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
affliction they throw away their prayers Prayer will forsake them who forsake God while they pray Such as want Faith will not have a heart to pray in their wants If holy Duties cause us not to leave our sins sinning will at last cause us to throw off our holy Duties Will or doth the hypocrite pray alwayes was Jobs denying question at the 27th Chapter of this Book They who do not love prayer cannot hold out in prayer They who do not find a sweetness in drawing near to God in good Times will soon withdraw from him in evil Times Thirdly They cry not when he binds them Note Hypocrites when they have most need of prayer are least in the use of it When more need of Prayer than in time of affliction yet the hypocrite bound in affliction is bound in spirit from supplication Fourthly They are said not to cry though in some sense as hath been shewed they do cry when God bindeth them Hence Note That holy Duty which is not rightly and holily done is reckoned by God as not done at all What almost is more common among hypocrites yea among some prophane ones than to pâ—ay and desire others to pray for them in time of affliction Pharaoh will needs have Moses pray for him and when Ahab was threatned with a binding he humbled himself yet this goes for nothing and gets nothing at most but what Ahab got a reprieve from some present or temporal punishment Fifthly Those words are brought in as an aggravation of the sinfulness of the hypocrite he doth not cry when God binds him he prayeth not when God afflicts him Hence Note It is an heightning of our sin to neglect prayer in time of affliction It is a sin to neglect prayer at any time but their sin is exceeding sinful who neglect it then who cry not to God when God binds them Is it not extreamly evil that they should not pray at all or but little when they should be all and alwayes in prayer Affliction doth as it were naturally draw us yea forcibly drive us to God In their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5.14 As if the Lord had said If ever they will seek me surely they will seek me then and then they will seek me early that is earnestly and with all their hearts Therefore how unnaturally sinfull are they who in their affliction will not seek God! The Prophet saith Isa 26.16 Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Yet the hypocrite will not pray when chastened How sinful it is not to pray when God binds us appears upon many accounts First To neglect prayer in time of affliction is very sinful because then we have most occasion for it Secondly In time of affliction God especially calls us to prayer he commands us at all times but chiefly then Is any among you afflicted is that any mans case let him pray Jam. 5.14 What should an afflicted man do else What is he so much engag'd to do by his own necessity what so much by the will of God as to pâ—ay Affliction which takes us off from many other woâ—ks sets us upon and about this Thirdly Prayer in time of affliction is under most promises to be heard Now not to pray not to cry to God when we have so many promises to assure us of hearing encreaseth our sin in the neglect of prayer Though I do not say the hypocrites prayer is under these promises of hearing yet it shall be reckoned as a sin that he haâ—h not prayed in affliction because there are so many promises of hearing prayer in affliction The Lord is very gracious to those thaâ— cry in affliction and the hypocrite hath often heard that he will be so how wretchedly sinâ—ul is he then against God as well as regardless of his own good it God hear not of him or from him in his affliction Psal 102.17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer that is graciously accept and answer it Again Psal 69.33 The Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not his Prisoners that is any who are bound in affliction For I suppose that Text is not to be restrained to those only who are shut up in prisons but takes in all those that are bound in any trouble In which sense the word is used Lam. 3.34 The Lord doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth The Hebrew is All the bound of the earth by whom he means as chiefly the Jewes gone into Captivity who were more properly bound so any detained under any calamity whatsoever to all or any of them that Scripture is applyable The Lord doth not willingly afflâ—ct Seeing then there are so many promises made to those that cry in affliction this will be urged upon the hypocrite as an heightning of his naglect that he hath not cryed when God bound him Thus we see the second part of these hypocrites misery by what they do not They cry not when he bindeth them The third thing by which the woful misery of hypocrites in heart is set forth is by what they suffer Vers 14. They dye in youth and their life is among the unclean They dye in Youth The Hebrew is their Soul dyeth The Soul strictly taken is immortal and dyeth not yet 't is often said in Scâ—ipture the Soul dyeth the Soul being taken either First for the Life or Secondly for the Person To say their Soul dyeth in youth is no more than to say as we translate they dye in youth The word rendred Youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—gnifies in the Root of it to shake and trouble or to make some great concussion hence some render the Text In tempestate Vulg In excussione Rab. Sal. q. d. Excussione et vt afflictionum in quibus sunt peribunt They dye in a Tempest or in a Storm One of the Jewish Doctors gives it thus They shall dye with a stroaker shaking that is they shall perish by the force and violence of that affliction which hath arrested and taken hold of them But I conceive our reading is clear They dye in Youth because Youth is the most stirring time of our life or that time of life wherein we use the most violent motions without and are subject to the most violent passions within therefore the Hebrew expresseth both by one word Now when we say They dye in Youth the meaning is they dye in the prime in the best in the most flourishing time of their life in the spring of their dayes But is it true that all hypocrites in heart dye in youth Do not many who discover themselves to be but hypocrites dye in old age I answer Such-like Scriptures do not intend an universality as to every individual but only shew that 't is so for the most part or often so Hypocrites in heart men
and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin So then in the second verse you have the charge and in the third the proof of the charge Thinkest thou this to be right The word which we render to think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An hoc cogitasti in jus Heb notes more than a bare thinking even the devising or curious contriving of a matter in the brain hast thou formed this in thy Imagination and concluded it in thy Understanding for right for sound and wholsome Doctrine for a very truth There may be a threefold exposition of these words First As an appeal to Jobs own breast Thinkest thou this to be right let me ask thee the question Hast thou said well in this dost thou believe thou hast let thy Conscience judge and make answer I doubt not but thou wilt be self-condemned And indeed no guilty person can be absolved himself if himself being judge Secondly We may look upon the words not only as an appeal but as a reproof or objurgation Thinkest thou this to be right What man in his right mind would think so thou toldest thy wife in the second Chapter Thou speakest like one of the foolish women and may it not now be told thee Thou speakest like one of the foolish men Would any man in his wits utter a word of this import a word of so gross a savour of so dangerous a reflection upon the Justice of God or so much as intimate himself by any the remotest consequences more just more righteous than God why hath such a word dropt from thy mouth Thus he chides checks and reproves him Thirdly These words may have the sense of a denying question Thinkest thou this to be right Surely Job thou dost not think this to be right I cannot believe that thou thinkest this to be right thou are not surely so far left of Reason and of Grace as to think this to be right This sense gives some allay to or abatement of the former surely thou dost not think so though thou hast spoken so though thy words may have this meaning yet I hope this is not thy meaning I am unwilling to take up thy opinion from thy expression Thinkest thou this to be right From the first Exposition Note It is a strong way of conviction to put or refer a matter to his Judgement and Conscience against whom we make opposition Thinkest thou this to be right I refer it to thy own Conscience whether this be right yea or no and thus the Scripture speaks often When God would stop the mouth from all contradiction and not leave opposers a word to say he leaves it upon them to say all Moses intending to prove that none could prevaile against Israel unless God provoked by sin delivered Israel up into their hands gives this demonstration of it Deut. 32.31 Their Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Judges I refer this to our enemies opinion whether the Dunghil gods the Idols whom they serve and trust to be like Jehovah the living God whom we have and ought to serve and trust to You that are our enemies do you think your Rock is like our Rock I know you do not The Apostles Peter and John referred it back to the judgment of their Judges whether it were fit for them to obey their commands yea or no when they called them and charged them to preach no more in that name the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye We have received a command from God to preach Go teach all Nations Math. 28.19 and we have received a command from you not to preach now we leave it with you whether it be fit for us to obey God or you So the Apostle having admonished the Corinthians to flee from Idolatry presently adds 1 Cor. 10.14 15. I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say I have given you the rule and I leave it to your consideration what 's best and safest for you to do I speak as to wise men that 's a holy insinuation As if he had said I know you are wise men men of understanding and therefore I do not so much command you to obey what I say as to judge what I say I am much perswaded you cannot judge otherwise in this thing than I do There is so much truth and reason in what I say that you cannot but say so too The same Apostle speaks again in a like forme about womens praying uncovered Judge in your selves is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered 1 Cor. 11.13 As if he had said I do not stand wholly to my own judgement in this case of conscience I dare refer it to you and stand to yours Thus in many things we may appeal unto the Consciences of those we deal with no doubt the Conscience is often satisfied while the Will stands out Men of much understanding will dispute when Conscience hath nothing to say Yea some will for their own ends argue that to be right which in their Consciences they do not think to be so Thinkest thou this to be right Thou hast said it but dost thou think it I trow not Observe Secondly There is a Light within us that will shew us what 's amâ—ss or 〈◊〉 not right Elihu doth not direct Job immediately to the Word though that 's the authoritative and authentick Rule but to his heart thou hast a Light in thy self whereby thou mayest see that this is not right Thus the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.14 15. Doth not even Nature it self teach you that if a man have long haire it is a shame unto him but if a woman have long haire it is a glory to her for her haire is given her for a covering The Light which every man hath in him will shew this Again the Apostle Rom. 2.14 15. proveth that the old Gentiles had a light of Nature in them which shewed them many things amiss Thus he argueth For when the Gentiles that have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law they do them by Nature that is by the Light of Nature which shews them to do these things that is it sheweth them that they ought to be done and they do them as to the outward action by that Light these having not the Law that is the written Word published to them in that formality which the people of God have these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another This Light shewed those Gentiles so far what to do according to the Law as left them without excuse for not doing what it shewed Gospel Mysteries and matters of Faith are purely of Divine Revelation but what
been shewed upon some other passages of Elihu's discourse with Job This is the righteousnesse of our persons as justified we are righteous as sanctified we are also righteous Now when Elihu chargeth Job to say that his righteousnesse was more than Gods we are not to understand it as if he had said his personal righteousness in either notion was more than Gods for that righteousness which is imputed to our persons is indeed the righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 but 't is not a righteousnesse more than Gods And as for that righteousnesse planted in our persons how imperfect and mixt with corruption is that at best in this life And therefore had Job spoken any such words or had harboured such a thought it had been blasphemy at the highest rate and as one expresseth it well If Job had spoken these horrible blasphemies Si haec horrenda blasphemia fuisset ab eo extorta Satan certè non autem Jobus in hoc certamine victoriam obtinuisset Bez. though extorted from him by utmost extremity and in the greatest anguish of his spirit surely Satan had got the day and triumphed as Victor in this great conflict not Job Should the most righteous man on Earth or Angel in Heaven say in strict sence My righteâ—usnesse is more than Gods this saying were a charging of God with unrighteousnesse yea which Satan promised himself and told God Job would do if tryed to the utmost a cursing of God to his face But as Job abhorred to speak irreverently though he sometimes spake passionately of God so that he utterly disclaimed such thoughts of his own righteousnesse hath appeared fully by his frequent protestations against all dependance upon and trust in any self-righteousnesse or perfection in divers passages of this Book Secondly There is a righteousnesse of our Cause or of the special matter in controversie In which sence I conceive Judah said of Tamar Gen. 38.26 She hath been more righteous than I. That is She hath carried this businesse better and more according to right And thus we may understand Elihu charging Job for saying My righteousnesse is more than Gods that is my Cause is more righteous than his and to say that which is the most moderate sence was too great a boldnesse for any creature yea a blasphemy against the Creator Shall man presume to say that God doth not carry things righteously with him or that there is no reason why God should deal so or so with him But did Job ever affirm his Cause more righteous than Gods I answer not categorically or directly But Elihu hearing Job make so many complaints might suppose he thought there was no reason why God should deal with him as he had done and then he had been more righteous in his Cause than God The Septuagint read it without any comparison at all which makes the meaning much more easie they say not My righteousness is more than Gods but I shall be found righteous before God or in the sight of God This Job had said and therefore made so many appeals to God Justus sum ante conspectum Domini Sept. I am just before God that is My cause will be found right and just in the sight of God And as Job had said this often equivalently so once in terms Chap. 23.10 When he hath tryed mâ— I shall come forth as gold or appear innocent before God which he spake especially with an eye to those heavy accusations which his Friends brought against him and laid upon him And even for this Job might well be condemned of rashnesse by Elihu who aimed at the throwing down of all self-righteousness at the stopping of every mouth at the eclipsing of all humane glory in the presence and before the brightnesse of the Most Glorious High and Holy God So then even this other more favourable reading which speaketh not comparatively but positively I am just before God that is Praepositio illa Mom verti potesta vel ab ni hunc sensum justus suma Deo vel justificabo causam mcam apud Deum Cajet I shall be justified by God or I doubt not but I shall be acquitted and found right before God this cannot every way be justified It was Jobs fault and failing that he was so confident God would not he was farre from saying God could not find fault with him We may see if we have spiritual eyes or eyes enlightned by the Spirit so many faults in our best services as may make us ashamed to own them rather than to boast of them before men much more to bear up our selves before God upon them For as Eliphaz told Job in the 4th Chapter God chargeth his Angels with folly and the best of his Saints are unclean before him therefore that was too much fo Job to say of himself though that 's the easiest and most charitable Interpretation of what he said when he said as the Septuagint render I shall be found righteous before God or in the sight of God Our Translation is very hard hardest of all Thou hast said my righteousnesse is more than Gods yet this Elihu might gather up consequentially from what he spake in the 19th Chapter vers 6 7. Behold I cry out of wrong but I am not heard I cry aloud but there is no judgement As also from the passage Chap. 23d vers 2d. Even to day is my complaint bitter my stroke is heavier than my groaning In both places Job speaks as if God had not dealt rightly with him as if God had been over-severe in afflicting him or as if his complainings were short of his sufferings In both or either of which Job exceeds the bounds both of truth and duty such extravagant expressions have no apology but his pain nor can any thing be an Advocate for him but this That Satan who was his Tempter was also his Tormenter and held him so long upon the Rack that he uttered as himself confessed Chap. 42.3 that which he understood not yea words by which Elihu understood that he said in effect My righteousness is more than Gods Note hence first There is no thought of man further from right than to think there is any unrighteousness in the dealings of God with man Man can hardly do any thing that is just and it is impossible God should do any thing that is unjust Let God do what he will it is right and he is righteous in doing it Yea whatsoever evil God doth to a Job to any of his good people he is good to them in doing it Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart or clean of heart Not only is God Righteous and Just but Good and Gracious in what he doth though his dispensations are often very sad yet they are never unequal and as the worst of men shall at last acknowledge that he is just so the best of men a Job a David shall find and see at last with
