elihu said before He shall break in pieces mighty men Here he saith they are destroyed that is they shall be broken to purpose or throughly God doth not break them in pieces for correction but for destruction there are great breakings upon the persons and estates of some men and yet it is but for correction others the Lord breaketh for utter ruine as here so that they are destroyed The Original word signifieth to destroy as it were by pounding in a Morter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrivit atirivit contudit and the same word is used to signifie a contrite heart a heart broken by godly sorrow under the sense of sin They are destroyed or as it were ground to powder you may break a thing into many pieces yet not grinde it to powder or dust as corn in a Mill or spice in a Morter but these saith Elihu are not only broken to pieces but beaten to dust that 's the strength of the word which we render they are destroyed Hence Note What God hath a mind to do he can do it certainly and will do it throughly He breaks men in pieces so that they are destroyed and brought to dust When the Prophet declares the breaking of the four Monarchies it is said Dan. 2.35 They shall be as the chaffe of the Summer threshing upon the Mountains if the Lord will destroy the mightiest they shall certainly be destroyed as Balak said to Balaam I wo◠that whom thou cursest are cursed as if he had said thou canst curse effectually if thou wilt set thy self to it 't is not in the power of all the Balaams in the world to effect a curse though they pronounce a curse 't is only in the power of the Lord to curse effectually he can bless whom he pleaseth and they are blessed he can curse whom he pleaseth and they are cursed Thus as Ephraim lamenting his sin and sorrow confessed Jer. 31.18 Lord thou hast chastised me and I was chastised God paid him home as we speak if we chastise a childe he is chastised but when Ephraim saith thou hast chastised me and I was chastised his meaning is I was greatly and effectually chastised that is first In a literal sence I found thy hand heavie upon me it was a sore affliction that I was under Secondly In a spiritual sence Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised that is my heart was humbled and broken under thy chastisements in either notion we see the effectualness of the Lords work Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised And therefore Ephraim invited the Lord to another work Turn me O Lord and I shall be turned if thou wilt but turn thy Spirit upon this hard heart of mine it will be effectually turned it will be not only broken for sin but from sin As if he had said I have received reproofs and counsels from men and they have not turned me but Lord if thou wilt reprove and counsel me I shall be turned thus the Lord carrieth his work home to conversion in his spiritual dealings with some and to