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
to stand The Lord can establish those whom he setteth up The Lord doth not only set up but keep up whom he pleaseth Though they are weak whom he setteth up yet he can keep them up though they whom he setteth up are opposed by the strong yet he can keep them up He can make a shrub stand fast though opposed by a Cedar and a reed to stand firm like a rock though opposed by an Oak Thirdly Note The Lord taketh care of the Government of the world He is not for breaking work only he is for setting and setling too God will not let the body of a people perish for want of a head but when in judgement he hath broken one in pieces he in mercy sets up another Mighty men are like pillars which bear the weight of a whole Commonwealth or Kingdom God rarely deals with Nations as Sampson did with the house wherein the Philistims were assembled who at once pull'd away the pillar and pull'd down the house but if he pulleth away one pillar he puts in another that the house may stand God will not leave the world without rule or rulers when he takes with one hand he gives with another when Judas the Traytor was broken Christ found out a better man Matthias to set in his stead And when the whole Nation or Church of the Jewes was broken and rejected God called in the Gentiles and set them up for a Church and people to himself in their stead and which is the greatest instance of all when Jesus Christ was taken from the earth when he left the world who was the mighty one he was first broken in pieces for our sins and afterwards taken away yet he gave a supply and left us another in his stead I will not leave you comfortless saith he John 14.18 I will come unto you though not till the great day in person yet every day in the gifts and graces of my Spirit I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14.16 Again John 16.13 When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth God sent the Spirit in Christ's stead he doth that for us which Christ did for us while he abode on the earth and therefore the holy Spirit is not unfitly call'd the Vicar of Christ here on earth he feeds the flock of Christ he looks to his people he teacheth he comforteth them in Christ's stead And thus in Nations when God breaketh one Governour he sets up an other in his stead he will not leave Nations without guides and leaders nor suffer the staff of Government to be utterly broken which is the greatest plague that can come upon any people From the whole verse take these tree deductions First There is a vanity and an uncertainty at least the vanity of uncertainty in all worldly greatness and powers God blasts and breaks them as he pleaseth The most substantial things on earth are but as a shaddow or like the Land-sea's continually flowing and ebbing One is cast down and another is exalted one is broken and another is set up yea the same man who was lately exalted and set up may quickly be cast down and broken There is no assurance to be had of the best things here below but only this that we cannot be sure of them and 't is good for us that we cannot be sure of the best things here below both because we are so apt to say It is good for us to be here where yet our best things are not to be had as also because by this consideration we may be provoked to look after and make sure of better things then any are here enjoyed even those best things which are under hope Secondly Great examples of God's judgements are to be eyed and marked Why doth Elihu call Job to this consideration but that he might be humbled and give God glory it is not for nought that God breaks in pieces the mighty ones of the earth 1 Cor. 10.11 All these things have hapned unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come As all those things among the Jewes were Types so all that God doth to this day upon the Princes and Powers of the world Nunquam culpam suam reprobi nisi in poena agnoscunt Greg. lib. 25. Moral cap. 9. are but as types and ensamples they are for admonition that we should consider those sins which have brought such judgments upon men such breaking judgements and avoid them some will never see sin in it self but in the judgments of God all may see what sin is when mighty men are broken in pieces what will God do with the rest if they sin against him and provoke the eyes of his glory Zenacharib that proud Prince who invaded the land of Israel in the time of Hezekiah being broken in pieces by his own bowels his sons slew him it was ordered to be writ upon his Tomb In me intuens pius esto Herod lib. 2. Let every one that seeth me learn to fear God and not to defie him as I have done The breaking of the powers of the earth should exceedingly exalt the fear of God in our hearts Quicunque celsa dominatur aula me videat tu Troja nunquam documenta dedit sors majora quam frogili loco starent superbi