to be cleansed from his sin would be nâ—â—â—vantage no profit as to his eternal estate that had been impious and an Atheistical Speech crossing the whole current of Scripture and overthrowing the very foundation of godlinesse Take away eternal reward and punishment and where 's Religion where 's either the love or fear of God His meaning then is that Job had said it would be no profit no boot to him for the present or as to his then condition if he were cleansed from his sin This Elihu might gather from those two places Chap. 9.22 23. This is one thing therefore I said it He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked If the scourge slay suddenly he will laugh at the tryal of the innocent As if Elihu had said Thou canst not avoid this proof of my first Charge for he that saith God destroyeth the perfect and the wicked that is the perfect as well as the wicked saith also in effect What profit is it that I am cleansed from my sin But thou hast said the former therefore the latter also Again thou hast said Chap. 10.15 If I be wicked wo unto me and if I be righteous yet will I not lift up my head I am full of confusion therefore see thou mine affiiction weigh thy words Thou hast said Wo to me if I be wicked and if I be righteous it will not be much better with me I will not I dare not lift up my head my confusion is so great How great soever my innocency is I have little comfort or 't is much-what alike with me whether I be righteous or wicked In these places and by these speeches Job seems to put little or no difference between the dealings of God with the wicked and the righteous Once more Those words Chap. 9.28 29 30. are of a like import I am afraid of all my sorrows I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent If I be wicked why then labour I in vaine if I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own cloaths shall abhorre me Saying this thou hast said how innocent soever I am I shall not be dealt with as an innocent if I make my self never so clean God will throw me into the ditch that is into affliction From these speeches Elihu might charge Job with saying What profit is it as to my temporal good that I am cleansed from spiritual evil my sin As for his eternal estate that 's not the matter controverted in this book The summe of all amounts to this If I am cleansed from my sin I may be as great a sufferer and as hardly dealt with in this world as if I were altogether unclean And hence it might be inferred Surely Job was more righteous than God because while he laboured to please God as becometh his people and good servants to do God was pleased instead of rewarding him as he had done many and promised all who do so to afflict him as he useth to do and hath threatned to do to the worst of evil men the wicked Thus thou haâ—t said What advantage c. The word here rendred advantage signifieth gain any way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profuit contulit utiliâ— commodin fuiâ— or any thing that is commodious and gainful to us thou hast said What advantage will it be unto thee Thus he brings in Job putting the question to himself what advantage should he get to himself in this life by living a religious or a holy life As if he had said Doubtless 't is concluded in thy breast thou shalt get none And to strengthen this thy unbelief at least to shew that thy unbelief in this poynt is very strong thou hast said the same thing in another dress of words a second time For I have heard thee saying thus also What profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin Job was taxed for a saying of the same scandalous sense Chap. 34.9 He hath said it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God There Elihu accuseth him for affirming in a third person it profiteth a man nothing and here for questioning in his own person What profit shall I have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pâ—ofuit utilitatem attulit hinc Belial mutilis Some derive the word Belial from this root signifying an unprofitable one or an unthrift a man that doth no good either to himself or others What profit shall I have what shall I get All the good I shall get I may put in my eye and see never the worse In a word I shall not mend my condition if I mend my conversation so it followeth If I be cleansed from my sin The words If I be cleansed are not exprest in the Hebrew Text but are cleaâ—ly implyed and undeâ—stood For Job cannot be supposed to ask this question What profit shall I get by or from my sin that question were nothing to the present purpose or disputation And therefore though all Interpreters do not make this supplement yet all agree that a supplement is to be made Most concur in this What profit shall I have if I depart from or forsake my sin We say If I be cleansed from my sin As if these were Jobs thoughts this his saying Let me keep my sin or not keep my sin I see I am like to suffer I shall still be kept under the rod. That 's the plain sense of the words Elihu chargeth Job with complaining of God that it would be no advantage to him 〈◊〉 to the ease of himself from any outward affliction and calamity how much soever he forsook or were cleansed from his sin There are two other readings of this verse Nam dixisti quid profutura se justitia tua sit tibi item quid profiâ—iam ex ea magis quam ex peccato meo Pisc Rab Sclom which I shall only name and then give two or three Notes from our own First Thus Thou hast said What profit shall I have more by it that is by my righteousness than by my sins As if his meaning were which is a very grosse one What good shall I get by well-doing more than by ill-doing One of the Rabbins takes in strongly with this comparative exposition between those remotest moral extreams good and evil as to his case But I dare not joyn either with the one or other in this interpretation Si roges quid profuturum sit â—ibi dicens quid proficerem a supplicia mea Jun A second gives it thus If thou demandest what may it profit thee saying What good shall I get by further punishment or suffering It hath been said before that those words If I be cleansed are not found expresly in the Hebrew Text And the word in our Translation rendred sin signifieth also punishment or suffering which is the fruit or effect of sin So that according to
we may see much of God they are a Natural Alphabet the Letters whereof being well placed and rightly put together we may spell the name of God his Wisdome Power and Goodnesse Thus the Apostle argues Rom. 1.19 20. That which may be known of God is manifest in them or to them that is to the very Heathens His proof for this is taken from the poynt now proposed For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are cleerly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and God-head The Apostle layes it down in general Whatsoever is made whatsoever is part of the Creation holds out somewhat of God The very Clods of the Earth declare his Power how much more the Clouds and Starrs of Heaven Therefore Look to the Heavens Behold the Clouds consider them Psal 19.2 They declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work If you ask more particularly what do they declare I answer First That God is every Creature doth so if there be a Creature there must needs be a Creator If there be Effects there must be an Efficient the made Heavens declare their Maker Secondly The Heavens declare not only that God is but that he is above Christ hath taught us to pray Our Father which art in Heaven God is every where yet there especially Heaven is the Habitation of his Holinesse and of his Glory Thirdly In the purity of the Heavens we may see the holinesse and purity of God and they being so incorruptible and unchangeable declare Fourthly The incorruptibility and unchangeablenesse of God He that made them such is much more such himself The very unchangeablenesse of the Heavens is changeable compared with the unchangeablenesse of God The Heavens saith David Psal 102.25 26. are the work of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure or stand yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end Fifthly The Heavens which God hath built as a House for himself being so high above the touch of the Creature shew us that God is infinitely exalted above the reach and molestation of sinful man that 's the thing which Elihu aims at as appears by what followeth in the next words Look to the Heavens and see behold the Clouds which are higher than thou Vers 6. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy transgressions be multiplyed what dost thou unto him As if he had said When thou lookest to the Heavens thou plainly seest thou canst do nothing against them it would be a vain thing for thee to attempt the Heavens to clamber up to the Clouds surely then thy sinnings thy frettings thy discontents and complaints cannot hurt God therefore be quiet If thou sinnest The word here used notes sin in the least degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erraviâ— any error or deviation from the Rule but it comprehends sins of the highest degree even such as the Prophet calls Amos 5.12 Mighty sins If thou sinnest at the greatest rate at the height of blasphemy What dost thou against him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non tam nocere quam opâ—rare et laborare significat q. d. Laborando et adnitendo quid tandem efficies quo illum laedas Pined The Hebrew is What workest thou against him Properly the word signifieth only to work we render it by working against that is to the hurt and disadvanâ—age of another to his mischief and undoing As if he had said If thou shouldest set thy shoulder to the work if thou shouldest do evil with both hands greedily yet thou canst make no work of it in this matter what dost thou against him what hurt hath he by it And to assure Job that he hath none nor can have any Elihu serves him up the same Messe in another Dish of words in the close of the verse Or if thy transgressions be multiplyed Here Elihu speaks as high as he meant before Transgressing is more thâ—n ordinary sinning though as was toucht upon the word under sinning he comprehended any the most extraordinary transgressings If thy sins be transgressions rebellions or prevarications and they be multiplyed if thou sinnest out of malice and wrathful purpose against God himself and dost not only commit some one of these but many and heapest them up together yet c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et ad molem et numerum communis est If thy transgressions be multiplyed The word signifies both magnitude and multitude hence some render If thy transgressions be great we say If they be many Sin as much as thou wilt and sin as often as thou wilt sin as much as thou canst what hurt hath God by it Some by sin in the former part of the verse understand that evil which is committed immediately against God and by transgressions in this latter clause such evils as are done against our neighbour But I see no need at all to be so distinct we may take it respecting God or man or both for those sins which we commit against man are also against God he is the person offended his Law is broken against whomsoever the sin is committed If thou multiply thy transgressions What dost thou unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That word What dost thou signifies not only or not so much strong labour and endeavour as the former did but cunning in labour and skill in labour As if he had said Though a man set all his wits awork to do evil what can he do to him Neither pains nor skill neither industry nor policy neither open force nor secret stratagems can do him any the least annoyance Some Creatures are weak and inconsiderable as to any thing they can do by outward power yet they can do much by their subtilty and cunning but neither the one nor the other can do any thing unto God Scrue up thy wits to the highest pin or peg yet thou canst do nothing really prejudicial unto him The words are plain from them Observe First God receives no dammage by the sin of man how great or how many soever his sins are A man may quickly vex and undo himself by sin Wisdome saith Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul All they that hate me love death But the sinner cannot hurt God he is far above us man can no more hurt God by sin than he can hurt the Clouds or the highest Heavens Had we an enemy above the Clouds were it not a madnesse to shoot arrows or bend our forces against him What is man to God! The School-man concludes Nothing can be added to Per actum hominis Deo nihil potest accrescere vel deperire Sed tamen homo in quantum in se est aliquid subtrahit Deo vel ei exhibet cum sâ—rvat vel non servat ordinem
