make our lives comfortable to us I answer Secondly This promise or promises of a like nature were fitted to the time wherein Elihu spake he spake of the times long before Christs appearing in the flesh when the Lord did as it were lead on his people very much by promises of temporal and outward prosperity of which the Scripture is more sparing in the new Testament where we are come to the fulness of Christ and the riches of the grace of God to us in him of which there is but liâ—tle comparatively spoken in the old Testament And therefore under that darker dispensation of spirituals the Lord saw it good to encourage that people to obedience by a multitude of very particular outward promises as we may read Deut. 28. He would bless their basket and their store the fruit of the field c. These promises were suted to the state of that under-age people who were led on and enticed by visible and sensible blessings as we do children with toyes and Gaudees and indeed all visible enjoyments are but such in comparison of spirituals Believers under the Gospel being come to a higher state to fuller attainments the promises made to them run not much in that channel yet it cannot be denied that the Gospel also holds out promises for temporals as well as the Law and this latter dispensation of the Covenant as well as the former hath provided sufficiently for our outward comforts Thirdly For answer let us consider the drift of the Spirit of God in this promise of pleasure Job had often complained of his own sorrowfull condition and concluded himself a man of sorrow for all the remainder of his dayes though his faith was strong for the resurrection of his body after death yet he had little if any faith at all that he should be raised out of that miserable estate wherein he was in this life He also had spoken somewhat rashly and amiss concerning the dealings of God with his servants in general as if nothing but trouble and sorrow did attend them and that the wicked went away with all the sweet and good of this world Now Elihu to take him off from these sad and almost despairing thoughtâ— as to the return of his own comforts and to rectifie his judgement in the general poynt as to the dealings of God with others he assureth Job that if righteous men being bound in fetters c. hear and obey God will break those bonds and cut the cords of their affliction and they shall spend the remainder of their dayes in prosperity and the rest of their years in pleasures So that Elihu in holding out this promise to Job would rather clear his judgement from an error concerning the lastingness or continuance of his pains and sorrows than heat his affections in the expectation of joyes and pleasures in this world Fourthly I answer Though the people of God have nor alwayes dayes of such outward prosperity nor years of such sensitive pleasures yet they have that which is better and if they have no pleasures they do not want them The Apostle could say Phil. 4.11 I have learned in what state scever I am therewith to be content What is pleasure if content be not We may have outward pleasures yet no content but he that hath content within cannot miss of pleasure A man may have riches but no contentment but he that hath contentment is very rich 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness with contentment is great gaine and great gaine is prosperity this great gaine this heart-pleasure or soul-rest contentment is the assured portion of those who obey and serve the Lord what-ever their outward portion be in this world And he may be said to spend his dayes in good and his years in pleasure who hath these pure gaines of gracious contentment resting the soul in God in all conditions The life of man that is the comfort of his life doth not consist in the abundance of that which he possesseth Luke 12.15 or in sense-pleasures but in that sweet composure and sedateness of his soul resting by faith in the promises of God or rather in the God of the promises and so sucking sweetness from them Lastly As though a servant of God should be exercised with sorrows all the dayes of his life yet he cannot be said to spend his dayes in sorrow because he meets with many refreshing intervalls and shines of favour from the face of God in the midst of those clouds so he may be said to spend his dayes in pleasure because at least when his dayes here are spent he consummates his dayes which is one signification of the word by an entrance into everlasting pleasures So much for the answer of these questions concerning this promise They shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasure From the promise it self Note Fiâ—st Obedience to God is profitable to man God hath no profit by our Obedience but we have God doth not call us to serve him in his work as we call servants to do our work to get his living by us or better himself no the Lord calls us to serve him and obey him for our own good They consult their own good best who do most good I may say these three things of those who do good and what is serving God but doing of good or what is doing good but serving God First they shall receive true good Secondly they shall for ever hold the best good the chief good they shall not only spend their dayes and years in good but when their dayes and years are spent they shall have good and a greater good than any they had in spending the dayes and years of this life they shall have good in death they shall come to a fuller enjoyment of God the chief Good when they have left and let fall the possession of all earthly goods Thirdly they that do good shall find all things working together for their good if they have a loss they shall receive good by it if they bear a Cross that shall bear good Outward troubles cannot disturb much less pollute our spiritual good for All things work together for good to them that love God who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Surely then the service of God is a gainful service a profitable service though the work may be hard and the way painful yet the wages will be sweet and the end pleasant The contemplation of this put David upon putting that question Psal 34.12 13. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good that is that he may enjoy good keep thy tongue from evil and thy mouth that it speak no guile depart from evil and do good The Psalmist makes Proclamation What man is he that would have good let him do good let him obey and serve God and he shall have good Again Consider the Promise in relation to the Persons described vers 8 9 10. They