Senec. in Troad de Hecuba Act 1. Sc. 1. It is better to learn wisdome by the punishment of others then by our own Thirdly If God will break the mighty though many yea though innumerable This is comfort to the people of God when they are opprest and broken by oppressors let them remember God is able to break their oppressors though they rise up like Hydra's heads one after another read the whole fifty and second Psalm as also the 39th and 40th verses of the 107th Psalm as a clear proof of this Elihu having shewed what sad breaches God makes upon mighty men makes a fourth inference in the words following Vers 25. Therefore he knoweth their works and he overturneth them in the night so that they are destroyed For as much as God breaketh them it is an argument that he knoweth what they are and what they have been doing There is a threefold reading of these words First Some read them as implying God's making others to know their works God maketh the secret sins of men visible Propterea facit ut nota sint facta ipsorum Bez. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognoscit aliqui exponunt faci cognoscere sc facit ut ab omnibus eorum scelera cognoscantur Merc. by his visible judgements Wrath seen may give us a sight of sin Some insist much upon this exposition and 't is a truth the Lord by his judgments brings to light and doth as it were spread open as in the face of the Sun the wickedness and wicked deeds of
9. 106. Hebrewes 1. 1. 265. 2. 14. 754 363. 3. 7 13. 268. 3. 12. 703. 5. 11. 498. 5. 1â— 12. 50. 5. 13. 376. 6. 10. 556. 6. 18 19. 266. 9. 27. 593 268 266. 10. 10 26. 268. 11. 1. 78. 11. 25 26. 507. 12. 4. 262. 12. 5. 79. 12. 9 10. 594 92. 12. 14. 434. James 1. 5. 57. 1. 17. 54. 1. 20 21. 100. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. 124. 2. 9. 80. 2. 10. 712. 2. 12. 147. 4. 12. 811. 5. 15. 398. I Peter 1. 12. 408. 1. 18. 598. 3. 6. 220. 3. 19 20. 740. 4. 11. 159. 4. 17. 94. II Peter 1. 9. 441. 1. 18 19. 266. 3. 16. 9. I John 1. 9. 556. 2. 19. 155. 2. 27. 821. 3. 7. 4. 5. 16. 815. Jude 0. 6. 317. 0. 15. 197 81. Revelation 2. 9. 155. 3. 0. 155. 10. 8. 3â—8 11. 3. 270. 14. 13. 560. 15. 4. 695. 21. 17. 183. ERRATA PAge 14 line 27. for History read Historian p. 145. l. 22. for words r. word p. 236. l. 11. for inseparable r. insuperable p. 238. l. 13. for hath r. had p. 328. l. 23. supple Christ p. 338. l. 8. for epethite r. epithete p. 339. l. 24. dele and. p. 239. l. 26. for to r. being p. 355. l. 38. for 61. r. 11. p. 390. l. 9. for in r. to p. 392. l. 30. for yet more r. Thus. p. 409. in the Margin for Cato r. Calvin p. 511 l. 14. dele yea p. 639. l. 9 for 2. r. 12. p. 652. l. 30. for 58. r. 52 p. 709. l. 23. for God r. good p. 787. l. 39. for yet a r. but. FINIS Books lately printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Sign of the three Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheap-side A Commentary upon the three first Chapters of Genesis by Mr. John White in fol. A learned Commentary or Exposition upon the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians by Dr. Richard Sibbs published for publick good by Thomas Manton Folio There is come forth Mr. William Fenner his Continuation of Christs Alarm to drowsie Saints with a Treatise of effectual Calling The Killing Power of the Law The Spirituall Watch New Birth A Christians ingrafting into Christ A Treatise on the Sabbath which were never before printed bound in one Volume Fol. and may be had alone of them that have his other Works as well as bound with all his former Works which are newly printed in the same Volume The History of the Evangelical Churches of the Valleys of Piemont Containing a most exact Geographical Description of the place and a faithfull account of the doctrine life and persecutions of the Ancient Inhabitants Together with a most naked and punctual relation of the late bloody Massacre 1655. and a Narrative of all the following transactions to 1658. Justified partly by divers ancient Manuscripts written many hundred years before Calvin or Luther By Samuel Morland Esq in fol. Divine Characters in two parts acutely distinguishing the more secret and undiscerned differences between the Hypocrite in his best dress of seeming vertues and formal duties and the true Christian in his real graces and sincere obedience by Mr. Samuel Crooke in fol. The humbled sinner resolved what he should do to be saved or faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way of salvation by Mr. Obadiah Sedgewick in 40. The Fountain oâ—ened and the water of life flowing so th for the refreshing of thirsty sinners by the same Author in 4. Anatomy of secret sins presumptuous sins sins in dominion and up ightnesse on Psal 19.12 13. together with a Treatise of the sin against the Holy Ghost by Obadiah Sedgewich The hypocritical Nation described with an Epistle prefixed by Mâ— Samuel Jacomb in 4. A Sermon of