pen of the Scribe is in vaine As if he had said You have been taught you have had the Law of the Lord and you aâ—e ready to boast of it as the Apostle observed Rom. 2.23 but with what face can ye take it upon your selves to be wise men or arrogate wisdome to your selves or so much as own the Law when you are so unready to pay that obedience which you owe to it The Crane the Turtle and Swallow the very fowls of Heaven follow the light of nature better than you have done the light of Scripture and daily instruction These reasonless creatures reason with themselves more rationally than you have done They say thus in themselves It is best for us to change our quarters and take our flight to some more benigne or milder region for here the season grows sharp and the weather tempestuous if we abide here we starve we perish with cold and hunger But you my people are so sottish that you change neither your minds nor manners you mend neither your wayes nor your works what changes soever I bring upon you or how much soever I vary my wayes and workings towards you you apply not your selves to my course and dealings with you but still take your own course say I or do I what I will you neither embrace seasons of grace and offers of mercy nor do ye labour either to prevent or to avoyd those storms of wrath and divine vengeance with which you have been often threatned and which hang in the clouds ready to drop down and overwhelme you And will ye say after all this we are wise when the fowls of the air appear wiser than you And will you say the Law of the Lord is with us when they guide themselves better by the Law of nature And forasmuch as it is thus with you have I not reason to conclude that Lo certainly in vaine made he it the pen of the Scribe is in vaine that is it was to little or no purpose that God at first enacted and published his Law Exod. 20. or appoynted Scribes to write it out that Copies of it might be transferred to and read by his people Deut. 17.18 Chap. 31.9 Is not both the making and writing of the Law vaine as to you seeing you are thus vaine and foolish even much more vaine and foolish than the Stork in the Heaven than the Turtle Crane and Swallow notwithstanding the making and writing out of the Law for you This will fill the faces of the wicked that is both of the prophane and formal professors of the Lords name with shame and confusion for ever when they shall be made to see and confesse that the beasts of the earth have followed their light better than they though God hath taught them more than the beasts of the earth and that the fowls of the air have carried themselves more wisely than they though God hath made them wiser than the fowls of the air Vers 12. There they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of evil men When Elihu had thus closely hinted the sin of those persons that acted below beasts and birds in their afflictions he proceeds to tell us what they do in their affliction There they cry but none giveth answer We translate these words But none giveth answer in a parenthesis we may read the verse without it and transferre those words to the end of the verse There they cry because of the pride of evil men but none giveth answer That is as some give the meaning they being oppressed by the pride of evil men cry out of their insolencies and their own miseries and yet can get no answer for the reasons given in the two former verses that is because they do not heartily and believingly apply themselves to God their Maker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A faciebus superbiae malorum Mont Propter superbiam malorum Pagn Ibi vel tunc Aâ—verbia loci pra adverbiis temporis passim sâ—â—untur Merc Mr Broughton understands it thus of the pride of oppressors There saith he they cry but he answers not concerning the wrong-doers pride Others take it for the pride of the oppressed There they cry The word rendred there is an Adverb of place but here it notes the time or estate rather in which these persons lived they were in an oppressed estate or condition when they cryed yet saith the Text None giveth answer that is they have no help when they cry they cry to men yea they cry to God for help but have none help is far from them God doth not answer them immediately by himself neither doth he send them answer by the hand of any other Now what is the reason of this The Text gives it partly yet somewhat obscurely in this verse more fully and clearly in the verse following The reason given here is their pride Because of the pride of evil men that is because themselves are so proud they are at once poor and proud humbled but not humble they are oppressed and subdued under the power of men yet their pride remains unsubdued and in full power they are laid low in estate but they are not lowly in spirit proud men oppress them and they though oppressed are still proud their hearts are not brought down though they are come down wonderfully as the Prophet spake of the captivated Jewes Lam. 1.9 They are fallen before men in misery but they are not fallen before God in humility they cry of wrong but themselves are not right and that 's the reason why they are not righted There they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of evil men This also is a good sense and may yeild us profitable instruction I leave the Reader to his choyce both being safe and usefull There they cry c. Note hence First They that are oppressed and brought low will be crying and complaining Both God and Men shall hear of them There they cry An afflicted condition is a complaining condition Nature being pinch't will speak I said Job Chap. 7.11 will not refraine my mouth I will speak in the anguish of my heart I will complain in the bitterness of my soul I mourn in my complaint said David Psal 55.2 The title of the 102d Psalm runs thus A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and powreth out his complaint before God Note Secondly Some in their afflictions do nothing but cry nothing but complain Elihu doth not say There they repent and there they humble themselves and there they turn to God but there they cry that they are troubled is the all the only thing that troubles them 'T is said before God teacheth man more than the beasts of the Earth but many in a day of affliction do no more than the Beasts of the Earth A Beast when hurt will cry he will rage and roare and that 's as much as many men do when they are hurt though God hath taught them more
impenitents among his own people by the Prophet Isa 1.15 Though you make many prayers I will not hear for your hands are full of blood Ye are full of bloody sins and ye have not humbled your selves nor cleansed your hearts and hands by the blood of the Covenant to this day and being in that case you may cry and pray till your hearts ake and your tongues ake too yet no prevailing with God no grant no hearing Another Prophet tells them as sad newes from the Lord Jer. 11.11 Behold I will bring evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape or go forth of and though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken to them Though the Lord threatned I will bring such evil upon them that they shall not escape they might say well but when the evil hath taken hold of us we hope God will hear us and deliver us No saith God when the evil hath overtaken and arrested you yet your prayers shall not overtake me Though you cry yet I will not hearken unto you That 's a dreadful Scripture of the same import Psal 18.41 They cryed but there was none to save them even unto the Lord but he answered them not They cryed being in great distresse and they cryed to the Lord he brings in that lest any should say they cryed indeed but possibly 't was to false gods to idols possibly they knockt at a wrong doore and so were not heard No they cryed to the Lord to the Lord by name they were right as to the object of prayer but their hearts were not right they were not right subjects of prayer That once blind man saw this truth when answering the Pharisees about the person by whose power he received his sight he told them plainly Joh. 9.31 We know that God heareth not sinners that is Such as love and live in sin such as go on impenitently in their sins By this answer he closely but strongly confuted that blasphemous opinion and censure of the Pharisees who reputed and reported the Lord Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners as one of the vilest sinners in the world and upon that account got him crucified at last As if the man had said Were he that cured me of my blindness such a sinner as you reckon him to be he could never have obtained power from God to cure me of my blindness for we know God heareth not sinners When men sin and pray as it were by turns their prayers are turned into sin and therefore will not be returned in mercy God sometimes hears sinners in wrath and judgement and he sometimes will rot hear Saints as to the grant of the thing in hand prayed for in love and mercy but he never denies praying Saints in wrath nor doth he ever hear a sinner such a one as is here intended in mercy when he prayeth Now as when the Disciples heard Christs answer to the Pharisees question about Divorce they presently said Math. 19.10 If the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry so some hearing this doctrine that God heareth not proud sinners when they cry or pray may possibly say if the case of the proud be thus with God it is not good for them to pray at all To such I answer this doctrine is not urged to make proud or impenitent sinners to leave praying but to leave their pride 't is urged to make them humble under their oppressions and afflictions not to make them prophane They who as they are cannot get by prayer certainly they cannot get by casting off prayer What answer can they have who cry not at all to God when some may cry and get no answer as Elihu here speaks There they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of wicked men This sense or interpretation most insisted upon in this 12th verse will appear more full and faire in opening the 13th Ad dicti superioris confirmationem Epiphonemaris vice subjicit in which Elihu brings down what he said here into a strong and peremptory conclusion or the next verse renders another reason why God would not relieve those oppressed ones It was not only for the pride of their spirits v. 12. but also for the emptiness and heartlesness of their prayers or because the prayers of proud and evil men are heartless or empty Vers 13. Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it They cry but God will not hear why will he not hear what hinders He tells us both why and what Surely God will not hear vanity What is vanity What saith vanity hath vanity a tongue can vanity speak the Text saith God will not hear vanity 'T is frequent in Scripture to ascribe a tongue and a voyce to sin of any kind though some sins are more vocall and speak louder than others yet all speak But when he saith Surely or without all Question the Lord will not hear vanity by vanity we are to understand vaine men praying or vanity is put for the prayers and crys of those persons who are as vaine as vanity it self The word rendred vanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temeritas falsitas mendacium dicitur de re salsa vana levi mutili signifieth a lie as also rashness temerity God will neither hear rash-headed nor false-hearted prayers he will not hear vaine prayers or the prayers of vaine men The Abstract is often put for the Concrete in Scripture Psal 107.42 All iniquity shall stop her mouth When the Lord brings about that mighty work the bringing down of the mighty sets the poor on high those that are at once poor and humble the Lord will set on high then Iniquity that is wicked men men of iniquity shall stop their mouths or have their mouths stopt they shall not have a word to say as gaine-saying that righteous and glorious work of God So here God will not hear vanity that is vaine men or men that pray vainly all that which men speak or act is vaine or vanity if it be not good if it be not answerable to the will and ends of God yea whatsoever prayer doth not proceed from faith and flow from a pure heart is vanity 't is but straw and stubble dross and dung God will not hear vanity Neither will the Almighty regard it He that will not hear will much less regard vanity The sense is gradual regarding is more than hearing we may put both together he will not hear with regard nor regard what he hears from such The strong God who hath all power in his hand the power of Authority or the power of a Judge will not hear vanity The All-mighty The All-sufficient who hath all power of efficiency in his hand the nourisher and preserver the punisher and correcter of all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intendit oculos visum intentis fiaeis oculis intuitus est solicitè
observavit this Shaddai will not regard vanity he will not give it a look with respect no not one good look The word signifies to fix or set the eye with strong intention upon any thing or person The Prophet Elisha spake to this sense though he used another word when he said to the King of Israel 2 King 3.14 Were it not that I regard the presence of the King of Judah I would not look to thee nor see thee The Lord will not regard he will not look to vanity to the prayers of vaine men he will as it were shut his eyes he will not see though he doth see The Almighty will not regard it Hence Note First The prayers of vaine and evil persons are vaine things The Text doth not say their oaths are vaine and their lies are vaine and their idle words are vaine but their cry their crys in prayer to God are vaine yea vanity There may be vanity in the prayer of a good man but his prayer is not vanity That 's a just reproof upon the good works of many which Christ gave the Angel of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.3 I have not found thy works perfect or I have not found thy works full Though that Angel had done good works and possible was full of good works yet his works were not full A man may be full of prayer pray often yet his prayer not full his prayers may be empty vaine prayers that 's a vaine thing which is an empty thing How vaine are they whose best things are vanity If the prayers of a man are vanity then certainly all is vanity and we may say of him in the whole bulke of all he is vanity of vanities all is vanity When once God calls a mans prayer and hearing vanity when he calls those works which are good for the matter of them vanity then the man is indeed altogether vanity You will say when is prayer vanity or a vaine thing I shall answer it in a few particulars First That prayer is vaine or vanity which is not put up in faith A faithless prayer is a fruitless prayer All the prayers of an unbeliever or of him who is in a state of unbeliefe are vaine and the prayers of a believer that is who is in his state a believer are vaine if he hath not faith about that thing for which he prayeth Now if the prayer of a believer is vaine when he hath not actual faith then the prayer of an unbeliever must needs be vaine who hath no habitual faith Secondly All the prayers that are for our lusts or when we resolve to continue in the practise of any lust are vaine prayers When we do not pray with a purpose to glorifie God with what we shall obtain by prayer but only to serve our own turns and so bestow it upon our lusts that 's a vaine prayer James 4.3 Such praying is rather a mocking than a worshiping of God a serving of our selves rather than a serving of God How do they abuse God in prayer who cry to him for help whom they have no mind to honour who would faine be heard of God yet have no heart to hear God Thirdly That 's a vaine prayer when we pray meerly to get ease or deliverance from an affliction not at all minding our profiting by or the improvement of an affliction 'T is not faith in God but sense of our own smart which moves to pray when we rather look how to get off our burdens Tales clamores non fides sed malorum sensus extorquer than out of our sins or to get out of the fire than to get out our dross when we pray more to have the plague taken away than our hard and proud hearts that is a vaine prayer 't is like the prayer of Pharaoh who begged that he might be delivered but it was the plague of God for his sin for his hard heart that troubled him his hard heart his sinning against God never troubled him Pharaoh-like prayers are vaine prayers Fourthly Those prayers are vaine which we make in our own strength What can those prayers be which go forth in our strength seeing we are told that we know not what to pray much less then how to pray but as the Spirit of God helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 Unlesse the Spirit make intercession for us that is make our intercessions for us in our hearts as Christ maketh intercession for us in heaven we pray in vaine Fifthly Those are vaine prayers which we make in our own name not in the name of Christ And remember though it be an easie matter to name Christ in prayer yet 't is no easie matter to pray in the name of Christ 'T is as common as that which is commonest for all sorts of people yea for children to name Christ in prayer but to pray in the name of Christ is the peculiar work of the Spirit in the heart of a true believer If the Reader desire to know more distinctly what it is to pray in the name of Christ I refer him for some help towards it to the 17th verse of the 16th Chapter where also the requisites of pure and powerful prayer are more fully held out Sixthly Angry passionate prayers are vaine prayers The Lord loves zeal and much warmth of affection in prayer but he cannot abide wrath or any the least sparks of passion in prayer The Apostles Rule is 1 Tim. 3.8 I will that men pray every where lifting up pure hands without wrath and without doubting A peaceable heart is as necessary in prayer as a pure hand When a soul coming to God in prayer hath I know not what wrathful and angry disputes within himself against his Brethren how can he look for a gracious acceptance with God Will the Lord be pleased with us while we nourish secret displeasure against our Neighbour Now be sure when you go to God for mercy and favour that ye carry no wrath in your spirits towards man one or other therefore Christ hath taught us in that most perfect model of prayer which he hath left us when we ask the forgiveness of our own trespasses to forgive those that trespasse against us We must lay down our unquiet thoughts of revenge if we would have favour with and compassion from God Seventhly Those are vain prayers which are not both formed and matter'd according to the Will of God 1 John 5.14 which are not grounded upon a just cause and which are not directed to a right end Besides all these I may add all cold Prayers sleepy Prayers slight-spirited or heartless Prayers meer foâ—mal Prayers tongue-wording Prayers which are not soul-working and self-affecting Prayers are to them who pray so but vain Prayers or as the Text speaks vanity These Rules must be observed in all our prayer-addresses to God else prayer is vain or vanity and when the prayer it self is vain the person praying hath no hearing God will not hear vanity
