praise him whether men do or no. All thy works shall praise thee saith David Psal 145.10 What then should they do for whom they are wrought The latter part of the verse shew what they will do who know what God hath wrought for them Thy Saints saith he shall bless thee They who have as most have low thoughâ—s can never give high pâ—aises of the works of God Thirdly In that this counsel and exhortion is given to Job in that this spur is as it were put to his sides Remember that thou magnifie Note The best men need monitours and remembrancers to quicken them about their duty of magnifying the works of God The Lord though he needeth not yet will have us to be his remembrancers to do our works for us if we would have our works done the Lord would have us by prayer to mind him of our own and of all his peoples condition Isa 62.6 Ye that are the Lords remembrancers so we put in the Margine and in the Text ye that make mention of the Lord c. The Lord will have us to be his remembrancers And though he is ever mindful of his Covenant yet he liketh it well to be put in mind of it But O what need have we of a remembrancer to put us in mind of the work of God and to magnifie his work We need a dayly remembrancer to put us in mind of what we should do how much more of what God hath done We need to be minded of that which 't is a wonder how we can forget our latter end or how frayle we are how much more do we need to be minded of those duties which fit us for our latter end and lead us to those enjoyments which never end Fâ—urthly Observe Such is the sinfulness of mans heart and his sluggishness that he hardly remembers to magnifie God for those works which he cannot but see Elihu urgeth Job and with him all men to remember that they magnifie even that work of his which men behold and which every man may see How slack are they in or to that great duty of magnifying God who when they see or may see if they will his mighty works yet mind not the magnifying of him Fifthly Observe Some works of providence are so plain that every man that doth not wilfully shut his eyes may behold them He is altogether stupid and blockish that seeth not what all may see Hence the Psalmist having said O Lord how great are thy works concludeth such among brutes and fools Psal 92.6 The brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this It was the saying of Plato an Heathen That man is worthy his eyes should be pulled out of his head who doth not lift them up on high that he may admire the wisdome of the Creatour in the wonderfull â—abrick of the world I may adde and in the works of providence Are they not such that as the Prophet speaks He that runs may read them Sixthly Consider why doth Elihu thus charge it upon Job surely to humble him for his sin in that he did not magnifie God for his works Hence Note It is a great aggravation of our neglect of praising God for his works or of our not magnifying the works of God seeing his works are obvious to every man even to the weaker and ruder sort of men If the very blind may see them how sinfully blind are they who see them not The works of God should be sought out Psal 111.2 4. If they lie in corners yet they are to be sought out and they are sought out of them that have pleasure therein If God should hide his work under ground if God should put his Candle under a bushel as Christ saith men do not Mat. 5. yet 't is our duty to seek it out and set it upon a Candlestick that all may behold it and praise him for it Now if the most hidden works of God must be sought out that they may be magnified surely then when the works of God stand forth and offer themselves to our view and we cannot tell which way to draw our eyes from them how great a sin is it not to behold them not to give him the glory of them Seventhly Observe To magnifie the works of God is mans duty yea it is a most necessary and indispensible duty This is the poynt chiefly intended by Elihu in his present discourse with Job This containeth the sum and substance of the whole Text. To magnifie the work of God is so necessary so indispensible a duty that A remember is put upon it lest at any time it should slip from us The Lord knowing how great how weighty how comfortable how profitable a duty it is to keep the Rest day prefixeth this word Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Exod. 20.8 I might give instance from several other Scriptures importing those duties which have a memento put upon them to be of great necessity and that the Lord will not bear with us if we lay them by or neglect the constant performance of them To forget any duty is very sinfull how much more those which we are specially warned to remember that we do them David was not satisfied in doing the duty of the text alone but must associate others with him in it Ps 34.3 O let us magnifie the Lord together that 's a blessed consort the consort of the blessed for ever The whole work and reward too of Saints in heaven is and eternally will be to magnify God and they have the beginnings of that work and reward who are sincerely magnifying his work here on earth God hath magnified his word in all things above his name Psal 138.2 and the reason is because his workes answer or are the fulfilling of his word to the praise of his glorious name Now if God hath magnified his word by his workes then we must magnifie his workes or him in his workes For wherein doth God magnifie his word but in his works He hath magnified his work by bringing his word forth in his works Surely then if God hath magnified his word by bringing it forth in his works then 't is our duty to magnifie the works of God which are the product effect and answer of his word But some may say how is that done I would give answer to this question in five things First Then we magnifie the work of God when we magnifie God for his work we cannot magnifie the mercy of God but by magnifying the God of our mercys We cannot magnifie his work while we neglect himself we magnifie God in his work first when we ascribe the whole efficiency of what we see done in the world to him and say This is the singer of God Or when we say according to this or that time What hath God wrought Numb 23.23 To magnifie the work of God is to give the whole of it to God 'T is the hand of God upon a work that sets
this reading Elihu in these words prevents an objection which Job might take occasion to make from what he had said or wished rather at the 36th verse of the former Chapter My desire is that Job may be tryed unto the end That is further afflicted or afflicted to the utmost Against this desire of Elihu Job is by him supposed making his exception or objection in this verse As if he had said Why doest thou or what reason hast thou to desire that I should be yet again tryed by affliction What I pray would that profit me if I were afflicted yet more and more Can the suffering of evil do me good or make me better To this objection Elihu gives answer in the next verse and those which follow to the ninth and he doth it as the Asserter of this Interpretation judgeth by this Dilemma Thy afflictions would profit either God or thy self seeing God doth nothing in vaine but neither thy sufferings how grievous soever nor thy doings how righteous soever can profit God no more than thy sins or evil doings can damage God therefore it remains that if God afflict thee further it will be if thou hast a heart to improve it for thy profit This reading and the sense arising from it is much insisted on but as the former is very harsh so I conceive this latter is very dark and intricate and grounded upon the supposition of an objection very remote or not easily to be suggested in this discourse And therefore to avoyd both my own and the readers unnecessary trouble I shall take the Text as it stands in our Translation and offer somewhat for instruction from it How great sinfulness there is in saying There is no profit in the wayes of God I have shewed at the 21st Chap. vers 11 th and Chap. 34th vers 9. So that referring the Reader thither I shall here give only this Note It is very sinful to say we shall get no advantage by leaving sin We may well put the Apostles question Rom. 6.21 to our selves What fruâ—t have we in those things whereof we are now ashamed What benefit have we got by polluting our selves with sin But how vaine a question is it to say What profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin Elihu chargeth Job with this yet still remember he referrs not to his eternal but temporal condition And this was Asaphs or Davids temptation also as to his temporal condition even he the one or the other David or Asaph spake as much in express terms as Job is here charged with Psal 73.13 where complaining of the great tryals and troubles he had been under and of the prosperity of the wicked Behold saith he these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches But how is it with me Verily I have cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocency for all the day long have I been plagued and chastned every moment As if he had said What have I got by my holiness and forsaking of sin what have I gained by my strictest walkings and abstainings from the very appearance of evil Have I not reason to conclude in good earnest that I have cleansed my heart and hands in vaine seeing my sufferings are not lessned though my sins are seeing my punishments are renewed every morning though I am every morning upon the renewal of my repentance Thus spake the Psalmist in the day of his temptation and doubtless this day of his Temption had been a day of temptation and provocation to the Lord like that of Israels in the Wilderness Psal 95.7 had not the Lord come in by his grace and helped him to bite in his words at the very next verse If I say I will speak thus if I use such not only uncomely but wicked language as this I have cleansed my heart and hands in vaine Behold I should offend against the generation of thy children And when I thought to know this it was too wonderful for me that is it was beyond my skill to reconcile these works these providences of God towards me with his word and promises nor was I any whit less at a loss how to reconcile the prosperity and flourishing condition of wicked men with those terrible threatnings which the Lord in his Word every where thunders out against them These cross and intricate dispensations puzzel'd me greatly put my soul into a maze nor could I spel their meaning nor make out the sense of them Vntill I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end the woful Catastrophe the miserable end of wicked-men their slippery standing and their sudden falling as both are described v. 18 19 20. Then also I understood the blessedness of a godly mans estate both now and for ever in having God his guide and his portion v. 24 25 26. then I understood what profit and advantage comes by cleansing our selves from sin though to the eye it appeare not yea though all appearances speak the contrary To be cleansed from or to remove sin is profitable and advantagious First As to the removal of Judgement When we begin cleansing work the Lord usually makes an end of afflicting work For as one great end of sending affliction is to cleanse us from sin Isa 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin so our being cleanâ—ed from sin is usually the end of our afflictions When we are cleansed from sin we are troubled no more we smart no more speak then Is it no profit to be cleansed from sin when so many not only persons but Nations have been ruin'd because not cleansed from sin God gave his own people cleanness of teeth Amos 4.6 that is famine or want of bread because of the uncleanness of their hearts and lives and is it no profit to be cleansed from sin when for our sinfull uncleannesses God will cleanse us of all our comforts even to a morsel of bread 'T is therefore a speech both false in it self and highly diâ—honourable unto God to say I shall have no profit for still I shall suffer though I be cleansed from my sin whereas first there is more profit in being cleansed from sin than in being delivered from sufferings and secondly when once we are cleansed from sin we are in the fairest way to be cleared from and see an end of all our sufferings Secondly The more we are cleansed from sin the more communion we have with God and the more peace from God Is not this a great profit a profit besides the eternal reward a profit far better than any temporal reward Will not communion with God satisfie us for the loss of friends of estate or health Will not peace with God answer all the tribulations we can meet with in this world If therefore being cleansed from sin we have closer communion and sweeter peace with God let no man say
is translated quite through with respect to wicked oppressors who cast God out of their thoughts never saying Where is God my maker who hath set me up who hath given me this power and given me songs that is occasions of joy in the night The wicked have abundance they can feast it and sing it day and night yet mind not God the fountain and bestower of all This is a truth in it self and because the interpretation is insisted upon by some as the truth intended in the present Text Take this Note from it Oppressors put away the thoughts of God or mind not God when they do or are about to do mischief They make the oppressed cry but they say not Where is God They neither speak nor think of God who hath cloathed them with power and made their arme mighty We finde this frame frequently ascribed in Scripture to oppressors Elihu chargeth Job with it Chap. 22d where having told him to his face of many acts of oppression Thou hast stripped the naked of their clothing v. 6. Thou hast withholden bread from the hungry v. 7. And the armes of the fatherless have been broken v. 9. Having I say reckoned up these his supposed oppressions he concludes v. 13. And thou sayest How doth God know can he judge through the dark Cloud David in prayer speaks the same of his oppressors Psal 86.14 O God the proud are risen against me and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul and have not set thee before them Psal 94.5 6. They break in pieces O Lord thy people and afflict thine heritage They slay the widow and the stranger and murder the fatherless Yet they say the Lord doth not see it neither shall the God of Jacob regard it All these Scriptures may be resolved into the Text They say not Where is God my maker They who do all they can to unmake and undo their fellow-creatures care not to remember him who is the maker and creator of us all But Secondly I conceive those words None saith Where is God my maker are rather to be referred to the oppressed than to the oppressors The oppressed cry indeed but not unto God their maker As Job said Job 24.12 Men groan from out of the City and the soul of the wounded cryeth out yet God layeth it not to heart so here Elihu saith men groan and cry yet themselves lay not God to heart None saith Where is God my maker Thus our translation seems to carry it and thus 't is most generally understood None of the oppressed say c. Taking this sense Elihu here begins to assigne the reason why the oppressed are not delivered As if he had said 'T is true there are a multitude of pressures and oppressions and they transport all manner of men with passion the oppressed cry they make much ado when they suffer against them under whom they suffer But few or none are so wise in such a case as to recollect themselves and make serious application to God putting him in mind of his own gracious nature towards the work of his hands to have mercy upon it and in faith to seek to him for remedy and comfort as being only able to relieve and glad the heart in great extremities they look not to the hand of God when they cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty they only toyle and teare themselves with complaints they cry out of this and that man of this and that instrument but alas they find neither redress nor deliverance because they say not Where is God my maker That is they are more forward to complain of wrong done them by men than to remember what good or what favours God hath done them They do not particularly and specially apply themselves to God in their trouble they do not seek nor enquire early after God Non habet cogitationem deliberationem propositum quaerendi deum neque agnitionem aestimationemque beneficiorum ejus sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coc nor humble themselves before him or under his mighty hand neither do they consider what God is to them nor whether he be with them and in them and if they find not God near them not in them they consider not how they may be united to him or get him near them We find God when we heare his voyce speaking to us by his Word and Spiâ—it and hearken to his voyce we find God when we are at peace with him trust upon him confidently and rejoyce in him comfortably The oppressed considered not these things None saith Here is an universal Negative none that is not so much as one yet we may understand it with an allay none that is few or none as we commonly speak say Where is God my maker Possibly many say it with their mouths but few or none say it either fiâ—st heartily or secondly spiritually or thirdly humbly or fourthly repentingly or fifthly believingly or sixthly submittingly and therefore no wonder if they are not heard and helped when they cry It is a common thing for men in distress or under oppression to cry out O God O Lord The name of God is taken by many in vaine when any thing afflicts or hurts them but few call upon his name It is no easie matter to cry out in deed O God my maker or to say with a serious holy and gracious frame of spirit Where is God my maker There is a twofold understanding of these words Sunt verba optontis First Some look upon them as an earnest wish or prayer for help None saith Where is God my maker That is none saith O that God my maker would appear in the present manifestations of his power to succour and deliver me In which sense Elisha is conceived to speak when he smote the waters with Eliahs Mantle 2 Kings 2.14 And said Where is the Lord God of Elijah As if he had said O thou God of Elijah come shew thy glorious power and divide these waters Sunt verba gratulantis Secondly Others expound them as an expression of praise or as the words of a man looking up to God in thankfulness for former benefits in present straights Where is God my maker Where 's he that made me and hath preserved me hitherto As if Elihu had said none of these oppressed ones have recourse to God in the day of their calamity confessing and acknowledging his great goodness to them in their creation and further preservation which might much comfort and encourage their hearts under present grievances and pressures None saith Where is God my maker The word maker may be taken in a threefold notion First for him that hath given us our being As God is the maker of heaven and of earth so he is our maker Gen. 1.26 27. Secondly for him that hath continued us in and preserved our being for providence is a renewed creation Thirdly for him who haâ—h raised us up or preferred us
and done us good all our dayes In which sense the word is used 1 Sam. 12.6 And Samuel said unto the people it is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron We put in the Margin made Moses c. it is this word Eloah nomen singulare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participium plurale Factores mei sic usu obtinuit de deo loquuntur promiâ—cue modo singulariter modo pluralitur Sensus autem ubique singularis est Ideo nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim quando de vero deo dicitur interpretes reddunt semper deus ubi ratio habetur sensuâ— non terminationis Drus vid Merc Vbi est deus qui fecerunt me Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made them gâ—eat and put them in those high places of Government and Trust The Lord is he that maketh men in this sense We say commonly of a man that is advanced to some great place He is a made man and on the contrary of a man that is thrown down He is an undone man God giveth us a being and a bodily fabrick he protects us in our being he advanceth us to a wel-being in all we may call him and call upon him as our Maker And when men would unmake us that is oppress and undo us then we should say in faith Where is God our maker who once gave us life and hath since lifted us up from the gates of death and put us into a good condition Many are crying out upon and possibly some railing and raging at men but who saith in the sense opened Where is God my maker There is one thing further considerable in the Grammar of the Text. The Hebrew is plural or a plural with a singular as Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created The word Elohim rendred God is plural The word Bara created singular Thus here Where is God my makers Mr Broughton translates Where is the puissant my makers I might spend much time in shewing the consent of several Scriptures in that poynt Joshua said to the people who promised and engaged to serve the Lord ye cannot serve the Lord. Why could they not the reason follows For he is an Holy God Josh 24.19 The Hebrew strictly is God holyes he Thus the Prophet expresseth it Isa 54.5 Thy makers is thy husband Solomons admonition runs in the same plural stile Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy Creators in the dayes of thy youth Deus sanctus est Ad verbum Dii sancti ipse Mont But though the Scripâ—ure speaks of God sometimes in the singular sometimes in the plural number yet the sense is alwayes singular The true God being but One and the onemost one and therefore the plural word Elohim is alwayes rendred in the singular number God where menâ—ion is made of the true God they having regard to the true meaning or Divinity of the Text not to the Grammar or termination of the word There are usually two reasons given by learned translaters and interpreters why the true God who is but one in essence and being is so often expressed in the Hebreâ— text plurally First to insinuate or intimate unto us that Great and glorious mystery of the Blessed Trinity of persons in the God-head I say to intimate it we cannot make a full or convincing proof from it against any Antitrinitarian Adversary because though the word Elohim notes a plurality yet we cannot by any force of the word determine that plurality precisely to a Trinity that must be done by other Scriptures of which we have an abundant store to stop the mouth of all gainsayers Secondly they tell us This plural word is used to set forth the honour of God according to the usage of Kings and Soveraigne Princes called Gods who speak of themselves though single persons in a plural stile We and Vs But I conceive neither is this cogent though both this and the former may be piously improved So much for the opening of these words No man saith Where is God my maker Hence observe First Many cry and complain in affliction but look not to God in affliction Deut. 32.18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull and hast forgotten God that formed thee Which as it is often verified in times of peace plenty and prosperity so not seldome in times of trouble pressure and affliction Yea there are some who cry and complain in affliction yet turn away from God in affliction Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for corne and wine and they rebell against me These are so far from seeking God indeed or saying Where is our maker with their heart that they rebell against him while they would be relieved and fed by him How frequently even at this day do some men storme and fret and rage little minding God in their afflictions though formally or vocally calling on him 'T is easie to complain but hard to pray in a day of trouble The Jewes are reproved for their regardlesness of God while they made great preparations in a time of danger and war or of a feared siege Isa 22.8 c. Thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forrest ye have seen also the breaches of the City of David that they are many c. And the houses have ye broken down to fortifie the wall Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool c. Here were politick warlike preparations yea God was little thought upon in all this as it followeth v. 11. But ye have not looked unto the maker thereof neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago 'T is thus with the most of men when outward misery comes upon them what crying what working is there yet little returning to God little turning into their own hearts Secondly Note When men oppress and vex us it is best to have our recourse to God and apply to him That counsel Look to me and be saved Isa 45.22 is true of temporal as well as of eternal salvation God is our best friend at all times even in the best times and it is best to look to him in the worst times David could say Psal 73.28 when flesh and strength and heart when all fayled him It is good for me to draw near to God Let our condition be what it will but especially if we are in a bad condition it is good yea best to go to him who hath our times that is all the changes of our condition in his hand to him in whose hand the arme of the mighty is and in whose hand alone there is might to help and deliver us from the arme of the mighty Is it not best to look to him in affliction who can either support us in or bring us out of our affliction as pleaseth him He that made us can protect and save us therefore in every pinching strait in