the baptizing of Infants by Mr. Stephen Marshal in 4. The unity of the Saints with Christ the Head by the same Author in 4. Truth brought to light and discovered by time or an Historical Narration of the first fourteen years of King James in 4. The Tryall of the Marquesse of Argyle wherein you have his Inditement and his Answer together with his last speech and words upon the Scaffold in 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Great Mysterie of Godliness opened by way of Antidote against the Great Mystery of Iniquity now awork in the Romish Church wherein 1. The Incarnation of the Son of God is fully displayed 2. Ceremonies in poynt of Worship proved to be by Christ abrogated 3. Christian liberty with its 8 Steps and 5 Boundiaries by Thomas Douglass M. A. in 4. Moses and Aaron or the Priviledges and Boundaries given by God both to Magistrates and Ministers Mr. Robinsons Christians Armour in large 8o. A Book of Emblems with Latine and English verses made upon Lights by Robert Farlie small 8o. The one thing necessary By Mr. Thomas Watson Minister of Stephens Walbrook 8o. The Riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poore sinners by Obadiah Sedgewick in 12. Hidden Manna by Mr. Fenner in 12. Picturae Louventes or Pictures drawn forth into Characters in 12. A most excellent Treatise containing the way to seek Heavens Glory to fly Earths Vanity to feare Hells Horror with godly Prayers and the Bell-mans Summons 12. The singular Actions of sanctified Christians in several Sermons on the 5. of Math. 47. An Exposition on the whole book of the Canticles by R. R. There is printed an Exhortation of the Churches of Bohemiah to the Churches of England wherein is set forth the good of unity order discipline and obedience in Churches rightly constituted With an Exhortation premised of the order and Discipline used in the Churches of the Brethren of Bohemia Dedicated to His Most Excellent Majesty Charls the IId in Holland at His departure for England if possibly it may be for an accommodation among the Church of Christ By J. Amos Comenius the only surviving Bishop of the remains of those Churches Grace to the humble as a preparation to the Sacrament in five Sermons by Dr. John Preston Johnsons Essaies expressed in sundry Exquisite Fancies Sion in the House of Mourning because of Sin and Suffering being an Exposition on the fifth Chapter of the Lamentations by D. S. Pastor of Vpingham in the County of Rutland Groans of the Spirit or the Trial of the Truth of Prayer A Handkercher for Parents Wet-eyes upon the death of their children or friends The Dead Saint speaking to Saints and Sinners living in several Treatises viz On 2 Sam 24.10 on Cant. 4.9 on John 8.15 on John 1.50 on Isa 58.2 on Exod. 15.11 Never Published before By Samuel Bolton D. D. late Mr. of Christs Colledge in Cambridge Peoples Need of a Living Pastor at the Funerall of Mr. John Frost M. A. by Mr. Zach. Crofton A Treatise against the Toleration of all Religions By Mr. Thomas Edwards Catechizing Gods Ordinance in sundry Sermons by Mr. Zachary Crofton Minister of Buttolphs Algate London the second Edition corrected and augmented A Theatre of Political Flying Insects Wherein especially the Nature the Worth the Work the Wonder and the manner of the Right-ordering of the Bee is discovered and described By Samuel Purchas M. A. and Pastor at Sutton in Essex The second part of Mans wilfull Impenitency upon Ezek. 18.32 By Mr. William Fenner late of Rochford in Essex With some other Pieces of his preserved by a special Providence
is a departure from the way in which and from the scope and mark to which we should direct our whole course Iniquity is an unequall an undue or crooked thing It turneth others from their right and is it selfe a continuall swerving from it So much for the opening of these words as they are a proposition containing a charge brought against Job I have heard the voyce of thy words saying I am cleane from transgression I am innocent neither is there iniquity in me The second poynt proposed was to consider what matter of accusation there is in these words Matters of accusation arise from our evill deeds That we are not cleane from transgression that we are not innocent that there is much iniquity in us these are properly matter of accusation But here Elihu makes it matter of accusation that Job sayd he was cleane from transgression that he was innocent that there was no iniquity in him And indeed to be charged with the greatest transgression is not more then this to be charged with saying we are cleane from transgression To say we have no sin is very sinfull to say we are without iniquity is a saying full of iniquity 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin Here is Job saying so as Elihu chargeth him we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And v 10. If any man say he hath no sin he maketh