refers to a person brought before a Judge for the tryal of his Cauâ—e and standing before him not as a guilty Malefactor with a heavy heart and a down-look but as a man conscious of his own innocency with much honest boldnesse and well tempered confidence The words following intimate such a sence of that word Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him that is be bâ—ought to tryal yet Judgement is before him he will certainly try thee This I take to be the most proper Explication of these words Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him Job spake this as the worst of his case as that which was a greater grief and misery to him than all his other miseries and griefs that God would not set him in a clear light before others or that himself should not have a clear light from God concerning his condition Hence Note The sight of God or Gods discoverie of himself in any dark case is very sweet to an upright and gracious soul Job had begged for this once and again though possibly as Elihu would here convince him he was something too forward in it and did not enough reflect upon himself yet as he had often desired it so doubtlesse it was exceeding much upon his heart that he might have a clear discovery from God The Apostle in somewhat a like case in being aspersed in his Ministry saith We are made manifest unto God 2 Cor. 5.11 It pleased him that he was manifest unto God But when God is pleased to manifest himself unto a Soul how pleasing is that When we can say now we see God we see him clearing up our way clearing up our integrity clearing up our state how satisfying is it And as it is most sweet and satisfying to see God clearing up our state to our own consciences so it is exceeding sweet to see him clearing up our actions to the eye of the world as the Apostle spake in the same place We are manifest unto God and I trust alsâ— are made manifest in your consciences As if he had said we hope God hath discovered us to you and your consciences do also attest with us and for us what we are Light is sweet the light of the air saith Solomon and it is pleasant to behold the Sun the Sun in the firmament how much more sweet is the light of divine favour as also of our own faithfulness shining into our hearts and upon our wayes so that we are able to say now we see the Lord graciously rolling away our reproach owning us and taking our part before and against all the opposing contradicting woâ—ld Secondly Note A godly man may lose the sight and present apprehension of God as owning of him and taking care of him It is so often as to our spiriâ—ual estate and it may be so as to our outward state hence those many complainings which we find in the Psalmes and those many deprecations as to the hiding of Gods face David would faine have kept sight of God O how he desired to see him to behold him yet many times he did not neither as to the assurance of his spiritual interest Saepe deus ostendit faciem suam sed non ita ut cupitait homines ideóque non vident se videre ut ita dicâ—m Coc nor as to the comforts of his outward condition Psal 13.1 Psal 27.9 Psal 30.7 As God sometimes sheweth himself in a kind of cloud or darkness in fire and tempest which is very terrible to the soul so he at other times discovers himself only a little or gives but a glimpse of himself clearly to stir up further desi es of seeing him and to make us weary of all we see in this world in these cases we may be said not to see God when we see him Many godly men are in such a dark condition that they think God hideth his face from them in displeasuâ—e when indeed he doth not but only tryeth them to see what is in them and whether they will obey him in hope and paâ—ience and keep close to him in holy walkings even when he seemeth to depart from them and withdraw his presence Thirdly Observe Good men are apt sometimes to make over-sad conclusions against themselves As evil men are apt to make over-good conclusions for themselves they doubt not but they shall see and enjoy God O what presumptuous thoughts have men and what peremptory though groundless conclusions do they make for themselves upon false and rotten premises they will say they know God and are known of God they see God and enjoy God when they know not the meaning much less have tasted the comfort of knowing God or of being known by him of seeing God or of enjoying him These mysterious experiences are not every man's meat nor every man's matters who makes title to the knowledge of God The Apostle saith expresly 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him And again Chap. 3.6 Whosoever sinneth that is loves and lives in sin hath not seen him neither known him Yet how many are there far from keeping the Commandements of God far from a holy life yea far from a holy state so far from such a holy life as of which it may be said in a Gospel sense that they sin not that indeed they do nothing else but sin yet these are apt to conclude they see God they see him by faith they know him they doubt not but he is their God Now as many carnal men are apt to make false conclusions to themselves of an interest in God when there is no such matter kindling a fire and compassing themselves about with their own sparks as the Prophet speaks Isa 50.11 that is with vaine conceits of their own blowing up that all is well with them when all that they who do so shall have at Gods hand is they shall lie down in sorrow So on the other side godly men often times make sad conclusions against themselves they say as Job in the Text they shall not see him who though as was shewed in opening the Text he did not conclude against his sight of God by grace or that he had no sight of him by faith yet he had not a comfortable sight as to his present enjoyment and he doubted whether ever he should in this world Jonah made such a conclusion Chap. 2.4 Then I said I am cast out of thy sight As Hezekiah said in his sickness Isa 38.11 I shall not see the Lord even the Lord in the Land of the living that is I shall die and shall no more go into the house of the Lord to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple which was the one thing even the only thing in this life which David desired and resolved to seek after Psal 27.4 So many while they live are apt to make such conclusions they
time and means and manner as in all his outward Administrations so in ministring or giving out this right the Lord waits to be gracious till we are ready for his grace and he waits in the same sence to be righteous till the poor are ready for their right they shall not stay for it when once they are ready for it and it would be a wrong to them to have their right before they are ready for it Lastly There is a day spoken of wherein the Lord will do all his poor right in the view of all the world Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained The day approacheth wherein the Lord will judge the world in righteousness Right is prepared designed for them The time till right shall be done to all as is desired or to the utmost of their desires maketh hast He that shall come will come and will not tarry Behold saith he I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his works shall be Rev. 22.12 And if the Lord come with a reward in his hand for those who have done well he will undoubtedly come with right in his hand to give all those who have suffered wrongfully JOB Chap. 36. Vers 7. He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous but with Kings are they on the throne yea he doth establish them for ever and they are exalted THis verse contains a further confirmation of Gods righteous and gracious dealing with the righteous and gracious poor yea with all that are righteous and gracious The words may be taken either in a stricter or in a larger sense First Strictly as an Exposition of the latter part of the former verse He giveth right to the poor that is He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous We may put both together He is so set to give right to the righteous poor he takes such care of them that he cannot take his eye off from them Secondly In a larger and more general sense as a Conclusion upon the whole matter that God will not desert any righteous person whether poor or rich high or low God will take notice of piety and godliness wheresoever he finds it He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minuit diminuit ademit substraxit The word which we translate withdraweth and is here used negatively He withdraweth not signifies strictly in the Noune any kind of abatement or diminution and in the Verb to diminish or abate or take short in any kind that which was before When Pharaoh Exod. 5.8 gave out a fresh Charge for burdening or indeed oppressing the Children of Israel in their bondage the Order ran in this stile The tale of bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them you shall not diminish or withdraw any you shall not abate them a brick And Moses shewing how sacred a thing the Word of God is Deut. 9.2 gives a double check or prohibition to all medlers with it First to medlers by way of addition Ye shall not add unto the Word Secondly by way of abateâ—ent or abstraction Ye shall not diminish or withdraw from it it is this word As if the Lord had said Every tittle of my word shall stand by it self and every Iota be establisht be sure that ye put nothing to it that you withdraw nothing from it Further this word which we translate withdraw is rendred also to clip as the hayr of the head or beard is clipt Jer. 48.37 It is indeed high treason against the King of Heaven to clip his coyn his word which bears the royal stamp and superscription of his truth and holiness Thus here he withdraweth not that is the Lord doth not abate lessen diminish or take off his eyes from the righteous his eyes are fixed on them for good alwayes and they are alwayes fixed in the same strength and vertue He withdraweth not His eyes God is a Spirit without parts and passions yet often in Scripture parts and passions are ascribed to him in allusion to man here eyes He withdraweth not his eyes that is his sight Oculos domini esso super aliquem nisi aliquid additur semper in bonum sumitur peculiarem ejus favorem et curam importat Bold or his providence And we may take notice that in Scripture where this expression is used without any further addition it is alwayes taken in a good sense When we read either of Gods keeping his eyes upon his people or of his not withdrawing his eyes from his people it alwayes respects their priviledge benefit and comfort He withdraweth not his eyes From the righteous He doth not say from this or that righteous man but from the righteous implying the whole kind or generation of the righteous The indefinite is universal we may render it thus he withdraweth not his eyes from any that are righteous The righteous here may be taken in a two-fold notion First for the righteous as to their state or who are in a state of righteousness Man wanting a righteousness of his own hath the righteousness of another assigned and imputed to him Justified persons through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ are righteous persons as hath been shewed heretofore Secondly We may take righteous here with respect to the righteousness of their wayes and actions They who do righteousness are righteous saith the Apostle John To a righteous state there belongs a righteous way a righteous walk righteous acting not that the righteous do not sin but they would not nor do they sin at all as the unrighteous It is a high blemish or staine to the Gospel when any that pretend to a righteous state or to righteousness by Jesus Christ are not righteous as to their wayes and course as to their walkings and workings whether towards God or man 'T is true in a strict legal sense none are righteous no not one but in a Gospel sense all justified and fanctified persons are righteous and they are called so not only positively as to what themselves are but comparatively as to what the men of the world are who live in a state or walk in a course of sin and unrighteousness The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous But some may here object or question Is this true only of the righteous Doth the Lord at any time withdraw his eyes from the unrighteous truly that would be very good newes to many unrighteous persons they would be glad that they and their way might be hid from God or that God would not look upon them I answer This Scripture is not to be so understood as if God did behold the righteous and not the wicked for Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are every where beholding the evil and the good whether things done or persons doing them The Lord doth not withdraw his eyes from
He hath brought down the mighty from their seats and hath exalted the lowly and meek We have some Scripture-instances of such exaltations Joseph a righteous person was cast into bonds yet God sets him not only at liberty but on high he was with the King on the Throne Only in the Throne said Pharaoh Gen. 42.40 will I be greater than thou and all were commanded to bow the knee to him David a righteous person followed the Ewes great with young and the Lord set him upon the Throne upon the Throne of Israel Valentinian was committed to prison by the command of Julian the Apostate because he struck an Idolatrous Priest that would have sprinkled him aqua lustrali with their unholy holy water as he stood in the gate of the Temple where Julian was sacrificing to his Idol-gods yet he escaped that danger and afterwards ascended the Throne of that Great Empire The Lord knows both how to deliver the righteous out of trouble and to bring them to honour Lastly We may hence infer If the righteous are with Kings on the Throne then righteousness hath a reward Them that honour me saith the Lord 1 Sam. 2.30 I will honour It is no vaine thing to serve the Lord to be righteous and to do righteously cannot but issue well The Lord hath all promotions at his dispose Psal 75.6 7. And therefore he saith Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eate the fruit of their doings Isa 3.10 With Kings are they on the Throne Yet let me add by way of Caution that neither this Text nor the notes given from it are so to be understood as if all righteous persons might hence expect great advancements in this world or to be the special Favourites of Kings and Princes The word of God doth not feed such humours but mortifies them nor doth it cherish any such aspiring expectations in righteous men but teaches them quiet submission in their own private stations and callings to those who are upon the Throne So that while Elihu saith of the righteous With Kings are they on the Throne his meaning must be taken soberly and may be taken distinctly thus First That God hath great respect to and high favours for righteous men Secondly That he brings some of them as it is said of Daniel with the Prince of the Eunuches Chap. 1.9 into favour and tender love with Kings and Princes Thirdly That the Lord hath often advanced righteous persons to Thrones and Kingly Dignities And when-ever the Lord advanceth any of the righteous Etiamsi id externè non fiat semper tamen omnium fides pietas quorundam piorum exaltatione honoratur Coc. he makes good this promise because in the exaltation of one the faith and piety of all righteous persons or the whole kind of them is honoured and exalted Fourthly To be sure all the righteous shall be with Kings on the Throne hereafter Christ hath purchased and is gone to prepare a Kingdome for the righteous and will give them a better Crown than any this world affords an incorruptible one As now the righteous are spiritual Kings or Kings in a spiritual sense Rev. 1.6 that is they rule over and keep in subjection their own lusts and corruptions pride ambition love of the world wrath envy and whatever else in them doth rebell and exalt it self against the knowledge of God yea they as Kings in this world conquer the world by faith 1 Joh. 5.4 and the Prince of this world the devil through the power of Jesus Christ as I say all the righteous are now spiritual Kings in the sense given through grace here on earth so they shall be glorious Kings and reigne with Christ for ever in Heaven and then shall this word of God by Elihu be fulfilled to the utmost With Kings are they upon the Throne Yea he doth establish them for ever and they are exalted Elihu proceeds to shew the happiness of the righteous yet further The Lord doth not only advance them but establish them nor doth he only establish them for a while but even perpetuateth their establishment He establisheth them for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sedere in hac conjugatione sedere fecit The word is He makes them sit We render fully to the sense He establisheth them The Lord sets them up on high and then settles them on high Some get on high but they cannot keep on high they find no establishment there but God can establish For ever The for ever of this world is a long time The Lord saith of Sion Psal 132.14 Here will I dwell for ever that is long Thus in the text He will establish them for ever that is they shall have long establishment And if we take it as to their exaltation in the other world there God will establish them to the utmost latitude of for ever that is to eternity The Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in victoriam Sept Sic 2 Sam. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will establish them to victory The same word in the Hebrew signifies eternity and also victory because eternity overcomes and triumphs over all The Lord shall settle them to victory and that may have a good interpretation with respect to the power of God in setling them He shall settle them to victory that is they shall in his power overcome all difficulties that stand in the way of their establishment Hence Note As preferment so establishment is from God First He establisheth all things whether they be First natural things the heavens and the earth times and seasons Gen. 8.22 or Secondly Civil things States and Nations or Thirdly Spiritual things First the Gospel and the Church of the Gospel that he establisheth as a Rock against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile Mat. 16.18 so Isa 44.28 Psal 87.5 Secondly Grace in the hearts of his people 1 Pet. 5.10 and them in the wayes of grace 2 Thes 2.17 Chap. 3.3 Thus God establisheth all things Secondly He establisheth counsels and actions Isa 44.26 He confirmeth the word of his servants and performeth the counsel of his Messengers that is he makes good and brings to effect that word which they have given in counsel And as for actions Moses prayeth Psal 90.17 Establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Whatever is in our hands quickly molders away and as the enemies said when the Jewes built the walls of Jerusalem Neh. 4.3 If a Fox go up upon it it will fall unless the Lord establish it but neither the Foxes with their subtilty nor the Lyons with their power and cruelty shall be able to overthrow that wall or those actions which the Lord is pleased to establish for he doth establish them For ever Hence Note The Lord can establish not only for a time but for alwayes he can give a
the cords of affliction when they came down into Egypt for Corn and were in great streights through the policy of their Brother to discover them not out of any design to hurt them Then they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother Gen. 42.21 And vers 22. Reuben answered them saying Spake I not unto you saying Do not sin against the child and ye would not hear therefore behold also his blood is required Then their sin appeared to them in bloody colours then that sinfulness of their work appeared to them which they saw not before Affliction is a dark condition yet it brings much light into the soul Affliction brings light to discover our works of da knesse that is the sinfulnesse of our works troubles make Comments upon our works â—fflictions expound our actions and shew whâ—re the error of them is We are usually very blind to see or discern a fault in our selves or in what we have done untill God openeth our eyes by laying a crosse upon our backs Then he sheweth them their work And their transgressions that they have exceeded Here we see as was toucht before what kind of works they are which God sheweth them in affliction Sceâ—era eorum Vulg. works of transgression or the transgâ—ession of their works The Vulgar Laâ—ine renders the Text by a harder word Their wickednesses or villanies Others by a word of no lesse if not of a more hard and harsh signification He sheweth them their prevaricatiâ—n as if they had dealt cunningly and treacherously wiâ—h God not plainly clearly and above board as if they had used tricks and policies very much unbecoming righteous persons Most give it a more easie title as we translating by a word that will comply with any sin Nomen hoc usurpatur etiam de levioribus viâ—iis Drus transgrâ—ssion every sin the least sin is a transgression Sin is a transgression of the Law in the very nature of it and taking the word in this lowest and most favourable notion Observe God will not spare he will not spare the righteous for their transgressions or lesser faults if they do not judge and humble themselves If their sins be but slips the Lord will make them know what they have done But there seemeth to be a great aggravation in the Text upon these transgressions which more than intimates that they are no small ones for 't is added And their transgressions That they have exceeded Some read the words in the Present Tense or time He sheweth them their transgressions when they exceed or prevail As if the meaning were God doth not suffer the sins of righteous perfons to grow too potent and prevalent upon them but takes them in time and â—ips their sins in the bud when he sees they begin to grow strong upon them least if let alone they might be foyled by them and so fall into open scandal or be hardly with-drawn from them It is no easie thing to master and mortifie a lust when once it hath got head and therefore it is a very gracious work of God to shew a man his sin convincingly and humble him for it when he perceives it rising in strength This is a pious sense and profitable We read it in the past time When they have exceeded That is when these righteous persons have exceeded much in their transgressions As much as to say when they have sinned exceedingly or when their sins are many and great when according to the Hebrew they are waxen mighty then the Lord sees it high time to deal with them The word which we render exceeded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from a root that signifieth a strong or mighty man and in the Verb to act strongly and mightily as if Elihu had said He sheweth them that they have sinned like Giants and mighty men they have sinned greatly grievously And 't is possible for those that are righteous in their state to sin greatly not only to transgresse but to exceed in their transgressions that they have exceeded Hence Note First There is an excessiveness or an exceedingness in some sins All men sin but the sins of all men at least all the sins of all good men do not exceed they are not all of a high stature they are not all strong and mighty sins as the Lord by his Prophet called those of Israel Amos 5.12 We usually distinguish of sins some are sins in the excesse and some in the defect Prodigality is a sin in the excess and Parcimony is a sin in the defect Superstition is a sâ—n in the excess when men will worship God more than he requires or in what he requires not Prophaneness or neâ—lect of Worship as also negligence in Worship are sins in defect Thus some sins are in the excess others in the defect yet every transgression hath a kind of excess in it and some aâ—e exceedingly excessive And because when any exceedingly exceed in sinning their sins may be said to reign therefore I suppose Mâ— Braughton translates this Text so And that their trespasses reigned For though as to a course of sin it is inconsistent with the state of a righteous man that sin should reigne in him yet as to this or that act it may reigne sin may reigne over and bring under a godly man by the violence of a present temptation though it cannot reigne over him as it doth over the wicked by a willing submission As the best sin alwayes so sometimes they have sinned greatly they have exceeded Davids sin exceeded his sin as to that act master'd and reigned over him Solomons sin exceeded when in his old age his wives turned away his heart to other gods 1 Kings 11.4 And Peters sin exceeded when he denied his Master The righteous are not exempt from a particular reigne of sin though through grace they are delivered from the reigne of any the least particular sin As there is no kind so no degree of sin but a godly man may fall into it except that against the holy Ghost and totall Apostacy from his profession Secondly God sheweth them that they have exceeded that 's it which God sheweth them in their affliction Hence observe Many see their sin that do not see the exceedingness of their sin or that they have exceeded in sin Not only natural and carnal men who see that they have sinned do not at all see the exceedingness of their sin but some good men see that they have sinned but see not presently the exceeding no nor half the evil of their sin therefore saith Elihu He sheweth them their transgression that they have exceeded Paul before his conversion knew that he had sinned but he knew not the sinfulness of his sin which yet afterwards was to him exceeding sinfull Rom. 7.13 As it is the height of our corruption to commit sins exceeding sinfull so it is a very high poynt of grace to see the exceeding sinfulness of our sin You will say how
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
Job is here censured not strictly as if he had done like wicked men but because he did not suffer so patiently as became a good man this was in him a fulfilling of the judgment of the wicked Hence note Not to submit heartily and humble our selves freely when the afflâ—cting hand of God is upon us is to do very sinfully even like the wicked I shall not stay upon this having spoken of the extream sinfulness of murmuring and impatience under the hand of God heretofore Secondly Note If we give way to any corruption or passion it will quickly carry us a very great way in sin and from our duty They that are good in their state may sometimes in their acts as Job here fulfil the judgment of the wicked As hypocrites fulfil in appearance the judgment of the upright that is do like upright men so the upâ—ight may in appearance do like hypocrites and then they also fulfil the judgement of the wicked Job said to his wife in the second chapter Thou speakest like a foolish woman and now Elihu tells him thou hast spoken and done as a wâ—cked man Note Thirdly They who do like the wicked must not think much if they be numbred with the wicked and involved in the same outward evils and judgments which usually fall upon wicked men Though we may not judge such a mans eternal estate like that of the wicked yet as to this or that act we may without breach of charity number him among the wicked and he may quickly feel the same smart which the wicked feel They that are godly should act like godly men and not do any thing that represents the lusts or practises the judgement or conversation of the ungodly left it be said in one sence or other of them as here Elihu of Job you also have fulfilled the judgement of the wicked Therefore judgment and justice take hold of thee As if he had said I told thee before if thou had'st humbled thy self thou shouldest have had a large place and full table store of mercies and favours but now judgment and justice take hold of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are two words which sometimes are used distinctly but here they signifie the same thing or the one is but an explanation of the other Justice and Judgment some take justice for the habit and judgment for the act exercise or decree as if he had said Justice hath sent forth Judgment upon thee and now both take hold of thee God hath noâ—ed thy sin in thy sad condition Yet the original doth not determine it upon Jobs person expresly it doth not say Justice and Judgment take hold of thee but Justice and Judgment take hold we supply they take hold of thee for that 's it which Elihu intends Justice and Judgment take hold of thee O Jâ—b nor will they let thee go We find the word so used in several places Prov. 3.18 Wisdom is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her And as the believers closing with and hold-fast upon Christ is expressed by this word so also is the hold which sin takes of an unbeliever Prov. 5.22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin Judgment and Justice take hold of thee Hence Note First God will not indulge sin in any no not in his own servants If a Job do like wicked men he shall smart like the wicked Though God will not cast any of his servants to hell for ever yet they may be cast into a temporary hell The Lord told David as much in case his Children should disobey him and break covenant with him though he would not cast them off yet they should pay dearly for it He would visit their transgressions with a râ—d and their iniquities with stripes Psal 89.32 The History of Davids children makes good that Prophesie and so hath the dealings of God with believers in all ages who are the seed the children of David mystical that is of Christ whom and whose spiritual children the Spirit of God chiefly pointed at in that Psalm They that do like evil men shall suffer like evil men Justice and Judgment properly and strictly take hold of the wicked and disobedient only as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient c. Yet when they that are righteous are found doing like the lawless and disobedient the Law that is Justice and Judgment will take hold of them Tygurina legit intâ—ansitive Causa judicium retinebunt i. e. sustent bunt vigorem suum quamdiu impius fueris Again Some read the words intransitively Justice and Judgment shall hold or hold on still that is they will hold on their course or way in punishing as long as thou hold'st on thy course or way in sinning Hence note So long as any man lives in any sinful way he shall find Justice and Judgement taking hold of him Justice will not leave sinners till they have left their sins Again Justice and Judgment take hold of thee that is they hold thee fast Hence note There 's no getting out of the hand of divine Justice Men oftentimes get out of the hand of man's justice they can break prison they can file off their fetters and cast their cords from them but none can break Gods prison none can get out of the hands of divine Justice As Justice and Judgement shall take hold of attach and arrest sinners so they will hold them fast they cannot make an escape nor can any rescue them till God signes a warrant for their release We cannot hinder God in the exercise or execution of Justice nor turn him aside from his purpose either by our power or pollicies God can easily hinder men of their purposes and can undo what-ever they have done but none can make the Justice and Judgment of God let go their hold Therefore let us take heed while we hold sin and iniquity nothing can deliver us from the hand or hold off the sin-chastning and avenging hand of God However men fail the Justice and Judgment of God are everlasting they hold on their course still though men do not Though we could pluck the Sun out of the firmament yet not Justice out of the hand of God We can neither put God besides his rule nor force him from his purpose These are the two great Prerogatives of God he hath first a righteousness which cannot be perverted secondly a Justice which cannot be interrupted JOB Chap. 36. Vers 18 19 20. 18. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroke then a great ransom cannot deliver thee 19. Will he esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength 20. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place IN these three verses Elihu presseth the Application of the former Doctrine upon Job by