c. Secondly he applies it by way of conviction that as yet surely he was unhumbled because still under the afflicting hand of God vers 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked judgement and justice take hold on thee So much concerning the state of these three verses in general I shall now go on to open them in order Verse 15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traxit exiraoeit detrâ—xit in piet extraxit ex aerumuâ— miseria ericulo or he pulls the poor out of affliction That is the sense of the word and the work of God We find the word used to signifie the pulling or drawing off of the shoo Deut. 25.19 As the shoo is tied or buckled to the foot and must be loosed before it can with any ease be drawn off Chalatz and lachatz two contraries save and undoe are sweetly used â—y Elihu in this verse Brough so afflâ—ctions are tyed to us till the Lord unlooseth and draweth them off from us or us from them To draw out of trouble or to draw us out of trouble is deliverance David expresseth himself by that word Psal 6.4 Return O Lord deliver or draw my soul that is me out of the enemies hand or out of the trouble which compasseth me about and is ready like deep waters to swallow me up He delivereth The poor in his affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est vox conjugata pauperum a paupertate miserum a miseria Pined Who are meant by the poor hath been shewed before I shall not stay upon it here only consider there are poor as to their outward state and poor as to their inward state that is first poor in spirit which is a blessed poverty and secondly poor in spirituals which is a miserable poverty The two former sorts of poor especially when joyned in one are here intended He delivereth the poor in his affliction or in his poverty There is a great elegancy in the Hebrew text 't is a word of the same root which signifieth the poor who are delivered and the affliction in which or out of which he or they are delivered We may translate the text thus he delivereth the poor in his poverty that is when he is in his poverty or affliction the Lord delivereâ—h him out of his poverty or affliction if poverty be his affliction oâ— whatsoever affliction comes under the name of poverty Hic ב redditur per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de ex the Lord delivereth him out of it I have upon other passages of this book spoken of this deliverance yet shall touch it here again because we ought always to remember it we are often in affliction often in trouble and therefore we have need ofâ—en to be put in mind and continually to bear in mind that God is a deliverer the deliverer of his people from or out of afflictions He delivereth the poor in his affliction Hence Note Deliverance is the work of God As â—he poor cannot deliver themselves in affliction so neither can the rich deliver the poor by his riches nor the strong by his power nor the wise man by his wisdom craft or pollicy The Lord often useth the help of man creature help in delivering the poor out of afflâ—ctions yet the whole effect is here and every where in Scripture attributed to God He delivereth the poor Deliverance of any soâ—t is of God yet more especially some sort of deliverances are as Nebuchadnezzar confessed Dan. 3.29 who whâ—n those three Worthies were delivered out of the fiery furnace maâ—e a decree that every People Nation and Language which spake any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach Meshach aâ—d Abednego should be cut in pieces c. and he did it upon this ground because saith he there is no other God that can deliver after this sort He had an opinion that his god could deliver but he appropriated the glory of that deliverance to their God there is no god can deliver after this sort no god but the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego can check and stop the rage of fire and b ing out those unburnt who are cast into the burning That 's the first thing Deliverance is of the Lord. Secondly He delivereth the poor Note The lowest and meanest are the objects of deliverance When it 's worst with us then usually God cometh in He will be seen in the Mount and provide at a pinch he loves to do for us when we can do nothing for our selve Take the poor in any notion but especially for such as being destitute of all help and means of deliverance are also poor in spi it not trusting to any help or humane arm these these are the persons whom the Lord delights to deliver and herefore God is so often spoken of in Scriptu e as espousing the cause and quarrel of the Widow and the Fatherless Thirdly From the manner of expression He delivereth the poor in affliction Note They who are not delivered from affliction may yet be delivered in affliction God doth not alwayes deliver his People from affliction either not suffering affliction to fall upon them or presently bringing them out of affliction but he is engaged by promise to deliver them in affliction and this he doth sometimes by checking the affliction that it shall not hurt them sometimes by enabling them to bear yea to conquer the affliction how much soever it hurts them He delivered those in the third of Daniel in the fiery fuâ—nace by checking the fire that it should not hurt them and Daniel in the Lions den by checking the hungry Lyons that they did not devour him He delivered Job and David and Jeremie and the Apostles and all the Martyrs who loved not their lives to the death for the testimony of Jesus by causing them to glory in and triumph over all their tribulations He delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth their ears in oppression What 's meant by opening the ear was shewed at the 10th verse of this Chapter and at the 16th verse of the thirty third Yet consider somewhat in the words anew And openeth their ear The Hebrew copulative particle which we render and is often in that language used to denote a season or special time and then it is rendred by when thus here he delivereth the poor in affliction when he hath opened their ears by or in oppression Thus also Psal 139.16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them The Hebrew is and not one in them as if he had said God had a full Idea or platform of Davids b dy before it was framed so here he delivereth the poor in affliction and openeth or when he hath opened their ears in oppression that is taught them effectually to make a good use of their afflictions We may