season That is I have as it were discourses and soliloquies secret debates about and strong desires after the things of God even in the night That soul is indeed awake to God which is acquainted with and used to these divine songs in the night the time of sleep Further Take the word night in a metaphorical notion as night signifieth a troublesome state God may be said to give songs in the night when he comforts us in or at any time of affliction I need not stay to prove that in Scripture the night is put for affliction nor need I prove that to give inward joy in a day of outward sorrow is to give songs in the night The observation rising from this metaphorical understanding of night is this which the Scripture and experience are full of God sends comfort to his people or causeth them to rejoyce in the midst of their afflictions It is the Apostles description of God 2 Cor. 1.3 4. The God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation What sweet songs have suffering Saints sound in the darkest midnight of their affliction What inward peace in outward troubles What soul freedome in bodily restraint Carmen in nocte est laetitia in tribulatione Greg One of the Ancients hath put the question and answered it What 's a song in the night 'T is joy in time of trouble Whenever God gives a soul joy in time of trouble he gives a song in the night Paul and Sylas sang in the night in both notions of night If we take night in a proper sense they sang in the night and in an improper sense they were in prison that was a night of affliction to them yea it was midnight with them the power of darkness or the darkest outward affliction to them yet saith the Text At midnight Paul and Sylas sang They had songs in their mouths and in their hearts too they sang so loud that all heard them And hence we may collect the strength of the argument or reason upon which Elihu here saith God doth not regard the cry of many under oppression they make a noyse but none saith Where is God my maker who giveth songs in the night who is able to comfort us in all our afflictions who is able to make darkness light to us and turn our sorrows into songs of joy they had not these high thoughts of God not these holy confidences in God while they lay under the oppressions of men and therefore God did not regard their cry nor save them from the arme of the mighty This is the first part of the answer which Elihu made to Jobs complaint that the oppressed were not delivered though being pressed so sorely they could not forbeare to cry yea to cry out in their misery The next words give us a fuller and more expresse answer to that complaint Vers 11. Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser than the fowles of heaven Vers 12. There they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of evil men Vers 13. Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it Elihu proceeds in assigning a second reason to highten their sin who being in distresse say not Where is God my maker or he giveth a further account why the Lord doth not presently attend to the prayers and crys of some men under great oppression He had shewed in the former verse one reason of the Lords forbearance to help them in such distresses they did not say heartily Where is God our maker nor did they remember him according to the special benefits which they sometimes had received from God even songs in the night In this 11th verse Elihu aggravates the sin of such oppressed persons by the consideration of that light understanding wherewith God hath indued and inriched man above the irrational creatures and which he hath therefore furnished man with that he might know what to do in a time of distress in the day of affliction they say not Where is God my maker Who not only gives us songs in the night matter of praise but teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth Some of the Jewish Interpreters read these words positively not as we comparatively or â—hey render them to shew that God hath appoynted the very beasts to be our Tutors not as we that himself tutors us beyond the beasts Thus Who teacheth us by the beasts of the earth and maketh us wise by the fowls of heaven This answers what Job spake in the 12th Chapter of this book v. 7. Ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee 'T is a truth that God doth teach us by the beasts of the earth and makes us wise by the very fowls of the air We may learn much in the School of those creatures who have not only no learning but no understanding and may be stirred up to the exercise of excellent vertues by those which have not the exercise of reason The Scripture sendeth man the highest of visible creatures to the lowest of visible creatures to creatures so little that they are scarce visible for instruction Go to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Pro. 6.6 There are several observable qualities and as I may call them vertues not only in the beasts of the earth and fowls of the air but in the meanest creeping things which are very imitable by man and thus God doth teach us by the beasts of the earth and by the fowls of the air vertually though not formally by their practise and example though not by their precepts or rules for such teachings neither the beasts of the earth nor the fowls of the air have any competency at all Man alone cannot teach man â—â—fectually to conversion and salvation all that are so taught are and must be taught of God 1 Cor. 3.5 6 7. yet the beasts of the earth and the fowls of the air may and do teach us instrumentally to conviction and if we learn not by them their teachings as rude as they are will be to our shame confusion and condemnation But I rather take the words as we translate them comparatively Who teacheth us more than the beast of the earth As if he had said God teacheth the beast somewhat but he teacheth man much more Quidem Hebraeorum specialiter eo reserunt ne bestiarum aut avium more invicem rapiamur Merc They who expound this context of the wicked man who oppresseth the poor give the sense thus God teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven that is he teacheth us that we should not like beasts vex tear and rend one the other that we should not like the Bear of of the Wood and the Lyon of the Forrest nor like the Vultures and ravenous Birds of the air â—â—ey one upon another They who
the learned Authors of it make fairly out from the Original to whom I refer the Reader and shall only offer two notes from it for instruction First The sorest afflictions that fall upon sinners in this life are little or nothing to what God might lay upon them There is no condition here actually so bad but possibly it might be worse though the darkness of night be upon us yet it may be darker with us God can make a night so dark that the former darkness may be called light God can add so much bitterness to that which is veâ—y bitter so much weight to that burden of affliction which is already very heavy that the former bitter may be called sweet and that former weight of affliction light Are any pooâ— sick or pained God can make them poorer sicker and so encrease their paine that former poverty sickness paine may go for riches health and ease And as present sufferings of one kind or other are but little to what they may be so they are but little to what we have deserved they should be The least mercy is more than we deserve and the greatest affliction is less than we deserve Et nunc quia nihil est quod visitavit ira ejus Drus He hath visited thee little or nothing so the word is saith Elihu according to this reading of the Text. The Lord hath not only not visited thee too much O Job but he may be said not to have visited thee at all or the All of thy visitaâ—ion is nothing to that which the Lord could have brought upon thee David gives a general assertion near this concerning the dealings of the Lord in his angry dispensations Psal 103.10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities that is our sins and our iniquities might have born out the Justice of God in laying heavier evils and troubles upon us than yet he hath done Sinners never have their full punishment till they come to hell As the sweetest joyes and strongest consolations which the godly find and feel on earth are only tasts and first-fruits of that they shall have in heaven so all the sorrows and sufferings of the wicked in this world are but tasts light touches and beginnings of sorrow compared with the pains and sorrows of the next world where sinners shall be payd their wages in full Vtrumque visitandi recensendi vel cognoscendi verbum in hoc loco judicis vel magistratis in peccatores animedversionem inquisitionem punitioni conjunctum importat Bold Secondly From the latter part of the verse thus translated Neither hath he made any great inquisition that is he hath not taken strict knowledge of thy sins though a multitude though even past number though there be abundance of them and they abounding in sinfulness yet he hath not made any great inquisition after them Hence Note The Lord doth not severely mark the sins of his people no not the multitude nor magnitude of their sins to punish them Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity implying that the Lord doth not mark in the sense here intended if thou shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand The word in that Psalm rendred to mark notes first to watch or to observe with exactest diligence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is therefore in the Noun rendred a watch Tower upon which a man is placed to take observation of all things that are done and of all persons that passe by or approach and come neer A Watch-man placed upon a high-Tower is bound industriously and critically to observe all Passengers and passages all that his eye can reach So saith the Text If thou shouldest mark as a Watch-man and eye with rigour every thing that passeth from us Who could stand That is make good his Cause in the day of his judgement and tryal before thee Secondly The word signifieth to keep in mind to lay up to have as it were a store and stock a memorial or record of such and such things by us In that notion it is said Gen. 37.11 Josephs Brethren envied him but his Father observed the saying he marked what Joseph spake about his Dreams he laid it up and did not let it passe away as a Dâ—eam or as a vision of the night Thus in the Psalm If the Lord should mark iniquity if he should treasure up our sins in his memory and keep them by him who were able to stand when accounted with The Lord in a way of grace seeth as if he saw not and winks at us oftentimes when we do amiss as he is said to have done at those times the times of ignorance when not only many things but even every thing was done amiss and out of order in the dark Gentile world before the approach of Gospel light Acts 17.30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at but new commandeth all men every where to repent That is the Lord took little notice of those untaught times in comparison of that strict notice which he will take of these times concerning which he gave command to his Apostles Go and teach all Nations and yet the strictest notice which he takes of our sins in these times is but little to what he might So much from that Translation of the Text our own runs thus Vers 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity We must expound this Verse in Connexion with the latter part of the former But now because it is not so What is not so what is missing what is wanting What had Job done amiss or what had he mist to do Elihu seems to answer he hath mist the doing of that duty to which he was moved in the close of the fore-going Verse expressed in those words Trust thou in him or wait upon him But now because it is not so that is Because thou dost not put forth such acts of holy confidence and patient waiting upon God as thou oughtest and as I admonished thee to do therefore God is engaged and even compelled to treat thee thus roughly and severely He hath visited in his anger As if he had said Though thou hast professed a trust in God yet thou dost not trust in him fully as becomes thee yea thou seemest sometimes as a man forlorn to cast up thy hopes therefore because thou dost not trust in him because it is not so as I have exhorted and directed thee the Lord hath visited in anger Mr. Braughton renders But now for missing his anger doth visit For missing that is for missing of duty or for not acting up to duty for not trusting fully in the Lord the Lord hath visited thee in his anger This sense is obvious and commodious according to our reading But now because it is not so Homo tentatur et in examen vocatur ut probetur ejus spes et patientia
suffer us a little we will not burthen you much There are two things of admirable use in speaking First Brevity Secondly Perspicuity 'T is true that they that strive to be short prove very obscure yet doubtless 't is no very hard thing in most matters to joyn perspicuity with brevity and to give a clear sense in a few words And though it be a truth That when we have said much of God and of the things of God we have said but little yea that when we have spoken our all there remains infinitely more to be spoken yet we should as much as may be aim at brevity especially where the Person spoken to is weak and unfitted by bodily indispositions to hear much Suffer me a little And I will shew thee c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amplam et susiorem rei elucidationem et declarationem importat Bold That is I will make all plain to thee I will give thee a full declaration of my mind and I hope of the truth I will set all before thee that so upon a â—eview thou mayest the easier apprehend my sense and give thy sentence about it Day unto day uttereth speech saith David Psal 19.2 and night unto night sheweth knowledge 'T is this word and it notes a very plain and evident manifestation of that which is offered to be known the very night carrieth a light in it concerning the glory of God I will shew thee That I have yet to speak on Gods behalf Dativus verba addities indicat honorem et cultum loqui Deo est non solum pro Deo defendendo sed etiam honorificando sermonem assumere Bold Some read for God or to God that is for the glory of God or to the honour of God in the clearing up of his righteousness against those blemishes which thy speech if not intentionally yet consequentially hath cast upon it I will speak that which may both convince thee and justifie God The Original Text strictly is thus I will shew thee that there are yet words for God that is I will make it appear that many things more may be said and proved in pursuance of this Poynt for thy further humiliation under the mighty hand of God and for the Lords vindication in all his dealings with thee I speak for God Nor was this a meer pretence Quia saepe arrogantes sibi sentium silentii reverentiam non deberi Domini non nunquam potentiam de quo quasi loquuntur insinuant c. Greg. in Loc. or a vain boast as I find some Expositers I conceive very causelesly charging Elihu as if here he published a zeal to speak for God that he might gain applause or draw a reverence upon himself in what he had to speak Some 't is granted have câ—yed up the Name of God when they closely aimed at their own But doubtless Elihu was honest and plain hearted when he said that what he had to say was for God as he pretended so he was really for God I have yet to speak on Gods behalf Hence Observe First It is a mans honour as well as his duty to be an Advocate for God As it is mans comfort his choicest comfort that God hath pâ—ovided an Advocate for him that he hath found out one to speak to himself in our behalf namely Jesus Christ so it is both the duty and honour of man to be an Advocate for God For if First it be a great honour to know God and to have God made known to us He hath not dealt so with any Nation as he dealt with the Jews in giving them the knowledge of his mind and as for his Judgements they have not known them Psal 147.20 Secondly If it be a greater honour to believe and obey according to what we know then Thirdly When we know when we believe and obey our greatest honour of all is to plead for and stand up in Gods behalf to undertake being called the defence of his truth and of his wayes to contend earnestly for the Faith once by God delivered to the Saints which is indeed the only good contention Paul saith Phil. 1.17 I am set for the defence of the Gospel Paul was a Champion ready to cope and buckle with all comers for Christ or the Gospel and therefore at the 20th verse of the same Chapter he saith the great thing he lookt after was That Jesus Christ might be magnified in his body whether by life or by death There are three wayes whereby we appear as Advocates on Gods behalf First By saying or arguing Secondly By doing or practising Thirdly By enduring and suffering and by all Christ is magnified in our body the two former wayes by life the latter by death or by that which bears the Image of it There 's noâ—hing needs a fuller measure of defence for God than the Truth of God and we never stand up so fully on Gods behalf as when we stand for his Truth though â—ur selves fall To speak and do on Gods behalf is most for our own behoof though we get but small fees or wages yea though we lose our all in this world for such speaking and doing I could wish there were not too much cause of complaint that God hath not many to speak on his behalf and that Christ Jesus our great our only Advocate with God hath few Advocates among men When God as it were calls to us Who is on my side who Truly there are but few that will appear for him that is for Truth for Holiness for holy Worship few appear for these things when differences arise about them The corrupt part of the world in any Age will not and the better part are not so free as they ought to speak and appear in such Cases on Gods behalf The world saith St. John in the Revelation wondred after the Beast he cannot want Advocates who hath so many Admirers But as the Admirers so the Advocates of the Lamb are not many they are only a sealed a selected Company We can be very warm in speaking in our own Cause and on our own behalf but how cold and dead-hearted are we when we come to speak in the behalf of God! what a sad withdrawing is there from that duty God stands up often on the behalf of his People and owns them in their need yet few own God or the Truth of God when there is most need Remember as it is our honour so our duty to speak on Gods behalf and they will come to a bad reckoning at last both for their doings and speakings for the work both of hand and tongue who have done and spoken much in their own behalf and little or nothing on Gods Again As Elihu makes this an Argument to provoke Job to hear him patiently Note They that speak for God ought to have audience It is an Argument commanding attention to say I speak from God or for God As when the Lord himself speaks all ought