him to take heed of speaking or uttering any thing rashly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Custodivit servavit unduely or unbecomingly of God in respect of his troubles and sufferings and this he urgeth upon him by two sorts of arguments as will appear when I come to handle the two following verses Take heed regard not inniquity As if he had said beware be well advised what thou dost and what thou sayest The word which we here render take heed signifies to keep and preserve but most properly to prevent and keep off any evil that it fall not upon us The noun from this root signifies a watch tower upon which a person stands to observe and give warning of any danger or to descry any approaching enemy 'T is translated take heed as here so 1 Kings 2.4 where David upon his death-bed gives counsel to Solomon his son and successor what to do and how to walk in the way of the Lord that saith he the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me saying if thy children take heed to their wayes that is if they are very watchful over their wayes both as to their personal and princely walkings if they walk in my statutes then I will do thus and thus for them Thus saith Elihu take heed look about you have your eyes in your head be careful These take heeds are frequent in Scripture From whence before I come to the matter about which Elihu would have Job take heed Observe It is our duty to be heedful We cannot be dutiful unless we are heedful a headless person cannot be a faultless person This duty runs quite through all we have to do take heed first to the inward motions of the soul take heed how what you think Pro. 4.23 keep thy heart with all diligence with all keepings with all heedings it is this word in the text heed thy heart that is thy first stirrings and motions unto any work Secondly take heed as to the first motions of the soul so to the affections of the soul which are soul-motions formed up and stated take heed of your affections how and what you desire how and what you love how and what you hate Thirdly take heed to the tongue how you speak and what you speak where you speak and why or for what ends you speak there is a great deal of take heed belonging to the tongue Fourthly take heed to the ear when ye hear others speak take heed how you hear and when ye hear and what you hear infection may soon come in at those ports Fifthly take heed to the eyes what you behold the eyes are windowes which often let in vanity yea I may say venome and poyson into the soul In a word take heed of all your actions or of your whole conversaâ—ion take heed what you do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod saepe animi intentionem vel contemplationem valet ad aliquem finem utpote ad miserandum vel interrogandum vel adjudicandum Bold and how you do it see that ye walk circumspectly take heed in and about all these things that ye sin not especially that ye neither have nor carry on any design or work that is sinful take heed that ye be not found falling into that errour to avoyd which Elihu calleth or awakeneth Job to this watchfulness take heed Regard not iniquity Here is the special matter in the text about which Elihu advises Job to be heedful regard not iniquity The word rendred regard signifies the turning of the face to look upon any object that which we much regard we turn about to look upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniqâ—itas vanitas as that which we slight we turn away from it and will not look upon it we turn our face to a person or thing signifying our approbation and we turn away our face to shew our dislike and therefore we do well express this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Absurda indecentia Sept. which signifies to turn the face by regarding turn not thy face to iniquity look not to it give it not any respect or countenance regard not Iniquity The word signifies vanity properly All iniquity is vanity sin is vanity and sin hath brought vanity into the whole creation yea sin makes all things a vexation to us The Chaldee saiâ—h regard not a lie the Septuagint regard not things absurd or uncomly But what Iniquity doth Elihu here chiefly intend I answer It is a truth of Iniquity in general regard not any iniquity yet here Elihu speaks not in that compass as if he should say regard not robbery regard not murder regard not adultery and wantonness regard not any of these foul and gross sins but there was a special sin which Elihu had an aym at and which he thought Job gave too much regard unto regard not iniquity that is undue speeches and heart-g udgings or impatient complainings against the proceedings of God with thee that is do not stand so much complaining about what thou sufferest and justifying thy self in what thou hast done expostulate the matter no more with God wish not for the night of death c. This is to regard or turn thy face to iniquity take heed of these things do not regard these evils this kind of iniquity Further when Elihu saith regard not iniquity we are to expound him by these affirmatives slight it turn from it abhor it loath it despise it reject it all these affi matives are contained in that negative regard not Frequently in Scripture negatives intend their contrary affirmatives When that Scripture saith despise not prophesying 1 Thes 5. the meaning is ye shall regard it love iâ— follow it delight in it so on the other hand when this Scripture saith regard not iniquity the meaning is despise and oppose iniquity to the utmost Take heed regard not iniquity From this part of the verse thus opened Observe First It is no easie matter to keep our selves right when things seem to go wrong with us It is a hard thing to forbear iniquity when we are pinched with adversity not to speak unduely and uncomly not to speak amiss of God not to speak unbecoming our selves require â—reat caution in a day of distress We have need to take heed of this iniquity to be watchful in an evil day that we neither do nor say that which is evil When things are amiss with us we are very apt to speak and do amiss As soon as ever the hand of God toucheth us how do we grieve how do we complain how do we murmur how do we repine O regard not this 't is an iniquity to be taken heed of in a dark day in a day of trouble such as was upon Job as black a day was upon him as ever upon any in the world as to his personal condition If such a Cedar failed have not we poor Shrubs reason to look about in such
will part with them on the account of man Only that which God hath taught us abideth with us and that no man can take from us Men may take the life of such a one from him which God hath given him but they cannot take the truth from him which God hath taught him What God teacheth is written as it were with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond it is graven upon the tables of the heart for ever Thus we may in some measure discern who are taught of God and seeing they who are taught of him are so taught we may very well insist upon Elihu's chalenge Who teacheth like him And as there is no teacher like God so neither is there any ruler like God this also is taught us by Elihu as a matter out of question while in the next verse he proceeds to make more questions or two questions more Vers 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro jubere or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity This verse holds out two things First the soveraignty Secondly the integrity of God God is supream in power and he is righteous in the use of his power and therefore O Job thou hast much forgotten both thy self and him in making so many complaints about thy condition which is indeed to enjoyn God his way or prescribe to him how he shall govern the world And seeing no man hath enjoyned God his way who can question him about it what way soever he is pleased to take either with whole Nations or with any of the sons of men Who hath enjoyned him his way or visited him No man hath no man can enjoyn him his way God hath no visitors over him Mr. Broughton renders Who gave him charge over his wayes Like that Chap. 34.13 The way of God is any course which himself taketh either in governing the world in general or any person in particular who shall instruct him about either what or how he shall do whom he shall spare whom he shall punish whose heart he shall soften whose he shall harden whom he shall save whom he shall destroy how he shall teach which way he shall lead in a word how he shall administer justice and order any of his matters all must be bound to and by his Lawes he cannot be bound to or by the lawes and prescripts of any either in works of Judgment or of Mercy either in doing good to and for man or in dealing out of evil Further Who hath enjoyned him his way By the way of God we may understand both the actions of God themselves as also the reasons moving him to those actions As if Elihu had said Who hath taught God what to do Who hath or who can direct him what to do Who may be so bold with God who is the soveraign Lord over all the earth thus to enjoyn him his way Hence note God is the first mover of all that himself doth No man hath shewed him or enjoyned him his way He is the fountain of light he seeth what to do who hath been his counsellor 1 Cor. 2.16 that is no man hath or may instruct him Isa 40.13 Rom. 11.34 Again he is the fountain of power none hath authority to direct him he is above all as he needs not the counsel of any so he receiveth the rule from none I have had occasion more than once in the process of this Book to say somewhat of the soveraignty of God over all creatures and therefore only remind it here Who hath enjoyned him his way Or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity The world is full of iniquity but in God there is none at all As God is not obliged to give any men an account of his works so no man can find any the least real fault or defect in any of them and if his works do not appear so to us now yet at last they will appear to all without any shadow of iniquity Samuel called together the Israelites and demanded 1 Sam. 12.3 Whose oxe have I taken c. Whom have I defrauded c. Come charge me witness against me who can say I have wrought iniquity It was much and a rare thing for Samuel to carry it so justly that none could challenge him but when all the world shall be summoned before God he will be able to put the question Who of all the sons of men can say I have wrought iniquity None can say it but with utmost impudency and highest blasphemy It is impossible for God to work iniquity not only is his Command but his Will totally against it What-ever God works is according to his own Will and his Will is the Rule of Righteousness therefore he can do no iniquity There is no iniqui y in acting or working according to the Law If men act according to their will they usually act iniquity because their will is noâ— a Law and 't is seldome conformed to the Law The will of no man is so right or so fixed in the right as to be received foâ— a Law But seeing what-ever God doth he doth it according to his oâ—n Will and his Will is the righteous Rule of all things therefore all must be right which he doth Who-ever took him tripping in his dealings Who can say he bath wrought iniquity But why doth Elihu speak thus to Job Had he ever said that God works iniquity I answer He had not Yet because he thought God might have done better by good men or have given out that which was more suitable to their estate than such continual sorrows and afflictions as he endured therefore this saying is deservedly imputed to him For it would have become Job and doth every man to say that is best done which God doâ—h and that he hath chosen or pitched upon the best and most proper meanes of doing his own choisest servants good even when 't is worst with them in the world or when he afflicts them with the greatest evils For Who can then say he hath wrought iniquity Hence observe First The infinite purity of God as also his love to righteousness and justice Who though he be so absolute in power that none can call him in question none can enjoyn him his way and therefore none can question him for his way yet he is so perfect in righteousness that no fault can be found in him nor any error in his way Though the Lord hath power to do what he will yet he hath no will to do wrong with his power The Lord neither doth nor can do wrong to those who have to their power continually wronged him And indeed he that hath all power in his hand can have nothing but right in his heart How few are there in power though their way be injoyned to them though they have power meerly by commission from superior powers though their power be such as they are to give an account of yet I say how
a spoon platter oâ— bool or such like utensils which are bowed with a convex and concave superficies it hath also particularly two eminent significations both of which are made use of in this place by Interpreters First it signifieth the hand so we translate it Job 16.17 There is no injustice in my hand The word which here we translate a Cloud is there translated a hand Now the hand we know hath a hollowness or cavity in it unless when it is purposely held forth plaine The second signification is that of the Text a Cloud which is also hollow and as most conclude the same word is put to signifie a hand and a Cloud because Clouds usually â—t the first appearance are but small or like a hand as Elijahs servant repo ted to him after his seventh going to view the Heavens 1 Kings 18.44 Behold a little Cloud like a mans hand In this sence we take it here in our translation Some render With his hand he covereth the light we say With Clouds He covereth the light He covereth or hideth the light that is from our eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Texitâ— abscondiâ— imponendo aliquid quo tegos tanquam operculo vel veste he causeth it to disappear or not to appear to us The wo d notes covering as with a garment or covering with any thing that intercepts and stops the sight and hence by a Trope it is applyed to the pardon of sin Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose sin is covered When the Lord pardons sin he is said to cover it because he will not suffer it to appear against the sinner nor be charged upon him to condemnation As pardon covers sins so Clouds cover the Heavens and when they are covered the light is covered With Clouds he covereth the light The Prophet Jeremy in his Lamentations Chap. 3.44 complained sadly because God who is light had covered himself Thou hast covered thy self with a Cloud that our prayers should not pass through As God doth sometimes cover himself oâ— hide the light of his Countenance from his people as with a cloud that their prayers cannot pass through so he ofâ—en hides or coveâ—s the light of the aire with natural oâ— proper Clouds that the Sun beams for a time cannot pierce noâ— pass through With Clouds he covereth The light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tum lucom tum solem a quo lux vel quia est fons lucu significat The word used by Elihu signifies both light and the Sun which is the fountain from whence light flows and issues yea the word signifies also fire The Sun Moon and Stars are called ignes the fires of heaven because like so many fires or mighty torches they give light to us on earth And by a metaphor the word signifies Joy Comfort all sorts of good things as on the other side by darkness troubles and calamities of all sorts are metaphorically exprest in Scripture With Clouds he covereth the light And commandeth it not to shine by the Cloud that cometh between As if he had said When a Cloud covereth the light 't is the command of God which puts the Cloud as a covering upon it Those words not to shine are not expresly in the Hebrew Text theâ—e it is only thus With Clouds he covereth the light and commandeth it by that which cometh between nor is the word Cloud exprest in the latter part of the verse we put it in as a suppliment in another Character more fully to express the sence of the Text. And commandeth it not to shine The word which we translate to command properly signifies to bid or command a thing to be done Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod significat praecipere quum regit praepositionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat intordicere Pisc but when it stands in construction as here with Gnal it signifieth to forbid or stay a thing that it be not done Gen. 2.16 God commanded the man or concerning the man c. As that command expressed a liberty to eat of every other tree in the Garden so it included a prohibition of eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge which is also expressed at the 17th verse We have a like construction of the word Gen. 28.6 1 Kings 2.43 He commandeth it not to shine By the Cloud that cometh between By that which comeâ—h between or by that which meets it that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occuâ—rit irruit aggressus est per Metaphorâ—m intercessit occurrit deprecandi cauâ—a Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per occurrens sc per occurrenâ—em nubem quaâ—interveniente lucem solu tegit Drus Merc as we supply it by the thick and daâ—k Cloud which meets and intercepts the bright beames of the Sun The root of the word signifies to meet with force not only occurrere but irruere to rush upon to invade to assault or to charge as an enemy is charged in battel and it signifies by a Metaphor to intercede to make prayer or supplication for another which is as iâ— were a coming between man and man An Intercessor cometh between two parties the party offending and the party offended he interposeth himself to make up the breach or to take up the difference that if possible a reconciliation may be made The Latine word which we translate Latinely to intercede is of the same significancy and this Hebrew word is often so rendred Jer. 7.16 Pray not for this people nor make intercession to me that is thou shalt not come between me and this people to stop or stay me that I break not out into wrath or from pouring out my wrath upon them In other Scriptures it is used to note an act of intercession between man and man Gen. 23.8 as also an act of address by prayer and intreaty whether towards God or man Job 21.15 Ruth 1.16 And because the word properly notes meeting another with a kind of violence it intimates with what a holy violence with what strength earnestness and fervency of spirit we ought to meet God either in prayer for our selves or when we come as intercessors and stand before him in the behalf of others whether Persons Nations or Churches Many Interpreters as I shall shew afterward take the word in this sence here for an Intercessor or for a person that prayeth and intercedeth for another We in our translation expound it of a thing and that thing of a Cloud that interposeth or cometh between us and the Light He commandeth the light not to shine by the Cloud that cometh between or by the Cloud that passeth between us and the light of the Sun Hence note First The best and sweetest mercies we have in this world may quickly meet with a stop When we have the Light a Cloud may soon come between the Light and us Which as it is true of the natural Light and Clouds so of that which is Light in a figure our most comfortable enjoyments and that