that thou magnifie his works I shall not stay upon that other reading Remember that thou art ignorant of his work The same word which we translate Memento quod ignores opus ejus Vulg. Hieronimus confundit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potius errare quam ignorare significat Drus to magnifie with the variation of a point signifieth to erre hence that translation There is a profitable sense in it for indeed the best knowledge which we have of the work of God may be called ignorance and we said to be ignorant of that work which we are most knowing in Yet because this is straining of the Text I pass it by and keep to our own rendring Remember that thou magnifie His work What work Here is no work specified therefore I answer First All the workes of God are here included Magnify his work What-ever is a work of God what-ever hath the stamp and inscription of God upon it see that thou magnifie it Secondly and more specially We may undeâ—stand this work of God to be the work of Creation Hujus mundi opificium intelligo Bold the goodly structure and fabrick of this visible world and indeed that 's a work so great and magnificent that it ought to be continually remembred and magnified Thirdly Others restrain it more narrowly to that part of the work of God which is eminent in the heavenly meteors and wonderful changes in the air together with the motions and influences of the stars of which we shall find Elihu discoursing at large like a divine Philosopher in the next Chapter There are strange works of God in these lower heavens where those meteors are born and brought forth Remember to magnifie those works Fourthly I rather conceive though such works of God are afterward spoken of that Elihu intends the work of Providence in both the appearances of it as it is a white or black work as it is for good or for evil as it is in judgment or in mercy A modern Interpreter pitcheth upon the former and upon one particular of the former as if Elihu had directly led Jobs thoughts back to the Deluge that work of God in bringing the Flood upon the old woâ—ld and if we can but go back and honour God for his past works of Providence we shall magnifie him for his present As if Elihu had said Thou complainest that thou art overflowed with a deluge of afflictions but doest thou remember how God destroyed the whole world at once in the universal flood But though I think that may be taken in among other works yet to restraine it to that is a great deal too narrow for this Text. Therefore under this work of God we may comprehend any great work of God which is upon record or which we have heard of wherein he hath shewed his power wisdome and justice Remember his work The work of providence Those works of providence which are afflictive have a great place in this Text because the person spoken to was one in an afflicted condition And I conceive Elihu directs Job not so much to magnifie God for the day of prosperity and Sun-shine which he once had as for the day of adversity and darkness which then covered him Remember that thou magnifie his work Which men behold Which the sons of Enosh behold saith Mr Broughton But the word Sons is not in the Text there 't is only men or weak men The word which we translate to behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a double signification and that hath caused a double translation It signifieth first to sing secondly De quo cecinerunt viri Quod laudaruni justi viri Chald to see or behold It is translated by several in the former sense Remember that thou magnifie his work whereof men have sang The Chaldee Paraphrase saith For which just men have given praise in Psalmes and songs Beholding fully a good thing and praising it or praising God for it go together as Mr Broughtons glosse expresseth it out of Ramban Gracious and holy men do not only speak but sing the wonderful works of God And that praises were in song or verse both the Scriptures and many ancient Authors testifie God works and men sing the praises of God for his works as Moses David and Deborah did And we find all the Saints Rev. 15.3 singing praises to the Lord for the great work which he will do in bringing forth Judgement to perfection upon Babylon Thus it is a truth the work of God is to be sung and set forth in meeter or in verse We take the other translation Which men behold which with respect to that which followeth v 25. where both expressions refer to the eye is I conceive most proper Magnifie the work of God which men behold As if Elihu had said O Job I advise thee to leave off searching into the secrets of God and set thy self to consider and magnifie those works of God which are plain and lye open to every mans eye The word rendred Behold may note both a transient and an intense or fixt beholding to look wishly as we say to look fastning the eye solicitously yea it imports not only to behold with the eye of the body but with the eye of the mind Some Interpreters put an Emphasis upon the word men Quae viderunt non hominos sed viri praestantes ut sit nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic alibi in loco ubi non sunt viri virum te praesta Drus as noting excellent men vertuous men men of vertue in their qualities and of excellency in theiâ— abilities such are men indeed worthy men worthy the name of man as it hath been said of old Where there are no men do thou play the man act and speak like a man Some men have nothing but the outside of a man This is a good notion For good men holy men men of divine excellency are most quick-sighted and quick-sented First espying the appearances of God in any of his providences and then making a due improvement of them Therefoâ—e saith Elihu magnifie his work which men that is holy and good men behold and take notice of David speaking of the woâ—ks of God in that notable place Psal 92.6 saith A brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this that is such a one as he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non tam exâ—ellentes quam miâ—â—â— et pleiâ—â—â—s vâ—â— omnes â—â—mmo homines significat cannot behold the work of God And therefore it is more than a cri icisme to restraine the word men to men of this sort yet it must be granted that the word signifies not only excellent men but any sort of men whether wise or foolish rich or poor and the weake sort of men more specially than the stronger and more noble in any kind And to take the word in that universality as compassing and
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