forgets God as his Maker will never remember much less answer and accomplish the ends for which he was made Thirdly I will ascribe righteousness to My Maker Note A godly man takes God as his own and appropriates him by Faith in all his Relations Faith takes not only a share in God but all of God My God my Father my Maker my Redeemer are strains of Faith A Believer doth as it were ingross God to himself yet desires and endeavours that all as well as himself may have their part and portion in God yea God for their Portion Job said Chap. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth He spake as if he had got a Redeemer not only to but by himself Thus also holy Paul of Christ Gal. 2.22 Who loved me gave himself for me as if he had been given for him alone and loved none but him This is the highest work of Faith and 't is the signification of our hottest love to God it shews endearedness of affection to him as well as neerness and clearness of interest in him when we thus take him as our own Saviour Father Maker I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker Observe Fourthly He who is the Maker of all men can be unrighteous to nâ— man nor is lyable to the censure of any man whatever he doth 'T is impossible that he who made us should wrong or injure us and that upon a twofold Principle First Of the respect he hath for Justice towards all those whom he hath made God is so tender that he doth not willingly or with his heart afflâ—ct nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth Lam. 3.33 34. much less will he as it followeth vers 35 â—6 turn away the right of a man before the face of the most High that is before his own face who is the Most High As if it had been said The Lord will not pervert Judgment in any mans Case that comes before him Or if we take those words before the face of the Most High as denoting the highest Judicatory on Earth as our Margin intimates putting there for Most High A Superiour then the meaning is The Lord doth not approve that any earthly Judge though Supream or most Superiour should turn aside the right of a man how inferiour soever for as the 36th verse hath it To subvert a man in his Cause the Lord approveth not or as the Hebrew is rendred seeth not that is he seeth it not with approbation but indeed with detestation and will severely punish such subverters of Justice Secondly It is impossible that he who hath made us should wrong or injure us upon the principle of his Soveraignty over all those whom he hath made He that gives all men their being he that gives all to all men that are in being can be unrighteous to no man whatsoever he taketh from him or doth with him We have Job in the beginning of this Book Chap. 1.21 ascribing righteousness to God his Maker upon this reason or principle The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. It is he that made me a man 't is he who once made me a rich man a great man the greatest man of all the men of the East Chap. 1.3 What if now he hath lessened me and left me little or nothing what if he hath now made me a mean man a poor man in account a no man what if God hath now stript me naked and taken all from me He hath taken nothing but what he gave why then should I take it ill at his hands or have so much as an ill thought of him the Lord gives and the Lord takes there 's no unrighteousness in all this If God should utterly undoe us he doth us no wrong if he should as it were unmake us let us consider he is our Maker then we must say there is no unrighteousness in him yea we shall be ready with Elihu in the Text to ascribe righteousness unto him And therefore as a Corollary from the whole Note Fifthly Whatsoever God doth with us or others we ought to maintain the honour of God and retain good thoughts of him both as righteous and good Though Heaven and Earth be moved though the World be full of confusion and unâ—ighteousness yet we must ascribe righteouâ—nesse to God Whatsoever or whosoever falls to the dust the Honour and Justice of God must not Thus far of Elihu's third Argument for attention the Fourth is at hand in the next verse Vers 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee As if he had said I am purposed to speak the truth and nothing but the truth therefore hear me Truly my words shall not be false He gives assurance for or warrants the truth of his words while he saith they shall not be false Negatives in Scripture often carry a strong affirmation The Father of a Fool hath no joy Non est â—â—num pro passimum est sic non remittâ—tur ei i. e. famietur Drus saith Solomon Prov. 17.21 that is he shall have a great deal of sorrow When the Scripture denyeth forgiveness to any sort of impenitent sinners or saith their sin shall not be forgiven the sense is they shall be punished When we say proverbially Goods ill gotten shall not prosper the meaning is they shall perish and do him mischief that hath gotten them not only shall he not thrive with them but they shall ruine and undoe him his goods ill gotten shall do him no good when the evill day is come much less shall they be able or he by them to prevent the coming of an evil day Once more When we say Such a thing is not ill done our intendment is 't is very well done excellently done So here when Elihu saith Truly my words shall not be false his meaning is I will speak truth and truth to the highest I will speak nothing but what shall endure the Touchstone and the Test I will not offer thee a Syllable of falshood what I alledge and urge either for God or against thee shall not be fetcht oâ— hammer'd out of my own brain and so subject to errour and mistake but such as God who cannot erre by whose Spirit and in whose stead I speak unto thee hath inspired me with or taught me for thy conviction and instruction Fourthly When he saith Truly my words shall not be false we may take it two wayes First As to the matter spoken Secondly As to the mind of the Speaker when truth is thus spoken t is truly spoken thus much Elihu engag'd for As if he had said The matter that I speak shall be true and I will speak it in truth or with a true mind and heart I will not speak any thing to flatter thee nor for my own ends to trouble thee my words shall be candid and sincere
without fruit to us and therefore he openeth the ear to discipline and sheweth us the meaning of such a cross or sickness of such a loss or affliction He openeth their ear to dâ—scipline Hence note First It is a special power of God which helps us to understand his mind either in his Word or in his Works We neither understand the dealings nor sayings of God if left to our selves the heart of man is shut his ear is deaf the ear of his heart that 's the ear here intended till God say as in the Gospel to the bodily ear Ephatha Be thou opened Pro. 20.12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord is the maker of them both That 's a great truth First of the sensitive ear and eye 't is the Lord who hath made the one to hear and the other to see as he told Moses Exod. 4.11 and as 't is said Psal 94.19 Secondly 't is as true if understood of the intellectual eye and ear the hearing ear and seeing eye that is the ear that heareth obediently and practically that ear is of Gods forming and making such an ear did God create Acts 16.14 where it is said A certain woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the City of Thyatira which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul Further what was the season of opening the ear It was a day of affliction when they were bound in fetters and holden in cords of affliction Hence learn God useth afflictions as medicines or means to restore spiritual hearing Man is often cured of his spiritual deafness both as to the voyce of the word and workes of God by sickness A good man in health Fles prospera donum est dei consolantis res odversa est donum dei admonentis quod igiturpateris un de plangis medicina est non paena castigatio non damnatio August in Psal 102. Qui juhentis verba non audiunt ferientis verberibus admonentur ut ad bona aeterna paenae trahant quos praemia non invitant Greg l. 26. Moral c. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et dicit peace prosperity may have his ears so stopped that the Lord sees it needful to send some sharp correction to get out the ear-wax and unlock them Prosperity saith one of the Ancients is the gift of God comforting us adversity is the gift of God admonishing us why then dost thou complain that thou sufferest thy suffering is a medicament not a punishment 't is for thy bettering not for thy undoing 'T is a favour to feel God striking when we have not heard him speaking and he therefore strikes that we may attend what he speaks When words do not prevaile to open the ear fetters and cords shall That 's the second designe of God when he brings the righteous into streights Then he openeth their ear to discipline The third is given in the close of this verse And commandeth that they return from iniquity Here 's the issue of the former two The shewing them their transgressions the opening their ear are that they may return from iniquity and here is a command that they must And commandeth that they return c. The Hebrew text may be rendred He speaketh or saith that they return from iniquity and this speaking may be expounded two wayes First by perswading He speaks perswadingly The Lords afflictions are perswasions his stroaks are entreaties he beseecheth us by ouâ— sorrows and sicknesses and weaknesses and pains that we would return from our iniquity Secondly we take speaking or saying in the highest straine He speaks by commanding he speaks authoâ—itatively Thus we render He commandeth The command of God is twofold First formal or express when God gives the rule in so many words Secondly vertual The command of God I conceive is here to be understood in this latter sense When the Lord afflicteth the righteous he vertually commands or sends out his Edict that they return from their iniquity The word return implyes them formerly following some iniquity gone far from the Lord This returning is repenting all the Scripture over I need say no more of that As by sin we turn from God so by repentance we return from iniquity and as the Lord at all times commands the righteous by his word so they even force him sometimes to command them by his rod which is called discipline in the former part of the verse because sinners feel paine and find matter to learn all at once He commandeth that they return from iniquity The word rendred iniquity signifies a vain empty thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet significationem nihili Ab operibus suis malis quae similia sunt vanitate nihilo Chald a thing of nought so the Chaldee paraphraseth it here He commands that they return from their evil works which are like to vanity and a thing of nought What is sin but a kind of nothing we look for great matters from sin but it is a vanity it is like an Idol nothing in the world that is it is not such a thing as it doth import or as it promiseth or as the opinion of men make it to be Iniquity is no such thing as it pretendeth or as is pretended The Lord commandeth that they return from iniquity that is from doing that which will profit them nothing at all or no more than a vaine thing a thing of nothing can And yet though iniquity be nothing good or profitable yet 't is all things evil and hurtfull nor had any thing ever hurt us or been evil to us had it not been for iniquity He commandeth that they return from iniquity Hence Note First Affliction hath a voyce God speaks loudly to us by affliction He speaks to us as loud in his works as he doth in his word he trumpets to us he thunders to us in his works God speaks aloud but sweetly to us in his works of mercy he speaks aloud but terribly to us in his works of judgement Secondly Seeing as was touched in opening the words this command is not to be taken for a standing Law for so God alwayes commands men to return from iniquity but the command here is a renewed act or a special dispensation there is as it were a fresh command issued when a man is under the afflicting hand of God Hence Note God reinforceth or reneweth his command to return from sin as often as he reneweth our afflictions That we return from iniquity is a standing an everlasting Law but when we are in affliction then there is as it were a fresh Edition of the command 't is as I may say new printed and proclaimed the fetters print this command upon our heels and the cords upon our hands that we return from iniquity Thirdly Note Iniquity is a vaine thing it is a nothing Shall we not then return from it one would think a little perswasion
Text If they obey and serve him Hence note The Lord expects our service and then especially when we suffer Religion and the Worship of God in the whole compass of it is nothing else but service a blessed service a free service a service infinitely more free than any thing the world calls freedom Exod. 4.23 Let my Son go that he may serve me that is worship me All the Sons of God are his Servants and they have most of the Son in them who have most of the Servant in them If any deny him service they deny their sonship or rather as the Apostle speaks of Non-sufferers in one kind or other Heb. 12.8 They are bastards not sons yea God expects whole and all service from us or that we should serve him with our all Deut. 10.12 Thou shalt serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart We must serve the Lord not only with the best we have but with all the best with the heart and all the heart We serve God no further than we obey him and we worship him no further than we serve him and that heartily To serve God as to love God is a very comprehensive word 't is the summe of all the duty of Man To serve God is to submit both to what he commands us and to what he layeth upon us To serve God is to submit to what he would have us do and to whatsoever he is pleased to do with us and so we serve him particularly under sufferings We should alwayes serve him actively and we are called sometimes to serve him passively All Believers are free and yet they must serve and they are made free on purpose to serve We are purchased by the blood of Christ that we might serve him Because we are bought with a price we must not be the servants of men saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.23 Whose servants then Surely the servants of God Servus tanquam in bello servatus We are conquered that we might serve The Latines say that a Servant is one that is saved in War taken and saved So it is with all the people of God they are taken in the holy war they are taken prisoners and so made servants to Jesus Christ Yet Believers are servants not only by conquest but compact and covenant every godly man hath as it were sealed Indentures with God he hath upon the matter put his ear to the Lords post to be boared thorow as you read Exod. 21.6 that he may be his servant for ever The Lord expects service But what is it to serve him First To serve him is to do his Will Secondly To serve him is to do his whole Will It is not the doing of this or that piece of the Will of God or this or that patch of the Will of God which renders us his servants but the doing his whole Will Thirdly To serve him is to do his Will only so saith the Scripture Him only shalt thou serve If it may be supposed that we could do the whole Will of God and yet do the will of any other or do our own will too in any thing contrary to his we were not his servants if we serve him not alone or if we serve him not only that is if in serving man we aim not chiefly at the serving of him or if all our services to men are not subservient or not in subordination to the service of God we serve him not at all Fourthly I may add this also To serve God is to do every thing under this contemplation that what we do is the Will of God 'T is very possible for a man to do that which is the Will of God and yet not to serve him in doing it which we never do till we do it because it is the Will of God His Will must be not only the Rule of what we do but the very Reason why we do it else our doings are not his servings They that do not attend this serve God but as a beast may serve him a beast may do that which is the Will of God the inanimate creatures serve him so We hear of stormy winds and tempests fulfilling his Will Psal 148. All living yea liveless creatures do that which is his Will but they do not attend this that it is his Will which they do So that I say to do his Will not considering that it is his Will is to serve him no otherwise than beasts or than the winds or stormes serve him And to do his Will ayming at our own wills or ends is to serve him but as a hypocrite serves him A hypocrite doth not serve God in what he doth though he doth many things which are materially the Will of God because in all he minds his own will more than the Will of God Lastly We must serve God as Sons Mal. 3.17 A Son serveth no less than a Servant yea much more though not as a servant for he knoweth more of his Fathers mind than a meer servant doth Joh. 15.15 and he knoweth that he shall have also though not Wages at the end of every day yet the inheritance in the end Obadiah was the proper name of one good man and it is a name common to all good men they are as that word imports Servants of the Lord. It is a common Theam to urge men to serve God but it is a rare thing to be indeed a servant of God To serve God is the Summe and Marrow of all knowledge in divinity and the great end why we came into this World and for which we are here detained Nor is it an easie matter to come up to or attain the holy skill of serving such a Lord and Master as he There must be a doing of his Will and of his whole Will and of his Will only and that under this precise contemplation that it is his Will to denominate us his servants or to make a proof that we serve him Now whether God teacheth us by his Word or by his Rod which is the teaching of this context O how readily should we obey and serve him To serve him is not only the design of our being made free that is we were not onely made free to serve him but to serve him is our freedom as was touch't before yea to serve him is not onely to be free but to serve him is to reign and rule They that serve God to purpose reign over the lusts of the evil World without and over their own lusts within nor can any reign over the lusts of the world without or their own within but only they who serve him and only so far as they serve him Every gracious act of service to God is the subjugation or bringing under of some lust or other in man Now if any should say surely this is a very sad Life to be alwayes serving or to lead only the life of a servant I answer To serve God or the service of God is
sweet pleasant and easie in a twofold respect Fiâ—st comparatively to the service of sin and the world of lust and the devil that 's a weariness indeed as well as a baseness Secondly It is easie also if we consider the help we have in it The people of God serve him in a Covenant of Grace which as it calls them to work so it gives them help to work The New Covenant doth not call us as Pharaoh did the children of Israel to make brick and deny us straw yea under that Covenant we have not onely straw afforded us to make our brick but we have strength afforded us to make our brick thar is the very power by which we serve our Master is given in by our Master The Masters of this world set us a work but they give us no strength but what work soever God sets his Covenant-servants about he gives them strength to do it Then O how sweet is it to serve him and how readily should our hearts come off in his service Let me add one thing more which brings us to the next words serve him for his is not a lean service not an unprofitable service there is a reward promised to those who serve him yea his very service is a reward his work is wages Therefore what calls soever we have from him let us answer and serve him There are two things which should be the daily meditation of Saints or they should be continually acquainting themselves with them First The Cross of Christ that they may know how and be willing to suffer for him Secondly The Yoak of Christ that they may know how and be willing to serve him If they obey and serve him What then even that which was the last consideration prove king us to his service there is a reward in iâ— If they obey and serve him They shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures Here 's good wages who would not serve that Master who will pay him for his work in that desireable coyne Pleasure and Prosperity They shall spend their dayes in prosperity that is they shall run out their dayes in prosperity their dayes and their prosperity shall be like two parallel lines one as long as the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat tum consumere tum consummare significat etiam consumi desiderio quod dicitur aliquem deperire amore The word which we translate to spend signifies to finish and that in a double respect First in a way of Consumption Secondly in a way of Perfection or Consummation That which is consumed is finished or ended So the word is used Psal 90.7 Numb 16.45 The Lord saith to Moses Go you up from this Congregation that I may consume them in a moment I will dispatch them and make an end of them presently The Lord can soon rid his hand of sinners And as it notes a consuming by suddain judgements by diseases or age so by longing or desire 2 Sam. 23.15 And David longed 't is this word he was even spent and consumed with a longing desire and said Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate Now as that which is consumed or spent so that which is perfected is finished Thus Moses having set down the particulars of the whole work of Creation summes all up in this word Gen. 2.1 2. Thus the heavens and the Earth were finished and all the host of them that is God compleated or brought that great work of Creation to its utmost perfection he put as we may speak his last hand to it there was nothing more to be added Here in the text we aâ—e to take this word spend not only as it often signifies to spend in a way of Consumption but also to spend in a way of Perfection they shall perfect not barely wear out their dayes A godly man hath not so much consumed as perfected the dayes of his life when he is come to and hath ended the last day of his life They shall spend their dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In bono i. e. in omni jacunditâ—tâ— In prosperity or in good saith the Original Prosperity is a good thing a good blessing of God They shall spend their dayes in good we translate it in the 21 Chapter v. 15. in wealth Wealth also is a good blessing of God to those that are good and prosperity takes that in prosperity is a large word comprehending all good health and wealth honour and peace what-ever we can imagine to render our lives comfortable comes under the name of Prosperity They shall spend their dayes in prosperity or in good this reward they shall have from the Lord who serve him Is not this good wages The carnal rich man pleased himself and said Luke 12.19 Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares The godly do not please themselves that they have goods laid up for many years in their own Stock in their Lands in their Houses in their Purses in their Shops but they please themselves that they have good laid up for many years yea for eternity in the Promises of God They who serve him they shall spend their dayes in good they shall have good for every day and so finish their dayes with good yet this is not all They shall spend their dayes in prosperity And their years in Pleasures In the former words he promised dayes of Good here years of Pleasure as if he had said they shall enjoy their prosperity long they shall not only have Dayes but Years filled up with it One year containes many dayes how many dayes of pleasure are there in years of pleasure Our life is measured by days to shew the shortness of it the longest measure of it is by years They shall spend their years 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—t jucundis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affort jucunditatem delectaticâ— in pulchrâ—udinem rei nobis gratissimae In Canticis Parg. in Epithâ—lmiis Munst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ— pt in deloctâ—tionibus Pagn In Pleasures or as we may read it in sweetnesses in pleasuntnesses in deliciousnesses in beauties The word is used 2 Sam. 1.23 to shew the loveliness of Jonathan and Saul they were a pleasant pair a couple of goodly persons They shall spend their dayes in pleasantness or in pleasures Further Take notice the word is plural he doth not say they shall spend their dayes in pleasure but in pleasures implying all sorts and varieties of pleasure in Songs saith one in Marriage Songs saith a second in graceful Beauties saith a third and which may be all or any of these in delights saith a fourth But here are two Questions that I must give answer to for the clearing of this Scripture First The Question may be Is this a mercy much to be reckoned upon to spend our years in pleasure saith not the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.6 The widow that lives