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
mouth For the close of this matter I shall only adde That though we ought to be affected with the voice of God in his Word as with his voice in Thunder yet let us not stay in that which notes chiefly if not only that dread of God which the word leaves upon our spirits but let us look after and labour for that effect of the Word which like the beames and light of the Sun may warme our hearts with joy and leave strongest impressions of the kindness and favour of God upon them Mr. Forbes opening that Scripture Rev. 14.2 where St. John saith He heard a voice from heaven and that of three sorts First He heard a voice as the voice of many Waters Secondly As the voice of a great Thunder Thirdly He heard the voice of harpers harping wâ—th their harpss Upon consideration of this threefold voice which St. John heard the fore-named worthy Author takes up a meditation to this puâ—pose The word of God saith he hath three degrees of operation in the hearts of men First It comes into mens eares as the sound of many waters which is a kind of confused noise and commonly bringeth neither terror nor joy but a wondering acknowledgment of a strange force and more than humane power as we read of those Mark. 1. who having heard the word of Christ were astonished at his doctrine v. 22. and were all amazed v. 27. insomuch that they questioned among themselves what thing is this what new doctrine is this But knew not what to make of it The second degree is that the Word of God cometh to the ear of man like Thunder which causeth not only wonder but greater astonishment and amazement Both these may be in a wicked prophane person and are often found upon common professors But â—here is a third degree or effect of the Words operation which strictly taken is proper and peculiar to the Elect and that is when the Word heard is as the voice of harpers harping with their harpes that is when the Word doth not only affect us with admiration or strike the heart with astonishment and terrour like the sound of many waters and the voice of Thunder but also filleth it with sweet peace and joy in the Holy Ghost when the Word is like melodious musick to the soul ravishing us with divine delights and raising us up to a heavenly life while we are here sojourning on this earth JOB Chap. 37. Vers 3 4 5. 3. He directeth it under the whole heaven and his Lightning unto the ends of the earth 4. After it a voice roareth he thundereth with the voice of his excellency and he will not stay them when his voice is heard 5. God thundereth marvelously with his voice great things doth he which we cannot comprehend ELihu having shewed in the two former verses how much himself was affected with what God then did or with what himself was about to say concerning the doings of God having also called upon others for due attention and laboured to make the same impression upon their spirits that he found upon his own he proceeds to speak to the special matter First To the workes of God in those terrible fiery Meteors Thunder and Lightning which he doth in the three verses now under discussion and then goeth on to speak of other wonderful works of the wonder-working God in the following part of this Chapter as was before shewed in laying open the whole Vers 3. He directeth it under the whole heaven This verse holds forth the divine guidance of those things which seem most remote from any guidance He directeth it under the whole heaven Here we may consider First In whose hand this guiding power is He that is God directeth it Secondly how far he guideth or the extent of his guiding power 't is not limited but universal far and near even under the heaven and to the ends of the earth There is some variety as of reading so of interpretation about this verse arising from the various significations of that word which we render directeth there is a threefold sence given of it Aliqui a Rabinic◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est resolvere humectare exprimere Hinc September ab illis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tishâ—i dictus qâ—â—si expressoâ—â—â— quod eo â—â—â—se fiat Vindeâ—â—a Merc. First As taken from a root which signifieth to press or sqeeze and so 't is applyed to the pressing of grapes which causeth the juice or liqour of them to flow out And upon that consideration the seventh month of the year our September hath its name among the Jews from this word because then the Vintage being ready the ripe Grapes are gathered and prest into Wine From this notion of the word some render the text thus he presseth or dissolveth it under the whole heaven that is God presseth the Cloud as a bunch of Grapes is pressed these Intepreters make that the antecedâ—nt to it he presseth it that is the Cloud and so causeth it to rain 'T is God who presseth and as I may say squeezeth the Clouds by his power and then showers fall down and distil upon the ea th uâ—der the whole Heaven That 's a tâ—uâ—h and some-where else spoken of in this book wheâ—e we read of Gods melting or pressing the Clouds as we do a bunch of Grapes or a spung so causing them to give forth rain Alii a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intueri respicere considerare quasi Deus omnia sub coelo consideret Sed nec Grammatica convenit tum euim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicendum fuerat nec sensus admodum propter afflâ—â—um Merc. Subier omnes coelos ipse confiderat Vulg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est dirigi re rectificare Secondly Others derive the word from a root that signifieth to behold attentively to behold and consider Thus the latine translator renders it he considereth under the whole heaven that is according to this interpretation there is a Providence of God a wise and an unerring Providence of God at work in all places he considers and takes notice of all things under heaven the least motion of the Creature falls under his inspection He beholdeth or considereth under the whole heavens that 's a truth also yet I conceive with others the Grammar of the Text will not well comply with this reading Therefore Thirdly I conclude our own translation most suitable both to the Original text and to the scope of this whole Chapter Now according to our rendring the word comes from a root which signifieth to set a thing right or strait and from that a person who is right a man of a right spirit who squares and orders his actions by a right rule and to a right end is expressed Chap. 1.1 where Jobs character is given by this word A man perfect and right we say upright that is a man that hath right aimes and walkes by
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
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
God what he is he ever was and ever will be there is neither encrease nor diminution of his strength But because things which are alwayes encreasing grow to a huge bigness and strength therefore he is said to encrease in strength or as our translation imports to excel in power He that excels in power is excellent in power The word rendred power implieth the power of doing the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of activity a power put forth in working he is excellent in power that is in ability to do whatsoever he pleaseth and when 't is said he is excellent in power in this kind of power iâ— notes that the power of God in doing doth wonderfully excel all thaâ— ever he hath done Ejus virtus in infinitum excedit omnes effectus suos Aquin. The effects or acts of the power of God are nothing as I may say to the faculty of his Power he can do more than he hath done He is so far from having over-acted himself I mean from having done more than he can do again which hath been the case of many mighty men and may be the case of any man how mighty a doer soever he is that he can do infinitely more than he hath done if he himself pleaseth he is excellent in power or of excelling power I have as was lately said opened this point of the power of God in other places of this Book whither I refer the Reader yet taking the power of God as the word is properly here intended for his working power Note The working power of God is excellent so excellent that it exceeds the apprehension of man There is a two-fold power of God and in both he is excellent First His commanding power his power of Soveraignty or Authority that 's a most excellent power 't is a power over all whether things or persons Secondly His power of working or effecting that which he commands Some have a power of commanding yet want a power of working they want a power to effect that which they command but whatsoever God hath a mind to command he hath an hand to effect and bring it about he can carry on his work through all the difficulties and deficiencies which it meets with in or by the creature He can do his woâ—k though there be none to help him in it though all forsake him and with-draw from his work yea he often worketh though there be not so much as an Intercessor to move him to work Isa 59.16 He saw that there was no man to do any thing and wondered that there was no Intercessor to entreat him to do somewhat for them Things were in a great exigency and there was not only no man that would put forth a hand but there was no man that would bestow a word for redress no man would bespeak either God or men for help What then must the work stand still or miscarry no saith the text His own arm brought salvation unto him that is set it ready at hand for him to bestow upon his people or his own arm brought that salvation to his people which they greatly needed and he graciously intended though he had not the contribution of a word towards it from any creature here below one or other God alone is self-sufficient and to man All-sufficient Such is the working power of God that he can work not only when he hath but a little help but when he hath no help at all Secondly The excellency of the woâ—king power of God appears in this that he can and will pâ—oduce the desired effect and bring his work to pass though many though all men oppose it and rise up against it though they set both heart and hand wit and will power and pollicy to cross yea to crush it The Lord is so excellent in power that he both can and will do his work through all opposition though mountains stand in his way though rocks stand in his way he will remove them or work through them Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it Neither strength nor craft neither multitude nor magnitude neither the many nor the mighty can lett it if the Lord undertake it Take a double Inference from this First 'T is matter of great comfort to all that fear God in their weakest condition and lowest reducements when they are fatherless and have none to help them As the Lord is excellent in his woâ—king power so he usually takes that time yea stayes that time till his servants are under the greatest disadvantages till they are at worst before he will put forth his power and work The Apostle saith of himself 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong that is then have I the strength of the Lord coming into my help And as it is with respect to particular persons so to the whole generation of his children when they are weak then are they strong that is then they have the strong God the God excellent in power appearing and working for them Secondly This alâ—o is a sad word to all that stand in the way of Gods working power His working power quickly works through all power and can work it down Babylon is a mighty powerful enemy but Rev. 18.8 we read of the downfal of Babylon and that her ruine shall come as in one day But how shall this be effected The answer is given in the close of the verse For strong is the Lord God which Judgeth her Suppose there should be no power in the world strong enough to pull down Babylon yea suppose all the powers in the woâ—ld should stand up foâ— Babylon 't is otherwise prophesied for the Kings of the earth shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and eate her flesh and burn her with fire but suppose I say all earthly power should appear for rather than against Babylon yet this is enough for us to rest in strong is the Lord which Judgeth her He is excellent in power and as it followeth In Judgment This comes in lest any should think because God is so excelent in power so mighty in strength that therefore he would carry things by violence or by meer force as the sons of men the mighty Nimrods of the world somtimes do If they have strength and power to do such or such things they regard not Judgment nor Justice they look not whether right or wrong therefore Elihu when he had said God is excellent in power presently adds and in Judgment As if he had said Though the Lord excel all in power and is able to crush the mightyest as a moth yet he will not oppress any by his power the worst of men shall find the Lord as much in judgment and righteousness as he is in strength and power And therefore O Job be assured God hath not done thee any wrong nor ever will This I conceive to be the scope of Elihu in the connexion of these two
be swallowed up shewed in three things 594. How we may speak to him and not be swallowed up unless in his love 594. How God cannot be found out 614. In what he cannot be found out shewed several wayes 615 616. Three inferences from it 617. Power of God excellent two wayes 619. God cannot be seen 650 Godly not alwayes sensible of their defects and failings in grace 128 Good men apt to make sad conclusions against themselves 105 Good doing good They consult their own good best who do most good 248. Three fruites of doing good 248 Gospel light how it hath removed or been taken from many places 421. Grace free to the best and wisest 649 Greatness the great God is no enemy to greatneâ—s aâ— such 182. The greatness of God wherein 369. Several inferences from the greatness of God both for direction and consolation 369 H Hand of God and man how they differ 41. Hand and strength signified by the same word 478 Hard things easie to God 465 Hearing twofold 440 Hearer a good hearer of the word may sâ—metimes want an awakening word 524. Patience necessary in a good hearer and that in a double respect 525. Composure of Spirit necessary in a hearer 527 Heaven how to be looked upon 26 27. The Heavens are a divine glass a natural Alphabet c. 28. Heavens declare five things concerning God 20 Heavens are strong and transparent 570. Heavens as a looking-glass how 571. In the Heavens we may see God in five of his excellencies 571 572. In them we may see our selves 572 573. Heedfulness how necessary 318. Five things to be heeded 319 Hell how both large and streight 281. Hidings of God the lot sometimes of good men 105 Hypocrite an hypocriâ—e in heart who meant by it shewed in three particulars 257 258. The bad condition of a hypocrite in heart set out in three things 259. The hypocrite in heart growes w rse by affliction 261. Policies of hypocrites will avail them nothing 262. God extreamly angry with them 262 263. Hypocâ—ites humble not themselves though God humble them 265. The closest hypocrite shall fare no better than the deboistest sinner 273. I Jerusalem warning of its ruine by the Romans 425 Ignorance what ignorance inconsistent with godliness 253. Heedless ignorance an undoing to many 255. Ignorance is darkness 581. Six things which a man cannot see how to order because of the darkness of ignorance 581 582. Three inferences from it 582 583. Duties arising from this notion of ignorance 583 584. Much darkness of ignorance remains in the best while in this world 584. Three inferences from it 585. Ignorance is a great hindrance in our