God a lyar and his word is not in him Now what greater sin can there be if we consider the force of these two verses then for any man to say he hath no sin How extreamly sinfull this is may be shewed in foure things First It is extreame pride for any man to say I have no sin What is pride but an over-reckoning of our selves When we value our selves 't is best to doe it at an under rate and to say lesse of our selves if it may be then we are as Paul did who called himselfe lesse then the least of all Saints Pride alwayes over-reckons and casts us up more then we are worth Some reckon their temporall and many more their spirituall estates at many thousands as I may say when upon a true account they are worse then nothing So did the Church of Laodicea Rev 3.17 Thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked They who are soule-blind cannot see either how bad they are or what good they want Nothing hinders the sight of our wants so much as a conceit that we are full Secondly It is the greatest deceit even selfe-deceit to say or suppose that we are in this sence cleane without transgression so saith that text of the Apostle v 8. He that saith he hath no sin deceiveth himselfe It is bad enough to deceive others and woe to them that doe so but how bad is their condition who deceive themselves He is in an ill condition who is deceived by others But if a man deceive himselfe where shall he have his amends Selfe-admirers and selfe-flatterers are the Greatest selfe-deceivers And who or what shall be true to that man who is false to himselfe Thirdly It is a lye and the greatest lye that 's more then a bare deceit for it is such a lye as leaveth no truth at all in us He that saith he hath no sin in him hath no truth in him what hath he in him then but a lye Every sin is a lye and he that saith he hath no sin in him hath nothing of truth in him what hath he then in him or what is he but a lye v 10. The word of God is not in him which is the treasury of all truth and therefore he hath no truth in him nor can have till he hath repented of that lye Fourthly that ye may see there is exceeding much in this charge To say so is blasphemy and the highest blasphemy Why Because it makes God a lyar â—e that saith he hath no sin doth not only deceive himselfe but as much as in him lyeth he makes God a lyar v 10. To deceive with a lye is the worst sort of deceivings and what lye is worse then or so bad as that which makes the God of truth a lyar and turnes the truth of God into a lye Lay these foure considerations together and then it will appeare how heavie a charge is contained in these words when Elihu saith he had heard Job say he was cleane without transgression he was innocent and no iniquity in him Therefore thirdly consider a little further what occasion had Job given Elihu to say that he had sayd I am cleane from transgression c. I answer There are severall passages upon which Elihu might pitch this charge I will only name foure texts out of which possibly this might arise First Chap 10. 7. where Job speaking to God himselfe saith Thou knowest that I am not wicked He appealed to the knowledge of God himselfe in the thing The second may be collected from Chap 16. 17. Not for any injustice in my hand also my prayer is pure The third from Chap 23. 10. But he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tryed me I shall come forth as gold My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined In the fourth place Elihu might take those words Chap 27. 5. God forbid that I should justifie you till I die I will not remove my integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it goe my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live All these are Job's assertions concerning his owne innocency And these or such like passages as these Elihu 't is likely being an attentive hearer had observed and picked up as the matter of this first part of his charge Job's self-justification Fourthly and lastly let us consider whether Elihu did rightly bring this charge against Job from these sayings or whether he dealt so ingenuously with Job as he promised while from these or the like passages he saith Job had sayd I am cleane without transgression c. For answer first take notice that Elihu was not the first that had charged Job thus he had been thus charged by his three friends before Zophar sayd Chap 11. 4. Thou hast sayd my doctrine is pure and I am cleane in thine eyes that is in the eyes of God Eliphaz seemâ—s to say as much Chap 15. 14. What is man that he should be clean and he which is borne of a woman that he should be righteous While Eliphaz put these questions he intimated that Job had made such affirmations Bildad likewise was upon the same strain with him Chap 25. 4. How then can man be justified with God or how can he be cleane that is borne of a woman We see then this was not the first time by three that Job had heard this charge and had made answer for