make our lives comfortable to us I answer Secondly This promise or promises of a like nature were fitted to the time wherein Elihu spake he spake of the times long before Christs appearing in the flesh when the Lord did as it were lead on his people very much by promises of temporal and outward prosperity of which the Scripture is more sparing in the new Testament where we are come to the fulness of Christ and the riches of the grace of God to us in him of which there is but liâ—tle comparatively spoken in the old Testament And therefore under that darker dispensation of spirituals the Lord saw it good to encourage that people to obedience by a multitude of very particular outward promises as we may read Deut. 28. He would bless their basket and their store the fruit of the field c. These promises were suted to the state of that under-age people who were led on and enticed by visible and sensible blessings as we do children with toyes and Gaudees and indeed all visible enjoyments are but such in comparison of spirituals Believers under the Gospel being come to a higher state to fuller attainments the promises made to them run not much in that channel yet it cannot be denied that the Gospel also holds out promises for temporals as well as the Law and this latter dispensation of the Covenant as well as the former hath provided sufficiently for our outward comforts Thirdly For answer let us consider the drift of the Spirit of God in this promise of pleasure Job had often complained of his own sorrowfull condition and concluded himself a man of sorrow for all the remainder of his dayes though his faith was strong for the resurrection of his body after death yet he had little if any faith at all that he should be raised out of that miserable estate wherein he was in this life He also had spoken somewhat rashly and amiss concerning the dealings of God with his servants in general as if nothing but trouble and sorrow did attend them and that the wicked went away with all the sweet and good of this world Now Elihu to take him off from these sad and almost despairing thoughtâ— as to the return of his own comforts and to rectifie his judgement in the general poynt as to the dealings of God with others he assureth Job that if righteous men being bound in fetters c. hear and obey God will break those bonds and cut the cords of their affliction and they shall spend the remainder of their dayes in prosperity and the rest of their years in pleasures So that Elihu in holding out this promise to Job would rather clear his judgement from an error concerning the lastingness or continuance of his pains and sorrows than heat his affections in the expectation of joyes and pleasures in this world Fourthly I answer Though the people of God have nor alwayes dayes of such outward prosperity nor years of such sensitive pleasures yet they have that which is better and if they have no pleasures they do not want them The Apostle could say Phil. 4.11 I have learned in what state scever I am therewith to be content What is pleasure if content be not We may have outward pleasures yet no content but he that hath content within cannot miss of pleasure A man may have riches but no contentment but he that hath contentment is very rich 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness with contentment is great gaine and great gaine is prosperity this great gaine this heart-pleasure or soul-rest contentment is the assured portion of those who obey and serve the Lord what-ever their outward portion be in this world And he may be said to spend his dayes in good and his years in pleasure who hath these pure gaines of gracious contentment resting the soul in God in all conditions The life of man that is the comfort of his life doth not consist in the abundance of that which he possesseth Luke 12.15 or in sense-pleasures but in that sweet composure and sedateness of his soul resting by faith in the promises of God or rather in the God of the promises and so sucking sweetness from them Lastly As though a servant of God should be exercised with sorrows all the dayes of his life yet he cannot be said to spend his dayes in sorrow because he meets with many refreshing intervalls and shines of favour from the face of God in the midst of those clouds so he may be said to spend his dayes in pleasure because at least when his dayes here are spent he consummates his dayes which is one signification of the word by an entrance into everlasting pleasures So much for the answer of these questions concerning this promise They shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasure From the promise it self Note Fiâ—st Obedience to God is profitable to man God hath no profit by our Obedience but we have God doth not call us to serve him in his work as we call servants to do our work to get his living by us or better himself no the Lord calls us to serve him and obey him for our own good They consult their own good best who do most good I may say these three things of those who do good and what is serving God but doing of good or what is doing good but serving God First they shall receive true good Secondly they shall for ever hold the best good the chief good they shall not only spend their dayes and years in good but when their dayes and years are spent they shall have good and a greater good than any they had in spending the dayes and years of this life they shall have good in death they shall come to a fuller enjoyment of God the chief Good when they have left and let fall the possession of all earthly goods Thirdly they that do good shall find all things working together for their good if they have a loss they shall receive good by it if they bear a Cross that shall bear good Outward troubles cannot disturb much less pollute our spiritual good for All things work together for good to them that love God who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Surely then the service of God is a gainful service a profitable service though the work may be hard and the way painful yet the wages will be sweet and the end pleasant The contemplation of this put David upon putting that question Psal 34.12 13. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good that is that he may enjoy good keep thy tongue from evil and thy mouth that it speak no guile depart from evil and do good The Psalmist makes Proclamation What man is he that would have good let him do good let him obey and serve God and he shall have good Again Consider the Promise in relation to the Persons described vers 8 9 10. They
that thou magnifie his works I shall not stay upon that other reading Remember that thou art ignorant of his work The same word which we translate Memento quod ignores opus ejus Vulg. Hieronimus confundit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potius errare quam ignorare significat Drus to magnifie with the variation of a point signifieth to erre hence that translation There is a profitable sense in it for indeed the best knowledge which we have of the work of God may be called ignorance and we said to be ignorant of that work which we are most knowing in Yet because this is straining of the Text I pass it by and keep to our own rendring Remember that thou magnifie His work What work Here is no work specified therefore I answer First All the workes of God are here included Magnify his work What-ever is a work of God what-ever hath the stamp and inscription of God upon it see that thou magnifie it Secondly and more specially We may undeâ—stand this work of God to be the work of Creation Hujus mundi opificium intelligo Bold the goodly structure and fabrick of this visible world and indeed that 's a work so great and magnificent that it ought to be continually remembred and magnified Thirdly Others restrain it more narrowly to that part of the work of God which is eminent in the heavenly meteors and wonderful changes in the air together with the motions and influences of the stars of which we shall find Elihu discoursing at large like a divine Philosopher in the next Chapter There are strange works of God in these lower heavens where those meteors are born and brought forth Remember to magnifie those works Fourthly I rather conceive though such works of God are afterward spoken of that Elihu intends the work of Providence in both the appearances of it as it is a white or black work as it is for good or for evil as it is in judgment or in mercy A modern Interpreter pitcheth upon the former and upon one particular of the former as if Elihu had directly led Jobs thoughts back to the Deluge that work of God in bringing the Flood upon the old woâ—ld and if we can but go back and honour God for his past works of Providence we shall magnifie him for his present As if Elihu had said Thou complainest that thou art overflowed with a deluge of afflictions but doest thou remember how God destroyed the whole world at once in the universal flood But though I think that may be taken in among other works yet to restraine it to that is a great deal too narrow for this Text. Therefore under this work of God we may comprehend any great work of God which is upon record or which we have heard of wherein he hath shewed his power wisdome and justice Remember his work The work of providence Those works of providence which are afflictive have a great place in this Text because the person spoken to was one in an afflicted condition And I conceive Elihu directs Job not so much to magnifie God for the day of prosperity and Sun-shine which he once had as for the day of adversity and darkness which then covered him Remember that thou magnifie his work Which men behold Which the sons of Enosh behold saith Mr Broughton But the word Sons is not in the Text there 't is only men or weak men The word which we translate to behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a double signification and that hath caused a double translation It signifieth first to sing secondly De quo cecinerunt viri Quod laudaruni justi viri Chald to see or behold It is translated by several in the former sense Remember that thou magnifie his work whereof men have sang The Chaldee Paraphrase saith For which just men have given praise in Psalmes and songs Beholding fully a good thing and praising it or praising God for it go together as Mr Broughtons glosse expresseth it out of Ramban Gracious and holy men do not only speak but sing the wonderful works of God And that praises were in song or verse both the Scriptures and many ancient Authors testifie God works and men sing the praises of God for his works as Moses David and Deborah did And we find all the Saints Rev. 15.3 singing praises to the Lord for the great work which he will do in bringing forth Judgement to perfection upon Babylon Thus it is a truth the work of God is to be sung and set forth in meeter or in verse We take the other translation Which men behold which with respect to that which followeth v 25. where both expressions refer to the eye is I conceive most proper Magnifie the work of God which men behold As if Elihu had said O Job I advise thee to leave off searching into the secrets of God and set thy self to consider and magnifie those works of God which are plain and lye open to every mans eye The word rendred Behold may note both a transient and an intense or fixt beholding to look wishly as we say to look fastning the eye solicitously yea it imports not only to behold with the eye of the body but with the eye of the mind Some Interpreters put an Emphasis upon the word men Quae viderunt non hominos sed viri praestantes ut sit nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic alibi in loco ubi non sunt viri virum te praesta Drus as noting excellent men vertuous men men of vertue in their qualities and of excellency in theiâ— abilities such are men indeed worthy men worthy the name of man as it hath been said of old Where there are no men do thou play the man act and speak like a man Some men have nothing but the outside of a man This is a good notion For good men holy men men of divine excellency are most quick-sighted and quick-sented First espying the appearances of God in any of his providences and then making a due improvement of them Therefoâ—e saith Elihu magnifie his work which men that is holy and good men behold and take notice of David speaking of the woâ—ks of God in that notable place Psal 92.6 saith A brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this that is such a one as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non tam exâ—ellentes quam miâ—â—â— et pleiâ—â—â—s vâ—â— omnes â—â—mmo homines significat cannot behold the work of God And therefore it is more than a cri icisme to restraine the word men to men of this sort yet it must be granted that the word signifies not only excellent men but any sort of men whether wise or foolish rich or poor and the weake sort of men more specially than the stronger and more noble in any kind And to take the word in that universality as compassing and
the knowledge of God or we hope this will excuse us if we do not know him seeing we cannot Take heed of such reasonings for though God cannot be known to the utmost of what himself is yet God may be known so far as is needfull for us and that is very far We may know God so far as concerns our duty to him and our happiness by him we may know God so far as to honour him and to enjoy him and we must labour to know him perfectly though we cannot The Apostle speaking of the love of God Eph. 3.17 would have us labour to comprehend with all Saints the heighth the bredth the depth the length and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge That the love of Christ passeth knowledge that it exceeds our understanding should not discourage us from labouring to know it nor will it excuse any that sit down idly and do not study the knowledge of God though he passeth knowledge we must labour to know the greatness of Gods love and the greatness of Gods wisdome and the greatness of Gods power though the greatness of God in all these is greater thaâ— our nâ—rrow hearts can comprehend Behold God is great and we know him not Neither can the number of his years be searched out The Text is Number of his years no search that is Numerus annorum ejus et non est investigatio as we well translate it the number of his years is such as cannot be searched we say searched out it is but one word in the Hebrew properly signifying to search a thing to the bottome that we may find out the utmost of it The number of Gods years cannot thus be searched out we cannot find them to the bottome Elihu speaks of God after the manner of men years properly belong to man and the things here below of this world the life of man and the continuance of the creature are measured by houres and dayes and weeks and months and years as these are measured by the motion of the Heavens But God is far above any such rule or measure of life or of his being all these measures are improper unto God there 's no measuring him by houres dayes weeks months or years or ages The word which we translate years signifieth changes Years are changed or returned there is a returne of the same time every year Spring and Summer Annus apud Hebraeos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex sua proprietate et Etyriologia nomen haâ—et a mutatione quasi dicatur mutatoâ—us Ab hae radice vestes dâ—untur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam muâ—mtur vaterasâ—unt innovantur â—t vutari idâ—m quod vestâ—i 1 Reg. 14.2 and Autumn and Winter thus the year changeth and turnes about continually God is infinitely above all these charges and turnings of time Psal 102.25 26 27. The heavens wax old and as a vesture thou shalt change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years fayle not The years of God are not like the years of the world which wear it ouâ— and change it as a vesture is changed by time the Lord is for ever the same Thus one of the Ancients glosseth those words of the Psalme Thy years â—ayâ—e not Thy years saith he neither go nor come thy years stand all together for because they stand they that go are not excluded by them that come thy years are one day and thy day is not day by day but to day thy to day doth not give place to to-morrow nor doth it succeed to yesterday thy to day is eternity therefore thou hast begot thy co-eternal to whom thou saidest to day have I begotten thee So then this expression Neither can the number of his years be searched out is according to our apprehension and understanding a description not only of very old age but of eternity We would think that man very old the houres Augustin is in Psal 102. v. 28. yea the minutes of whose life could not be searched out by a good Aâ—ethmeâ—iciâ—n much more easily may we tell how many years the oldest man hath lived What then shall we think of him the number of whose years cannot be searched out this can speak nothing less than everlastingness And this eternity or everlastingness of God though it be impartible yet it hath I may say a double respect First to what went before Secondly to what is to come The eternity of God is such as cannot be searched out either as to what is past or to what is to come Aeternitas tempora omnia sine tilla succâ—ssione complectit r. Aeternitas est vitae beatae tota simul et perfecta possessio Boetius Aetornum est unum esse et totum simul esse et nihil deesse Greg. l. 16. Moral c. 21. Aeternum est immu abile et totum impartibiliter Dionys cap. 10. de divinis Nomin indeed unto God there is nothing past or to come for eternity properly taken is an everlasting Now it is not that which passeth or moveth away and therefore some of the Ancients elegantly describe eternity to be the perfect enjoyment of blessed life all at once which because it is all at once together and perfect cannot be altered nor lessned In eternity that which is past is present yea that which is to come is present in an eternal blessed life 'T is so with God and so in proportion with all those who are entred into eternity whatsoever they have had is alwayes present with them nor are they in the expectation of any thing to come they enjoy all in every moment without the want of any thing 'T is much more so with God though years have succession yet the years of God have no succession of times or things Further The eternity of God which lies under this description The Number of his years cannot be searched out is not a particular attribute of God but that which difuseth it self through all his attributes he is eternall in all there is no searching out the Number of the years of any of the perfections of God his Wisdome is eternal and his Power is eternal and his Goodness is eternal and his Justice is eternal there is no searching out the Number of the years of God in any of these perfections Hence Note God is an eternal being His years come not under account or number God is eternal not only without end as created Spirits are but without beginning which no creature is not can be He is eternal not only without end or beginning but without succession or mutation Some of the Ancients tell us Stabilisque manens dat cuncta moveri Boet de Confol Metro 9. Eternity stands fast but moves all other things The eternal God is the first Mover himself being immoveable If so then First All things are alwayes present with or before God Things past things to come are present with God he were not eternal else