approaches to God 585 Impatience and distrust provoking sins 121. Hard to keep from impatience in hard times 320. Impatience our sin though troubles great 321 327 Impenitent persons their danger 304 Iniquity and a vaine thing expressed by the same word 233 234 319. To have any regard to iniquity is the marâ— of a wicked man 322 Intercession what it is 419 Judging it is our duty tâ— judge our selves 99. Three things required to a right self judging 99 100. Selâ— judging preserves us from rash judging the wayes of God or his dealings with us 100. Self judging keeps us humble 101. Judging or to judge taken three wayes in Scripture 411 Judges blind two wayes 628 Judgment taken three wayes in Scripture 108. Judgment of the wicked in what sense a good man may be said to fulfill it 290 291. Judgment day terrible to sinners 610. Judgment taken four wayes in Scripture how God excels in every one of them 621. Why God doth not presently execute judgments upon the wicked 625 Julians purpose of having the Temple at Jerusalem rebuilt prevented by an earthquake and thunder 461 Justice of God 108 109. God is righteous though it appear nâ—t 110. That God is just should cause us to trust him 114. Justice and Judgment how or whether they differ 292. There is no avoiding divine Justice 294. Justice a scarce commodity among men 626. Plenty of Justice in God shewed five wayes 627 628. Two Inferences from it 629 K Key of the Cl uds in Gods hand 391 Know to kâ—ow taken three wayes 127. Nâ—t to know or we know not signifieth two things 465. It is a shame not to know some things 538. It is a presumption to seek the knowledge of other things 538 Knowledge not to do according to what we know is very shamful 82 Knâ—wledge fetcht from afar what 143 144. Knowledge is worth our longest travel 146. What the perfection of knowledge is or who is perfect in knowledge 157 158. Knâ—wledge of God 175 176. In what sence a good man may dy without knowledge 253 254. In what sence God is not known by any 373 374. Inferences from it 355. Yet this must not discourage us in seeking after the knowledge of God nor wâ—ll it excuse any who neglect to know him 376. Men know little of the works or wayes of God 538. Knowledge but in part here 584 L Land what Land God especially owns as his 517 Law no iniquity in acting according to Law 346 Life shortness of it 382. Yet man hath an Eternity to wait for 382 Light within us of great force 5. How that Principle is abused 6. Light God loves to entitle himself to Light 410. Light about seven things needful in those who come to God in any duty 585. Light properly not seen 596. Light of â—ods countenance sometimes hidden 598 Lightning what it is 449. Two things wonderful in it 449. The swiftness of it 451 Look and see what thâ—se two words joyned impâ—rt 24 Looking-glass how the heavens are so 57â— Love to God should be great because he is great 370 Luthers godly â—ear and resolution 288 Luthers meditation upon a Cloud 405. Luther saw a circular Rain-bâ—w 543. His opinion when the Rain-bow began 544 M Magistrates why called shâ—elds in Scripture not swords 61 Mâ—gnifying of God two wayes 350 Our magnifying the works of God a mâ—st necessary duty 358. How or when we magnifie the works of â—od shewed in five things 359 360 Five sorts faile in magnifying the works of God 365 366. Three mâ—tives to it 367 Majesty and glory of â—od man not able to bear it 592. Majesty of God 606. It is terrible 607. Two inferences from it 608 Mâ—ker God is so to us three wayes 65 68. It is good to look to God as our Maker at all times specially in afflicton 67. Five duties from the consideration that God is our Maker 68. God is to be honoured as our Maker 150. The Maker of all men can be unrighteous to no man 151 Meditation two things should be the daily Meditation of a Christian 241 Meekness to be high in Power and meek in Spâ—rit shews a God like Spirit 172 Mâ—n in what sence all men are alike 50. Shewed in fâ—ur things 50. Men of twâ— sorts 353 Mercies of God unless we are bettered by
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
as well as found and orthodox I will speak the truth and speak it in truth Some speak that which is false as I may say in the sincerity of their heart thinking it to be true and others speak truth in the falseness of their heart that is they have some by ends in speaking it from both those Elihu here clears himself and with both these Job had taxed his Friends Chap. 13.7 Chap. 17.5 Hence observe It is the highest Commendation of a Speaker to speak truth and the higher the Truth the higher the Commendation of the Speaker Words can have no greater beauty nor richer ornament than Truth and Truth is never more adorn'd than by plainness of Speech nor more beautiful than when like our first Parents in innocency 't is naked To speak truly is much more honourable than to speak eloquently one plain word of plain truth is better than a long painted Oration tinctured with the least errour What then are long Orations and large Volumes which have upon the matter as many errours as words as many lyes and flatteries as Periods and Sentences at best some in putting off their words do as others in putting off their wares mingle good and bad together 'T is dangerous to make such medlies As we must not put bad for good darkness for light bitter for sweet falshood for Truth so we must not blend or put bad among the good nor mix darkness with light nor falshood with Truth And as 't is dangerous to mix any falshood of Doctrine with Truth so to mix falshood of Heart with Truth of Doctrine or to speak Truth but not in truth The Apostle is zealous in protesting against falshood and professing for the Truth in both these respects First as to the truth of the Doctrine or of the matter spoken 2 Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which corrupt or deal deceitfully with the Word of God we do not adulterate or mix it with our own imaginations or inventions which he further confirms Chap. 4.2 We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty c. Secondly As he spake truth of Doctrine so he spake it in the truth of his heart as he assured the Corinthians in both the places last mentioned we are not only no corrupters of the Word of God but as of sincerity there 's truth of heart as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ And again We walk not in craftiness nor handle the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God He makes a protest yet once more in the same tenour and somewhat higher 2 Cor. 13.8 We can do nothing against the Truth O blessed Impotency but for the Truth O blessed Ability Who would not be weak against the Truth who would not be strong for the Truth which is strongest of all and will prevail And as we should speak nothing against the Truth so nothing but the Truth nothing beside the Truth nothing that may be any blemish or turn to the least disservice of the Truth yea though it should be as we hope for the service of that excellent and amiable thing called Peace a thing so excellent that we cannot over-bid nor pay too much for it unless we part with and pay away truth for it and if ever we do so we over-bid for it and over-buy it indeed and shall have cause at last to repent of our bargain and cry out we have burnt our Fingers and it would be well if that were all Therefore let us remember the Lords admonition by his Prophet Zech. 8.19 Love the Truth and Peace First Truth then Peace Nor was there ever any true Lover of Truth that was not also a Lover of Peace nor any true Lover of Peace but was such a Lover of Truth that he could lay down or let go his Peace for it One of the Ancients tells us Tantus sit in te veritatis amor ut quicquid dixeris juratum putes Hieron There ought to be so great a love of Truth in us that whatsoever we say to be true should be as much as if we had sworn it to be true or had delivered it upon Oath There is no more goodness in what we say than there is Truth in what we say A Lye in report or Discourse and a Lye in Doctrine or Dispute are both abominable to God and should be so to man therefore Elihu heartily disclaims it Truly my words shall not be false He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee This Assertion suits well with the fore-going Protestation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Integer scientiarum vel integer scientis Heb. He that is perfect in knowledge will not cannot utter words of falshood But who is that and where to be found Some understand it of God He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee that is God is with thee in this business and without all controversie it may be said of God in the highest and strictest sense of Peâ—fection He is perfect in knowledge The Lord is a God of knowledge 1 Sam. 2.3 as well as 〈◊〉 God of mercy he is as knowing as he is merciful perfect in both Taking the Text so 't is as if Elihu had said Thou hadst need O Job look to thy self and diligently attend to what is spoken for thou hast not to do with man with one like thy self only but thou hast to do with God Some insist much yea altogether upon this Interpretation of the word God is with thee therefore receive truth God cannot be deceiv'd nor doth he deceive therefore hearken and obey Yet Elihu might speak thus with respect to the message brought by himself for when man speaking in the Name of God speaks the mind of God to us it may be said God is with us and speaks to us by him The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 13.5 If any require a Sign or Token of Christ speaking in me Christ speaks while his Messengers and Ministers speak truth The same Apostle testified of the Thessalonians that they took his speaking as Gods speaking 1 Thess 2.13 When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God And therefore I conceive we are to understand the words of Elihu concerning Elihu himself yet not as in himself but as fitted for and assisted in the work by God He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee As if he had said Though I am but a young man yet thou hast not to deal with an ignorant man with one who is but a novice or smatterer in the things of God with one that is yet in the Elements of Divine knowledge and learning He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee And it is conceiv'd that Elihu speaks thus in the third person for Modesties sake as the Apostle Paul also did 2 Cor.
12.2 3. I knew a man in Christ c. He doth not say I Paul was caught up to the third Heaven and heard unspeakable words c. but I knew such a man Thus Elihu here and doubâ—less he had been lyable to censure as arrogating too much to himself had he spoken in the first person I that am perfect in knowledge am with thee Therefore he covers and conceals himself by expressing it in the third person He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee that is He that is with thee to convince thee of thy former errour and to give thee better counsel is perfect in knowledge But is that true was Elihu or is any man perfect in knowledge or as the Hebrew haâ—h it plurally in knowledges that is in all kinds of knowledge or in all the degrees of knowledge of any kind Surely No man is perfect in the knowledge of any one thing much less of all things 1 Cor. 13.9 12. We know in part and prophesie in part we see but darkly c. How then can it be said of Elihu He is perfect in knowledge I answer There is a twofold perfection First Absolute Secondly Comparative There 's no man living here below hath absolute perfection of knowledge yet one man being compar'd with another may be said to be perfect in knowledge another not There are various degrees of knowledge in man the highest degree of knowledge compar'd with the lowest may be call'd perfect knowledg Thus we are to understand Elihu speaking at the rate of a creature not of God or as becomes and is commensurable with the state of man in this life whose best perfection in knowledge is to know his own imperfections Secondly Elihu speaks not of any perfection of knowledge but of being perfect that is sincere in knowledge As if he had said What I know I know with an honest upright heart and intention I do not know to abuse thee or others I make not use of my knowledge to deceive the simple but to inform them Some are crafty and cunning in knowledge not perfect in it they are knowing as the Devil is knowing who takes his name Daemon from his knowledge yet he is not perfect but corrupt in his knowledge he is subtil and full of devices to do mischief with his knowledge That 's perfect knowledge which is sincerely imployed for the Glory of God and the good of those with whom we have to do So then the meaning of Elihu may be summ'd up thus in short He that is with thee that is my self will deal with thee to the best of my understanding and in the Integrity of my heart This also suits well with the former part of the verse Truly my words shall not be false Hence Note First Though no man knoweth all things yet some know much more than others One is a Babe and needs milk another is a grown Christian and can not only receive but give the strong meat of instruction Heb. 5.13 14. Some cannot understand wisdome when spoken by the perfect they know not how to learn yea some as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 3.7 are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Others can speak wisdome among them that are perfect 2 Cor. 2.6 that is they are got to the highest Form of Gospel knowledge and are fit to be Teachers Secondly Note Whether we know little or much this is the perfection of our knowledge honestly to imploy and improve it for the information of the ignorant and the conviction of those who are in errour If we have but one Talent of knowledge yet if we use it well we are perfect in knowledge They who have digged as they think to the heart and dived to the bottom of all Sciences yea into the heart of the Scriptures too yet if they keep their knowledge to themselves or know only for themselves if they have base ends and by respects in vending their knowledge if they trade with their knowledge for self only or to do mischief to others their knowledge is not only utterly imperfect but as to any good account nothing or none at all As he that slothfully hides his Talent so he who either vain-gloriously shews it or deceitfully useth it shall be numbred among those who have none Math. 25.29 Luke 8.18 Lastly Elihu speaking of himself in a third person Note Modesty is a great vertue and the grace of all our Graces He that saith I am perfect in knowledge knoweth not what is neerest him himself We should use our knowledge as much as we can but shew it as little as we can unless in the using of it 'T is best for us to take little notice of our own goodness and not to know our own knowledge Usually they have but little who are much in shewing unless much called to it what they have Empty Vessels sound most and shallow Brooks make the loudest noyse in passage Moses put a Vail upon his face as unwilling to have that Divine beauty seen While we are provoked and even necessitated to discover our knowledge we should cover our selves It is our duty to impart our knowledge but our folly to pâ—oclaim it Thus far Elihu hath been preparing his Patient Job to receive his Medicinal instructions he is now ready to administer them for the cure and quieting of his distempered mind JOB Chap. 36. Vers 5 6. 5. Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any he is mighty in strength and wisdome 6. He preserveth not the life of the wicked but giveth right to the poor ELihu having done prefacing proceeds to the matter of his discourse wherein he giveth a large description of the power wisdome and Justice of God in his disposure and government of the world First In things Civil which he prosecutes to the 26th verse of this Chapter Secondly In things Natural which he handles to the 23d verse of the following Chapter He begins in these two verses with an excellent Elogium or with the high praise of God in his divine perfections into which he leads us with a command of attention or serious consideration yea of wonder and admiration Vers 5. Behold God is mighty I have several times opened the sense and intendment of this word Behold and therefore will not stay upon it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnus grandis potens id est potentissimus But what are we to behold what is the sight which Elihu represents to our faith it is God in his might Behold God is mighty God is strong potent omnipotent God is mighty yea Almighty The words are a plain assertion of that royal Attribute the Mightiness or Almightiness the Potency or Omnipotency of God Elihu promised to ascribe righteousness unto God his Maker yet here he begins with his Mightiness and this we find often both ascribed to God and asserted by him When God made a Covenant with Abraham he thus offers himself to his faith though