verè ceriè Job dixit Justus sum Pined Vid c. 33 8 9. where this poynt is also discussed the cleareness and truth of the charge there is no avoyding the matter of fact It will fall upon him let him take it off and answer it if he can or as wel as he can For Job hath said I am righteous But it may be questioned where said he this For answer I shall doe two things First Shew from what passages in Jobs former answers this charge may be made good or at least made up Secondly I shall shew in what sence Job said this and how Elihu and Job doe either agree or differ in the thing To the first where said Job I am righteous I answer We find not this direct assertion in termes or in so many words but what he spake in severall places amounts to it Chap 13.18 Behold now I have ordered my cause I know I shall be justified Chap 23.10 But he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tryed me I shall come forth as gold Chap 27.6 My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it goe and he insisted at large upon this poynt his vindication from all unrighteousness throughout the whole 31th Chapter There we find him making frequent imprecations v. 5 6 7. If I have walked with vanitie or if my foot hath hasted to deceit Let me be weighed in an even ballance that God may know mine integrity If my step hath turned out of the way and mine heart walked after mine eyes and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands then c. In all which and many other passages of that Chapter Job spake highly of his owne innocency and said in effect I am righteous His other friends had taken notice of this before Eliphaz hit him with it Chap 4.17 while he put those questions Shall mortall man be more just then God shall a man be more pure then his maker And so did Bildad Chap 8.6 If thou wert pure and upright surely now he would awake for thee and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous Nor was Zophar behind with him Chap 11.4 Thou hast sayd my doctrine is pure I am cleane in thine eyes Secondly In what sence did he speak this For answer when Job said I am righteous we must consider a two-fold righteousness First a perfect absolute righteousness and that may be two-fold First the righteousness of justification which is an imputed righteousness Secondly the righteousness of sanctification which is an in-wrought or inherent righteousness this latter is not absolute or perfect in degree while we abide in this life yet it is dayly growing up to perfection and shall at last attaine a perfect growth If any say Why then doth God call us to a perfection of sanctification in this life if it be not attainable in this life I answer he doth it first to shew how holy he is Secondly to shew how holy we ought to be Thirdly he doth it that we might run to Christ who is the Lord our righteousness and who is made unto us of God wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption we being altogether short of righteousness and short in righteousness may goe to him and have a compleat and perfect righteousness Now besides this absolute righteousness of justification which is attainable here and of sanctification which is not attainable here but shall be hereafter there is a comparatively perfect righteousness of sanctification the righteousness of uprightness and sincerity when we strive to the uttermost to please God in all things by doing good and can say we doe not please our selves in any way of doing evill It should seeme that Elihu and Job did not wel agree about the definition of justice or righteousness Job intending either civill righteousness towards men or a righteousness imputed freely by God but Elihu understood him of absolute perfect personall righteousness which no man attaines unto in this life For when Job is charged with saying Intelligitur justitia per fidem mediatoris spiritus sancti Arrabone confirmata Neque enim aliam potuit habero Job qui suam claris verbis amoliretur Coc I am righteous he said it either as a justified person or as a sanctified person In the former sence he might say he was perfectly righteous and in the latter he sayd he was so as to the sincerity and uprightness of his heart with God and this he might say of himselfe without fault or blame for God himselfe had sayd of him Ch 1.1 that he was a man perfect and upright I grant Job seemes to say though he said it not with that aime or intention yet he seemes to say that he was even absolutely righteous not only as justified but sanctified while he said Chap 31.7 8. If there be any blot cleaving to my hands if my steps have gone out of the way or my heart been deceived c. This gave Elihu occasion to charge him with saying I am righteous he did not charge him with saying so as justified through the free grace of God nor did he charge him for saying so as to