especial power wisdom and goodness of God The water if left to it self would â—all whole like a sea upon us or like a mighty floud in such quantities as would instead of refreshing overwhelm the earth When God drowned the world it is said Gen. 7.11 The same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up and the windows or flood-gates of heaven were opened We are not to imagine that heaven hath windows oâ— flood-gates but God did not put forth his mighty power to make small the drops of rain but let it come all at once those waters which were before bound up in the clouds by the decree of God were now by his decree let loose in a wonderful manner and measure and came down not in drops but in streames and spouts the clouds did not as formerly destil their burden Pluvia in nubibus velut in linteo continetur atque in illis velut compressa guttatim distillâ—tur but ease themselves of it at once or altogether Rain ordinarily as sweat through the Pores of the skin passeth by degrees through the Pores of the Clouds yet God can let it out all at once Sea-men who take long Voyages tell us they meet with spouts of wateâ— endangering great ships So then this making small the drops of water is to be ascribed to a threefold Attribute of God Fiâ—st It is a woâ—k of his power nor is it done without a kind of Miracle that the water comes down as it were through a sive or watering-pot Secondly It is a work of divine wisdom The Lord knowing that the earth cannot digest huge portions of water at once divides it into little po tions that the earth may gradually receive and let it soak into iâ—s bosom for the feeding of Plants and the supply of all câ—eatuâ—es that live upon it Thirdly 'T is a work also of divine Goodness for if God did not make small the drops of water if it should come down whole it would drown the earth instead of comforting and fattening it Behold then the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God in making small the drops of water Though Philosophers have attempted to find out and assigne a reason in Nature about this falling of the rain in drops yet they have not fully attained the reason why nor the manner how God doth this we must ascribe it chiefly to the power wisdome and goodness of God in ordering it for the benefit of man yea of all living creatures Plane admirabilem et tremendum in illu et per illa fefe exhibet deus Merc And surely Elihu leads us to consider the wonders of those things which are common and naturall to convince us that forasmuch as we cannot clearly see the reason of those lesser things we should take heed of prying into greater and remoter secrets and he would have Job particularly know that seeing he could not find out the way of God in these natural things much less could he find out the way and whole designe of God in those his providential dealings with him He maketh small the drops of water and then as it followeth in this verse They pour down rain according to the vapour thereof Though the water be made into small drops yet he doth not say they drop down but they pour down rain that is the drops fall plentifully that frequent expression in Scripture of pouring down every where implyeth plenty or abundance The promise of pouring out the Spirit in the latter dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundit fundendo purgaovit active item percolatus exâ—olatus de faecatus suit Imber nimbus plu â—a notes the abundance of the Spirit that shall then be given The word signifies also to straine implying that the rain is contained in the Clouds as it were in a linnen cloath which being pressed distills the water in small streams or drops as it were through a strainer They pour down Rain There are three words in the Latine the first of which notes a showre or gentle rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pluvia hiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum transitivum in Hiphil significat feâ—it â—luere quo certe innuitur deum esse Authorem pluviae Fagius in Gen the second a stormy or fierce rain the third rain in generall Rain in this place may be taken in all or either of these notions for at one time or other the Clouds pour down drops into all sorts of rain Rain as I said is made of vapours drawn up and here he saith They pour down rain According to the vapour thereof There are two sorts of vapours there are dry vapours and moist vapours dry vapours say Naturalists are the matter of the wind and the moist are the matter of the rain Now saith Elihu they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof that is Pluviae quasi fluviae eo q òd fluant Isidor Quae fundunt pluviam post nebulam â—jus Pisc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat vâ—porem et nubem significâ—t etiam calamitatem hinc versus ita vertitur nam subtrahit stillas aquarum quae fundebant pluviam ad calamitatem ejus Jun look in what proportion the Sun draweth the vapours into the Aire in that proportion doth the rain fall upon the Earth or in the samâ— proportion that the vapour is drawn up in that proportion is the rain let down Some render the word which we translate vapour a cloud that is after the water is drawn up into a Cloud it pours down rain proportionably Another translation renders it Affliction or trouble and give the whole verse thus He draweth up the drops of water which poured down rain to their Calamity This the lea ned Author applyeth particularly to the Flood in Nâ—ahs time but I shall not stay upon that Our reading is clear They pour down rain according to the vapour thereof that is in the same proportion that vapours come up the rain falls down First In that as the rain is made of the vapour so according to the vapour or in proportion to the vapour such are the showres of rain Note According to what is naturally received returns are naturally made And if the Clouds of Heaven return to man naturally according to that they receive from the Earth how is man on earth bound morally or in duty to return according to what he receives from Heaven Let us mind our accordings and proportions to the dealings and dispensations of God The Clouds of the aire will condemn us at least witness against us if we receive much and return little I passe this Only here we may take notice of six things in Concatination one with another First vapours are drawn up from the Earth Secondly they are made into watery Clouds Thirdly from thence they are sent back to moisten the Earth Fourthly the rain sent down is proportionable to the vapour that went up Fifthly according to that proportion the Earth is made more or lesse fruitfull plentifull
which is a Cloud in a figure troublesome and afflictive Providences There is no light of what kind soever it is but there may be a Cloud to intercept it and come between us and that even the light of the favour of God the light of his countenance which is the most blessed light of all even that light hath many a Cloud The clouds of ouâ— sins cause the Lord to cloud his face with anger and displeasure and hinder the light of his favour and loving kindnâ—ss from shining upon our souls Secondly In that Elihu saith He câ—mmandeth it not to shine Note The Lord hath a soveraign power over all creatures He sends forth his commanding word not only to Angels and Men but to Beasts yea to inanimates he sends out his orders and edicts to the Clouds of the Air to the Light of the Sun to things without life and they submit presently and obey he speaketh to the light as if it were a â—eaâ—onable creature he commandeth it not to shine and it shineth not The hosts of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth are at the diâ—pose of God the wâ—â—le course of nature moves and stands still at his word and pleaâ—ure The Sun stood still in the dayes of Jâ—shua at his command and by the same command the Sun wenâ— backward in the days of Hezekiah and 't is by his command that the Sun withdraws its light and is muffled up with Clouds at any time He commandeth it not to shine Take these Inferences from it First Then what cannot God do He that commands the light not to shine and it shineth not Is any thing too hard for him who but God can stop the Sun from shining If all the Princes and Potentates of this world should joyn their forces their counsels together and send a prohibition to the Sun to stay its light and forbear its shining one moment they were not able to do it yet if the Lord do but speak the word the Sun shineth not he can give it a prohibition and supersede the going forth of its light to us yea he hath power enough not only to coveâ— the Sun with Clouds but to turn it into a Cloud and to blot it out of the heavens Secondly learn hence In what dependance we are upon God for every thing God can keep the light from us every day if he pleaseth and wrap us up in perpetual darkness as he plagued the Land of Egypt with thick darkness for three dayes together 'T is true the Sun riseth and goeth down in a natural course yet still by a divine order and commission As God can sorbid the Light by interposing Clouds so he can sorbid the Clouds to give us showers and bind up all the sweet influences of heaven from destilling upon the earth to make it fruitful He can speak to our garments that they warm us not to our food that it nourish us not to our physick that it cure and heal us not to all our relations that they comfort us not to all our possessions and riches that they content us not O let us remember that we depend upon God for Rain for Light for Sun-shine for all it is at his word that they all put themselves forth to do us good and at his word they are all staid and stopt in their motion from doing or bringing us any good Leâ— us remember also God can command another light not to shine he can by a word stop the progress of the Word and stay that blessed and most beautiful light the light of the Gospel from shining to us by some Cloud or other coming between To how many nations of people where that light sometimes shined hath God long since sent a command and it shineth not It shined brightly in former Ages upon the African Churches but now for a long time God hath said to the light of the Gospel shine not upon them there 's scarce any light at all at most but a glimmering of Gospel-Light in all that vast continent a quarter-part of the world What mighty Dominions are now possest by the followers of Mahomet both in Europe and Asia where the light of the Gospel did once shine very brighâ—ly and gloriously How famous were those seven Asian Churches men ioned and writ to by the command of Christ and the ministry of his servant and Secretary John Rev. 1.2 3. yet now darkness possesseth all those places and the Alcoran hath thrust out the Gospel and whence is all this Surely God commanded and that light shined not nor hath it shined with any bâ—ightness for many hundred years Jesus Christ who threatened Ephesus with the removal of her Candlestick hath removed all those Candlesticks and put out their ligâ—â—â— The same stop can God give to the Gospel-light which hath shined among us blessed be his Name for many years together Let us take heed that we forfeit not that blessed light that we provoke not the Lord by our abuse of it and unthankfulness for it to send out a command that it shine not among us any more We read in the Prophets how divine light was prohibited both to the People and to the Prophets The stop of it to the People we have Amos 8.9 I will cause the Sun to go down at noon and I will darken the earth in the clear day The Prophet speaks not here at all of the stop of natural light nor doâ—h he only intend the stop of that metaphorical light Prosperity in outward things which the Lord doth often eclipse and daâ—ken when men dream least of it or have no more fear about it than â—hey have that the Sun will go down at noon day but he at least intends if it be not his principal intendment to shew that a grievous judgmâ—nt was hastning upon them as to their spiritual enjoyments that the light of divine knowledge what to believe and what to practise was declining and ready to go down though they thought it was but noon with them and the day very clear For as the famine threatned vers 11. is expounded upon the place by the Prophet himself not to be a famine of bread and a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord so the darkness threatened in this 9th verse is not to be restrained to the loss of their worldly liberties and comforts but extended to those which were spiritual and divine the failing of vision and the removing of the light of the Word And as in this Prophet we find the light departing from the People so in the third of Micah vers 6 7. we find God commanding the light not to shine to the Prophets the false prophets he meanes there for so he describeth them vers 5. Therefore shall night be unto you the prophets who deceive my people who teach them vanity and lead them to Idolatry and superstition therefore I say shall night be unto you that ye shall have no vision and it shall be dark
and Lightning In Thunder and Lightning the Law was delivered to Moses on mount Sinai Exod. 19.6 And to affect the peoâ—le of Israel when they had provoked God by their peremptory and discontented way of asking a King Samuel coming to deal with them about it 1 Sam. 12.16 17 18. said Stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes Is it not wheat-harvest to day I will call unto the Lord and he shall send Thunder and Rain that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great And the Lord sent Thunder and Rain that day even while Samuel was speaking for their conviction and humiliation as the next words shew and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel Thus possibly while Elihu was about to speak of Thunder for the humbling of Job God commanded it to Thunder for his deeper humiliation and if so the cause why Elihu trembled is apparent enough The terrible Thunder-claps which then rent the Clouds and even shook the earth might well cause him to tremble Secondly We may understand these words at this my heart trembleth with reference to the whole matter which Elihu had before him what he had begun to speak and was further to speak of Gods dreadful power might shake his heart with astonishment The due apprehensions of the greatness of God may soon strike man into a fit of trembling it did Job as himself confessed at the 21th Chapter of this Book v. 5 6. Mark ye and be astonished and lay your hand upon your mouth for when I remember I am afraid and trembling takes hold of my flesh as if he had said Quoties mihi divinae majestatis abyssus in mentem venerit expavesâ—it â—or meum c. Brent while I duly consider the great things that I have spoken those greater things if greater may be that I am about to speak I cannot but tremble and stand as one filled with astonishment How was the Apostle Paul amazed at that most mysterious dispensation of God in casting off his ancient people the Jewes the seed of Abraham his friend for so long a time Rom. 11.33 O the Depth c. At this my heart trembleth that is I am heartily afraid The heart is here put for the whole inner man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Motus commotus fuit corpore aut anima ex cura aut metu mali 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. or for all the powers of the soul and the word rendered to tremble notes a disturbance of the whole man both of soul and body the Septuagint render it by the same Greek word used Math. 2.3 where upon the wise mens coming from the East to inquire concerning the King of the Jewes it is said When Herod heard this he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him That news of a new King put them into a grievous fright they knew not what to make of it nor which way to turn themselves in such a turn of affaires in such a new world as that new-born King might make This word is else-where in Scripture used to note the suddenest surprize and the strongest possession of fear Thus when Isaac through the subtilty of Rebekah had given the blessing to Jacob which he intended for Esau 't is said that upon the appearance of his mistake he trembled exceedingly Gen. 27.33 Doubtless it did wonderfully astonish the good old man to think that God should carry him beyond and beside his own purpose to bless the yonger brother instead of the elder This strange disappointment by the over-ruling providence of God put him to a stand and troubled his thoughts more than a little especially because he was now taught that by his carnal affections to Esau he was running quite cross to the mind of God revealed Chap. 25.23 Read the same force of the word Exod. 19.16 to which the Apostle reâ—eâ—â—ing saith Heb. 12.21 So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Read also the same impoâ—tance of the word 1 Sam. 4.13 Chap. 14.15 Such was the Condition of Elihu he was deeply affected tâ—embling â—ook hold of him The Spirits run to the heart in a time of feaâ— or upon a sudden fâ—ight as Ciâ—iz ns to the Castle in a day of danger and then the outward members being deseâ—ted by the spirits grow cold and tremble There is a natural infirmity called The palpitation or trembling of the heart But this of Elihu was supernatural at least some-what more then natural as arising either from the consideration of what God hâ—d done or of what himself was about to speak and not only did his heart tremble but Cordis palpitatio totius animae concursus ad cor in pavoribus oâ—idens est Galen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effluxit Sept. Evulsum est August Emotum est Hieron Salit seu subsilit Tharg Hiâ— verbis excessum quem Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant puto denotari quae 〈◊〉 effectus causam admirationem cum pavore subsequi solet Bold Et humâ—nas motura tonitrua montes Ovid. 1. Met. Was moved out of its place Which is added to set forth the exceeding greatness of that fear which seized upon him The Text speaks as if his heart were indeed removed or taken out of his body It is usual in Scripture to affirm that as done which is like to be done The ship was said to be broken John 1.4 and the net Luke 5.6 because both were in eminent danger of breaking We say of a man in great fear his heart is ready to leap out of or out at his mouth One of the Ancients renders here my heart is pluckt out the septuagint It floweth out the Chaldee paraphrase takes up the foâ—mer expression my heart leaps or jumps which as it doth sometimes for joy so often for ear or at the unexpected appearance of danger Some conceive by this moving of his heart out of his place that Elihu was in a kind of extasie that he was as it were carâ—ied out of himself upon the hearing of that dreadful voice of God the thunder taking it so Note Thunder is a terrible thing It hath made and may make the stoutest heart to tremble One of Christs Apostles was called Lebbeus Mat. 10.3 as much as to say the hearty man or all-heart Now he that is Lebbeus a man of the greatest courage the most hearty man may be put to a tremble at this when he heares it thunder Heathens have spoken much of this and by a peculiar word have called those who are much amazed men thunder struck Hos Laetinus Attonitos vocat Attonitus est cui casus vicini fulminis sonitus tonitruum dant stuporem Serv in tertium Aenid Tonitrus dici videtur a terrendo quod conterreat hominem Aliqui a tono ruendo quia magno cum sonitu fiat irruat Suetonius de Augusto Caliguâ—a men being so much amazed at the sound of
thunder The Roman Historian reports of that great Emperour who commanded all the world and made the nations to tremble that yet he himself trembled at this Augustus Caesar was so afraid of thunder that when-ever he travelled abroad he caused the skin of a Sea Calfe to be carried about with him because it was in their superstition believed to be an Amulet or preservative against any hurt by thunder And the same Author tells us of another of that ranke a heathen Roman Emperour that was so afraid of thunder that he would hide his head when he heard it and sometimes ran under a bed for shelter I shall have further occasion to speak of the terribleness of thunder at the 4th and 5th verses I touch it here because according to our interpretation this was it at which the heart of Elihu trembled Secondly Taking the words more generally as this trembling might arise from the consideration of any other of the wonderful woâ—ks of God Note The great appearances of God in his power may and should affect us even with feare and trembling The heart of man may wel move out of his place when he considers how dreadful God is in his place and what wonders he both doth and can do David casting his eye up to the heavens and the host of them Psal 8. concludes with admiration v. 8. O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world They who have but little knowledge of the works of God cannot be much affected with them they who know them deeply cannot but be deeply affected with them Fooles and ignorant persons slight or lightly pass by any thing that God doth or speaks but they who are wise hearted will lay both his Word and Wo ks to heart their heaâ—ts will tremble and be moved out of their place Holy King David adviseth the Kings and Judges of the earth to serve the Lord with fear and to rejoyce with trembling Ps 2 11. And the holy Apostle Paul exhorteth all Christans to work out their salvation with fear and trembling Philip. 2.12 Now if we are to tremble in our dayly service how much more under dreadful providences For the close of this poynt remember there is a four-fold trembling or moving of the heart at the appearances of God or at the discoveries of his Power and Glory in his Word and in his Works First That which is natural Isa 7.2 When it was told the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart that is the heart of Ahaz was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the Wood are moved with the wind And when Felix heard Paul reasoning of righteousness temperance and the judgment to come he trembled The Judge trembled at the voyce of the prisoner 'T is natural for man to fear and tremble at the report of any truth which renders him guilty or of any trouble which over-masters his ability to withstand or avoyd it Secondly There is a Legal trembling proceeding from a spirit of bondage or the dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of God against sin Rom. 8.15 This in many is precedaneous to their true conversion and as a needle makes way for the spirit of grace and adoption by which thread they are united fastned unto God through faith walk in a child-like fear before him all their days Thirdly There is a penal or judiciary fear and trembling God in judgement sometimes fills the heart of sinful man with fear as the punishment of his sin They who have no fear of God in their hearts to keep or over-aw them graciously from sinning and living in a course of sin are delivered up to a spirit of fear which continually pursueth them with dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of God and of some imminent and impendent evils ready to fall upon them for their sins A dreadful sound is in their ears as Eliphas told Job Chap. 15.21 yea as he speaks there vers 24. trouble and anguish make him afraid they prevail against him as a King ready to battel The Lord threaten'd it as one of the sore Judgments that he would bring upon his People the Jewes for their disobedience Deut. 28.65 I will give thee a trembling heart yea he threaten'd Isa 52.17 to give them the dregs of the Cup of trembling Ezekiel Chap. 12.18 was commanded to tremble as a sign to the People of that penal fear and trembling which God would send upon them Such was that trembling spoken of Ezek. 26.16 Then all the Princes of the Sea shall come down from their Thrones and lay away their Robes and put off their broidered garments and shall cloath themselves with tremblings Doubtless they had little mind to such change of rayment they had rather have been cloathed with raggs but the Lord would make them do it And as those confederate Princes or friends of Tirus should cloath themselves with trembling so 't is prophesied Zech. 15.2 that Jerusalem should be not only a burthensome stone but a cup of trembling to all her enemies As if the Lord had said This shall be their punishment who would make my Jerusalem tremble I will make them tremble at the remembrance of Jerusalem or at the sight of those great things which I will do against them and for Jerusalem Fourthly There is a spiritual a gracious trembling and moving of the heart that 's it which this point calls us to and to which in those places lately mentioned both David Psal 2.11 and the Apostle Phil. 2.12 call us to It was well with Ephraim when it was thus with him Hos 13.1 When Ephraim spake trembling he was exalted that is when he was in a trembling humble self-denying frame he prospered and all things succeeded well with him The Lord is never better pleased with us than when he sees us in these tremblings Isay 66.2 To him will I look that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word These trembling ones are the men that God hath an eye upon and respect unto The prophet Habakkuk spake of himself Chap. 3.16 much like Elihu in the text When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice c. The prophet fore-saw a day of trouble and trembled at it and this gave him assurance that he should not tremble when he saw it for said he in the next words I trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble The more we tremble in our selves the more rest we have in God None have so little fear when trouble comes as they who fear before it comes Noah by faith moved by fear prepared an arke to the saving of his house Heb. 11.7 Thus to fear a flood is the best way to escape it 'T is not courage but stupidity not to fear and tremble when we hear of the judgments of God They who tremble graciously shall never tremble despairingly At this my heart trembleth c. Elihu having thus
the God of glory speaking to us Some will excuse themselves they are ignorant they have never been taught to know God But did such never hear it thunder that â—eacheth much of God so much as will make them inexcusable who obey him noâ— who tremble not at his Power and Majesty Thunder calls for and more it commands our fear of our reverence and submission unto Goâ— eâ—â—â—cially when God together with this voice sends his arrowâ— bolâ—s o bullets to do great things against his enemies as he did against Pharaoh Ezod 9.23 and against the Philistines 1 Sam. 7.10 Yea the Lord threatened to distress Jerusalem with Thunder and with Earth-quake and with great noise Isa 29.6 Now if Thunder be the Voice of God or the noise of his Voice then take these brief Inferences from it First Let us see what a powerful and mighty God we have When it thunders every believing soul may â—ay This is the Voâ—ce of my Father what cannot he do for me that can speak thus Secondly If God hath such a dreadful Voice if he thunder with his Voice we should learn to secure aim and fence â—ur selves against the dread and danger of Thundeâ— by the actings of Faith in him and of Repentance and godly Sorrow for our sinnings against him Some of the Heathens have given pittiful counsel what to do in time of thunder Seneca was a wiâ—e man Adversus tonitrua coelorum minas subterraneae damus dei defussi in altum specus remedia sunt Sen. lib. 6. Natur. quest cap. 4. yet he directs to poor shifts in such extreamities The remedies saith he against Thunder and the Batteries of the heavens are under-ground houses caves or holes of the earth to hide our selves in These were the best helps he could advise his Roman Gallants to when God uttered his mighty voice in Thunder But Christians know better how to hide themselves even in the goodness of God against those terrible appearances of his Power Thirdly If God speak with such a Voice as this in the Air take heed of slighting his Voice whensoever he speaks in the Church as Athiests and Epicures do He who speaks so loud in Thunder can thunder upon us at any time The Word preached if not obeyed will at last come upon all those who obey it not with as great a terror as Thunder Fourthly Let us not be amazed and frighted at Thunder as Heathens or Unbelievers Fifthly Let us not think lightly of it as if it either came by chance or meerly from natural causes Sixthly Let us fear the God of Thunder not fear Thunder as a God Some have superstitiously thought Thunder was a God and adored it so 't is reported of the Lithuanians anciently Lithuani fulmon deum esse puâ—abant propterea illud adorabant Cromeruâ— l. 15. Hist Pol. and possibly some of them do so to this day Secondly In that Elihu calls so earnestly for attention to this voice Hear attentively the noise of his Voice Learn Those things which are most easie to be heard possibly may not at all be understood Who doth not hear when it thunders but how few are there who attend or understand the Thunder or hear Thunder attentively God speaks to us not only with a stiâ—â— voice few hearing or attending him but though he thunders few attend him yea those wo ks of providence which speak lowder than Thunder and shine cleâ—rer â—â—an the Lightning yet are neither heard noâ— seen As When his hand is lifted up some will not see Isa 26.11 So when his Voice is liâ—ted up when 't is lifted up not only like a trumpet but like thunder when he speaks most audibly yea most terribly some will not hear and he is not heard by many much less diligenâ—ly attended to how loudly how terribly soever he speaketh The Lord often thunders by the voice of this Word what are his teâ—rible threats but loud thunder-claps yet few hear or though they hear yet they attend not Not to hear the voice of God in his Word is as if you did not attend to the voice of Thunder Every word of God though spoken with a still voice hath a greater force in it than Thunder from the Clouds As the terrible works of God are signified by Thunder Rev. 10.3 4. So the terrible words of God his threatning words against impenitent sinners are resembled to Thunder And therefore such as the Lord fitted among his own Apostles for that dispensation are called in Scripture Sons of Thunder Mark 3.17 And they who dispence the Word with a strong voice and fiery zeal are truly so called to this day and may be said both to Thunder in their Exhortation and to Lighten in their Conversation And indeed the Word of God truly and faithfully dispensed by any is like Thunder For First As Thunder so the Word spoken is the Voice of God and a more excellent and distinct Voice than Thunder that only shewing in general that God is or that he is great and powerful this shewing us distinctly who and what God is and what he requireth of us Secondly Thunder throwes down and dissipates high things So doth the Word of God 2 Cor. 10.5 Thirdly Thunder is irresistable by any power of man it will make its way through all opposition so is and doth the Word of God Fourthly Thunder pierceth very subtilly it reacheth the bones quite through the flesh the Word of God doth more it divideth soul and spirit and the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heaâ—t Heb. 4.12 Fifthly Thunder breaketh the hardest things which resist it but not soft things so the Word of God breaks the stout but binds up the contrite spirit it resists the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Now if the Word of God be in all these respects like Thunder Let us not only hear but attend or as the text saith hear attentively the sound of his voice If any ask when do we both hear and attend with the inward and outward ear the Thunder of God or his voice both in his works and in his word I answer First When we are stirred up to high and holy thoughts of God We are never rightly affected with the Word of God till our hearts are wrought up to and deeply at least truly affected with the God of the Word Secondly When our hearts are raised up in thankfulness for any discoveries of God in his goodness and mercy to us who can so easily destroy us by his power He that trembles at this voice of God and hath no sense nor tast of his goodness nor is moved to praise and serve him trembles only like a bruit beast Thirdly When we learn to depend and hang upon him for all as he that can do all things graciously for us as well as speak so terribly to us then we hear diligently the noise of his voice axd the sound that goeth out of his
not others shall if Jewes will not Gentiles shall if the Jewes will not carry it like the children of Abraham God can and will raise up children unto Abraham of the Stones of the street he will nor want instruments to answer his Counsels nor to execute his commands God will shake Heaven and Earth but he will have his Will done and his decrees perfected yea he will dissolve and ruine them rather than not have his Word fulfilled That of David Psal 136.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name is true of the word of command as well as of the word of pâ—omise God will magnifie the word of his promise above all his Name and he will also magnifie the word of his command above all his Name that is his Word is as a glass wherein his Name that is his Holiness his Power his Goodness his Faithfulness his Mercy his Justice and his Wrath are to be seen and shall be seen in the accomplishments of it towards the children of men Therefore fear and admire this mighty God who will find means for the executing of his Word for the doing of all that he hath spoken The Clouds shall do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the World in the earth Fourthly If the Clouds are turned about by his Counsel if he doth as it were hale the Ropes to turn the Clouds which way soever he pleaseth then Whensoever you see the Clouds gathered by the wind remember God hath somwhat to do there 's somwhat to be done these Clouds are the Servants of God there 's some command or word of God or other to be fulfilled We do not as we ought consider the Counsel of God in the motion of the Clouds yea some when the Clouds gather and the storms of Wind or Rain of Thunder and Lightning break forth are more ready to think of the Counsel of the Devil than of God they are apt to say surely There 's Conjuring abroad What 's that but the executing of the Devils Counsel whereas we should say God doth it by his Counsel Take heed of neglecting God when you see the Clouds do not attribute their motion or the most dreadful Storms that proceed from them to any thing beside the Counsel of God for there is not the least vapour can rise out of the earth for the making of a Cloud but he causeth it to ascend there are not any materials gathered toward the constituting of a Cloud but they are under Gods hand he causeth the vapours to ascend and there is not the least breath of wind can stir to move the Clouds Clouds are moved with the wind but as God hath appointed neither bad Angel nor good can stir a Cloud but as God willeth And therefore look to the hand and counsel of God in all these things take heed of staying in any work of Nature do not ascribe these impressions and perturbations in the Air to the power of the Devil and wicked Arts all is of the Lord whatsoever is done One of the Ancients said concerning the Devils when they desired leave to enter the Swine Why should any of the sheep of God be afraid of the Devil when the Devils cannot have power over the Swine without leave from God The Devil cannot move a breath of wind but according to the will of God though he be the Prince of the Air yet there is a Prince above him to whose commands all are subject both in Heaven and in Earth Fifthly If it be so that God commands the Clouds whensoever they come with their storms or showrs then ascribe the praise of all the good you receive from the clouds to God and be humbled under the hand of God whensoever you receive outward dammage from the clouds do not say it is a chance Sixthly Learn hence the greatness and the soveraignty of God say as they did admiringly Math. 8.27 Who is this that both the Winds and Seas and Clouds obey him None of the words of the Lord shall fall to the ground as an Arrow or Dart that misseth thâ— Mark or as water spilt that cannot be gathered up again which latter allusion is specially intimated 1 Sam. 3.12 19. Here in the Text Elihu sets forth the Power and Soveraignty of God having all creatures at his beck and command as hath been shewed already from other passages in this Book and more will occurr hereafter The Soveraignty of God over men can never be duly acknowledged till we acknowledge his Soveraignty over Winds and Rain Hail and Snow which lye in the Bowels and bosome of the clouds and from thence are dispenced to the earth at the will of God Seventhly and lastly If the clouds do whatsoever God commands them if they be such faithful servants to God then surely the clouds will one day rise up or come forth as witnesses against all that resist the commands of God Not to obey them is bad enough but to resist them is far worse Christ would awaken the Scribes and Pharisees by telling them Math 12.41 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the Judgment against this Generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah as also the Queen of the South because she came from far to hear the wisdome of Solomon If Jesus Christ uâ—ged those instances of the men of Niniveh and of the Qâ—een of the South to terrifie that Generation for not obeying his commands or foâ— not receiving the Promises of the Gospel doubtleâ—s then in the g eat Day the very clouds and winds shall come in as witnesses against all those that have resisted the will of God in any of his commands Have the Clouds will he say done whatsoever I commanded them and have you resisted have you cast my words behind your back when the very Clouds have taken up embrac'd and fulfilled them The Clouds will be a swift witness against all those that rebel against the commands of God The Snow and Rain the Winds and Storms fulfilling his word will bring in a casting Evidence against all those who have cast his word behind their backs All this we may read and see in the commanding power of God over the Clouds and in their readiness to obey Elihu proceeds Vers 13. He causeth it to come whether for Correction or for his Land or for Mercy He that is God causeth It that is the Cloud He causeth the Clâ—ud to find so the Hebrew to find every place and every person concerning whom it hath received command and commission from God Thus the word is used by Moses Numb 32.23 If ye will not do so behold ye have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out that is the punishment of your sin and that Judgment which God will pour out upon you for your sin will find you out wheresoever ye are In this sence the Cloud will find us out we render well He causeth it to come that is
the special work of the Understanding or of the intellectual Powers To consider is the most proper work of a rational creature It is no easie matter to consider our selves what we are and what we have done or what we are doing Hag. 1.7 Consider your wayes But 't is a harder matter to consider God as good in his being and naâ—u e and as good in his workings operations That 's the business of this text â—onsâ—der the wonderous works of God consider them in the fullness of them and consider them fully In which sence the Prophet reproves the Jews for their non-consideration Israel doth not know my people do not consider Isa 1.3 They do not consiâ—er what I have done nor what I am doing they are an inconsiderate and regardless people and therefore a people not to be regaâ—ded There 's nothing worth the taking notice of in a people or person who take no notice of the works of God They who will not consider his doings will quickly be inconsiderable and of no account with him Consider the wonderful works of God Consideration is opposed to two things First To slightness of Spirit or the light passing over of what we hear or see Secondly to unquietness and passionatess of spirit because of what we hear or see Some lightly pass things by others think of the woâ—ks of God in a passion or with a kind of rage they are rather vexing themselves about the wonderous works of God than considering them Consideration is a woâ—k that stands between these two extreams slightnesse and unquietnesse of spirit Consideration requires a serious soul and if right it makes the soul patient They who once consider the works of God rightly will rest in them satisfiedly Consider the wonderful works of God Elihu was speaking of those works of God in the Air the Meteors Clouds and Rain c. as under the rule of his providence now saith he Consider The wonderful works of God This informs us that the works of God are very considerable First In natural things that is what God doth in disposing the course of nature must be duely considered by man Secondly In civil things that is in what he doth in ordering the affaires of men and these either publick in Nations or private in Families In all these God hath his workings and his woâ—ks in all must be considered Thirdly In spiritual things what he doth in wayes of grace upon the souls of men in convincing and converting them in humbling and comforting them which are his choicest and most excellent works of all Now though all these works of God are to be consideâ—ed the last especially yet the workes of God here set before Job are those in Nature and the providential disposure of them these are no small matters Elihu calls them and so they are wonderful Consider the wonderful works of God These works of God in and about natural things may be distâ—ibuted into those that are common and ordinary or those that are rare and extraordinary Elihu is not treating here about the rare extraordinary works of God but about the common and ordinary works of God in the Clouds the Rain and Winds c. yet he calls them wonderful Consider saith he the wonderful works of God From the connexion in that Elihu bids Job stand still and then consider the wonderful works of God Observe Fiâ—st We can never consider things aright till our minds come to a rest and are quiet We cannot make a true use of our reason when we are much moved with passion we must stand still before we can consider Moses when the bush bu ned and did not consume said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burnt Exod. 3.3 He went near and stood considering that wonderful wo k of God He was not in a fright he was not scared to see a burning bush but he stood in a well composed frame of mind to consider what his eyes beheld or the meaning of that strange sight Secondly Note The works of God are matter of great consideration As the word of God is to be conside ed so his works and none can profitably consider the word of God unless they consider the works of God too His woâ—ks are a Comment upon his word the word of God is exemplified in his woâ—ks what God speaketh that he doth We may find the word of God transc ibâ—d in his works I saith David Psal 77.12 will meditate also of all thy works and talke of thy doings The Character given of a godly man Psal 1.2 is He meditates in the Law of God night and day and Psal 119.148 Mâ—ne eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy word Nâ—w â—â—â—g dâ—y man should meditate the word so the works of God nighâ— and day David was resolved to do so in the place before-menâ—ioned as also Psal 143.5 I saith he remember the dayes of old I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hand Did we rightly consider the works of God how just how gooâ— they are we would bâ— more in doing good woâ—ks and we should do â—uâ— good wâ— ks better If any ask How are we to consider the works of God I answer First Consider them in their number that they are many The wondeâ—full works of God are innumerable he doth not only one not only two or three but many very many wonderfull works Many O Lord my God saith David Psal 40.5 are the wonderfull works w ich thou hast done Secondly Consider the wonderfull works of God in their kinds oâ— sorts woâ—ks of Creation or woâ—ks of Providence The woâ—ks of God in Providence are very vaâ—ious His woâ—ks in the Heavens his woâ—ks on the Earth his woâ—ks of jâ—dgment and his works of mercy his woâ—ks of patience his woâ—ks of vengeance his works in delivering us from evill and his works for the continuance of our good â—â—e very various and 't is our duty to consider them all Whatsoever or howâ—oever God is pleased to woâ—k the thoughts of man should work upon it and give him the glory of it Thirdly The woâ—ks of God are to be considered as in their number and kinds or so â—s so in their circumstances As we are to consideâ— ouâ— sins not only in their kind but circumstances which exceedingly aggâ—avate and heighten sin so circumstances in the woâ—ks of God must be considered for they exceedingly heighten the works of God As the circumstances of a sin may make a sin liâ—tlâ— for â—he maâ—ter very great and exceeding sinfull so a circumstance in my wo k of God may make it though little in it self great and wonde full We leave out the very strength of a wo k of meâ—cy when we passe by the circumstances of it A work of meâ—cy done in suâ—h a â—ime in such a way a work done for such a people for a people so undeserving renders the work much more