his sincerity but he charged him in these two respects First Because he spake so much of the righteousness of his way and of his workes for though it were true he was righteous in the sence by him intended yet because he made it his business and spent a large discourse to tell the world how good how just and how holy a man he had been this was more then became him in that condition Secondly Elihu checkt him for saying so because though he were fully righteous as justified and sincerely righteous as sanctified he complained of his afflictions as if God might not lay his hand heavy upon him no nor touch a righteous person with an afflicting hand or as if he and all other righteous persons ought to passe all their dayes in peace and have an exemption from the crosse Whereas one great reason why God afflicted him so sorely was to make it knowne to all the world in his example that meerely upon his owne prerogative and soveraignty he both may and will when he pleaseth afflict the most innocent person in the world Yea the intent of Elihu in urging and burdening Job with those sayings was to convince him that though he was a child of God and had walked before him in righteousnesse and true holiness yet he ought to humble himselfe and beare with meekness and patience the forest visitations of God And that therefore he should not have pleaded his owne integrity to priviledge him from affliction nor have sayd Why doe I suffer seeing I am righteous Hence note First That as it is altogether sinfull for any man to say I am altogether without sin for 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin there is no truth in us and he who saith in that sense I am righteous doth but declare his owne unrighteousness so to speake much of our
was to speake And in this sence the most of men all bad men have no understanding Psal 14.2 and Job though a good man had much deficiency in his If now thou hast understanding heare this Hence note He that hath not a right a sound a spirituall understanding can scarce be said to have any understanding at all There are many understanding men who have not this understanding or an understanding for this While David saith Psal 49.20 Man that is in honour and understandeth not he supposeth that a man ascended to the highest pitch of honour may yet be without understanding that is without a right a sound a spirituall understanding and then as it followeth there he is like the beasts that perish Beasts have no understanding at all the rationall or intellectuall power is proper to man A man in honour not having this honour a right understanding may be numbred among the beasts If thou hast understanding Hear this As if he had said I am not calling thee to hear an idle story or a trivial matter Hear this there is an emphasis in the words both as to the Act and Object It is questioned what Elihu particularly intendeth by this some refer it to what he had spoken before in Job's audience though directed to his friends Hear what I have spoken to thy friends in the former part of the chapter in vindication of the righteousness of God Secondly Others refer it to what Elihu was now about to say I have not yet done I have not yet brought out all my reasons arguments I have not emptied my treasures I have yet more to say Hear this A third sort refer these hortatory words hear this in the former part of the verse to what he had already spoken and those in the latter part of the verse hearken to the voice of my words to what he had yet to speak but it is not much to the matter to which we refer them it being clear that what he had said and what he had to say was matter of weight and so hear this is emphatical this great this deep this useful and necessary point of Doctrine which I already have declared or am now about to declare unto thee Hence Note That which we hear we should labour to understand Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom It is not enough to hear the word with our ears or to have it in our mouths it must dwell in our memories and it must dwell there not in a beggerly poor fashion but richly which it never doth till we have a sound and clear understanding of it and are both in heart and life conformed to it yea transformed into it that is it which the Apostle meaneth by the dwelling of the word in us richly in all wisdome And he further assureth them chap. 2.1 2. that he had a great conflict for them that is as we put in the Margin he had a great fear or care of them that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge He had held forth those great mysteries the mysterie of God considered essentially the mysterie of the Father considered personally the mysterie of Christ considered mediatorily and therefore he presseth them to get a full assurance of understanding about all these mysteries When Christ was discoursing with his disciples after his resurrection Luke 