to try the graces the faith the patience of his people or to see what they will do how they will behave themselves in a dark and deserted state God I say sometimes for these and such like ends with-draws himself and will not suffer them to see the bright light of his pleased face As the light of the things of this world so of that other and better world is often hid or the comfort of them is concealed from us Light is sown for the Righteous it doth not always spring up and appear to the righteous Luther chiefly insists upon this mystical interpretation or application of the text giving it out by way of similitude As saith he the light of the Sun is many times covered with a Cloud and sometimes hindred by Eclipses so the light of comfort or peace and joy in this world is hidden from the eyes of the people of God yet by and by he sends a comfortable and powerful gale to blow away or disperse those Clouds and then the light of his countenance favour shines freely upon them again And let this be remembred that when their day is a day of darkness and gloominesse yet the Light shines still the favour of God is towards them still though it appeares not and when they have been a while exercised under this Darknesse Light will return as it followeth in the text Men see not the bright light which is in the Clouds But the wind passeth and cleanseth them The wind passeth Quest But what is the wind Answ The wind is a hot and dry exhalation raised from the Earth by the power of the heavenly bodyes which being repell'd or forced back by the coldness of the middle Region moves oblâ—quely or flantingly sometimes very violently through the air The Latine word ventus signifying the wind is derived by some Grammarians from a word vehementia noting the vehement or forcible motion of it or as others a veniendo from a word signifying to come because it comes this way and that way at times every way or as our blessed Saviour expresseth it John 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth The supream or supernatural cause both making and moderating or governing the wind is God himself For though that text in the Holy Gospel last mentioned saith The wind bloweth where it listeth yet is to be understood only in reference to man it bloweth where it listeth for all man man can neither direct it nor controule or check it But as to God the wind bloweth where he listeth not where it self listeth 't is he who gathereth the wind in his fists Pro. 30.4 'T is he who bringeth them out of his treasures Psal 135.7 The natural remote cause of the wind is the power of the Sun and Starrs as Philosophers well agreeing with reason â—â—ll 〈◊〉 drâ—wing up those exhalations and attenuating them into a â—iâ—â—e 〈◊〉 foâ— that puâ—pose Thâ— naâ—ural neere or next cause say they of the winds is the câ—lâ—ness of the middle Region which will not suffeâ— the aâ—â—iâ—inâ— exhalâ—â—ion to rise higher but thrusts it back and so iâ—â—â—ove â—hitheâ— oâ— thither side-wise or along this lower Region oâ—â—he air râ—wards the Earth doing those services and somtimes â—â—â—nge exployâ—â— with which experience acquaints us daily By â—his Meteor the wind the life of man is in a great measuâ—e maintained For though it be a truth that no man can live as we say by the air yet it is as true that no man can live without the air Did not the Lungs inspire and expire draw in and send our fresh air man would soone be suffocated and dye and 't is most certain that the heart and blood and whole body of man are very much affected according to the nature of the wind or air in which they breaâ—h Plinie tells us that man may live without food seven dayes but no man can live one houre being wholy intercluded from wind â—nd air And hence the Latine word anima which signifies the sâ—ul not only as to the substance of it which is immortal but as to the subsistence of it in the body in which respect 't is mo tal being no more than life this word I say in the Latine is supposed to come from that Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth the wind The same notion of life may be collected from the Hebrew word Nephesh which is indifferently translated Soul Life Wind. And so the life of man is not only called wind as Job called his Chap 7.7 because of the frailty or speedy passing of it away but because the continuance or abiâ—ing of it in the body is by the taking in and sending out of wind I have already at the 9th verse of this Chapter shewed the several uses which God hath appoynted the winds unto both in a way of Mercy and of Judgment They purge the air they gather the Clouds for Rain they scatter them and so make faire weather they move the waters which otherwise by standing still would putrifie corrupt and grow unwholsome yea infectious both to man and beast they refresh the Earth and cause all sorts of vegetables to flourish they are also as it were the food and nourishment the meat and drink of mans life there 's no living without them I shall not stay further to discourse or discover the nature and the wonders or the wonderfull nature of the wind having done somwhat towards it as was said before at the ninth verse Only take notice of this use of the wind with respect to the Clouds mentioned expresly in this Text The wind passeth And cleanseth them It was said in that former part of this Chapter where Elihu spake of the wind That the winds are the Broomes of Heaven they sweep the Heavens they drive away the Clouds the mists and foggs which dull and obfuscate the air The expression here in the Text sorts well with that Metaphor The wind passeth and cleanseth them that is the wind passing through the air cleanseth it from those Clouds and so causeth the light of the Sun to shine forth freely and fully to us again The wind at one time gathers the Clouds and the wind at another time scatters them The wind is a cleaâ—ser So much is supposed in that Negative expression Jer. 4 11. where the Lord threatens to send a high wind from the Wilderness but not to fan nor to cleanse I saith the Lord will send a high wind but to what purpose not for those profitable and comfortable purposes to fan cool and cleanse the Air but rather to wither and blast the fruits of the Earth or to overthrow and bear down all before it The text in hand speaks of a comfortable purpose of God in letting the wind out of his Treasures it bloweth away the Clouds which obstruct the passage of the Light to us The wind passeth and cleanseth them
Hence note What-ever stands in the way of our comforts God can quickly remove it When Clouds cover the light from us God hath â—is wind ready to chase them away and clear up the weather Never did any such thick and dark Cloud of sorrow and trouble hang over the heads or fill the hearts of the people of God but he had means at hand to dispell and scatter it or he could scatter it himself without means When dreadfull Clouds of danger looked black upon and threatned the Church of God during the Reign of Julian the Apostate Athanasius said It is but a little Cloud Nâ—becula est citò transibit a wind will shortly cleanse it away His meaning was now we are compassed about with fear and trouble but peace and prosperity will not stay long before they return This is true also if we carry it yet in a more spiritual way as to those Clouds of sorrow which often darken and afflict our minds in the midst of outward prosperity or in the clearest sun-shine-Sun-shine-day of peace that ever was in this world when these inward Clouds dwell as it were upon the soul the Lord hath a wind which passeth and cleanseth them away too What is that wind it is his holy Spirit The word in the text Bolduc is used often to signifie not only the natural wind in the air but that divine wind the Holy Ghost who is compared unto the wind in many places of Scripture and his opperations are like those of the wind For as the wind bloweth where it listeth we hear the sound thereof but know not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so saith Christ is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.8 And as our Regeneration is wrought by that secret yet strong and powerfull wind so likewise is our consolation The Spirit of God doth those â—ffices in our hearts which the winds do in the air As the wind dispells and sweeps away the Clouds which are gathered there so the Spirit of God cleanseth our souls from those Clouds and foggs of ignorance and unbelief of sin and lust which are gathered in and would else abide for ever upon our hearts From all these Clouds the holy Spirit of God cleanseth us in the work of Regeneration And from all those Clouds which trouble our Consciences the holy Spirit cleanseth us in the work of Consolation Some Interpreters expound the words only in this mystical sense quite rejecting the proper But though by allusion we may improve the words to this spiritual sense yet doubtless Elihu speaks here of the winds properly taken or of the natural winds and their sensible effects and so according to our reading this Text as it hath been opened teacheth us what sudden changes God makes in the Air. Now the light is shut up or shut in and anon it is let out again and all by the powerful hand of God who doth administer these things to us interchangeably as himself pleaseth Secondly The text according to another reading which others insist much upon and conceive pertinent to the scope of Elihu runs thus â—im enim non respiâ—iunt homines lucem quum nitida est in superioribus nubibus quas ventus transiens purgavit Translatio Jun For now men cannot see the bright light in the Clouds when the wind passeth and cleanseth them Mr Broughton translates clearly so his words are these And now men cannot look upon the light when it is bright in the Air then a wind passeth and cleanseth it And then the sence of the whole verse is plainly a setting forth of the excellency or superexcellency rather of the light of the Sun which is so clear and splendid that if the Air be but cleansed from Clouds if it be but a pure Air no man is able to face it nor his eye directly to behold it We behold all things by the light of the Sun but no man can stedfastly behold the light in the Sun no man can look right up to the Sun when it casts forth its fiery rayes and shines bright upon us And this some conceive so genuine and clear an exposition of the Text that the light of it may seem to obscure and darken all others Now according to this second reading the whole verse with that which followeth contains an argument to confirm the former proposition laid down at the 20th verse If a man speak he shall be swallowed up that is if a man come too nigh unto God and be over-bold with him he shal even be swallowed up of his brightness that it is so I prove thus saith Elâ—hu The very light of the Sun Nemo potest adversis oculis â—itidum solem contueri quis ergo ferat praesentiâ—m Majestaâ—â— dei Jun which shines in the Air is so bright and so powerful that no man is able to hold up his eyes against it And if so then from the lesser to the greater his argument riseth thus If when the Sun shineth brightly no man is able to look upon it then much less are we able to behold the bright Majesty of God or to comprehend his greatness This rendring hath a very profitable sense in it leading Job to reason thus with himself I plainly see by all that hath been discoursed that for as much as I am not able to bear the brightness which breaks through the Clouds nor the noise of Thunder of which Elihu spake before for as much as I am not able to bear the fiercenesâ— of a great Rain nor the coldness of the Frost nor the impetuousness of the Wind nor the violence of a Tempest for as much as I am not able to bear the clear light of the Sun shining in my face therefore surely I am much less able to bear the Majesty and glory of God if he should unvaile or open himself unto me Thus I say Elihu leads Job to an humbling conviction that he could not stand before the glorious Majesty of God because he was not able to endure the brightness of the Sun shining upon him If the light of the Sun the Created light be too excellent for mortal eyes then what is God the Creating light what is God who dwelleth in light who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all 'T is a Maxime in Nature Excellens visibile visum destruit A â—isible object exceeding bright dazles the eye and even destroys the sight And why was all this spoken to Job Surely to bring him upon his knees as afterwards it did to humble him to take him off from his frequent appeals or desires of approach to God for the debate and determination of his cause The sum of all in a word is as if Elihu had said O Job thou canst not see the bright light of the Air if the wind do but fan it and cleanse the Clouds how then shalt thou be able to dispute thy cause before God to whom the most glorious
Lord hath not called thy name Pashur but Magor Missabib that is fear round about I will make thee a terror to thy self thy own Conscience shall be terrible to thee A man had better fall into the hands of the most cruel Tyrants in the World than into the hands of his own Conscience But when a man is a terrour to himself then to have the Lord a terrour to him likewise to have God appearing in terrible Majesty how dreadful is it The awakened Conscience of a sinner carrieth in it as a thousand witnesses so a thousand terrours and God in his anger is more terrible than a thousand consciences Secondly God is terrible to sinners in the day of outward trouble when as David speaks Psal 65.5 By terrible things in righteousness he answereth the prayers of his People When God is doing terrible things in the World how miserable is their case to whom God also is a terrour in that day A godly man when God is doing the most terrible things shaking Heaven and earth and as it were pulling the world about our ears yet because he finds God at peace with him he is well enough But as for impenitent sinners when God is doing terrible things what will become of them I may bespeak them in the words of the Prophet Isa 10.3 What will ye do in the day of your visitation and in the desolation which shal come from far to whom will ye flee for help and where wil ye leave your glory As if he had said whâ— or what can be a comfort to you when God is a â—errour to you And therefore another Prophet fore-seing such a terrible day coming makes this earnest deprecating prayer Jer. 17.13 O Lord be not thou a terrâ—ur to me in the evil day I know an evil a terrible day is at hand but Lord I beg this of thee that thou wilt not be a terrour to me in that day if men should be a terrour to me and God a terrour too it would be inâ—upportable Yet thus it will be with the unrighteous when God doth terrible things in righteousness and such things he will do in the latter dayes Take heed lest God appear with terrible Majesty to you in such a day Thirdly How terrible is God to impenitent sinners when awakened in the day of death What is Death In this Book Death is called The King of Terrours Now if when Deaâ—h is making its approaches to a person who lives in a contempt of the wayes and word of God if when his breath sits upon his lips ready to depart and the King of Terrours is ready to tear his caul and to rend his heart-strings asunder if then I say God appears in terrible Majesty what condition will such a one be in To have Death the King of Terrours and the Living the ever-living God in terrible Majesty falling upon a poor creature at once is a thousand deaths at once Fouâ—thly What will sinners do in the day of judgment that will be a terrible day indeed The Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 having said We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the body whether good or bad presently adds knowiâ—g therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men that is knowing how terrible the Lord will be to impenitent sinners to all whom he finds in their sins knowing this terrour of the Lord and how terrible the Majesty of the Lord will be to such in that day we perswade men we do all we can to pluck them out of their sins and turn them to God in Châ—ist Jesus who saves his people from their sins for to be sure that will be a most dreadful day to sinners Thus the Mâ—jâ—sty of God will be terrible to the wicked and ungodly especially in these four dayes Only they who fear the Loâ—d and take hold of his name by faith shall be able to stand befoâ—e his terrible majesty God will not be a terrour but a comfoâ—t to them â—hat fear him in every evill day Fu â—her the word as wâ—s shewed before signifies not only Majesty but Praâ—se With God is â—errible praise dreadful praise Hence note First The Lord is most praise worthy With the Lord is praise The Psalmist every where sâ—ts fo th the praise-worthiness of God and presseth this duty upon us I shall not stay upon it only remember with the Lord is praise that is he is to be praised And from the attribute of his praiâ—e or that with the Lord is terrible praise Note Secondly Even in those things which the Lord doth most graciously for us and is to be highly praised by us even in thâ—se he is to be feared dreaded and reverenced God is to be praised not only with joy and thankfullness but with fear and reverence for with him is terrible praise It is the express word of Moses in his song after the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea Exod. 15.11 Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holines fearful in praises We should not be affraid to praise God no we should be most forward to praise him but we should have a holy fear upon our hearts when we praise him Praise is the work of heaven from whence fear shall for ever be banished there will be perfect love and perfect love Casts out fear 1 Joh. 4.18 What-ever fear hath torment in it as all fear out of Châ—ist hath we shall have nothing to do with in that blessed life And even in this life praise which is the work of heaven on earth should be performed with such a spirit of love joy as is without all base tormenting fear we should have so much love to God in and for all the good things he doth for our soules especially ye and for our bodyes too in dealing out daily mercies that it should cast out all that fear which hath torment in it Yet there is a fear which should pâ—ssess our spirits while we are praising God a fear of reverence I mean which fear I doubt not will remaine in heaven for ever Glorified Saints shall praise God with that fear that is having an everlasting awe of the Majesty of God upon their hearts He is fearful in praises and therefore let us so praise him as remembering our distance so praise him as to be affraid of miscarrying in the duty and so instead of praising displease him in stead of honouring grieve him This duty of praise is very dreadful The Psalmist saith there is mercy or forgiveness with thee O Lord that thou mayst be feared Psal 130.4 Not only is the Lord to be feared in his wrath and in the executions of his justice but he is to be feared in his mercy in that greatest expression of his favour towards us the forgivness of our sins When we are in the highest exaltations of the mercy of God and of the God of our mercies yet then should our hearts be
them it had been better for us not to have received them 364 Merciful men have special favours from God 521 Merit no merit in the best of men 649 Mighty men apt to despise others 173 Mightiness of man four fold 57. Mightiness of God in two things or of two sorts 160. The migâ—tineâ—s of God set forth in seven assertions 161 162. Five Infereâ—ces frâ—m the mightiness of Gâ—d 164 165. Miâ—acles God doth â—ot Mi acles to preserve or deliver the wicked 191 192. Mi aclâ—s as easie to God as his ordinary works 535. Modeâ—ation of Spiâ—it proceeâ—s from true greatness of Spirit â—86 Modesty a great vertue and the grace â—f all our graces 158 Motions of the creature most violent and in appearance contingent under the dominion of God 450 N Name of God what 73 Nature workâ— of God in nature ought to be searched 145 Necessity no man necessitated to choose a sinful evil 283 Negatives in Scripture often carry a strong affirmation 153 187 188. Nero his seeming clemency 631 Night God gives his people occasions of rejoycing in the night as well as in the day 71. God gives his people a rejoycing frame of spirit in the night 72. Night taken two wayes 312 North-wind makes fair weather 603. why promotion is said not to come out of the North. 605 O Obeying and hearing expressed by the same word 237 Obedience due to the call of God either by his word or works 237. Obedience to God profitable to man 247. No obedience where no service 250. Good men fail in obedience 251 Oppression of three sorts 56. Oppression a common sin 58. Oppression is a crying sin 59. Power is commonly abused to oppression 59. Yet when poor oppress that worst 59 60. It is best to have recourse to God when oppressed by men 67. Oppression cannot bring down the pride of man 88 Oppressors mind not God 62 Oppâ—essed persons will be crying and complaining 86. Some under Oppression do nothing but cry and complain 87 P Pardon of great sins what may encourage us to ask it 372. The greatness of pardoning mercy in Gâ—d 634 635 Passion not to be quieted but by Reason 382 Perfection two-fold 157 Perswasion what it is 280 Pleasure distinguished of in what pleasures to spend our dayes is a mercy 243. How that Promise of spending their dayes in pleasure is made good to the godly 245 246 Plenty and Scarcity are at the dispose of God 414. God useth natural means as the cause either of Plenty or Scarcity 414 Poor in Spirit how pleasing to God 195 196. Poor taken two wayes in Scripture 195. Poor shall have right done them by God 197. Objections answered 198 199 Poverty it self an affliction and the poor afflicted by others 194 196. Power of greaâ— use to do good and a great temptation to do bad things 60 Power of three sorts 335. They who have Power are apt to do wrong 347 Power of God in câ—mmanding and working how excellent 619 Prayers of the proud and impenitent are not heard 89 92. The Prayers of vain persons are vain things 93. What prayers are vain shewed in seven particulars 93 94. How much God values holy prayers shewed three wayes 66 Holy pâ—ayer not alwayes presently answered but never disregarded 96. A dreadful judgment not to have prayer regarded 97. Not to pray in time of affliction very sinful shewed in three things 267. Prayers of the wicked not esteemed by God 307 Praise God fearfull in praises 611 Presumptuous sin what 35 Presumptions of evil men described 106 Presumption to do or speak amiss not fearing God should know it 589 Pâ—ide oppression cannot bring down the proud heart of man 88. Pride a bad Mother of three bad children 169. Pride and high-mindedness the same 458 Promises some make them not minding to perform them 629. Four things ascribed to God in Scr pture which assure us he will perform his promises 630 Pâ—omotion comes usually in a secret way 605 Pronounes mine thine have a great emphasis 149 Prophaning the Name of God what 34 Prosperity what 242. Promises of outward prosperity most in the Old Testament 246. Outward prosperity given many Godly 288 Protection of God towards man two-fold 191 Providences when they seem to cross Promises and Prophesies yet trust 113 Providential care of God towards his people is perpetual 206. Some works of Providence very plain 357. The Pâ—ovidence of God reacheth to all places 453. The Government of the world is as much of God as the creatiâ—n of it 536. Heathens dark about Pâ—ovidence ascribed all to Fortune and second Causes 536 537. Comfort to the godly that all things are under the Pâ—ovidence of God 537 Q Question one question put more than twenty times to Jâ—b and why 535 Qâ—ietness of the Air much more of mens Hearts is of God 562. Christ can make the heart quiet in the midst of all outward uâ—quietness 563 R Rain fiâ—e things spoken of it 384 385. Rain comes fiâ—st from the earth 388. The causes of Rain 389. God can with-hold the Rain when he pleaseth 389. Four Inferences from it 90 39â— That the water falls from Heaven in drops of Râ—in is of God 393. God hath store of Rain in his treasury 397. Râ—in a comparison between that â—nd the Word of God 397 398. Râ—iâ— sâ—all and great 471. Great Rain of Gods strength what 471. In what quantity soever the Rain falls it is by the special appointment of God 475. For what purposes Rain is sent 519. Rain undeserved 't is of free mercy that we have Rain 520 Rain-bow the signification of it 542 543. The forme and cause of it 543. Why expressed in the Greek by a word that signifieth to speak or shew forth 544. Whether the Rain-bow were before the flâ—â—d 544 545. The fitness of the Rain bow to assure mercy shewed in seven particulars 545 546 Ransom what it is several sorts of it Nothing but the blood of Christ can ransom sinners nor will that deliver some sinners 304 Remember taken two wayes 349 Reward and punishment without them Religion would vanish 14 Riches God regardeth not men for their riches or any outward greatness 306 309 Right how God gives it the poor 195 Righteous man righteous three wayes 39. A two-fold notion of the righteous 21. The Righteous alwayes under Gods eye 202 203. Righteous highly esteemed and exalted by God 213 Righteousness essential to God 11 Righteousness of two sorts 8 9. The righteousness or righteous actings of men contribute nothing to God 41. Three grounds of it 42 43. How and whom righteousness doth profit 51 52. Cautions about it 53. Righteousness when and how ascribed to God 147 Rods of two sorts 514. S Scholars great not alwayes the wisest men 177 Scourge God can make any creature a scourge to man 412 Sealing in Scripture hath a threefold signification 476. Sealing up of the hand what it signifieth 478 September how expressed in the Hebrew and why 448 Servant what it
signifies every believer a Servant 238 Service and Worship often the same in Scripture 237. God expects our seâ—vice and then especially when we suffer under his hand 237. To serve God what or the service of God described 238 239. To seâ—ve God our Freedâ—m 240. Service of God pleasant and easie in a twofold respect 240. Service of God not lean but prâ—fitable 240 241 Sight of God two-fold immediate mediate and that by a threefold means 102. The sight of God or his discovery of himself to us very sweet to the the soul 104 Signes of changes in the weather and other natural things 424. Inferences from it as to other thâ—ngs 424 Signes why given by God 549 Sin how sinful it is to say there is no profit in leaving sin 17. The benefit or profit of leaving sin 19. God receives no hurt or damage by the sin of man how many or how great soever his sins are 31. Yet sinners shall be dealt with as if they had hurt him and why 31. How the sins both of good and evil men turn to the glory of God 32. Sin considered in a threefold opposition 33. Sin dâ—th six things to God yet cleared how no damage to him 34 35 36. The least sin hurtful 47 48. Sin hurts the whole Creation but chiefly man 48 49. The sad effects of sin as well as the filthy nature of it should move us to avoid it 48. Sin hurts others but thâ—se most who commit it 49. Sin is vâ—cal 92. God doth not severely mark the sins of his people 116. Sin mans work 224. God doth not suffer sin to grow potent in his people 226. There is an excessiveness in some sins 227. In what sence sin may reign in a righteous man 228. Sin may be seen and not the exceedingness of it 228. The exceedâ—ngness of sin shewed in three things 228 2â—9 Sin a vain thing how 234. God will not indulge sin in any 293. Sin should have no respect 321. Sin not to be chosen in any case 324. Sin strictly taken cannot be chosen 325. Vpon what accounts sin is chosen by many 325 326. They make a very bad choice who choose sin rather than affliction 372. Sin worse than any the worst affliction 330 331 Singing an act of Praise 352 Skie two things considerable in it clearness and strength 568. How the skie may be said to be strong 569 Snow what it is 469. When it usually falleth 469. Six things wonderful concerning the Snow 472. Snow how like wâ—ol shewed in three things 472 473. Snoâ— and Rain at the command of God 474 Sodomites how expressed in the Hebrew 271 Song in the night what 70 71 73 Soveraignty of God over all creatures three Inferences from it 14 20 Soul how taken in Scripture 268 South why expressed by a word that signifies a secret place 487. Whirlwinds come from it 488 Sparing mercy God will not spare his own if they obey not 252 Speaking two things of great use in it 139. Speaking of two sorts 232 233 Spirits of men weighed â—y God 552 Standing-still two-fold that of the mind to what opposed 527 Star-gazers their vanity 27 Stormes in the hearts of men allayed by God 562 Streight who may be said to be in it 282. No streight so great but God can deliver out of it 283 Strength of heart wherein it consists 175. 183. Strength of wisdom in God two-fold 175. There is no strength against the Lord. 311 Suddenness of divine Judgments 300 Sufferings did not hurt the Martyrs and why 51 Sun in its brightness cannot be looked upon 602 Swearing the Lords saying as much as his swearing 549 Sword how taken in Scripture 252 T Tabernacle what 407 408 Teacher God is pleased to be a Teacher of his people 338. The teachings of God above all teachings 339. How God exceeds all Teachers shewed in seven things 339 340. Three Inferences from it 342. Several Evidences of our having been taught of God 342 343 344. Teaching 'T is mans shame when he acts not according to the teachings of God 82. Teaching is to make us knowing 576. There are two sorts of persons who call for teaching 577 Terribleness of God to sinners in four dayes 609 Thundering Legion 460. Thunder a terrible thing 436. Thunder the Voyce of God 440 442. Thunder called the Voyce of God in a twofold respect 442. Six Inferences from it 443. Word of God like Thunder shewed in five things 444. Thunder Gods Hera d. 454. Thunder how it followeth Lâ—ghtning 454. Why we see the Lightning before we hear the Thunder 454. Six degrees or sâ—rts of Thunder 455. Thunder described 457. Marvels in Thunder 460. The effects of the Word like those of Thunder 461 462. Two Inferences from it 464 Tiberius the Romane Emperour his Character 630 Time at the dispose of God 379 Trembling what 436. Great appearances of God should make us tremble 437. A fourfold trembling 437 438 Troubles are streights 281 282 Trusting in God a Duty in darkest times 112. Tâ—ust in God fixes the heart 113. Some not to be trusted 114. We should trust God more upon experience of what he hath wrought 365. The Eternity of God a groâ—nd of trusting him 380 Truth will prevail though many be against it 23. No matter if we are alone so Truth be on our side 23. Some speak Truth with false hearts others speak falsly with a true heart 153. To speak truth a high commendation of the Speaker 154. Truth taught us by God four effects of it 342 343 344. Some Truths are specially to be attended to 524 U Valentinian his zeal and advancement 213 Vanity what aâ—d who 92 Visiting of three sorts 119 Undeâ—standing how an undeâ—â—â—anâ—ing man may be said not to undersâ—aâ—d 81 Uprightness That which is not done uprightly will not be done constantly 266 W Waiting on God in hardest times 112 113. Warnings Gâ—d gives them before he sends great Judgmeâ—ts 425 426. Warning God gives waâ—ning before he strikes 455 Water of two sâ—rts 388. Waâ—er held up in the Air by the Power â—f God 392 Way of God what it is 345 Whirlwind what 489 Wickedness what 47 Wicked men out of Gods Protection he takes not care of them 189. How God doth and doth not preserve the lives of the wicked 189 190. Wicked not so much preserved as reserved 191. Wicked men of two sorts 192. Their life sad 192. God will at last utterly destroy them 193. God will not be taken off by any outward respect from destroying them 301 Winds four Cardinal 487. What the Wind is 489. Winds come at Gods appoyntment 489. God makes a twofold use of the Wind. 490. Six uses of it for mercy or for the good of man 490 491. Winds the Broomes of Heaven 490. Afflicting effects of the Wind. 492. Seven Wonders observable in the Winds 493 494. What the Wind is 598. Causes of the Wind. 599. Life preserved by the Wind. 599. Spirit of God compared to the Wind. 601 Wise
not as noting the hand or power of God sealing men but â—ods sealing the hands of men putting them off from or besides their labour Thus by Snow and Rain he sealeth or shutteth up the hand of every man and why so the reason is given in the next words That all men might know his work God by extraordinary Snowes and Raines stops men from their work But what Is it that they should be idle No but that they may know his work Whose work Some understand it of mans own work As if the meaning were this God stops men a while from further or present work that they may take a view of their past works or he takes them off from their civil works and employments that they may employ themselves in considering their moral works as the Prophet admonished the Jews Isa 1.5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts consider your wayes Another Prophet reproved them for the neglect of this duty Jer. 8.6 No man saith what have I done The Lord often brings his people to hard sufferings that they may know their own doings or works This is a profitable sense yet I rather conceive that the work here intended is Gods work and so I shall prosecute the words That all men may know his work This woâ—k of God may be taken two wayes First More st ictly thus God by rain shuts up the hands of men from their woâ—k that they may know those extraordinary stormes of Snow and Rain which drive them in from their labour and shut up their hands from working are his special work Great Snowes Raines declare to all men the great power of God who doth not only astonish men by terrible thunder and lightning but can by Snow and Rain his much weaker weapons put them beside their purpose and stop their work Secondly Take his work more largly God sealeth up the hands of men that they having a vacancy from their own work may consider his he doth as it were force them from what they were doing or intended to do that so they may have leisure to take notice of what he hath done That all men may know his work Hence note First God can hinder or stop any man or all men in their work He when and as he pleaseth can seal up the hand of every man If God hath a mind to work none can lett him Isa 43.13 Who can seal the hand of God I may say also whose hand cannot God seal How easily did the Lord seal up the hand of the the builders of Babel Gen. 11.7 They were hot upon a mighty work but God by confounding their tongues sealed their hands and they as 't is said v. 8. Left off to build the City Secondly When the text saith God sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work Observe How diligent soever men are about their own works yet they are slow enough too too slow to take notice of the workâ— of God When the hand of God is lifted up some will not see it they are not only backward to see it but opposite to the seeing of it and though others do not set themselves against yet they do not set themselves to the knowledge of his works 'T is a great and common sin our not studying to know the works of God we should study the works of God as much as we do the word of God we should study both his work of Creation and his works of Providence whether works of Mercy or of Judgment we should endeavour to know all his works From the universality of the expression that all mâ—n may know his work Note God would have all study this Book the book of his works They whose business and labours lie in fields the Plow-men and the Vine-dressers he would have them know his works as those special works of his the Snow and the Rain so his works in general The meanest of men cannot excuse their ignorance of the works of God seing the Text and Point tell us God drives them many times out of the field home to their houses and will not let them do a stroak of work more abroad on purpose that they might know his work Hence note Thirdly The aim and intendment of God in keeping us at any time from our work is that we may know more of his works It is a great part of our wisdom to answer the designes of God in all his providences to us We seldom think what God intends by a wet day by a rainy day by a tempestuous day we little think the aim of God in calling us from our works is to call us to the consideration of his work Some men would never find a time to bestow their thoughts upon the works of God if God did not take them off from their own work they would never be at leisure if he did not give them a leisure a vacation time and as here in this text seal up their hand God hath various wayes to take men off from the hottest pursuits of their own works he takes many off from them by sickness he binds them as prisoners to their beds others are taken off from their own business by proper imprisonment and restraint of liberty and why what is the reason of this is it not that they may know his work that they may well consider the dealings of God with them A sick bed is a School and so is a Prison where we should study both the Word and Works of God Let us remember when-ever God takes us off from our Callings by sickness or restraineth our liberty by imprisonment his gracious purpose is that we may know his work Possibly when we had liberty to go about our own work we could find little or would not find much leisure to meditate upon the works of God Well saith God I see I must take you off from your works else you will never be Students in mine That 's the effect of Snow and Rain with reference to man He sealeth up the hand of every maâ— that all men may know his work But here we have another effect with respect to beasts Vers 8. Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potius fera quam bestia a vivaâ—itate nam eadem vox vitam significat Drus There are two words in the Hebrew which signifie bruits or beasts The word here used properly signifies wild beasts the other tame beasts such as are for our use and brought up to our hand The text intends the wild beasts the beasts of the forrest the beasts of prey they go into dens these seek shelter in snow time or when the great rain of the strength of God falleth upon the earth The Psalmist Psal 104.20 describes the beasts ordinarily going out of their dens when the night comes Then saith he all the beasts of the forrest go forth Here we have the beasts whether night or day driven to
their dens by a storm or by the Snow then they go to their dens and places of shelter or as we speak to Covert The word rendred Dens signifies a place of ambush or of lying in wait such are the dens of wild beasts as it is said of the wicked Psal 10.9 He lieth in wait secretly as a Lion in his den 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ereb a verbo Arab insidiari Et ingreditur bestia in insidias i. e. in latibula unde insidiatur Merc. to catch the poor c. It is this word Such kind of retreats have the wild beasts they have their dens which are alâ—o places to watch for their prey And as they often go to their dens upon choice or of their own accord so they are sometimes driven to them as in the text for shelter against a storm Then the beasts go into dens And remain in their places They not only go into dens but there they remain they keep home the storm keps them in As when the flood of waters the great rain of Gods strength was upon the earth Noah was shut into the Ark and there he remained Gen. 7. he did not only go in but stayed in till the flood was asswaged so it is said here of the beasts they remain in their places they will not budge nor peep out till the storm be over Hence note First Thâ— Providences of God in various seasons affect the very beasts of the earth Those creatures which live only a life of sense yet partake somewhat of reason at least they act according to reason they are sensible of what God doth though they know not that he doth it And is not this a great reproof to those who are not only not sensible of but slight those â—everer dispensations of God how beast-like are those men who have not so much sence of the dealings of â—od as the beasts have who though they have a knowledge beyond bruits yet they use their knowledge no better no nor so well as bruits and so they are either as the Prophet saith bruitish in their knowledge or as the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 2.12 They are as bruit beasts in humane shape made to be taken and destroyed How can they avoid being taken and destroyed by the judgments of God or as Elihu expresseth it by the great rain of his strength who take not so much notice of them as to see their danger and get into a hiding place For Secondly When the beasts go into dens and remain in their places what is it that moves them to it Surely 't is to be as we say out of harms way Hence note Every creature by the light of nature would get out of danger Great snowes and rains of strength are dangerous or g ievous to beasts therefore they avoid them they will not stand in the open air while a storm lasts if they can help it Beasts will save themselves as well as they can and if so then take these two Inferences from it First For our instruction We are sent to school by God himself more than once to the beasts and creeping things of the earth Solomon sends us to the Ant a creeping thing he bids us consider her wayes and be wise Elihu in this text sends us to the wild beasts of the earth to Lions and Bares to Tigers and Wolves and bids us consider their wayes and be wise Here is matter of instruction for us What is that Get out of harmes way make haste out of danger when the cold Snow comes and the great Rain of the strength of God take heed you be not found abroad without a a shelter Surely God who hath provided dens for the beasts and places for those wilde creatures to hide themselves in hath not left us without a niding-place when the great rains of trouble fall or threaten to fall God invited his people of old where to look for and whither to go for shelter in such a rainy day Isa 26.20 Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy door about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be over-past For Behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity As if he had said Hide your selves till the storm be over till the great rain of my streng h be gone God who hath put an instinct into the creatures to go to their dens to their places in a stormy season doth specially call to men and among men specially to his own people when 't is a time of indignation to go into their Chambers and hide themselves till it be overblown Do not stand out in the rain do not stand in the storm get into your chambers what are these Chambers surely not the chambers of our houses they are poor refuges the rain of his strength will break or soak into those chambers how well soever roofed or ceiled The chambers in which the people of God are called to hide themselves are God himself the Power of God the Faithfulness of God the Truth of God the Goodness of God in these Chambers he calls his people to hide themselves Solomon assureth us Prov. 81.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe As God hath taught the beasts to run into their dens so he instructs us in his Word to run into his Name as to a strong tower where we may be safe David said Psal 57.1 Vnder the shadow of thy Wings shall be my refuge until this calamity be over-past That is I will put my self under thy protection while the stormy showers last The Hen gâ—thereth her young ones under her wings so would Christ the Jewish Nation both for comfort and safety and they refused him What followed The next verse tells us Desolation What could save them when the Roman Eagle spread her wings against them who would not come under the wing of Jesus Christ Matth. 23.37 'T is not any worldly refuge not any arm of flesh but the shadow of the Lords wings that can hide us in an evil day from the evil of the day They who get and keep close to God by Fai h need not fear the worst stormes which this world can raise against them And hence let sinners in general take warning suppose you should live all your dayes in this world without a storm I mean without any outward trouble yet remember there will be a stormy day the day of the great rain of the strengâ—h of God will come he will rain down vengeance upon all the ungodly in that day Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest in that day Psal 11.6 Therefore see that you have a refuge against that day when many shall as it is said Rev. 6. Call to the rocks hide us and to the mountains fall upon us cover us from the presence of him that sits on the