24.45 it is said He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures and then they did not take in what he spake only at the ear but at the heart also Thus Acts 16 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul that is he gave her an inward ear and caused her to understand the things which he spake Secondly Note Whatsoever we hear is lost and but scattered in the ayre if we do not understand it Though we have it in our books yea though we have it in our memories 't is lost if we understand it not we read of a book sealed within and on the back-side with seven seals Rev. 5.1 we read also v. 4. that John wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book That sealing of the book was nothing else but the shutting of it up from the understanding and when Christ opened the book he gave the understanding of it the whole book of God is a sealed book unless we have an understanding or a saving knowledge of the truths therein contained What John said Rev. 13.18 of counting that mysterious number of the Beast must be said in its proportion of the whole mysterie of godliness let him that hath understanding count and consider them Note Thirdly Every understanding is not fit to receive the Truths of God An unregenerate man is not fit to receive any of the Truths of God The natural man that is the man who hath nothing but nature in him perceiveth not the things of God he hath not a sutable faculty for them and as a natural mans understanding cannot at all receive the things of God so every degree of a spiritual understanding cannot receive all the truths of God or not all the things of God in all their truth The Apostle distributes persons into several degrees and calls some babes and others grown or perfect men that is such as have an understanding fit to take in and digest the highest and deepest things of God and hence it is that Christ told his disciples John 16.12 who had a renewed understanding only 't was in a low degree I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now I suppose the reason why Christ saith they could not bear those many things was not because being many they were too great a burden for their memories though possibly there might be somwhat in that but their inability of bearing those many things was chiefly in their understanding There are some truths which though a man can remember yet he cannot bear them and the more he remembers them the less he can bear them the weight and mysteriousness of them even cracks his brain till he receives more light from God and more strength of understanding he cannot bear them If thou hast understanding hear this And hearken to the voice of my words This latter part of the verse is but the repetition or further enforcement of the same thing we had the like expressions chap. 33.1.8 and therefore I shall not stay upon this only Note further from the whole The beginning of true wisdome is to have a readiness to hear and to shew our selves teachable Some overween themselves so much as to matter of knowledge that they will not be taught they judge themselves so learned and
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
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
Gospel and to prepare the way for Christ by whom grace and truth came The Baptist was as it were the loop and button between the legall and the Gospel dispensation therefore his name might well be called John And there is frequent use in Scripture of the Adverb which comes from this Verb to signifie injuries received without desert or undeservedly Ps 7.4 Yea I have delivered him that without cause was mine enemy or that was mine enemy gratis And again Psal 35.7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit which without cause have they digged for my soul Yet more as the word signifies the doing of good gratis or when there is no desert so any injury done gratis or when no provocation hath been given the party so to doe Now as all the mischief which the wicked plot against or doe to the people of God is undeserved and floweth meerly from their malice so all the good which God doth for his people is undeserved and floweth purely from the fountaine of his free grace or from his compassions which faile not And surely the Lord deserveth highest praises from man for any good he doth him seeing what he doth is gratis or undeserved Further This Hebrew word Chinnam answers the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred freely Rom. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratis i. e. ejus gratia Bez We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ How can unjust men deserve justification Therefore Mr Beza translates We are justified gratis that is by his grace Againe When it is said then he or the Lord is gracious it may be taken two wayes First as to be gracious implyeth the intrinsecall graciousness of his nature or that mercifullness and kindness which dwells in the heart of God and which indeed is God for the graciousnesse of God is the gracious God thus God is alwayes and altogether gracious he is infinitely and uncessantly gracious Secondly when it is said he is gracious it may note only the graciousness of his acts and dispensations thus as I may say the Lord is gracious ad hinc et nunc as he sees cause at this time he is gracious and not at that time that is he puts forth acts of grace now and not then The Lord puts forth acts of grace both according to the pleasure of his own will without respect to any thing in man as also without respecting what man is or doth according to his pleasure And thus we are chiefly to understand it here then he is gracious God is gracious in his nature alwayes and alwayes alike gracious but he is not alwayes alike gracious in his dispensations or in giving forth acts of grace he is gracious to man according to his secret will as he pleaseth but he is gracious according to his revealed will as man pleaseth him Hence Observe first The first cause and spring of all our mercies is the graciousnesse of God Or All our mercyes flow out from the grace of God That 's the fountaine yea that 's the Ocean which seeds and fills all the Channels of mercy which stream to us as our happiness in this world and for our everlasting happiness in the world which is to come All is of grace fundamentally or because the Lord is and will be for ever gracious Thus the Lord spake to Moses Exod. 33.19 I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious My mercy shall flow our when and to whom and where I please And the proclamation which he made of himselfe in all his royall Titles runs in the same straine Exod. 34.6 The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and aboundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity If we consider God first in doing us good Secondly in forgiving us the evill which we doe Thirdly in delivering us from the evills which we now suffer Fourthly in delivering us from the feare of future sufferings all is from grace and from free grace He doth us good though we are undeserving any good that 's grace yea he doth us good though we are ill deserving and that 's more grace He doth all for us through grace First in spiritualls and Secondly in temporalls not only doe the good things of eternall life but the good things of this present life flow from grace unto his own people Not only the health of their souls but the health of their bodyes not only deliverance from hell but deliverance from sickness also flow from his free grace in Jesus Christ Therefore of all their mercies and salvations both as to the foundation and top-stone of them the people of God must cry as the Prophet Zachery Chap. 4.7 foretells the people of God should say of that longed for deliverance when that great mountaine should become a plain before Zerubbabell grace grace unto them That is grace hath begun them and grace alone will maintaine continue and perfect what it hath begun As there is nothing in us except our misery which moves the Lord to begin so there is nothing in us but our inability which moves the Lord to perfect what he hath begun He seeth we cannot and therefore he will perfect what he hath begun and all this he doth that he may exalt his own name and perfect the praise of his free grace towards us More distinctly that all comes from grace or from the graciousness of God may note these five things to us First not only that God doth all for his people freely or without desert But Secondly that he doth all things willingly or without constraint for his people Thirdly that he doth all things forwardly for his people He doth very much unaskt and unsought and he is not much askt or hardly drawne to doe any thing for his people Though he hath said of some things I will be sought unto or inquired after that I may doe them for you Ezek. 36.37 yet his mercies are never forced nor wrested from him by intreaties but flow from a principle of love naturally as water out of a fountain Fourthly he doth all rejoycingly even with his whole heart and with his whole soul Mercy pleaseth him and he is pleased with occasions of shewing mercy 't is no burden to him to doe us good mercy proceeds from his nature and therefore he delighteth in mercy Mic 7.18 yea to be mercifull is his nature and therefore he cannot but delight in it Fifthly graciousness being the very nature of God implyeth that he will do us good liberally and constantly or that as the Apostle James speaks he giveth liberally and upbraideth not he doth not upbraid us with our poverty who receive nor doâ—h he upbraid us with the riches of the gifts which himself bestoweth And because they flow from his nature therefore he doth not in the least empty himself how much soever he fills the creature with his gifts or goodness Some men